Document:

exv4w1

Exhibit 4.1

NGAS Resources, Inc.

FORM OF WARRANT

	 	 	 

	Warrant No.:                    

	 	Original Issue Date: May 17, 2010
	 

	 	(“Issue Date”)

     NGAS RESOURCES, INC., a corporation under the laws of the Province of British Columbia (the
“Company”), hereby certifies that, for value received,                      or its permitted
registered assigns (the “Holder”), is entitled to purchase from the Company up to a total
of                      shares of common stock, no par value (the “Common Stock”), of the Company (each
such share, a “Warrant Share” and all such shares, the “Warrant Shares”) at an
exercise price equal to $1.61 per share, subject to adjustment as provided herein (the
“Exercise Price”), at any time and from time to time on or after the Issue Date (the
“Trigger Date”) and through and including 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on November 17,
2014 (the “Expiration Date”), and subject to the following terms and conditions:

     This Warrant is being issued pursuant to that certain Underwriting Agreement dated May 11,
2010 by and among the Company and the underwriters identified therein (the “Underwriting
Agreement”). This Warrants and all other warrants issued pursuant to the Underwriting
Agreement are referred to herein collectively as the “Warrants.” The original issuance of
the Warrants and the Warrant Shares by the Company pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement has been
registered pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-144417) (together with
any registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act,
the “Registration Statement”).

     1. Definitions. For purposes of this Warrant, in addition to terms defined elsewhere
herein, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

     “Affiliate” of a person means a person that, directly or indirectly through one or more
intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the person specified.

     “Person” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a
corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization and a government or any department or agency
thereof.

     “Trading Day” means any day on which trading of the Common Stock occurs on the applicable
Trading Market.

     “Trading Market” means the NASDAQ Global Select Market or, if the Company’s Common Stock is
not then listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, then such exchange or quotation system on which
the Common Stock then primarily trades.

     2. List of Warrant Holders. The Company shall register this Warrant, upon records to
be maintained by the Company for that purpose (the “Warrant Register”), in the name of the
record Holder (which shall include the initial Holder or, as the case may be, any registered
assignee to which this Warrant is permissibly assigned hereunder from time to time). The Company
may deem and treat the registered Holder of this Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for the
purpose of any exercise hereof or any distribution to the Holder, and for all other purposes,
absent actual notice to the contrary.

     3. List of Transfers; Restrictions on Transfer.

          (a) This Warrant and the Warrant Shares are subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth
in this Section 3.

          (b) The Company shall register any such transfer of all or any portion of this Warrant in the
Warrant Register, upon surrender of this Warrant, with the Form of Assignment attached hereto duly
completed and signed, to the Company at its address specified herein. Upon any such registration
or transfer, a new Warrant in substantially the form of this Warrant (any such new Warrant, a
“New Warrant”) evidencing the portion of this Warrant so transferred shall be issued to the
transferee and a New Warrant evidencing the remaining portion of this Warrant not so transferred,
if any, shall be issued to the transferring Holder. The acceptance of the New Warrant by

 

 

the transferee thereof shall be deemed the acceptance by such transferee of all of the rights
and obligations in respect of the New Warrant that the Holder has in respect of this Warrant prior
to the transfer thereof.

     4. Exercise and Duration of Warrants.

          (a) All or any part of this Warrant shall be exercisable by the registered Holder in any
manner permitted by Section 10 hereof at any time and from time to time on or after the Trigger
Date and through and including the Expiration Date. Subject to Section 11 hereof, at 5:00 p.m.,
New York City time, on the Expiration Date, the portion of this Warrant not exercised prior thereto
shall be and become void and of no value and this Warrant shall be terminated and no longer
outstanding. In addition, if cashless exercise would be permitted under Section 10(b) hereof, then
all or part of this Warrant may be exercised by the registered Holder utilizing such cashless
exercise provisions at any time, or from time to time, on or after the Trigger Date and through and
including the Expiration Date.

          (b) The Holder may exercise this Warrant by delivering to the Company (i) an exercise notice,
in the form attached hereto (the “Exercise Notice”), completed and duly signed, and (ii) if
such Holder is not utilizing the cashless exercise provisions set forth in this Warrant, payment of
the Exercise Price for the number of Warrant Shares specified in the Exercise Notice. The date
such items are delivered to the Company (as determined in accordance with the notice provisions
hereof) is referred to herein as an “Exercise Date.” The Holder shall not be required to
deliver the original Warrant in order to effect an exercise hereunder. Execution and delivery of
the Exercise Notice shall have the same effect as cancellation of the original Warrant and issuance
of a New Warrant evidencing the right to purchase the remaining number of Warrant Shares, if any.
On or before the first (1st) business day following the Exercise Date, the Company shall transmit
to a facsimile number set forth in the Exercise Notice a confirmation of receipt of the Exercise
Notice to the Holder and also will notify the Company’s transfer agent.

     5. Delivery of Warrant Shares.

          (a) Upon exercise of this Warrant, the Company shall promptly (but in no event later than
three Trading Days after the Exercise Date) issue or cause to be issued and cause to be delivered
to or upon the written order of the Holder and in such name or names as the Holder may designate, a
certificate for the Warrant Shares issuable upon such exercise, free of restrictive legends unless
the Registration Statement is not then effective or the Warrant Shares are not freely transferable
without volume restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Registration Statement is not
effective on the Exercise Date for any reason and the Holder directs the Company to deliver a
certificate for the Warrant Shares in a name other than that of the Holder or an Affiliate of the
Holder, it shall deliver to the Company on the Exercise Date an opinion of counsel reasonably
satisfactory to the Company to the effect that the issuance of such Warrant Shares in such other
name may be made pursuant to an available exemption from the registration requirements of the
Securities Act and all applicable state securities or blue sky laws. The Holder, or any Person
permissibly so designated by the Holder to receive Warrant Shares, shall be deemed to have become
the holder of record of such Warrant Shares as of the Exercise Date. If the Warrant Shares can be
issued without restrictive legends, the Company shall, upon the written request of the Holder, use
its best efforts to deliver, or cause to be delivered, Warrant Shares hereunder electronically
through the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (“DTC”).

