Atlanticus Holdings Corp 8-K, filed Jun 11, 2021
Atlanticus Holdings Corp (ATLC)
About this 8-K
Atlanticus Holdings Corp filed this 8-K on June 11, 2021, reporting on events of June 8, 2021.
Items reported
- Item 1.01: Entered into a material agreement
- Item 3.03: Change to shareholders' rights
- Item 5.03: Charter or bylaw amendment, or fiscal year change
- Item 8.01: Other events
- Item 9.01: Financial statements and exhibits
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
____________________________
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): June 8, 2021
Atlanticus Holdings Corporation
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Georgia |
000-53717 |
58-2336689 |
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(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
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Five Concourse Parkway, Suite 300, Atlanta, Georgia 30328
(Address of principal executive offices)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 770-828-2000
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
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Title of class |
Trading Symbol |
Name of exchange on which registered |
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Common stock, no par value |
ATLC |
Nasdaq Global Select Market |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
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 13(a) of the Exchange Act.
Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On June 8, 2021, Atlanticus Holdings Corporation, a Georgia corporation (the “Company”), entered into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with B. Riley Securities, Inc., as representative of the several underwriters named therein (the “Underwriters”), to issue and sell an aggregate of 2,800,000 shares (the “Firm Shares”) of the Company’s 7.625% Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, no par value and liquidation preference of $25.00 per share (the “Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock”), in a public offering (the “Offering”) at a price to the public of $25.00 per share. The Company also granted the Underwriters an option (the “Option”) to purchase up to 420,000 additional shares of Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock (together with the Firm Shares, the “Shares”) during the 30 days following the date of the Underwriting Agreement.
The Offering was made pursuant to the prospectus supplement dated June 8, 2021 and the accompanying prospectus dated May 13, 2021, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Company’s shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-255834).
The net proceeds from the Offering, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions, but before expenses and a structuring fee, are expected to be approximately $67.2 million or approximately $77.3 million if the Underwriters exercise the Option in full. The Offering of the Firm Shares closed on June 11, 2021.
The foregoing description of the material terms of the Underwriting Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Underwriting Agreement, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit 1.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
The legal opinion as to the legality of the Shares is included as Exhibit 5.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 3.03. Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.
On June 9, 2021, the Company filed the Articles of Amendment Establishing 7.625% Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock (the “Articles of Amendment”) for the Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock with the Secretary of State of the State of Georgia, which became effective upon filing. The Articles of Amendment designated a total of 3,220,000 shares of preferred stock as Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock.
As set forth in the Articles of Amendment, the Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, as to dividend rights and rights upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Company, will rank (i) senior to all classes or series of the Company’s common stock and to all other equity securities issued by the Company expressly designated as ranking junior to the Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock; (ii) on parity with any future class or series of the Company’s equity securities expressly designated as ranking on parity with the Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock; (iii) junior to the Company’s Series A Convertible Preferred Stock and any future equity securities issued by the Company with terms specifically providing that those equity securities rank senior to the Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company; and (iv) effectively junior to all of the Company’s existing and future indebtedness (including indebtedness convertible into the Company’s common stock or preferred stock) and to the indebtedness and other liabilities of (as well as any preferred equity interests held by others in) the Company’s existing or future subsidiaries. Holders of Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, when and as authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors, are entitled to cumulative cash dividends at the rate of 7.625% of the $25.00 liquidation preference per year (equivalent to $1.90625 per share per year). Dividends will be payable quarterly in arrears, on or about the 15th day of March, June, September and December of each year (or, if not on a business day, on the next succeeding business day), beginning on or about September 15, 2021. Generally, the Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock is not redeemable by the Company prior to June 11, 2026. However, upon a change of control or delisting event (each as defined in the Articles of Amendment), the Company will have a special option to redeem the Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock.
This description of the terms of the Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Articles of Amendment, which is included as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 5.03. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.
To the extent applicable, the information contained in Item 3.03 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is hereby incorporated by reference into this Item 5.03.
Item 8.01. Other Events.
On June 7, 2021, the Company issued a press release announcing the launch of the Offering. On June 9, 2021, the Company issued a press release announcing the pricing of the Offering. On June 11, 2021, the Company issued a press release announcing the closing of the Offering. Copies of the press releases are filed as Exhibit 99.1, Exhibit 99.2 and Exhibit 99.3, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
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(d) |
Exhibits. |
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Exhibit |
Description |
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1.1 |
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3.1 |
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5.1 |
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23.1 |
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99.1 |
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99.2 |
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99.3 |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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Atlanticus Holdings Corporation |
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Date: June 11, 2021 |
By: |
/s/ William R. McCamey |
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Name: William R. McCamey |
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Title: Chief Financial Officer |
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Exhibit 1.1
Execution Version
B. RILEY SECURITIES, INC.
As representative of the several Underwriters
c/o B. RILEY SECURITIES, INC.
299 Park Avenue, 21st Floor
New York, New York 10171
Ladies and Gentlemen:
ATLANTICUS HOLDINGS CORPORATION, a Georgia corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”) 2,800,000 shares of its 7.625% Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, no par value per share and liquidation preference of $25.00 per share (the “Firm Shares”). The Company also proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional 420,000 shares of its 7.625% Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, no par value per share and liquidation preference of $25.00 per share (the “Additional Shares”), if and to the extent that B. Riley Securities, Inc. (“B. Riley Securities”), as representative of the Underwriters, shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase such Additional Shares granted to the Underwriters in Section 2 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Shares.” The shares of Series B Preferred Stock, no par value per share and liquidation preference of $25.00 per share, of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the “Preferred Stock.” The shares of the Common Stock, no par value per share, of the Company are hereinafter referred to as the “Common Stock.”
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-255834), including a prospectus, relating to the Shares. The registration statement at the time it became effective, including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”; the prospectus in the form first used to confirm sales of Shares (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus.” If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register additional shares of Preferred Stock pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (a “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.
For purposes of this Agreement, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, “preliminary prospectus” shall mean each prospectus included in the Registration Statement (and any amendments thereto) prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted information pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act that was used in connection with the offering of the Shares after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the preliminary prospectus contained in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness that is used in connection with the offering of the Shares together with the documents and pricing information set forth in Schedule II hereto, and “broadly available road show” means a “bona fide electronic road show” as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) under the Securities Act that has been made available without restriction to any person. As used herein, the terms “Registration Statement,” “preliminary prospectus,” “Time of Sale Prospectus” and “Prospectus” shall include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein as of the date hereof. The terms “supplement,” “amendment” and “amend” as used herein with respect to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus shall include all documents subsequently filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein.
The Company hereby confirms its agreements with the Underwriters as follows:
1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:
(a) The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act are pending before or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission.
(b) (i) Each document, if any, filed or to be filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus complied or will comply when so filed in all material respects with the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (ii) the Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (iii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (iv) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 4), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (v) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (vi) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through B. Riley Securities expressly for use therein.
(c) The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Except for the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule II hereto, and electronic road shows, if any, each furnished to B. Riley Securities before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without B. Riley Securities’ prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.
(d) The Company and any subsidiary that is a significant subsidiary (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the Commission)(each, a “Subsidiary,” collectively, the “Subsidiaries”), have been duly incorporated, formed or organized, as applicable, are validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of incorporation, formation or organization, as applicable. The Company and the Subsidiaries are duly licensed or qualified for transaction of business and in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such license or qualification, and have all organizational power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the assets, business, operations, earnings, properties, condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or prevent the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (a “Material Adverse Effect”).
(e) As of the date hereof, the Company’s only Subsidiaries are set forth on Schedule III. The Company owns directly or indirectly, all of the equity interests of the Subsidiaries free and clear of any lien, charge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal or other restriction, and all the equity interests of the Subsidiaries are validly issued and are fully paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive and similar rights.
(f) The Company has full legal right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and perform the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that (i) enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles and (ii) the indemnification and contribution provisions of Section 8 hereof may be limited by federal or state securities laws and public policy considerations in respect thereof.
(g) The Shares, when issued and delivered pursuant to the terms approved by the board of directors of the Company or a duly authorized committee thereof, against payment therefor as provided herein, will be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of any pledge, lien, encumbrance, security interest or other claim (other than any pledge, lien, encumbrance, security interest or other claim arising from an act or omission of the Underwriters), including any statutory or contractual preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights, and will be registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act. The Shares, when issued, will conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, and will entitle the holders of the Shares to the rights and benefits provided therein and in the Articles of Amendment Establishing the 7.625% Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock of Atlanticus Holdings Corporation (the “AOA”).
(h) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, the Company met the then applicable requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, including compliance with General Instruction I.B.1 of Form S-3, as applicable.
(i) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or any governmental or regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Company is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, and the issuance and sale by the Company of the Shares as contemplated hereby, except (i) the filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Georgia of the AOA, (ii) as may be required under applicable state securities laws or by the by-laws and rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) or the NASDAQ Global Select Market (the “Exchange”), including any notices that may be required by the Exchange, in connection with the sale of the Shares, (iii) as may be required under the Securities Act and (iv) as have been previously obtained by the Company or the absence of which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(j) Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus, there has not been (i) any Material Adverse Effect, or any development that would result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) any transaction which is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (iii) any obligation or liability, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), incurred by the Company or the Subsidiaries, which is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (iv) any material change in the Company’s capital stock (other than (A) the grant of additional options or other equity awards under the Company’s existing stock option and equity incentive plans, (B) changes in the number of shares of outstanding Common Stock of the Company due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise or conversion of securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Stock outstanding on the date hereof, (C) as a result of the issuance of the Shares, or (D) any repurchases of capital stock of the Company or (v) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on the capital stock of the Company or any Subsidiary, other than in each case above in the ordinary course of business or as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or Prospectus (including any document incorporated by reference therein).
(k) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is (i) in violation of its articles of incorporation or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other similar agreement or instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any Subsidiary, except, in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the Company’s knowledge, no other party under any material contract or other material agreement to which it or any Subsidiary is a party is in default in any respect thereunder where such default would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(l) (i) No person, as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act (each, a “Person”), has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Company to issue or sell to such Person any Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company (other than upon the exercise of options or warrants to purchase Common Stock, the vesting of restricted stock units or restricted shares of Common Stock, the conversion of convertible securities, or upon the exercise of options or other equity awards that may be granted from time to time under the Company’s stock option and equity incentive plans), (ii) no Person has any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal, or any other rights (whether pursuant to a “poison pill” provision or otherwise) to purchase any Preferred Stock or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company from the Company which have not been duly waived with respect to the offering contemplated hereby, (iii) no Person has the right to act as an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Company in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares, and (iv) no Person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to require the Company to register under the Securities Act any Preferred Stock or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company, or to include any such shares or other securities in the Registration Statement or the offering contemplated thereby, whether as a result of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the sale of the Shares as contemplated thereby or otherwise, except in each case for such rights as have been waived on or prior to the date hereof or such rights which, if not waived, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(m) The issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and, other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, are not subject to any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or similar rights. The Company has an authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus as of the dates referred to therein (other than (i) the grant of additional options or other equity awards under the Company’s existing stock option and equity incentive plans, (ii) changes in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise or conversion of securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Stock outstanding on the date hereof, or the vesting of restricted stock units or restricted shares of Common Stock, (iii) as a result of the issuance of Shares, or (iv) any repurchases of capital stock of the Company) and such authorized capital stock conforms in all material respects to the description thereof set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus. The description of the Preferred Stock in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus is complete and accurate in all material respects. Except (x) as disclosed in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or (y) awards granted under the Company’s existing stock option or equity incentive plans, the Company does not have outstanding any options to purchase, or any rights or warrants to subscribe for, or any securities or obligations convertible into, or exchangeable for, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell, any shares of capital stock or other securities.
