REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

 

 

This Registration Rights Agreement (this "Agreement"), dated as of November 5, 2007, by and among China BAK Battery Inc., a Nevada corporation, with headquarters located at Bak Industrial Park, No. 1 Bak Street Kuichong Town, Longgang District, Shenzhen People F4 518119, China (the "Company"), and the investors listed on the Schedule of Buyers attached hereto (each, a "Buyer" and collectively, the "Buyers").

 

 

A. In connection with the Securities Purchase Agreement by and among the parties hereto of even date herewith (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 shares (the "Common Shares") of the Company's common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the "Common Stock").

 

B. In accordance with the terms of 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.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants contained herein and 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) "Additional Effective Date" means the date the Additional Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC.

 

(b) "Additional Effectiveness Deadline" means the date which is thirty (30) calendar days after the earlier of the Additional Filing Date and the Additional Filing Deadline or in the event that the Registration Statement is subject to a full review by the SEC, sixty (60) calendar days after the earlier of the Additional Filing Date and the Additional Filing Deadline.

 

(c) "Additional Filing Date" means the date on which the Additional Registration Statement is filed with the SEC.

 

(d) "Additional Filing Deadline" means if Cutback Shares are required to be included in the Additional Registration Statement, the later of (i) the date sixty (60) days after the date substantially all of the Registrable Securities registered under the immediately preceding Registration Statement are sold and (ii) the date six (6) months from the Initial Effective Date or the last Additional Effective Date, as applicable.

 

 

(e) "Additional Registrable Securities" means (i) any Cutback Shares not previously included on a Registration Statement, and (ii) any share capital of the Company issued or issuable with respect to the Cutback Shares as a result of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, exchange or similar event or otherwise.

 

(f) "Additional Registration Statement" means a registration statement or registration statements of the Company filed under the 1933 Act covering any Additional Registrable Securities.

 

(g) "Additional Required Registration Amount" means (I) (i) any Cutback Shares not previously included on a Registration Statement or (II) such other amount as may be required by the staff of the SEC pursuant to Rule 415.

 

(h) "Business Day" means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed.

 

(i) "Closing Date" shall have the meaning set forth in the Securities Purchase Agreement.

 

(j) "Cutback Shares" means any of the Initial Required Registration Amount or the Additional Required Registration Amount (without regard to clause (II) in the definition thereof) of Registrable Securities not included in all Registration Statements previously declared effective hereunder as a result of a limitation on the maximum number of shares of Common Stock of the Company permitted to be registered by the staff of the SEC pursuant to Rule 415.

 

(k) "Effective Date" means the Initial Effective Date and the Additional Effective Date, as applicable.

 

(l) "Effectiveness Deadline" means the Initial Effectiveness Deadline and the Additional Effectiveness Deadline, as applicable.

 

(m) "Eligible Market" means the Principal Market, American Stock Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., The NASDAQ Global Select Market or The NASDAQ Capital Market.

 

(n) "Filing Deadline" means the Initial Filing Deadline and the Additional Filing Deadline, as applicable.

 

 

(o) "Initial Effective Date" means the date that the Registration Statement has been declared effective by the SEC.

 

(p) "Initial Effectiveness Deadline" means the earlier of (I) the date which is one hundred (100) calendar days after the Closing Date and (II) the date which is five (5) Business Days after the Company learns that no review of the Registration Statement will be made by the staff of the SEC or that the staff of the SEC has no further comments on the Registration Statement.

 

(q) "Initial Filing Deadline" means forty-five (45) calendar days after the Closing Date.

 

(r) "Initial Registrable Securities" means (i) the Common Shares, and (ii) any capital stock of the Company issued or issuable, with respect to the Common Shares as a result of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, exchange or similar event or otherwise.

 

(s) "Initial Required Registration Amount" (I) number of Initial Registrable Securities issued as of the Trading Day immediately preceding the applicable date of determination, all subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2(f), or (II) such other amount as may be required by the staff of the SEC pursuant to Rule 415.

 

(t) "Initial Registration Statement" means a registration statement or registration statements of the Company filed under the 1933 Act covering the Initial Registrable Securities.

 

(u) "Investor" means a Buyer, any transferee or assignee thereof 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 assigns its rights under this Agreement and who agrees to become bound by the provisions of this Agreement in accordance with Section 9.

 

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

 

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

 

 

(x) "Registrable Securities" means the Initial Registrable Securities and the Additional Registrable Securities.

 

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

 

(z) "Required Holders" means, with respect to the Initial Registration Statement, the holders of at least a majority of the Initial Registrable Securities registered on such Initial Registration Statement and, with respect to an Additional Registration Statement, the holders of at least a majority of the Additional Registrable Securities registered on such Additional Registration Statement.

 

(aa) "Required Registration Amount" means either the Initial Required Registration Amount or the Additional Required Registration Amount, as applicable.

 

(bb) "Rule 415" means Rule 415 under the 1933 Act or any successor rule providing for offering securities on a continuous or delayed basis.

 

(cc) "SEC" means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(dd) "Trading Day" means any day on which the Common Stock is traded on the Principal Market, or, if the Principal Market is not the principal trading market for the Common Stock, then on the principal securities exchange or securities market on which the Common Stock is then traded; provided that "Trading Day" shall not include any day on which the Common Stock is scheduled to trade on such exchange or market for less than 4.5 hours or any day that the Common Stock is suspended from trading during the final hour of trading on such exchange or market (or if such exchange or market does not designate in advance the closing time of trading on such exchange or market, then during the hour ending at 4:00:00 p.m., New York time).

