Vestand Inc S-1, filed Feb 4, 2025
Vestand Inc. (VSTD)
As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on February 4, 2025
Registration No. 333-278840
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Yoshiharu Global Co.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 5812 | 87-3941448 | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
6940 Beach Blvd., Suite D-705
Buena Park, CA 90621
(714) 694-2403
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
James Chae
Chief Executive Officer
6940 Beach Blvd., Suite D-705
Buena Park, CA 90621
(714) 694-2403
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Please send copies of all communications to:
Matthew Ogurick, Esq.
Pryor Cashman LLP
7 Times Square
New York, New York 10036
(212) 421-4100
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box: ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer | ☐ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | |||
| Non-accelerated filer | ☒ | Smaller reporting company | ☒ | |||
| Emerging growth company | ☒ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until this registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
| PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS | SUBJECT TO COMPLETION DATED February 4, 2025 |
1,600,000
Yoshiharu Global Co.
This prospectus relates to the resale, from time to time, by Crom Structured Opportunities Fund I, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“Crom” or the “Selling Stockholder” of up to 1,600,000 of our shares of our Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Class A Common Stock”).
This prospectus relates to the registration of the following which have been or may be issued to the Selling Stockholder: (1) up to 500,000 shares of Class A Common Stock which may be issued and sold pursuant to an Equity Purchase Agreement between us and Crom dated January 6, 2025 (the “EPA”), including 31,948 shares which have been issued to Crom as a commitment fee (the “Commitment Shares”) and (2) up to 1,100,000 shares of Class A common stock which may be issued to Crom upon conversion of a note issued and sold by us to Crom pursuant to a Convertible Promissory Note dated January 6, 2025 (the “Note”).
Aside from the Commitment Shares, shares of Class A Common Stock being registered for resale hereby were issued to, purchased by or will be purchased by the Selling Stockholder for the following consideration: (i) a purchase price yet to be determined for the Advance Shares under the EPA (as described herein); (ii) a purchase price of either $5.00 per share of Class A Common Stock or 90% of the lowest dollar volume weighted average price on any trading day during the five trading days immediately preceding the conversion date for conversion of the Note, subject to adjustment as provided in the Note.
We are not selling any securities under this prospectus and we will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the shares by the Selling Stockholder. In addition, the EPA provides that we may sell up to an aggregate of $10,000,000 of our Class A Common Stock to Crom under the EPA, from time to time in our discretion after the date the registration statement that includes this prospectus is declared effective and after satisfaction of other conditions in the EPA.
Crom is an “underwriter” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended with respect to the resale of shares under the EPA (the “Securities Act”). The Selling Stockholder may sell the shares of Class A Common Stock described in this prospectus in a number of different ways and at varying prices. See “Plan of Distribution” for more information about how the Selling Stockholder may sell the shares of Class A Common Stock being registered pursuant to this prospectus.
We will pay the expenses of registering the Class A Common Stock offered by this prospectus, but all selling and other expenses incurred by the Selling Stockholder will be paid by the Selling Stockholder. The Selling Stockholder may sell our shares of Class A Common Stock offered by this prospectus from time to time on terms to be determined at the time of sale through ordinary brokerage transactions or through any other means described in this prospectus under “Plan of Distribution.” The prices at which the Selling Stockholder may sell shares will be determined by the prevailing market price for our Class A Common Stock or in negotiated transactions.
We are an “emerging growth company” and “smaller reporting company” as defined under the federal securities laws and, under applicable Securities and Exchange Commission rules, we have elected to comply with certain reduced public company reporting and disclosure requirements.
Our Class A Common Stock is listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “YOSH.” The last reported closing price for our Class A Common Stock on Nasdaq on February 3, 2025 was $3.68 per share.
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 11 of this prospectus to read about factors you should consider before investing in our securities.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of the disclosures in the prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is , 2025
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| i |
The registration statement on Form S-1 of which this prospectus forms a part and that we have filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), includes exhibits that provide more detail of the matters discussed in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the related exhibits filed with the SEC, together with the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus and the related exhibits, any prospectus supplement or amendment thereto, or to which we have referred you, before making your investment decision. Neither we, nor the selling stockholder named herein (the “Selling Stockholder”), nor any financial advisor engaged by us or the Selling Stockholder in connection with this offering, have authorized anyone to provide you with additional information or information different from that contained in this prospectus. Neither the delivery of this prospectus nor the sale of our securities means that the information contained in this prospectus is correct after the date of this prospectus.
You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or amendments thereto, as well as information we have previously filed with the SEC, is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of the applicable document. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the securities offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so.
The Selling Stockholder is not offering to sell or seeking offers to purchase these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. Neither we nor the Selling Stockholder have done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the United States. Persons outside the jurisdiction of the United States who come into possession of this prospectus are required to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to this offering and the distribution of this prospectus applicable to that jurisdiction.
No person is authorized in connection with this prospectus to give any information or to make any representations about us, the securities offered hereby or any matter discussed in this prospectus, other than the information and representations contained in this prospectus. If any other information or representation is given or made, such information or representation may not be relied upon as having been authorized by us. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement having a later date, the statement in the prospectus supplement having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.
If required, each time the Selling Stockholder offers shares of Class A Common Stock, we will provide you with, in addition to this prospectus, a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. We may also authorize the Selling Stockholder to use one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to that offering. We may also use a prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus to add, update or change any of the information contained in this prospectus or in documents we have incorporated by reference. This prospectus, together with any applicable prospectus supplements, any related free writing prospectuses and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, includes all material information relating to this offering. To the extent that any statement that we make in a prospectus supplement is inconsistent with statements made in this prospectus, the statements made in this prospectus will be deemed modified or superseded by those made in a prospectus supplement. Please carefully read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with the additional information described below under the section entitled “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” before buying any of the securities offered.
Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “Yoshiharu,” “the Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Yoshiharu Global Co.
Unless otherwise indicated, information contained in this prospectus or incorporated by reference herein concerning our industry and the markets in which we operate is based on information from independent industry and research organizations, other third-party sources (including industry publications, surveys and forecasts), and management estimates. Management estimates are derived from publicly available information released by independent industry analysts and third-party sources, as well as data from our internal research, and are based on assumptions made by us upon reviewing such data and our knowledge of such industry and markets, which we believe to be reasonable. Although we believe the data from these third-party sources is reliable, we have not independently verified any third-party information. In addition, projections, assumptions and estimates of the future performance of the industry in which we operate and our future performance are necessarily subject to uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors, including those described in “Risk Factors” and “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.” These and other factors could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the estimates made by the independent parties and by us.
We own or have rights to certain trademarks that we use in conjunction with the operations of our business. Each trademark, trade name, service mark or copyright of any other company appearing or incorporated by reference in this prospectus belongs to its holder. Solely for convenience, trademarks, trade names, service marks and copyrights referred to in this prospectus may appear with or without the “©”, “®” or “™” symbols, but the inclusion, or not, of such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we, or the applicable owner, will not assert, to the fullest extent possible under applicable law, our or their, as applicable, rights to these trademarks, trade names service marks or copyrights. We do not intend our use or display of other companies’ trademarks, trade names, service marks or copyrights to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, such other companies.
| ii |
This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus and does not contain all of the information that you should consider in making your investment decision. Before investing in our securities, you should carefully read this entire prospectus, including the information set forth under the headings “Risk Factors” as included elsewhere in this prospectus and our financial statements and the related notes and the section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”, in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 as amended, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, which all are incorporated by reference herein.
Overview of Our Company
We are a fast-growing Japanese restaurant operator and were borne out of the idea of introducing the modernized Japanese dining experience to customers all over the world. Specializing in Japanese ramen, we gained recognition as a leading ramen restaurant in Southern California within six months of our 2016 debut and have continued to expand our top-notch restaurant service across Southern California, currently operating ten restaurants with an additional two new restaurant stores under construction/development. Further, we acquired three existing restaurants in Las Vegas in early second quarter 2024.
We take pride in our warm, hearty, smooth, and rich bone broth, which is slowly boiled for over twelve hours. Customers can taste and experience supreme quality and deep flavors. Combining the broth with the fresh, savory, and highest-quality ingredients, we serve the perfect, ideal ramen, as well as offer customers a wide variety of sushi rolls, bento menu and other favorite Japanese cuisine. Our acclaimed signature Tonkotsu Black Ramen has become a customer favorite with its slow cooked pork bone broth and freshly made, tender chashu (braised pork belly).
Our mission is to bring our Japanese ramen and cuisine to the mainstream, by providing a meal that customers find comforting. Since the inception of the business, we have been making our own ramen broth and other key ingredients such as pork chashu and flavored eggs from scratch, whereby upholding the quality and taste of our foods, including the signature texture and deep, rich flavor of our handcrafted broth. Moreover, we believe that slowly cooking the bone broth makes it high in collagen and rich in nutrients. We also strive to present food that is not only healthy, but also affordable. We feed, entertain and delight our customers, with our active kitchens and bustling dining rooms providing happy hours, student and senior discounts, and special holiday events. As a result of our vision, customers can comfortably enjoy our food in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.
In September 2022, we consummated our initial public offering (the “IPO”) of 2,940,000 shares of our Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Class A Common Stock”) at a public offering price of $4.00 per share, generating gross proceeds of $11,760,000. Net proceeds from the IPO were approximately $10.3 million after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses of approximately $1.5 million.
We granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to 441,000 additional shares (equal to 15% of the shares of Class A Common Stock sold in the IPO) to cover over-allotments, if any, which the underwriters did not exercise. In addition, we issued to the representative of the underwriters warrants to purchase a number of shares of Class A Common Stock equal to 5.0% of the aggregate number of shares of Class A Common Stock sold in the IPO (including shares of Class A Common Stock sold upon exercise of the over-allotment option). The representative’s warrants are exercisable at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part, during the four-and-½-year period commencing six months from the date of commencement of the sales of the shares of Class A Common Stock in connection with the IPO, at an initial exercise price per share of $5.00 (equal to 125% of the initial public offering price per share of Class A Common Stock). No representative’s warrants have been exercised.
On September 9, 2022, our Class A Common Stock began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “YOSH.”
On November 22, 2023, we filed a Certificate of Amendment (the “Certificate of Amendment”) to our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to effect a reverse stock split of our Class A Common Stock and Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Class B Common Stock” and, together with Class A common Stock, “Common Stock”), in the ratio of 1-for-10 (the “Reverse Stock Split”) effective at 11:59 p.m. eastern on November 27, 2023. The Class A Common Stock began trading on a split-adjusted basis at the market open on Tuesday, November 28, 2023.
No fractional shares were issued as a result of the Reverse Stock Split. Instead, any fractional shares that would have resulted from the Reverse Stock Split were rounded up to the next whole number. As a result, a total of 34,846 shares of Class A Common Stock were issued and total of 1,342,585 shares of Class A Common Stock were outstanding as of December 31, 2023. The Reverse Stock Split affects all stockholders uniformly and did not alter any stockholder’s percentage interest in our outstanding Common Stock, except for adjustments that may result from the treatment of fractional shares. The number of authorized shares of Common Stock and number of authorized, issued, and outstanding shares of the preferred stock were not changed.
On October 2, 2024, we made a non-brokered $1.0 million private placement investment from an accredited investor. We intend to use these proceeds for the Company’s expansion into the Korean BBQ (“KBBQ”) segment. We have identified a growing trend of demand for KBBQ cuisine, predominantly in Southern California, as the popularity of Korean food has increased Americans’ appetites for KBBQ. Having operated in the restaurant sector since 2016, we have leveraged our extensive industry experience and expertise to build a robust network of supply chain stakeholders essential for successful restaurant operations. Recognizing the synergies between our existing suite of culinary offerings and the KBBQ concept, we plan to capitalize on the synergies of resources and ingredients for both segments to enhance purchasing power, attract a wider audience, and explore cross-promotion opportunities to further solidify and expand the Yoshiharu brand.
On October 8, 2024, we entered into a non-biding Memorandum of Understanding (“MoU”) with Xing Sheng Group through a Master License Agreement (“MLA”) for the Liaoning Province in China to introduce a new flagship Yoshiharu restaurant in Shenyang, China, home to over 43 million people. On October 15, 2024, we also entered into a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (“MoU”) with Chengdu Octaday Entertainment Group through a Master License Agreement (“MLA”) for the Sichuan Province in China to introduce Yoshiharu Global’s Expanding Cuisine in Sichuan Province, China, with a rich and diverse culture and home to over 83 million people. We expect many opportunities to introduce Yoshiharu’s cuisine in both Shenyang and Sichuan Provinces. We also expect this announcement to prove the viability of Yoshiharu’s expansion across strategically important Chinese cities and provinces.
| 1 |
On October 31, 2024, we opened our 15th restaurant in San Clemente. The new restaurant is centrally located at 638 Camino De Los Mares in the Ocean View Plaza in San Clemente, a classic beach town destination known for its beaches, world class surfing and vibrant dining scene. This prime coastal location benefits from excellent access and high visibility to I-5, drawing an estimated 8,300 visits a day and over 3 million visits a year, surrounded by an affluent population of more than 69,000 with an average household income of over $145,000 within a 3-mile radius.
As we primarily source the ingredients domestically, we do not expect direct impacts from current U.S. tariffs on imported goods. However, the broader economic environment shaped by these tariffs could indirectly affect the Company. Recent U.S. tariff policies, including proposed tariffs of 10% to 20% on all imports and up to 60% on Chinese goods, aim to bolster domestic industries but may lead to increased costs for imported products. This could result in higher prices for certain ingredients or supplies that we use. We have been diversifying suppliers or exploring alternative ingredients to manage potential cost increases.
Supply Chain Disruption and Inflation
Our profitability depends in part on our ability to anticipate and react to changes in food and supply costs, especially in light of recent supply chain disruptions. We believe we have experienced higher costs due to increased commodity prices and challenges sourcing our supplies due in part to global supply chain disruptions. Although historically, and as of September 30, 2024, global supply chain disruptions have not materially adversely affected our business, a substantial increase in the cost of, or inability to procure, the food products most critical to our menu, such as canola oil, rice, meats, fish and other seafood, as well as fresh vegetables, could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition or results from operations. Because we provide moderately priced food, we may choose not to, or may be unable to, pass along commodity price increases to consumers. These potential changes in supply costs could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Historically and as of the date hereof, inflation has not had a material effect on our results of operations. Severe increases in inflation, however, could affect the global and U.S. economies and could have a materially adverse impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations. Furthermore, future volatile, negative, or uncertain economic conditions and recessionary periods or periods of significant inflation may adversely impact consumer spending at our restaurants, which would materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Such effects can be especially pronounced during periods of economic contraction or slow economic growth. To the extent that we are unable to offset such cost inflation through increased menu prices or increased efficiencies in our operations and cost savings, there could be a negative impact on our business, sales and margin performance, net income, cash flows and the trading price of our common shares. We have been able to offset to some extent these inflationary and other cost pressures through actions such as increasing menu prices and supply chain initiatives, however, we expect these inflationary and other cost pressures to continue into the year 2024.
Our Strengths
Experienced Management Team Dedicated to Growth.
Our team is led by experienced and passionate senior management who are committed to our mission. We are led by our Chief Executive Officer, James Chae. Mr. Chae founded Yoshiharu in 2016 and has helped grow the business since that time. Mr. Chae leads a team of talented professionals with deep financial, operational, culinary, and real estate experience.
Compelling Value Proposition with Broad Appeal.
Guests can enjoy our signature ramen dishes or select from our variety of fresh sushi rolls, bento, and other Japanese cuisine. The high-quality dishes at affordable prices are the result of our efficient operations. In addition, we believe our commitment to high-quality and fresh ingredients in our food is at the forefront of current dining trends as customers continue to seek healthy food options.
Attractive Restaurant-Level Economics.
At Yoshiharu, we believe our rapid customer turnover, combined with our ability to deliver in 2 major day parts with lunch and dinner, allows for robust and efficient sales in each of our restaurants. Our average unit volume (“AUV”, as defined herein) was $1.2 million in 2022 and $1.1 million in 2023.
Quality of Food and Excellence in Customer Service.
We place a premium on serving high-quality, authentic Japanese cuisine. We believe in customer convenience and satisfaction and have created strong, loyal and repeat customers who help expand the Yoshiharu network to their friends, family and co-workers.
| 2 |
Our Growth Strategies
Pursue New Restaurant Development.
We have pursued a disciplined new corporate owned growth strategy. Having expanded our concept and operating model across varying restaurant sizes and geographies, we plan to leverage our expertise opening new restaurants to fill in existing markets and expand into new geographies. While we currently aim to achieve in excess of 100% annual unit growth rate over the next three to five years, we cannot predict the time period of which we can achieve any level of restaurant growth or whether we will achieve this level of growth at all. Our ability to achieve new restaurant growth is impacted by a number of risks and uncertainties beyond our control, including those described under the caption “Risk Factors.” In particular, see “Risk Factors—Our long-term success is highly dependent on our ability to successfully identify and secure appropriate sites and timely develop and expand our operations in existing and new markets” for specific risks that could impede our ability to achieve new restaurant growth in the future. We believe there is a significant opportunity to employ this strategy to open additional restaurants in our existing markets and in new markets with similar demographics and retail environments.
Deliver Consistent Comparable Restaurant Sales Growth.
We have achieved positive comparable restaurant sales growth in recent periods. We believe we will be able to generate future comparable restaurant sales growth by growing traffic through increased brand awareness, consistent delivery of a satisfying dining experience, new menu offerings, and restaurant renovations. We will continue to manage our menu and pricing as part of our overall strategy to drive traffic and increase average check. We are also exploring initiatives to grow sales of alcoholic beverages at our restaurants, including the potential of a larger format restaurant with a sake bar concept. In addition to the strategies stated above, we expect to initiate sales of franchises in 2024.
Increase Profitability.
We have invested in our infrastructure and personnel, which we believe positions us to continue to scale our business operations. As we continue to grow, we expect to drive higher profitability both at a restaurant-level and corporate-level by taking advantage of our increasing buying power with suppliers and leveraging our existing support infrastructure. Additionally, we believe we will be able to optimize labor costs at existing restaurants as our restaurant base matures and AUVs increase. We believe that as our restaurant base grows, our general and administrative costs will increase at a slower rate than our sales.
Heighten Brand Awareness.
We intend to continue to pursue targeted local marketing efforts and plan to increase our investment in advertising. We also are exploring the development of instant ramen noodles which we would distribute through retail channels. We intend to explore partnerships with grocery retailers to provide for small-format Yoshiharu kiosks in stores to promote a limited selection of Yoshiharu cuisine.
Experienced Management Team Dedicated to Growth.
Our team is led by experienced and passionate senior management who are committed to our mission. We are led by our Chief Executive Officer, James Chae. Mr. Chae founded Yoshiharu in 2016 and leads a team of talented professionals with deep financial, operational, culinary, and real estate experience.
Properties
As of September 30, 2024, we operated 14 restaurant stores with an additional 2 restaurant stores under construction /development. We operate a variety of restaurant formats, including in-line and end-cap restaurants located in retail centers of varying sizes. Our restaurants currently average approximately 1,792 square feet. We lease the property for our corporate offices and all of the properties on which we operate our restaurants.
| 3 |
The table below shows the locations of our restaurants as of September 30, 2024:
| Store Location | Address | Year Launched | ||
| Orange | 1891 N Tustin St, Orange, CA 92865 | 2016 | ||
| Buena Park | 6970 Beach Blvd, #F206 Buena Park, CA 90621 | 2017 | ||
| Whittier | 8426 Laurel Ave, STE A Whittier, CA 90605 | 2017 | ||
| Chino | 4004 Grand Ave STE C Chino, CA 91710 | 2019 | ||
| Eastvale | 4910 Hamner Ave STE 150, Eastvale, CA 91752 | 2020 | ||
| Irvine | 3935 Portola Pkwy, Irvine, CA 92602 | 2021 | ||
| La Mirada | 12806 La Mirada Blvd, La Mirada, CA 90638 | 2022 | ||
| Cerritos | 11533 South St, Cerritos, CA 90703 | 2022 | ||
| Corona | 440 N Mckinley St STE 101, Corona, CA 92879 | 2023 | ||
| Garden Grove | 9812 Chapman Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92841 | 2023 | ||
| Laguna | 32341 Golden Lantern, STE B, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 | 1Q 2024 | ||
| Las Vegas | 6125 S. Fort Apache Road, Suite 200, Las Vegas, NV 89148 | 2Q 2024 | ||
| Las Vegas | 280 E Flamingo Road, Suite C, Las Vegas, NV 89169 | 2Q 2024 | ||
| Las Vegas | 6572 N Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89131 | 2Q 2024 | ||
| Menifee | 27311 Newport Road, Suite 320, Menifee, CA 92584 | 3Q 2024* | ||
| San Clemente | 638 Camino de Los Mares STE 16, San Clemente, CA 92673 | 3Q 2024 |
* Under construction.
We are obligated under non-cancelable leases for the majority of our restaurants, as well as our corporate offices. The majority of our restaurant leases have lease terms of 10 years, inclusive of customary extensions which are at the option of the company. Our restaurant leases generally require us to pay a proportionate share of real estate taxes, insurance, common area maintenance charges, and other operating costs. Some restaurant leases provide for contingent rental payments based on sales thresholds, although we generally do not expect to pay significant rent on these properties based on the thresholds in those leases. We do not own any real property.
We opened one restaurant in each year from 2019 through 2021, and we opened two restaurants in 2022 and 2023. We also opened a new restaurant in February 2024, and currently have two new locations under construction/development. Further, we acquired three existing restaurants in Las Vegas in the second quarter of 2024.
We anticipate approximately $450,000 in costs per new location in development, and have spent approximately $780,000 for the two locations under construction/development as of September 30, 2024.
In 2019, we closed our West Hollywood and Lynwood, California restaurants due to underperformance. We cannot provide assurance that we will be able to open any specific number of restaurants in any year. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—Our long-term success is highly dependent on our ability to successfully identify and secure appropriate sites and timely develop and expand our operations in existing and new markets.”
Site Development and Expansion
Site Selection Process
We consider site selection to be instrumental to our success. As part of our strategic site selection process, we receive potential site locations from networks of local brokers, which are then reviewed by our Development Team. This examination consists of an analysis of the lease terms and conditions, a profitability evaluation, as well as multiple site visits during all times of the day, e.g., lunch, late afternoon, dinner, weekdays and weekends, to test for traffic. The Development Team holds regular meetings for site approval with other members of our senior management team in order to get a balanced perspective on a potential site.
Our current real estate strategy focuses on high-traffic retail centers in markets with a diverse population and above-average household income for the state. We believe we are attractive lessees for landlords given our ability to drive strong traffic comprised of above-average household income guests, and we imagine our bargaining power will become stronger as we accumulate more stores. In site selection, we also consider factors such as residential and commercial population density, restaurant visibility, traffic patterns, accessibility, availability of suitable parking, proximity to highways, universities, shopping areas and office parks, the degree of competition within the market area, and general availability of restaurant-level employees. We also invest in site analytics tools for demographic analysis and data collection for both existing and new market areas, which we believe allows us to further understand the market area and determine whether to open new restaurants in that location.
| 4 |
Our flexible physical footprint, which has allowed us to open restaurants in size ranging from 1,500 to 2,500 square feet, allows us to open in-line and end-cap restaurant formats at strip malls and shopping centers and penetrate markets in both suburban and urban areas. We believe we have the ability to open additional restaurants in our existing metropolitan areas. We also believe there is significant opportunity to employ the strategy in new markets with similar demographics across the U.S. and globally.
Expansion Strategy
We plan to pursue a multi-facet expansion strategy by opening new corporate restaurants or acquiring existing restaurants in both new and existing markets, as well as utilizing the franchise market. We believe this expansion will be crucial to executing our growth strategy and building awareness of Yoshiharu as a leading Japanese casual dining brand. Expansion into new markets occurs in parallel with ongoing evaluation of existing markets, with the goal of maintaining a pipeline of top-tier development opportunities. As described under the heading Site Selection Process above, we use a systematic approach to identify and review existing and new markets.
Upon selecting a new market, we typically build one restaurant to prove concept viability in that market. We have developed a remote management system whereby our senior operations team is able to monitor restaurants in real-time from our headquarters using approximately eight cameras installed in each restaurant. We utilize this remote management system to maintain operational quality while minimizing inefficiencies caused by a lack of economies of scale in new markets.
Due to our relatively small restaurant count, new restaurants have an outsized impact on our financial performance. In order to mitigate risk, we look to expand simultaneously in new and existing markets. We base our site selection on our most successful existing restaurants and frequently reevaluate our strategy, pacing and markets. We believe we are in the early stages of our growth story and that our restaurant model is designed to generate strong cash flow, attractive restaurant-level financial results and high returns on invested capital, which we believe provides us with a strong foundation for expansion.
Restaurant Design
Restaurant design is handled by our Development Team in conjunction with outsourced vendor relationships, e.g., architects and general contractors. Our restaurant size currently averages approximately 1,500 square feet. Seating in our restaurant is comprised of a combination of table seating and bar seats with an average seating capacity of 40-50 guests.
We are developing two main restaurant layouts. The standard restaurants will be built using our current layout and design which we believe evokes a modern and on-trend Japanese dining atmosphere. The second layout is a larger floor plan where we will utilize a full service restaurant and bar. We believe our see-through kitchens reflecting the cooks preparing first-hand meals, amplify the lively bustle provided by the great casual atmosphere, and serve to highlight the ambiance of getting great food in a modern Japanese style ambiance.
Construction
Construction of a new restaurant takes approximately 12 to 24 weeks once construction permits are issued. Our Development Team oversees the build-out process from engaging architects and contractors to design and build out the restaurant. The capital resources required to develop each new restaurant are significant. On average, we estimate our restaurant build-outs to cost approximately $350,000 - $550,000 per standard location, net of tenant allowances and pre-opening costs and assuming that we do not purchase the underlying real estate, but this figure could be significantly higher depending on the market, restaurant size, and condition of the premises upon delivery by landlord. On average, we estimate that our restaurants require a cash build-out cost of approximately $350,000-$550,000 per restaurant, net of landlord tenant improvement allowances and pre-opening costs and assuming that we do not purchase the underlying real estate. Actual costs may vary significantly depending upon a variety of factors, including the site and size of the restaurant and conditions in the local real estate and labor markets.
| 5 |
Restaurant Management and Operations
Restaurant Management and Employees
Our restaurants typically employ one restaurant manager, one or two supervisors, and approximately 8 to 12 additional team members. Managers, supervisors and management trainees are cross-trained throughout the restaurant in order to create competency across critical restaurant functions, both in the dining area and in the kitchen.
In addition, our senior operations team monitors restaurants in real-time from our headquarters using our remote management system of approximately eight cameras installed in each restaurant. These team members are responsible for different components of the restaurant: cleanliness, service, and food quality.
Training and Employee Programs
We devote significant resources to identifying, selecting, and training restaurant-level employees. Our training covers leadership, team building, food safety certification, alcohol safety programs, sexual harassment training, and other topics. Management trainees undergo training for approximately 8 to 16 weeks in order to develop a deep understanding of our operations. In addition, we are developing extensive training manuals that cover all aspects of restaurant-level operations.
Our traveling “opening team” provides training to team members in advance of opening a new restaurant. We believe the opening team facilitates a smooth opening process and efficient restaurant operations from the first day a restaurant opens to the public. The opening team is typically on-site at new restaurants from two weeks before opening to four weeks after opening.
Food Preparation, Quality and Safety
We are committed to consistently providing our guests high quality, freshly prepared food. For other items we believe hand preparation achieves the best quality. Hand preparation of menu items includes, but is not limited to, frying tempura, slicing meat and fish and making pork bone broth. We believe guests can taste the difference in freshly prepared food and that adhering to these standards is a competitive advantage for our brand.
Food safety is essential to our success and we have established procedures to help ensure that our guests enjoy safe, quality food. We require each employee to complete food handler safety certification upon hiring. We have taken various additional steps to mitigate food quality and safety risks, including undergoing internal safety audits. We also consider food safety and quality assurance when selecting our distributors and suppliers.
Menu
We offer a diverse menu, including our signature ramen dishes, as well as sushi rolls, bento boxes, and other Japanese cuisine. The menu appeals to a wide range of customers, and we continue to improve upon the quality, taste and presentation. Additionally, we are able to serve the menu in a delivery and pickup format, as our food is designed to be enjoyed on premise or at customers’ homes or offices. We have entered the catering business through relationships with businesses who place large format orders (i.e., Bento boxes for corporate meetings or office lunches), for delivery or pick-up. We expect that our catering business, which has a higher-than-average order value, to grow due to the early success we have experienced in the corporate channel.
New Menu Introductions
We focus advertising efforts on new menu offerings to broaden our appeal to guests and drive traffic. Our menu changes twice per year to introduce new items and remove underperforming items. We promote these new menu additions through various social media platforms, our website and in-restaurant signage.
| 6 |
Marketing and Advertising
We use a variety of marketing and advertising channels to build brand awareness, attract new guests, increase dining frequency, support new restaurant openings, and promote Yoshiharu as an authentic Japanese restaurant with high-quality cuisine and a distinctive dining experience. Our primary advertising channels include digital, social, and print.
Social Media
We maintain a presence on several social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram, allowing us to regularly communicate with guests, alert guests of new offerings, and conduct promotions. Our dining experience is built to provide our guests social media shareable moments, which we believe extends our advertising reach.
Suppliers
We carefully select suppliers based on product quality and authenticity and their understanding of our brand, and we seek to develop long-term relationships with them. All supply arrangements are negotiated and managed at the Yoshiharu corporate-level.
Food. Our Vice President of Operations identifies and procures high-quality ingredients at competitive prices. Each store separately makes an order to the specific vendor, and the invoices are submitted and paid by Yoshiharu at the corporate-level. We source mainly through the following Japanese-related distributors: JFC, a subsidiary of Kikkoman Corporation, Wismettac, a subsidiary of Nishimoto Co., Ltd., and Mutual Trading Co., Inc., a California corporation.
Paper. Our Vice President of Operations negotiates long term supply agreements for our logo-branded paper including takeout bags and bowls, chopsticks, as well as uniforms. We make a portion of our purchases annually in bulk at fixed prices, and deliver them to our warehouse in Anaheim, California. Each restaurant Manager receives the necessary paper supplies from our warehouse.
Management Information Systems
We utilize systems provided by Toast, Inc. for point of sale, contactless ordering, handheld ordering, online ordering and delivery, as well as marketing and payroll management. We believe that Toast’s systems provide us and our customers with streamlined operations and allows us to efficiently turn tables and improve the sales conversion cycle, while reducing third-party commissions for online orders.
Restaurant Industry Overview
According to the National Restaurant Association (the “NRA”), restaurant industry sales in 2023 were over $1.0 trillion, up from $966 billion in 2022 and is forecast to grow to $1.1 trillion in 2024.
The restaurant industry is divided into several primary segments, including limited-service and full-service restaurants, which are generally categorized by price, quality of food, service, and location. Yoshiharu sits at the intersection of these two segments offering the experience and food quality of a full-service restaurant and the speed of service of a limited-service restaurant. We primarily compete with other full-service restaurants, which, according to the NRA, had approximately$305 billion of sales in calendar year 2022, up from $266 billion in 2021. The limited-service segment generated approximately $370 billion in calendar year 2022, or a roughly $30 billion increase from the prior year.
According to the 2023 State of the Restaurant report, full-service restaurant sales are expected to increase to $324 billion in calendar year 2023, an increase of 6.2% from 2022 and the limited-service segment is forecast to reach $395 billion in 2023, resulting in a 6.8% increase from 2022.
We believe that increased multiculturalism in the United States, driven in part by growth in the Asian demographic, contributes to a favorable macro environment for Yoshiharu’s future growth. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Asian population is projected to be one of the fastest growing demographics in the United States, increasing in size from 20 million people in calendar year 2020 to 24.4 million people by calendar year 2030. During this time, the Asian population’s share of the nation’s total population is projected to increase by 15%, from approximately 6% to 6.9%.
| 7 |
Additionally, we believe that Yoshiharu is well-positioned to grow our share of the restaurant market as consumers seek quality, value, healthier options, and authentic global and regional cuisine in their dining choices. According to the National Restaurant Association 2023 State of the Industry report, roughly 45% of family and casual dining restaurants plan to add new menu items identified as healthy or nutritious in 2023.
We cannot provide assurance that we will benefit from these long-term demographic trends, although we believe the projected growth in the Asian population and the Asian influence on dining trends will result in an increase in demand for Japanese and Asian foods.
Competition
We face significant competition from a variety of locally owned restaurants regional, and national chain restaurants offering both Asian and non-Asian cuisine, as well as takeaway options from grocery stores. Direct competition for Yoshiharu comes primarily from Asian restaurants including other ramen noodles restaurants. Jinya Ramen Bar operates approximately 40 locations in the United States and also franchises their restaurants. We believe that we compete primarily based on product quality, dining experience, ambience, location, convenience, value perception, and price. Our competition continues to intensify as competitors increase the breadth and depth of their product offerings and open new restaurants.
Seasonality
Due to Yoshiharu’s menu breadth and diversification of offerings, we do not experience significant seasonality.
Employees and Human Capital
We have 290 employees including part time; 270 of the employees are restaurant-level employees, and the rest perform business development, finance, marketing, investor relations, and administrative functions. We believe that our success is dependent upon, among other things, the services of our senior management, the loss of which could have a material adverse effect upon our prospects. None of our employees are represented by a labor union or covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
As we continue to grow, we will add additional restaurant-level, marketing, and administrative personnel.
Properties
Our executive offices are located at 6940 Beach Blvd., Suite D-705, Buena Park, CA 90621 and our telephone number is (714) 694-2403. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.
Legal Proceedings
From time to time, we are also involved in various other claims and legal actions that arise in the ordinary course of business. Although the results of litigation and claims cannot be predicted with certainty, we do not believe that the ultimate resolution of these actions will have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, liquidity or capital resources.
Future litigation may be necessary to defend ourselves and our partners by determining the scope, enforceability and validity of third party proprietary rights or to establish our proprietary rights. The results of any current or future litigation cannot be predicted with certainty, and regardless of the outcome, litigation can have an adverse impact on us because of defense and settlement costs, diversion of management resources and other factors.
| 8 |
Reverse Stock Split
On November 20, 2023, our stockholders approved a proposal at our annual meeting of stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) further amending our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), to effect a reverse stock split of our Common Stock at a ratio between one-for-two (1:2) and one-for-forty (1:40), without reducing the authorized number of our shares of Common Stock. Following the Annual Meeting, our Board of Directors approved a final split ratio of one-for-ten (1:10). Following such approval, on November 22, 2023, we filed an amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware to effect the reverse stock split, with an effective time of 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on November 27, 2023 (the “Reverse Stock Split”). Our Class A Common Stock began trading on Nasdaq on a split-adjusted basis beginning on November 28, 2023. Unless otherwise noted, all share and per share information relating to our Common Stock in this prospectus has been adjusted to reflect the 1-for-10 Reverse Stock Split.
Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company
We are an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, as amended (the “JOBS Act”). We will remain an “emerging growth company” until the earliest of: (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have $1.07 billion or more in annual gross revenues; (ii) the date on which we become a “large accelerated filer” (which means the year-end at which the total market value of our common equity securities held by non-affiliates is $700 million or more as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter); (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1 billion of non-convertible debt securities over a three-year period; and (iv) the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of our initial public offering. We have elected to take advantage of certain of the scaled disclosure available for emerging growth companies in this prospectus as well as our filings under the Exchange Act of 1934 (“the Exchange Act”), including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation and financial statements in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote to approve executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. We will take advantage of these reporting exemptions until we are no longer an “emerging growth company.” The JOBS Act provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards. We have irrevocably elected not to avail ourselves of this exemption and, therefore, we are subject to the same new or revised accounting standards as other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies.”
Corporate Information
We were incorporated in the State of Delaware on December 9, 2021. Our executive offices are located at 6940 Beach Blvd., Suite D-705, Buena Park, CA 90621 and our telephone number is (714) 694-2403.
Available Information
Our website address is https://ir.yoshiharuramen.com/. Any information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference into, nor is it in any way part of this prospectus and should not be relied upon in connection with making any decision with respect to an investment in our securities. We are required to file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may obtain any of the documents filed by us with the SEC, at no cost from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
| 9 |
Shares of Class A Common Stock offered by us Up to 1,600,000 shares of our Class A Common Stock, consisting of:
| ● | Up to 1,100,000 shares of Class A Common Stock (the “Note Shares”) issuable to Crom upon conversion of the Note; and | ||
| ● | Up 500,000 shares of Class A Common Stock that are issuable to the Selling Stockholder from time to time pursuant to the EPA as described herein, including 31,948 shares which have been issued as Commitment Shares. |
| Class A Common Stock outstanding(1) | 1,342,585 shares of Class A Common Stock. | |
| Class A Common Stock outstanding after this offering(1) | 1,583,580 shares of Class A Common Stock. | |
| Use of proceeds | We will not receive any proceeds from the sale by the Selling Stockholder of the shares of Class A Common Stock being offered by this prospectus. However, we may receive gross proceeds of up to $10,000,000 from the sale of our Class A Common Stock to the Selling Stockholder under the EPA. We will not receive any cash proceeds from the issuance of the Commitment Shares to the Selling Stockholder under the EPA. We have also received $1,000,000 from Crom pursuant to the Promissory Note. We intend to use any proceeds from the Selling Stockholder that we receive under the EPA and Note for working capital, strategic and general corporate purposes. See “Use of Proceeds” on page 19 for more information. | |
| Risk factors | An investment in our securities is highly speculative and involves substantial risk. Please carefully consider the risks described under the heading “Risk Factors” on page 11 and other information included and incorporated by reference in this prospectus for a discussion of factors to consider before deciding to invest in the securities offered hereby. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial may also impair our business and operations. | |
| Transfer agent and registrar | The registrar and transfer agent for our Class A Common Stock is VStock Transfer, LLC, located at 18 Lafayette Place Woodmere, New York 11598. | |
| Nasdaq symbol and trading | Our Class A Common Stock is listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “YOSH.” |
| (1) | Unless otherwise indicated, all references in this prospectus to the number of shares of our Class A Common Stock outstanding and the number of shares of our Common Stock to be outstanding after this offering is based on 1,342,585 shares outstanding as of February 4, 2025, and excludes: |
| ● | 14,700 shares of Class A Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants exercisable at a weighted average exercise price of $50.00 per share as of September 30, 2024. |
| 10 |
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before deciding whether to invest in our securities, you should carefully consider the risks described below and those discussed under the Section captioned “Risk Factors” contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, as amended, as revised or supplemented by our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or our current reports on Form 8-K, each as filed with the SEC and which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus, together with other information in this prospectus, the information and documents incorporated by reference herein, and in any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering. If any of these risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flow could be seriously harmed. This could cause the trading price of our Class A Common Stock to decline, resulting in a loss of all or part of your investment. Please also read carefully the section below entitled “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
Risks Related to This Offering
It is not possible to predict the actual number of shares we will sell under the EPA to the Selling Stockholder, or the actual gross proceeds resulting from those sales nor is it possible for us to predict the actual number of shares of Class A Common Stock, if any, we will issue upon conversion of the Note to the Selling Stockholder.
Subject to certain limitations in the EPA and compliance with applicable law, we have the discretion to deliver notices to the Selling Stockholder at any time throughout the term of the EPA. The actual number of shares of Class A Common Stock are sold to the Selling Stockholder may depend based on a number of factors, including the market price of our Class A Common Stock during the sales period. Actual gross proceeds may be less than $10,000,000, which may impact our future liquidity. Because the price per share of each share sold to the Selling Stockholder will fluctuate during the sales period, it is not currently possible to predict the number of shares that will be sold or the actual gross proceeds to be raised in connection with those sales.
While we have obtained stockholder approval to exceed Exchange Cap limitation, any issuance and sale by us under the EPA of a substantial amount of shares of Class A Common Stock in addition to the 500,000 shares of our Class A Common Stock (including the 31,948 shares which have been issued as Commitment Shares) being registered for resale by the Selling Stockholder under this prospectus could cause additional substantial dilution to our stockholders. The number of shares of our Class A Common Stock ultimately offered for sale by the Selling Stockholder is dependent upon the number of shares of Class A Common Stock, if any, we ultimately sell to the Selling Stockholder under the EPA.
Additionally, we do not have the right to control the timing and amount of any conversions of principal under the Note by the Selling Stockholder. The number of shares that we issue to the Selling Stockholder pursuant to the Note, if any, will depend upon market conditions and other factors to be determined by the Selling Stockholder. The Selling Stockholder may ultimately decide to convert none or a portion of the principal amount of the Note.
The number of shares of Class A Common Stock ultimately offered for sale by the Selling Stockholder is dependent upon the number of shares, if any, we ultimately issue upon conversion of the Note. However, even if the Selling Stockholder elect to convert the entire principal amount of the Note, the Selling Stockholder may resell all, some or none of such shares at any time or from time to time in its sole discretion and at different prices.
Investors who buy shares in this offering at different times will likely pay different prices.
Investors who purchase shares of Class A Common Stock in this offering at different times will likely pay different prices, and so may experience different levels of dilution and different outcomes in their investment results. In connection with the EPA, we will have discretion, subject to market demand, to vary the timing, prices, and numbers of shares of Class A Common Stock sold to the Selling Stockholder. Similarly, the Selling Stockholder may sell such shares at different times and at different prices. Investors may experience a decline in the value of the shares they purchase from the Selling Stockholder in this offering as a result of sales made by us in future transactions to the Selling Stockholder at prices lower than the prices they paid.
| 11 |
The issuance of Class A Common Stock to the Selling Stockholder may cause substantial dilution to our existing shareholders and the sale of such shares acquired by the Selling Stockholder could cause the price of our Class A Common Stock to decline.
We are registering for resale by the Selling Stockholder up to 1,600,000 shares of Class A Common Stock. The number of shares of our Class A Common Stock ultimately offered for resale by the Selling Stockholder under this prospectus is dependent upon the number of shares of Class A Common Stock issued to the Selling Stockholder pursuant to the EPA. Depending on a variety of factors, including market liquidity of our Class A Common Stock, the issuance of shares to the Selling Stockholder may cause the trading price of our Class A Common Stock to decline.
The sale of a substantial number of shares of our Class A Common Stock by the Selling Stockholder in this offering, or anticipation of such sales, could cause the trading price of our Class A Common Stock to decline or make it more difficult for us to sell equity or equity-related securities in the future at a time and at a price that we might otherwise desire.
We may require additional financing to sustain our operations and without it we may not be able to continue operations.
Subject to the terms and conditions of the EPA, we may, at our discretion, direct the Selling Stockholder to purchase up to $10,000,000 of shares of our Class A Common Stock under the EPA from time-to-time. Although the EPA provides that we may sell up to an aggregate of $10,000,000 of our Class A Common Stock to the Selling Stockholder and we are registering 500,000 shares of our Class A Common Stock for issuance pursuant to the EPA including 31,948 shares which have been issued as Commitment Shares. The purchase price per share for the shares of Class A Common Stock that we may elect to sell to the Selling Stockholder under the EPA will fluctuate based on the market prices of our Class A Common Stock for each purchase made pursuant to the EPA, if any. Accordingly, it is not currently possible to predict the number of shares that will be sold to the Selling Stockholder, the actual purchase price per share to be paid by the Selling Stockholder for those shares, if any, or the actual gross proceeds to be raised in connection with those sales.
The extent to which we rely on the Selling Stockholder as a source of funding will depend on a number of factors including, the prevailing market price of our Class A Common Stock and the extent to which we are able to secure working and other capital from other sources. If obtaining sufficient funding from the Selling Stockholder were to prove unavailable or prohibitively dilutive, we may need to secure another source of funding in order to satisfy our working and other capital needs. Even if we were to sell to the Selling Stockholder all of the shares of Class A Common Stock available for sale to the Selling Stockholder under the EPA, we may still need additional capital to fully implement our business, operating and development plans. Should the financing we require to sustain our working capital needs be unavailable or prohibitively expensive when we require it, the consequences may be a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, financial condition and prospects.
Future sales and issuances of our Class A Common Stock or other securities might result in significant dilution and could cause the price of our Class A Common Stock to decline.
To raise capital, we may sell Class A Common Stock, convertible securities or other equity securities in one or more transactions other than those contemplated by the EPA, at prices and in a manner we determine from time to time. We may sell shares or other securities in another offering at a price per share that is less than the price per share paid by investors in this offering, and investors purchasing shares or other securities in the future could have rights superior to existing stockholders. The price per share at which we sell additional shares of our Class A Common Stock, or securities convertible or exchangeable into Class A Common Stock, in future transactions may be higher or lower than the price per share paid by investors in this offering.
| 12 |
We cannot predict what effect, if any, sales of shares of our Class A Common Stock in the public market or the availability of shares for sale will have on the market price of our Class A Common Stock. However, future sales of substantial amounts of our Class A Common Stock in the public market, including shares issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and convertible preferred shares, or the perception that such sales may occur, could adversely affect the market price of our Class A Common Stock.
Our management will have broad discretion over the use of the net proceeds from our sale of shares of Class A Common Stock to the Selling Stockholder, and you may not agree with how we use the proceeds and the proceeds may not be invested successfully.
Our management will have broad discretion with respect to the use of proceeds from the sale of any shares of our Class A Common Stock to the Selling Stockholder, including for any of the purposes described in the section of this prospectus entitled “Use of Proceeds.” You will be relying on the judgment of our management regarding the application of the proceeds from the sale of any shares of our Class A Common Stock to the Selling Stockholder. The results and effectiveness of the use of proceeds are uncertain, and we could spend the proceeds in ways that you do not agree with or that do not improve our results of operations or enhance the value of our Class A Common Stock. Our failure to apply these funds effectively could harm our business, delay the development of our pipeline product candidates and cause the price of our Class A Common Stock to decline.
Due to the recent implementation of the Reverse Stock Split, the liquidity of our Class A Common Stock may be adversely effected.
Our Class A Common Stock began trading on Nasdaq on a Reverse Stock Split-adjusted basis beginning on November 28, 2023. The liquidity of the shares of our Class A Common Stock may be affected adversely by any reverse stock split given the reduced number of shares of our Class A Common Stock that are outstanding following the Reverse Stock Split, especially if the market price of our Class A Common Stock does not increase as a result of the Reverse Stock Split. Following the Reverse Stock Split, the resulting market price of our Class A Common Stock may not attract new investors and may not satisfy the investing requirements of those investors. Although we believe that a higher market price of our Class A Common Stock may help generate greater or broader investor interest, there can be no assurance that the Reverse Stock Split resulted in a share price that will attract new investors, including institutional investors. In addition, there can be no assurance that the market price of our Class A Common Stock will satisfy the investing requirements of those investors. As a result, the trading liquidity of our Class A Common Stock may not necessarily improve.
If we are unable to satisfy the applicable continued listing requirements of Nasdaq, our Class A Common Stock could be delisted.
On August 21, 2024, we received a written notice (the “Notice”) from the Listing Qualifications Department of Nasdaq (the “Nasdaq Staff”) indicating that Nasdaq had determined that our amount of stockholders’ equity had fallen below the $2,500,000 required minimum for continued listing set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(b)(1). The Notice also noted that we do not meet the alternatives of market value of listed securities or net income from continuing operations, and therefore, we no longer complied with Nasdaq’s Listing Rules. We submitted a plan to regain compliance on October 7, 2024.
On October 9, 2024 we received a second notice from the Nasdaq Staff granting us a extension to February 17, 2025 to complete our capital raising initiatives. While we will attempt to regain compliance by the deadline mandated by the Nasdaq Staff, there can be no guarantees that we will be able to satisfy Nasdaq’s listing requirements in time. Additionally, if we fail to provide evidence of compliance upon filing our periodic report for the quarter ended March 31, 2025 with the SEC and Nasdaq, we will be subject to delisting. We may appeal the Nasdaq Staff’s determination by a petition to the Nasdaq’s hearing panel but there can be no assurance that our appeal will be accepted or that we will be granted a favorable ruling by Nasdaq if our appeal is heard.
As a general matter, we have in the past regularly received written notices from the Listing Qualifications Department of Nasdaq indicating that Nasdaq had determined that we had failed to maintain one or more of Nasdaq’s listing qualification standards. These notices have been issued with respect to: (i) failure to maintain adequate stockholders’ equity above the $2,500,000 required minimum for continued listing set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(b)(1) and (ii) failure to maintain the minimum bid price requirements set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2). While we have in the past remedied these concerns, there can be no assurance that we will remain in compliance with these or other Nasdaq listing standards. We may receive another written notice from Nasdaq highlighting a deficiency in the future. If we are unable to remediate the deficiency in the prescribed timeframe then we may be delisted from the Nasdaq Capital Market.
If our Class A Common Stock is delisted, it could reduce the price of our Class A Common Stock and the levels of liquidity available to our stockholders. In addition, the delisting of our Class A Common Stock could materially adversely affect our access to the capital markets and any limitation on liquidity or reduction in the price of our Class A Common Stock could materially adversely affect our ability to raise capital. Delisting from Nasdaq could also result in other negative consequences, including the potential loss of confidence by suppliers, customers and employees, the loss of institutional investor interest and fewer business development opportunities.
The terms of our indebtedness, including the covenants and the dates on which principal and interest payments on our indebtedness are due, increases the risk that we will be unable to continue as a going concern.
As of December 31, 2023, and September 30, 2024 we had $1,959,153, and $1,292,422 in outstanding short-term borrowing. The terms of our indebtedness, including the covenants and the dates on which principal and interest payments on our indebtedness are due, increases the risk that we will be unable to continue as a going concern. To continue as a going concern over the next twelve months, we must make payments on our debt as they come due and comply with the covenants in the agreements governing our indebtedness or, if we fail to do so, to (i) negotiate and obtain waivers of or forbearances with respect to any defaults that occur with respect to our indebtedness, (ii) amend, replace, refinance or restructure any or all of the agreements governing our indebtedness, and/or (iii) otherwise secure additional capital. However, we cannot provide any assurances that we will be successful in accomplishing any of these plans.
We do not intend to apply for any listing of the Note on any exchange or nationally recognized trading system, and we do not expect a market to develop for the unregistered securities.
We do not intend to apply for any listing of the Note on Nasdaq or any other securities exchange or nationally recognized trading system, and we do not expect a market to develop for the. Without an active market, the liquidity of the Note. Further, the existence of the Note may act to reduce both the trading volume and the trading price of our common stock.
| 13 |
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus contains various forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act, which represent our expectations or beliefs concerning future events. that are based on our management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management, and which statements involve substantial risk and uncertainties. All statements contained in this prospectus other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding our future operating results and financial position, our business strategy and plans, market growth and trends, and objectives for future operations are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “target,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” or “continue” or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions that concern our expectations, strategy, plans or intentions.
These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the risk that we may not be able to successfully implement our growth strategy if we are unable to identify appropriate sites for restaurant locations, expand in existing and new markets, obtain favorable lease terms, attract guests to our restaurants or hire and retain personnel; the risk that we may not be able to maintain or improve our comparable restaurant sales growth; that the restaurant industry is a highly competitive industry with many competitors; that our limited number of restaurants, the significant expense associated with opening new restaurants, and the unit volumes of our new restaurants makes us susceptible to significant fluctuations in our results of operations; that we have incurred operating losses and may not be profitable in the future; the risk that our plans to maintain and increase liquidity may not be successful; that we depend on our senior management team and other key employees, and the loss of one or more key personnel or an inability to attract, hire, integrate and retain highly skilled personnel could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations; that our operating results and growth strategies will be closely tied to the success of our future franchise partners and we will have limited control with respect to their operations; the risk that we may face negative publicity or damage to our reputation, which could arise from concerns regarding food safety and foodborne illness or other matters; that minimum wage increases and mandated employee benefits could cause a significant increase in our labor costs; that events or circumstances could cause the termination or limitation of our rights to certain intellectual property critical to our business that is licensed from Yoshiharu Holdings Co., or that we could face infringements on our intellectual property rights and be unable to protect our brand name, trademarks and other intellectual property rights; that challenging economic conditions may affect our business by adversely impacting numerous items that include, but are not limited to: consumer confidence and discretionary spending, the future cost and availability of credit and the operations of our third-party vendors and other service providers; the risk that we, or our point of sale and restaurant management platform partners, may fail to secure guests’ confidential, personally identifiable, debit card or credit card information or other private data relating to our employees or us; and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, or a similar public health threat, on global capital and financial markets, general economic conditions in the United States, and our business and operations.
You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. We have based the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus primarily on our current expectations and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects. The outcome of the events described in these forward-looking statements is subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors described elsewhere in this prospectus and in the section titled “Risk Factors” in our annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 1, 2024, as amended by Form 10-K/A filed with the SEC on July 31, 2024.
| 14 |
On January 6, 2025, we entered into the EPA with Crom pursuant to which we may sell to Crom up to $10,000,000, of shares (the “ELOC Shares”) of Class A Common Stock, from time to time during the term of the EPA. The EPA contains customary representations, warranties, conditions and indemnification obligations of the parties. Pursuant to the EPA, we also agreed to file a registration statement with the SEC, covering the resale of ELOC Shares issued or sold to Crom under the EPA under the Securities Act.
In consideration for Crom’s execution and delivery of the EPA, we issued to Crom 31,948 (the “Commitment Shares”).
We cannot sell any additional shares to Crom until the date that the registration statement which contains this prospectus is declared effective by the SEC and a final prospectus in connection therewith is filed and all of the other conditions set forth in the EPA are satisfied (the “Commencement Date”). From and after such time, we will control the timing and amount of any sales of our Class A Common Stock to Crom. Actual sales of shares of our Class A Common Stock to Crom under the EPA will depend on a variety of factors to be determined by us from time to time, including, among others, market conditions, the trading price of the Class A Common Stock and determinations by us as to the appropriate sources of funding for our company and our operations. Each issuance and sale by the Company to Crom under the EPA (an “Advance”) is to be effectuated by means of a written notice setting forth the ELOC Shares which the Company intends to require Crom to purchase (the “Advance Notice”), subject to a registration statement being effective for an advance notice to be delivered.
Beginning on the Commencement Date and until January 6, 2027, under the terms and subject to the conditions of the EPA, from time to time, at our discretion, we have the right, but not the obligation, to issue to Crom, and Crom is obligated to purchase, the ELOC Shares, subject to certain limitations set forth in the EPA. The ELOC Shares will be issued and sold to the Crom at a per share price equal to 93% of the lowest volume weighted average price of the Class A Common Stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) during the five trading days following the clearing date of the respective advance shares (the “Initial Purchase Price”).
Each Advance is subject to a minimum amount not less than $25,000.00 (calculated using the Initial Purchase Price as defined in the EPA) and a maximum amount up to the lesser of: (i) $300,000.00 (calculated using the Initial Purchase Price as defined in the EPA) or (ii) 100% of the average of the daily volume traded of the Class A Common Stock on Nasdaq during the ten trading days (excludes the single highest and lowest volume days for the period) immediately preceding the date of delivery of the Advance Notice (the “Advance Notice Date”) multiplied by the lowest volume weighted average price of the Class A Common Stock on Nasdaq during the ten trading days immediately preceding the Advance Notice Date.
Our ability to issue ELOC Shares under the EPA are subject to certain limitations, including that Crom cannot purchase any shares that would result in it beneficially owning more than 4.99% of the our Class A Common Stock at the time of us issuing an Advance Notice. As of our most recent Annual Meeting of the Stockholders held on December 19, 2024, we have obtained stockholder approval for the issuance of more than 19.99% of our issued and outstanding shares of Class A Common stock pursuant to the EPA and Note transactions with Crom
The net proceeds from sales, if any, under the EPA, will depend on the frequency and prices at which we sell shares of Class A Common Stock to Crom. To the extent we sell shares under the EPA, we currently plan to use any proceeds therefrom for costs of this transaction, for working capital, strategic and other general corporate purposes.
The EPA does not include any on our use of amounts we receive as the purchase price for shares of Class A Common Stock sold to Crom. However, under the EPA, we have covenanted that we will not enter into any equity line of credit with any other party without the prior written consent of Crom.
