2,200,000Shares LANTRONIX, INC. Common Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

EXHIBIT 1.1

  

 

 

 

 

April 26, 2012

 

Roth Capital Partners, LLC

888 San Clemente Drive

Newport Beach, CA 92660

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Lantronix, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to Roth Capital Partners, LLC (the “Underwriter”) an aggregate of 2,200,000 authorized but unissued shares (the “Firm Shares”) of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company.  The Company also proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the Underwriter an aggregate of up to 330,000 additional shares of Common Stock (the “Additional Shares”), if and to the extent that the Underwriter shall have determined to exercise the right to purchase such shares granted to the Underwriter in Section 4(b) hereof.  The Firm Shares and Additional Shares are collectively referred to as the “Shares.”

 

The Company and the Underwriter hereby agree as follows (the “Agreement”):

 

1.   Registration Statement and Prospectus.  The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-179574) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “Rules and Regulations”), and such amendments to such registration statement (including post-effective amendments) as may have been required to the date of this Agreement.  Such registration statement, as amended (including any post-effective amendments) has been declared effective by the Commission.  Such registration statement, as amended (including post-effective amendments thereto), the exhibits and any schedules thereto, the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Form S-3 under the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations, and the documents and information otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or included therein by Rule 430B under the Securities Act or otherwise pursuant to the Rules and Regulations, is herein called the “Registration Statement.”  If the Company has filed or files an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term Registration Statement shall include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.  The prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective by the Commission is herein called the “Base Prospectus.”

   

   

The Company has filed or proposes to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act a preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the Shares (the “Preliminary Prospectus Supplement”) and a final prospectus supplement relating to the Shares (the “Final Prospectus Supplement”).  The Final Prospectus Supplement together with the Base Prospectus is hereinafter called the “Final Prospectus.”  The Final Prospectus together with the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement is hereinafter called the “Prospectus.”  Any reference herein to the Base Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, the Final Prospectus Supplement, the Final Prospectus or a Prospectus shall be deemed to include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to the Rules and Regulations.

 

For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, the Final Prospectus Supplement, the Final Prospectus, 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 its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”).  All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “described,” “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, the Final Prospectus Supplement, the Final Prospectus or the Prospectus (or other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements, pro forma financial information and schedules and other information which is incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed by the Rules and Regulations to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, the Final Prospectus Supplement, the Final Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, the Final Prospectus Supplement, the Final Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the subsequent filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that is deemed to be incorporated therein by reference therein or otherwise deemed by the Rules and Regulations to be a part thereof.

 

2.   Representations and Warranties of the Company Regarding the Offering.

 

(a)    The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriter, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date (as defined in Section 4(c) below), except as otherwise indicated, as follows:

  

  

(i)    At each time of effectiveness, at the date hereof and at the Closing Date, the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto complied or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not or will not, as the case may be, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.  The Time of Sale Disclosure Package (as defined in Section 2(a)(iii) below) as of the date hereof and at the Closing Date, and the Final Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, at the time of filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act and at the Closing Date, did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  The representations and warranties set forth in the two immediately preceding sentences shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, the Final Prospectus Supplement, the Final Prospectus or the Prospectus in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof, which written information is described in Section 7(f).  The Registration Statement (including each document incorporated by reference therein) contains all exhibits and schedules required to be filed by the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations.  No stop order preventing or suspending the effectiveness or use of the Registration Statement or any Prospectus is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission.

 

(ii)    The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and any Prospectus, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, were filed on a timely basis with the Commission and none of such documents, when they were filed (or, if amendments to such documents were filed, when such amendments were filed), contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  Any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, when such documents are filed with the Commission, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act, 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.

 

(iii)    (A) The Company has provided a copy to the Underwriter of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) used in the sale of Shares.  The Company has filed all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses required to be so filed with the Commission, and no stop order preventing or suspending the effectiveness or use of any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission.  When taken together with the rest of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, since its first use and at all relevant times since then through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Shares, no Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has, does or will include information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus.  The representations and warranties set forth in the immediately preceding sentence shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof.  As used in this paragraph and elsewhere in this Agreement:

  

   

(1)           “Time of Sale Disclosure Package” means the Base Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and any description of the transaction provided by the Underwriter included on Schedule I.

(2)           “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act, relating to the Shares that (A) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, or (B) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) or (d)(8) under the Securities Act, 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.  For the avoidance of doubt, the term “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” shall not include any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that was prepared by the Underwriter or provided to any person by the Underwriter without the knowledge and consent of the Company.

(B)           At the time of filing of the Registration Statement and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act or an “excluded issuer” as defined in Rule 164 under the Securities Act.

