Form of Registration Rights Agreement

EX-10.2 5 f8k101717ex10-2_meridian.htm FORM OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

Exhibit 10.2

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

This REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of October__, 2017, is by and among Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc., a New York corporation (the “Company”), and each of the undersigned buyers (each, a “Buyer,” and collectively, the “Buyers”).

 

RECITALS

 

A.  In connection with the Securities Purchase Agreement by and among the parties hereto, dated as of the date hereof (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”), the Company has agreed, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Securities Purchase Agreement, to issue and sell to each Buyer units consisting of (i) shares of Preferred Stock (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement), (ii) Warrants (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement) to purchase Common Stock, (iii) shares of Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of the Preferred Stock (“Preferred Shares”) and exercise of the Warrants (“Warrant Shares”), and (iv) additional shares of Common Stock.

 

B.  To induce the Buyers to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Securities Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide certain registration rights under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, or any similar successor statute (collectively, the “1933 Act”), and applicable state securities laws.

 

AGREEMENT

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants contained herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each of the Buyers hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Definitions.

 

Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Securities Purchase Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

(a)   “Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which commercial banks in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed.

 

(b)   “Closing Date” shall have the meaning set forth in the Securities Purchase Agreement.

 

(c)   “Company Counsel” means Lucosky Brookman LLP.

 

(d)   “Effective Date” means the date that the applicable Registration Statement has been declared effective by the SEC.

 

 

(e)   “Effectiveness Deadline” means (i) with respect to the initial Registration Statement required to be filed pursuant to Section 2(a), the earlier of the (A) 90^th calendar day after the Filing Deadline (or the 120^th calendar day after the Filing Deadline in the event that such Registration Statement is subject to Full Review by the SEC), and (B) the fifth day after the date the Company is notified (orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the SEC that such Registration Statement will not be reviewed or will not be subject to further review, and (ii) with respect to any additional Registration Statements that may be required to be filed by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, the earlier of the (A) 90th calendar day following the date on which the Company was required to file such additional Registration Statement and (B) the fifth day after the date the Company is notified (orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the SEC that such Registration Statement will not be reviewed or will not be subject to further review.

 

(f)   “Filing Deadline” means (i) with respect to the initial Registration Statement required to be filed pursuant to Section 2(a), the 10^th calendar day after the effective date of a registration statement registering the resale of all shares of Common Stock issued or issuable pursuant to the Company Series D Preferred Stock financing, and (ii) with respect to any additional Registration Statements that may be required to be filed by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, the date on which the Company was required to file such additional Registration Statement pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

 

(g)   “Full Review” in respect of any Registration Statement shall mean an instance where the staff of the SEC does not inform the Company either that the Registration Statement will not be reviewed or that such review will be on a limited, monitor or expedited (or other similar) basis.

 

(h)   “Investor” means a Buyer or any transferee or assignee of any Registrable Securities, Preferred Stock or Warrants, as applicable, to whom a Buyer assigns its rights under this Agreement and who agrees to become bound by the provisions of this Agreement in accordance with Section 9 and any transferee or assignee thereof to whom a transferee or assignee of any Registrable Securities or Warrants, as applicable, assigns its rights under this Agreement and who agrees to become bound by the provisions of this Agreement in accordance with Section 9.

 

(i)   “Person” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization or a government or any department or agency thereof.

 

(j)   “register,” “registered,” and “registration” refer to a registration effected by preparing and filing one or more Registration Statements in compliance with the 1933 Act and pursuant to Rule 415 and the declaration of effectiveness of such Registration Statement(s) by the SEC.

 

 

(k)   “Registrable Securities” means (i) the Warrant Shares, (ii) the additional shares of Common Stock, (iii) the Preferred Shares, and (iv) any capital stock of the Company issued or issuable with respect to the Preferred Stock, the Warrant, or any other shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to the Transaction Documents, including without limitation, (1) as a result of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, exchange or similar event or otherwise and (2) shares of capital stock of the Company into which the shares of Common Stock (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement) are converted or exchanged and shares of capital stock of a Successor Entity (as defined in the Warrants) into which the shares of Common Stock are converted or exchanged, in each case, without regard to any limitations on exercise of the Warrants and the Certificate of Designation with respect to the Preferred Stock provided, however, that Registrable Securities shall not include any securities of the Company that have previously been registered and remain subject to a currently effective registration statement or which have been sold to the public either pursuant to a registration statement or Rule 144, or which have been sold in a private transaction in which the transferor’s rights under this Section 1 are not assigned, or which may be sold immediately without registration under the Securities Act and without volume restrictions pursuant to Rule 144.

 

(l)   “Registration Statement” means a registration statement or registration statements of the Company filed under the 1933 Act covering Registrable Securities.

 

(m)   “Required Holders” means the holders of at least a majority of the Registrable Securities.

 

(n)   “Required Registration Amount” means the Registrable Securities required to be registered hereunder.

 

(o)   “Response Deadline” means the date which is ten (10) calendar days after receipt of a letter of comment or telephonic comments from the SEC.

 

(p)   “Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated by the SEC under the 1933 Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, or any other similar or successor rule or regulation of the SEC that may at any time permit the Investors to sell securities of the Company to the public without registration.

 

(q)   “Rule 415” means Rule 415 promulgated by the SEC under the 1933 Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, or any other similar or successor rule or regulation of the SEC providing for offering securities on a continuous or delayed basis.

 

(r)   “SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor thereto.

 

2. Registration.

 

(a)   Mandatory Registration. The Company shall prepare and, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than the Filing Deadline, file with the SEC an initial Registration Statement on Form S-3 covering the resale of all of the Registrable Securities, or the largest amount thereof permissible; provided that such initial Registration Statement shall register for resale at least the number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Required Registration Amount as of the date such Registration Statement is initially filed with the SEC. Such initial Registration Statement, and each other Registration Statement required to be filed pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, shall contain (except if otherwise directed by the Required Holders) the “Selling Stockholders” and “Plan of Distribution” sections in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A. The Company shall use its best efforts to have such initial Registration Statement, and each other Registration Statement required to be filed pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, declared effective by the SEC as soon as practicable.

 

(b)   [intentionally omitted]

 

(c)   Sufficient Number of Shares Registered. In the event the number of shares available under any Registration Statement is insufficient to cover all of the Registrable Securities required to be covered by such Registration Statement or an Investor’s allocated portion of the Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2(f), the Company shall amend such Registration Statement (if permissible), or file with the SEC a new Registration Statement (on the short form available therefor, if applicable), or both, so as to cover at least the Required Registration Amount as of the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the filing of such amendment or new Registration Statement, in each case, as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than fifteen (15) days after the necessity therefor arises (but taking account of any Staff position with respect to the date on which the Staff will permit such amendment to the Registration Statement and/or such new Registration Statement (as the case may be) to be filed with the SEC). The Company shall use its best efforts to cause such amendment to such Registration Statement and/or such new Registration Statement (as the case may be) to become effective as soon as practicable following the filing thereof with the SEC. For purposes of the foregoing provision, the number of shares available under a Registration Statement shall be deemed “insufficient to cover all of the Registrable Securities” if at any time the number of shares of Common Stock available for resale is insufficient.

