EXHIBIT 10.12
VPP SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This Securities Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement”) is dated as of July 31, 2009 between Capital Growth Systems, Inc., a Florida 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 issue and sell to each Purchaser, and each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, desires to purchase 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 set forth in this Section 1.1:
“Acquiring Person” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.7.
“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 405 under the Securities Act.
“Authorized Share Approval” means (i) the vote by the stockholders of the Company to approve an amendment to the Company’s articles or certificate of incorporation that increases the number of authorized shares of Common Stock to at least 990,000,000 shares of Common Stock (the “Amendment”) and (ii) the filing by the Company of the Amendment with the Secretary of State of the State of Florida and the acceptance of the Amendment by the Secretary of State of the State of Florida.
“Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company.
“Business Day” means any day except Saturday, Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.
“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 pay the Subscription Amount and (ii) the Company’s obligations to deliver the Securities have been satisfied or waived.
“Closing Statement” means the Closing Statement in the form Annex A attached hereto.
“Collateral Agent” shall mean the collateral agent for the benefit of the Debenture holders, as named in the Security Agreement.
“Commission” means the United States 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 be 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 exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive Common Stock.
“Conversion Price” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the Debentures.
“Consent, Waiver and Amendment Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.2 (b)(i) hereof.
“Debentures” means the Original Issue Discount Secured Convertible Debentures due, subject to the terms therein, due November 30, 2011, issued by the Company to the Purchasers hereunder, in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto.
“Disclosure Schedules” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1.
“Discussion Time” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.2(f).
“Effective Date” means the earlier of (a) the effective date of a Registration Statement and (b) the date that all of Underlying Shares issuable pursuant to the Transaction Documents may be sold or are eligible for sale under Rule 144, without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions. In determining eligibility for sale under Rule 144, with respect to the Warrants, it is assumed that the Warrants shall be exercised pursuant to cashless exercise, so that the holding period for the Underlying Shares underlying the Warrants shall tack back to the holding period of the Warrants.
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“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 for such purpose by a majority of the non-employee members of the Board of Directors or a majority of the members of a committee of non-employee directors established for such purpose, (b) securities upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion of any Securities issued pursuant to the July Purchase Agreement or under the March Purchase Agreement (including but not limited to the Original Issue Discount Debentures expiring November 20, 2015 issued in exchange for the original debentures issued pursuant to that agreement), the November Purchase Agreement or this Purchase Agreement (including but not limited to the issuance of Common Stock: (i) pursuant to Section 2.1 or Section 4.14 of the July Purchase Agreement; (ii) with respect to the redemption of the Debentures and the debentures issued pursuant to the March Purchase Agreement, the November Purchase Agreement or this Purchase Agreement, or (iii) pursuant to payment of any liquidated damages with respect to the July Debentures, the July Warrants and the July Purchase Agreement and the debentures and warrants issued or issuable pursuant to the March Purchase Agreement, November Purchase Agreement and this Purchase Agreement) and/or other securities exercisable or exchangeable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding on the date of this Agreement, (c) securities issued pursuant to acquisitions or strategic transactions approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company, provided that 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) for purposes of Section 4.12 only, an issuance of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents, without registration rights, for cash consideration, to the global carrier referenced in the Company’s press release dated February 20, 2008, provided, however, any such issuance of Common Stock Equivalents shall be expressly subordinate to the Debentures pursuant to a written subordination agreement with the Purchasers that is acceptable to each Purchaser in its sole and absolute discretion; (e) outstanding Common Stock and Common Stock Equivalents as of the date hereof and all securities issuable in connection with them; and (f) for purposes of Sections 4.12 and 4.13 only, securities (including shares of Commons Stock, warrants and Common Stock Equivalents) issued in connection with the Senior Lender Loan Agreement, the terms of which are described in the Disclosure Schedules hereto).
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“GAAP” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(h).
“Holders” shall mean the persons or entities holding the Debentures from time to time.
“Indebtedness” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(aa).
��Intellectual Property Rights” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(o).
“July Debentures” shall mean the up to $10,500,000 in original principal amount (and any accretions in principal amount thereof pursuant to the terms thereof) of debentures issued by the Company in July, 2009.
“July Purchase Agreement” shall mean the purchase agreement pursuant to which the July Debentures and July Warrants are issued.
“July Purchasers Intercreditor Agreement” shall mean the intercreditor agreement in favor of the Purchasers in the form attached hereto as Exhibit H.
“July Warrants” shall mean the warrants issued pursuant to the July Purchase Agreement.
“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.
“March Purchase Agreement” means the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 11, 2008, by and among the Company and each of the purchasers signatories thereto for the issuance of debentures and warrants.
“March Purchasers” means the purchasers of the securities issued pursuant to the March Purchase Agreement and any successors in interest to any of the debentures and warrants issued pursuant to the March Purchase Agreement (by way of assignment or cancellation and reissuance of the same).
“March Registration Rights Agreement” means the Registration Rights Agreement, dated March 11, 2008, by and among the Company and each of the March Purchasers.
“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).
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“Maximum Rate” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 5.17.
“November Purchase Agreement” means the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of November 19, 2008, by and among the Company and each of the purchasers signatory thereto for the issuance of debentures and warrants.
“November Purchasers” means the purchasers of the securities issued pursuant to the November Purchase Agreement and any successors in interest to any of the debentures and warrants issued pursuant to the November Purchase Agreement (by way of assignment or cancellation and reissuance of the same).
“November Purchasers Intercreditor Agreement” means the intercreditor agreement dated as of November 19, 2008, duly executed by the Company, each of the Purchasers and each of the November Purchasers and each of the March Purchasers party thereto.
“Participation Maximum” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.12(a).
“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 4.12(b).
“Principal Amount” means, as to each Purchaser, the amounts set forth below such Purchaser’s signature block on the signature pages hereto next to the heading “Principal Amount,” in United States Dollars, which shall equal such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount multiplied by 1.65.
“Other Debentures” means the March Debentures, the November Debentures and the July Debentures.
“Pro Rata Portion” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.12(e).
“Proceeding” means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an informal investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.