 

(C)           Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus satisfied, as of its issue date, all other conditions as may be applicable to its use as set forth in Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act, including any legend, record-keeping or other requirements.

 

(iv)    The financial statements of the Company, together with the related notes, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and fairly present the financial condition of the Company as of the dates indicated and the results of operations and changes in cash flows for the periods therein specified in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied throughout the periods involved; and the supporting schedules included in or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein.  No other financial statements, pro forma financial information or schedules are required under the Securities Act to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus.  To the Company’s knowledge, McGladrey & Pullen, LLP, which has expressed its opinion with respect to the audited financial statements and schedules filed as a part of the Registration Statement and included in or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, is an independent public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations.

  

  

(v)    The Company had a reasonable basis for, and made in good faith, each “forward-looking statement” (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act or Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus.

 

(vi)    Any statistical or market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably believes to be reliable and accurate in all material respects, and the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources, to the extent required.

 

(vii)    The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is listed or approved for listing on The NASDAQ Capital Market (“NASDAQ”). There is no action pending by the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, NASDAQ to delist the Common Stock from NASDAQ, nor has the Company received any notification that NASDAQ is currently contemplating terminating such listing.  As of the Closing Date, the Shares will have been duly authorized for listing on NASDAQ, subject to official notice of issuance.

 

(viii)    The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the unlawful stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.

 

(ix)    The Company is not required to, and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares, will not be required to, register as an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

(x)    The Company was at the time of filing the Registration Statement, and at the date hereof, remains eligible to use Form S-3 under the Securities Act.

 

(b)    Any certificate that is signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Underwriter shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

 

3.   Representations and Warranties Regarding the Company.

 

(a)    The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with, the Underwriter, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as follows:

  

  

(i)    Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has the corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as currently being carried on and as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in each jurisdiction in which it owns or leases real property or in which the conduct of its business makes such qualification necessary, except in each case where the failure to be qualified would not have or be reasonably likely to result in a material adverse effect upon the business financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or in the Company’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement (a “Material Adverse Effect”)

 

(ii)    The Company has the corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to issue and sell the Shares as contemplated by this Agreement.  This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, and constitutes a valid, legal and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnity or contribution hereunder may be limited by federal or state law and except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and subject to general principles of equity.

 

(iii)    The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not (A) result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any law, rule or regulation to which the Company or any subsidiary is subject, or by which any property or asset of the Company or any subsidiary is bound or affected, (B) conflict with, result in any violation or breach of, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any right of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, lease, credit facility, debt, note, bond, mortgage, indenture or other instrument (the “Contracts”) or obligation or other understanding to which the Company or any subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any subsidiary is bound or affected except to the extent that such conflict, default, termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation right is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, the Company’s certificate of incorporation or by-laws, each as amended.

 

(iv)    Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation, breach or default under its certificate of incorporation, by-laws or other equivalent organizational or governing documents, each as amended, except where the violation, breach or default in the case of a subsidiary of the Company is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(v)    All consents, approvals, orders, authorizations and filings required on the part of the Company and its subsidiaries in connection with the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement have been obtained or made, other than (A) any such consents, approvals, orders, authorizations and filings to be obtained or made after the date of this Agreement under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, the Rules and Regulations, applicable state and foreign securities laws and the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares, (B) the history of the Shares on NASDAQ, and (C) such consents, approvals, orders, authorizations and filings, the failure of which to make or obtain is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

   

   

(vi)    All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and have been issued in material compliance with all applicable securities laws, and conform in all material respects to the description thereof in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.  Except for the Shares and the issuances of options or restricted stock in the ordinary course of business, since the respective dates as of which information is provided in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, the Company has not entered into or granted any convertible or exchangeable securities, options, warrants, agreements, contracts or other rights in existence to purchase or acquire from the Company any shares of the capital stock of the Company.  The Shares, when issued and duly paid for as provided herein, will be duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and will be free of preemptive, registration or similar rights.

 

(vii)    Except as otherwise stated in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and in the Final Prospectus, (A) there are no preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, or any restriction upon the voting or transfer of, any shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Company’s certificate of incorporation, by-laws or any agreement or other 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 and (B) neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Shares as contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights for or relating to the registration of any shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, other than such rights that have been waived.

