Document:

ex10-1.htm

Exhibit 10.1

 

SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT

 

Master Note Agreement with Revenue Participation Interest

 

April 30, 2013

 

Total Offering: $575,000.00

 

SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) made as of the last date set forth on the signature page hereof between STW RESOURCES HOLDING CORP., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and the undersigned ________________ (the “Subscriber”).

 

W I T N E S S E T H:

 

WHEREAS, the Company has executed a Master Note Agreement with Revenue Participation Interest (the “Note/Revenue Agreement”) as of _____ 31, 2013 between the Company and the Participant or Participants (hereinafter referred to as “Participant”) subscribing to all or a portion of the $575,000.00 Corporate Promissory Note contained therein, a true and correct copy of which is attached as Exhibit “1” to the Agreement and incorporated by reference as if fully set forth in this Agreement.

 

WHEREAS, STW, through its wholly-owned subsidiary STW Oil Field Services 1 (“STW1”), LLC will provide rig preparation and wash services to the oil industry;

WHEREAS, STW needs approximately $575,000 in funding for initial operational expenses, together with contingencies for unanticipated costs or compliance costs.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual representations and covenants hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto do hereby agree as follows:

 

	
I.  

	
MASTER NOTE AGREEMENT WITH REVENUE PARTICIPATION INTEREST AND REPRESENTATIONS AND COVENANTS BY SUBSCRIBER

 

1.1 Subject to the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, the Subscriber hereby agrees to subscribe to and invest with Company the sum of $______ (the “Subscription Amount”), which represents _____% of the $575,000.00 total amount of the Master Note Agreement with Revenue Participation Interest, and indicated by Subscriber’s signature page hereof.  The Subscription Amount shall also serve as the face amount of the STW1’s Note obligation to Subscriber under the Master Note Agreement with Revenue Participation Interest, the terms of which are incorporated as if fully set forth herein.

 

1.1.1  Stock Warrants.  As additional consideration, Subscriber requests that STW issue Subscriber ______ two-year stock warrants to purchase shares of STW’s common stock at $0.40 per share, with up to 287,500 of such stock warrants to be issued.  Subscriber will be issued warrants to purchase one share for every two dollars invested of the $575,000.00 investment amount, listed in paragraph 1.1 above.  The form of the Warrant is attached as Exhibit “A” to this Subscription Agreement.

 

1.2 Offering Period; This Offering will be open until May 30, 2013 (the “Termination Date”).

  

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1.3 Closing.  The Company may hold closings with respect to any Securities at any time prior to the Termination Date as determined by the Company, with respect to subscriptions accepted prior to the Termination Date (each such closing being referred to as a “Closing”).  The last Closing of the Offering, occurring on or prior to the Termination Date, shall be referred to as the “Final Closing”.  Any subscription documents received after the Final Closing will be returned, without interest or deduction.

 

1.4 The Subscriber recognizes that the purchase of the Securities involves a high degree of risk including, but not limited to, the following: (a) the Company has limited operating history and requires substantial funds in addition to the proceeds of the Offering; (b) an investment in the Company is highly speculative, and only investors who can afford the loss of their entire investment should consider investing in the Company and the Securities; (c) the Subscriber may not be able to liquidate its investment; (d) transferability of the Securities is extremely limited; (e) in the event of a disposition, the Subscriber could sustain the loss of its entire investment; and (f) the Company has not paid any dividends since its inception and does not anticipate paying any dividends.  Without limiting the generality of the representations set forth in Section 1.5 below, the Subscriber represents that the Subscriber has carefully reviewed the Company’s business plan including “Risk Factors.”

 

1.5 The Subscriber represents that the Subscriber is an “accredited investor” as such term is defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D (“Regulation D”) promulgated under the Securities Act, as indicated by the Subscriber’s responses to the questions contained in Article VII hereof, and that the Subscriber is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities.

 

1.6 The Subscriber hereby acknowledges and represents that (a) the Subscriber has knowledge and experience in business and financial matters, prior investment experience, including investment in securities that are non-listed, unregistered and/or not traded on a national securities exchange nor on the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. automated quotation system (“NASDAQ”), or the Subscriber has employed the services of a “purchaser representative” (as defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D), attorney and/or accountant to read all of the documents furnished or made available by the Company both to the Subscriber and to all other prospective investors in the Securities to evaluate the merits and risks of such an investment on the Subscriber’s behalf; (b) the Subscriber recognizes the highly speculative nature of this investment; and (c) the Subscriber is able to bear the economic risk that the Subscriber hereby assumes.

 

1.7 The Subscriber hereby acknowledges receipt and careful review of this Agreement, the business plan (which includes the “Risk Factors”), including the Warrant and the Note and all other exhibits thereto, and any documents which may have been made available upon request as reflected therein (collectively referred to as the “Offering Materials”) and hereby represents that the Subscriber has been furnished by the Company during the course of the Offering with all information regarding the Company, the terms and conditions of the Offering and any additional information that the Subscriber has requested or desired to know, and has been afforded the opportunity to ask questions of and receive answers from duly authorized officers or other representatives of the Company concerning the Company and the terms and conditions of the Offering.

 

1.8 (a)           In making the decision to invest in the Securities the Subscriber has relied solely upon the information provided by the Company in the Offering Materials.  To the extent necessary, the Subscriber has retained, at its own expense, and relied upon appropriate professional advice regarding the investment, tax and legal merits and consequences of this Agreement and the purchase of the Securities and Warrants hereunder.  The Subscriber disclaims reliance on any statements made or information provided by any person or entity in the course of Subscriber’s consideration of an investment in the Securities and Warrants other than the Offering Materials.

 

(b)           The Subscriber represents that (i) the Subscriber was contacted regarding the sale of the Securities by the Company (or an authorized agent or representative thereof) with whom the Subscriber had a prior substantial pre-existing relationship and (ii) no Securities and Warrants were offered or sold to it by means of any form of general solicitation or general advertising, and in connection therewith, the Subscriber did not (A) receive or review any advertisement, article, notice or other communication published in a newspaper or magazine or similar media or broadcast over television or radio, whether closed circuit, or generally available; or (B) attend any seminar meeting or industry investor conference whose attendees were invited by any general solicitation or general advertising.

  

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1.9 The Subscriber hereby represents that the Subscriber, either by reason of the Subscriber’s business or financial experience or the business or financial experience of the Subscriber’s professional advisors (who are unaffiliated with and not compensated by the Company or any affiliate or selling agent of the Company, directly or indirectly), has the capacity to protect the Subscriber’s own interests in connection with the transaction contemplated hereby.

 

1.10 The Subscriber hereby acknowledges that the Offering has not been reviewed by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) nor any state regulatory authority since the Offering is intended to be exempt from the registration requirements of Section 5 of the Securities Act, pursuant to Regulation D.  The Subscriber understands that the Securities and Warrants have not been registered under the Securities Act or under any state securities or “blue sky” laws and agrees not to sell, pledge, assign or otherwise transfer or dispose of the Securities and Warrants unless they are registered under the Securities Act and under any applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws or unless an exemption from such registration is available.

 

1.11 The Subscriber understands that the Securities and Warrants have not been registered under the Securities Act by reason of a claimed exemption under the provisions of the Securities Act that depends, in part, upon the Subscriber’s investment intention.  In this connection, the Subscriber hereby represents that the Subscriber is purchasing the Securities and Warrants for the Subscriber’s own account for investment and not with a view toward the resale or distribution to others.  The Subscriber, if an entity, further represents that it was not formed for the purpose of purchasing the Securities.

 

    1.12a  The Subscriber understands that the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants (the “Warrant Shares” and the “Common Shares”) is not listed on any national securities exchange or quoted on any over-the-counter market or the Pink Sheets, LLC and that there is no market for the Common Stock.  The Subscriber understands that even if a public market develops for the Common Shares, Rule 144 (“Rule 144”) promulgated under the Securities Act requires for non-affiliates, among other conditions, a holding period prior to the resale (subject to certain limitations) of securities acquired in a non-public offering without having to satisfy the registration requirements under the Securities Act.  The Subscriber understands and hereby acknowledges that the Company is under no obligation to register any of the Securities or the Common Shares under the Securities Act or any state securities or “blue sky” laws.

1.12 b The Subscriber understands that the repayment of the Corporate Promissory Note and the Revenue Participation Interests is to come entirely from the net Operating Revenues from STW1’s rig preparation services. Subscriber also understands that the Security Agreement related to the Corporate Promissory Note and the Revenue Participation Interests is only in the STW1’s rig preparation MSAs with oil and gas producers and servicing companies, and not from the general assets of the Company.  Subscriber understands that its investment is a 100% AT RISK INVESTMENT.  The Subscriber understands and hereby acknowledges that the Company is under no obligation to register any of the Securities under the Securities Act or any state securities or “blue sky” laws.

 

1.13 The Subscriber consents to the placement of a legend on any certificate or other document evidencing the Securities and the Common Shares that such securities have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities or “blue sky” laws and setting forth or referring to the restrictions on transferability and sale thereof contained in this Agreement.  The Subscriber is aware that the Company will make a notation in its appropriate records with respect to the restrictions on the transferability of such Securities. The legend to be placed on each certificate shall be in form substantially similar to the following:

 

“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “ACT”) OR ANY STATE SECURITIES OR “BLUE SKY LAWS,” AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, TRANSFERRED, ASSIGNED, PLEDGED OR HYPOTHECATED ABSENT AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION THEREOF UNDER SUCH ACT OR COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144 PROMULGATED UNDER SUCH ACT, OR UNLESS THE COMPANY HAS RECEIVED AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO THE COMPANY AND ITS COUNSEL, THAT SUCH REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED.”

  

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1.14 It is agreed that the Company, at its sole discretion, reserves the unrestricted right, without further documentation or agreement on the part of the Subscriber, to reject or limit any subscription, and to close the Offering to the Subscriber at any time.

 

1.15 The Subscriber hereby represents that the address of the Subscriber furnished by Subscriber on the signature page hereof is the Subscriber’s principal residence if Subscriber is an individual or its principal business address if it is a corporation or other entity.

