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ABLE ENERGY INC - 8-K - 20050610 - EXHIBIT_99
EXHIBIT 99.3
NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THIS SECURITY IS EXERCISABLE
HAVE BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE
SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM
REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES
ACT"), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN
EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN
AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION
REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE
SECURITIES LAWS AS EVIDENCED BY A LEGAL OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE TRANSFEROR TO
SUCH EFFECT, THE SUBSTANCE OF WHICH SHALL BE REASONABLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE
COMPANY. THIS SECURITY AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THIS
SECURITY MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER
LOAN SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES
ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT RIGHT
To Purchase $________ principal amount of Secured Debentures of
All American Plazas, Inc.
THIS ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT RIGHT (the "AIR") certifies that, for value
received, _____________ (the "HOLDER"), is entitled, upon the terms and subject
to the limitations on exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any
time on or after the date hereof (the "INITIAL EXERCISE DATE") and on or prior
to the close of business on the earlier of the nine month anniversary of the
Initial Exercise Date (the "TERMINATION DATE") but not thereafter, to subscribe
for and purchase from All American Plazas, Inc., a __________ corporation (the
"COMPANY"), up to $_____________ principal amount of convertible debentures (the
"AIR DEBENTURE"). The AIR Debenture shall be in the form of the Debentures
issued pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, MUTATIS MUTANDIS.
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined
herein shall have the meanings set forth in that certain Securities Purchase
Agreement (the "PURCHASE AGREEMENT"), dated June 1, 2005, among the Company and
the purchasers signatory thereto.
SECTION 2. EXERCISE.
a) EXERCISE OF AIR. Exercise of the purchase rights
represented by this AIR may be made at any time or times on or after the
Initial Exercise Date and on or before the Termination Date by delivery
to the Company of a duly executed facsimile copy of the Notice of
Exercise Form annexed hereto (or such other office or agency of the
Company as it may designate by notice in writing to the registered
Holder at the address of such Holder appearing on the books of the
Company) and the payment of
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the aggregate principal amount of the AIR Debentures thereby purchased
by wire transfer or cashier's check drawn on a United States bank. Upon
exercise of the AIR, the Company shall issue an AIR Debenture with a
principal amount equal to the amount paid by the Holder.
b) MECHANICS OF EXERCISE.
i. AUTHORIZATION OF AIR DEBENTURE. The Company covenants
that its issuance of this AIR shall constitute full
authority to its officers who are charged with the duty
of executing certificates to execute and issue the
necessary certificates for the AIR Debenture upon the
exercise of the purchase rights under this AIR. The
Company covenants that the AIR Debenture which may be
issued upon the exercise of the purchase rights
represented by this AIR is duly authorized, validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all
taxes, liens and charges in respect of the issue thereof
(other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring
contemporaneously with such issue). The Company will
take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to
assure that the AIR Debenture may be issued as provided
herein without violation of any applicable law or
regulation.
ii. DELIVERY OF CERTIFICATES UPON EXERCISE. Certificates for
the AIR Debenture purchased hereunder shall be delivered
to the Holder within 3 Trading Days from the delivery to
the Company of the Notice of Exercise Form, surrender of
this AIR and payment of the principal amount as set
forth above ("AIR DEBENTURE DELIVERY DATE"). This AIR
shall be deemed to have been exercised on the date the
payment of the principal amount is received by the
Company. The AIR Debenture shall be deemed to have been
issued, and Holder or any other person so designated to
be named therein shall be deemed to have become a holder
of record of such security for all purposes, as of the
date the AIR has been exercised by payment to the
Company of the principal amount and all taxes required
to be paid by the Holder, if any, pursuant to Section
2(e)(vii) prior to the issuance of such security, have
been paid.
iii. DELIVERY OF NEW AIRS UPON EXERCISE. If this AIR shall
have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the
time of delivery of the certificate or certificates
representing the AIR Debenture, deliver to Holder a new
AIR evidencing the rights of Holder to purchase the
unpurchased AIR Debenture called for by this AIR, which
new AIR shall in all other respects be identical with
this AIR.
iv. RESCISSION RIGHTS. If the Company fails to deliver to
the Holder a certificate or certificates representing
the AIR Debenture pursuant to this Section 2(e)(iv) by
the AIR Debenture Delivery Date, then the Holder will
have the right to rescind such exercise.
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v. CHARGES, TAXES AND EXPENSES. Issuance of certificates
for AIR Debentures shall be made without charge to the
Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental
expense in respect of the issuance of such certificate,
all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the
Company, and such certificates shall be issued in the
name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be
directed by the Holder; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in the
event certificates for AIR Debentures are to be issued
in a name other than the name of the Holder, this AIR
when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by
the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the
Holder; and the Company may require, as a condition
thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it
for any transfer tax incidental thereto.
vi. CLOSING OF BOOKS. The Company will not close its records
in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this
AIR, pursuant to the terms hereof or the conversion of
the AIR Debentures pursuant to the terms hereof.
SECTION 3. NOTICE AND FUNDAMENTAL TRANSACTIONS.
a) NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS. If (A) the approval of any
stockholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any
reclassification of the Common Stock, any consolidation or merger to
which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Company, of any compulsory share
exchange whereby the Common Stock is converted into other securities,
cash or property or (B) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or
involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the
Company; then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be mailed to the
Holder at its last address as it shall appear upon the AIR Register of
the Company, at least 20 calendar days prior to the applicable record or
effective date hereinafter specified, a notice stating the date on which
such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share
exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of
which it is expected that holders of the Common Stock of record shall be
entitled to exchange their shares of the Common Stock for securities,
cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification,
consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange. The Holder is
entitled to exercise this AIR during the 20-day period commencing the
date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such
notice.
b) ABLE ENERGY TRANSACTION. If, at any time while this AIR
is outstanding, the Company effects the Able Energy Transaction, then,
upon any subsequent exercise of this AIR the Holder shall have the right
to receive upon exercise of the AIR, the securities of Able Energy
required to be exchanged for the Debentures pursuant to Section 4.9 of
the Purchase Agreement ("ALTERNATIVE SECURITIES"). To the extent
necessary to effectuate the foregoing provisions, Able Energy shall
issue to the Holder a new additional investment right consistent with
the foregoing provisions and evidencing the Holder's right to exercise
such additional investment right ultimately into Alternate Securities.
The terms of any agreement pursuant to which the Able Energy Transaction
is effected shall include
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terms requiring Able Energy to comply with the provisions of this
paragraph (b) and insuring that this AIR (or any such replacement
security) will be similarly adjusted upon any subsequent transaction
analogous to the Able Energy Transaction.
SECTION 4. TRANSFER OF AIR.
a) TRANSFERABILITY. Subject to compliance with any
applicable securities laws and to the provisions of Section 4.1 of the
Purchase Agreement, this AIR and all rights hereunder are transferable,
in whole or in part, upon surrender of this AIR at the principal office
of the Company, together with a written assignment of this AIR
substantially in the form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder or
its agent or attorney and funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes
payable upon the making of such transfer. Upon such surrender and, if
required, such payment, the Company shall execute and deliver a new AIR
or AIRs in the name of the assignee or assignees and in the denomination
or denominations specified in such instrument of assignment, and shall
issue to the assignor a new AIR evidencing the portion of this AIR not
so assigned, and this AIR shall promptly be cancelled. An AIR, if
properly assigned, may be exercised by a new holder for the purchase of
AIR Debentures without having a new AIR issued.
b) NEW AIRS. This AIR may be divided or combined with other
AIRs upon presentation hereof at the aforesaid office of the Company,
together with a written notice specifying the names and denominations in
which new AIRs are to be issued, signed by the Holder or its agent or
attorney. Subject to compliance with Section 4(a), as to any transfer
which may be involved in such division or combination, the Company shall
execute and deliver a new AIR or AIRs in exchange for the AIR or AIRs to
be divided or combined in accordance with such notice.
c) AIR REGISTER. The Company shall register this AIR, upon
records to be maintained by the Company for that purpose (the "AIR
REGISTER"), in the name of the record Holder hereof from time to time.
The Company may deem and treat the registered Holder of this AIR as the
absolute owner hereof for the purpose of any exercise hereof or any
distribution to the Holder, and for all other purposes, absent actual
notice to the contrary
d) TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS. If, at the time of the surrender
of this AIR in connection with any transfer of this AIR, the transfer of
this AIR shall not be registered pursuant to an effective registration
statement under the Securities Act and under applicable state securities
or blue sky laws, the Company may require, as a condition of allowing
such transfer (i) that the Holder or transferee of this AIR, as the case
may be, furnish to the Company a written opinion of counsel (which
opinion shall be in form, substance and scope customary for opinions of
counsel in comparable transactions) to the effect that such transfer may
be made without registration under the Securities Act and under
applicable state securities or blue sky laws, (ii) that the holder or
transferee execute and deliver to the Company an investment letter in
form and substance acceptable to the Company and (iii) that the
transferee be an "accredited investor" as defined in Rule 501(a)(1),
(a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7), or (a)(8) promulgated under the Securities Act
or a qualified institutional buyer as defined in Rule 144A(a) under the
Securities Act.
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SECTION 5. MISCELLANEOUS.
a) TITLE TO THE ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT RIGHT. Prior to the
Termination Date and subject to compliance with applicable laws and
Section 4 of this AIR, this AIR and all rights hereunder are
transferable, in whole or in part, at the office or agency of the
Company by the Holder in person or by duly authorized attorney, upon
surrender of this AIR together with the Assignment Form annexed hereto
properly endorsed. The transferee shall sign an investment letter in
form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company.
b) NO RIGHTS AS SHAREHOLDER. This AIR does not entitle the
Holder to any voting rights or other rights as a shareholder of the
Company. Upon the surrender of this AIR and the payment of the aggregate
principal, the AIR Debentures so purchased shall be and be deemed to be
issued to such Holder as the record owner of such Debentures as of the
close of business on the later of the date of such surrender or payment.
c) LOSS, THEFT, DESTRUCTION OR MUTILATION OF AIR. The
Company covenants that upon receipt by the Company of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or
mutilation of this AIR or any certificate relating to the AIR
Debentures, and in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to it (which, in the case of the AIR,
shall not include the posting of any bond), and upon surrender and
cancellation of such AIR or certificate, if mutilated, the Company will
make and deliver a new AIR or certificate of like tenor and dated as of
such cancellation, in lieu of such AIR or certificate.
d) SATURDAYS, SUNDAYS, HOLIDAYS, ETC. If the last or
appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any
right required or granted herein shall be a Saturday, Sunday or a legal
holiday, then such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on
the next succeeding day not a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday.
e) AUTHORITY.
The Company further covenants that its issuance of this AIR
shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged
with the duty of executing certificates to execute and issue the
necessary certificates for the AIR Debentures upon the exercise
of the purchase rights under this AIR. The Company will take all
such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such
AIR Debentures may be issued as provided herein without
violation of any applicable law or regulation.
Except and to the extent as waived or consented to by the
Holder, the Company shall not by any action, including, without
limitation, amending its certificate of incorporation or through
any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger,
dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other voluntary
action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of
any of the terms of this AIR or the AIR Debentures, but will at
all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such
terms and in the taking of all such actions as
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may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of Holder
as set forth in this AIR and the AIR Debenture against
impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
the Company will (a) take all such action as may be necessary or
appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally
issue fully paid and nonassessable AIR Debentures upon the
exercise of this AIR, and (b) use commercially reasonable
efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or
consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction
thereof as may be necessary to enable the Company to perform its
obligations under this AIR and the AIR Debentures.
Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment
in the AIR Debentures for which this AIR is exercisable, the
Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions
thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any
public regulatory body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof.
The Company shall take any and all actions and execute any
and all documents reasonably required by the Holder to insure
that the liens on the real and personal property of All
American, Yosemite Development Corp. and Mountainside
Development, LLC (the "BORROWERS") as granted pursuant to the
Loan Documents and the pledge granted pursuant to the Pledge
Documents are modified and extended to secure the obligations of
the Company under the AIR Debenture.
f) JURISDICTION. All questions concerning the construction,
validity, enforcement and interpretation of this AIR shall be determined
in accordance with the provisions of the Purchase Agreement.
g) RESTRICTIONS. The Holder acknowledges that the AIR
Debentures acquired upon the exercise of this AIR, if not registered,
will have restrictions upon resale imposed by state and federal
securities laws.
h) NONWAIVER AND EXPENSES. No course of dealing or any
delay or failure to exercise any right hereunder on the part of Holder
shall operate as a waiver of such right or otherwise prejudice Holder's
rights, powers or remedies, notwithstanding the fact that all rights
hereunder terminate on the Termination Date. If the Company willfully
and knowingly fails to comply with any provision of this AIR, which
results in any material damages to the Holder, the Company shall pay to
Holder such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover any costs and
expenses including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys' fees,
including those of appellate proceedings, incurred by Holder in
collecting any amounts due pursuant hereto or in otherwise enforcing any
of its rights, powers or remedies hereunder.
i) NOTICES. Any notice, request or other document required
or permitted to be given or delivered to the Holder by the Company shall
be delivered in accordance with the notice provisions of the Purchase
Agreement.
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j) LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. No provision hereof, in the
absence of any affirmative action by Holder to exercise this AIR or
purchase AIR Debentures, and no enumeration herein of the rights or
privileges of Holder, shall give rise to any liability of Holder,
whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the
Company.
k) REMEDIES. Holder, in addition to being entitled to
exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will
be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this AIR. The
Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation
for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of
this AIR and hereby agrees to waive the defense in any action for
specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.
l) SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. Subject to applicable securities
laws, this AIR and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall
inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors of the
Company and the successors and permitted assigns of Holder. The
provisions of this AIR are intended to be for the benefit of all Holders
from time to time of this AIR and shall be enforceable by any such
Holder or holder of AIR Debentures.
m) AMENDMENT. This AIR may be modified or amended or the
provisions hereof waived with the written consent of the Company and the
Holder.
n) SEVERABILITY. Wherever possible, each provision of this
AIR shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid
under applicable law, but if any provision of this AIR shall be
prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be
ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without
invalidating the remainder of such provisions or the remaining
provisions of this AIR.
o) HEADINGS. The headings used in this AIR are for the
convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed
a part of this AIR.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this AIR to be executed by
its officer thereunto duly authorized.
Dated: May ___, 2005
ALL AMERICAN PLAZAS, INC.
By:_____________________________________
Name:
Title:
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NOTICE OF EXERCISE
To: [_______________
(1)______The undersigned hereby elects to purchase $________ principal
amount of AIR Debentures of [____________ pursuant to the terms of the attached
AIR and tenders herewith payment of the principal in full, together with all
applicable transfer taxes, if any.
(2)______Payment shall take the form of (check applicable box) in lawful
money of the United States; or
(3)______Please issue a certificate or certificates representing said
AIR Debentures in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is
specified below:
The AIR Debentures shall be delivered to the following:
(4) ACCREDITED INVESTOR. The undersigned is an "accredited investor" as
defined in Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]
Name of Investing Entity: ______________________________________________________
SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED SIGNATORY OF INVESTING ENTITY: _________________________
Name of Authorized Signatory: __________________________________________________
Title of Authorized Signatory: _________________________________________________
Date: __________________________________________________________________________
ASSIGNMENT FORM
(To assign the foregoing AIR, execute
this form and supply required information.
Do not use this form to exercise the AIR.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the foregoing AIR and all rights evidenced thereby
are hereby assigned to
_______________________________________________ whose address is
__________________________________________________________________.
Dated: ______________, _______
Holder's Signature: _____________________________
Holder's Address: _____________________________
Signature Guaranteed: ___________________________________________
NOTE: The signature to this Assignment Form must correspond with the name as it
appears on the face of the AIR, without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatsoever, and must be guaranteed by a bank or trust company. Officers of
corporations and those acting in a fiduciary or other representative capacity
should file proper evidence of authority to assign the foregoing AIR.
EXHIBIT 99.4
SECURITIES ASSUMPTION, AMENDMENT AND ISSUANCE AGREEMENT
This Securities Assumption, Amendment and Issuance Agreement (this
"AGREEMENT") is dated as of _______ ___, 2005 among Able Energy, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"), and each purchaser identified on the
signature pages hereto (each, including its successors and assigns, a
"PURCHASER" and collectively the "Purchasers").
WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement
and pursuant to Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"SECURITIES ACT") and Rule 506 promulgated thereunder, the Company desires to
assume, amend and issued to each Purchaser, and each Purchaser, severally and
not jointly, desires to permit such assumption, amendment and issuance from the
Company, securities of the Company as more fully described in this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in
this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and
adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each Purchaser agree
as follows:
ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS
1.1 DEFINITIONS. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this
Agreement: (a) capitalized terms that are not otherwise defined herein have the
meanings given to such terms in the Debentures (as defined herein), and (b) the
following terms have the meanings indicated in this Section 1.1:
"ACTION" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section
3.1(j).
"AFFILIATE" means any Person that, directly or indirectly
through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is
under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and
construed under Rule 144 under the Securities Act. With respect to a
Purchaser, any investment fund or managed account that is managed on a
discretionary basis by the same investment manager as such Purchaser
will be deemed to be an Affiliate of such Purchaser.
"ALL AMERICAN" means All American Plazas, Inc., a Pennsylvania
corporation.
"ALL AMERICAN DEBENTURES" means the Secured Debentures issued
pursuant to the All American Purchase Agreement.
"ALL AMERICAN PURCHASE AGREEMENT" means the Securities Purchase
Agreement entered into as of May ___, 2005 among All American and each
purchaser who is a signatory thereto.
"CLOSING" means the closing of the purchase and sale of the
Securities pursuant to Section 2.1.
"CLOSING DATE" means the Trading Day when all of the Transaction
Documents have been executed and delivered by the applicable parties
thereto, and all conditions precedent to (i) the Purchasers' obligations
to deliver the All American Debentures and (ii) the Company's
obligations to deliver the Securities have been satisfied or waived.
"COMMISSION" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"COMMON STOCK" means the common stock of the Company, par value
$0.001 per share, and any other class of securities into which such
securities may hereafter have been reclassified or changed into.
"COMMON STOCK EQUIVALENTS" means any securities of the Company
or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at
any time Common Stock, including without limitation, any debt, preferred
stock, rights, options, warrants or other instrument that is at any time
convertible into or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder
thereof to receive, Common Stock.
"COMPANY COUNSEL" means _________________.
"CONVERSION PRICE" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term
in the Debentures.
"DEBENTURES" means, the Variable Rate Convertible Debentures
due, subject to the terms therein, 2 years from date of issuance of the
All American Debentures, issued, jointly and severally by the Company,
Mountainside Development, LLC, Yosemite Development Corp., All American
and the Company to the Purchasers hereunder, in the form of EXHIBIT A.
"DISCLOSURE SCHEDULES" shall have the meaning ascribed to such
term in Section 3.1.
"EFFECTIVE DATE" means the date that the initial Registration
Statement filed by the Company pursuant to the Registration Rights
Agreement is first declared effective by the Commission.
"EVALUATION DATE" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term
in Section 3.1(r).
"EXCHANGE ACT" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
"EXEMPT ISSUANCE" means the issuance of (a) shares of Common
Stock or options to employees, officers or directors of the Company
pursuant to any stock or option plan duly adopted by a majority of the
non-employee members of the Board of Directors of the Company or a
majority of the members of a committee of non-employee directors
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established for such purpose, (b) securities upon the exercise of or
conversion of any Securities issued hereunder, convertible securities,
options or warrants issued and outstanding on the date of this
Agreement, provided that such securities have not been amended since the
date of this Agreement to increase the number of such securities or to
decrease the exercise or conversion price of any such securities, (c)
securities issued pursuant to acquisitions or strategic transactions,
provided any such issuance shall only be to a Person which is, itself or
through its subsidiaries, an operating company in a business synergistic
with the business of the Company and in which the Company receives
benefits in addition to the investment of funds, but shall not include a
transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily for the
purpose of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business is
investing in securities, (d) securities issued to fuel suppliers of the
Company provided such issuances do not exceed $500,000 of Common Stock
or Common Stock Equivalents in any 12 month period and (e) the one-time
issuance of $3,000,000 of Common Stock to Trans Montaigne pursuant to
convertible indebtedness outstanding on the date hereof for a conversion
price of $3 per share.
"FORCE MAJEURE" shall mean any unusual event arising from causes
reasonably beyond the control of the Company that could not be
reasonably anticipated that causes a delay in or prevents the
performance of any obligation under this Agreement or the Transaction
Documents, including but not limited to: acts of God; fire; war;
terrorism; insurrection; civil disturbance; explosion; adverse weather
conditions that could not be reasonably anticipated; unusual delay in
transportation; strikes or other labor disputes; restraint by court
order or order of public authority but not including delays caused by
any action of, or failure to act by, the Commission or the Company's
transfer agent.
"FW" means Feldman Weinstein LLP with offices at 420 Lexington
Avenue, Suite 2620, New York, New York 10170-0002.
"GAAP" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section
3.1(h).
"INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS" shall have the meaning ascribed
to such term in Section 3.1(o).
"LEGEND REMOVAL DATE" shall have the meaning ascribed to such
term in Section 4.1(c).
"LIENS" means a lien, charge, security interest, encumbrance,
right of first refusal, preemptive right or other restriction.
"MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT" shall have the meaning assigned to
such term in Section 3.1(b).
"MATERIAL PERMITS" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term
in Section 3.1(m).
"MAXIMUM RATE" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in
Section 5.17.
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"PARTICIPATION MAXIMUM" shall have the meaning ascribed to such
term in Section 4.13.
"PERSON" means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust,
incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited
liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or
subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.
"PRE-NOTICE" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in
Section 4.13.
"PROCEEDING" means an action, claim, suit, investigation or
proceeding (including, without limitation, an investigation or partial
proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.
"PURCHASER PARTY" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term
in Section 4.11.
"REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT" means the Registration Rights
Agreement, dated the date hereof, among the Company and the Purchasers,
in the form of EXHIBIT B attached hereto.
"REGISTRATION STATEMENT" means a registration statement meeting
the requirements set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement and
covering the resale of the Underlying Shares by each Purchaser as
provided for in the Registration Rights Agreement.
"REQUIRED APPROVALS" shall have the meaning ascribed to such
term in Section 3.1(e).
"REQUIRED MINIMUM" means, as of any date, the maximum aggregate
number of shares of Common Stock then issued or potentially issuable in
the future pursuant to the Transaction Documents, including any
Underlying Shares issuable upon exercise or conversion in full of all
Warrants and Debentures (including Underlying Shares issuable as payment
of interest), ignoring any conversion or exercise limits set forth
therein, and assuming that the Conversion Price is at all times on and
after the date of determination 75% of the then Conversion Price on the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of determination.
"RULE 144" means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant
to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or
any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission
having substantially the same effect as such Rule.
"SEC REPORTS" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in
Section 3.1(h).
"SECURITIES" means the Debentures, the Warrants, the Warrant
Shares and the Underlying Shares.
"SECURITIES ACT" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
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"SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL" means such approval as may be required by
the applicable rules and regulations of the Trading Market (or any
successor entity) from the shareholders of the Company with respect to
the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, including
the issuance of all of the Underlying Shares and shares of Common Stock
issuable upon exercise of the Warrants in excess of 19.99% of the issued
and outstanding Common Stock on the Closing Date.
"SHORT SALES" shall include all "short sales" as defined in Rule
200 of Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act.
"SUBSEQUENT FINANCING" shall have the meaning ascribed to such
term in Section 4.13.
"SUBSEQUENT FINANCING NOTICE" shall have the meaning ascribed to
such term in Section 4.13.
"SUBSIDIARY" means any subsidiary of the Company as set forth on
SCHEDULE 3.1(A).
"TRADING DAY" means a day on which the Common Stock is traded on
a Trading Market.
"TRADING MARKET" means the following markets or exchanges on
which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in
question: the Nasdaq SmallCap Market, the American Stock Exchange, the
New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market.
"TRANSACTION DOCUMENTS" means this Agreement, the Debentures,
the Warrants, the Registration Rights Agreement and any other documents
or agreements executed in connection with the transactions contemplated
hereunder.
"UNDERLYING SHARES" means the shares of Common Stock issuable
upon conversion of the Debentures and upon exercise of the Warrants and
issued and issuable in lieu of the cash payment of interest on the
Debentures.
"VWAP" means, for any date, the price determined by the first of
the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then
listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average
price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date)
on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted
as reported by Bloomberg Financial L.P. (based on a Trading Day from
9:30 a.m. Eastern Time to 4:02 p.m. Eastern Time); (b) if the Common
Stock is not then listed or quoted on a Trading Market and if prices for
the Common Stock are then quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board, the volume
weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest
preceding date) on the OTC Bulletin Board; (c) if the Common Stock is
not then listed or quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board and if prices for
the Common Stock are then reported in the "Pink Sheets" published by the
Pink Sheets, LLC (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its
functions of reporting prices), the
5
most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported; or (c)
in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as
determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the
Purchasers and reasonably acceptable to the Company.
"WARRANTS" means collectively the Common Stock purchase
warrants, in the form of EXHIBIT C delivered to the Purchasers at the
Closing in accordance with Section 2.2(a) hereof, which Warrants shall
be exercisable immediately and have a term of exercise equal to 5 years.
"WARRANT SHARES" means the shares of Common Stock issuable upon
exercise of the Warrants.
ARTICLE II.
PURCHASE AND SALE
2.1 CLOSING. On the Closing Date, upon the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth herein, concurrent with the execution and delivery of this
Agreement by the parties hereto, the Company agrees to assume, amend and reissue
the All American Debentures in the form of the Debentures. Each Purchaser shall
deliver to the Company such Purchaser's All American Debenture and the Company
shall amend and re-issue to each Purchaser their respective All American
Debenture in the form of the Debentures and also issue Warrants as determined
pursuant to Section 2.2(a) and the other items set forth in Section 2.2 issuable
at the Closing. Upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Sections 2.2
and 2.3, the Closing shall occur at the offices of FW, or such other location as
the parties shall mutually agree.
