Vaxart, Inc S-3, filed Apr 16, 2026
Vaxart, Inc. (VXRT)
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 15, 2026
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
VAXART, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Delaware |
59-1212264 |
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(State or other jurisdiction of |
(I.R.S. Employer |
310 Utah Avenue, Suite 150
South San Francisco, CA 94080
(650) 550-3500
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
Steven Lo
Chief Executive Officer
310 Utah Avenue, Suite 150
South San Francisco, CA 94080
(650) 550-3500
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
Faith L. Charles
Thompson Hine LLP
300 Madison Avenue, 27th Floor
New York, NY 10017
(212) 908-3905
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box: ☐
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, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, 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 registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a 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.
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Accelerated filer |
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Smaller reporting company |
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Emerging growth company |
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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 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, AS AMENDED, OR UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION 8(a), MAY DETERMINE.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This registration statement contains two documents:
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a base prospectus which covers the offering, issuance, and sale by the registrant of up to a maximum aggregate offering price of $300,000,000 of the registrant’s common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants, purchase contracts, and/or units; and |
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a sales agreement prospectus supplement covering the offering, issuance, and sale by the registrant of up to a maximum aggregate offering price of $49,772,479 of the registrant’s common stock that may be issued and sold under a sales agreement with Citizens JMP Securities, LLC and B. Riley Securities, Inc. |
The base prospectus immediately follows this explanatory note. The sales agreement prospectus supplement immediately follows the base prospectus. The $49,772,479 of common stock that may be offered, issued, and sold by the registrant under the sales agreement prospectus supplement is included in the $300,000,000 of securities that may be offered, issued, and sold by the registrant under the base prospectus. Upon termination of the sales agreement with Citizens JMP Securities, LLC and B. Riley Securities, Inc., any portion of the $49,772,479 included in the sales agreement prospectus supplement that is not sold pursuant to the sales agreement will be available for sale in other offerings pursuant to the base prospectus, and if no shares are sold under the sales agreement, the full $300,000,000 of securities may be sold in other offerings pursuant to the base prospectus and a corresponding prospectus supplement.
The specific terms of any securities to be offered pursuant to the base prospectus other than the shares under the sales agreement will be specified in a prospectus supplement to the base prospectus. The specific terms of the securities to be issued and sold under the sales agreement are specified in the sales agreement prospectus that immediately follows the base prospectus.
THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED APRIL 15, 2026
PROSPECTUS
$300,000,000
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Debt Securities
Warrants
Purchase Contracts
Units
We may offer and sell up to $300,000,000 in the aggregate of the securities identified above, from time to time in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities.
Each time we offer and sell securities, we will provide one or more supplements to this prospectus that contains specific information about the offering, including the amounts, prices, and terms of the securities. The supplements may also add, update, or change information contained in this prospectus with respect to that offering. You should carefully read this prospectus and all applicable prospectus supplements, together with the documents we incorporate by reference, before you invest in any of our securities.
We may offer and sell the securities described in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement to or through one or more underwriters, dealers, and agents, or directly to purchasers, or through a combination of these methods. If any underwriters, dealers, or agents are involved in the sale of any of the securities, their names and any applicable purchase price, fee, commission, or discount arrangement between or among them will be set forth, or will be calculable from the information set forth, in the applicable prospectus supplement to the extent appropriate or required by law. See the sections of this prospectus titled “About this Prospectus” and “Plan of Distribution” for more information. No securities may be sold without delivery of this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement describing the method and terms of the offering of such securities.
Our common stock is traded on the OTCQX® Best Market under the trading symbol “VXRT.” On April 10, 2026, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the OTCQX® Best Market was $0.63. As of April 10, 2026, there were 241,414,053 shares of our common stock outstanding.
INVESTING IN OUR SECURITIES INVOLVES A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK. SEE THE “RISK FACTORS” ON PAGE 2 OF THIS PROSPECTUS AND ANY SIMILAR SECTION CONTAINED IN THE APPLICABLE PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND IN THE DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE HEREIN AND THEREIN CONCERNING FACTORS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER BEFORE INVESTING IN OUR SECURITIES.
Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is __________, 2026.
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CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF DELAWARE LAW AND OF THE COMPANY’S CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS |
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This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration statement process, we may offer shares of our common stock, preferred stock, various series of debt securities, warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock, purchase contracts, and/or units to purchase any of such securities, either individually or in combination with other securities described in this prospectus, in one or more offerings from time to time, with a total value of up to $300,000,000. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer.
Each time we sell any type or series of securities under this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will include more specific information about the terms of that offering. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to these offerings. The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you may also add, update, or change any of the information contained in this prospectus or in the documents we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus. This prospectus, together with the applicable prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus, and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, will include all material information relating to the applicable offering. Before buying any of the securities being offered, we urge you to carefully read this prospectus, all applicable prospectus supplements, and any related free writing prospectuses we have authorized for use in connection with a specific offering, together with the additional information incorporated herein by reference as described under the heading “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference.”
THIS PROSPECTUS MAY NOT BE USED TO CONSUMMATE A SALE OF SECURITIES UNLESS IT IS ACCOMPANIED BY A PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT.
You should rely only on the information contained in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, along with the information contained in any free writing prospectuses we have authorized for use in connection with a specific offering. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different or additional information. No dealer, salesperson, or other person is authorized to give any information or to represent anything not contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement, or any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you. 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.
You should assume that the information in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement, or any related free writing prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front of the document and that any information we have incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement, or any related free writing prospectus, or any sale of our securities. Our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects may have changed since that date.
This prospectus includes summaries of certain provisions contained in some of the documents described herein, but reference is made to the actual documents for complete information. All of the summaries are qualified in their entirety by the actual documents. Copies of some of the documents referred to herein have been filed, will be filed, or will be incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and you may obtain copies of those documents as described in the section titled “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”
The following summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus or incorporated by reference herein and does not contain all the information that may be important to purchasers of our securities. You should carefully read this prospectus, all documents incorporated by reference, any prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, and the additional information described in the “Where You Can Find Additional Information” section of this prospectus, before buying any of the securities being offered. References in this prospectus to “Vaxart,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Vaxart, Inc. and its subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, unless the context requires otherwise.
This summary highlights selected information contained elsewhere in this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and does not contain all of the information that you need to consider in making your investment decision. You should carefully read the entire prospectus and accompanying base prospectus, and any related free writing prospectus, including the risks of investing in our securities discussed in the section titled “Risk Factors” contained in this prospectus, the base prospectus, and any related free writing prospectus, and under similar headings in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus. You should also carefully read the information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, including our financial statements, and the exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
Our Company
We are a clinical-stage biotechnology company primarily focused on the development of oral recombinant vaccines based on our Vector-Adjuvant-Antigen Standardized Technology (“VAAST”) proprietary oral vaccine platform. We are developing prophylactic vaccine candidates that target a range of infectious diseases, including norovirus (a widespread cause of acute gastroenteritis), coronavirus including SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (“COVID-19”)), and influenza. In addition, we have generated preclinical data for our first therapeutic vaccine candidate targeting cervical cancer and dysplasia caused by human papillomavirus (“HPV”). Our oral vaccines are designed to generate broad and durable immune responses that may protect against a wide range of infectious diseases and may be useful for the treatment of chronic viral infections and cancer. Our investigational vaccines are administered using a room temperature-stable tablet, rather than by injection.
Corporate History and Reorganization
Vaxart Biosciences, Inc. was originally incorporated in California under the name West Coast Biologicals, Inc. in March 2004 and changed its name to Vaxart, Inc. (“Private Vaxart”) in July 2007, when it reincorporated in the state of Delaware.
On February 13, 2018, Private Vaxart completed a reverse merger (the “Merger”) with Aviragen Therapeutics, Inc. (“Aviragen”), pursuant to which Private Vaxart survived as a wholly owned subsidiary of Aviragen. Under the terms of the Merger, Aviragen changed its name to Vaxart, Inc. and Private Vaxart changed its name to Vaxart Biosciences, Inc. Our common stock subsequently began trading on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “VXRT.” In November 2025, our common stock was delisted from Nasdaq. In July 2025, our common stock began being traded publicly on the on the OTCQX® Best Market under the trading symbol “VXRT.”
Our corporate headquarters and laboratory are located at 310 Utah Avenue, Suite 150, South San Francisco, California 94080, and our telephone number is (650) 550-3500. We maintain a website at https://www.vaxart.com, to which we regularly post copies of our press releases as well as additional information about us. The information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not a part of this prospectus or the accompanying prospectus supplement. We have included our website address in this prospectus solely as an inactive textual reference.
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Prior to making a decision about investing in our securities, you should carefully consider the specific risk factors discussed in the sections titled “Risk Factors” contained in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 under the heading “Item 1A. Risk Factors,” and as described or may be described in any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q under the heading “Item 1A. Risk Factors,” as well as in all applicable prospectus supplements and contained or to be contained in our filings with the SEC and incorporated by reference in this prospectus, together with all of the other information contained in this prospectus, and any applicable prospectus supplement. For a description of these reports and documents, and information about where you can find them, see “Where You Can Find Additional Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference.” If any of the risks or uncertainties described in our SEC filings or any prospectus supplement or any additional risks and uncertainties actually occur, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. In that case, the trading price of our securities could decline and you might lose all or part of the value of your investment.
Under this prospectus, we may offer shares of our common stock, preferred stock, various series of debt securities, warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock, purchase contracts, and/or units to purchase any of such securities, either individually or in combination with other securities described in this prospectus, in one or more offerings from time to time at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions at the time of the offering. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer a type or series of securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will describe the specific amounts, prices, and other important terms of the securities, including, to the extent applicable:
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designation or classification; |
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aggregate principal amount or aggregate offering price; |
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maturity, if applicable; |
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rates and times of payment of interest or dividends, if any; |
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redemption, conversion or sinking fund terms, if any; |
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voting or other rights, if any; and |
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conversion or exercise prices, if any. |
A prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you also may add, update, or change information contained in this prospectus or in documents we have incorporated by reference.
This prospectus may not be used to offer or sell securities unless it is accompanied by a prospectus supplement.
We may sell the securities directly to or through agents, underwriters, or dealers. We, and our agents, underwriters, or dealers, reserve the right to accept or reject all or part of any proposed purchase of securities. If we do offer securities through agents or underwriters, we will include in the applicable prospectus supplement:
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the names of those agents or underwriters; |
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applicable fees, discounts, and commissions to be paid to them; |
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details regarding over-allotment options, if any; and |
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the net proceeds to us. |
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus and the documents we have filed with the SEC that are incorporated by reference contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. These statements relate to future events or to our future operating or financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements relating to:
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our ability to develop and commercialize our product candidates and clinical results and trial data; |
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our ability to negotiate and receive royalty payments on the sales of our product candidates including Inavir; |
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our ability to obtain the various synergies envisioned in the Exclusive License and Collaboration Agreement with Dynavax Technologies Corporation; |
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estimates of selected financial results for future time periods; |
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our ability to obtain, maintain, and enforce necessary patent and other intellectual property protection; |
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potential partnership opportunities; |
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expectations regarding the future contributions of our management team; |
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the ability of our management team to build out the Company and drive sustainable growth and value creation; |
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our ability to manufacture vaccine tablets; |
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expectations regarding clinical results and trial data; |
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expectations regarding the effectiveness, safety, or convenience of our norovirus vaccine candidate; |
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expectations regarding the effectiveness, safety, or convenience of any other vaccine candidate; |
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the anticipated use of proceeds from this offering; and |
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our expectations with respect to the important advantages we believe our oral vaccine platform can offer over injectable alternatives. |
In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “could,” “estimates,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “potential,” “will,” “would,” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. These statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are based on assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. We discuss in greater detail many of these risks in the section titled “Risk Factors”, in any prospectus supplement and free writing prospectuses we may authorize for use in connection with this offering, and in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as well as any amendments thereto reflected in subsequent filings with the SEC, which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus in their entirety. Also, these forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the date of the document containing the applicable statement. Unless required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information or future events or developments.
In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this prospectus, and while we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements.
You should read this prospectus, together with the documents we have filed with the SEC that are incorporated by reference and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize for use in connection with this offering completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. We qualify all of the forward-looking statements in the foregoing documents by these cautionary statements.
We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.
The following summary of certain provisions of our common stock does not purport to be complete. You should refer to the section of this prospectus titled “Certain Provisions of Delaware Law and of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws” and to our restated certificate of incorporation, as amended from time to time (the “Charter”), our amended and restated bylaws (the “Bylaws”), and the applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”). This information is qualified entirely by reference to the applicable provisions of our Charter, Bylaws, and the DGCL.
General
We are authorized to issue 350,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share. As of the date of this prospectus, there were 241,414,053 shares of our common stock outstanding.
The following is a summary of the material provisions of the common stock provided for in our Charter and Bylaws.
Voting
Our common stock is entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders. However, directors are elected by a plurality of the votes cast. Accordingly, the holders of a majority of the shares of common stock entitled to vote in any election of directors are able to elect all of the directors standing for election, if they so choose.
Dividends
Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any then outstanding preferred stock, the holders of common stock are entitled to receive dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by our board of directors out of legally available funds. We have never paid cash dividends and have no present intention to pay cash dividends.
Liquidation
In the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of our common stock will be entitled to share ratably in the net assets legally available for distribution to stockholders after the payment of all of our debts and other liabilities, subject to the satisfaction of any liquidation preference granted to the holders of any outstanding shares of preferred stock.
Rights and Preferences
Holders of our common stock have no preemptive, conversion or subscription rights, and there are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to our common stock. The rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of our common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of our preferred stock that we have designated or issued, or may designate and issue in the future.
Fully Paid and Nonassessable
All of our outstanding shares of common stock are fully paid and nonassessable.
Nasdaq Capital Market Listing
Our common stock is listed on the OTCQX® Best Market under the symbol “VXRT.”
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Equiniti Trust Company, LLC. The transfer agent and registrar's address is 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11219.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK
The following summary of certain provisions of our common stock does not purport to be complete. You should refer to the section of this prospectus titled “Certain Provisions of Delaware Law and of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws” and to our Charter, our Bylaws, and the applicable provisions of the DGCL. This information is qualified entirely by reference to the applicable provisions of our Charter, Bylaws, and the DGCL. The rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of the preferred stock of each series will be fixed by the certificate of designation relating to that series.
General
We are authorized, without action by the stockholders, to designate and issue up to 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share. As of the date of this prospectus, there were no shares of our preferred stock outstanding.
Our board of directors has the authority, subject to limitations prescribed by Delaware law, to issue preferred stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each series, and to fix or alter the rights, preferences and privileges of the preferred stock, along with any limitations or restrictions, including voting rights, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences of each class or series of preferred stock.
Our board of directors may authorize the issuance of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of common stock. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible future financings and acquisitions and other corporate purposes could, under certain circumstances, have the effect of restricting dividends on our common stock, diluting the voting power of our common stock, impairing the liquidation rights of our common stock, or delaying, deferring, or preventing a change in control of our Company, which might harm the market price of our common stock. See also “Certain Provisions of Delaware Law and of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws — Anti-Takeover Provisions.”
Each series of preferred stock, if issued, will be more fully described in the particular prospectus supplement that will accompany this prospectus. To the extent required, this description will include:
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the maximum number of shares; |
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the designation of the shares; |
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the annual dividend rate, if any, whether the dividend rate is fixed or variable, the date or dates on which dividends will accrue, the dividend payment dates, and whether dividends will be cumulative; |
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the price and the terms and conditions for redemption, if any, including redemption at the option of the Company or at the option of the holders, including the time period for redemption, and any accumulated dividends or premiums; |
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the liquidation preference, if any, and any accumulated dividends upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs; |
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any sinking fund or similar provision, and, if so, the terms and provisions relating to the purpose and operation of the fund; |
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the terms and conditions, if any, for conversion or exchange of shares of any other class or classes of our capital stock or any series of any other class or classes, or of any other series of the same class, or any other securities or assets, including the price or the rate of conversion or exchange and the method, if any, of adjustment; |
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the voting rights, if any; and |
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any or all other preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, privileges or qualifications, limitations or restrictions. |
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for any series of preferred stock that is designated by our board of directors will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
The following description, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, summarizes certain general terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any future debt securities we may offer, we will describe the particular terms of any debt securities that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of any debt securities we offer under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below.
As of the date of this prospectus, we have no debt securities issued and outstanding.
We may sell from time to time, in one or more offerings under this prospectus, secured or unsecured debt securities, which may be senior or subordinated. Any subordinated debt securities generally will be entitled to payment only after payment of our senior debt. Senior debt generally includes all debt for money borrowed by us, except debt that is stated in the instrument governing the terms of that debt to be not senior to, or to have the same rank in right of payment as, or to be expressly junior to, the subordinated debt securities. We may issue debt securities that are convertible into shares of our common stock or preferred stock.
We will issue any debt securities under an indenture, which we will enter into with the trustee named in the indenture. Any indenture will be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. You should read the summary below, the applicable prospectus supplement and the provisions of the applicable indenture and any related security documents, if any, in their entirety before investing in our debt securities.
