ZK International Group Co., Ltd 6-K, filed Jul 23, 2024
ZK International Group Co., Ltd. (ZKIN)
About this 6-K
ZK International Group Co., Ltd filed this 6-K on July 23, 2024.
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the month of July 2024
Commission File No. 001-38146
ZK INTERNATIONAL GROUP CO., LTD.
(Translation of registrant’s name into English)
c/o Zhejiang Zhengkang Industrial Co., Ltd.
No. 678 Dingxiang Road, Binhai Industrial Park
Economic & Technology Development Zone
Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province
People’s Republic of China 325025
Tel: +86-577-86852999
(Address of principal executive office)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F
Form 20-F x Form 40-F ¨
Change of Director
On June 13, 2024, Ms. Xuejie Lyu tendered her resignation as an Independent Director, Chair of the Audit Committee, Chair of the Compensation Committee, and a member of the Nomination Committee, the Governance Committee and the Enterprise Risk Oversight Committee of ZK International Group Co., Ltd. (the “Company”). Ms. Lyu’s decision to resign did not arise or result from any disagreement with the Company.
Effective on June 13, 2024, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) appointed Hedong Xu to serve as an Independent Director, Chair of the Audit Committee, Chair of the Compensation Committee, and a member of the Nomination Committee, the Governance Committee and the Enterprise Risk Oversight Committee of the Company to fill in the vacancy created by Ms. Lyu’s resignation until the Company’s next general meeting of shareholders called for the election of directors and until her successors have been duly elected and qualified.
The biographical information of Mr. Xu is set forth below:
Hedong Xu, age 48
Mr. Hedong Xu is a seasoned financial professional with over two decades of experience. Mr. Xu has served as the managing partner at Wenzhou Dexin Certified Public Accountants Co., Ltd. since April 2018. Previously, he served as senior partner and department manager at Wenzhou Oujiang Certified Public Accountants Co., Ltd. from January 2006 to March 2018. In 2018, Mr. Xu founded Zhejiang Guanzhongtang Health Industry Co., Ltd., a company focusing on healthcare and agricultural tourism. In 2012, Mr. Xu founded Wenzhou Oujia Enterprise Service Co., Ltd., a company specializing in corporate and tax consulting services. Mr. Xu holds a mid-level accountant certification, and he is also qualified as a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Real Estate Appraiser, and Certified Asset Appraiser. Mr. Xu has engaged in a wide array of services including financial analysis, risk assessment, internal control and advisory services for investment and financing projects, corporate mergers and acquisitions, and shareholding system reforms. Mr. Xu received his bachelor’s degrees in accounting from the Open University of China.
The Board has determined Mr. Xu is an independent director under the applicable rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”). He has no family relationships with any of the executive officers or directors of the Company and has not been involved in any transaction with the Company during the past two years that would require disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K. There are no arrangements or understandings with major shareholders, customers, suppliers or others, pursuant to which Mr. Xu was selected as a director. Moreover, the Board has determined that Mr. Xu is an audit committee financial expert as defined by Item 407 of Regulation S-K and, as such, the Board has determined that Mr. Xu is financially sophisticated as defined by rules of Nasdaq.
On July 10, 2024, the Company entered into a director offer letter with Mr. Xu pursuant to which Mr. Xu shall receive an annual compensation of RMB60,000 ($8,276), effective upon approval of the resolution, until his successor is duly elected and qualified, or until his earlier death, resignation or removal. The foregoing descriptions of director offer letter to Mr. Xu is qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text thereof, which is attached as Exhibits 99.1 hereto and incorporated by reference herein.
Entry into a Material Agreement
On July 12, 2024, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”) with Recruiter.Com Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCRT) (the “Target”), pursuant to which the Company agreed to purchase 2,000,000 shares of common stock of the Target at a price of US$1.00 per share (the “Investment”). The Company has an option to purchase additional 2,000,000 shares at $1.00 per share.
The Securities Purchase Agreement contain customary representations and warranties of the Company and the Target, indemnification obligations of the parties, and other obligations and rights of the parties. Additionally, the closing of the Investment is conditioned upon the consummation of certain matters, including but not limited to, the Target obtaining the approval of its majority stockholders of the issuance of shares and increase the number of authorized shares, and approval of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, if required, and the completion of due diligence by the Company, which shall be on or prior to the 30th day from the date of the Securities Purchase Agreement.
In addition, on July12, 2024, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) with the Target such that the Target shall prepare and, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 150 days after the Closing Date (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement), file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3 covering the resale of all of the Registrable Securities (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), provided that such registration statement shall include all of the Registrable Securities as of the date such registration statement is initially filed with the Commission; provided further that if Form S-3 is unavailable for such a registration of all the Registrable Securities, the Company shall use such other form as is required therein.
The form of the Securities Purchase Agreement is filed as Exhibit 99.2 and the form of the Registration Rights Agreement is filed as Exhibit 99.3 to this Report on Form 6-K. The foregoing summaries of the terms of this document is subject to, and qualified in their entirety by, such document, which is incorporated herein by reference.
EXHIBIT INDEX
| Exhibit No. | Description | |
| 99.1 | Director offer letter to Mr. Hedong Xu, dated July 10, 2024 | |
| 99.2 | Form of Securities Purchase Agreement | |
| 99.3 | Form of Registration Rights Agreement |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| ZK INTERNATIONAL GROUP CO., LTD. | ||
| Date: July 23, 2024 | By: | /s/ Jiancong Huang |
| Name: | Jiancong Huang | |
| Title | Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board | |
Exhibit 99.1
ZK International Group Co., Ltd.
Zhejiang Zhengkang Industrial Co., Ltd.
No. 678 Dingxiang Road, Binhai Industrial Park
Economic & Technology Development Zone
July 10, 2024
Re: Hedong Xu Director Offer Letter
Dear Mr. Xu:
ZK International Group Co., Ltd., a British Virgin Islands company (the “Company” or “we”), is pleased to offer you a position as a Director of the Company. We believe your background and experience will be a significant asset to the Company and we look forward to your participation as a Director in the Company. Should you choose to accept this position as a Director, this letter agreement (the “Agreement”) shall constitute an agreement between you and the Company and contains all the terms and conditions relating to the services you agree to provide to the Company. Your appointment shall also be subject to the approval of Company’s Board of Directors and/or Nomination and Compensation Committees and shall begin immediately.
1. Term. This Agreement is effective as of the date of this Agreement. Your term as a Director shall continue subject to the provisions in Section 8 below or until your successor is duly elected and qualified. The position shall be up for re-appointment every year by the board of the Directors of the Company (the “Board”) and upon re-appointment, the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
2. Services. You shall render customary services as i) a Director, ii) chairperson of the Audit Committee, iii) chairperson of the Compensation Committee and iv) member of the Nomination Committee, the Governance Committee and the Enterprise Risk Oversight Committee (hereinafter, your “Duties”). During the term of this Agreement, you may attend and participate at each meeting regarding the business and operation issues of the Company as regularly or specially called, via teleconference, video conference or in person. You shall consult with the members of the Board and committee (if any) regularly and as necessary via telephone, electronic mail or other forms of correspondence.
3. Services for Others.
4. Compensation. As compensation for your services to the Company, you will receive upon execution of this Agreement a compensation of RMB 60,000 for each calendar year of service under this Agreement on a pro-rated basis. You shall be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred by you in connection with the performance of your Duties (including travel expenses for in-person meetings).
5. No Assignment. Because of the personal nature of the services to be rendered by you, this Agreement may not be assigned by you without the prior written consent of the Company.
6. Confidential Information; Non-Disclosure. In consideration of your access to certain Confidential Information (as defined below) of the Company, in connection with your business relationship with the Company, you hereby represent and agree as follows:
| a. | Definition. For purposes of this Agreement the term “Confidential Information” means: |
(i) any information which the Company possesses that has been created, discovered or developed by or for the Company, and which has or could have commercial value or utility in the business in which the Company is engaged;
(ii) any information which is related to the business of the Company and is generally not known by non-Company personnel; and (iii) Confidential Information includes, without limitation, trade secrets and any information concerning products, processes, formulas, designs, inventions (whether or not patentable or registrable under copyright or similar laws, and whether or not reduced to practice), discoveries, concepts, ideas, improvements, techniques, methods, research, development and test results, specifications, data, know-how, software, formats, marketing plans, and analyses, business plans and analyses, strategies, forecasts, customer and supplier identities, characteristics and agreements.
b. Exclusions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term Confidential Information shall not include: (i) any information which becomes generally available or is readily available to the public other than as a result of a breach of the confidentiality portions of this Agreement, or any other agreement requiring confidentiality between the Company and you; (ii) information received from a third party in rightful possession of such information who is not restricted from disclosing such information; (iii) information known by you prior to receipt of such information from the Company, which prior knowledge can be documented and (iv) information you are required to disclose pursuant to any applicable law, regulation, judicial or administrative order or decree, or request by other regulatory organization having authority pursuant to the law; provided, however, that you shall first have given prior written notice to the Company and made a reasonable effort to obtain a protective order requiring that the Confidential Information not be disclosed.
c. Documents. You agree that, without the express written consent of the Company, you will not remove from the Company's premises, any notes, formulas, programs, data, records, machines or any other documents or items which in any manner contain or constitute Confidential Information, nor will you make reproductions or copies of same. You shall promptly return any such documents or items, along with any reproductions or copies to the Company upon the Company's demand, upon termination of this Agreement, or upon your termination or Resignation (as defined in Section 9 herein).
d. Confidentiality. You agree that you will hold in trust and confidence all Confidential Information and will not disclose to others, directly or indirectly, any Confidential Information or anything relating to such information without the prior written consent of the Company, except as may be necessary in the course of your business relationship with the Company. You further agree that you will not use any Confidential Information without the prior written consent of the Company, except as may be necessary in the course of your business relationship with the Company, and that the provisions of this paragraph (d) shall survive termination of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you may disclose Confidential Information to your legal counsel and accounting advisors who have a need to know such information for accounting or tax purposes and who agree to be bound by the provisions of this paragraph (d).
e. Ownership. You agree that the Company shall own all right, title and interest (including patent rights, copyrights, trade secret rights, mask work rights, trademark rights, and all other intellectual and industrial property rights of any sort throughout the world) relating to any and all inventions (whether or not patentable), works of authorship, mask works, designations, designs, know-how, ideas and information made or conceived or reduced to practice, in whole or in part, by you during the term of this Agreement and that arise out of your Duties (collectively, “Inventions”) and you will promptly disclose and provide all Inventions to the Company. You agree to assist the Company, at its expense, to further evidence, record and perfect such assignments, and to perfect, obtain, maintain, enforce, and defend any rights assigned.
