Underwriting Agreement, dated September 19, 2019, by and between Youngevity International, Inc. and The Benchmark Company, LLC, as representative of the several underwriters named therein

 

 

Youngevity International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement with  the underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (the “Underwriters,” or each, an “Underwriter”, which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom Benchmark is acting as representatives (in such capacity, the “Representative”), with respect to (i) the sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of shares of 9.75% Series D Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (“Preferred Stock” or “Series D Preferred Stock”) set forth in Schedule A hereto and (ii) the grant by the Company to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of additional shares of Preferred Stock representing 15% of the Series D Preferred Stock set forth in Schedule A hereto. The aforesaid shares of Preferred Stock (the “Initial Securities”) to be purchased by the Underwriters and all or any part of the shares of Preferred Stock subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the “Option Securities”) are herein called, collectively, the “Securities.”

 

The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representative deems advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered. 

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-225053) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “1933 Act Regulations”) and such amendments to such registration statement (including post-effective amendments) as may have been required to the date of this Agreement. Such registration statement, as amended (including post-effective amendments), has been declared effective by the Commission. The registration statement, together with any amendments thereto filed prior to the date of this Agreement, including the information deemed to be a part of, or incorporated by reference into, the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430B under the 1933 Act, or at such time as the case may be, is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”. The prospectus, dated May 29, 2018, included in the Registration Statement at the time the Registration Statement first became effective is hereinafter referred to as the “Base Prospectus”. If the Company files one or more registration statements pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the 1933 Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”) that relates to the Registration Statement, then any reference herein to the term Registration Statement shall include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a final prospectus supplement relating to the Securities in accordance with the provisions of Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 424(b)”). The final prospectus supplement as filed with the Commission, together with the Base Prospectus, is hereinafter called the “Final Prospectus.” The term “Preliminary Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus, together with the Preliminary Prospectus supplement used or filed with the Commission on September 5, 2019 and September 19, 2019 pursuant to Rule 424 of the 1933 Act Regulations, in the form provided to the Underwriters by the Company for use in connection with the offering of the Shares. The Final Prospectus and the Preliminary Prospectus in the form in which they shall be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act (including the Base Prospectus as so supplemented) is hereinafter called a “Prospectus.” The term “Effective Date” shall mean each date that the Registration Statement (and any post-effective amendment) became or becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the 1933 Act. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the 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 any successor system) (“EDGAR”).

 

 

 As used in this Agreement:

 

“Applicable Time” means 4:15 p.m., New York City time, on September 19, 2019, or such other time as agreed by the Company and the Representative.

 

“General Disclosure Package” means the Preliminary Prospectus (including any documents incorporated therein by reference) that is distributed to investors prior to the Applicable Time together with the documents and pricing information referred to in Schedule A hereto, all considered together.

 

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including, without limitation, any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 405”)) relating to the Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, 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 Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

 

“Issuer General Use 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 B hereto.

 

“Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the 1933 Act.

 

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “described,” “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, 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 the Rules and Regulations to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the subsequent filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), which is incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed by 1933 Act Regulations to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, at or after the execution and delivery of this Agreement. 

SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.

 

 

 

(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:

 

(i) Registration Statement and Prospectuses. The Company was at the time of filing the Registration Statement, and at the time of filing any post-effective amendment thereto, eligible to use Form S-3 under the 1933Act. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the 1933 Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes or pursuant to Section 8A of the 1933 Act have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

 

Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of its effectiveness, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. The Preliminary Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, when they became effective or at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1934 Act (the “1934 Act Regulations”).

 

(ii) Accurate Disclosure. Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, contained, contains or will contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. As of the Applicable Time, none of (A) the General Disclosure Package or (B) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit 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. Neither the Preliminary Prospectus, as of its issue date or at the time of its filing with the Commission, nor the Prospectus, nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, included, includes or will include any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit 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. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, when read together with the other information in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, did not and 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. Any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, when such documents are filed with Commission will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

 

 

The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto, including any prospectus wrapper) made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished shall be the information under the heading “Underwriting” contained in the Prospectus (collectively, the “Underwriter Information”).

 

(iii) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. 

 

(iv) Testing-the-Waters Materials. The Company (A) has not engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication and (B) has not authorized anyone to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications.

 

(v) Company Ineligible Issuer. As of the date of this Agreement the Company is an ineligible issuer as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act at the times specified in Rules 164 and 433 under the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Shares.

