Rigetti Computing, Inc 8-K, filed May 30, 2025
Rigetti Computing, Inc. (RGTI)
About this 8-K
Rigetti Computing, Inc filed this 8-K on May 30, 2025, reporting on events of May 29, 2025.
Items reported
- Item 1.01: Entered into a material agreement
- Item 9.01: Financial statements and exhibits
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company
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has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant
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| Item 1.01 | Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. |
On May 29, 2025, Rigetti Computing, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into an Open Market Sale AgreementSM (the “Agreement”) with Jefferies LLC (the “Agent”) with respect to an “at-the market” offering program, pursuant to which the Company may issue and sell, from time to time at its sole discretion, shares of its common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Company Common Stock”), through or to the Agent having an aggregate offering price of up to $350,000,000 (the “ATM Shares” and such program, the “ATM Offering”).
Subject to the terms and conditions of the Agreement, the Agent will use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell the ATM Shares on the Company’s behalf from time to time, based upon the Company’s instructions, consistent with its normal sales practices and applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations. The Company has provided the Agent with customary indemnification rights, and the Agent will be entitled to a commission of up to 3.0% of the gross proceeds of any of the ATM Shares sold through or to the Agent under the Agreement.
The issuance and sale of the ATM Shares, if any, under the Agreement may be made in transactions that are deemed to be “at the market offerings” as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Company has no obligation to sell any of the ATM Shares, and the Agent is not required to sell any specific number or dollar amount of the ATM Shares under the Agreement. The Company or the Agent may at any time suspend or terminate the offering of the ATM Shares upon notice to the other party and subject to other conditions.
The foregoing description of the Agreement is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Agreement, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 1.1 and incorporated by reference herein.
The Company Common Stock to be sold under the Agreement, if any, will be issued and sold pursuant to the Company’s automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-287646) (the “2025 Registration Statement”), which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on May 29, 2025. The Company filed a prospectus supplement dated May 29, 2025 to the 2025 Registration Statement with the SEC in connection with the offer and sale of the ATM Shares pursuant to the Agreement.
This Current Report on Form 8-K shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any shares of Company Common Stock, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation, or sale of shares of Company Common Stock in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. The legal opinion of Hogan Lovells US LLP relating to the legality of the issuance and sale of the ATM Shares pursuant to the ATM Offering is attached as Exhibit 5.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference herein.
| Item 9.01. | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits.
| Exhibit No. |
Description | |
| 1.1 | Open Market Sale AgreementSM, by and between Rigetti Computing, Inc., and Jefferies LLC dated May 29, 2025. | |
| 5.1 | Opinion of Hogan Lovells US LLP. | |
| 23.1 | Consent of Hogan Lovells US LLP (contained in Exhibit 5.1). | |
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document). | |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| Date: May 29, 2025 | RIGETTI COMPUTING, INC. | |
| By: | /s/ Jeffrey Bertelsen | |
| Jeffrey Bertelsen | ||
| Chief Financial Officer | ||
Exhibit 1.1
OPEN MARKET SALE AGREEMENTSM
May 29, 2025
JEFFERIES LLC
520 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10022
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Rigetti Computing, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell from time to time through Jefferies LLC, as sales agent and/or principal (the “Agent”), shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Shares”), having an aggregate offering price of up to $350,000,000 on the terms set forth in this agreement (this “Agreement”).
Section 1. DEFINITIONS
(a) Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the following respective meanings:
“Affiliate” of a Person means another Person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such first- mentioned Person. The term “control” (including the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
“Agency Period” means the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and expiring on the earliest to occur of (x) the date on which the Agent shall have placed the Maximum Program Amount pursuant to this Agreement and (y) the date this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 7.
“Commission” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
“Floor Price” means the minimum price set by the Company in an Issuance Notice below which the Agent shall not sell Shares during the applicable period set forth in the applicable Issuance Notice, which may be adjusted by the Company at any time during the period set forth in the applicable Issuance Notice by delivering written notice of such change to the Agent and which in no event shall be less than $1.00 without the prior written consent of the Agent, which may be withheld in the Agent’s sole discretion.
SM “Open Market Sale Agreement” is a service mark of Jefferies LLC
“Issuance Amount” means the aggregate Sales Price of the Shares to be sold by the Agent pursuant to any Issuance Notice.
“Issuance Notice” means a written notice delivered to the Agent by the Company in accordance with this Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A that is executed by its Chief Executive Officer, President or Chief Financial Officer.
“Issuance Notice Date” means any Trading Day during the Agency Period that an Issuance Notice is delivered pursuant to Section 3(b)(i).
“Issuance Price” means the Sales Price less the Selling Commission.
“Maximum Program Amount” means Common Shares with an aggregate Sales Price of the lesser of (a) the number or dollar amount of Common Shares registered under the effective Registration Statement (as defined below) pursuant to which the offering is being made, (b) the number of authorized but unissued Common Shares (less Common Shares issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of any outstanding securities of the Company or otherwise reserved from the Company’s authorized capital stock), (c) the number or dollar amount of Common Shares permitted to be sold under Form S-3 (including General Instruction I.B.6 thereof, if applicable), or (d) the number or dollar amount of Common Shares for which the Company has filed a Prospectus (as defined below).
“Person” means an individual or a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, joint stock company, governmental authority or other entity of any kind.
“Principal Market” means the Nasdaq Capital Market or such other national securities exchange on which the Common Shares, including any Shares, are then listed.
“Sales Price” means the actual sale execution price of each Share placed by the Agent pursuant to this Agreement.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
“Selling Commission” means up to three percent (3%) of the gross proceeds of Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement, or as otherwise agreed between the Company and the Agent with respect to any Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement.
“Settlement Date” means the first business day, or such other time period as required by the Exchange Act or the rules promulgated thereunder, following each Trading Day during the period set forth in the applicable Issuance Notice on which Shares are sold pursuant to this Agreement, when the Company shall deliver to the Agent the amount of Shares sold on such Trading Day and the Agent shall deliver to the Company the Issuance Price received on such sales.
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“Shares” means the Common Shares issued or issuable pursuant to this Agreement.
“Trading Day” means any day on which the Principal Market is open for trading.
Section 2. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Agent that as of (1) the date of this Agreement, (2) each Issuance Notice Date, (3) each Settlement Date, (4) each Triggering Event Date with respect to which the Company is required to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(p) and (5) each Time of Sale (as defined below), (each of the times referenced above is referred to herein as a “Representation Date”), except as may be disclosed in the Prospectus (including any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements thereto) on or before a Representation Date or if such other time is specified below:
(a) The Company has prepared and filed with the Commission an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act on Form S-3 (File No. 333-287646) that contains a base prospectus. Such registration statement registers the issuance and sale by the Company of the Shares under the Securities Act. The Company may file one or more additional registration statements from time to time that will contain a base prospectus and related prospectus or prospectus supplement, if applicable, with respect to the Shares. Except where the context otherwise requires, such registration statement(s), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, including all financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto and all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act as from time to time amended or supplemented, is herein referred to as the “Registration Statement,” and the base prospectus constituting a part of such registration statement(s), together with any prospectus supplement filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act relating to a particular issuance of the Shares, including all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, in each case, as from time to time amended or supplemented, is referred to herein as the “Prospectus,” except that if any revised prospectus is provided to the Agent by the Company for use in connection with the offering of the Shares that is not required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, the term “Prospectus” shall refer to such revised prospectus from and after the time it is first provided to the Agent for such use. The Registration Statement at the time it originally became effective is herein called the “Original Registration Statement.” As used in this Agreement, the terms “amendment” or “supplement” when applied to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing by the Company with the Commission of any document under the Exchange Act after the date hereof that is or is deemed to be incorporated therein by reference.
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed under the Securities Act to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, as of any specified date; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include, without limitation, the filing of any document under the Exchange Act which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed under the Securities Act to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, as of any specified date. The Company’s obligations under this Agreement to furnish, provide, deliver or make available (and all other references of like import) copies of any report or statement shall be deemed satisfied if the same is filed with the Commission through its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”).