 

 

(d)   Effect of Failure to File, Respond to and Maintain Effectiveness of any Registration Statement. If (i) a Registration Statement covering the resale of all of the Registrable Securities required to be covered thereby (disregarding any reduction pursuant to Section 2(e)) and required to be filed by the Company pursuant to this Agreement is (A) not filed with the SEC on or before the Filing Deadline for such Registration Statement (a “Filing Failure”), (B) SEC comments are not responded to by the Response Deadline (“Response Failure”), or (C) not declared effective by the SEC on or before the Effectiveness Deadline for such Registration Statement (an “Effectiveness Failure”) (it being understood that if on the Business Day immediately following the Effective Date for such Registration Statement the Company shall not have filed a “final” prospectus for such Registration Statement with the SEC under Rule 424(b) in accordance with Section 3(b) (whether or not such a prospectus is technically required by such rule), the Company shall be deemed to not have satisfied this clause (i)(C) and such event shall be deemed to be an Effectiveness Failure), (ii) other than during an Allowable Grace Period (as defined below), on any day after the Effective Date of a Registration Statement, sales of all of the Registrable Securities required to be included on such Registration Statement (disregarding any reduction pursuant to Section 2(e)) cannot be made pursuant to such Registration Statement (including, without limitation, because of a failure to keep such Registration Statement effective, a failure to disclose such information as is necessary for sales to be made pursuant to such Registration Statement, on or after the Closing Date a suspension or delisting of (or a failure to timely list) the Common Stock on an Eligible Market (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement), or a failure to register a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock or by reason of a stop order) or the prospectus contained therein is not available for use for any reason (a “Maintenance Failure”), or (iii) at any time when a Registration Statement is not effective for any reason or the prospectus contained therein is not available for use for any reason, the Company fails to file with the SEC any required reports under Section 13 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act such that it is not in compliance with Rule 144(c)(1) (or Rule 144(i)(2), if applicable) (a “Current Public Information Failure”) as a result of which any of the Investors are unable to sell Registrable Securities without restriction under Rule 144 (including, without limitation, volume restrictions), then, as partial relief for the damages to any holder by reason of any such delay in, or reduction of, its ability to sell the underlying shares of Common Stock (which remedy shall not be exclusive of any other remedies available at law or in equity), the Company shall pay to each holder of Registrable Securities relating to such Registration Statement an amount in cash equal to one percent (1%) of such Investor’s Purchase Price on the Closing Date (1) on the date of such Filing Failure, Response Failure, Effectiveness Failure, Maintenance Failure, Response Failure or Current Public Information Failure, as applicable, and (2) on every thirty (30) day anniversary or portion thereof of (I) a Filing Failure until such Filing Failure is cured; (II) an Effectiveness Failure until such Effectiveness Failure is cured; (III) a Maintenance Failure until such Maintenance Failure is cured; (IV) a Response Failure until a response is properly filed with the SEC; and (V) a Current Public Information Failure until the earlier of (i) the date such Current Public Information Failure is cured and (ii) such time that such public information is no longer required pursuant to Rule 144 (in each case, pro rated for periods totaling less than thirty (30) days). The payments to which a holder of Registrable Securities shall be entitled pursuant to this Section 2(e) are referred to herein as “Registration Delay Payments.” Following the initial Registration Delay Payment for any particular event or failure (which shall be paid on the date of such event or failure, as set forth above), without limiting the foregoing, if an event or failure giving rise to the Registration Delay Payments is cured prior to any thirty (30) day anniversary of such event or failure, then such Registration Delay Payment shall be made on the third (3^rd) Business Day after such cure. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Registration Delay Payments shall be owed to an Investor (other than with respect to a Maintenance Failure resulting from a suspension of listing or quotation or delisting of (or a failure to timely list or quote) the Common Stock on the Principal Market) with respect to any period during which all of such Investor’s Registrable Securities may be sold by such Investor without restriction under Rule 144 (including, without limitation, volume restrictions) and without the need for current public information required by Rule 144(c)(1) (or Rule 144(i)(2), if applicable). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be obligated to pay any such liquidated damages pursuant to this Section 2(d) if the Company is unable to fulfill its registration obligations as a result of rules, regulations, positions or releases issued or actions taken by the Commission pursuant to its authority with respect to “Rule 415”, and the Company registers at such time the maximum number of shares of Common Stock permissible upon consultation with the staff of the SEC (the “Staff”) or as contemplated pursuant to Section 2(e) below. The maximum penalties payable hereunder shall not exceed 6% of the Purchase Price. Penalties shall cease to accrue at such time as the Registrable Securities may be sold under Rule 144 and the Company uses commercially reasonable efforts to provide appropriate legal opinions.

 

 

(e)   Offering. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, in the event the Staff or the SEC seeks to characterize any offering pursuant to a Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement as constituting an offering of securities by, or on behalf of, the Company, or in any other manner, such that the Staff or the SEC do not permit such Registration Statement to become effective and used for resales in a manner that does not constitute such an offering and that permits the continuous resale at the market by the Investors participating therein (or as otherwise may be acceptable to each Investor) without being named therein as an “underwriter,” then the Company shall reduce the number of shares to be included in such Registration Statement by all Investors until such time as the Staff and the SEC shall so permit such Registration Statement to become effective as aforesaid. In making such reduction, the Company shall reduce the number of shares to be included by all Investors on a pro rata basis (based upon the number of Registrable Securities otherwise required to be included for each Investor) unless the inclusion of shares by a particular Investor or a particular set of Investors are resulting in the Staff or the SEC’s “by or on behalf of the Company” offering position, in which event the shares held by such Investor or set of Investors shall be the only shares subject to reduction (and if by a set of Investors on a pro rata basis by such Investors or on such other basis as would result in the exclusion of the least number of shares by all such Investors).  In addition, in the event that the Staff or the SEC requires any Investor seeking to sell securities under a Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement to be specifically identified as an “underwriter” in order to permit such Registration Statement to become effective, and such Investor does not consent to being so named as an underwriter in such Registration Statement, then, in each such case, the Company shall reduce the total number of Registrable Securities to be registered on behalf of such Investor, until such time as the Staff or the SEC does not require such identification or until such Investor accepts such identification and the manner thereof. Any reduction pursuant to this paragraph will first reduce all securities that are not Registrable Securities (including securities included in such Registration Statement pursuant to a Permitted Registration (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement)), if any such securities are permitted by the Required Holders to be included in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. In the event of any reduction in Registrable Securities pursuant to this paragraph, an affected Investor shall have the right to require, upon delivery of a written request to the Company signed by such Investor, the Company to file a registration statement within thirty (30) calendar days of such request (subject to any restrictions imposed by Rule 415 or required by the Staff or the SEC) for resale by such Investor in a manner acceptable to such Investor, and the Company shall following such request cause to be and keep effective such registration statement in the same manner as otherwise contemplated in this Agreement for registration statements hereunder, in each case, until such time as: (i) all Registrable Securities held by such Investor have been registered and sold pursuant to an effective Registration Statement in a manner acceptable to such Investor or (ii) all Registrable Securities may be resold by such Investor without restriction (including, without limitation, volume limitations) pursuant to Rule 144 (taking account of any Staff position with respect to “affiliate” status) and without the need for current public information required by Rule 144(c)(1) (or Rule 144(i)(2), if applicable) or (iii) such Investor agrees to be named as an underwriter in any such Registration Statement in a manner acceptable to such Investor as to all Registrable Securities held by such Investor and that have not theretofore been included in a Registration Statement under this Agreement (it being understood that the special demand right under this sentence may be exercised by an Investor multiple times and with respect to limited amounts of Registrable Securities in order to permit the resale thereof by such Investor as contemplated above). Any reduction made to securities included in a Registration Statement in accordance with this Section 2(e) shall not constitute a Filing Failure, Effectiveness Failure or a Maintenance Failure and shall not be subject to the payment requirements under Section 2(d).

