Bark, Inc 8-K, filed Nov 13, 2020
Bark, Inc. (BARK)
About this 8-K
Bark, Inc filed this 8-K on November 13, 2020, reporting on events of November 10, 2020.
Items reported
- Item 1.01: Entered into a material agreement
- Item 5.03: Charter or bylaw amendment, or fiscal year change
- 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): November 10, 2020
NORTHERN STAR ACQUISITION CORP.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
| Delaware | 001-39691 | 83-4109918 | ||
| (State or Other Jurisdiction | (Commission | (IRS Employer | ||
| of Incorporation) | File Number) | Identification No.) |
c/o Graubard Miller
The Chrysler Business
405 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10174
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
(212) 818-8800
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
Not Applicable
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):
| ☐ | 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:
| Title of each class |
Trading |
Name of each exchange on | ||
| Units, each consisting of one share of Class A Common Stock and one-third of one redeemable warrant | STIC.U | The New York Stock Exchange | ||
| Class A Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share | STIC | The New York Stock Exchange |
Redeemable warrants, exercisable for shares of Class A Common Stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share STIC WS The New York Stock Exchange
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 November 10, 2020, the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (SEC File No. 333-249138) (the “Registration Statement”) relating to the initial public offering of units of Northern Star Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
On November 10, 2020, the Company entered into various agreements filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement. The Company also filed an amended and restated certificate of incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on November 10, 2020. The material terms of such agreements and the amended and restated certificate of incorporation are fully described in the Company’s final prospectus, dated November 10, 2020 as filed with the SEC on November 12, 2020. This Current Report on Form 8-K is being filed solely to file such executed agreements and amended and restated certificate of incorporation.
| Item 5.03. | Amendments to Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year. |
The information set forth in Item 1.01 is hereby incorporated by reference.
| Item 9.01. | Financial Statement and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits:
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.
Dated: November 13, 2020
| NORTHERN STAR ACQUISITION CORP. | ||
| By: | /s/ Joanna Coles | |
| Name: Joanna Coles | ||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
Exhibit 1.1
Execution Version
Northern Star Acquisition Corp.
25,000,000 Units1
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
New York, New York
November 10, 2020
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
388 Greenwich Street
New York, New York 10013
As Representative of the several underwriters listed
in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”)
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Northern Star Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as Representative (the “Representative”), an aggregate of 25,000,000 units (the “Units”) of the Company (said Units to be issued and sold by the Company being hereinafter called the “Underwritten Securities”) (the “Offering”). The Company also proposes to grant to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to 3,750,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments (the “Option Securities”; the Option Securities, together with the Underwritten Securities, being hereinafter called the “Securities”). To the extent there are no additional Underwriters listed on Schedule I other than you, the term Representative as used herein shall mean you, as Underwriters, and the term Underwriter shall mean either the singular or plural as the context requires. Certain capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not otherwise defined are defined in Section 22 hereof.
Each Unit consists of one share of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”) and one-third of one warrant, where each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of Common Stock (the “Warrant(s)”). The Common Stock and the Warrants included in the Units will not trade separately until the 52nd day following the date of the Prospectus (as defined herein) unless the Representative informs the Company of its decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to (a) the preparation of an audited balance sheet of the Company reflecting receipt by the Company of the proceeds of the Offering, (b) the filing by the Company of such audited balance sheet with the Commission on a Current Report on Form 8-K (the “Closing Form 8-K”) and (c) the issuance by the Company of a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin; provided that no fractional Warrants will be issued upon separation of the Units and only whole Warrants will trade. Each whole Warrant entitles its holder, upon exercise, to purchase one share of Common Stock for $11.50, subject to certain adjustments, during the period commencing on the later of thirty (30) days after the completion by the Company of its Initial Business Combination (as defined below) and twelve (12) months from the date of the consummation of the Offering and terminating on the five-year anniversary of the completion by the Company of its Initial Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation of the Trust Account (as defined herein). As used herein, the term “Initial Business Combination” (as described more fully in the Registration Statement) shall mean any merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities (collectively, a “Target Business”).
Pursuant to letter agreements, dated July 8, 2020 (the “Securities Subscription Agreements”), the Company issued to Jonathan Ledecky and Joana Coles an aggregate of 8,625,000 shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (such shares, as well as the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion thereof, where applicable, the “Founder Shares”) in a private placement for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000 in cash. Mr. Ledecky and Ms. Coles subsequently transferred such shares to Northern Star Sponsor LLC (the “Sponsor”) and the Company’s other officers and directors. On November 10, 2020, the Sponsor surrendered 1,437,500 Founder Shares, resulting in an aggregate of 7,187,500 Founder Shares outstanding. Up to 937,500 of the Founder Shares held by the Sponsor are subject to forfeiture to the extent the Underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option.
| 1 | Plus an option to purchase from the Company up to 3,750,000 additional Units to cover over-allotments, if any. |
The Company has entered into a Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date hereof (the “Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement”) with the Sponsor, a form of which is filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, pursuant to which the Sponsor has agreed to purchase from the Company an aggregate of 4,500,000 (or up to 5,000,000 warrants depending on the extent to which the Underwriters exercise their right to purchase Option Securities), each entitling the holder to purchase one share of Common Stock (the “Private Placement Warrants”) at a price of $1.50 per warrant ($6,750,000 in the aggregate, or $7,500,000 in the aggregate if the Underwriters exercise their right to purchase Option Securities in full) in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the consummation of the Offering. The Private Placement Warrants are substantially similar to the Warrants included in the Units, except as described in the Prospectus.
The Company has entered into a Warrant Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, with respect to the Warrants, the Private Placement Warrants and certain warrants that may be issued to the Company’s executive officers or directors, the Sponsor or their permitted transferees or affiliates upon conversion of working capital loans made to the Company (the “Working Capital Warrants”) with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, in substantially the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Warrant Agreement”), pursuant to which Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company will act as warrant agent in connection with the issuance, registration, transfer, exchange, redemption and exercise of the Warrants, Private Placement Warrants and Working Capital Warrants.
The Company has entered into an Investment Management Trust Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as trustee (the “Trustee”), in substantially the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Trust Agreement”), pursuant to which the proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Warrants and certain proceeds of the Offering will be deposited and held in a trust account (the “Trust Account”) for the benefit of the Company, the Underwriters and holders of the Securities.
The Company has issued a non-interest bearing, unsecured promissory note for an aggregate amount of $150,000 to Jonathan Ledecky, the Company’s President and Chief Operating Officer, in substantially the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Promissory Note”), in exchange for the payment of the equivalent amount by the Sponsor to the Company. These monies have been used to cover expenses relating to the Offering. The Promissory Note will be payable on the earlier to occur of December 31, 2020, the date of the consummation of the Offering, or the date that the Company determines to not proceed with the Offering.
The Company has entered into a Registration and Shareholder Rights Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, in substantially the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company has granted certain registration rights in respect of the Founder Shares, the Private Placement Warrants and the Working Capital Warrants (and any shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Private Placement Warrants or the Working Capital Warrants and upon the conversion of the Founder Shares).
The Company has caused the Sponsor and each of the Company’s directors and executive officers to enter into a letter agreement as of the date hereof, in substantially the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Insider Letter”).
1. Representations and Warranties.
(a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter as set forth below in this Section 1(a).
(1) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Commission the Registration Statement (file number 333-249138) on Form S-1 (the “Registration Statement”), including the related Preliminary Prospectus, for registration under the Act of the offering and sale of the Securities. Such Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto filed prior to the Execution Time, has become effective. The Company may have filed one or more amendments thereto,
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including the related Preliminary Prospectus, each of which has previously been furnished to the Representative. The Company will file with the Commission the Prospectus in accordance with Rule 424(b). As filed, such Prospectus shall contain all information required by the Act and, except to the extent the Representative shall agree in writing to a modification, shall be in all substantive respects in the form furnished to the Representative prior to the Execution Time or, to the extent not completed at the Execution Time, shall contain only such specific additional information and other changes (beyond that contained in the Statutory Prospectus) as the Company has advised the Representative, prior to the Execution Time, will be included or made therein. The Company has complied to the Commission’s satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for additional or supplemental information.
(2) Effective Date. On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement did, and when the Prospectus is first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date (as defined herein) and on any date on which Option Securities are purchased, if such date is not the Closing Date (a “settlement date”), the Prospectus (and any supplements thereto) will, comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act; on the Effective Date and at the Execution Time, the Registration Statement did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date and any settlement date, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or 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; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement, or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representative specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8 hereof.
(3) Execution Time. At the Execution Time, the Statutory Prospectus, each road show when taken together as a whole with the Statutory Prospectus, and any individual Written Testing-the-Waters Communication (as defined below), when taken together as a whole with the Statutory Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from the Statutory Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representative specifically for inclusion in the Statutory Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.
(4) Compliance with Exchange Act. The Company has filed with the Commission a Form 8-A (file number 001-39691) providing for the registration under the Exchange Act of the Securities, the shares of Common Stock included as part of the Securities and the Warrants included as part of the Securities. The registration of such securities under the Exchange Act has been declared effective by the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement. The Securities have been authorized for listing, subject to official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution, on The New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), and the Company knows of no reason or set of facts that is likely to adversely affect such authorization.
(5) No Stop Orders, Etc. Neither the Commission nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any state regulatory authority has issued any order or threatened to issue any order preventing or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any part thereof, or has instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to institute any proceedings with respect to such an order including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 8A of the Act.
(6) Disclosure of Agreements. The agreements and documents described in the Statutory Prospectus, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained therein. There is no franchise, contract or other document of a character
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required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, which is not described or filed as required (and the Statutory Prospectus contains in all material respects the same description of the foregoing matters contained in the Prospectus); and the statements in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus under the headings “Principal Stockholders,” “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions,” and “Description of Securities,” insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are in all material respects accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings. There are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the Company or any other person required by the Act to be described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus that have not been described as required.
(7) Capitalization. The Company’s authorized equity capitalization is as set forth in the Statutory Prospectus, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The share capital of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Statutory Prospectus, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(8) Outstanding Securities. All issued and outstanding securities of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; and none of such securities were issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The offers and sales of the outstanding shares of Common Stock and Warrants were at all relevant times either registered under the Act, the applicable state securities and blue sky laws or, based in part on the representations and warranties of the purchasers of such shares of Common Stock and Warrants, exempt from such registration requirements. The holders of outstanding securities of the Company are not entitled to preemptive or other rights to subscribe for the Securities arising by operation of law or under the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as amended from time to time, the “Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation”); and, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or rights to convert any obligations into or exchange any securities for, shares or other ownership interests in the Company are outstanding.
(9) Securities Sold Pursuant to this Agreement.
(i) The Securities have been duly authorized and when issued and delivered against payment therefor by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued.
(ii) The shares of Common Stock included in the Securities have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered against payment for the Securities by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, will be validly issued as fully paid and non-assessable. The holders of such shares of Common Stock are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; such shares of Common Stock are not and will not be subject to any preemptive or other similar contractual rights granted by the Company.
(iii) The Warrants included in the Securities have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered in the manner set forth in the Warrant Agreement against payment for the Securities by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and registered in the Company’s register of members, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.
(iv) The shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants included in the Securities have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and, when issued and delivered against payment therefor pursuant to the Warrants and the Warrant Agreement and the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, will be validly issued as fully paid and non-assessable. The holders of such shares of Common Stock are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; such shares of Common Stock are not and will not be subject to any preemptive or other similar contractual rights granted by the Company.
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(10) Registration Rights of Third Parties. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, no holders of any securities of the Company or any rights exercisable for or convertible or exchangeable into securities of the Company have the right to require the Company to register any such securities of the Company under the Act or to include any such securities in a registration statement to be filed by the Company.
(11) Prior Securities Transactions.
(i) No securities of the Company have been sold by the Company or by or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any person or persons controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Company from its inception through and including the date hereof, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus.
(ii) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates has, prior to the date hereof, made any offer or sale of any securities that are required to be “integrated” pursuant to the Act with the offer and sale of the Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement.
(12) Securities Sold to Founders, Sponsor and Insiders. The Founder Shares have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and, except with respect to the forfeiture of certain Founder Shares as described in the Registration Statement upon the failure by the Underwriters to purchase any or all of the Option Securities, non-assessable. The Private Placement Warrants have been duly authorized and, when delivered, will be duly issued and delivered, and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability. The shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Private Placement Warrants have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance and, when issued and delivered against payment therefor pursuant to the Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement, the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the Warrant Agreement, as applicable, will be validly issued as fully paid and non-assessable.
Each of the Sponsor and the Company’s executive officers and directors have agreed to: (a) waive their redemption rights with respect to any Founder Shares and shares of Common Stock sold as part of the Units in the Offering (the “Public Shares”) held by them in connection with the completion of an Initial Business Combination, (b) waive their redemption rights with respect to any Founder Shares and Public Shares held by them in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to provide for the redemption of the Public Shares in connection with an Initial Business Combination or to redeem 100% of its Public Shares if the Company has not consummated an Initial Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation; (c) waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to any Founder Shares held by them if the Company fails to complete an Initial Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to any Public Shares held by them if the Company fails to complete an Initial Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation); and (d) vote any Founder Shares and any Public Shares held by them in favor of an initial Business Combination if the Company submits an Initial Business Combination to its public shareholders for a vote.
(13) Due Incorporation; Power and Authority. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the state of Delaware with full corporate power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus.
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(14) Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements.
(i) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.
(ii) The Trust Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.
(iii) The Warrant Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.
(iv) The Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the Sponsor, and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the Sponsor, enforceable against the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the Sponsor in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.
(v) The Registration Rights Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability and except that the indemnification and contribution provisions of the Registration Rights Agreement may be unenforceable.
(vi) The Insider Letter has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Sponsor and to, the knowledge of the Company, each of the Company’s directors and executive officers, respectively, and is a valid and binding agreement of the Sponsor and, to the knowledge of the Company, each of the Company’s directors and executive officers respectively, enforceable against the Sponsor and, to the knowledge of the Company, each of the Company’s directors and executive officers, respectively, in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.
(vii) The Securities Subscription Agreements have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and are valid and binding agreements of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.
(15) Consents, Approvals, Etc. No consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body is required in connection with the transactions contemplated herein or in the Trust Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Securities Subscription Agreement, the Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, or the Insider Letter, except for the registration under the Act and the Exchange Act of the Securities, and such as may be required under the state securities or blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus.
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(16) No Breach or Violation. Neither the issue and sale of the Securities nor the consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof or of the Trust Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Securities Subscription Agreements, the Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, or the Insider Letter will conflict with, result in a breach or violation of, or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to (i) the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company is a party or bound or to which its property is subject, or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable to the Company of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties; except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above for any such conflict, breach or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”) and that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on the ability of the Underwriters to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(17) No Conflicts, Etc. The Company is not in violation or default of (i) any provision of its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which it is a party or bound or to which its property is subject, or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, or judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company; except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above for any such conflict, breach or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(18) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the Offering and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, will not be required to register as an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”) and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(19) Financial Statements. The financial statements, including the notes thereto and the supporting schedules, if any, of the Company included in the Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement present fairly the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of the dates and for the periods indicated, comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein). There are no pro forma or as adjusted financial statements that are required to be included in the Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement in accordance with Regulation S-X that have not been included as so required.
(20) Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements. The Company is not party to any off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), or other relationships with unconsolidated entities or other persons that may have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses.
(21) Other Data. The statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, if any, are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate, and such data agree with the sources from which they are derived.
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(22) Independent Accountants. Marcum LLP (“Marcum”) are independent public accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (including the rules and regulations promulgated by such entity). Marcum has not, during the periods covered by the financial statements included in the Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.
(23) Disclosure Controls and Procedures. The Company maintains effective “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) to the extent required by such rule.
(24) Sarbanes-Oxley. Solely to the extent that the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) have been applicable to the Company, there is and has been no failure on the part of the Company to comply with any applicable provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company has taken all necessary actions to ensure that it is in compliance with all provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that are in effect and with which the Company is required to comply and is making commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that it will be in compliance with other provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act not currently in effect or which will become applicable to the Company.
(25) Transfer Taxes. There are no transfer, stamp, issue, registration, documentary or other similar taxes, duties, fees or charges under U.S. federal law or the laws of any state, or any political subdivision thereof, or under the laws of any non-U.S. jurisdiction, required to be paid in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance or sale by the Company of the Securities.
(26) Ownership. The Company owns or leases all such properties as are necessary to the conduct of its operations as presently conducted.
(27) Litigation; Government Proceedings. No action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company, or to the Company’s knowledge, the Sponsor, or any executive officer or director of the Company, or its or their property is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened that (i) would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or (ii) would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(28) Tax Returns. The Company has filed all U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof and has paid all taxes required to be paid thereon, and no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company (nor does the Company have any notice or knowledge of any tax deficiency which could reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company), except in each case as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(29) Licenses and Permits. The Company possesses all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by the appropriate U.S. federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct its business, and the Company has not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such license, certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(30) Stabilization. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
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(31) Certain Regulatory Matters.
(i) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company, the Sponsor, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, executive officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or the Sponsor is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that could result in a violation or a sanction for violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or the U.K. Bribery Act 2010, each as may be amended, or similar law of any other relevant jurisdiction, or the rules or regulations thereunder; and the Company has instituted and maintains policies and procedures to ensure compliance therewith. No part of the proceeds of the Offering will be used, directly or indirectly, in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or the U.K. Bribery Act 2010, each as may be amended, or similar law of any other relevant jurisdiction, or the rules or regulations thereunder.
(ii) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements and the money laundering statutes and the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(iii) OFAC. Neither the Company, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, the Sponsor nor any director, executive officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Sponsor (i) is, or is controlled or 50% or more owned in the aggregate by or is acting on behalf of, one or more individuals or entities that are currently the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States (including any administered or enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of State or the Bureau of Industry and Security of the U.S. Department of Commerce), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, a member state of the European Union (including sanctions administered or enforced by Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom) or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions” and such persons, “Sanctioned Persons” and each such person, a “Sanctioned Person”), (ii) is located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is, or whose government is, the subject of Sanctions that broadly prohibit dealings with that country or territory (collectively, “Sanctioned Countries” and each, a “Sanctioned Country”) or (iii) will (either directly or through the Trust Account), directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the Offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other individual or entity in any manner that would result in a violation of any Sanctions by, or could result in the imposition of Sanctions against, any individual or entity (including any individual or entity participating in the Offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise). In the preceding three years, except as has been disclosed to the Underwriters or is not material to the analysis under any Sanctions, neither the Company nor any Sponsor has engaged in any dealings or transactions with or for the benefit of a Sanctioned Person, or with or in a Sanctioned Country, in the preceding 3 years, nor does the Company or any Sponsor have any plans to engage in dealings or transactions with or for the benefit of a Sanctioned Person, or with or in a Sanctioned Country.
(iv) Bank Secrecy Act; Money Laundering; Patriot Act. None of the Company, the Sponsor or any executive officer or director of the Company has violated: (a) the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended, (b) the Money Laundering Laws, or (c) the Uniting and Strengthening of America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001, and/or the rules and regulations promulgated under any such law, or any successor law.
(32) D&O Questionnaires. To the Company’s knowledge, all information contained in the questionnaires (the “Questionnaires”) completed by each of the Sponsor, the Company’s executive officers and directors and provided to the Underwriters is true and correct in all material respects and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in the Questionnaires completed by the Company’s executive officers or directors to become inaccurate and incorrect in any material respect.
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(33) Initial Business Combination. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, prior to the date hereof, the Company has not identified any business combination target and it has not, nor has anyone on its behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target.
(34) FINRA Matters.
(i) Except as described in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, arrangements, contracts, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a brokerage commission or finder’s, consulting, origination or similar fee by the Company, the Sponsor or any executive officer or director of the Company, or their respective affiliates, with respect to the sale of the Securities hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, the Sponsor or any executive officer or director of the Company, or their respective affiliates, that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).
(ii) The Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or any other item of value) to: (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) to any person that, to the Company’s knowledge, has been accepted by FINRA as a member of FINRA (a “Member”); or (iii) to any person or entity that, to the Company’s knowledge, has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any Member, within the twelve months prior to the Effective Date, other than payments to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement.
(iii) Except as described in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, during the period beginning 180 days prior to the initial filing of the Registration Statement and ending on the Effective Date, no Member and/or any person associated or affiliated with a Member has provided any investment banking, financial advisory and/or consulting services to the Company.
(iv) Except as disclosed in the FINRA questionnaires provided to the Representative, to the Company’s knowledge, no executive officer, director, or beneficial owner of any class of the Company’s securities (whether debt or equity, registered or unregistered, regardless of the time acquired or the source from which derived) (any such individual or entity, a “Company Affiliate”) is a Member or a person associated or affiliated with a Member.
(v) Except as disclosed in the FINRA questionnaires provided to the Representative, to the Company’s knowledge, no Company Affiliate is an owner of stock or other securities of any Member (other than securities purchased on the open market).
(vi) To the knowledge of the Company after due inquiry, no Company Affiliate has made a subordinated loan to any Member.
(vii) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, no proceeds from the sale of the Securities (excluding underwriting compensation as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus) will be paid by the Company to any Member, or any persons associated or affiliated with a Member.
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(viii) The Company has not issued any warrants or other securities, or granted any options, directly or indirectly to anyone who is a potential underwriter in the Offering or a related person (as defined by FINRA rules) of such an underwriter within the 180-day period prior to the initial filing date of the Registration Statement.
(ix) No person to whom securities of the Company have been privately issued within the 180-day period prior to the initial filing date of the Registration Statement has, to the Company’s knowledge, any relationship or affiliation or association with any Member intending to participate in the Offering.
(x) To the Company’s knowledge, no Member intending to participate in the Offering has a conflict of interest with the Company. For this purpose, a “conflict of interest” means, if at the time of the Member’s participation in the Offering, any of the following applies: (A) the securities are to be issued by the Member; (B) the Company controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Member or the Member’s associated persons; (C) at least 5% of the net offering proceeds, not including underwriting compensation, are intended to be: (i) used to reduce or retire the balance of a loan or credit facility extended by the Member, its affiliates and its associated persons, in the aggregate; or (ii) otherwise directed to the Member, its affiliates and associated persons, in the aggregate; or (D) as a result of the Offering and any transactions contemplated at the time of the Offering: (i) the Member will be an affiliate of the Company; (ii) the Member will become publicly owned; or (iii) the Company will become a Member or form a broker-dealer subsidiary. “Member intending to participate in the Offering” includes any associated person of a Member that is participating in the Offering, any members of such associated person’s immediate family, and any affiliate of a Member that is participating in the Offering.
(35) Non-Competition Agreements. Except as described in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, to the Company’s knowledge, none of the Sponsor, directors or executive officers of the Company is subject to a non-competition agreement or non-solicitation agreement with any employer or prior employer which could materially affect his, her or its ability to be and act in the capacity of shareholder, executive officer or director of the Company, as applicable.
(36) Subsidiaries. The Company does not own an interest in any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other entity.
(37) Related Party Transactions. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among any of the Company or any affiliate of the Company, on the one hand, and the Sponsor or any director, executive officer, shareholder, special advisor, customer or supplier of the Company or any affiliate of the Company, on the other hand, which is required by the Act or the Exchange Act to be described in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus which is not described as required. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees of indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of the executive officers or directors of the Company or any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus. The Company has not extended or maintained credit, arranged for the extension of credit, or renewed an extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan to or for any director or officer of the Company.
(38) Free Writing Prospectus. The Company has not prepared or used a Free Writing Prospectus.
(39) Rule 419. Upon delivery and payment for the Underwritten Securities on the Closing Date and the filing of the Closing Form 8-K, the Company will not be subject to Rule 419 under the Act and none of the Company’s outstanding securities will be deemed to be a “penny stock” as defined in Rule 3a51-1 under the Exchange Act.
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(40) NYSE’s Listing Standards. 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 executive officers or directors, in their capacities as such, to comply with (as and when applicable), and immediately following the Effective Date the Company will be in compliance with, the requirements of the NYSE. Further, 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 executive officers or directors, in their capacities as such, to comply with (as and when applicable), and immediately following the Effective Date the Company will be in compliance with, the phase-in requirements and all other provisions of NYSE corporate governance requirements set forth in the NYSE Listed Companies Manual.
(41) Emerging Growth Company. From the time of the initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any person authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the Execution Time, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”). “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) or Rule 163B of the Act.
(42) Testing-the-Waters. The Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representative with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Act and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Representative to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representative has been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Schedule III hereto. “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act.
Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the Offering shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.
2. Purchase and Sale.
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of $9.80 per Unit, the amount of the Underwritten Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule I hereto.
(b) Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties set forth herein, the Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to 3,750,000 Option Securities at the same purchase price per Unit as the Underwriters shall pay for the Underwritten Securities. This option may be exercised only to cover over-allotments in the sale of the Underwritten Securities by the Underwriters. This option may be exercised in whole or in part at any time on or before the 45th day after the date of the Prospectus upon written or telegraphic notice by the Representative to the Company setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are exercising the option and the settlement date. Each Underwriter shall purchase the same percentage of the total number of Option Securities to be purchased by the several Underwriters as such Underwriter is purchasing of the Underwritten Securities, subject to such adjustments as the Representative in its absolute discretion shall make to eliminate any fractional shares.