 

2. Registration.

 

(a) Initial Mandatory Registration. The Company shall prepare, and, as soon as practicable but in no event later than the Initial Filing Deadline, file with the SEC the Initial Registration Statement on Form S-3 covering the resale of all of the Initial Registrable Securities. In the event that Form S-3 is unavailable for such a registration, the Company shall use Form SB-2, Form S-1 or such other form as is available for such a registration and is reasonably acceptable to the Required Holders, subject to the provisions of Section 2(d). The Initial Registration Statement prepared pursuant hereto shall register for resale at least the number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Initial Required Registration Amount determined as of the date the Initial Registration Statement is initially filed with the SEC, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2(f). The Initial Registration Statement shall contain the "Selling Stockholders" section and "Plan of Distribution" attached hereto as Annex I. The Company shall use its best efforts to have the Initial Registration Statement declared effective by the SEC as soon as practicable, but in no event later than the Initial Effectiveness Deadline. By 5:00 p.m. New York time on the Business Day following the Initial Effective Date, the Company shall file with the SEC in accordance with Rule 424 under the 1933 Act the final prospectus to be used in connection with sales pursuant to such Initial Registration Statement. Each holder of Initial Registrable Securities has furnished to the Company a completed Questionnaire in the form attached to this Agreement as Annex II (a "Selling Holder Questionnaire").

 

 

(b) Additional Mandatory Registrations. The Company shall prepare, and, as soon as practicable but in no event later than the Additional Filing Deadline, file with the SEC an Additional Registration Statement on Form S-3 covering the resale of all of the Additional Registrable Securities not previously registered on an Additional Registration Statement hereunder. To the extent the staff of the SEC does not permit the Additional Required Registration Amount to be registered on an Additional Registration Statement, the Company shall file Additional Registration Statements successively trying to register on each such Additional Registration Statement the maximum number of remaining Additional Registrable Securities until the Additional Required Registration Amount has been registered with the SEC. In the event that Form S-3 is unavailable for such a registration, the Company shall use Form SB-2, Form S-1 or such other form as is available for such a registration and is reasonably acceptable to the Required Holders, subject to the provisions of Section 2(e). Each Additional Registration Statement prepared pursuant hereto shall register for resale at least that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Additional Required Registration Amount as of the date such Additional Registration Statement is initially filed with the SEC. Each Additional Registration Statement 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 Annex I. The Company shall use its best efforts to have each Additional Registration Statement declared effective by the SEC as soon as practicable, but in no event later than the Additional Effectiveness Deadline. By 5:00 p.m. New York time on the Business Day following the Additional Effective Date, the Company shall file with the SEC in accordance with Rule 424 under the 1933 Act the final prospectus to be used in connection with sales pursuant to such Additional Registration Statement.

 

(c) Allocation of Registrable Securities. The initial number of Registrable Securities included in any Registration Statement and each increase or decrease 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 the Registration Statement covering such initial number of Registrable Securities or increase or decrease thereof is declared effective by the SEC. Any shares of Common Stock included in a Registration Statement and which remain allocated to any Investor 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. 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.

 

(d) Legal Counsel. Subject to Section 5 hereof, the Required Holders shall have the right to select one legal counsel to review and comment on any registration pursuant to this Section 2 ("Legal Counsel"), which shall be Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP or such other counsel as thereafter designated by the Required Holders. The Company and Legal Counsel shall reasonably cooperate with each other in order to achieve the registration of the Registrable Securities as set forth in this Agreement.

 

 

(e) Ineligibility for Form S-3. In the event that Form S-3 is not available for the registration of the resale of Registrable Securities hereunder, the Company shall (i) register the resale of the Registrable Securities on a Form SB-2, Form S-1, or another appropriate form reasonably acceptable to the Required Holders and undertake to register the Registrable Securities on Form S-3 promptly after such form is available within the Registration Period (as defined in Section 3(a)), provided that the Company shall use its best efforts to maintain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement then in effect in accordance with this Agreement until such time as a Registration Statement on Form S-3 covering the Registrable Securities has been declared effective by the SEC, unless the Registration Period has earlier terminated.

 

(f) Sufficient Number of Shares Registered. In the event the number of shares available under a Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 2(a) 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(b), the Company shall amend the applicable Registration Statement, or file 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 therefore arises. The Company shall use its best efforts to cause such amendment and/or new Registration Statement to become effective as soon as practicable following the filing thereof. 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 registered for resale under such Registration Statement is less than the number of Registrable Securities required to be registered for resale pursuant to such Registration Statement in accordance with the terms of Section 2(a) or 2(b), as applicable.

 

