2,855,652Shares PUDACOAL, INC. CommonStock UNDERWRITINGAGREEMENT

 

 

 

 

February 11, 2010

 

Brean Murray Carret & Co., LLC

Newbridge Securities Corporation

c/o Brean Murray, Carret & Co., LLC

570 Lexington Avenue

New York, NY 10022-6822

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Puda Coal, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to Brean Murray, Carret & Co/, LLC (“Brean”) and Newbridge Securities Corporation (“Newbridge”, referred to collectively with Brean as the “Underwriter”) an aggregate of 2,855,652 authorized but unissued shares (the “Underwritten Shares”) of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company.  The Company has granted the Underwriter the option to purchase an aggregate of up to 428,348 additional shares of Common Stock (the “Additional Shares”) as may be necessary to cover over-allotments made in connection with the offering.  The Underwritten Shares and Additional Shares are collectively referred to as the “Shares.”

 

The Company and the Underwriter hereby confirm their agreement as follows:

 

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. 333-163474) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and the rules and regulations (the “Rules and Regulations”) of the Commission thereunder, 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, including amendments thereto (including post effective amendments thereto) at such time, the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act at such time 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 at such time, 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 Company is filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act a final prospectus supplement relating to the Shares to a form of prospectus included in the Registration Statement.  Such prospectus in the form in which it appears in the Registration Statement is hereinafter called the “Base Prospectus,” and such final prospectus supplement as filed, along with the Base Prospectus, is hereinafter called the “Final Prospectus.”  Such Final Prospectus and any preliminary prospectus supplement or “red herring,” in the form in which they shall be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (including the Base Prospectus as so supplemented) is hereinafter called a “Prospectus.”  Any reference herein to the Base Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or a Prospectus shall be deemed to include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act as of the date of such Prospectus.

 

For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462 Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, 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 Interactive Data Electronic Applications system.  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 Rule 462 Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, 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 Rule 462 Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462 Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, 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.

 

 

(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 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 not misleading.  The Time of Sale Disclosure Package (as defined in Section 2(a)(iii)(A)(1) 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 or any Prospectus in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof.  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 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 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, no Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has, does or will include (1) any untrue statement of a material fact or omission to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or (2) 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 Prospectus most recently filed with the Commission before the time of this Agreement, including any preliminary prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

 

  (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.

 

(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 and at all subsequent times through the Prospectus Delivery Period, 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 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, Moore Stephens Wurth Frazar and Torbet, LLP, which has expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements and schedules filed as a part of the Registration Statement and included in 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 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)           All 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, 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 included or approved for inclusion on NYSE AMEX. There is no action pending by the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, for NYSE AMEX to delist the Common Shares from the NYSE AMEX, nor has the Company received any notification that the NYSE AMEX is contemplating terminating such listing.  When issued, the Shares will be listed on the NYSE AMEX.

 

(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 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 and during the past three years neither the Company nor any predecessor was: (A) a blank check company as defined in Rule 419(a)(2) of the Securities Act, or (B) a shell company, other than a business combination shell company, each as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

 

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

 

(xi)           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 signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Underwriter or to the Underwriter’s counsel shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

 

 

(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 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 and in which the failure to so qualify would have or is reasonably likely to result in a material adverse effect upon the business, prospects, properties, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or in its ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement (“Material Adverse Effect”).

 

(ii)           The Company has the power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to authorize, 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 in accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnity hereunder may be limited by federal or state securities laws 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 of 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 charter or by-laws.

 

(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, 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 such consents, approvals, orders and authorizations 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 compliance with all applicable securities laws, and conform to the description thereof in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.  Except for 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 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, will be duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, will be issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws, and will be free of preemptive or registration rights.

 

(vii)         Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has filed all 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.  Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has paid all taxes (as hereinafter defined) shown as due on such returns that were filed and has paid all taxes imposed on or assessed against the Company or such respective subsidiary.  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, (i) no 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.

 

(viii)        Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the 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 of restricted stock awards or restricted stock units under the Company’s existing stock awards plan, 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 the occurrence of any Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

(ix)           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.

 

(x)            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.

