Exhibit 1.2
Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc.
Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share
Sales Agreement
January 26, 2024
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated
787 Seventh Avenue, 11th Floor
New York, New York 10017
Virtu Americas LLC
1633 Broadway, 41st Floor
New York, New York 10019
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated (“Stifel”) and Virtu Americas LLC (“Virtu”; each an “Agent” and together, the “Agents”), as follows:
1. Issuance and Sale of Shares. The Company agrees that, from time to time during the term of this Agreement, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, it may issue and sell through the Agents, shares (the “Placement Shares”) of common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”); provided, however, that in no event shall the Company issue or sell through the Agents such number or dollar amount of Placement Shares that would (a) have an aggregate offering price of up to $100,000,000 (subject to the limitations of clause (c) below), (b) exceed the number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock (less shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of any outstanding securities of the Company or otherwise reserved from the Company’s authorized capital stock), (c) exceed the number or dollar amount of shares of Common Stock permitted to be sold under Form S-3 (including General Instruction I.B.6 thereof, if applicable) or (d) exceed the number or dollar amount of shares of Common Stock for which the Company has filed a Prospectus Supplement (defined below) (the lesser of (a), (b), (c) and (d), the “Maximum Amount”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the parties hereto agree that compliance with the limitations set forth in this Section 1 on the amount of Placement Shares issued and sold under this Agreement shall be the sole responsibility of the Company and that the Agents shall have no obligation in connection with such compliance. The offer and sale of Placement Shares through the Agents will be effected pursuant to the Registration Statement (as defined below) filed by the Company after such Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), although nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as requiring the Company to use the Registration Statement to issue Placement Shares.
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The Company has filed, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “Securities Act Regulations”), with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-3, including (i) a base prospectus, relating to certain securities, including the Common Stock, to be issued from time to time by the Company and (ii) a preliminary prospectus specifically relating to the Placement Shares to be issued from time to time pursuant to this Agreement, each of which incorporates by reference documents that the Company has filed or will file in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations thereunder. The Company will prepare a final prospectus specifically relating to the Placement Shares to be issued from time pursuant to this Agreement (the “ATM Prospectus”), which ATM Prospectus will be filed under Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, and shall, if necessary, prepare one or more prospectus supplements specifically relating to the Placement Shares to be issued from time pursuant to this Agreement (the “Prospectus Supplement”) to the ATM Prospectus included as part of such registration statement, which Prospectus Supplement will be filed under Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to the Agents, for use by the Agents, copies of the ATM Prospectus included as part of such registration statement, as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, if any, relating to the Placement Shares to be issued from time to time by the Company. Except where the context otherwise requires, such registration statement(s) and any post-effective amendment thereto, as amended when it becomes effective, including all documents filed as part thereof or incorporated by reference therein, and including any information contained in a Prospectus (as defined below) subsequently filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act or deemed to be a part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B of the Securities Act, is herein called the “Registration Statement.” The ATM Prospectus, including all documents incorporated therein by reference, included in the Registration Statement, as it may be supplemented, if necessary, by the Prospectus Supplement, if any, in the form in which such ATM Prospectus and/or Prospectus Supplement have most recently been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, is herein called the “Prospectus.”
Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the ATM Prospectus, any Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein (the “Incorporated Documents”), including, unless the context otherwise requires, the documents, if any, filed as exhibits to such Incorporated Documents. Any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, the ATM Prospectus, any Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act on or after the most-recent effective date of the Registration Statement, or the ATM Prospectus or the date of the Prospectus Supplement, or Prospectus, as the case may be, and incorporated therein by reference. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or to any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to include the most recent copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval system ( “EDGAR”).
2. Placements. Each time that the Company wishes to issue and sell Placement Shares hereunder (each, a “Placement”), it will notify an Agent (the “Designated Agent”) by email notice (or other method mutually agreed to by the parties) of the number of Placement Shares to be issued, the time period during which sales are requested to be made (it being understood that, if requested by the Designated Agent, sales shall not commence sooner than two (2) Business Days (as defined below) following receipt of such notification), any limitation on the number of Placement Shares that may be sold on any Trading Day (as defined below) and any minimum price below which sales may not be made (a “Placement Notice”), the form of which is attached hereto as Schedule 1. The Placement Notice shall originate from any of the individuals from the Company set forth on Schedule 3 (with a copy to each of the other individuals from the Company listed on such schedule), and shall be addressed to each of the individuals from the Designated Agent to whom the Placement Notice is delivered, as set forth on Schedule 3, as such Schedule 3 may be amended from time to time. The Placement Notice shall be effective unless and until (i) the Designated Agent declines in writing to accept the terms contained therein for any reason, in its sole discretion, which declination must occur within two (2) Business Days of the receipt of the Placement Notice, (ii) the entire amount of the Placement Shares thereunder have been sold, (iii) the Company amends, supersedes, suspends or terminates the Placement Notice or (iv) this Agreement has been terminated under the provisions of Section 12. The amount of any discount, commission or other compensation to be paid by the Company to any Designated Agent in connection with such Designated Agent’s sale of the Placement Shares, as the Designated Agent, shall be calculated in accordance with the terms set forth in Schedule 2. It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that neither the Company nor the Agents will have any obligation whatsoever with respect to a Placement or any Placement Shares unless and until the Company delivers a Placement Notice to the Designated Agent and the Designated Agent does not decline (and the Company does not suspend or terminate) such Placement Notice pursuant to the terms set forth above, and then only upon the terms specified therein and herein. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of a Placement Notice, the terms of the Placement Notice will control.
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3. Sale of Placement Shares. Subject to the provisions of Section 5(a), the Designated Agent upon receipt of a Placement Notice, for the period specified in the Placement Notice, will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations and the rules of The Nasdaq Global Market (the “Exchange”), to sell the Placement Shares up to the amount specified, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of such Placement Notice. The Designated Agent will provide written confirmation to the Company no later than the opening of the Trading Day immediately following the Trading Day (as defined below) on which it has made sales of Placement Shares hereunder setting forth the number of Placement Shares sold on such day, the compensation payable by the Company to the Designated Agent pursuant to Section 2 with respect to such sales, and the Net Proceeds (as defined below) payable to the Company, with an itemization of the deductions made by the Designated Agent (as set forth in Section 5(b)) from the gross proceeds that it receives from such sales. Subject to the terms of the Placement Notice, the Designated Agent may sell Placement Shares by any method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act Regulations, including sales made directly on or through the Exchange or any other existing trading market for the Common Stock, in negotiated transactions at market prices prevailing at the time of sale or at prices related to such prevailing market prices and/or any other method permitted by law. “Trading Day” means any day on which Common Stock is traded on the Exchange.
4. Suspension of Sales. The Company or the Designated Agent may, upon notice to the other party in writing (including by email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 3, if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply) or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable facsimile transmission or email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 3), suspend any sale of Placement Shares (a “Suspension”); provided, however, that such Suspension shall not affect or impair any party’s obligations with respect to any Placement Shares sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice. While a Suspension is in effect any obligation under Sections 7(l), 7(m), 7(n) and 7(o) with respect to the delivery of certificates, opinions, or comfort letters to the Agents, shall be waived. Each of the parties agrees that no such notice under this Section 4 shall be effective against any other party unless it is made to one of the individuals named on Schedule 3 hereto, as such schedule may be amended from time to time.
5. Sale and Delivery of Shares; Settlement.
(a) Sale of Placement Shares. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, upon the Designated Agent’s acceptance of the terms of a Placement Notice, and unless the sale of the Placement Shares described therein has been declined, suspended, or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Designated Agent, for the period specified in the Placement Notice, will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and regulations to sell such Placement Shares up to the amount specified, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of such Placement Notice. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) there can be no assurance that the Designated Agent will be successful in selling Placement Shares, (ii) no Agent will incur any liability or obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if it does not sell Placement Shares for any reason other than a failure by the such Agent to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and regulations to sell such Placement Shares as required under this Agreement and (iii) no Agent shall be under any obligation to purchase Placement Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise agreed by such Agent and the Company.
