exh10_4.htm


 











Exhibit 10.4


 


 


 


THIS NOTE AND THE SHARES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THIS NOTE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED.  THIS NOTE AND THE SHARES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED FOR SALE, PLEDGED OR HYPOTHECATED IN THE ABSENCE OF AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT OR APPLICABLE EXEMPTION OR SAFE HARBOR PROVISION.







Original Issue Date: ________________________


Issue Price: $____


Principal Amount: $____


Original Conversion Price (subject to adjustment herein): $____







$_______________







ZERO COUPON SECURED SUBORDINATED CONVERTIBLE NOTE


DUE AUGUST 31, 2012







THIS ZERO COUPON SECURED SUBORDINATED CONVERTIBLE NOTE is one of a series of duly authorized and validly issued Zero Coupon Secured Subordinated Convertible Notes of ZBB Energy Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (the “Company”), having its principal place of business at N93 W14475 Whittaker Way, Menomonee Falls, WI  53051 (this Note, the “Note” and, collectively with the other Notes of such series, the “Notes”).







FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the Company and Tier Electronics LLC, jointly and severally, promise to pay to ________________________ or its registered assigns (the “Holder”), or shall have paid pursuant to the terms hereunder, the principal sum at maturity of $_______________ on August 31, 2012 (the “Maturity Date”) or such earlier date as this Note is required or permitted to be repaid as provided hereunder, and to pay interest to the Holder on the aggregate unconverted and then outstanding principal amount of this Note in accordance with the provisions hereof.  This Note is subject to the following additional provisions:







Section 1.                      Definitions.  For the purposes hereof, in addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Note, (a) capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Purchase Agreement and (b) the following terms shall have the following meanings:







“Alternate Consideration” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(e).







“Bankruptcy Event” means any of the following events: (a) a Debtor or any Significant Subsidiary (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X) thereof commences a case or other proceeding under any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment of debt, relief of debtors, dissolution, insolvency or liquidation or similar law of any jurisdiction relating to a Debtor or any Significant Subsidiary thereof, (b) there is commenced against a Debtor or any Significant Subsidiary thereof any such case or proceeding that is not dismissed within 60 days after commencement, (c) a Debtor or any Significant Subsidiary thereof is adjudicated insolvent or bankrupt or any order of relief or other order approving any such case or proceeding is entered, (d) a Debtor or any Significant Subsidiary thereof suffers any appointment of any custodian or the like for it or any substantial part of its property that is not discharged or stayed within 60 calendar days after such appointment, (e) a Debtor or any Significant Subsidiary thereof makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, (f) a Debtor or any Significant Subsidiary thereof calls a meeting of its creditors with a view to arranging a composition, adjustment or restructuring of its debts or (g) a Debtor or any Significant Subsidiary thereof, by any act or failure to act, expressly indicates its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any of the foregoing or takes any corporate or other action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing.


 


 




  





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“Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(d).







“Business Day” means any day except any Saturday, any Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.







“Buy-In” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(c)(v).







“Change of Control Transaction” means the occurrence after the date hereof of any of (a) an acquisition after the date hereof by an individual or legal entity or “group” (as described in Rule 13d-5(b)(1) promulgated under the Exchange Act) of effective control (whether through legal or beneficial ownership of capital stock of the Company, by contract or otherwise) of in excess of 33% of the voting securities of the Company (other than by means of conversion or exercise of the Notes and the Securities issued together with the Notes), (b) the Company merges into or consolidates with any other Person, or any Person merges into or consolidates with the Company and, after giving effect to such transaction, the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such transaction own less than 66% of the aggregate voting power of the Company or the successor entity of such transaction, (c) the Company sells or transfers all or substantially all of its assets to another Person and the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such transaction own less than 66% of the aggregate voting power of the acquiring entity immediately after the transaction, (d) a replacement at one time or within a three year period of more than one-half of the members of the Board of Directors which is not approved by a majority of those individuals who are members of the Board of Directors on the Original Issue Date (or by those individuals who are serving as members of the Board of Directors on any date whose nomination to the Board of Directors was approved by a majority of the members of the Board of Directors who are members on the date hereof), or (e) the execution by the Company of an agreement to which the Company  is a party or by which it is bound, providing for any of the events set forth in clauses (a) through (d) above.







“Conversion” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.


 


 




  





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“Conversion Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a).







“Conversion Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(b).







“Conversion Schedule” means the Conversion Schedule in the form of Schedule 1 attached hereto.