2.2 DELIVERIES.
a) On the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver or cause
to be delivered to each Purchaser the following:
(i) this Agreement duly executed by the Company;
(ii) a Debenture with a principal amount equal to the
All American Debentures delivered to the Company
to be amended and re-issued;
(iii) a Warrant registered in the name of such
Purchaser to purchase up to a number of shares
of Common Stock equal to 50% of such Purchaser's
principal amount of All American Debentures
re-issued hereunder divided by the Conversion
Price, with an exercise price equal to $_____1,
subject to adjustment therein;
(iv) the Registration Rights Agreement duly executed
by the Company;
(1) 125% of the Conversion Price.
6
(v) any and all documents reasonably required by the
Purchasers to insure that the liens on the real
and personal property of All American, Yosemite
Development Corp. and Mountainside Development,
LLC (the "BORROWERS") granted pursuant to the
Loan Documents (as defined in the All American
Purchase Agreement) and the pledge granted
pursuant to the Pledge Documents (as defined in
the All American Purchase Agreement) are
extended and modified to secure the obligations
of the Borrowers and the Company under the
Transaction Documents; and
(vi) a legal opinion of Company Counsel, in the form
of EXHIBIT D attached hereto.
b) On the Closing Date, each Purchaser shall deliver or
cause to be delivered to the Company the following:
(i) this Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser;
(ii) such Purchaser's All American Debentures; and
(iii) the Registration Rights Agreement duly executed
by such Purchaser.
2.3 CLOSING CONDITIONS.
a) The obligations of the Company hereunder in connection
with the Closing are subject to the following conditions
being met:
(i) the accuracy in all material respects when made
and on the Closing Date of the representations
and warranties of the Purchasers contained
herein;
(ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of the
Purchasers required to be performed at or prior
to the Closing Date shall have been performed;
and
(iii) the delivery by the Purchasers of the items set
forth in Section 2.2(b) of this Agreement.
b) The respective obligations of the Purchasers hereunder
in connection with the Closing are subject to the
following conditions being met:
(i) the accuracy in all material respects on the
Closing Date of the representations and
warranties of the Company contained herein;
(ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of the
Company required
7
to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date
shall have been performed;
(iii) the delivery by the Company of the items set
forth in Section 2.2(a) of this Agreement;
(iv) there shall have been no Material Adverse Effect
with respect to the Company since the date
hereof;
(v) the Company shall have obtained Shareholder
Approval; and
(vi) From the date hereof to the Closing Date,
trading in the Common Stock shall not have been
suspended by the Commission (except for any
suspension of trading of limited duration agreed
to by the Company, which suspension shall be
terminated prior to the Closing), and, at any
time prior to the Closing Date, trading in
securities generally as reported by Bloomberg
Financial Markets shall not have been suspended
or limited, or minimum prices shall not have
been established on securities whose trades are
reported by such service, or on any Trading
Market, nor shall a banking moratorium have been
declared either by the United States or New York
State authorities nor shall there have occurred
any material outbreak or escalation of
hostilities or other national or international
calamity of such magnitude in its effect on, or
any material adverse change in, any financial
market which, in each case, in the reasonable
judgment of each Purchaser, makes it
impracticable or inadvisable to purchase the
Debentures at the Closing.
ARTICLE III.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
3.1 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY. Except as set
forth under the corresponding section of the disclosure schedules delivered to
the Purchasers concurrently herewith (the "DISCLOSURE SCHEDULES") which
Disclosure Schedules shall be deemed a part hereof, the Company hereby makes the
representations and warranties set forth below to each Purchaser.
(a) SUBSIDIARIES. All of the direct and indirect
subsidiaries of the Company are set forth on SCHEDULE 3.1(A). The
Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock or other
equity interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any Liens, and all
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.
If the Company has no subsidiaries, then references in the Transaction
Documents to the Subsidiaries will be disregarded.
8
(b) ORGANIZATION AND QUALIFICATION. The Company and each of
the Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized,
validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction
of its incorporation or organization (as applicable), with the requisite
power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to
carry on its business as currently conducted. Neither the Company nor
any Subsidiary is in violation or default of any of the provisions of
its respective certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other
organizational or charter documents. Each of the Company and the
Subsidiaries is duly qualified to conduct business and is in good
standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each jurisdiction
in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it
makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so
qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, could not have or
reasonably be expected to result in (i) a material adverse effect on the
legality, validity or enforceability of any Transaction Document, (ii) a
material adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business,
prospects or financial condition of the Company and the Subsidiaries,
taken as a whole, or (iii) a material adverse effect on the Company's
ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its
obligations under any Transaction Document (any of (i), (ii) or (iii), a
"MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT") and no Proceeding has been instituted in any
such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke,
limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification.
(c) AUTHORIZATION; ENFORCEMENT. The Company has the
requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate
the transactions contemplated by each of the Transaction Documents and
otherwise to carry out its obligations thereunder. The execution and
delivery of each of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the
consummation by it of the transactions contemplated thereby have been
duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and
no further action is required by the Company in connection therewith
other than in connection with the Required Approvals. Each Transaction
Document has been (or upon delivery will have been) duly executed by the
Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof, will
constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable
against the Company in accordance with its terms except (i) as limited
by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and
other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors'
rights generally and (ii) as limited by laws relating to the
availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other
equitable remedies.
(d) NO CONFLICTS. The execution, delivery and performance of
the Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by the
Company of the other transactions contemplated thereby do not and will
not: (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company's or any
Subsidiary's certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other
organizational or charter documents, or (ii) conflict with, or
constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or
both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien
upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary,
or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or
cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any
agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a
Company or Subsidiary debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which
the Company or any Subsidiary is a
9
party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary
is bound or affected, or (iii) subject to the Required Approvals,
conflict with or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation,
order, judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or
governmental authority to which the Company or a Subsidiary is subject
(including federal and state securities laws and regulations), or by
which any property or asset of the Company or a Subsidiary is bound or
affected; except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), such as
could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
(e) FILINGS, CONSENTS AND APPROVALS. The Company is not
required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give
any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or
other federal, state, local or other governmental authority or other
Person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the
Company of the Transaction Documents, other than (i) filings required
pursuant to Section 4.6, (ii) the filing with the Commission of the
Registration Statement, (iii) the notice and/or application(s) to each
applicable Trading Market for the issuance and sale of the Debentures
and Warrants and the listing of the Underlying Shares for trading
thereon in the time and manner required thereby and (iv) the filing of
Form D with the Commission and such filings as are required to be made
under applicable state securities laws (collectively, the "REQUIRED
APPROVALS").
(f) ISSUANCE OF THE SECURITIES. The Securities are duly
authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the
applicable Transaction Documents, will be duly and validly issued, fully
paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the
Company other than restrictions on transfer provided for in the
Transaction Documents. The Underlying Shares, when issued in accordance
with the terms of the Transaction Documents, will be validly issued,
fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the
Company. The Company has reserved from its duly authorized capital stock
a number of shares of Common Stock for issuance of the Underlying Shares
at least equal to the Required Minimum on the date hereof.
(g) CAPITALIZATION. The capitalization of the Company is as
set forth on SCHEDULE 3.1(G). The Company has not issued any capital
stock since its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange
Act, other than pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options under
the Company's stock option plans, the issuance of shares of Common Stock
to employees pursuant to the Company's employee stock purchase plan and
pursuant to the conversion or exercise of outstanding Common Stock
Equivalents. No Person has any right of first refusal, preemptive right,
right of participation, or any similar right to participate in the
transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Except as a
result of the purchase and sale of the Securities, there are no
outstanding options, warrants, script rights to subscribe to, calls or
commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities,
rights or obligations convertible into or exchangeable for, or giving
any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire, any shares of Common
Stock, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by
which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue
additional shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents. The
issuance and
10
sale of the Securities will not obligate the Company to issue shares of
Common Stock or other securities to any Person (other than the
Purchasers) and will not result in a right of any holder of Company
securities to adjust the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price
under such securities. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of
the Company are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, have been
issued in compliance with all federal and state securities laws, and
none of such outstanding shares was issued in violation of any
preemptive rights or similar rights to subscribe for or purchase
securities. No further approval or authorization of any stockholder, the
Board of Directors of the Company or others is required for the issuance
and sale of the Securities. There are no stockholders agreements, voting
agreements or other similar agreements with respect to the Company's
capital stock to which the Company is a party or, to the knowledge of
the Company, between or among any of the Company's stockholders.
(h) SEC REPORTS; FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. The Company has filed
all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required
to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act,
including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the two years
preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the Company was
required by law to file such material) (the foregoing materials,
including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference
therein, being collectively referred to herein as the "SEC REPORTS") on
a timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of filing
and has filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration of any such
extension. As of their respective dates, the SEC Reports complied in all
material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the
Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated
thereunder, and none of the SEC Reports, when filed, contained any
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading. The financial statements of the Company included
in the SEC Reports comply in all material respects with applicable
accounting requirements and the rules and regulations of the Commission
with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing. Such financial
statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally
accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the
periods involved ("GAAP"), except as may ---- be otherwise specified in
such financial statements or the notes thereto and except that unaudited
financial statements may not contain all footnotes required by GAAP, and
fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the
Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of and for the dates
thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods
then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal,
immaterial, year-end audit adjustments.
(i) MATERIAL CHANGES. Since the date of the latest audited
financial statements included within the SEC Reports, except as
specifically disclosed in 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
11
or required to be disclosed in filings made with the Commission, (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 stockholders 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 pursuant to existing Company stock option
plans. The Company does not have pending before the Commission any
request for confidential treatment of information.
(j) LITIGATION. There is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of
violation, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of
the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, any Subsidiary
or any of their respective properties before or by any court,
arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory
authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an
"ACTION") which (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality,
validity or enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents or the
Securities or (ii) could, if there were an unfavorable decision, have or
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither
the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor any director or officer thereof, is
or has been the subject of any Action involving a claim of violation of
or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim of breach
of fiduciary duty. There has not been, and to the knowledge of the
Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the
Commission involving the Company or any current or former director or
officer of the Company. The Commission has not issued any stop order or
other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement
filed by the Company or any Subsidiary under the Exchange Act or the
Securities Act.
(k) LABOR RELATIONS. No material labor dispute exists or, to
the knowledge of the Company, is imminent with respect to any of the
employees of the Company which could reasonably be expected to result in
a Material Adverse Effect.
(l) 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
order of any court, arbitrator or governmental body, or (iii) is or has
been in violation of any statute, rule or regulation of any governmental
authority, including without limitation all foreign, federal, state and
local laws applicable to its business except in each case as could not
have a Material Adverse Effect.
(m) REGULATORY PERMITS. The Company and the Subsidiaries
possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the
appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory authorities
necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in the SEC
Reports, except where the failure to possess such permits could not
12
have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect
("MATERIAL PERMITS"), and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has
received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or
modification of any Material Permit.
(n) TITLE TO ASSETS. The Company and the Subsidiaries have
good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by
them that is material to the business of the Company and the
Subsidiaries 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, except for Liens
as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not
materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such
property by the Company and the Subsidiaries and Liens for the payment
of federal, state or other taxes, the payment of which is neither
delinquent nor subject to penalties. Any real property and facilities
held under lease by the Company and the Subsidiaries are held by them
under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases of which the Company and
the Subsidiaries are in compliance.
(o) PATENTS AND TRADEMARKS. The Company and the Subsidiaries
have, or have rights to use, all patents, patent applications,
trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names,
copyrights, licenses and other similar rights necessary or material 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 written notice
that the Intellectual Property Rights used by the Company or any
Subsidiary violates or infringes upon the rights of any Person. 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 of others.
(p) INSURANCE. The Company and the Subsidiaries are insured
by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses
and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the
businesses in which the Company and the Subsidiaries are engaged,
including, but not limited to, directors and officers insurance coverage
at least equal to the aggregate Principal amount of All American
Debentures re-issued hereunder. To the best of Company's knowledge, such
insurance contracts and policies are accurate and complete. Neither the
Company nor any Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be
able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage
expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be
necessary to continue its business without a significant increase in
cost.
(q) TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES AND EMPLOYEES. Except as
set forth in the SEC Reports, none of the officers or directors of the
Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of
the Company is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or
any Subsidiary (other than for services as employees, officers and
directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement
providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental
of real or personal property to or from, or otherwise requiring payments
to or from any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge
of the Company, any entity in which any officer, director, or any such
employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director,
13
trustee or partner, in each case in excess of $60,000 other than (i) for
payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered, (ii)
reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and (iii)
for other employee benefits, including stock option agreements under any
stock option plan of the Company.
(r) SARBANES-OXLEY; INTERNAL ACCOUNTING CONTROLS. The
Company is in material compliance with all provisions of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 which are applicable to it as of the Closing
Date. The Company and the Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal
accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i)
transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or
specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to
permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and
to maintain asset accountability, (iii) access to assets is permitted
only in accordance with management's general or specific authorization,
and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the
existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken
with respect to any differences. The Company has established disclosure
controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and
15d-15(e)) for the Company and designed such disclosure controls and
procedures to ensure that material information relating to the Company,
including its Subsidiaries, is made known to the certifying officers by
others within those entities, particularly during the period in which
the Company's most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange
Act, as the case may be, is being prepared. The Company's certifying
officers have evaluated the effectiveness of the Company's controls and
procedures as of the date prior to the filing date of the most recently
filed periodic report under the Exchange Act (such date, the "EVALUATION
DATE"). The Company presented in its most recently filed periodic report
under the Exchange Act the conclusions of the certifying officers about
the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on
their evaluations as of the Evaluation Date. Since the Evaluation Date,
there have been no significant changes in the Company's internal
controls (as such term is defined in Item 307(b) of Regulation S-K under
the Exchange Act) or, to the Company's knowledge, in other factors that
could significantly affect the Company's internal controls.
(s) CERTAIN FEES. No brokerage or finder's fees or
commissions are or will be payable by the Company to any broker,
financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment
banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. The Purchasers shall have no obligation
with respect to any fees or with respect to any claims made by or on
behalf of other Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this Section
that may be due in connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
(t) PRIVATE PLACEMENT. Assuming the accuracy of the
Purchasers representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.2, no
registration under the Securities Act is required for the offer and sale
of the Securities by the Company to the Purchasers as contemplated
hereby. The issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder does not
contravene the rules and regulations of the Trading Market.
14
(u) INVESTMENT COMPANY. The Company is not, and is not an
Affiliate of, and immediately after receipt of payment for the
Securities, 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 subject to the Investment Company Act.
(v) REGISTRATION RIGHTS. Other than each of the Purchasers,
no Person has any right to cause the Company to effect the registration
under the Securities Act of any securities of the Company.
(w) LISTING AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS. The Company's
Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange
Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its
knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration
of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received
any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such
registration. The Company has not, in the 12 months preceding the date
hereof, received notice from any Trading Market on which the Common
Stock is or has been listed or quoted to the effect that the Company is
not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements of such
Trading Market. The Company is, and has no reason to believe that it
will not in the foreseeable future continue to be, in compliance with
all such listing and maintenance requirements.
(x) APPLICATION OF TAKEOVER PROTECTIONS. The Company and its
Board of Directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to
render inapplicable any control share acquisition, business combination,
poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or
other similar anti-takeover provision under the Company's Certificate of
Incorporation (or similar charter documents) or the laws of its state of
incorporation that is or could become applicable to the Purchasers as a
result of the Purchasers and the Company fulfilling their obligations or
exercising their rights under the Transaction Documents, including
without limitation as a result of the Company's issuance of the
Securities and the Purchasers' ownership of the Securities.
(y) DISCLOSURE. The Company confirms that neither it nor any
other Person acting on its behalf has provided any of the Purchasers or
their agents or counsel with any information that constitutes or might
constitute material, nonpublic information. The Company understands and
confirms that the Purchasers will rely on the foregoing representations
and covenants in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.
All disclosure provided to the Purchasers regarding the Company, its
business and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the
Disclosure Schedules to this Agreement, furnished by or on behalf of the
Company with respect to the representations and warranties made herein
are true and correct with respect to such representations and warranties
and do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. The Company acknowledges and agrees that no Purchaser makes
or has made any representations or warranties with
15
respect to the transactions contemplated hereby other than those
specifically set forth in Section 3.2 hereof.
(z) NO INTEGRATED OFFERING. Assuming the accuracy of the
Purchasers' representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.2,
neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any Person acting on
its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or
sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under
circumstances that would cause this offering of the Securities to be
integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of the
Securities Act or any applicable shareholder approval provisions,
including, without limitation, under the rules and regulations of any
Trading Market on which any of the securities of the Company are listed
or designated.
(aa) SOLVENCY. Based on the financial condition of the
Company as of the Closing Date after giving effect to the receipt by the
Company of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder, (i)
the Company's fair saleable value of its 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 for the current fiscal year 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, 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 debt 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 SEC Reports set forth as of the dates thereof 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" shall mean (a) any
liabilities for borrowed money or amounts owed in excess of $250,000
(other than trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of
business), (b) 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 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 (c) 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.
16
(bb) FORM S-3 ELIGIBILITY. The Company is eligible to
register the resale of the Underlying Shares for resale by the Purchaser
on Form S-3 promulgated under the Securities Act.
(cc) 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 each Subsidiary has
filed all necessary federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax
returns and has paid or accrued all taxes shown as due thereon, and the
Company has no knowledge of a tax deficiency which has been asserted or
threatened against the Company or any Subsidiary.
(dd) NO GENERAL SOLICITATION. Neither the Company nor any
person acting on behalf of the Company has offered or sold any of the
Securities by any form of general solicitation or general advertising.
The Company has offered the Securities for sale only to the Purchasers
and certain other "accredited investors" within the meaning of Rule 501
under the Securities Act.
(ee) FOREIGN CORRUPT PRACTICES. Neither the Company, nor to
the knowledge of the Company, any agent or other person acting on behalf
of the Company, has (i) directly or indirectly, used any funds for
unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses
related to foreign or domestic political activity, (ii) made any
unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or
employees or to any foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns
from corporate funds, (iii) failed to disclose fully any contribution
made by the Company (or made by any person acting on its behalf of which
the Company is aware) which is in violation of law, or (iv) violated in
any material respect any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
of 1977, as amended.
(ff) ACCOUNTANTS. The Company's accountants are set forth on
SCHEDULE 3.1(FF) of the Disclosure Schedule. To the Company's knowledge,
such accountants, who the Company expects will express their opinion
with respect to the financial statements to be included in the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2004 are a
registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act.
(gg) SENIORITY. As of the Closing Date, no indebtedness or
other equity of the Company is senior to the Debentures in right of
payment, whether with respect to interest or upon liquidation or
dissolution, or otherwise, other than indebtedness secured by purchase
money security interests or mortgages (which is senior only as to
underlying assets covered thereby) and capital lease obligations (which
is senior only as to the property covered thereby).
(hh) NO DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS AND LAWYERS. There are
no disagreements of any kind presently existing, or reasonably
anticipated by the Company to arise, between the accountants and lawyers
formerly or presently employed by the Company and the Company is current
with respect to any fees owed to its accountants and lawyers.
17
(ii) ACKNOWLEDGMENT REGARDING PURCHASERS' PURCHASE OF
SECURITIES. The Company acknowledges and agrees that each of the
Purchasers is acting solely in the capacity of an arm's length purchaser
with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions
contemplated hereby. The Company further acknowledges that no Purchaser
is acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any
similar capacity) with respect to this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby and any advice given by any Purchaser or any of
their respective representatives or agents in connection with this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby is merely incidental
to the Purchasers' purchase of the Securities. The Company further
represents to each Purchaser that the Company's decision to enter into
this Agreement has been based solely on the independent evaluation of
the transactions contemplated hereby by the Company and its
representatives.
(jj) ACKNOWLEDGEMENT REGARDING PURCHASERS' TRADING ACTIVITY.
Anything in this Agreement or elsewhere herein to the contrary
notwithstanding (except for Section 4.16 hereof), it is understood and
agreed by the Company (i) that none of the Purchasers have been asked to
agree, nor has any Purchaser agreed, to desist from purchasing or
selling, long and/or short, securities of the Company, or "derivative"
securities based on securities issued by the Company or to hold the
Securities for any specified term; (ii) that past or future open market
or other transactions by any Purchaser, including Short Sales, and
specifically including, without limitation, Short Sales or "derivative"
transactions, before or after the closing of this or future private
placement transactions, may negatively impact the market price of the
Company's publicly-traded securities; (iii) that any Purchaser, and
counter parties in "derivative" transactions to which any such Purchaser
is a party, directly or indirectly, presently may have a "short"
position in the Common Stock, and (iv) that each Purchaser shall not be
deemed to have any affiliation with or control over any arm's length
counter-party in any "derivative" transaction.
3.2 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE PURCHASERS. Each Purchaser
hereby, for itself and for no other Purchaser, represents and warrants as of the
date hereof and as of the Closing Date to the Company as follows:
(a) ORGANIZATION; AUTHORITY. Such Purchaser is an entity
duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of
the jurisdiction of its organization with full right, corporate or
partnership power and authority to enter into and to consummate the
transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and otherwise to
carry out its obligations thereunder. The execution, delivery and
performance by such Purchaser of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or
similar action on the part of such Purchaser. Each Transaction Document
to which it is a party has been duly executed by such Purchaser, and
when delivered by such Purchaser in accordance with the terms hereof,
will constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of such
Purchaser, enforceable against it 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
18
remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution
provisions may be limited by applicable law.
(b) OWN ACCOUNT. Such Purchaser understands that the
Securities are "restricted securities" and have not been registered
under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law and is
acquiring the Securities as principal for its own account and not with a
view to or for distributing or reselling such Securities or any part
thereof in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state
securities law, has no present intention of distributing any of such
Securities in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state
securities law and has no arrangement or understanding with any other
persons regarding the distribution of such Securities (this
representation and warranty not limiting such Purchaser's right to sell
the Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise in
compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws) in
violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law.
Such Purchaser is acquiring the Securities hereunder in the ordinary
course of its business. Such Purchaser does not have any agreement or
understanding, directly or indirectly, with any Person to distribute any
of the Securities.
(c) PURCHASER STATUS. At the time such Purchaser was offered
the Securities, it was, and at the date hereof it is, and on each date
on which it exercises any Warrants or converts any Debentures it will be
either: (i) an "accredited investor" as defined in Rule 501(a)(1),
(a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7) or (a)(8) under the Securities Act or (ii) a
"qualified institutional buyer" as defined in Rule 144A(a) under the
Securities Act. Such Purchaser is not required to be registered as a
broker-dealer under Section 15 of the Exchange Act.
(d) EXPERIENCE OF SUCH PURCHASER. Such Purchaser, either
alone or together with its representatives, has such knowledge,
sophistication and experience in business and financial matters so as to
be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective
investment in the Securities, and has so evaluated the merits and risks
of such investment. Such Purchaser is able to bear the economic risk of
an investment in the Securities and, at the present time, is able to
afford a complete loss of such investment.
(e) GENERAL SOLICITATION. Such Purchaser is not purchasing
the Securities as a result of any advertisement, article, notice or
other communication regarding the Securities published in any newspaper,
magazine or similar media or broadcast over television or radio or
presented at any seminar or any other general solicitation or general
advertisement.
The Company acknowledges and agrees that each Purchaser does not
make or has not made any representations or warranties with respect to
the transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically set
forth in this Section 3.2.
ARTICLE IV.
OTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES
4.1 TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS.
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(a) The Securities may only be disposed of in compliance
with state and federal securities laws. In connection with any transfer
of Securities other than pursuant to an effective registration statement
or Rule 144, to the Company or to an affiliate of a Purchaser or in
connection with a pledge as contemplated in Section 4.1(b), the Company
may require the transferor thereof to provide to the Company an opinion
of counsel selected by the transferor and reasonably acceptable to the
Company, the form and substance of which opinion shall be reasonably
satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that such transfer does not
require registration of such transferred Securities under the Securities
Act. As a condition of transfer, any such transferee shall agree in
writing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement and shall have the
rights of a Purchaser under this Agreement and the Registration Rights
Agreement.
(b) The Purchasers agree to the imprinting, so long as is
required by this Section 4.1(b), of a legend on any of the Securities in
the following form:
[NEITHER] THESE SECURITIES [NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THESE
SECURITIES ARE [EXERCISABLE] [CONVERTIBLE]] HAVE BEEN REGISTERED WITH
THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF
ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), AND,
ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN
AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH
APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS AS EVIDENCED BY A LEGAL OPINION OF
COUNSEL TO THE TRANSFEROR TO SUCH EFFECT, THE SUBSTANCE OF WHICH SHALL
BE REASONABLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY. THESE SECURITIES AND THE
SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THESE SECURITIES MAY BE PLEDGED IN
CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER LOAN SECURED BY SUCH
SECURITIES.
The Company acknowledges and agrees that a Purchaser may from
time to time pledge pursuant to a bona fide margin agreement with a
registered broker-dealer or grant a security interest in some or all of
the Securities to a financial institution that is an "accredited
investor" as defined in Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act and who
agrees to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement and the
Registration Rights Agreement and, if required under the terms of such
arrangement, such Purchaser may transfer pledged or secured Securities
to the pledgees or secured parties. Such a pledge or transfer would not
be subject to approval of the Company and no legal opinion of legal
counsel of the pledgee, secured party or pledgor shall be required in
connection therewith. Further, no notice shall be required of such
pledge. At the appropriate Purchaser's expense, the Company will execute
and deliver such reasonable documentation as a pledgee or secured party
of Securities may reasonably request in connection with a pledge or
transfer of the Securities, including, if the Securities are
20
subject to registration pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement,
the preparation and filing of any required prospectus supplement under
Rule 424(b)(3) under the Securities Act or other applicable provision of
the Securities Act to appropriately amend the list of Selling
Stockholders thereunder.