(b) Settlement of Placement Shares. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Placement Notice, settlement for sales of Placement Shares will occur on the second (2nd) Trading Day (or such earlier day as is industry practice for regular-way trading) following the date on which such sales are made (each, a “Settlement Date”). The Designated Agent shall notify the Company of each sale of Placement Shares no later than the opening of the Trading Day immediately following the Trading Day on which it has made sales of Placement Shares hereunder. The amount of proceeds to be delivered to the Company on a Settlement Date against receipt of the Placement Shares sold (the “Net Proceeds”) will be equal to the aggregate sales price received by the Designated Agent, after deduction for (i) the Designated Agent’s commission, discount or other compensation for such sales payable by the Company pursuant to Section 2 hereof, and (ii) any transaction fees imposed by any Governmental Authority (as defined below) in respect of such sales.
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(c) Delivery of Placement Shares. On or before each Settlement Date, the Company will, or will cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Placement Shares being sold by crediting the account of the Designated Agent, or such designee’s account (provided the Designated Agent shall have given the Company written notice of such designee at least one Trading Day prior to the Settlement Date) at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian System or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto which in all cases shall be freely tradable, transferable, registered shares in good deliverable form. On each Settlement Date, the Designated Agent will deliver the related Net Proceeds in same day funds to an account designated by the Company on, or prior to, the Settlement Date. If the Company, or its transfer agent (if applicable), defaults in its obligation to deliver Placement Shares on a Settlement Date, the Company agrees that in addition to and in no way limiting the rights and obligations set forth in Section 10(a) hereto, it will (i) hold each Agent (severally and not jointly) harmless against any loss, claim, damage, or expense (including reasonable and documented legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company or its transfer agent (if applicable) through no fault of such Agent and (ii) pay to the Designated Agent (without duplication) any commission, discount, or other compensation to which it would otherwise have been entitled absent such default.
(d) Denominations; Registration. Certificates for the Placement Shares, if any, shall be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Designated Agent may request in writing at least one full Business Day (as defined below) before the Settlement Date. The certificates for the Placement Shares, if any, will be made available by the Company for examination and packaging by the Designated Agent and its counsel in The City of New York not later than noon (New York time) on the Business Day prior to the Settlement Date.
(e) Limitations on Offering Size. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares if, after giving effect to the sale of such Placement Shares, the aggregate number of shares or gross sales proceeds of Placement Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement would exceed the lesser of (A) together with all sales of Placement Shares under this Agreement, the Maximum Amount and (B) the amount authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this Agreement by the Company’s board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof, and notified to the Agents in writing. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement at a price lower than the minimum price authorized from time to time by the Company’s board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof. Further, under no circumstances shall the Company cause or permit the aggregate offering amount of Placement Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement to exceed the Maximum Amount.
(f) Sales Through an Agent. With respect to the offering and sale of Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement, the Company agrees that any offer to sell Placement Shares, any solicitation of an offer to buy Placement Shares, and any sales of Placement Shares shall only be effected by or through the one Agent on any single given day, and the Company shall in no event request that more than one Agent offer or sell Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement on the same day.
6. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each of the Agents that as of the date of this Agreement and as of each Applicable Time (as defined below), unless such representation, warranty or agreement specifies a different time:
(a) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement meet the requirements for and comply with the applicable conditions set forth in Form S-3 (including General Instructions I.A and I.B) under the Securities Act. The Registration Statement filed with the Commission will be declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act prior to any sales of Placement Shares hereunder. The Prospectus will name the Agents as agents in the section entitled “Plan of Distribution.” The Company has not received, and has no notice of, any order of the Commission preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, or threatening or instituting proceedings for that purpose. The Registration Statement and the offer and sale of Placement Shares as contemplated hereby meet the requirements of Rule 415 under the Securities Act and comply in all material respects with said Rule. Any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement have been so described or filed. Copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and any such amendments or supplements and all documents incorporated by reference therein that were filed with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement have been delivered, or are available through EDGAR, to the Agents and their counsel. The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of each Settlement Date and completion of the distribution of the Placement Shares, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering or sale of the Placement Shares other than the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is currently listed on the Exchange under the trading symbol “BAER.” The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act, delisting the Common Stock from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the Exchange is contemplating terminating such registration or listing. To the Company’s knowledge, it is in compliance with all applicable listing requirements of the Exchange.
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(b) No Misstatement or Omission. The Registration Statement, when it becomes effective, and the Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, on the date of such Prospectus or amendment or supplement, conformed and will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “Rules and Regulations”). At each Settlement Date, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as of such date, will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act. The Registration Statement, when it becomes effective, did not, and will not, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, on the date thereof and at each Applicable Time (defined below), did not or will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement did not, and any further documents filed and incorporated by reference therein will not, when filed with the Commission, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements in such document, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The foregoing shall not apply to statements in, or omissions from, any such document made in reliance upon, and in strict conformity with the information furnished to the Company by the Agents specifically for use in the preparation thereof. No document has been prepared or delivered in reliance on Rule 433 of the Securities Act.
(c) Conformity with Securities Act and Exchange Act. The Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, and the documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, when such documents were or are filed with the Commission under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or became effective under the Securities Act, as the case may be, conformed or will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable.
(d) Financial Information. The financial statements, together with related schedules and notes, included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position, results of operations and changes in financial position of the Company and the Subsidiaries on the basis stated in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus at the respective dates or for the respective periods to which they apply; such statements and related schedules and notes have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) consistently applied throughout the periods involved, except as disclosed therein; and the summary financial data included in the Registration Statement, the and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the financial statements included in the Registration Statement. The pro forma combined financial information and the related notes thereto incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s Rules and Regulations with respect to pro forma financial information, and the assumptions underlying such pro forma combined financial information are reasonable and are set forth or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. No pro forma financial statements of the Company and the Subsidiaries are required by the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations to be included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that have not been included. All disclosures contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information called for and has been prepared in accordance with the Rules and Regulations applicable thereto;
(e) Conformity with EDGAR Filing. The Prospectus delivered to the Agents for use in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement will be identical to the versions of the Prospectus created to be transmitted to the Commission for filing via EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
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(f) Organization. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, except where the failure so to qualify or be in good standing, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, management, financial position, stockholders equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries (each a “Subsidiary” and together, the “Subsidiaries”), considered as one enterprise (a “Material Adverse Effect”).
(g) Subsidiaries. Each Subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated (or organized) and is validly existing as a corporation (or other organization) in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation (or organization) (to the extent the concept of good standing is applicable in such jurisdiction), with power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation (or other organization) for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which its owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, except where the failure so to qualify or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock (or other ownership interests) of each Subsidiary has been duly and validly authorized and issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through its Subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity.
(h) No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is (1) in violation of its certificate or articles of incorporation or bylaws (or other organization documents) or (2) in violation of any law, ordinance, administrative or governmental rule, any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any Governmental Authority or (3) in violation of any decree of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over it, or (4) in default in the performance of any obligation, agreement or condition contained in any bond, debenture, note or any other evidence of indebtedness or in any agreement, indenture, lease or other instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its respective properties may be bound, except, in the case of clauses (2), (3) and (4), where any such violation or default, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(i) No Termination. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has sent or received any written communication regarding termination of, or intent not to renew, any of the contracts or agreements referred to or described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or referred to or described in, or filed as an exhibit to, the Registration Statement, and no such termination or non-renewal has been threatened by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party to any such contract or agreement, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise.