(g) Effect of Failure to File and Obtain and Maintain Effectiveness of Registration Statement. If (i) a Registration Statement covering all the Registrable Securities required to be covered thereby and required to be filed by the Company pursuant to this Agreement is (A) not filed with the SEC on or before the applicable Filing Deadline (a "Filing Failure") or (B) not declared effective by the SEC on the applicable Effectiveness Deadline, (an "Effectiveness Failure") or (ii) on any day after the applicable Effective Date of any Registration Statement, sales of all the Registrable Securities included on such Registration Statement cannot be made (other than during an Allowable Grace Period (as defined in Section 3(r)) pursuant to such Registration Statement or otherwise (including, without limitation, because of a failure to keep such Registration Statement effective, to disclose such information as is necessary for sales to be made pursuant to such Registration Statement, to register a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock or to maintain the listing of the Common Stock) (a "Maintenance Failure") 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), (A) the Company shall pay to each holder of Registrable Securities relating to such Registration Statement an amount in cash equal to one and one-half percent (1.5%) of the aggregate Purchase Price of such Investor's Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement on each of the following dates: (i) on the thirtieth day after the date of a Filing Failure and every thirtieth day thereafter (pro rated for periods totaling less than thirty days) until the ten (10) month anniversary of such Filing Failure; (ii) on the thirtieth day after the date of an Effectiveness Failure and every thirtieth day thereafter (pro rated for periods totaling less than thirty days) until the ten (10) month anniversary of such Effectiveness Failure; and (iii) on the thirtieth day after the date of a Maintenance Failure and every thirtieth day thereafter (pro rated for periods totaling less than thirty days) until the ten (10) month anniversary of such Maintenance Failure and (B) the Company shall pay to each holder of Registrable Securities relating to such Registration Statement an amount in cash equal to one-half percent (0.5%) of the aggregate Purchase Price of such Investor's Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement on each of the following dates: (i) on the ten (10) month anniversary of a Filing Failure and every thirtieth day thereafter (pro rated for periods totaling less than thirty days) until such Filing Failure is cured; (ii) on the ten (10) month anniversary of an Effectiveness Failure and every thirtieth day thereafter (pro rated for periods totaling less than thirty days) until such Effectiveness Failure is cured; and (iii) on the ten (10) month anniversary of a Maintenance Failure and every thirtieth day thereafter (pro rated for periods totaling less than thirty days) until such Maintenance Failure is cured. The payments to which a holder shall be entitled pursuant to this Section 2(g) are referred to herein as "Registration Delay Payments." Registration Delay Payments shall be paid on the earlier of (I) the dates set forth above and (II) the third Business Day after the event or failure giving rise to the Registration Delay Payments is cured. In the event the Company fails to make Registration Delay Payments in a timely manner, such Registration Delay Payments shall bear interest at the rate of one percent (1.0%) per month (prorated for partial months) until paid in full. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Company be required to pay Registration Delay Payments for a contemporaneous Filing Failure and Effectiveness Failure.

 

 

3. Related Obligations.

 

At such time as the Company is obligated to file a Registration Statement with the SEC pursuant to Section 2(a), 2(b), 2(e) or 2(f), the Company will 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 submit to the SEC, within three (3) Business Days after the Company learns that no review of a particular Registration Statement will be made by the staff of the SEC or that the staff of the SEC has no further comments on a particular Registration Statement, as the case may be, a request for acceleration of effectiveness of such Registration Statement to a time and date not later than 48 hours after the submission of such request. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep each Registration Statement effective pursuant to Rule 415 during the period commencing on the Effective Date of such Registration Statement and ending on the earlier of (i) such time as all of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement have been sold by the holders of the Registrable Securities included therein and (ii) such time as all of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement may be sold by the Investors without volume restrictions pursuant to Rule 144(k), in each case as determined by the counsel to the Company pursuant to a written opinion letter to such effect, addressed to the Company's transfer agent and acceptable to such transfer agent and the affected Investor (the "Registration Period").

 

 

(b) The Company shall prepare and file with the SEC such amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to a Registration Statement and the prospectus used in connection with such Registration Statement, which prospectus is to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 promulgated under the 1933 Act, as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective at all times during the Registration Period in accordance with this Agreement, and, during such period, comply with the provisions of the 1933 Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities of the Company 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. In the case of amendments and supplements to a Registration Statement which are required to be filed pursuant to this Agreement (including pursuant to this Section 3(b)) by reason of the Company filing a report on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q or 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 within one (1) Business Day after the 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 Legal Counsel to review and comment upon (i) a Registration Statement at least three (3) Business Days prior to its filing with the SEC and (ii) all amendments and supplements to all Registration Statements (except for Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on 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 Legal Counsel reasonably objects. The Company shall not submit a request for acceleration of the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto without the prior approval of Legal Counsel, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. The Company shall furnish to Legal Counsel, without charge, (i) copies of any correspondence from the SEC or the staff of the SEC to the Company or its representatives relating to any Registration Statement and (ii) to the extent not otherwise available on the EDGAR system, (x) promptly after the same is prepared and filed with the SEC, one copy of any Registration Statement and any amendment(s) thereto, including financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated therein by reference, if requested by an Investor, and (y) upon the effectiveness of any Registration Statement, one (1) copy of the prospectus included in such Registration Statement and all amendments and supplements thereto. The Company shall reasonably cooperate with Legal Counsel in performing the Company's obligations pursuant to this Section 3.

 

(d) The Company shall furnish to each Investor whose Registrable Securities are included in any Registration Statement, without charge, (i) promptly after the same is prepared and filed with the SEC, one copy of such Registration Statement and any amendment(s) thereto, including financial statements and schedules, if requested by such Investor and to the extent not otherwise available on the EDGAR system, (ii) upon the effectiveness of any Registration Statement, such number of copies of the prospectus included in such Registration Statement and all amendments and supplements thereto as such Investor may reasonably request, to the extent not otherwise available on the EDGAR system and (iii) such other SEC Document, including copies of any preliminary or final prospectus, as such Investor may reasonably request from time to time in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Investor, in each case to the extent not otherwise available on the EDGAR system.