As of February 4, 2025, there were 1,342,585 shares of our Common Stock outstanding. Although the EPA provides that we may sell up to an aggregate of $10,000,000 of shares of our Common Stock to Crom, only 468,052 shares of our Common Stock are being registered for resale under this prospectus that we may issue and sell to Crom in the future under the EPA, if and when we elect to sell shares of our Common Stock to Crom under the EPA. Depending on the market prices of our Common Stock at the time we elect to issue and sell shares of our Common Stock to Crom under the EPA, we may need to register for resale under the Securities Act additional shares of our Common Stock in order to receive aggregate gross proceeds equal to the $10,000,000 total commitment available to us under the EPA. If all of such 468,052 shares of our Common Stock offered hereby were issued and outstanding as of the date of this prospectus, such shares would represent approximately 25.85%% of the total number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, and approximately 76.97% of the total number of outstanding shares of Common Stock held by non-affiliates, in each case as of the date of this prospectus. If we elect to issue and sell to Crom under the EPA more than the 468,052 shares of our Common Stock being registered for resale by Crom under this prospectus, which we have the right, but not the obligation, to do, we must first register for resale under the Securities Act any such additional shares of our Common Stock, which could cause additional substantial dilution to our shareholders. The number of shares of our Common Stock ultimately offered for sale by Crom is dependent upon the number of shares purchased by Crom under the EPA.
| 15 |
Issuances of our Common Stock to Crom under the EPA will not affect the rights or privileges of our existing shareholders, except that the economic and voting interests of each of our existing shareholders will be diluted as a result of any such issuance. Although the number of shares of our Common Stock that our existing shareholders own will not decrease, the shares of our Common Stock owned by our existing shareholders will represent a smaller percentage of our total outstanding shares of our Common Stock after any such issuance of shares of our Common Stock to Crom under the EPA. There are substantial risks to our shareholders as a result of the sale and issuance of Common Stock to Crom under the EPA. See “Risk Factors.”
Conditions to Commencement and for Delivery of Advance Notices
Our ability to deliver the Advance Notices to Crom under the EPA are subject to the satisfaction by us, of certain conditions, all of which are entirely outside of Crom’s control, including, but not limited to, the following:
| ● | the accuracy in all material respects of our representations and warranties included in the EPA on the date of the EPA and the date of each closing of a purchase and sale under the EPA of; | |
| ● | we having performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by the EPA to be performed, satisfied or complied with by us; | |
| ● | the registration statement that includes this prospectus (and amendment or supplement thereto) shall have been declared effective and remain effective for the offering and sale of the shares and (i) we shall not have received notice that the SEC has issued or intends to issue a stop order with respect to such registration statement or that the SEC otherwise has suspended or withdrawn the effectiveness of such registration statement, either temporarily or permanently, or intends or has threatened to do so and (ii) no other suspension of the use of, or withdrawal of the effectiveness of, such registration statement or the prospectus shall exist; | |
| ● | the number of shares then to be purchased by Crom shall not exceed the number of such shares that, when aggregated with all other shares of Common Stock then owned by Crom beneficially or deemed beneficially owned by Crom, would result in Crom owning more than the beneficial ownership limitation; | |
| ● | the absence of any statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or adopted by any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction that prohibits or directly and materially adversely affects any of the transactions contemplated by the EPA and the exhibits thereto, and no proceeding shall have been commenced that may have the effect of prohibiting or materially adversely affecting any of the transactions contemplated by the EPA and the exhibits thereto; | |
| ● | the Common Stock must be DWAC Eligible and not subject to a “DTC chill”; | |
| ● | the issuance of the Advance Shares shall not violate the shareholder approval requirements of Nasdaq; and | |
| ● | all reports, schedules, registrations, forms, statements, information and other documents required to have been filed by us with the SEC pursuant to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act shall have been filed with the SEC. |
| 16 |
Termination of the EPA
Unless earlier terminated as provided in the EPA, the EPA will terminate automatically on the earliest to occur of:
| ● | January 6, 2027; or | |
| ● | the date on which Crom shall have purchased Advance Shares for an aggregate purchase price of $10,000,000. |
No Short-Selling or Hedging by Crom
Crom has agreed that neither it nor any of its affiliates shall engage in any direct or indirect short-selling our Common Stock during any time prior to the termination of the EPA.
Effect of Performance of the EPA on our Shareholders
All shares registered in this offering that may be issued or sold by us to Crom under the EPA are expected to be freely tradable. The resale by Crom of a significant number of shares registered in this offering at any given time, or the perception that these sales may occur, could cause the market price of our Common Stock to decline and to be highly volatile. Sales of our Common Stock to Crom, if any, will depend upon market conditions and other factors to be determined by us. We may ultimately decide to sell to Crom all, some or none of the additional shares of our Common Stock that may be available for us to sell pursuant to the EPA. If and when we do sell shares to Crom, after Crom has acquired the shares, Crom may resell all, some or none of those shares of Common Stock at any time or from time to time in its discretion. Therefore, sales to Crom by us under the EPA may result in substantial dilution to the interests of other holders of our Common Stock. In addition, if we sell a substantial number of shares to Crom under the EPA, or if investors expect that we will do so, the actual sales of shares or the mere existence of our arrangement with Crom may make it more difficult for us to sell equity or equity-related securities in the future at a time and at a price that we might otherwise wish to effect such sales. However, we have the right to control the timing and amount of any additional sales of Common Stock to Crom and the EPA may be terminated by us at any time at our discretion without any cost to us, subject to certain conditions.
Pursuant to the terms of the EPA, we have the right, but not the obligation, to direct Crom to purchase up to $10,000,000 of our Common Stock, subject to certain limitations. If we elect to issue and sell to Crom under the EPA more than the 468,052 Shares of our Common Stock being registered for resale by Crom under this prospectus, which we have the right, but not the obligation, to do, we must first register for resale under the Securities Act any such additional shares of our Common Stock, which could cause additional substantial dilution to our shareholders. The number of shares of our Common Stock ultimately offered for sale by Crom is dependent upon the number of shares purchased by Crom under the EPA.
The following table sets forth the amount of gross proceeds we would receive from Crom from our sale of shares of Common Stock to Crom under the EPA at varying purchase prices:
Assumed Average Purchase Price Per Share | Number of Registered Shares to be Issued if Full Purchase(1) | Percentage of Outstanding Shares Issued After Giving Effect to the Issuance to EPA(2) | Gross Proceeds from the Sale of Shares to Crom Under the EPA | |||||||||||
| $ | 2.15 | 468,052 | 25.85 | % | $ | 1,006,311 | ||||||||
| $ | 2.30 | 468,052 | 25.85 | % | $ | 1,076,520 | ||||||||
| $ | 2.45 | (3) | 468,052 | 25.85 | % | $ | 1,146,724 | |||||||
| $ | 2.60 | 468,052 | 25.85 | % | $ | 1,216,935 | ||||||||
| $ | 2.85 | 468,052 | 25.85 | % | $ | 1,333,948 | ||||||||
| $ | 3.00 | 468,052 | 25.85 | % | $ | 1,404,156 | ||||||||
| $ | 3.15 | 468,052 | 25.85 | % | $ | 1,474,363 | ||||||||
| (1) | Although the EPA provides that we may sell up to $10,000,000 of our Class A Common Stock to Crom, we are only registering 500,000 shares under this prospectus pursuant to the EPA, which represents (i) the 31,948 Commitment Shares we will issue to Crom, (ii) and an additional 468,052 shares to be issued pursuant to future Advance Notices. |
| (2) | The denominator is based on 1,342,585 shares of our Class A Common Stock outstanding as of February 4, 2025, plus the number of shares set forth in the adjacent column that we would have issued or sold to Crom, assuming the average purchase price in the first column. The numerator is based on the number of shares of our Class A Common Stock issuable under the EPA (that are the subject of this offering) at the corresponding assumed average purchase price set forth in the first column. |
| (3) | The closing sale price of our Class A Common Stock on January 6, 2025, the date of EPA. |
| 17 |
On January 6, 2025, entered a securities purchase agreement (the “SPA”) pursuant to which we issued the Note in the original principal amount of $1,100,000 to Crom. Crom paid a purchase price of $1,000,000 to us for the Note.
The Company will pay a one-time interest charge on the principal amount of the Note at a rate of 5% when such amounts become due and payable. The maturity date of the Note is January 6, 2026. Any outstanding principal or interest on the Note that is not paid when due will bear interest at the rate of the lesser of: (i) 18% per annum and (ii) the maximum amount permitted by law from the due date thereof until the same is paid. Upon the occurrence of an event of default, the Note will become immediately due and payable. In addition, upon an event of default, the Company will be required to pay an amount equal to the principal amount then outstanding plus accrued interest through the date of full repayment multiplied by 115%, plus applicable costs and fees. The Company may prepay the outstanding principal amount and interest due under the Note subject to certain restrictions.
At any time, subject to certain ownership limitations, Crom may convert any portion of the outstanding and unpaid principal, interest, or other amounts outstanding under the Note into Common Stock. The conversion price will be equal to the lesser of: (i) $5.00 or (ii) 90% of the lowest dollar volume weighted average price on any trading day during the five trading days immediately preceding the conversion date, subject to adjustment as provided in the Note (the “Conversion Price”).
Pursuant to the Note, the Company will, at all times, reserve from its authorized and unissued shares of Class A Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Conversion Shares equal to the greater of: (i) 1,018,518 shares of Class A Common Stock or (ii) the sum of: (a) the number of Conversion Shares issuable upon the full conversion of the Note (assuming no payment of the principal amount or interest) at a conversion price equal to the Conversion Price multiplied by (b) 2.5.
Under the applicable Nasdaq rules, in no event may we issue to Crom under the Note more than the Exchange Cap of 50,000 shares of Class A Common Stock (the “Exchange Cap”), unless we obtain stockholder approval to do so, or unless sales of common stock are made at a price equal to or greater than the Nasdaq minimum price, such that the Exchange Cap limitation would not apply under applicable Nasdaq rules. As of our most recent Annual Meeting of the Stockholders held on December 19, 2024, we have obtained stockholder approval for the issuance of more than 19.99% of our issued and outstanding shares of Class A Common stock pursuant to the EPA and Note transactions with Crom. In any event, the Note specifically provides that we may not issue or sell any shares of our Common Stock under the Note if such issuance or sale would breach any applicable Nasdaq rules.
Pursuant to the Note, we entered into a registration rights agreement (the “ Note Registration Rights Agreement”) in which we agreed to file, within 30 calendar days from January 6, 2025, a registration statement covering the resale of all of the Conversion Shares. On January 28, 2024, we entered into the First Amendment o the Registration Rights Agreement (the “Amendment”) which amended the mandatory registration provision in the Note Registration Rights Agreement pertaining to the Note. The Amendment updated the amount of time that the Company has to ensure the Registration is declared effective from 90 days to 120 days.
1,100,000 of the Shares registered herein are to be held in reserve for the Conversion Shares that are to be issued pursuant to the Note.
The SPA governing the Note contains customary representations and warranties for the benefit of Crom. The representations, warranties and covenants contained in the SPA and Note were made only for purposes of the SPA and Note and as of specific dates, were solely for the benefit of the parties to such agreement and are subject to certain important limitations.
Additionally, while any amount remains outstanding on the Note, we have agreed not to effect any transaction involving a Variable Rate Transaction (as defined in the Note). Crom shall not have the right to convert any portion of the Note to the extent that after giving effect to such conversion, Crom would beneficially own 4.99% of the number of Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such conversion or receipt of Common Stock as interest. Issuances of our Common Stock to Crom under the Note will not affect the rights or privileges of our existing shareholders, except that the economic and voting interests of each of our existing shareholders will be diluted as a result of any such issuance. Although the number of shares of our Common Stock that our existing shareholders own will not decrease, the shares of our Common Stock owned by our existing shareholders will represent a smaller percentage of our total outstanding shares of our Common Stock after any such issuance of shares of our Common Stock to Crom upon conversion of the Note. There are substantial risks to our shareholders as a result of the sale and issuance of Common Stock to Crom under the Note. See “Risk Factors.”
| 18 |
This prospectus relates to shares of Class A Common Stock that may be offered and sold from time to time by the Selling Stockholder. We will not receive any proceeds from the resale of shares of Class A Common Stock by the Selling Stockholder.
We may receive up to $10 million in gross proceeds pursuant to the EPA. See “Plan of Distribution” elsewhere in this prospectus for more information.
We intend to use any proceeds from the Selling Stockholder that we receive under the EPA and Note for working capital, strategic and general corporate purposes. We cannot specify with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds that we will have from the sale of our shares pursuant to the EPA and Note. Therefore, our management will have broad discretion to determine the specific use for the net proceeds and we may use the proceeds for purposes that are not contemplated at the time of this offering.
We will incur all costs associated with this prospectus and the registration statement of which it is a part.
| 19 |
MARKET FOR COMMON STOCK AND DIVIDEND POLICY
Market Information and Number of Stockholders
Our Common Stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “YOSH.” The last reported closing price for our Common Stock on Nasdaq on February 3, 2025 was $3.68 per share.
On February 4, 2025, there were 40 holders of record of the shares of our Class A Common Stock and one holder of Class B Common Stock. The number of record holders was determined from the records of our transfer agent and does not include beneficial owners of shares of Common Stock whose shares are held in the names of various securities brokers, dealers, and registered clearing agencies.
Dividend Policy
We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on shares of our Class A Common Stock and do not intend to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. We anticipate that we will retain all of our future earnings for use in the development of our business and for general corporate purposes. Any determination to pay dividends in the future will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors. Accordingly, investors must rely on sales of their Class A Common Stock after price appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way to realize any future gains on their investments.
| 20 |
The following table sets forth our actual cash and cash equivalents and our capitalization as of September 30, 2024:
| ● | on an actual basis; |
| ● | on an as adjusted basis to give effect to the events above and the issuance and sale of 1,600,000 shares of our Class A Common Stock at an assumed Purchase Price to Selling Stockholder of $2.60 per share. |
You should read this information in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements and related notes for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, as amended, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 which all are incorporated by reference herein.
As of September 30, 2024 (unaudited) | ||||||||
| (in thousands) | Actual | As adjusted | ||||||
| Cash and Cash Equivalents: | $ | 1,712,064 | $ | 2,338,651 | ||||
| Total Current Liabilities: | 5,895,057 | 5,895,057 | ||||||
| Total Long-Term Liabilities: | 11,816,825 | 11,816,825 | ||||||
| Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit): | ||||||||
| Class A Common Stock - $0.0001 par value per share; 49,000,000 authorized shares; 1,342,585 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2024 | 125 | 149 | ||||||
| Class B Common Stock - $0.0001 par value per share; 1,000,000 authorized shares; 100,000 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2024 | 10 | 10 | ||||||
| Additional paid-in capital | (12,143,969 | ) | (12,143,969 | ) | ||||
| Accumulated deficit | (12,543,910 | ) | 12,543,910 | |||||
| Total stockholders’ equity (deficit) | $ | (399,806 | ) | $ | 226,781 | |||
The as adjusted information discussed above is illustrative only.
The total number of shares of our Class A Common Stock reflected in the discussion and table above is based on shares outstanding as of September 30, 2024, and excludes:
| ● | 14,700 shares of Class A Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants of which 14,700 are exercisable at a weighted average exercise price of $-50 per share as of September 30, 2024. |
| 21 |
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The following table sets forth certain information regarding the ownership of our Common Stock as of February 4, 2025 (the “Determination Date”) by: (i) each current director of our company; (ii) each of our Named Executive Officers (“NEOs”); (iii) all current executive officers and directors of our company as a group; and (iv) all those known by us to be beneficial owners of more than five percent (5%) of our Common Stock.
Beneficial ownership and percentage ownership are determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC. Under these rules, beneficial ownership generally includes any shares as to which the individual or entity has sole or shared voting power or investment power and includes any shares that an individual or entity has the right to acquire beneficial ownership of within 60 days of the Determination Date, through the exercise of any option, warrant or similar right (such instruments being deemed to be “presently exercisable”). In computing the number of shares beneficially owned by a person and the percentage ownership of that person, shares of our Common Stock that could be issued upon the exercise of presently exercisable options and warrants are considered to be outstanding. These shares, however, are not considered outstanding as of the Determination Date when computing the percentage ownership of each other person.
To our knowledge, except as indicated in the footnotes to the following table, and subject to state community property laws where applicable, all beneficial owners named in the following table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares shown as beneficially owned by them. Percentage of ownership is based on 1,342,585 shares of Class A Common Stock and 100,000 shares of Class B Common Stock outstanding as of the Determination Date. Unless otherwise indicated, the business address of each person in the table below is c/o Yoshiharu Global Co., at 6940 Beach Blvd., Suite D-705, Buena Park, California 90621. No shares identified below are subject to a pledge.
| Name of Beneficial Owner | Number of Class A Shares Beneficially Owned(1) | Percent of Class A Common Stock Outstanding(2) | Number of Class B Shares Beneficially Owned(1) | Percent of Class B Common Stock Outstanding(2) | Percent of Total Voting Power(2)(3) | |||||||||||||||
| James Chae | 619,600 | 46.15 | % | 100,000 | 100.00 | % | 69.14 | % | ||||||||||||
| Soojae Ryan Cho | 1,400 | * | - | - | * | |||||||||||||||
| Jay Kim | 10,000 | * | - | - | * | |||||||||||||||
| Harinne Kim | 2,500 | * | - | - | * | |||||||||||||||
| Yusil Yeo | 1,000 | * | - | - | * | |||||||||||||||
| All NEOs and Directors as a Group (5 persons) | 634,500 | 47.26 | % | 100,000 | 100.00 | % | 69.77 | % | ||||||||||||
| * | Beneficial ownership of less than 1.0% is omitted. |
| (1) | A person is considered to beneficially own any shares: (i) over which such person, directly or indirectly, exercises sole or shared voting or investment power, or (ii) of which such person has the right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time within 60 days (such as through exercise of stock options or warrants). Unless otherwise indicated, voting and investment power relating to the shares shown in the table for our directors and executive officers is exercised solely by the beneficial owner or shared by the owner and the owner’s spouse or children. |
| (2) | Shares of our Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of our convertible preferred stock are deemed outstanding for purposes of computing the percentage shown above. In addition, for purposes of this table, a person or group of persons is deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of any shares of Common Stock that such person has the right to acquire within 60 days after the date of this prospectus. For purposes of computing the percentage of outstanding shares of our Common Stock held by each person or group of persons named above, any shares that such person or persons has the right to acquire within 60 days after the date of this prospectus is deemed to be outstanding, but is not deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. The inclusion herein of any shares listed as beneficially owned does not constitute an admission of beneficial ownership. |
| (3) | Our Class B Common Stock has 10 votes per share, while our Class A Common Stock has one vote per share. |
From time to time, the number of our shares held in the “street name” accounts of various securities dealers for the benefit of their clients or in centralized securities depositories may exceed 5% of the total shares of our Common Stock outstanding.
| 22 |
The following descriptions of our capital stock and certain provisions of Certificate of Incorporation, our Bylaws and Delaware law are summaries. You should also refer to the text of our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws, which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is part.
Authorized and Outstanding Capital Stock
As of February 4, 2025, 1,342,585 shares of Class A Common Stock were issued and outstanding and 100,000 shares of Class B Common Stock were issued and outstanding.
Class A Common Stock
Pursuant to our Certificate of Incorporation, holders of our Class A Common Stock are entitled to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, and holders of our Common Stock will not be entitled to cumulative voting in the election of directors. This means that the holders of a majority of the combined voting power of our outstanding Common Stock will be able to elect all of the directors then standing for election. Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of preferred stock, holders of our Class A Common Stock shall be entitled to receive dividends out of any of our funds legally available when, as and if declared by our Board of Directors. Upon the dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the company, subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of our preferred stock, the holders of our Common Stock shall be entitled to receive the assets of the company available for distribution to its stockholders ratably in proportion to the number of shares held by them. Holders of Class A Common Stock will not have preemptive or conversion rights or other subscription rights. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to our Class A Common Stock. All outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock are, and the shares of Class A Common Stock offered in this prospectus will be when issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
Class B Common Stock
Pursuant to our Certificate of Incorporation, our Class B Common Stock has the same rights as our Class A Common Stock except for (i) certain conversion rights as described below under “Conversion Rights,” and (ii) on all matters to be voted on by stockholders, holders of our Class A Common Stock are entitled to one vote per share while holders of our Class B Common Stock are entitled to 10 votes per share. Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of preferred stock, holders of our Class B Common Stock shall be entitled to receive dividends out of any of our funds legally available when, as and if declared by our Board of Directors. Upon our dissolution, liquidation or winding up, subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of our preferred stock, the holders of shares of our Common Stock shall be entitled to receive the assets of the company available for distribution to its stockholders ratably in proportion to the number of shares held by them. Holders of Class B Common Stock will not have preemptive or other subscription rights. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to our Class B Common Stock. All outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock are fully paid and nonassessable.
James Chae, our Chief Executive Officer, is the only holder of shares of Class B Common Stock.
Conversion Rights
Shares of Class A Common Stock have no conversion rights.
Each share of Class B Common Stock shall automatically be converted into one fully paid and non-assessable share of Class A Common Stock upon the earliest of (A) the date such shares cease to be beneficially owned (as such term is defined under Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act) by James Chae and (B) at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time on the date that Mr. Chae ceases to beneficially own (as such term is defined under Section 13(d)) at least 25% of the voting power of all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the company.
Except for the foregoing conversion rights of the Class B Common Stock and provisions applicable equally to both Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock, including, but not limited to, the repurchase of such shares by us, there are no provisions which otherwise limit the lifespan of the Class B Common Stock or would require conversion to Class A Common Stock.
| 23 |
Voting Rights
Except as required by Delaware law or except as otherwise provided in our Certificate of Incorporation, holders of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock will vote together as a single class on all matters presented to a vote of stockholders, including the election of directors. Each holder of Class A Common Stock is entitled to one vote for each share held of record on the applicable record date for all of these matters, while each holder of Class B Common Stock is entitled to 10 votes for each share held of record on the applicable record date for all of these matters.
Holders of Class A Common Stock have no cumulative voting rights or preemptive rights to purchase or subscribe for any stock or other securities, and there are no conversion rights or redemption or sinking fund provisions with respect to Class A Common Stock. Class B Common Stock is identical in all respects to Class A Common Stock, except with respect to voting and conversion rights.
Warrants
At September 30, 2024, the following warrants were outstanding:
Underlying Shares of Class A Common Stock | Expiration Date | Initial Exercise Price(1) | ||||
| 14,700 | September 8, 2027 | $ | 50.00 | |||
| (1) | Pursuant to the terms of such warrants, the exercise price is subject to adjustment in the event of stock splits, combinations or the like of our Class A Common Stock. |
Anti-Takeover Effects of Certain Provisions of Our Articles of Incorporation, as Amended, and Our Bylaws
Our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws contain certain provisions that could have the effect of delaying, deferring or discouraging another party from acquiring control of us. These provisions and certain provisions of Delaware law, which are summarized below, may discourage coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. These provisions also may encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our Board of Directors. We believe that the benefits of increased protection of our potential ability to negotiate with an unfriendly or unsolicited acquirer outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging a proposal to acquire us because negotiation of these proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.
Stockholder meetings. Under our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, only the Board of Directors, or the chairman of the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer with the concurrence of a majority of the Board of Directors, may call special meetings of stockholders. These provisions may inhibit the ability of our stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or for stockholders controlling a majority of our capital stock to take any action, including the removal of directors.
Requirements for advance notification of stockholder nominations and proposals. Our Bylaws establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors.
Stockholder action by written consent permitted only if our parent company and its affiliates own a majority of the voting power of the Common Stock. Our Certificate of Incorporation authorizes the right of stockholders to act by written consent without a meeting. This provision will, in certain situations, make it more difficult for stockholders, who are not our parent company or its affiliates, to take action opposed by the Board of Directors.
Amendment of provisions in the Certificate of Incorporation. Our Certificate of Incorporation requires the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the combined voting power of our outstanding Common Stock in order to amend any provision of our Certificate of Incorporation.
| 24 |
Amendment of provisions in the Bylaws. Our Bylaws will require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the combined voting power of our outstanding Common Stock in order to amend any provision of our Bylaws.
Controlled company. As discussed above, our Class B Common Stock has 10 votes per share, while Class A Common Stock. 100% of our Class B Common Stock is held by James Chae, our Chief Executive Officer. Until our dual class structure terminates, James Chae will be able to control all matters submitted to our stockholders for approval even if he owns significantly less than 50% of the number of shares of our outstanding Common Stock. This concentrated control could discourage others from initiating any potential merger, takeover or other change of control transaction that other stockholders may view as beneficial.
Delaware Anti-Takeover Statute. Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that we are not subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging, under certain circumstances, in a business combination with an interested stockholder for a period of three years following the date the person became an interested stockholder.
The provisions of Delaware law and the provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, as amended, could have the effect of discouraging others from attempting hostile takeovers and, as a consequence, they may also inhibit temporary fluctuations in the market price of our Class A Common Stock that often result from actual or rumored hostile takeover attempts. These provisions may also have the effect of preventing changes in our management. It is possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to accomplish transactions that stockholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests.
Exclusive Forum
Our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws each contain an exclusive forum provision providing that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the sole and exclusive forum for (1) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (2) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by, or other wrongdoing by, any of our directors, officers, employees, agents or stockholders, (3) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our Certificate of Incorporation or our Bylaws, or (4) any action asserting a claim that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine. However, each provision states that it shall not apply to actions arising under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.
In addition, Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. As a result, the exclusive forum provisions will not apply to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or any other claim for which the federal and state courts have concurrent jurisdiction, and our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.
Any person purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any shares of our capital stock shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to this provision included in our Bylaws which we will adopt prior to the completion of this offering. The exclusive forum provisions, if enforced, may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage such lawsuits. Alternatively, if a court were to find the exclusive forum provisions to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. For example, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware recently determined that a provision stating that U.S. federal district courts are the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act is not enforceable.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The registrar and transfer agent for our Common Stock is VStock Transfer, LLC, located at 18 Lafayette Place Woodmere, New York 11598.
Listing
Our Class A Common Stock is traded on Nasdaq under the symbol “YOSH.”
| 25 |
This prospectus relates to the offer and sale by Crom of up to 1,600,000 shares of Class A Common Stock that have been and may be issued by us to Crom under the EPA and Note. For additional information regarding the shares of Class A Common Stock included in this prospectus, see the section titled “The Crom EPA Transaction” and “The Crom Note Transaction” above. We are registering the shares of Class A Common Stock included in this prospectus pursuant to the provisions of the EPA in order to permit the Selling Stockholder to offer the shares for resale from time to time. Except for the transactions contemplated by the EPA and Note, Crom has not had any material relationship with us within the past three years. As used in this prospectus, the term “Selling Stockholder” means Crom Structured Opportunities Fund I, LP.
The table below presents information regarding the Selling Stockholder and the shares of Class A Common Stock that may be resold by the Selling Stockholder from time to time under this prospectus. This table is prepared based on information supplied to us by the Selling Stockholder, and reflects holdings as of February 4, 2025. The number of shares in the column “Maximum Number of Shares of Class A Common Stock to be Offered Pursuant to this Prospectus” represents all of the shares of Class A Common Stock being offered for resale by the Selling Stockholder under this prospectus. The Selling Stockholder may sell some, all or none of the shares being offered for resale in this offering. We do not know how long the Selling Stockholder will hold the shares before selling them, and we know of no existing arrangements between the Selling Stockholder or any other stockholder, broker, dealer, underwriter or agent relating to the sale or distribution of the shares of our Class A Common Stock offered by this prospectus.
Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3(d) promulgated by the SEC under the Exchange Act, and includes shares of Class A Common Stock with respect to which the Selling Stockholder has voting power, including the power to vote or to direct the voting of such shares, and/or investment power, including the power to dispose or to direct the disposition of such shares. The percentage of shares of Class A Common Stock beneficially owned by the Selling Stockholder prior to the offering shown in the table below is based on an aggregate 1,342,585 shares of our Class A Common Stock outstanding on February 4, 2025.
Because the purchase price per share to be paid by the Selling Stockholder for the shares of Class A Common Stock that we may, in our discretion, elect to sell to the Selling Stockholder from time to time after the date of this prospectus in purchases pursuant to the EPA and Note, if any, will fluctuate based on the market prices of our Class A Common Stock at the times we elect to sell such shares to the Selling Stockholder in purchases under the EPA and Note, it is not possible for us to predict, as of the date of this prospectus and prior to any such purchases under the EPA and Note, the actual number of shares of Class A Common Stock that we will sell to the Selling Stockholder under the EPA and Note, which may be fewer than the number of shares of Class A Common Stock being offered for resale by the Selling Stockholder under this prospectus. The fourth column assumes the resale by the Selling Stockholder of all of the shares of Class A Common Stock being offered pursuant to this prospectus.
| Name of Selling Stockholder | Number of Shares of Class A Common Stock Owned Prior to Offering | Maximum Number of Shares of Class A Common Stock to be Offered Pursuant to this | Number of Shares of Class A Common Stock Owned After Offering | |||||||||||||||||
| Number(1) | Percent(2) | Prospectus | Number(3) | Percent(2) | ||||||||||||||||
| Crom Structured Opportunities Fund I, LP (4) | 66,994 | 4.99 | % | 1,600,000 | 146,834 | 4.99 | % | |||||||||||||
| * | Represents beneficial ownership of less than 1% of the outstanding shares of our Class A Common Stock. |
| (1) | In accordance with Rule 13d-3(d) under the Exchange Act, we have excluded from the number of shares beneficially owned prior to the offering all of the shares that the Selling Stockholder may be required to purchase from us at our election from time to time after the date of this prospectus pursuant to Purchases under the EPA and Conversions under the Note, because the issuance of such shares is solely at our discretion and is subject to conditions contained in the EPA, the satisfaction of which are entirely outside of the Selling Stockholder’s control, including the registration statement that includes this prospectus becoming and remaining effective. Furthermore, the purchases of the Class A Common Stock are subject to certain agreed upon maximum amount limitations set forth in the EPA. Also, the EPA prohibits us from issuing and selling any shares of our Class A Common Stock to the Selling Stockholder to the extent such shares, when aggregated with all other shares of our Class A Common Stock then beneficially owned by the Selling Stockholder, would cause the Selling Stockholder’s beneficial ownership of Class A Common Stock to exceed the 4.99% beneficial ownership limitation. The beneficial ownership limitation may not be amended or waived under the EPA. |
| (2) | Applicable percentage ownership is based on 1,342,585 shares of our Class A Common Stock outstanding as of February 4, 2025. |
| (3) | Assumes the sale of all shares being offered pursuant to this prospectus. |
| (4) | The business address of Crom Structured Opportunities Fund I, LP is 228 Park Ave S PMB 57033, New York, NY, 10003-1502. The general partner of Crom Structured Opportunities Fund I, LP is CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I GP, LLC. CROM CORTANA FUND LLC is the member of the general partner. John Chen and Liam Sherif have voting and disposition control over the shares of Class A Common Stock but disclaim beneficial ownership over the securities listed except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein. |
| 26 |
The shares of Class A Common Stock offered by this prospectus are being offered by the Selling Stockholder, Crom. The shares may be sold or distributed from time to time by the Selling Stockholder directly to one or more purchasers or through brokers, dealers, or underwriters who may act solely as agents at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to the prevailing market prices, at negotiated prices, or at fixed prices, which may be changed. The sale of the shares of our Class A Common Stock offered by this prospectus could be effected in one or more of the following methods:
| ● | ordinary brokers’ transactions; | |
| ● | transactions involving cross or block trades; | |
| ● | through brokers, dealers, or underwriters who may act solely as agents; | |
| ● | “at the market” into an existing market for our Class A Common Stock; | |
| ● | in other ways not involving market makers or established business markets, including direct sales to purchasers or sales effected through agents; | |
| ● | in privately negotiated transactions; or | |
| ● | any combination of the foregoing. |
In order to comply with the securities laws of certain states, if applicable, the shares may be sold only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in certain states, the shares may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the state or an exemption from the state’s registration or qualification requirement is available and complied with.
Crom is an “underwriter” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act.
Crom has informed us that it intends to use one or more registered broker-dealers to effectuate all sales, if any, of our Class A Common Stock that it has acquired and may in the future acquire from us pursuant to the EPA and Note. Such sales will be made at prices and at terms then prevailing or at prices related to the then current market price. Each such registered broker-dealer will be an underwriter within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act. Crom has informed us that each such broker-dealer will receive commissions from Crom that will not exceed customary brokerage commissions.
Brokers, dealers, underwriters or agents participating in the distribution of the shares of our Class A Common Stock offered by this prospectus may receive compensation in the form of commissions, discounts, or concessions from the purchasers, for whom the broker-dealers may act as agent, of the shares sold by the Selling Stockholder through this prospectus. The compensation paid to any such particular broker-dealer by any such purchasers of shares of our Class A Common Stock sold by the Selling Stockholder may be less than or in excess of customary commissions. Neither we nor the Selling Stockholder can presently estimate the amount of compensation that any agent will receive from any purchasers of shares of our Class A Common Stock sold by the Selling Stockholder.
We know of no existing arrangements between the Selling Stockholder or any other stockholder, broker, dealer, underwriter or agent relating to the sale or distribution of the shares of our Class A Common Stock offered by this prospectus.
We may from time to time file with the SEC one or more supplements to this prospectus or amendments to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part to amend, supplement or update information contained in this prospectus, including, if and when required under the Securities Act, to disclose certain information relating to a particular sale of shares offered by this prospectus by the Selling Stockholder, including the names of any brokers, dealers, underwriters or agents participating in the distribution of such shares by the Selling Stockholder, any compensation paid by the Selling Stockholder to any such brokers, dealers, underwriters or agents, and any other required information.
| 27 |
We will pay the expenses incident to the registration under the Securities Act of the offer and sale of the shares of our Class A Common Stock covered by this prospectus by the Selling Stockholder. As consideration for its irrevocable commitment to purchase our Class A Common Stock under the EPA, we committed to issue to the Selling Stockholder 31,948 shares of Class A Common Stock upon the execution of the EPA (the “Commitment Shares”). We also have agreed to reimburse Crom for the fees and disbursements of its counsel in an amount equal to $20,000 payable as a deduction from the purchase price to be paid by EPA for the purchase of Class A Common Stock.
We also have agreed to Crom and certain other persons against certain liabilities in connection with the offering of shares of our Class A Common Stock offered hereby, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act or, if such indemnity is unavailable, to contribute amounts required to be paid in respect of such liabilities. Crom has agreed to indemnify us against liabilities under the Securities Act that may arise from certain written information furnished to us by Crom specifically for use in this prospectus or, if such indemnity is unavailable, to contribute amounts required to be paid in respect of such liabilities. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers, and controlling persons, we have been advised that in the opinion of the SEC this indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore, unenforceable.
The total expenses paid at the signing of the documents for the offering was $20,000.
Crom has represented to us that at no time prior to the date of the EPA has Crom or its agents, representatives or affiliates engaged in or effected, in any manner whatsoever, directly or indirectly, any short sale (as such term is defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO of the Exchange Act) of our Class A Common Stock or any hedging transaction, which establishes a net short position with respect to our Class A Common Stock. Crom has agreed that during the term of the EPA, neither Crom, nor any of its agents, representatives or affiliates will enter into or effect, directly or indirectly, any of the foregoing transactions.
We have advised the Selling Stockholder that it is required to comply with Regulation M promulgated under the Exchange Act. With certain exceptions, Regulation M precludes the Selling Stockholder, any affiliated purchasers, and any broker-dealer or other person who participates in the distribution from bidding for or purchasing, or attempting to induce any person to bid for or purchase any security which is the subject of the distribution until the entire distribution is complete. Regulation M also prohibits any bids or purchases made in order to stabilize the price of a security in connection with the distribution of that security. All of the foregoing may affect the marketability of the securities offered by this prospectus.
This offering will terminate on the date that all shares of our Class A Common Stock offered by this prospectus have been sold by the Selling Stockholder.
Our Class A Common Stock is currently listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “YOSH”.
| 28 |
Summary Compensation Table
The following table sets forth information regarding compensation earned during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 by our principal executive officers and our other most highly compensated executive officers as of the end of December 31, 2023 (“NEOs”).
| (a) | (b) | (c) | (d) | (e) | (f) | (g) | (h) | (i) | (j) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Name and Principal Position | Year | Salary | Bonus | Stock Awards | Option Awards | Non-equity Incentive plan compensation | Change in Pension Value and Nonqualified deferred compensation earnings | All other compensation | Total | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| James Chae, CEO and Chairman of the Board | 2023 | $ | 285,000 | $ | 55,000 | -0- | -0- | -0- | -0- | -0- | $ | 340,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soojae Ryan Cho, CFO | 2023 | $ | 144,000 | -0- | -0- | -0- | -0- | -0- | -0- | $ | 144,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| James Chae, CEO and Chairman of the Board | 2022 | $ | 285,000 | $ | 632,000 | -0- | -0- | -0- | -0- | -0- | $ | 917,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soojae Ryan Cho, CFO | 2022 | $ | 91,000 | -0- | $ | 56,000 | -0- | -0- | -0- | -0- | $ | 147,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Narrative to Summary Compensation Table
We entered into an employment contract on November 21, 2022 with James Chae as Chief Executive Officer for an annual salary of $285,000. There are no stock option and/or warrant programs at this time, but such programs may be developed in the future.
We engaged Soojae Ryan Cho effective May 23, 2022 to serve as Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. The offer letter provides for employment at will, for an initial term through May 22, 2023, which shall automatically renew annually, unless we determine not to renew the term with 60 days prior written notice. We have agreed to compensate Mr. Cho $144,000 per year, with yearly adjustments, based on performance. Subsequent to December 31, 2022, Mr. Cho received a restricted stock grant equal to $56,000 in shares of Class A Common Stock which vested three (3) months from the date of engagement.
Except as set forth above we do not currently have employment agreements with any of our NEOs.
| 29 |
Outstanding Equity Awards at the Year End
As of December 31, 2023, there were no outstanding equity awards for each of the NEOs.
Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control
None of our NEOs are entitled to receive payments or other benefits upon termination of employment or a change in control.
Retirement Plans
We do not maintain any deferred compensation, retirement, pension or profit-sharing plans.
Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan
On February 4, 2022, we adopted an incentive plan, which we refer to as the 2022 Plan, the material terms of which are described below.
Key Features
The Yoshiharu Global Co., Inc. 2022 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “2022 Plan”) includes a number of provisions that promote best practices by reinforcing the alignment between equity compensation arrangements for eligible employees, non-employee directors and other service providers and stockholders’ interests. These provisions include, but are not limited to, the following (which are qualified in their entirety by the actual text of the 2022 Plan):
| ● | No Discounted Options or SARs. Stock options and SARs (as defined below) generally may not be granted with exercise prices lower than the market value of the underlying shares on the grant date. | |
| ● | No Repricing without Stockholder Approval. Other than in connection with a change in our capitalization, at any time when the purchase price of a stock option or SAR is above the market value of a share, we will not, without stockholder approval, reduce the purchase price of the stock option or SAR and will not exchange the stock option or SAR for a new award with a lower (or no) purchase price or for cash. | |
| ● | No Transferability. Awards generally may not be transferred, except as otherwise provided in the 2022 Plan, including by will or the laws of descent and distribution, unless approved by the Board of Directors and/or the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors (the “Compensation Committee”). | |
| ● | No Automatic Grants. The 2022 Plan does not provide for automatic grants to any individual. | |
| ● | Multiple Award Types. The 2022 Plan permits the issuance of nonstatutory stock options (NSOs), incentive stock options (ISOs), stock appreciation rights (SARs), restricted stock units (RSUs), restricted stock, other stock-based awards, and cash awards. This breadth of award types will enable us to tailor awards in light of the accounting, tax, and other standards applicable at the time of grant. | |
| ● | Clawbacks. All awards, amounts or benefits received or outstanding under the 2022 Plan will be subject to clawback, cancellation, recoupment, rescission, payback, reduction or other similar action in accordance with our clawback or similar policy or any applicable law related to such actions. | |
| ● | Independent Oversight. The 2022 Plan is administered by a committee of independent members of the Board of Directors. |
Material Features of the 2022 Plan
The material terms of the 2022 Plan are summarized below. This summary of the 2022 Plan is not intended to be a complete description of the 2022 Plan and is qualified in its entirety by the actual text of the 2022 Plan.
Eligibility and Participation. Awards may be granted under the 2022 Plan to officers, employees, and consultants of the company and its subsidiaries and to non-employee directors of the company. Any of these awards may—but need not—be made as performance incentives to reward attainment of performance goals in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof.
| 30 |
Plan Administration. The Board of Directors has power and authority related to the administration of the 2022 Plan as are consistent with our corporate governance documents and applicable law. Pursuant to its charter, the Compensation Committee administers the 2022 Plan.
Type of Awards. The following types of awards are available for grant under the 2022 Plan: ISOs, NSOs, SARs, restricted stock, RSUs, other stock-based awards, and cash awards.
Number of Authorized Shares. The total number of shares authorized to be awarded under the Plan will not exceed 1,500,000 shares of Class A Common Stock. Shares issued under the Plan will consist in whole or in part of authorized but unissued shares, treasury shares, or shares purchased on the open market or otherwise, all as determined by us from time to time. Subject to adjustment under Section 15 of the 2022 Plan, 1,500,000 shares available for issuance under the Plan will be available for issuance as Incentive Stock Options.
Share Counting. Any award settled in cash will not be counted as shares for any purpose under the Plan. If any Award expires, or is terminated, surrendered, or forfeited, in whole or in part, the unissued shares covered by that award will again be available for the grant of awards. In the case of any substitute award, such substitute award will not be counted against the number of shares reserved under the 2022 Plan.
Stock Options and SARs
Grant of Options and SARs. The Compensation Committee may award ISOs, NSOs (together, “options”), and SARs to grantees under the 2022 Plan. SARs may be awarded either in tandem with or as a component of other awards or alone.
Exercise Price of Options and SARs. A SAR will confer on a grantee a right to receive, upon exercise thereof, the excess of (1) the fair market value of one Share on the date of exercise over (2) the SAR exercise price. The Award Agreement for a SAR (except those that constitute substitute awards) will specify the SAR Exercise Price, which will be fixed on the grant date as not less than the fair market value of a Share on that date. A SAR granted in tandem with an outstanding option after the grant date of such option will have a SAR Exercise Price that is equal to the option price, provided that the SAR Exercise Price may not be less than the fair market value of a Share on the grant date of the SAR.
Vesting of Options and SARs. The Board of Directors and/or Compensation Committee will determine the terms and conditions (including any performance requirements) under which an option or SAR will become exercisable and will include that information in the award agreement.
Special Limitations on ISOs. An option will constitute an ISO only if the grantee of the option is an employee of the company or any subsidiary of the company and to the extent that the aggregate fair market value (determined at the time the option is granted) of the shares with respect to which all ISOs held by such grantee become exercisable for the first time during any calendar year (under the 2022 Plan and all other plans of the grantee’s employer and its affiliates) does not exceed $100,000. This limitation will be applied by taking options into account in the order in which they were granted.
Restricted Shares and RSUs
At the time of grant, the Compensation Committee may establish a period of time and any additional restrictions including the satisfaction of corporate or individual performance objectives applicable to an award of Restricted Shares or RSUs. Each award of Restricted Shares or RSUs may be subject to a different restricted period and additional restrictions. Neither Restricted Shares nor RSUs may be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or otherwise encumbered or disposed of during the Restricted Period or before the satisfaction of any other applicable restrictions. Unless the Compensation Committee otherwise provides in an award agreement, holders of Restricted Shares will have rights as stockholders, including voting and dividend rights.
| 31 |
Other Stock-Based Awards
The Compensation Committee may, in its discretion, grant other stock-based awards. The terms of other stock-based awards will be set forth in the applicable award agreements, subject to the 2022 Plan requirements.
Performance Awards
The right of a grantee to exercise or receive a grant or settlement of any award, and the timing thereof, may be subject to such performance terms conditions as may be specified by the Compensation Committee. It may use such business criteria and other measures of performance as it may deem appropriate in establishing any performance terms or conditions.
Effect of Certain Transactions
Adjustments for Changes in Capitalization. If changes in our Class A Common Stock occur by reason of any recapitalization, reclassification, stock split, reverse split, combination of shares, exchange of shares, stock dividend or other distribution payable in stock, or other increase or decrease in the Class A Common Stock without receipt of consideration by us, or if there occurs any spin-off, split-up, extraordinary cash dividend or other distribution of assets by us, the number and kinds of shares for which grants of awards may be made, the number and kinds of shares for which outstanding awards may be exercised or settled, and the performance goals relating to outstanding awards, will be equitably adjusted by us.
Adjustments for Certain Transactions. Except as otherwise provided in an award agreement, in the event of a corporate transaction, the 2022 Plan and the awards will continue in effect in accordance with their respective terms, except that after a corporate transaction either (1) each outstanding award will be treated as provided for in the agreement entered into in connection with the corporate transaction or (2) if not so provided in such agreement, each grantee will be entitled to receive in respect of each Share subject to any outstanding awards, upon exercise or payment or transfer in respect of any award, the same number and kind of stock, securities, cash, property, or other consideration that each stockholder was entitled to receive in the corporate transaction in respect of one Share. Unless otherwise determined by the Compensation Committee, such stock, securities, cash, property or other consideration will remain subject to all of the terms and conditions (including performance criteria) that were applicable to the awards before such corporate transaction. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the treatment of outstanding options and SARs under in connection with a corporate transaction in which the consideration paid or distributed to the stockholders is not entirely shares of Class A Common Stock of the acquiring or resulting corporation may include the cancellation of outstanding options and SARs upon consummation of the corporate transaction as long as, at the election of the Compensation Committee, (A) the holders of affected options and SARs have been given a period of at least 15 days before the date of the consummation of the corporate transaction to exercise the options or SARs (to the extent otherwise exercisable) or (B) the holders of the affected options and SARs are paid (in cash or cash equivalents) in respect of each Share covered by the Option or SAR being canceled an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the per Share price paid or distributed to stockholders in the corporate transaction (the value of any noncash consideration to be determined by the Compensation Committee) over the option price or SAR Exercise Price, as applicable.
Change in Control. For any Awards outstanding as of the date of a change in control, either of the following provisions will apply, depending on whether, and the extent to which, awards are assumed, converted, or replaced by the resulting entity in a change in control, unless otherwise provided by an award agreement:
(1) To the extent such awards are not assumed, converted or replaced by the resulting entity in the change in control, then upon the change in control such outstanding awards that may be exercised will become fully exercisable, all restrictions with respect to such outstanding awards, other than for performance awards, will lapse and become vested and nonforfeitable, and for any outstanding performance awards the target payout opportunities attainable under such awards will be deemed to have been fully earned as of the change in control based upon the greater of (A) an assumed achievement of all relevant performance goals at the “target” level or (B) the actual level of achievement of all relevant performance goals against target as of our fiscal quarter end preceding the change in control.
| 32 |
(2) To the extent such awards are assumed, converted, or replaced by the resulting entity in the change in control, if, within 24 months after the date of the change in control, the service provider has a separation from service by us other than for cause (which may include a separation from service by the service provider for “good reason” if provided in the applicable award agreement), then such outstanding awards that may be exercised will become fully exercisable, all restrictions with respect to such outstanding awards, other than for performance awards, will lapse and become vested and nonforfeitable, and for any outstanding performance awards the target payout opportunities attainable under such awards will be deemed to have been fully earned as of the separation from service based on the greater of an assumed achievement of all relevant performance goals at the “target” level or the actual level of achievement of all relevant performance goals against target as of our fiscal quarter end preceding the change in control.
Term of Plan. Unless earlier terminated by the Board of Directors or the Compensation Committee, the authority to make grants under the 2022 Plan will terminate on the tenth anniversary of the 2022 Plan’s effective date.
Employee Benefits
All of our full-time employees are eligible to participate in health and welfare plans maintained by us, including:
| ● | medical, dental and vision benefits; and | |
| ● | basic life and accidental death & dismemberment insurance. |
Our NEOs participate in these plans on the same basis as other eligible employees. We do not maintain any supplemental health and welfare plans for our NEOs.
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation
Our NEOs did not earn any nonqualified deferred compensation benefits from us during the years 2021 and 2022.
Director Compensation
Our employee directors did not receive any compensation for serving as a member of our board of directors during the years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2023. We plan to implement a compensation plan for our non-employee directors, such that non-employee directors will receive an annual cash retainer and/or an annual grant of stock options. Our committee chairpersons will receive certain additional retainer fees.
Directors will be reimbursed for travel, food, lodging and other expenses directly related to their activities as directors, including expenses incurred in attending board meetings. Directors are also entitled to the protection provided by their indemnification agreements and the indemnification provisions in our current certificate of incorporation and bylaws, as well as the amended and restated certificate of incorporation.
| 33 |
The validity of the securities offered in this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Pryor Cashman LLP. Additional legal matters may be passed upon for us, the Selling Stockholder or any underwriters, dealers or agents, by counsel that we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement. As appropriate, legal counsel representing the underwriters, dealers or agents will be named in the accompanying prospectus supplement and may opine to certain legal matters.
BCRG Group, an independent registered public accounting firm, has audited our financial statements at and for the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 as set forth in its report included in our annual report on Form 10-K, as amended, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Our financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance on BCRG Group’s reports, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
| 34 |
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus the information we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. Any information referenced this way is considered to be part of this prospectus, and any information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and, where applicable, supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the following documents that we have filed with the SEC (other than, in each case, documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with the SEC’s rules):
| ● | our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 1, 2024, as amended on Form 10-K/A, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 31, 2024; and | |
| ● | our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 14, 2024; and | |
| ● | our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 19, 2024; and | |
| ● | our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 19, 2024; and | |
| ● | our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 10, 2024, May 8, 2024, May 17, 2024, June 17, 2024 (as amended on July 5, 2024) June 27, 2024, July 5, 2024, August 23, 2024, August 26, 2024, September 4, 2024, December 20, 2024 and January 13, 2025 (other than information “furnished” under Items 2.02 or 7.01, or corresponding information furnished under Item 9.01 or included as an exhibit); and | |
| ● | the description of our Common Stock contained in the registration statement on Form 8-A, dated September 7, 2022, File No. 001-41494, and any other amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description. |
Additionally, all documents filed by us with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after (i) the date of the initial filing of the registration statement to which this prospectus relates and prior to effectiveness of such registration statement, and (ii) the date of this prospectus and before the termination or completion of any offering hereunder, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus from the respective dates of filing of such documents, except that we do not incorporate any document or portion of a document that is “furnished” to the SEC, but not deemed “filed.” We will not, however, incorporate by reference in this prospectus any documents or portions thereof that are not deemed “filed” with the SEC, including any information furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of our current reports on Form 8-K unless, and except to the extent, specified in such current reports.
The documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus are also available on our corporate website at https://ir.yoshiharuramen.com/. We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all of the information that has been incorporated by reference in this prospectus but not delivered with this prospectus. You may request a copy of this information at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address or telephone number:
Yoshiharu Global Co.
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
6940 Beach Blvd., Suite D-705
Buena Park, CA 90621
(714) 694-2403
| 35 |
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities being offered by this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information in the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and the exhibits to such registration statement. For further information with respect to us and the securities offered by this prospectus, we refer you to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and the exhibits to such registration statement. Statements contained in this prospectus as to the contents of any contract or any other document are not necessarily complete, and in each instance, we refer you to the copy of the contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Each of these statements is qualified in all respects by this reference.
The registration statement of which this prospectus is a part is available at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. You may also request a copy of these filings, at no cost, by writing us at 6940 Beach Blvd., Suite D-705, Buena Park, CA 90621, Attention: Chief Financial Officer or telephoning us at (714) 694-2403.
We are subject to the information and reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and, in accordance with this law, file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. These periodic reports, proxy statements and other information are available at the SEC’s website referred to above. We also maintain a website at https://ir.yoshiharuramen.com/. You may access these materials free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Information contained on our website is not a part of this prospectus and the inclusion of our website address in this prospectus is an inactive textual reference only.
| 36 |
1,600,000 Shares
YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO.
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
The date of this prospectus is , 2025
PART II — INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS
Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
The following table sets forth an estimate of the fees and expenses relating to the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered hereby, all of which shall be borne by the registrant. All of such fees and expenses, except for the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) registration and the FINRA filing fee, are estimated:
| SEC registration fee | $ | 879.41 | ||
| Legal fees and expenses | $ | 50,000.00 | ||
| Printing fees and expenses | $ | 500.00 | ||
| Accounting fees and expenses | $ | 20,000 | ||
| Miscellaneous fees and expenses | $ | 10,000 | ||
| Total | $ | 81,379.41 |
Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Under Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than one by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, against judgments, fines, amounts paid in settlement and reasonable expenses, including attorneys’ fees actually and necessarily incurred as a result of such action or proceeding, if such director or officer acted, in good faith, for a purpose which such person reasonably believed to be, in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation and, in criminal actions or proceedings, in addition, had no reasonable cause to believe that such conduct was unlawful.
In the case of a derivative action, a Delaware corporation may indemnify any such person against expense, including attorneys’ fees actually and necessarily incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if such director or officer if such director or officer acted, in good faith, for a purpose which such person reasonably believed to be, in or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification will be made in respect on any claim, issue or matter as to which such person will have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or any other court in which such action was brought determines such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expense.
Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law permits a corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a provision eliminating or limiting a director’s liability to a corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breaches of fiduciary duty. Delaware Law provides, however, that liability for breaches of the duty of loyalty, acts or omissions not in good faith or involving intentional misconduct, or knowing violation of the law, and the unlawful purchase or redemption of stock or payment of unlawful purchase or redemption of stock or payment of unlawful dividends or the receipt of improper personal benefits cannot be eliminated or limited in this manner.
Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws provide that we will indemnify our directors to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law and may, if and to the extent authorized by the Board of Directors, indemnify our officers and any other person whom we have the power to indemnify against any liability, reasonable expense or other matter whatsoever.
Any amendment, modification or repeal of the foregoing provisions shall be prospective only, and shall not affect any rights or protections of any of our directors existing as of the time of such amendment, modification or repeal.
We may also, at the discretion of the Board of Directors, purchase and maintain insurance to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law on behalf of any of our directors, officers, employees or agents against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing, the Registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
The following is a summary of all of our securities sold by us within the past three years which were not registered under the Securities Act:
On January 4, 2024, we entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement, as amended by an Amendment to Securities Purchase Agreement dated April 18, 2024 (the “Purchase Agreement”) with the Selling Stockholder whereby we have the right to sell up to an aggregate of $5.0 million of newly issued shares of our Class A Common Stock. We issued 12,476 shares of our Class A Common Stock to the Selling Stockholder as an initial fee for commitment to purchase our Class A Common Stock under the Purchase Agreement.
On January 6, 2025 we entered into a equity purchase agreement with the Selling Stockholder whereby we have the right to sell up to an aggregate of $10.0 million of newly issued shares of our Class A Common Stock. We issued 31,948 shares of our Class A Common Stock to the Selling Stockholder as an initial fee for commitment to purchase our Class A Common Stock under the EPA.
The issuances pursuant to the EPA were made in reliance upon exemptions from registration under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Regulation D promulgated thereunder.
Item 16. Exhibits.
