Vertical Aerospace Ltd 6-K, filed Aug 5, 2022
Vertical Aerospace Ltd. (EVTL)
About this 6-K
Vertical Aerospace Ltd filed this 6-K on August 5, 2022.
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13a-16 OR 15d-16
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the month of August 2022
Commission File Number: 001-41169
Vertical Aerospace Ltd.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Unit 1 Camwal Court, Chapel Street
Bristol BS2 0UW
United Kingdom
(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 x 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): ¨
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): ¨
INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS REPORT ON FORM 6-K
Committed Equity Financing
On August 5, 2022, Vertical Aerospace Ltd. (the “Company”) entered into a Share Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) and a Registration Rights Agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), each with Nomura Securities International, Inc. (“Nomura”) relating to an equity subscription line. Pursuant to and subject to the conditions set forth in the Purchase Agreement, the Company has the right from time to time during the term of the Purchase Agreement, in its sole discretion, to sell to Nomura up to $100 million (the “Total Commitment”) in aggregate gross purchase price of the Company’s newly issued ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Shares”).
Upon the satisfaction of the conditions to Nomura’s purchase obligation set forth in the Purchase Agreement (the “Commencement”), including that a registration statement registering the resale by Nomura of the Shares that may be issued and sold to it by the Company under the Purchase Agreement (the “Initial Resale Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), which the Company agreed to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, is declared effective by the SEC, and a final prospectus relating thereto is filed with the SEC, the Company will have the right, but not the obligation, from time to time in its sole discretion over the 36-month period from and after the Commencement to direct Nomura to purchase up to a specified maximum amount of its ordinary shares as set forth in the Purchase Agreement by delivering written notice to Nomura (such notice, a “VWAP Purchase Notice”) on any trading day, so long as all Shares subject to all prior purchases by Nomura under the Purchase Agreement have theretofore previously been issued to Nomura and subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions. The purchase price of the Shares that the Company elects to sell Nomura pursuant to the Purchase Agreement will be determined by reference to the volume-weighted average price of the Shares (“VWAP”) during the applicable purchase period on the applicable purchase date on which the Company has timely delivered a VWAP Purchase Notice to Nomura directing it to purchase Shares under the Purchase Agreement, less a fixed 4.25% discount to such VWAP. However, if the Company elects to set a fixed floor price as set forth by the Company in a VWAP Purchase Notice, the VWAP of the Shares on the applicable purchase date shall be determined by excluding all trades at a price below the applicable floor price.
From and after Commencement, the Company will control the timing and amount of any sales of Shares to Nomura under the Purchase Agreement. Sales of Shares, if any, to Nomura under the Purchase Agreement will depend on a variety of factors, including, among other things, market conditions, the trading price of the Company’s ordinary shares and determination by the Company regarding the use of proceeds from any sale of such Shares. The Company may ultimately decide to sell to Nomura all, some or none of the Shares that may be available for it to sell to Nomura pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
As a “foreign private issuer,” the Company has chosen to follow the laws of the Cayman Islands regarding shareholder approval prior to the issuance of more than 20% of its outstanding share capital, which does not require shareholder approval for such issuances. However, pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, in no event may the Company issue to Nomura with respect to each purchase more than (1) 20% of the total number (or volume) of ordinary shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange or any other Principal Market (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) during the applicable purchase period on the applicable purchase date, or (2) more than 7 million Shares. In addition, Nomura is not obligated to buy any Shares under the Purchase Agreement if such Shares, when aggregated with all other ordinary shares then beneficially owned by Nomura and its affiliates (as calculated pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13d-3 promulgated thereunder), would result in Nomura beneficially owning ordinary shares in excess of 4.99% of the Company’s outstanding ordinary shares.
The net proceeds from any sales under the Purchase Agreement will depend on the frequency with, and prices at, which Shares are sold to Nomura. The Company will have broad discretion over the use of proceeds from sales of Shares made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement. To the extent the Company sells Shares under the Purchase Agreement, it currently plans to use any proceeds therefrom for working capital and other general corporate purposes. However, the Company has not determined the specific allocation of any net proceeds among these potential uses, and the ultimate use of the net proceeds may vary from the currently intended uses. The net proceeds may be used for corporate purposes that do not increase the Company’s operating results or enhance the value of its ordinary shares.
There are no restrictions on future financings, rights of first refusal, participation rights, penalties or liquidated damages in the Purchase Agreement or Registration Rights Agreement other than (1) a prohibition on entering (with certain limited exceptions) into a Variable Rate Transaction (as defined in the Purchase Agreement), during the term of the Purchase Agreement, and (2) a prohibition on raising additional capital in the form of a private securities offering from the time a purchase notice is delivered until two trading days following the applicable purchase date. Such transactions include, among others, the issuance of convertible securities with a conversion or exercise price that is based upon or varies with the trading price of the Company’s ordinary shares after the date of issuance, or entry into any agreement for an “equity line of credit” or an “at the market offering” (other than with Nomura), whereby the Company may sell ordinary shares at a future determined price.
At no time prior to the date of the Purchase Agreement has Nomura (or any entity managed or controlled by it) engaged in or effected, in any manner whatsoever, directly or indirectly, for its own principal account, any (i) “short sale” (as such term is defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act) of the Shares or (ii) hedging transaction, in either case, which establishes a net short position with respect to the Shares that remains in effect as of the date of the Purchase Agreement.
The Purchase Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement contain customary representations, warranties, conditions and indemnification obligations by each party. The representations, warranties and covenants contained in such agreements were made only for purposes of such agreements and as of specific dates (including the dates when the Company delivers a VWAP Purchase Notice), and are solely for the benefit of the parties to such agreements and are subject to certain important limitations agreed upon by the contracting parties.
The Purchase Agreement will automatically terminate on the earliest to occur of (i) the first day of the month next following the date that is 36 months after the effective date of the Initial Registration Statement, (ii) the date on which Nomura shall have purchased the Total Commitment worth of Shares pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, (iii) the date on which the Shares shall have failed to be listed or quoted on the New York Stock Exchange or any other Principal Market as defined in the Purchase Agreement, and (iv) the date on which, pursuant to or within the meaning of any bankruptcy law, the Company commences a voluntary case or any person commences a proceeding against the Company, a custodian is appointed for the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or the Company makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors.
The Company has the right to terminate the Purchase Agreement at any time after Commencement, at no cost or penalty, effective upon three trading days’ prior written notice to Nomura. Nomura also has the right to terminate the Purchase Agreement upon three trading days’ prior written notice to the Company, but only upon the occurrence of certain customary events as listed in the Purchase Agreement. Neither the Company nor Nomura may assign the Purchase Agreement or the Registration Rights Agreement or any of their respective rights or obligations thereunder to any person, and no provision of the Purchase Agreement or the Registration Rights Agreement may be amended by the parties from and after the date that is one trading day immediately preceding the filing of the Initial Registration Statement with the SEC.
The foregoing descriptions of the Purchase Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Purchase Agreement and Registration Rights Agreement, which are attached to this Report on Form 6-K as Exhibit 99.1 and Exhibit 99.2, respectively, which are incorporated herein by reference.
This Report on Form 6-K shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.
In the Purchase Agreement, Nomura represented to the Company, among other things, that it is an “accredited investor” (as such term is defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D under the Securities Act). The ordinary shares that may be issued under the Purchase Agreement are being offered and sold in transactions exempt from registration under the Securities Act, in reliance on the exemption afforded under Section 4(a)(2) thereof.
EXHIBIT INDEX
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| Vertical Aerospace Ltd. | ||
| Date: August 5, 2022 | By: | /s/ Vincent Casey |
| Vincent Casey | ||
| Chief Financial Officer | ||
Exhibit 99.1
VERTICAL AEROSPACE LTD.
and
NOMURA SECURITIES INTERNATIONAL, INC.
SHARE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
AUGUST 5, 2022
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Article I DEFINITIONS | 4 | |
| Article II PURCHASE AND SALE OF SHARES | 4 | |
| Section 2.1. | Purchase and Sale of Shares | 4 |
| Section 2.2. | Closing Date; Settlement Dates | 5 |
| Section 2.3. | Initial Public Announcements and Required Filings | 5 |
| Article III PURCHASE TERMS | 6 | |
| Section 3.1. | VWAP Purchases | 6 |
| Section 3.2. | Settlement | 7 |
| Section 3.3. | Compliance with Rules of Principal Market | 8 |
| Section 3.4. | Beneficial Ownership Limitation | 8 |
| Article IV REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS OF THE INVESTOR | 9 | |
| Section 4.1. | Organization and Standing of the Investor | 9 |
| Section 4.2. | Authorization and Power | 9 |
| Section 4.3. | No Conflicts | 9 |
| Section 4.4. | Investment Purpose | 9 |
| Section 4.5. | Accredited Investor Status | 10 |
| Section 4.6. | Reliance on Exemptions | 10 |
| Section 4.7. | Information | 10 |
| Section 4.8. | No Governmental Review | 10 |
| Section 4.9. | No General Solicitation | 11 |
| Section 4.10. | Not an Affiliate | 11 |
| Section 4.11. | No Prior Short Sales | 11 |
| Section 4.12. | Statutory Underwriter Status | 11 |
| Section 4.13. | Resales of Shares | 11 |
| Section 4.14. | Residency | 11 |
| Article V REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY | 12 | |
| Section 5.1. | Organization, Good Standing and Power | 12 |
| Section 5.2. | Subsidiaries | 12 |
| Section 5.3. | Authorization, Enforcement | 12 |
| Section 5.4. | Capitalization | 13 |
| Section 5.5. | Issuance of Shares | 13 |
| Section 5.6. | No Conflicts | 13 |
| Section 5.7. | Commission Documents, Financial Statements; Disclosure Controls and Procedures; Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting; Accountants | 14 |
| Section 5.8. | No Material Adverse Effect; Absence of Certain Changes | 16 |
| Section 5.9. | No Material Defaults | 16 |
| Section 5.10. | No Preferential Rights | 17 |
| Section 5.11. | Material Contracts | 17 |
| Section 5.12. | Solvency | 17 |
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| Section 5.13. | Real Property; Intellectual Property | 18 |
| Section 5.14. | Actions Pending | 19 |
| Section 5.15. | Compliance with Law | 19 |
| Section 5.16. | Certain Fees | 19 |
| Section 5.17. | Disclosure | 19 |
| Section 5.18. | Broker/Dealer Relationships | 20 |
| Section 5.19. | Disclosure Controls | 20 |
| Section 5.20. | Permits | 20 |
| Section 5.21. | Environmental Compliance | 21 |
| Section 5.22. | No Improper Practices | 21 |
| Section 5.23. | AML Compliance | 21 |
| Section 5.24. | Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements | 22 |
| Section 5.25. | Transactions With Affiliates | 22 |
| Section 5.26. | Labor Disputes | 22 |
| Section 5.27. | Use of Proceeds | 22 |
| Section 5.28. | Investment Company Act Status | 22 |
| Section 5.29. | Taxes | 22 |
| Section 5.30. | ERISA | 23 |
| Section 5.31. | Share Transfer Taxes | 23 |
| Section 5.32. | Insurance | 23 |
| Section 5.33. | Exemption from Registration | 23 |
| Section 5.34. | No General Solicitation or Advertising | 23 |
| Section 5.35. | No Integrated Offering | 23 |
| Section 5.36. | Dilutive Effect | 24 |
| Section 5.37. | Manipulation of Price | 24 |
| Section 5.38. | Listing and Maintenance Requirements; DTC Eligibility | 24 |
| Section 5.39. | Application of Takeover Protections | 24 |
| Section 5.40. | OFAC | 25 |
| Section 5.41. | Information Technology; Compliance with Data Privacy Laws | 25 |
| Section 5.42. | Acknowledgment Regarding Investor’s Acquisition of Shares; Affiliate Relationships | 26 |
| Article VI ADDITIONAL COVENANTS | 27 | |
| Section 6.1. | Securities Compliance | 27 |
| Section 6.2. | Reservation of Shares | 27 |
| Section 6.3. | Registration and Listing | 27 |
| Section 6.4. | Compliance with Laws | 28 |
| Section 6.5. | Keeping of Records and Books of Account; Due Diligence | 28 |
| Section 6.6. | No Frustration; No Variable Rate Transactions | 28 |
| Section 6.7. | Corporate Existence | 29 |
| Section 6.8. | Fundamental Transaction | 29 |
| Section 6.9. | Selling Restrictions | 29 |
| Section 6.10. | Effective Registration Statement | 30 |
| Section 6.11. | Blue Sky | 30 |
| Section 6.12. | Non-Public Information | 31 |
| Section 6.13. | Broker/Dealer | 31 |
| Section 6.14. | Disclosure Schedule | 31 |
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| Section 6.15. | Delivery of Bring-Down Opinions and Compliance Certificates Upon Occurrence of Certain Events | 31 |
| Article VII CONDITIONS TO CLOSING AND CONDITIONS TO THE SALE AND PURCHASE OF THE SHARES | 33 | |
| Section 7.1. | Conditions Precedent to Closing | 33 |
| Section 7.2. | Conditions Precedent to Commencement | 34 |
| Section 7.3. | Conditions Precedent to VWAP Purchases after Commencement Date | 37 |
| Article VIII TERMINATION | 41 | |
| Section 8.1. | Automatic Termination | 41 |
| Section 8.2. | Other Termination | 41 |
| Section 8.3. | Effect of Termination | 42 |
| Article IX INDEMNIFICATION | 43 | |
| Section 9.1. | Indemnification of Investor | 43 |
| Section 9.2. | Indemnification Procedures | 44 |
| Article X MISCELLANEOUS | 46 | |
| Section 10.1. | Certain Fees and Expenses | 46 |
| Section 10.2. | Specific Enforcement, Consent to Jurisdiction, Waiver of Jury Trial | 46 |
| Section 10.3. | Entire Agreement | 46 |
| Section 10.4. | Notices | 47 |
| Section 10.5. | Waivers | 48 |
| Section 10.6. | Amendments | 48 |
| Section 10.7. | Headings | 48 |
| Section 10.8. | Construction | 48 |
| Section 10.9. | Binding Effect | 48 |
| Section 10.10. | No Third-Party Beneficiaries | 48 |
| Section 10.11. | Governing Law | 49 |
| Section 10.12. | Survival | 49 |
| Section 10.13. | Counterparts | 49 |
| Section 10.14. | Publicity | 49 |
| Section 10.15. | Severability | 49 |
| Section 10.16. | Further Assurances | 49 |
| ANNEX I | DEFINITIONS |
| EXHIBIT A | FORM OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT |
| EXHIBIT B | CLOSING CERTIFICATE |
| EXHIBIT C | COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE |
| EXHIBIT D | FORM OF VWAP PURCHASE NOTICE |
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SHARE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This SHARE PURCHASE AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of August 5, 2022 (this “Agreement”), by and between Nomura Securities International, Inc., a New York corporation (the “Investor”), and Vertical Aerospace Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company with limited liability (the “Company”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the parties desire that, upon the terms and subject to the conditions and limitations set forth herein, the Company may issue and sell to the Investor, from time to time as provided herein, and the Investor shall purchase from the Company, up to $100 million in aggregate gross purchase price of newly issued ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the “Shares”);
WHEREAS, such sales of Shares by the Company to the Investor will be made in reliance upon the provisions of Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act (“Section 4(a)(2)”), and upon such other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act as may be available with respect to any or all of the issuances and sales of Shares by the Company to the Investor to be made hereunder;
WHEREAS, the parties hereto are concurrently entering into a Registration Rights Agreement in the form attached as Exhibit A hereto (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company shall register the resale of the Registrable Securities (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein; and
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
Article
I
DEFINITIONS
Capitalized terms used in this Agreement shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in Annex I hereto, and hereby made a part hereof, or as otherwise set forth in this Agreement.
Article
II
PURCHASE AND SALE OF SHARES
Section 2.1. Purchase and Sale of Shares. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, during the Investment Period, the Company, in its sole discretion, shall have the right, but not the obligation, to issue and sell to the Investor, and the Investor shall purchase from the Company, up to $100 million (the “Total Commitment”) in aggregate gross purchase price of duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable Shares (the “Aggregate Limit”), by the delivery to the Investor of VWAP Purchase Notices as provided in Article III.
Section 2.2. Closing Date; Settlement Dates. This Agreement shall become effective and binding (the “Closing”) upon (a) the delivery of counterpart signature pages of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement executed by each of the parties hereto and thereto, and (b) the delivery of all other documents, instruments and writings required to be delivered pursuant to this Agreement, as provided in Section 7.1, at or prior to 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Closing Date. In consideration of and in express reliance upon the representations, warranties and covenants contained in, and upon the terms and subject to the conditions of, this Agreement, during the Investment Period, the Company, at its sole option and discretion, may issue and sell to the Investor, and, if the Company elects to so issue and sell, the Investor shall purchase from the Company, the Shares in respect of each VWAP Purchase (as defined below). The issue of Shares in respect of each VWAP Purchase, and the payment for such Shares, shall occur in accordance with Section 3.2, provided that all of the conditions precedent in Article VII shall have been fulfilled at the applicable times set forth in Article VII.
Section 2.3. Initial Public Announcements and Required Filings. The Company shall, within four (4) business days following the date of this Agreement, furnish to the Commission a Report on Form 6-K disclosing the execution of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement by the Company and the Investor and describing the material terms thereof, and attaching as exhibits thereto copies of each of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and, if applicable, any press release issued by the Company disclosing the execution of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement by the Company (including all exhibits thereto, the “Current Report”). The Company shall provide the Investor and its legal counsel a reasonable opportunity to comment on a draft of the Current Report prior to furnishing the Current Report to the Commission and shall give due consideration to all such comments. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to prepare and, as soon as practicable, file with the Commission the Initial Registration Statement and any New Registration Statement covering only the resale by the Investor of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the Securities Act and the Registration Rights Agreement. At or before 8:30 a.m. (New York City time) on the second (2nd) Trading Day immediately following the Effective Date of the Initial Registration Statement and any New Registration Statement (or any post-effective amendment thereto), the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to file with the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act the final Prospectus to be used in connection with sales pursuant to such Registration Statement (or post-effective amendment thereto).
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Article
III
PURCHASE TERMS
Subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Article VII, the parties agree as follows:
Section 3.1. VWAP Purchases. Upon the initial satisfaction of all of the conditions set forth in Section 7.2 (the “Commencement” and the date of initial satisfaction of all of such conditions, the “Commencement Date”) and from time to time thereafter, subject to the satisfaction of all of the conditions set forth in Section 7.3, the Company shall have the right, but not the obligation, to direct the Investor, by its timely delivery to the Investor of a VWAP Purchase Notice, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit D, after 5:00 p.m., New York City time on the trading day prior to the VWAP Purchase Date, and prior to 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on a VWAP Purchase Date, to purchase the applicable VWAP Purchase Share Amount, not to exceed the applicable VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount, at the applicable VWAP Purchase Price, which will not be lower than the applicable Floor Price set forth by the Company in the VWAP Purchase Notice, therefor on such VWAP Purchase Date in accordance with this Agreement (each such purchase, a “VWAP Purchase”) with the VWAP Purchase Period commencing at 9:30:01 a.m., New York City time. The Company may deliver a VWAP Purchase Notice by 10:00 a.m., New York City time, with the VWAP Purchase Period commencing at 10:30 a.m., New York City time, on such VWAP Purchase Date, or after 10:00 a.m., New York City time, but prior to 11:00 a.m., New York City time, with the VWAP Purchase Period commencing at 11:30 a.m., New York City time, on such VWAP Purchase Date; however, the Investor may, in its reasonable discretion, accept or reject such VWAP Purchase Notice after 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on a VWAP Purchase Date, and such acceptance, once provided by the Investor to the Company, shall be irrevocable and binding and the Company’s obligation to deliver the Shares subject of such VWAP Purchase Notice shall be binding. The Investor may also, in its sole discretion, accept additional VWAP Purchase Notices within a Trading Day. The Company may timely deliver a VWAP Purchase Notice to the Investor as often as every Trading Day (and may deliver multiple VWAP Purchase Notices in any given day), so long as all Shares subject to all prior VWAP Purchases theretofore required to have been received by the Investor as DWAC Shares under this Agreement are instructed to be validly issued by the Transfer Agent (by updating the register of members of the Company (the “Register of Members”) to reflect the same)to the Investor as DWAC Shares in accordance with this Agreement, unless such requirement is expressly waived by the Investor. The Investor is obligated to accept each VWAP Purchase Notice prepared and delivered by the Company in accordance with the terms of and subject to the satisfaction of the conditions contained in this Agreement. If the Company delivers any VWAP Purchase Notice directing the Investor to purchase a VWAP Purchase Share Amount in excess of the applicable VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount, such VWAP Purchase Notice shall be void ab initio to the extent of the amount by which the VWAP Purchase Share Amount set forth in such VWAP Purchase Notice exceeds such applicable VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount, and the Investor shall have no obligation to purchase such excess Shares in respect of such VWAP Purchase Notice; provided, however, that the Investor shall remain obligated to purchase the applicable VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount in such VWAP Purchase. Each VWAP Purchase Notice must include a VWAP Purchase Share Estimate. Each VWAP Purchase Notice must be accompanied by instructions to the Company’s Transfer Agent to update the Register of Member and immediately issue to the Investor an amount of Shares equal to a good faith estimate by the Company of the number of Shares constituting the applicable VWAP Purchase Share Amount that the Investor shall have the obligation to purchase pursuant to the VWAP Purchase Notice (the “VWAP Purchase Share Estimate”). In no event shall the Investor, pursuant to any VWAP Purchase, purchase a number of Shares constituting the applicable VWAP Purchase Share Amount that exceeds the VWAP Purchase Share Estimate issued on the VWAP Purchase Date in connection with such VWAP Purchase Notice; however, the Investor will immediately instruct the Transfer Agent to return to the Company any Shares issued pursuant to the VWAP Purchase Share Estimate that exceeds the number of Shares constituting the applicable VWAP Purchase Share Amount the Investor actually purchases in connection with such VWAP Purchase. At or prior to 5:30 p.m., New York City time, on the VWAP Purchase Date for each VWAP Purchase, the Investor shall provide to the Company a written confirmation for such VWAP Purchase (each, a “VWAP Purchase Confirmation”) setting forth the applicable VWAP Purchase Price per Share to be paid by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase, and the total aggregate VWAP Purchase Price to be paid by the Investor for the total VWAP Purchase Share Amount purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase. If the Company designates a Floor Price in its VWAP Purchase Notice, the VWAP for such VWAP Purchase Date shall exclude all trades at a price below such Floor Price. The Investor shall specify this adjustment to the VWAP in the VWAP Purchase Confirmation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the Company shall not deliver any VWAP Purchase Notices to the Investor during the PEA Period and (ii) following the delivery of a VWAP Purchase Notice, the Company shall not raise additional capital, in the form of a private securities offering, until the Trading Day following the applicable VWAP Purchase Share Delivery Date.