 

(viii)    Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has (A) filed all foreign, federal, state and local returns (as hereinafter defined) required to be filed with taxing authorities prior to the date hereof or has duly obtained extensions of time for the filing thereof, (B) paid all taxes (as hereinafter defined) shown as due and payable on such returns that were filed, in each of cases (A) and (B), except (i) with respect to any taxes that are being contested in good faith or (ii) to the extent not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  The provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements filed with or as part of the Registration Statement are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid taxes, whether or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such consolidated financial statements.  Except as disclosed in writing to the Underwriter or its legal counsel, (i) no material issues have been raised (and are currently pending) by any taxing authority in connection with any of the returns or taxes asserted as due from the Company or its subsidiaries, and (ii) no waivers of statutes of limitation with respect to the returns or collection of taxes have been given by or requested from the Company or its subsidiaries.  The term “taxes” mean all federal, state, local, foreign, and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments, or charges of any kind whatever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax, or additional amounts with respect thereto.  The term “returns” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements, and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.

  

  

(ix)    Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, (a) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions other than in the ordinary course of business, (b) the Company has not declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its capital stock; (c) there has not been any change in the capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than a change in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants or the issuance, repurchase or forfeiture of restricted stock awards or restricted stock units under the Company’s existing stock awards plans, or any new grants thereof in the ordinary course of business), (d) there has not been any material change in the Company’s long-term or short-term debt, and (e) there has not been any Material Adverse Effect.

 

(x)    There is not pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, any action, suit or proceeding to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property or assets of the Company is the subject before or by any court or governmental agency, authority or body, or any arbitrator or mediator, which is reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xi)    The Company and each of its subsidiaries holds, and is in compliance with, all franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, consents, certificates and orders (“Permits”) of any governmental or self-regulatory agency, authority or body required for the conduct of its business, and all such Permits are in full force and effect, in each case except where the failure to hold, or comply with, any of them is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xii)    The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all owned property (whether real or personal) described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus as being owned by them that are material to the business of the Company, in each case free and clear of all liens, claims, security interests, other encumbrances or defects, except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus or those that are not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  The property held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries is held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with only such exceptions with respect to any particular lease as do not interfere in any material respect with the conduct of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries.

  

  

(xiii)    The Company and each of its subsidiaries owns or possesses or has valid right to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets and similar rights (“Intellectual Property”) that are necessary for the conduct of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.  To the knowledge of the Company, no action or use by the Company or any of its subsidiaries will involve or give rise to any infringement of, or license or similar fees for, any Intellectual Property of others, except where such action, use, license or fee is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice alleging any such infringement or fee.

 

(xiv)    The Company and each of its subsidiaries has complied with, is not in violation of, and has not received any notice of violation relating to any law, rule or regulation relating to the conduct of its business, or the ownership or operation of its property and assets, including, without limitation, (a) the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, or any money laundering laws, rules or regulations, (b) any laws, rules or regulations related to health, safety or the environment, including those relating to the regulation of hazardous substances, (c) the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (d) the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 and the rules and regulations thereunder, and (e) the Employment Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the rules and regulations thereunder, in each case except where the failure to be in compliance is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xv)    Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, employee, representative, agent or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not knowingly directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Shares contemplated hereby, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

 

(xvi)    The Company and each of its subsidiaries carries, or is covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company believes is reasonably adequate for the conduct of its business and the value of its properties and as is customary for similarly sized companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries.

 

(xvii)    No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, except for any such dispute that is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xviii)    Neither the Company, its subsidiaries nor, to its knowledge, any other party is in violation, breach or default of any Contract that is reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

  

  

(xix)    No supplier, customer, distributor or sales agent of the Company has notified the Company that it intends to discontinue or decrease the rate of business done with the Company, except where such decrease is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xx)    Except for this Agreement and the engagement letter dated as of January 23, 2012, there are no claims, payments, issuances, arrangements or understandings for services in the nature of a finder’s, consulting or origination fee with respect to the introduction of the Company to the Underwriter or the sale of the Shares hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements, understandings, payments or issuances with respect to the Company that may affect the Underwriter’s compensation, as determined by FINRA.

 

(xxi)    Except as disclosed to the Underwriter in writing, the Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, investing fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who 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 12-month period prior to the date on which the Registration Statement was filed with the Commission (“Filing Date”) or thereafter.

 

(xxii)    To the knowledge of the Company, no (i) officer or director of the Company or its subsidiaries, (ii) owner of 5% or more of the Company’s unregistered securities or that of its subsidiaries or (iii) owner of any amount of the Company’s unregistered securities acquired within the 180-day period prior to the Filing Date, has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member. The Company will advise the Underwriter and the Underwriter’s counsel if it becomes aware that any officer, director or stockholder of the Company or its subsidiaries is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the offering of the Shares.

 

(xxiii)    The Company does not have any current intention to direct any of the net proceeds of the offering of the Shares to any participating FINRA member or any affiliate or associate of any participating FINRA member, except as specifically authorized herein.

