Common Stock Purchase Agreement, dated May
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EX-10.1 2 ex101purchaseagreement5922.htm EX-10.1 Document
“Variable Rate Transaction” means a transaction in which the Company (i) issues or sells any equity or debt securities that are convertible into, exchangeable or exercisable for, or include the right to receive additional shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents either (A) at a conversion price, exercise price, exchange rate or other price that is based upon and/or varies with the trading prices of or quotations for the Common Stock at any time after the initial issuance of such equity or debt securities, or (B) with a conversion, exercise or exchange price that is subject to being reset at some future date after the initial issuance of such equity or debt security or upon the occurrence of specified or contingent events directly or indirectly related to the business of the Company or the market for the Common Stock (including, without limitation, any “full ratchet” or “weighted average” anti-dilution provisions, but not including any standard anti-dilution protection for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split or other similar transaction), (ii) issues or sells any equity or debt securities, including without limitation, Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents, either (A) at a price that is subject to being reset at some future date after the initial issuance of such debt or equity security or upon the occurrence of specified or contingent events directly or indirectly related to the business of the Company or the market for the Common Stock (other than standard anti-dilution protection for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split or other similar transaction), or (B) that are subject to or contain any put, call, redemption, buy-back, price-reset or other similar provision or mechanism (including, without limitation, a “Black-Scholes” put or call right, other than in connection with a “fundamental transaction”) that provides for the issuance of additional equity securities of the Company or the payment of cash by the Company, or (iii) enters into any agreement, including, but not limited to, an “equity line of credit” or “at the market offering” or other continuous offering or similar offering of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents, whereby the Company may sell Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents at a future determined price.
Exhibit 10.1
COMMON STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This COMMON STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of May 9, 2022 (this “Agreement”), by and between The Jones Group Ventures LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Investor”), and Boxed, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the parties desire that, upon the terms and subject to the conditions and limitations set forth herein, the Company may issue and sell to the Investor, from time to time as provided herein, and the Investor shall purchase from the Company, up to the lesser of (i) $100,000,000 in aggregate gross purchase price of newly issued shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), and (ii) the Exchange Cap (to the extent applicable under Section 3.3);
WHEREAS, such sales of Common Stock by the Company to the Investor will be made in reliance upon the provisions of Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act (“Section 4(a)(2)”) or upon such other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act as may be available with respect to any or all of the sales of Common Stock to the Investor to be made hereunder;
WHEREAS, the parties hereto are concurrently entering into a Registration Rights Agreement in the form attached as Exhibit A hereto (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company shall register the resale of the Registrable Securities (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein; and
WHEREAS, in consideration for the Investor’s execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company is concurrently issuing the Upfront Commitment Fee by transfer of the Commitment Shares pursuant to and in accordance with Section 10.1(ii);
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Capitalized terms used in this Agreement shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in Annex I hereto, and hereby made a part hereof, or as otherwise set forth in this Agreement.
ARTICLE II
PURCHASE AND SALE OF COMMON STOCK
Section 2.1Purchase and Sale of Stock. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, during the Investment Period, the Company, in its sole discretion, shall have the right, but not the obligation, to issue and sell to the Investor, and the Investor shall purchase from the Company, up to the lesser of (i) $100,000,000 (the “Total Commitment”) in aggregate gross purchase price of duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock and (ii) the Exchange Cap, to the extent applicable under Section 3.3 (such lesser amount of shares of Common Stock, the “Aggregate Limit”), by the delivery to the Investor of VWAP Purchase Notices as provided in Article III.
Section 2.2Closing Date; Settlement Dates. This Agreement shall become effective and binding upon the delivery of counterpart signature pages of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement executed by each of the parties hereto and thereto. In consideration of and in express reliance upon the representations, warranties and covenants contained in, and upon the terms and subject to the conditions of, this Agreement, during the Investment Period, the Company, at its sole option and discretion, may issue and sell to the Investor, and, if the Company elects to so issue and sell, the Investor shall purchase from the Company, the Shares in respect of each VWAP Purchase (as defined below). The delivery of Shares in respect of each VWAP Purchase, and the payment for such Shares, shall occur in accordance with Section 3.2.
Section 2.3Initial Public Announcements and Required Filings. The Company shall, within the time period required under the Exchange Act, disclose in a manner permitted by the Exchange Act the execution of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement by the Company and the Investor and describing the material terms thereof, including, without limitation, the Upfront Commitment Fee payable by the Company to the Investor in accordance with Section 10.1(ii), and attaching as exhibits thereto copies of each of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and, if applicable, any press release issued by the Company disclosing the execution of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement by the Company (including all exhibits thereto, the “Initial Report”). The Company shall provide the Investor a reasonable opportunity to comment on a draft of the Initial Report prior to filing the Initial Report with the Commission and shall give due consideration to all such comments. From and after the filing of a current report on Form 8-K with the Commission, the Company shall have publicly disclosed all material, nonpublic information delivered to the Investor (or the Investor’s representatives or agents) by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents or representatives (if any) in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. The Investor covenants that until such time as the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement are publicly disclosed by the Company as described in this Section 2.3, the Investor shall maintain the confidentiality of all disclosures made to it in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (including the existence and terms of the transactions contemplated thereby), except that the Investor may disclose the terms of such transactions to its financial, accounting, legal and other advisors (provided that the Investor directs such Persons to maintain the confidentiality of such information).
ARTICLE III
PURCHASE TERMS
Subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Article VII, the parties agree as follows:
Section 3.1VWAP Purchases. Upon the initial satisfaction of all of the conditions set forth in Section 7.2 (the “Commencement” and the date of initial satisfaction of all of such conditions, the “Commencement Date”) and from time to time thereafter, subject to the satisfaction of all of the conditions set forth in Section 7.3, the Company shall have the right, but not the obligation, to direct the Investor, by its timely delivery, on a Trading Day, to the Investor of a VWAP Purchase Notice, after 6:00 a.m., New York City time, but prior to 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on a VWAP Purchase Date, to purchase the applicable VWAP Purchase Share Amount, not to exceed the applicable VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount, at the applicable VWAP Purchase Price therefor on such VWAP Purchase Date in accordance with this Agreement (each such purchase, a “VWAP Purchase”). The Company may timely deliver a VWAP Purchase Notice to the Investor as often as every Trading Day, so long as all Shares subject to all prior VWAP Purchases theretofore required to have been received by the Investor as DWAC Shares under this Agreement have been delivered to the Investor as DWAC Shares in accordance with this Agreement. The Investor is obligated to accept each VWAP Purchase Notice prepared and delivered by the Company in accordance with the terms of and subject to the satisfaction of the conditions contained in this Agreement. If the Company delivers any VWAP Purchase Notice directing the Investor to purchase a VWAP Purchase Share Amount in excess of the applicable VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount, such VWAP Purchase Notice shall be void ab initio to the extent of the amount by which the VWAP Purchase Share Amount set forth in such VWAP Purchase Notice exceeds such applicable VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount, and the Investor shall have no obligation to purchase, and shall not purchase, such Excess Shares pursuant to such VWAP Purchase Notice; provided, however, that the Investor shall remain obligated to purchase the applicable VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount pursuant to such VWAP Purchase. Each VWAP Purchase Notice must include a VWAP Purchase Share Estimate. Each VWAP Purchase Notice must be accompanied by irrevocable instructions to the Company’s transfer agent to immediately issue and deliver to the Investor an amount of Common Stock equal to the VWAP Purchase Share Estimate. In no event shall the Investor, pursuant to any VWAP Purchase, purchase (or be deemed to have purchased) a number of Shares constituting the applicable VWAP Purchase Share Amount that exceeds the VWAP Purchase Share Estimate issued on the VWAP Purchase Date in connection with such VWAP Purchase Notice; however, the Investor will promptly instruct the transfer agent to return to the Company any amount of Common Stock issued pursuant to the VWAP Purchase Share Estimate that exceeds the number of Shares constituting the applicable VWAP Purchase Share Amount the Investor actually purchases in connection with such VWAP Purchase (such amount, the “Excess Shares”). Alternatively, if the transfer agent does not return the Excess Shares to the Company on the VWAP Purchase Date in accordance with the Investor’s instructions, or if otherwise instructed in writing by the Company, the Investor may retain such Excess Shares (provided that the Investor will not be deemed to have purchased such Excess Shares, and such Excess Shares shall be deemed to be treasury shares of the Company), and such Excess Shares will be deemed pre-delivered Shares that will reduce the number of Shares required to be delivered by the Company in accordance with this section on the next VWAP Purchase Date in connection with the next VWAP Purchase Notice; provided, however, that the Company shall have the right, upon delivery of written notice to the Investor at any time, to request that the Investor return all or a portion of such Excess Shares to the Company. At or prior to 7:00 p.m., New York City time, on the VWAP Purchase Date for each VWAP Purchase, the Investor shall provide to the Company a written confirmation for such VWAP Purchase setting forth the applicable VWAP Purchase Price per Share to be paid by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase, and the total aggregate VWAP Purchase Price to be paid by the
Investor for the total VWAP Purchase Share Amount purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not deliver any VWAP Purchase Notices to the Investor during the Post-Effective Amendment Period.
Section 3.2Settlement. The Shares constituting the applicable VWAP Purchase Share Amount purchased by the Investor in each VWAP Purchase shall be delivered to the Investor as DWAC Shares not later than the VWAP Purchase Share Delivery Date (as defined below), it being acknowledged and agreed that the Company may not deliver any additional VWAP Purchase Notice to the Investor until all such Shares subject to such VWAP Purchase, and all Shares subject to all prior VWAP Purchase Notices, have been received by the Investor as DWAC Shares in accordance with this Agreement. For each VWAP Purchase, the Investor shall pay to the Company an amount in cash equal to the product of (a) the total number of Shares purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase and (b) the applicable VWAP Purchase Price for such Shares (the “VWAP Purchase Amount”), as full payment for such Shares purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase, via wire transfer of available funds, not later than 5:30 p.m., New York City time, on the second Trading Day (T+2) following the date of the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice, subject to any administrative delays imposed by any transfer agent, exchange or clearinghouse, (the “VWAP Purchase Share Delivery Date”) for such VWAP Purchase, provided the Investor shall have timely received, as DWAC Shares, all of such Shares purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase on such VWAP Purchase Share Delivery Date in accordance with the first sentence of this Section 3.2. If the Investor fails to pay the VWAP Purchase Amount when due, the Investor will return the DWAC Shares to the Company. If the Company or the transfer agent shall fail for any reason, other than a failure of the Investor to set up a DWAC and required instructions, to deliver to the Investor, as DWAC Shares, any Shares purchased by the Investor in a VWAP Purchase prior to 10:30 a.m., New York City time, on the Trading Day immediately following the applicable VWAP Purchase Share Delivery Date for such VWAP Purchase, and if on or after such Trading Day the Investor purchases (in an open market transaction or otherwise) shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Investor of such Shares that the Investor anticipated receiving from the Company on such VWAP Purchase Share Delivery Date in respect of such VWAP Purchase, then the Company shall, within one (1) Trading Day after the Investor’s request, either (i) pay cash to the Investor in an amount equal to the Investor’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased (the “Cover Price”), at which point the Company’s obligation to deliver such Shares as DWAC Shares shall terminate, or (ii) promptly honor its obligation to deliver to the Investor such Shares as DWAC Shares and pay cash to the Investor in an amount equal to the excess (if any) of the Cover Price over the total purchase price paid by the Investor pursuant to this Agreement for all of the Shares purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase; provided, however, that that Investor agrees to use its reasonable efforts to purchase shares of Common Stock in respect of the Cover Price only in normal brokerage transactions at the prevailing price per share of Common Stock then available. The Company shall not issue any fraction of a share of Common Stock to the Investor in connection with any VWAP Purchase effected pursuant to this Agreement. If the issuance would result in the issuance of a fraction of a share of Common Stock, the Company shall round such fraction of a share of Common Stock up or down to the nearest whole share. All payments to be made by the Investor pursuant to this Agreement shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to such account as the Company may from time to time designate by written notice to the Investor in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
Section 3.3Compliance with Rules of Trading Market.
(a)Exchange Cap. Subject to Section 3.3(b), the Company shall not issue or sell any shares of Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement, and the Investor shall not purchase or acquire any shares of Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement, to the extent that after giving effect thereto, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that would be issued pursuant to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby would exceed such number of shares representing the lower of (i) 19.99% of the aggregate voting power of the Common Stock and (ii) 19.99% of the total number of shares of issued and outstanding Common Stock immediately prior to the execution of this Agreement), which number of shares shall be reduced, on a share-for-share basis, by the number of shares of Common Stock issued or issuable pursuant to any transaction or series of transactions that may be aggregated with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement under applicable rules of the Trading Market (such maximum number of shares, the “Exchange Cap”), unless the Company’s stockholders have approved the issuance of Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement in excess of the Exchange Cap in accordance with the applicable rules of the Trading Market. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company may, but shall be under no obligation to, request its stockholders to approve the issuance of Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement; provided, that if such stockholder approval is not obtained, the Exchange Cap shall be applicable for all purposes of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby at all times during the term of this Agreement (except as set forth in Section 3.3(b)).
(b)At-Market Transaction. Notwithstanding Section 3.3(a) above, Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement shall not count against the Exchange Cap to the extent the VWAP Purchase Price for such Shares exceeds the Minimum Price.
(c)General. The Company shall not issue or sell any shares of Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement if such issuance or sale would reasonably be expected to result in (A) a violation of the Securities Act or (B) a breach of the rules of the Trading Market. The provisions of this Section 3.3 shall not be implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 3.3 unless necessary to ensure compliance with the Securities Act and the applicable rules of the Trading Market.