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Section 3.2. Settlement. The Shares constituting the applicable VWAP Purchase Share Amount purchased by the Investor in each VWAP Purchase shall be validly issued to the Investor as DWAC Shares not later than 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Trading Day immediately following the applicable VWAP Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase (each a “VWAP Purchase Share Delivery Date”) (it being acknowledged and agreed that the Company may not deliver any additional VWAP Purchase Notice to the Investor until all such Shares subject to such VWAP Purchase, and all Shares subject to all prior VWAP Purchase Notices, have been received by the Investor as DWAC Shares in accordance with this Agreement, unless expressly waived by the Investor). For each VWAP Purchase, the Investor shall pay to the Company an amount in cash equal to the product of (a) the total number of Shares purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase and (b) the applicable VWAP Purchase Price for such Shares (the “VWAP Purchase Amount”), as full payment for such Shares purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase, via wire transfer of immediately available funds, not later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Trading Day immediately following the applicable VWAP Purchase Share Delivery Date for such VWAP Purchase, provided the Investor shall have timely received, as DWAC Shares, all of such Shares purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase on such VWAP Purchase Share Delivery Date in accordance with the first sentence of this Section 3.2, or, if any of such Shares are received by the Investor after 1:00 p.m., New York City time, then the Company’s receipt of such funds in its designated account may occur on the Trading Day next following the Trading Day on which the Investor shall have received all of such Shares as DWAC Shares, but not later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on such next Trading Day. If the Investor fails to pay the VWAP Purchase Amount when due, the Investor will return the DWAC Shares to the Company. If the Company or the Transfer Agent shall fail for any reason, other than a failure of the Investor or its Broker-Dealer (as defined below) to set up a DWAC and required instructions, to issue to the Investor, as DWAC Shares, any Shares purchased by the Investor in a VWAP Purchase prior to 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Trading Day immediately following the applicable VWAP Purchase Share Delivery Date for such VWAP Purchase, and if on or after such Trading Day the Investor purchases (in an open market transaction or otherwise) Shares to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Investor of such Shares that the Investor anticipated receiving from the Company on such VWAP Purchase Share Delivery Date in respect of such VWAP Purchase, then the Company shall, within two (2) Trading Days after the Investor’s request, either (i) pay cash to the Investor in an amount equal to the Investor’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the Shares so purchased (the “Cover Price”), at which point the Company’s obligation to deliver such Shares as DWAC Shares (and the Investor’s obligation to purchase such Shares from the Company) shall terminate, or (ii) promptly honor its obligation to deliver to the Investor such Shares as DWAC Shares and pay cash to the Investor in an amount equal to the excess (if any) of the Cover Price over the total purchase price paid by the Investor pursuant to this Agreement for all of the Shares purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase; provided, however, that the Investor agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts to purchase Shares in respect of the Cover Price only in normal brokerage transactions at the prevailing price per Share then available. The Company shall not issue any fraction of a Share to the Investor in connection with any VWAP Purchase effected pursuant to this Agreement. If the issuance would result in the issuance of a fraction of a Share, the Company shall round such fraction of a Share up or down to the nearest whole Share. All payments to be made by the Investor pursuant to this Agreement shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to such account as the Company may from time to time designate by written notice to the Investor in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
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Section 3.3. Compliance with Rules of Principal Market. The Company shall not issue or sell any Shares pursuant to this Agreement if such issuance or sale would reasonably be expected to result in (A) a violation of the Securities Act or (B) a breach of the rules of the Principal Market. The provisions of this Section 3.3 shall not be implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 3.3 unless necessary to ensure compliance with the Securities Act and the applicable rules of the Principal Market.
Section 3.4. Beneficial Ownership Limitation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Company shall not issue or sell, and the Investor shall not purchase or acquire, any Shares under this Agreement which, when aggregated with all other Shares then beneficially owned by the Investor and its Affiliates (as calculated pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13d-3 promulgated thereunder), would result in the beneficial ownership by the Investor and its Affiliates (on an aggregated basis) of more than 4.99% of the outstanding Shares (the “Beneficial Ownership Limitation”). Upon the written request of the Investor, the Company shall promptly (but not later than the next business day on which the Transfer Agent is open for business) confirm orally or in writing to the Investor the number of Shares then outstanding. The Investor and the Company shall each cooperate in good faith in the determinations required under this Section 3.4 and the application of this Section 3.4. The Investor’s written certification to the Company of the applicability of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the resulting effect thereof hereunder at any time, shall be conclusive with respect to the applicability thereof and such result absent manifest error. The provisions of this Section 3.4 shall not be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 3.4 unless necessary to properly give effect to the limitations contained in this Section 3.4.
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Article
IV
REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS OF THE INVESTOR
The Investor hereby makes the following representations, warranties and covenants to the Company:
Section 4.1. Organization and Standing of the Investor. The Investor is a corporation duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of New York.
Section 4.2. Authorization and Power. The Investor has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and to purchase or acquire the Shares in accordance with the terms hereof. The execution, delivery and performance by the Investor of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action, and no further consent or authorization of the Investor or its sole member is required. Each of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Investor and constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Investor enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation, conservatorship, receivership, or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally the enforcement of, creditor’s rights and remedies or by other equitable principles of general application (including any limitation of equitable remedies).
Section 4.3. No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Investor of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and the consummation by the Investor of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby do not and shall not (i) result in a violation of such Investor’s certificate of formation, limited liability company agreement or other applicable organizational instruments, (ii) conflict with, constitute a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become a default) under, or give rise to any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any material agreement, mortgage, deed of trust, indenture, note, bond, license, lease agreement, instrument or obligation to which the Investor is a party or is bound, or (iii) result in a violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, rule, or regulation, or any order, judgment or decree of any court or governmental agency applicable to the Investor or by which any of its properties or assets are bound or affected, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), for such conflicts, defaults, terminations, amendments, acceleration, cancellations and violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, prohibit or otherwise interfere with, in any material respect, the ability of the Investor to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement. The Investor is not required under any applicable federal, state or local law, rule or regulation to obtain any consent, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with, any court or governmental agency in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its obligations under this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement or to purchase or acquire the Shares in accordance with the terms hereof, other than as may be required by FINRA; provided, however, that for purposes of the representation made in this sentence, the Investor is assuming and relying upon the accuracy of the relevant representations and warranties and the compliance with the relevant covenants and agreements of the Company in the Transaction Documents to which it is a party.
Section 4.4. Investment Purpose. The Investor is acquiring the Shares for its own account, for investment purposes and not with a view towards, or for resale in connection with, the public sale or distribution thereof, in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities laws; provided, however, that by making the representations herein, the Investor does not agree, or make any representation or warranty, to hold any of the Shares for any minimum or other specific term and reserves the right to dispose of the Shares at any time in accordance with, or pursuant to, a registration statement filed pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement or an applicable exemption under the Securities Act. The Investor does not presently have any agreement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any Person to sell or distribute any of the Shares. The Investor is acquiring the Shares hereunder in the ordinary course of its business.
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Section 4.5. Accredited Investor Status. The Investor is an “accredited investor” as that term is defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Act (“Regulation D”).
Section 4.6. Reliance on Exemptions. The Investor understands that the Shares are being offered and sold to it in reliance on specific exemptions from the registration requirements of U.S. federal and state securities laws and that the Company is relying in part upon the truth and accuracy of, and the Investor’s compliance with, the representations, warranties, agreements, acknowledgments and understandings of the Investor set forth herein in order to determine the availability of such exemptions and the eligibility of the Investor to acquire the Shares.
Section 4.7. Information. All materials relating to the business, financial condition, management and operations of the Company and materials relating to the offer and sale of the Shares which have been requested by the Investor have been furnished or otherwise made available to the Investor or its advisors, including, without limitation, the Commission Documents. The Investor understands that its investment in the Shares involves a high degree of risk. The Investor is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Shares, including a total loss thereof, and has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters that it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of a proposed investment in the Shares. The Investor and its advisors have been afforded the opportunity to ask questions of and receive answers from representatives of the Company concerning the financial condition and business of the Company and other matters relating to an investment in the Shares. Neither such inquiries nor any other due diligence investigations conducted by the Investor or its advisors, if any, or its representatives shall modify, amend or affect the Investor’s right to rely on the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or in any other Transaction Document to which the Company is a party or the Investor’s right to rely on any other document or instrument executed and/or delivered in connection with this Agreement or the consummation of the transaction contemplated hereby (including, without limitation the opinions of the Company’s counsel and Investor’s counsel delivered pursuant to this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement). The Investor has sought such accounting, legal and tax advice as it has considered necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to its acquisition of the Shares. The Investor understands that it (and not the Company) shall be responsible for its own tax liabilities that may arise as a result of this investment or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 4.8. No Governmental Review. The Investor understands that no United States federal or state agency or any other government or governmental agency has passed on or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Shares or the fairness or suitability of the investment in the Shares nor have such authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the Shares.
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Section 4.9. No General Solicitation. The Investor is not purchasing or acquiring the Shares as a result of any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D) in connection with the offer or sale of the Shares.
Section 4.10. Not an Affiliate. The Investor is not an officer, director or an Affiliate of the Company. During the Investment Period, the Investor will not acquire for its own account any Shares or securities exercisable for or convertible into Shares, other than pursuant to this Agreement; provided, however, that nothing in this Agreement shall prohibit or be deemed to prohibit the Investor from purchasing, in an open market transaction or otherwise, the Shares necessary to make delivery by the Investor in satisfaction of a sale by the Investor of Shares that the Investor anticipated receiving from the Company in connection with the settlement of a VWAP Purchase if the Company or its Transfer Agent shall have failed for any reason (other than a failure of Investor or its Broker-Dealer to set up a DWAC and required instructions) to electronically transfer all of the Shares subject to such VWAP Purchase to the Investor on the applicable VWAP Purchase Share Delivery Date by crediting the Investor’s or its designated Broker-Dealer’s account at DTC through its DWAC delivery system in compliance with Section 3.2 of this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing restriction does not apply to any Affiliate of the Investor, provided that any such purchases do not cause the Investor to violate any applicable Exchange Act requirement, including Regulation M.
Section 4.11. No Prior Short Sales. At no time prior to the date of this Agreement has the Investor or any entity managed or controlled by the Investor engaged in or effected, in any manner whatsoever, directly or indirectly, for its own principal account, any (i) “short sale” (as such term is defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO of the Exchange Act) of the Shares or (ii) hedging transaction, in either case, which establishes a net short position with respect to the Shares that remains in effect as of the date of this Agreement.
Section 4.12. Statutory Underwriter Status. The Investor acknowledges that it will be disclosed as an “underwriter” and a “selling shareholder” in each Registration Statement and in any Prospectus contained therein to the extent required by applicable law and to the extent the Prospectus is related to the resale of Registrable Securities.
Section 4.13. Resales of Shares. The Investor represents, warrants and covenants that it will resell such Shares only i) pursuant to the Registration Statement in which the resale of such Shares is registered under the Securities Act, in a manner described under the caption “Plan of Distribution (Conflict of Interest)” in such Registration Statement, and in a manner in compliance with all applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, any applicable prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act, or ii) in reliance on specific exemptions from the registration requirements of U.S. federal and state securities laws, as applicable.
Section 4.14. Residency. The Investor is a resident of the State of New York.
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Article
V
REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY
The Company hereby makes the following representations, warranties and covenants to the Investor:
Section 5.1. Organization, Good Standing and Power. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are duly incorporated or organized (as applicable), validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of incorporation or organization (as applicable). The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are duly licensed or qualified as a foreign corporation (or other entity, if applicable) for transaction of business and in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such license or qualification, and have all entity power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct their respective businesses as described in the Commission Documents, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect or would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on or affecting the assets, business, operations, earnings, properties, condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or prevent or materially interfere with consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (a “Material Adverse Effect”).
Section 5.2. Subsidiaries. The subsidiaries set forth in Exhibit 8.1 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the Commission on April 29, 2022 (collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) are the Company’s only significant subsidiaries (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the Commission). Except as set forth in the Commission Documents, the Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the equity interests of the Subsidiaries free and clear of any lien, charge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal or other restriction, and all the equity interests of the Subsidiaries are validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights.
Section 5.3. Authorization, Enforcement. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party and to issue the Shares in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof. Except for approvals of the Company’s Board of Directors or a committee thereof as may be required in connection with any issuance and sale of Shares to the Investor hereunder (which approvals shall be obtained prior to the delivery of any VWAP Purchase Notice), the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action, and no further consent or authorization of the Company, its Board of Directors or its shareholders is required. Each of the Transaction Documents to which the Company is a party has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation, conservatorship, receivership or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally the enforcement of, creditor’s rights and remedies or by other equitable principles of general application (including any limitation of equitable remedies).
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Section 5.4. Capitalization. The authorized share capital of the Company and the shares thereof issued and outstanding were as set forth in the Commission Documents as of the dates reflected therein. All of the issued and outstanding Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable. Except as set forth in the Commission Documents, this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, there are no agreements or arrangements under which the Company is obligated to register the sale of any securities under the Securities Act. Except as set forth in the Commission Documents, no Shares are entitled to preemptive rights and there are no outstanding debt securities and no contracts, commitments, understandings, or arrangements by which the Company is or may become bound to issue additional shares of the Company or options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of the Company other than those issued or granted in the ordinary course of business pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive and/or compensatory plans or arrangements. Except for customary transfer restrictions contained in agreements entered into by the Company to sell restricted securities or as set forth in the Commission Documents, the Company is not a party to, and it has no Knowledge of, any agreement restricting the voting or transfer of any shares of the Company. Except as set forth in the Commission Documents, there are no securities or instruments containing anti-dilution or similar provisions that will be triggered by this Agreement or any of the other Transaction Documents or the consummation of the transactions described herein or therein. The Company has filed with the Commission a true and correct copy of the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association as in effect on the Closing Date (the “Articles”).
Section 5.5. Issuance of Shares. The Shares to be issued under this Agreement have been, or with respect to Shares to be purchased by the Investor pursuant to a particular VWAP Purchase Notice, will be, prior to the delivery to the Investor hereunder of such VWAP Purchase Notice, duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company. The Shares, if and when issued and sold against payment therefor in accordance with this Agreement, shall be validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable and free from all liens, charges, taxes, security interests, encumbrances, rights of first refusal, preemptive or similar rights and other encumbrances with respect to the issue thereof, and the Investor shall be entitled to all rights accorded to a holder of Shares. At or prior to Commencement, the Company shall have duly authorized and reserved a number of Shares equal to the Aggregate Limit for issuance and sale as Shares to the Investor pursuant to VWAP Purchases that may be effected by the Company, in its sole discretion, from time to time from and after the Commencement Date, pursuant to this Agreement.
Section 5.6. No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby do not and shall not (i) result in a violation of any provision of the Company’s Articles, (ii) conflict with or constitute a material default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become a material default) under, or give rise to any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any material agreement, mortgage, deed of trust, indenture, note, bond, license, lease agreement, instrument or obligation to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or is bound, (iii) result in a violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (including federal and state securities laws and regulations and the rules and regulations of the Principal Market), except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), for such conflicts, defaults, terminations, amendments, acceleration, cancellations, liens, charges, encumbrances and violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or that have been waived. Except as specifically contemplated by this Agreement or the Registration Rights Agreement and as required under the Securities Act, any applicable state securities laws and applicable rules of the Principal Market, the Company is not required under any federal, state or local rule or regulation to obtain any consent, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with, any court or governmental agency in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its obligations under the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, or to issue the Shares to the Investor in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof (other than such consents, authorizations, orders, filings or registrations as have been obtained or made prior to the Closing Date); provided, however, that, for purposes of the representation made in this sentence, the Company is assuming and relying upon the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Investor in this Agreement and the compliance by it with its covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.
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Section 5.7. Commission Documents, Financial Statements; Disclosure Controls and Procedures; Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting; Accountants.
(a) Since December 16, 2021, the Company has timely filed (giving effect to permissible extensions in accordance with Rule 12b-25 under the Exchange Act) all filings required to be filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Company under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, including those required to be filed with or furnished to the Commission under Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. As of the date of this Agreement, no Subsidiary of the Company is required to file or furnish any report, schedule, registration, form, statement, information or other document with the Commission. As of its filing date (or, if amended or superseded by a filing prior to the Closing Date, on the date of such amended or superseded filing), each Commission Document filed with or furnished to the Commission prior to the Closing Date complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable. Each Registration Statement, on the date it is filed with the Commission, on the date it becomes effective and on each VWAP Purchase Date shall comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act (including, without limitation, Rule 415 under the Securities Act) and shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, except that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements in or omissions from such Registration Statement made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Investor furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of the Investor expressly for use therein. The Prospectus and each Prospectus Supplement required to be filed pursuant to this Agreement or the Registration Rights Agreement after the Closing Date, when taken together, on its date and on each VWAP Purchase Date shall comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act (including, without limitation, Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act) and shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Investor furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of the Investor expressly for use therein. The statistical, demographic and market-related data included in the Registration Statement and Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate or represent the Company’s good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources. Each Commission Document (other than the Initial Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement, or the Prospectus included therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto) to be filed with or furnished to the Commission after the Closing Date and incorporated by reference in the Initial Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement, or the Prospectus included therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto required to be filed pursuant to this Agreement or the Registration Rights Agreement (including, without limitation, the Current Report), when such document is filed with or furnished to the Commission and, if applicable, when such document becomes effective, as the case may be, shall comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable. There are no comments provided to the Company by the Commission’s staff relating to any of the Commission Documents filed with or furnished to the Commission as of the applicable date or time this representation is being made under Article VII hereof that remain outstanding or unresolved. The Commission has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.
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(b) The consolidated financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Commission Documents, together with the related notes and schedules, present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company and its then consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates indicated, and the consolidated results of operations, cash flows and changes in shareholders’ equity of the Company and its then consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified and have been prepared in all material respects in compliance with the published requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IFRS”) applied on a consistent basis. There are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Commission Documents that are not included or incorporated by reference as required. The Company and the Subsidiaries do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations or any “variable interest entities” as that term is used in Accounting Standards Codification Paragraph 810-10-25-20), not described in Commission Documents which are required to be described in the Commission Documents. All disclosures contained or incorporated by reference in the Commission Documents, if any, regarding “non-IFRS financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with Regulation G under the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included in the Commission Documents fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
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(c) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report on the consolidated financial statements of the Company as of December 31, 2020 and 2021, and the related consolidated statements of comprehensive income, of changes in equity and of cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2021 included in the Company’s registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-262207), are and, during the periods covered by their report, were an independent public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). To the Company’s knowledge, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP is not in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) with respect to the Company.
(d) Except as disclosed in the Commission Documents, there is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Each of the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer of the Company (or each former principal executive officer of the Company and each former principal financial officer of the Company as applicable) has made all certifications required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act with respect to all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by it or furnished by it to the Commission. For purposes of the preceding sentence, “principal executive officer” and “principal financial officer” shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
Section 5.8. No Material Adverse Effect; Absence of Certain Changes. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Commission Documents (including any document deemed incorporated by reference therein), there has not been (i) any Material Adverse Effect or the occurrence of any development that the Company reasonably expects will result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) any transaction which is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (iii) any obligation or liability, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), incurred by the Company or any Subsidiary, which is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (iv) any material change in the shares (other than (A) the grant of additional awards under the Company’s existing equity incentive plans, (B) changes in the number of outstanding shares of the Company due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise or conversion of securities exercisable for, or convertible into, shares outstanding on the date hereof, (C) as described in a proxy statement filed on Schedule 14A or a Registration Statement on Form F-4, or (D) otherwise publicly announced on a Form 6-K or Company press release) or outstanding long-term indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (v) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on the shares of the Company or any Subsidiary, other than in each case above in the ordinary course of business or as otherwise disclosed in the Commission Documents (including any document deemed incorporated by reference therein).
Section 5.9. No Material Defaults. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults, individually or in the aggregate, would have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not filed a report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act indicating that it (i) has failed to pay any dividend or sinking fund installment on preferred shares (if any) or (ii) has defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults, individually or in the aggregate, would have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter, by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any Governmental Authority, except, in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
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Section 5.10. No Preferential Rights. Except as set forth in the Commission Documents or provided hereunder, (i) no Person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Company to issue or sell to such Person any Shares or any other shares or other securities of the Company, (ii) no Person has any preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first refusal, rights of co-sale, or any other rights (whether pursuant to a “poison pill” provision or otherwise) to purchase any Shares or any other shares or other securities of the Company, (iii) no Person has the right to act as an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Company in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares offered hereunder, and (iv) no Person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to require the Company to register under the Securities Act any Shares or any other shares or other securities of the Company, or to include any such Shares or other securities in the Registration Statement or the offering contemplated thereby, whether as a result of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the sale of the Shares as contemplated thereby or otherwise.
Section 5.11. Material Contracts. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in material breach of or default in any respect under the terms of any Material Contract and, to the Knowledge of the Company, as of the date hereof, no other party to any Material Contract is in material breach of or default under the terms of any Material Contract. Each agreement between the Company and a third party is in full force and effect and is a valid and binding obligation of the Company or the Subsidiary of the Company that is party thereto and, to the Knowledge of the Company, is a valid and binding obligation of each other party thereto. The Company has not received any written notice of the intention of any other party to a Material Contract to terminate for default, convenience or otherwise, or not renew, any Material Contract.
Section 5.12. Solvency. The Company has not taken any steps, and does not currently expect to take any steps, to seek protection pursuant to Title 11 of the United States Code or any similar federal or state bankruptcy law or law for the relief of debtors, nor does the Company have any Knowledge that its creditors intend to initiate involuntary bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or liquidation proceedings or other proceedings for relief under Title 11 of the United States Code or any other federal or state bankruptcy law or any law for the relief of debtors. The Company is financially solvent and is generally able to pay its debts as they become due.
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Section 5.13. Real Property; Intellectual Property.
(a) Except as set forth in the Commission Documents, the Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all items of real property owned by them, good and valid title to all personal property described in the Commission Documents as being owned by them that are material to their businesses, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and claims, except those matters that (i) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Any real or personal property described in the Commission Documents as being leased by the Company and any of its Subsidiaries is held by them under valid, existing and enforceable leases, except those that (A) do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (B) would not be reasonably expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. Each of the properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries complies with all applicable codes, laws and regulations (including, without limitation, building and zoning codes, laws and regulations and laws relating to access to such properties), except if and to the extent disclosed in the Commission Documents or except for such failures to comply that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to interfere in any material respect with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its Subsidiaries or otherwise have a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Company or its Subsidiaries has received from any Governmental Authorities any notice of any condemnation of, or zoning change affecting, the properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries, and the Company knows of no such condemnation or zoning change which is threatened, except for such that would not reasonably be expected to interfere in any material respect with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its Subsidiaries or otherwise have a Material Adverse Effect, individually or in the aggregate.
