At-the-Market Issuance Sales Agreement, dated November 18, 2022, by and between Houston American Energy Corp. and Univest Securities, LLC

EX-1.1 2 ex1-1.htm

 

Exhibit 1.1

 

Houston American Energy Corp.

 

Common Stock

(par value $0.001 per share)

 

At-The-Market Issuance Sales Agreement

 

November 18, 2022

 

Univest Securities, LLC

375 Park Avenue, Unit 1502

New York, NY 10152

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Houston American Energy Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with Univest Securities, LLC (“Univest”) as follows:

 

1. Issuance and Sale of Shares. The Company agrees that, from time to time during the term of this Agreement, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, it may issue and sell through Univest, acting as sales agent, shares (the “Placement Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), up to an aggregate sale price of $3,500,000; provided however, that in no event shall the Company issue or sell through Univest such number of Placement Shares that (a) would cause the Company to not satisfy the eligibility requirements for use of Form S-3 (including Instruction I.B.6. thereof, if applicable), (b) exceeds the number of shares of Common Stock registered on the effective Registration Statement (as defined below) pursuant to which the offering is being made or (c) exceeds the number of authorized but unissued shares of the Company’s Common Stock (the lesser of (a), (b) and (c), the “Maximum Amount”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the parties hereto agree that compliance with the limitations set forth in this Section 1 on the amount of Placement Shares issued and sold under this Agreement shall be the sole responsibility of the Company and that Univest shall have no obligation in connection with such compliance if acting in accordance with any Placement Notice (as defined below) that has not been suspended or terminated by the Company. The issuance and sale of the Placement Shares through Univest will be effected pursuant to the Registration Statement (as defined below) filed by the Company and declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), although nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as requiring the Company to use the Registration Statement to issue any Placement Shares. The Company agrees that whenever it determines to sell Placement Shares directly to Univest as principal it will enter into a separate written agreement containing the terms and conditions of each sale.

 

The Company has filed, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “Securities Act Regulations”), with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-267163), including a base prospectus, relating to certain securities, including the Placement Shares to be issued from time to time by the Company, and which incorporates by reference documents that the Company has filed or will file in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations thereunder. Such base prospectus in the form in which it appears in such registration statement is hereinafter called the “Base Prospectus.” The Company has prepared and will file with the Commission a prospectus supplement to the Base Prospectus, which specifically relates to the Placement Shares (the “Prospectus Supplement”). The Company will furnish to Univest, for use by Univest, copies of the Base Prospectus, as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement. Except where the context otherwise requires, such registration statement, including all amendments thereto and all documents filed as part thereof or incorporated by reference therein, and including any information contained in a Prospectus (as defined below) subsequently filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act Regulations or deemed to be a part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B of the Securities Act Regulations, is herein called the “Registration Statement.” The Base Prospectus, including all documents incorporated therein by reference, as it may be supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, in the form in which such Base Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement have most recently been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act Regulations, is herein called the “Prospectus.” Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein, and any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing after the execution hereof of any document with the Commission deemed to be incorporated by reference therein (the “Incorporated Documents”).

 

 

For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or to any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to include the most recent copy filed with the Commission on its Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System, or if applicable, the Interactive Data Electronic Application system when used by the Commission (collectively, “EDGAR”).

 

2. Placements. Each time that the Company wishes to issue and sell Placement Shares hereunder (each, a “Placement”), it will notify Univest by email notice (or other method mutually agreed to in writing by the parties) of the proposed terms of such Placement, which shall include at a minimum the number of Placement Shares to be issued, the time period during which sales are requested to be made, any limitation on the number of Placement Shares that may be sold in any one day and any minimum price below which sales may not be made (a “Placement Notice”), the form of which is attached hereto as Schedule 1. The Placement Notice shall originate from any of the individuals from the Company set forth on Schedule 3 (with a copy to each of the other individuals from the Company listed on such schedule), and shall be addressed to each of the individuals from Univest set forth on Schedule 3, as such Schedule 3 may be amended from time to time. If Univest wishes to accept such proposed terms included in the Placement Notice (which it may decline to do for any reason in its sole discretion) or, following discussion with the Company, wishes to accept amended terms, Univest will, prior to 4:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the Trading Day (as defined below) following the Trading Day on which such Placement Notice is delivered to Univest, issue to the Company a notice by email (or other method mutually agreed to in writing by the parties) addressed to all of the individuals from the Company and Univest set forth on Schedule 3) setting forth Univest’s acceptance of the Company’s proposed terms or the amended terms that Univest is willing to accept. Where the terms provided in the Placement Notice are amended as provided for in the immediately preceding sentence, such terms will not be binding on the Company or Univest until the Company delivers to Univest an acceptance by email (or other method mutually agreed to in writing by the parties) of all of the terms of such Placement Notice, as amended (the “Company Acceptance”), which email shall be addressed to all of the individuals from the Company and Univest set forth on Schedule 3. The Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Company Acceptance, as applicable) shall be effective upon receipt by the Company of Univest’s acceptance of the terms of the Placement Notice or upon receipt by Univest of the Company’s Acceptance, as the case may be, unless and until (i) the entire amount of the Placement Shares thereunder has been sold, (ii) the Company terminates the Placement Notice in accordance with the notice requirements set forth in the second sentence of this paragraph, (iii) in accordance with the notice requirements set forth in the second sentence of this paragraph, the Company issues a subsequent Placement Notice with parameters superseding those on the earlier dated Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Company Acceptance, as applicable), (iv) this Agreement has been terminated under the provisions of Section 13 hereof or (v) either the Company or Univest shall have suspended the sale of the Placement Shares in accordance with Section 4 below. The amount of any discount, commission or other compensation to be paid by the Company to Univest in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares shall be calculated in accordance with the terms set forth in Schedule 2. It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that neither the Company nor Univest will have any obligation whatsoever with respect to a Placement or any Placement Shares unless and until the Company delivers a Placement Notice to Univest and either (i) Univest accepts the terms of such Placement Notice or (ii) where the terms of such Placement Notice are amended, the Company accepts such amended terms by means of a Company Acceptance pursuant to the terms set forth above, and then only upon the terms specified in such Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Company Acceptance, as applicable) and herein. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of a Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Company Acceptance, as applicable), the terms of the Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Company Acceptance, as applicable) will control.

 

 

3. Sale of Placement Shares by Univest.

 

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 5(a) hereof, for the period specified in the Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Company Acceptance, as applicable), Univest will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations and the rules of the NYSE American (the “Exchange”) to sell the Placement Shares up to the amount specified, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of such Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Company Acceptance, as applicable). Univest will provide prompt written confirmation to the Company and in no event later than the opening of the Trading Day (as defined below) immediately following the Trading Day on which it has made sales of Placement Shares hereunder setting forth the number of Placement Shares sold on such day, the compensation payable by the Company to Univest pursuant to Section 2 with respect to such sales, and the Net Proceeds (as defined below) payable to the Company, with an itemization of the deductions made by Univest (as set forth in Section 5(b)) from the gross proceeds that it receives from such sales. Subject to the terms of the Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Company Acceptance, as applicable), Univest shall sell Placement Shares only by methods deemed to be an “at the market” offering as defined in Rule 415 of the Securities Act Regulations, including without limitation sales made directly on the Exchange, on any other existing trading market for the Common Stock or to or through a market maker. Subject to the terms of the Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Company Acceptance, as applicable), and only with the Company’s prior written consent, Univest may also sell Placement Shares by any other method permitted by law, or as may be required by the rules or regulations of the Exchange or such other principal market on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted, including but not limited to, in negotiated transactions. “Trading Day” means any day on which shares of Common Stock are purchased and sold on the Exchange or other principal market on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted.