 

1.16 The Subscriber represents that the Subscriber has full power and authority (corporate, statutory and otherwise) to execute and deliver this Agreement and to purchase the Securities.  This Agreement constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Subscriber, enforceable against the Subscriber in accordance with its terms.

 

1.17 If the Subscriber is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust, employee benefit plan, individual retirement account, Keogh Plan, or other tax-exempt entity, it is authorized and qualified to invest in the Company and the person signing this Agreement on behalf of such entity has been duly authorized by such entity to do so.

 

1.18 The Subscriber acknowledges that if he or she is a Registered Representative of a FINRA member firm, he or she must give such firm the notice required by the FINRA’s Rules of Fair Practice, receipt of which must be acknowledged by such firm in Section 7.4 below.

 

1.19 The Subscriber acknowledges that at such time, if ever, as the Securities are registered, sales of the Securities will be subject to state securities laws.

 

1.20 The Subscriber agrees not to issue any public statement with respect to the Subscriber’s investment or proposed investment in the Company or the terms of any agreement or covenant between them and the Company without the Company’s prior written consent, except such disclosures as may be required under applicable law or under any applicable order, rule or regulation.

 

1.21 The Subscriber agrees to hold the Company and its directors, officers, employees, affiliates, controlling persons and agents and their respective heirs, representatives, successors and assigns harmless and to indemnify them against all liabilities, costs and expenses incurred by them as a result of (a) any sale or distribution of the Securities by the Subscriber in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws; or (b) any false representation or warranty or any breach or failure by the Subscriber to comply with any covenant made by the Subscriber in this Agreement (including the Confidential Investor Questionnaire contained in Article VII herein) or any other document furnished by the Subscriber to any of the foregoing in connection with this Agreement.

 

	
II.  

	
REPRESENTATIONS BY AND COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY

 

The Company hereby represents and warrants to the Subscriber that:

 

2.1 Organization, Good Standing and Qualification.  The Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Nevada and has full corporate power and authority to own and use its properties and its assets and conduct its business as currently conducted.  Each of the Company’s subsidiaries (the “Subsidiaries”) is an entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation with the requisite corporate power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to conduct its business as currently conducted. Neither the Company, nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any of the provisions of their respective articles of incorporation, by-laws or other organizational or charter documents (as defined below). Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is duly qualified to conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, would not result in a direct and/or indirect (i) material adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of any of the Securities and/or this Agreement, (ii) material adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business or financial condition of the Company or its Subsidiaries, or (iii) material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under this Agreement, the Warrants and the Notes.

  

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2.2 Authorization; Enforceability.  The Company has all corporate right, power and authority to enter into, execute and deliver this Agreement and each other agreement, document, instrument and certificate to be executed by the Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, including, but not limited to the Offering Materials and to perform fully its obligations hereunder and thereunder.  All corporate action on the part of the Company, its directors and stockholders necessary for the (a) authorization execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Offering Materials by the Company; and (b) authorization, sale, issuance and delivery of the Securities contemplated hereby and the performance of the Company’s obligations under this Agreement and the Offering Materials has been taken.  This Agreement and the Offering Materials have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and each constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its respective terms, subject to laws of general application relating to bankruptcy, insolvency and the relief of debtors and rules of law governing specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies, and to limitations of public policy.  The Securities, when issued and fully paid for in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.  The issuance and sale of the Securities contemplated hereby will not give rise to any preemptive rights or rights of first refusal on behalf of any person.

 

2.3 No Conflict; Governmental Consents.

 

(a) The execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and the Offering Materials and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will not (i) result in the violation of any material law, statute, rule, regulation, order, writ, injunction, judgment or decree of any court or governmental authority to or by which the Company is bound, (ii) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company’s Articles of Incorporation (the “Articles”), as amended or the Bylaws, (and collectively with the Articles, the “Charter Documents”) of the Company, and (iii) will not conflict with, or result in a material breach or violation of, any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute (with or without due notice or lapse of time or both) a default or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with  or without due notice, lapse of time or both) under any agreement, credit facility, lease, loan agreement, mortgage, security agreement, trust indenture or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its properties or assets is subject, nor result in the creation or imposition of any lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company.

 

(b) No approval by the holders of Common Stock, or other equity securities of the Company is required to be obtained by the Company in connection with the authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement or the Offering Materials or in connection with the authorization, issue and sale of the Securities, except as has been previously obtained,

 

(c) No consent, approval, authorization or other order of any governmental authority is required to be obtained by the Company in connection with the authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement or the Transaction Documents or in connection with the authorization, issue and sale of the Securities, except such filings as may be required to be made with the SEC, FINRA, NASDAQ and with any state or foreign blue sky or securities regulatory authority.

 

2.4 Privacy.  The Company agrees not to disclose the names, addresses or any other information about the Subscribers, except as required by law.

 

2.5 No Additional Agreements.  The Company does not have any agreement or understanding with any Subscribers with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement other than as specified in this Agreement.

	
III.  

	
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION

 

3.1 Subscriber’s participation in the Corporate Promissory Note and the Revenue Participation Interest will be effective upon receipt of payment by the Company from Subscriber of all funds due from Subscriber.

  

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3.2 The Note and Warrants received by the Subscriber pursuant to this Agreement will be prepared for delivery to the Subscriber as soon as practicable following the Closing at which such exchanges takes place.  The Subscriber hereby authorizes and directs the Company to deliver the Note due to Subscriber pursuant to this Agreement directly to the Subscriber’s residential or business or brokerage house address indicated on the signature page hereto.

 

	
IV.  

	
CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATIONS OF THE SUBSCRIBERS

 

4.1 The Subscriber’s obligation to purchase the Securities and Warrants at the Closing at which such purchase is to be consummated is subject to the fulfillment on or prior to such Closing of the following conditions, which conditions may be waived at the option of each Subscriber to the extent permitted by law:

 

(a) Covenants.  All covenants, agreements and conditions contained in this Agreement to be performed by the Company on or prior to the date of such Closing shall have been performed or complied with in all material respects.

 

(b) No Legal Order Pending.  There shall not then be in effect any legal or other order enjoining or restraining the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

(c) No Law Prohibiting or Restricting Such Sale.  There shall not be in effect any law, rule or regulation prohibiting or restricting such sale or requiring any consent or approval of any person, which shall not have been obtained, to issue the Securities (except as otherwise provided in this Agreement).

 

(d)           Adverse Changes.  Since the date of execution of this Agreement, no event or series of events shall have occurred that reasonably could have or result in a material adverse effect.

 

(e)           Blue Sky.  The Company shall have completed qualification for the Securities and the Common Shares under applicable Blue Sky laws.

	
V.  

	
COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY

 

5.1  Integration.  The Company shall not, and shall ensure that no affiliate of the Company shall, sell, offer for sale or solicit offers to buy or otherwise negotiate in respect of any security (as defined in Section 2 of the Securities Act) that would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities in a manner that would require the registration under the Securities Act of the sale of the Securities to the Subscribers, or that would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities for purposes of the rules and regulations of any trading market in a manner that would require stockholder approval of the sale of the securities to the Subscribers.

 

5.2 Rescission and Withdrawal Right.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in (and without limiting any similar provisions of) this Agreement, whenever any Subscriber exercises a right, election, demand or option under this Agreement and the Company does not timely perform its related obligations within the periods therein provided, then such Subscriber may rescind or withdraw, in its sole discretion from time to time upon written notice to the Company, any relevant notice, demand or election in whole or in part without prejudice to its future actions and rights.

 

5.3 Replacement of Securities.  If any certificate or instrument evidencing any Securities is mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall issue or cause to be issued in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation thereof, or in lieu of and substitution therefor, a new certificate or instrument, but only upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of such loss, theft or destruction and customary and reasonable indemnity, if requested.  The applicants for a new certificate or instrument under such circumstances shall also pay any reasonable third-party costs associated with the issuance of such replacement Securities.  If a replacement certificate or instrument evidencing any Securities is requested due to a mutilation thereof, the Company may require delivery of such mutilated certificate or instrument as a condition precedent to any issuance of a replacement.

  

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5.4 Indemnification.

 

(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Subscriber, its affiliates and their respective officers, directors, employees, agents and controlling persons (collectively, the “Indemnified Parties”) from and against , any and all loss, liability, damage or deficiency suffered or incurred by any Indemnified Party by reason of any misrepresentation or breach of warranty by the Company or nonfulfillment of any covenant or agreement to be performed or complied with by the Company under this Agreement, the Transaction Documents; and will promptly reimburse the Indemnified Parties for all expenses (including reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel) as incurred in connection with the investigation of, preparation for or defense of any pending or threatened claim related to or arising in any manner out of any of the foregoing, or any action or proceeding arising therefrom (collectively, “Proceedings”), whether or not such Indemnified Party is a formal party to any such Proceeding.

(b) If for any reason (other than a final non-appealable judgment finding any Indemnified Party liable for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses for its gross negligence or willful misconduct) the foregoing indemnity is unavailable to an Indemnified Party or insufficient to hold an Indemnified Party harmless, then the Company shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Party as a result of such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Advisor on the other, but also the relative fault by the Company and the Indemnified Party, as well as any relevant equitable considerations.

 

	
VI.  

	
MISCELLANEOUS

 

6.1 Any notice or other communication given hereunder shall be deemed sufficient if in writing and sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, or delivered by hand against written receipt therefore, addressed as follows:

 

if to the Company, to it at:

STW RESOURCES HOLDING CORP.

619 West Texas Avenue Suite 126

Midland, Texas  79701

Attn:  Stan Weiner, CEO

if to the Subscriber, to the Subscriber’s address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement.

 

Notices shall be deemed to have been given or delivered on the date of receipt.

 

6.2 No provision of this Agreement may be waived, modified, supplemented or amended except in a written instrument signed, in the case of an amendment, by the Company and the Purchasers holding at least 50% in interest of the Securities then outstanding or, in the case of a waiver, by the party against whom enforcement of any such waived provision is sought.  No waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right

 

6.3 This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and to their respective heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns.  This Agreement sets forth the entire agreement and understanding between the parties as to the subject matter hereof and merges and supersedes all prior discussions, agreements and understandings of any and every nature among them.