(c) Certificates evidencing the Underlying Shares shall not
contain any legend (including the legend set forth in Section 4.1(b)
hereof): (i) while a registration statement (including the Registration
Statement) covering the resale of such security is effective under the
Securities Act, or (ii) following any sale of such Underlying Shares
pursuant to Rule 144, or (iii) if such Underlying Shares are eligible
for sale under Rule 144(k), or (iv) if such legend is not required under
applicable requirements of the Securities Act (including judicial
interpretations and pronouncements issued by the staff of the
Commission). The Company shall cause its counsel to issue a legal
opinion to the Company's transfer agent promptly after the Effective
Date if required by the Company's transfer agent to effect the removal
of the legend hereunder. If all or any portion of a Debenture or Warrant
is converted or exercised (as applicable) at a time when there is an
effective registration statement to cover the resale of the Underlying
Shares, or if such Underlying Shares may be sold under Rule 144(k) or if
such legend is not otherwise required under applicable requirements of
the Securities Act (including judicial interpretations thereof) then
such Underlying Shares shall be issued free of all legends. The Company
agrees that following the Effective Date or at such time as such legend
is no longer required under this Section 4.1(c), it will, no later than
three Trading Days following the delivery by a Purchaser to the Company
or the Company's transfer agent of a certificate representing Underlying
Shares, as applicable, issued with a restrictive legend (such third
Trading Day, the "LEGEND REMOVAL DATE"), deliver or cause to be
delivered to such Purchaser a certificate representing such shares that
is free from all restrictive and other legends. The Company may not make
any notation on its records or give instructions to any transfer agent
of the Company that enlarge the restrictions on transfer set forth in
this Section. Certificates for Securities subject to legend removal
hereunder shall be transmitted by the transfer agent of the Company to
the Purchasers by crediting the account of the Purchaser's prime broker
with the Depository Trust Company System.
(d) In addition to such Purchaser's other available
remedies, the Company shall pay to a Purchaser, in cash, as partial
liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Underlying
Shares (based on the VWAP of the Common Stock on the date such
Securities are submitted to the Company's transfer agent) delivered for
removal of the restrictive legend and subject to Section 4.1(c), $10 per
Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day 5 Trading Days after such
damages have begun to accrue) for each Trading Day after the Legend
Removal Date until such certificate is delivered without a legend.
Nothing herein shall limit such Purchaser's right to pursue actual
damages for the Company's failure to deliver certificates representing
any Securities as required by the Transaction Documents, and such
Purchaser shall have the right to pursue all remedies available to it at
law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific
performance and/or injunctive relief. Notwithstanding anything herein to
the contrary, as to any delays in performance caused solely and directly
by a Force Majeure,
21
the Trading Days during which such delay is occurring shall be tolled
hereunder with respect to liquidated damages, provided that the Company
has used, and continues to use, best efforts to perform its obligations
notwithstanding such Force Majeure.
(e) Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other
Purchasers, agrees that the removal of the restrictive legend from
certificates representing Securities as set forth in this Section 4.1 is
predicated upon the Company's reliance that the Purchaser will sell any
Securities pursuant to either the registration requirements of the
Securities Act, including any applicable prospectus delivery
requirements, or an exemption therefrom.
(f) Until the 6 month anniversary of the Effective Date, the
Company shall not undertake a reverse or forward stock split or
reclassification of the Common Stock without the prior written consent
of the Purchasers holding a majority in principal amount outstanding of
the Debentures, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
4.2 ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF DILUTION. The Company acknowledges that the
issuance of the Securities may result in dilution of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock, which dilution may be substantial under certain market conditions.
The Company further acknowledges that its obligations under the Transaction
Documents, including without limitation its obligation to issue the Underlying
Shares pursuant to the Transaction Documents, are unconditional and absolute and
not subject to any right of set off, counterclaim, delay or reduction,
regardless of the effect of any such dilution or any claim the Company may have
against any Purchaser and regardless of the dilutive effect that such issuance
may have on the ownership of the other stockholders of the Company.
4.3 FURNISHING OF INFORMATION. As long as any Purchaser owns
Securities, the Company covenants to timely file (or obtain extensions in
respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports
required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof pursuant to the
Exchange Act. As long as any Purchaser owns Securities, if the Company is not
required to file reports pursuant to the Exchange Act, it will prepare and
furnish to the Purchasers and make publicly available in accordance with Rule
144(c) such information as is required for the Purchasers to sell the Securities
under Rule 144. The Company further covenants that it will take such further
action as any holder of Securities may reasonably request, all to the extent
required from time to time to enable such Person to sell such Securities without
registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions
provided by Rule 144.
4.4 INTEGRATION. The Company shall not sell, offer for sale or
solicit offers to buy or otherwise negotiate in respect of any security (as
defined in Section 2 of the Securities Act) that would be integrated with the
offer or sale of the Securities in a manner that would require the registration
under the Securities Act of the sale of the Securities to the Purchasers or that
would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities for purposes of the
rules and regulations of any Trading Market.
4.5 CONVERSION AND EXERCISE PROCEDURES. The form of Notice of
Exercise included in the Warrants and the form of Notice of Conversion included
in the Debentures set forth the
22
totality of the procedures required of the Purchasers in order to exercise the
Warrants or convert the Debentures. No additional legal opinion or other
information or instructions shall be required of the Purchasers to exercise
their Warrants or convert their Debentures. The Company shall honor exercises of
the Warrants and conversions of the Debentures and shall deliver Underlying
Shares in accordance with the terms, conditions and time periods set forth in
the Transaction Documents.
4.6 SECURITIES LAWS DISCLOSURE; PUBLICITY. The Company shall, by
5:00 p.m. Eastern time on the Trading Day following the date hereof, issue a
Current Report on Form 8-K, reasonably acceptable to each Purchaser disclosing
the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby, and shall attach the
Transaction Documents thereto. The Company and each Purchaser shall consult with
each other in issuing any other press releases with respect to the transactions
contemplated hereby, and neither the Company nor any Purchaser shall issue any
such press release or otherwise make any such public statement without the prior
consent of the Company, with respect to any press release of any Purchaser, or
without the prior consent of each Purchaser, with respect to any press release
of the Company, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, except if such
disclosure is required by law, in which case the disclosing party shall promptly
provide the other party with prior notice of such public statement or
communication. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not publicly
disclose the name of any Purchaser, or include the name of any Purchaser in any
filing with the Commission or any regulatory agency or Trading Market, without
the prior written consent of such Purchaser, except (i) as required by federal
securities law in connection with the registration statement contemplated by the
Registration Rights Agreement and (ii) to the extent such disclosure is required
by law or Trading Market regulations, in which case the Company shall provide
the Purchasers with prior notice of such disclosure permitted under subclause
(i) or (ii).
4.7 SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN. No claim will be made or enforced by
the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any other Person that any
Purchaser is an "Acquiring Person" under any shareholder rights plan or similar
plan or arrangement in effect or hereafter adopted by the Company, or that any
Purchaser could be deemed to trigger the provisions of any such plan or
arrangement, by virtue of receiving Securities under the Transaction Documents
or under any other agreement between the Company and the Purchasers. The Company
shall conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the
Investment Company Act.
4.8 NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION. The Company covenants and agrees that
neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf will provide any Purchaser
or its agents or counsel with any information that the Company believes
constitutes material non-public information, unless prior thereto such Purchaser
shall have executed a written agreement regarding the confidentiality and use of
such information. The Company understands and confirms that each Purchaser shall
be relying on the foregoing representations in effecting transactions in
securities of the Company.
4.9 USE OF PROCEEDS. Except as set forth on SCHEDULE 4.9 attached
hereto, the Company shall use the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities
hereunder for working capital purposes and not for the satisfaction of any
portion of the Company's debt (other than payment of trade payables in the
ordinary course of the Company's business and prior practices), to redeem any
Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents or to settle any outstanding
litigation.
23
4.10 REIMBURSEMENT. If any Purchaser becomes involved in any capacity
in any Proceeding by or against any Person who is a stockholder of the Company
(except as a result of sales, pledges, margin sales and similar transactions by
such Purchaser to or with any current stockholder), solely as a result of such
Purchaser's acquisition of the Securities under this Agreement, the Company will
reimburse such Purchaser for its reasonable legal and other expenses (including
the cost of any investigation preparation and travel in connection therewith)
incurred in connection therewith, as such expenses are incurred. The
reimbursement obligations of the Company under this paragraph shall be in
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have, shall extend
upon the same terms and conditions to any Affiliates of the Purchasers who are
actually named in such action, proceeding or investigation, and partners,
directors, agents, employees and controlling persons (if any), as the case may
be, of the Purchasers and any such Affiliate, and shall be binding upon and
inure to the benefit of any successors, assigns, heirs and personal
representatives of the Company, the Purchasers and any such Affiliate and any
such Person. The Company also agrees that neither the Purchasers nor any such
Affiliates, partners, directors, agents, employees or controlling persons shall
have any liability to the Company or any Person asserting claims on behalf of or
in right of the Company solely as a result of acquiring the Securities under
this Agreement.
4.11 INDEMNIFICATION OF PURCHASERS. Subject to the provisions of this
Section 4.11, the Company will indemnify and hold the Purchasers and their
directors, officers, shareholders, partners, employees and agents (each, a
"PURCHASER PARTY") harmless from any and all losses, liabilities, obligations,
claims, contingencies, damages, costs and expenses, including all judgments,
amounts paid in settlements, court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees and
costs of investigation that any such Purchaser Party may suffer or incur as a
result of or relating to (a) any breach of any of the representations,
warranties, covenants or agreements made by the Company in this Agreement or in
the other Transaction Documents or (b) any action instituted against a
Purchaser, or any of them or their respective Affiliates, by any stockholder of
the Company who is not an Affiliate of such Purchaser, with respect to any of
the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (unless such action
is based upon a breach of such Purchaser's representation, warranties or
covenants under the Transaction Documents or any agreements or understandings
such Purchaser may have with any such stockholder or any violations by the
Purchaser of state or federal securities laws or any conduct by such Purchaser
which constitutes fraud, gross negligence, willful misconduct or malfeasance).
If any action shall be brought against any Purchaser Party in respect of which
indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Agreement, such Purchaser Party shall
promptly notify the Company in writing, and the Company shall have the right to
assume the defense thereof with counsel of its own choosing. Any Purchaser Party
shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and
participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel
shall be at the expense of such Purchaser Party except to the extent that (i)
the employment thereof has been specifically authorized by the Company in
writing, (ii) the Company has failed after a reasonable period of time to assume
such defense and to employ counsel or (iii) in such action there is, in the
reasonable opinion of such separate counsel, a material conflict on any material
issue between the position of the Company and the position of such Purchaser
Party. The Company will not be liable to any Purchaser Party under this
Agreement (i) for any settlement by a Purchaser Party effected without the
Company's prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or
delayed; or (ii) to the extent, but only to the extent that a loss, claim,
24
damage or liability is attributable to any Purchaser Party's breach of any of
the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by the Purchasers
in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents. Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, without limiting any Purchaser's other remedies
at law or equity, such Purchaser's right to receive indemnification hereunder
shall be limited to the funds paid to All American pursuant to the terms of the
All American Transaction or the Company pursuant to the terms hereof.
4.12 RESERVATION AND LISTING OF SECURITIES.
(a) The Company shall maintain a reserve from its duly
authorized shares of Common Stock for issuance pursuant to the
Transaction Documents in such amount as may be required to fulfill its
obligations in full under the Transaction Documents.
(b) If, on any date, the number of authorized but unissued
(and otherwise unreserved) shares of Common Stock is less than the
Required Minimum on such date, then the Board of Directors of the
Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to amend the Company's
certificate or articles of incorporation to increase the number of
authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock to at least the Required
Minimum at such time, as soon as possible and in any event not later
than the 75th day after such date.
(c) The Company shall, if applicable: (i) in the time and
manner required by the Trading Market, prepare and file with such
Trading Market an additional shares listing application covering a
number of shares of Common Stock at least equal to the Required Minimum
on the date of such application, (ii) take all steps necessary to cause
such shares of Common Stock to be approved for listing on the Trading
Market as soon as possible thereafter, (iii) provide to the Purchasers
evidence of such listing, and (iv) maintain the listing of such Common
Stock on any date at least equal to the Required Minimum on such date on
such Trading Market or another Trading Market.
4.13 PARTICIPATION IN FUTURE FINANCING.
(a) From the date hereof until the date that is the one year
anniversary of the Effective Date, upon any financing by the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents (a
"SUBSEQUENT FINANCING"), each Purchaser shall have the right to
participate in up to an amount of the Subsequent Financing equal to 50%
of the Subsequent Financing (the "PARTICIPATION MAXIMUM").
(b) At least 5 Trading Days prior to the closing of the
Subsequent Financing, the Company shall deliver to each Purchaser a
written notice of its intention to effect a Subsequent Financing
("PRE-NOTICE"), which Pre-Notice shall ask such Purchaser if it wants to
review the details of such financing (such additional notice, a
"SUBSEQUENT FINANCING NOTICE"). Upon the request of a Purchaser, and
only upon a request by such Purchaser, for a Subsequent Financing
Notice, the Company shall promptly, but no later than 1 Trading Day
after such request, deliver a Subsequent Financing Notice to such
Purchaser. The Subsequent Financing Notice shall describe in reasonable
detail the proposed terms of such Subsequent Financing, the amount of
proceeds intended to be
25
raised thereunder, the Person with whom such Subsequent Financing is
proposed to be effected, and attached to which shall be a term sheet or
similar document relating thereto.
(c) Any Purchaser desiring to participate in such Subsequent
Financing must provide written notice to the Company by not later than
5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the 5th Trading Day after all of the
Purchasers have received the Pre-Notice that the Purchaser is willing to
participate in the Subsequent Financing, the amount of the Purchaser's
participation, and that the Purchaser has such funds ready, willing, and
available for investment on the terms set forth in the Subsequent
Financing Notice. If the Company receives no notice from a Purchaser as
of such 5th Trading Day, such Purchaser shall be deemed to have notified
the Company that it does not elect to participate.
(d) If by 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the fifth
Trading Day after all of the Purchasers have received the Pre-Notice,
notifications by the Purchasers of their willingness to participate in
the Subsequent Financing (or to cause their designees to participate)
is, in the aggregate, less than the total amount of the Subsequent
Financing, then the Company may effect the remaining portion of such
Subsequent Financing on the terms and to the Persons set forth in the
Subsequent Financing Notice.
(e) If by 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the fifth
Trading Day after all of the Purchasers have received the Pre-Notice,
the Company receives responses to a Subsequent Financing Notice from
Purchasers seeking to purchase more than the aggregate amount of the
Participation Maximum, each such Purchaser shall have the right to
purchase the greater of (a) their Pro Rata Portion (as defined below) of
the Participation Maximum and (b) the difference between the
Participation Maximum and the aggregate amount of participation by all
other Purchasers. "PRO RATA PORTION" is the ratio of (x) the Principal
amount of All American Debentures re-issued hereunder of Securities
purchased on the Closing Date by a Purchaser participating under this
Section 4.13 and (y) the sum of the aggregate Principal amount of All
American Debentures re-issued hereunder of Securities purchased on the
Closing Date by all Purchasers participating under this Section 4.13.
(f) The Company must provide the Purchasers with a second
Subsequent Financing Notice, and the Purchasers will again have the
right of participation set forth above in this Section 4.13, if the
Subsequent Financing subject to the initial Subsequent Financing Notice
is not consummated for any reason on the terms set forth in such
Subsequent Financing Notice within 60 Trading Days after the date of the
initial Subsequent Financing Notice.
(g) Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 4.13 shall
not apply in respect of an Exempt Issuance.
4.14 SUBSEQUENT EQUITY SALES.
(a) From the date hereof until 90 days after the Effective
Date, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary shall issue shares of
Common Stock or Common Stock
26
Equivalents; provided, however, the 90 day period set forth in this
Section 4.14 shall be extended for the number of Trading Days during
such period in which (i) trading in the Common Stock is suspended by any
Trading Market, or (ii) following the Effective Date, the Registration
Statement is not effective or the prospectus included in the
Registration Statement may not be used by the Purchasers for the resale
of the Underlying Shares.
(b) From the date hereof until such time as no Purchaser
holds any of the Securities, the Company shall be prohibited from
effecting or entering into an agreement to effect any Subsequent
Financing involving a "Variable Rate Transaction". The term "VARIABLE
RATE TRANSACTION" shall mean a transaction in which the Company issues
or sells (i) any debt or equity securities that are convertible into,
exchangeable or exercisable for, or include the right to receive
additional shares of Common Stock either (A) at a conversion, exercise
or exchange rate or other price that is based upon and/or varies with
the trading prices of or quotations for the shares of Common Stock at
any time after the initial issuance of such debt or equity securities,
or (B) with a conversion, exercise or exchange price that is subject to
being reset at some future date after the initial issuance of such debt
or equity security or upon the occurrence of specified or contingent
events directly or indirectly related to the business of the Company or
the market for the Common Stock or (ii) enters into any agreement,
including, but not limited to, an equity line of credit, whereby the
Company may sell securities at a future determined price.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 4.14 shall
not apply in respect of an Exempt Issuance, except that no Variable Rate
Transaction shall be an Exempt Issuance.
4.15 EQUAL TREATMENT OF PURCHASERS. No consideration shall be offered
or paid to any person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any
provision of any of the Transaction Documents unless the same consideration is
also offered to all of the parties to the Transaction Documents. Further, the
Company shall not make any payment of principal or interest on the Debentures in
amounts which are disproportionate to the respective principal amounts
outstanding on the Debentures at any applicable time. For clarification
purposes, this provision constitutes a separate right granted to each Purchaser
by the Company and negotiated separately by each Purchaser, and is intended to
treat for the Company the Debenture holders as a class and shall not in any way
be construed as the Purchasers acting in concert or as a group with respect to
the purchase, disposition or voting of Securities or otherwise.
4.16 SHORT SALES AND CONFIDENTIALITY. Each Purchaser understands and
acknowledges, severally and not jointly with any other Purchaser, that the
Commission currently takes the position that coverage of short sales of shares
of the Common Stock "against the box" prior to the Effective Date of the
Registration Statement with the Securities is a violation of Section 5 of the
Securities Act, as set forth in Item 65, Section 5 under Section A, of the
Manual of Publicly Available Telephone Interpretations, dated July 1997,
compiled by the Office of Chief Counsel, Division of Corporation Finance.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Purchaser makes any representation, warranty
or covenant hereby that it will not engage in Short Sales in the securities of
the Company after the time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
are first
27
publicly announced. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser
that is a multi-managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers
manage separate portions of such Purchaser's assets and the portfolio managers
have no direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio
managers managing other portions of such Purchaser's assets, the covenant set
forth above shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by
the portfolio manager that made the investment decision to purchase the
Securities covered by this Agreement.
4.17 ADJUSTMENTS TO PRICES. All Conversion Prices, Exercise Prices
and other prices referenced in the Transaction Documents that are based on the
price of the Common Stock shall be subject to adjustment for reverse and forward
stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions
of the Common Stock that occurred after May___, 2005.
4.18 ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT. From the date hereof until 9 months after
the Effective Date, each Purchaser may, in its sole determination, elect to
purchase, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, in the ratio of
such Purchaser's Principal amount of All American Debentures re-issued hereunder
on the Closing Date to the aggregate Principal amount of All American Debentures
re-issued hereunder on the Closing Date of all Purchasers, additional debentures
for an aggregate purchase price of up to $14,000,000 and warrants to acquire
shares of Common Stock. Any additional investment will be on terms identical
those set forth in the Transaction Documents, MUTATIS MUTANDIS, other than those
terms, conditions and prices specifically set forth on ANNEX A attached hereto.
In order to effectuate a purchase and sale of the additional shares of preferred
stock and warrants, the Company and the Purchasers shall enter into the
following agreements: (x) a Securities Assumption, Amendment and Issuance
Agreement identical to this Agreement, MUTATIS MUTANDIS and shall include
updated disclosure schedules and (y) a registration rights agreement identical
to the Registration Rights Agreement, MUTATIS MUTANDIS and shall include updated
disclosure schedules.
4.19 ASSUMPTION, AMENDMENT AND RE-ISSUE OF ALL AMERICAN DEBENTURES
ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THE ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT RIGHTS ISSUED PURSUANT TO
THE ALL AMERICAN PURCHASE AGREEMENT. Notwithstanding anything herein to the
contrary, upon the exercise of any holder of an Additional Investment Right
under the All American Purchase Agreement after the date hereof, the Company
hereby agrees to issue to such holder the Debentures and Warrants that would
have been issued to such Holder had it held the All American Debenture on the
date hereof and such holder, as to such securities, shall receive all the rights
and covenants of a holder of the Debentures and Warrants, including but not
limited to, registration rights of the underlying shares of Common Stock; except
that Section 4(b) shall be amended and replaced as follows: CONVERSION PRICE.
The conversion price in effect on any Conversion Date shall be equal to [$4.00,
subject further to adjustments for reverse and forward stock splits and the like
after the date of the All American Purchase Agreement] (subject to adjustment
herein) (the "CONVERSION PRICE").
ARTICLE V.
MISCELLANEOUS
28
5.1 TERMINATION. This Agreement may be terminated by any Purchaser,
as to such Purchaser's obligations hereunder only and without any effect
whatsoever on the obligations between the Company and the other Purchasers, by
written notice to the other parties, if the Closing has not been consummated on
or before ________ ___, 2005; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no such termination will
affect the right of any party to sue for any breach by the other party (or
parties).
5.2 FEES AND EXPENSES. Except as expressly set forth in the
Transaction Documents to the contrary, each party shall pay the fees and
expenses of its advisers, counsel, accountants and other experts, if any, and
all other expenses incurred by such party incident to the negotiation,
preparation, execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement. The Company
shall pay all transfer agent fees, stamp taxes and other taxes and duties levied
in connection with the delivery of any Securities.
5.3 ENTIRE AGREEMENT. The Transaction Documents, together with the
exhibits and schedules thereto, contain the entire understanding of the parties
with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements and
understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the parties
acknowledge have been merged into such documents, exhibits and schedules.
5.4 NOTICES. Any and all notices or other communications or
deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing
and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (a) the date of
transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the
facsimile number set forth on the signature pages attached hereto prior to 5:30
p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day, (b) the next Trading Day after the
date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile
at the facsimile number set forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a
day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on
any Trading Day, (c) the second Trading Day following the date of mailing, if
sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (d) upon actual
receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address
for such notices and communications shall be as set forth on the signature pages
attached hereto.
5.5 AMENDMENTS; WAIVERS. No provision of this Agreement may be
waived or amended except in a written instrument signed, in the case of an
amendment, by the Company and each Purchaser or, in the case of a waiver, by the
party against whom enforcement of any such waiver is sought. No waiver of any
default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this
Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of
any subsequent default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or
requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of either party to exercise
any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right.
5.6 HEADINGS The headings herein are for convenience only, do not
constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect
any of the provisions hereof. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed
to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no
rules of strict construction will be applied against any party.
29
5.7 SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Agreement shall be binding upon and
inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns.
The Company may not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder
without the prior written consent of each Purchaser. Any Purchaser may assign
any or all of its rights under this Agreement to any Person to whom such
Purchaser assigns or transfers any Securities, provided such transferee agrees
in writing to be bound, with respect to the transferred Securities, by the
provisions hereof that apply to the "Purchasers".
5.8 NO THIRD-PARTY BENEFICIARIES. This Agreement is intended for the
benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted
assigns and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced
by, any other Person, except as otherwise set forth in Section 4.11.
5.9 GOVERNING LAW. All questions concerning the construction,
validity, enforcement and interpretation of the Transaction Documents shall be
governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of
the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law
thereof. Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the
interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement and any other Transaction Documents (whether brought against a
party hereto or its respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders,
employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal
courts sitting in the City of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to
the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City
of New York, borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder
or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or
discussed herein (including with respect to the enforcement of any of the
Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert
in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject
to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is
improper or inconvenient venue for such proceeding. Each party hereby
irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being
served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof 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 manner permitted by law. The parties
hereby waive all rights to a trial by jury. If either party shall commence an
action or proceeding to enforce any provisions of the Transaction Documents,
then the prevailing party in such action or proceeding shall be reimbursed by
the other party for its attorneys' fees and other costs and expenses incurred
with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or
proceeding.
5.10 SURVIVAL. The representations and warranties contained herein
shall survive the Closing and the delivery, exercise and/or conversion of the
Securities, as applicable for the applicable statue of limitations.
5.11 EXECUTION. This Agreement may be executed in two or more
counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the
same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by
each party and delivered to the other party, it
30
being understood that both parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the
event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission, such signature
shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose
behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such
facsimile signature page were an original thereof.
5.12 SEVERABILITY. If any provision of this Agreement is held to be
invalid or unenforceable in any respect, the validity and enforceability of the
remaining terms and provisions of this Agreement shall not in any way be
affected or impaired thereby and the parties will attempt to agree upon a valid
and enforceable provision that is a reasonable substitute therefor, and upon so
agreeing, shall incorporate such substitute provision in this Agreement.
5.13 RESCISSION AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHT. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained in (and without limiting any similar provisions of) the
Transaction Documents, whenever any Purchaser exercises a right, election,
demand or option under a Transaction Documents and the Company does not timely
perform its related obligations within the periods therein provided, then such
Purchaser may rescind or withdraw, in its sole discretion from time to time upon
written notice to the Company, any relevant notice, demand or election in whole
or in part without prejudice to its future actions and rights; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, in the case of a rescission of a conversion of a Debenture or exercise
of a Warrant, the Purchaser shall be required to return any shares of Common
Stock subject to any such rescinded conversion or exercise notice.
5.14 REPLACEMENT OF SECURITIES. If any certificate or instrument
evidencing any Securities is mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company
shall issue or cause to be issued in exchange and substitution for and upon
cancellation thereof, or in lieu of and substitution therefor, a new certificate
or instrument, but only upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the
Company of such loss, theft or destruction and customary and reasonable
indemnity, if requested. The applicants for a new certificate or instrument
under such circumstances shall also pay any reasonable third-party costs
associated with the issuance of such replacement Securities.