(c) In addition to the discount from the public offering price represented by the purchase price set forth in the first sentence of Section 2(a) of this Agreement, the Company hereby agrees to pay to the Underwriters a deferred discount of $0.35 per Unit (for both Underwritten Securities and Option Securities) purchased hereunder (the “Deferred Discount”). The Deferred Discount will be paid directly to the Representative, on behalf of the Underwriters, by the Trustee from amounts on deposit in the Trust Account by wire transfer if and when the Company consummates an Initial Business Combination in the same percentages of the total number of Underwritten Securities such Representative purchased as set forth in Schedule I hereto. The Underwriters hereby agree that if no Initial
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Business Combination is consummated within the time period provided in the Trust Agreement and the funds held under the Trust Agreement are distributed to the holders of the shares of Common Stock included in the Securities sold pursuant to this Agreement (the “Public Shareholders”), (i) the Underwriters will forfeit any rights or claims to the Deferred Discount and (ii) the Trustee under the Trust Agreement is authorized to distribute the Deferred Discount to the Public Shareholders on a pro rata basis.
3. Delivery and Payment.
(a) Delivery of and payment for the Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities (if the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof shall have been exercised on or before the second Business Day prior to the Closing Date) shall be made at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on November 13, 2020, or at such time on such later date at least two Business Days after the foregoing date as the Representative shall designate, which date and time may be postponed by agreement between the Representative and the Company or as provided in Section 9 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for the Securities being herein called the “Closing Date”). Delivery of the Securities shall be made to the Representative for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representative of the purchase price thereof by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account specified by the Company and to the Trust Account as described below in this Section 3. Delivery of the Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) unless the Representative shall otherwise instruct.
(b) Payment for the Underwritten Securities shall be made as follows: $294,000,000 of the proceeds received by the Company for the Underwritten Securities, including $ 8,750,000 of the Deferred Discount, shall be deposited in the Trust Account pursuant to the terms of the Trust Agreement along with such portion of the gross proceeds of the Private Placement Warrants in order for the Trust Account to equal the product of the number of Units sold and the public offering price per Unit as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus upon delivery to the Representative of the Underwritten Securities through the facilities of DTC or, if the Representative has otherwise instructed, upon delivery to the Representative of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative) representing the Underwritten Securities, in each case for the account of the Underwriters. The Underwritten Securities shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing at least two Business Days prior to the Closing Date. If delivery is not made through the facilities of DTC, the Company will permit the Representative to examine and package the Underwritten Securities for delivery, at least one Business Day prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Underwritten Securities except upon tender of payment by the Representative for all the Underwritten Securities. Payment by the Underwriters for the Underwritten Securities is contingent on the payment by the Sponsor to the Trust Account for the Private Placement Warrants at least one Business Day prior to the Closing Date.
(c) Payment for the Option Securities shall be made as follows: $9.80 per Option Security (including any Deferred Discount attributable to the Option Securities), shall be deposited in the Trust Account pursuant to the terms of the Trust Agreement along with such portion of the gross proceeds of the Private Placement Warrants in order for the Trust Account to equal the product of the number of Units sold and the public offering price per Unit as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus upon delivery to the Representative of the Option Securities through the facilities of DTC or, if the Representative has otherwise instructed, upon delivery to the Representative of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative) representing the Option Securities (or through the facilities of DTC) for the account of the Underwriters. The Option Securities shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing at least two Business Days prior to the Closing Date. If delivery is not made through the facilities of DTC, the Company will permit the Representative to examine and package the Option Securities for delivery, at least one Business Day prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Option Securities except upon tender of payment by the Representative for all the Option Securities. Payment by the Underwriters for the Option Securities is contingent on the payment by the Sponsor to the Trust Account for the Private Placement Warrants at least one Business Day prior to the applicable settlement date.
(d) If the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof is exercised after the second Business Day prior to the Closing Date, the Company will deliver the Option Securities (at the expense of the Company) to the Representative, at c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc., at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York, on the date specified by the Representative (which shall be within three Business Days after exercise of said option) for the
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respective accounts of the several Underwriters, against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representative of the purchase price thereof to the Trust Account as described above in Section 3(c). If settlement for the Option Securities occurs after the Closing Date, the Company will deliver to the Representative on the settlement date for the Option Securities, and the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase the Option Securities shall be conditioned upon receipt of, supplemental opinions, certificates and letters confirming as of such date the opinions, certificates and letters delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 6 hereof.
4. Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Prospectus.
5. Agreements. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that:
(a) Filing of Prospectus; Notice to Representative; Stop Orders. Prior to the termination of the Offering, the Company will not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement unless the Company has furnished you a copy for your review prior to filing and will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representative reasonably objects. The Company will cause the Prospectus, properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed in a form approved by the Representative with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Representative of such timely filing. The Company will promptly advise the Representative (i) when the Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed (if required) with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or when any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication shall have been filed with the Commission, (ii) when, prior to termination of the Offering, any amendment to the Registration Statement shall have been filed or become effective, (iii) of any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment of the Registration Statement, or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications or for any supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any notice objecting to its use or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose, including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 8A of the Act, and (v) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the occurrence of any such suspension or objection to the use of the Registration Statement and, upon such issuance, occurrence or notice of objection, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal of such stop order or relief from such occurrence or objection, including, if necessary, by filing an amendment to the Registration Statement or a new registration statement and using its best efforts to have such amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable.
(b) Statutory Prospectus. If, at any time prior to the filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b), any event occurs as a result of which the Statutory Prospectus would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made at such time not misleading, the Company will (i) notify promptly the Representative so that any use of the Statutory Prospectus may cease until it is amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement the Statutory Prospectus to correct such statement or omission; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.
(c) Amendment to Prospectus. If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made at such time not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Act or the rules thereunder, the Company promptly will (i) notify the Representative of any such event; (ii) prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the second sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 5, an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and (iii) supply any supplemented Prospectus to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.
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(d) Delivery of Earnings Statements. As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Representative an earnings statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158.
(e) Delivery of Documents. The Company will furnish to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and to each other Underwriter a copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any supplement thereto as the Representative may reasonably request. The Company will pay the expenses of printing or other production of all documents s relating to the Offering.
(f) Qualification of Securities. The Company will arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may designate and will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities; provided that in no event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Securities, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.
(g) Lock-Up. The Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, offer, sell, contract to sell, lend, pledge, hedge or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction that is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the Company or any affiliate of the Company or any person in privity with the Company or any affiliate of the Company), directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act with respect to, any other Units, shares of Common Stock, Warrants or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending 180 days after the date of this Agreement; provided, however, that the Company may (1) issue and sell the Private Placement Warrants, (2) issue and sell the Option Securities on exercise of the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof, (3) issue shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock in connection with an Initial Business Combination, and (4) register with the Commission pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, in accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, the resale of the Founder Shares, the Private Placement Warrants and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise thereof.
(h) No Stabilization or Manipulation. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(i) Expenses. The Company agrees to pay the costs and expenses relating to the following matters: (i) the preparation, printing or reproduction and filing with the Commission of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits thereto), each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement to any of them; (ii) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of such copies of the Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and all amendments or supplements to any of them, as may, in each case, be reasonably requested for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities; (iii) the preparation, printing, authentication, issuance and delivery of certificates, if any, for the Securities, including any stamp or transfer taxes in connection with the original issuance and sale of the Securities; (iv) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery of this Agreement, and all other agreements or documents printed (or reproduced) and delivered in connection with the Offering; (v) the registration of the Securities under the Exchange Act and the listing of the Securities on the NYSE; (vi) the printing and delivery of a preliminary blue sky memorandum, any registration or qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of the several U.S. States (including filing fees and the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such registration and qualification); (vii) any filings required to be made with FINRA (including filing fees and up to $15,000 for the
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reasonable and documented fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such filings); (viii) the transportation and other expenses incurred by the Company and its executive officers (and not the Underwriters) in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Securities; (ix) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants and the fees and expenses of counsel (including local and special counsel) for the Company; and (x) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder.
(j) Use of Free Writing Prospectus. The Company agrees that it will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433.
(k) Maintenance of Registration. For a period of at least five (5) years from the Effective Date, or until such earlier time upon which the Company is required to be liquidated, the Company will use its best efforts to maintain the registration of the Units, shares of Common Stock and Warrants under the provisions of the Exchange Act, except after giving effect to a going private transaction after the completion of an Initial Business Combination. The Company will not deregister the Units, shares of Common Stock or Warrants under the Exchange Act (except in connection with a going private transaction after the completion of an Initial Business Combination) without the prior consent of the Representative.
(l) Form 8-K. The Company shall, on the date hereof, retain its independent registered public accounting firm to audit the balance sheet of the Company as of the Closing Date (the “Audited Balance Sheet”) reflecting the receipt by the Company of the proceeds of the Offering on the Closing Date. As soon as the Audited Balance Sheet becomes available, the Company shall promptly, but not later than four Business Days after the Closing Date, file the Closing Form 8-K with the Commission, which shall contain the Company’s Audited Balance Sheet. Additionally, if not disclosed on the Closing Form 8-K, upon the Company’s receipt of the proceeds from the exercise of all or any portion of the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof, the Company shall promptly, but not later than four Business Days after the receipt of such proceeds, file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Commission, which report shall disclose the Company’s sale of the Option Securities and its receipt of the proceeds therefrom.
(m) Review of Financial Statements. For a period commencing on the Effective Date and ending at least five (5) years from the date of the consummation of the Initial Business Combination or until such earlier time at which the Company is required to be liquidated or the shares of Common Stock and Warrants cease to be publicly traded, the Company, at its expense, shall cause its regularly engaged independent registered public accounting firm to review (but not audit) the Company’s financial statements for each of the first three fiscal quarters prior to the announcement of quarterly financial information, the filing of the Company’s Form 10-Q quarterly report and the mailing, if any, of quarterly financial information to shareholders.
(n) Publicly Available Statements and Reports. For a period of five (5) years from the Effective Date or until such earlier time that the Company is required to be liquidated or the Common Stock and Warrants cease to be publicly traded, the Company will furnish to the Representative such copies of financial statements and other periodic and special reports as the Company from time to time furnishes generally to holders of any class of its securities and such additional documents and information with respect to the Company as the Representative may from time to time reasonably request. Any financial statements and reports filed on the Commission’s EDGAR website or otherwise available on the Company’s website will be considered furnished for purposes of this section.
(o) Affiliate Transactions. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Company shall not pay the Sponsor, any of the Company’s directors or executive officers, any special advisor, or any of the Company’s or their respective affiliates any fees or compensation of any kind (including finder’s and consulting fees reimbursement, monies in respect of any payment of a loan or other compensation paid by the Company to the Sponsor, the Company’s executive officers, directors or any of their respective affiliates, except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement) for services rendered to the Company prior to, or in connection with, the consummation of the Initial Business Combination.
(p) Net Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants received by it in a manner consistent with the applications described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus.
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(q) Notice to FINRA.
(1) For a period of 90 days following the Effective Date, in the event any person or entity (regardless of any FINRA affiliation or association) is engaged to assist the Company in its search for a merger candidate or to provide any other merger and acquisition services, or has provided or will provide any investment banking, financial, advisory and/or consulting services to the Company, the Company agrees that it shall promptly provide to FINRA (via a FINRA submission), the Representative and its counsel a notification prior to entering into the agreement or transaction relating to a potential Business Combination: (i) the identity of the person or entity providing any such services; (ii) complete details of all such services and copies of all agreements governing such services; and (iii) justification as to why the value received by any person or entity for such services is not underwriting compensation for the Offering. The Company also agrees that proper disclosure of such arrangement or potential arrangement will be made in the tender offer materials or proxy statement, as applicable, which the Company may file in connection with the Initial Business Combination for purposes of offering redemption of shares held by its shareholders or for soliciting shareholder approval, as applicable.
(2) The Company shall advise FINRA, the Representative and its counsel if it is aware that any 5% or greater shareholder of the Company becomes an affiliate or associated person of a Member participating in the distribution of the Company’s Securities.
(r) Investment Company. The Company shall cause the proceeds of the Offering and the sale of Private Placement Warrants to be held in the Trust Account to be invested only in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations, as set forth in the Trust Agreement and disclosed in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus. The Company will otherwise conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the Investment Company Act. Furthermore, once the Company consummates the Initial Business Combination, it will be engaged in a business other than that of investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading securities.
(s) Reservation of Shares. The Company will reserve and keep available that maximum number of its authorized but unissued securities which are issuable upon the exercise of any of the Warrants and the Private Placement Warrants outstanding from time to time and the conversion of the Founder Shares.
(t) Issuance of Shares. Prior to the consummation of the Initial Business Combination or the liquidation of the Trust Account, the Company shall not issue any Common Stock, Warrants or any options or other securities convertible into Common Stock, or any preference shares, in each case, which participate in any manner in the Trust Account or which vote as a class with the Common Stock on an Initial Business Combination.
(u) Independent Director Review of Expenses. Prior to the consummation of the Initial Business Combination or the liquidation of the Trust, the Company shall cause its Board of Directors to review and approve all payments made to the Sponsor, any of the Company’s directors or executive officers, any special advisor, or any of the Company’s or their respective affiliates, with any interested directors abstaining from such review and approval.
(v) Rule 419. The Company agrees that it will use its best efforts to prevent the Company from becoming subject to Rule 419 under the Act prior to the consummation of the Initial Business Combination, including, but not limited to, using its best efforts to prevent any of the Company’s outstanding securities from being deemed to be a “penny stock” as defined in Rule 3a-51-1 under the Exchange Act during such period.
(w) Internal Controls. The Company will maintain “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined under Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (1) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (2) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets, (3) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (4) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
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(x) Sarbanes-Oxley, NYSE Listing Standards. As soon as legally required to do so, the Company and its directors and executive officers, in their capacities as such, shall take all actions necessary to comply with any applicable provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications, and to comply with the NYSE’s listing standards.
(y) No Violation of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation. The Company shall not take any action or omit to take any action that would cause the Company to be in breach or violation of its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.
(z) Transfer and Warrant Agent. For a period commencing on the Effective Date and ending at least five (5) years from the date of the consummation of the initial Business Combination or until such earlier time at which the company is required to be liquidated or the Common Stock and Warrants cease to be publicly traded, the Company shall retain a transfer and warrant agent.
(aa) Initial Business Combination.
(1) Trust Account Waiver Acknowledgment. The Company will seek to have all vendors, service providers (other than independent accountants), prospective target businesses or other entities with which it does business enter into agreements waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account for the benefit of the Public Shareholders. If a prospective target business or vendors, service providers or third party were to refuse to enter into such a waiver, management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial than any alternative.
(2) Initial Business Combination/Distribution Procedure. The Company may consummate the Initial Business Combination and conduct redemptions of Common Stock for cash upon consummation of such Initial Business Combination without a shareholder vote pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, including the filing of tender offer documents with the Commission. Such tender offer documents will contain substantially the same financial and other information about the Initial Business Combination and the redemption rights as is required under the Commission’s proxy rules and will provide each shareholder of the Company with the opportunity prior to the consummation of the Initial Business Combination to redeem the Common Stock held by such shareholder for an amount of cash equal to (A) the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account as of two Business Days prior to the consummation of the Initial Business Combination representing (x) the proceeds held in the Trust Account from the Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants and (y) any interest income earned on the funds held in the Trust Account not previously released to the Company to pay income taxes, if any (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by (B) the total number of Public Shares then outstanding. In the event the Company conducts redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, the Company’s offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 Business Days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act, and the Company will not be permitted to complete the Initial Business Combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. If, however, the Company elects not to file such tender offer documents, a shareholder vote is required by law or stock exchange listing requirement in connection with the Initial Business Combination, or the Company decides to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, the Company will submit such Initial Business Combination to the Company’s shareholders for their approval (“Business Combination Vote”). The company will give not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days prior written notice of any such meeting, if required, at which a Business Combination Vote shall be taken. With respect to the Business Combination Vote, the Sponsor and the Company’s initial shareholders, executive officers and directors have agreed to vote all of their Founder Shares and Public Shares in favor of the Company’s initial Business Combination. If the Company seeks shareholder approval of the Initial Business Combination, the Company will offer to each Public Shareholder holding Common Stock the right to have its shares redeemed in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules of the Commission at a per share redemption price (the “Redemption Price”) equal to (I) the aggregate
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amount then on deposit in the Trust Account as of two Business Days prior to the consummation of the Initial Business Combination representing (1) the proceeds held in the Trust Account from the Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants and (2) any interest not previously released to the Company (net of taxes payable), divided by (II) the total number of Public Shares then outstanding. The Company may proceed with such Initial Business Combination only if a majority of the shares voted are voted to approve such Initial Business Combination. If, after seeking and receiving such shareholder approval, the Company elects to so proceed, it will redeem shares, at the Redemption Price, from those Public Shareholders who affirmatively requested such redemption. Only Public Shareholders holding Common Stock who properly exercise their redemption rights, in accordance with the applicable tender offer or proxy materials related to such Initial Business Combination, shall be entitled to receive distributions from the Trust Account in connection with an Initial Business Combination, and the Company shall pay no distributions with respect to any other holders or shares of the Company in connection therewith. In the event that the Company does not effect an Initial Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Company will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten (10) Business Days thereafter, redeem 100% of the Public Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including any interest (which shall be net of amounts withdrawn to pay taxes and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish Public Shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining shareholders and the Company’s board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. Only Public Shareholders holding Common Stock included in the Securities shall be entitled to receive such redemption amounts and the Company shall pay no such redemption amounts or any distributions in liquidation with respect to any other shares of the Company. The Company will not propose any amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to provide for the redemption of the Public Shares in connection with an Initial Business Combination or to redeem 100% of its Public Shares if it does not complete its initial business combination within the time period set forth in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, unless it provides its public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their shares of Class A common stock upon approval of any such amendment, as described in the Statutory Prospectus and Prospectus.
(3) In the event that the Company desires or is required by an applicable law or regulation to cause an announcement (“Business Combination Announcement”) to be placed in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times or any other news or media publication or outlet or to be made via a public filing with the Commission announcing the consummation of the Initial Business Combination that indicates that the Underwriters were the underwriters in the Offering, the Company shall supply the Representative with a draft of the Business Combination Announcement and provide the Representative with a reasonable advance opportunity to comment thereon, subject to the agreement of the Underwriters to keep confidential such draft announcement in accordance with the Representative’ standard policies regarding confidential information.
(bb) Deferred Compensation. Upon the consummation of the Initial Business Combination, the Company will cause the Trustee to pay to the Representative, on behalf of the Underwriters, the Deferred Discount. Payment of the Deferred Discount will be made out of the proceeds of the Offering held in the Trust Account. The Underwriters shall have no claim to payment of any interest earned on the portion of the proceeds held in the Trust Account representing the Deferred Discount. If the Company fails to consummate its Initial Business Combination within the time period prescribed in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Deferred Discount will not be paid to the Representative and will, instead, be included in the liquidation distribution of the proceeds held in the Trust Account made to the Public Shareholders. In connection with any such liquidation distribution, the Underwriters will forfeit any rights or claims to the Deferred Discount.
(cc) The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to effect and, for a period commencing on the Effective Date and ending at least five (5) years from the date of the consummation of the Initial Business Combination or until such earlier time at which the liquidation occurs or the Common Stock and Warrants cease to be publicly traded, maintain the listing of the Securities, Common Stock and Warrants on the NYSE (or another national securities exchange).
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(dd) If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, any event occurs as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made at such time not misleading, the Company will (i) notify promptly the Representative so that use of the Written Testing-the-Waters Communication may cease until it is amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement the Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to correct such statement or omission; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to the Representative in such quantities as may be reasonably requested.
(ee) The Company will promptly notify the Representative if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (a) completion of the distribution of the Securities within the meaning of the Act and (b) completion of the 180-day restricted period referred to in Section 5(g) hereof.
(ff) Upon the earlier to occur of the expiration or termination of the Underwriters’ over-allotment option, the Company shall cancel or otherwise effect the forfeiture of Founder Shares from the Sponsor, in an aggregate amount equal to the number of Founder Shares determined by multiplying (a) 937,500 by (b) a fraction, (i) the numerator of which is 3,750,000 minus the number of shares of Common Stock purchased by the Underwriters upon the exercise of their over-allotment option, and (ii) the denominator of which is 3,750,000. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full, the Company shall not cancel or otherwise effect the forfeiture of the Founder Shares pursuant to this subsection.
(gg) The Company will deliver to the Representative executed copies of the Trust Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Securities Subscription Agreements, the Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement and the Insider Letter.
6. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities, as the case may be, shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein as of the Execution Time, the Closing Date and any settlement date pursuant to Section 3 hereof, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) Filing of Prospectus; No Stop Order. The Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, have been filed in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened, including, without limitation in each case pursuant to Section 8A of the Act.
(b) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. The Company shall have requested and caused Graubard Miller, counsel for the Company, to have furnished to the Representative its opinions dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representative in form and substance acceptable to the Representative.
(c) Opinion of Counsel for the Representative. The Representative shall have received from Kirkland & Ellis LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representative, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) and other related matters as the Representative may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
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(d) Officer’s Certificate. The Company shall have furnished to the Representative a certificate of the Company, signed by the Chief Executive Officer and the principal financial or accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, as well as each electronic road show used in connection with the Offering, and this Agreement and that:
(1) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date;
(2) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened, including without limitation in each case pursuant to Section 8A of the Act; and
(3) since the date of the most recent financial statements included in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there has been no Material Adverse Effect, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(e) Secretary’s Certificate. The Company shall have furnished to the Representative a certificate signed by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date, certifying (i) that the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation is true and complete, has not been modified and is in full force and effect, (ii) that the resolutions relating to the Offering contemplated by this Agreement are in full force and effect and have not been modified, (iii) copies of all correspondence between the Company or its counsel and the Commission, and (iv) as to the incumbency of the executive officers of the Company. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.
(f) Comfort Letters. The Company shall have requested and caused Marcum to have furnished to the Representative, at the Execution Time and at the Closing Date, letters, dated respectively as of the Execution Time and as of the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, confirming that they are a registered public accounting firm that is independent with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission thereunder and that they have performed a review of the audited financial statements of the Company for the period from July 8, 2020 (the date of inception) through July 21, 2020, provided that the cutoff date shall not be more than two Business Days prior to such Execution Time or Closing Date, as applicable, and stating in effect that:
(i) in their opinion the audited financial statements and financial statement schedules included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus and reported on by them comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related rules and regulations adopted by the Commission;
(ii) they have performed certain other specified procedures as a result of which they determined that certain information of an accounting, financial or statistical nature (which is limited to accounting, financial or statistical information derived from the general accounting records of the Company) set forth in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, including the information set forth under the captions “Dilution” and “Capitalization” in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, agrees with the accounting records of the Company, excluding any questions of legal interpretation; and
(iii) statements as to such other matters incident to the transaction contemplated hereby as the Representative may reasonably request.
References to the Prospectus in this paragraph (f) include any supplement thereto at the date of the letter.
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(g) Material Change. Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), there shall not have been (1) any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (f) of this Section 6 or (2) any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto) the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (1) or (2) above, is, in the sole judgment of the Representative, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).
(h) Further Information. Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representative such further information, certificates and documents as the Representative may reasonably request.
(i) FINRA. FINRA shall not have raised any objection with respect to the fairness or reasonableness of the underwriting or other arrangements of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(j) NYSE. The Securities shall be duly listed, subject to notice of issuance, on the NYSE, satisfactory evidence of which shall have been provided to the Representative.
(k) Delivery of Agreements. On the Effective Date, the Company shall have delivered to the Representative executed copies of the Trust Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Securities Subscription Agreements, the Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement and the Insider Letter.
(l) No Brokers. On the Closing Date, the Company shall have requested and caused the Sponsor and the Company’s directors and executive officers to have executed and furnished to the Representative a certificate, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representative, to the effect that, except as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, arrangements, contracts, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a brokerage commission or finder’s, consulting, origination or similar fee by the Sponsor or the Company’s directors or executive officers with respect to the sale of the Securities hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings by the Sponsor or the Company’s directors or executive officers that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA.
(m) Trust Account. On the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representative one or more certificates signed by an authorized officer of the Trustee to the effect of certifying that $300,000,000 shall have been deposited in the Trust Account.
(n) No stop orders. No order preventing or suspending the sale of the Units in any jurisdiction designated by the Representative shall have been issued as of the Closing Date, and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or shall have been threatened.
(o) Deposit. At least one (1) Business Day prior to the Closing Date, the Sponsor shall have paid to the Company the purchase price for the Private Placement Warrants, including the deposit of the net proceeds thereof into the Trust Account.
If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be cancelled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the Representative. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.
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The documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 shall be delivered at the office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, at 601 Lexington, New York, NY 10022, on the Closing Date.
7. Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6 hereof is not satisfied, because of any termination pursuant to Section 10 hereof or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally through the Representative on demand for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities.
8. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees, affiliates and agents of each Underwriter, each person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each affiliate of each Underwriter against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other U.S. federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement for the registration of the Securities as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any “road show” as defined in Section 433(h) of the Act or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representative specifically for inclusion therein, it being understood and agreed that only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described in the last sentence of Section 8(b) hereof. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.
(b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its executive officers who signs the Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with reference to written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representative specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have. The Company acknowledges that the statements set forth (i) in the last paragraph of the cover page regarding delivery of Securities and (ii) in the section entitled “Underwriting” of the Statutory Prospectus and Prospectus, and the 11th and 12th paragraphs concerning the purchase and sale of Units in the open market and other stabilizing transactions by the underwriters and penalty bids, constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion in any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to appoint counsel of the indemnifying party’s choice at the indemnifying party’s expense to represent the indemnified party in any action for which indemnification is sought (in
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which case the indemnifying party shall not thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel retained by the indemnified party or parties except as set forth below); provided, however, that such counsel shall be satisfactory to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party’s election to appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party. An indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending the same) (collectively, “Losses”) to which the Company and one or more of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and by the Underwriters on the other from the Offering. If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is unavailable for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally shall contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the Offering (before deducting expenses) received by it, and benefits received by the Underwriters shall be deemed to be equal to the total underwriting discounts and commissions, in each case as set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or any alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information provided by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the Offering 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. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 8, each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee, affiliate and agent of an Underwriter shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (d).