 

6.4 Upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Subscriber and the Company, this Agreement shall become a binding obligation of the Subscriber with respect to the purchase of Securities as herein provided, subject, however, to the right hereby reserved by the Company to enter into the same agreements with other subscribers and to reject any subscription, in whole or in part, provided the Company returns to Subscriber any funds paid by Subscriber with respect to such rejected subscription or portion thereof, without interest or deduction.

  

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6.5 NOTWITHSTANDING THE PLACE WHERE THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE EXECUTED BY ANY OF THE PARTIES HERETO, THE PARTIES EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT ALL THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS HEREOF SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS WITHOUT REGARD TO SUCH STATE’S PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW.  IN THE EVENT THAT A JUDICIAL PROCEEDING IS NECESSARY, THE SOLE FORUM FOR RESOLVING DISPUTES ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT IS THE COURTS STATE OF TEXAS IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF MIDLAND OR THE FEDERAL COURTS FOR SUCH STATE AND COUNTY, AND ALL RELATED APPELLATE COURTS, THE PARTIES HEREBY IRREVOCABLY CONSENT TO THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS AND AGREE TO SAID VENUE. IN ANY ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING IN ANY JURISDICTION BROUGHT BY ANY PARTY AGAINST ANY OTHER PARTY, THE PARTIES EACH KNOWINGLY AND INTENTIONALLY, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, HEREBY ABSOLUTELY, UNCONDITIONALLY, IRREVOCABLY AND EXPRESSLY WAIVES FOREVER TRIAL BY JURY

 

6.6 In order to discourage frivolous claims the parties agree that unless a claimant in any proceeding arising out of this Agreement succeeds in establishing his claim and recovering a judgment against another party (regardless of whether such claimant succeeds against one of the other parties to the action), then the other party shall be entitled to recover from such claimant all of its/their reasonable legal costs and expenses relating to such proceeding and/or incurred in preparation therefor.

6.7 The holding of any provision of this Agreement to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction shall not affect any other provision of this Agreement, which shall remain in full force and effect.  If any provision of this Agreement shall be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced in whole or in part, such provision shall be interpreted so as to remain enforceable to the maximum extent permissible consistent with applicable law and the remaining conditions and provisions or portions thereof shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect and enforceable to the extent they are valid, legal and enforceable, and no provisions shall be deemed dependent upon any other covenant or provision unless so expressed herein.

 

6.8 The Company agrees to execute and deliver all such further documents, agreements and instruments and take such other and further action as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes and intent of this Agreement.

 

6.9 Nothing in this Agreement shall create or be deemed to create any rights in any person or entity not a party to this Agreement, except for the holders of Registrable Securities.

 

6.10   In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or granted by law, including recovery of damages, each of the Subscribers and the Company will be entitled to specific performance under this Agreement.  The parties agree that monetary damages may not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of any breach of obligations described in the foregoing sentence and hereby agrees to waive in any action for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

 

6.11 The obligations of each Subscriber under this Agreement are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Subscriber, and no Subscriber shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Subscriber under this Agreement.  The decision of each Subscriber to purchase Securities pursuant to this Agreement has been made by such Subscriber independently of any other Subscriber.  Nothing contained herein, and no action taken by any Subscriber pursuant thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Subscribers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Subscribers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated herein.  Each Subscriber acknowledges that no other Subscriber has acted as agent for such Subscriber in connection with making its investment hereunder and that no Subscriber will be acting as agent of such Subscriber in connection with monitoring its investment in the Securities or enforcing its rights under this Agreement.  Each Subscriber shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights, including without limitation the rights arising out of this Agreement, and it shall not be necessary for any other Subscriber to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose.  The Company acknowledges that each of the Subscribers has been provided with this same Agreement for the purpose of closing a transaction with multiple Subscribers and not because it was required or requested to do so by any Subscriber.

  

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6.12           The parties agree that each of them and/or their respective counsel has reviewed and had an opportunity to revise the Offering Materials and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of the Offering Materials or any amendments hereto.

 

6.13           Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in any Transaction Document, it is expressly agreed and provided that the total liability of the Company under the Transaction Documents for payments in the nature of interest shall not exceed the maximum lawful rate authorized under applicable law (the “Maximum Rate”), and, without limiting the foregoing, in no event shall any rate of interest or default interest, or both of them, when aggregated with any other sums in the nature of interest that the Company may be obligated to pay under the Transaction Documents exceed such Maximum Rate.

 

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

 

6.15           This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party, it being understood that both parties need not sign the same counterpart.

	
VII.  

	
CONFIDENTIAL INVESTOR QUESTIONNAIRE

 

7.1 The Subscriber represents and warrants that he, she or it comes within one category marked below, and that for any category marked, he, she or it has truthfully set forth, where applicable, the factual basis or reason the Subscriber comes within that category.  ALL INFORMATION IN RESPONSE TO THIS SECTION WILL BE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.  The undersigned agrees to furnish any additional information which the Company deems necessary in order to verify the answers set forth below.

 

	
Category A  

	
The undersigned is an individual (not a partnership, corporation, etc.) whose individual net worth, or joint net worth with his or her spouse, excluding the value of their principal residence, presently exceeds $1,000,000.

Explanation.  In calculating net worth you may include equity in personal property and real estate, but not including your principal residence, cash, short-term investments, stock and securities.  Equity in personal property and real estate should be based on the fair market value of such property less debt secured by such property.

	
Category B  

	
The undersigned is an individual (not a partnership, corporation, etc.) who had an income in excess of $200,000 in each of the two most recent years, or joint income with his or her spouse in excess of $300,000 in each of those years (in each case including foreign income, tax exempt income and full amount of capital gains and losses but excluding any income of other family members and any unrealized capital appreciation) and has a reasonable expectation of reaching the same income level in the current year.

	
Category C  

	
The undersigned is a director or executive officer of the Company which is issuing and selling the Securities.

	
Category D  

	
The undersigned is a bank; a savings and loan association; insurance company; registered investment company; registered business development company; licensed small business investment company (“SBIC”); or employee benefit plan within the meaning of Title 1 of ERISA and (a) the investment decision is made by a plan fiduciary which is either a bank, savings and loan association, insurance company or registered investment advisor, or (b) the plan has total assets in excess of $5,000,000 or (c) is a self-directed plan with investment decisions made solely by persons that are accredited investors. (describe entity)

  

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Category E  

	
The undersigned is a private business development company as defined in section 202(a)(22) of the Investment Advisors Act of 1940. (describe entity)

 

	
Category F  

	
The undersigned is either a corporation, partnership, Massachusetts business trust, or non-profit organization within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, in each case not formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the Securities and with total assets in excess of $5,000,000. (describe entity)

 

	
Category G  

	
The undersigned is a trust with total assets in excess of $5,000,000, not formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the Securities, where the purchase is directed by a “sophisticated investor” as defined in Regulation 506(b)(2)(ii) under the Act.

 

	
Category H  

	
The undersigned is an entity (other than a trust) in which all of the equity owners are “accredited investors” within one or more of the above categories.  If relying upon this Category alone, each equity owner must complete a separate copy of this Agreement.  (describe entity)

 

	
Category I  

	
The undersigned is not within any of the categories above and is therefore not an accredited investor.

 

The undersigned agrees that the undersigned will notify the Company at any time on or prior to the Closing in the event that the representations and warranties in this Agreement shall cease to be true, accurate and complete.

 

7.2 SUITABILITY (please answer each question)

 

(a)           For an individual Subscriber, please describe your current employment, including the company by which you are employed and its principal business:

(b)           For an individual Subscriber, please describe any college or graduate degrees held by you:

(c)           For all Subscribers, please list types of prior investments:

  

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(d)           For all Subscribers, please state whether you have participated in other private placements before:

 

YES_______                                           NO_______

 

(e)           If your answer to question (d) above was “YES”, please indicate frequency of such prior participation in private placements of:

 

	  	
 

Public

Companies

	
 

Private

Companies

	
Public or Private Companies

with no, or insignificant,

assets and operations

	
Frequently

	  	  	  
	
Occasionally

	  	  	  
	
Never

	  	  	  

(f)           For individual Subscribers, do you expect your current level of income to significantly decrease in the foreseeable future:

 

YES_______                                           NO_______

 

(g)           For trust, corporate, partnership and other institutional Subscribers, do you expect your total assets to significantly decrease in the foreseeable future:

 

YES_______                                           NO_______

 

(h)           For all Subscribers, do you have any other investments or contingent liabilities which you reasonably anticipate could cause you to need sudden cash requirements in excess of cash readily available to you:

 

YES_______                                           NO_______

 

(i)           For all Subscribers, are you familiar with the risk aspects and the non-liquidity of investments such as the securities for which you seek to subscribe?

 

YES_______                                           NO_______

 

(j)            For all Subscribers, do you understand that there is no guarantee of financial return on this investment and that you run the risk of losing your entire investment?

 

YES_______                                           NO_______

 

7.3 MANNER IN WHICH TITLE IS TO BE HELD.  (circle one)

 

(a)           Individual Ownership

(b)           Common Share Property

(c)           Joint Tenant with Right of Survivorship (both parties must sign)

(d)           Partnership*

(e)           Tenants in Common

(f)           Company*

(g)           Trust*

(h)           Other*

*If Securities are being subscribed for by an entity, the attached Certificate of Signatory must also be completed.

  

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7.4 FINRA AFFILIATION.

 

Are you affiliated or associated with an FINRA member firm (please check one):

Yes _________                                           No __________

 

If Yes, please describe:

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

*If Subscriber is a Registered Representative with an FINRA member firm, have the following acknowledgment signed by the appropriate party:

 

The undersigned FINRA member firm acknowledges receipt of the notice required by Article 3, Sections 28(a) and (b) of the Rules of Fair Practice.

_______________________________

Name of NASD Member Firm

By: ______________________________

Authorized Officer

Date: ____________________________

7.5 The undersigned is informed of the significance to the Company of the foregoing representations and answers contained in the Confidential Investor Questionnaire contained in this Article VII and such answers have been provided under the assumption that the Company will rely on them.