We will describe in each prospectus supplement the following terms relating to a series of debt securities:
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the title or designation; |
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the principal amount being offered, and if a series, the total amount authorized and the total amount out-standing; |
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any limit on the amount that may be issued; |
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whether or not we will issue the series of debt securities in global form, and if so, the terms and who the depository will be; |
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the maturity date; |
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the principal amount due at maturity, and whether the debt securities will be issued with an original issue discount; |
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whether and under what circumstances, if any, we will pay additional amounts on any debt securities held by a person who is not a United States person for tax purposes, and whether we can redeem the debt securities if we have to pay such additional amounts; |
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the annual interest rate, which may be fixed or variable, or the method for determining the rate and the date interest will begin to accrue, the dates interest will be payable and the regular record dates for interest payment dates or the method for determining such dates; |
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whether or not the debt securities will be secured or unsecured, and the terms of any secured debt; |
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the terms of the subordination of any series of subordinated debt; |
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the place where payments will be payable; |
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restrictions on transfer, sale or other assignment, if any; |
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our right, if any, to defer payment of interest and the maximum length of any such deferral period; |
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the date, if any, after which the conditions upon which, and the price at which, we may, at our option, re-deem the series of debt securities pursuant to any optional or provisional redemption provisions and the terms of those redemptions provisions; |
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the date, if any, on which, and the price at which we are obligated, pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund or analogous fund provisions or otherwise, to redeem, or at the holder’s option to purchase, the series of debt securities and the currency or currency unit in which the debt securities are payable; |
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whether the indenture will restrict our ability to pay dividends, or will require us to maintain any asset ratios or reserves; |
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whether we will be restricted from incurring any additional indebtedness, issuing additional securities, or entering into a merger, consolidation or sale of our business; |
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a discussion of any material or special United States federal income tax considerations applicable to the debt securities; |
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information describing any book-entry features; |
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provisions for a sinking fund purchase or other analogous fund, if any; |
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any provisions for payment of additional amounts for taxes and any provision for redemption, if we must pay such additional amount with respect to any debt security; |
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whether the debt securities are to be offered at a price such that they will be deemed to be offered at an “original issue discount” as defined in paragraph (a) of Section 1273 of the Internal Revenue Code; |
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the denominations in which we will issue the series of debt securities, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof; |
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the terms on which a series of debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock, any other of our securities or securities of a third party, and whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option; |
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events of default; |
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whether we and/or the debenture trustee may change an indenture without the consent of any holders; |
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the form of debt security and how it may be exchanged and transferred; |
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descriptions of the debenture trustee and paying agent, and the method of payments; and |
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any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of, or restrictions on, the debt securities, including any additional events of default or covenants provided with respect to the debt securities, and any terms which may be required by us or advisable under applicable laws or regulations. |
Specific indentures will contain additional important terms and provisions and will be incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement that includes this prospectus, or as an exhibit to a report filed under the Exchange Act, incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
The following description, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer under this prospectus. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any future warrants we may offer, we will describe the particular terms of any warrants that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of any warrants we offer under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms we describe below.
We may issue warrants for the purchase of common stock or preferred stock or debt securities, in one or more series. We may issue warrants independently or together with common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, or other securities, and the warrants may be attached to or separate from our common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, or other securities.
We will file as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from reports that we file with the SEC, the form of warrant agreement, including a form of warrant certificate, that describes the terms of the particular series of warrants we are offering before the issuance of the related series of warrants. The following summaries of material provisions of the warrants and the warrant agreements are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the warrant agreement and warrant certificate applicable to the particular series of warrants that we may offer under this prospectus. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplements related to the particular series of warrants that we may offer under this prospectus, as well as any related free writing prospectuses, and the complete warrant agreements and warrant certificates that contain the terms of the warrants.
General
We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of warrants being offered, including:
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the offering price and aggregate number of warrants offered; |
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the currency for which the warrants may be purchased; |
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if applicable, the number of warrants issued with each share of common stock or preferred stock, or with the principal amount of any debt security; |
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if applicable, the date on and after which the warrants and the related shares will be separately transferable; |
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the number of shares of common stock, preferred stock, or debt securities purchasable upon the exercise of one warrant and the price at which these shares or debt may be purchased upon such exercise; |
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the effect of any merger, consolidation, sale or other disposition of our business on the warrant agreements and the warrants; |
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the terms of any rights to redeem or call the warrants; |
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any provisions for changes to or adjustments in the exercise price or number of securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants; |
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the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence and expire; |
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the various factors considered in determining the exercise or conversion price of the warrants; |
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the manner in which the warrant agreements and warrants may be modified; and |
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any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of or restrictions on the warrants. |
Before exercising their warrants, holders of warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of common stock or preferred stock purchasable upon such exercise, including the right to receive dividends, if any, or, payments upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up or to exercise voting rights.
Exercise of Warrants
Each warrant will entitle the holder to purchase the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock or principal amount of debt securities that we specify in the applicable prospectus supplement at the exercise price that we describe in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants at any time up to the specified time on the expiration date that we set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void.
Holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants by delivering the warrant certificate representing the warrants to be exercised together with specified information, and paying the required amount to the warrant agent in immediately available funds, as provided in the applicable prospectus supplement. We will set forth on the reverse side of the warrant certificate and in the applicable prospectus supplement the information that the holder of the warrant will be required to deliver to the warrant agent.
Upon receipt of the required payment and the warrant certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will issue and deliver the shares or debt securities purchasable upon such exercise. If fewer than all of the warrants represented by the warrant certificate are exercised, then we will issue a new warrant certificate for the remaining amount of warrants. If we so indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the warrants may surrender securities as all or part of the exercise price for warrants.
Governing Law
Unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the warrants and warrant agreements will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.
Enforceability of Rights by Holders of Warrants
Each warrant agent will act solely as our agent under the applicable warrant agreement and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holder of any warrant. A single bank or trust company may act as warrant agent for more than one issue of warrants. A warrant agent will have no duty or responsibility in case of any default by us under the applicable warrant agreement or warrant, including any duty or responsibility to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise, or to make any demand upon us. Any holder of a warrant may, without the consent of the related warrant agent or the holder of any other warrant, enforce by appropriate legal action its right to exercise, and receive the securities purchasable upon exercise of, its warrants.
DESCRIPTION OF PURCHASE CONTRACTS
The following description, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the purchase contracts that we may offer under this prospectus. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any future purchase contracts we may offer, we will describe the particular terms of any purchase contracts that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of any purchase contracts we offer under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms we describe below.
We may issue purchase contracts for the purchase or sale of:
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debt or equity securities issued by us or securities of third parties, a basket of such securities, an index or indices or such securities; |
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currencies; |
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commodities; or |
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any combination of the above as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. |
Each purchase contract will entitle the holder thereof to purchase or sell, and obligate us to sell or purchase, on specified dates, such securities, currencies, or commodities at a specified purchase price, which may be based on a formula, all as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may, however, satisfy our obligations, if any, with respect to any purchase contract by delivering the cash value of such purchase contract or the cash value of the property otherwise deliverable or, in the case of purchase contracts on underlying currencies, by delivering the underlying currencies, as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement will also specify the methods by which the holders may purchase or sell such securities, currencies, or commodities and any acceleration, cancellation, or termination provisions or other provisions relating to the settlement of a purchase contract.
The purchase contracts may require us to make periodic payments to the holders thereof or vice versa, which payments may be deferred to the extent set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, and those payments may be unsecured or prefunded on some basis. The purchase contracts may require the holders thereof to secure their obligations in a specified manner to be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Alternatively, purchase contracts may require holders to satisfy their obligations thereunder when the purchase contracts are issued. Our obligation to settle such pre-paid purchase contracts on the relevant settlement date may constitute indebtedness. Accordingly, pre-paid purchase contracts will be issued under the applicable indenture.
The following description, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the units that we may offer under this prospectus. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any future units we may offer, we will describe the particular terms of any units that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of any units we offer under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms we describe below.
We may issue units comprised of one or more of the other classes of securities described in this prospectus in any combination. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The units may be issued under unit agreements to be entered into between us and a unit agent, as detailed in the prospectus supplement relating to the units being offered. The prospectus supplement will describe:
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the designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances the securities comprising the units may be held or transferred separately; |
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a description of the terms of any unit agreement governing the units; |
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a description of the provisions for the payment, settlement, transfer, or exchange of the units; |
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a discussion of material federal income tax considerations, if applicable; and |
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whether the units if issued as a separate security will be issued in fully registered or global form. |
The descriptions of the units in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplement are summaries of the material provisions of the applicable unit agreements. These descriptions do not restate those unit agreements in their entirety and may not contain all the information that you may find useful. We urge you to read the applicable unit agreements because they, and not the summaries, define your rights as holders of the units. For more information, please review the forms of the relevant unit agreements, which will be filed with the SEC promptly after the offering of units and will be available as described in the section titled “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”
CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF DELAWARE LAW AND OF THE COMPANY’S CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS
Anti-Takeover Effects of Provisions of Our Charter Documents and Delaware Law
Delaware Anti-Takeover Law
We are subject to Section 203 of the DGCL (“Section 203”). Section 203 generally prohibits a public Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder, unless:
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prior to the date of the transaction, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; |
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the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding upon consummation of the transaction, excluding for purposes of determining the number of shares outstanding (1) shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers and (2) shares owned by employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or |
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at or subsequent to the consummation of the transaction, the business combination is approved by the board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder. |
Section 203 defines a business combination to include:
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any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder; |
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any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition involving the interested stockholder of 10% or more of the assets of the corporation; |
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subject to exceptions, any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the corporation beneficially owned by the interested stockholder; |
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subject to exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder; and |
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the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits provided by or through the corporation. |
In general, Section 203 defines an interested stockholder as any entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by the entity or person.
Charter and Bylaws
Provisions of our Charter and Bylaws may delay or discourage transactions involving an actual or potential change-in-control or change in our management, including transactions in which stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares or transactions that our stockholders might otherwise deem to be in their best interests. Therefore, these provisions could adversely affect the price of our common stock. Among other things, our Charter and/or Bylaws:
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permit our board of directors to issue up to 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, with any rights, preferences and privileges as they may designate (including the right to approve an acquisition or other change in control); |
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provide that the authorized number of directors may be changed only by resolution adopted by a majority of the board of directors; |
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provide that all vacancies, including newly created directorships, may, except as otherwise required by law or subject to the rights of holders of preferred stock as designated from time to time, be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of directors then in office, even if less than a quorum; |
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require that any action to be taken by our stockholders must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders or by action taken by written consent; |
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provide that stockholders seeking to present proposals before a meeting of stockholders or to nominate candidates for election as directors at a meeting of stockholders must provide notice in writing in a timely manner and also specify requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice; and |
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provide that special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by the chairman of the board of directors, the President or by our board of directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized directors (whether or not there exist any vacancies). |
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provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (1) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, (2) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director, officer, employee or stockholder of the Company to the Company or the Company’s stockholders, (3) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, the Charter or the Bylaws or as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, or (4) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of capital stock of the Company shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of such provision. Because the applicability of the exclusive forum provision is limited to the extent permitted by applicable law, we do not intend that the exclusive forum provision would apply to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. We also acknowledge that 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 and that there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce an exclusive forum provision for actions arising under the Securities Act. |
Limitation of Liability and Indemnification
Section 145 of the DGCL authorizes a court to award, or a corporation’s board of directors to grant, indemnity to directors and officers in terms sufficiently broad to permit such indemnification under certain circumstances for liabilities, including reimbursement for expenses incurred, arising under the Securities Act.
Our Charter and Bylaws provide that we will indemnify our directors and officers, and may indemnify our employees and other agents, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL. However, Delaware law prohibits our certificate of incorporation from limiting the liability of our directors for the following:
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any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to us or to our stockholders; |
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acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; |
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unlawful payment of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions; and |
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any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. |
We have entered into agreements to indemnify each of our directors and officers. These agreements provide for the indemnification of such persons for all reasonable expenses and liabilities incurred in connection with any action or proceeding brought against them by reason of the fact that they are or were serving in such capacity.
We maintain insurance policies that indemnify our directors and officers against various liabilities arising under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act that might be incurred by any director or officer in the director’s or officer’s capacity as such. We have obtained director and officer liability insurance to cover liabilities our directors and officers may incur in connection with their services to us.
The foregoing discussion of our Charter, Bylaws, indemnification agreements, and Delaware law is not intended to be exhaustive and is qualified in its entirety by such Charter, Bylaws, indemnification agreements, or law.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, we have 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.
We can issue securities in registered form or in the form of one or more global securities. We describe global securities in greater detail below. We refer to those persons who have securities registered in their own names on the books that we or any applicable trustee, depository or warrant agent maintain for this purpose as the “holders” of those securities. These persons are the legal holders of the securities. We refer to those persons who, indirectly through others, own beneficial interests in securities that are not registered in their own names, as “indirect holders” of those securities.
As we discuss below, indirect holders are not legal holders, and investors in securities issued in book-entry form or in street name will be indirect holders.
Book-Entry Holders
We may issue securities in book-entry form only, as we will specify in the applicable prospectus supplement. This means securities may be represented by one or more global securities registered in the name of a financial institution that holds them as depositary on behalf of other financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system. These participating institutions, which are referred to as participants, in turn hold beneficial interests in the securities on behalf of themselves or their customers.
Only the person in whose name a security is registered is recognized as the holder of that security. Securities issued in global form will be registered in the name of the depositary or its participants. Consequently, for securities issued in global form, we will recognize only the depositary as the holder of the securities, and we will make all payments on the securities to the depositary. The depositary passes along the payments it receives to its participants, which in turn pass the payments along to their customers who are the beneficial owners. The depositary and its participants do so under agreements they have made with one another or with their customers; they are not obligated to do so under the terms of the securities.
As a result, investors in a book-entry security will not own securities directly. Instead, they will own beneficial interests in a global security, through a bank, broker, or other financial institution that participates in the depositary’s book-entry system or holds an interest through a participant. As long as the securities are issued in global form, investors will be indirect holders, and not holders, of the securities.
Street Name Holders
We may terminate a global security or issue securities in non-global form. In these cases, investors may choose to hold their securities in their own names or in “street name.” Securities held by an investor in street name would be registered in the name of a bank, broker, or other financial institution that the investor chooses, and the investor would hold only a beneficial interest in those securities through an account the investor maintains at that institution.
For securities held in street name, we will recognize only the intermediary banks, brokers, and other financial institutions in whose names the securities are registered as the holders of those securities, and we will make all payments on those securities to them. These institutions pass along the payments they receive to their customers who are the beneficial owners, but only because they agree to do so in their customer agreements or because they are legally required to do so. Investors who hold securities in street name will be indirect holders, not holders, of those securities.
Legal Holders
Our obligations, as well as the obligations of any applicable trustee and of any third parties employed by us or a trustee, run only to the legal holders of the securities. We do not have obligations to investors who hold beneficial interests in global securities, in street name or by any other indirect means. This will be the case whether an investor chooses to be an indirect holder of a security or has no choice because we are issuing the securities only in global form.
For example, once we make a payment or give a notice to the holder, we have no further responsibility for the payment or notice even if that holder is required, under agreements with depositary participants or customers or by law, to pass it along to the indirect holders but does not do so.
Special Considerations for Indirect Holders
If you hold securities through a bank, broker or other financial institution, either in book-entry form or in street name, you should check with your own institution to find out:
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how it handles securities payments and notices; |
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whether it imposes fees or charges; |
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how it would handle a request for the holders’ consent, if ever required; |
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whether and how you can instruct it to send you securities registered in your own name so you can be a holder, if that is permitted in the future; |
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how it would exercise rights under the securities if there were a default or other event triggering the need for holders to act to protect their interests; and |
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if the securities are in book-entry form, how the depositary’s rules and procedures will affect these matters. |
Global Securities
A global security is a security that represents one or any other number of individual securities held by a depositary. Generally, all securities represented by the same global securities will have the same terms.
Each security issued in book-entry form will be represented by a global security that we deposit with and register in the name of a financial institution or its nominee that we select. The financial institution that we select for this purpose is called the depositary. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the Depository Trust Company, or DTC, will be the depositary for all securities issued in book-entry form.
A global security may not be transferred to or registered in the name of anyone other than the depositary, its nominee or a successor depositary, unless special termination situations arise. We describe those situations below under “— Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated.” As a result of these arrangements, the depositary, or its nominee, will be the sole registered owner and holder of all securities represented by a global security, and investors will be permitted to own only beneficial interests in a global security. Beneficial interests must be held by means of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution that in turn has an account with the depositary or with another institution that does. Thus, an investor whose security is represented by a global security will not be a holder of the security, but only an indirect holder of a beneficial interest in the global security.
If the prospectus supplement for a particular security indicates that the security will be issued in global form only, then the security will be represented by a global security at all times unless and until the global security is terminated. If termination occurs, we may issue the securities through another book-entry clearing system or decide that the securities may no longer be held through any book-entry clearing system.
Special Considerations for Global Securities
As an indirect holder, an investor’s rights relating to a global security will be governed by the account rules of the investor’s financial institution and of the depositary, as well as general laws relating to securities transfers. We do not recognize an indirect holder as a holder of securities and instead deal only with the depositary that holds the global security.
If securities are issued only in the form of a global security, an investor should be aware of the following:
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An investor cannot cause the securities to be registered in the investor’s and cannot obtain non-global certificates for the investor’s interest in the securities, except in the special situations we describe below. |
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An investor will be an indirect holder and must look to such investor’s own bank or broker for payments on the securities and protection of such investor’s legal rights relating to the securities, as we describe above. |
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An investor may not be able to sell interests in the securities to some insurance companies and to other institutions that are required by law to own their securities in non-book-entry form. |
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An investor may not be able to pledge such investor’s interest in a global security in circumstances where certificates representing the securities must be delivered to the lender or other beneficiary of the pledge in order for the pledge to be effective. |
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The depositary’s policies, which may change from time to time, will govern payments, transfers, exchanges, and other matters relating to an investor’s interest in a global security. We and any applicable trustee have no responsibility for any aspect of the depositary’s actions or for its records of ownership interests in a global security. We and the trustee also do not supervise the depositary in any way. |
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The depositary may, and we understand that DTC will, require that those who purchase and sell interests in a global security within its book-entry system use immediately available funds, and your broker or bank may require you to do so as well. |
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Financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system, and through which an investor holds its interest in a global security, may also have their own policies affecting payments, notices and other matters relating to the securities. There may be more than one financial intermediary in the chain of ownership for an investor. We do not monitor and are not responsible for the actions of any of those intermediaries. |
Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated
In a few special situations described below, the global security will terminate, and interests in it will be exchanged for physical certificates representing those interests. After that exchange, the choice of whether to hold securities directly or in street name will be up to the investor. Investors must consult their own banks or brokers to find out how to have their interests in securities transferred to their own name, so that they will be direct holders. We have described the rights of holders and street name investors above.
