REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
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Business Finance
- Registration Rights Agreements
EX-10.1 13 v076171_ex10-1.htm
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Registration Rights Agreement (this “Agreement”), made and entered into as of May 16, 2007, by and among Neoview Holdings Inc. (the “Company”) and the purchasers signatory hereto (each such purchaser, a “Purchaser” and collectively, the “Purchasers”).
This Agreement is made pursuant to and in connection with (i) the Securities Purchase Agreement between the Company and each Purchaser dated as of the date hereof (collectively, the “Purchase Agreement”), and (ii) the Private Placement Memorandum dated May 10, 2007 (the “Memorandum”) relating to the offering of securities of the Company pursuant to which the Purchasers purchased the Registrable Securities (as hereinafter defined).
The Company and the Purchasers hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein that are defined in the Purchase Agreement shall have the meanings given such terms in the Purchase Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
“Advice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(d).
“Business Day” means any day except Saturday, Sunday and any day which shall be a federal legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.
“Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Common Stock” shall mean shares of Common Stock of the Company.
“Effectiveness Date” means, with respect to the Registration Statement required to be filed hereunder, the earlier of (a) the 120th calendar day following the effective date of the Merger, or 180 days following the effective date of the Merger if the Registration Statement is subject to review and comment from the Commission, provided that if such day is not a Business Day, then the next Business Day thereafter, and (b) the fifth Trading Day following the date on which the Company is notified by the Commission that the Registration Statement will not be reviewed or is no longer subject to further review and comments.
“Effectiveness Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).
“Event” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(c).
“Event Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(c).
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Filing Date” means, with respect to the Registration Statement required to be filed hereunder, the 60th calendar day following the consummation of the Offering, provided that if such day is not a Business Day, then the Filing Date shall be the next Business Day thereafter.
“Holder” or “Holders” means the holder or holders, as the case may be, from time to time of Registrable Securities.
“Indemnified Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
“Indemnifying Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
“Losses” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).
“Offering” shall mean the offering of Shares and Warrants by the Company pursuant to the Memorandum.
“Plan of Distribution” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).
“Proceeding” means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.
“Prospectus” means the prospectus included in the Registration Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated under the Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement, and all other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.
“Registrable Securities” means (i) the Shares, (ii) shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, (iii) shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants issued to the placement agent pursuant to the Placement Agent Agreement dated as of April 30, 2007 and (iii) any shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon any stock split, dividend or other distribution, recapitalization or similar event with respect to the foregoing.
“Registration Statement” means the registration statements required to be filed by the Company hereunder, including (in each case) the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to the registration statement or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the registration statement.
“Rule 415” means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
"Rule 415 Interpretative Position" means the then-current interpretation of the staff of the SEC regarding the availability of Rule 415 for continuous or delayed offerings of securities for the account of selling securityholders.
“Rule 424” means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
“Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issued or issuable to each Purchaser pursuant to the Offering.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
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“Trading Day” means (i) a day on which the Common Stock is traded on a Trading Market, or (ii) if the Common Stock is not listed on a Trading Market, a day on which the Common Stock is traded on the over-the-counter market, as reported by the OTC Bulletin Board, or (iii) if the Common Stock is not quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board, a day on which the Common Stock is quoted in the over-the-counter market as reported by Pink Sheets LLC (or any similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices); provided, that in the event that the Common Stock is not listed or quoted as set forth in (i), (ii) and (iii) hereof, then Trading Day shall mean a Business Day.
“Trading Market” means the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the American Stock Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq National Market, the Nasdaq SmallCap Market or the OTC Bulletin Board.
“Transaction Documents” means this Agreement and the Purchase Agreement and any other documents or agreements executed in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder and thereunder.
“Warrants” shall have the meaning given such term in the Purchase Agreement.
2. Registration.
(a) On or prior to the Filing Date, the Company shall prepare and file with the Commission the Registration Statement covering the resale of all of the Registrable Securities for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415; provided, that the Company shall only be required to register Registrable Securities up to an amount permitted to be registered by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pursuant to the Rule 415 Interpretative Position. The Registration Statement required hereunder shall be on Form SB-2 (or another appropriate form in accordance herewith). The Registration Statement required hereunder shall contain (except if otherwise directed by the Holders) substantially the “Plan of Distribution” attached hereto as Annex A. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as possible after the filing thereof, but in any event not later than the Effectiveness Date, and shall use its best efforts to keep the Registration Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until the date when all Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement have been sold or may be sold without volume restrictions pursuant to Rule 144(k) (the “Effectiveness Period”). In the event any Registrable Securities are excluded from such Registration Statement due to the Rule 415 Interpretative Position, the Registrable Securities to be excluded shall be allocated among all Holders on a pro rata basis based on the total number of Registrable Securities proposed to be included in such Registration Statement.