5.15 REMEDIES. In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights
provided herein or granted by law, including recovery of damages, each of the
Purchasers and the Company will be entitled to specific performance under the
Transaction Documents. The parties agree that monetary damages may not be
adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of any breach of
obligations described in the foregoing sentence and hereby agrees to waive in
any action for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a
remedy at law would be adequate.
5.16 PAYMENT SET ASIDE. To the extent that the Company makes a
payment or payments to any Purchaser pursuant to any Transaction Document or a
Purchaser enforces or exercises its rights thereunder, and such payment or
payments or the proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are
subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside,
recovered from, disgorged by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise
restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver or any other person under any law
(including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, state or federal law, common
law or
31
equitable cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration the
obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived
and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or
such enforcement or setoff had not occurred.
5.17 USURY. To the extent it may lawfully do so, the Company hereby
agrees not to insist upon or plead or in any manner whatsoever claim, and will
resist any and all efforts to be compelled to take the benefit or advantage of,
usury laws wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, in
connection with any claim, action or proceeding that may be brought by any
Purchaser in order to enforce any right or remedy under any Transaction
Document. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in any
Transaction Document, it is expressly agreed and provided that the total
liability of the Company under the Transaction Documents for payments in the
nature of interest shall not exceed the maximum lawful rate authorized under
applicable law (the "MAXIMUM RATE"), and, without limiting the foregoing, in no
event shall any rate of interest or default interest, or both of them, when
aggregated with any other sums in the nature of interest that the Company may be
obligated to pay under the Transaction Documents exceed such Maximum Rate. It is
agreed that if the maximum contract rate of interest allowed by law and
applicable to the Transaction Documents is increased or decreased by statute or
any official governmental action subsequent to the date hereof, the new maximum
contract rate of interest allowed by law will be the Maximum Rate applicable to
the Transaction Documents from the effective date forward, unless such
application is precluded by applicable law. If under any circumstances
whatsoever, interest in excess of the Maximum Rate is paid by the Company to any
Purchaser with respect to indebtedness evidenced by the Transaction Documents,
such excess shall be applied by such Purchaser to the unpaid principal balance
of any such indebtedness or be refunded to the Company, the manner of handling
such excess to be at such Purchaser's election.
5.18 INDEPENDENT NATURE OF PURCHASERS' OBLIGATIONS AND RIGHTS. The
obligations of each Purchaser under any Transaction Document are several and not
joint with the obligations of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser shall be
responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other
Purchaser under any Transaction Document. Nothing contained herein or in any
Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant thereto,
shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a
joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the
Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such
obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Each
Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights,
including without limitation the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of
the other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other
Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such
purpose. Each Purchaser has been represented by its own separate legal counsel
in their review and negotiation of the Transaction Documents. For reasons of
administrative convenience only, Purchasers and their respective counsel have
chosen to communicate with the Company through FW. FW does not represent all of
the Purchasers but only Omicron Master Trust ("OMICRON"). The Company has
elected to provide all Purchasers with the same terms and Transaction Documents
for the convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested
to do so by the Purchasers.
32
5.19 LIQUIDATED DAMAGES. The Company's obligations to pay any partial
liquidated damages or other amounts owing under the Transaction Documents is a
continuing obligation of the Company and shall not terminate until all unpaid
partial liquidated damages and other amounts have been paid notwithstanding the
fact that the instrument or security pursuant to which such partial liquidated
damages or other amounts are due and payable shall have been canceled.
5.20 CONSTRUCTION. The parties agree that each of them and/or their
respective counsel has reviewed and had an opportunity to revise the Transaction
Documents and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any
ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed
in the interpretation of the Transaction Documents or any amendments hereto.
(SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW)
33
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Securities
Assumption, Amendment and Issuance Agreement to be duly executed by their
respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.
ABLE ENERGY, INC. Address for Notice:
By:__________________________________________
Name:
Title:
With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SIGNATURE PAGE FOR PURCHASER FOLLOWS]
34
[PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGES TO ABLE SECURITIES ASSUMPTION, AMENDMENT AND
ISSUANCE AGREEMENT]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities
Assumption, Amendment and Issuance Agreement to be duly executed by their
respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.
Name of Purchaser: _____________________________________________________________
SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED SIGNATORY OF PURCHASER: ________________________________
Name of Authorized Signatory: __________________________________________________
Title of Authorized Signatory: _________________________________________________
Email Address of Purchaser:_____________________________________________________
Address for Notice of Purchaser:
Address for Delivery of Securities for Purchaser (if not same as above):
All American Debentures to be amended and re-issued:
Warrant Shares:
EIN Number: [PROVIDE THIS UNDER SEPARATE COVER]
[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]
35
ANNEX A
The transaction documents entered into and issued pursuant to Section
4.18 shall be modified from the Transaction Documents as follows:
The debenture:
The following definitions will be added to Section 1:
"MONTHLY CONVERSION PRICE" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 6(b) hereof.
"MONTHLY REDEMPTION" shall mean the redemption of the Debenture
pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof.
"MONTHLY REDEMPTION AMOUNT" shall mean $[1/21ST OF THE ORIGINAL
PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF THIS DEBENTURE].
"MONTHLY REDEMPTION DATE" means the 1st of each month,
commencing on the 3rd month after the Original Issue Date and ending
upon the full redemption of this Debenture.
Section 2(a) shall be amended such that interest is payable on each Monthly
Redemption date (as to that principal amount then being redeemed).
Section 4(b) shall be amended and replaced as follows:
CONVERSION PRICE. The conversion price in effect on any
Conversion Date shall be equal to [$6.50 AS TO PURCHASER'S FIRST
PRO-RATA SHARE OF $7 MILLION OF DEBENTURES PURCHASED PURSUANT TO SECTION
4.18 AND, AS TO PURCHASER'S SECOND PRO-RATA SHARE OF $7 MILLION OF
DEBENTURES PURCHASED PURSUANT TO SECTION 4.18, 80% OF THE AVERAGE OF THE
20 VWAPS IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO SUCH PURCHASER'S WRITTEN ELECTION TO THE
COMPANY TO PURCHASE DEBENTURES PURSUANT TO SECTION 4.18] (subject to
adjustment herein)(the "CONVERSION PRICE").
Section 6(b) shall be amended and replaced and a new Section 6(c) shall be added
as follows:
(b) MONTHLY REDEMPTION. On each Monthly Redemption Date, the
Company shall redeem the Monthly Redemption Amount plus accrued but
unpaid interest, the sum of all liquidated damages and any other amounts
then owing to such Holder in respect of the Debenture. The Monthly
Redemption Amount due on each Monthly Redemption Date shall be paid in
cash; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, as to any Monthly Redemption and upon 25
Trading Days' prior written irrevocable notice, in lieu of a cash
redemption payment the Company may elect to pay up to 100% of the
Monthly Redemption Amount in Conversion Shares (such dollar amount to be
paid on a Monthly Redemption in
36
Conversion Shares, the "SHARE REDEMPTION AMOUNT") based on a conversion
price equal to the lesser of (i) the then Conversion Price and (ii) 90%
of the average of the 20 VWAPs during the 20 consecutive Trading Days
immediately prior to the applicable Monthly Redemption Date (subject to
adjustment for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination or
other similar event affecting the Common Stock during such 20 Trading
Day period, such period, the "MONTHLY REDEMPTION Period") (the "MONTHLY
CONVERSION PRICE"); PROVIDED, FURTHER, that the Company may not pay up
to 100% of such Monthly Redemption Amount in Conversion Shares unless
(i) on the applicable Monthly Redemption Date (through and including the
date payment is actually made) and during the applicable Monthly
Redemption Period, the Equity Conditions, unless waived in writing by
the Holder, have been satisfied, (ii) the daily trading volume for the
Common Stock exceeds $100,000 per Trading Day for the applicable Monthly
Redemption Period and (iii) as to such Monthly Redemption, prior to the
such Monthly Redemption Period, the Company shall have delivered to the
Holder's account with The Depository Trust Company a number of shares of
Common Stock to be applied against such Monthly Redemption equal to the
quotient of (x) the applicable Share Redemption Amount divided by (y)
the then Conversion Price (the "PRE-REDEMPTION CONVERSION SHARES"). The
Holders may convert, pursuant to Section 4(a), any principal amount of
the Debenture subject to a Monthly Redemption at any time prior to the
date that the Monthly Redemption Amount and all amounts owing thereon
are due and paid in full. Unless otherwise indicated by the Holder in
the applicable Notice of Conversion, any principal amount of this
Debenture converted during the applicable Monthly Redemption Period
until the date the Monthly Redemption Amount is paid shall be first
applied to the principal amount subject to the cash Monthly Redemption
Amount and then to the Share Redemption Amount and any principal amount
Debenture converted during the applicable Monthly Redemption Period in
excess of the Monthly Redemption Amount shall be applied against the
last principal amount of this Debenture scheduled to be redeemed
hereunder, in reverse time order; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, if any such
conversion is applied to such Monthly Redemption Amount, the
Pre-Redemption Conversion Shares, if any were issued in connection with
such Monthly Redemption or were not already applied to such conversions,
shall be applied against such conversion. The Company covenants and
agrees that it will honor all Notice of Conversions tendered up until
such amounts are paid in full. The Company's determination to pay a
Monthly Redemption in cash or shares of Common Stock shall be applied
ratably to all Holders based on their initial purchases of Debentures
pursuant to the Securities Agreement. Within 1 Trading Day of the
Company notifying the Holder of its election to issue the Holder
Conversion Shares in lieu of a cash redemption payment hereunder, the
Company shall file with the Commission a prospectus supplement to the
Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act
disclosing the material terms of the Company's election make such
payments in shares.
(c) REDEMPTION PROCEDURE. The payment of cash and/or
issuance of Common Stock (other than the Pre-Redemption Conversion
Shares), as the case may be, pursuant to a Monthly Redemption or the
payment of cash pursuant to an Optional Redemption shall be made on the
Monthly Redemption Date or the Optional Redemption Date, as
37
applicable. The aggregate number of Conversion Shares issued to the
Holder pursuant to a Monthly Redemption shall be reduced by the number
of Pre-Redemption Conversion Shares issued to the Holder in connection
with the Monthly Redemption less the number of Pre-Redemption Conversion
Shares applied to conversions of the Holder during the 20 Trading Days
immediately prior to the Monthly Conversion Date. If any portion of the
cash payment and/or issuance of Common Stock, as the case may be, for a
Monthly Redemption or the payment of cash pursuant to an Optional
Redemption, as applicable, shall not be paid by the Company by the
respective due date, interest shall accrue thereon at the rate of 18%
per annum (or the maximum rate permitted by applicable law, whichever is
less) until the payment of the Monthly Redemption Amount or the Optional
Redemption Amount, as applicable, plus all amounts owing thereon is paid
in full. Alternatively, if any portion of the Monthly Redemption Amount
or the Optional Redemption Amount, as applicable, remains unpaid after
such date, the Holders subject to such redemption may elect, by written
notice to the Company given at any time thereafter, to invalidate AB --
INITIO such redemption and the Company shall no longer have any right to
exercise an Optional Redemption ------ Right. If any Pre-Redemption
Conversion Shares are issued to the Holder in connection with a Monthly
Redemption and are not applied against either the Monthly Redemption
Amount or against voluntary conversions during the Monthly Redemption,
then the Holder shall promptly return such excess shares to the Company.
The warrant:
Section 2(b) shall be amended as follows:
EXERCISE PRICE. The exercise price of the Common Stock under this
Warrant shall be $[110% OF THE CONVERSION PRICE OF THE DEBENTURES BE ISSUED IN
CONNECTION WITH THIS WARRANT], subject to adjustment hereunder (the "EXERCISE
PRICE")
38
EXHIBIT 99.5
FORM OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Registration Rights Agreement (this "AGREEMENT") is made and
entered into as of _________ ___, 2005, among Able Energy, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "COMPANY"), and the purchasers signatory hereto (each such
purchaser is a "PURCHASER" and collectively, the "PURCHASERS").
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Securities Assumption, Amendment
and Issuance Agreement, dated as of the date hereof among the Company and the
Purchasers (the "SECURITIES AGREEMENT").
The Company and the Purchasers hereby agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS
CAPITALIZED TERMS USED AND NOT OTHERWISE DEFINED HEREIN THAT ARE
DEFINED IN THE SECURITIES AGREEMENT SHALL HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN SUCH TERMS IN
THE SECURITIES AGREEMENT. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall
have the following meanings:
"ADVICE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(d).
"EFFECTIVENESS DATE" means, with respect to the initial
Registration Statement required to be filed hereunder, the 90th calendar
day following the date hereof and, with respect to any additional
Registration Statements which may be required pursuant to Section 3(c),
the 90th calendar day following the date on which the Company first
knows, or reasonably should have known, that such additional
Registration Statement is required hereunder; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, in the
event the Company is notified by the Commission that one of the above
Registration Statements will not be reviewed or is no longer subject to
further review and comments, the Effectiveness Date as to such
Registration Statement shall be the fifth Trading Day following the date
on which the Company is so notified if such date precedes the dates
required above.
"EFFECTIVENESS PERIOD" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2(a).
"EVENT" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).
"EVENT DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).
"FILING DATE" means, with respect to the initial Registration
Statement required hereunder, the 30th calendar day following the date
hereof and, with respect to any additional Registration Statements which
may be required pursuant to Section 3(c), the 15th day following the
date on which the Company first knows, or reasonably should have known
that such additional Registration Statement is required hereunder.
1
"HOLDER" or "HOLDERS" means the holder or holders, as the case
may be, from time to time of Registrable Securities.
"INDEMNIFIED PARTY" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
5(c).
"INDEMNIFYING PARTY" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
5(c).
"LOSSES" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).
"PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2(a).
"PROCEEDING" means an action, claim, suit, investigation or
proceeding (including, without limitation, an investigation or partial
proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.
"PROSPECTUS" means the prospectus included in a Registration
Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any
information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an
effective registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated
under the Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus
supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of
the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement, and all
other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including
post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or
deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.
"REGISTRABLE SECURITIES" means (i) all of the shares of Common
Stock issuable upon conversion in full of the Debentures, (ii) all
shares issuable as interest on the Debentures assuming all permissible
interest payments are made in shares of Common Stock and the Debentures
are held until maturity, (iii) all Warrant Shares, (iv) any securities
issued or issuable upon any stock split, dividend or other distribution,
recapitalization or similar event with respect to the foregoing, (v) any
additional shares issuable in connection with any anti-dilution
provisions in the Debentures or the Warrants (in each case, without
giving effect to any limitations on conversion set forth in the
Debenture or limitations on exercise set forth in the Warrant) and (vi)
shares issuable in lieu of cash payments of liquidated damages pursuant
to Section 2(b).
"REGISTRATION STATEMENT" means the registration statements
required to be filed hereunder and any additional registration
statements contemplated by Section 3(c), including (in each case) the
Prospectus, amendments and supplements to such registration statement or
Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all exhibits
thereto, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be
incorporated by reference in such registration statement.
"RULE 415" means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant
to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or
any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission
having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
2
"RULE 424" means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant
to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or
any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission
having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
"SELLING SHAREHOLDER QUESTIONNAIRE" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 3(a).
2. SHELF REGISTRATION
(a) On or prior to each Filing Date, the Company shall prepare and
file with the Commission a "Shelf" Registration Statement covering the resale of
130% of the Registrable Securities on such Filing Date for an offering to be
made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415. The Registration Statement
shall be on Form S-3 (except if the Company is not then eligible to register for
resale the Registrable Securities on Form S-3, in which case such registration
shall be on another appropriate form in accordance herewith) and shall contain
(unless otherwise directed by the Holders) substantially the "PLAN OF
DISTRIBUTION" attached hereto as ANNEX A. Subject to the terms of this
Agreement, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Registration
Statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as
possible after the filing thereof, but in any event prior to the applicable
Effectiveness Date, and shall use its best efforts to keep such Registration
Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until all Registrable
Securities covered by such Registration Statement have been sold or may be sold
without volume restrictions pursuant to Rule 144(k) as determined by the counsel
to the Company pursuant to a written opinion letter to such effect, addressed
and acceptable to the Company's transfer agent and the affected Holders (the
"EFFECTIVENESS PERIOD"). The Company shall telephonically request effectiveness
of a Registration Statement as of 5:00 pm Eastern Time on a Trading Day. The
Company shall immediately notify the Holders via facsimile of the effectiveness
of the Registration Statement on the same Trading Day that the Company
telephonically confirms effectiveness with the Commission, which shall be the
date requested for effectiveness of the Registration Statement. The Company
shall, by 9:30 am Eastern Time on the Trading Day after the Effective Date (as
defined in the Securities Agreement), file a Form 424(b)(5) with the Commission.
Failure to so notify the Holder within 1 Trading Day of such notification shall
be deemed an Event under Section 2(b).
(b) If: (i) a Registration Statement is not filed on or
prior to its Filing Date (if the Company files a Registration Statement without
affording the Holders the opportunity to review and comment on the same as
required by Section 3(a), the Company shall not be deemed to have satisfied this
clause (i)), or (ii) the Company fails to file with the Commission a request for
acceleration in accordance with Rule 461 promulgated under the Securities Act,
within five Trading Days of the date that the Company is notified (orally or in
writing, whichever is earlier) by the Commission that a Registration Statement
will not be "reviewed," or not subject to further review, or (iii) prior to its
Effectiveness Date, the Company fails to file a pre-effective amendment and
otherwise respond in writing to comments made by the Commission in respect of
such Registration Statement within 10 calendar days after the receipt of
comments by or notice from the Commission that such amendment is required in
order for a Registration
3
Statement to be declared effective, or (iv) a Registration Statement filed or
required to be filed hereunder is not declared effective by the Commission by
its Effectiveness Date, or (v) after the Effectiveness Date, a Registration
Statement ceases for any reason to remain continuously effective as to all
Registrable Securities for which it is required to be effective, or the Holders
are not permitted to utilize the Prospectus therein to resell such Registrable
Securities for 20 consecutive calendar days but no more than an aggregate of 30
calendar days during any 12-month period (which need not be consecutive Trading
Days) (any such failure or breach being referred to as an "EVENT", and for
purposes of clause (i) or (iv) the date on which such Event occurs, or for
purposes of clause (ii) the date on which such five Trading Day period is
exceeded, or for purposes of clause (iii) the date which such 10 calendar day
period is exceeded, or for purposes of clause (v) the date on which such 20 or
30 calendar day period, as applicable, is exceeded being referred to as "EVENT
Date"), then in addition to any other rights the Holders may have hereunder or
under applicable law, on each such Event Date and on each monthly anniversary of
each such Event Date (if the applicable Event shall not have been cured by such
date) until the applicable Event is cured, the Company shall pay to each Holder
an amount in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, equal to
2.0% of the aggregate purchase price paid by such Holder pursuant to the
Securities Agreement for any Registrable Securities then held by such Holder. If
the Company fails to pay any partial liquidated damages pursuant to this Section
in full within seven days after the date payable, the Company will pay interest
thereon at a rate of 18% per annum (or such lesser maximum amount that is
permitted to be paid by applicable law) to the Holder, accruing daily from the
date such partial liquidated damages are due until such amounts, plus all such
interest thereon, are paid in full. The partial liquidated damages pursuant to
the terms hereof shall apply on a daily pro-rata basis for any portion of a
month prior to the cure of an Event.
3. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES
In connection with the Company's registration obligations hereunder, the
Company shall:
(a) Not less than three Trading Days prior to the filing of each
Registration Statement or any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto (including any document that would be incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated therein by reference), the Company shall, (i) furnish to each
Holder copies of all such documents proposed to be filed, which documents (other
than those incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference) will be
subject to the review of such Holders, and (ii) cause its officers and
directors, counsel and independent certified public accountants to respond to
such inquiries as shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of respective
counsel to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of the
Securities Act. The Company shall not file the Registration Statement or any
such Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto to which the Holders of
a majority of the Registrable Securities shall reasonably object in good faith,
provided that, the Company is notified of such objection in writing no later
than 3 Trading Days after the Holders have been so furnished copies of such
documents. Each Holder agrees to furnish to the Company a completed
Questionnaire in the form attached to this Agreement as Annex B (a "SELLING
SHAREHOLDER QUESTIONNAIRE") not less than two Trading Days prior to the Filing
Date or by the end of the fourth Trading Day following the date on which such
Holder receives draft materials in accordance with this Section.
4
(b) (i) Prepare and file with the Commission such amendments,
including post-effective amendments, to a Registration Statement and the
Prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep a
Registration Statement continuously effective as to the applicable Registrable
Securities for the Effectiveness Period and prepare and file with the Commission
such additional Registration Statements in order to register for resale under
the Securities Act all of the Registrable Securities; (ii) cause the related
Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement
(subject to the terms of this Agreement), and as so supplemented or amended to
be filed pursuant to Rule 424; (iii) respond as promptly as reasonably possible
to any comments received from the Commission with respect to a Registration
Statement or any amendment thereto and as promptly as reasonably possible
provide the Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence from and to
the Commission relating to a Registration Statement; and (iv) comply in all
material respects with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act
with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by a
Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance (subject to
the terms of this Agreement) with the intended methods of disposition by the
Holders thereof set forth in such Registration Statement as so amended or in
such Prospectus as so supplemented.
(c) If during the Effectiveness Period, the number of Registrable
Securities at any time exceeds 90% of the number of shares of Common Stock then
registered in a Registration Statement, then the Company shall file as soon as
reasonably practicable but in any case prior to the applicable Filing Date, an
additional Registration Statement covering the resale by the Holders of not less
than 130% of the number of such Registrable Securities.
(d) Notify the Holders of Registrable Securities to be sold (which
notice shall, pursuant to clauses (ii) through (vi) hereof, be accompanied by an
instruction to suspend the use of the Prospectus until the requisite changes
have been made) as promptly as reasonably possible (and, in the case of (i)(A)
below, not less than five Trading Days prior to such filing) and (if requested
by any such Person) confirm such notice in writing no later than one Trading Day
following the day (i)(A) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement is proposed to be filed;
(B) when the Commission notifies the Company whether there will be a "review" of
such Registration Statement and whenever the Commission comments in writing on
such Registration Statement (the Company shall provide true and complete copies
thereof and all written responses thereto to each of the Holders); and (C) with
respect to a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the
same has become effective; (ii) of any request by the Commission or any other
Federal or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to a
Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; (iii) of the
issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority
of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement
covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation of any
Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) of the receipt by the Company of any
notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption
from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any
jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such
purpose; (v) of the occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes the
financial statements included in a Registration Statement ineligible for
inclusion therein or any statement
5
made in a Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated or
deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or
that requires any revisions to a Registration Statement, Prospectus or other
documents so that, in the case of a Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as
the case may be, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading; and (vi) the occurrence or existence of any pending
corporate development with respect to the Company that the Company believes may
be material and that, in the determination of the Company, makes it not in the
best interest of the Company to allow continued availability of the Registration
Statement or Prospectus; provided that any and all of such information shall
remain confidential to each Holder until such information otherwise becomes
public, unless disclosure by a Holder is required by law; PROVIDED, FURTHER,
notwithstanding each Holder's agreement to keep such information confidential,
the Holders make no acknowledgement that any such information is material,
non-public information.
(e) Use its best efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued,
obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order suspending the effectiveness of a
Registration Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or
exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in
any jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment.
(f) Furnish to each Holder, without charge, at least one conformed
copy of each such Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, including
financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated therein by reference to the extent requested by such Person, and
all exhibits to the extent requested by such Person (including those previously
furnished or incorporated by reference) promptly after the filing of such
documents with the Commission.
(g) Promptly deliver to each Holder, without charge, as many copies
of the Prospectus or Prospectuses (including each form of prospectus) and each
amendment or supplement thereto as such Persons may reasonably request in
connection with resales by the Holder of Registrable Securities. Subject to the
terms of this Agreement, the Company hereby consents to the use of such
Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling
Holders in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities
covered by such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, except after
the giving on any notice pursuant to Section 3(d).
(h) If NASDR Rule 2710 requires any broker-dealer to make a filing
prior to executing a sale by a Holder, upon request of such broker-dealer, make
an Issuer Filing with the NASDR, Inc. Corporate Financing Department pursuant to
NASDR Rule 2710(b)(10)(A)(i) and respond within five Trading Days to any
comments received from NASDR in connection therewith, and pay the filing fee
required in connection therewith.
(i) Prior to any resale of Registrable Securities by a Holder, use
its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the
selling Holders in connection with the registration or qualification (or
exemption from the Registration or qualification) of such Registrable Securities
for the resale by the Holder under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such
6
jurisdictions within the United States as any Holder reasonably requests in
writing, to keep each registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom)
effective during the Effectiveness Period and to do any and all other acts or
things reasonably necessary to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of
the Registrable Securities covered by each Registration Statement; provided,
that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in
any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified, subject the Company to any
material tax in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject or file a
general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction.
(j) If requested by the Holders, cooperate with the Holders to
facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing
Registrable Securities to be delivered to a transferee pursuant to a
Registration Statement, which certificates shall be free, to the extent
permitted by the Securities Agreement, of all restrictive legends, and to enable
such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such
names as any such Holders may request.
(k) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by this Section 3,
as promptly as reasonably possible under the circumstances taking into account
the Company's good faith assessment of any adverse consequences to the Company
and its stockholders of the premature disclosure of such event, prepare a
supplement or amendment, including a post-effective amendment, to a Registration
Statement or a supplement to the related Prospectus or any document incorporated
or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and file any other required
document so that, as thereafter delivered, neither a Registration Statement nor
such Prospectus will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading. If the Company notifies the Holders in accordance with clauses
(ii) through (vi) of Section 3(d) above to suspend the use of any Prospectus
until the requisite changes to such Prospectus have been made, then the Holders
shall suspend use of such Prospectus. The Company will use its best efforts to
ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed as promptly as is
practicable. The Company shall be entitled to exercise its right under this
Section 3(j) to suspend the availability of a Registration Statement and
Prospectus, subject to the payment of partial liquidated damages pursuant to
Section 2(b), for a period not to exceed 90 days (which need not be consecutive
days) in any 12 month period.