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At the time the Original Registration Statement became effective, the Company met the then-applicable requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. During the Agency Period, each time the Company files an annual report on Form 10-K the Company will meet the then-applicable requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act.
(b) The Original Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement have been declared or deemed effective by the Commission under the Securities Act. The Company has complied to the Commission’s satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for additional or supplemental information. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission.
The Prospectus when filed complied or will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and, if filed with the Commission through EDGAR (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T under the Securities Act), was identical to the copy thereof delivered to the Agent for use in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares. Each of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became or becomes effective and at each Representation Date, complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. As of the date of this Agreement, the Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) considered together (collectively, the “Time of Sale Information”) did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as of its date and at each Representation Date, did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the three immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Agent furnished to the Company in writing by the Agent expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Agent to the Company consists of the information described in Section 6 below. There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been described or filed as required. The Registration Statement and the offer and sale of the Shares as contemplated hereby meet the requirements of Rule 415 under the Securities Act and comply in all material respects with said rule.
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(c) The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering of the Shares pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any Free Writing Prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act. Each Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending, and each such Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the issuance and sale of the Shares did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts with or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein. Except for the Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, and electronic road shows, if any, furnished to the Agent before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without the Agent’s prior consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), prepare, use or refer to, any Free Writing Prospectus.
(d) The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, at the time they were filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act, as applicable, and, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, do not contain an 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 light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(e) The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, and any Free Writing Prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act, and, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto become effective and at each Time of Sale (as defined below), as the case may be, will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the 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.
(f) All statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate in all material respects (but has not independently verified). To the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent for the use of such data from such sources.
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(g) The Company does not own, directly or indirectly, any shares of stock or any other equity or long-term debt securities of any corporation or have any equity interest in any corporation, firm, partnership, joint venture, association or other entity, other than (i) the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21 to its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K (collectively, the “Subsidiaries”), (ii) those subsidiaries not required to be listed on such Exhibit 21 pursuant to Item 601 of Regulation S-K under the Exchange Act and (iii) those subsidiaries formed since the last day of the most recently ended fiscal year. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries are duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdiction of organization. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are each duly licensed or qualified to do business and in good standing as a foreign corporation or such other entity in all jurisdictions in which the nature of the activities conducted by it or the character of the assets owned or leased by it makes such license or qualification necessary, and each have all corporate power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct its businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect or would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or their respective assets, businesses, operations, earnings, properties, prospects, conditions (financial or other), stockholders’ equity or results of operations, or prevent or materially interfere with consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (such effect is referred to herein as a “Material Adverse Effect”). Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or in the Prospectus, all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and free of any preemptive or similar rights, and are wholly owned by the Company free and clear of all claims, liens, charges, security interests, rights of first refusal and encumbrances. The Company and its Subsidiaries are not engaged in any discussions or a party to any agreement or understanding, written or oral, regarding the acquisition of an interest in any corporation, firm, partnership, joint venture, association or other entity where such discussions, agreements or understandings would require disclosure in, or amendment to, the Registration Statement. Complete and correct copies of the Certificate of Incorporation and of the Bylaws of the Company and all amendments thereto have been delivered to the Agent and their counsel, or are available through EDGAR.
(h) The Company has authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock as set forth in, or incorporated by reference into, the Prospectus as of the date set forth therein (other than the grant of additional equity awards or rights under the Company’s existing equity incentive and stock purchase plans, or changes in the number of outstanding shares of Common Shares of the Company due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise or conversion of securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Shares outstanding on the date hereof) and such authorized capital stock conforms in all material respects to the description thereof set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized, validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable, were issued in compliance, in all material respects, with all applicable state and federal securities laws and, except as disclosed in or contemplated by the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, are not subject to any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or similar rights. The Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered by the Company against payment therefor as contemplated hereby, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of any pledge, lien, encumbrance, security interest or other claim, and will be registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act; no preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or similar rights exist with respect to any of the Shares or the issue and sale thereof. The description of the capital stock of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus is complete and accurate in all material respects. The Shares, when issued, will conform to the description thereof set forth in or incorporated into the Prospectus. Except as set forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as of the date referred to therein, the Company does not have outstanding any options to purchase, or any rights or warrants to subscribe for, or any other securities or obligations convertible into, or any other contracts or commitments to issue or sell, any shares of capital stock, or any such warrants, convertible securities or obligations. The certificates evidencing the Shares, if any, are in due and proper legal form and have been duly authorized for issuance by the Company. The issuance and sale of the Shares as contemplated hereby will not cause any holder of any share capital, securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for share capital or options, warrants or other rights to purchase share capital or any other securities of the Company to have any right to acquire any preferred shares or other securities of the Company.
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(i) At the time the Registration Statement was originally declared effective, the Company met the then-applicable requirements for the use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, including, but not limited to, General Instruction I.B.1. of Form S-3. The Company is not exempt from the requirements of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). The aggregate market value of the outstanding voting and non-voting common equity (as defined in Rule 405) of the Company held by persons other than affiliates of the Company (pursuant to Rule 144 of the Securities Act, those that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, control, or are controlled by, or are under common control with, the Company) (the “Non-Affiliate Shares”), was equal to or greater than $75 million (calculated by multiplying (i) the highest price at which the common equity of the Company closed on the Principal Market within 60 days of the date of this Agreement by (ii) the number of Non-Affiliate Shares). The Company is not a shell company (as defined in Rule 405) and has not been a shell company for at least 12 calendar months previously and if it has been a shell company at any time previously, has filed current Form 10 information (as defined in Instruction I.B.6. of Form S-3) with the Commission at least 12 calendar months previously reflecting its status as an entity that is not a shell company.
(j) The financial statements, together with the related notes and schedules, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus present fairly, in all material respects, the financial condition of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the respective dates thereof and the results of operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries for the respective periods covered thereby, and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the entire period involved except as may be set forth in the related notes included therein. No other financial statements or schedules (historical or pro forma) are required by the Securities Act or the Exchange Act to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that are not included or incorporated by reference as required. BDO USA, LLP (n/k/a BDO USA, P.C.) (the “Accountant”), whose report on the consolidated financial statements and schedules of the Company is filed with the Commission as part of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, are and, during the periods covered by their report were, an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of, and as required by, the Securities Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”). To the Company’s knowledge, the Accountant is not in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) with respect to the Company. The other financial data included and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present accurately and fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with the audited financial statements incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and the books and records of the Company. All disclosures contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined in the rules and regulations of the Securities Act) comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in all material respects in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. The Prospectus delivered to Agent for use in connection with the sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement will be identical to the versions of the Prospectus created to be transmitted to the Commission for filing via EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
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(k) Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, no Person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Company to issue or sell to such Person any Common Shares or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company. 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 Common Shares or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company. Except as contemplated by this Agreement, 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.
(l) Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any Material Adverse Effect, the occurrence of any development that the Company reasonably expects would result in a Material Adverse Effect or any material adverse change, or any development that would reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change, in the general affairs, business, management, condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, results of operations, properties, operations, assets, liabilities or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Change”), (ii) there has not been any material change in the capitalization or long-term indebtedness of the Company (other than in connection with the exercise or settlement of equity awards or rights granted pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive and stock purchase plans from the shares reserved therefor as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the exercise or redemption of warrants described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and the grant of equity awards or rights in the ordinary course of business and consistent with the past practice of the Company), (iii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has incurred, except in the ordinary course of business as described in the Prospectus, any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), nor has the Company or any of its Subsidiaries entered into any material transactions other than pursuant to this Agreement and the transactions referred to herein and (iv) the Company has not paid, made or declared any dividends or other distributions of any kind on any class of its capital stock or the capital stock of any Subsidiary.
