4,500,000 Shares RING ENERGY, INC. Common Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

EX-1.1 2 v471242_ex1-1.htm EXHIBIT 1.1

EXECUTION VERSION

 

Exhibit 1.1

 

 

4,500,000 Shares

 

RING ENERGY, INC.

 

Common Stock

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

July 18, 2017

 

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.

Seaport Global Securities LLC

As Representatives of the Several
Underwriters named in Schedule I attached hereto

c/o SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.

3333 Peachtree Road, NE, 10^th Floor

Atlanta, Georgia 30326

c/o Seaport Global Securities LLC

Equity Capital Markets

360 Madison Avenue, 21^st Floor

New York, New York 10017

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Ring Energy, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions of this Underwriting Agreement (this “Agreement”), to issue and sell to the underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”), 4,500,000 shares (the “Firm Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”). In addition, the Company proposes to grant to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to 675,000 additional shares of Common Stock on the terms set forth in Section 2 (the “Option Shares”). The Firm Shares and, if and to the extent such option is exercised, the Option Shares, are hereinafter collectively called the “Shares.”

 

1.             Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Company. The Company represents, warrants and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

 

(a)               A registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-215909) relating to the Shares, including a related base prospectus has (i) been prepared by the Company in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the rules and regulations (the “Rules and Regulations”) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) thereunder; (ii) been filed with the Commission under the Securities Act and is not proposed to be amended; and (iii) become effective under the Securities Act. Copies of such registration statement and any amendment thereto have been delivered by the Company to SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. and Seaport Global Securities LLC, as the representatives (the “Representatives”) of the Underwriters. As used in this Agreement:

 

 

(i)       “Applicable Time” means 8:30 a.m. (New York City time) on July 18, 2017;

 

(ii)       “Effective Date” means the date and time as of which such registration statement, or the most recent post-effective amendment thereto, was declared effective by the Commission;

 

(iii)       “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) relating to the offering of the Shares in the final 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);

 

(iv)       “Preliminary Prospectus” means any preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the Shares, together with the base prospectus included in such registration statement, filed by the Company with the Commission with the consent of the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations;

 

(v)       “Pricing Disclosure Package” means, as of the Applicable Time, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, together with the information included in Schedule III hereto and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus filed or used by the Company on or before the Applicable Time and set forth on Schedule II, other than a road show that is an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus but is not required to be filed under Rule 433 of the Rules and Regulations;

 

(vi)       “Prospectus” means the final prospectus supplement relating to the Shares, together with the base prospectus included in such registration statement, as filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations; and

 

(vii)       “Registration Statement” means such registration statement, as amended as of the Effective Date, including any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus and all exhibits to such registration statement and all documents incorporated by reference therein.

 

Any reference to the Registration Statement or any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. Any reference to the “most recent Preliminary Prospectus” shall be deemed to refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) prior to or on the date hereof. Any reference to any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any document filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), after the date of such Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be, and before the date of such amendment or supplement and incorporated by reference in such Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be. Any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include the abbreviated registration statement to register additional shares of Common Stock under Rule 462(b) of the Rules and Regulations (the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”). The Commission has not issued any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and no proceeding or examination for such purpose has been instituted or threatened by the Commission.

 

 

(b)               Any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has or will become effective under the Securities Act and is not proposed to be amended.

 

(c)               The Company was not as of the time of the initial filing of the Registration Statement, is not on the date hereof and will not be on the applicable Delivery Date an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering of the Shares (as defined in Rule 405). The Company has met all the conditions for incorporation by reference pursuant to Item 12 and the General Instructions to Form S-3.

 

(d)               The Registration Statement conformed and will conform in all material respects on the Effective Date, on the date hereof and on each applicable Delivery Date, and any amendment to the Registration Statement filed after the date hereof will conform in all material respects when filed, to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations. The Company is eligible to use Form S-3 pursuant to General Instruction I.B.1. of such form. The most recent Preliminary Prospectus conformed, and the Prospectus will conform when filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on each applicable Delivery Date, in all material respects, to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus conformed, when filed with the Commission, in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act or the Securities Act, as applicable, and the Rules and Regulations; no such incorporated document when it was filed (or, if an amendment with respect to any such document was filed, when such amendment was filed), contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the context in which they were made, not misleading; and no such further incorporated document, when it is filed, will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

(e)               The Registration Statement does not and did not as of the Effective Date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement, or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by the Representatives on behalf of any Underwriter, which information is specified in Section 8(e).

 

(f)                The Prospectus will not, as of its date and on each applicable Delivery Date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by the Representatives on behalf of any Underwriter, which information is specified in Section 8(e).

 

 

(g)               The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus did not, when filed with the Commission, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(h)               The Pricing Disclosure Package did not, as of the Applicable Time, 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; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by the Representatives on behalf of any Underwriter, which information is specified in Section 8(e).

 

(i)                 Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (including, without limitation, any road show that is a free writing prospectus under Rule 433), as of its issue date and at all subsequent times throughout the completion of the public offer and sale of the Shares, when considered together with the Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (including, without limitation, any road show that is a free writing prospectus under Rule 433) made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by the Representatives on behalf of any Underwriter, which information is specified in Section 8(e).

 

(j)                 Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conformed or will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations on the date of first use, and the Company has complied with all prospectus delivery and any filing requirements applicable to such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to the Rules and Regulations. The Company has not made any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Representatives, except as set forth on Schedule II hereto. The Company has retained in accordance with the Rules and Regulations all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses that were not required to be filed pursuant to the Rules and Regulations. The Company has taken all actions necessary so that any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433 of the Rules and Regulations) in connection with the offering of the Shares will not be required to be filed pursuant to the Rules and Regulations.