“Purchaser Party” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.10.
“Registration Statement” means a registration statement filed pursuant to Section 4.18, registering the resale, by the Purchasers, of all of the Underlying Shares, or any portion thereof.
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“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 in full of all Warrants or conversion in full of all Debentures (including Underlying Shares issuable as payment of interest on the Debentures), 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, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Security Agreement” means the Security Agreement, dated the date hereof, among the Company and the Purchasers, in the form of Exhibit E attached hereto.
“Security Documents” shall mean the Security Agreement, the Subsidiary Guarantees, the Intercreditor Agreement, and any other documents and filing required thereunder in order to grant the Purchasers a security interest in the assets of the Company and the Subsidiaries as provided in the Security Agreement, including all UCC-1 filing receipts.
“Senior Debt” shall have the meaning set forth in the July Senior Lender Intercreditor Agreement.
“Senior Lender” shall mean ACF CGS, L.L.C. as agent for itself and other persons participating in the Senior Debt.
“Senior Lender Intercreditor Agreements” means: (i) the Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of November 19, 2008 (“November Senior Lender Intercreditor Agreement”) among the Senior Lender, the Company and the holders of the March Debentures and November Debentures as of such date; (ii) the Intercreditor Agreement among the Senior Lender, the Company and the Holders of the July Debentures dated on or about the date of this Agreement (“July Senior Lender Intercreditor Agreement”); and (iii) the Intercreditor Agreement among the Senior Lender, the Company and the holders of the Debentures.
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“Senior Lender Purchasers” means the purchasers of the securities issued pursuant to the Loan and Security Agreement dated as of November 19, 2008 by and among the Company and its Subsidiaries and ACF CGS, L.L.C. (the “Senior Lender Loan Agreement”).
“Short Sales” means all “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act (but shall not be deemed to include the location and/or reservation of borrowable shares of Common Stock).
“67% Majority” shall mean the Holders of 67% or more aggregate principal amount of the Debentures issued pursuant to this Agreement and outstanding from time to time.
“Subscription Amount” means, as to each Purchaser, the aggregate amount to be paid for Debentures and Warrants purchased hereunder as specified below such Purchaser’s name on the signature page of this Agreement and next to the heading “Subscription Amount,” in United States dollars and in immediately available funds.
“Subsequent Financing” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.12(a).
“Subsequent Financing Notice” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.12(b).
“Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Company as set forth on Schedule 3.1(a) and shall, where applicable, include any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company formed or acquired after the date hereof.
“Subsidiary Guarantee” means the Subsidiary Guarantee, dated the date hereof, by each Subsidiary in favor of the Purchasers, in the form of Exhibit F attached hereto.
“Trading Day” means a day on which the principal Trading Market is open for trading.
“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 American Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the New York Stock Exchange, the OTC Bulletin Board or the Pink Sheets.
“Transaction Documents” means this Agreement, the Debentures, the Warrants, the Security Agreement, the Subsidiary Guarantee, the Senior Lender Intercreditor Agreement, the March Purchasers Intercreditor Agreement, the November Purchasers Intercreditor Agreement, the Consent, Waiver and Amendment Agreement, all exhibits and schedules thereto and hereto and any other documents or agreements executed in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder.
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“Transfer Agent” means Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the current transfer agent of the Company with a mailing address of 17 Battery Place, New York, New York 10004 and a facsimile number of 212-509-5150, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.
“Underlying Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issued and issuable upon conversion or redemption of the Debentures and upon exercise of the Warrants and issued and issuable in lieu of the cash payment of interest on the Debentures in accordance with the terms of the Debentures.
“Variable Rate Transaction” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.13(b).
”Vendor Payment Plan” shall mean the plan put in place by the Company (on behalf of itself and its subsidiaries) and certain of the trade creditors of the Company and/or its subsidiaries on or before the date of this Agreement and as amended from time to time by the Company with the consent of the Collateral Agent, for the reduction of past due obligations of the Company and its subsidiaries to such creditors.
“VPP Debentures” shall mean the Debentures.
“VPP Warrants” shall mean the Warrants.
“VPP Purchase Agreement” shall this 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 L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. New York City time to 4:02 p.m. New York City time); (b) if the OTC Bulletin Board is not a Trading Market, 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 for trading on the OTC Bulletin Board and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported in the “Pink Sheets” published by Pink OTC Markets, Inc. (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 (d) 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 of a majority in interest of the Securities then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.
“Warrants” means, collectively, the Common Stock purchase warrants 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 from the date of the Authorized Share Approval, in the form of Exhibit C attached hereto.
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“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, substantially concurrent with the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the parties hereto, the Company agrees to sell, and the Purchasers, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase up to $4,125,000, in the aggregate, in principal amount of the Debentures (representing an aggregate “Subscription Amount” of up to $2,500,000 and an original issue discount amount of 65% of the cash Subscription Amount); any Debentures not issued on the Closing Date may be issued thereafter at such times as are mutually agreeable to the Company and the Collateral Agent (each such date being a “Subsequent Closing Date”). Each Purchaser shall deliver to the Company within one business day following execution hereof written acknowledgment of reduction in the obligations owing by the Company or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries to Purchaser of the Subscription Amount and the Company shall deliver to each Purchaser its respective Debenture and a Warrant, as determined pursuant to Section 2.2(a), and the Company and each Purchaser shall deliver the other items set forth in Section 2.2 deliverable at the Closing or any Subsequent Closing Date. Upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Sections 2.2 and 2.3, the Closing shall occur at the offices of Shefsky & Froelich Ltd. 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 such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount multiplied by 1.65, registered in the name of such Purchaser;
(iii) a Warrant registered in the name of such Purchaser to purchase up to a number of shares of Common Stock equal to 75% of such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount divided by $0.24, with an exercise price equal to $0.24, subject to adjustment therein;
(iv) the Security Agreement, duly executed by the Company and each Subsidiary, along with all of the Security Documents, including the Subsidiary Guarantee, duly executed by the parties thereto;
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(v) a form of consent, waiver and amendment agreement issued by: (A) the Senior Lender Purchasers in the form attached as Exhibit I-1 (“Senior Lender Consent, Waiver and Amendment Agreement”); and (B) holders of not less than 67% of the outstanding principal amount of the March Debentures and the November Debentures in the form attached as Exhibit I-2 (“Other Debenture Holders’ Consent, Wavier and Amendment Agreement”), consenting to the transactions contemplated herein;
(vi) the July Senior Lender Intercreditor Agreement, duly executed by the Company and the Senior Lender Purchasers, if required by Senior Lender ; and
(vii) the July Purchasers Intercreditor Agreement, duly executed by the Company and each of the July Purchasers.