 

(b) During the term of this Agreement, neither Univest nor any of its affiliates or subsidiaries shall engage in (i) any short sale of any security of the Company, (ii) any sale of any security of the Company that Univest does not own or any sale which is consummated by the delivery of a security of the Company borrowed by, or for the account of, Univest or (iii) any market making bidding, stabilization or other trading activity with respect to the Common Stock or related derivative securities, or attempt to induce another person to engage in any of the foregoing, if such activity would be prohibited under Regulation M or other anti-manipulation rules under the Securities Act.

 

4. Suspension of Sales. The Company or Univest may, upon notice to the other party in writing (including by email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 3, if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply) or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable facsimile transmission or email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 3), suspend any sale of the Placement Shares; provided, however, that such suspension shall not affect or impair any party’s obligations with respect to any Placement Shares sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice. Each of the parties agrees that no such notice under this Section 4 shall be effective against the other party unless it is made to one of the individuals named on Schedule 3 hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time.

 

5. Sale and Delivery to Univest; Settlement.

 

(a) Sale of Placement Shares. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, upon Univest’s acceptance of the terms of a Placement Notice or upon receipt by Univest of a Company Acceptance, as the case may be, and unless the sale of the Placement Shares described therein has been declined, suspended, or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, Univest, for the period specified in the Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Company Acceptance, as applicable), will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell such Placement Shares up to the amount specified in, and otherwise in accordance with, the terms of such Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Company Acceptance, as applicable). The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) there can be no assurance that Univest will be successful in selling Placement Shares, (ii) Univest will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if it does not sell Placement Shares for any reason other than a failure by Univest to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and regulations to sell such Placement Shares as required under this Agreement and (iii) Univest shall be under no obligation to purchase Placement Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise agreed by Univest and the Company in writing and expressly set forth in a Placement Notice.

 

(b) Settlement of Placement Shares. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Company Acceptance, as applicable), settlement for sales of Placement Shares will occur on the second (2nd) Trading Day following the date on which such sales are made (or in such number of Trading Days that is consistent with the standard settlement period on the Exchange or such other principal trading market of the Company) (each, a “Settlement Date”). The amount of proceeds to be delivered to the Company on a Settlement Date against receipt of the Placement Shares sold (the “Net Proceeds”) will be equal to the aggregate sales price received by Univest for the sale, after deduction for (i) Univest’s commission, discount or other compensation for such sales payable by the Company pursuant to Section 2 hereof, and (ii) any transaction fees imposed by any governmental or self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales.

 

 

(c) Delivery of Placement Shares. On or before each Settlement Date, the Company will, or will cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Placement Shares being sold by crediting Univest’s or its designee’s account (provided Univest shall have given the Company written notice of such designee a reasonable period of time prior to the Settlement Date) at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian System or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto which in all cases shall be freely tradable, transferable, registered shares in good deliverable form. On each Settlement Date, Univest will deliver the related Net Proceeds in same day funds to an account designated by the Company on, or prior to, the Settlement Date. If the Company, or its transfer agent (if applicable), defaults in its obligation to deliver Placement Shares on a Settlement Date through no fault of Univest, the Company agrees that in addition to and in no way limiting the rights and obligations set forth in Section 11(a) hereto, it will (i) hold Univest harmless against any loss, claim, damage or expense (including reasonable legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company or its transfer agent (if applicable) and (ii) pay to Univest (without duplication) any commission, discount or other compensation to which it would otherwise have been entitled absent such default.

 

(d) Denominations; Registration. The Company shall deliver the Placement Shares, if any, through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless Univest shall otherwise instruct. If Univest instructs the Company that any Placement Shares are to be issued in certificated form, certificates for such Placement Shares shall be in such denominations and registered in such names as Univest may request in writing at least three (3) Business Days (as defined below) before the Settlement Date. Any such certificates will be made available for examination and packaging by Univest not later than 12:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Business Day prior to the Settlement Date. For purposes of this Agreement, “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which the Federal Reserve Bank of New York is closed.

 

(e) Limitations on Offering Size. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares if, after giving effect to the sale of such Placement Shares, the aggregate gross sales proceeds of Placement Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement would exceed the lesser of (i) the Maximum Amount and (ii) the amount authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this Agreement by the Company’s board of directors, a duly authorized committee thereof or a duly authorized executive committee, and notified to Univest in writing. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement at a price lower than the minimum price authorized from time to time by the Company’s board of directors, a duly authorized committee thereof or a duly authorized executive committee, and notified to Univest in writing.

 

(f) Black-out Limitations.

 

i.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company shall not offer or sell, or instruct Univest to offer or sell, any Placement Shares through Univest as agent (and, by notice to Univest given by telephone (confirmed promptly by telecopy or email), shall cancel any instructions for any such offer or sale of any Placement Shares prior to the commencement of the periods referenced below), and Univest shall not be obligated to make any such offer or sale of Placement Shares, (x) during any period in which the Company is, or could be deemed to be, in possession of material non-public information or (y) except as provided in Section 5(f)(ii) hereof, at any time during the period commencing on the tenth (10th) Business Day prior to the time the Company issues a press release containing, or shall otherwise publicly announce, its earnings, revenues or other operating results for a fiscal period or periods (each, an “Earnings Announcement”) through and including the time that is 24 hours after the time that the Company files a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or an Annual Report on Form 10-K (a “Filing Time”) that includes consolidated financial statements as of and for the same fiscal period or periods, as the case may be, covered by such Earnings Announcement.

 

 

ii.

If the Company wishes to offer or sell Placement Shares to Univest as agent at any time during the period from and including an Earnings Announcement through and including the time that is 24 hours after the corresponding Filing Time, the Company shall first (w) prepare and deliver to Univest (with a copy to counsel to Univest) a Current Report on Form 8-K that includes substantially the same financial and related information (together with management’s discussion and analysis thereof) that was included in such Earnings Announcement (other than any earnings projections and similar forward-looking data and officers’ quotations) (each, an “Earnings 8K”), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Univest, and, prior to its filing, obtain the written consent of Univest to such filing (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), (x) provide Univest with the officers’ certificate, opinion and letter of counsel, accountant’s comfort letter and engineer’s comfort letter specified in Sections 7(l), (m), (n) and (o), respectively, hereof, (y) afford Univest the opportunity to conduct a due diligence review in accordance with Section 7(j) hereof prior to filing such Earnings 8-K and (z) file such Earnings 8-K with the Commission, then the provision of clause (y) of Section 5(f)(i) shall not be applicable for the period from and after the time at which the foregoing conditions shall have been satisfied (or, if later, the time that is 24 hours after the time that the relevant Earnings Announcement was first publicly released) through and including the time that is 24 hours after the Filing Time of the relevant Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or Annual Report on Form 10-K, as the case may be. For purposes of clarity, the parties hereto agree that (A) the delivery of any officers’ certificate, opinion or letter of counsel, accountant’s comfort letter or engineer’s comfort letter pursuant to this Section 5(f)(ii) shall not relieve the Company from any of its obligations under this Agreement with respect to any Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or Annual Report on Form 10-K, as the case may be, including, without limitation, the obligation to deliver officers’ certificates, opinions and letters of counsel, accountant’s comfort letter and engineer’s comfort letter as provided in Sections 7(l), (m), (n) and (o), respectively, hereof, and (B) this Section 5(f)(ii) shall in no way affect or limit the operation of Section 5(f)(i) hereof, which shall have independent application.

 

6. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, Univest that as of the date of this Agreement, as of each Applicable Time (as defined below) and as of each Settlement Date, unless such representation, warranty or agreement specifies a different time:

 

(a) Exchange Act Registration. The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) under the Exchange Act. The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the shares of Common Stock under the Exchange Act, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration.

 

(b) Stock Exchange Listing. The Common Stock is listed on the Exchange under the trading symbol “HUSA”, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to, have the effect of delisting the Common Stock from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any notification that the Exchange is contemplating terminating such listing except as otherwise described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The Company has filed an application for the Listing of Additional Shares with the Exchange to list the Placement Shares.