 

(k)               Each of the Company and its subsidiaries (as defined in Section 17) has been duly organized, is validly existing and in good standing as a corporation or other business entity under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization; each of the Company and its subsidiaries (as defined in Section 17) is duly qualified to do business and in good standing as a foreign corporation or other business entity in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its businesses requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on (i) the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, properties, business or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries or (ii) the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby (in each case, a “Material Adverse Effect”); and each of the Company and its subsidiaries has all power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct the businesses in which it is engaged and as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than Stanford Energy, Inc., which is a “significant subsidiary” (as defined in Rule 405).

 

 

(l)                 The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in each of the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, conform to the description thereof contained in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and were issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws and not in violation of any preemptive right, resale right, right of first refusal or similar right. All of the issued shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except for such liens, encumbrances, equities or claims as would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(m)             The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company to the Underwriters hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and, upon payment and delivery in accordance with this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, will conform to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus, will be issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws and will be free of statutory and contractual preemptive rights and rights of first refusal.

 

(n)               The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

(o)               The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Prospectus will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, impose any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws (or similar organizational documents) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries; or (iii) result in any violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets, except in the cases of clauses (i) and (iii), any conflicts, breaches, violations or defaults which, individually or in the aggregate, would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

(p)               No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing, registration or qualification with, any person (including any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets) is required to be obtained by the Company for the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Prospectus, except for the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, filings, registrations or qualifications as may be required under the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) and applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and sale of the Shares by the Underwriters.

 

(q)               Except as described in the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right (other than rights which have been waived in writing or otherwise satisfied) to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act.

 

(r)                The Company has not sold or issued any securities that would be integrated with the offering of the Shares contemplated by this Agreement pursuant to the Securities Act, the Rules and Regulations or the interpretations thereof by the Commission.

 

(s)                Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, and since such date, there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt or net current assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any adverse change, or any development or event involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, properties, management, business or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each case except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(t)                 Since the date as of which information is given in the Prospectus and except as described in the Prospectus, the Company has not (i) incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, other than liabilities and obligations that were incurred in the ordinary course of business, (ii) entered into any material transaction not in the ordinary course of business, (iii) declared or paid any dividend on its capital stock or (iv) purchased any of its capital stock.

 

 

(u)               The historical financial statements (including the related notes and supporting schedules) included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and present fairly, in all material respects, the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the entities purported to be shown thereby at the dates and for the periods indicated and have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved and the schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly, in all material respects, the information required to be stated therein.

 

(v)               Eide Bailly LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, whose reports are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and who have delivered the initial letter referred to in Section 7(g) hereof, are independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations.

 

(w)             Each of (i) Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc. and (ii) Williamson Petroleum Consultants, Inc., whose reports are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, was, as of the date of such report, and is, as of the date hereof, an independent oil and gas consultant and petroleum engineer, with respect to the Company. The information contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus regarding estimated proved oil and gas reserves is based upon the reserve reports prepared by each of (i) Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc and (ii) Williamson Petroleum Consultants, Inc. The information provided to each of (i) Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc. and (ii) Williamson Petroleum Consultants, Inc. by the Company, including, without limitation, information as to production, costs of operation and development, current prices for production and agreements relating to current and future operations and sales of production, was true and correct in all material respects on the dates the reports were made. Such information was provided to each of (i) Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc. and (ii) Williamson Petroleum Consultants, Inc. in accordance with all customary industry practices. The reserve reports prepared by each of (i) Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc. and (ii) Williamson Petroleum Consultants, Inc. setting forth the estimated proved reserves attributed to the oil and gas properties of the Company accurately reflect in all material respects the ownership interests of the Company, its subsidiaries and its predecessors. Other than normal production of reserves, intervening market commodity price fluctuations, fluctuations in demand for such products, adverse weather conditions, unavailability or increased costs of rigs, equipment, supplies or personnel, the timing of third party operations and other facts, in each case in the ordinary course of business, and except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any facts or circumstances that would result in a material adverse change in the aggregate net reserves, or the present value of future net cash flows therefrom, as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and reserve reports; and estimates of such reserves and present values as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and reflected in the reserve reports comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of Regulation S-X.

 

 

(x)               The statements in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Description of Capital Stock”, insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are, in all material respects, accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings and present the information required to be shown.

 

(y)               Except as (a) otherwise set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (b) in the aggregate does not result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each subsidiary have title to their respective properties as follows: (i) with respect to wells (including leasehold interests and appurtenant personal property) and non-producing oil and natural gas properties (including undeveloped locations on leases held by production and those leases not held by production), such title is good and free and clear of all liens, security interests, pledges, charges, encumbrances, mortgages and restrictions, (ii) with respect to non-producing properties in exploration prospects, such title was investigated in accordance with customary industry procedures prior to the acquisition thereof by the Company or any subsidiary, (iii) with respect to real property other than oil and gas interests, such title is good and marketable free and clear of all liens, security interests, pledges, charges, encumbrances, mortgages and restrictions, and (iv) with respect to personal property other than that appurtenant to oil and gas interests, such title is free and clear of all liens, security interests, pledges, charges, encumbrances, mortgages and restrictions. No other real property owned, leased, or used by the Company or any subsidiary lies in an area which is, or to the knowledge of the Company will be, subject to restrictions which would prohibit, and no statements of facts relating to the actions or inaction of another person or entity or his or its ownership, leasing, or use of any real or personal property exists which would prevent, the continued effective ownership, leasing, exploration, development or production or use of such real property in the business of the Company or any subsidiary as presently conducted or as the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus indicates they contemplate conducting, except as may be properly described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or such as in the aggregate do not now cause and will not in the future result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(z)               The Company and each of its subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, insurance from insurers of recognized financial responsibility in such amounts and covering such risks as is reasonably adequate for the conduct of their respective businesses and the value of their respective properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries. All policies of insurance of the Company and its subsidiaries are in full force and effect; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies in all material respects; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance; there are no claims by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

(aa)            Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, the Company has not sold or issued any securities during the six-month period preceding the date of the Prospectus, including but not limited to any sales pursuant to Rule 144A or Regulation D or S of the Securities Act.

