CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Ltd 6-K, filed Apr 23, 2024
CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Ltd (CDTG)
About this 6-K
CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Ltd filed this 6-K on April 23, 2024.
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 UNDER THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the month of April, 2024
Commission File Number 001-42007
CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited
(Translation of registrant’s name into English)
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C1, 4th Floor, Building 1, Financial Base, No. 8 Kefa Road Nanshan District, Shenzhen, China 518057 (Address of principal executive office) | ||
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F. Form 20-F ☒ Form 40-F ☐
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): ☐
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security holders.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7):☐
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted to furnish a report or other document that the registrant foreign private issuer must furnish and make public under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the registrant is incorporated, domiciled or legally organized (the registrant’s “home country”), or under the rules of the home country exchange on which the registrant’s securities are traded, as long as the report or other document is not a press release, is not required to be and has not been distributed to the registrant’s security holders, and, if discussing a material event, has already been the subject of a Form 6-K submission or other Commission filing on EDGAR
On April 22, 2024, CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited (the “Company”) completed the initial public offering (“Initial Public Offering”) of 1,500,000 ordinary shares at an initial public offering price of $4.00 per share, before underwriting discounts and commissions, pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement between the Company and WestPark Capital, Inc., as representative of the several underwriters (the “Underwriters”), a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 1.1. The Company also granted the Underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 225,000 ordinary shares at the Initial Public Offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions, and issued a warrant to WestPark Capital, Inc. to purchase up to 150,000 ordinary shares at $4.80 per share, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 4.1. The Company, WestPark Capital, Inc. and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company also entered into an Indemnification Escrow Agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.01.
A copy of the press release announcing the pricing of the Initial Public Offering is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference, and a copy of the press release announcing the closing of the Initial Public Offering is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.2 and is incorporated herein by reference.
SIGNATURES
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, thereunto duly authorized.
| Date: April 23, 2024 | ||
| CDT Environmental Technology Investment | ||
| Holdings Limited | ||
| By: | /s/ Yunwu Li | |
| Name: Yunwu Li | ||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer and | ||
| Chairman of the Board of Directors | ||
EXHIBIT 1.1
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
April 17, 2024
WestPark Capital, Inc.
1900 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 310
Los Angeles, CA 90067
As Representative of the Underwriters named on Annex A hereto
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited, a company limited by shares incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “Company”), hereby confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with the several underwriters (such underwriters, for whom WestPark Capital, Inc. is acting as representative (in such capacity, the “Representative,” if there are no underwriters other than the Representative, references to multiple underwriters shall be disregarded and the term Representative as used herein shall have the same meaning as underwriter, the “Underwriters” and each an “Underwriter”) to issue and sell to the Underwriters an aggregate of 1,500,000 ordinary shares, $0.0025 par value per share (“Ordinary Shares”), of the Company (the “Firm Shares”). The Company has also granted to the Underwriters an option (the “Over-allotment Option”) to purchase up to 225,000 additional Ordinary Shares, on the terms and for the purposes set forth in Section 1(b) hereof (the “Option Shares”). The Firm Shares and any Option Shares purchased pursuant to this Agreement are herein collectively called the “Securities.” The offering and sale of securities contemplated by this Agreement is referred to herein as the “Offering.”
(1) Purchase of Securities/Consideration.
a. Firm Shares. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, an aggregate of 1,500,000 Firm Shares at a purchase price of $4.00 per share ($3.68 per share net of discount and commissions). The Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase from the Company the Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names on Annex A attached hereto and made a part hereof.
b. Option Shares. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants to the several Underwriters an option, severally and not jointly, to purchase all or any portion of the Option Shares at the same purchase price as the Firm Shares. The option granted hereunder may be exercised in whole or in part at any time (but not more than once) within 45 days after the date of the Prospectus (as defined below) upon notice (confirmed in writing) by the Representative to the Company setting forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the Underwriters are exercising the option and the date and time, as determined by the Representative, when the Option Shares are to be delivered, but in no event earlier than the First Closing Date (as defined below) nor earlier than the second Business Day (as defined below) or later than the tenth Business Day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised. The number of Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the same percentage of the total number of Option Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters as the number of Firm Shares to be purchased by such Underwriter is of the total number of Firm Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters, as adjusted by the Representative in such manner as the Representative deems advisable to avoid fractional shares. No Option Shares shall be sold and delivered unless the Firm Shares previously have been, or simultaneously are, sold and delivered.
c. Commission and Expenses. In consideration of the services to be provided hereunder, the Company shall pay to the Underwriters or their respective designees their pro rata portion (based on the number of Securities purchased) of an underwriting discount equal to eight percent (8%) of the public offering price on the securities being offered (the “Underwriting Fee”). In addition, the Company shall reimburse the Representative for certain out-of-pocket accountable expenses, as set forth in Section 4(i), which reimbursement shall be reduced by any Advances (as defined below) previously paid to the Representative. To the extent that the Underwriters’ incurred expenses are less than the Advances previously paid, the Underwriters will return to the Company that portion of the Advances not offset by out-of-pocket accountable expenses.
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d. Representative’s Warrants. The Company hereby agrees to issue to the Representative (and/or its designees) on the First Closing Date, warrants to purchase such number of Ordinary Shares equal to ten percent (10%) of the Firm Shares issued at such Closing (the “Representative’s Warrants”). The Representative’s Warrants may be exercised by the payment of cash or via cashless exercise, shall be exercisable for a period of five years from the Effective Date (as defined below) of the Registration Statement (as defined below) and will terminate on the fifth anniversary of the Effective Date of the Registration Statement. The exercise price of the Representative’s Warrants is equal to one hundred and twenty percent (120%) of the public offering price of a Security. The Representative’s Warrants and the Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Representative’s Warrants will be deemed compensation by FINRA (as defined below), and therefore will be subject to FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1). In accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1), neither the Representative’s Warrants nor any of the Ordinary Shares issued upon exercise of the Representative’s Warrants may be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of such securities by any person, for a period of 180 days beginning on the date of commencement of sales of the Offering, subject to certain exceptions as set forth in FINRA Rule 5110(e)(2).
(2) Delivery and Payment.
a. Delivery of and Payment for Securities. Delivery of and payment for the Firm Shares shall be made at 10:00 A.M., Eastern time, on April 22, 2024 or at such other time as shall be agreed upon in writing by the Representative and the Company, and, with respect to the Option Shares, 10:00 A.M., Eastern time, on the date specified by the Representative in the written notice given by the Representative of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Option Shares, or at such other time as shall be agreed upon in writing by the Representative and the Company. The hour and date of delivery of and payment for the Firm Shares is called the “First Closing Date,” and the time and date for delivery of the Option Shares, if not the First Closing Date, is called a “Second Closing Date,” and each such closing of the payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of the Securities is referred to herein as a “Closing.” Each Closing shall be at the offices of the Representative or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, and each Closing may be undertaken by remote electronic exchange of Closing documentation. Payment for the Securities shall be made on the applicable Closing Date by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds upon delivery to the Representative of the Securities through the full fast transfer facilities of the Depository Trust Company (the “DTC”) for the account of the Underwriters. The Securities shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representative may request in writing at least two Business Days prior to the applicable Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Securities to be purchased on such Closing Date except upon tender of payment by the Representative for all such Securities.
b. Escrow Agreement. Concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company, the Representative and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as escrow agent (the “Escrow Agent”), shall enter into an escrow agreement (the “Escrow Agreement”), pursuant to which $600,000 in proceeds from the Offering shall be deposited by the Company at Closing in an escrow account (the “Escrow Account”). All remaining funds in the Escrow Account that are not subject to an indemnification claim as of the 24-month period following the First Closing Date will be returned to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Escrow Agreement. The Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of the Escrow Agent.
(3) Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the Underwriters that, as of the date hereof and as of the First Closing Date and the Second Closing Date (as if made at such Closing Date):
a. Filing of Registration Statement. The Company has filed with the Commission a registration statement, and an amendment or amendments thereto, on Form F-1 (File No. 333-252127), including any related prospectus or prospectuses, for the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act, which registration statement and amendment or amendments have been prepared by the Company in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act. Except as the context may otherwise require, such registration statement, as amended, on file with the Commission at the time the registration statement became effective (including the Preliminary Prospectus included in the registration statement, financial statements, schedules, exhibits and all other documents filed as a part thereof or incorporated therein and all information deemed to be a part thereof as of the Effective Date pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A of the Securities Act (the “Rule 430A Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement.” If the Company files any registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act, then after such filing, the term “Registration Statement” shall include such registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b). The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission.
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Each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted the Rule 430A Information that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, is herein called a “Preliminary Prospectus.” The Preliminary Prospectus, subject to completion and filed with the Commission on March 22, 2024, that was included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below) is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus.” The final prospectus in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in the Offering is hereinafter called the “Prospectus.” Any reference to the “most recent Preliminary Prospectus” shall be deemed to refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in the Registration Statement.
For purposes of this Agreement:
“Applicable Time” means 7:30 p.m., Eastern Time, on April 17, 2024.
“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York.
“Commission” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Effective Date” means the date and time that the Registration Statement became effective.
“Execution Time” means the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties to this Agreement.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act (“Rule 433”), including any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) relating to the Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the Offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).
“Marketing Materials” means written roadshow materials prepared by or on behalf of the Company and used or referred to by the Company or with the Company’s express consent.
“Offering” means the offering and sale of the Securities.
“Pricing Disclosure Package” means the Pricing Prospectus, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses set forth on Schedule II and the information included on Schedule I hereto, all considered together.
“Registration Statement” means the registration statement referred to in Section 3(a) hereof including exhibits and financial statements and any prospectus supplement relating to the Securities that is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and deemed part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430A, as amended, on the Effective Date and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto becomes effective prior to the First Closing Date, shall also mean such registration statement as so amended.
“Rule 158,” “Rule 164,” “Rule 172,” “Rule 405,” “Rule 424,” “Rule 430A,” “Rule 430B” and “Rule 433” refer to such rules under the Securities Act.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
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b. Disclosures in Registration Statement.
i. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act. Each Preliminary Prospectus, including the prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment or supplement thereto, and the Prospectus, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act. Each Preliminary Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this Offering and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”), except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T;
ii. Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at the time each part thereto became effective pursuant to the Securities Act, as of the date of this Agreement, at the First Closing Date or at the Second Closing Date, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided however that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements made or statements omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect to the Underwriters by the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto. The parties acknowledge and agree that such information provided by or on behalf of the Underwriters consists solely of (i) the name of the Underwriters contained on the cover page of the Pricing Prospectus and Prospectus and (ii) the sub-sections titled “Discounts and Expenses”, “Representative’s Warrants”, “Right of First Refusal”, “Indemnification; Indemnification Escrow”, “Lock-Up Agreements”, “Pricing of the Offering”, “Electronic Offer, Sale and Distribution of Securities”, “Price Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids”, “Passive Market Making”, “Potential Conflicts of Interest”, “Other Relationships”, “No Sales of Similar Securities”, and “Selling Restrictions”, in each case under the caption “Underwriting” in the Prospectus (the “Underwriter Information”);
iii. The Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, as of the date of this Agreement, and at the First Closing Date and the Second Closing Date, did not, does not and will not include an 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 this representation and warranty shall not apply to the Underwriter Information. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Prospectus as of the Applicable Time, did not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to the Underwriter Information; and
iv. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto, as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), or at the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to the Underwriter Information.
c. Disclosure of Agreements. The agreements and documents described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained therein and there are no agreements or other documents required by the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement, that have not been so described or filed. Each agreement or other instrument (however characterized or described) to which any of the Company or its Subsidiaries (as defined below) is a party or by which any of them is or may be bound or affected and (i) that is referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or (ii) that is material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, has been duly authorized and validly executed by the Company or a Subsidiary, as applicable, is in full force and effect in all material respects and is enforceable against the Company or such Subsidiary, as applicable, and, to the Company’s knowledge, the other parties thereto, in accordance with its terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
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reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. None of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by any of the Company or its Subsidiaries, and neither the Company or such Subsidiary, as applicable, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party is in default thereunder and, to the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default thereunder. To the best of the Company’s knowledge, performance by the Company or a Subsidiary, as applicable, of such agreements or instruments will not result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental authority, agency or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or its Subsidiaries or any of their respective assets or businesses, including those relating to environmental laws and regulations, except to the extent that the violation would not result in a Material Adverse Change (as defined below).
d. Good Standing. The Company has been duly formed, is validly existing as a company limited by shares in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Change.
e. Subsidiaries. Each of the Company’s direct and indirect subsidiaries (each a “Subsidiary” and collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been identified on Schedule III hereto. Each of the Subsidiaries has been duly formed, is validly existing as an entity in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; all of the outstanding equity interests of each Subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, are fully paid and non-assessable and, except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims. None of the outstanding share capital or equity interest in any Subsidiary was issued in violation of preemptive or similar rights of any security holder of such Subsidiary. All of the constitutive or organizational documents of each of the Subsidiaries comply with the requirements of applicable laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization and are in full force and effect. Apart from the Subsidiaries, the Company has no direct or indirect subsidiaries or any other company over which it has direct or indirect effective control, except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
g. Prior Securities Transactions. 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, except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Preliminary Prospectus.
h. Regulations.
i. The disclosures in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus concerning the effects of federal, state, local and all foreign regulation on the Offering and the Company’s business as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects and no other such regulations are required to be disclosed pursuant to the Securities Act in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus which are not so disclosed.
ii. Except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has complied, and has taken all steps to ensure compliance, in material respects, by each of its shareholders, directors and officers that is, or is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, a PRC resident or citizen with any applicable rules and regulations of the relevant PRC government agencies in effect on the applicable Closing Date (including but not limited to the Ministry of Commerce, the National Development and Reform Commission, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (“CSRC”) and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange) (the “SAFE”) relating to overseas investment by PRC residents and citizens (the “PRC Overseas Investment and Listing Regulations”), including, requesting each such person that is, or is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, a PRC resident or citizen to complete any registration and other procedures required under applicable PRC Overseas Investment and Listing Regulations (including any applicable rules and regulations of the SAFE).