7. Non-Solicitation. During the term of your appointment, you shall not solicit for employment any employee of the Company with whom you have had contact due to your appointment.
8. Termination and Resignation. Your services as a Director may be terminated for any or no reason by the determination of the Board. You may also terminate your services as a Director for any or no reason by delivering your written notice of resignation to the Company (“Resignation”), and such Resignation shall be effective upon the time specified therein or, if no time is specified, upon receipt of the notice of resignation by the Company. Upon the effective date of the termination or Resignation, your right to compensation hereunder will terminate subject to the Company's obligations to pay you any compensation that you have already earned and to reimburse you for approved expenses already incurred in connection with your performance of your Duties as of the effective date of such termination or Resignation.
9. Governing Law; Arbitration. All questions with respect to the construction and/or enforcement of this Agreement, and the rights and obligations of the parties hereunder, shall be determined in accordance with the law of the State of New York. All disputes with respect to this Agreement, including the existence, validity, interpretation, performance, breach or termination thereof or any dispute regarding non-contractual obligations arising out of or relating to it shall be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association at its New York office in force when the Notice of Arbitration is submitted. The law of this arbitration clause shall be New York law. The seat of arbitration shall be in New York. The number of arbitrators shall be one. The arbitration proceedings shall be conducted in English.
10. Entire Agreement; Amendment; Waiver; Counterparts. This Agreement expresses the entire understanding with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes and terminates any prior oral or written agreements with respect to the subject matter hereof. Any term of this Agreement may be amended and observance of any term of this Agreement may be waived only with the written consent of the parties hereto. Waiver of any term or condition of this Agreement by any party shall not be construed as a waiver of any subsequent breach or failure of the same term or condition or waiver of any other term or condition of this Agreement. The failure of any party at any time to require performance by any other party of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the right of any such party to require future performance of such provision or any other provision of this Agreement. This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts each of which will be an original and all of which taken together will constitute one and the same agreement, and may be executed using facsimiles of signatures, and a facsimile of a signature shall be deemed to be the same, and equally enforceable, as an original of such signature.
11. Indemnification. The Company shall, to the maximum extent provided under applicable law, indemnify and hold you harmless from and against any expenses, including reasonable attorney’s fees, judgments, fines, settlements and other legally permissible amounts (“Losses”), incurred in connection with any proceeding arising out of, or related to, your performance of your Duties, other than any such Losses incurred as a result of your gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Company shall advance to you any expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of settlement, incurred in defending any such proceeding to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law. Such costs and expenses incurred by you in defense of any such proceeding shall be paid by the Company in advance of the final disposition of such proceeding promptly upon receipt by the Company of (a) written request for payment; (b) appropriate documentation evidencing the incurrence, amount and nature of the costs and expenses for which payment is being sought; and (c) an undertaking adequate under applicable law made by or on your behalf to repay the amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined pursuant to any non-appealable judgment or settlement that you are not entitled to be indemnified by the Company.
12. Acknowledgement. You accept this Agreement subject to all the terms and provisions of this Agreement. You agree to accept as binding, conclusive, and final all decisions or interpretations of the Board of Directors of the Company of any questions arising under this Agreement.
The Agreement has been executed and delivered by the undersigned and is made effective as of the date set first set forth above.
| Sincerely, | ||
| ZK INTERNATIONAL GROUP CO., LTD | ||
| By: | /s/ Jiancong Huang | |
| Jiancong Huang | ||
| Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer | ||
| AGREED AND ACCEPTED: | |
| /s/ Hedong Xu | |
| Hedong Xu |
Exhibit 99.2
THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE BEEN OFFERED IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION TO A PERSON WHO IS NOT A U.S. PERSON (AS DEFINED HEREIN) PURSUANT TO REGULATION S UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “1933 ACT”).
NONE OF THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE 1933 ACT, OR ANY U.S. STATE SECURITIES LAWS, AND, UNLESS SO REGISTERED, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES (AS DEFINED HEREIN) OR TO U.S. PERSONS EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF REGULATION S UNDER THE 1933 ACT, PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE 1933 ACT, OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE 1933 ACT AND IN EACH CASE ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. IN ADDITION, HEDGING TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE CONDUCTED UNLESS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE 1933 ACT. “UNITED STATES” AND “U.S. PERSON” ARE AS DEFINED BY REGULATION S UNDER THE 1933 ACT.
PRIVATE PLACEMENT SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT
FOR NON U.S. SUBSCRIBERS
RECRUITER.COM GROUP, INC.
PRIVATE PLACEMENT OF COMMON STOCK
INSTRUCTIONS TO SUBSCRIBER:
| 1. | COMPLETE the information on the Signature Page of this Subscription Agreement. |
| 2. | DELIVER the Subscription Proceeds to the Escrow Account as set forth on Exhibit A. |
| 3. | EMAIL a pdf of the originally executed copy of (1) entire executed Subscription Agreement and (2) the entire Escrow Agreement to Granger Whitelaw, CEO at gwhitelaw@recruiter.com and Scott Kline, Esq at scott@klinelawgroup.com, |
| 4. | COURIER the originally executed copy of (1) entire executed Subscription Agreement and (2) the entire Escrow Agreement to the Company at: |
Recruiter.com Group, Inc.
c/o Brent Suen
P.O. Box 3120
Fort Lee, NJ 07024
Recruiter.com Group, Inc.
Common Stock Subscription Agreement
U.S. Subscribers
SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT
THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of July __, 2024, by and between Recruiter.com Group, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), the issuer of shares of common stock, and ZK International Group Co., Ltd., a company organized under the laws of the British Virgin Islands (the “Subscriber” or “Investor”).
WHEREAS, the Company and Subscriber are executing and delivering this Agreement in reliance upon an exemption from securities registration afforded by the provisions of Section 4(2) and/or Regulation S (“Regulation S”) promulgated by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission” or “SEC”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”);
WHEREAS, the parties hereto desire that, upon the terms and subject to the conditions contained herein, the Company shall issue and sell to Subscriber, and Subscriber shall purchase the number of Shares set forth on the signature page.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and other agreements contained in this Agreement, the Company and Subscriber hereby agree as follows:
1. Subscription for Shares.
(a) Subscription. The Company shall issue a maximum of four million (4,000,000) shares of common stock to subscribers in one or more closings. The Subscriber hereby irrevocably subscribes for and agrees to purchase two million (2,000,000) shares of common stock (the “Shares” or the “Securities”) at a per share price of US$1.00 per Share. The Company hereby agrees to sell, on the basis of the representations and warranties and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, to the Subscriber the Shares, free of all liens, pledges, mortgages, security interests, charges, restrictions, adverse claims or other encumbrances of any kind or nature whatsoever (“Encumbrances”), for the Purchase Price as indicated on the signature page hereto. Subject to the terms hereof, the Agreement will be effective upon its acceptance by the Company.
(b) Payment. The Purchase Price must accompany this Agreement and shall be sent directly to the escrow account as set forth on Exhibit A. The terms of the escrow are set forth in the Escrow Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit B. Unless otherwise provided, all dollar amounts referred to in this Agreement are in lawful money of the United States of America.
(c) Documents Required from Subscriber. The Subscriber must complete, sign and return to the Company one (1) executed copy of each of this Agreement and a Registration Rights Agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company has agreed to provide certain registration rights with respect to the Registrable Securities (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), under the 1933 Act. The Subscriber shall complete, sign and return to the Company as soon as possible, on request by the Company, any documents, questionnaires, notices and undertakings as may be required by regulatory authorities and applicable laws.
(d) Closing. Closing of the purchase and sale of the Shares shall occur at such time as shall be agreed upon by the Subscriber and the Company (the “Closing Date”) upon satisfaction of Section 1(e) hereof. The Subscriber acknowledges that Shares may be issued to other subscribers under this offering (the “Offering”) before or after the Closing Date. The Subscriber acknowledges that the certificates representing the Securities will be available for delivery within a reasonable time after Closing provided that the Subscriber has satisfied the requirements of Section 1(b) and (c) hereof and the Company has accepted this Agreement.
Recruiter.com Group, Inc.
Common Stock Subscription Agreement
U.S. Subscribers
(e) Conditions to the Subscriber’s Obligation. The obligations of the Subscriber to purchase and pay for the Shares as provided herein shall be subject to: each of the following additional conditions.
(i) The Company shall have received shareholders’ approval regarding the issuance of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement.