“Conversion Shares” means, collectively, the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of this Note in accordance with the terms hereof.







“Debtors” means, collectively, the Company and Tier Electronics LLC.







“Event of Default” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8(a).







“Fundamental Transaction” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(e).


 


“Mandatory Default Amount” means the greater of (i) the outstanding principal amount of this Note, plus all accrued and unpaid interest hereon, divided by the Conversion Price on the date the Mandatory Default Amount is due, multiplied by the VWAP on the date the Mandatory Default Amount is due, and (ii) 130% of the outstanding principal amount of this Note, plus 100% of accrued and unpaid interest hereon.







“Maturity Date” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble of this Note.


 


“Note Register” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(c).







“Notice of Conversion” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a).







“Original Issue Date” means the date of the first issuance of the Notes, regardless of any transfers of any Note and regardless of the number of instruments which may be issued to evidence such Notes.







“Purchase Agreement” means the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 1, 2012 among the Company and the original Holders, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with its terms.







“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.









  





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“Share Delivery Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(c)(ii).







“Successor Entity” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(e).


 


“Trading Day” means a day on which the principal Trading Market is open for trading, or if the Common Stock is not listed or quoted on any Trading Market, “Trading Day” means a “Business Day”.







“Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE AMEX, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or the New York Stock Exchange.







“VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b)  if the OTC Bulletin Board is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the OTC Bulletin Board, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on the OTC Bulletin Board and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported in the “Pink Sheets” published by Pink OTC Markets, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holders of a majority in interest of the Securities then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.







Section 2.                      Interest.







a) Payment of Interest. This Note shall not bear cash interest except as otherwise expressly provided below.

 


b) Prepayment.  The Debtors may prepay the principal amount of this Note at any time upon at least five Trading Days prior notice to Holder. The Company will concurrently with the closing of any financing transaction that in the aggregate raises $2 million or more in proceeds for the Company immediately use the entire proceeds from such financing transaction to pay to the Purchasers any remaining balance on the Notes pro rata based on the outstanding principal balance of each Note. The Company covenants and agrees that it will honor all Notices of Conversion tendered from the time of delivery of the prepayment notice through the date all amounts owing thereon are due and paid in full


 


 




  





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Section 3.                      Registration of Transfers and Exchanges.


 

 


a) Different Denominations. This Note is exchangeable for an equal aggregate principal amount of Notes of different authorized denominations, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.  No service charge will be payable for such registration of transfer or exchange.


 

 


b) Investment Representations. This Note has been issued subject to certain investment representations of the original Holder set forth in the Purchase Agreement and may be transferred or exchanged only in compliance with the Purchase Agreement and applicable federal and state securities laws and regulations.







c) Reliance on Note Register. Prior to due presentment for transfer to the Debtors of this Note, the Debtors and any agent of the Debtors may treat the Person in whose name this Note is duly registered on the Note Register as the owner hereof for the purpose of receiving payment as herein provided and for all other purposes, whether or not this Note is overdue, and neither the Debtors nor their respective agents shall be affected by notice to the contrary.







Section 4.                      Conversion.


 


a) Voluntary Conversion. At any time after the Original Issue Date until this Note is no longer outstanding, this Note shall be convertible, in whole or in part, into shares of Common Stock at the option of the Holder, at any time and from time to time (subject to the conversion limitations set forth in Section 4(d) hereof).  The Holder shall effect conversions by delivering to the Company a Notice of Conversion, the form of which is attached hereto as Annex A (each, a “Notice of Conversion”), specifying therein the principal amount of this Note to be converted and the date on which such conversion shall be effected (such date, the “Conversion Date”).  If no Conversion Date is specified in a Notice of Conversion, the Conversion Date shall be the date that such Notice of Conversion is deemed delivered hereunder.  To effect conversions hereunder, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Note to the Company unless the entire principal amount of this Note, plus all accrued and unpaid interest thereon, has been so converted. Conversions hereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding principal amount of this Note in an amount equal to the applicable conversion.  The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the principal amount(s) converted and the date of such conversion(s).  The Company may deliver an objection to any Notice of Conversion within one (1) Business Day of delivery of such Notice of Conversion.  In the event of any dispute or discrepancy, the records of the Holder shall be controlling and determinative in the absence of manifest error. The Holder, and any assignee by acceptance of this Note, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following conversion of a portion of this Note, the unpaid and unconverted principal amount of this Note may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.