(j) No Material Adverse Change. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Prospectus, any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, other than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus (including any document incorporated by reference therein). Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (including any document deemed incorporated by reference therein), there has not been (i) any material change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries (other than (w) as a result of the grant or vesting of any awards under the Company’s equity incentive plans, (x) the exercise of any outstanding stock options or warrants of the Company, (y) the conversion of any outstanding shares of Series A preferred stock of the Company in accordance with its terms or (z) the issuance or vesting of any shares of Common Stock in connection with acquisitions by the Company that are referred to or described in disclosures included in or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and the Prospectus), (ii) there has not been any Material Adverse Effect, or any development that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (iii) there has not been any transactions entered into by, and no obligations or liabilities, contingent or otherwise, incurred by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, which are material to the Company and the Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and (iv) there has not been any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock, in each case, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
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(k) Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as of the dates referred to therein; all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and conform to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and none of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are subject to any preemptive or similar rights.
(l) Authorization; Enforceability. The Company has full legal right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and perform the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles.
(m) Authorization of Placement Shares. The Placement Shares, when issued and delivered pursuant to the terms approved by the Company’s board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof, or a duly authorized executive officer, against payment therefor as provided herein, will be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of any pledge, lien, encumbrance, security interest or other claim, including any statutory or contractual preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights, and will be registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act. The Placement Shares, when issued, will conform to the description thereof set forth in or incorporated into the Prospectus.
(n) No Consents Required; No Conflicts; No Defaults. The issue and sale of the Placement Shares, the execution of this Agreement by the Company and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the certificate or articles of incorporation or by-laws (or other organization documents) of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or (iii) result in any violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their properties, except in the case of (i) or (iii), where such conflict, breach, violation, or default, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Placement Shares or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities laws or by Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Placement Shares by the Agents. None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is in breach of, in violation of, or in default under any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is subject, except where such breach, violation, or default, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(o) No Registration Rights. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, there are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered by the Company under the Securities Act, which rights have not been waived in writing.
(p) Independent Public Accounting Firm. Crowe LLP (the “Accountants”), who have certified certain of the financial statements filed with the Commission as part of, or incorporated by reference in, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and the Subsidiaries within the meaning of the Securities Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (the “PCAOB”) as required by the Securities Act. To the Company’s knowledge, Crowe LLP is not in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) with respect to the Company.
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(q) No Litigation. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, there are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any Governmental Authority pending, to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any audits or investigations by or before any Governmental Authority to which the Company or a Subsidiary is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or the Subsidiary, individually or in the aggregate, would have or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or would prevent or impair the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or which are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; and, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by any Governmental Authority or by others
(r) Consents and Permits. The Company and the Subsidiaries possess all permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Permits”) issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign Governmental Authority necessary to conduct the businesses now operated by them, except where the failure to so possess, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Permits and all of the Permits are valid and in full force and effect, except, in each case, where the failure so to comply or where the invalidity of such Permits or the failure of such Permits to be in full force and effect, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any written notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or material modification of any such Permits.
(s) Intellectual Property. The Company and the Subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, all licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks and trade names, patents and patent rights (collectively “Intellectual Property”) material to carrying on the businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, as described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any written correspondence relating to any Intellectual Property dispute or written notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company and the Subsidiaries and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, individually or in the aggregate, would have or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(t) Market Capitalization. At the time the Registration Statement was filed with the Commission, the Company met the then applicable requirements for the use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, including, but not limited to, General Instruction I.B.1 of Form S-3. The Company is not a shell company (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) and has not been a shell company for at least 12 calendar months previously and has filed current Form 10 information (as defined in Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3) with the Commission at least 12 calendar months previously reflecting its status as an entity that is not a shell company.
(u) Certain Market Activities. Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its affiliates, has taken or will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or which has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Placement Shares.
(v) Broker/Dealer Relationships. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries (i) is required to register as a “broker” or “dealer” in accordance with the provisions of the Exchange Act or (ii) directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is a “person associated with a member” or “associated person of a member” (within the meaning set forth in the FINRA Manual).
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(w) No Reliance. The Company has not relied upon the Agents or legal counsel for the Agents for any legal, tax or accounting advice in connection with the offering and sale of the Placement Shares.
(x) Taxes. All United States federal income tax returns of the Company and the Subsidiaries required by law to be filed (after taking into account any applicable extensions) have been filed and all taxes shown by such returns or otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, have been paid, except assessments against which appeals have been or will be promptly taken and as to which adequate reserves have been provided. The Company and the Subsidiaries have filed all other tax returns that are required to have been filed by them pursuant to applicable foreign, state, local or other law, except insofar as the failure to file such returns, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and have paid all taxes due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company or any Subsidiary except for such taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been provided, except insofar as the failure to pay such taxes or assessments, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company and the Subsidiaries in respect of any income and corporation tax liability for any years not finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments or re-assessments for additional income tax for any years not finally determined, except to the extent such inadequacy, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(y) Environmental Laws. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is in violation of any applicable statute or any rule, regulation, decision or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, relating to the use, production, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or relating to the protection or restoration of the environment or human exposure to hazardous or toxic substances (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), owns or operates any real property contaminated with any substance that is subject to any Environmental Laws, is liable for any off-site disposal or contamination pursuant to any Environmental Laws, or is subject to any claim relating to any Environmental Laws, which violation, contamination, liability or claim, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Company is not aware of any pending investigation which would reasonably be expected to lead to such a claim.
(z) Aircraft Carrier Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries have all air carrier, air worthiness and air registration certificates necessary to own, lease and operate their respective properties and conduct their business as described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus and all such certificates are current, valid, and in good standing, except where the failure to possess such certificates or to be so current, valid or in good standing, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or the subject of a legal enforcement action by the Federal Aviation Administration (the “FAA”) that, if decided adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to result in a modification, suspension or revocation of their air carrier, airworthiness or air registration certificates. To the knowledge of the Company, no investigation of any actual or alleged violation of any FAA regulations is currently being conducted by the FAA that would reasonably be expected to result in a material modification, suspension or revocation of an air carrier, air worthiness or air worthiness certificate or a civil penalty being assessed against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries by the FAA.
(aa) Valid Title to Aircraft. With respect to each aircraft owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the Company or such Subsidiary holds good and marketable title to such aircraft free and clear of any and all liens (other than liens securing the Company’s existing indebtedness as described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus), except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(bb) Valid Lease to Aircraft. With respect to each aircraft leased by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (i) each such aircraft lease is in full force and effect, (ii) no breach or default under any such lease has occurred and is continuing, and (iii) to the knowledge of the Company, no event which with the giving of notice or passing of time or both, would constitute a breach or default under any such lease has occurred, except with respect to clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), individually or in the aggregate, as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(cc) Valid Title. Each of the Company and each Subsidiary has good and marketable title to all real and personal property owned by it, in each case free and clear of all liens (other than liens securing the Company’s existing indebtedness as described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus), encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Prospectus or such as would not reasonably be expected to 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 or any Subsidiary; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company or any Subsidiary are held under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company or any Subsidiary.
(dd) Disclosure Controls. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have made and keep books, records and accounts, which, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries. The Company maintains 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 accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (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; and (v) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement is in conformity in all material respects with GAAP and is updated as necessary to comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations applicable thereto and present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position, results of operations and changes in financial position of the Company and the Subsidiaries on the basis stated in the Registration Statement at the respective dates or for the respective periods to which they apply. The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act; such disclosure controls and procedures are reasonably designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and regulations of the Exchange Act, and that all such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
(ee) No Significant Deficiency or Change in Internal Control. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (a) the Company has not been advised of (i) any significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls that could adversely affect the ability of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries to record, process, summarize and report financial data, or any material weaknesses in internal controls, except as has been disclosed in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission and the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed subsequent to such Annual Report; and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the internal controls of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries, and (b) since that date, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting, except as has been disclosed in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed subsequent to such Annual Report;
(ff) Sarbanes-Oxley. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
(gg) Finder’s Fees. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has incurred any liability for any finder’s fees, brokerage commissions or similar payments in connection with the transactions herein contemplated, except as may otherwise exist with respect to the Agents pursuant to this Agreement.