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iii. The Company is aware of and has been advised as to the content of the Provisions on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors and any official clarifications, guidance, interpretations, implementation rules, revisions in connection with or related thereto in effect on the applicable Closing Date (the “PRC Mergers and Acquisitions Rules”) jointly promulgated by the Ministry of Commerce, the State Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, the State Tax Administration, the State Administration of Industry and Commerce, the CSRC and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on August 8, 2006, including the provisions thereof which purport to require offshore special purpose entities formed for listing purposes and controlled directly or indirectly by PRC companies or individuals to obtain the approval of the CSRC prior to the listing and trading of their securities on an overseas stock exchange. The Company has received legal advice specifically with respect to the PRC Mergers and Acquisitions Rules from its PRC counsel, and the Company understands such legal advice. In addition, the Company has communicated such legal advice in full to each of its directors that signed the Registration Statement and each such director has confirmed that he or she understands such legal advice. The issuance and sale of the Securities, the listing and trading of the Securities on the Exchange (as defined below) and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Escrow Agreement and the Representative’s Warrants (A) are not and will not be, as of the date hereof or at the applicable Closing Date, as the case may be, adversely affected by the PRC Mergers and Acquisitions Rules and (B) do not require the prior approval of the CSRC, except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
i. Absence of Certain Events. Except as contemplated in the Pricing Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Pricing Disclosure Package, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions, or declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its share capital; and there has not been any change in the share capital (other than a change in the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares of the Company due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants or conversion of convertible securities), or any material change in the short-term or long-term debt (other than as a result of the conversion of convertible securities of the Company), or any issuance of options, warrants, convertible securities or other rights to purchase the share capital of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any material adverse change in the general affairs, condition (financial or otherwise), business, prospects, management, properties, operations or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole (“Material Adverse Change”), or any development which could reasonably be expected to result in any Material Adverse Change.
j. Independent Accountants. Wei, Wei & Co., LLP (the “Auditor”), which has expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements and schedules filed as a part of the Registration Statement and included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is (i) an independent public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act, (ii) a registered public accounting firm (as defined in Section 2(a)(12) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”)) and (iii) not in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
k. Financial Statements, etc. The financial statements, including the notes thereto and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and fairly present the financial position and the results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries at the dates and for the periods to which they apply; and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), consistently applied throughout the periods involved (provided that unaudited interim financial statements are subject to year-end audit adjustments that are not expected to be material in the aggregate and do not contain all footnotes required by GAAP); and the supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the Securities Act. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission), if any, comply with Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act. Each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus discloses all material off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), and other relationships of the Company and its Subsidiaries with unconsolidated entities or other persons that may have a material current or future effect on the financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
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l. Capitalization; the Securities; Registration Rights. All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital equity of the Company, including the outstanding Ordinary Shares, are duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, have been issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws, were not issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or purchase securities that have not been waived in writing (a copy of which has been delivered to counsel to the Underwriters), and the holders thereof are not subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the Securities which may be sold hereunder by the Company have been duly authorized and, when issued, delivered and paid for in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will have been validly issued and will be fully paid and non-assessable, and the holders thereof will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; and the share capital of the Company, including the Ordinary Shares, conforms to the description thereof in the Registration Statement, in the Pricing Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus. Except as otherwise stated in the Registration Statement, in the Pricing Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus, (i) there are no pre-emptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, or any restriction upon the voting or transfer of, any Ordinary Shares pursuant to the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association (or other organizational documents) or any agreement or other instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound, (ii) neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Securities as contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights for or relating to the registration of any Ordinary Shares or other securities of the Company (collectively “Registration Rights”), and (iii) any person to whom the Company has granted Registration Rights has agreed not to exercise such rights until after the date that is 180 days after the date of the Prospectus. The Company has an authorized and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, in the Pricing Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus under the caption “Capitalization.” The Ordinary Shares (including the Securities) conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
m. Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements. Each of this Agreement, the Escrow Agreement and the Representative’s Warrants has been duly and validly authorized by the Company, and, when executed and delivered, will constitute, a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally; except (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.
n. No Conflicts, etc. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the Escrow Agreement and the Representative’s Warrants, the consummation by the Company of the transactions herein and therein contemplated and the compliance by the Company with the terms hereof and thereof do not and will not, with or without the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both: (i) result in a breach of, or conflict with any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation, modification, termination or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of any of the Company and the Subsidiaries pursuant to the terms of any agreement or instrument to which any of the Company or the Subsidiaries, as applicable, is a party; (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association (as the same may be amended or restated from time to time, the “Organizational Documents”); or (iii) violate any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental authority as of the date hereof, except in the case of (i) or (iii), such as would not result in a Material Adverse Change.
o. No Defaults; Violations. No default exists, and no event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default, in the due performance and observance of any term, covenant or condition of any license, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, note, loan or credit agreement, or any other agreement or instrument evidencing an obligation for borrowed money, or any other agreement or instrument to which any of the Company or its Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of the Company or its Subsidiaries may be bound or to which any of their respective properties or assets is subject. None of the Company or its Subsidiaries is (i) in violation of any term or provision of its constitutive or organizational documents, or (ii) in violation of any franchise, license, permit, applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment or decree of any governmental authority, except such as would not result in a Material Adverse Change.
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p. Corporate Power; Licenses; Consents.
i. Conduct of Business. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has all requisite corporate power and authority, and has all necessary authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, certificates and permits of and from all governmental regulatory officials and bodies that it needs as of the date hereof to conduct its business as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
ii. Transactions Contemplated Herein. The Company has all corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement, the Escrow Agreement and the Representative’s Warrants and to carry out the provisions and conditions hereof and thereof, and all consents, authorizations, approvals and orders required in connection therewith have been obtained. No consent, authorization or order of, and no filing with, any court, government agency or other body is required for the valid issuance, sale and delivery of the Securities and the consummation of the transactions and agreements contemplated by this Agreement, the Escrow Agreement and the Representative’s Warrants and as contemplated by the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except with respect to applicable federal and state securities laws and the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).
q. D&O Information. All information concerning the Company’s directors, officers and principal shareholders described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is true and correct in all material respects and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause such information to become materially inaccurate or incorrect.
r. Litigation; Governmental Proceedings. Except as set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus, there is not pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened or contemplated, any action, suit or proceeding (i) to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or (ii) which has as the subject thereof any officer or director of, any employee benefit plan sponsored or any property or assets owned or leased by, the Company or any Subsidiary before or by any court or governmental authority, or any arbitrator, which, individually or in the aggregate, might result in any Material Adverse Change, or would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Escrow Agreement and the Representative’s Warrants or which are otherwise material in the context of the sale of the Securities. There are no current or, to the knowledge of the Company, pending, legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings (x) to which the Company or any Subsidiary is subject or (y) which has as the subject thereof any officer or director of, any employee plan sponsored by or any property or assets owned or leased by, the Company or any Subsidiary, that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus and that have not been so described.
s. Insurance. Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, each of the Company and its Subsidiaries carries, or is covered by, insurance from reputable insurers in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of its business and the value of its properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries; all policies of insurance and any fidelity or surety bonds insuring any of the Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors to any material extent are in full force and effect; each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; there are no material claims by any of the Company or its Subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; none of the Company or its Subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and none of the Company or its Subsidiaries has reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Change.
t. Transactions Affecting Disclosure to FINRA.
i. Finder’s Fees. Except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, arrangements, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a finder’s, broker’s, agent’s, consulting or origination fee by the Company or any Subsidiary with respect to the sale of the Securities hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or any Subsidiary or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its shareholders that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA.
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ii. Payments Within Twelve Months. Except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, none of the Company or its Subsidiaries has made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to: (A) 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; (B) any FINRA member; or (C) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member, within the twelve months prior to the Effective Date, other than the payment to the Underwriters as provided hereunder in connection with the Offering.
iii. Use of Proceeds. None of the net proceeds of the Offering will be paid by the Company to any participating FINRA member or its affiliates, except as specifically authorized herein.
iv. FINRA Affiliation. There are no affiliations or associations between (A) any member of the FINRA and (B) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors or, to the knowledge of the Company, 5% or greater security holders or, to the knowledge of the Company, any beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities that were acquired at any time on or after the 180th day immediately preceding the date that the Registration Statement was initially filed with the Commission.
v. Information. All information provided by the Company in its FINRA questionnaire to the Underwriters’ counsel specifically for use by the Underwriters’ counsel in connection with its Public Offering System filings (and related disclosure) with FINRA is true, correct and complete in all material respects.
u. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or their respective affiliates, nor any director or officer, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee, agent or representative of the Company or of any of its Subsidiaries or their respective affiliates, has (A) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (B) taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any “government official” (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) to influence official action or secure an improper advantage; or (C) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit; and the Company and its Subsidiaries and their respective affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintain and will continue to maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representation and warranty contained herein.
v. Compliance with OFAC.
i. None of the Company or its Subsidiaries, nor any director, officer or employee thereof, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any agent, affiliate or representative of any of the Company or its Subsidiaries, is an individual or entity that is, or is owned or controlled by an individual or entity that is:
A. the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor
B. located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, Burma/Myanmar, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria) save except for Hong Kong.
ii. The Company will not, 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:
A. to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any individual or entity or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or
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B. in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any individual or entity (including any individual or entity participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).
iii. For the past five years, none of the Company or its Subsidiaries has knowingly engaged in, and is now knowingly engaged in, any dealings or transactions with any individual or entity, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.
w. Money Laundering Laws. None of the Company or its Subsidiaries, their respective affiliates nor any of their respective officers, directors, supervisors, managers, agents, or employees, has violated, the Company’s participation in the Offering will not violate, and the Company and its Subsidiaries have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure continued compliance with, each of the following laws: (A) anti-bribery laws, including but not limited to, any applicable law, rule, or regulation of any locality, including but not limited to any law, rule, or regulation promulgated to implement the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, signed December 17, 1997, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, the U.K. Bribery Act 2010, or any other law, rule or regulation of similar purposes and scope or (B) anti-money laundering laws, including but not limited to, applicable federal, state, international, foreign or other laws, regulations or government guidance regarding anti-money laundering, including, Title 18 US. Code section 1956 and 1957, the Patriot Act, the Bank Secrecy Act, and international anti-money laundering principles or procedures by an intergovernmental group or organization, such as the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering, of which the United States is a member and with which designation the United States representative to the group or organization continues to concur, all as amended, and any Executive order, directive, or regulation pursuant to the authority of any of the foregoing, or any orders or licenses issued thereunder.
x. Lock-Up Agreements. Schedule IV hereto contains a complete and accurate list of the Company’s officers, directors and certain beneficial owners of the Company’s outstanding Ordinary Shares (or securities convertible or exercisable into Ordinary Shares) (collectively, the “Lock-Up Parties”). The Company has caused each of the Lock-Up Parties to deliver to the Representative an executed Lock-Up Agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A-1 (for officers, directors and 5% or greater shareholders) or Exhibit A-2 for certain other shareholders (collectively, the “Lock-Up Agreement”), prior to the execution of this Agreement. The Company will enforce the terms of each Lock-Up Agreement and issue stop-transfer instructions to its transfer agent and registrar for the Ordinary Shares with respect to any transaction or contemplated transaction that would constitute a breach of or default under the applicable Lock-Up Agreement. If the Representative, in its sole discretion, agrees to release or waive the restrictions of any Lock-Up Agreement between an officer or director of the Company and the Representative and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three Business Days before the effective date of such release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by means of a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, issued through a major news service, at least two Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver.
y. Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that have not been described as required.
z. Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance. Except in each case as disclosed in the Registration Statement, in the Pricing Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus:
i. Disclosure Controls. To the extent required, the Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (including the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, the “Exchange Act”) and such controls and procedures are effective in ensuring that material information relating to the Company is made known to the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer. The Company has utilized such controls and procedures in preparing and evaluating the disclosures in the Registration Statement, in the Pricing Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus.
ii. Compliance. The Company is in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act applicable to it, and has implemented or will implement such programs and taken reasonable steps to ensure its future compliance (not later than the relevant statutory and regulatory deadlines therefor) with all of the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
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iii. Accounting Controls. To the extent required, the Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, in the Pricing Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and none of the Company, its board of directors and audit committee is aware of any “significant deficiencies” or “material weaknesses” (each as defined by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board) in its internal control over financial reporting, or any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees of the Company who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls; and since the end of the latest audited fiscal year, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company’s board of directors has, subject to the exceptions, cure periods and the phase-in periods specified in the applicable rules of the Exchange (“Exchange Rules”), validly appointed an audit committee to oversee internal accounting controls whose composition satisfies the applicable requirements of the Exchange Rules and the Company’s board of directors and/or the audit committee has adopted a charter that satisfies the requirements of the Exchange Rules.
aa. Investment Company Act. None of the Company or its Subsidiaries is or, after giving effect to the Offering and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will be, required to register as an “investment company,” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
bb. No Labor Disputes. No labor problem or dispute with the employees of any of the Company or its Subsidiaries exists or is threatened or imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or its Subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, that could result in a Material Adverse Change.
cc. Intellectual Property Rights. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries owns or possesses or has valid rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets and similar rights (“Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary for the conduct of its business as currently carried on and as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. No action or use by any of the Company or its Subsidiaries necessary for the conduct of its business as currently carried on and as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will involve or give rise to any infringement of, or license or similar fees for, any Intellectual Property Rights of others. None of the Company or its Subsidiaries has received any notice alleging any such infringement, fee or conflict with asserted Intellectual Property Rights of others. Except as would not result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change (A) to the knowledge of the Company, there is no infringement, misappropriation or violation by third parties of any of the Intellectual Property Rights owned by any of the Company or its Subsidiaries; (B) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the rights of any of the Company or its Subsidiaries in or to any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim, that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 3(cc), reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (C) the Intellectual Property Rights owned by each of the Company or its Subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Intellectual Property Rights licensed to any of the Company or its Subsidiaries have not been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, and there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 3(cc), reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (D) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that any of the Company or its Subsidiaries infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates any Intellectual Property Rights or other proprietary rights of others, the Company has not received any written notice of such claim and the Company is unaware of any other facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 3(cc), reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; and (E) to the Company’s knowledge, no employee of the Company or its Subsidiaries is in or has ever been in violation in any material respect of any term of any employment contract, patent disclosure agreement, invention assignment agreement, non-competition agreement,
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non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement or any restrictive covenant to or with a former employer where the basis of such violation relates to such employee’s employment with the Company or its Subsidiaries, or actions undertaken by the employee while employed with any of the Company or its Subsidiaries. To the Company’s knowledge, all material technical information developed by and belonging to any of the Company or its Subsidiaries which has not been patented has been kept confidential. None of the Company or its Subsidiaries is a party to or bound by any options, licenses or agreements with respect to the Intellectual Property Rights of any other person or entity that are required to be set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and are not described therein. The Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus contain in all material respects the same description of the matters set forth in the preceding sentence. None of the technology employed by any of the Company or its Subsidiaries has been obtained or is being used by any of them in violation of any material contractual obligation binding on any of the Company or its Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of their respective officers, directors or employees, or otherwise in material violation of the rights of any persons.
dd. Taxes. Except as would not result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Change (A) each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has filed all returns (as defined below) required to be filed with taxing authorities prior to the date hereof or has duly obtained extensions of time for the filing thereof; and (B) each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has paid all taxes (as defined below) shown as due on such returns that were filed and has paid all taxes imposed on or assessed against it. The provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements filed with or as part of the Registration Statement are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid taxes, whether or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such consolidated financial statements. No issues have been raised (and are currently pending) by any taxing authority in connection with any of the returns or taxes asserted as due from any of the Company or its Subsidiaries and no waivers of statutes of limitation with respect to the returns or collection of taxes have been given by or requested from any of the Company or its Subsidiaries. The term “taxes” means all federal, state, local, foreign and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments or charges of any kind whatever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts with respect thereto. The term “returns” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.
ee. ERISA and Employee Benefits Matters. None of the Company or its Subsidiaries maintains any “employee benefit plan” within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including any share purchase, share option, share-based severance, employment, change-in-control, medical, disability, fringe benefit, bonus, incentive, deferred compensation, employee loan and all other employee benefit plans, agreements, programs, policies or other arrangements, under which (i) any current or former employee, director or independent contractor has any present or future right to benefits and which are contributed to, sponsored by or maintained by any of the Company or its Subsidiaries or (ii) any of the Company or its Subsidiaries has had or has any present or future obligation or liability.
ff. Compliance with Laws. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries holds, and is operating in compliance in all material respects with, all franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, consents, certificates and orders of any governmental authority or self-regulatory body required for the conduct of its business and all such franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, consents, certifications and orders are valid and in full force and effect; and none of the Company or its Subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such franchise, grant, authorization, license, permit, easement, consent, certification or order or has reason to believe that any such franchise, grant, authorization, license, permit, easement, consent, certification or order will not be renewed in the ordinary course; and each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, regulations, orders and decrees.
gg. Ownership of Assets. Except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the properties held under lease by any of the Company or its Subsidiaries is held by it under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with only such exceptions with respect to any particular lease as do not interfere in any material respect with the conduct of the business of the Company or its Subsidiaries, as applicable.