9. Default by an Underwriter. If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its or their obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions that the amount of
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Securities set forth opposite their names in Schedule I hereto bears to the aggregate amount of Securities set forth opposite the names of all the remaining Underwriters) the Securities that the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase; provided, however, that in the event that the aggregate amount of Securities that the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the Underwritten Securities, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of the Securities. If within one Business Day after such default relating to more than 10% of the Underwritten Securities the remaining Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Underwritten Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of one Business Day within which to procure another party or parties reasonably satisfactory to you to purchase said Underwritten Securities. In the event that neither the remaining Underwriters nor the Company purchase or arrange for the purchase of all of the Underwritten Securities to which a default relates as provided in this Section 9, this Agreement will terminate without liability to any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding five Business Days, as the Representative shall determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Company and any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.
10. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Representative, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if at any time prior to such delivery and payment (i) trading in the Company’s Units, Common Stock or Warrants shall have been suspended by the Commission or the NYSE (or successor trading market) or trading in securities generally on the NYSE (or successor trading market) shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on such exchange or trading market, (ii) the Company shall not have obtained authorization for quotation of the Common Stock, Warrants or Units on the NYSE (or successor trading market), (iii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by U.S. federal or New York State authorities, (iv) there shall have occurred a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services or (v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, or other national or international calamity or crisis the effect of which on financial markets is such as to make it, in the sole judgment of the Representative, impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
11. 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.
12. Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its executive officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of the executive officers, directors, employees, agents, affiliates or controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Sections 7 and 8 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.
13. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representative, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to Citigroup Global Markets Inc., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York, 10013, Attention: General Counsel (fax no.: (646) 291-1469), with a copy to the Legal Department, and confirmed to Kirkland & Ellis LLP, 601 Lexington, New York, NY 10022, Attention: Christian O.
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Nagler (fax no.: (212) 446-4900); or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to Northern Star Acquisition Corp., c/o Graubard Miller, 405 Lexington Avenue, 11th Floor, New York, New York 10174, Attention: Jonathan J. Ledecky, Chief Operating Officer, and confirmed to Graubard Miller, 405 Lexington Avenue, 11th Floor, New York, New York 10174, Attention: David Alan Miller (fax no.: (212) 818-8881).
14. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the executive officers, directors, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
15. No Fiduciary Duty. The Company hereby acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters and any affiliate through which it may be acting, on the other, (b) the Underwriters are acting as principal and not as an agent, financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company or any other person, (c) neither the Representative nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction, and (d) the Company’s engagement of the Underwriters in connection with the Offering and the process leading up to the Offering is as independent contractors and not in any other capacity. Furthermore, the Company agrees that it is solely responsible for making its own judgments in connection with the Offering (irrespective of whether any of the Underwriters has advised or is currently advising the Company on related or other matters). The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriters have rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency, fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.
16. Integration. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
17. Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York.
18. Jurisdiction. The Company agrees that any suit, action or proceeding against the Company brought by any Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees, affiliates and agents of any Underwriter, or by any person who controls any Underwriter, arising out of or based upon this Agreement, and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related thereto or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in any State or U.S. federal court in the City of New York and County of New York, and waives any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such proceeding, and irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any suit, action or proceeding.
19. Waiver of Jury Trial. THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
20. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
21. Headings. The section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
22. Definitions. The terms which follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated.
“Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“BHC Act Affiliate” shall mean “affiliate” as defined in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).
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“Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York City.
“Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Covered Entity” shall mean 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” shall mean default right as defined and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.
“Effective Date” shall mean each date and time that the Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement became or becomes effective.
“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“Execution Time” shall mean November 10, 2020, at 5:00 pm, New York City time.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433.
“Preliminary Prospectus” shall mean the preliminary prospectus referred to in paragraph 1(a) above and any preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the Effective Date that omits Rule 430A Information.
“Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus relating to the Securities that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the Execution Time.
“Registration Statement” shall mean the registration statement referred to in paragraph 1(a) above, including exhibits and financial statements and any information deemed part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430A, as amended or supplemented at the Execution Time and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement becomes effective prior to the Closing Date, shall also mean such registration statement as so amended or such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, as the case may be.
“Rule 158”, “Rule 172”, “Rule 405”, “Rule 415”, “Rule 419”, “Rule 424”, “Rule 430A”, “Rule 430B”, “Rule 433” and “Rule 462” refer to such rules under the Act.
“Rule 430A Information” shall mean information with respect to the Securities and the Offering thereof permitted to be omitted from the Registration Statement when it becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430A.
“Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” shall mean a registration statement and any amendments thereto filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) relating to the Offering covered by the registration statement referred to in Section 1(a) hereof.
“Statutory Prospectus” shall mean the (i) Preliminary Prospectus dated November 9, 2020, relating to the Securities and (ii) the Time of Delivery Information, if any, set forth on Schedule II hereto.
“U.S. Special Resolution Regime” shall mean 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.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters.
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[Signature Page follows]
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| NORTHERN STAR ACQUISITION CORP.
| ||
| By: | /s/ Joanna Coles | |
| Name: Joanna Coles | ||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
The foregoing Agreement is hereby
confirmed and accepted as of the
date first above written.
| CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
| ||
| By: | /s/ Elinor L. Hoover | |
| Name: Elinor L. Hoover | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
For themselves and the other several Underwriters
named in Schedule I to the foregoing Agreement.
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
SCHEDULE I
| Underwriters |
Number of Underwritten Securities to be Purchased |
|||
| Citigroup Global Markets Inc. |
25,000,000 | |||
|
|
|
|||
| Total |
25,000,000 | |||
|
|
|
|||
Schedule I-1
SCHEDULE II
Time of Delivery Information
| 1. | The initial price to the public of the Securities: $10.00 per Unit. |
| 2. | Number of Underwritten Securities offered: 25,000,000. |
| 3. | The Company has granted an option to the Underwriters to purchase an aggregate of not more than 3,750,000 Option Securities. |
Schedule II-1
SCHEDULE III
Schedule of Written Testing-the-Waters Communications
Reference is made to the materials used in the testing the waters presentation made to potential investors by the Company, to the extent such materials are deemed to be a “written communication” within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act.
Schedule III-1
Exhibit 3.1
AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
NORTHERN STAR ACQUISITION CORP.
Pursuant to Sections 242 and 245 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law
Northern Star Acquisition Corp., a corporation existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), by its Chief Executive Officer, hereby certifies as follows:
1. The name of the Corporation is “Northern Star Acquisition Corp.”
2. The Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation was filed in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on July 8, 2020.
3. This Amended Restated Certificate of Incorporation restates, integrates and amends the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation.
4. This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation was duly adopted by joint written consent of the directors and stockholders of the Corporation in accordance with the applicable provisions of Sections 141(f), 228, 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (“GCL”).
5. The text of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation is hereby amended and restated to read in full as follows:
FIRST: The name of the corporation is Northern Star Acquisition Corp. (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the “Corporation”).
SECOND: The registered office of the Corporation is to be located at c/o Vcorp Services, LLC, 1013 Centre Road, Suite 403-B, Wilmington, Delaware 19805. The name of its registered agent at that address is Vcorp Services, LLC.
THIRD: The purpose of the Corporation shall be to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the GCL. In addition to the powers and privileges conferred upon the Corporation by law and those incidental thereto, the Corporation shall possess and may exercise all the powers and privileges that are necessary or convenient to the conduct, promotion or attainment of the business or purposes of the Corporation including, but not limited to, effecting a Business Combination (as defined below).
FOURTH: The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 151,000,000 of which 150,000,000 shares shall be Common Stock of the par value of $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), representing (a) 125,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock (“Class A Common Stock”) and (b) 25,000,000 shares of Class B Common Stock (“Class B Common Stock”), and 1,000,000 shares shall be Preferred Stock of the par value of $0.0001 per share.
A. Preferred Stock. Subject to provision (I) of Article Sixth, the Board of Directors is expressly granted authority to issue shares of the Preferred Stock, in one or more series, and to fix for each such series such voting powers, full or limited, and such designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights and such qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof as shall be stated and expressed in the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors providing for the issue of such series (a “Preferred Stock
Designation”) and as may be permitted by the GCL. The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, without a separate vote of the holders of the Preferred Stock, or any series thereof, unless a vote of any such holders is required pursuant to any Preferred Stock Designation.
B. Common Stock.
(1) Voting.
(i) Except as otherwise required by law or this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), the holders of the Common Stock shall exclusively possess all voting power with respect to the Corporation.
(ii) Except as otherwise required by law or this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to one vote for each such share on each matter properly submitted to the stockholders on which the holders of the Common Stock are entitled to vote.
(iii) Except as otherwise required by law or this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, holders of the Class A Common Stock and holders of the Class B Common Stock, voting together as a single class, shall have the exclusive right to vote for the election of directors and on all other matters properly submitted to a vote of the stockholders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise required by law or this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), holders of shares of any series of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate (including any amendment to any Preferred Stock Designation) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock or other series of Common Stock if the holders of such affected series of Preferred Stock or Common Stock, as applicable, are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation) or the GCL.
(iv) Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the holders of Common Stock may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of the outstanding Common Stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares of Common Stock were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which minutes of proceedings of stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. Prompt written notice of the taking of corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent of the holders of Common Stock shall, to the extent required by law, be given to those holders of Common Stock who have not consented in writing and who, if the action had been taken at a meeting, would have been entitled to notice of the meeting if the record date for notice of such meeting had been the date that written consents signed by a sufficient number of holders of Common Stock to take the action were delivered to the Corporation.
(2) Class B Common Stock.
(i) Shares of Class B Common Stock shall be convertible into shares of Class A Common Stock on a one-for-one basis (the “Initial Conversion Ratio”) (A) at any time and from time to time at the option of the holder thereof and (B) automatically at the time of the closing of the Business Combination (as defined below).
(ii) Notwithstanding the Initial Conversion Ratio, in the case that additional shares of Class A Common Stock, or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock (“equity-linked securities”), are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts issued in the
Corporation’s initial public offering of securities and related to the closing of the initial Business Combination, the ratio at which shares of Class B common stock will convert into shares of Class A common stock will be adjusted so that the number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of all shares of Class B common stock will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of the shares outstanding upon the completion of the Corporation’s initial public offering plus the number of shares of Class A common stock and equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with the initial Business Combination, excluding any shares of Class A common stock or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial Business Combination and any securities issued privately concurrently with the Corporation’s initial public offering or upon conversion of working capital loans made to the Corporation.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, (i) the foregoing adjustment to the Initial Conversion Ratio may be waived as to any particular issuance or deemed issuance of additional shares of Class A Common Stock or equity-linked securities by the written consent or agreement of holders of a majority of the shares of Class B Common Stock then outstanding consenting or agreeing separately as a single class, and (ii) in no event shall the Class B Common Stock convert into Class A Common Stock at a ratio that is less than one-for-one.
The foregoing conversion ratio shall also be adjusted to account for any subdivision (by stock split, subdivision, exchange, stock dividend, reclassification, recapitalization or otherwise) or combination (by reverse stock split, exchange, reclassification, recapitalization or otherwise) or similar reclassification or recapitalization of the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock into a greater or lesser number of shares occurring after the original filing of this Certificate without a proportionate and corresponding subdivision, combination or similar reclassification or recapitalization of the outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock.
Each share of Class B Common Stock shall convert into its pro rata number of shares of Class A Common Stock pursuant to this section. The pro rata share for each holder of Class B Common Stock will be determined as follows: Each share of Class B Common Stock shall convert into such number of shares of Class A Common Stock as is equal to the product of one (1) multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the total number of shares of Class A Common Stock into which all of the issued and outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock shall be converted pursuant to this section and the denominator of which shall be the total number of issued and outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock at the time of conversion.
(iii) Voting. Except as otherwise required by law or this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation), for so long as any shares of Class B Common Stock shall remain outstanding, the Corporation shall not, without the prior vote or written consent of the holders of a majority of the shares of Class B Common Stock then outstanding, voting separately as a single class, amend, alter or repeal any provision of this Certificate, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise, if such amendment, alteration or repeal would alter or change the powers, preferences or relative, participating, optional or other or special rights of the Class B Common Stock.
(3) Dividends. Subject to applicable law, the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of the Preferred Stock and Article Sixth, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive such dividends and other distributions (payable in cash, property or capital stock of the Corporation) when, as and if declared thereon by the Board from time to time out of any assets or funds of the Corporation legally available therefor and shall share equally on a per share basis in such dividends and distributions.
(4) Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up of the Corporation. Subject to applicable law, the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of the Preferred Stock and Article Sixth, in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive all the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders, ratably in proportion to the number of shares of Class A Common Stock (on an as converted basis with respect to the Class B Common Stock) held by them.
FIFTH: Intentionally Omitted.
SIXTH: The introduction and the following provisions (A) through (J) of this Article Sixth shall apply during the period commencing upon the filing of this Certificate and terminating upon the consummation of any “Business Combination” (defined below) and no amendment to this Article Sixth shall be effective during the “Target Business Acquisition Period” (defined below) unless approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty-five percent (65%) of all then outstanding shares of Common Stock. The “Target Business Acquisition Period” shall mean the period from the effectiveness of the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (“Registration Statement”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) in connection with the Corporation’s initial public offering (“IPO”) up to and including the first to occur of (a) a Business Combination and (b) the Termination Date (defined below).
A “Business Combination” shall mean any merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or other similar business combination involving the Corporation and one or more businesses or entities (“Target Business” or “Target Businesses”). So long as the Corporation’s securities are listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market, the Target Business or Target Businesses acquired in the Business Combination must together have an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the assets held in the Trust Account (defined below) (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the income earned on the Trust Account) at the time of the signing of the definitive agreement governing the terms of the initial Business Combination. If the Corporation acquires less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a Target Business, the portion of such Target Business that the Corporation acquires is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% fair market value test.
A. Prior to the consummation of any Business Combination, the Corporation shall either (i) submit such Business Combination to its stockholders for approval (“Proxy Solicitation”) pursuant to the proxy rules promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”), or (ii) provide all holders of its Common Stock with the opportunity to sell their shares to the Corporation, effective upon consummation of such Business Combination, for cash through a tender offer (“Tender Offer”) pursuant to the tender offer rules promulgated under the Exchange Act.
B. If the Corporation engages in a Proxy Solicitation in connection with any proposed Business Combination, the Corporation will consummate such Business Combination only if a majority of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock present and entitled to vote at the meeting to approve the Business Combination are voted for the approval of such Business Combination.
C. In the event of a Proxy Solicitation in connection with any proposed Business Combination, the Corporation will provide any holder of shares of Common Stock sold in the IPO (the “IPO Shares”) the right to redeem their IPO Shares for cash, subject to the consummation of such Business Combination. The Corporation shall, promptly after consummation of the Business Combination, redeem such shares properly submitted for redemption for cash at a per share price equal to the quotient determined by dividing (i) the amount then held in the Trust Account net of taxes payable, calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of the Business Combination, by (ii) the total number of IPO Shares then outstanding (such price being referred to as the “Redemption Price”). “Trust Account” shall mean the trust account established by the Corporation at the consummation of its IPO and into which a certain amount of the net proceeds of the IPO and simultaneous private placement is deposited, all as described in the Registration Statement. The Corporation may require any holder of IPO Shares who demands that the Corporation redeem such IPO Shares for cash to either tender such holder’s certificates to the Corporation’s transfer agent at any time prior to the vote taken at the stockholder meeting relating to such Business Combination or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using The Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System up to two business days prior to the vote taken at the stockholder meeting relating to such Business Combination, with the exact requirements for delivery of the IPO Shares, including whether a beneficial holder must identify itself in order to validly redeem its shares, to be set forth in the proxy materials relating to such Business Combination.
If the Corporation offers to redeem the IPO Shares in conjunction with a stockholder vote on an initial Business Combination pursuant to a Proxy Solicitation, a stockholder, together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), shall be restricted from redeeming IPO Shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 20% of the IPO Shares without the consent of the Corporation.
If the Corporation seeks to amend this Certificate (A) to modify the substance or timing of the Corporation’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with its initial Business Combination or an amendment described in this clause (A) or in clause (B) or to redeem 100% of the IPO Shares (defined below) if the Corporation does not complete its initial Business Combination by the Termination Date (defined below) or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, the Corporation shall provide holders of IPO Shares with the opportunity to redeem their IPO Shares upon the approval of any such amendment, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, divided by the number of then outstanding IPO Shares.
D. If the Corporation engages in a Tender Offer, the Corporation shall file tender offer documents with the Commission which will contain substantially the same financial and other information about the Business Combination as is required under the proxy rules promulgated under the Exchange Act and that would have been included in any proxy statement filed with the Commission in connection with a Proxy Solicitation, even if such information is not required under the tender offer rules promulgated under the Exchange Act. The per-share price at which the Corporation will repurchase the IPO Shares in any such Tender Offer shall be equal to the Redemption Price. The Corporation shall not purchase any shares of Common Stock other than IPO Shares in any such Tender Offer.
E. The Corporation will not consummate any Business Combination (a) unless it has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of such Business Combination and (b) solely with another blank check company or similar company with nominal operations.
F. In the event that the Corporation does not consummate a Business Combination by 24 months after the consummation of the IPO (the “Termination Date”), the Corporation shall (i) cease all operations except for the purposes of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten (10) business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the IPO Shares for cash for a redemption price per share equal to the aggregate amount then held in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Corporation to pay taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the total number of IPO Shares then outstanding (which redemption will completely extinguish such holders’ rights as stockholders, including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to approval of the Corporation’s then stockholders and subject to the requirements of the GCL, including the adoption of a resolution by the Board pursuant to Section 275(a) of the GCL finding the dissolution of the Corporation advisable and the provision of such notices as are required by said Section 275(a) of the GCL, dissolve and liquidate, subject (in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above) to the Corporation’s obligations under the GCL to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law.
G. A holder of IPO Shares shall be entitled to receive distributions from the Trust Fund only in the event (i) he validly demands conversion of his shares in accordance with paragraph C above in connection with any Proxy Solicitation, (ii) he validly sells his shares to the Corporation in accordance with paragraph D above in connection with any Tender Offer, (iii) that the Corporation has not consummated a Business Combination by the Termination Date or (iv) the Corporation seeks to amend the provisions of this Article Sixth prior to the consummation of a Business Combination. In no other circumstances shall a holder of IPO Shares have any right or interest of any kind in or to the Trust Fund.
H. The Corporation shall not consummate a Business Combination with an entity that is affiliated with any of the Corporation’s pre-IPO stockholders, officers, directors or sponsor or any of their affiliates unless the Corporation, or a committee of the Corporation’s independent directors, has obtained an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions that such a Business Combination is fair to the Corporation from a financial point of view and a majority of the Corporation’s disinterested independent directors approve such Business Combination.
I. Prior to the consummation of a Business Combination, the Board of Directors may not issue any securities which would entitle the holder thereof to (1) participate in or otherwise be entitled in any manner to any of the proceeds in the Trust Account or (2) vote as a class with the Common Stock (a) on any initial Business Combination or (b) to approve any amendment to this Certificate.
J. The Board of Directors shall be divided into three classes: Class A, Class B and Class C. The number of directors in each class shall be fixed exclusively by the Board of Directors and shall be as nearly equal as possible. The directors in Class A shall be elected for a term expiring at the first Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the directors in Class B shall be elected for a term expiring at the second Annual Meeting of Stockholders and the directors in Class C shall be elected for a term expiring at the third Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Commencing at the first Annual Meeting of Stockholders, and at each annual meeting thereafter, directors elected to succeed those directors whose terms expire shall be elected for a term of office to expire at the third succeeding annual meeting of stockholders after their election. Except as the GCL may otherwise require, in the interim between annual meetings of stockholders or special meetings of stockholders called for the election of directors and/or the removal of one or more directors and the filling of any vacancy in that connection, newly created directorships and any vacancies in the Board of Directors, including unfilled vacancies resulting from the removal of directors for cause, may be filled only by the vote of a majority of the remaining directors then in office, although less than a quorum (as defined in the Corporation’s Bylaws), or by the sole remaining director. All directors shall hold office until the expiration of their respective terms of office and until their successors shall have been elected and qualified. A director elected to fill a vacancy resulting from the death, resignation or removal of a director shall serve for the remainder of the full term of the director whose death, resignation or removal shall have created such vacancy and until his successor shall have been elected and qualified.
SEVENTH: The following provisions are inserted for the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation, and for further definition, limitation and regulation of the powers of the Corporation and of its directors and stockholders:
A. Election of directors need not be by ballot unless the by-laws of the Corporation so provide.
B. In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by the laws of the State of Delaware, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized to make, alter and repeal the by-laws of the Corporation, subject to the power of the stockholders of the Corporation to alter or repeal any by-law whether adopted by them or otherwise.
C. The directors in their discretion may submit any contract or act for approval or ratification at any annual meeting of the stockholders or at any special meeting of the stockholders called for the purpose of considering any such act or contract, and any contract or act that shall be approved or be ratified by the vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Corporation which is represented in person or by proxy at such meeting and entitled to vote thereat (provided that a lawful quorum of stockholders be there represented in person or by proxy), unless a higher vote is required by applicable law, shall be as valid and binding upon the Corporation and upon all the stockholders as though it had been approved or ratified by every stockholder of the Corporation, whether or not the contract or act would otherwise be open to legal attack because of directors’ interests, or for any other reason.
D. In addition to the powers and authorities hereinbefore or by statute expressly conferred upon them, the directors are hereby empowered to exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation; subject, nevertheless, to the provisions of the statutes of the State of Delaware, of this Certificate, and to any by-laws from time to time made by the stockholders; provided, however, that no by-law so made shall invalidate any prior act of the directors which would have been valid if such by-law had not been made.
EIGHTH: A. A director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the GCL, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. If the GCL is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the GCL, as so amended. Any repeal or modification of this paragraph A by the stockholders of the Corporation shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation with respect to events occurring prior to the time of such repeal or modification.
B. The Corporation, to the full extent permitted by Section 145 of the GCL, as amended from time to time, shall indemnify all persons whom it may indemnify pursuant thereto. Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an officer or director in defending any civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative action, suit or proceeding for which such officer or director may be entitled to indemnification hereunder shall be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he or she is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized hereby.
NINTH: Whenever a compromise or arrangement is proposed between this Corporation and its creditors or any class of them and/or between this Corporation and its stockholders or any class of them, any court of equitable jurisdiction within the State of Delaware may, on the application in a summary way of this Corporation or of any creditor or stockholder thereof or on the application of any receiver or receivers appointed for this Corporation under Section 291 of Title 8 of the Delaware Code or on the application of trustees in dissolution or of any receiver or receivers appointed for this Corporation under Section 279 of Title 8 of the Delaware Code order a meeting of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of this Corporation, as the case may be, to be summoned in such manner as the said court directs. If a majority in number representing three fourths in value of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of this Corporation, as the case may be, agree to any compromise or arrangement and to any reorganization of this Corporation as a consequence of such compromise or arrangement, the said compromise or arrangement and the said reorganization shall, if sanctioned by the court to which the said application has been made, be binding on all the creditors or class of creditors, and/or on all the stockholders or class of stockholders, of this Corporation, as the case may be, and also on this Corporation.
TENTH: A. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for any stockholder (including a beneficial owner) to bring (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation, its directors, officers or employees arising pursuant to any provision of the GCL or this Amended and Restated Certificate or the By-Laws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation, its directors, officers or employees governed by the internal affairs doctrine and, if brought outside of Delaware, the stockholder bringing the suit will be deemed to have consented to service of process on such stockholder’s counsel. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall not be the sole and exclusive forum for any of the following actions: (A) as to which the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware determines that there is an indispensable party not subject to the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery (and the indispensable party does not consent to the personal jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery within ten days following such determination), (B) which is vested in the exclusive jurisdiction of a court or forum other than the Court of Chancery, (C) for which the Court of Chancery does not have subject matter jurisdiction, or (D) any action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Furthermore, notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section A will not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction.
B. If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of Section A immediately above is filed in a court other than a court located within the State of Delaware (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (i) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce paragraph A immediately above (an “Enforcement Action”) and (ii) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such Enforcement Action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder.
C. If any provision or provisions of this Article TENTH shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any person or entity or circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Article TENTH (including, without limitation, each portion of any sentence of this Article TENTH containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) and the application of such provision to other persons or entities and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article TENTH.
ELEVENTH: The doctrine of corporate opportunity, or any other analogous doctrine, shall not apply with respect to the Corporation or any of its officers or directors in circumstances where the application of any such doctrine would conflict with any fiduciary duties or contractual obligations they may have as of the date of this Certificate or in the future, and the Corporation renounces any expectancy that any of the directors or officers of the Corporation will offer any such corporate opportunity of which he or she may become aware to the Corporation. In addition to the foregoing, the doctrine of corporate opportunity shall not apply to any other corporate opportunity with respect to any of the directors or officers of the Corporation unless such corporate opportunity is offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation and such opportunity is one the Corporation is legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for the Corporation to pursue.
[Signature Page Follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be signed by its Chief Executive Officer, as of the 10th day of November, 2020.
| NORTHERN STAR ACQUISITION CORP. |
| /s/ Jonathan J. Ledecky |
| Jonathan J. Ledecky |
| Chief Operating Officer |
[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Charter]
Exhibit 4.1
WARRANT AGREEMENT
This Warrant Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made as of November 10, 2020 between Northern Star Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation, with offices at c/o Graubard Miller, 405 Lexington Ave, New York, New York 10174 (“Company”), and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a New York corporation, with offices at 1 State Street, New York, New York 10004 (“Warrant Agent”).