The list of exhibits in the Exhibit Index to this registration statement is incorporated herein by reference.
| II-1 |
Item 17. Undertakings.
| (a) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes: |
| (1) | To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: |
| (i) | to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; | |
| (ii) | to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post- effective amendment thereof) that, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in the volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and | |
| (iii) | to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement; |
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii), and (a)(1)(iii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is a part of the registration statement.
| (2) | That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. | |
| (3) | To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered that remain unsold at the termination of the offering. | |
| (4) | That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser: |
| (i) | each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and | |
| (ii) | each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date. |
| (5) | That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
| (i) | Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. |
| II-2 |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the Buena Park, California, on February 4, 2025.
| Yoshiharu Global Co. | ||
| By: | /s/ James Chae | |
| James Chae | ||
| Chief Executive Officer | ||
Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints James Chae and Soojae Ryan Cho as his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement on Form S-1 and any subsequent registration statement the Registrant may hereafter file with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 462 under the Securities Act to register additional securities in connection with this registration statement, and to file this registration statement, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in order to effectuate the same as fully, to all intents and purposes, as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| Signature | Title | Date | ||
| /s/ James Chae | Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President | February 4, 2025 | ||
| James Chae | (Principal Executive Officer) | |||
| /s/ Soojae Ryan Cho | Chief Financial Officer | February 4, 2025 | ||
| Soojae Ryan Cho | (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) |
|||
| /s/ Jay Kim | ||||
| Jay Kim | Director | February 4, 2025 | ||
| /s/ Harinne Kim | ||||
| Harinne Kim | Director | February 4, 2025 | ||
| /s/ Yusil Yeo | ||||
| Yusil Yeo | Director | February 4, 2025 |
| II-3 |
EXHIBIT INDEX
| II-4 |
* Filed Herewith
** Previously Filed
| II-5 |
Exhibit 5.1
February 4, 2025
Board of Directors
Yoshiharu Global Co.6940 Beach Blvd., Suite D-705
Buena Park, CA 90621
| Re: | Resale Registration Statement on Form S-1 of Yoshiharu Global Co. |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Yoshiharu Global Co., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on February 4, 2025 and as amended by the Company on the date hereof (the “Registration Statement”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the offering for resale of up to 1,600,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), consisting of: (i) 31,948 shares of Common Stock as consideration for the Selling Stockholder’s commitment to purchase shares of Common Stock (the “Commitment Shares”) pursuant to the Equity Purchase Agreement, dated January 6, 2025, by and between the Company and the Selling Stockholder (the “EPA”), (ii) 468,052 shares of Common Stock, that the Company may sell and issue, from time to time at its sole discretion (the “Purchase Shares”), pursuant to the EPA and (iii) 1,100,000 shares of Common Stock that the Selling Stockholder may receive pursuant to their conversion of any portion of the outstanding and unpaid principal, interest or other amounts outstanding under the promissory note (the “Note”) issued and sold pursuant to a Securities Purchase Agreement, dated January 5, 2025 (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”), by and between the Company and the Selling Stockholder (the “Conversion Shares” together with the Commitment Shares and the Purchase Shares, the “Shares”), for the account of the selling stockholder identified in the Registration Statement (the “Selling Stockholder”). 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.
In our capacity as securities counsel to the Company and for the purposes of this opinion, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the following documents:
| 1. | the Registration Statement (including the prospectus contained therein); | |
| 2. | the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company; | |
| 3. | the Bylaws of the Company; | |
| 4. | the Securities Purchase Agreement; | |
| 5. | the Note; and | |
| 6. | the EPA; and | |
| 7. | certain Unanimous Written Consents of the Board of Directors of the Company authorizing the transactions relating to the Securities Purchase Agreement, the Note, and EPA and the issuance of the Shares. |
In rendering the opinion expressed below, we have assumed without verification the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies and the authenticity of the originals of such copies, and the due authorization, execution and delivery of all documents by all parties and the validity, binding effect and enforceability thereof (other than the authorization, execution and delivery of documents by the Company and the validity, binding effect and enforceability thereof upon the Company). In addition, we have assumed and not verified the accuracy as to the factual matters of each document we have reviewed and the accuracy of, and each applicable party’s full compliance with, any representations and warranties contained therein. As to questions of fact material to this opinion, we have, to the extent deemed appropriate, relied upon certain representations of certain officers of the Company. Accordingly, we are relying upon (without any independent investigation thereof) the truth and accuracy of the statements, covenants, representations and warranties set forth in the documents we have reviewed.
Based upon the foregoing and subject to the assumptions, exceptions, limitations and qualifications set forth herein, we are of the opinion that following (i) effectiveness of the Registration Statement, (ii) in the case of the Commitment Shares, the issuance of the Commitment Shares pursuant to the EPA, and (iii) receipt by the Company of the consideration for the Shares specified in the Unanimous Written Consents:
| 1. | The Commitment Shares have been duly authorized for issuance by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and, when issued and delivered in the manner stated in, and in accordance with the terms of, the EPA, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. | |
| 2. | The Purchase Shares have been duly authorized for issuance by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and, when issued and delivered against payment of the consideration therefor in accordance with the terms of the EPA, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. | |
| 3. | The Convertible Shares have been duly authorized for issuance by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and, when issued and delivered against payment of the consideration therefor in accordance with the terms of the Securities Purchase Agreement and the Note, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. |
Our opinion is limited to applicable statutory provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) and the reported judicial decisions interpreting those laws, and federal laws of the United States of America to the extent referred to specifically herein. We are generally familiar with the DGCL as currently in effect and the judicial decisions thereunder and have made such inquiries and review of matters of fact and law as we determined necessary to render the opinions contained herein. We assume no obligation to revise or supplement this opinion letter in the event of future changes in such laws or the interpretations thereof or such facts. We express no opinion regarding the Securities Act, or any other federal or state laws or regulations.
This opinion letter is issued as of the date hereof and is necessarily limited to laws now in effect and facts and circumstances presently existing and brought to our attention. We assume no obligation to supplement this opinion letter if any applicable laws change after the date hereof, or if we become aware of any facts or circumstances that now exist or that occur or arise in the future and may change the opinions expressed herein after the date hereof.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the use of our name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement and the prospectus that forms a part thereof. In giving the foregoing consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act, or the rules and regulations of the Commission.
| Very truly yours, | |
| /s/ PRYOR CASHMAN LLP |
Exhibit 10.30
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of January 6, 2025, by and between YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (together with it permitted assigns, the “Investor”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the respective meanings set forth in the equity purchase agreement by and between the parties hereto, dated as of the date hereof (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Purchase Agreement”).
WHEREAS:
The Company has agreed, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Purchase Agreement, to sell to the Investor up to Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000.00) of Advance Shares (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) and to induce the Investor to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide certain registration rights under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, or any similar successor statute (collectively, the “Securities Act”), and applicable state securities laws.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the mutual covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Investor hereby agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
a. “Investor” shall have the meaning set forth above.
b. “Person” means any individual or entity including but not limited to any corporation, a limited liability company, an association, a partnership, an organization, a business, an individual, a governmental or political subdivision thereof or a governmental agency.
c. “Register,” “registered,” and “registration” refer to a registration effected by preparing and filing one or more registration statements of the Company in compliance with the Securities Act and/or pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act or any successor rule providing for offering securities on a continuous basis (“Rule 415”), and the declaration or ordering of effectiveness of such registration statement(s) by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).
d. “Registrable Securities” means all of the Advance Shares which have been, or which may, from time to time be issued, including without limitation all of the shares of Common Stock (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) (the “Common Stock”) which have been issued or will be issued to the Investor under the Purchase Agreement (without regard to any beneficial ownership or restriction on purchases therein), all of the Commitment Shares (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) (the “Commitment Shares”) which may, from time to time, be issued to the Investor under the Purchase Agreement, without regard to any limitation on beneficial ownership or restriction on purchases therein, as well as all of the Exercise Shares (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) (the “Exercise Shares”) which may, from time to time, be issued to the Investor under the Pre-Funded Warrants (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) (the “Pre-Funded Warrants”), without regard to any limitation on beneficial ownership or restriction on purchases therein, and shares of Common Stock issued to the Investor as a result of any stock
| 1 |
split, stock dividend, recapitalization, exchange or similar event or otherwise, without regard to any limitation on beneficial ownership in the Purchase Agreement or Pre-Funded Warrants.
e. “Registration Statement” means one or more registration statements of the Company.
2. REGISTRATION.
a. Mandatory Registration. The Company shall, within thirty (30) calendar days from the date of this Agreement, file with the SEC an initial Registration Statement covering the maximum number of Registrable Securities as shall be permitted to be included thereon in accordance with applicable SEC rules, regulations and interpretations so as to permit the resale of such Registrable Securities by the Investor (in any event, no less than the number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Exchange Cap (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) for Investor’s resale of the Registrable Securities), including but not limited to under Rule 415 under the Securities Act at then prevailing market prices (and not fixed prices), subject to the aggregate number of authorized shares of the Company’s Common Stock then available for issuance in its Certificate of Incorporation. The initial Registration Statement shall register only the Registrable Securities. The Investor and its counsel shall have a reasonable opportunity to review and comment upon such Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement and any related prospectus prior to its filing with the SEC, and the Company shall give due consideration to all reasonable comments. The Investor shall furnish all information reasonably requested by the Company for inclusion therein. The Company shall have the Registration Statement declared effective by the SEC within ninety (90) calendar days from the date hereof (or at the earliest possible date if prior to ninety (90) calendar days from the date hereof), and any amendment to the Registration Statement thereafter declared effective by the SEC at the earliest possible date. The Company shall keep the Registration Statement effective, including but not limited to pursuant to Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act and available for the resale by the Investor of all of the Registrable Securities covered thereby at all times until the date on which the Investor shall have sold all the Registrable Securities and the Maximum Commitment Amount (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) under the Purchase Agreement has been drawn down by the Company pursuant to a Registration Statement (the “Registration Period”). The Registration Statement (including any amendments or supplements thereto and prospectuses contained therein) shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading. In the event that (i) the Registration Statement or New Registration Statement (as defined below) becomes stale after the initial effectiveness of such Registration Statement or New Registration Statement and (ii) the Investor still has ownership of any of the Registrable Securities, the Company shall immediately file one or more post-effective amendments to facilitate the SEC’s declaration of effectiveness with respect to such Registration Statement or New Registration Statement.
b. Rule 424 Prospectus. The Company shall, as required by applicable securities regulations, from time to time file (in each case, at the earliest possible date) with the SEC, pursuant to Rule 424 promulgated under the Securities Act, the prospectus and prospectus supplements, if any, to be used in connection with sales of the Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement. The Company shall file such initial prospectus covering the Investor’s sale of the Registrable Securities on the same date that the Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC. The Investor and its counsel shall have a reasonable opportunity to review and comment upon such prospectus prior to its filing with the SEC, and the Company shall give due consideration to all such comments. The Investor shall use its reasonable best efforts to comment upon such prospectus within one (1) Business Day from the date the Investor receives the final pre-filing version of such prospectus.
| 2 |
c. Sufficient Number of Shares Registered. In the event the number of shares available under the Registration Statement is insufficient to cover all of the Registrable Securities, the Company shall amend the Registration Statement or file a new Registration Statement (a “New Registration Statement”), so as to cover all of such Registrable Securities (subject to the limitations set forth in Section 2(a)) as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than ten (10) Business Days after the necessity therefor arises, subject to any limits that may be imposed by the SEC pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. The Company shall use it reasonable best efforts to cause such amendment and/or New Registration Statement to become effective as soon as practicable following the filing thereof. In the event that any of the Registrable Securities are not included in the Registration Statement, or have not been included in any New Registration Statement and the Company files any other registration statement under the Securities Act (other than on Form S-4, Form S-8, or with respect to other employee related plans or rights offerings) (“Other Registration Statement”) then the Company shall include such remaining Registrable Securities in such Other Registration Statement. The Company agrees that it shall not file any such Other Registration Statement unless all of the Registrable Securities have been included in such Other Registration Statement or otherwise have been registered for resale as described above.
d. Offering. If the staff of the SEC (the “Staff”) or the SEC seeks to characterize any offering pursuant to a Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement as constituting an offering of securities that does not permit such Registration Statement to become effective and be used for resales by the Investor under Rule 415 at then prevailing market prices (and not fixed prices), or if after the filing of the initial Registration Statement with the SEC pursuant to Section 2(a), the Company is otherwise required by the Staff or the SEC to reduce the number of Registrable Securities included in such initial Registration Statement, then the Company shall reduce the number of Registrable Securities to be included in such initial Registration Statement (with the prior consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, of the Investor and its legal counsel as to the specific Registrable Securities to be removed therefrom) until such time as the Staff and the SEC shall so permit such Registration Statement to become effective and be used as aforesaid. In the event of any reduction in Registrable Securities pursuant to this paragraph, the Company shall file one or more New Registration Statements in accordance with Section 2(c) until such time as all Registrable Securities have been included in Registration Statements that have been declared effective and the prospectus contained therein is available for use by the Investor. Notwithstanding any provision herein or in the Purchase Agreement to the contrary, the Company’s obligations to register Registrable Securities (and any related conditions to the Investor’s obligations) shall be qualified as necessary to comport with any requirement of the SEC or the Staff as addressed in this Section 2(d).
3. RELATED OBLIGATIONS.
With respect to the Registration Statement and whenever any Registrable Securities are to be registered pursuant to Section 2 including on any New Registration Statement, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to effect the registration of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method of disposition thereof and, pursuant thereto, the Company shall have the following obligations:
a. The Company shall prepare and file with the SEC such amendments (including
post-effective amendments) and supplements to any registration statement and the prospectus used in connection with such registration statement, which prospectus is to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 promulgated under the Securities Act, as may be necessary to keep the Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement effective at all times during the Registration Period, and, during such period, comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities of the Company covered by the Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement until such time as all of such Registrable Securities shall have been disposed of in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the seller or sellers thereof as set forth in such registration statement.
| 3 |
b. The Company shall permit the Investor to review and comment upon the Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement and all amendments and supplements thereto at least two (2) Business Days prior to their filing with the SEC, and not file any document in a form to which Investor reasonably objects. The Investor shall use its reasonable best efforts to comment upon the Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement and any amendments or supplements thereto within two (2) Business Days from the date the Investor receives the final version thereof. The Company shall furnish to the Investor, without charge any correspondence from the SEC or the staff of the SEC to the Company or its representatives relating to the Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement.
c. Upon request of the Investor, the Company shall furnish to the Investor, (i) promptly after the same is prepared and filed with the SEC, at least one copy of such registration statement and any amendment(s) thereto, including financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated therein by reference and all exhibits, (ii) upon the effectiveness of any registration statement, a copy of the prospectus included in such registration statement and all amendments and supplements thereto (or such other number of copies as the Investor may reasonably request) and (iii) such other documents, including copies of any preliminary or final prospectus, as the Investor may reasonably request from time to time in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by the Investor. For the avoidance of doubt, any filing available to the Investor via the SEC’s live EDGAR system shall be deemed “furnished to the Investor” hereunder.
d. The Company shall use reasonable best efforts to (i) register and qualify the Registrable Securities covered by a registration statement under such other securities or “blue sky” laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as the Investor reasonably requests, (ii) prepare and file in those jurisdictions, such amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to such registrations and qualifications as may be necessary to maintain the effectiveness thereof during the Registration Period, (iii) take such other actions as may be necessary to maintain such registrations and qualifications in effect at all times during the Registration Period, and (iv) take all other actions reasonably necessary or advisable to qualify the Registrable Securities for sale in such jurisdictions; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition thereto to (x) qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this Section 3(d), (y) subject itself to general taxation in any such jurisdiction, or (z) file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction. The Company shall promptly notify the Investor who holds Registrable Securities of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the registration or qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale under the securities or “blue sky” laws of any jurisdiction in the United States or its receipt of actual notice of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose.
e. As promptly as practicable after becoming aware of such event or facts, the Company shall notify the Investor in writing of the happening of any event or existence of such facts as a result of which the prospectus included in any registration statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and promptly prepare a supplement or amendment to such registration statement and/or take any other necessary steps (which, if in accordance with applicable SEC rules and regulations, may consist of a document to be filed by the Company with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and to be incorporated by reference in the prospectus) to correct such untrue statement or omission, and deliver a copy of such supplement or amendment to the Investor (or such other number of copies as the Investor may reasonably request). The Company shall also promptly notify the Investor in writing (i) when a prospectus or any prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment has been filed, and when a registration statement or any post-effective amendment has become effective (notification of such effectiveness shall be delivered to the Investor by email on the same day of such effectiveness and by overnight mail), (ii) of any request by the SEC for amendments or supplements to any registration statement or related prospectus or related information, and (iii) of the Company’s reasonable determination that a post-effective amendment to a registration statement would be appropriate.
| 4 |
f. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or other suspension of effectiveness of any registration statement, or the suspension of the qualification of any Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction and, if such an order or suspension is issued, to obtain the withdrawal of such order or suspension at the earliest possible moment and to notify the Investor of the issuance of such order and the resolution thereof or its receipt of actual notice of the initiation or threat of any proceeding for such purpose.
g. The Company shall (i) cause all the Registrable Securities to be listed on each securities exchange on which securities of the same class or series issued by the Company are then listed, if any, if the listing of such Registrable Securities is then permitted under the rules of such exchange, or (ii) secure designation and quotation of all the Registrable Securities on the Principal Market (as defined in the Purchase Agreement). The Company shall pay all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligation under this Section.
h. The Company shall cooperate with the Investor to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of the Registrable Securities (not bearing any restrictive legend) either by DWAC, DRS, or in certificated form if DWAC or DRS is unavailable, to be offered pursuant to any registration statement and enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations or amounts as the Investor may reasonably request and registered in such names as the Investor may request.
i. The Company shall at all times provide a transfer agent and registrar with respect to its Common Stock.
j. If reasonably requested by the Investor, the Company shall (i) immediately incorporate in a prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information as the Investor believes should be included therein relating to the sale and distribution of Registrable Securities, including, without limitation, information with respect to the number of Registrable Securities being sold, the purchase price being paid therefor and any other terms of the offering of the Registrable Securities; (ii) make all required filings of such prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment as soon as practicable upon notification of the matters to be incorporated in such prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment; and (iii) supplement or make amendments to any registration statement.
k. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Registrable Securities covered by any registration statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities.
l. Within one (1) Business Day after any registration statement which includes the Registrable Securities is ordered effective by the SEC, the Company shall deliver, and shall cause legal counsel for the Company to deliver, to the transfer agent for such Registrable Securities (with copies to the Investor) confirmation that such registration statement has been declared effective by the SEC in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A. Thereafter, if requested by the Investor at any time, the Company shall require its counsel to deliver to the Investor a written confirmation whether or not the effectiveness of such registration statement has lapsed at any time for any reason (including, without limitation, the issuance of a stop order) and whether or not the registration statement is current and available to the Investor for sale of all of the Registrable Securities.
| 5 |
m. The Company shall take all other reasonable actions necessary to expedite and facilitate disposition by the Investor of Registrable Securities pursuant to any registration statement.
4. OBLIGATIONS OF THE INVESTOR.
a. The Company shall notify the Investor in writing of the information the Company reasonably requires from the Investor in connection with any registration statement hereunder. The Investor shall furnish to the Company such information regarding itself, the Registrable Securities held by it and the intended method of disposition of the Registrable Securities held by it as shall be reasonably required to effect the registration of such Registrable Securities and shall execute such documents in connection with such registration as the Company may reasonably request.
b. The Investor agrees to cooperate with the Company as reasonably requested by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of any registration statement hereunder.
c. The Investor agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event or existence of facts of the kind described in Section 3(f) or the first sentence of 3(e), the Investor will immediately discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to any registration statement(s) covering such Registrable Securities until the Investor’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 3(f) or the first sentence of 3(e). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Company shall cause its transfer agent to promptly deliver shares of Common Stock without any restrictive legend in accordance with the terms of the Purchase Agreement and Pre-Funded Warrants, as applicable, in connection with any sale of Registrable Securities with respect to which an Investor has entered into a contract for sale prior to the Investor’s receipt of a notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(f) or the first sentence of Section 3(e) and for which the Investor has not yet settled.
5. EXPENSES OF REGISTRATION.
All reasonable expenses, other than sales or brokerage commissions, incurred in connection with registrations, filings or qualifications pursuant to Sections 2 and 3, including, without limitation, all registration, listing and qualifications fees, printers and accounting fees, and fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, shall be paid by the Company.
6. INDEMNIFICATION.
a. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company will, and hereby does, indemnify, hold harmless and defend the Investor, each Person, if any, who controls the Investor, the members, the directors, officers, partners, employees, agents, representatives of the Investor and each Person, if any, who controls the Investor within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) (each, an “Indemnified Person”), against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties, charges, costs, attorneys’ fees, amounts paid in settlement or expenses, joint or several, (collectively, “Claims”) incurred in investigating, preparing or defending any action, claim, suit, inquiry, proceeding, investigation or appeal taken from the foregoing by or before any court or governmental, administrative or other regulatory agency, body or the SEC, whether pending or threatened, whether or not an indemnified party is or may be a party thereto (“Indemnified Damages”), to which any of them may become subject insofar as such Claims (or actions or proceedings, whether commenced or threatened, in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon: (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact in the Registration Statement, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or in any filing made in connection with the qualification of the offering under the securities or other “blue sky” laws of any jurisdiction in which Registrable Securities are offered (“Blue Sky Filing”), or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the final prospectus (as amended or supplemented, if the Company files any amendment thereof or supplement thereto with the SEC) or the omission or alleged omission to state therein any material fact necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which the statements therein were made, not misleading, (iii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any other law, including, without limitation, any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder relating to the offer or sale of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement or (iv) any material violation by the Company of this Agreement (the matters in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iv) being, collectively, “Violations”). The Company shall reimburse each Indemnified Person promptly as such expenses are incurred and are due and payable, for any reasonable legal fees or other reasonable expenses incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the indemnification agreement contained in this Section 6(a): (i) shall not apply to a Claim by an Indemnified Person arising out of or based upon a Violation which occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with information about the Investor furnished in writing to the Company by such Indemnified Person expressly for use in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement, any New Registration Statement or any such amendment thereof or supplement thereto, if such prospectus was timely made available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 3(e); (ii) with respect to any superseded prospectus, shall not inure to the benefit of any such person from whom the person asserting any such Claim purchased the Registrable Securities that are the subject thereof (or to the benefit of any person controlling such person) if the untrue statement or omission of material fact contained in the superseded prospectus was corrected in the revised prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, if such revised prospectus was timely made available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 3(e), and the Indemnified Person was promptly advised in writing not to use the incorrect prospectus prior to the use giving rise to a violation and such Indemnified Person, notwithstanding such advice, used it; (iii) shall not be available to the extent such Claim is based on a failure of the Investor to deliver or to cause to be delivered the prospectus made available by the Company, if such prospectus was timely made available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 3(e); and (iv) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Indemnified Person and shall survive the transfer of the Registrable Securities by the Investor pursuant to Section 9.
| 6 |
b. Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding (including any governmental action or proceeding) involving a Claim, such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party shall, if a Claim in respect thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party under this Section 6, deliver to the indemnifying party a written notice of the commencement thereof, and the indemnifying party shall have the right to participate in, and, to the extent the indemnifying party so desires, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly noticed, to assume control of the defense thereof with counsel mutually satisfactory to the indemnifying party and the Indemnified Person or the Indemnified Party, as the case may be; provided, however, that an Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party shall have the right to retain its own counsel with the fees and expenses to be paid by the indemnifying party, if, in the reasonable opinion of counsel retained by the indemnifying party, the representation by such counsel of the Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and the indemnifying party would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and any other party represented by such counsel in such proceeding. The Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person shall cooperate fully with the indemnifying party in connection with any negotiation or defense of any such action or claim by the indemnifying party and shall furnish to the indemnifying party all information reasonably available to the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person which relates to such action or claim. The indemnifying party shall keep the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person fully apprised at all times as to the status of the defense or any settlement negotiations with respect thereto. No indemnifying party shall be liable for any settlement of any action, claim or proceeding effected without its written consent, provided, however, that the indemnifying party shall not unreasonably withhold, delay or condition its consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the consent of the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement or other compromise which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation. Following indemnification as provided for hereunder, the indemnifying party shall be subrogated to all rights of the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person with respect to all third parties, firms or corporations relating to the matter for which indemnification has been made. The failure to deliver written notice to the indemnifying party within a reasonable time of the commencement of any such action shall not relieve such indemnifying party of any liability to the Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party under this Section 6, except to the extent that the indemnifying party is prejudiced in its ability to defend such action.
| 7 |
c. The indemnification required by this Section 6 shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as and when bills are received or Indemnified Damages are incurred.
d. The indemnity agreements contained herein shall be in addition to (i) any cause of action or similar right of the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person against the indemnifying party or others, and (ii) any liabilities the indemnifying party may be subject to pursuant to the law.
7. CONTRIBUTION.
To the extent any indemnification by an indemnifying party is prohibited or limited by law, the indemnifying party agrees to make the maximum contribution with respect to any amounts for which it would otherwise be liable under Section 6 to the fullest extent permitted by law; provided, however, that: (i) no seller of Registrable Securities guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any seller of Registrable Securities who was not guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation; and (ii) contribution by any seller of Registrable Securities shall be limited in amount to the net amount of proceeds received by such seller from the sale of such Registrable Securities.
8. REPORTS AND DISCLOSURE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACTS.
With a view to making available to the Investor the benefits of Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act or any other similar rule or regulation of the SEC that may at any time permit the Investor to sell securities of the Company to the public without registration (“Rule 144”), the Company agrees, at the Company’s sole expense, to:
a. make and keep public information available, as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144;
b. file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other documents required of the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act so long as the Company remains subject to such requirements and the filing of such reports and other documents is required for the applicable provisions of Rule 144;
| 8 |
c. furnish to the Investor so long as the Investor owns Registrable Securities, promptly upon request, (i) a written statement by the Company that it has complied with the reporting and or disclosure provisions of Rule 144, the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, (ii) a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Company and such other reports and documents so filed by the Company, and (iii) such other information as may be reasonably requested to permit the Investor to sell such securities pursuant to Rule 144 without registration; and
d. take such additional action as is requested by the Investor to enable the Investor to sell the Registrable Securities pursuant to Rule 144, including, without limitation, delivering all such legal opinions, consents, certificates, resolutions and instructions to the Company’s transfer agent as may be requested from time to time by the Investor and otherwise fully cooperate with Investor and Investor’s broker to effect such sale of securities pursuant to Rule 144.
The Company agrees that damages may be an inadequate remedy for any breach of the terms and provisions of this Section 8 and that Investor shall, whether or not it is pursuing any remedies at law, be entitled to equitable relief in the form of a preliminary or permanent injunctions, without having to post any bond or other security, upon any breach or threatened breach of any such terms or provisions.
9. ASSIGNMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
The Company shall not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Investor.
10. AMENDMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
No provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived by the parties from and after the date that is one Business Day immediately preceding the initial filing of the Registration Statement with the SEC. Subject to the immediately preceding sentence, no provision of this Agreement may be (i) amended other than by a written instrument signed by both parties hereto or (ii) waived other than in a written instrument signed by the party against whom enforcement of such waiver is sought. Failure of any party to exercise any right or remedy under this Agreement or otherwise, or delay by a party in exercising such right or remedy, shall not operate as a waiver thereof.
11. MISCELLANEOUS.
a. A Person is deemed to be a holder of Registrable Securities whenever such Person owns or is deemed to own of record such Registrable Securities. If the Company receives conflicting instructions, notices or elections from two or more Persons with respect to the same Registrable Securities, the Company shall act upon the basis of instructions, notice or election received from the registered owner of such Registrable Securities.
b. Any notices, consents, waivers or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon receipt, when delivered personally; (ii) upon receipt, when sent by email (provided confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically generated and kept on file by the sending party); or (iii) one (1) Business Day after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, in each case properly addressed to the party to receive the same. The addresses for such communications shall be:
If to the Company, to:
YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO.
6940 Beach Blvd., Suite D-705
Buena Park, CA, 90621
Email: jchae@yoshiharuramen.com
Attention: James Chae
| 9 |
If to the Investor:
CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I, LP
228 Park Ave S PMB 57033
New York, NY 10003-1502
e-mail: john@crom-llc.com and liam@crom-llc.com
or at such other address, email address, and/or to the attention of such other person as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to each other party three (3) Business Days prior to the effectiveness of such change. Written confirmation of receipt (A) given by the recipient of such notice, consent, waiver or other communication, (B) mechanically or electronically generated by the sender’s email account containing the time, date, recipient email address, as applicable, and an image of the first page of such transmission or (C) provided by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, shall be rebuttable evidence of personal service, receipt from a nationally recognized overnight delivery service in accordance with clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, respectively.
c. The Company and Investor shall submit all Claims (as defined in Exhibit C of the Purchase Agreement) (the “Claims”) arising under this Agreement or any other agreement between the parties and their affiliates or any Claim relating to the relationship of the parties to binding arbitration pursuant to the arbitration provisions set forth in Exhibit C of the Purchase Agreement (the “Arbitration Provisions”). The Company and Investor hereby acknowledge and agree that the Arbitration Provisions are unconditionally binding on the Company and Investor hereto and are severable from all other provisions of this Agreement. By executing this Agreement, Company represents, warrants and covenants that Company has reviewed the Arbitration Provisions carefully, consulted with legal counsel about such provisions (or waived its right to do so), understands that the Arbitration Provisions are intended to allow for the expeditious and efficient resolution of any dispute hereunder, agrees to the terms and limitations set forth in the Arbitration Provisions, and that Company will not take a position contrary to the foregoing representations. Company acknowledges and agrees that Investor may rely upon the foregoing representations and covenants of Company regarding the Arbitration Provisions. This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, and all questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by, the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware. The Company and Investor consent to and expressly agree that the exclusive venue for arbitration of any Claims arising under this Agreement or any other agreement between the Company and Investor or their respective affiliates (including but not limited to the Transaction Documents (as defined in the Purchase Agreement)) or any Claim relating to the relationship of the Company and Investor or their respective affiliates shall be in New Castle County, State of Delaware. Without modifying the Company’s and Investor’s obligations to resolve disputes hereunder pursuant to the Arbitration Provisions, for any litigation arising in connection with any of the Transaction Documents (and notwithstanding the terms (specifically including any governing law and venue terms) of any transfer agent services agreement or other agreement between the Company’s transfer agent and the Company, such litigation specifically includes, without limitation any action between or involving Company and the Company’s transfer agent or otherwise related to Investor in any way (specifically including, without limitation, any action where Company seeks to obtain an injunction, temporary restraining order, or otherwise prohibit the Company’s transfer agent from issuing shares of Common Stock to Investor for any reason)), each party hereto hereby (i) consents to and expressly submits to the exclusive personal jurisdiction of any state or federal court sitting in New Castle County, State of Delaware, (ii) expressly submits to the exclusive venue of any such court for the purposes hereof, (iii) agrees to not bring any such action (specifically including, without limitation, any action where Company seeks to obtain an injunction, temporary restraining order, or otherwise prohibit the Company’s transfer agent from issuing shares of Common Stock to Investor for any reason) outside of any state or federal court sitting in New Castle County, State of Delaware, and (iv) waives any claim of improper venue and any claim or objection that such courts are an inconvenient forum or any other claim, defense or objection to the bringing of any such proceeding in such jurisdiction or to any claim that such venue of the suit, action or proceeding is improper. Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary, nothing herein shall limit, or shall be deemed or construed to limit, the ability of the Investor to realize on any collateral or any other security, or to enforce a judgment or other court ruling in favor of the Investor, including through a legal action in any court of competent jurisdiction. The Company hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any objection to jurisdiction and venue of any action instituted hereunder, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, and any claim that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper (including but not limited to based upon forum non conveniens). THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. The Company irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any suit, action or proceeding in connection with this Agreement or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to Company at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. The prevailing party in any action or dispute brought in connection with this Agreement or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby shall be entitled to recover from the other party its reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. If any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement in that jurisdiction or the validity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction.
| 10 |
d. This Agreement, the Purchase Agreement, Pre-Funded Warrants, and all other ancillary documentation entered into between the Company and Investor therewith constitute the entire agreement among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein and therein. This Agreement, the Purchase Agreement, Pre-Funded Warrants, and all other ancillary documentation entered into between the Company and Investor therewith supersede all prior agreements and understandings among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.
e. Subject to the requirements of Section 9, this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of each of the parties hereto.
f. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
g. This Agreement may be executed in identical counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement. This Agreement, once executed by a party, may be delivered to the other party hereto by e-mail in a “.pdf” format data file of a copy of this Agreement bearing the signature of the party so delivering this Agreement.
| 11 |
h. Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as the other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
i. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party.
j. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person.
* * * * * *
| 12 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of day and year first above written.
THE COMPANY:
YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO.
| By: | /s/ James Chae | |
| Name: | James Chae | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
INVESTOR:
CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I, LP
| By: | CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I GP, LLC, its General Partner |
| By: | CROM CORTANA FUND LLC, member of the General Partner |
| By: | /s/ Liam Sherif | |
| Name: | Liam Sherif | |
| Title: | Authorized Signatory |
[Signature Page to registration rights agreement]
| 13 |
EXHIBIT A
TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
FORM
OF NOTICE OF EFFECTIVENESS
OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT
______, 2025
______________
______________
______________
Re: Effectiveness of Registration Statement
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are counsel to YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and have represented the Company in connection with that certain Purchase Agreement, dated as of January 6, 2025 (the “Purchase Agreement”), entered into by and between the Company and CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Investor”) pursuant to which the Company has agreed to issue, to the Investor, Class A common stock of the Company, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), in an amount up to Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000.00) (the “Advance Shares”), the Commitment Shares (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) (the “Commitment Shares”), and the Exercise Shares (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) (the “Exercise Shares”) in accordance with the terms of the Purchase Agreement and Pre-Funded Warrants (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) (the “Pre-Funded Warrants”). In connection with the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, the Company has registered with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission the following shares of Common Stock:
| (1) | __________
Advance Shares to be issued to the Investor by the Company in accordance with the Purchase Agreement; and |
| (2) | _______
Commitment Shares to be issued to the Investor by the Company in accordance with the Purchase Agreement; and |
| (3) | ___ Exercise Shares to be issued to the Investor by the Company upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants. |
Pursuant
to the Purchase Agreement, the Company also has entered into a Registration Rights Agreement, of even date with the Purchase
Agreement with the Investor (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) pursuant to which the Company agreed, among
other things, to register the Advance Shares, Commitment Shares, and Exercise Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the “Securities Act”). In connection with the Company’s obligations under the Purchase Agreement and the
Registration Rights Agreement, on [_____], 2025, the Company filed a Registration Statement (File No. 333-[ ________ ]) (the
“Registration
Statement”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) relating to the
resale of the Advance Shares, Commitment Shares, and Exercise Shares.
In
connection with the foregoing, we advise you that a member of the SEC’s staff has advised us by telephone that the SEC has entered
an order declaring the Registration Statement effective under the Securities Act at [_____] [A.M./P.M.] on [_______ ], 2025 and we have
no knowledge, after telephonic inquiry of a member of the SEC’s staff, that any stop order
suspending its effectiveness has
been issued or that any proceedings for that purpose are pending before, or threatened by, the SEC and the Advance Shares, Commitment
Shares, and Exercise Shares are available for resale under the Securities Act pursuant to the Registration Statement and may be issued
without any restrictive legend.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| [Company Counsel] | ||
| By: | ||
| cc: | CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I, LP |
Exhibit 10.31
EQUITY PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This equity purchase agreement is entered into as of January 6, 2025 (this “Agreement”), by and between Yoshiharu Global Co., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Crom Structured Opportunities Fund I, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Investor”, and collectively with the Company, the “Parties”).
WHEREAS, the Parties desire that, upon the terms and subject to the conditions contained herein, the Company shall issue and sell to the Investor, from time to time as provided herein, and the Investor shall purchase up to Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000.00) of the Company’s Common Stock (as defined below);
WHEREAS, the offer and sale of the Common Stock issuable hereunder will be made in reliance upon Section 4(a)(2) under the Securities Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, or upon such other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act as may be available with respect to any or all of the transactions to be made hereunder.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1 DEFINED TERMS. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings specified or indicated (such meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined):
“Advance” shall mean the right of the Company to require the Investor to purchase shares of Common Stock, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
“Advance Date” shall mean any Trading Day during the Commitment Period that an Advance Notice is deemed delivered pursuant to Section 2.2(b).
“Advance Notice” shall mean a written notice, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, to Investor setting forth the Advance Shares which the Company intends to require Investor to purchase pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
“Advance Shares” shall mean all shares of Common Stock issued, or that the Company shall be entitled to issue, per any applicable Advance Notice in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
“Agreement” shall have the meaning specified in the preamble hereof.
“Average Daily Trading Value” shall mean the average trading volume of the Company’s Common Stock on the Principal Market during the ten (10) Trading Days immediately preceding the respective Advance Date (excluding the single highest volume Trading Day and the single lowest volume Trading Day from such calculation) multiplied by the lowest volume weighted average price of the Company’s Common Stock on the Principal Market during the ten (10) Trading Days immediately preceding the respective Advance Date.
“Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors.
“Claim Notice” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9.3(a).
“Clearing Date” shall be the date on which the Investor receives the Advance Shares in its brokerage account.
“Closing” shall mean one of the closings of a purchase and sale of shares of Common Stock pursuant to Section 2.3.
“Closing Certificate” shall mean the closing certificate of the Company in the form of Exhibit B hereto.
“Closing Date” shall mean the date of any Closing hereunder.
“Commitment Period” shall mean the period commencing on the Execution Date, and ending on the earlier of (i) the date on which the Investor shall have purchased Advance Shares pursuant to this Agreement equal to the Maximum Commitment Amount, (ii) twenty-four (24) months after the date of this Agreement, (iii) termination in accordance with Section 10.5, or (iv) the date that, pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law, the Company commences a voluntary case or any Person commences a proceeding against the Company, a Custodian is appointed for the Company or for all or substantially all of its property or the Company makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors; provided, however, that the provisions of Articles III, IV, V, VI, IX and the agreements and covenants of the Company and the Investor set forth in Article X shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
“Commitment Shares” shall mean the Initial Commitment Shares and True-Up Shares.
“Common Stock” shall mean the Company’s Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, and any shares of any other class of common stock whether now or hereafter authorized, having the right to participate in the distribution of dividends (as and when declared) and assets (upon liquidation of the Company).
“Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.
“Company” shall have the meaning specified in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
“Damages” shall mean any loss, claim, damage, liability, cost and expense (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements and costs and expenses of expert witnesses and investigation).
“Dispute Period” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9.3(a).
“DTC” shall mean The Depository Trust Company, or any successor performing substantially the same function for the Company.
“DTC/FAST Program” shall mean the DTC’s Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program.
“DWAC” shall mean Deposit Withdrawal at Custodian as defined by the DTC.
“DWAC Eligible” shall mean that (a) the Common Stock is eligible at DTC for full services pursuant to DTC’s Operational Arrangements, including, without limitation, transfer through DTC’s DWAC system, (b) the Company has been approved (without revocation) by the DTC’s underwriting department, (c) the Transfer Agent is approved as an agent in the DTC/FAST Program, (d) the Advance Shares are otherwise eligible for delivery via DWAC, and (e) the Transfer Agent does not have a policy prohibiting or limiting delivery of the Advance Shares, as applicable, via DWAC.
“DWAC Shares” means shares of Common Stock that are (i) issued in electronic form, (ii) freely tradable and transferable and without restriction on resale and (iii) timely credited by the Company to the Investor’s or its designee’s specified DWAC account with DTC under the DTC/FAST Program, or any similar program hereafter adopted by DTC performing substantially the same function.
“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Execution Date” shall mean the date of this Agreement.
“Exercise Shares” shall mean the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants.
“FINRA” shall mean the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
“Investment Amount” shall mean the Advance Shares referenced in the Advance Notice multiplied by the Purchase Price.
“Investor” shall have the meaning specified in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Investor Costs” shall mean all fees incurred by the Investor with respect to the Advance Shares, including but not limited to fees charged by or paid to any brokerage firm (including but not limited to commissions and related trading expenses), any clearing firm, and Transfer Agent fees, as well as attorney fees.
“Indemnified Party” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9.2.
“Indemnifying Party” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9.2.
“Indemnity Notice” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9.3(e).
“Initial Purchase Price” shall mean 93% of the volume weighted average price of the Company’s Common Stock on the Principal Market on the Trading Day immediately preceding the respective Put Date.
“Initial Commitment Shares” shall mean 31,948 shares of Common Stock, subject to appropriate adjustment for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, rights offerings, reclassification or similar transaction that proportionately decreases or increases the Common Stock.
“True-Up Shares” shall mean a number of shares of Common Stock equal to $100,000 divided by the Reference True-Up Price, minus the Initial Commitment Shares, subject to appropriate adjustment for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, rights offerings, reclassification or similar transaction that proportionately decreases or increases the Common Stock.
“Lien” means a lien, charge, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive right or other restriction.
“Market Price” shall mean the lowest volume weighted average price of the Company’s Common Stock on the Principal Market on any Trading Day during the Pricing Period, as reported by Bloomberg or other reputable source designated by the Investor, subject to adjustment as provided in this Agreement.
“Material Adverse Effect” shall mean any effect on the business, operations, properties, or financial condition of the Company and the Subsidiaries that is material and adverse to the Company and the Subsidiaries and/or any condition, circumstance, or situation that would prohibit or otherwise materially interfere with the ability of the Company to enter into and perform its obligations under any Transaction Document.
“Maximum Commitment Amount” shall mean Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000.00).
“Person” shall mean an individual, a corporation, a partnership, an association, a trust or other entity or organization, including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof.
“Pre-Funded Warrants” shall mean the common stock purchase warrants in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D, which may, from time to time, be issued pursuant to this Agreement.
“Principal Market” shall mean any of the national exchanges (i.e. NYSE, NYSE American, and Nasdaq) which is at the time the principal trading platform for the Common Stock (excluding all OTC marketplaces).
“Purchase Price” shall mean 93% of the Market Price on such date on which the Purchase Price is calculated in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
“Reference Price” shall mean the average volume weighted average price of the Company’s Common Stock on the Principal Market during the five (5) Trading Days immediately preceding the date of this Agreement, subject to appropriate adjustment for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, rights offerings, reclassification or similar transaction that proportionately decreases or increases the Common Stock.
“Reference True-Up Date” shall mean the date that is twenty (20) Trading Days immediately subsequent to the effective date of the initial Registration Statement.
“Reference True-Up Price” shall mean the closing bid price of the Company’s Common Stock on the Principal Market on the Reference True-Up Date, subject to appropriate adjustment for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, rights offerings, reclassification or similar transaction that proportionately decreases or increases the Common Stock.
“Registration Rights Agreement” shall mean that certain registration rights agreement entered into by the Company with the Investor on the date hereof in connection with this Agreement.
“Registration Statement” shall have the meaning specified in Section 6.4.
“Regulation D” shall mean Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Required Minimum” shall mean, as of any date, the maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock potentially issuable at such time pursuant to the Transaction Documents, which shall be calculated on each such date as follows: the then remaining Maximum Commitment Amount divided by the Initial Purchase Price on each such date, ignoring any beneficial ownership limitations set forth herein.
“Rule 144” shall mean Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any similar provision then in force under the Securities Act.
“SEC” shall mean the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“SEC Documents” shall have the meaning specified in Section 4.5.
“Securities” means, collectively, the Advance Shares, Commitment Shares, Pre-Funded Warrants, and Exercise Shares.
“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Short Sales” shall mean all “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act (excluding transactions properly marked “short exempt”).
“Shareholder Approval” shall mean the approval of a sufficient amount of holders of the Company’s Common Stock to satisfy the shareholder approval requirements for such action as provided in Nasdaq Rule 5635(d), to effectuate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including but not limited to the issuance of Common Stock under this Agreement, including but not limited to the Advance Shares, Commitment Shares and Exercise Shares under the Pre-Funded Warrants, in excess of 50,000 shares of Common Stock (the “Exchange Cap”), subject to appropriate adjustment for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, rights offerings, reclassification or similar transaction that proportionately decreases or increases the Common Stock.
“Subsidiary” means any Person the Company wholly owns or controls, or in which the Company, directly or indirectly, owns a majority of the voting stock or similar voting interest, in each case that would be disclosable pursuant to Item 601(b)(21) of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Third Party Claim” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9.3(a).
“Trading Day” shall mean a day on which the Principal Market shall be open for business.
“Transaction Documents” shall mean this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, Pre-Funded Warrants, and all exhibits hereto and thereto.
“Transfer Agent” shall mean VStock Transfer LLC, the current transfer agent of the Company, with a mailing address of 18 Lafayette Place, Woodmere, NY 11598, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.
“Transfer Agent Instruction Letter” means the letter from the Company to the Transfer Agent entered into on or around the date of this Agreement that instructs the Transfer Agent to issue the Advance Shares, Commitment Shares, and Exercise Shares pursuant to the Transaction Documents.
“Pricing Period” shall mean the period of five (5) Trading Days immediately following the Clearing Date of the Advance Shares with respect to the applicable Advance Notice.
“Variation Amount” shall mean the highest volume weighted average price of the Common Stock on any Trading Day during the respective Pricing Period minus the lowest volume weighted average price of the Common Stock on any Trading Day during the respective Pricing Period.
“Variation Percentage” shall mean the product of (x) the Variation Amount during the respective Pricing Period divided by the highest volume weighted average price of the Common Stock on any Trading Day during the respective Pricing Period and (y) 100.
ARTICLE II
PURCHASE AND SALE OF COMMON STOCK
Section 2.1 ADVANCES. Upon the terms and conditions set forth herein (including, without limitation, the provisions of Article VII), the Company shall have the right, but not the obligation, to direct the Investor, by its delivery to the Investor of an Advance Notice from time to time, to purchase Advance Shares (i) in a minimum amount not less than $25,000.00 (calculated using the Initial Purchase Price) and (ii) in a maximum amount up to the lesser of (a) $300,000.00 (calculated using the Initial Purchase Price) or (b) 100% of the Average Daily Trading Value.
Section 2.2 MECHANICS.
(a) ADVANCE NOTICE.
| (i) | At any time and from time to time during the Commitment Period, except as provided in this Agreement, the Company may deliver an Advance Notice to Investor, subject to satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 7.2 and otherwise provided herein. |
| (ii) | The initial price per share identified in the respective Advance Notice shall be equal to the Initial Purchase Price, and shall only be used for purposes of determining the number of shares of Common Stock that the Company can issue pursuant to a respective Advance Notice in accordance with Section 2.1 of this Agreement (for the avoidance of doubt, the Initial Purchase Price shall not be used for purposes of determining the actual price per share to be paid by the Investor to the Company with respect to an Advance Notice). |
| (iii) | At the end of the Pricing Period, the Purchase Price for the respective Advance Shares and Investment Amount shall be established as further provided in this Agreement. |
| (iv) | The Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, the respective Advance Shares as DWAC Shares to the Investor on or before 2:00 p.m. Eastern time, on the Advance Date. |
| (v) | In addition to any other rights available to the Investor, if the Company fails to cause the Company’s transfer agent to deliver to the Investor the respective Advance Shares in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, and if after such date the Investor is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Investor’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Investor of the respective Advance Shares which the Investor anticipated receiving upon receipt of the respective Advance Notice (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall pay in cash to the Investor, within one (1) Business Day of Investor’s request, the amount, if any, by which (x) the Investor’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the product of (1) the number of Advance Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Investor in connection with the respective Advance Notice times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed. For example, if the Investor purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to such Advance Shares with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, the Company shall be required to pay $1,000 to the Investor. The Investor shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Investor in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit an Investor’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver Advance Shares as required pursuant to the terms hereof |
(b) DATE OF DELIVERY OF ADVANCE NOTICE. An Advance Notice shall be deemed delivered on (i) the Trading Day it is received by email by the Investor if such notice is received on or prior to 10:00 a.m. Eastern time, or (ii) the immediately succeeding Trading Day if it is received by email after 10:00 a.m. Eastern time on a Trading Day or at any time on a day which is not a Trading Day. The Company shall not deliver an Advance Notice to the Investor during the period beginning on the Advance Date of the immediately preceding Advance Notice and continuing through the end of the respective Pricing Period associated with the immediately preceding Advance Notice (the “Cooldown Period”, provided, however, that if the Investor is the holder of any debt securities of the Company on the Advance Date of the immediately preceding Advance Notice, then the Cooldown Period shall instead continue through the date that is three (3) Trading Days after the end of the respective Pricing Period associated with the immediately preceding Advance Notice), unless (i) the Investor is not the holder of any debt securities of the Company on the Advance Date of the immediately preceding Advance Notice and (ii) the trading volume of the Company’s Common Stock on the Principal Market on any single Trading Day during the Cooldown Period exceeds 500% of the number of Advance Shares specified in the immediately preceding Advance Notice (each a “Volume Event”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Advance Notice that may be delivered due to a Volume Event cannot have the same Advance Date as any other Advance Notice.
Section 2.3 CLOSINGS. On the Advance Date, the Purchase Price for the respective Advance Shares shall be established as provided in this Agreement. If the value of the Advance Shares delivered to the Investor causes the Company to exceed the Maximum Commitment Amount, then immediately after the Pricing Period the Investor shall return to the Company the surplus amount of Advance Shares associated with such Advance and the Purchase Price with respect to such Advance shall be reduced by any Investor Costs related to the return of such Advance Shares. The Closing of an Advance shall occur within one (1) Trading Day following the end of the Pricing Period for the respective Advance, whereby the. The Investor shall deliver to the Company (i) the Investment Amount by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Company and (ii) a copy of a settlement notice signed by the Investor, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit E (each a “Settlement Notice”).
Section 2.4 PRINCIPAL MARKET REGULATION. The Company shall not effect any issuances or sales of the Advance Shares under this Agreement above the Exchange Cap and the Investor shall not have the obligation to purchase Advance Shares under this Agreement above the Exchange Cap until the Shareholder Approval has been obtained by the Company and is in effect. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall not use the available Common Stock under the Exchange Cap for any purpose other than for the issuance of the Commitment Shares and Exercise Shares to the Buyer pursuant to the Transaction Documents.
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF INVESTOR
The Investor represents and warrants to the Company that:
Section 3.1 INTENT. The Investor is entering into this Agreement for its own account and the Investor has no present arrangement (whether or not legally binding) at any time to sell the Securities to or through any Person in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities laws; provided, however, that the Investor reserves the right to dispose of the Securities at any time in accordance with federal and state securities laws applicable to such disposition.
Section 3.2 NO LEGAL ADVICE FROM THE COMPANY. The Investor acknowledges that it has had the opportunity to review this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement with its own legal counsel and investment and tax advisors. The Investor is relying solely on such counsel and advisors and not on any statements or representations of the Company or any of its representatives or agents for legal, tax or investment advice with respect to this investment, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the securities laws of any jurisdiction.
Section 3.3 ACCREDITED INVESTOR. The Investor is an accredited investor as defined in Rule 501(a)(3) of Regulation D, and the Investor has such experience in business and financial matters that it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the Securities. The Investor acknowledges that an investment in the Securities is speculative and involves a high degree of risk.
Section 3.4 AUTHORITY. The Investor has the requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action and no further consent or authorization of the Investor is required. Each Transaction Document to which it is a party has been duly executed by the Investor, and when delivered by the Investor in accordance with the terms hereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Investor enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally the enforcement of, creditors’ rights and remedies or by other equitable principles of general application.
Section 3.5 NOT AN AFFILIATE. The Investor is not an officer, director or “affiliate” (as that term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act) of the Company.
Section 3.6 ORGANIZATION AND STANDING. The Investor is an entity duly incorporated or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation with full right, corporate, partnership, limited liability company or similar power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents.
Section 3.7 ABSENCE OF CONFLICTS. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and compliance with the requirements hereof and thereof, will not (a) violate any law, rule, regulation, order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree or award binding on the Investor, (b) violate any provision of any indenture, instrument or agreement to which the Investor is a party or is subject, or by which the Investor or any of its assets is bound, or conflict with or constitute a material default thereunder, (c) result in the creation or imposition of any lien pursuant to the terms of any such indenture, instrument or agreement, or constitute a breach of any fiduciary duty owed by the Investor to any third party, or (d) require the approval of any third-party (that has not been obtained) pursuant to any material contract, instrument, agreement, relationship or legal obligation to which the Investor is subject or to which any of its assets, operations or management may be subject.
Section 3.8 DISCLOSURE; ACCESS TO INFORMATION. The Investor had an opportunity to review copies of the SEC Documents filed on behalf of the Company and has had access to all publicly available information with respect to the Company.
Section 3.9 MANNER OF SALE. At no time was the Investor presented with or solicited by or through any leaflet, public promotional meeting, television advertisement or any other form of general solicitation or advertising.
Section 3.10 TRADING ACTIVITIES. The Investor’s trading activities with respect to the Common Stock shall be in compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws, rules and regulations and the rules and regulations of the Principal Market. Neither the Investor, nor any affiliate of the Investor, will execute any Short Sales during the period from the date hereof to the end of the Commitment Period. For the purposes hereof, and in accordance with Regulation SHO, the sale after delivery of a Put Notice of such number of shares of Common Stock reasonably expected to be purchased under a Put Notice shall not be deemed a Short Sale.
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
The Company represents and warrants to the Investor that:
Section 4.1 ORGANIZATION OF THE COMPANY. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with the requisite power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently conducted. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation nor default of any of the provisions of its respective certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect and no proceeding has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification.
Section 4.2 AUTHORITY. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and no further consent or authorization of the Company or its Board of Directors or stockholders is required. Each of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally the enforcement of, creditors’ rights and remedies or by other equitable principles of general application.
Section 4.3 CAPITALIZATION. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents, the Company has not issued any capital stock since its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act, other than pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options under the Company’s stock option plans, the issuance of shares of Common Stock to employees pursuant to the Company’s employee stock purchase plans and pursuant to the conversion and/or exercise of Common Stock Equivalents outstanding as of the date of the most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act. No Person has any right of first refusal, preemptive right, right of participation, or any similar right to participate in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents and except as a result of the purchase and sale of the Securities, there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights or obligations convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire any shares of Common Stock, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue additional shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents. The issuance and sale of the Securities will not obligate the Company to issue shares of Common Stock or other securities to any Person (other than the Investor) and will not result in a right of any holder of Company securities to adjust the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price under any of such securities. There are no stockholders agreements, voting agreements or other similar agreements with respect to the Company’s capital stock to which the Company is a party or, to the knowledge of the Company, between or among any of the Company’s stockholders.
Section 4.4 LISTING AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS. The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification that the SEC is contemplating terminating such registration. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents, the Company has not, in the twelve (12) months preceding the date hereof, received notice from the Principal Market on which the Common Stock is or has been listed or quoted to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements of such Principal Market. The Company is, and has no reason to believe that it will not in the foreseeable future continue to be, in compliance with all such listing and maintenance requirements.
Section 4.5 SEC DOCUMENTS; DISCLOSURE. The Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the one (1) year preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the Company was required by law or regulation to file such material) (the foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, being collectively referred to herein as the “SEC Documents”) on a timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of filing and has filed any such SEC Documents prior to the expiration of any such extension. As of their respective dates, the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and other federal laws, rules and regulations applicable to such SEC Documents, and none of the SEC Documents when filed contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Documents comply as to form and substance in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the SEC or other applicable rules and regulations with respect thereto. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (except (a) as may be otherwise indicated in such financial statements or the notes thereto or (b) in the case of unaudited interim statements, to the extent they may not include footnotes or may be condensed or summary statements) and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company as of the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal, immaterial, year-end audit adjustments). Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, the Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided the Investor or its agents or counsel with any information that it believes constitutes or might constitute material, non-public information. The Company understands and confirms that the Investor will rely on the foregoing representation in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.
Section 4.6 VALID ISSUANCES. The Securities are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the applicable Transaction Documents, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company other than restrictions on transfer provided for in the Transaction Documents.