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(hh) Labor Disputes. No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or the Subsidiaries exists, or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent. The Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or any Subsidiary’s principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(ii) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Placement Shares as contemplated herein and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company”, as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
(jj) Operations. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (the “USA Patriot Act”), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company and its Subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency to the extent applicable to the Company and its Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental or regulatory agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(kk) Underwriter Agreements. The Company is not a party to any agreement with an agent or underwriter for any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction. No person, as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act, has the right to act as an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Company in connection with the offer and sale of the Common Stock.
(ll) ERISA. Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any Subsidiary for employees or former employees of the Company and its affiliates has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), except to the extent that failure to so comply, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code has occurred with respect to any such plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption.
(mm) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
(nn) Agent Purchases. The Company acknowledges and agrees that each Agent has informed the Company that such Agent may, to the extent permitted under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, purchase and sell Common Stock for its own account while this Agreement is in effect, provided, that (i) as to each Agent no such purchase or sales shall take place while a Placement Notice with respect to such Agent is in effect (except to the extent an Agent is the Designated Agent and in such case may engage in sales of Placement Shares purchased or deemed purchased from the Company as a “riskless principal” or in a similar capacity) and (ii) the Company shall not be deemed to have authorized or consented to any such purchases or sales by any Agent.
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(oo) 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 customary for the conduct of their businesses in which they are engaged; neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and the Company has no reason to believe that either it or any Subsidiary 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 cost increases, in each case that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(pp) No Improper Practices. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor any director, officer or employee of the Company, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, has (i) taken any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment, giving or receipt of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any government official (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) (“Government Official”) in order to influence official action, or to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws; (ii) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity, (iii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any Government Official or employee from corporate funds, (iv) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any other applicable anti-corruption laws, or (v) made any bribe, unlawful rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.
(qq) Status Under the Securities Act. The Company has filed a registration statement pursuant to the Exchange Act to register the Common Stock, and such registration statement has been declared effective, and the Company is an “ineligible issuer,” as defined under Rule 405 under the Securities Act. The Company has not prepared or used, and will not prepare or use, any “free writing prospectus” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act in connection with the offering and sale of the Placement Shares. As of the time of filing of the Registration Statement, the Company was a “smaller reporting company,” as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act;
(rr) Sanctions. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any director, officer, or, to the knowledge of the Company, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (i) is, or is controlled or 50% or more owned in the aggregate by or is acting on behalf of, one or more individuals or entities that are currently the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States (including any administered or enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of State or the Bureau of Industry and Security of the U.S. Department of Commerce), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, any member state of the European Union, HM’s Treasury of the United Kingdom or other relevant sanctions authority in a jurisdiction in which the Company or its subsidiaries operate (collectively, “Sanctions” and such persons, “Sanctioned Persons” and each such person, a “Sanctioned Person”), (ii) is located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is, or whose government is, the subject of Sanctions that broadly prohibit dealings with that country or territory (at the time of this Agreement, the Crimea, so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, Kherson, so-called Luhansk People’s Republic and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria, collectively, “Sanctioned Countries” and each such country, a “Sanctioned Country”) or (iii) will, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of this offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other individual or entity in any manner that would result in a violation of any Sanctions by, or would result in the imposition of Sanctions against, any individual or entity (including any individual or entity participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).
(ss) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in any dealings or transactions with or for the direct benefit of a person that is currently, or was at the time, the subject of any Sanctions, or with, or in a Sanctioned Country, in the preceding three years, nor does the Company or any of its Subsidiaries have any plans to engage in dealings or transactions with or for the benefit of a Sanctioned Person or with, for the benefit of, or in a Sanctioned Country. No action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company, or any of its Subsidiaries, with respect to Sanctions is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.
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(tt) Statistical and Market-Related Data. The statistical and market and industry-related data included in the Registration Statement and Prospectus are based on or derived from sources which the Company believes to be reliable and accurate or represent the Company’s good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources.
(uu) Cybersecurity. (i) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have complied, and are presently in compliance, with their privacy and security policies and with all privacy- and data security- related contractual obligations, laws and regulations regarding their collection, use transfer, storage, protection, disposal or disclosure of personally identifiable information or any other information collected from or provided by third parties; (ii) the Company and its Subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable steps consistent with industry standards and best practices to protect the information technology systems and data within the control of the Company or its Subsidiaries; (iii) the Company and its Subsidiaries have used reasonable efforts to establish, and have established, commercially reasonable disaster recovery measures for their business consistent with industry standards and best practices, including, without limitation, for the information technology systems and data within the control of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; and (iv) to the Company’s knowledge, there has been no security breach or attack or other compromise of or relating to any such information technology system or data, except in the case of clauses (i) through (iv) above, as, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(vv) Solvency. The Company is not as of the date hereof, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Placement Shares, will not be, Insolvent (as defined below). For purposes of this Section 6(vv), “Insolvent” means, with respect to any person on a particular date, (i) the present fair saleable value (or present fair market value) of such person’s assets is less than the amount required to pay such person’s total indebtedness as they become absolute and matured, (ii) such person is unable to pay its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured and due in the normal course of business, (iii) such person is not incurring debts (or is proposing to incur debts) that would be beyond its ability to pay as such debts mature or (iv) such person has unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which it is engaged as such business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted.
Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the Agents or to counsel for the Agents pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company, as applicable, to the Agents as to the matters set forth therein.
7. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each of the Agents that:
(a) Registration Statement Amendments. After the date of this Agreement and during any period in which a Prospectus relating to any Placement Shares is required to be delivered by the Agents under the Securities Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act or similar rule), (i) the Company will notify the Agents promptly of the time when any subsequent amendment to the Registration Statement, other than documents incorporated by reference, has been filed with the Commission and/or has become effective or any subsequent supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and of any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information, (ii) the Company will prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon the Agents’ reasonable request, any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that, in the Agents’ reasonable opinion, may be necessary or advisable in connection with the distribution of the Placement Shares by the Agents (provided, however, that the failure of the Agents to make such request shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect the Agents’ right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement and provided, further, that the only remedy the Agents shall have with respect to the failure to make such filing shall be to cease making sales under this Agreement until such amendment or supplement is filed); (iii) the Company will not file any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares or a security convertible into the Placement Shares unless a copy thereof has been submitted to the Agents within a reasonable period of time before the filing and the Agents has not reasonably objected thereto (provided, however, that the failure of the Agents to make such objection shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect the Agents’ right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement and provided, further, that the only remedy the Agents shall have with respect to the failure by the Company to obtain such consent shall be to cease making sales under this Agreement) and the Company will furnish to the Agents at the time of filing thereof a copy of any document that upon filing is deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or Prospectus, except for those documents available via EDGAR; and (iv) the Company will cause each amendment or supplement to the Prospectus to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act or, in the case of any document to be incorporated therein by reference, to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the Exchange Act, within the time period prescribed (the determination to file or not file any amendment or supplement with the Commission under this Section 7(a), based on the Company’s reasonable opinion or reasonable objections, shall be made exclusively by the Company).
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(b) Notice of Commission Stop Orders. The Company will advise the Agents, promptly after it receives notice or obtains knowledge thereof, of the issuance or threatened issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, of the suspension of the qualification of the Placement Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or, to the Company’s knowledge, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose; and it will promptly use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such a stop order should be issued. The Company will advise the Agents promptly after it receives any request by the Commission for any amendments to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplements to the Prospectus or for additional information related to the offering of the Placement Shares or for additional information related to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.