 

(c) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company and, assuming no act or omission on the part of Univest that would make such statement untrue, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement meet the requirements for and comply with the conditions for the use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, including Instruction I.B.6 thereunder. The Registration Statement has been filed with the Commission and has been declared effective under the Securities Act. The Prospectus Supplement will name Univest as an agent in the section entitled “Plan of Distribution.” The Company has not received, and has no notice of, any order of the Commission preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, or threatening or instituting proceedings for that purpose. The Registration Statement and the offer and sale of the Placement Shares as contemplated hereby meet the requirements of Rule 415 under the Securities Act and comply in all material respects with said Rule. Any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement have been so described or filed. Copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any such amendments or supplements and all documents incorporated by reference therein that were filed with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement have been delivered, or are available through EDGAR, to Univest and its counsel. The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of each Settlement Date and completion of the distribution of the Placement Shares, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering or sale of the Placement Shares other than the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below).

 

 

(d) No Misstatement or Omission. As of the date hereof and at the respective times the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto became or becomes effective, the Registration Statement did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus and any amendment and supplement thereto, as of their respective dates and at each Applicable Time (defined below) and each Settlement Date, did not or will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The foregoing shall not apply to statements in, or omissions from, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished to the Company in writing by Univest specifically for use therein. For purposes of this Agreement, unless otherwise specifically agreed to by Univest in writing, the only information so furnished by Univest shall be Univest’s name (the “Agent’s Information”).

 

(e) Compliance with the Securities Act and Exchange Act. The Registration Statement, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, when such documents were or are filed with the Commission or became or become effective under the Securities Act, as the case may be, complied or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, as applicable. The Incorporated Documents, when they were filed with the Commission, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further Incorporated Documents so filed and incorporated by reference, when they are filed with the Commission, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(f) Financial Information. The consolidated financial statements of the Company, including the related notes and schedules, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company and the Subsidiaries (as defined below) as of the dates indicated and the consolidated results of operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity of the Company for the periods specified (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments) and have been prepared in compliance with the requirements of the Securities Act and Exchange Act, as applicable, and in conformity with GAAP (as defined below) applied on a consistent basis (except for such adjustments to accounting standards and practices as are noted therein and except in the case of unaudited financial statements to the extent they may exclude footnotes or may be condensed or summary statements) during the periods involved; the other financial and statistical data with respect to the Company and the Subsidiaries contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus are accurately and fairly presented in all material respects and prepared on a basis materially consistent with the financial statements and books and records of the Company; there are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that are not included or incorporated by reference as required; the Company and the Subsidiaries do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), not described in the Registration Statement (including the exhibits thereto and Incorporated Documents) and the Prospectus which are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (including exhibits thereto and Incorporated Documents); and all disclosures contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus truly, accurately and fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

 

 

(g) Conformity with EDGAR Filings. The Prospectus delivered to Univest for use in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement will be identical to the versions of the Prospectus created to be transmitted to the Commission for filing via EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(h) Organization. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are, and will be, duly organized, validly existing as a corporation and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are, and will be, duly licensed or qualified as a foreign corporation for transaction of business and in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such license or qualification, and have all corporate power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the assets, business, operations, earnings, properties, condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, stockholders’ equity (as set forth on the Company’s most recent balance sheet included in the Incorporated Documents) or results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries (as defined below) taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”).

 

(i) Subsidiaries. Schedule 4 hereto sets forth each of the Company’s Subsidiaries (as defined below). “Subsidiary,” and collectively, “Subsidiaries” means any entity in which the Company, directly or indirectly, (x) owns any of the outstanding capital stock or holds any equity or similar interest of such Person or (y) controls or operates all or any part of the business, operations or administration of such entity, and includes, as applicable, any such entity in clauses (x) and (y) acquired or formed after the date hereof. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus, the Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the equity interests of the Subsidiaries free and clear of any lien, charge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal or other restriction, and all the equity interests of the Subsidiaries are validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights.

 

(j) No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority applicable to the Company, except, in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the Company’s knowledge, no other party under any material contract or other agreement to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is a party is in default in any respect thereunder where such default would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(k) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus (including Incorporated Documents), and other than the Company’s execution of this Agreement and the sale of any Placement Shares hereunder, there has not been (i) any Material Adverse Effect, (ii) any transaction which is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (iii) any obligation or liability, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), incurred by the Company or any Subsidiary, which is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (iv) any material change in the capital stock or outstanding long-term indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (v) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on the capital stock of the Company or any Subsidiary, other than in each case above (A) in the ordinary course of business, (B) as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus (including any document deemed incorporated by reference therein) or (C) where such matter, item, change or development would not make the statements in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

 

(l) Capitalization. The issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and, other than as disclosed in or contemplated by the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, are not subject to any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or similar rights. The Company has an authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as of the dates referred to therein (other than the grant of additional options or other equity awards under the Company’s existing stock option plans, or changes in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise or conversion of securities exercisable for, or convertible into, shares of Common Stock outstanding on the date hereof or described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (including any document deemed incorporated by reference therein) or as a result of the issuance of Placement Shares) and such authorized capital stock conforms in all material respects to the description thereof set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The description of the Common Stock in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (including any document deemed incorporated by reference therein) is complete and accurate in all material respects. Other than as set forth or described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as of the dates referred to therein, the Company did not have outstanding any options to purchase, or any rights or warrants to subscribe for, or any securities or obligations convertible into, or exchangeable for, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell, any shares of capital stock or other securities.

 

(m) Authorization; Enforceability. The Company has full legal right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and perform the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that (i) enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles and (ii) the indemnification and contribution provisions of Section 11 hereof may be limited by federal or state securities laws and public policy considerations in respect thereof.

 

(n) Authorization of Placement Shares. The Placement Shares, when issued and delivered pursuant to the terms approved by the board of directors of the Company or a duly authorized committee thereof, or a duly authorized executive committee, against payment therefor as provided herein, will be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and non-assessable, free and clear of any pledge, lien, encumbrance, security interest or other claim (other than any pledge, lien, encumbrance, security interest or other claim arising from an act or omission of Univest or a purchaser), including any statutory or contractual preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights, and will be registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act. The Placement Shares, when issued, will conform in all material respects to the description thereof set forth in or incorporated into the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

 

(o) No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or any governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, and the issuance and sale by the Company of the Placement Shares as contemplated hereby, except for the registration of the Placement Shares under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities laws or by the by-laws and rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) or the Exchange in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares by Univest.

 

(p) No Preferential Rights. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (i) no person, as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act (each, a “Person”), has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Company to issue or sell to such Person any shares of Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company (other than upon the exercise of options or warrants to purchase Common Stock or upon the exercise of options or stock awards that may be granted from time to time under the Company’s stock option plans), (ii) no Person has any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal, or any other rights (whether pursuant to a “poison pill” provision or otherwise) to purchase any shares of Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company from the Company which have not been duly waived with respect to the offering contemplated hereby, (iii) except as may be disclosed to Univest in writing, no Person has the right to act as an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Company in connection with the offer and sale of the Common Stock, and (iv) no Person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to require the Company to register under the Securities Act any shares of Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company, or to include any such shares or other securities in the Registration Statement or the offering contemplated thereby, whether as a result of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the sale of the Placement Shares as contemplated thereby or otherwise.

 

 

(q) Independent Public Accountant. Marcum LLP, whose report on the consolidated financial statements of the Company is filed with the Commission as part of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission and incorporated into the Registration Statement, is and, during the periods covered by its report, was, to the Company’s knowledge, independent registered public accounting firms within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). To the Company’s knowledge, Marcum LLP was not in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) with respect to the Company. Marcum LLP has not, during the periods covered by the financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.