Section 4.7 NO CONFLICTS. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including, without limitation, the issuance of the Securities, do not and will not: (a) result in a violation of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s certificate or articles of incorporation, by-laws or other organizational or charter documents, (b) conflict with, or constitute a material default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a material default) under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture, instrument or any “lock-up” or similar provision of any underwriting or similar agreement to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party, or (c) result in a violation of any federal, state or local law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including federal and state securities laws and regulations) applicable to the Company or any Subsidiary or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or affected (except for such conflicts, defaults, terminations, amendments, accelerations, cancellations and violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect) nor is the Company otherwise in violation of, conflict with or in default under any of the foregoing. The business of the Company is not being conducted in violation of any law, ordinance or regulation of any governmental entity, except for possible violations that either singly or in the aggregate do not and will not have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company is not required under federal, state or local law, rule or regulation to obtain any consent, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with, any court or governmental agency in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its obligations under this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents (other than any SEC, FINRA or state securities filings that may be required to be made by the Company subsequent to any Closing or any registration statement that may be filed pursuant hereto); provided that, for purposes of the representation made in this sentence, the Company is assuming and relying upon the accuracy of the relevant representations and agreements of Investor herein.
Section 4.8 NO MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGE. No event has occurred that would have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company that has not been disclosed in subsequent SEC Documents.
Section 4.9 LITIGATION AND OTHER PROCEEDINGS. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, there are no actions, suits, investigations, inquiries or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties, nor has the Company received any written or oral notice of any such action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, which would have a Material Adverse Effect. No judgment, order, writ, injunction or decree or award has been issued by or, to the knowledge of the Company, requested of any court, arbitrator or governmental agency which would have a Material Adverse Effect. There has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the SEC involving the Company, any Subsidiary or any current or former director or officer of the Company or any Subsidiary.
Section 4.10 REGISTRATION RIGHTS. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents and as granted to Investor, no Person (other than the Investor) has any right to cause the Company to effect the registration under the Securities Act of any securities of the Company or any Subsidiary.
Section 4.11 NO SOLICITATION; NO BROKERS. The Company has taken no action which would give rise to any claim by any person for brokerage commissions, transaction fees or similar payments relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company represents and warrants that neither the Investor nor its employee(s), member(s), beneficial owner(s), or partner(s) solicited the Company to enter into this Agreement and consummate the transactions described in this Agreement. The Company represents and warrants that the Investor is not required to be registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in order to (i) enter into or consummate the transactions encompassed by the Transaction Documents, (ii) fulfill the Investor’s obligations under the Transaction Documents, or (iii) exercise any of the Investor’s rights under the Transaction Documents (including but not limited to the sale of the Securities).
ARTICLE V
COVENANTS OF INVESTOR
Section 5.1 COMPLIANCE WITH LAW; TRADING IN SECURITIES. The Investor’s trading activities with respect to shares of Common Stock will be in compliance with all applicable state and federal securities laws and regulations and the rules and regulations of FINRA and the Principal Market.
ARTICLE VI
COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY
Section 6.1 RESERVATION OF COMMON STOCK. The Company shall maintain a reserve from its duly authorized shares of Common Stock equal to the Required Minimum in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
Section 6.2 LISTING OF COMMON STOCK. The Company shall promptly secure the listing of all of the Securities to be issued to the Investor hereunder on the Principal Market (subject to official notice of issuance) and shall maintain the listing of all such Securities from time to time issuable hereunder. The Company shall maintain the listing and trading of the Common Stock on the Principal Market (including, without limitation, maintaining sufficient net tangible assets) and will comply in all respects with the Company’s reporting, filing and other obligations under the bylaws or rules of the Principal Market.
Section 6.3 OTHER EQUITY LINES AND TRANSACTIONS. So long as this Agreement remains in effect, the Company covenants and agrees that it will not, without the prior written consent of the Investor, enter into any other Equity Line of Credit (as defined below) with any other party. “Equity Line of Credit” shall mean any transaction involving a written agreement between the Company and an investor or underwriter whereby the Company has the right to “put” its securities to the investor or underwriter over an agreed period of time and at an agreed price or price formula.
Section 6.4 FILING OF CURRENT REPORT AND REGISTRATION STATEMENT. The Company agrees that it shall file a Current Report on Form 8-K, including the Transaction Documents as exhibits thereto, with the SEC within the time required by the Exchange Act, relating to the transactions contemplated by, and describing the material terms and conditions of, the Transaction Documents (the “Current Report”).
Section 6.5 NO BROKER-DEALER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. Absent a final adjudication from a court of competent jurisdiction stating otherwise, the Company shall not to any person, institution, governmental or other entity, state, claim, allege, or in any way assert, that Investor is currently, or ever has been, a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
ARTICLE VII
CONDITIONS TO DELIVERY OF
ADVANCE NOTICES AND CONDITIONS TO CLOSING
Section 7.1 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY TO ISSUE AND SELL ADVANCE SHARES. In addition to the other provisions of this Agreement, the right of the Company to issue and sell the Advance Shares to the Investor is subject to the satisfaction of each of the conditions set forth below:
(a) ACCURACY OF INVESTOR’S REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. The representations and warranties of the Investor shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date of this Agreement and as of the date of each Closing as though made at each such time.
(b) PERFORMANCE BY INVESTOR. Investor shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all respects with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Investor at or prior to such Closing.
Section 7.2 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO THE OBLIGATION OF INVESTOR TO PURCHASE ADVANCE SHARES. The obligation of the Investor hereunder to purchase Advance Shares is subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions:
(a) EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT. The Registration Statement, and any amendment or supplement thereto, shall remain effective for the resale by the Investor of the Advance Shares, Commitment Shares (to the extent earned by Investor at such time pursuant to the terms of this Agreement), and Exercise Shares underlying all Pre-Funded Warrants earned by Investor at such time pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, at prevailing market prices (and not fixed prices) and (i) neither the Company nor the Investor shall have received notice that the SEC has issued or intends to issue a stop order with respect to such Registration Statement or that the SEC otherwise has suspended or withdrawn the effectiveness of such Registration Statement, either temporarily or permanently, or intends or has threatened to do so and (ii) no other suspension of the use of, or withdrawal of the effectiveness of, such Registration Statement or related prospectus shall exist.
(b) ACCURACY OF THE COMPANY’S REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. The representations and warranties of the Company shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date of this Agreement and as of the date of each Closing (except for representations and warranties specifically made as of a particular date).
(c) PERFORMANCE BY THE COMPANY. The Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company, including but not limited to the delivery of the Advance Shares as provided in Section 2.2(a) of this Agreement.
(d) NO INJUNCTION. No statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or adopted by any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction that prohibits or directly and materially adversely affects any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, and no proceeding shall have been commenced that may have the effect of prohibiting or materially adversely affecting any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
(e) ADVERSE CHANGES. Since the date of filing of the Company’s most recent SEC Document, no event that had or is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect has occurred.
(f) NO SUSPENSION OF TRADING IN OR DELISTING OF COMMON STOCK. The trading of the Common Stock shall not have been suspended by the SEC, the Principal Market or FINRA, or otherwise halted for any reason, and the Common Stock shall have been approved for listing on and shall not have been delisted from the Principal Market. In the event of a suspension, delisting, or halting for any reason, of the trading of the Common Stock, as contemplated by this Section 7.2(f), the Investor shall have the right to return to the Company any remaining amount of Advance Shares associated with such Advance, and the Purchase Price with respect to such Advance shall be reduced accordingly.
(g) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP LIMITATION. The number of Advance Shares then to be purchased by the Investor shall not exceed the number of such shares that, when aggregated with all other shares of Common Stock then owned by the Investor beneficially or deemed beneficially owned by the Investor, would result in the Investor owning more than the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below), as determined in accordance with Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 7.2(g), in the event that the amount of Common Stock outstanding, as determined in accordance with Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder, is greater on a Closing Date than on the date upon which the Advance Notice associated with such Closing Date is given, the amount of Common Stock outstanding on such Closing Date shall govern for purposes of determining whether the Investor, when aggregating all purchases of Common Stock made pursuant to this Agreement, would own more than the Beneficial Ownership Limitation following such Closing Date. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to an Advance Notice.
(h) [Intentionally Omitted].
(i) NO KNOWLEDGE. The Company shall have no knowledge of any event more likely than not to have the effect of causing the Registration Statement to be suspended or otherwise ineffective (which event is more likely than not to occur within the five (5) Trading Days following the Trading Day on which such Advance Notice is deemed delivered).
(j) NO VIOLATION OF SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL REQUIREMENT. For Advance Shares issuable above the Exchange Cap, the Shareholder Approval has been obtained by the Company.
(k) OFFICER’S CERTIFICATE. On the date of delivery of each Advance Notice, the Investor shall have received the Closing Certificate executed by an executive officer of the Company and to the effect that all the conditions to such Closing shall have been satisfied as of the date of each such certificate.
( ) DWAC ELIGIBLE. The Common Stock must be DWAC Eligible and not subject to a “DTC chill.”
(a) SEC DOCUMENTS. All reports, schedules, registrations, forms, statements, information and other documents required to have been filed by the Company with the SEC pursuant to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act shall have been filed with the SEC within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings under the Exchange Act.
(b) RESERVE. The Company shall have reserved the Required Minimum for the Investor’s benefit under this Agreement, the Company shall have satisfied the reserve requirements with respect to all other contracts between the Company and Investor, and the Transfer Agent Instruction Letter shall have been executed by the Company and the Transfer Agent.
(c) MINIMUM PRICING. The lowest traded price of the Common Stock in the ten (10) Trading Days immediately preceding the respective Advance Date must exceed $0.10 per share.
(d) BANKRUPTCY. Bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or liquidation proceedings or other proceedings, voluntary or involuntary, for relief under any bankruptcy law or any law for the relief of debtors shall not be instituted by or against the Company or any subsidiary of the Company (the “Bankruptcy Proceedings”), and the Company shall have no knowledge of any event more likely than not to have the effect of causing Bankruptcy Proceedings to arise. In the event of Bankruptcy Proceedings as contemplated by this Section 7.2(p), the Investor shall have the right to return to the Company any remaining amount of Advance Shares associated with such Advance, and the Purchase Price with respect to such Advance shall be reduced accordingly.
ARTICLE
VIII
LEGENDS
Section 8.1 NO RESTRICTIVE STOCK LEGEND. No restrictive stock legend shall be placed on the share certificates representing the Advance Shares.
Section 8.2 INVESTOR’S COMPLIANCE. Nothing in this Article VIII shall affect in any way the Investor’s obligations hereunder to comply with all applicable securities laws upon the resale of the Common Stock.
ARTICLE IX
NOTICES; INDEMNIFICATION
Section 9.1 NOTICES. All notices, demands, requests, consents, approvals, and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and, unless otherwise specified herein, shall be (a) personally served, (b) deposited in the mail, registered or certified, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, (c) delivered by reputable air courier service with charges prepaid, or (d) transmitted by hand delivery, telegram, or email as a PDF, addressed as set forth below or to such other address as such party shall have specified most recently by written notice given in accordance herewith. Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be deemed effective (i) upon hand delivery or delivery by email at the address designated below (if delivered on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received), or the first business day following such delivery (if delivered other than on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received) or (ii) on the second business day following the date of mailing by express courier service or on the fifth business day after deposited in the mail, in each case, fully prepaid, addressed to such address, or upon actual receipt of such mailing, whichever shall first occur.
The addresses for such communications shall be:
If to the Company:
Yoshiharu Global Co.
6940 Beach Blvd., Suite D-705
Buena Park, CA 90621
Email: jchae@yoshiharuramen.com
Attention: James Chae
With a copy to:
Pryor Cashman LLP
7 Times Square
40th Floor
New York, New York 10036
Email: Mogurick@pryorcashman.com
Attention: Matthew Ogurick, Esq.
If to the Investor:
Crom Structured Opportunities Fund I, LP
228 Park Ave S PMB 57033
New York, NY 10003-1502
Email: john@crom-llc.com and liam@crom-llc.com
Either party hereto may from time to time change its address or email for notices under this Section 9.1 by giving at least ten (10) days’ prior written notice of such changed address to the other party hereto.
Section 9.2 INDEMNIFICATION. Each party (an “Indemnifying Party”) agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the other party along with its officers, directors, employees, and authorized agents, and each Person or entity, if any, who controls such party within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (an “Indemnified Party”) from and against any Damages, joint or several, and any action in respect thereof to which the Indemnified Party becomes subject to, resulting from, arising out of or relating to (i) any material misrepresentation, material breach of a representation or warranty or nonfulfillment of or failure to perform any material covenant or material agreement on the part of the Indemnifying Party contained in this Agreement, (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (iii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus or contained in the final prospectus (as amended or supplemented, if the Company files any amendment thereof or supplement thereto with the SEC) or the omission or alleged omission to state therein any material fact necessary to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which the statements therein were made, not misleading, or (iv) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any state securities law or any rule or regulation under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any state securities law, as such Damages are incurred, except to the extent such Damages result primarily from the Indemnified Party’s failure to perform any material covenant or material agreement contained in this Agreement or the Indemnified Party’s negligence, recklessness or bad faith in performing its obligations under this Agreement; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any Damages of an Indemnified Party 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 by an Indemnifying Party in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Indemnifying Party by the Indemnified Party expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any preliminary prospectus or final prospectus (as amended or supplemented).
Section 9.3 METHOD OF ASSERTING INDEMNIFICATION CLAIMS. All claims for indemnification by any Indemnified Party under Section 9.2 shall be asserted and resolved as follows:
(a) In the event any claim or demand in respect of which an Indemnified Party might seek indemnity under Section 9.2 is asserted against or sought to be collected from such Indemnified Party by a Person other than a party hereto or an affiliate thereof (a “Third Party Claim”), the Indemnified Party shall deliver a written notification, enclosing a copy of all papers served, if any, and specifying the nature of and basis for such Third Party Claim and for the Indemnified Party’s claim for indemnification that is being asserted under any provision of Section 9.2 against an Indemnifying Party, together with the amount or, if not then reasonably ascertainable, the estimated amount, determined in good faith, of such Third Party Claim (a “Claim Notice”) with reasonable promptness to the Indemnifying Party. If the Indemnified Party fails to provide the Claim Notice with reasonable promptness after the Indemnified Party receives notice of such Third Party Claim, the Indemnifying Party shall not be obligated to indemnify the Indemnified Party with respect to such Third Party Claim to the extent that the Indemnifying Party’s ability to defend has been prejudiced by such failure of the Indemnified Party. The Indemnifying Party shall notify the Indemnified Party as soon as practicable within the period ending thirty (30) calendar days following receipt by the Indemnifying Party of either a Claim Notice or an Indemnity Notice (as defined below) (the “Dispute Period”) whether the Indemnifying Party disputes its liability or the amount of its liability to the Indemnified Party under Section 9.2 and whether the Indemnifying Party desires, at its sole cost and expense, to defend the Indemnified Party against such Third Party Claim.
(i) If the Indemnifying Party notifies the Indemnified Party within the Dispute Period that the Indemnifying Party desires to defend the Indemnified Party with respect to the Third Party Claim pursuant to this Section 9.3(a), then the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to defend, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party, at the sole cost and expense of the Indemnifying Party, such Third Party Claim by all appropriate proceedings, which proceedings shall be vigorously and diligently prosecuted by the Indemnifying Party to a final conclusion or will be settled at the discretion of the Indemnifying Party (but only with the consent of the Indemnified Party in the case of any settlement that provides for any relief other than the payment of monetary damages or that provides for the payment of monetary damages as to which the Indemnified Party shall not be indemnified in full pursuant to Section 9.2). The Indemnifying Party shall have full control of such defense and proceedings, including any compromise or settlement thereof; provided, however, that the Indemnified Party may, at the sole cost and expense of the Indemnified Party, at any time prior to the Indemnifying Party’s delivery of the notice referred to in the first sentence of this clause (i), file any motion, answer or other pleadings or take any other action that the Indemnified Party reasonably believes to be necessary or appropriate to protect its interests; and provided, further, that if requested by the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnified Party will, at the sole cost and expense of the Indemnifying Party, provide reasonable cooperation to the Indemnifying Party in contesting any Third Party Claim that the Indemnifying Party elects to contest. The Indemnified Party may participate in, but not control, any defense or settlement of any Third Party Claim controlled by the Indemnifying Party pursuant to this clause (i), and except as provided in the preceding sentence, the Indemnified Party shall bear its own costs and expenses with respect to such participation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Indemnified Party may takeover the control of the defense or settlement of a Third Party Claim at any time if it irrevocably waives its right to indemnity under Section 9.2 with respect to such Third Party Claim.
(ii) If the Indemnifying Party fails to notify the Indemnified Party within the Dispute Period that the Indemnifying Party desires to defend the Third Party Claim pursuant to Section 9.3(a), or if the Indemnifying Party gives such notice but fails to prosecute vigorously and diligently or settle the Third Party Claim, or if the Indemnifying Party fails to give any notice whatsoever within the Dispute Period, then the Indemnified Party shall have the right to defend, at the sole cost and expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Third Party Claim by all appropriate proceedings, which proceedings shall be prosecuted by the Indemnified Party in a reasonable manner and in good faith or will be settled at the discretion of the Indemnified Party(with the consent of the Indemnifying Party, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld). The Indemnified Party will have full control of such defense and proceedings, including any compromise or settlement thereof; provided, however, that if requested by the Indemnified Party, the Indemnifying Party will, at the sole cost and expense of the Indemnifying Party, provide reasonable cooperation to the Indemnified Party and its counsel in contesting any Third Party Claim which the Indemnified Party is contesting. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this clause (ii), if the Indemnifying Party has notified the Indemnified Party within the Dispute Period that the Indemnifying Party disputes its liability or the amount of its liability hereunder to the Indemnified Party with respect to such Third Party Claim and if such dispute is resolved in favor of the Indemnifying Party in the manner provided in clause (iii) below, the Indemnifying Party will not be required to bear the costs and expenses of the Indemnified Party’s defense pursuant to this clause (ii) or of the Indemnifying Party’s participation therein at the Indemnified Party’s request, and the Indemnified Party shall reimburse the Indemnifying Party in full for all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the Indemnifying Party in connection with such litigation. The Indemnifying Party may participate in, but not control, any defense or settlement controlled by the Indemnified Party pursuant to this clause (ii), and the Indemnifying Party shall bear its own costs and expenses with respect to such participation.
(iii) If the Indemnifying Party notifies the Indemnified Party that it does not dispute its liability or the amount of its liability to the Indemnified Party with respect to the Third Party Claim under Section 9.2 or fails to notify the Indemnified Party within the Dispute Period whether the Indemnifying Party disputes its liability or the amount of its liability to the Indemnified Party with respect to such Third Party Claim, the amount of Damages specified in the Claim Notice shall be conclusively deemed a liability of the Indemnifying Party under Section 9.2 and the Indemnifying Party shall pay the amount of such Damages to the Indemnified Party on demand. If the Indemnifying Party has timely disputed its liability or the amount of its liability with respect to such claim, the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party shall proceed in good faith to negotiate a resolution of such dispute; provided, however, that if the dispute is not resolved within thirty (30) days after the Claim Notice, the Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to institute such legal action as it deems appropriate.
(b) In the event any Indemnified Party should have a claim under Section 9.2 against the Indemnifying Party that does not involve a Third Party Claim, the Indemnified Party shall deliver a written notification of a claim for indemnity under Section 9.2 specifying the nature of and basis for such claim, together with the amount or, if not then reasonably ascertainable, the estimated amount, determined in good faith, of such claim (an “Indemnity Notice”) with reasonable promptness to the Indemnifying Party. The failure by any Indemnified Party to give the Indemnity Notice shall not impair such party’s rights hereunder except to the extent that the Indemnifying Party demonstrates that it has been irreparably prejudiced thereby. If the Indemnifying Party notifies the Indemnified Party that it does not dispute the claim or the amount of the claim described in such Indemnity Notice or fails to notify the Indemnified Party within the Dispute Period whether the Indemnifying Party disputes the claim or the amount of the claim described in such Indemnity Notice, the amount of Damages specified in the Indemnity Notice will be conclusively deemed a liability of the Indemnifying Party under Section 9.2 and the Indemnifying Party shall pay the amount of such Damages to the Indemnified Party on demand. If the Indemnifying Party has timely disputed its liability or the amount of its liability with respect to such claim, the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party shall proceed in good faith to negotiate a resolution of such dispute; provided, however, that if the dispute is not resolved within thirty (30) days after the Claim Notice, the Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to institute such legal action as it deems appropriate.
(c) The Indemnifying Party agrees to pay the Indemnified Party, promptly as such expenses are incurred and are due and payable, for any reasonable legal fees or other reasonable expenses incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim.
(d) The indemnity provisions contained herein shall be in addition to (i) any cause of action or similar rights of the Indemnified Party against the Indemnifying Party or others, and (ii) any liabilities the Indemnifying Party may be subject to.
ARTICLE X
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 10.1 ARBITRATION OF CLAIMS; GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION. The Company and Investor shall submit all Claims (as defined in Exhibit C of this Agreement) (the “Claims”) arising under this Agreement or any other agreement between the Company and Investor or their respective affiliates (including but not limited to the Transaction Documents) or any Claim relating to the relationship of the Company and Investor or their respective affiliates to binding arbitration pursuant to the arbitration provisions set forth in Exhibit C of the Agreement (the “Arbitration Provisions”). The Company and Investor hereby acknowledge and agree that the Arbitration Provisions are unconditionally binding on the Company and Investor hereto and are severable from all other provisions of this Agreement. By executing this Agreement, Company represents, warrants and covenants that Company has reviewed the Arbitration Provisions carefully, consulted with legal counsel about such provisions (or waived its right to do so), understands that the Arbitration Provisions are intended to allow for the expeditious and efficient resolution of any dispute hereunder, agrees to the terms and limitations set forth in the Arbitration Provisions, and that Company will not take a position contrary to the foregoing representations. Company acknowledges and agrees that Investor may rely upon the foregoing representations and covenants of Company regarding the Arbitration Provisions. This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, and all questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by, the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware. The Company and Investor consent to and expressly agree that the exclusive venue for arbitration of any Claims arising under this Agreement or any other agreement between the Company and Investor or their respective affiliates (including but not limited to the Transaction Documents) or any Claim relating to the relationship of the Company and Investor or their respective affiliates shall be in New Castle County, State of Delaware. Without modifying the Company’s and Investor’s mandatory obligations to resolve disputes hereunder pursuant to the Arbitration Provisions, for any litigation arising in connection with any of the Transaction Documents (and notwithstanding the terms (specifically including any governing law and venue terms) of any transfer agent services agreement or other agreement between the Company’s transfer agent and the Company, such litigation specifically includes, without limitation any action between or involving Company and the Company’s transfer agent under the Transfer Agent Instruction Letter or otherwise related to Investor in any way (specifically including, without limitation, any action where Company seeks to obtain an injunction, temporary restraining order, or otherwise prohibit the Company’s transfer agent from issuing shares of Common Stock to Investor for any reason)), each party hereto hereby (i) consents to and expressly submits to the exclusive personal jurisdiction of any state or federal court sitting in New Castle County, State of Delaware, (ii) expressly submits to the exclusive venue of any such court for the purposes hereof, (iii) agrees to not bring any such action (specifically including, without limitation, any action where Company seeks to obtain an injunction, temporary restraining order, or otherwise prohibit the Company’s transfer agent from issuing shares of Common Stock to Investor for any reason) outside of any state or federal court sitting in New Castle County, State of Delaware, and (iv) waives any claim of improper venue and any claim or objection that such courts are an inconvenient forum or any other claim, defense or objection to the bringing of any such proceeding in such jurisdiction or to any claim that such venue of the suit, action or proceeding is improper. Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary, nothing herein shall limit, or shall be deemed or construed to limit, the ability of the Investor to realize on any collateral or any other security, or to enforce a judgment or other court ruling in favor of the Investor, including through a legal action in any court of competent jurisdiction. The Company hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any objection to jurisdiction and venue of any action instituted hereunder, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, and any claim that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper (including but not limited to based upon forum non conveniens). THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. The Company irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any suit, action or proceeding in connection with this Agreement or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to Company at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. The prevailing party in any action or dispute brought in connection with this Agreement or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby shall be entitled to recover from the other party its reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. If any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement in that jurisdiction or the validity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction.
Section 10.2 PAYMENT SET ASIDE. Further, to the extent that the (i) Company makes a payment or payments to the Investor pursuant to this Agreement or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, or (ii) the Investor enforces or exercises its rights pursuant to this Agreement or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby (including but not limited to the sale of the Securities), and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof (including but not limited to the sale of the Securities) are for any reason (i) subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, or disgorged by the Investor, or (ii) are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver, government entity, or any other person or entity under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, foreign, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action), then (i) to the extent of any such restoration the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or setoff had not occurred and (ii) the Company shall immediately pay to the Investor a dollar amount equal to the amount that was for any reason (i) subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, or disgorged by the Investor, or (ii) required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver, government entity, or any other person or entity under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, foreign, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action).
Section 10.3 ASSIGNMENT. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company and the Investor and their respective successors. Neither this Agreement nor any rights of the Investor or the Company hereunder may be assigned by either party to any other Person.
Section 10.4 NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the Company and the Investor and their respective successors, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person, except as set forth in Section 9.3.
Section 10.5 TERMINATION. The Company may terminate this Agreement at any time by written notice to the Investor at least five (5) Trading Days prior to the effective date of such termination (the “Termination Date”), except that such Termination Date cannot be during any Cooldown Period or during any Pricing Period. In addition, this Agreement shall automatically terminate at the end of the Commitment Period. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, (i) the provisions of Articles III, IV, V, VI, IX of this Agreement and the agreements and covenants of the Company and the Investor set forth in Article X of this Agreement shall survive the termination of this Agreement and (ii) the Investor shall retain all rights to the Commitment Shares, Pre-Funded Warrants, and Exercise Shares even if this Agreement is terminated.
Section 10.6 ENTIRE AGREEMENT. The Transaction Documents, together with the exhibits and schedules thereto, contain the entire understanding of the Company and the Investor with respect to the matters covered herein and therein and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the Parties acknowledge have been merged into such documents, exhibits and schedules.
Section 10.7 FEES AND EXPENSES.
| (a) | Except as expressly set forth in the Transaction Documents, each party shall pay the fees and expenses of its own advisers, counsel, accountants and other experts, if any, and all other expenses incurred by such party incident to the negotiation, preparation, execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement. The Company shall pay all Transfer Agent fees (including, without limitation, any fees required for same-day processing of any instruction letter delivered by the Company), stamp taxes and other taxes and duties levied in connection with the delivery of any Securities to the Investor. In addition, the Company shall pay $20,000.00 to legal counsel of the Investor on the date of this Agreement for Investor’s expenses relating to the preparation of this Agreement. |
| (b) | On the date of this Agreement, the Company shall issue the Initial Commitment Shares to Investor for its commitment to enter into this Agreement. The Initial Commitment Shares shall be earned in full upon the execution of this Agreement, and the issuance of the Initial Commitment Shares is not contingent upon any other event or condition, including but not limited to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the Company’s submission of an Advance Notice to the Investor. If the Reference True-Up Price is less than the Reference Price, then the Company shall issue the True-Up Shares to the Investor on the Reference True-Up Date. |
| (c) | If the issuance of any of the Commitment Shares would cause the Investor to exceed the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the balance of such Commitment Shares in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation shall be issued in the form of Pre-Funded Warrants for the purchase of the respective number of Commitment Shares within one (1) Trading Day of Investor’s written request to the Company. If the Investor requests in writing that the Company issue Pre-Funded Warrants for the purchase of any portion of Commitment Shares, then such requested portion shall be issued in the form of Pre-Funded Warrants for the purchase of the respective number of Commitment Shares within one (1) Trading Day of Investor’s written request to the Company and correspondingly reduce the number of additional Commitment Shares issuable to Investor. |
Section 10.8 COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which may be executed by less than all of the Parties and shall be deemed to be an original instrument which shall be enforceable against the Parties actually executing such counterparts and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. This Agreement may be delivered to the other Parties hereto by email of a copy of this Agreement bearing the signature of the Parties so delivering this Agreement.
Section 10.9 SEVERABILITY. In the event that any provision of this Agreement becomes or is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal, unenforceable or void, this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect without said provision; provided that such severability shall be ineffective if it materially changes the economic benefit of this Agreement to any party.
Section 10.10 FURTHER ASSURANCES. Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as the other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
Section 10.11 NO STRICT CONSTRUCTION. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the Parties to express their mutual intent, and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party.
Section 10.12 [Intentionally Omitted]
Section 10.13 TITLE AND SUBTITLES. The titles and subtitles used in this Agreement are used for the convenience of reference and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting this Agreement.
Section 10.14 AMENDMENTS; WAIVERS. No provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived by the Parties from and after the date that is one (1) Trading Day immediately preceding the initial filing of the Registration Statement with the SEC. Subject to the immediately preceding sentence, (i) no provision of this Agreement may be amended other than by a written instrument signed by both Parties hereto and (ii) no provision of this Agreement may be waived other than in a written instrument signed by the party against whom enforcement of such waiver is sought. No failure or delay in the exercise of any power, right or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such power, right or privilege preclude other or further exercise thereof or of any other right, power or privilege.
Section 10.15 PUBLICITY. The Company and the Investor shall consult with each other in issuing any press releases or otherwise making public statements with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby and no party shall issue any such press release or otherwise make any such public statement, other than as required by law, without the prior written consent of the other Parties, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, except that no prior consent shall be required if such disclosure is required by law, in which such case the disclosing party shall provide the other party with prior notice of such public statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not publicly disclose the name of the Investor without the prior written consent of the Investor, except to the extent required by law. The Investor acknowledges that this Agreement and all or part of the Transaction Documents may be deemed to be “material contracts,” as that term is defined by Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K, and that the Company may therefore be required to file such documents as exhibits to reports or registration statements filed under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act. The Investor further agrees that the status of such documents and materials as material contracts shall be determined solely by the Company, in consultation with its counsel.
[Signature Page Follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of the day and year first above written.
| THE COMPANY: | ||
| YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO. | ||
| By: | /s/ James Chae | |
| Name: | James Chae | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
| INVESTOR: | ||
| CROM | ||
| STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I, LP | ||
| By: | CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I GP, LLC, its General Partner | |
| By: | CROM CORTANA FUND LLC, member of the General Partner | |
| By: | /s/ Liam Sherif | |
| Name: | Liam Sherif | |
| Title: | Authorized Signatory | |
[Signature Page to equity purchase agreement]
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF ADVANCE NOTICE
TO:
CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I, LP
DATE:
We refer to the equity purchase agreement, dated January 6, 2025 (the “Agreement”), entered into by and between Yoshiharu Global Co. and you. Capitalized terms defined in the Agreement shall, unless otherwise defined herein, have the same meaning when used herein.
We hereby:
1) Give you notice that we require you to purchase______________ Advance Shares pursuant to the Agreement; and
2) The Initial Purchase Price pursuant to the Agreement is____________ ; and
2) Certify that, as of the date hereof, the conditions set forth in Section 7.2 of the Agreement are satisfied.
| YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | James Chae | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
EXHIBIT B
FORM
OF OFFICER’S CERTIFICATE
OF YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO.
Pursuant to Section 7.2(k) of that certain equity purchase agreement, dated January 6, 2025 (the “Agreement”), by and between Yoshiharu Global Co. (the “Company”) and Crom Structured Opportunities Fund I, LP (the “Investor”), the undersigned, in his capacity as Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and not in his individual capacity, hereby certifies, as of the date hereof (such date, the “Condition Satisfaction Date”), the following:
1. The representations and warranties of the Company are true and correct in all material respects as of the Condition Satisfaction Date as though made on the Condition Satisfaction Date (except for representations and warranties specifically made as of a particular date) with respect to all periods, and as to all events and circumstances occurring or existing to and including the Condition Satisfaction Date, except for any conditions which have temporarily caused any representations or warranties of the Company set forth in the Agreement to be incorrect and which have been corrected with no continuing impairment to the Company or the Investor; and
2. All of the conditions precedent to the obligation of the Investor to purchase Advance Shares set forth in the Agreement, including but not limited to Section 7.2 of the Agreement, have been satisfied as of the Condition Satisfaction Date.
Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Agreement unless otherwise defined herein.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto affixed his hand as of the , 20__.
| By: | ||
| Name: | James Chae | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
EXHIBIT C
ARBITRATION PROVISIONS
1. Dispute Resolution. Each party consents to and expressly agrees that the exclusive venue for arbitration of any dispute arising out of or relating to any of the Transaction Documents or the relationship of the parties or their affiliates shall be in New Castle County, State of Delaware. For purposes of this Exhibit C, the term “Claims” means any disputes, claims, demands, causes of action, requests for injunctive relief, requests for specific performance, questions regarding severability of any provisions of the Transaction Documents, liabilities, damages, losses, or controversies whatsoever arising from, related to, or connected with the transactions contemplated in the Transaction Documents and any communications between the parties related thereto, including without limitation any claims of mutual mistake, mistake, fraud, misrepresentation, failure of formation, failure of consideration, promissory estoppel, unconscionability, failure of condition precedent, rescission, and any statutory claims, tort claims, contract claims, or claims to void, invalidate or terminate the Agreement (or these Arbitration Provisions (defined below)) or any of the other Transaction Documents. The parties to this Agreement (the “parties”) hereby agree that the Claims may be arbitrated in one or more Arbitrations pursuant to these Arbitration Provisions (one for an injunction or injunctions and a separate one for all other Claims). The parties hereby agree that the arbitration provisions set forth in this Exhibit C (“Arbitration Provisions”) are binding on each of them. As a result, any attempt to rescind the Agreement (or these Arbitration Provisions) or any other Transaction Document) or declare the Agreement (or these Arbitration Provisions) or any other Transaction Document invalid or unenforceable pursuant to Section 29 of the 1934 Act or for any other reason is subject to these Arbitration Provisions. These Arbitration Provisions shall also survive any termination or expiration of the Agreement. Any capitalized term not defined in these Arbitration Provisions shall have the meaning set forth in the Agreement.
2. Arbitration. Except as otherwise provided herein, all Claims must be submitted to arbitration (“Arbitration”) to be conducted exclusively in New Castle County, State of Delaware and pursuant to the terms set forth in these Arbitration Provisions. Subject to the arbitration appeal right provided for in Paragraph 5 below (the “Appeal Right”), the parties agree that the award of the arbitrator rendered pursuant to Paragraph 4 below (the “Arbitration Award”) shall be (a) final and binding upon the parties, (b) the sole and exclusive remedy between them regarding any Claims, counterclaims, issues, or accountings presented or pleaded to the arbitrator, and (c) promptly payable in United States dollars free of any tax, deduction or offset (with respect to monetary awards). Subject to the Appeal Right, any costs or fees, including without limitation attorneys’ fees, incurred in connection with or incident to enforcing the Arbitration Award shall, to the maximum extent permitted by law, be charged against the party resisting such enforcement. Judgment upon the Arbitration Award will be entered and enforced by any state or federal court sitting in New Castle County, State of Delaware.
3. The Arbitration Act. The parties hereby incorporate herein the provisions and procedures set forth in the Delaware Uniform Arbitration Act, Title 10 Chapter 57 (as amended or superseded from time to time, the “Arbitration Act”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, pursuant to, and to the maximum extent permitted by, the Arbitration Act, in the event of conflict or variation between the terms of these Arbitration Provisions and the provisions of the Arbitration Act, the terms of these Arbitration Provisions shall control and the parties hereby waive or otherwise agree to vary the effect of all requirements of the Arbitration Act that may conflict with or vary from these Arbitration Provisions.
4. Arbitration Proceedings. Arbitration between the parties will be subject to the following:
4.1 Initiation of Arbitration. Pursuant to the Arbitration Act, the parties agree that a party may initiate Arbitration by giving written notice to the other party (“Arbitration Notice”) in the same manner that notice is permitted under Section 8(f) of the Agreement; provided, however, that the Arbitration Notice may not be given by email or fax. Arbitration will be deemed initiated as of the date that the Arbitration Notice is deemed physically delivered to such other party under Section 8(f) of the Agreement (the “Service Date”). After the Service Date, information may be delivered, and notices may be given, by email or fax pursuant to Section 8(f) of the Agreement or any other method permitted thereunder. The Arbitration Notice must describe the nature of the controversy, the remedies sought, and the election to commence Arbitration proceedings. All Claims in the Arbitration Notice must be pleaded consistent with the Delaware Rules of Civil Procedure.
4.2 Selection and Payment of Arbitrator.
(a) Within ten (10) calendar days after the Service Date, Investor shall select and submit to Company the names of three (3) arbitrators that are designated as “neutrals” or qualified arbitrators by the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties (such three (3) designated persons hereunder are referred to herein as the “Proposed Arbitrators”). For the avoidance of doubt, each Proposed Arbitrator must be qualified as a “neutral” with AAA or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties. Within five (5) calendar days after Investor has submitted to Company the names of the Proposed Arbitrators, Company must select, by written notice to Investor, one (1) of the Proposed Arbitrators to act as the arbitrator for the parties under these Arbitration Provisions. If Company fails to select one of the Proposed Arbitrators in writing within such 5-day period, then Investor may select the arbitrator from the Proposed Arbitrators by providing written notice of such selection to Company.
(b) If Investor fails to submit to Company the Proposed Arbitrators within ten (10) calendar days after the Service Date pursuant to subparagraph (a) above, then Company may at any time prior to Investor so designating the Proposed Arbitrators, identify the names of three (3) arbitrators that are designated as “neutrals” or qualified arbitrators by AAA or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties by written notice to Investor. Investor may then, within five (5) calendar days after Company has submitted notice of its Proposed Arbitrators to Investor, select, by written notice to Company, one (1) of the Proposed Arbitrators to act as the arbitrator for the parties under these Arbitration Provisions. If Investor fails to select in writing and within such 5-day period one (1) of the three (3) Proposed Arbitrators selected by Company, then Company may select the arbitrator from its three (3) previously selected Proposed Arbitrators by providing written notice of such selection to Investor.
(c) If a Proposed Arbitrator chosen to serve as arbitrator declines or is otherwise unable to serve as arbitrator, then the party that selected such Proposed Arbitrator may select one (1) of the other three (3) Proposed Arbitrators within three (3) calendar days of the date the chosen Proposed Arbitrator declines or notifies the parties he or she is unable to serve as arbitrator. If all three (3) Proposed Arbitrators decline or are otherwise unable to serve as arbitrator, then the arbitrator selection process shall begin again in accordance with this Paragraph 4.2.
(d) The date that the Proposed Arbitrator selected pursuant to this Paragraph 4.2 agrees in writing (including via email) delivered to both parties to serve as the arbitrator hereunder is referred to herein as the “Arbitration Commencement Date”. If an arbitrator resigns or is unable to act during the Arbitration, a replacement arbitrator shall be chosen in accordance with this Paragraph 4.2 to continue the Arbitration. If AAA or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties ceases to exist or to provide a list of neutrals and there is no successor thereto, then replacement arbitrators shall be selected by both parties within five (5) calendar days thereafter.
(e) Subject to Paragraph 4.10 below, the cost of the arbitrator must be paid equally by both parties. Subject to Paragraph 4.10 below, if one party refuses or fails to pay its portion of the arbitrator fee, then the other party can advance such unpaid amount, with such amount being added to or subtracted from, as applicable, the Arbitration Award.
4.3 Applicability of Certain Delaware Rules. The parties agree that the Arbitration shall be conducted generally in accordance with the Delaware Rules of Civil Procedure and the Delaware Rules of Evidence. More specifically, the Delaware Rules of Civil Procedure shall apply, without limitation, to the filing of any pleadings, motions or memoranda, the conducting of discovery, and the taking of any depositions. The Delaware Rules of Evidence shall apply to any hearings, whether telephonic or in person, held by the arbitrator. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is the parties’ intent that the incorporation of such rules will in no event supersede these Arbitration Provisions. In the event of any conflict between the Delaware Rules of Civil Procedure or the Delaware Rules of Evidence and these Arbitration Provisions, these Arbitration Provisions shall control.
4.4 Answer and Default. An answer and any counterclaims to the Arbitration Notice shall be required to be delivered to the party initiating the Arbitration within twenty (20) calendar days after the Arbitration Commencement Date. If an answer is not delivered by the required deadline, the arbitrator must provide written notice to the defaulting party stating that the arbitrator will enter a default award against such party if such party does not file an answer within five (5) calendar days of receipt of such notice. If an answer is not filed within the five (5) day extension period, the arbitrator must render a default award, consistent with the relief requested in the Arbitration Notice, against a party that fails to submit an answer within such time period.
4.5 [Intentionally Omitted].
4.6 Discovery. The parties agree that discovery shall be conducted as follows:
(a) Written discovery will only be allowed if the likely benefits of the proposed written discovery outweigh the burden or expense thereof, and the written discovery sought is likely to reveal information that will satisfy a specific element of a claim or defense already pleaded in the Arbitration. The party seeking written discovery shall always have the burden of showing that all of the standards and limitations set forth in these Arbitration Provisions are satisfied. The scope of discovery in the Arbitration proceedings shall also be limited as follows:
(i) To facts directly connected with the transactions contemplated by the Agreement.
(ii) To facts and information that cannot be obtained from another source or in another manner that is more convenient, less burdensome or less expensive than in the manner requested.
(b) No party shall be allowed (i) more than fifteen (15) interrogatories (including discrete subparts), (ii) more than fifteen (15) requests for admission (including discrete subparts), (iii) more than ten (10) document requests (including discrete subparts), or (iv) more than three (3) depositions (excluding expert depositions) for a maximum of seven (7) hours per deposition. The costs associated with depositions will be borne by the party taking the deposition. The party defending the deposition will submit a notice to the party taking the deposition of the estimated attorneys’ fees that such party expects to incur in connection with defending the deposition. If the party defending the deposition fails to submit an estimate of attorneys’ fees within five (5) calendar days of its receipt of a deposition notice, then such party shall be deemed to have waived its right to the estimated attorneys’ fees. The party taking the deposition must pay the party defending the deposition the estimated attorneys’ fees prior to taking the deposition, unless such obligation is deemed to be waived as set forth in the immediately preceding sentence. If the party taking the deposition believes that the estimated attorneys’ fees are unreasonable, such party may submit the issue to the arbitrator for a decision.
(c) All discovery requests (including document production requests included in deposition notices) must be submitted in writing to the arbitrator and the other party. The party submitting the written discovery requests must include with such discovery requests a detailed explanation of how the proposed discovery requests satisfy the requirements of these Arbitration Provisions and the Delaware Rules of Civil Procedure. The receiving party will then be allowed, within five (5) calendar days of receiving the proposed discovery requests, to submit to the arbitrator an estimate of the attorneys’ fees and costs associated with responding to such written discovery requests and a written challenge to each applicable discovery request. After receipt of an estimate of attorneys’ fees and costs and/or challenge(s) to one or more discovery requests, consistent with subparagraph (c) above, the arbitrator will within three (3) calendar days make a finding as to the likely attorneys’ fees and costs associated with responding to the discovery requests and issue an order that (i) requires the requesting party to prepay the attorneys’ fees and costs associated with responding to the discovery requests, and (ii) requires the responding party to respond to the discovery requests as limited by the arbitrator within twenty-five (25) calendar days of the arbitrator’s finding with respect to such discovery requests. If a party entitled to submit an estimate of attorneys’ fees and costs and/or a challenge to discovery requests fails to do so within such 5-day period, the arbitrator will make a finding that (A) there are no attorneys’ fees or costs associated with responding to such discovery requests, and (B) the responding party must respond to such discovery requests (as may be limited by the arbitrator) within twenty-five (25) calendar days of the arbitrator’s finding with respect to such discovery requests. Any party submitting any written discovery requests, including without limitation interrogatories, requests for production subpoenas to a party or a third party, or requests for admissions, must prepay the estimated attorneys’ fees and costs, before the responding party has any obligation to produce or respond to the same, unless such obligation is deemed waived as set forth above.
(d) In order to allow a written discovery request, the arbitrator must find that the discovery request satisfies the standards set forth in these Arbitration Provisions and the Delaware Rules of Civil Procedure. The arbitrator must strictly enforce these standards. If a discovery request does not satisfy any of the standards set forth in these Arbitration Provisions or the Delaware Rules of Civil Procedure, the arbitrator may modify such discovery request to satisfy the applicable standards, or strike such discovery request in whole or in part.
(e) Each party may submit expert reports (and rebuttals thereto), provided that such reports must be submitted within sixty (60) days of the Arbitration Commencement Date. Each party will be allowed a maximum of two (2) experts. Expert reports must contain the following: (i) a complete statement of all opinions the expert will offer at trial and the basis and reasons for them; (ii) the expert’s name and qualifications, including a list of all the expert’s publications within the preceding ten (10) years, and a list of any other cases in which the expert has testified at trial or in a deposition or prepared a report within the preceding ten (10) years; and (iii) the compensation to be paid for the expert’s report and testimony. The parties are entitled to depose any other party’s expert witness one (1) time for no more than four (4) hours. An expert may not testify in a party’s case-in-chief concerning any matter not fairly disclosed in the expert report.
4.6 Dispositive Motions. Each party shall have the right to submit dispositive motions pursuant to the Delaware Rules of Civil Procedure (a “Dispositive Motion”). The party submitting the Dispositive Motion may, but is not required to, deliver to the arbitrator and to the other party a memorandum in support (the “Memorandum in Support”) of the Dispositive Motion. Within seven (7) calendar days of delivery of the Memorandum in Support, the other party shall deliver to the arbitrator and to the other party a memorandum in opposition to the Memorandum in Support (the “Memorandum in Opposition”). Within seven (7) calendar days of delivery of the Memorandum in Opposition, as applicable, the party that submitted the Memorandum in Support shall deliver to the arbitrator and to the other party a reply memorandum to the Memorandum in Opposition (“Reply Memorandum”). If the applicable party shall fail to deliver the Memorandum in Opposition as required above, or if the other party fails to deliver the Reply Memorandum as required above, then the applicable party shall lose its right to so deliver the same, and the Dispositive Motion shall proceed regardless.
4.7 Confidentiality. All information disclosed by either party (or such party’s agents) during the Arbitration process (including without limitation information disclosed during the discovery process or any Appeal (defined below)) shall be considered confidential in nature. Each party agrees not to disclose any confidential information received from the other party (or its agents) during the Arbitration process (including without limitation during the discovery process or any Appeal) unless (a) prior to or after the time of disclosure such information becomes public knowledge or part of the public domain, not as a result of any inaction or action of the receiving party or its agents, (b) such information is required by a court order, subpoena or similar legal duress to be disclosed if such receiving party has notified the other party thereof in writing and given it a reasonable opportunity to obtain a protective order from a court of competent jurisdiction prior to disclosure, or (c) such information is disclosed to the receiving party’s agents, representatives and legal counsel on a need to know basis who each agree in writing not to disclose such information to any third party. The arbitrator is hereby authorized and directed to issue a protective order to prevent the disclosure of privileged information and confidential information upon the written request of either party.
4.8 Authorization; Timing; Scheduling Order. Subject to all other portions of these Arbitration Provisions, the parties hereby authorize and direct the arbitrator to take such actions and make such rulings as may be necessary to carry out the parties’ intent for the Arbitration proceedings to be efficient and expeditious. The parties hereby agree that an Arbitration Award must be made within one hundred twenty (120) calendar days after the Arbitration Commencement Date. The arbitrator is hereby authorized and directed to hold a scheduling conference within ten (10) calendar days after the Arbitration Commencement Date in order to establish a scheduling order with various binding deadlines for discovery, expert testimony, and the submission of documents by the parties to enable the arbitrator to render a decision prior to the end of such 120-day period.
4.9 Relief. The arbitrator shall have the right to award or include in the Arbitration Award (or in a preliminary ruling) any relief which the arbitrator deems proper under the circumstances, including, without limitation, specific performance and injunctive relief, provided that the arbitrator may not award exemplary or punitive damages.
4.10 Fees and Costs. As part of the Arbitration Award, the arbitrator is hereby directed to require the losing party (the party being awarded the least amount of money by the arbitrator, which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall be determined without regard to any statutory fines, penalties, fees, or other charges awarded to any party) to (a) pay the full amount of any unpaid costs and fees of the Arbitration, and (b) reimburse the prevailing party for all reasonable attorneys’ fees, arbitrator costs and fees, deposition costs, other discovery costs, and other expenses, costs or fees paid or otherwise incurred by the prevailing party in connection with the Arbitration.
5. Arbitration Appeal.
5.1 Initiation of Appeal. Following the entry of the Arbitration Award, either party (the “Appellant”) shall have a period of thirty (30) calendar days in which to notify the other party (the “Appellee”), in writing, that the Appellant elects to appeal (the “Appeal”) the Arbitration Award (such notice, an “Appeal Notice”) to a panel of arbitrators as provided in Paragraph 5.2 below. The date the Appellant delivers an Appeal Notice to the Appellee is referred to herein as the “Appeal Date”. The Appeal Notice must be delivered to the Appellee in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 4.1 above with respect to delivery of an Arbitration Notice. In addition, together with delivery of the Appeal Notice to the Appellee, the Appellant must also pay for (and provide proof of such payment to the Appellee together with delivery of the Appeal Notice) a bond in the amount of 110% of the sum the Appellant owes to the Appellee as a result of the Arbitration Award the Appellant is appealing. In the event an Appellant delivers an Appeal Notice to the Appellee (together with proof of payment of the applicable bond) in compliance with the provisions of this Paragraph 5.1, the Appeal will occur as a matter of right and, except as specifically set forth herein, will not be further conditioned. In the event a party does not deliver an Appeal Notice (along with proof of payment of the applicable bond) to the other party within the deadline prescribed in this Paragraph 5.1, such party shall lose its right to appeal the Arbitration Award. If no party delivers an Appeal Notice (along with proof of payment of the applicable bond) to the other party within the deadline described in this Paragraph 5.1, the Arbitration Award shall be final. The parties acknowledge and agree that any Appeal shall be deemed part of the parties’ agreement to arbitrate for purposes of these Arbitration Provisions and the Arbitration Act.
5.2 Selection and Payment of Appeal Panel. In the event an Appellant delivers an Appeal Notice to the Appellee (together with proof of payment of the applicable bond) in compliance with the provisions of Paragraph 5.1 above, the Appeal will be heard by a three (3) person arbitration panel (the “Appeal Panel”).
(a) Within ten (10) calendar days after the Appeal Date, the Appellee shall select and submit to the Appellant the names of five (5) arbitrators that are designated as “neutrals” or qualified arbitrators by AAA or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties (such five (5) designated persons hereunder are referred to herein as the “Proposed Appeal Arbitrators”). For the avoidance of doubt, each Proposed Appeal Arbitrator must be qualified as a “neutral” with AAA or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties, and shall not be the arbitrator who rendered the Arbitration Award being appealed (the “Original Arbitrator”). Within five (5) calendar days after the Appellee has submitted to the Appellant the names of the Proposed Appeal Arbitrators, the Appellant must select, by written notice to the Appellee, three (3) of the Proposed Appeal Arbitrators to act as the members of the Appeal Panel. If the Appellant fails to select three (3) of the Proposed Appeal Arbitrators in writing within such 5-day period, then the Appellee may select such three (3) arbitrators from the Proposed Appeal Arbitrators by providing written notice of such selection to the Appellant.
(b) If the Appellee fails to submit to the Appellant the names of the Proposed Appeal Arbitrators within ten (10) calendar days after the Appeal Date pursuant to subparagraph (a) above, then the Appellant may at any time prior to the Appellee so designating the Proposed Appeal Arbitrators, identify the names of five (5) arbitrators that are designated as “neutrals” or qualified arbitrators by AAA or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties (none of whom may be the Original Arbitrator) by written notice to the Appellee. The Appellee may then, within five (5) calendar days after the Appellant has submitted notice of its selected arbitrators to the Appellee, select, by written notice to the Appellant, three (3) of such selected arbitrators to serve on the Appeal Panel. If the Appellee fails to select in writing within such 5-day period three (3) of the arbitrators selected by the Appellant to serve as the members of the Appeal Panel, then the Appellant may select the three (3) members of the Appeal Panel from the Appellant’s list of five (5) arbitrators by providing written notice of such selection to the Appellee.
(c) If a selected Proposed Appeal Arbitrator declines or is otherwise unable to serve, then the party that selected such Proposed Appeal Arbitrator may select one (1) of the other five (5) designated Proposed Appeal Arbitrators within three (3) calendar days of the date a chosen Proposed Appeal Arbitrator declines or notifies the parties he or she is unable to serve as an arbitrator. If at least three (3) of the five (5) designated Proposed Appeal Arbitrators decline or are otherwise unable to serve, then the Proposed Appeal Arbitrator selection process shall begin again in accordance with this Paragraph 5.2; provided, however, that any Proposed Appeal Arbitrators who have already agreed to serve shall remain on the Appeal Panel.
(d) The date that all three (3) Proposed Appeal Arbitrators selected pursuant to this Paragraph 5.2 agree in writing (including via email) delivered to both the Appellant and the Appellee to serve as members of the Appeal Panel hereunder is referred to herein as the “Appeal Commencement Date”. No later than five (5) calendar days after the Appeal Commencement Date, the Appellee shall designate in writing (including via email) to the Appellant and the Appeal Panel the name of one (1) of the three (3) members of the Appeal Panel to serve as the lead arbitrator in the Appeal proceedings. Each member of the Appeal Panel shall be deemed an arbitrator for purposes of these Arbitration Provisions and the Arbitration Act, provided that, in conducting the Appeal, the Appeal Panel may only act or make determinations upon the approval or vote of no less than the majority vote of its members, as announced or communicated by the lead arbitrator on the Appeal Panel. If an arbitrator on the Appeal Panel ceases or is unable to act during the Appeal proceedings, a replacement arbitrator shall be chosen in accordance with Paragraph 5.2 above to continue the Appeal as a member of the Appeal Panel. If AAA or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties ceases to exist or to provide a list of neutrals, then replacement arbitrators for the Appeal Panel shall be selected by both parties within five (5) calendar days thereafter.
(d) Subject to Paragraph 5.7 below, the cost of the Appeal Panel must be paid entirely by the Appellant.
5.3 Appeal Procedure. The Appeal will be deemed an appeal of the entire Arbitration Award. In conducting the Appeal, the Appeal Panel shall conduct a de novo review of all Claims described or otherwise set forth in the Arbitration Notice. Subject to the foregoing and all other provisions of this Paragraph 5, the Appeal Panel shall conduct the Appeal in a manner the Appeal Panel considers appropriate for a fair and expeditious disposition of the Appeal, may hold one or more hearings and permit oral argument, and may review all previous evidence and discovery, together with all briefs, pleadings and other documents filed with the Original Arbitrator (as well as any documents filed with the Appeal Panel pursuant to Paragraph 5.4(a) below). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in connection with the Appeal, the Appeal Panel shall not permit the parties to conduct any additional discovery or raise any new Claims to be arbitrated, shall not permit new witnesses or affidavits, and shall not base any of its findings or determinations on the Original Arbitrator’s findings or the Arbitration Award.
5.4 Timing.
(a) Within seven (7) calendar days of the Appeal Commencement Date, the Appellant (i) shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Appeal Panel copies of the Appeal Notice, all discovery conducted in connection with the Arbitration, and all briefs, pleadings and other documents filed with the Original Arbitrator (which material Appellee shall have the right to review and supplement if necessary), and (ii) may, but is not required to, deliver to the Appeal Panel and to the Appellee a Memorandum in Support of the Appellant’s arguments concerning or position with respect to all Claims, counterclaims, issues, or accountings presented or pleaded in the Arbitration. Within seven (7) calendar days of the Appellant’s delivery of the Memorandum in Support, as applicable, the Appellee shall deliver to the Appeal Panel and to the Appellant a Memorandum in Opposition to the Memorandum in Support. Within seven (7) calendar days of the Appellee’s delivery of the Memorandum in Opposition, as applicable, the Appellant shall deliver to the Appeal Panel and to the Appellee a Reply Memorandum to the Memorandum in Opposition. If the Appellant shall fail to substantially comply with the requirements of clause (i) of this subparagraph (a), the Appellant shall lose its right to appeal the Arbitration Award, and the Arbitration Award shall be final. If the Appellee shall fail to deliver the Memorandum in Opposition as required above, or if the Appellant shall fail to deliver the Reply Memorandum as required above, then the Appellee or the Appellant, as the case may be, shall lose its right to so deliver the same, and the Appeal shall proceed regardless.