(b) In the event the Rule 415 Interpretative Position limits the number of Registrable Securities that may be registered on the Registration Statement, then as soon as practicable following the sale of securities or the passage of time (as appropriate in view of the Rule 415 Interpretative Position), the Company will file one or more additional Registration Statements (each such Registration Statement, a “Subsequent Registration Statement”) registering the Registrable Securities not registered on the Registration Statement but in an amount permissable under the Rule 415 Interpretative Position, until all of the Registrable Securities have been registered. The Filing Date and Effectiveness Date of each such Subsequent Registration Statement shall be, respectively, on or prior to the thirtieth (30th) and sixtieth (60th) day after the first day such Subsequent Registration Statement may be filed without objection by the SEC based on its Rule 415 Interpretative Position.
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(c) If: (i) a Registration Statement is not filed on or prior to the Filing Date (if the Registration Statement is filed without affording the Holder the opportunity to review and comment on the same as required by Section 3(a), the Company shall not be deemed to have satisfied such filing requirement), or (ii) the Company does not file with the Commission a request for acceleration in accordance with Rule 461 promulgated under the Securities Act, within five Trading Days of the date of notification (orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the Commission that a Registration Statement will not be “reviewed,” or is not subject to further review, or (iii) prior to the date when such Registration Statement is first declared effective by the Commission, the Company fails to cause the Company to file a pre-effective amendment and otherwise respond in writing to comments made by the Commission in respect of such Registration Statement within 21 calendar days after the receipt of comments by or notice from the Commission that such amendment is required in order for a Registration Statement to be declared effective (or within ten calendar days after the Company’s accountants furnish the requisite financial statements, if later), or (iv) a Registration Statement filed or required to be filed hereunder is not declared effective by the Commission on or before the Effectiveness Date, or (v) after a Registration Statement is first declared effective by the Commission, it ceases for any reason to remain continuously effective as to all Registrable Securities for which it is required to be effective, or the Holders are not permitted to utilize the Prospectus therein to resell such Registrable Securities, for in any such case 15 consecutive calendar days but no more than an aggregate of 30 Trading Days during any 12 month period (which need not be consecutive Trading Days) (any such failure or breach being referred to as an “Event,” and for purposes of clause (i) or (iv) the date on which such Event occurs, or for purposes of clause (ii) the date on which such five Trading Day period is exceeded, or for purposes of clause (iii) the date which such 21 calendar days is exceeded, or for purposes of clause (v) the date on which such 30 calendar day or 15 Trading Day period, as applicable, is exceeded being referred to as “Event Date”), then in addition to any other rights the Holders may have hereunder or under applicable law: (x) on each such Event Date the Company shall pay to each Holder an amount in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, equal to 1.0% of the aggregate purchase price paid by such Holder pursuant to the Purchase Agreement for any Registrable Securities then held by such Holder; and (y) on each monthly anniversary of each such Event Date (if the applicable Event shall not have been cured by such date) until the applicable Event is cured, the Company shall pay to each Holder an amount in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, 1.0% of the aggregate purchase price paid by such Holder pursuant to the Purchase Agreement for any Registrable Securities then held by such Holder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) no liquidated damages shall accrue with respect to Registrable Securities consisting of Warrants and (ii) aggregate liquidated damages payable by the Company pursuant to this Section 2(c) shall not exceed ten percent (10.0%) of the Holder’s initial investment in the Shares. If the Company fails to pay any partial liquidated damages pursuant to this Section in full within seven days after the date payable, the Company will pay interest thereon at a rate of 18% per annum (or such lesser maximum amount that is permitted to be paid by applicable law) to the Holder, accruing daily from the date such partial liquidated damages are due until such amounts, plus all such interest thereon, are paid in full. The partial liquidated damages pursuant to the terms hereof shall apply on a daily pro-rata basis for any portion of a month prior to the cure of an Event.
3. Registration Procedures.
In connection with the registration obligations in Section 2 hereof, the Company shall:
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(a) Not less than five Trading Days prior to the filing of the Registration Statement or any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (i) furnish to the Holders copies of all such documents proposed to be filed (including documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference to the extent requested by such Person) which documents will be subject to the review of such Holders and (ii) cause its officers, directors, counsel and independent registered public accountants to respond to such inquiries as shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of respective counsel, to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of the Securities Act. The Company shall not file the Registration Statement or any such Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto to which the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities shall reasonably object in good faith, provided that the Company or the Company is notified of such objection in writing no later than three Trading Days after the Holders have been so furnished copies of such documents.