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hh. Compliance with Environmental Laws. Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, none of the Company or its Subsidiaries is in violation of any statute, any rule, regulation, decision or order of any governmental authority or any court, domestic or foreign, relating to the use, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or relating to the protection or restoration of the environment or human exposure to hazardous or toxic substances (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), owns or operates any real property contaminated with any substance that is subject to any Environmental Laws, is liable for any off-site disposal or contamination pursuant to any Environmental Laws, or is subject to any claim relating to any Environmental Laws, which violation, contamination, liability or claim would, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change; and none of the Company or its Subsidiaries is aware of any pending investigation which might lead to such a claim. None of the Company or its Subsidiaries anticipates incurring any material capital expenditures relating to compliance with Environmental Laws.
ii. Compliance with Occupational Laws. Except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, each of the Company and its Subsidiaries (i) is in compliance, in all material respects, with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws, rules, regulations, treaties, statutes and codes promulgated by any and all governmental authorities relating to the protection of human health and safety in the workplace (“Occupational Laws”); (ii) has received all material permits, licenses or other approvals required of it under applicable Occupational Laws to conduct its business as currently conducted; and (iii) is in compliance, in all material respects, with all terms and conditions of such permit, license or approval. No action, proceeding, revocation proceeding, writ, injunction or claim is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against any of the Company or its Subsidiaries relating to Occupational Laws, and the Company does not have knowledge of any facts, circumstances or developments relating to its operations or cost accounting practices that could reasonably be expected to form the basis for or give rise to such actions, suits, investigations or proceedings.
jj. Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act) of any of the Securities and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.
kk. Business Arrangements. Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, none of the Company or its Subsidiaries has granted rights to develop, manufacture, produce, assemble, distribute, license, market or sell its products to any other person or is bound by any agreement that affects the exclusive right of any of the Company or its Subsidiaries to develop, manufacture, produce, assemble, distribute, license, market or sell its products.
ll. Industry Data. The statistical and market-related data included in each of the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate or represent the Company’s good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources. The Company has obtained all consents required for the inclusion of such statistical and market-related data in each of the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
mm. Forward-looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
nn. Emerging Growth Company. From the time of 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 (as defined below)) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities 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) of the Securities Act.
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oo. Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communications, other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the prior consent of the Representative with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Underwriters to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Underwriters 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 (as defined below) other than those listed on Schedule V 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 Securities Act. Any individual Written Testing-the-Waters Communication does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Pricing Disclosure Package, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, and when taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, did not contain 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.
pp. No Other Offering Materials. The Company has not distributed and will not distribute any prospectus or other offering material in connection with the Offering other than any Pricing Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or other materials permitted by the Securities Act to be distributed by the Company; provided, however, that, except as set forth on Schedule II, the Company has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a free writing prospectus, except in accordance with the provisions of Section 4(m) of this Agreement and, except as set forth on Schedule II, the Company has not made and will not make any communication relating to the Securities that would constitute a Testing-the-Waters Communication, except in accordance with the provisions of Section 4(m) of this Agreement.
qq. Payments of Dividends; Payments in Foreign Currency. Except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) none of the Company or its Subsidiaries is prohibited, directly or indirectly, from (A) paying any dividends or making any other distributions on its share capital, (B) making or repaying any loan or advance to the Company or any other Subsidiary or (C) transferring any of its properties or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary; and (ii) all dividends and other distributions declared and payable upon the share capital of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (A) may be converted into foreign currency that may be freely transferred out of such person’s jurisdiction of incorporation, without the consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any court or governmental agency or body in such person’s jurisdiction of incorporation or tax residence, and (B) are not and will not be subject to withholding, value added or other taxes under the currently effective laws and regulations of such person’s jurisdiction of incorporation, without the necessity of obtaining any consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations, clearances or qualifications of or with any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over such person.
rr. PFIC Status. Based on the Company’s current income and assets and projections as to the value of its assets and the market value of its Securities, including the current and anticipated valuation of its assets, the Company does not believe it was a Passive Foreign Investment Company (“PFIC”) within the meaning of Section 1297 of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, for its most recent taxable year, and does not expect to become a PFIC for its current taxable year or in the foreseeable future.
ss. Foreign Private Issuer. From the time of 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 date hereof, the Company has been and is a “foreign private issuer” within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
tt. Margin Securities. The Company owns no “margin securities” as that term is defined in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”), and none of the proceeds of Offering will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin security, for the purpose of reducing or retiring any indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry any margin security or for any other purpose which might cause any of the Ordinary Shares to be considered a “purpose credit” within the meanings of Regulation T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board.
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uu. Stock Exchange Listing. The Securities have been approved for listing on the Exchange upon official notice of issuance and, on the date the Registration Statement became effective, the Company’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A or other applicable form under the Exchange Act, became effective.
vv. No Stop Orders, etc. Neither the Commission nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any state regulatory authority has issued any order preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or has instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to institute, any proceedings with respect to such an order. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.
ww. No Immunity. None of the Company or its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or revenues has any right of immunity, under the laws of the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, the PRC or the State of New York, from any legal action, suit or proceeding, the giving of any relief in any such legal action, suit or proceeding, set-off or counterclaim, the jurisdiction of any Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, the PRC, New York or United States federal court, service of process, attachment upon or prior to judgment, or attachment in aid of execution of judgment, or execution of a judgment, or other legal process or proceeding for the giving of any relief or for the enforcement of a judgment, in any such court, with respect to its obligations, liabilities or any other matter under or arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, the Escrow Agreement or the Representative’s Warrants; and, to the extent that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or revenues may have or may hereafter become entitled to any such right of immunity in any such court in which proceedings may at any time be commenced, each of the Company and its Subsidiaries waives or will waive such right to the extent permitted by law and has consented to such relief and enforcement as provided in this Agreement, the Escrow Agreement and the Representative’s Warrants.
xx. Validity of Choice of Law. The choice of the laws of the State of New York as the governing law of this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrants and the Escrow Agreement is each a valid choice of law under the laws of the Cayman Islands and the PRC and will be honored by courts in the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong and the PRC. The Company has the power to submit, and pursuant to this Agreement and the Representative’s Warrants, has legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably submitted, to the personal jurisdiction of each State of New York and United States Federal court sitting in the City of New York, New York County or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (each, a “New York Court”) and has validly and irrevocably waived any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court; and the Company has the power to designate, appoint and empower, and pursuant to this Agreement and the Representative’s Warrants, has legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably designated, appointed and empowered, an authorized agent for service of process in any action arising out of or relating to this Agreement any preliminary prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, the Registration Statement, or the offering of the Securities in any New York Court, and service of process effected on such authorized agent will be effective to confer valid personal jurisdiction over the Company as provided in this Agreement and the Representative’s Warrants.
yy. Enforceability of Judgment. Any final judgment for a fixed or readily calculable sum of money rendered by a New York Court having jurisdiction under its own domestic laws in respect of any suit, action or proceeding against the Company based upon this Agreement, the Escrow Agreement or the Representative’s Warrants and any instruments or agreements entered into for the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein would be declared enforceable against the Company, without re-examination or review of the merits of the cause of action in respect of which the original judgment was given or re-litigation of the matters adjudicated upon, by the courts of the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong and the PRC, provided that with respect to courts of the PRC, (A) adequate service of process has been effected and the defendant has had a reasonable opportunity to be heard, (B) such judgments or the enforcement thereof are not contrary to the law, public policy, security or sovereignty of the PRC, (C) such judgments were not obtained by fraudulent means and do not conflict with any other valid judgment in the same matter between the same parties and (D) an action between the same parties in the same matter is not pending in any PRC court at the time the lawsuit is instituted in a foreign court. The Company is not aware of any reason why the enforcement in the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong or the PRC of such a New York Court judgment would be, as of the date hereof, contrary to public policy of the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong or the PRC.
zz. Officer’s Certificate. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered to you or to the Underwriters’ counsel shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
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(4) Certain Agreements of the Company. The Company agrees with the Underwriters as follows:
a. Required Filings. The Company will prepare and file a Prospectus with the Commission containing the Rule 430A Information omitted from the Preliminary Prospectus within the time period required by, and otherwise in accordance with the provisions of, Rules 424(b) and 430A of the Securities Act. If the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act to increase the size of the offering registered under the Securities Act and the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has not yet been filed and become effective, the Company will prepare and file the Rule 462 Registration Statement with the Commission within the time period required by, and otherwise in accordance with the provisions of, Rule 462(b) and the Securities Act. The Company will prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon the Representative’s request, any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that, in the Representative’s reasonable opinion, may be necessary or advisable in connection with the distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters; and the Company will furnish the Representative and its counsel a copy of any proposed amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus and will not file any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus to which the Representative shall reasonably object by notice to the Company after having been furnished a copy a reasonable time prior to the filing.
b. Notification of Certain Commission Actions. The Company will advise the Representative, promptly after it shall receive notice or obtain knowledge thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose; and the Company will promptly use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such a stop order should be issued.
c. Continued Compliance with Securities Laws.
i. Within the time during which a prospectus (assuming the absence of Rule 172) relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Securities Act by the Underwriters or any dealer, the Company will comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as from time to time in force, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or dealings in the Securities as contemplated by the provisions hereof, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If during such period any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Pricing Disclosure Package) would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during such period it is necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective investors, the Pricing Disclosure Package) to comply with the Securities Act, the Company promptly will (x) notify the Underwriters of such untrue statement or omission, (y) amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Pricing Disclosure Package) (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, and (z) notify the Underwriters when any amendment to the Registration Statement is filed or becomes effective or when any supplement to the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Pricing Disclosure Package) is filed.
ii. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Written Testing-the-Waters Communication conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus relating to the Securities or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company (x) has promptly notified or promptly will notify the Underwriters of such conflict, untrue statement or omission, (y) has promptly amended or will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission, and (z) has notified or promptly will notify the Underwriters when such amendment or supplement was or is filed with the Commission to the extent required to be filed by the Securities Act.
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d. Rule 158. The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 16 months after the end of the Company’s current fiscal quarter, an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering a 12-month period beginning after the effective date of the Registration Statement (which, for purposes of this paragraph, will be deemed to be the effective date of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if applicable) that shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder.
e. Furnishing of Prospectuses. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters copies of the Registration Statement, including all exhibits, any Statutory Prospectus relating to the Securities, the Final Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case as soon as available and in such quantities as the Underwriters reasonably requests. The Company will pay the expenses of printing and distributing to the Underwriters all such documents.
f. Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company shall take or cause to be taken all necessary action to qualify the Securities for sale under the securities laws of such domestic United States or foreign jurisdictions as the Underwriters may reasonably designate and to continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities, except that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or to execute a general consent to service of process in any state.
g. Provision of Documents. The Company will furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and their counsel copies of the Registration Statement (one of which will be signed and will include all consents and exhibits filed therewith), and to the Underwriters and any dealer each Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case as soon as available and in such quantities as the Underwriters may from time to time reasonably request.
h. Reporting Requirements. The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to file on a timely basis with the Commission such periodic and special reports as required by the Exchange Act.
i. Payment of Expenses. The Company shall be responsible for and shall pay all expenses relating to the Offering, including: (i) all filing fees and communication expenses relating to the registration of the Securities and the filing of the offering materials with FINRA; (ii) all reasonable travel and lodging expenses incurred by the Representative or its counsel in connection with visits to, and examinations of, the Company; (iii) translation costs for due diligence purposes; (iv) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration or qualification of the Securities under the ‘blue sky” securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate (including, without limitation, all filing and registration fees, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of Representative’s counsel); (v) the costs of all mailing and printing of the placement documents, registration statements, prospectuses and all amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto and as many preliminary and final prospectuses as the Representative may reasonably deem necessary; (vi) the costs of preparing, printing and delivering certificates representing the Securities, if any, and the fees and expenses of the transfer agent for such Securities; (vii) the reasonable cost of road show meetings and preparation of a power point presentation; (viii) the legal fees of Representative’s counsel in connection with the purchase and sale of the Securities; and (ix) the expense of preparing a “power point” presentation of the Company and its business. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Company’s obligation to pay accountable expenses of the Underwriters, including those set forth under items (ii), (iii), (iv), (vii), (viii) and (ix) above, shall not exceed $175,000 in the aggregate. In the event that the Offering is terminated, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters pursuant to Section 7 hereof. Any expense deposits paid by the Company will be returned to the Company to the extent the Representative’s out-of-pocket accountable expenses are not actually incurred in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(4)(A).
j. Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities to be sold by it hereunder for the purposes set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus and will file such reports with the Commission with respect to the sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds therefrom as may be required in accordance with Rule 463 under the Securities Act.
k. Absence of Manipulation. The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, or which has constituted, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities, and has not effected any sales of Ordinary Shares which are required to be disclosed in response to Item 701 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act which have not been so disclosed in the Registration Statement.
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l. Emerging Growth Company. The Company will promptly notify the Underwriters if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of Securities within the meaning of the Securities Act and (B) completion of the 180-day restricted period referenced to in Section 4(n) hereof.
m. Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative, and the Representative represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Company, it has not made and 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 required to be filed with the Commission; provided that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the free writing prospectuses included in Schedule II. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company or the Underwriters is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus. The Company represents that it has satisfied and agrees that it will satisfy the conditions in Rule 433 to avoid a requirement to file with the Commission any electronic road show. Each Underwriter represents and agrees that, (A) unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Company, it has not distributed, and will not distribute any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication other than those listed on Schedule V, and (B) any Testing-the-Waters Communication undertaken by it was with entities that are qualified institutional buyers with the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act.
n. Company Lock Up. The Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, from the date of execution of this Agreement and continuing to and including the date 250 days after the date of the Prospectus (the “Lock-Up Period”), (i) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Ordinary Shares, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Ordinary Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, except (a) to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or (b) securities issued pursuant to acquisitions or strategic transactions approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company, provided that such securities are issued as “restricted securities” (as defined in Rule 144) and carry no registration rights that require or permit the filing of any registration statement in connection therewith during the Lock-Up Period, and provided that any such issuance shall only be to a person (or to the equityholders of a person) which is, itself or through its subsidiaries, an operating company or an owner of an asset in a business synergistic with the business of the Company and shall provide to the Company additional benefits in addition to the investment of funds, but shall not include a transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business is investing in securities. The Company agrees not to accelerate the vesting of any option or warrant or the lapse of any repurchase right prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period. In addition, the Company will not purchase any shares of its capital stock during the 12-month period following the closing of the Offering, other than repurchases at cost or without cost pursuant to the terms of its share option and restricted share purchase agreements, if any.
o. Transfer Agent. The Company shall maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Company’s Ordinary Shares reasonably acceptable to the Underwriters, and shall retain such transfer agent for a period of not less than one year from the First Closing Date.
p. Press Releases. The Company shall not issue any press release without the Representative’s prior written consent, commencing on the date of this Agreement and continuing for a period of 40 days from the First Closing Date, other than normal and customary releases issued in the ordinary course of the Company’s business, each of which the Underwriters shall have a reasonable right to review in advance of publication.
q. PRC Compliance. The Company shall comply with the PRC Overseas Investment and Listing Regulations, and use its reasonable efforts to cause holders of its Ordinary Shares that are, or that are directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, Chinese residents or Chinese citizens, to comply with the PRC Overseas Investment and Listing Regulations applicable to them, including requesting each such shareholder to complete any registration and other procedures required under applicable PRC Overseas Investment and Listing Regulations (including any applicable rules and regulations of the SAFE).