(ii) The Company shall have received Nasdaq’s approval, if required, including approval of listing of additional shares and/or approval of a new Initial Listing Application in connection with any “change of control” resulting from the issuance of the Shares.
(iii) Subscriber shall have completed due diligence on the Company and its subsidiaries to the satisfaction of the Subscriber, provided that such due diligence shall be completed on or before the thirtieth (30th) day of the date first listed above.
(iv) The Company shall have amended its charters to increase the number of authorized shares to 200,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share.
(v) The Subscriber shall have received an accounting analysis from the auditor of the Subscriber to the reasonable satisfaction of the Subscriber, that the investment will not exceed the significance threshold that causes the Subscriber to use equity method in financial reporting under Rule 3-09 of Regulation S-X or other application accounting rules. If the Subscriber’s shareholding exceeds such significance threshold as determined by the auditor of the Subscriber, such shareholding percentage shall be reduced to below such significance threshold. In any case, any determination for a reduction based on the above accounting analysis, if any, shall be completed on or before the later of (y) the thirtieth (30th) day of the date first listed above or (z) the Company’s Information Statement Pursuant to Section 14(c) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which details the shareholder approval of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement, becomes effective.
(vi) On each Closing Date, the Subscriber shall not be deemed an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as a result of acquiring the Shares, as reasonably determined by counsel for Subscriber.
(vii) On each Closing Date, the Offering shall not be deemed as a significant acquisition for the Subscriber pursuant to Rule 3-05 of Regulation S-X, as reasonably determined by counsel for Subscriber.
(viii) On each Closing Date, the Subscriber shall have received from counsel to the Company, a legal opinion, dated as of the Closing Date and addressed to the Subscriber, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Subscriber..
Recruiter.com Group, Inc.
Common Stock Subscription Agreement
U.S. Subscribers
(ix) The Subscriber shall have received certificates of each of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company (the “Officers’ Certificate”), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Subscriber and, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that: (i) the conditions set forth in this Section 1(e) have been satisfied, (ii) as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Section 5 hereof are materially accurate, (iii) as of the Closing Date, all agreements, conditions and obligations of the Company to be performed or complied with hereunder on or prior thereto have been duly performed or complied with, (iv) subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the SEC filings, there has not been any events that could have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect or any development that could have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business. As used in this Agreement, “Material Adverse Effect” means the reasonable likelihood of a material adverse effect on (i) the business, properties, assets, liabilities, operations (including results thereof), or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, individually or taken as a whole, (ii) the transactions contemplated hereby or (iii) the authority or ability of the Company or any of its subsidiaries to perform any of their respective obligations under any of this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement and each of the other transaction documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder.
(x) On each Closing Date, the Subscriber shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Secretary of the Company (the “Secretary’s Certificate”), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Subscriber and dated the Closing Date, certifying: (i) that each of the charter and bylaws of the Company and its subsidiaries is true and complete, has not been modified and is in full force and effect; (ii) that the resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors relating to the Offering are in full force and effect and have not been modified; (iii) the good standing of the Company and its subsidiaries; and (iv) as to the incumbency of the officers of the Company.
(xi) No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares or materially and adversely affect or potentially materially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company.
(xii) The Subscriber shall have received on and as of the Closing Date reasonably satisfactory evidence of the good standing (or the applicable equivalent) of the Company in its jurisdiction of organizations in writing from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdiction.
(f) Additional Purchase Option. The Subscriber shall have the right but not the obligation to purchase an additional two million (2,000,000) shares of common stock at $1.00 per share for a period of six (6) months after the Closing Date.
Recruiter.com Group, Inc.
Common Stock Subscription Agreement
U.S. Subscribers
2. Acknowledgements of Subscriber. The Subscriber acknowledges and agrees that:
(a) the Securities have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), or under any state securities or “blue sky” laws of any state of the United States, and are being offered only in a transaction not involving any public offering within the meaning of the 1933 Act, and, unless so registered, may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in the United States or to U.S. Persons (as defined herein), except in accordance with the provisions of Regulation S under the 1933 Act, pursuant to an effective registration statement under the 1933 Act, or pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the 1933 Act, and in each case only in accordance with applicable state securities laws;
(b) the Company has not undertaken, and will have no obligation, except as provided under the Registration Rights Agreement, to register any of the Securities under the 1933 Act;
(c) the Company will refuse to register any transfer of the Securities not made in accordance with the provisions of Regulation S, pursuant to an effective registration statement under the 1933 Act or pursuant to an available exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the 1933 Act;
(d) by execution hereof the Subscriber has waived the need for the Company to communicate its acceptance of the purchase of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement;
(e) the Company is entitled to rely on the representations and warranties and the statements and answers of the Subscriber contained in this Agreement, and the Subscriber will hold harmless the Company from any loss or damage it may suffer as a result of the Subscriber’s failure to correctly complete this Agreement;
(f) the Subscriber has not acquired the Securities as a result of, and will not itself engage in, any “directed selling efforts” (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) in the United States in respect of any of the Securities which would include any activities undertaken for the purpose of, or that could reasonably be expected to have the effect of, conditioning the market in the United States for the resale of any of the Securities; provided, however, that the Subscriber may sell or otherwise dispose of any of the Securities pursuant to registration of any of the Securities pursuant to the 1933 Act and any applicable state securities laws or under an exemption from such registration requirements and as otherwise provided herein;
(g) the Subscriber understands and agrees that offers and sales of any of the Securities prior to the expiration of the period specified in Regulation S (such period hereinafter referred to as the “Distribution Compliance Period”) shall only be made in compliance with the safe harbor provisions set forth in Regulation S, pursuant to the registration provisions of the 1933 Act or an exemption therefrom, and that all offers and sales after the Distribution Compliance Period shall be made only in compliance with the registration provisions of the 1933 Act or an exemption therefrom and in each case only in accordance with applicable securities laws;
(h) the statutory and regulatory basis for the exemption claimed for the offer and sale of the Securities, although in technical compliance with Regulation S, would not be available if the offering is part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration provisions of the 1933 Act or any applicable state securities laws;
(i) Subscriber acknowledges the Company’s filings with the SEC, has read and understands the descriptions of the Company and its business and financial condition and risk factors set forth in its SEC filings. Subscriber believes it has received all the information it considers necessary or appropriate for deciding whether to invest in the Company and to accept the Securities; Subscriber further represents that through its representatives it has had an opportunity to ask questions and receive answers from the Company regarding the terms and conditions of the offering of the Securities and the business, properties and financial condition of the Company and to obtain additional information (to the extent the Company possessed such information or could acquire it without unreasonable effort or expense) necessary to verify the accuracy of any information furnished to it or to which it had access;
Recruiter.com Group, Inc.
Common Stock Subscription Agreement
U.S. Subscribers
(j) the Subscriber has been advised to consult the Subscriber’s own legal, tax and other advisors with respect to the merits and risks of an investment in the Securities and with respect to applicable resale restrictions and the Subscriber is solely responsible (and the Company is not in any way responsible) for compliance with applicable resale restrictions;
(k) the Company has advised the Subscriber that the Company is relying on an exemption from the requirements to provide the Subscriber with a prospectus to sell the Securities and, as a consequence of acquiring the Securities pursuant to such exemption certain protections, rights and remedies provided by the applicable securities legislation will not be available to the Subscriber;
(l) neither the SEC nor any other securities commission or similar regulatory authority has reviewed or passed on the merits of the Securities; no documents in connection with this Offering have been reviewed by the SEC or any state securities administrators; there is no government or other insurance covering any of the Securities;
(m) Subscriber has not taken, and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to, or that might reasonably be expected to, cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Common Stock, to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or affect the price at which the Securities may be issued or resold; and
(n) this Agreement is not enforceable by the Subscriber unless it has been accepted by the Company, and the Subscriber acknowledges and agrees that the Company reserves the right to reject any Agreement for any reason..
3. Subscriber Representations and Warranties. Subscriber hereby represents and warrants to and agrees with the Company that:
(a) Standing of Subscriber. Subscriber has the legal capacity and power to enter into this Agreement. If Subscriber is an entity, such Subscriber is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation. If Subscriber is a natural person, such Subscriber is not a minor and has the legal capacity to enter into this Agreement.
(b) Authorization and Power. Subscriber has the requisite power and authority to enter into and perform this Agreement and to pay the Purchase Price and accept the Securities. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by Subscriber and, if Subscriber is an entity, the consummation by Subscriber of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary company action, and no further consent or authorization of Subscriber, its board of directors or similar governing body, or stockholders is required, as applicable. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Subscriber and constitutes, or shall constitute when executed and delivered, a valid and binding obligation of Subscriber, enforceable against Subscriber in accordance with the terms thereof.
(c) Foreign Person Status.
(i) The Subscriber is not a U.S. Person;
(ii) the Subscriber is not acquiring the Securities for the account or benefit of, directly or indirectly, any U.S. Person;
Recruiter.com Group, Inc.
Common Stock Subscription Agreement
U.S. Subscribers
(iii) the Subscriber is resident in the jurisdiction set out on the Investor Questionnaire attached to this Agreement; and
(iv) the issuance of the Securities to the Subscriber as contemplated by the delivery of this Agreement, the acceptance of it by the Company and the issuance of the Securities to the Subscriber complies with all applicable laws of the Subscriber’s jurisdiction of residence or domicile and will not cause the Company to become subject to or comply with any disclosure, prospectus or reporting requirements under any such applicable laws.
