Texas Roadhouse, Inc. Registration Rights Agreement with Eligible Equity Owners (May 7, 2004)
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Registration Rights Agreements
Summary
This agreement is between Texas Roadhouse, Inc. and certain equity owners, granting them rights to require the company to register their shares for public sale with the SEC. It outlines when and how these owners can request registration, the company's obligations to facilitate such registrations, and related procedures. The agreement also covers cost responsibilities, information requirements, and transferability of these rights. It is a condition of a larger transaction and remains in effect until specified termination events occur.
EX-4.3 6 a2144246zex-4_3.txt EXHIBIT 4.3 Exhibit 4.3 TEXAS ROADHOUSE, INC. REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT MAY 7, 2004 TABLE OF CONTENTS
TEXAS ROADHOUSE, INC. REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT This Registration Rights Agreement (the "AGREEMENT") is made as of May 7, 2004, by and among Texas Roadhouse, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"), and the Eligible Equity Owners (as defined below). RECITALS A. The Company is a party to that certain Master Transaction Agreement dated as of May 7, 2004 (the "MASTER TRANSACTION AGREEMENT"), by and among the Company, W. Kent Taylor, Texas Roadhouse of Texas, LLC and the Combined Entities (as defined in the Master Transaction Agreement). B. It is a condition to the obligations of the Combined Entities under the Master Transaction Agreement that the Company enter into this Agreement. For good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows: SECTION 1 DEFINITIONS As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following respective meanings: 1.1 "COMMISSION" shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other U. S. federal agency at the time administering the Securities Act. 1.2 "COMMON STOCK" shall mean shares of the Company's Class A Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share. 1.3 "ELIGIBLE EQUITY OWNERS" shall mean those Equity Owners (as defined in the Master Transaction Agreement) who have executed a counterpart of this Agreement. 1.4 "EXCHANGE ACT" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. 1.5 "HOLDER OR HOLDERS" shall mean each of the Eligible Equity Owners (and their transferees as permitted by Section 2.10) holding Registrable Securities. 1.6 "INITIATING HOLDERS" shall mean Holders who in the aggregate hold greater than fifty percent (50%) of the Registrable Securities. "OTHER HOLDERS" shall mean holders of Company securities, other than the Holders, proposing to distribute their securities pursuant to a registration under Section 2 of this Agreement. 1 1.7 "INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING" shall have the meaning set forth in the Master Transaction Agreement. 1.8 "REGISTRABLE SECURITIES" shall mean (i) shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to the Master Agreement to the Eligible Equity Owners; (ii) shares of Common Stock issued upon the conversion of any shares of Class B Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company; (iii) any Common Stock issued as (or issuable upon the conversion or exercise of any warrant, right or other security which is issued as) a dividend or other distribution with respect to, or in exchange for or in replacement of, such Common Stock, excluding in all cases, however, any Registrable Securities that have been sold to or through a broker or dealer or underwriter in a public distribution or a public securities transaction or which have been sold in a private transaction in which the transferor's rights under this Agreement are not assigned. 1.9 The terms "REGISTER," "REGISTERED" and "REGISTRATION" refer to a registration effected by preparing and filing a registration statement in compliance with the Securities Act, and the declaration or ordering of the effectiveness of such registration statement. "REGISTRATION EXPENSES" shall mean all expenses, except as otherwise stated below, incurred by the Company in complying with Sections 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 hereof, including, without limitation, all registration, qualification and filing fees, printing expenses, escrow fees, fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company (and fees and disbursements of one special counsel for Holders, if any), accounting fees, blue sky fees and the expense of any special audits incident to or required by any such registration (but excluding the compensation of regular employees of the Company which shall be paid in any event by the Company). 1.10 "SECURITIES ACT" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any similar United States federal statute and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, all as the same shall be in effect at the time. 1.11 "SELLING EXPENSES" shall mean all underwriting discounts, selling commissions and stock transfer taxes applicable to the securities registered by the Holders. SECTION 2 REGISTRATION RIGHTS 2.1 REQUESTED REGISTRATION. (a) REQUEST FOR REGISTRATION. In case the Company shall receive from Initiating Holders a written request that the Company effect any registration, qualification or compliance with respect to not less than 500,000 Registrable Securities (as equitably adjusted for any stock splits, stock dividends, combinations or recapitalizations occurring after the date hereof (each a "RECAPITALIZATION")) the Company will: 2 (i) promptly give written notice of the proposed registration, qualification or compliance to all other Holders; and (ii) as