(n) Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act with respect to the offering of the Shares, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(o) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is or, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares, will be required to register as an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company,” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(p) The Company and the Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules, regulations, decisions and orders relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (ii) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; and (iii) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except, in the case of any of clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) above, for any such failure to comply or failure to receive required permits, licenses, other approvals or liability as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(q) (i) Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, the Subsidiaries, nor to the Company’s knowledge, any of their respective executive officers has, in the past five years, made any unlawful contributions to any candidate for any political office (or failed fully to disclose any contribution in violation of applicable law) or made any contribution or other payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state, municipal, or foreign office or other person charged with similar public or quasi-public duty in violation of any applicable law or of the character required to be disclosed in the Prospectus; (ii) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, the Subsidiaries or any affiliate of any of them, on the one hand, and the directors, officers and shareholders of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, the Subsidiaries, on the other hand, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus that is not so described; (iii) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or the Subsidiaries or any affiliate of them, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, shareholders or directors of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, the Subsidiaries, on the other hand, that is required by the rules of FINRA to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus that is not so described; (iv) there are no material outstanding loans or advances or material guarantees of indebtedness by the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, the Subsidiaries to or for the benefit of any of their respective officers or directors or any of the members of the families of any of them; and (v) the Company has not offered, or caused any placement agent to offer, Preferred Stock to any person with the intent to influence unlawfully (A) a customer or supplier of the Company or the Subsidiaries to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company or the Subsidiaries or (B) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or the Subsidiaries or any of their respective products or services, and, (vi) neither the Company nor the Subsidiaries nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee or agent of the Company or the Subsidiaries has made any payment of funds of the Company or the Subsidiaries or received or retained any funds in violation of any law, rule or regulation (including, without limitation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977), which payment, receipt or retention of funds is of a character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus.
(r) The operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions to which the Company or the Subsidiaries are subject, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency having jurisdiction over the Company (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), except where the failure to be in such compliance would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any Subsidiary with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(s) (i) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary (collectively, the “Entity”), director, officer nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee, agent, affiliate or representative of the Entity, is a government, individual, or entity (in this paragraph (s), “Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by a Person that is:
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(A) |
the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union (“EU”), Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor |
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(B) |
located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions. |
(ii) The Entity will not, directly or indirectly, knowingly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:
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(A) |
to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or |
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(B) |
in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise). |
(iii) The Entity represents and covenants that, except as detailed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, for the past 5 years, it has not knowingly engaged in and is not now knowingly engaged in any dealing or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.
(t) The Company and the Subsidiaries own or possess adequate enforceable rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks (both registered and unregistered), trade names, trademark registrations, service marks, service mark registrations, Internet domain name registrations, copyrights, copyright registrations, licenses and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”), necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as conducted as of the date hereof, except to the extent that the failure to own or possess adequate rights to use such Intellectual Property would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and the Subsidiaries have not received any written notice of any claim of infringement or conflict which asserted Intellectual Property rights of others, which infringement or conflict, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. There are no pending, or to the Company’s knowledge, threatened judicial proceedings or interference proceedings challenging the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s rights in or to or the validity of the scope of any of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ patents, patent applications or proprietary information, except for such right or claim that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. To the Company’s knowledge, no other entity or individual has any right or claim in any of the Company’s or any of its Subsidiary’s patents, patent applications or any patent to be issued therefrom by virtue of any contract, license or other agreement entered into between such entity or individual and the Company or any Subsidiary or by any non-contractual obligation, other than by written licenses granted by the Company or any Subsidiary, except for such right or claim that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not received any written notice of any claim challenging the rights of the Company or its Subsidiaries in or to any Intellectual Property owned, licensed or optioned by the Company or any Subsidiary which claim, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(u) Neither the execution of this Agreement by the Company, nor the issuance, offering or sale of the Shares, nor the consummation by the Company of any of the transactions contemplated herein, nor the compliance by the Company with the terms and provisions hereof will conflict with, or will result in a breach of, any of the terms and provisions of, or has constituted or will constitute a default under, or has resulted in or will result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any contract or other agreement to which the Company may be bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject, except (i) such conflicts, breaches or defaults as may have been waived and (ii) such conflicts, breaches and defaults that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; nor will such action result (x) in any violation of the provisions of the organizational or governing documents of the Company, or (y) in any material violation of the provisions of any statute or any order, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or of any court or of any federal, state or other regulatory authority or other government body having jurisdiction over the Company, except where such violation would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(v) The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and valid title in fee simple to all items of real property and good and valid title to all personal property described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or Prospectus as being owned by them that are material to the businesses of the Company or such Subsidiary, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and claims, except those that (i) do not materially interfere with the use made of such property by the Company and the Subsidiaries or (ii) would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Any real property described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or Prospectus as being leased by the Company and the Subsidiaries is held by them under valid, existing and enforceable leases, except those that (A) do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company or the Subsidiaries or (B) would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(w) (i)(x) To the knowledge of the Company, there has been no material security breach or other compromise of the Company’s information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data (including the data of their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained by or on behalf of them), equipment or technology used in the Company’s business (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”) and (y) the Company has not been notified of, and has no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any material security breach or other compromise to its IT Systems and Data; (ii) the Company is presently in material compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except as would not, in the case of this clause (ii), individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and (iii) the Company has implemented backup and disaster recovery technology consistent with industry standards and practices.
(x) The Company and the Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns which have been required to be filed and paid all taxes shown thereon through the date hereof, to the extent that such taxes have become due and are not being contested in good faith, except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any Subsidiary which has had, or would have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has no knowledge of any federal, state or other governmental tax deficiency, penalty or assessment which has been asserted or threatened against it which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(y) The consolidated financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, together with the related notes and schedules, present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the consolidated results of operations, cash flows and changes in shareholders’ equity of the Company and the Subsidiaries for the periods specified (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments which will not be material, either individually or in the aggregate) and have been prepared in compliance in all material respects with the published requirements of the Securities Act and Exchange Act, as applicable, and in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis (except (i) for such adjustments to accounting standards and practices as are noted therein and (ii) in the case of unaudited interim financial statements, to the extent they may exclude footnotes or may be condensed or summary statements) during the periods involved; the other financial and statistical data with respect to the Company and the Subsidiaries contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, are, in all material respects, accurately and fairly presented and prepared on a basis materially consistent with the financial statements and books and records of the Company; there are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus that are not included or incorporated by reference as required; and since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company and the Subsidiaries do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off balance sheet obligations), not described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or Prospectus; and all disclosures contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, if any, regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, to the extent applicable.
(z) BDO USA, LLP (the “Accountant”), whose report on the consolidated financial statements of the Company is filed with the Commission as part of the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K, filed with the Commission and incorporated into the Registration Statement, is and, during the periods covered by its report, was an independent public accountant within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). To the Company’s knowledge, the Accountant is not in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) with respect to the Company.
(aa) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls designed to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting (other than as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus). Since the date of the latest audited financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (other than as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus). The Company has established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act. The Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of the annual report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2020 (such date, the “Evaluation Date”). The Company presented in its annual report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2020, the conclusions of the certifying officers about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on their evaluations as of the most recent Evaluation Date.
(bb) There are no transactions, arrangements and other relationships between and/or among the Company, and/or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of its affiliates and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any structured finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity (each, an “Off Balance Sheet Transaction”) that would affect materially the Company’s liquidity or the availability of or requirements for its capital resources, including those Off Balance Sheet Transactions described in the Commission’s Statement about Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations (Release Nos. 33-8056; 34-45321; FR-61), required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus which have not been described as required.
(cc) To the knowledge of the Company, (i) each material employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any of its affiliates for employees or former employees of the Company and the Subsidiaries has been maintained in material compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”); (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred which would result in a material liability to the Company with respect to any such plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; and (iii) for each such plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no “accumulated funding deficiency” as defined in Section 412 of the Code has been incurred, whether or not waived, and the fair market value of the assets of each such plan (excluding for these purposes accrued but unpaid contributions) equals or exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such plan determined using reasonable actuarial assumptions, other than, in the case of (i), (ii) and (iii) above, as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(dd) No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) (a “Forward-Looking Statement”) contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
(ee) Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
(ff) The Company and the Subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company and the Subsidiaries reasonably believe are adequate for the conduct of their business.
(gg) The Company has not been advised, and has no reason to believe, that it and each of its Subsidiaries are not conducting business in compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations of the jurisdictions in which it is conducting business, except where failure to be so in compliance would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(hh) The Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable U.S. federal and state financial services or consumer protection laws, rules, regulations, licensing or other requirements applicable to the Company and the Subsidiaries, except to the extent that any non-compliance would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is a party to or otherwise subject to any consent decree, memorandum of understanding, cease and desist order, order of prohibition or suspension, written commitment, supervisory agreement, or other written agreement or order (collectively, “Regulatory Orders”) with any U.S. federal or state financial services or consumer protection regulatory authority (collectively, “Financial Regulatory Authorities”). None of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries has been advised in writing or otherwise by any Financial Regulatory Authority that such Financial Regulatory Authority is contemplating issuing or requesting any Regulatory Order which could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(ii) There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Each of the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer of the Company (or each former principal executive officer of the Company and each former principal financial officer of the Company as applicable) has made all certifications required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act with respect to all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by it or furnished by it to the Commission during the past 12 months. For purposes of the preceding sentence, “principal executive officer” and “principal financial officer” shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Exchange Act Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15.
(jj) All agreements between the Company and third parties expressly referenced in the Prospectus, other than such agreements that have expired by their terms or whose termination is disclosed in documents filed by the Company on EDGAR, are legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, except to the extent that (i) enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles and (ii) the indemnification provisions of certain agreements may be limited by federal or state securities laws or public policy considerations in respect thereof, and except for any unenforceability that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(kk) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject (i) other than proceedings accurately described in all material respects in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus and proceedings that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Prospectus or (ii) that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus and are not so described; and there are no statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required.
(ll) The Company and the Subsidiaries possess or have obtained, all licenses, certificates, consents, orders, approvals, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as currently conducted, as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus (the “Permits”), except where the failure to possess, obtain or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received written notice of any proceeding relating to revocation or modification of any such Permit or has any reason to believe that such Permit will not be renewed in the ordinary course, except where the revocation, modification or failure to obtain the renewal of any such Permit would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(mm) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not filed a report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the filing of its last annual report on Form 10-K indicating that it (i) has failed to pay any dividend or sinking fund installment on preferred stock or (ii) has defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(nn) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has incurred any liability for any finder’s fees, brokerage commissions or similar payments in connection with the transactions herein contemplated, except as may otherwise exist with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement.
(oo) No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any Subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(pp) Neither the Company, nor any Subsidiary, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any of their respective directors, officers or controlling persons has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed, or that has constituted or would reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.
(qq) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary (i) is required to register as a “broker” or “dealer” in accordance with the provisions of the Exchange Act or (ii) directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls or is a “person associated with a member” or “associated person of a member” (within the meaning set forth in the FINRA Manual).
