Registration Rights and Lock-Up Agreement
Exhibit 10.39
FINAL FORM
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AND LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AND LOCK-UP AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of [●], 2023, is made and entered into by and among Siebert Financial Corp., a New York corporation (the “Company”), Kakaopay Corporation, a company established under the laws of the Republic of Korea (the “Purchaser”), and the undersigned parties listed under Holders on the signature pages hereto (each such party, collectively with the Purchaser and any person or entity who hereafter becomes a party to this Agreement pursuant to Section 5.3, the “Holders” and each, a “Holder”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Company and the Purchaser have entered into the First Tranche Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of April 27, 2023 (as amended or supplemented from time to time, the “First Tranche Agreement”), pursuant to which the Purchaser has purchased certain shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share, of the Company (“Common Stock”) on the terms and conditions set forth therein (the “First Tranche”);
WHEREAS, the Company and the Purchaser have entered into the Second Tranche Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of April 27, 2023 (as amended or supplemented from time to time, the “Second Tranche Agreement” and together with the First Tranche Agreement, the “Stock Purchase Agreements”), pursuant to which the Purchaser shall purchase certain additional shares of Common Stock on the terms and conditions set forth therein (the “Second Tranche” and, together with the First Tranche and the other transactions contemplated thereby, the “Transactions”); and
WHEREAS, to induce the Purchaser to consummate the Transactions, the Company has agreed to grant the Holders certain registration rights with respect to certain securities of the Company, as set forth in this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the representations, covenants and agreements contained herein, and certain other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
1.1 Definitions. The terms defined in this Article I shall, for all purposes of this Agreement, have the respective meanings set forth below:
“Addendum Agreement” shall have the meaning given in Section 5.3.
“Adverse Disclosure” shall mean any public disclosure of material non-public information, which disclosure, in the good faith judgment of the Chief Executive Officer or the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, after consultation with counsel to the Company, (a) would be required to be made in any Registration Statement or Prospectus in order for the applicable Registration Statement or Prospectus not to contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein (in the case of any Prospectus and any preliminary Prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, (b) would not be required to be made at such time if the Registration Statement were not being filed, declared effective or used, as the case may be, (c) the Company has a bona fide business purpose for not making such information public, and (d) such disclosure (i) would be reasonably likely to have an adverse impact on the Company, (ii) could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to effect a material proposed acquisition, disposition, financing, reorganization, recapitalization or similar transaction or (iii) relates to information the accuracy of which has yet to be determined by the Company or which is the subject of an ongoing investigation or inquiry; provided that the Company takes all reasonable action as necessary to promptly make such determination and conclude such investigation or inquiry.
“Affiliated Entity” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.4.
“Agreement” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble hereto.
“Block Trade” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.5.1.
“Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
“Closing” shall have the meaning given in the First Tranche Agreement.
“Closing Date” shall have the meaning given in the First Tranche Agreement.
“Commission” shall mean the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Common Stock” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“Company” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble hereto and includes the Company’s successors by recapitalization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, reorganization or other similar transaction.
“Demand Reimbursement” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.6.
“Demanding Holder” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.4.
“Effectiveness Deadline” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.1.
“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, as may be amended from time to time.
“First Tranche” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“First Tranche Agreement” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“Form S-1 Shelf” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.1.
“Form S-3 Shelf” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.1.
“Holder” or “Holders” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble hereto, for so long as such person or entity holds any Registrable Securities.
“Holder Information” shall have the meaning given in Section 4.1.2.
“Legend Removal Date” shall have the meaning given in Section 3.7.
“Legend Removal Request” shall have the meaning given in Section 3.7.
“Lock-Up Period” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.4.
2
“Lock-Up Securities” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.4.
“Maximum Number of Securities” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.5.
“Minimum Takedown Threshold” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.4.
“Misstatement” shall mean an untrue statement of a material fact or an omission to state a material fact required to be stated in a Registration Statement or Prospectus or necessary to make the statements in a Registration Statement or Prospectus (in the case of a Prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading.
“Other Coordinated Offering” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.5.1.
“Piggyback Registration” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.2.1.
“Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus included in any Registration Statement, as supplemented by any and all prospectus supplements and as amended by any and all post-effective amendments and including all material incorporated by reference in such prospectus.
“Purchaser” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble hereto and includes the Purchaser’s successors by recapitalization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, reorganization or other similar transaction.
“Registrable Security” shall mean (a) any shares of Common Stock issued or issuable to a Holder pursuant to the terms of the Stock Purchase Agreements, (b) any shares of Common Stock or any other security (including any security issued or issuable upon the exercise or conversion of any such security) of the Company acquired by a Holder following the date hereof and (c) any other security of the Company or any of its subsidiaries issued or issuable with respect to any securities referenced in the foregoing clauses (a) and (b) by way of a stock dividend, stock split or other distribution, or in connection with a recapitalization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, reorganization or other similar transaction; provided, however, that, as to any particular Registrable Security, such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities upon the earliest to occur of: (i) a Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such securities shall have become effective under the Securities Act and such securities shall have been sold, transferred, disposed of or exchanged in accordance with such Registration Statement by the applicable Holder; (ii) such securities shall have been otherwise transferred, new certificates for such securities not bearing (or book entry positions not subject to) a legend restricting further transfer shall have been delivered by the Company and subsequent public distribution of such securities shall not require registration under the Securities Act; or (iii) such securities shall have ceased to be outstanding.
“Registration” shall mean a registration, including any related Shelf Takedown, effected by preparing and filing a registration statement, Prospectus or similar document in compliance with the requirements of the Securities Act, and the applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and such registration statement becoming effective.
“Registration Expenses” shall mean the documented, out-of-pocket expenses of a Registration, including, without limitation, the following:
(A) all registration and filing fees (including fees with respect to filings required to be made with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA)) and any national securities exchange on which the Common Stock are then listed;
3
(B) fees and expenses of compliance with securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable fees and disbursements of outside counsel for the Underwriters in connection with blue sky qualifications of Registrable Securities);
(C) printing, messenger, telephone and delivery expenses;
(D) reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company;
(E) reasonable fees and disbursements of all independent registered public accountants of the Company incurred specifically in connection with such Registration;
(F) in an Underwritten Offering, reasonable fees and expenses of one (1) legal counsel selected by the majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders (not to exceed $75,000 without the consent of the Company);
(G) the costs and expenses of Company relating to analyst and investor presentations
(H) or any “road show” undertaken in connection with the Registration and/or marketing of the Registrable Securities; and
(I) any other fees and disbursements customarily paid by the issuers of securities.
“Registration Statement” shall mean any registration statement that covers Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, including the Prospectus included in such registration statement, amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to such registration statement, and all exhibits to and all material incorporated by reference in such registration statement.
“Requesting Holders” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.5.
“Second Tranche” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“Second Tranche Agreement” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, as may be amended from time to time.
“Shelf” shall mean the Form S-1 Shelf, the Form S-3 Shelf or any Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement, as the case may be.
“Shelf Registration” shall mean a registration of securities pursuant to a registration statement filed with the Commission in accordance with and pursuant to Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act (or any successor rule then in effect).
“Shelf Takedown” shall mean an Underwritten Shelf Takedown or any proposed transfer or sale using a Registration Statement, including a Piggyback Registration.