 

(vi) Emerging Growth Company Status. From the time of the initial filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission through December 31, 2018, the Company was an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the 1933 Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).  

 

(vii) Independent Accountants. Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C., who has certified the financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent public accountant as required by the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act, the 1934 Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

 

(viii) Financial Statements; Non-GAAP Financial Measures. The historical financial statements (including the related notes and supporting schedules) included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of Regulation S-X under the 1933 Act, are accurate in all material respects and present fairly the financial position of the Company on a consolidated basis at the dates indicated; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein in all material respects and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included therein. The pro forma financial statements and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, if any, present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly compiled on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. The pro forma financial statements incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement comply as to form with the applicable requirements of Regulation S-X of the 1933 Act in all material respects. No other financial statements or supporting schedules of the Company or any of its subsidiaries are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. All disclosures contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the 1934 Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the 1933 Act, to the extent applicable. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission's rules and guidelines applicable thereto. 

 

 

 

(ix) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (A) there has been no material adverse change in or affecting the business affairs, business, earnings, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, properties, management or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise (including all of the properties of the Company and its subsidiaries), whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to such entities considered as one enterprise or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to such entities considered as one enterprise, and (C)  there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company or any of its subsidiaries on any class of the capital stock or other equity interest of such entities.

(x)  Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized, is validly existing and in good standing as a corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware with full corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of its businesses, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xi) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each of CLR Roasters, LLC and Khrysos Industries, Inc., each a subsidiary that is material to the business and operations of the Company has been duly organized, is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation, has corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and is duly qualified to transact business and in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of its business, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. All of the issued and outstanding capital stock or other ownership interests of each such subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock or other ownership interests of any subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such subsidiary. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity that is or will be a “significant subsidiary” (within the meaning of Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X). For the purposes of this Agreement, “subsidiary” means each direct and indirect subsidiary of the Company.

 

(xii) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Capitalization” (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise, redemption, or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities, options or warrants referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus). The issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, conform to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and Prospectus and were issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws and not in violation of any preemptive right, resale right, right of first refusal or similar right. The issuance of such shares of capital stock of the Company was exempt from registration or qualification under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws. The Company’s stock option, stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements, and the options or other rights granted thereunder conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or rights to convert any obligations into or exchange any securities or interests for shares of the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ capital stock, or exchange any securities for shares of the Company’s capital stock are outstanding.

 

 

 

(xiii) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid, legal and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable 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 Company has full corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, including the authorization, issuance and sale of the Securities as contemplated by this Agreement.

(xiv) Authorization and Description of Securities. The Securities have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, will conform to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and Prospectus, will be issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws and will not be issued in violation of any preemptive right, resale right, right of first refusal or similar right. The Preferred Stock conforms in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms in all material respects to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same. No holder of Securities will be subject to personal liability solely by reason of being such a holder. The Certificate of Designations, Rights and Preferences of the Preferred Stock that forms a part of the Company’s charter and sets forth the terms of the Securities (the “Certificate of Designations”) will be, prior to the Closing Time, duly authorized, executed and filed by the Company with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “DSOS”).

 

(xv)  Registration Rights. Except as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the 1933 Act.

 

(xvi) Absence of Violations and Defaults. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (A) in violation of its charter, bylaws or similar organizational documents, (B) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease, license or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any such subsidiary is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company or any subsidiary is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”), except for such violations that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute or rule, or any order, rule or regulation of any arbitrator, court or governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or body or any self-regulatory organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or operations (each, a “Governmental Entity”), except for such violations that would not, singly or in the aggregate, be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xvii) Absence of Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described therein under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and the compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Company or any subsidiary pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter (including the Certificate of Designations), bylaws or similar organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any Governmental Entity. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

 

 

 

(xviii) Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or any subsidiary’s principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which, in either case, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xix) Employee Benefits. (A) The Company and each of its subsidiaries or their “ERISA Affiliates” (as defined below) are in compliance in all respects with all applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”); (B) no “reportable event” (as defined in ERISA) has occurred with respect to any “employee benefit plan” (as defined in ERISA) for which the Company or any of its subsidiaries or ERISA Affiliates would have any liability; (C) the Company and each of its subsidiaries or their ERISA Affiliates have not incurred and do not reasonably expect to incur liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee benefit plan”; and (D) each “employee benefit plan” for which the Company and each of its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, the “Code”), is so qualified in all material respects and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification; except, in the cases of (A), (B), and (C), as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. “ERISA Affiliate” means, with respect to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, any member of any group of organizations described in Sections 414(b), (c) or (m) of the Code or Section 4001(b)(1) of ERISA of which the Company or such subsidiary is a member.