(l) Comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the
Commission.
(m) The Company may require each selling Holder to furnish to the
Company a certified statement as to the number of shares of Common Stock
beneficially owned by such Holder and, if required by the Commission, the person
thereof that has voting and dispositive control over the Shares. During any
periods that the Company is unable to meet its obligations hereunder with
respect to the registration of the Registrable Securities solely because any
Holder fails to furnish such information within three Trading Days of the
Company's request, any liquidated damages that are accruing at such time as to
such Holder only shall be tolled and any Event that may otherwise occur solely
because of such delay shall be suspended as to such Holder only, until such
information is delivered to the Company.
7
4. REGISTRATION EXPENSES. All fees and expenses incident to the
performance of or compliance with this Agreement by the Company shall be borne
by the Company whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to
the Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing
sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees
(including, without limitation, fees and expenses (A) with respect to filings
required to be made with the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then
listed for trading, (B) in compliance with applicable state securities or Blue
Sky laws reasonably agreed to by the Company in writing (including, without
limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company in connection with
Blue Sky qualifications or exemptions of the Registrable Securities and
determination of the eligibility of the Registrable Securities for investment
under the laws of such jurisdictions as requested by the Holders) and (C) if not
previously paid by the Company in connection with an Issuer Filing, with respect
to any filing that may be required to be made by any broker through which a
Holder intends to make sales of Registrable Securities with NASD Regulation,
Inc. pursuant to the NASD Rule 2710, so long as the broker is receiving no more
than a customary brokerage commission in connection with such sale, (ii)
printing expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of printing
certificates for Registrable Securities and of printing prospectuses if the
printing of prospectuses is reasonably requested by the holders of a majority of
the Registrable Securities included in a Registration Statement), (iii)
messenger, telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Company, (v) Securities Act liability insurance, if the Company
so desires such insurance, and (vi) fees and expenses of all other Persons
retained by the Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. In addition, the Company shall be responsible
for all of its internal expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation,
all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or
accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit and the fees and expenses
incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on any
securities exchange as required hereunder. In no event shall the Company be
responsible for any broker or similar commissions or, except to the extent
provided for in the Transaction Documents, any legal fees or other costs of the
Holders.
5. INDEMNIFICATION
(a) INDEMNIFICATION BY THE COMPANY. The Company shall,
notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, indemnify and hold harmless
each Holder, the officers, directors, agents, brokers (including brokers who
offer and sell Registrable Securities as principal as a result of a pledge or
any failure to perform under a margin call of Common Stock), investment advisors
and employees of each of them, each Person who controls any such Holder (within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange
Act) and the officers, directors, agents and employees of each such controlling
Person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any
and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without
limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees) and expenses (collectively, "LOSSES"),
as incurred, arising out of or relating to any untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in a Registration Statement, any
Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or
8
supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or
relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any
Prospectus or form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, except to the extent,
but only to the extent, that (i) such untrue statements or omissions are based
solely upon information regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the
Company by such Holder expressly for use therein, or to the extent that such
information relates to such Holder or such Holder's proposed method of
distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved
in writing by such Holder expressly for use in a Registration Statement, such
Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto
(it being understood that the Holder has approved Annex A hereto for this
purpose) or (ii) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified
in Section 3(d)(ii)-(vi), the use by such Holder of an outdated or defective
Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the
Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by such Holder of
the Advice contemplated in Section 6(d). The Company shall notify the Holders
promptly of the institution, threat or assertion of any Proceeding arising from
or in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement of which
the Company is aware.
(b) INDEMNIFICATION BY HOLDERS. Each Holder shall, severally and not
jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers,
agents and employees, each Person who controls the Company (within the meaning
of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the
directors, officers, agents or employees of such controlling Persons, to the
fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses, as
incurred, to the extent arising out of or based solely upon: (x) such Holder's
failure to comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities
Act or (y) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained
in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, or any form of prospectus, or in
any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising
out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading (i) to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement
or omission is contained in any information so furnished in writing by such
Holder to the Company specifically for inclusion in such Registration Statement
or such Prospectus or (ii) to the extent that (1) such untrue statements or
omissions are based solely upon information regarding such Holder furnished in
writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein, or to the
extent that such information relates to such Holder or such Holder's proposed
method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly
approved in writing by such Holder expressly for use in the Registration
Statement (it being understood that the Holder has approved Annex A hereto for
this purpose), such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or
supplement thereto or (2) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type
specified in Section 3(d)(ii)-(vi), the use by such Holder of an outdated or
defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that
the Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by such Holder
of the Advice contemplated in Section 6(d). In no event shall the liability of
any selling Holder hereunder be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the
net proceeds received by such Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities
giving rise to such indemnification obligation.
(c) CONDUCT OF INDEMNIFICATION PROCEEDINGS. If any Proceeding shall
be brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder (an
"INDEMNIFIED PARTY"), such Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Person
from whom indemnity is sought (the
9
"INDEMNIFYING PARTY") in writing, and the Indemnifying Party shall have the
right to assume the defense thereof, including the employment of counsel
reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the payment of all fees and
expenses incurred in connection with defense thereof; provided, that the failure
of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall not relieve the Indemnifying
Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement, except (and
only) to the extent that it shall be finally determined by a court of competent
jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or further review)
that such failure shall have prejudiced the Indemnifying Party.
An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in
any such Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and
expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party or
Parties unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such
fees and expenses; (2) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to
assume the defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel reasonably
satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (3) the named
parties to any such Proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both
such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and such Indemnified Party
shall reasonably believe that a material conflict of interest is likely to exist
if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party and the
Indemnifying Party (in which case, if such Indemnified Party notifies the
Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the
expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the
right to assume the defense thereof and the reasonable fees and expenses of one
separate counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party). The
Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any such Proceeding
effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the
Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending Proceeding in respect of
which any Indemnified Party is a party, unless such settlement includes an
unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims
that are the subject matter of such Proceeding.
Subject to the terms of this Agreement, all reasonable fees and expenses
of the Indemnified Party (including reasonable fees and expenses to the extent
incurred in connection with investigating or preparing to defend such Proceeding
in a manner not inconsistent with this Section) shall be paid to the Indemnified
Party, as incurred, within ten Trading Days of written notice thereof to the
Indemnifying Party; provided, that the Indemnified Party shall promptly
reimburse the Indemnifying Party for that portion of such fees and expenses
applicable to such actions for which such Indemnified Party is not entitled to
indemnification hereunder, determined based upon the relative faults of the
parties.
(d) CONTRIBUTION. If the indemnification under Section 5(a) or 5(b)
is unavailable to an Indemnified Party or insufficient to hold an Indemnified
Party harmless for any Losses, then each Indemnifying Party shall contribute to
the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party, in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and
Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that
resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party shall be
determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question,
including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a
10
material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact, has been taken
or made by, or relates to information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or
Indemnified Party, and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action, statement or
omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of any Losses shall
be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement,
any reasonable attorneys' or other reasonable fees or expenses incurred by such
party in connection with any Proceeding to the extent such party would have been
indemnified for such fees or expenses if the indemnification provided for in
this Section was available to such party in accordance with its terms.
The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if
contribution pursuant to this Section 5(d) were determined by pro rata
allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account
the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5(d), no Holder shall be required
to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the
proceeds actually received by such Holder from the sale of the Registrable
Securities subject to the Proceeding exceeds the amount of any damages that such
Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission, except in the case of fraud by
such Holder.
The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section are
in addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the
Indemnified Parties.
6. MISCELLANEOUS
(a) REMEDIES. In the event of a breach by the Company or by a
Holder, of any of their obligations under this Agreement, each Holder or the
Company, as the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all
rights granted by law and under this Agreement, including recovery of damages,
will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Agreement. The
Company and each Holder agree that monetary damages would not provide adequate
compensation for any losses incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the
provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agrees that, in the event of any
action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall waive the
defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b) NO PIGGYBACK ON REGISTRATIONS. Except as set forth on SCHEDULE
(B) attached hereto, neither the Company nor any of its security holders (other
than the Holders in such capacity pursuant hereto) may include securities of the
Company in the Registration Statement other than the Registrable Securities. The
Company shall not file any other registration statements until the initial
Registration Statement required hereunder is declared effective by the
Commission, provided that this Section 6(b) shall not prohibit the Company from
filing amendments to registration statements already filed.
(c) COMPLIANCE. Each Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply
with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act as applicable to
it in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to the
Registration Statement.
11
(d) DISCONTINUED DISPOSITION. Each Holder agrees by its acquisition
of such Registrable Securities that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company
of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in Section 3(d), such
Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities
under a Registration Statement until such Holder's receipt of the copies of the
supplemented Prospectus and/or amended Registration Statement, or until it is
advised in writing (the "ADVICE") by the Company that the use of the applicable
Prospectus may be resumed, and, in either case, has received copies of any
additional or supplemental filings that are incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference in such Prospectus or Registration Statement. The
Company will use its best efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may
be resumed as promptly as it practicable. The Company agrees and acknowledges
that any periods during which the Holder is required to discontinue the
disposition of the Registrable Securities hereunder shall be subject to the
provisions of Section 2(b).
(e) PIGGY-BACK REGISTRATIONS. If at any time during the
Effectiveness Period there is not an effective Registration Statement covering
all of the Registrable Securities and the Company shall determine to prepare and
file with the Commission a registration statement relating to an offering for
its own account or the account of others under the Securities Act of any of its
equity securities, other than on Form S-4 or Form S-8 (each as promulgated under
the Securities Act) or their then equivalents relating to equity securities to
be issued solely in connection with any acquisition of any entity or business or
equity securities issuable in connection with the stock option or other employee
benefit plans, then the Company shall send to each Holder a written notice of
such determination and, if within fifteen days after the date of such notice,
any such Holder shall so request in writing, the Company shall include in such
registration statement all or any part of such Registrable Securities such
holder requests to be registered; provided, that, the Company shall not be
required to register any Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 6(e)
that are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144(k) promulgated under the
Securities Act or that are the subject of a then effective Registration
Statement; provided further that the Company shall not be required to include
only such Registrable Securities in an underwritten offering solely of Company
securities if the managing underwriter(s) advises the Company that inclusion of
such Registrable Securities would adversely affect the offering
(f) AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS. The provisions of this Agreement,
including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or
supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof
may not be given, unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company
and Holders holding at least 66% of the then outstanding Registrable Securities.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to depart from the provisions
hereof with respect to a matter that relates exclusively to the rights of
Holders and that does not directly or indirectly affect the rights of other
Holders may be given by Holders of all of the Registrable Securities to which
such waiver or consent relates; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the provisions of this
sentence may not be amended, modified, or supplemented except in accordance with
the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence.
(g) NOTICES. Any and all notices or other communications or
deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be delivered as
set forth in the Securities Agreement.
12
(h) SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of each of
the parties and shall inure to the benefit of each Holder. The Company may not
assign its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of
all of the Holders of the then-outstanding Registrable Securities. Each Holder
may assign their respective rights hereunder in the manner and to the Persons as
permitted under the Securities Agreement.
(i) NO INCONSISTENT AGREEMENTS. Neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has entered, as of the date hereof, nor shall the Company or any of
its subsidiaries, on or after the date of this Agreement, enter into any
agreement with respect to its securities, that would have the effect of
impairing the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise
conflicts with the provisions hereof. Except as set forth on SCHEDULE 6(i),
neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has previously entered into any
agreement granting any registration rights with respect to any of its securities
to any Person that have not been satisfied in full.
(j) EXECUTION AND COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in
any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be
an original and, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
Agreement. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile
transmission, such signature shall create a valid binding obligation of the
party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) the same with
the same force and effect as if such facsimile signature were the original
thereof.
(k) GOVERNING LAW. All questions concerning the construction,
validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be determined
with the provisions of the Securities Agreement.
(l) CUMULATIVE REMEDIES. The remedies provided herein are cumulative
and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.
(m) SEVERABILITY. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of
this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid,
illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions,
covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and
effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties
hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an
alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that
contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby
stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have
executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without
including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or
unenforceable.
(n) HEADINGS. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(o) INDEPENDENT NATURE OF HOLDERS' OBLIGATIONS AND RIGHTS. The
obligations of each Holder hereunder are several and not joint with the
obligations of any other Holder hereunder, and no Holder shall be responsible in
any way for the performance of the obligations of any
13
other Holder hereunder. Nothing contained herein or in any other agreement or
document delivered at any closing, and no action taken by any Holder pursuant
hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Holders as a partnership,
an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a
presumption that the Holders are in any way acting in concert with respect to
such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Each Holder
shall be entitled to protect and enforce its rights, including without
limitation the rights arising out of this Agreement, and it shall not be
necessary for any other Holder to be joined as an additional party in any
proceeding for such purpose.
********************
14
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights
Agreement as of the date first written above.
ABLE ENERGY, INC.
By:____________________________________
Name:
Title:
[SIGNATURE PAGE OF HOLDERS FOLLOWS]
15
[SIGNATURE PAGE OF HOLDERS TO ABLE RRA]
Name of Holder: __________________________
SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED SIGNATORY OF HOLDER: __________________________
Name of Authorized Signatory: _________________________
Title of Authorized Signatory: __________________________
[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]
16
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Each Selling Stockholder (the "SELLING STOCKHOLDERS") of the common
stock ("COMMON STOCK") of Able Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"COMPANY") and any of their pledgees, assignees and successors-in-interest may,
from time to time, sell any or all of their shares of Common Stock on the
Trading Market or any other stock exchange, market or trading facility on which
the shares are traded or in private transactions. These sales may be at fixed or
negotiated prices. A Selling Stockholder may use any one or more of the
following methods when selling shares:
o ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the
broker-dealer solicits purchasers;
o block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the
shares as agent but may position and resell a portion of the
block as principal to facilitate the transaction;
o purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the
broker-dealer for its account;
o an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the
applicable exchange;
o privately negotiated transactions;
o settlement of short sales entered into after the effective date
of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a
part;
o broker-dealers may agree with the Selling Stockholders to sell a
specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share;
o a combination of any such methods of sale;
o through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging
transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise;
or
o any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.
The Selling Stockholders may also sell shares under Rule 144 under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "SECURITIES ACT"), if available, rather
than under this prospectus.
Broker-dealers engaged by the Selling Stockholders may arrange for other
brokers-dealers to participate in sales. Broker-dealers may receive commissions
or discounts from the Selling Stockholders (or, if any broker-dealer acts as
agent for the purchaser of shares, from the purchaser) in amounts to be
negotiated, but, except as set forth in a supplement to this Prospectus, in the
case of an agency transaction not in excess of a customary brokerage commission
in compliance with NASDR Rule 2440; and in the case of a principal transaction a
markup or markdown in compliance with NASDR IM-2440.
17
In connection with the sale of the Common Stock or interests therein,
the Selling Stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers
or other financial institutions, which may in turn engage in short sales of the
Common Stock in the course of hedging the positions they assume. The Selling
Stockholders may also sell shares of the Common Stock short and deliver these
securities to close out their short positions, or loan or pledge the Common
Stock to broker-dealers that in turn may sell these securities. The Selling
Stockholders may also enter into option or other transactions with
broker-dealers or other financial institutions or the creation of one or more
derivative securities which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other
financial institution of shares offered by this prospectus, which shares such
broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this
prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).
The Selling Stockholders and any broker~dealers or agents that are
involved in selling the shares may be deemed to be "underwriters" within the
meaning of the Securities Act in connection with such sales. In such event, any
commissions received by such broker~dealers or agents and any profit on the
resale of the shares purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting
commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. Each Selling Stockholder has
informed the Company that it does not have any written or oral agreement or
understanding, directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the Common
Stock. In no event shall any broker-dealer receive fees, commissions and markups
which, in the aggregate, would exceed eight percent (8%).
The Company is required to pay certain fees and expenses incurred by the
Company incident to the registration of the shares. The Company has agreed to
indemnify the Selling Stockholders against certain losses, claims, damages and
liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
Because Selling Stockholders may be deemed to be "underwriters" within
the meaning of the Securities Act, they will be subject to the prospectus
delivery requirements of the Securities Act. In addition, any securities covered
by this prospectus which qualify for sale pursuant to Rule 144 under the
Securities Act may be sold under Rule 144 rather than under this prospectus.
Each Selling Stockholder has advised us that they have not entered into any
written or oral agreements, understandings or arrangements with any underwriter
or broker-dealer regarding the sale of the resale shares. There is no
underwriter or coordinating broker acting in connection with the proposed sale
of the resale shares by the Selling Stockholders.
We agreed to keep this prospectus effective until the earlier of (i) the
date on which the shares may be resold by the Selling Stockholders without
registration and without regard to any volume limitations by reason of Rule
144(e) under the Securities Act or any other rule of similar effect or (ii) all
of the shares have been sold pursuant to the prospectus or Rule 144 under the
Securities Act or any other rule of similar effect. The resale shares will be
sold only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers if required under
applicable state securities laws. In addition, in certain states, the resale
shares may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in
the applicable state or an exemption from the registration or qualification
requirement is available and is complied with.
18
Under applicable rules and regulations under the Exchange Act, any
person engaged in the distribution of the resale shares may not simultaneously
engage in market making activities with respect to the Common Stock for a period
of two business days prior to the commencement of the distribution. In addition,
the Selling Stockholders will be subject to applicable provisions of the
Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, including Regulation M,
which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of shares of the Common Stock
by the Selling Stockholders or any other person. We will make copies of this
prospectus available to the Selling Stockholders and have informed them of the
need to deliver a copy of this prospectus to each purchaser at or prior to the
time of the sale.
19
ANNEX B
ABLE ENERGY, INC.
SELLING SECURITYHOLDER NOTICE AND QUESTIONNAIRE
The undersigned beneficial owner of common stock, par value $0.001 per
share (the "COMMON STOCK"), of Able Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"COMPANY"), (the "REGISTRABLE SECURITIES") understands that the Company has
filed or intends to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"COMMISSION") a registration statement on Form S-3 (the "REGISTRATION
STATEMENT") for the registration and resale under Rule 415 of the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended (the "SECURITIES ACT"), of the Registrable Securities, in
accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of
April ___, 2005 (the "REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT"), among the Company and the
Purchasers named therein. A copy of the Registration Rights Agreement is
available from the Company upon request at the address set forth below. All
capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed
thereto in the Registration Rights Agreement.
Certain legal consequences arise from being named as a selling
securityholder in the Registration Statement and the related prospectus.
Accordingly, holders and beneficial owners of Registrable Securities are advised
to consult their own securities law counsel regarding the consequences of being
named or not being named as a selling securityholder in the Registration
Statement and the related prospectus.
NOTICE
The undersigned beneficial owner (the "SELLING SECURITYHOLDER") of
Registrable Securities hereby elects to include the Registrable Securities owned
by it and listed below in Item 3 (unless otherwise specified under such Item 3)
in the Registration Statement.
20
The undersigned hereby provides the following information to the Company and
represents and warrants that such information is accurate:
QUESTIONNAIRE
1. NAME.
(a) Full Legal Name of Selling Securityholder
(b) Full Legal Name of Registered Holder (if not the same as (a)
above) through which Registrable Securities Listed in Item 3
below are held:
(c) Full Legal Name of Natural Control Person (which means a natural
person who directly or indirectly alone or with others has power
to vote or dispose of the securities covered by the
questionnaire):
2. ADDRESS FOR NOTICES TO SELLING SECURITYHOLDER:
Telephone:_____________________________________________________________________
Fax:___________________________________________________________________________
Contact Person:________________________________________________________________
3. BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF REGISTRABLE SECURITIES:
(a) Type and Principal Amount of Registrable Securities beneficially
owned:
21
4. BROKER-DEALER STATUS:
(a) Are you a broker-dealer?
Yes [ ] No [ ]
(b) If "yes" to Section 4(a), did you receive your Registrable
Securities as compensation for investment banking services to
the Company.
Yes [ ] No [ ]
Note: If no, the Commission's staff has indicated that you should be
identified as an underwriter in the Registration Statement.
(c) Are you an affiliate of a broker-dealer?
Yes [ ] No [ ]
(d) If you are an affiliate of a broker-dealer, do you certify that
you bought the Registrable Securities in the ordinary course of
business, and at the time of the purchase of the Registrable
Securities to be resold, you had no agreements or
understandings, directly or indirectly, with any person to
distribute the Registrable Securities?
Yes [ ] No [ ]
Note: If no, the Commission's staff has indicated that you should be
identified as an underwriter in the Registration Statement.
5. BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF OTHER SECURITIES OF THE COMPANY OWNED BY THE
SELLING SECURITYHOLDER.
EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW IN THIS ITEM 5, THE UNDERSIGNED IS NOT THE
BENEFICIAL OR REGISTERED OWNER OF ANY SECURITIES OF THE COMPANY OTHER
THAN THE REGISTRABLE SECURITIES LISTED ABOVE IN ITEM 3.
(a) Type and Amount of Other Securities beneficially owned by the
Selling Securityholder:
22
6. RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE COMPANY:
EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW, NEITHER THE UNDERSIGNED NOR ANY OF ITS
AFFILIATES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS OR PRINCIPAL EQUITY HOLDERS (OWNERS OF
5% OF MORE OF THE EQUITY SECURITIES OF THE UNDERSIGNED) HAS HELD ANY
POSITION OR OFFICE OR HAS HAD ANY OTHER MATERIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
COMPANY (OR ITS PREDECESSORS OR AFFILIATES) DURING THE PAST THREE YEARS.
State any exceptions here:
The undersigned agrees to promptly notify the Company of any
inaccuracies or changes in the information provided herein that may occur
subsequent to the date hereof at any time while the Registration Statement
remains effective.
By signing below, the undersigned consents to the disclosure of the
information contained herein in its answers to Items 1 through 6 and the
inclusion of such information in the Registration Statement and the related
prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto. The undersigned
understands that such information will be relied upon by the Company in
connection with the preparation or amendment of the Registration Statement and
the related prospectus.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned, by authority duly given, has caused
this Notice and Questionnaire to be executed and delivered either in person or
by its duly authorized agent.
Dated: ________________________ Beneficial Owner: _________________________
By:________________________________________
Name:
|
Title:
PLEASE FAX A COPY OF THE COMPLETED AND EXECUTED NOTICE AND QUESTIONNAIRE, AND
RETURN THE ORIGINAL BY OVERNIGHT MAIL, TO:
23
EXHIBIT 99.6
NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THIS SECURITY IS EXERCISABLE
HAVE BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE
SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM
REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES
ACT"), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN
EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN
AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION
REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE
SECURITIES LAWS AS EVIDENCED BY A LEGAL OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE TRANSFEROR TO
SUCH EFFECT, THE SUBSTANCE OF WHICH SHALL BE REASONABLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE
COMPANY. THIS SECURITY AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THIS
SECURITY MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER
LOAN SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES.
FORM OF COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT
To Purchase __________ Shares of Common Stock of
ABLE ENERGY, INC.
THIS COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT (the "WARRANT") certifies that, for
value received, _____________ (the "HOLDER"), is entitled, upon the terms and
subject to the limitations on exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth,
at any time on or after the date hereof (the "INITIAL EXERCISE DATE") and on or
prior to the close of business on the five year anniversary of the Initial
Exercise Date (the "TERMINATION DATE") but not thereafter, to subscribe for and
purchase from Able Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"), up to
______ shares (the "WARRANT SHARES") of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per
share, of the Company (the "COMMON STOCK"). The purchase price of one share of
Common Stock under this Warrant shall be equal to the Exercise Price, as defined
in Section 2(b).
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined
herein shall have the meanings set forth in that certain Securities Assumption,
Amendment and Issuance Agreement (the "SECURITIES AGREEMENT"), dated _________
___, 2005, among the Company and the purchasers signatory thereto.
SECTION 2. EXERCISE.
a) EXERCISE OF WARRANT. Exercise of the purchase rights
represented by this Warrant may be made, in whole or in part, at any
time or times on or after the Initial Exercise Date and on or before the
Termination Date by delivery to the Company of a duly executed facsimile
copy of the Notice of Exercise Form annexed hereto (or such other office
or agency of the Company as it may designate by notice in writing to the
1
registered Holder at the address of such Holder appearing on the books
of the Company); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, within 5 Trading Days of the date
said Notice of Exercise is delivered to the Company, the Holder shall
have surrendered this Warrant to the Company and the Company shall have
received payment of the aggregate Exercise Price of the shares thereby
purchased by wire transfer or cashier's check drawn on a United States
bank.
b) EXERCISE PRICE. The exercise price of the Common Stock
under this Warrant shall be $____1, subject to adjustment hereunder (the
"EXERCISE PRICE").
c) CASHLESS EXERCISE. If at any time after one year from
the date of issuance of this Warrant there is no effective Registration
Statement registering, or no current prospectus available for, the
resale of the Warrant Shares by the Holder, then this Warrant may also
be exercised at such time by means of a "cashless exercise" in which the
Holder shall be entitled to receive a certificate for the number of
Warrant Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by
(A), where:
(A) = the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date
of such election;
(B) = the Exercise Price of this Warrant, as adjusted; and
(X) = the number of Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of
this Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Warrant
by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless
exercise.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, on the
Termination Date, this Warrant shall be automatically exercised via
cashless exercise pursuant to this Section 2(c).
d) EXERCISE LIMITATIONS; HOLDER'S RESTRICTIONS. A Holder
shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant,
pursuant to Section 2(c) or otherwise, to the extent that after giving
effect to such issuance after exercise, such Holder (together with such
Holder's affiliates), as set forth on the applicable Notice of Exercise,
would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% of the number of shares of the
Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such
issuance. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of shares
of Common Stock beneficially owned by such Holder and its affiliates
shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon
exercise of this Warrant with respect to which the determination of such
sentence is being made, but shall exclude the number of shares of Common
Stock which would be issuable upon (A) exercise of the remaining,
nonexercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by such Holder
or any of its affiliates and (B) exercise or conversion of the
unexercised or nonconverted portion of any other securities of the
Company (including, without limitation, any other Debentures or
Warrants) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to
the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by such Holder or any
of its affiliates. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for
(1) 125% of the Conversion Price of the Debenture issued in connection with this
Warrant.