 

(xi)           The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all property (whether real or personal) described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the 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 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.

 

(xii)          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”) 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.

 

(xiii)         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.

 

 

(xiv)         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 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.

 

(xv)           The Company and each of its subsidiaries carries, or is covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of its business and the value of its properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries in the territory where the operation of the Company is located.

 

(xvi)         No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent that is reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xvii)        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.

 

(xviii)       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.

 

(xix)          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.

 

(xx)           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.

 

 

(xxi)          None of the net proceeds of the offering will be paid by the Company to any participating FINRA member or any affiliate or associate of any participating FINRA member, except to the Underwriter or as specifically authorized herein.

 

(xxii)         To the Company’s knowledge, 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 its 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.

 

(xxiii)        Other than the Underwriter, no person has the right to act as an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

 

(i)           The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriter, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, as follows:

 

(ii)           The Company conducts substantially all of its operations and generates substantially all of its revenue through (i) Shanxi Putai Resources Limited, a wholly-owned enterprise formed under the laws of the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”), and (ii) Shanxi Puda Coal Group Co., Ltd., a wholly foreign-owned enterprise formed under the laws of the PRC ”) (collectively as the “PRC Subsidiaries.  The PRC Subsidiaries are collectively referred to hereinafter as the

 

(iii)           Each of the PRC Entities has been duly established, is validly existing as a company in good standing under the laws of the PRC, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and is duly qualified to transact business in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.  Each PRC Entity has applied for and obtained all requisite business licenses, clearance and permits required under PRC law as necessary for the conduct of its businesses,  and each PRC Entity has complied in all material respects with all PRC Laws in connection with foreign exchange, including without limitation, carrying out all relevant filings, registrations and applications for relevant permits with the PRC State Administration of Foreign Exchange and any other relevant  authorities, and all such permits are validly subsisting.  The registered capital of each PRC Entity has been fully paid up in accordance with the schedule of payment stipulated in its respective articles of association, approval document, certificate of approval and legal person business license (hereinafter referred to as the “Establishment Documents”) and in compliance with PRC laws and regulations, and there is no outstanding capital contribution commitment for any PRC Entity.  The Establishment Documents of the PRC Entities have been duly approved in accordance with the laws of the PRC and are valid and enforceable.  The business scope specified in the Establishment Documents of each PRC Entity complies with the requirements of all relevant PRC laws and regulations.  The outstanding equity interests of each PRC Entity is owned of record by the respective entities or individuals identified as the registered holders thereof in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

 

(iv)           No PRC Subsidiary is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company (or the Company’s subsidiary that holds the outstanding equity interest of such PRC Subsidiary).

 

(v)           None of the PRC Entities nor any of their properties, assets or revenues are entitled to any right of immunity on the grounds of sovereignty from any legal action, suit or proceeding, from set-off or counterclaim, from the jurisdiction of any court, from services of process, from attachment prior to or in aid of execution of judgment, or from any other legal process or proceeding for the giving of any relief or for the enforcement of any judgment.

 

(vi)           It is not necessary that this Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any other document be filed or recorded with any governmental agency, court or other authority in the PRC.

 

(vii)           No transaction, stamp, capital or other issuance, registration, transaction, transfer or withholding taxes or duties are payable in the PRC by or on behalf of the Underwriter to any PRC taxing authority in connection with (i) the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares by the Company and the delivery of the Shares to or for the account of the Underwriter, (ii) the purchase from the Company and the initial sale and delivery by the Underwriter of the Shares to purchasers thereof, or (iii) the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

 

(viii)         The Company has taken all necessary steps to comply with, and to ensure compliance by all of the Company’s direct or indirect shareholders and option holders who are PRC residents with, any applicable rules and regulations of the PRC State Administration of Foreign Exchange of the PRC (the “SAFE Rules and Regulations”), including, without limitation, requiring each shareholder and option holder that is, or is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, a PRC resident to complete any registration and other procedures required under applicable SAFE Rules and Regulations.

