REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated the day of July,
1998, between SOVEREIGN PARTNERS, L.P., located c/o South Ridge Capital
Management, LLC, Executive Pavilion, 90 Grove Street, No. 1, Ridgefield, CT
06877, a limited partnership organized under the laws of the State of Delaware
(the "Purchaser"), SETTONDOWN CAPITAL INTERNATIONAL, LTD., located at c/o
Charlotte House, Charlotte Street, Nassau, Bahamas, a limited liability company
organized under the laws of Bahamas, a non-USA jurisdiction (the "Finder", and
also a "Purchaser") (the Purchaser and the Finder are collectively referred to
as "Holder" or "Holders"), issued pursuant to the 6% Convertible Preferred Stock
Series 98-A Subscription Agreement of even date herewith (the "Subscription
Agreement"), and SGI INTERNATIONAL, INC., a Utah corporation having its
principal place of business at 1200 Prospect Street, Suite 325, La Jolla, CA
92037 (the "Company").
WHEREAS, simultaneously with the execution and delivery of
this Agreement, the Purchasers are purchasing from the Company, pursuant to the
Subscription Agreement an aggregate of five hundred (500) shares of Preferred
Stock, and a Warrant to purchase an aggregate of fifty thousand (50,000) shares
of Common Stock. The Common Stock of the Company underlying the Preferred Stock
is referred to as the "Conversion Shares", and the Common Stock of the Company
underlying the Warrants is referred to as the "Warrant Shares" (capitalized
terms defined in the Subscription Agreement and not otherwise defined herein
have the meanings specified in the Subscription Agreement); and
WHEREAS, simultaneously with the execution and delivery of
this Agreement, the Finder is receiving from the Company, pursuant to the
Subscription Agreement, fifty (50) shares of the Preferred Stock, and a Warrant
to purchase twenty thousand (20,000) shares of common stock of the Company; and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to grant to the Holders the
registration rights set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto mutually agree as follows:
Section 1. Registrable Securities. As used herein the term
Registrable Securities means the Conversion Shares, and the Warrant Shares;
provided, however, that with respect to any particular Registrable Security,
such security shall cease to be a Registrable Security when, as of the date of
determination, (i) it has been effectively registered under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act) and disposed of pursuant thereto, (ii)
registration under the Securities Act is no longer required for the immediate
public distribution of such security as a result of the provisions of Rule 144,
or (iii) it has ceased to be outstanding. In the event of any merger,
reorganization, consolidation, recapitalization or other change in corporate
structure affecting the Common Stock, such adjustment shall be made in the
definition of Registrable Security as is appropriate in order to prevent any
dilution or enlargement of the rights granted pursuant to this Section 1.
Section 2. Restrictions on Transfer. The Holder acknowledges
and understands that prior to the registration of the Securities as provided
herein, the Securities are "restricted securities" as defined in Rule 144
promulgated under the Securities Act. The Holder understands that no disposition
or transfer of the Securities may be made by Holder in the absence of (i) an
opinion of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Company that such transfer may
be made or (ii) a registration statement under the Securities Act is then in
effect with respect thereto.
Section 3. Registration Rights.
(a) The Company agrees that it will prepare and file with the
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), as soon as possible after the
Closing Date, on one occasion an amendment to the Form S-2 registration
statement filed with the SEC on January 23, 1998 (the "Amended Registration
Statement"), at the sole expense of the Company (except as provided in Section
3(c) hereof), in respect of all holders of Registrable Securities, so as to
permit a non-underwritten public offering and sale of the Registrable Securities
under the Securities Act, provided, the Company shall not be obligated to take
any action to effect any such registration, qualification or compliance pursuant
to this Section 3(a) in any jurisdiction in which the Company would be required
to qualify as a dealer in securities, under the securities or blue sky laws of
such jurisdiction. The Company agrees that it will use its best efforts to cause
the Amended Registration Statement to become effective within sixty (60) days
after the Closing Date. The number of Registrable Securities to be registered
shall be two hundred (200%) percent of the number of shares that would be
required if all of the Registrable Securities were converted in accordance with
the Certificate of Secretary, on a date which is five (5) business days prior to
the filing of the Amended Registration Statement.
(b) The Company will use its best efforts to maintain the
Amended Registration Statement or post-effective amendment filed under this
Section 3 hereof current under the Securities Act until the earlier of (i) the
date that all of the Registrable Securities have been sold pursuant to the
Registration Statement, (ii) the date that the Registrable Securities may be
sold under the provisions of Rule 144 or (iii) two (2) years after the effective
date of the Amended Registration Statement.
(c) All fees, disbursements and out-of-pocket expenses and
costs incurred by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of
the Amended Registration Statement under Section 3(a) and in complying with
applicable securities and Blue Sky laws (including, without limitation, all
attorneys' fees) shall be borne by the Company. The Holder shall bear the cost
of underwriting discounts and commissions, if any, applicable to the Registrable
Securities being registered and all of other the fees and expenses of such
registration, including of its counsel and such other expenses as are necessary
to qualify the sale of Securities in compliance with any state Blue Sky laws.