          (b) If the Company fails to deliver to the Holder a certificate representing the required
number of Warrant Shares in the manner required pursuant to Section 5(a) hereof by the close of the
third Trading Day after an Exercise Date, and if after such third Trading Day and prior to the
receipt of such Warrant Shares, the Holder purchases (in an open market transaction or otherwise)
shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant Shares
which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company
shall, within three Trading Days after the Holder’s request, and in the Holder’s sole discretion,
either (i) pay in cash to the Holder an amount equal to the Holder’s total purchase price
(including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased (the “Buy-In Price”), at which point the Company’s obligation to deliver such Warrant Shares
shall terminate or (ii) promptly honor its obligation to deliver the Warrant Shares to the Holder
and pay cash to the Holder in an amount equal to the excess (if any) of the Buy-In Price over the
product of (A) the number of Warrant Shares times (B) the closing bid price on the date of the
event giving rise to the Company’s obligation to deliver the Warrant Shares.

          (c) To the extent permitted by law, the Company’s obligations to issue and deliver Warrant
Shares in accordance with the terms hereof are absolute and unconditional, irrespective of any
action or inaction by the

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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 that might otherwise
limit such obligation of the Company to the Holder in connection with the issuance of Warrant
Shares. 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 or
other injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver Warrant Shares upon
exercise of the Warrant in accordance with the terms hereof.

     6. Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance and delivery of Warrant Shares upon exercise
of the Warrant shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax,
withholding tax, transfer agent fee or other incidental tax or expense in respect of the issuance
of such certificates, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company; provided,
however, that the Company shall not be required to pay any tax that may be payable in respect of
any transfer involved in the registration of any certificates for Warrant Shares or Warrants in a
name other than that of the Holder. The Holder shall be responsible for all other tax liability
that may arise as a result of holding or transferring this Warrant or receiving Warrant Shares upon
exercise hereof.

     7. Replacement of Warrant. If this Warrant is mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed,
the Company shall issue or cause to be issued in exchange and substitution for and upon
cancellation hereof, or in lieu of and substitution for this Warrant, a New Warrant, but only upon
receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of such loss, theft or destruction and
customary and reasonable indemnity (which shall not include a surety bond), if requested.
Applicants for a New Warrant under such circumstances shall also comply with such other reasonable
regulations and procedures and pay such other reasonable third-party costs as the Company may
prescribe. If a New Warrant is requested as a result of a mutilation of this Warrant, then the
Holder shall deliver such mutilated Warrant to the Company as a condition precedent to the
Company’s obligation to issue the New Warrant.

     8. Reservation of Warrant Shares; Listing. The Company covenants that it will at all
times reserve and keep available out of the aggregate of its authorized but unissued and otherwise
unreserved Common Stock, solely for the purpose of enabling it to issue Warrant Shares upon
exercise of this Warrant as herein provided, the number of Warrant Shares that are then issuable
and deliverable upon the exercise of this entire Warrant, free from preemptive rights or any other
contingent purchase rights of persons other than the Holder, taking into account any applicable
adjustments and restrictions of Section 9 hereof. The Company represents that the Warrant Shares
have been duly and validly authorized and hereby covenants that all Warrants Shares issuable and
deliverable upon exercise of this Warrant as herein provided shall, upon issuance and the payment
of the applicable Exercise Price in accordance with the terms hereof, be duly and validly issued
and fully paid and nonassessable. The Company shall use its best efforts to maintain the listing
of the Warrant Shares on the NASDAQ Global Select Market.

     9. Certain Adjustments. The Exercise Price and number of Warrant Shares issuable upon
exercise of this Warrant are subject to adjustment from time to time as set forth in this Section
9.

          (a) Stock Dividends and Splits. If the Company, at any time while this Warrant is
outstanding, (i) pays a stock dividend on its Common Stock or otherwise makes a distribution on any
class of capital stock that is payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivides outstanding
shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, or (iii) combines outstanding shares of
Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the Exercise Price shall be
multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock
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
clause (i) of this paragraph shall become effective immediately after the record date for the
determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution, and any adjustment
pursuant to clause (ii) or (iii) of this paragraph shall become effective immediately after the
effective date of such subdivision or combination.

          (b) Pro Rata Distributions. If the Company, at any time while this Warrant is
outstanding, distributes to all holders of Common Stock for no consideration (i) evidences of its
indebtedness, (ii) any security (other than a distribution of Common Stock covered by the preceding
paragraph), (iii) rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any security, or (iv) any other
asset (including cash) (in each case, “Distributed Property”), then, upon any exercise of
this Warrant that occurs after the record date fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to
receive such distribution, the Holder shall be entitled to receive, in addition to the Warrant
Shares otherwise issuable

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upon such exercise (if applicable), the Distributed Property that such Holder would have been
entitled to receive in respect of such number of Warrant Shares had the Holder been the record
holder of such Warrant Shares immediately prior to such record date.