 

(bb)           Any statistical and market-related data in the Prospectus and the consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate.

 

(cc)            Neither the Company nor any subsidiary is, and as of the applicable Delivery Date and, after giving effect to the offer and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, none of them will be, (i) an “investment company” within the meaning of such term under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), and the Rules and Regulations or (ii) a “business development company” (as defined in Section 2(a)(48) of the Investment Company Act).

 

(dd)           There are no legal or governmental actions, suits or proceedings pending (including any inquiries or investigations) to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject that would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or would, materially and adversely affect the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby; and no such proceedings are threatened or to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated by governmental authorities or others.

 

(ee)            There are no legal or governmental proceedings or contracts or other documents of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or, in the case of documents, to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described and filed as required. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has knowledge that any other party to any such contract, agreement or arrangement has any intention not to render full performance as contemplated by the terms thereof.

 

(ff)              No relationship, direct or indirect, or related-party transaction exists between or among the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, or, to the Company’s knowledge, stockholders, customers or suppliers, of the Company, on the other hand, that is required to be described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus which is not so described in such document.

 

(gg)           There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees of indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company or any of their respective family members. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, including through its subsidiaries, extended or maintained credit, arranged for the extension of credit, or renewed an extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan to or for any director or executive officer of the Company, other than any extensions of credit that ceased to be outstanding prior to the date the Registration Statement was first filed with the Commission.

 

 

(hh)           No labor disturbance by the employees of the Company or its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ii)              (i) Each “employee benefit plan” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”)) for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) would have any liability (each a “Plan”) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and with the requirements of all applicable statutes, rules and regulations including ERISA and the Code; (ii) with respect to each Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA (a) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, (b) no “accumulated funding deficiency” (within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code), whether or not waived, has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, (c) the fair market value of the assets under each Plan exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan) and (d) neither the Company or any member of its Controlled Group has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the PBGC in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a “multiemployer plan”, within the meaning of Section 4001(c)(3) of ERISA); and (iii) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.

 

(jj)              The Company and each of its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign income and franchise tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof, subject to permitted extensions, and have paid all taxes due thereon, and no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, nor does the Company have any knowledge of any tax deficiencies that could, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(kk)           There are no transfer taxes or other similar fees or charges under Federal law or the laws of any state, or any political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance by the Company or sale by the Company of the Shares.

 

(ll)              Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries (i) is in violation of its charter or by-laws (or similar organizational documents), (ii) is in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its properties or assets is subject or (iii) is in violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over it or its property or assets or has failed to obtain any license, permit, certificate, franchise or other governmental authorization or permit necessary to the ownership of its property or to the conduct of its business, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), to the extent any such conflict, breach, violation or default would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

(mm)      Since the date of the most recent balance sheet of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries reviewed or audited by Eide Bailly LLP and the audit committee of the board of directors of the Company (the “Audit Committee”), (i) the Company has not been advised of (A) any significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls that could adversely affect the ability of the Company and each of its subsidiaries to record, process, summarize and report financial data, or any material weaknesses in internal controls and (B) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the internal controls of the Company and each of its subsidiaries, and (ii) since that date, there have been no significant changes in internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses. Neither the Company nor its Audit Committee is reviewing or investigating, and neither the Company’s independent auditors nor its internal auditors have recommended that the Company or its Audit Committee review or investigate (1) adding to, deleting, changing the application of, or changing the Company’s disclosure with respect to, any of the Company’s material accounting policies, or (2) any matter which could result in a restatement of the Company’s financial statements for any annual or interim period during the current or prior three fiscal years.

 

(nn)        There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company and any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith.

 

(oo)        Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, there are no off-balance sheet arrangements, outstanding guarantees or other contingent obligations of the Company that could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(pp)        The Company and each of its subsidiaries have and are in compliance in all material respects with such permits, licenses, patents, franchises, certificates of need and other approvals or authorizations of governmental or regulatory authorities (“Permits”) as are necessary under applicable law to own their properties and conduct their businesses in the manner described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, except for any of the foregoing where the failure to have such Permits would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus; each of the Company and its subsidiaries has fulfilled and performed all of its obligations with respect to the Permits, and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other impairment of the rights of the holder or any such Permits, except for any of the foregoing that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any Permits that would reasonably be expected to, in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect or has any reason to believe that any such Permits will not be renewed in the ordinary course.

 

 

(qq)        The Company and each of its subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, know-how, software, systems and technology (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses and have no reason to believe that the conduct of their respective businesses will conflict with, and have not received any notice of any claim of conflict with, any such rights of others.

 

(rr)          Except as disclosed in the Prospectus or the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Company and each of its subsidiaries (i) are, and at all times prior hereto were, in compliance with all laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, orders, judgments, decrees, permits or other legal requirements of any governmental authority, including without limitation any international, national, state, provincial, regional, or local authority, relating to the protection of human health or safety, the environment, or natural resources, or to hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”) applicable to such entity, which compliance includes, without limitation, obtaining, maintaining and complying with all permits and authorizations and approvals required by Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, except where the lack of receipt and/or compliance would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect and (ii) have not received notice of any actual or alleged violation of Environmental Laws, or of any potential liability for or other obligation concerning the presence, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except for any actual or alleged violation or potential liability that would, individually or in the aggregate, not result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as described in the Prospectus or Pricing Disclosure Package, (A) there are no proceedings that are pending, or known to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries under Environmental Laws in which a governmental authority is also a party, except for any proceedings that would, individually or in the aggregate, not result in in a Material Adverse Effect, and (B) the Company and its subsidiaries are not aware of any issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws or concerning hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ss)             Neither the Company nor any subsidiary is in violation of or has received notice of any violation with respect to any federal or state law relating to discrimination in the hiring, promotion or pay of employees, nor any applicable federal or state wage and hour laws, nor any state law precluding the denial of credit due to the neighborhood in which a property is situated, the violation of any of which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(tt)              Except as prohibited by law or described in the Prospectus or Pricing Disclosure Package, no subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company.