 

(xx) Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any Governmental Entity now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any subsidiary, which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, or which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or would reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective properties or assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxi) Accuracy of Descriptions. The statements made in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Description of the Series D Preferred Stock,” insofar as it purports to constitute a summary of the terms of the Series D Preferred Stock, and under the captions “Prospectus Supplement Summary”, “The Offering,” “Risk Factors,” “Description of Capital Stock,” “Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations,” and “Underwriting,” insofar as such statements constitute summaries of the terms of statutes, rules or regulations, legal matters or governmental proceedings or agreements, contracts and other documents, are accurate and fair summaries of the terms of such statutes, rules or regulations, legal matters or governmental proceedings or agreements, contracts and other documents in all material respects. All agreements between the Company or any of its subsidiaries and any other party expressly referenced in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company or such subsidiary, as applicable, enforceable against the Company or such subsidiary, as applicable, as appropriate, in accordance with their respective terms, except to the extent that enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent transfer, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles and, with respect to equitable relief, the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity) and, with respect to any indemnification provisions contained therein, except as rights under those provisions may be limited by applicable law or policies underlying such law. The General Disclosure Package and Prospectus accurately reflect, in all material respects, the current intentions of the Company with respect to the operation of its business, and no material deviation from such guidelines or policies is currently contemplated. There are no statutes or regulations that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, in the General Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus or required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement by the 1933 Act or by the 1933 Act Regulations that have not been so described or filed.

 

 

 

(xxii) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no legal or governmental proceedings or contracts or other documents of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or, in the case of documents to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement, which are not described and filed as required. All descriptions of any such agreements, contracts or documents contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or in the Prospectus are accurate and complete descriptions of such documents in all material respects.

 

(xxiii)  Absence of Further Requirements. No consent, approval, authorization, license or order of, or filing or registration of or with, any Governmental Entity is necessary or required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company or any subsidiary of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder, or its consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and Prospectus, except such as have been obtained or made and except for such as have been obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the rules of The Nasdaq Capital Market (the “Nasdaq Capital Market”), applicable state or foreign securities laws or the by-laws and rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). 

(xxiv)  Possession of Licenses and Permits. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate Governmental Entities necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the failure so to possess would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company believes that the sales of its hemp-derived products are in compliance with all applicable regulations since all of its products that contain hemp, contain less than 0.3% THC content and are sold only in states in the United States that have not prohibited the sale of hemp products. No regulatory authority, including the Nasdaq Capital Market, has indicated that it will prohibit the listing of the Company’s securities based upon its sale of CBD products nor will the Underwriters or any broker or other FINRA member participating in this Offering be prohibited from depositing, clearing or settling the Securities, including through the Depository Trust Company (the “DTC”) or otherwise, on account of the Company’s sale of CBD products; provided, however, that no representation is made regarding depositing, clearing or settling any securities including the Securities at or through Cowen, Pershing or Wells Fargo.

 

(xxv)  Title to Personal Property. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all of their assets and personal property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects, except such as are described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries; and all assets and personal property held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by it under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such assets by the Company and its subsidiaries and the Company does not have notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company and its direct and indirect subsidiaries under any such leases or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company and its subsidiaries to be in the continued possession of the leased premises under such leases.

 

 

 

(xxvi) Real Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and the subsidiaries and good and marketable title in all personal property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and the subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all Liens (as defined herein), except for Liens as disclosed in the Company’s reports filed with the Commission or Liens that do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries and Liens for the payment of federal, state or other taxes, the payment of which is neither delinquent nor subject to penalties. Any real property and facilities held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases of which the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance, except where such non-compliance would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. “Liens” shall mean a lien, charge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive right or other restriction.

 

(xxvii) No Acquisitions or Dispositions. (A) There are no contracts, letters of intent, term sheets, agreements, arrangements or understandings with respect to the direct or indirect acquisition or disposition by any of the Company or its subsidiaries of interests in assets or real property that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that are not so described; and (B) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sold any real property to a third party during the immediately preceding twelve (12) calendar months.

