Promissory Note, dated March 22, 2024, issued to Cove Funding LP
Exhibit 4.1
NEITHER THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THESE SECURITIES ARE CONVERTIBLE HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE, SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR ASSIGNED (I) IN THE ABSENCE OF (A) AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR THE SECURITIES UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR (B) AN OPINION OF COUNSEL (WHICH MAY BE THE LEGAL COUNSEL OPINION (AS DEFINED IN THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT)), IN A GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE FORM, THAT REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED UNDER SAID ACT OR (II) UNLESS SOLD PURSUANT TO RULE 144, RULE 144A OR REGULATION S UNDER SAID ACT OR OTHER APPLICABLE EXEMPTION. NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, THE SECURITIES MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER LOAN OR FINANCING ARRANGEMENT SECURED BY THE SECURITIES.
| Principal Amount: Up to $300,000.00 | Issue Date: March 22, 2024 |
SENIOR SECURED CONVERTIBLE PROMISSORY NOTE
NetBrands Corp. f/k/a Global Diversified Marketing Group Inc.
12% Convertible Promissory Note
Due July 21, 2024
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, NetBrands Corp. f/k/a Global Diversified Marketing Group Inc. (Trading Symbol: NBND), a Delaware corporation (hereinafter called the “Borrower” or the “Company”), hereby promises to pay to the order of Cove Funding LP, a Delaware limited partnership, or its registered assigns (the “Holder”), in the form of lawful money of the United States of America, the principal amount of up to $300,000.00 (the “Commitment”). Assuming certain conditions are met (as determined in Holder’s sole discretion, and subject to Lender’s receipt of written request by the Borrower with respect to the Second Tranche (as defined below), such amount shall be funded by the Holder in two (2) tranches as follows: (i) up to the sum of $150,000, plus [a 5% commitment fee], plus [a 5% diligence fee], plus Holder’s reasonable legal, advisory, and other fees and expenses related to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents resulting in an initial principal amount of $187,777.00 (the “First Tranche Principal Amount”) shall be sold and issued in first tranche (“First Tranche”); and (ii) the difference in the First Tranche amount and $300,000 (along with a 5% commitment fee and 5% diligence fee plus Holder’s reasonable legal fees and expenses to be applied (“Second Tranche Principal Amount”; the First Tranche Principal Amount and the Second Tranche Principal Amount, if any, are collectively referred to as the “Principal Amount”) .. The Second Tranche Principal Amount shall be sold and issued in a second tranche (the “Second Tranche”; each of the First Tranche and the Second Tranche, a “Tranche” and, collectively, the “Tranches”); provided, however, that the funding of the Second Tranche shall be at the Borrower’s option and shall only be made upon Lender’s receipt of written request by the Borrower. For the avoidance of doubt, the respective amounts of any commitment fees, diligence fees, or other fees and expenses described above for each Tranche shall be either, at Holder’s sole discretion, paid by Borrower to Holder immediately upon receipt of the First Tranche Principal Amount or Second Tranche Principal Amount, as applicable, or withheld by Borrower from the First Tranche Principal Amount or Second Tranche Principal Amount, as applicable, such that Borrower will receive, on a net basis, $150,000 from the first Tranche. Borrower covenants and agrees to pay interest on the unpaid Principal Amount hereof (including all Tranches) at the rate of twelve percent (12.00%) (the “Interest Rate”) per annum from the date hereof (the “Issue Date”) until the same becomes due and payable, whether at maturity or upon acceleration or otherwise, as further provided herein. The maturity date shall be four (4) months from the Issue Date (the “Maturity Date”), as such date may be extended by the parties pursuant to the terms hereof, and is the date upon which the outstanding Principal Amount, as well as any accrued and unpaid interest and other fees, shall be due and payable (in addition to all payment obligations under Section 4.17 of this Note). For the avoidance of doubt, interest will begin to accrue (a) on the First Tranche Principal Amount on the Issue Date, and (b) on the Second Tranche Principal Amount if and when such amount is funded in accordance with the terms hereof.
This Note may not be prepaid or repaid in whole or in part except as otherwise explicitly set forth herein.
Borrower and Holder acknowledge and agree that should Borrower successfully complete, in Holder’s sole discretion, an uplisting event to the OTCQB within sixty (60) days of the Issue Date and deliver written notice of such uplist to the Borrower, together with a written request by the Borrower for the Lender to fund the Second Tranche, then, assuming no Event of Default has occurred or is occurring, Holder shall issue to Borrower the Second Tranche Principal Amount. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall require either the Borrower to request the Second Tranche or the Holder to issue the Second Tranche Principal Amount or to otherwise effectuate the transactions contemplated by the Second Tranche.
Any Principal Amount, which, for the avoidance of doubt includes any First Tranche Principal Amount and Second Tranche Principal Amount (to the extent such amount has been funded, or interest on this Note which is not paid when due shall bear interest at the rate of the lesser of (i) twenty-four (24%) per annum or (ii) the maximum amount permitted by law from the due date thereof until the same is paid (“Default Interest”). Interest and Default Interest compound daily and shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year and the actual number of days elapsed.
Subject to Section 1.9, if this Note is not paid in full on July 21, 2024, the Holder shall receive shares of Common Stock with a value of one sixth (16.67%) of the Principal Amount outstanding at that date, plus a commitment fee equal to 5% of such outstanding Principal Amount. The Holder shall also receive an equivalent value of shares of stock every month thereafter until the Note is satisfied (collectively, the “Penalty Shares”). Penalty Shares shall be due as of the first day of each subsequent month and shall be transferred to the Holder within two (2) business days of coming due.
Subject to Section 1.9, all payments due hereunder (to the extent not converted into shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, of the Borrower (the “Common Stock”) in accordance with the terms hereof) shall be made in lawful money of the United States of America. All payments shall be made via wire transfer to the account(s) designed in writing by Holder. Whenever any amount expressed to be due by the terms of this Note is due on any day which is not a business day, the same shall instead be due on the next succeeding day which is a business day.
Each capitalized term used herein, and not otherwise defined, shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in that certain Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of the Issue Date, pursuant to which this Note was originally issued (the “Purchase Agreement”). As used in this Note, the term “business day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which commercial banks in the city of Wilmington, Delaware are authorized or required by law or executive order to remain closed. As used herein, the term “Trading Day” means any day that shares of Common Stock are listed for trading or quotation on the Principal Trading Market (as defined in the Purchase Agreement), provided, however, that if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted on any Principal Trading Market, then any calendar day.
This Note is free from all taxes, liens, claims and encumbrances with respect to the issue thereof and shall not be subject to preemptive rights or other similar rights of shareholders of the Borrower and will not impose personal liability upon the holder thereof.
The Company will use the proceeds from the Principal Amount for those purposes set forth on Exhibit A hereto.