(e) Applicable Local Law. The Subscriber:
(i) is knowledgeable of, or has been independently advised as to, the applicable securities laws of the securities regulators having application in the jurisdiction in which the Subscriber is resident (the “International Jurisdiction”) which would apply to the acquisition of the Securities;
(ii) is purchasing the Securities pursuant to exemptions from prospectus or equivalent requirements under applicable securities laws or, if such is not applicable, the Subscriber is permitted to purchase the Securities under the applicable securities laws of the securities regulators in the International Jurisdiction without the need to rely on any exemptions;
(iii) acknowledges that the applicable securities laws of the authorities in the International Jurisdiction do not require the Company to make any filings or seek any approvals of any kind whatsoever from any securities regulator of any kind whatsoever in the International Jurisdiction in connection with the issue and sale or resale of the Securities; and
(iv) represents and warrants that the acquisition of the Securities by the Subscriber does not trigger:
A. any obligation to prepare and file a prospectus or similar document, or any other report with respect to such purchase in the International Jurisdiction, or
B. any continuous disclosure reporting obligation of the Company in the International Jurisdiction, and
C. the Subscriber will, if requested by the Company, deliver to the Company a certificate or opinion of local counsel from the International Jurisdiction which will confirm the matters referred to herein to the satisfaction of the Company, acting reasonably.
Recruiter.com Group, Inc.
Common Stock Subscription Agreement
U.S. Subscribers
(f) Investment Representations.
(i) The Subscriber is acquiring the Securities as principal for investment only and not with a view to, or for, resale, distribution or fractionalization thereof, in whole or in part, and, in particular, it has no intention to distribute either directly or indirectly any of the Securities in the United States or to U.S. Persons;
(ii) the Subscriber is outside the United States when receiving and executing this Agreement;
(iii) the Subscriber has received and carefully read this Agreement;
(iv) the Subscriber understands and agrees not to engage in any hedging transactions involving any of the Securities unless such transactions are in compliance with the provisions of the 1933 Act and in each case only in accordance with applicable state securities laws;
(v) the Subscriber acknowledges that it has not acquired the Securities as a result of, and will not itself engage in, any “directed selling efforts” (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) in the United States in respect of any of the Securities which would include any activities undertaken for the purpose of, or that could reasonably be expected to have the effect of, conditioning the market in the United States for the resale of any of the Securities; provided, however, that the Subscriber may sell or otherwise dispose of any of the Securities pursuant to registration of any of the Securities pursuant to the 1933 Act and any applicable state securities laws or under an exemption from such registration requirements and as otherwise provided herein;
(vi) the Subscriber (i) has adequate net worth and means of providing for the Subscriber’s current financial needs and possible personal contingencies, (ii) has no need for liquidity in this investment, and (iii) is able to bear the economic risks of an investment in the Securities for an indefinite period of time, and can afford the complete loss of such investment;
(vii) the Subscriber has the requisite knowledge and experience in financial and business matters as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the investment in the Securities and the Company, and the Subscriber is providing evidence of knowledge and experience in these matters through the information contained in this Agreement;
(viii) the Subscriber is aware that an investment in the Company is speculative and involves certain risks, including the possible loss of the investment;
(ix) the entering into of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby do not result in the violation of any of the terms and provisions of any law applicable to, or, if applicable, the governing documents of, the Subscriber, or of any agreement, written or oral, to which the Subscriber may be a party or by which the Subscriber is or may be bound;
(x) all information contained in this Agreement is complete and accurate and may be relied upon by the Company, and the Subscriber will notify the Company immediately of any material change in any such information occurring prior to the Closing Date;
(xi) the Subscriber understands and agrees that offers and sales of any of the Securities prior to the expiration of the period specified in Regulation S (such period hereinafter referred to as the “Distribution Compliance Period”) shall only be made in compliance with the safe harbor provisions set forth in Regulation S, pursuant to the registration provisions of the 1933 Act or an exemption therefrom, and that all offers and sales after the Distribution Compliance Period shall be made only in compliance with the registration provisions of the 1933 Act or an exemption therefrom and in each case only in accordance with applicable state securities laws;
Recruiter.com Group, Inc.
Common Stock Subscription Agreement
U.S. Subscribers
(xii) the Subscriber is purchasing the Securities for its own account for investment purposes only and not for the account of any other person and not for distribution, assignment or resale to others, and no other person has a direct or indirect beneficial interest is such Securities, and the Subscriber has not subdivided his interest in the Securities with any other person;
(xiii) the Subscriber is not an underwriter of, or dealer in, the Securities of the Company’s common stock, nor is the Subscriber participating, pursuant to a contractual agreement or otherwise, in the distribution of the Securities;
(xiv) the Subscriber has made an independent examination and investigation of an investment in the Securities and the Company and has depended on the advice of the Subscriber’s legal and financial advisors and agrees that the Company will not be responsible in anyway whatsoever for the Subscriber’s decision to invest in the Securities and the Company;
(xv) if the Subscriber is acquiring the Securities as a fiduciary or agent for one or more investor accounts, the Subscriber has sole investment discretion with respect to each such account, and the Subscriber has full power to make the foregoing acknowledgements, representations and agreements on behalf of such account;
In this Agreement, the term “U.S. Person” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Regulation S promulgated under the 1933 Act and for the purpose of the Agreement includes any person in the United States.
(g) Share Legend. The Shares shall bear the following legend:
“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE BEEN OFFERED IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION TO A PERSON WHO IS NOT A U.S. PERSON (AS DEFINED HEREIN) PURSUANT TO REGULATION S UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “1933 ACT”).
NONE OF THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE 1933 ACT, OR ANY U.S. STATE SECURITIES LAWS, AND, UNLESS SO REGISTERED, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES (AS DEFINED HEREIN) OR TO U.S. PERSONS EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF REGULATION S UNDER THE 1933 ACT, PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE 1933 ACT, OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE 1933 ACT AND IN EACH CASE ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. IN ADDITION, HEDGING TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE CONDUCTED UNLESS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE 1933 ACT. “UNITED STATES” AND “U.S. PERSON” ARE AS DEFINED BY REGULATION S UNDER THE 1933 ACT.”
4. Board Representation. The current Board of Directors of the Company shall have received the resignation of at least one director and shall have appointed a nominee of Investor, effective at the Closing Date.
Recruiter.com Group, Inc.
Common Stock Subscription Agreement
U.S. Subscribers
5. Company Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, Subscriber that as of the Closing Date, as set forth in the Company SEC Documents, as applicable:
(a) Due Incorporation. The Company is a corporation duly organized and in good standing under the laws of laws of the State of Nevada. All of the direct and indirect subsidiaries of the Company are set forth in the Company SEC Documents, as such term is defined below. The Company owns or controls, directly or indirectly, the percentage of the capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary of the Company free and clear of any liens, and all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each subsidiary are validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities.
(b) Authority; Enforceability. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no further action is required by the Company, the Board of Directors, or a committee of the Board of Directors in connection herewith other the Required Approvals, which shall be defined as approval by a majority of the shareholders of the Company This Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement has been (or upon delivery will have been) duly executed by the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.
(c) Company Capitalization and Voting Rights. The Company’s capitalization is set forth in the Company SEC Documents, as such term is defined below.. All of the outstanding shares of the Common Stock are duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and are not (and will not be) subject to preemptive or similar rights affecting the Common Stock. As of the date hereof, there are no (i) contracts to which the Company is a party obligating the Company to accelerate the vesting of any company equity award as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (whether alone or upon the occurrence of any additional or subsequent events), (ii) outstanding securities of the Company convertible into or exchangeable for shares of the Common Stock, (iii) outstanding options, warrants or other agreements or commitments to acquire from the Company, or obligations of the Company to issue, shares of capital stock of (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of) the Company or (iv) restricted shares, restricted stock Shares, stock appreciation rights, performance shares, profit participation rights, contingent value rights, “phantom” stock or similar securities or rights that are derivative of, or provide economic benefits based, directly or indirectly, on the value or price of, any shares of capital stock of the Company, in each case that have been issued by the Company (the items in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), together with the capital stock of the Company, being referred to collectively as “Company Securities”). There are no outstanding contracts requiring the Company to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any Company Securities and the Company is not a party to any voting agreement with respect to any Company Securities;
(d) SEC Filings; Financial Statements; Absence of Certain Changes.
Recruiter.com Group, Inc.
Common Stock Subscription Agreement
U.S. Subscribers
(i) SEC Filings. The Company has filed with the SEC all registration statements, prospectuses, reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents (including exhibits and all other information incorporated by reference) required to be filed or furnished by it with the SEC since its inception (the “Company SEC Documents”) and such Company SEC Documents when filed were true, correct and complete in all material respects. As of their respective filing dates (or, if amended or superseded by a subsequent filing, as of the date of the last such amendment or superseding filing prior to the date hereof), each of the Company SEC Documents complied in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (including the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder) and the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder applicable to such Company SEC Documents and did not, at the time it was filed (or, if amended, at the time (and taking into account the content) of such amendment), contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(ii) Financial Statements. Each of the consolidated financial statements (including, in each case, any related notes thereto) contained in the Company SEC Documents: (i) complied as to form in all material respects with the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto as of their respective dates; (ii) was prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto and, in the case of unaudited interim financial statements, as may be permitted by the SEC for Quarterly Reports on Form 10- Q); and (iii) fairly presented in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company at the respective dates thereof and the consolidated results of the Company’s operations and cash flows for the periods indicated therein, subject, in the case of unaudited interim financial statements, to normal and year-end audit adjustments
as permitted by GAAP and the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC;
(iii) Absence of Certain Changes. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any liability, indebtedness or obligation of any kind (whether accrued, absolute, contingent, matured, unmatured or otherwise, and whether or not required to be recorded or reflected on a balance sheet under GAAP) (“Liability”) except for Liabilities that (a) are reflected or recorded on the Company’s most recent balance sheet included in the Company SEC Documents (including in the notes thereto but only to the extent it is reasonably apparent that the disclosure in such notes is of a Liability required to be reflected on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP) contained in the Company SEC Documents or (b) are current Liabilities (within the meaning of GAAP) which were incurred since the date of such balance sheet in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice);
(e) Related Party Transactions. All contracts, transactions, arrangements and understandings with any executive officer or director of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, any other person that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with (“Affiliate”), the Company, or any person owning 5% or more of the shares of the Common Stock (or any of such person's immediate family members or Affiliates or associates), which is required to be disclosed under Item 404 of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Act, have been fully and properly disclosed in the appropriate Company SEC Documents. There are no such contracts, transactions, arrangements or understandings which have not been so disclosed;
(f) Consents. No consent, approval, authorization or order of any court, governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or of any other person is required for the execution by the Company of this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement and compliance and performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder including, without limitation, the issuance of the Securities;
Recruiter.com Group, Inc.