WHEREAS, the Company is engaged in a public offering (“Public Offering”) of up to 28,750,000 units, each unit (“Unit”) comprised of one share of Class A common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), and one-third of one redeemable warrant, where each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of Common Stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as described herein, and, in connection therewith, will issue and deliver up to 9,583,333 warrants (the “Public Warrants”) to the investors in the Public Offering; and
WHEREAS, the Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a Registration Statement on Form S-1, File No. 333-249138 (“Registration Statement”), and a prospectus (the “Prospectus”), for the registration, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Act”) of, among other securities, the Public Warrants; and
WHEREAS, the Company has received binding commitments from Northern Star Sponsor LLC (the, “Subscription Agreement”) to purchase warrants and, in connection therewith, will issue and deliver up to an aggregate of 5,000,000 redeemable warrants (the “Private Warrants”) upon consummation of the Public Offering; and
WHEREAS, the Company may issue up to an additional 1,000,000 warrants in satisfaction of certain working capital loans made by the Company’s officers, directors, initial stockholders and their affiliates (“Working Capital Warrants”); and
WHEREAS, following consummation of the Public Offering, the Company may issue additional warrants (“Post IPO Warrants” and collectively with the Public Warrants, Private Warrants and Working Capital Warrants, the “Warrants”) in connection with, or following the consummation by the Company of, a Business Combination (defined below); and
WHEREAS, the Company desires the Warrant Agent to act on behalf of the Company, and the Warrant Agent is willing to so act, in connection with the issuance, registration, transfer, exchange, redemption, and exercise of the Warrants; and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to provide for the form and provisions of the Warrants, the terms upon which they shall be issued and exercised, and the respective rights, limitation of rights, and immunities of the Company, the Warrant Agent, and the holders of the Warrants; and
WHEREAS, all acts and things have been done and performed which are necessary to make the Warrants, when executed on behalf of the Company and countersigned by or on behalf of the Warrant Agent (if a physical certificate is issued), as provided herein, the valid, binding, and legal obligations of the Company, and to authorize the execution and delivery of this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Appointment of Warrant Agent. The Company hereby appoints the Warrant Agent to act as agent for the Company for the Warrants, and the Warrant Agent hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the same in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.
2. Warrants.
2.1. Form of Warrant. Each Warrant shall be issued in registered form only and, subject to Section 2.2, shall be in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto, the provisions of which are incorporated herein and shall be signed by, or bear the facsimile signature of, the Chairman of the Board of Directors or Chief Executive Officer and Treasurer, Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company and shall bear a facsimile of the Company’s seal. In the event the person whose facsimile signature has been placed upon any Warrant shall have ceased to serve in the capacity in which such person signed the Warrant before such Warrant is issued, it may be issued with the same effect as if he or she had not ceased to be such at the date of issuance.
2.2. Uncertificated Warrants. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any Warrant, or portion thereof, may be issued as part of, and be represented by, a Unit, and any Warrant may be issued in uncertificated or book-entry form through the Warrant Agent and/or the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (the “Depositary”) or other book-entry depositary system, in each case as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company or by an authorized committee thereof. Any Warrant so issued shall have the same terms, force and effect as a certificated Warrant that has been duly countersigned by the Warrant Agent in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
2.3. Effect of Countersignature. Except with respect to uncertificated Warrants as described above, unless and until countersigned by the Warrant Agent pursuant to this Agreement, a Warrant shall be invalid and of no effect and may not be exercised by the holder thereof.
2.4. Registration.
2.4.1. Warrant Register. The Warrant Agent shall maintain books (“Warrant Register”) for the registration of original issuance and the registration of transfer of the Warrants. Upon the initial issuance of the Warrants, the Warrant Agent shall issue and register the Warrants in the names of the respective holders thereof in such denominations and otherwise in accordance with instructions delivered to the Warrant Agent by the Company. Ownership of beneficial interests in the Public Warrants shall be shown on, and the transfer of such ownership shall be effected through, records maintained by institutions that have accounts with the Depositary.
If the Depositary subsequently ceases to make its book-entry settlement system available for the Public Warrants, the Company may instruct the Warrant Agent regarding making other arrangements for book-entry settlement. In the event that the Public Warrants are not eligible for, or it is no longer necessary to have the Public Warrants available in, book-entry form, the Warrant Agent shall provide written instructions to the Depositary to deliver to the Warrant Agent for cancellation each book-entry Public Warrant, and the Company shall instruct the Warrant Agent to deliver to the Depositary definitive certificates in physical form evidencing such Warrants which shall be in the form annexed hereto as Exhibit A.
2.4.2. Registered Holder. Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of any Warrant, the Company and the Warrant Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name such Warrant is then registered in the Warrant Register (“registered holder”) as the absolute owner of such Warrant and of each Warrant represented thereby (notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing on the Warrant certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Warrant Agent), for the purpose of any exercise thereof, and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Warrant Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
2.5. Detachability of Warrants. The securities comprising the Units will not be separately transferable until the 52nd day following the date of the Prospectus or, if such 52nd day is not on a day, other than Saturday, Sunday or federal holiday, on which banks in New York City are generally open for normal business (a “Business Day”), then on the immediately succeeding Business Day following such date, or earlier with the consent of Citigroup Global Markets Inc., the representative (the “Representative”) of the several underwriters of the Public Offering, but in no event shall the securities comprising the Units be separately traded earlier unless (i) the Company has filed a Current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC which includes an audited balance sheet reflecting the receipt by the Company of the gross proceeds of the Public Offering including the proceeds received by the Company from the exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional Units in the Public Offering, if such option is exercised prior to the filing of the Form 8-K, and (ii) the Company has issued a press release announcing when such separate trading shall begin (the “Detachment Date”).
2.6. Private Warrant and Working Capital Warrant Attributes. The Private Warrants and Working Capital Warrants shall be identical to the Public Warrants, except that, so long as they are held by the initial purchasers thereof or any of its Permitted Transferees (as defined below), (i) such Warrants shall not be redeemable by the Company pursuant to Section 6.1.1 hereof and (ii) such Warrants may be exercised for cash or on a cashless basis at the holder’s option pursuant to Section 3.3.1(c) hereof and (iii) such Warrants shall be subject to the transfer restrictions contained in Section 5.6 hereof. Once a Private Warrant or Working Capital Warrant is transferred to a holder other than to a Permitted Transferee, it shall be treated as a Public Warrant hereunder for all purposes.
2.7. Post IPO Warrants. The Post IPO Warrants, when and if issued, shall have the same terms and be in the same form as the Public Warrants except as may be agreed upon by the Company.
2.8. Fractional Warrants. The Company shall not issue fractional Warrants other than as part of the Units, each of which is comprised of one share of Common Stock and one-third of one redeemable Public Warrant. If, upon the detachment of Public Warrants from the Units or otherwise, a holder of Warrants would be entitled to receive a fractional Warrant, the Company shall round up to the nearest whole number the number of Warrants to be issued to such holder.
3. Terms and Exercise of Warrants
3.1. Warrant Price. Each whole Warrant shall, when countersigned by the Warrant Agent (if certificated in physical form), entitle the registered holder thereof, subject to the provisions of such Warrant and of this Agreement, to purchase from the Company the number of shares of Common Stock stated therein, at the price of $11.50 per share, subject to the adjustments provided in Section 4 hereof and in the last sentence of this Section 3.1. The term “Warrant Price” as used in this Agreement refers to the price per share at which the shares of Common Stock may be purchased at the time a Warrant is exercised. The Company in its sole discretion may lower the Warrant Price at any time prior to the Expiration Date (as defined below) for a period of not less than twenty (20) Business Days; provided, that the Company shall provide at least twenty (20) days prior written notice of such reduction to registered holders of the Warrants and, provided further that any such reduction shall be applied consistently to all of the Warrants.
3.2. Duration of Warrants. A Warrant may be exercised only during the period commencing on the later of thirty days after the Company consummates a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities (“Business Combination”) (as described more fully in the Registration Statement) and 12 months from the date of the closing of the Public Offering, and terminating on the earlier to occur of (i) at 5:00 p.m., New York City time on the date that is five years from the date the Company consummates its initial Business Combination, (ii) other than with respect to the Private Warrants and Working Capital Warrants then held by the initial recipients thereof or their respective Permitted Transferees with respect to a redemption pursuant to Section 6.1.1 hereof (an “Inapplicable Redemption”), at 5:00 p.m., New York City time on the Redemption Date, as provided in Section 6.2 of this Agreement and (iii) the liquidation of the Company (“Expiration Date”); provided, however, that the exercise of any Warrant shall be subject to the satisfaction of any applicable conditions, as set forth in subsection 3.3.2 below, with respect to an effective registration statement or a valid exemption therefrom being available. The period of time from the date the Warrants will first become exercisable until the expiration of the Warrants shall hereafter be referred to as the “Exercise Period.” Except with respect to the right to receive the $18.00 Redemption Price or the $10.00 Redemption Price (as set forth in Section 6 hereunder), as applicable (other than with respect to an Inapplicable Redemption), each Warrant (other than a Private Warrant or Working Capital Warrant in the event of an Inapplicable Redemption) not exercised on or before the Expiration Date shall become void, and all rights thereunder and all rights in respect thereof under this Agreement shall cease at 5:00 p.m., New York City time on the Expiration Date. The Company in its sole discretion may extend the duration of the Warrants by delaying the Expiration Date; provided, however, that the Company shall provide at least twenty (20) days prior written notice of any such extension to registered holders and, provided further that any such extension shall be applied consistently to all of the Warrants.
3.3. Exercise of Warrants.
3.3.1. Payment. Subject to the provisions of the Warrant and this Agreement, a Warrant, when countersigned by the Warrant Agent (if certificated in physical form), may be exercised by the registered holder thereof by surrendering it, at the office of the Warrant Agent, or at the office of its successor as Warrant Agent, in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York (or, in the case of a Warrant represented by a book-entry, the Warrants to be exercised on the records of the Depositary to an account of the Warrant Agent at the Depositary designated for such purposes in writing by the Warrant Agent to the Depositary from time to time), with the
subscription form, as set forth in the Warrant, duly executed (or, in the case of a Warrant represented by a book-entry, properly delivered by the Participant in accordance with the Depositary’s procedures), and by paying in full the Warrant Price for each share of Common Stock as to which the Warrant is exercised and any and all applicable taxes due in connection with the exercise of the Warrant, as follows:
(a) in lawful money of the United States, by good certified check or good bank draft payable to the order of the Warrant Agent or wire transfer; or
(b) in the event of redemption pursuant to Section 6.1.1 hereof in which the Company’s management has elected to require all holders of Warrants to exercise such Warrants on a “cashless basis,” by surrendering the Warrants for that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of Common Stock underlying the Warrants, multiplied by the excess of the “Fair Market Value” (defined below) over the Warrant Price by (y) the Fair Market Value; provided, however, that no cashless exercise shall be permitted unless the Fair Market Value is equal to or higher than the Warrant Price. Solely for purposes of this Section 3.3.1(b) and Section 6.1.2, the “Fair Market Value” shall mean the average last reported sale price of the Common Stock for the ten (10) trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to holders of the Warrants pursuant to Section 6 hereof; or
(c) with respect to any Private Warrants or Working Capital Warrants, so long as such Private Warrants or Working Capital Warrants are held by the initial purchasers or their Permitted Transferees, by surrendering such Private Warrants or Working Capital Warrants for that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of Common Stock underlying the Warrants, multiplied by the excess of the “Private Warrant Fair Market Value” over the Warrant Price by (y) the Private Warrant Fair Market Value; provided, however, that no cashless exercise shall be permitted unless the Private Warrant Fair Market Value is equal to or higher than the Warrant Price. Solely for purposes of this Section 3.3.1(c), the “Private Warrant Fair Market Value” shall mean the average last reported sale price of the Common Stock for the ten (10) trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of exercise is sent to the Warrant Agent; or
(d) at any time beginning on the sixty-first (61st) Business Day after the closing of the Company’s initial Business Combination if the registration statement required by Section 7.4 hereof is not then effective and current, by surrendering such Warrants for that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of Common Stock underlying the Warrants, multiplied by the excess of the Warrant Price over the “Fair Market Value” by (y) the Fair Market Value; provided, however, that no cashless exercise shall be permitted unless the Fair Market Value is equal to or higher than the Warrant Price. Solely for purposes of this Section 3.3.1(d), the “Fair Market Value” shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Common Stock for the ten (10) trading days ending on the trading day prior to the date of exercise; or
(e) as provided in Section 7.5; or
(f) as provided in Section 6.1.2.
3.3.2. Issuance of Shares of Common Stock. As soon as practicable after the exercise of any Warrant and the clearance of the funds in payment of the Warrant Price (if any), the Company shall issue to the registered holder of such Warrant a certificate or certificates, or book entry position, as applicable, for the number of full shares of Common Stock to which he, she or it is entitled, registered in such name or names as may be directed by him, her or it, and if such Warrant shall not have been exercised in full, a new countersigned Warrant, or book entry position, as applicable, for the number of shares as to which such Warrant shall not have been exercised. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the Warrant exercise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be obligated to deliver any shares of Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Warrant and shall have no obligation to settle such Warrant exercise unless a registration statement under the Act covering the issuance of the shares of Common Stock underlying the Warrants is then effective and a prospectus relating thereto is current, subject to the Company satisfying its obligations under Section 7.4. No Warrant shall be exercisable and the Company shall not be obligated to issue shares of Common Stock upon exercise of a Warrant unless the Common Stock issuable upon such Warrant exercise has been registered, qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the registered holder of the
Warrants. The Company may require holders of Public Warrants to settle the Warrant on a “cashless basis” pursuant to Section 7.4. If, by reason of any exercise of Warrants on a “cashless basis,” the holder of any Warrant would be entitled, upon the exercise of such Warrant, to receive a fractional interest in a share of Common Stock, the Company shall round up to the nearest whole number, the number of shares of Common Stock to be issued to such holder. Warrants may not be exercised by, or securities issued to, any registered holder in any state in which such exercise or issuance would be unlawful.
3.3.3. Valid Issuance. All shares of Common Stock issued upon the proper exercise of a Warrant in conformity with this Agreement shall be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
3.3.4. Date of Issuance. Each person in whose name any book entry position or certificate for shares of Common Stock is issued shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of such shares on the date on which the Warrant, or book entry position representing such Warrant, was surrendered and payment of the Warrant Price was made, irrespective of the date of delivery of such certificate in the case of a certificate Warrant, except that, if the date of such surrender and payment is a date when the share transfer books of the Company or book entry system of the Warrant Agent are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the holder of such shares at the close of business on the next succeeding date on which the share transfer books or book entry system are open.
3.3.5 Maximum Percentage. A holder of a Warrant may notify the Company in writing in the event it elects to be subject to the provisions contained in this subsection 3.3.5; however, no holder of a Warrant shall be subject to this subsection 3.3.5 unless he, she or it makes such election. If the election is made by a holder, the Warrant Agent shall not effect the exercise of the holder’s Warrant, and such holder shall not have the right to exercise such Warrant, to the extent that after giving effect to such exercise, such person (together with such person’s affiliates), to the Warrant Agent’s actual knowledge, would beneficially own in excess of 4.9% or 9.8% (or such other amount as a holder may specify) (the “Maximum Percentage”) of the shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such person and its affiliates shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrant with respect to which the determination of such sentence is being made, but shall exclude shares of Common Stock that would be issuable upon (x) exercise of the remaining, unexercised portion of the Warrant beneficially owned by such person and its affiliates and (y) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or unconverted portion of any other securities of the Company beneficially owned by such person and its affiliates (including, without limitation, any convertible notes or convertible preferred stock or warrants) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this paragraph, beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). For purposes of the Warrant, in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, the holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as reflected in (1) the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, Current Report on Form 8-K or other public filing with the SEC as the case may be, (2) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (3) any other notice by the Company or the Company’s transfer agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. For any reason at any time, upon the written request of the holder of the Warrant, the Company shall, within two (2) Business Days, confirm orally and in writing to such holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of equity securities of the Company by the holder and its affiliates since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported. By written notice to the Company, the holder of a Warrant may from time to time increase or decrease the Maximum Percentage applicable to such holder to any other percentage specified in such notice; provided, however, that any such increase shall not be effective until the sixty-first (61st) day after such notice is delivered to the Company.
4. Adjustments.
4.1. Stock Dividends; Split Ups. If after the date hereof, and subject to the provisions of Section 4.6 below, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock is increased by a stock dividend payable in shares of Common Stock, or by a split up of shares of Common Stock, or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such stock dividend, split up or similar event, the number of shares of Common Stock issuable on exercise of each Warrant shall be increased in proportion to such increase in outstanding shares of Common Stock. A rights offering to
holders of the Common Stock entitling holders to purchase shares of Common Stock at a price less than the “Fair Market Value” (as defined below) shall be deemed a stock dividend of a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the product of (i) the number of shares of Common Stock actually sold in such rights offering (or issuable under any other equity securities sold in such rights offering that are convertible into or exercisable for the Common Stock) and (ii) one (1) minus the quotient of (x) the price per share of Common Stock paid in such rights offering divided by (y) the Fair Market Value. For purposes of this subsection 4.1.1, (i) if the rights offering is for securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock, in determining the price payable for Common Stock, there shall be taken into account any consideration received for such rights, as well as any additional amount payable upon exercise or conversion and (ii) “Fair Market Value” means the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock as reported during the ten (10) trading day period ending on the trading day prior to the first date on which the shares of Common Stock trade on the applicable exchange or in the applicable market, regular way, without the right to receive such rights.
4.2. Aggregation of Shares. If after the date hereof, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock is decreased by a consolidation, combination, reverse stock split or reclassification of shares of Common Stock or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such consolidation, combination, reverse stock split, reclassification or similar event, the number of shares of Common Stock issuable on exercise of each Warrant shall be decreased in proportion to such decrease in outstanding shares of Common Stock.
4.3 Extraordinary Dividends. If the Company, at any time while the Warrants are outstanding and unexpired, shall pay a dividend or make a distribution in cash, securities or other assets to the holders of the shares of Common Stock on account of such shares of Common Stock (or other shares of the Company’s capital stock into which the Warrants are convertible) (an “Extraordinary Dividend”), then the Warrant Price shall be decreased, effective immediately after the effective date of such Extraordinary Dividend, by the amount of cash and the fair market value (as determined by the Company’s Board of Directors, in good faith) of any securities or other assets paid on each share of Common Stock in respect of such Extraordinary Dividend; provided, however, that none of the following shall be deemed an Extraordinary Dividend for purposes of this provision: (a) any adjustment described in subsection 4.1 above, (b) any cash dividends or cash distributions which, when combined on a per share basis with the per-share amount of all other cash dividends and cash distributions paid on the Common Stock during the 365-day period ending on the date of declaration of such dividend or distribution to the extent it does not exceed $0.50 (as adjusted to appropriately reflect any of the events referred to in other subsections of this Section 4 and excluding cash dividends or cash distributions that resulted in an adjustment to the Warrant Price or to the number of shares of Common Stock issuable on exercise of each Warrant), (c) any payment to satisfy the redemption rights of the holders of the Common Stock in connection with a proposed initial Business Combination, (d) any payment to satisfy the redemption rights of the holders of the Common Stock in connection with a stockholder vote to amend the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation (i) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with the Company’s initial Business Combination or in connection with certain amendments to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation prior thereto or to redeem 100% of the shares of Common Stock included in the Units sold in the Offering if the Company has not completed its initial Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity, or (e) any payment in connection with the redemption of the shares of Common Stock included in the Units sold in the Offering upon the failure of the Company to complete its initial Business Combination and any subsequent distribution of its assets upon its liquidation. Solely for purposes of illustration, if the Company, at a time while the Warrants are outstanding and unexpired, pays a cash dividend of $0.35 and previously paid an aggregate of $0.40 of cash dividends and cash distributions on the Common Stock during the 365-day period ending on the date of declaration of such $0.35 dividend, then the Warrant Price will be decreased, effectively immediately after the effective date of such $0.35 dividend, by $0.25 (the absolute value of the difference between $0.75 (the aggregate amount of all cash dividends and cash distributions paid or made in such 365-day period, including such $0.35 dividend) and $0.50 (the greater of (x) $0.50 and (y) the aggregate amount of all cash dividends and cash distributions paid or made in such 365-day period prior to such $0.35 dividend)).
4.4 Adjustments in Exercise Price.
4.4.1 Whenever the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable upon the exercise of the Warrants is adjusted, as provided in Sections 4.1 and 4.2 above, the Warrant Price shall be adjusted (to the nearest cent) by multiplying such Warrant Price immediately prior to such adjustment by a fraction (x) the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable upon the exercise of the Warrants immediately prior to such adjustment, and (y) the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock so purchasable immediately thereafter.
4.4.2 If (i) the Company issues additional shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of its initial Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share of Common Stock (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, rights issuances, subdivisions, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like), with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by the Board (and in the case of any such issuance to the Sponsor, the Company’s initial stockholders or their affiliates, without taking into account any founder shares (as defined in the Prospectus) held by such holder or affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance) (the “New Issuance Price”), (ii) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of the initial Business Combination on the date of the consummation thereof (net of redemptions) and (iii) the volume weighted average trading price of the Common Stock during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which the Company consummates the initial Business Combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, rights issuances, subdivisions, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like), the Warrant Price shall be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the greater of the Market Value and the New Issuance Price and the $18.00 Redemption Trigger Price shall be adjusted to equal to 180% of the greater of the Market Value and the New Issuance Price.
4.5. Replacement of Securities upon Reorganization, etc. In case of any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (other than a change covered by Section 4.1, 4.2 or 4.3 hereof or that solely affects the par value of the Common Stock), or in the case of any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another corporation (other than a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing corporation and that does not result in any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding Common Stock), or in the case of any sale or conveyance to another corporation or entity of the assets or other property of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety in connection with which the Company is dissolved, the Warrant holders shall thereafter have the right to purchase and receive, upon the basis and upon the terms and conditions specified in the Warrants and in lieu of the shares of Common Stock of the Company immediately theretofore purchasable and receivable upon the exercise of the rights represented thereby, the kind and amount of shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) receivable upon such reclassification, reorganization, merger or consolidation, or upon a dissolution following any such sale or transfer, that the Warrant holder would have received if such Warrant holder had exercised his, her or its Warrant(s) immediately prior to such event (the “Alternative Issuance”); provided, that if less than 70% of the consideration receivable by the holders of the Common Stock in the applicable event is payable in the form of common stock in the successor entity that is listed for trading on a national securities exchange or is quoted in an established over-the-counter market, or is to be so listed for trading or quoted immediately following such event, and if the Registered Holder properly exercises the Warrant within thirty (30) days following the public disclosure of the consummation of such applicable event by the Company pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission, the Warrant Price shall be reduced by an amount (in dollars) (but in no event less than zero) equal to the difference of (i) the Warrant Price in effect prior to such reduction minus (ii) (A) the Per Share Consideration (as defined below) minus (B) the Black-Scholes Warrant Value (as defined below). The “Black-Scholes Warrant Value” means the value of a Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of the applicable event based on the Black-Scholes Warrant Model for a Capped American Call on Bloomberg Financial Markets (“Bloomberg”). For purposes of calculating such amount, (1) Section 6 of this Agreement shall be taken into account, (2) the price of each share of Common Stock shall be the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock as reported during the ten (10) trading day period ending on the trading day prior to the effective date of the applicable event, (3) the assumed volatility shall be the 90 day volatility obtained from the HVT function on Bloomberg determined as of the trading day immediately prior to the day of the announcement of the applicable event, and (4) the assumed risk-free interest rate shall correspond to the U.S. Treasury rate for a period equal to the remaining term of the Warrant. “Per Share Consideration” means (i) if the consideration paid to holders of the Common Stock consists exclusively of cash, the amount of such cash per share of Common Stock, and (ii) in all other cases, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock as reported during the ten (10) trading day period ending on the trading day prior to the effective date of the applicable event. If any reclassification also results in a change in the Common Stock covered by Section 4.1, 4.2 or 4.3, then such adjustment shall be made pursuant to Sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4 and this Section 4.5. The provisions of this Section 4.5 shall similarly apply to successive reclassifications, reorganizations, mergers or consolidations, sales or other transfers. In no event will the Warrant Price be reduced to less than the par value per share issuable upon exercise of the Warrant.
4.6. Notices of Changes in Warrant. Upon every adjustment of the Warrant Price or the number of shares issuable upon exercise of a Warrant, the Company shall give written notice thereof to the Warrant Agent, which notice shall state the Warrant Price resulting from such adjustment and the increase or decrease, if any, in the number of shares purchasable at such price upon the exercise of a Warrant, setting forth in reasonable detail the method of calculation and the facts upon which such calculation is based. Upon the occurrence of any event specified in Sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4 or 4.5, then, in any such event, the Company shall give written notice to each Warrant holder, at the last address set forth for such holder in the Warrant Register, of the record date or the effective date of the event. Failure to give such notice, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of such event.
4.7. No Fractional Warrants or Shares. Notwithstanding any provision contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall not issue fractional shares upon exercise of Warrants. If, by reason of any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 4, the holder of any Warrant would be entitled, upon the exercise of such Warrant, to receive a fractional interest in a share, the Company shall, upon such exercise, round up to the nearest whole number of shares of Common Stock to be issued to the Warrant holder.