(b) (i) Prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, including post-effective amendments, to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep the Registration Statement continuously effective as to the applicable Registrable Securities for the Effectiveness Period and prepare and file with the Commission such additional Registration Statements in order to register for resale under the Securities Act all of the Registrable Securities; (ii) cause the related Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement and, as so supplemented or amended, to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; (iii) satisfy the requirements of Rule 172(c)(3) promulgated by the Commission by filing a Prospectus that meets the requirements of section 10(a) of the Securities Act or make a good faith and reasonable effort to file such a Prospectus within the time required under Rule 424; (iii) respond as promptly as reasonably possible to any comments received from the Commission with respect to the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto and, as promptly as reasonably possible, upon request, provide the Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence from and to the Commission relating to the Registration Statement; and (iv) comply in all material respects with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the Holders thereof set forth in the Registration Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented.
(c) Notify the Holders of Registrable Securities as promptly as reasonably possible and confirm such notice in writing promptly following the day (i)(A) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement is proposed to be filed; (B) when the Commission notifies the Company whether there will be a “review” of the Registration Statement and whenever the Commission comments in writing on the Registration Statement (the Company shall cause the Company, upon request, to provide true and complete copies thereof and all written responses thereto to each of the Holders); and (C) with respect to the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective; (ii) of any request by the Commission or any other Federal or state governmental authority during the period of effectiveness of the Registration Statement for amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; (iii) of the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation of any Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such purpose; and (v) of the occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes the financial statements included in the Registration Statement ineligible for inclusion therein or any statement made in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires any revisions to the Registration Statement, Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, it will not contain any 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 light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; (vi) the occurrence or existence of any development with respect to the Company that the Company believes may be material and that, in the determination of the Company, makes it not in the best interest of the Company to allow continued availability of the Registration Statement or Prospectus; provided that any and all of such information shall remain confidential to each Holder until such information otherwise becomes public, unless disclosure by a Holder is required by law; provided, further, notwithstanding each Holder’s agreement to keep such information confidential, the Holders make no acknowledgement that any such information is material, non-public information. Any written notice made pursuant to clause 3(c)(vi) above shall, at the option of the Holder, be delivered only to legal counsel for such Holder at the such legal counsel’s address provided on such Holder’s signature page to the Purchase Agreement.
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(d) Use commercially reasonable efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment.
(e) Furnish to each Holder, without charge, at least one conformed copy of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference to the extent requested by such Holder, and all exhibits to the extent requested by such Holder (including those previously furnished or incorporated by reference) promptly after the filing of such documents with the Commission.
(f) Promptly deliver to each Holder, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus or Prospectuses (including each form of prospectus) and each amendment or supplement thereto as such Holder may reasonably request in connection their resales. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Company hereby consents to the use of such Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, except after the giving on any notice pursuant to Section 3(c).
(g) Prior to any resale of Registrable Securities by a Holder, use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the selling Holders in connection with the registration or qualification (or exemption from such registration or qualification) of such Registrable Securities for the resale by the Holder under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as any Holder reasonably requests in writing, to keep each such registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective during the Effectiveness Period and to do any and all other acts or things reasonably necessary to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement; provided, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified if qualification would subject the Company to any material tax in any such jurisdiction where it is not then qualified or subject it to file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction.
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(h) If requested by the Holders, cooperate with the Holders to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be delivered to a transferee pursuant to the Registration Statement, which certificates shall be free, to the extent permitted by the Purchase Agreement and applicable law, of all restrictive legends, and to enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as any such Holders may request.
(i) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(c)(v), as promptly as reasonably possible, prepare a supplement or amendment, including a post-effective amendment, to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered, neither the Registration Statement nor such Prospectus will 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Company notifies the Holders in accordance with clauses (ii) through (v) of Section 3(c) above to suspend the use of any Prospectus until the requisite changes to such Prospectus have been made, then the Holders shall suspend use of such Prospectus. The Company shall use its best efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed as promptly as is practicable. The Company shall be entitled to exercise its right under this Section 3(i) to suspend the availability of a Registration Statement and Prospectus, subject to the payment of liquidated damages pursuant to Section 2(b), for a period not to exceed 60 days (which need not be consecutive days) in any 12 month period.