 

(xxiv)    Other than the Underwriter, the Company has not appointed or granted any right to any person to act as an underwriter or financial advisor to the Company with respect to the offer and sale of the Shares.

 

4.   Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Shares.

 

(a)    On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Firm Shares to the Underwriter, and the Underwriter agrees to purchase the Firm Shares.  The purchase price to be paid by the Underwriter to the Company for the Firm Shares shall be $2.325 per share (the “Per Share Price”).

   

  

(b)    On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants to the Underwriter an option to purchase some or all of the Additional Shares, and the Underwriter shall have the right to purchase all or any portion of the Additional Shares at the price per share equal to the Per Share Price, as may be necessary to cover over-allotments made in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.  This option may be exercised by the Underwriter at any time (but not more than once) on or before the thirtieth (30th) day following the date hereof, upon one (1) day written notice to the Company (the “Option Notice”).  The Option Notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Additional Shares as to which the option is being exercised, and the date and time when the Additional Shares are to be delivered (such date and time being herein referred to as the “Option Closing Date”); provided, however, that, unless the Company and the Underwriter otherwise agree, the Option Closing Date shall not be earlier than the  Closing Date (as defined below) with respect to the Firm Shares, nor earlier than the third business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised, nor later than the fifth business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised.

 

           Payment of the purchase price for and delivery of the Additional Shares shall be made on the Option Closing Date in the same manner and at the same office as the payment for the Firm Shares as set forth in subparagraph (c) below.

 

(c)    The Firm Shares will be delivered by the Company to the Underwriter against payment of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of same day funds payable to the order of the Company at the offices of Roth Capital Partners, LLC, 888 San Clemente Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660, or such other location as may be mutually acceptable, at 6:00 a.m. pacific standard time, on the third (or if the Firm Shares are priced, as contemplated by Rule 15c6-1(c) under the Exchange Act, after 4:30 p.m. Eastern time, the fourth) full business day following the date hereof, or at such other time and date as the Underwriter and the Company determine pursuant to Rule 15c6-1(a) under the Exchange Act, or, in the case of the Additional Shares, at such date and time set forth in the Option Notice.  The time and date of delivery of the Firm Shares or the Additional Shares, as applicable, is referred to herein as the “Closing Date.”  Delivery of the Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be made by credit through full fast transfer to the account at The Depository Trust Company designated by the Underwriter.

 

 Covenants and Other Agreements.

 

(a)    The Company covenants and agrees with the Underwriter as follows:

 

(i)    During the period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the later of the Closing Date or such date as reasonably determined by the Underwriter, the Prospectus is no longer required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an underwriter or dealer (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”), prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, including any Rule 462 Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Underwriter for review and comment a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and the Company shall not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Underwriter reasonably objects; provided that no report or other document reasonably determined by the Company or its counsel to be required to be filed or furnished by the Company under the Exchange Act after the date of this Agreement shall be considered an amendment or supplement to this Registration Statement, Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus for purposes of this subsection (i).

  

  

(ii)    From the date of this Agreement until the end of the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company shall promptly advise the Underwriter in writing (A) of the receipt of any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission, (B) of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (C) of the time and date that any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective and (D) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending its use or the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove, suspend or terminate from listing or quotation the Common Stock from any securities exchange upon which it is listed for trading or included or designated for quotation, or of the threatening or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes.  If the Commission shall enter any such stop order at any time during the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will use its reasonable efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible moment.  Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with the provisions of Rules 424(b), 430A and 430B, as applicable, under the Securities Act and will use its reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made by the Company under Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 were received in a timely manner by the Commission (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or 164(b) of the Securities Act).

 

(iii)    (A)    During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as now and hereafter amended, and by the Rules and Regulations, as from time to time in force, and by the Exchange Act, as now and hereafter amended, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of the Shares as contemplated by the provisions hereof, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.  If during such period any event occurs the result of which would cause the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package) to 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 or appropriate in the opinion of the Company or its counsel or the Underwriter or its counsel to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package) to comply with the Securities Act or to file under the Exchange Act any document that would be deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriter and amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package) or file such document (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance.

  

  

(B)           During the Prospectus Delivery Period, if at any time following the issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or any Prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriter and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

 

(iv)    The Company shall use reasonable efforts to qualify the Shares for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriter reasonably designates and to continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Shares, except that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith to (A) qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified, (B) to execute a general consent to service of process in any state, or (C) to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise subject.

 

(v)    The Company will furnish to the Underwriter and counsel for the Underwriter copies of the Registration Statement, each Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case promptly after they become available and in such quantities as the Underwriter may from time to time reasonably request.