“Stock Purchase Agreements” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.2.
“Transactions” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
4
“Transfer” shall mean the (a) sale or assignment of, offer to sell, contract or agreement to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant of any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agreement to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establishment or increase of a put equivalent position or liquidation with respect to or decrease of a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act with respect to, any security, (b) entry into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any security, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such securities, in cash or otherwise, or (c) public announcement of any intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (a) or (b).
“Underwriter” shall mean a securities dealer who purchases any Registrable Securities as principal in an Underwritten Offering and not as part of such dealer’s market-making activities.
“Underwritten Offering” shall mean a Registration in which securities of the Company are sold to an Underwriter in a firm commitment underwriting for distribution to the public.
“Underwritten Shelf Takedown” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.4.
“Withdrawal Notice” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.6.
ARTICLE II
REGISTRATIONS AND OFFERINGS
2.1 Shelf Registration.
2.1.1 Filing. As soon as practicable, but in any event within thirty (30) calendar days, after the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, the Company shall submit to or file with the Commission a Registration Statement for a Shelf Registration on Form S-3 (“Form S-3 Shelf”) covering the resale of all the Registrable Securities on a delayed or continuous basis and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to have such Shelf declared effective as soon as practicable after the filing thereof, but no later than the earlier of (a) the sixtieth (60th) calendar day (or ninetieth (90th) calendar day if the Commission notifies the Company that it will “review” the Registration Statement) following the Closing and (b) the tenth (10th) business day after the date the Company is notified (orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the Commission that the Registration Statement will not be “reviewed” or will not be subject to further review (such earlier date, the “Effectiveness Deadline”); provided, however, that if such Effectiveness Deadlines falls on a Saturday, Sunday or other day that the SEC is closed for business, the Effectiveness Deadlines shall be extended to the business day on which the SEC is open for business. Such Shelf shall provide for the resale of the Registrable Securities included therein pursuant to any method or combination of methods legally available to, and requested by, any Holder named therein. The Company shall maintain a Shelf in accordance with the terms hereof and shall prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, including post-effective amendments, and supplements as may be necessary to keep a Shelf continuously effective, available for use to permit the Holders named therein to sell their Registrable Securities included therein and in compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act until such time as there are no longer any Registrable Securities. In the event the Company is ineligible to use a Form S-3 Shelf and files a Registration Statement for a Shelf Registration on Form S-1 (“Form S-1 Shelf”) to satisfy its obligations hereunder, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to convert the Form S-1 Shelf (and any Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement) to a Form S-3 Shelf as soon as practicable after the Company is eligible to use a Form S-3 Shelf. The Company’s obligation under this Section 2.1.1, shall, for the avoidance of doubt, be subject to Section 3.4.
5
2.1.2 Subsequent Shelf Registration. If any Shelf ceases to be effective under the Securities Act for any reason at any time while Registrable Securities are still outstanding, the Company shall, subject to Section 3.4, use its commercially reasonable efforts to as promptly as is reasonably practicable cause such Shelf to again become effective under the Securities Act (including using its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the prompt withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of such Shelf), and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to as promptly as is reasonably practicable amend such Shelf in a manner reasonably expected to result in the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of such Shelf or file an additional registration statement as a Shelf Registration (a “Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement”) registering the resale of all Registrable Securities. If a Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement is filed, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to (i) cause such Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement to become effective under the Securities Act as promptly as is reasonably practicable after the filing thereof (it being agreed that the Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement shall be an automatic shelf registration statement (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act) if the Company is a well-known seasoned issuer at the time of filing (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act) at the most recent applicable eligibility determination date) and (ii) keep such Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective, available for use to permit the Holders named therein to sell their Registrable Securities included therein and in compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act until such time as there are no longer any Registrable Securities. Any such Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement shall be on Form S-3 to the extent that the Company is eligible to use such form at the time of filing. Otherwise, such Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement shall be on another appropriate form. The Company’s obligation under this Section 2.1.2, shall, for the avoidance of doubt, be subject to Section 3.4.
2.1.3 Additional Registrable Securities. Subject to Section 3.4, in the event that any Holder holds Registrable Securities that are not registered for resale on a delayed or continuous basis, the Company, upon written request of such Holder, shall promptly use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the resale of such Registrable Securities to be covered by either, at the Company’s option, any then available Shelf (including by means of a post-effective amendment) or by filing a Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement and cause the same to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and such Shelf or Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement shall be subject to the terms hereof; provided, however, that the Company shall only be required to cause such additional Registrable Securities to be so covered twice per calendar year for each of the Holders.
2.1.4 Requests for Underwritten Shelf Takedowns. Subject to Section 3.4, at any time and from time to time when an effective Shelf is on file with the Commission and only after the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, one or more Holders (any such Holder being in such case, a “Demanding Holder”) may request to sell all or any portion of its Registrable Securities in an Underwritten Offering that is registered pursuant to the Shelf (each, an “Underwritten Shelf Takedown”); provided that the Company shall only be obligated to effect an Underwritten Shelf Takedown if such offering shall include Registrable Securities proposed to be sold by the Demanding Holder, either individually or together with other Demanding Holders, with a total offering price of at least $10.0 million in the aggregate (the “Minimum Takedown Threshold”); provided that, with respect to all remaining Registrable Securities held by the Demanding Holder no Minimum Takedown Threshold shall apply. All requests for Underwritten Shelf Takedowns shall be made by giving written notice to the Company, which shall specify the approximate number of Registrable Securities proposed to be sold in the Underwritten Shelf Takedown. Subject to Section 2.5.4, a majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders shall have the right to select the Underwriters for such offering (which shall consist of one or more reputable nationally recognized investment banks), subject to the Company’s prior approval (which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). The Holders may demand not more than two (2) Underwritten Shelf Takedowns pursuant to this Section 2.1.4 within any six (6) month period. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company shall not be required to effect an aggregate of more than four (4) Underwritten Shelf Takedowns pursuant to this Section 2.1.4 in any twelve (12) month period. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company may effect any Underwritten Offering pursuant to any then effective Registration Statement, including a Form S-3, that is then available for such offering.
6
2.1.5 Reduction of Underwritten Offering. If the managing Underwriter or Underwriters in an Underwritten Shelf Takedown, in good faith, advises the Company, the Demanding Holders and the Holders requesting piggy back rights pursuant to this Agreement with respect to such Underwritten Shelf Takedown (the “Requesting Holders”) (if any) in writing that the dollar amount or number of Registrable Securities that the Demanding Holders and the Requesting Holders (if any) desire to sell, taken together with all other Common Stock or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell and all other Common Stock or other equity securities, if any, that have been requested to be sold in such Underwritten Offering pursuant to separate written contractual piggy-back registration rights held by any other stockholders, exceeds the maximum dollar amount or maximum number of equity securities that can be sold in the Underwritten Offering without adversely affecting the proposed offering price, the timing, the distribution method, or the probability of success of such offering (such maximum dollar amount or maximum number of such securities, as applicable, the “Maximum Number of Securities”), then the Company shall include in such Underwritten Offering, before including any Common Stock or other equity securities proposed to be sold by Company or by other holders of Common Stock or other equity securities, the Registrable Securities of (i) first, the Demanding Holders that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities (pro rata based on the respective number of Registrable Securities that each Demanding Holder has requested be included in such Underwritten Shelf Takedown and the aggregate number of Registrable Securities that all of the Demanding Holders have requested be included in such Underwritten Shelf Takedown) and (ii) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clause (i), the Requesting Holders (if any) (pro rata based on the respective number of Registrable Securities that each Requesting Holder (if any) has requested be included in such Underwritten Shelf Takedown and the aggregate number of Registrable Securities that all of the Requesting Holders have requested be included in such Underwritten Shelf Takedown) that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities.