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(m) The Company and its Subsidiaries are not, will not become as a result of or after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby (including the offer and sale of the Shares), and will not conduct their business in a manner that would cause any of them to be, an “investment company,” an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” or an “affiliated person” of, or “promoter” or “principal underwriter” for, an “investment company,” as each such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(n) Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.
(o) Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, there are no actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of its or their officers in their capacity as such, nor any basis therefor, before or by any federal or state court, commission, regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental body, domestic or foreign, wherein an unfavorable ruling, decision or finding would have a Material Adverse Effect. There are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory audits or investigations, actions, suits or proceedings that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that are not so described.
(p) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is (i) 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 any other contract, 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 (ii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, which default or violation, in the cases of clauses (i) or (ii), would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Company, no other party under any material contract or other agreement to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is a party is in default in any respect thereunder, which default would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is or would reasonably be expected to be in violation of any provision of its certificate or articles of incorporation or by-laws or similar organizational documents. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has (i) failed to pay any dividend or sinking fund installment on preferred stock or (ii) defaulted on any installment or other payment 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.
(q) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or any filing or declaration with, any court, arbitrator or governmental or regulatory agency or body is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale by the Company of the Shares, except such as have been obtained under the Securities Act and such as may be required under state securities or blue sky laws, the by-laws and rules of FINRA or the Principal Market in connection with the sale of the Shares by the Agent or such as otherwise have already been obtained or made as of the date of this Agreement.
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(r) The Company has full corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and perform the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with the terms hereof, except that the enforcement (A) of this Agreement may be subject to (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws relating to creditor’s rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought (collectively, the “Enforceability Exceptions”) and (B) of the indemnification and contribution obligations and provisions of this Agreement may be limited by applicable law or considerations of public policy. The execution and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (including the issuance and sale of the Shares) will not result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of the assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to the terms or provisions of, or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or conflict with or constitute a default under, or give any party a right to terminate any of its obligations under, or result in the acceleration of any obligation under, (i) the certificate or articles of incorporation or by-laws or other organizational documents of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, voting trust agreement, loan agreement, bond, debenture, note agreement or other evidence of indebtedness, lease, contract or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of its or their properties is bound or affected, or (iii) violate or conflict with any judgment, ruling, decree, order, statute, rule or regulation of any court or other governmental agency or body applicable to the business or properties of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, which lien, charge, encumbrance, breach, violation, conflict, default, termination or acceleration, in the cases of clauses (ii) or (iii), would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(s) Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, 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 Registration Statement or the Prospectus as being owned by them, 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 Registration Statement or Prospectus 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. The Company and its Subsidiaries own or lease all such properties as are necessary to their operations as now conducted or as proposed to be conducted, except where the failure to so own or lease would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Each of the properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries complies in all material respects 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 Registration Statement or Prospectus 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 or regulatory 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 that 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 would have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
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(t) All contracts to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement are so described or filed as required. All contracts to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party that are expressly referenced in the Prospectus have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company or such Subsidiary, constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company or such Subsidiary and are enforceable against and by the Company or such Subsidiary in accordance with the terms thereof, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions.
(u) None of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective directors, officers or controlling persons has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed, or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, in, or that has constituted, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.
(v) No holder of securities of the Company has rights, contractual or otherwise, to require the Company to register any securities pursuant to the Registration Statement, or to include any securities in the Registration Statement or the offering contemplated thereby, whether as a result of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the sale of the Shares as contemplated hereby or otherwise, which rights have not been duly waived in a writing furnished to the Agent by the holder thereof as of the date hereof.
(w) The Common Shares are registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is currently listed on the Principal Market under the trading symbol “RGTI.” There is no action pending by the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, by the Principal Market designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Shares under the Exchange Act or delisting the Common Shares from the Principal Market, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the Principal Market is contemplating terminating such registration or listing. The Company is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable listing requirements of the Principal Market.
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(x) Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries owns or has adequate rights to use all trademarks, trade names, domain names, patents, patent rights, mask works, copyrights, technology, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), service marks, trade dress rights and other intellectual property and registrations and applications for registration for any of the foregoing that are, in each case, material to the Company (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) and has such other rights, licenses, approvals and governmental authorizations, in each case, sufficient to conduct its business as now conducted and as now proposed to be conducted in all material respects without any known violation or conflict with any third party Intellectual Property, and, to the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ knowledge, there are no rights of third parties to any such Intellectual Property owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries and none of the foregoing Intellectual Property rights owned or, licensed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is invalid or unenforceable, (ii) the Company has no knowledge of any infringement by it or any of its Subsidiaries of Intellectual Property rights of others, and 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 Intellectual Property rights of others, where such infringement or violation would have a Material Adverse Effect, (iii) the Company is not aware of any material infringement, misappropriation or violation by others of, or conflict by others with rights of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to, any Intellectual Property, (iv) there is no suit, proceeding or claim being made against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company and its Subsidiaries, any employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, regarding Intellectual Property, challenging the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ rights in or to any such Intellectual Property or alleging other infringement that would have a Material Adverse Effect and the Company is unaware of any facts which could form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim, (v) to the Company’s knowledge, there is no third-party U.S. patent or published U.S. patent application that contains claims for which an “interference proceeding” (as defined in 35 U.S.C. § 135) has been commenced against any material patent or patent application described in the Prospectus as being owned by or licensed to the Company and (vi) the Company and its Subsidiaries have not received any notice of infringement with respect to any patent or any notice challenging the validity, scope or enforceability of any Intellectual Property owned by or licensed to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, in each case the loss of which patent or Intellectual Property (or loss of rights thereto) would have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken all reasonable steps necessary to secure their interests in such Intellectual Property from their employees and contractors (including, but not limited to, assignments of such Intellectual Property from such employees and contractors) and to protect the confidentiality of all of their confidential information and trade secrets and that of third parties in their possession to the extent contractually required to do so.
(y) To the Company’s knowledge, none of the Intellectual Property or technology (including information technology and outsourced arrangements) that is material to, and employed by, the Company or the Subsidiaries has been obtained or is being used by the Company or the Subsidiaries in violation of any material contractual obligation binding on the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors or employees. The Company and the Subsidiaries own or have a valid right to access and use all material computer systems, networks, hardware, software, databases, websites and equipment used to process, store, maintain and operate data, information and functions used in connection with the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries (the “Company IT Systems”). The Company IT Systems are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with, the operation of the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries as currently conducted.
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(z) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns that have been required to be filed and has paid all taxes and assessments shown thereon to the extent that such taxes or assessments have become due, in each case, except to the extent such failure to file or failure to pay would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any tax deficiency, penalty or assessment that has been or, to the knowledge of the Company, would reasonably be asserted or threatened against it that would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(aa) The Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess all authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, registrations, other certificates and permits of and from all governmental regulatory officials and bodies, necessary to conduct their respective businesses as contemplated in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except where the failure to own or possess all such authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, registrations, other certificates and permits would not have a Material Adverse Effect. To the Company’s knowledge, there is no proceeding pending or threatened (or any basis therefor known to the Company) that may cause any such authorization, approval, order, license, registration, other certificate or permit to be revoked, withdrawn, cancelled, suspended or not renewed; and the Company and each of its Subsidiaries is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all laws, rules and regulations applicable thereto (including, without limitation, all applicable federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations); the Company has not received a notice of non-compliance, nor knows of, nor has reasonable grounds to know of, any facts that would give rise to a notice of non-compliance with any such laws, rules and regulations, and is not aware of any pending change or contemplated change to any applicable laws, rules and regulations or governmental positions; in each case that would materially adversely affect the business of the Company or the business or legal environment under which the Company operates.
(bb) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintains or is covered by insurance of the types and in the amounts reasonably deemed adequate for its business and customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries.
(cc) Other than as contemplated by this Agreement, the Company has not incurred and will not incur any liability for any finder’s or broker’s fee or agent’s commission in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(dd) The Company is in compliance in all material respects with, and there 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 with, all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Since March 2, 2022, 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 or furnished 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.