 

 

(uu)           Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, or representative of the Company or its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.

 

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

 

(ww)       Neither the Company, nor any of its subsidiaries, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee 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. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”); and the Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering of the Shares hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person known by the Company to be currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

 

(xx)           Except as otherwise provided in the Prospectus or Pricing Disclosure Package, the Company has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of any Delivery Date and completion of the distribution of the Shares, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares other than any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to which the Representatives have consented in accordance with Section 1(j) or 5(a)(vi) and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus set forth on Schedule II hereto.

 

(yy)           The Company has no debt securities or preferred stock that is rated by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) of the Rules and Regulations).

 

(zz)            The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that could 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.

 

(aaa)        Except for the underwriting discounts and commissions payable to the Underwriters as described in the Prospectus or Pricing Disclosure Package, there is no broker, finder or other party that is entitled to receive from the Company any broker or finder’s fee or other fee or commission in connection with the offering of the Shares.

 

 

(bbb)       The Shares have been approved for listing, subject to official notice of issuance, on the NYSE MKT.

 

(ccc)        To enable the Underwriters to rely on FINRA Rule 5110(b)(7)(C)(i), as of the date hereof, the registration of the Shares with the Commission could have been effected on Form S-3 under the Securities Act pursuant to the standards for such Form S-3 in effect prior to October 21, 1992.

 

(ddd)       Any certificate required to be signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters on behalf of the Company in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to matters covered thereby.

 

2.             Purchase of the Shares by the Underwriters. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Company agrees to sell 4,500,000 Firm Shares to the several Underwriters, and on the basis of the representation and warranties contained herein, each of the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite that Underwriter’s name on Schedule I hereto. The respective purchase obligations of the Underwriters with respect to the Firm Shares shall be rounded among the Underwriters to avoid fractional shares, as the Representatives may determine.

 

In addition, the Company grants to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to 675,000 additional Option Shares. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Option Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Option Shares to be sold on such Delivery Date as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares. The option granted will expire 30 days after the date of this Agreement and may be exercised in whole or from time to time in part by written notice being given to the Company by the Representatives; provided that if such date falls on a day that is not a business day, the option granted in Section 2 will expire on the next succeeding business day. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the option is being exercised, the names in which the Option Shares are to be registered, the denominations in which the Option Shares are to be issued and the date and time, as determined by the Representatives, when the Option Shares are to be delivered; provided, however, that this date and time shall not be earlier than the Initial Delivery Date (as hereinafter defined) nor earlier than the second 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. Any notice delivered after the 30th business day after the date of this Agreement shall be invalid and of no force or effect.

 

The price of both the Firm Shares and any Option Shares purchased by the Underwriters shall be $11.9375 per share.

 

 

The Company shall not be obligated to deliver any of the Firm Shares or Option Shares to be delivered on the applicable Delivery Date, except upon payment for all such Shares to be purchased on such Delivery Date as provided herein.

 

3.             Offering of Stock by the Underwriters. Upon authorization by the Representatives of the release of the Firm Shares, the several Underwriters intend to offer the Firm Shares for sale upon the terms and conditions to be set forth in the Prospectus.

 

4.             Delivery of and Payment for the Shares. Delivery of and payment for the Firm Shares shall be made at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the third full business day following the date of this Agreement or at such other date or place as shall be determined by agreement between the Representatives and the Company against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price of the Firm Shares by the several Underwriters through the Representatives or upon the order of the Company by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company. This date and time are sometimes referred to as the “Initial Delivery Date.” Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the obligation of each Underwriter hereunder. The Company shall deliver the Firm Shares through the facilities of DTC unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

 

Delivery of the Option Shares by the Company and payment for the Option Shares by the several Underwriters through the Representatives shall be made at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 2 or at such other date or place as shall be determined by agreement between the Representatives and the Company. Each date and time the Option Shares are delivered in accordance with Section 2 is sometimes referred to as an “Option Share Delivery Date,” and the Initial Delivery Date and any Option Share Delivery Date are sometimes each referred to as a “Delivery Date.”

 

On the Option Share Delivery Date, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered the Option Shares to the Representatives for the account of each Underwriter against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price of the Option Shares by the several Underwriters through the Representatives or upon the order of the Company by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the obligation of each Underwriter hereunder. The Company shall deliver the Option Shares through the facilities of DTC unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

 

5.             Further Agreements of the Company and the Underwriters.

 

(a) The Company agrees:

 

 

(i)                 (A) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement and to provide satisfactory evidence to the Representatives of such timely filing; (B) To make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus prior to the last Delivery Date, except with the prior written consent of the Representatives or as provided herein; (C) To advise each of the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the Representatives with copies thereof; (D) To advise each of the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding or examination for any such purpose or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information; and (E) in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to use promptly its best efforts to obtain its withdrawal;

 

(ii)              To furnish promptly to the Representatives and to counsel for the Underwriters a signed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the Commission, and each amendment thereto filed with the Commission, including all consents and exhibits filed therewith;

 

(iii)            To deliver promptly to the Representatives such number of the following documents as the Representatives shall reasonably request: (A) conformed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the Commission and each amendment thereto (in each case excluding exhibits other than this Agreement and the computation of per share earnings), (B) each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amended or supplemented Prospectus, (C) each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (D) any document incorporated by reference in any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus; and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required at any time after the date hereof in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares or any other securities relating thereto and if at such time any events shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act, to notify the Representatives and, upon their request, to prepare and file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many copies as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance;

 

(iv)             To file promptly with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that may, in the judgment of the Company or the Representatives, be required by the Securities Act or requested by the Commission;