          (c) Fundamental Transactions. If, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding (i)
the Company effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, in
which the shareholders of the Company as of immediately prior to the transaction own less than a
majority of the outstanding stock of the surviving entity, (ii) the Company effects any sale of all
or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any tender
offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which
holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock tender or exchange their shares for
other securities, cash or property, or (iv) the Company effects any reclassification of all
outstanding Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which all outstanding Common
Stock is effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property (each, a “Fundamental Transaction”), then the Holder shall have the right thereafter to receive,
upon any subsequent exercise of this Warrant, the same amount and kind of securities, cash or
property as it would have been entitled to receive upon the occurrence of such Fundamental
Transaction if it had been, immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction, the holder of the
number of Warrant Shares then issuable upon exercise in full of this Warrant (the “Alternate
Consideration”). The Company shall not effect any such Fundamental Transaction unless prior to
or simultaneously with the consummation thereof, any successor to the Company, surviving entity or
the corporation purchasing or otherwise acquiring such assets or other appropriate corporation or
entity shall assume the obligation to deliver to the Holder, such Alternate Consideration as, in
accordance with the foregoing provisions, the Holder may be entitled to purchase, and the other
obligations under this Warrant. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, in the event of a
Fundamental Transaction, the Company or any successor entity shall pay in exchange for this Warrant
at the Holder’s option, exercisable at any time concurrently with or within 30 days after the
consummation of the Fundamental Transaction, an amount of cash equal to the value of this Warrant
as determined in accordance with the Black Scholes Option Pricing Model obtained from the “OV”
function on Bloomberg L.P. (“Bloomberg”) using (i) a price per share of Common Stock equal
to the VWAP of the Common Stock for the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of consummation
of the applicable Fundamental Transaction, (ii) a risk-free interest rate corresponding to the U.S.
Treasury rate for a period equal to the remaining term of this Warrant as of the date of
consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction and (iii) an expected volatility equal to
the greater of 60% and the 180-day volatility obtained from the “HVT” function on Bloomberg
determined as of the Trading Day immediately following the public announcement of the applicable
Fundamental Transaction. The provisions of this paragraph (c) shall similarly apply to subsequent
Fundamental Transactions.

          (d) Number of Warrant Shares. Simultaneously with any adjustment to the Exercise Price
pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 9, the number of Warrant Shares that may be purchased
upon exercise of this Warrant shall be increased or decreased proportionately, so that after such
adjustment the aggregate Exercise Price payable hereunder for the adjusted number of Warrant Shares
shall be the same as the aggregate Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment.

          (e) Notice of Adjustments. Upon the occurrence of any adjustment pursuant to this
Section 9, the Company at its expense will, at the written request of the Holder, promptly compute
such adjustment in accordance with the terms of this Warrant and prepare a certificate setting
forth such adjustment, including a statement of the adjusted Exercise Price and adjusted number or
type of Warrant Shares or other securities issuable upon exercise of this Warrant (as applicable),
describing the transactions giving rise to such adjustments and showing in detail the facts upon
which such adjustment is based. Upon written request, the Company will promptly deliver a copy of
each such certificate to the Holder and to Computershare Investor Services Inc., the transfer agent
of the Company.

          (f) Notice of Corporate Events. If, while this Warrant is outstanding, the Company
(i) declares a dividend or any other distribution of cash, securities or other property in respect
of its Common Stock, including without limitation any granting of rights or warrants to subscribe
for or purchase any capital stock of the Company or any Subsidiary, (ii) authorizes or approves,
enters into any definitive agreement for or solicits stockholder approval for any Fundamental
Transaction or (iii) authorizes the voluntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs
of the Company, then, except if such notice and the contents thereof shall be deemed to constitute
material non-public information, the Company shall deliver to the Holder a notice describing the
material terms and conditions of such transaction at least 10 Trading Days prior to the applicable
record or effective date on which a Person would need to hold Common Stock in order to participate
in or vote with respect to such transaction, and the Company will take all reasonable steps to give
Holder the practical opportunity to exercise this Warrant prior to

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such time; provided, however, that the failure to deliver such notice or any defect therein
shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be described in such notice.

     10. Payment of Exercise Price. The Holder may pay the Exercise Price in one of the
following manners:

          (a) Cash Exercise. The Holder may deliver immediately available funds; or

          (b) Cashless Exercise. In the case of a Restrictive Legend Event (as defined below),
the Holder may notify the Company in an Exercise Notice of its election to utilize cashless
exercise, in which event the Company shall issue to the Holder the number of Warrant Shares
determined as follows:

          X = Y [(A-B)/A]

          Where

          X = the number of Warrant Shares to be issued to the Holder.

          Y = the number of Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant is being exercised.

          A = the Weighted Average Price for the five Trading Days immediately prior to (but not
including) the Exercise Date.

          B = the Exercise Price.

          For purposes of this Section 10, “Weighted Average Price” means the dollar
volume-weighted average price for the Common Stock on the Trading Market during the period
beginning at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, and ending at 4:00 p.m., New York City time, as
reported by Bloomberg through its “Volume at Price” function or, if the foregoing does not apply,
the dollar volume-weighted average price of such security in the over-the-counter market on the
electronic bulletin board for such security during the period beginning at 9:30 a.m., New York City
time, and ending at 4:00 p.m., New York City time, as reported by Bloomberg, or, if no dollar
volume-weighted average price is reported for such security by Bloomberg for such hours, the
average of the highest closing bid price and the lowest closing ask price of any of the market
makers for such security as reported in the “pink sheets” by Pink Sheets LLC (formerly the National
Quotation Bureau, Inc.).