(b) Except as disclosed in the Commission Documents, the Company and its Subsidiaries own, possess, license or have other rights to use all foreign and domestic patents, patent applications, trade and service marks, trade and service mark registrations, trade names, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets, technology, Internet domain names, know-how and other intellectual property (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”), necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as now conducted except to the extent that the failure to own, possess, license or otherwise hold adequate rights to use such Intellectual Property would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the Commission Documents (i) there are no rights of third parties to any such Intellectual Property owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries; (ii) to the Company’s Knowledge, there is no infringement by third parties of any such Intellectual Property; (iii) there is no pending or, to the Company’s Knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ rights in or to any such Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which could form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim; (iv) 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; (v) there is no pending or, to the Company’s Knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company and its Subsidiaries infringe or otherwise violate any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights of others; (vi) to the Company’s Knowledge, there is no third-party U.S. patent or published U.S. patent application which contains claims for which an Interference Proceeding (as defined in 35 U.S.C. § 135) has been commenced against any patent or patent application described in the Commission Documents as being owned by or licensed to the Company; and (vii) the Company and its Subsidiaries have complied with the terms of each agreement pursuant to which Intellectual Property has been licensed to the Company or such Subsidiary, and all such agreements are in full force and effect, except, in the case of any of clauses (i)-(vii) above, for any such rights infringement by third parties or any such pending or threatened suit, action, proceeding or claim as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the confidentiality of all material trade secrets and other material confidential information of the Company and its Subsidiaries and any confidential information owned by any Person to whom the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has a written confidentiality obligation.
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Section 5.14. Actions Pending. Except as disclosed in the Commission Documents, there are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any Governmental Authority pending, nor, to the Company’s Knowledge, any audits or investigations by or before any Governmental Authority to which the Company or a Subsidiary is a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and, to the Company’s Knowledge, no such actions, suits, proceedings, audits or investigations are threatened or contemplated by any Governmental Authority or threatened by others; and (i) there are no current or pending audits or investigations, actions, suits or proceedings by or before any Governmental Authority that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Commission Documents that are not so described; and (ii) there are no material contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Commission Documents that are not so filed.
Section 5.15. Compliance with Law. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and statutes (including all Environmental Laws) in the jurisdictions in which it carries on business, except where failure to be so in compliance would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; the Company has not received a notice of non-compliance, nor knows of, nor has reasonable grounds to know of, any facts that could give rise to a notice of non-compliance with any such laws, regulations and statutes, and is not aware of any pending change or contemplated change to any applicable law or regulation or governmental position; in each case that would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.16. Certain Fees. Except as disclosed to the Investors, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has incurred any liability for any finder’s fees, brokerage commissions or similar payments in connection with the transactions herein contemplated.
Section 5.17. Disclosure. The Company confirms that each time that it issues a VWAP Purchase Notice to the Investor, neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf will have provided the Investor or any of its agents, advisors or counsel with any information that constitutes or would reasonably be expected to constitute material non-public information concerning the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than the existence of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and the VWAP Purchase Notice. The Company understands and confirms that the Investor will rely on the foregoing representations in effecting resales of Shares under the Registration Statement.
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Section 5.18. Broker/Dealer Relationships. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries (i) is required to register as a “broker” or “dealer” in accordance with the provisions of the Exchange Act or (ii) directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is a “person associated with a member” or “associated person of a member” (within the meaning set forth in the FINRA Manual).
Section 5.19. Disclosure Controls. The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Commission Documents, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements of the Company included in the Commission Documents, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (other than as set forth in the Commission Documents). The Company has established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15) for the Company and designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that material information relating to the Company and each of its Subsidiaries is made known to the certifying officers by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F is being prepared. The Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of the Form 20-F for the fiscal year most recently ended (such date, the “Evaluation Date”) and, except as disclosed in the Commission Documents, the disclosure controls and procedures are effective. The Company presented in its Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year most recently ended the conclusions of the certifying officers about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on their evaluations as of the Evaluation Date. Since the Evaluation Date, there have been no significant changes in the Company’s internal controls (as such term is defined in Item 307(b) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act) or, to the Company’s Knowledge, in other factors that could significantly affect the Company’s internal controls.
Section 5.20. Permits. Except as disclosed in the Commission Documents, the Company and each Subsidiary possess such valid and current certificates, authorizations or permits issued by the appropriate state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct their respective businesses, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received, or has any reason to believe that it will receive, any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of, or non-compliance with, any such certificate, authorization or permit which, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
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Section 5.21. Environmental Compliance. Except as set forth in the Commission Documents, the Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules, regulations, decisions and orders relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (ii) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses as described in the Commission Documents; and (iii) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except, in the case of any of clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) above, for any such failure to comply or failure to receive required permits, licenses, other approvals or liability as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.22. No Improper Practices. (i) Neither the Company nor the Subsidiaries, nor any director, officer, or employee of the Company or any Subsidiary nor, to the Company’s Knowledge, any agent, Affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary has, in the past five years, made any unlawful contributions to any candidate for any political office (or failed fully to disclose any contribution in violation of applicable law) or made any contribution or other payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state, municipal, or foreign office or other person charged with similar public or quasi-public duty in violation of any applicable law or of the character required to be disclosed in the Commission Documents; (ii) except as described in the Commission Documents, there are no material outstanding loans or advances or material guarantees of indebtedness by the Company or any Subsidiary to or for the benefit of any of their respective officers or directors or any of the members of the families of any of them; and (iii) the Company has not offered, or caused any placement agent to offer, Shares to any person with the intent to influence unlawfully (A) a customer or supplier of the Company or the Subsidiaries to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company or any Subsidiary or (B) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or the Subsidiaries or any of their respective products or services, and, (iv) neither the Company nor the Subsidiaries nor any director, officer or employee of the Company or any Subsidiary nor, to the Company’s Knowledge, any agent, Affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary has (A) violated or is in violation of any applicable provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law (collectively, “Anti-Corruption Laws”), (B) promised, offered, provided, attempted to provide or authorized the provision of anything of value, directly or indirectly, to any person for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business, influencing any act or decision of the recipient, or securing any improper advantage; or (C) made any payment of funds of the Company or any Subsidiary or received or retained any funds in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws.
Section 5.23. AML Compliance. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions to which the Company or its Subsidiaries are subject, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Authority (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Authority involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened.
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Section 5.24. Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements. There are no transactions, arrangements or other relationships between or among the Company, and/or any of its Affiliates and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any structural finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity (each, an “Off-Balance Sheet Transaction”) that would reasonably be expected to affect materially the Company’s liquidity or the availability of or requirements for its capital resources, including those Off-Balance Sheet Transactions described in the Commission’s Statement about Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations (Release Nos. 33-8056; 34-45321; FR-61), required to be described in the Commission Documents which have not been described as required.
Section 5.25. Transactions With Affiliates. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its Subsidiaries on the one hand, and the directors, officers, trustees, managers, shareholders, partners, customers or suppliers of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries on the other hand, which would be required by the Securities Act or the Exchange Act to be disclosed in the Commission Documents, which is not so disclosed.
Section 5.26. Labor Disputes. None of the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is bound by or subject to any collective bargaining or similar agreement with any labor union, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is represented by any labor union. The Company and its Subsidiaries have complied with all employment laws applicable to employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries, except where non-compliance with any such employment laws would not have a Material Adverse Effect. No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened which would have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.27. Use of Proceeds. The proceeds from the sale of the Shares by the Company to the Investor shall be used by the Company in the manner as will be set forth in the Prospectus included in any Registration Statement (and any post-effective amendment thereto) and any Prospectus Supplement thereto filed pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement.
Section 5.28. Investment Company Act Status. The Company is not, and as a result of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares as will be set forth in the Prospectus included in any Registration Statement (and any post-effective amendment thereto) and any Prospectus Supplement thereto filed pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement the Company will not be, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Section 5.29. Taxes. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns which have been required to be filed by them and paid all taxes shown thereon, to the extent that such taxes have become due and are not being contested in good faith, except where the failure to so file or pay would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in or contemplated by the Commission Documents, no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which has had, or would have, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably expected to be a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has no Knowledge of any federal, state or other governmental tax deficiency, penalty or assessment which has been or might be asserted or threatened against it which would reasonably have a Material Adverse Effect.
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Section 5.30. ERISA. To the Knowledge of the Company: (i) each material employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any of its Affiliates for employees or former employees of the Company and any of its Subsidiaries has been maintained in material compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) in all material respects; and (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred which would result in a material liability to the Company with respect to any such plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption other than in the case of (i) and (ii) above as would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.31. Share Transfer Taxes. All share transfer or other taxes (other than income taxes) which are required to be paid in connection with the sale and transfer of the Shares to be sold hereunder will be, or will have been, fully paid or provided for by the Company and all laws imposing such taxes will be or will have been fully complied with.
Section 5.32. Insurance. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company and each of its Subsidiaries reasonably believe are adequate for the conduct of their business and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries.
Section 5.33. Exemption from Registration. Subject to, and in reliance on, the representations, warranties and covenants made herein by the Investor, the offer and sale of the Shares in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement is exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act pursuant to Section 4(a)(2); provided, however, that at the request of and with the express agreements of the Investor (including, without limitation, the representations, warranties and covenants of Investor set forth in Section 4.9 through 4.13), the Shares to be issued from and after Commencement to or for the benefit of the Investor pursuant to this Agreement shall be issued to the Investor or its designee only as DWAC Shares and will not bear legends noting restrictions as to resale of such securities under federal or state securities laws, nor will any such securities be subject to stop transfer instructions.
Section 5.34. No General Solicitation or Advertising. Neither the Company, nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf, has engaged in any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D) in connection with the offer or sale of the Shares.
Section 5.35. No Integrated Offering. None of the Company, its Subsidiaries or any of their Affiliates, nor any Person acting on their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would require registration of the issuance of any of the Shares under the Securities Act, whether through integration with prior offerings or otherwise, or cause this offering of the Shares to require approval of shareholders of the Company under any applicable shareholder approval provisions, including, without limitation, under the rules and regulations of the Principal Market. None of the Company, its Subsidiaries, their Affiliates nor any Person acting on their behalf will take any action or steps referred to in the preceding sentence that would require registration of the issuance of any of the Shares under the Securities Act or cause the offering of any of the Shares to be integrated with other offerings.
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Section 5.36. Dilutive Effect. The Company is aware and acknowledges that issuance of the Shares could cause dilution to existing shareholders and could significantly increase the outstanding number of Shares. The Company further acknowledges that its obligation to issue the Shares to be purchased by the Investor pursuant to a VWAP Purchase is, upon the Company’s delivery to the Investor of a VWAP Purchase Notice for a VWAP Purchase in accordance with this Agreement, absolute and unconditional following the delivery of such VWAP Purchase Notice to the Investor, regardless of the dilutive effect that such issuance may have on the ownership interests of other shareholders of the Company.
Section 5.37. Manipulation of Price. Neither the Company nor any of its officers, directors, or to the Knowledge of the Company, its Affiliates has, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, no Person acting on their behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed or intended to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company, or which caused or resulted in, or which would in the future reasonably be expected to cause or result in, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company, in each case to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Shares, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Shares, or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company. Neither the Company nor any of its officers, directors or, to the Knowledge of the Company, its Affiliates will during the term of this Agreement, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, no Person acting on their behalf will during the term of this Agreement, take any of the actions referred to in the immediately preceding sentence.
Section 5.38. Listing and Maintenance Requirements; DTC Eligibility. The Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its Knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Shares under the Exchange Act, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration. The Company has not received notice from the Principal Market to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements of the Principal Market. The Shares are eligible for participation in the DTC book entry system. The Company has not received notice from DTC to the effect that a suspension of, or restriction on, accepting additional deposits of the Shares, electronic trading or book-entry services by DTC with respect to the Shares is being imposed or is contemplated.
Section 5.39. Application of Takeover Protections. The Company and its Board of Directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Company’s Articles or the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation that is or could become applicable to the Investor as a result of the Investor and the Company fulfilling their respective obligations or exercising their respective rights under the Transaction Documents (as applicable), including, without limitation, as a result of the Company’s issuance of the Shares and the Investor’s ownership of the Shares.
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Section 5.40. OFAC. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Entity”), nor any director, officer or employee, is a Person that is, or is 50% or more owned or, where relevant under applicable Sanctions, controlled by a Person that is (i) the subject of applicable sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (“OFAC”), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, or Her Majesty’s Treasury, including, designation on OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List or OFAC’s Foreign Sanctions Evaders List (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions that broadly prohibit dealings with that country or territory (currently, the Crimea region of Ukraine, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria (the “Sanctioned Countries”)). The Entity will not, directly or knowingly indirectly, use the proceeds from the sale of Shares, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person (a) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions or is a Sanctioned Country, in violation of applicable Sanctions, or (b) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise). For the past five years, the Entity has not engaged in, and is now not engaged in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions or was a Sanctioned Country, in violation of applicable Sanctions.
Section 5.41. Information Technology; Compliance with Data Privacy Laws. Except where the failure to so comply would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, to the Company’s Knowledge, the Company and its Subsidiaries comply in all respects with: (i) all applicable Privacy/Data Security Laws, (ii) any applicable policies of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, respectively, concerning the collection, dissemination, storage or use of Personal Information, (iii) industry standards to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, respectively, publicly purports to adhere, and (iv) all contractual commitments that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has entered into with respect to privacy and/or data security (collectively, the “Data Security Requirements”). The Company and its Subsidiaries have implemented commercially reasonable data security safeguards designed to protect the security and integrity of the Business Systems. Except as has not resulted in a Material Adverse Effect, to the Company’s Knowledge, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has experienced any data security breaches affecting Personal Information or any unauthorized access or use of any of the Business Systems; been subject to or received written notice of any audits, proceedings or investigations by any Governmental Authority or received any material claims or complaints alleging the violation of any applicable Data Security Requirements by the Company or any Subsidiary.
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Section 5.42. Acknowledgment Regarding Investor’s Acquisition of Shares; Affiliate Relationships. The Company acknowledges and agrees, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that the Investor is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s-length purchaser with respect to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, and Investor and/or any affiliated entity of Investor (such affiliated entities, the “Representatives” and, together with Investor, “Nomura”) may act as a Representative of the Investor in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, and of no other party, including the Company. The Company further acknowledges that the Investor and its Representatives are not acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity, except as noted above) with respect to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, and any advice given by the Investor or any of its Representatives or agents in connection therewith is merely incidental to the Investor’s acquisition of the Shares. The Company further represents to the Investor that the Company’s decision to enter into the Transaction Documents to which it is a party has been based solely on the independent evaluation of the transactions contemplated thereby by the Company and its Representatives. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Investor has not made and does not make any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents other than those specifically set forth in Article IV. The Investor and its Affiliates engage in a wide range of activities for their own accounts and the accounts of customers, including corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, merchant banking, equity and fixed income sales, trading and research, derivatives, foreign exchange, futures, asset management, custody, clearance and securities lending. In the course of its business, Affiliates of Investor may, directly or indirectly, hold long or short positions, trade and otherwise conduct such activities in or with respect to debt or equity securities and/or bank debt of, and/or derivative products relating to, the Company. Any such position will be created, and maintained, independently of the position Investor takes in the Company. In addition, at any given time the Investor and any of its Affiliates may have been and/or be engaged by one or more entities that may be competitors with, or otherwise adverse to, the Company in matters unrelated to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, and the Investor and any of its Affiliates may have or may in the future provide investment banking or other services to the Company in matters unrelated to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Activities of any of Investor’s Affiliates performed on behalf of the Company may give rise to actual or apparent conflicts of interest given Investor’s potentially competing interests with those of the Company. The Company expressly acknowledges the benefits it receives from Investor’s participation in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, on the one hand, and Investor’s Affiliates’ activities, if any, on behalf of the Company unrelated to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, on the other hand, and understands the conflict or potential conflict of interest that may arise in this regard, and has consulted with such independent advisors as it deems appropriate in order to understand and assess the risks associated with these potential conflicts of interest. Consistent with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, applicable Affiliates of the Investor have adopted policies and procedures to establish and maintain the independence of their research departments and personnel from their investment banking groups and the Investor. As a result, research analysts employed by Affiliates of the Investor may hold views, make statements or investment recommendations or publish research reports with respect to the Company or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents that differ from the views of the Investor.
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Article
VI
ADDITIONAL COVENANTS
The Company covenants with the Investor, and the Investor covenants with the Company, as follows, which covenants of one party are for the benefit of the other party, during the Investment Period (and with respect to the Company, for the period following the termination of this Agreement specified in Section 8.3 pursuant to and in accordance with Section 8.3):
Section 6.1. Securities Compliance. The Company shall notify the Commission and the Principal Market, if and as applicable, in accordance with their respective rules and regulations, of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, and shall take all necessary action, undertake all proceedings and obtain all registrations, permits, consents and approvals for the legal and valid issuance of the Shares to the Investor in accordance with the terms of the Transaction Documents, as applicable.
Section 6.2. Reservation of Shares. The Company has available and the Company shall reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive and other similar rights of shareholders, the requisite aggregate number of authorized but unissued Shares to enable the Company to timely effect the sale and issuance of all Shares to be issued, sold and issued in respect of each VWAP Purchase effected under this Agreement, at least prior to the delivery by the Company to the Investor of the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice in connection with such VWAP Purchase. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, as of the Commencement Date, the Company shall have reserved, out of its authorized and unissued Shares, a number of Shares equal to the Aggregate Limit solely for the purpose of effecting VWAP Purchases under this Agreement. The number of Shares so reserved for the purpose of effecting VWAP Purchases under this Agreement may be increased from time to time by the Company from and after the Commencement Date, and such number of reserved Shares may be reduced from and after the Commencement Date only by the number of Shares actually issued, sold and delivered to the Investor pursuant to any VWAP Purchase effected from and after the Commencement Date pursuant to this Agreement.
Section 6.3. Registration and Listing. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Shares to continue to be registered as a class of securities under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, and to comply with its reporting and filing obligations under the Exchange Act, and shall not take any action or file any document (whether or not permitted by the Securities Act or the Exchange Act) to terminate or suspend such registration or to terminate or suspend its reporting and filing obligations under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act, except as permitted herein. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to continue the listing and trading of its Shares and the listing of the Shares purchased by the Investor hereunder on the Principal Market and to comply with the Company’s reporting, filing and other obligations under the rules and regulations of the Principal Market. The Company shall not take any action which could be reasonably expected to result in the delisting or suspension of the Shares on the Principal Market. If the Company receives any final and non-appealable notice that the listing or quotation of the Shares on the Principal Market shall be terminated on a date certain, the Company shall promptly (and in any case within 24 hours) notify the Investor of such fact in writing and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Shares to be listed or quoted on another Principal Market.
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Section 6.4. Compliance with Laws.
(i) During the Investment Period, the Company shall comply with applicable provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including Regulation M thereunder, applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws, and applicable listing rules of the Principal Market, in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, prohibit or otherwise interfere with the ability of the Company to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement in any material respect or for Investor to conduct resales of Shares under the Registration Statement in any material respect.
(ii) The Investor shall comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders applicable to the performance by it of its obligations under this Agreement and its investment in the Shares, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, prohibit or otherwise interfere with the ability of the Investor to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement in any material respect. Without limiting the foregoing, the Investor shall comply with all applicable provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including Regulation M thereunder, and all applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws, in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.
Section 6.5. Keeping of Records and Books of Account; Due Diligence.
(i) The Investor and the Company shall each maintain records showing the remaining Total Commitment, the remaining Aggregate Limit and the dates and VWAP Purchase Share Amount for each VWAP Purchase.
(ii) Subject to the requirements of Section 6.12, from time to time from and after the Closing Date, the Company shall make available for inspection and review by the Investor during normal business hours and after reasonable notice, customary documentation reasonably requested by the Investor and/or its appointed counsel or advisors to conduct due diligence; provided, however, that the Investor’s satisfaction with the results of such due diligence shall not be a condition precedent to the Company’s right to deliver to the Investor any VWAP Purchase Notice or the settlement.
Section 6.6. No Frustration; No Variable Rate Transactions.
(i) No Frustration. The Company shall not enter into, announce or recommend to its shareholders any agreement, plan, arrangement or transaction in or of which the terms thereof would restrict, materially delay, conflict with or impair the ability or right of the Company to perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, including, without limitation, the obligation of the Company to deliver the Shares to the Investor in respect of a VWAP Purchase not later than the VWAP Purchase Share Delivery Date. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Section 6.6(i) shall in any way limit the Company’s right to terminate this Agreement in accordance with Section 8.2 (subject in all cases to Section 8.3).
(ii) No Variable Rate Transactions. The Company shall not effect or enter into an agreement to effect any issuance by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of Shares or Share Equivalents (or a combination of units thereof) involving a Variable Rate Transaction, other than in connection with an Exempt Issuance or pursuant to an agreement disclosed in the Commission Documents. The Investor shall be entitled to seek injunctive relief against the Company and its Subsidiaries to preclude any such issuance, which remedy shall be in addition to any right to collect damages, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required.
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Section 6.7. Corporate Existence. The Company shall take all steps necessary to preserve and continue the corporate existence of the Company; provided, however, that, except as provided in Section 6.8, nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to prohibit the Company from engaging in any Fundamental Transaction with another Person. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Section 6.7 shall in any way limit the Company’s right to terminate this Agreement in accordance with Section 8.2 (subject in all cases to Section 8.3).
Section 6.8. Fundamental Transaction. If a VWAP Purchase Notice has been delivered to the Investor and the issuance of Shares contemplated therein has not occurred in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Company shall not effect any Fundamental Transaction until the expiration of five (5) Trading Days following the date of full settlement thereof and the issuance to the Investor of all of the Shares issuable pursuant to the VWAP Purchase to which such VWAP Purchase Notice relates.
Section 6.9. Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company and the Subsidiaries will maintain and keep accurate books and records reflecting their assets and maintain internal accounting controls in a manner designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) and including those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company, (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit the preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements in accordance with IFRS, (iii) that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with management’s and the Company’s directors’ authorization, and (iv) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on its financial statements. The Company and the Subsidiaries will maintain such controls and other procedures, including, without limitation, those required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and the applicable regulations thereunder that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to ensure that material information relating to the Company or the Subsidiaries is made known to them by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which such periodic reports are being prepared.
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Section 6.10. Selling Restrictions.
(i) Except as expressly set forth below, the Investor covenants that from and after the Closing Date through and including the Trading Day next following the expiration or termination of this Agreement as provided in Article VIII (the “Restricted Period”), none of the Investor, any of its officers, or any entity managed or controlled by the Investor (collectively, the “Restricted Persons” and each of the foregoing is referred to herein as a “Restricted Person”) shall, directly or indirectly, (i) engage in any Short Sales of the Shares or (ii) hedging transaction, which establishes a net short position with respect to the Shares, with respect to each of clauses (i) and (ii) hereof, either for its own principal account or for the principal account of any other Restricted Person; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not apply to any such transactions effected by a Restricted Person on behalf of its customers when such Restricted Person is acting in its capacity as a broker or dealer, or to any hedging transaction involving options or other positions held by a Restricted Person unrelated to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement when such Restricted Person is acting in its capacity as a broker or dealer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is expressly understood and agreed that nothing contained herein shall (without implication that the contrary would otherwise be true) prohibit any Restricted Person during the Restricted Period from: (1) selling “long” (as defined under Rule 200 promulgated under Regulation SHO) the Shares; or (2) selling a number of Shares equal to the number of Shares that such Restricted Person is unconditionally obligated to purchase under a pending VWAP Purchase Notice but has not yet received from the Company or the Transfer Agent pursuant to this Agreement, so long as (X) such Restricted Person (or the Broker-Dealer, as applicable) delivers the Shares purchased pursuant to such VWAP Purchase Notice to the purchaser thereof or the applicable Broker-Dealer promptly upon such Restricted Person’s receipt of such Shares from the Company in accordance with Section 3.2 of this Agreement and (Y) neither the Company nor the Transfer Agent shall have failed for any reason to issue such Shares to the Investor or its Broker-Dealer so that such Shares are received by the Investor as DWAC Shares on the applicable VWAP Purchase Share Delivery Date in accordance with Section 3.2 of this Agreement, including, without limitation, within the time period specified for receipt of such Shares by the Investor or its Broker-Dealer as DWAC Shares from the Company or the Transfer Agent. The parties acknowledge and agree that the Investor, in its capacity as Broker-Dealer, shall be permitted to mark the sales of Shares on each VWAP Purchase Date as “short” for purposes of Rule 200 promulgated under Regulation SHO since the exact amount of Shares to be sold on such date is uncertain, and such designation shall not be considered a breach of (i) above by the Investor.