soon as practicable, use its best efforts to effect such registration, qualification or compliance (including, without limitation, appropriate qualification under applicable blue sky or other state securities laws and appropriate compliance with applicable regulations issued under the Securities Act and any other governmental requirements or regulations) as may be so requested and as would permit or facilitate the sale and distribution of all or such portion of such Registrable Securities as are specified in such request, together with all or such portion of the Registrable Securities of any Holder or Holders joining in such request as are specified in a written request received by the Company within ten (10) days after receipt of such written notice from the Company or such later date as agreed to by the Company; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company shall not be obligated to take any action to effect any such registration, qualification or compliance pursuant to this Section 2.1: (A) In any particular jurisdiction in which the Company would be required to execute a general consent to service of process in effecting such registration, qualification or compliance unless the Company is already subject to service in such jurisdiction and except as may be required by the Securities Act; (B) Prior to the 180th day following the effective date of the Initial Public Offering; (C) During the period starting with the date sixty (60) days prior to the Company's estimated date of filing of, and ending on the date six (6) months immediately following the effective date of, any registration statement pertaining to securities of the Company sold by the Company (other than a registration of securities in a Rule 145 transaction or with respect to an employee benefit plan), provided that the Company is actively employing in good faith all reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective; (D) After the Company has effected two (2) registrations pursuant to this Section 2.1, and such registrations have been declared or ordered effective, provided that all Registrable Securities requested to be included in each such registration(s) were in fact included in the registration; or (E) If the Company shall furnish to such Holders a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company stating that in the good faith judgment of the Board of Directors it would be seriously detrimental to the Company or its stockholders for a registration statement to be filed in the near future, then the Company's obligation to use its best efforts to register, qualify or comply under this Section 2 shall be deferred for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days from the date of receipt of written request from the Initiating Holders, provided, however, that the Company shall not utilize this right more than once in any twelve (12) month period. 3 Subject to the foregoing clauses (A) through (E), the Company shall file a registration statement covering the Registrable Securities so requested to be registered as soon as practicable, after receipt of the request or requests of the Initiating Holders. (b) UNDERWRITING. In the event that a registration pursuant to Section 2.1 is for a registered public offering involving an underwriting, the Initiating Holders will so advise the Company as part of the written request given by such Initiating Holders pursuant to Section 2.1(a), and the Company shall in turn advise the Holders as part of the notice given pursuant to Section 2.1(a)(i). In such event, the right of any Holder to registration pursuant to Section 2.1 shall be conditioned upon such Holder's participation in the underwriting arrangements required by this Section 2.1, and the inclusion of such Holder's Registrable Securities in the underwriting to the extent requested shall be limited to the extent provided herein. The Company shall (together with all Holders proposing to distribute their securities through such underwriting and the Other Holders, if any) enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the managing underwriter(s) selected for such underwriting by the majority in interest of the Initiating Holders, but subject to the reasonable approval of the Company. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 2.1, if the managing underwriter advises the Initiating Holders in writing that marketing factors require a limitation of the number of shares to be underwritten, then the Company shall so advise all Holders and Other Holders, and the number of shares that may be included in the registration and underwriting shall be allocated first among all Holders in proportion, as nearly as practicable, to the respective amounts of Registrable Securities held by such Holders at the time of filing the registration statement and second among the Other Holders in proportion to the number of shares proposed to be included in such registration by such Other Holders. No shares proposed to be included in such registration by any of the Other Holders shall be included in such registration unless all shares requested to be included by the Initiating Holders are included in such registration. No Registrable Securities or other securities excluded from the underwriting by reason of the underwriter's marketing limitation shall be included in such registration. To facilitate the allocation of shares in accordance with the above provisions, the Company or the underwriters may round the number of shares allocated to any holder to the nearest one hundred (100) shares. If any Holder of Registrable Securities or Other Holder disapproves of the terms of the underwriting, such person may elect to withdraw therefrom by written notice to the Company, the managing underwriter and the Initiating Holders. The Registrable Securities and/or other securities so withdrawn shall also be withdrawn from registration. 