 

 

(e) The Company shall use its 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 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, that 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 Legal Counsel and 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 notify Legal Counsel and each Investor who holds Registrable Securities being sold pursuant to an affected Registration Statement in writing 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, nonpublic information), and, subject to Section 3(r), promptly prepare a supplement or amendment to such Registration Statement to correct such untrue statement or omission, and deliver such number of copies of such supplement or amendment as Legal Counsel or such Investor may reasonably request (unless any such supplement or amendment is available on EDGAR). By 5:00 p.m. New York City time on the date following the date any post-effective amendment has become effective, the Company shall file with the SEC in accordance with Rule 424 under the 1933 Act the final prospectus to be used in connection with sales pursuant to such Registration Statement. If the Company notifies an Investor in connection with the provisions herein as to the suspension of the use of any prospectus, such Investor shall promptly suspend the use of any such prospectus.

 

(g) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or other suspension of effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or the suspension of the qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction in which the Company has registered or qualified the Registrable Securities for sale in accordance with Section 3(e) and, if such an order or suspension is issued, to use its reasonable best effort to obtain the withdrawal of such order or suspension as soon as reasonably practicable. The Company shall notify Legal Counsel and each Investor who holds Registrable Securities being sold pursuant to an affected Registration Statement of the issuance of such order and the resolution thereof 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) If any Investor is required under applicable securities laws to be described in the Registration Statement as an underwriter, at the reasonable request of such Investor and at such Investor's expense, the Company shall furnish to such Investor, on the date of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and thereafter from time to time on such dates as an Investor may reasonably request (i) a letter, dated such date, from the Company's independent certified public accountants in form and substance as is customarily given by independent certified public accountants to underwriters in an underwritten public offering, addressed to the Investors, and (ii) an opinion, dated as of such date, of counsel representing the Company for purposes of such Registration Statement, in form, scope and substance as is customarily given in an underwritten public offering, addressed to the Investors.

 

(i) If any Investor is required under applicable securities laws to be described in the Registration Statement as an underwriter, the Company shall make available for inspection by (i) such Investor, (ii) Legal Counsel and (iii) one firm of accountants or other agents retained by the Investors (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, that each Inspector shall agree to hold in strict confidence and shall not make any disclosure (except to an Investor) or use of any Record or other information which the Company determines in good faith to be confidential, and of which determination the Inspectors are so notified, unless (a) 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, (b) 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 (c) the information in such Records has been made generally available to the public other than by disclosure in violation of this Agreement. Each 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 any Investor) shall be deemed to limit the Investors' 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, other than the information provided in or pursuant to the Selling Holder Questionnaire, 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, (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, to the knowledge of the Company, any other agreement. 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 the Investor's expense, to undertake appropriate action to prevent disclosure of, or to obtain a protective order for, such information.

 

 

(k) The Company shall use its best efforts either to (i) cause all the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement to be listed on the Principal Market or, if securities of the same class and series as the Registrable Securities are no longer listed on the Principal Market such other securities exchange on which securities of the same class and series issued by the Company are then listed, if any, if the listing of such Registrable Securities is then permitted under the rules of the Principal Market or an Eligible Market. The Company shall pay all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligation under this Section 3(k).

 

(l) 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 and registered in such names as the Investors may request.

 

(m) If requested by an Investor, the Company shall as soon as reasonably practicable (i) incorporate in a prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information as such Investor reasonably requests to be included therein 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 if reasonably requested by an Investor holding any Registrable Securities.

 

(n) The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities.

 

(o) Unless the following information is otherwise available on the EDGAR system, the Company shall make generally available to its security holders as soon as practical, but not later than ninety (90) days after the close of the period covered thereby, an earnings statement (in form complying with, and in the manner provided by, the provisions of Rule 158 under the 1933 Act) covering a twelve-month period beginning not later than the first day of the Company's fiscal quarter next following the Effective Date of a Registration Statement.

 

 

(p) 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.

 

(q) Within two (2) Business Days after a Registration Statement which covers Registrable Securities is ordered effective by the SEC, the Company shall deliver, and / or shall cause legal counsel for the Company to deliver (as required by the Company's transfer agent to remove legends from the Registrable Securities), to the transfer agent for such Registrable Securities (with copies to the Investors whose Registrable Securities are included in such Registration Statement) confirmation that such Registration Statement has been declared effective by the SEC in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.

 

(r) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, at any time after the Effective Date, the Company may (i) delay the disclosure of material, non-public information concerning the Company the disclosure of which at the time is not, in the good faith opinion of the Board of Directors of the Company and its counsel, in the best interest of the Company and, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, otherwise required or (ii) cause the Registration Statement to be suspended if such suspension is required by law, rule or regulation, or is otherwise in the best interest of the Company (a "Grace Period"); provided, that the Company shall promptly (i) notify the Investors in writing of the existence of material, non-public information giving rise to a Grace Period in conformity with the provisions of this Section 3(r) (provided that in each notice the Company will not disclose the content of such material, non-public information to the Investors) and the date on which the Grace Period will begin, and (ii) notify the Investors in writing of the date on which the Grace Period ends; and, provided further, that no Grace Period shall exceed five (5) consecutive Trading Days and during any three hundred sixty five (365) day period such Grace Periods shall not exceed an aggregate of thirty (30) calendar days and the first day of any Grace Period must be at least five (5) Trading Days after the last day of any prior Grace Period (each, an "Allowable Grace Period"). For purposes of determining the length of a Grace Period above, the Grace Period shall begin on and include the date the Investors receive the notice referred to in clause (i) and shall end on and include the later of the date the Investors receive the notice referred to in clause (ii) and the date referred to in such notice. The provisions of Section 3(g) hereof shall not be applicable during the period of any Allowable Grace Period. Upon expiration of the Grace Period, the Company shall again be bound by the first sentence of Section 3(f) with respect to the information giving rise thereto unless such material, non-public information is no longer applicable. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, 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 an Investor has entered into a contract for sale, and delivered a copy of the prospectus included as part of the applicable Registration Statement, prior to the Investor's receipt of the notice of a Grace Period and for which the Investor has not yet settled.