 

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

  

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AGGREGATE FACE AMOUNT OF THE NOTE = $________ (the “Purchase Price”)

 

	 	 	 
	Signature	 	Signature (if purchasing jointly)
	 	 	 
	Name Typed or Printed	 	Name Typed or Printed
	 	 	 
	Title (if Subscriber is an Entity)	 	Title (if Subscriber is an Entity)
	 	 	 
	Entity Name (if applicable)	 	Entity Name (if applicable)
	 	 	 
	Address	 	Address
	 	 	 
	City, State and Zip Code	 	City, State and Zip Code
	 	 	 
	Telephone-Business	 	Telephone-Business
	 	 	 
	Telephone-Residence	 	Telephone-Residence
	 	 	 
	Facsimile-Business	 	Facsimile-Business
	 	 	 
	Facsimile-Residence	 	Facsimile-Residence
	 	 	 
	Tax ID # or Social Security #	 	Tax ID # or Social Security #
	 	 	 
	Name in which securities should be issued:	 	 
	 	 	 

 

Dated:                       , 2013

This Subscription Agreement is agreed to and accepted as of ________________ , 2013.

 

STW RESOURCES HOLDING CORP.

By:____________________________________

Name:

Title:

 

  

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CERTIFICATE OF SIGNATORY

(To be completed if Securities are

being subscribed for by an entity)

I, _________________, am the ____________________________ of __________________________________________ (the “Entity”).

I certify that I am empowered and duly authorized by the Entity to execute and carry out the terms of the Subscription Agreement and to purchase and hold the Notes, and certify further that the Subscription Agreement has been duly and validly executed on behalf of the Entity and constitutes a legal and binding obligation of the Entity.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand this ________ day of _________________, 2013

_______________________________________

(Signature)optt20130605_8kex10-1.htm

 

Exhibit 10.1

 

AT THE MARKET OFFERING AGREEMENT

 

June 6, 2013

 

Ascendiant Capital Markets, LLC

18881 Von Karman, 16th Floor

Irvine, California 92612

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

       

Ocean Power Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with Ascendiant Capital Markets, LLC (the “Manager”) as follows:

 

1.             Definitions. The terms that follow, when used in this Agreement and any Terms Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated.

 

“Accountants”   shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4(m).

 

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

 

“Action” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(q).

 

“Affiliate” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(p).

 

“Applicable Time” shall mean, with respect to any Shares, the time of sale of such Shares pursuant to this Agreement or any relevant Terms Agreement. 

 

“Base Prospectus” shall mean the base prospectus contained in the Registration Statement at the Execution Time.

 

“Board” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(b)(iii). 

 

“Broker Fee” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(b)(v).

 

“Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York City. 

 

“Commission” shall mean the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Common Stock” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.

 

 

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 “Common Stock Equivalents” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(g).

 

“Company Counsel” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4(l).

 

“DTC” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(b)(vii).

 

“Effective Date” shall mean each date and time that the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto became or becomes effective.

 

“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder. 

 

“Execution Time” shall mean the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto. 

 

“Filing Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4(w).

 

“First Sale Date” shall mean the first date on which Shares are sold on an agency basis by the Manager, according to the terms hereof.

 

“Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean a free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405. 

 

“GAAP” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(n).

 

“Incorporated Documents” shall mean the documents or portions thereof filed with the Commission on or before the Effective Date that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and any documents or portions thereof filed with the Commission after the Effective Date that are deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.

 

“Intellectual Property Rights” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(v).

 

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433.

 

“Losses” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 7(d).

 

 

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“Material Adverse Effect” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(b).

 

“Material Permits” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(t).

 

“Net Proceeds” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(b)(v).

 

“Permitted Free Writing Prospectus” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4(g).

 

“Placement” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(c).

 

“Proceeding” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(b).

 

“Prospectus” shall mean the Base Prospectus, as supplemented by the most recently filed Prospectus Supplement (if any).

 

“Prospectus Supplement” shall mean the prospectus supplement relating to the Shares prepared and filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) from time to time.

 

“Registration Statement” shall mean the shelf registration statement (File Number 333-186181) on Form S-3, including exhibits and financial statements and any prospectus supplement relating to the Shares that is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and deemed part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B, as amended on each Effective Date and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto becomes effective, shall also mean such registration statement as so amended.

 

“Representation Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4(k).

 

“Required Approvals” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(e).

 

“Rule 158”, “Rule 163”, “Rule 164”, “Rule 172”, “Rule 173”, “Rule 405”, “Rule 415”, “Rule 424”, “Rule 430B” and “Rule 433” refer to such rules under the Act. 

 

“Sales Notice” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(b)(i).

 

“SEC Reports” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(m).

 

 

3

 

 

“Settlement Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(b)(vii).

 

“Shares” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.

 

“Subsidiary” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a).

 

“Terms Agreement” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(a).

 

“Time of Delivery” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2(c).

 

“Trading Market” means Nasdaq Capital Market.

 

2.             Sale and Delivery of Shares. The Company proposes to issue and sell through or to the Manager, as sales agent and/or principal, up to $10,000,000 of shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, $0.001 par value (“Common Stock”), from time to time during the term of this Agreement and on the terms set forth herein; provided, however, that in no event shall the Company issue or sell through the Manager such number of Shares that (a) exceeds the number or dollar amount of shares of Common Stock registered on the Registration Statement pursuant to which the offering is being made, (b) exceeds the number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock or (c) would cause the Company or the offering of the Shares to not satisfy the eligibility and transaction requirements for use of Form S-3 (including, if applicable, General Instruction I.B.6 of Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the lesser of (a), (b) and (c), the “Maximum Amount”)). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the parties hereto agree that compliance with the limitations set forth in this Section 2 on the number and aggregate sales price of Shares issued and sold under this Agreement shall be the sole responsibility of the Company and that Manager shall have no obligation in connection with such compliance.

 

(a)     Appointment of Manager as Selling Agent; Term Agreement. For purposes of selling the Shares through the Manager, the Company hereby appoints the Manager as exclusive agent of the Company for the purpose of soliciting purchases of the Shares from the Company pursuant to this Agreement and the Manager agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to sell the Shares on the terms and subject to the conditions stated herein. The Company agrees that, whenever it determines to sell the Shares directly to the Manager as principal, it will enter into a separate agreement (each, a “Terms Agreement”) in substantially the form of Annex I hereto, relating to such sale in accordance with Section 2 of this Agreement.

 

(b)     Agent Sales. Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company will issue and agrees to sell Shares from time to time through the Manager, acting as sales agent, and the Manager agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to sell Shares, as sales agent for the Company, on the following terms: 

 

 

4

 

 

(i)     The Shares are to be sold on a daily basis or otherwise as shall be agreed to by the Company and the Manager on any day that (A) is a trading day for the Trading Market, (B) the Company has instructed the Manager by telephone (confirmed promptly by electronic mail) to make such sales (“Sales Notice”) and (C) the Company has satisfied its obligations under Section 6 of this Agreement, provided that the deliveries required under Section 6 shall only be required to be made on the First Sale Date and on a Representation Date on which a material amendment to the Registration Statement or Prospectus is made or the Company files its Annual Report on Form 10-K or a material amendment thereto under the Exchange Act. The Company will designate the maximum amount of the Shares to be sold by the Manager daily (subject to the limitations set forth in Section 2(d)) and the minimum price per Share at which such Shares may be sold. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Manager shall use its reasonable best efforts to sell on a particular day all of the Shares designated for the sale by the Company on such day. The gross sales price of the Shares sold under this Section 2(b) shall be the market price for shares of the Company’s Common Stock sold by the Manager under this Section 2(b) on the Trading Market at the time of sale of such Shares.

 

(ii)     The Company acknowledges and agrees that (A) there can be no assurance that the Manager will be successful in selling the Shares, (B) the Manager will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if it does not sell the Shares for any reason other than a failure by the Manager to use its reasonable best efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and regulations to sell such Shares as required under this Agreement, and (C) the Manager shall be under no obligation to purchase Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise specifically agreed by the Manager and the Company pursuant to a Terms Agreement.

 

(iii)     The Company shall not authorize the issuance and sale of, and the Manager shall not be obligated to use its reasonable best efforts to sell, any Share at a price lower than the minimum price therefor designated from time to time by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), or a duly authorized committee thereof, and notified to the Manager in writing. The Company or the Manager may, upon notice to the other party hereto by telephone (confirmed promptly by electronic mail), suspend the offering of the Shares for any reason and at any time; provided, however, that such suspension or termination shall not affect or impair the parties’ respective obligations with respect to the Shares sold hereunder prior to the giving of such notice.

 

 

5

 

 

(iv)     The Manager may sell Shares by any method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415 under the Act, including without limitation sales made directly on the Trading Market, on any other existing trading market for the Common Stock or to or through a market maker. The Manager may also sell Shares in privately negotiated transactions, provided that the Manager receives the Company’s prior written approval for any sales in privately negotiated transactions.

 

(v)     The compensation to the Manager for sales of the Shares under this Section 2(b) shall be a placement fee of 3% of the gross sales price of the Shares sold pursuant to this Section 2(b) (“Broker Fee”). The foregoing rate of compensation shall not apply when the Manager acts as principal, in which case the Company may sell Shares to the Manager as principal at a price agreed upon at the relevant Applicable Time pursuant to a Terms Agreement. The remaining proceeds, after deduction of the Broker Fee and deduction for any transaction fees imposed by any governmental or self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales, shall constitute the net proceeds to the Company for such Shares (the “Net Proceeds”).

 

(vi)     The Manager shall provide written confirmation (which may be by facsimile or electronic mail) to the Company following the close of trading on the Trading Market each day in which the Shares are sold under this Section 2(b) setting forth the number of the Shares sold on such day, the aggregate gross sales proceeds and the Net Proceeds to the Company, and the compensation payable by the Company to the Manager with respect to such sales.