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(ee) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has, directly or indirectly, (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity, (ii) made any unlawful payment from corporate funds to any foreign or domestic government official or employee or foreign or domestic political party or campaign, (iii) violated any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or any comparable applicable law in another jurisdiction, or (iv) made any bribe, illegal rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment. The Company, its Subsidiaries and each of their respective affiliates have instituted and maintain, and will continue to maintain, policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
(ff) The books, records and accounts of the Company and its Subsidiaries accurately and fairly reflect, in reasonable detail, the transactions in, and dispositions of, the assets of, and the results of operations of, the Company and its Subsidiaries. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintains a system of internal accounting controls in a manner designed to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles 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 set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, 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. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
(gg) The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e)); such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that material information required to be disclosed by the Company in 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 controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management to allow timely decisions regarding disclosures. The Company has conducted evaluations of the effectiveness of its disclosure controls as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.
(hh) There are no affiliations or associations between any member of FINRA and any of the Company’s officers, directors or, to the Company’s knowledge, 10% or greater securityholders, except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus. 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 by FINRA).
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(ii) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or representative of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a government, individual or entity that is, or is 50 percent or more owned by an individual or entity that is (i) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, His Majesty’s Treasury or other relevant sanctions authority (“Sanctions”), nor (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of comprehensive Sanctions (currently, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria and the Crimea, so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and so-called Luhansk People’s Republic regions of Ukraine). The Company and its Subsidiaries have not engaged in, and are not now engaged in, and will not engage in any dealings or transactions with any government, individual or entity, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions prohibiting such dealings or transactions, and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote and achieve compliance with such Sanctions. The Company and its Subsidiaries will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the issuance and sale of the 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 government, individual or entity or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions, except to the extent permissible for a Person required to comply with Sanctions; or (B) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any government, individual or entity (including any government, individual or entity participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).
(jj) The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, the money laundering laws of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines administered or enforced by any applicable governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(kk) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries (A) is in compliance with all applicable rules, laws and regulation relating to pollution, the protection of health or the environment, and the use, transportation, treatment, storage and disposal of, or exposure to, hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, (“Environmental Laws”) and (B) has received and is in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (ii) none of the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice from any governmental authority or third party, or otherwise has knowledge, of any asserted claim under Environmental Laws, and (iii) no facts currently exist that would subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to liability under Environmental Laws, including any liability for remediation of any releases or threatened releases of hazardous or toxic substances.
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(ll) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) the Company and each of its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”); (ii) no “reportable event” (as defined in ERISA) has occurred with respect to any “pension plan” (as defined in ERISA) for which the Company and each of its Subsidiaries would have any liability; each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries has not incurred and does not expect to incur liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “pension plan” or (ii) Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”); and (iii) each “pension plan” for which the Company or any Subsidiary would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
(mm) No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent or threatened.
(nn) No Subsidiary is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such Subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company.
(oo) Except as would not be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries have operated its business in a manner compliant with all privacy and data protection laws and regulations applicable to the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ collection, handling, and storage of its customers’ data. The Company and its Subsidiaries have policies and procedures in place designed to provide for the integrity and security of the data collected, handled or stored in connection with the delivery of its product offerings. The Company and its Subsidiaries comply in all material respects with and maintain policies and procedures designed to provide that privacy and data protection laws are complied with and take steps which are reasonably designed to require compliance in all material respects with such policies and procedures.
(pp) No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
(qq) The Company is not a party to any agreement with an agent or underwriter for any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction.
(rr) From the time of the initial filing of the Company’s first registration statement with the Commission through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act.
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(ss) No statement, representation or warranty made by the Company in this Agreement or made in any certificate or document required by this Agreement to be delivered to the Agent was or will be, when made, inaccurate, untrue or incorrect.
Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the Agent or to counsel for the Agent pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company, as applicable, to the Agent as to the matters set forth therein.
The Company acknowledges that the Agent and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered pursuant to this Agreement, counsel to the Company and counsel to the Agent, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and hereby consents to such reliance.
Section 3. ISSUANCE AND SALE OF COMMON SHARES
(a) Sale of Securities. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company and the Agent agree that the Company may from time to time seek to sell Shares through the Agent, acting as sales agent, or directly to the Agent, acting as principal, as follows, with an aggregate Sales Price of up to the Maximum Program Amount, based on and in accordance with Issuance Notices as the Company may deliver, during the Agency Period.
(b) Mechanics of Issuances.
(i) Issuance Notice. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, on any Trading Day during the Agency Period on which the conditions set forth in Section 5(a) and Section 5(b) shall have been satisfied, the Company may exercise its right to request an issuance of Shares by delivering to the Agent an Issuance Notice; provided, however, that (A) in no event may the Company deliver an Issuance Notice to the extent that (I) the sum of (x) the aggregate Sales Price of the requested Issuance Amount, plus (y) the aggregate Sales Price of all Shares issued under all previous Issuance Notices effected pursuant to this Agreement, would exceed the Maximum Program Amount; and (B) prior to delivery of any Issuance Notice, the period set forth for any previous Issuance Notice shall have expired or been terminated. An Issuance Notice shall be considered delivered on the Trading Day that it is received by e-mail to the persons set forth in Schedule A hereto and confirmed by the Company by telephone (including a voicemail message to the persons so identified), with the understanding that, with adequate prior written notice, the Agent may modify the list of such persons from time to time.
(ii) Agent Efforts. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, upon the receipt of an Issuance Notice, the Agent will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal sales and trading practices to place the Shares with respect to which the Agent has agreed to act as sales agent, subject to, and in accordance with the information specified in, such Issuance Notice, unless the sale of the Shares described therein has been suspended, cancelled or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, the parties to this Agreement may modify an Issuance Notice at any time provided they both agree in writing to any such modification.
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(iii) Method of Offer and Sale. The Shares may be offered and sold (A) in privately negotiated transactions with the consent of the Company; (B) as block transactions; or (C) by any other method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act, including sales made directly on the Principal Market or sales made into any other existing trading market of the Common Shares. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to require either party to agree to the method of offer and sale specified in the preceding sentence, and (except as specified in clauses (A) and (B) above) the method of placement of any Shares by the Agent shall be at the Agent’s discretion.
(iv) Confirmation to the Company. If acting as sales agent hereunder, the Agent will provide written confirmation to the Company no later than the opening of the Trading Day next following the Trading Day on which it has placed Shares hereunder setting forth the number of Shares sold on such Trading Day, the corresponding Sales Price and the Issuance Price payable to the Company in respect thereof.
(v) Settlement. Each issuance of Shares will be settled on the applicable Settlement Date for such issuance of Shares and, subject to the provisions of Section 5, on or before each Settlement Date, the Company will, or will cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Shares being sold by crediting the Agent or its designee’s account at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian (DWAC) System, or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto and, upon receipt of such Shares, which in all cases shall be freely tradable, transferable, registered Common Shares in good deliverable form, the Agent will deliver, by wire transfer of immediately available funds, the related Issuance Price in same day funds delivered to an account designated by the Company prior to the Settlement Date. The Company may sell Shares to the Agent as principal at a price agreed upon at each relevant time Shares are sold pursuant to this Agreement (each, a “Time of Sale”).
(vi) Suspension or Termination of Sales. Consistent with standard market settlement practices, the Company or the Agent may, upon notice to the other party hereto in writing or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable email), suspend any sale of Shares, and the period set forth in an Issuance Notice shall immediately terminate; provided, however, that (A) such suspension and termination shall not affect or impair either party’s obligations with respect to any Shares placed or sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice; (B) if the Company suspends or terminates any sale of Shares after the Agent confirms such sale to the Company, the Company shall still be obligated to comply with Section 3(b)(v) with respect to such Shares; and (C) if the Company defaults in its obligation to deliver Shares on a Settlement Date, the Company agrees that it will hold the Agent harmless against any loss, claim, damage or expense (including, without limitation, penalties, interest and reasonable and documented legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that, in performing its obligations under this Agreement, the Agent may borrow Common Shares from stock lenders in the event that the Company has not delivered Shares to settle sales as required by subsection (v) above, and may use the Shares to settle or close out such borrowings. The Company agrees that no such notice shall be effective against the Agent unless it is made to the persons identified in writing by the Agent pursuant to Section 3(b)(i).