The following terms shall also apply to this Note:
ARTICLE 1. CONVERSION RIGHTS
1.1 Conversion Right. Subject to Section 1.9, the Holder shall have the right, on any calendar day, at any time on or following the date that is four (4) calendar months after the Issue Date, to convert all or any portion of the then outstanding and unpaid Principal Amount and interest (including any Default Interest) into fully paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock, as such Common Stock exists on the Issue Date, or any shares of capital stock or other securities of the Borrower into which such Common Stock shall hereafter be changed or reclassified, at the Conversion Price (as defined below) determined as provided herein (a “Conversion”); provided, that notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Holder shall not have the right to convert any portion of this Note, pursuant to this Section 1.1 or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after conversion as set forth on the applicable notice of conversion in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the “Notice of Conversion”), the Holder (together with the Holder’s affiliates (the “Affiliates”), and any other Persons (as defined below) acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s Affiliates (such Persons, “Attribution Parties”)), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below). For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and Attribution Parties shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of this Note with respect to which such determination is being made, plus any other shares of Common Stock issued, or to be issued within 60 days of the Conversion, by Borrower to Lender pursuant to this Note and/or the Purchase Agreement,[that is an indeterminate amount] but shall exclude the number of shares of Common Stock which would be issuable upon (a) conversion of the remaining, unconverted portion of this Note beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties and (b) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or nonconverted portion of any other securities of the Company subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 1.1, beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 1.1, in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, a Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the SEC, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Company’s transfer agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. Upon the written or oral request of the Holder, the Company shall within two Trading Days confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Note, by the Holder or its Affiliates or Attribution Parties since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding at the time of the respective calculation hereunder. “Person” and “Persons” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization, any other entity and any governmental entity or any department or agency thereof. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Note. The number of Conversion Shares to be issued upon each conversion of this Note shall be determined by dividing the Conversion Amount (as defined below) by the applicable Conversion Price then in effect on the date specified in the Notice of Conversion, delivered to the Borrower or Borrower’s transfer agent by the Holder in accordance with Section 1.4 below; provided that the Notice of Conversion is submitted by facsimile or e-mail (or by other means resulting in, or reasonably expected to result in, notice) to the Borrower or Borrower’s transfer agent before 11:59 p.m. EST on such conversion date (the “Conversion Date”). The term “Conversion Amount” means, with respect to any conversion of this Note, the sum of (1) the Principal Amount of this Note to be converted in such conversion plus (2) at the Holder’s option, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on such Principal Amount at the Interest Rate to the Conversion Date, plus (3) at the Holder’s option, Default Interest, if any, on the amounts referred to in the immediately preceding clauses (1) and/or (2).
1.2 Calculation of Conversion Price. The per share conversion price into which Principal Amount and interest (including any Default Interest) under this Note shall be convertible into shares of Common Stock hereunder (the “Conversion Price”) shall equal the lesser of (i) $.07 or (ii) the five-Trading Day closing price average immediately prior to the Conversion Date. If at any time the Conversion Price as determined hereunder for any conversion would be less than the par value of the Common Stock, then at the sole discretion of the Holder, the Conversion Price hereunder may equal such par value for such conversion and the Conversion Amount for such conversion may be increased to include Additional Principal, where “Additional Principal” means such additional amount to be added to the Conversion Amount to the extent necessary to cause the number of conversion shares issuable upon such conversion to equal the same number of conversion shares as would have been issued had the Conversion Price not been adjusted by the Holder to the par value price. Holder shall be entitled to deduct $1,000.00 from the conversion amount in each Notice of Conversion to cover Holder’s fees associated with each Notice of Conversion. All such Conversion Price determinations are to be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, rights offerings, reclassification or similar transaction that proportionately decreases or increases the Common Stock. If the Company, at any time while this Note is outstanding: (i) pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions payable in shares of Common Stock on shares of Common Stock or any Common Stock Equivalents (as defined below), (ii) subdivides outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of a reverse stock split) outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares or (iv) issues, in the event of a reclassification of shares of the Common Stock, any shares of capital stock of the Company, then the Conversion Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding any treasury shares of the Company) outstanding immediately before such event, and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event. Any adjustment made pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification. “Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Company’s subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.
1.3 Authorized and Reserved Shares. The Borrower covenants that at all times until the Note is satisfied in full, the Borrower will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient number of shares, free from preemptive rights, to provide for the issuance of a number of Conversion Shares equal to the greater of: (a) [9,000,000] shares of Common Stock or (b) the sum of (i) the number of Conversion Shares issuable upon the full conversion of this Note (assuming no payment of Principal Amount or interest) at the time of such calculation (taking into consideration any adjustments to the Conversion Price as provided in this Note) multiplied by (ii) two (2) (the “Reserved Amount”). The Borrower represents that upon issuance, the Conversion Shares will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. The Borrower (i) acknowledges that it has irrevocably instructed its transfer agent (pursuant to the irrevocable transfer agent instructions attached hereto as Exhibit C) to issue certificates for the Conversion Shares or instructions to have the Conversion Shares issued as contemplated by Section 1.4(f) hereof, and (ii) agrees that its issuance of this Note shall constitute full authority to its officers and agents who are charged with the duty of executing stock certificates or cause the Company to electronically issue shares of Common Stock to execute and issue the necessary certificates for the Conversion Shares or cause the Conversion Shares to be issued as contemplated by Section 1.4(f) hereof in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Note.
If, at any time, the Borrower does not maintain the Reserved Amount, it will be considered an Event of Default (as defined in this Note) under this Note. In addition, in the event that the Borrower is prohibited from issuing shares of Common Stock upon any Conversion due to the failure by the Borrower to maintain the Reserved Amount (such unavailable number of shares of Common Stock, the “Authorized Failure Shares”), in lieu of delivering such Authorized Failure Shares to the Holder, the Borrower shall pay cash in exchange for the portion of the Note convertible into such Authorized Failure Shares at a price equal to the sum of the product of (x) such number of Authorized Failure Shares and (y) the greatest closing sale price of the Common Stock on any Trading Day during the period commencing on the date the Authorized Failure Shares should have been issued pursuant to the terms of this Note and ending on the date of such issuance of payment under this Section 1.3.
1.4 Method of Conversion.
a. Mechanics of Conversion. This Note may be converted by the Holder in whole or in part, on any calendar day, at any time on or following the date that is four (4) calendar months after the Issue Date by submitting to the Borrower or Borrower’s transfer agent a Notice of Conversion (by facsimile, e-mail or other reasonable means of communication dispatched on the Conversion Date prior to 11:59 p.m., EST). Any Notice of Conversion submitted after 11:59 p.m. EST shall be deemed to have been delivered and received on the next Trading Day.
b. Surrender of Note Upon Conversion. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, upon conversion of this Note in accordance with the terms hereof, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Note to the Borrower unless the entire unpaid Principal Amount is so converted. The Holder and the Borrower shall maintain records showing the Principal Amount so converted and the dates of such conversions or shall use such other method, reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and the Borrower, so as not to require physical surrender of this Note upon each such conversion. In the event of any dispute or discrepancy, such records of the Holder shall, prima facie, be controlling and determinative in the absence of manifest error. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any portion of this Note is converted as aforesaid, the Holder may not transfer this Note unless the Holder first physically surrenders this Note to the Borrower, whereupon the Borrower will forthwith issue and deliver upon the order of the Holder a new Note of like tenor, registered as the Holder (upon payment by the Borrower of any applicable transfer taxes, if any) may request, representing in the aggregate the remaining unpaid Principal Amount of this Note. The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of this Note, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following conversion of a portion of this Note, the unpaid and unconverted Principal Amount of this Note represented by this Note may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.
c. Payment of Taxes. The Borrower shall not be required to pay any tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issue and delivery of shares of Common Stock or other securities or property on conversion of this Note in a name other than that of the Holder (or in street name), and the Borrower shall not be required to issue or deliver any such shares or other securities or property unless and until the person or persons (other than the Holder or the custodian in whose street name such shares are to be held for the Holder’s account) requesting the issuance thereof shall have paid to the Borrower the amount of any such tax or shall have established to the satisfaction of the Borrower that such tax has been paid.