 

(vi)    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 (which need not be audited) covering a 12-month period that shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations.

 

(vii)    The Company will pay or cause to be paid: (A) all expenses (including transfer taxes allocated to the respective transferees) incurred in connection with the delivery to the Underwriter of the Shares, (B) all expenses and fees incurred by the Company (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel) in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, delivery, and shipping of the Registration Statement (including the financial statements therein and all amendments, schedules, and exhibits thereto), the Shares, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, any Prospectus (including the Final Prospectus), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, (C) all reasonable filing fees and disbursements of the Underwriter’s counsel incurred in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offering and sale by the Underwriter or by dealers under the securities or blue sky laws of the states and other jurisdictions that the Underwriter shall designate, (D) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar of the Shares, (E) NASDAQ listing fees, if any, and (F) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder that are not otherwise specifically provided for herein.  If this Agreement is terminated by the Underwriter in accordance with the provisions of Section 6 or Section 9, the Company will reimburse the Underwriter for all out-of-pocket disbursements (including, but not limited to, reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges) incurred by the Underwriter in connection with its investigation, preparing to market and marketing the Shares or in contemplation of performing its obligations hereunder.  Notwithstanding anything contained herein, the maximum amount payable by the Company (i) for all legal fees, expenses and costs shall be $75,000 and (ii) for all other fees, expenses, costs, disbursements and out-of-pocket expenses of the Underwriter (including, without limitation, any such other fees, expenses, costs, disbursements and out-of-pocket expenses listed above and any fees and disbursements of Underwriter’s counsel pursuant to this Section 5(a)(vii)) shall be $25,000.

  

  

(viii)    The Company intends to apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares to be sold by it hereunder for the purposes set forth in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and in the Final Prospectus.

 

(ix)    The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, any action designed to or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, or that has constituted, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.

 

(x)    The Company hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Underwriter, it will not, during the period ending ninety (90) days after the date hereof (“Lock-Up Period”), (i) offer, pledge, issue, sell, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock; or (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise; or (iii) file any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock.  The restrictions contained in the preceding sentence shall not apply to (1) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (2) the issuance of Common Stock upon the exercise of options or warrants disclosed as outstanding in the Registration Statement (excluding exhibits thereto) or the Prospectus and the vesting of restricted stock awards or units and (3) the issuance of employee stock options not exercisable during the Lock-Up Period and the grant, redemption or forfeiture of restricted stock awards or restricted stock units pursuant to equity incentive plans described in the Registration Statement (excluding exhibits thereto). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (x) the Company issues an earnings release or material news, or a material event relating to the Company occurs, during the last 17 days of the Lock-Up Period, or (y) prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the Lock-Up Period, the restrictions imposed by this clause shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event, unless the Underwriter waives such extension in writing.

  

  

(b)    The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Underwriter or except as contemplated by Section 5(a)(iii) hereof, it will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433 of the Securities Act.; provided that the prior written consent of the Underwriter shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the free writing prospectus included in Schedule I.  Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Underwriter is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.”  The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied or will comply with the requirements of Rule 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely Commission filing where required, legending and record-keeping.

 

6.   Conditions of the Underwriter’s Obligations.  The obligations of the Underwriter hereunder to purchase the Shares are subject to the accuracy, as of the date hereof and at the Closing Date (as if made at the Closing Date), of and compliance with all representations, warranties and agreements of the Company contained herein, the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and the following additional conditions:

 

(a)    If filing of the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, is required under the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations, the Company shall have filed the Prospectus (or such amendment or supplement) or such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus with the Commission in the manner and within the time period so required (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or Rule 164(b) under the Securities Act); the Registration Statement shall remain effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof, nor suspending or preventing the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been issued; no proceedings for the issuance of such an order shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and any request of the Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus, or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the Underwriter’s satisfaction.

 

(b)    On the applicable Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to the Underwriter (i) an opinion letter and a negative assurance letter of Paul Hastings LLP, counsel to the Company, dated the applicable Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriter, in form and substance as agreed by the parties and (ii) a negative assurance letter of K&L Gates LLP, counsel to the Underwriter, dated the applicable Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriter, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter.

  

  

(c)    At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Underwriter shall have received a letter from each of Squar, Milner, Peterson, Miranda & Williamson, LLP and McGladrey & Pullen, LLP, executed and dated such date and addressed to the Underwriter, confirming that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualifications of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, and confirming, as of the date of such letters (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, as of a date not more than five days prior to the date of such letters), the conclusions and findings of said firms, of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters, with respect to the financial information, including any financial information contained in Exchange Act Reports filed by the Company or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and other matters reasonably requested by the Underwriter.