Section 3.1Beneficial Ownership Limitation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Company shall not issue or sell, and the Investor shall not purchase or acquire, any shares of Common Stock under this Agreement which, when aggregated with all other shares of Common Stock then beneficially owned by the Investor and its affiliates (as calculated pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13d-3 promulgated thereunder), would result in the beneficial ownership by the Investor and its affiliates (on an aggregated basis) of more than 4.99% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the “Beneficial Ownership Limitation”). Upon the written request of the Investor, the Company shall promptly (but not later than the next business day on which the Company’s transfer agent is open for business) confirm orally or in writing to the Investor the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. The Investor and the Company shall each cooperate in good faith in the determinations required under this Section 3.4 and the application of this Section 3.4. The Investor’s written certification to the Company of the applicability of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the resulting effect thereof hereunder at any time, shall be conclusive with respect to the applicability thereof and such result absent manifest error. The provisions of this Section 3.4 shall not be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 3.4 to the extent necessary to properly give effect to the limitations contained in this Section 3.4.
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY
The Company hereby makes the following representations, warranties and covenants to the Investor:
Section 4.1No Other Offering Material. The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of each VWAP Purchase Date and completion of the distribution of the Shares, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares other than the Registration Statement and Prospectus.
Section 4.2No Misstatement or Omission. The Registration Statement, when it became or becomes effective, and the Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, on the date of such Prospectus or amendment or supplement, conformed and will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act. At each VWAP Purchase Date, the Registration Statement and Prospectus, as of such date, will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act. The Registration Statement, when it became or becomes effective, did not, and will 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 not misleading. The Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, on the date thereof and at each VWAP Purchase Date, did not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement did not, and any further documents filed and incorporated by reference therein will 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 in such document or necessary to make the statements in such document, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The foregoing shall not apply to statements in, or omissions from, any such document made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished to the Company by the Investor specifically for use in the preparation thereof.
Section 4.3Issuance of Securities. The Commitment Shares and the Shares will be, prior to the delivery to the Investor hereunder, duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company. The Commitment Shares, when issued to the Investor in accordance with this Agreement, and the Shares, when issued and sold against payment therefor in accordance with this Agreement, shall be validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable and free from all liens, charges, taxes, security interests, encumbrances, rights of first refusal, preemptive or similar rights and other encumbrances with respect to the issue thereof, and the Investor shall be entitled to all rights accorded to a holder of Common Stock.
Section 4.4Financial Information. The financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Commission Documents, together with the related notes and schedules, present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of the dates indicated and the results of operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity of the Company for the periods specified and have been prepared in compliance with the requirements of the Securities Act and Exchange Act and in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis (except for (i) such adjustments to accounting standards and practices as are noted therein, (ii) in the case of unaudited interim financial statements, to the extent such financial statements may not include footnotes required by GAAP or may be condensed or summary statements and (iii) such adjustments which will not be material, either individually or in the aggregate) during the periods involved; the other financial and statistical data with respect to the Company contained or incorporated by reference in the Commission Documents are accurately and fairly presented and prepared on a basis consistent with the financial statements and books and records of the Company; there are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that are not included or incorporated by reference as required; the Company does not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), not described in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), and the Prospectus; and all disclosures contained or incorporated by reference in the Commission Documents regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, to the extent applicable.
Section 4.5Organization. The Company is duly organized, validly existing as a corporation and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization. The Company is duly licensed or qualified as a foreign corporation for transaction of business and in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such license or qualification, and has all corporate power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Commission Documents, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.6Subsidiaries. Exhibit 21.1 of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K sets forth, as of the date thereof, each Subsidiary of the Company, other than those that may be omitted pursuant to Item 601 of Regulation S-K, showing its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization, and the Company does not have any other Subsidiaries as of the Closing Date.
Section 4.7No Violation or Default. The Company is not (i) in violation of the Charter or by‑laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) 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 or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the Company’s knowledge, no other party under any material contract or other agreement to which it is a party is in default in any respect thereunder where such default would have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.8No Material Adverse Effect. Subsequent to the latest date of which information is given in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus, there has not been (i) any Material Adverse Effect, (ii) any transaction which is material to the Company, (iii) any obligation or liability, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), incurred by the Company which is material to the Company, (iv) any material change in the capital stock or outstanding long-term indebtedness of the Company (other than (A) the grant of additional awards under equity incentive plans, (B) changes in the number of shares of outstanding Common Stock due to settlement, exercise or conversion of securities exercisable for or convertible into Common Stock outstanding as of the date of this Agreement, (C) any repurchase of capital stock of the Company, (D) as a result of the sale of Shares or (E) other than as publicly reported or announced) or (v) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on the capital stock of the Company, other than in each case above in the ordinary course of business or as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus (including any document deemed incorporated by reference therein).
Section 4.10Authorization; Enforceability. The Company has full legal right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and perform the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming the valid execution and delivery by the other parties to this Agreement, is a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable in accordance with its terms, except to (i) the extent that enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles and (ii) the indemnification and contribution provisions of Article 9 hereof may be limited by federal or state securities laws and public policy considered in respect thereof.
Section 4.10No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company this Agreement, the issuance and sale by the Company of the Shares, except for such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities laws or by the by‑laws and rules of FINRA or the Trading Market in connection with the sale of the Shares by the Investor.
Section 4.11Independent Public Accountant. Deloitte & Touche LLP (the “Accountant”), whose report on the financial statements of the Company is included in the Commission Documents, are and, during the periods covered by their report, were an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). To the Company’s knowledge, after due and careful inquiry, the Accountant is not in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) with respect to the Company.
Section 4.13Enforceability of Agreements. Assuming the valid execution and delivery by the other parties to such agreements, all agreements between the Company and third parties expressly referenced in the Prospectus are legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, except to the extent that (i) enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles, (ii) the indemnification provisions of certain agreements may be limited be federal or state securities laws or public policy considerations in respect thereof and (iii) any unenforceability, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.14No Litigation. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings pending, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, to which the Company is a party or to which any property of the Company is the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; to the Company’s knowledge, no such actions, suits or proceedings are threatened or contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others; and (i) there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Prospectus that are not so described; and (ii) there are no contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not so filed.
Section 4.15Licenses and Permits. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company possesses or has obtained, all licenses, certificates, consents, orders, approvals, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in the Commission Documents (the “Permits”), except where the failure to possess, obtain or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company has not received written notice of any proceeding relating to revocation or modification of any such Permit or has any reason to believe that such Permit will not be renewed in the ordinary course, except where the failure to obtain any such renewal would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.16Solvency. The Company has not taken any steps, and does not currently expect to take any steps, to seek protection pursuant to Title 11 of the United States Code or any similar federal or state bankruptcy law or law for the relief of debtors, nor does the Company have any knowledge that its creditors intend to initiate involuntary bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or liquidation proceedings or other proceedings for relief under Title 11 of the United States Code or any other federal or state bankruptcy law or any law for the relief of debtors. Except as disclosed in the Commission Documents, the Company is financially solvent and is generally able to pay its debts as they become due.
Section 4.16No Material Defaults. The Company has not defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not filed a report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the filing of the 2021 Form 10‑K, indicating that it (i) has failed to pay any dividend or sinking fund installment on preferred stock or (ii) has defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.17. Dilutive Effect. The Company is aware and acknowledges that issuance of the Shares could cause dilution to existing stockholders and could significantly increase the outstanding number of shares of Common Stock. The Company further acknowledges that its obligation to issue the Shares to be purchased by the Investor pursuant to a VWAP Purchase is, upon the Company’s delivery to the Investor of a VWAP Purchase Notice for a VWAP Purchase in accordance with this Agreement, absolute and unconditional following the delivery of such VWAP Purchase Notice to the Investor, regardless of the dilutive effect that such issuance may have on the ownership interests of other stockholders of the Company.
Section 4.18. Manipulation of Price. Neither the Company nor any of its officers or directors has, and, to the knowledge of the Company, no Person acting on their behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed or intended to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company, or which caused or resulted in, or which would in the future reasonably be expected to cause or result in, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company, in each case to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Shares, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Shares, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company. During the term of this Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its officers or directors will take, nor will the Company direct any Person acting on its behalf to take, any of the actions referred to in the immediately preceding sentence.
Section 4.19Listing and Maintenance Requirements; DTC Eligibility. The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, and the Company shall not have taken any action designed to, or which to its knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act, nor shall the Company have received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration. The Company shall not have received notice from the Trading Market to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements of the Trading Market. The Common Stock shall be eligible for participation in the DTC book entry system and there shall be shares on deposit at DTC for transfer electronically to third parties via DTC through its Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian (“DWAC”) delivery system. The Company shall not have received notice from DTC to the effect that a suspension of, or restriction on, accepting additional deposits of the Common Stock, electronic trading or book-entry services by DTC with respect to the Common Stock is being imposed or is contemplated.
Section 4.20Broker/Dealer Relationships. Neither the Company, any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of the Company’s controlled Affiliates (i) is required to register as a “broker” or “dealer” in accordance with the provisions of the Exchange Act or (ii) directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is a “person associated with a member” or “associated person of a member” (within the meaning set forth in the rules and regulations of FINRA).
Section 4.21No Reliance. The Company has not relied upon the Investor or legal counsel for the Investor for any legal, tax or accounting advice in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.
Section 4.22Taxes. The Company has filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns which have been required to be filed and paid all taxes shown thereon through the date hereof, to the extent that such taxes have become due and are not being contested in good faith, except where the failure to file or pay would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in or contemplated by the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company which has had, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has no knowledge of any federal, state or other governmental tax deficiency, penalty or assessment which has been or is reasonably expected to be asserted or threatened against it which would have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.23Title to Real and Personal Property. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company has good and valid title in fee simple to all items of real property and good and valid title to all personal property described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus as being owned by it that are material to the businesses of the Company, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and claims, except those that (i) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or (ii) would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Any real property described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus as being leased by the Company is held by it under valid, existing and enforceable leases, except those that (A) do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company or (B) would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.24Intellectual Property. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company owns or possesses adequate enforceable rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks (both registered and unregistered), service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”), necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as conducted as of the date hereof, except to the extent that the failure to own or possess adequate rights to use such Intellectual Property would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company has not received any written notice of any claim of infringement or conflict which asserted Intellectual Property rights of others, which infringement or conflict, if the subject of a decision that is unfavorable to the Company, would result in a Material Adverse Effect; there are no pending, or to the Company’s knowledge, threatened judicial proceedings or interference proceedings challenging the Company’s rights in or to or the validity of the scope of any of the Company’s patents, patent applications or proprietary information, except if such proceedings would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.25Environmental Laws. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company (i) is in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules, regulations, decisions and orders relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (ii) has received and is in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of it under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its businesses as described in the Commission Documents; and (iii) has not received notice of any actual or potential liability for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except, in the case of any of clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) above, for any such failure to comply or failure to receive required permits, licenses, other approvals or liability as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.26Disclosure Controls. Except as disclosed in the Commission Documents, the Company maintains systems of internal controls (as such term is defined in Item 307(b) of Regulation S‑K under the Securities Act) designed to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting (other than as set forth in the Prospectus or incorporated by reference therein). Since the date of the latest audited financial statements of the Company included in the Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (other than as set forth in the Prospectus). The Company has established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a‑15 and 15d‑15) for the Company and designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that material information relating to the Company is made known to the certifying officers by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10‑K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as the case may be, is being prepared. Other than as permitted by interpretive guidance of the Commission, the Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of the Form 10‑K for the fiscal year most recently ended (such date, the “Evaluation Date”). Other than as permitted by interpretive guidance of the Commission, the Company presented in its most recent Annual Report on Form 10‑K the conclusions of the certifying officers about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on their evaluations as of the Evaluation Date. Except as disclosed in the Commission Documents, since the Evaluation Date, there have been no significant changes in the Company’s internal controls or, to the Company’s knowledge, in other factors that would be reasonably expected to significantly affect the Company’s internal controls. Except as disclosed in the Commission Documents, to the knowledge of the Company, the Company’s “internal controls over financial reporting” and “disclosure controls and procedures” are effective.
Section 4.27Sarbanes-Oxley. The Company is not aware of any failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder in all material respects. Each of the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer of the Company (or each former principal executive officer of the Company and each former principal financial officer of the Company as applicable) has made all certifications required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act with respect to all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by it or furnished by it to the Commission since December 8, 2021. For purposes of the preceding sentence, “principal executive officer” and “principal financial officer” shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
Section 4.28Finder’s Fees. The Company has not incurred any liability for any finder’s fees, brokerage commissions or similar payments in connection with the transactions herein contemplated, except as may otherwise exist with respect to Investor pursuant to this Agreement.
Section 4.29Labor Disputes. Except as disclosed in the Commission Documents, no labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened which would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.30Investment Company Act. The Company is not nor, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares, will it be an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company,” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
Section 4.31Operations. The operations of the Company are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions to which the Company is subject, 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”), except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
Section 4.32Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements. There are no transactions, arrangements and other relationships between and/or among the Company, and/or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of its Affiliates and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any structural finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity (each, an “Off Balance Sheet Transaction”) that would reasonably be expected to affect materially the Company’s liquidity or the availability of or requirements for its capital resources, including those Off Balance Sheet Transactions described in the Commission’s Statement about Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations (Release Nos. 33‑8056; 34‑45321; FR‑61), required to be described in the Prospectus which have not been described as required.
Section 4.33Other Distribution or Underwriter Arrangements. The Company is not a party to any agreement with an agent or underwriter for any other continuous equity transaction other than this Agreement.
