Strive, Inc S-1, filed Jun 7, 2024
Strive, Inc. (ASST)
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 7, 2024
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Asset Entities Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Nevada | 7372 | 88-1293236 | ||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
100 Crescent Ct, 7th Floor
Dallas, TX 75201
(214) 459-3117
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
Matthew Krueger, Chief Financial Officer
100 Crescent Ct, 7th Floor
Dallas, TX 75201
(262) 527-0966
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
Louis A. Bevilacqua, Esq.
Bevilacqua PLLC
1050 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 869-0888
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after this Registration Statement becomes effective.
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer ☐ | Accelerated filer ☐ | |
| Non-accelerated filer ☒ | Smaller reporting company ☒ | |
| Emerging growth company ☒ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of Securities Act. ☐
The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act or until this registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. The selling stockholder named in this prospectus may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
| PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS | SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED JUNE 7, 2024 |
Asset Entities Inc.
7,748,521 Shares of Class B Common Stock
This prospectus relates to the offer and resale from time to time of:
| ● | up to 7,594,521 of the shares of Class B Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Class B Common Stock”), of Asset Entities Inc., a Nevada corporation, by Ionic Ventures, LLC, a California limited liability company (“Ionic”), issuable upon the conversion of a variable amount of the 165 shares of our Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Series A Preferred Stock”), issued to Ionic, pursuant to the securities purchase agreement, dated as of May 24, 2024, between the Company and Ionic (the “Ionic Purchase Agreement”), and the Certificate of Designation of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock of the Company filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada on May 24, 2024 (the “Certificate of Designation”), having an initial stated value (“Stated Value”) of $10,000 per share of Series A Preferred Stock, a cumulative annual dividend rate on the Stated Value of 6% (which will increase to 12% if a Triggering Event (as defined in the Certificate of Designation) occurs until such Triggering Event, if curable, is cured) payable in shares of Class B Common Stock (or cash at the Company’s option) upon conversion or redemption of the Series A Preferred Stock, and an initial conversion price (“Conversion Price”) of $0.75 per share of Class B Common Stock, and an alternate Conversion Price equal to 85% (or 70% if the Class B Common Stock is suspended from trading on or delisted from a principal trading market or upon occurrence of a Triggering Event (as defined in the Certificate of Designation)) of the average lowest daily volume weighed average price of the Class B Common Stock during the Alternate Conversion Measuring Period (as defined in the Certificate of Designation) (the “Alternate Conversion Price”), subject to applicable limitations or restrictions; and |
| ● | up to 154,000 shares of Class B Common Stock by Boustead Securities, LLC, a registered broker-dealer (“Boustead” and together with Ionic, the “Selling Stockholders”), issuable upon exercise of a placement agent warrant issued to Boustead pursuant to the Company’s engagement letter agreement with Boustead, dated November 29, 2021 (the “Boustead Engagement Letter”), relating to placement agent services in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Ionic Purchase Agreement, upon exercise of a placement agent warrant issued as partial consideration for placement agent services with respect to the Ionic Purchase Agreement, at an exercise price of $0.75 per share, subject to applicable limitations or restrictions (the “Placement Agent Warrant”). |
A holder of Series A Preferred Stock may not convert the Series A Preferred Stock into Class B Common Stock to the extent that such conversion would cause such holder’s beneficial ownership of Class B Common Stock to exceed 4.99% of the outstanding Class B Common Stock immediately after conversion, which may be increased by the holder to up to 9.99% upon no fewer than 61 days’ prior notice. In addition, the Company will not issue shares of Class B Common Stock upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock at less than the price (the “Minimum Price”) that is equal to the lower of the last closing price of the stock immediately preceding the signing of the related binding agreement and the average closing price for the five trading days immediately preceding the signing of the related binding agreement, in an amount exceeding 19.99% of the Company’s outstanding common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“common stock”), which number of shares shall be reduced, on a share-for-share basis, by the number of shares of common stock issued or issuable pursuant to any transaction or series of transactions that may be aggregated with the transactions contemplated by the Certificate of Designation under applicable rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”), including Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d) (such amount, the “Exchange Limitation”), or less than a separate floor price (the “Floor Price”) of $0.0855 per share regardless of whether the Exchange Limitation has been reached, before the effectiveness of the approval of such number of the holders of the outstanding shares of the Company’s voting securities as required by the Bylaws of the Company (the “Bylaws”) and the Nevada Revised Statutes (the “NRS”), to ratify and approve all of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (as defined in the Ionic Purchase Agreements), including the issuance of all of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock and shares of Class B Common Stock upon conversion of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock, all as may be required by the applicable rules and regulations of The Nasdaq Capital Market tier of Nasdaq (or any successor entity) (the “Stockholder Approval”). The exercisability of the Placement Agent Warrant will also be subject to the Exchange Limitation before the effectiveness of the Stockholder Approval.
We are not selling any securities under this prospectus and will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of our Class B Common Stock by the Selling Stockholders. We may receive up to $115,500 in gross proceeds from the cash exercise of the Placement Agent Warrant. See “Use of Proceeds” beginning on page 12 of this prospectus.
The Class B Common Stock is listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market tier of Nasdaq, under the symbol “ASST.” As of June 6, 2024, the last reported sales price of the Class B Common Stock on Nasdaq was $0.491.
We have two classes of authorized common stock, Class A Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Class A Common Stock”), and Class B Common Stock. The rights of the holders of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock are identical, except with respect to voting and conversion. Each share of Class A Common Stock is entitled to ten votes per share and is convertible into one share of Class B Common Stock. Each share of Class B Common Stock is entitled to one vote per share. As of May 24, 2024, Asset Entities Holdings, LLC (“AEH”), the holder of all of the outstanding Class A Common Stock, holds approximately 91.2% of the voting power of our outstanding capital stock and is therefore our controlling stockholder. In addition, the officers, managers and beneficial owners of the shares held by AEH, all of whom are also some of our officers and directors, have controlling voting power in the Company by collectively controlling approximately 92.6% of all voting rights. As a result, we are a “controlled company” under Nasdaq’s rules, although we do not intend to avail ourselves of the corporate governance exemptions afforded to a “controlled company” under the rules of Nasdaq. See Item 1A. “Risk Factors – Risks Related to Ownership of Our Class B Common Stock – As a ‘controlled company’ under the rules of Nasdaq, we may choose to exempt our company from certain corporate governance requirements that could have an adverse effect on our public stockholders.” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 (the “Annual Report”), which is incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
We are an “emerging growth company”, as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, under applicable U.S. federal securities laws, and are eligible for reduced public company reporting requirements. See Item 1A. “Risk Factors – Risks Related to Ownership of Our Class B Common Stock – We are subject to ongoing public reporting requirements that are less rigorous than Exchange Act rules for companies that are not emerging growth companies and our stockholders could receive less information than they might expect to receive from more mature public companies.” in the Annual Report, which is incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
The Selling Stockholders may offer and sell the securities being offered by means of this prospectus from time to time in public or private transactions, or both. These sales will occur at fixed prices, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices, or at negotiated prices. The Selling Stockholders may sell the securities being offered to or through underwriters, broker-dealers or agents, who may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the Selling Stockholders, the purchasers of the securities being offered by means of this prospectus, or both. Each of the Selling Stockholders may offer all, some or none of the securities being offered by means of this prospectus. The Selling Stockholders, including any of the Selling Stockholders who are broker-dealers or affiliates of broker-dealers, and any other participating broker-dealers, may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and any commissions or discounts given to any such broker-dealer, affiliates of a broker-dealer or other “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act may be regarded as underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. See “Plan of Distribution” for a more complete description of the ways in which the securities being offered by means of this prospectus may be sold.
Investing in our securities is highly speculative and involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 9 of this prospectus, in any applicable prospectus supplement, in any related free writing prospectus, and in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus before you make an investment decision.
Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state or provincial securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is , 2024.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
You should rely only on the information that we have provided or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any supplement to this prospectus, and any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. No dealer, salesperson or other person is authorized to give any information or to represent anything not contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement, or any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you. You must not rely on any unauthorized information or representation. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the securities offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. You should assume that the information in this prospectus, prospectus supplement, or any related free writing prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front of the document and that any information we have incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus, any supplement to this prospectus, or any related free writing prospectus, or any sale of a security.
Trademarks, Trade Names and Service Marks
We use various trademarks, trade names and service marks in our business, including “AE 360 DDM”, “Asset Entities Where Assets Are Created”, “SiN”, “Social Influencer Network”, “Ternary D”, “Options Swing”, and associated marks. For convenience, we may not include the ℠, ® or ™ symbols, but such omission is not meant to indicate that we would not protect our intellectual property rights to the fullest extent permitted by law. Any other trademarks, trade names or service marks referred to in this prospectus or any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus are the property of their respective owners.
Industry and Market Data
We are responsible for the information contained in this prospectus or any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus. This prospectus and documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus include industry data and forecasts that we obtained from industry publications and surveys as well as public filings and internal company sources. Industry publications, surveys and forecasts generally state that the information contained therein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Statements as to our ranking, market position and market estimates are based on third-party forecasts, management’s estimates and assumptions about our markets and our internal research. We have not independently verified such third-party information, nor have we ascertained the underlying economic assumptions relied upon in those sources. While we believe that all such information contained in this prospectus is accurate and complete, nonetheless such data involve uncertainties and risks, including risks from errors, and is subject to change based on various factors, including those discussed under “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in this prospectus and documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
i
This summary highlights selected information contained elsewhere in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus. This summary is not complete and does not contain all of the information that you should consider before deciding whether to invest in our securities. You should carefully read the entire prospectus and the other information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, including the risks associated with an investment in our company discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus and the other documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, before making an investment decision. Some of the statements in this prospectus and the other documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus are forward-looking statements. See the section titled “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
Company Overview
Asset Entities is a technology company providing social media marketing and content delivery services across Discord, TikTok, and other social media platforms. We also design, develop and manage servers for communities on Discord. Based on the growth of our Discord servers and social media following, we have developed three categories of services: (1) our Discord investment education and entertainment services, (2) social media and marketing services, and (3) our “AE.360.DDM” brand services. We also offer Ternary v2, a cloud-based subscription management and payment processing solution for Discord communities, which includes a suite of customer relations management tools and Stripe-verified payment processing. All of our services are based on our effective use of Discord as well as other social media including TikTok, X, Instagram, and YouTube.
Our Discord investment education and entertainment service is designed primarily by and for enthusiastic Generation Z, or Gen Z, retail investors, creators and influencers. Gen Z is commonly considered to be people born between 1997 and 2012. Our investment education and entertainment service focuses on stock, real estate, cryptocurrency, and NFT community learning programs designed for the next generation. While we believe that Gen Z will continue to be our primary market, our Discord server offering features education and entertainment content covering real estate investments, which is expected to appeal strongly to older generations as well. Our current combined server user membership is approximately 209,417 as of May 2024.
Our social media and marketing services utilize our management’s social influencer backgrounds by offering social media and marketing campaign services to business clients. Our team of social influencer independent contractors, which we call our “SiN” or “Social Influencer Network”, can perform social media and marketing campaign services to expand our clients’ Discord server bases and drive traffic to their businesses, as well as increase membership in our own servers.
Our “AE.360.DDM, Design Develop Manage” service, or “AE.360.DDM”, is a suite of services to individuals and companies seeking to create a server on Discord. We believe we are the first company to provide “Design, Develop and Manage,” or DDM, services for any individual, company, or organization that wishes to join Discord and create their own community. With our AE.360.DDM rollout, we are uniquely positioned to offer DDM services in the growing market for Discord servers.
Through Ternary v2, our subscription management and payment processing solution for Discord communities, subscribers can monetize and manage their Discord users. Ternary v2 simplifies the process for our subscribers to sell memberships to their Discord servers on their websites and collect payments through Stripe with daily payouts; add digital products and services and designate purchase options to their Discord servers; customize their user Discord permissions and roles and other Discord settings; and utilize our Discord bot to automatically apply their Discord user settings to authenticate new users, apply customizable permission sets to users, and remove users when their subscription expire. As a Stripe-verified partner through Ternary v2, we can also assist subscribers with integrating other platforms into their Discord servers with open application programming interfaces, further extending our platform’s capabilities.
We believe that we are a leading provider of all of these services, and that demand for all of our services will continue to grow. We expect to experience rapid revenue growth from our services. We believe that we have built a scalable and sustainable business model and that our competitive strengths position us favorably in each aspect of our business.
Our revenue depends on the number of paying subscribers to our Discord servers. During the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, we received revenue from 438 and 382 Asset Entities Discord server paying subscribers, respectively.
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Corporate Information
Our principal executive offices are located at 100 Crescent Court, 7th Floor, Dallas, TX 75201, and our telephone number is (214) 459-3117. We maintain a website at https://assetentities.com/. Information available on our website is not incorporated by reference in and is not deemed a part of this prospectus.
May 2024 Private Placement
Securities Purchase Agreement
On May 24, 2024, we entered into the Ionic Purchase Agreement with Ionic for the issuance and sale of up to 330 shares of the Company’s newly designated Series A Preferred Stock for maximum gross proceeds of $3,000,000. The shares of the Series A Preferred Stock are convertible into shares of Class B Common Stock. Pursuant to the Ionic Purchase Agreement, we are required to issue and sell 165 shares of Series A Preferred Stock at each of two closings subject to the satisfaction of the terms and conditions for each closing. The first closing (the “First Closing”) occurred on May 24, 2024 for the issuance and sale of 165 shares of Series A Preferred Stock for gross proceeds of $1,500,000. The second closing (the “Second Closing”), for the issuance and sale of 165 shares of Series A Preferred Stock for gross proceeds of $1,500,000, will occur on the first business day on which the conditions specified in the Ionic Purchase Agreement for the Second Closing are satisfied or waived, including the filing and effectiveness of the First Registration Statement (as defined below) and the effectiveness of the Stockholder Approval.
Registration Rights Agreement
In connection with the Ionic Purchase Agreement, we agreed to provide certain registration rights to Ionic, pursuant to a registration rights agreement, dated as of May 24, 2024 (the “Ionic Registration Rights Agreement”). The Ionic Registration Rights Agreement provides for the registration for resale of any and all shares of Class B Common Stock issuable to Ionic with respect to the shares of Series A Preferred Stock under the Ionic Purchase Agreement (the “Registrable Conversion Shares”). Within the later of 15 calendar days of the First Closing or May 24, 2024, we were required to file the registration statement (the “First Registration Statement”) of which this prospectus forms a part for the offer and resale of the maximum number of Registrable Conversion Shares permitted to be covered under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The First Registration Statement must be declared effective within 45 days of the First Closing, or 90 days if the First Registration Statement receives a review. If an additional registration statement must be filed to cover the resale of Registrable Conversion Shares that were not permitted to be included in the First Registration Statement, we must file an additional registration statement (the “Second Registration Statement”) within 15 days of the Second Closing for the maximum number of Registrable Conversion Shares permitted to be covered under SEC rules. The Second Registration Statement must be declared effective within 45 days of the Second Closing, or 90 days if the Second Registration Statement receives a review. In the event the number of shares of Class B Common Stock available under the First Registration Statement and the Second Registration Statement is insufficient to cover all of the Registrable Conversion Shares, we will be required to file at least one additional registration statement (each of such additional registration statement, the First Registration Statement, and the Second Registration Statement, and collectively, the “Registration Statement”) within 14 days of the date that the necessity arises and that such additional Registration Statement may be filed under SEC rules to cover such Registrable Conversion Shares up to the maximum permitted to be covered under SEC rules, which must be made effective within 45 days of such date, or 90 days if such additional Registration Statement receives a review. Any failure to meet the filing deadline for either the First Registration Statement or the Second Registration Statement (“Filing Failure”) will result in liquidated damages of 100,000 shares of Class B Common Stock. Any failure to meet the effectiveness deadline for any Registration Statement (“Effectiveness Failure”) will result in liquidated damages of 100,000 shares of Class B Common Stock. Each of the shares issuable upon a Filing Failure or an Effectiveness Failure must also be covered by a Registration Statement to the same extent as the Registrable Conversion Shares. We will be required to use our best efforts to keep each Registration Statement effective until all such shares of Class B Common Stock are sold or may be sold without restriction pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act (“Rule 144”), and without the requirement for us to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144.
Terms of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock under Certificate of Designation and Securities Purchase Agreement
Pursuant to the Ionic Purchase Agreement, on May 24, 2024, we filed the Certificate of Designation with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada designating 660 shares of the Company’s Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value per share, as “Series A Convertible Preferred Stock,” and setting forth the voting and other powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights of the Series A Preferred Stock. Each share of Series A Preferred Stock has an initial Stated Value of $10,000 per share.
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The Series A Preferred Stock ranks senior to all capital stock of the Company with respect to the payment of dividends, distributions and payments upon the liquidation, dissolution and winding up of the Company, unless the holders of the majority of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock consent to the creation of other capital stock of the Company that is senior or equal in rank to the Series A Preferred Stock.
Holders of Series A Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive cumulative dividends, in shares of Class B Common Stock (or cash at the Company’s option) on the Stated Value at an annual rate of 6% (which will increase to 12% if a Triggering Event occurs until such Triggering Event, if curable, is cured). Dividends will be payable upon conversion or redemption of the Series A Preferred Stock.
Holders of Series A Preferred Stock will be entitled to convert shares of Series A Preferred Stock into a number of shares of Class B Common Stock determined by dividing the Stated Value of such shares (plus any accrued but unpaid dividends and other amounts due, unless paid by the Company in cash) by the Conversion Price. The initial Conversion Price is $0.75, subject to adjustment including adjustments due to full-ratchet anti-dilution provisions. Holders may elect to convert shares of Series A Preferred Stock to Class B Common Stock at the Alternate Conversion Price equal to 85% (or 70% if the Company’s Class B Common Stock is suspended from trading on or delisted from a principal trading market or upon occurrence of a Triggering Event) of the average lowest daily volume weighed average price of the Class B Common Stock during the Alternate Conversion Measuring Period.
A holder of Series A Preferred Stock may not convert the Series A Preferred Stock into Class B Common Stock to the extent that such conversion would cause such holder’s beneficial ownership of Class B Common Stock to exceed 4.99% of the outstanding Class B Common Stock immediately after conversion, which may be increased by the holder to up to 9.99% upon no fewer than 61 days’ prior notice. In addition, the Company may not issue shares of Class B Common Stock upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock at less than the Minimum Price in an amount that may exceed the Exchange Limitation, or conversions at less than the Floor Price regardless of whether the Exchange Limitation has been reached, before the Stockholder Approval is obtained and effective for such issuances in excess of the Exchange Limitation in accordance with the requirements described immediately below. The Ionic Purchase Agreement requires that the Company obtain the Stockholder Approval by the prior written consent of the requisite stockholders to obtain the approval of such number of the holders of the outstanding shares of the Company’s voting securities as required by the Bylaws and the NRS, to ratify and approve all of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, including the issuance of all of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock and shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon conversion of such shares pursuant to the Ionic Purchase Agreement, all as may be required by the applicable rules and regulations of The Nasdaq Capital Market tier of Nasdaq (or any successor entity). The Series A Preferred Stock also may not be converted except to the extent that the shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon such conversion may be resold pursuant to Rule 144 or an effective and available registration statement.
The Ionic Purchase Agreement and the Certificate of Designation require that the Company file a Preliminary Information Statement on Schedule 14C with the SEC within 10 days of the date of the First Closing followed by the filing of a Definitive Information Statement on Schedule 14C with the SEC within 20 days of the date of the First Closing, or within 45 days of the date of the First Closing if delayed due to a court or regulatory agency, including but not limited to the SEC, which shall disclose the Stockholder Approval. In accordance with the rules of the SEC, the Stockholder Approval will become effective 20 days after the Definitive Information Statement is sent or given in accordance with SEC rules. Prior to such date of effectiveness, if the number of shares of Class B Common Stock subject to a conversion would exceed the Exchange Limitation prior to the date of the effectiveness of the Stockholder Approval, and the Conversion Price for such conversion would be lower than the Minimum Price or the Floor Price, then, upon any conversion of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, the Stated Value will automatically be increased by an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying (A) the higher of (I) the highest price that the Class B Common Stock trades at on the Trading Day (as defined below) immediately preceding the conversion date and (II) the applicable Conversion Price and (B) the difference obtained by subtracting (I) the number of shares of Class B Common Stock delivered (or to be delivered) to the holder on the applicable conversion date with respect to such conversion of Series A Preferred Stock from (II) the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the applicable value of the Series A Preferred Stock being converted that the holder has elected to be the subject of the applicable conversion of Series A Preferred Stock, by (y) the applicable Conversion Price.
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In accordance with the requirements and provisions described above, on May 24, 2024, the Company obtained the Stockholder Approval by execution of a written consent in lieu of a special meeting of a majority of the voting power of the stockholders of the Company approving a resolution approving the issuance of Class B Common Stock in aggregate in excess of the limitations provided by Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d), including that an amount of shares of Class B Common Stock equal to or greater than 20% of the total common stock or voting power outstanding on the date of the Certificate of Designation may be issued pursuant to the Certificate of Designation at a price that may be less than either or both of the Minimum Price or the Floor Price. In addition, on May 31, 2024, the Company filed a Preliminary Information Statement on Schedule 14C with the SEC. The Company will be required to file a Definitive Information Statement on Schedule 14C with the SEC disclosing the Stockholder Approval on or before June 13, 2024, or on or before July 8, 2024 if delayed due to a court or regulatory agency, including but not limited to the SEC. On the 20th day following actions meeting these and other applicable requirements, the Stockholder Approval will be effective, and the Company will be permitted to issue more than the limited number of shares as defined by the Exchange Limitation, at prices that may be below the Minimum Price or the Floor Price.
Under the Ionic Purchase Agreement, if the closing price of the Class B Common Stock falls below $0.75 per share, the holder’s total sales of Class B Common Stock will be restricted. The holder may only sell either the greater of $25,000 per Trading Day or 15% of the daily trading volume of the Class B Common Stock reported by Bloomberg, LP, until the closing price exceeds $0.75. “Trading Day” is defined as a day on which the principal trading market for the Class B Common Stock is open for trading for at least six hours.
The Series A Preferred Stock will automatically convert to Class B Common Stock upon the 24-month anniversary of the initial issuance date of the Series A Preferred Stock.
The Company will have the right at any time to redeem all or any portion of the Series A Preferred Stock then outstanding at a price equal to 110% of the Stated Value plus any accrued but unpaid dividends and other amounts due.
Holders of the Series A Preferred Stock will generally have the right to vote on an as-converted basis with the Class B Common Stock, subject to the beneficial ownership limitation set forth in the Certificate of Designation.
We may not sell securities in a financing transaction while Ionic beneficially owns any of the Series A Preferred Stock or the common stock until the end of the 30-day period following the initial date of the effectiveness of the First Registration Statement of which this prospectus forms a part or during any Alternate Conversion Measuring Period. In addition, the Company may not file any other registration statement or any offering statement under the Securities Act, other than a registration statement on Form S-8 or supplements or amendments to registration statements that were filed and effective as of the date of the Ionic Purchase Agreement, unless each Registration Statement is effective and the respective prospectus is available for use, or the shares of Series A Preferred Stock and underlying shares of Class B Common Stock that must be included in each Registration Statement under the Ionic Registration Rights Agreement may be resold without limitation under Rule 144.
Placement Agent Compensation
In connection with each closing under the Ionic Purchase Agreement, pursuant to the Boustead Engagement Letter, and the underwriting agreement between us and Boustead, as representative of the underwriters of our initial public offering, dated February 2, 2023 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), we are required to pay Boustead a fee equal to 7% of the aggregate purchase price and a non-accountable expense allowance equal to 1% of the aggregate purchase price for the Series A Preferred Stock. On the date of the First Closing, we therefore paid Boustead a total amount of $120,000, and will be required to pay Boustead a total amount of $120,000 on the date of the Second Closing. In addition, on the date of the First Closing, the Company was required to issue the Placement Agent Warrant to Boustead for the purchase of 154,000 shares of Class B Common Stock, equal to 7% of the number of shares of Class B Common Stock that may be issued upon conversion of the Shares sold at the First Closing at the initial Conversion Price of $0.75 per share, subject to the Exchange Limitation before the effectiveness of the Stockholder Approval. If and when the Second Closing occurs, the Company will be required to issue an additional placement agent warrant to Boustead for the purchase of 154,000 shares of Class B Common Stock, equal to 7% of the number of shares of Class B Common Stock that may be issued upon conversion of the Shares sold at the Second Closing at the initial Conversion Price of $0.75 per share. The Placement Agent Warrant and each additional placement agent warrant issuable under the Boustead Engagement Letter in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Ionic Purchase Agreement will have an exercise price of $0.75 per share. In addition, we must issue 7,000 shares of Class B Common Stock to Boustead upon the occurrence of each Filing Failure and each Effectiveness Failure. Notwithstanding certain provisions in the Boustead Engagement Letter, the Placement Agent Warrant and any additional placement agent warrant will not contain piggyback registration rights and will not contain anti-dilution provisions for future stock issuances, etc., at a price or at prices below the exercise price per share, or provide for automatic exercise immediately prior to expiration. The Placement Agent Warrant and any additional placement agent warrant and the underlying shares may be deemed to be compensation by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), and may be subject to limits on exercise under FINRA rules.
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The Offering
| Class B Common Stock offered by the Selling Stockholders: | This prospectus relates to 7,748,521 shares of Class B Common Stock which may be sold from time to time by the Selling Stockholders, which includes: | ||
| ● | up to 7,594,521 of the shares of Class B Common Stock by Ionic issuable upon the conversion of shares of Series A Preferred Stock issued to Ionic pursuant to the Ionic Purchase Agreement and the Certificate of Designation, subject to applicable limitations or restrictions; and | ||
| ● | up to 154,000 shares of Class B Common Stock by Boustead issuable upon exercise of the Placement Agent Warrant. | ||
| Use of proceeds: | We will not receive any proceeds from any sales of the Class B Common Stock by the Selling Stockholders. Assuming the full exercise of the Placement Agent Warrant for cash, we will receive gross proceeds of $115,500. | ||
| Risk factors: | Investing in our Class B Common Stock involves a high degree of risk. As an investor, you should be able to bear a complete loss of your investment. You should carefully consider the information set forth in the “Risk Factors” section beginning on page 9 before deciding to invest in our Class B Common Stock. | ||
| Trading market and symbol: | Our Class B Common Stock is listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market tier of Nasdaq under the symbol “ASST”. | ||
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The description of our authorized capital stock and our outstanding securities as of the date of the filing of the Annual Report is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Annual Report, and supplemented or updated as follows:
General
As of May 24, 2024, there were 7,532,029 shares of Class A Common Stock, 7,522,971 shares of Class B Common Stock, 165 shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding, and no other shares of preferred stock issued and outstanding.
Series A Preferred Stock
Pursuant to the Ionic Purchase Agreement, on May 24, 2024, we filed the Certificate of Designation with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada designating 660 shares of the Company’s Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value per share, as “Series A Convertible Preferred Stock,” and setting forth the voting and other powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights of the Series A Preferred Stock. Each share of Series A Preferred Stock has an initial Stated Value of $10,000 per share.
The Series A Preferred Stock ranks senior to all capital stock of the Company with respect to the payment of dividends, distributions and payments upon the liquidation, dissolution and winding up of the Company, unless the holders of the majority of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock consent to the creation of other capital stock of the Company that is senior or equal in rank to the Series A Preferred Stock.
Holders of Series A Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive cumulative dividends, in shares of Class B Common Stock (or cash at the Company’s option) on the Stated Value at an annual rate of 6% (which will increase to 12% if a Triggering Event occurs until such Triggering Event, if curable, is cured). Dividends will be payable upon conversion or redemption of the Series A Preferred Stock.
Holders of Series A Preferred Stock will be entitled to convert shares of Series A Preferred Stock into a number of shares of Class B Common Stock determined by dividing the Stated Value of such shares (plus any accrued but unpaid dividends and other amounts due, unless paid by the Company in cash) by the Conversion Price. The initial Conversion Price is $0.75, subject to adjustment including adjustments due to full-ratchet anti-dilution provisions. Holders may elect to convert shares of Series A Preferred Stock to Class B Common Stock at the Alternate Conversion Price equal to 85% (or 70% if the Company’s Class B Common Stock is suspended from trading on or delisted from a principal trading market or upon occurrence of a Triggering Event) of the average lowest daily volume weighed average price of the Class B Common Stock during the Alternate Conversion Measuring Period.