(rr) The Company has not relied upon the Underwriters or legal counsel for the Underwriters for any legal, tax or accounting advice in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.
(ss) On the Closing Date, all material stock transfer or other taxes (other than income taxes) which are required to be paid in connection with the sale and transfer of the Shares to be sold hereunder will be, or will have been, fully paid or provided for by the Company and all laws imposing such taxes will be or will have been fully complied with by the Company in all material respects.
(tt) The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto in all material respects.
(uu) As of the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, none of (A) the Time of Sale Prospectus, (B) any free writing prospectus, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, and (C) any individual testing-the-waters communication, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
2. Agreements to Sell and Purchase. The Company hereby agrees to sell to the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective numbers of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite its name at $24.00 a share (the “Purchase Price”).
On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters the Additional Shares, and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to 420,000 Additional Shares at the Purchase Price, provided, however, that the amount paid by the Underwriters for any Additional Shares shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on such Additional Shares. B. Riley Securities may exercise this right on behalf of the Underwriters in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice not later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement. Any exercise notice shall specify the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such shares are to be purchased. Each purchase date must be at least one business day after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the closing date for the Firm Shares or later than ten business days after the date of such notice. Additional Shares may be purchased as provided in Section 4 hereof solely for the purpose of covering sales of shares in excess of the number of the Firm Shares. On each day, if any, that Additional Shares are to be purchased (an “Option Closing Date”), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as B. Riley Securities may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.
3. Terms of Public Offering. The Company is advised by B. Riley Securities that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Shares as soon after the Registration Statement and this Agreement have become effective as in B. Riley Securities’ judgment is advisable. The Company is further advised by B. Riley Securities that the Shares are to be offered to the public initially at $25.00 a share (the “Public Offering Price”).
4. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Firm Shares shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Firm Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m. New York City time, on June 11, 2021 or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than June 25, 2021, as shall be designated in writing by B. Riley Securities. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”
Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Additional Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 2 or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than July 7, 2021, as shall be designated in writing by B. Riley Securities.
The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as B. Riley Securities shall request not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be delivered to B. Riley Securities on the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters duly paid, against payment of the Purchase Price therefor.
5. Conditions to the Underwriters’ Obligations. The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following conditions:
(a) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:
(i) no order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission;
(ii) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any of the securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act; and
(iii) there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus that, in B. Riley Securities’ reasonable judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in B. Riley Securities’ reasonable judgment, impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus.
(b) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Sections 5(a)(i) and 5(a)(ii) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.
The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.
(c) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion and negative assurance letter of Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP, outside counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters.
(d) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion and negative assurance letter of Alston & Bird LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, with respect to the due authorization and valid issuance of the Preferred Stock, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and other related matters as B. Riley Securities may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(e) The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from BDO USA, LLP, independent public accountants, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than the date hereof.
(f) The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to B. Riley Securities on the applicable Option Closing Date of the following:
(i) a certificate, dated the Option Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, confirming that the certificate delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 5(b) hereof remains true and correct as of such Option Closing Date;
(ii) an opinion and negative assurance letter of Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP, outside counsel for the Company, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c) hereof;
(iii) an opinion and negative assurance letter of Alston & Bird LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(d) hereof;
(iv) a letter dated the Option Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from BDO USA, LLP, independent public accountants, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Underwriters pursuant to Section 5(e) hereof; provided that the letter delivered on the Option Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than two business days prior to such Option Closing Date; and
(v) such other documents as B. Riley Securities may reasonably request with respect to the good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date and other matters related to the issuance of such Additional Shares.
6. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:
(a) Prior to the Closing Date, the Board of Directors or a committee thereof of the Company shall adopt the AOA, and the rights, preferences and entitlements of the Shares designated under the AOA shall conform in all material respects to the description thereof in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus. The Company shall file such AOA with the Secretary of State of the State of Georgia, accompanied by all fees required to be paid therewith, and cause the AOA to become effective on or prior to the Closing Date.
(b) To furnish to B. Riley Securities, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference) and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto but including documents incorporated by reference) and to furnish to B. Riley Securities in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 6(f) or 6(g) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as B. Riley Securities may reasonably request.
(c) Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, to furnish to B. Riley Securities a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which B. Riley Securities reasonably objects, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.
(d) To furnish to B. Riley Securities a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and not to use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus to which B. Riley Securities reasonably objects.
(e) Not to take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that the Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.
(f) If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Time of Sale Prospectus is delivered to a prospective purchaser, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.
(g) If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses B. Riley Securities will furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by B. Riley Securities on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.
(h) To endeavor to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as B. Riley Securities shall reasonably request.
(i) To make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to B. Riley Securities as soon as practicable an earnings statement covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(j) Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and the Company’s accountants in connection with the registration and delivery of the Shares under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the reasonable cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 6(h) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Shares by FINRA, (v) all costs and expenses incident to listing the Shares on the Exchange, (vi) the cost of printing certificates representing the Shares, (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, (ix) the document production charges and expenses associated with printing this Agreement; and (x) all other costs and expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section; provided, however, the aggregate amount of fees and disbursements to counsel for the Underwriters to be paid by the Company pursuant to clauses (iii), (iv) and (x) of this Section 6(j), when taken together, shall not exceed $100,000. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 8 entitled “Indemnity and Contribution” and the last paragraph of Section 10 below, the Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Shares by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.
(k) The Company also covenants with each Underwriter that, without the prior written consent of B. Riley Securities on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, and will not publicly disclose an intention to, during the period ending 60 days after the date of the Prospectus (the “Restricted Period”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Preferred Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Preferred Stock, or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Preferred Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause 1 or 2 above is to be settled by delivery of Preferred Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (3) file any registration statement or prospectus supplement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of Preferred Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Preferred Stock. The restrictions contained in the foregoing sentence shall not apply to the Shares to be sold hereunder.
(l) The Company covenants not to redeem any of the Series B Preferred Stock prior to June 11, 2026, except as described under “Description of Series B Preferred Stock—Special Optional Redemption” in the Prospectus.
7. Covenants of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, covenants with the Company not to take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission under Rule 433(d) a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder, but for the action of the Underwriter.
8. Indemnity and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any “road show” as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act (a “road show”), the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any testing-the-waters communication, or arise out of, or are based upon, any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through B. Riley Securities expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Underwriters through B. Riley Securities consists of the information described as such in paragraph (b) below.
(b) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to such Underwriter, but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through B. Riley Securities expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus, road show, or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, which information consists solely of: the information contained in paragraphs three (relating to the terms of the offering by the Underwriters), nine and ten (relating to stabilizing transactions, short positions, and penalty bids), and eleven (Underwriters’ services) under the section titled “Underwriting”.
(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 8(a) or 8(b), such person (the “indemnified party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “indemnifying party”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all such indemnified parties and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Such firm shall be designated in writing by B. Riley Securities, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(a), and by the Company, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(b). The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.
(d) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 8(a) or 8(b) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 8(d)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 8(d)(i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares they have purchased hereunder, and not joint.
(e) The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 8(d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 8(d) shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 8 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.
(f) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 8 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter or any affiliate of any Underwriter or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares.
9. Termination. The Underwriters may terminate this Agreement by notice given by B. Riley Securities to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to or on the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on, or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE American, the NASDAQ Stock Market, the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred, (iv) any moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities or (v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis that, in B. Riley Securities reasonable judgment, is material and adverse and which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (v), makes it, in B. Riley Securities’ reasonable judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus.
10. Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.
If, on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as B. Riley Securities may specify, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 10 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Shares without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to B. Riley Securities and the Company for the purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In any such case either B. Riley Securities or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Prospectus, in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date or (ii) purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.
If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.
11. Entire Agreement. (a) This Agreement, together with any contemporaneous written agreements and any prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement) that relate to the offering of the Shares, represents the entire agreement between the Company and the Underwriters with respect to the preparation of any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the conduct of the offering, and the purchase and sale of the Shares.
(b) The Company acknowledges that in connection with the offering of the Shares: (i) the Underwriters have acted at arm’s length, are not agents of, and owe no fiduciary duties to, the Company or any other person, (ii) the Underwriters owe the Company only those duties and obligations set forth in this Agreement, any contemporaneous written agreements and prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement), if any, and (iii) the Underwriters may have interests that differ from those of the Company. The Company waives to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may have against the Underwriters arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Shares.
12. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes. (a) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
(b) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
For purposes of this Section a “BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k). “Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b). “Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable. “U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
13. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.
14. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.
15. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.
16. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and effective only upon receipt and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered, mailed or sent to B. Riley Securities at 299 Park Avenue, 21st Floor, New York, New York 10171, Attention: General Counsel; and if to the Company shall be delivered, mailed or sent to Five Concourse Parkway, Suite 300, Atlanta, Georgia 30328.
[Signature Pages Follow]
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Very truly yours, |
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| ATLANTICUS HOLDINGS CORPORATION | |||
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By: |
/s/ William R. McCamey |
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Name: William R. McCamey |
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Title: Chief Financial Officer |
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[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
Accepted as of the date hereof
B. RILEY SECURITIES, INC.
Acting on behalf of themselves and
the several Underwriters named in
Schedule I hereto.
By: /s/ Patrice McNicoll
Name: Patrice McNicoll
Title: Co-Head of Investment Banking
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
SCHEDULE I
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Underwriter |
Number of Firm Shares To Be Purchased |
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B. Riley Securities, Inc. |
1,295,000 |
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Janney Montgomery Scott LLC |
350,000 |
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Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. |
238,000 |
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William Blair & Company, L.L.C. |
476,000 |
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Kingswood Capital Markets, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC |
168,000 |
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Aegis Capital Group |
147,000 |
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Maxim Group LLC |
126,000 |
SCHEDULE II
Atlanticus Holdings Corporation
Shares of 7.625% Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock
(Liquidation Amount of $25.00 Per Share)
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Term Sheet |
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Term Sheet dated June 8, 2021 to the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated June 7, 2021 of Atlanticus Holdings Corporation. This Term Sheet is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. The information in this Term Sheet supplements the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and supersedes the information in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement to the extent it is inconsistent with the information in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. Capitalized terms used in this Term Sheet but not defined have the meanings given to them in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. |
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Issuer |
Atlanticus Holdings Corporation |
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Title of Securities |
7.625% Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock (the “Series B Preferred Stock”) |
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Number of Shares |
2,800,000 Shares of Series B Preferred Stock |
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Option to Purchase Additional Shares |
Up to 420,000 Shares of Series B Preferred Stock |
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Trade Date |
June 9, 2021 |
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| Settlement Date | June 11, 2021 | |
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Listing |
Expected NASDAQ “ATLCP” |
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Size |
$70,000,000.00 |
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Option |
Up to $10,500,000 |
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Maturity Date |
Perpetual (unless redeemed by us on or after June 11, 2026 or in connection with a Change of Control or Delisting Event). |
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Rating |
The Series B Preferred Stock will not be rated. |
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Dividend Rate (Cumulative) |
We will pay cumulative cash dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock, when and as declared by our Board of Directors, at the rate of 7.625% of the $25.00 liquidation preference per year, equivalent to $1.90625 per share. |
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Dividend Payment Dates |
Dividends will be payable quarterly in arrears, on or about the 15th day of March, June, September and December, beginning on or about September 15, 2021; provided that if any dividend payment date is not a business day, then the dividend which would otherwise have been payable on that dividend payment date may be paid on the next succeeding business day, and no interest, additional dividends or other sums will accumulate. Dividends will accumulate and be cumulative from, and including, the date of original issuance, which is expected to be June 11, 2021. The first dividend is scheduled to be paid on or about September 15, 2021 in the amount of $0.49774 per share. |
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Price to the Public |
$25.00 per share |
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Day Count |
30/360 |
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Liquidation Preference |
The liquidation preference of each share of Series B Preferred Stock is $25.00. Upon liquidation, holders of Series B Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive the liquidation preference with respect to their shares of Series B Preferred Stock plus an amount equal to accumulated but unpaid dividends with respect to such shares. |
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Optional Redemption |
The Series B Preferred Stock is not redeemable by us prior to June 11, 2026, except under the circumstances described under “—Special Optional Redemption Upon a Change of Control or Delisting Event.” On or after June 11, 2026, we may redeem the Series B Preferred Stock, in whole or from time to time in part, for cash at a redemption price equivalent to $25.00 per share, plus accumulated and unpaid dividends to, but not including, the redemption date. |
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Special Optional Redemption Upon a Change of Control or Delisting Event |
Special optional redemption by the Company upon a Change of Control or Delisting Event, in whole or in part, for $25.00 per share, plus accrued but unpaid dividends, to, but not including, the redemption date (the “Redemption Right”). The circumstances that will constitute a “Change of Control” and a “Delisting Event” will be set forth in the documents governing the Series B Preferred Stock. |
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Special Conversion Right Upon a Change of Control or Delisting Event |
Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control or Delisting Event, in the event the Company does not exercise the Redemption Right, holders of the Series B Preferred Stock will have the right to convert some or all of the Series B Preferred Stock held by such holder into a number of common shares at a predetermined ratio. |
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| Share Cap | 1.29702 | |
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DRD/QDI Eligible |
Yes |
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Minimum Denomination/Multiples |
$25.00/$25.00 |
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CUSIP/ISIN |
04914Y 201 / US04914Y2019 |
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Book-Running Managers |
B. Riley Securities, Inc. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. William Blair & Company, L.L.C. |
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| Lead Manager |
Kingswood Capital Markets, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC |
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Co-Managers |
Aegis Capital Corp Maxim Group LLC |
This communication is intended for the sole use of the person to whom it is provided by the issuer.