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r. Right of First Refusal. The Company has agreed for a period of fourteen (14) months following the closing of the Offering or until an offering occurs which the Representative declined, that it shall notify the Representative in writing at least thirty (30) days prior to a proposed U.S. public offering of any debt or equity securities (other than bank debt or similar financing) by the Company or by any of its majority owned or controlled United States subsidiaries that the Representative or, at its option, a group of associated investment bankers shall have the right of first refusal to effect the offering on terms as favorable as theretofore offered in writing by a reputable investment banker. The Representative agrees to notify the Company, within ten (10) days of its exercise of the right of first refusal. If the Representative fails to exercise the right of first refusal within the ten (10) day period and the principal terms of the proposed subsequent financings thereafter are altered in any material respect, the Company will again offer to the Representative the right of first refusal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Representative declines to exercise its right of first refusal for any specific offering, and the Company completes such offering with another investment banking firm, the Representative shall not have the right of first refusal for any future financings, and if the Company receives a proposal from a “bulge bracket” underwriter to undertake such a financing, the Representative shall not have the right of first refusal set forth in this paragraph (provided, however, that the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such underwriter to allow the Representative’s participation in such financing). The Representative’s right of first refusal set forth in this paragraph shall be subject to FINRA Rule 5110(g).
s. Investor Relations Firm. As of the Closing Date, the Company shall have used it reasonable best efforts to retain an investor relations advisory firm reasonably acceptable to the Representative and the Company and shall retain such firm or another firm reasonably acceptable to the Representative for a period of not less than one (1) year after the Closing Date.
t. Observer Rights. For a period of two (2) years from the Closing Date, the Representative is hereby given the right to designate one observer to the board of directors of the Company, which observer shall be mutually agreeable to the Company and the Representative, to attend all meetings of the board of directors and committees thereof in a non-voting observer capacity; provided, however, (i) that the Company reserves the right to withhold any information and to exclude such observer from any meeting, or any portion thereof, if necessary to protect confidentiality of information, avoid a material conflict of interest, or preserve attorney-client privilege; (ii) that in no event shall the failure to provide the notice described above invalidate in any way any action taken at a meeting of the board of directors or a committee thereof; and (iii) such observer and the Representative shall be required to enter into a confidentiality agreement in the form reasonably required by the Company and shall comply with applicable law with respect to use of information of the Company obtained in the role of a board observer.
u. Insurance. The Company will obtain appropriate Directors’ & Officers’ (“D&O”) and Errors & Omissions (“E&O”) insurance effective as of the Closing Date with appropriate liability levels as reasonably determined by the Company. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Representative and its principal officers shall be named additional insureds of the Company’s D&O and E&O insurance policies to the extent reasonably obtainable and subject to customary market practice as reasonably determined by the Company and the insurer.
(5) Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy, as of the date hereof and as of the First Closing Date and the Second Closing Date (as if made at such Closing Date), of and compliance with all representations, warranties and agreements of the Company contained herein, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
a. Filing of Prospectuses. All filings required by Rules 424, 430A and 433 of the Securities Act shall have been timely made (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or Rule 164(b)); no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof or any amendment thereof, nor suspending or preventing the use of the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any issuer free writing prospectus shall have been issued; no proceedings for the issuance of such an order shall have been initiated or threatened; and any request of the Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the Underwriters’ satisfaction.
b. Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Underwriters shall not have advised the Company that (i) the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of a material fact which, in the Underwriters’ reasonable opinion, is material or omits to state a material fact which, in the Underwriters’ reasonable opinion, is required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (ii) the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus contains an untrue statement of fact which, in the Underwriters’ reasonable opinion, is material, or omits to state a fact which, in the Underwriters’ reasonable opinion, is material and is required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.
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c. Absence of Certain Events. Except as contemplated in the Pricing Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, none of the Company or its Subsidiaries has incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions, or declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its share capital; and there shall not have been any change in the share capital (other than a change in the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares of the Company due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants or conversion of convertible securities), or any material change in the short-term or long-term debt of any of the Company (other than as a result of the conversion of convertible securities of the Company), or its Subsidiaries, or any issuance of options, warrants, convertible securities or other rights to purchase the share capital of any of the Company or its Subsidiaries, or any Material Adverse Change or any development involving a prospective Material Adverse Change (whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business), that, in the Underwriters’ reasonable judgment, makes it impractical or inadvisable to offer or deliver the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Pricing Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus.
d. Officer’s Certificate. The Underwriters shall have received on and as of each Closing Date a certificate, addressed to the Underwriters, signed by the chief executive officer and the chief financial officer of the Company to the effect that:
i. The representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct as if made at and as of such 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 such Closing Date; and
ii. No stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof or any amendment thereof or the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale, nor suspending or preventing the use of the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, has been issued, and no proceeding for that purpose has been instituted or, to the best of their knowledge, is contemplated by the Commission or any state or regulatory body.
e. Chief Financial Officer’s Certificate. At each Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated such Closing Date, certifying: (i) that the Memorandum and Articles of Association are true and complete, have not been modified and are in full force and effect; (ii) that the resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors relating to the public offering contemplated by this Agreement are in full force and effect and have not been modified; (iii) as to the accuracy and completeness of all correspondence between the Company or its counsel and the Commission; and (iv) as to the incumbency of the officers of the Company. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.
f. Opinion of Counsel for the Company. At each Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have received the written opinion and negative assurance letter of K&L Gates LLP, U.S. counsel for the Company, dated such Closing Date and addressed to the Representative, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters.
g. Opinion of PRC Counsel for the Company. At each Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have received the written opinion of Beijing Dacheng Law Offices, LLP (Fuzhou), PRC counsel for the Company, dated such Closing Date and addressed to the Representative, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters.
h. Opinion of Cayman Islands Counsel for the Company. At each Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have received the written opinion of Campbells, dated such Closing Date and addressed to the Representative, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters
i. Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters. At each Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have received the written opinion of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP, dated such Closing Date and addressed to the Representative, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters.
j. No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of such Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of such Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities.
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k. Good Standing. At each Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have received on and as of such Closing Date satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and its Subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing as foreign entities in such other jurisdictions as the Underwriters may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions or, for any such jurisdiction in which evidence of good standing may not be obtained from appropriate governmental authorities, in the form of an opinion of counsel licensed in the applicable jurisdiction.
l. Lock-up Agreements. The Underwriters shall have received all of the Lock-Up Agreements from the Lock-Up Parties, and the Lock-Up Agreements shall be in full force and effect.
m. Escrow Agreement. The Company shall have entered into the Escrow Agreement with the Representative and the Escrow Agent, and such agreement shall be in full force and effect.
n. Representative’s Warrants. At the First Closing Date the Company shall issue the Representative’s Warrants to the Representative, as set forth in Section 1(d) hereof.
o. FINRA Matters. FINRA shall have confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.
p. Comfort Letters. The Company shall have requested and caused the Auditor to have furnished to the Underwriters, at the Execution Time and at each Closing Date and any settlement date, letters (which may refer to letters previously delivered to the Underwriters), dated respectively as of the Execution Time and as of such Closing Date and any settlement date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters.
q. Exchange Listing. The Securities to be delivered on each Closing Date shall have been approved for listing on the NASDAQ Capital Market (the “Exchange”), subject to official notice of issuance and shall be DTC eligible.
r. Additional Documents. On or prior to each Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Underwriters such further certificates and documents as the Underwriters may reasonably request.
All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters. The Company will furnish the Underwriters with such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents as the Representative shall reasonably request.
(6) Indemnification and Contribution.
a. The Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Underwriters, their respective affiliates, directors and officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”), from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (including in settlement of any litigation if such settlement is effected with the prior written consent of the Company) arising out of (i) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, including the information deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness and at any subsequent time pursuant to Rules 430A and 430B of the Securities Act Regulations, or arise out of or are based upon the omission from the Registration Statement, or alleged omission to state therein, a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Marketing Materials, or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and will reimburse such Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by it in connection with evaluating, investigating or defending against such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Marketing Materials, or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications, in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information. The indemnification obligations under this Section 6(a) are not exclusive and will be in addition to any liability which the Company might otherwise have and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available at law or in equity to each Underwriter Indemnified Party.
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b. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company, its affiliates, directors, officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each a “Company Indemnified Party”), from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Company Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Representative), insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Marketing Materials, or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications, 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, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Marketing Materials or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information, and will reimburse such Company Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by it in connection with defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action. The indemnification obligations under this Section 6(b) are not exclusive and will be in addition to any liability which each Underwriter might otherwise have and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available at law or in equity to each Company Indemnified Party.
c. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability that it may have to any indemnified party except to the extent such indemnifying party has been materially prejudiced by such failure. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of the indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof; provided, however, that if (i) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, (ii) a conflict or potential conflict exists (based on advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party), or (iii) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ a single counsel to represent it in any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section 6, in which event the reasonable fees and expenses of such separate counsel shall be borne by the indemnifying party or parties and reimbursed to the indemnified party as incurred.
d. The indemnifying party under this Section 6 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is a party or could be named and indemnity was or would be sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability for claims that are the subject matter of such 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. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel pursuant to Section 6(c), such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
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e. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 6 is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above, then the indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering and sale of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the Offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total Underwriting Fee received by the Underwriters. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters and the parties’ relevant intent, 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 contributions pursuant to this subsection (e) were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (e). The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (e) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending against any action or claim that is the subject of this subsection (e). No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
f. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6, no Underwriter shall be required to pay pursuant to this Section 6, either as indemnification or contribution or both, any amount in excess of the amount of the Underwriting Fee actually received by it pursuant to this Agreement.
g. For purposes of this Agreement, the Underwriters confirm, and the Company acknowledges, that there is no information concerning the Underwriters furnished in writing to the Company by the Representative specifically for preparation of or inclusion in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, other than the Underwriter Information.
(7) Term and Termination of Agreement. The term of this Agreement will commence upon the execution of this Agreement and will terminate upon the consummation of the final Closing of the Offering; provided the Underwriters shall have the right to terminate this Agreement by giving notice to the Company at any time at or prior to the First Closing Date, and the option referred to in Section 1(b), if exercised, may be cancelled at any time prior to the Second Closing Date, if (i) the Company shall have failed, refused or been unable, at or prior to such Closing Date, to perform any agreement on its part to be performed hereunder, (ii) any other condition of the Underwriters’ obligations hereunder is not fulfilled, (iii) trading on the Exchange shall have been wholly suspended, (iv) minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required, on the Exchange, by such Exchange or by order of the Commission or any other governmental authority, (v) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal or state authorities, or (vi) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis that, in the Representative’s reasonable judgment, is material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the sale of and payment for the Securities. Any such termination shall be without liability on the part of any party to any other party, except that those portions of this Agreement specified in Section 9 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, in the event that this Agreement shall not be carried out for any reason whatsoever, the Company shall be obligated to pay to the Underwriters their actual and accountable out-of-pocket expenses related to the transactions contemplated herein (but not in excess of the maximum amount set forth in Section 4(i) hereof), less any advances previously paid (the “Advances”), then due and payable and upon demand the Company shall pay the full amount thereof to the Underwriters. To the extent that the Underwriters’ out-of-pocket expenses are less than the Advances, the Underwriters will return to the Company that portion of the Advances not offset by actual expenses. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any provision in this Agreement concerning or relating to confidentiality, indemnification, contribution, advancement, the Company’s representations and warranties and the Company’s obligations to pay fees and reimburse expenses will survive any expiration or termination of this Agreement.
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(8) Underwriter Default.
a. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligation to purchase Firm Shares, and if the Firm Shares with respect to which such default relates (the “Default Securities”) do not (after giving effect to arrangements, if any, made by the Representative pursuant to subsection (b) below) exceed in the aggregate 10% of the number of Firm Shares, each non-defaulting Underwriter, acting severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company that number of Default Securities that bears the same proportion to the total number of Default Securities then being purchased as the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Annex A hereto bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of the non-defaulting Underwriters; subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representative in its sole discretion shall make.
b. In the event that the aggregate number of Default Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Firm Shares, the Representative may in its discretion arrange for itself or for another party or parties (including any non-defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters who so agree) to purchase the Default Securities on the terms contained herein. In the event that within five (5) calendar days after such a default the Representative does not arrange for the purchase of the Default Securities as provided in this Section 8, this Agreement shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of the Company with respect thereto (except in each case as provided in Sections 4(i), 6, 7, 8 and 9) or the Underwriters, but nothing in this Agreement shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters of its or their liability, if any, to the other Underwriters and the Company for damages occasioned by its or their default hereunder.
c. In the event that any Default Securities are to be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters, or are to be purchased by another party or parties as aforesaid, the Representative or the Company shall have the right to postpone the First Closing Date for a period, not exceeding five (5) Business Days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or in any other documents and arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which, in the reasonable opinion of Underwriters’ counsel, may be necessary or advisable. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any party substituted under this Section 8 with like effect as if it had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Securities.
(9) Survival of Indemnities, Representations, Warranties, Etc. The respective indemnities, covenants, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the Underwriters, as set forth in this Agreement or made by them respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriters or the Company or any person controlling any of them and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, including any termination pursuant to Section 7, the payment, reimbursement, indemnity and contribution agreements contained in Sections 4(i), 6, 7, 8 and 9, and the Company’s covenants, representations, and warranties set forth in this Agreement shall not terminate and shall remain in full force and effect at all times. The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in Section 6 and the covenants, warranties and representations of the Company contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriters, any person who controls the Underwriters within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or any affiliate of the Underwriters, or by or on behalf of the Company, the Company’s directors or officers or any person who controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and (iii) the issuance and delivery of the Securities. The Company and the Underwriters agree to notify each other of the commencement of any proceeding against either of them promptly, and, in the case of the Company, against any of the Company’s officers or directors in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities, or in connection with the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(10) Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed, hand delivered, delivered by reputable overnight courier (i.e., Federal Express) or delivered by facsimile or e-mail transmission to the parties hereto as follows
If to the Company, to:
CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited
C1, 4th Floor, Building 1, Financial Base, No. 8 Kefa Road
Nanshan District, Shenzhen, China 518057
Attention: Yunwu Li, Chief Executive Officer
Email: liyunwu@cdthb.cn
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with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
K&L Gates LLP
Southeast Financial Center, Suite 3900
200 South Biscayne Boulevard
Miami, Florida 33131-2399
Attention: Clayton E. Parker, Esq.
Email: Clayton.Parker@klgates.com
Facsimile: 305-358-7095
If to the Representative, to:
WestPark Capital, Inc.
1900 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 310
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Attention: Richard Rappaport
Email: r@wpcapital.com
with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112
Attention: Richard A. Friedman, Esq.
Email: rafriedman@sheppardmullin.com
Facsimile: 212-653-8701
(11) Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 6, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
(12) Headings. The headings of the various sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and will not be deemed to be part of this Agreement.
(13) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which will be deemed to be an original copy of this Agreement and all of which, when taken together, will be deemed to constitute one and the same agreement. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission, electronic delivery, or by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the Party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile, electronic copy, or “.pdf” signature page were an original thereof.
(14) Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that:
a. No Other Relationship. The Underwriters have been retained solely as independent contractors to act as underwriters in connection with the sale of Securities and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company and any Underwriter has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Final Prospectus, irrespective of whether any such Underwriter has advised or is advising the Company on other matters;
b. Arm’s-Length Negotiations. The price of the Securities set forth in this Agreement was established by the Company following discussions and arm’s-length negotiations with the Underwriters and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
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c. Absence of Obligation to Disclose. The Company has been advised that the Underwriters and their respective affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and that the Underwriters have no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and
d. Waiver. The Company waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against the Underwriters for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agrees that the Underwriters shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company, including shareholders, employees or creditors of the Company.