(viii) evidence of the initial closing of the sale of July Debentures.
(b) On the Closing Date, each Purchaser shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Company the following (unless waived by the Company with the consent of the Collateral Agent):
(i) | this Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser; |
(ii) such Purchaser’s proof of funding of the Subscription Amount by delivery of written acknowledgment on the counterpart signature page hereof of the corresponding offset in the amount of monies otherwise owing from the Company or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries to the Purchaser.
(iii) the Security Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser;
(iv) the July Senior Lender Intercreditor Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser; and
(v) the July Purchasers Intercreditor Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser.
(c) . C losing 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 on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the Purchasers contained herein;
(ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of each Purchaser required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed; and
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(iii) the delivery by each Purchaser 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 or waived by the Purchasers.
(i) the accuracy in all material respects when made and on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein;
(ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of the Company required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed;
(iii) the delivery of the consent, waiver and amendment agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit I-1, duly executed by the parties named therein;
(iv) there shall have been no Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company since the date hereof;
(v) from the date hereof to the Closing Date, trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended by the Commission and, at any time prior to the Closing Date, a banking moratorium shall not 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 Securities at the Closing;
(vi) subscriptions for no less than $3,500,000 of July Debenture Subscription Amount must have been received by the Company, and the holders of Other Debentures holding not less than 67% of the outstanding Other Debentures principal amount must have executed the Consent, Waiver and Amendment Agreement;
(vii) the Company shall have documented a restructuring plan with the holders of not less than 60% of outstanding accounts payable of the Company which are over 60 days outstanding; and
(viii) Senior Lender and the Company shall have amended the Senior Lender Loan Agreement with respect to the covenants in a manner satisfactory to the Company and Aequitas Capital Management, Inc. (“Aequitas”) and the loan subject to the Senior Lender Loan Agreement shall continue to have a maturity date no earlier than its original maturity date, and with the Senior Lender having waived all know defaults under the Senior Loan Agreement (including with respect to the forbearance agreement dated as of July 7, 2009—“Forbearance Agreement”).
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ARTICLE III.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
3.1 Representations and Warranties of the Company. Except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedules, which Disclosure Schedules shall be deemed a part hereof and shall qualify any representation or otherwise made herein to the extent of the disclosure contained in the corresponding section of the Disclosure Schedules, the Company hereby makes the following representations and warranties to each Purchaser:
(a) Subsidiaries. All of the direct and indirect subsidiaries of the Company are set forth on Schedule 3.1(a). Except as 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 of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary are validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities.
(b) Organization and Qualification. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized, validly existing and except as noted in Schedule 3.1(b), in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with the requisite power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently conducted. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation 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 except as noted in Schedule 3.1(b) 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 condition (financial or otherwise) 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.
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(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 hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no further action is required by the Company, the Board of Directors or the Company’s stockholders in connection therewith other than in connection with the Required Approvals. Each Transaction Document to which it is a party has been (or upon delivery will have been) duly executed by the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except: (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.
(d) No Conflicts. Subject to receipt of the Senior Lender Consent, Waiver and Amendment Agreement and the Other Debenture Holders’ Consent, Waiver and Amendment Agreement, the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party and the consummation by it of the other transactions contemplated hereby and 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 party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or affected, (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) the filings required pursuant to Section 4.6, (ii) the notice and/or application(s) to each applicable Trading Market for the issuance and sale of the Securities and the listing of the Underlying Shares for trading thereon in the time and manner required thereby, and (iii) 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”).
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(f) Issuance of the Securities. The Securities (other than the Underlying Shares) 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. Subject only to the Authorized Share Approval, 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 other than restrictions on transfer provided for in the Transaction Documents.
(g) Capitalization. The capitalization of the Company is as set forth on Schedule 3.1(g), which Schedule 3.1(g) shall also include the number of shares of Common Stock owned beneficially, and of record, by Affiliates of the Company as of the date hereof. The Company has not issued any capital stock since its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act, other than pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options under the Company’s stock option plans, the issuance of shares of Common Stock to employees pursuant to the Company’s employee stock purchase plans and pursuant to the conversion and/or exercise of Common Stock Equivalents outstanding as of the date of the most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act or as reflected on Schedule 3.1(g). Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(g)(i), 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 or on Schedule 3.1(g), there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights or obligations convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire any shares of Common Stock, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue additional shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(g)(ii), the issuance and sale of the Securities will not obligate the Company to issue shares of Common Stock or other securities to any Person (other than the Purchasers) and will not result in a right of any holder of Company securities to adjust the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price under any of such securities. 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. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(g)(iii), no further approval or authorization of any stockholder, the Board of Directors 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.
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(h) SEC Reports; Financial Statements. Except for the Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2009, which are unfiled as of the date hereof, the Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the two years preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the Company was required by law or regulation to file such material) (the foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, being collectively referred to herein as the “SEC 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. Except as noted on Schedule 3.1(h), or as otherwise disclosed in subsequently filed SEC Reports filed prior to the date hereof, as of their respective dates, the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and none of the SEC Reports, when filed except as otherwise disclosed in subsequently filed SEC Reports filed prior to the date hereof, 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 the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Except as described on Schedule 3.1(h), the Company has never been an issuer subject to Rule 144(i) under the Securities Act. Except as otherwise disclosed in Schedule 3.1(h) or subsequently filed SEC Reports filed prior to the date hereof, 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. Except as otherwise disclosed in Schedule 3.1(h) or subsequently filed SEC Reports filed prior to the date hereof, 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. Other than as set forth on Schedule 3.1(i), since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC Reports, except as specifically disclosed in a subsequent SEC Report filed prior to the date hereof: (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 or in connection with the transaction contemplated by this Agreement and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Company’s financial statements pursuant to GAAP or 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. Except for the issuance of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement and the other transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents or as set forth on Schedule 3.1(i), no event, liability or development has occurred or exists with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective business, properties, operations or financial condition, that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is made or deemed made that has not been publicly disclosed at least 1 Trading Day prior to the date that this representation is made.