2.1.6 Withdrawal. Prior to the filing of the applicable “red herring” Prospectus or Prospectus supplement used for marketing such Underwritten Shelf Takedown, a majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders initiating an Underwritten Shelf Takedown shall have the right to withdraw from such Underwritten Shelf Takedown for any or no reason whatsoever upon written notification (a “Withdrawal Notice”) to the Company and the Underwriter or Underwriters (if any) of their intention to withdraw from such Underwritten Shelf Takedown; provided that the remaining Demanding Holders may elect to have the Company continue an Underwritten Shelf Takedown if the Minimum Takedown Threshold would still be satisfied by the Registrable Securities proposed to be sold in the Underwritten Shelf Takedown by such Demanding Holders. If withdrawn, a demand for an Underwritten Shelf Takedown shall constitute a demand for an Underwritten Shelf Takedown by the withdrawing Demanding Holder for purposes of Section 2.1.4, unless such Demanding Holder reimburses the Company for all Registration Expenses with respect to such Underwritten Shelf Takedown (or, if there is more than one Demanding Holder, a pro rata portion of such Registration Expenses based on the respective number of Registrable Securities that each Demanding Holder requested be included in such Underwritten Shelf Takedown) (a “Demand Reimbursement”); provided that, if any Demanding Holder elects to continue an Underwritten Shelf Takedown pursuant to the proviso in the immediately preceding sentence, such Underwritten Shelf Takedown shall instead count as an Underwritten Shelf Takedown for purposes of Section 2.1.4. Following the receipt of any Withdrawal Notice, the Company shall promptly forward such Withdrawal Notice to any other Holders that had elected to participate in such Shelf Takedown. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company shall be responsible for the Registration Expenses incurred in connection with a Shelf Takedown prior to its withdrawal under this Section 2.1.6, other than if a Demanding Holder elects to pay such Registration Expenses pursuant to a Demand Reimbursement.
7
2.2 Piggyback Registration.
2.2.1 Piggyback Rights. Subject to Section 2.5.3, if the Company or any Holder proposes to conduct a registered offering of, or if the Company proposes to file a Registration Statement under the Securities Act with respect to the Registration of, equity securities, or securities or other obligations exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into equity securities, for its own account or for the account of stockholders of the Company (or by the Company and by the stockholders of the Company including, without limitation, an Underwritten Shelf Takedown pursuant to Section 2.1), other than a Registration Statement (or any registered offering with respect thereto) (i) filed in connection with any employee stock option or other benefit plan, (ii) pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-4 (or similar form that relates to a transaction subject to Rule 145 under the Securities Act or any successor rule thereto), (iii) for an offering of debt that is convertible into equity securities of the Company, (iv) for a dividend reinvestment plan, or (v) a Block Trade or an Other Coordinated Offering (which shall be subject to Section 2.5), then the Company shall give written notice of such proposed offering to all of the Holders of Registrable Securities as soon as practicable but not less than ten (10) days before the anticipated filing date of such Registration Statement or, in the case of an Underwritten Offering pursuant to a Shelf Registration, the applicable “red herring” Prospectus or Prospectus supplement used for marketing such offering, which notice shall (A) describe the amount and type of securities to be included in such offering, the intended method(s) of distribution, and the name of the proposed managing Underwriter or Underwriters, if any, in such offering, and (B) offer to all of the Holders of Registrable Securities the opportunity to include in such registered offering such number of Registrable Securities as such Holders may request in writing within five (5) days after receipt of such written notice (such registered offering, a “Piggyback Registration”). Except with respect to an Underwritten Shelf Takedown under Section 2.1.4, the rights provided under this Section 2.2.1 shall not be available to any Holder at such time as there is an effective Shelf available for the resale of the Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2.1. Subject to Section 2.2.2, the Company shall, in good faith, cause such Registrable Securities to be included in such Piggyback Registration and, if applicable, shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the managing Underwriter or Underwriters of such Piggyback Registration to permit the Registrable Securities requested by the Holders pursuant to this Section 2.2.1 to be included therein on the same terms and conditions as any similar securities of the Company included in such registered offering and to permit the sale or other disposition of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof. The inclusion of any Holder’s Registrable Securities in a Piggyback Registration shall be subject to such Holder’s agreement to enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the Underwriter(s) selected for such Underwritten Offering.
2.2.2 Reduction of Piggyback Registration. If the managing Underwriter or Underwriters in an Underwritten Offering that is to be a Piggyback Registration, in good faith, advises the Company and the Holders of Registrable Securities participating in the Piggyback Registration in writing that the dollar amount or number of Common Stock or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell, taken together with (i) Common Stock or other equity securities, if any, as to which Registration or a registered offering has been demanded pursuant to separate written contractual arrangements with persons or entities other than the Holders of Registrable Securities hereunder, (ii) the Registrable Securities as to which registration has been requested pursuant to Section 2.2 hereof, and (iii) Common Stock or other equity securities, if any, as to which Registration or a registered offering has been requested pursuant to separate written contractual piggy-back registration rights of persons or entities other than the Holders of Registrable Securities hereunder, exceeds the Maximum Number of Securities, then:
(a) if the Registration or registered offering is undertaken for the Company’s account, the Company shall include in any such Registration or registered offering (A) first, Common Stock or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (B) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clause (A), the Registrable Securities of Holders exercising their rights to register their Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2.2.1, pro rata, based on the respective number of Registrable Securities that each Holder has requested be included in such Underwritten Offering and the aggregate number of Registrable Securities that the Holders have requested to be included in such Underwritten Offering, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and (C) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), the Common Stock or other equity securities, if any, as to which Registration or a registered offering has been requested pursuant to separate written contractual piggy-back registration rights of persons or entities other than the Holders of Registrable Securities hereunder, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities;
8
(b) if the Registration or registered offering is pursuant to a demand by persons or entities other than the Holders of Registrable Securities, then the Company shall include in any such Registration or registered offering (A) first, the Common Stock or other equity securities, if any, of such requesting persons or entities, other than the Holders of Registrable Securities, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (B) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clause (A), the Registrable Securities of Holders exercising their rights to register their Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2.2.1, pro rata, based on the respective number of Registrable Securities that each Holder has requested be included in such Underwritten Offering and the aggregate number of Registrable Securities that the Holders have requested to be included in such Underwritten Offering, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (C) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), the Common Stock or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and (D) fourth, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A), (B) and (C), the Common Stock or other equity securities, if any, as to which Registration or a registered offering has been requested pursuant to separate written contractual piggy-back registration rights of persons or entities other than the Holders of Registrable Securities hereunder, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and
(c) if the Registration or registered offering and Underwritten Shelf Takedown is pursuant to a request by Holder(s) of Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof, then the Company shall include in any such Registration or registered offering securities in the priority set forth in Section 2.1.5.
