Our limited cash and a history of losses
EX-1.1 2 v56620a2exv1w1.htm EX-1.1 exv1w1
Exhibit 1.1
Form of Underwriting Agreement
SUPERCONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGIES INC.
COMMON STOCK
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
August ___, 2010
MDB CAPITAL GROUP LLC
As Representative of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule I
401 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1020
Santa Monica, CA 90401
As Representative of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule I
401 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1020
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Superconductor Technologies Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), proposes to sell to the Underwriters named in Schedule I (the Underwriters) an aggregate of [ ] shares (the Firm Shares) of common stock, $0.001 par value per share (the Common Stock), of the Company. The Company has also granted to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to [ ] additional shares of Common Stock on the terms and for the purposes set forth in Section 3 (the Option Shares). The Firm Shares and any Option Shares purchased pursuant to this Underwriting Agreement are herein collectively called the Securities.
The Company hereby confirms its agreement with respect to the sale of the Securities to the Underwriters, for whom you are acting as Representative (the Representative).
1. Registration Statement and Prospectus. A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-167979) (the initial registration statement) with respect to the Securities, including a preliminary form of prospectus, has been prepared by the Company in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Act), and the rules and regulations (Rules and Regulations) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) thereunder and has been filed with the Commission; one or more amendments to the initial registration statement have also been so prepared and have been, or will be, so filed; and, if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b) of the Rules and Regulations to increase the size of the offering registered under the Act, the Company will prepare and file with the Commission a registration statement with respect to such increase pursuant to Rule 462(b) (the additional registration statement). Copies of the registration statement(s) and amendments and each related preliminary prospectus, as applicable, have been delivered to you.
If the Company has elected not to rely upon Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations, the Company has prepared and will promptly file an amendment to the registration statement and an amended prospectus. If the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations, it will prepare and file a prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) that discloses the information previously omitted from the prospectus in reliance upon Rule 430A (Rule 430A
Information). Original Registration Statement as of any particular time means the initial registration statement, in the form then filed with the Commission, including all amendments to the initial registration statement as of such time, all information contained in the additional registration statement (if any) and then deemed to be a part of the initial registration statement pursuant to the General Instructions of Form S-1 and all information (if any) included in a prospectus then deemed to be a part of the initial registration statement pursuant to Rule 430C of the Rules and Regulations or retroactively deemed to be a part of the initial registration statement pursuant to Rule 430A(b) of the Rules and Regulations. Rule 462(b) Registration Statement as of any particular time means the additional registration statement in the form then filed with the Commission, including the contents of the Original Registration Statement incorporated by reference therein and including all information (if any) included in a prospectus then deemed to be a part of the additional registration statement pursuant to Rule 430C or retroactively deemed to be a part of the additional registration statement pursuant to Rule 430A(b). Registration Statement as of any particular time means the Original Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement as of such time. For purposes of the foregoing definitions, information contained in a form of prospectus that is deemed retroactively to be a part of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430A shall be considered to be included in the Registration Statement as of the time specified in Rule 430A. For purposes of this Agreement, Effective Time with respect to the Original Registration Statement or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement means the date and time as of which such Registration Statement was declared effective by the Commission or has become effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b). Registration Statement without reference to a time means the Registration Statement as of its Effective Time. Statutory Prospectus as of any particular time means the prospectus included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to that time, including any information in a prospectus deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430A or 430C. For purposes of the preceding sentence, information contained in a form of prospectus that is deemed retroactively to be a part of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430A shall be considered to be included in the Statutory Prospectus as of the actual time that form of prospectus is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b). Prospectus means the Statutory Prospectus that discloses the public offering price and other final terms of the Securities and the offering. Preliminary Prospectus as of any particular time means any Statutory Prospectus included in the Registration Statement prior to the time it becomes or became effective under the Act and any prospectus that omits Rule 430A Information. All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing, shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System, or EDGAR.
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is contained, described, included, disclosed, listed, or stated in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (or other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed by Rules and Regulations to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be.
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2. Representations and Warranties.
(a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriters as follows:
(i) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission and each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof or the time of first use within the meaning of the Rules and Regulations, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; except that the foregoing shall not apply to statements in or omissions from any Preliminary Prospectus in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by you, or by any Underwriter through you, specifically for use in the preparation thereof.
(ii) As of the time any part of the Registration Statement (or any post-effective amendment thereto) became effective, upon the filing or first use within the meaning of the Rules and Regulations of the Prospectus (or any supplement to the Prospectus) and at the First Closing Date and Second Closing Date (as hereinafter defined), (A) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (in each case, as so amended and/or supplemented) conformed or will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations, (B) the Registration Statement (as so amended) did not or will not include 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, and (C) the Prospectus (as so supplemented) did not or will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they are or were made, not misleading; except that each of the foregoing shall not apply to statements in or omissions from any such document in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by you, or by any Underwriter through you, or by your counsel, specifically for use in the preparation thereof. If the Registration Statement has become effective, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued, and, to the Companys knowledge, no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened by the Commission.
(iii) Neither (A) the Issuer General Free Writing Prospectus(es) issued at or prior to the Time of Sale and set forth on Schedule II, the information on Schedule III, and the Statutory Prospectus, all considered together (collectively, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package), nor (B) any individual Issuer Limited-Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, includes or included as of the Time of Sale any untrue statement of a material fact or omits or omitted as of the Time of Sale to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Statutory Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by you, or by any Underwriter through you, or by your counsel specifically for use therein. As used in this paragraph and elsewhere in this Agreement:
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(1) Time of Sale means [ ] (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement.
(2) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus means any issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 under the Act, prepared by or on behalf of the Company or used or referred to by the Company in connection with the offering of the Securities that (A) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, or (B) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) under the Act because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms or pursuant to Rule 433(d)(8)(ii) because it is a bona fide electronic road show, as defined in Rule 433 of the Rules and Regulations, which is made available without restriction, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Companys records pursuant to Rule 433(g) under the Act.