(ii) In addition to the foregoing, in connection with any sale of Shares (including any sale permitted by paragraph (i) above), the Investor shall comply in all respects with all applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders, including, without limitation, the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
Section 6.11. Effective Registration Statement. During the Investment Period, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the continuous effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement and each New Registration Statement filed with the Commission under the Securities Act for the applicable Registration Period pursuant to and in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement.
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Section 6.12. Blue Sky. The Company shall take such action, if any, as is necessary by the Company in order to obtain an exemption for or to qualify the Shares for sale by the Company to the Investor pursuant to the Transaction Documents, and at the request of the Investor, the subsequent resale of Registrable Securities by the Investor, in each case, under applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws and shall provide evidence of any such action so taken to the Investor from time to time following the Closing Date; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition thereto to (x) qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this Section 6.11, (y) subject itself to general taxation in any such jurisdiction, or (z) file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction.
Section 6.13. Non-Public Information. Neither the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, nor any of their respective directors, officers, employees or agents shall disclose any material non-public information about the Company to the Investor during any VWAP Purchase Period, unless a simultaneous public announcement thereof is made by the Company in the manner contemplated by Regulation FD as if Regulation FD were applicable to the Company. In the event of a breach of the foregoing covenant by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees and agents (as determined in the reasonable good faith judgment of the Investor), (i) the Investor shall promptly provide written notice of such breach to the Company and (ii) after such notice has been provided to the Company and, provided that the Company shall have failed to demonstrate to the Investor in writing within 24 hours that such information does not constitute material, non-public information or the Company shall have failed to publicly disclose such material, non-public information within 24 hours following demand therefor by the Investor, in addition to any other remedy provided herein or in the other Transaction Documents, if the Investor is holding any Shares at the time of the disclosure of material, non-public information, the Investor shall have the right to make a public disclosure, in the form of a press release, public advertisement or otherwise, of such material, non-public information; provided that prior to making any such public disclosure, the Investor shall consult with the Company and provide the Company with an opportunity of forty-eight (48) hours to review and comment on such disclosure. The Investor shall not have any liability to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, shareholders or agents, for any such disclosure or return of Shares.
Section 6.14. Broker/Dealer. The Investor shall use one or more broker-dealers (which may be the Investor or an Affiliate of the Investor) to effectuate all sales, if any, of the Shares that it may purchase or otherwise acquire from the Company pursuant to the Transaction Documents, as applicable, which (or whom) shall be a DTC participant (collectively, the “Broker-Dealer”). The Investor shall, from time to time, provide the Company and the Transfer Agent with all information regarding the Broker-Dealer reasonably requested by the Company. The Investor shall be solely responsible for all fees and commissions of the Broker-Dealer (if any), which shall not exceed customary brokerage fees and commissions and shall be responsible for designating only a DTC participant eligible to receive DWAC Shares.
Section 6.15. Disclosure Schedule.
(i) The Company may, from time to time, update a disclosure schedule (the “Disclosure Schedule”) as may be required to satisfy the conditions set forth in Section 7.2(i) and Section 7.3(i) (to the extent such condition set forth in Section 7.3(i) relates to the condition in Section 7.2(i) as of a specific VWAP Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time). For purposes of this Section 6.14, any disclosure made in a schedule to the Compliance Certificate shall be deemed to be an update of the Disclosure Schedule. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no update to the Disclosure Schedule pursuant to this Section 6.14 shall cure any breach of a representation or warranty of the Company contained in this Agreement and made prior to the update and shall not affect any of the Investor’s rights or remedies with respect thereto.
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(ii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Disclosure Schedule or in this Agreement, the information and disclosure contained in any Schedule of the Disclosure Schedule shall be deemed to be disclosed and incorporated by reference in any other Schedule of the Disclosure Schedule as though fully set forth in such Schedule for which applicability of such information and disclosure is readily apparent on its face. The fact that any item of information is disclosed in the Disclosure Schedule shall not be construed to mean that such information is required to be disclosed by this Agreement. Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, such information and the thresholds (whether based on quantity, qualitative characterization, dollar amounts or otherwise) set forth herein shall not be used as a basis for interpreting the terms “material” or “Material Adverse Effect” or other similar terms in this Agreement.
Section 6.16. Delivery of Bring-Down Opinions and Compliance Certificates Upon Occurrence of Certain Events. Within three (3) Trading Days immediately following the date the Company files with the Commission (i) an annual report on Form 20-F under the Exchange Act with respect to a fiscal year ending after the Commencement Date; (ii) an amendment on Form 20-F/A to an annual report on Form 20-F under the Exchange Act with respect to a fiscal year ending after the Commencement Date, which contains amended material financial information (or a restatement of material financial information) or an amendment to other material information contained in a previously filed Form 20-F, which contains amended material financial information (or a restatement of material financial information); or (iii) the Initial Registration Statement, any New Registration Statement, or the Prospectus or any amendment to other material information contained or incorporated by reference in the Initial Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement (it being hereby acknowledged and agreed that the filing or furnishing by the Company with the Commission of a report on Form 6-K that includes only updated financial information as of the end of the Company’s most recent fiscal quarter shall not, in and of itself, constitute an “amendment” or “restatement” for purposes of this Section 6.16), and in any case, not more than once per calendar quarter (each, a “Representation Date”), the Company shall (I) deliver to the Investor a Compliance Certificate, dated such date, (II) cause to be furnished to the Investor an opinion and negative assurance “bring down” from outside counsel to each of the Company and the Investor, respectively, substantially in the form mutually agreed to by the Company and the Investor prior to the date of this Agreement, modified, as necessary, to relate to such Registration Statement or post-effective amendment, as applicable (each such opinion, a “Bring-Down Opinion”) and (III) cause to be furnished to the Investor a comfort letter from the independent registered public accounting firm or firms whose reports are included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and any Prospectus Supplement (in the case of a post-effective amendment, only if such amendment contains amended or new financial information) (the “Bring-Down Comfort Letter”). The requirement to provide the documents identified in clauses (I) and (II) of this Section 6.16 shall be waived for any Representation Date if the Company or the Investor has given notice to the other party in writing (including by email correspondence to the individual(s) of the other party set forth in Section 10.4 hereto, if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any individual to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply) or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable facsimile transmission or email correspondence to the individual(s) of the other party set forth in Section 10.4 hereto) of the suspension of VWAP Purchases (a “Suspension”), which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers a VWAP Purchase Notice hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Representation Date) and the next occurring Representation Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to deliver a VWAP Purchase Notice following a Representation Date when a Suspension was in effect and did not provide the Investor with the documents identified in clauses (I), (II) and (III) of this Section 6.16, then before the Investor accepts such VWAP Purchase Notice, the Company shall provide the Investor with the documents identified in clauses (I), (II) and (III) of this Section 6.16, dated as of the date that the VWAP Purchase Notice is accepted by the Investor.
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Article
VII
CONDITIONS TO CLOSING AND CONDITIONS TO THE SALE
AND PURCHASE OF THE SHARES
Section 7.1. Conditions Precedent to Closing. The Closing is subject to the satisfaction of each of the conditions set forth in this Section 7.1 on the Closing Date.
(i) Accuracy of the Investor’s Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Investor contained in this Agreement (a) that are not qualified by “materiality” shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date, except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such other date and (b) that are qualified by “materiality” shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date, except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct as of such other date.
(ii) Accuracy of the Company’s Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement (a) that are not qualified by “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date, except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such other date and (b) that are qualified by “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date, except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct as of such other date.
(iii) Tax Forms. The Investor shall have delivered to the Company a duly completed and executed Internal Revenue Service Form W-9.
(iv) Closing Deliverables. At the Closing, counterpart signature pages of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement executed by each of the parties hereto shall be delivered as provided in Section 2.2. Simultaneously with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, the Investor’s counsel shall have received (a) mutually agreed upon forms of the opinions of outside counsel to the Company to be delivered to the Investor on the Commencement Date and (b) the closing certificate from the Company, dated the Closing Date, in the form of Exhibit B hereto.
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Section 7.2. Conditions Precedent to Commencement. The right of the Company to commence delivering VWAP Purchase Notices under this Agreement, and the obligation of the Investor to accept VWAP Purchase Notices delivered to the Investor by the Company under this Agreement, are subject to the initial satisfaction, at Commencement, of each of the conditions set forth in this Section 7.2.
(i) Accuracy of the Company’s Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement (a) that are not qualified by “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” shall have been true and correct in all material respects when made and shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Commencement Date with the same force and effect as if made on such date, except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such other date and (b) that are qualified by “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” shall have been true and correct when made and shall be true and correct as of the Commencement Date with the same force and effect as if made on such date, except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct as of such other date.
(ii) Performance of the Company. The Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to the Commencement. The Company shall deliver to the Investor on the Commencement Date the compliance certificate substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the “Compliance Certificate”).
(iii) Initial Registration Statement Effective. The Initial Registration Statement covering the resale by the Investor of the Registrable Securities included therein required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 2(a) of the Registration Rights Agreement shall have become effective under the Securities Act, and the Investor shall be permitted to utilize the Prospectus therein to resell the Shares included in such Prospectus.
(iv) No Material Notices. None of the following events shall have occurred and be continuing: (a) receipt of any request by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority for any additional information relating to the Initial Registration Statement, the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto, or for any amendment of or supplement to the Initial Registration Statement, the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto; (b) the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement or prohibiting or suspending the use of the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto, or of the suspension of qualification or exemption from qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or contemplated initiation of any proceeding for such purpose; (c) the objection of FINRA to the terms of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents; or (d) the occurrence of any event or the existence of any condition or state of facts, which makes any statement of a material fact made in the Initial Registration Statement, the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto untrue or which requires the making of any additions to or changes to the statements then made in the Initial Registration Statement, the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto in order to state a material fact required by the Securities Act to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements then made therein (in the case of the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, or which requires an amendment to the Initial Registration Statement or a supplement to the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto to comply with the Securities Act or any other law. The Company shall have no Knowledge of any event that would reasonably be expected to have the effect of causing the suspension of the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement or the prohibition or suspension of the use of the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto in connection with the resale of the Registrable Shares by the Investor.
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(v) Other Commission Filings. The Current Report shall have been filed with the Commission as required pursuant to Section 2.3. The final Prospectus included in the Initial Registration Statement shall have been filed with the Commission prior to Commencement in accordance with Section 2.3 and the Registration Rights Agreement. All reports, schedules, registrations, forms, statements, information and other documents required to have been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, including all material required to have been filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to Commencement shall have been filed with the Commission.
(vi) No Suspension of Trading in or Notice of Delisting of Shares. Trading in the Shares shall not have been suspended by the Commission, the Principal Market or FINRA (except for any suspension of trading of limited duration agreed to by the Company, which suspension shall be terminated prior to the Commencement Date), the Company shall not have received any final and non-appealable notice that the listing or quotation of the Shares on the Principal Market shall be terminated on a date certain (unless, prior to such date certain, the Shares are listed or quoted on any other Principal Market), nor shall there have been imposed any suspension of, or restriction on, accepting additional deposits of the Shares, electronic trading or book-entry services by DTC with respect to the Shares that is continuing, the Company shall not have received any notice from DTC to the effect that a suspension of, or restriction on, accepting additional deposits of the Shares, electronic trading or book-entry services by DTC with respect to the Shares is being imposed or is contemplated (unless, prior to such suspension or restriction, DTC shall have notified the Company in writing that DTC has determined not to impose any such suspension or restriction).
(vii) Compliance with Laws. The Company shall have complied with all applicable federal, state and local governmental laws, rules, regulations and ordinances in connection with the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including, without limitation, the Company shall have obtained all permits and qualifications required by any applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws for the offer and sale of the Shares by the Company to the Investor and the subsequent resale of the Registrable Securities by the Investor (or shall have the availability of exemptions therefrom).
(viii) No Injunction. No statute, regulation, order, decree, writ, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated, threatened or endorsed by any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction which prohibits the consummation of or which would materially modify or delay any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
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(ix) No Proceedings or Litigation. No action, suit or proceeding before any arbitrator or any court or governmental authority shall have been commenced, and no inquiry or investigation by any governmental authority shall have been commenced, against the Company or any Subsidiary, or any of the officers, directors or Affiliates of the Company or any Subsidiary, seeking to restrain, prevent or change the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, or seeking material damages in connection with such transactions.
(x) Listing of Shares. All of the Shares that have been and may be issued pursuant to this Agreement shall have been approved for listing or quotation on the Principal Market as of the Commencement Date, subject only to notice of issuance.
(xi) No Material Adverse Effect. No condition, occurrence, state of facts or event constituting a Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred and be continuing.
(xii) No Bankruptcy Proceedings. No Person shall have commenced a proceeding against the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law. The Company shall not have, pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law, (a) commenced a voluntary case, (b) consented to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case, (c) consented to the appointment of a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or (d) made a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors. A court of competent jurisdiction shall not have entered an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that (I) is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case, (II) appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or (III) orders the liquidation of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(xiii) Reserved.
(xiv) Delivery of Commencement Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions and Notice of Effectiveness. Irrevocable instructions executed by the Company (the “Commencement Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions”) shall have been delivered to and acknowledged in writing by the Company’s Transfer Agent, directing the Transfer Agent to issue to the Investor or its designated Broker-Dealer all of the Shares included in the Initial Registration Statement as DWAC Shares in accordance with this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and a legal opinion relating to the removal of restrictive legends from the Shares shall have been executed by the Company’s outside counsel and delivered to the Transfer Agent (the “Notice of Effectiveness”).
(xv) Reservation of Shares. As of the Commencement Date, the Company shall have reserved out of its authorized and unissued Shares a number of Shares equal to the Aggregate Limit solely for the purpose of effecting VWAP Purchases under this Agreement.
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(xvi) Opinions of Counsel. On the Commencement Date, the Investor shall have received the opinions and negative assurances from outside counsel to the Company and outside counsel to the Investor, dated the Commencement Date, in the forms mutually agreed to by the Company and the Investor prior to the date of this Agreement.
(xvii) Comfort Letter of Accountant. On the Commencement Date, the Investor shall have received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm (the “Accountant”), or a successor independent registered public accounting firm for the Company, a letter dated the date of the filing of the Registration Statement addressed to the Investor, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Investor with respect to the audited and unaudited financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and any Prospectus Supplement, except that the specific date referred to therein for the carrying out of procedures shall be no more than three Business Days prior to the Commencement Date.
(xviii) FINRA. On or prior to the Effective Date of the Initial Registration Statement, FINRA shall have confirmed in writing that it has no objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the terms and arrangements of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
(xix) Research. Neither the Investor nor any Affiliate of the Investor shall have, in the prior thirty (30) days, published or distributed any research report (as such term is defined in Rule 500 of Regulation AC) concerning the Company.
(xx) Qualified Independent Underwriter. If the Investor reasonably determines that a Qualified Independent Underwriter must participate in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents in order for such transactions to be in full compliance with FINRA’s rules, the Company and the Investor shall have executed such documentation as may reasonably be required to engage a Qualified Independent Underwriter to participate in such transactions.
Section 7.3. Conditions Precedent to VWAP Purchases after Commencement Date. The right of the Company to deliver VWAP Purchase Notices under this Agreement after the Commencement Date, and the obligation of the Investor to accept VWAP Purchase Notices under this Agreement after the Commencement Date, are subject to the satisfaction of each of the conditions set forth in this Section 7.3 at the applicable VWAP Purchase Commencement Time for the VWAP Purchase to be effected pursuant to the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice timely delivered by the Company to the Investor in accordance with this Agreement (each such time, a “VWAP Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time”).
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(i) Satisfaction of Certain Prior Conditions. Each of the conditions set forth in subsections (i), (ii), (vii) through (xiv), (xix) and (xx) set forth in Section 7.2 shall be satisfied at the applicable VWAP Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time after the Commencement Date (with the terms “Commencement” and “Commencement Date” in the conditions set forth in subsections (i) and (ii) of Section 7.2 replaced with “applicable VWAP Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time”); provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to deliver the Compliance Certificate after the Commencement Date, except as provided in Section 6.15.
(ii) Initial Registration Statement Effective. The Initial Registration Statement covering the resale by the Investor of the Registrable Securities included therein filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 2(a) of the Registration Rights Agreement, and any post-effective amendment thereto required to be filed by the Company with the Commission after the Commencement Date and prior to the applicable VWAP Purchase Date pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, in each case shall have become effective under the Securities Act and shall remain effective for the applicable Registration Period (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), and the Investor shall be permitted to utilize the Prospectus therein, and any Prospectus Supplement thereto, to resell (a) the Shares included in the Initial Registration Statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, that have been issued and sold to the Investor hereunder pursuant to all VWAP Purchase Notices delivered by the Company to the Investor prior to such applicable VWAP Purchase Date and (b) all of the Shares included in the Initial Registration Statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, that are issuable pursuant to the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice delivered by the Company to the Investor with respect to a VWAP Purchase to be effected hereunder on such applicable VWAP Purchase Date.
(iii) Any Required New Registration Statement Effective. Any New Registration Statement covering the resale by the Investor of the Registrable Securities included therein, and any post-effective amendment thereto, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement after the Commencement Date and prior to the applicable VWAP Purchase Date, in each case shall have become effective under the Securities Act and shall remain effective for the applicable Registration Period, and the Investor shall be permitted to utilize the Prospectus therein, and any Prospectus Supplement thereto, to resell (a) the Shares included in such New Registration Statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, that have been issued and sold to the Investor hereunder pursuant to all VWAP Purchase Notices delivered by the Company to the Investor prior to such applicable VWAP Purchase Date and (b) all of the Shares included in such new Registration Statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, that are issuable pursuant to the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice delivered by the Company to the Investor with respect to a VWAP Purchase to be effected hereunder on such applicable VWAP Purchase Date.
(iv) Delivery of Subsequent Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions and Notice of Effectiveness. With respect to any post-effective amendment to the Initial Registration Statement, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment to any New Registration Statement, in each case becoming effective after the Commencement Date, the Company shall have delivered or caused to be delivered to the Transfer Agent (a) irrevocable instructions in the form substantially similar to the Commencement Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions executed by the Company and acknowledged in writing by the Transfer Agent and (b) the Notice of Effectiveness, in each case modified as necessary to refer to such Registration Statement or post-effective amendment and the Registrable Securities included therein, to issue the Registrable Securities included therein as DWAC Shares in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.
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(v) No Material Notices. None of the following events shall have occurred and be continuing: (a) receipt of any request by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority for any additional information relating to the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus contained in any of the foregoing or any Prospectus Supplement thereto, or for any amendment of or supplement to the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus contained in any of the foregoing or any Prospectus Supplement thereto; (b) the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or prohibiting or suspending the use of the Prospectus contained in any of the foregoing or any Prospectus Supplement thereto, or of the suspension of qualification or exemption from qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or contemplated initiation of any proceeding for such purpose; (c) the objection of FINRA to the terms of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents or (d) the occurrence of any event or the existence of any condition or state of facts, which makes any statement of a material fact made in the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus contained in any of the foregoing or any Prospectus Supplement thereto untrue or which requires the making of any additions to or changes to the statements then made in the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus contained in any of the foregoing or any Prospectus Supplement thereto in order to state a material fact required by the Securities Act to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements then made therein (in the case of the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, or which requires an amendment to the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus contained in any of the foregoing or any Prospectus Supplement thereto to comply with the Securities Act or any other law (other than the transactions contemplated by the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice delivered by the Company to the Investor with respect to a VWAP Purchase to be effected hereunder on such applicable VWAP Purchase Date and the settlement thereof). The Company shall have no Knowledge of any event that would reasonably be expected to have the effect of causing the suspension of the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the prohibition or suspension of the use of the Prospectus contained in any of the foregoing or any Prospectus Supplement thereto in connection with the resale of the Registrable Securities by the Investor.
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(vi) Other Commission Filings. The final Prospectus included in any post-effective amendment to the Initial Registration Statement, and any Prospectus Supplement thereto, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 2.3 and the Registration Rights Agreement after the Commencement Date and prior to the applicable VWAP Purchase Date, shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Section 2.3 and the Registration Rights Agreement. The final Prospectus included in any New Registration Statement and in any post-effective amendment thereto, and any Prospectus Supplement thereto, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 2.3 and the Registration Rights Agreement after the Commencement Date and prior to the applicable VWAP Purchase Date, shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Section 2.3 and the Registration Rights Agreement. All reports, schedules, registrations, forms, statements, information and other documents required to have been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, including all material required to have been filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, after the Commencement Date and prior to the applicable VWAP Purchase Date, shall have been filed with the Commission.
(vii) No Suspension of Trading in or Notice of Delisting of Shares. Trading in the Shares shall not have been suspended by the Commission, the Principal Market or FINRA (except for any suspension of trading of limited duration agreed to by the Company, which suspension shall be terminated prior to the applicable VWAP Purchase Date), the Company shall not have received any final and non-appealable notice that the listing or quotation of the Shares on the Principal Market shall be terminated on a date certain (unless, prior to such date certain, the Shares are listed or quoted on any other Principal Market), nor shall there have been imposed any suspension of, or restriction on, accepting additional deposits of the Shares, electronic trading or book-entry services by DTC with respect to the Shares that is continuing, the Company shall not have received any notice from DTC to the effect that a suspension of, or restriction on, accepting additional deposits of the Shares, electronic trading or book-entry services by DTC with respect to the Shares is being imposed or is contemplated (unless, prior to such suspension or restriction, DTC shall have notified the Company in writing that DTC has determined not to impose any such suspension or restriction).
(viii) Certain Limitations. The issuance and sale of the Shares issuable pursuant to the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice shall not (a) exceed the applicable VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount or (b) cause the Aggregate Limit or the Beneficial Ownership Limitation to be exceeded.
(ix) Shares Authorized and Delivered. All of the Shares issuable pursuant to the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice shall have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company. All Shares relating to all prior VWAP Purchase Notices required to have been issued to the Investor as DWAC Shares under this Agreement prior to the applicable VWAP Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time for the applicable VWAP Purchase shall have been issued to the Investor as DWAC Shares in accordance with this Agreement.