 

(vii)     Upon delivery of a Sales Notice, the Company shall issue and deliver the maximum number of Shares to be sold pursuant to the Sales Notice to the Manager’s account at The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) via the DWAC system, which Shares shall be deposited by the Manager in the Company’s account with the Manager. The Manager shall have no obligation to attempt to sell the Shares until the Company has delivered the Shares to the Manager. Settlement for sales of the Shares pursuant to this Section 2(b) will occur at 10:00 a.m. (New York City time), or at such time as the Company and the Manager may mutually agree, on the third Business Day following delivery of the Shares issued pursuant to the Sale Notice (each such day, a “Settlement Date”). On each Settlement Date, the Manager shall deliver the Net Proceeds from the sale of the Shares to the Company. If on any Settlement Date not all Shares were sold as issued pursuant to the Sales Notice, then, at the election of and upon notice from the Company, the Shares shall be applied to a future Settlement Date or returned to the Company.

 

 

6

 

 

(viii)     At each Applicable Time, Settlement Date, Representation Date and Filing Date, the Company shall be deemed to have affirmed each representation and warranty contained in this Agreement as if such representation and warranty were made as of such date, modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended as of such date. Any obligation of the Manager to use its reasonable best efforts to sell the Shares on behalf of the Company shall be subject to the continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the continuing satisfaction of the additional conditions specified in Section 6 of this Agreement. 

 

(c)           Term Sales. If the Company wishes to sell the Shares pursuant to this Agreement but other than as set forth in Section 2(b) of this Agreement (each, a “Placement”), it will notify the Manager of the proposed terms of such Placement. If the Manager, acting as principal, wishes to accept such proposed terms (which it may decline to do for any reason in its sole discretion) or, following discussions with the Company wishes to accept amended terms, the Manager and the Company will enter into a Terms Agreement setting forth the terms of such Placement. The terms set forth in a Terms Agreement will not be binding on the Company or the Manager unless and until the Company and the Manager have each executed such Terms Agreement accepting all of the terms of such Terms Agreement. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of a Terms Agreement, the terms of such Terms Agreement will control. A Terms Agreement may also specify certain provisions relating to the reoffering of such Shares by the Manager. The commitment of the Manager to purchase the Shares pursuant to any Terms Agreement shall be deemed to have been made on the basis of the representations and warranties of the Company herein contained and shall be subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth. Each Terms Agreement shall specify the number of the Shares to be purchased by the Manager pursuant thereto, the price to be paid to the Company for such Shares, any provisions relating to rights of, and default by, any underwriters acting together with the Manager in the reoffering of the Shares, and the time and date (each such time and date being referred to herein as a “Time of Delivery”) and place of delivery of and payment for such Shares. Such Terms Agreement shall also specify any requirements for opinions of counsel, accountants’ letters and officers’ certificates pursuant to Section 6 of this Agreement and any other information or documents required by the Manager.

 

(d)           Maximum Number of Shares. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any Shares if, after giving effect to the sale of such Shares, the aggregate amount of Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement would exceed the lesser of (A) together with all sales of Shares under this Agreement, the Maximum Amount, (B) the amount available for offer and sale under the then currently effective Registration Statement and (C) the amount authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this Agreement by the Company’s board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof and notified to the Agent in writing. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement at a price lower than the minimum price authorized from time to time by the Company’s board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof and notified to the Agent in writing.

 

 

7

 

 

(e)           Regulation M Notice. Unless the exemptive provisions set forth in Rule 101(c)(1) of Regulation M under the Exchange Act are satisfied with respect to the Shares, the Company shall give the Manager at least one Business Day’s prior notice of its intent to sell any Shares in order to allow the Manager time to comply with Regulation M.

 

3.             Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Manager at the Execution Time and on each such time the following representations and warranties are repeated or deemed to be made pursuant to this Agreement, as set forth below or in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Incorporated Documents.

 

(a)            Subsidiaries. All of the direct and indirect “significant subsidiaries” as such term is defined in Section 1-02 of Regulation S-X (individually, a “Subsidiary”) of the Company are set forth on Exhibit 21.1 to the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission. Other than as set forth in the Incorporated Documents, the Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock or other equity interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any “Liens” (which for purposes of this Agreement shall mean a lien, charge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive right or other restriction), and all the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary are validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. 

 

(b)           Organization and Qualification. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization (as applicable), with the requisite power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently conducted. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation or default of any of the provisions of its respective certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, could not reasonably be expected to result in (i) a material adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement, (ii) a material adverse change in the results of operations, assets, business, prospects or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Incorporated Documents, or (iii) a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under this Agreement (any of (i), (ii) or (iii), a “Material Adverse Effect”) and no “Proceeding” (which for purposes of this Agreement shall mean any action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened) has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification.

 

 

8

 

 

(c)           Authorization and Enforcement. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no further action is required by the Company, the Board or its stockholders in connection herewith other than in connection with the Required Approvals. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

 

(d)           No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company, the issuance and sale of the Shares and the consummation by the Company of the other transactions contemplated herein do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a Company or Subsidiary debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) subject to the Required Approvals, conflict with or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or governmental authority to which the Company or a Subsidiary is subject (including federal and state securities laws and regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company or a Subsidiary is bound or affected, except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), such as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. 

 

 

9

 

 

(e)            Filings, Consents and Approvals. The Company is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority or other “Person” (defined as an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind, including the Trading Market) in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, other than (i) the filings required by this Agreement, (ii) the filing with the Commission of the Prospectus Supplement, (iii) the filing of application(s) to and approval by the Trading Market for the listing of the Shares for trading thereon in the time and manner required thereby, and (iv) such filings as are required to be made under applicable state securities laws and the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) (collectively, the “Required Approvals”).

 

(f)            Issuance of Shares. The Shares are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with this Agreement, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company. The Shares are being issued pursuant to the Registration Statement and the issuance by the Company of the Shares has been registered under the Act and all of the Shares are freely transferable and tradable by the purchasers thereof without restriction (other than any restrictions arising solely from an act or omission of such a purchaser). The “Plan of Distribution” section within the Registration Statement permits the issuance and sale of the Shares as contemplated by this Agreement. 

 

(g)           Capitalization. The capitalization of the Company is as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The Company has not issued any capital stock since its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act, other than (i) after the Effective Time, pursuant to this Agreement, (ii) pursuant to any employee or director stock incentive plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan described in the Prospectus, as such plans may be amended from time to time, (iii) pursuant to the conversion or exercise of securities exercisable, exchangeable or convertible into Common Stock and (iv) pursuant to employment agreements with the Company’s employees (clauses (iii) and (iv), “Common Stock Equivalents”). No Person has any right of first refusal, preemptive right, right of participation, or any similar right to participate in the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Except (i) pursuant to the Company’s stock incentive plans and (ii) pursuant to agreements or instruments filed as exhibits to Incorporated Documents, there are no outstanding options, warrants, script rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights or obligations convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire, any shares of Common Stock, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue additional shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents. The issuance and sale of the Shares will not obligate the Company to issue shares of Common Stock or other securities to any Person and will not result in a right of any holder of Company securities to adjust the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price under such securities. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal and state securities laws, and none of such outstanding shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights or similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. There are no stockholders agreements, voting agreements or other similar agreements with respect to the Company’s capital stock to which the Company is a party or, to the knowledge of the Company, between or among any of the Company’s stockholders.

 

 

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(h)          Registration Statement. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Act and has prepared and filed with the Commission the Registration Statement, including a related Base Prospectus, for registration under the Act of the offering and sale of the Shares. Such Registration Statement is effective and available for the offer and sale of the Shares as of the date hereof. As filed, the Base Prospectus contains all information required by the Act and the rules thereunder, and, except to the extent the Manager shall agree in writing to a modification, shall be in all substantive respects in the form furnished to the Manager prior to the Execution Time or prior to any such time this representation is repeated or deemed to be made. The Registration Statement, at the First Sale Date, each such time this representation is repeated or deemed to be made, and at all times during which a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172, 173 or any similar rule) in connection with any offer or sale of the Shares, meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x). The initial Effective Date of the Registration Statement was not earlier than the date three years before the First Sale Date. 

 

(i)            Accuracy of Incorporated Documents. The Incorporated Documents, when they were filed with the Commission or as amended through such time as this representation is made, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder, and none of the Incorporated Documents, when they were filed with the Commission, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, when such documents are filed with the Commission, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder, as applicable, and none of such documents will contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Incorporated Documents based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Manager specifically for use therein.

 

 

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(j)            Ineligible Issuer. (i) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2)) of the Shares and (ii) as of the Execution Time and on each such time this representation is repeated or deemed to be made (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405), without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer.

 

(k)           Free Writing Prospectus. The Company is eligible to use Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus does not include any information the substance of which conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, including any Incorporated Documents and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified; and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Manager specifically for use therein. Any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Act and the rules thereunder. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) or that was prepared by or behalf of or used by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and the rules thereunder. The Company will not, without the prior consent of the Manager, prepare, use or refer to, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses.

 

(l)            Proceedings Related to Registration Statement. The Registration Statement is not the subject of a pending proceeding or examination under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Act, and the Company is not the subject of a pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Act in connection with the offering of the Shares. The Company has not received any notice that the Commission has issued or intends to issue a stop-order with respect to the Registration Statement or that the Commission otherwise has suspended or withdrawn the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, either temporarily or permanently, or intends or has threatened in writing to do so. 

 

 

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(m)          SEC Reports. The Company has complied in all material respects with requirements to file all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by it under the Act and the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the twelve months preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the Company was required by law to file such material) (the foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, being collectively referred to herein as the “SEC Reports”) on a timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of filing and has filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration of any such extension.

 

(n)           Financial Statements. The consolidated financial statements incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Incorporated Documents and any amendments thereof or supplements thereto comply in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the rules and regulations of the Commission with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing or as amended or corrected in a subsequent filing. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (“GAAP”), except as may be otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not contain all footnotes required by GAAP, and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of and for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal, immaterial, year-end audit adjustments.

 

(o)           Accountants. The Company’s accountants are KPMG, LLP. To the knowledge of the Company, such accountants, who the Company expects will express their opinion with respect to the financial statements to be included in the Company’s next Annual Report on Form 10-K, are a registered public accounting firm as required by the Act. 