 

 

(v)               Prior to filing with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any amendment to any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, to furnish a copy thereof to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters and obtain the consent of the Representatives to the filing. Neither the Representatives’ consent to, nor the Underwriters’ delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the conditions set forth in Section 7 hereof;

 

(vi)             Not to make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Representatives;

 

(vii)          To comply with all applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; and if at any time after the date hereof any events shall have occurred as a result of which any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit 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, if for any other reason it shall be necessary to amend or supplement any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to notify the Representatives and, upon their request, to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter as many copies as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended or supplemented Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that will correct such conflict, statement or omission or effect such compliance;

 

(viii)        As soon as practicable, but not later than twelve (12) months after the date of this Agreement, to make generally available to its security holders an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering a period of at least 12 months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement, which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 under the Securities Act; provided that this obligation shall be deemed satisfied if the Company shall have filed a report with the Commission with such information;

 

(ix)             Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Representatives may reasonably request to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under (or obtain exemptions from the application of) the securities laws of Canada and such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Shares; provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be subject;

 

 

(x)               For a period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 60th day after the date of the Prospectus (the “Lock-Up Period”), not to, directly or indirectly, (1) offer for sale, sell, issue, contract to sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of), any shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (other than the Shares), or sell or grant options, rights or warrants with respect to any shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock (other than the issuance of any options pursuant to any registration statement on Form S-8 or any registration statement already filed with the Commission as of the date of this Agreement), (2) enter into any swap, hedge or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of shares of Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) offer to purchase, purchase or contract to purchase or grant any option, right or warrant to purchase Common Stock or securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into Common Stock or any other securities of the Company, (4) file or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or any other securities of the Company (other than any registration statement on Form S-8 or any registration statement already filed with the Commission as of the date of this Agreement), (5) establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position in securities of the Company or (6) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing during the Lock-Up Period, in each case without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may, at its sole discretion and without prior written consent of the Underwriters, enter into an agreement to or issue Common Stock in connection with the acquisition of any oil and gas properties or companies, provided that, as a condition to such issuance, the recipient of such securities agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of this subsection (x) for the remaining duration of the Lock-Up Period with respect to such securities.

 

The Company agrees to cause each officer and director of the Company set forth on Schedule IV hereto to furnish to the Representatives, prior to the Initial Delivery Date, a letter or letters, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto (the “Lock-Up Agreements”).

 

(xi)         [Reserved.]

 

(xii)        To apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares being sold by the Company in the manner as set forth in the Prospectus;

 

(xiii)       To not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or reasonably be expected to cause or result in, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares; and

 

(xiv)       To do and perform all things required or necessary to be done and performed under this Agreement by it prior to each Delivery Date, and to satisfy all conditions precedent to the Underwriters’ obligations hereunder to purchase the Shares.

 

 

(b)     Each Underwriter covenants with the Company, severally, (i) not to take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433 under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder; and (ii) that such Underwriter shall not include any “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433) in any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) used or referred to by such Underwriter without the prior consent of the Company and the Representatives (any such issuer information with respect to whose use the Company and the Representatives have given such consent, “Permitted Issuer Information”).

 

6.      Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees, whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay all costs, expenses, fees and taxes incurred in connection with (a) the authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares and any stamp duties or other taxes payable in that connection, and the preparation and printing of certificates for the Shares; (b) the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement (including any exhibits thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto; (c) the distribution of the Registration Statement (including any exhibits thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, or any document incorporated by reference therein, all as provided in this Agreement; (d) any required review by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (the “FINRA”) of the terms of sale of the Shares (including filing fees and any reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters relating to such review) not exceeding a total amount of $15,000; (e) the listing of the Shares on the NYSE MKT; (f) the qualification of the Shares under the securities laws of the several jurisdictions as provided in Section 5(a)(ix) and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum or Canadian “wrapper” (including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with such qualification) not exceeding a total amount of $10,000; (g) the investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Shares, including, without limitation, reasonable expenses associated with any electronic roadshow, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and reasonable cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show; and (h) any other fees, costs and expenses of the nature referred to in Item 14 of Part II of the Registration Statement or otherwise incident to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 6 or in Section 11, the Underwriters shall pay their own expenses incurred in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation the fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel for the Underwriters.

 

7.             Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The respective obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy, when made and on each Delivery Date, of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional terms and conditions:

 

 

(a)           (i) The Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission in accordance with Section 5(a)(i); (ii) the Company shall have complied with all filing requirements applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus used or referred to after the date hereof; (iii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been issued and no proceeding or examination for such purpose shall have been initiated or threatened, or to the knowledge of the Company or the Representatives contemplated by the Commission; and (iv) any request of the Commission for inclusion of additional information in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise shall have been complied with in all material respects.

 

(b)           No Underwriter shall have discovered and disclosed to the Company on or prior to such Delivery Date that the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Pricing Disclosure Package, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of a fact which, in the opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, is material or omits to state a fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

(c)           All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form and validity of this Agreement, the Shares, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to counsel for the Underwriters, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

 

(d)           Baker & Hostetler LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives its written opinion and negative assurance, as counsel to the Company, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B-1.

 

(e)           The Company’s local Nevada counsel shall have furnished to the Representatives its written opinion, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B-2.

 

(f)            The Representatives shall have received from Goodwin Procter LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, its written negative assurance, dated such Delivery Date, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Shares, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

 

(g)           At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from Eide Bailly LLP a letter, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, addressed to the Underwriters and dated the date hereof (i) 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 qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, and (ii) containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountant’s “comfort letters” to underwriters, delivered according to Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72 (or any successor bulletin), with respect to the audited and unaudited financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

 

 

(h)           With respect to the letter of Eide Bailly LLP referred to in the preceding paragraph and delivered to the Representatives concurrently with the execution of this Agreement (the “initial letter”), the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter (the “bring-down letter”) of such accountants, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date (i) 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 qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, (ii) reaffirming the statements and information, in all material respects, made in the initial letter furnished to the Representatives pursuant to subsection (g) of this Section.