(15) Amendment. In case any provision in this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior and all contemporaneous agreements (whether written or oral), understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may only be amended or modified in writing, signed by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit.
(16) Confidentiality. In the event of the consummation or public announcement of the Offering, the Underwriters shall have the right to disclose their participation in the Offering, including through, at the Underwriters’ cost, the use of “tombstone” advertisements in financial and other newspapers and journals. The Underwriters agree not to use any confidential information concerning the Company provided to the Underwriters by the Company for any purposes other than those contemplated under this Agreement.
(17) Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
(18) Submission to Jurisdiction; Appointment of Agent for Service. The Company hereby irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. federal and state courts in the City of New York, New York County or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company and each of the Company’s Subsidiaries irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby in the New York Courts, and irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit or proceeding in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. The Company irrevocably appoints Puglisi & Associates as its authorized agent (the “Authorized Agent”) in the United States, upon which process may be served in any such suit or proceeding, and agree that service of process in any manner permitted by applicable law upon such agent shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process in any manner permitted by applicable law upon the Company in any such suit or proceeding. The Company further agrees to take any and all action as may be necessary to maintain such designation and appointment of such agent in full force and effect for a period of two years from the date of this Agreement.
(19) Judgment Currency. If for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert a sum due hereunder into any currency other than United States dollars, the parties hereto agree, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Underwriters could purchase United States dollars with such other currency in The State of New York on the Business Day preceding that on which final judgment is given. The obligation of the Company pursuant to this Agreement with respect to any sum due from it to the Underwriters or any person controlling the Underwriters shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than United States dollars, not be discharged until the first Business Day following receipt by the Underwriters or controlling person of any sum in such other currency, and only to the extent that the Underwriters or controlling person may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase United States dollars with such other currency. If the United States dollars so purchased are less than the sum originally due to the Underwriters or controlling person hereunder, the Company agrees as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify the Underwriters or controlling person against such loss. If the United States dollars so purchased are greater than the sum originally due to the Underwriters or controlling person hereunder, the Underwriters or controlling person agrees to pay to the Company an amount equal to the excess of the dollars so purchased over the sum originally due to the Underwriters or controlling person hereunder.
(20) Time of Essence. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement.
[Signature Page Follows]
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Please sign and return to the Company the enclosed duplicates of this Agreement whereupon this Agreement will become a binding agreement between the Company and the Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited | ||
| By: | /s/ Yunwu Li | |
| Name: Yunwu Li | ||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
Accepted by the Representative, acting for itself and as
Representative of the Underwriters named on Annex A hereto,
as of the date first written above:
| WestPark Capital, Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ Richard Rappaport | |
| Name: Richard Rappaport | ||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
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Annex A
| Name of Underwriters | Number of Securities Being Purchased (1) |
| WestPark Capital, Inc. | 800,000 |
| Orientiert XYZ Securities Limited | 695,000 |
| R.F. Lafferty & Co. Inc. | 5,000 |
| Total | 1,500,000 |
(1) The Underwriters may purchase an additional 225,000 Option Shares, to the extent the option described in Section 1(b) of this Agreement is exercised in the manner described in this Agreement.
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SCHEDULE I
Pricing Information
Initial public offering price per share for the Securities: $4.00
Number of Firm Shares offered: 1,500,000
Number of Option Shares offered: 225,000
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SCHEDULE II
Certain Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses
N/A
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SCHEDULE III
Subsidiaries
| Name of Subsidiary | Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization | |
| Chao Qiang Holdings Limited | British Virgin Islands | |
| CDT Environmental Technology Group Limited | British Virgin Islands | |
| Ultra Leader Investments Limited | Hong Kong | |
| CDT Environmental Technology (Hong Kong) Limited | Hong Kong | |
| Shenzhen CDT Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. | China | |
| Beijing CDT Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. | China | |
| Fuzhou LSY Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. | China | |
| Tianjin CDT Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. | China | |
| Chengde CDT Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. | China | |
| Beijing Innovation CDT Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. | China | |
| Baoding CDT Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. | China | |
| Hengshui CDT Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. | China | |
| Guangxi CWT Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. | China | |
| Huzhou CDT Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. | China | |
| Hohhot CDT Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. | China | |
| Taiyuan CDT Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. | China |
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SCHEDULE IV
Lock-Up Parties
[officers, directors, and all shareholders of the Company]
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SCHEDULE V
Testing the Waters Communications
N/A
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EXHIBIT A-1
Form of Lock-Up Agreement
April 17, 2024
WestPark Capital, Inc.
1900 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 310
Los Angeles, CA 90067
As Representative of the Underwriters
named on Annex A to the Underwriting Agreement
Dear Sirs:
As an inducement to the underwriters, for which WestPark Capital, Inc. is acting as representative (the “Representative”), to execute an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) providing for a public offering (the “Offering”) of ordinary shares (the “Ordinary Shares”), of CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited and any successor (by merger or otherwise) thereto (the “Company”), the undersigned hereby agrees that without, in each case, the prior written consent of the Representative during the period specified in the second succeeding paragraph (the “Lock-Up Period”), the undersigned will not: (1) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, make any short sale or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive Ordinary Shares (including Ordinary Shares which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a share option or warrant) whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition (the “Undersigned’s Securities”); (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Undersigned’s Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) above or this clause (2) is to be settled by delivery of Undersigned’s Securities or such other securities, in cash or otherwise; (3) make any written demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any Undersigned’s Securities or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares; or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing.
The undersigned agrees that the foregoing restrictions preclude the undersigned from engaging in any hedging or other transaction which is designed to or which reasonably could be expected to lead to or result in a sale or disposition of the Undersigned’s Securities even if such Securities would be disposed of by someone other than the undersigned. Such prohibited hedging or other transactions would include any short sale or any purchase, sale or grant of any right (including any put or call option) with respect to any of the Undersigned’s Securities or with respect to any security that includes, relates to, or derives any significant part of its value from such Securities.
The Lock-Up Period will commence on the date of this Agreement and continue and include the date 12 months after the date of the final prospectus used to sell Ordinary Shares in the Offering pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.
If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the Representative agrees that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of Ordinary Shares, the Representative will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver, and (ii) the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by issuing a press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by the Representative hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if both (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration, and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this letter that are applicable to the transferor, to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer the Undersigned’s Securities (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, (ii) to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, (iii) if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity (1) transfers to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is a direct or indirect affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned or (2) distributions of Ordinary Shares or any security convertible into or exercisable for Ordinary Shares to limited partners, limited liability company members or shareholders of the undersigned, (iv) if the undersigned is a trust, transfers to the beneficiary of such trust, (v) by testate succession or intestate succession or (vi) pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement; provided, in the case of clauses (i)-(v), that (x) such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (y) the transferee agrees in writing with the Representative to be bound by the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement, and (z) no filing by any party under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer. Furthermore, notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer the Undersigned’s Securities in a transaction not involving a public offering or public resale; provided that (x) the transferee agrees in writing with the Representative to be bound by the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement, and (y) no filing by any party under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer. For purposes of this Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin.
In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company and its transfer agent and registrar are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of Ordinary Shares if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Agreement.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Agreement and that upon request, the undersigned will execute and additional documents necessary to ensure the validity or enforcement of this Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.
The undersigned understands that the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this Agreement if (i) the Company notifies the Representative that it does not intend to proceed with the Offering, or (ii) the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Ordinary Shares to be sold thereunder.
The undersigned understands that the Representative named in the Underwriting Agreement is entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Offering in reliance upon this Agreement.
[Signature Page Follows]
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This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| Printed Name of Holder | ||
| By: | ||
| Signature | ||
| Printed Name of Person Signing | ||
| (and indicate capacity of person signing if signing as custodian, trustee, or on behalf of an entity) | ||
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EXHIBIT A-2
Form of Lock-Up Agreement
April 17, 2024
WestPark Capital, Inc.
1900 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 310
Los Angeles, CA 90067
As Representative of the Underwriters
named on Annex A to the Underwriting Agreement
Dear Sirs:
As an inducement to the underwriters, for which WestPark Capital, Inc. is acting as representative (the “Representative”), to execute an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) providing for a public offering (the “Offering”) of ordinary shares (the “Ordinary Shares”), of CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited and any successor (by merger or otherwise) thereto (the “Company”), the undersigned hereby agrees that without, in each case, the prior written consent of the Representative during the period specified in the second succeeding paragraph (the “Lock-Up Period”), the undersigned will not: (1) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, make any short sale or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive Ordinary Shares (including Ordinary Shares which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a share option or warrant) whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition (the “Undersigned’s Securities”); (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Undersigned’s Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) above or this clause (2) is to be settled by delivery of Undersigned’s Securities or such other securities, in cash or otherwise; (3) make any written demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any Undersigned’s Securities or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares; or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing.
The undersigned agrees that the foregoing restrictions preclude the undersigned from engaging in any hedging or other transaction which is designed to or which reasonably could be expected to lead to or result in a sale or disposition of the Undersigned’s Securities even if such Securities would be disposed of by someone other than the undersigned. Such prohibited hedging or other transactions would include any short sale or any purchase, sale or grant of any right (including any put or call option) with respect to any of the Undersigned’s Securities or with respect to any security that includes, relates to, or derives any significant part of its value from such Securities.
The Lock-Up Period will commence on the date of this Agreement and continue and include the date 6 months after the date of the final prospectus used to sell Ordinary Shares in the Offering pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.
If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the Representative agrees that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of Ordinary Shares, the Representative will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver, and (ii) the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by issuing a press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by the Representative hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if both (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration, and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this letter that are applicable to the transferor, to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer the Undersigned’s Securities (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, (ii) to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, (iii) if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity (1) transfers to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is a direct or indirect affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned or (2) distributions of Ordinary Shares or any security convertible into or exercisable for Ordinary Shares to limited partners, limited liability company members or shareholders of the undersigned, (iv) if the undersigned is a trust, transfers to the beneficiary of such trust, (v) by testate succession or intestate succession or (vi) pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement; provided, in the case of clauses (i)-(v), that (x) such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (y) the transferee agrees in writing with the Representative to be bound by the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement, and (z) no filing by any party under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer. Furthermore, notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer the Undersigned’s Securities in a transaction not involving a public offering or public resale; provided that (x) the transferee agrees in writing with the Representative to be bound by the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement, and (y) no filing by any party under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer. For purposes of this Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin.
In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company and its transfer agent and registrar are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of Ordinary Shares if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Agreement.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Agreement and that upon request, the undersigned will execute and additional documents necessary to ensure the validity or enforcement of this Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.
The undersigned understands that the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this Agreement if (i) the Company notifies the Representative that it does not intend to proceed with the Offering, or (ii) the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Ordinary Shares to be sold thereunder.
The undersigned understands that the Representative named in the Underwriting Agreement is entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Offering in reliance upon this Agreement.
[Signature Page Follows]
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This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| Printed Name of Holder | ||
| By: | ||
| Signature | ||
| Printed Name of Person Signing | ||
| (and indicate capacity of person signing if signing as custodian, trustee, or on behalf of an entity) | ||
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EXHIBIT B
Form of Company Press Release for Waivers or Releases
of Officer/Director Lock-Up Agreements
CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited
C1, 4th Floor, Building 1, Financial Base, No. 8 Kefa Road
Nanshan District, Shenzhen, China 518057
[●]
CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited (the “Company”) announced today that WestPark Capital, Inc., [the sole Underwriter] [as representative of the several Underwriters], is [waiving] [releasing] [a] lock-up restriction[s] with respect to an aggregate of [●] ordinary shares held by certain [officers] [directors] of the Company. These [officers] [directors] entered into lock-up agreements with WestPark Capital, Inc. in connection with the Company’s initial public offering.
This [waiver] [release] will take effect on [●] [date that is at least 2 business days following date of this press release].
This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
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EXHIBIT 4.1
Form of Representative’s Warrant to Purchase Ordinary Shares
THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS REPRESENTATIVE’S WARRANT BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT SELL, TRANSFER OR ASSIGN THIS REPRESENTATIVE’S WARRANT EXCEPT AS HEREIN PROVIDED AND THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS REPRESENTATIVE’S WARRANT AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT SELL, TRANSFER, ASSIGN, PLEDGE OR HYPOTHECATE THIS REPRESENTATIVE’S WARRANT OR CAUSE IT TO BE THE SUBJECT OF ANY HEDGING, SHORT SALE, DERIVATIVE, PUT, OR CALL TRANSACTION THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE EFFECTIVE ECONOMIC DISPOSITION OF THIS REPRESENTATIVE’S WARRANT BY ANY PERSON FOR A PERIOD OF ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY (180) DAYS BEGINNING ON THE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF SALES OF THE OFFERING (DEFINED BELOW) TO ANYONE OTHER THAN (I) WESTPARK CAPITAL, INC. OR AN UNDERWRITER OR A SELECTED DEALER IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING, OR (II) A BONA FIDE OFFICER OR PARTNER OF WESTPARK CAPITAL, INC. OR OF ANY SUCH UNDERWRITER OR SELECTED DEALER AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH FINRA RULE 5110(E)(2).
THIS WARRANT IS VOID AFTER 5:00 P.M., EASTERN TIME, March 29, 2029.
REPRESENTATIVE’S WARRANT
For the Purchase of 150,000 Ordinary Shares
Of
CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited
1. Representative’s Warrant. THIS CERTIFIES THAT, pursuant to that certain Underwriting Agreement, dated April 17, 2024 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), by and between CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited (the “Company”), and WestPark Capital, Inc., as representative of the underwriters named on Annex A thereto, providing for the initial public offering (the “Offering”) of ordinary shares, par value $0.0025 per share, of the Company (the “Ordinary Shares”), WestPark Capital, Inc. or its assigns (“Holder”), as registered owner of this Representative’s Warrant, is entitled, at any time or from time to time on or after April 22, 2024 (the “Commencement Date”), and at or before 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, March 29, 2029 (the “Expiration Date”), but not thereafter, to subscribe for, purchase and receive, in whole or in part, up to 150,000 Ordinary Shares (the “Shares”), subject to adjustment as provided in Section 6 hereof. If the Expiration Date is a day on which banking institutions are authorized by law or executive order to close, then this Representative’s Warrant may be exercised on the next succeeding day which is not such a day in accordance with the terms herein. During the period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the Expiration Date, the Company agrees not to take any action that would terminate this Representative’s Warrant. This Representative’s Warrant is initially exercisable at $4.80 per Share; provided, however, that upon the occurrence of any of the events specified in Section 6 hereof, the rights granted by this Representative’s Warrant, including the exercise price per Share and the number of Shares to be received upon such exercise, shall be adjusted as therein specified. This Representative’s Warrant is being issued pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement providing for the Offering. The term “Effective Date” shall mean the effective date of the registration statement in connection with the Offering. The term “Exercise Price” shall mean the initial exercise price or the adjusted exercise price, depending on the context.
2. Exercise.
2.1 Exercise Form. In order to exercise this Representative’s Warrant, the exercise form attached hereto must be duly executed and completed and delivered to the Company, together with this Representative’s Warrant and payment of the Exercise Price for the Shares being purchased payable in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Company or by certified check or official bank check to the order of the Company. If the subscription rights represented hereby shall not be exercised at or before 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the Expiration Date, this Representative’s Warrant shall become and be void without further force or effect, and all rights represented hereby shall cease and expire.