(3) Issuer General Free Writing Prospectus means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule II.
(4) Issuer Limited-Use Free Writing Prospectus means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Free Writing Prospectus.
(iv) (A) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Securities or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the Representative as described in Section 4(a)(iii)(B), did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus. The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by you, or by any Underwriter through you, or by your counsel specifically for use therein.
(B) (1) At the time of filing the Registration Statement and (2) at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an ineligible issuer, as defined in Rule 405 under the Act, including the Company or any subsidiary in the preceding three years not having been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor or having been made the subject of a judicial or administrative decree or order as described in Rule 405 (without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer), nor an excluded issuer as defined in Rule 164 under the Act.
(C) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus satisfied, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Securities, all other conditions to use thereof as set forth in Rules 164 and 433 under the Act.
(v) The financial statements of the Company, together with the related notes, set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and Prospectus, comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and fairly present
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the financial condition of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of operations and changes in cash flows for the periods therein specified in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) consistently applied throughout the periods involved (except as described therein and subject, in the case of unaudited financial statements, to year end adjustments); and the supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein; all non-GAAP financial information included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus complies with the requirements of Regulation G and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Act; and, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no material off-balance sheet arrangements (as defined in Regulation S-K under the Act, Item 303(a)(4)(ii)). No other financial statements or schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus. Stonefield Josephson, Inc., which has expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements and schedules filed as a part of the Registration Statement and included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is (x) an independent public accounting firm within the meaning of the Act and the Rules and Regulations and Rule 3600T of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, (y) a registered public accounting firm (as defined in Section 2(a)(12) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the Sarbanes-Oxley Act)) and (z) in performing its work for the Company, not in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
(vi) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly organized and validly exists as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has full corporate (or limited liability company as the case may be) power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as currently being carried on and as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign qualified entity in good standing in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of real property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification and in which the failure to so qualify would have a material adverse effect upon, or material adverse change in, the general affairs, business, prospects, management, properties, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (Material Adverse Effect or Material Adverse Change).
(vii) Except as contemplated in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred any material liabilities or obligations other than in the ordinary course of business, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions other than in the ordinary course of business, or declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its capital stock; and there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than a change in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants), or any material change in the short-term or long-term debt, or any issuance of options, warrants, convertible securities or other rights to purchase the capital stock, of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any Material Adverse Change or any development that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change
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(viii) Except as set forth in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus, there is not pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened or contemplated, any action, suit or proceeding to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject before or by any court or governmental agency, authority or body, or any arbitrator, which, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to result in any Material Adverse Change.
(ix) There are no statutes, regulations, contracts or documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement by the Act or by the Rules and Regulations that have not been so described or filed.
(x) This Agreement has been duly authorized, and in the case of this Agreement duly executed and delivered, by the Company, and this Agreement constitutes, a valid, legal and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnity hereunder may be limited by federal or state securities laws and except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and subject to general principles of equity. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any statute, any agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its property is subject, the Companys charter or by-laws, or any order, rule, regulation or decree of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective properties, except for such breaches, violations or defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing with, any court or governmental agency or body is required for the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or for the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, including the issuance or sale of the Securities by the Company, except such as may be required under the Act or state securities or blue sky laws or where the failure to obtain would not result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change; and the Company has full power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to authorize, issue and sell the Securities as contemplated by this Agreement.
(xi) All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company, including the outstanding shares of Common Stock, are duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and the Securities which may be sold hereunder by the Company have been duly authorized and, when issued, delivered and paid for in accordance with the terms of this Agreement will have been validly issued and will be fully paid and nonassessable, and the holders thereof will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders. The capital stock of the Company, including the Common Stock, conforms to the description thereof in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus. Except as otherwise stated in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus, there are no preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, or any restriction upon the voting or transfer of, any shares of
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Common Stock pursuant to the Companys charter, by-laws or any agreement or other instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound. Neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Securities as contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights for or relating to the registration of any shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company which have not been waived in writing or complied with prior to effectiveness of the Registration Statement. All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the Companys subsidiaries have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, and, except as otherwise described in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus, the Company owns of record and beneficially, free and clear of any security interests, claims, liens, proxies, equities or other encumbrances, all of the issued and outstanding shares of such stock. Except as described in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus (including pursuant to the warrants and stock-based incentive plans(s) referenced therein), there are no options, warrants, agreements, contracts or other rights in existence to purchase or acquire from the Company any shares of the capital stock of the Company.
(xii) The Company and each subsidiary holds, and is operating in compliance in all material respects with, all material franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, consents, certificates and orders of any governmental or self-regulatory body (Governmental Licenses) required for the conduct of its business and all such Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect except where the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not would not result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such Governmental License or has reason to believe that any such Governmental Licenses will not be renewed in the ordinary course.
(xiii) Except such as are described in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus, (A) the Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all property (whether real or personal) described in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus as being owned by them, in each case free and clear of all material liens, claims, security interests, other encumbrances or defects except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and (B) the property held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries is held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with only such exceptions with respect to any particular lease as do not interfere in any material respect with the conduct of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries.