Section 4.34ERISA. To the knowledge of the Company, each material employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA, that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any of its Affiliates for employees or former employees of the Company has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), except for such failure to comply as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred which would result in a material liability to the Company with respect to any such plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; and for each such plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no “accumulated funding deficiency” as defined in Section 412 of the Code has been incurred, whether or not waived, and the fair market value of the assets of each such plan (excluding for these purposes accrued but unpaid contributions) exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such plan determined using reasonable actuarial assumptions.
Section 4.35Forward Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) (a “Forward Looking Statement”) contained in the Commission Documents has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
Section 4.36Margin Rules. To the Company’s knowledge, neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in the Commission Documents will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.
Section 4.37Insurance. The Company carries, or is covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company reasonably believes is adequate for the conduct of its business and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries.
Section 4.38 Exemption from Registration. Subject to, and in reliance on, the representations, warranties and covenants made herein by the Investor, the offer and sale of the Shares in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement is exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act pursuant to Section 4(a)(2); provided, however, that at the request of and with the express agreement of the Investor, the Shares to be issued from and after Commencement to or for the benefit of the Investor pursuant to this Agreement shall be issued to the Investor or its designee only as DWAC Shares and will not bear legends noting restrictions as to resale of such securities under federal or state securities laws, nor will any such securities be subject to stop transfer instructions.
Section 4.39No Improper Practices. (i) Neither the Company nor to the Company’s knowledge, any of its respective executive officers has, in the past five years, made any unlawful contributions to any candidate for any political office (or failed fully to disclose any contribution in violation of law) or made any contribution or other payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state, municipal, or foreign office or other person charged with similar public or quasi-public duty in violation of any law or of the character required to be disclosed in the Prospectus; (ii) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any Affiliate of any the Company, on the one hand, and the directors, officers and stockholders of the Company, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in the Commission Documents that is not so described; (iii) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any Affiliate of the Company, on the one hand, and the directors, officers or stockholders of the Company, that is required by the rules of FINRA to be described in the Commission Documents that is not so described; (iv) except as described in the Prospectus, there are no material outstanding loans or advances or material guarantees of indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of its officers or directors or any of the members of the families of any of them; and (v) the Company has not offered, or caused any placement agent to offer, Common Stock to any person with the intent to influence unlawfully (A) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company or (B) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or any of its products or services, and, (vi) neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee or agent of the Company has made any payment of funds of the Company or received or retained any funds in violation of any law, rule or regulation (including, without limitation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (the “FCPA”)), which payment, receipt or retention of funds is of a character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.
Section 4.40No Conflicts. Neither the execution of this Agreement, nor the issuance, offering or sale of the Shares, nor the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated herein and therein, nor the compliance by the Company with the terms and provisions hereof and thereof will conflict with, or will result in a breach of, any of the terms and provisions of, or has constituted or will constitute a default under, or has resulted in or will result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any contract or other agreement to which the Company may be bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject, except (i) such conflicts, breaches or defaults as may have been waived and (ii) such conflicts, breaches and defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; nor will such action result (x) in any violation of the provisions of the organizational or governing documents of the Company, or (y) in any material violation of the provisions of any statute or any order, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or of any court or of any federal, state or other regulatory authority or other government body having jurisdiction over the Company, other than in each case any such conflict, breach or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.41OFAC. The Company represents that, neither it nor, to its knowledge, any director, officer, employee, agent or representative of the Company, is a government, individual, or entity that is, or is owned or controlled by a Person that is: (i) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions. The Company represents and covenants that it will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person: (i) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions, or in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person
participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise). The Company represents and covenants that, except as detailed in the Prospectus, for the past 5 years, the Company has not knowingly engaged in, is not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.
Section 4.42Stock Transfer Taxes. On each VWAP Purchase Date, all stock transfer or other taxes (other than income taxes) which are required to be paid in connection with the sale and transfer of the Shares to be sold hereunder will be, or will have been, fully paid or provided for by the Company and all laws imposing such taxes will be or will have been fully complied with.
Section 4.43IT Systems. (i)(x) To the knowledge of Company, there has been no security breach or other compromise of any of the Company’s information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data (including the data of the Company’s respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained by or on behalf of the Company), equipment or technology (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”) and (y) the Company has not been notified of, and has no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any security breach or other compromise to its IT Systems and Data; (ii) the Company is presently in material compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except as would not, in the case of this clause (ii), individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (iii) the Company has implemented backup and disaster recovery technology consistent with industry standards and practices.
Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the Investor or to counsel for the Investor pursuant to or by the express terms of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company, as applicable, to the Investor as to the matters set forth therein.
ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS OF THE INVESTOR
The Investor hereby makes the following representations, warranties and covenants to the Company:
Section 5.1Organization and Standing of the Investor. The Investor is a limited liability company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
Section 5.2Authorization and Power. The Investor has the requisite limited liability company power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and to purchase or acquire the Securities in accordance with the terms hereof. The execution, delivery and performance by the Investor of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary limited liability company action, and no further consent or authorization of the Investor, its officers or its sole member is required. Each of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Investor and constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Investor enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation, conservatorship, receivership, or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally the enforcement of, creditor’s rights and remedies or by other equitable principles of general application (including any limitation of equitable remedies).
Section 5.3No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Investor of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and the consummation by the Investor of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby do not and shall not (i) result in a violation of such Investor’s certificate of formation, limited liability company agreement or other applicable organizational instruments, (ii) conflict with, constitute a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become a default) under, or give rise to any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any material agreement, mortgage, deed of trust, indenture, note, bond, license, lease agreement, instrument or obligation to which the Investor is a party or is bound, (iii) create or impose any lien, charge or encumbrance on any property of the Investor under any agreement or any commitment to which the Investor is party or under which the Investor is bound or under which any of its properties or assets are bound, or (iv) result in a violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, rule, or regulation, or any order, judgment or decree of any court or governmental agency applicable to the Investor or by which any of its properties or assets are bound or affected, except, in the case of clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv), for such conflicts, defaults, terminations, amendments, acceleration, cancellations and violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, prohibit or otherwise interfere with, in any material respect, the ability of the Investor to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement. The Investor is not required under any applicable federal, state or local law, rule or regulation to obtain any consent, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with, any court or governmental agency in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its obligations under this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement or to purchase or acquire the Securities in accordance with the terms hereof; provided, however, that for purposes of the representation made in this sentence, the Investor is assuming and relying upon the accuracy of the relevant representations and warranties and the compliance with the relevant covenants and agreements of the Company in the Transaction Documents to which it is a party.
Section 5.4Investment Purpose. The Investor is acquiring the Securities for its own account, for investment purposes and not with a view towards, or for resale in connection with, the public sale or distribution thereof, in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities laws; provided, however, that by making the representations herein, the Investor does not agree, or make any representation or warranty, to hold any of the Securities for any minimum or other specific term and reserves the right to dispose of the Securities at any time in accordance with, or pursuant to, a registration statement filed pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement or an applicable exemption under the Securities Act. The Investor does not presently have any agreement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any Person to sell or distribute any of the Securities. The Investor is acquiring the Securities hereunder in the ordinary course of its business.
Section 5.5Accredited Investor Status. The Investor is an “accredited investor” as that term is defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D under the Securities Act.
Section 5.6Reliance on Exemptions. The Investor understands that the Securities are being offered and sold to it in reliance on specific exemptions from the registration requirements of U.S. federal and state securities laws and that the Company is relying in part upon the truth and accuracy of, and the Investor’s compliance with, the representations, warranties, agreements, acknowledgments and understandings of the Investor set forth herein in order to determine the availability of such exemptions and the eligibility of the Investor to acquire the Securities.
Section 5.7Information. All materials relating to the business, financial condition, management and operations of the Company and materials relating to the offer and sale of the Securities which have been requested by the Investor have been furnished or otherwise made available to the Investor or its advisors, including, without limitation, the Commission Documents. The Investor understands that its investment in the Securities involves a high degree of risk. The Investor is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities and has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters that it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of a proposed investment in the Securities. The Investor and its advisors have been afforded the opportunity to ask questions of and receive answers from representatives of the Company concerning the financial condition and business of the Company and other matters relating to an investment in the Securities. Neither such inquiries nor any other due diligence investigations conducted by the Investor or its advisors, if any, or its representatives shall modify, amend or affect the Investor’s right to rely on the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or in any other Transaction Document to which the Company is a party or the Investor’s right to rely on any other document or instrument executed and/or delivered in connection with this Agreement or the consummation of the transaction contemplated hereby (including, without limitation, the opinions of the Company’s counsel delivered pursuant to Sections 7.1(iv) and 7.2(xvi)). The Investor has sought such accounting, legal and tax advice as it has considered necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to its acquisition of the Securities. The Investor understands that it (and not the Company) shall be responsible for its own tax liabilities that may arise as a result of this investment or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 5.8No Governmental Review. The Investor understands that no United States federal or state agency or any other government or governmental agency has passed on or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Securities or the fairness or suitability of the investment in the Securities nor have such authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the Securities.
Section 5.9No General Solicitation. The Investor is not purchasing or acquiring the Securities as a result of any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D under the Securities Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the Securities.
Section 5.10Not an Affiliate. The Investor is not an officer, director or an Affiliate of the Company. As of the date of this Agreement, the Investor does not beneficially own any shares of Common Stock or securities exercisable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock. During the Investment Period, the Investor will not acquire for its own account any shares of Common Stock or securities exercisable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock, other than pursuant to this Agreement; provided, however, that nothing in this Agreement shall prohibit or be deemed to prohibit the Investor from purchasing, in an open market transaction or otherwise, shares of Common Stock necessary to make delivery by the Investor in satisfaction of a sale by the Investor of Shares that the Investor anticipated receiving from the Company in connection with the settlement of a VWAP Purchase if the Company or its transfer agent shall have failed for any reason (other than a failure of the Investor or its Broker-Dealer (as defined below) to set up a DWAC and required instructions) to electronically transfer all of the Shares subject to such VWAP Purchase to the Investor on the applicable VWAP Purchase Share Delivery Date by crediting the Investor’s or its designated Broker-Dealer’s account at DTC through its DWAC delivery system in compliance with Section 3.2 of this Agreement.
Section 5.11No Prior Short Sales. At no time prior to the date of this Agreement has the Investor engaged in or effected, in any manner whatsoever, directly or indirectly, for its own account or for the account of any of its Affiliates, any (i) Short Sale of the Common Stock or (ii) hedging transaction, which establishes a net short position with respect to the Common Stock.
Section 5.12Statutory Underwriter Status. The Investor acknowledges that it will be disclosed as an “underwriter” and a “selling stockholder” in each Registration Statement and in any Prospectus contained therein to the extent required by applicable law and to the extent the Prospectus is related to the resale of Registrable Securities.
Section 5.13Resales of Securities. The Investor represents, warrants and covenants that it will resell Securities purchased or acquired by the Investor from the Company pursuant to this Agreement only pursuant to the Registration Statement in which the resale of such Securities is registered under the Securities Act, in a manner described under the caption “Plan of Distribution” in such Registration Statement, and in a manner in compliance with all applicable U.S. federal and applicable state securities laws, rules and regulations.
ARTICLE VI
ADDITIONAL COVENANTS
The Company covenants with the Investor, and the Investor covenants with the Company, as follows, which covenants of one party are for the benefit of the other party, during the Investment Period (and with respect to the Company, for the period following the termination of this Agreement specified in Section 8.3 pursuant to and in accordance with Section 8.3):
Section 6.1Securities Compliance. The Company shall notify the Commission and the Trading Market, if and as applicable, in accordance with their respective rules and regulations, of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, and shall take all necessary action, undertake all proceedings and obtain all registrations, permits, consents and approvals for the legal and valid issuance of the Securities to the Investor in accordance with the terms of the Transaction Documents, as applicable.
Section 6.2Reservation of Common Stock. The Company has available and the Company shall reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive and other similar rights of stockholders, the requisite aggregate number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock to enable the Company to timely effect (i) the issuance and delivery of all Commitment Shares to be issued and delivered to the Investor under Section 10.1(ii) hereof within the time period specified in Section 10.1(ii) hereof, and (ii) the issuance, sale and delivery of all Shares to be issued, sold and delivered in respect of each VWAP Purchase effected under this Agreement, in the case of this clause (ii), at least prior to the delivery by the Company to the Investor in connection with such VWAP Purchase of the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, as of the Commencement Date the Company shall have reserved, out of its authorized and unissued Common Stock, a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Exchange Cap solely for the purpose of effecting VWAP Purchases under this
Agreement. The number of shares of Common Stock so reserved for the purpose of effecting VWAP Purchases under this Agreement may be increased from time to time by the Company from and after the Commencement Date, and such number of reserved shares may be reduced from and after the Commencement Date only by the number of Shares actually issued, sold and delivered to the Investor pursuant to any VWAP Purchase effected from and after the Commencement Date pursuant to this Agreement.
Section 6.3Registration and Listing. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Common Stock to continue to be registered as a class of securities under Sections 12(b) of the Exchange Act, and to comply with its reporting and filing obligations under the Exchange Act, and shall not take any action or file any document (whether or not permitted by the Securities Act or the Exchange Act) to terminate or suspend such registration or to terminate or suspend its reporting and filing obligations under the Exchange Act or Securities Act, except as permitted herein. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to continue the listing and trading of its Common Stock and the listing of the Securities purchased or acquired by the Investor hereunder on the Trading Market (or another Eligible Market) and to comply with the Company’s reporting, filing and other obligations under the rules and regulations of the Trading Market (or other Eligible Market, as applicable). The Company shall not take any action which could be reasonably expected to result in the delisting or suspension of the Common Stock on the Trading Market (or other Eligible Market, as applicable). If the Company receives any final and non-appealable notice that the listing or quotation of the Common Stock on the Trading Market (or other Eligible Market, as applicable) shall be terminated on a date certain, the Company shall promptly (and in any case within 24 hours) notify the Investor of such fact in writing and shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Common Stock to be listed or quoted on another Eligible Market.