(x) Bring-Down Opinions of Counsel, Bring-Down Comfort Letter and Compliance Certificates. The Investor shall have received (a) all Bring-Down Opinions which the Company was obligated to instruct its outside counsel to deliver prior to the applicable VWAP Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time for the applicable VWAP Purchase, (b) all Bring-Down Opinions from its outside counsel prior to the applicable VWAP Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time for the applicable VWAP Purchase (c) a Bring-Down Comfort Letter which the Company was obligated to instruct the Accountant to deliver prior to the applicable VWAP Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time for the applicable VWAP Purchase and (d) all Compliance Certificates which the Company was obligated to deliver to the Investor prior to the applicable VWAP Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time for the applicable VWAP Purchase, in each case in accordance with Section 6.16. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be obligated to deliver such documents in accordance with (a), (b), (c) and (d) contained in this Section 7.3(x) more than once per calendar quarter in accordance with Section 6.16.
(xi) Material Non-Public Information. Neither the Company nor, in the Investor’s sole discretion, the Investor, shall be in possession of any material non-public information concerning the Company.
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Article
VIII
TERMINATION
Section 8.1. Automatic Termination. Unless earlier terminated as provided hereunder, this Agreement shall terminate automatically on the earliest to occur of (i) the first day of the month next following the date that is 36 months after the Effective Date of the Initial Registration Statement, (ii) the date on which the Investor shall have purchased the Total Commitment worth of Shares pursuant to this Agreement, (iii) the date on which the Shares shall have failed to be listed or quoted on the Principal Market or any other Principal Market, and (iv) the date on which, pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law, the Company commences a voluntary case or any Person commences a proceeding against the Company, a Custodian is appointed for the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or the Company makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors.
Section 8.2. Other Termination. Subject to Section 8.3, the Company may terminate this Agreement after the Commencement Date effective upon three (3) Trading Days’ prior written notice to the Investor in accordance with Section 10.4; provided, however, that prior to issuing any press release, or making any public statement or announcement, with respect to such termination, the Company shall consult with the Investor and its counsel on the form and substance of such press release or other disclosure. Subject to Section 8.3, this Agreement may be terminated at any time by the mutual written consent of the parties, effective as of the date of such mutual written consent unless otherwise provided in such written consent. Subject to Section 8.3, the Investor shall have the right to terminate this Agreement effective upon three (3) Trading Days’ prior written notice to the Company, which notice shall be made in accordance with Section 10.4 of this Agreement, if: (a) any condition, occurrence, state of facts or event constituting a Material Adverse Effect has occurred and is continuing; (b) a Fundamental Transaction shall have occurred; (c) the Company is in breach or default in any material respect of any of its covenants and agreements in the Registration Rights Agreement, and, if such breach or default is capable of being cured, such breach or default is not cured within fifteen (15) Trading Days after notice of such breach or default is delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 10.4 of this Agreement; (d) while a Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, is required to be maintained effective pursuant to the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement and the Investor holds any Registrable Securities, the effectiveness of such Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, lapses for any reason (including, without limitation, the issuance of a stop order by the Commission) or such Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto otherwise becomes unavailable to the Investor for the resale of all of the Registrable Securities included therein in accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, and such lapse or unavailability continues for a period of sixty (60) consecutive Trading Days or for more than an aggregate of ninety (90) Trading Days in any three hundred and sixty-five (365)-day period, other than due to acts of the Investor; (e) trading in the Shares on the Principal Market shall have been suspended and such suspension continues for a period of five (5) consecutive Trading Days; or (f) the Company is in material breach or default of any of its covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement, and, if such breach or default is capable of being cured, such breach or default is not cured within fifteen (15) Trading Days after notice of such breach or default is delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 10.4 of this Agreement. Unless notification thereof is required elsewhere in this Agreement (in which case such notification shall be provided in accordance with such other provision), the Company shall promptly (but in no event later than twenty-four (24) hours) notify the Investor (and, if required under applicable law, including, without limitation, Regulation FD promulgated by the Commission, or under the applicable rules and regulations of the Principal Market, the Company shall publicly disclose such information in accordance with Regulation FD, if applicable, and the applicable rules and regulations of the Principal Market upon becoming aware of any of the events set forth in the immediately preceding sentence.
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Section 8.3. Effect of Termination. In the event of termination by the Company or the Investor (other than by mutual termination) pursuant to Section 8.2, written notice thereof shall forthwith be given to the other party as provided in Section 10.4 and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be terminated without further action by either party. If this Agreement is terminated as provided in Section 8.1 or Section 8.2, this Agreement shall become void and of no further force and effect, except that (i) the provisions of Article IX (Indemnification), Article X (Miscellaneous) and this Article VIII (Termination) shall remain in full force and effect indefinitely notwithstanding such termination, and, (ii) so long as the Investor owns any Shares, the covenants and agreements of the Company contained in Article V (Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Company) and Article VI (Additional Covenants) shall remain in full force and notwithstanding such termination for a period of thirty (30) days following such termination. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no termination of this Agreement by any party shall (i) become effective prior to the second (2nd) Trading Day immediately following the date on which the purchase of Shares by the Investor pursuant to any pending VWAP Purchase has been fully settled, including, without limitation, the issuance by the Company to the Investor of all Shares purchased by the Investor pursuant to such pending VWAP Purchase as DWAC Shares on the applicable VWAP Purchase Share Delivery Date therefor, and the delivery by the Investor to the Company of the aggregate VWAP Purchase Price payable by the Investor for such Shares, in each case in accordance with the settlement procedures set forth in Section 3.2 of this Agreement (it being hereby acknowledged and agreed that no termination of this Agreement shall limit, alter, modify, change or otherwise affect any of the Company’s or the Investor’s rights or obligations under the Transaction Documents with respect to any pending VWAP Purchase that has not fully settled, and that the parties shall fully perform their respective obligations with respect to any such pending VWAP Purchase under the Transaction Documents) or (ii) limit, alter, modify, change or otherwise affect the Company’s or the Investor’s rights or obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement, all of which shall survive any such termination. Nothing in this Section 8.3 shall be deemed to release the Company or the Investor from any liability for any breach or default under this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement or any of the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party, or to impair the rights of the Company and the Investor to compel specific performance by the other party of its obligations under this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement or any of the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party.
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Article
IX
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 9.1. Indemnification of Investor.
(a) In consideration of the Investor’s execution and delivery of this Agreement and acquiring the Shares hereunder and in addition to all of the Company’s other obligations under the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, subject to the provisions of this Section 9.1, the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the Investor, its Affiliates, each of their respective directors, officers, shareholders, members, partners, employees, representatives and agents (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding the lack of such title or any other title), each Person, if any, who controls the Investor (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act), and the respective directors, officers, shareholders, members, partners, employees, representatives and agents (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding the lack of such title or any other title) of such controlling Persons (each, an “Investor Party”), from and against all losses, liabilities, obligations, claims, contingencies, damages, costs and expenses (including all judgments, amounts paid in settlement, court costs, reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of defense and investigation) (collectively, “Damages”) that any Investor Party has suffered or incurred: (i) as a result of, relating to or arising out of or based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Commission Document (or any amendment thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any Commission Document, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; (ii) to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of (1) any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Authority, commenced or threatened, or (2) of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; (iii) in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Authority, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission (whether or not a party), to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above; (iv) as a result of, relating to or arising out of any breach by the Company of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements under this Agreement; or (v) as a result of, relating to or arising out of any other action, suit, claim or proceeding against an Investor Party arising out of or otherwise in connection with the Transaction Documents (except solely to the extent in the case of this subsection (v), to the extent any Damage is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, not subject to further appeal, to have resulted primarily and directly from the bad faith, gross negligence, or willful misconduct of such Investor Party). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained therein, the indemnity contained in this Section 9.1(a) shall not apply to (i) any Damage to the extent arising out of an untrue statement or omission, or alleged untrue statement or omission in a Commission Document, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by the Investor expressly for use in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement, Prospectus or Prospectus Supplement or any such amendment thereof or supplement thereto (it being hereby acknowledged and agreed that the written information set forth on Exhibit B to the Registration Rights Agreement is the only written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Investor expressly for use in any Registration Statement, Prospectus or Prospectus Supplement); and (ii) amounts paid in settlement of any Damage if such settlement is effected without the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.
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(b) The Company shall reimburse any Investor Party promptly upon demand (with accompanying presentation of documentary evidence) for all legal and other costs and expenses reasonably incurred by such Investor Party in connection with investigating or defending (i) any action, suit, claim or proceeding, whether at law or in equity, to enforce compliance by the Company with any provision of the Transaction Documents or (ii) any other action, suit, claim or proceeding, whether at law or in equity, with respect to which it is entitled to indemnification under this Section 9.1; provided that the Investor shall promptly reimburse the Company for all such legal and other costs and expenses to the extent a court of competent jurisdiction determines through a final, non-appealable determination that any Investor Party was not entitled to such reimbursement.
(c) To the extent that the foregoing undertakings by the Company set forth in this Section 9.1 may be unenforceable for any reason, the Company shall make the maximum contribution to the payment and satisfaction of each of the Damages which is permissible under applicable law, provided that in no event shall the Investor be obligated to contribute any amount in excess of the fees it actually received pursuant to this Agreement.
Section 9.2. Indemnification Procedures.
(a) Promptly after an Investor Party receives notice of a claim or the commencement of an action for which the Investor Party intends to seek indemnification under Section 9.1, the Investor Party will notify the Company in writing of the claim or commencement of the action, suit or proceeding; provided, however, that failure to notify the Company will not relieve the Company from liability under Section 9.1, unless and solely to the extent it has been materially prejudiced by the failure to give such notice as evidenced by the forfeiture by the Company of substantive rights or defenses. The Company will be entitled to participate in the defense of any claim, action, suit or proceeding as to which indemnification is being sought, and if the Company acknowledges in writing the obligation to indemnify the Investor Party against whom the claim or action is brought, the Company may (but will not be required to) assume the defense against the claim, action, suit or proceeding with counsel satisfactory to it. After the Company notifies the Investor Party that the Company wishes to assume the defense of a claim, action, suit or proceeding, the Company will not be liable for any further legal or other expenses incurred by the Investor Party in connection with the defense against the claim, action, suit or proceeding unless (1) the employment of counsel by the Investor Party has been authorized in writing by the Company, (2) the Investor Party has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or another Investor Party that are different from or in addition to those available to the Company, (3) a conflict or potential conflict exists (based on advice of counsel to the Investor Party) between an Investor Party and the Company (in which case the Company will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party) or (4) the Company has not in fact employed counsel to assume the defense of such action or counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, in each case, within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action; in each of which cases the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel will be at the expense of the Company. It is understood that the Company shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm (plus local counsel) admitted to practice in such jurisdiction at any one time for all such similarly situated Investor Parties. The Company will not be liable for any settlement of any action effected without its prior written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of each indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding relating to the matters contemplated by this section (whether or not any indemnified party is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (1) includes an express and unconditional release of each indemnified party, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party, from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (2) 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.
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(b) In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in the foregoing paragraphs of this Article IX for any reason is held to be unavailable or insufficient to hold an Investor Party harmless, the Company and the Investor Party will contribute to the total losses, claims, liabilities, expenses and damages (including any investigative, legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim asserted) to which the Company and the Investor Party may be subject in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Investor on the other hand. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Investor Party on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the aggregate of all VWAP Purchase Amounts (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total aggregate discount to the VWAP Purchase Price received by the Investor pursuant to this Agreement. If, but only if, the allocation provided by the foregoing sentence is not permitted by applicable law, the allocation of contribution shall be made in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in the foregoing sentence but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Investor, on the other hand, with respect to the statements or omission that resulted in such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations with respect to such offering. Such relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Investor Party, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Investor Party agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 9.2(b) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, liability, expense, or damage, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 9.2(b) shall be deemed to include, for the purpose of this Section 9.2(b), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim to the extent consistent with Section 9.2(a) hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 9.2(b), the Investor shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the aggregate discount to the VWAP Purchase Price under this Agreement and no person found guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 9.2(b), any person who controls a party to this Agreement within the meaning of the Securities Act, any Affiliates of the Investor Party and any officers, directors, partners, employees or agents of the Investor Party or any of its Affiliates, will have the same rights to contribution as that party, and each director of the Company and each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement will have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the provisions hereof. Any party entitled to contribution, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made under this Section 9.2(b), will notify any such party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify will not relieve that party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may have under this Section 9.2(b) except to the extent that the failure to so notify such other party materially prejudiced the substantive rights or defenses of the party from whom contribution is sought. No party will be liable for contribution with respect to any action or claim settled without its written consent if such consent is required pursuant to Section 9.2(a) hereof.
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The remedies provided for in this Article IX are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Investor Party at law or in equity.
Article
X
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 10.1. Certain Fees and Expenses. Each party shall bear its own fees and expenses related to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement except that the Company will reimburse the fees and disbursements of legal counsel to the Investor in an amount not to exceed $75,000 in connection with the entry into this Agreement. The Company shall pay all U.S. federal, state and local stamp and other similar transfer and other taxes and duties levied in connection with issuance of the Shares pursuant hereto. For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 10.1 shall not be construed to limit the amount of Damages to which any Investor Party may be entitled to under Section 9 of this Agreement or otherwise.
Section 10.2. Specific Enforcement, Consent to Jurisdiction, Waiver of Jury Trial.
(i) The Company and the Investor acknowledge and agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that either party shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent or cure breaches of the provisions of this Agreement by the other party and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof (without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required), this being in addition to any other remedy to which either party may be entitled by law or equity.
(ii) Each of the Company and the Investor (a) hereby irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York located in the county of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in New York county for the purposes of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, and (b) hereby waives, and agrees not to assert in any such suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of such court, that the suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of the suit, action or proceeding is improper. Each of the Company and the Investor consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. The Company hereby appoints, without power of revocation, Cogency Global Inc. as its agent to accept and acknowledge on its behalf service of any and all process which may be served in any proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement. Nothing in this Section 10.2 shall affect or limit any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.
(iii) EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE INVESTOR HEREBY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT TO ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR DISPUTES RELATING HERETO. EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE INVESTOR (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE ENTERED INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 10.2.
Section 10.3. Entire Agreement. The Transaction Documents set forth the entire agreement and understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior and contemporaneous agreements, negotiations and understandings between the parties, both oral and written, with respect to such matters. There are no promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by either party relative to subject matter hereof not expressly set forth in the Transaction Documents. All exhibits to this Agreement are hereby incorporated by reference in, and made a part of, this Agreement as if set forth in full herein.
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Section 10.4. Notices. Any notice, demand, request, waiver or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be effective (a) upon hand delivery or electronic mail delivery at the address or number designated below (if delivered on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received), or the first business day following such delivery (if delivered other than on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received) or (b) on the second business day following the date of mailing by express courier service, fully prepaid, addressed to such address, or upon actual receipt of such mailing, whichever shall first occur. The address for such communications shall be:
If to the Company:
Vertical Aerospace Ltd.
Unit 1 Camwal Court,
Chapel Street
Bristol BS2 0UW
United Kingdom
Attn: General Counsel
Email: #######@########.com
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Latham & Watkins (London) LLP
99 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 3XF, United Kingdom
Attn: Robbie McLaren; J. David Stewart
Email: ##########@#####; ##########@#####
If to the Investor:
Nomura Securities International, Inc.
309 West 49th Street
New York, New York 10019
Attn: James Chenard
Email: #######@#######
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Winston & Strawn LLP
200 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10166-4193
Attn: David Sakowitz; Paul Amiss
Email: ########@########; #######@########
Either party hereto may from time to time change its address for notices by giving at least five (5) days’ advance written notice of such changed address to the other party hereto.
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Section 10.5. Waivers. No provision of this Agreement may be waived by the parties from and after the date that is one (1) Trading Day immediately preceding the filing of the Initial Registration Statement with the Commission. Subject to the immediately preceding sentence, no provision of this Agreement may be waived other than in a written instrument signed by the party against whom enforcement of such waiver is sought. No failure or delay in the exercise of any power, right or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such power, right or privilege preclude other or further exercises thereof or of any other right, power or privilege.
Section 10.6. Amendments. No provision of this Agreement may be amended by the parties from and after the date that is one (1) Trading Day immediately preceding the filing of the Initial Registration Statement with the Commission. Subject to the immediately preceding sentence, no provision of this Agreement may be amended other than by a written instrument signed by both parties hereto.
Section 10.7. Headings. The article, section and subsection headings in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not constitute a part of this Agreement for any other purpose and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, each pronoun herein shall be deemed to include the masculine, feminine, neuter, singular and plural forms thereof. The terms “including,” “includes,” “include” and words of like import shall be construed broadly as if followed by the words “without limitation.” The terms “herein,” “hereunder,” “hereof” and words of like import refer to this entire Agreement instead of just the provision in which they are found.
Section 10.8. Construction. The parties agree that each of them and their respective counsel has reviewed and had an opportunity to revise the Transaction Documents and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of the Transaction Documents. In addition, each and every reference to share prices and number of Shares in any Transaction Document shall, in all cases, be subject to adjustment for any share subdivisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations, exchange and other similar transactions that occur on or after the date of this Agreement. Any reference in this Agreement to “Dollars” or “$” shall mean the lawful currency of the United States of America. Any references to “Section” or “Article” in this Agreement shall, unless otherwise expressly stated herein, refer to the applicable Section or Article of this Agreement.
Section 10.9. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors. Neither the Company nor the Investor may assign this Agreement or any of their respective rights or obligations hereunder to any Person.
Section 10.10. No Third-Party Beneficiaries. Except as expressly provided in Article IX, this Agreement is intended only for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person.
48
Section 10.11. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal procedural and substantive laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to the choice of law provisions of such state that would cause the application of the laws of any other jurisdiction.
Section 10.12. Survival. The representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the Company and the Investor contained in this Agreement shall survive the execution and delivery hereof until the termination of this Agreement; provided, however, that (i) the provisions of Article VIII (Termination), Article IX (Indemnification) and this Article X (Miscellaneous) shall remain in full force and effect indefinitely notwithstanding such termination, and, (ii) so long as the Investor owns any Shares, the covenants and agreements of the Company and the Investor contained in Article VI (Additional Covenants), shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination for a period of thirty (30) days following such termination.
Section 10.13. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more identical counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party; provided that a facsimile signature or signature delivered by e mail in a “.pdf” format data file, including any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, e.g., www.docusign.com, www.echosign.adobe.com, etc., shall be considered due execution and shall be binding upon the signatory thereto with the same force and effect as if the signature were an original signature.
Section 10.14. Publicity. The Company shall afford the Investor and its counsel a reasonable opportunity to review and comment upon, shall consult with the Investor and its counsel on the form and substance of, and shall give due consideration to all such comments from the Investor or its counsel on, any press release, Commission filing or any other public disclosure made by or on behalf of the Company relating to the Investor, its purchases hereunder or any aspect of the Transaction Documents or the transactions contemplated thereby, prior to the issuance, filing or public disclosure thereof. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company shall not be required to submit for review any such disclosure (i) contained in periodic reports filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act if it shall have previously provided the same disclosure to the Investor or its counsel for review in connection with a previous filing or (ii) any Prospectus Supplement if it contains disclosure that does not reference the Investor, its purchases hereunder or any aspect of the Transaction Documents or the transactions contemplated thereby.
Section 10.15. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement are severable and, in the event that any court of competent jurisdiction shall determine that any one or more of the provisions or part of the provisions contained in this Agreement shall, for any reason, be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision or part of a provision of this Agreement, and this Agreement shall be reformed and construed as if such invalid or illegal or unenforceable provision, or part of such provision, had never been contained herein, so that such provisions would be valid, legal and enforceable to the maximum extent possible.
Section 10.16. Further Assurances. From and after the Closing Date, upon the request of the Investor or the Company, each of the Company and the Investor shall execute and deliver such instrument, documents and other writings as may be reasonably necessary or desirable to confirm and carry out and to effectuate fully the intent and purposes of this Agreement.
49
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officer as of the date first above written.
| Vertical Aerospace Ltd. | ||
| By: | /s/ Vincent Casey | |
| Name: Vincent Casey | ||
| Title: Chief Financial Officer | ||
| Nomura Securities International, Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ Paul Robinson | |
| Name: Paul Robinson | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
[Signature Page to Equity Line Agreement]
ANNEX I TO THE
SHARE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
DEFINITIONS
“Accountant” means the meaning assigned to it in Section 7.2 of this Agreement.
“Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 144.
“Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar U.S. federal or state law for the relief of debtors.
“Bloomberg” means Bloomberg, L.P.
“Business Data” means all business information and data, including Personal Information (whether of employees, contractors, consultants, customers, consumers, or other persons and whether in electronic or any other form or medium) that is accessed, collected, used, stored, shared, distributed, transferred, disclosed, destroyed, disposed of or otherwise processed by any of the Business Systems or otherwise in the course of the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
“Business Systems” means all software, computer hardware (whether general or special purpose), electronic data processors, databases, communications, telecommunications, networks, interfaces, platforms, servers, peripherals, and computer systems, including any outsourced systems and processes, that are owned or used in the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
“Closing Date” means the date of this Agreement.
“Closing Sale Price” means, for the Shares as of any date, the last closing trade price for the Shares on the Principal Market, as reported by Bloomberg, or, if the Principal Market begins to operate on an extended hours basis and does not designate the closing trade price for the Shares, then the last trade price for the Shares prior to 4:00 p.m., New York City time, as reported by Bloomberg. All such determinations shall be appropriately adjusted for any share subdivision, share capitalization, reorganization, recapitalization, exchange or similar event during such period.
“Commission” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor entity.
“Commission Documents” means (1) the Company’s registration statement on Form F-4 (File No. 333-247785), as amended, initially filed with the Commission on July 9, 2021, including any related prospectus or prospectuses, for the registration of the Shares issued pursuant to the business combination agreement and plan of merger by and among the Company, Broadstone Acquisition Corp. and the other parties thereto, on file with the Commission at the time such registration statement became effective, including the 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 of such registration statement under the Securities Act, (2) the proxy statement/prospectus, dated December 1, 2021, including all documents incorporated or deemed incorporated therein by reference, included in the Registration Statement, as it may be supplemented, in the form in which such proxy statement/prospectus has most recently been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, (3) the Company’s registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333- 262207), as amended, initially filed with the Commission on January 18, 2022 including any related prospectus or prospectuses and the Company’s registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-264601) initially filed with the Commission on May 2, 2022, including any related prospectus or prospectuses, (4) all reports, schedules, registrations, forms, statements, information and other documents filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since December 16, 2021, including, without limitation, the Current Report (as defined in Section 2.3 of this Agreement) and the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the Commission on April 29, 2022, (5) each Registration Statement, as the same may be amended from time to time, the Prospectus contained therein and each Prospectus Supplement thereto and (6) all information contained in such filings and all documents and disclosures that have been and heretofore shall be incorporated by reference therein.
“Contract” means any written or oral legally binding contract, agreement, understanding, arrangement, subcontract, loan or credit agreement, note, bond, indenture, mortgage, purchase order, deed of trust, lease, sublease, instrument, or other legally binding commitment, obligation or undertaking.
“Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
“DTC” means The Depository Trust Company, a subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, or any successor thereto.
“DWAC” means DTC’s “Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian” delivery system.
“DWAC Shares” means Shares issued pursuant to this Agreement that are (i) issued in electronic form, (ii) freely tradable and transferable and without restriction on resale and without stop transfer instructions maintained against the transfer thereof and (iii) timely credited by the Company to the Investor’s or its designated Broker-Dealer at which the account or accounts to be credited with the Shares being purchased by Investor are maintained specified DWAC account with DTC under its Fast Automated Securities Transfer (FAST) Program, or any similar program hereafter adopted by DTC performing substantially the same function.