The Company shall use its best efforts to qualify any of the securities for sale
in such states as such Holder reasonably designates and shall furnish
indemnification in the manner provided in Section 9 hereof. However, the Company
shall not be required to qualify in any state which will require an escrow or
other restriction relating to the Company and/or the sellers. The Company at its
expense will supply the Holder with copies of such Registration Statement and
the prospectus or offering circular included therein and other related documents
in such quantities as may be reasonably requested by the Holder.
(d) The Company shall not be required by this Section 3 to
include Holder's Registrable Securities in the Amended Registration Statement
which is to be filed if, in the opinion of counsel for both the Holder and the
Company (or, should they not agree, in the opinion of another counsel
experienced in securities law matters acceptable to counsel for the Holder and
the Company) the proposed offering or other transfer as to which such
registration is requested is exempt from applicable federal and state securities
laws and would result in all purchasers or transferees obtaining securities
which are not restricted securities, as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities
Act.
(e) In the event the Amended Registration Statement to be
filed by the Company pursuant to Section 3(a) above is not filed by the Company
by the thirtieth (30th) day after the Closing Date, or if the Amended
Registration Statement is not declared effective by the SEC by the sixtieth
(60th) day after the Closing Date (the Effective Date), then the Company will
pay, in cash, to the Holder on a pro-rata basis by wire transfer, as liquidated
damages for such failure and not as a penalty, one and one-half (1.5%) percent
of the principal amount of the Securities for the first month, and two (2%)
percent of the principal amount of the Securities each month thereafter until
the Amended Registration Statement has been filed and/or declared effective. The
liquidated damages shall be payable within five (5) calendar days of written
demand by the Holder, up to one (1) year after the Closing Date.
If the Company does not remit the damages to the Holder as set
forth above, the Company will pay the Holder reasonable costs of collection,
including attorneys fees, in addition to the liquidated damages. Such payment
shall be made to the Holder in cash immediately if the registration of the
Securities are not effected; provided, however, that the payment of such
liquidated damages shall not relieve the Company from its obligations to
register the Securities pursuant to this Section. The registration of the
Securities pursuant to this provision shall not affect or limit Holder's other
rights or remedies as set forth in this Agreement.
(f) No provision contained herein shall preclude the Company
from selling securities pursuant to any registration statement in which it is
required to include Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 3.
Section 4. Cooperation with Company. Holders will cooperate
with the Company in all respects in connection with this Agreement, including,
timely supplying all information reasonably requested by the Company and
executing and returning all documents reasonably requested in connection with
the registration and sale of the Registrable Securities.
Section 5. Registration Procedures. Whenever the Company is
required by the provisions of this Agreement to effect the registration of any
of the Registrable Securities under the Securities Act, the Company shall
(except as otherwise provided in this Agreement), as expeditiously as possible:
(a) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and
supplements to such registration statement and the Prospectus used in connection
therewith as may be necessary to keep such registration statement effective as
per Section 3(b) herein and to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act
with respect to the sale or other disposition of all securities covered by such
registration statement when the Holder or Holders of such securities shall
desire to sell or otherwise dispose of the same (including prospectus
supplements with respect to the sales of securities from time to time in
connection with a registration statement pursuant to Rule 415 under the
Securities Act);
(b) furnish to each Holder such numbers of copies of a summary
prospectus or other prospectus, including a preliminary prospectus or any
amendment or supplement to any prospectus, in conformity with the requirements
of the Securities Act, and such other documents, as such Holder may reasonably
request in order to facilitate the public sale or other disposition of the
securities owned by such Holder;
(c) use its best efforts to register and qualify the
securities covered by such registration statement under such other securities or
blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Holder, shall reasonably request, and
do any and all other acts and things which may be necessary or advisable to
enable each Holder to consummate the public sale or other disposition in such
jurisdiction of the securities owned by such Holder, except that the Company
shall not for any such purpose be required to qualify to do business as a
foreign corporation in any jurisdiction wherein it is not so qualified or to
file therein any general consent to service of process;
(d) use its best efforts to list such securities on the OTC
Bulletin Board or any securities exchange on which any securities of the Company
is then listed, if the listing of such securities is then permitted under the
rules of such exchange or OTC Bulletin Board;
(e) enter into and perform its obligations under an
underwriting agreement, if the offering is an underwritten offering, in usual
and customary form, with the managing underwriter or underwriters of such
underwritten offering;
(f) notify each Holder of Registrable Securities covered by
such registration statement, at any time when a prospectus relating thereto
covered by such registration statement is required to be delivered under the
Securities Act, of the happening of any event of which it has knowledge as a
result of which the prospectus included in such registration statement, as then
in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances then existing.
Section 6. Assignment. The rights granted the Holder under
this Agreement shall not be assigned without the written consent of the Company,
which consent shall not be unnecessarily withheld. In the event of a transfer of
the rights granted under this Agreement, the Holder agrees that the Company may
require that the transferee comply with reasonable conditions as determined in
the discretion of the Company. This Agreement is binding upon and inures to the
benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, successors and
permitted assigns.