 

 

(ix)           The issuance and sale of the Shares, the listing and trading of the Shares on the NYSE AMEX and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are not and will not be, as of the date hereof and on the Closing Date, affected by the M&A Rules or any official clarifications, guidance, interpretations or implementation rules in connection with or related to the M&A Rules, including the guidance and notices issued by the CSRC on September 8 and September 21, 2006 (together with the M&A Rules, the “M&A Rules and Related Clarifications”).

 

(x)           The Company has taken all necessary steps to ensure compliance by each of its shareholders, option holders, directors, officers and employees that is, or is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, a PRC resident or citizen with any applicable rules and regulations of the relevant PRC government agencies (including but not limited to the PRC Ministry of Commerce, the PRC National Development and Reform Commission and the PRC State Administration of Foreign Exchange) relating to overseas investment by PRC residents and citizens (the “PRC Overseas Investment and Listing Regulations”), including, requesting each shareholder, option holder, director, officer, employee and participant that is, or is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, a PRC resident or citizen to complete any registration and other procedures required under applicable PRC Overseas Investment and Listing Regulations.

 

(xi)           As of the date hereof, the M&A Rules and Related Clarifications do not require the Company to obtain the approval of the CSRC prior to the issuance and sale of the Shares, the listing and trading of the Shares on the NYSE AMEX, or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.

 

 

(a)           On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Underwritten Shares to the Underwriter, and the Underwriter agrees to purchase the Underwritten Shares.  The purchase price for each Underwritten Share shall be $4.465 per share (the “Per Share Price”).

 

(b)           The Company hereby grants to the Underwriter the option to purchase some or all of the Additional Shares and, upon the basis of the warranties and representations and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Underwriter shall have the right to purchase all or any portion of the Additional Shares at 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 day following the date hereof, by 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 the Option Closing Date shall not be earlier than the Closing Date (as defined below) nor earlier than the first 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 unless the Company and the Underwriter otherwise agree.  If the Underwriter elects to purchase less than all of the Additional Shares, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriter the number of Additional Shares obtained by multiplying the number of Additional Shares specified in such notice by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares set forth opposite the name of the Company in Schedule I hereto under the caption “Number of Additional Shares to be Sold” and the denominator of which is the total number of Additional Shares.

 

 

Payment of the purchase price for and delivery of the Additional Shares shall be made at the Option Closing Date in the same manner and at the same office as the payment for the Underwritten Shares as set forth in subparagraph (c) below.  For the purpose of expediting the checking of the certificate for the Additional Shares by the Underwriter, the Company agrees to make a form of such certificate available to the Underwriter for such purpose at least one full business day preceding the Option Closing Date.

 

The Underwritten 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 Brean Murray, Carret & Company, LLC, 570 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10022-6822, or such other location as may be mutually acceptable, at 9:00 a.m. EST, on the third (or if the Underwritten 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 Underwritten Shares or the Additional Shares, as applicable, is referred to herein as the “Closing Date.”  If the Underwriter so elects, delivery of the Underwritten Shares and Additional Shares may be made by credit through full fast transfer to the account at The Depository Trust Company designated by the Underwriter.  Certificates representing the Shares, in definitive form and in such denominations and registered in such names as the Underwriter may request upon at least two business days’ prior notice to the Company, will be made available for checking and packaging not later than 10:30 a.m. PDT on the business day next preceding the Closing Date at the above addresses, or such other location as may be mutually acceptable.

 

 

(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 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.

 

 

(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 or dealings in 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 the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package ) would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during such period it is necessary 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 will 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)           If at any time following the issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development the 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 has promptly notified or promptly will notify the Underwriter and has promptly amended or 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 take or cause to be taken all necessary action 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 qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified, to execute a general consent to service of process in any state or 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 as soon as available and in such quantities as the Underwriter may from time to time reasonably request.

 

(vi)           The Company, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereunder are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, 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 (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, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, (C) all reasonable filing fees and reasonable 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, (E) the reasonable filing fees and reasonable fees and disbursements of Underwriter’s counsel incident to any required review and approval by FINRA, of the terms of the sale of the Shares, (F) listing fees, if any, and (G) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder that are not otherwise specifically provided for herein (the “Underwriter’s Expenses”). 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 for Underwriter’s Expenses (including counsel fees, disbursements and other reasonable out-of-pocket expenses pursuant to this Section 5(a)(vii) shall be $50,000, unless the Offering is consummated, in which case, the Underwriter will bear all of its out-of-pocket expenses (excluding its legal expenses hereunder up to a maximum of $30,000).