A holder of Series A Preferred Stock may not convert the Series A Preferred Stock into Class B Common Stock to the extent that such conversion would cause such holder’s beneficial ownership of Class B Common Stock to exceed 4.99% of the outstanding Class B Common Stock immediately after conversion, which may be increased by the holder to up to 9.99% upon no fewer than 61 days’ prior notice. In addition, we may not issue shares of Class B Common Stock upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock at less than the Minimum Price in an amount exceeding the Exchange Limitation, or less than the Floor Price of $0.0855 per share regardless of whether the Exchange Limitation has been reached, before the effectiveness of the Stockholder Approval. The Ionic Purchase Agreement requires that the Company obtain the Stockholder Approval by the prior written consent of the requisite stockholders to obtain the approval of such number of the holders of the outstanding shares of the Company’s voting securities as required by the Bylaws and the NRS, to ratify and approve all of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, including the issuance of all of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock and shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon conversion of such shares pursuant to the Ionic Purchase Agreement, all as may be required by the applicable rules and regulations of The Nasdaq Capital Market tier of Nasdaq (or any successor entity). The Series A Preferred Stock also may not be converted except to the extent that the shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon such conversion may be resold pursuant to Rule 144 or an effective and available registration statement.
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The Ionic Purchase Agreement and the Certificate of Designation require that the Company file a Preliminary Information Statement on Schedule 14C with the SEC within 10 days of the date of the First Closing followed by the filing of a Definitive Information Statement on Schedule 14C with the SEC within 20 days of the date of the First Closing, or within 45 days of the date of the First Closing if delayed due to a court or regulatory agency, including but not limited to the SEC, which shall disclose the Stockholder Approval. In accordance with the rules of the SEC, the Stockholder Approval will become effective 20 days after the Definitive Information Statement is sent or given in accordance with SEC rules. Prior to such date of effectiveness, if the number of shares of Class B Common Stock subject to a conversion would exceed the Exchange Limitation prior to the date of the effectiveness of the Stockholder Approval, and the Conversion Price for such conversion would be lower than the Minimum Price or the Floor Price, then, upon any conversion of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, the Stated Value will automatically be increased by an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying (A) the higher of (I) the highest price that the Class B Common Stock trades at on the Trading Day (as defined below) immediately preceding the conversion date and (II) the applicable Conversion Price and (B) the difference obtained by subtracting (I) the number of shares of Class B Common Stock delivered (or to be delivered) to the holder on the applicable conversion date with respect to such conversion of Series A Preferred Stock from (II) the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the applicable value of the Series A Preferred Stock being converted that the holder has elected to be the subject of the applicable conversion of Series A Preferred Stock, by (y) the applicable Conversion Price.
In accordance with the requirements and provisions described above, on May 24, 2024, the Company obtained the Stockholder Approval by execution of a written consent in lieu of a special meeting of a majority of the voting power of the stockholders of the Company approving a resolution approving the issuance of Class B Common Stock in aggregate in excess of the limitations provided by Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d), including that an amount of shares of Class B Common Stock equal to or greater than 20% of the total common stock or voting power outstanding on the date of the Certificate of Designation may be issued pursuant to the Certificate of Designation at a price that may be less than either or both of the Minimum Price or the Floor Price. In addition, on May 31, 2024, the Company filed a Preliminary Information Statement on Schedule 14C with the SEC. The Company will be required to file a Definitive Information Statement on Schedule 14C with the SEC disclosing the Stockholder Approval on or before June 13, 2024, or on or before July 8, 2024 if delayed due to a court or regulatory agency, including but not limited to the SEC. On the 20th day following actions meeting these and other applicable requirements, the Stockholder Approval will be effective, and the Company will be permitted to issue more than the limited number of shares as defined by the Exchange Limitation, at prices that may be below the Minimum Price or the Floor Price.
Under the Ionic Purchase Agreement, if the closing price of the Class B Common Stock falls below $0.75 per share, the holder’s total sales of Class B Common Stock will be restricted. The holder can sell either the greater of $25,000 per Trading Day or 15% of the daily trading volume of the Class B Common Stock reported by Bloomberg, LP, until the closing price exceeds $0.75. “Trading Day” is defined as a day on which the principal trading market for the Class B Common Stock is open for trading for at least six hours.
The Series A Preferred Stock will automatically convert to Class B Common Stock upon the 24-month anniversary of the initial issuance date of the Series A Preferred Stock.
The Company will have the right at any time to redeem all or any portion of the Series A Preferred Stock then outstanding at a price equal to 110% of the Stated Value plus any accrued but unpaid dividends and other amounts due.
Holders of the Series A Preferred Stock will generally have the right to vote on an as-converted basis with the Class B Common Stock, subject to the beneficial ownership limitation set forth in the Certificate of Designation.
We may not sell securities in a financing transaction while Ionic beneficially owns any of the Series A Preferred Stock or the common stock until the end of the 30-day period following the initial date of the effectiveness of the First Registration Statement of which this prospectus forms a part or during any Alternate Conversion Measuring Period. In addition, the Company may not file any other registration statement or any offering statement under the Securities Act, other than a registration statement on Form S-8 or supplements or amendments to registration statements that were filed and effective as of the date of the Ionic Purchase Agreement, unless each Registration Statement is effective and the respective prospectus is available for use, or the shares of Series A Preferred Stock and underlying shares of Class B Common Stock that must be included in each Registration Statement under the Ionic Registration Rights Agreement may be resold without limitation under Rule 144.
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Ionic also has certain registration rights with respect to the Registrable Conversion Shares under the Ionic Registration Rights Agreement. The Ionic Registration Rights Agreement provides for the registration for resale of the Registrable Conversion Shares, which consist of any and all shares of Class B Common Stock issuable to Ionic with respect to the Series A Preferred Stock under the Ionic Purchase Agreement. Within the later of 15 calendar days of the First Closing or May 24, 2024, we were required to file the First Registration Statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, for the offer and resale of the maximum number of Registrable Conversion Shares permitted to be covered under SEC rules. The First Registration Statement must be declared effective within 45 days of the First Closing, or 90 days if the First Registration Statement receives a review. If an additional registration statement must be filed to cover the resale of Registrable Conversion Shares that were not permitted to be included in the First Registration Statement, we must file the Second Registration Statement within 15 days of the Second Closing for the maximum number of Registrable Conversion Shares permitted to be covered under SEC rules. The Second Registration Statement must be declared effective within 45 days of the Second Closing, or 90 days if the Second Registration Statement receives a review. In the event the number of shares of Class B Common Stock available under the First Registration Statement and the Second Registration Statement is insufficient to cover all of the Registrable Conversion Shares, we will be required to file at least one additional Registration Statement within 14 days of the date that the necessity arises and that such additional Registration Statement may be filed under SEC rules to cover such Registrable Conversion Shares up to the maximum permitted to be covered under SEC rules, which must be made effective within 45 days of such date, or 90 days if such additional Registration Statement receives a review. Any failure to meet the filing deadline for either the First Registration Statement or the Second Registration Statement (“Filing Failure”) will result in liquidated damages of 100,000 shares of Class B Common Stock. Any failure to meet the effectiveness deadline for any Registration Statement (“Effectiveness Failure”) will result in liquidated damages of 100,000 shares of Class B Common Stock. Each of the shares issuable upon a Filing Failure or an Effectiveness Failure must also be covered by a Registration Statement to the same extent as the Registrable Conversion Shares. We will be required to use our best efforts to keep each Registration Statement effective until all such shares of Class B Common Stock are sold or may be sold without restriction pursuant to Rule 144, and without the requirement for us to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144.
Placement Agent Warrant Relating to First Closing Under Ionic Purchase Agreement
In connection with each closing under the Ionic Purchase Agreement, pursuant to the Boustead Engagement Letter, and the Underwriting Agreement, on the date of the First Closing, we were required to issue the Placement Agent Warrant to Boustead for the purchase of 154,000 shares of Class B Common Stock, equal to 7% of the number of shares of Class B Common Stock that may be issued upon conversion of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock sold at the First Closing, subject to the Exchange Limitation before the effectiveness of the Stockholder Approval. If and when the Second Closing occurs, we will be required to issue an additional placement agent warrant to Boustead for the purchase of 154,000 shares of Class B Common Stock, equal to 7% of the number of shares of Class B Common Stock that may be issued upon conversion of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock sold at the Second Closing. The Placement Agent Warrant and each additional placement agent warrant issuable under the Boustead Engagement Letter in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Ionic Purchase Agreement will have an exercise price of $0.75 per share. Notwithstanding certain provisions in the Boustead Engagement Letter, the Placement Agent Warrant and any additional placement agent warrant will not contain piggyback registration rights and will not contain anti-dilution provisions for future stock issuances, etc., at a price or at prices below the exercise price per share, or provide for automatic exercise immediately prior to expiration. The Placement Agent Warrant and any additional placement agent warrant and the underlying shares may be deemed to be compensation by FINRA, and may be subject to limits on exercise under FINRA rules.
Equity Incentive Plan Restricted Shares
On May 2, 2022, we adopted the Asset Entities Inc. 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The purpose of the Plan is to grant restricted stock and stock options to our officers, employees, directors, advisors and consultants. The maximum number of shares of Class B Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to awards granted under the Plan is 2,750,000 shares. Cancelled and forfeited stock options and stock awards may again become available for grant under the 2022 Plan. The Plan expires on May 2, 2032. As of May 24, 2024, we have granted 1,920,000 restricted shares of Class B Common Stock under the Plan. For further information, please see Item 11. “Executive Compensation – 2022 Equity Incentive Plan” of the Annual Report.
On February 6, 2023, we filed a Registration Statement on Form S-8 to register shares of Class B Common Stock issuable to certain of our employees, consultants and directors pursuant to the Plan. On February 7, 2023, we then granted a total of 1,411,000 restricted shares of Class B Common Stock under the Plan to the directors and officers of the Company, which are subject to certain vesting conditions.
On May 15, 2023, we granted 100,000 restricted shares of Class B Common Stock under the Plan to a consultant of the Company.
On June 8, 2023, we granted 100,000 restricted shares of Class B Common Stock under the Plan to a consultant of the Company, which are subject to certain vesting conditions. These shares were issued by our transfer agent on March 6, 2024.
On November 10, 2023, we granted a total of 300,000 restricted shares of Class B Common Stock under the Plan to employees and an officer of the Company, which are subject to certain vesting conditions. These shares were issued by our transfer agent on January 22, 2024.
On May 16, 2024, we granted 9,000 restricted shares of Class B Common Stock under the Plan to a director of the Company, which are subject to certain vesting conditions.
8
An investment in our Class B Common Stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the following risk factors, together with the other information contained in this prospectus, and the financial and other information set forth under Item 1A. “Risk Factors” of the Annual Report, which is incorporated herein by reference, and in other filings we make with the SEC, before purchasing our Class B Common Stock. We have listed below (not necessarily in order of importance or probability of occurrence) what we believe to be the most significant risk factors applicable to us, but they do not constitute all of the risks that may be applicable to us. Any of the following factors could harm our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects, and could result in a partial or complete loss of your investment. Some statements in this prospectus and in the reports incorporated herein by reference, including statements in the following risk factors, constitute forward-looking statements. Please refer to the section titled “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements”.
Risks Related to This Offering
Substantial future sales or issuances of our common stock or securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, our common stock, or the perception in the public markets that these sales or issuances may occur, may depress our stock price. Also, future issuances of our common stock or rights to purchase common stock could result in additional dilution of the percentage ownership of our stockholders and could cause our stock price to fall.
The conversion or exercise of our outstanding convertible or exercisable securities and resale of the underlying common stock, and any other future issuances of our common stock or securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, our common stock, would result in a decrease in the ownership percentage of existing stockholders, i.e., dilution, which may cause the market price of our common stock to decline. We cannot predict the effect, if any, of future issuances, conversions, or exercises of our securities, on the price of our common stock. In all events, future issuances of our common stock would result in the dilution of your holdings. In addition, the perception that new issuances of our securities are likely to occur, or the perception that holders of securities convertible or exercisable for common stock are likely to sell their securities, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock. The effect of such dilution may be magnified as to all shares that are not or may eventually not be subject to restrictions on resale as enumerated below.
If the Minimum Price and the Floor Price were rendered inapplicable by the Stockholder Approval, then, based on the initial Conversion Price of $0.75 per share of Class B Common Stock, if Ionic converted all 330 of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock that were issued or that may be issued to Ionic pursuant to the Ionic Purchase Agreement and the Certificate of Designation, then, at the initial Stated Value of $10,000 per share, Ionic would be issued 4,400,000 shares of Class B Common Stock. An indeterminate number of shares of Class B Common Stock would be required to be issued if Ionic converts the shares of Series A Preferred Stock at the Alternate Conversion Price. The applicable Conversion Price may also be reduced as a result of a downward adjustment to the Conversion Price upon application of full-ratchet anti-dilution provisions. An additional 100,000 shares of Class B Common Stock must also be issued for any Filing Failure or Effectiveness Failure, and an additional 7,000 shares of Class B Common Stock must be issued to Boustead in connection with each such issuance. 308,000 shares of Class B Common Stock will also be issued if the Placement Agent Warrant and the placement agent warrant that must be issued with respect to the shares of Series A Preferred Stock at the time of the Second Closing are exercised in full. As a result, there may be significant dilution to our stockholders’ ownership, voting power and right to participate in dividends or other payments from future earnings, if any, and may cause a decline in the market price of our Class B Common Stock. Moreover, the Registration Statement, once effective, will allow such shares to be resold immediately into the public market without restriction, which may also adversely affect the market price of our common stock. A decline in our market price could also impair our ability to raise funds in additional equity or debt financings.
As of May 24, 2024, we have also granted 1,920,000 restricted shares of Class B Common Stock under the Plan to officers, directors, employees, and consultants that remain outstanding. We have filed a registration statement on Form S-8 to register the offering of these shares as well as other shares under stock options or other equity compensation that may be granted to our officers, directors, employees, and consultants or reserved for future issuance under the Plan. Subject to the satisfaction of vesting conditions, all of these shares registered under the registration statement on Form S-8 will be available for resale immediately in the public market without restriction other than those restrictions imposed on sales by affiliates pursuant to Rule 144.
9
Additionally, our employees, executive officers, and directors may enter into Rule 10b5-1 trading plans providing for sales of shares of our common stock from time to time. Under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, a broker executes trades pursuant to parameters established by the employee, director, or officer when entering into the plan, without further direction from the employee, officer, or director. A Rule 10b5-1 trading plan may be amended or terminated in some circumstances. Our employees, executive officers, and directors also may buy or sell additional shares outside of a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan when they are not in possession of material, non-public information, subject to the Rule 144 requirements referred to above. Actual or potential resales of our common stock by our employees, executive officers, and directors as restrictions end or pursuant to registration rights may make it more difficult for us to sell equity securities in the future at a time and at a price that we deem appropriate. These sales could also cause the trading price of our common stock to decline and make it more difficult for you to sell shares of our common stock. The market price of shares of our common stock may drop significantly when restrictions on resale by our existing stockholders and beneficial owners lapse. The effect of these grants on the value of your shares may therefore be substantial.
We also expect that significant additional capital may be needed in the future beyond that raised in this offering to continue our planned operations, including potential acquisitions, hiring new personnel, marketing our products, and continuing activities as an operating public company. To the extent we raise additional capital by issuing equity securities, our stockholders may experience substantial dilution. We may sell common stock, convertible securities or other equity securities in one or more transactions at prices and in a manner we determine from time to time. If we sell common stock, convertible securities, or other equity securities in more than one transaction, investors may be materially diluted by subsequent sales. Such sales may also result in material dilution to our existing stockholders, and new investors could gain rights superior to our existing stockholders.
In the event that the market price of shares of our common stock drops significantly when the restrictions on resale by our existing stockholders lapse, existing stockholders’ dilution might be reduced to the extent that the decline in the price of shares of our common stock impedes our ability to raise capital through the issuance of additional shares of our common stock or other equity securities. However, in the event that our capital-raising ability is weakened as a result of a lower stock price, we may be unable to continue to fund our operations, which may further harm the value of our stock price.
Investors who buy shares at different times will likely pay different prices.
Investors who purchase shares in this offering at different times will likely pay different prices, and so may experience different levels of dilution and different outcomes in their investment results. The Selling Stockholders may sell the shares being offered by means of this prospectus at different times and at different prices.
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus, including the documents that we incorporate by reference herein, contains, and any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus including the documents we incorporate by reference therein may contain, forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), including statements regarding our future financial condition, business strategy and plans and objectives of management for future operations. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “believe,” “will,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “plan,” “might,” “approximately,” “expect,” “predict,” “could,” “potentially” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements appear in a number of places throughout this prospectus and include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses or current expectations concerning, among other things:
| ● | our ability to introduce new products and services; |
| ● | our ability to obtain additional funding to develop additional services and offerings; |
| ● | compliance with obligations under intellectual property licenses with third parties; |
| ● | market acceptance of our new offerings; |
| ● | competition from existing online offerings or new offerings that may emerge; |
| ● | our ability to establish or maintain collaborations, licensing or other arrangements; |
| ● | our ability and third parties’ abilities to protect intellectual property rights; |
| ● | our ability to adequately support future growth; |
| ● | our goals and strategies; |
| ● | our future business development, financial condition and results of operations; |
| ● | expected changes in our revenue, costs or expenditures; |
| ● | growth of and competition trends in our industry; |
| ● | the accuracy and completeness of the data underlying our or third-party sources’ industry and market analyses and projections; |
| ● | our expectations regarding demand for, and market acceptance of, our services; |
| ● | our expectations regarding our relationships with investors, institutional funding partners and other parties with whom we collaborate; |
| ● | our ability to comply with continued listing requirements of The Nasdaq Capital Market; |
| ● | fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in the markets in which we operate; and |
| ● | relevant government policies and regulations relating to our industry. |
Forward-looking statements relate to future events or our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievement to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are based on assumptions and subject to such risks, uncertainties and other factors. Discussions containing forward-looking statements may be found, among other places, in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in this prospectus, and the sections entitled “Business,” “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” contained in the documents incorporated by reference herein, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as well as any amendments thereto.
The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus represent our judgment as of the date of this prospectus. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on such statements. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason, even if new information becomes available or other events occur in the future. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained above and throughout this prospectus.
All forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus or any document incorporated by reference herein or therein are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
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We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of Class B Common Stock by the Selling Stockholders. We will receive gross proceeds of up to $115,500 from cash exercise of the Placement Agent Warrant, but not from the sale of the underlying Class B Common Stock.
The Selling Stockholders will pay any underwriting discounts and commissions and expenses incurred by them for brokerage, accounting, tax or legal services or any other expenses incurred by them in disposing of the shares. We will bear all other costs, fees and expenses incurred in effecting the registration of the shares covered by this prospectus, including, without limitation, all registration and filing fees and fees and expenses of our counsel and our accountants.
The Class B Common Stock being offered by the Selling Stockholders are shares of Class B Common Stock issuable to the Selling Stockholders upon the conversion of shares of Series A Preferred Stock or the exercise of the Placement Agent Warrant. We are registering the shares for resale in order to permit the Selling Stockholders to offer the shares for resale from time to time and to comply with our requirements under the Ionic Registration Rights Agreement.
Except as disclosed below, the Selling Stockholders have not had any position, office, or other material relationship with us or any of our predecessors or affiliates within the past three years other than with respect to the ownership of these securities, and, except as disclosed below, based on the information provided to us by the Selling Stockholders, none of the Selling Stockholders is a broker-dealer or an affiliate of a broker-dealer.
We have determined beneficial ownership in accordance with the rules of the SEC. Except as indicated by the footnotes below, we believe, based on the information furnished to us, that the persons and entities named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares that they beneficially own, subject to applicable community property laws.
The table below lists the Selling Stockholders and other information regarding the beneficial ownership of our Class B Common Stock by each of the Selling Stockholders. The second column lists the number of shares of Class B Common Stock beneficially owned by each of the Selling Stockholders. The third column lists the number of shares of Class B Common Stock being offered by this prospectus by the Selling Stockholders. The fourth column assumes the sale of all of the shares of Class B Common Stock being offered by the Selling Stockholders pursuant to this prospectus.
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Applicable percentage ownership is based on 7,522,971 shares of Class B Common Stock outstanding as of May 24, 2024. For purposes of computing percentage ownership after this offering, we have assumed that all shares of Series A Preferred Stock into which the shares of Class B Common Stock being offered pursuant to this prospectus will be converted into shares of Class B Common Stock and sold in this offering, and that the Placement Agent Warrant will be exercised in full and that the shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon such exercise will be sold in this offering. In computing the number of shares beneficially owned by a person and the percentage ownership of that person, we deemed to be outstanding all shares issuable upon exercise of warrants, conversion of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or exercise or conversion of other exercisable or convertible securities held by that person that are currently exercisable or convertible or that will become exercisable or convertible within 60 days of May 24, 2024. We did not deem these shares outstanding, however, for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the shares of Series A Preferred Stock contain beneficial ownership limitations, such that we shall not effect any conversion and no holder has the right to convert such shares to the extent that after giving effect to the issuance of Class B Common Stock upon conversion thereof, the holder, together with its affiliates, would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% of the number of shares of Class B Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such conversion, which such limitation may be increased to 9.99% upon no fewer than 61 days’ prior notice. The issuance of Class B Common Stock upon conversion of shares of Series A Preferred Stock is also limited by the Exchange Limitation. In addition, shares of Class B Common Stock may not be issued upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock except to the extent that the shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon such conversion may be resold pursuant to Rule 144 or an effective and available registration statement. Since the information in the table below is as of May 24, 2024, and as of May 24, 2024, Rule 144 was not available and no registration statement was effective and available with respect to the shares of Class B Common Stock that may be issued upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock, the table below does not include any shares issuable upon conversion of Series A Preferred Stock in the Class B Common Stock beneficially owned prior to this offering.
The number of shares being offered by this prospectus does not give effect to the beneficial ownership limitation described above, the Exchange Limitation, or the limitation on conversion of Series A Preferred Stock to the extent that Rule 144 of an effective registration statement is available.
The Selling Stockholders may sell all, some or none of the shares being offered in this offering. See “Plan of Distribution”.
| Class B Common Stock Beneficially Owned Prior to this Offering | Class B Common Stock Beneficially Owned After this Offering | |||||||||||||||||||
| Name | Number of Shares | Percentage of Outstanding Shares(1) | Number of Shares Being Offered | Number of Shares | Percentage of Outstanding Shares | |||||||||||||||
| Ionic Ventures, LLC(2) | - | - | 7,594,521 | (2) | - | - | ||||||||||||||
| Boustead Securities, LLC(3) | 373,450 | (3) | 4.73 | % | 154,000 | (3) | - | - | ||||||||||||
| (1) | Based on 7,522,971 shares of Class B Common Stock issued and outstanding as of May 24, 2024. Any exercisable or convertible securities exercisable or convertible within 60 days of May 24, 2024 have been included in the denominator with respect to the respective beneficial owner only. |
| (2) | The amount of shares of Class B Common Stock being offered consists of up to 7,594,521 Class B Common Stock issuable upon conversion of a variable amount of the 165 shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by Ionic, based on the initial Stated Value and estimated accrued and unpaid dividends, at an assumed Alternate Conversion Price of $0.365 per share of Class B Common Stock based on the volume-weighted average price of the Class B Common Stock as of May 24, 2024, multiplied by a factor of 150% due to the variability of the applicable inputs used in determining the conversion amount, without giving effect to the beneficial ownership limitation described above or the Exchange Limitation. Brendan O’Neil and Keith Coulston have shared power to vote and dispose the shares held by Ionic. Ionic’s business address is 3053 Fillmore Street, Suite 256, San Francisco, CA 94123. Mr. Coulston and Mr. O’Neil disclaim beneficial ownership of the securities reported herein except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein. |
| (3) | The amount of shares of Class B Common Stock that are beneficially owned consists of (i) 105,000 shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon exercise of a warrant issued to Boustead for services as partial consideration for services as the representative of the underwriters in connection with our initial public offering, and (ii) 268,450 shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon exercise of placement agent warrants issued to Boustead as partial consideration for placement agent services. The number of shares of Class B Common Stock being offered consists of up to 154,000 shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Placement Agent Warrant, without giving effect to the Exchange Limitation. Lincoln Smith has sole voting and investment power over the securities held by Boustead. Boustead is a registered broker-dealer. |
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The Selling Stockholders and any of their pledgees, assignees and successors-in-interest may, from time to time, sell any or all of their securities covered hereby on any stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the securities are traded or in private transactions. These dispositions may be at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of sale, at prices related to the prevailing market price, at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or at negotiated prices. The Selling Stockholders may use any one or more of the following methods when selling securities:
| ● | ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers; |
| ● | block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the securities as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; |
| ● | purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account; |
| ● | an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange; |
| ● | privately negotiated transactions; |
| ● | settlement of short sales; |
| ● | in transactions through broker-dealers that agree with the Selling Stockholders to sell a specified number of such securities at a stipulated price per security; |
| ● | through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise; |
| ● | a combination of any such methods of sale; or |
| ● | any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law. |
The Selling Stockholders may also sell shares of Class B Common Stock offered by this prospectus under Rule 144 or any other exemption from registration under the Securities Act, if available, rather than under this prospectus.
Broker-dealers engaged by the Selling Stockholders may arrange for other brokers-dealers to participate in sales. Broker-dealers may receive commissions or discounts from the Selling Stockholders (or, if any broker-dealer acts as agent for the purchaser of shares of Class B Common Stock offered by this prospectus, from the purchaser) in amounts to be negotiated, but, except as set forth in a supplement to this prospectus, in the case of an agency transaction, not in excess of a customary brokerage commission in compliance with Rule 2121 of FINRA; and in the case of a principal transaction, a markup or markdown in compliance with FINRA Rule 2121.
Pursuant to the Ionic Purchase Agreement, from the date of the Ionic Purchase Agreement (May 24, 2024) until the date that no shares of Series A Preferred Stock are outstanding, neither Ionic nor any of its affiliates or agents will execute (i) any Short Sales (as “short sale” is defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act) of the Class B Common Stock or (ii) any hedging transaction that establishes a net short position with respect to the Class B Common Stock.
Except as described above, in connection with the sale of shares of Class B Common Stock offered by this prospectus or interests therein, the Selling Stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions, which may in turn engage in short sales of the shares of Class B Common Stock in the course of hedging the positions they assume. Except as described above, the Selling Stockholders may also sell shares of Class B Common Stock offered by this prospectus short and deliver these shares to close out their short positions, or loan or pledge the shares to broker-dealers that in turn may sell these shares. The Selling Stockholders may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions or create one or more derivative securities which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of shares of Class B Common Stock offered by this prospectus, which shares such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).
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The Selling Stockholders and any broker-dealers or agents that are involved in selling the shares of Class B Common Stock offered by this prospectus may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with such sales. In such event, any commissions received by such broker-dealers or agents and any profit on the resale of the shares of Class B Common Stock purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act.
The shares of Class B Common Stock offered by this prospectus will be sold only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers if required under applicable state securities laws. In addition, in certain states, the shares of Class B Common Stock may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and is complied with.
Under applicable rules and regulations under the Exchange Act, any person engaged in the distribution of the shares of Class B Common Stock offered by this prospectus may not simultaneously engage in market making activities with respect to the Class B Common Stock for the applicable restricted period, as defined in Regulation M, prior to the commencement of the distribution. In addition, the Selling Stockholders will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, including Regulation M, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of the Class B Common Stock by the Selling Stockholders or any other person. We will make copies of this prospectus available to the Selling Stockholders and have informed them of the need to deliver a copy of this prospectus to each purchaser at or prior to the time of the sale (including by compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act).
The Ionic Registration Rights Agreement contains certain registration requirements with respect to certain of the shares of Class B Common Stock being offered by means of this prospectus. See “Prospectus Summary – May 2024 Private Placement – Registration Rights Agreement”. We are also required to pay certain fees and expenses incurred by the Company incident to the registration of the securities. In addition, we agreed to indemnify Ionic against certain losses, claims, damages and liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or any other law.
The validity of the shares of Class B Common Stock offered pursuant to this prospectus will be passed upon by Fennemore Craig P.C.