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(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, except as noted in Schedule 3.1(j). 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, except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(j). 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. None of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ employees is a member of a union that relates to such employee’s relationship with the Company or such Subsidiary, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to a collective bargaining agreement, and the Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relationships with their employees are good. No executive officer, to the knowledge of the Company, is, or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement or non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant in favor of any third party, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does not subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters. Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.1(k), the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all U.S. federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where the failure to be in compliance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(l) Compliance. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(l), 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 and all such laws that affect the environment, except in each case as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(m) Regulatory Permits. Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.1(m), 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 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. Except for the liens set forth on Schedule 3.1(n), the Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by them and good and marketable title in all personal property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all Liens, 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 with 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, trade secrets, inventions, copyrights, licenses and other intellectual property rights and similar rights as described in the SEC Reports as necessary or material for use in connection with their respective businesses and which the failure to so could have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “Intellectual Property Rights”). Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received a notice (written or otherwise) that any of the Intellectual Property Rights 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. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their intellectual properties, except where failure to do so could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(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 in the amount of $10.0 million. 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, trustee or partner, in each case in excess of $120,000 other than for: (i) payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and (iii) other employee benefits, including stock option agreements under any stock option plan of the Company.
(r) Sarbanes-Oxley; Internal Accounting Controls. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(r), 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. Except as noted on Schedule 3.1(r), 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. Except as noted on Schedule 3.1(r), 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 information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms. The Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by the Company’s 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. Except as noted in Schedule 3.1(r), since the Evaluation Date, there have been no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in the Exchange Act) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
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(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 the Transaction Documents, except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(s). 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 the Transaction Documents.
(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.
(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 of 1940, as amended.
(v) Registration Rights. Other than the persons specified on Schedule 3.1(v), 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 Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration. Except as noted in Schedule 3.1(w): (i) 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; and (ii) 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.
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(x) Application of Takeover Protections. The Company and the 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. Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and the Senior Lender Loan Agreement, the material terms of which are set forth on Schedule 3.1(y) (all of which shall be publicly disclosed substantially contemporaneous with the disclosure of this Agreement as required by Section 4.6), 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 it believes constitutes or might constitute material, nonpublic information. The Company understands and confirms that the Purchasers will rely on the foregoing representation in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. All disclosure furnished by or on behalf of the Company to the Purchasers regarding the Company, its business and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Disclosure Schedules to this Agreement, is true and correct and does 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 press releases disseminated by the Company during the twelve months preceding the date of this Agreement taken as a whole do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made and when made, not misleading. The Company acknowledges and agrees that no Purchaser makes or has made any representations or warranties with 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 (i) the Securities Act which would require the registration of any such securities under the Securities Act, or (ii) any applicable shareholder approval provisions of any Trading Market on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated.
(aa) Indebtedness. Schedule 3.1(aa) sets forth as of the date hereof all outstanding secured and unsecured Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary, or for which the Company or any Subsidiary has commitments. For the purposes of this Agreement, “Indebtedness” means any liabilities for borrowed money or amounts owed in excess of $50,000 (other than trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business.
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(bb) 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 or as otherwise set forth in Schedule 3.1(bb), 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.
(cc) 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.
(dd) 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.
(ee) Accountants. The Company’s present accounting firm is Asher & Company, Ltd. To the knowledge and belief of the Company, such accounting firm is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Exchange Act.
(ff) Seniority. Except for the Senior Debt and July Debentures, or as otherwise set forth on Schedule 3.1(ff), as of the Closing Date, no Indebtedness or other claim against 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 (which is senior only as to underlying assets covered thereby) and capital lease obligations (which is senior only as to the property covered thereby).
(gg) No Disagreements with Accountants and Lawyers. Except as noted in Schedule 3.1(gg): (i) there are no disagreements of any kind presently existing, or reasonably anticipated by the Company to arise, between the Company and the accountants and lawyers formerly or presently employed by the Company; and (ii) the Company is current with respect to any fees owed to its accountants and lawyers which could affect the Company’s ability to perform any of its obligations under any of the Transaction Documents.
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(hh) 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 thereby. 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 the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby and any advice given by any Purchaser or any of their respective representatives or agents in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby 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 and the other Transaction Documents has been based solely on the independent evaluation of the transactions contemplated hereby by the Company and its representatives.
(ii) Acknowledgment Regarding Purchasers’ Trading Activity. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or elsewhere herein to the contrary (except for Sections 3.2(f) and 4.15 hereof), it is understood and acknowledged by the Company that: (i) none of the Purchasers has been asked to agree by the Company, 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) past or future open market or other transactions by any Purchaser, 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) any Purchaser, and counter-parties in “derivative” transactions to which any such Purchaser is a party, directly or indirectly, may presently have a “short” position in the Common Stock and (iv) each Purchaser shall not be deemed to have any affiliation with or control over any arm’s length counter-party in any “derivative” transaction. The Company further understands and acknowledges that (y) one or more Purchasers may engage in hedging activities at various times during the period that the Securities are outstanding, including, without limitation, during the periods that the value of the Underlying Shares deliverable with respect to Securities are being determined, and (z) such hedging activities (if any) could reduce the value of the existing stockholders' equity interests in the Company at and after the time that the hedging activities are being conducted. The Company acknowledges that such aforementioned hedging activities do not constitute a breach of any of the Transaction Documents.
(jj) Regulation M Compliance. The Company has not, and to its knowledge no one acting on its behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the securities of the Company, or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company, other than, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), compensation paid to the Collateral Agent.