4.8. Form of Warrant. The form of Warrant need not be changed because of any adjustment pursuant to this Section 4, and Warrants issued after such adjustment may state the same Warrant Price and the same number of shares as is stated in the Warrants initially issued pursuant to this Agreement. However, the Company may at any time in its sole discretion make any change in the form of Warrant that the Company may deem appropriate and that does not affect the substance thereof, and any Warrant thereafter issued or countersigned, whether in exchange or substitution for an outstanding Warrant or otherwise, may be in the form as so changed.
4.9 Other Events. In case any event shall occur affecting the Company as to which none of the provisions of preceding subsections of this Section 4 are strictly applicable, but which would require an adjustment to the terms of the Warrants in order to (i) avoid an adverse impact on the Warrants and (ii) effectuate the intent and purpose of this Section 4, then, in each such case, the Company shall appoint a firm of independent public accountants, investment banking or other appraisal firm of recognized national standing, which shall give its opinion as to whether or not any adjustment to the rights represented by the Warrants is necessary to effectuate the intent and purpose of this Section 4 and, if they determine that an adjustment is necessary, the terms of such adjustment. The Company shall adjust the terms of the Warrants in a manner that is consistent with any adjustment recommended in such opinion.
4.9 No Adjustment. For the avoidance of doubt, no adjustment shall be made to the terms of the Warrants solely as a result of an adjustment to the conversion ratio of the Class B common stock of the Company (the “Class B Common Stock”) into Common Stock or the conversion of the Class B Common Stock into Common Stock, in each case, pursuant to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as amended from time to time.
5. Transfer and Exchange of Warrants.
5.1. Registration of Transfer. The Warrant Agent shall register the transfer, from time to time, of any outstanding Warrant upon the Warrant Register, upon surrender of such Warrant for transfer, properly endorsed with signatures, in the case of certificated Warrants, properly guaranteed and accompanied by appropriate instructions for transfer. Upon any such transfer, a new Warrant representing an equal aggregate number of Warrants shall be issued and the old Warrant shall be cancelled by the Warrant Agent. In the case of certificated Warrants, the Warrants so cancelled shall be delivered by the Warrant Agent to the Company from time to time upon request.
5.2. Procedure for Surrender of Warrants. Warrants may be surrendered to the Warrant Agent, either in certificated form or in book entry position, together with a written request for exchange or transfer, and thereupon the Warrant Agent shall issue in exchange therefor one or more new Warrants, in certificate form or book entry positions, as requested by the registered holder of the Warrants so surrendered, representing an equal aggregate number of Warrants; provided, however, that in the event that a Warrant surrendered for transfer bears a restrictive legend, the Warrant Agent shall not cancel such Warrant and issue new Warrants in exchange therefor until the Warrant Agent has received an opinion of counsel for the Company stating that such transfer may be made and indicating whether the new Warrants must also bear a restrictive legend.
5.3. Fractional Warrants. The Warrant Agent shall not be required to effect any registration of transfer or exchange which will result in the issuance of a warrant certificate or book-entry position for a fraction of a warrant, except as part of the Units.
5.4. Service Charges. No service charge shall be made for any exchange or registration of transfer of Warrants.
5.5. Warrant Execution and Countersignature. The Warrant Agent is hereby authorized to countersign and to deliver, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Warrants required to be issued pursuant to the provisions of this Section 5, and the Company, whenever required by the Warrant Agent, shall supply the Warrant Agent with Warrants duly executed on behalf of the Company for such purpose.
5.6. Private Warrants and Working Capital Warrants. The Warrant Agent shall not register any transfer of Private Warrants or Working Capital Warrants until 30 days after the consummation by the Company of an initial Business Combination, except (a) to the Company’s officers or directors, any affiliates or family members of any of the Company’s officers or directors, any members of the Sponsor or any affiliate of the members of the Sponsor, any affiliates of the Sponsor or any employees of such affiliates, (b) in the case of an individual, transfers by gift to a member of the individual’s immediate family, to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of the individual’s immediate family or an affiliate of such person, or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of an individual, transfers by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual; (d) in the case of an individual, transfers pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (e) transfers by private sales or transfers made in connection with the consummation of a Business Combination at prices no greater than the price at which the Warrants were originally purchased; (f) transfers in the event of the Company’s liquidation prior to the completion of its initial Business Combination; (g) transfers by virtue of the laws of the State of Delaware or the Sponsor’s limited liability company agreement upon dissolution of the Sponsor; (h) to the Company for no value for cancellation in connection with the consummation of an initial Business Combination; or (i) in the event of the Company’s liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction which results in all of the Company’s stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of common stock for cash, securities or other property subsequent to our completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination; provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (g) these permitted transferees (the “Permitted Transferees”) must enter into a written agreement agreeing to be bound by these transfer restrictions and the other restrictions contained in the letter agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and among the Company, the Sponsor and the Company’s directors and officers and by the same agreements entered into by the Sponsor with respect to such securities (including provisions relating to voting, the trust account and liquidation distributions described in the Prospectus).
5.7. Transfers prior to Detachment. Prior to the Detachment Date, the Public Warrants may be transferred or exchanged only together with the Unit in which such Warrant is included, and only for the purpose of effecting, or in conjunction with, a transfer or exchange of such Unit. Furthermore, each transfer of a Unit on the register relating to such Units shall operate also to transfer the Warrants included in such Unit. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section 5.7 shall have no effect on any transfer of Warrants on or after the Detachment Date.
6. Redemption.
6.1. Redemption. Subject to Section 6.4 hereof, not less than all of the outstanding Warrants may be redeemed, at the option of the Company, as follows:
6.1.1. Redemption when the Price Per Share of Common Stock Equals or Exceeds $18.00. The Company may redeem all of the outstanding Warrants at any time during the Exercise Period, at the office of the Warrant Agent, upon the notice referred to in Section 6.2, at the price of $0.01 per Warrant (the “$18.00 Redemption Price”), provided that the last reported sales price of the Common Stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 4 hereof) (the “$18.00 Redemption Trigger Price”), on each of twenty (20) trading days within any thirty (30) trading day period commencing after the Warrants become exercisable and ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which notice of redemption is given, irrespective of whether (i) there is an effective registration statement covering the issuance of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants or (ii) the Company qualifies the underlying securities for sale under all applicable securities laws.
6.1.2. Redemption when the Price Per Share of Common Stock Equals or Exceeds $10.00. The Company may redeem all of the outstanding Warrants at any time following 90 days after the commencement of the Exercise Period, at the office of the Warrant Agent, upon the notice pursuant to Section 6.2, at the price of $0.10 per Warrant (the “$10.00 Redemption Price”), if and only if (i) the last reported sales price of the Common Stock equals or exceeds $10.00 per share (subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 4 hereof) (the “$10.00 Redemption Trigger Price ”), on the trading day prior to the date on which notice of redemption is given, (ii) the Private Warrants and Working Capital Warrants, if any, are also concurrently called for redemption on the same terms as described in this Section 6, and (iii) there is an effective registration statement covering the issuance of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants and a current prospectus relating thereto available throughout the thirty (30) day period after written notice of redemption is given (the “Redemption Period”). During the Redemption Period in connection with a redemption pursuant to this Section 6.1.2, registered holders of the Warrants may elect to exercise their Warrants on a “cashless basis” pursuant to subsection 3.3.1 and receive a number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock to be determined by reference to the table below, based on the Redemption Date (calculated for purposes of the table as the period to expiration of the Warrants) and the “Fair Market Value” of the Company’s Common Stock (as defined in Section 3.3.1(b)).
| Redemption Date (period to |
Fair Market Value of Class A Common Stock | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| £$10.00 | $11.00 | $12.00 | $13.00 | $14.00 | $15.00 | $16.00 | $17.00 | ³$18.00 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 57 months |
0.233 | 0.255 | 0.275 | 0.293 | 0.309 | 0.324 | 0.338 | 0.350 | 0.361 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 54 months |
0.229 | 0.251 | 0.272 | 0.291 | 0.307 | 0.323 | 0.337 | 0.350 | 0.361 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 51 months |
0.225 | 0.248 | 0.269 | 0.288 | 0.305 | 0.321 | 0.336 | 0.349 | 0.361 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 48 months |
0.220 | 0.243 | 0.265 | 0.285 | 0.303 | 0.320 | 0.335 | 0.349 | 0.361 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 45 months |
0.214 | 0.239 | 0.261 | 0.282 | 0.301 | 0.318 | 0.334 | 0.348 | 0.361 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 42 months |
0.208 | 0.234 | 0.257 | 0.278 | 0.298 | 0.316 | 0.333 | 0.348 | 0.361 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 39 months |
0.202 | 0.228 | 0.252 | 0.275 | 0.295 | 0.314 | 0.331 | 0.347 | 0.361 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 36 months |
0.195 | 0.222 | 0.247 | 0.271 | 0.292 | 0.312 | 0.330 | 0.346 | 0.361 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 33 months |
0.187 | 0.215 | 0.241 | 0.266 | 0.288 | 0.309 | 0.328 | 0.345 | 0.361 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 30 months |
0.179 | 0.208 | 0.235 | 0.261 | 0.284 | 0.306 | 0.326 | 0.345 | 0.361 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27 months |
0.170 | 0.199 | 0.228 | 0.255 | 0.280 | 0.303 | 0.324 | 0.343 | 0.361 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24 months |
0.159 | 0.190 | 0.220 | 0.248 | 0.274 | 0.299 | 0.322 | 0.342 | 0.361 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21 months |
0.148 | 0.179 | 0.210 | 0.240 | 0.268 | 0.295 | 0.319 | 0.341 | 0.361 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 months |
0.135 | 0.167 | 0.200 | 0.231 | 0.261 | 0.289 | 0.315 | 0.339 | 0.361 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 months |
0.120 | 0.153 | 0.187 | 0.220 | 0.253 | 0.283 | 0.311 | 0.337 | 0.361 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 months |
0.103 | 0.137 | 0.172 | 0.207 | 0.242 | 0.275 | 0.306 | 0.335 | 0.361 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 months |
0.083 | 0.117 | 0.153 | 0.191 | 0.229 | 0.266 | 0.300 | 0.332 | 0.361 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 months |
0.059 | 0.092 | 0.130 | 0.171 | 0.213 | 0.254 | 0.292 | 0.328 | 0.361 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 months |
0.030 | 0.060 | 0.100 | 0.145 | 0.193 | 0.240 | 0.284 | 0.324 | 0.361 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 0 months |
0.000 | 0.000 | 0.042 | 0.115 | 0.179 | 0.233 | 0.281 | 0.324 | 0.361 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The exact Fair Market Value and Redemption Date may not be set forth in the table above, in which case, if the Fair Market Value is between two values in the table or the Redemption Date is between two redemption dates in the table, the number of shares of Common Stock to be issued for each Warrant exercised will be determined by a straight-line interpolation between the number of shares set forth for the higher and lower Fair Market Values and the earlier and later Redemption Dates, as applicable, based on a 365 or 366-day year, as applicable.
The stock prices set forth in the column headings of the table above shall be adjusted as of any date on which the number of shares issuable upon exercise of a Warrant is adjusted pursuant to Section 4. The adjusted stock prices in the column headings shall equal the stock prices immediately prior to such adjustment, multiplied by a fraction, the
numerator of which is the number of shares deliverable upon exercise of a Warrant immediately prior to such adjustment and the denominator of which is the number of shares deliverable upon exercise of a Warrant as so adjusted. The number of shares in the table above shall be adjusted in the same manner and at the same time as the number of shares issuable upon exercise of a Warrant. In no event will the number of shares issued in connection with a Make-Whole Exercise exceed 0.365 shares of Common Stock per Warrant (subject to adjustment).
6.2. Date Fixed for, and Notice of, Redemption. In the event the Company shall elect to redeem all of the Warrants that are subject to redemption pursuant to Section 6.1, the Company shall fix a date for the redemption (the “Redemption Date”). Notice of redemption shall be mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, by the Company not less than thirty (30) days prior to the Redemption Date to the registered holders of the Warrants to be redeemed at their last addresses as they shall appear on the registration books. Any notice mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given whether or not the registered holder received such notice.
6.3. Exercise After Notice of Redemption. The Warrants may be exercised, for cash (or on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 6.1.2 of this Agreement or Section 3.3.1(b) of this Agreement) at any time after notice of redemption shall have been given by the Company pursuant to Section 6.2 hereof and prior to the Redemption Date. In the event the Company determines to require all holders of Public Warrants to exercise their Warrants on a “cashless basis” pursuant to Section 3.3.1(b), the notice of redemption will contain the information necessary to calculate the number of shares of Common Stock to be received upon exercise of the Warrants, including the “Fair Market Value” in such case. On and after the Redemption Date, the record holder of the Warrants shall have no further rights except to receive, upon surrender of the Warrants, the Redemption Price.
6.4 Exclusion of Certain Warrants. The Company agrees that the redemption rights provided in this Section 6 (excluding Section 6.1.2) shall not apply to (i) the Private Warrants and Working Capital Warrants if at the time of the redemption such Private Warrants or Working Capital Warrants continue to be held by the initial purchasers or their Permitted Transferees or (ii) Post IPO Warrants if such warrants provide that they are non-redeemable by the Company. However, with respect to the Private Warrants or Working Capital Warrants, once such Private Warrants or Working Capital Warrants are transferred (other than to Permitted Transferees under Section 5.6), the Company may redeem the Private Warrants and Working Capital Warrants in the same manner as the Public Warrants.
7. Other Provisions Relating to Rights of Holders of Warrants.
7.1. No Rights as Stockholder. A Warrant does not entitle the registered holder thereof to any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to receive dividends, or other distributions, exercise any preemptive rights to vote or to consent or to receive notice as stockholders in respect of the meetings of stockholders or the election of directors of the Company or any other matter.
7.2. Lost, Stolen, Mutilated, or Destroyed Warrants. If any Warrant is lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed, the Company and the Warrant Agent may on such terms as to indemnity or otherwise as they may in their discretion impose (which shall, in the case of a mutilated Warrant, include the surrender thereof), issue a new Warrant of like denomination, tenor, and date as the Warrant so lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed. Any such new Warrant shall constitute a substitute contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the allegedly lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed Warrant shall be at any time enforceable by anyone.
7.3. Reservation of Shares of Common Stock. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available a number of its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock that shall be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Warrants issued pursuant to this Agreement.
7.4. Registration of Shares of Common Stock. The Company agrees that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than fifteen (15) Business Days, after the closing of its initial Business Combination, it shall use its best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement for the registration, under the Act, of the issuance of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants. The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the same to become effective within sixty (60) Business Days after the closing of its initial Business Combination, and to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement until the expiration of the Warrants in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. If any such registration statement has not been declared effective by the 60th Business Day following the closing of the Business Combination, holders of the Warrants shall have the right, during the period beginning on the 61st Business Day after the closing of the Business Combination and ending upon such registration statement being declared effective by the SEC, and during any other period when the Company shall fail
to have maintained an effective registration statement covering the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, to exercise such Warrants on a “cashless basis” as determined in accordance with Section 3.3.1(d). The Company shall, upon request by the Warrant Agent, provide the Warrant Agent with an opinion of counsel for the Company (which shall be an outside law firm with securities law experience) stating that (i) the exercise of the Warrants on a cashless basis in accordance with this Section 7.4 is not required to be registered under the Act and (ii) the shares of Common Stock issued upon such exercise shall be freely tradable under U.S. federal securities laws by anyone who is not an affiliate (as such term is defined in Rule 144 under the Act (or any successor rule)) of the Company and, accordingly, shall not be required to bear a restrictive legend. Except as provided in Section 7.5, for the avoidance of any doubt, unless and until all of the Warrants have been exercised, the Company shall continue to be obligated to comply with its registration obligations under the first three sentences of this subsection 7.4.1.
7.5. Cashless Exercise at Company’s Option. If the Common Stock is at the time of any exercise of a Warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that it satisfies the definition of a “covered security” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Act (or any successor rule), the Company may, at its option, (i) require holders of Public Warrants who exercise Public Warrants to exercise such Public Warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Act (or any successor rule) as described in subsection 7.4 and (ii) in the event the Company so elects, the Company shall (x) not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement for the registration, under the Act, of the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, and (y) use its best efforts to register or qualify for sale the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants under the blue sky laws of the state of residence of the exercising Public Warrant holder to the extent an exemption is not available.
8. Concerning the Warrant Agent and Other Matters.
8.1. Payment of Taxes. The Company shall from time to time promptly pay all taxes and charges that may be imposed upon the Company or the Warrant Agent in respect of the issuance or delivery of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of Warrants, but the Company shall not be obligated to pay any transfer taxes in respect of the Warrants or such shares.
8.2. Resignation, Consolidation, or Merger of Warrant Agent.
8.2.1. Appointment of Successor Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent, or any successor to it hereafter appointed, may resign its duties and be discharged from all further duties and liabilities hereunder after giving sixty (60) days’ notice in writing to the Company. If the office of the Warrant Agent becomes vacant by resignation or incapacity to act or otherwise, the Company shall appoint in writing a successor Warrant Agent in place of the Warrant Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the Warrant Agent or by the holder of the Warrant (who shall, with such notice, submit his Warrant for inspection by the Company), then the holder of any Warrant may apply to the Supreme Court of the State of New York for the County of New York for the appointment of a successor Warrant Agent at the Company’s cost. Any successor Warrant Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such court, shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, in good standing and having its principal office in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York, and authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority. After appointment, any successor Warrant Agent shall be vested with all the authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations of its predecessor Warrant Agent with like effect as if originally named as Warrant Agent hereunder, without any further act or deed; but if for any reason it becomes necessary or appropriate, the predecessor Warrant Agent shall execute and deliver, at the expense of the Company, an instrument transferring to such successor Warrant Agent all the authority, powers, and rights of such predecessor Warrant Agent hereunder; and upon request of any successor Warrant Agent the Company shall make, execute, acknowledge, and deliver any and all instruments in writing for more fully and effectually vesting in and confirming to such successor Warrant Agent all such authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations.
8.2.2. Notice of Successor Warrant Agent. In the event a successor Warrant Agent shall be appointed, the Company shall give notice thereof to the predecessor Warrant Agent and the Company’s transfer agent for the Common Stock not later than the effective date of any such appointment.
8.2.3. Merger or Consolidation of Warrant Agent. Any corporation into which the Warrant Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Warrant Agent shall be a party shall be the successor Warrant Agent under this Agreement without any further act.
8.3. Fees and Expenses of Warrant Agent.
8.3.1. Remuneration. The Company agrees to pay the Warrant Agent reasonable remuneration for its services as such Warrant Agent hereunder and shall reimburse the Warrant Agent upon demand for all expenditures that the Warrant Agent may reasonably incur in the execution of its duties hereunder.
8.3.2. Further Assurances. The Company agrees to perform, execute, acknowledge, and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged, and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments, and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Warrant Agent for the carrying out or performing of the provisions of this Agreement.
8.4. Liability of Warrant Agent.
8.4.1. Reliance on Company Statement. Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement, the Warrant Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer or Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company and delivered to the Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent may rely upon such statement for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.
8.4.2. Indemnity. The Warrant Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own fraud, gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith. The Company agrees to indemnify the Warrant Agent and save it harmless against any and all liabilities, including judgments, costs and reasonable counsel fees, for anything done or omitted by the Warrant Agent in the execution of this Agreement except as a result of the Warrant Agent’s fraud, gross negligence, willful misconduct, or bad faith.
8.4.3. Exclusions. The Warrant Agent shall have no responsibility with respect to the validity of this Agreement or with respect to the validity or execution of any Warrant (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Warrant; nor shall it be responsible to make any adjustments required under the provisions of Section 4 hereof or responsible for the manner, method, or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment; nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Warrant or as to whether any shares of Common Stock will, when issued, be valid and fully paid and nonassessable.
8.5. Acceptance of Agency. The Warrant Agent hereby accepts the agency established by this Agreement and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions herein set forth and among other things, shall account promptly to the Company with respect to Warrants exercised and concurrently account for, and pay to the Company, all monies received by the Warrant Agent for the purchase of shares of Common Stock through the exercise of Warrants.
9. Miscellaneous Provisions.
9.1. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Warrant Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns.
9.2. Notices. Any notice, statement or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Warrant Agent or by the holder of any Warrant to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given when so delivered if by hand or overnight delivery or if sent by certified mail or private courier service within five (5) days after deposit of such notice, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Company with the Warrant Agent), as follows:
Northern Star Acquisition Corp.
c/o Graubard Miller
405 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10174
Attn: Jonathan J. Ledecky
Any notice, statement or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the holder of any Warrant or by the Company to or on the Warrant Agent shall be sufficiently given when so delivered if by hand or overnight delivery or if sent by certified mail or private courier service within five days after deposit of such notice, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Warrant Agent with the Company), as follows:
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street
New York, New York 10004
Attn: Compliance Department
with a copy in each case to:
Graubard Miller
The Chrysler Building
405 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10174
Attn: David Alan Miller, Esq. and Jeffrey M. Gallant, Esq.
and
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
388 Greenwich Street
New York, New York 10013
Attn: General Counsel
and
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
601 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10022
Attn: Christian O. Nagler, Esq.
Email: cnagler@kirkland.com
9.3. Applicable Law. The validity, interpretation, and performance of this Agreement and of the Warrants shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another jurisdiction. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 9.2 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim.
9.4. Persons Having Rights under this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement expressed and nothing that may be implied from any of the provisions hereof is intended, or shall be construed, to confer upon, or give to, any person or corporation other than the parties hereto and the registered holders of the Warrants and, for the purposes of Sections 7.4, 9.4 and 9.8 hereof, the Representative, any right, remedy, or claim under or by reason of this Agreement or of any covenant, condition, stipulation, promise, or agreement hereof. The Representative shall be deemed to be a third-party beneficiary of this Agreement with respect to Sections 7.4, 9.4 and 9.8 hereof. All covenants, conditions, stipulations, promises, and agreements contained in this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto (and the Representative with respect to the Sections 7.4, 9.4 and 9.8 hereof) and their successors and assigns and of the registered holders of the Warrants.
9.5. Examination of the Warrant Agreement. A copy of this Agreement shall be available at all reasonable times at the office of the Warrant Agent in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York, for inspection by the registered holder of any Warrant. The Warrant Agent may require any such holder to submit his Warrant for inspection by it.
9.6. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of original or facsimile counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
9.7. Effect of Headings. The section headings herein are for convenience only and are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the interpretation thereof.
9.8 Amendments. This Agreement may be amended by the parties hereto without the consent of any registered holder for the purpose of curing any ambiguity, or of curing, correcting or supplementing any defective provision contained herein or adding or changing any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Agreement as the parties may deem necessary or desirable and that the parties deem shall not adversely affect the interest of the registered holders. All other modifications or amendments, including any amendment to increase the Warrant Price or shorten the Exercise Period, shall require the written consent or vote of the registered holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding Public Warrants. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may lower the Warrant Price or extend the duration of the Exercise Period pursuant to Sections 3.1 and 3.2, respectively, without the consent of the registered holders.
9.9 Trust Account Waiver. The Warrant Agent acknowledges and agrees that it shall not make any claims or proceed against the trust account established by the Company in connection with the Public Offering (as more fully described in the Registration Statement) (“Trust Account”), including by way of set-off, and shall not be entitled to any funds in the Trust Account under any circumstance. In the event that the Warrant Agent has a claim against the Company under this Agreement, the Warrant Agent will pursue such claim solely against the Company and not against the property held in the Trust Account.
9.10 Severability. This Agreement shall be deemed severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision hereof shall not affect the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or of any other term or provision hereof. Furthermore, in lieu of any such invalid or unenforceable term or provision, the parties hereto intend that there shall be added as a part of this Agreement a provision as similar in terms to such invalid or unenforceable provision as may be possible and be valid and enforceable.
[signature page follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been duly executed by the parties hereto as of the day and year first above written.
| NORTHERN STAR ACQUISITION CORP. | ||
| By: | /s/ Jonathan J. Ledecky | |
| Name: Jonathan J. Ledecky | ||
| Title: Chief Operating Officer | ||
| CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY | ||
| By: | /s/ Steven Vacante | |
| Name: Steven Vacante | ||
| Title: Vice President | ||
[Signature Page to Warrant Agreement]
Exhibit 10.1
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT TRUST AGREEMENT
This Investment Management Trust Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made as of November 10, 2020 by and between Northern Star Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (“Trustee”).