 

(d)    On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received a letter (a “Bring-down Letter”) from each of Squar, Milner, Peterson, Miranda & Williamson, LLP and McGladrey & Pullen, LLP, addressed to the Underwriter and dated the applicable Closing Date, confirming, as of the date of such Bring-down Letters (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, as of a date not more than five days prior to the date of such Bring-down Letter), the conclusions and findings of said firms, of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters, with respect to the financial information, and other matters covered by its respective letter delivered to the Underwriter concurrently with the execution of this Agreement pursuant to paragraph (f) of this Section 6.

 

(e)    On the Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to the Underwriter a certificate, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriter, signed by either the chief executive officer or the chief financial officer of the Company, in their capacity as such on behalf of the Company, to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct, in all material respects, as if made at and as of the Closing Date, and the Company has complied in all material respects with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part required to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date.

 

(f)    On the Closing Date, or the Option Closing Date, as applicable, the Company shall have furnished to the Underwriter a certificate signed by the Company’s secretary including copies of all resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors or committees thereof relating to the Registration Statement and the offer and sale of the Shares, and the Company’s certificate of incorporation and by-laws as amended and in effect on the Closing Date.

  

  

(g)    The Company shall have prepared and filed with the Commission a Current Report on Form 8-K with respect to the offer and sale of the Shares, including as an exhibit thereto this Agreement.

 

(h)    Each of the Company’s executive officers and directors shall have executed and delivered to the Underwriter a Lock-up Agreement, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.

 

If any condition specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled in all material respects when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the Underwriter by written notice to the Company at any time at or prior to the applicable Closing Date specifying in reasonable detail the reason for such termination, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party, except that Section 7 and Section 8 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

 

7.   Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)    The Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Underwriter, its affiliates, directors, officers and employees and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Underwriter or such person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company), insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, including the information deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness and at any subsequent time pursuant to Rules 430A and 430B of the Rules and Regulations, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto (including any documents filed under the Exchange Act and deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or the Prospectus), or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein 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, and will reimburse the Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by it in connection with evaluating, investigating or defending against such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof.

  

  

(b)    The Underwriter will indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company, its affiliates, directors, officers, and employees and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company or such person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of such Underwriter), insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof, and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with evaluating, investigating or defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action.

 

(c)    Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability that it may have to any indemnified party except to the extent such indemnifying party has been prejudiced by such failure.  In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of the indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof; provided, however, that if (i) 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 different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party; (ii) 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 (iii) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to employ a single counsel to represent it in any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section 7, in which event the reasonable fees and expenses of such separate counsel shall be borne by the indemnifying party and reimbursed to the indemnified party or parties as incurred; it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (plus local counsel).

  

 

(d)    The indemnifying party under this Section 7 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment.  No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is a party or could be named and indemnity was or would be sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent (a) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability for claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding and (b) 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.

 

(e)    If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above, then the indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other from the offering and sale of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions and accountable expense reimbursement received by the Underwriter, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Final Prospectus.  The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriter and the parties’ relevant intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission.  The Company and the Underwriter agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d).  The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending against any action or claim that is the subject of this subsection (d).  Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), the Underwriter shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount of the Underwriter’s discount and commissions and accountable expense reimbursement actually received by the Underwriter pursuant to this Agreement.  No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

  

   

(f)    The obligations of the Company under this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability that the Company may otherwise have and the benefits of such obligations shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act; and the obligations of the Underwriter under this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability that the Underwriter may otherwise have and the benefits of such obligations shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to the Company, and officers, directors and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act.

 

(g)    For purposes of this Agreement, the Underwriter confirms, and the Company acknowledges, that there is no information concerning the Underwriter furnished in writing to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for preparation of or inclusion in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, other than the statements set forth in the last paragraph on the cover page of the Prospectus, the marketing and legal names of the Underwriter, and the statements set forth in the “Underwriting” section of the Final Prospectus and Time of Sale Disclosure Package, only insofar as such statements relate to the amount of selling concession and re-allowance or to over-allotment, stabilization and related activities that may be undertaken by the Underwriter.

 

8.   Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery.  All representations, warranties, and agreements of the Company contained herein or in certificates delivered pursuant hereto, including, but not limited to, the agreements of the Underwriter and the Company contained in Section 7 hereof, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriter or any controlling person thereof, or the Company or any of its officers, directors, or controlling persons, and shall survive delivery of, and payment for, the Shares to and by the Underwriter hereunder.