2.2 COMPANY REGISTRATION. (a) NOTICE OF REGISTRATION. If at any time or from time to time the Company shall determine to register any of its securities, either for its own account or the account of a security holder or holders, other than (i) a registration relating solely to 4 employee benefit plans or (ii) a registration relating solely to a Commission Rule 145 transaction, the Company will: (i) promptly give to each Holder written notice thereof; and (ii) if requested by Initiating Holders, include in such registration (and any related qualification under blue sky laws or other compliance), and in any underwriting involved therein, all the Registrable Securities specified in a written request or requests made, within ten (10) days after receipt of such written notice from the Company or such later date as agreed to by the Company, by any Holder. (b) UNDERWRITING. If the registration of which the Company gives notice is for a registered public offering involving an underwriting, the Company shall so advise the Holders as a part of the written notice given pursuant to Section 2.2(a). In such event the right of any Holder to registration pursuant to Section 2.2 shall be conditioned upon such Holder's participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of Registrable Securities in the underwriting to the extent provided herein. All Holders proposing to distribute their securities through such underwriting shall, together with the Company and the Other Holders, if any, enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the managing underwriter selected for such underwriting by the Company. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 2.2, if the managing underwriter determines that marketing factors require a limitation of the number of shares to be underwritten, the managing underwriter may limit the number of shares of Registrable Securities to be included in such registration without requiring any limitation in the number of shares to be registered on behalf of the Company, provided that if such underwriting is other than the Initial Public Offering, the number of shares of Registrable Securities to be included in such registration shall not be limited to less than twenty-five percent (25%) of the total number of shares to be included in such registration. The Company shall so advise all Holders and Other Holders and the number of shares that may be included in the registration and underwriting by all Holders and Other Holders shall be allocated among them, as nearly as practicable, first, to the Company, second, among the Holders of Registrable Securities in proportion to the respective amounts of Registrable Securities held by such Holders at the time of filing of the registration statement, and, third, among the Other Holders in proportion to the number of shares proposed to be included in such registration by such Other Holders. No shares proposed to be included in such registration by any of the Other Holders shall be included in such registration unless all shares requested to be included by the Holders are included in such registration. To facilitate the allocation of shares in accordance with the above provisions, the Company may round the number of shares allocated to any Holder or Other Holder to the nearest one hundred (100) shares. If any Holder or Other Holder disapproves of the terms of any such underwriting, such holder may elect to withdraw therefrom by written notice to the Company and the managing underwriter. Any securities excluded or withdrawn from such underwriting shall be withdrawn from such registration. (c) RIGHT TO TERMINATE REGISTRATION. The Company shall have the right to terminate or withdraw any registration initiated by it under this Section 2.2 prior to the 5 effectiveness of such registration whether or not any Holder has elected to include Registrable Securities in such registration. 2.3 REGISTRATION ON FORM S-3. (a) REQUEST FOR REGISTRATION. If Initiating Holders request that the Company file a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act (or any successor form to Form S-3) for a public offering of shares of the Registrable Securities the reasonably anticipated aggregate price to the public of which would exceed $1,000,000 (before deducting the underwriters' discounts and commissions), and the Company is a registrant entitled to use Form S-3 to register the Registrable Securities for such an offering, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause such Registrable Securities to be registered for the offering on such form and to cause such Registrable Securities to be qualified in such jurisdictions as the Holder or Holders may reasonably request. The substantive provisions of Section 2.1(b) shall be applicable to each registration initiated under this Section 2.3. (b) LIMITATIONS. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be obligated to take any action pursuant to this Section 2.3: (i) in any particular jurisdiction in which the Company would be required to execute a general consent to service of process in effecting such registration, qualification or compliance unless the Company is already subject to service in such jurisdiction and except as may be required by the Securities Act; (ii) during the period starting with the date sixty (60) days prior to the Company's estimated date of filing of, and ending on the date six (6) months immediately following, the effective date of any registration statement pertaining to securities of the Company (other than a registration of securities in a Rule 145 transaction or with respect to an employee benefit plan), provided that the Company is actively employing in good faith all reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective; (iii) if the Company shall furnish to such Holder a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company stating that in the good faith judgment of the Board of Directors it would be seriously detrimental to the Company for registration statements to be filed in the near future, then the Company's obligation to use its best efforts to file a registration statement shall be deferred for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days from the receipt of the request to file such registration by such Holder, provided, however, that the Company shall not utilize this right more than once in any twelve (12) month period; or (iv) for any particular Holder, after the Company has effected two (2) registrations pursuant to this Section 2.3, and such registrations have been declared or ordered effective. 2.4 LIMITATIONS ON SUBSEQUENT REGISTRATION RIGHTS. From and after the date hereof, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of holders of a majority of the voting power of the then outstanding Registrable Securities, enter into any agreement with any holder or prospective holder of any securities of the Company which grants such holder or prospective holder of (a) to include such securities in any registration filed under Section 2.1 or 2.2 hereof, unless under the terms of such agreement, such holder or prospective holder may include such securities in any such registration only to the extent that the inclusion of his securities will not reduce the 6 amount of the Registrable Securities of the Holders which is included or (b) to make a demand registration which could result in such registration statement being declared effective within one hundred twenty (120) days of the effective date of any registration effected pursuant to Section 2.2. 2.5 EXPENSES OF REGISTRATION. (a) REGISTRATION EXPENSES. The Company shall bear all Registration Expenses incurred in connection with all registrations pursuant to Section 2.1 and Section 2.2. The Holders of the Registrable Securities shall bear all Registration Expenses in connection with all registrations pursuant to Section 2.3. (b) SELLING EXPENSES. Unless otherwise stated in Section 2.5(a), all Selling Expenses and Registration Expenses relating to securities registered on behalf of the Holders shall be borne by the Holders pro rata on the basis of the number of shares so registered. 2.6 REGISTRATION PROCEDURES. In the case of each registration, qualification or compliance effected by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, the Company will: (a) keep each Holder advised in writing as to the initiation of each registration, qualification and compliance and as to the completion thereof; (b) as soon as practicable, prepare and file with the Commission a registration statement with respect to such securities and use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to become and remain effective until the earlier of (i) one hundred twenty (120) days or (ii) the distribution described in the Registration Statement has been completed; provided, however, that (i) such 120-day period shall be extended for a period of time equal to the period the Holder refrains from selling any securities included in such registration at the request of the managing underwriter; and (ii) in the case of any registration of Registrable Securities on Form S-3 which are intended to be offered on a continuous or delayed basis, such 120-day period shall be extended, if necessary, to keep the registration statement effective until all such Registrable Securities are sold, provided that Rule 415, or any successor rule under the Securities Act, permits an offering on a continuous or delayed basis, and, provided further, that applicable rules under the Securities Act governing the obligation to file a post-effective amendment permit, in lieu of filing a post-effective amendment which (I) includes any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act or (II) reflects facts or events representing a material or fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement, the incorporation by reference of information required to be included in (I) and (II) above to be contained in periodic reports filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act in the registration statement; (c) furnish to the Holders participating in such registration and to the underwriters of the securities being registered such reasonable number of copies of the registration statement, preliminary prospectus, final prospectus and such other documents 7 as such underwriters may reasonably request in order to facilitate the public offering of such securities; (d) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and supplements to such registration statement and the prospectus used in connection with such registration statement as may be necessary to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such registration statement; (e) in the event of an underwritten public offering, enter into and perform its obligations under an underwriting agreement, in usual and customary form, with the managing underwriter of such offering. Each Holder participating in such underwriting shall also enter into and perform its obligations under such an agreement; (f) use its best efforts to register and qualify the securities covered by