 

 

(f)   Allocation of Registrable Securities. The initial number of Registrable Securities included in any Registration Statement and any increase in the number of Registrable Securities included therein shall be allocated pro rata among the Investors based on the number of Registrable Securities held by each Investor at the time such Registration Statement covering such initial number of Registrable Securities or increase thereof is declared effective by the SEC. In the event that an Investor sells or otherwise transfers any of such Investor’s Registrable Securities, each transferee or assignee (as the case may be) that becomes an Investor shall be allocated a pro rata portion of the then-remaining number of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement for such transferor or assignee (as the case may be). Any shares of Common Stock included in a Registration Statement and which remain allocated to any Person which ceases to hold any Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement shall be allocated to the remaining Investors, pro rata based on the number of Registrable Securities then held by such Investors which are covered by such Registration Statement.

 

(g)   Inclusion of Other Securities. Other than as set forth in this Agreement or in the Securities Purchase Agreement, in no event shall the Company include any securities other than Registrable Securities on any Registration Statement without the prior written consent of the Required Holders. Until the Expiration Date (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement), the Company shall not enter into any agreement providing any registration rights to any of its security holders that have any priority to any of the Investor’s rights contained in this Agreement or adversely affect any Investor’s rights under this Agreement.

 

3.   Related Obligations.

 

The Company shall use its best efforts to effect the registration of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method of disposition thereof, and, pursuant thereto, the Company shall have the following obligations:

 

(a)   The Company shall prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement with respect to all the Registrable Securities (but in no event later than the applicable Filing Deadline) and use its best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing (but in no event later than the Effectiveness Deadline). Subject to Allowable Grace Periods, the Company shall keep each Registration Statement effective (and the prospectus contained therein available for use) pursuant to Rule 415 for resales by the Investors on a delayed or continuous basis at then-prevailing market prices (and not fixed prices) at all times until the earlier of (i) the date as of which all of the Investors may sell all of the Registrable Securities required to be covered by such Registration Statement (disregarding any reduction pursuant to Section 2(e)) without restriction pursuant to Rule 144 (including, without limitation, volume restrictions) and without the need for current public information required by Rule 144(c)(1) (or Rule 144(i)(2), if applicable) or (ii) the date on which the Investors shall have sold all of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement (the “Registration Period”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Company shall ensure that, when filed and at all times while effective, each Registration Statement (including, without limitation, all amendments and supplements thereto) and the prospectus (including, without limitation, all amendments and supplements thereto) used in connection with such Registration Statement (1) shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of prospectuses, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made) not misleading and (2) will disclose (whether directly or through incorporation by reference to other SEC filings to the extent permitted) all material information regarding the Company and its securities.

 

 

(b)   Subject to Section 3(r) of this Agreement, the Company shall prepare and file with the SEC such amendments (including, without limitation, post-effective amendments) and supplements to each Registration Statement and the prospectus used in connection with each such Registration Statement, which prospectus is to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 promulgated under the 1933 Act, as may be necessary to keep each such Registration Statement effective at all times during the Registration Period for such Registration Statement, and, during such period, comply with the provisions of the 1933 Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities of the Company required to be covered by such Registration Statement until such time as all of such Registrable Securities shall have been disposed of in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the seller or sellers thereof as set forth in such Registration Statement; provided, however, by 9:30 a.m. (New York time) no later than the second Business Day immediately following each Effective Date, the Company shall file with the SEC in accordance with Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act the final prospectus to be used in connection with sales pursuant to the applicable Registration Statement (whether or not such a prospectus is technically required by such rule). In the case of amendments and supplements to any Registration Statement which are required to be filed pursuant to this Agreement (including, without limitation, pursuant to this Section 3(b)) by reason of the Company filing a report on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q, Form 8-K or any analogous report under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), the Company shall have incorporated such report by reference into such Registration Statement, if applicable, or shall file such amendments or supplements with the SEC on the same day on which the 1934 Act report is filed which created the requirement for the Company to amend or supplement such Registration Statement.

 

(c)   The Company shall (A) permit the Required Holders to review and provide comments to the Company and Company Counsel, with respect to (i) each Registration Statement at least two (2) Business Days prior to its filing with the SEC and (ii) all amendments and supplements to each Registration Statement (including, without limitation, the prospectus contained therein) (except for Reports on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q, Form 8-K, and any similar or successor reports) within a reasonable number of days prior to their filing with the SEC, and (B) not file any Registration Statement or amendment or supplement thereto in a form to which the Required Holders reasonably objects.

 

(d)   The Company shall promptly furnish to each Investor whose Registrable Securities are included in any Registration Statement, without charge, (i) after the same is prepared and filed with the SEC, at least one (1) copy of each Registration Statement and any amendment(s) and supplement(s) thereto, including, without limitation, financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated therein by reference, if requested by an Investor, all exhibits and each preliminary prospectus (unless such Registration Statement is available on EDGAR), (ii) upon the effectiveness of each Registration Statement, ten (10) copies of the prospectus included in such Registration Statement and all amendments and supplements thereto (unless such Registration Statement is available on EDGAR) and (iii) such other documents, including, without limitation, copies of any preliminary or final prospectus, as such Investor may reasonably request from time to time (unless such document is available on EDGAR) in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Investor.

 

 

(e)   The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to (i) register and qualify, unless an exemption from registration and qualification applies, the resale by Investors of the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement under such other securities or “blue sky” laws of all applicable jurisdictions in the United States, (ii) prepare and file in those jurisdictions, such amendments (including, without limitation, post-effective amendments) and supplements to such registrations and qualifications as may be necessary to maintain the effectiveness thereof during the Registration Period, (iii) take such other actions as may be necessary to maintain such registrations and qualifications in effect at all times during the Registration Period, and (iv) take all other actions reasonably necessary or advisable to qualify the Registrable Securities for sale in such jurisdictions; provided, however, the Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition thereto to (x) qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this Section 3(e), (y) subject itself to general taxation in any such jurisdiction, or (z) file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction. The Company shall promptly notify each Investor who holds Registrable Securities of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the registration or qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale under the securities or “blue sky” laws of any jurisdiction in the United States or its receipt of actual notice of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose.