The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a base prospectus dated May 13, 2021) and a preliminary prospectus supplement dated June 7, 2021 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering.
You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus and related preliminary prospectus supplement if you request them from B. Riley Securities at 1300 17th Street, Suite 1300, Arlington, VA 22209, or by calling (703) 312-9580, or by emailing prospectuses@brileyfin.com.
ANY DISCLAIMERS OR OTHER NOTICES THAT MAY APPEAR BELOW ARE NOT APPLICABLE TO THIS COMMUNICATION AND SHOULD BE DISREGARDED. SUCH DISCLAIMERS OR OTHER NOTICES WERE AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED AS A RESULT OF THIS COMMUNICATION BEING SENT VIA BLOOMBERG OR ANOTHER E-MAIL SYSTEM.
SCHEDULE III
Access Financial Holdings, LLC
Access Financing, LLC
Fortiva Holdings, LLC
Fortiva Funding, LLC
Perimeter Funding Corporation
FRC Funding Corporation
Exhibit 3.1
ATLANTICUS HOLDINGS CORPORATION
ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT
ESTABLISHING 7.625% SERIES B
CUMULATIVE PERPETUAL PREFERRED STOCK
Atlanticus Holdings Corporation, a Georgia corporation (the “Company”), acting pursuant to Section 14-2-602 of the Georgia Business Corporation Code, does hereby submit the following Articles of Amendment establishing its 7.625% Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock (“Articles of Amendment”).
FIRST: The name of the Company is Atlanticus Holdings Corporation.
SECOND: Shareholder approval is not required for these Articles of Amendment.
THIRD: By unanimous consent of the Pricing Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company on June 8, 2021, the following resolutions were duly adopted:
WHEREAS the Articles of Incorporation, as amended, of the Company (the “Articles of Incorporation”) authorize preferred stock consisting of 10,000,000 shares, no par value, issuable from time to time in one or more series;
WHEREAS the Board of Directors of the Company is authorized, subject to limitations prescribed by law and by the provisions of Article III of the Company’s Articles of Incorporation to establish and fix the number of shares to be included in any series of preferred stock and the designation, powers, and preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions of the shares of such series; and
WHEREAS the Board of Directors of the Company delegated authority to the Pricing Committee of the Board of Directors to establish and fix the number of shares to be included in a new series of preferred stock and the designation, powers and preferences of the shares of such new series.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that pursuant to Article III of the Company’s Articles of Incorporation there is hereby established a new series of 3,220,000 shares of cumulative perpetual preferred stock of the Company to have the designation, powers, and preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions set forth as follows:
Section 1. Designation and Number.
The designation of the series of preferred stock, no par value, shall be 7.625% Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock (hereinafter referred to as the “Series B Preferred Stock”). Each share of Series B Preferred Stock shall be identical in all respects to every other share of Series B Preferred Stock. The number of authorized shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be 3,220,000. Such number may from time to time be increased (but not in excess of the total number of authorized shares of preferred stock) or decreased (but not below the number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock then outstanding) by further resolution duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Company and by the filing of articles of amendment pursuant to the provisions of the Georgia Business Corporation Code stating that such increase or reduction, as the case may be, has been so authorized. The Company shall have the authority to issue fractional shares of Series B Preferred Stock.
Section 2. Rank.
The Series B Preferred Stock will, as to dividend rights and rights upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, rank (1) senior to all classes or series of our common stock, no par value (the “Common Stock”), and to all other equity securities issued by us expressly designated as ranking junior to the Series B Preferred Stock, (2) on parity with any future class or series of our equity securities expressly designated as ranking on parity with the Series B Preferred Stock; (3) junior to the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock and any future equity securities issued by us with terms specifically providing that those equity securities rank senior to the Series B Preferred Stock with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up; and (4) effectively junior to all our existing and future indebtedness (including indebtedness convertible into our Common Stock or preferred stock) and to the indebtedness and other liabilities of (as well as any preferred equity interests held by others in) our existing or future subsidiaries.
Section 3. Dividends.
(a) Subject to the preferential rights of the holders of any class or series of capital stock of the Company ranking senior to the Series B Preferred Stock as to dividend rights, the holders of shares of the Series B Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if authorized by the Board of Directors and declared by the Company, out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends, cumulative cash dividends at the rate of 7.625% per annum of the $25.00 liquidation preference per share of the Series B Preferred Stock. Such dividends shall accrue and be cumulative from and including the first date on which any shares of Series B Preferred Stock are issued (the “Original Issue Date”), or, if later, the most recent Dividend Payment Date (as defined below) to which dividends have been paid in full (or declared and the corresponding Dividend Record Date (as defined below) for determining shareholders entitled to payment thereof has passed), and shall be payable quarterly in arrears on each Dividend Payment Date, commencing on or about September 15, 2021; provided, however, that if any Dividend Payment Date is not a Business Day (as defined below), then the dividend which would otherwise have been payable on such Dividend Payment Date may be paid, at the Company’s option, on either the immediately preceding Business Day or the next succeeding Business Day, except that, if such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar year, such payment shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day, in each case with the same force and effect as if paid on such Dividend Payment Date, and no interest or additional dividends or other sums shall accrue on the amount so payable from such Dividend Payment Date to such next succeeding Business Day; provided, further, that no dividends shall accrue on any share of Series B Preferred Stock for any Dividend Period (as defined below) having a Dividend Record Date (as defined below) before the date such share of Series B Preferred Stock was issued. The amount of any dividend payable on the Series B Preferred Stock for any period greater or less than a full Dividend Period shall be prorated and computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. Dividends will be payable to holders of record as they appear in the shareholder records of the Company at the close of business on the applicable Dividend Record Date. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained herein, each holder of an outstanding share of Series B Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive a dividend with respect to any Dividend Record Date equal to the dividend paid with respect to each other share of Series B Preferred Stock that is outstanding on such date. “Dividend Record Date” shall mean the date designated by the Board of Directors for the payment of dividends that is not more than 30 or fewer than 10 days prior to the applicable Dividend Payment Date. “Dividend Payment Date” shall mean the 15th calendar day of each March, June, September and December commencing on September 15, 2021. “Dividend Period” shall mean the respective periods commencing on the 15th day of March, June, September and December of each year and ending on and including the day preceding the first day of the next succeeding Dividend Period (other than the initial Dividend Period, which shall commence on the Original Issue Date and end on but exclude September 15, 2021, and other than the Dividend Period during which any shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be redeemed pursuant to Section 5 or Section 6 hereof, which shall end on and include the day preceding the redemption date with respect to the shares of Series B Preferred Stock being redeemed).
The term “Business Day” shall mean any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions in New York City are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.
(b) Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock shall accrue whether or not the Company has earnings, whether or not there are funds legally available for the payment of such dividends, and whether or not such dividends are authorized or declared.
(c) Except as provided in Section 3(d) or 3(f) below, no dividends shall be declared and paid or declared and set apart for payment, and no other distribution of cash or other property may be declared and made, directly or indirectly, on or with respect to any shares of Common Stock or shares of any other class or series of capital stock of the Company ranking, as to dividends, on parity with or junior to the Series B Preferred Stock for any period, nor shall any shares of Common Stock or any other shares of any other class or series of capital stock of the Company ranking, as to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon the Company’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up, on parity with or junior to the Series B Preferred Stock be redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for any consideration, nor shall any funds be paid or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of such shares, and no other distribution of cash or other property may be made, directly or indirectly, on or with respect thereto by the Company, unless full cumulative dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock for all past Dividend Periods shall have been or contemporaneously are (i) declared and paid or (ii) declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set apart for such payment.
(d) Except as provided in Section 3(f) below, when dividends are not paid in full (or declared and a sum sufficient for such full payment is not so set apart) on the Series B Preferred Stock and the shares of any other class or series of capital stock ranking, as to dividends, on parity with the Series B Preferred Stock, all dividends declared upon the Series B Preferred Stock and each such other class or series of capital stock ranking, as to dividends, on parity with the Series B Preferred Stock (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not include the redemption or repurchase of shares of any such class or series) shall be declared pro rata so that the amount of dividends declared per share of Series B Preferred Stock and such other class or series of capital stock shall in all cases bear to each other the same ratio that accrued dividends per share on the Series B Preferred Stock and such other class or series of capital stock (which shall not include any accrual in respect of unpaid dividends on such other class or series of capital stock for prior Dividend Periods if such other class or series of capital stock does not have a cumulative dividend) bear to each other. No interest, or sum of money in lieu of interest, shall be payable in respect of any dividend payment or payments on the Series B Preferred Stock which may be in arrears.
(e) Holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to any dividend, whether payable in cash, property or shares of capital stock, in excess of full cumulative dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock as provided herein. Any dividend payment made on the Series B Preferred Stock shall first be credited against the earliest accrued but unpaid dividends due with respect to such shares which remain payable. Accrued but unpaid dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock will accrue as of the Dividend Payment Date on which they first become payable.