(b) Subject to subparagraph (a) above, the parties hereby agree that the Appeal must be heard by the Appeal Panel within thirty (30) calendar days of the Appeal Commencement Date, and that the Appeal Panel must render its decision within thirty (30) calendar days after the Appeal is heard (and in no event later than sixty (60) calendar days after the Appeal Commencement Date).
5.5 Appeal Panel Award. The Appeal Panel shall issue its decision (the “Appeal Panel Award”) through the lead arbitrator on the Appeal Panel. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, the Appeal Panel Award shall (a) supersede in its entirety and make of no further force or effect the Arbitration Award (provided that any protective orders issued by the Original Arbitrator shall remain in full force and effect), (b) be final and binding upon the parties, with no further rights of appeal, (c) be the sole and exclusive remedy between the parties regarding any Claims, counterclaims, issues, or accountings presented or pleaded in the Arbitration, and (d) be promptly payable in United States dollars free of any tax, deduction or offset (with respect to monetary awards). Any costs or fees, including without limitation attorneys’ fees, incurred in connection with or incident to enforcing the Appeal Panel Award shall, to the maximum extent permitted by law, be charged against the party resisting such enforcement. Judgment upon the Appeal Panel Award will be entered and enforced by a state or federal court sitting in New Castle County, State of Delaware.
5.6 Relief. The Appeal Panel shall have the right to award or include in the Appeal Panel Award any relief which the Appeal Panel deems proper under the circumstances, including, without limitation, specific performance and injunctive relief, provided that the Appeal Panel may not award exemplary or punitive damages.
5.7 Fees and Costs. As part of the Appeal Panel Award, the Appeal Panel is hereby directed to require the losing party (the party being awarded the least amount of money by the arbitrator, which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall be determined without regard to any statutory fines, penalties, fees, or other charges awarded to any party) to (a) pay the full amount of any unpaid costs and fees of the Arbitration and the Appeal Panel, and (b) reimburse the prevailing party (the party being awarded the most amount of money by the Appeal Panel, which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall be determined without regard to any statutory fines, penalties, fees, or other charges awarded to any part) the reasonable attorneys’ fees, arbitrator and Appeal Panel costs and fees, deposition costs, other discovery costs, and other expenses, costs or fees paid or otherwise incurred by the prevailing party in connection with the Arbitration (including without limitation in connection with the Appeal).
6. Miscellaneous.
6.1 Severability. If any part of these Arbitration Provisions is found to violate or be illegal under applicable law, then such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make such provision enforceable under applicable law, and the remainder of the Arbitration Provisions shall remain unaffected and in full force and effect.
6.2 Governing Law. These Arbitration Provisions shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to the conflict of laws principles therein.
6.3 Interpretation. The headings of these Arbitration Provisions are for convenience of reference only and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, these Arbitration Provisions.
6.4 Waiver. No waiver of any provision of these Arbitration Provisions shall be effective unless it is in the form of a writing signed by the party granting the waiver.
6.5 Time is of the Essence. Time is expressly made of the essence with respect to each and every provision of these Arbitration Provisions.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]
EXHIBIT D
(see attached)
NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR THE SECURITIES AS TO WHICH THIS SECURITY MAY BE EXERCISED HAVE BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS AS EVIDENCED BY A LEGAL OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE TRANSFEROR TO SUCH EFFECT. THIS SECURITY AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THIS SECURITY MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER LOAN SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES.
COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT
YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO.
Warrant Shares: _
Date of Issuance: (“Issuance Date”)
This COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT (the “Warrant”) certifies that, for value received, Crom Structured Opportunities Fund I, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (including any permitted and registered assigns, the “Holder”), is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the limitations on exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after the date of issuance hereof, to purchase from YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”),____ shares of Common Stock (the “Warrant Shares”) (whereby such number may be adjusted from time to time pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Warrant) at the Exercise Price per share then in effect. This Warrant is issued by the Company as of the date hereof in connection with that certain equity purchase agreement dated January 6, 2025, by and among the Company and the Holder (the “Purchase Agreement”).
Capitalized terms used in this Warrant shall have the meanings set forth in the Purchase Agreement unless otherwise defined in the body of this Warrant or in Section 16 below. For purposes of this Warrant, the term “Exercise Price” shall mean $0.0001, subject to adjustment as provided herein (including but not limited to cashless exercise), and the term “Exercise Period” shall mean the period commencing on the Issuance Date and continuing until this Warrant is exercised in full.
1. EXERCISE OF WARRANT.
(a) Mechanics of Exercise. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the rights represented by this Warrant may be exercised in whole or in part at any time or times during the Exercise Period by delivery of a written notice, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Exercise Notice”), of the Holder’s election to exercise this Warrant. The Holder shall not be required to deliver the original Warrant in order to effect an exercise hereunder. Partial exercises of this Warrant resulting in purchases of a portion of the total number of Warrant Shares available hereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding number of Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder in an amount equal to the applicable number of Warrant Shares purchased. On or before the second Trading Day (the “Warrant Share Delivery Date”) following the date on which the Holder sent the Exercise Notice to the Company or the Company’s transfer agent, and upon receipt by the Company of payment to the Company of an amount equal to the applicable Exercise Price multiplied by the number of Warrant Shares as to which all or a portion of this Warrant is being exercised (the “Aggregate Exercise Price” and together with the Exercise Notice, the “Exercise Delivery Documents”) in cash or by wire transfer of immediately available funds (or by cashless exercise, in which case there shall be no Aggregate Exercise Price provided), the Company shall (or direct its transfer agent to) issue and deliver by overnight courier to the address as specified in the Exercise Notice, a certificate, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of shares of Common Stock to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise (or deliver such shares of Common Stock in electronic format if requested by the Holder). Upon delivery of the Exercise Delivery Documents, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record of the Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date of delivery of the certificates evidencing such Warrant Shares. If this Warrant is submitted in connection with any exercise and the number of Warrant Shares represented by this Warrant submitted for exercise is greater than the number of Warrant Shares being acquired upon an exercise, then the Company shall as soon as practicable and in no event later than three Business Days after any exercise and at its own expense, issue a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7) representing the right to purchase the number of Warrant Shares purchasable immediately prior to such exercise under this Warrant, less the number of Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant is exercised.
| 1 |
If the Company fails to cause its transfer agent to issue to the Holder the respective shares of Common Stock by the respective Warrant Share Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise in Holder’s sole discretion in addition to all other rights and remedies at law, under this Warrant, or otherwise, and such failure shall also be deemed a material breach under this Warrant, and a material breach under the Purchase Agreement.
If the Market Price of one share of Common Stock is greater than the Exercise Price, then, unless there is an effective non-stale registration statement of the Company which contains a prospectus that complies with Section 5(b) and Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933 at the time of exercise and covers the Holder’s immediate resale of all of the Warrant Shares at prevailing market prices (and not fixed prices) without any limitation, the Holder may elect to receive Warrant Shares pursuant to a cashless exercise, in lieu of a cash exercise, equal to the value of this Warrant determined in the manner described below (or of any portion thereof remaining unexercised) by surrender of this Warrant and an Exercise Notice, in which event the Company shall issue to Holder a number of Common Stock computed using the following formula:
X = Y (A-B)
A
| Where | X = | the number of Shares to be issued to Holder. | |
| Y = | the number of Warrant Shares that the Holder elects to purchase under this | ||
| Warrant (at the date of such calculation). | |||
| A = | the Market Price (at the date of such calculation). | ||
| B = | Exercise Price (as adjusted to the date of such calculation). |
(b) No Fractional Shares. No fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant as a consequence of any adjustment pursuant hereto. All Warrant Shares (including fractions) issuable upon exercise of this Warrant may be aggregated for purposes of determining whether the exercise would result in the issuance of any fractional share. If, after aggregation, the exercise would result in the issuance of a fractional share, the Company shall, in lieu of issuance of any fractional share, pay the Holder otherwise entitled to such fraction a sum in cash equal to the product resulting from multiplying the then-current fair market value of a Warrant Share by such fraction.
| 2 |
(c) Holder’s Exercise Limitations; Exchange Cap. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Company shall not effect any exercise of this Warrant, and a Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to Section 1 or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after exercise as set forth on the applicable Exercise Notice, the Holder (together with the Holder’s Affiliates), and any other Persons acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s Affiliates (such Persons, “Attribution Parties”)), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below). For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and Attribution Parties shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of shares of Common Stock which would be issuable upon (i) exercise of the remaining, nonexercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or nonconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any other Common Stock Equivalents) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 1(c), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 1(c), in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, a Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the Commission, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Company’s transfer agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Company shall within three (3) Trading Days confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder or its Affiliates or Attribution Parties since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding at the time of the respective calculation hereunder. In addition to the beneficial ownership limitations provided in this Warrant, the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under this Warrant shall be limited to the Exchange Cap (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) unless the Shareholder Approval (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) (“Shareholder Approval”) is obtained by the Company. In the event that the Company is prohibited from issuing any shares of Common Stock pursuant to this Warrant due to the Company’s failure to obtain the Shareholder Approval (such number of shares that are prohibited from being issued are referred to herein as the “Exchange Cap Shares”), in lieu of issuing and delivering such Exchange Cap Shares to the Holder, the Company shall pay cash to the Holder in exchange for the cancellation of such portion of this Warrant exercisable into such Exchange Cap Shares (the “Exchange Cap Payment Amount”) at a price equal to the sum of (x) the product of (A) such number of Exchange Cap Shares and (B) the greatest Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on any Trading Day during the period commencing on the date the Holder delivers the applicable Exercise Notice with respect to such Exchange Cap Shares to the Company and ending on the date of the aforementioned payment under this Section 1(c) and (y) to the extent the Holder purchases (in an open market transaction or otherwise) shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of Exchange Cap Shares, any brokerage commissions and other out-of-pocket expenses, if any, of the Holder incurred in connection therewith. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant.
(d) Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Warrant Shares Upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause the Company’s transfer agent to deliver to the Holder the Warrant Shares in accordance with the provisions of this Warrant (including but not limited to Section 1(a) above pursuant to an exercise on or before the respective Warrant Share Delivery Date, and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder, within one (1) Business Day of Holder’s request, the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the product of (1) the number of Warrant Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder within one (1) Business Day of Holder’s request the number of shares of Common Stock that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder purchases, or effectuates a cashless exercise hereunder for, Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of shares of Common Stock with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence, the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.
| 3 |
2. ADJUSTMENTS. The Exercise Price and number of Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant are subject to adjustment from time to time as set forth in this Section 2.
(a) Stock Dividends and Splits. Without limiting any provision of Section 2(b), Section 3 or Section 4, if the Company, at any time on or after the Issuance Date, (i) pays a stock dividend on one or more classes of its then outstanding shares of Common Stock or otherwise makes a distribution on any class of capital stock that is payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivides (by any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or otherwise) one or more classes of its then outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares or (iii) combines (by combination, reverse stock split or otherwise) one or more classes of its then outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event. Any adjustment made pursuant to clause (i) of this paragraph shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution, and any adjustment pursuant to clause (ii) or (iii) of this paragraph shall become effective immediately after the effective date of such subdivision or combination. If any event requiring an adjustment under this paragraph occurs during the period that an Exercise Price is calculated hereunder, then the calculation of such Exercise Price shall be adjusted appropriately to reflect such event.
(b) [Intentionally Omitted].
(c) [Intentionally Omitted].
(d) [Intentionally Omitted].
(e) [Intentionally Omitted].
(f) Calculations. All calculations under this Section 2 shall be made by rounding to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as applicable. The number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at any given time shall not include shares owned or held by or for the account of the Company, and the disposition of any such shares shall be considered an issuance or sale of Common Stock
(g) Voluntary Adjustment By Company. Subject to the rules and regulations of the Principal Market, the Company may at any time during the term of this Warrant, with the prior written consent of the Holder, reduce the then current Exercise Price to any amount and for any period of time deemed appropriate by the board of directors of the Company.
| 4 |
(h) Number of Warrant Shares. Simultaneously with any adjustment to the Exercise Price 4 pursuant to this Section 2, the number of Warrant Shares that may be purchased upon exercise of this Warrant shall be increased or decreased proportionately, so that after such adjustment the aggregate Exercise Price payable hereunder for the adjusted number of Warrant Shares shall be the same as the aggregate Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment (without regard to any limitations on exercise contained herein). For the avoidance of doubt, the aggregate Exercise Price payable prior to such adjustment is calculated as follows: the total number of Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant immediately prior to such adjustment (without regard to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) multiplied by the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment. By way of example, if E is the total number of Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant immediately prior to such adjustment (without regard to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation), F is the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment, and G is the Exercise Price in effect immediately after such adjustment, the adjustment to the number of Warrant Shares can be expressed in the following formula: Total number of Warrant Shares after such adjustment = the number obtained from dividing [E x F] by G.
(i) Notice. In addition to all other notice(s) required under this Section 2, the Company shall also notify the Holder in writing, no later than the Trading Day following any adjustment to the Warrant under this Section 2, indicating therein the occurrence of such applicable exercise price and warrant share adjustment (such notice the “Adjustment Notice”). For purposes of clarification, regardless of whether (i) the Company provides an Adjustment Notice pursuant to this Section 2 or (ii) the Holder accurately refers to the number of Warrant Shares or Exercise Price in the Exercise Notice, the Holder is entitled to receive the adjustments to the number of Warrant Shares and Exercise Price at all times on and after the date of such adjustment event.
3. RIGHTS UPON DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 2 above or Section 4(a) below, if the Company shall declare or make any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of shares of Common Stock, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of cash, stock or other securities, property, options, evidence of indebtedness or any other assets by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations or restrictions on exercise of this Warrant, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution (provided, however, that to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the extent of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (and shall not be entitled to beneficial ownership of such shares of Common Stock as a result of such Distribution (and beneficial ownership) to the extent of any such excess) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time or times, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, at which time or times the Holder shall be granted such Distribution (and any Distributions declared or made on such initial Distribution or on any subsequent Distribution held similarly in abeyance) to the same extent as if there had been no such limitation).
| 5 |
4. PURCHASE RIGHTS; FUNDAMENTAL TRANSACTIONS.
(a) Purchase Rights. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Sections 2 or 3 above, if at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Options, Convertible Securities or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to the record holders of any class of Common Stock (the “Purchase Rights”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations or restrictions on exercise of this Warrant, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights (provided, however, that to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to the extent of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (and shall not be entitled to beneficial ownership of such shares of Common Stock as a result of such Purchase Right (and beneficial ownership) to the extent of any such excess) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time or times, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, at which time or times the Holder shall be granted such right (and any Purchase Right granted, issued or sold on such initial Purchase Right or on any subsequent Purchase Right held similarly in abeyance) to the same extent as if there had been no such limitation).
(b) Fundamental Transactions. The Company shall not enter into or be party to a Fundamental Transaction unless the Successor Entity assumes in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant and the other Transaction Documents (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4(b) pursuant to written agreements in form and substance satisfactory to the Holder and approved by the Holder prior to such Fundamental Transaction, including agreements to deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant, including, without limitation, which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock equivalent to the shares of Common Stock acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the shares of Common Stock pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such adjustments to the number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction). Upon the consummation of each Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of the applicable Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant and the other Transaction Documents referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant and the other Transaction Documents with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein. Upon consummation of each Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall deliver to the Holder confirmation that there shall be issued upon exercise of this Warrant at any time after the consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction, in lieu of the shares of Common Stock (or other securities, cash, assets or other property (except such items still issuable under Sections 3 and 4(a) above, which shall continue to be receivable thereafter)) issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant prior to the applicable Fundamental Transaction, such shares of publicly traded common stock (or its equivalent) of the Successor Entity (including its Parent Entity) which the Holder would have been entitled to receive upon the happening of the applicable Fundamental Transaction had this Warrant been exercised immediately prior to the applicable Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant), as adjusted in accordance with the provisions of this Warrant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and without limiting Section 1(c) hereof, the Holder may elect, at its sole option, by delivery of written notice to the Company to waive this Section 4(b) to permit the Fundamental Transaction without the assumption of this Warrant. In addition to and not in substitution for any other rights hereunder, prior to the consummation of each Fundamental Transaction pursuant to which holders of shares of Common Stock are entitled to receive securities or other assets with respect to or in exchange for shares of Common Stock (a “Corporate Event”), the Company shall make appropriate provision to insure that the Holder will thereafter have the right to receive upon an exercise of this Warrant at any time after the consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction but prior to the Expiration Date, in lieu of the shares of the Common Stock (or other securities, cash, assets or other property (except such items still issuable under Sections 3 and 4(a) above, which shall continue to be receivable thereafter)) issuable upon the exercise of the Warrant prior to such Fundamental Transaction, such shares of stock, securities, cash, assets or any other property whatsoever (including warrants or other purchase or subscription rights) which the Holder would have been entitled to receive upon the happening of the applicable Fundamental Transaction had this Warrant been exercised immediately prior to the applicable Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) (the “Corporate Event Consideration”). Provision made pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holder.
| 6 |
(c) Black Scholes Value.
(i) Change of Control Redemption. Notwithstanding the foregoing and the provisions of Section 4(b) above, at the request of the Holder delivered at any time commencing on the earliest to occur of (A) the public disclosure of any Change of Control, (B) the consummation of any Change of Control and (C) the Holder first becoming aware of any Change of Control through the date that is ninety (90) days after the public disclosure of the consummation of such Change of Control by the Company pursuant to a Report on Form 8-K or Report of Foreign Issuer on Form 6-K filed with the SEC, the Company or the Successor Entity (as the case may be) shall exchange this Warrant for consideration equal to the Black Scholes Value of such portion of this Warrant subject to exchange (collectively, the “Aggregate Black Scholes Value”) in the form of, at the Holder’s election (such election to pay in cash or by delivery of the Rights (as defined below), a “Consideration Election”), either (I) rights (with a beneficial ownership limitation in the form of Section 1(c) hereof, mutatis mutandis) (collectively, the “Rights”), convertible in whole, or in part, at any time, without the requirement to pay any additional consideration, at the option of the Holder, into such Corporate Event Consideration applicable to such Change of Control equal in value to the Aggregate Black Scholes Value (as determined in accordance with Section 2(b)(iv) above, but with the aggregate number of Successor Shares (as defined below) issuable upon conversion of the Rights to be determined in increments of 10% (or such greater percentage as the Holder may notify the Company from time to time) of the portion of the Aggregate Black Scholes Value attributable to such Successor Shares (the “Successor Share Value Increment”), with the aggregate number of Successor Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights with respect to the first Successor Share Value Increment determined based on 70% of the Closing Bid Price of the Successor Shares on the date the Rights are issued and on each of the nine (9) subsequent Trading Days, in each case, the aggregate number of additional Successor Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights shall be determined based upon a Successor Share Value Increment at 70% of the Closing Bid Price of the Successor Shares in effect for such corresponding Trading Day (such ten (10) Trading Day period commencing on, and including, the date the Rights are issued, the “Rights Measuring Period”)), or (II) in cash; provided, that the Company shall not consummate a Change of Control if the Corporate Event Consideration includes share capital or other equity interest (the “Successor Shares”) either in an entity that is not listed on an Eligible Market or an entity in which the daily share volume for the applicable Successor Shares for each of the twenty (20) Trading Days prior to the date of consummation of such Change of Control is less than the aggregate number of Successor Shares issuable to the Holder upon conversion in full of the applicable Rights (without regard to any limitations on conversion therein, assuming the exercise in full of the Rights on the date of issuance of the Rights and assuming the Closing Bid Price of the Successor Shares for each Trading Day in the Rights Measuring Period is the Closing Bid Price on the Trading Day ended immediately prior to the time of consummation of the Change of Control). The Company shall give the Holder written notice of each Consideration Election at least twenty (20) Trading Days prior to the time of consummation of such Change of Control. Payment of such amounts or delivery of the Rights, as applicable, shall be made by the Company (or at the Company’s direction) to the Holder on or prior to the later of (x) the second (2nd) Trading Day after the date of such request and (y) the date of consummation of such Change of Control (or, with respect to any Right, if applicable, such later time that holders of Common Stock are initially entitled to receive Corporate Event Consideration with respect to the Common Stock of such holder). Any Corporate Event Consideration included in the Right, if any, pursuant to this Section 4(c)(i) is pani passu with the Corporate Event Consideration to be paid to holders of Common Stock and the Company shall not permit a payment of any Corporate Event Consideration to the holders of Common Stock without on or prior to such time delivering the Right to the Holder hereunder.
| 7 |
(d) Application. The provisions of this Section 4 shall apply similarly and equally to successive Fundamental Transactions and Corporate Events and shall be applied as if this Warrant (and any such subsequent warrants) were fully exercisable and without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant (provided that the Holder shall continue to be entitled to the benefit of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, applied however with respect to shares of capital stock registered under the 1934 Act and thereafter receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (or any such other warrant)).
5. NON-CIRCUMVENTION. The Company covenants and agrees that it will not, by amendment of its articles of incorporation, bylaws or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, scheme of arrangement, dissolution, issue or sale of securities, or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, and will at all times in good faith carry out all the provisions of this Warrant and take all action as may be required to protect the rights of the Holder. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company (i) shall not increase the par value of any shares of Common Stock receivable upon the exercise of this Warrant above the Exercise Price then in effect, (ii) shall take all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of this Warrant, and (iii) shall, for so long as this Warrant is outstanding, have authorized and reserved, free from preemptive rights, four (4) times the number of shares of Common Stock into which the Warrants are then exercisable into to provide for the exercise of the rights represented by this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise).
6. WARRANT HOLDER NOT DEEMED A STOCKHOLDER. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, the Holder, solely in its capacity as a holder of this Warrant, shall not be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed the holder of share capital of the Company for any purpose, nor shall anything contained in this Warrant be construed to confer upon the Holder, solely in its capacity as the Holder of this Warrant, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote, give or withhold consent to any corporate action (whether any reorganization, issue of stock, reclassification of stock, consolidation, merger, conveyance or otherwise), receive notice of meetings, receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, prior to the issuance to the Holder of the Warrant Shares which it is then entitled to receive upon the due exercise of this Warrant. In addition, nothing contained in this Warrant shall be construed as imposing any liabilities on the Holder to purchase any securities (upon exercise of this Warrant or otherwise) or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liabilities are asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company. Notwithstanding this Section 6, the Company shall provide the Holder with copies of the same notices and other information given to the stockholders of the Company generally, contemporaneously with the giving thereof to the stockholders.
7. REISSUANCE.
(a) Lost, Stolen or Mutilated Warrant. If this Warrant is lost, stolen, mutilated or destroyed, the Company will, on such terms as to indemnity or otherwise as it may reasonably impose (which shall, in the case of a mutilated Warrant, include the surrender thereof), issue a new Warrant of like denomination and tenor as this Warrant so lost, stolen, mutilated or destroyed.
(b) Issuance of New Warrants. Whenever the Company is required to issue a new Warrant pursuant to the terms of this Warrant, such new Warrant shall be of like tenor with this Warrant, and shall have an issuance date, as indicated on the face of such new Warrant which is the same as the Issuance Date.
8. TRANSFER. This Warrant shall be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns, and shall inure to be the benefit of the Holder and its successors and assigns. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the rights, interests or obligations of the Company hereunder may not be assigned, by operation of law or otherwise, in whole or in part, by the Company without the prior signed written consent of the Holder, which consent may be withheld at the sole discretion of the Holder (any such assignment or transfer shall be null and void if the Company does not obtain the prior signed written consent of the Holder). This Warrant or any of the severable rights and obligations inuring to the benefit of or to be performed by Holder hereunder may be assigned by Holder to a third party, in whole or in part, without the need to obtain the Company’s consent thereto.
| 8 |
9. NOTICES. Whenever notice is required to be given under this Warrant, unless otherwise provided herein, such notice shall be given in accordance with the notice provisions contained in the Purchase Agreement. The Company shall provide the Holder with prompt written notice (i) immediately upon any adjustment of the Exercise Price, setting forth in reasonable detail, the calculation of such adjustment and (ii) at least 20 days prior to the date on which the Company closes its books or takes a record (A) with respect to any dividend or distribution upon the shares of Common Stock, (B) with respect to any grants, issuances or sales of any stock or other securities directly or indirectly convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock or other property, pro rata to the holders of shares of Common Stock or (C) for determining rights to vote with respect to any Fundamental Transaction, dissolution or liquidation, provided in each case that such information shall be made known to the public prior to or in conjunction with such notice being provided to the Holder.
10. DISCLOSURE. Upon delivery by the Company to the Holder (or receipt by the Company from the Holder) of any notice in accordance with the terms of this Warrant, unless the Company has in good faith determined that the matters relating to such notice do not constitute material, non-public information relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the Company shall on or prior to 9:00 am, New York city time on the Business Day immediately following such notice delivery date, publicly disclose such material, non-public information on a Current Report on Form 8-K or otherwise. In the event that the Company believes that a notice contains material, non-public information relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the Company so shall indicate to the Holder explicitly in writing in such notice (or immediately upon receipt of notice from the Holder, as applicable), and in the absence of any such written indication in such notice (or notification from the Company immediately upon receipt of notice from the Holder), the Holder shall be entitled to presume that information contained in the notice does not constitute material, non-public information relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Nothing contained in this Section 10 shall limit any obligations of the Company, or any rights of the Holder, under the Purchase Agreement.
11. ABSENCE OF TRADING AND DISCLOSURE RESTRICTIONS. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Holder is not a fiduciary or agent of the Company and that the Holder shall have no obligation to (a) maintain the confidentiality of any information provided by the Company or (b) refrain from trading any securities while in possession of such information in the absence of a written non-disclosure agreement signed by an officer of the Holder that explicitly provides for such confidentiality and trading restrictions. In the absence of such an executed, written non-disclosure agreement and subject to compliance with any applicable securities laws, the Company acknowledges that the Holder may freely trade in any securities issued by the Company, may possess and use any information provided by the Company in connection with such trading activity, and may disclose any such information to any third party.
12. AMENDMENT AND WAIVER. The terms of this Warrant may be amended or waived (either generally or in a particular instance and either retroactively or prospectively) only with the signed written consent of the Company and the Holder.
| 9 |
13. ARBITRATION OF CLAIMS; GOVERNING LAW; AND VENUE. The Company and Holder shall submit all Claims (as defined in Exhibit C of the Purchase Agreement) (the “Claims”) arising under this Warrant or any other agreement between the parties and their affiliates or any Claim relating to the relationship of the parties to binding arbitration pursuant to the arbitration provisions set forth in Exhibit C of the Purchase Agreement (the “Arbitration Provisions”). The Company and Holder hereby acknowledge and agree that the Arbitration Provisions are unconditionally binding on the Company and Holder hereto and are severable from all other provisions of this Warrant. By executing this Warrant, Company represents, warrants and covenants that Company has reviewed the Arbitration Provisions carefully, consulted with legal counsel about such provisions (or waived its right to do so), understands that the Arbitration Provisions are intended to allow for the expeditious and efficient resolution of any dispute hereunder, agrees to the terms and limitations set forth in the Arbitration Provisions, and that Company will not take a position contrary to the foregoing representations. The Company acknowledges and agrees that Holder may rely upon the foregoing representations and covenants of the Company regarding the Arbitration Provisions. This Warrant shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, and all questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and performance of this Warrant shall be governed by, the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware. The Company and Holder consent to and expressly agree that the exclusive venue for arbitration of any Claims arising under this Warrant or any other agreement between the Company and Holder or their respective affiliates (including but not limited to the Transaction Documents) or any Claim relating to the relationship of the Company and Holder or their respective affiliates shall be in New Castle County, State of Delaware. Without modifying the Company’s and Holder’s obligations to resolve disputes hereunder pursuant to the Arbitration Provisions, for any litigation arising in connection with any of the Transaction Documents (and notwithstanding the terms (specifically including any governing law and venue terms) of any transfer agent services agreement or other agreement between the Company’s transfer agent and the Company, such litigation specifically includes, without limitation any action between or involving Company and the Company’s transfer agent under the Transfer Agent Instruction Letter (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) or otherwise related to Holder in any way (specifically including, without limitation, any action where Company seeks to obtain an injunction, temporary restraining order, or otherwise prohibit the Company’s transfer agent from issuing shares of Common Stock to Holder for any reason)), each party hereto hereby (i) consents to and expressly submits to the exclusive personal jurisdiction of any state or federal court sitting in New Castle County, State of Delaware, (ii) expressly submits to the exclusive venue of any such court for the purposes hereof, (iii) agrees to not bring any such action (specifically including, without limitation, any action where Company seeks to obtain an injunction, temporary restraining order, or otherwise prohibit the Company’s transfer agent from issuing shares of Common Stock to Holder for any reason) outside of any state or federal court sitting in New Castle County, State of Delaware, and (iv) waives any claim of improper venue and any claim or objection that such courts are an inconvenient forum or any other claim, defense or objection to the bringing of any such proceeding in such jurisdiction or to any claim that such venue of the suit, action or proceeding is improper. Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary, nothing herein (i) shall limit, or shall be deemed or construed to limit, the ability of the Holder to realize on any collateral or any other security, or the ability of either party hereto to enforce a judgment or other court ruling in favor of such party, including through a legal action in any court of competent jurisdiction, or (ii) shall limit, or shall be deemed or construed to limit, any provision of Section 15 of this Warrant. Each party hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any objection to jurisdiction and venue of any action instituted hereunder, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, and any claim that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper (including but not limited to based upon forum non conveniens). EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS WARRANT OR ANY TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. Each party hereto irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any suit, action or proceeding in connection with this Warrant or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Warrant and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. The prevailing party in any action or dispute brought in connection with this Warrant or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby shall be entitled to recover from the other party its reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. If any provision of this Warrant shall be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of this Warrant in that jurisdiction or the validity or enforceability of any provision of this Warrant in any other jurisdiction.
14. ACCEPTANCE. Receipt of this Warrant by the Holder shall constitute acceptance of and agreement to all of the terms and conditions contained herein.
15. DISPUTE RESOLUTION.
(a) Submission to Dispute Resolution.
| 10 |
(i) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Warrant, in the case of a dispute relating to the Exercise Price, the Closing Sale Price, the Closing Bid Price, Black Scholes Value or fair market value or the arithmetic calculation of the number of Warrant Shares (as the case may be) (including, without limitation, a dispute relating to the determination of any of the foregoing) (the “Warrant Calculations”), the Company or the Holder (as the case may be) shall submit the dispute to the other party via electronic mail (A) if by the Company, within two (2) Trading Days after the occurrence of the circumstances giving rise to such dispute or (B) if by the Holder, at any time after the Holder learned of the circumstances giving rise to such dispute. If the Holder and the Company are unable to agree upon such determination or calculation within two (2) Trading Days following such initial notice by the Company or the Holder (as the case may be) of such dispute to the Company or the Holder (as the case may be), then the Holder may, at its sole option, submit the dispute to an independent, reputable investment bank or independent, outside accountant selected by the Holder (the “Independent Third Party”), and the Company shall pay all expenses of such Independent Third Party.
(ii) The Holder and the Company shall each deliver to such Independent Third Party (A) a copy of the initial dispute submission so delivered in accordance with the first sentence of this Section 15(a) and (B) written documentation supporting its position with respect to such dispute, in each case, no later than 5:00 p.m. (New York time) by second (2nd) Business Day immediately following the date on which the Holder selected such Independent Third Party (the “Dispute Submission Deadline”) (the documents referred to in the immediately preceding clauses (A) and (B) are collectively referred to herein as the “Required Dispute Documentation”) (it being understood and agreed that if either the Holder or the Company fails to so deliver all of the Required Dispute Documentation by the Dispute Submission Deadline, then the party who fails to so submit all of the Required Dispute Documentation shall no longer be entitled to (and hereby waives its right to) deliver or submit any written documentation or other support to such Independent Third Party with respect to such dispute and such Independent Third Party shall resolve such dispute based solely on the Required Dispute Documentation that was delivered to such Independent Third Party prior to the Dispute Submission Deadline). Unless otherwise agreed to in writing by both the Company and the Holder or otherwise requested by such Independent Third Party, neither the Company nor the Holder shall be entitled to deliver or submit any written documentation or other support to such Independent Third Party in connection with such dispute, other than the Required Dispute Documentation.
(iii) The Company and the Holder shall cause such Independent Third Party to determine the resolution of such dispute and notify the Company and the Holder of such resolution no later than five (5) Business Days immediately following the Dispute Submission Deadline. The fees and expenses of such Independent Third Party shall be borne solely by the Company, and such Independent Third Party’s resolution of such dispute shall be final and binding upon all parties absent manifest error.
(b) Miscellaneous. The Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that (i) this Section 15 constitutes an agreement to arbitrate between the Company and the Holder (and constitutes an arbitration agreement) under the rules then in effect under the Delaware Rules of Civil Procedure (“DRCP”) and that the Holder is authorized to apply for an order to compel arbitration pursuant to the DRCP in order to compel compliance with this Section 15, (ii) a dispute relating to the Warrant Calculations includes, without limitation, disputes as to (A) whether an issuance or sale or deemed issuance or sale of Common Stock occurred under Section 2 of this Warrant, (B) the consideration per share at which an issuance or deemed issuance of Common Stock occurred, (C) whether any issuance or sale or deemed issuance or sale of Common Stock was an issuance or sale or deemed issuance or sale, and (D) whether an agreement, instrument, security or the like constitutes an Option or Convertible Security, (iii) the terms of this Warrant and each other applicable Transaction Document shall serve as the basis for the selected Independent Third Party’s resolution of the applicable dispute, such Independent Third Party shall be entitled (and is hereby expressly authorized) to make all findings, determinations and the like that such Independent Third Party determines are required to be made by such Independent Third Party in connection with its resolution of such dispute (including, without limitation, determining (A) whether an issuance or sale or deemed issuance or sale of Common Stock occurred under Section 2 of this Warrant, (B) the consideration per share at which an issuance or deemed issuance of Common Stock occurred, (C) whether any issuance or sale or deemed issuance or sale of Common Stock was an issuance or sale or deemed issuance or sale, and (D) whether an agreement, instrument, security or the like constitutes an Option or Convertible Security) and in resolving such dispute such Independent Third Party shall apply such findings, determinations and the like to the terms of this Warrant and any other applicable Transaction Documents, and (iv) nothing in this Section 15 shall limit the Holder from obtaining any injunctive relief or other equitable remedies (including, without limitation, with respect to any matters described in this Section 15).
| 11 |
16. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Warrant, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) “Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person, it being understood for purposes of this definition that “control” of a Person means the power directly or indirectly either to vote 10% or more of the stock having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of such Person or direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person whether by contract or otherwise.
(b) [Intentionally Omitted].
(c) “Black Scholes Value” means the value of the unexercised portion of this Warrant remaining on the date of the Holder’s request pursuant to Section 4(c)(i), which value is calculated using the Black Scholes Option Pricing Model obtained from the “OV” function on Bloomberg utilizing (i) an underlying price per share equal to the greater of (1) the highest Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock during the period beginning on the Trading Day immediately preceding the announcement of the applicable Change of Control (or the consummation of the applicable Change of Control, if earlier) and ending on the Trading Day of the Holder’s request pursuant to Section 4(c)(i) and (2) the sum of the price per share being offered in cash in the applicable Change of Control (if any) plus the value of the non-cash consideration being offered in the applicable Change of Control (if any), (ii) a strike price equal to the Exercise Price in effect on the date of the Holder’s request pursuant to Section 4(c)(i), (iii) a risk-free interest rate corresponding to the U.S. Treasury rate for a period equal to the greater of (1) the remaining term of this Warrant as of the date of the Holder’s request pursuant to Section 4(c)(i) and (2) the remaining term of this Warrant as of the date of consummation of the applicable Change of Control or as of the date of the Holder’s request pursuant to Section 4(c)(i) if such request is prior to the date of the consummation of the applicable Change of Control, (iv) a zero cost of borrow and (v) an expected volatility equal to the greater of 100% and the 30 day volatility obtained from the “HVT” function on Bloomberg (determined utilizing a 365 day annualization factor) as of the Trading Day immediately following the earliest to occur of (A) the public disclosure of the applicable Change of Control and (B) the date of the Holder’s request pursuant to Section 4(c)(i).
(d) “Bloomberg” means Bloomberg, L.P.
(e) “Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in the State of Delaware are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay at home”, “shelter-in-place”, “non-essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in the State of Delaware generally are open for use by customers on such day.
(f) “Change of Control” means any Fundamental Transaction other than (i) any merger of the Company or any of its, direct or indirect, wholly-owned Subsidiaries with or into any of the foregoing Persons, (ii) any reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification of the shares of Common Stock in which holders of the Company’s voting power immediately prior to such reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification continue after such reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification to hold publicly traded securities and, directly or indirectly, are, in all material respects, the holders of the voting power of the surviving entity (or entities with the authority or voting power to elect the members of the board of directors (or their equivalent if other than a corporation) of such entity or entities) after such reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification, (iii) pursuant to a migratory merger effected solely for the purpose of changing the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (iv) bone fide arm’s length acquisitions by the Company with one or more third parties as long as holders of the Company’s voting power as of the Issuance Date continue after such acquisition to hold publicly traded securities and, directly or indirectly, are, in all material respects, the holders of at least 51% of the voting power of the surviving entity (or entities with the authority or voting power to elect the members of the board of directors (or their equivalent if other than a corporation) of such entity or entities) after such acquisition.
| 12 |
(g) “Closing Bid Price” and “Closing Sale Price” means, for any security as of any date, (i) the last closing bid price and last closing trade price, respectively, for such security on the Principal Market, as reported by Quotestream or other similar quotation service provider designated by the Holder, or, if the Principal Market begins to operate on an extended hours basis and does not designate the closing trade price, then the last trade price of such security prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, as reported by Quotestream or other similar quotation service provider designated by the Holder, or (ii) if the foregoing does not apply, the last trade price of such security in the over-the-counter market for such security as reported by Quotestream or other similar quotation service provider designated by the Holder, or (iii) if no last trade price is reported for such security by Quotestream or other similar quotation service provider designated by the Holder, the average of the bid and ask prices of any market makers for such security as reported by Quotestream or other similar quotation service provider designated by the Holder. If the Closing Sale Price cannot be calculated for a security on a particular date on any of the foregoing bases, the Closing Sale Price of such security on such date shall be the fair market value as mutually determined by the Company and the Holder. If the Company and the Holder are unable to agree upon the fair market value of such security, then such dispute shall be resolved in accordance with the procedures in Section 15. All such determinations to be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination or other similar transaction during the applicable calculation period.
(h) “Common Stock” means the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed.
(i) “Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company that would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including without limitation any debt, preferred stock, rights, options, warrants or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.
(e) “Convertible Securities” means any stock or other security (other than Options) that is at any time and under any circumstances, directly or indirectly, convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for, or which otherwise entitles the holder thereof to acquire, any shares of Common Stock.
(f) “Eligible Market” means The New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, Nasdaq Capital Market, or equivalent national securities exchange.
(g) “Event Market Price” means, with respect to any Stock Combination Event Date, the quotient determined by dividing (x) the sum of the VWAP of the Common Stock for each of the five (5) lowest Trading Days during the twenty (20) consecutive Trading Day period ending and including the Trading Day immediately preceding the sixteenth (16th) Trading Day after such Stock Combination Event Date, divided by (y) five (5). All such determinations shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, recapitalization or other similar transaction during such period.
(h) [Intentionally Omitted].
| 13 |
(i) “Excluded Issuance” means the issuance or deemed issuance of (i) shares of Common Stock, Options or Convertible Securities issued or issuable to directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Company in connection with their service as directors of the Company, their employment by the Company or their retention as consultants by the Company pursuant to an equity compensation program or arrangement approved by the Board or the compensation committee of the Board; (ii) shares of Common Stock issued or issuable pursuant to any event for which adjustment is made pursuant to Section 2(a); (iii) shares of Common Stock, Options or Convertible Securities issued or issuable pursuant to and as consideration for (A) the acquisition of another corporation or other entity by the Company, by merger, purchase of stock or other equity interests, purchase of substantially all of the assets or other reorganization approved by the Board, or (B) an acquisition of assets from another corporation or other entity approved by the Board; (iv) shares of Common Stock, Options or Convertible Securities issued or issuable as consideration in connection with a strategic transaction or joint venture approved by the Board relating to the operation of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s business and not for the primary purpose of raising equity capital, or (v) shares of Common Stock issued upon the exercise of the Warrants.
(j) “Options” means any rights, warrants or options to subscribe for or purchase shares of Common Stock or Convertible Securities.
(k) “Fundamental Transaction” means (A) that the Company shall, directly or indirectly, including through subsidiaries, Affiliates or otherwise, in one or more related transactions, (i) consolidate or merge with or into (whether or not the Company is the surviving corporation) another Subject Entity, or (ii) sell, assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company or any of its “significant subsidiaries” (as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) to one or more Subject Entities, or (iii) make, or allow one or more Subject Entities to make, or allow the Company to be subject to or have its Common Stock be subject to or party to one or more Subject Entities making, a purchase, tender or exchange offer that is accepted by the holders of at least either (x) 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, (y) 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock calculated as if any shares of Common Stock held by all Subject Entities making or party to, or Affiliated with any Subject Entities making or party to, such purchase, tender or exchange offer were not outstanding; or (z) such number of shares of Common Stock such that all Subject Entities making or party to, or Affiliated with any Subject Entity making or party to, such purchase, tender or exchange offer, become collectively the beneficial owners (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act) of at least 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iv) consummate a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with one or more Subject Entities whereby all such Subject Entities, individually or in the aggregate, acquire, either (x) at least 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, (y) at least 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock calculated as if any shares of Common Stock held by all the Subject Entities making or party to, or Affiliated with any Subject Entity making or party to, such stock purchase agreement or other business combination were not outstanding; or (z) such number of shares of Common Stock such that the Subject Entities become collectively the beneficial owners (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act) of at least 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (v) reorganize, recapitalize or reclassify its Common Stock, (B) that the Company shall, directly or indirectly, including through subsidiaries, Affiliates or otherwise, in one or more related transactions, allow any Subject Entity individually or the Subject Entities in the aggregate to be or become the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act), directly or indirectly, whether through acquisition, purchase, assignment, conveyance, tender, tender offer, exchange, reduction in outstanding shares of Common Stock, merger, consolidation, business combination, reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off, scheme of arrangement, reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification or otherwise in any manner whatsoever, of either (x) at least 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Common Stock, (y) at least 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Common Stock not held by all such Subject Entities as of the date of this Warrant calculated as if any shares of Common Stock held by all such Subject Entities were not outstanding, or (z) a percentage of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company sufficient to allow such Subject Entities to effect a statutory short form merger or other transaction requiring other shareholders of the Company to surrender their shares of Common Stock without approval of the shareholders of the Company or (C) directly or indirectly, including through subsidiaries, Affiliates or otherwise, in one or more related transactions, the issuance of or the entering into any other instrument or transaction structured in a manner to circumvent, or that circumvents, the intent of this definition in which case this definition shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this definition to the extent necessary to correct this definition or any portion of this definition which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended treatment of such instrument or transaction.
| 14 |
(l) “Parent Entity” of a Person means an entity that, directly or indirectly, controls the applicable Person and whose common stock or equivalent equity security is quoted or listed on an Eligible Market, or, if there is more than one such Person or Parent Entity, the Person or Parent Entity with the largest public market capitalization as of the date of consummation of the Fundamental Transaction.
(m) “Person” and “Persons” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization, any other entity and any governmental entity or any department or agency thereof.
(j) “Principal Market” means the principal securities exchange or trading market where such Common Stock is listed or quoted, including but not limited to any tier of the OTC Markets, any tier of the NASDAQ Stock Market (including NASDAQ Capital Market), or the NYSE American, or any successor to such markets.
(k) “Market Price” means the highest traded price of the Common Stock during the thirty Trading Days prior to the date of the respective Exercise Notice.
(l) “Successor Entity” means the Person (or, if so elected by the Holder, the Parent Entity) formed by, resulting from or surviving any Fundamental Transaction or the Person (or, if so elected by the Holder, the Parent Entity) with which such Fundamental Transaction shall have been entered into.
(m) “Trading Day” means any day on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted on its Principal Market, provided, however, that if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted on any Principal Market, then any calendar day.
(n) [Intentionally Omitted].
(o) “VWAP” means, for any security as of any date, the dollar volume-weighted average price for such security on the Principal Market (or, if the Principal Market is not the principal trading market for such security, then on the principal securities exchange or securities market on which such security is then traded), during the period beginning at 9:30 a.m., New York time, and ending at 4:00 p.m., New York time, as reported by Quotestream or other similar quotation service provider designated by the Holder through its “VAP” function (set to 09:30 start time and 16:00 end time) or, if the foregoing does not apply, the dollar volume-weighted average price of such security in the over-the-counter market on the electronic bulletin board for such security during the period beginning at 9:30 a.m., New York time, and ending at 4:00 p.m., New York time, as reported by Quotestream or other similar quotation service provider designated by the Holder, or, if no dollar volume-weighted average price is reported for such security by Quotestream or other similar quotation service provider designated by the Holder for such hours, the average of the highest closing bid price and the lowest closing ask price of any of the market makers for such security as reported in The Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices). If the VWAP cannot be calculated for such security on such date on any of the foregoing bases, the VWAP of such security on such date shall be the fair market value as mutually determined by the Company and the Holder. If the Company and the Holder are unable to agree upon the fair market value of such security, then such dispute shall be resolved in accordance with the procedures in Section 15. All such determinations shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, recapitalization or other similar transaction during such period.
* * * * * * *
| 15 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be duly executed as of the Issuance Date set forth above.
| YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO. | ||
| Name: | James Chae | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
EXHIBIT A
EXERCISE NOTICE
(To be executed by the registered holder to exercise this Common Stock Purchase Warrant)
THE UNDERSIGNED holder hereby exercises the right to purchase________________ of the shares of Common Stock (“Warrant Shares”) of YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), evidenced by the attached copy of the Common Stock Purchase Warrant (the “Warrant”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Warrant.
| 1. | Form of Exercise Price. The Holder intends that payment of the Exercise Price shall be made as (check one): |
☐
a cash exercise with respect to________________ Warrant Shares; or
☐ by cashless exercise pursuant to the Warrant.
| 2. | Payment
of Exercise Price. If cash exercise is selected above, the holder shall pay the applicable
Aggregate Exercise Price in the sum of $_________________ to the Company in accordance with
the terms of the Warrant. |
| 3. | Delivery of Warrant Shares. The Company shall deliver to the holder_______________ Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms of the Warrant. |
| Date: | ||
| (Print Name of Registered Holder) | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
EXHIBIT B
ASSIGNMENT OF WARRANT
(To be signed only upon authorized transfer of the Warrant)
FOR
VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sells, assigns, and transfers unto_________________ the
right to purchase________________ shares of common stock of YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO., to which the within Common Stock Purchase Warrant relates
and appoints , as attorney-in-fact, to transfer said right
on the books of YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO. with full power of substitution and
re-substitution in the premises. By accepting such transfer, the transferee has agreed to be bound in all respects by the terms and conditions
of the within Warrant.
Dated:_________________
| (Signature) * | |
| (Name) | |
| (Address) | |
| (Social Security or Tax Identification No.) | |
* The signature on this Assignment of Warrant must correspond to the name as written upon the face of the Common Stock Purchase Warrant in every particular without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever. When signing on behalf of a corporation, partnership, trust or other entity, please indicate your position(s) and title(s) with such entity.
EXHIBIT E
FORM OF SETTLEMENT NOTICE
TO:
YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO.
DATE: _______________________
We refer to the equity purchase agreement, dated January 6, 2025 (the “Agreement”), entered into by and between Yoshiharu Global Co. and you. Capitalized terms defined in the Agreement shall, unless otherwise defined herein, have the same meaning when used herein.
We hereby confirm the following with respect to the Advance Notice dated__________ :
1) Advance Shares purchased pursuant to the Advance Notice:__________________ ; and
2) The Purchase Price per share pursuant to the Agreement:_____________________ ; and
3) The Investor Costs pursuant to the Agreement:______________________ ; and
4) The Investment Amount pursuant to the Agreement:_______________________ ; and
5) The Closing Date with respect to the Advance Notice:______________________ .
INVESTOR:
CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I, LP
| By: | CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I GP, LLC, its General Partner |
| By: | CROM CORTANA FUND LLC, member of the General Partner |
| By: | ||
| Name: | Liam Sherif | |
| Title: | Authorized Signatory |
Exhibit 10.32
NEITHER THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THESE SECURITIES ARE CONVERTIBLE HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE, SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR ASSIGNED (I) IN THE ABSENCE OF (A) AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR THE SECURITIES UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR (B) AN OPINION OF COUNSEL (WHICH MAY BE THE LEGAL COUNSEL OPINION (AS DEFINED IN THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT)), IN A GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE FORM, THAT REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED UNDER SAID ACT OR (II) UNLESS SOLD PURSUANT TO RULE 144, RULE 144A OR REGULATION S UNDER SAID ACT OR OTHER APPLICABLE EXEMPTION. NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, THE SECURITIES MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER LOAN OR FINANCING ARRANGEMENT SECURED BY THE SECURITIES.
| Principal Amount: $1,100,000.00 | Issue Date: January 6, 2025 |
| Actual Amount of Purchase Price: $1,000,000.00 |
PROMISSORY NOTE
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO., a Delaware corporation (hereinafter called the “Borrower” or the “Company”) (Trading Symbol: YOSH), hereby promises to pay to the order of CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I, LP, a Delaware limited partnership, or registered assigns (the “Holder”), in the form of lawful money of the United States of America, the principal sum of $1,100,000.00 (the “Principal Amount”) (subject to adjustment herein), of which $1,000,000.00 is the actual amount of the purchase price hereof plus an original issue discount in the amount of $100,000.00 (the “OID”), and to pay a one-time interest charge on the Principal Amount hereof at the rate of five percent (5%) (the “Interest Rate”) (which is equal to $55,000 and shall be guaranteed and earned in full as of the date hereof (the “Issue Date”)), when such amounts become due and payable, whether at maturity or upon acceleration or by prepayment or otherwise, as further provided herein. The maturity date shall be twelve (12) months from the Issue Date (the “Maturity Date”), and is the date upon which the Principal Amount (which includes the OID) and any accrued and unpaid interest and other fees, shall be due and payable.
This Note may not be prepaid or repaid in whole or in part except as otherwise explicitly set forth herein.
Any Principal Amount or interest on this Note which is not paid when due shall bear interest at the rate of the lesser of (i) eighteen percent (18%) per annum and (ii) the maximum amount permitted by law from the due date thereof until the same is paid (“Default Interest”). Interest and Default Interest shall be computed on the basis of a 365-day year and the actual number of days elapsed.
All payments due hereunder (to the extent not converted into shares of Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, of the Borrower (the “Common Stock”) in accordance with the terms hereof) shall be made in lawful money of the United States of America. All payments shall be made at such address as the Holder shall hereafter give to the Borrower by written notice made in accordance with the provisions of this Note. Whenever any amount expressed to be due by the terms of this Note is due on any day which is not a business day, the same shall instead be due on the next succeeding day which is a business day.
Each capitalized term used herein, and not otherwise defined, shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in that certain Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of the Issue Date, pursuant to which this Note was originally issued (the “Purchase Agreement”). As used in this Note, the term “business day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which commercial banks in New York, New York are authorized or required by law or executive order to remain closed. As used herein, the term “Trading Day” means any day that shares of Common Stock are listed for trading or quotation on the Principal Market (as defined in the Purchase Agreement), provided, however, that if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted on any Principal Market, then any calendar day.
This Note is free from all taxes, liens, claims and encumbrances with respect to the issue thereof and shall not be subject to preemptive rights or other similar rights of shareholders of the Borrower and will not impose personal liability upon the holder thereof.
| 1 |
The following terms shall also apply to this Note:
ARTICLE I. CONVERSION RIGHTS
1.1 Conversion Right. The Holder shall have the right, on any calendar day, at any time on or following the Issue Date, to convert all or any portion of the then outstanding and unpaid Principal Amount and interest (including any Default Interest) into fully paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock, as such Common Stock exists on the Issue Date, or any shares of capital stock or other securities of the Borrower into which such Common Stock shall hereafter be changed or reclassified, at the Conversion Price (as defined below) determined as provided herein (a “Conversion”), by submitting to the Borrower or Borrower’s transfer agent a Notice of Conversion (as defined in this Note) by e-mail or other reasonable means of communication dispatched on the Conversion Date (as defined in this Note) prior to 11:59 p.m., New York, New York time; provided, however, that notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Holder shall not have the right to convert any portion of this Note, pursuant to Section 1 or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after conversion as set forth on the applicable Notice of Conversion, the Holder (together with the Holder’s affiliates (the “Affiliates”), and any other Persons (as defined below) acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s Affiliates (such Persons, “Attribution Parties”)), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below). For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and Attribution Parties shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of this Note with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of shares of Common Stock which would be issuable upon (i) conversion of the remaining, nonconverted portion of this Note beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or nonconverted portion of any other securities of the Company subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 1.1, beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”) and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 1.1, in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, the Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the Commission, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. Upon the written or oral request of the Holder, the Company shall within two Trading Days confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Note, by the Holder or its Affiliates or Attribution Parties since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding at the time of the respective calculation hereunder. “Person” and “Persons” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization, any other entity and any governmental entity or any department or agency thereof. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Note. The number of Conversion Shares to be issued upon each conversion of this Note shall be determined by dividing the Conversion Amount (as defined below) by the applicable Conversion Price then in effect on the date specified in the notice of conversion, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Notice of Conversion”), delivered to the Borrower or Borrower’s transfer agent by the Holder in accordance with the terms of this Note; provided that the Notice of Conversion is submitted by e-mail (or by other means resulting in, or reasonably expected to result in, notice) to the Borrower or Borrower’s transfer agent before 11:59 p.m., New York, New York time on such conversion date (the “Conversion Date”). The term “Conversion Amount” means, with respect to any conversion of this Note, the sum of (1) the Principal Amount of this Note to be converted in such conversion plus (2) at the Holder’s option, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on such Principal Amount at the Interest Rate to the Conversion Date, plus (3) at the Holder’s option, Default Interest, if any, on the amounts referred to in the immediately preceding clauses (1) and/or (2).
| 2 |
1.2 Conversion Price.
(a) Calculation of Conversion Price. The per share conversion price into which Principal Amount and interest (including any Default Interest) under this Note shall be convertible into shares of Common Stock hereunder as further described in this Note (the “Conversion Price”) shall equal the lesser of (i) the Fixed Price (as defined in this Note) or (ii) the Market Price (as defined in this Note), subject to adjustment as provided in this Note. “Fixed Price” shall mean $5.00. “Market Price” shall mean 90% of the lowest VWAP on any Trading Day during the five (5) Trading Days prior to the respective Conversion Date. “VWAP” means, for any security as of any date, the dollar volume-weighted average price for such security on the Principal Market during the period beginning at 9:30 a.m., New York time, and ending at 4:00 p.m., New York time, as reported by Bloomberg or other similar quotation service provider designated by the Holder. If at any time the Conversion Price as determined hereunder for any conversion would be less than the par value of the Common Stock, then at the sole discretion of the Holder, the Conversion Price hereunder may equal such par value for such conversion and the Conversion Amount for such conversion may be increased to include Additional Principal, where “Additional Principal” means such additional amount to be added to the Conversion Amount to the extent necessary to cause the number of conversion shares issuable upon such conversion to equal the same number of conversion shares as would have been issued had the Conversion Price not been adjusted by the Holder to the par value price. Holder shall be entitled to deduct $500.00 from the conversion amount in each Notice of Conversion to cover Holder’s fees associated with each Notice of Conversion if the restrictive legend for the Conversion Shares to be issued pursuant to the respective Notice of Conversion is being removed pursuant to Rule 144 or other applicable exemption from registration. All such Conversion Price determinations are to be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, rights offerings, reclassification or similar transaction that proportionately decreases or increases the Common Stock. If the Company, at any time while this Note is outstanding: (i) pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions payable in shares of Common Stock on shares of Common Stock or any Common Stock Equivalents, (ii) subdivides outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of a reverse stock split) outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares or (iv) issues, in the event of a reclassification of shares of the Common Stock, any shares of capital stock of the Company, then the Conversion Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding any treasury shares of the Company) outstanding immediately before such event, and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event. Any adjustment made pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification. “Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Company’s Subsidiaries (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.