The global security will terminate when the following special situations occur:
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if the depositary notifies us that it is unwilling, unable or no longer qualified to continue as depositary for that global security and we do not appoint another institution to act as depositary within 90 days; |
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if we notify any applicable trustee that we wish to terminate that global security; or |
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if an event of default has occurred with regard to securities represented by that global security and has not been cured or waived. |
The applicable prospectus supplement may also list additional situations for terminating a global security that would apply only to the particular series of securities covered by the prospectus supplement. When a global security terminates, the depositary, and not we or any applicable trustee, is responsible for deciding the names of the institutions that will be the initial direct holders.
We may sell our securities covered by this prospectus in any of three ways (or in any combination):
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to or through underwriters or dealers; |
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directly to one or more purchasers; or |
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through agents. |
We may distribute the securities:
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from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed from time to time; |
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in “at the market” offerings, as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act, at negotiated prices, at prices prevailing at the time of sale or at prices related to such prevailing market prices, including sales made directly on a national securities exchange or sales made through a market maker other than on an exchange or other similar offerings through sales agents; or |
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at negotiated prices. |
Each time we offer and sell securities covered by this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement or supplements that will describe the method of distribution and set forth the terms of the offering, including:
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the name or names of any underwriters, dealers, or agents; |
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the amounts of securities underwritten or purchased by each of them; |
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the purchase price of securities and the proceeds we will receive from the sale; |
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any option under which underwriters may purchase additional securities from us; |
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any underwriting discounts or commissions or agency fees and other items constituting underwriters’ or agents’ compensation; |
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the public offering price of the securities; |
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any discounts, commissions or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and |
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any securities exchange or market on which the securities may be listed. |
Any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time. We may determine the price or other terms of the securities offered under this prospectus by use of an electronic auction. We will describe how any auction will determine the price or any other terms, how potential investors may participate in the auction and the nature of the obligations of the underwriter, dealer, or agent in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Underwriters or dealers may offer and sell the offered securities from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. If underwriters or dealers are used in the sale of any securities, the securities will be acquired by the underwriters or dealers for their own account and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions described above. The securities may be either offered to the public through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters, or directly by underwriters or dealers. Generally, the underwriters’ or dealers’ obligations to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions precedent. The underwriters or dealers will be obligated to purchase all of the securities if they purchase any of the securities, unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement. We may use underwriters with whom we have a material relationship. We will describe the nature of any such relationship in the prospectus supplement, naming the underwriter.
We may sell the securities through agents from time to time. The prospectus supplement will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of the securities and any commissions we pay to them. Generally, any agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment. We may authorize underwriters, dealers, or agents to solicit offers by certain purchasers to purchase the securities from us at the public offering price set forth in the prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. The contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in the prospectus supplement, and the prospectus supplement will set forth any commissions we pay for solicitation of these contracts.
Agents, dealers, and underwriters may be entitled to indemnification by us against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution with respect to payments which the agents, dealers or underwriters may be required to make in respect thereof. Agents, dealers, and underwriters may engage in transactions with, or perform services for us in the ordinary course of business.
All securities we may offer, other than common stock, will be new issues of securities with no established trading market. Any underwriters may make a market in these securities, but will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. We cannot guarantee the liquidity of the trading markets for any securities.
Any underwriter may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, short covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Over-allotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. This short sales position may involve either “covered” short sales or “naked” short sales. Covered short sales are short sales made in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ over-allotment option to purchase additional securities in the relevant offering. The underwriters may close out any covered short position either by exercising their over-allotment option or by purchasing securities in the open market. To determine how they will close the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of securities available for purchase in the open market, as compared to the price at which they may purchase securities through the over-allotment option. Naked short sales are short sales in excess of the over-allotment option. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing securities in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that, in the open market after pricing, there may be downward pressure on the price of the securities that could adversely affect investors who purchase securities in the offering. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security for the purpose of fixing the price of the security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a covering transaction to cover short positions.
Any underwriters who are qualified market makers on The Nasdaq Capital Market may engage in passive market making transactions in our common stock, preferred stock, warrants and debt securities, as applicable on The Nasdaq Capital Market in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M, during the business day prior to the pricing of the offering, before the commencement of offers or sales of the securities. Passive market makers must comply with applicable volume and price limitations and must be identified as passive market makers. In general, a passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid for such security; if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, however, the passive market maker’s bid must then be lowered when certain purchase limits are exceeded.
Similar to other purchase transactions, an underwriter’s purchase to cover the syndicate short sales or to stabilize the market price of our securities may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our securities or preventing or mitigating a decline in the market price of our securities. As a result, the price of our securities may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. The imposition of a penalty bid might also have an effect on the price of the securities if it discourages resales of the securities.
Neither we nor any underwriter makes any representation or prediction as to the effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of the securities. If such transactions are commenced, they may be discontinued without notice at any time.
The validity of the securities being offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Thompson Hine LLP, New York, New York.
The 2025 and 2024 audited annual consolidated financial statements of Vaxart, Inc. as of and for each of the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2025, incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement, have been incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of WithumSmith+Brown, PC, independent registered public accounting firm, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This prospectus is part of a shelf registration statement that we have filed with the SEC. This prospectus does not contain all of the information in the registration statement and its exhibits. For further information with respect to us and the securities offered by this prospectus, we refer you to the registration statement and its exhibits. Statements contained in this prospectus as to the contents of any contract or any other document referred to 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. Each of these statements is qualified in all respects by this reference. The SEC maintains an internet website that contains reports, proxy statements, and other information about registrants, like us, that file electronically with the SEC. The address of that website is www.sec.gov. The information contained in, or that can be accessed through, the SEC’s website is not incorporated by reference in, and is not part of, this prospectus or any prospectus supplement.
We are subject to the information and periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, and we file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. We maintain a website at https://www.vaxart.com. You may access our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act with the SEC free of charge at our website as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. The information contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference in, and is not part of, this prospectus or any prospectus supplement.
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information that we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus. Information in this prospectus supersedes information incorporated by reference that we filed with the SEC prior to the date of this prospectus, while information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede the information in this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or free writing prospectus provided to you in connection with this offering, or in any other document we subsequently file with the SEC that also is incorporated by reference in this prospectus, modifies or supersedes the original statement.
The following documents filed with the SEC are hereby incorporated by reference in this prospectus:
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our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the SEC on March 13, 2026; and |
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the description of our common stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 10, filed with the SEC on May 4, 1970, as amended by our Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 000-04829) filed with the SEC on August 15, 2003. |
All reports and other documents subsequently filed by us pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this prospectus and prior to the termination of this offering shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such reports and other documents.
We will furnish without charge to you, on written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated by reference, including exhibits to these documents. You should direct any requests for documents by writing us at 310 Utah Avenue, Suite 150, South San Francisco, California, 94080 or by telephoning us at (650) 550-3500.
Notwithstanding the statements in the preceding paragraphs, no document, report, or exhibit (or portion of any of the foregoing) or any other information that we have “furnished” or may in the future “furnish” to the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act shall be incorporated by reference into this prospectus or any prospectus supplement.
In accordance with Rule 412 of the Securities Act, any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed modified or superseded to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement.
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Debt Securities
Warrants
Purchase Contracts
Units
$300,000,000
PROSPECTUS
__________, 2026
THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED APRIL 15, 2026
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
(To Prospectus, dated __________, 2026)
Up to $49,772,479 of Shares of
Common Stock
We have entered into an At the Market Offering Agreement, dated March 21, 2025 (the “Sales Agreement”) with Citizens JMP Securities, LLC and B. Riley Securities, Inc. (the “Sales Agents”) relating to shares of our common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. In accordance with the terms of the Sales Agreement, we may offer and sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $49,772,479 from time to time through the Sales Agents.
Upon our delivery of a placement notice and subject to the terms and conditions of the Sales Agreement, the Sales Agents may sell the common stock by methods deemed to be an “at the market” offering as defined in Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), including sales made directly on The Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”), on any other existing trading market for the common stock or to or through a market maker other than on an exchange. In addition, with our prior written approval, the Sales Agents may also sell the common stock by any other method permitted by law, including in privately negotiated transactions. If we and the Sales Agents agree on any method of distribution other than sales of shares of our common stock on or through The Nasdaq Capital Market or another existing trading market in the United States at market prices, we will file a further prospectus supplement providing all information about such offering as required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act. The Sales Agents are not required to sell any specific number or dollar amount of our common stock, but will use its commercially reasonable efforts, as our sales agent and subject to the terms of the sales agreement, to sell the shares of common stock offered, as instructed by us and applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations and the rules of the Nasdaq. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in any escrow, trust or similar arrangement.
Each of the Sales Agents will be entitled to compensation under the terms of the sales agreement at a fixed commission rate, in the aggregate, of up to 3% of the gross sales price per share sold, in addition to reimbursement of certain expenses. See “Plan of Distribution” for information relating to certain expenses of the sales agent to be reimbursed by us.
In connection with the sale of common stock on our behalf, each of the Sales Agents may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and the compensation to each of the Sales Agents will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have also agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to each of the Sales Agents with respect to certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
The net proceeds we receive from any sales under this prospectus supplement will be the gross proceeds from such sales less the commissions and any other costs we may incur in offering the common stock. See “Use of Proceeds” and “Plan of Distribution” for additional information.
Our common stock is traded on the OTCQX® Best Market under the symbol “VXRT.” On April 10, 2026, the reported closing price of the common stock was $0.63 per share.
Investing in our securities involves risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-4 of this prospectus supplement, on page S-4 of the accompanying base prospectus and in our filings with the Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), that are incorporated by reference herein and therein to read about factors you should consider before investing in our securities.
Neither the SEC nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Citizens Capital Markets B. Riley Securities
The date of this prospectus supplement is __________, 2026.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
We provide information to you about this offering of securities in two separate documents that are bound together: (1) this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific details regarding this offering; and (2) the accompanying base prospectus, which provides general information, some of which may not apply to this offering. If information in this prospectus supplement is inconsistent with the accompanying base prospectus, you should rely on this prospectus supplement. However, if any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date - for example, a document incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement - the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement as our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects may have changed since the earlier dates.
We have not, and the Sales Agents have not, authorized anyone to provide you with any information that is in addition to or different from that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus, or in any free writing prospectus we have prepared. We and the Sales Agents take no responsibility for, and provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. We and the Sales Agents are not making an offer to sell or soliciting an offer to buy our securities in any jurisdiction where an offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making that offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make an offer or solicitation. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein, and in any free writing prospectus that we may authorize for use in connection with this offering, is accurate only as of the date of those respective documents. Our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects may have changed since those dates. You should read this prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the base prospectus, and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize for use in connection with this offering, in their entirety before making an investment decision. You should also read and consider the information in the documents to which we have referred you in the section of this prospectus supplement titled “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”
We and the Sales Agents are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, securities only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. The distribution of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus and the offering of the securities in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the securities and the distribution of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus outside the United States. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus do not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus by any person in any jurisdiction in which it is unlawful for such person to make such an offer or solicitation.
When we refer to “Vaxart,” “we,” “our,” “us,” and the “Company” in this prospectus supplement, we mean Vaxart, Inc., and our consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise specified.
Vaxart® and the Vaxart logo are some of our trademarks used in this prospectus supplement. This prospectus supplement also includes trademarks, tradenames, and service marks that are the property of other organizations. Solely for convenience, our trademarks and tradenames referred to in this prospectus supplement appear without the ® and ™ symbol, but those references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights, or the right of the applicable licensor to these trademarks and tradenames.
This summary provides a general overview of selected information and does not contain all of the information you should consider before buying our securities. Therefore, you should read the entire prospectus supplement, accompanying base prospectus, and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering carefully, including the information incorporated by reference, before deciding to invest in our securities. Investors should carefully consider the information set forth under “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-4 of this prospectus supplement and incorporated by reference to our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as supplemented by any additional SEC filings.
Our Company
We are a clinical-stage biotechnology company primarily focused on the development of oral recombinant vaccines based on our Vector-Adjuvant-Antigen Standardized Technology (“VAAST”) proprietary oral vaccine platform. We are developing prophylactic vaccine candidates that target a range of infectious diseases, including norovirus (a widespread cause of acute gastroenteritis), coronavirus including SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (“COVID-19”)), and influenza. In addition, we have generated preclinical data for our first therapeutic vaccine candidate targeting cervical cancer and dysplasia caused by human papillomavirus (“HPV”). Our oral vaccines are designed to generate broad and durable immune responses that may protect against a wide range of infectious diseases and may be useful for the treatment of chronic viral infections and cancer. Our investigational vaccines are administered using a room temperature-stable tablet, rather than by injection.
Corporate History and Reorganization
Vaxart Biosciences, Inc. was originally incorporated in California under the name West Coast Biologicals, Inc. in March 2004 and changed its name to Vaxart, Inc. (“Private Vaxart”) in July 2007, when it reincorporated in the state of Delaware.
On February 13, 2018, Private Vaxart completed a reverse merger (the “Merger”) with Aviragen Therapeutics, Inc. (“Aviragen”), pursuant to which Private Vaxart survived as a wholly owned subsidiary of Aviragen. Under the terms of the Merger, Aviragen changed its name to Vaxart, Inc. and Private Vaxart changed its name to Vaxart Biosciences, Inc. Our common stock subsequently began trading on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “VXRT.” In November 2025, our common stock was delisted from Nasdaq. In July 2025, our common stock began being traded publicly on the on the OTCQX® Best Market under the trading symbol “VXRT.”
Our corporate headquarters and laboratory are located at 310 Utah Avenue, Suite 150, South San Francisco, California 94080, and our telephone number is (650) 550-3500. We maintain a website at https://www.vaxart.com, to which we regularly post copies of our press releases as well as additional information about us. The information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not a part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus. We have included our website address in this prospectus supplement solely as an inactive textual reference.
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Common stock offered by us |
Shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $49,772,479 pursuant to the Sales Agreement. |
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Common stock currently outstanding |
241,414,053 shares |
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Common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering |
Up to 320,417,987 shares, assuming sales at a sales price of $0.63 per share, which was the closing sale price on the OTCQX® Best Market on April 10, 2026. The actual number of shares of common stock outstanding following this offering will vary depending on several factors, including whether we elect to sell shares pursuant to this offering and the price at which the shares may be sold from time to time during this offering. |
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Manner of Offering |
An “at-the-market” offering that may be made from time to time through or to the Sales Agents. See the section titled “Plan of Distribution.” |
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Use of proceeds |
We currently intend to use the net proceeds from this offering primarily for general corporate purposes, including working capital, operating expenses and capital expenditures. See the section titled “Use of Proceeds.” |
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Risk factors |
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should read the section titled “Risk Factors,” in this prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement for a discussion of factors to consider before deciding to purchase shares of our common stock. |
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The OTCQX® Best Market symbol |
“VXRT” |
The above discussion is based on 241,414,053 shares of our common stock outstanding as of April 10, 2026, but excludes:
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27,767,619 shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options at April 10, 2026, with a weighted-average exercise price of $1.62 per share; |
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6,691,605 shares issuable upon the vesting of outstanding restricted stock units (“RSUs”) at April 10, 2026; |
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6,088,856 shares reserved for future issuance under our 2019 Equity Incentive Plan as of April 10, 2026, which amount includes an increase of 15,000,000 shares approved by stockholders at the annual meeting of stockholders held on June 11, 2024; |
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31,250 shares reserved for future issuance under our 2024 Inducement Award Plan as of April 10, 2026; |
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10,914 shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding warrants at April 10, 2026, with a weighted-average exercise price of $22.99 per share; and |
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1,823,454 shares reserved for future issuance under our 2022 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”) at April 10, 2026, which amount includes an increase of 1,800,000 shares approved by stockholders at the annual meeting of stockholders held on June 11, 2024. |
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully the risks described below and discussed under the section captioned “Risk Factors” contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, as updated by our subsequent filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), each of which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement in its entirety, together with other information in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus, the information and documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the base prospectus, and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering before you make a decision to invest in our securities. If any of the risks described therein or below actually occur, our business, operating results, prospects, or financial condition could be materially and adversely affected. This could cause the trading price of our common stock to decline and you may lose all or part of your investment. The risks described below are not the only ones that we face. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business operations.
Risks Related to this Offering
Our recurring losses from operations and negative cash flows have raised substantial doubt regarding our ability to continue as a going concern. We will require substantial additional funding to finance our operations, and if we are unable to raise capital, we could be forced to delay, reduce the scope of or eliminate certain of our development programs, or explore other strategic options.
Our recurring losses from operations and negative cash flows raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. As of December 31, 2025, we had $63.8 million of cash, cash equivalents and investments. We believe these funds are sufficient to fund our operations into the second quarter of 2027. Our ability to continue as a going concern is dependent upon our ability to raise additional capital through outside sources. We plan to raise additional capital through the sale of convertible stock, additional equity, debt financings, government programs, or strategic alliances with third parties. Such financing and funding may not be available at all, or on terms that are favorable to us. Failure to raise additional capital could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and/or our ability to fund our scheduled obligations on a timely basis or at all. If we are unable to continue as a going concern, we may be forced to liquidate our assets and the values we receive for our assets in liquidation or dissolution could be significantly lower than the values reflected in our consolidated financial statements. Any such failure could cause the market price of our common stock to decrease and limit the volume of trading in our common stock.
We recently transferred the trading of our common stock from The Nasdaq Stock Market to the OTCQX® Best Market after our common stock was delisted from Nasdaq. Because our common stock is quoted on the OTCQX® Best Market, your ability to sell your shares in the secondary trading market may be limited.
Effective July 8, 2025, Nasdaq suspended trading in our common stock and subsequently informed the company on September 19, 2025 that the Company’s common stock will be delisted from The Nasdaq Capital Market. Our common stock is currently quoted on the OTCQX® Best Market under the ticker symbol “VXRT.”