(vii)         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.

 

(viii)        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.

 

(ix)           The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Underwriter, and the Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.  Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and 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 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely Commission filing where required, legending and record-keeping.

 

(x)            The Company hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Underwriter, it will not, during the period ending 90 days after the date hereof (“Lock-Up Period”), (i) offer, pledge, issue, sell, contract to sell, purchase, contract to purchase, 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, or (3) the issuance of employee stock options not exercisable during the Lock-Up Period and the grant of restricted stock awards or restricted stock units pursuant to equity incentive plans described in the Registration Statement (excluding exhibits thereto) and the Prospectus.  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.

 

 

7.           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 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, any Rule 462 Registration Statement, or any amendment thereof, nor suspending or preventing the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the 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; any request of the Commission or the Underwriter for additional information (to be included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the Underwriter’s satisfaction.

 

(b)           FINRA shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.

 

(c)           The Underwriter shall not have reasonably determined, and advised the Company, that the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, contains an untrue statement of fact which is material, or omits to state a fact which is material and is required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

(d)           On or after the date hereof (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded any of the Company’s securities by any “nationally recognized statistical organization,” as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Company’s securities.

 

 

(e)           On the Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to the Underwriter the opinion and negative assurance letters of Goodwin Procter LLP, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriter substantially in the form as set forth in Schedule II.

 

(f)           On the Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to the Underwriter the opinion the Company’s China counsel, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriter, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter, to the effect set forth in Schedule III.

 

(g)           The Underwriter shall have received a letter of Moore Stephens Wurth Frazar and Torbet, LLP, on the date hereof and on the Closing Date 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 each such letter (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 prior to the date hereof or more than five days prior to the date of such letter), the conclusions and findings of said firm with respect to the financial information and other matters required by the Underwriter.

 

(h)           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 the chief executive officer and the chief financial officer of the Company, in their capacity as officers of the Company, to the effect that:

 

(i)           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 with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date;

 

(ii)           No stop order or other order (A) suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof or any amendment thereof, (B) suspending the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale, or (C) suspending or preventing the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, has been issued, and no proceeding for that purpose has been instituted or, to their knowledge, is contemplated by the Commission or any state or regulatory body; and

 

(iii)           There has been no occurrence of any event resulting or reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect during the period from and after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date.

 

(i)           On or before the date hereof, the Underwriter shall have received duly executed “lock-up” agreements, in a form acceptable to the Underwriter, between the Underwriter and Ming Zhao and Yao Zhao.

 

(j)           The Company shall have furnished to the Underwriter and its counsel such additional documents, certificates and evidence as the Underwriter or its counsel may have reasonably requested.

 

 

If any condition specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the Underwriter by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to the Closing Date and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party, except that Section 5(a)(vii), Section 7 and Section 8 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

 

 

(a)           The Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Underwriter, its  affiliates, directors and 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 (i) 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 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, (ii) in whole or in part, any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein, or (iii) in whole or in part, any failure of the Company to perform its obligations hereunder or under law, 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 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 respective 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 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 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 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 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 materially 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 under such subsection 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 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 or parties and reimbursed to the indemnified party as incurred.

 

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.

 

 

(d)           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 each 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 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 (e) 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 (e).  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 (e) 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 (e).  Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (e), the Underwriter shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount of the Underwriter’s commissions referenced in Section 4(a) 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.

 

(e)           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 its respective 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.

 

 

(f)           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 Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, other than the statements set forth in the last paragraph on the cover page of the Prospectus and the statements set forth in the “Underwriting” section of the 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 and related activities that may be undertaken by the Underwriter.

 

9.           Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery.  All representations, warranties, and agreements of the Company herein or in certificates delivered pursuant hereto, including, but not limited to, the agreements of the Underwriter and the Company contained in Section 5(a)(vii) and 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.