 

(i)            At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from each of (i) Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc. and (ii) Williamson Petroleum Consultants, Inc. an initial letter (the “initial expert letter”), in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C, addressed to the Underwriters and dated the date hereof and a subsequent letter dated as of the Delivery Date, which such letter shall cover the period from any initial expert letter to the Delivery Date, stating the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to oil and gas reserves as is customary to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings.

 

(j)            The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate, dated such Delivery Date, of its principal executive officer and its principal financial officer, acting solely in their corporate capacity, stating that:

 

(i)                 The representations, warranties and agreements of the Company in Section 1 of this Agreement are true and correct on and as of such Delivery Date, and the Company has complied with all its agreements contained herein and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Delivery Date;

 

(ii)       No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued; and no proceedings or examination for that purpose have been instituted or threatened or, to the knowledge of such officers, contemplated;

 

(iii)       Such officer has carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package, and, in such officer’s opinion, (A) (1) the Registration Statement, as of the Effective Date, (2) the Prospectus, as of its date and on the applicable Delivery Date, and (3) the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, did not and do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact and did not and do not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (except in the case of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, and (B) since the Effective Date, no event has occurred that should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that has not been so set forth; and

 

 

(iv) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there has not been any development that resulted in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(k)           Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (i) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have sustained, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or from any court, regulatory authority or governmental action, order or decree or (ii) since such date, there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt or net current assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, properties, management, business or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is, in the judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered on such Delivery Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

 

(l)            Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE MKT, the NASDAQ Stock Market or in the over-the-counter market, or trading in any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market, shall have been suspended or materially limited or the settlement of such trading generally shall have been materially disrupted or minimum prices shall have been established on any such exchange or such market by the Commission, by such exchange or by any other regulatory body or governmental authority having jurisdiction, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal or state authorities, (iii) any attack on, or outbreak involving the United States, the United States shall have become engaged in hostilities, there shall have been an escalation in hostilities involving the United States or there shall have been a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States or (iv) there shall have occurred such a material adverse change in general economic, political or financial conditions, including, without limitation, as a result of terrorist activities after the date hereof (or the effect of international conditions on the financial markets in the United States shall be such), as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or delivery of the Shares being delivered on such Delivery Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

 

(m)          The NYSE MKT shall have approved the Shares for listing, subject only to official notice of issuance.

 

 

(n)           The Lock-Up Agreements between the Representatives and the officers and directors of the Company set forth on Schedule IV, delivered to the Representatives on or before the date of this Agreement, shall be in full force and effect on such Delivery Date.

 

(o)           The Company shall have furnished such other opinions, certificates, letters and documents as the Representatives reasonably request.

 

All opinions, letters, evidence and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

 

8.             Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)           The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its directors, officers, employees, partners, agents, affiliates and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each an “Indemnified Party”), from and against any and all loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof (including, but not limited to, any loss, claim, damage, liability or action relating to purchases and sales of Shares), to which such Indemnified Party becomes subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, other federal or state statutory law or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage or liability (or action in respect thereof) arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (A) any Preliminary Prospectus as of any time, any part of any Registration Statement at any time, the Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, (B) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (C) any Permitted Issuer Information used or referred to in any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) used or referred to by any Underwriter, (D) any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433) not constituting an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (a “Non-Prospectus Road Show”) or (E) any Blue Sky application or other document prepared or executed by the Company (or based upon any written information furnished by the Company for use therein) specifically for the purpose of qualifying any or all of the Shares under the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction (any such application, document or information being hereinafter called a “Blue Sky Application”) or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, any part of any Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Permitted Issuer Information, any Non-Prospectus Road Show or any Blue Sky Application, any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and shall reimburse each Indemnified Party promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend against any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, as such expenses are incurred; 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 any of such documents, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information about such Underwriter furnished to the Company through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information consists solely of the information specified in Section 8(e). The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have to any Indemnified Party.

 

 

(b)               Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers who sign a Registration Statement 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 (each an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”), from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof, to which such Underwriter Indemnified Party becomes subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, other federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, any Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Non-Prospectus Road Show or Blue Sky Application, or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, any Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Non-Prospectus Road Show or Blue Sky Application, any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but in each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by an Underwriter or through the Representatives by or on behalf of that Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, and shall reimburse each Underwriter Indemnified Party promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend against any such loss, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Underwriter Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company acknowledges that the only information the Representatives have furnished to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto ) is such information specified in Section 8(e). The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability that any Underwriter may otherwise have to an Underwriter Indemnified Party.

 

(c)               Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of any claim or the commencement of any action, the indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, promptly notify the indemnifying party in writing of the claim or the commencement of that action; provided, however, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under this Section 8 except to the extent it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure and, provided, further, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 8. If any such claim or action is brought against an indemnified party, and it promptly notifies the indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party). After notice from the

 

 

indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to the indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however, that the indemnified party shall have the right to employ counsel to represent jointly the indemnified party and those other indemnified parties who may be subject to liability arising out of any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought under this Section 8 if (i) the indemnified party and the indemnifying party shall have so mutually agreed; (ii) the indemnifying party has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party; (iii) the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to them that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnified parties or their respective directors, officers, employees, partners, agents, affiliates or controlling persons, on the one hand, and the indemnifying party, on the other hand, and representation of both sets of parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them, and in any such event the fees and expenses of such separate counsel shall be paid by the indemnifying party. No indemnifying party shall (i) without the prior written consent of the indemnified party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and does not include any findings of fact or admissions of fault or culpability as to the indemnified party, or (ii) be liable for any settlement of any such action effected without its written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), but if settled with the consent of the indemnifying party or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff in any such action, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.