2.2.3 Piggyback Registration Withdrawal. Any Holder of Registrable Securities (other than a Demanding Holder, whose right to withdraw from an Underwritten Shelf Takedown, and related obligations, shall be governed by Section 2.1.6) shall have the right to withdraw from a Piggyback Registration for any or no reason whatsoever upon written notification to the Company and the Underwriter or Underwriters (if any) of his, her or its intention to withdraw from such Piggyback Registration prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to such Piggyback Registration or, in the case of a Piggyback Registration pursuant to a Shelf Registration, the filing of the applicable “red herring” Prospectus or Prospectus supplement with respect to such Piggyback Registration used for marketing such transaction. The Company (whether on its own good faith determination or as the result of a request for withdrawal by persons or entities pursuant to separate written contractual obligations) may withdraw a Registration Statement filed with the Commission in connection with a Piggyback Registration (which, in no circumstance, shall include a Shelf) at any time prior to the effectiveness of such Registration Statement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement (other than Section 2.1.6 with respect to a Demand Reimbursement), the Company shall be responsible for the Registration Expenses incurred in connection with the Piggyback Registration prior to its withdrawal under this Section 2.2.3.
9
2.2.4 Unlimited Piggyback Registration Rights. For purposes of clarity, subject to Section 2.1.6, any Piggyback Registration effected pursuant to Section 2.2 hereof shall not be counted as a demand for an Underwritten Shelf Takedown under Section 2.1.4 hereof.
2.3 Market Stand-off. In connection with any Underwritten Offering of equity securities of the Company (other than a Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering), if requested by the managing Underwriters, each Holder that is an executive officer or director or Holder (and for which it is customary for such Holder to agree to a lock-up), agrees that, to the extent such Holder participates in such Underwritten Offering, it shall not Transfer any Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company (other than those included in such offering pursuant to this Agreement), without the prior written consent of the Company, during the ninety (90) day period (or such shorter time agreed to by the managing Underwriters), beginning on the date of pricing of such offering, except as expressly permitted by such lock-up agreement or in the event the managing Underwriters otherwise agree by written consent. Each such Holder agrees to execute a customary lock-up agreement in favor of the Underwriters to such effect (in each case on substantially the same terms and conditions as all such Holders).
2.4 Lock-Up.
2.4.1 Each Holder agrees that, it, he or she will not during the period commencing on the date hereof through the earlier of (i) the Outside Date, as defined in, and as may be extended in accordance with, the Second Tranche Agreement, or (ii) the date that the Second Tranche Agreement is terminated (collectively, the “Lock-Up Period): (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, grant, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Common Stock (collectively, the “Lock-Up Securities”); (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Lock-Up Securities, in cash or otherwise; or (iii) publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge or disposition, or to enter into any transaction, swap, hedge or other arrangement relating to any Lock-Up Securities.
2.4.2 Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, each Holder may transfer Lock-Up Securities without the prior written consent of the Company in connection with (i) any transfers of Lock-Up Securities to a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, investment fund or other business entity that controls or manages, is controlled or managed by or is under common control or management with such Holder (an “Affiliated Entity”) and (ii) the transfer of Lock-Up Securities pursuant to a bona fide third party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction made to all holders of the Common Stock involving a change of control (as defined below) of the Company after the date hereof and approved by the Company’s board of directors; provided that in the event that the tender offer, merger, consolidation or other such transaction is not completed, the Lock-Up Securities owned by each Holder shall remain subject to the restrictions contained in this lock-up agreement. For purposes of clause (ii) above, “change of control” shall mean the consummation of any bona fide third party tender offer, merger, amalgamation, consolidation or other similar transaction the result of which is that any “person” (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), or group of persons, becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d- 5 of the Exchange Act) of a majority of total voting power of the voting stock of the Company.
2.4.3 If any transfer not permitted under this Section 2.4 is made or attempted contrary to the provisions of this Agreement, such purported prohibited transfer shall be null and void ab initio, and the Company shall refuse to recognize any such purported transferee as one of its equity holders for any purpose. In order to enforce this Section 2.4, the Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to the Lock-Up Securities of each Holder until the end of the Lock-Up Period.
10
2.4.4 During the Lock-Up Period, each certificate or book-entry position evidencing any Lock-Up Securities held by a Lock-Up Holder shall be marked with a legend in substantially the following form, in addition to any other applicable legends:
“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER SET FORTH IN A REGISTRATION RIGHTS AND LOCK-UP AGREEMENT, DATED AS OF [X], 2023, BY AND AMONG THE ISSUER OF SUCH SECURITIES AND THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THE SHARES. A COPY OF SUCH AGREEMENT WILL BE FURNISHED WITHOUT CHARGE BY THE ISSUER TO THE HOLDER HEREOF UPON WRITTEN REQUEST.”
2.4.5 For the avoidance of doubt, each Lock-Up Holder shall retain all of its rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Lock-Up Securities it holds during the Lock-Up Period, including the right to vote any such Lock-Up Securities that are entitled to vote. The Company agrees that upon the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, it shall take all actions necessary to cause its transfer agent to remove the legend set forth in Section 2.4.4 from all Lock-Up Securities, including, but not limited to, causing its legal counsel, at the Company’s expense, to deliver the necessary legal opinions, if any, to the Company’s transfer agent.
2.5 Block Trades; Other Coordinated Offerings.
2.5.1 Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article II, but subject to Section 3.4, at any time and from time to time when an effective Shelf is on file with the Commission, if a Demanding Holder wishes to engage in (a) an underwritten registered offering not involving a “roadshow,” an offer commonly known as a “block trade” (a “Block Trade”), or (b) an “at the market” or similar registered offering through a broker, sales agent or distribution agent, whether as agent or principal (an “Other Coordinated Offering”), in each case, (x) with a total offering price of at least $10.0 million in the aggregate or (y) with respect to all remaining Registrable Securities held by the Demanding Holder, then such Demanding Holder only needs to notify the Company of the Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering at least five (5) business days prior to the day such offering is to commence and the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to facilitate such Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering; provided that the Demanding Holders representing a majority of the Registrable Securities wishing to engage in the Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering shall use commercially reasonable efforts to work with the Company and any Underwriters, brokers, sales agents or placement agents prior to making such request in order to facilitate preparation of the Registration Statement, Prospectus and other offering documentation related to the Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering.
2.5.2 Prior to the filing of the applicable “red herring” Prospectus or Prospectus supplement used in connection with a Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering, a majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders initiating such Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering shall have the right to submit a Withdrawal Notice to the Company, the Underwriter or Underwriters (if any) and any brokers, sales agents or placement agents (if any) of their intention to withdraw from such Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company shall be responsible for the Registration Expenses incurred in connection with a Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering prior to its withdrawal under this Section 2.5.2.
2.5.3 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, Section 2.2 shall not apply to a Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering initiated by a Demanding Holder pursuant to this Agreement.
11
2.5.4 The Demanding Holder in a Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering shall have the right to select the Underwriters and any brokers, sales agents or placement agents (if any) for such Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering (in each case, which shall consist of one or more reputable nationally recognized investment banks).