such registration statement under such other securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as shall be reasonably requested by the Holders, provided that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition thereto to qualify to do business or to file a general consent to service of process in any such states or jurisdictions; (g) cause all such Registrable Securities registered pursuant hereunder to be listed on each securities exchange on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed; (h) use its best efforts to furnish, at the request of any Holder requesting registration of Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 2, on the date that such Registrable Securities are delivered to the underwriters for sale in connection with a registration pursuant to this Section 2, if such securities are being sold through underwriters, or, if such securities are not being sold through underwriters, on the date that the registration statement with respect to such securities becomes effective, (i) an opinion, dated such date, of the counsel representing the Company for the purposes of such registration, in form and substance as is customarily given to underwriters in an underwritten public offering, addressed to the underwriters, if any, and to the Holders requesting registration of Registrable Securities and (ii) a letter dated such date, from the independent certified public accountants of the Company, in form and substance as is customarily given by independent certified public accountants to underwriters in an underwritten public offering, addressed to the underwriters, if any, and to the Holders requesting registration of Registrable Securities; (i) notify each Holder of Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act of the happening of any event as a result of which the prospectus included in such registration statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances then existing; and 8 (j) provide a transfer agent and registrar for all Registrable Securities registered pursuant hereunder and a CUSIP number for all such Registrable Securities, in each case not later than the effective date of such registration. 2.7 INDEMNIFICATION. (a) BY COMPANY. The Company will indemnify each Holder and each person controlling such Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, with respect to which registration, qualification or compliance has been effected pursuant to this Agreement, and each underwriter, if any, and each person who controls any underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, against all expenses, claims, losses, damages or liabilities, joint or several, (or actions in respect thereof), including any of the foregoing incurred in settlement of any litigation, commenced or threatened, arising out of or based on any untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) of a material fact contained in any registration statement, prospectus, offering circular or other document, or any amendment or supplement thereto, incident to any such registration, qualification or compliance, or based on any omission (or alleged omission) to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, or any violation by the Company of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any state or federal securities law, or any rule or regulation promulgated under such Acts or law applicable to the Company in connection with any such registration, qualification or compliance, and the Company will reimburse each such Holder and each person controlling such Holder, each such underwriter and each person who controls any such underwriter, for any legal and any other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating, preparing or defending any such claim, loss, damage, liability or action, provided that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such claim, loss, damage, liability or expense arises out of or is based on any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission, made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information regarding a Holder furnished to the Company by an instrument duly executed by such Holder, underwriter or controlling person and stated to be specifically for use therein. If the Holders are represented by counsel other than counsel for the Company, the Company will not be obligated under this Section 2.7(a) to reimburse legal fees and expenses of more than one separate counsel for all Holders. (b) BY HOLDERS. Each Holder will, if Registrable Securities held by such Holder are included in the securities as to which such registration, qualification or compliance is being effected, indemnify the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers, each underwriter, if any, of the Company's securities covered by such a registration statement, each person who controls the Company or such underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, and each other such Holder and each person controlling such Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, against all claims, losses, damages and liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arising out of or based on any untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) of a material fact contained in any such registration statement, prospectus, offering circular or other document, or any omission (or alleged omission) to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will 9 reimburse the Company, such Holders, such directors, officers, persons, underwriters or controlling persons for any legal or any other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending any such claim, loss, damage, liability