As a result of the transfer of the our common stock from Nasdaq to the OTCQX® Best Market, we anticipate that our stockholders could experience negative consequences related to our securities, including but not limited to: limited availability of market quotations for our securities; a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for shares of our common stock; a limited amount of analyst coverage; and decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future.
Because our common stock is quoted on the OTCQX® Best Market, your ability to sell your shares in the secondary trading market may be limited. Since July 8, 2025, the OTCQX® Best Market is the only liquidity platform for our common stock. We cannot assure our stockholders that our common stock will continue to trade on this liquidity platform, whether broker-dealers will continue to provide public quotes of our common stock on this liquidity platform, whether the trading volume of our common stock will be sufficient to provide for respective efficient liquidity platforms or whether quotes for our common stock will continue on this liquidity platform in the future, which could result in significantly lower trading volumes and reduced liquidity for investors seeking to buy or sell our common stock. As a result, prices for shares of our common stock may be lower than might otherwise prevail if our common stock was listed on a national securities exchange.
The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or preempts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as “covered securities.” Shares of our common stock were considered to be covered securities because they were listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market. Because our common stock is no longer listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market, our common stock is not deemed covered securities and we are subject to regulation in each state in which we offer our securities.
The trading price of our common stock could be highly volatile, which could result in substantial losses for purchasers of our common stock in this offering.
Our stock price is volatile. The stock market in general and the market for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in particular have experienced extreme volatility that has often been unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. As a result of this volatility, you may not be able to sell your common stock at or above the offering price and you may lose some or all of your investment. The market price for our common stock may be influenced by many factors, including:
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our ability to develop product candidates and conduct clinical trials that demonstrate our product candidates are safe and effective; |
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our ability to negotiate and receive royalty payments on the sales of our product candidates including Inavir; |
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our ability to obtain regulatory approvals for our product candidates, and delays or failures to obtain such approvals; |
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failure of any of our product candidates to demonstrate safety and efficacy, receive regulatory approval and achieve commercial success; |
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failure to maintain our existing third-party license, manufacturing and supply agreements; |
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our failure, or that of our licensors, to prosecute, maintain, or enforce our intellectual property rights; |
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changes in laws or regulations applicable to our product candidates; |
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any inability to obtain adequate supply of product candidates or the inability to do so at acceptable prices; |
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adverse regulatory authority decisions; |
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introduction of new or competing products by our competitors; |
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failure to meet or exceed financial and development projections that we may provide to the public; |
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the perception of the pharmaceutical industry by the public, legislatures, regulators and the investment community; |
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announcements of significant acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures, or capital commitments by us or our competitors; |
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disputes or other developments relating to proprietary rights, including patents, litigation matters, and our ability to obtain intellectual property protection for our technologies; |
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additions or departures of key personnel; |
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significant lawsuits, including intellectual property or stockholder litigation; |
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if securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about us, or if they issue adverse or misleading opinions regarding our business and stock; |
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changes in the market valuations of similar companies; |
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general market or macroeconomic conditions; |
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sales of our common stock by our existing stockholders in the future; |
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trading volume of our common stock; |
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adverse publicity relating to our markets generally, including with respect to other products and potential products in such markets; |
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changes in the structure of health care payment systems; and |
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period-to-period fluctuations in our financial results. |
In the past, securities class action litigation has often been brought against a company following a decline in the market price of its securities. This risk is especially relevant for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, which have experienced significant stock price volatility in recent years. These broad market and industry factors may seriously harm the market price of our common stock, regardless of our operating performance.
We will require additional capital funding, the receipt of which may impair the value of our common stock.
Our future capital requirements depend on many factors, including our research, development, sales and marketing activities. We will need to raise additional capital through public or private equity or debt offerings or through arrangements with strategic partners or other sources in order to continue to develop our drug candidates. There can be no assurance that additional capital will be available when needed or on terms satisfactory to us, if at all. To the extent we raise additional capital by issuing equity securities, our stockholders may experience substantial dilution and the new equity securities may have greater rights, preferences or privileges than our existing common stock.
You will experience immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible book value per share of the common stock you purchase.
The offering price per share in this offering may exceed the net tangible book value per share of our common stock outstanding prior to this offering. Assuming that an aggregate of 79,003,934 shares of our common stock are sold at the assumed offering price of $0.63 per share (the last reported sale price of our common stock on the OTCQX® Best Market on April 10, 2026) and after deducting commissions and estimated aggregate offering expenses payable by us, you will experience immediate dilution of $0.23 per share, representing the difference between our as adjusted net tangible book value per share as of December 31, 2025 after giving effect to this offering and the assumed offering price. See the section entitled “Dilution” appearing elsewhere in this prospectus supplement for a more detailed illustration of the dilution you would incur if you participate in this offering.
In addition, we may in the future offer additional shares of our common stock or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock at prices that may not be the same as the price per share in this offering. In the event that other outstanding options or warrants are exercised or settled, or if we make additional issuances of common stock or other convertible or exchangeable securities, you could experience additional dilution. We cannot assure you that we will be able to sell shares or other securities in any other offering at a price per share that is equal to or greater than the price per share paid in this offering, and investors purchasing shares or other securities in the future could have rights superior to existing stockholders, including investors who purchase shares of common stock in this offering. The price per share at which we sell additional shares of our common stock or securities convertible into common stock in future transactions, may be higher or lower than the price per share in this offering. Additionally, the exercise of warrants, exercise of outstanding stock options, conversion of outstanding preferred stock, and vesting of other stock awards may result in further dilution of your investment.
You may experience future dilution as a result of future equity offerings.
In order to raise additional capital, we may in the future offer additional shares of our common stock or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock at prices that may not be the same as the price per share in this offering. We may sell shares or other securities in any other 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. If we sell common stock, convertible securities, or other equity securities, investors may be materially diluted by subsequent sales.
In addition, we have a significant number of warrants and options outstanding. To the extent that outstanding options or warrants have been or may be exercised or converted or other shares of common stock are issued, you may experience further dilution. Further, we may choose to raise additional capital due to market conditions or strategic considerations even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans, which may lead to further dilution.
Issuances and resales of our common stock in the public market by our stockholders during this offering may cause the market price of our common stock to fall.
We may issue common stock from time to time in connection with this offering. The issuance from time to time of these new shares of our common stock, or our ability to issue new shares of common stock in this offering, could result in resales of our common stock by our current stockholders concerned about the potential dilution of their holdings. In turn, these resales could have the effect of depressing the market price for our common stock.
We have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds from this offering and may invest or spend the proceeds in ways with which you do not agree and in ways that may not yield a return on your investment.
Although we currently intend to use the net proceeds from this offering in the manner described in the section titled “Use of Proceeds” in this prospectus supplement, our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from this offering and could spend the proceeds in ways that do not improve our results of operations or enhance the value of our common stock. You will not have the opportunity to influence our decisions on how to use the net proceeds from this offering. The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could result in financial losses that could harm our business, cause the price of our common stock to decline, and delay the development of our product candidates. Pending their use, we may invest the net proceeds from this offering in a manner that does not produce income or that loses value.
Because we do not intend to declare cash dividends on our shares of common stock in the foreseeable future, stockholders must rely on appreciation of the value of our common stock for any return on their investment.
We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our common stock. We currently anticipate that we will retain future earnings for the development, operation and expansion of our business and do not anticipate declaring or paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. In addition, the terms of any existing or future debt agreements may preclude us from paying dividends. As a result, we expect that only appreciation of the price of our common stock, if any, will provide a return to investors in this offering for the foreseeable future.
Investing in our common stock may involve a high degree of risk.
The investments that we make in accordance with our investment objectives may result in a high amount of risk, resulting in a complete loss of principal, when compared to alternative investment options. Our investments may be highly speculative and aggressive, and therefore an investment in our common stock may not be suitable for someone with lower risk tolerance.
It is not possible to predict the aggregate proceeds resulting from sales made under the sales agreement.
Subject to certain limitations in the sales agreement and compliance with applicable law, we have the discretion to deliver a placement notice to the Sales Agents at any time throughout the term of the Sales Agreement. The number of shares that are sold through each of the Sales Agents after delivering a placement notice will fluctuate based on a number of factors, including the market price of our common stock during the sales period, the limits we set with the Sales Agents in any applicable placement notice, and the demand for our common stock during the sales period. Because the price per share of each share sold will fluctuate during the sales period, it is not currently possible to predict the aggregate proceeds to be raised in connection with those sales.
The common stock offered hereby will be sold in “at the market offerings,” and investors who buy shares at different times will likely pay different prices.
Investors who purchase shares 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. We will have discretion, subject to market demand, to vary the timing, prices, and number of shares sold in this offering. In addition, subject to the final determination by our board of directors, there is no minimum or maximum sales price for shares to be sold in this offering. Investors may experience a decline in the value of the shares they purchase in this offering as a result of sales made at prices lower than the prices they paid.
The actual number of shares we will issue under the sales agreement with each of the Sales Agents, at any one time or in total, is uncertain.
Subject to certain limitations in the sales agreement with the Sales Agents and compliance with applicable law, we have the discretion to deliver placement notices to the Sales Agents at any time throughout the term of the sales agreement. The number of shares that are sold by each of the Sales Agents after delivering a placement notice will fluctuate based on the market price of the common stock during the sales period and limits we set with the Sales Agents.
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference, and any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering contain forward-looking statements concerning our business, operations, and financial performance and condition, as well as our plans, objectives, and expectations for our business, operations, and financial performance and condition. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “aim,” “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “due,” “estimate,” “expect,” “goal,” “intend,” “may,” “objective,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential,” “positioned,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would,” and other similar expressions that are predictions or indicate future events and future trends, or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about:
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our ability to develop and commercialize our product candidates and clinical results and trial data; |
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our ability to negotiate and receive royalty payments on the sales of our product candidates including Inavir; |
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our ability to obtain the various synergies envisioned in the Exclusive License and Collaboration Agreement with Dynavax Technologies Corporation; |
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estimates of selected financial results for future time periods; |
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our ability to obtain, maintain, and enforce necessary patent and other intellectual property protection; |
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potential partnership opportunities; |
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expectations regarding the future contributions of our management team; |
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the ability of our management team to build out the Company and drive sustainable growth and value creation; |
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our ability to manufacture vaccine tablets; |
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expectations regarding clinical results and trial data; |
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expectations regarding the effectiveness, safety, or convenience of our norovirus vaccine candidate; |
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expectations regarding the effectiveness, safety, or convenience of any other vaccine candidate; |
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the anticipated use of proceeds from this offering; and |
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our expectations with respect to the important advantages we believe our oral vaccine platform can offer over injectable alternatives. |
These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections about our business and the industry in which we operate and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that are in some cases beyond our control. As a result, any or all of our forward-looking statements in this prospectus supplement may turn out to be inaccurate. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, those listed under “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus supplement, the base prospectus, or the documents incorporated by reference. Potential investors are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and as of the dates indicated in these statements. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, even if new information becomes available in the future. Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to rely on such forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. You should, however, review the factors and risks we describe in the reports we will file from time to time with the SEC after the date of this prospectus supplement. See the section titled “Where You Can Find Additional Information” of this prospectus supplement.
In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this prospectus supplement, and while we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, and our management is responsible for the accuracy of such information, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements.
The proceeds from this offering may vary if we choose to raise less than, or are unable to raise up to, the maximum $49,772,479 in gross offering proceeds permitted by this prospectus supplement. The number of shares that we offer and the offering price per share also may vary. There can be no assurance that we will be able to sell any shares or fully utilize the Sales Agreement as a source of financing. Because there is no minimum offering amount required as a condition to close this offering, the net proceeds to us, if any, are not determinable at this time.
We will retain broad discretion over the use of the net proceeds from the sale of the securities offered hereby. We currently intend to use the net proceeds from this offering primarily for general corporate purposes, including working capital, operating expenses and capital expenditures.
The amounts and timing of our use of the net proceeds from this offering will depend on a number of factors, such as the timing, scope, progress, and results of our development efforts and the timing and progress of any collaboration efforts. As of the date of this prospectus supplement, we cannot specify with certainty all of the particular uses of the proceeds from the sale of securities under this prospectus supplement. Accordingly, we will retain broad discretion over the use of such proceeds. Pending the use of the net proceeds from the sale of securities under this prospectus supplement as described above, we intend to invest the net proceeds in investment-grade, interest-bearing instruments.
We have never declared or paid dividends on shares of our common stock. We intend to retain future earnings, if any, to support the development of our vaccine candidates and our business and therefore do not anticipate paying cash dividends for the foreseeable future. Payment of future dividends, if any, will be at the discretion of our board of directors after taking into account various factors, including current financial condition, operating results, and current and anticipated cash needs.
If you invest in our common stock in this offering, your interest will be diluted immediately to the extent of the difference between the offering price per share you will pay in this offering and the as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock after this offering.
Our historical net tangible book value as of December 31, 2025 was approximately $80.5 million, or $0.33 per share of common stock. Historical net tangible book value per share represents the amount of our total tangible assets less total liabilities, divided by the number of shares of our common stock outstanding on December 31, 2025.
After giving effect to our issuance and sale of 79,003,934 shares of common stock in this offering at an offering price of $0.63 per share (which was the last reported sale price on April 10, 2026), and after deducting estimated offering expenses and after deducting estimated sales agent discounts payable by us, our as adjusted net tangible book value as of December 31, 2025 would have been $128.7 million, or $0.40 per share. This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value per share of $0.07 to existing stockholders and immediate dilution of $0.23 in net tangible book value per share to new investors purchasing securities in this offering. Dilution per share to new investors is determined by subtracting as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering from the offering price per share paid by new investors. The following table illustrates this per share dilution to the new investors purchasing securities in this offering:
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Offering price per share |
$ | 0.63 | ||||||
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Net tangible book value per share as of December 31, 2025 |
$ | 0.33 | ||||||
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Increase in net tangible book value per share attributable to sale of shares of common stock in this offering |
0.07 | |||||||
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As adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering |
0.40 | |||||||
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Dilution per share to new investors |
$ | 0.23 |
The above discussion is based on 241,414,053 shares of our common stock outstanding as of April 10, 2026, but excludes:
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27,767,619 shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options at April 10, 2026, with a weighted-average exercise price of $1.62 per share; |
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6,691,605 shares issuable upon the vesting of outstanding restricted stock units (“RSUs”) at April 10, 2026; |
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6,088,856 shares reserved for future issuance under our 2019 Equity Incentive Plan as of April 10, 2026, which amount includes an increase of 15,000,000 shares approved by stockholders at the annual meeting of stockholders held on June 11, 2024; |
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31,250 shares reserved for future issuance under our 2024 Inducement Award Plan as of April 10, 2026; |
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10,914 shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding warrants at April 10, 2026, with a weighted-average exercise price of $22.99 per share; and |
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1,823,454 shares reserved for future issuance under our 2022 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”) at April 10, 2026, which amount includes an increase of 1,800,000 shares approved by stockholders at the annual meeting of stockholders held on June 11, 2024. |
To the extent that options outstanding as of December 31, 2025 have been or may be exercised or other shares are issued, investors purchasing our securities in this offering may experience further dilution. In addition, we may choose to raise additional capital due to market conditions or strategic considerations even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans. To the extent that additional capital is raised through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the issuance of these securities could result in further dilution to our stockholders.
We have entered into a Sales Agreement with Citizens JMP Securities, LLC (“Citizens”) and B. Riley Securities, Inc. (“B. Riley Securities” and, together with Citizens, the “Sales Agents”), pursuant to which we may issue and sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $49,772,479 from time to time through or to the Sales Agents as sales agents or principals. The Sales Agents may sell the common stock by any method that is deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act, including (i) in privately negotiated transactions with the consent of the Company; (ii) as block transactions; or (iii) by any other method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act, including sales made directly on or through The Nasdaq Capital Market or any other existing trading market in the United States for our common stock. If we and the Sales Agents agree on any method of distribution other than sales of shares of our common stock on or through The Nasdaq Capital Market or another existing trading market in the United States at market prices, we will file a further prospectus supplement providing all information about such offering as required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act.
Each time we wish to issue and sell common stock under the Sales Agreement, we will notify each of the Sales Agents of the number or dollar value of shares to be issued, the dates on which such sales are anticipated to be made, any limitation on the number of shares that may be sold in one day, any minimum price below which sales may not be made, and other sales parameters as we deem appropriate. Once we have so instructed each of the Sales Agents, unless each of the Sales Agents decline to accept the terms of such notice, they have agreed to use their commercially reasonable efforts consistent with their normal trading and sales practices to sell such shares up to the amount specified on such terms. The obligations of each of the Sales Agents under the sales agreement to sell our common stock are subject to a number of customary conditions that we must meet. We may instruct each of the Sales Agents not to sell our common stock if the sales cannot be effected at or above the price designated by us in any such instruction. We and each of the Sales Agents may suspend the offering of common stock upon proper notice to the other party and subject to other conditions. We and each of the Sales Agents each have the right, by giving written notice as specified in the Sales Agreement, to terminate the Sales Agreement in each party’s sole discretion at any time upon three days’ prior notice.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable placement notice, settlement for shares of our common stock will occur on the trading day following the date on which the sales are made. Sales of our common stock as contemplated in this prospectus will be settled through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company or by such other means as we and the Sales Agents may agree upon. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement.
We will pay the Sales Agents a commission for their services in acting as agent in the sale of common stock at a commission rate, in the aggregate, of up to 3% of the gross proceeds from each sale. We also agreed to reimburse the Sales Agents for certain specified fees and documented expenses, including the fees and documented expenses of their legal counsel in an aggregate amount not to exceed $50,000, plus an additional amount not to exceed $3,000 per fiscal quarter, or $12,000 in any given twelve (12) month period, on an ongoing basis during the term of the Sales Agreement, as provided in the sales agreement. Because there is no minimum offering amount required as a condition to close this offering, the actual total public offering amount, commissions and proceeds to us, if any, are not determinable at this time. We estimate that the total expenses for the offering, excluding compensation payable to the Sales Agents and expense reimbursement under the terms of the Sales Agreement, will be up to approximately $475,000.