(xiv) The Company and each of its subsidiaries owns, possesses, licenses or can acquire or license on reasonable terms, all Intellectual Property necessary for the conduct of the Companys and its subsidiaries business as now conducted or to be conducted, to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus to be conducted, except as such failure to own, possess, or acquire such rights would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Furthermore, (A) to the knowledge of the Company, there is no infringement, misappropriation or violation by third parties of any such Intellectual Property, except as such infringement, misappropriation or
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violation would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; (B) except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the Companys or any of its subsidiaries rights in or to any such Intellectual Property; (C) the Intellectual Property owned by the Company and its subsidiaries, and to the knowledge of the Company, the Intellectual Property licensed to the Company and its subsidiaries (excluding licenses under commercially available or off the shelf or other standard products), has not been adjudged invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, and there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any such Intellectual Property; (D) except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company or any of its subsidiaries infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates any Intellectual Property or other proprietary rights of others, the Company and its subsidiaries have not received any written notice of such claim (excluding claims that have been resolved); and (E) to the Companys knowledge, no employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any term of any employment contract, patent disclosure agreement, invention assignment agreement, non-competition agreement, non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement or any restrictive covenant to or with a former employer where the basis of such violation relates to such employees employment with the Company or any of its subsidiaries or actions undertaken by the employee while employed with the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except as such violation would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Intellectual Property shall mean all patents, patent applications, trade and service marks, trade and service mark registrations, trade names, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets, domain names, technology, know-how and other intellectual property.
(xv) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its respective charter or by-laws or other organizational documents, or in breach of or otherwise in default, and no event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default in the performance of any material obligation, agreement or condition contained in any bond, debenture, note, indenture, loan agreement or any other material contract, lease or other instrument to which it is subject or by which it may be bound, or to which any of its material property or assets is subject, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xvi) The Company and its subsidiaries have timely filed all federal, state, local and foreign income and franchise tax returns required to be filed (except where the failure to do so would not be material) and are not in default in the payment of any material taxes that were payable pursuant to said returns or any assessments with respect thereto, other than any which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is contesting in good faith. There is no pending dispute with any taxing authority relating to any of such returns, and the Company has no knowledge of any proposed liability for any tax to be imposed upon the properties or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries for which there is not an adequate reserve reflected in the Companys financial statements included in the Registration Statement.
(xvii) The Company has not distributed and will not distribute any prospectus or other offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities
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other than any Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or other materials permitted by the Act to be distributed by the Company; provided, however, that, except as set forth on Schedule II, the Company has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 405 under the Act, except in accordance with the provisions of Section 4(a)(xvi) of this Agreement.
(xviii) Except for (i) the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21 of the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 and (ii) marketable securities held for investment purposes in amounts less than 5% of the outstanding equity of the issuer, the Company, directly or indirectly, owns no capital stock or other equity or ownership or proprietary interest in any corporation, partnership, association, trust or other entity.
(xix) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with managements general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with managements general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus, the Companys internal control over financial reporting were effective as of December 31, 2009 and the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting, and since the end of the latest audited fiscal year, there has been no change in the Companys internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) that has materially adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially adversely affect, the Companys internal control over financial reporting.
(xx) Other than as contemplated by this Agreement or as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Company has not incurred any liability for any finders or brokers fee or agents commission in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(xxi) The Company and each of its subsidiaries carries, or is covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as it reasonably believes is adequate for the conduct of its business and the value of its properties and as is customary for similar companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries; all policies of insurance and any fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company and each of its subsidiaries or its business, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect; the Company and each of its subsidiaries is in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; there are no material claims by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has within the last 24 months been denied any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar
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insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxii) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities, will not be an investment company, as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(xxiii) The Company is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(xxiv) The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act) and such controls and procedures are effective in ensuring that material information relating to the Company (including its subsidiaries) is made known to the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer. The Company has utilized such controls and procedures in preparing and evaluating the disclosures in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus.
(xxv) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is aware of or has taken any action directly or indirectly, that would result in a material violation by such persons of the FCPA (as defined below), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any foreign official (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA and the Company and its subsidiaries have each conducted its business in compliance in all material respects with the FCPA and instituted and maintained policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance in all material respects therewith. FCPA means the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.
(xxvi) The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries have complied in all material respects with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the Money Laundering Laws) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, except, in each case, as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(xxvii)
(1) Neither the Company nor, to the Companys knowledge, any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or representative of the Company, is an 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 United States Department of Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) (collectively, Sanctions), or (II) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or Sanctions (including, without limitation, Burma/Myanmar, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria).
(2) The Company 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 knowingly 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 (II) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any persons (including any person) participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).
(3) The Company has not knowingly engaged in and is not now knowingly engaged 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.
(xxviii) To the Companys knowledge, no transaction has occurred between or among the Company and its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and any related person of the Company, on the other hand, that is required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K of the Rules and Regulations that is not so described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, extended or maintained credit, or arranged for the extension of credit, or renewed an extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan to or for any of its directors or executive officers in violation of applicable laws, including Section 402 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
(xxix) The Company and each of its subsidiaries (A) 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); (B) has received and is in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of it under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its business; and (C) 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 any such case for any such failure to comply, or failure to receive required permits, licenses or approvals, or liability as would not be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxx) The Company and each of its subsidiaries (A) is in compliance, in all material respects, with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws, rules, regulations, treaties, statutes and codes promulgated by any and all governmental authorities
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(including pursuant to the Occupational Health and Safety Act) relating to the protection of human health and safety in the workplace (Occupational Laws); (B) has received all material permits, licenses or other approvals required of it under applicable Occupational Laws to conduct its business as currently conducted; and (C) is in compliance, in all material respects, with all terms and conditions of such permit, license or approval. No action, proceeding, revocation proceeding, writ, injunction or claim is pending or, to the Companys knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Occupational Laws, and the Company does not have knowledge of any facts, circumstances or developments relating to its operations or cost accounting practices that could reasonably be expected to form the basis for or give rise to such actions, suits, investigations or proceedings and that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxxi) Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA), that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any of its affiliates for employees or former employees of the Company and its affiliates has been maintained in material 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). No material prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred 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.
(xxxii) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not granted rights material to the Company to develop, manufacture, produce, assemble, distribute, license, market or sell its products to any other person and is not bound by any agreement material to the Company that affects the exclusive right of the Company to develop, manufacture, produce, assemble, distribute, license, market or sell its products.