 

(d)               If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 shall for any reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 8(a) or 8(b) in respect of any loss, claim, damage or liability, or any action in respect thereof, referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, from the offering 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 Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to such offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Shares purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company,

 

 

as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters with respect to the Shares purchased under this Agreement, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the other hand. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 8(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 8(d) shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 8(d), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8(d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares underwritten by it exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise paid or become liable to pay by reason of any untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. 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. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute as provided in this Section 8(d) are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.

 

(e)               The Underwriters severally confirm and the Company acknowledges and agrees that the concession and reallowance figures and the paragraph relating to stabilization by the Underwriters appearing under the caption “Underwriting” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus are correct and constitute the only information concerning such Underwriters furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriters specifically for inclusion in any Preliminary Prospectus, any Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto.

 

9.             Defaulting Underwriters. If, on any Delivery Date, any Underwriter defaults in the performance of its obligations to purchase Shares under this Agreement, the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated to purchase or make arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Company for other persons to purchase the Shares that the defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase on such Delivery Date in the respective proportions which the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of each remaining non-defaulting Underwriter in Schedule I hereto bears to the total number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters in Schedule I hereto; provided, however, that the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters shall not be obligated to purchase any of the Shares on such Delivery Date if the total number of Shares that the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on such date exceeds 10% of the total number of Shares to be purchased on such Delivery Date, and any remaining non-defaulting Underwriter shall not be obligated to purchase more than 110% of the number of Shares that it agreed to purchase on such Delivery Date pursuant to the terms of Section 2. If the foregoing maximums are exceeded, the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters, or those other underwriters satisfactory to the Representatives who so agree, shall have the right, but shall not be obligated, to purchase, in such proportion as may be agreed upon among them, all the Shares to be purchased on such Delivery Date.

 

 

If the remaining Underwriters or other underwriters satisfactory to the Representatives do not elect within 36 hours of the default to purchase the shares that the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on such Delivery Date, this Agreement (or, with respect to any Option Share Delivery Date, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase, and of the Company to sell, the Option Shares) shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except as provided in Section 16 and except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses to the extent set forth in Sections 6 and 11. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context requires otherwise, any party not listed in Schedule I hereto that, pursuant to this Section 9, purchases Shares that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

 

Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company for damages caused by its default. If other Underwriters are obligated or agree to purchase the Shares of a defaulting or withdrawing Underwriter, either the Representatives or the Company may postpone the Delivery Date for up to seven full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement.

 

10.           Termination. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by the Representatives by notice given to and received by the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Firm Shares if, prior to that time, any of the events described in Sections 7(k) and 7(l) shall have occurred or if the Underwriters shall decline to purchase the Shares for any reason permitted under this Agreement.

 

11.           Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section 7 or Section 10, or if the sale to the Underwriters of the Shares on the Delivery Date is not consummated because Company fails to tender the Shares for delivery to the Underwriters for any reason, the Company will reimburse the Representatives and the other Underwriters, severally, upon demand for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses that have been reasonably incurred by the Representatives and the Underwriters in connection with the proposed purchase and the offering and sale of the Shares (including any reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel). If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9 by reason of the default of one or more Underwriters, the Company shall not be obligated to reimburse any defaulting Underwriter on account of those expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be responsible for the payment or reimbursement of the Underwriters pursuant to this Section 11 for (i) any out-of-pocket accountable fees and disbursements of counsel actually incurred by the Underwriters exceeding $100,000; (ii) any out-of-pocket accountable travel and related expenses actually incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this offering in an amount exceeding $25,000; or (iii) any other reasonable out-of-pocket accountable expenses actually incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the performance of their services hereunder in an amount exceeding $10,000.

 

 

12.           Research Analyst Independence. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters’ research analysts and research departments are required to be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and that such Underwriters’ research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company and/or the offering that differ from the views of their respective investment banking divisions. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to any conflict of interest that may arise from the fact that the views expressed by their independent research analysts and research departments may be different from or inconsistent with the views or advice communicated to the Company by such Underwriters’ investment banking divisions. The Company acknowledges that each of the Underwriters is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the companies that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

13.           No Fiduciary Duty. The Company acknowledges and agrees that in connection with this offering, sale of the Shares or any other services the Underwriters may be deemed to be providing hereunder, notwithstanding any preexisting relationship, advisory or otherwise, between the parties or any oral representations or assurances previously or subsequently made by the Underwriters: (i) no fiduciary or agency relationship between the Company and any other person, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, exists; (ii) the Underwriters are not acting as advisors, expert or otherwise, to the Company, including, without limitation, with respect to the determination of the public offering price of the Shares, and such relationship between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, is entirely and solely commercial, based on arms-length negotiations; (iii) any duties and obligations that the Underwriters may have to the Company shall be limited to those duties and obligations specifically stated herein; and (iv) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may have interests that differ from those of the Company. The Company hereby waives any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to any breach of fiduciary duty in connection with this offering.

 

14.           Notices, Etc. All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and:

 

(a)               if to the Underwriters, shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc., 3333 Peachtree Road, NE, 10^th Floor, Atlanta, Georgia 30326, Attention: Equity Capital Origination (Fax: 404 ###-###-####) and Seaport Global Securities LLC, Equity Capital Markets, 360 Madison Avenue, 21^st Floor, New York, New York 10017, with a copy, in the case of any notice pursuant to Section 8(c), to the Legal Department of SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc., 3333 Peachtree Road, NE, 10^th Floor, Atlanta, Georgia 30326 (Fax: 404 ###-###-####), and with a copy to Thomas Levato, Goodwin Procter LLP, The New York Times Building, 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018; and

 

 

(b)               if to the Company, shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: William R. Broaddrick, Chief Financial Officer, 6555 S. Lewis Ave., Suite 200, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 74136, with a copy to Mark L. Jones, Baker & Hostetler LLP, 811 Main Street, Suite 1100, Houston, Texas 77002.