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2.2 Cashless Exercise. At any time after the Commencement Date, in lieu of exercising this Representative’s Warrant by payment of cash or check payable to the order of the Company pursuant to Section 2.1 above, Holder may elect to receive the number of Shares equal to the value of this Representative’s Warrant (or the portion thereof being exercised) by surrender of this Representative’s Warrant to the Company, together with the exercise form attached hereto, in which event the Company shall issue to Holder Shares in accordance with the following formula:
Y(A-B)
X = A
Where,
X = The number of Shares to be issued to Holder;
Y = The number of Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of this Representative’s Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise pursuant to Section 2.1 rather than a cashless exercise pursuant to this Section 2.2;
A = The fair market value of one Share, as determined in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2; and
B = The Exercise Price in effect under this Representative’s Warrant at the time the election to exercise this Representative’s Warrant on a cashless basis is made pursuant to this Section 2.
For purposes of this Section 2.2, the fair market value of a Share is defined as follows:
(i) if the Ordinary Shares are traded on a national securities exchange, the fair market value shall be deemed to be the closing sales price on such exchange on the Trading Day immediately prior to the date the exercise form is submitted to the Company in connection with the exercise of this Representative’s Warrant; or
(ii) if the Ordinary Shares are traded over-the-counter (i.e., on the OTCQB or OTCQX Markets operated by OTC Markets Group, Inc., or any similar over-the-counter market), the fair market value shall be deemed to be the closing bid price on the Trading Day immediately prior to the date the exercise form is submitted to the Company in connection with the exercise of this Representative’s Warrant; or
(iii) if there is no active public market for the Ordinary Shares, the value shall be the fair market value thereof, as determined in good faith by the Company’s Board of Directors.
“Trading Day” means a date on which the Ordinary Shares are traded on the NYSE, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the New York Stock Exchange or the OTC Bulletin Board (or any successors to any of the foregoing).
For the avoidance of doubt, if there is no effective registration statement registering, or no current prospectus available for, the resale of the Shares underlying this Representative’s Warrant by the Holder, then this Representative’s Warrant may be exercised, in whole or in part, at such time by means of a cashless exercise in accordance with the provisions of this Representative’s Warrant.
2.3 Mechanics of Exercise.
(i) Delivery of Shares Upon Exercise. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Shares purchased hereunder to be transmitted by the Transfer Agent to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s prime broker with The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“DWAC”) if the Company is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Shares or resale of the Shares or (B) this Representative’s Warrant is being exercised via cashless exercise, and otherwise by delivery to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise by the date that is two Trading Days after the latest of (A) the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise, (B) surrender of this Representative’s Warrant (if required) and (C) receipt by the Company of the aggregate Exercise Price as set forth above (including by cashless exercise, if permitted) (such date, the “Share Delivery Date”). The Shares shall be deemed to have been issued, and the Holder or any other person so designated to be named therein shall be deemed to have become a holder of record of such Shares for all purposes, as of the date the Representative’s Warrant has been exercised and payment to the Company of the aggregate Exercise Price (or by cashless exercise, if permitted) has been received by the Company and all taxes required to be paid by the Holder, if any, pursuant to Section 2.3(vi) prior to the issuance of such Shares have been paid.
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(ii) Delivery of New Warrants Upon Exercise. If this Representative’s Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the written request of the Holder and upon surrender of this Representative’s Warrant, at the time of delivery of the Shares, deliver to the Holder a new Representative’s Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to purchase the unpurchased Shares called for by this Representative’s Warrant, which new Representative’s Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Representative’s Warrant.
(iii) Rescission Rights. If the Company fails to cause its transfer agent to transmit to the Holder the Shares pursuant to Section 2.3(i) by the Share Delivery Date, unless such failure was not caused by the fault or negligence of the Company, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise upon written notice to the Company within one Trading Day after the Share Delivery Date.
(iv) Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Shares Upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Holder has taken all actions necessary under the terms of this Representative’s Warrant for such Holder to receive the Shares, if the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Shares pursuant to an exercise on or before the Share Delivery Date, unless such failure was not caused by the fault or negligence of the Company, and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, Ordinary Shares to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions and any other applicable fees, if any) for the Ordinary Shares so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Representative’s Warrant and equivalent number of Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of Ordinary Shares that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder purchases Ordinary Shares having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of Shares with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver Ordinary Shares upon exercise of the Representative’s Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.
(v) No Fractional Shares or Scrip. No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this Representative’s Warrant. As to any fraction of a share which the Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall, at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Exercise Price or round up to the next whole share.
(vi) Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance of Shares shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of such Shares, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and such Shares shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided, however, that, in the event Shares are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, this Representative’s Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto. The Company shall pay all transfer agent fees required for same-day processing of any Notice of Exercise.
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3. Transfer - General Restrictions. The Holder agrees by his, her or its acceptance hereof, that such Holder will not: (a) sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate this Representative’s Warrant or the securities issuable hereunder for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days beginning on the date of commencement of sales of the Offering to anyone other than: (i) WestPark Capital, Inc. or another underwriter or a selected dealer participating in the Offering, or (ii) a bona fide officer or partner of WestPark Capital, Inc. or of any such underwriter or selected dealer, in each case in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1) and subject to the exceptions set forth in FINRA Rule 5110(e)(2), or (b) cause this Representative’s Warrant or the securities issuable hereunder to be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of this Representative’s Warrant or the securities hereunder, in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1) and except as provided for in FINRA Rule 5110(e)(2). One hundred eighty (180) days after the date of commencement of sales of the Offering, transfers to others may be made subject to compliance with or exemptions from applicable securities laws. In order to make any permitted assignment, the Holder must deliver to the Company the assignment form attached hereto duly executed and completed, together with this Representative’s Warrant and payment of all transfer taxes, if any, payable in connection therewith. The Company shall within five (5) business days transfer this Representative’s Warrant on the books of the Company and shall execute and deliver a new Representative’s Warrant or Representative’s Warrants of like tenor to the appropriate assignee(s) expressly evidencing the right to purchase the aggregate number of Shares purchasable hereunder or such portion of such number as shall be contemplated by any such assignment. The Company shall register this Representative’s Warrant, upon records to be maintained by the Company for that purpose (the “Warrant Register”), in the name of the record Holder hereof from time to time. The Company may deem and treat the registered Holder of this Representative’s Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of any exercise hereof or any distribution to the Holder, and for all other purposes, absent actual notice to the contrary.
4. Registration. The Company shall be required to keep a registration statement effective on Form F-1 (or Form F-3, if the Company is eligible to use such form) until such date that is the earlier of the date when all of the Shares underlying this Representative’s Warrant have been publicly sold by the Holder or such time as Rule 144 or another similar exemption under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, is available for the sale of all of such Holder’s Shares underlying this Representative’s Warrant without limitation during a three-month period without registration.
5. New Representative’s Warrants to be Issued.
5.1 Partial Exercise or Transfer. Subject to the restrictions in Section 3 hereof, this Representative’s Warrant may be exercised or assigned in whole or in part. In the event of the exercise or assignment hereof in part only, upon surrender of this Representative’s Warrant for cancellation, together with the duly executed exercise or assignment form and funds sufficient to pay any Exercise Price and/or transfer tax if exercised pursuant to Section 2 hereto, the Company shall cause to be delivered to the Holder without charge a new Representative’s Warrant of like tenor to this Representative’s Warrant in the name of the Holder evidencing the right of the Holder to purchase the number of Shares purchasable hereunder as to which this Representative’s Warrant has not been exercised or assigned.
5.2 Replacement on Loss. Upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Representative’s Warrant, the Company, at its own expense, shall execute and deliver a new Representative’s Warrant of like tenor and date. Any such new Representative’s Warrant executed and delivered as a result of such loss, theft, mutilation or destruction shall constitute a substitute contractual obligation on the part of the Company.
6. Adjustments.
6.1 Adjustments to Exercise Price and Number of Shares. The Exercise Price and the number of Shares underlying this Representative’s Warrant shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as hereinafter set forth:
6.1.1 Share Dividends; Split Ups. If, after the date hereof, and subject to the provisions of Section 6.3 below, the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares is increased by a share dividend payable in Ordinary Shares or by a split up of Ordinary Shares, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction, then, on the effective day thereof, the number of Shares purchasable hereunder shall be increased in proportion to such increase in outstanding Ordinary Shares, and the Exercise Price shall be proportionately decreased. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 6.1.1 shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification.
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6.1.2 Subsequent Rights Offerings. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 6.1.1 above, if at any time during which this Representative’s Warrant is outstanding the Company grants, issues or sells any securities of the Company which by their terms are convertible into or exercisable for Ordinary Shares (“Ordinary Share Equivalents”) or other rights to purchase shares, warrants, securities or other property, pro rata to all of the record holders of the Ordinary Shares (the “Purchase Rights”), and not the Holder, then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of Ordinary Shares acquirable upon complete exercise of this Representative’s Warrant immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Ordinary Shares are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights. The provisions of this Section 6.1.2 will not apply to any grant, issuance or sale of Ordinary Share Equivalents or other rights to purchase shares, warrants, securities or other property of the Company which is not made pro rata to all of the record holders of Ordinary Shares.
6.1.3 Aggregation of Shares. If, after the date hereof, and subject to the provisions of Section 6.3 below, the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares is decreased by a consolidation, combination or reclassification of Ordinary Shares or other similar event, then, on the effective date thereof, the number of Shares purchasable hereunder shall be decreased in proportion to such decrease in outstanding Shares, and the Exercise Price shall be proportionately increased.
6.1.4 Replacement of Shares upon Reorganization, etc. In case of any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding Ordinary Shares other than a change covered by Section 6.1.1, 6.1.2 or 6.1.3 hereof or that solely affects the par value of such Ordinary Shares, or in the case of any share reconstruction or amalgamation or merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another corporation or other entity (other than a consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation in which the Company is the continuing corporation and that does not result in any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding Ordinary Shares), or in the case of any sale or conveyance to another corporation or entity of the property of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety, or in the case any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Ordinary Shares are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, or in the case the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the Ordinary Shares or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Ordinary Shares are effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (in the case the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another person or group of persons, whereby such other Person or group acquires more than 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares (not including any Ordinary Shares held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such share purchase agreement or other business combination), then the Holder of this Representative’s Warrant shall have the right thereafter (until the expiration of the right of exercise of this Representative’s Warrant) to receive upon the exercise hereof, for the same aggregate Exercise Price payable hereunder immediately prior to such event, the kind and amount of shares or other securities or property (including cash) receivable upon such reclassification, reorganization, share reconstruction or amalgamation, or consolidation, or upon a dissolution following any such sale or transfer, by a Holder of the number of Shares of the Company obtainable upon exercise of this Representative’s Warrant immediately prior to such event; and if any reclassification also results in a change in Shares covered by Section 6.1.1, 6.1.2 or 6.1.3, then such adjustment shall be made pursuant to Sections 6.1.1, 6.1.2 or 6.1.3 and this Section 6.1.4. The provisions of this Section 6.1.4 shall similarly apply to successive reclassifications, reorganizations, share reconstructions or amalgamations, or consolidations, sales or other transfers.
6.1.5 Changes in Form of Representative’s Warrant. This form of Representative’s Warrant need not be changed because of any change pursuant to this Section 6.1, and any Representative’s Warrant issued after such change may state the same Exercise Price and the same number of Shares as are stated in the initial Representative’s Warrant. The acceptance by the Holder of the issuance of a new Representative’s Warrant reflecting a required or permissive change shall not be deemed to waive any rights to an adjustment occurring after the Commencement Date or the computation thereof.
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6.2 Substitute Representative’s Warrant. In case of any consolidation of the Company with, or share reconstruction or amalgamation of the Company with or into, another corporation or other entity (other than a consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation which does not result in any reclassification or change of the outstanding Ordinary Shares), the corporation or other entity formed by such consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation shall execute and deliver to the Holder a supplemental Representative’s Warrant providing that the holder of each Representative’s Warrant then outstanding or to be outstanding shall have the right thereafter (until the stated expiration of such Representative’s Warrant) to receive, upon exercise of such Representative’s Warrant, the kind and amount of shares and other securities and property receivable upon such consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation, by a holder of the number of Shares of the Company for which such Representative’s Warrant might have been exercised immediately prior to such consolidation, share reconstruction or amalgamation, sale or transfer. Such supplemental Representative’s Warrant shall provide for adjustments which shall be identical to the adjustments provided for in this Section 6. The above provision of this Section shall similarly apply to successive consolidations or share reconstructions or amalgamations.
6.3 Elimination of Fractional Interests. The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Shares upon the exercise of this Representative’s Warrant, nor shall it be required to issue scrip or pay cash in lieu of any fractional interests, it being the intent of the parties that all fractional interests shall be eliminated by rounding any fraction up or down, as the case may be, to the nearest whole number of Shares or other securities, properties or rights.
6.4 Notice to Holder.
6.4.1 Adjustment to Exercise Price. Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 6, the Company shall promptly provide the Holder with a notice setting forth the Exercise Price after such adjustment and any resulting adjustment to the number of Shares and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.
6.4.2 Notice to Allow Exercise by Holder. If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Ordinary Shares, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Ordinary Shares, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the Ordinary Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital equity of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any shareholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Ordinary Shares, any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or any compulsory share exchange whereby the Ordinary Shares are converted into other securities, cash or property, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall provide the Holder with, at least 10 days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Ordinary Shares of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Ordinary Shares of record shall be entitled to exchange their Ordinary Shares for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to provide such notice or any defect therein or in the provision thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. The Holder shall remain entitled to exercise this Representative’s Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no notice need be given to the Holder if the Company makes a public announcement of the applicable event via nationally distributed press release or via a publicly available and legally compliant filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
7. Reservation and Listing; Registration Rights.
7.1 The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized Ordinary Shares, solely for the purpose of issuance upon exercise of this Representative’s Warrant, such number of Shares or other securities, properties or rights as shall be issuable upon the exercise thereof. The Company covenants and agrees that, upon exercise of this Representative’s Warrant and payment of the Exercise Price therefor, in accordance with the terms hereby, all Shares and other securities issuable upon such exercise shall be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and not subject to preemptive or similar rights of any shareholder and free and clear of all liens, taxes and charges. As long as this Representative’s Warrant shall be outstanding, the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause all Shares issuable upon exercise of this Representative’s Warrant to be listed (subject to official notice of issuance) on all national securities exchanges (or, if applicable, on the OTCQB or OTCQX Markets operated by OTC Markets Group, Inc., or any similar over-the-counter market) on which the Shares issued to the public in the Offering may then be listed and/or quoted.
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7.2 To the extent the Company does not maintain an effective registration statement for the Shares and cashless exercise is unavailable to any Holder under Section 2.2 hereof pursuant to which all of the Shares issuable upon exercise of this Representative’s Warrant under Section 2.2 would be tradable upon exercise of this Representative’s Warrant upon issuance, and in the further event that the Company files a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission to register its Ordinary Shares (other than a registration statement on Form F-4 or S-8, or on another form, or in another context, in which such “piggyback” registration would be inappropriate (including, without limitation, a “universal shelf” registration statement or any prospectus supplement related thereto)), then, for the term of this Representative’s Warrant, the Company shall give written notice of such proposed filing to the Holder as soon as practicable but in no event less than 20 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 offer to the Holder in such notice the opportunity to register the sale of such number of Shares as such Holder may request in writing within five days following receipt of such notice (a “Piggyback Registration”). The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Shares to be included in such registration and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the managing underwriter or underwriters of a proposed underwritten offering to permit the Shares requested to be included in a Piggyback Registration on the same terms and conditions as any similar securities of the Company and to permit the sale or other disposition of such Shares in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof. All Holders proposing to distribute their securities through a Piggyback Registration that involves an underwriter or underwriters shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the underwriter or underwriters selected for such Piggyback Registration. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7.2, such right to request Piggyback Registration shall terminate on the fifth anniversary of the Effective Date, in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(D).