(b) Voluntary Adjustment By Company. Subject to the rules and regulations of the Principal Market, the Company may at any time while this Note is outstanding, with the prior written consent of the Holder, reduce the then applicable Conversion Price to any amount and for any period of time deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company. For the avoidance of doubt, the Holder shall not be required to effectuate such conversion in the event of any reduction in Conversion Price by the Company.
1.3 Authorized and Reserved Shares. The Borrower covenants that at all times until the Note is satisfied in full, the Borrower will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient number of shares, free from preemptive rights, to provide for the issuance of a number of Conversion Shares equal to the greater of: (a) 1,018,518 shares of Common Stock or (b) the sum of (i) the number of Conversion Shares issuable upon the full conversion of this Note (assuming no payment of Principal Amount or interest) at a conversion price equal to the then applicable Conversion Price multiplied by (ii) two and a half (2.5) (the “Reserved Amount”). The Borrower represents that upon issuance, the Conversion Shares will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. The Borrower (i) acknowledges that it has irrevocably instructed its transfer agent to issue certificates for the Conversion Shares or instructions to have the Conversion Shares issued as contemplated by Section 1.4(f) hereof, and (ii) agrees that its issuance of this Note shall constitute full authority to its officers and agents who are charged with the duty of executing stock certificates or cause the Company to electronically issue shares of Common Stock to execute and issue the necessary certificates for the Conversion Shares or cause the Conversion Shares to be issued as contemplated by Section 1.4(f) hereof in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Note.
1.4 Method of Conversion.
(a) [Intentionally Omitted].
| 3 |
(b) Surrender of Note Upon Conversion. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, upon conversion of this Note in accordance with the terms hereof, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Note to the Borrower unless the entire unpaid Principal Amount is so converted. The Holder and the Borrower shall maintain records showing the Principal Amount so converted and the dates of such conversions or shall use such other method, reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and the Borrower, so as not to require physical surrender of this Note upon each such conversion. In the event of any dispute or discrepancy, such records of the Holder shall, prima facie, be controlling and determinative in the absence of manifest error. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any portion of this Note is converted as aforesaid, the Holder may not transfer this Note unless the Holder first physically surrenders this Note to the Borrower, whereupon the Borrower will forthwith issue and deliver upon the order of the Holder a new Note of like tenor, registered as the Holder (upon payment by the Holder of any applicable transfer taxes) may request, representing in the aggregate the remaining unpaid Principal Amount of this Note. The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of this Note, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following conversion of a portion of this Note, the unpaid and unconverted Principal Amount of this Note represented by this Note may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.
(c) Payment of Taxes. The Borrower shall not be required to pay any tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issue and delivery of shares of Common Stock or other securities or property on conversion of this Note in a name other than that of the Holder (or in street name), and the Borrower shall not be required to issue or deliver any such shares or other securities or property unless and until the person or persons (other than the Holder or the custodian in whose street name such shares are to be held for the Holder’s account) requesting the issuance thereof shall have paid to the Borrower the amount of any such tax or shall have established to the satisfaction of the Borrower that such tax has been paid.
(d) Delivery of Common Stock Upon Conversion. Upon receipt by the Borrower or Borrower’s transfer agent from the Holder of an e-mail (or other reasonable means of communication) of a Notice of Conversion meeting the requirements for conversion as provided in this Section 1.4, the Borrower shall issue and deliver or cause to be issued and delivered to or upon the order of the Holder certificates for the Conversion Shares (or cause the electronic delivery of the Conversion Shares as contemplated by Section 1.4(f) hereof) within one (1) Trading Day after such receipt (the “Deadline”) (and, solely in the case of conversion of the entire unpaid Principal Amount and interest (including any Default Interest) under this Note, surrender of this Note). If the Company shall fail for any reason or for no reason to issue to the Holder on or prior to the Deadline a certificate for the number of Conversion Shares or to which the Holder is entitled hereunder and register such Conversion Shares on the Company’s share register or to credit the Holder’s balance account with DTC (as defined below) for such number of Conversion Shares to which the Holder is entitled upon the Holder’s conversion of this Note (a “Conversion Failure”), then, in addition to all other remedies available to the Holder, (i) the Company shall pay in cash to the Holder on each day after the Deadline and during such Conversion Failure an amount equal to 1.0% of the product of (A) the sum of the number of Conversion Shares not issued to the Holder on or prior to the Deadline and to which the Holder is entitled and (B) the closing sale price of the Common Stock on the Trading Day immediately preceding the last possible date which the Company could have issued such Conversion Shares to the Holder without violating this Section 1.4(d); and (ii) the Holder, upon written notice to the Company, may void all or any portion of such Notice of Conversion; provided that the voiding of all or any portion of a Notice of Conversion shall not affect the Company’s obligations to make any payments which have accrued prior to the date of such notice. In addition to the foregoing, if on or prior to the Deadline the Company shall fail to issue and deliver a certificate to the Holder and register such Conversion Shares on the Company’s share register or credit the Holder’s balance account with DTC for the number of Conversion Shares to which the Holder is entitled upon the Holder’s exercise hereunder or pursuant to the Company’s obligation pursuant to clause (ii) below, and if on or after such Trading Day the Holder purchases (in an open market transaction or otherwise) shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of shares of Common Stock issuable upon such exercise that the Holder anticipated receiving from the Company, then the Company shall, within two (2) Trading Days after the Holder’s request and in the Holder’s discretion, either (i) pay cash to the Holder in an amount equal to the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions and other reasonable and customary out-of-pocket expenses, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased (the “Buy-In Price”), at which point the Company’s obligation to deliver such certificate (and to issue such Conversion Shares) or credit such Holder’s balance account with DTC for such Conversion Shares shall terminate, or (ii) promptly honor its obligation to deliver to the Holder a certificate or certificates representing such Conversion Shares or credit such Holder’s balance account with DTC and pay cash to the Holder in an amount equal to the excess (if any) of the Buy-In Price over the product of (A) such number of shares of Common Stock, times (B) the closing sales price of the Common Stock on the date of exercise. Nothing shall limit the Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity, including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver certificates representing the Conversion Shares (or to electronically deliver such Conversion Shares) upon the conversion of this Note as required pursuant to the terms hereof.
| 4 |
(e) Obligation of Borrower to Deliver Common Stock. At the time that the Holder submits the Notice of Conversion to the Borrower or Borrower’s transfer agent, the Holder shall be deemed to be the holder of record of the Conversion Shares issuable upon such conversion, the outstanding Principal Amount and the amount of accrued and unpaid interest (including any Default Interest) under this Note shall be reduced to reflect such conversion, and, unless the Borrower defaults on its obligations under this Article I, all rights with respect to the portion of this Note being so converted shall forthwith terminate except the right to receive the Common Stock or other securities, cash or other assets, as herein provided, on such conversion. If the Holder shall have given a Notice of Conversion as provided herein, the Borrower’s obligation to issue and deliver the certificates for the Conversion Shares (or cause the electronic delivery of the Conversion Shares as contemplated by Section 1.4(f) hereof) shall be absolute and unconditional, irrespective of the absence of any action by the Holder to enforce the same, any waiver or consent with respect to any provision thereof, the recovery of any judgment against any person or any action to enforce the same, any failure or delay in the enforcement of any other obligation of the Borrower to the holder of record, or any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, limitation or termination, or any breach or alleged breach by the Holder of any obligation to the Borrower, and irrespective of any other circumstance which might otherwise limit such obligation of the Borrower to the Holder in connection with such conversion. The Conversion Date specified in the Notice of Conversion shall be the Conversion Date so long as the Notice of Conversion is sent to the Borrower or Borrower’s transfer agent before 11:59 p.m., New York, New York time, on such date.
(f) Delivery of Conversion Shares by Electronic Transfer. In lieu of delivering physical certificates representing the Conversion Shares issuable upon conversion hereof, provided the Borrower is participating in the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) Fast Automated Securities Transfer or Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian programs, upon request of the Holder and its compliance with the provisions contained in Section 1.1 and in this Section 1.4, the Borrower shall use its best efforts to cause its transfer agent to electronically transmit the Conversion Shares issuable upon conversion hereof to the Holder by crediting the account of Holder’s Prime Broker with DTC through its Deposit Withdrawal Agent Commission system.
1.5 Concerning the Shares. The Conversion Shares issuable upon conversion of this Note may not be sold or transferred unless (i) such shares are sold pursuant to an effective registration statement under the 1933 Act or (ii) the Borrower or its transfer agent shall have been furnished with an opinion of counsel (which opinion shall be the Legal Counsel Opinion (as defined in the Purchase Agreement)) to the effect that the shares to be sold or transferred may be sold or transferred pursuant to an exemption from such registration or (iii) such shares are sold or transferred pursuant to Rule 144, Rule 144A, Regulation S, or other applicable exemption, or (iv) such shares are transferred to an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144) of the Borrower who agrees to sell or otherwise transfer the shares only in accordance with this Section 1.5 and who is an Accredited Investor (as defined in the Purchase Agreement). Except as otherwise provided in the Purchase Agreement (and subject to the removal provisions set forth below), until such time as the Conversion Shares have been registered under the 1933 Act or otherwise may be sold pursuant to Rule 144, Rule 144A, Regulation S, or other applicable exemption without any restriction as to the number of securities as of a particular date that can then be immediately sold, each certificate for the Conversion Shares that has not been so included in an effective registration statement or that has not been sold pursuant to an effective registration statement or an exemption that permits removal of the legend, shall bear a legend substantially in the following form, as appropriate:
“NEITHER THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THESE SECURITIES ARE EXERCISABLE HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE, SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR ASSIGNED (I) IN THE ABSENCE OF (A) AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR THE SECURITIES UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR (B) AN OPINION OF COUNSEL (WHICH MAY BE THE LEGAL COUNSEL OPINION (AS DEFINED IN THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT)), IN A GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE FORM, THAT REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED UNDER SAID ACT OR (II) UNLESS SOLD PURSUANT TO RULE 144, RULE 144A, REGULATION S UNDER SAID ACT, OR OTHER APPLICABLE EXEMPTION. NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, THE SECURITIES MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER LOAN OR FINANCING ARRANGEMENT SECURED BY THE SECURITIES.”
| 5 |
The legend set forth above shall be removed and the Company shall issue to the Holder a certificate for the applicable Conversion Shares without such legend upon which it is stamped or (as requested by the Holder) issue the applicable Conversion Shares by electronic delivery by crediting the account of such holder’s broker with DTC, if, unless otherwise required by applicable state securities laws: (a) such Conversion Shares are registered for sale under an effective registration statement filed under the 1933 Act or otherwise may be sold pursuant to Rule 144, Rule 144A, Regulation S, or other applicable exemption without any restriction as to the number of securities as of a particular date that can then be immediately sold, or (b) the Company or the Holder provides the Legal Counsel Opinion (as contemplated by and in accordance with Section 4(m) of the Purchase Agreement) to the effect that a public sale or transfer of such Conversion Shares may be made without registration under the 1933 Act, which opinion shall be accepted by the Company so that the sale or transfer is effected. The Company shall be responsible for the fees of its transfer agent and all DTC fees associated with any such issuance. The Holder agrees to sell all Conversion Shares, including those represented by a certificate(s) from which the legend has been removed, in compliance with applicable prospectus delivery requirements, if any.
1.6 Effect of Certain Events.
(a) Effect of Merger, Consolidation, Etc. At the option of the Holder, the sale, conveyance or disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Borrower, or the consolidation, merger or other business combination of the Borrower with or into any other Person (as defined below) or Persons when the Borrower is not the survivor shall either: (i) be deemed to be an Event of Default pursuant to which the Borrower shall be required to pay to the Holder upon the consummation of and as a condition to such transaction an amount equal to the Default Amount (as defined in this Note) or (ii) be treated pursuant to Section 1.6(b) hereof. “Person” shall mean any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association, trust or other entity or organization.
(b) Adjustment Due to Merger, Consolidation, Etc. If, at any time when this Note is issued and outstanding and prior to conversion of all of this Note, there shall be any merger, consolidation, exchange of shares, recapitalization, reorganization, or other similar event, as a result of which shares of Common Stock of the Borrower shall be changed into the same or a different number of shares of another class or classes of stock or securities of the Borrower or another entity, or in case of any sale or conveyance of all or substantially all of the assets of the Borrower other than in connection with a plan of complete liquidation of the Borrower, then the Holder of this Note shall thereafter have the right to receive upon conversion of this Note, upon the basis and upon the terms and conditions specified herein and in lieu of the shares of Common Stock immediately theretofore issuable upon conversion, such stock, securities or assets which the Holder would have been entitled to receive in such transaction had this Note been converted in full immediately prior to such transaction (without regard to any limitations on conversion set forth herein), and in any such case appropriate provisions shall be made with respect to the rights and interests of the Holder of this Note to the end that the provisions hereof (including, without limitation, provisions for adjustment of the Conversion Price and of the number of shares issuable upon conversion of the Note) shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as may be practicable in relation to any securities or assets thereafter deliverable upon the conversion hereof. The Borrower shall not effectuate any transaction described in this Section 1.6(b) unless (a) it first gives, to the extent practicable, at least thirty (30) days prior written notice (but in any event at least fifteen (15) days prior written notice) of the record date of the special meeting of shareholders to approve, or if there is no such record date, the consummation of, such merger, consolidation, exchange of shares, recapitalization, reorganization or other similar event or sale of assets (during which time the Holder shall be entitled to convert this Note) and (b) the resulting successor or acquiring entity (if not the Borrower) assumes by written instrument the obligations of this Section 1.6(b). The above provisions shall similarly apply to successive consolidations, mergers, sales, transfers or share exchanges.
(c) Adjustment Due to Distribution. If the Borrower shall declare or make any distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of Common Stock as a dividend, stock repurchase, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including any dividend or distribution to the Borrower’s shareholders in cash or shares (or rights to acquire shares) of capital stock of a subsidiary (i.e., a spin-off)) (a “Distribution”), then the Holder of this Note shall be entitled, upon any conversion of this Note made within three (3) calendar months after the date of record for determining shareholders entitled to such Distribution, to receive the amount of such assets which would have been payable to the Holder with respect to the shares of Common Stock issuable upon such conversion had such Holder been the holder of such shares of Common Stock on the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to such Distribution.
| 6 |
(d) Purchase Rights. If, at any time when all or any portion of this Note is issued and 6 outstanding, the Borrower issues any convertible securities or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property (the “Purchase Rights”) pro rata to the record holders of Common Stock, then the Holder of this Note will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which such Holder could have acquired if such Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete conversion of this Note (without regard to any limitations on conversion contained herein) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Common Stock are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights if and only if Holder converts this Note in full within three (3) months of such record date.
(e) Dilutive Issuance. If the Borrower, at any time while this Note or any amounts due hereunder are outstanding, issues, sells or grants any option to purchase, or sells or grants any right to reprice, or otherwise disposes of, or issues (or announces any sale, grant or any option to purchase or other disposition), any Common Stock or other securities convertible into, exercisable for, or otherwise entitle any person or entity the right to acquire, shares of Common Stock (including, without limitation, upon conversion of this Note, and any convertible notes or warrants outstanding as of or following the Issue Date), in each or any case at an effective price per share that is lower than the then Fixed Price (such lower price, the “Base Conversion Price” and such issuances, collectively, a “Dilutive Issuance”) (it being agreed that if the holder of the Common Stock or other securities so issued shall at any time, whether by operation of purchase price adjustments, reset provisions, floating conversion, exercise or exchange prices or otherwise, or due to warrants, options or rights per share which are issued in connection with such issuance, be entitled to receive shares of Common Stock at an effective price per share that is lower than the Fixed Price, such issuance shall be deemed to have occurred for less than the Fixed Price on such date of the Dilutive Issuance), then the Fixed Price shall be reduced, at the option of the Holder, to a price equal to the Base Conversion Price. Such adjustment shall be made whenever such Common Stock or other securities are issued. By way of example, and for the avoidance of doubt, if the Company issues a convertible promissory note (including but not limited to a Variable Rate Transaction (as defined in the Purchase Agreement)), and the holder of such convertible promissory note has the right to convert it into Common Stock at an effective price per share that is lower than the then Fixed Price (including but not limited to a conversion price with a discount that varies with the trading prices of or quotations for the Common Stock), then the Holder has the right to reduce the Fixed Price to such Base Conversion Price (including but not limited to a conversion price with a discount that varies with the trading prices of or quotations for the Common Stock) in perpetuity regardless of whether the holder of such convertible promissory note ever effectuated a conversion at the Base Conversion Price. In the event of an issuance of securities involving multiple tranches or closings, any adjustment pursuant to this Section 1.6(e) shall be calculated as if all such securities were issued at the initial closing.
(f) Notice of Adjustments. Upon the occurrence of each adjustment or readjustment of the Conversion Price as a result of the events described in Section 1.6 of this Note, the Borrower shall, at its expense and within one (1) calendar day after the occurrence of each respective adjustment or readjustment of the Conversion Price, compute such adjustment or readjustment and prepare and furnish to the Holder a certificate setting forth (i) the Conversion Price in effect at such time based upon the Dilutive Issuance, (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock and the amount, if any, of other securities or property which at the time would be received upon conversion of the Note, (iii) the detailed facts upon which such adjustment or readjustment is based, and (iv) copies of the documentation (including but not limited to relevant transaction documents) that evidences the adjustment or readjustment. In addition, the Borrower shall, within one (1) calendar day after each written request from the Holder, furnish to such Holder a like certificate setting forth (i) the Conversion Price in effect at such time based upon the Dilutive Issuance, (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock and the amount, if any, of other securities or property which at the time would be received upon conversion of the Note, (iii) the detailed facts upon which such adjustment or readjustment is based, and (iv) copies of the documentation (including but not limited to relevant transaction documents) that evidences the adjustment or readjustment. For the avoidance of doubt, each adjustment or readjustment of the Conversion Price as a result of the events described in Section 1.6 of this Note shall occur without any action by the Holder and regardless of whether the Borrower complied with the notification provisions in Section 1.6 of this Note.
1.7 [Intentionally Omitted].
| 7 |
1.8 Status as Shareholder. Upon submission of a Notice of Conversion by the Holder, (i) the Conversion Shares covered thereby (other than the Conversion Shares, if any, which cannot be issued because their issuance would exceed such Holder’s allocated portion of the Reserved Amount or Maximum Share Amount) shall be deemed converted into shares of Common Stock and (ii) the Holder’s rights as the Holder of such converted portion of this Note shall cease and terminate, excepting only the right to receive certificates for such shares of Common Stock and to any remedies provided herein or otherwise available at law or in equity to such Holder because of a failure by the Borrower to comply with the terms of this Note. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Holder has not received certificates for all shares of Common Stock prior to the tenth (10th) business day after the expiration of the Deadline with respect to a conversion of any portion of this Note for any reason, then (unless the Holder otherwise elects to retain its status as a holder of Common Stock by so notifying the Borrower) the Holder shall regain the rights of a Holder of this Note with respect to such unconverted portions of this Note and the Borrower shall, as soon as practicable, return such unconverted Note to the Holder or, if the Note has not been surrendered, adjust its records to reflect that such portion of this Note has not been converted. In all cases, the Holder shall retain all of its rights and remedies for the Borrower’s failure to convert this Note.
1.9 Prepayment. At any time prior to the date that an Event of Default occurs under this Note, the Borrower shall have the right, exercisable on five (5) Trading Days prior written notice to the Holder of the Note, to prepay the outstanding Principal Amount and interest then due under this Note in accordance with this Section 1.9. Any notice of prepayment hereunder (an “Optional Prepayment Notice”) shall be delivered to the Holder of the Note at its registered addresses and shall state: (1) that the Borrower is exercising its right to prepay the Note, and (2) the date of prepayment which shall be five (5) Trading Days from the date of the Optional Prepayment Notice (the “Optional Prepayment Date”). The Holder shall have the right, during the period beginning on the date of Holder’s receipt of the Optional Prepayment Notice and until the Holder’s actual receipt of the full prepayment amount on the Optional Prepayment Date, to instead convert all or any portion of the Note pursuant to the terms of this Note, including the amount of this Note to be prepaid by the Borrower in accordance with this Section 1.9. On the Optional Prepayment Date, the Borrower shall make payment of the amounts designated below to or upon the order of the Holder as specified by the Holder in writing to the Borrower. If the Borrower exercises its right to prepay the Note in accordance with this Section 1.9, the Borrower shall make payment to the Holder of an amount in cash equal to the sum of: (w) 100% multiplied by the Principal Amount then outstanding plus accrued and unpaid interest on the Principal Amount to the Optional Prepayment Date. If the Borrower delivers an Optional Prepayment Notice and fails to pay the applicable prepayment amount due to the Holder of the Note as provided in this Section 1.9, then the Borrower shall forever forfeit its right to prepay any part of the Note pursuant to this Section 1.9
1.10 Repayment from Proceeds. If, at any time prior to the full repayment or full conversion of all amounts owed under this Note, the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries receives cash proceeds from the issuance of securities pursuant to an Equity Line of Credit (as defined in this Note), the Company shall, within one (1) business day of Company’s or the Subsidiaries’ receipt of such proceeds, inform the Holder of or publicly disclose such receipt, following which the Holder shall have the right in its sole discretion to require the Company or the Subsidiaries to immediately apply up to 30% of such proceeds to repay all or any portion of the outstanding Principal Amount and interest (including any Default Interest) then due under this Note. Failure of the Company to comply with this provision shall constitute an Event of Default. “Equity Line of Credit” shall mean any transaction involving a written agreement between the Company and an investor or underwriter whereby the Company has the right to “put” its Common Stock to the investor or underwriter over an agreed period of time and at an agreed price or price formula (such Common Stock must be registered pursuant to a registration statement of the Company for the investor’s or underwriter’s resale).
ARTICLE II. RANKING AND CERTAIN COVENANTS
2.1 Ranking. This Note shall be a senior unsecured obligation of the Borrower, with priority over all existing and future unsecured indebtedness of the Borrower
2.2 Other Indebtedness. So long as not less than $100,000 remains outstanding under this Note, neither the Borrower nor any of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries shall (directly or indirectly) incur or suffer to exist or guarantee any unsecured indebtedness that is senior to or pari passu with (in priority of payment and performance) the Borrower’s obligations hereunder.
2.3 Distributions on Capital Stock. So long as not less than $100,000 remains outstanding under this Note, the Borrower shall not without the Holder’s written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed (a) pay, declare or set apart for such payment, any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, property or other securities) on shares of capital stock other than dividends on shares of Common Stock solely in the form of additional shares of Common Stock or (b) directly or indirectly or through any subsidiary make any other payment or distribution in respect of its capital stock except for distributions pursuant to any shareholders’ rights plan which is approved by a majority of the Borrower’s disinterested directors.
| 8 |
2.4 Restriction on Stock Repurchases and Debt Repayments. So long as not less than $100,000 8 remains outstanding under this Note, the Borrower shall not without the Holder’s written consent redeem, repurchase or otherwise acquire (whether for cash or in exchange for property or other securities or otherwise) in any one transaction or series of related transactions any shares of capital stock of the Borrower or any warrants, rights or options to purchase or acquire any such shares, or repay any indebtedness of Borrower other than this Note (except with respect to the repayment of trade payables in the ordinary course of the Borrower’s business and loan payments to the US Small Business Administration, national banks, or regional banks).
2.5 Sale of Assets. So long as not less than $100,000 remains outstanding under this Note, neither the Borrower nor any of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries shall, without the Holder’s written consent, sell, lease or otherwise dispose of any significant portion of its assets outside the ordinary course of business. Any consent by the Holder to the disposition of any assets may be conditioned on a specified use of the proceeds of disposition.
2.6 Advances and Loans; Affiliate Transactions. So long as not less than $100,000 remains outstanding under this Note, the Borrower shall not, without the Holder’s written consent, lend money, give credit, make advances to or enter into any similar transaction with any person, firm, joint venture or corporation, including officers, directors and employees of the Borrower, except loans, credits or advances (a) in the ordinary course of business, (b) in existence or committed on the Issue Date and which the Borrower has disclosed in its SEC Documents, (c) in regard to transactions with unaffiliated third parties, made in the ordinary course of business, or (d) in regard to transactions with unaffiliated third parties, not in excess of $100,000. So long as not less than $100,000 remains outstanding under this Note, the Borrower shall not, without the Holder’s written consent, repay any affiliate (as defined in Rule 144) of the Borrower in connection with any indebtedness or accrued amounts owed to any such party.
2.7 Section 3(a)(9) or 3(a)(10) Transaction. So long as this Note is outstanding, the Borrower shall not enter into any transaction or arrangement structured in accordance with, based upon, or related or pursuant to, in whole or in part, either Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act (a “3(a)(9) Transaction”) or Section 3(a)(10) of the Securities Act (a “3(a)(10) Transaction”).
2.8 Preservation of Business and Existence, etc. So long as the Borrower shall have any obligation under this Note, the Borrower shall not, without the Holder’s written consent, (a) change the nature of its business other than in the ordinary course of business; (b) sell, divest, change the structure of any material assets other than in the ordinary course of business; (c) enter into a Variable Rate Transaction; or (d) enter into any Prohibited Transaction (as defined in this Note). “Prohibited Transaction” shall mean any merchant cash advance transaction, sale of receivables transaction, or any other similar transaction. In addition, so long as the Borrower shall have any obligation under this Note, the Borrower shall maintain and preserve, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain and preserve, its existence, rights and privileges, and become or remain, and cause each of its Subsidiaries (other than dormant Subsidiaries that have no or minimum assets) to become or remain, duly qualified and in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the character of the properties owned or leased by it or in which the transaction of its business makes such qualification necessary.
2.9 Noncircumvention. The Company hereby covenants and agrees that the Company will not, by amendment of its Certificate or Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws, or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, scheme of arrangement, dissolution, issue or sale of securities, or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Note, and will at all times in good faith carry out all the provisions of this Note and take all action as may be required to protect the rights of the Holder.
2.10 Lost, Stolen or Mutilated Note. Upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Note, and, in the case of loss, theft or destruction, of any indemnification undertaking by the Holder to the Company in customary form and, in the case of mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation of this Note, the Company shall execute and deliver to the Holder a new Note.
ARTICLE III. EVENTS OF DEFAULT
It shall be considered an event of default if any of the following events listed in this Article III (each, an “Event of Default”) shall occur at any time during the period beginning on the Issue Date and ending when the Note is no longer outstanding, after receipt by Borrower of notice by Holder with respect the same, subject, in each case (except with respect to Sections 3.2 and 3.15 of this Note), to a five (5) business day cure period:
3.1 Failure to Pay Principal or Interest. The Borrower fails to pay the Principal Amount hereof or 9 interest thereon when due on this Note, whether at maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, or fails to fully comply with Section 1.10 of this Note.
| 9 |
3.2 Conversion and the Shares. The Borrower (i) fails to issue Conversion Shares to the Holder (or announces or threatens in writing that it will not honor its obligation to do so) upon exercise by the Holder of the conversion rights of the Holder in accordance with the terms of this Note, (ii) fails to transfer or cause its transfer agent to transfer (issue) (electronically or in certificated form) any certificate for the Conversion Shares issuable to the Holder upon conversion of or otherwise pursuant to this Note as and when required by this Note, (iii) fails to reserve the Reserved Amount at all times, and/or (iv) the Borrower directs its transfer agent not to transfer or delays, impairs, and/or hinders its transfer agent in transferring (or issuing) (electronically or in certificated form) any certificate for the Conversion Shares issuable to the Holder upon conversion of or otherwise pursuant to this Note as and when required by this Note, or fails to remove (or directs its transfer agent not to remove or impairs, delays, and/or hinders its transfer agent from removing) any restrictive legend (or to withdraw any stop transfer instructions in respect thereof) on any certificate for any Conversion Shares issued to the Holder upon conversion of or otherwise pursuant to this Note as and when required by this Note (or makes any written announcement, statement or threat that it does not intend to honor the obligations described in this paragraph) and any such failure shall continue uncured (or any written announcement, statement or threat not to honor its obligations shall not be rescinded in writing) for two (2) Trading Days after the Holder shall have delivered a Notice of Conversion.
3.3 Breach of Agreements and Covenants. The Borrower breaches any material covenant, agreement, or other term or condition contained in the Purchase Agreement, Registration Rights Agreement (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), this Note, Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions, or in any agreement, statement or certificate given in writing pursuant hereto or in connection herewith or therewith.
3.4 Breach of Representations and Warranties. Any representation or warranty of the Borrower made in the Purchase Agreement, Registration Rights Agreement, this Note, Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions, or in any agreement, statement or certificate given in writing pursuant hereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall be false or misleading in any material respect when made.
3.5 Receiver or Trustee. The Borrower or any subsidiary of the Borrower shall make an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver or trustee for it or for a substantial part of its property or business, or such a receiver or trustee shall otherwise be appointed.
3.6 Judgments. Any money judgment, writ or similar process shall be entered or filed against the Borrower or any subsidiary of the Borrower or any of its property or other assets for more than $200,000, and shall remain unvacated, unbonded or unstayed for a period of twenty (20) days unless otherwise consented to by the Holder, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld.
3.7 Bankruptcy. Bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or liquidation proceedings or other proceedings, voluntary or involuntary, for relief under any bankruptcy law or any law for the relief of debtors shall be instituted by or against the Borrower or any subsidiary of the Borrower and, if involuntary, not dismissed within thirty (30) days.
3.8 Failure to Comply with the 1934 Act. At any time after the Issue Date, the Borrower shall fail to comply with the reporting requirements of the 1934 Act and/or the Borrower shall cease to be subject to the reporting requirements of the 1934 Act.
3.9 Liquidation. Any dissolution, liquidation, or winding up of Borrower or any substantial portion of its business.
3.10 Cessation of Operations. Any cessation of operations by Borrower or Borrower admits it is otherwise generally unable to pay its debts as such debts become due, provided, however, that any disclosure of the Borrower’s ability to continue as a “going concern” shall not be an admission that the Borrower cannot pay its debts as they become due.
3.11 Maintenance of Assets. The failure by Borrower to maintain any material intellectual property 10 rights, personal, real property or other assets which are necessary to conduct its business (whether now or in the future).
3.12 [Intentionally omitted]
| 10 |
3.13 Replacement of Transfer Agent. In the event that the Borrower proposes to replace its transfer agent, the Borrower fails to provide, prior to the effective date of such replacement, a fully executed Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions in a form as initially delivered pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (including but not limited to the provision to irrevocably reserve shares of Common Stock in the Reserved Amount) signed by the successor transfer agent to Borrower and the Borrower.
3.14 Cross-Default. The declaration of an event of default by any lender or other extender of credit to the Company under any notes, loans, agreements or other instruments of the Company evidencing any indebtedness of the Company (including those filed as exhibits to or described in the Company’s filings with the SEC), after the passage of all applicable notice and cure or grace periods in an amount not less than $200,000.
3.15 Variable Rate Transactions. The Borrower consummates a Variable Rate Transaction at any time on or after the Issue Date.
3.16 Inside Information. Any attempt by the Borrower or its officers, directors, and/or affiliates to transmit, convey, disclose, or any actual transmittal, conveyance, or disclosure by the Borrower or its officers, directors, and/or affiliates of, material non-public information concerning the Borrower, to the Holder or its successors and assigns, which is not immediately cured by Borrower’s filing of a Form 8-K pursuant to Regulation FD on that same date.
3.17 Unavailability of Rule 144. If, at any time on or after the date that is six (6) calendar months after the Issue Date, the Holder is unable to (i) obtain a standard “144 legal opinion letter” from an attorney reasonably acceptable to the Holder, the Holder’s brokerage firm (and respective clearing firm), and the Borrower’s transfer agent in order to facilitate the Holder’s conversion of any portion of the Note into free trading shares of the Borrower’s Common Stock pursuant to Rule 144, and/or (ii) thereupon deposit such shares into the Holder’s brokerage account.
3.18 Delisting, Suspension, or Quotation of Trading of Common Stock. If, at any time on or after the Issue Date, the Borrower’s Common Stock (i) is suspended from trading, (ii) halted from trading, and/or (iii) fails to be listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market.
3.19 Shareholder Approval. The Company fails to obtain the Shareholder Approval prior to the date that is ninety (90) calendar days after the Issue Date.
3.20 Registration Statement Failures. The Borrower fails to (i) file a registration statement (the “Registration Statement”) covering the Holder’s resale at prevailing market prices (and not fixed prices) of all of the Conversion Shares (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) (the “Conversion Shares”) within thirty (30) calendar days following the Issue Date, (ii) cause the Registration Statement to become effective within one hundred twenty (120) calendar days following the Issue Date, (iii) cause the Registration Statement to remain effective until the Holder no longer owns the Note or Conversion Shares, (iv) comply with the provisions of the Registration Rights Agreement in all material respects, or (v) promptly amend the Registration Statement or file a new Registration Statement (and cause such Registration Statement to become effective as provided in the Registration Rights Agreement) upon written request of Holder if there are no longer sufficient shares registered under the initial Registration Statement for the Holder’s resale at prevailing market prices (and not fixed prices) of all of the Conversion Shares.
3.21 Rights and Remedies Upon an Event of Default. Upon the occurrence of any Event of Default specified in this Article III, this Note shall become immediately due and payable, and the Borrower shall pay to the Holder, in full satisfaction of its obligations hereunder, an amount equal to the Principal Amount then outstanding plus accrued interest (including any Default Interest) through the date of full repayment multiplied by 115% (collectively the “Default Amount”), as well as all costs, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, of collection, all without demand, presentment or notice, all of which hereby are expressly waived by the Borrower. Holder may, in Holder’s sole discretion, convert all or any portion of this Note (including the Default Amount) into Common Stock pursuant to the terms of this Note (for the avoidance of doubt, this shall apply even if such conversion occurs after the Maturity Date). The Holder shall be entitled to exercise all other rights and remedies available at law or in equity.
| 11 |
ARTICLE IV. MISCELLANEOUS
4.1 Failure or Indulgence Not Waiver. No failure or delay on the part of the Holder in the exercise of any power, right or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such power, right or privilege preclude other or further exercise thereof or of any other right, power or privileges. All rights and remedies of the Holder existing hereunder are cumulative to, and not exclusive of, any rights or remedies otherwise available.
4.2 Notices. All notices, demands, requests, consents, approvals, and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and, unless otherwise specified herein, shall be (i) personally served, (ii) deposited in the mail, registered or certified, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, (iii) delivered by reputable air courier service with charges prepaid, or (iv) transmitted by hand delivery, or e-mail addressed as set forth below or to such other address as such party shall have specified most recently by written notice. Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be deemed effective (a) upon hand delivery or delivery by e-mail, at the address or number designated below (if delivered on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received), or the first business day following such delivery (if delivered other than on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received) or (b) on the second business day following the date of mailing by express courier service, fully prepaid, addressed to such address, or upon actual receipt of such mailing, whichever shall first occur. The addresses for such communications shall be:
If to the Borrower, to:
YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO.
6940 Beach Blvd., Suite D-705
Buena Park, CA 90621
Attention: James Chae
e-mail: jchae@yoshiharuramen.com
If to the Holder:
CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I, LP
228 Park Avenue South PMB 57033
New York, NY 10003
e-mail: john@crom-llc.com and liam@crom-llc.com
4.3 Amendments. This Note and any provision hereof may only be amended by an instrument in writing signed by the Borrower and the Holder. The term “Note” and all reference thereto, as used throughout this instrument, shall mean this instrument as originally executed, or if later amended or supplemented, then as so amended or supplemented.
4.4 Assignability. This Note shall be binding upon the Borrower and its successors and assigns, and shall inure to be the benefit of the Holder and its successors and assigns. The Borrower shall not assign this Note or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Holder. The Holder may assign its rights hereunder to any “accredited investor” (as defined in Rule 501(a) of the 1933 Act) in a private transaction from the Holder or to any of its “affiliates”, as that term is defined under the 1934 Act, without the consent of the Borrower. Notwithstanding anything in this Note to the contrary, this Note may be pledged as collateral in connection with a bona fide margin account or other lending arrangement. The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of this Note, acknowledge and agree that following conversion of a portion of this Note, the unpaid and unconverted principal amount of this Note represented by this Note may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.
4.5 Cost of Collection. If default is made in the payment of this Note, the Borrower shall pay the Holder hereof costs of collection, including reasonable attorneys’ fees.
| 12 |
4.6 Arbitration of Claims; Governing Law; Venue; Attorney’s Fees. The Company and Holder shall submit all Claims (as defined in Exhibit D of the Purchase Agreement) (the “Claims”) arising under this Note or any other agreement between the parties and their affiliates or any Claim relating to the relationship of the parties to binding arbitration pursuant to the arbitration provisions set forth in Exhibit D of the Purchase Agreement (the “Arbitration Provisions”). The Company and Holder hereby acknowledge and agree that the Arbitration Provisions 12 are unconditionally binding on the Company and Holder hereto and are severable from all other provisions of this Note. By executing this Note, Company represents, warrants and covenants that Company has reviewed the Arbitration Provisions carefully, consulted with legal counsel about such provisions (or waived its right to do so), understands that the Arbitration Provisions are intended to allow for the expeditious and efficient resolution of any dispute hereunder, agrees to the terms and limitations set forth in the Arbitration Provisions, and that Company will not take a position contrary to the foregoing representations. The Company acknowledges and agrees that Holder may rely upon the foregoing representations and covenants of the Company regarding the Arbitration Provisions. This Note shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, and all questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and performance of this Note shall be governed by, the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware. The Company and Holder consent to and expressly agree that the exclusive venue for arbitration of any Claims arising under this Note or any other agreement between the Company and Holder or their respective affiliates (including but not limited to the Transaction Documents) or any Claim relating to the relationship of the Company and Holder or their respective affiliates shall be in New Castle County, State of Delaware. Without modifying the Company’s and Holder’s obligations to resolve disputes hereunder pursuant to the Arbitration Provisions, for any litigation arising in connection with any of the Transaction Documents (and notwithstanding the terms (specifically including any governing law and venue terms) of any transfer agent services agreement or other agreement between the Company’s transfer agent and the Company, such litigation specifically includes, without limitation any action between or involving Company and the Company’s transfer agent under the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) or otherwise related to Holder in any way (specifically including, without limitation, any action where Company seeks to obtain an injunction, temporary restraining order, or otherwise prohibit the Company’s transfer agent from issuing shares of Common Stock to Holder for any reason)), each party hereto hereby (i) consents to and expressly submits to the exclusive personal jurisdiction of any state or federal court sitting in New Castle County, State of Delaware, (ii) expressly submits to the exclusive venue of any such court for the purposes hereof, (iii) agrees to not bring any such action (specifically including, without limitation, any action where Company seeks to obtain an injunction, temporary restraining order, or otherwise prohibit the Company’s transfer agent from issuing shares of Common Stock to Holder for any reason) outside of any state or federal court sitting in New Castle County, State of Delaware, and (iv) waives any claim of improper venue and any claim or objection that such courts are an inconvenient forum or any other claim, defense or objection to the bringing of any such proceeding in such jurisdiction or to any claim that such venue of the suit, action or proceeding is improper. Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary, nothing herein (i) shall limit, or shall be deemed or construed to limit, the ability of the Holder to realize on any collateral or any other security, or to enforce a judgment or other court ruling in favor of the Holder, including through a legal action in any court of competent jurisdiction, or (ii) shall limit, or shall be deemed or construed to limit, any provision of Section 4.15 of this Note. The Company hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any objection to jurisdiction and venue of any action instituted hereunder, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, and any claim that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper (including but not limited to based upon forum non conveniens). THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS NOTE OR ANY TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. The Company irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any suit, action or proceeding in connection with this Note or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to Company at the address in effect for notices to it under this Note and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. The prevailing party in any action or dispute brought in connection with this Note or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby shall be entitled to recover from the other party its reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. If any provision of this Note shall be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of this Note in that jurisdiction or the validity or enforceability of any provision of this Note in any other jurisdiction.
4.7 Certain Amounts. Whenever pursuant to this Note the Borrower is required to pay an amount in excess of the outstanding Principal Amount (or the portion thereof required to be paid at that time) plus accrued and unpaid interest plus Default Interest on such interest, the Borrower and the Holder agree that the actual damages to the Holder from the receipt of cash payment on this Note may be difficult to determine and the amount to be so paid by the Borrower represents stipulated damages and not a penalty and is intended to compensate the Holder in part for loss of the opportunity to convert this Note and to earn a return from the sale of shares of Common Stock acquired upon conversion of this Note at a price in excess of the price paid for such shares pursuant to this Note. The Borrower and the Holder hereby agree that such amount of stipulated damages is not plainly disproportionate to the possible loss to the Holder from the receipt of a cash payment without the opportunity to convert this Note into shares of Common Stock.
| 13 |
4.8 Purchase Agreement. The Company and the Holder shall be bound by the applicable terms of the Purchase Agreement, and the Transaction Documents entered into in connection herewith and therewith.
4.9 Notice of Corporate Events. Except as otherwise provided below, the Holder of this Note shall have no rights as a Holder of Common Stock unless and only to the extent that it converts this Note into Common Stock. The Borrower shall provide the Holder with prior notification of any meeting of the Borrower’s shareholders (and copies of proxy materials and other information sent to shareholders). In the event of any taking by the Borrower of a record of its shareholders for the purpose of determining shareholders who are entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution, any right to subscribe for, purchase or otherwise acquire (including by way of merger, consolidation, reclassification or recapitalization) any share of any class or any other securities or property, or to receive any other right, or for the purpose of determining shareholders who are entitled to vote in connection with any change in control or any proposed liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Borrower, the Borrower shall mail a notice to the Holder, at least twenty (20) days prior to the record date specified therein (or thirty (30) days prior to the consummation of the transaction or event, whichever is earlier), of the date on which any such record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, right or other event, and a brief statement regarding the amount and character of such dividend, distribution, right or other event to the extent known at such time. The Borrower shall make a public announcement of any event requiring notification to the Holder hereunder substantially simultaneously with the notification to the Holder in accordance with the terms of this Section 4.9.
4.10 Remedies. The Borrower acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder will cause irreparable harm to the Holder, by vitiating the intent and purpose of the transaction contemplated hereby. Accordingly, the Borrower acknowledges that the remedy at law for a breach of its material obligations under this Note will be inadequate and agrees, in the event of a breach or threatened breach by the Borrower of the provisions of this Note, that the Holder shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies at law or in equity, and in addition to the penalties assessable herein, to an injunction or injunctions restraining, preventing or curing any breach of this Note and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions thereof, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required.
4.11 Construction; Headings. This Note shall be deemed to be jointly drafted by the Company and all the Holder and shall not be construed against any person as the drafter hereof. The headings of this Note are for convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Note.
4.12 Usury. To the extent it may lawfully do so, the Company hereby agrees not to insist upon or plead or in any manner whatsoever claim, and will resist any and all efforts to be compelled to take the benefit or advantage of, usury laws wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, in connection with any action or proceeding that may be brought by the Holder in order to enforce any right or remedy under this Note. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in this Note, it is expressly agreed and provided that the total liability of the Company under this Note for payments which under the applicable law are in the nature of interest shall not exceed the maximum lawful rate authorized under applicable law (the “Maximum Rate”), and, without limiting the foregoing, in no event shall any rate of interest or default interest, or both of them, when aggregated with any other sums which under the applicable law in the nature of interest that the Company may be obligated to pay under this Note exceed such Maximum Rate. It is agreed that if the maximum contract rate of interest allowed by applicable law and applicable to this Note is increased or decreased by statute or any official governmental action subsequent to the Issue Date, the new maximum contract rate of interest allowed by law will be the Maximum Rate applicable to this Note from the effective date thereof forward, unless such application is precluded by applicable law. If under any circumstances whatsoever, interest in excess of the Maximum Rate is paid by the Company to the Holder with respect to indebtedness evidenced by this the Note, such excess shall be applied by the Holder to the unpaid principal balance of any such indebtedness or be refunded to the Company, the manner of handling such excess to be at the Holder’s election.
4.13 Severability. In the event that any provision of this Note is invalid or unenforceable under any applicable statute or rule of law (including any judicial ruling), then such provision shall be deemed inoperative to the extent that it may conflict therewith and shall be deemed modified to conform with such statute or rule of law. Any such provision which may prove invalid or unenforceable under any law shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Note.
| 14 |
4.14 [Intentionally Omitted]
4.15 Dispute Resolution.
(a) In the case of a dispute relating to the Conversion Price, Conversion Amount, any prepayment amount or Default Amount, Issue Date, Closing Date, Maturity Date, the closing bid price, or fair market value (as the case may be) (including, without limitation, a dispute relating to the determination of any of the foregoing) (the “Note Calculations”), the Company or the Holder (as the case may be) shall submit the dispute to the other party via electronic mail (A) if by the Company, within two (2) Trading Days after the occurrence of the circumstances giving rise to such dispute or (B) if by the Holder, at any time after the Holder learned of the circumstances giving rise to such dispute. If the Holder and the Company are unable to agree upon such determination or calculation within two (2) Trading Days following such initial notice by the Company or the Holder (as the case may be) of such dispute to the Company or the Holder (as the case may be), then the Holder may, at its sole option, submit the dispute to an independent, reputable investment bank or independent, outside accountant selected by the Holder (the “Independent Third Party”), and the Company shall pay all expenses of such Independent Third Party.
(b) The Holder and the Company shall each deliver to such Independent Third Party (A) a copy of the initial dispute submission so delivered in accordance with the first sentence of this Section 4.15(a) and (B) written documentation supporting its position with respect to such dispute, in each case, no later than 5:00 p.m. (New York time) by second (2nd) Business Day immediately following the date on which the Holder selected such Independent Third Party (the “Dispute Submission Deadline”) (the documents referred to in the immediately preceding clauses (A) and (B) are collectively referred to herein as the “Required Dispute Documentation”) (it being understood and agreed that if either the Holder or the Company fails to so deliver all of the Required Dispute Documentation by the Dispute Submission Deadline, then the party who fails to so submit all of the Required Dispute Documentation shall no longer be entitled to (and hereby waives its right to) deliver or submit any written documentation or other support to such Independent Third Party with respect to such dispute and such Independent Third Party shall resolve such dispute based solely on the Required Dispute Documentation that was delivered to such Independent Third Party prior to the Dispute Submission Deadline). Unless otherwise agreed to in writing by both the Company and the Holder or otherwise requested by such Independent Third Party, neither the Company nor the Holder shall be entitled to deliver or submit any written documentation or other support to such Independent Third Party in connection with such dispute, other than the Required Dispute Documentation.
(c) The Company and the Holder shall cause such Independent Third Party to determine the resolution of such dispute and notify the Company and the Holder of such resolution no later than five (5) Business Days immediately following the Dispute Submission Deadline. The fees and expenses of such Independent Third Party shall be borne solely by the Company, and such Independent Third Party’s resolution of such dispute shall be final and binding upon all parties absent manifest error.
(d) The Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that (i) this Section 4.15 constitutes an agreement to arbitrate between the Company and the Holder (and constitutes an arbitration agreement) under the rules then in effect under the Delaware Rules of Civil Procedure (“DRCP”) and that the Holder is authorized to apply for an order to compel arbitration pursuant to the DRCP in order to compel compliance with this Section 4.15, (ii) a dispute relating to the Note Calculations includes, without limitation, disputes as to (A) whether an issuance or sale or deemed issuance or sale of Common Stock occurred under Section 1.6 of this Note, (B) the consideration per share at which an issuance or deemed issuance of Common Stock occurred, (C) whether any issuance or sale or deemed issuance or sale of Common Stock was an issuance or sale or deemed issuance or sale, (D) whether an agreement, instrument, security or the like constitutes a Common Stock Equivalent and (E) whether a Dilutive Issuance occurred, (iii) the terms of this Note and each other applicable Transaction Document shall serve as the basis for the selected Independent Third Party’s resolution of the applicable dispute, such Independent Third Party shall be entitled (and is hereby expressly authorized) to make all findings, determinations and the like that such Independent Third Party determines are required to be made by such Independent Third Party in connection with its resolution of such dispute (including, without limitation, determining (A) whether an issuance or sale or deemed issuance or sale of Common Stock occurred under Section 1.6 of this Note, (B) the consideration per share at which an issuance or deemed issuance of Common Stock occurred, (C) whether any issuance or sale or deemed issuance or sale of Common Stock was an issuance or sale or deemed issuance or sale, (D) whether an agreement, instrument, security or the like constitutes a Common Stock Equivalent and (E) whether a Dilutive Issuance occurred) and in resolving such dispute such Independent Third Party shall apply such findings, determinations and the like to the terms of this Note and any other applicable Transaction Documents, and (iv) nothing in this Section 4.15 shall limit the Holder from obtaining any injunctive relief or other equitable remedies (including, without limitation, with respect to any matters described in this Section 4.15).
[signature page follows]
| 15 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Borrower has caused this Note to be signed in its name by its duly authorized officer on January 6, 2025.
YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO.
| By: | /s/James Chae | |
| Name: | James Chae | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
| 16 |
EXHIBIT A — NOTICE OF CONVERSION
The undersigned hereby elects to convert $___________ principal amount of the Note (defined below) into that number of shares of Common Stock to be issued pursuant to the conversion of the Note (“Common Stock”) as set forth below, of YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), according to the conditions of the promissory note of the Borrower dated as of January 6, 2025 (the “Note”), as of the date written below. No fee will be charged to the Holder for any conversion, except for transfer taxes, if any.
Box Checked as to applicable instructions:
| ☐ | The Borrower shall electronically transmit the Common Stock issuable pursuant to this Notice of Conversion to the account of the undersigned or its nominee with DTC through its Deposit Withdrawal Agent Commission system (“DWAC Transfer”). |
Name
of DTC Prime Broker:
Account Number:
| ☐ | The undersigned hereby requests that the Borrower issue a certificate or certificates for the number of shares of Common Stock set forth below (which numbers are based on the Holder’s calculation attached hereto) in the name(s) specified immediately below or, if additional space is necessary, on an attachment hereto: |
Date of Conversion:
Applicable
Conversion Price: $_______________
Number of Shares of Common Stock to be
Issued
Pursuant to Conversion of the Note:
Amount of Principal Balance Due remaining ________________
Under the Note after this conversion: ______________
| By: | |
| Name: | |
| Title: | |
| Date: |
Exhibit 10.33
SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), dated as of January 6, 2025, by and between YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO., a Delaware corporation, with headquarters located at 6940 Beach Blvd., Suite D-705, Buena Park, CA 90621 (the “Company”), and CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I, LP, a Delaware limited partnership, with its address at 228 Park Avenue South PMB 57033, New York, NY 10003 (the “Buyer”).
WHEREAS:
A. The Company and the Buyer are executing and delivering this Agreement in reliance upon the exemption from securities registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”) promulgated by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the 1933 Act;
B. Buyer desires to purchase from the Company, and the Company desires to issue and sell to the Buyer, upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, a 10% OID promissory note of the Company, in the aggregate principal amount of $1,100,000.00 (as the principal amount thereof may be increased pursuant to the terms thereof, and together with any note(s) issued in replacement thereof or as a dividend thereon or otherwise with respect thereto in accordance with the terms thereof, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, the “Note”), convertible into shares of Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”), upon the terms and subject to the limitations and conditions set forth in such Note (collectively, the “January 2025 Offering”); and
C. As part of the January 2025 Offering, the Buyer wishes to purchase, upon the terms and conditions stated in this Agreement, such principal amount of the Note as is set forth immediately below its name on the signature pages hereto; and
D. In connection with this Agreement, the Company and the Buyer have entered into a registration rights agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) on the date of this Agreement, a form of which is attached hereto as Exhibit C.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and of the agreements and covenants herein contained, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Buyer hereby agree as follows:
1. Purchase and Sale of Note.
a. Purchase of Note. On the Closing Date (as defined below), the Company shall issue and sell to the Buyer, and the Buyer agrees to purchase from the Company, the Note, as further provided herein. As used in this Agreement, the term “business day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or a day on which commercial banks in New York, New York are authorized or required by law or executive order to remain closed.
b. Form of Payment. On the Closing Date: (i) the Buyer shall pay the purchase price of $1,000,000.00 (the “Purchase Price”) for the Note, to be issued and sold to it at the Closing (as defined below), by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the Company, in accordance with the Company’s written wiring instructions, against delivery of the Note, and (ii) the Company shall deliver such duly executed Note on behalf of the Company, to the Buyer, against delivery of such Purchase Price. On the Closing Date, the Buyer shall withhold a non-accountable sum of $20,000.00 from the Purchase Price to cover the Buyer’s legal fees in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and $20,000.00 from the Purchase Price to cover the Company’s payment of the Buyer’s legal fees pursuant to that certain equity purchase agreement entered into on or around the date hereof by and between the Company and Buyer.
c. Closing Date. Subject to the satisfaction (or written waiver) of the conditions thereto set forth in Section 6 and Section 7 below, the date and time of the issuance and sale of the Note pursuant to this Agreement (the “Closing Date”) shall be on the date that the Purchase Price for the Note is paid by Buyer pursuant to terms of this Agreement.
| 1 |
d. Closing. The closing of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the “Closing”) shall occur on the Closing Date at such location as may be agreed to by the parties (including via exchange of electronic signatures).
2. Buyer’s Representations and Warranties. The Buyer represents and warrants to the Company as of the Closing Date that:
a. Investment Purpose. As of the Closing Date, the Buyer is purchasing the Note (the Note and shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of or otherwise pursuant to the Note (the “Conversion Shares”) shall collectively be referred to herein as the “Securities”) for its own account and not with a present view towards the public sale or distribution thereof, except pursuant to sales registered or exempted from registration under the 1933 Act; provided, however, that by making the representations herein, the Buyer does not agree to hold any of the Securities for any minimum or other specific term and reserves the right to dispose of the Securities at any time in accordance with or pursuant to a registration statement, or an exemption under the 1933 Act.
b. Accredited Investor Status. The Buyer is an “accredited investor” as that term is defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D (an “Accredited Investor”).
c. Reliance on Exemptions. The Buyer understands that the Securities are being offered and sold to it in reliance upon specific exemptions from the registration requirements of United States federal and state securities laws and that the Company is relying upon the truth and accuracy of, and the Buyer’s compliance with, the representations, warranties, agreements, acknowledgments and understandings of the Buyer set forth herein in order to determine the availability of such exemptions and the eligibility of the Buyer to acquire the Securities.
d. Information. The Buyer and its advisors, if any, have been furnished with all materials relating to the business, finances and operations of the Company and materials relating to the offer and sale of the Securities which have been requested by the Buyer or its advisors. The Buyer and its advisors, if any, have been, and for so long as the Note remains outstanding will continue to be, afforded the opportunity to ask questions of the Company regarding its business and affairs. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company has not disclosed to the Buyer any material nonpublic information regarding the Company or otherwise and will not disclose such information unless such information is disclosed to the public prior to or promptly following such disclosure to the Buyer. Neither such inquiries nor any other due diligence investigation conducted by Buyer or any of its advisors or representatives shall modify, amend or affect Buyer’s right to rely on the Company’s representations and warranties contained in Section 3 below.
e. Governmental Review. The Buyer understands that no United States federal or state agency or any other government or governmental agency has passed upon or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Securities.
f. Transfer or Re-sale. The Buyer understands that (i) the sale or resale of the Securities has not been and is not being registered under the 1933 Act or any applicable state securities laws, and the Securities may not be transferred unless (a) the Securities are sold pursuant to an effective registration statement under the 1933 Act, (b) the Buyer shall have delivered to the Company, at the cost of the Company, an opinion of counsel (which may be the Legal Counsel Opinion (as defined below)) that shall be in form, substance and scope customary for opinions of counsel in comparable transactions to the effect that the Securities to be sold or transferred may be sold or transferred pursuant to an exemption from such registration, which opinion shall be accepted by the Company, (c) the Securities are sold or transferred to an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144 promulgated under the 1933 Act (or a successor rule) (“Rule 144”)) of the Buyer who agrees to sell or otherwise transfer the Securities only in accordance with this Section 2(f) and who is an Accredited Investor, (d) the Securities are sold pursuant to Rule 144 or other applicable exemption, or (e) the Securities are sold pursuant to Regulation S under the 1933 Act (or a successor rule) (“Regulation S”), and the Buyer shall have delivered to the Company, at the cost of the Company, an opinion of counsel that shall be in form, substance and scope customary for opinions of counsel in corporate transactions, which opinion shall be accepted by the Company; (ii) any sale of such Securities made in reliance on Rule 144 may be made only in accordance with the terms of said Rule and further, if said Rule is not applicable, any re-sale of such Securities under circumstances in which the seller (or the person through whom the sale is made) may be deemed to be an underwriter (as that term is defined in the 1933 Act) may require compliance with some other exemption under the 1933 Act or the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder; and (iii) neither the Company nor any other person is under any obligation to register such Securities under the 1933 Act or any state securities laws or to comply with the terms and conditions of any exemption thereunder (in each case). Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything else contained herein to the contrary, the Securities may be pledged in connection with a bona fide margin account or other lending arrangement secured by the Securities, and such pledge of Securities shall not be deemed to be a transfer, sale or assignment of the Securities hereunder, and the Buyer in effecting such pledge of Securities shall not be required to provide the Company with any notice thereof or otherwise make any delivery to the Company pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise.
| 2 |
g. Legends. The Buyer understands that until such time as the Note and/or Conversion Shares, have been registered under the 1933 Act or may be sold pursuant to Rule 144, Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, Regulation S, or other applicable exemption without any restriction as to the number of securities as of a particular date that can then be immediately sold, the Securities may bear a restrictive legend in substantially the following form (and a stop-transfer order may be placed against transfer of such Securities):
“NEITHER THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THESE SECURITIES ARE [CONVERTIBLE/EXERCISABLE] HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE, SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR ASSIGNED (I) IN THE ABSENCE OF (A) AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR THE SECURITIES UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR (B) AN OPINION OF COUNSEL (WHICH COUNSEL SHALL BE SELECTED BY THE HOLDER), IN A GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE FORM, THAT REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED UNDER SAID ACT OR (II) UNLESS SOLD PURSUANT TO RULE 144, RULE 144A, REGULATION S, OR OTHER APPLICABLE EXEMPTION UNDER SAID ACT. NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, THE SECURITIES MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER LOAN OR FINANCING ARRANGEMENT SECURED BY THE SECURITIES.”