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(vii) No Guarantee of Placement, Etc. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (A) there can be no assurance that the Agent will be successful in placing Shares; (B) the Agent will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other Person if it does not sell Shares; and (C) the Agent shall be under no obligation to purchase Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise specifically agreed by the Agent and the Company.
(viii) Material Non-Public Information. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company and the Agent agree that the Company shall not deliver any Issuance Notice to the Agent, and the Agent shall not be obligated to place any Shares, during any period in which the Company is in possession of material non-public information.
(c) Fees. As compensation for services rendered, the Company shall pay to the Agent, on the applicable Settlement Date, the Selling Commission for the applicable Issuance Amount (including with respect to any suspended or terminated sale pursuant to Section 3(b)(vi)) by the Agent deducting the Selling Commission from the applicable Issuance Amount.
(d) Expenses. The Company agrees to pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the Shares (including all printing and engraving costs); (ii) all fees and expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Shares; (iii) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares; (iv) all fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other advisors; (v) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), the Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement; (vi) all filing fees, attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Agent in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Shares for offer and sale under the state securities or blue sky laws or the provincial securities laws of Canada, and, if requested by the Agent, preparing and printing a “Blue Sky Survey” or memorandum and a “Canadian wrapper”, and any supplements thereto, advising the Agent of such qualifications, registrations, determinations and exemptions; (vii) the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Agent’s counsel, including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Agent in connection with, FINRA review, if any, and approval of the Agent’s participation in the offering and distribution of the Shares; (viii) the filing fees incident to FINRA review, if any; (ix) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives, employees and officers of the Company and of the Agent and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show; and (x) the fees and expenses associated with listing the Shares on the Principal Market. The fees and disbursements of Agent’s counsel pursuant to subsections (vi) and (vii) above shall not exceed (A) $100,000 in connection with the execution of this Agreement, (B) $25,000 in connection with each Triggering Event Date (as defined below) involving the filing of an annual report on Form 10-K on which the Company is required to provide a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o) and (C) $15,000 in connection with each other Triggering Event Date on which the Company is required to provide a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o).
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Section 4. ADDITIONAL COVENANTS
The Company covenants and agrees with the Agent as follows, in addition to any other covenants and agreements made elsewhere in this Agreement:
(a) Exchange Act Compliance. During the Agency Period, the Company shall: (i) file, on a timely basis, with the Commission all reports and documents required to be filed under Section 13, 14 or 15 of the Exchange Act in the manner and within the time periods required by the Exchange Act; and (ii) either (A) include in its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and its annual reports on Form 10-K, a summary detailing, for the relevant reporting period, (1) the number of Shares sold through the Agent pursuant to this Agreement and (2) the net proceeds received by the Company from such sales or (B) prepare a prospectus supplement containing, or include in such other filing permitted by the Securities Act or Exchange Act (each an “Interim Prospectus Supplement”), such summary information and, at least once a quarter and subject to this Section 4, file such Interim Prospectus Supplement pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (and within the time periods required by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430B under the Securities Act)).
(b) Securities Act Compliance. After the date of this Agreement, the Company shall promptly advise the Agent in writing (i) of the receipt of any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission; (ii) of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus; (iii) of the time and date that any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement becomes effective; and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove, suspend or terminate from listing or quotation the Common Shares from any securities exchange upon which they are listed for trading or included or designated for quotation, or of the threatening or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes. If the Commission shall enter any such stop order at any time, the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the lifting of such order as soon as reasonably practicable. Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with the provisions of Rule 424(b) and Rule 433, as applicable, under the Securities Act and will use its reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made by the Company under such Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 were received in a timely manner by the Commission.
(c) Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus and Other Securities Act Matters. If any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus so that the Prospectus does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if in the opinion of the Agent or counsel for the Agent it is otherwise necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, including the Securities Act, the Company agrees (subject to Section 4(d) and Section 4(f)) to promptly prepare, file with the Commission and furnish at its own expense to the Agent, amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law including the Securities Act. Neither the Agent’s consent to, or delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the Company’s obligations under Section 4(d) and Section 4(f). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be required to file such amendment or supplement if there is no pending Issuance Notice and the Company believes that it is in its best interests not to file such amendment or supplement.
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(d) Agent’s Review of Proposed Amendments and Supplements. Prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement (including any registration statement filed under Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act) or the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement through incorporation of any report filed under the Exchange Act), the Company shall furnish to the Agent for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and the Company shall not file or use any such proposed amendment or supplement without the Agent’s prior consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.
(e) Use of Free Writing Prospectus. Neither the Company nor the Agent has prepared, used, referred to or distributed, or will prepare, use, refer to or distribute, without the other party’s prior written consent, any “written communication” that constitutes a “free writing prospectus” as such terms are defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act with respect to the offering contemplated by this Agreement (any such free writing prospectus being referred to herein as a “Free Writing Prospectus”).
(f) Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company shall furnish to the Agent for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and the Company shall not file, use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto without the Agent’s consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). The Company shall furnish to the Agent, without charge, as many copies of any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, or used by the Company, as the Agent may reasonably request. If at any time when a prospectus is required by the Securities Act (including, without limitation, pursuant to Rule 173(d)) to be delivered in connection with sales of the Shares (but in any event if at any time through and including the date of this Agreement) there has occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company shall promptly amend or supplement such free writing prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict or so that the statements in such free writing prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at such subsequent time, not misleading, as the case may be; provided, however, that prior to amending or supplementing any such free writing prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Agent for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of such proposed amended or supplemented free writing prospectus and the Company shall not file, use or refer to any such amended or supplemented free writing prospectus without the Agent’s consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed).
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(g) Filing of Agent Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company shall not take any action that would result in the Agent or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Agent that the Agent otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.
(h) Copies of Registration Statement and Prospectus. After the date of this Agreement through the last time that a prospectus is required by the Securities Act (including, without limitation, pursuant to Rule 173(d)) to be delivered in connection with sales of the Shares, the Company agrees to furnish the Agent with copies (which may be electronic copies) of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, and with copies of the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto in the form in which it is filed with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act or Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, both in such quantities as the Agent may reasonably request from time to time; and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required under the Securities Act or under the blue sky or securities laws of any jurisdiction at any time on or prior to the applicable Settlement Date for any period set forth in an Issuance Notice in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares and if at such time any event has occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it is necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, to notify the Agent and to request that the Agent suspend offers to sell Shares (and, if so notified, the Agent shall cease such offers as soon as practicable); and if the Company decides to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented, to advise the Agent promptly by telephone (with confirmation in writing) and to prepare and cause to be filed promptly with the Commission an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; provided, however, that if during such same period the Agent is required to deliver a prospectus in respect of transactions in the Shares, the Company shall promptly prepare and file with the Commission such an amendment or supplement.
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(i) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company shall cooperate with the Agent and counsel for the Agent to qualify or register the Shares for sale under (or obtain exemptions from the application of) the state securities or blue sky laws or Canadian provincial securities laws of those jurisdictions designated by the Agent, shall comply with such laws and shall continue such qualifications, registrations and exemptions in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Shares. The Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign corporation. The Company will advise the Agent promptly of the suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such exemption relating to) the Shares for offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such qualification, registration or exemption, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal thereof as soon as reasonably practicable.
(j) Earnings Statement. As soon as reasonably practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Agent an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 under the Securities Act; provided that the Company will be deemed to have furnished such statement to its security holders and the Agent to the extent it is available on EDGAR or any successor system.