 

(f)   The Company shall either notify each Investor in writing or file a current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC providing disclosure of the happening of any event, as promptly as practicable after becoming aware of such event, as a result of which the prospectus included in a Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (provided that in no event shall such notice contain any material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its Subsidiaries), and, subject to Section 3(r), promptly prepare a supplement or amendment to such Registration Statement and such prospectus contained therein to correct such untrue statement or omission and deliver ten (10) copies of such supplement or amendment to each Investor (or such other number of copies as such Investor may reasonably request) (unless such supplements or amendments are available on EDGAR). The Company shall also promptly notify each Investor in writing (i) when a prospectus or any prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment has been filed, when a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment has become effective (notification of such effectiveness shall be delivered to each Investor by facsimile or e-mail on the same day of such effectiveness and by overnight mail), and when the Company receives written notice from the SEC that a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment will be reviewed by the SEC, (ii) of any request by the SEC for amendments or supplements to a Registration Statement or related prospectus or related information, (iii) of the Company’s reasonable determination that a post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement would be appropriate; and (iv) of the receipt of any request by the SEC or any other federal or state governmental authority for any additional information relating to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto or any related prospectus. The Company shall respond as promptly as practicable to any comments received from the SEC with respect to each Registration Statement or any amendment thereto (it being understood and agreed that the Company’s response to any such comments shall be delivered to the SEC no later than ten (10) Business Days after the receipt thereof).

 

 

(g)   The Company shall (i) use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or other suspension of effectiveness of each Registration Statement or the use of any prospectus contained therein, or the suspension of the qualification, or the loss of an exemption from qualification, of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction and, if such an order or suspension is issued, to obtain the withdrawal of such order or suspension at the earliest possible moment and (ii) notify each Investor who holds Registrable Securities of the issuance of such order and the resolution thereof or its receipt of actual notice of the initiation or threat of any proceeding for such purpose.

 

(h)   [RESERVED]

 

(i)   If any Investor may be required under applicable securities law to be described in any Registration Statement as an underwriter and such Investor consents to so being named an underwriter, upon the written request of such Investor, the Company shall make available for inspection by (i) such Investor, (ii) legal counsel for such Investor and (iii) one (1) firm of accountants or other agents retained by such Investor (collectively, the “Inspectors”), all pertinent financial and other records, and pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company (collectively, the “Records”), as shall be reasonably deemed necessary by each Inspector, and cause the Company’s officers, directors and employees to supply all information which any Inspector may reasonably request; provided, however, each Inspector shall agree in writing to hold in strict confidence and not to make any disclosure (except to such Investor) or use of any Record or other information which the Company’s board of directors determines in good faith to be confidential, and of which determination the Inspectors are so notified, unless (1) the disclosure of such Records is necessary to avoid or correct a misstatement or omission in any Registration Statement or is otherwise required under the 1933 Act, (2) the release of such Records is ordered pursuant to a final, non-appealable subpoena or order from a court or government body of competent jurisdiction, or (3) the information in such Records has been made generally available to the public other than by disclosure in violation of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement). Such Investor agrees that it shall, upon learning that disclosure of such Records is sought in or by a court or governmental body of competent jurisdiction or through other means, give prompt notice to the Company and allow the Company, at its expense, to undertake appropriate action to prevent disclosure of, or to obtain a protective order for, the Records deemed confidential. Nothing herein (or in any other confidentiality agreement between the Company and such Investor, if any) shall be deemed to limit any Investor’s ability to sell Registrable Securities in a manner which is otherwise consistent with applicable laws and regulations.

 

(j)   The Company shall hold in confidence and not make any disclosure of information concerning an Investor provided to the Company unless (i) disclosure of such information is necessary to comply with federal or state securities laws, (ii) the disclosure of such information is necessary to avoid or correct a misstatement or omission in any Registration Statement or is otherwise required to be disclosed in such Registration Statement pursuant to the 1933 Act, (iii) the release of such information is ordered pursuant to a subpoena or other final, non-appealable order from a court or governmental body of competent jurisdiction, or (iv) such information has been made generally available to the public other than by disclosure in violation of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document. The Company agrees that it shall, upon learning that disclosure of such information concerning an Investor is sought in or by a court or governmental body of competent jurisdiction or through other means, give prompt written notice to such Investor and allow such Investor, at such Investor’s expense, to undertake appropriate action to prevent disclosure of, or to obtain a protective order for, such information.

 

 

(k)   Without limiting any obligation of the Company under the Securities Purchase Agreement, on and after the Closing Date, the Company shall use its best efforts either to (i) cause all of the Registrable Securities covered by each Registration Statement to be listed on each securities exchange on which securities of the same class or series issued by the Company are then listed, if any, if the listing of such Registrable Securities is then permitted under the rules of such exchange, (ii) secure designation and quotation of all of the Registrable Securities covered by each Registration Statement on the OTC Bulletin Board, or (iii) if, despite the Company’s best efforts to satisfy the preceding clauses (i) or (ii) the Company is unsuccessful in satisfying the preceding clauses (i) or (ii), without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to use its best efforts to arrange for at least two market makers to register with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) as such with respect to such Registrable Securities. In addition, the Company shall cooperate with each Investor and any broker or dealer through which any such Investor proposes to sell its Registrable Securities in effecting a filing with FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 as requested by such Investor. The Company shall pay all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligations under this Section 3(k).

 

(l)   To the extent that any registration statement filed pursuant to this Agreement has been declared effective by the SEC or restricted legends have been removed pursuant to Section 5 of the Securities Purchase Agreement, then the Company shall cooperate with the Investors who hold Registrable Securities being offered and, to the extent applicable, facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates (not bearing any restrictive legend) representing the Registrable Securities to be offered pursuant to a Registration Statement and enable such certificates to be in such denominations or amounts (as the case may be) as the Investors may reasonably request from time to time and registered in such names as the Investors may request, or, if requested by an Investor and the Common Stock is traded through the facilities of the DTC (as defined below), credit such aggregate number of Registrable Securities to be offered by such Investor to such Investor’s or its designee’s balance account with The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) through its Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian system.

 

(m)   If reasonably requested by an Investor, the Company shall as soon as practicable after receipt of notice from such Investor and subject to Section 3(o) hereof, (i) incorporate in a prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information as an Investor reasonably requests to be included therein, but only as to which information the Company Counsel agrees (which agreement shall not be unreasonably withheld), relating to the sale and distribution of Registrable Securities, including, without limitation, information with respect to the number of Registrable Securities being offered or sold, the purchase price being paid therefor and any other terms of the offering of the Registrable Securities to be sold in such offering; (ii) make all required filings of such prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment after being notified of the matters to be incorporated in such prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment; and (iii) supplement or make amendments to any Registration Statement or prospectus contained therein if reasonably requested by an Investor holding any Registrable Securities.

 

 

(n)   The Company shall otherwise use its best efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC in connection with any registration hereunder.