Common Stock Subscription Agreement
U.S. Subscribers
(g) No Violation or Conflict. Neither the issuance and sale of the Securities nor the performance of the Company’s obligations under this Agreement or the Registration Rights Agreement will:
(i) violate, conflict with, result in a breach of, or constitute a default (or an event which with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both would be reasonably likely to constitute a default) under (a) the charter or bylaws of the Company or (b) any decree, judgment, order or determination applicable to the Company of any court, governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or over the properties or assets of the Company or (c) any contract, agreement, instrument or undertaking to which the Company or any subsidiary is a party; or
(ii) result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon the Securities except in favor of Subscriber as described herein;
(h) Legal Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the Company SEC Documents, there is no legal, administrative, investigatory, regulatory or similar action, suit, claim or proceeding which is pending or threatened against the Company which, if determined adversely to the Company, could have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. As used in this Agreement, “Material Adverse Effect” means any material adverse effect on (i) the business, properties, assets, liabilities, operations (including results thereof), condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, individually or taken as a whole, (ii) the transactions contemplated hereby or in the Registration Rights Agreement or (iii) the authority or ability of the Company or any of its subsidiaries to perform any of their respective obligations under any of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement..
(i) No Liens. The Securities:
(i) shall be free and clear of any security interests, liens, claims or other Encumbrances, subject only to restrictions upon transfer under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws;
(ii) shall have been duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; and
(iii) will not subject the holders thereof to personal liability by reason of being such holders;
(j) No General Solicitation. Neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any person or entity acting on its or their behalf, has engaged in any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D under the Securities Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the Securities;
(k) [intentionally omitted].
(l) Full Disclosure. No representation or warranty or other statement made by the Company in this Agreement in connection with the contemplated transactions contains any untrue statement of material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the representations and warranties set forth herein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading.
Recruiter.com Group, Inc.
Common Stock Subscription Agreement
U.S. Subscribers
(m) Issuance of the Shares. The Shares are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all liens imposed by the Company.
(n) Material Changes; Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments. Since the date of the latest financial statements included within the SEC Reports, (i) there has been no event, occurrence or development that has had or that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has not incurred any liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Company’s financial statements pursuant to GAAP or disclosed in filings made with the SEC, (iii) the Company has not altered its method of accounting, (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its shareholders or purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any shares of its capital stock and (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer, director or affiliate. Except for the issuance of the Shares contemplated by this Agreement, no event, liability, fact, circumstance, occurrence or development has occurred or exists or is reasonably expected to occur or exist with respect to the Company or its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, prospects, properties, operations, assets or financial condition that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is made or deemed made that has not been publicly disclosed at least one day prior to the date that this representation is made.
(o) Compliance. Neither the Company nor any subsidiary: (i) is in default under or in violation of (and no event has occurred that has not been waived that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would result in a default by the Company or any subsidiary under), nor has the Company or any subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is in default under or that it is in violation of, any indenture, loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound (whether or not such default or violation has been waived), (ii) is in violation of any judgment, decree or order of any court, arbitrator or other governmental authority or (iii) is or has been in violation of any statute, rule, ordinance or regulation of any governmental authority, including without limitation all foreign, federal, state and local laws relating to taxes, environmental protection, occupational health and safety, product quality and safety and employment and labor matters, except in each case as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(p) Regulatory Permits. The Company and the subsidiaries possess all certificates, licenses, authorizations approvals, clearances, consents, registration and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory authorities applicable to the Company (“Applicable Laws”) necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports, except where the failure to possess such permits could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (each, an “Authorization”), and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Authorization or the noncompliance with any ordinance, law, rule or regulation applicable to the Company. The Company is and has been in material compliance with any term of any such Authorizations. The Company has not received notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any governmental authority or body or third party alleging that any product, operation or activity is in violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations or has any knowledge that any such entity or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, has there been any material noncompliance with or violation of any Applicable Laws by the Company that could reasonably be expected to require the issuance of any such communication or result in an investigation, corrective action, or enforcement action by any governmental body or entity.
Recruiter.com Group, Inc.
Common Stock Subscription Agreement
U.S. Subscribers
(q) Title to Assets. The Company and the subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by them and good and marketable title in all personal property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and the subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens. Any real property and facilities held under lease by the Company and the subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with which the Company and the subsidiaries are in compliance.
(r) Intellectual Property. The Company and the subsidiaries have, or have rights to use, all patents, patent applications, trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names, trade secrets, inventions, copyrights, licenses and other intellectual property rights and similar rights necessary or required for use in connection with their respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports and which the failure to so have could have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “Intellectual Property Rights”). Neither the Company nor any subsidiary has received a notice (written or otherwise) that any of, the Intellectual Property Rights has expired, terminated or been abandoned, or is expected to expire or terminate or be abandoned, within two (2) years from the date of this Agreement. To the knowledge of the Company, all such Intellectual Property Rights are enforceable and there is no existing infringement by another Person of any of the Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their intellectual properties, except where failure to do so could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(s) Sarbanes-Oxley; Internal Accounting Controls. The Company and the subsidiaries are in compliance with any and all applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 that are effective as of the date hereof, and any and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder that are effective as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date
(t) Investment Company. The Company is not, and is not an affiliate of, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Shares, will not be or be an affiliate of, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Company shall conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become an “investment company” subject to registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(u) Listing and Maintenance Requirements. The shares of Common Stock are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stocks under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration.
Recruiter.com Group, Inc.
Common Stock Subscription Agreement
U.S. Subscribers
(v) Solvency. Based on the consolidated financial condition of the Company as of the hereof, after giving effect to the receipt by the Company of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares hereunder, (i) the fair saleable value of the Company’s assets exceeds the amount that will be required to be paid on or in respect of the Company’s existing debts and other liabilities (including known contingent liabilities) as they mature, (ii) the Company’s assets do not constitute unreasonably small capital to carry on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be conducted including its capital needs taking into account the particular capital requirements of the business conducted by the Company, consolidated and projected capital requirements and capital availability thereof, and (iii) the current cash flow of the Company, together with the proceeds the Company would receive, were it to liquidate all of its assets, after taking into account all anticipated uses of the cash, would be sufficient to pay all amounts on or in respect of its liabilities when such amounts are required to be paid. The Company does not intend to incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature (taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its debt). The Company has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances which lead it to believe that it will file for reorganization or liquidation under the bankruptcy or reorganization laws of any jurisdiction within one year from the Closing Date. The Company SEC Documents set forth as of the date hereof all outstanding secured and unsecured Indebtedness of the Company or any subsidiary, or for which the Company or any subsidiary has commitments. For the purposes of this Agreement, “Indebtedness” means (x) any liabilities for borrowed money or amounts owed in excess of $100,000 (other than trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (y) all guaranties, endorsements and other contingent obligations in respect of indebtedness of others, whether or not the same are or should be reflected in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet (or the notes thereto), except guaranties by endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business; and (z) the present value of any lease payments in excess of $50,000 due under leases required to be capitalized in accordance with GAAP. Neither the Company nor any subsidiary is in default with respect to any Indebtedness.
(w) Tax Status. Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its subsidiaries each (i) has made or filed all United States federal, state and local income and all foreign income and franchise tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject, (ii) has paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations and (iii) has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all material taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply. There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company or of any subsidiary know of no basis for any such claim. The term “taxes” mean all federal, state, local, foreign, and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments, or charges of any kind whatsoever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax, or additional amounts with respect thereto. The term “returns” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements, and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.
(x) Money Laundering. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record-keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, applicable money laundering statutes and applicable rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), and no Action or Proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, threatened.
Recruiter.com Group, Inc.
Common Stock Subscription Agreement
U.S. Subscribers
(y) Existing Securities; Obligations. Except as disclosed in the Company SEC Documents or as approved by the Company’s Board of Directors on or about July 11, 2024, the corporate actions of which the Subscriber hereby acknowledges and of which the Company shall file a Current Report on Form 8-K, if such Form 8-k is required to be filed under federal law, in a timely manner describing the material terms of such corporate action in the form required by the 1934 Act and attaching all the material agreement as required under the instruction of Form 8-K, (A) none of the Company’s or any of its subsidiaries’ shares, interests or share capital is subject to preemptive rights or any other similar rights or Liens suffered or permitted by the Company or any subsidiary; (B) there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, any shares, interests or share capital of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may become bound to issue additional shares, interests or share capital of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, any shares, interests or share capital of the Company or any of its subsidiaries; (C) there are no agreements or arrangements under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is obligated to register the sale of any of their securities under the 1933 Act (except pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement); (D) there are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company or any of its subsidiaries; (E) there are no securities or instruments containing anti-dilution or similar provisions that will be triggered by the issuance of the Securities; and (F) neither the Company nor any subsidiary has any share appreciation rights or “phantom share” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement.