In addition, the sales agreement provides that we will not (i) take any action designed to cause or result in, or that constitutes or would reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any of our securities to facilitate the sale or resale of common stock, or (ii) sell, bid for, or purchase common stock in violation of Regulation M, or pay anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of the common stock under the Sales Agreement other than the Sales Agents.
In connection with the sale of the common stock on our behalf, each of the Sales Agents will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act as amended, and their compensation will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to each of the Sales Agents with respect to certain liabilities, including civil liabilities under the Securities Act. The Sales Agents are not required to sell any certain number of shares or dollar amount of our common stock, but will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell on our behalf all of the shares of common stock requested to be sold by us, subject to the conditions set forth in the Sales Agreement.
The offering of our common stock pursuant to the sales agreement will terminate upon the earlier of (1) the issuance and sale of all common stock subject to the Sales Agreement; and (2) the termination of the Sales Agreement as described therein.
B. Riley Securities has in the past, and each of the Sales Agents and their affiliates may in the future, provide various investment banking and/or other financial services for us and/or our affiliates, for which services they may in the future receive customary fees. To the extent required by Regulation M under the Exchange Act, the Sales Agents will not engage in any market making activities involving our common stock while the offering is ongoing under this prospectus. This summary of the material provisions of the sales agreement does not purport to be a complete statement of its terms and conditions. A copy of the Sales Agreement is filed with the SEC as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. See “Where You Can Find Additional Information” below.
This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus in electronic format may be made available on a website maintained by each of the Sales Agents, and the Sales Agents may distribute the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus electronically.
Certain legal matters will be passed upon for us by Thompson Hine LLP, New York, New York. The Sales Agents are being represented in connection with this offering by Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, New York, New York.
The 2025 and 2024 audited annual consolidated financial statements of Vaxart, Inc. as of and for each of the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2025, incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and elsewhere in the registration statement, have been incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of WithumSmith+Brown, PC, independent registered public accounting firm, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act, with respect to the securities being offered by this prospectus supplement. This prospectus supplement does not contain all of the information in the registration statement and its exhibits. For further information with respect to us and the securities offered by this prospectus supplement, we refer you to the registration statement and its exhibits. Statements contained in this prospectus supplement as to the contents of any contract or any other document referred to 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. Each of these statements is qualified in all respects by this reference. The SEC maintains an internet website that contains reports, proxy statements, and other information about registrants, like us, that file electronically with the SEC. The address of that website is www.sec.gov. The information contained in, or that can be accessed through, the SEC’s website is not incorporated by reference in, and is not part of, this prospectus supplement.
We are subject to the information and periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, and we file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. We maintain a website at https://www.vaxart.com. You may access our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act with the SEC free of charge at our website as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. The information contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference in, and is not part of, this prospectus supplement.
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information that we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus supplement. Information in this prospectus supplement supersedes information incorporated by reference that we filed with the SEC prior to the date of this prospectus supplement, while information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede the information in this prospectus supplement to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus provided to you in connection with this offering, or in any other document we subsequently file with the SEC that also is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, modifies or supersedes the original statement.
The following documents filed with the SEC are hereby incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement:
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our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the SEC on March 13, 2026; and |
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the description of our common stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 10, filed with the SEC on May 4, 1970, as amended by our Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 000-04829) filed with the SEC on August 15, 2003. |
All reports and other documents subsequently filed by us pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the termination of this offering shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such reports and other documents.
Notwithstanding the statements in the preceding paragraphs, no document, report, or exhibit (or portion of any of the foregoing) or any other information that we have “furnished” or may in the future “furnish” to the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act shall be incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement.
In accordance with Rule 412 of the Securities Act, any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed modified or superseded to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement.
We will furnish without charge to you, on written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated by reference, including exhibits to these documents. You should direct any requests for documents by writing us at 310 Utah Avenue, Suite 150, South San Francisco, CA 94080, or by telephoning us at (650) 550-3500.
Up to $49,772,479 of Shares
Common Stock
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
Citizens Capital Markets
B. Riley Securities
__________, 2026
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS
Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
The following table sets forth the costs and expenses, other than the underwriting discounts and commissions, payable by the registrant in connection with the offering of the securities pursuant to this registration statement:
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SEC registration fee |
$ | 24,604.78 | ||
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Accounting fees and expenses |
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Legal fees and expenses |
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Printing and miscellaneous expenses |
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Total |
$ | * |
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These fees and expenses depend on the securities offered and the number of issuances, and accordingly cannot be estimated as of the date of this prospectus. |
Item 15. Indemnification of Officers and Directors.
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law authorizes a court to award, or a corporation’s board of directors to grant, indemnity to directors and officers in terms sufficiently broad to permit such indemnification under certain circumstances for liabilities, including reimbursement for expenses incurred, arising under the Securities Act.
Our restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, and amended and restated bylaws provide that we will indemnify our directors and officers, and may indemnify our employees and other agents, to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law. However, Delaware law prohibits our certificate of incorporation from limiting the liability of our directors for the following:
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any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to us or to our stockholders; |
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acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; |
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unlawful payment of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions; and |
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any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. |
We have entered into agreements to indemnify each of our directors and officers. These agreements provide for the indemnification of such persons for all reasonable expenses and liabilities incurred in connection with any action or proceeding brought against them by reason of the fact that they are or were serving in such capacity.
We maintain insurance policies that indemnify our directors and officers against various liabilities arising under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act that might be incurred by any director or officer in his capacity as such. We have obtained director and officer liability insurance to cover liabilities our directors and officers may incur in connection with their services to us.
In any underwriting agreement we enter into in connection with the sale of our common stock being registered hereby, the underwriters will agree to indemnify, under certain circumstances, us, our officers, our directors, and our controlling persons within the meaning of the Securities Act, against certain liabilities.
Item 16. Exhibits
See the Exhibit Index on the page immediately following the signature page to this registration statement for a list of exhibits filed as part of this registration statement, which Exhibit Index is incorporated herein by reference.
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) which, 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 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 Filing Fee Tables” table in the effective Registration Statement.
(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) of this section do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3 and 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 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 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 which 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:
(A) 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
(B) 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 the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this Registration Statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;
(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) 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.
(c) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act (“Trust Indenture Act”) in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act.
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 of 1933 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 of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
EXHIBIT INDEX
|
Exhibit Number |
Description of Document |
|
1.1* |
Form of Underwriting Agreement |
|
1.2 |
|
|
4.1 |
|
|
4.2 |
|
|
4.3* |
Form of Debt Security |
|
4.4* |
Form of Certificate of Designation |
|
4.5* |
Form of Preferred Stock Certificate |
|
4.6* |
Form of Warrant Agreement |
|
4.7* |
Form of Purchase Contract Agreement |
|
4.8* |
Form of Unit Certificate |
|
5.1 |
|
|
23.1 |
|
|
23.2 |
Consent of WithumSmith+Brown, PC, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm |
|
24.1 |
|
|
25.1* |
Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee under the Indenture |
|
107 |
* To be filed by amendment or incorporated by reference in connection with the offering of the securities.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of San Francisco, State of California, on April 15, 2026.
|
VAXART, INC. |
|||
|
By: |
/s/ Steven Lo |
||
|
Steven Lo |
|||
|
President and Chief Executive Officer |
|||
KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Steven Lo and Jeroen Grasman, and each of them, as his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each with the full power of substitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place or stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this registration statement (including post-effective amendments), and to sign any registration statement for the same offering covered by this registration statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act, and all post-effective amendments thereto, and to file or cause to be filed the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the U.S. 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 connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, and hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitute or substitutes, 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/ Steven Lo |
President, Chief Executive Officer, and |
April 15, 2026 |
||
|
Steven Lo |
Member of the Board of Directors |
|||
|
(Principal Executive Officer) |
||||
|
/s/ Jeroen Grasman |
Chief Financial Officer |
April 15, 2026 |
||
|
Jeroen Grasman |
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
|||
|
/s/ Kevin P. Finney |
Member of the Board of Directors |
April 15, 2026 |
||
|
Kevin P. Finney |
||||
|
/s/ Elaine J. Heron |
Member of the Board of Directors |
April 15, 2026 |
||
|
Elaine J. Heron, Ph.D. |
||||
|
/s/ W. Mark Watson |
Member of the Board of Directors |
April 15, 2026 |
||
|
W. Mark Watson |
||||
|
/s/ David Wheadon |
Member of the Board of Directors |
April 15, 2026 |
||
|
David Wheadon, M.D. |
Exhibit 4.2
Form of Indenture
VAXART, INC.,
Issuer
AND
As INDENTURE TRUSTEE
INDENTURE
Dated as of [●], 20__
Table Of Contents
|
Page |
||
|
ARTICLE I |
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE |
1 |
|
Section 1.01 |
Definitions of Terms |
1 |
|
Section 1.02 |
Other Definitions |
5 |
|
Section 1.03 |
Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act |
5 |
|
Section 1.04 |
Rules of Construction |
5 |
|
ARTICLE II |
SECURITIES |
6 |
|
Section 2.01 |
Issuable in Series |
6 |
|
Section 2.02 |
Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities. |
6 |
|
Section 2.03 |
Execution and Authentication. |
8 |
|
Section 2.04 |
Registrar and Paying Agent. |
8 |
|
Section 2.05 |
Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust. |
9 |
|
Section 2.06 |
Holder Lists. |
9 |
|
Section 2.07 |
Transfer and Exchange. |
9 |
|
Section 2.08 |
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. |
10 |
|
Section 2.09 |
Outstanding Securities. |
10 |
|
Section 2.10 |
Treasury Securities. |
11 |
|
Section 2.11 |
Temporary Securities. |
11 |
|
Section 2.12 |
Cancellation. |
11 |
|
Section 2.13 |
Defaulted Interest. |
11 |
|
Section 2.14 |
Global Securities |
11 |
|
Section 2.15 |
CUSIP Numbers |
13 |
|
ARTICLE III |
REDEMPTION |
16 |
|
Section 3.01 |
Notice to Trustee. |
13 |
|
Section 3.02 |
Selection of Securities to be Redeemed. |
13 |
|
Section 3.03 |
Notice of Redemption. |
13 |
|
Section 3.04 |
Effect of Notice of Redemption. |
14 |
|
Section 3.05 |
Deposit of Redemption Price. |
14 |
|
Section 3.06 |
Securities Redeemed in Part. |
14 |
|
ARTICLE IV |
COVENANTS |
14 |
|
Section 4.01 |
Payment of Principal and Interest. |
14 |
|
Section 4.02 |
SEC Reports. |
14 |
|
Section 4.03 |
Compliance Certificate. |
15 |
|
Section 4.04 |
Stay, Extension and Usury Laws. |
15 |
Table Of Contents
(continued)
|
Page |
||
|
ARTICLE V |
SUCCESSORS |
15 |
|
Section 5.01 |
When Company May Merge, Etc. |
15 |
|
Section 5.02 |
Successor Corporation Substituted. |
15 |
|
ARTICLE VI |
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES |
16 |
|
Section 6.01 |
Events of Default. |
16 |
|
Section 6.02 |
Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. |
17 |
|
Section 6.03 |
Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. |
17 |
|
Section 6.04 |
Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. |
18 |
|
Section 6.05 |
Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities. |
18 |
|
Section 6.06 |
Application of Money Collected. |
18 |
|
Section 6.07 |
Limitation on Suits. |
19 |
|
Section 6.08 |
Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest. |
19 |
|
Section 6.09 |
Restoration of Rights and Remedies. |
19 |
|
Section 6.10 |
Rights and Remedies Cumulative. |
19 |
|
Section 6.11 |
Delay or Omission Not Waiver. |
20 |
|
Section 6.12 |
Control by Holders. |
20 |
|
Section 6.13 |
Waiver of Past Defaults. |
20 |
|
Section 6.14 |
Undertaking for Costs. |
20 |
|
ARTICLE VII |
TRUSTEE |
21 |
|
Section 7.01 |
Duties of Trustee. |
21 |
|
Section 7.02 |
Rights of Trustee. |
22 |
|
Section 7.03 |
Individual Rights of Trustee. |
22 |
|
Section 7.04 |
Trustee’s Disclaimer. |
22 |
|
Section 7.05 |
Notice of Defaults. |
23 |
|
Section 7.06 |
Reports by Trustee to Holders. |
23 |
|
Section 7.07 |
Compensation and Indemnity. |
23 |
|
Section 7.08 |
Replacement of Trustee. |
24 |
|
Section 7.09 |
Successor Trustee by Merger, etc. |
24 |
|
Section 7.10 |
Eligibility; Disqualification. |
24 |
|
Section 7.11 |
Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company. |
24 |
Table Of Contents
(continued)
|
Page |
||
|
ARTICLE VIII |
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE |
25 |
|
Section 8.01 |
Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. |
25 |
|
Section 8.02 |
Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification. |
25 |
|
Section 8.03 |
Legal Defeasance of Securities of any Series. |
26 |
|
Section 8.04 |
Covenant Defeasance. |
27 |
|
Section 8.05 |
Repayment to Company. |
28 |
|
Section 8.06 |
Reinstatement. |
28 |
|
ARTICLE IX |
AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS |
28 |
|
Section 9.01 |
Without Consent of Holders. |
29 |
|
Section 9.02 |
With Consent of Holders. |
29 |
|
Section 9.03 |
Limitations. |
30 |
|
Section 9.04 |
Compliance with Trust Indenture Act. |
30 |
|
Section 9.05 |
Revocation and Effect of Consents. |
30 |
|
Section 9.06 |
Notation on or Exchange of Securities. |
31 |
|
Section 9.07 |
Trustee Protected. |
31 |
|
ARTICLE X |
MISCELLANEOUS |
31 |
|
Section 10.01 |
Trust Indenture Act Controls. |
31 |
|
Section 10.02 |
Notices. |
31 |
|
Section 10.03 |
Communication by Holders with Other Holders. |
32 |
|
Section 10.04 |
Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent. |
32 |
|
Section 10.05 |
Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion. |
32 |
|
Section 10.06 |
Rules by Trustee and Agents. |
32 |
|
Section 10.07 |
Legal Holidays. |
32 |
|
Section 10.08 |
No Recourse Against Others. |
32 |
|
Section 10.09 |
Counterparts. |
33 |
|
Section 10.10 |
Governing Laws. |
33 |
|
Section 10.11 |
No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements. |
33 |
|
Section 10.12 |
Successors. |
33 |
|
Section 10.13 |
Severability. |
33 |
|
Section 10.14 |
Table of Contents, Headings, Etc. |
33 |
|
Section 10.15 |
Securities in a Foreign Currency. |
33 |
|
Section 10.16 |
Judgment Currency. |
34 |
Table Of Contents
(continued)
| Page | ||
|
ARTICLE XI |
SINKING FUNDS |
34 |
|
Section 11.01 |
Applicability of Article. |
34 |
|
Section 11.02 |
Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. |
35 |
|
Section 11.03 |
Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. |
35 |
Reconciliation and tie between the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and this Indenture
|
Section 310 |
(a)(1) |
7.10 |
|
(a)(2) |
7.10 |
|
|
(a)(3) |
Not Applicable |
|
|
(a)(4) |
Not Applicable |
|
|
(a)(5) |
7.10 |
|
|
(b) |
7.10 |
|
|
Section 311 |
(a) |
7.11 |
|
(b) |
7.11 |
|
|
(c) |
Not Applicable |
|
|
Section 312 |
(a) |
2.06 |
|
(b) |
10.03 |
|
|
(c) |
10.03 |
|
|
Section 313 |
(a) |
7.06 |
|
(b)(1) |
7.06 |
|
|
(b)(2) |
7.06 |
|
|
(c)(1) |
7.06 |
|
|
(d) |
7.06 |
|
|
Section 314 |
(a) |
4.02,10.05 |
|
(b) |
Not Applicable |
|
|
(c)(1) |
10.04 |
|
|
(c)(2) |
10.04 |
|
|
(c)(3) |
Not Applicable |
|
|
(d) |
Not Applicable |
|
|
(e) |
10.05 |
|
|
(f) |
Not Applicable |
|
|
Section 315 |
(a) |
7.01 |
|
(b) |
7.05 |
|
|
(c) |
7.01, 7.05, 7.07 |
|
|
(d) |
7.01 |
|
|
(e) |
6.14 |
|
|
Section 316 |
(a) |
2.09 |
|
(a)(1)(a) |
6.12 |
|
|
(a)(1)(b) |
6.13 |
|
|
(b) |
6.08 |
|
|
Section 317 |
(a)(1) |
6.03 |
|
(a)(2) |
6.04 |
|
|
(b) |
2.05 |
|
|
Section 318 |
(a) |
10.01 |
Indenture dated as of , between Vaxart, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Company”), and , a , as trustee (“Trustee”).
Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other party and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities issued under this Indenture.
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
Section 1.01 Definitions.
“Additional Amounts” means any additional amounts which are required hereby or by any Security, under circumstances specified herein or therein, to be paid by the Company in respect of certain taxes imposed on Holders specified herein or therein and which are owing to such Holders.
“Affiliate” of any specified person means any other person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such person, whether through the ownership of voting securities or by agreement or otherwise.
“Agent” means any Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent.
“Applicable Procedures” means, with respect to any transfer or transaction involving a Global Security or beneficial interest therein, the rules and procedures of DTC or any successor Depositary, in each case to the extent applicable to such transaction and as in effect from time to time.
“Authorized Newspaper” means a newspaper in an official language of the country of publication customarily published at least once a day for at least five days in each calendar week and of general circulation in the place in connection with which the term is used. If it shall be impractical in the opinion of the Trustee to make any publication of any notice required hereby in an Authorized Newspaper, any publication or other notice in lieu thereof that is made or given by the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient publication of such notice.
“Bearer” means anyone in possession from time to time of a Bearer Security.
“Bearer Security” means any Security, including any interest coupon appertaining thereto, that does not provide for the identification of the Holder thereof.
“Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of the Company or any duly authorized committee thereof.
“Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been adopted by the Board of Directors or pursuant to authorization by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of the certificate and delivered to the Trustee.
“Business Day” means, unless otherwise provided by Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture hereto for a particular Series, any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in New York, New York on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.
“Capital Interests” means any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock, including, without limitation, with respect to partnerships, partnership interests (whether general or limited) and any other interest or participation that confers on a person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of or distributions of assets of, such partnership..
“Company” means the party named as such above until a successor replaces it and thereafter means the successor.
“Company Order” means a written order signed in the name of the Company by two Officers, one of whom must be the Company’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer.
“Company Request” means a written request signed in the name of the Company by its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer or a Vice President, and by its Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, its Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, and delivered to the Trustee.
“Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be principally administered.
“Default” means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.
“Depository” means, with respect to the Securities of any Series issuable or issued in whole or part in the form of one or more Global Securities, the person designated as Depositary for such Series by the Company, which Depository shall be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act; and if at any time there is more than one such person, “Depository” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Depository with respect to the Securities of such Series.
“Discount Security” means any Security that provides for an amount less than the stated principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.02.
“Dollars” and “$” means the currency of the United States of America.
“DTC” means the Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Foreign Currency” means any currency or currency unit issued by a government other than the government of the United States of America.
“Foreign Government Obligations” means, with respect to Securities of any Series that are denominated in a Foreign Currency, (i) direct obligations of the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency for the payment of which obligations its full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a person controlled or supervised by or acting as an agency or instrumentality of such government the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by such government, which, in either case under clauses (i) or (ii), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or by such other entity as the SEC may designate for that purpose.
“Global Security” or “Global Securities” means a Security or Securities, as the case may be, in the form established pursuant to Section 2.02 evidencing all or part of a Series of Securities, issued to the Depository for such Series or its nominee, and registered in the name of such Depository or nominee.
“Holder” means a person in whose name a Security is registered or the holder of a Bearer Security.
“Indenture” means this Indenture as amended or supplemented from time to time and shall include the form and terms of particular Series of Securities established as contemplated hereunder.
“interest” with respect to any Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity means interest payable after Maturity.
“Maturity” when used with respect to any Security or installment of principal thereof means the date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise.
“Officer” means the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, any Vice-President, the Treasurer, the Secretary, any Assistant Treasurer or any Assistant Secretary of the Company.
“Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by two Officers, one of whom must be the Company’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer.
“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of legal counsel who is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company.
“person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, limited liability company, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.
“principal” of a Security means the principal of the Security plus, when appropriate, the premium, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of the Security.
“Responsible Officer” means any officer of the Trustee in its Corporate Trust Office with direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with a particular subject.
“SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Securities” means the debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company of any Series authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.
“Series” or “Series of Securities” means each series of debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company created pursuant to Sections 2.01 and 2.02 hereof.
“Stated Maturity” means when used with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, the date specified in such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is due and payable.
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any person, any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Interests entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the partners’ Capital Interests (considering all partners’ Capital Interests as a single class), is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of such person or combination thereof.
“TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S. Code Sections 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date of this Indenture and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, provided, however, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, “TIA” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act as so amended.
“Trustee” means the person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean each person who is then a Trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Trustee with respect to Securities of that Series.
“U.S. Government Obligations” means securities which are (i) direct obligations of the United States of America for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America, and which are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such U.S. Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.
Section 1.02 Other Definitions.
|
TERM |
DEFINED IN SECTION |
|
|
“Bankruptcy Law” |
6.01 |
|
|
“Custodian” |
6.01 |
|
|
“Event of Default” |
6.01 |
|
|
“Judgment Currency” |
10.16 |
|
|
“Legal Holiday” |
10.07 |
|
|
“mandatory sinking fund payment” |
11.01 |
|
|
“Market Exchange Rate” |
10.15 |
|
|
“New York Banking Day” |
10.16 |
|
|
“optional sinking fund payment” |
11.01 |
|
|
“Paying Agent” |
2.04 |
|
|
“Registrar” |
2.04 |
|
|
“Required Currency” |
10.16 |
|
|
“Service Agent” |
2.04 |
|
|
“successor person” |
5.01 |
Section 1.03 Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.
Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture. The following TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:
“Commission” means the SEC.
“indenture securities” means the Securities.
“indenture security holder” means a Holder.
“indenture to be qualified” means this Indenture.
“indenture trustee” or “institutional trustee” means the Trustee.
“obligor” on the indenture securities means the Company and any successor obligor upon the Securities.
All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by a SEC rule under the TIA and not otherwise defined herein are used herein as so defined.
Section 1.04 Rules of Construction.
Unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) a term has the meaning assigned to it;
(b) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
(c) references to “generally accepted accounting principles” and “GAAP” shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in effect as of the time when and for the period as to which such accounting principles are to be applied;
(d) ”or” is not exclusive;
(e) words in the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the singular; and
(f) provisions apply to successive events and transactions.
ARTICLE II
THE SECURITIES
Section 2.01 Issuable in Series.
The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more Series. All Securities of a Series shall be identical except as may be set forth or determined in the manner provided in a Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution. In the case of Securities of a Series to be issued from time to time, the Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution may provide for the method by which specified terms (such as interest rate, maturity date, record date or date from which interest shall accrue) are to be determined. Securities may differ between Series in respect of any matters, provided that all Series of Securities shall be equally and ratably entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
Section 2.02 Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities.
At or prior to the issuance of any Securities within a Series, the following shall be established (as to the Series generally, in the case of Subsection 2.02(a) and either as to such Securities within the Series or as to the Series generally in the case of Subsections 2.02(b) through 2.02(s) by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and set forth or determined in the manner provided in a Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate:
(a) the form and title of the Series (which shall distinguish the Securities of that particular Series from the Securities of any other Series);
(b) the price or prices (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount thereof) at which the Securities of the Series will be issued;
(c) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the Series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for, or in lieu of other Securities of the Series pursuant to Section 2.07, 2.08, 2.11, 3.06 or 9.06);
(d) the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the Series is payable;
(e) the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum or, if applicable, the method used to determine such rate or rates (including, but not limited to, any commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the Securities of the Series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest, if any, shall accrue, the date or dates on which such interest, if any, shall commence and be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date;
(f) the place or places where the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series shall be payable, where the Securities of such Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series and this Indenture may be served, and the method of such payment, if by wire transfer, mail or other means;
(g) if applicable, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which the Securities of the Series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;
(h) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase the Securities of the Series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the Series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;
(i) the dates, if any, on which and the price or prices at which the Securities of the Series will be repurchased by the Company at the option of the Holders thereof and other detailed terms and provisions of such repurchase obligations;
(j) if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof the denominations in which the Securities of the Series shall be issuable;
(k) if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of the Securities of the Series that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.02;
(l) the currency of denomination of the Securities of the Series, which may be Dollars or any Foreign Currency, and the agency or organization, if any, responsible for overseeing such composite currency;
(m) the provisions, if any, relating to any security provided for the Securities of the Series;
(n) any addition to or change in the Events of Default which applies to any Securities of the Series and any change in the right of the Trustee or the requisite Holders of such Securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable pursuant to Section 6.02;
(o) any addition to or change in the covenants set forth in Articles IV or V which applies to Securities of the Series;
(p) the provisions, if any, relating to conversion of any Securities of such Series, including, if applicable, the securities into which the Securities are convertible, the conversion price, the conversion period, provisions as to whether conversion will be mandatory, at the option of the Holders or at the option of the Company, the events requiring an adjustment of the conversion price and provisions affecting conversion if such Series of Securities are redeemed;
(q) whether the Securities of such Series will be senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities and, if applicable, a description of the subordination terms thereof;
(r) any depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents with respect to Securities of such Series if other than those appointed herein; and
(s) any other terms of the Securities of the Series (which may modify or delete any provision of this Indenture insofar as it applies to such Series).
All Securities of any one Series need not be issued at the same time and may be issued from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Indenture, if so provided by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate, and, unless otherwise provided in such Board Resolution, a Series may be reopened, without the consent of the Holders, for increases in the aggregate principal amount of such Series and issuances of additional Securities of such Series.
Section 2.03 Execution and Authentication.
Two Officers shall sign the Securities for the Company by manual or facsimile signature. If an Officer whose signature is on a Security no longer holds that office at the time the Security is authenticated, the Security shall nevertheless be valid. A Security shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Security has been authenticated under this Indenture. The Trustee shall at any time, and from time to time, authenticate Securities for original issue in the principal amount provided in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate, upon receipt by the Trustee of a Company Order. Such Company Order may authorize authentication and delivery pursuant to oral or electronic instructions from the Company or its duly authorized agent or agents, which oral instructions shall be promptly confirmed in writing. Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication unless otherwise provided by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate. The aggregate principal amount of Securities of any Series outstanding at any time may not exceed any limit placed upon the principal amount for such Series set forth in the applicable Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.02, except as provided in Section 2.02 or 2.08. Prior to the issuance of Securities of any Series, the Trustee shall have received and, subject to Section 7.02, shall be fully protected in relying on: (a) the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate establishing the form of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series and the terms of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series, (b) an Officers’ Certificate complying with Section 10.04 and (c) an Opinion of Counsel complying with Section 10.04. The Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate and deliver any Securities of such Series: (a) if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not be taken lawfully; or (b) if the Trustee’s board of directors or trustees, executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or vice-presidents shall determine in good faith that such action would expose the Trustee to personal liability to Holders of any then outstanding Series of Securities. The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Company to authenticate Securities. An authenticating agent may authenticate Securities whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company.
Section 2.04 Registrar and Paying Agent.
The Company shall maintain, with respect to each Series of Securities, at the place or places specified with respect to such Series pursuant to Section 2.02, an office or agency where Securities of such Series may be presented or surrendered for payment (“Paying Agent”), where Securities of such Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange (“Registrar”) and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series and this Indenture may be served (“Service Agent”). The Registrar shall keep a register with respect to each Series of Securities and to their transfer and exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the name and address, and any change in the name or address, of each Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the name and address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands. The Company may also from time to time designate one or more co-registrars, additional paying agents or additional service agents and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligations to maintain a Registrar, Paying Agent and Service Agent in each place so specified pursuant to Section 2.02 for Securities of any Series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the name or address of any such co-registrar, additional paying agent or additional service agent. The term “Registrar” includes any co-registrar; the term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent; and the term “Service Agent” includes any additional service agent. The Company hereby appoints the Trustee the initial Registrar, Paying Agent and Service Agent for each Series unless another Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent, as the case may be, is appointed prior to the time Securities of that Series are first issued.
Section 2.05 Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.
The Company shall require each Paying Agent, other than the Trustee, to agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust, for the benefit of Holders of any Series of Securities or the Trustee, all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of the principal of or the interest on the Series of Securities, and will notify the Trustee of any default by the Company in making any such payment. While any such default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. The Company may, at any time, require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. Upon payment to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company) shall have no further liability for such money. If the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate and hold in a separate trust fund, for the benefit of Holders of any Series of Securities, all money held by it as Paying Agent.
Section 2.06 Holder Lists.
The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Holders of each Series of Securities and shall otherwise comply with TIA Section 312(a). If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee at least ten (10) days before each interest payment date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing a list, in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Holders of each Series of Securities.
Section 2.07 Transfer and Exchange.
Where Securities of a Series are presented to the Registrar or a co-registrar with a request to register a transfer or to exchange them for an equal principal amount of Securities of the same Series, the Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange if its requirements for such transactions are met. To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Trustee shall authenticate Securities at the Registrar’s request. No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange (except as otherwise expressly permitted herein), but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable upon exchanges pursuant to Section 2.11, 3.06 or 9.06). Neither the Company nor the Registrar shall be required (a) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange Securities of any Series for the period beginning at the opening of business fifteen days immediately preceding the mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of that Series selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (b) to register the transfer of or exchange Securities of any Series selected, called or being called for redemption as a whole or the portion being redeemed of any such Securities selected, called or being called for redemption in part.
Section 2.08 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities.
(a) If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery in exchange therefor a new Security of the same Series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding. If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Company shall execute and, upon its request, the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of the same Series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding. In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.
(b) Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith. Every new Security of any Series issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of that Series duly issued hereunder. The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.
Section 2.09 Outstanding Securities.
The Securities outstanding at any time are all the Securities authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, those reductions in the interest on a Global Security effected by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions hereof and those described in this Section as not outstanding. If a Security is replaced pursuant to Section 2.08, it ceases to be outstanding until the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Security is held by a protected purchaser. If the Paying Agent (other than the Company, a Subsidiary of the Company or an Affiliate of the Company) holds on the Maturity of Securities of a Series money sufficient to pay such Securities payable on that date, then on and after that date such Securities of the Series cease to be outstanding and interest on them ceases to accrue. A Security does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or an Affiliate of the Company holds the Security. In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, the principal amount of a Discount Security that shall be deemed to be outstanding for such purposes shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.02.
Section 2.10 Treasury Securities.
In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Securities of a Series have concurred in any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, Securities of a Series owned by the Company shall be disregarded, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities of a Series that the Trustee knows are so owned shall be so disregarded.
Section 2.11 Temporary Securities.
Until definitive Securities are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate temporary Securities upon a Company Order. Temporary Securities shall be substantially in the form of definitive Securities but may have variations that the Company considers appropriate for temporary Securities. Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall prepare and the Trustee upon request shall authenticate definitive Securities of the same Series and date of maturity in exchange for temporary Securities. Until so exchanged, temporary securities shall have the same rights under this Indenture as the definitive Securities.
Section 2.12 Cancellation.
The Company at any time may deliver Securities to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and the Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Securities surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee shall cancel all Securities surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation in accordance with its customary procedures and deliver such canceled Securities to the Company, unless the Company otherwise directs; provided that the Trustee shall not be required to destroy Securities. The Company may not issue new Securities to replace Securities that it has paid or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.
Section 2.13 Defaulted Interest.
If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on a Series of Securities, it shall pay the defaulted interest, plus, to the extent permitted by law, any interest payable on the defaulted interest, to the persons who are Holders of the Series on a subsequent special record date. The Company shall fix the record date and payment date. At least ten (10) days before the record date, the Company shall mail to the Trustee and to each Holder of the Series a notice that states the record date, the payment date and the amount of interest to be paid. The Company may pay defaulted interest in any other lawful manner.
Section 2.14 Global Securities
(a) Terms of Securities. A Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate shall establish whether the Securities of a Series shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities and the Depository for such Global Security or Securities.
(b) Transfer and Exchange. Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained in Section 2.07 of the Indenture and in addition thereto, any Global Security shall be exchangeable pursuant to Section 2.07 of the Indenture for Securities registered in the names of Holders other than the Depository for such Security or its nominee only if (i) such Depository notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depository for such Global Security or if at any time such Depository ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and, in either case, the Company fails to appoint a successor Depository registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act within 90 days of such event, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate to the effect that such Global Security shall be so exchangeable or (iii) an Event of Default with respect to the Securities represented by such Global Security shall have happened and be continuing. Any Global Security that is exchangeable pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be exchangeable for Securities registered in such names as the Depository shall direct in writing in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security with like tenor and terms.
(c) Except as provided in this Section 2.14(c), a Global Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depository with respect to such Global Security to a nominee of such Depository, by a nominee of such Depository to such Depository or another nominee of such Depository or by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository or a nominee of such a successor Depository.
(d) Legend. Any Global Security issued hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:
”This Security is a Global Security within the meaning of the Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of the Depository or a nominee of the Depository. This Security is exchangeable for Securities registered in the name of a person other than the Depository or its nominee only in the limited circumstances described in the Indenture, and may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depository to a nominee of the Depository, by a nominee of the Depository to the Depository or another nominee of the Depository or by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository or a nominee of such a successor Depository.”
(e) [RESERVED.]
(f) Acts of Holders. The Depository, as a Holder, may appoint agents and otherwise authorize participants to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action which a Holder is entitled to give or take under the Indenture.
(g) Payments. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Indenture, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.02, payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on any Global Security shall be made to the Holder thereof.
(h) Consents, Declaration and Directions. Except as provided in Section 2.14(g), the Company, the Trustee and any Agent shall treat a person as the Holder of such principal amount of outstanding Securities of such Series represented by a Global Security as shall be specified in a written statement of the Depository with respect to such Global Security, for purposes of obtaining any consents, declarations, waivers or directions required to be given by the Holders pursuant to this Indenture.
(i) The Depository or its nominee, as registered owner of a Global Security, shall be the Holder of such Global Security for all purposes under the Indenture and the Securities, and owners of beneficial interests in a Global Security shall hold such interests pursuant to the Applicable Procedures. Accordingly, any such owner’s beneficial interest in a Global Security will be shown only on, and the transfer of such interest shall be effected only through, records maintained by the Depositary or its nominee and such owners of beneficial interests in a Global Security will not be considered the owners or holders thereof.
Section 2.15 CUSIP Numbers.
The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP” numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP” numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other elements of identification printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee of any change in “CUSIP” numbers of which the Company becomes aware.
ARTICLE III
REDEMPTION
Section 3.01 Notice to Trustee.
The Company may, with respect to any Series of Securities, reserve the right to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or may covenant to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or any part thereof prior to the Stated Maturity thereof at such time and on such terms as provided for in such Securities. If a Series of Securities is redeemable and the Company wants or is obligated to redeem prior to the Stated Maturity thereof all or part of the Series of Securities pursuant to the terms of such Securities, it shall notify the Trustee of the redemption date and the principal amount of Series of Securities to be redeemed.
Section 3.02 Selection of Securities to be Redeemed.
Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate, if less than all the Securities of a Series are to be redeemed, the Trustee shall select the Securities of the Series to be redeemed in any manner that the Trustee deems fair and appropriate. The Trustee shall make the selection from Securities of the Series outstanding not previously called for redemption. The Trustee may select for redemption portions of the principal of Securities of the Series that have denominations larger than $1,000. Securities of the Series and portions of them it selects shall be in amounts of $1,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 or, with respect to Securities of any Series issuable in other denominations pursuant to Section 2.02(j), the minimum principal denomination for each Series and integral multiples thereof Provisions of this Indenture that apply to Securities of a Series called for redemption also apply to portions of Securities of that Series called for redemption.
Section 3.03 Notice of Redemption.
(a) Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate, at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, the Company shall send or cause to be sent, by electronic delivery, if held at DTC, or by first class mail postage prepaid, a notice of redemption to each Holder whose Securities are to be redeemed and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, publish on one occasion a notice in an Authorized Newspaper. The notice shall identify the Securities of the Series to be redeemed and shall state:
(i) the redemption date;
(ii) the redemption price;
(iii) the name and address of the Paying Agent;
(iv) that Securities of the Series called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price;
(v) that interest on Securities of the Series called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption date;
(vi) the CUSIP number, if any; and
(vii) any other information as may be required by the terms of the particular Series or the Securities of a Series being redeemed.
At the Company’s request, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the Company’s name and at its expense.
Section 3.04 Effect of Notice of Redemption.
Once notice of redemption is sent, mailed or published as provided in Section 3.03, Securities of a Series called for redemption become due and payable on the redemption date and at the redemption price. A notice of redemption may not be conditional. Upon surrender to the Paying Agent, such Securities shall be paid at the redemption price plus accrued interest to the redemption date; provided that installments of interest whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the redemption date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities (or one or more predecessor Securities) registered at the close of business on the relevant record date therefor according to their terms and the terms of this Indenture.
Section 3.05 Deposit of Redemption Price.
On or before 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the redemption date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued interest, if any, on all Securities to be redeemed on that date.
Section 3.06 Securities Redeemed in Part.
Upon surrender of a Security that is redeemed in part, the Trustee shall authenticate for the Holder a new Security of the same Series and the same maturity equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Security surrendered.
ARTICLE IV
COVENANTS
Section 4.01 Payment of Principal and Interest.
The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of each Series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of that Series in accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Indenture.
Section 4.02 SEC Reports.
The Company shall, so long as any of the Securities are outstanding, electronically file with the Commission the annual, quarterly and other periodic reports that the Company is required to file with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act. The Company also shall comply with the other provisions of TIA Section 314(a). Delivery of any reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on an Officers’ Certificate).
Section 4.03 Compliance Certificate.
The Company shall, so long as any of the Securities are outstanding, deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, an Officers’ Certificate stating whether or not to the knowledge of the signers thereof the Company is in default in the performance and observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions hereof (without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided hereunder), and if a Default or Event of Default shall have occurred, specifying all such Defaults or Events of Default and the nature and status thereof of which they may have knowledge. The Company shall, so long as any of the Securities are outstanding, deliver to the Trustee, within thirty (30) days after becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, an Officers’ Certificate specifying such Default or Event of Default and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.
Section 4.04 Stay, Extension and Usury Laws.
The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, plead or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of any stay, extension or usury law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture or the Securities and the Company (to the extent it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law has been enacted.
ARTICLE V
SUCCESSORS
Section 5.01 When Company May Merge, Etc.
The Company shall not consolidate with or merge with or into, or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its properties and assets to, any person (a “successor person”) unless:
(a) the Company is the surviving corporation or the successor person (if other than the Company) is organized and validly existing under the laws of any U.S. domestic jurisdiction and expressly assumes the Company’s obligations on the Securities and under this Indenture; and
(b) immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
The Company shall deliver to the Trustee prior to the consummation of the proposed transaction an Officers’ Certificate to the foregoing effect and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the proposed transaction and any supplemental indenture comply with this Indenture.
Section 5.02 Successor Corporation Substituted.
Upon any consolidation or merger, or any sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company in accordance with Section 5.01, the successor corporation formed by such consolidation or into or with which the Company is merged or to which such sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor person has been named as the Company herein; provided, however, that the predecessor Company in the case of a sale, conveyance or other disposition (other than a lease) shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.
ARTICLE VI
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES
Section 6.01 Events of Default.
“Event of Default,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any Series, means any one of the following events, unless in the establishing Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate, it is provided that such Series shall not have the benefit of said Event of Default:
(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of that Series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of thirty (30) days (unless the entire amount of such payment is deposited by the Company with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent prior to the expiration of such period of thirty (30) days);
(b) default in the payment of principal of any Security of that Series at its Maturity;
(c) default in the performance or breach of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty for which the consequences of nonperformance or breach are addressed elsewhere in this Section 6.01 and other than a covenant or warranty that has been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of Series of Securities other than that Series), which default continues uncured for a period of ninety (90) days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder;
(d) the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law. (i) commences a voluntary case or proceeding; (ii) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case, (iii) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property, (iv)makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, or (v) makes an admission by writing that it is generally unable to pay its debts as the same become due;
(e) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that: (i) is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case, (ii) appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or (iii) orders the liquidation of the Company, and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for ninety (90) days; or
(f) any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that Series, which is specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate, in accordance with Section 2.02(n).
The term “Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11 of the U.S. Code or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors. The term “Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
Section 6.02 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.
If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any Series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing (other than an Event of Default referred to in Section 6.1(d) or (e)), then in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series may declare the principal amount (or, if any Securities of that Series are Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such Securities) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all of the Securities of that Series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount (or specified amount) and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(d) or (e) shall occur, the principal amount (or specified amount) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding Securities shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder. At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to any Series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that Series, other than the non-payment of the principal and interest, if any, of Securities of that Series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 6.13. No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 6.03 Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.
The Company covenants that if:
(a) default is made in the payment of any interest on any Security when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or
(b) default is made in the payment of principal of any Security at the Maturity thereof, then the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities for principal and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue principal and any overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.
If the Company fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities and collect the moneys adjudged or deemed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities, wherever situated.
If an Event of Default with respect to any Securities of any Series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such Series by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.
Section 6.04 Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.
In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise, (a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceeding, and (b) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same, and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.
Section 6.05 Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities.
All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.
Section 6.06 Application of Money Collected.
Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal or interest, upon presentation of the Securities and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:
First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07; and
Second: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of and interest on the Securities in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities for principal and interest, respectively; and
Third: To the Company.
Section 6.07 Limitation on Suits.
No Holder of any Security of any Series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless:
(a) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that Series;
(b) the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder,
(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee reasonable indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;
(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and
(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series; it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.
Section 6.08 Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest.
Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on such Security on the Stated Maturity or Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.
Section 6.09 Restoration of Rights and Remedies.
If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company, the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.
Section 6.10 Rights and Remedies Cumulative.
Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in Section 2.08, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.
Section 6.11 Delay or Omission Not Waiver.
No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.
Section 6.12 Control by Holders.
The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such Series, provided that:
(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture,
(b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction, and
(c) subject to the provisions of Section 6.01, the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, determine that the proceeding so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability.
Section 6.13 Waiver of Past Defaults.
The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such Series waive any past Default hereunder with respect to such Series and its consequences, except a Default (i) in the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security of such Series (provided, however, that the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from such acceleration) or (ii) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each outstanding Security of such Series affected. Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 6.14 Undertaking for Costs.
All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Company, to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security on or after the Stated Maturity or Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date).
ARTICLE VII
TRUSTEE
Section 7.01 Duties of Trustee.
(a) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs.
(b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:
(i) The Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others.
(ii) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon Officers’ Certificates or Opinions of Counsel furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; however, in the case of any such Officers’ Certificates or Opinions of Counsel which by any provisions hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall examine such Officers’ Certificates and Opinions of Counsel to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture.
(c) The Trustee may not be relieved from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(i) This paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section.
(ii) The Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts.
(iii) The Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it with respect to Securities of any Series in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such Series.
(d) Every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to paragraph (a), (b) and (c) of this Section.
(e) The Trustee may refuse to perform any duty or exercise any right or power at the request or direction of any Holder unless it receives indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.
(f) The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Company. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
(g) No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk is not reasonably assured to it.
(h) The Paying Agent, the Registrar and any Service Agent or authenticating agent shall be entitled to the protections, immunities and standard of care as are set forth in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Section with respect to the Trustee.
Section 7.02 Rights of Trustee.
(a) The Trustee may rely on and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.
(b) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officers’ Certificate. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such Officers’ Certificate.
(c) The Trustee may act through agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent appointed with due care. No Depository shall be deemed an agent of the Trustee, and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any act or omission by any Depository.
(d) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers, provided that the Trustee’s conduct does not constitute negligence or bad faith.
(e) The Trustee may consult with counsel, and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder without negligence and in good faith and in reliance thereon.
(f) The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.
(g) The Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.
(h) The Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any Default or Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a default is received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Securities generally or the Securities of a particular Series and this Indenture.
(i) The permissive rights of the Trustee enumerated herein shall not be construed as duties.
Section 7.03 Individual Rights of Trustee.
The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and may otherwise deal with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Agent may do the same with like rights. The Trustee is also subject to Sections 7.10 and 7.11.
Section 7.04 Trustee’s Disclaimer.
The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Securities, it shall not be accountable for the Company’s use of the proceeds from the Securities, and it shall not be responsible for any statement in the Securities other than its authentication.
Section 7.05 Notice of Defaults.
If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the Securities of any Series and if it is known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to each Holder of the Securities of that Series and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, publish on one occasion in an Authorized Newspaper, notice of a Default or Event of Default within ninety (90) days after it occurs or, if later, after a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has knowledge of such Default or Event of Default. Except in the case of a Default or Event of Default in payment of principal of or interest on any Security of any Series, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as its corporate trust committee or a committee of its Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of Holders of that Series.
Section 7.06 Reports by Trustee to Holders.
Within sixty (60) days after May 15 in each year, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders, as their names and addresses appear on the register kept by the Registrar and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, publish in an Authorized Newspaper, a brief report dated as of such May 15, in accordance with, and to the extent required under, TIA Section 313. A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to Holders of any Series shall be filed with the SEC and each stock exchange on which the Securities of that Series are listed. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee when Securities of any Series are listed on any stock exchange.
Section 7.07 Compensation and Indemnity.
The Company shall pay to the Trustee from time to time compensation for its services as the Company and the Trustee shall from time to time agree upon in writing. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by it. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel. The Company shall indemnify each of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee against any loss, liability or expense (including the cost of defending itself), including taxes (other than taxes based upon, measured by or determined by the income of the Trustee) incurred by it except as set forth in this Section 7.07 in the performance of its duties under this Indenture as Trustee or Agent. The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. The Company shall defend the claim and the Trustee shall cooperate in the defense. The Trustee may have one separate counsel and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. This indemnification shall apply to officers, directors, employees, shareholders and agents of the Trustee. The Company need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss or liability incurred by the Trustee or by any officer, director, employee, shareholder or agent of the Trustee through the negligence or bad faith of any such persons. To secure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any Series on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, except that held in trust to pay principal of and interest on particular Securities of that Series. When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(d) or (e) occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law. The provisions of this Section shall survive the resignation or removal of the Trustee and the termination of this Indenture.
Section 7.08 Replacement of Trustee.
A resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee shall become effective only upon the successor Trustee’s acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section. The Trustee may resign with respect to the Securities of one or more Series by so notifying the Company at least 30 days prior to the date of the proposed resignation. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of any Series may remove the Trustee with respect to that Series by so notifying the Trustee and the Company. The Company may remove the Trustee with respect to Securities of one or more Series if:
(a) the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10;
(b) the Trustee is adjudged bankrupt or insolvent or an order for relief is entered with respect to the Trustee under any Bankruptcy Law;
(c) a Custodian or public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or
(d) the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.
If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee.
If a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any one or more Series does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Company or the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Securities of the applicable Series may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Immediately after that, the retiring Trustee shall transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.07, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee with respect to each Series of Securities for which it is acting as Trustee under this Indenture. A successor Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to each Holder of each such Series and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, publish such notice on one occasion in an Authorized Newspaper. Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.08, the Company’s obligations under Section 7.07 hereof shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee with respect to expenses and liabilities incurred by it prior to the date of such replacement.
Section 7.09 Successor Trustee by Merger, etc.
If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation, the successor corporation without any further act shall be the successor Trustee.
Section 7.10 Eligibility; Disqualification.
This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of TIA Section 310(a)(1), (2) and (5). The Trustee shall comply with TIA Section 310(b).
Section 7.11 Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company.
The Trustee is subject to TIA Section 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA Section 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA Section 311(a) to the extent indicated.
ARTICLE VIII
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE
Section 8.01 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.
This Indenture shall upon Company Order cease to be of further effect (except as hereinafter provided in this Section 8.01), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when
(a) any of the following shall have occurred:
(i) no Securities have been issued hereunder,
(ii) all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than Securities that have been destroyed, lost or stolen and that have been replaced or paid) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or
(iii) all such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation (1) have become due and payable, or (2) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or (3) are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company; and the Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust an amount sufficient for the purpose of paying and discharging the entire indebtedness on such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable on or prior to the date of such deposit) or to the Stated Maturity or redemption date, as the case may be;
(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company; and
(c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture have been complied with.
Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 7.07 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to clause (a) of this Section, the provisions of Sections 2.04 , 2.05 , 2.07, 2.08, 8.01, 8.02 and 8.05 shall survive.
Section 8.02 Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 8.05, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.01, all money and U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.03 or 8.04 and all money received by the Trustee in respect of U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.03 or 8.04, shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (other than the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the persons entitled thereto, of the principal and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with or received by the Trustee or analogous payments as contemplated by Sections 8.03 or 8.04.
(b) The Company shall pay and shall indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Sections 8.03 or 8.04 or the interest and principal received in respect of such obligations other than any payable by or on behalf of Holders.
(c) The Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations or money held by it as provided in Sections 8.03 or 8.04 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are then in excess of the amount thereof which then would have been required to be deposited for the purpose for which such U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations or money were deposited or received. This provision shall not authorize the sale by the Trustee of any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations held under this Indenture.
Section 8.03 Legal Defeasance of Securities of any Series.
Unless this Section 8.03 is otherwise specified, pursuant to Section 2.02(s), to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on all the outstanding Securities of any Series on the 91st day after the date of the deposit referred to in subparagraph (d) hereof and the provisions of this Indenture, as it relates to such outstanding Securities of such Series, shall no longer be in effect (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall, at Company Request, execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except as to:
(a) the rights of Holders of Securities of such Series to receive, from the trust funds described in subparagraph (d) hereof, (i) payment of the principal of and each installment of principal of and interest on the outstanding Securities of such Series on the Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest, and (ii) the benefit of any mandatory sinking fund payments applicable to the Securities of such Series on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and the Securities of such Series; and
(b) the provisions of Sections 2.04, 2.05, 2.07, 2.08, 8.02, 8.03 and 8.05; and
(c) the rights, powers, trust and immunities of the Trustee hereunder, provided that, the following conditions shall have been satisfied:
(d) with reference to this Section 8.03, the Company shall have deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited (except as provided in Section 8.02(c)) with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for and dedicated solely to the benefit of the Holders of such Securities (i) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars and/or U.S. Government Obligations, or (ii) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide (without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal of and interest, if any, on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of all the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of interest or principal and such sinking fund payments are due;
(e) such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;
(f) no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on the 91st day after such date;
(g) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (i) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (ii) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, the Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred;
(h) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of preferring the Holders of the Securities of such Series over any other creditors of the Company or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company;
(i) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to the defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with; and
(j) such defeasance shall not result in the trust arising from such deposit constituting an investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, unless such trust shall be registered under such Act or exempt from registration thereunder.
Section 8.04 Covenant Defeasance.
Unless this Section 8.04 is otherwise specified, pursuant to Section 2.02(s), to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, on and after the 91st day after the date of the deposit referred to in subparagraph (a) hereof; the Company may omit to comply with respect to the Securities of any Series with any term, provision or condition set forth under Sections 4.02, 4.03, and 5.01 as well as any additional covenants specified in a supplemental indenture for such Series of Securities or a Board Resolution or an Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.02 (and the failure to comply with any such covenants shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default with respect to such Series under Section 6.01) and the occurrence of any event specified in a supplemental indenture for such Series of Securities or a Board Resolution or an Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.02 and designated as an Event of Default shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default hereunder, with respect to the Securities of such Series, provided that the following conditions shall have been satisfied:
(a) with reference to this Section 8.04, the Company has deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited (except as provided in Section 8.02(c)) with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities (i) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars and/or U.S. Government Obligations, or (ii) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal of and interest, if any, on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of interest or principal and such sinking fund payments are due;
(b) such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;
(c) no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on the 91st day after such date;
(d) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and covenant defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and covenant defeasance had not occurred;
(e) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the covenant defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with; and
(f) Such defeasance shall not result in the trust arising from such deposit constituting an investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, unless such trust shall be registered under such Act or exempt from registration thereunder.
Section 8.05 Repayment to Company.
The Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Company upon written request any money held by them for the payment of principal and interest that remains unclaimed for two years, and after such time, Holders entitled to the money must look to the Company for payment as general creditors unless an applicable abandoned property law designates another person.
Section 8.06 Reinstatement.
If the Trustee or the Paying Agent is unable to apply any money deposited with respect to Securities of any series in accordance with Section 8.01 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the obligations of the Company under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series and under the Securities of such series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 8.01 until such time as the Trustee or the Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money in accordance with Section 8.01; provided, however, that if the Company has made any payment of principal of, premium (if any) or interest on any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money held by the Trustee or the Paying Agent.
ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS
Section 9.01 Without Consent of Holders.
The Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series without the consent of any Holder:
(a) to evidence the succession of another person to the Company under this Indenture and the Securities and the assumption by any such successor person of the obligations of the Company hereunder and under the Securities;
(b) to add or remove covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such covenants are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such covenants are expressly being included for the benefit of such series) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company provided such action does not adversely affect the interests of the Company;
(c) to add any additional Events of Default;
(d) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in bearer form, registrable or not registrable as to principal, and with or without interest coupons, or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form;
(e) to add to, change or eliminate any of the provisions of this Indenture in respect of one or more series of Securities, provided that any such addition, change or elimination (A) shall neither (i) apply to any Security of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture and entitled to the benefit of such provision nor (ii) modify the rights of the Holder of any such Security with respect to such provision or (B) shall become effective only when there is no such Security Outstanding;
(f) to establish the forms or terms of the Securities of any series issued pursuant to the terms hereof;
(g) to cure any ambiguity or correct any inconsistency in this Indenture;
(h) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee;
(i) to qualify this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;
(j) to provide for uncertificated securities in addition to certificated securities;
(k) to supplement any provisions of this Indenture necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities, provided that such action does not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of such series or any other series; and
(l) to comply with the rules or regulations of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which any of the Securities may be listed or traded.
Section 9.02 With Consent of Holders.
The Company and the Trustee may enter into a supplemental indenture with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of each Series affected by such supplemental indenture (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series), for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of each such Series. Except as provided in Section 6.13, the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series by notice to the Trustee (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series) may waive compliance by the Company with any provision of this Indenture or the Securities with respect to such Series. It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders of Securities under this Section 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof. After a supplemental indenture or waiver under this section becomes effective, the Company shall mail to the Holders of Securities affected thereby and, if any Bearer Securities affected thereby are outstanding, publish on one occasion in an Authorized Newspaper, a notice briefly describing the supplemental indenture or waiver. Any failure by the Company to mail or publish such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture or waiver.
Without the consent of each Holder affected, an amendment or waiver may not:
(a) reduce the amount of Securities whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;
(b) reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest (including default interest) on any Security;
(c) reduce the principal or change the Stated Maturity of any Security or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation;
(d) reduce the principal amount of Discount Securities payable upon acceleration of the maturity thereof;
(e) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security (except a rescission of acceleration of the Securities of any Series by the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);
(f) make the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security payable in any currency other than that stated in the Security;
(g) make any change in Sections 6.08, 6.13, or 9.03; or
(h) waive a redemption payment with respect to any Security.
Section 9.04 Compliance with Trust Indenture Act.
Every amendment to this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series shall be set forth in a supplemental indenture hereto that complies with the TIA as then in effect.
Section 9.05 Revocation and Effect of Consents.
Until an amendment is set forth in a supplemental indenture or a waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of a Security is a continuing consent by the Holder and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Security. However, any such Holder or subsequent Holder may revoke the consent as to his Security or portion of a Security if the Trustee receives the notice of revocation before the date of the supplemental indenture or the date the waiver becomes effective. Any amendment or waiver once effective shall bind every Holder of each Series affected by such amendment or waiver unless it is of the type described in any of clauses (a) through (h) of Section 9.03. In that case, the amendment or waiver shall bind each Holder of a Security who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security.
Section 9.06 Notation on or Exchange of Securities.
The Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment or waiver on any Security of any Series thereafter authenticated. The Company in exchange for Securities of that Series may issue and the Trustee shall authenticate upon request new Securities of that Series that reflect the amendment or waiver.
Section 9.07 Trustee Protected.
In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, in addition to the documents required by Section 10.04, and (subject to Section 7.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee shall sign all supplemental indentures, except that the Trustee need not sign any supplemental indenture that adversely affects its rights.
ARTICLE X
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 10.01 Trust Indenture Act Controls.
If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision which is required or deemed to be included in this Indenture by the TIA, such required or deemed provision shall control.
Section 10.02 Notices.
(a) Any notice or communication by the Company or the Trustee to the other, or by a Holder to the Company or the Trustee, is duly given if in writing and delivered in person or mailed by first-class mail addressed as follows:
if to the Company:
Vaxart, Inc.
170 Harbor Way, Suite 300
South San Francisco, CA 94080
(650) 550-3500
if to the Trustee:
[ ]
(b) The Company or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications. Any notice or communication to a Holder shall be mailed by first-class mail to his address shown on the register kept by the Registrar and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, published in an Authorized Newspaper. Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Holder of any Series or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders of that or any other Series. If a notice or communication is mailed or published in the manner provided above, within the time prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the Holder receives it. If the Company mails a notice or communication to Holders, it shall mail a copy to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time.
(c) Any notice or demand that by any provision of this Indenture is required or permitted to be given or served by the Company may, at the Company’s written request received by the Trustee not fewer than five (5) Business Days prior (or such shorter period of time as may be acceptable to the Trustee) to the date on which such notice must be given or served, be given or served by the Trustee in the name of and at the expense of the Company.
Section 10.03 Communication by Holders with Other Holders.
Holders of any Series may communicate pursuant to TIA Section 312(b) with other Holders of that Series or any other Series with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Securities of that Series or all Series. The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA Section 312(c).
Section 10.04 Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.
Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee:
(a) an Officers’ Certificate stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and
(b) an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.
Section 10.05 Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.
Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than a certificate provided pursuant to TIA Section 314(a)(4)) shall comply with the provisions of TIA Section 314(e) and shall include:
(a) a statement that the person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;
(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;
(c) a statement that, in the opinion of such person, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
Section 10.06 Rules by Trustee and Agents.
The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or a meeting of Holders of one or more Series. Any Agent may make reasonable rules and set reasonable requirements for its functions.
Section 10.07 Legal Holidays.
Unless otherwise provided by Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture hereto for a particular Series, a “Legal Holiday” is any day that is not a Business Day. If a payment date is a Legal Holiday at a place of payment, payment may be made at that place on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period.
Section 10.08 No Recourse Against Others.
A director, officer, employee or stockholder, as such, of the Company shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Securities or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. Each Holder by accepting a Security waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities.
Section 10.09 Counterparts.
This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
Section 10.10 Governing Laws.
This Indenture and the Securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflict of law principles that would result in the application of any law other than the laws of the State of New York.
Section 10.11 No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.
This Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture, loan or debt agreement of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company. Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.
Section 10.12 Successors.
All agreements of the Company in this Indenture and the Securities shall bind its successor. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successor.
Section 10.13 Severability.
In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
Section 10.14 Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.
The Table of Contents, Cross-Reference Table, and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part hereof, and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.
Section 10.15 Securities in a Foreign Currency.
Unless otherwise specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.02 of this Indenture with respect to a particular Series of Securities, whenever for purposes of this Indenture any action may be taken by the Holders of a specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of Securities of all Series or all Series affected by a particular action at the time outstanding and, at such time, there are outstanding Securities of any Series which are denominated in a coin or currency other than Dollars, then the principal amount of Securities of such Series which shall be deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of taking such action shall be that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount at the Market Exchange Rate at such time. For purposes of this Section 10.15, “Market Exchange Rate” shall mean the noon Dollar buying rate in New York City for cable transfers of that currency as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. If such Market Exchange Rate is not available for any reason with respect to such currency, the Trustee shall use, in its sole discretion and without liability on its part, such quotation of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as of the most recent available date, or quotations from one or more major banks in The City of New York or in the country of issue of the currency in question or such other quotations as the Trustee, upon consultation with the Company, shall deem appropriate. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply in determining the equivalent principal amount in respect of Securities of a Series denominated in currency other than Dollars in connection with any action taken by Holders of Securities pursuant to the terms of this Indenture. All decisions and determinations of the Trustee regarding the Market Exchange Rate or any alternative determination provided for in the preceding paragraph shall be in its sole discretion and shall, in the absence of manifest error, to the extent permitted by law, be conclusive for all purposes and irrevocably binding upon the Company and all Holders.
Section 10.16 Judgment Currency.
The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of or interest or other amount on the Securities of any Series (the “Required Currency”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “Judgment Currency”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered, unless such day is not a New York Banking Day, then the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with subsection (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “New York Banking Day” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.
ARTICLE XI
SINKING FUNDS
Section 11.01 Applicability of Article.
The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of the Securities of a Series, except as otherwise permitted or required by any form of Security of such Series issued pursuant to this Indenture. The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of the Securities of any Series is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment” and any other amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such Series is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment.” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any Series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 11.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any Series as provided for by the terms of the Securities of such Series.
Section 11.02 Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities.
The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any Series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (1) deliver outstanding Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable (other than any of such Securities previously called for mandatory sinking fund redemption) and (2) apply as credit Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable and which have been repurchased by the Company or redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Series of Securities (except pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund) or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments or other optional redemptions pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received by the Trustee, together with an Officers’ Certificate with respect thereto, not later than 15 days prior to the date on which the Trustee begins the process of selecting Securities for redemption, and shall be credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 11.02, the principal amount of Securities of such Series to be redeemed in order to exhaust the aforesaid cash payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such Series for redemption, except upon receipt of a Company Order that such action be taken, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall from time to time upon receipt of a Company Order pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that Series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment required to be released to the Company.
Section 11.03 Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund.
Not less than 45 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate in respect of a particular Series of Securities) prior to each sinking fund payment date for any Series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that Series pursuant to the terms of that Series, the portion thereof if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that Series pursuant to Section 11.02, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 30 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture in respect of a particular Series of Securities) before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 3.02 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 3.03. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 3.04, 3.05 and 3.06.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
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VAXART, INC. |
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By: |
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Name: |
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Title: |
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[ ], as Trustee |
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By: |
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Name: |
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Title: |
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Exhibit 5.1
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April 15, 2026 |
Vaxart, Inc.
170 Harbor Way, Suite 300
South San Francisco, CA 94080
Re: Registration Statement on Form S-3
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Vaxart, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the preparation and filing by the Company of its registration statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the offering from time to time of up to $300,000,000 in the aggregate of the securities identified below, pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act, of (i) shares of the Company’s common stock (“Common Stock”), par value $0.0001 per share (the “Shares”), (ii) shares of the Company’s preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), (iii) debt securities (the “Debt Securities”), (iv) warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock or Debt Securities (the “Warrants”) (v) purchase contracts (the “Purchase Contracts”) which may be issued under one or more purchase contract agreements, and (vi) units representing ownership of Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Debt Securities, Warrants, Purchase Contracts, or any combination thereof (the “Units”). The Common Stock, the Preferred Stock, the Debt Securities, the Warrants, the Purchase Contracts and the Units are collectively referred to as the “Securities”. The offering of the Securities will be as set forth in the prospectus (the “Prospectus”) contained in the Registration Statement, as supplemented by one or more supplements to the Prospectus.
The Warrants will be issued under one or more warrant agreements (each, a “Warrant Agreement”) to be entered into between the Company and the warrant agent party thereto (the “Warrant Agent”). The Debt Securities will be issued in one or more series pursuant to an Indenture (the “Indenture”) to be entered into between the Company and a trustee to be named therein (the “Trustee”), a form of which is filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. The Preferred Stock will be issued in one or more series and the relative powers, designations, preferences, rights and qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such Preferred Stock will be set forth in one or more certificates of designation (each, a “Certificate of Designation”). The Purchase Contracts will be issued under one or more purchase contract agreements (each, a “Purchase Contract Agreement”) to be entered into between the Company and the purchase contract agent to be named therein (the “Purchase Contract Agent”). The Units will be issued pursuant to one or more unit agreements (each, a “Unit Agreement”) to be entered into between the Company and the unit agent party thereto (the “Unit Agent”). The Indenture, Certificate of Designation, Warrant Agreement, Purchase Contract Agreement, and Unit Agreement are hereinafter referred to as the “Securities Documents”.
We also have acted as counsel to the Company in connection with the sale through Citizens JMP Securities, LLC and B. Riley Securities, Inc., as sales agents (the “Sales Agents”), from time to time by the Company of shares of Common Stock (the “ATM Agreement Shares”) having an aggregate offering price of up to $49,772,479 pursuant to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related prospectus for the sale of the ATM Agreement Shares included in the Registration Statement (the “ATM Agreement Prospectus”), and that certain At The Market Offering Agreement, dated as of March 15, 2025, between the Sales Agents and the Company (the “ATM Agreement”).
Item 601 of Regulation S-K and the instructions to Form S-3 require that an opinion of counsel concerning the legality of the securities to be registered be filed as an exhibit to a Form S-3 registration statement if the securities are original issue shares. This opinion is provided in satisfaction of that requirement as it relates to the Registration Statement.
In rendering this opinion, we have examined the following:
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The Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws of the Company, each as amended and restated through the date hereof. |
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A certificate of good standing of the Company, obtained from the Secretary of State of Delaware and dated as of a recent date. |
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The Registration Statement. |
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The Prospectus. |
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The form of Indenture. |
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Such other records, instruments, documents and certificates as we have deemed advisable in order to render such opinion. |
In such examination, we have assumed:
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The genuineness of all signatures. |
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b) |
The legacy capacity of all natural persons. |
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c) |
The authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals. |
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The conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies. |
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As to matters of fact, the truthfulness of the representations made in the Securities Documents and in certificates of public officials and officers of the Company. |
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That each of the Securities Documents, when executed, will be the legal valid and binding obligations of each party thereto, other than the Company, enforceable against each such party in accordance with its terms. |
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g) |
That: |
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a. |
the issuance and delivery by the Company of the Securities and the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Securities Documents do not and will not: |
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contravene its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws, each as amended and restated through the date hereof; |
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ii. |
do not and will not, except with respect to Generally Applicable Law, violate any law, rule or regulation applicable to it; or |
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iii. |
result in any conflict with, or breach of, any agreement or document binding on the Company or any of its subsidiaries. |
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b. |
Except with respect to Generally Applicable Law, no authorization, approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any governmental authority or regulatory body or any other third party for the due execution, delivery or performance by the Company of any Securities Document to which it is a party or, if any such authorization, approval, action, notice or filing is required, it has been obtained, taken, given or made and is in full force and effect. |
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h) |
At the time of the offering or sale, the Securities and the Securities Documents relating thereto will have been specifically authorized by the Board of Directors of the Company or an authorized committee thereof for issuance and execution and delivery by the Company. |
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i) |
Any Securities issuable upon conversion, exchange or exercise of any Security being offered will, at the time of such offering or sale, have been duly authorized, created and, if appropriate, reserved for issuance upon such conversion, exchange or exercise. |
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j) |
Any Securities consisting of Common Stock, Preferred Stock, or Warrants, including Common Stock or Preferred Stock issuable upon conversion, exchange or exercise of any Security being offered, will, when so issued, have been duly authorized, executed and delivered, against receipt of the consideration approved by the Company, which will be no less than the par value thereof. |
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k) |
With respect to the issuance and sale of any Debt Securities, (i) the Indenture has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the Trustee, and (ii) the Debt Securities, when issued, will be executed, authenticated, issued and delivered (a) against receipt of the consideration therefor approved by the Company and (b) as provided in the Indenture. |
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l) |
With respect to the issuance and sale of any Warrants, (i) the related Warrant Agreement will have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the Warrant Agent, and (ii) the Warrants, when issued, will be executed, countersigned by the Warrant Agent, issued and delivered (a) against receipt of the consideration therefore approved by the Company and (b) as provided in such Warrant Agreement. |
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m) |
With respect to the issuance and sale of any Purchase Contracts, (i) the related Purchase Contract Agreement will have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the Purchase Contract Agent, and (ii) the Purchase Contract , when issued, will be executed, countersigned by the Purchase Contract Agent, issued and delivered (a) against receipt of the consideration therefore approved by the Company and (b) as provided in such Purchase Contract Agreement. |
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n) |
With respect to the issuance and sale of any Units, (i) the related Unit Agreement will have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the Unit Agent, and (ii) the Units, when issued, will be executed, countersigned by the Unit Agent, issued and delivered (a) against receipt of the consideration therefore approved by the Company and (b) as provided in such Unit Agreement. |
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o) |
That the Registration Statement shall have become effective and such effectiveness shall not have been terminated or withdrawn. |
We have not independently established the validity of the foregoing assumptions.
Based upon and subject to the foregoing and such other investigation as we have deemed necessary and subject to the qualifications set forth below, we are of the opinion that:
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1. |
Any Securities consisting of Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. |
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2. |
Any Securities consisting of Preferred Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. |
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3. |
Any Securities consisting of Warrants will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms and will be entitled to the benefits of the Warrant Agreement. |
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4. |
Any Securities consisting of Debt Securities will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture. |
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5. |
Any Securities consisting of Purchase Contracts will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms and will be entitled to the benefits of the Purchase Contract Agreement. |
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6. |
Any Securities consisting of Units will constitute legal, valid, and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms and will be entitled to the benefits of the Unit Agreement. |
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7. |
The ATM Agreement Shares to be sold by the Company have been duly authorized and, assuming the terms of any sale of the ATM Agreement Shares pursuant to the ATM Agreement are approved by the Company’s Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof, when issued and delivered by the Company and paid for pursuant to the ATM Agreement, the ATM Agreement Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. |
The foregoing opinions are qualified to the extent that the enforceability of any document, instrument, Securities or Securities Document may be limited by or subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer or conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, and general equitable or public policy principles. With respect to Securities denominated in a currency other than United States dollars, we express no opinion as to whether a court would award a judgment in a currency other than United States dollars.
Our opinions expressed above are limited to the General Corporation Laws of the State of Delaware and laws of the State of New York, in each case as currently in effect (collectively, “Generally Applicable Law”), and we express no opinion as to the effect on the matters covered by this letter of the laws of any other jurisdiction.
This opinion letter is expressly limited to the matters set forth above, and we render no opinion, whether by implication or otherwise, as to any other matters relating to the Company, the Securities, the Securities Documents, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.
We hereby consent to being named in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus under the caption “Legal Matters” and to the use of this opinion for filing with said Registration Statement as Exhibit 5.1 thereto. In giving this consent, we do not hereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
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Very truly yours,
/s/ Thomson Hine LLP
Thompson Hine LLP |
Exhibit 23.2
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus constituting a part of this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated March 12, 2026, relating to the consolidated financial statements of Vaxart, Inc. as of and for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, appearing in Vaxart, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10‑K for the year ended December 31, 2025. We also consent to the reference to us under the caption “Experts” in the Prospectus.
/s/ WithumSmith+Brown, PC
San Francisco, California
April 15, 2026