 

(xxviii) Title Insurance. Title insurance in favor of the Company and its subsidiaries has been obtained with respect to each property owned by any such entity, except where the failure to maintain such title insurance would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxix) Indebtedness. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not issued any debt and has no debt outstanding.

 

(xxx) Environmental Laws. Except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials, mold or any hazardous materials as defined by or regulated under any Environmental Laws, as defined below (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company and its subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, and (C) there are no pending or known threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its subsidiaries. 

(xxxi) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and each of its subsidiaries (A) make and keep accurate books and records and (B) maintain effective internal control over financial reporting (as defined under Rule 13-a15 and 15d-15 under the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1934 Act Regulations) and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (1) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (2) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of the Company’s financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for its assets, (3) access to the Company’s assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (4) the recorded accountability for the Company’s assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Since the Company’s incorporation, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there has been (A) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (B) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected or is reasonably likely to materially affect the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Since the date of the most recent audited financial statements of the Company, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not been advised of (A) any significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls that could adversely affect the ability of the Company to record, process, summarize and report financial data, and (B) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the internal controls of the Company.

 

 

 

(xxxii) Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their respective capacities as such, to comply with all provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or implementing provisions thereof (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) that are then in effect and with which the Company is required to comply as of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and is actively taking steps to ensure that it will be in compliance with other provisions of the Sarbanes Oxley Act not currently in effect, upon the effectiveness of such provisions, or which will become applicable to the Company at all times after the effectiveness of the Registration Statement.

 

(xxxiii) Critical Accounting Policies. The description of the Company’s accounting policies included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus accurately and fully describes, in all material respects, (A) the accounting policies that the Company believes are the most important in the portrayal of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations and that require management’s most difficult, subjective or complex judgments (“Critical Accounting Policies”); (B) the judgments and uncertainties affecting the application of Critical Accounting Policies; and (C) the likelihood that materially different amounts would be reported under different conditions or using different assumptions and an explanation thereof.

  

(xxxiv) Payment of Taxes. The Company and its current (and with respect to (A) and (B), former) subsidiaries (A) have paid all material federal, state, local and foreign taxes (whether imposed directly, through withholding or otherwise and including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto) required to be paid through the date hereof, other than those being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been provided on the books of the applicable entity, (B) have timely filed all material tax returns or extensions thereof required to be filed through the date hereof, and all such tax returns are correct and complete in all material respects, and (C) have established adequate reserves for all taxes that have accrued but are not yet due and payable. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company and its subsidiaries in respect of any income and corporation tax liability for any years not finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments or re-assessments for additional income tax for any years not finally determined, except to the extent of any inadequacy that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. No tax deficiency has been asserted against the Company or any of its current or former subsidiaries, nor does any such entity know of any tax deficiency that is likely to be asserted and, if determined adversely to any such entity, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. 

(xxxv) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, know-how, software, systems and technology (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and has no reason to believe that the conduct of its business will conflict with, and has not received any notice of any claim of conflict with, any such rights of others. There is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding, or claim by others challenging the rights of the Company or any subsidiary in or to such rights. There is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding, or claim by others that the Company or any subsidiary infringes, misappropriates, or otherwise violates any such rights of others.

 

(xxxvii) Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, with financially sound and reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company believes is generally maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar business and in such amounts as is commercially reasonable for the value of the properties, in the aggregate, by the Company and its subsidiaries, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.

 

 

 

(xxxviii) Investment Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is required, or upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will be required, to register as an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of such terms under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

(xxxix) Absence of Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any affiliate of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities, and has taken no action which would directly or indirectly violate Regulation M or which would constitute a special selling effort as such term is defined under Regulation M.

 

(xl) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company, nor any of its subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of such entity is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), 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, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA, and the Company has instituted and maintains policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance by the Company and its subsidiaries therewith.

 

(xli) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance 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 Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or any subsidiary with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened. 

(xlii) No Conflicts with OFAC Laws. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is an individual or entity (“Person”) currently the subject or target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States Government, including, without limitation, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions; and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the net proceeds of the sale of the Securities, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such net proceeds to any subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.

 

(xliii) Distribution of Offering Material. The Company and its subsidiaries have not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of the Closing Time and the completion of the distribution of the Securities, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities other than the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus, or any other materials, if any, permitted by the 1933 Act.