 

 




  





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	 b)  	 Conversion Price.  The conversion price in effect on any Conversion Date shall be equal to $0.53, subject to adjustment herein (the “Conversion Price”).





 



	
c)  

	
Mechanics of Conversion.







 


i. Conversion Shares Issuable Upon Conversion of Principal Amount.  The number of Conversion Shares issuable upon a conversion hereunder shall be determined by the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the Issue Price paid for the outstanding principal amount of this Note to be converted by (y) the Conversion Price.


 


ii. Delivery of Certificate Upon Conversion. Not later than three (3) Trading Days after each Conversion Date (the “Share Delivery Date”), the Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Holder (A) a certificate or certificates representing the Conversion Shares representing the number of Conversion Shares being acquired upon the conversion of this Note.


 


iii. Failure to Deliver Certificates.  If, in the case of any Notice of Conversion, such certificate or certificates are not delivered to or as directed by the applicable Holder by the Share Delivery Date, the Holder shall be entitled to elect by written notice to the Company at any time on or before its receipt of such certificate or certificates, to rescind such Conversion, in which event the Company shall promptly return to the Holder any original Note delivered to the Company and the Holder shall promptly return to the Company the Common Stock certificates issued to such Holder pursuant to the rescinded Conversion Notice.


 


iv. Obligation Absolute; Partial Liquidated Damages.  The Company’s obligations to issue and deliver the Conversion Shares upon conversion of this Note in accordance with the terms hereof are absolute and unconditional, irrespective of any action or inaction by the Holder to enforce the same, any waiver or consent with respect to any provision hereof, the recovery of any judgment against any Person or any action to enforce the same, or any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, limitation or termination, or any breach or alleged breach by the Holder or any other Person of any obligation to the Company or any violation or alleged violation of law by the Holder or any other Person, and irrespective of any other circumstance which might otherwise limit such obligation of the Company to the Holder in connection with the issuance of such Conversion Shares; provided, however, that such delivery shall not operate as a waiver by the Company of any such action the Company may have against the Holder.  If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder such certificate or certificates pursuant to Section 4(c)(ii) by the Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, $2,000  for each Trading Day after such Share Delivery Date until such certificates are delivered or Holder rescinds such conversion.    Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue actual damages or declare an Event of Default pursuant to Section 8 hereof for the Company’s failure to deliver Conversion Shares within the period specified herein and the Holder shall have the right to pursue all remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief.  The exercise of any such rights shall not prohibit the Holder from seeking to enforce damages pursuant to any other Section hereof or under applicable law.


 




  





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v. Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Certificates Upon Conversion. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder such certificate or certificates by the Share Delivery Date pursuant to Section 4(c)(ii), and if after such Share Delivery Date the Holder is required by its brokerage firm to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise), or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Conversion Shares which the Holder was entitled to receive upon the conversion relating to such Share Delivery Date (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder (in addition to any other remedies available to or elected by the Holder) the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including any brokerage commissions) for the Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the product of (1) the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that the Holder was entitled to receive from the conversion at issue multiplied by (2) the actual sale price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed (including any brokerage commissions) and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reissue (if surrendered) this Note in a principal amount equal to the principal amount of the attempted conversion (in which case such conversion shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock that would have been issued if the Company had timely complied with its delivery requirements under Section 4(c)(ii).  For example, if the Holder purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted conversion of this Note with respect to which the actual sale price of the Conversion Shares (including any brokerage commissions) giving rise to such purchase obligation was a total of $10,000 under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence, the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000.  The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss.  Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver certificates representing shares of Common Stock upon conversion of this Note as required pursuant to the terms hereof.












  





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vi. Reservation of Shares Issuable Upon Conversion. The Company covenants that it will at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock for the sole purpose of issuance upon conversion of this Note and payment of interest on this Note, each as herein provided, free from preemptive rights or any other actual contingent purchase rights of Persons other than the Holder (and the other holders of the Notes), not less than such aggregate number of shares of the Common Stock as shall (subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Purchase Agreement) be issuable (taking into account the adjustments and restrictions of Section 5) upon the conversion of the then outstanding principal amount of this Note and payment of interest hereunder.  The Company covenants that all shares of Common Stock that shall be so issuable shall, upon issue, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.







vii. Fractional Shares. No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the conversion of this Note.  As to any fraction of a share which the Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such conversion, the Company shall at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Conversion Price or round up to the next whole share.







viii. Transfer Taxes.  The issuance of certificates for shares of the Common Stock on conversion of this Note shall be made without charge to the Holder hereof for any documentary stamp or similar taxes that may be payable in respect of the issue or delivery of such certificates, provided that, the Company shall not be required to pay any tax that may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance and delivery of any such certificate upon conversion in a name other than that of the Holder of this Note so converted and the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver such certificates unless or until the Person or Persons requesting the issuance thereof shall have paid to the Company the amount of such tax or shall have established to the satisfaction of the Company that such tax has been paid.