(j) Comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission.
(k) Use its best efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment.
(l) At least fifteen (15) days prior to the anticipated filing date of the Registration Statement, the Company shall notify each Holder of the information the Company requires from each such Holder (the “Requested Information”) if it elects to have any of its Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement. If any such Holder fails to furnish such Requested Information within seven Trading Days of the Company’s request, the Company shall furnish written notice of such non-compliance to such Holder, the Placement Agent and the Placement Agent's counsel. If, for a period of three Trading Days after such notice is given, such Holder continues to fail to furnish such Requested Information, then (i) the Company shall no longer be obligated to include any of such Holder's Registrable Securities as part of the Registration Statement (provided, however, in the event such Holder provides such Requested Information to the Company prior to the time when it files a request for acceleration, the Company shall register such Holder's Registrable Securities as part of the Registration Statement) and (ii) the Company shall have no obligation to pay any liquidated damages to such Holder with respect to any Event. In the event that (i) the immediately preceding sentence applies, (ii) subsequent to the filing of the above-mentioned request for acceleration such Holder provides such Requested Information to the Company and (iii) thereafter the Company files another registration statement in which the Company may include such Holder's securities without significant cost to the Company and with the consent of any applicable underwriter, then the Company shall give notice to such Holder at least fifteen days in advance of filing such registration statement and shall use its best efforts to include such Holder's Registrable Securities in such registration statement in accordance with customary arrangements applicable to piggyback registration rights.
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(m) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement, the right of any Holder to request or demand inclusion in any registration hereunder shall terminate as to Shares of Registrable Securities held by such Holder that may be immediately sold under Rule 144(k).
4. Registration Expenses. All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with this Agreement by the Company shall be borne by the Company whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to the Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses (A) with respect to filings required to be made with the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed for trading and (B) in compliance with applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws), (ii) printing expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of printing certificates for Registrable Securities and of printing prospectuses if the printing of prospectuses is reasonably requested by the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, (v) Securities Act liability insurance, if the Company so desires such insurance, and (vi) fees and expenses of all other Persons retained by the Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit and the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange as required hereunder. In no event shall the Company be responsible for any broker or similar commissions or, except to the extent provided for in the Transaction Documents, any legal fees or other costs of the Holders.
5. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification by the Company. The Company shall, notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, indemnify and hold harmless each Holder, the officers, directors, agents and employees of each of them, each Person who controls any such Holder (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and the officers, directors, agents and employees of each such controlling Person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees) and expenses (collectively, “Losses”), as incurred, arising out of or relating to any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that (i) such untrue statements or omissions are based solely upon information regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein, or to the extent that such information relates to such Holder or such Holder’s proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by such Holder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto (it being understood that the Holder has approved Annex A hereto for this purpose) or (ii) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3(c)(ii)-(vi), the use by such Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice contemplated in Section 6(d). The Company shall notify the Holders promptly of the institution, threat or assertion of any Proceeding of which the Company is aware in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
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(b) Indemnification by Holders. Each Holder included in a registration shall, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers, agents and employees, each Person who controls the Company (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, agents or employees of such controlling Persons, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses, as incurred, to the extent arising out of or based solely upon: (x) such Holder’s failure to comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act or (y) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, or any form of prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (i) to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any information so furnished in writing by such Holder to the Company specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or such Prospectus or (ii) to the extent that (1) such untrue statements or omissions are based solely upon information regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein, or to the extent that such information relates to such Holder or such Holder’s proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by such Holder expressly for use in the Registration Statement (it being understood that the Holder has approved Annex A hereto for this purpose), such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (2) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3(c)(ii)-(vi), the use by such Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice contemplated in Section 6(d). In no event shall the liability of any selling Holder hereunder be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the net proceeds received by such Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification obligation.
(c) Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. (i) If any Proceeding shall be brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder (an “Indemnified Party”), such Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Person from whom indemnity is sought (the “Indemnifying Party”) in writing, and the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to assume the defense thereof, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the payment of all fees and expenses incurred in connection with defense thereof; provided, that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement, except (and only) to the extent that it shall be finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or further review) that such failure shall have prejudiced the Indemnifying Party.
(ii) An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party or Parties unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses; (2) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to assume the defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (3) the named parties to any such Proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and such Indemnified Party shall reasonably believe that a material conflict of interest is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party (in which case, if such Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to assume the defense thereof and the reasonable fees and expenses of one separate counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party). The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any such Proceeding effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding.