d. Delivery of Common Stock Upon Conversion. Upon receipt by the Borrower or Borrower’s transfer agent from the Holder of a facsimile transmission or e-mail (or other reasonable means of communication) of a Notice of Conversion meeting the requirements for conversion as provided in this Section 1.4, the Borrower shall issue and deliver or cause to be issued and delivered to or upon the order of the Holder certificates for the Conversion Shares (or cause the electronic delivery of the Conversion Shares as contemplated by Section 1.4(f) hereof) within one (1) Trading Day after such receipt (the “Deadline”) (and, solely in the case of conversion of the entire unpaid Principal Amount and interest (including any Default Interest) under this Note, surrender of this Note). If the Company shall fail for any reason or for no reason to issue to the Holder on or prior to the Deadline a certificate for the number of Conversion Shares or to which the Holder is entitled hereunder and register such Conversion Shares on the Company’s share register or to credit the Holder’s balance account with DTC (as defined below) for such number of Conversion Shares to which the Holder is entitled upon the Holder’s conversion of this Note (a “Conversion Failure”), then, in addition to all other remedies available to the Holder, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000.00 of principal amount being converted, $50.00 per Trading Day for each Trading Day after such Conversion Failure until such certificates are delivered or Holder rescinds such conversion. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue actual damages or declare an Event of Default pursuant to Article III hereof for the Company’s failure to deliver Conversion Shares within the period specified herein and the Holder shall have the right to pursue all remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief. The exercise of any such rights shall not prohibit the Holder from seeking to enforce damages pursuant to any other Section hereof or under applicable law.
e. Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Certificates Upon Conversion. In addition to the foregoing, if on or prior to the Deadline the Company shall fail to issue and deliver a certificate to the Holder and register such Conversion Shares on the Company’s share register or credit the Holder’s balance account with DTC for the number of Conversion Shares to which the Holder is entitled upon the Holder’s exercise hereunder or pursuant to the Company’s obligation pursuant to clause (ii) below, and if on or after such Trading Day the Holder purchases (in an open market transaction or otherwise) shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of shares of Common Stock issuable upon such exercise that the Holder anticipated receiving from the Company, then the Company shall, within two (2) Trading Days after the Holder’s request and in the Holder’s discretion, either (i) pay cash to the Holder in an amount equal to the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions and other reasonable and customary out-of-pocket expenses, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased (the “Buy-In Price”), at which point the Company’s obligation to deliver such certificate (and to issue such Conversion Shares) or credit such Holder’s balance account with DTC for such Conversion Shares shall terminate, or (ii) promptly honor its obligation to deliver to the Holder a certificate or certificates representing such Conversion Shares or credit such Holder’s balance account with DTC and pay cash to the Holder in an amount equal to the excess (if any) of the Buy-In Price over the product of (A) such number of shares of Common Stock, times (B) the closing sales price of the Common Stock on the date of exercise. In addition to all other remedies available to the Holder, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000.00 of principal amount being converted, $50.00 per Trading Day for each Trading Day after such failure to perform until such the terms of this Section are satisfied to Holder’s sole satisfaction. Nothing shall limit Holder’s right to pursue actual damages or declare an Event of Default pursuant to Article III hereof or the Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity, including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver certificates representing the Conversion Shares (or to electronically deliver such Conversion Shares) upon the conversion of this Note as required pursuant to the terms hereof.
f. Obligation of Borrower to Deliver Common Stock. At the time that the Holder submits the Notice of Conversion to the Borrower or Borrower’s transfer agent, the Holder shall be deemed to be the holder of record of the Conversion Shares issuable upon such conversion, the outstanding Principal Amount and the amount of accrued and unpaid interest (including any Default Interest) under this Note shall be reduced to reflect such conversion, and, unless the Borrower defaults on its obligations under this Article I, all rights with respect to the portion of this Note being so converted shall forthwith terminate except the right to receive the Common Stock or other securities, cash or other assets, as herein provided, on such conversion. If the Holder shall have given a Notice of Conversion as provided herein, the Borrower’s obligation to issue and deliver the certificates for the Conversion Shares (or cause the electronic delivery of the Conversion Shares as contemplated by Section 1.4(g) hereof) shall be absolute and unconditional, irrespective of the absence of any action by the Holder to enforce the same, any waiver or consent with respect to any provision thereof, the recovery of any judgment against any person or any action to enforce the same, any failure or delay in the enforcement of any other obligation of the Borrower to the holder of record, or any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, limitation or termination, or any breach or alleged breach by the Holder of any obligation to the Borrower, and irrespective of any other circumstance which might otherwise limit such obligation of the Borrower to the Holder in connection with such conversion. In addition to all other remedies available to the Holder, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000.00 of principal amount being converted, $50.00 per Trading Day for each Trading Day after such failure to perform until such the terms of this Section are satisfied to Holder’s sole satisfaction. Nothing shall limit Holder’s right to pursue actual damages or declare an Event of Default pursuant to Article III hereof or the Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity, including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely perform its obligations in this Section. The Conversion Date specified in the Notice of Conversion shall be the Conversion Date so long as the Notice of Conversion is sent to the Borrower or Borrower’s transfer agent before 11:59 p.m. EST, on such date.
g. Delivery of Conversion Shares by Electronic Transfer. In lieu of delivering physical certificates representing the Conversion Shares issuable upon conversion hereof, provided the Borrower is participating in the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) Fast Automated Securities Transfer or Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian programs, upon request of the Holder and its compliance with the provisions contained in Section 1.1 and in this Section 1.4, the Borrower shall use its best efforts to cause its transfer agent to electronically transmit the Conversion Shares issuable upon conversion hereof to the Holder by crediting the account of Holder’s Prime Broker with DTC through its Deposit Withdrawal Agent Commission system.
1.5 Concerning the Shares. The Conversion Shares issuable upon conversion of this Note may not be sold or transferred unless (i) such shares are sold pursuant to an effective registration statement under the 1933 Act or (ii) the Borrower or its transfer agent shall have obtained an opinion of counsel (which opinion shall be the Legal Counsel Opinion (as defined in the Purchase Agreement)) to the effect that the shares to be sold or transferred may be sold or transferred pursuant to an exemption from such registration, and Holder shall be entitled to rely on such Legal Counsel Opinion, (iii) such shares are sold or transferred pursuant to Rule 144, Rule 144A, Regulation S, or other applicable exemption, or (iv) such shares are transferred to an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144) of the Borrower who agrees to sell or otherwise transfer the shares only in accordance with this Section 1.5 and who is an Accredited Investor (as defined in the Purchase Agreement). Except as otherwise provided in the Purchase Agreement (and subject to the removal provisions set forth below), until such time as the Conversion Shares have been registered under the 1933 Act or otherwise may be sold pursuant to Rule 144, Rule 144A, Regulation S, or other applicable exemption without any restriction as to the number of securities as of a particular date that can then be immediately sold, any Conversion Shares that have not been so included in an effective registration statement or that has not been sold pursuant to an effective registration statement or an exemption that permits removal of the legend, shall bear a legend substantially in the following form, as appropriate:
“NEITHER THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THESE SECURITIES ARE EXERCISABLE HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE, SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR ASSIGNED (I) IN THE ABSENCE OF (A) AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR THE SECURITIES UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR (B) AN OPINION OF COUNSEL (WHICH MAY BE THE LEGAL COUNSEL OPINION (AS DEFINED IN THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT)), IN A GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE FORM, THAT REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED UNDER SAID ACT OR (II) UNLESS SOLD PURSUANT TO RULE 144, RULE 144A, REGULATION S UNDER SAID ACT, OR OTHER APPLICABLE EXEMPTION. NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, THE SECURITIES MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER LOAN OR FINANCING ARRANGEMENT SECURED BY THE SECURITIES.”