 

9.   Termination of this Agreement.

 

(a)    The Underwriter shall have the right to terminate this Agreement by giving notice to the Company as hereinafter specified at any time at or prior to the Closing Date, if (i) trading in the Company’s Common Stock shall have been suspended by the Commission or NASDAQ or trading in securities generally on NASDAQ shall have been suspended, (ii) minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required, on NASDAQ, by such exchange or by order of the Commission or any other governmental authority having jurisdiction, (iii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal, New York or California state authorities, or (iv) there shall have occurred any material attack on, outbreak or escalation of hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States, any declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, any substantial change in financial markets, any material adverse change or development involving a prospective material adverse change in United States or international political, financial or economic conditions or any other material calamity or crisis, which, in the Underwriter’s reasonable judgment, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the sale of and payment for the Shares. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.

  

  

(b)    If the Underwriter elects to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section, the Company shall be notified promptly by the Underwriter by telephone, confirmed promptly thereafter by letter.

 

10.   Notices.  Except as otherwise provided herein, all communications hereunder shall be in writing and, if to Roth, shall be mailed, delivered or telecopied to Roth Capital Partners, LLC, 888 San Clemente Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660, telecopy number: (949)  ###-###-####, Attention:  Managing Director; and if to the Company, shall be mailed, delivered or telecopied to it at Lantronix, Inc., 167 Technology Drive Irvine, CA 92618, telecopy number: (949) 450-7285, Attention: Jeremy Whitaker, with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to Paul Hastings LLP, 695 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, telecopy number: (714) 668-6310, Attention: John Della Grotta; or in each case to such other address as the person to be notified may have requested in writing.  Any 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.

 

11.   Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns and, with respect to Section 7, the controlling persons, officers and directors referred to in Section 7.  Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give to any other person, firm or corporation any legal or equitable remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained.  The term “successors and assigns” as herein used shall not include any purchaser, as such purchaser, of any of the Shares from the Underwriter.

 

12.   Absence of Fiduciary Relationship.  The Company acknowledges and agrees that: (a) the Underwriter has been retained solely to act as underwriter in connection with the sale of the Shares and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company and the Underwriter has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether the Underwriter has advised or is advising the Company on other matters; (b) the price and other terms of the Shares set forth in this Agreement were established by the Company following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Underwriter and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (c) it has been advised that the Underwriter and its affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions that may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that the Underwriter has no obligation to disclose such interest and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; (d) it has been advised that the Underwriter is acting, in respect of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, solely for the benefit of the Underwriter, and not on behalf of the Company.

 

13.   Amendments and Waivers.  No supplement, modification or waiver of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the party to be bound thereby.  The failure of a party to exercise any right or remedy shall not be deemed or constitute a waiver of such right or remedy in the future.  No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provision hereof (regardless of whether similar), nor shall any such waiver be deemed or constitute a continuing waiver unless otherwise expressly provided.

  

  

14.   Partial Unenforceability.  The invalidity or unenforceability of any section, paragraph, clause or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other section, paragraph, clause or provision.

 

15.   Governing Law.  This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California.

 

16.   Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed and delivered (including by facsimile transmission and electronic mail attaching a portable document file (.pdf)) in one or more counterparts and, if executed and delivered in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original and all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Please sign and return to the Company the enclosed duplicates of this letter whereupon this letter will become a binding agreement between the Company and the Underwriter in accordance with its terms.

 

 

	Very truly yours,
	LANTRONIX, INC.
	By: /s/ Kurt Busch                              Name: Kurt Busch Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

Confirmed as of the date first above-

mentioned by the Underwriter.

 

ROTH CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC

 

By: /s/ Aaron M. Gurewitz                                                 

Name: Aaron M. Gurewitz                                                  

Title: Head of Equity Capital Markets                              

 

 

   

 

Issuer:	Lantronix, Inc. (the “Company”)
Symbol:	LTRX
Security:	Common stock, par value $0.0001 per share
Size:	2,200,000 shares of common stock
Over-allotment option:	330,000 additional shares of common stock
Public offering price:	$2.50 per share
Underwriting discounts and commissions:	$0.175 per share
Net proceeds (excluding the over-allotment):	$4,915,000 (after deducting estimated offering expenses payable by the Company)
Trade date:	April 26, 2012
Settlement date:	May 1, 2012
CUSIP:	516548203
Underwriter:	Roth Capital Partners, LLC

 

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates.  Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering.  You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov.  Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it from Roth Capital Partners, LLC, Attention: Equity Capital Markets, 888 San Clemente Drive, Newport Beach, CA, 92660, by telephone at ###-###-####, by e-mail to ***@***, or by fax to ###-###-####.