(k) Listing; Reservation of Shares. (a) The Company will maintain the listing of the Shares on the Principal Market; and (b) the Company will reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive rights, Shares for the purpose of enabling the Company to satisfy its obligations under this Agreement.
(l) Transfer Agent. The Company shall engage and maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Shares.
(m) Due Diligence. During the term of this Agreement, the Company will reasonably cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by the Agent in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, providing information and, upon reasonable notice, making available documents and senior corporate officers, during normal business hours and at the Company’s principal offices or virtually, as the Agent may reasonably request from time to time.
(n) Representations and Warranties. The Company acknowledges that each delivery of an Issuance Notice and each delivery of Shares on a Settlement Date shall be deemed to be (i) an affirmation to the Agent that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in or made pursuant to this Agreement are true and correct as of the date of such Issuance Notice or of such Settlement Date, as the case may be, as though made at and as of each such date, except as may be disclosed in the Prospectus (including any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements thereto); and (ii) an undertaking that the Company will advise the Agent if any of such representations and warranties will not be true and correct as of the Settlement Date for the Shares relating to such Issuance Notice, as though made at and as of each such date (except that such representations and warranties shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented relating to such Shares).
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(o) Deliverables at Triggering Event Dates; Certificates. The Company agrees that on or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and, during the term of this Agreement after the date of the first Issuance Notice, upon:
(A) the filing of the Prospectus or the amendment or supplement of any Registration Statement or Prospectus (other than a prospectus supplement relating solely to an offering of securities other than the Shares or a prospectus filed pursuant to Section 4(a)(ii)(B)), by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker or supplement, but not by means of incorporation of documents by reference into the Registration Statement or Prospectus;
(B) the filing with the Commission of an annual report on Form 10-K or a quarterly report on Form 10-Q (including any Form 10-K/A or Form 10-Q/A containing amended financial information or a material amendment to the previously filed annual report on Form 10-K or quarterly report on Form 10-Q), in each case, of the Company; or
(C) the filing with the Commission of a current report on Form 8-K of the Company containing amended financial information (other than information “furnished” pursuant to Item 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or to provide disclosure pursuant to Item 8.01 of Form 8-K relating to reclassification of certain properties as discontinued operations in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144) that is material to the offering of securities of the Company in the Agent’s reasonable discretion;
(any such event, a “Triggering Event Date”), the Company shall furnish the Agent (but in the case of clause (C) above only if the Agent reasonably determines that the information contained in such current report on Form 8-K of the Company is material) with a certificate as of the Triggering Event Date, in the form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, substantially similar to the form previously provided to the Agent and its counsel, modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, (A) confirming that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct, (B) confirming that the Company has performed all of its obligations hereunder to be performed on or prior to the date of such certificate and as to the matters set forth in Section 5(a)(iii) hereof, and (C) containing any other certification that the Agent shall reasonably request. The requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 4(o) shall be automatically waived for any Triggering Event Date occurring at a time when no Issuance Notice is pending or a suspension is in effect, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers an Issuance Notice for the sale of Shares hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Triggering Event Date) and the next occurring Triggering Event Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Shares following a Triggering Event Date when a suspension was in effect and did not provide the Agent with a certificate under this Section 4(o), then before the Company delivers an Issuance Notice for the sale of Shares or the Agent sells any Shares pursuant to such Issuance Notice, the Company shall provide the Agent with a certificate in conformity with this Section 4(o) dated as of the Issuance Notice Date.
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(p) Legal Opinions. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and on or prior to each Triggering Event Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o) for which no waiver is applicable and excluding the date of this Agreement, the Agent shall be furnished a negative assurance letter and the written legal opinion of Hogan Lovells US LLP, counsel to the Company and DLA Piper LLP (US), counsel to the Agent (or any successor counsel to the Agent), each dated the date of delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent and its counsel, substantially similar to the form previously provided to the Agent and its counsel, modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented. In lieu of such opinions for subsequent periodic filings, in the discretion of the Agent, the Company may furnish a reliance letter from such counsel to the Agent, permitting the Agent to rely on a previously delivered opinion letter, modified as appropriate for any passage of time or Triggering Event Date (except that statements in such prior opinion shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented as of such Triggering Event Date). The Company shall not be required to furnish more than one negative assurance letter and one written legal opinion hereunder per calendar quarter.
(q) Comfort Letter. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and on or prior to each Triggering Event Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o) for which no waiver is applicable and excluding the date of this Agreement, the Company shall cause the Accountant who has audited or reviewed the financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, to furnish the Agent a comfort letter, dated the date of delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, substantially similar to the form previously provided to the Agent and its counsel; provided, however, that any such comfort letter will only be required on the Triggering Event Date specified to the extent that it contains financial statements filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act and incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into a Prospectus. At any time when an Issuance Notice is outstanding, if requested by the Agent, the Company shall also cause a comfort letter to be furnished to the Agent on the date of occurrence of any material transaction or event requiring the filing of a current report on Form 8-K containing material amended financial information of the Company, including the restatement of the Company’s financial statements. The Company shall be required to furnish no more than one comfort letter hereunder per calendar quarter.
(r) Secretary’s Certificate. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and on or prior to each Triggering Event Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o) for which no waiver is applicable, the Company shall furnish the Agent a certificate executed by the Secretary of the Company, signing in such capacity, dated the date of delivery (i) certifying that attached thereto are true and complete copies of the resolutions duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company or a committee thereof authorizing the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (including, without limitation, the issuance of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement), which authorization shall be in full force and effect on and as of the date of such certificate, (ii) certifying and attesting to the office, incumbency, due authority and specimen signatures of each Person who executed this Agreement for or on behalf of the Company, and (iii) containing any other certification that the Agent shall reasonably request.
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(s) Agent’s Own Account; Clients’ Account. The Company consents to the Agent trading, in compliance with applicable law, in the Common Shares for the Agent’s own account and for the account of its clients at the same time as sales of the Shares occur pursuant to this Agreement.
(t) Investment Limitation. The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the proceeds received by the Company from its sale of the Shares in such a manner as would require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.
(u) Market Activities. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares or any other reference security, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or otherwise, and the Company will, and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause each of its affiliates to, comply with all applicable provisions of Regulation M. If the limitations of Rule 102 of Regulation M (“Rule 102”) do not apply with respect to the Shares or any other reference security pursuant to any exception set forth in Section (d) of Rule 102, then promptly upon notice from the Agent (or, if later, at the time stated in the notice), the Company will, and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause each of its affiliates to, comply with Rule 102 as though such exception were not available but the other provisions of Rule 102 (as interpreted by the Commission) did apply. The Company shall promptly notify the Agent if it no longer meets the requirements set forth in Section (d) of Rule 102.