The legend set forth above shall be removed and the Company shall issue a certificate or book entry statement for the applicable shares of Common Stock without such legend to the holder of any Security upon which it is stamped or (as requested by such holder) issue the applicable shares of Common Stock to such holder by electronic delivery by crediting the account of such holder’s broker with The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), if, unless otherwise required by applicable state securities laws, (a) such Security is registered for sale under an effective registration statement filed under the 1933 Act or otherwise may be sold pursuant to Rule 144, Rule 144A, Regulation S, or other applicable exemption without any restriction as to the number of securities as of a particular date that can then be immediately sold, or (b) the Company or the Buyer provides the Legal Counsel Opinion (as contemplated by and in accordance with Section 4(l) hereof) to the effect that a public sale or transfer of such Security may be made without registration under the 1933 Act, which opinion shall be accepted by the Company so that the sale or transfer is effected. The Company shall be responsible for the fees of its transfer agent and all DTC fees associated with any such issuance. The Buyer agrees to sell all Securities, including those represented by a certificate(s) from which the legend has been removed, in compliance with applicable prospectus delivery requirements, if any.
h. Authorization; Enforcement. This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized by the Buyer and has been duly executed and delivered on behalf of the Buyer, and this Agreement constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Buyer enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and except as may be limited by the exercise of judicial discretion in applying principles of equity.
| 3 |
3. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to the Buyer as of the Closing Date that:
a. Organization and Qualification. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries (as defined below), if any, is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is incorporated or formed, with full power and authority (corporate and other) to own, lease, use and operate its properties and to carry on its business as and where now owned, leased, used, operated and conducted. The SEC Documents set forth a list of all of the Subsidiaries of the Company and the jurisdiction in which each is incorporated. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to do business and is in good standing in every jurisdiction in which its ownership or use of property or the nature of the business conducted by it makes such qualification necessary except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect. “Material Adverse Effect” means any material adverse effect on the business, operations, assets, financial condition or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries, if any, taken as a whole, or on the transactions contemplated hereby or by the agreements or instruments to be entered into in connection herewith. “Subsidiaries” means any corporation or other organization, whether incorporated or unincorporated, in which the Company owns, directly or indirectly, any equity or other ownership interest.
b. Authorization; Enforcement. The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and perform this Agreement, the Note, and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and to issue the Securities, in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, (ii) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Note, and Conversion Shares by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including without limitation, the issuance of the Note, as well as the issuance and reservation for issuance of the Conversion Shares issuable upon conversion of the Note) have been duly authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors and no further consent or authorization of the Company, its Board of Directors, its shareholders, or its debt holders is required, (iii) this Agreement and the Note (together with any other instruments executed in connection herewith or therewith) have been duly executed and delivered by the Company by its authorized representative, and such authorized representative is the true and official representative with authority to sign this Agreement, the Note and the other instruments documents executed in connection herewith or therewith and bind the Company accordingly, (iv) this Agreement constitutes, and upon execution and delivery by the Company of the Note, each of such instruments will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, and (v) the Company represents and warrants that the Shareholder Approval (as defined in this Agreement) was obtained on December 19, 2024, and that such Shareholder Approval is effective pursuant to the rules promulgated under the 1934 Act.
c. Capitalization; Governing Documents. As of January 6, 2025, the authorized capital stock of the Company consists of: 49,000,000 authorized shares of common stock, of which 1,255,197 shares of Common Stock and 100,000 shares of Class B common stock were issued and outstanding, and 0 authorized shares of preferred stock. All of such outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company and the Conversion Shares, are, or upon issuance will be, duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. No shares of capital stock of the Company are subject to preemptive rights or any other similar rights of the shareholders of the Company or any liens or encumbrances imposed through the actions or failure to act of the Company. As of the effective date of this Agreement, other than as publicly announced prior to such date and reflected in the SEC Documents of the Company (i) there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe for, puts, calls, rights of first refusal, agreements, understandings, claims or other commitments or rights of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into or exchangeable for any shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or arrangements by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound to issue additional shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) there are no agreements or arrangements under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is obligated to register the sale of any of its or their securities under the 1933 Act and (iii) there are no anti-dilution or price adjustment provisions contained in any security issued by the Company (or in any agreement providing rights to security holders) that will be triggered by the issuance of any of the Securities. The Company has made available via edgar to the Buyer true and correct copies of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation as in effect on the date hereof (“Certificate of Incorporation”), the Company’s By-laws, as in effect on the date hereof (the “By-laws”), and the terms of all securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock of the Company and the material rights of the holders thereof in respect thereto.
d. Issuance of Conversion Shares. The Conversion Shares are duly authorized and reserved for issuance and, upon conversion of the Note in accordance with its terms, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and free from all taxes, liens, claims and encumbrances with respect to the issue thereof and shall not be subject to preemptive rights or other similar rights of shareholders of the Company and will not impose personal liability upon the holder thereof.
e. [Intentionally Omitted].
| 4 |
f. Acknowledgment of Dilution. The Company understands and acknowledges the potentially dilutive effect of the Conversion Shares to the Common Stock upon the conversion of the Note. The Company further acknowledges that its obligation to issue, upon conversion of the Note, the Conversion Shares, are absolute and unconditional regardless of the dilutive effect that such issuance may have on the ownership interests of other shareholders of the Company.
g. No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Note by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including, without limitation, the issuance and reservation for issuance of the Conversion Shares) will not (i) conflict with or result in a violation of any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws, or (ii) violate or conflict with, or result in a breach of any provision of, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both could become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, note, evidence of indebtedness, indenture, patent, patent license or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, or (iii) result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including federal and state securities laws and regulations and regulations of any self-regulatory organizations to which the Company or its securities is subject) applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by which any property or asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or affected (except for such conflicts, defaults, terminations, amendments, accelerations, cancellations and violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect), or (iv) trigger any anti-dilution and/or ratchet provision contained in any other contract in which the Company is a party thereto or any security issued by the Company. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of its Certificate of Incorporation, By-laws or other organizational documents and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in default (and no event has occurred which with notice or lapse of time or both could put the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in default) under, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has taken any action or failed to take any action that would give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which any property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or affected, except for possible defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries, if any, are not being conducted, and shall not be conducted so long as the Buyer owns any of the Securities, in violation of any law, ordinance or regulation of any governmental entity except violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as specifically contemplated by this Agreement and as required under the 1933 Act and any applicable state securities laws, the Company is not required to obtain any consent, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with, any court, governmental agency, regulatory agency, self-regulatory organization or stock market or any third party in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its obligations under this Agreement and the Note in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof or to issue and sell the Note in accordance with the terms hereof and, upon conversion of the Note, issue Conversion Shares. All consents, authorizations, orders, filings and registrations which the Company is required to obtain pursuant to the preceding sentence have been obtained or effected on or prior to the date hereof. Except as disclosed in SEC Documents, the Company is not in violation of the listing requirements of the Principal Market (as defined herein) and does not reasonably anticipate that the Common Stock will be delisted by the Principal Market in the foreseeable future. The “Principal Market” shall mean the principal securities exchange or trading market where such Common Stock is listed or traded, including but not limited to any tier of the OTC Markets, any tier of the NASDAQ Stock Market (including NASDAQ Capital Market), or the NYSE American, or any successor to such markets.
h. SEC Documents; Financial Statements. The Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by it with the SEC pursuant to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”) (all of the foregoing filed prior to the date hereof and all exhibits included therein and financial statements and schedules thereto and documents (other than exhibits to such documents) incorporated by reference therein, being hereinafter referred to herein as the “SEC Documents”). As of their respective dates, the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder applicable to the SEC Documents, and none of the SEC Documents, at the time they were filed with the SEC, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Except as previously disclosed in the SEC Documents, none of the statements made in any such SEC Documents is, or has been, required to be amended or updated under applicable law (except for such statements as have been amended or updated in subsequent filings prior the date hereof). As of their respective dates, the financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Documents complied as to form in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied, during the periods involved and fairly present in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and the consolidated results of their operations and cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments). Except as set forth in the financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Documents, the Company has no liabilities, contingent or otherwise, other than (i) liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business subsequent to September 30, 2024, and (ii) obligations under contracts and commitments incurred in the ordinary course of business and not required under generally accepted accounting principles to be reflected in such financial statements, which, individually or in the aggregate, are not material to the financial condition or operating results of the Company. The Company is subject to the reporting requirements of the 1934 Act. The Company has never been a “shell company” as described in Rule 144(i)(1)(i).
| 5 |
i. Absence of Certain Changes. Since September 30, 2024, there has been no material adverse change and no material adverse development in the assets, liabilities, business, properties, operations, financial condition, results of operations, prospects or 1934 Act reporting status of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
j. Absence of Litigation. There is no action, suit, claim, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or by any court, public board, government agency, self-regulatory organization or body pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, threatened against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or their officers or directors in their capacity as such, that could have a Material Adverse Effect. The SEC Documents contain a complete list and summary description of any pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened proceeding against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, without regard to whether it would have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries are unaware of any facts or circumstances which might give rise to any of the foregoing.
k. Intellectual Property. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries owns or possesses the requisite licenses or rights to use all patents, patent applications, patent rights, inventions, know-how, trade secrets, trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, service names, trade names and copyrights (“Intellectual Property”) necessary to enable it to conduct its business as now operated (and, as presently contemplated to be operated in the future); there is no claim or action by any person pertaining to, or proceeding pending, or to the Company’s knowledge threatened, which challenges the right of the Company or of a Subsidiary with respect to any Intellectual Property necessary to enable it to conduct its business as now operated (and, as presently contemplated to be operated in the future); to the best of the Company’s knowledge, the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ current and intended products, services and processes do not infringe on any Intellectual Property or other rights held by any person; and the Company is unaware of any facts or circumstances which might give rise to any of the foregoing. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of their Intellectual Property.
l. No Materially Adverse Contracts, Etc. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any charter, corporate or other legal restriction, or any judgment, decree, order, rule or regulation which in the judgment of the Company’s officers has or is expected in the future to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any contract or agreement which in the judgment of the Company’s officers has or is expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
m. Tax Status. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has made or filed all federal, state and foreign income and all other tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject (unless and only to the extent that the Company and each of its Subsidiaries has set aside on its books provisions reasonably adequate for the payment of all unpaid and unreported taxes) and has paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations, except those being contested in good faith and has set aside on its books provisions reasonably adequate for the payment of all taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply. There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company know of no basis for any such claim. The Company has not executed a waiver with respect to the statute of limitations relating to the assessment or collection of any foreign, federal, state or local tax. None of the Company’s tax returns is presently being audited by any taxing authority.
| 6 |
n. Transactions with Affiliates. Except for arm’s length transactions pursuant to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries makes payments in the ordinary course of business upon terms no less favorable than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries could obtain from third parties and other than the grant of stock options described in the SEC Documents, none of the officers, directors, or employees of the Company is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than for services as employees, officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any corporation, partnership, trust or other entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee or partner.
o. Disclosure. All information relating to or concerning the Company or any of its Subsidiaries set forth in this Agreement and provided to the Buyer pursuant to Section 2(d) hereof and otherwise in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby is true and correct in all material respects and the Company has not omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made herein or therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. No event or circumstance has occurred or exists with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or its or their business, properties, prospects, operations or financial conditions, which, under applicable law, rule or regulation, requires public disclosure or announcement by the Company but which has not been so publicly announced or disclosed (assuming for this purpose that the Company’s reports filed under the 1934 Act are being incorporated into an effective registration statement filed by the Company under the 1933 Act).
. Acknowledgment Regarding Buyer’s Purchase of Securities. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Buyer is acting solely in the capacity of arm’s length purchaser with respect to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company further acknowledges that the Buyer is not acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity) with respect to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and any statement made by the Buyer or any of its respective representatives or agents in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby is not advice or a recommendation and is merely incidental to the Buyer’s purchase of the Securities. The Company further represents to the Buyer that the Company’s decision to enter into this Agreement has been based solely on the independent evaluation by the Company and its representatives.
p. No Integrated Offering. Neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any person acting on its or their behalf, has directly or indirectly made any offers or sales in any security or solicited any offers to buy any security under circumstances that would require registration under the 1933 Act of the issuance of the Securities to the Buyer, except with respect to the issuance of Common Stock pursuant to that certain equity purchase agreement entered into by and between the Company and Buyer on or around the date of this Agreement (the “EPA”). The issuance of the Securities to the Buyer will not be integrated with any other issuance of the Company’s securities (past, current or future) for purposes of any shareholder approval provisions applicable to the Company or its securities, except with respect to the Common Stock issuable pursuant to the EPA.
q. No Brokers; No Solicitation. The Company has taken no action which would give rise to any claim by any person for brokerage commissions, transaction fees or similar payments relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company represents and warrants that neither the Buyer nor its employee(s), member(s), beneficial owner(s), or partner(s) solicited the Company to enter into this Agreement and consummate the transactions described in this Agreement. The Company represents and warrants that neither the Buyer nor its employee(s), member(s), beneficial owner(s), or partner(s) is required to be registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in order to (i) enter into or consummate the transactions encompassed by this Agreement, Registration Rights Agreement, the Note, and the related transaction documents entered into in connection herewith (the “Transaction Documents”), (ii) fulfill the Buyer’s obligations under the Transaction Documents, or (iii) exercise any of the Buyer’s rights under the Transaction Documents (including but not limited to the sale of the Securities).
r. Permits; Compliance. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries is in possession of all franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, variances, exemptions, consents, certificates, approvals and orders necessary to own, lease and operate its properties and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted (collectively, the “Company Permits”), and there is no action pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened regarding suspension or cancellation of any of the Company Permits. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in conflict with, or in default or violation of, any of the Company Permits, except for any such conflicts, defaults or violations which, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Since September 30, 2024, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notification with respect to possible conflicts, defaults or violations of applicable laws, except for notices relating to possible conflicts, defaults or violations, which conflicts, defaults or violations would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
| 7 |
t. Environmental Matters.
(i) There are, to the Company’s knowledge, with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any predecessor of the Company, no past or present violations of Environmental Laws (as defined below), releases of any material into the environment, actions, activities, circumstances, conditions, events, incidents, or contractual obligations which may give rise to any common law environmental liability or any liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 or similar federal, state, local or foreign laws and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice with respect to any of the foregoing, nor is any action pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened in connection with any of the foregoing. The term “Environmental Laws” means all federal, state, local or foreign laws relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including, without limitation, laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants contaminants, or toxic or hazardous substances or wastes (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) into the environment, or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials, as well as all authorizations, codes, decrees, demands or demand letters, injunctions, judgments, licenses, notices or notice letters, orders, permits, plans or regulations issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder.
(ii) Other than those that are or were stored, used or disposed of in compliance with applicable law, no Hazardous Materials are contained on or about any real property currently owned, leased or used by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and no Hazardous Materials were released on or about any real property previously owned, leased or used by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries during the period the property was owned, leased or used by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except in the normal course of the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ business.
( ) There are no underground storage tanks on or under any real property owned, leased or used by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that are not in compliance with applicable law.
u. Title to Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them which is material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Any real property and facilities held under lease by the Company and its Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
v. Insurance. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as management of the Company believes to be prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and its Subsidiaries are engaged. Neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Upon written request the Company will provide to the Buyer true and correct copies of all policies relating to directors’ and officers’ liability coverage, errors and omissions coverage, and commercial general liability coverage.
w. Internal Accounting Controls. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient, in the judgment of the Company’s board of directors, to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with 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.
| 8 |
x. Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company, nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor any director, officer, agent, employee or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary has, in the course of his actions for, or on behalf of, the Company, used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity; made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; violated or is in violation of any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee.
y. Solvency. The Company (after giving effect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) is solvent (i.e., its assets have a fair market value in excess of the amount required to pay its probable liabilities on its existing debts as they become absolute and matured) and currently the Company has no information that would lead it to reasonably conclude that the Company would not, after giving effect to the transaction contemplated by this Agreement, have the ability to, nor does it intend to take any action that would impair its ability to, pay its debts from time to time incurred in connection therewith as such debts mature. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents, the Company’s financial statements for its most recent fiscal year end and interim financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business.
z. No Investment Company. The Company is not, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as contemplated by this Agreement will not be an “investment company” required to be registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (an “Investment Company”).
aa. No Off Balance Sheet Arrangements. There is no transaction, arrangement, or other relationship between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and an unconsolidated or other off balance sheet entity that is required to be disclosed by the Company in its 1934 Act filings and is not so disclosed or that otherwise could be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.
bb. No Disqualification Events. None of the Company, any of its predecessors, any affiliated issuer, any director, executive officer, other officer of the Company participating in the offering hereunder, any beneficial owner of 20% or more of the Company’s outstanding voting equity securities, calculated on the basis of voting power, nor any promoter (as that term is defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act) connected with the Company in any capacity at the time of sale (each, an “Issuer Covered Person”) is subject to any of the “Bad Actor” disqualifications described in Rule 506(d)(1)(i) to (viii) under the 1933 Act (a “Disqualification Event”), except for a Disqualification Event covered by Rule 506(d)(2) or (d)(3). The Company has exercised reasonable care to determine whether any Issuer Covered Person is subject to a Disqualification Event.
cc. Manipulation of Price. The Company has not, and to its knowledge no one acting on its behalf has: (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result, or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result, in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Securities, or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company.
dd. Bank Holding Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”) and to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total equity of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.
| 9 |
ee. Illegal or Unauthorized Payments; Political Contributions. Neither the Company nor 9 any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of the officers, directors, employees, agents or other representatives of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any other business entity or enterprise with which the Company or any Subsidiary is or has been affiliated or associated, has, directly or indirectly, made or authorized any payment, contribution or gift of money, property, or services, whether or not in contravention of applicable law, (i) as a kickback or bribe to any person or (ii) to any political organization, or the holder of or any aspirant to any elective or appointive public office except for personal political contributions not involving the direct or indirect use of funds of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
4. ADDITIONAL COVENANTS, AGREEMENTS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
a. Reasonable Best Efforts. The parties shall use their reasonable best efforts to satisfy timely each of the conditions described in Section 6 and 7 of this Agreement.
b. Form D; Blue Sky Laws. The Company agrees to file a Form D with respect to the Securities if required under Regulation D and to provide a copy thereof to the Buyer promptly after such filing. The Company shall, on or before the Closing Date, take such action as the Company shall reasonably determine is necessary to qualify the Securities for sale to the Buyer at the applicable closing pursuant to this Agreement under applicable securities or “blue sky” laws of the states of the United States (or to obtain an exemption from such qualification), and shall provide evidence of any such action so taken to the Buyer on or prior to the Closing Date.
c. Use of Proceeds. The Company shall use the Purchase Price for business development, and not for any other purpose, including but not limited to (i) the repayment of any indebtedness owed to officers, directors or employees of the Company or their affiliates, (ii) the repayment of any debt issued in corporate finance transactions (including but not limited to promissory notes that have the ability to be converted into Common Stock), (iii) any loan to or investment in any other corporation, partnership, enterprise or other person (except in connection with the Company’s currently existing operations), (iv) any loan, credit, or advance to any officers, directors, employees, or affiliates of the Company, or (v) in violation or contravention of any applicable law, rule or regulation.
d. [Intentionally Omitted]
e. Usury. To the extent it may lawfully do so, the Company hereby agrees not to insist upon or plead or in any manner whatsoever claim, and will resist any and all efforts to be compelled to take the benefit or advantage of, usury laws wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, in connection with any action or proceeding that may be brought by the Buyer in order to enforce any right or remedy under this Agreement, the Note and any document, agreement or instrument contemplated thereby. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Note and any document, agreement or instrument contemplated thereby, it is expressly agreed and provided that the total liability of the Company under this Agreement, the Note or any document, agreement or instrument contemplated thereby for payments which under applicable law are in the nature of interest shall not exceed the maximum lawful rate authorized under applicable law (the “Maximum Rate”), and, without limiting the foregoing, in no event shall any rate of interest or default interest, or both of them, when aggregated with any other sums which under applicable law in the nature of interest that the Company may be obligated to pay under this Agreement, the Note and any document, agreement or instrument contemplated thereby exceed such Maximum Rate. It is agreed that if the maximum contract rate of interest allowed by law applicable to this Agreement, the Note and any document, agreement or instrument contemplated thereby is increased or decreased by statute or any official governmental action subsequent to the date hereof, the new maximum contract rate of interest allowed by law will be the Maximum Rate applicable to this Agreement, the Note and any document, agreement or instrument contemplated thereby from the effective date thereof forward, unless such application is precluded by applicable law. If under any circumstances whatsoever, interest in excess of the Maximum Rate is paid by the Company to the Buyer with respect to indebtedness evidenced by this Agreement, the Note and any document, agreement or instrument contemplated thereby, such excess shall be applied by the Buyer to the unpaid principal balance of any such indebtedness or be refunded to the Company, the manner of handling such excess to be at the Buyer’s election.
f. Restriction on Activities. Commencing as of the date first above written, and until the earlier of payment of the Note in full or full conversion of the Note, the Company shall not, directly or indirectly, without the Buyer’s prior written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld: (a) change the nature of its business; or (b) sell, divest, acquire, change the structure of any material assets other than in the ordinary course of business.
| 10 |
g. Listing. The Company will, so long as the Buyer owns any of the Securities, maintain the listing and trading of its Common Stock on the Principal Market or any equivalent replacement exchange or electronic quotation system (including but not limited to the Pink Sheets electronic quotation system) and will comply in all material respects with the Company’s reporting, filing and other obligations under the bylaws or rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and such exchanges, as applicable.
h. Corporate Existence. The Company will, so long as the Buyer beneficially owns any of the Securities, maintain its corporate existence and shall not sell all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, except in the event of a merger or consolidation with the written consent of the Buyer or sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets with the written consent of the Buyer, where the surviving or successor entity in such transaction (i) assumes the Company’s obligations hereunder and under the agreements and instruments entered into in connection herewith and (ii) is a publicly traded corporation whose Common Stock is listed for trading or quotation on the Principal Market, any tier of the NASDAQ Stock Market, the New York Stock Exchange or the NYSE American.
i. No Integration. The Company shall not make any offers or sales of any security (other than the Securities) under circumstances that would require registration of the Securities being offered or sold hereunder under the 1933 Act or cause the offering of the Securities to be integrated with any other offering of securities by the Company for the purpose of any stockholder approval provision applicable to the Company or its securities, except with respect to the Common Stock issuable pursuant to the EPA.
j. Compliance with 1934 Act; Public Information Failures. For so long as the Buyer beneficially owns the Note or any Conversion Shares, the Company shall comply with the reporting requirements of the 1934 Act; and the Company shall continue to be subject to the reporting requirements of the 1934 Act.
k. Acknowledgement Regarding Buyer’s Trading Activity. Until the Note is fully repaid or fully converted, the Buyer shall not effect any “short sale” (as such term is defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO of the 1934 Act) of the Common Stock which establishes a net short position with respect to the Common Stock.
l. Legal Counsel Opinions. Upon the request of the Buyer from to time to time, the Company shall be responsible (at its cost) for promptly supplying to the Company’s transfer agent and the Buyer a customary legal opinion letter of its counsel (the “Legal Counsel Opinion”) to the effect that the resale of the Conversion Shares by the Buyer or its affiliates, successors and assigns is exempt from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act pursuant to Rule 144 (provided the requirements of Rule 144 are satisfied and provided the Conversion Shares are not then registered under the 1933 Act for resale pursuant to an effective registration statement) or other applicable exemption (provided the requirements of such other applicable exemption are satisfied). In addition, the Buyer may (at the Company’s cost) at any time secure its own legal counsel to issue the Legal Counsel Opinion, and the Company will instruct its transfer agent to accept such opinion.
m. Piggy-Back Registration Rights. The Company hereby grants to the Buyer the piggy back registration rights set forth in Exhibit B hereto.
n. Most Favored Nation. While the Note or any principal amount, interest or fees or expenses due thereunder remain outstanding and unpaid, the Company shall not enter into any public or private offering of its securities (including securities convertible into shares of Common Stock) with any individual or entity (an “Other Investor”) that has the effect of establishing rights or otherwise benefiting such Other Investor in a manner more favorable in any material respect to such Other Investor (even if the Other Investor does not receive the benefit of such more favorable term until a default occurs under such other security) than the rights and benefits established in favor of the Buyer by this Agreement or the Note unless, in any such case, the Buyer has been provided with such rights and benefits pursuant to a definitive written agreement or agreements between the Company and the Buyer.
| 11 |
o. Subsequent Variable Rate Transactions. From the date hereof and continuing for so long as not less than $100,000 remains outstanding under the Note, the Company shall be prohibited from effecting or entering into an agreement involving a Variable Rate Transaction. “Variable Rate Transaction” means a transaction in which the Company (i) issues or sells any debt or equity securities that are convertible into, exchangeable or exercisable for, or include the right to receive, additional shares of Common Stock either (A) at a conversion price, exercise price or exchange rate or other price that is based upon, and/or varies with, the trading prices of or quotations for the shares of Common Stock at any time after the initial issuance of such debt or equity securities or (B) with a conversion, exercise or exchange price that is subject to being reset at some future date after the initial issuance of such debt or equity security or upon the occurrence of specified or contingent events directly or indirectly related to the business of the Company or the market for the Common Stock or (ii) enters into any agreement, including, but not limited to, an Equity Line of Credit (as defined in the Note), whereby the Company may issue securities at a future determined price. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Variable Rate Transaction shall not include debt securities that are only convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock after the Note is fully converted or fully repaid. The Buyer shall be entitled to obtain injunctive relief against the Company to preclude any such issuance, which remedy shall be in addition to any right to collect damages.
p. Non-Public Information. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company covenants and agrees that neither it, nor any other person acting on its behalf will provide the Buyer or its agents or counsel with any information that constitutes, or the Company reasonably believes constitutes, material non-public information, unless prior thereto the Buyer shall have consented to the receipt of such information and agreed with the Company to keep such information confidential. The Company understands and confirms that the Buyer shall be relying on the foregoing covenant in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. To the extent that the Company delivers any material, non-public information to the Buyer without such Buyer’s consent, the Company hereby covenants and agrees that such Buyer shall not have any duty of confidentiality to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective officers, directors, agents, employees or affiliates, not to trade on the basis of, such material, non- public information, provided that the Buyer shall remain subject to applicable law. To the extent that any notice provided, information provided, or any other communications made by the Company, to the Buyer, constitutes or contains material non-public information regarding the Company or any Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice or other material information with the SEC pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. In addition to any other remedies provided by this Agreement or the related transaction documents, if the Company provides any material non-public information to the Buyer without their prior written consent, and it fails to immediately (no later than that business day) file a Form 8-K disclosing this material non-public information, it shall pay the Buyer as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty a sum equal to the actual damages incurred by Buyer (not to exceed $3,000 per day) during the period beginning with the day the information is disclosed to the Buyer and ending and including the day the Form 8-K disclosing this information is filed, as a result of the Company’s failure to immediately file such Form 8-K.
q. [Intentionally omitted].
r. Shareholder Approval. “Shareholder Approval” means the approval of a sufficient amount of holders of the Company’s Common Stock to satisfy the shareholder approval requirements for such action as provided in Nasdaq Rule 5635(d), to effectuate the transactions contemplated by the January 2025 Offering (including but not limited to the issuance of all of the Securities), and issue Common Stock in excess of 19.99% of the issued and outstanding Common Stock on the Closing Date.
s. No Broker-Dealer Acknowledgement. Absent a final adjudication from a court of competent jurisdiction stating otherwise, the Company shall not to any person, institution, governmental or other entity, state, claim, allege, or in any way assert, that Buyer is currently, or ever has been, a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
| 12 |
5. Transfer Agent Instructions. The Company shall issue irrevocable instructions to the Company’s transfer agent to issue certificates and/or issue shares electronically at the Buyer’s option, registered in the name of the Buyer or its nominee, upon conversion of the Note, the Conversion Shares, in such amounts as specified from time to time by the Buyer to the Company in accordance with the terms thereof (the “Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions”). In the event that the Company proposes to replace its transfer agent, the Company shall provide, prior to the effective date of such replacement, a fully executed Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions in a form as initially delivered pursuant to this Agreement (including but not limited to the provision to irrevocably reserved shares of Common Stock in the Reserved Amount (as defined in the Note)) signed by the successor transfer agent to the Company and the Company. Prior to registration of the Conversion Shares under the 1933 Act or the date on which the Conversion Shares may be sold pursuant to Rule 144, Rule 144A, Regulation S, or other applicable exemption without any restriction as to the number of Securities as of a particular date that can then be immediately sold, all such certificates or book entry shares shall bear the restrictive legend specified in Section 2(g) of this Agreement. The Company warrants that: (i) no instruction other than the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions referred to in this Section 5 will be given by the Company to its transfer agent and that the Securities shall otherwise be freely transferable on the books and records of the Company as and to the extent provided in this Agreement and the Note; (ii) it will not direct its transfer agent not to transfer or delay, impair, and/or hinder its transfer agent in transferring (or issuing)(electronically or in certificated form) any certificate for Securities to be issued to the Buyer upon conversion of or otherwise pursuant to the Note as and when required by the Note and this Agreement; (iii) it will not fail to remove (or directs its transfer agent not to remove or impairs, delays, and/or hinders its transfer agent from removing) any restrictive legend (or to withdraw any stop transfer instructions in respect thereof) on any certificate for any Securities issued to the Buyer upon conversion of or otherwise pursuant to the Note as and when required by the Note and/or this Agreement and (iv) it will provide any required corporate resolutions and issuance approvals to its transfer agent within 6 hours of each conversion of the Note. Nothing in this Section shall affect in any way the Buyer’s obligations and agreement set forth in Section 2(g) hereof to comply with all applicable prospectus delivery requirements, if any, upon re-sale of the Securities. If the Buyer provides the Company, at the cost of the Company, with (i) an opinion of counsel in form, substance and scope customary for opinions in comparable transactions, to the effect that a public sale or transfer of such Securities may be made without registration under the 1933 Act and such sale or transfer is effected or (ii) the Buyer provides reasonable assurances that the Securities can be sold pursuant to 144, Rule 144A, Regulation S, or other applicable exemption, the Company shall permit the transfer, and, in the case of the Securities, promptly instruct its transfer agent to issue one or more certificates, free from restrictive legend, in such name and in such denominations as specified by the Buyer. The Company acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder will cause irreparable harm to the Buyer, by vitiating the intent and purpose of the transactions contemplated hereby. Accordingly, the Company acknowledges that the remedy at law for a breach of its obligations under this Section 5 may be inadequate and agrees, in the event of a breach or threatened breach by the Company of the provisions of this Section, that the Buyer shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies, to an injunction restraining any breach and requiring immediate transfer, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required.
6. Conditions to the Company’s Obligation to Sell. The obligation of the Company hereunder to issue and sell the Note to the Buyer at the Closing is subject to the satisfaction, at or before the Closing Date, of each of the following conditions thereto, provided that these conditions are for the Company’s sole benefit and may be waived by the Company at any time in its sole discretion:
a.
The Buyer shall have executed this Agreement and the Registration Rights
Agreement, and delivered the same to the Company.
t. The Buyer shall have delivered the Purchase Price in accordance with Section 1(b) above.
u. The representations and warranties of the Buyer shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date when made and as of the Closing Date, as though made at that time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date), and the Buyer shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with the covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Buyer at or prior to the Closing Date.
v. No litigation, statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by or in any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction or any self-regulatory organization having authority over the matters contemplated hereby which prohibits the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
7. Conditions to The Buyer’s Obligation to Purchase. The obligation of the Buyer hereunder to purchase the Note, on the Closing Date, is subject to the satisfaction, at or before the Closing Date, of each of the following conditions, provided that these conditions are for the Buyer’s sole benefit and may be waived by the Buyer at any time in its sole discretion:
a. The Company shall have executed this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, and delivered the same to the Buyer.
b. The Company shall have delivered to the Buyer the duly executed Note in such denominations as the Buyer shall request and in accordance with Section 1(b) above.
| 13 |
c. The Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions, in form and substance satisfactory to the Buyer, shall have been delivered to and acknowledged in writing by the Company’s Transfer Agent.
d. The representations and warranties of the Company shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date when made and as of Closing Date, as though made at such time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date) and the Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with the covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to the Closing Date.
e. No litigation, statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by or in any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction or any self-regulatory organization having authority over the matters contemplated hereby which prohibits the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
f. No event shall have occurred which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company including but not limited to a change in the 1934 Act reporting status of the Company or the failure of the Company to be timely in its 1934 Act reporting obligations.
g. Trading in the Common Stock on the Principal Market shall not have been suspended by the SEC, FINRA or the Principal Market.
h. The Company shall have delivered to the Buyer (i) a certificate evidencing the formation and good standing of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries in such entity’s jurisdiction of formation issued by the Secretary of State (or comparable office) of such jurisdiction, as of a date within ten (10) days of the Closing Date and (ii) resolutions adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors at a duly called meeting or by unanimous written consent authorizing this Agreement and all other documents, instruments and transactions contemplated hereby.
i. The Company shall have delivered to the Buyer a legal opinion from the Company’s counsel covering the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents in a customary form reasonably acceptable to the Buyer.
8. Governing Law; Miscellaneous.
a. Arbitration of Claims; Governing Law; Venue. The Company and Buyer shall submit all Claims (as defined in Exhibit D of this Purchase Agreement) (the “Claims”) arising under this Agreement or any other agreement between the Company and Buyer or their respective affiliates (including but not limited to the Transaction Documents) or any Claim relating to the relationship of the Company and Buyer or their respective affiliates to binding arbitration pursuant to the arbitration provisions set forth in Exhibit D of the Purchase Agreement (the “Arbitration Provisions”). The Company and Buyer hereby acknowledge and agree that the Arbitration Provisions are unconditionally binding on the Company and Buyer hereto and are severable from all other provisions of this Agreement. By executing this Agreement, Company represents, warrants and covenants that Company has reviewed the Arbitration Provisions carefully, consulted with legal counsel about such provisions (or waived its right to do so), understands that the Arbitration Provisions are intended to allow for the expeditious and efficient resolution of any dispute hereunder, agrees to the terms and limitations set forth in the Arbitration Provisions, and that Company will not take a position contrary to the foregoing representations. Company acknowledges and agrees that Buyer may rely upon the foregoing representations and covenants of Company regarding the Arbitration Provisions. This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, and all questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by, the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware. The Company and Buyer consent to and expressly agree that the exclusive venue for arbitration of any Claims arising under this Agreement or any other agreement between the Company and Buyer or their respective affiliates (including but not limited to the Transaction Documents) or any Claim relating to the relationship of the Company and Buyer or their respective affiliates shall be in New Castle County, State of Delaware. Without modifying the Company’s and Buyer’s mandatory obligations to resolve disputes hereunder pursuant to the Arbitration Provisions, for any litigation arising in connection with any of the Transaction Documents (and notwithstanding the terms (specifically including any governing law and venue terms) of any transfer agent services agreement or other agreement between the Company’s transfer agent and the Company, such litigation specifically includes, without limitation any action between or involving Company and the Company’s transfer agent under the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions or otherwise related to Buyer in any way (specifically including, without limitation, any action where Company seeks to obtain an injunction, temporary restraining order, or otherwise prohibit the Company’s transfer agent from issuing shares of Common Stock to Buyer for any reason)), each party hereto hereby (i) consents to and expressly submits to the exclusive personal jurisdiction of any state or federal court sitting in New Castle County, State of Delaware, (ii) expressly submits to the exclusive venue of any such court for the purposes hereof, (iii) agrees to not bring any such action (specifically including, without limitation, any action where Company seeks to obtain an injunction, temporary restraining order, or otherwise prohibit the Company’s transfer agent from issuing shares of Common Stock to Buyer for any reason) outside of any state or federal court sitting in New Castle County, State of Delaware, and (iv) waives any claim of improper venue and any claim or objection that such courts are an inconvenient forum or any other claim, defense or objection to the bringing of any such proceeding in such jurisdiction or to any claim that such venue of the suit, action or proceeding is improper. Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary, nothing herein shall limit, or shall be deemed or construed to limit, the ability of the Buyer to realize on any collateral or any other security, or to enforce a judgment or other court ruling in favor of the Buyer, including through a legal action in any court of competent jurisdiction. The Company hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any objection to jurisdiction and venue of any action instituted hereunder, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, and any claim that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper (including but not limited to based upon forum non conveniens). THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. The Company irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any suit, action or proceeding in connection with this Agreement or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to Company at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. The prevailing party in any action or dispute brought in connection with this Agreement or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby shall be entitled to recover from the other party its reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. If any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement in that jurisdiction or the validity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction.
| 14 |
b. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party. A facsimile or .pdf signature shall be considered due execution and shall be binding upon the signatory thereto with the same force and effect as if the signature were an original, not a facsimile or .pdf signature. Delivery of a counterpart signature hereto by facsimile or email/.pdf transmission shall be deemed validly delivery thereof.
c. Construction; Headings. This Agreement shall be deemed to be jointly drafted by the Company and the Buyer and shall not be construed against any person as the drafter hereof. The headings of this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Agreement.
d. Severability. In the event that any provision of this Agreement, the Note, or any other agreement or instrument delivered in connection herewith is invalid or unenforceable under any applicable statute or rule of law, then such provision shall be deemed inoperative to the extent that it may conflict therewith and shall be deemed modified to conform with such statute or rule of law. Any such provision which may prove invalid or unenforceable under any law shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement, the Note, or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby.
e. Entire Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement, the Note, and the instruments referenced herein contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the matters covered herein and therein and, except as specifically set forth herein or therein, neither the Company nor the Buyer makes any representation, warranty, covenant or undertaking with respect to such matters. No provision of this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby may be waived or amended other than by an instrument in writing signed by the Buyer.
| 15 |
f. Notices. All notices, demands, requests, consents, approvals, and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and, unless otherwise specified herein, shall be (i) personally served, (ii) deposited in the mail, registered or certified, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, (iii) delivered by reputable air courier service with charges prepaid, or (iv) transmitted by hand delivery, telegram, e-mail or facsimile, addressed as set forth below or to such other address as such party shall have specified most recently by written notice. Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be deemed effective (a) upon hand delivery or delivery by e-mail or facsimile, with accurate confirmation generated by the transmitting facsimile machine, at the address or number designated below (if delivered on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received), or the first business day following such delivery (if delivered other than on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received) or (b) on the second business day following the date of mailing by express courier service, fully prepaid, addressed to such address, or upon actual receipt of such mailing, whichever shall first occur. The addresses for such communications shall be:
If to the Company, to:
YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO.
6940 Beach Blvd., Suite D-705
Buena Park, CA 90621
Attention: James Chae
e-mail: jchae@yoshiharuramen.com
If to the Buyer:
CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I, LP
228 Park Avenue South PMB 57033
New York, NY 10003
e-mail: john@crom-llc.com and liam@crom-llc.com
g. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and assigns. The Company shall not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Buyer. The Buyer may assign its rights hereunder to any “accredited investor” (as defined in Rule 501(a) of the 1933 Act) in a private transaction from the Buyer or to any of its “affiliates,” as that term is defined under the 1934 Act, without the consent of the Company.
h. Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other person.
i. Survival. The representations and warranties of the Company and the agreements and covenants set forth in this Agreement shall survive the closing hereunder notwithstanding any due diligence investigation conducted by or on behalf of the Buyer. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Buyer and all their officers, directors, employees and agents for loss or damage arising as a result of or related to any breach or alleged breach by the Company of any of its representations, warranties and covenants set forth in this Agreement or any of its covenants and obligations under this Agreement, including advancement of expenses as they are incurred.
j. Publicity. The Company, and the Buyer shall have the right to review a reasonable period of time before issuance of any press releases, SEC, Principal Market or FINRA filings, or any other public statements with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby; provided, however, that the Company shall be entitled, without the prior approval of the Buyer, to make any press release or SEC, Principal Market (or other applicable trading market) or FINRA filings with respect to such transactions as is required by applicable law and regulations (although the Buyer shall be consulted by the Company in connection with any such press release prior to its release and shall be provided with a copy thereof and be given an opportunity to comment thereon).
| 16 |
k. Further Assurances. Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as the other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
l. No Strict Construction. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party.
m. Indemnification. In consideration of the Buyer’s execution and delivery of this Agreement and acquiring the Securities hereunder, and in addition to all of the Company’s other obligations under this Agreement or the Note, the Company shall defend, protect, indemnify and hold harmless the Buyer and its stockholders, partners, members, officers, directors, employees and direct or indirect investors and any of the foregoing persons’ agents or other representatives (including, without limitation, those retained in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) (collectively, the “Indemnitees”) from and against any and all actions, causes of action, suits, claims, losses, costs, penalties, fees, liabilities and damages, and expenses in connection therewith (irrespective of whether any such Indemnitee is a party to the action for which indemnification hereunder is sought), and including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements (the “Indemnified Liabilities”), incurred by any Indemnitee as a result of, or arising out of, or relating to (a) any misrepresentation or breach of any representation or warranty made by the Company in this Agreement, the Note or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, (b) any breach of any covenant, agreement or obligation of the Company contained in this Agreement, the Note or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby or (c) any cause of action, suit or claim brought or made against such Indemnitee by a third party (including for these purposes a derivative action brought on behalf of the Company) and arising out of or resulting from (i) the execution, delivery, performance or enforcement of this Agreement, the Note or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, (ii) any transaction financed or to be financed in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, with the proceeds of the issuance of the Securities, or (iii) the status of the Buyer or holder of the Securities as an investor in the Company pursuant to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. To the extent that the foregoing undertaking by the Company may be unenforceable for any reason, the Company shall make the maximum contribution to the payment and satisfaction of each of the Indemnified Liabilities that is permissible under applicable law.
n. Remedies. The Company acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder will cause irreparable harm to the Buyer by vitiating the intent and purpose of the transaction contemplated hereby. Accordingly, the Company acknowledges that the remedy at law for a breach of its material obligations under this Agreement, the Note, or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby will be inadequate and agrees, in the event of a breach or threatened breach by the Company of the provisions of this Agreement, the Note, or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, that the Buyer shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies at law or in equity, and in addition to the penalties assessable herein, to an injunction or injunctions restraining, preventing or curing any breach of this Agreement, the Note, or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof and thereof, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required.
o. Payment Set Aside. To the extent that the (i) Company makes a payment or payments to the Buyer hereunder, pursuant to the Note, or pursuant to any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, or (ii) the Buyer enforces or exercises its rights hereunder, pursuant to the Note, or pursuant to any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof (including but not limited to the sale of the Securities) are for any reason (i) subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, or disgorged by the Buyer, or (ii) are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver, government entity, or any other person or entity under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, foreign, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action), then (i) to the extent of any such restoration the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or setoff had not occurred and (ii) the Company shall immediately pay to the Buyer a dollar amount equal to the amount that was for any reason (i) subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, or disgorged by the Buyer, or (ii) required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver, government entity, or any other person or entity under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, foreign, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action).
| 17 |
p. Failure or Indulgence Not Waiver. No failure or delay on the part of the Buyer in the exercise of any power, right or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such power, right or privilege preclude other or further exercise thereof or of any other right, power or privileges. All rights and remedies of the Buyer existing hereunder are cumulative to, and not exclusive of, any rights or remedies otherwise available.
q. Electronic Signature. This Agreement may be executed and delivered in one or more counterparts (including by facsimile or electronic mail or in .pdf or any other form of electronic delivery (including any electronic signature complying with U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000)) and by different parties in separate counterparts, with the same effect as if all parties hereto had signed the same document. All counterparts so executed and delivered shall be construed together and shall constitute one and the same agreement.
r. Leak Out. The Buyer’s sale of the Conversion Shares, on each respective Trading Day during the Leak Out Period (as defined in this Agreement), shall be limited to the greater of (i) a gross dollar amount of $10,000.00 or (ii) 20% of the Daily Dollar Volume (as defined in this Agreement) on the respective Trading Day. “Leak Out Period” shall mean the period beginning on the date of this Agreement and ending on the date that an Event of Default (as defined in the Note) occurs under the Note. “Daily Dollar Volume” shall mean, with respect to each Trading Day, the total volume of shares of the Common Stock traded on the respective Trading Day (including pre-market and after-market trades) as reported by Nasdaq or other quotation service provider designated by the Buyer multiplied by the VWAP (as defined in the Note) of the Common Stock on the respective Trading Day as reported by Nasdaq or other quotation service provider designated by the Buyer. If Buyer effectuates a conversion under the Note during the Leak Out Period, then the Company may request the trade activity confirmations from Buyer with respect to Buyer’s sale of the Conversion Shares during the three (3) Trading Days after the respective conversion date, for purposes of confirming compliance with this Section 8(r).
[Signature Page Follows]
| 18 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned Buyer and the Company have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.
| YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO. | ||
| By: | /s/ JAMES CHAE | |
| Name: | JAMES CHAE | |
| Title: | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | |
| CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I, LP | ||
| By: | CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I GP, LLC, its General Partner | |
| By: | CROM CORTANA FUND LLC, member of the General Partner | |
| By: | /s/ LIAM SHERIF | |
| Name: | LIAM SHERIF | |
| Title: | AUTHORIZED SIGNATORY | |
SUBSCRIPTION AMOUNT:
Principal Amount of Note: $1,100,000.00
Actual Amount of Purchase Price of Note: $1,000,000.00
| 19 |
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF NOTE
[attached hereto]
| 20 |
EXHIBIT B
PIGGY-BACK REGISTRATION RIGHTS
All of the Conversion Shares shall be deemed “Registrable Securities” subject to the provisions of this Exhibit B. All capitalized terms used but not defined in this Exhibit B shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Securities Purchase Agreement to which this Exhibit is attached.
1. Piggy-Back Registration.
1.1 Piggy-Back Rights. If at any time on or after the date of the Closing the Company proposes to file any Registration Statement under the 1933 Act (a “Registration Statement”) with respect to any offering of equity securities, or securities or other obligations exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into, equity securities, by the Company for its own account or for shareholders of the Company for their account (or by the Company and by shareholders of the Company), other than a Registration Statement (i) filed in connection with any employee stock option or other benefit plan on Form S-8, (ii) for a dividend reinvestment plan or (iii) in connection with a merger or acquisition, then the Company shall (x) give written notice of such proposed filing to the holders of Registrable Securities appearing on the books and records of the Company as such a holder as soon as practicable but in no event less than ten (10) days before the anticipated filing date of the Registration Statement, which notice shall describe the amount and type of securities to be included in such Registration Statement, the intended method(s) of distribution, and the name of the proposed managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, of the offering, and (y) offer to the holders of Registrable Securities in such notice the opportunity to register the sale of such number of Registrable Securities as such holders may request in writing within three (3) days following receipt of such notice (a “Piggy-Back Registration”). The Company shall cause such Registrable Securities to be included in such registration and shall cause the managing underwriter or underwriters of a proposed underwritten offering to permit the Registrable Securities requested to be included in a Piggy-Back Registration on the same terms and conditions as any similar securities of the Company and to permit the sale or other disposition of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof (with the understanding that the Company shall file the initial prospectus covering the Buyer’s sale of the Registrable Securities at prevailing market prices on the same date that the Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC).
1.2 Withdrawal. Any holder of Registrable Securities may elect to withdraw such holder’s request for inclusion of Registrable Securities in any Piggy-Back Registration by giving written notice to the Company of such request to withdraw prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement. The Company (whether on its own determination or as the result of a withdrawal by persons making a demand pursuant to written contractual obligations) may withdraw a Registration Statement at any time prior to the effectiveness of such Registration Statement. Notwithstanding any such withdrawal, the Company shall pay all expenses incurred by the holders of Registrable Securities in connection with such Piggy-Back Registration as provided in Section 1.5 below.
1.3 The Company shall notify the holders of Registrable Securities at any time when a prospectus relating to such holder’s Registrable Securities is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, upon discovery that, or upon the happening of any event as a result of which, the prospectus included in such Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances then existing. At the request of such holder, the Company shall also prepare, file and furnish to such holder a reasonable number of copies of a supplement to or an amendment of such prospectus as may be necessary so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of the Registrable Securities, such prospectus shall not include 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 not misleading in light of the circumstances then existing. The holders of Registrable Securities shall not to offer or sell any Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement after receipt of such notification until the receipt of such supplement or amendment.
1.4 The Company may request a holder of Registrable Securities to furnish the Company such information with respect to such holder and such holder’s proposed distribution of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement as the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing or as shall be required by law or by the SEC in connection therewith, and such holders shall furnish the Company with such information.
| 21 |
1.5 All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with this Exhibit B by the Company shall be borne by the Company whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to a Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent registered public accountants) (A) with respect to filings made with the SEC, (B) with respect to filings required to be made with any trading market on which the Common Stock is then listed for trading, (C) in compliance with applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws reasonably agreed to by the Company in writing (including, without limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company in connection with Blue Sky qualifications or exemptions of the Registrable Securities) and (D) with respect to any filing that may be required to be made by any broker through which a holder of Registrable Securities intends to make sales of Registrable Securities with the FINRA, (ii) printing expenses, (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, (v) 1933 Act liability insurance, if the Company so desires such insurance, (vi) fees and expenses of all other persons or entities retained by the Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Exhibit B and (vii) reasonable fees and disbursements of a single special counsel for the holders of Registrable Securities (selected by holders of the majority of the Registrable Securities requesting such registration). In addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit and the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange as required hereunder. In no event shall the Company be responsible for any broker or similar commissions of any holder of Registrable Securities.
1.6 The Company and its successors and assigns shall indemnify and hold harmless the Buyer, each holder of Registrable Securities, the officers, directors, members, partners, agents and employees (and any other individuals or entities with a functionally equivalent role of a person holding such titles, notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of each of them, each individual or entity who controls the Buyer or any such holder of Registrable Securities (within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act) and the officers, directors, members, stockholders, partners, agents and employees (and any other individuals or entities with a functionally equivalent role of a person holding such titles, notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of each such controlling individual or entity (each, an “Indemnified Party”), to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees) and expenses (collectively, “Losses”), as incurred, arising out of or relating to (1) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a Registration Statement, any related prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any such prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading or (2) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder, in connection with the performance of its obligations under this Exhibit B, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that (i) such untrue statements or omissions are based upon information regarding the Buyer or such holder of Registrable Securities furnished to the Company by such party for use therein. The Company shall notify the Buyer and each holder of Registrable Securities promptly of the institution, threat or assertion of any proceeding arising from or in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Exhibit B of which the Company is aware.
1.7 If the indemnification under Section 1.6 is unavailable to an Indemnified Party or insufficient to hold an Indemnified Party harmless for any Losses, then the Company shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Company and Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company and Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by, the Company or the Indemnified Party, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action, statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of any Losses shall be deemed to include any reasonable attorneys’ or other fees or expenses incurred by such party in connection with any proceeding to the extent such party would have been indemnified for such fees or expenses if the indemnification provided for in Section 1.6 was available to such party in accordance with its terms. It is agreed that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 1.7 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding sentence. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 1.7, neither the Buyer nor any holder of Registrable Securities shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds actually received by such party from the sale of all of their Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement or related prospectus exceeds the amount of any damages that such party has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
[End of Exhibit B]
| 22 |
EXHIBIT C
FORM OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
[attached hereto]
| 23 |
EXHIBIT D
ARBITRATION PROVISIONS
1. Dispute Resolution. Each party consents to and expressly agrees that the exclusive venue for arbitration of any dispute arising out of or relating to any of the Transaction Documents or the relationship of the parties or their affiliates shall be in New Castle County, State of Delaware. For purposes of this Exhibit D, the term “Claims” means any disputes, claims, demands, causes of action, requests for injunctive relief, requests for specific performance, questions regarding severability of any provisions of the Transaction Documents, liabilities, damages, losses, or controversies whatsoever arising from, related to, or connected with the transactions contemplated in the Transaction Documents and any communications between the parties related thereto, including without limitation any claims of mutual mistake, mistake, fraud, misrepresentation, failure of formation, failure of consideration, promissory estoppel, unconscionability, failure of condition precedent, rescission, and any statutory claims, tort claims, contract claims, or claims to void, invalidate or terminate the Agreement (or these Arbitration Provisions (defined below)) or any of the other Transaction Documents. The term “Claims” specifically excludes a dispute over the Note Calculations (as defined in the Note), and the parties hereby acknowledge and agree that a dispute over any Note Calculations (as defined in the Note) shall be resolved by the parties as expressly provided for in the Note. The parties to this Agreement (the “parties”) hereby agree that the Claims may be arbitrated in one or more Arbitrations pursuant to these Arbitration Provisions (one for an injunction or injunctions and a separate one for all other Claims). The parties hereby agree that the arbitration provisions set forth in this Exhibit D (“Arbitration Provisions”) are binding on each of them. As a result, any attempt to rescind the Agreement (or these Arbitration Provisions) or any other Transaction Document) or declare the Agreement (or these Arbitration Provisions) or any other Transaction Document invalid or unenforceable pursuant to Section 29 of the 1934 Act or for any other reason is subject to these Arbitration Provisions. These Arbitration Provisions shall also survive any termination or expiration of the Agreement. Any capitalized term not defined in these Arbitration Provisions shall have the meaning set forth in the Agreement.