Section 6.4Compliance with Laws.
(i)During the Investment Period, the Company shall comply with applicable provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including Regulation M thereunder, applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws, and applicable listing rules of the Trading Market (or Eligible Market, as applicable), except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, prohibit or otherwise interfere with the ability of the Company to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement in any material respect or for Investor to conduct resales of Securities under the Registration Statement in any material respect.
(ii)The Investor shall comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders applicable to the performance by it of its obligations under this Agreement and its investment in the Securities, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, prohibit or otherwise interfere with the ability of the Investor to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement in any material respect. Without limiting the foregoing, the Investor shall comply with all applicable provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including Regulation M thereunder, and all applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws.
Section 6.5Keeping of Records and Books of Account; Due Diligence.
(i)The Investor and the Company shall each maintain records showing the remaining Total Commitment, the remaining Aggregate Limit and the dates and VWAP Purchase Share Amount for each VWAP Purchase.
(ii)Subject to the requirements of Section 6.12, from time to time from and after the Closing Date, the Company shall make available for inspection and review by the Investor during normal business hours and after reasonable notice, customary documentation reasonably requested by the Investor and/or its appointed counsel or advisors to conduct due diligence; provided, however, that after the Closing Date, the Investor’s continued due diligence shall not be a condition precedent to the Commencement or to the Investor’s obligation to accept any VWAP Purchase Notice timely delivered by the Company to the Investor in accordance with this Agreement.
Section 6.6No Frustration; No Variable Rate Transactions.
(i)No Frustration. The Company shall not enter into, announce or recommend to its stockholders any agreement, plan, arrangement or transaction in or of which the terms thereof would restrict, materially delay, conflict with or impair the ability or right of the Company to perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, including, without limitation, the obligation of the Company to deliver (i) the Commitment Shares to the Investor in accordance with Section 10.1(ii), and (ii) the Shares to the Investor in respect of a VWAP Purchase not later than the VWAP Purchase Share Delivery Date in accordance with Section 3.2. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Section 6.6(i) shall in any way limit the Company’s right to terminate this Agreement in accordance with Section 8.2 (subject in all cases to Section 8.3).
(ii)No Variable Rate Transactions. The Company shall not effect or enter into an agreement to effect any issuance by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents (or a combination of units thereof) involving a Variable Rate Transaction, other than in connection with an Exempt Issuance. The Investor shall be entitled to seek injunctive relief against the Company and its Subsidiaries to preclude any such issuance, which remedy shall be in addition to any right to collect damages, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required.
Section 6.7Corporate Existence. The Company shall take all steps necessary to preserve and continue the corporate existence of the Company; provided, however, that, except as provided in Section 6.8, nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to prohibit the Company from engaging in any Fundamental Transaction with another Person. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Section 6.7 shall in any way limit the Company’s right to terminate this Agreement in accordance with Section 8.2 (subject in all cases to Section 8.3).
Section 6.8Fundamental Transaction. If a VWAP Purchase Notice has been delivered to the Investor and the transactions contemplated therein have not yet been fully settled in accordance with Section 3.2 of this Agreement, the Company shall not effect any Fundamental Transaction until the expiration of five (5) Trading Days following the date of full settlement thereof and the issuance to the Investor of all of the Shares that are issuable to the Investor pursuant to the VWAP Purchase to which such VWAP Purchase Notice relates.
Section 6.9Selling Restrictions.
(i)Except as expressly set forth below, the Investor covenants that from and after the Closing Date through and including the Trading Day next following the expiration or termination of this Agreement as provided in Article VIII (the “Restricted Period”), none of the Investor, its officers, its sole member, or any entity managed or controlled by the Investor or its sole member (collectively, the “Restricted Persons” and each of the foregoing is referred to herein as a “Restricted Person”) shall, directly or indirectly, (i) engage in any Short Sales of the Common Stock or (ii) hedging transaction, which establishes a net short position with respect to the Common Stock, with respect to each of clauses (i) and (ii) hereof, either for its own account or for the account of any other Restricted Person. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is expressly understood and agreed that nothing contained herein shall (without implication that the contrary would otherwise be true) prohibit any Restricted Person during the Restricted Period from: (1) selling “long” (as defined under Rule 200 promulgated under Regulation SHO) the Securities; or (2) selling a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Shares that the Investor is unconditionally obligated to purchase under a pending VWAP Purchase Notice but has not yet received from the Company or its transfer agent pursuant to this Agreement, so long as (X) the Investor (or its Broker-Dealer, as applicable) delivers the Shares purchased pursuant to such VWAP Purchase Notice to the purchaser thereof promptly upon the Investor’s receipt of such Shares from the Company in accordance with Section 3.2 of this Agreement and (Y) neither the Company nor its transfer agent shall have failed for any reason to deliver such Shares to the Investor or its Broker-Dealer so that such Shares are timely received by the Investor as DWAC Shares on the applicable VWAP Purchase Share Delivery Date in accordance with Section 3.2 of this Agreement.
(ii)In addition to the foregoing, in connection with any sale of Securities (including any sale permitted by paragraph (i) above), the Investor shall comply in all respects with all applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders, including, without limitation, the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
Section 6.10Blue Sky. The Company shall take such action, if any, as is necessary by the Company in order to obtain an exemption for or to qualify the Securities for sale by the Company to the Investor pursuant to the Transaction Documents, and at the request of the Investor, the subsequent resale of Registrable Securities by the Investor, in each case, under applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws and shall provide evidence of any such action so taken to the Investor from time to time following the Closing Date; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition thereto to (x) qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this Section 6.11, (y) subject itself to general taxation in any such jurisdiction, or (z) file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction.
Section 6.11Non-Public Information. Neither the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, nor any of their respective directors, officers, employees or agents shall disclose any material non-public information about the Company to the Investor during any VWAP Purchase Period, unless a simultaneous public announcement thereof is made by the Company in the manner contemplated by Regulation FD. In the event of a breach of the foregoing covenant by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees and agents (as determined in the reasonable good faith judgment of the Investor), (i) the Investor shall promptly provide written notice of such breach to the Company and (ii) after such notice has been provided to the Company and, provided that the Company and the Investor shall have not concluded within 24 hours that such information does not constitute material, non-public information or the Company shall have failed to publicly disclose such material, non-public information within 24 hours following demand therefor by the Investor, in addition to any other remedy
provided herein or in the other Transaction Documents, if the Investor is holding any Shares at the time of the disclosure of material, non-public information, the Investor shall have the right to make a public disclosure with the Company’s prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) in the form of a press release, public advertisement or otherwise, of such material, non-public information; provided, that prior to making any such public disclosure, the Investor shall consult with the Company and provide the Company opportunity to review and comment on such proposed disclosure. The Investor shall not have any liability to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, shareholders or agents, for any such disclosure.
Section 6.12Broker-Dealer. The Investor shall use one or more broker-dealers to effectuate all sales, if any, of the Securities that it may purchase or otherwise acquire from the Company pursuant to the Transaction Documents, as applicable, which (or whom) shall be a DTC participant (collectively, the “Broker-Dealer”). The Investor shall, from time to time, provide the Company and the transfer agent with all information regarding the Broker-Dealer reasonably requested by the Company. The Investor shall be solely responsible for all fees and commissions of the Broker-Dealer (if any), which shall not exceed customary brokerage fees and commissions and shall be responsible for designating only a DTC participant eligible to receive DWAC Shares.
Section 6.13Delivery of Bring Down Opinions and Compliance Certificates Upon Occurrence of Certain Events. Within three (3) Trading Days immediately following (i) each time the Company files an annual report on Form 10-K under the Exchange Act (including any Form 10-K/A containing amended financial information or a material amendment to the previously filed Form 10-K); (ii) each time the Company files a quarterly report on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act; (iii) each time the Company files a current report on Form 8-K containing amended financial information (other than information “furnished” pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or to provide disclosure pursuant to Item 8.01 of Form 8-K relating to the reclassification of certain properties as discontinued operations in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144) under the Exchange Act; or (iv) the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement, any New Registration Statement, or post-effective amendment thereto, and in any case, not more than once per calendar quarter (each, a “Representation Date”), (X) the Company shall (I) deliver to the Investor a compliance certificate, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the “Compliance Certificate”), dated such date, (II) cause to be furnished to the Investor an opinion “bring down” from outside counsel to the Company substantially in the form mutually agreed to by the Company and the Investor prior to the date of this Agreement, modified, as necessary, to relate to such Registration Statement or post-effective amendment, or the Prospectus contained therein as then amended or supplemented by such Prospectus Supplement, as applicable (each such opinion, a “Bring Down Opinion”) and (III) cause to be furnished to the Investor a customary “comfort letter” provided by the Company’s auditor (each such opinion, a “Bring Down Comfort Letter”) and (Y) the Investor shall receive a negative assurance letter from its outside counsel reasonably acceptable to the Investor. The requirement to provide the documents identified in the previous sentence shall be waived for any Representation Date if the Company or the Investor has given notice to the other party in writing (including by email correspondence to the individual(s) of the other party set forth in Section 10.5 hereto, if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any individual to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply) or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable facsimile transmission or email correspondence to the individual(s) of the other party set forth in Section 10.5 hereto) of the suspension of VWAP Purchases (a “Suspension”), which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers a VWAP Purchase Notice hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Representation Date) and the next occurring Representation Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to deliver a VWAP Purchase Notice following a Representation Date when a Suspension was in effect and did not provide the Investor with the documents identified in the first sentence of this Section 6.13, then before the Investor accepts such VWAP Purchase Notice, the Company shall provide the Investor with the documents identified in the first sentence of this Section 6.13, dated as of the date that the VWAP Purchase Notice is accepted by the Investor.
Section 6.14No Research. The Investor shall refrain, and shall cause all if its Affiliates to refrain, from publishing or distributing any research report (as such term is defined in Rule 500 of Regulation AC) concerning the Company from the date hereof until the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement.
ARTICLE VII
CONDITIONS TO CLOSING, COMMENCEMENT AND VWAP PURCHASES
Section 7.1Conditions Precedent to Closing. The closing is subject to the satisfaction of each of the conditions set forth in this Section 7.1 on the Closing Date.
(i)Accuracy of the Investor’s Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Investor contained in this Agreement (a) that are not qualified by “materiality” shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date, except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such
other date and (b) that are qualified by “materiality” shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date, except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct as of such other date.
(ii)Accuracy of the Company’s Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement (a) that are not qualified by “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date, except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such other date and (b) that are qualified by “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date, except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct as of such other date.
(iii)Closing Deliverables. At the Closing, counterpart signature pages of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement executed by each of the parties hereto shall be delivered as provided in Section 2.2. Simultaneously with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, the Investor’s counsel shall have received (a) the closing certificate from the Company, dated the Closing Date, in the form of Exhibit B hereto, and (b) a copy of the irrevocable instructions to the Company’s transfer agent regarding the issuance to the Investor or its designee of the certificate(s) or book-entry statement(s) representing the Commitment Shares pursuant to and in accordance with Section 10.1(ii) hereof.
Section 7.2Conditions Precedent to Commencement. The right of the Company to commence delivering VWAP Purchase Notices under this Agreement, and the obligation of the Investor to accept VWAP Purchase Notices delivered to the Investor by the Company under this Agreement, are subject to the initial satisfaction, at Commencement, of each of the conditions set forth in this Section 7.2.
(i)Accuracy of the Company’s Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement (a) that are not qualified by “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” shall have been true and correct in all material respects when made and shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Commencement Date with the same force and effect as if made on such date, except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such other date and (b) that are qualified by “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” shall have been true and correct when made and shall be true and correct as of the Commencement Date with the same force and effect as if made on such date, except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct as of such other date.
(ii)Accuracy of the Investor’s Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Investor contained in this Agreement (a) that are not qualified by “materiality” shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Commencement Date, except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such other date and (b) that are qualified by “materiality” shall be true and correct as of the Commencement Date, except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct as of such other date.
(iii)Performance of the Company. The Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to the Commencement. The Company shall deliver to the Investor on the Commencement Date the Compliance Certificate.
(iv)Initial Registration Statement Effective. The Initial Registration Statement covering the resale by the Investor of the Registrable Securities included therein required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 2(a) of the Registration Rights Agreement shall have been declared effective under the Securities Act by the Commission, and the Investor shall be permitted to utilize the Prospectus therein to resell (i) all of the Commitment Shares and (ii) all of the Shares included in such Prospectus.
(v)FINRA. FINRA shall have no objection to the terms of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
(vi)No Material Notices. None of the following events shall have occurred and be continuing: (a) receipt of any request by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority for any additional information relating to the Initial Registration Statement, the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto, or for any amendment of or supplement to the Initial Registration Statement, the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto; (b) the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental
authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement or prohibiting or suspending the use of the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto, or of the suspension of qualification or exemption from qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or contemplated initiation of any proceeding for such purpose; (c) the objection by FINRA to the terms of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents or (d) the occurrence of any event or the existence of any condition or state of facts, which makes any statement of a material fact made in the Initial Registration Statement, the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto untrue or which requires the making of any additions to or changes to the statements then made in the Initial Registration Statement, the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto in order to state a material fact required by the Securities Act to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements then made therein (in the case of the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, or which requires an amendment to the Initial Registration Statement or a supplement to the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto to comply with the Securities Act or any other law. The Company shall have no knowledge of any event that could reasonably be expected to have the effect of causing the suspension of the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement or the prohibition or suspension of the use of the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto in connection with the resale of the Registrable Securities by the Investor. All reports, schedules, registrations, forms, statements, information and other documents required to have been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, including all material required to have been filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to Commencement shall have been filed with the Commission.