 

 

 

(xliv) Restrictions on Distributions. Except as set forth in agreements with Crestmark Bank, no subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any distributions to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s equity interests, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(xlv) Prior Sales of Preferred Stock. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any shares of preferred stock.

 

(xlvi) Compliance. The Company is subject to and in compliance in all material respects with the reporting requirements of Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the 1934 Act. The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the 1934 Act and is listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or reasonably likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the 1934 Act or delisting the Common Stock from The Nasdaq Capital Market nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or FINRA is contemplating terminating such registration or listing, except as described in the General Disclosure Package.

   

(xlvii) No Finder’s Fee. Except for the Underwriters’ discounts and commissions payable by the Company to the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Securities contemplated herein or as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not incurred any liability for any brokerage commission, finder’s fees or similar payments in connection with the offering of the Securities contemplated hereby.

 

(xlviii) Nasdaq Capital Market Listing. The Company is in compliance with the rules and regulations of The Nasdaq Capital Market, including without limitation, the requirements for listing of the Preferred Stock on The Nasdaq Capital Market, and there are no actions, suits or proceedings pending, threatened or, to the Company's knowledge, contemplated, and the Company has not received any notice from The Nasdaq Capital Market, regarding the revocation of such or otherwise regarding the delisting of the Preferred Stock from The Nasdaq Capital Market. The Company has filed a notification of the listing of the Securities on The Nasdaq Capital Market.

 

(xlix) Absence of Certain Relationships. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company, on the other hand, that is required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which is not so described. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, including through any subsidiary, extended credit, arranged to extend credit, or renewed any extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan, to or for any executive officer of the Company, or to or for any family member or affiliate of any director or executive officer of the Company.

 

(l) No Integration. The Company has not sold or issued any securities that would be integrated with the offering of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement pursuant to the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations or the interpretations thereof by the Commission. 

(li) Lending Relationship. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company (A) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of any Underwriter and (B) does not intend to use any of the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any Underwriter.

 

 

 

(lii) Ratings. The Company has no debt securities or preferred stock that is rated by any “nationally recognized statistical rating agency” (as such term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) of the 1933 Act).

 

(liii) No FINRA Affiliations. There are no affiliations or associations between any member of FINRA and any of the Company's officers, directors or, to the knowledge of the Company, 5% or greater securityholders.

 

(liv) Statistical and Market-Related Data. All statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes, after reasonable inquiry, to be reliable and accurate, and such data agree with the sources from which they are derived, and, to the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.

 

(lv) FINRA. Except as previously disclosed to counsel for the Underwriter or as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, to the knowledge of the Company, no beneficial owners of the Company’s capital stock or debt who, together with their associated persons and affiliates, hold in the aggregate 10% or more of such capital stock or subordinated debt, have any direct or indirect association or affiliate with a FINRA member

 

(lvi) Cyber Security; Data Protection. The Company and its subsidiaries’ information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company and the subsidiaries as currently conducted, free and clear of all material bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants, except in each case as would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect their material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and data (including all personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data) used in connection with their businesses, and there have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to same, except in each case as would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(lvii) Forward Looking Statements. The Company had a reasonable basis for, and made in good faith, each “forward-looking statement” (within the meaning of Section 27A of the 1933 Act or Section 21E of the 1934 Act) contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, or the Prospectus.

 

(b) Officer’s Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the Representative 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.

 

SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.

 

(a) Initial Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, that number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial Securities that such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof, subject, in each case, to such adjustments among the Underwriters as the Representative in their sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares. 

 

 

(b) Option Securities. In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 43,500 shares of Preferred Stock, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A,. The option hereby granted may be exercised for 45 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part at any time from time to time upon notice by the Representative to the Company setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a “Date of Delivery”) shall be determined by the Representative, but any Date of Delivery occurring after the Closing Time shall not be later than seven (7) full business days nor earlier than two (2) full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in each case, to such adjustments as the Representative in their sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.

 

(c) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for or security entitlements in respect of, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112 or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at 9:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the second (third, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (New York City time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company pursuant to Rule 15c6-1(a) under the 1934 Act (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”). Delivery of the Initial Securities at the Closing Time shall be made through the facilities of DTC unless the Representative shall otherwise instruct.

 

In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for or security entitlements in respect of, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Representative to the Company. Delivery of the Option Securities on the Date of Delivery shall be made through the facilities of DTC unless the Representative shall otherwise instruct.