The audited consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2023, and for each of the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2023 incorporated herein by reference from the Annual Report, have been audited by WWC, P.C., Certified Public Accountants, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in its report, which is incorporated by reference and has been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon its authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the SEC registering the sale of the securities that may be offered and sold hereunder. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement, the exhibits filed therewith or the documents incorporated by reference therein. For further information about us and the securities offered hereby, reference is made to the registration statement, the exhibits filed therewith and the documents incorporated by reference therein. Statements contained in this prospectus regarding the contents of any contract or any other document that is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement are not necessarily complete, and in each instance we refer you to the copy of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement. We file annual, quarterly and current reports and other information with the SEC.
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The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC. The address of the website is www.sec.gov.
Additionally, we make these filings available, free of charge, on our website at https://investors.assetentities.com as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such materials with, or furnish them to, the SEC. The information on our website, other than these filings, is not, and should not be, considered part of this prospectus and is not incorporated by reference into this document.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference much of the information that we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those publicly available documents. The information that we incorporate by reference in this prospectus is considered to be part of this prospectus. Because we are incorporating by reference future filings with the SEC, this prospectus is continually updated and those future filings may modify or supersede some of the information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. This means that you must look at all of the SEC filings that we incorporate by reference to determine if any of the statements in this prospectus or in any document previously incorporated by reference have been modified or superseded. This prospectus incorporates by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (in each case, other than those documents or the portions of those documents furnished pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of any Current Report on Form 8-K and, except as may be noted in any such Form 8-K, exhibits filed on such form that are related to such information), until the offering of the securities under the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part is terminated:
| ● | our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on April 2, 2024; |
| ● | our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on May 15, 2024; |
| ● | our Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on April 2, 2024, April 9, 2024; April 17, 2024, April 22, 2024, May 16, 2024, May 28, 2024, May 28, 2024, and May 31, 2024; and |
| ● | the description of the Class B Common Stock contained in the Company’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A (File No. 001-41612), filed with the SEC on February 2, 2023, pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description. |
Any statement made in a document incorporated by reference into this prospectus or any prospectus supplement will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus or such prospectus supplement to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or such prospectus supplement modifies or supersedes that statement. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus or such prospectus supplement.
We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a prospectus is delivered, without charge upon written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, other than exhibits to such documents unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference into such documents. Requests should be directed to:
Asset Entities Inc.
Attn: Secretary
100 Crescent Ct, 7th Floor
Dallas, TX 75201
(214) 459-3117.
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Asset Entities Inc.
7,748,521 Shares of Class B Common Stock
PROSPECTUS
_______, 2024
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS
Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution
The following table sets forth the costs and expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, payable by Asset Entities Inc. (the “Registrant,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) in connection with the sale of shares of common stock being registered. All amounts, other than the SEC registration fee, are estimates. We will pay all these expenses.
| Amount | ||||
| SEC registration fee | $ | 493.45 | ||
| Accounting fees and expenses | 5,000 | |||
| Legal fees and expenses | 15,000 | |||
| Transfer agent fees and expenses | 5,000 | |||
| Printing and miscellaneous fees | 2,000 | |||
| Total | $ | 27,493.45 | ||
Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
The Registrant is a Nevada corporation. The Registrant’s bylaws provide for indemnification of the Registrant’s officers and directors against liabilities that they may incur acting as an officer or director to the fullest extent not prohibited by Nevada law. A summary of the circumstances for which such indemnification is provided is set forth below, but this description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Registrant’s articles of incorporation and bylaws and to the statutory provisions.
Discretionary indemnification of officers and directors is covered by Section 78.7502 of the Nevada Revised Statutes (“NRS”). Section 78.7502(1) of the NRS provides that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (except an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if such person: (i) is not liable for a breach of fiduciary duties that involved intentional misconduct, fraud, or a knowing violation of law; or (ii) acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.
NRS Section 78.7502(2) further provides that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses, including amounts paid in settlement and attorneys’ fees actually and reasonably incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of the action or suit if such person: (i) is not liable for a breach of fiduciary duties that involved intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of law; or (ii) acted in good faith and in a manner that he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation. Indemnification may not be made for any claim, issue or matter as to which such a person has been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction, after exhaustion of all appeals therefrom, to be liable to the corporation or for amounts paid in settlement to the corporation, unless and only to the extent that the court in which the action or suit was brought or other court of competent jurisdiction determines upon application that in view of all the circumstances of the case the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses as the court deems proper.
NRS Section 78.751 provides that to the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (1) and (2) of NRS Section 78.7502, as described above, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, the corporation shall indemnify such person against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense.
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The Registrant’s bylaws provide that the Registrant will advance expenses incurred by any director or officer in connection with a proceeding as provided by Nevada law. NRS Section 78.751 provides that a corporation may advance expenses of officers and directors incurred in defending an action upon delivery of an undertaking by such person to repay all amounts so advanced if it is ultimately determined by final judicial decision that the indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses. The Registrant’s bylaws provide that notwithstanding the forgoing, no advance shall be made by Registrant if a determination is reasonably and promptly made (a) by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the proceeding, even if not a quorum, or (b) by a committee of such directors designated by a majority of such directors, even though less than a quorum, or (c) if there are no such directors, or such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, that the facts known to the decision-making party at the time such determination is made demonstrate clearly and convincingly that such person acted in bad faith or in a manner that such person did not believe to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Registrant. The Registrant’s bylaws also provide that the Registrant shall not be required to indemnify any director or officer in connection with any proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person unless (a) such indemnification is expressly required to be made by law, (b) the proceeding was authorized by the board of directors of the corporation, (c) such indemnification is provided by the corporation, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the corporation under the NRS or any other applicable law or (d) such indemnification is required to be made pursuant to the provisions of the bylaws providing for enforcement of indemnification rights under the bylaws.
The circumstances under which indemnification is granted in connection with an action brought on the Registrant’s behalf is generally the same as those set forth above except that indemnification shall not be made for any claim, issue, or matter as to which such person has been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction, after exhaustion of any appeals taken therefrom, to be liable to the corporation or for amounts paid in settlement to the corporation, unless and only to the extent that the court in which the action or suit was brought or other court of competent jurisdiction determines upon application that in view of all the circumstances of the case, the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses as the court deems proper.
Indemnification may also be granted pursuant to the terms of agreements which may be entered in the future or pursuant to a vote of stockholders or directors. The NRS also grant the Registrant the power to purchase and maintain insurance which protects the Registrant’s directors, officers, employees and agents against any liabilities incurred in connection with their service in such a position, and such a policy may be obtained by the Registrant.
To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Registrant’s articles of incorporation eliminate or limit the liability of the Registrant’s directors and officers to the Registrant or the Registrant’s stockholders for monetary damages for breach of an officer or director’s fiduciary duty as an officer or director. NRS Section 138(7) generally provides that a director or officer is not liable to a corporation or its stockholders or creditors for any damages that result from an act or failure to act unless (a) it is proven that such actions or failure was not in good faith, on an informed basis and with a view to the interests of the corporation and (b) the act or failure to act involved intentional misconduct, fraud, or a knowing violation of law.
The Registrant has entered into separate indemnification agreements with the Registrant’s directors and officers. Each indemnification agreement provides, among other things, for indemnification to the fullest extent permitted by law and the Registrant’s articles of incorporation and bylaws against any and all expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement of any claim. The indemnification agreements provide for the advancement or payment of all expenses to the indemnitee and for reimbursement to the Registrant if it is found that such indemnitee is not entitled to such indemnification under applicable law and the Registrant’s articles of incorporation and bylaws.
The Registrant has obtained standard policies of insurance under which coverage is provided (a) to the Registrant’s directors and officers against loss rising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act, and (b) to the Registrant with respect to payments which the Registrant may make to such directors and officers pursuant to the above indemnification provision or otherwise as a matter of law.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the Registrant under the foregoing provisions, the Registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
The following are all issuances of the Registrant’s securities during the past three years that were not registered under the Securities Act.
Organizational Issuances
On March 9, 2022, we issued 10 shares of Class A Common Stock for a total purchase price of $1.00 to Asset Entities Limited Liability Company, a California limited liability company (“California LLC”).
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On March 28, 2022, we merged with California LLC. Pursuant to the agreement and plan of merger, the units of California LLC were automatically converted into shares of Asset Entities Inc. in the same proportion as the percentage interests of California LLC represented by such units. As a result and as further provided in the agreement and plan of merger, on March 28, 2022, Asset Entities Holdings, LLC (“AEH”), which owned 97.56% of California LLC’s units, became the holder of 9,756,000 shares of Class A Common Stock of Asset Entities Inc., or 97.56% of the total issued and outstanding post-merger shares of common stock of Asset Entities Inc., and a holder of 2.44% of California LLC’s units became the holder of 244,000 shares of Class B Common Stock of Asset Entities Inc., or 2.44% of the total issued and outstanding post-merger shares of common stock of Asset Entities Inc.
Private Placements Prior to Initial Public Offering
On April 21, 2022, we entered into a Cancellation and Exchange Agreement with Asset Entities Holdings, LLC (“AEH”), the holder of 9,756,000 shares of Class A Common Stock, GKDB AE Holdings, LLC (“GKDB”), the holder of 200,000 units of membership interests in AEH representing 20.0% ownership of AEH, and certain holders of 790,000 units of membership interests in GKDB (the Former GKDB Holders”) representing 39.5% ownership in GKDB. In accordance with these agreements, we and AEH agreed to convert 770,724 shares of AEH’s Class A Common Stock into 770,724 shares of Class B Common Stock and transfer such shares to GKDB, in exchange for GKDB’s agreement to cancel and surrender 79,000 of GKDB’s 200,000 units of membership interests in AEH, representing the Former GKDB Holders’ 39.5% share of GKDB’s total ownership interest in AEH. GKDB in turn agreed to the cancellation of 79,000 of its AEH units and transfer of the 770,724 shares of Class B Common Stock to the Former GKDB Holders in proportion to their former ownership interests in GKDB, in exchange for the Former GKDB Holders’ agreement to cancel and surrender all of their units of membership interests in GKDB. The 770,724 shares of Class B Common Stock transferred to the Former GKDB Holders were derived from the Former GKDB Holders’ 7.9% nominal indirect interest in AEH’s 9,756,000 shares of Class A Common Stock, which in turn was derived from the Former GKDB Holders’ 39.5% ownership of GKDB and, in turn, their nominal indirect interest in 79,000 of GKDB’s 200,000 units, or 20.0% ownership of AEH. The Former GKDB Holders’ nominal indirect interest in AEH’s 9,756,000 shares of Class A Common Stock was therefore automatically converted into ownership of 770,724 shares of Class B Common Stock upon the conversion and transfer of this number of Class A Common Stock that were held by AEH to the Former GKDB Holders. As a result of these transactions, AEH held 8,985,276 shares of Class A Common Stock and the Former GKDB Holders held a total of 770,724 shares of Class B Common Stock.
On June 9, 2022, October 7, 2022, and October 21, 2022, we conducted private placements of shares of Class B Common Stock and entered into certain subscription agreements (each, a “Private Placement Subscription Agreement”) with a number of investors. Pursuant to the agreements, we issued 750,000 shares of Class B Common Stock at $1.00 per share for a total of $750,000. The shares were subject to certain lockup provisions until 365 days after the commencement of trading of our Class B Common Stock, subject to certain exceptions. However, these lockup provisions have been fully waived. If the Registrant’s common stock had not been listed on a national securities exchange on or before the first anniversary of the final closing of the private placement, then all of the private placement investors would have been entitled to receive one additional share for each share originally purchased. Boustead Securities, LLC (“Boustead”), which was the representative of the underwriters in our initial public offering, acted as placement agent in each private placement. Pursuant to our engagement letter agreement with Boustead (the “Boustead Engagement Letter”), in addition to payments of a success fee of $52,500, or 7% of the total purchase price of the shares sold in the private placements, and a non-accountable expense allowance of $7,500, or 1% of the total purchase price of the shares sold in the private placement, we agreed to issue Boustead five-year warrants (the “2022 Warrants”) to purchase up to 52,500 shares of Class B Common Stock in aggregate, exercisable on a cashless basis, with an exercise price of $6.25 per share, subject to adjustment.
The 2022 Warrants also provide that if the Registrant declares or makes any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of shares of common stock, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of cash, stock or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of the 2022 Warrants, then, in each such case, the holder(s) of the 2022 Warrants shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the holder(s) would have participated therein if the holder(s) had held the number of shares of common stock acquirable upon a complete exercise of the 2022 Warrants (without regard to any limitations on exercise thereof) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of common stock are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution. Notwithstanding the Boustead Engagement Letter, the 2022 Warrants do not contain piggyback registration rights and do not contain anti-dilution provisions for future stock issuances, etc., at a price or at prices below the exercise price per share, or provide for automatic exercise immediately prior to expiration. A copy of each of the 2022 Warrants, dated June 9, 2022, October 7, 2022 and October 21, 2022, and of the form of Private Placement Subscription Agreement, is filed as Exhibit 4.2, Exhibit 4.3, Exhibit 4.4, and Exhibit 10.23 to this Registration Statement on Form S-1, respectively, and the description above is qualified in its entirety by reference to each such exhibit. See Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Liquidity and Capital Resources – Engagement Letter with Boustead Securities, LLC” of the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, which is incorporated by reference herein, for a description of related terms of the Boustead Engagement Letter.
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Private Placements with Triton Funds LP
On June 30, 2023, the Registrant entered into a Closing Agreement (the “Triton Closing Agreement”) with Triton Funds LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“Triton”). Under the Closing Agreement, the Registrant agreed to sell to Triton, at its option, shares of Class B Common Stock having an aggregate value of $1,000,000 (the “Triton Shares”), pursuant to a registration statement to be filed and made effective for the resale of the Triton Shares. Subject to the terms of the Triton Closing Agreement, the Registrant was provided a right to deliver a closing notice (the “Triton Closing Notice”) and issue the Triton Shares to Triton at any time before September 30, 2023, pursuant to which Triton had agreed to purchase the Triton Shares for $1,000,000 before deducting a $25,000 administrative fee. The price of each of the Triton Shares was agreed to be 85% of the lowest daily volume-weighted average price of the Class B Common Stock during the five business days prior to the closing of the purchase of the Triton Shares (the “Triton Closing”). The Triton Closing was required to occur within five business days after the Triton Shares were received by Triton. Triton’s obligation to purchase the Triton Shares was conditioned on the effectiveness of a registration statement covering the resale of the Triton Shares and Triton’s ownership not exceeding 9.99% of the Class B Common Stock outstanding as of June 30, 2023.
The Triton Closing Agreement contained additional requirements, including that the Registrant maintain the listing of the Class B Common Stock on the primary market on which the Class B Common Stock is listed and provide notice to Triton of certain events affecting registration or that may suspend its right to submit the Triton Closing Notice. The Registrant also agreed to provide indemnification against liabilities relating to misrepresentations, breaches of obligations, and third-party claims relating to the Triton Closing Agreement, with certain exceptions. The Triton Closing Agreement provided that it would expire either upon the Triton Closing or September 30, 2023.
On August 1, 2023, the Registrant entered into an Amended and Restated Closing Agreement (the “Triton Amended and Restated Closing Agreement”) with Triton. Subject to its terms, the Triton Amended and Restated Closing Agreement provided that the Registrant may deliver a Triton Closing Notice and issue certain securities to Triton at any time on or before September 30, 2023, pursuant to which Triton agreed to be required to purchase such securities of the Registrant with an aggregate gross purchase price of $1,000,000 in the following manner. Upon delivery of a Triton Closing Notice and the issuance and delivery of securities as described below, Triton agreed to purchase Triton Shares in an amount equal to up to 9.99% of the outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock following such purchase, pre-funded warrants (“Triton Pre-Funded Warrants” and together with Triton Shares, “Triton Securities”) that may be exercised to purchase an amount of newly-issued shares of Class B Common Stock (“Triton Warrant Shares”), or both Triton Shares and Triton Pre-Funded Warrants, such that the aggregate price of the Triton Shares and the Triton Pre-Funded Warrants together with the exercise price to be paid upon full exercise of the Triton Pre-Funded Warrants was required to equal a total gross purchase price of $1,000,000. Any proceeds under the Triton Amended and Restated Closing Agreement must be reduced by a $25,000 administrative fee. The Triton Amended and Restated Closing Agreement also provided that it would expire either upon the date that Triton paid the required purchase price after receiving a Triton Closing Notice, or September 30, 2023. The terms of the price of the Triton Securities and the required date of the Triton Closing were not amended, except that if Triton elected to purchase Triton Pre-Funded Warrants in lieu of Triton Shares, then the purchase price per Triton Pre-Funded Warrant acquired would be reduced by $0.01 with such $0.01 being the exercise price of the Triton Pre-Funded Warrant.
The Triton Amended and Restated Closing Agreement provided that Triton’s obligation to purchase the Triton Securities was subject to certain conditions. These conditions included the filing and effectiveness of the required registration statement for the resale of the Triton Securities. In addition, the Class B Common Stock was required to remain listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market tier of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”), and the issuance of the Triton Securities was required to not violate any requirements of Nasdaq. Triton’s purchase requirement was also subject to provisions that prevented Triton from acquiring shares of Class B Common Stock at the time of any sale of the Triton Securities or exercise of the Triton Pre-Funded Warrants that would result in the number of shares beneficially owned by Triton and its affiliates exceeding 9.99% of the total number of shares of Class B Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of the shares under the Triton Amended and Restated Closing Agreement or the Triton Pre-Funded Warrants (the “Triton Beneficial Ownership Limitation”). The Triton Amended and Restated Closing Agreement provided for the issuance of the Triton Pre-Funded Warrants in lieu of issuance of some or all the Triton Shares, with an exercise price of $0.01 per share and with no expiration date, if, in Triton’s sole discretion, it would otherwise exceed the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, or otherwise upon Triton’s election. For each of the Triton Shares that Triton instead elected to be issuable as Triton Warrant Shares, the number of Triton Shares that we were required to issue to Triton at the time of any sale of the Triton Securities was required to be decreased on a one-for-one basis. We were also required to provide indemnification against liabilities relating to misrepresentations, breaches of obligations, and third-party claims relating to the Triton Amended and Restated Closing Agreement, with certain exceptions.
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In connection with the Triton Amended and Restated Closing Agreement, pursuant to the Boustead Engagement Letter, upon a closing under the Triton Amended and Restated Closing Agreement, the Registrant must pay Boustead a cash fee equal to 7% of the gross proceeds to be received from such closing and pay Boustead a non-accountable expense allowance equal to 1% of the gross proceeds to be received from such closing. The Registrant must also issue Boustead a warrant with respect to any Triton Shares exercisable for a number of shares of Class B Common Stock equal to 7% of the number of the Triton Shares at an exercise price equal to the price per share for the Triton Shares, and a warrant with respect to the issuance of any Triton Pre-Funded Warrants exercisable for a number of shares of Class B Common Stock equal to 7% of the Triton Warrant Shares at an exercise price equal to $0.01 per share (any such warrant, a “Tail Warrant”). Each Tail Warrant must be exercisable for a period of five years and contain cashless exercise provisions. The Registrant also must reimburse Boustead for all reasonable invoiced out-of-pocket expenses in connection with its performance of any services relating to the Triton Amended and Restated Closing Agreement, regardless of whether a sale under the Triton Amended and Restated Closing Agreement occurred. For further discussion of the Boustead Engagement Letter, see Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Liquidity and Capital Resources – Engagement Letter with Boustead Securities, LLC” of the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, which is incorporated by reference herein, for a description of related terms of the Boustead Engagement Letter.
On August 18, 2023, the Registrant filed a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-274079) to register the offer and sale of the Triton Securities in an amount of up to 885,000 shares of Class B Common Stock consisting of Triton Shares and Triton Warrant Shares. The registration statement also registered the offer and sale of up to 61,950 shares of Class B Common Stock under Tail Warrants. The registration statement was declared effective on September 6, 2023.
Under an Amendment to Triton Amended and Restated Closing Agreement (the “First Triton Amendment”), dated as of September 27, 2023, the Registrant and Triton agreed to amend the Triton Amended and Restated Closing Agreement (as amended, the “Amended A&R Closing Agreement”) to provide that the Amended A&R Closing Agreement will expire on December 30, 2023 instead of September 30, 2023; to provide that up to an aggregate value of $1,000,000 of the Class B Common Stock, based on the purchase price formula described above, may be sold and purchased pursuant to a Triton Closing Notice; and to amend the form of Triton Closing Notice to provide for a specific number of shares that may be sold to Triton under the Amended A&R Closing Agreement. The First Triton Amendment did not amend any of the other provisions of the Triton Amended and Restated Closing Agreement.
As an incentive to Triton to enter into the First Triton Amendment and agree to the extension of the term of the $1,000,000 equity line under the Amended A&R Closing Agreement to December 30, 2023, the Registrant indicated to Triton that it would deliver a Triton Closing Notice under the Amended A&R Closing Agreement to sell a number of shares of Class B Common Stock equal to approximately 4.9% of the outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock prior to the sale. Therefore, on September 29, 2023, under the Amended A&R Closing Agreement, the Registrant delivered a Triton Closing Notice to Triton (the “First Triton Closing Notice”) for the purchase of 263,410 Triton Shares (the “First Triton Shares”), which was the amount of shares of Class B Common Stock equal to approximately 4.9% of the 5,375,724 shares of Class B Common Stock outstanding on that date. Pursuant to the Amended A&R Closing Agreement, the closing date for this purchase was required to take place within five business days after the Triton Shares were delivered to Triton. On the date of this Triton Closing (the “First Triton Closing”), Triton was required to pay the Registrant a purchase price per share equal to 85% of the lowest daily volume-weighted average price of the Class B Common Stock during the five business days prior to the date of the First Triton Closing, the proceeds of which would be reduced by the $25,000 administrative fee, in accordance with the terms of the Amended A&R Closing Agreement.
On October 4, 2023, the First Triton Shares were received by Triton. Pursuant to the Amended A&R Closing Agreement, on the fifth business day following the day that the First Triton Shares were received, Triton was required to pay the Registrant approximately $45,841, based on a price per share of $0.26894, equal to 85% of $0.3164, the lowest daily volume-weighted average price of the Class B Common Stock during the five-business-day period ending October 11, 2023, less the $25,000 administrative fee. The Registrant received payment of this amount on October 13, 2023.
In connection with the First Triton Closing, pursuant to the Boustead Engagement Letter and the underwriting agreement between us and Boustead, as representative of the underwriters of our initial public offering, dated February 2, 2023 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), the Registrant was required to pay Boustead a fee equal to 7% of the aggregate purchase price, and non-accountable expense allowance equal to 1% of the aggregate purchase price for the First Triton Shares. In addition, the Registrant issued a Tail Warrant to Boustead for the purchase of 18,439 shares of Class B Common Stock, equal to 7% of the number of the First Triton Shares, with an exercise price of $0.26894 per share, equal to the purchase price per share of the First Triton Shares. The Tail Warrant is exercisable for a period of five years and contains cashless exercise provisions.
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Under a Second Amendment to Triton Amended and Restated Closing Agreement (the “Second Triton Amendment”), dated as of December 30, 2023, the Registrant and Triton agreed to amend the Amended A&R Closing Agreement to provide that the Amended A&R Closing Agreement will expire on March 31, 2024, instead of December 30, 2023. The Second Triton Amendment did not amend any of the other provisions of the Amended A&R Closing Agreement.
Under a Third Amendment to Amended and Restated Closing Agreement (the “Third Triton Amendment”), dated as of March 29, 2024, the Registrant and Triton agreed to amend the Amended A&R Closing Agreement to provide that the Amended A&R Closing Agreement will expire on April 30, 2024, instead of March 31, 2024. The Third Triton Amendment did not amend any of the other provisions of the Amended A&R Closing Agreement.
Pursuant to the Amended A&R Closing Agreement, as amended by each of the Second Triton Amendment and the Third Triton Amendment, on March 27, 2024, the Registrant delivered a Triton Closing Notice to Triton informing Triton that the Registrant had elected to exercise its right to sell Triton 621,590 Triton Shares (the “Second Triton Shares”). The price of each of the Second Triton Shares was required to be 85% of the lowest daily volume-weighted average price of the Class B Common Stock during the five business days prior to the Triton Closing for the sale of the Second Triton Shares (the “Second Triton Closing”), and the Second Triton Closing was required to occur within five business days after the date that the Second Triton Shares were received by Triton.
On April 10, 2024, the date of the Second Triton Closing, the price of the Second Triton Shares was determined to be $0.34 per share based on the lowest daily volume-weighted average price of the Class B Common Stock during the five business days prior to the Second Triton Closing, which was $0.40 per share. On April 17, 2024, the Registrant received gross proceeds of $211,341.
In connection with the Second Triton Closing, pursuant to the Boustead Engagement Letter and the Underwriting Agreement, the Registrant paid Boustead, as placement agent compensation, a fee equal to 7% of the aggregate purchase price and a non-accountable expense allowance equal to 1% of the aggregate purchase price for the Second Triton Shares. In addition, the Registrant issued a Tail Warrant to Boustead for the purchase of 43,511 shares of Class B Common Stock, equal to 7% of the number of the Triton Shares, with an exercise price of $0.34 per share, equal to the purchase price per share of the Second Triton Shares. The Tail Warrant is exercisable for a period of five years and contains cashless exercise provisions.
May 2024 Private Placement
Securities Purchase Agreement
On May 24, 2024, we entered into a securities purchase agreement, dated as of May 24, 2024 (“Ionic Purchase Agreement”), between the Registrant and Ionic Ventures, LLC, a California limited liability company (“Ionic”), for the issuance and sale of up to 330 shares of the Registrant’s newly designated Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Series A Preferred Stock”), for maximum gross proceeds of $3,000,000. The shares of the Series A Preferred Stock are convertible into shares of Class B Common Stock. Pursuant to the Ionic Purchase Agreement, we are required to issue and sell 165 shares of Series A Preferred Stock at each of two closings subject to the satisfaction of the terms and conditions for each closing. The first closing (the “First Closing”) occurred on May 24, 2024 for the issuance and sale of 165 shares of Series A Preferred Stock for gross proceeds of $1,500,000. The second closing (the “Second Closing”), for the issuance and sale of 165 shares of Series A Preferred Stock for gross proceeds of $1,500,000, will occur on the first business day on which the conditions specified in the Ionic Purchase Agreement for the Second Closing are satisfied or waived, including the filing and effectiveness of the First Registration Statement (as defined below) and the effectiveness of the Stockholder Approval (as defined below).
Registration Rights Agreement
In connection with the Ionic Purchase Agreement, we agreed to provide certain registration rights to Ionic, pursuant to a registration rights agreement, dated as of May 24, 2024 (the “Ionic Registration Rights Agreement”). The Ionic Registration Rights Agreement provides for the registration for resale of any and all shares of Class B Common Stock issuable to Ionic with respect to the shares of Series A Preferred Stock under the Ionic Purchase Agreement (the “Registrable Conversion Shares”). Within the later of 15 calendar days of the First Closing or May 24, 2024, we were required to file the registration statement (the “First Registration Statement”) of which this prospectus forms a part for the offer and resale of the maximum number of Registrable Conversion Shares permitted to be covered under the rules of the SEC. The First Registration Statement must be declared effective within 45 days of the First Closing, or 90 days if the First Registration Statement receives a review. If an additional registration statement must be filed to cover the resale of Registrable Conversion Shares that were not permitted to be included in the First Registration Statement, we must file an additional registration statement (the “Second Registration Statement”) within 15 days of the Second Closing for the maximum number of Registrable Conversion Shares permitted to be covered under SEC rules. The Second Registration Statement must be declared effective within 45 days of the Second Closing, or 90 days if the Second Registration Statement receives a review. In the event the number of shares of Class B Common Stock available under the First Registration Statement and the Second Registration Statement is insufficient to cover all of the Registrable Conversion Shares, we will be required to file at least one additional registration statement (each of such additional registration statement, the First Registration Statement, and the Second Registration Statement, and collectively, the “Registration Statement”) within 14 days of the date that the necessity arises and that such additional Registration Statement may be filed under SEC rules to cover such Registrable Conversion Shares up to the maximum permitted to be covered under SEC rules, which must be made effective within 45 days of such date, or 90 days if such additional Registration Statement receives a review. Any failure to meet the filing deadline for either the First Registration Statement or the Second Registration Statement (“Filing Failure”) will result in liquidated damages of 100,000 shares of Class B Common Stock. Any failure to meet the effectiveness deadline for any Registration Statement (“Effectiveness Failure”) will result in liquidated damages of 100,000 shares of Class B Common Stock. Each of the shares issuable upon a Filing Failure or an Effectiveness Failure must also be covered by a Registration Statement to the same extent as the Registrable Conversion Shares. We will be required to use our best efforts to keep each Registration Statement effective until all such shares of Class B Common Stock are sold or may be sold without restriction pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act (“Rule 144”), and without the requirement for us to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144.