 

 

(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 the NYSE Amex or trading in securities generally on the Nasdaq Global Market, New York Stock Exchange or NYSE Amex 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 the Nasdaq Global Market, New York Stock Exchange or NYSE Amex, 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 or state or the PRC authorities, (iv) there shall have occurred any attack on, outbreak or escalation of hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States or the PRC, any declaration by the United States or the PRC of a national emergency or war, any change in financial markets, any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States or the PRC or other international political, financial or economic conditions or any other calamity or crisis, or (v) the Company suffers any loss by strike, fire, flood, earthquake, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, the effect of which, in each case described in this subsection (a), in the Underwriter’s reasonable judgment is material and adverse and makes it impractical 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 5(a)(vii) and 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 and the Selling Stockholders shall be notified promptly by the Underwriter by telephone, confirmed by letter.

 

 

11.           Notices.  Except as otherwise provided herein, all communications hereunder shall be in writing and, if to Brean, shall be mailed, delivered faxed or e-mailed to Brean Murray, Carret & Co., LLC, 570 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY  10022, fax number: (212) 702-6548, Attention:  Derek Woodworth, Managing Director; and, if to Newbridge, shall be mailed, delivered faxed or e-mailed to Newbridge Securities Corporation, 570 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY  10022, fax number: (646) 365.3314, Attention: Frank Argenziano, Managing Director; and if to the Company, shall be mailed, delivered, faxed or e-mailed to it at 426 Xuefu Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, PRC, fax number: +86 ###-###-####, e-mail ***@***, Attention:  Ms. Qiong Wu; or 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.

 

12.           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 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.

 

13.           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.

 

14.           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.

 

 

15.           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.

 

16.           Governing Law.  This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

17.           Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts and, if executed 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,
	PUDA COAL, INC.
	By:	/s/ Qiong Wu
	Name:	Qiong Wu
	Title:	Chief Financial Officer

Confirmed as of the date first above-
mentioned by the Underwriter.
BREAN MURRAY, CARRET & COMPANY, LLC
By:	/s/ John Fletcher
Name:	John Fletcher
Title:	Managing Director

 

 

Confirmed as of the date first above-

mentioned by the Underwriter.

 

NEWBRIDGE SECURITIES CORPORATION
By:	/s/ Douglas Aguililla
Name:	Douglas Aguililla
Title:	Executive Managing Director, Investment Banking

[Signature page to Underwriting Agreement]

 

 

 

 

 

1.           The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with the requisite corporate power to own its properties, and to conduct its business, as described in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus.

 

2.           The issuance of the Shares has been duly authorized and, when issued, delivered to you, and paid for by you in accordance with  the Agreement, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

 

3.           The holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are not entitled to any preemptive right or right of first refusal, in each case to subscribe to any additional shares of the Company’s capital stock ,set forth in or provided for by the Company’s currently effective Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws (collectively, the “Company Governing Documents”).

 

4.           The statements in the Base Prospectus, the most recent Prospectus that is part of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package (the “Time of Sale Prospectus”) and the Final Prospectus under the headings “Description of Capital Stock – Common Stock” and in the Registration Statement in Part II, Item 15, insofar as such statements purport to summarize legal matters, the Certificate of Incorporation or the By-Laws discussed therein, fairly summarize such legal matters the Certificate of Incorporation or the By-laws , in all material respects.

 

5.           The Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act.  We are not aware of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued, or any proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or overtly threatened by the Commission.  Any required filing of the Prospectus, and any required supplement thereto, pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, has been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b).

 

6.           The Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and has been duly executed and delivered by the Company.

 

7.           The Company is not required to register as an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act.

 

8.           No consent, approval, authorization or filing with or order of any U.S. Federal, State of New York court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company is required, under the laws, rules and regulations of the United States of America and the State of New York, that Goodwin Procter has, in the exercise of its customary due diligence, recognized, for the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by the Agreement, except (i) such as have been made or obtained under the Securities Act and (ii) such as may be required under the blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by you in the manner contemplated in the Agreement and in the Final Prospectus, as to which we express no opinion.