(xxxiii) No labor problem or dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the Companys knowledge, is threatened or imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or its subsidiaries principal suppliers, contractors or customers, that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxxiv) No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiarys capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiarys property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in or contemplated by the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
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(xxxv) The third-party statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be credible and generally recognized as authoritative in the Companys industry.
(b) Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to you or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.
3. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Securities.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell [ ] Firm Shares to the Underwriters, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I. The purchase price for each Firm Share shall be $[ ] per share. In making this Agreement, each Underwriter is contracting severally and not jointly; except as provided in paragraph (c) of this Section 3 and in Section 8, the agreement of each Underwriter is to purchase only the respective number of Firm Shares specified in Schedule I.
The Firm Shares will be delivered by the Company to you for the accounts of the Underwriters against payment of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal or other funds immediately available to the accounts specified by the Company, at the offices of MDB Capital Group LLC, 401 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1020, Santa Monica, CA 90401, or such other location as may be mutually acceptable, at 9:00 a.m. Pacific time on the third (or if the Securities are priced, as contemplated by Rule 15c6-1(c) under the Exchange Act, after 4:30 p.m. Eastern time, the fourth) full business day following the date hereof, or at such other time and date as you and the Company determine pursuant to Rule 15c6-1(a) under the Exchange Act, such time and date of delivery being herein referred to as the First Closing Date. If the Representative so elects, delivery of the Firm Shares may be made by credit through full fast transfer to the accounts at The Depository Trust Company designated by the Representative. Facsimiles of certificates representing the Firm Shares, in definitive form and in such denominations and registered in such names as you may request upon at least two business days prior notice to the Company, will be made available for review not later than 10:30 a.m. Pacific time, on the business day next preceding the First Closing Date.
(b) On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants to the Underwriters an option to purchase all or any portion of the Option Shares at the same purchase price as the Firm Shares, for use solely in covering any over-allotments made by the Underwriters in the sale and distribution of the Firm Shares. The option granted hereunder may be exercised in whole or in part at any time (but not more than once) within 45 days after the effective date of this Agreement upon notice (confirmed in writing) by the Representative to the Company setting forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the Underwriters are exercising the option, the names and denominations in which the certificates for the Option Shares are to be registered and the date and time, as determined by you, when the Option Shares
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are to be delivered, such time and date being herein referred to as the Second Closing and Second Closing Date, respectively; provided, however, that the Second Closing Date shall not be earlier than the First Closing Date nor earlier than the second business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised. The number of Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the same percentage of the total number of Option Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters as the number of Firm Shares to be purchased by such Underwriter is of the total number of Firm Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters, as adjusted by the Representative in such manner as the Representative deems advisable to avoid fractional shares. No Option Shares shall be sold and delivered unless the Firm Shares previously have been, or simultaneously are, sold and delivered.
The Option Shares will be delivered by the Company to you for the accounts of the Underwriters against payment of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal or other funds immediately available to the accounts specified by the Company, at the offices of MDB Capital Group LLC, 401 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1020, Santa Monica, CA 90401, or such other location as may be mutually acceptable, at 9:00 a.m. Pacific time, on the Second Closing Date. If the Representative so elects, delivery of the Option Shares may be made by credit through full fast transfer to the accounts at The Depository Trust Company designated by the Representative. Facsimiles of certificates representing the Option Shares in definitive form and in such denominations and registered in such names as you have set forth in your notice of option exercise, will be made available for review not later than 10:30 a.m., Pacific time, on the business day next preceding the Second Closing Date.
(c) It is understood that you, individually and not as Representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment to the Company on behalf of any Underwriter for the Securities to be purchased by such Underwriter. Any such payment by you shall not relieve any such Underwriter of any of its obligations hereunder. Nothing herein contained shall constitute any of the Underwriters an unincorporated association or partner with the Company.
4. Covenants.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees with the Underwriters as follows:
(i) If the Original Registration Statement has not already been declared effective by the Commission, the Company will use its best efforts to cause the Original Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto to become effective as promptly as possible; the Company will notify you promptly of the time when the Original Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment to the Original Registration Statement has become effective or any supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and of any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to the Original Registration Statement or Prospectus; if the Company has elected to rely on Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations, the Company will prepare and file a Prospectus containing the information omitted therefrom pursuant to Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations with the Commission within the time period required by, and otherwise in accordance with the provisions of, Rules 424(b) and 430A of the Rules and Regulations; if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b) of the Rules and Regulations to increase the size of the offering registered under the Act and the Rule 462(b)
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Registration Statement has not yet been filed and become effective, the Company will prepare and file the Rule 462 Registration Statement with the Commission within the time period required by, and otherwise in accordance with the provisions of, Rule 462(b) and the Act; the Company will prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon your request, any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that, in your opinion, may be necessary or advisable in connection with the distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters; and the Company will not file any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus to which you shall reasonably object by notice to the Company after having been furnished a copy a reasonable time prior to the filing, unless legal counsel to the Company advises the Company that such amendment is required by applicable law or regulation. The Company has given the Representative notice of any filings made pursuant to the Exchange Act, or the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Exchange Act within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time; the Company will give the Representative notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the Representative with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall object.
(ii) The Company will advise you, promptly after it shall receive notice or obtain knowledge thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose; and the Company will promptly use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such a stop order should be issued.
(iii) (A) Within the time during which a prospectus (assuming the absence of Rule 172) relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act, the Company will comply as far as it is able with all requirements imposed upon it by the Act, as now and hereafter amended, and by the Rules and Regulations, as from time to time in force, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or dealings in the Securities as contemplated by the provisions hereof, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If during such period any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package) would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during such period it is necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective investors, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package) to comply with the Act, the Company will promptly notify you and will amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package) (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance.