 

(p)          Material Adverse Events. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC Reports, except as specifically disclosed in a subsequent SEC Report or Prospectus Supplement filed prior to the date this representation is being made, (i) there has been no event, occurrence or development that has had or that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has not incurred any liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Company’s financial statements pursuant to GAAP or required to be disclosed in filings made with the Commission, (iii) the Company has not altered its method of accounting, (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its stockholders or purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any shares of its capital stock and (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer, director or “Affiliate” (defined as any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 144 under the Act), except pursuant to existing Company stock incentive plans. Except as disclosed to the Manager, the Company does not have pending before the Commission any request for confidential treatment of information. No event, liability or development has occurred or exists with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective business, properties, operations or financial condition, that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is deemed made that has not been publicly disclosed at least 1 Trading Day prior to the date that this representation is deemed made. 

 

 

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(q)           Litigation. There is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation, Proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by any court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an “Action”) which (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or the Shares or (ii) could, if there were an unfavorable decision, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director or officer thereof, is or has been the subject of any Action involving a claim of violation of or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim of breach of fiduciary duty. There has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the Commission involving the Company or any current or former director or officer of the Company. The Commission has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company or any Subsidiary under the Exchange Act or the Act. None of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ employees is a member of a union that relates to such employee’s relationship with the Company, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to a collective bargaining agreement, and the Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relationships with their employees are good. No executive officer, to the knowledge of the Company, is, or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement or non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does not subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable U.S. federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where the failure to be in compliance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. 

 

 

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(r)            Labor Relations. No material labor dispute exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent with respect to any of the employees of the Company which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(s)           No Existing Defaults. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary (i) is in default under or in violation of (and no event has occurred that has not been waived that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would result in a default by the Company or any Subsidiary under), nor has the Company or any Subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is in default under or that it is in violation of, any indenture, loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound (whether or not such default or violation has been waived), (ii) is in violation of any order of any court, arbitrator or governmental body, or (iii) is or has been in violation of any statute, rule or regulation of any governmental authority, including without limitation all foreign, federal, state and local laws relating to taxes, environmental protection, occupational health and safety, product quality and safety and employment and labor matters, except in each case as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. 

 

(t)            Regulatory Permits. The Company and the Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess such permits could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (“Material Permits”), and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Material Permit. 

 

(u)          Title to Assets. The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries and, except as previously disclosed to the Manager, good and marketable title in all personal property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all Liens, except for Liens as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the Subsidiaries and Liens for the payment of federal, state or other taxes, the payment of which is neither delinquent nor subject to penalties. Any real property and facilities held under lease by the Company and the Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases of which the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance, except where such non-compliance would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. 

 

 

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(v)           Intellectual Property. The Company and the Subsidiaries have, or have rights to use, all patents, patent applications, trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names, trade secrets, inventions, copyrights, licenses and other similar intellectual property rights necessary or material for use in connection with their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and which the failure to so have could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “Intellectual Property Rights”). Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC Reports, a notice (written or otherwise) that the Intellectual Property Rights violate or infringe upon the rights of any Person, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Company, all such Intellectual Property Rights are enforceable (other than patent and trademark applications) and there is no existing infringement by another Person of any of the Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their Intellectual Property Rights, except where failure to do so could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. 

 

(w)          Insurance. The Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary for companies of similar size as the Company in the businesses in which the Company and the Subsidiaries are engaged, including, but not limited to, directors and officers insurance coverage. To the knowledge of the Company, such insurance contracts and policies are accurate and complete. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business without a significant increase in cost. 

 

(x)           Affiliate Transactions. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, none of the officers or directors of the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of the Company is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any Subsidiary (other than for services as employees, officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee or partner, in each case in excess of $120,000, other than (i) for payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and (iii) for other employee benefits, including stock option agreements under any stock incentive plan of the Company. 

 

 

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(y)           Sarbanes Oxley Compliance. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company is in material compliance with all provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 which are applicable to it as of the Effective Date. 

 

(z)            Finder’s Fees. Other than payments to be made to the Manager, no brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The Manager shall have no obligation with respect to any fees or with respect to any claims made by or on behalf of other Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this Section that may be due in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. 

 

(aa)         No Other Sales Agency Agreement. The Company has not entered into any other sales agency agreements or other similar arrangements with any agent or any other representative in respect of at the market offerings of the Shares. 

 

(bb)         Regulation M Compliance. The Company has not, and to its knowledge no one acting on its behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Shares, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Shares or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company, other than, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), compensation paid to the Manager in connection with the placement of the Shares.

 

(cc)         Listing and Maintenance Requirements. The issuance and sale of the Shares as contemplated in this Agreement does not contravene the rules and regulations of the Trading Market. The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, or the Prospectus, the Company has not, in the 12 months preceding the date hereof, received notice from any Trading Market on which the Common Stock is or has been listed or quoted to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements of such Trading Market.

 

 

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(dd)         [Reserved.]

 

(ee)          Investment Company. The Company is not, and is not an Affiliate of, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Shares, will not be or be an Affiliate of, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Company currently intends to conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

(ff)           Solvency. Based on the financial condition of the Company as of the Effective Date, (i) the Company’s fair saleable value of its assets exceeds the amount that will be required to be paid on or in respect of the Company’s existing debts and other liabilities (including known contingent liabilities) as they mature and (ii) the current cash flow of the Company, together with the proceeds the Company would receive, were it to liquidate all of its assets, after taking into account all anticipated uses of the cash, would be sufficient to pay all amounts on or in respect of its debt when such amounts are required to be paid. Within one year of the Effective Date, the Company does not intend to incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature (taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its debt). The SEC Reports set forth as of the dates thereof all outstanding secured and unsecured Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary, or for which the Company or any Subsidiary has commitments. For the purposes of this Agreement, “Indebtedness” shall mean (a) any liabilities for borrowed money or amounts owed in excess of $50,000 (other than accrued liabilities and trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (b) all material guaranties, endorsements and other contingent obligations in respect of indebtedness of others, whether or not the same are or should be reflected in the Company’s balance sheet (or the notes thereto), except guaranties by endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business; and (c) the present value of any lease payments in excess of $50,000 due under leases required to be capitalized in accordance with GAAP. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default with respect to any Indebtedness.

 

(gg)         Tax Status. Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each Subsidiary have filed all necessary federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns and have paid or accrued all taxes shown as due thereon, and the Company has no knowledge of a tax deficiency which has been asserted or threatened against the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

 

(hh)         Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company, nor to the knowledge of the Company, any agent or other person acting on behalf of the Company, has (i) directly or indirectly, used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses related to foreign or domestic political activity, (ii) made any unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to any foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds, (iii) failed to disclose fully any contribution made by the Company (or made by any person acting on its behalf of which the Company is aware) which is in violation of law, or (iv) violated in any material respect any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.

 

 

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(ii)           FINRA Member Shareholders. There are no affiliations with any FINRA member firm among the Company’s officers, directors or, to the knowledge of the Company, any five percent (5%) or greater stockholder of the Company, except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.

 

4.             Agreements. The Company agrees with the Manager that: 

 

(a)           Right to Review Amendments and Supplements to Registration Statement and Prospectus. During any period when the delivery of a prospectus relating to the Shares is required (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172, 173 or any similar rule) to be delivered under the Act in connection with the offering or the sale of Shares, the Company will not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement (including any Prospectus Supplement) to the Base Prospectus unless the Company has furnished to the Manager a copy for its review prior to filing and will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Manager reasonably objects. The Company has properly completed the Prospectus, in a form approved by the Manager, and will file such Prospectus, with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) by the First Sale Date and will cause any supplement to the Prospectus to be properly completed, in a form approved by the Manager (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), and will file such supplement with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed thereby and will provide evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Manager of such timely filing. The Company will promptly advise the Manager (i) when the Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed (if required) with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), (ii) when, during any period when the delivery of a prospectus (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172, 173 or any similar rule) is required under the Act in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares, any amendment to the Registration Statement shall have been filed or become effective (other than any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act), (iii) of any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment of the Registration Statement, or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or for any supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any notice objecting to its use or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (v) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the occurrence of any such suspension or objection to the use of the Registration Statement and, upon such issuance, occurrence or notice of objection, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal of such stop order or relief from such occurrence or objection, including, if necessary, by filing an amendment to the Registration Statement or a new registration statement and using its best efforts to have such amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable. 

 

 

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(b)           Subsequent Events. If, at any time on or after an Applicable Time but prior to the related Settlement Date, any event occurs as a result of which the Registration Statement or Prospectus would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or the circumstances then prevailing not misleading, the Company will (i) notify promptly the Manager so that any use of the Registration Statement or Prospectus may cease until such are amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus to correct such statement or omission; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to the Manager in such quantities as the Manager may reasonably request. 

 

(c)           Notification of Subsequent Filings. During any period when the delivery of a prospectus relating to the Shares is required (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172, 173 or any similar rule) to be delivered under the Act, any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made at such time not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement, file a new registration statement or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules thereunder, including in connection with use or delivery of the Prospectus, the Company promptly will (i) notify the Manager of any such event, (ii) subject to Section 4(a), prepare and file with the Commission an amendment or supplement or new registration statement which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, (iii) use its best efforts to have any amendment to the Registration Statement or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable in order to avoid any disruption in use of the Prospectus and (iv) supply any supplemented Prospectus to the Manager in such quantities as the Manager may reasonably request.

 

(d)           Earnings Statements. As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Manager an earnings statement or statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158. 

 

 

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(e)           Delivery of Registration Statement. Upon the request of the Manager, the Company will furnish to the Manager and counsel for the Manager, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by the Manager or dealer may be required by the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172, 173 or any similar rule), as many copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any supplement thereto as the Manager may reasonably request. The Company will pay the expenses of printing or other production of all documents relating to the offering. 

 

(f)            Qualification of Shares. The Company will arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Shares for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Manager may reasonably designate and will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Shares; provided that in no event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Shares, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject. 