 

 

9.            The issue and sale of the Shares in accordance with the Agreement will not result in a breach or violation of (or constitute any event that with notice, lapse of time or both would result in a breach of violation of):  (i) the Company Governing Documents,  (ii) any statute, rule, or regulation of the United States of America or the State of Delaware which, in our experience, is typically applicable to the transaction of the nature contemplated by the Agreement and is applicable to the Company, (iii) any currently effective order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, or award issued by a U.S. Court that names and has been entered against the Company and of which we have knowledge, or (iv) any Contract that was filed as an exhibit to the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K, in each case (ii) through (iv) the breach or violation of which would materially and adversely affect the Company.  We expressly limited our opinion under subparagraph (ii) above to the Delaware General Corporations Law and the federal securities law of the United States of America.

 

10.           To our knowledge, except as set forth in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company is not a party to any written agreement granting any holders of securities of the Company rights to require the registration under the Securities Act of resales of such securities.

 

We have also reviewed and relied upon certain corporate records and documents of the Company, letters from counsel and accountants, and oral and written statements and certificates of officers and other representatives of the Company and others as to the existence and consequences of certain factual and other matters.

 

The purpose of our professional engagement was not to establish or confirm factual matters or financial or quantitative information. Therefore, we are not passing upon and do not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements or information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus (except to the extent expressly set forth in the numbered paragraph 5 of the separate opinion letter of Goodwin Procter LLP to you as of this date) and have not made, or undertaken any obligation to make, an independent check or verification thereof (except as also stated in that opinion letter).  Moreover, many of the determinations required to be made in the preparation of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus involve matters of a non-legal nature.

 

However, subject to the foregoing and based on our participation, review and reliance described in the second preceding paragraph, (i) we, as U.S. counsel to the Company, believe (a) the Registration Statement (as of its effective date), the Time of Sale Prospectus (as of the Applicable Time), the Final Prospectus (as of its date), and any further amendments and supplements thereto (as of their respective dates), as applicable, made by the Company prior to the Closing Date (other than the financial statements and schedules and other financial and statistical data included therein or derived therefrom, as to which we express no belief) appeared on their face to be appropriately responsive, and complied as to form, in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (b) the documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Final Prospectus (other than the financial statements and schedules and other financial and statistical data included therein or derived therefrom, as to which we express no belief), at the time they were filed with the Commission, appeared on their face to be appropriately responsive, and complied as to form, in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and (ii) we confirm that no facts have come to our attention that caused us to believe (a) that the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto filed by the Company prior to the Closing Date (other than the financial statements and schedules and other financial and statistical data included therein or derived therefrom, as to which we express no belief), when the Registration Statement or such amendment became effective, except as it relates to any class of securities other than the Common Stock, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (b) that the Time of Sale Disclosure Package (other than the financial statements and schedules and other financial and statistical data included therein or derived therefrom, as to which we express no belief), as of 9:00 a.m. EST on __________, 2010 (the “Applicable Time,” which, you have informed us, is a time before the time of the first sale of the Shares by any Underwriter), except as it relates to any class of securities other than the Common Stock, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (c) that, as of its date and as of the Closing Date, the Final Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to the Closing Date (other than the financial statements and schedules and other financial and statistical data included therein or derived therefrom, as to which we express no belief), except as it relates to any class of securities other than the Common Stock, contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  We do not express any belief with respect to the assessments of or reports on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus.

 

In addition, we supplementally inform you that, to our knowledge, there is no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or other governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator in the U.S. pending or overtly threatened against the Company or its properties by a third party of a character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus that is not disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus as required by the Securities Act and the rules thereunder.

 

 

 

(1)	Each of Putai and Shanxi Coal is duly incorporated, validly exists and is in good standing under PRC law.  Each entity is qualified to own its assets and operate its business and is an independent enterprise legal person under PRC law.

 

(2)	Neither Putai nor Shanxi Coal has been subject to any penalty of any government authorities in China or is subject to any lawsuit or arbitration proceedings in China. Neither Putai nor Shanxi Coal has violated any law or regulation of PRC.

 

(3)	Each of Putai and Shanxi Coal has all the certificates, permits and licenses as disclosed in the 10-K.