(c) Delivery of Prospectus; Subsequent Changes. During any period in which a Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares is required to be delivered by the Agents under the Securities Act with respect to the offer and sale of the Placement Shares, (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act or similar rule), the Company will comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as from time to time in force, and to file on or before their respective due dates all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, 15(d) or any other provision of or under the Exchange Act. If the Company has omitted any information from the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, it will use its best efforts to comply with the provisions of and make all requisite filings with the Commission pursuant to said Rule 430B and to notify the Agents promptly of all such filings if not available on EDGAR. If during such period any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during such period it is necessary to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act, the Company will promptly notify the Agents to suspend the offering of Placement Shares during such period and the Company will promptly amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such misstatement or omission or effect such compliance; provided, however, that the Company may delay any such amendment or supplement if, in the reasonable judgment of the Company, it is in the interest of the Company to do so. Until such time as the Company shall have corrected such misstatement or omission or effected such compliance, the Company shall not notify the Agents to resume the offering of Placement Shares hereunder.
(d) Listing of Placement Shares. Prior to the date of the first Placement Notice, the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Placement Shares to be listed on the Exchange.
(e) Delivery of Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company will furnish to the Agents and its counsel (at the expense of the Company) copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference therein) and all amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that are filed with the Commission during any period in which a Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares is required to be delivered under the Securities Act (including all documents filed with the Commission during such period that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein), in each case as soon as reasonably practicable and in such quantities as the Agents may from time to time reasonably request and, at request of the Agents, will also furnish copies of the Prospectus to each exchange or market on which sales of the Placement Shares may be made; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to furnish any document (other than the Prospectus) to the Agents to the extent such document is available on EDGAR.
(f) Earning Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 15 months after the end of the Company’s current fiscal quarter, an earning statement covering a 12-month period that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) and Rule 158 under the Securities Act; provided that the Company will be deemed to have furnished such statement to its security holders to the extent it is available on EDGAR.
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(g) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the Net Proceeds as described in the Prospectus in the section entitled “Use of Proceeds.”
(h) Notice of Other Sales. Without the prior written consent of Stifel, the Company will not, directly or indirectly, offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Stock (other than the Placement Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Common Stock during the period beginning on the fifth (5th) Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which any Placement Notice is delivered to the Designated Agent hereunder and ending on the fifth (5th) Trading Day immediately following the final Settlement Date with respect to Placement Shares sold pursuant to such Placement Notice (or, if the Placement Notice has been terminated or suspended prior to the sale of all Placement Shares covered by a Placement Notice, the date of such suspension or termination); and will not directly or indirectly in any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Stock (other than the Placement Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Common Stock prior to the thirtieth (30th) day immediately following the termination of this Agreement; provided, however, that such restrictions will not be required in connection with the Company’s issuance or sale of (i) shares of Common Stock, options to purchase shares of Common Stock, restricted stock units, incentive units or shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of options or vesting or settlement of restricted stock units, incentive units or performance shares or units, including any Common Stock sold on behalf of an employee to cover tax withholding or exercise price obligations, pursuant to any employee or director equity incentive or benefits plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan (but not Common Stock subject to a waiver to exceed plan limits in its dividend reinvestment plan) of the Company whether now in effect or hereafter implemented, (ii) issuance or vesting of any shares of Common Stock in connection with the acquisition by the Company of Ignis Technologies, Inc. (“Ignis”) (as described in the Prospectus) or the filing by the Company of a resale registration statement under the Securities Act for the benefit of recipients of shares of Common Stock in the Ignis acquisition, pursuant to the terms of the definitive agreement governing the Ignis acquisition, as in effect on the date hereof, (iii) Common Stock issuable upon conversion of securities (including the Series A Preferred Stock of the Company) or the exercise of warrants, options or other rights in effect or outstanding, and disclosed in filings by the Company available on EDGAR or otherwise in writing to the Agents, and (iv) Common Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock as consideration for mergers, acquisitions, other business combinations or research, collaboration, technology license, development, marketing or other similar agreements or strategic partnerships or alliances occurring after the date of this Agreement which are not issued for capital raising purposes.
(i) Change of Circumstances. The Company will, at any time during the pendency of a Placement Notice advise the Agents promptly after it shall have received notice or obtained knowledge thereof, of any information or fact that would alter or affect in any material respect any opinion, certificate, letter or other document provided to the Agents pursuant to this Agreement.
(j) Due Diligence Cooperation. During the term of this Agreement, the Company will cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by Agents or their representatives in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, providing information and making available documents and senior corporate officers, during regular business hours and at the Company’s principal offices or virtually, as the Agents may reasonably request.
(k) Required Filings Relating to Placement of Placement Shares. The Company agrees that on such dates as the Securities Act shall require, with respect to the Placement Shares, the Company will (i) file a prospectus supplement with the Commission under the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (each and every filing date under Rule 424(b), a “Filing Date”), which prospectus supplement will set forth, within the relevant period, the amount of Placement Shares sold through the Agents, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation payable by the Company to the Agents with respect to such Placement Shares, and (ii) deliver such number of copies of each such prospectus supplement to each exchange or market on which such sales were effected as may be required by the rules or regulations of such exchange or market.
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(l) Representation Dates; Certificate. (1) On or prior to the date of the first Placement Notice and (2) each time the Company:
(i) files the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares or amends or supplements (other than a prospectus supplement relating solely to an offering of securities other than the Placement Shares) the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker, or supplement but not by means of incorporation of documents by reference into the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares;
(ii) files an annual report on Form 10-K under the Exchange Act (including any Form 10- K/A containing amended financial information or a material amendment to the previously filed Form 10-K);
(iii) files its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act; or
(iv) files a current report on Form 8-K containing amended financial information (other than information “furnished” pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or to provide disclosure pursuant to Item 8.01 of Form 8-K relating to the reclassification of certain properties as discontinued operations in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144) under the Exchange Act (each date of filing of one or more of the documents referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) shall be a “Representation Date”);
the Company shall furnish the Agents (but in the case of clause (iv) above only if the Agents reasonably determine that the information contained in such Form 8-K is material) with a certificate dated the Representation Date, in the form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents and their counsel (in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A) within five (5) Trading Days of any Representation Date if requested by Stifel. The requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 7(l) shall be waived for any Representation Date occurring (i) at a time at which no Placement Notice is pending or (ii) at a time a Suspension is in effect, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers instructions for the sale of Placement Shares hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Representation Date) and the next occurring Representation Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Placement Shares following a Representation Date when no Placement Notice is pending or a Suspension was in effect and did not provide the Agents with a certificate under this Section 7(l), then before the Company delivers the instructions for the sale of Placement Shares or the Agents sell any Placement Shares pursuant to such instructions, the Company shall provide the Agents with a certificate in conformity with this Section 7(l) dated as of the date that the instructions for the sale of Placement Shares are issued.
(m) Legal Opinion. (1) On or prior to the date of the first Placement Notice and (2) within five (5) Trading Days of each Representation Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(l) for which no waiver is applicable and excluding the date of this Agreement, the Company shall cause to be furnished to the Agents a written opinion and negative assurance letter from Sidley Austin LLP (“Company Counsel”), or other counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Agents, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents and its counsel, substantially similar to the forms previously provided to the Agents and its counsel, modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented; provided, however, the Company shall be required to furnish to the Agents no more than one opinion and negative assurance letter hereunder per calendar year; provided, further, that in lieu of such opinion and negative assurance letter for subsequent periodic filings under the Exchange Act, counsel may furnish the Agents with a letter (a “Reliance Letter”) to the effect that the Agents may rely on a prior opinion or negative assurance letter delivered under this Section 7(m) to the same extent as if it were dated the date of such letter (except that statements in such prior opinion or negative assurance letter shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented as of the date of the Reliance Letter).