 

(g)           Free Writing Prospectus. The Company agrees that, unless it has or shall have obtained the prior written consent of the Manager (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), and the Manager agrees with the Company that, unless it has or shall have obtained, as the case may be, the prior written consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Manager or the Company is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company agrees that (i) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (ii) it has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping.

 

(h)           Subsequent Equity Issuances. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary will offer, sell, issue, contract to sell, contract to issue or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any other shares of Common Stock or any Common Stock Equivalents (other than the Shares) during the term of this Agreement without giving the Manager at least three Business Days’ prior written notice specifying the nature of the proposed transaction and the date of such proposed transaction. Upon receipt of such notice, the Manager shall as soon as practicable suspend acting under this Agreement for such period of time requested by the Company or as deemed appropriate by the Manager in light of the proposed transaction. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company may issue and sell Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents pursuant to any employee stock incentive plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan of the Company in effect at the Execution Time and the Company may issue Common Stock issuable upon the conversion or exercise of Common Stock Equivalents outstanding at the Execution Time.

 

 

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(i)            Market Manipulation. Until the termination of this Agreement, the Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation in violation of the Act, Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or otherwise violate any provision of Regulation M under the Exchange Act.

 

(j)            Notification of Subsequent Information. The Company will, at any time during the term of this Agreement, as supplemented from time to time, advise the Manager immediately after it shall have received notice or obtained knowledge thereof, of any information or fact that would alter or affect any opinion, certificate, letter and other document provided to the Manager pursuant to Section 6 herein. 

 

(k)           Certification of Accuracy of Disclosure. Upon commencement of the offering of the Shares under this Agreement (and upon the recommencement of the offering of the Shares under this Agreement following the termination of a suspension of sales hereunder lasting more than 30 trading days), and each time that (i) the Registration Statement or Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented, other than by means of Incorporated Documents, (ii) the Company files its Annual Report on Form 10-K under the Exchange Act, (iii) the Company files its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act, (iv) the Company files a Current Report on Form 8-K containing amended financial information (other than information that is furnished and not filed), if the Manager reasonably determines that the information in such Form 8-K is material, or (v) the Shares are delivered to the Manager as principal at the Time of Delivery pursuant to a Terms Agreement (such commencement or recommencement date and each such date referred to in (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) above, a “Representation Date”), unless waived by the Manager, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Manager forthwith a certificate dated and delivered on the Representation Date, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Manager to the effect that the statements contained in the certificate referred to in Section 6 of this Agreement which were last furnished to the Manager are true and correct at the Representation Date, as though made at and as of such date (except that such statements shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such date) or, in lieu of such certificate, a certificate of the same tenor as the certificate referred to in said Section 6, modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the date of delivery of such certificate. 

 

 

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(l)            Bring Down Opinions; Negative Assurance. At each Representation Date, unless waived by the Manager, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished forthwith to the Manager and to counsel to the Manager a written opinion of counsel to the Company (“Company Counsel”) addressed to the Manager and dated and delivered on such Representation Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Manager, including a negative assurance representation.

 

(m)          Auditor Bring Down “Comfort” Letter. At each Representation Date, unless waived by the Manager, the Company shall cause (1) the Company’s auditors (the “Accountants”), or other independent accountants satisfactory to the Manager forthwith to furnish the Manager a letter, and (2) the Chief Financial Officer of the Company forthwith to furnish the Manager a certificate, in each case dated on such Representation Date, in form satisfactory to the Manager, of the same tenor as the letters and certificate referred to in Section 6 of this Agreement but modified to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date of such letters and certificate; provided, however, that the Company will not be required to cause the Accountants to furnish such letters to the Manager in connection with the filing of a Current Report on Form 8-K unless (i) such Current Report on Form 8-K is filed at any time during which a prospectus relating to the Shares is required to be delivered under the Act and (ii) the Manager has reasonably requested such letter based upon the event or events reported in such Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

(n)           Due Diligence Session. Upon commencement of the offering of the Shares under this Agreement (and upon the recommencement of the offering of the Shares under this Agreement following the termination of a suspension of sales hereunder lasting more than 30 trading days), and at each Representation Date, the Company will conduct a due diligence session, in form and substance, reasonably satisfactory to the Manager, which shall include representatives of management and Accountants. The Company shall cooperate timely with any reasonable due diligence request from or review conducted by the Manager or its agents from time to time in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including, without limitation, providing information and available documents and access to appropriate corporate officers and the Company’s agents during regular business hours and at the Company’s principal offices, and timely furnishing or causing to be furnished such certificates, letters and opinions from the Company, its officers and its agents, as the Manager may reasonably request. 

 

(o)           Acknowledgment of Trading. The Company acknowledges that the Manager may trade in the Common Stock for the Manager’s own account and for the account of its clients at the same time as sales of the Shares occur pursuant to this Agreement or pursuant to a Terms Agreement. 

 

 

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(p)           Disclosure of Shares Sold. The Company will disclose in its Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as applicable, the number of Shares sold through the Manager under this Agreement, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation paid by the Company with respect to sales of Shares pursuant to this Agreement during the relevant quarter. 

 

(q)           Rescission Right. If to the knowledge of the Company, the conditions set forth in Section 6 shall not have been satisfied as of the applicable Settlement Date, the Company will offer to any person who has agreed to purchase Shares from the Company as the result of an offer to purchase solicited by the Manager the right to refuse to purchase and pay for such Shares. 

 

(r)           Bring Down of Representations and Warranties. Each acceptance by the Company of an offer to purchase the Shares hereunder, and each execution and delivery by the Company of a Terms Agreement, shall be deemed to be an affirmation to the Manager that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in or made pursuant to this Agreement are true and correct as of the date of such acceptance or of such Terms Agreement as though made at and as of such date, and an undertaking that such representations and warranties will be true and correct as of the Settlement Date for the Shares relating to such acceptance or as of the Time of Delivery relating to such sale, as the case may be, as though made at and as of such date (except that such representations and warranties shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented relating to such Shares).

 

(s)           Reservation of Shares. The Company shall ensure that there are at all times sufficient shares of Common Stock to provide for the issuance, free of any preemptive rights, out of its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock or shares of Common Stock held in treasury, of the maximum aggregate number of Shares authorized for issuance by the Board pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Shares to be listed for trading on the Trading Market and to maintain such listing. 

 

(t)            Obligation Under Exchange Act. During any period when the delivery of a prospectus relating to the Shares is required (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172, 173 or any similar rule) to be delivered under the Act, the Company will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by the Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder. 

 

(u)           DTC Facility. The Company shall cooperate with Manager and use its reasonable efforts to permit the Shares to be eligible for clearance and settlement through the facilities of DTC. 

 

 

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(v)           Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the Net Proceeds from the sale of the Shares in the manner set forth in the Prospectus. 

 

(w)          Filing of Prospectus Supplement. On or prior to the earlier of (i) the date on which the Company shall file a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or an Annual Report on Form 10-K in respect of any fiscal quarter in which sales of Shares were made by the Manager pursuant to Section 2(b) of this Agreement and (ii) the date on which the Company shall be obligated to file such document referred to in clause (i) in respect of such quarter (each such date, and any date on which an amendment to any such document is filed, a “Filing Date”), the Company will file a prospectus supplement with the Commission under the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b), which prospectus supplement will set forth, with regard to such quarter, the number of the Shares sold through the Manager as agent pursuant to Section 2(b) of this Agreement, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation paid by the Company with respect to such sales of the Shares pursuant to Section 2(b) of this Agreement and deliver such number of copies of each such prospectus supplement to the Trading Market as are required by such exchange. The Company may satisfy such disclosure requirement by including such information in a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or an Annual Report on Form 10-K. 

 

(x)           Additional Registration Statement. To the extent that the Registration Statement is not available for the sales of the Shares as contemplated by this Agreement, the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, file a new registration statement with respect to any additional shares of Common Stock necessary to complete such sales of the Shares and use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective as promptly as practicable. After the effectiveness of any such registration statement, all references to “Registration Statement” included in this Agreement shall be deemed to include such new registration statement, including all documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3, and all references to “Base Prospectus” included in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the final form of prospectus, including all documents incorporated therein by reference, included in any such registration statement at the time such registration statement became effective.

 

5.             Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees to pay the costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, including without limitation: (i) the preparation, printing or reproduction and filing with the Commission of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits thereto), the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement to any of them; (ii) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of such copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and all amendments or supplements to any of them, as may, in each case, be reasonably requested for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares; (iii) the preparation, printing, authentication, issuance and delivery of certificates for the Shares, including any stamp or transfer taxes in connection with the original issuance and sale of the Shares; (iv) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery of this Agreement, any blue sky memorandum and all other agreements or documents printed (or reproduced) and delivered in connection with the offering of the Shares; (v) the registration of the Shares under the Exchange Act, if applicable, and the listing of the Shares on the Trading Market; (vi) any registration or qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of the several states (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Manager relating to such registration and qualification); (vii) the transportation and other expenses incurred by or on behalf of Company representatives in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Shares; (viii) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants and the fees and expenses of counsel (including local and special counsel) for the Company; (ix) the filing fee under FINRA Rule 5110; (x) the reasonable fees and expenses of the Manager’s counsel, not to exceed $35,000, $15,000 of which has been paid prior to the date hereof and the balance of which shall be paid upon the Execution Time; (xi) initial due diligence fees of the Manager in the amount of $35,000, none of which shall be paid upon the Execution Time and the balance to be paid on December 6, 2013; and (xii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder.

 

 

25

 

 

6.             Conditions to the Obligations of the Manager. The obligations of the Manager under this Agreement and any Terms Agreement shall be subject to (i) the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein as of the Execution Time, each Representation Date, and as of each Applicable Time, Settlement Date and Time of Delivery, (ii) to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and (iii) the following additional conditions:

 

(a)           Filing of Prospectus Supplement. The Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, required by Rule 424 to be filed with the Commission have been filed in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) with respect to any sale of Shares; each Prospectus Supplement shall have been filed in the manner required by Rule 424(b) within the time period required hereunder and under the Act; any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened. 