(B) If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer
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Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus relating to the Securities or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company has promptly notified or promptly will notify the Representative and has promptly amended or will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.
(iv) The Company shall take or cause to be taken all necessary action to qualify the Securities for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as you reasonably designate and to continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities, except that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or to execute a general consent to service of process in any state.
(v) The Company will furnish to the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters copies of the Registration Statement (one of which will be signed and will include all consents and exhibits filed therewith), each Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case as soon as available and in such quantities as you may from time to time reasonably request.
(vi) The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering a 12-month period beginning after the effective date of the Original Registration Statement (or if later the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement) that shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations.
(vii) The Company, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereunder are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, will pay or cause to be paid (A) all expenses (including transfer taxes allocated to the respective transferees) incurred in connection with the delivery to the Underwriters of the Securities, (B) all expenses and fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of the Companys accountants and counsel and the Underwriters counsel, provided that the maximum amount reimbursable to the Underwriters for fees of Underwriters counsel pursuant to this Section 4(a)(vii)(B) shall be $75,000 of which the Company has paid as an advance deposit (the Advance) of $30,000, in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, delivery, and shipping of the Registration Statement (including the financial statements therein and all amendments, schedules, and exhibits thereto), the Securities, each Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, and the preparation, negotiation, printing, filing, delivery, and shipping of this Agreement and other underwriting documents, including Blue Sky Memoranda (covering the states and other applicable jurisdictions), (C) all filing fees and reasonable fees and disbursements of the Underwriters counsel incurred in connection with the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale by the Underwriters or by dealers under the securities or blue sky laws of the states and other jurisdictions which you shall designate, (D) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar, (E) the filing fees and reasonable fees and disbursements of the Underwriters counsel
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incident to any required review and approval by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Securities, (F) listing fees, if any, (G) the costs for Company personnel and the Underwriters relating to investor presentations on any roadshow undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Securities (provided that the maximum amount reimbursable to the Underwriters for their roadshow expenses shall be $20,000), (H) up to $10,000 for the Underwriters use of book-building, prospectus tracking and compliance software pursuant to this Agreement, (I) up to $20,000 for any other expenses reasonably incurred by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, and (J) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder that are not otherwise specifically provided for herein. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative pursuant to Section 9 or if the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated (i) by reason of any failure, refusal or inability on the part of the Company to perform any agreement on its part to be performed, or (ii) because any other condition of the Underwriters obligations hereunder required to be fulfilled by the Company is not fulfilled, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters for all reasonable out-of-pocket disbursements (including but not limited to reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel, printing expenses, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges) incurred by the Underwriters in connection with their investigation, preparing to market and marketing the Securities or in contemplation of performing their obligations hereunder. The Company shall not in any event be liable to any of the Underwriters for loss of anticipated profits from the transactions covered by this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the maximum amount of all expenses reimbursable to the Underwriters hereunder shall be $125,000, and, to the extent that the Advance has not been fully utilized, the Underwriters will promptly repay the Company for any unused amount.
(viii) The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities to be sold by it hereunder in a manner substantially consistent with the purposes set forth in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus and will file such reports with the Commission with respect to the sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds therefrom as may be required in accordance with Rule 463 of the Rules and Regulations.
(ix) The Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, from the date of execution of this Agreement and continuing to and including the date 180 days after the initial date of the Prospectus (the Lock-Up Period) offer for sale; sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option for the sale of, enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the Company or any affiliate, or otherwise issue or dispose of, directly or indirectly (or publicly disclose the intention to make any such offer, sale, pledge, grant, issuance or other disposition), any Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for, or any options or rights to purchase or acquire, Common Stock, except (i) to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, (ii) pursuant to the Companys stock-based incentive plan(s), (iii) pursuant to registration statements on Form S-8; and (iv) upon exercise or conversion of securities outstanding on the date hereof. Except pursuant to agreements in effect on the date hereof, the Company agrees not to accelerate the vesting of any option or warrant or the lapse of any repurchase right prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period. If (1) during the last 17 calendar days of the Lock-Up Period, (a) the Company issues an earnings release, (b) the Company publicly announces material news or (c) a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (2)
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prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the Lock-Up Period, then the restrictions in this Agreement, unless otherwise waived by the Representative in writing, shall continue to apply until the expiration of the date that is 18 calendar days after the date on which (a) the Company issues the earnings release, (b) the Company publicly announces material news or (c) a material event relating to the Company occurs. The Company will provide the Representative, any co-managers and each shareholder subject to the Lock-Up Agreement (as defined below) with prior notice of any such announcement that gives rise to the extension of the Lock-Up Period.
(x) The Company has caused to be delivered to you prior to the date of this Agreement a letter in substantially the form of Exhibit A-1 from each of the persons listed on Exhibit A-2, stating that such person agrees, on the terms set forth in such letter, that he or she will not, without your prior written consent, offer for sale, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of, any shares of Common Stock or rights to purchase Common Stock for a period of 180 days after commencement of the public offering of the Securities by the Underwriters plus such additional extensions set forth in the form of letter (the Lock-Up Agreement). The Company will enforce the terms of each Lock-Up Agreement and issue stop-transfer instructions to the transfer agent for the Common Stock with respect to any transaction or contemplated transaction that would constitute a breach of or default under the applicable Lock-Up Agreement.
(xi) The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, or which has constituted, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities, and has not effected any sales of Common Stock that are required to be disclosed in response to Item 701 of Regulation S-K under the Act which have not been so disclosed in the Registration Statement.
(xii) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Company will not incur any liability for any finders or brokers fee or agents commission in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(xiii) For a period of one year from the date hereof, the Company will file with the Commission such periodic and special reports as required by the Rules and Regulations or the Exchange Act.