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Terms of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock under Certificate of Designation and Securities Purchase Agreement
Pursuant to the Ionic Purchase Agreement, on May 24, 2024, we filed the Certificate of Designation of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock of the Registrant (the “Certificate of Designation”), with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada designating 660 shares of the Registrant’s Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value per share, as “Series A Convertible Preferred Stock,” and setting forth the voting and other powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights of the Series A Preferred Stock. Each share of Series A Preferred Stock has an initial stated value (“Stated Value”) of $10,000 per share.
The Series A Preferred Stock ranks senior to all capital stock of the Registrant with respect to the payment of dividends, distributions and payments upon the liquidation, dissolution and winding up of the Registrant, unless the holders of the majority of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock consent to the creation of other capital stock of the Registrant that is senior or equal in rank to the Series A Preferred Stock.
Holders of Series A Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive cumulative dividends, in shares of Class B Common Stock (or cash at the Registrant’s option) on the Stated Value at an annual rate of 6% (which will increase to 12% if a Triggering Event (as defined in the Certificate of Designation) occurs until such Triggering Event, if curable, is cured). Dividends will be payable upon conversion or redemption of the Series A Preferred Stock.
Holders of Series A Preferred Stock will be entitled to convert shares of Series A Preferred Stock into a number of shares of Class B Common Stock determined by dividing the Stated Value of such shares (plus any accrued but unpaid dividends and other amounts due, unless paid by the Registrant in cash) by the conversion price of the Series A Preferred Stock (the “Conversion Price”). The initial Conversion Price is $0.75, subject to adjustment including adjustments due to full-ratchet anti-dilution provisions. Holders may elect to convert shares of Series A Preferred Stock to Class B Common Stock at an alternate Conversion Price equal to 85% (or 70% if the Registrant’s Class B Common Stock is suspended from trading on or delisted from a principal trading market or upon occurrence of a Triggering Event) of the average lowest daily volume weighed average price of the Class B Common Stock during the Alternate Conversion Measuring Period (as defined in the Certificate of Designation) (the “Alternate Conversion Price”).
A holder of Series A Preferred Stock may not convert the Series A Preferred Stock into Class B Common Stock to the extent that such conversion would cause such holder’s beneficial ownership of Class B Common Stock to exceed 4.99% of the outstanding Class B Common Stock immediately after conversion, which may be increased by the holder to up to 9.99% upon no fewer than 61 days’ prior notice. In addition, the Registrant may not issue shares of Class B Common Stock upon conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock at less than the price (the “Minimum Price”) that is equal to the lower of the last closing price of the stock immediately preceding the signing of the related binding agreement and the average closing price for the five trading days immediately preceding the signing of the related binding agreement, in an amount exceeding 19.99% of the Registrant’s outstanding common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“common stock”), which number of shares shall be reduced, on a share-for-share basis, by the number of shares of common stock issued or issuable pursuant to any transaction or series of transactions that may be aggregated with the transactions contemplated by the Certificate of Designation under applicable rules of Nasdaq, including Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d) (such amount, the “Exchange Limitation”), or less than a separate floor price (the “Floor Price”) of $0.0855 per share regardless of whether the Exchange Limitation has been reached, before the effectiveness of the approval of such number of the holders of the outstanding shares of the Registrant’s voting securities as required by the Bylaws of the Registrant (the “Bylaws”) and the NRS, to ratify and approve all of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (as defined in the Ionic Purchase Agreements), including the issuance of all of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock and shares of Class B Common Stock upon conversion of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock, all as may be required by the applicable rules and regulations of The Nasdaq Capital Market tier of Nasdaq (or any successor entity) (the “Stockholder Approval”). The Ionic Purchase Agreement requires that the Registrant obtain the Stockholder Approval by the prior written consent of the requisite stockholders to obtain the approval of such number of the holders of the outstanding shares of the Registrant’s voting securities as required by the Bylaws and the NRS, to ratify and approve all of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, including the issuance of all of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock and shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon conversion of such shares pursuant to the Ionic Purchase Agreement, all as may be required by the applicable rules and regulations of The Nasdaq Capital Market tier of Nasdaq (or any successor entity). The Series A Preferred Stock also may not be converted except to the extent that the shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon such conversion may be resold pursuant to Rule 144 or an effective and available registration statement.
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The Ionic Purchase Agreement and the Certificate of Designation require that the Registrant file a Preliminary Information Statement on Schedule 14C with the SEC within 10 days of the date of the First Closing followed by the filing of a Definitive Information Statement on Schedule 14C with the SEC within 20 days of the date of the First Closing, or within 45 days of the date of the First Closing if delayed due to a court or regulatory agency, including but not limited to the SEC, which shall disclose the Stockholder Approval. In accordance with the rules of the SEC, the Stockholder Approval will become effective 20 days after the Definitive Information Statement is sent or given in accordance with SEC rules. Prior to such date of effectiveness, if the number of shares of Class B Common Stock subject to a conversion would exceed the Exchange Limitation prior to the date of the effectiveness of the Stockholder Approval, and the Conversion Price for such conversion would be lower than the Minimum Price or the Floor Price, then, upon any conversion of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, the Stated Value will automatically be increased by an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying (A) the higher of (I) the highest price that the Class B Common Stock trades at on the Trading Day (as defined below) immediately preceding the conversion date and (II) the applicable Conversion Price and (B) the difference obtained by subtracting (I) the number of shares of Class B Common Stock delivered (or to be delivered) to the holder on the applicable conversion date with respect to such conversion of Series A Preferred Stock from (II) the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the applicable value of the Series A Preferred Stock being converted that the holder has elected to be the subject of the applicable conversion of Series A Preferred Stock, by (y) the applicable Conversion Price.
In accordance with the requirements and provisions described above, on May 24, 2024, the Registrant obtained the Stockholder Approval by execution of a written consent in lieu of a special meeting of a majority of the voting power of the stockholders of the Registrant approving a resolution approving the issuance of Class B Common Stock in aggregate in excess of the limitations provided by Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d), including that an amount of shares of Class B Common Stock equal to or greater than 20% of the total common stock or voting power outstanding on the date of the Certificate of Designation may be issued pursuant to the Certificate of Designation at a price that may be less than either or both of the Minimum Price or the Floor Price. In addition, on May 31, 2024, the Registrant filed a Preliminary Information Statement on Schedule 14C with the SEC. The Registrant will be required to file a Definitive Information Statement on Schedule 14C disclosing the Stockholder Approval with the SEC on or before June 13, 2024, or on or before July 8, 2024 if delayed due to a court or regulatory agency, including but not limited to the SEC. On the 20th day following actions meeting these and other applicable requirements, the Stockholder Approval will be effective, and the Registrant will be permitted to issue more than the limited number of shares as defined by the Exchange Limitation, at prices that may be below the Minimum Price or the Floor Price.
Under the Ionic Purchase Agreement, if the closing price of the Class B Common Stock falls below $0.75 per share, the holder’s total sales of Class B Common Stock will be restricted. The holder may only sell either the greater of $25,000 per Trading Day or 15% of the daily trading volume of the Class B Common Stock reported by Bloomberg, LP, until the closing price exceeds $0.75. “Trading Day” is defined as a day on which the principal trading market for the Class B Common Stock is open for trading for at least six hours.
The Series A Preferred Stock will automatically convert to Class B Common Stock upon the 24-month anniversary of the initial issuance date of the Series A Preferred Stock.
The Registrant will have the right at any time to redeem all or any portion of the Series A Preferred Stock then outstanding at a price equal to 110% of the Stated Value plus any accrued but unpaid dividends and other amounts due.
Holders of the Series A Preferred Stock will generally have the right to vote on an as-converted basis with the Class B Common Stock, subject to the beneficial ownership limitation set forth in the Certificate of Designation.
We may not sell securities in a financing transaction while Ionic beneficially owns any of the Series A Preferred Stock or the common stock until the end of the 30-day period following the initial date of the effectiveness of the First Registration Statement of which this prospectus forms a part or during any Alternate Conversion Measuring Period. In addition, the Registrant may not file any other registration statement or any offering statement under the Securities Act, other than a registration statement on Form S-8 or supplements or amendments to registration statements that were filed and effective as of the date of the Ionic Purchase Agreement, unless each Registration Statement is effective and the respective prospectus is available for use, or the shares of Series A Preferred Stock and underlying shares of Class B Common Stock that must be included in each Registration Statement under the Ionic Registration Rights Agreement may be resold without limitation under Rule 144.
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Placement Agent Compensation
In connection with each closing under the Ionic Purchase Agreement, pursuant to the Boustead Engagement Letter, and the underwriting agreement between us and Boustead, as representative of the underwriters of our initial public offering, dated February 2, 2023 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), we are required to pay Boustead a fee equal to 7% of the aggregate purchase price and a non-accountable expense allowance equal to 1% of the aggregate purchase price for the Series A Preferred Stock. On the date of the First Closing, we therefore paid Boustead a total amount of $120,000, and will be required to pay Boustead a total amount of $120,000 on the date of the Second Closing. In addition, on the date of the First Closing, the Registrant was required to issue a placement agent warrant to Boustead for the purchase of 154,000 shares of Class B Common Stock, equal to 7% of the number of shares of Class B Common Stock that may be issued upon conversion of the Shares sold at the First Closing at the initial Conversion Price of $0.75 per share, subject to the Exchange Limitation before the effectiveness of the Stockholder Approval (the “Ionic Placement Agent Warrant”). If and when the Second Closing occurs, the Registrant will be required to issue an additional placement agent warrant to Boustead for the purchase of 154,000 shares of Class B Common Stock, equal to 7% of the number of shares of Class B Common Stock that may be issued upon conversion of the Shares sold at the Second Closing at the initial Conversion Price of $0.75 per share. The Ionic Placement Agent Warrant and each additional placement agent warrant issuable under the Boustead Engagement Letter in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Ionic Purchase Agreement will have an exercise price of $0.75 per share. In addition, we must issue 7,000 shares of Class B Common Stock to Boustead upon the occurrence of each Filing Failure and each Effectiveness Failure. Notwithstanding certain provisions in the Boustead Engagement Letter, the Ionic Placement Agent Warrant and any additional placement agent warrant will not contain piggyback registration rights and will not contain anti-dilution provisions for future stock issuances, etc., at a price or at prices below the exercise price per share, or provide for automatic exercise immediately prior to expiration. The Ionic Placement Agent Warrant and any additional placement agent warrant and the underlying shares may be deemed to be compensation by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), and may be subject to limits on exercise under FINRA rules.
General
Unless otherwise stated above, the issuances of these securities were made in reliance upon exemptions provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and/or Rule 506(b) of Regulation D thereunder for the offer and sale of securities not involving a public offering.
No underwriter was engaged in connection with the foregoing sales of securities. The Registrant has reason to believe that all of the foregoing purchasers were familiar with or had access to information concerning the operations and financial conditions of the Registrant, and all of those individuals or entities purchasing securities represented that they were accredited investors, acquiring the shares for investment and without a view to the distribution thereof. At the time of issuance, all of the foregoing securities were deemed to be restricted securities for purposes of the Securities Act and the certificates representing such securities bore legends to that effect.
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Item 16. Exhibits.
(a) Exhibits.
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| * | Filed herewith |
| † | Executive compensation plan or arrangement |
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Item 17. Undertakings
(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”);
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and
(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;
Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-1, Form S-3, Form SF-3 or Form F-3 and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness; provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.
(6) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(b) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
II-12
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Dallas, State of Texas, on June 7, 2024.
| Asset Entities Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ Arshia Sarkhani | |
| Arshia Sarkhani | ||
| Chief Executive Officer and President | ||
Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints each of Arshia Sarkhani and Matthew Krueger as his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments (including pre- and post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, any subsequent registration statement for the same offering which may be filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and pre- or post-effective amendments thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the foregoing, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| SIGNATURE | TITLE | DATE | ||
| /s/ Arshia Sarkhani | Chief Executive Officer, President and Director | June 7, 2024 | ||
| Arshia Sarkhani | (principal executive officer) | |||
| /s/ Matthew Krueger | Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary | June 7, 2024 | ||
| Matthew Krueger | (principal financial and accounting officer) | |||
| /s/ Michael Gaubert | Executive Chairman and Director | June 7, 2024 | ||
| Michael Gaubert | ||||
| /s/ Kyle Fairbanks | Executive Vice-Chairman, Chief Marketing Officer and Director | June 7, 2024 | ||
| Kyle Fairbanks | ||||
| /s/ Richard A. Burton | Director | June 7, 2024 | ||
| Richard A. Burton | ||||
| /s/ John A. Jack II | Director | June 7, 2024 | ||
| John A. Jack II | ||||
| /s/ Scott K. McDonald | Director | June 7, 2024 | ||
| Scott K. McDonald | ||||
| /s/ David Reynolds | Director | June 7, 2024 | ||
| David Reynolds |
II-13
Exhibit 3.3
| STATE OF NEVADA | Commercial Recordings Division | |
| FRANCISCO V. AGUILAR Secretary of State |
 |
401 N. Carson Street Carson City, NV 89701 |
| Telephone (775) 684-5708 | ||
| Fax (775) 684-7138 | ||
| DEPUTY BAKKEDAHL | North Las Vegas City Hall | |
| Deputy Secretary for | 2250 Las Vegas Blvd North, Suite 400 | |
| Commercial Recordings | OFFICE OF THE | North Las Vegas, NV 89030 |
| SECRETARY OF STATE | Telephone (702) 486-2880 Fax (702) 486-2888 |
| Business Entity - Filing Acknowledgement |
| 05/24/2024 |
| Work Order Item Number: | W2024052401058-3705051 |
| Filing Number: | 20244081335 |
| Filing Type: | Certificate of Designation |
| Filing Date/Time: | 5/24/2024 12:28:00 PM |
| Filing Page(s): | 50 |
| Indexed Entity Information: | |
| Entity ID: E21638682022-8 | Entity Name: Asset Entities Inc. |
| Entity Status: Active | Expiration Date: None |
Commercial Registered Agent
VCORP SERVICES, LLC
701 S. CARSON STREET, SUITE 200, Carson City, NV 89701, USA
The attached document(s) were filed with the Nevada Secretary of State, Commercial Recording Division. The filing date and time have been affixed to each document, indicating the date and time of filing. A filing number is also affixed and can be used to reference this document in the future.
| Respectfully, | |
| /s/ FRANCISCO V. AGUILAR | |
FRANCISCO V. AGUILAR Secretary of State |
Page 1 of 1
Commercial Recording Division
401 N. Carson Street
| Filed in the Office of | Business Number | |||
| |
 |
E21638682022-8 | ||
| FRANCISCO V. AGUILAR | Secretary of State | Filing Number | ||
| Secretary of State | State Of Nevada | 20244081335 | ||
| 401 North Carson Street | Filed On | |||
| Carson City, Nevada 89701-4201 | 5/24/2024 12:28:00 PM | |||
| (775) 684-5708 | Number of Pages | |||
| Website: www.nvsos.gov | 50 |
| Certificate,
Amendment or Withdrawal of Designation NRS 78.1955, 78.1955(6) ☒ Certificate of Designation ☐ Certificate of Amendment to Designation - Before Issuance of Class or Series ☐ Certificate of Amendment to Designation - After Issuance of Class or Series ☐ Certificate of Withdrawal of Certificate of Designation |
TYPE OR PRINT - USE DARK INK ONLY - DO NOT HIGHLIGHT
| 1. Entity Information: | Name of entity:
Asset Entities Inc.
Entity or Nevada Business Identification Number (NVID): E21638682022-8 |
| 2. Effective date and time: | For Certificate of Designation or Amendment to Designation Only (Optional): |
Date: Time: (must not be later than 90 days after the certificate is filed) |
| 3. Class or series of stock: (Certificate of Designation only) | The class or series of stock being designated within this filing:
Series A Convertible Preferred Stock |
| 4. Information for amendment of class or series of stock: | The original class or series of stock being amended within this filing: |
| 5. Amendment of class or series of stock: | ☐ Certificate of Amendment to Designation - Before Issuance of Class or Series
As of the date of this certificate no shares of the class or series of stock have been issued. |
☐ Certificate of Amendment to Designation - After Issuance of Class or Series
The amendment has been approved by the vote of stockholders holding shares in the corporation entitling them to exercise a majority of the voting power, or such greater proportion of the voting power as may be required by the articles of incorporation or the certificate of designation. |
| 6.
Resolution: Certificate of Designation and Amendment to Designation only) |
By resolution of the board of directors pursuant to a provision in the articles of incorporation this certificate establishes OR amends the following regarding the voting powers, designations, preferences, limitations, restrictions and relative rights of the following class or series of stock.*
Series A Convertible Preferred Stock with the voting powers, designations, preferences, limitations, restrictions and relative rights set forth in Exhibit A. |
| 7. Withdrawal: | Designation being Withdrawn: |
Date of Designation: |
| No shares of the class or series of stock being withdrawn are outstanding. | |
| The resolution of the board of directors authorizing the withdrawal of the certificate of designation establishing the class or series of stock: * | |
| 8. Signature: (Required) | X | /s/ Arshia Sarkhani | Date: 5/24/2024 | |
| Signature of Officer |
| * Attach additional page(s) if necessary | Page 1 of 1 |
| This form must be accompanied by appropriate fees. | Revised: 8/1/2023 |
EXHIBIT A
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION OF
SERIES A CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK OF
ASSET ENTITIES INC.
I, Arshia Sarkhani, hereby certify that I am the Chief Executive Officer of Asset Entities Inc. (the “Company”), a corporation organized and existing under the Nevada Revised Statutes (the “NRS”), and further do hereby certify:
That pursuant to the authority expressly conferred upon the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) by the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended (the “Articles of Incorporation”), the Board on May 24, 2024 adopted the following resolution creating a series of preferred stock designated as “Series A Convertible Preferred Stock”, none of which shares have been issued:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board, in accordance with the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation, a series of preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share, of the Company be and hereby is created, and that the designation and number of shares thereof and the voting and other powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights of the shares of such series and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof are as follows:
TERMS OF SERIES A CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK
1. Designation and Number of Shares. There shall hereby be created and established a series of preferred stock of the Company designated as “Series A Convertible Preferred Stock” (the “Preferred Shares”). The authorized number of Preferred Shares shall be six hundred sixty (660) shares. Each Preferred Share shall have a par value of $0.0001. Capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 31 below.
2. Ranking. Except to the extent that the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding Preferred Shares (the “Required Holders”) expressly consent to the creation of Senior Preferred Stock (as defined below) in accordance with Section 16, all shares of capital stock of the Company shall be junior in rank to all Preferred Shares with respect to the preferences as to dividends, distributions and payments upon the liquidation, dissolution and winding up of the Company (such junior stock is referred to herein collectively as “Junior Stock”). The rights of all such shares of capital stock of the Company shall be subject to the rights, powers, preferences and privileges of the Preferred Shares. Without limiting any other provision of this Certificate of Designation, without the prior express consent of the Required Holders, voting separate as a single class, the Company shall not hereafter authorize or issue any additional or other shares of capital stock that is (i) of senior rank to the Preferred Shares in respect of the preferences as to dividends, distributions and payments upon the liquidation, dissolution and winding up of the Company (collectively, the “Senior Preferred Stock”) or (ii) any Junior Stock having a maturity date or any other date requiring redemption or repayment of such shares of Junior Stock that is prior to the first anniversary of the Initial Issuance Date. In the event of the merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another corporation, the Preferred Shares shall maintain their relative rights, powers, Designation, privileges and preferences provided for herein and no such merger or consolidation shall result inconsistent therewith.
3. Dividends. From and after the first date of issuance of any Preferred Shares (the “Initial Issuance Date”), each holder of a Preferred Share (each, a “Holder” and collectively, the “Holders”) shall be entitled to receive dividends (“Dividends”), which Dividends shall be paid by the Company out of funds legally available therefor, payable, subject to the conditions and other terms hereof, in shares of Class B Common Stock (as defined below) or, at the option of the Company, cash on the Stated Value of such Preferred Share at the Dividend Rate, which shall be cumulative and shall continue to accrue daily whether or not declared and whether or not in any fiscal year there shall be net profits or surplus available for the payment of dividends in such fiscal year. Dividends on the Preferred Shares shall commence accruing on the Initial Issuance Date and shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year and twelve 30-day months. Accrued and unpaid Dividends shall be payable by way of inclusion of the Dividends in the Conversion Amount on each Conversion Date in accordance with Section 4(c)(i) or upon any redemption in accordance with Section 11 or upon any required payment upon any Bankruptcy Triggering Event. From and after the occurrence and during the continuance of any Triggering Event, the Dividend Rate shall automatically be increased to twelve percent (12.0%) per annum. In the event that such Triggering Event is subsequently cured, the adjustment referred to in the preceding sentence shall cease to be effective as of the calendar day immediately following the date of such cure; provided, that the Dividends as calculated and unpaid at such increased rate during the continuance of such Triggering Event shall continue to apply to the extent relating to the days after the occurrence of such Triggering Event through and including the date of such cure of such Triggering Event.
4. Conversion. At any time after the Initial Issuance Date, each Preferred Share shall be convertible into validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares of Class B Common Stock, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 4. No Holder may deliver another Conversion Notice while an existing Conversion Notice remains outstanding. The Company shall not issue any fraction of a share of Class B Common Stock upon any conversion. If the issuance would result in the issuance of a fraction of a share of Class B Common Stock, the Company shall round such fraction of a share of Class B Common Stock up to the nearest whole share. The Company shall pay any and all transfer, stamp, issuance and similar taxes, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent (as defined below)) that may be payable with respect to the issuance and delivery of Common Stock upon conversion of any Preferred Shares.
(a) [Reserved]
(b) Conversion Rate. The number of shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon conversion of any Preferred Share shall be determined by dividing (x) the Conversion Amount of such Preferred Share by (y) the Conversion Price (the “Conversion Rate”):
(i) “Conversion Amount” means, with respect to each Preferred Share, as of the applicable date of determination, the sum of (1) the Stated Value thereof plus (2) the Additional Amount thereon and any accrued and unpaid Late Charges (as defined below in Section 24(c)) with respect to such Stated Value and Additional Amount as of such date of determination.
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(ii) “Conversion Price” means, with respect to each Preferred Share, as of any Conversion Date or other date of determination, an initial price of $0.75, subject to further adjustment as provided herein. In the event that the number of Conversion Shares (as defined below) subject to a conversion would exceed the Exchange Limitation (as defined below) prior to the Ex-Exchange Limitation Date (as defined below), in aggregate with any prior conversions of the Preferred Shares or other issuances of shares of Class B Common Stock that would be subject to the Exchange Limitation, then the Conversion Price shall not be less than the “Minimum Price” as such term is defined in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d); provided that, the Company shall file a Preliminary Information Statement on Schedule 14C with the SEC within ten (10) days after the Initial Issuance Date, and on or before the twentieth (20th) calendar day after the Initial Issuance Date (or, if such filing is delayed by a court or regulatory agency including but not limited to the SEC, in no event later than the forty-fifth (45th) calendar day after the Initial Issuance Date), file a Definitive Information Statement on Schedule 14C with the SEC, which shall disclose that the Company’s stockholders have approved by written consent the non-application of the Minimum Price or the Floor Price for issuances that would otherwise exceed the Exchange Limitation, and which action shall take effect twenty (20) days following the date that such Definitive Information Statement is sent or given (the “Ex-Exchange Limitation Date”). In the event that the Conversion Price on a Conversion Date would have been less than the applicable Minimum Price or Floor Price if not for the immediately preceding sentence, then on any such Conversion Date the Stated Value shall automatically be increased by an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying (A) the higher of (I) the highest price that the Class B Common Stock trades at on the Trading Day immediately preceding such Conversion Date and (II) the applicable Conversion Price and (B) the difference obtained by subtracting (I) the number of shares of Class B Common Stock delivered (or to be delivered) to the Holder on the applicable Conversion Date with respect to such conversion of Preferred Shares from (II) the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the applicable Conversion Amount that the Holder has elected to be the subject of the applicable conversion of Preferred Shares, by (y) the applicable Conversion Price. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Conversion Price shall not be less than $0.0855 (the “Floor Price”) until after the Ex-Exchange Limitation Date.
(c) Mechanics of Conversion. The conversion of each Preferred Share shall be conducted in the following manner:
(i) Optional Conversion. To convert a Preferred Share into shares of Class B Common Stock on any date, a Holder shall deliver (whether via facsimile, electronic mail or otherwise), for receipt on or prior to 11:59 p.m., New York time, on such date, a copy of an executed notice of conversion of the Preferred Shares subject to such conversion in the form attached hereto as Exhibit I (the “Conversion Notice”, and the date of the delivery of such Conversion Notice, the “Conversion Date”) to the Company, which shall specify the Conversion Date. If required by Section 4(c)(iii), within two (2) Trading Days following delivery of the Conversion Notice, such Holder shall surrender to a nationally recognized overnight delivery service for delivery to the Company the original certificates, if any, representing the Preferred Shares (the “Preferred Share Certificates”) so converted as aforesaid (or an indemnification undertaking with respect to the Preferred Shares in the case of its loss, theft or destruction as contemplated by Section 18(b)). On or before the second (2nd) Trading Day following the date of receipt of a Conversion Notice, the Company shall transmit by facsimile or electronic mail an acknowledgment of confirmation and representation as to whether such shares of Class B Common Stock may then be resold pursuant to Rule 144 or an effective and available registration statement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit II, of receipt of such Conversion Notice to such Holder and the Company’s transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”), which confirmation shall constitute an instruction to the Transfer Agent (“Conversion Instruction”) to process such Conversion Notice in accordance with the terms herein. As and to the extent that such shares of Class B Common Stock may not be resold pursuant to Rule 144 or an effective and available registration statement or the issuance of such shares would violate the beneficial ownership limitations of Section 4(d), or exceed the Exchange Limitation prior to the Ex-Exchange Limitation Date, the Conversion Notice shall be null and void and no Conversion Instruction shall be required with respect to such shares. On or before the second (2nd) Trading Day following each date on which the Company has received a valid Conversion Notice (or such earlier date as required pursuant to the 1934 Act or other applicable law, rule or regulation for the settlement of a trade initiated on the applicable Conversion Date of such shares of Class B Common Stock issuable pursuant to such Conversion Notice) (the “Share Delivery Deadline”), the Company shall (1) provided that the Transfer Agent is participating in The Depository Trust Company’s (“DTC”) Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program, credit such aggregate number of shares of Class B Common Stock to which such Holder shall be entitled pursuant to such conversion to such Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian system, or (2) if the Transfer Agent is not participating in the DTC Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program, shall credit such aggregate number of shares of Class B Common Stock to which such Holder shall be entitled pursuant to such conversion to such Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with the Transfer Agent. If the number of Preferred Shares represented by the Preferred Share Certificate(s), if any, submitted for conversion pursuant to Section 4(c)(iii) is greater than the number of Preferred Shares being converted, then, at the Holder’s request, the Company shall, as soon as practicable and in no event later than two (2) Trading Days after receipt of the Preferred Share Certificate(s) and at its own expense, issue and deliver to such Holder (or its designee) a new Preferred Share Certificate (in accordance with Section 18(d)) representing the number of Preferred Shares not converted. The Person or Persons entitled to receive the shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon a conversion of Preferred Shares shall be treated for all purposes as the record holder or holders of such shares of Class B Common Stock on the Conversion Date.