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3.2 Representations and Warranties of the Purchasers. Each Purchaser, for itself and for no other Purchaser, hereby represents and warrants as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date to the Company as follows:
(a) Organization; Authority. Such Purchaser if an entity, 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 hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and performance by such Purchaser of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or similar action on the part of such Purchaser. Each Transaction Document to which a Purchaser 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 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 direct or indirect arrangement or understandings with any other persons to distribute or regarding the distribution of such Securities (this representation and warranty not limiting such Purchaser’s right to sell the Securities pursuant to a 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.
(c) Purchaser Status. At the time such Purchaser was offered the Securities, such Purchaser was, and as of the date hereof such Purchaser is, and on each date on which such Purchaser exercises any Warrants or converts any Debentures such Purchaser 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.
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(d) Experience of Such Purchaser. Such Purchaser, either alone or together with his or 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.
(f) Short Sales and Confidentiality Prior To The Date Hereof. Other than consummating the transactions contemplated hereunder, such Purchaser has not directly or indirectly, nor has any Person acting on behalf of or pursuant to any understanding with such Purchaser, executed any purchases or sales, including Short Sales, of the securities of the Company during the period commencing from the time that such Purchaser first received a term sheet (written or oral) from the Company or any other Person representing the Company setting forth the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereunder until the date hereof (“Discussion Time”). 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 representation 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. Other than to other Persons party to this Agreement, such Purchaser has maintained the confidentiality of all disclosures made to it in connection with this transaction (including the existence and terms of this transaction). Notwithstanding the foregoing, for avoidance of doubt, nothing contained herein shall constitute a representation or warranty, or preclude any actions, with respect to the identification of the availability of, or securing of, available shares to borrow in order to effect short sales or similar transactions in the future.
ARTICLE IV.
OTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES
4.1 Transfer Restrictions.
(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.
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(b) The Purchasers agree to the imprinting, so long as is required by this Section 4.1, of a legend on any of the Securities in the following form:
[NEITHER] THIS SECURITY [NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THIS SECURITY IS [EXERCISABLE] [CONVERTIBLE]] HAS [NOT] 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] [CONVERSION] OF THIS SECURITY] 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, 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 subject to registration pursuant to Section 4.18, 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.
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(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 a 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, without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information required under Rule 144 as to such Underlying Shares and without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions 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 Transfer Agent if promptly after the Effective Date required by the Transfer Agent to effect the removal of the legend hereunder. If all or any portion of a Debenture is converted or Warrant is exercised 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, without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions or if such legend is not otherwise required under applicable requirements of the Securities Act (including judicial interpretations and pronouncements issued by the staff of the Commission) then such Underlying Shares shall be issued free of all legends. The Company agrees that following 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 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 the Transfer Agent that enlarge the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Section 4. Certificates for Underlying Shares subject to legend removal hereunder shall be transmitted by the Transfer Agent to the Purchaser by crediting the account of the Purchaser’s prime broker with the Depository Trust Company System as directed by such Purchaser.
(d) (i) 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 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 second Trading Day following the Legend Removal Date (the “Legend Removal Deadline”) 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.
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(ii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if at any time prior to the Senior Creditor Repayment (as defined in the July Senior Lender Intercreditor Agreement) the Company is prohibited from paying, and the Purchasers are prohibited from receiving, cash payments of liquidated damages pursuant to Section 4.1(d)(i) above, at the option of each Purchaser on written notice to the Company, such amounts otherwise payable in cash pursuant to Section 4.1(d)(i) shall either accrue, or be payable in the form of shares of Common Stock. The price at which shares of Common Stock issuable in lieu of the cash payment of liquidated damages hereunder shall be equal to the least of (x) 90% of the average of the 5 consecutive VWAPs immediately prior to the date of the applicable Legend Removal Deadline, (y) 90% of the average of the 5 consecutive VWAPs immediately prior to the date such shares are actually issued, and (z) the then applicable Conversion Price.
(e) Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, agrees that such 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, and that if Securities are sold pursuant to a Registration Statement, they will be sold in compliance with the plan of distribution set forth therein, and acknowledges 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 upon this understanding.
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, subject to the limitation that the Company is under no obligation to issue Underlying Shares until the Authorized Share Approval, 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; Public Information.
(a) From August 19, 2009 until the time that no Purchaser owns Securities, the Company covenants to timely file (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports 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, to the extent required from time to time to enable such Person to sell such Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the requirements of the exemption provided by Rule 144. Upon a cashless exercise of the Warrant, the holding period for purpose of Rule 144 shall tack back to the original date of issuance of such Warrants. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Company shall be under no obligation to file its delinquent Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 or its delinquent Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2009 until August 14, 2009 (or August 19, 2009 if timely filing of a Form 12b-25 is made).
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(b) At any time during the period commencing from the six (6) month anniversary of the date hereof and ending at such time that all of the Securities may be sold without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with Rule 144(c)(1) and otherwise without restriction or limitation pursuant to Rule 144, if the Company shall fail for any reason to satisfy the current public information requirement under Rule 144(c) (a “Public Information Failure”) then, 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, by reason of any such delay in or reduction of its ability to sell the Securities, an amount in cash equal to two percent (2.0%) of the aggregate Subscription Amount of such Purchaser’s Securities on the day of a Public Information Failure and on every thirtieth (30th) day (pro rated for periods totaling less than thirty days) thereafter until the earlier of (a) the date such Public Information Failure is cured and (b) such time that such public information is no longer required for the Purchasers to transfer the Underlying Shares pursuant to Rule 144. The payments to which a Purchaser shall be entitled pursuant to this Section 4.3(b) are referred to herein as “Public Information Failure Payments.” Public Information Failure Payments shall be paid on the earlier of (i) the last day of the calendar month during which such Public Information Failure Payments are incurred and (ii) the third (3rd) Business Day after the event or failure giving rise to the Public Information Failure Payments is cured. In the event the Company fails to make Public Information Failure Payments in a timely manner, such Public Information Failure Payments shall bear interest at the rate of 1.5% per month (prorated for partial months) until paid in full. Nothing herein shall limit such Purchaser’s right to pursue actual damages for the Public Information Failure, 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.