 

Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to bank accounts designated by the Company, against delivery to Benchmark for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates for or security entitlements in respect of the Securities to be purchased by them. Benchmark may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve an Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

 

 

 

SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

 

(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. Promptly following execution of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file the Prospectus containing the information required by Rule 430B under the 1933 Act and other selling terms of the Securities, the plan of distribution thereof and such other information as may be required by the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations and will file the Prospectus within the time period required by, and otherwise in accordance with the provisions of, Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations; if the Company has elected to file a Rule 462 Registration Statement to increase the size of the offering registered under the 1933 Act and the Rule 462 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 1933 Act; the Company will prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon the Underwriter’s request, any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that, based on the advice of counsel, may be necessary or advisable in connection with the distribution of the Securities by the Underwriter; and the Company will furnish the Underwriter and counsel for the Underwriter a copy of any proposed amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus and will not file any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus to which the Underwriter shall reasonably object by notice to the Company after having been furnished a copy a reasonable time prior to the filing The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will notify the Representative promptly, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment. 

 

 

(b) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement 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, (ii) amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representative notice of such event, (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representative with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The Company has given the Representative notice of any filings to be made pursuant to the 1934 Act or the 1934 Act Regulations 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 reasonably object.

 

(c) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representative, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of the Preliminary Prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(e) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities sold by it for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representative may reasonably designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of such Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. 

 

 

(f) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.

 

(g) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities sold by it in all material respects in the manner specified in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”

 

(h) Listing. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, 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.

 

(i) Restriction on Sale of Securities.    During a period of ninety (90) days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any shares of Series D Preferred Stock or any securities similar to or ranking on par with or senior to the Series D Preferred Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Series D Preferred Stock or similar, parity or senior securities, or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing, or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Series D Preferred Stock or such similar, parity or senior securities, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Series D Preferred Stock or such similar, parity or senior securities or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to the Securities to be sold hereunder.

 

(j) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a Prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and 1934 Act Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Securities sold by it as may be required under Rule 463 under the 1933 Act.

 

(k) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative, it will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representative will be deemed to have consented to the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses listed on Schedule B hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Representative. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Representative as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements under Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. 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 Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus 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 existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representative and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

 

 

 

(l) Stabilization. The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or which would 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 which are required to be disclosed in response to Item 701 of Regulation S-K under the 1933 Act which have not been so disclosed in the Registration Statement.

 

(m) Controls and Procedures. The Company and its subsidiaries will use its reasonable best efforts to 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 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s 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 1934 Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer and its principal financial officer, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate 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.

 

(n) Press Releases. Prior to the latest of the Closing Dates, not to issue any press release or other communication directly or indirectly or hold any press conference with respect to the Company, its condition, financial or otherwise, or earnings, business affairs or business prospects (except for routine oral marketing communications in the ordinary course of business and consistent with the past practices of the Company and of which the Underwriter is notified), without the prior written consent of the Underwriter, unless in the judgment of the Company and its counsel, and after notification to the Underwriter, such press release or communication is required by law.

 

 

 

SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.

 

(a) Expenses. The Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Prospectus (including financial statements and exhibits), (ii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the Underwriters, including any stock, transfer or other taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, (iii) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (iv) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriters to investors, (v) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities, (vi) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Securities, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of aircraft and other transportation chartered or owned by the Company or its affiliates and used in connection with the road show, (vii) the filing fees incident to the review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Securities, (viii) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Securities on The Nasdaq Capital Market (ix) costs associated with commemorative mementos and lucite and (x) the Underwriters’ use of Ipreo’s book-building, prospectus tracking and compliance software for the offering. The Company agrees to promptly reimburse any Underwriter for any of the above expenses which the Underwriter pays on behalf of the Company, provided that any fees of counsel, shall not exceed $75,000 in the aggregate and the aggregate expenses of the Underwriters (including fees of counsel) shall not exceed $90,000. The Company agrees to pay $25,000 upon the execution of this Agreement which shall be applied against the Underwriters’ out of pocket expenses as set forth in this Section 4(a).

 

(b) Underwriter Discount. At the Closing Time and each subsequent Date of Delivery, if any, the Company shall pay the Underwriters an underwriting discount equal to 8% of the proceeds raised from the sale of the Securities. Such underwriting discount shall be reduced to 1% on all proceeds raised from the sale of Securities to the senior lenders listed on Schedule C hereto.