The legend set forth above shall be removed and the Company shall issue to the Holder a certificate for the applicable Conversion Shares without such legend upon which it is stamped or (as requested by the Holder) issue the applicable Conversion Shares by electronic delivery by crediting the account of such holder’s broker with DTC, if, unless otherwise required by applicable state securities laws: (a) such Conversion Shares are registered for sale under an effective registration statement filed under the 1933 Act or otherwise may be sold pursuant to Rule 144, Rule 144A, Regulation S, or other applicable exemption without any restriction as to the number of securities as of a particular date that can then be immediately sold, or (b) the Company provides the Legal Counsel Opinion (as contemplated by and in accordance with Section 4(n) of the Purchase Agreement) to the effect that a public sale or transfer of such Conversion Shares may be made without registration under the 1933 Act, which opinion shall be accepted by the Company and Holder so that the sale or transfer is effected. The Company shall be responsible for the fees, including those of Holder, associated with any such issuance. The Holder agrees to sell all Conversion Shares, including those represented by a certificate(s) from which the legend has been removed, in compliance with applicable prospectus delivery requirements, if any. In the event that the Holder does not accept the opinion of counsel provided by the Company with respect to the transfer of Conversion Shares pursuant to an exemption from registration, such as Rule 144, Rule 144A, Regulation S, or other applicable exemption, at the Deadline, notwithstanding that the conditions of Rule 144, Rule 144A, Regulation S, or other applicable exemption, as applicable, have been met, it will be considered an Event of Default under this Note. In addition to all other remedies available to the Holder, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000.00 of principal amount being converted, $50.00 per Trading Day for each Trading Day after such failure to perform until such the terms of this Section are satisfied to Holder’s sole satisfaction. Nothing shall limit Holder’s right to pursue actual damages or declare an Event of Default pursuant to Article III hereof or the Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity, including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely perform its obligations hereunder.
1.6 Effect of Certain Events.
a. Effect of Merger, Consolidation, Etc. At the option of the Holder, the sale, conveyance or disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Borrower, or the consolidation, merger or other business combination of the Borrower with or into any other Person (as defined below) or Persons when the Borrower is not the survivor shall either: (i) be deemed to be an Event of Default pursuant to which the Borrower shall be required to pay to the Holder upon the consummation of and as a condition to such transaction an amount equal to the Default Amount (as defined in this Note) or (ii) be treated pursuant to Section 1.6(b) hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the option set forth in Section 1.6(a)(i) shall not apply to the proposed merger transaction the Company has previously disclosed to Lender, provided all amounts under the Note are extinguished and paid immediately prior to the closing of the contemplated merger transaction.
b. Adjustment Due to Merger, Consolidation, Etc. If, at any time when this Note is issued and outstanding and prior to conversion of all of this Note, there shall be any merger, consolidation, exchange of shares, recapitalization, reorganization, or other similar event, as a result of which shares of Common Stock of the Borrower shall be changed into the same or a different number of shares of another class or classes of stock or securities of the Borrower or another entity, or in case of any sale or conveyance of all or substantially all of the assets of the Borrower other than in connection with a plan of complete liquidation of the Borrower, then the Holder of this Note shall thereafter have the right to receive upon conversion of this Note, upon the basis and upon the terms and conditions specified herein and in lieu of the shares of Common Stock immediately theretofore issuable upon conversion, such stock, securities or assets which the Holder would have been entitled to receive in such transaction had this Note been converted in full immediately prior to such transaction (without regard to any limitations on conversion set forth herein), and in any such case appropriate provisions shall be made with respect to the rights and interests of the Holder of this Note to the end that the provisions hereof (including, without limitation, provisions for adjustment of the Conversion Price and of the number of shares issuable upon conversion of the Note) shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as may be practicable in relation to any securities or assets thereafter deliverable upon the conversion hereof. The Borrower shall not effectuate any transaction described in this Section 1.6(b) unless (a) it first gives, to the extent practicable, at least thirty (30) days prior written notice (but in any event at least fifteen (15) days prior written notice) of the record date of the special meeting of shareholders to approve, or if there is no such record date, the consummation of, such merger, consolidation, exchange of shares, recapitalization, reorganization or other similar event or sale of assets (during which time the Holder shall be entitled to convert this Note) and (b) the resulting successor or acquiring entity (if not the Borrower) assumes by written instrument the obligations of this Section 1.6(b). The above provisions shall similarly apply to successive consolidations, mergers, sales, transfers or share exchanges.
c. Adjustment Due to Distribution. If the Borrower shall declare or make any distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of Common Stock as a dividend, stock repurchase, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including any dividend or distribution to the Borrower’s shareholders in cash or shares (or rights to acquire shares) of capital stock of a subsidiary (i.e., a spin-off)) (a “Distribution”), then the Holder of this Note shall be entitled, upon any conversion of this Note after the date of record for determining shareholders entitled to such Distribution, to receive the amount of such assets which would have been payable to the Holder with respect to the shares of Common Stock issuable upon such conversion had such Holder been the holder of such shares of Common Stock on the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to such Distribution.
d. Purchase Rights. If, at any time when all or any portion of this Note is issued and outstanding, the Borrower issues any convertible securities or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property (the “Purchase Rights”) pro rata to the record holders of any class of Common Stock, then the Holder of this Note will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which such Holder could have acquired if such Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete conversion of this Note (without regard to any limitations on conversion contained herein) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Common Stock are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights.
e. Dilutive Issuance. If the Borrower, at any time while this Note or any amounts due hereunder are outstanding, issues, sells or grants (or has issued, sold or granted as of the Issue Date, as the case may be) any option to purchase, or sells or grants any right to reprice, or otherwise disposes of, or issues (or has sold or issued, as the case may be, or announces any sale, grant or any option to purchase or other disposition), any Common Stock or other securities convertible into, exercisable for, or otherwise entitle any person or entity the right to acquire, shares of Common Stock (including, without limitation, upon conversion of this Note, and any convertible notes or warrants outstanding as of or following the Issue Date), in each or any case at an effective price per share that is lower than the then Conversion Price (such lower price, the “Base Conversion Price” and such issuances, collectively, a “Dilutive Issuance”) (it being agreed that if the holder of the Common Stock or other securities so issued shall at any time, whether by operation of purchase price adjustments, reset provisions, floating conversion, exercise or exchange prices or otherwise, or due to warrants, options or rights per share which are issued in connection with such issuance, be entitled to receive shares of Common Stock at an effective price per share that is lower than the Conversion Price, such issuance shall be deemed to have occurred for less than the Conversion Price on such date of the Dilutive Issuance), then the Conversion Price shall be reduced, at the option of the Holder, to a price equal to the Base Conversion Price. Such adjustment shall be made whenever such Common Stock or other securities are issued. By way of example, and for the avoidance of doubt, if the Company issues a convertible promissory note (including but not limited to a variable rate security), and the holder of such convertible promissory note has the right to convert it into Common Stock at an effective price per share that is lower than the then Conversion Price (including but not limited to a conversion price with a discount that varies with the trading prices of or quotations for the Common Stock), then the Holder has the right to reduce the Conversion Price to such Base Conversion Price (including but not limited to a conversion price with a discount that varies with the trading prices of or quotations for the Common Stock) in perpetuity regardless of whether the holder of such convertible promissory note ever effectuated a conversion at the Base Conversion Price. In the event of an issuance of securities involving multiple tranches or closings, any adjustment pursuant to this Section 1.6(e) shall be calculated as if all such securities were issued at the initial closing. For the avoidance of doubt, the Holder shall be entitled to utilize the Base Conversion Price with respect to a Dilutive Issuance, even if the Dilutive Issuance occurs prior to the date that the Holder is entitled to convert this Note.
f. Notice of Adjustments. Upon the occurrence of each adjustment or readjustment of the Conversion Price as a result of the events described in Section 1.6 of this Note, the Borrower shall, at its expense and within one (1) calendar day after the occurrence of each respective adjustment or readjustment of the Conversion Price, compute such adjustment or readjustment and prepare and furnish to the Holder a certificate setting forth (i) the Conversion Price in effect at such time based upon the Dilutive Issuance, (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock and the amount, if any, of other securities or property which at the time would be received upon conversion of the Note, (iii) the detailed facts upon which such adjustment or readjustment is based, and (iv) copies of the documentation (including but not limited to relevant transaction documents) that evidences the adjustment or readjustment. In addition, the Borrower shall, within one (1) calendar day after each written request from the Holder, furnish to such Holder a like certificate setting forth (i) the Conversion Price in effect at such time based upon the Dilutive Issuance, (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock and the amount, if any, of other securities or property which at the time would be received upon conversion of the Note, (iii) the detailed facts upon which such adjustment or readjustment is based, and (iv) copies of the documentation (including but not limited to relevant transaction documents) that evidences the adjustment or readjustment. For the avoidance of doubt, each adjustment or readjustment of the Conversion Price as a result of the events described in Section 1.6 of this Note shall occur without any action by the Holder and regardless of whether the Borrower complied with the notification provisions in Section 1.6 of this Note. Failure to provide the notice described herein shall be deemed an Event of Default. In addition to all other remedies available to the Holder, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000.00 of principal amount being converted, $50.00 per Trading Day for each Trading Day after such failure to perform until such the terms of this Section are satisfied to Holder’s sole satisfaction. Nothing shall limit Holder’s right to pursue actual damages or declare an Event of Default pursuant to Article III hereof or the Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity, including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely perform its obligations hereunder.