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if at any time prior to the Senior Creditor Repayment (as defined in the July Senior Lender Intercreditor Agreement) the Company is prohibited from paying, and the Purchasers are prohibited from receiving, cash payments of liquidated damages pursuant to Section 4.3(b) above, at the option of each Purchaser on written notice to the Company, such amounts otherwise payable in cash pursuant to Section 4.3(b) shall either accrue, or be payable in the form of shares of Common Stock. The price at which shares of Common Stock issuable in lieu of the cash payment of liquidated damages hereunder shall be equal to the least of (x) 90% of the average of the 5 consecutive VWAPs immediately prior to the date of the applicable Public Information Failure, (y) 90% of the average of the 5 consecutive VWAPs immediately prior to the date such shares are actually issued, and (z) the then applicable Conversion Price.
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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 to the Purchasers 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. Each of the Purchasers agrees the he/she/it: (i) will not convert their Debenture or exercise their Warrant until such time as the Authorized Share Approval has occurred; and (ii) grants to each executive officer of the Company an irrevocable proxy to vote all shares of Common Stock owned by the Purchaser in favor of the Authorized Share Approval. Each of the form of Notice of Exercise included in the Warrants and the form of Notice of Conversion included in the Debentures set forth the totality of the procedures required of the Purchasers in order to exercise the Warrants or convert the Debentures. No additional legal opinion, 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 8:30 a.m. (New York City time) on or before the second Trading Day immediately following the date hereof, issue a Current Report on Form 8-K disclosing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby and including the Transaction Documents as exhibits 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 nor 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 or delayed, 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: (a) as required by federal securities law in connection with (i) any registration statement contemplated by Section 4.18 of this Agreement and (ii) the filing of final Transaction Documents (including signature pages thereto) with the Commission and (b) 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 this clause (b).
4.7 Shareholder Rights Plan. No claim will be made or enforced by the Company or, with the consent of the Company, any other Person, that any Purchaser is an “Acquiring Person” under any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or similar anti-takeover 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.
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4.8 Non-Public Information. Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, 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 covenant 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 shall not use such proceeds for: (a) 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), (b) the redemption of any Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents or (c) the settlement of any outstanding litigation.
4.10 Indemnification of Purchasers. Subject to the provisions of this Section 4.10, the Company will indemnify and hold each Purchaser and its directors, officers, shareholders, members, partners, employees and agents (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title), each Person who controls such Purchaser (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, shareholders, agents, members, partners or employees (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of such controlling person (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 in any capacity, 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 representations, 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 reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser Party. 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, in which case the Company shall be responsible for the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one such separate counsel. The Company will not be liable to any Purchaser Party under this Agreement (y) for any settlement by a Purchaser Party effected without the Company’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; or (z) to the extent, but only to the extent that a loss, claim, damage or liability is attributable to any Purchaser Party’s breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by such Purchaser Party in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents.
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4.11 Reservation and Listing of Securities.
(a) Following the Authorized Share Approval, the Company shall maintain a reserve from its duly authorized shares of Common Stock for issuance pursuant to the Transaction Documents at least equal to the Required Minimum as of such date.
(b) If, on any date after the date of the Authorized Share Approval, 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 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 principal 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 such 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.
(d) In addition, the Company shall hold a special meeting of shareholders (which may also be at the annual meeting of shareholders) at the earliest practical date following the date hereof, and in any event within 50 calendar days following the clearance by the Securities and Exchange Commission of the preliminary proxy statement previously filed by the Company (so that the Company shall be permitted to mail its final proxy statement to its shareholders) for the purpose of obtaining the Authorized Share Approval, with the recommendation of the Company’s Board of Directors that such proposal be approved, and the Company shall solicit proxies from its shareholders in connection therewith in the same manner as all other management proposals in such proxy statement and all management-appointed proxyholders shall vote their proxies in favor of such proposal. In addition, the Company agrees to use its best efforts to promptly respond to any comments the Commission may have with respect to the preliminary proxy statement. If the Company does not obtain the Authorized Share Approval at the first meeting, the Company shall call a meeting every 30 days thereafter or adjourn the existing meeting and reconvene that meeting every 30 days thereafter to seek Authorized Share Approval until the earlier of the date the Authorized Share Approval is obtained or the Debentures and Warrants are no longer outstanding.
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(e) The parties acknowledge that presently the Company’s Common Stock is quoted on the Pink Sheets. Following the filing by the Company of all periodic filings with the SEC as necessary to return the Company’s Common Stock for eligibility for resale pursuant to Rule 144, the Company agrees to use its best efforts to reinstate the Common Stock for quotation on the OTC Bulletin Board or to qualify its Common Stock for quotation on another Trading Market.
4.12 Participation in Future Financing.
(a) Other than the Senior Debt, from the date hereof until the date that the Debentures are no longer outstanding, upon any issuance by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of Common Stock, Common Stock Equivalents, Indebtedness (or a combination of units hereof) (a “Subsequent Financing”), the Purchasers and holders of the Other Debentures, collectively (pro rata based on their respective subscription amounts for the Debentures and Other Debentures) shall have the right to participate in an amount of the Subsequent Financing equal to 30% of the Subsequent Financing (the “Participation Maximum”) on the same terms, conditions and price provided for in the Subsequent Financing..
(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 raised thereunder and the Person or Persons through or with whom such Subsequent Financing is proposed to be effected and shall include a term sheet or similar document relating thereto as an attachment.
(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.
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(d) If by 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the 5th 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) are, in the aggregate, less than the total amount of the Subsequent Financing, then the Company may effect the placement of the remaining portion of the Participation Maximum of such Subsequent Financing on the terms and with the Persons set forth in the Subsequent Financing Notice.
(e) If by 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the 5th 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 its Pro Rata Portion (as defined below) of the Participation Maximum. “Pro Rata Portion” means the ratio of (x) the Subscription Amount of Securities purchased on the Closing Date by a Purchaser participating under this Section 4.12 and (y) the sum of the aggregate Subscription Amounts of Securities purchased on the Closing Date by all Purchasers participating under this Section 4.12.