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(ii) Company’s Failure to Timely Convert. If the Company shall fail, for any reason or for no reason, on or prior to the applicable Share Delivery Deadline, either (I) if the Transfer Agent is not participating in the DTC Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program, to issue and deliver to such Holder (or its designee) a certificate for the number of shares of Class B Common Stock to which such Holder is entitled and register such shares of Class B Common Stock on the Company’s share register or, if the Transfer Agent is participating in the DTC Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program, to credit such Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC for such number of shares of Class B Common Stock to which such Holder is entitled upon such Holder’s conversion of any Conversion Amount (as the case may be) or (II) if after the date on which the registration statement covering the resale of the shares of Class B Common Stock that are the subject of the Conversion Notice (the “Unavailable Conversion Shares”) initially becomes effective, such registration statement is not available for the resale of such Unavailable Conversion Shares and the Company fails to promptly, but in no event later than as required pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement (x) notify such Holder and (y) deliver the shares of Class B Common Stock electronically without any restrictive legend by crediting such aggregate number of shares of Class B Common Stock to which such Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to such Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian system (the event described in the immediately foregoing clause (II) is hereinafter referred as a “Notice Failure” and together with the event described in clause (I) above, a “Conversion Failure”), then, in addition to all other remedies available to such Holder, (X) the Company shall pay in cash to such Holder on each day after the Share Delivery Deadline that the issuance of such shares of Class B Common Stock is not timely effected an amount equal to 2% of the product of (A) the sum of the number of shares of Class B Common Stock not issued to such Holder on or prior to the Share Delivery Deadline and to which such Holder is entitled, multiplied by (B) any closing trading price of the Class B Common Stock selected by such Holder in writing as in effect at any time during the period beginning on the applicable Conversion Date and ending on the applicable Share Delivery Deadline, or (Y) such Holder, upon written notice to the Company, may void its Conversion Notice with respect to, and retain or have returned, as the case may be, all, or any portion, of such Preferred Shares that has not been converted pursuant to such Conversion Notice; provided that the voiding of a Conversion Notice shall not affect the Company’s obligations to make any payments which have accrued prior to the date of such notice pursuant to this Section 4(c)(ii) or otherwise. In addition to the foregoing, if on or prior to the Share Delivery Deadline, either (A) if the Transfer Agent is not participating in the DTC Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program, the Company shall fail to issue and deliver to such Holder (or its designee) a certificate and register such shares of Class B Common Stock on the Company’s share register or, if the Transfer Agent is participating in the DTC Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program, the Transfer Agent shall fail to credit the balance account of such Holder or such Holder’s designee, as applicable, with DTC for the number of shares of Class B Common Stock to which such Holder is entitled upon such Holder’s conversion hereunder or pursuant to the Company’s obligation pursuant to clause (II) below or (B) a Notice Failure occurs, and if on or after such Share Delivery Deadline such Holder purchases (in an open market transaction or otherwise) shares of Class B Common Stock corresponding to all or any portion of the number of shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon such conversion that such Holder is entitled to receive from the Company and has not received from the Company in connection with such Conversion Failure or Notice Failure, as applicable (a “Buy- In”), then, in addition to all other remedies available to such Holder, the Company shall, within two (2) Business Days after receipt of such Holder’s request and in such Holder’s discretion, either: (I) pay cash to such Holder in an amount equal to such Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions and other out-of-pocket expenses, if any) for the shares of Class B Common Stock so purchased (including, without limitation, by any other Person in respect, or on behalf, of such Holder) (the “Buy-In Price”), at which point the Company’s obligation to so issue and deliver such certificate (and to issue such shares of Class B Common Stock) or credit to the balance account of such Holder or such Holder’s designee, as applicable, with DTC for the number of shares of Class B Common Stock to which such Holder is entitled upon such Holder’s conversion hereunder (as the case may be) (and to issue such shares of Class B Common Stock) shall terminate, or (II) promptly honor its obligation to so issue and deliver to such Holder a certificate or certificates representing such shares of Class B Common Stock or credit the balance account of such Holder or such Holder’s designee, as applicable, with DTC for the number of shares of Class B Common Stock to which such Holder is entitled upon such Holder’s conversion hereunder (as the case may be) and pay cash to such Holder in an amount equal to the excess (if any) of the Buy-In Price over the product of (x) such number of shares of Class B Common Stock multiplied by (y) the lowest Closing Sale Price of the Class B Common Stock on any Trading Day during the period commencing on the date of the applicable Conversion Notice and ending on the date of such issuance and payment under this clause (II). Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity, including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver certificates representing shares of Class B Common Stock (or to electronically deliver such shares of Class B Common Stock) upon the conversion of any Preferred Shares as required pursuant to the terms hereof. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, with respect to any given Notice Failure and/or Conversion Failure, this Section 4(c)(ii) shall not apply to a Holder to the extent the Company has already paid such amounts in full to such Holder with respect to such Notice Failure and/or Conversion Failure, as applicable, pursuant to the analogous sections of the Securities Purchase Agreement.
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(iii) Registration; Book-Entry. At the time of issuance of any Preferred Shares hereunder, the applicable Holder shall receive such Preferred Shares in Book-Entry form unless the Holder requests by written request (including by electronic-mail) to the Company to receive such Preferred Shares in the form of one or more Preferred Share Certificates. The Company (or the Transfer Agent, as transfer agent and registrar for the Preferred Shares) shall maintain a register (the “Register”) for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Holders of each Preferred Share and the Stated Value of the Preferred Shares and whether the Preferred Shares are held by such Holder in Preferred Share Certificates or in Book-Entry form (the “Registered Preferred Shares”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes absent manifest error. The Company and each Holder of the Preferred Shares shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register as the owner of a Preferred Share for all purposes (including, without limitation, the right to receive payments and Dividends hereunder) notwithstanding notice to the contrary. A Registered Preferred Share may be assigned, transferred or sold only by registration of such assignment or sale on the Register. Upon its receipt of a written request to assign, transfer or sell one or more Registered Preferred Shares by such Holder thereof and an opinion of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Company, the Company shall record the information contained therein in the Register and issue one or more new Registered Preferred Shares in the same aggregate Stated Value as the Stated Value of the surrendered Registered Preferred Shares to the designated assignee or transferee pursuant to Section 18, provided that if the Company does not so record an assignment, transfer or sale (as the case may be) of such Registered Preferred Shares within two (2) Business Days of receipt of such a request and opinion of counsel, then the Register shall be automatically deemed updated to reflect such assignment, transfer or sale (as the case may be). Except as set forth above, following conversion of any Preferred Shares in accordance with the terms hereof, the applicable Holder shall not be required to physically surrender such Preferred Shares held in the form of a Preferred Share Certificate to the Company unless (A) the full or remaining number of Preferred Shares represented by the applicable Preferred Share Certificate are being converted (in which event such certificate(s) shall be delivered to the Company as contemplated by this Section 4(c)(iii)) or (B) such Holder has provided the Company with prior written notice (which notice may be included in a Conversion Notice) requesting reissuance of Preferred Shares upon physical surrender of the applicable Preferred Share Certificate. Each Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the Stated Value, Dividends and Late Charges converted and/or paid (as the case may be) and the dates of such conversions and/or payments (as the case may be) or shall use such other method, reasonably satisfactory to such Holder and the Company, so as not to require physical surrender of a Preferred Share Certificate upon conversion. If the Company does not update the Register to record such Stated Value, Dividends and Late Charges converted and/or paid (as the case may be) and the dates of such conversions and/or payments (as the case may be) within two (2) Business Days of such occurrence, then the Register shall be automatically deemed updated to reflect such occurrence. In the event of any dispute or discrepancy, such records of such Holder establishing the number of Preferred Shares to which the record holder is entitled shall be controlling and determinative in the absence of manifest error. A Holder and any transferee or assignee, by acceptance of a certificate, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following conversion of any Preferred Shares, the number of Preferred Shares represented by such certificate may be less than the number of Preferred Shares stated on the face thereof. Each Preferred Share Certificate shall bear the following legend:
ANY TRANSFEREE OR ASSIGNEE OF THIS CERTIFICATE SHOULD CAREFULLY REVIEW THE TERMS OF THE CORPORATION’S CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION RELATING TO THE SHARES OF SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE, INCLUDING SECTION 4(c)(iii) THEREOF. THE NUMBER OF SHARES OF SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE MAY BE LESS THAN THE NUMBER OF SHARES OF SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK STATED ON THE FACE HEREOF PURSUANT TO SECTION 4(c)(iii) OF THE CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION RELATING TO THE SHARES OF SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE.
(iv) Pro Rata Conversion; Disputes. In the event that the Company receives a Conversion Notice from more than one Holder for the same Conversion Date and the Company can convert some, but not all, of such Preferred Shares submitted for conversion, the Company shall convert from each Holder electing to have Preferred Shares converted on such date a pro rata amount of such Holder’s Preferred Shares submitted for conversion on such date based on the number of Preferred Shares submitted for conversion on such date by such Holder relative to the aggregate number of Preferred Shares submitted for conversion on such date. In the event of a dispute as to the number of shares of Class B Common Stock issuable to a Holder in connection with a conversion of Preferred Shares, the Company shall issue to such Holder the number of shares of Class B Common Stock not in dispute and resolve such dispute in accordance with Section 23.
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(d) Limitation on Beneficial Ownership; Exchange Cap. The Company shall not effect the conversion of any of the Preferred Shares held by a Holder, and such Holder shall not have the right to convert any of the Preferred Shares held by such Holder pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Certificate of Designation and any such conversion shall be null and void and treated as if never made, to the extent that after giving effect to such conversion, such Holder together with the other Attribution Parties collectively would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% (the “Maximum Percentage”) of the shares of Class B Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such conversion. The Holder shall notify the Company upon any request for a conversion of the number of shares that such Holder together with the other Attribution Parties collectively beneficially own on the date the request for Conversion is provided to the Company as well as the Holder’s determination of the Reported Outstanding Share Number (as defined below) and shall advise the Company of any increase in such beneficial ownership thereafter until the Conversion has been effected. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the aggregate number of shares of Class B Common Stock beneficially owned by such Holder and the other Attribution Parties shall include the number of shares of Class B Common Stock held by such Holder and all other Attribution Parties plus the number of shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Shares with respect to which the determination of such sentence is being made, but shall exclude shares of Class B Common Stock which would be issuable upon (A) conversion of the remaining, nonconverted Preferred Shares beneficially owned by such Holder or any of the other Attribution Parties and (B) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or nonconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any convertible notes, convertible preferred stock or warrants, including the Preferred Shares) beneficially owned by such Holder or any other Attribution Party subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained in this Section 4(d). For purposes of this Section 4(d), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act. For purposes of determining the number of outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock a Holder may acquire upon the conversion of such Preferred Shares without exceeding the Maximum Percentage, such Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock as reflected in (x) the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, Current Report on Form 8-K or other public filing with the SEC, as the case may be, (y) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (z) any other written notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent, if any, setting forth the number of shares of Class B Common Stock outstanding (the “Reported Outstanding Share Number”). If the Company receives a Conversion Notice from a Holder at a time when the actual number of outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock is less than the Reported Outstanding Share Number, the Company shall notify such Holder in writing of the number of shares of Class B Common Stock then outstanding and, to the extent that such Conversion Notice would otherwise cause such Holder’s beneficial ownership, as determined pursuant to this Section 4(d), to exceed the Maximum Percentage, such Holder must notify the Company of a reduced number of shares of Class B Common Stock to be purchased pursuant to such Conversion Notice. For any reason at any time, upon the written or oral request of any Holder, the Company shall within one (1) Business Day confirm orally and in writing or by electronic mail to such Holder the number of shares of Class B Common Stock then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including such Preferred Shares, by such Holder and any other Attribution Party since the date as of which the Reported Outstanding Share Number was reported. In the event that the issuance of shares of Class B Common Stock to a Holder upon conversion of such Preferred Shares results in such Holder and the other Attribution Parties being deemed to beneficially own, in the aggregate, more than the Maximum Percentage of the number of outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock (as determined under Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act), the number of shares so issued by which such Holder’s and the other Attribution Parties’ aggregate beneficial ownership exceeds the Maximum Percentage (the “Excess Shares”) shall be deemed null and void and shall be cancelled ab initio, and such Holder shall not have the power to vote or to transfer the Excess Shares. Upon delivery of a written notice to the Company, any Holder may from time to time increase (with such increase not effective until the sixty-first (61st) day after delivery of such notice) or decrease the Maximum Percentage of such Holder to any other percentage not in excess of 9.99% as specified in such notice; provided that (i) any such increase in the Maximum Percentage will not be effective until the sixty-first (61st) day after such notice is delivered to the Company and (ii) any such increase or decrease will apply only to such Holder and the other Attribution Parties and not to any other Holder that is not an Attribution Party of such Holder. For purposes of clarity, the shares of Class B Common Stock issuable to a Holder pursuant to the terms of this Certificate of Designation in excess of the Maximum Percentage shall not be deemed to be beneficially owned by such Holder for any purpose including for purposes of Section 13(d) or Rule 16a-1(a)(1) of the 1934 Act. In addition to the Maximum Percentage described above and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Certificate of Designation, the Company shall not under any circumstances issue shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Shares at less than the Minimum Price in an amount exceeding 19.99% of the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock or voting power outstanding on the date of this Certificate of Designation, which number of shares shall be reduced, on a share-for-share basis, by the number of shares of Common Stock issued or issuable pursuant to any transaction or series of transactions that may be aggregated with the transactions contemplated by this Certificate under applicable rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (or any successor entity) (the “Exchange Limitation”), unless the Company has received such approval from the stockholders of the Company as may be required by the applicable rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (or any successor entity), including, without limitation, Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d), to enable the Company to issue such number of shares of Class B Common Stock in excess of the Exchange Limitation, and the Ex-Exchange Limitation Date has occurred. No prior inability to convert such Preferred Shares pursuant to this paragraph shall have any effect on the applicability of the provisions of this paragraph with respect to any subsequent determination of convertibility. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner other than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 4(d) to the extent necessary to correct this paragraph (or any portion of this paragraph) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended beneficial ownership limitation contained in this Section 4(d) or, prior to the Ex-Exchange Limitation Date, the Exchange Limitation or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitation contained in this paragraph may not be waived and shall apply to a successor holder of such Preferred Shares.
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(e) Right of Alternate Conversion.
(i) Alternate Conversion. Subject to Section 4(d), at the option of any Holder, such Holder may convert (each, an “Alternate Conversion”, and the date of such Alternate Conversion, an “Alternate Conversion Date”) all, or any number, of Preferred Shares into shares of Class B Common Stock (such aggregate Conversion Amount of the Preferred Shares to be converted pursuant to this Section 4(e)(i), the “Alternate Conversion Amount”) at the Alternate Conversion Price. Each Holder may convert up to a maximum Alternate Conversion Amount of $750,000 per Conversion Notice.
(ii) Mechanics of Alternate Conversion. On any Alternate Conversion Date, a Holder may voluntarily convert any Alternate Conversion Amount of Preferred Shares pursuant to Section 4(c) (with “Alternate Conversion Price” replacing “Conversion Price” for all purposes hereunder with respect to such Alternate Conversion) by designating in the Conversion Notice delivered pursuant to this Section 4(e) of this Certificate of Designation that such Holder is electing to use the Alternate Conversion Price for such conversion, subject to the following and the other applicable provisions of Section 4(c) and Section 4(d):
a. Pre-Settlement. No later than two (2) Trading Days after each Conversion Date using the Alternate Conversion Price (the “Pre-Settlement Conversion Share Delivery Deadline”), the Company shall (A) transmit by electronic mail an acknowledgment of confirmation and representation, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit II as and to the extent set forth in Section 4(c) above, and (B) cause the Transfer Agent to deliver electronically via Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian system to such Holder such number of Conversion Shares (the “Pre-Settlement Conversion Shares”) equal to the product of (A) the quotient of (y) the Conversion Amount, divided by (z) the Pre- Settlement Conversion Price, and as to which such Holder shall be the owner thereof as of such time of delivery of such Pre-Settlement Conversion Shares. The “Pre-Settlement Conversion Price” means 85% of the Closing Sale Price on the date immediately preceding the Conversion Date. All such determinations to be appropriately adjusted for any share split, share dividend, share combination or other similar transaction during any such measuring period. A Holder shall have the right to request additional Pre-Settlement Conversion Shares during the Alternate Conversion Measuring Period at any time there is an reasonably anticipated shortfall determined in such Holder’s sole discretion.
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b. Settlement. No later than two (2) Trading Days after the Alternate Conversion Measuring Period (the “Conversion Settlement Date”), (I) the Company shall (A) transmit by electronic mail an acknowledgment of confirmation and representation, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit II, and (B) cause the Transfer Agent to deliver to such Holder such number of Conversion Shares (the “Settlement Conversion Shares”) equal to the Conversion Amount divided by the Alternate Conversion Price; provided, however, that the number of Conversion Shares to be delivered by the Conversion Settlement Date shall be reduced by the number of Pre-Settlement Conversion Shares delivered and (II) the Holder shall deliver (whether via facsimile, electronic mail or otherwise), for receipt on or prior to 11:59 p.m., New York time, on such date, a copy of an executed notice of settlement conversion of the Preferred Shares subject to such settlement conversion in the form attached hereto as Exhibit III to the Company. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if the number of Pre-Settlement Conversion Shares delivered to such Holder exceeds the number of Settlement Conversion Shares, then such Holder shall within two (2) Trading Days return such excess Pre-Settlement Conversion Shares to the Company (or the Company’s transfer agent on behalf of the Company); provided that any such Pre-Settlement Conversion Shares may, at the option of such Holder, instead of being returned, be applied to any subsequent conversion prior to the date such return would otherwise be due. For the sake of clarity, such Holder shall be required to return any excess Pre-Settlement Conversion Share to the Company when all Preferred Shares are converted.
(f) Mandatory Conversion. On the twenty-fourth (24th) month anniversary of the Initial Issuance Date of any Preferred Shares (the “Mandatory Conversion Date”), each outstanding Preferred Share shall automatically convert into that number of shares of Class B Common Stock determined by dividing the Stated Value of such Preferred Share by the Conversion Price on the Mandatory Conversion Date (the “Mandatory Conversion”), provided there is no Triggering Event or default under the Securities Purchase Agreement and subject to the limitations set forth in Section 4(d). To effect the Mandatory Conversion, a Holder shall not be required to surrender the applicable Preferred Share Certificates. On or before the second (2nd) Trading Day following the Mandatory Conversion Date, provided that the registration statement covering the resale of shares of Class B Common Stock is and remains effective, the Company shall (1) provided that the Transfer Agent is participating in DTC’s Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program, credit such aggregate number of shares of Class B Common Stock to which such Holder shall be entitled pursuant to such conversion to such Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian system, or (2) if the Transfer Agent is not participating in the DTC Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program, upon the request of such Holder, issue and deliver (via facsimile or electronic mail or overnight courier) to the address as specified in the Register, a certificate, registered in the name of such Holder or its designee, for the number of shares of Class B Common Stock to which such Holder shall be entitled. For purposes of clarification, a Mandatory Conversion shall be subject to the provisions of Sections 3(d) and 4(e)(i) and (ii).
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5. Triggering Events.
(a) Triggering Event. Each of the following events shall constitute a “Triggering Event”:
(i) the Company’s (A) failure to cure a Conversion Failure by delivery of the required number of shares of Class B Common Stock within five (5) Trading Days after the applicable Conversion Date or (B) written notice to any holder of Preferred Shares by any executive officer of the Company, including, without limitation, by way of public announcement, at any time, of its intention not to comply, as required, with a request for conversion of any Preferred Shares into shares of Class B Common Stock that is requested in accordance with the provisions of this Certificate of Designations, other than pursuant to the terms hereof;
(ii) except to the extent the Company is in compliance with Section 10(b) below, at any time following the tenth (10th) consecutive Business Day after notice has been given by a Holder to the Company that a Holder’s Authorized Share Allocation (as defined in Section 10(a) below) is less than the sum of 150% of the number of shares of Class B Common Stock that such Holder would be entitled to receive upon a conversion, in full, of all of the Preferred Shares then held by such Holder (without regard to any limitations on conversion set forth in this Certificate of Designations);
(iii) the Board fails to declare any Dividend to be paid in accordance with Section 3;
(iv) receipt of notice given by a Holder to the Company of the Company’s failure to pay to any Holder any Dividend (whether or not declared by the Board) or any other amount when and as due under this Certificate of Designations (including, without limitation, the Company’s failure to pay any redemption payments or amounts hereunder), the Securities Purchase Agreement or any other Transaction Document or any other agreement, document, certificate or other instrument delivered in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (in each case, whether or not permitted pursuant to the NRS), except, in the case of a failure to pay Dividends and Late Charges when and as due, in each such case only if such failure remains uncured for a period of at least five (5) Trading Days;
(v) receipt of notice given by a Holder to the Company that the Company fails to remove any restrictive legend on any certificate or any shares of Class B Common Stock issued to the applicable Holder upon conversion or exercise (as the case may be) of any Securities (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement) acquired by such Holder under the Securities Purchase Agreement as and when required by such Securities or the Securities Purchase Agreement, unless otherwise then prohibited by applicable federal securities laws, and any such failure remains uncured for at least five (5) Business Days;
(vi) the occurrence of any default (that has not been cured within, if capable of curing, within twenty (20) Business Days of the occurrence) under, redemption of or acceleration prior to maturity of at least an aggregate of $250,000 of Indebtedness (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than with respect to any Preferred Shares;
(vii) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or liquidation proceedings or other proceedings for the relief of debtors shall be instituted by or against the Company or any Subsidiary and, if instituted against the Company or any Subsidiary by a third party, shall not be dismissed within sixty (60) days of their initiation;
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(viii) the commencement by the Company or any Subsidiary of a voluntary case or proceeding under any applicable federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or of any other case or proceeding to be adjudicated a bankrupt or insolvent, or the consent by it to the entry of a decree, order, judgment or other similar document in respect of the Company or any Subsidiary in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any bankruptcy or insolvency case or proceeding against it, or the filing by it of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under any applicable federal, state or foreign law, or the consent by it to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Company or any Subsidiary or of any substantial part of its property, or the making by it of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the execution of a composition of debts, or the occurrence of any other similar federal, state or foreign proceeding, or the admission by it in writing of its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due, the taking of corporate action by the Company or any Subsidiary in furtherance of any such action or the taking of any action by any Person to commence a Uniform Commercial Code foreclosure sale or any other similar action under federal, state or foreign law;
(ix) the entry by a court of (i) a decree, order, judgment or other similar document in respect of the Company or any Subsidiary of a voluntary or involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or (ii) a decree, order, judgment or other similar document adjudging the Company or any Subsidiary as bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition seeking liquidation, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Company or any Subsidiary under any applicable federal, state or foreign law or (iii) a decree, order, judgment or other similar document appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Company or any Subsidiary or of any substantial part of its property, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and the continuance of any such decree, order, judgment or other similar document or any such other decree, order, judgment or other similar document unstayed and in effect for a period of sixty (60) consecutive days;
(x) a judgment or judgments in a court or courts of final determination for the payment of money aggregating in excess of $250,000 are rendered against the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries and which judgments are not, within sixty (60) days after the entry thereof, bonded, discharged, settled or stayed pending appeal, or are not discharged within thirty (30) days after the expiration of such stay; provided, however, any judgment which is covered by insurance or an indemnity from a credit worthy party shall not be included in calculating the $500,000 amount set forth above so long as the Company provides each Holder a written statement from such insurer or indemnity provider (which written statement shall be reasonably satisfactory to each Holder) to the effect that such judgment is covered by insurance or an indemnity;
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(xi) other than as specifically set forth in another clause of this Section 5(a), the Company or any Subsidiary breaches any representation or warranty in any material respect (other than representations or warranties subject to material adverse effect or materiality, which may not be breached in any respect) or any covenant or other term or condition of any Transaction Document, except, in the case of a breach of a covenant or other term or condition that is curable, only if such breach remains uncured for a period of five (5) consecutive Trading Days;
(xii) a false or inaccurate certification (including a false or inaccurate deemed certification) by the Company as to whether any Triggering Event has occurred;
(xiii) any breach or failure in any respect by the Company or any Subsidiary to comply with any provision of Section 13 of this Certificate of Designations;
(xiv) any Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement) occurs that has not been cured, if capable of curing, within five (5) Trading Days of the occurrence;
(xv) failure to have an effective registration statement covering the resale of shares of Class B Common Stock upon conversion of the Preferred Shares, which failure continues for a period of forty (40) days; or
(xvi) any provision of any Transaction Document shall at any time for any reason (other than pursuant to the express terms thereof) cease to be valid and binding on or enforceable against the parties thereto, or the validity or enforceability thereof shall be contested, directly or indirectly, by the Company or any Subsidiary, or a proceeding shall be commenced by the Company or any Subsidiary or any governmental authority having jurisdiction over any of them, seeking to establish the invalidity or unenforceability thereof or the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall deny in writing that it has any liability or obligation purported to be created under one or more Transaction Documents.
(b) Notice of a Triggering Event; Alternate Stated Value. Upon the occurrence of a Triggering Event with respect to the Preferred Shares, the Company shall within one (1) Business Day deliver written notice thereof via facsimile or electronic mail and overnight courier (with next day delivery specified) (a “Triggering Event Notice”) to each Holder. At any time after the earlier of a Holder’s receipt of a Triggering Event Notice and such Holder becoming aware of a Triggering Event (such earlier date, the “Triggering Event Right Commencement Date”) and ending (such ending date, the “Triggering Event Right Expiration Date”) on the twentieth (20th) Trading Day after the later of (x) the date such Triggering Event occurs and (y) such Holder’s receipt of a Triggering Event Notice that includes (I) a reasonable description of the applicable Triggering Event, (II) a certification as to whether, in the opinion of the Company, such Triggering Event is capable of being cured and, if applicable, a reasonable description of any existing plans of the Company to cure such Triggering Event and (III) a certification as to the date the Triggering Event occurred and, if cured on or prior to the date of such Triggering Event Notice, the applicable Triggering Event Right Expiration Date, such Holder may require the Company to increase the Stated Value by 10% (the “Alternate Stated Value”, with “Alternate Stated Value” replacing “Stated Value” for all purposes hereunder after the Triggering Event Right Expiration Date).
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6. Rights Upon Fundamental Transactions.
(a) Assumption. The Company shall not enter into or be party to a Fundamental Transaction unless (i) the Successor Entity assumes in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Certificate of Designation and the other Transaction Documents in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(a) pursuant to written agreements in form and substance satisfactory to the Required Holders and approved by the Required Holders prior to such Fundamental Transaction, including agreements to deliver to each holder of Preferred Shares in exchange for such Preferred Shares a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Certificate of Designation, including, without limitation, having a stated value and dividend rate equal to the stated value and dividend rate of the Preferred Shares held by the Holders and having similar ranking to the Preferred Shares, and satisfactory to the Required Holders and (ii) the Successor Entity (including its Parent Entity) is a publicly traded corporation whose shares of common stock are quoted on or listed for trading on an Eligible Market. Upon the occurrence of any Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Certificate of Designation and the other Transaction Documents referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Certificate of Designation and the other Transaction Documents with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein and therein. In addition to the foregoing, upon consummation of a Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall deliver to each Holder confirmation that there shall be issued upon conversion or redemption of the Preferred Shares at any time after the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction, in lieu of the shares of Class B Common Stock (or other securities, cash, assets or other property (except such items still issuable under Sections 7 and 15, which shall continue to be receivable thereafter)) issuable upon the conversion or redemption of the Preferred Shares prior to such Fundamental Transaction, such shares of the publicly traded common stock (or their equivalent) of the Successor Entity (including its Parent Entity) which each Holder would have been entitled to receive upon the happening of such Fundamental Transaction had all the Preferred Shares held by each Holder been converted immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitations on the conversion of the Preferred Shares contained in this Certificate of Designation), as adjusted in accordance with the provisions of this Certificate of Designation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, such Holder may elect, at its sole option, by delivery of written notice to the Company to waive this Section 6(a) to permit the Fundamental Transaction without the assumption of the Preferred Shares. The provisions of this Section 6 shall apply similarly and equally to successive Fundamental Transactions and shall be applied without regard to any limitations on the conversion or redemption of the Preferred Shares.
(b) Notice of a Change of Control. No sooner than twenty (20) Trading Days nor later than ten (10) Trading Days prior to the consummation of a Change of Control (the “Change of Control Date”), but not prior to the public announcement of such Change of Control, the Company shall deliver written notice thereof via facsimile or electronic mail and overnight courier to each Holder (a “Change of Control Notice”). At any time during the period beginning after a Holder’s receipt of a Change of Control Notice or such Holder becoming aware of a Change of Control if a Change of Control Notice is not delivered to such Holder in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence (as applicable) and ending on twenty (20) Trading Days after the later of (A) the date of consummation of such Change of Control or (B) the date of receipt of such Change of Control Notice or (C) the date of the announcement of such Change of Control, such Holder may require the Company to increase the Stated Value to the Alternate Stated Value.
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7. Rights Upon Issuance of Purchase Rights and Other Corporate Events.