(v) Notice of Other Sale. Without the written consent of the Agent, the Company will not, directly or indirectly, offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares (other than Shares hereunder), warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire Common Shares, or effect a reverse stock split, recapitalization, share consolidation, reclassification or similar transaction affecting the outstanding Common Shares, during the period beginning on the third Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which any Issuance Notice is delivered to the Agent hereunder and ending on the earlier of (i) the third Trading Day immediately following the Settlement Date with respect to Shares sold pursuant to such Issuance Notice or (ii) the Trading Day after the date that the Company or the Agent provides notice of suspension of sale of shares pursuant to Section 3(b)(vi) insofar as such Trading Day is not within the three Trading Days following a Settlement Date; and will not directly or indirectly enter into any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction to offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Shares (other than the Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Common Shares prior to the termination of this Agreement; provided, however, that such restrictions will not be required in connection with the Company’s (i) offer. issuance or sale of Common Shares, options or other equity awards to purchase or acquire Common Shares or Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of options or other equity awards pursuant to any employee or director share option, incentive or benefit plan, share purchase or ownership plan, long-term incentive plan, dividend reinvestment plan, inducement award under Principal Market rules or other compensation plan of the Company or its subsidiaries, as in effect on the date of this Agreement or hereafter implemented, (ii) offer, issuance or sale of Common Shares issuable upon exchange, conversion or redemption of securities or the exercise or vesting of warrants, options or rights in effect, or other equity awards outstanding at the date of this Agreement, or granted or issued after the date of this Agreement in compliance with this Section 4(v), (iii) offer, issuance or sale of Common Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares as consideration for mergers, acquisitions, other business combinations, joint ventures, collaborations, licensing arrangements or strategic alliances and other business transactions (including, without limitation, collaborations or arrangements involving research or development activities) occurring after the date of this Agreement which are not issued for capital raising purposes provided that the aggregate number of Common Shares issued or sold under this subsection (iii) shall not exceed 5% of the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately prior to giving effect to such sale or issuance and (iv) modification of any outstanding options, warrants of any rights to purchase or acquire Common Shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall be construed to restrict the Company’s ability to file a registration statement under the Securities Act, including a prospectus supplement in connection with the Registration Statement for the issuance of Common Shares other than the Shares so long as any issuances thereunder otherwise comply with this Section 4(v).
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Section 5. CONDITIONS TO DELIVERY OF ISSUANCE NOTICES AND TO SETTLEMENT
(a) Conditions Precedent to the Right of the Company to Deliver an Issuance Notice and the Obligation of the Agent to Sell Shares. The right of the Company to deliver an Issuance Notice hereunder is subject to the satisfaction, on the date of delivery of such Issuance Notice, and the obligation of the Agent to use its commercially reasonable efforts to place Shares during the applicable period set forth in the applicable Issuance Notice is subject to the satisfaction, on each Trading Day during the applicable period set forth in such Issuance Notice, of each of the following conditions:
| (i) | Accuracy of the Company’s Representations and Warranties; Performance by the Company. The Company shall have delivered the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 4(o) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 4(o). The Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to such date, including, but not limited to, the covenants contained in Section 4(m), Section 4(q) and Section 4(r). |
| (ii) | No Injunction. No statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction or any self-regulatory organization having authority over the matters contemplated hereby that prohibits or directly and materially adversely affects any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and no proceeding shall have been commenced that may have the effect of prohibiting or materially adversely affecting any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. |
| (iii) | Material Adverse Changes. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information, (a) in the judgment of the Agent there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Change; and (b) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as such term is defined for purposes of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act. |
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| (iv) | No Suspension of Trading in or Delisting of Common Shares; Other Events. The trading of the Common Shares (including without limitation the Shares) shall not have been suspended by the Commission, the Principal Market or FINRA and the Common Shares (including without limitation the Shares) shall have been approved for listing or quotation on and shall not have been delisted from the Nasdaq Stock Market, the New York Stock Exchange or any of their constituent markets. There shall not have occurred (and be continuing in the case of occurrences under clauses (i) and (ii) below) any of the following: (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company’s securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the Principal Market or trading in securities generally on the Principal Market shall have been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on any of such stock exchanges by the Commission or the FINRA; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by any of federal or New York, authorities; or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States’ or international political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of the Agent is material and adverse and makes it impracticable to market the Shares in the manner and on the terms described in the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities. |
(b) Documents Required to be Delivered on each Issuance Notice Date. The Agent’s obligation to use its commercially reasonable efforts to place Shares hereunder shall additionally be conditioned upon the delivery to the Agent on or before the Issuance Notice Date of a certificate in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, executed by the Chief Executive Officer, President or Chief Financial Officer of the Company, to the effect that all conditions to the delivery of such Issuance Notice shall have been satisfied as at the date of such certificate (which certificate shall not be required if the foregoing representations shall be set forth in such Issuance Notice).
(c) No Misstatement or Material Omission. The Agent shall not have advised the Company that the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in the Agent’s reasonable opinion is material, or omits to state a fact that in the Agent’s reasonable opinion is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(d) Agent Counsel Legal Opinion. The Agent shall have received from DLA Piper LLP (US), counsel for Agent (or any successor counsel for the Agent), such opinion or opinions, on or before the date on which the delivery of the Company counsel legal opinion is required pursuant to Section 4(p), with respect to such matters as Agent may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they reasonably request for enabling them to pass upon such matters.
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Section 6. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION
(a) Indemnification of the Agent. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Agent, its officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls the Agent within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Agent or such officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or the laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Shares have been offered or sold or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, 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 (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), 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, and to reimburse the Agent and each such officer, employee and controlling person for any and all expenses (including the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Agent) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by the Agent or such officer, employee or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Agent expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any such Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Agent to the Company consists of the information described in Section 6(b) below. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 6(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.
(b) Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers. The Agent agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company or any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or the laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Shares have been offered or sold or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation), that arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, 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 (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), 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; but, for each of (i) and (ii) above, only to the extent arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Agent expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any such Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Agent to the Company consists of the information set forth in the first sentence of the ninth paragraph under the caption “Plan of Distribution” in the Prospectus, and to reimburse the Company and each such director, officer and controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and disbursements of one counsel chosen by the Company) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by the Company or such officer, director or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 6(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Agent or the Company may otherwise have.
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(c) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 6, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission to so notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than under the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6 or to the extent it is not prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel (not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 6 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate counsel (together with local counsel), representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action), which counsel (together with any local counsel) for the indemnified parties shall be selected by the indemnified party (in the case of counsel for the indemnified parties referred to in Section 6(a) and Section 6(b) above), (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action or (iii) the indemnifying party has authorized in writing the employment of counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying party, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party and shall be paid as they are incurred.
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(d) Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 6 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 6(b) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request; and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding.
(e) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 6 is for any reason held to be unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement; or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total gross proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total Selling Commission received by the Agent. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such 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, on the one hand, or the Agent, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
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The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 6(b), any reasonable and documented legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in Section 6(b) with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for contribution is to be made under this Section 6(e); provided, however, that no additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice has been given under Section 6(b) for purposes of indemnification.
The Company and the Agent agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 6(e) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 6(e).
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6(e), the Agent shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the Selling Commission received by the Agent in connection with the offering contemplated hereby. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 6(e), each officer and employee of the Agent and each person, if any, who controls the Agent within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Agent, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.
Section 7. TERMINATION & SURVIVAL
(a) Term. Subject to the provisions of this Section 7, the term of this Agreement shall continue from the date of this Agreement until the end of the Agency Period, unless earlier terminated by the parties to this Agreement pursuant to this Section 7.
(b) Termination; Survival Following Termination.
| (i) | Either party may terminate this Agreement prior to the end of the Agency Period, by giving written notice as required by this Agreement, upon ten (10) Trading Days’ notice to the other party; provided that, (A) if the Company terminates this Agreement after the Agent confirms to the Company any sale of Shares, the Company shall remain obligated to comply with Section 3(b)(v) with respect to such Shares and (B) Section 2, Section 6, Section 7 and Section 8 shall survive termination of this Agreement. If termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Shares, such sale shall nevertheless settle in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Upon termination of this Agreement, the Company shall not have any liability to the Agent for any discount, commission or other compensation with respect to any Shares not otherwise sold by the Agent under this Agreement. |
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| (ii) | In addition to the survival provision of Section 7(b)(i), the respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, of its officers and of the Agent set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Agent or the Company or any of its or their partners, officers or directors or any controlling person, as the case may be, and, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, will survive delivery of and payment for the Shares sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement. |
Section 8. MISCELLANEOUS
(a) Press Releases and Disclosure. The Company may issue a press release describing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby as soon as practicable following the date of this Agreement, and may file with the Commission a Current Report on Form 8-K, with this Agreement attached as an exhibit thereto, describing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Company shall consult with the Agent prior to making such disclosures, and the parties hereto shall use all commercially reasonable efforts, acting in good faith, to agree upon a text for such disclosures that is reasonably satisfactory to all parties hereto. No party hereto shall issue thereafter any press release or like public statement (including, without limitation, any disclosure required in reports filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act) related to this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated hereby without the prior written approval of the other party hereto, (i) except as may be necessary or appropriate in the reasonable opinion of the party seeking to make disclosure to comply with the requirements of applicable law or stock exchange rules and (ii) except for the disclosure required pursuant to Section 4(a) of this Agreement in the Company’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or annual reports on Form 10-K or as otherwise required to be included in any reports filed with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act or the Exchange Act. If any such press release or like public statement is so required, the party making such disclosure shall consult with the other party prior to making such disclosure, and the parties shall use all commercially reasonable efforts, acting in good faith, to agree upon a text for such disclosure that is reasonably satisfactory to all parties hereto.