(xiv) For a period of one year from the date hereof, the Company and its subsidiaries will maintain such controls and other procedures, including without limitation those required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the applicable regulations thereunder, that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commissions rules and forms, including without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Companys management, including its principal executive officer and its principal financial officer, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate
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to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure, to ensure that material information relating to Company (including its subsidiaries) is made known to them by others within those entities.
(xv) For a period of one year from the date hereof, the Company and its subsidiaries will comply with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
(xvi) The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative, and each Underwriter severally represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Company and the Representative, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 under the Act, or that would otherwise constitute a free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405 under the Act, required to be filed with the Commission; provided that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the free writing prospectuses included in Schedule II. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and the Representative is hereinafter referred to as a Permitted Free Writing Prospectus. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely Commission filing where required, legending and record keeping. The Company represents that it has satisfied and agrees that it will satisfy the conditions in Rule 433 to avoid a requirement to file with the Commission any electronic road show.
(xvii) The Company will use its best efforts to effect and its reasonable best efforts to maintain the listing of the Securities on the NASDAQ Capital Market.
5. Conditions of Underwriters Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy, as of the date hereof and at each of the First Closing Date and the Second Closing Date (as if made at such Closing Date), of and compliance with all representations, warranties and agreements of the Company contained herein, to the performance by the Company of its respective obligations hereunder, including the covenants contained herein to be performed on or prior to the First Closing Date, and to the following additional conditions:
(a) The Registration Statement shall have become effective on the date of this Agreement and all filings required by Rules 424, 430A and 433 of the Rules and Regulations shall have been timely made (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or Rule 164(b)); no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof or any amendment thereof, nor suspending or preventing the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been issued; no proceedings for the issuance of such an order shall have been initiated or threatened; and any request of the Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to your satisfaction.
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(b) No Underwriter shall have advised the Company that the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus contains an untrue statement of fact which, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter, is material or omits to state a fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.
(c) Except as contemplated in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, other than in the ordinary course of business, or entered into any material transactions other than in the ordinary course of business, or declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its capital stock; and there shall not have been any change in the capital stock (other than a change in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants), or any material change in the short-term or long-term debt of the Company, or any issuance of options, warrants, convertible securities or other rights to purchase the capital stock of the Company, or any Material Adverse Change or any development involving a prospective Material Adverse Change (whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business), that, in your judgment, makes it impractical or inadvisable to offer or deliver the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus.
(d) On each Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to you, as Representative of the Underwriters, the opinion of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP counsel for the Company, dated such Closing Date and addressed to you, substantially in the forms attached hereto as Exhibit B.
(e) On each Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to you, as Representative of the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions from TroyGould PC, counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Closing Date and addressed to you, with respect to such matters as you reasonably may request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(f) On each Closing Date you, as Representative of the Underwriters, shall have received a letter of Stonefield Josephson, Inc., dated such Closing Date and addressed to you, confirming that it is an independent public accounting firm within the meaning of the Act and is in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualifications of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, and stating, as of the date of such letter (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, as of a date not prior to the date hereof or more than five days prior to the date of such letter), the conclusions and findings of said firm with respect to the financial information and other matters covered by its letter delivered to you concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, and the effect of the letter so to be delivered on such Closing Date shall be to confirm the conclusions and findings set forth in such prior letter.
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(g) On each Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to you, as Representative of the Underwriters, a certificate, dated such Closing Date and addressed to you, signed by the chief executive officer and by the chief financial officer of the Company, to the effect that:
(i) The representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct, in all material respects, as if made at and as of such Closing Date, and the Company has complied in all material respects with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied under this Agreement at or prior to such Closing Date; and
(ii) No stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof or any amendment thereof or the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale, nor suspending or preventing the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, has been issued, and, to their knowledge, no proceeding for that purpose has been instituted or is contemplated by the Commission or any state or regulatory body.
(h) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to you and counsel for the Underwriters such additional documents, certificates and evidence as you or they may have reasonably requested.
(i) Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. shall have raised no objections to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements that have not been resolved.
(j) All documentation required by The NASDAQ Capital Market shall have been submitted to NASDAQ and NASDAQ shall have raised no objection to the transactions contemplated under this Underwriting Agreement that have not been resolved.
(k) The Underwriters shall have received the Lock-Up Agreements referenced in Section 4.
(l) All such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents will be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters. The Company will furnish you with such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents as you shall reasonably request.
6. Indemnity and Contribution.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless each of the Underwriters and their respective affiliates, managers, directors and officers, and any person who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and the successors and assigns of all of the foregoing persons, from and against any loss, damage, expense, liability or claim (including the reasonable cost of investigation) which, jointly or severally, such Underwriter or any such person may incur under the Act, the Exchange Act, the common law or otherwise, insofar as such loss, damage, expense, liability or
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claim arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or in the Registration Statement as amended by any post-effective amendment thereof by the Company) or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except insofar as any such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing by such Underwriter to the Company expressly for use in (it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 6(g) hereof) the Registration Statement or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in the Registration Statement in connection with such information, which material fact was not contained in such information and which material fact was required to be stated in such Registration Statement or was necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any Prospectus (the term Prospectus for the purpose of this Section 6 being deemed to include any Preliminary Prospectus, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements to the foregoing), in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus used or referred to by the Underwriters, if any, or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except, with respect to such Prospectus or Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, insofar as any such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing by such Underwriter to the Company expressly for use in (it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 6(g) hereof), such Prospectus or Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in such Prospectus or Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in connection with such information, which material fact was not contained in such information and which material fact was necessary in order to make the statements in such information, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading in any material respect. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.