 

(o)   Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein (but subject to the last sentence of this Section 3(r)), at any time after the Effective Date of a particular Registration Statement, the Company may delay the disclosure of material, non-public information concerning the Company or any of its Subsidiaries the disclosure of which at the time is not, in the good faith opinion of the board of directors of the Company, in the best interest of the Company and, in the opinion of Company Counsel, otherwise required (a “Grace Period”), provided that the Company shall promptly notify the Investors in writing of the (i) existence of material, non-public information giving rise to a Grace Period (provided that in each such notice the Company shall not disclose the content of such material, non-public information to any of the Investors) and the date on which such Grace Period will begin and (ii) date on which such Grace Period ends, provided further that (I) no Grace Period shall exceed twenty (20) consecutive days and during any three hundred sixty five (365) day period all such Grace Periods shall not exceed an aggregate of forty-five (45) days, (II) the first day of any Grace Period must be at least five (5) Trading Days after the last day of any prior Grace Period and (III) no Grace Period may exist during the thirty (30) Trading Day period immediately following the Effective Date of such Registration Statement (provided that such thirty (30) Trading Day period shall be extended by the number of Trading Days during such period and any extension thereof contemplated by this proviso during which such Registration Statement is not effective or the prospectus contained therein is not available for use) (each, an “Allowable Grace Period”). For purposes of determining the length of a Grace Period above, such Grace Period shall begin on and include the date the Investors receive the notice referred to in clause (i) above and shall end on and include the later of the date the Investors receive the notice referred to in clause (ii) above and the date referred to in such notice. The provisions of the first sentence of Section 3(f) and the provisions of Section 3(g) hereof shall not be applicable during the period of any Allowable Grace Period. Upon expiration of each Grace Period, the Company shall again be bound by the first sentence of Section 3(f) and the provisions of Section 3(g) with respect to the information giving rise thereto unless such material, non-public information is no longer applicable. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 3(r), the Company shall cause its transfer agent to deliver unlegended shares of Common Stock to a transferee of an Investor in accordance with the terms of the Securities Purchase Agreement in connection with any sale of Registrable Securities with respect to which such Investor has entered into a contract for sale, and delivered a copy of the prospectus included as part of the particular Registration Statement (unless an exemption from such prospectus delivery requirement exists), prior to such Investor’s receipt of the notice of a Grace Period and for which the Investor has not yet settled.

 

4.  Obligations of the Investors.

 

(a)   At least five (5) Business Days prior to the first anticipated filing date of each Registration Statement, the Company shall notify each Investor in writing of the information the Company requires from each such Investor with respect to such Registration Statement. It shall be a condition precedent to the obligations of the Company to complete the registration pursuant to this Agreement with respect to the Registrable Securities of a particular Investor that such Investor shall furnish to the Company such information regarding itself, the Registrable Securities held by it and the intended method of disposition of the Registrable Securities held by it, as shall be reasonably required to effect and maintain the effectiveness of the registration of such Registrable Securities and shall execute such documents in connection with such registration as the Company may reasonably request.

 

 

(b)   Each Investor, by such Investor’s acceptance of the Registrable Securities, agrees to cooperate with the Company as reasonably requested by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of each Registration Statement hereunder, unless such Investor has notified the Company in writing of such Investor’s election to exclude all of such Investor’s Registrable Securities from such Registration Statement.

 

(c)   Each Investor agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(g) or the first sentence of 3(f), such Investor will immediately discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to any Registration Statement(s) covering such Registrable Securities until such Investor’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 3(g) or the first sentence of Section 3(f) or receipt of notice that no supplement or amendment is required. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 4(c), the Company shall cause its transfer agent to deliver unlegended shares of Common Stock to a transferee of an Investor in accordance with the terms of the Securities Purchase Agreement in connection with any sale of Registrable Securities with respect to which such Investor has entered into a contract for sale prior to the Investor’s receipt of a notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(g) or the first sentence of Section 3(f) and for which such Investor has not yet settled.

 

(d)  Each Investor covenants and agrees that it will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the 1933 Act as applicable to it in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement.

 

5.  Expenses of Registration.

 

All reasonable expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, incurred in connection with registrations, filings or qualifications pursuant to Sections 2 and 3, including, without limitation, all registration, listing and qualifications fees, printers and accounting fees, FINRA filing fees (if any), blue sky fees and fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company shall be paid by the Company. The Company shall have no obligation to pay the expenses of any Investor incurred in connection with any registration, filing or qualification pursuant to Sections 2 and 3 of this Agreement.

 

 

6.  Indemnification.

 

(a)   To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company will, and hereby does, indemnify, hold harmless and defend each Investor and each of its directors, officers, shareholders, members, partners, employees, agents, advisors, representatives (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding the lack of such title or any other title) and each Person, if any, who controls such Investor within the meaning of the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act and each of the directors, officers, shareholders, members, partners, employees, agents, advisors, representatives (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding the lack of such title or any other title) of such controlling Persons (each, an “Indemnified Person”), against any losses, obligations, claims, damages, liabilities, contingencies, judgments, fines, penalties, charges, costs (including, without limitation, court costs, reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of defense and investigation), amounts paid in settlement or expenses, joint or several, (collectively, “Claims”) incurred in investigating, preparing or defending any action, claim, suit, inquiry, proceeding, investigation or appeal taken from the foregoing by or before any court or governmental, administrative or other regulatory agency, body or the SEC, whether pending or threatened, whether or not an indemnified party is or may be a party thereto (“Indemnified Damages”), to which any of them may become subject insofar as such Claims (or actions or proceedings, whether commenced or threatened, in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon: (i) any untrue statement of a material fact in a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or in any filing made in connection with the qualification of the offering under the securities or other “blue sky” laws of any jurisdiction in which Registrable Securities are offered (“Blue Sky Filing”), or the omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) any untrue statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus if used prior to the effective date of such Registration Statement, or contained in the final prospectus (as amended or supplemented, if the Company files any amendment thereof or supplement thereto with the SEC) or the omission to state therein any material fact necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which the statements therein were made, not misleading or (iii) any violation by the Company of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, any other law, including, without limitation, any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder relating to the offer or sale of the Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement (the matters in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iii) being, collectively, “Violations”). Subject to Section 6(c), the Company shall reimburse the Indemnified Persons, promptly as such expenses are incurred and are due and payable, for any legal fees or other reasonable expenses incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the indemnification agreement contained in this Section 6(a): (i) shall not apply to a Claim by an Indemnified Person arising out of or based upon a Violation which occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by such Indemnified Person for such Indemnified Person expressly for use in connection with the preparation of such Registration Statement or any such amendment thereof or supplement thereto and (ii) shall not be available to a particular Investor to the extent such Claim is based on a failure of such Investor to deliver or to cause to be delivered the prospectus made available by the Company (to the extent applicable), including, without limitation, a corrected prospectus, if such prospectus or corrected prospectus was timely made available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(d) and then only if, and to the extent that, following the receipt of the corrected prospectus no grounds for such Claim would have existed; and (iii) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Indemnified Person and shall survive the transfer of any of the Registrable Securities by any of the Investors pursuant to Section 9.