 

(s) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary or affiliate thereof shall identify any Buyer as an underwriter in any public disclosure or filing with the SEC, the Principal Market or any Eligible Market without such Buyer's consent. If such Buyer refuses to give such consent in connection with a Registration Statement and the Company is obligated by law or the rules or regulations of the SEC, to identify such Buyer as an underwriter, the Company shall not be obligated to register such Buyer's Registrable Securities on the applicable Registration Statement; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit the Company from including the disclosure found in the "Plan of Distribution" section attached hereto as Exhibit B in the Registration Statement.

 

 

4. Obligations of the Investors.

 

(a) At least five (5) Business Days prior to the first anticipated filing date of a Registration Statement, the Company shall notify each Investor in writing of the information the Company requires from each such Investor if such Investor elects to have any of such Investor's Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement. It shall be a condition precedent to the obligations of the Company to complete any 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 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 any 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 copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus as contemplated by Section 3(g) or the first sentence of 3(f) or receipt of notice that no supplement or amendment is required. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, 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 an 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 3(f) and for which the 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 or an exemption therefrom in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to the 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, and fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company shall be paid by the Company. The Company shall also reimburse the Investors for the fees and disbursements of Legal Counsel in connection with registration, filing or qualification pursuant to Sections 2 and 3 of this Agreement which amount shall be limited to $10,000.

 

6. Indemnification.

 

In the event any Registrable Securities are included in a Registration Statement under this Agreement:

 

(a) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company will, and hereby does, indemnify, hold harmless and defend each Investor, the directors, officers, partners, members, employees, agents, representatives of each Investor, and each Person, if any, who controls each such Investor within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act (each, an "Indemnified Person"), against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties, charges, costs, reasonable attorneys' fees, 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 or alleged 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 or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) any untrue statement or alleged 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 or alleged omission to state therein any material fact necessary to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which the statements therein were made, not misleading, (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 or (iv) any violation of this Agreement (the matters in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iv) 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 reasonably 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 (1) in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by such Indemnified Person expressly for use in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement or any such amendment thereof or supplement thereto, if such prospectus was timely made available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(d) or to the extent that such information relates to such Indemnified Person or such Indemnified Person's proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was viewed and expressly approved in writing by such Indemnified Person expressly for use in the Registration Statement, preliminary or final prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto (it being understood that each Indemnified Person has approved Annex I hereto for this purpose) or (2) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3(f) or 3(g), as a result of, and to the extent of, the failure by such Indemnified Person to immediately discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to any applicable Registration Statement(s) until a supplemented or amended prospectus as contemplated by Sections 3(f) or 3(g) have been filed with the SEC (and, with respect to any post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement(s) filed with the SEC, such post-effective amendment as become effective) in accordance with Section 4(c); and (ii) the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6(a) 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 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 the Registrable Securities by the Investors pursuant to Section 9.

 

 

(b) In connection with any Registration Statement in which an Investor is named as a selling stockholder, each 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 Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of 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 or to the extent that such information relates to such Investor or such Investor's proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by such Investor expressly for use in the Registration Statement, preliminary or final prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto (it being understood that each Investor has approved Annex I hereto for this purpose); and, subject to Section 6(c), such Investor will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by an Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim; provided, however, that 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, however, that an 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 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 the Registrable Securities by the Investors pursuant to Section 9. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the indemnification agreement contained in this Section 6(b) with respect to any preliminary prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of any Indemnified Party if the untrue statement or omission of material fact contained in the preliminary prospectus was corrected on a timely basis in the prospectus, as then amended or supplemented.

 

 

(c) Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding (including any governmental action or proceeding) involving a Claim, such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party 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 reasonably satisfactory to the indemnifying party and the Indemnified Person or the Indemnified Party, as the case may be; provided, however, that an Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party shall have the right to retain its own counsel with the fees and expenses of not more than one counsel for such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party to be paid by the indemnifying party, if the named parties to such proceeding include both the indemnifying party and the Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party, as applicable and, in the reasonable opinion of the Indemnified Person or the Indemnified Party, as the case may be, the representation by such counsel of the Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and the indemnifying party would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and any other party represented by such counsel in such proceeding. In the case of an Indemnified Person, legal counsel referred to in the immediately preceding sentence shall be selected by the Investors holding at least a majority in interest of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement to which the Claim relates. The Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person shall cooperate fully 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 which relates to such action or Claim. The indemnifying party shall keep the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person fully 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, that 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, 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 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 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 under this Section 6, except to the extent that the indemnifying party is prejudiced in its ability to defend such action.

 

 

(d) 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, reasonably promptly upon the receipt by the indemnified party of written bills (with such appropriate supporting information as is reasonably requested by the indemnifying party that Indemnified Damages have been incurred and the amount thereof (together with such appropriate supporting information as is reasonably requested by the indemnifying party); provided that the Indemnified Party, as applicable, shall reimburse all such payments to the extent it is finally judicially determined that such Indemnified Person or Indemnified party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder.

 

(e) The indemnity 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, that: (i) 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 (ii) contribution by any seller of Registrable Securities shall be limited in amount to the net amount of proceeds received by such seller from the sale of such Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement.