 

(r) Enforceability of Agreements. To the Company’s knowledge, all agreements between the Company and third parties expressly referenced in the Prospectus, other than such agreements that have expired by their terms or whose termination is disclosed in documents filed by the Company on EDGAR, are legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, except to the extent that (i) enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles and (ii) the indemnification provisions of certain agreements may be limited by federal or state securities laws or public policy considerations in respect thereof, except for any unenforceability that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(s) No Litigation. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings pending, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, to which the Company or a Subsidiary is a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement; to the Company’s knowledge, no such actions, suits or proceedings are threatened or contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (i) there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings or, to the Company’s knowledge, investigations that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Prospectus that are not described in the Prospectus including any Incorporated Document; and (ii) there are no contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not so filed.

 

(t) Licenses and Permits. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries possess or have obtained, all licenses, certificates, consents, orders, approvals, permits and other authorizations issued by, and, to the Company’s knowledge, have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (the “Permits”), except where the failure to possess, obtain or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received written notice of any proceeding relating to revocation or modification of any such Permit or has any reason to believe that such Permit will not be renewed in the ordinary course, except where the failure to obtain any such renewal would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(u) Shell Company. The Company is not a shell company (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) and has not been a shell company for at least 12 calendar months previously, and if it has been a shell company at any time previously, has filed current Form 10 information (as defined in Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3) with the Commission at least 12 calendar months previously reflecting its status as an entity that is not a shell company.

 

(v) No Material Defaults. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not filed a report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the filing of its last Annual Report on Form 10K, indicating that it (i) has failed to pay any dividend or sinking fund installment on preferred stock or (ii) has defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

(w) Certain Market Activities. Neither the Company, nor any of the Subsidiaries, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of their respective directors, officers or controlling persons has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed, or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Placement Shares.

 

(x) Broker/Dealer Relationships. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries or any related entities (i) is required to register as a “broker” or “dealer” in accordance with the provisions of the Exchange Act or (ii) directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is a “person associated with a member” or “associated person of a member” (within the meaning set forth in the FINRA Manual).

 

(y) No Reliance. The Company has not relied upon Univest or legal counsel for Univest for any legal, tax or accounting advice in connection with the offering and sale of the Placement Shares.

 

(z) Taxes. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns which have been required to be filed prior to the date hereof or have duly obtained extensions of time for the filing thereof, except where the failure to do so would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have paid all taxes on such returns that were filed through the date hereof or any penalty, fine or other assessment levied against them, to the extent that such taxes, penalties, fines or other assessments have become due and are not being contested in good faith, except where the failure to do so would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in or contemplated by the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which has had, or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has no knowledge of any federal, state or other governmental tax deficiency, penalty or assessment which has been asserted or threatened against it which would have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(aa) Title to Real and Personal Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all items of real property owned by any of them and good and valid title to all personal property described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus as being owned by them that are material to the businesses of the Company or such Subsidiary, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and claims, except those that (i) do not materially interfere with the use made of such property by the Company and any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. Any real property, equipment or other property described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus as being leased by the Company and any of its Subsidiaries is held by them under valid, existing and enforceable leases, except those that (A) do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (B) would not be reasonably expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(bb) Intellectual Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks (both registered and unregistered), service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, inventions and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”), necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as conducted and as described in the Registration Statement, including the Incorporated Documents, and the Prospectus as of the date hereof, except to the extent that the failure to own or possess adequate rights to use such Intellectual Property would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in writing to Univest, the Company and any of its Subsidiaries have not received any written notice of any claim of infringement or conflict which asserted Intellectual Property rights of others, which infringement or conflict, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. There are no pending, or to the Company’s knowledge, threatened judicial proceedings or interference proceedings against the Company or its Subsidiaries challenging the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ rights in or to or the validity of the scope of any of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ owned material patents, patent applications or proprietary information, and no other entity or individual has any right or claim in any of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ owned material patents, patent applications or any patent to be issued therefrom by virtue of any contract, license or other agreement entered into between such entity or individual and the Company or a Subsidiary or, to the Company’s knowledge, by any noncontractual obligation of the Company or a Subsidiary, other than by written licenses granted by the Company or a Subsidiary and other than such rights or claims that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries have not received any written notice of any claim challenging the rights of the Company or a Subsidiary in or to any Intellectual Property owned, licensed or optioned by the Company or such Subsidiary which claim, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

(cc) Environmental Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules, regulations, decisions, ordinances and orders relating to pollution or the protection of human health and safety, the environment or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products (collectively “Hazardous Materials”), or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (ii) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and (iii) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of Hazardous Materials, except, in the case of any of clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) above, for any such failure to comply or failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or liability as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(dd) Disclosure Controls. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintain systems of internal control over financial reporting (as defined under Rule 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act and are effective to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting (other than as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus). Since the date of the latest audited financial statements of the Company included in the Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (other than as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus). Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company has established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) for the Company that are effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or principal financial officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.

 

(ee) Sarbanes-Oxley. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Each of the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer of the Company (or each former principal executive officer of the Company and each former principal financial officer of the Company as applicable) has made all certifications required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act with respect to all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by it or furnished by it to the Commission. For purposes of the preceding sentence, “principal executive officer” and “principal financial officer” shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

 

(ff) Transactions Affecting Disclosure to FINRA.

 

	i.	Finder’s Fees. Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, arrangements, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a finder’s, consulting or origination fee by the Company or any officer or director of the Company with respect to the sale of the Placement Shares hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its stockholders that may affect Univest’s compensation, as determined by FINRA.
	ii.	Payments within Twelve (12) Months. Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to: (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) any FINRA member; or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member, within the twelve (12) months prior to the effective date of the Registration Statement, other than the payment to Univest as provided hereunder in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares.
	iii.	Information. All information provided by the Company in its FINRA questionnaire to Univest’s counsel specifically for use by Univest’s counsel in connection with its Public Offering System filings (and related disclosure) with FINRA is true, correct and complete in all material respects.

 

(gg) Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(hh) Investment Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is or, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Placement Shares, will be an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company,” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).

 

(ii) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions to which the Company or its Subsidiaries are subject, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency having jurisdiction over the Company or its Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(jj) Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements. There are no transactions, arrangements and other relationships between and/or among the Company, and/or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of its affiliates and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any structured finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity (each, an “Off Balance Sheet Transaction”) that would reasonably be expected to affect materially the Company’s liquidity or the availability of or requirements for its capital resources, including those Off Balance Sheet Transactions described in the Commission’s Statement about Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations (Release Nos. 33-8056; 34-45321; FR-61), in each case that are required to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus which have not been described as required.

 

 

(kk) ERISA. The Company and any “employee benefit plan” (as defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, “ERISA”)) established or maintained by the Company or its “ERISA Affiliates” (as defined below) are in compliance in all material respects with ERISA. “ERISA Affiliate” means, with respect to the Company, any member of any group of organizations described in Sections 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”) of which the Company is a member. No “reportable event” (as defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates. No “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates, if such “employee benefit plan” were terminated, would have any “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” (as defined under ERISA). Neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any material liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee benefit plan” or (ii) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and, to the knowledge of the Company, nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.

 

(ll) Forward Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

 

(mm) Margin Rules. Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Placement Shares nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.

 

(nn) Insurance. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company and each of its Subsidiaries reasonably believe are adequate for the use of their properties and as is customary for companies of similar size engaged in similar businesses in similar industries, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. There are no claims by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under any policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for except for claims which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(oo) No Improper Practices. (i) Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, the Subsidiaries, nor to the Company’s knowledge, any of their respective executive officers has made any unlawful contributions to any candidate for any political office (or failed fully to disclose any contribution in violation of law) or made any contribution or other payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state, municipal, or foreign office or other person charged with similar public or quasi-public duty in violation of any law or of the character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; (ii) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any Subsidiary or any affiliate of any of them, on the one hand, and the directors, officers and stockholders of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any Subsidiary, on the other hand, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that is not so described; (iii) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any Subsidiary or any affiliate of them, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders or directors of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any Subsidiary, on the other hand, that is required by the rules of FINRA to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that is not so described; (iv) except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no material outstanding loans or advances or material guarantees of indebtedness by the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any Subsidiary to or for the benefit of any of their respective officers or directors or any of the members of the families of any of them; (v) the Company has not offered, or caused any placement agent to offer, Common Stock to any person with the intent to influence unlawfully (A) a customer or supplier of the Company or any Subsidiary to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company or any Subsidiary or (B) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their respective products or services; and (vi) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee or agent of the Company or any Subsidiary has made any payment of funds of the Company or any Subsidiary or received or retained any funds in violation of any law, rule or regulation (including, without limitation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 and any other applicable anti-corruption or anti-bribery laws), which payment, receipt or retention of funds is of a character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.