WHEREAS, the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1, File No. 333-249138 (“Registration Statement”) for its initial public offering of securities (“IPO”) has been declared effective as of the date hereof (“Effective Date”) by the Securities and Exchange Commission (capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Registration Statement); and
WHEREAS, the Company has entered into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Citigroup Global Markets Inc., as representative (the “Representative”) of the several underwriters named therein (the “Underwriters”); and
WHEREAS, as described in the Registration Statement, and in accordance with the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, $250,000,000 (or $287,500,000 if the Underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be delivered to the Trustee to be deposited and held in a segregated trust account located at all times in the United States (the “Trust Account”) for the benefit of the Company and the holders of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), issued in the IPO as hereinafter provided (the proceeds to be delivered to the Trustee (and any income subsequently earned thereon) is referred to herein as the “Property”; the stockholders for whose benefit the Trustee shall hold the Property will be referred to as the “Public Stockholders,” and the Public Stockholders and the Company will be referred to together as the “Beneficiaries”); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, a portion of the Property equal to $8,750,000, or $10,062,500 if the Underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full, is attributable to deferred underwriting discounts and commissions that may be payable by the Company to the Underwriters upon the consummation of the Business Combination (as defined below) (the “Deferred Discount”); and
WHEREAS, the Company and the Trustee desire to enter into this Agreement to set forth the terms and conditions pursuant to which the Trustee shall hold the Property;
IT IS AGREED:
1. Agreements and Covenants of Trustee. The Trustee hereby agrees and covenants to:
(a) Hold the Property in trust for the Beneficiaries in accordance with the terms of this Agreement in the Trust Account established by the Trustee in the United States initially at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (or at another U.S. chartered commercial bank with consolidated assets of $100 billion or more), maintained by Trustee, and at a brokerage institution selected by the Company that is reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee;
(b) Manage, supervise, and administer the Trust Account subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein;
(c) In a timely manner, upon the written instruction of the Company in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as Exhibit A, either (a) invest and reinvest the Property in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), having a maturity of 185 days or less, and/or in any open ended investment company registered under the Investment Company Act that holds itself out as a money market fund selected by the Company meeting the conditions of paragraph (d) of Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act, which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations or (b) cause the brokerage institution referred to in 1(a) above to place the Property in a cash demand deposit account; it being understood that unless the Company instructs the Trustee to do either of the foregoing, the Trust Account will earn no interest while account funds are uninvested awaiting the Company’s instructions hereunder and the Trustee may earn bank credits or other consideration during such periods;
(d) Collect and receive, when due, all principal and income arising from the Property, which shall become part of the “Property,” as such term is used herein;
(e) Promptly notify the Company and the Representative of all communications received by the Trustee with respect to any Property requiring action by the Company;
(f) Supply any necessary information or documents as may be requested by the Company in connection with the Company’s preparation of its tax returns;
(g) Participate in any plan or proceeding for protecting or enforcing any right or interest arising from the Property if, as, and when instructed by the Company to do so;
(h) Render to the Company monthly written statements of the activities of and amounts in the Trust Account reflecting all receipts and disbursements of the Trust Account;
(i) Commence liquidation of the Trust Account only after and promptly after receipt of, and only in accordance with, the terms of a letter from the Company (“Termination Letter”), in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as either Exhibit B or Exhibit C, as applicable, signed on behalf of the Company by an authorized officer and complete the liquidation of the Trust Account and distribute the Property in the Trust Account only as directed in the Termination Letter and the other documents referred to therein; provided, however, that in the event that a Termination Letter has not been received by the Trustee within the period of time (the “Last Date”) provided in the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), the Trust Account shall be liquidated in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Termination Letter attached as Exhibit C hereto and distributed to the Public Stockholders as of the Last Date (excluding up to $100,000 of interest which may be used for dissolution expenses); and
(j) Upon receipt of a letter (an “Amendment Notification Letter”) in the form of Exhibit D, signed on behalf of the Company by an authorized officer, distribute to Public Stockholders who properly exercised their redemption rights in connection with an amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (an “Amendment”) (i) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with its initial Business Combination or an Amendment or to redeem 100% of its public shares if the Company does not complete an initial Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of the IPO or (ii) with respect to any other provisions relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, an amount equal to the pro rata share of the Property relating to the Common Stock for which such Public Stockholders have properly exercised redemption rights in connection with such Amendment.
2. Limited Distributions of Income from Trust Account.
(a) Upon written request from the Company, which may be given from time to time in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as Exhibit E, the Trustee shall distribute to the Company the amount of interest income earned on the Trust Account requested by the Company (i) to cover any income or other tax obligation owed by the Company, which the Company shall forward such payment to the relevant taxing authority, and/or (ii) for working capital purposes.
(b) The limited distributions referred to in Section 2(a) above shall be made only from income collected on the Property. Except as provided in Section 2(a) above, no other distributions from the Trust Account shall be permitted except in accordance with Sections 1(i) or 1(j) hereof.
3. Agreements and Covenants of the Company. The Company agrees and covenants to:
(a) Give all instructions to the Trustee hereunder in writing, signed by any one of the Company’s authorized officers. In addition, except with respect to its duties under Sections 1(i), 1(j) and 2(a) above, the Trustee shall be entitled to rely on, and shall be protected in relying on, any verbal or telephonic advice or instruction which it in good faith believes to be given by any one of the persons authorized above to give written instructions, provided that the Company shall promptly confirm such instructions in writing;
(b) Subject to the provisions of Section 5 of this Agreement, hold the Trustee harmless and indemnify the Trustee from and against any and all expenses, including reasonable counsel fees and disbursements, or losses suffered by the Trustee in connection with any claim, potential claim, action, suit, or other proceeding brought against the Trustee which in any way arises out of or relates to this Agreement, the services of the Trustee hereunder, or the Property or any income earned from investment of the Property, except for expenses and losses resulting from the Trustee’s fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct. Promptly after the receipt by the Trustee of notice of demand or claim or the commencement of any action, suit, or proceeding, pursuant to which the Trustee intends to seek indemnification under this paragraph, it shall notify the Company in writing of such claim (hereinafter referred to as the “Indemnified Claim”). The Trustee shall have the right to conduct and manage the defense against such Indemnified Claim, provided, that the Trustee shall obtain the consent of the Company with respect to the selection of counsel, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Trustee may not agree to settle any Indemnified Claim without the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Company may participate in such action with its own counsel;
(c) Pay the Trustee an initial acceptance fee, an annual fee, and a transaction processing fee for each disbursement made pursuant to Section 2(a) as set forth on Schedule A hereto, which fees shall be subject to modification by the parties from time to time. It is expressly understood that the Property shall not be used to pay such fees and further agreed that any fees remaining owed to the Trustee at the consummation of a business combination (a “Business Combination”) shall be deducted by the Trustee pursuant to Section 1(i) solely in connection with the consummation of the Business Combination. The Company shall pay the Trustee the initial acceptance fee and first year’s fee at the consummation of the IPO and the next annual fee on the anniversary of the Effective Date;
(d) In connection with any vote of the Company’s stockholders regarding a Business Combination, provide to the Trustee an affidavit or certificate of a firm regularly engaged in the business of soliciting proxies and/or tabulating stockholder votes verifying the vote of the Company’s stockholders regarding such Business Combination;
(e) The Company agrees that it will not direct the Trustee to make any payments that are not specifically authorized by this Agreement;
(f) If the Company has an Amendment approved by its stockholders, provide the Trustee with an Amendment Notification Letter in the form of Exhibit D providing instructions for the distribution of funds to Public Stockholders who properly exercise their redemption rights in connection with such Amendment;
(g) Provide the Representative with a copy of any Termination Letter, Amendment Notification Letter, and/or any other correspondence that it issues to the Trustee with respect to any proposed withdrawal from the Trust Account promptly after such issuance; and
(h) Expressly provide in any Instruction Letter (as defined in Exhibit B) delivered in connection with a Termination Letter in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as Exhibit B that the Deferred Discount be paid directly to the account or accounts directed by the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters;
4. Limitations of Liability. The Trustee shall have no responsibility or liability to:
(a) Take any action with respect to the Property, other than as directed in Sections 1 and 2 hereof, and the Trustee shall have no liability to any party except for liability arising out of its own fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct;
(b) Institute any proceeding for the collection of any principal and income arising from, or institute, appear in, or defend any proceeding of any kind with respect to, any of the Property unless and until it shall have received instructions from the Company given as provided herein to do so and the Company shall have advanced or guaranteed to it funds sufficient to pay any expenses incident thereto;
(c) Change the investment of any Property, other than in compliance with Section 1(c);
(d) Refund any depreciation in principal of any Property;
(e) Assume that the authority of any person designated by the Company to give instructions hereunder shall not be continuing unless provided otherwise in such designation, or unless the Company shall have delivered a written revocation of such authority to the Trustee;
(f) The other parties hereto or to anyone else for any action taken or omitted by it, or any action suffered by it to be taken or omitted, in good faith and in the exercise of its own best judgment, except for its fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Trustee may rely conclusively and shall be protected in acting upon any order, notice, demand, certificate, opinion, or advice of counsel (including counsel chosen by the Trustee), statement, instrument, report, or other paper or document (not only as to its due execution and the validity and effectiveness of its provisions, but also as to the truth and acceptability of any information therein contained) which is believed by the Trustee, in good faith, to be genuine and to be signed or presented by the proper person or persons. The Trustee shall not be bound by any notice or demand, or any waiver, modification, termination, or rescission of this Agreement or any of the terms hereof, unless evidenced by a written instrument delivered to the Trustee signed by the proper party or parties and, if the duties or rights of the Trustee are affected, unless it shall give its prior written consent thereto;
(g) Verify the correctness of the information set forth in the Registration Statement or to confirm or assure that any Business Combination consummated by the Company or any other action taken by it is as contemplated by the Registration Statement;
(h) File local, state, and/or federal tax returns or information returns with any taxing authority on behalf of the Trust Account or deliver payee statements to the Company documenting the taxes, if any, payable by the Company or the Trust Account, relating to the income earned on the Property;
(i) Pay any taxes on behalf of the Trust Account (it being expressly understood that the Property shall not be used to pay any such taxes and that such taxes, if any, shall be paid by the Company from funds not held in the Trust Account or released to it under Section 2(a) hereof);
(j) Imply obligations, perform duties, inquire, or otherwise be subject to the provisions of any agreement or document other than this agreement and that which is expressly set forth herein; or
(k) Verify calculations, qualify, or otherwise approve Company requests for distributions pursuant to Sections 1(i), 1(j) or 2(a) above.
5. Trust Account Waiver. The Trustee has no right of set-off or any right, title, interest or claim of any kind (“Claim”) to, or to any monies in, the Trust Account, and hereby irrevocably waives any Claim to, or to any monies in, the Trust Account that it may have now or in the future. In the event the Trustee has any Claim against the Company under this Agreement, including, without limitation, under Section 3(b) or Section 3(c) hereof, the Trustee shall pursue such Claim solely against the Company and its assets outside the Trust Account and not against the Property or any monies in the Trust Account.
6. Termination. This Agreement shall terminate as follows:
(a) If the Trustee gives written notice to the Company that it desires to resign under this Agreement, the Company shall use its reasonable efforts to locate a successor trustee during which time the Trustee shall act in accordance with this Agreement. At such time that the Company notifies the Trustee that a successor trustee has been appointed by the Company and has agreed to become subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Trustee shall transfer the management of the Trust Account to the successor trustee, including but not limited to the transfer of copies of the reports and statements relating to the Trust Account, whereupon this Agreement shall terminate; provided, however, that, in the event that the Company does not locate a successor trustee within ninety (90) days of receipt of the resignation notice from the Trustee, the Trustee may submit an application to have the Property deposited with any court in the State of New York or with the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and upon such deposit, the Trustee shall be immune from any liability whatsoever; or
(b) At such time that the Trustee has completed the liquidation of the Trust Account in accordance with the provisions of Section 1(i) hereof, and distributed the Property in accordance with the provisions of the Termination Letter, this Agreement shall terminate except with respect to Section 3(b) and Section 5.
7. Miscellaneous.
(a) The Company and the Trustee will each restrict access to confidential information relating to funds being transferred to or from the Trust Account to authorized persons. Each party must notify the other party immediately if it has reason to believe unauthorized persons may have obtained access to such information, or of any change in its authorized personnel. In executing funds transfers, the Trustee shall rely upon all information supplied to it by the Company, including account names, account numbers, and all other identifying information relating to a beneficiary, beneficiary’s bank, or intermediary bank. Except for any liability arising out of the Trustee’s fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct, the Trustee shall not be liable for any loss, liability, or expense resulting from any error in the information supplied to it or funds transferred based on such information.
(b) This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another jurisdiction. The parties hereto consent to the jurisdiction and venue of any state or federal court located in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan, for purposes of resolving any disputes hereunder. As to any claim, cross-claim, or counterclaim in any way relating to this Agreement, each party waives the right to trial by jury.
(c) This Agreement may be executed in several original or facsimile counterparts, each one of which shall constitute an original, and together shall constitute but one instrument.
(d) This Agreement contains the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof. Except for Sections 1(i), 1(j) and (2) (which sections may not be modified, amended or deleted without the affirmative vote of sixty five percent (65%) of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock and shares of the Company’s Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, voting together as a single class; provided that no such amendment will affect any Public Stockholder who has otherwise properly indicated his, her or its election to redeem his, her or its shares of Common Stock in connection with a vote sought to amend this Agreement), this Agreement or any provision hereof may only be changed, amended or modified (other than to correct a typographical error) by a writing signed by each of the parties hereto; provided, however, that no such change, amendment or modification may be made without the prior written consent of the Representative. The Trustee may require from Company counsel an opinion as to the propriety of any proposed amendment.
(e) Any notice, consent or request to be given in connection with any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be sent by express mail or similar private courier service, by certified mail (return receipt requested), by hand delivery, by email or by facsimile transmission:
if to the Trustee, to:
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th floor
New York, New York 10004
Attn: Francis Wolf and Celeste Gonzalez
Email: fwolf@continentalstock.com
Email: cgonzalez@continentalstock.com
if to the Company, to:
Northern Star Acquisition Corp.
c/o Graubard Miller
405 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10174
Attn: Jonathan J. Ledecky
E-mail: jledecky@hockeyny.com
in either case with a copy (which copy shall not constitute notice) to:
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
388 Greenwich Street
New York, New York 10013
Attn: General Counsel
and
Graubard Miller
The Chrysler Building
405 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10174
Attn: David Alan Miller, Esq. / Jeffrey M. Gallant, Esq.
E-mail: dmiller@graubard.com / jgallant@graubard.com
and
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
601 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10022
Attn: Christian O. Nagler, Esq.
Email: christian.nagler@kirkland.com
(f) This Agreement may not be assigned by the Trustee without the prior consent of the Company.
(g) Each of the Trustee and the Company hereby represents that it has the full right and power and has been duly authorized to enter into this Agreement and to perform its respective obligations as contemplated hereunder. The Trustee acknowledges and agrees that it shall not make any claims or proceed against the Trust Account, including by way of set-off, and shall not be entitled to any funds in the Trust Account under any circumstance.
(h) Each of the Company and the Trustee hereby acknowledge and agrees that the Representative is a third party beneficiary of this Agreement.
[Signature Page Follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have duly executed this Investment Management Trust Agreement as of the date first written above.
| CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, as Trustee | ||
| By: | /s/ Francis E. Wolf, Jr. | |
| Name: Francis E. Wolf, Jr. | ||
| Title: Vice President | ||
| NORTHERN STAR ACQUISITION CORP. | ||
| By: | /s/ Joanna Coles | |
| Name: Joanna Coles | ||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
[Signature Page to Investment Management Trust Agreement]
SCHEDULE A
| Fee Item | Time and method of payment |
Amount | ||||
| Initial set-up fee |
Initial closing of Offering by wire transfer. | $ | 3,500.00 | |||
| Trustee administration fee |
Payable annually. First year fee payable, at initial closing of Offering by wire transfer, thereafter by wire transfer or check. | $ | 10,000.00 | |||
| Transaction processing fee for disbursements to Company under Section 2 |
Billed to Company following disbursement made to Company under Section 2 | $ | 250.00 | |||
| Paying Agent services as required pursuant to Section 1(i) and 1(j) |
Billed to Company upon delivery of service pursuant to Section 1(i) and 1(j) | |
Prevailing rates |
| ||
EXHIBIT A
[Letterhead of Company]
[Insert date]
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th Floor
New York, New York 10004
Attn: Francis Wolf and Celeste Gonzalez
Re: Northern Star Acquisition Corp.
Mr. Wolf & Ms. Gonzalez:
Pursuant to Section 1(c) of the Investment Management Trust Agreement between Northern Star Acquisition Corp. (“Company”) and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (“Trustee”), you are hereby authorized and instructed to invest the trust funds raised from the IPO (and follow-on overallotment funds), if applicable, in the following permitted investment(s):
| Security: |
| |
| Security: |
| |
| and/or, | ||
| Qualified Money Market Fund: | ||
| Fund Family: |
| |
| Exact Fund Name: | ||
| Ticker: | ||
| Fund CUSIP No: |
| |
| ISIN No: |
| |
You are instructed to utilize the services of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (the “Asset Manager”) to purchase and hold the above investments.
| Northern Star Acquisition Corp. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: Joanna Coles | ||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
EXHIBIT B
[Letterhead of Company]
[Insert date]
Continental Stock Transfer
& Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th floor
New York, New York 10004
Attn: Francis Wolf and Celeste Gonzalez
Re: Trust Account Termination Letter
Dear Mr. Wolf and Ms. Gonzalez:
Pursuant to Section 1(i) of the Investment Management Trust Agreement between Northern Star Acquisition Corp. (“Company”) and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, dated as of _______, 2020 (“Trust Agreement”), this is to advise you that the Company has entered into an agreement with [__________________] to consummate a business combination (“Business Combination”) on or about [insert date]. The Company shall notify you at least 72 hours in advance of the actual date of the consummation of the Business Combination (or such shorter time as you may agree) (“Consummation Date”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Trust Agreement.
In accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement, we hereby authorize you to liquidate the Trust Account investments and to transfer the proceeds to the Trust Operating Account at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. to the effect that, on the Consummation Date, all of the funds held in the Trust Account will be immediately available for transfer to the account or accounts that the Company shall direct on the Consummation Date (including as directed to it by the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters (with respect to the Deferred Discount)). It is acknowledged and agreed that while the funds are on deposit in the trust account awaiting distribution, neither the Company nor the Underwriters will earn any interest or dividends.
On the Consummation Date (i) counsel for the Company shall deliver to you written notification that the Business Combination has been consummated or will be consummated concurrently with your transfer of funds to the accounts as directed by the Company and (ii) the Company shall deliver to you a certificate by the Chief Executive Officer, which verifies the that the Business Combination has been approved by a vote of the Company’s stockholders if a vote is held and (b) joint written instructions from the Company and the Representative with respect to the transfer of the funds held in the Trust Account, including payment of the Deferred Discount from the Trust Account (“Instruction Letter”). You are hereby directed and authorized to transfer the funds held in the Trust Account immediately upon your receipt of the counsel’s letter and the Instruction Letter, in accordance with the terms of the Instruction Letter. In the event that certain deposits held in the Trust Account may not be liquidated by the Consummation Date without penalty, you will notify the Company of the same and the Company shall direct you as to whether such funds should remain in the Trust Account and distributed after the Consummation Date to the Company. Upon the distribution of all the funds in the Trust Account pursuant to the terms hereof, your obligations under the Trust Agreement shall be terminated.
In the event that the Business Combination is not consummated on the Consummation Date described in the notice thereof and we have not notified you on or before the original Consummation Date of a new Consummation Date, then upon receipt by the you of written instructions from the Company, the funds held in the Trust Account shall be reinvested as provided in the Trust Agreement on the business day immediately following the Consummation Date as set forth in the notice.
[Signature Page Follows]
| Very truly yours, | ||
| NORTHERN STAR ACQUISITION CORP. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: Joanna Coles | ||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
cc: Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
EXHIBIT C
[Letterhead of Company]
[Insert date]
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th floor
New York, New York 10004
Attn: Francis Wolf and Celeste Gonzalez
Re: Trust Account Termination Letter
Dear Mr. Wolf and Ms. Gonzalez:
Pursuant to Section 1(i) of the Investment Management Trust Agreement between Northern Star Acquisition Corp. (“Company”) and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, dated as of _______, 2020 (“Trust Agreement”), this is to advise you that the Company has been unable to effect a Business Combination within the time frame specified in the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as described in the Company’s prospectus relating to its IPO. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Trust Agreement.
In accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement, we hereby authorize you to liquidate the Trust Account and to transfer the total proceeds of the Trust to the Trust Operating Account at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. to await distribution to the Public Stockholders. The Company has selected [____________, 20__] as the effective date for the purpose of determining when the Public Stockholders will be entitled to receive their share of the liquidation proceeds. It is acknowledged that while the funds are on deposit in the Trust Operating Account awaiting distribution, the Company will not earn any interest or dividends. You agree to be the Paying Agent of record and in your separate capacity as Paying Agent, to distribute said funds directly to the Public Stockholders in accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement and the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company. Upon the distribution of all the funds in the Trust Account, your obligations under the Trust Agreement shall be terminated.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| NORTHERN STAR ACQUISITION CORP. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: Joanna Coles | ||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
cc: Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
EXHIBIT D
[Letterhead of Company]
[Insert date]
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th floor
New York, New York 10004
Attn: Francis Wolf and Celeste Gonzalez
Re: Trust Account Amendment Notification Letter
Dear Mr. Wolf and Ms. Gonzalez:
Reference is made to the Investment Management Trust Agreement between Northern Star Acquisition Corp. (“Company”) and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, dated as of ________, 2020 (“Trust Agreement”). Capitalized words used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Trust Agreement.
Pursuant to Section 1(j) of the Trust Agreement, this is to advise you that the Company has sought and will adopt an Amendment. Accordingly, in accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement, we hereby authorize you to liquidate a sufficient portion of the Trust Account and to transfer $____ of the total proceeds of the Trust to the Trust Account at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. to await distribution to the Public Stockholders that have properly requested redemption of their shares of Common Stock in connection with such Amendment. The remaining funds shall be reinvested by you as previously instructed.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| NORTHERN STAR ACQUISITION CORP. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: Joanna Coles | ||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
cc: Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
EXHIBIT E
[Letterhead of Company]
[Insert date]
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th floor
New York, New York 10004
Attn: Francis Wolf and Celeste Gonzalez
Re: Trust Account Withdrawal Instruction Letter
Dear Mr. Wolf and Ms. Gonzalez:
Pursuant to Section 2(a) of the Investment Management Trust Agreement between Northern Star Acquisition Corp. (“Company”) and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, dated as of _________, 2020 (“Trust Agreement”), the Company hereby requests that you deliver to the Company $_______ of the interest income earned on the Property as of the date hereof. The Company needs such funds [to pay for its income or other tax obligations/ for working capital].
In accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement, you are hereby directed and authorized to transfer (via wire transfer) such funds promptly upon your receipt of this letter to the Company’s operating account at:
[WIRE INSTRUCTION INFORMATION]
| Very truly yours, | ||
| NORTHERN STAR ACQUISITION CORP. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: Joanna Coles | ||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
cc: Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
Exhibit 10.2
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of the 10th day of November, by and among Northern Star Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and the undersigned parties listed under Investors on the signature page hereto (each, an “Investor” and collectively, the “Investors”).
WHEREAS, the Investors and the Company desire to enter into this Agreement to provide the Investors with certain rights relating to the registration of the securities held by them as of the date hereof or that may be held by them upon consummation of a Business Combination (defined below);
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements set forth herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS. The following capitalized terms used herein have the following meanings:
“Agreement” means this Agreement, as amended, restated, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time.
“Business Combination” means the acquisition of direct or indirect ownership through a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or other similar type of transaction, of one or more businesses or entities.
“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any other Federal agency then administering the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.
“Common Stock” means the Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company.
“Company” is defined in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Demand Registration” is defined in Section 2.1.1.
“Demanding Holder” is defined in Section 2.1.1.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, all as the same shall be in effect at the time.
“Form S-3” is defined in Section 2.3.
“Founder Shares” means all of the outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock of the Company issued prior to the consummation of its initial public offering.
“Indemnified Party” is defined in Section 4.3.
“Indemnifying Party” is defined in Section 4.3.
“Investor” is defined in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Investor Indemnified Party” is defined in Section 4.1.
“Maximum Number of Shares” is defined in Section 2.1.4.
“Notices” is defined in Section 6.3.
“Piggy-Back Registration” is defined in Section 2.2.1.
“Private Warrants” means the Warrants the Investors are privately purchasing simultaneously with the consummation of the Company’s initial public offering.
“Pro Rata” is defined in Section 2.1.4.
“Register,” “Registered” and “Registration” mean a registration effected by preparing and filing a registration statement or similar document in compliance with the requirements of the Securities Act, and the applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and such registration statement becoming effective.
“Registrable Securities” means (i) the Founder Shares, (ii) the Private Warrants and (iii) the Working Capital Warrants, if any. Registrable Securities include any warrants, shares of capital stock or other securities of the Company underlying or issued as a dividend or other distribution with respect to or in exchange for or in replacement of or upon conversion of such Founder Shares. As to any particular Registrable Securities, such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when: (a) a Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such securities shall have become effective under the Securities Act and such securities shall have been sold, transferred, disposed of or exchanged in accordance with such Registration Statement; (b) such securities shall have been otherwise transferred, new certificates for them not bearing a legend restricting further transfer shall have been delivered by the Company and subsequent public distribution of them shall not require registration under the Securities Act; (c) such securities shall have ceased to be outstanding, or (d) the Registrable Securities are freely saleable under Rule 144 under the Securities Act without volume limitations.
“Registration Statement” means a registration statement filed by the Company with the Commission in compliance with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder for a public offering and sale of equity securities, or securities or other obligations exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into, equity securities (other than a registration statement on Form S-4 or Form S-8, or their successors, or any registration statement covering only securities proposed to be issued in exchange for securities or assets of another entity).
“Representative” means Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, all as the same shall be in effect at the time.
“Underwriter” means a securities dealer who purchases any Registrable Securities as principal in an underwritten offering and not as part of such dealer’s market-making activities.
“Units” means the units of the Company, each comprised of one share of Common Stock and one-third of one warrant, each whole warrant to purchase one share of Common Stock.
“Working Capital Warrants” means any Warrants held by Investors, officers or directors of the Company or their affiliates which may be issued in payment of working capital loans made to the Company.
2. REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
2.1 Demand Registration.
2.1.1. Request for Registration. At any time and from time to time on or after the date that the Company consummates a Business Combination, the Investors may make a written demand for registration under the Securities Act of all or part of their Registrable Securities (a “Demand Registration”). Any demand for a Demand Registration shall specify the number of shares of Registrable Securities proposed to be sold and the intended method(s) of distribution thereof. The Company will within 10 days of the Company’s receipt of the Demand Registration notify all holders of Registrable Securities of the demand, and each holder of Registrable Securities who wishes to include all or a portion of such holder’s Registrable Securities in the Demand Registration (each such holder including shares of Registrable Securities in such registration, a “Demanding Holder”) shall so notify the Company within ten (10) days after the receipt by the holder of the notice from the Company. Upon any such request, the Demanding Holders shall be entitled to have their Registrable Securities included in the Demand Registration, subject to Section 2.1.4 and the provisos set forth in Section 3.1.1. The Company shall not be obligated to effect more than an aggregate of three (3) Demand Registrations under this Section 2.1.1 in respect of all Registrable Securities.