2
purposes of this Section 2(d), beneficial ownership shall be calculated
in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, it being
acknowledged by a Holder that the Company is not representing to such
Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the
Exchange Act and such Holder is solely responsible for any schedules
required to be filed in accordance therewith. To the extent that the
limitation contained in this Section 2(d) applies, the determination of
whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities
owned by such Holder) and of which a portion of this Warrant is
exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of a Holder, and the
submission of a Notice of Exercise shall be deemed to be each Holder's
determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to
other securities owned by such Holder) and of which portion of this
Warrant is exercisable, in each case subject to such aggregate
percentage limitation, and the Company shall have no obligation to
verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination. For purposes of
this Section 2(d), in determining the number of outstanding shares of
Common Stock, a Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of
Common Stock as reflected in (x) the Company's most recent Form 10-Q or
Form 10-K, as the case may be, (y) a more recent public announcement by
the Company or (z) any other notice by the Company or the Company's
Transfer Agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding. Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Company
shall within two Trading Days confirm orally and in writing to such
Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. In any
case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be
determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of
securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by such Holder or its
affiliates since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares
of Common Stock was reported. The provisions of this Section 2(d) may be
waived by such Holder, at the election of such Holder, upon not less
than 61 days' prior notice to the Company, and the provisions of this
Section 2(d) shall continue to apply until such 61st day (or such later
date, as determined by such Holder, as may be specified in such notice
of waiver).
e) MECHANICS OF EXERCISE.
i. AUTHORIZATION OF WARRANT SHARES. The
Company covenants that all Warrant Shares which may be
issued upon the exercise of the purchase rights
represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the
purchase rights represented by this Warrant, be duly
authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable
and free from all taxes, liens and charges in respect of
the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any
transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).
ii. DELIVERY OF CERTIFICATES UPON EXERCISE.
If required pursuant to Section 4.1 of the Securities
Agreement, certificates for shares purchased hereunder
shall be transmitted by the transfer agent of the
Company to the Holder by crediting the account of the
Holder's prime broker with the Depository Trust Company
through its Deposit Withdrawal Agent Commission ("DWAC")
system if the Company is a participant in such system,
and otherwise by physical delivery to the address
specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise within
3 Trading Days from the delivery
3
to the Company of the Notice of Exercise Form, surrender
of this Warrant and payment of the aggregate Exercise
Price as set forth above ("WARRANT SHARE DELIVERY
DATE"). This Warrant shall be deemed to have been
exercised on the date the Exercise Price is received by
the Company. The Warrant Shares shall be deemed to have
been issued, and Holder or any other person so
designated to be named therein shall be deemed to have
become a holder of record of such shares for all
purposes, as of the date the Warrant has been exercised
by payment to the Company of the Exercise Price and all
taxes required to be paid by the Holder, if any,
pursuant to Section 2(e)(vii) prior to the issuance of
such shares, have been paid.
iii. DELIVERY OF NEW WARRANTS UPON EXERCISE.
If this Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the
Company shall, at the time of delivery of the
certificate or certificates representing Warrant Shares,
deliver to Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of
Holder to purchase the unpurchased Warrant Shares called
for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all
other respects be identical with this Warrant.
iv. RESCISSION RIGHTS. If the Company fails
to cause its transfer agent to transmit to the Holder a
certificate or certificates representing the Warrant
Shares pursuant to this Section 2(e)(iv) by the Warrant
Share Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right
to rescind such exercise.
v. COMPENSATION FOR BUY-IN ON FAILURE TO
TIMELY DELIVER CERTIFICATES UPON EXERCISE. In addition
to any other rights available to the Holder, if the
Company fails to cause its transfer agent to transmit to
the Holder a certificate or certificates representing
the Warrant Shares pursuant to an exercise on or before
the Warrant Share Delivery Date, and if after such date
the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an
open market transaction or otherwise) shares of Common
Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder
of the Warrant Shares which the Holder anticipated
receiving upon such exercise (a "BUY-IN"), then the
Company shall (1) pay in cash to the Holder the amount
by which (x) the Holder's total purchase price
(including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares
of Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the amount
obtained by multiplying (A) the number of Warrant Shares
that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder
in connection with the exercise at issue times (B) the
price at which the sell order giving rise to such
purchase obligation was executed, and (2) at the option
of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the
Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for
which such exercise was not honored or deliver to the
Holder the number of shares of Common Stock that would
have been issued had the Company timely complied with
its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For
example, if the Holder purchases Common Stock having a
total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with
4
respect to an attempted exercise of shares of Common
Stock with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such
purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (1) of the
immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be
required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall
provide the Company written notice indicating the
amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In,
together with applicable confirmations and other
evidence reasonably requested by the Company. Nothing
herein shall limit a Holder's right to pursue any other
remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity
including, without limitation, a decree of specific
performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the
Company's failure to timely deliver certificates
representing shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the
Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.
vi. NO FRACTIONAL SHARES OR SCRIP. No
fractional shares or scrip representing fractional
shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this
Warrant. As to any fraction of a share which Holder
would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such
exercise, the Company shall pay a cash adjustment in
respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to
such fraction multiplied by the Exercise Price.
vii. CHARGES, TAXES AND EXPENSES. Issuance of
certificates for Warrant Shares shall be made without
charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or
other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of
such certificate, all of which taxes and expenses shall
be paid by the Company, and such certificates shall be
issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or
names as may be directed by the Holder; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that in the event certificates for Warrant
Shares are to be issued in a name other than the name of
the Holder, this Warrant when surrendered for exercise
shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached
hereto duly executed by the Holder; and the Company may
require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum
sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax
incidental thereto.
viii. CLOSING OF BOOKS. The Company will not
close its stockholder books or records in any manner
which prevents the timely exercise of this Warrant,
pursuant to the terms hereof.
SECTION 3. CERTAIN ADJUSTMENTS.
a) STOCK DIVIDENDS AND SPLITS. If the Company, at any time
while this Warrant is outstanding: (A) pays a stock dividend or
otherwise make a distribution or distributions on shares of its Common
Stock or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in
shares of Common Stock (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include
any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company pursuant to this
Warrant), (B) subdivides outstanding shares of Common Stock into a
larger number of shares, (C) combines (including by way of reverse stock
split) outstanding shares of Common Stock
5
into a smaller number of shares, or (D) issues by reclassification of
shares of the Common Stock any shares of capital stock of the Company,
then in each case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction
of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock
(excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such
event and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the number of
shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant shall be proportionately
adjusted. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 3(a) shall become
effective immediately after the record date for the determination of
stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall
become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a
subdivision, combination or re-classification.
b) SUBSEQUENT EQUITY SALES. If the Company or any
Subsidiary thereof, as applicable, at any time while this Warrant is
outstanding, shall offer, sell, grant any option to purchase or offer,
sell or grant any right to reprice its securities, or otherwise dispose
of or issue (or announce any offer, sale, grant or any option to
purchase or other disposition) any Common Stock or Common Stock
Equivalents entitling any Person to acquire shares of Common Stock, at
an effective price per share less than the then Exercise Price (such
lower price, the "BASE SHARE PRICE" and such issuances collectively, a
"DILUTIVE ISSUANCE"), as adjusted hereunder (if the holder of the Common
Stock or Common Stock Equivalents so issued shall at any time, whether
by operation of purchase price adjustments, reset provisions, floating
conversion, exercise or exchange prices or otherwise, or due to
warrants, options or rights per share which is issued in connection with
such issuance, be entitled to receive shares of Common Stock at an
effective price per share which is less than the Exercise Price, such
issuance shall be deemed to have occurred for less than the Exercise
Price on such date of the Dilutive Issuance), then, the Exercise Price
shall be reduced by multiplying the Exercise Price by a fraction, the
numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Dilutive Issuance plus the number
of shares of Common Stock which the offering price for such Dilutive
Issuance would purchase at the then Exercise Price, and the denominator
of which shall be the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock issued
and outstanding immediately prior to the Dilutive Issuance plus the
number of shares of Common Stock so issued or issuable in connection
with the Dilutive Issuance on a fully converted or exercised basis and
the number of Warrant Shares issuable hereunder shall be increased such
that the aggregate Exercise Price payable hereunder, after taking into
account the decrease in the Exercise Price, shall be equal to the
aggregate Exercise Price prior to such adjustment. Such adjustment shall
be made whenever such Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents are
issued. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no adjustments shall be made,
paid or issued under this Section 3(b) in respect of an Exempt Issuance.
The Company shall notify the Holder in writing, no later than the
Trading Day following the issuance of any Common Stock or Common Stock
Equivalents subject to this section, indicating therein the applicable
issuance price, or of applicable reset price, exchange price, conversion
price and other pricing terms (such notice the "DILUTIVE ISSUANCE
NOTICE"). For purposes of clarification, whether or not the Company
provides a Dilutive Issuance Notice pursuant to this Section 3(b), upon
the occurrence of any Dilutive Issuance, after the date of such Dilutive
Issuance the Holder is entitled to receive a number of Warrant Shares
based upon the
6
Base Share Price regardless of whether the Holder accurately refers to
the Base Share Price in the Notice of Exercise.
c) PRO RATA DISTRIBUTIONS. If the Company, at any time
prior to the Termination Date, shall distribute to all holders of Common
Stock (and not to Holders of the Warrants) evidences of its indebtedness
or assets (including cash and cash dividends) or rights or warrants to
subscribe for or purchase any security other than the Common Stock
(which shall be subject to Section 3(b)), then in each such case the
Exercise Price shall be adjusted by multiplying the Exercise Price in
effect immediately prior to the record date fixed for determination of
stockholders entitled to receive such distribution by a fraction of
which the denominator shall be the VWAP determined as of the record date
mentioned above, and of which the numerator shall be such VWAP on such
record date less the then per share fair market value at such record
date of the portion of such assets or evidence of indebtedness so
distributed applicable to one outstanding share of the Common Stock as
determined by the Board of Directors in good faith. In either case the
adjustments shall be described in a statement provided to the Holder of
the portion of assets or evidences of indebtedness so distributed or
such subscription rights applicable to one share of Common Stock. Such
adjustment shall be made whenever any such distribution is made and
shall become effective immediately after the record date mentioned
above.
d) FUNDAMENTAL TRANSACTION. If, at any time while this
Warrant is outstanding, (A) the Company effects any merger or
consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (B) the
Company effects any sale of all or substantially all of its assets in
one or a series of related transactions, (C) any tender offer or
exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed
pursuant to which holders of Common Stock are permitted to tender or
exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property, or (D) the
Company effects any reclassification of the Common Stock or any
compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Common Stock is
effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or
property (in any such case, a "FUNDAMENTAL TRANSACTION"), then, upon any
subsequent exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to
receive, for each Warrant Share that would have been issuable upon such
exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental
Transaction, at the option of the Holder, (a) upon exercise of this
Warrant, the number of shares of Common Stock of the successor or
acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving
corporation, and any additional consideration (the "ALTERNATE
CONSIDERATION") receivable upon or as a result of such reorganization,
reclassification, merger, consolidation or disposition of assets by a
Holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is
exercisable immediately prior to such event or (b) if the Company is
acquired in an all cash transaction, cash equal to the value of this
Warrant as determined in accordance with the Black-Scholes option
pricing formula. For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of
the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such
Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration
issuable in respect of one share of Common Stock in such Fundamental
Transaction, and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among
the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the
relative value of any different components of the Alternate
Consideration. If holders of Common Stock are
7
given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received
in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same
choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise
of this Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction. To the extent
necessary to effectuate the foregoing provisions, any successor to the
Company or surviving entity in such Fundamental Transaction shall issue
to the Holder a new warrant consistent with the foregoing provisions and
evidencing the Holder's right to exercise such warrant into Alternate
Consideration. The terms of any agreement pursuant to which a
Fundamental Transaction is effected shall include terms requiring any
such successor or surviving entity to comply with the provisions of this
Section 3(d) and insuring that this Warrant (or any such replacement
security) will be similarly adjusted upon any subsequent transaction
analogous to a Fundamental Transaction.
e) CALCULATIONS. All calculations under this Section 3
shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as
the case may be. For purposes of this Section 3, the number of shares of
Common Stock deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date
shall be the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding
treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding.
f) VOLUNTARY ADJUSTMENT BY COMPANY. The Company may at any
time during the term of this Warrant reduce the then current Exercise
Price to any amount and for any period of time deemed appropriate by the
Board of Directors of the Company.
g) NOTICE TO HOLDERS.
i. ADJUSTMENT TO EXERCISE PRICE. Whenever
the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to this Section
3, the Company shall promptly mail to each Holder a
notice setting forth the Exercise Price after such
adjustment and setting forth a brief statement of the
facts requiring such adjustment. If the Company issues a
variable rate security, despite the prohibition thereon
in the Securities Agreement, the Company shall be deemed
to have issued Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents
at the lowest possible conversion or exercise price at
which such securities may be converted or exercised in
the case of a Variable Rate Transaction (as defined in
the Securities Agreement).
ii. NOTICE TO ALLOW EXERCISE BY HOLDER. If
(A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other
distribution) on the Common Stock; (B) the Company shall
declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a
redemption of the Common Stock; (C) the Company shall
authorize the granting to all holders of the Common
Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase
any shares of capital stock of any class or of any
rights; (D) the approval of any stockholders of the
Company shall be required in connection with any
reclassification of the Common Stock, any consolidation
or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or
transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of
the Company, of any compulsory share exchange whereby
the Common Stock is converted into
8
other securities, cash or property; (E) the Company
shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary
dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of
the Company; then, in each case, the Company shall cause
to be mailed to the Holder at its last address as it
shall appear upon the Warrant Register of the Company,
at least 20 calendar days prior to the applicable record
or effective date hereinafter specified, a notice
stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken
for the purpose of such dividend, distribution,
redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to
be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Common
Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend,
distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be
determined or (y) the date on which such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer
or share exchange is expected to become effective or
close, and the date as of which it is expected that
holders of the Common Stock of record shall be entitled
to exchange their shares of the Common Stock for
securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer
or share exchange; PROVIDED, that the failure to mail
such notice or any defect therein or in the mailing
thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate
action required to be specified in such notice. The
Holder is entitled to exercise this Warrant during the
20-day period commencing on the date of such notice to
the effective date of the event triggering such notice.
SECTION 4. TRANSFER OF WARRANT.
a) TRANSFERABILITY. Subject to compliance with any
applicable securities laws and the conditions set forth in Sections 5(a)
and 4(d) hereof and to the provisions of Section 4.1 of the Securities
Agreement, this Warrant and all rights hereunder are transferable, in
whole or in part, upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal office
of the Company, together with a written assignment of this Warrant
substantially in the form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder or
its agent or attorney and funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes
payable upon the making of such transfer. Upon such surrender and, if
required, such payment, the Company shall execute and deliver a new
Warrant or Warrants in the name of the assignee or assignees and in the
denomination or denominations specified in such instrument of
assignment, and shall issue to the assignor a new Warrant evidencing the
portion of this Warrant not so assigned, and this Warrant shall promptly
be cancelled. A Warrant, if properly assigned, may be exercised by a new
holder for the purchase of Warrant Shares without having a new Warrant
issued.
b) NEW WARRANTS. This Warrant may be divided or combined
with other Warrants upon presentation hereof at the aforesaid office of
the Company, together with a written notice specifying the names and
denominations in which new Warrants are to be issued, signed by the
Holder or its agent or attorney. Subject to compliance with Section
4(a), as to any transfer which may be involved in such division or
combination, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or
Warrants in exchange for the Warrant or Warrants to be divided or
combined in accordance with such notice.
9
c) WARRANT REGISTER. The Company shall register this
Warrant, upon records to be maintained by the Company for that purpose
(the "WARRANT REGISTER"), in the name of the record Holder hereof from
time to time. The Company may deem and treat the registered Holder of
this Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of any
exercise hereof or any distribution to the Holder, and for all other
purposes, absent actual notice to the contrary.
d) TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS. If, at the time of the surrender
of this Warrant in connection with any transfer of this Warrant, the
transfer of this Warrant shall not be registered pursuant to an
effective registration statement under the Securities Act and under
applicable state securities or blue sky laws, the Company may require,
as a condition of allowing such transfer (i) that the Holder or
transferee of this Warrant, as the case may be, furnish to the Company a
written opinion of counsel (which opinion shall be in form, substance
and scope customary for opinions of counsel in comparable transactions)
to the effect that such transfer may be made without registration under
the Securities Act and under applicable state securities or blue sky
laws, (ii) that the holder or transferee execute and deliver to the
Company an investment letter in form and substance acceptable to the
Company and (iii) that the transferee be an "accredited investor" as
defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7), or (a)(8) promulgated
under the Securities Act or a qualified institutional buyer as defined
in Rule 144A(a) under the Securities Act.
SECTION 5. MISCELLANEOUS.
a) TITLE TO WARRANT. Prior to the Termination Date and
subject to compliance with applicable laws and Section 4 of this
Warrant, this Warrant and all rights hereunder are transferable, in
whole or in part, at the office or agency of the Company by the Holder
in person or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Warrant
together with the Assignment Form annexed hereto properly endorsed. The
transferee shall sign an investment letter in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Company.
b) NO RIGHTS AS SHAREHOLDER UNTIL EXERCISE. This Warrant
does not entitle the Holder to any voting rights or other rights as a
shareholder of the Company prior to the exercise hereof. Upon the
surrender of this Warrant and the payment of the aggregate Exercise
Price (or by means of a cashless exercise), the Warrant Shares so
purchased shall be and be deemed to be issued to such Holder as the
record owner of such shares as of the close of business on the later of
the date of such surrender or payment.
c) LOSS, THEFT, DESTRUCTION OR MUTILATION OF WARRANT. The
Company covenants that upon receipt by the Company of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or
mutilation of this Warrant or any stock certificate relating to the
Warrant Shares, and in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity
or security reasonably satisfactory to it (which, in the case of the
Warrant, shall not include the posting of any bond), and upon surrender
and cancellation of such Warrant or stock certificate, if mutilated, the
Company will make and deliver a new Warrant or stock certificate of like
tenor and dated as of such cancellation, in lieu of such Warrant or
stock certificate.
10
d) SATURDAYS, SUNDAYS, HOLIDAYS, ETC. If the last or
appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any
right required or granted herein shall be a Saturday, Sunday or a legal
holiday, then such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on
the next succeeding day not a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday.
e) AUTHORIZED SHARES.
The Company covenants that during the period the Warrant
is outstanding, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued
Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the
issuance of the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of any purchase
rights under this Warrant. The Company further covenants that
its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to
its officers who are charged with the duty of executing stock
certificates to execute and issue the necessary certificates for
the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of the purchase rights
under this Warrant. The Company will take all such reasonable
action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant Shares
may be issued as provided herein without violation of any
applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the
Trading Market upon which the Common Stock may be listed.
Except and to the extent as waived or consented to by
the Holder, the Company shall not by any action, including,
without limitation, amending its certificate of incorporation or
through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation,
merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other
voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or
performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all
times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms
and in the taking of all such actions as may be necessary or
appropriate to protect the rights of Holder as set forth in this
Warrant against impairment. Without limiting the generality of
the foregoing, the Company will (a) not increase the par value
of any Warrant Shares above the amount payable therefor upon
such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value,
(b) take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in
order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid
and nonassessable Warrant Shares upon the exercise of this
Warrant, and (c) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain
all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public
regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof as may be necessary
to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this
Warrant.
Before taking any action which would result in an
adjustment in the number of Warrant Shares for which this
Warrant is exercisable or in the Exercise Price, the Company
shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions thereof, or
consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory
body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof.
f) JURISDICTION. All questions concerning the construction,
validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Warrant shall be
determined in accordance with the provisions of the Securities
Agreement.
11
g) RESTRICTIONS. The Holder acknowledges that the Warrant
Shares acquired upon the exercise of this Warrant, if not registered,
will have restrictions upon resale imposed by state and federal
securities laws.
h) NONWAIVER AND EXPENSES. No course of dealing or any
delay or failure to exercise any right hereunder on the part of Holder
shall operate as a waiver of such right or otherwise prejudice Holder's
rights, powers or remedies, notwithstanding the fact that all rights
hereunder terminate on the Termination Date. If the Company willfully
and knowingly fails to comply with any provision of this Warrant, which
results in any material damages to the Holder, the Company shall pay to
Holder such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover any costs and
expenses including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys' fees,
including those of appellate proceedings, incurred by Holder in
collecting any amounts due pursuant hereto or in otherwise enforcing any
of its rights, powers or remedies hereunder.
i) NOTICES. Any notice, request or other document required
or permitted to be given or delivered to the Holder by the Company shall
be delivered in accordance with the notice provisions of the Securities
Agreement.
j) LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. No provision hereof, in the
absence of any affirmative action by Holder to exercise this Warrant or
purchase Warrant Shares, and no enumeration herein of the rights or
privileges of Holder, shall give rise to any liability of Holder for the
purchase price of any Common Stock or as a stockholder of the Company,
whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the
Company.
k) REMEDIES. Holder, in addition to being entitled to
exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will
be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Warrant.
The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate
compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the
provisions of this Warrant and hereby agrees to waive the defense in any
action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.
l) SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. Subject to applicable securities
laws, this Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall
inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors of the
Company and the successors and permitted assigns of Holder. The
provisions of this Warrant are intended to be for the benefit of all
Holders from time to time of this Warrant and shall be enforceable by
any such Holder or holder of Warrant Shares.
m) AMENDMENT. This Warrant may be modified or amended or
the provisions hereof waived with the written consent of the Company and
the Holder.
n) SEVERABILITY. Wherever possible, each provision of this
Warrant shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid
under applicable law, but if any provision of this Warrant shall be
prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be
ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without
invalidating the remainder of such provisions or the remaining
provisions of this Warrant.
12
o) HEADINGS. The headings used in this Warrant are for the
convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed
a part of this Warrant.
********************
13
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed
by its officer thereunto duly authorized.
Dated: __________ __, 2005
ABLE ENERGY, INC.
By:____________________________________
Name:
Title:
14
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
To: ABLE ENERGY, INC.
(1)The undersigned hereby elects to purchase ________ Warrant
Shares of the Company pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant (only if
exercised in full), and tenders herewith payment of the exercise price in full,
together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any.
(2) Payment shall take the form of (check applicable box):
[ ] in lawful money of the United States; or
[ ] the cancellation of such number of Warrant Shares as is
necessary, in accordance with the formula set forth in
subsection 2(c), to exercise this Warrant with respect to the
maximum number of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to the
cashless exercise procedure set forth in subsection 2(c).
(3) Please issue a certificate or certificates representing said Warrant
Shares in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified
below:
The Warrant Shares shall be delivered to the following:
(4) ACCREDITED INVESTOR. The undersigned is an "accredited investor" as
defined in Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]
Name of Investing Entity: _____________________________________________________
SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED SIGNATORY OF INVESTING ENTITY: ________________________
Name of Authorized Signatory: _________________________________________________
Title of Authorized Signatory: ________________________________________________
Date: _________________________________________________________________________
ASSIGNMENT FORM
(To assign the foregoing warrant, execute
this form and supply required information.
Do not use this form to exercise the warrant.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced
thereby are hereby assigned to
_______________________________________________ whose address is
________________________________________________________________.
Dated: ______________, _______
Holder's Signature: _____________________________
Holder's Address: _____________________________
_____________________________
|
Signature Guaranteed: ___________________________________________
NOTE: The signature to this Assignment Form must correspond with the name as it
appears on the face of the Warrant, without alteration or enlargement or any
change whatsoever, and must be guaranteed by a bank or trust company. Officers
of corporations and those acting in a fiduciary or other representative capacity
should file proper evidence of authority to assign the foregoing Warrant.
EXHIBIT 99.7
NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THIS SECURITY IS CONVERTIBLE
HAVE BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE
SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM
REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES
ACT"), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN
EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN
AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION
REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE
SECURITIES LAWS AS EVIDENCED BY A LEGAL OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE TRANSFEROR TO
SUCH EFFECT, THE SUBSTANCE OF WHICH SHALL BE REASONABLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE
COMPANY. THIS SECURITY AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION OF THIS
SECURITY MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER
LOAN SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES.
Original Issue Date: __________ ___, 2005
Original Conversion Price (subject to adjustment herein): $____1
$_______________
FORM OF VARIABLE RATE SECURED CONVERTIBLE DEBENTURE
THIS SECURED CONVERTIBLE DEBENTURE is one of a series of duly authorized
and issued Variable Rate Secured Convertible Debentures of Able Energy, Inc., a
Delaware corporation, having a principal place of business at
_____________________________ (the "COMPANY"), All American Plazas, Inc., a
__________________ corporation, having a principal place of business at
_____________________________ ("ALL AMERICAN"), Yosemite Development Corp., a
Delaware corporation, having a principal place of business at ________________
("YOSEMITE") and Mountainside Development, LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company, having a principal place of business at ____________ ("MOUNTAINSIDE"
and the Company, All American, Yosemite and Mountainside, collectively, the
"BORROWERS" and Yosemite and Mountainside, collectively, the "SUBSIDIARY
BORROWERS") designated as its Variable Rate Secured Convertible Debenture, due
April __, 2007 (the "DEBENTURE(S)").
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the Borrowers, jointly and severally, promise to pay
to ________________________ or its registered assigns (the "HOLDER"), or shall
have paid pursuant to the terms hereunder, the principal sum of $_______________
by April __, 2007, or such earlier date as the Debentures are required or
permitted to be repaid as provided hereunder (the "MATURITY DATE"), and to pay
interest to the Holder on the aggregate unconverted and then
1 The lesser of (i) [the effective per share purchase price of the
acquisition of All American] and (ii) $3.00, subject further to adjustment
herein.