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(n) Comfort Letters. (1) On or prior to the date of the first Placement Notice and (2) within five (5) Trading Days of each Representation Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(l) for which no waiver is applicable and excluding the date of this Agreement, the Company shall cause each of the Accountants to furnish the Agents letters (the “Comfort Letters”), dated the date the Comfort Letters are delivered, which shall meet the requirements set forth in this Section 7(n); provided, that if requested by the Agents, the Company shall cause Comfort Letters to be furnished to the Agents within ten (10) Trading Days of the date of occurrence of any material transaction or event, including the restatement of the Company’s financial statements. The Comfort Letters from the Company’s Accountant shall be in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents, (i) confirming that it is an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act and the PCAOB, (ii) stating, as of such date, the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountant’s “comfort letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings (the first such letter, the “Initial Comfort Letters”) and (iii) updating the Initial Comfort Letters with any information that would have been included in the Initial Comfort Letters had they been given on such date and modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter.
(o) CFO Certificate. If requested by Stifel, (1) on or prior to the date of the first Placement Notice and (2) within five (5) Trading Days of each Representation Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(l) for which no waiver is applicable and excluding the date of this Agreement, the Company shall furnish to the Agents a certificate, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, of its Chief Financial Officer and Chief Investment Officer, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents.
(p) Market Activities. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, (i) take any action designed to cause or result in, or that constitutes or would reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of Placement Shares or (ii) sell, bid for, or purchase Common Stock in violation of Regulation M, or pay anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of the Placement Shares other than the Agents provided, however, that the Company may bid for and purchase shares of Common Stock in accordance with Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act. The Company will promptly notify the Agents if it has any reason to believe that Regulation M is not satisfied.
(q) Investment Company Act. The Company will conduct its affairs in such a manner so as to reasonably ensure that neither it nor any of its Subsidiaries will be or become, at any time prior to the termination of this Agreement, required to register as an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act.
(r) No Offer to Sell. Neither the Agents nor the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Agents in their capacity as such) will make, use, prepare, authorize, approve or refer to any written communication (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act), that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy Placement Shares hereunder.
(s) Blue Sky and Other Qualifications. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts, in cooperation with the Agents, to qualify the Placement Shares for offering and sale, or to obtain an exemption for the Placement Shares to be offered and sold, under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Agents may designate and to maintain such qualifications and exemptions in effect for so long as required for the distribution of the Placement Shares (but in no event for less than one year from the date of this Agreement); provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction in which the Placement Shares have been so qualified or exempt, the Company will file such statements and reports as may be required by the laws of such jurisdiction to continue such qualification or exemption, as the case may be, in effect for so long as required for the distribution of the Placement Shares (but in no event for less than one year from the date of this Agreement).
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(t) Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries will maintain and keep books, records and accounts, which, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries. The Company will 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 accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company will maintain such disclosure controls and procedures, including, without limitation, those required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and the applicable regulations thereunder that are reasonably designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the rules and regulations of the Exchange Act, and that all such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
(u) Secretary’s Certificate; Further Documentation. Prior to the date of the first Placement Notice, the Company shall deliver to the Agents a certificate of the Secretary of the Company and attested to by an executive officer of the Company, dated as of such date, certifying as to (i) the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, (ii) the Amended and Restated By-laws of the Company, (iii) the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the issuance of the Placement Shares and (iv) the incumbency of the officers duly authorized to execute this Agreement and the other documents contemplated by this Agreement. Within five (5) Trading Days of each Representation Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Agents such further information, certificates and documents as the Agents may reasonably request.
8. Payment of Expenses. The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, including any fees required by the Commission, and the printing or electronic delivery of the Prospectus as originally filed and of each amendment and supplement thereto, in such number as the Agents shall deem necessary, (ii) the printing and delivery to the Agents of this Agreement and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Placement Shares, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates, if any, for the Placement Shares to the Agents, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any capital duties, stamp duties or other duties or taxes payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Placement Shares to the Agents, (iv) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors to the Company, (v) the fees and expenses of the Agents including but not limited to the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of the counsel to the Agents, payable within 30 days of the execution of this Agreement, in an amount not to exceed $50,000 as of the date of this Agreement, plus an additional amount not to exceed $15,000 per fiscal quarter on an ongoing basis during the term of this Agreement, (vi) the qualification or exemption of the Placement Shares under state securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 7(s) hereof, including documented filing fees, the preparation, printing and delivery to the Agents of copies of the blue sky survey and reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Agents in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky survey, (vii) the printing and delivery to the Agents of copies of the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto in such number as the Agents shall deem necessary, (viii) the fees and expenses of the transfer agent and registrar for the Common Stock, (ix) the filing and other fees incident to any review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Placement Shares including the fees of the Agents’ counsel, (provided that the amount payable by the Company under clauses (vi) and (ix) with respect to fees and disbursements of counsel for the Agents shall be limited to $20,000 in the aggregate), (x) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Placement Shares on the Exchange and (xii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the Company’s obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section 8.
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9. Conditions to Agents’ Obligations. The obligations of the Agents hereunder with respect to a Placement will be subject to the continuing accuracy and completeness of the representations and warranties made by the Company herein, to the compliance in all material respects by the Company with its obligations hereunder, to the completion by the Agents of a due diligence review satisfactory to it in their reasonable judgment, and to the continuing satisfaction (or waiver by the Agents in their sole discretion) of the following additional conditions:
(a) Registration Statement Effective. The Registration Statement shall be effective and shall be available for the (i) resale of all Placement Shares issued to the Agents and not yet sold by the Agents and (ii) sale of all Placement Shares contemplated to be issued by any Placement Notice.
(b) No Material Notices. None of the following events shall have occurred and be continuing: (i) receipt by the Company of any request for additional information from the Commission or any other federal or state Governmental Authority during the period of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the response to which would require any post-effective amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; (ii) the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state Governmental Authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; (iii) receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Placement Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; or (iv) the occurrence of any event that makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue or that requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or Incorporated Documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement, it will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and, that in the case of the Prospectus, it will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(c) No Misstatement or Material Omission. The Agents shall not have advised the Company that the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in the Agents’ reasonable opinion, in consultation with outside counsel, is material, or omits to state a fact that in the Agents’ reasonable opinion is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(d) Material Changes. Except as contemplated in the Prospectus, or disclosed in the Company’s reports filed with the Commission, there shall not have been any material adverse change in the authorized capital stock of the Company or any Material Adverse Effect or any development that would cause a Material Adverse Effect, or a downgrading in or withdrawal of the rating assigned to any of the Company’s securities (other than asset backed securities) by any rating organization or a public announcement by any rating organization that it has under surveillance or review its rating of any of the Company’s securities (other than asset backed securities), the effect of which, in the case of any such action by a rating organization described above, in the reasonable judgment of the Agents (without relieving the Company of any obligation or liability it may otherwise have), is so material as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering of the Placement Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
(e) Legal Opinions.
(i) The Agents shall have received the opinions of Company Counsel required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(m) on or before the date on which such delivery of such opinions is required pursuant to Section 7(m).
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(ii) On each date on which delivery of opinions by the Company is required pursuant to Section 7(m), the Agents shall have received a written opinion and negative assurance letter of Mayer Brown LLP, counsel for the Agents, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents, dated as of such date.
(f) Comfort Letter. The Agents shall have received the comfort letters required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(n) on or before the date on which such delivery of such comfort letters are required pursuant to Section 7(n).
(g) Representation Certificate. The Agents shall have received the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(l) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 7(l).
(h) CFO Certificate. The Agents shall have received the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(o) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 7(o).
(i) No Suspension. Trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended on the Exchange and the Common Stock shall not have been delisted from the Exchange.
(j) Other Materials. On each date on which the Company is required to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(l), the Company shall have furnished to the Agents such appropriate further information, opinions, certificates, letters and other documents as the Agents may reasonably request. All such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents will be in compliance with the provisions hereof.
(k) Securities Act Filings Made. All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424 under the Securities Act to have been filed prior to the issuance of any Placement Notice hereunder shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 424.
(l) Approval for Listing. The Placement Shares shall either have been (i) approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to notice of issuance, or (ii) the Company shall have filed an application for listing of the Placement Shares on the Exchange at, or prior to, the issuance of any Placement Notice.