 

 

(pp) Status Under the Securities Act. The Company was not and is not an ineligible issuer as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act at the times specified in Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Placement Shares.

 

(qq) No Misstatement or Omission in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and as of each Applicable Time (as defined in Section 25 below) and Settlement Date, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any incorporated document deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified, or included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with the Agent’s Information.

 

(rr) No Conflicts. Neither the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company or the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Placement Shares) will conflict with, or will result in a breach of, any of the terms and provisions of, or has constituted or will constitute a default under, or has resulted in or will result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any contract or other agreement to which the Company may be bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject, except such conflicts, breaches, defaults, liens, charges or encumbrances as may have been waived or that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; nor will such action result (x) in any violation of the provisions of the certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational documents of the Company, or (y) in any material violation of the provisions of any statute or any order, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or of any court or of any federal, state or other regulatory authority or other government body having jurisdiction over the Company, except where such violation in clause (y) would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ss) OFAC. (i) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Entity”) or, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or representative of the Entity, is a government, individual or entity (in this paragraph (ss), “Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by a Person that is:

 

(A) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union (“EU”), Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor

 

(B) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Burma/Myanmar, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria).

 

(ii) The Company represents and covenants that the Entity will not, directly or indirectly, knowingly use the proceeds from the sale of the Placement Shares, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:

 

(A) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or

 

(B) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering and sale of the Placement Shares, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

 

(iii) The Company represents and covenants that, except as detailed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, for the past five years, the Entity has not knowingly engaged in, is not now knowingly engaged in, and will not knowingly engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

 

 

(tt) Stock Transfer Taxes. On each Settlement Date, all stock transfer or other taxes (other than income taxes) which are required to be paid in connection with the sale and transfer of the Placement Shares to be sold hereunder will be, or will have been, fully paid or provided for by the Company and all laws imposing such taxes will be or will have been fully complied with in all material respects.

 

(uu) Statistical, Demographic or Market-Related Data. Any statistical, demographic or market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus is based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate, all such data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus accurately reflects the materials upon which it is based or from which it was derived. The Company has obtained the written consent for the use of such data from such sources to the extent necessary or as required.

 

(vv) Regulations. The disclosures in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus concerning the effects of federal, state, local and all foreign regulation on the Company’s business as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects and no other such regulations are required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus which are not so disclosed.

 

(ww) Certificates. Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to Univest or to counsel for Univest pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company, as applicable, to Univest as to the matters set forth therein.

 

7. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with Univest that:

 

(a) Registration Statement Amendments. After the date of this Agreement and during any period in which a Prospectus relating to any Placement Shares is required to be delivered by Univest under the Securities Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 153 or Rule 172 under the Securities Act) (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”), (i) the Company will notify Univest promptly of the time when any subsequent amendment to the Registration Statement, other than documents incorporated by reference, has been filed with the Commission and/or has become effective or any subsequent supplement to the Prospectus (other than documents incorporated by reference therein) has been filed and of any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information, (ii) the Company will prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon Univest’s request, any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that, in Univest’s reasonable opinion, may be necessary or advisable in connection with the distribution of the Placement Shares by Univest (provided, however, that the failure of Univest to make such request shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect Univest’s right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement), (iii) the Company will not file any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus (except for documents incorporated by reference therein) unless a copy thereof has been submitted to Univest before the filing and Univest has not reasonably and in good faith objected thereto within two (2) Business Days of receiving such copy (provided, however, that (A) the failure of Univest to make such objection shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect Univest’s right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement and (B) the Company has no obligation to provide Univest any advance copy of such filing or to provide Univest an opportunity to object to such filing if such filing does not name Univest or does not relate to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) and the Company will furnish to Univest at the time of filing thereof a copy of any document that upon filing is deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or Prospectus, except for those documents available via EDGAR; and (iv) the Company will cause each amendment or supplement to the Prospectus to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act or, in the case of any document to be incorporated therein by reference, to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the Exchange Act, within the time period prescribed.

 

 

(b) Notice of Commission Stop Orders. The Company will advise Univest, promptly after it receives notice or obtains knowledge thereof, of the issuance or threatened issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any other order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Placement Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose; and it will promptly use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such a stop order should be issued. The Company will advise Univest promptly after it receives any request by the Commission for any amendments to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplements to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information related to the offering of the Placement Shares or for additional information related to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

 

(c) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws; Subsequent Changes. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to comply in all material respects with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as from time to time in force, and to file on or before their respective due dates all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, 15(d) or any other provision of or under the Exchange Act. If the Company has omitted any information from the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, it will use its best efforts to comply with the provisions of and make all requisite filings with the Commission pursuant to said Rule 430B and to notify Univest promptly of all such filings. If during the Prospectus Delivery Period any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during such period it is necessary to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act, the Company will promptly notify Univest to suspend the offering of Placement Shares during such period and the Company will promptly amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance and will furnish Univest as many copies as Univest may reasonably request of such amendment or supplement.

 

(d) Listing of Placement Shares. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Placement Shares to be listed on the Exchange and to qualify the Placement Shares for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as Univest reasonably designates and to continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Placement Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or dealer in securities or file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction.

 

(e) Delivery of Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company will furnish to Univest and its counsel (at the expense of the Company) copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference therein) and all amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that are filed with the Commission during the Prospectus Delivery Period (including all documents filed with the Commission during such period that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein), in each case as soon as reasonably practicable and in such quantities as Univest may from time to time reasonably request and, at Univest’s request, will also furnish copies of the Prospectus to each exchange or market on which sales of the Placement Shares may be made.

 

(f) Earnings Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 15 months after the end of the Company’s current fiscal quarter, an earnings statement covering a 12-month period that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) and Rule 158 of the Securities Act.

 

(g) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the Net Proceeds as described in the Prospectus in the section entitled “Use of Proceeds.”

 

 

(h) Notice of Other Sales. Without the prior written consent of Univest, the Company will not, directly or indirectly, offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Stock (other than the Placement Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire Common Stock, or permit the registration under the Securities Act of any shares of Common Stock (other than the Placement Shares registered pursuant to this Agreement), during the period beginning on the date on which any Placement Notice is delivered to Univest hereunder and ending on the second (2nd) Trading Day immediately following the final Settlement Date with respect to Placement Shares sold pursuant to such Placement Notice (or, if the Placement Notice has been terminated or suspended prior to the sale of all Placement Shares covered by a Placement Notice, the date of such suspension or termination); and, at any time during which a Placement Notice is pending and for two (2) Trading Days after the last sale of Placement Shares under such Placement Notice, will not directly or indirectly in any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any shares of Common Stock (other than the Placement Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire Common Stock prior to the termination of this Agreement with respect to Placement Shares sold pursuant to such Placement Notice; provided, however, that such restrictions will not be required in connection with the Company’s issuance or sale of (i) Common Stock, options to purchase Common Stock or stock awards or Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of options or vesting of stock awards, pursuant to any employee or director stock option or benefits plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan (but not Common Stock subject to a waiver to exceed plan limits in its dividend reinvestment plan) of the Company existing on the date hereof; and (ii) Common Stock issuable upon conversion of securities or the exercise of warrants, options or other rights in effect or outstanding on the date hereof and disclosed in the Prospectus.