2.5.5 A Demanding Holder in the aggregate may demand no more than (i) one (1) Block Trade pursuant to this Section 2.5 within any six (6) month period or (ii) two (2) Block Trades or Other Coordinated Offerings pursuant to this Section 2.5 in any twelve (12) month period. For the avoidance of doubt, any Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering effected pursuant to this Section 2.5 shall not be counted as a demand for an Underwritten Shelf Takedown pursuant to Section 2.1.4 hereof.
ARTICLE III
COMPANY PROCEDURES
3.1 General Procedures. In connection with any Shelf and/or Shelf Takedown, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect such Registration to permit the sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended plan of distribution thereof, and pursuant thereto the Company shall:
3.1.1 prepare and file with the Commission as soon as practicable a Registration Statement with respect to such Registrable Securities and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective until all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement are sold in accordance with the intended plan of distribution set forth in such Registration Statement or have ceased to be Registrable Securities;
3.1.2 prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and post-effective amendments to the Registration Statement, and such supplements to the Prospectus, as may be reasonably requested by any Holder of the Registrable Securities registered on such Registration Statement or any Underwriter of Registrable Securities or as may be required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used by the Company or by the Securities Act or rules and regulations thereunder to keep the Registration Statement effective until all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement are sold in accordance with the intended plan of distribution set forth in such Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or have ceased to be Registrable Securities;
3.1.3 prior to filing a Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, furnish without charge to the Underwriters, if any, and the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration, and such Holders’ legal counsel, copies of such Registration Statement as proposed to be filed, each amendment and supplement to such Registration Statement (in each case including all exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein), the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement (including each preliminary Prospectus), and such other documents as the Underwriters and the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration or the legal counsel for any such Holders may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Holders;
3.1.4 notify each seller of Registrable Securities promptly after it receives notice of the time when the Registration Statement has been declared effective and when any post-effective amendments and supplements thereto become effective;
3.1.5 furnish counsel for the Underwriter(s), if any, and upon written request, for the sellers of the Registrable Securities in such Registration Statement with copies of any written comments from the SEC or any written request by the SEC for amendments or supplements to a Registration Statement or Prospectus;
12
3.1.6 prior to any public offering of Registrable Securities, use best efforts to (i) register or qualify the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement under such securities or “blue sky” laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement (in light of their intended plan of distribution) may request (or provide evidence satisfactory to such Holders that the Registrable Securities are exempt from such registration or qualification) and (ii) take such action necessary to cause such Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental authorities as may be necessary by virtue of the business and operations of the Company and do any and all other acts and things that may be necessary or advisable to enable the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities in such jurisdictions; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify or take any action to which it would be subject to general service of process or taxation in any such jurisdiction where it is not then otherwise so subject;
3.1.7 cause all such Registrable Securities to be listed on each national securities exchange on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed;
3.1.8 provide a transfer agent or warrant agent, as applicable, and registrar for all such Registrable Securities no later than the effective date of such Registration Statement;
3.1.9 advise each seller of such Registrable Securities, promptly after it shall receive notice or obtain knowledge thereof, of the issuance of any stop order by the Commission suspending the effectiveness of such Registration Statement or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose and promptly use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such stop order should be issued;
3.1.10 at least five (5) days prior to the filing of any Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement or Prospectus, including any document that is to be incorporated by reference into such Registration Statement or Prospectus (or such shorter period of time as may be (a) necessary in order to comply with the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated under the Securities Act or Exchange Act, as applicable or (b) advisable in order to reduce the number of days that sales are suspended pursuant to Section 3.4), furnish, upon request, a copy thereof to each seller of such Registrable Securities or its counsel (excluding any exhibits thereto and any filing made under the Exchange Act that is to be incorporated by reference therein);
3.1.11 notify the Holders at any time when a Prospectus relating to such Registration Statement is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the happening of any event as a result of which the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes a Misstatement, and then to correct such Misstatement as set forth in Section 3.4;
3.1.12 in the event of an Underwritten Offering, a Block Trade, an Other Coordinated Offering, or sale by a broker, placement agent or sales agent pursuant to such Registration, in each of the following cases to the extent customary for a transaction of its type, permit a representative of the Holders, the Underwriters or other financial institutions facilitating such Underwritten Offering, Block Trade, Other Coordinated Offering or other sale pursuant to such Registration, if any, and any attorney, consultant or accountant retained by such Holders or Underwriter to participate, at each such person’s or entity’s own expense, in the preparation of the Registration Statement, and cause the Company’s officers, directors and employees to supply all information reasonably requested by any such representative, Underwriter, financial institution, attorney, consultant or accountant in connection with the Registration; provided, however, that such representatives, Underwriters or financial institutions agree to confidentiality arrangements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company, prior to the release or disclosure of any such information;
13
3.1.13 obtain a “comfort” letter from the Company’s independent registered public accountants in the event of an Underwritten Offering, a Block Trade, an Other Coordinated Offering or sale by a broker, placement agent or sales agent pursuant to such Registration (subject to such broker, placement agent or sales agent providing such certification or representation reasonably requested by the Company’s independent registered public accountants and the Company’s counsel) in customary form and covering such matters of the type customarily covered by “comfort” letters for a transaction of its type as the managing Underwriter may reasonably request, and reasonably satisfactory to a majority-in-interest of the participating Holders;
3.1.14 in the event of an Underwritten Offering, a Block Trade, an Other Coordinated Offering or sale by a broker, placement agent or sales agent pursuant to such Registration, on the date the Registrable Securities are delivered for sale pursuant to such Registration, to the extent customary for a transaction of its type, obtain an opinion, dated such date, of counsel representing the Company for the purposes of such Registration, addressed to the participating Holders, the broker, placement agents or sales agent, if any, and the Underwriters, if any, covering such legal matters with respect to the Registration in respect of which such opinion is being given as the participating Holders, broker, placement agent, sales agent or Underwriter may reasonably request and as are customarily included in such opinions and negative assurance letters;
3.1.15 in the event of any Underwritten Offering, a Block Trade, an Other Coordinated Offering or sale by a broker, placement agent or sales agent pursuant to such Registration, enter into and perform its obligations under an underwriting or other purchase or sales agreement, in usual and customary form, with the managing Underwriter or the broker, placement agent or sales agent of such offering or sale;
3.1.16 make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering the period of at least twelve (12) months beginning with the first day of the Company’s first full calendar quarter after the effective date of the Registration Statement which satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder (or any successor rule then in effect);
3.1.17 with respect to an Underwritten Offering pursuant to Section 2.1.4, use its commercially reasonable efforts to make available senior executives of the Company to participate in customary “road show” presentations that may be reasonably requested by the Underwriter in such Underwritten Offering; and
3.1.18 otherwise, in good faith, cooperate reasonably with, and take such customary actions as may reasonably be requested by the participating Holders, consistent with the terms of this Agreement, in connection with such Registration.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be required to provide any documents or information to an Underwriter, broker, sales agent or placement agent if such Underwriter, broker, sales agent or placement agent has not then been named with respect to the applicable Underwritten Offering or other offering involving a registration as an Underwriter, broker, sales agent or placement agent, as applicable.
14
3.2 Registration Expenses. The Registration Expenses of all Registrations shall be borne by the Company. It is acknowledged by the Holders that the Holders shall bear all incremental selling expenses relating to the sale of Registrable Securities, such as Underwriters’ commissions and discounts, brokerage fees, Underwriter marketing costs and, other than as set forth in the definition of “Registration Expenses,” all reasonable fees and expenses of any legal counsel representing the Holders.
