WARRANT TO PURCHASE STOCK

EX-10.2 7 a2216430zex-10_2.htm EX-10.2

Exhibit 10.2

THIS WARRANT AND THE SHARES ISSUABLE HEREUNDER HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “ACT”), OR ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, AND, EXCEPT AND PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE 5 BELOW, MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED WITHOUT AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION THEREOF UNDER THE ACT AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, OR PURSUANT TO RULE 144 OR AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE ACT AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

Corporation:		ROCKET FUEL INC., a Delaware corporation
Number of Shares:		104,997
Class of Stock:		Series A Preferred Stock
Warrant Price:		$0.9286 per share
Issue Date:		April 7, 2010
Expiration Date:		April 7, 2017

THIS WARRANT TO PURCHASE STOCK (THIS “WARRANT”) CERTIFIES THAT, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, COMERICA BANK, a Texas banking association, or its assignee (“Holder”), is entitled to purchase the number of fully paid and nonassessable shares of the class of securities (the “Shares”) of ROCKET FUEL INC. (the “Company”) at the Warrant Price, all as set forth above and as adjusted pursuant to the terms of this Warrant, subject to the provisions and upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Warrant.

ARTICLE 1
EXERCISE

1.1 Method of Exercise. Holder may exercise this Warrant by a duly executed Notice of Exercise in substantially the form attached as Appendix I to the principal office of the Company (or such other appropriate location as Holder is so instructed by the Company). Holder shall also deliver to the Company a check, wire transfer (to an account designated by the Company) or other form of payment acceptable to the Company for the aggregate Warrant Price for the Shares being purchased.

1.2 Intentionally Omitted.

1.3 Delivery of Certificate and New Warrant. Within 30 days after Holder exercises this Warrant and the Company receives payment of the aggregate Warrant Price, the Company shall deliver to Holder certificates for the Shares acquired and, if this Warrant has not been fully exercised and has not expired, a warrant representing the Shares not so acquired, in substantially the same form as this Warrant.

1.4 Replacement of Warrants. In the case of loss, theft or destruction of this Warrant, upon delivery of an indemnity agreement reasonably satisfactory in form and amount to the Company or, in the case of mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation of this Warrant, the Company at its expense shall execute and deliver, in lieu of this Warrant, a new warrant, in substantially the same form as this Warrant.

1.5 Acquisition of the Company.

1.5.1 “Acquisition.” For the purpose of this Warrant, “Acquisition” means (a) any sale, license, or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets (including intellectual property) of the Company, or (b) any reorganization, consolidation, merger, sale of the voting securities of the Company or other transaction or series of related transactions where the holders of the Company’s securities before the transaction or series of related transactions beneficially own less than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the surviving entity after the transaction or series of related transactions, other than in the case of a bona fide equity financing

1.5.2 Treatment of Warrant in the Event of an Acquisition. The Company shall give Holder written notice at least 15 days prior to the closing of any proposed Acquisition. The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to cause (i) the acquirer of the Company, (ii) successor or surviving entity or (iii) parent entity in an Acquisition (the “Acquirer”) to assume this Warrant as a part of the Acquisition.

(a) If the Acquirer assumes this Warrant, then this Warrant shall be exercisable for the same securities, cash, and property as would be payable for the Shares issuable upon exercise of the unexercised portion of this Warrant as if such Shares were outstanding on the record date for the Acquisition and subsequent closing. The Warrant Price shall be adjusted accordingly, and the Warrant Price and number and class of Shares shall continue to be subject to adjustment from time to time in accordance with the provisions hereof.

(b) If the Acquirer refuses to assume this Warrant in connection with the Acquisition, the Company shall give Holder an additional written notice at least ten (10) days prior to the closing of the Acquisition of such fact. In such event, notwithstanding any other provision of this Warrant to the contrary, Holder may immediately exercise this Warrant in the manner specified in this Warrant with such exercise effective immediately prior to closing of the Acquisition. If Holder elects not to exercise this Warrant, then this Warrant will terminate immediately prior to the closing of the Acquisition.