 

(b)          Delivery of Opinion. The Company shall have caused the Company Counsel to furnish to the Manager, to the extent requested by the Manager and upon reasonable advance notice in connection with any offering of the Shares, its opinion and negative assurance statement, dated as of the relevant date and addressed to the Manager in form and substance acceptable to the Manager.

 

 

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(c)           Delivery of Officer’s Certificate. The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Manager, to the extent requested by the Manager and upon reasonable advance notice in connection with any offering of the Shares, a certificate of the Company signed by the Chief Executive Officer or the President and the principal financial or accounting officer of the Company, dated as of the relevant date, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Prospectus Supplement and any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements or amendments thereto and this Agreement and that: 

 

(i)           the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of such date with the same effect as if made on such date and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to such date; 

 

(ii)           no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened; and 

 

(iii)         since the date of the most recent financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Incorporated Documents, there has been no Material Adverse Effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. 

 

(d)           Delivery of Accountants’ “Comfort” Letter. The Company shall have requested and caused the Accountants to have furnished to the Manager, to the extent requested by the Manager and upon reasonable advance notice in connection with any offering of the Shares, letters (which may refer to letters previously delivered to the Manager), dated as of the relevant date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Manager, confirming that they are independent accountants within the meaning of the Act and the Exchange Act and the respective applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission thereunder and that they have performed a review of any unaudited interim financial information of the Company and included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and provide customary “comfort” as to such review in form and substance satisfactory to the Manager.

 

 

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(e)           No Material Adverse Event. Since the respective dates as of which information is disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Incorporated Documents, except as otherwise stated therein, there shall not have been (i) any change or decrease in previously reported results specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (d) of this Section 6 or (ii) any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Incorporated Documents (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto) the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the reasonable judgment of the Manager, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Shares as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Incorporated Documents and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto). 

 

(f)            [Reserved]. 

 

(g)            No FINRA Objections. FINRA shall not have raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the terms and arrangements under this Agreement. 

 

(h)            Shares Listed on Trading Market. The Shares shall have been listed and admitted and authorized for trading on the Trading Market, and satisfactory evidence of such actions shall have been provided to the Manager. 

 

(i)            Other Assurances. Prior to each Settlement Date and Time of Delivery, as applicable, the Company shall have furnished to the Manager such further information, certificates and documents as the Manager may reasonably request.

 

If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Manager and counsel for the Manager, this Agreement and all obligations of the Manager hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, any Settlement Date or Time of Delivery, as applicable, by the Manager. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing. 

 

The documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 shall be delivered at the office of Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, counsel for the Manager, at 150 East 42nd Street, New York, New York 10017, on each such date as provided in this Agreement. 

 

 

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7.             Indemnification and Contribution. 

 

(a)           Indemnification by Company. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Manager, the directors, officers, employees and agents of the Manager and each person who controls the Manager within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement for the registration of the Shares as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or in the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Manager specifically for inclusion therein. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability that the Company may otherwise have. 

 

(b)           Indemnification by Manager. The Manager agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to the Manager, but only with reference to written information relating to the Manager furnished to the Company by the Manager specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity; provided, however, that in no case shall the Manager be responsible for any amount in excess of the Broker Fee applicable to the Shares and paid hereunder. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Manager may otherwise have. 

 

 

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(c)           Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 7 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 7, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to appoint counsel of the indemnifying party’s choice at the indemnifying party’s expense to represent the indemnified party in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which case the indemnifying party shall not thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel retained by the indemnified party or parties except as set forth below); provided, however, that such counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party’s election to appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party. An indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding. 

 

 

30

 

 

(d)           Contribution. In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 7 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party for any reason, the Company and the Manager agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending the same) (collectively “Losses”) to which the Company and the Manager may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and by the Manager on the other from the offering of the Shares; provided, however, that in no case shall the Manager be responsible for any amount in excess of the Broker Fee applicable to the Shares and paid hereunder. If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is unavailable for any reason, the Company and the Manager severally shall contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Manager on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by it, and benefits received by the Manager shall be deemed to be equal to the Broker Fee applicable to the Shares and paid hereunder as determined by this Agreement. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or any alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information provided by the Company on the one hand or the Manager on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company and the Manager agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 7, each person who controls the Manager within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee and agent of the Manager shall have the same rights to contribution as the Manager, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (d). 

 

8.             Termination. 

 

(a)           The Company shall have the right, subject to the following sentence and Section 8(d), by giving written notice as hereinafter specified, to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time upon three (3) Business Days’ prior written notice. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that (i) with respect to any pending sale through the Manager for the Company, the obligations of the Company, including in respect of compensation of the Manager, shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the termination and (ii) the provisions of Sections 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 14 of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

(b)           The Manager shall have the right, by giving written notice as hereinafter specified, to terminate the provisions of this Agreement relating to the solicitation of offers to purchase the Shares in its sole discretion at any time. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Sections 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 14 of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination. 

 

 

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(c)           This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect until the earlier of June 6, 2016 and such date that this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Sections 6, 8(a) or (b) above or otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties; provided that any such termination by mutual agreement shall in all cases be deemed to provide that Sections 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 14 shall remain in full force and effect. 

 

(d)           Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice of termination; provided that such termination shall not be effective until the close of business on the date of receipt of such notice by the Manager or the Company, as the case may be. If such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date or Time of Delivery for any sale of the Shares, such sale shall settle in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(b) of this Agreement, including the requirement to satisfy the conditions set forth in Section 6.

 

(e)           In the case of any purchase of Shares by the Manager pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the obligations of the Manager pursuant to such Terms Agreement shall be subject to termination, in the absolute discretion of the Manager, by prompt oral notice given to the Company prior to the Time of Delivery relating to such Shares, if any, and confirmed promptly by facsimile or electronic mail, if since the time of execution of the Terms Agreement and prior to such delivery and payment, (i) trading in the Company’s Common Stock shall have been suspended by the Commission or the Trading Market or trading in securities generally on the Trading Market shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on such exchange, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by Federal or New York State authorities or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, or other calamity or crisis the effect of which on financial markets is such as to make it, in the sole judgment of the Manager, impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Shares as contemplated by the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto). 

 

9.             Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the Manager set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by the Manager or the Company or any of the officers, directors, employees, agents or controlling persons referred to in Section 7, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Shares. 

 

 

32

 

 

10.            Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Manager, will be mailed, delivered or facsimiled to the address set forth on the signature page hereto. 

 

11.            Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers, directors, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to in Section 7, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. 

 

12.           No Fiduciary Duty. The Company hereby acknowledges that (a) the purchase and sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Manager and any affiliate through which it may be acting, on the other, (b) the Manager is acting solely as sales agent and/or principal in connection with the purchase and sale of the Company’s securities and not as a fiduciary of the Company and (c) the Company’s engagement of the Manager in connection with the offering and the process leading up to the offering is as independent contractors and not in any other capacity. Furthermore, the Company agrees that it is solely responsible for making its own judgments in connection with the offering (irrespective of whether the Manager has advised or is currently advising the Company on related or other matters). The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Manager has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency, fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto. 

 

13.           Integration. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement supersede all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Manager with respect to the subject matter hereof. 

 

14.           Applicable Law. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York.

 

15.           WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY TERMS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY. 

 

16.           Counterparts. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement, which may be delivered by facsimile or in .pdf file via e-mail.

 

17.            Headings. The section headings used in this Agreement and any Terms Agreement are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof. 

 

 

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

 

 

34

 

          

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company and the Manager. 

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

OCEAN POWER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

 

 

By: /s/ Brian M. Posner                         

Name: Brian M. Posner

Title:   Chief Financial Officer

 

The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first written above. 

 

ASCENDIANT CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC

 

 

By: /s/ Mark A. Bergendahl                  

Name: Mark A. Bergendahl

Title:   Managing Partner

 

Address for Notice:

18881 Von Karman, 16th Floor

Irvine, California 92612

Facsimile: (949) 756-1090

Attention: Mark A. Bergendahl

 

 

35

 

 

Form of Terms Agreement

ANNEX I 

OCEAN POWER TECHNOLOGIES, INC. TERMS AGREEMENT

 

Dear Sirs: 

 

         OCEAN POWER TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (the “Company”) proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and in the At The Market Offering Agreement, dated June 6, 2013 (the “At The Market Offering Agreement”), between the Company and Ascendiant Capital Markets, LLC (“Agent”), to issue and sell to Agent the securities specified in the Schedule I hereto (the “Purchased Shares”). 

 

          Each of the provisions of the At The Market Offering Agreement not specifically related to the solicitation by Agent, as agent of the Company, of offers to purchase securities is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and shall be deemed to be part of this Terms Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein. Each of the representations and warranties set forth therein shall be deemed to have been made at and as of the date of this Terms Agreement and the Time of Delivery, except that each representation and warranty in Section 3 of the At The Market Offering Agreement which makes reference to the Prospectus (as therein defined) shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty as of the date of the At The Market Offering Agreement in relation to the Prospectus, and also a representation and warranty as of the date of this Terms Agreement and the Time of Delivery in relation to the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to relate to the Purchased Shares. 

 

          An amendment to the Registration Statement (as defined in the At The Market Offering Agreement), or a supplement to the Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Purchased Shares, in the form heretofore delivered to the Manager is now proposed to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. 

 

          Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the At The Market Offering Agreement which are incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to issue and sell to Agent and the latter agrees to purchase from the Company the number of shares of the Purchased Shares at the time and place and at the purchase price set forth below:

Number of Shares: _____________________________________

Purchase Price: _______________________________________

Anticipated Closing Date:_______________________________ 

 

 

36

 

 

          If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us a counterpart hereof, whereupon this Terms Agreement, including those provisions of the At The Market Offering Agreement incorporated herein by reference, shall constitute a binding agreement between the Manager and the Company. 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
OCEAN POWER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
	
 
	 
	
 

 

By: __________________________

       Name: 

       Title:    

 

ACCEPTED as of the date first written above. 

	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 
	
 

	
ASCENDIANT CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC

 

By: __________________________

       Name: 

       Title:    
	
 
	 

 

 

37

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