3.3 Requirements for Participation in Registration Statement in Offerings. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any Holder does not provide the Company with its requested Holder Information, the Company may exclude such Holder’s Registrable Securities from the applicable Registration Statement or Prospectus if the Company determines, based on the advice of counsel, that it is necessary or advisable to include such information in the applicable Registration Statement or Prospectus and such Holder continues thereafter to withhold such information. In addition, no person or entity may participate in any Underwritten Offering or other offering for equity securities of the Company pursuant to a Registration initiated by the Company hereunder unless such person or entity (i) agrees to sell such person’s or entity’s securities on the basis provided in any underwriting, sales, distribution or placement arrangements approved by the Company and (ii) completes and executes all customary questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, lock-up agreements, underwriting or other agreements and other customary documents as may be reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting, sales, distribution or placement arrangements. For the avoidance of doubt, the exclusion of a Holder’s Registrable Securities as a result of this Section 3.3 shall not affect the registration of the other Registrable Securities to be included in such Registration.
3.4 Suspension of Sales; Adverse Disclosure; Restrictions on Registration Rights.
3.4.1 Upon receipt of written notice from the Company that: (a) a Registration Statement or Prospectus contains a Misstatement; (b) any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to any Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information or of the occurrence of an event requiring the preparation of a supplement or amendment to such Prospectus so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of the securities covered by such Registration Statement or Prospectus, such Registration Statement or Prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (c) upon any suspension by the Company, pursuant to a written insider trading compliance program adopted by the Board, of the ability of all “insiders” covered by such program to transact in the Company’s securities because of the existence of material non-public information, each of the Holders shall forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement covering such Registrable Securities until (x) in the case of (a) or (b), it has received copies of a supplemented or amended Prospectus (it being understood that the Company hereby covenants to prepare and file such supplement or amendment as soon as reasonably practicable after the time of such notice), or until it is advised in writing by the Company that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed, or (y) in the case of (c), until the restriction on the ability of “insiders” to transact in the Company’s securities is removed, and, if so directed by the Company, each such Holder will deliver to the Company all copies, other than permanent file copies then in such Holder’s possession, of the most recent Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities at the time of receipt of such notice.
3.4.2 Subject to Section 3.4.4, if the filing, initial effectiveness or continued use of a Registration Statement in respect of any Registration at any time would (a) require the Company to make an Adverse Disclosure, (b) require the inclusion in such Registration Statement of financial statements that are unavailable to the Company for reasons beyond the Company’s control, or (c) in the good faith judgment of the majority of the Board such Registration, be detrimental to the Company and the majority of the Board concludes as a result that it is advisable to defer such filing, initial effectiveness or continued use at such time, the Company may, upon giving prompt written notice of such action to the Holders (which notice shall not specify the nature of the event giving rise to such delay or suspension), delay the filing or initial effectiveness of, or suspend use of, such Registration Statement for the shortest period of time determined in good faith by the Company to be necessary for such purpose. In the event the Company exercises its rights under this Section 3.4.2, each Holder agrees to suspend, immediately upon its receipt of the notice referred to above, its use of the Prospectus relating to any Registration in connection with any sale or offer to sell Registrable Securities until such Holder receives written notice from the Company that such sales or offers of Registrable Securities may be resumed, and in each case maintain the confidentiality of such notice and its contents.
15
3.4.3 Subject to Section 3.4.4, (a) during the period starting with the date sixty (60) days prior to the Company’s good faith estimate of the date of the filing of, and ending on a date one hundred and twenty (120) days after the effective date of, a Company-initiated Registration and provided that the Company continues to actively employ, in good faith, all commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the effectiveness of the applicable Shelf Registration, or (b) if, pursuant to Section 2.1.4, Holders have requested an Underwritten Shelf Takedown and the Company and Holders are unable to obtain the commitment of underwriters to firmly underwrite such offering, the Company may, upon giving prompt written notice of such action to the Holders, delay any other registered offering pursuant to Section 2.1.4 or 2.5.
3.4.4 The right to delay or suspend any filing, initial effectiveness or continued use of a Registration Statement pursuant to Section 3.4.2 or a registered offering pursuant to Section 3.4.3 shall be exercised by the Company, in the aggregate, for not more than sixty (60) consecutive calendar days and not more than twice for not more than one hundred and twenty (120) total calendar days, during any twelve (12)-month period.
3.5 Reporting Obligations. As long as any Holder shall own Registrable Securities, the Company, at all times while it shall be a reporting company under the Exchange Act, covenants to file timely (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and to promptly furnish the Holders with true and complete copies of all such filings; provided that any documents publicly filed or furnished with the Commission pursuant to the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (EDGAR) shall be deemed to have been furnished or delivered to the Holders pursuant to this Section 3.5. The Company further covenants that it shall take such further action as any Holder may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell shares of Common Stock held by such Holder without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act (or any successor rule then in effect). Upon the request of any Holder, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a written certification of a duly authorized officer as to whether it has complied with such requirements.
3.6 Rule 144. With a view to make available to the Holders the benefits of Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, the Company covenants that it will (a) make available at all times information necessary to comply with Rule 144, if such Rule is available with respect to resales of the Registrable Securities under the Securities Act, and (b) take such further action as the Holders may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable them to sell all Registrable Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rule 144 (if available with respect to resales of the Registrable Securities), as such rule may be amended from time to time. Upon request of any Holder, the Company will deliver to such Holder a written statement as to whether the Company has complied with such information requirement, and, if not, the specific reasons for non-compliance.
16
3.7 Legend Removal. Certificates (or book entry positions) evidencing the Registrable Securities shall not contain any legend (including any legend set forth in the Stock Purchase Agreements): (i) while a Registration Statement is effective under the Securities Act, (ii) following any sale of such Registrable Securities pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, (iii) while such Registrable Securities are eligible for sale without restriction under Rule 144 or (iv) if such legend is not required under applicable requirements of the Securities Act (including judicial interpretations and pronouncements issued by the Commission). The Company shall cause its counsel to issue any legal opinion or instruction required by the Company’s transfer agent to comply with the requirements set forth in this Section 3.7. At such time as a legend is no longer required for Registrable Securities under this Section 3.7, the Company will, no later than two (2) business days following the delivery by a Holder to the Company or the Company’s transfer agent of (i) a certificate representing such Registrable Securities containing the legend or, (ii) if such Registrable Securities are uncertificated, a written request to remove the legend from the applicable book entry position (each of the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii), a “Legend Removal Request” and such second business day following a Legend Removal Request, the “Legend Removal Date”), deliver or cause to be delivered to such Holder a certificate (or book entry position statement) representing such Registrable Securities that is free from such removed legend. In addition to any other remedies available to such Holder, the Company shall pay to such Holder, in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Registrable Securities included in a Legend Removal Request (based on the volume-weighted average price of the Common Stock or other applicable security on the date of the Legend Removal Request), $5.00 per trading day for each trading day after the Legend Removal Date until such Registrable Securities are delivered without the removed legend, provided that such Holder has furnished to the Company and its legal counsel standard and customary documentation required to facilitate removal of the legend, satisfactory to the Company’s legal counsel, acting reasonably.