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(iii) Subject to the terms of this Agreement, all reasonable fees and expenses of the Indemnified Party (including reasonable fees and expenses to the extent incurred in connection with investigating or preparing to defend such Proceeding in a manner not inconsistent with this Section) shall be paid to the Indemnified Party, as incurred, within ten Trading Days of written notice thereof to the Indemnifying Party; provided, that the Indemnified Party shall promptly reimburse the Indemnifying Party for that portion of such fees and expenses applicable to such actions for which such Indemnified Party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder, determined based upon the relative faults of the parties.
(d) Contribution. (i) If a claim for indemnification under Section 5(a) or 5(b) is unavailable to an Indemnified Party (by reason of public policy or otherwise), then each Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such Losses, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action, statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of any Losses shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement, any reasonable attorneys’ or other reasonable fees or expenses incurred by such party in connection with any Proceeding to the extent such party would have been indemnified for such fees or expenses if the indemnification provided for in this section was available to such party in accordance with its terms.
(ii) The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5(d), no Holder shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the proceeds actually received by such Holder from the sale of the Registrable Securities subject to the Proceeding exceeds the amount of any damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission, except in the case of fraud by such Holder.
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(iii) The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section are in addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the Indemnified Parties.
6. Miscellaneous
(a) Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company, on one hand, or by a Holder, on the other hand, of any of their respective obligations under this Agreement, each Holder or the Company, as the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law and under this Agreement, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Agreement. The Company and each Holder each agrees that monetary damages would not provide adequate compensation for any losses incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agrees that, in the event of any action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall waive the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b) No Piggyback on Registrations. Except as set forth on Schedule 6(b), neither the Company nor any of its security holders (other than the Holders in such capacity pursuant hereto) may include securities of the Company in a Registration Statement other than the Registrable Securities and no Person has any right to cause the Company to effect the registration under the Securities Act of any securities of the Company. The Company shall not file any other registration statement (other than on Form S-8) until after the Effective Date.
(c) Compliance. Each Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply with the Securities Act as applicable to it in connection with offers and sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement.
(d) Discontinued Disposition. Each Holder agrees by its acquisition of such Registrable Securities that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in Section 3(c), such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement until such Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented Prospectus and/or amended Registration Statement or until it is advised in writing (the “Advice”) by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus may be resumed, and, in either case, has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings that are incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus or Registration Statement. The Company will use its best efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed as promptly as is practicable. The Company agrees and acknowledges that any periods during which the Holder is required to discontinue the disposition of the Registrable Securities hereunder shall be subject to the provisions of Section 2(b).
(e) Piggy-Back Registrations. If at any time during the Effectiveness Period there is not an effective Registration Statement covering all of the Registrable Securities and the Company shall determine to prepare and file with the Commission a registration statement relating to an offering for its own account or the account of others under the Securities Act of any of its equity securities, other than on Form S-4 or Form S-8 (each as promulgated under the Securities Act) or their then equivalents relating to equity securities to be issued solely in connection with any acquisition of any entity or business or equity securities issuable in connection with the stock option or other employee benefit plans, then The Company shall send to each Holder a written notice of such determination and, if within fifteen days after the date of such notice, any such Holder shall so request in writing, the Company shall include in such registration statement all or any part of such Registrable Securities such Holder requests to be registered, subject to customary underwriter cutbacks applicable to all holders of registration rights.
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(f) Rule 144 Compliance. As long as any Holder owns any Registrable Securities, it will apply its best efforts to file with the SEC in a timely manner (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports and other documents required of the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and , if the Company is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, it will prepare and furnish to the Holders and make publicly available in accordance with Rule 144(c) promulgated under the Securities Act annual and quarterly financial statements, together with a discussion and analysis of such financial statements in form and substance substantially similar to those that would otherwise be required to be included in reports required by Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as well as any other information required thereby, in the time period that such filings would have been required to have been made under the Exchange Act.
(g) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given, unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company and Holders of not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the then outstanding Registrable Securities.
(h) Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be made in accordance with the provisions of the Purchase Agreement, subject to Section 3(c) above.
(i) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of each of the parties and shall inure to the benefit of each Holder. Each Holder may assign their respective rights hereunder only in the manner and to the Persons as permitted to transfer the Registrable Securities under the Purchase Agreement.
(j) Execution and Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission, such signature shall create a valid binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) the same with the same force and effect as if such facsimile signature were the original thereof.