 


ix. Conversion Payment.  Upon any conversion the Company shall pay to the converting Holder in cash an amount equal to the difference between the outstanding principal amount of this Note so converted and the Issue Price paid therefor.









  





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d) Holder’s Conversion Limitations.  The Company shall not effect any conversion of this Note, and a Holder shall not have the right to convert any portion of this Note, to the extent that after giving effect to the conversion set forth on the applicable Notice of Conversion, the Holder (together with the Holder’s Affiliates, and any Persons acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s Affiliates) would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below).  For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and its Affiliates shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of this Note with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of shares of Common Stock which are issuable upon (i) conversion of the remaining, unconverted principal amount of this Note beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or unconverted portion of any other securities of the Company subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein (including, without limitation, any other Notes or the Warrants) beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates.  Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 4(d), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.  To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 4(d) applies, the determination of whether this Note is convertible (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates) and of which principal amount of this Note is convertible shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the submission of a Notice of Conversion shall be deemed to be the Holder’s determination of whether this Note may be converted (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates) and which principal amount of this Note is convertible, in each case subject to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation. To ensure compliance with this restriction, the Holder will be deemed to represent to the Company each time it delivers a Notice of Conversion that such Notice of Conversion has not violated the restrictions set forth in this paragraph and the Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination.  In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.   For purposes of this Section 4(d), in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, the Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as stated in the most recent of the following: (i) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the Commission, as the case may be, (ii) a more recent public announcement by the Company, or (iii) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Company’s transfer agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding.  Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Company shall within two Trading Days confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding.  In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Note, by the Holder or its Affiliates since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of this Note held by the Holder.  The Holder, upon not less than 61 days’ prior notice to the Company, may increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 4(d), provided that the Beneficial Ownership Limitation in no event exceeds 9.99% of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon conversion of this Note held by the Holder and the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 4(d) shall continue to apply.  Any such increase or decrease will not be effective until the 61st day after such notice is delivered to the Company.  The Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 4(d) to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended Beneficial Ownership Limitation contained herein or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Note.


 

 




  





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Section 5.                      Certain Adjustments.


 

 


a) Stock Dividends and Stock Splits.  If the Company, at any time while this Note is outstanding: (i) pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions payable in shares of Common Stock on shares of Common Stock or any Common Stock Equivalents (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon conversion of, or payment of interest on, the Notes), (ii) subdivides outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of a reverse stock split) outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares or (iv) issues, in the event of a reclassification of shares of the Common Stock, any shares of capital stock of the Company, then the Conversion Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding any treasury shares of the Company) outstanding immediately before such event, and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event.  Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification.


 


b) Subsequent Rights Offerings.  If the Company, at any time while the Note is outstanding, shall issue rights, options or warrants to all holders of Common Stock (and not to the Holders) entitling them to subscribe for or purchase shares of Common Stock at a price per share that is lower than the VWAP on the record date referenced below, then the Conversion Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding on the date of issuance of such rights, options or warrants plus the number of additional shares of Common Stock offered for subscription or purchase, and of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding on the date of issuance of such rights, options or warrants plus the number of shares which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares so offered (assuming delivery to the Company in full of all consideration payable upon exercise of such rights, options or warrants) would purchase at such VWAP.  Such adjustment shall be made whenever such rights, options or warrants are issued, and shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such rights, options or warrants.


 




  





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c) Pro Rata Distributions. If the Company, at any time while this Note is outstanding, distributes to all holders of Common Stock (and not to the Holders) evidences of its indebtedness or assets (including cash and cash dividends) or rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any security (other than the Common Stock, which shall be subject to Section 5(b)), then in each such case the Conversion Price shall be adjusted by multiplying such Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to the record date fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to receive such distribution by a fraction of which the denominator shall be the VWAP determined as of the record date mentioned above, and of which the numerator shall be such VWAP on such record date less the then fair market value at such record date of the portion of such assets or evidence of indebtedness or rights or warrants so distributed applicable to one outstanding share of the Common Stock as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company in good faith.  In either case the adjustments shall be described in a statement delivered to the Holder describing the portion of assets or evidences of indebtedness so distributed or such subscription rights applicable to one share of Common Stock.  Such adjustment shall be made whenever any such distribution is made and shall become effective immediately after the record date mentioned above.