(vii)Other Commission Filings. The Initial Report shall have been filed with the Commission as required pursuant to Section 2.3. The final Prospectus included in the Initial Registration Statement shall have been filed with the Commission prior to Commencement in accordance with Section 2.3 and the Registration Rights Agreement.
(viii)No Suspension of Trading in or Notice of Delisting of Common Stock. Trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended by the Commission, the Trading Market or the FINRA (except for any suspension of trading of limited duration agreed to by the Company, which suspension shall be terminated prior to the Commencement Date), the Company shall not have received any final and non-appealable notice that the listing or quotation of the Common Stock on the Trading Market shall be terminated on a date certain (unless, prior to such date certain, the Common Stock is listed or quoted on any other Eligible Market), nor shall there have been imposed any suspension of, or restriction on, accepting additional deposits of the Common Stock, electronic trading or book-entry services by DTC with respect to the Common Stock that is continuing, the Company shall not have received any notice from DTC to the effect that a suspension of, or restriction on, accepting additional deposits of the Common Stock, electronic trading or book-entry services by DTC with respect to the Common Stock is being imposed or is contemplated (unless, prior to such suspension or restriction, DTC shall have notified the Company in writing that DTC has determined not to impose any such suspension or restriction).
(ix)Compliance with Laws. The Company shall have complied with all applicable federal, state and local governmental laws, rules, regulations and ordinances in connection with the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including, without limitation, the Company shall have obtained all permits and qualifications required by any applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws for the offer and sale of the Securities by the Company to the Investor and the subsequent resale of the Registrable Securities by the Investor (or shall have the availability of exemptions therefrom).
(x)No Injunction. No statute, regulation, order, decree, writ, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated, threatened or endorsed by any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction which prohibits the consummation of or which would materially modify or delay any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
(xi)No Proceedings or Litigation. No action, suit or proceeding before any arbitrator or any court or governmental authority shall have been commenced, and no inquiry or investigation by any governmental authority shall have been commenced, against the Company or any Subsidiary, or any of the officers, directors or Affiliates of the Company or any Subsidiary, seeking to restrain, prevent or change the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, or seeking material damages in connection with such transactions.
(xii)Listing of Securities. All of the Securities that have been and may be issued pursuant to this Agreement (up to the Exchange Cap) shall have been approved for listing or quotation on the Trading Market (or on an Eligible Market) as of the Commencement Date, subject only to notice of issuance.
(xiii)No Material Adverse Effect. No condition, occurrence, state of facts or event constituting a Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred and be continuing.
(xiv)No Bankruptcy Proceedings. No Person shall have commenced a proceeding against the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law. The Company shall not have, pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law, (a) commenced a voluntary case, (b) consented to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case, (c) consented to the appointment of a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or (d) made a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors. A court of competent jurisdiction shall not have entered an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that (I) is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case, (II) appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or (III) orders the liquidation of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(xv)Commitment Shares Issued as DWAC Shares. The Company shall have caused the Company’s transfer agent to credit the Investor’s or its designee’s account at DTC as DWAC Shares such number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Commitment Shares issued to the Investor pursuant to Section 10.1(ii) hereof, in accordance with Section 10.1(iv) hereof.
(xvi)Delivery of Commencement Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions and Notice of Effectiveness. The Commencement Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions (as defined below) shall have been executed by the Company and delivered to the Company’s transfer agent, directing such transfer agent to issue to the Investor or its designated Broker-Dealer all of the Commitment Shares and Shares included in the Initial Registration Statement and as may be sold pursuant to this Agreement as DWAC Shares in accordance with this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, and the Notice of Effectiveness relating to the Initial Registration Statement shall have been executed by the Company’s outside counsel and delivered to the Company’s transfer agent.
(xvii)Reservation of Shares. As of the Commencement Date, the Company shall have reserved out of its authorized and unissued Common Stock a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Exchange Cap solely for the purpose of effecting VWAP Purchases under this Agreement.
(xviii)Opinions and Bring-Down Opinions of Company Counsel and Comfort Letter of Company Auditor. On the Commencement Date, the Investor shall have received the opinions, bring-down opinions and negative assurances from outside counsel to the Company, dated the Commencement Date, and a comfort letter provided by the Company’s auditors, dated the Commencement Date, in forms reasonably acceptable to the Investor.
(xix)Payment of Expense Reimbursement. Promptly after the signing of this Agreement, the Company shall have paid to the Investor the legal expense reimbursement contemplated by Section 10.1(i)(A).
(xx)Qualified Independent Underwriter. If the Investor reasonably determines that a Qualified Independent Underwriter (as defined in the rules disseminated by FINRA) must participate in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents in order for such transactions to be in full compliance with FINRA’s rules, the Company and the Investor shall have executed such customary documentation as may reasonably be required to engage a Qualified Independent Underwriter to participate in such transactions.
(xxi)Research. Neither the Investor nor any Affiliate of the Investor shall have, in the prior 30 calendar days, published or distributed any research report (as such term is defined in Rule 500 of Regulation AC) concerning the Company.
Section 7.3Conditions Precedent to VWAP Purchases after Commencement Date. The right of the Company to deliver VWAP Purchase Notices under this Agreement after the Commencement Date, and the obligation of the Investor to accept VWAP Purchase Notices under this Agreement after the Commencement Date, are subject to the satisfaction of each of the conditions set forth in this Section 7.3 at the applicable VWAP Purchase Commencement Time for the VWAP Purchase to be effected pursuant to the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice timely delivered by the Company to the Investor in accordance with this Agreement (each such time, a “VWAP Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time”).
(i)Satisfaction of Certain Prior Conditions. Each of the conditions set forth in subsections (i) through (iii) and (viii) through (xvii) and (xxi) set forth in Section 7.2 shall be satisfied at the applicable VWAP Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time after the Commencement Date (with the terms “Commencement” and “Commencement Date” in the conditions set forth in subsections (i) and (ii) of Section 7.2 replaced with “applicable VWAP Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time”); provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to deliver the Compliance Certificate after the Commencement Date, except as provided in Section 6.15 and Section 7.3(x).
(ii)Initial Registration Statement Effective. The Initial Registration Statement covering the resale by the Investor of the Registrable Securities included therein filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 2(a) of the Registration Rights Agreement, and any post-effective amendment thereto required to be filed by
the Company with the Commission after the Commencement Date and prior to the applicable VWAP Purchase Date pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, in each case shall have been declared effective under the Securities Act by the Commission and shall remain effective for the applicable Registration Period (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), and the Investor shall be permitted to utilize the Prospectus therein, and any Prospectus Supplement thereto, to resell (a) all of the Commitment Shares, (b) all of the Shares included in the Initial Registration Statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, that have been issued and sold to the Investor hereunder pursuant to all VWAP Purchase Notices delivered by the Company to the Investor prior to such applicable VWAP Purchase Date and (c) all of the Shares included in the Initial Registration Statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, that are issuable pursuant to the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice delivered by the Company to the Investor with respect to a VWAP Purchase to be effected hereunder on such applicable VWAP Purchase Date.
(iii)Any Required New Registration Statement Effective. Any New Registration Statement covering the resale by the Investor of the Registrable Securities included therein, and any post-effective amendment thereto, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement after the Commencement Date and prior to the applicable VWAP Purchase Date, in each case shall have been declared effective under the Securities Act by the Commission and shall remain effective for the applicable Registration Period, and the Investor shall be permitted to utilize the Prospectus therein, and any Prospectus Supplement thereto, to resell (a) all of the Commitment Shares (if any) included in such New Registration Statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, (b) all of the Shares included in such New Registration Statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, that have been issued and sold to the Investor hereunder pursuant to all VWAP Purchase Notices delivered by the Company to the Investor prior to such applicable VWAP Purchase Date and (c) all of the Shares included in such new Registration Statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, that are issuable pursuant to the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice delivered by the Company to the Investor with respect to a VWAP Purchase to be effected hereunder on such applicable VWAP Purchase Date.
(iv)Delivery of Subsequent Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions and Notice of Effectiveness. With respect to any post-effective amendment to the Initial Registration Statement, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment to any New Registration Statement, in each case declared effective by the Commission after the Commencement Date, the Company shall have delivered or caused to be delivered to the Company’s transfer agent (a) irrevocable instructions in the form substantially similar to the Commencement Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions executed by the Company and acknowledged in writing by its transfer agent and (b) the Notice of Effectiveness, in each case modified as necessary to refer to such Registration Statement or post-effective amendment and the Registrable Securities included therein, to issue the Registrable Securities included therein as DWAC Shares in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.
(v)No Material Notices. None of the following events shall have occurred and be continuing: (a) receipt of any request by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority for any additional information relating to the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus contained in any of the foregoing or any Prospectus Supplement thereto, or for any amendment of or supplement to the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus contained in any of the foregoing or any Prospectus Supplement thereto; (b) the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or prohibiting or suspending the use of the Prospectus contained in any of the foregoing or any Prospectus Supplement thereto, or of the suspension of qualification or exemption from qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or contemplated initiation of any proceeding for such purpose; (c) the objection of FINRA to the terms of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents or (d) the occurrence of any event or the existence of any condition or state of facts, which makes any statement of a material fact made in the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus contained in any of the foregoing or any Prospectus Supplement thereto untrue or which requires the making of any additions to or changes to the statements then made in the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus contained in any of the foregoing or any Prospectus Supplement thereto in order to state a material fact required by the Securities Act to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements then made therein (in the case of the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, or which requires an amendment to the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus contained in any of the foregoing or any Prospectus Supplement thereto to comply with the Securities Act or any other law (other than the transactions contemplated by the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice delivered by the Company to the Investor with respect to a VWAP Purchase to be effected hereunder on such applicable VWAP Purchase Date and the settlement thereof). The
Company shall have no knowledge of any event that could reasonably be expected to have the effect of causing the suspension of the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the prohibition or suspension of the use of the Prospectus contained in any of the foregoing or any Prospectus Supplement thereto in connection with the resale of the Registrable Securities by the Investor.
(vi)Other Commission Filings. The final Prospectus included in any post-effective amendment to the Initial Registration Statement, and any Prospectus Supplement thereto, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 2.3 and the Registration Rights Agreement after the Commencement Date and prior to the applicable VWAP Purchase Date, shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Section 2.3 and the Registration Rights Agreement. The final Prospectus included in any New Registration Statement and in any post-effective amendment thereto, and any Prospectus Supplement thereto, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 2.3 and the Registration Rights Agreement after the Commencement Date and prior to the applicable VWAP Purchase Date, shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Section 2.3 and the Registration Rights Agreement. All reports, schedules, registrations, forms, statements, information and other documents required to have been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, including all material required to have been filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, after the Commencement Date and prior to the applicable VWAP Purchase Date, shall have been filed with the Commission and, if any Registrable Securities are covered by a Registration Statement on Form S-3, such filings shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing under the Exchange Act.
(vii)No Suspension of Trading in or Notice of Delisting of Common Stock. Trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended by the Commission, the Trading Market (or Eligible Market, as applicable) or FINRA (except for any suspension of trading of limited duration agreed to by the Company, which suspension shall be terminated prior to the applicable VWAP Purchase Date), the Company shall not have received any final and non-appealable notice that the listing or quotation of the Common Stock on the Trading Market (or Eligible Market, as applicable) shall be terminated on a date certain (unless, prior to such date certain, the Common Stock is listed or quoted on any other Eligible Market), nor shall there have been imposed any suspension of, or restriction on, accepting additional deposits of the Common Stock, electronic trading or book-entry services by DTC with respect to the Common Stock that is continuing, the Company shall not have received any notice from DTC to the effect that a suspension of, or restriction on, accepting additional deposits of the Common Stock, electronic trading or book-entry services by DTC with respect to the Common Stock is being imposed or is contemplated (unless, prior to such suspension or restriction, DTC shall have notified the Company in writing that DTC has determined not to impose any such suspension or restriction).
(viii)Certain Limitations. The issuance and sale of the Shares issuable pursuant to the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice shall not (a) exceed the applicable VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount, (b) cause the Aggregate Limit or the Beneficial Ownership Limitation to be exceeded, or (c) cause the Exchange Cap (to the extent applicable under Section 3.3) to be exceeded, unless in the case of this clause (c), the Company’s stockholders have theretofore approved the issuance of Common Stock under this Agreement in excess of the Exchange Cap in accordance with the applicable rules of the Trading Market.
(ix)Shares Authorized and Delivered. All of the Shares issuable pursuant to the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice shall have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company. All Shares relating to all prior VWAP Purchase Notices required to have been received by the Investor as DWAC Shares under this Agreement prior to the applicable VWAP Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time for the applicable VWAP Purchase shall have been delivered to the Investor as DWAC Shares in accordance with this Agreement.
(x)Bring-Down Opinions of Company Counsel, Bring-Down Comfort Letters and Compliance Certificates. The Investor shall have received (a) all Bring Down-Opinions from outside counsel to the Company for which the Company was obligated to instruct its outside counsel to deliver to the Investor prior to the applicable VWAP Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time for the applicable VWAP Purchase (b) all Bring-Down Comfort Letters provided by the Company’s auditors and delivered to the Investor prior to the applicable VWAP Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time for the applicable VWAP Purchase and (c) all Compliance Certificates from the Company that the Company was obligated to deliver to the Investor prior to the applicable VWAP Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time for the applicable VWAP Purchase, in each case in accordance with Section 6.13.