ARTICLE 2

ADJUSTMENTS TO THE SHARES

2.1 Stock Dividends, Splits, Etc. If the Company declares or pays a dividend on its common stock payable in common stock, or other securities, or subdivides the outstanding common stock into a greater amount of common stock, then upon exercise of this Warrant, for each Share acquired, Holder shall receive, without cost to Holder, the total number and kind of securities to which Holder would have been entitled had Holder owned the Shares of record as of the date the dividend or subdivision occurred.

2.2 Reclassification, Exchange or Substitution. Upon any reclassification, exchange, substitution, or other event that results in a change of the number and/or class of the securities issuable upon exercise or conversion of this Warrant, Holder shall be entitled to receive, upon exercise or conversion of this Warrant, the number and kind of securities and property that Holder would have received for the Shares if this Warrant had been exercised immediately before such reclassification, exchange, substitution, or other event. Such an event shall include any automatic conversion of the outstanding or issuable securities of the Company of the same class or series as the Shares to common stock pursuant to the terms of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation upon the closing of a registered public offering of the Company’s common stock. The Company or its successor shall promptly issue to Holder a new warrant for such new securities or other property. The new warrant shall provide for adjustments which shall be as nearly equivalent as may be practicable to the adjustments provided for in this Article 2 including, without limitation, adjustments to the Warrant Price and the number of securities or property issuable upon exercise of the new warrant. The provisions of this Section 2.2 shall similarly apply to successive reclassifications, exchanges, substitutions, or other events.

2.3 Adjustments for Combinations, Etc. If the outstanding Shares are combined or consolidated, by reclassification, reverse split or otherwise, into a lesser Number of Shares, the Warrant Price shall be proportionately increased. If the outstanding Shares are split or multiplied, by reclassification or otherwise, into a greater Number of Shares, the Warrant Price shall be proportionately decreased.

2.4 Adjustments for Diluting Issuances. The antidilution rights applicable to the shares of Series A Preferred Stock purchasable hereunder are set forth in Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, as may be amended from time to time). Such antidilution rights shall not be restated, amended, modified or waived in any manner without Holder’s prior written consent if the effect of such restatement, amendment, modification or waiver on

Holder hereof would treat the Holder hereof substantially differently than the other holders of the same series of Company’s Preferred Stock.

2.5 No Impairment. The Company shall not, by amendment of its Certificate of Incorporation or through a reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue, or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms to be observed or performed under this Warrant by the Company, but shall at all times in good faith assist in carrying out all the provisions of this Article 2 and in taking all such action as may be necessary or appropriate to protect Holder’s rights under this Article 2 against impairment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may amend or modify its Certificate of Incorporation or take any other action (including any of the transactions described in this Article 2) at any time and for any reason so long as such amendment, modification or action affects Holder in the same manner as such amendment, modification or action affects a majority of the Company’s stockholders holding the same series or class of shares that would be issued to the Holder upon proper exercise of this Warrant as of the date of such amendment, modification or action.

2.6 Certificate as to Adjustments. Upon each adjustment of the Warrant Price, the Company at its expense shall promptly compute such adjustment, and furnish Holder with a certificate signed by its Chief Financial Officer setting forth such adjustment and the facts upon which such adjustment is based. The Company shall, upon written request, furnish Holder a certificate setting forth the Warrant Price in effect upon the date thereof and the series of adjustments leading to such Warrant Price.

2.7 Fractional Shares. No fractional Shares shall be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant and the Number of Shares to be issued shall be rounded down to the nearest whole Share. If a fractional share interest arises upon any exercise of this Warrant, the Company shall eliminate such fractional share interest by paying Holder an amount computed by multiplying the fractional interest by the fair market value, as determined by the Company’s Board of Directors, of a full Share.