 

 

(b)   In connection with any Registration Statement in which an Investor is participating, such Investor agrees to severally and not jointly indemnify, hold harmless and defend, to the same extent and in the same manner as is set forth in Section 6(a), the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement and each Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act (each, an “Indemnified Party”), against any Claim or Indemnified Damages to which any of them may become subject, under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, insofar as such Claim or Indemnified Damages arise out of or are based upon any Violation, in each case, to the extent, and only to the extent, that such Violation occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Investor expressly for use in connection with such Registration Statement; and, subject to Section 6(c) and the below provisos in this Section 6(b), such Investor will reimburse an Indemnified Party any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim; provided, however, the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6(b) and the agreement with respect to contribution contained in Section 7 shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without the prior written consent of such Investor, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, provided further that such Investor shall be liable under this Section 6(b) for only that amount of a Claim or Indemnified Damages as does not exceed the net proceeds to such Investor as a result of the applicable sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such Indemnified Party and shall survive the transfer of any of the Registrable Securities by any of the Investors pursuant to Section 9.

  

(c)   Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party (as the case may be) under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding (including, without limitation, any governmental action or proceeding) involving a Claim, such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party (as the case may be) shall, if a Claim in respect thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party under this Section 6, deliver to the indemnifying party a written notice of the commencement thereof, and the indemnifying party shall have the right to participate in, and, to the extent the indemnifying party so desires, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly noticed, to assume control of the defense thereof with counsel mutually satisfactory to the indemnifying party and the Indemnified Person or the Indemnified Party (as the case may be); provided, however, an Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party (as the case may be) shall have the right to retain its own counsel with the fees and expenses of such counsel to be paid by the indemnifying party if: (i) the indemnifying party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses; (ii) the indemnifying party shall have failed promptly to assume the defense of such Claim and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party (as the case may be) in any such Claim; or (iii) the named parties to any such Claim (including, without limitation, any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party (as the case may be) and the indemnifying party, and such Indemnified Person or such Indemnified Party (as the case may be) shall have been advised by counsel that a conflict of interest is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Person or such Indemnified Party and the indemnifying party (in which case, if such Indemnified Person or such Indemnified Party (as the case may be) notifies the indemnifying party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party, then the indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the defense thereof and such counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party, provided further that in the case of clause (iii) above the indemnifying party shall not be responsible for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one (1) separate legal counsel for such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party (as the case may be). The Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person (as the case may be) shall reasonably cooperate with the indemnifying party in connection with any negotiation or defense of any such action or Claim by the indemnifying party and shall furnish to the indemnifying party all information reasonably available to the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person (as the case may be) which relates to such action or Claim. The indemnifying party shall keep the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person (as the case may be) reasonably apprised at all times as to the status of the defense or any settlement negotiations with respect thereto. No indemnifying party shall be liable for any settlement of any action, claim or proceeding effected without its prior written consent; provided, however, the indemnifying party shall not unreasonably withhold, delay or condition its consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person (as the case may be), consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement or other compromise which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person (as the case may be) of a release from all liability in respect to such Claim or litigation, and such settlement shall not include any admission as to fault on the part of the Indemnified Party. Following indemnification as provided for hereunder, the indemnifying party shall be subrogated to all rights of the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person (as the case may be) with respect to all third parties, firms or corporations relating to the matter for which indemnification has been made. The failure to deliver written notice to the indemnifying party within a reasonable time of the commencement of any such action shall not relieve such indemnifying party of any liability to the Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party (as the case may be) under this Section 6, except to the extent that the indemnifying party is materially and adversely prejudiced in its ability to defend such action.

 

 

(d)   No Person involved in the sale of Registrable Securities who is guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) in connection with such sale shall be entitled to indemnification from any Person involved in such sale of Registrable Securities who is not guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

(e)   The indemnification required by this Section 6 shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as and when bills are received or Indemnified Damages are incurred.

 

(f)   The indemnity and contribution agreements contained herein shall be in addition to (i) any cause of action or similar right of the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person against the indemnifying party or others, and (ii) any liabilities the indemnifying party may be subject to pursuant to the law.

 

7.  Contribution.

 

To the extent any indemnification by an indemnifying party is prohibited or limited by law, the indemnifying party agrees to make the maximum contribution with respect to any amounts for which it would otherwise be liable under Section 6 to the fullest extent permitted by law; provided, however: (i) no contribution shall be made under circumstances where the maker would not have been liable for indemnification under the fault standards set forth in Section 6 of this Agreement, (ii) no Person involved in the sale of Registrable Securities which Person is guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) in connection with such sale shall be entitled to contribution from any Person involved in such sale of Registrable Securities who was not guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation; and (iii) contribution by any seller of Registrable Securities shall be limited in amount to the amount of net proceeds received by such seller from the applicable sale of such Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Investor shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds actually received by such Investor from the applicable sale of the Registrable Securities subject to the Claim exceeds the amount of any damages that such Investor has otherwise been required to pay, or would otherwise be required to pay under Section 6(b), by reason of such untrue statement or omission. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the contribution agreement contained in this Section 7 shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed

 

 

8.  Reports Under the 1934 Act.

 

With a view to making available to the Investors the benefits of Rule 144, on and after the Closing Date, the Company agrees to:

 

(a)   make and keep public information available, as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144;

 

(b)   file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other documents required of the Company under the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act so long as the Company remains subject to such requirements (it being understood and agreed that nothing herein shall limit any obligations of the Company under the Securities Purchase Agreement) and the filing of such reports and other documents is required for the applicable provisions of Rule 144; and

 

(c)   furnish to each Investor so long as such Investor owns Registrable Securities, promptly upon request, (i) a written statement by the Company, if true, that it has complied with the reporting, submission and posting requirements of Rule 144 and the 1934 Act, (ii) a copy of the most recent Form 20-F of the Company and such other reports and documents so filed by the Company with the SEC if such reports are not publicly available via EDGAR, and (iii) such other information as may be reasonably requested to permit the Investors to sell such securities pursuant to Rule 144 without registration.

 

9.  Assignment of Registration Rights.

 

The rights to cause the Company to register Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 1 may be transferred or assigned, but only with all related obligations, by an Investor to a transferee or assignee.

 

 

10.  Amendment of Registration Rights.

 

Provisions of this Agreement may be amended only with the written consent of the Company and the Required Holders. Any amendment effected in accordance with this Section 10 shall be binding upon each Investor and the Company, provided that no such amendment shall be effective to the extent that it (1) applies to less than all of the holders of the holders of Registrable Securities, (2) imposes any obligation or liability on any Investor without such Investor’s prior written consent (which may be granted or withheld in such Investor’s sole discretion) or (3) applies retroactively. No waiver shall be effective unless it is in writing and signed by an authorized representative of the waiving party, provided that the Required Holders (in a writing signed by all of the Required Holders) may waive any provision of this Agreement, and any waiver of any provision of this Agreement made in conformity with the provisions of this Section 10 shall be binding on each Investor, provided that no such waiver shall be effective to the extent that it (1) applies to less than all the Investors (unless a party gives a waiver as to itself only) or (2) imposes any obligation or liability on any Investor without such Investor’s prior written consent (which may be granted or withheld in such Investor’s sole discretion). No consideration shall be offered or paid to any Person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of this Agreement unless the same consideration also is offered to all of the parties to this Agreement.