(b) No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the determination of any fees, are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Company and the Agent, (ii) when acting as a principal under this Agreement, the Agent is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, or its stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (iii) the Agent has not assumed nor will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the Agent has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and the Agent does not have any obligation to the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (iv) the Agent and its Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (v) the Agent has not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.
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(c) Research Analyst Independence. The Company acknowledges that the Agent’s research analysts and research departments are required to and should be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and as such the Agent’s research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company or the offering contemplated by this Agreement that differ from the views of their respective investment banking divisions. The Company understands that the Agent is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the companies that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(d) Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed, hand delivered, sent via electronic mail (if applicable) or telecopied and confirmed to the parties hereto as follows:
If to the Agent:
Jefferies LLC
520 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022
Facsimile: (646) 786-5719
Attention: General Counsel
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
DLA Piper LLP (US)
303 Colorado Street, Suite 3000
Austin, TX 78701
Attention: Drew Valentine
Email: [***]
If to the Company:
Rigetti
Computing, Inc.
775 Heinz Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94710
Attention: Legal
Email: [***]
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with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Hogan Lovells US LLP
390 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Attention: Rupa Briggs
Email: [***]
Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others in accordance with this Section 8(d).
(e) Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, and to the benefit of the employees, officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 6, and in each case their respective successors, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The term “successors” shall not include any purchaser of the Shares as such from the Agent merely by reason of such purchase.
(f) Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Article, Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Article, Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Article, Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.
(g) Governing Law Provisions. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such state. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court, as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
(h) General Provisions. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument, and may be delivered by facsimile transmission or by electronic delivery of a portable document format (PDF) file (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com). This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The Article and Section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.
[Signature Page Immediately Follows]
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms
| Very truly yours, | ||
| RIGETTI COMPUTING, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Jeffrey Bertelsen | |
| Name: Jeffrey Bertelsen | ||
| Title: Chief Financial Officer | ||
The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by the Agent in New York, New York as of the date first above written.
| JEFFERIES LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Donald Lynaugh | |
| Name: Donald Lynaugh | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
EXHIBIT A
ISSUANCE NOTICE
[Date]
Jefferies LLC
520 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10022
Attn: [__________]
Reference is made to the Open Market Sale Agreement between Rigetti Computing, Inc. (the “Company”) and Jefferies LLC (the “Agent”) dated as of May 29, 2025. The Company confirms that all conditions to the delivery of this Issuance Notice are satisfied as of the date hereof.
Date that the Base Registration Statement Expires: May 29, 2028
Date of Delivery of Issuance Notice (determined pursuant to Section 3(b)(i)): ____________________________
Issuance Amount (equal to the total Sales Price for such Shares):
| $ | ||
| Number of days in selling period: | ||
| First date of selling period: | ||
| Last date of selling period: |
Settlement Date(s) if other than standard T+1 Settlement:
Floor Price Limitation (in no event less than $1.00 without the prior written consent of the Agent, which consent may be withheld in the Agent’s sole discretion): $ ______ per share
| Comments: |
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: |
A-1
Schedule A
Notice Parties
The Company
Subodh Kulkarni – [***]
Jeffrey Bertelsen – [***]
The Agent
Donald Lynaugh - [***]
Michael Magarro - [***]
Exhibit 5.1
 |
Hogan Lovells US LLP 390 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10017 T +1 212 918 3000 F +1 212 918 3100 www.hoganlovells.com |
May 29, 2025
Board of Directors
Rigetti Computing, Inc.
775 Heinz Avenue
Berkeley, California 94710
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are acting as counsel to Rigetti Computing, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the issuance and sale of up to $350,000,000 of shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the “ATM Shares”), from time to time and at various prices in an “at the market offering” pursuant to the terms of the Open Market Sale AgreementSM, dated May 29, 2025 (the “Agreement”), by and between the Company and Jefferies LLC, as sales agent (the “Agent”). The offering of the Shares by the Company is being made pursuant to its automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), filed on May 29, 2025 (as may be amended from time to time, the “Registration Statement”), including a base prospectus dated May 29, 2025 (the “Base Prospectus”) that forms a part thereof, and the prospectus supplement dated May 29, 2025 filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act (the “Prospectus Supplement” and together with the Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”). This opinion letter is furnished to you at your request to enable you to fulfill the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K, 17 C.F.R. § 229.601(b)(5), in connection with the Registration Statement.
For purposes of this opinion letter, we have examined copies of such agreements, instruments and documents as we have deemed an appropriate basis on which to render the opinions hereinafter expressed. In our examination of the aforesaid documents, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the accuracy and completeness of all documents submitted to us, the authenticity of all original documents, and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies (including pdfs). As to all matters of fact, we have relied on the representations and statements of fact made in the documents so reviewed, and we have not independently established the facts so relied on. This opinion letter is given, and all statements herein are made, in the context of the foregoing.
This opinion letter is based as to matters of law solely on the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended (the “DGCL”). We express no opinion herein as to any other statutes, rules or regulations.
Hogan Lovells US LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in the state of Delaware. “Hogan Lovells” is an international legal practice that includes Hogan Lovells US LLP and Hogan Lovells International LLP, with offices in: Alicante Amsterdam Baltimore Berlin Beijing Birmingham Boston Brussels Colorado Springs Denver Dubai Dusseldorf Frankfurt Hamburg Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City Hong Kong Houston Johannesburg London Los Angeles Luxembourg Madrid Mexico City Miami Milan Minneapolis Monterrey Munich New York Northern Virginia Paris Philadelphia Riyadh Rome San Francisco São Paulo Shanghai Silicon Valley Singapore Sydney Tokyo Warsaw Washington, D.C. For more information see www.hoganlovells.com
| Rigetti Computing, Inc. | - 2 - | May 29, 2025 |
Based upon, subject to and limited by the foregoing, we are of the opinion that assuming such issuance does not exceed the Maximum Program Amount (as defined in the Agreement), following (i) execution and delivery by the Company and Agent of the Sales Agreement, (ii) authorization by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), or authorization by a duly authorized pricing committee thereof, within the limitations established by resolutions duly adopted by the Board and duly authorized pricing committee thereof and in each case made available to us, of the terms pursuant to which the Shares may be sold pursuant to the Agreement, (iii) authorization by a person or body pursuant to an authorization granted in accordance with Section 152 of the DGCL by the Board or duly authorized pricing committee thereof, to approve issuance notices (each, an “Issuance Notice”) under the Agreement, of the terms of each Issuance Notice executed in a manner consistent with the foregoing and pursuant to which the Shares may be sold pursuant to the Agreement, (iv) the issuance of the Shares pursuant to the terms established by the Board and duly authorized pricing committee thereof and the terms of the applicable Issuance Notice and (v) receipt by the Company of the proceeds for the Shares sold pursuant to such terms and such applicable Issuance Notice, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
This opinion letter has been prepared for use in connection with the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and speaks as of the date hereof. We assume no obligation to advise of any changes in the foregoing subsequent to the delivery of this opinion letter.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on the date hereof and to the reference to this firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are an “expert” within the meaning of the Act.
Very truly yours,
/s/ HOGAN LOVELLS US LLP
HOGAN LOVELLS US LLP