8. Certain Notice Requirements.
8.1 Holder’s Right to Receive Notice. Nothing herein shall be construed as conferring upon the Holder the right to vote or consent or to receive notice as a shareholder for the election of directors or any other matter, or as having any rights whatsoever as a shareholder of the Company. If, however, at any time prior to the expiration of this Representative’s Warrant and its exercise, any of the events described in Section 8.2 shall occur, then, in one or more of said events, the Company shall give written notice of such event at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date fixed as a record date or the date of closing the transfer books (the “Notice Date”) for the determination of the shareholders entitled to such dividend, distribution, conversion or exchange of securities or subscription rights, or entitled to vote on such proposed dissolution, liquidation, winding up or sale. Such notice shall specify such record date or the date of the closing of the transfer books, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall deliver to each Holder a copy of each notice given to the other shareholders of the Company at the same time and in the same manner that such notice is given to the shareholders; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to provide any written notice under this Section 8 if it makes a public announcement of the applicable event via nationally distributed press release or via a publicly available and legally compliant filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
8.2 Events Requiring Notice. The Company shall be required to give the notice described in this Section 8 upon one or more of the following events: (i) if the Company shall take a record of the holders of its shares for the purpose of entitling them to receive a dividend or distribution payable otherwise than in cash, or a cash dividend or distribution payable otherwise than out of retained earnings, as indicated by the accounting treatment of such dividend or distribution on the books of the Company, (ii) the Company shall offer to all the holders of its shares any additional shares of capital equity of the Company or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital equity of the Company, or any option, right or warrant to subscribe therefor, or (iii) a dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Company (other than in connection with a consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation) or a sale of all or substantially all of its property, assets and business shall be proposed.
8.3 Notice of Change in Exercise Price; Notice of Exercise Price. The Company shall, within five (5) business days after an event requiring a change in the Exercise Price pursuant to Section 6 hereof, send notice to the Holder of such event and change (“Price Notice”). The Price Notice shall describe the event causing the change and the method of calculating the same and shall be certified as being true and accurate by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer. The Company shall, within five (5) business days after receipt by the Company of a written request by the Holder, send notice to the Holder of the Exercise Price then in effect and the number of Shares or the amount, if any, of other shares, securities or assets then issuable upon exercise of this Representative’s Warrant and shall be certified as being true and accurate by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer.
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8.4 Transmittal of Notices. All notices, requests, consents and other communications under this Representative’s Warrant shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly made when (1) hand delivered, (2) mailed by express mail or private courier service, or (3) if sent by electronic mail, on the day the notice was sent if during regular business hours and, if sent outside of regular business hours, on the following business day, to following addresses or to such other addresses as the Company or Holder may designate by notice to the other party:
If to the Holder:
WestPark Capital, Inc.
1900 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 310
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Attention: Richard Rappaport
Email: r@wpcapital.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112
Attention: Richard A. Friedman, Esq.
Email: rafriedman@sheppardmullin.com
If to the Company:
CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited
C1, 4th Floor, Building 1, Financial Base, No. 8 Kefa Road
Nanshan District, Shenzhen, China 518057
Attention: Yunwu Li, Chief Executive Officer
Email: liyunwu@cdthb.cn
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
K&L Gates LLP
Southeast Financial Center, Suite 3900
200 South Biscayne Boulevard
Miami, Florida 33131-2399
Attention: Clayton E. Parker, Esq.
Email: Clayton.Parker@klgates.com
9. Miscellaneous.
9.1 Amendments. The Company and the Holder may from time to time supplement, modify or amend this Representative’s Warrant by a written agreement signed by the Company and the Holder. All modifications or amendments shall require the written consent of and be signed by the party against whom enforcement of the modification or amendment is sought.
9.2 Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Representative’s Warrant.
9.3 Entire Agreement. This Representative’s Warrant (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Representative’s Warrant) constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
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9.4 Binding Effect. This Representative’s Warrant shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon, the Holder and the Company and their permitted assignees, respective successors, legal representative and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Representative’s Warrant or any provisions herein contained.
9.5 Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Trial by Jury. This Representative’s Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflict of laws principles thereof. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any way to this Representative’s Warrant shall be brought and enforced in the U.S. federal and state courts sitting in the City of New York, New York County 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 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 8.4 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company and the Holder agree that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its shareholders and affiliates) and the Holder hereby irrevocably waive, 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 Representative’s Warrant or the transactions contemplated hereby.
9.6 Waiver, etc. The failure of the Company or the Holder to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Representative’s Warrant shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way affect the validity of this Representative’s Warrant or any provision hereof or the right of the Company or any Holder to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Representative’s Warrant. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Representative’s Warrant shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.
9.7 Successors and Assigns. Subject to applicable securities laws, this Representative’s Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of the Company and the successors and permitted assigns of Holder. The provisions of this Representative’s Warrant are intended to be for the benefit of any Holder from time to time of this Representative’s Warrant and shall be enforceable by the Holder or holder of this Representative’s Warrant.
9.8 Loss, Theft, Destruction or Mutilation of Warrant. The Company covenants that upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Representative’s Warrant or any share certificate relating to the Shares, if share certificates are issued, and in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it (which, in the case of the Representative’s Warrant, shall not include the posting of any bond), and upon surrender and cancellation of such Representative’s Warrant or share certificate, if share certificates are issued, if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Representative’s Warrant or share certificate, if share certificates are issued, of like tenor and dated as of such cancellation, in lieu of such Representative’s Warrant or share certificate, if share certificates are issued.
9.9 Remedies. The Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Representative’s Warrant. The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Representative’s Warrant and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert the defense in any action for specific performance or other equitable remedy that a remedy at law would be adequate.
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9.10 Severability. Wherever possible, each provision of this Representative’s Warrant shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Representative’s Warrant shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provision or the remaining provisions of this Representative’s Warrant.
9.11 Execution in Counterparts. This Representative’s Warrant may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts has been signed by each of the parties hereto and delivered to each of the other parties hereto. Such counterparts may be delivered by facsimile transmission or other electronic transmission.
[Signature Page Follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Representative’s Warrant to be signed by its duly authorized officer as of the 22nd day of April, 2024.
| CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited | ||
| By: | /s/ Yunwu Li | |
| Name: | Yunwu Li | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
Acknowledged and Agreed
| WESTPARK CAPITAL, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Richard Rappaport | |
| Name: | Richard Rappaport | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
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Form of Exercise
The undersigned holder hereby exercises the right to purchase _________________ ordinary shares (“Warrant Shares”) of CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited (the “Company”), evidenced by the attached Representative’s Warrant (the “Representative’s Warrant”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Representative’s Warrant. Please issue the Warrant Shares as to which the Representative’s Warrant is exercised in accordance with the instructions given below and, if applicable, a new Representative’s Warrant representing the number of Warrant Shares for which the Representative’s Warrant has not been exercised.
1. Form of Exercise Price. The Holder intends that payment of the Exercise Price shall be made as:
____________ a “Cash Exercise” with respect to _________________ Warrant Shares; and/or
____________ a “Cashless Exercise” with respect to _______________ Warrant Shares.
2. Payment of Exercise Price. In the event that the holder has elected a Cash Exercise with respect to some or all of the Warrant Shares to be issued pursuant hereto, the holder shall pay the aggregate Exercise Price in the sum of $________ to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Representative’s Warrant.
3. Delivery of Warrant Shares. The Company shall deliver to the holder __________ Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms of the Representative’s Warrant. Please issue said Warrant Shares in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:
The Warrant Shares shall be delivered to the following DWAC Account Number:
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
Date: _______________ __, ______
| Name of Registered Holder | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES
| Name: | ||
| (Print in Block Letters) | ||
| Address: | ||
NOTICE: The signature to this form must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the Representative’s Warrant without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever, and must be guaranteed by a bank, other than a savings bank, or by a trust company or by a firm having membership on a registered national securities exchange.
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FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned registered owner of this Representative’s Warrant to which this form is attached, hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto the Assignee named below all of the rights of the undersigned to purchase ordinary shares, par value $0.0025 per share, of CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited (the “Company”), evidenced by this Representative’s Warrant, with respect to the number of ordinary shares set forth below.
| Name of Assignee | Address and Phone Number | No. of Shares | ||
The undersigned also represents that, by assignment hereof, the Assignee acknowledges that this Representative’s Warrant and the ordinary shares to be issued upon exercise hereof or conversion thereof are being acquired for investment and that the Assignee will not offer, sell or otherwise dispose of this Representative’s Warrant or any ordinary shares to be issued upon exercise hereof or conversion thereof except under circumstances which will not result in a violation of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws. Further, the Assignee has acknowledged that upon exercise of this Representative’s Warrant, the Assignee shall, if requested by the Company, confirm in writing, in a form satisfactory to the Company, that the ordinary shares so purchased are being acquired for investment and not with a view toward distribution or resale.
| Signature of Holder |
| Date |
The undersigned assignee agrees to be bound by all of the terms and conditions of this Representative’s Warrant.
| Signature of Assignee |
| Date |
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EXHIBIT 10.1
ESCROW AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made this April 17, 2024 by and among CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited, a Cayman Islands company (the “Issuer”), the Underwriter (collectively, the “Underwriter”) whose name and address appear on the Information Sheet (as defined herein) attached to this Agreement and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, 1 State Street, 30th Floor, New York, New York 10004 (the “Escrow Agent”). Capitalized term used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the respective meaning set forth in the Underwriting Agreement (as defined below).
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Issuer has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a Registration Statement, as amended (the “Registration Statement”) covering the proposed initial public offering of its ordinary shares (the “Securities”);
WHEREAS, the Underwriter proposes, pursuant to the terms of the Registration Statement and that certain Underwriting Agreement, dated as of April 17, 2024, by and between the Underwriter, as representative of the underwriters named therein, and the Issuer (the “Underwriting Agreement”) to offer the Securities, as agent for the Issuer, for sale in an initial public offering of the Company’s securities to the public on a firm commitment basis (the “Offering”);
WHEREAS, the Registration Statement contemplates the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the deposit by Issuer with the Escrow Agent of $600,000.00 (the “Escrow Amount”) in order to provide source of funding for certain indemnification obligations of Issuer as described in the Registration Statement and the Underwriting Agreement, and the parties hereto wish such deposit to be subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Underwriting Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the Issuer and the Underwriter propose to establish an escrow account (the “Escrow Account”), to which the Escrow Amount is be credited, and the Escrow Agent is willing to establish the Escrow Account and the terms thereof are subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants herein contained, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
| 1. | Information Sheet. Each capitalized term not otherwise defined in this Agreement shall have the meaning set forth for such term on the information sheet which is attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A and is incorporated by reference herein and made a pact hereof (the “Information Sheet”). |
| 2. | Establishment of the Bank Account. |
2.1 The Escrow Agent shall establish a non-interest bank account at the branch of JP Morgan Chase (the “Bank”) selected by the Escrow Agent, and bearing the designation set forth on the Information Sheet (heretofore defined as the “Bank Account”). While the funds are on deposit, the Escrow Agent may earn bank credits or other consideration. The purpose of the Bank Account is for (a) the deposit of the Escrow Amount by the Issuer to the Escrow Agent, (b) the holding of the Escrow Amount and (c) the disbursement of the Escrow Amount, all as described herein.
| 3. | Deposits to the Bank Account. |
3.1 The Issuer shall, upon the closing of the Offering, deliver to the Escrow Agent, by wire transfer in accordance with the wire transfer instructions set forth on the Information Sheet, the Escrow Amount. Upon the Escrow Agent’s receipt of the Escrow Amount, it shall be credited to the Escrow Account.
3.2 Promptly after receiving the Escrow Amount as described in Section 3.1, the Escrow Agent shall deposit the same into the Bank Account. The Escrow Agent shall cause the Bank to process the Escrow Amount for collection through the banking system.
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| 4. | Disbursement from the Bank Account. |
4.1 Promptly following the date that is twenty four (24) months after the closing date of the Offering (the “Closing Date”), the Escrow Agent shall retain in the Escrow Account such amount that is the subject of all claim notices, if any, delivered by the Underwriter to the Issuer in connection with the Company’s indemnification obligations in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement, and shall pay the remaining balance of the Escrow Account, if any, to the Issuer (subject to withholding as applicable) based on a release instruction issued jointly by the Issuer and the Underwriter (the “Joint Release Instruction”).
4.2 In the event that the Underwriter delivers a claim notice in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement on or prior to the day that is that is twenty-four (24) months after the Closing Date, as applicable, the Escrow Agent shall continue to hold in escrow and shall not release, an amount of funds then held in escrow equal to the lesser of: (i) the amount claimed by the Underwriter which is payable to the Underwriter in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement (but not in any event in excess of the Escrow Amount); or (ii) the balance of the Escrow Account which is available for release and distribution to the Issuer. The portion of the Escrow Account in excess of the amount specified in clause (i) of the preceding sentence (as may be the subject of one or more timely delivered claim notices) shall be released by the Escrow Agent as specified in Section 4.1 (as may be applicable). With respect to the amounts specified in any such timely delivered claim notices, the Escrow Agent shall promptly disburse funds from the Escrow Account within three (3) Business Days (as defined herein) after delivery to the Escrow Agent of: (i) a Joint Release Instruction, as may be directed in such Joint Release Instruction; or (ii) if the Underwriter and the Issuer are unable for any reason to issue a Joint Release Instruction (including in any case in which the Underwriter and the Issuer are unable to agree on the terms of a Joint Release Instructions), within ten (10) Business Days following the request of a party to issue such Joint Release Instruction, as specified in the terms of a Final Determination (as defined herein).
4.3 For purposes of this Agreement: (a) “Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday or other day on which commercial banks located in New York, New York, are obligated or authorized by applicable law to remain closed for business; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay at home,” “shelter-in-place,” “non-essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in The City of New York generally are open for use by customers on such day; and (b) “Final Determination” means a final non-appealable order of any court of competent jurisdiction which may be issued, together with (A) a certificate of the prevailing party to the effect that such judgment is final and non-appealable and from a court of competent jurisdiction having proper authority and (B) the written payment instructions of the prevailing party.
4.4 Upon disbursement of the Escrow Amount pursuant to the terms of this Article 4, the Escrow Agent shall be relieved of all further obligations and released from all liability under this Agreement. It is expressly agreed and understood that in no event shall the aggregate amount of payments made by the Escrow Agent exceed the amount of the Escrow Amount.
| 5. | Rights, Duties and Responsibilities of Escrow Agent. It is understood and agreed that the duties of the Escrow Agent are purely ministerial in nature, and that: |
5.1 The Escrow Agent shall not be responsible for or be required to enforce any of the terms or conditions of the Underwriting Agreement or any other agreement between the Underwriter and the Issuer nor shall the Escrow Agent be responsible for the performance by the Underwriter or the Issuer of their respective obligations under this Agreement.
5.2 The Escrow Agent shall be entitled to rely upon the accuracy, act in reliance upon the contents, and assume the genuineness of any notice, instruction, certificate, signature, instrument or other document which is given to the Escrow Agent pursuant to this Agreement without the necessity of the Escrow Agent verifying the truth or accuracy thereof. The Escrow Agent shall not be obligated to make any inquiry as to the authority, capacity, existence or identity or any person purporting to give any such notice or instructions or to execute any such certificate, instrument or other document.