(a) Purchase Rights. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 8 and Section 15 below, if at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Options, Convertible Securities or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to all or substantially all of the record holders of any class of Class B Common Stock (the “Purchase Rights”), then each Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which such Holder could have acquired if such Holder had held the number of shares of Class B Common Stock acquirable upon complete conversion of all the Preferred Shares (without taking into account any limitations or restrictions on the convertibility of the Preferred Shares and assuming for such purpose that all the Preferred Shares were converted at the Alternate Conversion Price as of the applicable record date) held by such Holder immediately prior to the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Class B Common Stock are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights; provided, however, to the extent that such Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in such Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage, or, prior to the Ex-Exchange Limitation Date, the Exchange Limitation, then such Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to such extent of the Maximum Percentage, or, prior to the Ex-Exchange Limitation Date, the Exchange Limitation (and shall not be entitled to beneficial ownership of such shares of Class B Common Stock as a result of such Purchase Right (and beneficial ownership) to such extent of any such excess) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance (and, if such Purchase Right has an expiration date, maturity date or other similar provision, such term shall be extended by such number of days held in abeyance, if applicable) for the benefit of such Holder until such time or times, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in such Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage, or, prior to the Ex-Exchange Limitation Date, the Exchange Limitation, at which time or times such Holder shall be granted such right (and any Purchase Right granted, issued or sold on such initial Purchase Right or on any subsequent Purchase Right held similarly in abeyance (and, if such Purchase Right has an expiration date, maturity date or other similar provision, such term shall be extended by such number of days held in abeyance, if applicable)) to the same extent as if there had been no such limitation.
(b) Other Corporate Events. In addition to and not in substitution for any other rights hereunder, prior to the consummation of any Fundamental Transaction pursuant to which holders of shares of Class B Common Stock are entitled to receive securities or other assets with respect to or in exchange for shares of Class B Common Stock (a “Corporate Event”), the Company shall make appropriate provision to ensure that each Holder will thereafter have the right, at such Holder’s option, to receive upon a conversion of all the Preferred Shares held by such Holder (i) in addition to the shares of Class B Common Stock receivable upon such conversion, such securities or other assets to which such Holder would have been entitled with respect to such shares of Class B Common Stock had such shares of Class B Common Stock been held by such Holder upon the consummation of such Corporate Event (without taking into account any limitations or restrictions on the convertibility of the Preferred Shares set forth in this Certificate of Designation) or (ii) in lieu of the shares of Class B Common Stock otherwise receivable upon such conversion, such securities or other assets received by the holders of shares of Class B Common Stock in connection with the consummation of such Corporate Event in such amounts as such Holder would have been entitled to receive had the Preferred Shares held by such Holder initially been issued with conversion rights for the form of such consideration (as opposed to shares of Class B Common Stock) at a conversion rate for such consideration commensurate with the Conversion Rate. Provision made pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be in a form and substance satisfactory to the Required Holders. The provisions of this Section 7 shall apply similarly and equally to successive Corporate Events and shall be applied without regard to any limitations on the conversion or redemption of the Preferred Shares set forth in this Certificate of Designation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, to the extent that such Holder’s right to receive any such consideration would result in such Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage, or, prior to the Ex-Exchange Limitation Date, the Exchange Limitation, then such Holder shall not be entitled to receive any such consideration to such extent of the Maximum Percentage, or, prior to the Ex-Exchange Limitation Date, the Exchange Limitation (and shall not be entitled to beneficial ownership of such shares of Class B Common Stock as a result of such consideration (and beneficial ownership) to such extent of any such excess) and such consideration to such extent shall be held in abeyance (and, if such consideration has an expiration date, maturity date or other similar provision, such term shall be extended by such number of days held in abeyance, if applicable) for the benefit of such Holder until such time or times, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in such Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage, or, prior to the Ex-Exchange Limitation Date, the Exchange Limitation, at which time or times such Holder shall be granted such consideration (and any consideration granted, issued or sold on such initial consideration or on any subsequent consideration held similarly in abeyance (and, if such consideration has an expiration date, maturity date or other similar provision, such term shall be extended by such number of days held in abeyance, if applicable)) to the same extent as if there had been no such limitation.
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8. Rights Upon Issuance of Other Securities.
(a) Adjustment of Conversion Price upon Issuance of Class B Common Stock. If and whenever on or after the Subscription Date the Company issues or sells, or in accordance with this Section 8(a) is deemed to have issued or sold, any shares of Class B Common Stock (including the issuance or sale of shares of Class B Common Stock owned or held by or for the account of the Company, but excluding any Excluded Securities issued or sold or deemed to have been issued or sold) for a consideration per share (the “New Issuance Price”) less than a price equal to the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such issue or sale or deemed issuance or sale (such Conversion Price then in effect is referred to herein as the “Applicable Price”) (the foregoing a “Dilutive Issuance”), then, immediately after such Dilutive Issuance, the Conversion Price then in effect shall be reduced to the New Issuance Price, provided that the New Issuance Price shall not be less than the Minimum Price if the Exchange Limitation is applicable. For all purposes of the foregoing (including, without limitation, determining the adjusted Conversion Price and the New Issuance Price under this Section 8(a)), the following shall be applicable:
(i) Issuance of Options. If the Company in any manner grants or sells any Options (excluding any Excluded Securities) and the lowest price per share for which one share of Class B Common Stock is at any time issuable upon the exercise of any such Option or upon conversion, exercise or exchange of any Convertible Securities issuable upon exercise of any such Option or otherwise pursuant to the terms thereof is less than the Applicable Price, then such share of Class B Common Stock shall be deemed to be outstanding and to have been issued and sold by the Company at the time of the granting or sale of such Option for such price per share. For purposes of this Section 8(a)(i), the “lowest price per share for which one share of Class B Common Stock is at any time issuable upon the exercise of any such Option or upon conversion, exercise or exchange of any Convertible Securities issuable upon exercise of any such Option or otherwise pursuant to the terms thereof” shall be equal to (1) the lower of (x) the sum of the lowest amounts of consideration (if any) received or receivable by the Company with respect to any one share of Class B Common Stock upon the granting or sale of such Option, upon exercise of such Option and upon conversion, exercise or exchange of any Convertible Security issuable upon exercise of such Option or otherwise pursuant to the terms thereof and (y) the lowest exercise price set forth in such Option for which one share of Class B Common Stock is issuable (or may become issuable assuming all possible market conditions) upon the exercise of any such Options or upon conversion, exercise or exchange of any Convertible Securities issuable upon exercise of any such Option or otherwise pursuant to the terms thereof minus (2) the sum of all amounts paid or payable to the holder of such Option (or any other Person) upon the granting or sale of such Option, upon exercise of such Option and upon conversion, exercise or exchange of any Convertible Security issuable upon exercise of such Option or otherwise pursuant to the terms thereof plus the value of any other consideration received or receivable by, or benefit conferred on, the holder of such Option (or any other Person). Except as contemplated below, no further adjustment of the Conversion Price shall be made upon the actual issuance of such shares of Class B Common Stock or of such Convertible Securities upon the exercise of such Options or otherwise pursuant to the terms thereof or upon the actual issuance of such share of Class B Common Stock upon conversion, exercise or exchange of such Convertible Securities. For further clarification, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any issuances of Options to employees or consultants of the Company or in the ordinary course of business of the Company (other than standard options to purchase Class B Common Stock issued pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan) shall also be excluded from this clause (i); provided, that, all such issuances (taking into account the shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon exercise of such options) after the Subscription Date pursuant to this clause (i) do not, in the aggregate, exceed more than 10% of the Class B Common Stock issued and outstanding at any time during any six (6) month period.
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(ii) Issuance of Convertible Securities. If the Company in any manner issues or sells any Convertible Securities (excluding any Excluded Securities) and the lowest price per share for which one share of Class B Common Stock is at any time issuable upon the conversion, exercise or exchange thereof or otherwise pursuant to the terms thereof is less than the Applicable Price, then such share of Class B Common Stock shall be deemed to be outstanding and to have been issued and sold by the Company at the time of the issuance or sale of such Convertible Securities for such price per share. For purposes of this Section 8(a)(ii), the “lowest price per share for which one share of Class B Common Stock is at any time issuable upon the conversion, exercise or exchange thereof or otherwise pursuant to the terms thereof” shall be equal to (1) the lower of (x) the sum of the lowest amounts of consideration (if any) received or receivable by the Company with respect to one share of Class B Common Stock upon the issuance or sale of the Convertible Security and upon conversion, exercise or exchange of such Convertible Security or otherwise pursuant to the terms thereof and (y) the lowest conversion price set forth in such Convertible Security for which one share of Class B Common Stock is issuable (or may become issuable assuming all possible market conditions) upon conversion, exercise or exchange thereof or otherwise pursuant to the terms thereof minus (2) the sum of all amounts paid or payable to the holder of such Convertible Security (or any other Person) upon the issuance or sale of such Convertible Security plus the value of any other consideration received or receivable by, or benefit conferred on, the holder of such Convertible Security (or any other Person). Except as contemplated below, no further adjustment of the Conversion Price shall be made upon the actual issuance of such shares of Class B Common Stock upon conversion, exercise or exchange of such Convertible Securities or otherwise pursuant to the terms thereof, and if any such issuance or sale of such Convertible Securities is made upon exercise of any Options for which adjustment of the Conversion Price has been or is to be made pursuant to other provisions of this Section 8(a), except as contemplated below, no further adjustment of the Conversion Price shall be made by reason of such issuance or sale.
(iii) Change in Option Price or Rate of Conversion. If the purchase or exercise price provided for in any Options (excluding any Excluded Securities), the additional consideration, if any, payable upon the issue, conversion, exercise or exchange of any Convertible Securities, or the rate at which any Convertible Securities are convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of Class B Common Stock increases or decreases at any time (other than proportional changes in conversion or exercise prices, as applicable, in connection with an event referred to in Section 8(b) below), the Conversion Price in effect at the time of such increase or decrease shall be adjusted to the Conversion Price which would have been in effect at such time had such Options or Convertible Securities provided for such increased or decreased purchase price, additional consideration or increased or decreased conversion rate (as the case may be) at the time initially granted, issued or sold. For purposes of this Section 8(a)(iii), if the terms of any Option or Convertible Security that was outstanding as of the Subscription Date are increased or decreased in the manner described in the immediately preceding sentence, then such Option or Convertible Security and the shares of Class B Common Stock deemed issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange thereof shall be deemed to have been issued as of the date of such increase or decrease. No adjustment pursuant to this Section 8(a) shall be made if such adjustment would result in an increase of the Conversion Price then in effect.
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(iv) Calculation of Consideration Received. If any Option and/or Convertible Security and/or Adjustment Right is issued in connection with the issuance or sale or deemed issuance or sale of any other securities of the Company (excluding any Excluded Securities) (as determined by the Required Holders, the “Primary Security”, and such Option and/or Convertible Security and/or Adjustment Right, the “Secondary Securities”), together comprising one integrated transaction (or one or more transactions if such issuances or sales or deemed issuances or sales of securities of the Company either (A) have at least one investor or purchaser in common, (B) are consummated in reasonable proximity to each other and/or (C) are consummated under the same plan of financing), the consideration per share of Class B Common Stock with respect to such Primary Security shall be deemed to be equal to the difference of (x) the lowest price per share for which one share of Class B Common Stock was issued (or was deemed to be issued pursuant to Section 8(a)(i) or 8(a)(ii) above, as applicable) in such integrated transaction solely with respect to such Primary Security, minus (y) with respect to such Secondary Securities, the sum of (A) the Black Scholes Consideration Value of each such Option, if any, (B) the fair market value (as determined by the Required Holders in good faith) or the Black Scholes Consideration Value, as applicable, of such Adjustment Right, if any, and (C) the fair market value (as determined by the Required Holders) of such Convertible Security, if any, in each case, as determined on a per share basis in accordance with this Section 8(a)(iv). If any shares of Class B Common Stock, Options or Convertible Securities are issued or sold or deemed to have been issued or sold for cash, the consideration received therefor (for the purpose of determining the consideration paid for such Class B Common Stock, Option or Convertible Security, but not for the purpose of the calculation of the Black Scholes Consideration Value) will be deemed to be the net amount of consideration received by the Company therefor. If any shares of Class B Common Stock, Options or Convertible Securities are issued or sold for a consideration other than cash, the amount of such consideration received by the Company (for the purpose of determining the consideration paid for such Class B Common Stock, Option or Convertible Security, but not for the purpose of the calculation of the Black Scholes Consideration Value), will be the fair value of such consideration, except where such consideration consists of publicly traded securities, in which case the amount of consideration received by the Company for such securities will be the arithmetic average of the VWAPs of such security for each of the five (5) Trading Days immediately preceding the date of receipt. If any shares of Class B Common Stock, Options or Convertible Securities are issued to the owners of the non- surviving entity in connection with any merger in which the Company is the surviving entity, the amount of consideration therefor (for the purpose of determining the consideration paid for such Class B Common Stock, Option or Convertible Security, but not for the purpose of the calculation of the Black Scholes Consideration Value), will be deemed to be the fair value of such portion of the net assets and business of the non- surviving entity as is attributable to such shares of Class B Common Stock, Options or Convertible Securities (as the case may be). The fair value of any consideration other than cash or publicly traded securities will be determined jointly by the Company and the Required Holders. If such parties are unable to reach agreement within ten (10) days after the occurrence of an event requiring valuation (the “Valuation Event”), the fair value of such consideration will be determined within five (5) Trading Days after the tenth (10th) day following such Valuation Event by an independent, reputable appraiser jointly selected by the Company and the Required Holders. The determination of such appraiser shall be final and binding upon all parties absent manifest error and the fees and expenses of such appraiser shall be borne by the Company.
(v) Record Date. If the Company takes a record of the holders of shares of Class B Common Stock for the purpose of entitling them (A) to receive a dividend or other distribution payable in shares of Class B Common Stock, Options or in Convertible Securities or (B) to subscribe for or purchase shares of Class B Common Stock, Options or Convertible Securities, then such record date will be deemed to be the date of the issuance or sale of the shares of Class B Common Stock deemed to have been issued or sold upon the declaration of such dividend or the making of such other distribution or the date of the granting of such right of subscription or purchase (as the case may be).
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(b) Adjustment of Conversion Price upon Subdivision or Combination of Class B Common Stock. Without limiting any provision of Section 6 or Section 8(a), if the Company at any time on or after the Subscription Date subdivides (by any stock split, stock dividend, stock combination, recapitalization or other similar transaction) one or more classes of its outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock into a greater number of shares, the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such subdivision will be proportionately reduced. Without limiting any provision of Section 6 or Section 8(a), if the Company at any time on or after the Subscription Date combines (by any stock split, stock dividend, stock combination, recapitalization or other similar transaction) one or more classes of its outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such combination will be proportionately increased. Any adjustment pursuant to this Section 8(b) shall become effective immediately after the effective date of such subdivision or combination. If any event requiring an adjustment under this Section 8(b) occurs during the period that a Conversion Price is calculated hereunder, then the calculation of such Conversion Price shall be adjusted appropriately to reflect such event.
(c) Holder’s Right of Adjusted Conversion Price. In addition to and not in limitation of the other provisions of this Section 8(b), if the Company in any manner issues or sells or enters into any agreement to issue or sell, any Class B Common Stock, Options or Convertible Securities (any such securities, excluding any Excluded Securities, “Variable Price Securities”) after the Subscription Date that are issuable pursuant to such agreement or convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Class B Common Stock at a price which varies or may vary with the market price of the shares of Class B Common Stock, including by way of one or more reset(s) to a fixed price, but exclusive of such formulations reflecting customary anti-dilution provisions (such as share splits, share combinations, share dividends and similar transactions) (each of the formulations for such variable price being herein referred to as, the “Variable Price”), the Company shall provide written notice thereof via facsimile or electronic mail or overnight courier to each Holder on the date of such agreement and/or the issuance of such shares of Class B Common Stock, Convertible Securities or Options, as applicable. From and after the date the Company enters into such agreement or issues any such Variable Price Securities, each Holder shall have the right, but not the obligation, in its sole discretion to substitute the Variable Price for the Conversion Price upon conversion of the Preferred Shares by designating in the Conversion Notice delivered upon any conversion of Preferred Shares that solely for purposes of such conversion such Holder is relying on the Variable Price rather than the Conversion Price then in effect. A Holder’s election to rely on a Variable Price for a particular conversion of Preferred Shares shall not obligate such Holder to rely on a Variable Price for any future conversions of Preferred Shares.
(d) [Reserved].
(e) Other Events. In the event that the Company (or any Subsidiary) shall take any action to which the provisions hereof are not strictly applicable, or, if applicable, would not operate to protect any Holder from dilution or if any event occurs of the type contemplated by the provisions of this Section 8 but not expressly provided for by such provisions (including, without limitation, the granting of stock appreciation rights, phantom stock rights or other rights with equity features), then the Board shall in good faith determine and implement an appropriate adjustment in the Conversion Price so as to protect the rights of such Holder, provided that no such adjustment pursuant to this Section 8(e) will increase the Conversion Price as otherwise determined pursuant to this Section 8, provided further that if such Holder does not accept such adjustments as appropriately protecting its interests hereunder against such dilution, then the Board and such Holder shall agree, in good faith, upon an independent investment bank of nationally recognized standing to make such appropriate adjustments, whose determination shall be final and binding absent manifest error and whose fees and expenses shall be borne by the Company.
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(f) Calculations. All calculations under this Section 8 shall be made by rounding to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as applicable. The number of shares of Class B Common Stock outstanding at any given time shall not include shares owned or held by or for the account of the Company, and the disposition of any such shares shall be considered an issue or sale of Class B Common Stock.
(g) Voluntary Adjustment by Company. Subject to the rules and regulations of the Principal Market, the Company may at any time any Preferred Shares remain outstanding, with the prior written consent of the Required Holders, reduce the then current Conversion Price to any amount and for any period of time deemed appropriate by the Board.
9. Noncircumvention. The Company hereby covenants and agrees that the Company will not, by amendment of its Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement) or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, scheme of arrangement, dissolution, issue or sale of securities, or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Certificate of Designation, and will at all times in good faith carry out all the provisions of this Certificate of Designation and take all action as may be required to protect the rights of the Holders hereunder. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing or any other provision of this Certificate of Designation or the other Transaction Documents, the Company (a) shall not increase the par value of any shares of Class B Common Stock receivable upon the conversion of any Preferred Shares above the Conversion Price then in effect, (b) shall take all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and non-assessable shares of Class B Common Stock upon the conversion of Preferred Shares and (c) shall, so long as any Preferred Shares are outstanding, take all action necessary to reserve and keep available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Class B Common Stock, solely for the purpose of effecting the conversion of the Preferred Shares, the maximum number of shares of Class B Common Stock as shall from time to time be necessary to effect the conversion of the Preferred Shares then outstanding (without regard to any limitations on conversion contained herein). Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if after the sixty (60) calendar day anniversary of the Initial Issuance Date, each Holder is not permitted to convert such Holder’s Preferred Shares in full for any reason (other than pursuant to restrictions set forth in Section 4(d) hereof), the Company shall use its best efforts to promptly remedy such failure, including, without limitation, obtaining such consents or approvals as necessary to effect such conversion into shares of Class B Common Stock.
10. Authorized Shares.
(a) Reservation. So long as any Preferred Shares remain outstanding, the Company shall at all times reserve at least 200% of the number of shares of Class B Common Stock as shall from time to time be necessary to effect the conversion, including but not limited to, Alternate Conversions, of all of the Preferred Shares then outstanding (without regard to any limitations on conversions) (the “Required Reserve Amount”). The Required Reserve Amount (including, without limitation, each increase in the number of shares so reserved) shall be allocated pro rata among the Holders based on the number of the Preferred Shares held by each Holder on the Initial Issuance Date or increase in the number of reserved shares, as the case may be (the “Authorized Share Allocation”). In the event that a Holder shall sell or otherwise transfer any of such Holder’s Preferred Shares, each transferee shall be allocated a pro rata portion of such Holder’s Authorized Share Allocation. Any shares of Class B Common Stock reserved and allocated to any Person which ceases to hold any Preferred Shares shall be allocated to the remaining Holders of Preferred Shares, pro rata based on the number of the Preferred Shares then held by the Holders.
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(b) Insufficient Authorized Shares. If, notwithstanding Section 10(a) and not in limitation thereof, at any time while any of the Preferred Shares remain outstanding the Company does not have a sufficient number of authorized and unreserved shares of Class B Common Stock to satisfy its obligation to reserve for issuance upon conversion of the Preferred Shares at least a number of shares of Class B Common Stock equal to the Required Reserve Amount (an “Authorized Share Failure”), then the Company shall immediately take all action necessary to increase the Company’s authorized shares of Class B Common Stock to an amount sufficient to allow the Company to reserve the Required Reserve Amount for the Preferred Shares then outstanding (or deemed outstanding pursuant to Section 10(a) above). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing sentence, as soon as practicable after the date of the occurrence of an Authorized Share Failure, but in no event later than sixty (60) days after the occurrence of such Authorized Share Failure, the Company shall have obtained the consent or approval of its stockholders, if required, for an increase in the number of authorized shares of Class B Common Stock. In the event that the Company is prohibited from issuing shares of Class B Common Stock to a Holder upon any conversion due to the failure by the Company to have sufficient shares of Class B Common Stock available out of the authorized but unissued shares of Class B Common Stock (such unavailable number of shares of Class B Common Stock, the “Authorized Failure Shares”), in lieu of delivering such Authorized Failure Shares to such Holder, the Company shall pay cash in exchange for the redemption of such portion of the Conversion Amount of the Preferred Shares convertible into such Authorized Failure Shares at a price equal to the sum of (i) the product of (x) such number of Authorized Failure Shares and (y) the greatest Closing Sale Price of the Class B Common Stock on any Trading Day during the period commencing on the date such Holder delivers the applicable Conversion Notice with respect to such Authorized Failure Shares to the Company and ending on the date of such issuance and payment under this Section 10(a); and (ii) to the extent such Holder purchases (in an open market transaction or otherwise) shares of Class B Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by such Holder of Authorized Failure Shares, any brokerage commissions and other out-of-pocket expenses, if any, of such Holder incurred in connection therewith. Nothing contained in Section 10(a) or this Section 10(b) shall limit any obligations of the Company under any provision of the Securities Purchase Agreement.
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11. Redemptions.
(a) General. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in connection with any redemption hereunder at a time a Holder is entitled to receive a cash payment under any of the other Transaction Documents, at the option of such Holder delivered in writing to the Company, the applicable Redemption Price hereunder shall be increased by the amount of such cash payment owed to such Holder under such other Transaction Document and, upon payment in full or conversion in accordance herewith, shall satisfy the Company’s payment obligation under such other Transaction Document. In the event of a redemption of less than all of the Preferred Shares, the Company shall promptly cause to be issued and delivered to such Holder a new Preferred Share Certificate (in accordance with Section 18) (or evidence of the creation of a new Book-Entry) representing the number of Preferred Shares which have not been redeemed. In the event that the Company does not pay the applicable Redemption Price to a Holder within the time period required for any reason (including, without limitation, to the extent such payment is prohibited pursuant to the NRS), at any time thereafter and until the Company pays such unpaid Redemption Price in full, such Holder shall have the option, in lieu of redemption, to require the Company to promptly return to such Holder all or any of the Preferred Shares that were submitted for redemption and for which the applicable Redemption Price (together with any Late Charges thereon) has not been paid. Upon the Company’s receipt of such notice from a Holder, (x) the applicable Redemption Notice shall be null and void with respect to such Preferred Shares, and (y) the Company shall immediately return the applicable Preferred Share Certificate, or issue a new Preferred Share Certificate (in accordance with Section 18(d)), to such Holder (unless the Preferred Shares are held in Book-Entry form, in which case the Company shall deliver evidence to such Holder that a Book-Entry for such Preferred Shares then exists), and in each case the Additional Amount of such Preferred Shares shall be increased by an amount equal to the difference between (1) the applicable Redemption Price (as the case may be, and as adjusted pursuant to this Section 11, if applicable) minus (2) the Stated Value portion of the Conversion Amount submitted for redemption. A Holder’s delivery of a notice voiding a Redemption Notice and exercise of its rights following such notice shall not affect the Company’s obligations to make any payments of Late Charges which have accrued prior to the date of such notice with respect to the Preferred Shares subject to such notice.
(b) Company Optional Redemption. At any time after the Initial Issuance Date, the Company shall have the right to redeem all or any portion of the Preferred Shares then outstanding (the “Company Optional Redemption Amount”) on the Company Optional Redemption Date (each as defined below) (a “Company Optional Redemption”). The Preferred Shares subject to redemption pursuant to this Section 11(b) shall be redeemed by the Company in cash at a price (the “Company Optional Redemption Price”) equal to 110% of the Stated Value plus the Additional Amount as of the Company Optional Redemption Date. The Company may exercise its right to require redemption under this Section 11(b) by delivering a written notice thereof by facsimile or electronic mail or overnight courier to all, but not less than all, of the Holders (the “Company Optional Redemption Notice” and the date all of the Holders received such notice is referred to as the “Company Optional Redemption Notice Date”). Any Company Optional Redemption Notice shall be irrevocable. The Company Optional Redemption Notice shall (x) state the date on which the Company Optional Redemption shall occur (the “Company Optional Redemption Date”) which date shall not be less than ten (10) Business Days following the Company Optional Redemption Notice Date, and (y) state the aggregate Conversion Amount of the Preferred Shares which is being redeemed in such Company Optional Redemption from such Holder and all of the other Holders of the Preferred Shares (which shall be allocated, pro rata, to each Holder) pursuant to Section 11(b) on the Company Optional Redemption Date. All Conversion Amounts converted by a Holder after the Company Optional Redemption Notice Date shall reduce the Company Optional Redemption Amount of the Preferred Shares of such Holder required to be redeemed on the Company Optional Redemption Date. In the event of the Company’s redemption of any of the Preferred Shares under this Section 11(b), a Holder’s damages would be uncertain and difficult to estimate because of the parties’ inability to predict future interest rates and the uncertainty of the availability of a suitable substitute investment opportunity for such Holder. Accordingly, any redemption premium due under Section 11(b) is intended by the parties to be, and shall be deemed, a reasonable estimate of such Holder’s actual loss of its investment opportunity and not as a penalty. For purposes of clarification, a Company Optional Redemption shall be subject to the applicable provisions of Section 11(a).
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12. Voting Rights. Subject to the limitations specified in Section 4(d) hereof, holders of Preferred Shares shall have the right to vote on all matters presented to the stockholders for approval together with the shares of Class B Common Stock, voting together as a single class, on an “as converted” basis using the Conversion Price as set forth in Section 4(b)(ii) hereof (rounded down to the nearest whole number and using the record date for determining the stockholders of the Company eligible to vote on such matters), except as required by law (including without limitation, the NRS) or as otherwise expressly provided in the Articles of Incorporation or this Certificate of Designation. Holders of the Preferred Shares shall be entitled to written notice of all stockholder meetings or written consents (and copies of proxy materials and other information sent to stockholders) with respect to which they would be entitled to vote, which notice would be provided pursuant to the Company’s bylaws the NRS. For the sake of clarity, the number of votes the Preferred Shares are entitled to shall be determined by using the Conversion Price set forth in Section 4(b)(ii), not the Alternate Conversion Price as defined herein, and always subject to the limitations set forth in Section 4(d) hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Holders shall not have any voting rights with respect to the Exchange Limitation.
13. Covenants.
(a) Restriction on Redemption and Cash Dividends. The Company shall not, and the Company shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to not, directly or indirectly, redeem, repurchase or declare or pay any cash dividend or distribution on any of its capital stock (other than as required by the Certificate of Designation or the terms of such capital stock or as mutually agreed with the Required Holders).
(b) Restriction on Transfer of Assets. The Company shall not, and the Company shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to not, directly or indirectly, sell, lease, license, assign, transfer, spin- off, split-off, close, convey or otherwise dispose of any assets or rights of the Company or any Subsidiary owned or hereafter acquired whether in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, other than (i) sales, leases, licenses, assignments, transfers, conveyances and other dispositions of such assets or rights by the Company and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business consistent with its past practice and (ii) sales of inventory and product in the ordinary course of business, including, but not limited to, the sale or license of the Company’s software in the ordinary course of business consistent with its past practice.
(c) Change in Nature of Business. The Company shall not, and the Company shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to not, directly or indirectly, engage in any material line of business substantially different from those lines of business conducted by or publicly contemplated to be conducted by the Company and each of its Subsidiaries on the Subscription Date or any business substantially related or incidental thereto. The Company shall not, and the Company shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to not, directly or indirectly, modify its or their corporate structure or purpose.