ARTICLE 3
REPRESENTATIONS AND COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY

3.1 Representations and Warranties. The Company hereby represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Holder as follows:

3.1.1 The initial Warrant Price referenced on the first page of this Warrant is equal to the lowest per share price paid by purchasers of the Series A Preferred Stock previously issued by the Company.

3.1.2 All Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of the purchase right represented by this Warrant, and all securities, if any, issuable upon conversion of the Shares, shall, upon issuance, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and free of any liens and encumbrances except for restrictions on transfer provided for herein or under applicable federal and state securities laws and other than any liens or encumbrances imposed or incurred by Holder with respect thereto.

3.1.3 The Company’s capitalization table delivered to Holder as of the Issue Date is true and complete as of the Issue Date.

3.2 Notice of Certain Events. If the Company proposes at any time (a) to declare any dividend or distribution upon its stock, whether in cash, property, stock, or other securities and whether or not a regular cash dividend; (b) to offer for subscription pro rata to the holders of any class or series of its stock any additional shares of stock of any class or series or other rights; (c) to effect any reclassification or recapitalization of stock; (d) to consummate an Acquisition or (e) a bona fide equity financing in which the Company issues securities representing more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Company following such financing, then, in connection with each such event, the Company shall give Holder (1) at least 15 days prior written notice of the date on which a record will be taken for such dividend, distribution, or subscription rights (and specifying the date on which the holders of stock will be entitled thereto) or for determining rights to vote, if any, in respect of the matters referred to

in (a) and (b) above; and (2) in the case of the matters referred to in (c), (d) and (e) above at least 15 days prior written notice of the date when the same will take place (and specifying the date on which the holders of stock will be entitled to exchange their stock for securities or other property deliverable upon the occurrence of such event, if applicable). Upon request, the Company shall provide Holder with such information reasonably necessary for Holder to evaluate its rights as a holder of this Warrant or Warrant Shares in the case of matters referred to (a), (b), (c) and (d) herein above. Any notice required pursuant to this Section 3.2 may be waived by Holder, either prospectively or retroactively.

3.3 Information Rights. So long as the Holder holds this Warrant and/or any of the Shares, the Company shall deliver to the Holder (a) promptly after mailing, copies of all communications, information and/or communiqués to the shareholders of the Company, (b) within one hundred fifty (150) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, the annual audited financial statements of the Company certified by independent public accountants of recognized standing and (c) within forty-five (45) days after the end of each of the first three quarters of each fiscal year, the Company’s quarterly, unaudited financial statements. In addition, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, so long as the Holder holds this Warrant and/or any of the Shares, the Company shall afford to the Holder the same access to information concerning the Company and its business and financial condition as would be afforded to a holder of the class of Shares under applicable state law and/or any agreement with any holder of the class of Shares.

3.4 Registration Under the Act. The Company agrees that the Shares or, if the Shares are convertible into common stock of the Company, such common stock, shall be deemed Registrable Securities (as defined in the Rights Agreement) to the extent necessary to entitle Holder to “piggy back” registration rights in accordance with the terms of the that certain Investors Rights Agreement between the Company and its investors dated as of May 19, 2008 (the “Rights Agreement”), a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A. The Company agrees that no amendments to the Rights Agreement will be made without Holder’s prior written consent if the effect of such amendment on Holder hereof would treat the Holder’s “piggy back” registration rights hereunder substantially differently than the other holders of the same series as the Shares. For purposes of clarity, Holder agrees to be subject to the Rights Agreement solely for the purpose of the rights and obligations under Sections 2.2, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8 and 2.12 of the Rights Agreement, which are the rights and obligations of holders of Registrable Securities with respect to “piggy back” registration rights.