1.7 Status as Shareholder. Upon submission of a Notice of Conversion by a Holder, (i) the Conversion Shares covered thereby (other than the Conversion Shares, if any, which cannot be issued because their issuance would exceed such Holder’s allocated portion of the Reserved Amount or Maximum Share Amount) shall be deemed converted into shares of Common Stock and (ii) the Holder’s rights as a Holder of such converted portion of this Note shall cease and terminate, excepting only the right to receive certificates for such shares of Common Stock and to any remedies provided herein or otherwise available at law or in equity to such Holder because of a failure by the Borrower to comply with the terms of this Note. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Holder has not received certificates for all shares of Common Stock prior to the tenth (10th) business day after the expiration of the Deadline with respect to a conversion of any portion of this Note for any reason, then (unless the Holder otherwise elects to retain its status as a holder of Common Stock by so notifying the Borrower) the Holder shall regain the rights of a Holder of this Note with respect to such unconverted portions of this Note and the Borrower shall, as soon as practicable, return such unconverted Note to the Holder or, if the Note has not been surrendered, adjust its records to reflect that such portion of this Note has not been converted. In all cases, the Holder shall retain all of its rights and remedies for the Borrower’s failure to convert this Note.
1.8 Repayment from Proceeds. If, at any time prior to the full repayment or full conversion of all amounts owed under this Note, the Company receives cash proceeds from any source or series of related or unrelated sources, including but not limited to, from payments from customers, the issuance of equity or debt, the conversion of outstanding warrants of the Borrower, the issuance of securities pursuant to an equity line of credit of the Borrower or the sale of assets, the Borrower shall, within two (2) business days of Borrower’s receipt of such proceeds, inform the Holder of or publicly disclose such receipt, following which the Holder shall have the right in its sole discretion to require the Borrower to immediately apply all or any portion of such proceeds to repay all or any portion of the outstanding Principal Amount and interest (including any Default Interest) then due under this Note. Failure of the Borrower to comply with this provision shall constitute an Event of Default.
1.9 Limitations.
a. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Holder shall not take possession of any Conversion Shares or other equity interests issuable under the terms of this Note to the extent that after giving effect to the purchase or receipt of such shares the Holder (together with the its Affiliates) and any Persons acting as a group together with the Holder or any of its Affiliates) would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation.
b. To ensure compliance with this restriction, the Company will be deemed to represent to the Holder each time Holder requests a conversion or other issuance of equity interests of the Company pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, that such request has not violated the restrictions set forth in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.1. Upon the written or oral request of the Holder, the Company shall within two (2) Trading Days confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. The Purchaser, upon not less than 61 days’ prior notice to the Company, may increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 1.9. The Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 1.9 to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended Beneficial Ownership Limitation contained herein or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation.
c. Notwithstanding anything in this Note or any other Transaction Document to the contrary, any shares or conversion rights that are not transferable, deliverable or able to be put into effect due to the Beneficial Ownership Limitations shall remain due and transferable or convertible by the Holder following an increase in the limitation or a decrease in holdings or under any other circumstance where such transfer or conversion is allowable under relevant regulations and is desired by the Holder. Under no circumstances shall the Beneficial Ownership Limitations be construed as a waiver of any rights or shares and any shares owed to Holder shall remain due to Holder in perpetuity until Holder elects, in its sole discretion, to receive the shares or exercise the rights.
1.10 Make Whole. Section 1(d) of the Purchase Agreement is incorporated by reference herein, mutatis mutandis.
ARTICLE 2. RANKING AND CERTAIN COVENANTS
2.1 Ranking and Security. This Note shall be a senior secured obligation of the Borrower, with priority over all existing and future indebtedness of the Borrower, as provided in that certain security agreement entered into between the Borrower, and the Holder on the Issue Date (the “Security Agreement”).
2.2 Other Indebtedness. In addition to all obligations under the Security Agreement, and so long as the Borrower shall have any obligation under this Note, the Borrower shall not without the Holder’s written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld (subject to compliance with Section 1.8 of this Agreement), incur or suffer to exist or guarantee any indebtedness that is senior to or pari passu with (in priority of payment and performance) the Borrower’s obligations hereunder, including but not limited to (a) all indebtedness of the Borrower for borrowed money or for the deferred purchase price of property or services, including any type of letters of credit, (b) all obligations of the Borrower evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or other similar instruments, (c) purchase money indebtedness hereafter incurred by the Borrower to finance the purchase of fixed or capital assets, including all capital lease obligations of the Borrower which do not exceed the purchase price of the assets funded, (d) all guarantee obligations of the Borrower in respect of obligations of the kind referred to in clauses (a) through (c) above that the Borrower would not be permitted to incur or enter into, and (e) all obligations of the kind referred to in clauses (a) through (d) above that the Borrower is not permitted to incur or enter into that are secured and/or unsecured by (or for which the holder of such obligation has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured and/or unsecured by) any lien or encumbrance on property (including accounts and contract rights) owned by the Borrower, whether or not the Borrower has assumed or become liable for the payment of such obligation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the restrictive covenant set forth in this Section 2.2 shall not apply to the proposed additional financing transaction the Company has previously disclosed to Lender, provided the proceeds of such transactions are used to retire amounts due under the Note.
2.3 Distributions on Capital Stock. So long as the Borrower shall have any obligation under this Note, the Borrower shall not without the Holder’s written consent (a) pay, declare or set apart for such payment, any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, property or other securities) on shares of capital stock other than dividends on shares of Common Stock solely in the form of additional shares of Common Stock or (b) directly or indirectly or through any subsidiary make any other payment or distribution in respect of its capital stock except for distributions pursuant to any shareholders’ rights plan which is approved by a majority of the Borrower’s disinterested directors.
2.4 Restriction on Stock Repurchases. So long as the Borrower shall have any obligation under this Note, the Borrower shall not without the Holder’s written consent redeem, repurchase or otherwise acquire (whether for cash or in exchange for property or other securities or otherwise) in any one transaction or series of related transactions any shares of capital stock of the Borrower or any warrants, rights or options to purchase or acquire any such shares.
2.5 Sale of Assets. So long as the Borrower shall have any obligation under this Note, the Borrower shall not, without the Holder’s written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld and provided that the application of the proceeds of the sale of such assets shall be used to retire this Note
, sell, lease or otherwise dispose of any significant portion of its assets outside the ordinary course of business. Any consent by the Holder to the disposition of any assets may be conditioned on a specified use of the proceeds of disposition.
2.6 Advances and Loans; Affiliate Transactions. So long as the Borrower shall have any obligation under this Note, the Borrower shall not, without the Holder’s written consent, lend money, give credit, make advances to or enter into any transaction with any person, firm, joint venture or corporation, including, without limitation, officers, directors, employees, subsidiaries and affiliates of the Borrower, except loans, credits or advances (a) in existence or committed on the Issue Date and which the Borrower has informed Holder in writing prior to the Issue Date, (b) in regard to transactions with unaffiliated third parties, made in the ordinary course of business or (c) in regard to transactions with unaffiliated third parties, not in excess of $5,000 in the aggregate. So long as the Borrower shall have any obligation under this Note, the Borrower shall not, without the Holder’s written consent, repay any affiliate (as defined in Rule 144) of the Borrower in connection with any indebtedness or accrued amounts owed to any such party.