 


 


 




  





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d) Fundamental Transaction. If, at any time while this Note is outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (ii) the Company, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Common Stock are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Common Stock is effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person whereby such other Person acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not including any shares of Common Stock held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then, upon any subsequent conversion of this Note, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Conversion Share that would have been issuable upon such conversion immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 4(d) and Section 4(e) on the conversion of this Note), the number of shares of Common Stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration (the “Alternate Consideration”) receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Note is convertible immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 4(d) and Section 4(e) on the conversion of this Note).  For purposes of any such conversion, the determination of the Conversion Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one (1) share of Common Stock in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company shall apportion the Conversion Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration.  If holders of Common Stock are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any conversion of this Note following such Fundamental Transaction.  The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “Successor Entity”) to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Note and the other Transaction Documents (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) in accordance with the provisions of this Section 5(e) pursuant to written agreements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and approved by the Holder (without unreasonable delay) prior to such Fundamental Transaction and shall, at the option of the holder of this Note, deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Note a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Note which is convertible for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the shares of Common Stock acquirable and receivable upon conversion of this Note (without regard to any limitations on the conversion of this Note) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with a conversion price which applies the conversion price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the shares of Common Stock pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such number of shares of capital stock and such conversion price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Note immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction), and which is reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Holder. Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Note and the other Transaction Documents referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Note and the other Transaction Documents with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein.




e) Calculations.  All calculations under this Section 5 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as the case may be.  For purposes of this Section 5, the number of shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding any treasury shares of the Company) issued and outstanding.









  





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f) Notice to the Holder.







i. Adjustment to Conversion Price.  Whenever the Conversion Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 5, the Company shall promptly deliver to each Holder a notice setting forth the Conversion Price after such adjustment and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.


 

 


ii. Notice to Allow Conversion by Holder.  If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Common Stock, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Common Stock, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the Common Stock of rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any stockholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Common Stock, any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or any compulsory share exchange whereby the Common Stock is converted into other securities, cash or property or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be filed at each office or agency maintained for the purpose of conversion of this Note, and shall cause to be delivered to the Holder at its last address as it shall appear upon the Note Register, at least twenty (20) calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Common Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of the Common Stock for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange, provided that the failure to deliver such notice or any defect therein or in the delivery thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice.  To the extent that any notice provided hereunder constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K.  The Holder shall remain entitled to convert this Note during the 20-day period commencing on the date of such notice through the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein.


 

 




  





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Section 6.                      [Reserved].


 

 


Section 7.                      Negative Covenants. As long as any portion of this Note remains outstanding, unless the holders of at least 67% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes held by Holders still holding 10% or more in principal amount of the Note issued to such Holder (or its predecessor) pursuant to the Purchase Agreement shall have otherwise given prior written consent, the Company shall not, and shall not permit any of the Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly:







a) other than Permitted Liens, enter into, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Liens of any kind, on or with respect to any of its property or assets now owned or hereafter acquired or any interest therein or any income or profits therefrom;


 


b) other than existing Indebtedness, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness;







c) amend its charter documents, including, without limitation, its certificate of incorporation and bylaws, in any manner that materially and adversely affects any rights of the Holder;







d) repay, repurchase or offer to repay, repurchase or otherwise acquire more than a de minimis number of shares of its Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents other than as to (i) the Conversion Shares or Warrant Shares as permitted or required under the Transaction Documents and (ii) repurchases of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents of departing officers and directors of the Company, provided that such repurchases shall not exceed an aggregate of $100,000 for all officers and directors during the term of this Note;







e) repay, repurchase or offer to repay, repurchase or otherwise acquire any Indebtedness, other than the Notes if on a pro-rata basis, other than regularly scheduled principal and interest payments as such terms are in effect as of the Original Issue Date, provided that such payments shall not be permitted if, at such time, or after giving effect to such payment, any Event of Default exist or occur;







f) pay cash dividends or distributions on any equity securities of the Company;







g) enter into any transaction with any Affiliate of the Company which would be required to be disclosed in any public filing with the Commission, unless such transaction is made on an arm’s-length basis and expressly approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company (even if less than a quorum otherwise required for board approval); or







h) enter into any agreement with respect to any of the foregoing.