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outstanding principal amount of this Debenture in accordance with the provisions
hereof. This Debenture is subject to the following additional provisions:
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. For the purposes hereof, in addition to the
terms defined elsewhere in this Debenture: (a) capitalized terms not otherwise
defined herein have the meanings given to such terms in the Securities
Agreement, and (b) the following terms shall have the following meanings:
"ALTERNATE CONSIDERATION" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5(d).
"BASE CONVERSION PRICE" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5(b).
"BUSINESS DAY" means any day except Saturday, Sunday and any day
which shall be a federal legal holiday in the United States or a day on
which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or
required by law or other government action to close.
"BUY-IN" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(d)(v).
"CHANGE OF CONTROL TRANSACTION" means the occurrence after the
date hereof of any of (i) an acquisition after the date hereof by an
individual or legal entity or "group" (as described in Rule 13d-5(b)(1)
promulgated under the Exchange Act) of effective control (whether
through legal or beneficial ownership of capital stock of the Company,
by contract or otherwise) of in excess of 40% of the voting securities
of the Company, or (ii) the Company merges into or consolidates with any
other Person, or any Person merges into or consolidates with the Company
and, after giving effect to such transaction, the stockholders of the
Company immediately prior to such transaction own less than 60% of the
aggregate voting power of the Company or the successor entity of such
transaction, or (iii) the Company sells or transfers its assets, as an
entirety or substantially as an entirety, to another Person and the
stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such transaction own
less than 60% of the aggregate voting power of the acquiring entity
immediately after the transaction, (iv) a replacement at one time or
within a three year period of more than one-half of the members of the
Company's board of directors which is not approved by a majority of
those individuals who are members of the board of directors on the date
hereof (or by those individuals who are serving as members of the board
of directors on any date whose nomination to the board of directors was
approved by a majority of the members of the board of directors who are
members on the date hereof), or (v) the execution by the Company of an
agreement to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound,
providing for any of the events set forth above in (i) or (iv).
"COMMON STOCK" means the common stock, par value $0.001 per
share, of the Company and stock of any other class of securities into
which such securities may hereafter have been reclassified or changed
into.
"CONVERSION DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
4(a).
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"CONVERSION PRICE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
4(b).
"CONVERSION SHARES" means the shares of Common Stock issuable
upon conversion of Debentures or as payment of interest in accordance
with the terms.
"DEBENTURE REGISTER" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
2(c).
"DILUTIVE ISSUANCE" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
5(b).
"DILUTIVE ISSUANCE NOTICE" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5(b).
"EFFECTIVENESS PERIOD" shall have the meaning given to such term
in the Registration Rights Agreement.
"EQUITY CONDITIONS" shall mean, during the period in question,
(i) the Company shall have duly honored all conversions and redemptions
scheduled to occur or occurring by virtue of one or more Notice of
Conversions of the Holder, if any, (ii) all liquidated damages and other
amounts owing to the Holder in respect of the Debentures shall have been
paid; (iii) there is an effective Registration Statement pursuant to
which the Holder is permitted to utilize the prospectus thereunder to
resell all of the shares issuable pursuant to the Transaction Documents
(and the Company believes, in good faith, that such effectiveness will
continue uninterrupted for the foreseeable future), (iv) the Common
Stock is trading on the Trading Market and all of the shares issuable
pursuant to the Transaction Documents are listed for trading on a
Trading Market (and the Company believes, in good faith, that trading of
the Common Stock on a Trading Market will continue uninterrupted for the
foreseeable future), (v) there is a sufficient number of authorized but
unissued and otherwise unreserved shares of Common Stock for the
issuance of all of the shares issuable pursuant to the Transaction
Documents, (vi) there is then existing no Event of Default or event
which, with the passage of time or the giving of notice, would
constitute an Event of Default, (vii) the issuance of the shares in
question (or, in the case of a redemption, the shares issuable upon
conversion in full of the redemption amount) to the Holder would not
violate the limitations set forth in Section 4(c)(i) and (viii) no
public announcement of a pending or proposed Fundamental Transaction,
Change of Control Transaction or acquisition transaction has occurred
that has not been consummated.
"EVENT OF DEFAULT" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
8.
"EXCHANGE ACT" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
"FUNDAMENTAL TRANSACTION" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5(d).
"INTEREST CONVERSION RATE" means the lesser of (a) the
Conversion Price and (b) the 90% of the lesser of (i) the average of the
20 VWAPs immediately prior to the applicable Interest Payment Date or
(ii) the average of the 20 VWAPs immediately prior
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to the date the applicable interest payment shares are issued and
delivered if after the Interest Payment Date.
"INTEREST PAYMENT DATE" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2(a).
"INTEREST PERIOD" means, initially, the period beginning on and
including the Original Issue Date and ending on and including June 30,
2005 and each successive period as follows: the period beginning on and
including July 1 and ending on and including September 30; the period
beginning on and including October 1 and ending on and including
December 31; the period beginning on and including January 1 and ending
on and including March 31; and the period beginning on and including
April 1 and ending on and including June 30.
"LATE FEES" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(d).
"LIBOR" means, for each Interest Period (i) the three-month
London Interbank Offered Rate for deposits in U.S. dollars, as shown on
such the Trading Day immediately prior to the beginning of such Interest
Period in The Wall Street Journal (Eastern Edition) under the caption
"Money Rates - London Interbank Offered Rates (LIBOR)"; or (ii) if The
Wall Street Journal does not publish such rate, the offered one-month
rate for deposits in U.S. dollars which appears on the Reuters Screen
LIBO Page as of 10:00 a.m., New York time, the Trading Day immediately
prior to the beginning of such Interest Period, provided that if at
least two rates appear on the Reuters Screen LIBO Page on any such
Trading Day, the "LIBOR" for such day shall be the arithmetic mean of
such rates.
"MANDATORY PREPAYMENT AMOUNT" for any Debentures shall equal the
sum of (i) the greater of: (A) 125% of the principal amount of
Debentures to be prepaid, or (B) the principal amount of Debentures to
be prepaid, divided by the Conversion Price on (x) the date the
Mandatory Prepayment Amount is demanded or otherwise due or (y) the date
the Mandatory Prepayment Amount is paid in full, whichever is less,
multiplied by the VWAP on (x) the date the Mandatory Prepayment Amount
is demanded or otherwise due or (y) the date the Mandatory Prepayment
Amount is paid in full, whichever is greater, and (ii) all accrued and
unpaid interest hereon amounts, costs, expenses and liquidated damages
due in respect of such Debentures.
"NEW YORK COURTS" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
9(d).
"NOTICE OF CONVERSION" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 4(a).
"OPTIONAL REDEMPTION" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 6(a).
"OPTIONAL REDEMPTION AMOUNT" shall mean the sum of (i) 125% of
the principal amount of the Debenture then outstanding, (ii) accrued but
unpaid interest and (iii) all liquidated damages and other amounts due
in respect of the Debenture.
"OPTIONAL REDEMPTION NOTICE" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 6(a).
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"OPTIONAL REDEMPTION NOTICE DATE" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 6(a).
"ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE" shall mean the date of the first issuance
of the Debentures regardless of the number of transfers of any Debenture
and regardless of the number of instruments which may be issued to
evidence such Debenture.
"PERMITTED INDEBTEDNESS" shall mean [INSERT DESCRIPTION OF
SENOIR DEBT ON PA PROPERTY].
"PERMITTED LIENS" shall mean [INSERT DESCRIPTION OF SENIOR LIEN
ON PA PROPERTY].
"PERSON" means a corporation, an association, a partnership,
organization, a business, an individual, a government or political
subdivision thereof or a governmental agency.
"REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT" means the Registration Rights
Agreement, dated as of the date of the Securities Agreement, to which
the Company and the original Holder are parties, as amended, modified or
supplemented from time to time in accordance with its terms.
"REGISTRATION STATEMENT" means a registration statement meeting
the requirements set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement,
covering among other things the resale of the Conversion Shares and
naming the Holder as a "selling stockholder" thereunder.
"SECURITIES ACT" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
"SECURITIES AGREEMENT" means the Securities Assumption,
Amendment and Issuance Agreement, dated as of _______ ___, 2005, to
which the Company and the original Holder are parties, as amended,
modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with its terms.
"SUBSIDIARY" shall have the meaning given to such term in the
Securities Agreement.
"TRADING DAY" means a day on which the Common Stock is traded on
a Trading Market.
"TRADING MARKET" means the following markets or exchanges on
which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in
question: the Nasdaq SmallCap Market, the American Stock Exchange, the
New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market.
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"TRANSACTION DOCUMENTS" shall have the meaning set forth in the
Securities Agreement.
"VWAP" means, for any date, the price determined by the first of
the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then
listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average
price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date)
on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted
as reported by Bloomberg Financial L.P. (based on a Trading Day from
9:30 a.m. Eastern Time to 4:02 p.m. Eastern Time); (b) if the Common
Stock is not then listed or quoted on a Trading Market and if prices for
the Common Stock are then quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board, the volume
weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest
preceding date) on the OTC Bulletin Board; (c) if the Common Stock is
not then listed or quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board and if prices for
the Common Stock are then reported in the "Pink Sheets" published by the
Pink Sheets, LLC (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its
functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of
the Common Stock so reported; or (c) in all other cases, the fair market
value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent
appraiser selected in good faith by the Holders and reasonably
acceptable to the Company.
SECTION 2. INTEREST.
a) PAYMENT OF INTEREST IN CASH OR KIND. The Borrowers shall
pay interest to the Holder on the aggregate unconverted and then
outstanding principal amount of this Debenture at the rate per annum
equal to LIBOR for the applicable Interest Period plus 4.0% or such
lesser rate as shall be the highest rate permitted by applicable law,
payable quarterly on April 1, July 1, October 1 and January 1, beginning
on the first such date after the Original Issue Date, on each Conversion
Date (as to that principal amount then being converted), on each
Optional Redemption Date (as to that principal amount then being
redeemed) and on the Maturity Date (except that, if any such date is not
a Business Day, then such payment shall be due on the next succeeding
Business Day) (each such date, an "INTEREST PAYMENT DATE"), in cash or
shares of Common Stock at the Interest Conversion Rate, or a combination
thereof; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, payment in shares of Common Stock may only
occur if during the 20 Trading Days immediately prior to the applicable
Interest Payment Date and through and including the date such shares of
Common Stock are issued to the Holder all of the Equity Conditions have
been met and the Company shall have given the Holder notice in
accordance with the notice requirements set forth below.
b) COMPANY'S ELECTION TO PAY INTEREST IN KIND. Subject to
the terms and conditions herein, the decision whether to pay interest
hereunder in shares of Common Stock or cash shall be at the discretion
of the Company. Not less than 20 Trading Days prior to each Interest
Payment Date, the Company shall provide the Holder with written notice
of its election to pay interest hereunder either in cash or shares of
Common Stock (the Company may indicate in such notice that the election
contained in such notice shall continue for later periods until
revised). Within 20 Trading Days prior to an Interest
6
Payment Date, the Company's election (whether specific to an Interest
Payment Date or continuous) shall be irrevocable as to such Interest
Payment Date. Subject to the aforementioned conditions, failure to
timely provide such written notice shall be deemed an election by the
Borrowers to pay the interest on such Interest Payment Date in cash.
c) INTEREST CALCULATIONS. Interest shall be calculated on
the basis of a 360-day year and shall accrue daily commencing on the
Original Issue Date until payment in full of the principal sum, together
with all accrued and unpaid interest and other amounts which may become
due hereunder, has been made. Payment of interest in shares of Common
Stock shall otherwise occur pursuant to Section 4(d)(ii) and only for
purposes of the payment of interest in shares, the Interest Payment Date
shall be deemed the Conversion Date. Interest shall cease to accrue with
respect to any principal amount converted, provided that the Company in
fact delivers the Conversion Shares within the time period required by
Section 4(d)(ii). Interest hereunder will be paid to the Person in whose
name this Debenture is registered on the records of the Company
regarding registration and transfers of Debentures (the "DEBENTURE
REGISTER"). Except as otherwise provided herein, if at any time the
Company pays interest partially in cash and partially in shares of
Common Stock, then such payment shall be distributed ratably among the
Holders based upon the principal amount of Debentures held by each
Holder.
d) LATE FEE. All overdue accrued and unpaid interest to be
paid hereunder shall entail a late fee at the rate of 18% per annum (or
such lower maximum amount of interest permitted to be charged under
applicable law) ("LATE FEES") which will accrue daily, from the date
such interest is due hereunder through and including the date of
payment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if
on any Interest Payment Date the Company has elected to pay interest in
Common Stock and is not able to pay accrued interest in the form of
Common Stock because it does not then satisfy the conditions for payment
in the form of Common Stock set forth above, then, at the option of the
Holder, the Borrowers, in lieu of delivering either shares of Common
Stock pursuant to this Section 2 or paying the regularly scheduled cash
interest payment, shall deliver, within three Trading Days of each
applicable Interest Payment Date, an amount in cash equal to the product
of the number of shares of Common Stock otherwise deliverable to the
Holder in connection with the payment of interest due on such Interest
Payment Date and the average VWAP during the period commencing on the
Interest Payment Date and ending on the Trading Day prior to the date
such payment is made.
e) PREPAYMENT. Except as otherwise set forth in this
Debenture, including without limitation, Section 6, the Borrowers may
not prepay any portion of the principal amount of this Debenture without
the prior written consent of the Holder.
SECTION 3. REGISTRATION OF TRANSFERS AND EXCHANGES.
a) DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS. This Debenture is exchangeable
for an equal aggregate principal amount of Debentures of different
authorized denominations, as requested by the Holder surrendering the
same. No service charge will be made for such registration of transfer
or exchange.
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b) INVESTMENT REPRESENTATIONS. This Debenture has been
issued subject to certain investment representations of the original
Holder set forth in the Securities Agreement and may be transferred or
exchanged only in compliance with the Securities Agreement and
applicable federal and state securities laws and regulations.
c) RELIANCE ON DEBENTURE REGISTER. Prior to due presentment
to the Borrowers for transfer of this Debenture, the Borrowers and any
agent of the Borrowers may treat the Person in whose name this Debenture
is duly registered on the Debenture Register as the owner hereof for the
purpose of receiving payment as herein provided and for all other
purposes, whether or not this Debenture is overdue, and neither the
Borrowers nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the
contrary.
SECTION 4. CONVERSION.
a) VOLUNTARY CONVERSION. At any time after the Original
Issue Date until this Debenture is no longer outstanding, this Debenture
shall be convertible into shares of Common Stock at the option of the
Holder, in whole or in part at any time and from time to time (subject
to the limitations on conversion set forth in Section 4(c) hereof). The
Holder shall effect conversions by delivering to the Company the form of
Notice of Conversion attached hereto as ANNEX A (a "NOTICE OF
CONVERSION"), specifying therein the principal amount of Debentures to
be converted and the date on which such conversion is to be effected (a
"CONVERSION DATE"). If no Conversion Date is specified in a Notice of
Conversion, the Conversion Date shall be the date that such Notice of
Conversion is provided hereunder. To effect conversions hereunder, the
Holder shall not be required to physically surrender Debentures to the
Company unless the entire principal amount of this Debenture plus all
accrued and unpaid interest thereon has been so converted. Conversions
hereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding principal
amount of this Debenture in an amount equal to the applicable
conversion. The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing
the principal amount converted and the date of such conversions. The
Company shall deliver any objection to any Notice of Conversion within 1
Business Day of receipt of such notice. In the event of any dispute or
discrepancy, the records of the Holder shall be controlling and
determinative in the absence of manifest error. The Holder and any
assignee, by acceptance of this Debenture, acknowledge and agree that,
by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following conversion of a
portion of this Debenture, the unpaid and unconverted principal amount
of this Debenture may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.
b) CONVERSION PRICE. The conversion price in effect on any
Conversion Date shall be equal to $____2 (subject to adjustment
herein)(the "CONVERSION PRICE").
c) CONVERSION LIMITATIONS.
2 The lesser of (i) [the per share purchase price of the Able Energy
Transaction/All-American Transaction] and (ii) $3.00, subject further to
adjustments for reverse and forward stock splits and the like of the Common
Stock after the date of the All-American Purchase Agreement.
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i. RESERVED.
ii. HOLDER'S RESTRICTION ON CONVERSION. The Company
shall not effect any conversion of this Debenture, and the
Holder shall not have the right to convert any portion of this
Debenture, pursuant to Section 4(a) or otherwise, to the extent
that after giving effect to such conversion, the Holder
(together with the Holder's affiliates), as set forth on the
applicable Notice of Conversion, would beneficially own in
excess of 4.99% of the number of shares of the Common Stock
outstanding immediately after giving effect to such conversion.
For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of shares of
Common Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and its affiliates
shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon
conversion of this Debenture with respect to which the
determination of such sentence is being made, but shall exclude
the number of shares of Common Stock which would be issuable
upon (A) conversion of the remaining, nonconverted portion of
this Debenture beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its
affiliates and (B) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or
nonconverted portion of any other securities of the Company
(including, without limitation, any other Debentures or the
Warrants) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise
analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned
by the Holder or any of its affiliates. Except as set forth in
the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 4(c)(ii),
beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with
Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act. To the extent that the
limitation contained in this section applies, the determination
of whether this Debenture is convertible (in relation to other
securities owned by the Holder) and of which a portion of this
Debenture is convertible shall be in the sole discretion of such
Holder. To ensure compliance with this restriction, the Holder
will be deemed to represent to the Company each time it delivers
a Notice of Conversion that such Notice of Conversion has not
violated the restrictions set forth in this paragraph and the
Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the
accuracy of such determination. For purposes of this Section
4(c)(ii), in determining the number of outstanding shares of
Common Stock, the Holder may rely on the number of outstanding
shares of Common Stock as reflected in (x) the Company's most
recent Form 10-Q or Form 10-K, as the case may be, (y) a more
recent public announcement by the Company or (z) any other
notice by the Company or the Company's Transfer Agent setting
forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. Upon the
written or oral request of the Holder, the Company shall within
two Trading Days confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the
number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. In any case,
the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be
determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of
securities of the Company, including this Debenture, by the
Holder or its affiliates since the date as of which such number
of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported. The
provisions of this Section 4(c) may be waived by the Holder, at
the election of the Holder, upon not less than 61 days' prior
notice to the Company, and the provisions of this Section 4(c)
shall continue to apply until such 61st day (or such later date,
as determined by the Holder, as may be specified in such notice
of waiver).
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d) MECHANICS OF CONVERSION
i. CONVERSION SHARES ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION OF
PRINCIPAL AMOUNT. The number of shares of Common Stock issuable
upon a conversion hereunder shall be determined by the quotient
obtained by dividing (x) the outstanding principal amount of
this Debenture to be converted by (y) the Conversion Price. i.
ii. DELIVERY OF CERTIFICATE UPON CONVERSION. Not
later than three Trading Days after any Conversion Date, the
Company will deliver or cause to be delivered to the Holder (A)
a certificate or certificates representing the Conversion Shares
which shall be free of restrictive legends and trading
restrictions (other than those required by the Securities
Agreement) representing the number of shares of Common Stock
being acquired upon the conversion of Debentures (including, if
so timely elected by the Company, shares of Common Stock
representing the payment of accrued interest) and (B) a bank
check in the amount of accrued and unpaid interest (if the
Company is required to pay accrued interest in cash). The
Company shall, if available and if allowed under applicable
securities laws, use its best efforts to deliver any certificate
or certificates required to be delivered by the Company under
this Section electronically through the Depository Trust
Corporation or another established clearing corporation
performing similar functions.
iii. FAILURE TO DELIVER CERTIFICATES. If in the case
of any Notice of Conversion such certificate or certificates are
not delivered to or as directed by the applicable Holder by the
third Trading Day after a Conversion Date, the Holder shall be
entitled by written notice to the Company at any time on or
before its receipt of such certificate or certificates
thereafter, to rescind such conversion, in which event the
Company shall immediately return the certificates representing
the principal amount of Debentures tendered for conversion.
iv. OBLIGATION ABSOLUTE; PARTIAL LIQUIDATED DAMAGES.
If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder
such certificate or certificates pursuant to Section 4(d)(ii) by
the fifth Trading Day after the Conversion Date, the Borrowers
shall pay to such Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not
as a penalty, for each $1000 of principal amount being
converted, $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading
Day after 5 Trading Days after such damages begin to accrue) for
each Trading Day after such third Trading Day until such
certificates are delivered. The Company's obligations to issue
and deliver the Conversion Shares upon conversion of this
Debenture in accordance with the terms hereof are absolute and
unconditional, irrespective of any action or inaction by the
Holder to enforce the same, any waiver or consent with respect
to any provision hereof, the recovery of any judgment against
any Person or any action to enforce the same, or any setoff,
counterclaim, recoupment, limitation or termination, or any
breach or alleged breach by the Holder or any other Person of
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any obligation to the Company or any violation or alleged
violation of law by the Holder or any other person, and
irrespective of any other circumstance which might otherwise
limit such obligation of the Company to the Holder in connection
with the issuance of such Conversion Shares; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
such delivery shall not operate as a waiver by the Company of
any such action the Company may have against the Holder. In the
event a Holder of this Debenture shall elect to convert any or
all of the outstanding principal amount hereof, the Company may
not refuse conversion based on any claim that the Holder or any
one associated or affiliated with the Holder has been engaged in
any violation of law, agreement or for any other reason, unless,
an injunction from a court, on notice, restraining and or
enjoining conversion of all or part of this Debenture shall have
been sought and obtained and the Company posts a surety bond for
the benefit of the Holder in the amount of 150% of the principal
amount of this Debenture outstanding, which is subject to the
injunction, which bond shall remain in effect until the
completion of arbitration/litigation of the dispute and the
proceeds of which shall be payable to such Holder to the extent
it obtains judgment. In the absence of an injunction precluding
the same, the Company shall issue Conversion Shares or, if
applicable, cash, upon a properly noticed conversion. Nothing
herein shall limit a Holder's right to pursue actual damages or
declare an Event of Default pursuant to Section 8 herein for the
Company's failure to deliver Conversion Shares within the period
specified herein and such Holder shall have the right to pursue
all remedies available to it at law or in equity including,
without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or
injunctive relief. The exercise of any such rights shall not
prohibit the Holder from seeking to enforce damages pursuant to
any other Section hereof or under applicable law.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, as to any
delays in performance caused solely and directly by a Force
Majeure, the Trading Days during which such delay is occurring
shall be tolled hereunder with respect to liquidated damages,
provided that the Company has used, and continues to use, best
efforts to perform its obligations notwithstanding such Force
Majeure.
v. COMPENSATION FOR BUY-IN ON FAILURE TO TIMELY
DELIVER CERTIFICATES UPON CONVERSION. In addition to any other
rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails for any
reason to deliver to the Holder such certificate or certificates
pursuant to Section 4(d)(ii) by the third Trading Day after the
Conversion Date, and if after such third Trading Day the Holder
is required by its brokerage firm to purchase (in an open market
transaction or otherwise) Common Stock to deliver in
satisfaction of a sale by such Holder of the Conversion Shares
which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such conversion (a
"BUY-IN"), then the Borrowers shall (A) pay in cash to the
Holder (in addition to any remedies available to or elected by
the Holder) the amount by which (x) the Holder's total purchase
price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the Common
Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the product of (1) the aggregate
number of shares of Common Stock that such Holder anticipated
receiving from the conversion at issue multiplied by (2) the
actual sale price of the Common Stock at the time of
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the sale (including brokerage commissions, if any) giving rise
to such purchase obligation and (B) at the option of the Holder,
either reissue Debentures in principal amount equal to the
principal amount of the attempted conversion or deliver to the
Holder the number of shares of Common Stock that would have been
issued had the Company timely complied with its delivery
requirements under Section 4(d)(ii). For example, if the Holder
purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000
to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted conversion of
Debentures with respect to which the actual sale price of the
Conversion Shares at the time of the sale (including brokerage
commissions, if any) giving rise to such purchase obligation was
a total of $10,000 under clause (A) of the immediately preceding
sentence, the Borrowers shall be required to pay the Holder
$1,000. The Holder shall provide the Borrowers written notice
indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the
Buy-In. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the
contrary, if a Holder requires the Borrowers to make payment in
respect of a Buy-In for the failure to timely deliver
certificates hereunder and the Borrowers timely pays in full
such payment, the Borrowers shall not be required to pay such
Holder liquidated damages under Section 4(d)(iv) in respect of
the certificates resulting in such Buy-In.
vi. RESERVATION OF SHARES ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION.
The Company covenants that it will at all times reserve and keep
available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common
Stock solely for the purpose of issuance upon conversion of the
Debentures and payment of interest on the Debenture, each as
herein provided, free from preemptive rights or any other actual
contingent purchase rights of persons other than the Holder (and
the other Holders of the Debentures), not less than such number
of shares of the Common Stock as shall (subject to any
additional requirements of the Company as to reservation of such
shares set forth in the Securities Agreement) be issuable
(taking into account the adjustments and restrictions of Section
5) upon the conversion of the outstanding principal amount of
the Debentures and payment of interest hereunder. The Company
covenants that all shares of Common Stock that shall be so
issuable shall, upon issue, be duly and validly authorized,
issued and fully paid, nonassessable and, if the Registration
Statement is then effective under the Securities Act, registered
for public sale in accordance with such Registration Statement.
vii. FRACTIONAL SHARES. Upon a conversion hereunder
the Company shall not be required to issue stock certificates
representing fractions of shares of the Common Stock, but may if
otherwise permitted, make a cash payment in respect of any final
fraction of a share based on the VWAP at such time. If the
Company elects not, or is unable, to make such a cash payment,
the Holder shall be entitled to receive, in lieu of the final
fraction of a share, one whole share of Common Stock.
12
viii. TRANSFER TAXES. The issuance of certificates for
shares of the Common Stock on conversion of this Debenture shall
be made without charge to the Holder hereof for any documentary
stamp or similar taxes that may be payable in respect of the
issue or delivery of such certificate, provided that the Company
shall not be required to pay any tax that may be payable in
respect of any transfer involved in the issuance and delivery of
any such certificate upon conversion in a name other than that
of the Holder of such Debentures so converted and the Company
shall not be required to issue or deliver such certificates
unless or until the person or persons requesting the issuance
thereof shall have paid to the Company the amount of such tax or
shall have established to the satisfaction of the Company that
such tax has been paid.