          (c) Company-Elected Conversion. (i) The Company shall provide to the Holder prompt
written notice of any time that the Company is unable to issue the Warrant Shares via DTC transfer
(or otherwise without restrictive legend under the Securities Act), because (A) the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) has issued a stop order with respect to the
Registration Statement, (B) the Commission otherwise has suspended or withdrawn the effectiveness
of the Registration Statement, either temporarily or permanently, (C) the Company has suspended or
withdrawn the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, either temporarily or permanently, or
(D) the Registration Statement is otherwise not then effective (each a “Restrictive Legend
Event”). To the extent that a Restrictive Legend Event occurs after the Holder has exercised
this Warrant in accordance with Section 4(b) but prior to the delivery of the Warrant Shares, the
Company shall (i) if the Weighted Average Price of the Warrant Shares is greater than the Exercise
Price, provide written notice to the Holder that the Company will deliver that number of Warrant
Shares to the Holder as should be delivered in a Cashless Exercise in accordance with Section
10(b), and return to the Holder all consideration paid to the Company in connection with the
Holder’s attempted exercise of this Warrant pursuant to Section 4(b) (a “Company-Elected
Conversion”), or (ii) at the election of the Holder to be given within five (5) days of receipt
of notice of a Company-Elected Conversion, the Holder shall be entitled to rescind the previously
submitted Notice of Exercise and the Company shall return all consideration paid by Holder for such
shares upon such rescission. The Company shall provide to the Holder prompt written notice of the
termination of the Restrictive Legend Event. If a Restricted Legend Event is occurring as of the
Expiration Date, the term of this Warrant shall be extended until the fifth (5th)
business day after the termination of such Restricted Legend Event.

          (d) If, but only if, the Registration Statement is no longer effective at any time after the
Issue Date, the Company shall use its best efforts to file a new registration statement on Form S-3
pursuant to General Instruction I.B.4(a)(3) (including compliance with General Instruction I.B.4(b)
and I.B.4(c) as required thereby) registering the Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of the
Warrant.

     11. Limitations on Exercise. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained
herein, the number of Warrant Shares that may be acquired by the Holder upon any exercise of this
Warrant (or otherwise in respect hereof) shall be limited to the extent necessary to ensure that,
following such exercise (or other issuance), the total number of shares of Common Stock then
beneficially owned by the Holder and its affiliates and any other Persons

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whose beneficial ownership of Common Stock would be aggregated with the Holder’s for purposes
of Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”),
does not exceed 4.99% of the total number of issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock
(including for such purpose the shares of Common Stock issuable upon such exercise). For such
purposes, beneficial ownership shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange
Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Each delivery of an Exercise Notice by
the Holder will constitute a representation by the Holder that it has evaluated the limitation set
forth in this Section and determined that issuance of the full number of Warrant Shares requested
in such Exercise Notice is permitted under this Section. The Company’s obligation to issue shares
of Common Stock in excess of the limitation referred to in this Section 11 shall be suspended (and,
except as provided below, shall not terminate or expire notwithstanding any contrary provisions
hereof) until such time, if any, as such shares of Common Stock may be issued in compliance with
such limitation; provided, that, if, as of 5:30 p.m., New York City time, on the Expiration Date,
the Company has not received written notice that the shares of Common Stock may be issued in
compliance with such limitation, the Company’s obligation to issue such shares shall terminate.
This provision shall not restrict the number of shares of Common Stock which the Holder may receive
or beneficially own in order to determine the amount of securities or other consideration that the
Holder may receive in the event of a Fundamental Transaction as contemplated in Section 9 of this
Warrant. By written notice to the Company, which will not be effective until the 61st day after
such notice is delivered to the Company, the Holder may waive the provisions of this Section 11 to
change the beneficial ownership limitation to 9.9% of the number of shares of the Common Stock
outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise
of this Warrant, and the provisions of this Section 11 shall continue to apply. Upon such a change
by a Holder of the beneficial ownership limitation from such 4.99% limitation to such 9.9%
limitation, the beneficial ownership limitation may not be further waived by such Holder.

     12. No Fractional Shares. No fractional Warrant Shares will be issued in connection
with any exercise of this Warrant. In lieu of any fractional shares that would otherwise be
issuable, the Company shall pay cash equal to the product of such fraction multiplied by the
closing price of one Warrant Share as reported by the applicable Trading Market on the Exercise
Date.

     13. Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries hereunder
(including, without limitation, any Exercise Notice) shall be in writing and 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 specified in this Section 13 at or prior to 5:00
p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day, (ii) the next Trading Day after the date of
transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number
specified in this Section 13 on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:00 p.m. (New York
City time) on any Trading Day, (iii) the Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by
nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to whom
such notice is required to be given. The addresses for such notices or communications shall be:
(a) if to the Company, to NGAS Resources, Inc., 120 Prosperous Place, Suite 201, Lexington,
Kentucky 40509, Attention: Chief Executive Officer, Facsimile No.: (859) 263-4228 (or such other
address as the Company shall indicate in writing in accordance with this Section 13), or (b) if to
the Holder, to the address or facsimile number appearing on the Warrant Register (or such other
address as the Company shall indicate in writing in accordance with this Section 13).

     14. Warrant Agent. The Company shall serve as warrant agent under this Warrant. Upon
30 days’ notice to the Holder, the Company may appoint a new warrant agent. Any corporation into
which the Company or any new warrant agent may be merged or any corporation resulting from any
consolidation to which the Company or any new warrant agent shall be a party or any corporation to
which the Company or any new warrant agent transfers substantially all of its corporate trust or
shareholders services business shall be a successor warrant agent under this Warrant without any
further act. Any such successor warrant agent shall promptly cause notice of its succession as
warrant agent to be mailed (by first class mail, postage prepaid) to the Holder at the Holder’s
last address as shown on the Warrant Register.