 

(c) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative in accordance with the provisions of Section 5(n) or Section 9(a)(i) or (iii) hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters, up to $50,000 in the aggregate, less any amounts previously paid.

 

SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The respective obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional terms and conditions:

  

(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Rule 430B Information.  No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose shall have been instituted or threatened by the Commission. The Company shall have filed the Prospectus with the Commission (including the information previously omitted from the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430B under the 1933 Act) in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act; or the Company shall have filed a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement containing the information previously omitted from the Registration Statement pursuant to such Rule 430B, and such post-effective amendment shall have become effective

 

 

 

(b) No Amendments or Supplements. No prospectus or amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall be filed to which the Underwriters shall have reasonably objected in writing. The Underwriter shall not have advised the Company that (i) the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of a material fact which, based on the advice of counsel to the Underwriter, is material or omits to state a material fact which, based on the advice of counsel to the Underwriter, is required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (ii) the General 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, based on the advice of counsel to the Underwriter, is material, or omits to state a fact which, based on the advice of counsel to the Underwriter, is material and is required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading. Except as contemplated in the General Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company shall have not incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions, 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 or conversion of outstanding options, warrants, rights or convertible securities), 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 except pursuant to equity compensation plans or arrangements described in the General Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus, or any Material Adverse Effect or any development that would result in a Material Adverse Effect (whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business), that, in the Underwriter’s judgment, makes it impractical or inadvisable to offer or deliver the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the General Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus.

 

(c) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion and 10b-5 statement, dated as of the Closing Time, of Gracin & Marlow, LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, to the effect set forth in hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request. 

(d) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the 10b-5 statement, dated as of the Closing Time, of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Underwriters may reasonably request.

 

(e) Comfort Letter. On the date hereof, the Representatives shall have received from Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C., independent registered public accountants for the Company, a letter dated the date hereof addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountant’s “comfort letters” to underwriters, delivered according to Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72 (or any successor bulletin), with respect to the audited and unaudited financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, and each free writing prospectus, if any.

 

(f) Bring-down Comfort Letter. On the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received from Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C., independent registered public accountants for the Company, a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, which letter shall: (i) reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished by them pursuant to Section 5(e), except that the specified date referred to therein for the carrying out of procedures shall be no more than three business days prior to the Closing Date; and (ii) cover certain financial information contained in the Prospectus.

 

 

 

(g) Officers’ Certificate. At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated the Closing Time, to such effect.

 

(h) Certificate of the Principal Financial and Accounting Officer. At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Principal Financial and Accounting Officer of the Company, dated as of such date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters as to the financial information set forth in the Prospectus. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received a certificate, dated as of the Closing Time, of the Principal Financial and Accounting Officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered by the Company at the time of execution of this Agreement pursuant to the prior sentence of this Section 5(h) hereof remains true and correct as of the Closing Time.

  

(i) Certificate of Designations. At the Closing Time, the Certificate of Designations shall have been accepted for record by the DSOS and shall be effective under the Delaware General Corporation Law.

 

(j) Approval of Listing. At the Closing Time, the Securities shall have been approved for listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market, subject only to official notice of issuance.

 

(k) No Objection. FINRA shall have confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements relating to the offering of the Securities.

 

(l) No Material Adverse Change. For the period from and after the date of this Agreement and through and including the Closing Date, in the judgment of the Representatives there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Effect.

 

(m) Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. In the event that a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is filed in connection with the offering contemplated by this Agreement, such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have been filed with the Commission on the date of this Agreement and shall have become effective automatically upon such filing.

 

(n) Nasdaq. On each Closing Date, the Securities to be delivered on such closing Date will have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market, subject to official notice of issuance.

 

(n) Conditions to the Purchase of Option Securities. In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities subsequent to the closing on the Initial Securities, the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company and any of its subsidiaries hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representative shall have received:

 

(i)          Officers’ Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(g) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.

 

(ii)         Opinion of Counsel for Company. The favorable opinion and 10b-5 statement of Gracin & Marlow, LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c) hereof.

  

 

 

(iii)        Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. The favorable 10b-5 statement of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(e) hereof.

 

(iv)        Bring-down Comfort Letter. On the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received from Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C., independent registered public accountants for the Company, a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, which letter shall: (i) reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished by them pursuant to Section 5(e), except that the specified date referred to therein for the carrying out of procedures shall be no more than three business days prior to the Closing Date; and (ii) cover certain financial information contained in the Prospectus 

(v)        Certificate of the Principal Financial and Accounting Officer. A certificate of the Principal Financial and Accounting Officer of the Company, dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representative pursuant to Section 5(h) hereof.