ARTICLE IV
INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION
4.1 Indemnification.
4.1.1 The Company agrees to indemnify, to the extent permitted by law, each Holder of Registrable Securities and such Holder’s officers, directors, managers, directors, trustees, equityholders, beneficiaries, affiliates and agents and each person or entity who controls such Holder (within the meaning of the Securities Act), against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and out-of-pocket expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable and documented outside attorneys’ fees or other expenses incurred in connection with investigating or defensing such claim, loss, liability, damage or action) resulting from (i) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact contained in or incorporated by reference in any Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (ii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act or any other similar federal or state securities law except insofar as the same are caused by or contained in any information or affidavit so furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein. The Company shall indemnify the Underwriters, their officers and directors and each person or entity who controls such Underwriters (within the meaning of the Securities Act) to the same extent as provided in the foregoing with respect to the indemnification of the Holder.
4.1.2 In connection with any Registration Statement in which a Holder of Registrable Securities is participating, such Holder shall furnish (or cause to be furnished) to the Company in writing such information and affidavits as the Company reasonably requests for use in connection with any such Registration Statement or Prospectus (the “Holder Information”) and, to the extent permitted by law, shall indemnify the Company and the Company’s directors, officers and agents and each person or entity who controls the Company (within the meaning of the Securities Act) against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and out-of-pocket expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable and documented outside attorneys’ fees) resulting from any untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact contained or incorporated by reference in any Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only to the extent that such untrue statement is contained in (or not contained in, in the case of an omission) any information or affidavit so furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Holder expressly for use therein; provided, however, that the obligation to indemnify shall be several, not joint and several, among such Holders of Registrable Securities, and the liability of each such Holder of Registrable Securities shall be in proportion to and limited to the net proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement. The Holders of Registrable Securities shall indemnify the Underwriters, their officers, directors and each person or entity who controls such Underwriters (within the meaning of the Securities Act) to the same extent as provided in the foregoing with respect to indemnification of the Company.
17
4.1.3 Any person or entity entitled to indemnification herein shall (i) give prompt written notice to the indemnifying party of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification (provided that the failure to give prompt notice shall not impair any person’s or entity’s right to indemnification hereunder to the extent such failure has not materially prejudiced the indemnifying party) and (ii) unless in such indemnified party’s reasonable judgment a conflict of interest between such indemnified and indemnifying parties may exist with respect to such claim, permit such indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. If such defense is assumed, the indemnifying party shall not be subject to any liability for any settlement made by the indemnified party without its consent (but such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld). An indemnifying party who is not entitled to, or elects not to, assume the defense of a claim shall not be obligated to pay the fees and expenses of more than one counsel for all parties indemnified by such indemnifying party with respect to such claim, unless in the reasonable judgment of any indemnified party a conflict of interest may exist between such indemnified party and any other of such indemnified parties with respect to such claim. No indemnifying party shall, without the consent of the indemnified party, consent to the entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which cannot be settled in all respects by the payment of money (and such money is so paid by the indemnifying party pursuant to the terms of such settlement) or which settlement includes a statement or admission of fault and culpability on the part of such indemnified party or which settlement does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation.
4.1.4 The indemnification provided for under this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the indemnified party or any officer, director or controlling person or entity of such indemnified party and shall survive the transfer of securities. The Company and each Holder of Registrable Securities participating in an offering also agrees to make such provisions as are reasonably requested by any indemnified party for contribution to such party in the event the Company’s or such Holder’s indemnification is unavailable for any reason.
4.1.5 If the indemnification provided under Section 4.1 from the indemnifying party is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and out-of-pocket expenses referred to herein, then the indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying the indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and out-of-pocket expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the indemnifying party and indemnified party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, was made by (or not made by, in the case of an omission), or relates to information supplied by (or not supplied by in the case of an omission), such indemnifying party or indemnified party, and the indemnifying party’s and indemnified party’s relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action; provided, however, that the liability of any Holder under this Section 4.1.5 shall be limited to the amount of the net proceeds received by such Holder in such offering giving rise to such liability. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses or other liabilities referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Sections 4.1.1, 4.1.2 and 4.1.3 above, any legal or other fees, charges or out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with any investigation or proceeding. The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 4.1.5 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation, which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 4.1.5. No person or entity guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution pursuant to this Section 4.1.5 from any person or entity who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
18
ARTICLE V
MISCELLANEOUS
5.1 Notices. All notices and other communications given or made pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed effectively given upon the earlier of actual receipt, or (a) personal delivery to the party to be notified, (b) when sent, if sent by electronic mail during normal business hours of the recipient, and if not sent during normal business hours, then on the recipient’s next business day, (c) five (5) days after having been sent by registered or certified U.S. mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or (d) one (1) business day after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight courier, freight prepaid, specifying next business day delivery, with written verification of receipt. All communications shall be sent to the respective parties at their address as set forth below or such other address for which notice has been given pursuant to this Section 5.1:
| If to the Company: | Siebert Financial Corp. | |
| 535 Fifth Avenue, 4th Fl. | ||
| New York, New York 10017 | ||
| Attn: | Andrew Reich, CFO | |
| Email: | ***@*** | |
| With copy to: | Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, LLP | |
| 2049 Century Park East, 18th Floor | ||
| Los Angeles, CA 90067 | ||
| Attn: | Mark Hiraide | |
| Email: | ***@*** | |
| O’Melveny & Myers LLP | ||
| 2765 Sand Hill Road | ||
| Menlo Park, CA 94025-7019 | ||
| Attn: | Brad Finkelstein | |
| Viq Shariff | ||
| Email: | ***@*** | |
| ***@*** | ||
19
| If to Purchaser: | Kakaopay Corporation | |
| 166 Pangyoyeok-ro, 15th Fl. Tower B, | ||
| Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, | ||
| Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea 13529 | ||
| Attn: | Hochul Shin | |
| Dongyoup Oh | ||
| Email: | ***@*** | |
| ***@*** | ||
| With copy to: | Greenberg Traurig, LLP | |
| One Vanderbilt Avenue | ||
| New York, New York 10022 | ||
| Attn: | Michael D. Helsel | |
| Jang H. Yeo | ||
| Adam Namoury | ||
| Email: | ***@*** | |
| ***@*** | ||
| ***@*** | ||
| Shin & Kim LLC | ||
| Attn: | Young Joon Park | |
| Hae Seong Ahn | ||
| James Kang | ||
| Email: | ***@*** | |
| ***@*** | ||
| ***@*** | ||
If to any other Holder, to the address set forth under such Holder’s signature to this Agreement or to such Holder’s address as found in the Company’s books and records.
5.2 Other Registration Rights and Arrangements. The Company represents and warrants that no person, other than a Holder, has any right to require the Company to register any of the Company’s securities for sale or to include the Company’s securities in any registration filed by the Company for the sale of securities for its own account or for the account of any other person. The Company shall not hereafter enter into any agreement with respect to its securities which is inconsistent with or violates the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement and in the event of any conflict between any such agreement or agreements and this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall prevail.