 

11.  Miscellaneous.

 

(a)   Solely for purposes of this Agreement, a Person is deemed to be a holder of Registrable Securities whenever such Person owns, or is deemed to own, of record such Registrable Securities. If the Company receives conflicting instructions, notices or elections from two or more Persons with respect to the same Registrable Securities, the Company shall act upon the basis of instructions, notice or election received from such record owner of such Registrable Securities.

 

(b)   Any notices, consents, waivers or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon receipt, when delivered personally; (ii) upon receipt, when sent by facsimile (provided confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically generated and kept on file by the sending party); (iii) with respect to Section 3(c), by e-mail (provided confirmation of transmission is electronically generated and kept on file by the sending party); or (iv) one (1) Business Day after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight delivery service with next day delivery specified, in each case, properly addressed to the party to receive the same. The addresses and facsimile numbers for such communications shall be:

 

If to the Company:	Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc.
	One Glenlake Parkway NE Suite 900
	Atlanta, GA30328
	Attn: Jeffrey Cosman, CEO
With a copy to:
(which shall not constitute notice)	Lucosky Brookman LLP
	101 Wood Avenue South
	Woodbridge, NJ 08830
	Attn:  Joseph Lucosky, Esq.

 

 

If to a Buyer, to its address, facsimile number or e-mail address (as the case may be) set forth on the Schedule of Buyers attached to the Securities Purchase Agreement, with copies to such Buyer’s representatives as set forth on the Schedule of Buyers, or to such other address, facsimile number and/or e-mail address and/or to the attention of such other Person as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to each other party five (5) days prior to the effectiveness of such change. Written confirmation of receipt (A) given by the recipient of such notice, consent, waiver or other communication, (B) mechanically or electronically generated by the sender’s facsimile machine or e-mail transmission containing the time, date and recipient facsimile number or e-mail address or (C) provided by a courier or overnight courier service shall be rebuttable evidence of personal service, receipt by facsimile or receipt from a nationally recognized overnight delivery service in accordance with clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, respectively.

 

(c)   Failure of any party to exercise any right or remedy under this Agreement or otherwise, or delay by a party in exercising such right or remedy, shall not operate as a waiver thereof.

 

(d)   All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in The City of New York, Borough of Manhattan, for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address for such notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. If any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement in that jurisdiction or the validity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

 

(e)   This Agreement, the other Transaction Documents, the schedules and exhibits attached hereto and thereto and the instruments referenced herein and therein constitute the entire agreement among the parties hereto and thereto solely with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein and therein. This Agreement, the other Transaction Documents, the schedules and exhibits attached hereto and thereto and the instruments referenced herein and therein supersede all prior agreements and understandings among the parties hereto solely with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof; provided, however, nothing contained in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document shall (or shall be deemed to) (i) have any effect on any agreements any Investor has entered into with, or any instrument that any Investor received from, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries prior to the date hereof with respect to any prior investment made by such Investor in the Company, (ii) waive, alter, modify or amend in any respect any obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any rights of or benefits to any Investor or any other Person in any agreement entered into prior to the date hereof between or among the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries and any Investor or any instrument that any Investor received prior to the date hereof from the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries and all such agreements and instruments shall continue in full force and effect or (iii) limit any obligations of the Company under any of the other Transaction Documents.

 

(f)   Subject to compliance with Section 9 (if applicable), this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the permitted successors and assigns of each of the parties hereto. This Agreement is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any Person, other than the parties hereto, their respective permitted successors and assigns and the Persons referred to in Sections 6 and 7 hereof.

 

(g)   The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, each pronoun herein shall be deemed to include the masculine, feminine, neuter, singular and plural forms thereof. The terms “including,” “includes,” “include” and words of like import shall be construed broadly as if followed by the words “without limitation.” The terms “herein,” “hereunder,” “hereof” and words of like import refer to this entire Agreement instead of just the provision in which they are found.

 

(h)   This Agreement may be executed in two or more identical counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by an e-mail which contains a portable document format (.pdf) file of an executed signature page, such signature page shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such signature page were an original thereof.

 

(i)   Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents as any other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(j)   The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in Section 10, terms used in this Agreement but defined in the other Transaction Documents shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms on the Closing Date in such other Transaction Documents unless otherwise consented to in writing by each Investor.

 

 

(k)   All consents and other determinations required to be made by the Investors pursuant to this Agreement shall be made, unless otherwise specified in this Agreement, by the Required Holders.

 

(l)   The obligations of each Investor under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Investor, and no Investor shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Investor under this Agreement or any other Transaction Document. Nothing contained herein or in any other Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Investor pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Investors as, and the Company acknowledges that the Investors do not so constitute, a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of group or entity, or create a presumption that the Investors are in any way acting in concert or as a group or entity with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents or any matters, and the Company acknowledges that the Investors are not acting in concert or as a group, and the Company shall not assert any such claim, with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any of the other the Transaction Documents. Each Investor shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights, including, without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of any other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other Investor to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose. The use of a single agreement with respect to the obligations of the Company contained herein was solely in the control of the Company, not the action or decision of any Investor, and was done solely for the convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so by any Investor. It is expressly understood and agreed that each provision contained in this Agreement and in each other Transaction Document is between the Company and an Investor, solely, and not between the Company and the Investors collectively and not between and among Investors.

 

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Buyer and the Company have caused their respective signature page to this Registration Rights Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.

 

	COMPANY:
	MERIDIAN WASTE SOLUTIONS, INC.
	By:
		Name:
		Title:

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Buyer and the Company have caused their respective signature page to this Registration Rights Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.

 

	BUYER:
	Name of Buyer: __________________________   Signature of Authorized Signatory of Buyer: __________________________   Name of Authorized Signatory: _________________________   Title of Authorized Signatory: __________________________

 

Signature Page to Meridian RRA

 

[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

 

The shares of Common Stock being offered by the selling stockholders are those shares issued to the selling stockholders and issuable to the selling stockholders exercise of the warrants or the conversion of shares of Series D Preferred Stock. For additional information regarding the issuance of the shares of Series D Preferred Stock, the shares of Common Stock and the warrants, see “Private Placement of Preferred Stock, Shares and Warrants” above. We are registering the shares of Common Stock in order to permit the selling stockholders to offer the shares for resale from time to time. Except for the ownership of the shares and the warrants issued pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, the selling stockholders have not had any material relationship with us within the past three years.

 

The table below lists the selling stockholders and other information regarding the beneficial ownership (as determined under Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder) of the shares of Common Stock held by each of the selling stockholders. The second column lists the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the selling stockholders, based on their respective ownership of shares of Series D Preferred Stock and Common Stock and warrants, as of ________, 2017, assuming exercise of the warrants and the conversion of the Series D Preferred Stock held by each such selling stockholder on that date, but taking account of any limitations on exercise set forth therein.