 

8. Reports Under the 1934 Act.

 

With a view to making available to the Investors the benefits of Rule 144 promulgated under the 1933 Act or any other similar 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 ("Rule 144"), the Company agrees, until the earlier of such time as all of the Registrable Securities (i) have been sold and (ii) may be sold by all Investors without volume limitations pursuant to Rule 144(k), to:

 

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

 

(b) file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other documents required of the Company under Section 13 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act so long as the Company remains subject to such requirements 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 requirements of Rule 144, the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act, (ii) a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Company and such other reports and documents so filed by the Company, 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 under this Agreement shall be automatically assignable by the Investors to any transferee of all or any portion of such Investor's Registrable Securities if: (i) the Investor agrees in writing with the transferee or assignee to assign such rights, and a copy of such agreement is furnished to the Company within a reasonable time after such assignment; (ii) the Company is, within a reasonable time after such transfer or assignment, furnished with written notice of (a) the name and address of such transferee or assignee, and (b) the securities with respect to which such registration rights are being transferred or assigned; (iii) immediately following such transfer or assignment the further disposition of such securities by the transferee or assignee is restricted under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws; (iv) at or before the time the Company receives the written notice contemplated by clause (ii) of this sentence the transferee or assignee agrees in writing with the Company to be bound by all of the provisions contained herein; and (v) such transfer shall have been made in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Purchase Agreement.

 

10. Amendment of Registration Rights.

 

Provisions of this Agreement may be amended and the observance thereof may be waived (either generally or in a particular instance and either retroactively or prospectively), only with the written consent of the Company and the Required Holders. Any amendment or waiver effected in accordance with this Section 10 shall be binding upon each Investor and the Company. No such amendment shall be effective to the extent that it applies to less than all of the holders of the Registrable Securities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, amendment or waiver with respect to a matter that relates exclusively to the rights of certain holders of Registrable Securities and that does not directly or indirectly affect the rights of other holders may be given by holders of at least a majority of the Registrable Securities to which such waiver or consent relates, and such amendment or waiver shall be binding on all such holders. 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. Currency. Unless otherwise indicated, all dollar amounts referred to in this Agreement are in United States Dollars. All amounts owing under this Agreement or any Transaction Document (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement) shall be paid in US dollars. All amounts denominated in other currencies shall be converted in the US dollar equivalent amount in accordance with the Exchange Rate on the date of calculation. "Exchange Rate" means, in relation to any amount of currency to be converted into US dollars pursuant to this Agreement, the US dollar exchange rate as published in the Wall Street Journal on the relevant date of calculation.

 

11A. Judgment Currency.

 

a) If for the purpose of obtaining or enforcing judgment against the Company in any court in any jurisdiction it becomes necessary to convert into any other currency (such other currency being hereinafter in this Section 12 referred to as the "Judgment Currency") an amount due in US dollars under this Agreement, the conversion shall be made at the Exchange Rate prevailing on the Business Day immediately preceding:

 

i) the date of actual payment of the amount due, in the case of any proceeding in the courts of New York or in the courts of any other jurisdiction that will give effect to such conversion being made on such date: or

 

ii) the date on which the foreign court determines, in the case of any proceeding in the courts of any other jurisdiction (the date as of which such conversion is made pursuant to this Section being hereinafter referred to as the "Judgment Conversion Date").

 

b) If in the case of any proceeding in the court of any jurisdiction referred to in Section 11A(a)(i)(2) above, there is a change in the Exchange Rate prevailing between the Judgment Conversion Date and the date of actual payment of the amount due, the applicable party shall pay such adjusted amount as may be necessary to ensure that the amount paid in the Judgment Currency, when converted at the Exchange Rate prevailing on the date of payment, will produce the amount of US dollars which could have been purchased with the amount of Judgment Currency stipulated in the judgment or judicial order at the Exchange Rate prevailing on the Judgment Conversion Date.

 

c) Any amount due from the Company under this provision shall be due as a separate debt and shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other amounts due under or in respect of this Agreement.

 

12. Miscellaneous.

 

(a) 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 the 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) one Business Day after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, in each case properly addressed to the party to receive the same; or (iv) upon receipt when sent by email transmission, provided that such email transmission is confirmed by delivery by one of the other methods set forth herein. The addresses and facsimile numbers for such communications shall be:

 

 

If to the Company:

China BAK Battery Inc.

Bak Industrial Park

No. 1 Bak Street

Kuichong Town, Longgang District

Shenzhen People F4 518119, China

Attention:	Tony Shen
Telephone:	86 ###-###-#### 0093
Facsimile:	86 ###-###-#### 0527
Email:	***@***

 

 

With a copy to:

 

Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner LLP

701 Eighth Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20001

If to Legal Counsel:

 

Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP

919 Third Avenue

New York, New York 10022

 

If to an Investor who is a Buyer, to its address and facsimile number set forth on the Schedule of Buyers attached hereto, with copies to such Buyer's representatives as set forth on the Schedule of Buyers, and if to any other Investors, to its address and facsimile number provided in accordance with Section 9; or, with respect to any party, to such other address and/or facsimile number 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 containing the time, date, recipient facsimile number and an image of the first page of such transmission 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. The Company hereby appoints Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner LLP with offices at 701 Eighth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001, as its agent for service of process in the United States. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, 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 and the instruments referenced herein and therein constitute the entire agreement among the parties hereto 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 and the instruments referenced herein and therein supersede all prior agreements and understandings among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.

 

 

(f) Subject to the requirements of Section 9, this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the permitted successors and assigns of each of the parties hereto.

 

(g) The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

 

(h) This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement. This Agreement, once executed by a party, may be delivered to the other party hereto by facsimile transmission of a copy of this Agreement bearing the signature of the party so delivering this Agreement.