 

(i) Change of Circumstances. The Company will, at any time during the pendency of a Placement Notice, advise Univest promptly after it shall have received notice or obtained knowledge thereof, of any information or fact that would alter or affect in any material respect any opinion, certificate, letter or other document required to be provided to Univest pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(j) Due Diligence Cooperation. The Company will cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by Univest or its representatives in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, providing information and making available documents and senior corporate officers, during regular business hours and at the Company’s principal offices or such other location mutually agreeable by the parties, as Univest may reasonably request.

 

(k) Required Filings Relating to Placement of Placement Shares. The Company agrees that on such dates as the Securities Act shall require, the Company will (i) file a prospectus supplement with the Commission under the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, which prospectus supplement will set forth, within the relevant period, the amount of Placement Shares sold through Univest, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the maximum compensation payable by the Company to Univest with respect to such Placement Shares, and (ii) deliver such number of copies of each such prospectus supplement to each exchange or market on which such sales were effected as may be required by the rules or regulations of such exchange or market.

 

(l) Representation Dates; Certificate. On the date of this Agreement and each time during the term of this Agreement the Company:

 

(i) files the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares or amends or supplements (other than a prospectus supplement relating solely to an offering of securities other than the Placement Shares) the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker, or supplement;

 

(ii) files an Annual Report on Form 10-K under the Exchange Act (including any Form 10-K/A containing restated financial statements or a material amendment to the previously filed Form 10-K);

 

(iii) files a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act; or

 

(iv) files a Current Report on Form 8-K containing amended audited financial information (other than information “furnished” pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K) under the Exchange Act; and

 

 

at any other time reasonably requested by Univest (each date of filing of one or more of the documents referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) above and any other time reasonably requested by Univest shall be a “Representation Date”), the Company shall furnish Univest (but in the case of clause (iv) above only if Univest reasonably determines that the information contained in such Form 8-K is material) with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(l). The requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 7(l) shall be automatically waived for any Representation Date occurring at a time at which no Placement Notice is pending, which waiver shall continue until the date the Company delivers a Placement Notice hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Representation Date); provided, however, that such waiver shall not apply for any Representation Date on which the Company files its Annual Report on Form 10-K. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Placement Shares following a Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not provide Univest with a certificate under this Section 7(l), then before the Company delivers the Placement Notice or Univest sells any Placement Shares, the Company shall provide Univest with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(l), dated the date of the Placement Notice.

 

(m) Legal Opinion. On or prior to the date of the first Placement Notice given hereunder and on or prior to each Representation Date, the Company shall cause to be furnished to Univest a written opinion and negative assurance letter of Michael W. Sanders, Esq., or such other counsel to the Company reasonably satisfactory to Univest (“Company Counsel”), covering opinions substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(m); provided, however, that in lieu of such opinions for subsequent Representation Dates, such counsel to the Company may furnish Univest with a letter to the effect that Univest may rely on a prior opinion delivered under this Section 7(m) to the same extent as if it were dated the date of such letter (except that statements in such prior opinion shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented at such Representation Date).

 

(n) Auditor Comfort Letter. On or prior to the date the first Placement Notice is given hereunder and on each Representation Date thereafter, the Company shall cause its independent accountants to furnish Univest letters (the “Comfort Letters”), dated the date the Comfort Letter is delivered, which shall meet the requirements set forth in this Section 7(n). The Comfort Letter from the Company’s independent accountants shall be in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Univest, (i) confirming that they are an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act and the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, (ii) stating, as of such date, the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to Univest in connection with registered public offerings (the first such letter, the “Initial Comfort Letter”) and (iii) updating the Initial Comfort Letter with any information that would have been included in the Initial Comfort Letter had it been given on such date and modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter.

 

(o) Engineer Comfort Letter. On or prior to the date the first Placement Notice is given hereunder and on each Representation Date thereafter, the Company shall cause Russell K. Hall & Associates, Inc., the Company’s independent professional engineering firm, to furnish Univest a letter (the “Engineer Comfort Letter”), dated the date such Engineer Comfort Letter is delivered, which shall meet the requirements set forth in this Section 7(o). The Engineer Comfort Letter shall be in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Univest (i) stating, as of such date, the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the Company’s oil and gas reserves and covering other customary matters included in such letters (the first such letter, the “Initial Engineer Comfort Letter”) and (ii) updating the Initial Engineer Comfort Letter with any information that would have been included in the Initial Engineer Comfort Letter had it been given on such date and modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter.

 

(p) Officer’s Certificate. On or prior to the date the first Placement Notice is given hereunder, Univest shall have received a certificate, signed on behalf of the Company by its Chief Executive Officer, certifying as to (i) the certificate of incorporation of the Company (as the same may be amended or restated from time to time), (ii) the bylaws of the Company (as the same may be amended or restated from time to time), (iii) the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company (or a committee thereof) authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the issuance of the Placement Shares and (iv) the incumbency of the officers duly authorized to execute this Agreement and the other documents contemplated by this Agreement.

 

(q) Market Activities. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, (i) take any action designed to cause or result in, or that constitutes or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Common Stock or (ii) sell, bid for, or purchase shares of Common Stock in violation of Regulation M, or pay anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of the Placement Shares other than Univest.

 

 

(r) Investment Company Act. The Company will conduct its affairs in such a manner so as to reasonably ensure that neither it nor any of its Subsidiaries will be or become, at any time prior to the termination of this Agreement, an “investment company,” as such term under the Investment Company Act.

 

(s) Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company and the Subsidiaries will maintain and keep accurate books and records reflecting their assets and maintain internal accounting controls in a manner designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP and including those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company, (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit the preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, (iii) that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with management’s and the Company’s directors’ authorization, and (iv) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on its financial statements. The Company and the Subsidiaries will maintain such controls and other procedures, including, without limitation, those required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and the applicable regulations thereunder that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to ensure that material information relating to the Company or the Subsidiaries is made known to them by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which such periodic reports are being prepared.

 

(t) Regulation M. If either party has reason to believe that the exemptive provisions set forth in Rule 101(c)(1) of Regulation M under the Exchange Act are not satisfied with respect to the Placement Shares, it shall promptly notify the other party and sales of the Placement Shares under this Agreement shall be suspended until that or other exemptive provisions have been satisfied in the judgment of each party.

 

8. [Intentionally Omitted].

 

9. Payment of Expenses. The Company will pay all costs, expenses and fees incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, including (i) the preparation and filing, including any fees required by the Commission, of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment and supplement thereto and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (ii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates, if any, for the Placement Shares to Univest, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any capital duties, stamp duties or other duties or taxes payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Placement Shares to Univest, (iii) the preparation, printing and delivery to Univest of this Agreement and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Placement Shares, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the counsel, accountants and other advisors to the Company, (v) the reasonable documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses of Univest incurred in connection with negotiating and executing this Agreement (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to Univest) up to a maximum amount of $25,000, (vi)[intentionally omitted], (vii) the fees and expenses of the transfer agent and registrar for the Common Stock, (viii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to Univest in connection with, the review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Placement Shares, (ix) the fees and expenses incurred by the Company in connection with the listing of the Placement Shares on the Exchange, and (x) the printing and delivery to Univest of copies of the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by Univest to investors.

 

 

10. Conditions to Univest’s Obligations. The obligations of Univest hereunder with respect to a Placement will be subject to the continuing accuracy and completeness of the representations and warranties made by the Company herein, to the due performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, to the completion by Univest of a due diligence review satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment, and to the continuing satisfaction (or waiver by Univest in its sole discretion) of the following additional conditions:

 

(a) Registration Statement Effective. The Registration Statement shall have become effective and shall be available for the sale of all Placement Shares contemplated to be issued by any Placement Notice (as amended by a corresponding Company Acceptance, as applicable).