(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company and its directors and officers, and any person who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and the successors and assigns of all of the foregoing persons, from and against any loss, damage, expense, liability or claim (including the reasonable cost of investigation) which, jointly or severally, the Company or any such person may incur under the Act, the Exchange Act, the common law or otherwise, insofar as such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing by such Underwriter to the Company expressly for use in (it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 6(g) hereof), the Registration Statement (or in the Registration Statement as amended by any post-
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effective amendment thereof by the Company), or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in such Registration Statement in connection with such information, which material fact was not contained in such information and which material fact was required to be stated in such Registration Statement or was necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing by such Underwriter to the Company expressly for use in (it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 6(g) hereof), any Prospectus or Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in such Prospectus, or Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in connection with such information, which material fact was not contained in such information and which material fact was necessary in order to make the statements in such information, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(c) If any action, suit or proceeding (each, a Proceeding) is brought against a person (an indemnified party) in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company or one or more Underwriters (as applicable, the indemnifying party) pursuant to subsection (a) or (b), respectively, of this Section 6, such indemnified party shall promptly notify such indemnifying party in writing of the institution of such Proceeding and such indemnifying party shall assume the defense of such Proceeding, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party and payment of all fees and expenses; provided, however, that the omission to so notify such indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability which such indemnifying party may have to any indemnified party or otherwise except to the extent it has been materially prejudiced by such failure. The indemnified party or parties shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party or parties unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have otherwise agreed, (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have, within a reasonable period of time in light of the circumstances, employed counsel to defend such Proceeding, or (iii) MDB Capital Group LLC, as representative of the indemnified parties, shall have reasonably concluded that there may be material legal defenses available to the indemnified parties which are different from, additional to or in conflict with those available to such indemnifying party (in which case such indemnifying party shall not have the right to direct the defense of such Proceeding on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events such fees and expenses shall be borne by such indemnifying party and paid as incurred (it being understood, however, that such indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (in addition to any local counsel) in any one Proceeding or series of related Proceedings in the same jurisdiction representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such Proceeding). The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any Proceeding effected without its written consent, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, but, if settled with its written consent, such indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the indemnified party or parties from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second sentence of this Section 6(c), then the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for
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any settlement of any Proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than sixty (60) Business Days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have fully reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement and (iii) such indemnified party shall have given the indemnifying party at least thirty (30) days prior notice of its intention to settle. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened Proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is an actual or potential party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding and does not include an admission of fault or culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of such indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 6 is unavailable to an indemnified party under subsections (a) and (b) of this Section 6 or is insufficient to hold an indemnified party harmless in respect of any losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims referred to therein, then each applicable indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above, but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total proceeds from the offering (net of underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting expenses) received by the Company, as set forth on the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, and the total respective underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriter, as set forth on the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the other hand. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriter (it being understood and agreed that the only such information supplied by each Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 6(g) hereof) and the parties relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, damages, expenses, liabilities and claims referred to in this Section 6(d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating, preparing to defend or defending any Proceeding.
(e) The Company and each Underwriter agrees that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 6 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in subsection (d) above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which
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the Securities underwritten by such Underwriter and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damage which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
(f) The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 6 and the covenants, warranties and representations of the Company contained in this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its affiliates, managers, directors or officers or any person (including each manager, director or officer of such person) who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, or by or on behalf of the Company, its directors or officers or any person who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and shall survive any termination of this Agreement or the issuance and delivery of the Securities.
(g) Each Underwriter confirms and the Company acknowledges that the statements with respect to the public offering of the Securities by such Underwriter set forth in the first, third, fourth, fifth and sixth paragraphs and the subsections entitled Underwriting discount and expenses, Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids, Passive Market Making and Electronic Distribution under the caption Underwriting in the Prospectus are correct and constitute the only information concerning each Underwriter and furnished in writing to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer-Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.
(h) Notwithstanding any other provision hereof or any other agreement between the parties, the Company shall advance in accordance with the terms hereof, to the extent not prohibited by law, all reasonable expenses reasonably anticipated to be incurred by or on behalf of the indemnified parties in connection with any Proceeding, whether pending or threatened, within fifteen (15) days of receipt of a statement or statements (Statement(s)) from MDB Capital Group LLC, as representative of the indemnified parties, requesting such advances from time to time. This advancement obligation shall include any reasonable refundable retainers of counsel retained by indemnified parties (as selected by indemnified parties in their sole and absolute discretion).
(i) Any Statement requesting advances shall evidence the expenses anticipated or incurred by the indemnified parties with reasonable particularity and may include only those expenses reasonably expected to be incurred within the 90-day period following each Statement in excess of the balance of all prior advances and the Indemnified Person shall certify that it believes that it is entitled to indemnification for such expenses from the Company pursuant to this Agreement.
(ii) In the event some portion of the amounts advanced pursuant to this Section 6(h) are unused, or in the event a court of ultimate jurisdiction determines that the
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indemnified parties are not entitled to be indemnified against certain expenses, indemnified parties shall return the unused or disallowed portion of any advances within fifteen (15) days of the earlier of (i) the final disposition of any Proceeding to which such advances pertain, or MDB Capital Group LLC, as representative of the indemnified parties, and (ii) any unspent advances exceed the amounts reasonably anticipated to be spent within the next 180 days.
7. Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. All representations, warranties, and agreements of the Company herein or in certificates delivered pursuant hereto, and the agreements of the Underwriters and the Company contained in Section 6, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any controlling person thereof, or the Company or any of its officers, directors, or controlling persons, and shall survive delivery of, and payment for, the Securities to and by the Underwriters hereunder.
8. Substitution of Underwriters.
(a) If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail to take up and pay for the amount of Firm Shares agreed by such Underwriter or Underwriters to be purchased hereunder, upon tender of such Firm Shares in accordance with the terms hereof, and the amount of Firm Shares not purchased does not aggregate more than 10% of the total amount of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated to take up and pay for (in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations hereunder as set forth in Schedule I except as may otherwise be determined by you) the Firm Shares that the withdrawing or defaulting Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase.