“EDGAR” means the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System.
“Effective Date” means, with respect to the Initial Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 2(a) of the Registration Rights Agreement (or any post-effective amendment thereto) or any New Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 2(c) of the Registration Rights Agreement (or any post-effective amendment thereto), as applicable, the date on which the Initial Registration Statement (or any post-effective amendment thereto) or any New Registration Statement (or any post-effective amendment thereto) becomes effective.
Annex I-2
“Environmental Law” means any statute, law, ordinance, regulation, rule or code concerning or relating to: (i) the protection of the environment or natural resources or, as such relates to exposure to hazardous materials, human health and safety (including workplace and industrial hygiene); (ii) the presence, release, generation, use, management, handling, transportation, treatment, storage or disposal of hazardous materials; (iii) noise or odor including, without limitation, in the United States, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, 42 U.S.C. 9601, et seq.; the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, 42 U.S.C. 6901, et seq.; the Toxic Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C. 2601, et seq.; the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, 33 U.S.C. 1251, et seq.; the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, 49 U.S.C. 5101; the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. 300f, et seq.; as it relates to exposure to hazardous materials, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 29 U.S.C. 651, et seq.; the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. 11001, et seq.; the Atomic Energy Act, 42 U.S.C. 2014, et seq.; the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1531, et seq.; the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, 7 U.S.C. 136, et seq.; the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7401, et seq.; and the foreign, state and local analogues of each of the foregoing federal statutes.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
“Exempt Issuance” means the issuance of (a) Shares, options or other equity incentive awards to employees, officers, directors or vendors of the Company pursuant to any equity incentive plan duly adopted for such purpose, by the Company’s Board of Directors or a majority of the members of a committee of the Board of Directors established for such purpose, (b) (1) any Shares issued to the Investor pursuant to this Agreement, (2) any securities issued upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion of any Shares or Shares Equivalents held by the Investor at any time, or (3) any securities issued upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion of any Shares Equivalents issued and outstanding on the date of this Agreement; provided that except as set forth in any agreement applicable to such Share Equivalents and as disclosed in the Commission Documents, such securities referred to in this clause (3) have not been amended since the date of this Agreement to increase the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise price, exchange price or conversion price of such securities, (c) securities issued pursuant to acquisitions, divestitures, licenses, partnerships, collaborations or strategic transactions approved by the Company’s Board of Directors or a majority of the members of a committee of directors established for such purpose, which acquisitions, divestitures, licenses, partnerships, collaborations or strategic transactions can have a Variable Rate Transaction component, provided that any such issuance shall only be to a Person (or to the equity holders of a Person) which is, itself or through its subsidiaries, an operating company or 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, (d) Shares issued by the Company to the Investor or an Affiliate of the Investor in connection with any “equity line of credit” or other continuous offering or similar offering of Shares pursuant to a written agreement between the Company and the Investor or an Affiliate of the Investor, whereby the Company may sell Shares to the Investor or an Affiliate of the Investor at a future determined price or (e) Shares issued by the Company by any method deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act, exclusively to or through Nomura, as the Company’s sales agent, pursuant to one or more written agreements between the Company and Nomura.
Annex I-3
“FINRA” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
“Floor Price” means that, notwithstanding the VWAP Purchase Price for a particular VWAP Purchase Date, the Company has the option to set a floor price, expressed a fixed price as set out by the Company in any VWAP Purchase Notice delivered to Investor. The Floor Price will be set forth in the VWAP Purchase Notice delivered by the Company to the Investor in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit D.
“Fundamental Transaction” means that (i) the Company shall, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions, (1) consolidate or merge with or into (whether or not the Company is the surviving corporation) another Person, with the result that the holders of the Company’s shares immediately prior to such consolidation or merger together beneficially own less than 50% of the outstanding voting power of the surviving or resulting corporation, or (2) sell, lease, license, assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company to another Person, or (3) take action to facilitate a purchase, tender or exchange offer by another Person that is accepted by the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding Shares (excluding any Shares held by the Person or Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the Persons making or party to, such purchase, tender or exchange offer), or (4) consummate a share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person whereby such other Person acquires more than 50% of the outstanding Shares (not including any 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), or (5) reorganize, recapitalize or reclassify its Shares, or (ii) any “person” or “group” (as these terms are used for purposes of Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) is or shall become the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Shares.
“Governmental Authority” means (i) any federal, provincial, state, local, municipal, national or international government or governmental authority, regulatory or administrative agency, governmental commission, department, board, bureau, agency or instrumentality, court, tribunal, arbitrator or arbitral body (public or private); (ii) any self-regulatory organization; or (iii) any political subdivision of any of the foregoing.
“Initial Registration Statement” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Registration Rights Agreement.
Annex I-4
“Investment Period” means the period commencing on the Effective Date of the Initial Registration Statement and expiring on the date this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Article VIII.
“Knowledge” means the actual knowledge of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, in each case after reasonable inquiry of all officers, directors and employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries who would reasonably be expected to have knowledge or information with respect to the matter in question.
“Material Contracts” means any other Contract that is expressly referred to in or filed or incorporated by reference as an exhibit to a Commission Document or that, individually or in the aggregate, if terminated or subject to default by a party thereto, would have or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
“New Registration Statement” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“PEA Period” means the period commencing at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the fifth (5th) Trading Day immediately prior to the filing of any post-effective amendment to the Initial Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement, and ending at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the Trading Day immediately following, the Effective Date of such post-effective amendment.
“Person” means any person or entity, whether a natural person, trustee, corporation, company, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization, business association, firm, joint venture, governmental agency or authority.
“Personal Information” means (a) information related to an identified or identifiable individual (e.g., name, address telephone number, email address, financial account number, government-issued identifier), (b) any other data used or intended to be used or which allows one to identify, contact, or precisely locate an individual, including any internet protocol address or other persistent identifier, and (c) any other, similar information or data regulated by Privacy/Data Security Laws.
“Principal Market” means the New York Stock Exchange; provided, however, that in the event the Company’s Shares are ever listed or traded on the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or the Nasdaq Global Market, then the “Principal Market” shall mean such other market or exchange on which the Company’s Shares are then listed or traded.
“Privacy/Data Security Laws” means all laws governing the receipt, collection, use, storage, processing, sharing, security, disclosure, or transfer of Personal Information or the security of the Business Systems or Business Data.
“Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form included in a Registration Statement, as supplemented from time to time by any Prospectus Supplement, including the documents incorporated by reference therein.
Annex I-5
“Prospectus Supplement” means any prospectus supplement to the Prospectus filed with the Commission from time to time pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, including the documents incorporated by reference therein.
“Qualified Independent Underwriter” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in FINRA Rule 5121(f)(12).
“Registrable Securities” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Registration Statement” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect.
“Sale Price” means any trade price for the Shares on the Principal Market during normal trading hours, as reported by the Principal Market.
“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
“Share Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or its Subsidiaries which entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Shares, including, without limitation, any debt, preference shares, rights, options, warrants or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Shares.
“Shares” shall mean the Shares that are and/or may be purchased by the Investor under this Agreement pursuant to one or more VWAP Purchase Notices.
“Short Sales” shall mean “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 promulgated under Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act.
“Subsidiary” shall mean any corporation or other entity of which at least a majority of the securities or other ownership interest having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other persons performing similar functions are at the time owned directly or indirectly by the Company and/or any of its other Subsidiaries.
“Total Commitment” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.1.
“Trading Day” shall mean any day on which the Principal Market is open for trading (regular way), including any day on which the Principal Market is open for trading (regular way) for a period of time less than the customary time.
“Transaction Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement (as qualified by the Commission Documents) and the exhibits hereto, the Registration Rights Agreement and the exhibits thereto, and each of the other agreements, documents, certificates and instruments entered into or furnished by the parties hereto in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
Annex I-6
“Transfer Agent” shall mean Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company or any successor thereof as the Company’s transfer agent.
“Variable Rate Transaction” means a transaction in which the Company (i) issues or sells any equity or debt securities that are convertible into, exchangeable or exercisable for, or include the right to receive additional Shares or Shares Equivalents either at a conversion price, exercise price, exchange rate or other price that is based upon and/or varies with the trading prices of or quotations for the Shares at any time after the initial issuance of such equity or debt securities, or (ii) issues or sells any equity or debt securities, including without limitation, Shares or Shares Equivalents, either (A) at a price that is subject to being reset at some future date after the initial issuance of such debt or equity security or upon the occurrence of specified or contingent events directly or indirectly related to the business of the Company or the market for the Shares (other than standard anti-dilution protection for any share subdivision, share capitalization, reorganization, recapitalization, exchange or similar event), or (B) that are subject to or contain any put, call, redemption, buy-back, price-reset or other similar provision or mechanism (including, without limitation, a “Black-Scholes” put or call right, other than in connection with a “fundamental transaction”) that provides for the issuance of additional equity securities of the Company or the payment of cash by the Company, or (iii) enters into any agreement, including, but not limited to, an “equity line of credit” or “at the market offering” or other continuous offering or similar offering of Shares or Shares Equivalents, whereby the Company may sell Shares or Shares Equivalents at a future determined price.
“VWAP” means, for the Shares for a specified period, the dollar volume-weighted average price for the Shares on the Principal Market for such period, excluding opening and closing transactions and any block trades, as reported by Bloomberg through its AQR function. All such determinations shall be appropriately adjusted for any share subdivision, share capitalization, reorganization, recapitalization, exchange or similar event during such period.
“VWAP Purchase Commencement Time” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, 9:30:01 a.m., New York City time, on the applicable VWAP Purchase Date, or such later time on such VWAP Purchase Date publicly announced by the Principal Market as the official open (or commencement) of trading (regular way) on the Principal Market on such VWAP Purchase Date; provided, however, that if a VWAP Purchase Notice is delivered after 9:00 a.m. but (i) prior to 10:00 a.m., or (ii) after 10:00 a.m. but prior to 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on a VWAP Purchase Date, then the VWAP Purchase Commencement Time for such VWAP Purchase Date shall start at 10:30 a.m. or 11:30 a.m., respectively, provided further that in the case of clauses (i) and (ii) the Investor may specify an earlier commencement time by notice to the Company.
“VWAP Purchase Date” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, either (i) the Trading Day which immediately follows the date on which the Investor receives a valid VWAP Purchase Notice for such VWAP Purchase after 5:00 p.m., New York City time, in accordance with this Agreement, or (ii) the Trading Day on which the Investor receives, after 6:00 a.m., New York City time, but prior to 11:30 a.m., New York City time, on such Trading Day, a valid VWAP Purchase Notice for such VWAP Purchase in accordance with this Agreement.
Annex I-7
“VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, a number of Shares equal to the lesser of (i) a number of Shares which, when aggregated with all other Shares then beneficially owned by the Investor and its Affiliates (as calculated pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13d-3 promulgated thereunder), would result in the beneficial ownership by the Investor of more than the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, (ii) a number of Shares equal to the product of (A) the VWAP Purchase Share Percentage, multiplied by (B) the total number (or volume) of Shares traded on the relevant Principal Market during the applicable VWAP Purchase Period on the applicable VWAP Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase and (iii) 7 million Shares.
“VWAP Purchase Notice” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, an irrevocable written notice, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit D, delivered by the Company to the Investor directing the Investor to purchase a VWAP Purchase Share Amount (such specified VWAP Purchase Share Amount subject to adjustment as set forth in Section 3.1 as necessary to give effect to the VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount), at the applicable VWAP Purchase Price therefor on the applicable VWAP Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase in accordance with this Agreement.
“VWAP Purchase Period” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, the period on the applicable VWAP Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase beginning at the applicable VWAP Purchase Commencement Time and ending at the applicable VWAP Purchase Termination Time.
“VWAP Purchase Price” means the purchase price per Share to be purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase on such VWAP Purchase Date equal to 95.75% of the VWAP over the applicable VWAP Purchase Period on such VWAP Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase, to be appropriately adjusted for any share subdivisions, share capitalization, reorganization, recapitalization, exchange or similar event.
“VWAP Purchase Share Amount” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, the number of Shares to be purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase as specified by the Company in the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice, which number of Shares shall not exceed the applicable VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount.
“VWAP Purchase Share Delivery Date” means the date upon which the Shares constituting the applicable VWAP Purchase Share Amount purchased by the Investor in each VWAP Purchase are validly issued to the Investor as DWAC Shares no later than 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Trading Day immediately following the applicable VWAP Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase.
“VWAP Purchase Share Estimate” means the number of Shares constituting a good faith estimate by the Company of the number of Shares that the Investor shall have the obligation to buy pursuant to the VWAP Purchase Notice.
“VWAP Purchase Share Percentage” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, twenty percent (20%).
“VWAP Purchase Termination Time” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, 4:00 p.m., New York City time, on the applicable VWAP Purchase Date, or such earlier time publicly announced by the Principal Market as the official close of trading (regular way) on the Principal Market on such applicable VWAP Purchase Date; provided that if the VWAP Purchase Share Estimate is less than the VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount, as defined in clause (ii) of the definition thereof, the Investor shall adjust, in its good faith discretion, the VWAP Purchase Termination Time, which shall be when the VWAP Purchase Share Estimate is equal to the VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount.
Annex I-8
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT B
CLOSING CERTIFICATE
[•], 202[•]
The undersigned, the [•] of Vertical Aerospace Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company with limited liability (the “Company”), delivers this certificate in connection with the Share Purchase Agreement, dated as of [•], 2022 (the “Agreement”), by and between the Company and Nomura Securities International, Inc., a New York corporation (the “Investor”), and hereby certifies on the date hereof that (capitalized terms used herein without definition have the meanings assigned to them in the Agreement):
1. Attached hereto as Exhibit A is a true, complete and correct copy of the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company, as amended through the date hereof, as filed with the Registrar of Companies of the Cayman Islands (the “Articles”). The Articles have not been further amended or restated, and no document with respect to any amendment to the Articles have been filed with the Registrar of Companies in the Cayman Islands since the adoption date shown on the face of the Articles, which are in full force and effect on the date hereof, and no action has been taken by the Company in contemplation of any such amendment or the dissolution, merger or consolidation of the Company.
3. The Board of Directors of the Company has approved the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents; said approval has not been amended, rescinded or modified and remains in full force and effect as of the date hereof. Attached hereto as Exhibit B are true, correct and complete copies of the resolutions approving the Agreement duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company on [•], 202[•].
4. Each person who, as an officer of the Company, or as attorney-in-fact of an officer of the Company, signed the Transaction Documents to which the Company is a party, was duly appointed and acting as such officer or attorney-in-fact, and the signature of each such person appearing on any such document is his genuine signature.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have signed my name as of the date first above written.
Name: Title: |
EXHIBIT C
COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
The undersigned, the [•] of Vertical Aerospace Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company with limited liability (the “Company”), delivers this certificate in connection with the Share Purchase Agreement, dated as of [•], 2022 (the “Agreement”), by and between the Company and Nomura Securities International, Inc., a New York Corporation (the “Investor”), and hereby certifies on the date hereof that, to the best of his or her knowledge after reasonable investigation, on behalf of the Company (capitalized terms used herein without definition have the meanings assigned to them in the Agreement):
1. The undersigned is the duly appointed [•] of the Company.
2. Except as set forth in the Commission Documents, the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Article V of the Agreement (i) that are not qualified by “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” are true and correct in all material respects as of [the Commencement Date] [the date hereof] with the same force and effect as if made on [the Commencement Date] [the date hereof], except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties are true and correct in all material respects as of such other date and (ii) that are qualified by “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” are true and correct as of [the Commencement Date] [the date hereof] with the same force and effect as if made on [the Commencement Date] [the date hereof], except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties are true and correct as of such other date.
3. The Company has performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by the Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company [at or prior to Commencement] [on or prior to the date hereof].
4. The Shares issuable in respect of each VWAP Purchase Notice effected pursuant to the Agreement shall be issued to the Investor electronically as DWAC Shares, and shall be freely tradable and transferable and without restriction on resale and without any stop transfer instructions maintained against such Shares.
5. As of [the Commencement Date] [the date hereof], the Company does not possess any material non-public information.
6. As of [the Commencement Date] [the date hereof], the Company has reserved out of its authorized and unissued share capital [ • ] ordinary shares solely for the purpose of effecting VWAP Purchases under the Agreement.
7. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the use of the Prospectus under the Securities Act has been issued and no proceedings for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act are pending before or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission.
The undersigned has executed this Certificate this [•] day of [•], 202[•].
Name: Title: |
EXHIBIT D
FORM OF VWAP PURCHASE NOTICE
| From: | Vertical Aerospace Ltd. |
| To: | Nomura Securities International, Inc. |
| Attention: | Chief Operating Officer |
| Copy to: | [ ] |
| Subject: | VWAP Purchase Notice |
| Date: | [•], 202[•] |
| Time: | [•] |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the Share Purchase Agreement (the “Agreement”) between Vertical Aerospace Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company with limited liability (the “Company”), and Nomura Securities International, Inc. (the “Investor”), dated [●], 2022, the Company hereby directs the Investor to purchase a number of ordinary shares in the capital of the Company equal to [●] ordinary shares in the capital of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share, which the Company represents is no greater than the VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount (as defined in the Agreement), at the relevant VWAP Purchase Price (as defined in the Agreement). [The Company hereby specifies a Floor Price of $[●], and for the avoidance of doubt, the VWAP for such VWAP Purchase Date shall exclude all trades at a price below such Floor Price]. The Company represents that all conditions set forth in Section 7.3 of the Agreement have been satisfied. Capitalized terms used herein without definition have the meanings assigned to them in the Agreement.
| Vertical Aerospace Ltd. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| Nomura Securities International, Inc. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
Exhibit 99.2
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of August 5, 2022, is by and between Nomura Securities International, Inc., a New York corporation (the “Investor”), and Vertical Aerospace Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company with limited liability (the “Company”).
RECITALS
The Company and the Investor have entered into that certain Share Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date hereof (the “Purchase Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company may issue, from time to time, to the Investor up to $100,000,000 in aggregate gross purchase price of newly issued ordinary shares in the capital of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”).
Pursuant to the terms of, and in consideration for the Investor entering into, the Purchase Agreement, and to induce the Investor to execute and deliver the Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide the Investor with certain registration rights with respect to the Registrable Securities (as defined herein) as set forth herein.
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained herein and in the Purchase Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, intending to be legally bound hereby, the Company and the Investor hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
1. Definitions. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Purchase Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
“Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which commercial banks in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed.
“Closing Date” shall mean the date of this Agreement.
“Commission” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor entity.
“Effective Date” means the date that the applicable Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission.
“Effectiveness Deadline” means (i) with respect to the Initial Registration Statement required to be filed to pursuant to Section 2(a), the earlier of (A) the 90th calendar day after the Filing Deadline, if such Registration Statement is subject to review by the Commission, and (B) the 60th calendar day after the Filing Deadline, if the Company is notified (orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the Commission that such Registration Statement will not be reviewed and (ii) with respect to any New Registration Statements that may be required to be filed by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, the earlier of (A) the 90th calendar day following the date on which the Company was required to file such additional Registration Statement, if such Registration Statement is subject to review by the Commission, and (B) the 45th calendar day following the date on which the Company was required to file such New Registration Statement, if the Company is notified (orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the Commission that such Registration Statement will not be reviewed.
“Eligible Market” means The New York Stock Exchange, Inc., NYSE AMEX Equities, the NASDAQ Global Select Market, The NASDAQ Global Market or the NASDAQ Capital Market.
“Filing Deadline” means (i) with respect to the Initial Registration Statement required to be filed to pursuant to Section 2(a), the 30th Business Day after the due date in accordance with the Exchange Act (without reference to any extensions pursuant to Rule 12b-25) of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F with respect to the year ended December 31, 2022 (or if such day is not a Business Day, the next following Business Day), and (ii) with respect to any New Registration Statements that may be required to be filed by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, the 30th Business Day following the sale of substantially all of the Registrable Securities included in the Initial Registration Statement or the most recent prior New Registration Statement, as applicable, or such other date as permitted by the Commission.
“Person” means any person or entity, whether a natural person, trustee, corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization, business association, firm, joint venture, governmental agency or authority.
“Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form included in the Registration Statement at the applicable Effective Date of the Registration Statement, as supplemented from time to time by any Prospectus Supplement, including the documents incorporated by reference therein.
“Prospectus Supplement” means any prospectus supplement to the Prospectus filed with the Commission from time to time pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, including the documents incorporated by reference therein.
“register,” “registered,” and “registration” refer to a registration effected by preparing and filing one or more Registration Statements in compliance with the Securities Act and pursuant to Rule 415 and the declaration of effectiveness of such Registration Statement(s) by the Commission.
“Registrable Securities” means all of (i) the Shares and (ii) any share capital of the Company issued or issuable with respect to such Shares, including, without limitation, (1) as a result of any share subdivisions, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations, exchange or similar event or otherwise and (2) share capital of the Company into which the Ordinary Shares are converted or exchanged and share capital of a successor entity into which the Ordinary Shares are converted or exchanged, in each case until such time as such securities cease to be Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2(f).
“Registration Statement” means a registration statement or registration statements of the Company filed under the Securities Act covering the resale by the Investor of Registrable Securities, as such registration statement or registration statements may be amended and supplemented from time to time, including all documents filed as part thereof or incorporated by reference therein.
“Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, or any other similar or successor rule or regulation of the Commission that may at any time permit the Investor to sell securities of the Company to the public without registration.
“Rule 415” means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, or any other similar or successor rule or regulation of the Commission providing for offering securities on a delayed or continuous basis.
“Shares” shall mean the Ordinary Shares that may be purchased by the Investor under this Agreement pursuant to one or more VWAP Purchase Notices.
“Trading Day” shall mean any day on which the Trading Market or, if the Ordinary Shares are then listed on an Eligible Market, such Eligible Market is open for trading (regular way), including any day on which the Trading Market (or such Eligible Market, as applicable) is open for trading (regular way) for a period of time less than the customary time.
“Trading Market” means The New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
ARTICLE II
REGISTRATIONS
2. Registration.
(a) Mandatory Registration. The Company shall prepare and, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than the Filing Deadline, file with the Commission an initial registration statement on Form F-1 (or any successor form) covering the resale by the Investor of the maximum number of Registrable Securities as shall be permitted to be included thereon in accordance with applicable Commission rules, regulations and interpretations so as to permit the resale of such Registrable Securities by the Investor under Rule 415 under the Securities Act at then prevailing market prices (and not fixed prices) (the “Initial Registration Statement”). The Initial Registration Statement shall contain the “Selling Securityholder” and “Plan of Distribution (Conflict of Interest)” sections in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to have the Initial Registration Statement declared effective by the Commission as soon as reasonably practicable following the filing thereof with the Commission.
(b) Legal Counsel. Subject to Section 5 hereof, the Investor shall have the right to select one legal counsel to review and oversee, solely on its behalf, each Registration Statement pursuant to this Section 2 (“Legal Counsel”), which shall be Winston & Strawn LLP, or such other counsel as thereafter designated by the Investor. Except as provided under Section 10.1(i) of the Purchase Agreement, the Company shall have no obligation to reimburse the Investor for any and all legal fees and expenses of the Legal Counsel incurred in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.