5.3 Assignment; No Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement and the rights, duties and obligations of the Company hereunder may not be assigned or delegated by the Company in whole or in part. Subject to Section 2.4, this Agreement and the rights, duties and obligations of a Holder hereunder may be freely assigned or delegated by such Holder in conjunction with and to the extent of any permitted transfer of Registrable Securities by any such Holder. This Agreement and the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of each of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and the Holders and their respective successors and permitted assigns. This Agreement shall not confer any rights or benefits on any persons or entities that are not parties hereto, other than as expressly set forth in Article IV and this Section 5.3. Subject to Section 2.4, the rights of a Holder may be transferred by such a Holder to a transferee who acquires or holds Registrable Securities; provided, however, that such transferee has executed and delivered to the Company a properly completed agreement to be bound by the terms of this Agreement substantially in form attached hereto as Exhibit A (an “Addendum Agreement”), and the transferor shall have delivered to the Company no later than thirty (30) days following the date of the transfer, written notification of such transfer setting forth the name of the transferor, the name and address of the transferee, and the number of Registrable Securities so transferred. The execution of an Addendum Agreement shall constitute a permitted amendment of this Agreement.
20
5.4 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts (including PDF counterparts), each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of which together shall constitute the same instrument, but only one of which need be produced.
5.5 Governing Law; Venue. This Agreement shall be governed by the internal law of the State of New York, without regard to conflict of law principles that would result in the application of any law other than the law of the State of New York. EACH PARTY IRREVOCABLY AGREES THAT ALL ACTIONS OR PROCEEDINGS IN ANY WAY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE LITIGATED IN COURTS HAVING SITUS IN THE COUNTY OF NEW YORK, NEW YORK. EACH PARTY HEREBY CONSENTS AND SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF ANY COURT LOCATED WITHIN NEW YORK, NEW YORK, WAIVES PERSONAL SERVICE OF PROCESS UPON SUCH PARTY, AND AGREES THAT ALL SUCH SERVICE OF PROCESS MAY BE MADE BY REGISTERED MAIL DIRECTED TO SUCH PARTY AT THE ADDRESS STATED HEREIN OR SUCH OTHER ADDRESS FOR WHICH NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN PURSUANT TO SECTION 5.1 AND SERVICE SO MADE WILL BE DEEMED TO BE COMPLETED UPON ACTUAL RECEIPT.
5.6 Waiver of Jury Trial. TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW, EACH PARTY HEREBY WAIVES ITS RIGHTS TO A JURY TRIAL OF ANY CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION BASED UPON OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR THE SUBJECT MATTER HEREOF. THE SCOPE OF THIS WAIVER IS INTENDED TO BE ALL-ENCOMPASSING OF ANY AND ALL DISPUTES THAT MAY BE FILED IN ANY COURT AND THAT RELATE TO THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS AGREEMENT, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, CONTRACT CLAIMS, TORT CLAIMS (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), BREACH OF DUTY CLAIMS, AND ALL OTHER COMMON LAW AND STATUTORY CLAIMS. THIS SECTION 5.6 HAS BEEN FULLY DISCUSSED BY EACH OF THE PARTIES AND THESE PROVISIONS WILL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY EXCEPTIONS. EACH PARTY HEREBY FURTHER WARRANTS AND REPRESENTS THAT SUCH PARTY HAS REVIEWED THIS WAIVER WITH ITS LEGAL COUNSEL, AND THAT SUCH PARTY KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY WAIVES ITS JURY TRIAL RIGHTS FOLLOWING CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL.
5.7 Amendments and Modifications. Upon the written consent of (a) the Company and (b) the Holders of a majority of the total Registrable Securities, compliance with any of the provisions, covenants and conditions set forth in this Agreement may be waived, or any of such provisions, covenants or conditions may be amended or modified; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, any amendment hereto or waiver hereof that adversely affects one Holder, solely in its capacity as a holder of the shares of capital stock of the Company, in a manner that is materially different from the other Holders (in such capacity) shall require the consent of the Holder so affected. No course of dealing between any Holder or the Company and any other party hereto or any failure or delay on the part of a Holder or the Company in exercising any rights or remedies under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver of any rights or remedies of any Holder or the Company. No single or partial exercise of any rights or remedies under this Agreement by a party shall operate as a waiver or preclude the exercise of any other rights or remedies hereunder or thereunder by such party.
5.8 Term. This Agreement shall terminate, with respect to any Holder, on the date that such Holder no longer holds any Registrable Securities, and with respect to the Company, on the date that no Registrable Securities remain outstanding. The provisions of Section 3.5 and Article IV shall survive any termination.
21
5.9 Holder Information. Each Holder agrees, if requested in writing, to represent to the Company the total number of Registrable Securities held by such Holder in order for the Company to make determinations hereunder.
5.10 Severability. It is the desire and intent of the parties that the provisions of this Agreement be enforced to the fullest extent permissible under the laws and public policies applied in each jurisdiction in which enforcement is sought. Accordingly, if any particular provision of this Agreement shall be adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, prohibited or unenforceable for any reason, such provision, as to such jurisdiction, shall be ineffective, without invalidating the remaining provisions of this Agreement or affecting the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or affecting the validity or enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if such provision could be more narrowly drawn so as not to be invalid, prohibited or unenforceable in such jurisdiction, it shall, as to such jurisdiction, be so narrowly drawn, without invalidating the remaining provisions of this Agreement or affecting the validity or enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction.
5.11 Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the full and entire agreement and understanding between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings relating to such subject matter.
5.12 Adjustments. If, and as often as, there are any changes in the Registrable Securities by way of stock split, stock dividend, combination or reclassification, or through merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization or sale, or by any other means, appropriate adjustment shall be made in the provisions of this Agreement, as may be required, so that the rights, privileges, duties and obligations hereunder shall continue with respect to the Registrable Securities as so changed.
[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]
22
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date first written above.
| COMPANY: | ||
| SIEBERT FINANCIAL CORP. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
[Signature Page to Registration Rights and Lock-Up Agreement]
| HOLDERS: | ||
| Kakaopay Corporation | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
[Signature Page to Registration Rights and Lock-Up Agreement]
EXHIBIT A
Addendum Agreement
This Addendum Agreement (“Addendum Agreement”) is executed on __________________, 20___, by the undersigned (the “New Holder”) pursuant to the terms of that certain Registration Rights and Lock-Up Agreement, dated as of [●], 2023 (the “Agreement”), by and among the Company and the Holders identified therein, as such Agreement may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Addendum Agreement shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in the Agreement. By the execution of this Addendum Agreement, the New Holder agrees as follows:
1. Acknowledgment. New Holder acknowledges that New Holder is acquiring certain securities of the Company (the “Securities”) as a transferee of such Securities from a party in such party’s capacity as a holder of Registrable Securities under the Agreement, and after such transfer, New Holder shall be considered a “Holder” and a holder of Registrable Securities for all purposes under the Agreement.
2. Agreement. New Holder hereby (a) agrees that the Securities shall be bound by and subject to the terms of the Agreement and (b) adopts the Agreement with the same force and effect as if the New Holder were originally a party thereto.
3. Notice. Any notice required or permitted by the Agreement shall be given to New Holder at the address listed below New Holder’s signature below.
| ACCEPTED AND AGREED: | ||||
| NEW HOLDER: | COMPANY: | |||
| Name: | SIEBERT FINANCIAL CORP. | |||
| By: | By: | |||
| Address: | ||||
[Signature Page to Addendum Agreement]