(b) If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail to take up and pay for the amount of Firm Shares agreed by such Underwriter or Underwriters to be purchased hereunder, upon tender of such Firm Shares in accordance with the terms hereof, and the amount of Firm Shares not purchased aggregates more than 10% of the total amount of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I, and arrangements satisfactory to you for the purchase of such Firm Shares by other persons are not made within 36 hours thereafter, this Agreement shall terminate. In the event of any such termination the Company shall not be under any liability to any Underwriter (except to the extent provided in Section 4(a)(vii) and Section 6) nor shall any Underwriter (other than an Underwriter who shall have failed, otherwise than for some reason permitted under this Agreement, to purchase the amount of Firm Shares agreed by such Underwriter to be purchased hereunder) be under any liability to the Company (except to the extent provided in Section 6).
If Firm Shares to which a default relates are to be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters or by any other party or parties, the Representative or the Company shall have the right to postpone the First Closing Date for not more than seven business days in order that the necessary changes in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, in the Prospectus or in any other documents, as well as any other arrangements, may be effected. As used herein, the term Underwriter includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 8.
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9. Effective Date of this Agreement and Termination.
(a) This Agreement shall become effective upon execution and delivery by each of the parties hereto.
(b) You, as Representative of the Underwriters, shall have the right to terminate this Agreement by giving notice as hereinafter specified at any time at or prior to the First Closing Date, and the option referred to in Section 3(b), if exercised, may be cancelled at any time prior to the Second Closing Date, if (i) the Company shall have failed, refused or been unable, at or prior to such Closing Date, to perform any agreement on its part to be performed hereunder unless the failure to perform any such agreement is due to a default or omission by any Underwriter, (ii) any other condition of the Underwriters obligations hereunder is not fulfilled, (iii) trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market or the New York Stock Exchange shall have been wholly suspended, (iv) minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required, on the NASDAQ Capital Market or the New York Stock Exchange, by such Exchange or by order of the Commission or any other governmental authority having jurisdiction, (v) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal or state authorities, or (vi) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the sale of and payment for the Securities. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 4(a)(vii), and Section 6 hereof shall at all times be effective.
(c) If you elect to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section, the Company shall be notified promptly by you by telephone, confirmed by letter.
10. Default by the Company. If the Company shall fail at the First Closing Date to sell and deliver the number of Securities which it is obligated to sell hereunder, then this Agreement shall terminate without any liability on the part of any Underwriter, or, except as provided in Section 4(a)(vii), and Section 6, any non-defaulting party. No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve the Company from liability, if any, in respect of such default.
11. Notices. Except as otherwise provided herein, all communications hereunder shall be in writing and, if to the Underwriters, shall be mailed or delivered to the Representative c/o MDB Capital Group LLC, 401 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1020, Santa Monica, CA 90401, with a copy to TroyGould PC, 1801 Century Park East, Suite 1600, Los Angeles, CA 90067, Attention: David Ficksman, except that notices given to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 6 shall be sent to such Underwriter at the address stated in the Underwriters Questionnaire furnished by such Underwriter in connection with this offering if provided to the Company; if to the Company, shall be mailed or delivered to it at 460 Ward Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93111-2310, with a copy to Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, 11355 West Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064, Attention: Theodore Guth; or in each case to such other address as the person to be notified may have requested in writing. Any party to this Agreement may change such address for notices by sending to the parties to this Agreement written notice of a new address for such purpose.
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12. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns and the controlling persons, officers and directors referred to in Section 6. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give to any other person, firm or corporation any legal or equitable remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. The term successors and assigns as herein used shall not include any purchaser, as such purchaser, of any of the Securities from any of the Underwriters.
13. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that: (a) the Representative has been retained solely to act as an underwriter in connection with the sale of the Securities and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company and the Representative has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether the Representative has advised or is advising the Company on other matters; (b) the price and other terms of the Securities set forth in this Agreement were established by the Company following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Representative and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understand and accept the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (c) it has been advised that the Representative and its affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that the Representative has no obligation to disclose such interest and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; (d) it has been advised that the Representative is acting, in respect of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, solely for the benefit of the Representative and the other Underwriters, and not on behalf of the Company; (e) it waives to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against the Representative for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and agrees that the Representative shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company, including shareholders, employees or creditors of the Company.
14. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
15. Consent to Jurisdiction. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in Los Angeles County, California or the courts of the State of California in each case located in Los Angeles County (collectively, the Specified Courts), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court, as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such partys address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
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16. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by facsimile signature and in one or more counterparts and, if executed in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original and all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
17. Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure thereof, shall in any event be effective as to any party to this Agreement unless the same shall be in writing and signed by such party.
18. Waiver of Trial by Jury. The parties hereby waive all right to trial by jury in any action, proceeding or counterclaim (whether based upon contract, tort or otherwise) in connection with any dispute arising out of this Agreement or any matters contemplated by this Agreement.
[Signature Page Follows]
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Please sign and return to the Company the enclosed duplicates of this letter whereupon this letter will become a binding agreement between the Company and the Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours, SUPERCONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGIES INC. | ||||
By | ||||
President and Chief Executive Officer | ||||
Confirmed as of the date first above mentioned, on behalf of themselves and the other Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto. MDB CAPITAL GROUP LLC | ||||
By | ||||
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SCHEDULE I
TO UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
TO UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Underwriters
Underwriter | Number of Firm Shares (1) | |||
MDB Capital Group LLC | [ ] | |||
Feltl and Company, Inc. | [ ] | |||
Total | [ ] |
(1) | The Underwriters may purchase up to an additional [ ] Option Shares, to the extent the option described in Section 3(b) of the Agreement is exercised, in the proportions and in the manner described in the Agreement. |
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