(c) Sufficient Number of Shares Registered. If at any time all Registrable Securities are not covered by the Initial Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 2(a) as a result of Section 2(e) or otherwise, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to file with the Commission one or more additional Registration Statements so as to cover all of the Registrable Securities not covered by such Initial Registration Statement, in each case, as soon as practicable (taking into account any position of the staff of the Commission (“Staff”) with respect to the date on which the Staff will permit such additional Registration Statement(s) to be filed with the Commission and the rules and regulations of the Commission) (each such additional Registration Statement, a “New Registration Statement”) but in no event later than the applicable Filing Deadline for such New Registration Statement. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause each such New Registration Statement to become effective as soon as reasonably practicable following the filing thereof with the Commission.
(d) No Inclusion of Other Securities. In no event shall the Company include any securities other than Registrable Securities on any Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) or Section 2(c) without consulting the Investor and Legal Counsel prior to filing such Registration Statement with the Commission.
(e) Statutory Underwriter Status. The Investor acknowledges that it will be identified as an “underwriter” and a “selling securityholder” in each Registration Statement and in any Prospectus contained therein to the extent required by applicable law and to the extent the Prospectus is related to the resale of Registrable Securities.
(f) Offering. If the Staff or the Commission seeks to characterize any offering pursuant to a Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement as constituting an offering of securities that does not permit such Registration Statement to become effective and be used for resales by the Investor on a delayed or continuous basis under Rule 415 at then-prevailing market prices (and not fixed prices), or if after the filing of any Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) or Section 2(c), the Company is otherwise required by the Staff or the Commission to reduce the number of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement, then the Company shall reduce the number of Registrable Securities to be included in such Registration Statement (after consultation with the Investor and Legal Counsel as to the specific Registrable Securities to be removed therefrom) until such time as the Staff and the Commission shall so permit such Registration Statement to become effective and be used as aforesaid. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if after giving effect to the actions referred to in the immediately preceding sentence, the Staff or the Commission does not permit such Registration Statement to become effective and be used for resales by the Investor on a delayed or continuous basis under Rule 415 at then-prevailing market prices (and not fixed prices), the Company shall not request acceleration of the Effective Date of such Registration Statement, the Company shall promptly (but in no event later than 48 hours) request the withdrawal of such Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 477 under the Securities Act, and the Effectiveness Deadline shall automatically be deemed to have elapsed with respect to such Registration Statement at such time as the Staff or the Commission has made a final and non-appealable determination that the Commission will not permit such Registration Statement to be so utilized (unless prior to such time the Company has received assurances from the Staff or the Commission that a New Registration Statement filed by the Company with the Commission promptly thereafter may be so utilized). In the event of any reduction in Registrable Securities pursuant to this paragraph, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to file one or more New Registration Statements with the Commission in accordance with Section 2(c) until such time as all Registrable Securities have been included in Registration Statements that have been declared effective and the Prospectuses contained therein are available for use by the Investor. Notwithstanding any provision herein or in the Purchase Agreement to the contrary, the Company’s obligations to register Registrable Securities (and any related conditions to the Investor’s obligations) shall be qualified to the extent necessary to comport with any requirement of the Staff or the Commission.
(g) Any Registrable Security shall cease to be a “Registrable Security” at the earliest of the following: (i) when a Registration Statement covering such Registrable Security becomes or has been declared effective by the Commission and such Registrable Security has been sold or disposed of pursuant to such effective Registration Statement; (ii) when such Registrable Security is held by the Company or one of its Subsidiaries; and (iii) the date that is the first (1st) anniversary of the date of termination of the Purchase Agreement in accordance with Article VIII of the Purchase Agreement.
ARTICLE III
RELATED OBLIGATIONS
3. Related Obligations. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect the registration of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method of disposition thereof, and, pursuant thereto, during the term of this Agreement, the Company shall have the following obligations:
(a) The Company shall promptly prepare and file with the Commission the Initial Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof and one or more New Registration Statements pursuant to Section 2(c) hereof with respect to the Registrable Securities, but in no event later than the applicable Filing Deadline therefor, and the Company shall use its commercially reasonable best efforts to cause each such Registration Statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing, but in no event later than the applicable Effectiveness Deadline therefor. Subject to Allowable Grace Periods, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts keep each Registration Statement effective (and the Prospectus contained therein available for use) pursuant to Rule 415 for resales by the Investor on a continuous basis at then-prevailing market prices (and not fixed prices) at all times until the earlier of (i) the date on which the Investor shall have sold all of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement and (ii) the date of termination of the Purchase Agreement if as of such termination date the Investor holds no Registrable Securities (or, if applicable, the date on which such securities cease to be Registrable Securities after the date of termination of the Purchase Agreement) (the “Registration Period”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement (but subject to the provisions of Section 3(p) hereof), the Company shall ensure that, when filed and at all times while effective, each Registration Statement (including, without limitation, all amendments and supplements thereto) and the Prospectus (including, without limitation, all amendments and supplements thereto) used in connection with such Registration Statement shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of Prospectuses, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made) not misleading. The Company shall submit to the Commission, as soon as reasonably practicable after the date that the Company learns that no review of a particular Registration Statement will be made by the Staff or that the Staff has no further comments on a particular Registration Statement (as the case may be), a request for acceleration of effectiveness of such Registration Statement to a time and date as soon as reasonably practicable in accordance with Rule 461 under the Securities Act.
(b) Subject to Section 3(p) of this Agreement, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to prepare and file with the Commission such amendments (including, without limitation, post-effective amendments) and supplements to each Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection with each such Registration Statement, which Prospectus is to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 promulgated under the Securities Act, as may be necessary to keep each such Registration Statement effective (and the Prospectus contained therein current and available for use) at all times during the Registration Period for such Registration Statement, and, during such period, comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities of the Company required to be covered by such Registration Statement until such time as all of such Registrable Securities shall have been disposed of in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the Investor. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company covenants and agrees that (i) at or before 8:30 a.m. (New York City time) on the second (2nd) Trading Day immediately following the Effective Date of the Initial Registration Statement and any New Registration Statement (or any post-effective amendment thereto), the Company shall file with the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act the final Prospectus to be used in connection with sales pursuant to such Registration Statement (or post-effective amendment thereto), and (ii) if the transactions contemplated by any VWAP Purchase are material to the Company (individually or collectively with all other prior VWAP Purchases, the consummation of which have not previously been reported in any Prospectus Supplement filed with the Commission under Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act or in any report, statement or other document filed by the Company with the Commission under the Exchange Act), or if otherwise required under the Securities Act (or the interpretations of the Commission thereof), in each case as reasonably determined by the Company and the Investor, then, at or before 8:30 a.m., New York City time, on the first (1st) Trading Day immediately following the VWAP Purchase Date, if a VWAP Purchase Notice was properly delivered to the Investor hereunder in connection with such VWAP Purchase, the Company shall file with the Commission a Prospectus Supplement pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act with respect to the VWAP Purchase(s), the total VWAP Purchase Price for the Shares subject to such VWAP Purchase(s) (as applicable), the applicable VWAP Purchase Price(s) for such Shares and the net proceeds that are to be (and, if applicable, have been) received by the Company from the sale of such Shares. To the extent not previously disclosed in the Prospectus or a Prospectus Supplement, the Company shall disclose in its Reports on Form 6-K containing interim financial information of the Company and in its Annual Reports on Form 20-F the information described in the immediately preceding sentence relating to all VWAP Purchase(s) consummated during the relevant fiscal quarter and shall file such Reports on Form 6-K and Annual Reports on Form 20-F with the Commission within the applicable time period prescribed for such report under the Exchange Act. In the case of amendments and supplements to any Registration Statement on Form F-1 or Prospectus related thereto which are required to be filed pursuant to this Agreement (including, without limitation, pursuant to this Section 3(b)) by reason of the Company filing a report on Form 6-K or Form 20-F or any analogous report under the Exchange Act, the Company shall have incorporated such report by reference into such Registration Statement and Prospectus, if applicable, or shall file such amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus with the Commission on the same day on which the Exchange Act report is filed which created the requirement for the Company to amend or supplement such Registration Statement or Prospectus, for the purpose of including or incorporating such report into such Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company consents to the use of the Prospectus (including, without limitation, any supplement thereto) included in each Registration Statement in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act and with the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the jurisdictions in which the Registrable Securities may be sold by the Investor, in connection with the resale of the Registrable Securities and for such period of time thereafter as such Prospectus (including, without limitation, any supplement thereto) (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act) is required by the Securities Act to be delivered in connection with resales of Registrable Securities.
(c) The Company shall (A) permit Legal Counsel an opportunity to review and comment upon (i) each Registration Statement at least five (5) Business Days prior to its filing with the Commission and (ii) all amendments and supplements to each Registration Statement (including, without limitation, the Prospectus contained therein) (except for Annual Reports on Form 20-F, Reports on Form 6-K specifically relating to the Company’s interim financial results, and any similar or successor reports or Prospectus Supplements the contents of which is limited to that set forth in such reports) within a reasonable number of days prior to their filing with the Commission, and (B) shall reasonably consider any comments of the Investor and Legal Counsel on any such Registration Statement or amendment or supplement thereto or to any Prospectus contained therein. The Company shall promptly furnish to Legal Counsel, without charge, (i) electronic copies of any correspondence from the Commission or the Staff to the Company or its representatives relating to each Registration Statement (which correspondence shall be redacted to exclude any material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its Subsidiaries), (ii) after the same is prepared and filed with the Commission, one (1) electronic copy of each Registration Statement and any amendment(s) and supplement(s) thereto, including, without limitation, financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated therein by reference, if requested by the Investor, and all exhibits and (iii) upon the effectiveness of each Registration Statement, one (1) electronic copy of the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement and all amendments and supplements thereto; provided, however, the Company shall not be required to furnish any document (other than the Prospectus, which may be provided in .PDF format) to Legal Counsel to the extent such document is available on EDGAR at the time of Legal Counsel’s request.
(d) Without limiting any obligation of the Company under the Purchase Agreement, the Company shall promptly furnish to the Investor, without charge, (i) after the same is prepared and filed with the Commission, at least one (1) electronic copy of each Registration Statement and any amendment(s) and supplement(s) thereto, including, without limitation, financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated therein by reference, if requested by the Investor, all exhibits thereto, (ii) upon the effectiveness of each Registration Statement, one (1) electronic copy of the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement and all amendments and supplements thereto and (iii) such other documents, including, without limitation, copies of any final Prospectus and any Prospectus Supplement thereto, as the Investor may reasonably request from time to time in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by the Investor; provided, however, the Company shall not be required to furnish any document (other than the Prospectus, which may be provided in .PDF format) to the Investor to the extent such document is available on EDGAR.
(e) The Company shall take such action as is reasonably necessary to (i) register and qualify, unless an exemption from registration and qualification applies, the resale by the Investor of the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement under such other securities or “Blue Sky” laws of all applicable jurisdictions in the United States, (ii) prepare and file in those jurisdictions, such amendments (including, without limitation, post-effective amendments) and supplements to such registrations and qualifications as may be necessary to maintain the effectiveness thereof during the Registration Period, (iii) take such other actions as may be reasonably necessary to maintain such registrations and qualifications in effect at all times during the Registration Period, and (iv) take all other actions reasonably necessary or advisable to qualify the Registrable Securities for sale in such jurisdictions; provided, however, the Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition thereto to (x) qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this Section 3(e), (y) subject itself to general taxation in any such jurisdiction, or (z) file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction. The Company shall promptly notify Legal Counsel and the Investor of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the registration or qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale under the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of any jurisdiction in the United States or its receipt of actual notice of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose.
(f) The Company shall notify Legal Counsel and the Investor in writing of the happening of any event, as promptly as reasonably practicable after becoming aware of such event, as a result of which the Prospectus included in a Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (provided that in no event shall such notice contain any material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its Subsidiaries), and, subject to Section 3(p), promptly prepare a supplement or amendment to such Registration Statement and such Prospectus contained therein to correct such untrue statement or omission and deliver one (1) electronic copy of such supplement or amendment to Legal Counsel and the Investor. The Company shall also promptly notify Legal Counsel and the Investor in writing (i) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement or post-effective amendment has been filed, when a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment has become effective, and when the Company receives written notice from the Commission that a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment will be reviewed by the Commission, (ii) of any request by the Commission for amendments or supplements to a Registration Statement or related Prospectus or related information, (iii) of the Company’s reasonable determination that a post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement would be appropriate and (iv) of the receipt of any request by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority for any additional information relating to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto or any related Prospectus. The Company shall respond as promptly as reasonably practicable to any comments received from the Commission with respect to a Registration Statement or any amendment thereto. Nothing in this Section 3(f) shall limit any obligation of the Company under the Purchase Agreement.
(g) The Company shall (i) use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or other suspension of effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the use of any Prospectus contained therein, or the suspension of the qualification, or the loss of an exemption from qualification, of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction and, if such an order or suspension is issued, to obtain the withdrawal of such order or suspension at the earliest possible time and (ii) notify Legal Counsel and the Investor of the issuance of such order and the resolution thereof or its receipt of actual notice of the initiation or threat of any proceeding.
(h) The Company shall hold in confidence and not make any disclosure of information concerning the Investor provided to the Company unless (i) disclosure of such information is necessary to comply with federal or state securities laws, (ii) the disclosure of such information is necessary to avoid or correct a misstatement or omission in any Registration Statement or is otherwise required to be disclosed in such Registration Statement pursuant to the Securities Act, (iii) the release of such information is ordered pursuant to a subpoena or other final, non-appealable order from a court or governmental body of competent jurisdiction, or (iv) such information has been made generally available to the public other than by disclosure in violation of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document. The Company agrees that it shall, upon learning that disclosure of such information concerning the Investor is sought in or by a court or governmental body of competent jurisdiction or through other means, give prompt written notice to the Investor and allow the Investor, at the Investor’s expense, to undertake appropriate action to prevent disclosure of, or to obtain a protective order for, such information.
(i) Without limiting any obligation of the Company under the Purchase Agreement, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts either to (1) cause all of the Registrable Securities covered by each Registration Statement to be listed on the Trading Market, or (2) secure designation and quotation of all of the Registrable Securities covered by each Registration Statement on another Eligible Market. The Company shall pay all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligation under this Section 3(i).
(j) The Company shall cooperate with the Investor and, to the extent applicable, facilitate the timely preparation and issuance of Registrable Securities, as DWAC Shares, to be offered pursuant to a Registration Statement and enable such DWAC Shares to be in such denominations or amounts (as the case may be) as the Investor may reasonably request from time to time. Investor hereby agrees that it shall cooperate with the Company, its counsel and its transfer agent in connection with any issuances of DWAC Shares, and hereby represents, warrants and covenants to the Company that that it will resell such DWAC Shares only pursuant to the Registration Statement in which such DWAC Shares are included, in a manner described under the caption “Plan of Distribution (Conflict of Interest)” in such Registration Statement, and in a manner in compliance with all applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, any applicable prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act. At the time such DWAC Shares are offered and sold pursuant to the Registration Statement, such DWAC Shares shall be free from all restrictive legends (except as otherwise required by this Agreement, the Purchase Agreement or applicable federal or state securities laws) and may be transmitted by the Company’s transfer agent to the Investor by crediting an account at DTC as directed in writing by the Investor.
(k) Upon the written request of the Investor, the Company shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of notice from the Investor and subject to Section 3(p) hereof, (i) incorporate in a Prospectus Supplement or post-effective amendment such information as the Investor reasonably requests to be included therein relating to the sale and distribution of Registrable Securities, including, without limitation, information with respect to the number of Registrable Securities being offered or sold, the purchase price being paid therefor and any other terms of the offering of the Registrable Securities to be sold in such offering; (ii) make all required filings of such Prospectus Supplement or post-effective amendment after being notified of the matters to be incorporated in such Prospectus Supplement or post-effective amendment; and (iii) supplement or make amendments to any Registration Statement or Prospectus contained therein if reasonably requested by the Investor.
(l) The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities in the United States as may be necessary to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities.
(m) The Company shall make generally available to its securityholders (which may be satisfied by making such information available on EDGAR) as soon as practical, but not later than ninety (90) days after the close of the period covered thereby, an earnings statement (in form complying with, and in the manner provided by, the provisions of Rule 158 under the Securities Act) covering a twelve-month period beginning not later than the first day of the Company’s fiscal quarter next following the applicable Effective Date of each Registration Statement.
(n) The Company shall otherwise use its commercially reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission in connection with any registration hereunder.
(o) Within one (1) Business Day after each Registration Statement which covers Registrable Securities is declared effective by the Commission, the Company shall deliver, and shall cause legal counsel for the Company to deliver, to the transfer agent for such Registrable Securities (with copies to the Investor) confirmation that such Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission.
(p) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein (but subject to the last sentence of this Section 3(p)), at any time after the Effective Date of a particular Registration Statement, the Company may, upon written notice to Investor, suspend Investor’s use of any prospectus that is a part of any Registration Statement (in which event the Investor shall discontinue sales of the Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement contemplated by this Agreement, but shall settle any previously made sales of Registrable Securities) if the Company (x) is pursuing an acquisition, merger, tender offer, reorganization, disposition or other similar transaction and the Company determines in good faith that (A) the Company’s ability to pursue or consummate such a transaction would be materially adversely affected by any required disclosure of such transaction in such Registration Statement or other registration statement or (B) such transaction renders the Company unable to comply with Commission requirements, in each case under circumstances that would make it impractical or inadvisable to cause any Registration Statement (or such filings) to be used by Investor or to promptly amend or supplement any Registration Statement contemplated by this Agreement on a post effective basis, as applicable, or (y) has experienced some other material non-public event the disclosure of which at such time, in the good faith judgment of the Company, would materially adversely affect the Company (each, an “Allowable Grace Period”); provided, however, that in no event shall the Investor be suspended from selling Registrable Securities pursuant to any Registration Statement for a period that exceeds twenty (20) consecutive Trading Days or an aggregate of sixty (60) days in any three hundred and sixty-five (365)-day period; and provided, further, the Company shall not effect any such suspension during the three-Trading Day period following the VWAP Purchase Share Delivery Date for each VWAP Purchase. Upon disclosure of such information or the termination of the condition described above, the Company shall provide prompt notice, but in any event within one (1) Business Day of such disclosure or termination, to the Investor and shall promptly terminate any suspension of sales it has put into effect and shall take such other reasonable actions to permit registered sales of Registrable Securities as contemplated in this Agreement (including as set forth in the first sentence of Section 3(f) with respect to the information giving rise thereto unless such material, non-public information is no longer applicable). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 3(p), the Company shall cause its transfer agent, following the register of members of the Company being updated to reflect the same, to deliver DWAC Shares to a transferee of the Investor in accordance with the terms of the Purchase Agreement in connection with any sale of Registrable Securities with respect to which (i) the Company has made a sale to Investor and (ii) the Investor has entered into a contract for sale, and delivered a copy of the Prospectus included as part of the particular Registration Statement to the extent applicable, in each case prior to the Investor’s receipt of the notice of an Allowable Grace Period and for which the Investor has not yet settled.
ARTICLE IV
OBLIGATIONS OF THE INVESTOR
4. Obligations of the Investor.
(a) At least five (5) Business Days prior to the first anticipated filing date of each Registration Statement (or such shorter period to which the parties agree), the Company shall notify the Investor in writing of the information the Company requires from the Investor with respect to such Registration Statement. It shall be a condition precedent to the obligations of the Company to complete the registration pursuant to this Agreement with respect to the Registrable Securities of the Investor that the Investor shall furnish to the Company such information regarding itself, the Registrable Securities held by it and the intended method of disposition of the Registrable Securities held by it, as shall be reasonably required to effect and maintain the effectiveness of the registration of such Registrable Securities and shall execute such documents in connection with such registration as the Company may reasonably request.
(b) The Investor, by its acceptance of the Registrable Securities, agrees to cooperate with the Company as reasonably requested by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of each Registration Statement hereunder, unless the Investor has notified the Company in writing of the Investor’s election to exclude all of the Investor’s Registrable Securities from such Registration Statement.
(c) The Investor agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(p) or the first sentence of 3(f), the Investor shall as soon as is reasonably practicable (i) discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to any Registration Statement(s) covering such Registrable Securities until the Investor’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 3(p) or the first sentence of Section 3(f) or receipt of notice that no supplement or amendment is required and (ii) maintain the confidentiality of any information included in such notice delivered by the Company unless otherwise required by law or subpoena. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 4(c), the Company shall cause its transfer agent to deliver DWAC Shares to a transferee of the Investor (and update the register of members of the Company to reflect the same) in accordance with the terms of the Purchase Agreement in connection with any sale of Registrable Securities with respect to which the Investor has entered into a contract for sale prior to the Investor’s receipt of a notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(p) or the first sentence of Section 3(f) and for which the Investor has not yet settled.
(d) The Investor covenants and agrees that it shall comply with the prospectus delivery and other requirements of the Securities Act as applicable to it in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement.
ARTICLE V
EXPENSES OF REGISTRATION
5. Expenses of Registration.
Except as provided in Section 10.1 of the Purchase Agreement, the Company shall have no obligation to reimburse the Investor for any expenses of the Investor incurred in connection with registrations, filings or qualifications pursuant to Sections 2 and 3 hereof. All registration, listing and qualifications fees, printers and accounting fees, and fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, shall be paid by the Company.
ARTICLE VI
INDEMNIFICATION
6. Indemnification.
(a) In the event any Registrable Securities are included in any Registration Statement under this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company will, and hereby does, indemnify, hold harmless and defend the Investor, each of its directors, officers, shareholders, members, partners, employees, agents, representatives (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding the lack of such title or any other title) and each Person, if any, who controls the Investor within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act and each of the directors, officers, shareholders, members, partners, employees, agents, representatives (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding the lack of such title or any other title) of such controlling Persons (each, an “Investor Party” and collectively, the “Investor Parties”), against any losses, obligations, claims, damages, liabilities, contingencies, judgments, fines, penalties, charges, costs (including, without limitation, court costs, reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs of defense and investigation), amounts paid in settlement or expenses, joint or several, (collectively, “Claims”) reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending any action, claim, suit, inquiry, proceeding, investigation or appeal taken from the foregoing by or before any court or governmental, administrative or other regulatory agency, body or the Commission, whether pending or threatened, whether or not an Investor Party is or may be a party thereto (“Indemnified Damages”), to which any of them may become subject insofar as such Claims (or actions or proceedings, whether commenced or threatened, in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon: (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact in a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or in any filing made in connection with the qualification of the offering under the securities or other “Blue Sky” laws of any jurisdiction in which Registrable Securities are offered (“Blue Sky Filing”), or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) or in any Prospectus Supplement or the omission or alleged omission to state therein any material fact necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which the statements therein were made, not misleading (the matters in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii) being, collectively, “Violations”). Subject to Section 6(e), the Company shall reimburse the Investor Parties, promptly as such expenses are incurred and are due and payable, for any reasonable legal fees or other reasonable expenses incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the indemnification agreement contained in this Section 6(a): (i) shall not apply to a Claim by an Investor Party arising out of or based upon a Violation which occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by such Investor Party for such Investor Party expressly for use in connection with the preparation of such Registration Statement, Prospectus or Prospectus Supplement or any such amendment thereof or supplement thereto (it being hereby acknowledged and agreed that the written information set forth on Exhibit A attached hereto is the only written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Investor expressly for use in any Registration Statement, Prospectus or Prospectus Supplement); (ii) shall not be available to the Investor to the extent such Claim is based on a failure of the Investor to deliver or to cause to be delivered the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) made available by the Company (to the extent applicable), including, without limitation, a corrected Prospectus, if such Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) or corrected Prospectus was timely made available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(d) and then only if, and to the extent that, following the receipt of the corrected Prospectus no grounds for such Claim would have existed; and (iii) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Investor Party.