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(d) Preservation of Existence, Etc. The Company shall maintain and preserve, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain and preserve, its existence, rights and privileges, and become or remain, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to become or remain, duly qualified and in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the character of the properties owned or leased by it or in which the transaction of its business makes such qualification necessary.
(e) Maintenance of Properties, Etc. The Company shall maintain and preserve, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain and preserve, all of its properties which are necessary or useful in the proper conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and comply, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to comply, at all times with the provisions of all leases to which it is a party as lessee or under which it occupies property, so as to prevent any loss or forfeiture thereof or thereunder.
(f) Maintenance of Intellectual Property. The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, take all action necessary or advisable to maintain all of the Intellectual Property Rights of the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries that are necessary or material to the conduct of its business in full force and effect.
(g) Maintenance of Insurance. The Company shall maintain, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain, insurance with responsible and reputable insurance companies or associations (including, without limitation, comprehensive general liability, hazard, rent and business interruption insurance) with respect to its properties (including all real properties leased or owned by it) and business, in such amounts and covering such risks as is required by any governmental authority having jurisdiction with respect thereto or as is carried generally in accordance with sound business practice by companies in similar businesses similarly situated.
(h) Transactions with Affiliates. Without the consent of the Required Holders, the Company shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into, renew, extend or be a party to, any transaction or series of related transactions (including, without limitation, the purchase, sale, lease, transfer or exchange of property or assets of any kind or the rendering of services of any kind) with any affiliate, except transactions existing on the Initial Issuance Date or entered into in the ordinary course of business in a manner and to an extent consistent with past practice and necessary or desirable for the prudent operation of its business, for fair consideration and on terms no less favorable to it or its Subsidiaries than would be obtainable in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person that is not an affiliate thereof.
(i) Restricted Issuances. The Company shall not, directly or indirectly, without the prior written consent of the Required Holders, (i) issue any Preferred Shares (other than as contemplated by the Securities Purchase Agreement and this Certificate of Designation) or (ii) issue any other securities that would cause a breach or default under this Certificate of Designation.
(j) Independent Investigation. At the request of any Holder either (x) at any time when a Triggering Event has occurred and is continuing, (y) upon the occurrence of an event that with the passage of time or giving of notice would constitute a Triggering Event or (z) at any time such Holder reasonably believes a Triggering Event may have occurred or be continuing, the Company shall hire an independent, reputable investment bank selected by the Company and approved by such Holder to investigate as to whether any breach of the Certificate of Designation has occurred (the “Independent Investigator”). If the Independent Investigator determines that such breach of the Certificate of Designations has occurred, the Independent Investigator shall notify the Company of such breach and the Company shall deliver written notice to each Holder of such breach. In connection with such investigation, the Independent Investigator may, during normal business hours, inspect all contracts, books, records, personnel, offices and other facilities and properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries and, to the extent available to the Company after the Company uses reasonable efforts to obtain them, the records of its legal advisors and accountants (including the accountants’ work papers) and any books of account, records, reports and other papers not contractually required of the Company to be confidential or secret, or subject to attorney-client or other evidentiary privilege, and the Independent Investigator may make such copies and inspections thereof as the Independent Investigator may reasonably request. The Company shall furnish the Independent Investigator with such financial and operating data and other information with respect to the business and properties of the Company as the Independent Investigator may reasonably request. The Company shall make best efforts to permit the Independent Investigator to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Company with, and to make proposals and furnish advice with respect thereto to, the Company’s officers, directors, key employees and independent public accountants or any of them (and by this provision the Company authorizes said accountants to discuss with such Independent Investigator the finances and affairs of the Company and any Subsidiaries), all at such reasonable times, upon reasonable notice, and as often as may be reasonably requested.
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14. Liquidation, Dissolution, Winding-Up. In the event of a Liquidation Event, the Holders shall be entitled to receive in cash out of the assets of the Company, whether from capital or from earnings available for distribution to its stockholders (the “Liquidation Funds”), before any amount shall be paid to the holders of any of shares of Junior Stock, but pari passu with any Parity Stock then outstanding, an amount per Preferred Share equal to the greater of (A) 110% of Stated Value of such Preferred Share and (B) the amount per share such Holder would receive if such Holder converted such Preferred Share into Class B Common Stock immediately prior to the date of such payment, provided that if the Liquidation Funds are insufficient to pay the full amount due to the Holders and holders of shares of Parity Stock, then each Holder and each holder of Parity Stock shall receive a percentage of the Liquidation Funds equal to the full amount of Liquidation Funds payable to such Holder and such holder of Parity Stock as a liquidation preference, in accordance with their respective certificate of designation (or equivalent), as a percentage of the full amount of Liquidation Funds payable to all holders of Preferred Shares and all holders of shares of Parity Stock. To the extent necessary, the Company shall cause such actions to be taken by each of its Subsidiaries so as to enable, to the maximum extent permitted by law, the proceeds of a Liquidation Event to be distributed to the Holders in accordance with this Section 14. All the preferential amounts to be paid to the Holders under this Section 14 shall be paid or set apart for payment before the payment or setting apart for payment of any amount for, or the distribution of any Liquidation Funds of the Company to the holders of shares of Junior Stock in connection with a Liquidation Event as to which this Section 14 applies.
15. Distribution of Assets. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 7(a) and Section 8, if the Company shall declare or make any dividend or other distributions of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to any or all holders of shares of Class B Common Stock, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including without limitation, any distribution of cash, stock or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (the “Distributions”), then each Holder, as holders of Preferred Shares, will be entitled to such Distributions as if such Holder had held the number of shares of Class B Common Stock acquirable upon complete conversion of the Preferred Shares (without taking into account any limitations or restrictions on the convertibility of the Preferred Shares and assuming for such purpose that the Preferred Share was converted at the Alternate Conversion Price as of the applicable record date) immediately prior to the date on which a record is taken for such Distribution or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Class B Common Stock are to be determined for such Distributions (provided, however, that to the extent that such Holder’s right to participate in any such Distribution would result in such Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage, or, prior to the Ex-Exchange Limitation Date, the Exchange Limitation, then such Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent of the Maximum Percentage, or, prior to the Ex-Exchange Limitation Date, the Exchange Limitation (and shall not be entitled to beneficial ownership of such shares of Class B Common Stock as a result of such Distribution (and beneficial ownership) to such extent of any such excess) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of such Holder until such time or times as its right thereto would not result in such Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage, or, prior to the Ex-Exchange Limitation Date, the Exchange Limitation, at which time or times, if any, such Holder shall be granted such Distribution (and any Distributions declared or made on such initial Distribution or on any subsequent Distribution held similarly in abeyance) to the same extent as if there had been no such limitation).
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16. Vote to Change the Terms of or Issue Preferred Shares. In addition to any other rights provided by law, except where the vote or written consent of the holders of a greater number of shares is required by law or by another provision of the Articles of Incorporation, without first obtaining the affirmative vote at a meeting duly called for such purpose or the written consent without a meeting of the Required Holders, voting together as a single class, the Company shall not: (a) amend or repeal any provision of, or add any provision to, its Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws, or file any certificate of designation or certificate/articles of amendment of any series of shares of preferred stock, if such action would adversely alter or change in any respect the preferences, rights, privileges or powers, or restrictions provided for the benefit of the Preferred Shares hereunder, regardless of whether any such action shall be by means of amendment to the Articles of Incorporation or by merger, consolidation or otherwise; (b) increase or decrease (other than by conversion) the authorized number of Preferred Shares; (c) without limiting any provision of Section 2, create or authorize (by reclassification or otherwise) any new class or series of Senior Preferred Stock or Parity Stock; (d) purchase, repurchase or redeem any shares of Junior Stock (other than pursuant to the terms of the Company’s equity incentive plans and options and other equity awards granted under such plans (that have in good faith been approved by the Board)); (e) without limiting any provision of Section 2, pay dividends or make any other distribution on any shares of any Junior Stock; (f) issue any Preferred Shares other than as contemplated hereby or pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement; or (g) without limiting any provision of Section 9, whether or not prohibited by the terms of the Preferred Shares, circumvent a right of the Preferred Shares hereunder.
17. Transfer of Preferred Shares. A Holder may transfer some or all of its Preferred Shares without the consent of the Company, upon giving five (5) Business Days’ notice to the Company.
18. Reissuance of Preferred Share Certificates and Book Entries.
(a) Transfer. If any Preferred Shares are to be transferred, the applicable Holder shall surrender the applicable Preferred Share Certificate to the Company (or, if the Preferred Shares are held in Book-Entry form, a written instruction letter to the Company), whereupon the Company will forthwith issue and deliver upon the order of such Holder a new Preferred Share Certificate (in accordance with Section 18(d)) (or evidence of the transfer of such Book-Entry), registered as such Holder may request, representing the outstanding number of Preferred Shares being transferred by such Holder and, if less than the entire outstanding number of Preferred Shares is being transferred, a new Preferred Share Certificate (in accordance with Section 18(d)) to such Holder representing the outstanding number of Preferred Shares not being transferred (or evidence of such remaining Preferred Shares in a Book-Entry for such Holder). Such Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of the Preferred Share Certificate or evidence of Book-Entry issuance, as applicable, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of Section 4(c)(ii) following conversion or redemption of any of the Preferred Shares, the outstanding number of Preferred Shares represented by the Preferred Shares may be less than the number of Preferred Shares stated on the face of the Preferred Shares.
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(b) Lost, Stolen or Mutilated Preferred Share Certificate. Upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Preferred Share Certificate (as to which a written certification and the indemnification contemplated below shall suffice as such evidence), and, in the case of loss, theft or destruction, of any indemnification undertaking by the applicable Holder to the Company in customary and reasonable form and, in the case of mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation of such Preferred Share Certificate, the Company shall execute and deliver to such Holder a new Preferred Share Certificate (in accordance with Section 18(d)) representing the applicable outstanding number of Preferred Shares.
(c) Preferred Share Certificate and Book-Entries Exchangeable for Different Denominations and Forms. Each Preferred Share Certificate is exchangeable, upon the surrender hereof by the applicable Holder at the principal office of the Company, for a new Preferred Share Certificate or Preferred Share Certificate(s) or new Book-Entry (in accordance with Section 18(d)) representing, in the aggregate, the outstanding number of the Preferred Shares in the original Preferred Share Certificate, and each such new Preferred Share Certificate and/or new Book-Entry, as applicable, will represent such portion of such outstanding number of Preferred Shares from the original Preferred Share Certificate as is designated in writing by such Holder at the time of such surrender. Each Book-Entry may be exchanged into one or more new Preferred Share Certificates or split by the applicable Holder by delivery of a written notice to the Company into two or more new Book-Entries (in accordance with Section 18(d)) representing, in the aggregate, the outstanding number of the Preferred Shares in the original Book-Entry, and each such new Book- Entry and/or new Preferred Share Certificate, as applicable, will represent such portion of such outstanding number of Preferred Shares from the original Book-Entry as is designated in writing by such Holder at the time of such surrender.
(d) Issuance of New Preferred Share Certificate or Book-Entry. Whenever the Company is required to issue a new Preferred Share Certificate or a new Book-Entry pursuant to the terms of this Certificate of Designation, such new Preferred Share Certificate or new Book- Entry (i) shall represent, as indicated on the face of such Preferred Share Certificate or in such Book-Entry, as applicable, the number of Preferred Shares remaining outstanding (or in the case of a new Preferred Share Certificate or new Book-Entry being issued pursuant to Section 18(a) or Section 18(c), the number of Preferred Shares designated by such Holder) which, when added to the number of Preferred Shares represented by the other new Preferred Share Certificates or other new Book-Entry, as applicable, issued in connection with such issuance, does not exceed the number of Preferred Shares remaining outstanding under the original Preferred Share Certificate or original Book-Entry, as applicable, immediately prior to such issuance of new Preferred Share Certificate or new Book-Entry, as applicable, and (ii) shall have an issuance date, as indicated on the face of such new Preferred Share Certificate or in such new Book-Entry, as applicable, which is the same as the issuance date of the original Preferred Share Certificate or in such original Book- Entry, as applicable.
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19. Remedies, Characterizations, Other Obligations, Breaches and Injunctive Relief. The remedies provided in this Certificate of Designation shall be cumulative and in addition to all other remedies available under this Certificate of Designation and any of the other Transaction Documents, at law or in equity (including a decree of specific performance and/or other injunctive relief), and nothing herein shall limit any Holder’s right to pursue actual and consequential damages for any failure by the Company to comply with the terms of this Certificate of Designation. The Company covenants to each Holder that there shall be no characterization concerning this instrument other than as expressly provided herein. Amounts set forth or provided for herein with respect to payments, conversion and the like (and the computation thereof) shall be the amounts to be received by a Holder and shall not, except as expressly provided herein, be subject to any other obligation of the Company (or the performance thereof). No failure on the part of a Holder to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right, power or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise by such Holder of any right, power or remedy preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or remedy. In addition, the exercise of any right or remedy of any Holder at law or equity or under Preferred Shares or any of the documents shall not be deemed to be an election of such Holder’s rights or remedies under such documents or at law or equity. The Company acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder will cause irreparable harm to the Holders and that the remedy at law for any such breach may be inadequate. The Company therefore agrees that, in the event of any such breach or threatened breach, each Holder shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies, to specific performance and/or temporary, preliminary and permanent injunctive or other equitable relief from any court of competent jurisdiction in any such case without the necessity of proving actual damages and without posting a bond or other security. The Company shall provide all information and documentation to a Holder that is requested by such Holder to enable such Holder to confirm the Company’s compliance with the terms and conditions of this Certificate of Designation.
20. Payment of Collection, Enforcement and Other Costs. If (a) any Preferred Shares are placed in the hands of an attorney for collection or enforcement or is collected or enforced through any legal proceeding or a Holder otherwise takes action to collect amounts due under this Certificate of Designation with respect to the Preferred Shares or to enforce the provisions of this Certificate of Designation or (b) there occurs any bankruptcy, reorganization, receivership of the Company or other proceedings affecting Company creditors’ rights and involving a claim under this Certificate of Designation, then the Company shall pay the costs incurred by such Holder for such collection, enforcement or action or in connection with such bankruptcy, reorganization, receivership or other proceeding, including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and disbursements. The Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that no amounts due under this Certificate of Designation with respect to any Preferred Shares shall be affected, or limited, by the fact that the purchase price paid for each Preferred Share was less than the original Stated Value thereof.
21. Construction; Headings. This Certificate of Designation shall be deemed to be jointly drafted by the Company and the Holders and shall not be construed against any such Person as the drafter hereof. The headings of this Certificate of Designation are for convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Certificate of Designation. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, each pronoun herein shall be deemed to include the masculine, feminine, neuter, singular and plural forms thereof. The terms “including,” “includes,” “include” and words of like import shall be construed broadly as if followed by the words “without limitation.” The terms “herein,” “hereunder,” “hereof” and words of like import refer to this entire Certificate of Designation instead of just the provision in which they are found. Unless expressly indicated otherwise, all section references are to sections of this Certificate of Designation. Terms used in this Certificate of Designation and not otherwise defined herein, but defined in the other Transaction Documents, shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms on the Initial Issuance Date in such other Transaction Documents unless otherwise consented to in writing by the Required Holders.
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22. Failure or Indulgence Not Waiver. No failure or delay on the part of a Holder in the exercise of any power, right or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such power, right or privilege preclude other or further exercise thereof or of any other right, power or privilege. No waiver shall be effective unless it is in writing and signed by an authorized representative of the waiving party. This Certificate of Designation shall be deemed to be jointly drafted by the Company and all Holders and shall not be construed against any Person as the drafter hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing contained in this Section 22 shall permit any waiver of any provision of Section 4(d).
23. Dispute Resolution.
(a) Submission to Dispute Resolution.
(i) In the case of a dispute relating to a Closing Sale Price, a Conversion Price, an Alternate Conversion Price, a VWAP or a fair market value or the arithmetic calculation of a Conversion Rate, or the applicable Redemption Price (as the case may be) (including, without limitation, a dispute relating to the determination of any of the foregoing), the Company or the applicable Holder (as the case may be) shall submit the dispute to the other party via facsimile or electronic mail (A) if by the Company, within two (2) Business Days after the occurrence of the circumstances giving rise to such dispute or (B) if by such Holder at any time after such Holder learned of the circumstances giving rise to such dispute. If such Holder and the Company are unable to promptly resolve such dispute relating to such Closing Sale Price, such Conversion Price, such Alternate Conversion Price, such VWAP or such fair market value, or the arithmetic calculation of such Conversion Rate or such applicable Redemption Price (as the case may be), at any time after the second (2nd) Business Day following such initial notice by the Company or such Holder (as the case may be) of such dispute to the Company or such Holder (as the case may be), then such Holder may, at its sole option, select an independent, reputable investment bank to resolve such dispute.
(ii) Such Holder and the Company shall each deliver to such investment bank (A) a copy of the initial dispute submission so delivered in accordance with the first sentence of this Section 23 and (B) written documentation supporting its position with respect to such dispute, in each case, no later than 5:00 p.m. (New York time) by the fifth (5th) Business Day immediately following the date on which such Holder selected such investment bank (the “Dispute Submission Deadline”) (the documents referred to in the immediately preceding clauses (A) and (B) are collectively referred to herein as the “Required Dispute Documentation”) (it being understood and agreed that if either such Holder or the Company fails to so deliver all of the Required Dispute Documentation by the Dispute Submission Deadline, then the party who fails to so submit all of the Required Dispute Documentation shall no longer be entitled to (and hereby waives its right to) deliver or submit any written documentation or other support to such investment bank with respect to such dispute and such investment bank shall resolve such dispute based solely on the Required Dispute Documentation that was delivered to such investment bank prior to the Dispute Submission Deadline). Unless otherwise agreed to in writing by both the Company and such Holder or otherwise requested by such investment bank, neither the Company nor such Holder shall be entitled to deliver or submit any written documentation or other support to such investment bank in connection with such dispute (other than the Required Dispute Documentation).
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(iii) The Company and such Holder shall cause such investment bank to determine the resolution of such dispute and notify the Company and such Holder of such resolution no later than ten (10) Business Days immediately following the Dispute Submission Deadline. The fees and expenses of such investment bank shall be borne solely by the Company, and such investment bank’s resolution of such dispute shall be final and binding upon all parties absent manifest error.
(b) Miscellaneous. The Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that (i) this Section 23 constitutes an agreement to arbitrate between the Company and each Holder (and constitutes an arbitration agreement) under § 7501, et seq. of the New York Civil Practice Law and Rules (“CPLR”) and that any Holder is authorized to apply for an order to compel arbitration pursuant to CPLR § 7503(a) in order to compel compliance with this Section 23, (ii) a dispute relating to a Conversion Price includes, without limitation, disputes as to (A) whether an issuance or sale or deemed issuance or sale of Class B Common Stock occurred under Section 8(a), (B) the consideration per share at which an issuance or deemed issuance of Class B Common Stock occurred, (C) whether any issuance or sale or deemed issuance or sale of Class B Common Stock was an issuance or sale or deemed issuance or sale of Excluded Securities, (D) whether an agreement, instrument, security or the like constitutes and Option or Convertible Security and (E) whether a Dilutive Issuance occurred, (iii) the terms of this Certificate of Designations and each other applicable Transaction Document shall serve as the basis for the selected investment bank’s resolution of the applicable dispute, such investment bank shall be entitled (and is hereby expressly authorized) to make all findings, determinations and the like that such investment bank determines are required to be made by such investment bank in connection with its resolution of such dispute and in resolving such dispute such investment bank shall apply such findings, determinations and the like to the terms of this Certificate of Designations and any other applicable Transaction Documents, (iv) the applicable Holder (and only such Holder with respect to disputes solely relating to such Holder), in its sole discretion, shall have the right to submit any dispute described in this Section 23 to any state or federal court sitting in The City of New York, Borough of Manhattan in lieu of utilizing the procedures set forth in this Section 23 and (v) nothing in this Section 23 shall limit such Holder from obtaining any injunctive relief or other equitable remedies (including, without limitation, with respect to any matters described in this Section 23).
24. Notices; Currency; Payments.
(a) Notices. The Company shall provide each Holder of Preferred Shares with prompt written notice of all actions taken pursuant to the terms of this Certificate of Designation, including in reasonable detail a description of such action and the reason therefor. Whenever notice is required to be given under this Certificate of Designation, unless otherwise provided herein, such notice must be in writing and shall be given in accordance with Section 9(f) of the Securities Purchase Agreement. The Company shall provide each Holder with prompt written notice of all actions taken pursuant to this Certificate of Designation, including in reasonable detail a description of such action and the reason therefor. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company shall give written notice to each Holder (i) immediately upon any adjustment of the Conversion Price, setting forth in reasonable detail, and certifying, the calculation of such adjustment and (ii) at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date on which the Company closes its books or takes a record (A) with respect to any dividend or distribution upon the Class B Common Stock, (B) with respect to any grant, issuances, or sales of any Options, Convertible Securities or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property to holders of shares of Class B Common Stock or (C) for determining rights to vote with respect to any Fundamental Transaction, dissolution or liquidation, provided in each case that such information shall be made known to the public prior to or in conjunction with such notice being provided to such Holder.
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(b) Currency. All dollar amounts referred to in this Certificate of Designations are in United States Dollars (“U.S. Dollars”), and all amounts owing under this Certificate of Designations shall be paid in U.S. Dollars. All amounts denominated in other currencies (if any) shall be converted into the U.S. Dollar equivalent amount in accordance with the Exchange Rate on the date of calculation. “Exchange Rate” means, in relation to any amount of currency to be converted into U.S. Dollars pursuant to this Certificate of Designations, the U.S. Dollar exchange rate as published in the Wall Street Journal on the relevant date of calculation (it being understood and agreed that where an amount is calculated with reference to, or over, a period of time, the date of calculation shall be the final date of such period of time).
(c) Payments. Whenever any payment of cash is to be made by the Company to any Person pursuant to this Certificate of Designation, unless otherwise expressly set forth herein, such payment shall be made in lawful money of the United States of America by wire transfer of immediately available funds pursuant to wire transfer instructions that Holder shall provide to the Company in writing from time to time. Whenever any amount expressed to be due by the terms of this Certificate of Designation is due on any day which is not a Business Day, the same shall instead be due on the next succeeding day which is a Business Day. Any amount due under the Transaction Documents which is not paid when due shall result in a late charge being incurred and payable by the Company in an amount equal to interest on such amount at the rate of ten percent (10%) per annum from the date such amount was due until the same is paid in full (“Late Charges”).
25. Waiver of Notice. To the extent permitted by law, the Company hereby irrevocably waives demand, notice, presentment, protest and all other demands and notices in connection with the delivery, acceptance, performance, default or enforcement of this Certificate of Designation and the Securities Purchase Agreement.
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26. Governing Law. This Certificate of Designation shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, and all questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and performance of this Certificate of Designation shall be governed by, the internal laws of the State of Nevada, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Nevada or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of Nevada. Except as otherwise required by Section 23 above, the Company hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in Las Vegas, Nevada, for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. Nothing contained herein (i) shall be deemed or operate to preclude any Holder from bringing suit or taking other legal action against the Company in any other jurisdiction to collect on the Company’s obligations to such Holder, to realize on any collateral or any other security for such obligations, or to enforce a judgment or other court ruling in favor of such Holder or (ii) shall limit, or shall be deemed or construed to limit, any provision of Section 23 above. THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
27. Judgment Currency.
(a) If for the purpose of obtaining or enforcing judgment against the Company in any court in any jurisdiction it becomes necessary to convert into any other currency (such other currency being hereinafter in this Section 27 referred to as the “Judgment Currency”) an amount due in U.S. dollars under this Certificate of Designations, the conversion shall be made at the Exchange Rate prevailing on the Trading Day immediately preceding:
(i) the date actual payment of the amount due, in the case of any proceeding in the courts of New York or in the courts of any other jurisdiction that will give effect to such conversion being made on such date: or
(ii) the date on which the foreign court determines, in the case of any proceeding in the courts of any other jurisdiction (the date as of which such conversion is made pursuant to this Section 27(a)(ii) being hereinafter referred to as the “Judgment Conversion Date”).
(b) If in the case of any proceeding in the court of any jurisdiction referred to in Section 27(a)(ii) above, there is a change in the Exchange Rate prevailing between the Judgment Conversion Date and the date of actual payment of the amount due, the applicable party shall pay such adjusted amount as may be necessary to ensure that the amount paid in the Judgment Currency, when converted at the Exchange Rate prevailing on the date of payment, will produce the amount of US dollars which could have been purchased with the amount of Judgment Currency stipulated in the judgment or judicial order at the Exchange Rate prevailing on the Judgment Conversion Date.
(c) Any amount due from the Company under this provision shall be due as a separate debt and shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other amounts due under or in respect of this Certificate of Designations.
28. Severability. If any provision of this Certificate of Designation is prohibited by law or otherwise determined to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the provision that would otherwise be prohibited, invalid or unenforceable shall be deemed amended to apply to the broadest extent that it would be valid and enforceable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of such provision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this Certificate of Designation so long as this Certificate of Designation as so modified continues to express, without material change, the original intentions of the parties as to the subject matter hereof and the prohibited nature, invalidity or unenforceability of the provision(s) in question does not substantially impair the respective expectations or reciprocal obligations of the parties or the practical realization of the benefits that would otherwise be conferred upon the parties. The parties will endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s) with a valid provision(s), the effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s).
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29. Maximum Payments. Without limiting Section 9(d) of the Securities Purchase Agreement, nothing contained herein shall be deemed to establish or require the payment of a rate of interest or other charges in excess of the maximum permitted by applicable law. In the event that the rate of interest required to be paid or other charges hereunder exceed the maximum permitted by such law, any payments in excess of such maximum shall be credited against amounts owed by the Company to the applicable Holder and thus refunded to the Company.
30. Stockholder Matters; Amendment.
(a) Stockholder Matters. Any stockholder action, approval or consent required, desired or otherwise sought by the Company pursuant to the NRS, the Articles of Incorporation, this Certificate of Designation or otherwise with respect to the issuance of Preferred Shares may be effected by written consent of the Company’s stockholders or at a duly called meeting of the Company’s stockholders, all in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the NRS. This provision is intended to comply with the applicable sections of the NRS permitting stockholder action, approval and consent affected by written consent in lieu of a meeting.
(b) Amendment. Except for Section 4(d), which may not be amended or waived hereunder, this Certificate of Designation or any provision hereof may be amended by obtaining the affirmative vote at a meeting duly called for such purpose, or written consent without a meeting in accordance with the NRS, of the Required Holders, voting separate as a single class, and with such other stockholder approval, if any, as may then be required pursuant to the NRS and the Articles of Incorporation.
31. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Certificate of Designation, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) “1934 Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.
(b) “Additional Amount” means, as of the applicable date of determination, with respect to each Preferred Share, all declared and unpaid Dividends on such Preferred Share.
(c) “Adjustment Right” means any right granted with respect to any securities issued in connection with, or with respect to, any issuance or sale (or deemed issuance or sale in accordance with Section 8(a)) of shares of Class B Common Stock (other than rights of the type described in Section 7(a) hereof) that could result in a decrease in the net consideration received by the Company in connection with, or with respect to, such securities (including, without limitation, any cash settlement rights, cash adjustment or other similar rights).
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(d) “Affiliate” or “Affiliated” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person, it being understood for purposes of this definition that “control” of a Person means the power directly or indirectly either to vote 10% or more of the stock having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of such Person or direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person whether by contract or otherwise.
(e) “Alternate Conversion Price” means, with respect to any Alternate Conversion that price which shall be 85% (or, (x) if the Class B Common Stock is suspended from trading on or delisted from the Principal Market at any time after the Initial Issuance Date (whether or not subsequently cured) or (y) upon occurrence of a Triggering Event, 70%) of the average of the lowest daily VWAP of the Class B Common Stock during the period beginning on the Trading Day immediately after the day on which the applicable Holder receives the shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Shares (“Conversion Shares”) and ending on the later of (i) the Trading Day on which the aggregate dollar volume of the Class B Common Stock traded on the Principal Market exceeds the product of the Conversion Amount set forth on the applicable Alternate Conversion Notice multiplied by seven (7), or (ii) the fifth (5th) Trading Day after the day on which the applicable Holder receives the shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Shares (such period, the “Alternate Conversion Measuring Period”), provided, however, that the Alternate Conversion Measuring Period shall be extended for each day on which (i) the Class B Common Stock has been suspended for trading on all Eligible Markets, (ii) Conversion Shares cannot be sold by the Holder because of violation of Section 32 by the Company, or (iii) Conversion Shares are not delivered after the Share Delivery Deadline. All such determinations to be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, reclassification or similar transaction that proportionately decreases or increases the Class B Common Stock during such Alternate Conversion Measuring Period.