 

(b) No Material Notices. None of the following events shall have occurred and be continuing: (i) receipt by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any request for additional information from the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority during the period of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the response to which would require any post-effective amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; (ii) the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; (iii) receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Placement Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; or (iv) any event that makes any material statement made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any material document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or such documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement, it will not contain any materially untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and, that in the case of the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, it will not contain any materially untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any 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.

 

(c) No Misstatement or Material Omission. Univest shall not have advised the Company that the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in Univest’s reasonable opinion is material, or omits to state a fact that in Univest’s opinion is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

(d) Material Changes. Except as contemplated in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, or disclosed in the Company’s reports filed with the Commission, there shall not have been any material adverse change, on a consolidated basis, in the authorized capital stock of the Company or any Material Adverse Effect, or any development in the business or affairs of the Company that could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(e) Legal Opinion. Univest shall have received the opinion of Company Counsel required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(m) on or before the date on which delivery of such opinion is required pursuant to Section 7(m).

 

(f) Comfort Letters. Univest shall have received the Auditor Comfort Letter and the Engineer Comfort Letter required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(n) and Section 7(o), respectively, on or before the date on which such delivery of such letters is required pursuant to Section 7(n) or Section 7(o).

 

(g) Representation Certificate. Univest shall have received the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(l) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 7(l).

 

(h) No Suspension. Trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended on the Exchange and the Common Stock shall not have been delisted from the Exchange.

 

(i) Officer’s Certificate. Univest shall have received a certificate signed on behalf of the Company by its Chief Executive Officer required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(p) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 7(p).

 

 

(j) Other Materials. On each date on which the Company is required to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(l), the Company shall have furnished to Univest such appropriate further information, certificates and documents of the Company as Univest may have reasonably requested in writing prior to such date and which are usually and customarily furnished by an issuer of securities in connection with the offering contemplated hereunder. The Company will furnish Univest with such conformed copies of such certificates and documents as Univest shall reasonably request.

 

(k) Securities Act Filings Made. All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424 under the Securities Act to have been filed prior to the issuance of any Placement Notice hereunder shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 424.

 

(l) Approval for Listing. The Placement Shares shall either have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to notice of issuance, or the Company shall have filed an application for listing of the Placement Shares on the Exchange at, or prior to, the issuance of any Placement Notice.

 

(m) No Termination Event. There shall not have occurred any event that would permit Univest to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 13(a).

 

(n) No Objection. Prior to the issuance of any Placement Notice, FINRA shall have confirmed in writing that it has no objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the compensation arrangements hereunder.

 

11. Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a) Company Indemnification. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Univest, its affiliates, its partners, members, directors, officers, employees and selling agents and each person, if any, who controls Univest within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act as follows:

 

(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, joint or several, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any related Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

 

(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, joint or several, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 11(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company, which consent shall not unreasonably be delayed or withheld; and

 

(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above, provided, however, that the Company’s indemnity obligations under this Section 11(a) shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made solely in reliance upon and in conformity with the Agent’s Information.

 

 

(b) Univest Indemnification. Univest agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its directors and each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who (i) controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or (ii) is controlled by or is under common control with the Company against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 11(a), as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendments thereto) or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Agent’s Information.

 

(c) Procedure. Any party that proposes to assert the right to be indemnified under this Section 11 will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim is to be made against an indemnifying party or parties under this Section 11, notify each such indemnifying party of the commencement of such action, enclosing a copy of all papers served, but the omission to so notify such indemnifying party will not relieve the indemnifying party from (i) any liability that it might have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 11 and (ii) any liability that it may have to any indemnified party under the foregoing provision of this Section 11 unless, and only to the extent that, such omission results in the forfeiture or material impairment of rights or defenses by the indemnifying party. If any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of its commencement, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in and, to the extent that it elects by delivering written notice to the indemnified party promptly after receiving notice of the commencement of the action from the indemnified party, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense of the action, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense, the indemnifying party will not be liable to the indemnified party for any legal or other expenses except as provided below and except for the reasonable costs of investigation subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense. The indemnified party will have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action, but the fees, expenses and other charges of such counsel will be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (1) the employment of counsel by the indemnified party has been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (2) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are materially different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, (3) a conflict or potential conflict exists (based on advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party) or (4) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in each of which cases the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel will be at the expense of the indemnifying party or parties. It is understood that the indemnifying party or parties shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm admitted to practice in such jurisdiction at any one time for all such indemnified party or parties. All such fees, disbursements and other charges will be reimbursed by the indemnifying party promptly after the indemnifying party receives a written invoice relating to fees, disbursements and other charges in reasonable detail. An indemnifying party will not, in any event, be liable for any settlement of any action or claim effected without its written consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of each indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding relating to the matters contemplated by this Section 11 (whether or not any indemnified party is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (1) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (2) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

 

(d) Contribution. In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in the foregoing paragraphs of this Section 11 is applicable in accordance with its terms but for any reason is held to be unavailable from the Company or Univest, the Company and Univest will contribute to the total losses, claims, liabilities, expenses and damages (including any investigative, legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim asserted, but after deducting any contribution received by the Company from persons other than Univest, such as persons who control the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act, officers of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and directors of the Company, who also may be liable for contribution) to which the Company and Univest may be subject in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and Univest on the other hand. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and Univest on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the sale of the Placement Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total compensation received by Univest (before deducting expenses) from the sale of Placement Shares on behalf of the Company. If, but only if, the allocation provided by the foregoing sentence is not permitted by applicable law, the allocation of contribution shall be made in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in the foregoing sentence but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and Univest, on the other hand, with respect to the statements or omission that resulted in such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations with respect to such offering. Such relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or Univest, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and Univest agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 11(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, liability, expense, or damage, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 11(d) shall be deemed to include, for the purpose of this Section 11(d), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim to the extent consistent with Section 11(c) hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 11(d), Univest shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the commissions received by it under this Agreement and no person found guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 11(d), any person who controls a party to this Agreement within the meaning of the Securities Act, and any officers, directors, partners, employees or agents of Univest, will have the same rights to contribution as that party, and each officer and director of the Company who signed the Registration Statement will have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the provisions hereof. Any party entitled to contribution, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made under this Section 11(d), will notify any such party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify will not relieve that party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may have under this Section 11(d) except to the extent that the failure to so notify such other party materially prejudiced the rights or defenses of the party from whom contribution is sought. Except for a settlement entered into pursuant to the last sentence of Section 11(c) hereof, no party will be liable for contribution with respect to any action or claim settled without its written consent if such consent is required pursuant to Section 11(c) hereof.

 

12. Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in Section 11 of this Agreement and all representations and warranties of the Company and Univest herein or in certificates delivered pursuant hereto shall survive, as of their respective dates, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of Univest, any controlling persons, or the Company (or any of their respective officers, directors or controlling persons), (ii) delivery and acceptance of the Placement Shares and payment therefor or (iii) any termination of this Agreement.

 

13. Termination.

 

(a) Univest may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, as hereinafter specified at any time (1) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the date as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any Material Adverse Effect, or any development that has occurred that is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect has occurred or in the sole judgment of Univest makes it impractical or inadvisable to market the Placement Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Placement Shares, (2) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the sole judgment of Univest, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Placement Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Placement Shares, (3) if trading in the Common Stock has been suspended or limited by the Commission or the Exchange, or if trading generally on the Exchange has been suspended or limited, or minimum prices for trading have been fixed on the Exchange, (4) if any suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market shall have occurred and be continuing for at least ten (10) Trading Days, (5) if a major disruption of securities settlements or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred and be continuing, or (6) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either U.S. federal or New York authorities. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 6 (Representations and Warranties of the Company), Section 9 (Payment of Expenses), Section 11 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 12 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 18 (Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial), Section 19 (Consent to Jurisdiction) and Section 24 (Absence of Fiduciary Relationship) hereof (the provisions of each such section, a “Surviving Term,” and collectively, the “Surviving Terms”) shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination. If Univest elects to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 13(a), Univest shall provide five (5) days’ notice to the Company in accordance with the terms of Section 14 hereof.