SECTION 5. CERTAIN ADJUSTMENTS.
a) STOCK DIVIDENDS AND STOCK SPLITS. If the Company, at any
time while this Debenture is outstanding: (A) pays a stock dividend or
otherwise make a distribution or distributions on shares of its Common
Stock or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in
shares of Common Stock (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include
any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company pursuant to this
Debenture, including as interest thereon), (B) subdivides outstanding
shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (C) combines
(including by way of reverse stock split) outstanding shares of Common
Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (D) issues by reclassification
of shares of the Common Stock any shares of capital stock of the
Company, then the Conversion Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of
which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock
(excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such
event and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of
Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event. Any adjustment
made pursuant to this Section shall become effective immediately after
the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to
receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective
immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision,
combination or re-classification.
b) SUBSEQUENT EQUITY SALES. If the Company or any
Subsidiary thereof, as applicable, at any time while this Debenture is
outstanding, shall sell, grant any option to purchase or offer, sell or
grant any right to reprice its securities, or otherwise dispose of or
issue any Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents entitling any Person
to acquire shares of Common Stock, at an effective price per share less
than the then Conversion Price (such lower price, the "BASE CONVERSION
PRICE" and such issuances collectively, a "DILUTIVE ISSUANCE"), as
adjusted hereunder (if the holder of the Common Stock or Common Stock
Equivalents so issued shall at any time, whether by operation of
purchase price adjustments, reset provisions, floating conversion,
exercise or exchange prices or otherwise, or due to warrants, options or
rights per share which is issued in connection with such issuance, be
entitled to receive shares of Common Stock at an effective price per
share which is less than the Conversion Price, such issuance shall be
deemed to have occurred for less than the Conversion Price on such date
of the Dilutive
13
Issuance), then the Conversion Price shall be reduced to equal the Base
Conversion Price. Such adjustment shall be made whenever such Common
Stock or Common Stock Equivalents are issued. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, no adjustment will be made under this Section 5(b) in respect
of an Exempt Issuance. The Company shall notify the Holder in writing,
no later than the Business Day following the issuance of any Common
Stock or Common Stock Equivalents subject to this section, indicating
therein the applicable issuance price, or of applicable reset price,
exchange price, conversion price and other pricing terms (such notice
the "DILUTIVE ISSUANCE NOTICE"). For purposes of clarification, whether
or not the Company provides a Dilutive Issuance Notice pursuant to this
Section 5(b), upon the occurrence of any Dilutive Issuance, after the
date of such Dilutive Issuance the Holder is entitled to receive a
number of Conversion Shares based upon the Base Conversion Price
regardless of whether the Holder accurately refers to the Base
Conversion Price in the Notice of Conversion.
c) PRO RATA DISTRIBUTIONS. If the Company, at any time
while Debentures are outstanding, shall distribute to all holders of
Common Stock (and not to Holders) evidences of its indebtedness or
assets (including cash and cash dividends) or rights or warrants to
subscribe for or purchase any security, then in each such case the
Conversion Price shall be adjusted by multiplying such Conversion Price
in effect immediately prior to the record date fixed for determination
of stockholders entitled to receive such distribution by a fraction of
which the denominator shall be the VWAP determined as of the record date
mentioned above, and of which the numerator shall be such VWAP on such
record date less the then fair market value at such record date of the
portion of such assets or evidence of indebtedness so distributed
applicable to one outstanding share of the Common Stock as determined by
the Board of Directors in good faith. In either case the adjustments
shall be described in a statement provided to the Holder of the portion
of assets or evidences of indebtedness so distributed or such
subscription rights applicable to one share of Common Stock. Such
adjustment shall be made whenever any such distribution is made and
shall become effective immediately after the record date mentioned
above.
d) FUNDAMENTAL TRANSACTION. If, at any time while this
Debenture is outstanding, (A) the Company effects any merger or
consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (B) the
Company effects any sale of all or substantially all of its assets in
one or a series of related transactions, (C) any tender offer or
exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed
pursuant to which holders of Common Stock are permitted to tender or
exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property, or (D) the
Company effects any reclassification of the Common Stock or any
compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Common Stock is
effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or
property (in any such case, a "FUNDAMENTAL TRANSACTION"), then upon any
subsequent conversion of this Debenture, the Holder shall have the right
to receive, for each Conversion Share that would have been issuable upon
such conversion immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental
Transaction, the same kind and amount of securities, cash or property as
it would have been entitled to receive upon the occurrence of such
Fundamental Transaction if it had
14
been, immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction, the holder of
one share of Common Stock (the "ALTERNATE CONSIDERATION"). For purposes
of any such conversion, the determination of the Conversion Price shall
be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based
on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one
share of Common Stock in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company
shall apportion the Conversion Price among the Alternate Consideration
in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different
components of the Alternate Consideration. If holders of Common Stock
are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be
received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given
the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any
conversion of this Debenture following such Fundamental Transaction. To
the extent necessary to effectuate the foregoing provisions, any
successor to a Borrower or surviving entity in such Fundamental
Transaction shall (i) assume in writing all of the obligations of the
Borrower under this Debenture and the other Transaction Documents
pursuant to written agreements in form and substance satisfactory to the
Holder (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) prior
to such Fundamental Transaction and (ii) to issue to the Holder a new
debenture of such successor entity evidenced by a written instrument
substantially similar in form and substance to this Debenture,
including, without limitation, having a principal amount and interest
rate equal to the principal amounts and the interest rates of the
Debentures held by the Holder and having similar ranking to the
Debenture, and satisfactory to the Holder (any such approval not to be
unreasonably withheld or delayed). The provisions of this Section shall
apply similarly and equally to successive Fundamental Transactions and
shall be applied without regard to any limitations on the conversion or
redemption of this Debenture.
e) CALCULATIONS. All calculations under this Section 5
shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as
the case may be. For purposes of this Section 5, the number of shares of
Common Stock deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date
shall be the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding
treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding.
f) NOTICE TO HOLDERS.
i. ADJUSTMENT TO CONVERSION PRICE. Whenever the
Conversion Price is adjusted pursuant to any of this Section 5,
the Company shall promptly mail to each Holder a notice setting
forth the Conversion Price after such adjustment and setting
forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.
If the Company issues a variable rate security, despite the
prohibition thereon in the Securities Agreement, the Company
shall be deemed to have issued Common Stock or Common Stock
Equivalents at the lowest possible conversion or exercise price
at which such securities may be converted or exercised in the
case of a Variable Rate Transaction (as defined in the
Securities Agreement).
15
ii. NOTICE TO ALLOW CONVERSION BY HOLDER. If (A) the
Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution) on
the Common Stock; (B) the Company shall declare a special
nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Common
Stock; (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all
holders of the Common Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for
or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any
rights; (D) the approval of any stockholders of the Company
shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the
Common Stock, any consolidation or merger to which the Company
is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of
the assets of the Company, of any compulsory share exchange
whereby the Common Stock is converted into other securities,
cash or property; (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary
or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the
affairs of the Company; then, in each case, the Company shall
cause to be filed at each office or agency maintained for the
purpose of conversion of the Debentures, and shall cause to be
mailed to the Holders at their last addresses as they shall
appear upon the stock books of the Company, at least 10 calendar
days prior to the applicable record or effective date
hereinafter specified, a notice stating (x) the date on which a
record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend,
distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is
not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Common
Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions,
redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the
date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger,
sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective
or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders
of the Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange
their shares of the Common Stock for securities, cash or other
property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation,
merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; PROVIDED, that the
failure to mail such notice or any defect therein or in the
mailing thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate
action required to be specified in such notice. Holders are
entitled to convert Debentures during the 10-day period
commencing the date of such notice to the effective date of the
event triggering such notice.
SECTION 6. OPTIONAL REDEMPTION.
a) OPTIONAL REDEMPTION AT ELECTION OF COMPANY. Subject to
the provisions of this Section 6, at any time after the Original Issue
Date, the Company may deliver a notice to the Holders (an "OPTIONAL
REDEMPTION NOTICE" and the date such notice is deemed delivered
hereunder, the "OPTIONAL REDEMPTION NOTICE DATE") of its irrevocable
election to redeem some or all of the then outstanding Debentures, for
an amount, in cash, equal to the Optional Redemption Amount on the 20th
Trading Day following the Optional Redemption Notice Date (such date,
the "OPTIONAL REDEMPTION DATE" and such redemption, the "OPTIONAL
REDEMPTION"). The Optional Redemption Amount is due in full on the
Optional Redemption Date. The Company may only effect an Optional
Redemption if during the period commencing on the Optional Redemption
Notice Date through to the Optional Redemption Date and through and
including the date such shares
16
of Common Stock are issued to the Holder, each of the Equity Conditions
shall have been met. If any of the Equity Conditions shall cease to be
satisfied at any time during the required period, then the Holder may
elect to nullify the Optional Redemption Notice by notice to the Company
within 3 Trading Days after the first day on which any such Equity
Condition has not been met (provided that if, by a provision of the
Transaction Documents the Company is obligated to notify the Holder of
the non-existence of an Equity Condition, such notice period shall be
extended to the third Trading Day after proper notice from the Company)
in which case the Optional Redemption Notice shall be null and void, AB
INITIO. The Company covenants and agrees that it will honor all Notice
of Conversions tendered from the time of delivery of the Optional
Redemption Notice through the date all amounts owing thereon are due and
paid in full. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in the
event an Option Redemption is being undertaken in connection with a
financing that would otherwise result in an adjustment to the Conversion
Price pursuant to Section 5(b) and the Company arranges for the direct
redemption of all or part of this Debenture out of the closing of such
Dilutive Issuance, the Conversion Price as to the principal amount of
this Debenture subject to an Optional Redemption shall not be adjusted
as to such Dilutive Issuance on or before the Optional Redemption Date,
provided that in the event the Optional Redemption Amount is not paid in
full on or before the Optional Redemption Date, the Conversion Price
shall be immediately adjusted to the lower price pursuant to Section
5(b).
b) REDEMPTION PROCEDURE. The payment of cash pursuant to an
Optional Redemption shall be made on the Optional Redemption Date. If
any portion of the cash payment for an Optional Redemption, shall not be
paid by the Borrowers by the respective due date, interest shall accrue
thereon at the rate of 18% per annum (or the maximum rate permitted by
applicable law, whichever is less) until the payment of the Optional
Redemption Amount plus all amounts owing thereon is paid in full.
Alternatively, if any portion of the Optional Redemption Amount remains
unpaid after such date, the Holders subject to such redemption may
elect, by written notice to the Company given at any time thereafter, to
invalidate AB -- INITIO such redemption, notwithstanding anything herein
contained to the contrary, and, with respect the ------ failure to honor
the Optional Redemption as applicable, the Company shall have no further
right to exercise such Optional Redemption. Notwithstanding anything to
the contrary in this Section 6, the Company's determination to redeem in
cash or its elections under Section 6(a) shall be applied among the
Holders of Debentures ratably. The Holder may elect to convert the
outstanding principal amount of the Debenture pursuant to Section 4
prior to actual payment in cash for any redemption under this Section 6
by fax delivery of a Notice of Conversion to the Company.
SECTION 7. NEGATIVE COVENANTS. So long as any portion of this
Debenture is outstanding, the Borrowers will not and will not permit any of its
Subsidiaries to directly or indirectly:
a) except for Permitted Indebtedness, enter into, create,
incur, assume, guarantee or suffer to exist any indebtedness for
borrowed money of any kind, including but not limited to, a guarantee,
on or with respect to any of the equity, property or assets
17
of the Subsidiary Borrowers now owned or hereafter acquired or any
interest therein or any income or profits therefrom;
b) except for Permitted Liens, enter into, create, incur,
assume or suffer to exist any liens of any kind, on or with respect to
any of the equity, property or assets of the Subsidiary Borrowers now
owned or hereafter acquired or any interest therein or any income or
profits therefrom;
c) amend its certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other
charter documents so as to adversely affect any rights of the Holder;
d) repay, repurchase or offer to repay, repurchase or
otherwise acquire more than a DE MINIMIS number of shares of its Common
Stock or Common Stock Equivalents other than as to the Conversion Shares
to the extent permitted or required under the Transaction Documents or
as otherwise permitted by the Transaction Documents;
e) enter into any agreement with respect to any of the
foregoing; or
f) pay cash dividends on any equity securities of the
Borrowers.
SECTION 8. EVENTS OF DEFAULT.
a) "EVENT OF DEFAULT", wherever used herein, means any one
of the following events (whatever the reason and whether it shall be
voluntary or involuntary or effected by operation of law or pursuant to
any judgment, decree or order of any court, or any order, rule or
regulation of any administrative or governmental body):
i. any default in the payment of (A) the principal
amount of any Debenture, or (B) interest (including Late Fees)
on, or liquidated damages in respect of, any Debenture, as and
when the same shall become due and payable (whether on a
Conversion Date or the Maturity Date or by acceleration or
otherwise) which default, solely in the case of an interest
payment or other default under clause (B) above, is not cured,
within 5 Trading Days;
ii. the Borrowers shall fail to observe or perform
any other covenant or agreement contained in this Debenture
(other than a breach by the Company of its obligations to
deliver shares of Common Stock to the Holder upon conversion
which breach is addressed in clause (xi) below) which failure is
not cured, if possible to cure, within the earlier to occur of
(A) 10 Trading Days after notice of such default sent by the
Holder or by any other Holder and (B) 20 Trading Days after the
Borrowers shall become or should have become aware of such
failure;
iii. a material default or event of default (subject
to any grace or cure period provided for in the applicable
agreement, document or instrument) shall occur under (A) any of
the Transaction Documents other than the Debentures, or
18
(B) any other material agreement, lease, document or instrument
to which the Borrowers or any Subsidiary are bound;
iv. any representation or warranty made herein, in
any other Transaction Documents, in any written statement
pursuant hereto or thereto, or in any other report, financial
statement or certificate made or delivered to the Holder or any
other holder of Debentures shall be untrue or incorrect in any
material respect as of the date when made or deemed made;
v. (i) the Borrowers or any of its Subsidiaries
shall commence, or there shall be commenced against a Borrower
or any such Subsidiary, a case under any applicable bankruptcy
or insolvency laws as now or hereafter in effect or any
successor thereto, or the Borrowers or any Subsidiary commences
any other proceeding under any reorganization, arrangement,
adjustment of debt, relief of debtors, dissolution, insolvency
or liquidation or similar law of any jurisdiction whether now or
hereafter in effect relating to the Borrowers or any Subsidiary
thereof or (ii) there is commenced against the Borrowers or any
Subsidiary thereof any such bankruptcy, insolvency or other
proceeding which remains undismissed for a period of 60 days; or
(iii) the Borrowers or any Subsidiary thereof is adjudicated by
a court of competent jurisdiction insolvent or bankrupt; or any
order of relief or other order approving any such case or
proceeding is entered; or (iv) the Borrowers or any Subsidiary
thereof suffers any appointment of any custodian or the like for
it or any substantial part of its property which continues
undischarged or unstayed for a period of 60 days; or (v) the
Borrowers or any Subsidiary thereof makes a general assignment
for the benefit of creditors; or (vi) the Borrowers shall fail
to pay, or shall state that it is unable to pay, or shall be
unable to pay, its debts generally as they become due; or (vii)
the Borrowers or any Subsidiary thereof shall call a meeting of
its creditors with a view to arranging a composition, adjustment
or restructuring of its debts; or (viii) the Borrowers or any
Subsidiary thereof shall by any act or failure to act expressly
indicate its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any of
the foregoing; or (ix) any corporate or other action is taken by
the Borrowers or any Subsidiary thereof for the purpose of
effecting any of the foregoing;
vi. the Borrowers or any Subsidiary shall default in
any of its obligations under any mortgage, credit agreement or
other facility, indenture agreement, factoring agreement or
other instrument under which there may be issued, or by which
there may be secured or evidenced any indebtedness for borrowed
money or money due under any long term leasing or factoring
arrangement of the Borrowers in an amount exceeding $500,000,
whether such indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be
created and such default shall result in such indebtedness
becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on
which it would otherwise become due and payable;
19
vii. the Common Stock shall not be eligible for
quotation on or quoted for trading on a Trading Market and shall
not again be eligible for and quoted or listed for trading
thereon within five Trading Days;
viii. the Company shall be a party to any Change of
Control Transaction or Fundamental Transaction, shall agree to
sell or dispose of all or in excess of 40% of its assets in one
or more transactions (whether or not such sale would constitute
a Change of Control Transaction) or shall redeem or repurchase
more than a de minimis number of its outstanding shares of
Common Stock or other equity securities of the Borrowers (other
than redemptions of Conversion Shares and repurchases of shares
of Common Stock or other equity securities of departing officers
and directors of the Borrowers; provided such repurchases shall
not exceed $200,000, in the aggregate, for all officers and
directors during the term of this Debenture);
ix. a Registration Statement shall not have been
declared effective by the Commission on or prior to the 210th
calendar day after the Closing Date;
x. if, during the Effectiveness Period (as defined
in the Registration Rights Agreement), the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement lapses for any reason or the Holder shall
not be permitted to resell Registrable Securities (as defined in
the Registration Rights Agreement) under the Registration
Statement, in either case, for more than 10 consecutive Trading
Days or 15 non-consecutive Trading Days during any 12 month
period; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in the event that the Company is
negotiating a merger, consolidation, acquisition or sale of all
or substantially all of its assets or a similar transaction and
in the written opinion of counsel to the Company, the
Registration Statement, would be required to be amended to
include information concerning such transactions or the parties
thereto that is not available or may not be publicly disclosed
at the time, the Company shall be permitted an additional 10
consecutive Trading Days during any 12 month period relating to
such an event; or
xi. the Company shall fail for any reason to deliver
certificates to a Holder prior to the third Trading Day after a
Conversion Date pursuant to and in accordance with Section 4(d)
or the Company shall provide notice to the Holder, including by
way of public announcement, at any time, of its intention not to
comply with requests for conversions of any Debentures in
accordance with the terms hereof. i.
b) REMEDIES UPON EVENT OF DEFAULT. If any Event of Default
occurs, the full principal amount of this Debenture, together with
interest and other amounts owing in respect thereof, to the date of
acceleration shall become, at the Holder's election, immediately due and
payable in cash. The aggregate amount payable upon an Event of Default
shall be equal to the Mandatory Prepayment Amount. Commencing 5 days
after the occurrence of any Event of Default that results in the
eventual acceleration of this
20
Debenture, the interest rate on this Debenture shall accrue at the rate
of 18% per annum, or such lower maximum amount of interest permitted to
be charged under applicable law. All Debentures for which the full
Mandatory Prepayment Amount hereunder shall have been paid in accordance
herewith shall promptly be surrendered to or as directed by the Company.
The Holder need not provide and the Borrowers hereby waives any
presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, and the Holder
may immediately and without expiration of any grace period enforce any
and all of its rights and remedies hereunder and all other remedies
available to it under applicable law. Such declaration may be rescinded
and annulled by Holder at any time prior to payment hereunder and the
Holder shall have all rights as a Debenture holder until such time, if
any, as the full payment under this Section shall have been received by
it. No such rescission or annulment shall affect any subsequent Event of
Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
SECTION 9. MISCELLANEOUS.
a) NOTICES. Any and all notices or other communications or
deliveries to be provided by the Holder hereunder, including, without
limitation, any Notice of Conversion, shall be in writing and delivered
personally, by facsimile, sent by a nationally recognized overnight
courier service, addressed to the Company, at the address set forth
above, facsimile number ______________, ATTN:
______________________________________or such other address or facsimile
number as the Company may specify for such purposes by notice to the
Holders delivered in accordance with this Section. Any and all notices
or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Borrowers
hereunder shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile,
sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service addressed to
each Holder at the facsimile telephone number or address of such Holder
appearing on the books of the Company, or if no such facsimile telephone
number or address appears, at the principal place of business of the
Holder. Any notice or other communication or deliveries hereunder shall
be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the date of
transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile
at the facsimile telephone number specified in this Section prior to
5:30 p.m. (New York City time), (ii) the date after the date of
transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile
at the facsimile telephone number specified in this Section later than
5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any date and earlier than 11:59 p.m.
(New York City time) on such date, (iii) the second Business Day
following the date of mailing, if sent by nationally recognized
overnight courier service, or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to
whom such notice is required to be given.
b) ABSOLUTE OBLIGATION. Except as expressly provided
herein, no provision of this Debenture shall alter or impair the
obligation of the Borrowers, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay
the principal of, interest and liquidated damages (if any) on, this
Debenture at the time, place, and rate, and in the coin or currency,
herein prescribed. This Debenture is a direct debt obligation of the
Borrowers. This Debenture ranks PARI PASSU with all other Debentures now
or hereafter issued under the terms set forth herein.
21
c) MORTGAGE AND PLEDGE. This Debenture is a direct debt
obligation of the Borrowers and, pursuant to the Loan Documents and
Pledge Documents (as defined in the All American Securities Agreement),
is secured by the equity, assets and property of the Borrowers.
d) LOST OR MUTILATED DEBENTURE. If this Debenture shall be
mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall execute and
deliver, in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation of a
mutilated Debenture, or in lieu of or in substitution for a lost, stolen
or destroyed Debenture, a new Debenture for the principal amount of this
Debenture so mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed but only upon receipt
of evidence of such loss, theft or destruction of such Debenture, and of
the ownership hereof, and indemnity, if requested, all reasonably
satisfactory to the Company.
e) GOVERNING LAW. All questions concerning the
construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Debenture
shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the
internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles
of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal
proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of
the transactions contemplated by any of the Transaction Documents
(whether brought against a party hereto or its respective affiliates,
directors, officers, shareholders, employees or agents) shall be
commenced in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New
York, Borough of Manhattan (the "NEW YORK COURTS"). Each party hereto
hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the New York
Courts for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection
herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein
(including with respect to the enforcement of any of the Transaction
Documents), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in
any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally
subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, or such New York Courts
are improper or inconvenient venue for such proceeding. Each party
hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to
process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a
copy thereof 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 Debenture and agrees that such service shall
constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof.
Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right
to serve process in any manner permitted by law. Each party hereto
hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable
law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising
out of or relating to this Debenture or the transactions contemplated
hereby. If either party shall commence an action or proceeding to
enforce any provisions of this Debenture, then the prevailing party in
such action or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its
attorneys fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the
investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding.
f) WAIVER. Any waiver by the Borrowers or the Holder of a
breach of any provision of this Debenture shall not operate as or be
construed to be a waiver of any
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other breach of such provision or of any breach of any other provision
of this Debenture. The failure of the Borrowers or the Holder to insist
upon strict adherence to any term of this Debenture on one or more
occasions shall not be considered a waiver or deprive that party of the
right thereafter to insist upon strict adherence to that term or any
other term of this Debenture. Any waiver must be in writing.
g) SEVERABILITY. If any provision of this Debenture is
invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the balance of this Debenture shall
remain in effect, and if any provision is inapplicable to any person or
circumstance, it shall nevertheless remain applicable to all other
persons and circumstances. If it shall be found that any interest or
other amount deemed interest due hereunder violates applicable laws
governing usury, the applicable rate of interest due hereunder shall
automatically be lowered to equal the maximum permitted rate of
interest. The Borrowers covenant (to the extent that it may lawfully do
so) that it shall not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner
whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay,
extension or usury law or other law which would prohibit or forgive the
Borrowers from paying all or any portion of the principal of or interest
on this Debenture as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or at
any time hereafter in force, or which may affect the covenants or the
performance of this indenture, and the Borrowers (to the extent it may
lawfully do so) hereby expressly waive all benefits or advantage of any
such law, and covenants that it will not, by resort to any such law,
hinder, delay or impeded the execution of any power herein granted to
the Holder, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such as
though no such law has been enacted.
h) NEXT BUSINESS DAY. Whenever any payment or other
obligation hereunder shall be due on a day other than a Business Day,
such payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day.
i) HEADINGS. The headings contained herein are for
convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Debenture and shall
not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.
*********************
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Borrowers has caused this Debenture to be duly
executed by a duly authorized officer as of the date first above indicated.
ABLE ENERGY, INC.
By:_____________________________________
Name:
Title:
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ANNEX A
NOTICE OF CONVERSION
The undersigned hereby elects to convert principal under the Variable
Rate Convertible Debenture of Able Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"COMPANY"), due on April __, 2007 , into shares of common stock, par value
$0.001 per share (the "COMMON STOCK"), of the Company according to the
conditions hereof, as of the date written below. If shares are to be issued in
the name of a person other than the undersigned, the undersigned will pay all
transfer taxes payable with respect thereto and is delivering herewith such
certificates and opinions as reasonably requested by the Company in accordance
therewith. No fee will be charged to the holder for any conversion, except for
such transfer taxes, if any.
By the delivery of this Notice of Conversion the undersigned represents
and warrants to the Company that its ownership of the Common Stock does not
exceed the amounts determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange
Act, specified under Section 4 of this Debenture.
The undersigned agrees to comply with the prospectus delivery
requirements under the applicable securities laws in connection with any
transfer of the aforesaid shares of Common Stock.
Conversion calculations:
Date to Effect Conversion:
Principal Amount of Debentures to be Converted:
Payment of Interest in Common Stock __ yes __ no
If yes, $_____ of Interest Accrued on Account
of Conversion at Issue.
Number of shares of Common Stock to be issued:
Signature:
Name:
Address:
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SCHEDULE 1
CONVERSION SCHEDULE
The Variable Rate Convertible Debentures due April __, 2007, in the aggregate
principal amount of $____________ issued by Able Energy, Inc., a Delaware
corporation. This Conversion Schedule reflects conversions made under Section 4
of the above referenced Debenture.
Dated:
=============================== ------------------------- ======================= ------------------------------
Aggregate Principal
Amount Remaining
Date of Conversion Subsequent to
(or for first entry, Amount of Conversion
Original Issue Date) Conversion (or original Company Attest
Principal Amount)
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