3.5 Market Stand-Off Agreement. Holder hereby agrees that it will not, without the prior written consent of the managing underwriters, during the period commencing on the effective date of a registration statement relating to the Company’s initial or other public offering and ending on the date specified by the Company and the managing underwriters (such period not to exceed one hundred eighty (180) days, or such greater period as necessary to permit the underwriters to comply with NASD Rule 2711(f)(4) or NYSE Rule 472(f)(4), or any successor provisions or amendments thereto), such greater period not to exceed thirty (30) days after such 180-day period) (i) lend, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right, or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of the company’s common stock (the “Common Stock”) or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock held immediately before the effective date of the registration statement for such offering or (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash, or otherwise. The foregoing provisions of this Section 3.5 shall not apply to the sale of any shares to an underwriter pursuant to an underwriting agreement, and shall be applicable to the Holder only if all officers, directors and stockholders individually owning more than one percent (1%) of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock are subject to the same restrictions. The underwriters in connection with the offering are intended third-party beneficiaries of this Section 3.5 and shall have the right, power, and authority to enforce the provisions hereof as though they were a party hereto. Holder further agrees to execute such agreements as may be reasonably requested by the managing underwriters in the offering that are consistent with this Section 3.5 or that are necessary to give further effect thereto. Any discretionary waiver or termination of the restrictions of any or all of such agreements by the Company or the underwriters shall apply pro rata to all Holders (as defined in the Rights Agreement) subject to such agreements, based on the number of shares subject to such agreements. In order to enforce the foregoing covenant, the Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to the Registrable Securities of Holder (and the shares or securities of every other person subject to the foregoing restriction) until the end of such period.

ARTICLE 4

INVESTMENT REPRESENTATIONS AND COVENANTS OF HOLDER.

With respect to the acquisition of this Warrant and any of the Shares, Holder hereby represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Company as follows:

4.1 Purchase Entirely for Own Account. This Warrant is issued to Holder in reliance upon Holder’s representation to the Company that this Warrant and the Shares will be acquired for investment for Holder’s, or its affiliate’s, own account, not as a nominee or agent, and not with a view to the resale or distribution of any part thereof other than to an affiliate, and that Holder has no present intention of selling, granting any participation in, or otherwise distributing the same other than to an affiliate. By executing this Warrant, Holder further represents that Holder does not have any contract, undertaking, agreement or arrangement with any person, other than an affiliate, to sell, transfer or grant participations to such person or to any third person with respect to any of the Shares.

4.2 Reliance upon Holder’s Representations. Holder understands that this Warrant and the Shares are not registered under the Act on the ground that the issuance of such securities is exempt from registration under the Act, and that the Company’s reliance on such exemption is predicated on Holder’s representations set forth herein.

4.3 Accredited Investor Status. Holder represents to the Company that Holder is an Accredited Investor (as defined in the Act).

4.4 Restricted Securities. Holder understands that this Warrant and the Shares are “restricted securities” under the federal securities laws inasmuch as they are being acquired from the Company in a transaction not involving a public offering and that under such federal securities laws and applicable regulations such securities may be resold without registration under the Securities Act only in certain limited circumstances.

ARTICLE 5
MISCELLANEOUS

5.1 Term; Exercise Upon Expiration. This Warrant is exercisable in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time on or before the Expiration Date set forth above. The Company agrees that Holder may terminate this Warrant, upon notice to the Company, at any time in its sole discretion.

5.2 Legends. This Warrant and the Shares (and the securities issuable, directly or indirectly, upon conversion of the Shares, if any) shall be imprinted with a legend in substantially the following form:

5.3 Compliance with Securities Laws on Transfer. This Warrant and the Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant (and the securities issuable, directly or indirectly, upon conversion of the Shares, if any) may not be transferred or assigned in whole or in part without compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws by the transferor and the transferee. The Company shall not require Comerica Bank (“Bank”) or a Bank Affiliate (as defined herein) to provide an opinion of counsel or investment representation letter if the transfer is to Bank’s parent company, Comerica Incorporated (“Comerica”), or any other affiliate of Bank (“Bank Affiliate”).