or action, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) or omission (or alleged omission) is made in such registration statement, prospectus, offering circular or other document in reliance upon and in conformity with written information regarding a Holder furnished to the Company by an instrument duly executed by such Holder and stated to be specifically for use therein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the liability of each Holder under this subsection (b) shall be limited in an amount equal to the public offering price of the shares sold by such Holder, unless such liability arises out of or is based on willful misconduct by such Holder. (c) PROCEDURES. Each party entitled to indemnification under this Section 2.7 (the "INDEMNIFIED PARTY") shall give notice to the party required to provide indemnification (the "INDEMNIFYING PARTY") promptly after such Indemnified Party has actual knowledge of any claim as to which indemnity may be sought, and shall permit the Indemnifying Party to assume the defense of any such claim or any litigation resulting therefrom, provided that counsel for the Indemnifying Party, who shall conduct the defense of such claim or litigation, shall be approved by the Indemnified Party (whose approval shall not unreasonably be withheld), and the Indemnified Party may participate in such defense at such party's expense, and provided further that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give notice as provided herein shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations under this Agreement unless the failure to give such notice is materially prejudicial to an Indemnifying Party's ability to defend such action and provided further, that the Indemnifying Party shall not assume the defense for matters as to which there is a conflict of interest or separate and different defenses. No Indemnifying Party, in the defense of any such claim or litigation, shall, except with the consent of each Indemnified Party, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such Indemnified Party of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation. (d) CONTRIBUTION. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 2.7 is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to an Indemnified Party with respect to any loss, liability, claim, damage, or expense referred to therein, then the Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party hereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such loss, liability, claim, damage, or expense in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party on the one hand and of the Indemnified Party on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, liability, claim, damage, or expense as well as any other relevant equitable considerations, provided that in no event shall any contribution by a Holder under this Section 2.7(d) exceed the public offering price of shares sold by such Holder, except in the case of willful misconduct by such Holder. The relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and of the Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Indemnifying Party or by the 10 Indemnified Party and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. (e) CONTROLLING AGREEMENT. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that the provisions on indemnification and contribution contained in the underwriting agreement entered into in connection with the underwritten public offering are in conflict with the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.7, the provisions in the underwriting agreement shall control. 2.8 INFORMATION BY HOLDER. The Holder or Holders of Registrable Securities included in any registration shall furnish to the Company such information regarding such Holder or Holders, the Registrable Securities held by them and the distribution proposed by them as the Company may request in writing and only as shall be necessary to enable the Company to comply with the provisions hereof in connection with any registration, qualification or compliance referred to in this Agreement. 2.9 RULE 144 REPORTING. With a view to making available the benefits of certain rules and regulations of the Commission which may at any time permit the sale of the Registrable Securities to the public without registration, after such time as a public market exists for the Common Stock of the Company, the Company agrees to use its best efforts to: (a) Make and keep public information available, as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, at all times after the effective date that the Company becomes subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and for so long as the Company remains subject to the periodic reporting requirements under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. (b) Use its best efforts to file with the Commission in a timely manner all reports and other documents required of the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act (at any time after it has become subject to such reporting requirements). (c) Furnish to any Holder forthwith upon request a written statement by the Company as to its compliance with the reporting requirements of Rule 144 (at any time after 90 days after the effective date of the first registration statement filed by the Company for an offering of its securities to the general public), and of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act (at any time after it has become subject to such reporting requirements), a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Company, and such other reports and documents of the Company and other information in as such Holder may reasonably request in availing itself of any rule or regulation of the Commission allowing such Holder to sell any such securities without registration. 