     15. Miscellaneous.

          (a) This Warrant shall be binding on and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their
respective successors and assigns. Subject to the preceding sentence, nothing in this Warrant shall
be construed to give to any Person other than the Company and the Holder any legal or equitable
right, remedy or cause of action under this Warrant. This Warrant may be amended only in writing
signed by the Company and the Holder, or their successors and assigns.

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          (b) All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of
this Warrant 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 conflicts of law thereof. Each party
agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of this
Warrant and the transactions herein contemplated (“Proceedings”) (whether brought against a
party hereto or its respective Affiliates, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in
the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York or in the United
States District Court for the Southern District of New York (the “New York Courts”). Each
party hereto hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the New York Courts for
the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction
contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in
any Proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any New York
Court, or that such Proceeding has been commenced in an improper or inconvenient forum. Each party
hereto hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served
in any such Proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight
delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under
this Warrant and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process
and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to
serve process in any manner permitted by law. Each party hereto 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 Warrant or the transactions contemplated hereby. If
either party shall commence a Proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Warrant, then the
prevailing party in such Proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its attorney’s fees
and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such
Proceeding.

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

          (d) In case any one or more of the provisions of this Warrant shall be invalid or
unenforceable in any respect, the validity and enforceability of the remaining terms and provisions
of this Warrant shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and the parties will attempt
in good faith to agree upon a valid and enforceable provision which shall be a commercially
reasonable substitute therefore, and upon so agreeing, shall incorporate such substitute provision
in this Warrant.

          (e) Prior to exercise of this Warrant, the Holder hereof shall not, by reason of by being a
Holder, be entitled to any rights of a stockholder with respect to the Warrant Shares.

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     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be duly executed by its authorized
officer as of the date first indicated above.

	 	 	 	 	 
	 	NGAS RESOURCES, INC.

 	 
	 	By:  	 	 
	 	 	Name:  	 	 
	 	 	Title:  	 	 
	 

8Exhibit 10.1

Exhibit 10.1

Federal Home Loan Bank

of

Des Moines

2010 Annual Incentive Plan Document

 

 

 

CONTENTS

	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 
	I. Purpose	 	 	2	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	II. Responsibility for Plan Administration	 	 	8	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	III. Eligibility	 	 	9	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	IV. Plan Goals	 	 	9	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	V. Payout Opportunity	 	 	9	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	VI. Payout Determination	 	 	10	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	VII. Miscellaneous Provisions	 	 	11	 
	 
	 	 	 	 

 

 

 

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this Annual Incentive Plan (“Plan”) is to focus the efforts of all employees of the
Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (“Bank”) on the following:

	 	•	 	Fulfilling the Bank’s mission and vision within a safe and sound framework and in a
manner consistent with the Bank’s shared values

	 	•	 	Recognizing Bank employees for their individual and/or team contributions to the Bank’s
achievement of the Strategic Imperative Strategies and detailed Action Items listed in the
Strategic Business Plan (“SBP”) for the calendar year for which a payout under the Plan is
made

	 	•	 	Providing incentive awards that when combined with base salaries provide competitive
total cash compensation to Bank employees

The Program is effective for the calendar year 2010.

Summary of the Plan

The Plan has two sets of goals: Bankwide performance goals (referred to as “Part I” goals) and
individual/team goals (referred to as “Part II” goals). Part I goals are given greater weight for
higher level employees, the logic being that higher level employees have a greater ability to
influence Bankwide performance than lower level employees.

Part I Bankwide performance goals include:

	•	 	Business with Members as measured by Member Borrowing Penetration;
Member Product Usage; Business with Creditworthy Members; and
Customer Satisfaction.
	 
	•	 	Profitability as measured by Net Interest Spread (NIS) and the
Spread between Adjusted Return on Capital Stock (AROCS) and
average 3 month LIBOR. NIS measures the core earnings potential of
the Bank, while the Spread between AROCS and average 3 month LIBOR
is a proxy for efficiency and potential return to shareholders.
	 
	•	 	Enterprise Value as measured by Economic Value of Capital Stock
averaged over the year.
	 
	•	 	Risk Management as measured by Sox 404 Status and the Quality of
Risk Management as assessed by the Board’s Risk Management
Committee.

The combination of objectives for Profitability and Business with Members reflects the Bank’s
cooperative structure whereby the Bank needs to satisfy the expectations of members as both
shareholders and customers. Fulfilling that cooperative mission must be done in a prudent manner so
as to preserve the par value of capital stock, which is the rationale for the Enterprise Value and
Risk Management overlays. All employees should have a portion of their incentive potential tied to
Bankwide performance so that everyone in the Bank, regardless of their role or level in the
organization, thinks about delivering value to the members and managing the Bank’s risks.

 

2

 

Part II goals in the Plan generally would be linked to Action Plans in the Bank’s 2010 Strategic
Business Plan. The nature of Part II goals would vary depending on the role and level in the
organization an individual plays in the Bank. For example, an individual in the Enterprise Risk
Management department might have Part II goals targeted at improving the Bank’s risk management
infrastructure, while an employee in the Credit Sales department might be focused on developing new
or enhanced products for the members.

Awards earned under the 2010 Plan would be paid in early 2011, subject to the Board’s Human
Resources and Compensation Committee (“HRC”) approval as described below.