(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 4.12, 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 30 Trading Days after the date of the initial Subsequent Financing Notice.
(g) Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 4.12 shall not apply in respect of (i) an Exempt Issuance, or (ii) an underwritten public offering of Common Stock.
4.13 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 Equivalents.
(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. “Variable Rate Transaction” means 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 price, exercise price or exchange rate or other price that is based upon and/or varies with the trading prices of or quotations for the shares of Common Stock at any time after the initial issuance of such debt or equity securities or (B) with a conversion, exercise or exchange price that is subject to being reset at some future date after the initial issuance of such debt or equity security or upon the occurrence of specified or contingent events directly or indirectly related to the business of the Company or the market for the Common Stock or (ii) enters into any agreement, including, but not limited to, an equity line of credit, whereby the Company may sell securities at a future determined price. Any Purchaser shall be entitled to obtain injunctive relief against the Company to preclude any such issuance, which remedy shall be in addition to any right to collect damages.
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(c) Unless and until the Authorized Share Approval is obtained, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary shall issue any Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents. Any Purchaser shall be entitled to obtain injunctive relief against the Company to preclude any such issuance, which remedy shall be in addition to any right to collect damages.
(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 4.13 shall not apply in respect of an Exempt Issuance, except that no Variable Rate Transaction shall be an Exempt Issuance.
4.14 Equal Treatment of Purchasers. Except as noted below, no consideration (including any modification of any Transaction Document) 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 unless approved by the Holders of at least 67% of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures then outstanding. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Company shall be permitted: (i) to fund redemptions of the Second Tranche Debentures (as that term is defined in the July Purchase Agreement) to the extent permitted under Section 2.2 of the July Purchase Agreement; (ii) to adjust the conversion price of the Second Tranche Debentures and of other debentures held by the holders of the Second Tranche Debentures as permitted under the July Purchase Agreement; and (iii) with the consent of the Collateral Agent, to redeem in the aggregate not greater than $250,000 of principal amount of debentures issued by the Company on such terms and conditions they deem necessary and proper from any person or entity. Except for the adjustments in conversion price benefitting the Holders of Second Tranche Debentures (and the adjustments to their Other Debentures set forth in this Section 4.14), none of the adjustments to the exercise prices of the Debentures or Other Debentures per the terms of this Section 4.14 shall adjust in any manner the number of shares purchasable under or the exercise price of the Dentures, the Other Debentures, the Warrants or the warrants issued to the holders of the Other Debentures.
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4.15 Short Sales and Confidentiality After The Date Hereof. Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, covenants that neither it, nor any Affiliate acting on its behalf or pursuant to any understanding with it, will execute any Short Sales during the period commencing with the Discussion Time and ending at such time the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced as described in Section 4.6. Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, covenants that until such time as the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are publicly disclosed by the Company as described in Section 4.6, such Purchaser will maintain the confidentiality of the existence and terms of this transaction and the information included in the Transaction Documents and the Disclosure Schedules. 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 publicly announced as described in Section 4.6; provided, however, each Purchaser agrees, severally and not jointly with any other Purchasers, that they will not enter into any Net Short Sales (as hereinafter defined) from the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on the date that is the earlier of (x) the 6-month anniversary of the Closing Date or (y) the date that such Purchaser no longer holds any Debentures. For purposes of this Section 4.15, a “Net Short Sale” by any Purchaser shall mean a sale of Common Stock by such Purchaser that is marked as a short sale and that is made at a time when there is no equivalent offsetting long position in Common Stock held by such Purchaser. For purposes of determining whether there is an equivalent offsetting long position in Common Stock held by the Purchaser, Underlying Shares that have not yet been converted pursuant to the Debentures and Warrant Shares that have not yet been exercised pursuant to the Warrants shall be deemed to be held long by the Purchaser, and the amount of shares of Common Stock held in a long position shall be all unconverted Underlying Shares and unexercised Warrant Shares (ignoring any exercise limitations included therein) issuable to such Purchaser on such date, plus any shares of Common Stock or other Common Stock Equivalents (other than the unconverted Underlying Shares and unexercised Warrant Shares described in this sentence) otherwise then held by such Purchaser. 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.
4.16 Form D; Blue Sky Filings. The Company agrees to timely file a Form D with respect to the Securities as required under Regulation D and to provide a copy thereof, promptly upon request of any Purchaser. The Company shall take such action as the Company shall reasonably determine is necessary in order to obtain an exemption for, or to qualify the Securities for, sale to the Purchasers at the Closing under applicable securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states of the United States, and shall provide evidence of such actions promptly upon request of any Purchaser.
4.17 Capital Changes. Until the one year anniversary of the Effective Date, other than in connection with a Permitted Reverse Stock Split (as defined below), 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. As used herein, a “Permitted Reverse Stock Split” is a reverse stock split of the Common Stock that is approved on or before April 15, 2010 for purposes of satisfying minimum bid requirements of the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market or the Nasdaq Global Select Market, and is effective contemporaneous with, or immediately prior to, the approval of the Common Stock for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market or the Nasdaq Global Select Market.