 

 

(b) The Company shall have the right, by giving five (5) days’ notice as hereinafter specified to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the Surviving Terms shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

(c) Univest shall have the right, by giving five (5) days’ notice as hereinafter specified to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the Surviving Terms shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

(d) Unless earlier terminated pursuant to this Section 13, this Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the earlier to occur of (i) the second (2nd) year anniversary of the date hereof and (ii) the issuance and sale of all of the Placement Shares through Univest on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein except that the Surviving Terms shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

(e) This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect unless terminated pursuant to Sections 13(a), (b), (c), or (d) above or otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties; provided, however, that any such termination by mutual agreement shall in all cases be deemed to provide that the Surviving Terms shall remain in full force and effect. Upon termination of this Agreement, the Company shall not have any liability to Univest for any discount, commission or other compensation with respect to any Placement Shares not otherwise sold by Univest under this Agreement.

 

(f) Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice of termination; provided, however, that such termination shall not be effective until the close of business on the date of receipt of such notice by Univest or the Company, as the case may be. If such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Placement Shares, such Placement Shares shall settle in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

 

14. Notices. All notices or other communications required or permitted to be given by any party to any other party pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing, unless otherwise specified, and if sent to Univest, shall be delivered to:

 

Univest Securities, LLC

375 Park Avenue, Unit 1502

New York, NY 10152

Attention: Edric Guo and Bradley Richmond

Telephone: (212)-343-8888

Email: ***@*** and ***@***

 

with a copy to:

 

Sullivan & Worcester LLP

1633 Broadway

New York, NY 10019

Attention: David Danovitch and Aaron M. Schleicher

Telephone: (212) 660-3034 or ###-###-####

Email: ***@*** and ***@***

 

 

and if to the Company, shall be delivered to:

 

Houston American Energy Corp.

801 Travis St., Suite 1425

Houston, TX 77002

Attention: John Terwilliger

Telephone: (713) 222-6966

Facsimile: (713) 222-6440

Email: ***@***

 

with a copy to:

 

Michael W. Sanders, Esq.

20701 Hamilton Pool Rd.

Dripping Springs, TX 78620

Telephone: (512) 264-2062

Email: ***@***

 

Each party to this Agreement may change such address for notices by sending to the parties to this Agreement written notice of a new address for such purpose. Each such notice or other communication shall be deemed given (i) when delivered personally or by verifiable facsimile or e-mail transmission (with an original to follow) on or before 4:30 p.m., New York City time, on a Business Day or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day, (ii) on the next Business Day after the date of mailing if sent by a U.S. nationally-recognized overnight courier and (iii) on the Business Day actually received if deposited in the U.S. mail (certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid).

 

An electronic communication (“Electronic Notice”) shall be deemed written notice for purposes of this Section 14 if sent to the electronic mail address specified by the receiving party under separate cover. Electronic Notice shall be deemed received at the time the party sending Electronic Notice receives confirmation of receipt by the receiving party. Any party receiving Electronic Notice may request and shall be entitled to receive the notice on paper, in a nonelectronic form (“Nonelectronic Notice”) which shall be sent to the requesting party within ten (10) days of receipt of the written request for Nonelectronic Notice.

 

15. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company and Univest and their respective successors and permitted assigns and the affiliates, controlling persons, officers and directors referred to in Section 11 hereof. References to any of the parties contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the successors and permitted assigns of such party. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and permitted assigns any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement. Neither party may assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party. No purchaser of Placement Shares from Univest shall be deemed to be a successor by reason of such purchase.

 

16. Adjustments for Stock Splits. The parties acknowledge and agree that all share-related numbers contained in this Agreement shall be adjusted to take into account any share consolidation, stock split, stock dividend, corporate domestication or similar event effected with respect to the Placement Shares.

 

17. Entire Agreement; Amendment; Severability. This Agreement (including all schedules and exhibits attached hereto and Placement Notices issued pursuant hereto) constitutes the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all other prior and contemporaneous agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties hereto with regard to the subject matter hereof. Neither this Agreement nor any term hereof may be amended except pursuant to a written instrument executed by the Company and Univest. In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable as written by a court of competent jurisdiction, then such provision shall be given full force and effect to the fullest possible extent that it is valid, legal and enforceable, and the remainder of the terms and provisions herein shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable term or provision was not contained herein, but only to the extent that giving effect to such provision and the remainder of the terms and provisions hereof shall be in accordance with the intent of the parties as reflected in this Agreement.

 

 

18. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS. SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME. THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

19. CONSENT TO JURISDICTION. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE NON-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 WITH ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, 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 (CERTIFIED OR REGISTERED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED) TO SUCH PARTY AT THE ADDRESS IN EFFECT FOR 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.

 

20. Use of Information. Univest may not use any information gained in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including due diligence, to advise any party with respect to transactions not expressly approved by the Company.

 

21. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed Agreement by one party to the other may be made by facsimile transmission or e-mail transmission.

 

22. Effect of Headings. The section, schedule and exhibit headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

23. Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company represents, warrants and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of Univest (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), and Univest represents, warrants and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Company (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Placement Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by Univest or by the Company, as the case may be, is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents and warrants that it has treated and agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. For the purposes of clarity, the parties hereto agree that all free writing prospectuses, if any, listed in Exhibit 23 hereto are Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses.

 

 

24. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that:

 

(a) Univest is acting solely as agent in connection with the public offering of the Placement Shares and in connection with each transaction contemplated by this Agreement and the process leading to such transactions, and no fiduciary or advisory relationship between the Company or any of its respective affiliates, stockholders (or other equity holders), creditors or employees or any other party, on the one hand, and Univest, on the other hand, has been or will be created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether or not Univest has advised or is advising the Company on other matters, and Univest has no obligation to the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement;

 

(b) it is capable of evaluating and understanding, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

 

(c) Univest has not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and it has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate;

 

(d) it is aware that Univest and its affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and Univest has no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship or otherwise; and

 

(e) it waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against Univest for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the sale of Placement Shares under this Agreement and agrees that Univest shall not have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract, tort or otherwise) to it in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on its behalf or in right of it or the Company, employees or creditors of the Company, other than in respect of Univest’s obligations under this Agreement and to keep information provided by the Company to Univest and Univest’s counsel confidential to the extent not otherwise publicly-available.

 

25. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below:

 

“Applicable Time” means (i) each Representation Date and (ii) the time of each sale of any Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement.

 

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, relating to the Placement Shares that (1) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (2) is a “road show” that is a “written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (3) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Placement Shares or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g) under the Securities Act Regulations.

 

“Rule 153,” “Rule 164,” “Rule 172,” “Rule 405,” “Rule 415,” “Rule 424,” “Rule 424(b),” “Rule 430B,” and “Rule 433” refer to such rules under the Securities Act Regulations.

 

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information that is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be.

 

All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR; all references in this Agreement to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (other than any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses that, pursuant to Rule 433, are not required to be filed with the Commission) shall be deemed to include the copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR; and all references in this Agreement to “supplements” to the Prospectus shall include, without limitation, any supplements, “wrappers” or similar materials prepared in connection with any offering, sale or private placement of any Placement Shares by Univest outside of the United States.

 

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If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Company and Univest, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and Univest.

 

	Very truly yours,
	HOUSTON AMERICAN ENERGY CORP.
	By:	/s/ John Terwilliger
	Name:	John Terwilliger
	Title:	Chief Executive Officer
	ACCEPTED as of the date first-above written:
	UNIVEST SECURITIES, LLC
	By:	/s/ Bradley Richmond
	Name:	Bradley Richmond
	Title:	Co-Head of Investment Banking