  

   

 

 

______________, 2012

Roth Capital Partners, LLC

24 Corporate Plaza

Newport Beach, CA 92660

Re:  Lantronix, Inc. (the “Company”)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned is an owner of record or beneficially of certain shares of common stock of the Company, $0.0001 par value per share (“Common Stock”), or securities convertible into, exchangeable, or exercisable for Common Stock (“Securities”).  The Company proposes to enter into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with you as the underwriter, with respect to the public offering of Common Stock (the “Offering”).  The undersigned acknowledges that the Offering will be of benefit to the undersigned.  The undersigned also acknowledges that you will rely on the representations and agreements of the undersigned contained in this letter in connection with entering into the Underwriting Agreement and performing your obligations thereunder.

 

In consideration of the foregoing, the undersigned hereby agrees that the undersigned will not, without your prior written consent (which consent may be withheld in your sole discretion), directly or indirectly, sell, offer to sell, contract to sell, or grant any option for the sale (including without limitation any short sale), grant any security interest in, pledge, hypothecate, hedge, establish an open “put equivalent position” within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(h) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) or otherwise dispose of or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise by the Company or any affiliate of the Company or any person in privity with the Company or any affiliate of the Company) (collectively, a “Disposition”) of any shares of Common Stock or any Securities currently or hereafter owned either of record or beneficially (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) by the undersigned, or publicly announce the undersigned’s intention to do any of the foregoing (provided, however, that the undersigned may (i) complete one or more bona fide gift transfers of Securities to recipients who agree in writing to be similarly bound for the remainder of the Lock-up Period (as defined below); (ii) transfer Securities by will or the laws of descent and distribution or to one or more trusts for bona fide estate planning purposes, (iii) transfer Securities to the Company or as may be required under any benefit plan of the Company, or (iv) transfer Securities pursuant to a sales plan entered into prior to the date hereof pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act), for a period commencing on the date hereof and continuing through the close of trading on the date ninety (90) days following the Closing Date, as defined in the underwriting agreement between you and the Company, subject to adjustment as discussed below (the “Lock-up Period”).

   

  

For the avoidance of doubt, nothing herein shall prevent the undersigned from, or restrict the ability of the undersigned to (a) purchase shares of Common Stock on the open market or under an employee stock purchase plan of the Company, (b) exercise any options or other convertible securities granted under any benefit plan of the Company, including, without limitation, through any “cashless” exercise or (c) otherwise forfeit Securities to satisfy tax withholding obligations in connection with the vesting of restricted stock pursuant to the Company’s stock incentive plans, which forfeitures may require the undersigned to file a report under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of Securities during the Lock-up Period. In addition, the restrictions set forth herein shall not prevent the undersigned from entering into a sales plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act after the date hereof, provided that no sales or transfers may be made with respect to Securities under such plan until the Lock-up Period ends or this agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms.

 

The foregoing restrictions have been expressly agreed to preclude the holder of shares of Common Stock and/or the Securities from engaging in any hedging or other transaction which is designed to or reasonably expected to lead to or result in a Disposition of shares of Common Stock or Securities during the Lock-up Period, even if such shares of Common Stock or Securities would be disposed of by someone other than such holder.  Such prohibited hedging or other transactions would include, without limitation, any short sale (whether or not against the box) or any purchase, sale, or grant of any right (including, without limitation, any put or call option) with respect to any shares of Common Stock or Securities or with respect to any security (other than a broad-based market basket or index) that includes, relates to, or derives any significant part of its value from shares of Common Stock or Securities.

 

For the purpose of facilitating your compliance with NASD Rule 2711(f)(4), or the applicable successor FINRA Rule when published, if (1) during the last 17 days of the Lock-Up Period, the Company releases earnings results or publicly announces other material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16 day period beginning on the last day of the Lock-Up Period, then in each case the Lock-Up Period will be extended until the expiration of the 18 day period beginning on the date of release of the earnings results or the public announcement regarding the material news or the occurrence of the material event, as applicable, unless you waive, in writing, such extension.  Roth Capital Partners, LLC agrees to waive such extension if the provisions of NASD Rule 2711(f)(4) or any applicable successor rule are not applicable to the Offering.

 

This agreement is irrevocable and will be binding on the undersigned and the respective successors, heirs, personal representatives, and assigns of the undersigned.

 

Nothing in this Lock-up Agreement shall constitute an obligation to purchase shares of Common Stock or Securities of the Company.  If the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to the payment for and delivery of the Common Stock to be sold thereunder, the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this Lock-up Agreement.

 

(signature page follows)

   

 

___________________________________

Printed Name of Holder

By: ________________________________

       Signature

 

___________________________________

Printed Name of Person Signing

(and indicate capacity of person signing if signing as custodian, trustee or on behalf of an entity)