2. Arbitration. Except as otherwise provided herein, all Claims must be submitted to arbitration (“Arbitration”) to be conducted exclusively in New Castle County, State of Delaware, and pursuant to the terms set forth in these Arbitration Provisions. Subject to the arbitration appeal right provided for in Paragraph 5 below (the “Appeal Right”), the parties agree that the award of the arbitrator rendered pursuant to Paragraph 4 below (the “Arbitration Award”) shall be (a) final and binding upon the parties, (b) the sole and exclusive remedy between them regarding any Claims, counterclaims, issues, or accountings presented or pleaded to the arbitrator, and (c) promptly payable in United States dollars free of any tax, deduction or offset (with respect to monetary awards). Subject to the Appeal Right, any costs or fees, including without limitation reasonable attorneys’ fees, incurred in connection with or incident to enforcing the Arbitration Award shall, to the maximum extent permitted by law, be charged against the party resisting such enforcement. The Arbitration Award shall include Default Interest (as defined or otherwise provided for in the Note, “Default Interest”) (with respect to monetary awards) at the rate specified in the Note for Default Interest both before and after the Arbitration Award. Judgment upon the Arbitration Award will be entered and enforced by any state or federal court sitting in the State of Delaware.
3. The Arbitration Act. The parties hereby incorporate herein the provisions and procedures set forth in the Delaware Uniform Arbitration Act, Title 10 Chapter 57 (as amended or superseded from time to time, the “Arbitration Act”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, pursuant to, and to the maximum extent permitted by, the Arbitration Act, in the event of conflict or variation between the terms of these Arbitration Provisions and the provisions of the Arbitration Act, the terms of these Arbitration Provisions shall control and the parties hereby waive or otherwise agree to vary the effect of all requirements of the Arbitration Act that may conflict with or vary from these Arbitration Provisions.
4. Arbitration Proceedings. Arbitration between the parties will be subject to the following:
4.1 Initiation of Arbitration. Pursuant to the Arbitration Act, the parties agree that a party may initiate Arbitration by giving written notice to the other party (“Arbitration Notice”) in the same manner that notice is permitted under Section 8(f) of the Agreement; provided, however, that the Arbitration Notice may not be given by email or fax. Arbitration will be deemed initiated as of the date that the Arbitration Notice is deemed physically delivered to such other party under Section 8(f) of the Agreement (the “Service Date”). After the Service Date, information may be delivered, and notices may be given, by email or fax pursuant to Section 8(f) of the Agreement or any other method permitted thereunder. The Arbitration Notice must describe the nature of the controversy, the remedies sought, and the election to commence Arbitration proceedings. All Claims in the Arbitration Notice must be pleaded consistent with the Delaware Rules of Civil Procedure.
| 24 |
4.2 Selection and Payment of Arbitrator.
(a) Within ten (10) calendar days after the Service Date, Buyer shall select and submit to Company the names of three (3) arbitrators that are designated as “neutrals” or qualified arbitrators by American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) (https://www.adr.org/) or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties (such three (3) designated persons hereunder are referred to herein as the “Proposed Arbitrators”). For the avoidance of doubt, each Proposed Arbitrator must be qualified as a “neutral” with AAA or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties. Within five (5) calendar days after Buyer has submitted to Company the names of the Proposed Arbitrators, Company must select, by written notice to Buyer, one (1) of the Proposed Arbitrators to act as the arbitrator for the parties under these Arbitration Provisions. If Company fails to select one of the Proposed Arbitrators in writing within such 5-day period, then Buyer may select the arbitrator from the Proposed Arbitrators by providing written notice of such selection to Company.
(b) If Buyer fails to submit to Company the Proposed Arbitrators within ten (10) calendar days after the Service Date pursuant to subparagraph (a) above, then Company may at any time prior to Buyer so designating the Proposed Arbitrators, identify the names of three (3) arbitrators that are designated as “neutrals” or qualified arbitrators by AAA or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties by written notice to Buyer. Buyer may then, within five (5) calendar days after Company has submitted notice of its Proposed Arbitrators to Buyer, select, by written notice to Company, one (1) of the Proposed Arbitrators to act as the arbitrator for the parties under these Arbitration Provisions. If Buyer fails to select in writing and within such 5-day period one (1) of the three (3) Proposed Arbitrators selected by Company, then Company may select the arbitrator from its three (3) previously selected Proposed Arbitrators by providing written notice of such selection to Buyer.
(c) If a Proposed Arbitrator chosen to serve as arbitrator declines or is otherwise unable to serve as arbitrator, then the party that selected such Proposed Arbitrator may select one (1) of the other three (3) Proposed Arbitrators within three (3) calendar days of the date the chosen Proposed Arbitrator declines or notifies the parties he or she is unable to serve as arbitrator. If all three (3) Proposed Arbitrators decline or are otherwise unable to serve as arbitrator, then the arbitrator selection process shall begin again in accordance with this Paragraph 4.2.
(d) The date that the Proposed Arbitrator selected pursuant to this Paragraph 4.2 agrees in writing (including via email) delivered to both parties to serve as the arbitrator hereunder is referred to herein as the “Arbitration Commencement Date”. If an arbitrator resigns or is unable to act during the Arbitration, a replacement arbitrator shall be chosen in accordance with this Paragraph 4.2 to continue the Arbitration. If AAA or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties ceases to exist or to provide a list of neutrals and there is no successor thereto, then replacement arbitrators shall be selected by both parties within five (5) calendar days thereafter.
(e) Subject to Paragraph 4.10 below, the cost of the arbitrator must be paid equally by both parties. Subject to Paragraph 4.10 below, if one party refuses or fails to pay its portion of the arbitrator fee, then the other party can advance such unpaid amount (subject to the accrual of Default Interest thereupon), with such amount being added to or subtracted from, as applicable, the Arbitration Award.
4.3 Applicability of Certain Delaware Rules. The parties agree that the Arbitration shall be conducted generally in accordance with the Delaware Rules of Civil Procedure and the Delaware Rules of Evidence. More specifically, the Delaware Rules of Civil Procedure shall apply, without limitation, to the filing of any pleadings, motions or memoranda, the conducting of discovery, and the taking of any depositions. The Delaware Rules of Evidence shall apply to any hearings, whether telephonic or in person, held by the arbitrator. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is the parties’ intent that the incorporation of such rules will in no event supersede these Arbitration Provisions. In the event of any conflict between the Delaware Rules of Civil Procedure or the Delaware Rules of Evidence and these Arbitration Provisions, these Arbitration Provisions shall control.
4.4 Answer and Default. An answer and any counterclaims to the Arbitration Notice shall be required to be delivered to the party initiating the Arbitration within twenty (20) calendar days after the Arbitration Commencement Date. If an answer is not delivered by the required deadline, the arbitrator must provide written notice to the defaulting party stating that the arbitrator will enter a default award against such party if such party does not file an answer within five (5) calendar days of receipt of such notice. If an answer is not filed within the five (5) day extension period, the arbitrator must render a default award, consistent with the relief requested in the Arbitration Notice, against a party that fails to submit an answer within such time period.
4.5 [Intentionally Omitted].
| 25 |
4.6 Discovery. The parties agree that discovery shall be conducted as follows:
(a) Written discovery will only be allowed if the likely benefits of the proposed written discovery outweigh the burden or expense thereof, and the written discovery sought is likely to reveal information that will satisfy a specific element of a claim or defense already pleaded in the Arbitration. The party seeking written discovery shall always have the burden of showing that all of the standards and limitations set forth in these Arbitration Provisions are satisfied. The scope of discovery in the Arbitration proceedings shall also be limited as follows:
(i) To facts directly connected with the transactions contemplated by the Agreement.
(ii) To facts and information that cannot be obtained from another source or in another manner that is more convenient, less burdensome or less expensive than in the manner requested.
(b) No party shall be allowed (i) more than fifteen (15) interrogatories (including discrete subparts), (ii) more than fifteen (15) requests for admission (including discrete subparts), (iii) more than ten (10) document requests (including discrete subparts), or (iv) more than three (3) depositions (excluding expert depositions) for a maximum of seven (7) hours per deposition. The costs associated with depositions will be borne by the party taking the deposition. The party defending the deposition will submit a notice to the party taking the deposition of the estimated reasonable attorneys’ fees that such party expects to incur in connection with defending the deposition. If the party defending the deposition fails to submit an estimate of reasonable attorneys’ fees within five (5) calendar days of its receipt of a deposition notice, then such party shall be deemed to have waived its right to the estimated reasonable attorneys’ fees. The party taking the deposition must pay the party defending the deposition the estimated reasonable attorneys’ fees prior to taking the deposition, unless such obligation is deemed to be waived as set forth in the immediately preceding sentence. If the party taking the deposition believes that the estimated reasonable attorneys’ fees are unreasonable, such party may submit the issue to the arbitrator for a decision.
(c) All discovery requests (including document production requests included in deposition notices) must be submitted in writing to the arbitrator and the other party. The party submitting the written discovery requests must include with such discovery requests a detailed explanation of how the proposed discovery requests satisfy the requirements of these Arbitration Provisions and the Delaware Rules of Civil Procedure. The receiving party will then be allowed, within five (5) calendar days of receiving the proposed discovery requests, to submit to the arbitrator an estimate of the attorneys’ fees and costs associated with responding to such written discovery requests and a written challenge to each applicable discovery request. After receipt of an estimate of attorneys’ fees and costs and/or challenge(s) to one or more discovery requests, consistent with subparagraph (c) above, the arbitrator will within three (3) calendar days make a finding as to the likely attorneys’ fees and costs associated with responding to the discovery requests and issue an order that (i) requires the requesting party to prepay the attorneys’ fees and costs associated with responding to the discovery requests, and (ii) requires the responding party to respond to the discovery requests as limited by the arbitrator within twenty-five (25) calendar days of the arbitrator’s finding with respect to such discovery requests. If a party entitled to submit an estimate of attorneys’ fees and costs and/or a challenge to discovery requests fails to do so within such 5-day period, the arbitrator will make a finding that (A) there are no attorneys’ fees or costs associated with responding to such discovery requests, and (B) the responding party must respond to such discovery requests (as may be limited by the arbitrator) within twenty-five (25) calendar days of the arbitrator’s finding with respect to such discovery requests. Any party submitting any written discovery requests, including without limitation interrogatories, requests for production subpoenas to a party or a third party, or requests for admissions, must prepay the estimated attorneys’ fees and costs, before the responding party has any obligation to produce or respond to the same, unless such obligation is deemed waived as set forth above.
(d) In order to allow a written discovery request, the arbitrator must find that the discovery request satisfies the standards set forth in these Arbitration Provisions and the Delaware Rules of Civil Procedure. The arbitrator must strictly enforce these standards. If a discovery request does not satisfy any of the standards set forth in these Arbitration Provisions or the Delaware Rules of Civil Procedure, the arbitrator may modify such discovery request to satisfy the applicable standards, or strike such discovery request in whole or in part.
(e) Each party may submit expert reports (and rebuttals thereto), provided that such reports must be submitted within sixty (60) days of the Arbitration Commencement Date. Each party will be allowed a maximum of two (2) experts. Expert reports must contain the following: (i) a complete statement of all opinions the expert will offer at trial and the basis and reasons for them; (ii) the expert’s name and qualifications, including a list of all the expert’s publications within the preceding ten (10) years, and a list of any other cases in which the expert has testified at trial or in a deposition or prepared a report within the preceding ten (10) years; and (iii) the compensation to be paid for the expert’s report and testimony. The parties are entitled to depose any other party’s expert witness one (1) time for no more than four (4) hours. An expert may not testify in a party’s case-in-chief concerning any matter not fairly disclosed in the expert report.
4.6 Dispositive Motions. Each party shall have the right to submit dispositive motions pursuant to the Delaware Rules of Civil Procedure (a “Dispositive Motion”). The party submitting the Dispositive Motion may, but is not required to, deliver to the arbitrator and to the other party a memorandum in support (the “Memorandum in Support”) of the Dispositive Motion. Within seven (7) calendar days of delivery of the Memorandum in Support, the other party shall deliver to the arbitrator and to the other party a memorandum in opposition to the Memorandum in Support (the “Memorandum in Opposition”). Within seven (7) calendar days of delivery of the Memorandum in Opposition, as applicable, the party that submitted the Memorandum in Support shall deliver to the arbitrator and to the other party a reply memorandum to the Memorandum in Opposition (“Reply Memorandum”). If the applicable party shall fail to deliver the Memorandum in Opposition as required above, or if the other party fails to deliver the Reply Memorandum as required above, then the applicable party shall lose its right to so deliver the same, and the Dispositive Motion shall proceed regardless.
| 26 |
4.7 Confidentiality. All information disclosed by either party (or such party’s agents) during the Arbitration process (including without limitation information disclosed during the discovery process or any Appeal (defined below)) shall be considered confidential in nature. Each party agrees not to disclose any confidential information received from the other party (or its agents) during the Arbitration process (including without limitation during the discovery process or any Appeal) unless (a) prior to or after the time of disclosure such information becomes public knowledge or part of the public domain, not as a result of any inaction or action of the receiving party or its agents, (b) such information is required by a court order, subpoena or similar legal duress to be disclosed if such receiving party has notified the other party thereof in writing and given it a reasonable opportunity to obtain a protective order from a court of competent jurisdiction prior to disclosure, or (c) such information is disclosed to the receiving party’s agents, representatives and legal counsel on a need to know basis who each agree in writing not to disclose such information to any third party. The arbitrator is hereby authorized and directed to issue a protective order to prevent the disclosure of privileged information and confidential information upon the written request of either party.
4.8 Authorization; Timing; Scheduling Order. Subject to all other portions of these Arbitration Provisions, the parties hereby authorize and direct the arbitrator to take such actions and make such rulings as may be necessary to carry out the parties’ intent for the Arbitration proceedings to be efficient and expeditious. The parties hereby agree that an Arbitration Award must be made within one hundred twenty (120) calendar days after the Arbitration Commencement Date. The arbitrator is hereby authorized and directed to hold a scheduling conference within ten (10) calendar days after the Arbitration Commencement Date in order to establish a scheduling order with various binding deadlines for discovery, expert testimony, and the submission of documents by the parties to enable the arbitrator to render a decision prior to the end of such 120-day period.
4.9 Relief. The arbitrator shall have the right to award or include in the Arbitration Award (or in a preliminary ruling) any relief which the arbitrator deems proper under the circumstances, including, without limitation, specific performance and injunctive relief, provided that the arbitrator may not award exemplary or punitive damages.
4.10 Fees and Costs. As part of the Arbitration Award, the arbitrator is hereby directed to require the losing party (the party being awarded the least amount of money by the arbitrator, which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall be determined without regard to any statutory fines, penalties, fees, or other charges awarded to any party) to (a) pay the full amount of any unpaid costs and fees of the Arbitration, and (b) reimburse the prevailing party for all reasonable attorneys’ fees, arbitrator costs and fees, deposition costs, other discovery costs, and other expenses, costs or fees paid or otherwise incurred by the prevailing party in connection with the Arbitration.
5. Arbitration Appeal.
5.1 Initiation of Appeal. Following the entry of the Arbitration Award, either party (the “Appellant”) shall have a period of thirty (30) calendar days in which to notify the other party (the “Appellee”), in writing, that the Appellant elects to appeal (the “Appeal”) the Arbitration Award (such notice, an “Appeal Notice”) to a panel of arbitrators as provided in Paragraph 5.2 below. The date the Appellant delivers an Appeal Notice to the Appellee is referred to herein as the “Appeal Date”. The Appeal Notice must be delivered to the Appellee in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 4.1 above with respect to delivery of an Arbitration Notice. In addition, together with delivery of the Appeal Notice to the Appellee, the Appellant must also pay for (and provide proof of such payment to the Appellee together with delivery of the Appeal Notice) a bond in the amount of 110% of the sum the Appellant owes to the Appellee as a result of the Arbitration Award the Appellant is appealing. In the event an Appellant delivers an Appeal Notice to the Appellee (together with proof of payment of the applicable bond) in compliance with the provisions of this Paragraph 5.1, the Appeal will occur as a matter of right and, except as specifically set forth herein, will not be further conditioned. In the event a party does not deliver an Appeal Notice (along with proof of payment of the applicable bond) to the other party within the deadline prescribed in this Paragraph 5.1, such party shall lose its right to appeal the Arbitration Award. If no party delivers an Appeal Notice (along with proof of payment of the applicable bond) to the other party within the deadline described in this Paragraph 5.1, the Arbitration Award shall be final. The parties acknowledge and agree that any Appeal shall be deemed part of the parties’ agreement to arbitrate for purposes of these Arbitration Provisions and the Arbitration Act.
5.2 Selection and Payment of Appeal Panel. In the event an Appellant delivers an Appeal Notice to the Appellee (together with proof of payment of the applicable bond) in compliance with the provisions of Paragraph 5.1 above, the Appeal will be heard by a three (3) person arbitration panel (the “Appeal Panel”).
| 27 |
(a) Within ten (10) calendar days after the Appeal Date, the Appellee shall select and submit to the Appellant the names of five (5) arbitrators that are designated as “neutrals” or qualified arbitrators by AAA (https://www.adr.org/) or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties (such five (5) designated persons hereunder are referred to herein as the “Proposed Appeal Arbitrators”). For the avoidance of doubt, each Proposed Appeal Arbitrator must be qualified as a “neutral” with AAA or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties, and shall not be the arbitrator who rendered the Arbitration Award being appealed (the “Original Arbitrator”). Within five (5) calendar days after the Appellee has submitted to the Appellant the names of the Proposed Appeal Arbitrators, the Appellant must select, by written notice to the Appellee, three (3) of the Proposed Appeal Arbitrators to act as the members of the Appeal Panel. If the Appellant fails to select three (3) of the Proposed Appeal Arbitrators in writing within such 5-day period, then the Appellee may select such three (3) arbitrators from the Proposed Appeal Arbitrators by providing written notice of such selection to the Appellant.
(b) If the Appellee fails to submit to the Appellant the names of the Proposed Appeal Arbitrators within ten (10) calendar days after the Appeal Date pursuant to subparagraph (a) above, then the Appellant may at any time prior to the Appellee so designating the Proposed Appeal Arbitrators, identify the names of five (5) arbitrators that are designated as “neutrals” or qualified arbitrators by AAA or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties (none of whom may be the Original Arbitrator) by written notice to the Appellee. The Appellee may then, within five (5) calendar days after the Appellant has submitted notice of its selected arbitrators to the Appellee, select, by written notice to the Appellant, three (3) of such selected arbitrators to serve on the Appeal Panel. If the Appellee fails to select in writing within such 5-day period three (3) of the arbitrators selected by the Appellant to serve as the members of the Appeal Panel, then the Appellant may select the three (3) members of the Appeal Panel from the Appellant’s list of five (5) arbitrators by providing written notice of such selection to the Appellee.
(c) If a selected Proposed Appeal Arbitrator declines or is otherwise unable to serve, then the party that selected such Proposed Appeal Arbitrator may select one (1) of the other five (5) designated Proposed Appeal Arbitrators within three (3) calendar days of the date a chosen Proposed Appeal Arbitrator declines or notifies the parties he or she is unable to serve as an arbitrator. If at least three (3) of the five (5) designated Proposed Appeal Arbitrators decline or are otherwise unable to serve, then the Proposed Appeal Arbitrator selection process shall begin again in accordance with this Paragraph 5.2; provided, however, that any Proposed Appeal Arbitrators who have already agreed to serve shall remain on the Appeal Panel.
(d) The date that all three (3) Proposed Appeal Arbitrators selected pursuant to this Paragraph 5.2 agree in writing (including via email) delivered to both the Appellant and the Appellee to serve as members of the Appeal Panel hereunder is referred to herein as the “Appeal Commencement Date”. No later than five (5) calendar days after the Appeal Commencement Date, the Appellee shall designate in writing (including via email) to the Appellant and the Appeal Panel the name of one (1) of the three (3) members of the Appeal Panel to serve as the lead arbitrator in the Appeal proceedings. Each member of the Appeal Panel shall be deemed an arbitrator for purposes of these Arbitration Provisions and the Arbitration Act, provided that, in conducting the Appeal, the Appeal Panel may only act or make determinations upon the approval or vote of no less than the majority vote of its members, as announced or communicated by the lead arbitrator on the Appeal Panel. If an arbitrator on the Appeal Panel ceases or is unable to act during the Appeal proceedings, a replacement arbitrator shall be chosen in accordance with Paragraph 5.2 above to continue the Appeal as a member of the Appeal Panel. If AAA or other arbitration service provider agreed upon by the parties ceases to exist or to provide a list of neutrals, then replacement arbitrators for the Appeal Panel shall be selected by both parties within five (5) calendar days thereafter.
(d) Subject to Paragraph 5.7 below, the cost of the Appeal Panel must be paid entirely by the Appellant.
5.3 Appeal Procedure. The Appeal will be deemed an appeal of the entire Arbitration Award. In conducting the Appeal, the Appeal Panel shall conduct a de novo review of all Claims described or otherwise set forth in the Arbitration Notice. Subject to the foregoing and all other provisions of this Paragraph 5, the Appeal Panel shall conduct the Appeal in a manner the Appeal Panel considers appropriate for a fair and expeditious disposition of the Appeal, may hold one or more hearings and permit oral argument, and may review all previous evidence and discovery, together with all briefs, pleadings and other documents filed with the Original Arbitrator (as well as any documents filed with the Appeal Panel pursuant to Paragraph 5.4(a) below). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in connection with the Appeal, the Appeal Panel shall not permit the parties to conduct any additional discovery or raise any new Claims to be arbitrated, shall not permit new witnesses or affidavits, and shall not base any of its findings or determinations on the Original Arbitrator’s findings or the Arbitration Award.
5.4 Timing.
(a) Within seven (7) calendar days of the Appeal Commencement Date, the Appellant (i) shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Appeal Panel copies of the Appeal Notice, all discovery conducted in connection with the Arbitration, and all briefs, pleadings and other documents filed with the Original Arbitrator (which material Appellee shall have the right to review and supplement if necessary), and (ii) may, but is not required to, deliver to the Appeal Panel and to the Appellee a Memorandum in Support of the Appellant’s arguments concerning or position with respect to all Claims, counterclaims, issues, or accountings presented or pleaded in the Arbitration. Within seven (7) calendar days of the Appellant’s delivery of the Memorandum in Support, as applicable, the Appellee shall deliver to the Appeal Panel and to the Appellant a Memorandum in Opposition to the Memorandum in Support. Within seven (7) calendar days of the Appellee’s delivery of the Memorandum in Opposition, as applicable, the Appellant shall deliver to the Appeal Panel and to the Appellee a Reply Memorandum to the Memorandum in Opposition. If the Appellant shall fail to substantially comply with the requirements of clause (i) of this subparagraph (a), the Appellant shall lose its right to appeal the Arbitration Award, and the Arbitration Award shall be final. If the Appellee shall fail to deliver the Memorandum in Opposition as required above, or if the Appellant shall fail to deliver the Reply Memorandum as required above, then the Appellee or the Appellant, as the case may be, shall lose its right to so deliver the same, and the Appeal shall proceed regardless.
| 28 |
(b) Subject to subparagraph (a) above, the parties hereby agree that the Appeal must be heard by the Appeal Panel within thirty (30) calendar days of the Appeal Commencement Date, and that the Appeal Panel must render its decision within thirty (30) calendar days after the Appeal is heard (and in no event later than sixty (60) calendar days after the Appeal Commencement Date).
5.5 Appeal Panel Award. The Appeal Panel shall issue its decision (the “Appeal Panel Award”) through the lead arbitrator on the Appeal Panel. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, the Appeal Panel Award shall (a) supersede in its entirety and make of no further force or effect the Arbitration Award (provided that any protective orders issued by the Original Arbitrator shall remain in full force and effect), (b) be final and binding upon the parties, with no further rights of appeal, (c) be the sole and exclusive remedy between the parties regarding any Claims, counterclaims, issues, or accountings presented or pleaded in the Arbitration, and (d) be promptly payable in United States dollars free of any tax, deduction or offset (with respect to monetary awards). Any costs or fees, including without limitation reasonable attorneys’ fees, incurred in connection with or incident to enforcing the Appeal Panel Award shall, to the maximum extent permitted by law, be charged against the party resisting such enforcement. The Appeal Panel Award shall include Default Interest (with respect to monetary awards) at the rate specified in the Note for Default Interest both before and after the Arbitration Award. Judgment upon the Appeal Panel Award will be entered and enforced by a state or federal court sitting in the State of Delaware.
5.6 Relief. The Appeal Panel shall have the right to award or include in the Appeal Panel Award any relief which the Appeal Panel deems proper under the circumstances, including, without limitation, specific performance and injunctive relief, provided that the Appeal Panel may not award exemplary or punitive damages.
5.7 Fees and Costs. As part of the Appeal Panel Award, the Appeal Panel is hereby directed to require the losing party (the party being awarded the least amount of money by the arbitrator, which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall be determined without regard to any statutory fines, penalties, fees, or other charges awarded to any party) to (a) pay the full amount of any unpaid costs and fees of the Arbitration and the Appeal Panel, and (b) reimburse the prevailing party (the party being awarded the most amount of money by the Appeal Panel, which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall be determined without regard to any statutory fines, penalties, fees, or other charges awarded to any part) the reasonable attorneys’ fees, arbitrator and Appeal Panel costs and fees, deposition costs, other discovery costs, and other expenses, costs or fees paid or otherwise incurred by the prevailing party in connection with the Arbitration (including without limitation in connection with the Appeal).
6. Miscellaneous.
6.1 Severability. If any part of these Arbitration Provisions is found to violate or be illegal under applicable law, then such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make such provision enforceable under applicable law, and the remainder of the Arbitration Provisions shall remain unaffected and in full force and effect.
6.2 Governing Law. These Arbitration Provisions shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to the conflict of laws principles therein.
6.3 Interpretation. The headings of these Arbitration Provisions are for convenience of reference only and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, these Arbitration Provisions.
6.4 Waiver. No waiver of any provision of these Arbitration Provisions shall be effective unless it is in the form of a writing signed by the party granting the waiver.
6.5 Time is of the Essence. Time is expressly made of the essence with respect to each and every provision of
these Arbitration Provisions.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]
| 29 |
Exhibit 10.34
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of January 6, 2025, by and between YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (together with it permitted assigns, the “Investor”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the respective meanings set forth in the securities purchase agreement by and between the parties hereto, dated as of the date hereof (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Purchase Agreement”).
WHEREAS:
The Company has agreed, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Purchase Agreement, to sell to the Investor the Securities (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) and to induce the Investor to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide certain registration rights under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, or any similar successor statute (collectively, the “Securities Act”), and applicable state securities laws.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the mutual covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Investor hereby agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
a. “Investor” shall have the meaning set forth above.
b. “Person” means any individual or entity including but not limited to any corporation, a limited liability company, an association, a partnership, an organization, a business, an individual, a governmental or political subdivision thereof or a governmental agency.
c. “Register,” “registered,” and “registration” refer to a registration effected by preparing and filing one or more registration statements of the Company in compliance with the Securities Act and/or pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act or any successor rule providing for offering securities on a continuous basis (“Rule 415”), and the declaration or ordering of effectiveness of such registration statement(s) by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).
d. “Registrable Securities” means all of the Conversion Shares (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) (the “Conversion Shares”) which may, from time to time, be issued to the Investor under the Note (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) (the “Note”), without regard to any limitation on beneficial ownership, and shares of Common Stock (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) (the “Common Stock”) issued to the Investor as a result of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, exchange or similar event or otherwise, without regard to any limitation on beneficial ownership under the Purchase Agreement or Note.
e. “Registration Statement” means one or more registration statements of the Company.
| 1 |
2. REGISTRATION.
a. Mandatory Registration. The Company shall, within thirty (30) calendar days from the date of this Agreement, file with the SEC an initial Registration Statement covering the maximum number of Registrable Securities as shall be permitted to be included thereon in accordance with applicable SEC rules, regulations and interpretations so as to permit the resale of such Registrable Securities by the Investor (provided, however, that such number of the Investor’s Registrable Securities in the initial Registration Statement shall be no less than 1,018,518 shares of Common Stock, subject to appropriate adjustment for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, rights offerings, reclassification or similar transaction that proportionately decreases or increases the Common Stock), including but not limited to under Rule 415 under the Securities Act at then prevailing market prices (and not fixed prices), subject to the aggregate number of authorized shares of the Company’s Common Stock then available for issuance in its Certificate of Incorporation. The Investor and its counsel shall have a reasonable opportunity to review and comment upon such Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement and any related prospectus prior to its filing with the SEC, and the Company shall give due consideration to all reasonable comments. The Investor shall furnish all information reasonably requested by the Company for inclusion therein. The Company shall have the Registration Statement declared effective by the SEC within ninety (90) calendar days from the date hereof (or at the earliest possible date if prior to one hundred ninety (90) calendar days from the date hereof), and any amendment to the Registration Statement thereafter declared effective by the SEC at the earliest possible date. The Company shall keep the Registration Statement effective, including but not limited to pursuant to Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act and available for the resale by the Investor of all of the Registrable Securities covered thereby at all times until the date on which the Investor shall have sold all the Registrable Securities covered thereby (the “Registration Period”). The Registration Statement (including any amendments or supplements thereto and prospectuses contained therein) shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading. In the event that (i) the Registration Statement or New Registration Statement (as defined below) becomes stale after the initial effectiveness of such Registration Statement or New Registration Statement and (ii) the Investor still has ownership of any of the Registrable Securities, the Company shall immediately file one or more post-effective amendments to facilitate the SEC’s declaration of effectiveness with respect to such Registration Statement or New Registration Statement.
b. Rule 424 Prospectus. The Company shall, as required by applicable securities regulations, from time to time file (in each case, at the earliest possible date) with the SEC, pursuant to Rule 424 promulgated under the Securities Act, the prospectus and prospectus supplements, if any, to be used in connection with sales of the Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement. The Company shall file such initial prospectus covering the Investor’s sale of the Registrable Securities on the same date that the Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC. The Investor and its counsel shall have a reasonable opportunity to review and comment upon such prospectus prior to its filing with the SEC, and the Company shall give due consideration to all such comments. The Investor shall use its reasonable best efforts to comment upon such prospectus within one (1) Business Day from the date the Investor receives the final pre-filing version of such prospectus.
c. Sufficient Number of Shares Registered. In the event the number of shares available under the Registration Statement is insufficient to cover all of the Registrable Securities, the Company shall amend the Registration Statement or file a new Registration Statement (a “New Registration Statement”), so as to cover all of such Registrable Securities (subject to the limitations set forth in Section 2(a)) as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than ten (10) Business Days after the necessity therefor arises, subject to any limits that may be imposed by the SEC pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. The Company shall use it reasonable best efforts to cause such amendment and/or New Registration Statement to become effective as soon as practicable following the filing thereof.
| 2 |
In the event that any of the Registrable Securities are not included in the Registration Statement, or have not been included in any New Registration Statement and the Company files any other registration statement under the Securities Act (other than on Form S-4, Form S-8, or with respect to other employee related plans or rights offerings) (“Other Registration Statement”) then the Company shall include such remaining Registrable Securities in such Other Registration Statement. The Company agrees that it shall not file any such Other Registration Statement unless all of the Registrable Securities have been included in such Other Registration Statement or otherwise have been registered for resale as described above.
d. Offering. If the staff of the SEC (the “Staff”) or the SEC seeks to characterize any offering pursuant to a Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement as constituting an offering of securities that does not permit such Registration Statement to become effective and be used for resales by the Investor under Rule 415 at then prevailing market prices (and not fixed prices), or if after the filing of the initial Registration Statement with the SEC pursuant to Section 2(a), the Company is otherwise required by the Staff or the SEC to reduce the number of Registrable Securities included in such initial Registration Statement, then the Company shall reduce the number of Registrable Securities to be included in such initial Registration Statement (with the prior consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, of the Investor and its legal counsel as to the specific Registrable Securities to be removed therefrom) until such time as the Staff and the SEC shall so permit such Registration Statement to become effective and be used as aforesaid. In the event of any reduction in Registrable Securities pursuant to this paragraph, the Company shall file one or more New Registration Statements in accordance with Section 2(c) until such time as all Registrable Securities have been included in Registration Statements that have been declared effective and the prospectus contained therein is available for use by the Investor. Notwithstanding any provision herein or in the Purchase Agreement to the contrary, the Company’s obligations to register Registrable Securities (and any related conditions to the Investor’s obligations) shall be qualified as necessary to comport with any requirement of the SEC or the Staff as addressed in this Section 2(d).
3. RELATED OBLIGATIONS.
With respect to the Registration Statement and whenever any Registrable Securities are to be registered pursuant to Section 2 including on any New Registration Statement, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to effect the registration of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method of disposition thereof and, pursuant thereto, the Company shall have the following obligations:
a. The Company shall prepare and file with the SEC such amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to any registration statement and the prospectus used in connection with such registration statement, which prospectus is to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 promulgated under the Securities Act, as may be necessary to keep the Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement effective at all times during the Registration Period, and, during such period, comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities of the Company covered by the Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement until such time as all of such Registrable Securities shall have been disposed of in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the seller or sellers thereof as set forth in such registration statement.
b. The Company shall permit the Investor to review and comment upon the Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement and all amendments and supplements thereto at least two (2) Business Days prior to their filing with the SEC, and not file any document in a form to which Investor reasonably objects. The Investor shall use its reasonable best efforts to comment upon the Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement and any amendments or supplements thereto within two (2) Business Days from the date the Investor receives the final version thereof. The Company shall furnish to the Investor, without charge any correspondence from the SEC or the staff of the SEC to the Company or its representatives relating to the Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement.
| 3 |
c. Upon request of the Investor, the Company shall furnish to the Investor, (i) promptly after the same is prepared and filed with the SEC, at least one copy of such registration statement and any amendment(s) thereto, including financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated therein by reference and all exhibits, (ii) upon the effectiveness of any registration statement, a copy of the prospectus included in such registration statement and all amendments and supplements thereto (or such other number of copies as the Investor may reasonably request) and (iii) such other documents, including copies of any preliminary or final prospectus, as the Investor may reasonably request from time to time in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by the Investor. For the avoidance of doubt, any filing available to the Investor via the SEC’s live EDGAR system shall be deemed “furnished to the Investor” hereunder.
d. The Company shall use reasonable best efforts to (i) register and qualify the Registrable Securities covered by a registration statement under such other securities or “blue sky” laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as the Investor reasonably requests, (ii) prepare and file in those jurisdictions, such amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to such registrations and qualifications as may be necessary to maintain the effectiveness thereof during the Registration Period, (iii) take such other actions as may be necessary to maintain such registrations and qualifications in effect at all times during the Registration Period, and (iv) take all other actions reasonably necessary or advisable to qualify the Registrable Securities for sale in such jurisdictions; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition thereto to (x) qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this Section 3(d), (y) subject itself to general taxation in any such jurisdiction, or (z) file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction. The Company shall promptly notify the Investor who holds Registrable Securities of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the registration or qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale under the securities or “blue sky” laws of any jurisdiction in the United States or its receipt of actual notice of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose.
e. As promptly as practicable after becoming aware of such event or facts, the Company shall notify the Investor in writing of the happening of any event or existence of such facts as a result of which the prospectus included in any registration statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and promptly prepare a supplement or amendment to such registration statement and/or take any other necessary steps (which, if in accordance with applicable SEC rules and regulations, may consist of a document to be filed by the Company with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and to be incorporated by reference in the prospectus) to correct such untrue statement or omission, and deliver a copy of such supplement or amendment to the Investor (or such other number of copies as the Investor may reasonably request). The Company shall also promptly notify the Investor in writing (i) when a prospectus or any prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment has been filed, and when a registration statement or any post-effective amendment has become effective (notification of such effectiveness shall be delivered to the Investor by email on the same day of such effectiveness and by overnight mail), (ii) of any request by the SEC for amendments or supplements to any registration statement or related prospectus or related information, and (iii) of the Company’s reasonable determination that a post-effective amendment to a registration statement would be appropriate.
| 4 |
f. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or other suspension of effectiveness of any registration statement, or the suspension of the qualification of any Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction and, if such an order or suspension is issued, to obtain the withdrawal of such order or suspension at the earliest possible moment and to notify the Investor of the issuance of such order and the resolution thereof or its receipt of actual notice of the initiation or threat of any proceeding for such purpose.
g. The Company shall (i) cause all the Registrable Securities to be listed on each securities exchange on which securities of the same class or series issued by the Company are then listed, if any, if the listing of such Registrable Securities is then permitted under the rules of such exchange, or (ii) secure designation and quotation of all the Registrable Securities on the Principal Market (as defined in the Purchase Agreement). The Company shall pay all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligation under this Section.
h. The Company shall cooperate with the Investor to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of the Registrable Securities (not bearing any restrictive legend) either by DWAC, DRS, or in certificated form if DWAC or DRS is unavailable, to be offered pursuant to any registration statement and enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations or amounts as the Investor may reasonably request and registered in such names as the Investor may request.
i. The Company shall at all times provide a transfer agent and registrar with respect to its Common Stock.
j. If reasonably requested by the Investor, the Company shall (i) immediately incorporate in a prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information as the Investor believes should be included therein relating to the sale and distribution of Registrable Securities, including, without limitation, information with respect to the number of Registrable Securities being sold, the purchase price being paid therefor and any other terms of the offering of the Registrable Securities; (ii) make all required filings of such prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment as soon as practicable upon notification of the matters to be incorporated in such prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment; and (iii) supplement or make amendments to any registration statement.
k. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Registrable Securities covered by any registration statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities.
l. Within one (1) Business Day after any registration statement which includes the Registrable Securities is ordered effective by the SEC, the Company shall deliver, and shall cause legal counsel for the Company to deliver, to the transfer agent for such Registrable Securities (with copies to the Investor) confirmation that such registration statement has been declared effective by the SEC in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A. Thereafter, if requested by the Investor at any time, the Company shall require its counsel to deliver to the Investor a written confirmation whether or not the effectiveness of such registration statement has lapsed at any time for any reason (including, without limitation, the issuance of a stop order) and whether or not the registration statement is current and available to the Investor for sale of all of the Registrable Securities.
m. The Company shall take all other reasonable actions necessary to expedite and facilitate disposition by the Investor of Registrable Securities pursuant to any registration statement.
| 5 |
4. OBLIGATIONS OF THE INVESTOR.
a. The Company shall notify the Investor in writing of the information the Company reasonably requires from the Investor in connection with any registration statement hereunder. The Investor shall furnish to the Company such information regarding itself, the Registrable Securities held by it and the intended method of disposition of the Registrable Securities held by it as shall be reasonably required to effect the registration of such Registrable Securities and shall execute such documents in connection with such registration as the Company may reasonably request.
b. The Investor agrees to cooperate with the Company as reasonably requested by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of any registration statement hereunder.
c. The Investor agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event or existence of facts of the kind described in Section 3(f) or the first sentence of 3(e), the Investor will immediately discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to any registration statement(s) covering such Registrable Securities until the Investor’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 3(f) or the first sentence of 3(e). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Company shall cause its transfer agent to promptly deliver shares of Common Stock without any restrictive legend in accordance with the terms of the Purchase Agreement and Note as applicable in connection with any sale of Registrable Securities with respect to which an Investor has entered into a contract for sale prior to the Investor’s receipt of a notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(f) or the first sentence of Section 3(e) and for which the Investor has not yet settled.
5. EXPENSES OF REGISTRATION.
All reasonable expenses, other than sales or brokerage commissions, incurred in connection with registrations, filings or qualifications pursuant to Sections 2 and 3, including, without limitation, all registration, listing and qualifications fees, printers and accounting fees, and fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, shall be paid by the Company.
6. INDEMNIFICATION.
a. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company will, and hereby does, indemnify, hold harmless and defend the Investor, each Person, if any, who controls the Investor, the members, the directors, officers, partners, employees, agents, representatives of the Investor and each Person, if any, who controls the Investor within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) (each, an “Indemnified Person”), against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties, charges, costs, attorneys’ fees, amounts paid in settlement or expenses, joint or several, (collectively, “Claims”) incurred in investigating, preparing or defending any action, claim, suit, inquiry, proceeding, investigation or appeal taken from the foregoing by or before any court or governmental, administrative or other regulatory agency, body or the SEC, whether pending or threatened, whether or not an indemnified party is or may be a party thereto (“Indemnified Damages”), to which any of them may become subject insofar as such Claims (or actions or proceedings, whether commenced or threatened, in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon: (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact in the Registration Statement, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or in any filing made in connection with the qualification of the offering under the securities or other “blue sky” laws of any jurisdiction in which Registrable Securities are offered (“Blue Sky Filing”), or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the final prospectus (as amended or supplemented, if the Company files any amendment thereof or supplement thereto with the SEC) or the omission or alleged omission to state therein any material fact necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which the statements therein were made, not misleading, (iii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any other law, including, without limitation, any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder relating to the offer or sale of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement or (iv) any material violation by the Company of this Agreement (the matters in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iv) being, collectively, “Violations”). The Company shall reimburse each Indemnified Person promptly as such expenses are incurred and are due and payable, for any reasonable legal fees or other reasonable expenses incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the indemnification agreement contained in this Section 6(a): (i) shall not apply to a Claim by an Indemnified Person arising out of or based upon a Violation which occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with information about the Investor furnished in writing to the Company by such Indemnified Person expressly for use in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement, any New Registration Statement or any such amendment thereof or supplement thereto, if such prospectus was timely made available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 3(e); (ii) with respect to any superseded prospectus, shall not inure to the benefit of any such person from whom the person asserting any such Claim purchased the Registrable Securities that are the subject thereof (or to the benefit of any person controlling such person) if the untrue statement or omission of material fact contained in the superseded prospectus was corrected in the revised prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, if such revised prospectus was timely made available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 3(e), and the Indemnified Person was promptly advised in writing not to use the incorrect prospectus prior to the use giving rise to a violation and such Indemnified Person, notwithstanding such advice, used it; (iii) shall not be available to the extent such Claim is based on a failure of the Investor to deliver or to cause to be delivered the prospectus made available by the Company, if such prospectus was timely made available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 3(e); and (iv) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Indemnified Person and shall survive the transfer of the Registrable Securities by the Investor pursuant to Section 9.
| 6 |
b. Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding (including any governmental action or proceeding) involving a Claim, such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party shall, if a Claim in respect thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party under this Section 6, deliver to the indemnifying party a written notice of the commencement thereof, and the indemnifying party shall have the right to participate in, and, to the extent the indemnifying party so desires, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly noticed, to assume control of the defense thereof with counsel mutually satisfactory to the indemnifying party and the Indemnified Person or the Indemnified Party, as the case may be; provided, however, that an Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party shall have the right to retain its own counsel with the fees and expenses to be paid by the indemnifying party, if, in the reasonable opinion of counsel retained by the indemnifying party, the representation by such counsel of the Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and the indemnifying party would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and any other party represented by such counsel in such proceeding. The Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person shall cooperate fully with the indemnifying party in connection with any negotiation or defense of any such action or claim by the indemnifying party and shall furnish to the indemnifying party all information reasonably available to the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person which relates to such action or claim. The indemnifying party shall keep the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person fully apprised at all times as to the status of the defense or any settlement negotiations with respect thereto. No indemnifying party shall be liable for any settlement of any action, claim or proceeding effected without its written consent, provided, however, that the indemnifying party shall not unreasonably withhold, delay or condition its consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the consent of the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement or other compromise which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation. Following indemnification as provided for hereunder, the indemnifying party shall be subrogated to all rights of the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person with respect to all third parties, firms or corporations relating to the matter for which indemnification has been made. The failure to deliver written notice to the indemnifying party within a reasonable time of the commencement of any such action shall not relieve such indemnifying party of any liability to the Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party under this Section 6, except to the extent that the indemnifying party is prejudiced in its ability to defend such action.
c. The indemnification required by this Section 6 shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as and when bills are received or Indemnified Damages are incurred.
d. The indemnity agreements contained herein shall be in addition to (i) any cause of action or similar right of the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person against the indemnifying party or others, and (ii) any liabilities the indemnifying party may be subject to pursuant to the law.
7. CONTRIBUTION.
To the extent any indemnification by an indemnifying party is prohibited or limited by law, the indemnifying party agrees to make the maximum contribution with respect to any amounts for which it would otherwise be liable under Section 6 to the fullest extent permitted by law; provided, however, that: (i) no seller of Registrable Securities guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any seller of Registrable Securities who was not guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation; and (ii) contribution by any seller of Registrable Securities shall be limited in amount to the net amount of proceeds received by such seller from the sale of such Registrable Securities.
8. REPORTS AND DISCLOSURE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACTS.
With a view to making available to the Investor the benefits of Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act or any other similar rule or regulation of the SEC that may at any time permit the Investor to sell securities of the Company to the public without registration (“Rule 144”), the Company agrees, at the Company’s sole expense, to:
a. make and keep public information available, as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144;
b. file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other documents required of the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act so long as the Company remains subject to such requirements and the filing of such reports and other documents is required for the applicable provisions of Rule 144;
c. furnish to the Investor so long as the Investor owns Registrable Securities, promptly upon request, (i) a written statement by the Company that it has complied with the reporting and or disclosure provisions of Rule 144, the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, (ii) a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Company and such other reports and documents so filed by the Company, and (iii) such other information as may be reasonably requested to permit the Investor to sell such securities pursuant to Rule 144 without registration; and
| 7 |
d. take such additional action as is requested by the Investor to enable the Investor to sell the Registrable Securities pursuant to Rule 144, including, without limitation, delivering all such legal opinions, consents, certificates, resolutions and instructions to the Company’s transfer agent as may be requested from time to time by the Investor and otherwise fully cooperate with Investor and Investor’s broker to effect such sale of securities pursuant to Rule 144.
The Company agrees that damages may be an inadequate remedy for any breach of the terms and provisions of this Section 8 and that Investor shall, whether or not it is pursuing any remedies at law, be entitled to equitable relief in the form of a preliminary or permanent injunctions, without having to post any bond or other security, upon any breach or threatened breach of any such terms or provisions.
9. ASSIGNMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
The Company shall not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Investor.
10. AMENDMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
No provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived by the parties from and after the date that is one Business Day immediately preceding the initial filing of the Registration Statement with the SEC. Subject to the immediately preceding sentence, no provision of this Agreement may be (i) amended other than by a written instrument signed by both parties hereto or (ii) waived other than in a written instrument signed by the party against whom enforcement of such waiver is sought. Failure of any party to exercise any right or remedy under this Agreement or otherwise, or delay by a party in exercising such right or remedy, shall not operate as a waiver thereof.
11. MISCELLANEOUS.
a. A Person is deemed to be a holder of Registrable Securities whenever such Person owns or is deemed to own of record such Registrable Securities. If the Company receives conflicting instructions, notices or elections from two or more Persons with respect to the same Registrable Securities, the Company shall act upon the basis of instructions, notice or election received from the registered owner of such Registrable Securities.
b. Any notices, consents, waivers or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon receipt, when delivered personally; (ii) upon receipt, when sent by email (provided confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically generated and kept on file by the sending party); or (iii) one (1) Business Day after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, in each case properly addressed to the party to receive the same. The addresses for such communications shall be:
If to the Company, to:
YOSHIHARU
GLOBAL CO.
6940 Beach Blvd., Suite D-705
Buena Park, CA 90621
Email:
jchae@yoshiharuramen.com
Attention: James Chae
| 8 |
If to the Investor:
CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I, LP
228 Park Avenue South PMB 57033
New York, NY 10003
e-mail: john@crom-llc.com and liam@crom-llc.com
or at such other address, email address, and/or to the attention of such other person as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to each other party three (3) Business Days prior to the effectiveness of such change. Written confirmation of receipt (A) given by the recipient of such notice, consent, waiver or other communication, (B) mechanically or electronically generated by the sender’s email account containing the time, date, recipient email address, as applicable, and an image of the first page of such transmission or (C) provided by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, shall be rebuttable evidence of personal service, receipt from a nationally recognized overnight delivery service in accordance with clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, respectively.
c. The Company and Investor shall submit all Claims (as defined in Exhibit D of the Purchase Agreement) (the “Claims”) arising under this Agreement or any other agreement between the parties and their affiliates or any Claim relating to the relationship of the parties to binding arbitration pursuant to the arbitration provisions set forth in Exhibit D of the Purchase Agreement (the “Arbitration Provisions”). The Company and Investor hereby acknowledge and agree that the Arbitration Provisions are unconditionally binding on the Company and Investor hereto and are severable from all other provisions of this Agreement. By executing this Agreement, Company represents, warrants and covenants that Company has reviewed the Arbitration Provisions carefully, consulted with legal counsel about such provisions (or waived its right to do so), understands that the Arbitration Provisions are intended to allow for the expeditious and efficient resolution of any dispute hereunder, agrees to the terms and limitations set forth in the Arbitration Provisions, and that Company will not take a position contrary to the foregoing representations. Company acknowledges and agrees that Investor may rely upon the foregoing representations and covenants of Company regarding the Arbitration Provisions. This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, and all questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by, the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware. The Company and Investor consent to and expressly agree that the exclusive venue for arbitration of any Claims arising under this Agreement or any other agreement between the Company and Investor or their respective affiliates (including but not limited to the Transaction Documents (as defined in the Purchase Agreement)) or any Claim relating to the relationship of the Company and Investor or their respective affiliates shall be in New Castle County, State of Delaware. Without modifying the Company’s and Investor’s obligations to resolve disputes hereunder pursuant to the Arbitration Provisions, for any litigation arising in connection with any of the Transaction Documents (and notwithstanding the terms (specifically including any governing law and venue terms) of any transfer agent services agreement or other agreement between the Company’s transfer agent and the Company, such litigation specifically includes, without limitation any action between or involving Company and the Company’s transfer agent under the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) or otherwise related to Investor in any way (specifically including, without limitation, any action where Company seeks to obtain an injunction, temporary restraining order, or otherwise prohibit the Company’s transfer agent from issuing shares of Common Stock to Investor for any reason)), each party hereto hereby (i) consents to and expressly submits to the exclusive personal jurisdiction of any state or federal court sitting in the New Castle County, State of Delaware, (ii) expressly submits to the exclusive venue of any such court for the purposes hereof, (iii) agrees to not bring any such action (specifically including, without limitation, any action where Company seeks to obtain an injunction, temporary restraining order, or otherwise prohibit the Company’s transfer agent from issuing shares of Common Stock to Investor for any reason) outside of any state or federal court sitting in New Castle County, State of Delaware, and (iv) waives any claim of improper venue and any claim or objection that such courts are an inconvenient forum or any other claim, defense or objection to the bringing of any such proceeding in such jurisdiction or to any claim that such venue of the suit, action or proceeding is improper. Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary, nothing herein shall limit, or shall be deemed or construed to limit, the ability of the Investor to realize on any collateral or any other security, or to enforce a judgment or other court ruling in favor of the Investor, including through a legal action in any court of competent jurisdiction. The Company hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any objection to jurisdiction and venue of any action instituted hereunder, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, and any claim that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper (including but not limited to based upon forum non conveniens). THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. The Company irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any suit, action or proceeding in connection with this Agreement or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to Company at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. The prevailing party in any action or dispute brought in connection with this Agreement or any other agreement, certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby shall be entitled to recover from the other party its reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. If any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement in that jurisdiction or the validity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction.
| 9 |
d. The Agreement, Purchase Agreement, Note, and ancillary documentation entered into between the Company and Investor therewith constitute the entire agreement among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein and therein. The Agreement, Purchase Agreement, Note, and ancillary documentation entered into between the Company and Investor therewith supersede all prior agreements and understandings among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.
e. Subject to the requirements of Section 9, this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of each of the parties hereto.
f. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
g. This Agreement may be executed in identical counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement. This Agreement, once executed by a party, may be delivered to the other party hereto by e-mail in a “.pdf” format data file of a copy of this Agreement bearing the signature of the party so delivering this Agreement.
h. Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as the other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
i. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party.
j. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person.
* * * * * *
| 10 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of day and year first above written.
THE COMPANY:
YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO.
| By: | /s/James Chae | |
| Name: | James Chae | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
INVESTOR:
CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I, LP
| By: | CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I GP, LLC, its General Partner |
| By: | CROM CORTANA FUND LLC, member of the General Partner |
| By: | /s/Liam Sherif | |
| Name: | Liam Sherif | |
| Title: | Authorized Signatory |
[Signature Page to registration rights agreement]
| 11 |
EXHIBIT A
TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
FORM
OF NOTICE OF EFFECTIVENESS
OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT
______, 2025
______________
______________
______________
Re: Effectiveness of Registration Statement
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are counsel to YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and have represented the Company in connection with that certain Purchase Agreement, dated as of January 6, 2025 (the “Purchase Agreement”), entered into by and between the Company and CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Investor”) pursuant to which the Company has agreed to issue to the Investor shares of Class A common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share, consisting of the Conversion Shares (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) (the “Conversion Shares”) in accordance with the terms of the Purchase Agreement and Note (as defined below). In connection with the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, the Company has registered with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission the following shares of Common Stock:
_________Conversion Shares issued and/or to be issued to the Investor upon conversion of the Note (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) (the “Note”) in accordance with the Note.
Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the Company also has entered into a Registration Rights Agreement, of even date with the Purchase Agreement with the Investor (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) pursuant to which the Company agreed, among other things, to register the Conversion Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). In connection with the Company’s obligations under the Purchase Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, on [ ], 2025, the Company filed a Registration Statement (File No. 333-[ ]) (the “Registration Statement”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) relating to the resale of the Conversion Shares.
In connection with the foregoing, we advise you that a member of the SEC’s staff has advised us by telephone that the SEC has entered an order declaring the Registration Statement effective under the Securities Act at [_____] [A.M./P.M.] on [_______], 2025 and we have no knowledge, after telephonic inquiry of a member of the SEC’s staff, that any stop order suspending its effectiveness has been issued or that any proceedings for that purpose are pending before, or threatened by, the SEC and the Conversion Shares are available for resale under the Securities Act pursuant to the Registration Statement and may be issued without any restrictive legend.
| Very truly yours,
[Company Counsel] | |
| By: |
| cc: | CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I, LP |
Exhibit 10.35
FIRST AMENDMENT TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS FIRST AMENDMENT to the Registration Rights Agreement (as defined below) (the “Amendment”) is entered into as of January 28, 2025 (the “Effective Date”), by and between Yoshiharu Global Co., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and Crom Structured Opportunities Fund I, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Investor”, and collectively with the Company, the “Parties”).
BACKGROUND
A. The Parties are the parties to that certain registration rights agreement dated on or around January 6, 2025 (as amended from time to time, the “Registration Rights Agreement”), a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit “A”, which was entered into in connection with the securities purchase agreement dated on or around January 6, 2025 (the “Purchase Agreement”); and
B. The Parties desire to amend the Registration Rights Agreement as set forth expressly below.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the execution and delivery of the Amendment and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties agree as follows:
1. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Registration Rights Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Registration Rights Agreement.
2. The two references to “ninety (90)” in Section 2(a) of the Registration Rights Agreement shall be replaced with “one hundred twenty (120)”.
3. Section 11(c) of the Registration Rights Agreement shall apply to this Amendment.
4. This Amendment 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. Counterparts may be delivered via electronic mail (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) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.
5. This Amendment shall be deemed part of, but shall take precedence over and supersede any provisions to the contrary contained in the Registration Rights Agreement. Except as specifically modified hereby, all of the provisions of the Registration Rights Agreement, which are not in conflict with the terms of this Amendment, shall remain in full force and effect.
[Signature page to follow]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have executed this Amendment as of the date first above written.
YOSHIHARU GLOBAL CO.
| By: | ||
| Name: | James Chae | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I, LP
| By: | CROM STRUCTURED OPPORTUNITIES FUND I GP, LLC, its General Partner |
| By: | CROM CORTANA FUND LLC, member of the General Partner |
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | Authorized Signatory |
Exhibit 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We hereby consent to the incorporation in this Registration Statement on Form S-1 of our report dated July 30, 2024, relating to the financial statements of Yoshiharu Global Co. for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 and to all references to our firm included in this Registration Statement.
| /s/ BCRG Group | |
| BCRG Group (PCAOB ID 7158) | |
| Irvine, CA | |
| February 4, 2025 |