 

 




  





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Section 8.                      Events of Default.







a) “Event of Default” means, wherever used herein, any of the following events (whatever the reason for such event and whether such event shall be voluntary or involuntary or effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court, or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):







i. any default in the payment of (A) the principal amount of any Note or (B) interest, liquidated damages and other amounts owing to a Holder on any Note, as and when the same shall become due and payable;


 

 


ii. any Debtor shall fail to observe or perform any covenant or agreement contained in the Notes which failure is not cured, if possible to cure, within the earlier to occur of (A) 5 Trading Days after notice of such failure sent by the Holder or by any other Holder to the Company and (B) 10 Trading Days after the Debtors have become or should have become aware of such failure;


 


iii. the Company shall lose its ability to electronically transfer shares by “DWAC/FAST” transfer;







iv. a default or event of default (subject to any grace or cure period provided in the applicable agreement, document or instrument) shall occur under any of the Transaction Documents;







v. any representation or warranty made in this Note, any other Transaction Documents, any written statement pursuant hereto or thereto or any other report, financial statement or certificate made or delivered to the Holder or any other Holder shall be untrue or incorrect in any material respect as of the date when made or deemed made;







vi. a Debtor or any Significant Subsidiary (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X)  thereof shall be subject to a Bankruptcy Event;


 

 


vii. the Common Stock shall not be eligible for listing or quotation for trading on a Trading Market and shall not be eligible to resume listing or quotation for trading thereon within two Trading Days; or







viii. the Company shall be a party to any Change of Control Transaction or Fundamental Transaction or shall agree to sell or dispose of all or in excess of 33% of its assets in one transaction or a series of related transactions (whether or not such sale would constitute a Change of Control Transaction).







b) Remedies Upon Event of Default. If any Event of Default occurs, the outstanding principal amount of this Note, plus accrued but unpaid interest, liquidated damages and other amounts owing in respect thereof through the date of acceleration, shall become, at the Holder’s election, immediately due and payable in cash at the Mandatory Default Amount.  Commencing 5 days after the occurrence of any Event of Default that results in the eventual acceleration of this Note, the interest rate on this Note shall accrue at an interest rate equal to the lesser of 18% per annum or the maximum rate permitted under applicable law.  Upon the payment in full of the Mandatory Default Amount, the Holder shall promptly surrender this Note to or as directed by the Company.  In connection with such acceleration described herein, the Holder need not provide, and the Debtors hereby waive, any presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, and the Holder may immediately and without expiration of any grace period enforce any and all of its rights and remedies hereunder and all other remedies available to it under applicable law.  Such acceleration may be rescinded and annulled by Holder at any time prior to payment hereunder and the Holder shall have all rights as a holder of the Note until such time, if any, as the Holder receives full payment pursuant to this Section 8(b).  No such rescission or annulment shall affect any subsequent Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.









  





15











  






Section 9.                      Miscellaneous.


 

 


a) Notices.  Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Holder hereunder, including, without limitation, any Notice of Conversion, shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, addressed to the Company, at the address set forth above, or such other facsimile number or address as the Company may specify for such purposes by notice to the Holder delivered in accordance with this Section 9(a).  Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Debtors hereunder shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile, by email, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service addressed to each Holder at the facsimile number or address of the Holder appearing on the books of the Company, or if no such facsimile number or address appears on the books of the Company, at the principal place of business of such Holder, as set forth in the Purchase Agreement.  Any notice or other communication or deliveries hereunder shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or by email to the email address set forth on the signature pages attached hereto prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any date, (ii) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or by email to the email address set forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (iii) the second Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given.


 


b) Absolute Obligation. Except as expressly provided herein, no provision of this Note shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company and the other Debtors, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of, liquidated damages and accrued interest, as applicable, on this Note at the time, place, and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.  This Note is a direct debt obligation of the Debtors.  This Note ranks pari passu with all other Notes now or hereafter issued under the terms set forth herein.


 




  





16











  






c) Lost or Mutilated Note.  If this Note shall be mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Debtors shall execute and deliver, in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation of a mutilated Note, or in lieu of or in substitution for a lost, stolen or destroyed Note, a new Note for the principal amount of this Note so mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, but only upon receipt of evidence of such loss, theft or destruction of such Note, and of the ownership hereof, reasonably satisfactory to the Debtors.







d) Governing Law.  All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Note shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflict of laws thereof.