5.4 Transfer Procedure. After receipt of the executed Warrant, Bank will transfer all of this Warrant to Comerica Ventures Incorporated, a non-banking subsidiary of Comerica and a Bank Affiliate (“Ventures”). Subject to the provisions of Section 5.3, Holder may transfer all or part of this Warrant or the Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant (or the securities issuable, directly or indirectly, upon conversion of the Shares, if any) by giving the Company notice of the portion of this Warrant being transferred setting forth the name, address and taxpayer identification number of the transferee and surrendering this Warrant to the Company for reissuance to the transferee(s) (and Holder, if applicable); provided, however, that Holder may transfer all or part of this Warrant to its affiliates, including, without limitation, Ventures, at any time without notice or the delivery of any other instrument to the Company, and such affiliate shall then be entitled to all the rights of Holder under this Warrant and any related agreements, and the Company shall cooperate fully in ensuring that any stock issued upon exercise of this Warrant is issued in the name of the affiliate that exercises this Warrant. The terms and conditions of this Warrant shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the Company and the holders hereof and their respective permitted successors and assigns.

5.5 Notices. All notices and other communications from the Company to the Holder, or vice versa, shall be deemed delivered and effective when given personally or mailed by first-class registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, or sent via a nationally recognized overnight courier service, fee prepaid, or on the first business day after transmission by facsimile, at such address or facsimile number as may have been furnished to the Company or the Holder, as the case may be, in writing by the Company of such Holder from time to time. Effective upon the receipt of executed Warrant and initial transfer described in Section 5.4 above, all notices to the Holder shall be addressed as follows until the Company receives notice of a change of address in connection with a transfer or otherwise:

Comerica Ventures Incorporated

Attn: Warrant Administrator

1717 Main Street, 5th Floor, MC 6406

Dallas, Texas 75201

Facsimile No. (214) 462-4459

All notices to the Company shall be addressed as follows:

ROCKET FUEL INC.

350 Marine Parkway, Suite 220

Redwood Shores, CA 94065

5.6 Amendments; Waiver. This Warrant and any term hereof may be amended, changed, waived, discharged or terminated only by an instrument in writing signed by the party against which enforcement of such amendment, change, waiver, discharge or termination is sought.

5.7 Attorneys’ Fees. In the event of any dispute between the parties concerning the terms and provisions of this Warrant, the party prevailing in such dispute shall be entitled to collect from the other party all costs incurred in such dispute, including reasonable attorneys’ fees.

5.8 Governing Law. This Warrant shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, without giving effect to its principles regarding conflicts of law.

5.9 Confidentiality. The Company hereby agrees to keep the terms and conditions of this Warrant confidential. Notwithstanding the foregoing confidentiality obligation, the Company may, in its discretion, disclose this Warrant and information relating to this Warrant to potential investors, strategic partners or purchasers of the Company and to the advisors and agents of the Company, and otherwise as required by law, rule, regulation, court order or other legal authority.

		ROCKET FUEL INC.


		By:	/s/ George John
			George John, Chief Executive Officer


COMERICA BANK


By:	/s/ [ILLEGIBLE]

APPENDIX I

NOTICE OF EXERCISE

1. The undersigned hereby elects to purchase shares of the stock of ROCKET FUEL INC. pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant, and tenders herewith payment of the purchase price of such shares in full.

2. Please issue a certificate or certificates representing said shares in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:

Comerica Ventures Incorporated

Attn: Warrant Administrator

1717 Main Street, 5th Floor, MC 6406

Dallas, Texas 75201

Facsimile No. ###-###-####

3. The undersigned hereby makes the representations and warranties contained in Section 4 of the Warrant.

COMERICA VENTURES INCORPORATED or Assignee


(Signature)



(Name and Title)



(Date)

Exhibit A

Registration Rights

Investor Rights Agreement (including all amendments thereto) — ATTACHED HERETO