 

(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) 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.

 

(k) 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.

 

(l) This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person.

 

(m) The obligations of each Buyer hereunder are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Buyer, and no provision of this Agreement is intended to confer any obligations on any Buyer vis-à-vis any other Buyer. Nothing contained herein, and no action taken by any Buyer pursuant hereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Buyers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Buyers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated herein.

 

* * * * * *

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each 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:
	CHINA BAK BATTERY INC.
	By:
		Name:
		Title

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each 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.

 

 

	NAME OF INVESTING ENTITY
	By:
		Name:
		Title

 

	ADDRESS FOR NOTICE
	c/o: ________________________________________
	Street:______________________________________
	City/State/Zip:________________________________
	Attention:___________________________________
	Tel:________________________________________
	Fax:________________________________________
	Email:_______________________________________

 

 

Buyer	Buyer Address and Facsimile Number	Buyer's Representative's Address and Facsimile Number

 

 

 

 

[Transfer Agent]

[Address]

Attention:

 

Re: China BAK Battery Inc.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

[We are][I am] counsel to China BAK Battery Inc., a Nevada corporation (the "Company"), and have represented the Company in connection with that certain Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of Novermber [ ], 2007 (the "Securities Purchase Agreement"), entered into by and among the Company and the buyers named therein (collectively, the "Holders") pursuant to which the Company issued to the Holders its shares of the Company's Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the "Common Stock"). Pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, the Company also has entered into a Registration Rights Agreement with the Holders (the "Registration Rights Agreement") pursuant to which the Company agreed, among other things, to register the resale of the Registrable Securities (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). In connection with the Company's obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement, on ____________ ___, 2007, the Company filed a Registration Statement on Form [S-3] (File No. 333-_____________) (the "Registration Statement") with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") relating to the Registrable Securities which names each of the Holders as a selling stockholder thereunder.

 

In connection with the foregoing, [we][I] advise you that a member of the SEC's staff has advised [us][me] by telephone that the SEC has entered an order declaring the Registration Statement effective under the 1933 Act at [ENTER TIME OF EFFECTIVENESS] on [ENTER DATE OF EFFECTIVENESS] and we have no knowledge, after telephonic inquiry of a member of the SEC's staff, that any stop order suspending its effectiveness has been issued or that any proceedings for that purpose are pending before, or threatened by, the SEC and the Registrable Securities are available for resale under the 1933 Act pursuant to the Registration Statement.

 

This letter shall serve as our standing instruction to you that the shares of Common Stock are freely transferable by the Holders pursuant to the Registration Statement. Unless you receive a separate notice of instruction from us following a request by a Holder for a legend free certificate or reissue thereof, you need not require further letters from us to effect any future legend-free issuance or reissuance of shares of Common Stock upon the request of a Holder.

	Very truly yours,
	[ISSUER'S COUNSEL]
	By:

CC: [LIST NAMES OF HOLDERS]

 

 

 

The shares of common stock being offered by the selling stockholders are those previously issued to the Selling Stockholders. For additional information regarding the issuances of common stock, see "Private Placement of Common Shares" 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 of common stock, 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 of the shares of common stock by each of the selling stockholders. The second column lists the number of shares of common stock beneficially owned by each selling shareholder, based on its ownership of the shares of common stock, as of ________, 2007.

 

The third column lists the shares of common stock being offered by this prospectus by the selling stockholders.

 

In accordance with the terms of registration rights agreements with the holders of the shares of common stock, this prospectus generally covers the resale of the number of shares of common stock issued as of the trading day immediately preceding the date this registration statement was initially filed with the SEC. The fourth column assumes the sale of all of the shares offered by the selling stockholders pursuant to this prospectus. 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 Owned Prior to Offering

Maximum Number of Shares of Common Stock to be Sold Pursuant to this Prospectus

Number of Shares of Common Stock Owned After Offering

 

 

 

We are registering the shares of common stock previously issued to permit the resale of these shares of common stock by the holders of the common stock 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 beneficially owned 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,

 

·	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 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;

 

·	sales pursuant to Rule 144;

 

·	broker-dealers may agree with the selling securityholders 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.

 

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 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 of 1933, as amended, 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.

 

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 reallowed 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 shelf 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, 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. 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, that 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 shelf 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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In connection with your purchase of shares of common stock (the “Securities”) of China BAK Battery, Inc. (the “Company”) in various transactions (the “Offerings”), please provide the Company with the following information for the Company’s use in preparing a Registration Statement (the “Registration Statement”) relating to the Securities acquired by you which you are asking the Company to register.  

 

 

A. General Information

 

1. Please state your or your organization’s name exactly as it should appear on the Registration Statement.

 

2. Please provide the Tax Identification Number of the person or entity listed in response to Item 1 above (if applicable).

 

3. Have you or your organization had any position, office or other material relationship within the past three years with the Company or any of its affiliates (other than as a participant in the Offerings)?

If yes, please indicate the nature of any such relationships below:

 

4. Does the Plan of Distribution attached to this Questionnaire as Annex A accurately reflect the means by which you ultimately intend to dispose or sell the Securities?

 

 

B. Securities Holdings

Please fill in all blanks in the following questions related to your beneficial ownership of the Company’s capital stock. Generally, the term “beneficial ownership” refers to any direct or indirect interest in the securities which entitles you to any of the rights or benefits of ownership, even though you may not be the holder of record of the securities. For example, securities held in “street name” over which you exercise voting or investment power would be considered beneficially owned by you. Other examples of indirect ownership include ownership by a partnership in which you are a partner or by an estate or trust of which you or any member of your immediate family is a beneficiary. Ownership of securities held in the names of your spouse, minor children or other relatives who live in the same household may be attributed to you.