Detail — Annual Incentive Plan

The Plan includes two components:

	•	 	Part I — Bank-wide financial and business maintenance/growth goals, customer satisfaction
and risk management.

	•	 	Part II — Individual and/or team achievement of non-financial objectives aimed at improving
the Bank’s service to the shareholding members and operational effectiveness. These are tied
to the SBP where possible.

All employees are included in the Plan except Internal Audit personnel, which has its own Plan.
Each Part I goal has a threshold, target and maximum percentage award opportunity. The total
incentive target is a weighted average of the two parts above. Each part of the reward is
calculated independently. An employee’s pay level and market reference determines how the total
target is split between the two parts.

The program is designed to emphasize overall Bank financial performance for higher levels in the
organization and less on individual performance goals. As you move through the organization, the
weightings shift from overall Bank financial performance to more of an emphasis on non-financial,
operationally focused goals in order to provide a line of sight incentive to employees. The
following table provides the weights and minimum, target and maximum percentage payouts or rewards
for each level in the Bank.

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	Min/Target/Max	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	Reward as a % of	 	Part I	 	 	Part II	 
	Classification	 	Base Salary	 	% of Target	 	 	% of Target	 
	CEO
	 	25 / 37.5 / 50	 	 	60	%	 	 	40	%
	Executives
	 	20 / 30 / 40	 	 	60	%	 	 	40	%
	Leadership Team
	 	20 / 25 / 30	 	 	60	%	 	 	40	%
	 
	 	15 / 20 / 25	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	Sr. Manager/Sr. Professional
	 	10 / 15 / 20	 	 	50	%	 	 	50	%
	Professional
	 	8 / 10 / 12	 	 	50	%	 	 	50	%
	Jr. Professional
	 	6 / 8 / 10	 	 	40	%	 	 	60	%
	Staff
	 	4 / 6 / 8	 	 	30	%	 	 	70	%

 

3

 

2010 Bank-wide Plan Goals

Nine Bank-wide goals will focus staff’s efforts on business with our members, profitability,
enterprise value, and risk management. The following provides additional detail on each of the
goals and the weightings for each.

Business With Members (40% Total Weight)

The Business with Members goal is focused on maintenance and preservation of the franchise. This
is a four-part goal, with each sub-goal having a weight of 10%:

	1)	 	Member Borrowing Penetration: Daily average number of borrowing members divided by the daily
average of total members.

	2)	 	Member Product Usage (“Touch Points”): Index of 11 “touch points” with members: advances,
letter of credit (LOCs), deposits, safekeeping, MPF, advances via eAdvantage, member CD
purchases, AHP grant and set-aside applications, survey contacts, and education (meetings,
webinars, conferences etc.). Demand Deposit Accounts (“DDA”) and wire transfers are not
included in the definition of “touch points” since all members are required to have a DDA, and
the only way members can move funds out of the Bank (such as dividends) is through the Bank’s
wire system.

	3)	 	Business with Creditworthy Members: Ratio of advances and LOCs to assets. Ratio excludes
members with Internal Credit Rating (“ICR”) scores of D, E, F and certain “large” volatile
commodity members.

	4)	 	Customer Satisfaction: This would be determined by a survey of the Bank’s customers conducted
by Barlow & Associates, the same firm that did the 2007, 2008, and 2009 surveys for the Bank.

 

4

 

Profitability (25% Total Weight)

Profitability would be measured by two components:

	1)	 	Spread between Adjusted Return on Capital Stock (AROCS) and average 3-month LIBOR, which
would be a proxy for efficiency and potential return to shareholders. This would have a weight
of 15%.

	2)	 	Net Interest Spread (NIS), which would be a measure of the Bank’s core earnings. This would
have a weight of 10%.

AROCS is defined as average capital stock divided into GAAP net income excluding the following
items:

	•	 	FAS 133 gains and losses except the gains and losses on swaps, swaptions, and caps and
floors used to hedge the mortgage bank segment.

	•	 	Expenses incurred in the current year to benefit future periods, including the loss on
early extinguishment of debt. This would also include related amortization or accretion of
basis adjustments.

	•	 	Gains and losses on trading account securities, unless gains/losses are fully realized
through subsequent sale of assets.

	•	 	Gains and losses on financial instruments held at fair value. Generally this will be
off-set by derivative gains and losses, which would also be excluded. These gains and losses
would not be excluded if fully realized through subsequent sale of assets.

GAAP net income for purposes of this calculation would not be adjusted for:

	•	 	FAS 133 gains and losses on hedging the mortgage bank segment; and

	•	 	net realized gains and losses on the sale of securities.

Enterprise Value (15% Total Weight)

The measure will be based on quarterly Economic Value of Capital Stock averaged over the year. This
measure ensures that management does not take measures to boost short-term income at the expense of
long-term value of the Bank.

 

5

 

Risk Management (20% Total Weight)

This is a two-part goal, each with a weight of 10%:

	1)	 	Sox 404 Status: Trigger for payout on this goal is no material weaknesses or significant
deficiencies as identified in the Bank’s SOX 404 process. If there is no significant
deficiency or material weakness, then a payment on this goal would be made; otherwise, no
payment would be made on this goal.

	2)	 	Overall Quality of Risk Management: As measured by the Risk Management Committee’s
consideration and determination of the overall quality of the Bank’s risk governance; risk
measurement, compliance, and reporting; ability to adapt to a changing economic and risk
environment; comprehensiveness of its risk evaluation; efficiency of any mitigation efforts
with due consideration to external factors affecting the relative difficulty of the task and
any other important aspects of the Bank’s risk management efforts, such as remediation of exam
and audit findings.