2.7 Section 3(a)(9) or 3(a)(10) Transaction. So long as this Note is outstanding, the Borrower shall not enter into any transaction or arrangement structured in accordance with, based upon, or related or pursuant to, in whole or in part, either Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act (a “3(a)(9) Transaction”) or Section 3(a)(10) of the Securities Act (a “3(a)(10) Transaction”).
2.8 Preservation of Business and Existence, etc. So long as the Borrower shall have any obligation under this Note, the Borrower shall not, without the Holder’s written consent, (a) change the nature of its business; (b) sell, divest, change the structure of any material assets other than in the ordinary course of business; (c) issues a variable rate security; or (d) enter into any merchant cash advance transactions. In addition, so long as the Borrower shall have any obligation under this Note, the Borrower shall maintain and preserve, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain and preserve, its existence, rights and privileges, and become or remain, and cause each of its Subsidiaries (other than dormant Subsidiaries that have no or minimum assets) to become or remain, duly qualified and in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the character of the properties owned or leased by it or in which the transaction of its business makes such qualification necessary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the restrictive covenant set forth in this Section 2.8 shall not apply to changes resulting from the proposed merger transaction the Company has previously disclosed to Lender, provided that that the Note is retired and repaid immediately prior to the closing of such transaction..
2.9 Noncircumvention. The Company hereby covenants and agrees that the Company will not, by amendment of its Certificate or Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws, or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, scheme of arrangement, dissolution, issue or sale of securities, or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Note, and will at all times in good faith carry out all the provisions of this Note and take all action as may be required to protect the rights of the Holder.
2.10 Lost, Stolen or Mutilated Note. Upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Note, and, in the case of loss, theft or destruction, of any indemnification undertaking by the Holder to the Company in customary form and, in the case of mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation of this Note, the Company shall execute and deliver to the Holder a new Note.
2.11 Negative Covenant on Preferred Stock Issuances. While this Note is outstanding, the Company shall not, issue any additional shares of Preferred Stock nor cause to be created any additional series of Preferred Stock.
2.12 Negative Covenant on Common Stock Issuances. Except for the Company’s obligations to the Holder, while this Note is outstanding the Company shall not, issue any shares of Common Stock or equity securities convertible into Common Stock, except for the issuance of Common Stock warrants, in an amount not greater than 10% of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock as of the Issuance Date.
ARTICLE 3. EVENTS OF DEFAULT
It shall be considered an event of default if any of the following events listed in this Article III (each, an “Event of Default”) shall occur:
3.1 Failure to Pay Principal or Interest. The Borrower fails to pay the Principal Amount hereof or interest thereon when due on this Note, whether at maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, or fails to fully comply with Section 1.10 of this Note.
3.2 Conversion and the Shares. The Borrower (i) fails to issue Conversion Shares to the Holder (or announces or threatens in writing that it will not honor its obligation to do so) upon exercise by the Holder of the conversion rights of the Holder in accordance with the terms of this Note, (ii) fails to transfer or cause its transfer agent to transfer (issue) (electronically or in certificated form) any certificate for the Conversion Shares issuable to the Holder upon conversion of or otherwise pursuant to this Note as and when required by this Note, (iii) fails to reserve the Reserved Amount at all times, (iv) the Borrower directs its transfer agent not to transfer or delays, impairs, and/or hinders its transfer agent in transferring (or issuing) (electronically or in certificated form) any certificate for the Conversion Shares issuable to the Holder upon conversion of or otherwise pursuant to this Note as and when required by this Note, or fails to remove (or directs its transfer agent not to remove or impairs, delays, and/or hinders its transfer agent from removing) any restrictive legend (or to withdraw any stop transfer instructions in respect thereof) on any certificate for any Conversion Shares issued to the Holder upon conversion of or otherwise pursuant to this Note as and when required by this Note (or makes any written announcement, statement or threat that it does not intend to honor the obligations described in this paragraph) and any such failure shall continue uncured (or any written announcement, statement or threat not to honor its obligations shall not be rescinded in writing) for two (2) Trading Days after the Holder shall have delivered a Notice of Conversion, and/or (v) fails to remain current in its obligations to its transfer agent (including but not limited to payment obligations to its transfer agent). It shall be an Event of Default of this Note, if a conversion of this Note is delayed, hindered or frustrated due to a balance owed by the Borrower to its transfer agent. If at the option of the Holder, the Holder advances any funds to the Borrower’s transfer agent in order to process a conversion, such advanced funds shall be added to the principal balance of the Note.
3.3 Breach of Agreements and Covenants. The Borrower breaches any covenant, agreement, or other term or condition contained in the Purchase Agreement, this Note, Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions, Security Agreement, or in any agreement, statement or certificate given in writing pursuant hereto or in connection herewith or therewith.
3.4 Breach of Representations and Warranties. Any representation or warranty of the Borrower made in the Purchase Agreement, this Note, Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions, Security Agreement, or in any agreement, statement or certificate given in writing pursuant hereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall be false or misleading in any material respect when made.
3.5 Receiver or Trustee. The Borrower shall make an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver or trustee for it or for a substantial part of its property or business, or such a receiver or trustee shall otherwise be appointed.
3.6 Judgments. Any money judgment, writ or similar process shall be entered or filed against the Borrower or any of its property or other assets for more than $100,000, and shall remain unvacated, unbonded or unstayed for a period of twenty (20) days unless otherwise consented to by the Holder, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld.
3.7 Bankruptcy. Bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or liquidation proceedings or other proceedings, voluntary or involuntary, for relief under any bankruptcy law or any law for the relief of debtors shall be instituted by or against the Borrower.
3.8 Failure to Comply with the 1934 Act. At any time after the Issue Date, the Borrower shall fail to comply with the reporting requirements of the 1934 Act and/or the Borrower shall cease to be subject to the reporting requirements of the 1934 Act.
3.9 Liquidation. Any dissolution, liquidation, or winding up of Borrower or any substantial portion of its business.
3.10 Cessation of Operations. Any cessation of operations by Borrower or Borrower admits it is otherwise generally unable to pay its debts as such debts become due, provided, however, that any disclosure of the Borrower’s ability to continue as a “going concern” shall not be an admission that the Borrower cannot pay its debts as they become due.
3.11 Maintenance of Assets. The failure by Borrower to maintain any material intellectual property rights, personal, real property or other assets which are necessary to conduct its business (whether now or in the future).
3.12 Financial Statement Restatement. The restatement of any financial statements filed by the Borrower with the SEC for any date or period from two years prior to the Issue Date of this Note and until this Note is no longer outstanding.
3.13 Replacement of Transfer Agent. In the event that the Borrower proposes to replace its transfer agent, the Borrower fails to provide, prior to the effective date of such replacement, a fully executed Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions in a form as initially delivered pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (including but not limited to the provision to irrevocably reserve shares of Common Stock in the Reserved Amount) signed by the successor transfer agent to Borrower and the Borrower.
3.14 Cross-Default. The declaration of an event of default by any lender or other extender of credit to the Company under any notes, loans, agreements or other instruments of the Company evidencing any indebtedness of the Company (including those filed as exhibits to or described in the Company’s filings with the SEC), after the passage of all applicable notice and cure or grace periods.
3.15 Variable Rate Transactions. The Borrower consummates a variable rate transaction at any time on or after the Issue Date.