(f) Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 3 or Sections 5 or 6 and regardless of whether dividends are paid in full (or declared and a sum sufficient for such full payment is not so set apart) on the Series B Preferred Stock or the shares of any other class or series of capital stock ranking, as to dividends, on parity with the Series B Preferred Stock for any or all Dividend Periods, the Company shall not be prohibited or limited from (i) paying dividends on any shares of stock of the Company in shares of Common Stock or in shares of any other class or series of capital stock ranking junior to the Series B Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon the Company’s liquidation, dissolution and winding up, (ii) converting or exchanging any shares of stock of the Company for shares of any other class or series of capital stock of the Company ranking junior to the Series B Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon the Company’s liquidation, dissolution and winding up, or (iii) purchasing or acquiring shares of Series B Preferred Stock pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock.
Section 4. Liquidation Preference.
(a) Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, before any distribution or payment shall be made to holders of shares of Common Stock or any other class or series of capital stock of the Company ranking, as to rights upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, junior to the Series B Preferred Stock, the holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be entitled to be paid out of the assets of the Company legally available for distribution to its shareholders, after payment of or provision for the debts and other liabilities of the Company and any class or series of capital stock of the Company ranking, as to rights upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, senior to the Series B Preferred Stock, a liquidation preference of $25.00 per share, plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not authorized or declared) up to but excluding the date of payment. In the event that, upon such voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the available assets of the Company are insufficient to pay the full amount of the liquidating distributions on all outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock and the corresponding amounts payable on all shares of other classes or series of capital stock of the Company ranking, as to rights upon the Company’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up, on parity with the Series B Preferred Stock in the distribution of assets, then the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock and each such other class or series of capital stock ranking, as to rights upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, on parity with the Series B Preferred Stock shall share ratably in any such distribution of assets in proportion to the full liquidating distributions to which they would otherwise be respectively entitled. Written notice of any such voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, stating the payment date or dates when, and the place or places where, the amounts distributable in such circumstances shall be payable, shall be given not fewer than 30 or more than 60 days prior to the payment date stated therein, to each record holder of shares of Series B Preferred Stock at the respective addresses of such holders as the same shall appear on the stock transfer records of the Company. After payment of the full amount of the liquidating distributions to which they are entitled, the holders of Series B Preferred Stock will have no right or claim to any of the remaining assets of the Company. The consolidation, merger or conversion of the Company with or into any other corporation, trust or entity, or the voluntary sale, lease, transfer or conveyance of all or substantially all of the property or business of the Company, shall not be deemed to constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company.
(b) In determining whether a distribution (other than upon voluntary or involuntary liquidation), by dividend, redemption or other acquisition of shares of capital stock of the Company or otherwise, is permitted under the Georgia Business Corporation Code, amounts that would be needed, if the Company were to be dissolved at the time of the distribution, to satisfy the preferential rights upon dissolution of holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall not be added to the Company’s total liabilities.
Section 5. Redemption.
(a) Shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable prior to June 11, 2026 except as set forth in Section 6 hereof.
(b) On or after June 11, 2026, the Company, at its option, upon notice in accordance with Section 5(d), may redeem the Series B Preferred Stock, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, for cash at a redemption price of $25.00 per share, plus, subject to Section 5(e), all accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not authorized or declared) thereon up to but not including the date fixed for redemption, without interest, to the extent the Company has funds legally available therefor (the “Redemption Right”). If fewer than all of the outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock are to be redeemed pursuant to this Section 5(b), the shares of Series B Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall be redeemed pro rata (as nearly as may be practicable without creating fractional shares) or by lot as determined by the Company. Holders of Series B Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall surrender such Series B Preferred Stock at the place, or in accordance with the book-entry procedures, designated in such notice and shall be entitled to the redemption price of $25.00 per share and any accrued and unpaid dividends payable upon such redemption following such surrender. If (i) notice of redemption of any shares of Series B Preferred Stock has been given (in the case of a redemption of the Series B Preferred Stock), (ii) the funds necessary for such redemption have been set aside by the Company for the benefit of the holders of any shares of Series B Preferred Stock so called for redemption, and (iii) irrevocable instructions have been given to pay the redemption price and all accrued and unpaid dividends, then from and after the redemption date, dividends shall cease to accrue on such shares of Series B Preferred Stock, such shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall no longer be deemed outstanding, and all rights of the holders of such shares shall terminate, except the right to receive the redemption price plus any accrued and unpaid dividends payable upon such redemption, without interest. So long as full cumulative dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock and any class or series of parity Preferred Stock for all past Dividend Periods shall have been or contemporaneously are (i) declared and paid, or (ii) declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set apart for payment, nothing herein shall prevent or restrict the Company’s right or ability to purchase, from time to time, either at a public or a private sale, all or any part of the Series B Preferred Stock at such price or prices as the Company may determine, subject to the provisions of applicable law, including the repurchase of shares of Series B Preferred Stock in open-market transactions duly authorized by the Board of Directors.
(c) Except as provided in Section 3(f) above, unless full cumulative dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock for all past Dividend Periods shall have been or contemporaneously are (i) declared and paid in cash, or (ii) declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof in cash is set apart for payment, no shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be redeemed pursuant to the Redemption Right or Special Optional Redemption Right (defined below) unless all outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock are simultaneously redeemed, and the Company shall not purchase or otherwise acquire directly or indirectly any shares of Series B Preferred Stock or any class or series of capital stock of the Company ranking, as to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, on parity with or junior to the Series B Preferred Stock (except by conversion into or exchange for shares of capital stock of the Company ranking, as to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, junior to the Series B Preferred Stock); provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prevent the purchase of Series B Preferred Stock, or any other class or series of capital stock of the Company ranking, as to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, on parity with or junior to the Series B Preferred Stock, by the Company pursuant to Sections 5 and 9 of these Articles of Amendment or any comparable provision of the Articles of Incorporation or articles of amendment establishing preferred stock relating to any class or series of capital stock hereinafter classified and designated, or the purchase or acquisition of Series B Preferred Stock pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock.
(d) Notice of redemption pursuant to the Redemption Right will be mailed by the Company, postage prepaid, not fewer than 30 or more than 60 days prior to the redemption date, addressed to the respective holders of record of the Series B Preferred Stock to be redeemed at their respective addresses as they appear on the stock transfer records of the Company. No failure to give or defect in such notice shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any Series B Preferred Stock except as to the holder to whom such notice was defective or not given. In addition to any information required by law or by the applicable rules of any exchange upon which the Series B Preferred Stock may be listed or admitted to trading, each such notice shall state: (i) the redemption date; (ii) the redemption price; (iii) the number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock to be redeemed; (iv) the place or places where the certificates, if any, representing shares of Series B Preferred Stock are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; (v) procedures for surrendering noncertificated shares of Series B Preferred Stock for payment of the redemption price; (vi) that dividends on the shares of Series B Preferred Stock to be redeemed will cease to accrue on such redemption date; and (vii) that payment of the redemption price and any accumulated and unpaid dividends will be made upon presentation and surrender of such Series B Preferred Stock. If fewer than all of the shares of Series B Preferred Stock held by any holder are to be redeemed, the notice mailed to such holder shall also specify the number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock held by such holder to be redeemed.
(e) If a redemption date falls after a Dividend Record Date and on or prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, each holder of Series B Preferred Stock at the close of business of such Dividend Record Date shall be entitled to the dividend payable on such shares on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the redemption of such shares on or prior to such Dividend Payment Date, and each holder of Series B Preferred Stock that surrenders its shares on such redemption date will be entitled to the dividends accruing after the end of the Dividend Period to which such Dividend Payment Date relates up to but excluding the redemption date. Except as provided herein, the Company shall make no payment or allowance for unpaid dividends, whether or not in arrears, on Series B Preferred Stock for which a notice of redemption has been given.
(f) All shares of the Series B Preferred Stock redeemed or repurchased pursuant to this Section 5, or otherwise acquired in any other manner by the Company, shall be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock, without designation as to series or class.
Section 6. Special Optional Redemption by the Company.
(a) Upon the occurrence of a Delisting Event or Change of Control (each as defined below), the Company will have the option upon written notice mailed by the Company, postage pre-paid, no fewer than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date and addressed to the holders of record of shares of the Series B Preferred Stock to be redeemed at their respective addresses as they appear on the stock transfer records of the Company, to redeem the Series B Preferred Stock, in whole or in part, within 90 days after the first date on which such Delisting Event occurred or within 120 days after the first date on which the Change of Control occurred, as applicable, for cash at $25.00 per share plus, subject to Section 6(d), accrued and unpaid dividends, if any, to, but not including, the redemption date (“Special Optional Redemption Right”). No failure to give such notice or any defect thereto or in the mailing thereof shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any shares of Series B Preferred Stock except as to the holder to whom notice was defective or not given. If, on or prior to the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date (each as defined below), as applicable, the Company has provided or provides notice of redemption with respect to the Series B Preferred Stock (whether pursuant to the Redemption Right or the Special Optional Redemption Right), the holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock will not have the conversion right described below in Section 8.
A “Change of Control” is when, after the original issuance of the Series B Preferred Stock, each of the following has occurred and is continuing:
(i) the acquisition by any person (including any syndicate or group deemed to be a “person” under Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) of beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, through a purchase, merger or other acquisition transaction or series of purchases, mergers or other acquisition transactions of stock of the Company entitling that person to exercise more than 50% of the total voting power of all stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of the Company’s directors (except that such person will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such person has the right to acquire, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition), provided that with respect to David G. Hanna, Frank J. Hanna, III, their respective spouses or entities controlled by them, their respective spouses or established for the benefit of them, their descendants, their spouses or charities, or the Company’s employee benefit plans, references to 50% of the total voting power of all stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of the Company’s directors shall be deemed references to 80%; and
(ii) immediately following the closing of any transaction referred to in (i) above, neither the Company nor the acquiring or surviving entity (or, if in connection with such transaction holders of Common Stock receive Alternative Form Consideration consisting of common equity securities of another entity, such other entity) has a class of common securities (or American depositary receipts representing such securities) listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (“NASDAQ”), the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), or the NYSE American, LLC (the “NYSE AMER”), or listed or quoted on an exchange or quotation system that is a successor to NASDAQ, the NYSE or the NYSE AMER.
A “Delisting Event” occurs when, after the original issuance of Series B Preferred Stock, both (i) the shares of Series B Preferred Stock (or the depositary shares) are no longer listed on NASDAQ, the NYSE or the NYSE AMER, or listed or quoted on an exchange or quotation system that is a successor to NASDAQ, the NYSE or the NYSE AMER, and (ii) we are not subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, but any Series B Preferred Stock is still outstanding.
(b) In addition to any information required by law or by the applicable rules of any exchange upon which the Series B Preferred Stock may be listed or admitted to trading, such notice shall state: (i) the redemption date; (ii) the redemption price; (iii) the number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock to be redeemed; (iv) the place or places where the certificates, if any, representing shares of Series B Preferred Stock are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; (v) procedures for surrendering noncertificated shares of Series B Preferred Stock for payment of the redemption price; (vi) that dividends on the shares of Series B Preferred Stock to be redeemed will cease to accrue on the redemption date; (vii) that payment of the redemption price and any accumulated and unpaid dividends will be made upon presentation and surrender of such Series B Preferred Stock; (viii) that the shares of Series B Preferred Stock are being redeemed pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right in connection with the occurrence of a Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, and a brief description of the transaction or transactions constituting such Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable; and (ix) that holders of the shares of Series B Preferred Stock to which the notice relates will not be able to tender such shares of Series B Preferred Stock for conversion in connection with the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, and each share of Series B Preferred Stock tendered for conversion that is selected, prior to the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, for redemption will be redeemed on the related redemption date instead of converted on the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable. If fewer than all of the shares of Series B Preferred Stock held by any holder are to be redeemed, the notice mailed to such holder shall also specify the number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock held by such holder to be redeemed. Holders of Series B Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall surrender such Series B Preferred Stock at the place, or in accordance with the book-entry procedures, designated in such notice and shall be entitled to the redemption price of $25.00 per share and any accrued and unpaid dividends payable upon such redemption following such surrender.