2.1.2 Effective Registration. A registration will not count as a Demand Registration until the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to such Demand Registration has been declared effective and the Company has complied with all of its obligations under this Agreement with respect thereto; provided, however, that if, after such Registration Statement has been declared effective, the offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Demand Registration is interfered with by any stop order or injunction of the Commission or any other governmental agency or court, the Registration Statement with respect to such Demand Registration will be deemed not to have been declared effective, unless and until, (i) such stop order or injunction is removed, rescinded or otherwise terminated, and (ii) a majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders thereafter elect to continue the offering; provided, further, that the Company shall not be obligated to file a second Registration Statement until a Registration Statement that has been filed is counted as a Demand Registration or is terminated.
2.1.3 Underwritten Offering. If a majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders so elect and such holders so advise the Company as part of their written demand for a Demand Registration, the offering of such Registrable Securities pursuant to such Demand Registration shall be in the form of an underwritten offering. In such event, the right of any holder to include its Registrable Securities in such registration shall be conditioned upon such holder’s participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of such holder’s Registrable Securities in the underwriting to the extent provided herein. All Demanding Holders proposing to distribute their Registrable Securities through such underwriting shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the Underwriter or Underwriters selected for such underwriting by a majority-in-interest of the holders initiating the Demand Registration.
2.1.4 Reduction of Offering. If the managing Underwriter or Underwriters for a Demand Registration that is to be an underwritten offering, in good faith, advises the Company and the Demanding Holders in writing that the dollar amount or number of shares of Registrable Securities which the Demanding Holders desire to sell, taken together with all other shares of Common Stock or other securities which the Company desires to sell and the shares of Common Stock, if any, as to which registration has been requested pursuant to written contractual piggy-back registration rights held by other stockholders of the Company who desire to sell, exceeds the maximum dollar amount or maximum number of shares that can be sold in such offering without adversely affecting the proposed offering price, the timing, the distribution method, or the probability of success of such offering (such maximum dollar amount or maximum number of shares, as applicable, the “Maximum Number of Shares”), then the Company shall include in such registration: (i) first, the Registrable Securities as to which Demand Registration has been requested by the Demanding Holders (pro rata in accordance with the number of shares that each such Person has requested be included in such registration, regardless of the number of shares held by each such Person (such proportion is referred to herein as “Pro Rata”)) that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares; (ii) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Shares has not been reached under the foregoing clause (i), the shares of Common Stock or other securities that the Company desires to sell that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares; (iii) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Shares has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii), the Registrable Securities of holders exercising their rights to register their Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2.2; and (iv) fourth, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Shares has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), the shares of Common Stock or other securities for the account of other persons that the Company is obligated to register pursuant to written contractual arrangements with such persons and that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares.
2.1.5 Withdrawal. If a majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders disapprove of the terms of any underwriting or are not entitled to include all of their Registrable Securities in any offering, such majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders may elect to withdraw from such offering by giving written notice to the Company and the Underwriter or Underwriters of their request to withdraw prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to such Demand Registration. If the majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders withdraws from a proposed offering relating to a Demand Registration, then such registration shall not count as a Demand Registration provided for in Section 2.1.
2.2 Piggy-Back Registration.
2.2.1 Piggy-Back Rights. If at any time on or after the date the Company consummates a Business Combination the Company proposes to file a Registration Statement under the Securities Act with respect to an offering of equity securities, or securities or other obligations exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into, equity securities, by the Company for its own account or for shareholders of the Company for their account (or by the Company and by shareholders of the Company including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 2.1), other than a Registration Statement (i) filed in connection with any employee stock option or other benefit plan, (ii) for an exchange offer or offering of securities solely to the Company’s existing shareholders, (iii) for an offering of debt that is convertible into equity securities of the Company or (iv) for a dividend reinvestment plan, then the Company shall (x) give written notice of such proposed filing to the holders of Registrable Securities as soon as practicable but in no event less than ten (10) days before the anticipated filing date, which notice shall describe the amount and type of securities to be included in such offering, the intended method(s) of distribution, and the name of the proposed managing Underwriter or Underwriters, if any, of the offering, and (y) offer to the holders of Registrable Securities in such notice the opportunity to register the sale of such number of shares of Registrable Securities as such holders may request in writing within five (5) days following receipt of such notice (a “Piggy-Back Registration”). The Company shall, in good faith, cause such Registrable Securities to be included in such registration and shall use its best efforts to cause the managing Underwriter or Underwriters of a proposed underwritten offering to permit the Registrable Securities requested to be included in a Piggy-Back Registration on the same terms and conditions as any similar securities of the Company and to permit the sale or other disposition of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof. All holders of Registrable Securities proposing to distribute their securities through a Piggy-Back Registration that involves an Underwriter or Underwriters shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the Underwriter or Underwriters selected for such Piggy-Back Registration.
2.2.2 Reduction of Offering. If the managing Underwriter or Underwriters for a Piggy-Back Registration that is to be an underwritten offering advises the Company and the holders of Registrable Securities in writing that the dollar amount or number of shares of Common Stock which the Company desires to sell, taken together with shares of Common Stock, if any, as to which registration has been demanded pursuant to separate written contractual arrangements with persons or entities other than the holders of Registrable Securities hereunder, the Registrable Securities as to which registration has been requested under this Section 2.2, and the shares of Common Stock, if any, as to which registration has been requested pursuant to the written contractual piggy-back registration rights of other stockholders of the Company, exceeds the Maximum Number of Shares, then the Company shall include in any such registration:
a) If the registration is undertaken for the Company’s account: (A) the shares of Common Stock or other securities that the Company desires to sell that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares; (B) to the extent that the Maximum Number of Shares has not been reached under the foregoing clause (A), the shares of Common Stock or other securities, if any, comprised of Registrable Securities, as to which registration has been requested pursuant to the applicable written contractual piggy-back registration rights of such security holders, Pro Rata, that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares; and (C) to the extent that the Maximum Number of Shares has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), the shares of Common Stock or other securities for the account of other persons that the Company is obligated to register pursuant to written contractual piggy-back registration rights with such persons and that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares; and
b) If the registration is a “demand” registration undertaken at the demand of persons or entities other than either the holders of Registrable Securities, (A) first, the shares of Common Stock or other securities for the account of the demanding persons that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares; (B) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Shares has not been reached under the foregoing clause (A), the Common Stock or other securities that the Company desires to sell that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares; (C) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Shares has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), collectively the Common Stock or other securities comprised of Registrable Securities, Pro Rata, as to which registration has been requested pursuant to the terms hereof, as applicable, that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares; and (D) fourth, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Shares has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A), (B) and (C), the shares of Common Stock or other securities for the account of other persons that the Company is obligated to register pursuant to written contractual arrangements with such persons, that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares.
2.2.3 Withdrawal. Any holder of Registrable Securities may elect to withdraw such holder’s request for inclusion of Registrable Securities in any Piggy-Back Registration by giving written notice to the Company of such request to withdraw prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement. The Company (whether on its own determination or as the result of a withdrawal by persons making a demand pursuant to written contractual obligations) may withdraw a Registration Statement at any time prior to the effectiveness of such Registration Statement. Notwithstanding any such withdrawal, the Company shall pay all expenses incurred by the holders of Registrable Securities in connection with such Piggy-Back Registration as provided in Section 3.3.
2.2.4 Unlimited Piggy-Back Registration Rights. For purposes of clarity, any registration effected pursuant to Section 2.2 hereof shall not be counted as a registration pursuant to a Demand Registration effected under Section 2.1 hereof.
2.2.5 Registrations on Form S-3. The holders of Registrable Securities may at any time and from time to time request in writing that the Company register the resale of any or all of such Registrable Securities on Form S-3 or any similar short-form registration which may be available at such time (“Form S-3”); provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to effect such request through an underwritten offering. Within five (5) days of the Company’s receipt of such written request, the Company will give written notice of the proposed registration to all other holders of Registrable Securities, and each holder of Registrable Securities who thereafter wishes to include all or a portion of such holder’s Registrable Securities in such registration shall so notify the Company, in writing, within ten (10) days after the receipt by the holder of the notice from the Company, and, as soon as practicable thereafter but not more than twelve (12) days after the Company’s initial receipt of such written request for a registration, effect the registration of all or such portion of such holder’s or holders’ Registrable Securities as are specified in such request, together with all or such portion of the Registrable Securities or other securities of the Company, if any, of any other holder or holders joining in such request; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to effect any such registration pursuant to this Section 2.3: (i) if Form S-3 is not available for such offering; or (ii) if the holders of the Registrable Securities, together with the holders of any other securities of the Company entitled to inclusion in such registration, propose to sell Registrable Securities and such other securities (if any) at any aggregate price to the public of less than $500,000. Registrations effected pursuant to this Section 2.3 shall not be counted as Demand Registrations effected pursuant to Section 2.1.
3. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES.
3.1 Filings; Information. Whenever the Company is required to effect the registration of any Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2, the Company shall use its best efforts to effect the registration and sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof as expeditiously as practicable, and in connection with any such request:
3.1.1 Filing Registration Statement. The Company shall, as expeditiously as possible and in any event within sixty (60) days after receipt of a request for a Demand Registration pursuant to Section 2.1, prepare and file with the Commission a Registration Statement on any form for which the Company then qualifies or which counsel for the Company shall deem appropriate and which form shall be available for the sale of all Registrable Securities to be registered thereunder in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof, and shall use its best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and use its best efforts to keep it effective for the period required by Section 3.1.3; provided, however, that the Company shall have the right to defer any Demand Registration for up to thirty (30) days, and any Piggy-Back Registration for such period as may be applicable to deferment of any demand registration to which such Piggy-Back Registration relates, in each case if the Company shall furnish to the holders a certificate signed by the President or Chairman of the Company stating that, in the good faith judgment of the Board of Directors of the Company, it would be materially detrimental to the Company and its shareholders for such Registration Statement to be effected at such time; provided further, however, that the Company shall not have the right to exercise the right set forth in the immediately preceding proviso more than once in any 365-day period in respect of a Demand Registration hereunder.
3.1.2 Copies. The Company shall, prior to filing a Registration Statement or prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, furnish without charge to the holders of Registrable Securities included in such registration, and such holders’ legal counsel, copies of such Registration Statement as proposed to be filed, each amendment and supplement to such Registration Statement (in each case including all exhibits thereto and
documents incorporated by reference therein), the prospectus included in such Registration Statement (including each preliminary prospectus), and such other documents as the holders of Registrable Securities included in such registration or legal counsel for any such holders may request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such holders.
3.1.3 Amendments and Supplements. The Company shall prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, including post-effective amendments, and supplements to such Registration Statement and the prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective and in compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act until all Registrable Securities and other securities covered by such Registration Statement have been disposed of in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution set forth in such Registration Statement or such securities have been withdrawn.
3.1.4 Notification. After the filing of a Registration Statement, the Company shall promptly, and in no event more than two (2) business days after such filing, notify the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement of such filing, and shall further notify such holders promptly and confirm such advice in writing in all events within two (2) business days of the occurrence of any of the following: (i) when such Registration Statement becomes effective; (ii) when any post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement becomes effective; (iii) the issuance or threatened issuance by the Commission of any stop order (and the Company shall take all actions required to prevent the entry of such stop order or to remove it if entered); and (iv) any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement or any prospectus relating thereto or for additional information or of the occurrence of an event requiring the preparation of a supplement or amendment to such prospectus so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of the securities covered by such Registration Statement, such prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and promptly make available to the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement any such supplement or amendment; except that before filing with the Commission a Registration Statement or prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, including documents incorporated by reference, the Company shall furnish to the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement and to the legal counsel for any such holders, copies of all such documents proposed to be filed sufficiently in advance of filing to provide such holders and legal counsel with a reasonable opportunity to review such documents and comment thereon, and the Company shall not file any Registration Statement or prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto, including documents incorporated by reference, to which such holders or their legal counsel shall object.
3.1.5 State Securities Laws Compliance. The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) register or qualify the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement under such securities or “blue sky” laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement (in light of their intended plan of distribution) may request and (ii) take such action necessary to cause such Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental authorities as may be necessary by virtue of the business and operations of the Company and do any and all other acts and things that may be necessary or advisable to enable the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities in such jurisdictions; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this paragraph or subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction.
3.1.6 Agreements for Disposition. The Company shall enter into customary agreements (including, if applicable, an underwriting agreement in customary form) and take such other actions as are reasonably required in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities. The representations, warranties and covenants of the Company in any underwriting agreement which are made to or for the benefit of any Underwriters, to the extent applicable, shall also be made to and for the benefit of the holders of Registrable Securities included in such registration statement. No holder of Registrable Securities included in such registration statement shall be required to make any representations or warranties in the underwriting agreement except, if applicable, with respect to such holder’s organization, good standing, authority, title to Registrable Securities, lack of conflict of such sale with such holder’s material agreements and organizational documents, and with respect to written information relating to such holder that such holder has furnished in writing expressly for inclusion in such Registration Statement.
3.1.7 Cooperation. The principal executive officer of the Company, the principal financial officer of the Company, the principal accounting officer of the Company and all other officers and members of the management of the Company shall cooperate fully in any offering of Registrable Securities hereunder, which cooperation shall include, without limitation, the preparation of the Registration Statement with respect to such offering and all other offering materials and related documents, and participation in meetings with Underwriters, attorneys, accountants and potential investors.
3.1.8 Records. The Company shall make available for inspection by the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement, any Underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to such registration statement and any attorney, accountant or other professional retained by any holder of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement or any Underwriter, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company, as shall be necessary to enable them to exercise their due diligence responsibility, and cause the Company’s officers, directors and employees to supply all information requested by any of them in connection with such Registration Statement.
3.1.9 Opinions and Comfort Letters. The Company shall furnish to each holder of Registrable Securities included in any Registration Statement a signed counterpart, addressed to such holder, of (i) any opinion of counsel to the Company delivered to any Underwriter and (ii) any comfort letter from the Company’s independent public accountants delivered to any Underwriter. In the event no legal opinion is delivered to any Underwriter, the Company shall furnish to each holder of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement, at any time that such holder elects to use a prospectus, an opinion of counsel to the Company to the effect that the Registration Statement containing such prospectus has been declared effective and that no stop order is in effect.
3.1.10 Earnings Statement. The Company shall comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission and the Securities Act, and make available to its shareholders, as soon as practicable, an earnings statement covering a period of twelve (12) months, which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder.
3.1.11 Listing. The Company shall use its best efforts to cause all Registrable Securities included in any registration to be listed on such exchanges or otherwise designated for trading in the same manner as similar securities issued by the Company are then listed or designated or, if no such similar securities are then listed or designated, in a manner satisfactory to the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in such registration.
3.1.12. Transfer Agent. The Company shall provide a transfer agent or warrant agent, as applicable, and registrar for all such Registrable Securities no later than the effective date of the registration statement.
3.1.13. Misstatements. The Company shall notify the holders at any time when a prospectus relating to such registration statement is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the happening of any event as a result of which the prospectus included in such registration statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or an omission to state a material fact required to be stated in a registration statement or prospectus, or necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading (a “Misstatement”), and then to correct such Misstatement.
3.1.14 Road Show. If the registration involves the registration of Registrable Securities involving gross proceeds in excess of $25,000,000, the Company shall use its reasonable efforts to make available senior executives of the Company to participate in customary “road show” presentations that may be reasonably requested by the Underwriter in any underwritten offering.
3.2 Obligation to Suspend Distribution. Upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3.1.4(iv), or, in the case of a resale registration on Form S-3 pursuant to Section 2.3 hereof, upon any suspension by the Company, pursuant to a written insider trading compliance program adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors, of the ability of all “insiders” covered by such program to transact in the Company’s securities because of the existence of material non-public information, each of Registrable Securities included in any registration shall immediately discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement covering such Registrable Securities until such holder receives the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 3.1.4(iv) or the restriction on the ability of “insiders” to transact in the Company’s securities is removed, as applicable, and, if so directed by the Company, each such holder will deliver to the Company all written copies, other than permanent file copies then in such holder’s possession, of the most recent prospectus covering such Registrable Securities at the time of receipt of such notice.
3.3 Registration Expenses. The Company shall bear all costs and expenses incurred in connection with any Demand Registration pursuant to Section 2.1, any Piggy-Back Registration pursuant to Section 2.2, and any registration on Form S-3 effected pursuant to Section 2.2.5, and all expenses incurred in performing or complying with its other obligations under this Agreement, whether or not the Registration Statement becomes effective, including, without limitation: (i) all registration and filing fees and fees of any securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed; (ii) fees and expenses of compliance with securities or “blue sky” laws (including fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with blue sky qualifications of the Registrable Securities); (iii) printing, messenger, telephone and delivery expenses; (iv) the Company’s internal expenses (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees); (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities as required by Section 3.1.11; (vi) Financial Industry Regulatory Authority fees; (vii) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and fees and expenses for independent certified public accountants retained by the Company (including the expenses or costs associated with the delivery of any opinions or comfort letters requested pursuant to Section 3.1.9); (viii) the fees and expenses of any special experts retained by the Company in connection with such registration and (ix) the fees and expenses of one legal counsel selected by the holders of a majority-in-interest of the Registrable Securities included in such registration. The Company shall have no obligation to pay any underwriting discounts or selling commissions attributable to the Registrable Securities being sold by the holders thereof, which underwriting discounts or selling commissions shall be borne by such holders. Additionally, in an underwritten offering, all selling shareholders and the Company shall bear the expenses of the Underwriter pro rata in proportion to the respective amount of shares each is selling in such offering.
3.4 Information. The holders of Registrable Securities shall provide such information as may reasonably be requested by the Company, or the managing Underwriter, if any, in connection with the preparation of any Registration Statement, including amendments and supplements thereto, in order to effect the registration of any Registrable Securities under the Securities Act pursuant to Section 2 and in connection with the Company’s obligation to comply with federal and applicable state securities laws.
3.5 Suspension of Sales; Adverse Disclosure. Upon receipt of written notice from the Company that a registration statement or prospectus contains a Misstatement, each of the Holders shall forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities until it has received copies of a supplemented or amended prospectus correcting the Misstatement (it being understood that the Company hereby covenants to prepare and file such supplement or amendment as soon as practicable after the time of such notice), or until it is advised in writing by the Company that the use of the prospectus may be resumed. If the filing, initial effectiveness or continued use of a registration statement in respect of any registration at any time would require the Company to make an Adverse Disclosure (as defined below) or would require the inclusion in such registration statement of financial statements that are unavailable to the Company for reasons beyond the Company’s control, the Company may, upon giving prompt written notice of such action to the holders, delay the filing or initial effectiveness of, or suspend use of, such registration statement for the shortest period of time, but in no event more than thirty (30) days, determined in good faith by the Company to be necessary for such purpose. In the event the Company exercises its rights under the preceding sentence, the holders agree to suspend, immediately upon their receipt of the notice referred to above, their use of the prospectus relating to any registration in connection with any sale or offer to sell Registrable Securities. The Company shall immediately notify the Holders of the expiration of any period during which it exercised its rights under this Section 3.5. “Adverse Disclosure” shall mean any public disclosure of material non-public information, which disclosure, in the good faith judgment of the Chief Executive Officer or principal financial officer of the Company, after consultation with counsel to the Company, (i) would be required to be made in any registration statement or prospectus in order for the applicable registration statement or prospectus not to contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein (in the case of any prospectus and any preliminary prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, (ii) would not be required to be made at such time if the registration statement were not being filed, and (iii) the Company has a bona fide business purpose for not making such information public.
3.6 Reporting Obligations. As long as any holder shall own Registrable Securities, the Company, at all times while it shall be reporting under the Exchange Act, covenants to file timely (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and to promptly furnish the holders with true and complete copies of all such filings. The Company further covenants that it shall take such further action as any holder may
reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such holder to sell Common Stock held by such holder without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, including providing any legal opinions. Upon the request of any holder, the Company shall deliver to such holder a written certification of a duly authorized officer as to whether it has complied with such requirements.
3.7 Limitations on Registration Rights. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the Representative may not exercise its rights under Section 2.1 and 2.2 hereunder after five (5) and seven (7) years after the effective date of the registration statement relating to the Company’s initial public offering, respectively, and (ii) the Representative may not exercise its rights under Section 2.1 more than one time.
4. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION.
4.1 Indemnification by the Company. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Investor and each other holder of Registrable Securities, and each of their respective officers, employees, affiliates, directors, partners, members, attorneys and agents, and each person, if any, who controls an Investor and each other holder of Registrable Securities (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) (each, an “Investor Indemnified Party”), from and against any expenses, losses, judgments, claims, damages or liabilities, whether joint or several, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement (or allegedly untrue statement) of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement under which the sale of such Registrable Securities was registered under the Securities Act, any preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or summary prospectus contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement, or arising out of or based upon any omission (or alleged omission) to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or any violation by the Company of the Securities Act or any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder applicable to the Company and relating to action or inaction required of the Company in connection with any such registration; and the Company shall promptly reimburse the Investor Indemnified Party for any legal and any other expenses reasonably incurred by such Investor Indemnified Party in connection with investigating and defending any such expense, loss, judgment, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such expense, loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or allegedly untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in such Registration Statement, preliminary prospectus, final prospectus, or summary prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company, in writing, by such selling holder expressly for use therein. The Company also shall indemnify any Underwriter of the Registrable Securities, their officers, affiliates, directors, partners, members and agents and each person who controls such Underwriter on substantially the same basis as that of the indemnification provided above in this Section 4.1.
4.2 Indemnification by Holders of Registrable Securities. Each selling holder of Registrable Securities will, in the event that any registration is being effected under the Securities Act pursuant to this Agreement of any Registrable Securities held by such selling holder, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors and officers and each Underwriter (if any), and each other selling holder and each other person, if any, who controls another selling holder or such Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act, against any losses, claims, judgments, damages or liabilities, whether joint or several, insofar as such losses, claims, judgments, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or allegedly untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement under which the sale of such Registrable Securities was registered under the Securities Act, any preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or summary prospectus contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, or arise out of or are based upon any omission or the alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statement therein not misleading, if the statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by such selling holder expressly for use therein, and shall reimburse the Company, its directors and officers, and each other selling holder or controlling person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by any of them in connection with investigation or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action. Each selling holder’s indemnification obligations hereunder shall be several and not joint and shall be limited to the amount of any net proceeds actually received by such selling holder.
4.3 Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. Promptly after receipt by any person of any notice of any loss, claim, damage or liability or any action in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 4.1 or 4.2, such person (the “Indemnified Party”) shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against any other person for indemnification hereunder, notify such other person (the “Indemnifying Party”) in writing of the loss, claim, judgment, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the failure by the Indemnified Party to notify the Indemnifying Party shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party from any liability which the Indemnifying Party may have to such Indemnified Party hereunder, except and solely to the extent the Indemnifying Party is actually prejudiced by such failure. If the Indemnified Party is seeking indemnification with respect to any claim or action brought against the Indemnified Party, then the Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to participate in such claim or action, and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with all other Indemnifying Parties, to assume control of the defense thereof with counsel satisfactory to the Indemnified Party. After notice from the Indemnifying Party to the Indemnified Party of its election to assume control of the defense of such claim or action, the Indemnifying Party shall not be liable to the Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the Indemnified Party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however, that in any action in which both the Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party are named as defendants, the Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (but no more than one such separate counsel) to represent the Indemnified Party and its controlling persons who may be subject to liability arising out of any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought by the Indemnified Party against the Indemnifying Party, with the fees and expenses of such counsel to be paid by such Indemnifying Party if, based upon the written advice of counsel of such Indemnified Party, representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, consent to entry of judgment or effect any settlement of any claim or pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which the Indemnified Party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Party, unless such judgment or settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability arising out of such claim or proceeding.
4.4 Contribution.
4.4.1 If the indemnification provided for in the foregoing Sections 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 is unavailable to any Indemnified Party in respect of any loss, claim, damage, liability or action referred to herein, then each such Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such loss, claim, damage, liability or action in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnified Parties and the Indemnifying Parties in connection with the actions or omissions which resulted in such loss, claim, damage, liability or action, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of any Indemnified Party and any Indemnifying Party 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 such Indemnified Party or such Indemnifying Party and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
4.4.2 The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 4.4 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding Section 4.4.1.
4.4.3 The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Party as a result of any loss, claim, damage, liability or action referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 4.4, no holder of Registrable Securities shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the dollar amount of the net proceeds (after payment of any underwriting fees, discounts, commissions or taxes) actually received by such holder from the sale of Registrable Securities which gave rise to such contribution obligation. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) with respect to any action shall be entitled to contribution in such action from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
4.5 Survival. The indemnification provided for under this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Indemnified Party or any officer, director or controlling person of such Indemnified Party and shall survive the transfer of securities.
5. UNDERWRITING AND DISTRIBUTION.
5.1 Rule 144. The Company covenants that it shall file any reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and shall take such further action as the holders of Registrable Securities may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such holders to sell Registrable Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rule 144 under the Securities Act, as such Rules may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission.