3.16 Reserved.
3.17 Unavailability of Rule 144. If, at any time on or after the date that is six (6) calendar months after the Issue Date, the Borrower is unable to (i) obtain a standard “144 legal opinion letter” from an attorney reasonably acceptable to the Holder, the Holder’s brokerage firm (and respective clearing firm), and the Borrower’s transfer agent in order to facilitate the Holder’s conversion of any portion of the Note into free trading shares of the Borrower’s Common Stock pursuant to Rule 144, and/or (ii) thereupon deposit such shares into the Holder’s brokerage account.
3.18 Delisting, Suspension, or Quotation of Trading of Common Stock. If, at any time on or after the Issue Date, the Borrower’s Common Stock (i) is suspended from trading, (ii) halted from trading, and/or (iii) fails to be quoted or listed (as applicable) on a Principal Trading Market.
3.19 Change In Control. Any event described in Section 1.6(a) shall have occurred.
3.20 Rights and Remedies Upon an Event of Default. Upon the occurrence of any Event of Default specified in this Article III, the outstanding principal amount of this Note, plus accrued but unpaid interest, plus all interest that would have been earned through the Maturity Date if such interest has not yet accrued, liquidated damages and other amounts owing in respect thereof through the date of acceleration, multiplied by 125% (collectively the “Default Amount”), as well as all costs, including, without limitation, legal fees and expenses, of collection, all without demand, presentment or notice, all of which hereby are expressly waived by the Borrower, shall become, at the Holder’s election, immediately due and payable in cash. Commencing five days after the occurrence of any Event of Default that results in the eventual acceleration of this Note, the interest rate on this Note shall accrue at an interest rate equal to the lesser of twenty-four percent (24%) per annum or the maximum rate permitted under applicable law. Upon the payment in full of the Default Amount, the Holder shall promptly surrender this Note to or as directed by the Company. In connection with such acceleration described herein, the Holder need not provide, and the Company hereby waives, any presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, and the Holder may immediately and without expiration of any grace period enforce any and all of its rights and remedies hereunder and all other remedies available to it under applicable law. Such acceleration may be rescinded and annulled by the Holder at any time prior to payment hereunder and the Holder shall have all rights as a holder of the Note until such time, if any, as the Holder receives full payment pursuant to this Article III. No such rescission or annulment shall affect any subsequent Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon. The Holder may, in its sole discretion, determine to accept payment part in Common Stock and part in cash. For purposes of payments in Common Stock, the conversion formula set forth in Section 1.2 shall apply as well as all other provisions of this Note. The Holder shall be entitled to exercise all other rights and remedies available at law or in equity.
ARTICLE 4 MISCELLANEOUS
4.1 Failure or Indulgence Not Waiver. No failure or delay on the part of the Holder in the exercise of any power, right or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such power, right or privilege preclude other or further exercise thereof or of any other right, power or privileges. All rights and remedies of the Holder existing hereunder are cumulative to, and not exclusive of, any rights or remedies otherwise available.
4.2 Notices. All notices, demands, requests, consents, approvals, and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and, unless otherwise specified herein, shall be (i) personally served, (ii) deposited in the mail, registered or certified, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, (iii) delivered by reputable air courier service with charges prepaid, or (iv) transmitted by hand delivery, telegram, e-mail or facsimile, addressed as set forth below or to such other address as such party shall have specified most recently by written notice. Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be deemed effective (a) upon hand delivery or delivery by e-mail or facsimile, with accurate confirmation generated by the transmitting facsimile machine, at the address or number designated below (if delivered on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received), or the first business day following such delivery (if delivered other than on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received) or (b) on the second business day following the date of mailing by express courier service, fully prepaid, addressed to such address, or upon actual receipt of such mailing, whichever shall first occur. The addresses for such communications shall be:
If to the Borrower, to:
Name of Borrower: NetBrands Corp.
Borrower Address: 4042 Austin Boulevard, Suite B Island Park, New York 11558
Attention: Paul Adler
E-mail: ***@***
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
The Crone Law Group, P.C.
420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 2446
New York, NY 10170
Attn: Eric C. Mendelson
Email: ***@***
If to the Holder:
Cove Funding LP
55 Water Street, 50th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Attention: Avraham Burger
E-mail: ***@***
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Varnum LLP
999 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 300
Naples, Florida 34108
Attn: Thomas W. Forster
Email: ***@***
4.3 Amendments. This Note and any provision hereof may only be amended by an instrument in writing signed by the Borrower and the Holder. The term “Note” and all reference thereto, as used throughout this instrument, shall mean this instrument as originally executed, or if later amended or supplemented, then as so amended or supplemented.
4.4 Assignability. This Note shall be binding upon the Borrower and its successors and assigns, and shall inure to be the benefit of the Holder and its successors and assigns. The Borrower shall not assign this Note or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Holder. The Holder may assign its rights hereunder to any “accredited investor” (as defined in Rule 501(a) of the 1933 Act) in a private transaction from the Holder or to any of its “affiliates”, as that term is defined under the 1934 Act, without the consent of the Borrower. Notwithstanding anything in this Note to the contrary, this Note may be pledged as collateral in connection with a bona fide margin account or other lending arrangement. The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of this Note, acknowledge and agree that following conversion of a portion of this Note, the unpaid and unconverted principal amount of this Note represented by this Note may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.
4.5 Cost of Collection. If default is made in the payment of this Note, the Borrower shall pay the Holder hereof costs of collection, including reasonable attorneys’ fees.
4.6 Governing Law; Venue; Attorney’s Fees. This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to principles of conflicts of laws. Any action brought by either party against the other concerning the transactions contemplated by this Note or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby shall be brought only in the state courts located in the State of New York. The Borrower hereby irrevocably waives any objection to jurisdiction and venue of any action instituted hereunder and shall not assert any defense based on lack of jurisdiction or venue or based upon forum non conveniens. THE BORROWER 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 WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS NOTE OR ANY TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any suit, action or proceeding in connection with this Note or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Note 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 other manner permitted by law. The Holder in any action or dispute brought in connection with this the Note or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby shall be entitled to recover from the Borrower its reasonable attorney’s fees and costs.
4.7 Certain Amounts. Whenever pursuant to this Note the Borrower is required to pay an amount in excess of the outstanding Principal Amount (or the portion thereof required to be paid at that time) plus accrued and unpaid interest plus Default Interest on such interest, the Borrower and the Holder agree that the actual damages to the Holder from the receipt of cash payment on this Note may be difficult to determine and the amount to be so paid by the Borrower represents stipulated damages and not a penalty and is intended to compensate the Holder in part for loss of the opportunity to convert this Note and to earn a return from the sale of shares of Common Stock acquired upon conversion of this Note at a price in excess of the price paid for such shares pursuant to this Note. The Borrower and the Holder hereby agree that such amount of stipulated damages is not plainly disproportionate to the possible loss to the Holder from the receipt of a cash payment without the opportunity to convert this Note into shares of Common Stock.
4.8 Purchase Agreement. The Company and the Holder shall be bound by the applicable terms of the Purchase Agreement, Security Agreement, and the documents entered into in connection herewith and therewith.
4.9 Notice of Corporate Events. Except as otherwise provided below, the Holder of this Note shall have no rights as a Holder of Common Stock unless and only to the extent that it converts this Note into Common Stock. The Borrower shall provide the Holder with prior notification of any meeting of the Borrower’s shareholders (and copies of proxy materials and other information sent to shareholders). In the event of any taking by the Borrower of a record of its shareholders for the purpose of determining shareholders who are entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution, any right to subscribe for, purchase or otherwise acquire (including by way of merger, consolidation, reclassification or recapitalization) any share of any class or any other securities or property, or to receive any other right, or for the purpose of determining shareholders who are entitled to vote in connection with any change in control or any proposed liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Borrower, the Borrower shall mail a notice to the Holder, at least twenty (20) days prior to the record date specified therein (or thirty (30) days prior to the consummation of the transaction or event, whichever is earlier), of the date on which any such record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, right or other event, and a brief statement regarding the amount and character of such dividend, distribution, right or other event to the extent known at such time. The Borrower shall make a public announcement of any event requiring notification to the Holder hereunder substantially simultaneously with the notification to the Holder in accordance with the terms of this Section 4.9.