If fewer than all of the outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock are to be redeemed pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right, the shares of Series B Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall be redeemed pro rata (as nearly as may be practicable without creating fractional shares) or by lot as determined by the Company.
(c) If (i) the Company has given a notice of redemption pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right, (ii) the funds necessary for such redemption have been set aside by the Company in trust for the benefit of the holders of the shares of Series B Preferred Stock so called for redemption, and (iii) irrevocable instructions have been given to pay the redemption price and all accrued and unpaid dividends, then from and after the redemption date, dividends shall cease to accrue on such shares of Series B Preferred Stock, such shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall no longer be deemed outstanding, and all rights of the holders of such shares shall terminate, except the right to receive the redemption price plus any accrued and unpaid dividends payable upon such redemption, without interest. So long as full cumulative dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock for all past Dividend Periods shall have been or contemporaneously are (i) declared and paid, or (ii) declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set apart for payment, nothing herein shall prevent or restrict the Company’s right or ability to purchase, from time to time, either at a public or a private sale, all or any part of the Series B Preferred Stock at such price or prices as the Company may determine, subject to the provisions of applicable law, including the repurchase of shares of Series B Preferred Stock in open-market transactions duly authorized by the Board of Directors.
(d) If a redemption date falls after a Dividend Record Date and on or prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, each holder of Series B Preferred Stock at the close of business of such Dividend Record Date shall be entitled to the dividend payable on such shares on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the redemption of such shares on or prior to such Dividend Payment Date, and each holder of Series B Preferred Stock that surrenders its shares on such redemption date will be entitled to the dividends accruing after the end of the Dividend Period to which such Dividend Payment Date relates up to but excluding the redemption date. Except as provided herein, the Company shall make no payment or allowance for unpaid dividends, whether or not in arrears, on Series B Preferred Stock for which a notice of redemption has been given.
(e) All shares of the Series B Preferred Stock redeemed or repurchased pursuant to this Section 6, or otherwise acquired in any other manner by the Company, shall be retired and shall be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock, without designation as to series or class.
Section 7. Voting Rights.
(a) Holders of the Series B Preferred Stock shall not have any voting rights, except as set forth in this Section 7.
(b) Whenever dividends on any shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be in arrears for six or more consecutive or non-consecutive quarterly periods (a “Preferred Dividend Default”), the holders of Series B Preferred Stock and the holders of all other classes or series of preferred stock of the Company ranking on parity with the Series B Preferred Stock with respect to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon the Company’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up and upon which like voting rights have been conferred, and are exercisable (“Parity Preferred”) and with which the holders of Series B Preferred Stock are entitled to vote together as a single class voting together as a single class, shall be entitled to vote for the election of a total of two additional directors to serve on the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Preferred Directors”) until all dividends accumulated and unpaid on such Series B Preferred Stock for all past Dividend Periods shall have been fully paid. At such time as the holders of Series B Preferred Stock become entitled to vote in the election of Preferred Directors, the number of directors serving on the Board of Directors will be increased automatically by two directors (unless the number of directors has previously been so increased pursuant to the terms of any class or series of Parity Preferred). For the purposes of determining whether a Preferred Dividend Default has occurred or is continuing, a dividend in respect of Series B Preferred Stock shall be considered timely made if made within two Business Days after the applicable Dividend Payment Date if at the time of such late payment date there shall not be any prior quarterly Dividend Periods in respect of which full dividends were not timely made at the applicable Dividend Payment Date.
(c) A Preferred Director will be elected by a plurality of the votes cast in the election of Preferred Directors and shall serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies, subject to Section 7(e) or such Preferred Director’s earlier death, disqualification, resignation or removal. The election of Preferred Directors will take place at (i) either (A) a special meeting called in accordance with Section 7(d) below if the request is received more than 90 days before the date fixed for the Company’s next annual or special meeting of shareholders or (B) the next annual or special meeting of shareholders if the request is received within 90 days of the date fixed for the Company’s next annual or special meeting of shareholders, and (ii) at each subsequent annual meeting of shareholders, or special meeting at which Preferred Directors are to be elected, until the right of holders of Series B Preferred Stock to elect Preferred Directors shall have terminated as specified in Section 7(e).
(d) At any time when holders of Series B Preferred Stock are entitled to vote in the election of Preferred Directors, the Secretary of the Company shall, unless the request is received more than 90 days before the date fixed for the Company’s next annual or special meeting of shareholders, call or cause to be called, upon written request of holders of record of at least 10% of the outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock and Parity Preferred with which the holders of Series B Preferred Stock are entitled to vote together as a single class in the election of Preferred Directors, call a special meeting of shareholders for the purpose of electing Preferred Directors by mailing or causing to be mailed to the shareholders entitled to vote a notice of such special meeting to be held not fewer than ten or more than 45 days after the date such notice is given. The record date for determining holders of the Series B Preferred Stock entitled to notice of and to vote at such special meeting will be the close of business on the third Business Day preceding the day on which such notice is mailed. The holder or holders of one-third of the outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock and Parity Preferred with which the holders of Series B Preferred Stock are entitled to vote together as a single class in the election of Preferred Directors, present in person or by proxy, will constitute a quorum for the election of the Preferred Directors except as otherwise required by law. Notice of all meetings of shareholders at which holders of Series B Preferred Stock are entitled to vote in the election of Preferred Directors will be given to such holders at their addresses as they appear in the Company’s stock transfer records. At any such meeting or adjournment thereof, in the absence of a quorum, subject to the provisions of any applicable law, the affirmative vote of a majority of the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock and Parity Preferred with which the holders of Series B Preferred Stock are entitled to vote together as a single class in the election of Preferred Directors present in person or by proxy, voting together as a single class, shall be sufficient to adjourn the meeting for the election of the Preferred Directors, without notice other than an announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present. If a Preferred Dividend Default shall terminate after the notice of a special meeting for the purpose of electing Preferred Directors has been given but before such special meeting has been held, the Company shall, as soon as practicable after such termination, mail or cause to be mailed notice of such termination to holders of the Series B Preferred Stock that would have been entitled to vote at such special meeting.
(e) If and when all accumulated dividends on such Series B Preferred Stock for all past Dividend Periods shall have been fully paid, the right of the holders of Series B Preferred Stock to elect such additional two directors shall immediately cease (subject to revesting in the event of each and every Preferred Dividend Default), and, unless there are outstanding shares of Parity Preferred upon which like voting remain exercisable, the term of office of each Preferred Director so elected shall terminate and the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors shall be reduced accordingly. If the rights of holders of Series B Preferred Stock to elect Preferred Directors have terminated in accordance with this Section 7(e) after any record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to vote in the election of such Preferred Directors but before the closing of the polls in such election, holders of Series B Preferred Stock outstanding as of such record date shall not be entitled to vote in such election of Preferred Directors. Any Preferred Director may be removed at any time with or without cause by the vote of, and shall not be removed otherwise than by the vote of, the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock and the Parity Preferred then entitled to vote together as a single class in the election of Preferred Directors (voting together as a single class). So long as a Preferred Dividend Default shall continue, any vacancy in the office of a Preferred Director may be filled by written consent of the Preferred Director remaining in office, or if none remains in office, by a plurality of the votes cast in the election of Preferred Directors. Each of the Preferred Directors shall be entitled to one vote on any matter before the Company’s Board of Directors.
(f) So long as any shares of Series B Preferred Stock remain outstanding, the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock and each other class or series of Parity Preferred with which the holders of Series B Preferred Stock are entitled to vote together as a single class on such matter (voting together as a single class), given in person or by proxy, either in writing or at a meeting, will be required to: (i) authorize, create or issue, or increase the number of authorized or issued number of shares of, any class or series of capital stock ranking senior to the Series B Preferred Stock with respect to payment of dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company (collectively, “Senior Capital Stock”) or reclassify any authorized shares of capital stock of the Company into Senior Capital Stock, or create, authorize or issue any obligation or security convertible into or evidencing the right to purchase any Senior Capital Stock; or (ii) amend, alter or repeal the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation or these Articles of Amendment, including the terms of the Series B Preferred Stock, whether by merger, consolidation, transfer or conveyance of all or substantially all of its assets or otherwise (an “Event”), so as to materially and adversely affect any right, preference, privilege or voting power of the Series B Preferred Stock; provided however, with respect to the occurrence of any Event, so long as the Series B Preferred Stock remains outstanding with the terms thereof materially unchanged, taking into account that, upon the occurrence of such Event, the Company may not be the surviving entity and the surviving entity may not be a corporation, the occurrence of such Event shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences, privileges or voting power of Series B Preferred Stock, and in such case such holders shall not have any voting rights with respect to the occurrence of any Event. In addition, if the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock receive the greater of the full trading price of the Series B Preferred Stock on the date of an Event or the $25.00 liquidation preference per share of the Series B Preferred Stock plus all accrued and unpaid dividends thereon pursuant to the occurrence of any Event, then such holders shall not have any voting rights with respect to such Event. If any Event would materially and adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Series B Preferred Stock disproportionately relative to other classes or series of Parity Preferred with which the holders of Series B Preferred Stock are entitled to vote together as a single class on such Event, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Series B Preferred Stock, voting as a separate class, will also be required. Notwithstanding the foregoing, holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to vote with respect to (A) any increase in the total number of authorized shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock of the Company, (B) any increase in the number of authorized shares of Series B Preferred Stock or the creation or issuance of any other class or series of capital stock or (C) any increase in the number of authorized shares of any other class or series of capital stock; provided that, in each case referred to in clause (A), (B) or (C) above, such capital stock ranks on parity with or junior to the Series B Preferred Stock with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company. Except as set forth herein, holders of the Series B Preferred Stock shall not have any voting rights with respect to, and the consent of the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock shall not be required for, the taking of any corporate action, including an Event, regardless of the effect that such corporate action or Event may have upon the powers, preferences, voting power or other rights or privileges of the Series B Preferred Stock.
(g) The foregoing voting provisions of this Section 7 shall not apply if, at or prior to the time when the act with respect to which such vote would otherwise be required shall be effected, all outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall have been redeemed or called for redemption upon proper notice pursuant to these Articles of Amendment, and sufficient funds, in cash, shall have been deposited in trust to effect such redemption.
(h) In any matter in which the Series B Preferred Stock may vote together as a single class with holders of all other classes or series of parity preferred stock (as expressly provided herein), each share of Series B Preferred Stock shall be entitled to one vote per $25.00 of liquidation preference.
Section 8. Conversion.
The shares of Series B Preferred Stock are not convertible into or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Company, except as provided in this Section 8.