(b) In connection with any Registration Statement in which the Investor is participating, the Investor agrees to severally and not jointly indemnify, hold harmless and defend, to the same extent and in the same manner as is set forth in Section 6(a), the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement and each Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (each, a “Company Party”), against any Claim or Indemnified Damages to which any of them may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such Claim or Indemnified Damages arise out of or are based upon any Violation, in each case, to the extent, and only to the extent, that such Violation occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with written information relating to the Investor furnished to the Company by the Investor expressly for use in connection with such Registration Statement, the Prospectus included therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto (it being hereby acknowledged and agreed that the written information set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto is the only written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Investor expressly for use in any Registration Statement, Prospectus or Prospectus Supplement); and, subject to Section 6(c) and the below provisos in this Section 6(b), the Investor shall reimburse a Company Party any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Company Party in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim; provided, however, the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6(b) and the agreement with respect to contribution contained in Section 7 shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without the prior written consent of the Investor, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; and provided, further that the Investor shall be liable under this Section 6(b) for only that amount of a Claim or Indemnified Damages as does not exceed the aggregate discount to the VWAP Purchase Price. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such Company Party and shall survive the transfer of any of the Registrable Securities by the Investor pursuant to Section 9.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an Investor Party or Company Party (as the case may be) under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding (including, without limitation, any governmental action or proceeding) involving a Claim, such Investor Party or Company Party (as the case may be) shall, if a Claim in respect thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party under this Section 6, deliver to the indemnifying party a written notice of the commencement thereof, and the indemnifying party shall have the right to participate in, and, to the extent the indemnifying party so desires, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly noticed, to assume control of the defense thereof with counsel mutually satisfactory to the indemnifying party and the Investor Party or Company Party (as the case may be); provided, however, an Investor Party or Company Party (as the case may be) shall have the right to retain its own counsel with the fees and expenses of such counsel to be paid by the indemnifying party if: (i) the indemnifying party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses; (ii) the indemnifying party shall have failed to promptly assume the defense of such Claim and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Investor Party or Company Party (as the case may be) in any such Claim; or (iii) the named parties to any such Claim (including, without limitation, any impleaded parties) include the Investor Party or Company Party (as the case may be) and the indemnifying party, and such Investor Party or Company Party (as the case may be) shall have been advised by counsel that a conflict of interest is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Investor Party or such Company Party and the indemnifying party, in which case, if such Investor Party or Company Party (as the case may be) notifies the indemnifying party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party, then the indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the defense thereof on behalf of the indemnified party and such counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party, provided further that in the case of clause (iii) above the indemnifying party shall not be responsible for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one (1) separate legal counsel for all Investor Parties or Company Parties (as the case may be). The Investor Party or Company Party (as the case may be) shall reasonably cooperate with the indemnifying party in connection with any negotiation or defense of any such action or Claim by the indemnifying party and shall furnish to the indemnifying party all information reasonably available to the Investor Party or Company Party (as the case may be) which relates to such action or Claim. The indemnifying party shall keep the Investor Party or Company Party (as the case may be) reasonably apprised at all times as to the status of the defense or any settlement negotiations with respect thereto. No indemnifying party shall be liable for any settlement of any action, claim or proceeding effected without its prior written consent; provided, however, the indemnifying party shall not unreasonably withhold, delay or condition its consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the Investor Party or Company Party (as the case may be), consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement or other compromise which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such Investor Party or Company Party (as the case may be) of a release from all liability in respect to such Claim or litigation, and such settlement shall not include any admission as to fault on the part of the Company Party. For the avoidance of doubt, the immediately preceding sentence shall apply to Sections 6(a) and 6(b) hereof. Following indemnification as provided for hereunder, the indemnifying party shall be subrogated to all rights of the Investor Party or Company Party (as the case may be) with respect to all third parties, firms or corporations relating to the matter for which indemnification has been made. The failure to deliver written notice to the indemnifying party within a reasonable time of the commencement of any such action shall not relieve such indemnifying party of any liability to the Investor Party or Company Party (as the case may be) under this Section 6, except to the extent that the indemnifying party is materially and adversely prejudiced in its ability to defend such action.
(d) The indemnification required by this Section 6 shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as and when bills are received or Indemnified Damages are incurred; provided that any Person receiving any payment pursuant to this Section 6 shall promptly reimburse the Person making such payment for the amount of such payment to the extent a court of competent jurisdiction determines that such Person receiving such payment was not entitled to such payment.
(e) No Person involved in the sale of Registrable Securities who is guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) in connection with such sale shall be entitled to indemnification from any Person involved in such sale of Registrable Securities who is not guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation.
(f) The indemnity and contribution agreements contained herein shall be in addition to (i) any cause of action or similar right of the Company Party or Investor Party against the indemnifying party or others, and (ii) any liabilities the indemnifying party may be subject to pursuant to the law.
(g) No person found guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) in connection with such sale shall be entitled to indemnification from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
ARTICLE VII
CONTRIBUTIONS
7. Contribution.
To the extent any indemnification by an indemnifying party is prohibited or limited by law, the indemnifying party agrees to make the maximum contribution with respect to any amounts for which it would otherwise be liable under Section 6 to the fullest extent permitted by law; provided, however: (i) no contribution shall be made under circumstances where the maker would not have been liable for indemnification under the fault standards set forth in Section 6 of this Agreement, (ii) no Person involved in the sale of Registrable Securities which Person is guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) in connection with such sale shall be entitled to contribution from any Person involved in such sale of Registrable Securities who was not guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation; and (iii) contribution by any seller of Registrable Securities shall be limited in amount to the amount of net proceeds received by such seller from the applicable sale of such Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, the Investor shall not be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the aggregate discount to the VWAP Purchase Price subject to the Claim exceeds the amount of any damages that the Investor has otherwise been required to pay, or would otherwise be required to pay under Section 6(b), by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
ARTICLE VIII
REPORTS UNDER THE EXCHANGE ACT
8. Reports Under the Exchange Act. With a view to making available to the Investor the benefits of Rule 144, the Company agrees to:
(a) use its commercially reasonable efforts to make and keep public information available, as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144;
(b) use its commercially reasonable efforts to file with the Commission in a timely manner all reports and other documents required of the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act so long as the Company remains subject to such requirements (it being understood that nothing herein shall limit any of the Company’s obligations under the Purchase Agreement) and the filing of such reports and other documents is required for the applicable provisions of Rule 144;
(c) furnish to the Investor, promptly upon request, (i) a written statement by the Company, if true, that it has complied with the reporting, submission and posting requirements of Rule 144 and the Exchange Act, (ii) a copy of the most recent annual report on Form 20-F or report on Form 6-K containing interim financial information of the Company and such other reports and documents so filed by the Company with the Commission if such reports are not publicly available via EDGAR, and (iii) such other information as may be reasonably requested to permit the Investor to sell such securities pursuant to Rule 144 without registration; and
(d) take such additional action as is reasonably requested by the Investor to enable the Investor to sell the Registrable Securities pursuant to Rule 144, including, without limitation, delivering all such legal opinions, consents, certificates, resolutions and instructions to the Company’s transfer agent without unreasonable delay as may be reasonably requested from time to time by the Investor and otherwise fully cooperate with Investor and Investor’s broker in their efforts to effect such sale of securities pursuant to Rule 144.
ARTICLE IX
ASSIGNMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS
9. Assignment of Registration Rights.
Neither the Company nor the Investor shall assign this Agreement or any of their respective rights or obligations hereunder.
ARTICLE X
AMENDMENT OR WAIVER
10. Amendment or Waiver.
No provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived by the parties from and after the date that is one (1) Trading Day immediately preceding the date of filing of the Initial Registration Statement with the Commission. Subject to the immediately preceding sentence, no provision of this Agreement may be (i) amended other than by a written instrument signed by both parties hereto or (ii) waived other than in a written instrument signed by the party against whom enforcement of such waiver is sought. Failure of any party to exercise any right or remedy under this Agreement or otherwise, or delay by a party in exercising such right or remedy, shall not operate as a waiver thereof.
ARTICLE XI
MISCELLANEOUS
11. Miscellaneous.
(a) Solely for purposes of this Agreement, a Person is deemed to be a holder of Registrable Securities whenever such Person owns or is deemed to own of record such Registrable Securities. If the Company receives conflicting instructions, notices or elections from two or more Persons with respect to the same Registrable Securities, the Company shall act upon the basis of instructions, notice or election received from such record owner of such Registrable Securities.
(b) Any notices, consents, waivers or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement shall be given in accordance with Section 10.4 of the Purchase Agreement.
(c) Failure of any party to exercise any right or remedy under this Agreement or otherwise, or delay by a party in exercising such right or remedy, shall not operate as a waiver thereof. The Company and the Investor acknowledge and agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that either party shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent or cure breaches of the provisions of this Agreement by the other party and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof (without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required), this being in addition to any other remedy to which either party may be entitled by law or equity.
(d) All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal courts sitting in The City of New York, Borough of Manhattan, for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address for such notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. If any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement in that jurisdiction or the validity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
(e) The Transaction Documents set forth the entire agreement and understanding of the parties solely with respect to the subject matter thereof and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, negotiations and understandings between the parties, both oral and written, solely with respect to such matters. There are no promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by either party relative to the subject matter hereof not expressly set forth in the Transaction Documents. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary and without implication that the contrary would otherwise be true, nothing contained in this Agreement shall limit, modify or affect in any manner whatsoever (i) the conditions precedent to a VWAP Purchase contained in Article VII of the Purchase Agreement or (ii) any of the Company’s obligations under the Purchase Agreement.
(f) This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors. This Agreement is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any Person, other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and the Persons referred to in Sections 6 and 7 hereof.
(g) The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, each pronoun herein shall be deemed to include the masculine, feminine, neuter, singular and plural forms thereof. The terms “including,” “includes,” “include” and words of like import shall be construed broadly as if followed by the words “without limitation.” The terms “herein,” “hereunder,” “hereof” and words of like import refer to this entire Agreement instead of just the provision in which they are found.
(h) This Agreement may be executed in two or more identical counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party; provided that a facsimile signature or signature delivered by e-mail in a “.pdf” format data file, including any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, e.g., www.docusign.com, www.echosign.adobe.com, etc., shall be considered due execution and shall be binding upon the signatory thereto with the same force and effect as if the signature were an original signature.
(i) Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents as any other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(j) The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party.
ARTICLE XII
TERMINATION
12. Termination.
This Agreement shall terminate in its entirety upon the date on which the Investor shall have sold all the Registrable Securities; provided that the provisions of Sections 4, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 11 shall remain in full force and effect.
[Signature Pages Follow]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Investor and the Company have caused their respective signature page to this Registration Rights Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
| COMPANY: | ||
| VERTICAL AEROSPACE LTD. | ||
| By: | /s/ Vincent Casey | |
| Name: Vincent Casey | ||
| Title: Chief Financial Officer | ||
| INVESTOR: | ||
| NOMURA SECURITIES INTERNATIONAL, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Paul Robinson | |
| Name: Paul Robinson | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
EXHIBIT A
SELLING SECURITYHOLDER
This prospectus relates to the possible resale from time to time by the Selling Securityholder of any or all of the Ordinary Shares that may be issued by us to the Selling Securityholder under the Purchase Agreement. For additional information regarding the issuance of Ordinary Shares covered by this prospectus, see the section titled “Committed Equity Financing” above. We are registering the Ordinary Shares pursuant to the provisions of the Registration Rights Agreement we entered into with the Selling Securityholder on August 5, 2022 in order to permit the Selling Securityholder to offer the shares for resale from time to time. Except for the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement or as otherwise disclosed in this prospectus, Selling Securityholder has not had any material relationship with us within the past three years.
The table below presents information regarding the Selling Securityholder and the Ordinary Shares that it may offer from time to time under this prospectus. This table is prepared based on information supplied to us by the Selling Securityholder, and reflects holdings as of July 26, 2022. The number of shares in the column “Maximum Number of Ordinary Shares to be Offered Pursuant to this Prospectus” represents all of the Ordinary Shares that the Selling Securityholder may offer under this prospectus. The Selling Securityholder may sell some, all or none of its shares in this offering. We do not know how long the Selling Securityholder will hold the shares before selling them, and we currently have no agreements, arrangements or understandings with the Selling Securityholder regarding the sale of any of the shares.
Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3(d) promulgated by the SEC under the Exchange Act, and includes Ordinary Shares with respect to which the Selling Securityholder has voting and investment power. The percentage of Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by the Selling Securityholder prior to the offering shown in the table below is based on an aggregate of 209,285,392 Ordinary Shares outstanding on July 26, 2022. Because the purchase price of the Ordinary Shares issuable under the Purchase Agreement is determined on the VWAP Purchase Date with respect to each VWAP Purchase, the number of shares that may actually be sold by the Company under the Purchase Agreement may be fewer than the number of shares being offered by this prospectus. The fourth column assumes the sale of all of the shares offered by the Selling Securityholder pursuant to this prospectus.
| Number of Ordinary Shares Owned Prior to Offering |
Maximum Number of Ordinary Shares to be Offered Pursuant to this | Number
of Ordinary Shares Owned After Offering | ||||||||||||||
| Name of Selling Securityholder | Number(1) | Percent(2) | Prospectus | Number(3) | Percent(2) | |||||||||||
| Nomura Securities International, Inc.(4) | 150,000 | * | 20,000,000 | 150,000 | * | |||||||||||
| * | Represents beneficial ownership of less than 1% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares. |
| (1) | In accordance with Rule 13d-3(d) under the Exchange Act, we have excluded from the number of shares beneficially owned prior to the offering all of the shares that Nomura may be required to purchase under the Purchase Agreement, because the issuance of such shares is solely at our discretion and is subject to conditions contained in the Purchase Agreement, the satisfaction of which are entirely outside of Nomura’s control, including the registration statement that includes this prospectus becoming and remaining effective. Furthermore, the VWAP Purchases of Ordinary Shares are subject to certain agreed upon maximum amount limitations set forth in the Purchase Agreement. Also, the Purchase Agreement prohibits us from issuing and selling any Ordinary Shares to Nomura to the extent such shares, when aggregated with all other Ordinary Shares then beneficially owned by Nomura, would cause Nomura’s beneficial ownership of our Ordinary Shares to exceed 4.99%. |
| (2) | Applicable percentage ownership is based on 209,285,392 of our Ordinary Shares outstanding as of July 26, 2022. |
| (3) | Assumes the sale of all shares being offered pursuant to this prospectus. |
| (4) | Nomura is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nomura Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: NMR). Nomura Holdings, Inc. is the ultimate parent holding company of Nomura, which, in its capacity as a parent company, disclaims beneficial ownership of the Ordinary Shares except to the extent of its direct or indirect economic interest in Nomura. The address of Nomura Holdings, Inc. is 13-1, Nihonbashi 1-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-8645, Japan. The business address of Nomura is 309 West 49th Street, New York, New York 10019. Nomura is a FINRA member. Nomura is expected to act as an executing broker for the sale of the Ordinary Shares registered hereunder. The receipt by Nomura of all the proceeds from sales of Ordinary Shares to the public results in a “conflict of interest” under FINRA Rule 5121. Accordingly, such sales will be conducted in compliance with FINRA Rule 5121. To the extent that the Ordinary Shares do not have a “bona fide public market,” as defined in FINRA Rule 5121, a qualified independent underwriter will participate in the preparation of, and exercise the usual standards of “due diligence” with respect to, the registration statement. Pursuant to FINRA Rule 5121, Nomura will not confirm sales of the Ordinary Shares to any account over which it exercises discretionary authority without the prior written approval of the customer. |
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION (CONFLICT OF INTEREST)
The Ordinary Shares offered by this prospectus are being offered by the Selling Securityholder, Nomura. The shares may be sold or distributed from time to time by the Selling Securityholder directly to one or more purchasers or through brokers, dealers, or underwriters who may act solely as agents at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to the prevailing market prices, at negotiated prices, or at fixed prices, which may be changed. The sale of our Ordinary Shares offered by this prospectus could be effected in one or more of the following methods:
| • | ordinary brokers’ transactions; | ||
| • | transactions involving cross or block trades; | ||
| • | through brokers, dealers, or underwriters who may act solely as agents; | ||
| • | “at the market” into an existing market for our Ordinary Shares; | ||
| • | in other ways not involving market makers or established business markets, including direct sales to purchasers or sales effected through agents; | ||
| • | in privately negotiated transactions; or | ||
| • | any combination of the foregoing. |
In order to comply with the securities laws of certain states, if applicable, the shares may be sold only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in certain states, the shares may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the state or an exemption from the state’s registration or qualification requirement is available and complied with.
Nomura is an “underwriter” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act.
Nomura has informed us that it intends to, on its own behalf, effectuate all resales, if any, of our Ordinary Shares that it may acquire from us pursuant to the Purchase Agreement. Nomura may also use one or more registered broker-dealers to effectuate resales, if any, of our Ordinary Shares that it may acquire from us pursuant to the Purchase Agreement; however, Nomura is under no obligation, and has not expressed any present intent, to do so. Such sales will be made at prices and at terms then prevailing or at prices related to the then current market price. Each such registered broker-dealer will be an underwriter within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act. Nomura has informed us that any such broker-dealer may receive commissions from Nomura and, if so, such commissions will not exceed customary brokerage commissions.
Brokers, dealers, underwriters or agents participating in the distribution of our Ordinary Shares offered by this prospectus may receive compensation in the form of commissions, discounts, or concessions from the purchasers, for whom the broker-dealers may act as agent, of the shares sold by the Selling Securityholder through this prospectus. The compensation paid to any such particular broker-dealer by any such purchasers of our Ordinary Shares sold by the Selling Securityholder may be less than or in excess of customary commissions. Neither we nor the Selling Securityholder can presently estimate the amount of compensation that any agent will receive from any purchasers of Ordinary Shares sold by the Selling Securityholder.
We know of no existing arrangements between the Selling Securityholder or any other shareholder, broker, dealer, underwriter or agent relating to the sale or distribution of our Ordinary Shares offered by this prospectus.
We may from time to time file with the SEC one or more supplements to this prospectus or amendments to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part to amend, supplement or update information contained in this prospectus, including, if and when required under the Securities Act, to disclose certain information relating to a particular sale of shares offered by this prospectus by the Selling Securityholder, including the names of any brokers, dealers, underwriters or agents participating in the distribution of such shares by the Selling Securityholder, any compensation paid by the Selling Securityholder to any such brokers, dealers, underwriters or agents, and any other required information.
We will pay the expenses incident to the registration under the Securities Act of the offer and sale of our Ordinary Shares covered by this prospectus by the Selling Securityholder. In addition, we have agreed to reimburse Nomura up to $75,000 for the fees and disbursements of counsel in connection with the initial transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.
We also have agreed to indemnify Nomura and certain other persons against certain liabilities in connection with the offering of our Ordinary Shares offered hereby, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act or, if such indemnity is unavailable, to contribute amounts required to be paid in respect of such liabilities. Nomura has agreed to indemnify us against liabilities under the Securities Act that may arise from certain written information furnished to us by Nomura specifically for use in this prospectus or, if such indemnity is unavailable, to contribute amounts required to be paid in respect of such liabilities. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers, and controlling persons, we have been advised that in the opinion of the SEC this indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore, unenforceable.
We estimate that the total expenses for the offering will be approximately $[●]. Nomura has represented to us that at no time prior to the date of the Purchase Agreement has Nomura, or any entity managed or controlled by Nomura engaged in or effected, directly or indirectly, for its own principal account, any short sale (as such term is defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO of the Exchange Act) of our Ordinary Shares or any hedging transaction that establishes a net short position with respect to our Ordinary Shares. Nomura has agreed that during the term of the Purchase Agreement, none of Nomura, nor any entity managed or controlled by Nomura will enter into or effect, directly or indirectly, any of the foregoing transactions for its own principal account or for the principal account of any other such entity.
We have advised the Selling Securityholder that it is required to comply with Regulation M promulgated under the Exchange Act. With certain exceptions, Regulation M precludes the Selling Securityholder, any affiliated purchasers, and any broker-dealer or other person who participates in the distribution from bidding for or purchasing, or attempting to induce any person to bid for or purchase any security which is the subject of the distribution until the entire distribution is complete. Regulation M also prohibits any bids or purchases made in order to stabilize the price of a security in connection with the distribution of that security. All of the foregoing may affect the marketability of the securities offered by this prospectus.
This offering will terminate on the date that all Ordinary Shares offered by this prospectus have been sold by the Selling Securityholder.
Our Ordinary Shares are currently listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “EVTL”.
Nomura and/or one or more of its affiliates has provided, currently provides and/or from time to time in the future may provide various investment banking and other financial services for us and/or one or more of our affiliates that are unrelated to the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement and the offering of shares for resale by Nomura to which this prospectus relates, for which investment banking and other financial services they have received and may continue to receive customary fees, commissions and other compensation from us, aside from any discounts, fees and other compensation that Nomura has received and may receive in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, including discounts to current market prices of our Ordinary Shares reflected in the purchase prices payable by it for Ordinary Shares that we may require it to purchase from us from time to time under the Purchase Agreement.
Conflict of Interest
The Selling Securityholder is a FINRA member. The Selling Securityholder is expected to act as an executing broker for the sale of the Ordinary Shares pursuant to the Share Purchase Agreement. The receipt by the Selling Securityholder of all the proceeds from sales of Ordinary Shares to the public results in a “conflict of interest” under FINRA Rule 5121. Accordingly, such sales will be conducted in compliance with FINRA Rule 5121. To the extent that the Ordinary Shares do not have a “bona fide public market,” as defined in FINRA Rule 5121, a qualified independent underwriter will participate in the preparation of, and exercise the usual standards of “due diligence” with respect to, the registration statement. Pursuant to FINRA Rule 5121, Selling Securityholder will not confirm sales of the Ordinary Shares to any account over which it exercises discretionary authority without the prior written approval of the customer.
EXHIBIT B
BUSINESS ADDRESS & REGULATION SHO
The business address of Nomura Securities International, Inc. (“Nomura”) is 309 West 49th Street, New York, New York 10019. Nomura disclaims any beneficial ownership of the reported shares other than to the extent of any pecuniary interest it may have therein, directly or indirectly.
Nomura has represented to us that at no time prior to the date of the Purchase Agreement has Nomura or any entity managed or controlled by Nomura engaged in or effected, in any manner whatsoever, directly or indirectly, for its own principal account, any short sale (as such term is defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO of the Exchange Act) of our ordinary shares or any hedging transaction, which establishes a net short position with respect to our ordinary shares. Nomura has agreed that during the term of the Purchase Agreement, neither Nomura, nor any entity managed or controlled by Nomura, will enter into or effect, directly or indirectly, any of the foregoing transactions for its own principal account or for the principal account of any other such entity.