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5.3 If the Escrow Agent is uncertain as to its duties or rights hereunder or shall receive instructions with respect to the Bank Account, the Escrow Amount which, in its sole determination, are in conflict either with other, instructions received by it or with any provision of this Agreement, it shall be entitled to hold the Escrow Amount or a portion thereof, in the Bank Account pending the resolution of such uncertainty to the Escrow Agent’s sole satisfaction, by final judgment of a court or courts of competent jurisdiction or otherwise; or the Escrow Agent, at its sole option, may deposit the Escrow Amount with the Clerk of a court of competent jurisdiction in a proceeding to which all parties in interest are joined. Upon the deposit by the Escrow Agent of the Escrow Amount with the Clerk of any court, the Escrow Agent shall be relieved of all further obligations and released from all liability hereunder.
5.4 The Escrow Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted hereunder, or for the misconduct of any employee, agent or attorney appointed by it, except in the case of willful misconduct or negligence. The Escrow Agent shall be entitled to consult with counsel of its own choosing.
5.5 The Escrow Agent shall have no responsibility at any time to ascertain whether or not any security interest exists in the Escrow Amount or any part thereof or to file any statement under the Uniform Commercial Code with respect to the Escrow Amount or any part thereof.
| 6. | Amendment; Resignation. |
6.1 This Agreement may be altered or amended only with the written consent of the Issuer, the Underwriter and the Escrow Agent.
6.2 The Escrow Agent may resign for any reason upon thirty (30) business days’ written notice to the Issuer and the Underwriter. Should the Escrow Agent resign as herein provided, it shall not be required to make any disbursement or otherwise dispose of the Escrow Amount, but its only duty shall be to hold the Escrow Amount until they clear the banking system for a period of not more than five (5) Business Days following the effective date of such resignation, at which time (a) if a successor escrow agent shall have been appointed and written notice thereof (including the name and address of such successor escrow agent) shall have been given to the resigning Escrow Agent by the Issuer, the Underwriter and such successor escrow agent, then the resigning Escrow Agent shall pay over to the successor escrow agent the Escrow Amount, less any portion thereof previously paid out in accordance with this Agreement; or (b) if the resigning Escrow Agent shall not have received written notice signed by the Issuer, the Underwriter and a successor escrow agent, then the resigning Escrow Agent shall promptly deposit the Escrow Amount with the Clerk of a court of competent jurisdiction in a proceeding to which all parties in interest are joined. Upon the deposit by the Escrow Agent of the Escrow Amount with the Clerk of any court, the Escrow Agent shall be relieved of all further obligations and released from all liability hereunder. Without limiting the provisions of Section 8 hereof, the resigning Escrow Agent shall be entitled to be reimbursed by the Issuer and the Underwriter for any actual and reasonable expenses incurred in connection with its resignation, transfer of the Escrow Amount to a successor escrow agent or distribution of the Escrow Amount pursuant to this Section 6.
| 7. | Representations and Warranties. The Issuer and the Underwriter hereby jointly and severally represent and warrant to the Escrow Agent that: |
7.1 No party other than the parties hereto have, or shall have, any lien, claim or security interest in the Escrow Amounts or the Fund or any part thereof.
7.2 No financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code is on file in any jurisdiction claiming a security interest in or describing (whether specifically or generally) the Escrow Amount or any part thereof.
7.3 Reasonable controls have been established and required due diligence performed to comply with “Know Your Customer” regulations, USA Patriot Act, Office of the Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) regulations and the Bank Secrecy Act.
| 8. | Fees and Expenses. The Escrow Agent shall be entitled to the Escrow Agent Fees set forth on the Information Sheet, payable as and when stated therein. In addition, the Issuer and the Underwriter jointly and severally agree to reimburse the Escrow Agent for any reasonable expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement, including, but not limited to, reasonable counsel fees. Upon receipt of the Escrow Amount, the Escrow Agent shall have a lien thereupon to the extent of its fees for services as Escrow Agent. |
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| 9. | Indemnification and Contribution. |
9.1 The Issuer and the Underwriter (collectively referred to as the “Indemnitors”) jointly and severally agree to indemnify the Escrow Agent and its officers, directors, employees, agents and shareholders (collectively referred to as the “ Indemnitees”) against, and hold them harmless of and from, any and all loss, liability, cost, damage and expense, including, without limitation, reasonable counsel fees, which the Indemnitees may suffer or incur by reason of any action, claim or proceeding brought by a third party against the Indemnitees arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement or any transaction to which this Agreement relates, unless such action, claim or proceeding is the result of the willful misconduct or gross negligence of the Indemnitees.
9.2 If the indemnification provided for in Section 9.1 is applicable, but for any reason is held to be unavailable, the Indemnitors shall contribute such amounts as are just and equitable to pay, or to reimburse the Indemnitees for, the aggregate of any and all losses, liabilities, costs, damages and expenses, including counsel fees, actually incurred by the Indemnitees as a result of or in connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action, claim or proceeding arising out of or relating in any way to any actions or omissions of the Indemnitors.
9.3 The provisions of this Article 9 shall survive any termination of this Agreement, whether by disbursement of the Escrow Amount, resignation of the Escrow Agent or otherwise.
| 10. | Governing Law and Assignment. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York and shall be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns; provided, however, that any assignment or transfer by any party of its rights under this Agreement or with respect to the Escrow Amounts shall be void as against the Escrow Agent unless (a) written notice thereof shall be given to the Escrow Agent; and (b) the Escrow Agent shall have consented in writing to such assignment or transfer. |
| 11. | Notices. All notices, demands, consents, requests, instructions and other communications to be given or delivered or permitted under or by reason of the provisions of this Agreement or in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby shall be in writing and shall be deemed to be delivered and received by the intended recipient as follows: (i) if personally delivered, on the business day of such delivery (as evidenced by the receipt of the personal delivery service), (ii) if mailed certified or registered mail return receipt requested, on the business day of such delivery (as evidenced by the signed certified mail card), (iii) if delivered by overnight courier (with all charges having been prepaid), on the business day of such delivery (as evidenced by the receipt of the overnight courier service of recognized standing), (iv) if delivered by facsimile transmission, on the business day of such delivery if sent by 6:00 p.m. in the time zone of the recipient, or if sent after that time, on the next succeeding business day (as evidenced by the printed confirmation of delivery generated by the sending party’s telecopier machine), or (v) if delivered by email on the business day of such delivery (as evidenced by delivery confirmation). If any notice, demand, consent, request, instruction or other communication cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given (in accordance with this Section 11), or the refusal to accept same, the notice, demand, consent, request, instruction or other communication shall be deemed received on the second business day the notice is sent (as evidenced by a sworn affidavit of the sender). All such notices, demands, consents, requests, instructions and other communications will be sent to addresses or facsimile numbers as applicable set forth hereunder. |
If to the Company, to:
CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited
C1, 4th Floor, Building 1, Financial Base, No. 8 Kefa Road
Nanshan District, Shenzhen, China 518057
Attention: Yunwu Li, Chief Executive Officer
Email: liyunwu@cdthb.cn
with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
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K&L Gates LLP
Southeast Financial Center, Suite 3900
200 South Biscayne Boulevard
Miami, Florida 33131-2399
Attention: Clayton E. Parker, Esq.
Email: Clayton.Parker@klgates.com
Facsimile: 305-358-7095
If to the Representative, to:
WestPark Capital, Inc.
1900 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 310
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Attention: Richard Rappaport
Email: r@wpcapital.com
with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112
Attention: Richard A. Friedman, Esq.
Email: rafriedman@sheppardmullin.com
Facsimile: 212-653-8701
If to the Escrow Agent, to:
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th Floor
New York, New York 10004
Attention: Jaswinder Goraya
Email: jgoraya@continentalstock.com
Facsimile: 212-616-7620
| 12. | Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any person or circumstance shall be determined to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions of this Agreement or the application of such provision to persons or circumstances other than those to which it is held invalid or unenforceable shall not be affected thereby and shall be valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law. |
| 13. | Execution in Several Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts or by separate instruments, and all of such counterparts and instruments shall constitute one agreement, binding on all of the parties hereto. |
| 14. | Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (written or oral) of the parties in connection therewith. |
[Signature Page Follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
THE ISSUER
CDT ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT HOLDINGS LIMITED
| By: | /s/ Yunwu Li | |
| Name: Yunwu Li | ||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
| THE UNDERWRITER | ||
| WESTPARK CAPITAL, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Richard Rappaport | |
| Name: Richard Rappaport | ||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
| CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY | ||
| By: | /s/ Francis Wolf | |
| Name: Francis Wolf | ||
| Title: Vice President | ||
[Signature Page to Escrow Agreement]
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EXHIBIT A
ESCROW AGREEMENT INFORMATION SHEET
1. The Issuer
Name: CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited
Address: C1, 4th Floor, Building 1, Financial Base, No. 8 Kefa Road, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, China 518057
2. The Underwriter
Name: WestPark Capital, Inc., as representative of the underwriters
Address: 1900 Avenue Of The Stars, Suite 310, Los Angeles, CA 90067
3. Title of Escrow Account
“CST&T as agent for CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited and WestPark Capital, Inc.”
4. Escrow Agent Fees and Charges
| Administration & Agency Fee | $ | 6,500.00 |
The acceptance fee and administration fee covers all account set-up services, the review, negotiation and execution of the litigation fund deposit agreement, KYC, OFAC and USA Patriot Act due diligence, claim instructions and release instructions, on-going account, compliance review, records retention, enclosing and mailing Forms 1099 B and escheat services The escrow agent acceptance fee and administration fee is due and payable upon the effective date of appointment. See assumptions for duration.
| Claims Processed, per claim | $ | 750.00 |
| Out-of-pocket expenses | At cost |
Out-of-pocket expenses when applicable will be billed at cost at the sole discretion of Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company.
| Extraordinary services | Market rate |
Fees for services not specifically covered in this schedule will be billed in accordance with our prevailing rates for such services.
These costs may include, but are not limited to, review of IRS Form W-8IMY for foreign holders, shareholder presentment status updates, shareholder record adjustments, electronic copies of shareholder presentments and non-standard shareholder records.
Assumptions
This proposal is based upon the following assumptions with respect to the role of administrative agent. Should any of the assumptions, duties or responsibilities change, we reserve the right to affirm, modify or rescind this proposal.
| ● | The period of this Engagement Letter is 24 months. Beyond this duration, a fee of $400.00/month will be in effect. |
| ● | Continental will be provided W-9/appropriate W-8 forms and payment instructions for disbursements. |
Terms and conditions
Invoices outstanding for over 30 days are subject to a 1.5% per month late payment penalty.
5. Escrow Agent Wire Transfer Instructions
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EXHIBIT 99.1
CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited
Announces Pricing of Initial Public Offering and Listing on Nasdaq
SHENZHEN, CHINA, April 17, 2024 – via Globe Newswire – CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited (“CDT”), a waste treatment company that designs, develops, manufactures, sells, installs, operates and maintains sewage treatment systems and provides sewage treatment services in China, announces the pricing of its underwritten initial public offering of 1,500,000 ordinary shares at a public offering price of $4.00 per share, before underwriting discounts and commissions. The offering is being conducted on a firm commitment basis. All of the ordinary shares are being offered by CDT. The total expected gross proceeds of the initial public offering are $6,000,000, before underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses.
The ordinary shares have been approved for listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market and are expected to commence trading under the ticker symbol “CDTG” on April 18, 2024. The offering is expected to close on April 22, 2024, subject to customary closing conditions.
WestPark Capital, Inc. (“WestPark Capital”) is the sole book-running manager for the offering. CDT has granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 225,000 ordinary shares at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions, to cover over-allotments, if any.
A registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-252127), as amended, including a prospectus, which is preliminary and subject to completion, relating to the offering, was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and was declared effective by the SEC on March 29, 2024. The offering of the ordinary shares is being made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the final prospectus relating to the offering, when available, may be obtained on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and may also be obtained from WestPark Capital, Inc., 1900 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 300, Los Angeles, CA, 90067, or by email at jstern@wpcapital.com.
Before you invest, you should read the prospectus and other documents CDT has filed or will file with the SEC for more complete information about CDT and the offering. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
About CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited
CDT, headquartered in Shenzhen, China, is a waste treatment company that designs, develops, manufactures, sells, installs, operates and maintains sewage treatment systems and provides sewage treatment services in China. For more information, visit CDT’s website at https://www.cdthb.cn.
About WestPark Capital, Inc.
WestPark Capital is a full-service investment bank focused on emerging growth sectors such as healthcare, software, technology, biotechnology, financial services, manufacturing, consumer products, media and telecom industries, among other categories. WestPark Capital provides a comprehensive range of corporate finance services, including initial public offerings, follow-on offerings, ATMs, Registered Direct Offerings (RD), CMPOs. private placements, SIPOs and corporate finance advisory services. Additional information about WestPark Capital is available at www.wpcapital.com or by email at info@wpcapital.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including statements with regard to CDT’s proposed initial public offering. Words such as “will,” future,” “expects,” “believes,” and “intends,” or similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions and no assurance can be given that the proposed initial public offering discussed above will be completed on the terms described. Completion of the proposed initial public offering and the terms thereof are subject to numerous factors, many of which are beyond the control of CDT, including, without limitation, the failure of customary closing conditions and the risk factors and other matters set forth in the prospectus included in the registration statement in the form last filed with the SEC. CDT undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.
CDT Contact
CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited
Yunwu Li, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors
liyunwu@cdthb.cn
86-0755-86667996
EXHIBIT 99.2
CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited
Announces Closing of Initial Public Offering
SHENZHEN, CHINA, April 22, 2024 – via GLOBE NEWSWIRE – CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited (“CDT”), a waste treatment company that designs, develops, manufactures, sells, installs, operates and maintains sewage treatment systems and provides sewage treatment services in China, announces the closing of its underwritten initial public offering of 1,500,000 ordinary shares at a public offering price of $4.00 per share, before underwriting discounts and commissions, resulting in gross proceeds of $6,000,000, before underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses. The offering was conducted on a firm commitment basis. All of the ordinary shares were offered by CDT.
The ordinary shares were approved for listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market and commenced trading under the ticker symbol “CDTG” on April 18, 2024.
WestPark Capital, Inc. (“WestPark Capital”) was the sole book-running manager for the offering. CDT has granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 225,000 ordinary shares at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions, to cover over-allotments, if any.
A registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-252127), as amended, including a prospectus relating to the offering, was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and was declared effective by the SEC on March 29, 2024. The offering of the ordinary shares was made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the final prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and may also be obtained from WestPark Capital, Inc., 1900 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 300, Los Angeles, CA, 90067, or by email at jstern@wpcapital.com.
Before you invest, you should read the prospectus and other documents CDT has filed or will file with the SEC for more complete information about CDT and the offering. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
About CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited
CDT, headquartered in Shenzhen, China, is a waste treatment company that designs, develops, manufactures, sells, installs, operates and maintains sewage treatment systems and provides sewage treatment services in China. For more information, visit CDT’s website at https://www.cdthb.cn.
About WestPark Capital, Inc.
WestPark Capital is a full-service investment bank focused on emerging growth sectors such as healthcare, software, technology, biotechnology, financial services, manufacturing, consumer products, media and telecom industries, among other categories. WestPark Capital provides a comprehensive range of corporate finance services, including initial public offerings, follow-on offerings, ATMs, Registered Direct Offerings (RD), CMPOs, private placements, SIPOs and corporate finance advisory services. Additional information about WestPark Capital is available at www.wpcapital.com or by email at info@wpcapital.com.
CDT Contact
CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited
Yunwu Li, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors
liyunwu@cdthb.cn
86-0755-86667996