(a) Upon the occurrence of a Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, each holder of outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall have the right, unless, on or prior to the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, the Company has provided or provides notice of its election to redeem the Series B Preferred Stock pursuant to the Redemption Right or Special Optional Redemption Right, to convert some or all of the Series B Preferred Stock held by such holder (the “Delisting Event Conversion Right” or “Change of Control Conversion Right,” as applicable) on the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, into a number of shares of Common Stock per share of Series B Preferred Stock to be converted (the “Common Stock Conversion Consideration”) equal to the lesser of (A) the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the sum of (x) the $25.00 liquidation preference per share of Series B Preferred Stock to be converted plus (y) the amount of any accrued and unpaid dividends to, but not including, the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable (unless the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, is after a Dividend Record Date and prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, in which case no additional amount for such accrued and unpaid dividends will be included in such sum) by (ii) the Common Stock Price (as defined herein) and (B) 1.29702 (the “Share Cap”), subject to the immediately succeeding paragraph.
The Share Cap is subject to pro rata adjustments for any stock splits (including those effected pursuant to a distribution of the Common Stock), subdivisions or combinations (in each case, a “Share Split”) with respect to the Common Stock as follows: the adjusted Share Cap as the result of a Share Split shall be the number of shares of Common Stock that is equivalent to the product obtained by multiplying (i) the Share Cap in effect immediately prior to such Share Split by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding after giving effect to such Share Split and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such Share Split.
In the case of a Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, pursuant to which shares of Common Stock shall be converted into cash, securities or other property or assets (including any combination thereof) (the “Alternative Form Consideration”), a holder of shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall receive upon conversion of such shares of Series B Preferred Stock the kind and amount of Alternative Form Consideration which such holder would have owned or been entitled to receive upon the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, had such holder held a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Common Stock Conversion Consideration immediately prior to the effective time of the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable (the “Alternative Conversion Consideration”; and the Common Stock Conversion Consideration or the Alternative Conversion Consideration, as may be applicable to a Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, shall be referred to herein as the “Conversion Consideration”).
In the event that holders of Common Stock have the opportunity to elect the form of consideration to be received in the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, the Conversion Consideration will be deemed to be the form and proportion of the aggregate consideration elected by the holders of Common Stock who participate in the determination (based on the weighted average of elections) and will be subject to any limitations to which all holders of Common Stock are subject, including, without limitation, pro rata reductions applicable to any portion of the consideration payable in, or in connection with, the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable.
The “Delisting Event Conversion Date” or “Change of Control Conversion Date”, as applicable, shall be a Business Day set forth in the notice of Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, provided in accordance with Section 8(c) below that is no fewer than 20 days nor more than 35 days after the date on which the Company provides such notice pursuant to Section 8(c).
The “Common Stock Price” shall be (i) if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by the holders of Common Stock is solely cash, the amount of cash consideration per share of Common Stock or (ii) if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by holders of Common Stock is other than solely cash (x) the average of the closing sale prices per share of Common Stock (or, if no closing sale price is reported, the average of the closing bid and ask prices or, if more than one in either case, the average of the average closing bid and the average closing ask prices) for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding, but not including, the effective date of the Change of Control as reported on the principal U.S. securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then traded, or (y) the average of the last quoted bid prices for the Common Stock in the over-the-counter market as reported by OTC Markets Group, Inc. or similar organization for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding, but not including, the effective date of the Change of Control, if the Common Stock is not then listed for trading on a U.S. securities exchange.
The “Common Stock Price” for any Delisting Event will be the average of the closing price per share of our Common Stock on the 10 consecutive trading days immediately preceding, but not including, the effective date of the Delisting Event.
(b) No fractional shares of Common Stock shall be issued upon the conversion of Series B Preferred Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable in respect of the aggregate number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock of any holder that are converted, that holder shall be entitled to receive the cash value of such fractional share based on the Common Stock Price. If more than one share of Series B Preferred Stock is surrendered for conversion at one time by or for the same holder, the number of full shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion thereof shall be computed on the basis of the aggregate number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock so surrendered.
(c) Within 15 days following the occurrence of a Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, a notice of occurrence of the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, describing the resulting Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right, as applicable, shall be delivered to the holders of record of the Series B Preferred Stock at their addresses as they appear on the Company’s stock transfer records and notice shall be provided to the Company’s transfer agent. No failure to give such notice or any defect thereto or in the mailing thereof shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the conversion of any share of Series B Preferred Stock except as to the holder to whom notice was defective or not given. Each notice shall state: (i) the events constituting the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable; (ii) the date of the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable; (iii) the last date on which the holders of Series B Preferred Stock may exercise their Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right, as applicable; (iv) the method and period for calculating the Common Stock Price; (v) the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable; (vi) that if, on or prior to the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, the Company has provided or provides notice of its election to redeem all or any portion of the Series B Preferred Stock, the holder will not be able to convert shares of Series B Preferred Stock designated for redemption and such shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be redeemed on the related redemption date, even if they have already been tendered for conversion pursuant to the Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right; (vii) if applicable, the type and amount of Alternative Conversion Consideration entitled to be received per share of Series B Preferred Stock; (viii) the name and address of the paying agent and the conversion agent; and (ix) the procedures that the holders of Series B Preferred Stock must follow to exercise the Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right, as applicable.
(d) The Company shall issue a press release for publication on the Dow Jones & Company, Inc., Business Wire, PR Newswire or Bloomberg Business News (or, if such organizations are not in existence at the time of issuance of such press release, such other news or press organization as is reasonably calculated to broadly disseminate the relevant information to the public), or post notice on the Company’s website, in any event prior to the opening of business on the first Business Day following any date on which the Company provides notice pursuant to Section 8(c) above to the holders of Series B Preferred Stock.
(e) In order to exercise the Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right, as applicable, a holder of shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be required to deliver, on or before the close of business on the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, the certificates (if any) representing the shares of Series B Preferred Stock to be converted, duly endorsed for transfer, together with a written conversion notice completed, to the Company’s transfer agent. Such notice shall state: (i) the relevant Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable; (ii) the number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock to be converted; and (iii) that the shares of Series B Preferred Stock are to be converted pursuant to the applicable provisions of these Articles of Amendment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the shares of Series B Preferred Stock are held in global form, such notice shall comply with applicable procedures of The Depository Trust Corporation (“DTC”).
(f) Holders of Series B Preferred Stock may withdraw any notice of exercise of a Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right (in whole or in part), as applicable, by a written notice of withdrawal delivered to the Company’s transfer agent prior to the close of business on the Business Day prior to the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable. The notice of withdrawal must state: (i) the number of withdrawn shares of Series B Preferred Stock; (ii) if certificated shares of Series B Preferred Stock have been issued, the certificate numbers of the shares of withdrawn Series B Preferred Stock; and (iii) the number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock, if any, which remain subject to the conversion notice. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the shares of Series B Preferred Stock are held in global form, the notice of withdrawal shall comply with applicable procedures of DTC.
(g) Shares of Series B Preferred Stock as to which the Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right, as applicable, has been properly exercised and for which the conversion notice has not been properly withdrawn shall be converted into the applicable Conversion Consideration in accordance with the Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right, as applicable, on the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, unless, on or prior to the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, the Company has provided or provides notice of its election to redeem such shares of Series B Preferred Stock, whether pursuant to its Redemption Right or Special Optional Redemption Right. If the Company elects to redeem shares of Series B Preferred Stock that would otherwise be converted into the applicable Conversion Consideration on a Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, such shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall not be so converted and the holders of such shares shall be entitled to receive on the applicable redemption date $25.00 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends thereon to, but not including, the redemption date.
(h) The Company shall deliver the applicable Conversion Consideration no later than the third Business Day following the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable.
(i) The shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall not be convertible into or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Company or any other entity, except as otherwise provided herein.
Section 9. No Conversion Rights.
The shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall not be convertible into or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Company or any other entity, except as otherwise provided herein.
Section 10. Record Holders.
The Company and its transfer agent may deem and treat the record holder of any Series B Preferred Stock as the true and lawful owner thereof for all purposes, and neither the Company nor its transfer agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
Section 11. No Maturity or Sinking Fund.
The Series B Preferred Stock has no maturity date, and no sinking fund has been established for the retirement or redemption of Series B Preferred Stock.
Section 12. Exclusion of Other Rights.
The Series B Preferred Stock shall not have any preferences or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption other than expressly set forth in the Articles of Incorporation and these Articles of Amendment.
Section 13. Headings of Subdivisions.
The headings of the various subdivisions hereof are for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of any of the provisions hereof.
Section 14. Severability of Provisions.
If any preferences or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption of the Series B Preferred Stock set forth in these Articles of Amendment are invalid, unlawful or incapable of being enforced by reason of any rule of law or public policy, all other preferences or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption of Series B Preferred Stock set forth in these Articles of Amendment which can be given effect without the invalid, unlawful or unenforceable provision thereof shall, nevertheless, remain in full force and effect and no preferences or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption of the Series B Preferred Stock herein set forth shall be deemed dependent upon any other provision thereof unless so expressed therein.
Section 15. No Preemptive Rights.
No holder of Series B Preferred Stock shall be entitled to any preemptive rights to subscribe for or acquire any unissued shares of capital stock of the Company (whether now or hereafter authorized) or securities of the Company convertible into or carrying a right to subscribe to or acquire shares of capital stock of the Company.
* * * * * *
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Amendment to be executed by its President and attested to by its Secretary this 9th day of June, 2021.
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By: |
/s/ Jeffrey A. Howard |
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President - Jeffrey A. Howard |
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| ATTEST: | /s/ Rohit H. Kirpalani | ||
| Secretary - Rohit H. Kirpalani | |||
[Seal]
Exhibit 5.1
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Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP 600 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 3000 Atlanta, GA 30308-2216
troutman.com |
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June 11, 2021
Atlanticus Holdings Corporation
Five Concourse Parkway, Suite 300
Atlanta, Georgia 30328
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Re: |
Atlanticus Holdings Corporation Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-255834) |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Atlanticus Holdings Corporation, a Georgia corporation (the “Company”), in connection with (i) the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-255834), filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), on May 6, 2021, which registration statement was declared effective by the Commission on May 13, 2021 (the “Registration Statement”), and the accompanying base prospectus dated May 13, 2021 (the “Prospectus”) and (ii) the public offering of up to 2,800,000 shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s 7.625% Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, no par value per share and liquidation preference of $25.00 per share (the “Series B Preferred Stock”), as described in the prospectus supplement dated June 8, 2021 (together with the Prospectus, the “Final Prospectus”) pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, dated June 8, 2021, between the Company and B. Riley Securities, Inc., as representative of the several Underwriters named in Schedule I thereto (the “Underwriting Agreement”).
This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 16 of the Commission’s Form S-3 and Item 601(b)(5)(i) of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Act.
In connection with the foregoing, we have examined originals, or duplicates or certified or conformed copies, of such corporate records, agreements, documents and other instruments and have made such other investigations as we have deemed relevant and necessary in connection with the opinions hereinafter set forth, including (i) the organizational documents of the Company, which include the Articles of Incorporation, as amended to date, and the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, as amended to date, (ii) the Company’s Articles of Amendment Establishing 7.625% Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock; (iii) the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company and Pricing Committee thereof with respect to the Registration Statement and the registration and issuance of the Shares, the Final Prospectus, the execution and delivery of the Underwriting Agreement and certain related matters, (iv) the Registration Statement and exhibits thereto, (v) the Final Prospectus and (vi) the Underwriting Agreement.