(f) “Approved Stock Plan” means any employee benefit plan or agreement which has been approved by the Board or the Compensation Committee of the Board prior to or subsequent to the Closing Date (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement) pursuant to which shares of Class B Common Stock and standard options to purchase Class B Common Stock may be issued to any employee, officer, consultant or director for services provided to the Company in their capacity as such.
(g) “Attribution Parties” means, collectively, the following Persons and entities: (i) any investment vehicle, including, any funds, feeder funds or managed accounts, currently, or from time to time after the Initial Issuance Date, directly or indirectly managed or advised by a Holder’s investment manager or any of its Affiliates or principals, (ii) any direct or indirect Affiliates of such Holder or any of the foregoing, (iii) any Person acting or who could be deemed to be acting as a Group together with such Holder or any of the foregoing and (iv) any other Persons whose beneficial ownership of the Company’s Class B Common Stock would or could be aggregated with such Holder’s and the other Attribution Parties for purposes of Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act. For clarity, the purpose of the foregoing is to subject collectively such Holder and all other Attribution Parties to the Maximum Percentage and, prior to the Ex-Exchange Limitation Date, the Exchange Limitation.
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(h) “Black Scholes Consideration Value” means the value of the applicable Option, Convertible Security or Adjustment Right (as the case may be) as of the date of issuance thereof calculated using the Black Scholes Option Pricing Model obtained from the “OV” function on Bloomberg utilizing (i) an underlying price per share equal to the Closing Sale Price of the Class B Common Stock on the Trading Day immediately preceding the public announcement of the execution of definitive documents with respect to the issuance of such Option, Convertible Security or Adjustment Right (as the case may be), (ii) a risk-free interest rate corresponding to the U.S. Treasury rate for a period equal to the remaining term of such Option, Convertible Security or Adjustment Right (as the case may be) as of the date of issuance of such Option, Convertible Security or Adjustment Right (as the case may be), (iii) a zero cost of borrow and (iv) an expected volatility equal to the greater of 100% and the 100 day volatility obtained from the HVT function on Bloomberg (determined utilizing a 365 day annualization factor) as of the Trading Day immediately following the date of issuance of such Option, Convertible Security or Adjustment Right (as the case may be).
(i) “Bloomberg” means Bloomberg L.P.
(j) “Book-Entry” means each entry on the Register evidencing one or more Preferred Shares held by a Holder in lieu of a Preferred Share Certificate issuable hereunder.
(k) “Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay at home”, “shelter-in-place”, “non- essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in The City of New York generally are open for use by customers on such day.
(l) “Change of Control” means any Fundamental Transaction other than (i) any merger of the Company or any of its, direct or indirect, wholly-owned Subsidiaries with or into any of the foregoing Persons, (ii) any reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification of the shares of Class B Common Stock in which holders of the Company’s voting power immediately prior to such reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification continue after such reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification to hold publicly traded securities and, directly or indirectly, are, in all material respects, the holders of the voting power of the surviving entity (or entities with the authority or voting power to elect the members of the board of directors (or their equivalent if other than a corporation) of such entity or entities) after such reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification or (iii) pursuant to a migratory merger effected solely for the purpose of changing the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(m) “Closing Sale Price” means, for any security as of any date, the last closing trade price for such security on the Principal Market, as reported by Bloomberg, or, if the Principal Market begins to operate on an extended hours basis and does not designate the closing trade price then the last trade price of such security prior to 4:00:00 p.m., New York time, as reported by Bloomberg, or, if the Principal Market is not the principal securities exchange or trading market for such security, the last trade price of such security on the principal securities exchange or trading market where such security is listed or traded as reported by Bloomberg, or if the foregoing do not apply, the last trade price of such security in the over-the-counter market on the electronic bulletin board for such security as reported by Bloomberg, or, if no last trade price is reported for such security by Bloomberg, the average of the ask prices of any market makers for such security as reported in the “pink sheets” by OTC Markets Group Inc. (formerly Pink Sheets LLC). If the Closing Sale Price cannot be calculated for a security on a particular date on any of the foregoing bases, the Closing Sale Price of such security on such date shall be the fair market value as mutually determined by the Company and the Required Holders. If the Company and the Required Holders are unable to agree upon the fair market value of such security, then such dispute shall be resolved in accordance with the procedures in Section 23. All such determinations shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations, recapitalizations or other similar transactions during such period.
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(n) “Closing Date” shall have the meaning set forth in the Securities Purchase Agreement, which date is the date the Company initially issued the Preferred Shares pursuant to the terms of the Securities Purchase Agreement.
(o) “Class B Common Stock” means (i) the Company’s shares of Class B common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, and (ii) any capital stock into which such Class B common stock shall have been changed or any share capital resulting from a reclassification of such Class B common stock.
(p) “Common Stock” means (i) the Company’s shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, and (ii) any capital stock into which such common stock shall have been changed or any share capital resulting from a reclassification of such common stock.
(q) “Common Stock Equivalents” means any Convertible Securities or warrant, Option or other right to subscribe for or purchase additional shares of Common Stock other than Excluded Securities.
(r) “Contingent Obligation” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect liability, contingent or otherwise, of that Person with respect to any Indebtedness, lease, dividend or other obligation of another Person if the primary purpose or intent of the Person incurring such liability, or the primary effect thereof, is to provide assurance to the obligee of such liability that such liability will be paid or discharged, or that any agreements relating thereto will be complied with, or that the holders of such liability will be protected (in whole or in part) against loss with respect thereto.
(s) “Convertible Securities” means any stock or other security (other than Options) that is at any time and under any circumstances, directly or indirectly, convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for, or which otherwise entitles the holder thereof to acquire, any shares of Class B Common Stock.
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(t) “Dividend Rate” means a simple rate of six (6%) per annum, as may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with Section 3.
(u) “Eligible Market” means The New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, or the Nasdaq Capital Market.
(v) “Excluded Securities” means (i) shares of Class B Common Stock or standard options to purchase Class B Common Stock issued to directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Company for services rendered to the Company in their capacity as such pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan (as defined above), provided that (A) all such issuances (taking into account the shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon exercise of such options) after the Subscription Date pursuant to this clause (i) do not, in the aggregate, exceed more than 15% of the Class B Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Closing Date (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement) and (B) the exercise price of any such options is not lowered, none of such options are amended to increase the number of shares issuable thereunder and none of the terms or conditions of any such options are otherwise materially changed in any manner that adversely affects any of the Buyers (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement); (ii) shares of Class B Common Stock issued upon the conversion or exercise of Convertible Securities or Options (other than standard options to purchase Class B Common Stock issued pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan that are covered by clause (i) above) issued prior to the Subscription Date, provided that the conversion or exercise price of any such Convertible Securities or Options (other than standard options to purchase Class B Common Stock issued pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan that are covered by clause (i) above) is not lowered (other than in accordance with the terms thereof in effect as of the Subscription Date) from the conversion or exercise price in effect as of the Subscription Date (whether pursuant to the terms of such Convertible Securities or Options or otherwise), none of such Convertible Securities or Options (other than standard options to purchase Class B Common Stock issued pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan that are covered by clause (i) above) are amended to increase the number of shares issuable thereunder and none of the terms or conditions of any such Convertible Securities or Options (other than standard options to purchase Class B Common Stock issued pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan that are covered by clause (i) above) are otherwise materially changed in any manner that adversely affects any of the Buyers; (iii) the shares of Class B Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Shares or otherwise pursuant to the terms of this Certificate of Designation; (iv) shares of Class B Common Stock issued upon the conversion or exercise of Options (other than standard options to purchase Class B Common Stock issued pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan that are covered by clause (i) above) in connection with the issuance of non-convertible debt securities by the Company; (v) securities issued pursuant to the Transaction Documents; (vi) securities issued by the Company in connection with strategic license agreements, mergers, acquisitions, purchases or leases of assets, partnering arrangements, joint ventures, strategic alliances, investor relations or public relations agreements, or other commercial relationships (including to persons who are customers and suppliers of the Company) relating to the operation of the Company’s business, so long as such issuances are not primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business is investing in securities; (vii) securities issued to banks, equipment lessors or other financial institutions, or to real property lessors, pursuant to a debt financing, equipment leasing or real property leasing transaction, approved by a majority of the independent directors of the Company; (viii) securities issued in connection with the provision of goods or services pursuant to transactions approved by a majority of the independent directors of the Company; (ix) securities issued pursuant to acquisitions or strategic transactions approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company, provided that such securities are issued as “restricted securities” (as defined in Rule 144) and carry no registration rights that require or permit the filing of any registration statement in connection therewith, and provided that any such issuance shall only be to a Person (or to the equityholders of a Person) which is, itself or through its subsidiaries, an operating company or an owner of an asset in a business synergistic with the business of the Company and shall provide to the Company additional benefits in addition to the investment of funds, but shall not include a transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business is investing in securities.
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(w) “Fundamental Transaction” means (A) that the Company shall, directly or indirectly, including through subsidiaries, Affiliates or otherwise, in one or more related transactions, (i) consolidate or merge with or into (whether or not the Company is the surviving corporation) another Subject Entity (excluding a merger consummated solely to effect a change of name or domicile of the Company), or (ii) sell, assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company or any of its “significant subsidiaries” (as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) to one or more Subject Entities, or (iii) make, or allow one or more Subject Entities to make, or allow the Company to be subject to or have its Common Stock be subject to or party to one or more Subject Entities making, a purchase, tender or exchange offer that is accepted by the holders of at least either (x) 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, (y) 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock calculated as if any shares of Common Stock held by all Subject Entities making or party to, or Affiliated with any Subject Entities making or party to, such purchase, tender or exchange offer were not outstanding; or (z) such number of shares of Common Stock such that all Subject Entities making or party to, or Affiliated with any Subject Entity making or party to, such purchase, tender or exchange offer, become collectively the beneficial owners (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act) of at least 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iv) consummate a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin- off or scheme of arrangement) with one or more Subject Entities whereby all such Subject Entities, individually or in the aggregate, acquire, either (x) at least 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, (y) at least 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock calculated as if any shares of Common Stock held by all the Subject Entities making or party to, or Affiliated with any Subject Entity making or party to, such stock purchase agreement or other business combination were not outstanding; or (z) such number of shares of Common Stock such that the Subject Entities become collectively the beneficial owners (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act) of at least 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (v) reorganize, recapitalize or reclassify its Common Stock, (B) that the Company shall, directly or indirectly, including through subsidiaries, Affiliates or otherwise, in one or more related transactions, allow any Subject Entity individually or the Subject Entities in the aggregate to be or become the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act), directly or indirectly, whether through acquisition, purchase, assignment, conveyance, tender, tender offer, exchange, reduction in outstanding shares of Common Stock, merger, consolidation, business combination, reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off, scheme of arrangement, reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification or otherwise in any manner whatsoever, of either (x) at least 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Common Stock, (y) at least 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Common Stock not held by all such Subject Entities as of the date of this Certificate of Designation calculated as if any shares of Common Stock held by all such Subject Entities were not outstanding, or (z) a percentage of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company sufficient to allow such Subject Entities to effect a statutory short form merger or other transaction requiring other stockholders of the Company to surrender their shares of Common Stock without approval of the stockholders of the Company or (C) directly or indirectly, including through subsidiaries, Affiliates or otherwise, in one or more related transactions, the issuance of or the entering into any other instrument or transaction structured in a manner to circumvent, or that circumvents, the intent of this definition in which case this definition shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this definition to the extent necessary to correct this definition or any portion of this definition which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended treatment of such instrument or transaction. Notwithstanding anything to the above to the contrary, a Fundamental Transaction shall not include any optional conversion or required conversion upon transfer of shares of the Company’s Class A Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share, into shares of Class B Common Stock, unless such conversion or transfer is in connection with one of the transactions described above.
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(x) “GAAP” means United States generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied.
(y) “Group” means a “group” as that term is used in Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act and as defined in Rule 13d-5 thereunder.
(z) “Indebtedness” means of any Person means, without duplication (A) all indebtedness for borrowed money, (B) all obligations issued, undertaken or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services, including, without limitation, “capital leases” in accordance with GAAP for the periods covered thereby (other than trade payables entered into in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice), (C) all reimbursement or payment obligations with respect to letters of credit, surety bonds and other similar instruments, (D) all obligations evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or similar instruments, including obligations so evidenced incurred in connection with the acquisition of property, assets or businesses, (E) all indebtedness created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, or incurred as financing, in either case with respect to any property or assets acquired with the proceeds of such indebtedness (even though the rights and remedies of the seller or bank under such agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such property), (F) all monetary obligations under any leasing or similar arrangement which, in connection with United States generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied for the periods covered thereby, is classified as a capital lease, (G) all indebtedness referred to in clauses (A) through (F) above secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or other encumbrance of any nature whatsoever in or upon any property or assets (including accounts and contract rights) with respect to any asset or property owned by any Person, even though the Person which owns such assets or property has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such indebtedness, and (H) all Contingent Obligations in respect of indebtedness or obligations of others of the kinds referred to in clauses (A) through (G) above.
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(aa) “Intellectual Property Rights” means, with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries, all of their rights or licenses to use all trademarks, trade names, service marks, service mark registrations, service names, original works of authorship, patents, patent rights, copyrights, inventions, licenses, approvals, governmental authorizations, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights and all applications and registrations therefor.
(bb) “Liquidation Event” means, whether in a single transaction or series of transactions, the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company or such Subsidiaries the assets of which constitute all or substantially all of the assets of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(cc) “Material Adverse Effect” means any material adverse effect on the business in excess of $2,500,000, properties, assets, liabilities, operations, results of operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries, if any, individually or taken as a whole, or on the transactions contemplated hereby or on the other Transaction Documents (as defined below), or by the agreements and instruments to be entered into in connection therewith or on the authority or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents.
(dd) “Options” means any rights, warrants or options to subscribe for or purchase shares of Class B Common Stock or Convertible Securities.
(ee) “Parent Entity” of a Person means an entity that, directly or indirectly, controls the applicable Person and whose common stock or equivalent equity security is quoted or listed on an Eligible Market, or, if there is more than one such Person or Parent Entity, the Person or Parent Entity with the largest public market capitalization as of the date of consummation of the Fundamental Transaction.
(ff) “Parity Stock” shares of capital stock of the Company that ranks pari passu with the Preferred Shares in respect of the preferences as to dividends, distributions and payments upon the liquidation, dissolution and winding up of the Company.
(gg) “Person” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization, any other entity or a government or any department or agency thereof.
(hh) “Principal Market” means, as of any time of determination, the principal trading market, if any, in which the shares of Class B Common Stock then trade.
(ii) “Redemption Notice” means the Company Optional Redemption Notices.
(jj) “Redemption Premium” means 110%.
(kk) “Redemption Price” means the Company Optional Redemption Price.
(ll) “SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or the successor thereto.
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(mm) “Securities Purchase Agreement” means that certain securities purchase agreement by and among the Company and the initial holders of Preferred Shares, dated as of the Subscription Date, as may be amended from time in accordance with the terms thereof.
(nn) “Stated Value” shall mean $10,000 per share, subject to adjustment for stock splits, stock dividends, recapitalizations, reorganizations, reclassifications, combinations, subdivisions or other similar events occurring after the Initial Issuance Date with respect to the Preferred Shares, and as may be adjusted pursuant to the second-to-last sentence of Section 4(b)(ii).
(oo) “Subscription Date” means May 24, 2024.
(pp) “Subject Entity” means any Person, Persons or Group or any Affiliate or associate of any such Person, Persons or Group.
(qq) “Subsidiaries” shall have the meaning as set forth in the Securities Purchase Agreement.
(rr) “Successor Entity” means the Person (or, if so elected by the Required Holders, the Parent Entity) formed by, resulting from or surviving any Fundamental Transaction or the Person (or, if so elected by the Required Holders, the Parent Entity) with which such Fundamental Transaction shall have been entered into.
(ss) “Trading Day” means, as applicable, (x) with respect to all price or trading volume determinations relating to the Class B Common Stock, any day on which the Class B Common Stock is traded on the Principal Market, or, if the Principal Market is not the principal trading market for the Class B Common Stock, then on the principal securities exchange or securities market on which the Class B Common Stock is then traded, provided that “Trading Day” shall not include any day on which the Class B Common Stock is scheduled to trade on such exchange or market for less than 4.5 hours or any day that the Class B Common Stock is suspended from trading during the final hour of trading on such exchange or market (or if such exchange or market does not designate in advance the closing time of trading on such exchange or market, then during the hour ending at 4:00:00 p.m., New York time) unless such day is otherwise designated as a Trading Day in writing by the applicable Holder or (y) with respect to all determinations other than price determinations relating to the Class B Common Stock, any day on which The New York Stock Exchange (or any successor thereto) is open for trading of securities.
(tt) “Transaction Documents” means the Securities Purchase Agreement, this Certificate of Designation and each of the other agreements and instruments entered into or delivered by the Company or any of the Holders in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Securities Purchase Agreement, all as may be amended from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.
(uu) “VWAP” means, for any security as of any date, the dollar volume-weighted average price for such security on the Principal Market (or, if the Principal Market is not the principal trading market for such security, then on the principal securities exchange or securities market on which such security is then traded), during the period beginning at 9:30 a.m., New York time, and ending at 4:00 p.m., New York time, as reported by Bloomberg through its “VAP” function (set to 09:30 start time and 16:00 end time) or, if the foregoing does not apply, the dollar volume-weighted average price of such security in the over-the-counter market on the electronic bulletin board for such security during the period beginning at 9:30 a.m., New York time, and ending at 4:00 p.m., New York time, as reported by Bloomberg, or, if no dollar volume-weighted average price is reported for such security by Bloomberg for such hours, the average of the highest closing bid price and the lowest closing ask price of any of the market makers for such security as reported in the “pink sheets” by OTC Markets Group Inc. (formerly Pink Sheets LLC). If the VWAP cannot be calculated for such security on such date on any of the foregoing bases, the VWAP of such security on such date shall be the fair market value as mutually determined by the Company and the Required Holders. If the Company and the Required Holders are unable to agree upon the fair market value of such security, then such dispute shall be resolved in accordance with the procedures in Section 23. All such determinations shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, recapitalization or other similar transaction during such period.
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32. Disclosure. Upon receipt or delivery by the Company of any notice (other than a Conversion Notice) in accordance with the terms of this Certificate of Designation, unless the Company has in good faith determined that the matters relating to such notice do not constitute material, non-public information relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the Company shall on or prior to 9:00 am, New York city time on the Business Day immediately following such notice delivery date, publicly disclose such material, non-public information on a Current Report on Form 8-K or otherwise. In the event that the Company believes that a notice contains material, non-public information relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the Company so shall indicate to a Holder explicitly in writing in such notice (or immediately upon receipt of notice from such Holder, as applicable), and in the absence of any such written indication in such notice (or notification from the Company immediately upon receipt of notice from such Holder), such Holder shall be entitled to presume that information contained in the notice does not constitute material, non-public information relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Nothing contained in this Section 32 shall limit any obligations of the Company, or any rights of any Holder, under Section 4(i) of the Securities Purchase Agreement.
33. Absence of Trading and Disclosure Restrictions. The Company acknowledges and agrees that no Holder is a fiduciary or agent of the Company and that each Holder shall have no obligation to (a) maintain the confidentiality of any information provided by the Company or (b) refrain from trading any securities while in possession of such information in the absence of a written non-disclosure agreement signed by an officer of such Holder that explicitly provides for such confidentiality and trading restrictions. In the absence of such an executed, written non-disclosure agreement, the Company acknowledges that each Holder may freely trade in any securities issued by the Company, may possess and use any information provided by the Company in connection with such trading activity, and may disclose any such information to any third party.
* * * * *
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Certificate of Designation of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock of Asset Entities Inc. to be signed by its Chief Executive Officer on this 24th day of May, 2024.
| /s/ Arshia Sarkhani | ||
| Name: | Arshia Sarkhani | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
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EXHIBIT I
ASSET ENTITIES INC. CONVERSION NOTICE
Reference is made to the Certificate of Designation of the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock of Asset Entities Inc. (the “Certificate of Designation”). In accordance with and pursuant to the Certificate of Designation, the undersigned hereby elects to convert the number of shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Preferred Shares”), of Asset Entities Inc. a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), indicated below into shares of Class B common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Class B Common Stock”), of the Company, as of the date specified below.
| Date of Conversion: ____________________________________________________ |
| Aggregate number of Preferred Shares to be converted ___________________________________ |
| Aggregate Stated Value of such Preferred Shares to be converted: ______________________________ |
|
Aggregate accrued and unpaid Dividends and accrued and unpaid Late Charges with respect to such Preferred Shares and such Aggregate Dividends to be converted: ________________________________ |
| AGGREGATE CONVERSION AMOUNT TO BE CONVERTED: |
| Please confirm the following information: |
| Conversion Price: __________________________________________ |
| Number of shares of Class B Common Stock to be issued: ________________________________________ |
| ☐ | Check here if Holder is electing to use the following Alternate Conversion Price: Please issue the Class B Common Stock into which the applicable Preferred Shares are being converted to Holder, or for its beneit, as follows: |
| ☐ | Check here if requesting delivery as a certificate to the following name and to the following address: |
| Issue to: | |
| ☐ | Check here if requesting delivery by Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian as follows: |
| DTC Participant: | |
| DTC Number: | |
| Account Number: |
Date: __________, 20 __
| IONIC VENTURES, LLC | ||
| Name: | Brendan O’Neil | |
| Title: | Authorized Signatory | |
| Phone#: | 415-999-2132 | |
EXHIBIT II
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Date:___________, 20
The Company hereby (a) acknowledges this Conversion Notice, (b) certifies that the above indicated number of shares of Class B Common Stock [are][are not] eligible to be resold by the Holder either (i) pursuant to Rule 144 (subject to the Holder’s execution and delivery to the Company of a customary 144 representation letter) or (ii) an effective and available registration statement and (c) hereby directs_____________ to issue the above indicated number of shares of Class B Common Stock in accordance with the Transfer Agent Instructions dated__________, 20____ from the Company and acknowledged and agreed to by_______________.
| ASSET ENTITIES INC. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
EXHIBIT III
ASSET ENTITIES INC.
CONVERSION SETTLEMENT NOTICE
Reference is made to the Certificate of Designation of the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock of Asset Entities Inc. (the “Certificate of Designation”). In accordance with and pursuant to the Certificate of Designation, the undersigned hereby elects to convert the number of shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Preferred Shares”), of Asset Entities Inc. a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), indicated below into shares of Class B common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Class B Common Stock”), of the Company, as of the date specified below.
FINAL SETTLEMENT OF SERIES A CONVERSION NOTICE
| Conversion Date: | |
| Conversion Amount: | |
| Conversion Measurement Period dates: |
Start Date: End Date: |
| Lowest daily VWAP in Conversion Measurement Period: | |
| Conversion Price: | |
| Conversion Settlement Date: | |
| Settlement Conversion Shares: | |
| Pre-Settlement Conversion Shares previously issued: | |
| Total additional shares of Class B Common Stock owed: | |
| Settlement Conversion Shares to be issued on this Notice1: | |
| Settlement Conversion Shares remaining to be issued: |
Please issue the Class B Common Stock into which the applicable Preferred Shares are being converted to Holder, or for its benefit, as follows:
| DTC Participant: | ||
| DTC Number: | ||
| Account Number: |
| IONIC VENTURES, LLC | ||
| Name: | Brendan O’Neil | |
| Title: | Authorized Signatory | |
| Phone#: | 415-999-2132 | |
Exhibit 5.1
 |
9275 W. Russell Road, Suite 240 PH (702) 692-8026 | FX (702) 692-8075 fennemorelaw.com |
June 7, 2024
Asset Entities Inc.
100 Crescent Court, 7th Floor
Dallas, Texas 75201
| Re: | Asset Entities Inc./Registration Statement on Form S-1 |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special Nevada counsel to Asset Entities Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the registration by the Company of up to 7,748,521 shares (the “Shares”) of its Class B Common Stock (the “Common Stock”) on Form S-1 (the “Registration Statement”), as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) as of the date hereof in accordance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).
Of the 7,748,521 Shares, (a) up to 7,594,521 of the Shares (the “Conversion Shares”) are issuable upon the conversion of the Company’s Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) and (b) up to 154,000 of the Shares (the “Placement Agent Warrant Shares”) are issuable upon the exercise of certain warrants (the “Placement Agent Warrants”).
For purposes of these opinions, we have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of:
(a) the Registration Statement;
(b) the Articles of Incorporation of the Company as filed with the Secretary of State of Nevada on March 9, 2022, including the Certificate of Designation of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock as filed with the Secretary of State of Nevada on May 24, 2024 (the “Series A Designation”);
(c) the Bylaws of the Company as adopted on March 9, 2022;
(d) the Securities Purchase Agreement dated May 24, 2024 pursuant to which the Series A Preferred Stock was issued;
(e) the Placement Agent Warrants; and
Asset Entities Inc.
June 7, 2024
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(f) certain resolutions and actions of the Board of Directors of the Company relating to the issuance of the Series A Preferred Stock and the Placement Agent Warrants and registration of the Shares under the Securities Act, and such other matters as relevant.
We have obtained from officers and agents of the Company and from public officials, and have relied upon, such certificates, representations, and assurances as we have deemed necessary and appropriate for purposes of rendering this opinion letter. We have also examined such other corporate documents, records, certificates, and instruments (collectively with the documents identified in (a) through (f) above, the “Documents”) as we deem necessary or advisable to render the opinions set forth herein.
In our examination, we have assumed:
(a) the legal capacity of all natural persons executing the Documents;
(b) the genuineness of all signatures on the Documents;
(c) the authenticity of all Documents submitted to us as originals, and the conformity to original documents of all Documents submitted to us as copies;
(d) that the parties to such Documents, other than the Company, had the power, corporate or other, to enter into and perform all obligations thereunder;
(e) other than with respect to the Company, the due authorization by all requisite action, corporate or other, of the Documents;
(f) the execution, delivery, and performance by all parties of the Documents; and
(g) that all Documents are valid, binding, and enforceable against the parties thereto.
We have relied upon the accuracy and completeness of the information, factual matters, representations, and warranties contained in such Documents.
The opinions expressed below are limited to the matters specifically set forth herein and no other opinion shall be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated. We disclaim any undertaking to advise you of any subsequent changes in the facts stated or assumed for purposes of delivering these opinions expressed herein or any changes in applicable law that may come to our attention after the date the Registration Statement is declared effective.
Asset Entities Inc.
June 7, 2024
Page 3
On the basis of the foregoing and in reliance thereon, and subject to the assumptions, limitations, and qualifications set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:
| (a) | the issuance of the Conversion Shares has been duly authorized and upon issuance in accordance with the terms of Series A Designation, the Conversion Shares will be validly issued, fully paid, and nonassessable; and |
| (b) | the issuance of the Placement Agent Warrant Shares has been duly authorized and upon issuance in accordance with the terms of the Placement Agent Warrants, as applicable, the Placement Agent Warrant Shares will be validly issued, fully paid, and nonassessable. |
While certain members of this firm are admitted to practice in certain jurisdictions other than Nevada, in rendering the foregoing opinions we have not examined the laws of any jurisdiction other than Nevada. Accordingly, we express no opinion regarding the effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction or state, including any federal laws. The opinions we express herein are limited solely to the laws of the State of Nevada, other than the securities laws and regulations of the State of Nevada as to which we express no opinion.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and we consent to the reference of our name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement. In giving the foregoing consent, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
| Very truly yours, | |
| /s/ Fennemore Craig, P.C. | |
Fennemore Craig, P.C. |
tmor/cdol
Exhibit 23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-) of Asset Entities Inc. (the “Company”) of our report dated April 1, 2024, relating to the audit of the consolidated balance sheets of the Company and its variable interest entity as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the related consolidated statements of operations, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2023, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”).
We also consent to the Company’s reference to WWC, P.C., Certified Public Accountants, as experts in accounting and auditing.
| /s/ WWC, P.C. | |
| San Mateo, California | WWC, P.C. |
| June 7, 2024 | Certified Public Accountants |
| PCAOB ID: 1171 |