 

The third column lists the shares of Common Stock being offered by this prospectus by the selling stockholders and does not take into account any limitations on exercise of the warrants or the conversion of the Series D Preferred Stock set forth therein.

 

In accordance with the terms of a registration rights agreement with the holders of the shares of Series D Preferred Stock and the warrants, this prospectus generally covers the resale of (i) the shares and (ii) the maximum number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and the conversion of the Series D Preferred Stock determined as if the outstanding warrants were exercised in full and the Series D Preferred Stock were fully converted (without regard to any limitations on exercise contained therein) as of the trading day immediately preceding the date this registration statement was initially filed with the SEC. Because the exercise price of the warrants and the conversion price of the Series D Preferred Stock may be adjusted, the number of shares that will actually be issued may be more or less than the number of shares being offered by this prospectus. The fourth column assumes the sale of all of the shares offered by the selling stockholders pursuant to this prospectus.

 

Under the terms of the warrants and the Series D Preferred Stock, a selling stockholder may not exercise the warrants or convert the Series D Preferred Stock into shares of Common Stock to the extent (but only to the extent) such selling stockholder or any of its affiliates would beneficially own a number of shares of our shares of Common Stock which would exceed 9.99%. The number of shares in the second column reflects these limitations. The selling stockholders may sell all, some or none of their shares in this offering. See “Plan of Distribution.”

 

Name of Selling Stockholder		Number of shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned Prior to Offering		Maximum Number of shares of Common Stock to be Sold Pursuant to this Prospectus		Number of  shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned After Offering

 

* Table to be completed based on information provided by the Buyers and their assignees.

 

 

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

We are registering the shares of Common Stock issued to the holders and issuable upon exercise of the warrants and the conversion of Series D Preferred Stock to permit the resale of these shares of Common Stock by the holders of the shares of the Series D Preferred Stock and warrants from time to time after the date of this prospectus. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale by the selling stockholders of the shares of Common Stock. We will bear all fees and expenses incident to our obligation to register the shares of Common Stock.

 

The selling stockholders may sell all or a portion of the shares of Common Stock held by them and offered hereby from time to time directly or through one or more underwriters, broker-dealers or agents. If the shares of Common Stock are sold through underwriters or broker-dealers, the selling stockholders will be responsible for underwriting discounts or commissions or agent’s commissions. The shares of Common Stock may be sold in one or more transactions at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of the sale, at varying prices determined at the time of sale or at negotiated prices. These sales may be effected in transactions, which may involve crosses or block transactions, pursuant to one or more of the following methods:

 

●

on any national securities exchange or quotation service on which the securities may be listed or quoted at the time of sale;

 

●

in the over-the-counter market;

 

●

in transactions otherwise than on these exchanges or systems or in the over-the-counter market;

 

●

through the writing or settlement of options, whether such options are listed on an options exchange or otherwise;

 

●

ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers;

 

●

block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction;

 

●

purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account;

 

●

an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange;

 

●

privately negotiated transactions;

 

●

short sales made after the date the Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC;

 

●

broker-dealers may agree with a selling securityholder to sell a specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share;

 

●

a combination of any such methods of sale; and

 

●

any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.

 

 

The selling stockholders may also sell shares of Common Stock under Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, if available, rather than under this prospectus. In addition, the selling stockholders may transfer the shares of Common Stock by other means not described in this prospectus. If the selling stockholders effect such transactions by selling shares of Common Stock to or through underwriters, broker-dealers or agents, such underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may receive commissions in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the selling stockholders or commissions from purchasers of the shares of Common Stock for whom they may act as agent or to whom they may sell as principal (which discounts, concessions or commissions as to particular underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may be in excess of those customary in the types of transactions involved). In connection with sales of the shares of Common Stock or otherwise, the selling stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers, which may in turn engage in short sales of the shares of Common Stock in the course of hedging in positions they assume. The selling stockholders may also sell shares of Common Stock short and deliver shares of Common Stock covered by this prospectus to close out short positions and to return borrowed shares in connection with such short sales. The selling stockholders may also loan or pledge shares of Common Stock to broker-dealers that in turn may sell such shares.

 

The selling stockholders may pledge or grant a security interest in some or all of the notes, warrants, shares of Common Stock owned by them and, if they default in the performance of their secured obligations, the pledgees or secured parties may offer and sell the shares of Common Stock from time to time pursuant to this prospectus or any amendment to this prospectus under Rule 424(b)(3) or other applicable provision of the Securities Act amending, if necessary, the list of selling stockholders to include the pledgee, transferee or other successors in interest as selling stockholders under this prospectus. The selling stockholders also may transfer and donate the shares of Common Stock in other circumstances in which case the transferees, donees, pledgees or other successors in interest will be the selling beneficial owners for purposes of this prospectus.

 

To the extent required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, the selling stockholders and any broker-dealer participating in the distribution of the shares of Common Stock may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and any commission paid, or any discounts or concessions allowed to, any such broker-dealer may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. At the time a particular offering of the shares of Common Stock is made, a prospectus supplement, if required, will be distributed, which will set forth the aggregate amount of shares of Common Stock being offered and the terms of the offering, including the name or names of any broker-dealers or agents, any discounts, commissions and other terms constituting compensation from the selling stockholders and any discounts, commissions or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to broker-dealers.

 

 

Under the securities laws of some states, the shares of Common Stock may be sold in such states only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in some states the shares of Common Stock may not be sold unless such shares have been registered or qualified for sale in such state or an exemption from registration or qualification is available and is complied with.

 

There can be no assurance that any selling stockholder will sell any or all of the shares of Common Stock registered pursuant to the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part.

 

The selling stockholders and any other person participating in such distribution will be subject to applicable provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, including, without limitation, to the extent applicable, Regulation M of the Exchange Act, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of the shares of Common Stock by the selling stockholders and any other participating person. To the extent applicable, Regulation M may also restrict the ability of any person engaged in the distribution of the shares of Common Stock to engage in market-making activities with respect to the shares of Common Stock. All of the foregoing may affect the marketability of the shares of Common Stock and the ability of any person or entity to engage in market-making activities with respect to the shares of Common Stock.

 

We will pay all expenses of the registration of the shares of Common Stock pursuant to the registration rights agreement, estimated to be $[  ] in total, including, without limitation, Securities and Exchange Commission filing fees and expenses of compliance with state securities or “blue sky” laws; provided, however, a selling stockholder will pay all underwriting discounts and selling commissions, if any. We will indemnify the selling stockholders against liabilities, including some liabilities under the Securities Act in accordance with the registration rights agreements or the selling stockholders will be entitled to contribution. We may be indemnified by the selling stockholders against civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act that may arise from any written information furnished to us by the selling stockholder specifically for use in this prospectus, in accordance with the related registration rights agreements or we may be entitled to contribution.

 

Once sold under the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, the shares of Common Stock will be freely tradable in the hands of persons other than our affiliates.

 

 

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