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Atlanticus Holdings Corporation June 11, 2021 Page 2 |
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For purposes of the opinions expressed below, we have assumed without verification (i) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, (ii) the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted as certified, photostatic or electronic copies and the authenticity of the originals thereof, (iii) the legal capacity of natural persons, (iv) the genuineness of signatures not witnessed by us, (v) the due authorization, execution and delivery of all documents by all parties, other than the Company, and the validity, binding effect and enforceability thereof and (vi) the truth, accuracy and completeness of the information, representations and warranties contained in the records, documents, instruments and certificates we have reviewed.
As to any facts material to the opinions expressed herein which were not independently established or verified, we have relied upon oral or written statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others and of public officials.
We do not express any opinion herein concerning any law other than the laws of the State of Georgia and the federal law of the United States. We are not opining on “blue sky” or other state securities laws. This opinion is limited to the matters stated herein, and no opinion is implied or may be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated herein.
Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares have been duly authorized and, when the Shares have been duly issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, such Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. In rendering the foregoing opinion, we have assumed that the Company will comply with all applicable notice requirements regarding uncertificated shares provided in the GBCC.
Our opinion is as of the date hereof and we have no responsibility to update this opinion for events and circumstances occurring after the date hereof or as to facts relating to prior events that are subsequently brought to our attention and we disavow any undertaking to advise you of any changes in law.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed by the Company on the date hereof and its incorporation by reference into the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and with respect to our name wherever it appears in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus. In giving this consent, we do not hereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act, or the Rules and Regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
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Very truly yours,
/s/ Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP |
Exhibit 99.1
Atlanticus Holdings Corporation Announces Offering of
Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock
ATLANTA, GA., June 7, 2021 – Atlanticus Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: ATLC) (“Atlanticus” or the “Company”) today announced it has commenced an underwritten registered public offering of shares of its Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, no par value and liquidation preference of $25.00 per share (the “Preferred Stock”). The Company expects to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase additional shares of the Preferred Stock in connection with the offering.
The Company expects to use the net proceeds of this offering for general corporate purposes, including the repurchase of common stock.
B. Riley Securities, Inc., Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. and William Blair & Company are acting as book-running managers for this offering. Aegis Capital Corp. and Maxim Group LLC are acting as co-managers for this offering.
The offering of these securities is being made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3, which was initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on May 6, 2021 and declared effective by the SEC on May 13, 2021. The offering will be made only by means of a prospectus and prospectus supplement. A copy of the prospectus and prospectus supplement relating to these securities may be obtained, when available, from the website of the SEC at http://www.sec.gov or by contacting: B. Riley Securities, Inc., 1300 17th Street North, Suite 1300, Arlington, Virginia 22209, Attn: Prospectus Department, Email: prospectuses@brileyfin.com, Telephone: (703) 312-9580.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
About Atlanticus Holdings Corporation
Empowering Better Financial Outcomes for Everyday Americans
Founded in 1996, our business utilizes proprietary analytics and a flexible technology platform to enable financial institutions to provide various credit and related financial services and products to everyday Americans. We apply the experience gained and infrastructure built from servicing over 18 million customers and $26 billion in consumer loans over our 24-year operating history to support lenders that originate a range of consumer loan products. These products include retail and healthcare credit and general-purpose credit cards marketed through our omnichannel platform, including retail point-of-sale, healthcare-point of-care, direct mail solicitation, internet-based marketing, and partnerships with third parties. Additionally, through our CAR subsidiary, Atlanticus serves the individual needs of automotive dealers and automotive non-prime financial organizations with multiple financing and service programs.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You generally can identify these statements by the use of words such as “outlook,” “potential,” “continue,” “may,” “seek,” “approximately,” “predict,” “believe,” “expect,” “plan,” “intend,” “estimate” or “anticipate” and similar expressions or the negative versions of these words or comparable words, as well as future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” “likely” and “could.” These statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include those risks described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and include, but are not limited to, risks related to the extent and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the Company, bank partners, merchants, consumers, loan demand, the capital markets and the economy in general; the Company's ability to retain existing, and attract new, merchants and funding sources; changes in market interest rates; increases in loan delinquencies; its ability to operate successfully in a highly regulated industry; the outcome of litigation and regulatory matters; the effect of management changes; cyberattacks and security vulnerabilities in its products and services; and the Company's ability to compete successfully in highly competitive markets. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and, except to the extent required by federal securities laws, the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there is no assurance that the events or results suggested by the forward-looking statements will in fact occur, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.
Contact:
Investor Relations
Adam Prior
Senior Vice President
The Equity Group Inc.
(212) 836-9606
aprior@equityny.com
Exhibit 99.2
Atlanticus Holdings Corporation Prices $70 Million Offering of Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock
ATLANTA, GA., June 9, 2021 – Atlanticus Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: ATLC) (“Atlanticus” or the “Company”) today announced the pricing of its underwritten registered public offering of 2,800,000 shares of 7.625% Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, no par value and liquidation preference of $25.00 per share (the “Preferred Stock”) at an initial public offering price of $25.00 per share, raising gross proceeds of $70 million before deducting underwriting discounts, the structuring fee and other estimated offering expenses.
In connection with the offering, the Company has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 420,000 shares of Preferred Stock. The offering is expected to close on or about June 11, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions.
The Company’s shares of Preferred Stock are expected to begin trading on NASDAQ under the symbol “ATLCP” within 30 days of the closing date of this offering, if approved.
Net proceeds of this offering will be used for general corporate purposes, including repurchases of common stock.
B. Riley Securities, Inc., Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. and William Blair & Company are acting as book-running managers for this offering. Kingswood Capital Markets, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC, is acting as the lead manager for the offering. Aegis Capital Corp. and Maxim Group LLC are acting as co-managers for this offering. The offering of these securities is being made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3, which was initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on May 6, 2021 and declared effective by the SEC on May 13, 2021. The offering will be made only by means of a prospectus and prospectus supplement. A copy of the prospectus and prospectus supplement relating to these securities may be obtained, when available, from the website of the SEC at http://www.sec.gov or by contacting: B. Riley Securities, Inc., 1300 17th Street North, Suite 1300, Arlington, Virginia 22209, Attn: Prospectus Department, Email: prospectuses@brileyfin.com, Telephone: (703) 312-9580.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
About Atlanticus Holdings Corporation
Empowering Better Financial Outcomes for Everyday Americans
Founded in 1996, our business utilizes proprietary analytics and a flexible technology platform to enable financial institutions to provide various credit and related financial services and products to everyday Americans. We apply the experience gained and infrastructure built from servicing over 18 million customers and $26 billion in consumer loans over our 24-year operating history to support lenders that originate a range of consumer loan products. These products include retail and healthcare credit and general-purpose credit cards marketed through our omnichannel platform, including retail point-of-sale, healthcare-point of-care, direct mail solicitation, internet-based marketing, and partnerships with third parties. Additionally, through our CAR subsidiary, Atlanticus serves the individual needs of automotive dealers and automotive non-prime financial organizations with multiple financing and service programs.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You generally can identify these statements by the use of words such as “outlook,” “potential,” “continue,” “may,” “seek,” “approximately,” “predict,” “believe,” “expect,” “plan,” “intend,” “estimate” or “anticipate” and similar expressions or the negative versions of these words or comparable words, as well as future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” “likely” and “could.” These statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include those risks described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and include, but are not limited to, risks related to the extent and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the Company, bank partners, merchants, consumers, loan demand, the capital markets and the economy in general; the Company's ability to retain existing, and attract new, merchants and funding sources; changes in market interest rates; increases in loan delinquencies; its ability to operate successfully in a highly regulated industry; the outcome of litigation and regulatory matters; the effect of management changes; cyberattacks and security vulnerabilities in its products and services; and the Company's ability to compete successfully in highly competitive markets. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and, except to the extent required by federal securities laws, the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there is no assurance that the events or results suggested by the forward-looking statements will in fact occur, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.
Contact:
Investor Relations
Adam Prior
Senior Vice President
The Equity Group Inc.
(212) 836-9606
aprior@equityny.com
Exhibit 99.3
Atlanticus Holdings Corporation Closes Preferred Stock Offering
ATLANTA, GA., June 11, 2021 – Atlanticus Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: ATLC) (“Atlanticus” or the “Company”) today announced the closing of its previously announced underwritten registered public offering of 2,800,000 shares of its 7.625% Series B Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, no par value and liquidation preference of $25.00 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), at an initial public offering price of $25.00 per share. The offering resulted in net proceeds of approximately $67.2 million after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions, but before deducting expenses and the structuring fee. The Company expects to use the net proceeds of this offering for general corporate purposes, including the repurchase of common stock.
The underwriters have a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 420,000 shares of the Preferred Stock. Dividends on the Preferred Stock will be paid when declared by the Company’s Board of Directors at a fixed rate of 7.625% of the $25.00 liquidation preference per year, equivalent to $1.90625 per share per year. Shares of the Preferred Stock are expected to be listed on NASDAQ under the symbol “ATLCP” and are expected to begin trading within 30 days.
B. Riley Securities, Inc., Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. and William Blair & Company acted as book-running managers for this offering. Kingswood Capital Markets, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC, acted as lead manager for the offering. Aegis Capital Corp. and Maxim Group LLC acted as co-managers for this offering.
Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP acted as legal counsel to the Company. Alston & Bird LLP acted as legal counsel to the underwriters.
The offering of these securities was made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3, which was initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on May 6, 2021, and declared effective by the SEC on May 13, 2021. The offering will be made only by means of a prospectus and prospectus supplement. A copy of the prospectus and prospectus supplement relating to these securities may be obtained from the website of the SEC at http://www.sec.gov or by contacting: B. Riley Securities, Inc., 1300 17th Street North, Suite 1300, Arlington, Virginia 22209, Attn: Prospectus Department, Email: prospectuses@brileyfin.com, Telephone: (703) 312-9580.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
About Atlanticus Holdings Corporation
Empowering Better Financial Outcomes for Everyday Americans
Founded in 1996, our business utilizes proprietary analytics and a flexible technology platform to enable financial institutions to provide various credit and related financial services and products to everyday Americans. We apply the experience gained and infrastructure built from servicing over 18 million customers and $26 billion in consumer loans over our 24-year operating history to support lenders that originate a range of consumer loan products. These products include retail and healthcare credit and general-purpose credit cards marketed through our omnichannel platform, including retail point-of-sale, healthcare-point of-care, direct mail solicitation, internet-based marketing, and partnerships with third parties. Additionally, through our CAR subsidiary, Atlanticus serves the individual needs of automotive dealers and automotive non-prime financial organizations with multiple financing and service programs.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You generally can identify these statements by the use of words such as “outlook,” “potential,” “continue,” “may,” “seek,” “approximately,” “predict,” “believe,” “expect,” “plan,” “intend,” “estimate” or “anticipate” and similar expressions or the negative versions of these words or comparable words, as well as future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” “likely” and “could.” These statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include those risks described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and include, but are not limited to, risks related to the extent and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the Company, bank partners, merchants, consumers, loan demand, the capital markets and the economy in general; the Company's ability to retain existing, and attract new, merchants and funding sources; changes in market interest rates; increases in loan delinquencies; its ability to operate successfully in a highly regulated industry; the outcome of litigation and regulatory matters; the effect of management changes; cyberattacks and security vulnerabilities in its products and services; and the Company's ability to compete successfully in highly competitive markets. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and, except to the extent required by federal securities laws, the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there is no assurance that the events or results suggested by the forward-looking statements will in fact occur, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.
Contact:
Investor Relations
Adam Prior
Senior Vice President
The Equity Group Inc.
(212) 836-9606
aprior@equityny.com