(m) FINRA. FINRA shall have raised no objection to the terms of this offering and the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Agents as described in the Prospectus.
(n) No Termination Event. There shall not have occurred any event that would permit the Agents to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 12(a).
10. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) Company Indemnification. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Agent and each person, if any, who controls any Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act against any and all losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses whatsoever as incurred (including without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and any and all reasonable expenses whatsoever incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, and any and all amounts paid in settlement of any claim or litigation), joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereof, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus, or in any supplement thereto or amendment thereof, or in any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the Placement Shares, including any “road show” or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically), or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
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provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereof or the Prospectus, or in any supplement thereto or amendment thereof, or in any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the Placement Shares, including any “road show” or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically) in reliance upon and in strict conformity with the written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Agent for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Agent is the information described as such in Section 10(b) below.
(b) Agent Indemnification. Each Agent, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of the directors of the Company, each of the officers of the Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement, and each other person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act, against any losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses whatsoever as incurred (including without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and any and all reasonable expenses whatsoever incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, and any and all amounts paid in settlement of any claim or litigation), joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereof, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the Placement Shares, including any “road show” or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically), the Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that any such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in strict conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Agent, through Stifel expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Agent consists of the following information in the Registration Statement or Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Agent: the legal names of each of the Agents included on the cover of the ATM Prospectus and the fifth and fourteenth paragraphs under the caption “Plan of Distribution” in the ATM Prospectus (the “Agent Information”).
(c) Procedure. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under Section 10(a) or 10(b) of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such Section, notify each party against whom indemnification is to be sought in writing of the commencement thereof (but the failure so to notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have under this Section 10 except to the extent that the indemnifying party has been materially prejudiced, through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses, by such failure). In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party, and it notifies an indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein, and jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to the extent it may elect by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnified party). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party or parties unless (i) the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by one of the indemnifying parties in connection with the defense of such action, (ii) the indemnifying parties shall not have employed counsel to have charge of the defense of such action within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action, or (iii) such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional to those available to one or all of the indemnifying parties (in which case the indemnifying parties shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events such fees and expenses shall be borne by the indemnifying parties. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, which counsel, in the event of indemnified parties under Section 10(a), shall be selected by Stifel. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
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(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 10 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 10(a) or 10(b) in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Agents, on the other hand, from the offering of the Placement Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Agents, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand, and the Agents on the other hand, from the offering of the Placement Shares shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the sale of the Placement Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total compensation received by the Agents from the sale of Placement Shares on behalf of the Company. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Agents, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Agents agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 10(d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Agents were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 10(d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this Section 10(d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 10(d), no Agent shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Placement Shares placed by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Agent has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Agents’ obligations in this Section 10(d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective agent obligations and not joint.
(e) The obligations of the parties to this Agreements contained in this Section 10 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.
11. Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in Section 10 of this Agreement and all representations and warranties of the Company herein or in certificates delivered pursuant hereto shall survive, as of their respective dates, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Agents, any controlling persons, or the Company (or any of their respective officers, directors, employees or controlling persons), (ii) delivery and acceptance of the Placement Shares and payment therefor or (iii) any termination of this Agreement.
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12. Termination.
(a) The Agents may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, as hereinafter specified at any time (1) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the date as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any change, or any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the business, properties, earnings, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, which individually or in the aggregate, in the sole judgment of Stifel, is material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to market the Placement Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Placement Shares, (2) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of Stifel, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Placement Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Placement Shares, (3) trading generally on the New York Stock Exchange or on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the Nasdaq Global Market or the Nasdaq Capital Market shall have been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by such system or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other Governmental Authority, (4) trading of any securities of the Company or any Subsidiary shall have been suspended or limited on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (5) if a major disruption of securities settlements or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred and be continuing, or (6) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either U.S. Federal or New York authorities. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 8 (Payment of Expenses), Section 10 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 11 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 17 (Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 18 (Consent to Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination. If the Agents elect to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 12(a), the Agents shall provide the required notice as specified in Section 13 (Notices).
(b) The Company shall have the right, by giving ten (10) days’ notice as hereinafter specified to the Agents to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 8, Section 10, Section 11, Section 17 and Section 18 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.
(c) The Agents shall have the right, by giving ten (10) days’ notice as hereinafter specified to terminate this Agreement in their sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 8, Section 10, Section 11, Section 17 and Section 18 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.
(d) This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect unless terminated pursuant to Sections 12(a), (b), or (c) above or otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties; provided, however, that any such termination by mutual agreement shall in all cases be deemed to provide that Section 8, Section 10, Section 11, Section 17 and Section 18 shall remain in full force and effect.
(e) Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice of termination; provided, however, that such termination shall not be effective until the close of business on the date of receipt of such notice by the Agents or the Company, as the case may be. If such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Placement Shares, such Placement Shares shall settle in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
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13. Notices. All notices or other communications required or permitted to be given by any party to any other party pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing, unless otherwise specified, and if sent to the Agents, shall be delivered to:
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated
One South Street, 15th Floor
Baltimore, Maryland 21202
Attention: Equity Capital Markets
Fax: (442)-224-1495
and
Virtu Americas LLC
1633 Broadway, 41st Floor
New York, New York 10019
Attention: Equity Capital Markets
Email: ATM@Virtu.com
with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
Mayer Brown LLP
1221 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10020
Attention: David Bakst and John Ablan
Email: dbakst@mayerbrown.com; jablan@mayerbrown.com
and if to the Company, shall be delivered to:
Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc.
90 Aviation Lane
Belgrade, Montana 59714
Attention: James Muchmore
Email: james@bridgeraerospace.com
with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
Sidley Austin LLP
787 Seventh Avenue
New York, New York 10019
Attention: Michael P. Heinz
Email: mheinz@sidley.com
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Each party to this Agreement may change such address for notices by sending to the parties to this Agreement written notice of a new address for such purpose. Each such notice or other communication shall be deemed given (i) when delivered personally or by verifiable facsimile transmission (with an original to follow) on or before 4:30 p.m., New York City time, on a Business Day or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day, (ii) on the next Business Day after timely delivery to a nationally-recognized overnight courier and (iii) on the Business Day actually received if deposited in the U.S. mail (certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid). For purposes of this Agreement, “Business Day” shall mean any day on which the Exchange and commercial banks in the City of New York are open for business.
An electronic communication (“Electronic Notice”) shall be deemed written notice for purposes of this Section 13 if sent to the electronic mail address specified by the receiving party under separate cover. Electronic Notice shall be deemed received at the time the party sending Electronic Notice receives verification of receipt by the receiving party, other than via autoreply. Any party receiving Electronic Notice may request and shall be entitled to receive the notice on paper, in a nonelectronic form (“Nonelectronic Notice”) which shall be sent to the requesting party within ten (10) days of receipt of the written request for Nonelectronic Notice.
14. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company and the Agents and their respective successors and the parties referred to in Section 10 hereof. References to any of the parties contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the successors and permitted assigns of such party. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and permitted assigns any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement. Neither party may assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party; provided, however, that the Agents may assign their rights and obligations hereunder to an affiliate thereof without obtaining the Company’s consent.
15. Adjustments for Stock Splits. The parties acknowledge and agree that all share- related numbers contained in this Agreement shall be adjusted to take into account any stock split, stock dividend or similar event effected with respect to the Placement Shares.
16. Entire Agreement; Amendment; Severability; Waiver. This Agreement (including all schedules and exhibits attached hereto and Placement Notices issued pursuant hereto) constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes all other prior and contemporaneous agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties hereto with regard to the subject matter hereof. Neither this Agreement nor any term hereof may be amended except pursuant to a written instrument executed by the Company and the Agents; provided that each party hereto may amend the list of individuals appearing under such party’s name on Schedule 3 by giving notice to the other party hereto. In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable as written by a court of competent jurisdiction, then such provision shall be given full force and effect to the fullest possible extent that it is valid, legal and enforceable, and the remainder of the terms and provisions herein shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable term or provision was not contained herein, but only to the extent that giving effect to such provision and the remainder of the terms and provisions hereof shall be in accordance with the intent of the parties as reflected in this Agreement. No implied waiver by a party shall arise in the absence of a waiver in writing signed by such party. No failure or delay in exercising any right, power, or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any right, power, or privilege hereunder.
17. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS. SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
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18. CONSENT TO JURISDICTION. 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 WITH ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, 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 BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM OR THAT THE VENUE OF SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IS IMPROPER. 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 (CERTIFIED OR REGISTERED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED) TO SUCH PARTY AT THE ADDRESS IN EFFECT FOR NOTICES TO IT UNDER THIS AGREEMENT AND AGREES THAT SUCH SERVICE SHALL CONSTITUTE GOOD AND SUFFICIENT SERVICE OF PROCESS AND NOTICE THEREOF. NOTHING CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL BE DEEMED TO LIMIT IN ANY WAY ANY RIGHT TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW.
19. Counterparts; Electronic Signature. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to this Agreement or any document to be signed in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed to include electronic signatures (including, without limitation, DocuSign and AdobeSign), deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form in compliance with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000 or any comparable state statutes, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, and the parties hereto consent to conduct the transactions contemplated hereunder by electronic means.
20. Construction. The section and exhibit headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof. References herein to any law, statute, ordinance, code, regulation, rule or other requirement of any Governmental Authority shall be deemed to refer to such law, statute, ordinance, code, regulation, rule or other requirement of any Governmental Authority as amended, reenacted, supplemented or superseded in whole or in part and in effect from time to time and also to all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
21. Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company represents and agrees that it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Placement Shares that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
22. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that:
(a) each Agent is acting solely as agent in connection with the public offering of the Placement Shares and in connection with each transaction contemplated by this Agreement and the process leading to such transactions, and no fiduciary or advisory relationship between the Company or any of its respective affiliates, stockholders (or other equity holders), creditors or employees or any other party, on the one hand, and any Agent, on the other hand, have been or will be created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether or not any Agent has advised or is advising the Company on other matters, and no Agent has any obligation to the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement;
(b) it is capable of evaluating and understanding, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(c) neither the Agents nor their respective affiliates have provided any legal, accounting, have consulted their own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate;
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(d) it is aware that the Agents and their respective affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and the Agents and their respective affiliates have no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship or otherwise; and
(e) it waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against the Agents or their respective affiliates for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the sale of Placement Shares under this Agreement and agrees that the Agents and their respective affiliates shall not have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract, tort or otherwise) to it in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on its behalf or in right of it or the Company, employees or creditors of the Company.
23.Qualified Financial Contract.
(a) In the event that any Agent that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Agent of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
(b) In the event that any Agent that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Agent becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Agent are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
As used in this Section 23:
“BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. Section 1841(k).
“Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. Section 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. Section 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R Section 382.2(b).
“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R Sections 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.
“U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
24. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below:
“Applicable Time” means (i) each Representation Date, (ii) the time of each sale of any Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement and (iii) each Settlement Date.
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“Governmental Authority” means (i) any federal, provincial, state, local, municipal, national or international government or governmental authority, regulatory or administrative agency, governmental commission, department, board, bureau, agency or instrumentality, court, tribunal, arbitrator or arbitral body (public or private); (ii) any self-regulatory organization; or (iii) any political subdivision of any of the foregoing.
“Rule 164,” “Rule 172,” “Rule 405,” “Rule 415,” “Rule 424,” “Rule 424(b),” and “Rule 430B,” refer to such rules under the Securities Act Regulations.
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information that is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be.
All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR and all references in this Agreement to “supplements” to the Prospectus shall include, without limitation, any supplements, “wrappers” or similar materials prepared in connection with any offering, sale or private placement of any Placement Shares by the Agents outside of the United States.
[Signature Page Follows]
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If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Company and the Agents, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and the Agents.
Very truly yours, | |
BRIDGER AEROSPACE GROUP HOLDINGS, INC. | |
By: /s/ McAndrew Rudisill | |
Name: McAndrew Rudisill | |
Title: Chief Investment Officer | |
ACCEPTED as of the date first-above written: | |
STIFEL, NICOLAUS & COMPANY, INCORPORATED | |
By: /s/ Craig DeDomenico | |
Name: Craig DeDomenico | |
Title: Managing Director | |
VIRTU AMERICAS LLC | |
By: /s/ Joshua R. Feldman | |
Name: Joshua R. Feldman | |
Title: Managing Director | |
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SCHEDULE 1
Form of Placement Notice
From: | Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc. |
To: | [Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated/Virtu Americas LLC] |
Attention: | [●] |
Subject: | Placement Notice |
Date: | [____, ___] |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the Sales Agreement among Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated and Virtu Americas LLC, dated [●], 2024, the Company hereby requests that [Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated/Virtu Americas LLC] sell up to [●] of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, at a minimum market price of $[●] per share, during the time period beginning [month, day, time] and ending [month, day, time].1
___________________________
1 Period may not begin prior to two Business Days after the date of a Placement Notice, if required by the Agent.
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SCHEDULE 2
Compensation
The Company shall pay to the Designated Agent in cash, upon each sale of Placement Shares through the Designated Agent pursuant to this Agreement, an amount equal to 3.0 % of the aggregate gross proceeds from each sale of Placement Shares.
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SCHEDULE 3
Notice Parties
The Company
Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc.
Eric Gerratt: eric@bridgeraerospace.com
McAndrew Rudisill: mcandrew@bridgeraerospace.com
James Muchmore: james@bridgeraerospace.com
The Agents
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated
Dan Covatta: dcovatta@stifel.com
John “Lou” Shaduk: jashaduk@stifel.com
Suzanne Hill: sahill@stifel.com
Virtu Americas LLC
Jeff Lumby: Jlumby@Virtu.com
Joshua R. Feldman: Jfeldman@Virtu.com
Connor Lumby: Clumby@Virtu.com
With a copy to: ATM@Virtu.com
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Exhibit A
BRIDGER AEROSPACE GROUP HOLDINGS, INC.
OFFICERS’ CERTIFICATE
[●], 2024
Each of the undersigned, the duly qualified and elected Chief Financial Officer and Chief Investment Officer, of Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), does hereby certify in such capacity and on behalf of the Company (and not in their individual capacity), pursuant to Section 7(l) of the Sales Agreement, dated [●], 2024 (the “Sales Agreement”), by and between the Company, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated and Virtu Americas LLC, that to the best of the knowledge of the undersigned:
(i)The representations and warranties of the Company in Section 6 of the Sales Agreement (A) to the extent such representations and warranties are subject to qualifications and exceptions contained therein relating to materiality or Material Adverse Effect, are true and correct on and as of the date hereof with the same force and effect as if expressly made on and as of the date hereof, except for those representations and warranties that speak solely as of a specific date and which were true and correct as of such date, and (B) to the extent that such representations and warranties are not subject to any qualifications or exceptions, are true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof as if made on and as of the date hereof with the same force and effect as if expressly made on and as of the date hereof except for those representations and warranties that speak solely as of a specific date and which were true and correct as of such date; provided, however, that such representations and warranties also shall be qualified by the disclosure included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and Prospectus; and
(ii)The Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied pursuant to the Sales Agreement at or prior to the date hereof.
Mayer Brown LLP and Sidley Austin LLP are entitled to rely upon this certificate in connection with the opinions given by such firms pursuant to the Sales Agreement.
Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Sales Agreement.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank; signature page follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this certificate as of the date first written above.
BRIDGER AEROSPACE GROUP HOLDINGS, INC. | |
By: /s/ Eric Gerratt | |
Name: Eric Gerratt | |
Title: Chief Financial Officer | |
By: /s/ McAndrew Rudisill | |
Name: McAndrew Rudisill | |
Title: Chief Investment Officer |
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