 

(o) Additional Documents. At the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery (if any) counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters.

 

(p) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option Securities on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option Securities, may be terminated by the Representative by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

 

SECTION 6. Indemnification.

 

(a) Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an “Affiliate”)), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:

 

(i)          against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B Information, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in (A) the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or (B) in any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offing of the Securities (“Marketing Materials”), including any road show or investor presentation made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

 

 

 

(ii)         against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;

 

(iii)        against any and all reasonable expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of one counsel chosen by the Representative), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above; provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 6(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have. 

(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 6(b) shall be in additional to any other liabilities that each Underwriter may otherwise have.

 

(c) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action (including any governmental investigation) commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. The indemnifying party shall be entitled, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense of such action, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel, (ii) the indemnifying party has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, (iii) the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, or (iv) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them, and in any such event the reasonable fees and expenses of one separate counsel (and any additional local counsels) shall be paid by the indemnifying party. If the indemnifying party does not elect to assume the defense, then such firm shall be designated in writing by the Representative, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a), and by the Company in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b). No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party. 

 

 

 

(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. 

SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (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 pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) 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 hand, in connection with the statements or omissions, that resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, 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 hand, in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, on the other hand, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.

 

The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 

The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

 

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

 

No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and each Underwriter’s Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the preceding two paragraphs. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Initial Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.

 

The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement among the Company with respect to contribution.

 

SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors, any person controlling the Company and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities. 

 

 

SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.

 

(a) Termination. The Representative may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if there has been, in the judgment of the Representative, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the properties, earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries of the Company considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representative, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any equity securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or The Nasdaq Capital Market, or (iv) if trading generally on the NYSE American LLC, the NYSE or The Nasdaq Capital Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority, or (v) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States, or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either federal or state authorities.

 

(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

 

SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representative shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representative shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:

 

(i)           if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or

 

(ii)          if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase, and the Company to sell, the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.

 

No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

 

In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell the relevant Option Securities, as the case may be, either the (i) Representative or (ii) the Company shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven (7) days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10. 

 

 

SECTION 11. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the Representative at 150 East 58th Street, 17th Floor, New York, New York 10155 Attention: Richard Messina, Email: ***@*** with a copy to Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP, Attention: Richard Friedman, Esq. Email: ***@***; notices to the Company shall be directed to them Youngevity International, Inc., 2400 Boswell Road, Chula Vista, California, 91914, Attention: David Briskie; and with a copy to Gracin & Marlow, LLP, The Chrysler Building, 405 Lexington Avenue, 26th Floor, New York, NY 10174, Attention: Leslie Marlow, Esq. (Fax: (212) 907-6457).

 

SECTION 12. Research Analyst Independence. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters’ research analysts and research departments are required to be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and that such Underwriters’ research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company and/or the offering that differ from the views of their respective investment banking divisions. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to any conflict of interest that may arise from the fact that the views expressed by their independent research analysts and research departments may be different from or inconsistent with the views or advice communicated to the Company by such Underwriters’ investment banking divisions. The Company acknowledges that each of the Underwriters is a full-service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the companies that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

SECTION 13. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company and its subsidiaries acknowledge and agree that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company and its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering of the Securities and the process leading thereto, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, any of its subsidiaries, or their respective stockholders, equity interest holders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company or its subsidiaries with respect to the offering of the Securities or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or any of its subsidiaries on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the offering of the Securities except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of each of the Company and its subsidiaries, and (e) none of the Underwriters or legal counsel for the Underwriters has provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice to the Company or its subsidiaries with respect to the offering of the Securities and the Company and its subsidiaries have consulted their own respective legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent they deemed appropriate. 

 

SECTION 14. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal Representative, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal Representative, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

 

 

 

SECTION 15. Trial by Jury. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. 

SECTION 16. Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunity. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (“Related Proceedings”) shall be instituted in (i) the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan or (ii) the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (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 (a “Related Judgment”), 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 party’s 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.

 

SECTION 17. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF, THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.

 

SECTION 18. TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

 

SECTION 19. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

 

SECTION 20.  Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.

 

SECTION 21. Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof. 

 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its terms.