(xi)Material Non-Public Information. Neither the Company nor the Investor shall be in possession of any material non-public information concerning the Company.
ARTICLE VIII
TERMINATION
Section 8.1Automatic Termination. Unless earlier terminated as provided hereunder, this Agreement shall terminate automatically on the earliest to occur of (i) the first day of the month next following the 36-month anniversary of the Commencement Date, (ii) the date on which the Investor shall have purchased the Total Commitment worth of Shares pursuant to this Agreement, (iii) the date on which the Common Stock shall have failed to be listed or quoted on the Trading Market or any Eligible Market, (iv) the thirtieth (30th) Trading Day next following the date on which, pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law, the Company commences a voluntary case or any Person commences a proceeding against the Company, in each case that is not discharged or dismissed prior to such thirtieth (30th) Trading Day, and (v) the date on which, pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law, a Custodian is appointed for the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or the Company makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors.
Section 8.2Other Termination. Subject to Section 8.3, the Company may terminate this Agreement after the Commencement Date effective upon ten (10) Trading Days’ prior written notice to the Investor in accordance with Section 10.4; provided, however, that (i) the Company shall have issued the Upfront Commitment Fee required to be paid to the Investor pursuant to Section 10.1(ii) of this Agreement, prior to such termination, and (ii) prior to issuing any press release, or making any public statement or announcement, with respect to such termination, the Company shall consult with the Investor and its counsel on the form and substance of such press release or other disclosure. Subject to Section 8.3, this Agreement may be terminated at any time by the mutual written consent of the parties, effective as of the date of such mutual written consent unless otherwise provided in such written consent. Subject to Section 8.3, the Investor shall have the right to terminate this Agreement effective upon ten (10) Trading Days’ prior written notice to the Company in accordance with Section 10.4, if: (a) any condition, occurrence, state of facts or event constituting a Material Adverse Effect has occurred and is continuing; (b) a Fundamental Transaction shall have occurred; (c) the Company is in breach or default in any material respect of any of its covenants and agreements in the Registration Rights Agreement, and, if such breach or default is capable of being cured, such breach or default is not cured within fifteen (15) Trading Days after notice of such breach or default is delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 10.4 of this Agreement; (d) while a Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, is required to be maintained effective pursuant to the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement and the Investor holds any Registrable Securities, the effectiveness of such Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, lapses for any reason (including, without limitation, the issuance of a stop order by the Commission) or such Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto otherwise becomes unavailable to the Investor for the resale of all of the Registrable Securities included therein in accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, and such lapse or unavailability continues for a period of more than sixty (60) consecutive days or more than two (2) times in any three hundred sixty (360) day, other than due to acts of the Investor; (e) trading in the Common Stock on the Trading Market (or if the Common Stock is then listed on an Eligible Market, trading in the Common Stock on such Eligible Market) shall have been suspended and such suspension continues for a period of three (3) consecutive Trading Days; or (f) the Company is in material breach or default of this Agreement, and, if such breach or default is capable of being cured, such breach or default is not cured within 10 Trading Days after notice of such breach or default is delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 10.5. Unless notification thereof is required elsewhere in this Agreement (in which case such notification shall be provided in accordance with such other provision), the Company shall promptly (but in no event later than 24 hours) notify the Investor (and, if required under applicable law, including, without limitation, Regulation FD promulgated by the Commission, or under the applicable rules and regulations of the Trading Market (or Eligible Market, as applicable), the Company shall publicly disclose such information in accordance with Regulation FD and the applicable rules and regulations of the Trading Market (or Eligible Market, as applicable)) upon becoming aware of any of the events set forth in the immediately preceding sentence.
Section 8.3Effect of Termination. In the event of termination by the Company or the Investor (other than by mutual termination) pursuant to Section 8.2, written notice thereof shall forthwith be given to the other party as provided in Section 10.4 and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be terminated without further action by either party. If this Agreement is terminated as provided in Section 8.1 or Section 8.2, this Agreement shall become void and of no further force and effect, except that (i) the provisions of Article V (Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Company), Article IX (Indemnification), Article X (Miscellaneous) and this Article VIII (Termination) shall remain in full force and effect indefinitely notwithstanding such termination, and, (ii) so long as the Investor owns any Securities, the covenants and agreements of the Company contained in Article VI (Additional Covenants) shall remain in full force and notwithstanding such termination for a period of six (6) months following such termination. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no termination of this Agreement by any party shall (i) become effective prior to the second (2nd) Trading Day immediately following the settlement date related to any pending VWAP Purchase Notice that has not been fully settled in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement (it being hereby acknowledged and agreed that no termination of this
Agreement shall limit, alter, modify, change or otherwise affect any of the Company’s or the Investor’s rights or obligations under the Transaction Documents with respect to any pending VWAP Purchase, and that the parties shall fully perform their respective obligations with respect to any such pending VWAP Purchase under the Transaction Documents), (ii) limit, alter, modify, change or otherwise affect the Company’s or the Investor’s rights or obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement, all of which shall survive any such termination, or (iii) affect the Upfront Commitment Fee payable to the Investor pursuant to Section 10.1(ii), all of which Upfront Commitment Fee shall be fully earned as of the Closing Date, regardless of whether the Commencement shall have occurred, whether any VWAP Purchases are made or settled hereunder or any subsequent termination of this Agreement. Nothing in this Section 8.3 shall be deemed to release the Company or the Investor from any liability for any breach or default under this Agreement or any of the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party, or to impair the rights of the Company and the Investor to compel specific performance by the other party of its obligations under the Transaction Documents to which it is a party.
ARTICLE IX
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 9.1Indemnification of the Investor. In consideration of the Investor’s execution and delivery of this Agreement and acquiring the Securities hereunder and in addition to all of the Company’s other obligations under the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, subject to the provisions of this Section 9.1, the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the Investor, each of its directors, officers, stockholders, members, partners, employees, representatives, agents and advisors (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding the lack of such title or any other title), each Person, if any, who controls the Investor (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act), and the respective directors, officers, stockholders, members, partners, employees, representatives, agents and advisors (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding the lack of such title or any other title) of such controlling Persons (each, an “Investor Party”), each of which shall be an express third-party beneficiary of this Article IX, from and against all losses, liabilities, obligations, claims, contingencies, damages, costs and expenses (including all judgments, amounts paid in settlement, court costs, reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of defense and investigation) (collectively, “Damages”) that any Investor Party may suffer or incur as a result of or relating to any breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by the Company in this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party.
To the extent that the foregoing undertakings by the Company set forth in this Section 9.1 may be unenforceable for any reason, the Company shall make the maximum contribution to the payment and satisfaction of each of the Damages which is permissible under applicable law, provided that in no event shall the Investor be obligated to contribute any amount in excess of the fees it actually receives under this Agreement.
Section 9.2Indemnification of the Company. In consideration of the Company’s execution and delivery of this Agreement and sale of the Shares hereunder and in addition to all of the Investor’s other obligations under the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, subject to the provisions of this Section 9.2, the Investor shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its Affiliates, each of their respective directors, officers, stockholders, members, partners, employees, representatives and agents (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding the lack of such title or any other title) and each Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act) and each of the directors, officers, stockholders, members, partners, employees, agents, and representatives (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding the lack of such title or any other title) of such controlling Person (each, a “Company Party”), from and against Damages that any Company Party may suffer or incur as a result of or relating to any breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by the Investor in this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party.
Section 9.3Indemnification Procedures.
(a) Promptly after an Investor Party receives notice of a claim or the commencement of an action for which the Investor Party intends to seek indemnification under Section 9.1, the Investor Party will notify the Company in writing of the claim or commencement of the action, suit or proceeding; provided, however, that failure to notify the Company will not relieve the Company from liability under Section 9.1, except to the extent it has been materially prejudiced by the failure to give notice. The Company will be entitled to participate in the defense of any claim, action, suit or proceeding as to which indemnification is being sought, and if the Company acknowledges in writing the obligation to indemnify the Investor Party against whom the claim or action is brought, the Company may (but will not be required to) assume the defense against the claim, action, suit or proceeding with counsel satisfactory to it. After the Company notifies the Investor Party that the Company wishes to assume the defense of a claim, action, suit or proceeding, the Company will not be liable for any further legal or other expenses incurred by the Investor
(a) Promptly after an Investor Party receives notice of a claim or the commencement of an action for which the Investor Party intends to seek indemnification under Section 9.1, the Investor Party will notify the Company in writing of the claim or commencement of the action, suit or proceeding; provided, however, that failure to notify the Company will not relieve the Company from liability under Section 9.1, except to the extent it has been materially prejudiced by the failure to give notice. The Company will be entitled to participate in the defense of any claim, action, suit or proceeding as to which indemnification is being sought, and if the Company acknowledges in writing the obligation to indemnify the Investor Party against whom the claim or action is brought, the Company may (but will not be required to) assume the defense against the claim, action, suit or proceeding with counsel satisfactory to it. After the Company notifies the Investor Party that the Company wishes to assume the defense of a claim, action, suit or proceeding, the Company will not be liable for any further legal or other expenses incurred by the Investor
Party in connection with the defense against the claim, action, suit or proceeding except that if, in the opinion of counsel to the Investor Party, it would be inappropriate under the applicable rules of professional responsibility for the same counsel to represent both the Company and such Investor Party. In such event, the Company will pay the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one separate counsel for all such Investor Parties promptly as such fees and expenses are incurred. Each Investor Party, as a condition to receiving indemnification as provided in Section 9.1, will cooperate in all reasonable respects with the Company in the defense of any action or claim as to which indemnification is sought. The Company will not be liable for any settlement of any action effected without its prior written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned. The Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Investor Party, effect any settlement of a pending or threatened action with respect to which an Investor Party is, or is informed that it may be, made a party and for which it would be entitled to indemnification, unless the settlement includes an unconditional release of the Investor Party from all liability and claims which are the subject matter of the pending or threatened action.
(b) Promptly after a Company Party receives notice of a claim or the commencement of an action for which the Company Party intends to seek indemnification under Section 9.2, the Company Party will notify the Investor in writing of the claim or commencement of the action, suit or proceeding; provided, however, that failure to notify the Investor will not relieve the Investor from liability under Section 9.2, except to the extent it has been materially prejudiced by the failure to give notice. The Investor will be entitled to participate in the defense of any claim, action, suit or proceeding as to which indemnification is being sought, and if the Investor acknowledges in writing the obligation to indemnify the Company Party against whom the claim or action is brought, the Investor may (but will not be required to) assume the defense against the claim, action, suit or proceeding with counsel satisfactory to it. After the Investor notifies the Company Party that the Investor wishes to assume the defense of a claim, action, suit or proceeding, the Investor will not be liable for any further legal or other expenses incurred by the Company Party in connection with the defense against the claim, action, suit or proceeding except that if, in the opinion of counsel to the Company Party, it would be inappropriate under the applicable rules of professional responsibility for the same counsel to represent both the Investor and the Company Party. In such event, the Investor will pay the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one counsel for all such Company Parties promptly as such fees and expenses are incurred. Each Company Party, as a condition to receiving indemnification as provided in Section 9.2, will cooperate in all reasonable respects with the Investor in the defense of any action or claim as to which indemnification is sought. The Investor will not be liable for any settlement of any action effected without its prior written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned. The Investor will not, without the prior written consent of the Company Party, effect any settlement of a pending or threatened action with respect to which the Company Party is, or is informed that it may be, made a party and for which it would be entitled to indemnification, unless the settlement includes an unconditional release of the Company Party from all liability and claims which are the subject matter of the pending or threatened action.
(c) The remedies provided for in this Article IX are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Investor Party or any Company Party at law or in equity. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 9.3(c), no Investor Party shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the aggregate discount to the aggregate VWAP Purchase Price for all purchases made under this Agreement and no person found guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. Any party entitled to contribution, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made under this Section 9.3(c), will notify any such party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify will not relieve that party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may have under this Section 9.3(c) except to the extent that the failure to so notify such other party materially prejudiced the substantive rights or defenses of the party from whom contribution is sought. No party will be liable for contribution with respect to any action or claim settled without its written consent if such consent is required pursuant to this Section 9.3.
ARTICLE X
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 10.1Certain Fees and Expenses; Upfront Commitment Fee; Commencement Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions.
(i)Certain Fees and Expenses. Each party shall bear its own fees and expenses related to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement except that the Company will reimburse the documented fees and disbursements of legal counsel to the Investor in an amount not to exceed $75,000 in connection with the entry into this Agreement and the Investor’s ongoing due diligence and review of deliverables subject to Section 6.15. The Company shall pay all U.S. federal, state and local stamp and other similar transfer and other taxes and duties levied in connection with issuance of the Shares pursuant hereto.
(ii)Upfront Commitment Fee. In consideration for the Investor’s execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company shall instruct the Company’s transfer agent to issue to the Investor the Upfront Commitment Fee no later than one Trading Day following the filing of the Initial Registration Statement, by transfer of the Commitment Shares to an account designated by the Investor on or prior to the Closing Date, and will provide Investor, one or more book-entry statement(s) representing the Commitment Shares in the name of the Investor or its designee. For the avoidance of doubt, the entire amount of the Upfront Commitment Fee shall be fully earned by the Investor and shall be non-refundable as of the Closing Date, regardless of whether any VWAP Purchases are made or settled hereunder or any subsequent termination of this Agreement. Upon issuance, the Upfront Commitment Fee shall constitute “restricted securities” as such term is defined in Rule 144(a)(3) under the Securities Act and, subject to the provisions of subsection (iv) of this Section 10.1, the certificate or book-entry statement representing the Upfront Commitment Fee shall bear the restrictive legend set forth below in subsection (iii) of this Section 10.1. The Upfront Commitment Fee shall constitute Registrable Securities and shall be included in the Initial Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, and the Prospectus included therein and, if necessary to register the resale thereof by the Investor under the Securities Act, in any New Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, in each case in accordance with this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.