Please note: If you have any reason to believe that any interest in securities of the Company which you may have, however remote, is a beneficial interest, please describe such interest. For purposes of responding to this questionnaire, it is preferable to err on the side of inclusion rather than exclusion. Where the SEC's interpretation of beneficial ownership would require disclosure of your interest or possible interest in certain securities of the Company, and you believe that you do not actually possess the attributes of beneficial ownership, an appropriate response is to disclose the interest and at the same time disclaim beneficial ownership of the securities.

1. I own outright (including shares registered in my name individually or jointly with others, shares held in the name of a bank, broker, nominee, depository or in “street name” for my account), the following number of shares of the Company’s capital stock:

 

 

2. I beneficially own the following number of securities that are exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into the Company’s common stock:   

 

3. In addition to the number of shares I own outright as indicated by my answer to Item B(l), as of the date hereof, I have or share voting power or investment power, directly or indirectly, through a contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, over the following number of shares of the Company's capital stock:

 

4. Please identify the natural person or persons who have voting and/or investment control over the Company’s securities that you own, and state whether such person(s) disclaims beneficial ownership of the securities. Please also state how (in what capacity) such person exercises such control. For example, if you are a general partnership, please identify the general partners in the partnership.

 

 

C. NASD Questions

 

1. Are you (i) a “member”¹  of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD"), (ii) an “affiliate”²  of a member of the NASD, (iii) a “person associated with a member” or an “associated person of a member” of the NASD or (iv) an immediate family member³  of any of the foregoing persons? If yes, please identify the member and describe such relationship (whether direct or indirect), and please respond to Item 2 below; if no, please proceed directly to Item 3 below.

 

Description:

2. If you answered “yes” to Question Number 1, please furnish any information as to whether any such member intends to participate in any capacity in the proposed public resale of the Securities, including the details of such participation:

 

 

1 NASD defines a "member" as any broker or dealer admitted to membership in the NASD, or any officer or partner or branch manager of such a member, or any person occupying a similar status or performing a similar function for such a member.

2 The term "affiliate" means a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is in common control with, the person specified. Persons who have acted or are acting on behalf of or for the benefit of a person include, but are not necessarily limited to, directors, officers, employees, agents, consultants and sales representatives. The following should apply for purposes of the foregoing:

(i)

a person should be presumed to control a Member if the person beneficially owns 10 percent or more the outstanding voting securities of a Member which is a corporation, or beneficially owns a partnership interest in 10 percent or more of the distributable profits or losses of a Member which is a partnership;

(ii)

a Member should be presumed to control a person if the Member and Persons Associated With a Member beneficially own 10 percent or more of the outstanding voting securities of a person which is a corporation, or beneficially own a partnership interest in 10 percent or more of the distributable profits or losses of a person which is a partnership; (iii) a person should be presumed to be under common control with a Member if:

(1)

the same person controls both the Member and another person by beneficially owning 10 percent or more of the outstanding voting securities of a Member or person which is a corporation, or by beneficially owning a partnership interest in 10 percent or more of the distributable profits or losses of a Member or person which is a partnership; or

(2)	a person having the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of the Member or such person also has the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of the other entity in question.

 

 

 

3. Are you or have you been an “underwriter or related person”⁴  or a person associated with an underwriter or related person, including, without limitation, with respect to the proposed public resale of the Securities? If yes, please identify the underwriter or related person and describe such relationship (whether direct or indirect).

 

Description:

 

4. If known, please describe in detail any underwriting compensation received or underwriting arrangements or dealings entered into during the previous twelve months, or proposed to be consummated in the next twelve months, between (i) any underwriter or related person, member of the NASD, affiliate of a member of the NASD, person associated with a member or associated person of a member of the NASD or any immediate family member thereof, on the one hand, and (ii) the Company, or any director, officer or shareholder thereof, on the other hand, which provides for the receipt of any item of value and/or the transfer of any warrants, options or other securities from the Company to any such person (other than the information relating to the arrangements with any investment firm or underwriting organization which may participate in the proposed public resale of the Securities).

 

Description:

 

5. Have you purchased the securities in the ordinary course of business?

 

 

D. Regulation M

 

You hereby acknowledge and agree that you have been advised by the Company that the anti-manipulation rules of Regulation M under the Exchange Act may apply to sales of shares in the market and to the activities of you and the other selling stockholders and your and their affiliates.

 

 

E. Signatures

 

The undersigned has prepared and carefully read this questionnaire. The undersigned understands that:

1. Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner LLP, 701 Eighth Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20001, is the attorney for the Company.

2. The Company will rely upon the answers and representations made above when preparing or reviewing documents, including, with limitation, the Registration Statement.

3. One who causes documents to be misleading may be held liable civilly to investors and other persons who are damaged as a result of such misrepresentation.

THE UNDERSIGNED WILL NOTIFY THE COMPANY PROMPTLY OF ANY SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES IN THE FOREGOING INFORMATION THAT MAY OCCUR.

Date: ________________

 

For Individuals:			For Entities:
Print Name Above			Print Name Above
Sign Name Above			By:____________________________________
			Name:
			Title:
Address:			Address:

     

 

 

Andrea Lynn Schroepfer

Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner LLP

701 Eighth Street, N.W.

Washington, DC 20001

Telephone: +1 ###-###-####

Facsimile: +1 ###-###-####

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