(k) Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof.
(l) Cumulative Remedies. The remedies provided herein are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.
(m) Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
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(n) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(o) Independent Nature of Holders’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Holder hereunder are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Holder hereunder, and no Holder shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Holder hereunder. Nothing contained herein or in any other agreement or document delivered at any closing, and no action taken by any Holder pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Holders as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Holders are in any way acting in concert with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Each Holder shall be entitled to protect and enforce its rights, including without limitation the rights arising out of this Agreement, and it shall not be necessary for any other Holder to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.
NEOVIEW HOLDINGS INC. | ||
| | |
By: | /s/ Regis Kwong | |
Name: Regis Kwong | ||
Title: CEO |
PURCHASER’S SIGNATURE PAGE TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Name of Investing Entity: __________________________ |
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity: __________________________ |
Name of Authorized Signatory: _________________________ |
Title of Authorized Signatory: __________________________ |
ANNEX A
Plan of Distribution
The Selling Stockholders (the “Selling Stockholders”) of the common stock (“Common Stock”) of Neoview Holdings Inc. (the “Company”) and any of their pledgees, assignees and successors-in-interest may, from time to time, sell any or all of their shares of Common Stock on any stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the shares are traded or in private transactions. These sales may be at fixed or negotiated prices. The Selling Stockholders may use any one or more of the following methods when selling shares:
· | ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers; |
· | block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; |
· | purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account; |
· | an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange; |
· | privately negotiated transactions; |
· | settlement of short sales entered into after the date of this prospectus; |
· | broker-dealers may agree with the Selling Stockholders to sell a specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share; |
· | a combination of any such methods of sale; |
· | through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise; or |
· | any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law. |
The Selling Stockholders may also sell shares under Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), if available, rather than under this prospectus.
Broker-dealers engaged by the Selling Stockholders may arrange for other brokers-dealers to participate in sales. Broker-dealers may receive commissions or discounts from the Selling Stockholders (or, if any broker-dealer acts as agent for the purchaser of shares, from the purchaser) in amounts to be negotiated. Each Selling Stockholder does not expect these commissions and discounts relating to its sales of shares to exceed what is customary in the types of transactions involved.
In connection with the sale of Common Stock or interests therein, the Selling Stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions, which may in turn engage in short sales of the Common Stock in the course of hedging the positions they assume. The Selling Stockholders may also sell shares of our Common Stock short and deliver these securities to close out their short positions and to return borrowed shares in connection with such short sales, or loan or pledge the Common Stock to broker-dealers that in turn may sell these securities. The Selling Stockholders may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions or the creation of one or more derivative securities which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of shares offered by this prospectus, which shares such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).
The Selling Stockholders and any broker-dealers or agents that are involved in selling the shares may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with such sales. In such event, any commissions received by such broker-dealers or agents and any profit on the resale of the shares purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. Each Selling Stockholder has informed the Company that it does not have any agreement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the Common Stock.
The Company is required to pay certain fees and expenses incurred by the Company incident to the registration of the shares. The Company has agreed to indemnify the Selling Stockholders against certain losses, claims, damages and liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
Because Selling Stockholders may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act, they will be subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act. In addition, any securities covered by this prospectus which qualify for sale pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act may be sold under Rule 144 rather than under this prospectus. Each Selling Stockholder has advised us that they have not entered into any agreements, understandings or arrangements with any underwriter or broker-dealer regarding the sale of the resale shares. There is no underwriter or coordinating broker acting in connection with the proposed sale of the resale shares by the Selling Stockholders.
We agreed to keep this prospectus effective until the earlier of (i) the date on which the shares may be resold by the Selling Stockholders without registration and without regard to any volume limitations by reason of Rule 144(e) under the Securities Act or any other rule of similar effect or (ii) all of the shares have been sold pursuant to the prospectus or Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any other rule of similar effect. The resale shares will be sold only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers if required under applicable state securities laws. In addition, in certain states, the resale shares may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and is complied with.
Under applicable rules and regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, any person engaged in the distribution of the resale shares may not simultaneously engage in market making activities with respect to our common stock for a period of two business days prior to the commencement of the distribution. In addition, the Selling Stockholders will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, including Regulation M, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of shares of our common stock by the Selling Stockholders or any other person. We will make copies of this prospectus available to the Selling Stockholders and have informed them of the need to deliver a copy of this prospectus to each purchaser at or prior to the time of the sale.
Schedule 6(b)
Piggyback Registrations
None