(iii)Legends. The certificate(s) or book-entry statement(s) representing the Commitment Shares issued prior to the Effective Date of the Initial Registration Statement, except as set forth below, shall bear a restrictive legend in substantially the following form (and stop transfer instructions may be placed against transfer of the Commitment Shares):
THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THE SECURITIES HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED FOR INVESTMENT AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE, SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR ASSIGNED IN THE ABSENCE OF AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR THE SECURITIES UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, UNLESS SOLD PURSUANT TO: (1) RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR (2) AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, IN A CUSTOMARY FORM, THAT REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED UNDER SAID ACT OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.
Notwithstanding the foregoing and for the avoidance of doubt, all Shares to be issued in respect of any VWAP Purchase Notice delivered to the Investor pursuant to this Agreement shall be issued to the Investor in accordance with Section 3.2 by crediting the Investor’s or its designees’ account at DTC as DWAC Shares, and the Company shall not take any action or give instructions to any transfer agent of the Company otherwise.
(iv)Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions; Notice of Effectiveness. On the Effective Date of the Initial Registration Statement and prior to Commencement, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to its transfer agent (and thereafter, shall deliver or cause to be delivered to any subsequent transfer agent of the Company), (i) irrevocable instructions executed by the Company directing the Company’s transfer agent to issue to the Investor or its designee all of the Commitment Shares and the Shares included in the Initial Registration Statement as DWAC Shares in accordance with this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement (the “Commencement Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions”) and (ii) a notice of effectiveness (the “Notice of Effectiveness”) relating to the Initial Registration Statement executed by the Company’s outside counsel case. With respect to any post-effective amendment to the Initial Registration Statement, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment to any New Registration Statement, in each case declared effective by the Commission after the Commencement Date, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to its transfer agent (and thereafter, shall deliver or cause to be delivered to any subsequent transfer agent of the Company) (i) irrevocable instructions in the form substantially similar to the Commencement Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions executed by the Company and (ii) the Notice of Effectiveness, in each case modified as necessary to refer to such Registration Statement or post-effective amendment and the Registrable Securities included therein, to issue the Registrable Securities included therein as DWAC Shares in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, all Shares and Commitment Shares to be issued and delivered from and after Commencement to or for the benefit of the Investor pursuant to this Agreement shall be issued and delivered to the Investor or its designee only as DWAC Shares. The Company represents and warrants to the Investor that, while this Agreement is effective and except as required by law, no instruction other than those referred to in this Section 10.1(iv) will be given by the Company to its transfer agent, or any successor transfer agent of the Company, with respect to the Shares and the Commitment Shares from and after Commencement, and the Shares and the Commitment Shares covered by the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereof, or any New Registration Statement or post-effective amendment thereof, as applicable, shall otherwise be freely transferable on the books and records of the Company and no stop transfer instructions shall be maintained against the transfer thereof. The Company agrees that if the Company fails to fully comply with the provisions of this Section 10.1(iv) within three (3) Trading Days after the date on which the Investor has provided the deliverables
referred to above that the Investor is required to provide to the Company or its transfer agent, the Company shall, at the Investor’s written instruction, purchase from the Investor all shares of Common Stock acquired by the Investor pursuant to this Agreement that contain the restrictive legend referred to in Section 10.1(iii) hereof (or any similar restrictive legend), or that have any stop transfer orders maintained that prohibit or impede the transfer thereof in any respect, at the greater of (i) the purchase price paid for such shares of Common Stock (as applicable) and (ii) the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on the date of the Investor’s written instruction.
Section 10.2Specific Enforcement, Consent to Jurisdiction, Waiver of Jury Trial.
(i)The Company and the Investor acknowledge and agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that either party shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent or cure breaches of the provisions of this Agreement by the other party and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof (without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required), this being in addition to any other remedy to which either party may be entitled by law or equity.
(ii)Each of the Company and the Investor (a) hereby irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court and other courts of the United States sitting in the State of New York for the purposes of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, and (b) hereby waives, and agrees not to assert in any such suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of such court, that the suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of the suit, action or proceeding is improper. Each of the Company and the Investor consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing in this Section 10.2 shall affect or limit any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.
(iii)EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE INVESTOR HEREBY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT TO ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR DISPUTES RELATING HERETO. EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE INVESTOR (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 10.2.
Section 10.3Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that the Investor is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s-length purchaser with respect to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, and JonesTrading Institutional Investments (“JonesTrading”) is acting as a representative of the Investor in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, and of no other party, including the Company. The Company further acknowledges that while the Investor will be deemed to be a statutory “underwriter” with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents in accordance with interpretive positions of the staff of the Commission, the Investor is a “trader” that is not required to register with the Commission as a broker-dealer under Section 15(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Company further acknowledges that the Investor and its representatives are not acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity) with respect to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, and any advice given by the Investor or any of its representatives (including JonesTrading) or agents in connection therewith is merely incidental to the Investor’s acquisition of the Shares. The Company further represents to the Investor that the Company’s decision to enter into the Transaction Documents to which it is a party has been based solely on the independent evaluation of the transactions contemplated thereby by the Company and its representatives. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Investor has not made and does not make any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents other than those specifically set forth in Article V. Affiliates of the Investor, including JonesTrading, engage in a wide range of activities for their own accounts and the accounts of customers, including corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, merchant banking, equity and fixed income sales, trading and research, derivatives, foreign exchange, futures, asset management, custody, clearance and securities lending. In the course of their respective business, Affiliates of the Investor may, directly or indirectly, hold long or short positions, trade and otherwise conduct such activities in or with respect to debt or equity securities or bank debt of, or derivative products relating to, the Company. Any such position will be created, and maintained, independently of the position the Investor takes in the Company. In addition, at any given time Affiliates of the Investor, including JonesTrading, may have been or in the future be engaged by one or more entities that may be competitors with, or otherwise adverse to, the Company in matters
unrelated to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, and Affiliates of the Investor, including JonesTrading may have or may in the future provide investment banking or other services to the Company in matters unrelated to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Activities of any of the Investor’s Affiliates performed on behalf of the Company may give rise to actual or apparent conflicts of interest given the Investor’s potentially competing interests with those of the Company. The Company expressly acknowledges the benefits it receives from the Investor’s participation in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, on the one hand, and the Investor’s Affiliates’ activities, if any, on behalf of the Company unrelated to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, on the other hand, and understands the conflict or potential conflict of interest that may arise in this regard, and has consulted with such independent advisors as it deems appropriate in order to understand and assess the risks associated with these potential conflicts of interest. Consistent with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, applicable Affiliates of the Investor have adopted policies and procedures to establish and maintain the independence of their research departments and personnel from their investment banking groups and the Investor. As a result, research analysts employed by Affiliates of the Investor may hold views, make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents that differ from the views of the Investor. The Company and Investor understand and acknowledge that employees of JonesTrading may discuss market color, VWAP Purchase Notice timing and parameter considerations and other related capital markets considerations with the Company in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby, in all cases on behalf of the Investor. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Investor has not made and does not make any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents other than those specifically set forth in Article V.
Section 10.4Entire Agreement. The Transaction Documents set forth the entire agreement and understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior and contemporaneous agreements, negotiations and understandings between the parties, both oral and written, with respect to such matters. There are no promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by either party relative to subject matter hereof not expressly set forth in the Transaction Documents. All exhibits to this Agreement are hereby incorporated by reference in, and made a part of, this Agreement as if set forth in full herein.
Section 10.5Notices. Any notice, demand, request, waiver or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be effective (a) upon hand delivery or electronic mail delivery at the address or number designated below (if delivered on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received), or the first business day following such delivery (if delivered other than on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received) or (b) on the second business day following the date of mailing by express courier service, fully prepaid, addressed to such address, or upon actual receipt of such mailing, whichever shall first occur. The address for such communications shall be:
If to the Company:
Boxed, Inc.
451 Broadway, Floor 2
New York, NY 10013
Telephone Number:
Telephone Number:
Email:
Attention:
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Latham & Watkins LLP
650 Town Center Drive, 20th Floor
Email:
Attention:
Attention:
If to the Investor:
The Jones Group Ventures LLC
900 Island Park Drive, Suite 200
Daniel Island, SC 29492
Email:
Attention:
Either party hereto may from time to time change its address for notices by giving at least five (5) days’ advance written notice of such changed address to the other party hereto.
Section 10.6Waivers. No provision of this Agreement may be waived by the parties from and after the date that is one (1) Trading Day immediately preceding the date on which the Initial Registration Statement is initially
filed with the Commission. Subject to the immediately preceding sentence, no provision of this Agreement may be waived other than in a written instrument signed by the party against whom enforcement of such waiver is sought. No failure or delay in the exercise of any power, right or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such power, right or privilege preclude other or further exercises thereof or of any other right, power or privilege.
Section 10.7Amendments. No provision of this Agreement may be amended by the parties from and after the date that is one (1) Trading Day immediately preceding the date on which the Initial Registration Statement is initially filed with the Commission. Subject to the immediately preceding sentence, no provision of this Agreement may be amended other than by a written instrument signed by both parties hereto.
Section 10.8Headings. The article, section and subsection headings in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not constitute a part of this Agreement for any other purpose and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, each pronoun herein shall be deemed to include the masculine, feminine, neuter, singular and plural forms thereof. The terms “including,” “includes,” “include” and words of like import shall be construed broadly as if followed by the words “without limitation.” The terms “herein,” “hereunder,” “hereof” and words of like import refer to this entire Agreement instead of just the provision in which they are found.
Section 10.9Construction. The parties agree that each of them and their respective counsel has reviewed and had an opportunity to revise the Transaction Documents and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of the Transaction Documents. In addition, each and every reference to share prices and number of shares of Common Stock in any Transaction Document shall, in all cases, be subject to adjustment for any stock splits, stock combinations, stock dividends, recapitalizations, reorganizations and other similar transactions that occur on or after the date of this Agreement. Any reference in this Agreement to “Dollars” or “$” shall mean the lawful currency of the United States of America. Any references to “Section” or “Article” in this Agreement shall, unless otherwise expressly stated herein, refer to the applicable Section or Article of this Agreement.
Section 10.10Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors. Neither the Company nor the Investor may assign this Agreement or any of their respective rights or obligations hereunder to any Person.
Section 10.11No Third Party Beneficiaries. Except as expressly provided in Article IX, this Agreement is intended only for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person.
Section 10.12Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal procedural and substantive laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any laws or rules of such state that would cause the application of the laws of any other jurisdiction.
Section 10.13Survival. The representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the Company and the Investor contained in this Agreement shall survive the execution and delivery hereof until the termination of this Agreement; provided, however, that (i) the provisions of Article VIII (Termination), Article IX (Indemnification) and this Article X (Miscellaneous) shall remain in full force and effect indefinitely notwithstanding such termination, and, (ii) so long as the Investor owns any Securities, the covenants and agreements of the Company and the Investor contained in Article VI (Additional Covenants), shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination for a period of six months following such termination.
Section 10.14Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more identical counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party; provided that a facsimile signature or signature delivered by e-mail in a “.pdf” format data file, including any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, e.g., www.docusign.com, www.echosign.adobe.com, etc., shall be considered due execution and shall be binding upon the signatory thereto with the same force and effect as if the signature were an original signature.
Section 10.15Publicity. The Company shall afford the Investor and its counsel with a reasonable opportunity to review and comment upon, shall consult with the Investor and its counsel on the form and substance of, and shall give due consideration to all such comments from the Investor or its counsel on, any press release, Commission filing or any other public disclosure made by or on behalf of the Company relating to the Investor, its purchases hereunder or any aspect of the Transaction Documents or the transactions contemplated thereby, prior to the issuance, filing or public disclosure thereof. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company shall not be required to submit for review any such disclosure (i) contained in periodic reports filed with the Commission under the
Exchange Act if it shall have previously provided the same disclosure to the Investor or its counsel for review in connection with a previous filing or (ii) any Prospectus Supplement if it contains disclosure that does not reference the Investor, its purchases hereunder or any aspect of the Transaction Documents or the transactions contemplated thereby.
Section 10.16Severability. The provisions of this Agreement are severable and, in the event that any court of competent jurisdiction shall determine that any one or more of the provisions or part of the provisions contained in this Agreement shall, for any reason, be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision or part of a provision of this Agreement, and this Agreement shall be reformed and construed as if such invalid or illegal or unenforceable provision, or part of such provision, had never been contained herein, so that such provisions would be valid, legal and enforceable to the maximum extent possible.
Section 10.17Further Assurances. From and after the Closing Date, upon the request of the Investor or the Company, each of the Company and the Investor shall execute and deliver such instrument, documents and other writings as may be reasonably necessary or desirable to confirm and carry out and to effectuate fully the intent and purposes of this Agreement.
[Signature Pages Follow]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officer as of the date first above written.
BOXED, INC.: | ||||||||
By: | /s/ Mark Zimowski | |||||||
Name: | Mark Zimowski | |||||||
Title: | Chief Financial Officer | |||||||
THE JONES GROUP VENTURES LLC: | ||||||||
By: | /s/ Burke Cook | |||||||
Name: | Burke Cook | |||||||
Title: | Secretary |
[Signature Page to Common Stock Purchase Agreement]
ANNEX I TO THE
COMMON STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT
DEFINITIONS
COMMON STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT
DEFINITIONS
“Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 144.