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4.18 Registration Rights. If at any time after the date hereof, 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 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 stock option or other employee benefit plans, then, subject to SEC Guidance (as defined in the March Registration Rights Agreement) the Company shall send a written notice of such determination to each Purchaser and, if within ten calendar days after the date of delivery of such notice, any such Purchaser shall so request in writing, the Company shall include in such Registration Statement all or any part of the Underlying Shares as the Purchaser requests to be registered so long as such Underlying Shares are proposed to be disposed of in the same manner as those securities set forth in the Registration Statement, subject to pro rata cutback of the Purchasers (based upon the respective amounts of their Underlying Shares that are proposed for registration) and all other security holders proposed to be included in such Registration Statement, to the extent that all of the shares proposed for registration shall not be permitted due to SEC Guidance with respect to Rule 415. The Company shall use its best efforts to cause any Registration Statement to be declared effective by the Commission as promptly as is possible following it being filed with the Commission and to remain effective until all Underlying Shares subject thereto have been sold. All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with this Section 4.18 by the Company shall be borne by the Company whether or not any Underlying Shares are sold pursuant to the Registration Statement. The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the Purchasers, the officers, directors, members, partners, agents, brokers, investment advisors and employees of each of them, each person who controls the Purchasers (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the officers, directors, members, shareholders, partners, 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, the “Losses”), as incurred, arising out of or relating to (i) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any prospectus included therein or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any prospectus or form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading or (ii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder, in connection with the performance of its obligations under this Section 4.18, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statements or omissions referred to in (i) above are based solely upon information regarding such Purchaser furnished in writing to the Company by such Purchaser expressly for use therein, or to the extent that such information relates to such Purchaser or such Purchaser’s proposed method of distribution of Underlying Shares and was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by such Purchaser expressly for use in the Registration Statement, such prospectus or such form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto. The rights of the Purchasers under this Section 4.18 shall survive until all Underlying Shares have been either registered under a Registration Statement or been sold pursuant to an exemption to the registration requirements of the Securities Act.
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4.19 Removal of Subordination Legend. Following the Senior Creditor Repayment (as defined in the July Senior Lender Intercreditor Agreement), within 3 Business Days of a written request from any Purchaser, the Company hereby agrees to issue such Purchaser a replacement Debenture, without the restrictive legend referencing the July Senior Lender Intercreditor Agreement, and otherwise in the same form of such Purchaser’s Debenture.
4.20 Certain Permitted Payments under the July Senior Lender Intercreditor Agreement. In connection with “Permitted Payments” (as defined in the July Senior Lender Intercreditor Agreement) pursuant to Section 2(c)(iv) thereunder, no less than ten (10) days prior to the due date of such Quarterly Redemption Amounts (as defined in the Debentures) as described in such Section, the Company agrees to deliver each Purchaser a written certification of compliance with the financial covenants under the Senior Lender Loan Agreement for the month prior to the date such Quarterly Redemption Amount is due, and if requested in writing by a Purchaser and subject to Section 4.8 hereunder, calculations in reasonable detail evidencing compliance with such financial covenants.
4.21 Other Agreement(s). Intentionally Deleted.
ARTICLE V.
MISCELLANEOUS
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 July 31, 2009; provided, however, that such termination will not 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 to the Purchasers.
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5.3 Entire Agreement, Release. 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. Any obligations of the Company to each Purchaser named herein and note eliminated as a result of the Subscription Amount hereof shall remain in full force and effect. In consideration of the undertakings of each Purchaser hereunder, the Company on behalf of itself and each of its subsidiaries hereby releases each Purchaser from and against any loss, liability or claim that the Company or any of its subsidiaries may have against each Purchaser and each of its shareholders from the beginning of time through the date of this Agreement.
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 or right under this Agreement may be waived, modified, supplemented or amended except in a written instrument signed by the Company and the Purchasers holding at least 67% of the aggregate principal amount of the Debentures then outstanding. 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 any 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.
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 (other than by merger). 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 that such transferee agrees in writing to be bound, with respect to the transferred Securities, by the provisions of the Transaction Documents 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 4.10.
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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 is an 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 other manner permitted by law. 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 reasonable 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 shall survive the Closing and the delivery of the Securities for the applicable statute 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 being understood that both parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file, 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 or “.pdf” signature page were an original thereof.
5.12 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.
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5.13 Rescission and Withdrawal Right. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in (and without limiting any similar provisions of) any of the other Transaction Documents, whenever any Purchaser exercises a right, election, demand or option under a Transaction Document 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, that 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 (in the case of mutilation), 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. The applicant for a new certificate or instrument under such circumstances shall also pay any reasonable third-party costs (including customary indemnity) 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 contained in the Transaction Documents and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert 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 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.
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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 or non-performance of the obligations of any other Purchaser under any Transaction Document. Except as noted below, contained herein or in any other 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. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the terms of the Security Agreement, which include the rights of the Collateral Agent to act on behalf of all of the holders of Debentures shall govern, and each Holder agrees that so long as a Collateral Agent remains in place under the Security Agreement, it will not take independent action to enforce its rights under the Security Agreement. Each Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights (except as noted above), 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. 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.
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 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 not be a Business Day, then such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Business Day.
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5.21 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. In addition, each and every reference to share prices in any Transaction Document shall be subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of the Common Stock that occur after the date of this Agreement
5.22 Counsel. The parties acknowledge that Shefsky & Froelich Ltd. (“S&F”) serves as counsel for many of the Company’s matters. Because S&F may be a Purchaser hereunder, it has advised the Company and each of its subsidiaries that in drafting this Agreement and the associated Transaction Documents as they relate to an investment in the Debentures or associated Warrants, it has served as counsel solely for itself, and not on behalf of any of the parties hereto or their Affiliates (collectively, the “Other Parties”). It has further advised the Other Parties and the Company that a conflict of interest may be deemed to exist as a result of such relationship and provision of legal services and has advised all of them to consult with independent counsel to represent their respective interests. Each of the parties signatory hereto acknowledges having been advised of the foregoing, expressly waives any assertion of conflict of interest, and consents to the terms of this Agreement and preparation of the other Transaction Documents by S&F.
5.23 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. IN ANY ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING IN ANY JURISDICTION BROUGHT BY ANY PARTY AGAINST ANY OTHER PARTY, THE PARTIES EACH KNOWINGLY AND INTENTIONALLY, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, HEREBY ABSOLUTELY, UNCONDITIONALLY, IRREVOCABLY AND EXPRESSLY WAIVES FOREVER TRIAL BY JURY.
[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.
CAPITAL GROWTH SYSTEMS, INC. | Address for Notice: | ||
Attention Chief Executive Officer | |||
200 S. Wacker, Suite 1650 | |||
Chicago, Illinois 60606 | |||
Facsimile: 312-673-2422 | |||
By: | /s/ Patrick Shutt | ||
Name: Patrick Shutt | |||
Title: CEO |
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SIGNATURE PAGE FOR PURCHASER FOLLOWS]
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