 

6

 

Achievements Levels of Part I Goals in the 2010 Plan

The threshold, target, and maximum achievements levels for the Part I goals in the 2010 Plan are
presented in the following table. The achievement levels are calibrated based on results from
previous years and projections in the Bank’s 2010 Strategic Business Plan.

TABLE 1

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	2010 Bank-wide Part I Goals	 	Threshold	 	Target	 	Maximum
	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 
	Business with Members (40% Total Weight)
	 	 	 	 	 	 
	Member Borrowing Penetration
(10% Weight)
	 	66%	 	69%	 	72%
	Member Product Usage Index (“Touch
Points”) (10% Weight)
	 	1.8	 	2.1	 	2.4
	Advance+LOCs to Assets Ratio with
Creditworthy Members Less Large Volatile
Accounts (10% Weight)
	 	5.0%	 	5.4%	 	5.8%
	Member Satisfaction (10% Weight)
	 	At Least	 	At Least	 	At least
	 
	 	85%	 	88%	 	91%
	 
	 	“satisfied”	 	“satisfied”	 	“satisfied
	 
	 		 		 	with 70%
	 
	 		 		 	Very
	 
	 		 		 	Satisfied
	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 
	Profitability (25% Total Weight)
	 	 	 	 	 	 
	Spread Between Adjusted Return on
Capital Stock and Average 3-month LIBOR
(15% Weight)
	 	3.00%	 	3.50%	 	4.00%
	Net Interest Spread (10% Weight)
	 	0.20%	 	0.25%	 	0.30%
	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 
	Enterprise Value (15% Total Weight)
	 	 	 	 	 	 
	Economic Value Capital Stock (EVCS)
measured quarterly and averaged at
year-end
	 	>=100	 	>=103	 	NA
	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 
	Risk Management (20% Total Weight)
	 	 	 	 	 	 
	SoX 404 Status: No Material Weaknesses or
Significant Deficiencies for fiscal year
2010 (10% Weight)
	 	If there is no material weakness or significant deficiency, payout on this
goal will be at “target”; otherwise, there will be no payout on this goal
	Overall Quality of Risk Management
(10% Weight)	 	As Determined by the Board of Director’s Risk Management Committee

 

7

 

II. RESPONSIBILITY FOR PLAN ADMINISTRATION

Given the environment in which the Bank operates, the HRC will review achievement on the incentive
goals quarterly and consider changes to the goals as appropriate. Structural changes in the
financial services sector driven by factors largely outside the Bank’s control (such as legislative
changes or additional government intervention in the financial markets) may necessitate wholesale
changes in how the Bank’s executives and other employees are rewarded.

Notwithstanding the formulaic computations of Plan payouts based on incentive goal achievement
levels, actual payouts under the Plan are subject to the HRC’s review and approval and are made at
the HRC’s discretion.

The HRC may consider a variety of objective and subjective factors to decide on the appropriate
payouts including but not limited to: the Bank’s dividend level; management’s remediation of
examination findings; the Bank’s attainment of mission-achievement goals; compliance with laws and
regulations; operational errors or omissions that result in material revisions to the financial
results and information submitted to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and the SEC; and the
timely submission of information to the SEC, Office of Finance, and/or FHFA.

The Bank’s Board of Directors is ultimately responsible for the Plan. The HRC has the full power
and authority of the Board to construe, interpret and administer the Plan. Any decision arising out
of or in connection with the construction, interpretation or administration of the Plan lies within
the HRC’s absolute discretion and is binding on all parties.

The HRC shall:

	•	 	Approve Bank-wide financial and business maintenance/growth Plan goals.

	•	 	Approve the range of potential payout opportunities for Plan participants.

	•	 	After the end of a calendar year, approve any payouts.

	•	 	Render any decisions necessary with regard to the interpretation of the Plan.

Day-to-day administration of the Plan is delegated to those in the Bank responsible for the Human
Resources function.

 

8

 

III. ELIGIBILITY

All regular full-time and part-time employees, except full-time and part-time employees in the
Internal Audit Department, temporary or contract employees or temporary agency employees are
eligible to participate in this Plan.

A participant must achieve a “meets expectations” or higher evaluation of overall job performance
for the calendar year with respect to which a payout is being made to be eligible for any payout
and the participant must not be subject to any disciplinary action or probationary status at the
time of payout. Furthermore, if a participant fails to comply with regulatory requirements or
standards, internal control standards, the standards of his or her profession, any internal Bank
standard, or fails to perform responsibilities assigned under the Bank’s SBP, the HRC may determine
the participant is not eligible to receive part or all of any payout depending on the severity of
the failure, as determined by the HRC.

IV. PLAN GOALS

Incentive awards under the Plan will be based on the attainment of annual Part I and Part II
objectives. See earlier section on Detail — Annual Incentive Plan for more specifics.
Each calendar year the HRC shall establish one or more Plan goals for Part I, consistent with the
SBP for the calendar year. To the extent the HRC establishes more than one goal, each goal will
be weighted. Part I shall have a threshold, target and maximum level of performance.

One or more Part II goals will be developed for each participant based upon the Strategic
Imperative Action Steps at the individual and/or team level. Managers shall establish such goals
and measurable target levels of performance, review goals with an employee on a regular basis, and
evaluate an employee’s goal performance at the end of the calendar year for purposes of determining
the award under Part II. Part II shall have a zero to maximum level of payout opportunity based on
performance in achieving Part II goals.

Parts I and II goals are established for a Plan Year. Recognizing that circumstances and
priorities may change, management may submit to the HRC revisions to Part I goals. The HRC will
evaluate and make a recommendation to the Board regarding whether the Part I goals will be amended.
Management may authorize changes to Part II goals throughout a Plan Year as priorities and
circumstances dictate.