 

Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect at the time of receipt thereof. The Company shall be entitled to act and rely upon any request, consent, notice or agreement given or made on behalf of the Underwriters by the Representatives.

 

15.           Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Company, and their respective successors. This Agreement and the terms and provisions hereof are for the sole benefit of only those persons, except that (A) the representations, warranties, indemnities and agreements of the Company contained in this Agreement shall also be deemed to be for the benefit of the directors, officers and employees of the Underwriters, each person or persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, and each additional Indemnified Party pursuant to Section 8(a) of this Agreement, and (B) the indemnity agreement of the Underwriters contained in Section 8(b) of this Agreement shall be deemed to be for the benefit of the directors of the Company, the officers of the Company who have signed the Registration Statement and any person controlling the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, other than the persons referred to in this Section 15, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein.

 

16.           Survival. The respective indemnities, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company, and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Shares and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any of them or any person controlling any of them.

 

17.           Definition of the Terms “Business Day” and “Subsidiary”. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) “business day” means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday that is not a day on which banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close and (b) “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405.

 

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

 

19.           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 but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

 

20.           Headings. The headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

 

 

EXECUTION VERSION

 

 

If the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement among the Company and the Underwriters, please indicate your acceptance in the space provided for that purpose below.

 

Very truly yours,

 

RING ENERGY, INC.

 

 

By:  _________________________________

Name:

Title:

 

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

 

 

Accepted:

 

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.

 

For itself and as a Representative
of the several Underwriters named
in Schedule I hereto

 

 

 

By:  _________________________

Name:

Title:

 

 

 

 

Accepted:

 

SEAPORT GLOBAL SECURITIES LLC

 

For itself and as a Representative
of the several Underwriters named
in Schedule I hereto

 

 

 

 

By:  _________________________

Name:

Title:

 

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

  

SCHEDULE I

 

UNDERWRITERS

 

Underwriters		Number of Firm Shares
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.			1,935,000
Seaport Global Securities LLC			1,935,000
Capital One Securities, Inc.			105,000
Euro Pacific Capital Inc.			105,000
IBERIA Capital Partners L.L.C.			105,000
Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc.			105,000
Northland Securities, Inc.			105,000
Roth Capital Partners, LLC			105,000
Total			4,500,000

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE II

 

FREE WRITING PROSPECTUSES

 

 

 

None.

 

 

SCHEDULE III

 

ORALLY CONVEYED PRICING INFORMATION

 

 

1.

Public offering price: $12.50 per share

 

2.

Number of shares offered: 4,500,000 shares

 

3.

Underwriting discount: 4.5%

 

 

 

SCHEDULE IV

 

PERSONS DELIVERING LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS

 

 

 

Kelly Hoffman

David A. Fowler

Daniel D. Wilson

William R. Broaddrick

Lloyd T. Rochford

Stanley M. McCabe

Anthony B. Petrelli

Clayton E. Woodrum

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

LOCK-UP LETTER AGREEMENT

 

July __, 2017

 

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.

Seaport Global Securities LLC

As Representatives of the Several Underwriters

 

c/o SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.

3333 Peachtree Road, 10^th Floor

Atlanta, Georgia 30326

 

 

c/o Seaport Global Securities LLC

300 Throckmorton Street, Suite 650

Fort Worth, Texas 76102

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned understands that you and certain other firms (the “Underwriters”) propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) providing for the purchase by the Underwriters of shares (the “Shares”) of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of Ring Energy, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and that the Underwriters propose to reoffer the Shares to the public (the “Offering”).

 

In consideration of the execution of the Underwriting Agreement by the Underwriters, and for other good and valuable consideration, the undersigned hereby irrevocably agrees that, without the prior written consent of SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. and Seaport Global Securities LLC, on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, in his individual capacity, directly or indirectly:

 

(1)        offer for sale, sell, contract to sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of), directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock (including, without limitation, shares of Common Stock that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the Rules and Regulations and shares of Common Stock that may be issued upon exercise of any options or warrants) or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock,

 

(2)        enter into any swap, hedge or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of shares of Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise,

 

 

(3)        make any demand for or exercise any right or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or any other securities of the Company,

 

(4)        establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position in securities of the Company, or

 

(5)        publicly disclose the intention by the undersigned individually to do any of the foregoing, for a period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 60^th day after the date of the Prospectus relating to the Offering (such 60-day period, the “Lock-Up Period”). 

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer securities without the prior written consent of SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. and Seaport Global Securities LLC (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts; (ii) to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned (for purposes of this lock-up agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin); (iii) as a distribution to limited partners, members or stockholders of the undersigned; or (iv) to the undersigned’s affiliates or to any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by the undersigned; provided in the case of any such transfers, it shall be a condition of such transfers that the recipients thereof agree to the lock-up restrictions in this Lock-Up Letter Agreement for the balance of the Lock-Up Period.

 

Any Common Stock received upon exercise of options granted to the undersigned will also be subject to this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.

 

In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company and its transfer agent are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.

 

It is understood that, if the Company notifies the Underwriters that it does not intend to proceed with the Offering, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Shares, the undersigned will be released from its obligations under this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.

 

The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters will  proceed with the Offering in reliance on this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.

 

Whether or not the Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Underwriters.

 

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Lock-Up Letter Agreement and that, upon request, the undersigned will execute any additional documents necessary in connection with the enforcement hereof. Any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns of the undersigned.

  

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

By:______________________________ 

Name:

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

EXHIBIT B-1

 

FORM OF OPINION OF ISSUER’S CORPORATE COUNSEL

 

 

 

EXHIBIT B-2

 

FORM OF OPINION OF ISSUER’S NEVADA COUNSEL

 

 

 

EXHIBIT C

 

FORM OF INITIAL EXPERT LETTER