6. Non-Public Information. While the Shares are held by the Subscriber, the Company covenants and agrees that neither it nor any other person acting on its behalf will at any time provide the Subscriber with any information that the Company believes constitutes material non-public information. The Company understands and confirms that the Subscriber shall be relying on the foregoing representations in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.
7. Broker’s Commission/Finder’s Fee. Each party hereto represents to the other that there are no parties entitled to receive fees, commissions, finder’s fees, due diligence fees or similar payments in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby. Each party hereto agrees to indemnify the other against and hold the other harmless from any and all liabilities to any persons claiming brokerage commissions or similar fees on account of services purported to have been rendered on behalf of the indemnifying party in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby and arising out of the indemnifying party’s actions.
8. Termination. The Subscriber shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time, upon five business days’ prior written notice to the other party, prior to the Closing Date if any of the conditions set forth in Section 1(e) is not met. Either party may terminate this Agreement and the Offering, for any reason or no reason at any time after September 1, 2024, upon five business days’ prior written notice to the other party, if the closing of the Offering does not consummate on or before September 1, 2024.
9. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants that it shall furnish such records and documents to and cooperate with and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause its auditor to furnished such records and documents to and cooperate with the Subscriber and its auditor, in the event that the Subscriber is required to record the financial results of the Company in the Subscriber’s consolidated financial statements under the generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (US GAAP) or other accounting standards the Subscriber adopts from time to time.
10. Covenants Regarding Indemnification. Each party hereto agrees to indemnify, hold harmless, reimburse and defend the other party and the other party’s officers, directors, agents, counsel, affiliates, members, managers, control persons, and principal shareholders, as applicable, against any claim, cost, expense, liability, obligation, loss or damage (including reasonable legal fees) of any nature, incurred by or imposed upon the indemnified party or any such person which results, arises out of or is based upon (i) any breach of any representation or warranty by the indemnifying party in this Agreement or (ii) any breach or default in performance by the indemnifying party of any covenant or undertaking to be performed by the indemnifying party.
Recruiter.com Group, Inc.
Common Stock Subscription Agreement
U.S. Subscribers
11. Miscellaneous.
(a) Notices. All notices, demands, requests, consents, approvals, and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and, unless otherwise specified herein, shall be (i) personally served, (ii) deposited in the mail, registered or certified, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, (iii) delivered by reputable air courier service with charges prepaid, or (iv) transmitted by hand delivery, emails or facsimile, addressed as set forth in the preamble paragraph hereto or to such other address as such party shall have specified most recently by written notice. Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be deemed effective (a) upon hand delivery at the address designated in the preamble paragraph hereto (if delivered on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received), or the first business day following such delivery (if delivered other than on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received) or (b) on the second business day following the date of mailing by express courier service, fully prepaid, addressed to such address, or upon actual receipt of such mailing, whichever shall first occur.
(b) Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, of even date herewith, between the Company and the Investor, constitute the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and may be amended only by a writing executed by both parties hereto. Neither the Company nor Subscriber has relied on any representations not contained or referred to in this Agreement and the documents delivered herewith.
(c) Counterparts/Execution. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the different signatories hereto on separate counterparts, each of which, when so executed, shall be deemed an original, but all such counterparts shall constitute but one and the same instrument. This Agreement may be executed by facsimile transmission, PDF, electronic signature or other similar electronic means with the same force and effect as if such signature page were an original thereof.
(d) Law Governing this Agreement. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Nevada without regard to principles of conflicts of laws. Any action brought by either party hereto against the other concerning the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be brought only in the state courts of Nevada or in the federal courts located in the State of Nevada. The parties to this Agreement hereby irrevocably waive any objection to jurisdiction and venue of any action instituted hereunder and shall not assert any defense based on lack of jurisdiction or venue or based upon forum non conveniens. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
(e) Severability. In the event that any provision of this Agreement or any other agreement delivered in connection herewith is invalid or unenforceable under any applicable statute or rule of law, then such provision shall be deemed inoperative to the extent that it may conflict therewith and shall be deemed modified to conform with such statute or rule of law. Any such provision which may prove invalid or unenforceable under any law shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of any agreement. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any suit, action or proceeding in connection with this Agreement by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.
(f) Counsel; Ambiguities. Each party and its counsel have participated fully in the review and revision of this Agreement. The parties understand and agree that any rule of construction to the effect that ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not apply in interpreting this Agreement. The language in this Agreement shall be interpreted as to its fair meaning and not strictly for or against any party.
(g) Captions. The captions of the various sections and paragraphs of this Agreement have been inserted only for the purposes of convenience; such captions are not a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed in any manner to modify, explain, enlarge or restrict any of the provisions of this Agreement.
[signature page follows]
Recruiter.com Group, Inc.
Common Stock Subscription Agreement
U.S. Subscribers
SIGNATURE PAGE TO SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties has caused this Agreement to be executed on and as of the date set forth above.
| Recruiter.com Group, Inc. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | Granger Whitelaw | |
| Title: | CEO | |
| SUBSCRIBER: | ||
| Name of Subscriber: | ||
| Address: | ||
| Fax No.: | |||
| Taxpayer ID# (if applicable): | |||
| (Signature) | |||
| By: | |||
| Dated: July ___, 2024 | |||
| Purchase Price: | |||
| Two Million US Dollars ($2,000,000) | |||
| Number of Shares: 2,000,000 | |||
[Signature Page to Recruiter.com Group, Inc. Subscription Agreement]
Recruiter.com Group, Inc.
Common Stock Subscription Agreement
U.S. Subscribers
Exhibit 99.3
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into as of the ___ day of July, 2024 by and among Recruiter.Com Group, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and ZK International Group Co., Ltd., a company organized under the laws of British Virgin Islands (the “Purchaser”).
WHEREAS, the Company and the Purchaser are parties to the Private Placement Subscription Agreement, dated as of __, 2024 (as amended from time to time, the “Investment Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company is selling to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser is purchasing from the Company, an aggregate of 2,000,000 shares of the common stock of the Company (the “Purchased Stock”);
WHEREAS, as a condition to the obligations of the Company and the Purchaser under the Investment Agreement, the Company and the Purchaser are entering into this Agreement for the purpose of granting certain registration and other rights to the Investors.
Now, therefore, in consideration of the mutual promises and the covenants as set forth herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions. Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms defined in this Section 1 shall have the meanings herein specified for all purposes of this Agreement, applicable to both the singular and plural forms of any of the terms herein defined.
“Agreement” means this Registration Rights Agreement, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented in accordance with the terms hereof.
“Common Stock” means the Company’s authorized common stock, as constituted on the date of this Agreement, any stock into which such Common Stock may thereafter be changed and any stock of the Company of any other class, which is not preferred as to dividends or assets over any other class of stock of the Company and which is not subject to redemption, issued to the holders of shares of such Common Stock upon any re-classification thereof.
“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other governmental body at the time administering the Securities Act.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (or successor statute).
“Excluded Forms” means registration statements under the Securities Act, on Forms S-4 and S-8, or any successors thereto and any form used in connection with an initial public offering of securities.
“Filing Deadline” means the 150th calendar day after the Closing Date (as defined in the Investment Agreement).
“Person” includes any natural person, corporation, trust, association, company, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company and other entity and any government, governmental agency, instrumentality or political subdivision.
“Registrable Securities” shall mean (a) the Purchased Stock, (b) any other equity security of the Company or any of its subsidiaries issued or issuable with respect to the Purchased Stock, by way of a stock dividend or stock split or in connection with a recapitalization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, reorganization or similar transaction; provided, however, that, as to any particular Registrable Securities, such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities upon the earliest to occur of: (A) a registration statement with respect to the sale of such securities shall have become effective under the Securities Act and such securities shall have been sold, transferred, disposed of or exchanged in accordance with such registration statement by the applicable Purchaser; (B) (i) such securities shall have been otherwise transferred, (ii) new certificates for such securities not bearing (or book entry positions not subject to) a legend restricting further transfer shall have been delivered by the Company, and (iii) subsequent public distribution of such securities shall not require registration under the Securities Act; (C) such securities shall have ceased to be outstanding; (D) such securities may be sold without registration pursuant to Rule 144 or any successor rule promulgated under the Securities Act (but with no volume or other restrictions or limitations including as to manner or timing of sale); and (E) such securities have been sold to, or through, a broker, dealer or underwriter in a public distribution or other public securities transaction.
The terms “register,” “registered” and “registration” refer to a registration effected by preparing and filing a registration statement on other than any of the Excluded Forms in compliance with the Securities Act, and the declaration or ordering of the effectiveness of such registration statement.
“Selling Expenses” means all selling commissions, finder’s fees and stock transfer taxes applicable to the Registrable Securities registered by the Purchaser and all fees and disbursements of counsel for the Purchaser.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (or successor statute).