“Average Price” means a price per Share (rounded to the nearest tenth of a cent) equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the aggregate gross purchase price paid by the Investor for all Shares purchased pursuant to this Agreement, by (ii) the aggregate number of Shares issued pursuant to this Agreement.
“Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar U.S. federal or state law for the relief of debtors.
“Bloomberg” means Bloomberg, L.P.
“Bylaws” means the Company’s Bylaws as in effect on the Closing Date.
“Charter” means the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation as in effect on the Closing Date.
“Closing Date” means the date of this Agreement.
“Closing Sale Price” means, for the Common Stock as of any date, the last closing trade price for the Common Stock on the Trading Market, as reported by Bloomberg, or, if the Trading Market begins to operate on an extended hours basis and does not designate the closing trade price for the Common Stock, then the last trade price for the Common Stock prior to 4:00 p.m., New York City time, as reported by Bloomberg. All such determinations shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations, recapitalizations or other similar transactions during such period.
“Commission” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor entity.
“Commission Documents” shall mean (1) all reports, schedules, registrations, forms, statements, information and other documents filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Company pursuant to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, including all material filed with or furnished to the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, since December 31, 2021, including, without limitation, the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed by the Company for its fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 (the “2021 Form 10-K”), and which hereafter shall be filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Company, including, without limitation, the Initial Report, (2) each Registration Statement, as the same may be amended from time to time, the Prospectus contained therein and each Prospectus Supplement thereto and (3) all information contained in such filings and all documents and disclosures that have been and heretofore shall be incorporated by reference therein.
“Commitment Shares” shall mean all the shares of Common Stock delivered to the Investor in satisfaction of the Company’s obligations under the Upfront Commitment Fee.
“Common Stock” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals of this Agreement.
“Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or its Subsidiaries which entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, rights, options, warrants or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.
“Company” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble of this Agreement.
“Custodian” shall mean any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
“DTC” means The Depository Trust Company, a subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, or any successor thereto.
“DWAC” means Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian.
“DWAC Shares” means shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to this Agreement that are (i) issued in electronic form, (ii) freely tradable and transferable and without restriction on resale and without stop transfer instructions
maintained against the transfer thereof (subject to the ongoing availability of a Registration Statement and Prospectus) and (iii) timely credited by the Company to the Investor’s (or its designee’s) specified DWAC account with DTC under its Fast Automated Securities Transfer (FAST) Program, or any similar program hereafter adopted by DTC performing substantially the same function.
“Effective Date” means, with respect to the Initial Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 2(a) of the Registration Rights Agreement (or any post-effective amendment thereto) or any New Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 2(c) of the Registration Rights Agreement (or any post-effective amendment thereto), as applicable, the date on which the Initial Registration Statement (or any post-effective amendment thereto) or any New Registration Statement (or any post-effective amendment thereto) is declared effective by the Commission.
“Eligible Market” means The New York Stock Exchange, The Nasdaq Capital Market, Nasdaq Global Select Market, or the NYSE American (or any nationally recognized successor to any of the foregoing).
“ERISA” shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
“Exempt Issuance” means the issuance of (a) Common Stock, options or other equity incentive awards to employees, officers, directors or vendors of the Company pursuant to any equity incentive plan duly adopted for such purpose, by the Company’s Board of Directors or a majority of the members of a committee of the Board of Directors established for such purpose, (b)(1) any Shares issued to the Investor pursuant to this Agreement, (2) any securities issued upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion of any shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents held by the Investor at any time, or (3) any securities issued upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion of any Common Stock Equivalents issued and outstanding on the date of this Agreement, provided that such securities referred to in this clause (3) have not been amended since the date of this Agreement to increase the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise price, exchange price or conversion price of such securities, (c) securities issued pursuant to acquisitions, divestitures, licenses, partnerships, collaborations or strategic transactions approved by the Company’s Board of Directors or a majority of the members of a committee of directors established for such purpose, which acquisitions, divestitures, licenses, partnerships, collaborations or strategic transactions can have a Variable Rate Transaction component, provided that any such issuance shall only be to a Person (or to the equity holders of a Person) which is, itself or through its subsidiaries, an operating company or an asset in a business synergistic with the business of the Company and shall provide to the Company additional benefits in addition to the investment of funds, but shall not include a transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business is investing in securities, (d) debt securities that are convertible into, exchangeable or exercisable for, or include the right to receive shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents at a conversion price, exercise price, exchange rate or other price that is established in connection with such issuance thereof and is subject to reset only with respect to standard ant-dilution protection for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split or other similar transaction, and (i) any call or capped call option (or substantively equivalent derivative transaction) entered into in connection with the issuance of such debt securities covered by this clause (d) and (ii) any call option, warrant or right to purchase (or substantively equivalent derivative transaction) relating to Common Stock and/or cash (in an amount determined by reference to the price of such Common Stock) sold by the Company substantially concurrently with any purchase by the Borrower of a related described in the preceding clause (i), (e) Common Stock issued by the Company to the Investor or an Affiliate of the Investor in connection with any “equity line of credit” or other continuous offering or similar offering of Common Stock pursuant to a written agreement between the Company and the Investor or an Affiliate of the Investor, whereby the Company may sell Common Stock to the Investor or an Affiliate of the Investor at a future determined price, or (f) Common Stock issued by the Company by any method deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act, exclusively to or through JonesTrading Institutional Services, LLC, pursuant to one or more written agreements between the Company and JonesTrading Institutional Services, LLC.
“Filing Deadline” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“FINRA” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
“Fundamental Transaction” means that (i) the Company shall, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions, (1) consolidate or merge with or into (whether or not the Company is the surviving corporation) another Person, with the result that the holders of the Company’s capital stock immediately prior to such consolidation or merger together beneficially own less than 50% of the outstanding voting power of the surviving or resulting corporation, or (2) sell, lease, license, assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company to another Person, or (3) take action to facilitate a purchase, tender or
exchange offer by another Person that is accepted by the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (excluding any shares of Common Stock held by the Person or Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the Persons making or party to, such purchase, tender or exchange offer), or (4) consummate a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person whereby such other Person acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not including any shares of Common Stock held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination), or (5) reorganize, recapitalize or reclassify its Common Stock, or (ii) any “person” or “group” (as these terms are used for purposes of Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) is or shall become the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Common Stock.
“Initial Registration Statement” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Investment Period” means the period commencing on the Commencement Date and expiring on the date this Agreement is subsequently terminated pursuant to Article VIII.
“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the assets, business, operations, earnings, properties, condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (b) the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.
“Minimum Price” means $9.43, representing the New York Stock Exchange official closing price of the Common Stock on the Trading Market on the date of this Agreement (subject to adjustment for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction that occurs on or after the date of this Agreement).
“New Registration Statement” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Person” means any person or entity, whether a natural person, trustee, corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization, business association, firm, joint venture, governmental agency or authority.
“Post-Effective Amendment Period” means the period commencing at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the fifth (5th) Trading Day immediately prior to the filing of any post-effective amendment to the Initial Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement, and ending at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the Trading Day immediately following, the Effective Date of such post-effective amendment.
“Prospectus” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Prospectus Supplement” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Registrable Securities” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Registration Rights Agreement” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals hereof.
“Registration Statement” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect.
“Section 4(a)(2)” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals of this Agreement.
“Securities” means, collectively, the Shares and the Commitment Shares.
“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
“Shares” shall mean the shares of Common Stock that are and/or may be purchased by the Investor under this Agreement pursuant to one or more VWAP Purchase Notices, but not including the Commitment Shares.
“Short Sales” shall mean “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 promulgated under Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act.
“Subsidiary” shall mean any corporation or other entity of which at least a majority of the securities or other ownership interest having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other persons performing similar functions are at the time owned directly or indirectly by the Company and/or any of its other Subsidiaries.
“Total Commitment” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.1.
“Trading Day” shall mean any day on which the Trading Market or, if the Common Stock is then listed on an Eligible Market, such Eligible Market is open for “regular” trading, including any day on which the Trading Market (or such Eligible Market, as applicable) is open for “regular” trading for a period of time less than the customary “regular” trading period.
“Trading Market” means The New York Stock Exchange (or any nationally recognized successor thereto).
“Transaction Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement (as qualified by the Commission Documents) and the exhibits hereto, the Registration Rights Agreement, and the exhibits thereto, and each of the other agreements, documents, certificates and instruments entered into or furnished by the parties hereto in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
“Upfront Commitment Fee” shall mean a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) $1,000,000 and (ii) the VWAP of the Common Stock for the last five Trading Days ending on (and including) the last Trading Day prior to the initial filing date of the Initial Registration Statement (rounded down to eliminate any fractional shares).
“Variable Rate Transaction” means a transaction in which the Company (i) issues or sells any equity or debt securities that are convertible into, exchangeable or exercisable for, or include the right to receive additional shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents either (A) at a conversion price, exercise price, exchange rate or other price that is based upon and/or varies with the trading prices of or quotations for the Common Stock at any time after the initial issuance of such equity or debt securities, or (B) with a conversion, exercise or exchange price that is subject to being reset at some future date after the initial issuance of such equity or debt security or upon the occurrence of specified or contingent events directly or indirectly related to the business of the Company or the market for the Common Stock (including, without limitation, any “full ratchet” or “weighted average” anti-dilution provisions, but not including any standard anti-dilution protection for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split or other similar transaction), (ii) issues or sells any equity or debt securities, including without limitation, Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents, either (A) at a price that is subject to being reset at some future date after the initial issuance of such debt or equity security or upon the occurrence of specified or contingent events directly or indirectly related to the business of the Company or the market for the Common Stock (other than standard anti-dilution protection for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split or other similar transaction), or (B) that are subject to or contain any put, call, redemption, buy-back, price-reset or other similar provision or mechanism (including, without limitation, a “Black-Scholes” put or call right, other than in connection with a “fundamental transaction”) that provides for the issuance of additional equity securities of the Company or the payment of cash by the Company, or (iii) enters into any agreement, including, but not limited to, an “equity line of credit” or “at the market offering” or other continuous offering or similar offering of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents, whereby the Company may sell Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents at a future determined price.
“VWAP” means, for the Common Stock for a specified period, the dollar volume-weighted average price for the Common Stock on the Trading Market (or, if the Common Stock is then listed on an Eligible Market, on such Eligible Market), for such period, as reported by Bloomberg through its “AQR” function. All such determinations shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, recapitalization or other similar transaction during such period.
“VWAP Purchase Commencement Time” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, 9:30:01 a.m., New York City time, on the applicable VWAP Purchase Date, or such later time on such VWAP Purchase Date publicly announced by the Trading Market (or, if the Common Stock is then listed on an Eligible Market, by such Eligible Market) as the official open (or commencement) of “regular” trading on the Trading Market (or such Eligible Market, as applicable) on such VWAP Purchase Date.
“VWAP Purchase Date” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, the Trading Day on which the Investor receives, after 6:00 a.m., New York City time, but prior to 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on such Trading Day, a valid VWAP Purchase Notice for such VWAP Purchase in accordance with this Agreement.
“VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, a number of Shares equal to the lesser of (i) such number of shares of Common Stock which, when aggregated with all other shares of Common Stock then beneficially owned by the Investor and its Affiliates (as calculated pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13d-3 promulgated thereunder), would cause the Investor’s beneficial ownership of Common Stock to equal, or approximate as closely as possible without exceeding, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, (ii) such number of shares of Common Stock equal to the product of (A) the VWAP Purchase Share Percentage, multiplied by (B) the total number (or volume) of shares of Common Stock traded on the Trading Market (or, if the Common Stock is then listed on an Eligible Market, on such Eligible Market) during the applicable VWAP Purchase Period on the applicable VWAP Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase, and (iii) an aggregate purchase price of $5,000,000.
“VWAP Purchase Notice” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, an irrevocable written notice, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit D, timely delivered by the Company to the Investor on a VWAP Purchase Date directing the Investor to purchase a VWAP Purchase Share Amount (such specified VWAP Purchase Share Amount subject to adjustment as set forth in Section 3.1 as necessary to give effect to the VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount), at the applicable VWAP Purchase Price therefor on the applicable VWAP Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase in accordance with this Agreement.
“VWAP Purchase Period” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, the period on the applicable VWAP Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase beginning at the applicable VWAP Purchase Commencement Time and ending at the applicable VWAP Purchase Termination Time.
“VWAP Purchase Price” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, the purchase price per Share to be purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase equal to ninety-seven percent (97.0%) of the VWAP of the Common Stock for the applicable VWAP Purchase Period on the applicable VWAP Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase (to be appropriately adjusted for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction).
“VWAP Purchase Share Amount” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, the number of Shares to be purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase as specified by the Company in the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice, which number of Shares shall not exceed the applicable VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount.
“VWAP Purchase Share Estimate” means the number of shares of Common Stock constituting a good faith estimate by the Company of the number of Shares that the Investor shall have the obligation to buy pursuant to the VWAP Purchase Notice.
“VWAP Purchase Share Percentage” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, twenty percent (20%).
“VWAP Purchase Termination Time” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, 4:00 p.m., New York City time, on the applicable VWAP Purchase Date, or such earlier time publicly announced by the Trading Market (or, if the Common Stock is then listed on an Eligible Market, by such Eligible Market) as the official close of “regular” trading on the Trading Market (or such Eligible Market, as applicable) on such applicable VWAP Purchase Date.