2.10 TRANSFER OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS. The rights to cause the Company to register securities granted Holders under Sections 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 may be transferred in connection with any transfer by a Holder of Registrable Securities provided that: (i) such transfer may otherwise be effected in accordance with applicable securities laws, (ii) such 11 transfer is effected in compliance with the restrictions on transfer contained in this Agreement and in any other agreement between the Company and the Holder, and (iii) such transferee is an affiliate of a Stockholder or acquires (I) at least 50,000 shares of Registrable Securities (as equitably adjusted for Recapitalizations) or (II) all shares of Registrable Securities held by a Stockholder if transferred to a single transferee. No transfer will divest a Holder or any subsequent owner of such rights and powers unless all Registrable Securities are transferred or assigned. 2.11 TERMINATION. The rights granted pursuant to this Section 2 shall terminate as to any Holder at the later of (i) five years after the Initial Public Offering, or (ii) at such time as such Holder may sell under Rule 144, or a successor rule, in a three month period all Registrable Securities then held by such Holder. 2.12 LOCK-UP AGREEMENT. If, in connection with the public offering of the Company's securities, the Company or the underwriters managing the offering so request, each Holder shall not sell, make any short sale of, loan, grant any option for the purchase of, or otherwise dispose of any Registrable Securities (other than those included in the registration) without the prior written consent of the Company or such underwriters, as the case may be, for (i) 180 days from the effective date of such registration in the case of the Company's initial public offering and (ii) 90 days from the effective date of such registration in the case of any other public offering of the Company's securities. SECTION 3 MISCELLANEOUS 3.1 GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky as applied to contracts made and to be fully performed entirely within that state between residents of that state. All disputes arising out of this Agreement shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the Kentucky state courts of Jefferson County, Kentucky, (or, if there is exclusive federal jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky) and the parties consent to the personal and exclusive jurisdiction and venue of these courts. 3.2 ENTIRE AGREEMENT; AMENDMENT. This Agreement constitutes the full and entire understanding and agreement between the parties with regard to the subject matter hereof and thereof. This Agreement or any term hereof may be amended, waived, discharged or terminated by a written instrument signed by the Company and the Holders holding a majority of the Registrable Securities then outstanding; provided, however, that if any amendment or waiver shall affect any Holder materially differently and adversely than other Holders, then such amendment or waiver shall require the consent of the Holder(s) so materially differently and adversely affected. Any amendment or waiver effected in accordance with this paragraph shall be binding upon each party to the Agreement, whether or not such party has signed such amendment or waiver, each future Holder, and the Company. 12 3.3 NOTICES, ETC. All notices and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be deemed given if in writing and mailed by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, or otherwise delivered by hand or by messenger, addressed (a) if to an Eligible Equity Owner, at such address as such Eligible Equity Owner shall have furnished to the Company in writing, or (b) if to any other Holder, at such address as such Holder shall have furnished the Company in writing, or, until any such holder so furnishes an address to the Company, then to and at the address of the last Holder of such Registrable Securities who has so furnished an address to the Company, or (c) if to the Company, at the address of its principal offices and addressed to the attention of the Corporate Secretary and with a copy to Frost Brown Todd LLC, 400 West Market Street, 32nd Floor, Louisville, Kentucky 40202-3363, Attention: William G. Strench, Esq. or at such other address as the Company shall have furnished to the Holders. 3.4 SEVERABILITY. In the event that any provision of this Agreement becomes or is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal, unenforceable or void, this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect without said provision; provided that no such severability shall be effective if it materially changes the economic benefit of this Agreement to any party. 3.5 COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be enforceable against the parties actually executing such counterparts, and all of which together shall constitute one instrument. [REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK] 13 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of the date set forth above. "COMPANY" TEXAS ROADHOUSE, INC., a Delaware corporation By:/S/ G. J. HART ------------------------------------- G. J. Hart, Chief Executive Officer /S/ W. KENT TAYLOR ---------------------------------------- W. Kent Taylor OTHER ELIGIBLE EQUITY OWNERS /S/ W. KENT TAYLOR ---------------------------------------- W. Kent Taylor, Power of Attorney 14