V. PAYOUT OPPORTUNITY

Certain positions have a greater and more direct impact than others on the achievement of the
Bank’s performance. Varying the incentive opportunities for different participants recognizes
these differences.

 

9

 

The Plan is designed to emphasize overall Bank financial performance for higher-level positions in
the Bank, and to emphasize individual and/or team performance for lower-level positions.

VI. PAYOUT DETERMINATION

	1.	 	As soon as feasible after the conclusion of each calendar year, the Committee, after
considering the Bank’s performance against its Part I goals, shall approve the payout under
Part I, if any, to be paid for the preceding calendar year. No benefit is earned and payable
until the HRC approves the payout and no employee has any right to any Incentive payment until
that time.

	2.	 	As soon as feasible after conclusion of each calendar year, the responsible manager will
determine the achievement and performance levels of Part II goals for participants. Executive
Management of the Bank will review, approve and submit to Human Resources the Part II payouts
for their areas of responsibility. Executive Management and Human Resources will together
calibrate the Part II payouts across the Bank. Human Resources, after considering each
participant’s performance against that individual’s Part II goals, shall recommend to the HRC
for approval the payout levels under Part II. Each manager responsible for developing Part II
goals for participants is also responsible for submitting the employee’s Part II goal results
to Human Resources.

If a member of the Leadership Team, or any of that Leadership Team member’s managers or
supervisors, fails to meet the deadline for completing employee job and goal performance
reviews and submitting them to the Human Resources Department, then that individual will have
his/her Plan payout(s) withheld until such time that all performance reviews are completed and
submitted for the Leadership Team member’s department.

	3.	 	Payout amounts approved under Parts I and II are determined based on the participant’s base
pay for the calendar year with respect to which the payout is being made. A participant who
has a hire date prior to the beginning of the calendar year is eligible to receive a full
payout. A participant who has a hire date after the beginning of the calendar year with
respect to which the payment is being made is eligible to receive a prorated payout based on
the number of full months of service completed in the calendar year. A participant hired on
or after October 1 of the calendar year for which payment is being made is not eligible to
receive a payout for the calendar year in which they were hired.

 

10

 

	4.	 	Unless otherwise directed by the HRC, payments under the Plan shall be made as soon as
possible after payout approval has been received. All payments under the Plan shall in any
event be made by the end of the calendar year in which payout approval has been received.
Appropriate provisions shall be made for any taxes that the Bank determines are required to be
withheld from any payment under applicable laws or other regulations of any governmental
authority, whether federal, state or local.

	5.	 	A participant who terminates employment with the Bank for any reason other than death,
disability or attaining normal retirement age (or an agreed upon retirement date) during a
calendar year or after the calendar year but before approval of the payout for the calendar
year will not be eligible for a payout. If a participant ceases employment due to death,
disability or attaining normal retirement age (or an agreed upon retirement date) during a
calendar year or after the calendar year but before payout approval for the calendar year, the
HRC has the sole discretion to determine whether a payout is made to the participant. For
purposes of this paragraph, the terms “disability” and “normal retirement age” shall have the
same meaning as under the Bank’s pension plan.

	6.	 	A participant who is transferred, promoted, or demoted during a calendar year may receive a
payout with respect to that calendar year that is prorated based on the actual months worked
in each position during the calendar year.

	7.	 	Each payment shall be from the general assets of the Bank.

VII. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

	1.	 	The Plan, in whole or in part, may at any time or from time to time be amended, suspended or
reinstated and may at any time be terminated.

	2.	 	No amendment, suspension or termination of the Plan shall, without the consent of the
participants, affect the rights of the participants to any payout previously approved by the
HRC.

	3.	 	Neither the adoption of the Plan nor its operation in any way affects the right and power of
the Bank to dismiss, or otherwise terminate the employment of any participant at any time for
any reason, with or without cause.

	4.	 	No participant has the right to alienate, assign, encumber, or pledge his or her interest in
any payout under the Plan, voluntarily or involuntarily, and any attempt to do so is void.

	5.	 	This document is a complete statement of the Plan and supersedes all prior plans,
representations and proposals written or oral relating to its subject matter. The Bank is not
bound by or liable to any participant for any representation, promise or inducement made by
any person which is not expressed in this document.

 

11

 

	6.	 	This Plan shall not be considered a contract of employment and nothing in the Plan shall be
construed as providing participants any assurance of continued employment for any definite
period of time, nor any assurance of current or future compensation. This Plan shall not, in
any manner, limit the Bank’s right to terminate compensation and/or employment at its will,
with or without cause.

	7.	 	Participation in the Plan and the right to receive awards under the Plan shall not give a
participant any proprietary interest in the Bank or any of its assets. Nothing contained in
the Plan shall be construed as a guarantee that the assets of the Bank shall be sufficient to
pay any benefits to any person. A participant shall for all purposes be a general creditor of
the Bank.

	8.	 	In the event that one or more of the provisions of this Plan shall become invalid, illegal or
unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining
provisions contained herein shall not be affected thereby.

	9.	 	Waiver by the Bank or any participant of any breach or default by the other of any of the
terms of this Plan shall not operate as a waiver of any other breach or default, whether
similar to or different from the breach or default waived. No waiver of any provision of this
Plan shall be implied from any course of dealing between the Bank or any participant or from
any failure by either to assert its or his rights hereunder on any occasion or series of
occasions.

	10.	 	The Plan shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the State of Iowa except to
the extent superseded by federal law.

 

12

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