6. MISCELLANEOUS.
6.1 Other Registration Rights. The Company represents and warrants that no person, other than the holders of the Registrable Securities, has any right to require the Company to register any shares of the Company’s capital stock for sale or to include shares of the Company’s capital stock in any registration filed by the Company for the sale of shares of capital stock for its own account or for the account of any other person. Further, the Company represents and warrants that this Agreement supersedes any other registration rights agreement or agreement with similar terms and conditions and in the event of a conflict between any such agreement or agreements and this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall prevail.
6.2 Assignment; No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement and the rights, duties and obligations of the Company hereunder may not be assigned or delegated by the Company in whole or in part. Prior to the expiration of the lockup restrictions relating to the Founder Shares and Private Warrants, as the case may be, no Investor may assign or delegate such Investor’s rights, duties or obligations under this Agreement, in whole or in part, except in connection with transfer of Registrable Securities by such Investor where such Permitted Transferee agrees to become bound by the transfer restrictions set forth in this Agreement. This Agreement and the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of each of the parties, to the permitted assigns of the Investors or holder of Registrable Securities or of any assignee of the Investors or holder of Registrable Securities. This Agreement is not intended to confer any rights or benefits on any persons that are not party hereto other than as expressly set forth in Article 4 and this Section 6.2.
6.3 Notices. All notices, demands, requests, consents, approvals or other communications (collectively, “Notices”) required or permitted to be given hereunder or which are given with respect to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be personally served, delivered by reputable air courier service with charges prepaid, or transmitted by hand delivery, telegram, telex or facsimile, addressed as set forth below, or to such other address as such party shall have specified most recently by written notice. Notice shall be deemed given on the date of service or transmission if personally served or transmitted by telegram, telex or facsimile; provided, that if such service or transmission is not on a business day or is after normal business hours, then such notice shall be deemed given on the next business day. Notice otherwise sent as provided herein shall be deemed given on the next business day following timely delivery of such notice to a reputable air courier service with an order for next-day delivery.
To the Company:
Northern Star Acquisition Corp.
c/o Graubard Miller
405 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10174
Attn: Chief Executive Officer
with a copy to:
Graubard Miller
The Chrysler Building
405 Lexington Avenue
New York NY 10174
Attn: David Alan Miller, Esq.
To an Investor, to the address set forth below such Investor’s name on Exhibit A hereto.
6.4 Severability. This Agreement shall be deemed severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision hereof shall not affect the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or of any other term or provision hereof. Furthermore, in lieu of any such invalid or unenforceable term or provision, the parties hereto intend that there shall be added as a part of this Agreement a provision as similar in terms to such invalid or unenforceable provision as may be possible that is valid and enforceable.
6.5 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or email/pdf transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery thereof.
6.6 Entire Agreement. This Agreement (including all agreements entered into pursuant hereto and all certificates and instruments delivered pursuant hereto and thereto) constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior and contemporaneous agreements, representations, understandings, negotiations and discussions between the parties, whether oral or written.
6.7 Modifications and Amendments. No amendment, modification or termination of this Agreement shall be binding upon any party unless executed in writing by such party.
6.8 Titles and Headings. Titles and headings of sections of this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction of any provision of this Agreement.
6.9 Waivers and Extensions. Any party to this Agreement may waive any right, breach or default which such party has the right to waive, provided that such waiver will not be effective against the waiving party unless it is in writing, is signed by such party, and specifically refers to this Agreement. Waivers may be made in advance or after the right waived has arisen or the breach or default waived has occurred. Any waiver may be conditional. No waiver of any breach of any agreement or provision herein contained shall be deemed a waiver of any preceding or succeeding breach thereof nor of any other agreement or provision herein contained. No waiver or extension of time for performance of any obligations or acts shall be deemed a waiver or extension of the time for performance of any other obligations or acts.
6.10 Remedies Cumulative. In the event that the Company fails to observe or perform any covenant or agreement to be observed or performed under this Agreement, the Investor or any other holder of Registrable Securities may proceed to protect and enforce its rights by suit in equity or action at law, whether for specific performance of any term contained in this Agreement or for an injunction against the breach of any such term or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this Agreement or to enforce any other legal or equitable right, or to take any one or more of such actions, without being required to post a bond. None of the rights, powers or remedies conferred under this Agreement shall be mutually exclusive, and each such right, power or remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to any other right, power or remedy, whether conferred by this Agreement or now or hereafter available at law, in equity, by statute or otherwise.
6.11 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, interpreted under, and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed within the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice-of-law provisions thereof that would compel the application of the substantive laws of any other jurisdiction. The Company irrevocably submits to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of any New York State or United States Federal court sitting in The City of New York, Borough of Manhattan, over any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement. The Company irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection that they may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such a court and any claim that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such a court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
6.12 Waiver of Trial by Jury. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES THE RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, SUIT, COUNTERCLAIM OR OTHER PROCEEDING (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF, CONNECTED WITH OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, OR THE ACTIONS OF THE INVESTOR IN THE NEGOTIATION, ADMINISTRATION, PERFORMANCE OR ENFORCEMENT HEREOF.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Registration Rights Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.
| COMPANY: | ||
| NORTHERN STAR ACQUISITION CORP. | ||
| By: | /s/ Joanna Coles | |
| Name: Joanna Coles | ||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
| INVESTORS: | ||
| NORTHERN STAR SPONSOR LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Jonathan J. Ledecky | |
| Name: Jonathan J. Ledecky | ||
| Title: Managing Member | ||
| /s/ James H.R. Brady | ||
| James H. R. Brady | ||
| /s/ Jonathan Mildenhall | ||
| Jonathan Mildenhall | ||
| /s/ Debora Spar | ||
| Debora Spar | ||
| /s/ Justine Cheng | ||
| Justine Cheng | ||
[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]
Exhibit 10.3
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Agreement, made and entered into effective as of November 10, 2020 (“Agreement”), by and between Northern Star Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Company”), and the undersigned indemnitee (“Indemnitee”).
WHEREAS, the adoption of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and other laws, rules and regulations being promulgated have increased the potential for liability of officers and directors; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (“Board”) has determined that the ability to attract and retain such persons is in the best interests of the Company’s stockholders; and
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company to obligate itself contractually to indemnify such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law so that such persons will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be adequately indemnified; and
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of Article VII of the Bylaws of the Company, and Article Eighth of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto and shall neither be deemed to be a substitute therefor nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder; and
WHEREAS, Indemnitee is willing to serve on behalf of the Company on the condition that he be indemnified according to the terms of this Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
1. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement:
1.1 “Change in Control” means a change in control of the Company occurring after the date hereof of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or in response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement provided, however, that, without limitation, such a Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred if after the date hereof (i) any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act), other than a person who is an officer or director of the Company on the date hereof (and any of such person’s affiliates), is or becomes “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company without the prior approval of at least two-thirds of the members of the Board in office immediately prior to such person attaining such percentage interest; (ii) the Company is a party to a merger, consolidation, sale of assets or other reorganization, or a proxy contest, as a consequence of which (A) members of the Board in office immediately prior to such transaction or event constitute less than a majority of the Board thereafter or (B) the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such transaction do not continue to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted
into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the surviving entity outstanding immediately after such transaction with the power to elect at least a majority of the board of directors or other governing body of such surviving entity; or (iii) during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the Board (including for this purpose any new director whose election or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors at the beginning of such period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board.
1.2 “Corporate Status” means the status of a person who is or was a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company. In addition, service at the actual request of the Company, for purposes of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be deemed to be serving or to have served at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of any other enterprise if Indemnitee is or was serving as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of such enterprise and (A) such enterprise is or at the time of such service was an affiliate of the Company, (B) such enterprise is or at the time of such service was an employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or an affiliate of the Company or (C) the Company or an affiliate of the Company directly or indirectly caused Indemnitee to be nominated, elected, appointed, designated, employed, engaged or selected to serve in such capacity
1.3 “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
1.4 “Expenses” means all reasonable attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs (including trial and appeals), transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, federal, state, local, or foreign taxes imposed as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, appealing, preparing to appeal, investigating, or being or preparing to be a witness in a Proceeding.
1.5 “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any other matter material to either such party, or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” does not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. Except as provided in the first sentence of Section 9.3 hereof, Independent Counsel shall be selected by (a) the Disinterested Directors or (b) a committee of the Board consisting of two or more Disinterested Directors or if (a) and (b) above are not possible, then by a majority of the full Board.
1.6 “Proceeding” means any action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, administrative hearing or any other proceeding, , whether conducted by or on behalf of the Company or any other party, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, except one initiated by an Indemnitee pursuant to Section 11 of this Agreement to enforce his rights under this Agreement.
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2. Services by Indemnitee.
Indemnitee agrees to serve as a director, officer or employee of the Company. Indemnitee may at any time and for any reason resign from such position (subject to any other contractual obligation or any obligation imposed by operation of law).
3. Indemnification—General.
Except with respect to actions finally adjudicated to be a result of actual fraud or intentional misconduct of the Indemnitee, the Company shall indemnify, and, subject to Section 26 hereof, advance Expenses to, Indemnitee as provided in this Agreement to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law in effect on the date hereof and to such greater extent as any amendment to or interpretation of applicable law may thereafter from time to time permit. The rights of Indemnitee provided under the preceding sentence shall include, but shall not be limited to, the rights set forth in the other Sections of this Agreement.
4. Proceedings Other Than Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company.
Indemnitee shall be entitled to the rights of indemnification provided in this Agreement if, by reason of his Corporate Status, he is, was or is threatened to be made, a party to any threatened, pending or completed Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company. Pursuant to this Agreement, subject to Section 26 hereof, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with any such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful.
5. Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company.
Indemnitee shall be entitled to the rights of indemnification provided in this Agreement if, by reason of his Corporate Status, he was or is threatened to be made, a party to any threatened, pending or completed Proceeding brought by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Agreement, subject to Section 26 hereof, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against amounts paid in settlement and Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with the defense or settlement of any such Proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no indemnification under this paragraph shall be made in respect of (1) a threatened or pending Proceeding which is settled or otherwise disposed of, or (2) any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the court in which such Proceeding shall have been brought, was brought or is pending, shall determine, upon application, that Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such portion of the settlement amount and Expenses as the court deems proper.
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6. Indemnification for Expenses of Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement except for Section 26 hereof, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his Corporate Status, a party to and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding, he shall be indemnified against all Expenses (and, when eligible hereunder, amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses (and, when eligible hereunder, amount paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “successful, on the merits or otherwise,” includes, but is not limited to, (i) any termination, withdrawal, or dismissal (with or without prejudice) of any Proceeding against the Indemnitee without any express finding of liability or guilt against him, and (ii) the expiration of 90 days after the making of any claim or threat of a Proceeding without the institution of the same and without any promise or payment made to induce a settlement.
7. Indemnification for Expenses as a Witness.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement except for Section 26 hereof, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his Corporate Status, a witness in any Proceeding, he shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection therewith.
8. Advancement of Expenses and Other Amounts.
Subject to Section 26 hereof, the Company shall advance all Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and, when eligible hereunder, amounts paid in settlement, incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding within thirty (30) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements from Indemnitee requesting such advance or advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of such Proceeding. Such statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement, incurred by Indemnitee and shall include or be preceded or accompanied by an agreement by or on behalf of Indemnitee to repay any Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified against such Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and, when eligible hereunder, amounts paid in settlement. In connection with any request for advancement of Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement, Indemnitee shall not be required to provide any documentation or information to the extent that the provision thereof would undermine or otherwise jeopardize attorney-client privilege. The Company’s obligation in respect of the advancement of Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement in connection with a criminal Proceeding in which Indemnitee is a defendant shall terminate at such time as Indemnitee pleads guilty or is convicted after trial and such conviction becomes final and no longer subject to appeal. Advances shall be unsecured and interest free. Advances shall be made without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay such amounts and without regard to Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to indemnification under the other provisions of this Agreement.
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9. Procedure for Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification.
9.1 To obtain indemnification under this Agreement in connection with any Proceeding, and for the duration thereof, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification. The Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of any such request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification.
9.2 Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 9.1 hereof, a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in such case: (i) if a Change in Control shall have occurred, by Independent Counsel (unless Indemnitee shall request that such determination be made by the Board or the stockholders, in which case in the manner provided for in clauses (ii) or (iii) of this Section 9.2) in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee; (ii) if a Change of Control shall not have occurred, at the election of the Company, (A) by the Board by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors, or (B) if a quorum of the Board consisting of Disinterested Directors is not obtainable, by a majority of a committee of the Board consisting of two or more Disinterested Directors, or (C) by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee, or (D) by the stockholders of the Company, by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of stockholders who are not parties to the proceeding, or if no such quorum is obtainable, by a majority vote of stockholders who are not parties to such proceeding; or (iii) as provided in Section 10.2 of this Agreement. If it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
9.3 If a Change of Control shall have occurred, Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Board), and Indemnitee (or the Board, as the case may be) shall give written notice to the other party advising it of the identity of Independent Counsel so selected. In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within seven days after such written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection. Such objection may be asserted only on the ground that Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 1 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. If such written objection is made, Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until a court has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within 20 days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 9.1 hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition a court of competent jurisdiction, for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of
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Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by such court or by such other person as such court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom an objection is so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 9.2 hereof. The Company shall pay any and all reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel incurred by such Independent Counsel in connection with its actions pursuant to this Agreement, and the Company shall pay all reasonable fees and expenses incident to the procedures of this Section 9.3, regardless of the manner in which such Independent Counsel was selected or appointed. Upon the due commencement date of any judicial proceeding pursuant to Section 11.1(iii) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
10. Presumptions and Effects of Certain Proceedings.
10.1 In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person or persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 9.1 of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption by clear and convincing evidence in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption.
10.2 If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 9 of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within sixty (60) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that such 60-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional thirty (30) days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith require(s) such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information relating thereto; and provided, further, however, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 10.2 shall not apply (i) if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by the stockholders pursuant to Section 9.2 of this Agreement and if (A) within 15 days after receipt by the Company of the request for such determination the Board has resolved to submit such determination to the stockholders for their consideration at an annual meeting thereof to be held within 75 days after such receipt and such determination is made thereat, or (B) a special meeting of stockholders is called within 15 days after such receipt for the purpose of making such determination, such meeting is held for such purpose within 60 days after having been so called and such determination is made thereat, or (ii) if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 9.2 of this Agreement. In connection with each meeting at which a stockholder determination will be made, the Company shall solicit proxies that expressly include a proposal to indemnify or reimburse the Indemnitee. The Company shall afford the Indemnitee ample opportunity to present evidence of the facts upon which the Indemnitee relies for indemnification in any Company proxy statement relating to such stockholder determination. Subject to the fiduciary duties of its members under applicable law, the Board will not recommend against indemnification or reimbursement in any proxy statement relating to the proposal to indemnify or reimburse the Indemnitee.
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10.3 The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.
10.4 Reliance as Safe Harbor.
For purposes of this Agreement, the Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, to have had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful, if his action is based on (i) the records or books of account of the Company, or another enterprise, including financial statements, (ii) information supplied to him by the officers of the Company or another enterprise in the course of their duties, (iii) the advice of legal counsel for the Company or another enterprise, or of an independent certified public accountant or an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Company or another enterprise. The term “another enterprise” as used in this Section shall mean any other corporation or any partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which the Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent. The provisions of this Section shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which the Indemnitee may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth herein. Whether or not the foregoing provisions of this Section 10.4 are satisfied, it shall in any event be presumed that Indemnitee has at all times acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, to have had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence.
11. Remedies of Indemnitee.
11.1 In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement, (iii) the determination of indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 9.2 of this Agreement and such determination shall not have been made and delivered in a written opinion within sixty (60) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 7 of this Agreement within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, or (v) payment of indemnification is not made within thirty (30) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or such determination is deemed to have been made pursuant to Section 9 or 10 of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication in an appropriate court of the State of New York, or in any other court of competent jurisdiction, of his entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines or, when eligible hereunder, amounts paid in settlement. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication.
11.2 In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination.
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11.3 If a determination shall have been made or deemed to have been made pursuant to Section 9 or 10 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
11.4 The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.
11.5 In the event that Indemnitee, pursuant to this Section, seeks a judicial adjudication of his rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement or any other agreement, including any other indemnification, contribution or advancement agreement, or any provision of the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company now or hereafter in effect, or for recovery under directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, Indemnitee shall be entitled to recover from the Company, and shall be indemnified by the Company against, any and all expenses (of the kinds described in the definition of Expenses) actually and reasonably incurred by him in such judicial adjudication, but only if he prevails therein. If it shall be determined in such judicial adjudication that Indemnitee is entitled to receive less than all of the indemnification or advancement of expenses sought, the expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such judicial adjudication shall be appropriately prorated. In addition, the Company shall, if so requested by Indemnitee, advance the foregoing expenses to Indemnitee, subject to and in accordance with Section 8.
12. Procedure Regarding Indemnification.
With respect to any Proceedings, the Indemnitee, prior to taking any action with respect to such Proceeding, shall consult with the Company as to the procedure to be followed in defending, settling, or compromising the Proceeding and may not consent to any settlement or compromise of the Proceeding without the written consent of the Company (which consent may not be unreasonably withheld or delayed). The Company shall be entitled to participate in defending, settling or compromising any Proceeding and to assume the defense of such Proceeding with counsel of its choice and shall assume such defense if requested by the Indemnitee. Notwithstanding the election by, or obligation of, the Company to assume the defense of a Proceeding, the Indemnitee shall have the right to participate in the defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel of Indemnitee’s choice, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnitee unless (i) the employment of such counsel has been authorized in writing by the Company, or (ii) the Indemnitee has reasonably concluded that there may be defenses available to him which are different from or additional to those available to the Company (in which latter case the Company shall not have the right to direct the defense of such Proceeding on behalf of the Indemnitee), in either of which events the fees and expenses of not more than one additional firm of attorneys selected by the Indemnitee shall be borne by the Company. If the Company assumes the defense of a Proceeding, then counsel for the Company and Indemnitee shall keep Indemnitee reasonably informed of the status of the Proceeding and promptly send to Indemnitee copies of all documents filed or produced in the Proceeding, and the Company shall not compromise or settle any such Proceeding without the written consent of the Indemnitee (which consent may not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) if the relief provided shall be other than monetary damages and shall promptly notify the Indemnitee of any settlement and the amount thereof.
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13. Non-Exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Subrogation; Contribution.
13.1 The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or any provision hereof shall be effective as to any Indemnitee with respect to any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal.
13.2 To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, agents or fiduciaries of the Company or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise which such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary under such policy or policies.
13.3 In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are reasonably necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.
13.4 The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.
13.5 If a determination is made that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, after Indemnitee submits a written request therefor, under this Agreement, then in respect of any threatened, pending or completed Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liability with the Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), the Company shall contribute to the amount of Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement by the Indemnitee in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Indemnitee on the other hand from the transaction from which Proceeding arose, and (ii) the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Indemnitee on the other hand in connection with the events that resulted in such Expenses, judgments, fines or amounts paid in settlement, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Indemnitee on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent the circumstances resulting in such Expenses, judgments, fines or amounts paid in settlement. The Company agrees that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of allocation that does not take into account the foregoing equitable considerations. The determination as to the amount of the contribution, if any, shall be made by: (i) a court of competent jurisdiction upon the application of both the Indemnitee and the Company (if the Proceeding had been brought in, and final determination had been rendered by such court); (ii) the Board by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors; or (iii) Independent Counsel, if a quorum is not obtainable for purpose of (ii) above, or, even if obtainable, a quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs.
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14. Duration of Agreement.
This Agreement shall continue until and terminate upon the later of: (a) ten (10) years after the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as a director and/or officer of the Company, or (b) the final termination of all pending Proceedings in respect of which Indemnitee is granted rights of indemnification or advancement of Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines or amounts paid in settlement hereunder and or any proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 11 of this Agreement. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and his spouse, heirs, executors, personal representatives and administrators. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise) to all, substantially all, or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
15. Severability.
If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (b) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.
16. Entire Agreement.
This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Company and the Indemnitee with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements, understanding, negotiations and discussion, both written and oral, between the parties hereto with respect to such subject matter (the “Prior Agreements”); provided, however, that if this Agreement shall ever be held void or unenforceable for any reasons whatsoever, and is not reformed pursuant to Section 15 hereof, then (i) this Agreement shall not be deemed to have superseded any Prior Agreements; (ii) all of such Prior Agreements shall be deemed to be in full force and effect notwithstanding the execution of this Agreement; and (iii) the Indemnitee shall be entitled to maximum indemnification benefits provided under any Prior Agreements, as well as those provided under applicable law, the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company, a vote of stockholders or resolution of directors.
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17. Exception to Right of Indemnification or Advancement of Expenses.
17.1 Except as provided in Section 11.5, Indemnitee shall not be entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement under this Agreement with respect to any Proceeding, or any claim therein, brought or made by him against the Company.
17.2 Indemnitee shall not be entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses under this Agreement with respect to any Proceeding, or any claim therein, arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or Company similar successor statute.
18. Covenant Not to Sue; Limitation of Actions; Release of Claims.
No legal action shall be brought and no cause of action shall be asserted by or on behalf of the Company (or any of its subsidiaries) against the Indemnitee, his spouse, heirs, executors, personal representatives or administrators after the expiration of two (2) years from the date of accrual of such cause of action and any claim or cause of action of the Company (or any of its subsidiaries) shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the filing of a legal action within such two (2) year period; provided, however, that if any shorter period of limitation is otherwise applicable to any such cause of action, such shorter period shall govern.
19. Identical Counterparts.
This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.
20. Headings.
The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
21. Modification and Waiver.
No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
22. Notice by Indemnitee.
Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines or amounts paid in settlement covered hereunder. The failure to notify the Company on a timely basis shall not constitute a waiver of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement, except to the extent that such failure or delay (i) causes the amounts paid or to be paid by the Company to be greater than they otherwise would have been, (ii) adversely affects the Company’s ability to obtain for itself or Indemnitee coverage or proceeds under any insurance policy available to the Company or Indemnitee, or (iii) otherwise results in prejudice to the Company.
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23. Notices.
All notices, requests, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (i) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom such notice or other communication shall have been directed, or (ii) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed:
If to Indemnitee, to:
To be provided by Indemnitee.
If to the Company, to:
Northern Star Acquisition Corp.
c/o Graubard Miller
405 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10174
or to such other address or such other person as Indemnitee or the Company shall designate in writing in accordance with this Section, except that notices regarding changes in notices shall be effective only upon receipt.
24. Governing Law.
The parties agree that this Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and performed in that state without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of laws. The Company and Indemnitee each hereby irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York and the federal courts within the State for all purposes in connection with any action or proceeding that arises out of or relates to this Agreement and agrees that any action instituted under this Agreement shall be brought only in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and any New York State court within that District.
25. Mutual Acknowledgment.
Both the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge that, in certain instances, Federal law or applicable public policy may prohibit the Company from indemnifying its directors and officers under this Agreement or otherwise. Indemnitee understands and acknowledges that the Company has undertaken or may be required in the future in certain circumstances to undertake with the Securities and Exchange Commission to submit the question of indemnification to a court for a determination of the Company’s right under public policy to indemnify Indemnitee.
26. Waiver of Claims to Trust Account.
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Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Indemnitee hereby agrees that it does not have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind (each, a “Claim”) in or to any monies in the trust account established in connection with the Company’s initial public offering for the benefit of the Company and holders of shares issued in such offering, and hereby waives any Claim it may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to the Company and will not seek recourse against such trust account for any reason whatsoever.
27. Miscellaneous.
Use of the masculine pronoun shall be deemed to include usage of the feminine pronoun where appropriate.
[Signature Page Follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on the day and year first above written.
| NORTHERN STAR ACQUISITION CORP. | ||
| By: | /s/ Joanna Coles | |
| Name: Joanna Coles | ||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
| INDEMNITEE | ||
[Signature Page to Indemnification Agreement]
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Exhibit 99.1
Northern Star Acquisition Corp. Announces Pricing of
$250,000,000 Initial Public Offering
November 10, 2020 06:31 PM Eastern Standard Time
NEW YORK—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Northern Star Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) announced today that it priced its initial public offering of 25,000,000 units at $10.00 per unit. The units will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) and will begin trading tomorrow, Wednesday, November 11, 2020, under the ticker symbol “STIC.U”. Each unit consists of one share of the Company’s Class A common stock and one-third of one redeemable warrant, each whole warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one share of Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment. Only whole warrants are exercisable and will trade. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, shares of the Class A common stock and redeemable warrants are expected to be listed on the NYSE under the symbols “STIC” and “STIC WS,” respectively.
Northern Star Acquisition Corp. is a blank check company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. While the Company may pursue an initial target business in any stage of its corporate evolution or in any industry or sector, it initially intends to focus its search on target businesses primarily in the beauty, wellness, self-care, fashion, e-commerce, subscription and digital-media sectors. The Company is led by Joanna Coles, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, and Jonathan Ledecky, President and Chief Operating Officer.
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. is acting as the sole book running manager for the offering. The Company has granted the underwriter a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 3,750,000 units at the initial public offering price to cover over-allotments, if any.
The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the prospectus may be obtained, when available, from Citigroup Global Markets Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, New York 11717, Telephone: 1-800-831-9146.
Registration statements relating to these securities have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and became effective on November 10, 2020. 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 an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements,” including with respect to the proposed initial public offering and the anticipated use of net proceeds. No assurance can be given that the offering discussed above will be completed on the terms described, or at all, or that the net proceeds of the offering will be used as indicated. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s registration statement and preliminary prospectus for the offering filed with the SEC. Copies are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.
Contacts
Investor Contact
Melissa Calandruccio
ICR, Inc.
646-277-1273
Media Contact
Jonathan Gasthalter/Nathaniel Garnick
Gasthalter & Co.
(212) 257-4170
northernstar@gasthalter.com