2. Registration Rights.
(a) Mandatory Registration. The Company shall prepare and, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than the Filing Deadline, file with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-3 covering the resale of all of the Registrable Securities (the “Mandatory Registration”), provided that such registration statement shall include all of the Registrable Securities as of the date such registration statement is initially filed with the Commission; provided further that if Form S-3 is unavailable for such a registration of all the Registrable Securities, the Company shall use such other form as is required by Section 2(b). The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to have such registration statement declared effective by the Commission as soon as practicable.
(b) Ineligibility to Use Form S-3. In the event that Form S-3 is not available for the registration of the resale of all the Registrable Securities as of the date such registration statement is filed with the Commission under Section (a) hereunder, the Company shall prepare and, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than the Filing Deadline, file with the Commission a registration statement to (i) register the resale of all of the Registrable Securities on Form S-1 or another appropriate form reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser and (ii) undertake to register the resale of all of the Registrable Securities on Form S-3 as soon as such form is available, provided that the Company shall maintain the effectiveness of all registration statements then in effect until such time as a registration statement on Form S-3 covering the resale of all the Registrable Securities has been declared effective by the Commission and the prospectus contained therein is available for use.
(c) Piggyback Rights. If the Company proposes to conduct a registered offering of, or if the Company proposes to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the Registration of, equity securities, or securities or other obligations exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into equity securities, for its own account or for the account of stockholders of the Company (or by the Company and by the stockholders of the Company), other than a registration statement (or any registered offering with respect thereto) (i) filed in connection with any employee stock option or other benefit plan, (ii) pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-4 (or similar form that relates to a transaction subject to Rule 145 under the Securities Act or any successor rule thereto), (iii) for an offering of debt that is convertible into equity securities of the Company, (iv) for a dividend reinvestment plan, then the Company shall give written notice of such proposed offering to Purchaser as soon as practicable but not less than ten (10) days before the anticipated filing date of such registration statement, the applicable “red herring” prospectus or prospectus supplement used for marketing such offering, which notice shall (A) describe the amount and type of securities to be included in such offering, the intended method(s) of distribution, and the name of the proposed managing Underwriter or Underwriters, if any, in such offering, and (B) offer to the Purchaser the opportunity to include in such registered offering such number of Registrable Securities as the Purchaser may request in writing within five (5) days after receipt of such written notice (such registered offering, a “Piggyback Registration”). Subject to Section 2(b), the Company shall in good faith cause such Registrable Securities to be included in such Piggyback Registration and, if applicable, shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the managing underwriter(s) (if any) of such Piggyback Registration to permit the Registrable Securities requested by the Purchaser pursuant to this Section 2(a) to be included therein on the same terms and conditions as any similar securities of the Company included in such registered offering and to permit the sale or other disposition of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof. The inclusion of any Purchaser’s Registrable Securities in a Piggyback Registration for an underwritten offering shall be subject to the Purchaser’s agreement to enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the underwriter(s) selected for such underwritten offering.
(d) Piggyback Registration Withdrawal. Purchaser shall have the right to withdraw from a Piggyback Registration for any or no reason whatsoever upon written notification to the Company and the underwriter(s) (if any) of his, her or its intention to withdraw from such Piggyback Registration prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement filed with the Commission with respect to such Piggyback Registration or, in the case of a Piggyback Registration pursuant to a Shelf Registration, the filing of the applicable “red herring” prospectus or prospectus supplement with respect to such Piggyback Registration used for marketing such transaction. The Company (whether on its own good faith determination or as the result of a request for withdrawal by persons or entities pursuant to separate written contractual obligations) may withdraw a registration statement filed with the Commission in connection with a Piggyback Registration at any time prior to the effectiveness of such registration statement.
3. Obligations of the Company. If and whenever the Company is required by the provisions hereof to effect or cause the registration of any Registrable Securities under the Securities Act as provided herein, the Company shall:
(a) use commercially reasonable efforts to prepare and file with the Commission a registration statement with respect to such Registrable Securities and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to become and remain effective;
(b) use commercially reasonable efforts to prepare and file with the Commission such amendments to such registration statement (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to the prospectus included therein as may be necessary to keep such registration statement effective, subject to the qualifications in Section 4(a), and to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the sale or other disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement during such period in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the Purchaser set forth in such registration
(c) furnish to the Purchaser such number of copies of such registration statement and of each such amendment and supplement thereto (in each case including all exhibits), such number of copies of the prospectus included in such registration statement (including each preliminary prospectus), in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act, and such other documents, as each Purchaser may reasonably request, in order to facilitate the public sale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by the Purchaser;
(d) use commercially reasonable efforts to make such filings under the securities or blue sky laws of the State of Nevada to enable the Purchaser to consummate the sale in such jurisdiction of the Registrable Securities owned by the Purchaser;
(e) notify the Purchaser at any time when a prospectus relating to their Registrable Securities is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the Company’s becoming aware that the prospectus included in the related registration statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances then existing, and promptly prepare and furnish to the Purchaser a reasonable number of copies of a prospectus supplemented or amended so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such Registrable Securities, such prospectus shall not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances then existing;
(f) otherwise use commercially reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission;
(g) to use commercially reasonable efforts to cause Registrable Securities to be listed or quoted on each trading market and/or in each quotation service on which the Common Stock of the Company is then listed or quoted;
(h) notify the Purchaser of any stop order threatened or issued by the Commission and take all actions reasonably necessary to prevent the entry of such stop order or to remove it if entered;
(i) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, in the event the staff of the Commission (the “Staff”) or the Commission seeks to characterize any offering pursuant to a registration statement filed pursuant to this Agreement as constituting an offering of securities by, or on behalf of, the Company, or in any other manner, such that the Staff or the Commission do not permit such registration statement to become effective and used for resales in a manner that does not constitute such an offering and that permits the continuous resale at the market by the Purchaser without being named therein as an “underwriter,” then the Company shall reduce the number of shares to be included in such registration statement until such time as the Staff and the Commission shall so permit such registration statement to become effective as aforesaid. In addition, in the event that the Staff or the Commission requires the Purchaser to be specifically identified as an “underwriter” in order to permit such registration statement to become effective, and the Purchaser does not consent to being so named as an underwriter in such registration statement, then the Company shall reduce the total number of Registrable Securities to be registered until such time as the Staff or the Commission does not require such identification or until the Purchaser accepts such identification and the manner thereof.
(j) Neither the Company nor any subsidiary or affiliate thereof shall identify the Purchaser as an underwriter in any public disclosure or filing with the Commission, the trading market and/or in each quotation service on which the Common Stock of the Company is then listed or quoted and any Buyer being deemed an underwriter by the Commission shall not relieve the Company of any obligations it has under this Agreement, the Investment Agreement and each of the other transaction documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder.
4. Other Procedures.
(a) The Company shall have no liability to the Purchaser for delays in the Purchaser being able to sell the Registrable Securities (i) as long as the Company uses its commercially reasonable efforts to file a registration statement, amendments to the registration statement or supplements to a prospectus contained in a registration statement (including any amendment or post effective amendments), (ii) where the required financial statements or auditor’s consents are unavailable and such unavailability is not caused by the Company or (iii) where the Company would be required to disclose information at a time when it has no duty to disclose such information under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or the rules and regulations of the Commission and the rules of the trading market and/or in each quotation service on which the Common Stock of the Company is then listed or quoted.
(b) In consideration of the Company’s obligations under this Agreement, the Purchaser agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(e) herein, the Purchaser shall forthwith discontinue his sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to the registration statement covering such Registrable Securities until the Purchaser’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by said Section 3(e) and, if so directed by the Company, shall deliver to the Company (at the Company’s expense) all copies, other than permanent file copies, then in the Purchaser’s possession of the prospectus covering such Registrable Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice.
(c) The Company’s obligation to file any registration statement or amendment including a post-effective amendment, shall be subject to each Purchaser, as applicable, furnishing to the Company in writing such information and documents regarding the Purchaser and the distribution of the Purchaser’s Registrable Securities as may reasonably be required to be disclosed in the registration statement in question by the rules and regulations under the Securities Act or under any other applicable securities or blue sky laws of the jurisdiction referred to in Section 3(d) herein. The Company’s obligations are also subject to each Purchaser promptly executing any representation letter concerning compliance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act (or any successor rule or regulation).
(d) If any such registration or comparable statement refers to the Purchaser by name or otherwise as a stockholder of the Company, but such reference to the Purchaser by name or otherwise is not required by the Securities Act or the rules thereunder, then each Purchaser shall have the right to require the deletion of the reference to the Purchaser, as may be applicable.
(e) In connection with the sale of Registrable Securities, the Company shall deliver to the Purchaser a copy of the necessary prospectus and, if applicable, prospectus supplement, within the time required by Section 5(b) of the Securities Act.
5. Registration Expenses. In connection with any registration of Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2, the Company shall, whether or not any such registration shall become effective, from time to time, pay all expenses (other than Selling Expenses) incident to its performance of or compliance, including, without limitation, all registration, and filing fees, fees and expenses of compliance with securities or blue sky laws, word processing, printing and copying expenses, messenger and delivery expenses, fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and all independent public accountants and other Persons retained by the Company.