 


e) Waiver.  Any waiver by the Debtors or the Holder of a breach of any provision of this Note shall not operate as or be construed to be a waiver of any other breach of such provision or of any breach of any other provision of this Note.  The failure of the Debtors or the Holder to insist upon strict adherence to any term of this Note on one or more occasions shall not be considered a waiver or deprive that party of the right thereafter to insist upon strict adherence to that term or any other term of this Note on any other occasion.  Any waiver by the Debtors or the Holder must be in writing.


 


f) Severability.  If any provision of this Note is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the balance of this Note shall remain in effect, and if any provision is inapplicable to any Person or circumstance, it shall nevertheless remain applicable to all other Persons and circumstances.  If it shall be found that any interest or other amount deemed interest due hereunder violates the applicable law governing usury, the applicable rate of interest due hereunder shall automatically be lowered to equal the maximum rate of interest permitted under applicable law. Each Debtor covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it shall not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law or other law which would prohibit or forgive the Debtor from paying all or any portion of the principal of or interest on this Note as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, or which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Note, and the Debtor (to the extent it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefits or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Holder, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such as though no such law has been enacted.


 




  





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g) Next Business Day.  Whenever any payment or other obligation hereunder shall be due on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day.







h) Headings.  The headings contained herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Note and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.







i) Secured Obligation.  The obligations of the Debtors under this Note are secured by all assets of each Debtor pursuant to the Security Agreement, dated as of the date hereof between the Debtors and the Secured Parties (as defined therein).







*********************












 


(Signature Pages Follow)


 




  





18











  






 


 


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each Debtor has caused this Note to be duly executed by a duly authorized officer as of the date first above indicated.


 



 



	 	 ZBB ENERGY CORPORATION 
	 	 
	 	 
	 	 By:__________________________________________
	 	      Name:
	 	      Title:
	 	 Facsimile No. for delivery of Notices: ________________
	 	 Email address for deliver of Notices: _________________
	 	 
	 	 
	 	 TIER ELECTRONICS LLC
	 	 
	 	 
	 	 By:__________________________________________
	 	      Name:
	 	      Title:
	 	 Facsimile No. for delivery of Notices: _______________
	 	 







 




  





  











  






 



ANNEX A







NOTICE OF CONVERSION







The undersigned hereby elects to convert principal under the Zero Coupon Secured Subordinated Convertible Note due August __, 2012 of ZBB Energy Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (the “Company”) into shares of common stock (the “Common Stock”), of the Company according to the conditions hereof, as of the date written below.  If shares of Common Stock are to be issued in the name of a person other than the undersigned, the undersigned will pay all transfer taxes payable with respect thereto and is delivering herewith such certificates and opinions as reasonably requested by the Company in accordance therewith.  No fee will be charged to the holder for any conversion, except for such transfer taxes, if any.







By the delivery of this Notice of Conversion the undersigned represents and warrants to the Company that its ownership of the Common Stock does not exceed the amounts specified under Section 4 of this Note, as determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act.







The undersigned agrees to comply with the prospectus delivery requirements under the applicable securities laws in connection with any transfer of the aforesaid shares of Common Stock.







Conversion calculations:


Date to Effect Conversion: ___________________                                                               







Issue Price of Note to be Converted:


___________________


 


 


Number of shares of Common Stock to be issued:


___________________












Address for Delivery of Common Stock Certificates:


___________________


___________________







Or







DWAC Instructions:







Broker No: _____________                                           


Account No: _____________


[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]







Name of Holder: ____________________________________________________        


Signature of Authorized Signatory of Holder: _____________________________ 


Name of Authorized Signatory: _________________________________________                        


Title of Authorized Signatory: __________________________________________


Date: _____________________________________________________________


 


 




  





  











  








 



Schedule 1







CONVERSION SCHEDULE







The Zero Coupon Secured Subordinated Convertible Notes due on ________ in the aggregate principal amount of $____________ are issued by ZBB Energy Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation.  This Conversion Schedule reflects conversions made under Section 4 of the above referenced Note.







Dated:













	
 


Date of Conversion


(or for first entry, Original Issue Date)

	
 


Amount of Conversion

	
 


Aggregate Principal Amount Remaining Subsequent to Conversion


(or original Principal Amount)

	
 


Company Attest