4.10 Remedies. The Borrower acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder will cause irreparable harm to the Holder, by vitiating the intent and purpose of the transaction contemplated hereby. Accordingly, the Borrower acknowledges that the remedy at law for a breach of its obligations under this Note will be inadequate and agrees, in the event of a breach or threatened breach by the Borrower of the provisions of this Note, that the Holder shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies at law or in equity, and in addition to the penalties assessable herein, to an injunction or injunctions restraining, preventing or curing any breach of this Note and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions thereof, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required.
4.11 Construction; Headings. This Note shall be deemed to be jointly drafted by the Company and all the Holder and shall not be construed against any person as the drafter hereof. The headings of this Note are for convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Note.
4.12 Usury. The Borrower has confirmed with its legal counsel that the amount of interest due or payable under the Note in connection herewith is not usurious and does not exceed the maximum rate of interest, if any, allowed by applicable law. The Borrower acknowledges that (i) the Lender is relying on this representation and warranty and (ii) this representation and warranty is integral to the Lender providing to Borrower the Principal Amount, and (iii) without this representation and warranty, neither the Lender nor any subsequent lender would have entered into the Loan Documents. If it shall be found that any interest or other amount deemed interest due hereunder violates the applicable law governing usury, the applicable rate of interest due hereunder shall automatically be lowered to equal the maximum rate of interest permitted under applicable law. The Borrower covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it shall not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law or other law which would prohibit or forgive the Borrower from paying all or any portion of the principal of or interest on the Note as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, or which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Note, and the Borrower (to the extent it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefits or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Lender, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such as though no such law has been enacted.
4.13 Severability. In the event that any provision of this Note is invalid or unenforceable under any applicable statute or rule of law (including any judicial ruling), then such provision shall be deemed inoperative to the extent that it may conflict therewith and shall be deemed modified to conform with such statute or rule of law. Any such provision which may prove invalid or unenforceable under any law shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Note.
4.14 Terms of Future Financings. So long as this Note is outstanding, upon any issuance by the Borrower of any security, or amendment to a security that was originally issued before, or in connection with, the Issue Date, with any term that the Holder believes is more favorable to the holder of such security or with a term in favor of the holder of such security that the Holder reasonably believes was not similarly provided to the Holder in this Note or any other Transaction Document, then (a) the Borrower shall notify the Holder of such additional or more favorable term within one (1) business day of the issuance and/or amendment (as applicable) of the respective security, and (b) such term(s), at Holder’s option, shall become a part of the Transaction Documents with the Holder (regardless of whether the Borrower complied with the notification provision of this Section 4.14). The types of terms contained in another security that may be more favorable to the holder of such security include, but are not limited to, terms addressing prepayment, interest rates, and original issue discounts. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Section 4.14 will require Holder to adopt all of the terms and conditions of such other security and Holder shall be permitted to adopt select provisions that it deems more favorable, such determination to be made in Purchaser’s sole discretion.
4.15 Dispute Resolution. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Conversion Price, Conversion Amount, any Default Amount, Issue, Closing or Maturity Date, the closing bid price, or fair market value (as the case may be) or the arithmetic calculation of the Conversion Price (as the case may be), the Borrower or the Holder shall submit the disputed determinations or arithmetic calculations via facsimile (i) within one (1) Trading Day after receipt of the applicable notice giving rise to such dispute to the Borrower or the Holder or (ii) if no notice gave rise to such dispute, at any time after the Holder learned of the circumstances giving rise to such dispute. If the Holder and the Borrower are unable to agree upon such determination or calculation within one (1) Trading Day of such disputed determination or arithmetic calculation (as the case may be) being submitted to the Borrower or the Holder, then the Borrower shall, within one (1) Trading Day, submit (a) the disputed determination of the Conversion Price, the closing bid price, the or fair market value (as the case may be) to an independent, reputable investment bank selected by the Borrower and approved by the Holder or (b) the disputed arithmetic calculation of the Conversion Price, Conversion Amount, any Default Amount, to an independent, outside accountant selected by the Holder that is reasonably acceptable to the Borrower. The Borrower shall cause at its expense the investment bank or the accountant to perform the determinations or calculations and notify the Borrower and the Holder of the results no later than one (1) Trading Day from the time it receives such disputed determinations or calculations. Such investment bank’s or accountant’s determination or calculation shall be binding upon all parties absent demonstrable error. In addition to all other remedies available to the Holder, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000.00 of principal amount being converted, $50.00 per Trading Day for each Trading Day during such dispute until finally resolved. Nothing shall limit Holder’s right to pursue actual damages or declare an Event of Default pursuant to Article III hereof or the Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity, including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the foregoing.
4.16 Right of First Refusal. If at any time while this Note is outstanding, the Borrower has a bona fide offer of capital or financing from any third party, that the Borrower intends to act upon, then the Borrower must first offer such opportunity to the Holder to provide such capital or financing to the Borrower on the same terms as each respective third party’s terms. Should the Holder be unwilling or unable to provide such capital or financing to the Borrower within five (5) Trading Days from Holder’s receipt of written notice of the offer (the “Offer Notice”) from the Borrower, then the Borrower may obtain such capital or financing from that respective third party upon the exact same terms and conditions offered by the Borrower to the Holder, which transaction must be completed within 30 days after the date of the Offer Notice. If the Borrower does not receive the capital or financing from the respective third party within 30 days after the date of the respective Offer Notice, then the Borrower must again offer the capital or financing opportunity to the Holder as described above, and the process detailed above shall be repeated.
4.17 Counterparts. This Note may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall be deemed to be one and the same agreement. A signed copy of this Note delivered by facsimile, e-mail or other means of electronic transmission shall be deemed to have the same legal effect as delivery of an original signed copy of this Note.
4.18 Incorporation by Reference. Sections 21 and 22 of the Security Agreement are hereby incorporated herein by reference and shall apply as if fully set forth herein, mutatis mutandis.
[signature page
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Borrower has caused this Note to be signed in its name by its duly authorized officer on the date first above written.
| NetBrands Corp. | ||
| f/k/a Global Diversified Marketing Group Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ Paul Adler | |
| Name: | Paul Adler | |
| Title: | President & CEO | |
EXHIBIT A – USE OF PROCEEDS
[Borrower to provide.]
EXHIBIT B — NOTICE OF CONVERSION
The undersigned hereby elects to convert $ principal amount of the Note (defined below) into that number of shares of Common Stock to be issued pursuant to the conversion of the Note (“Common Stock”) as set forth below, of NetBrands Corp., a Delaware Incorporation (the “Borrower”), according to the conditions of the senior secured promissory note of the Borrower dated as of March 22, 2024 (the “Note”), as of the date written below. No fee will be charged to the Holder for any conversion, except for transfer taxes, if any.
Box Checked as to applicable instructions:
| ☐ | The Borrower shall electronically transmit the Common Stock issuable pursuant to this Notice of Conversion to the account of the undersigned or its nominee with DTC through its Deposit Withdrawal Agent Commission system (“DWAC Transfer”). |
| Name of DTC Prime Broker: | |
| Account Number: | |
| ☐ | The undersigned hereby requests that the Borrower issue a certificate or certificates for the number of shares of Common Stock set forth below (which numbers are based on the Holder’s calculation attached hereto) in the name(s) specified immediately below or, if additional space is necessary, on an attachment hereto: |
| Date of Conversion: | ||||
| Applicable Conversion Price: | $ | |||
| Number of Shares of Common Stock to be Issued Pursuant to Conversion of the Note: | ||||
| Amount of Principal Balance Due remaining Under the Note after this conversion: | ||||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| Date: |
EXHIBIT C – TRANSFER AGENT INSTRUCTIONS
[Borrower to provide.]