6. Indemnification.
(a) In the event of any registration of any shares of Common Stock under the Securities Act pursuant to this Agreement, the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each Purchaser, from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which each Purchaser may become subject under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any registration statement under which such Registrable Securities were registered under the Securities Act, any preliminary prospectus or final prospectus contained therein, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any document incident to registration or qualification of any Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 3(d) herein, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or, with respect to any prospectus, necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or any violation by the Company of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or state securities or blue sky laws applicable to the Company and relating to action or inaction required of the Company in connection with such registration or qualification under the Securities Act or such state securities or blue sky laws. If the Company fails to defend the Purchaser as required by Section 6(c) herein, it shall reimburse (after receipt of appropriate documentation) each Purchaser for any legal or any other out- of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred by any of them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable to an Purchaser in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon (i) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in said registration statement, said preliminary prospectus, said prospectus, or said amendment or supplement or any document incident to registration or qualification of any Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 3(d) hereof in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Purchaser specifically for use in the preparation thereof or information omitted to be furnished by the Purchaser or (ii) any act or failure to act of the Purchaser including the failure of any Purchaser to deliver a prospectus as required by Section 5(b) of the Securities Act.
(b) In the event of any registration of any Registrable Securities under the Securities Act pursuant to this Agreement, each Purchaser shall indemnify and hold harmless (in the same manner and to the same extent as set forth in Section 6(a)) the Company, each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signs such registration statement, the Company’s attorneys and auditors and any Person who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act, with respect to (i) any untrue statement or omission from such registration statement, any preliminary prospectus or final prospectus contained therein, or any amendment or supplement thereto, if such untrue statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Purchaser specifically for use in the preparation of such registration statement, preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or amendment or supplement or (ii) from any other act or failure to act of the Purchaser.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party of notice of the commencement of any action involving a claim referred to in Section 6(a) or (b), such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is made against an indemnifying party, give written notice to the Indemnifying Party of the commencement of such action. The indemnifying party shall be relieved of its obligations under this Section 6(c) to the extent that the indemnified party delays in giving notice and the indemnifying party is damaged or prejudiced by the delay. In case any such action is brought against an indemnified party, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in and to assume the defense thereof, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified to the extent that it may wish, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party, and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so as to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall be responsible for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnifying party in connection with the defense thereof, provided, however, that, if counsel for an indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there is an actual or potential conflict of interest between the indemnified and the indemnifying party the indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party, and such indemnifying party shall reimburse such indemnified party and any Person controlling such indemnified party for the fees and expenses of counsel retained by the indemnified party which are reasonably related to the matters covered by the indemnity agreement provided in this Section 6; provided, however, that in no event shall any indemnification by an Purchaser under this Section 6 exceed the net proceeds from the sale of Registered Securities received by the Purchaser. No indemnified party shall make any settlement of any claims indemnified against hereunder without the written consent of the indemnifying party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. In the event that any indemnifying party enters into any settlement without the written consent of the indemnified party the indemnifying party shall not, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff of a release of such indemnified party from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation.
(d) In order to provide for just and equitable contribution to joint liability under the Securities Act in any case in which under any indemnified party makes a claim for indemnification pursuant to this Section 6, but it is judicially determined (by the entry of a final judgment or decree by a court of competent jurisdiction and the expiration of time to appeal or the denial of the last right of appeal) that such indemnification may not be enforced in such case notwithstanding the fact that this Section 6 provides for indemnification in such case, or (ii) contribution under the Securities Act may be required in circumstances for which indemnification is provided under this Section 6; then, in each such case, the Company and the Purchaser shall contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which they may be subject as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Company and the Purchaser in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, it being understood that the parties acknowledge that the overriding equitable consideration to be given effect in connection with this provision is the ability of one party or the other to correct the statement or omission (or avoid the conduct or take an act) which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, and that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant hereto were to be determined by pro-rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take into consideration the foregoing equitable considerations. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) no the Purchaser shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the net proceeds to him of all Registrable Securities sold by him pursuant to such registration statement, and (ii) no Person who is guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who is not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
(e) Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, if, in connection with an underwritten public offering of the Registrable Securities, the Company, any of the Purchaser and the underwriters enter into an underwriting agreement relating to such offering which contains provisions covering indemnification among the parties, then the indemnification provision of this Section 6 shall be deemed inoperative for purposes of such offering.
7. Certain Limitations on Registration Rights. At any time prior to the effectiveness of any registration statement filed pursuant to this Agreement, if the Company determines to file a registration statement with the Commission for the public sale of its securities and the managing underwriter of such offering offers to purchase the Registrable Securities for its own account at the same price including underwriting discounts and applicable expenses as paid to the Company, the Purchaser shall either (i) elect to include their Registrable Securities being registered pursuant to this Agreement in the registration statement covering the sale of the Company’s securities, or (ii) immediately cease their public sales for a period of 90 days following the effective date of the registration statement covering the sale by the Company. Additionally, no Purchaser may participate in the registration statement relating to the sale by the Company of its Common Stock as provided above unless the Purchaser enters into an underwriting agreement with the managing underwriter and completes and/or executes all questionnaires, indemnities and other reasonable documents requested by the managing underwriter. Each Purchaser shall be deemed to have agreed by acquisition of its Registrable Securities not to effect any public sale or distribution, including any sale pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act, of any Registrable Securities and to use its best efforts not to effect any such public sale or distribution of any other equity security of the Company (including any short sale) or of any security convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any equity security of the Company (other than as part of such underwritten public offering) within 10 days before or 90 days after the effective date of such registration statement. In such event, the Purchaser shall, if requested, sign a customary market stand-off letter with the Company’s managing underwriter, and to comply with applicable rules and regulations of the Commission. For avoidance of doubt, the limitation set forth in this Section 7 shall only apply to a registration statement that registers an underwritten offering and shall not apply to a registration statement filed pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.
8. Allocation of Securities Included in Registration Statement. If the Purchaser shall elect to include the Registrable Securities in a registration statement for an underwritten offering and if the Company’s managing underwriter shall advise the Company and the Purchaser in writing that the inclusion in any registration pursuant hereto of some or all of (a) the Registrable Securities sought to be registered by the Purchaser and securities offered by other holders, and (b) the Company’s securities sought to be registered creates a substantial risk that the proceeds or price per unit that will be derived from such registration will be reduced or that the number of securities to be registered is too large a number to be reasonably sold, (i) first, the number of Company securities sought to be registered shall be included in such registration, and (ii) next, the number of Registrable Securities offered by the Purchaser and securities offered by other holders shall be included in such registration to the extent permitted by the Company’s managing underwriter with the number of Registrable Securities and such other securities being registered determined on a pro-rata basis based on the number of Registered Securities and securities the participating holders including the Purchaser desire to have registered; provided, however, that, if Purchaser would be required pursuant to the provisions of this Section 8 to reduce the number of Registrable Securities that he may include in such registration, the Purchaser may withdraw all or any portion of its Registrable Securities from such registration and may resume selling shares under the registration statement (assuming it is effective) referred to in Section 2 after the 90-day lock-up period.
9. Rule 144. The Company covenants that it will file the reports required to be filed under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations adopted by the Commission thereunder (or, in the event that the Company is not required to file such reports, it will make publicly available information as set forth in Rule 144(c)(2) promulgated under the Securities Act), and it will take such further action as the Purchaser may reasonably request, or to the extent required from time to time to enable the Purchaser to sell their Registrable Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemption provided by (a) Rule 144 under the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or (b) any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission (collectively, “Rule 144”). Upon request of any Purchaser, the Company will deliver to the Purchaser a written statement as to whether it has complied with such requirements.
10. Severability. In the event any parts of this Agreement are found to be void, the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless be binding with the same effect as though the void parts were deleted.
11. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. The execution of this Agreement may be by actual or facsimile signature.
12. Benefit. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their legal representatives, successors and assigns.
13. Notices and Addresses. All notices, offers, acceptance and any other acts under this Agreement (except payment) shall be in writing, and shall be sufficiently given if delivered to the addressees in person, by Federal Express or similar overnight next business day delivery, or by email delivery followed by overnight next business day to the address and email address listed on the signature page hereto, or to such other address as any of them, by notice to the other may designate from time to time. The transmission confirmation receipt from the sender’s facsimile machine shall be evidence of successful facsimile delivery. Time shall be counted from the date of transmission.
14. Attorneys’ Fees. In the event that there is any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or to the interpretation, breach or enforcement thereof, and any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement is filed, the prevailing party shall be entitled to an award by the court of reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs and expenses.
15. Oral Evidence. This Agreement and the Investment Agreement constitute the entire Agreement between the parties and supersedes all prior oral and written agreements between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof. Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated orally, except by a statement in writing signed by the party or parties against which enforcement or the change, waiver discharge or termination is sought.
16. Additional Documents. The parties hereto shall execute such additional instruments as may be reasonably required by their counsel in order to carry out the purpose and intent of this Agreement and to fulfill the obligations of the parties hereunder.
17. Governing Law. This Agreement and any dispute, disagreement, or issue of construction or interpretation arising hereunder whether relating to its execution, its validity, the obligations provided herein or performance shall be governed or interpreted according to the internal laws of the State of New York without regard to choice of law considerations.
18. Section or Paragraph Headings. Section headings herein have been inserted for reference only and shall not be deemed to limit or otherwise affect, in any matter, or be deemed to interpret in whole or in part any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement.
19. Force Majure. The Company shall be excused from any delay in performance or for non-performance of any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement caused by any circumstances beyond its control, including, but not limited to, any Act of God, fire, flood, or government regulation, direction or request, or accident, interruption of telecommunications facilities, labor dispute, unavoidable breakdown, civil unrest or disruption to the extent that any such circumstances affect the Company’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the ability of the Commission to perform its responsibilities under the Securities Act.
[Signature Page Follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Agreement to be executed personally or by a duly authorized representative thereof as of the day and year first above written.
| COMPANY: | ||
| Recruiter.com Group, Inc. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| HOLDER: | ||
| ZK International Group Co., Ltd. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||