Section 7. Termination of Registration Rights. The rights granted
pursuant to this Agreement shall terminate as to each Holder (and permitted
transferees or assignees ) upon the occurrence of any of the following:
(a) all Holder's securities subject to this Agreement have been
registered;
(b) such Holder's securities subject to this Agreement may be
sold without such registration pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated by the SEC
pursuant to the Securities Act;
(c) such Holder's securities subject to this Agreement can be
sold pursuant to Rule 144(k).
Section 8. Indemnification.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Holder and each person, if any, who controls the Holder within the meaning of
the Securities Act (Distributing Holders) against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities, joint or several (which shall, for all purposes of this Agreement,
include, but not be limited to, all costs of defense and investigation and all
attorneys' fees), to which the Distributing Holders may become subject, under
the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in
the Amended Registration Statement, or any related preliminary prospectus, final
prospectus, offering circular, notification or amendment or supplement thereto,
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; provided, however, that the Company will not
be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or
liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Amended Registration
Statement, preliminary prospectus, final prospectus, offering circular,
notification or amendment, or supplement thereto in reliance upon, and in
conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by the
Distributing Holders, specifically for use in the preparation thereof. This
Section shall not inure to the benefit of any Distributing Holder with respect
to any person asserting such loss, claim, damage or liability who purchased the
Registrable Securities which are the subject thereof if the Distributing Holder
failed to send or give (in violation of the Securities Act or the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder) a copy of the prospectus contained in the
Amended Registration Statement to such person at or prior to the written
confirmation to such person of the sale of such Registrable Securities, where
the Distributing Holder was obligated to do so under the Securities Act or the
rules and regulations promulgated hereunder. This indemnity agreement will be in
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.
(b) Each Distributing Holder agrees that it will indemnify and
hold harmless the Company, and each officer, director of the Company or person,
if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act,
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (which shall, for all
purposes of this Agreement, include, but not be limited to, all costs of defense
and investigation and all attorneys' fees) to which the Company or any such
officer, director or controlling person may become subject under the Securities
Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof); arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Amended
Registration Statement prepared by the Company, or any related preliminary
prospectus, final prospectus, offering circular, notification or amendment or
supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but in each case
only to the extent that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission was made in such Registration Statement,
preliminary prospectus, final prospectus, offering circular, notification or
amendment or supplement thereto in reliance upon, and in conformity with,
written information furnished to the Company by such Distributing Holder,
specifically for use in the preparation thereof. This indemnity agreement will
be in addition to any liability which the distributing Holders may otherwise
have.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this
Section of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party
will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party
under this Section, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof;
but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve the
indemnifying party from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party
otherwise than as to the particular item as to which indemnification is then
being sought solely pursuant to this Section. In case any such action is brought
against any indemnified party, and it notifies the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in,
and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party
similarly notified, assume the defense thereof, subject to the provisions herein
stated and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of
its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not
be liable to such indemnified party under this Section for any legal or other
expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the
defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation, unless the
indemnifying party shall not pursue the action to its final conclusion. The
indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such
action and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of
such counsel shall not be at the expense of the indemnifying party if the
indemnifying party has assumed the defense of the action with counsel reasonably
satisfactory to the indemnified party; provided that if the indemnified party is
the Distributing Holder, the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the
expense of the indemnifying party if (i) the employment of such counsel has been
specifically authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, or (ii) the named
parties to any such action (including any impleaded parties) include both the
Distributing Holder and the indemnifying party and the Distributing Holder shall
have been advised by such counsel that there may be one or more legal defenses
available to the indemnifying party different from or in conflict with any legal
defenses which may be available to the Distributing Holder (in which case the
indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the defense of such action
on behalf of the Distributing Holder, it being understood, however, that the
indemnifying party shall, in connection with any one such action or separate but
substantially similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of
the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable only for the reasonable
fees and expenses of one separate firm of attorneys for the Distributing Holder,
which firm shall be designated in writing by the Distributing Holder). No
settlement of any action against an indemnified party shall be made without the
prior written consent of the indemnified party, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld.
Section 9. Contribution. In order to provide for just and
equitable contribution under the Securities Act in any case in which (i) the
Distributing Holder, or the Company, makes a claim for indemnification, but is
judicially determined (by the entry of a final judgment or decree by a court of
competent jurisdiction and the expiration of time to appeal or the denial of the
last right of appeal) that such indemnification may not be enforced in such case
notwithstanding the fact that the express provisions of this Agreement provide
for indemnification in such case, or (ii) contribution under the Securities Act
may be required on the part of any Distributing Holder, or the Company, then the
Company and the applicable Distributing Holder shall contribute to the aggregate
losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which they may be subject (which
shall, for all purposes of this Agreement, include, but not be limited to, all
costs of defense and investigation and all attorneys' fees), in either such case
(after contribution from others) on the basis of relative fault as well as any
other relevant equitable considerations. 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 applicable Distributing Holder, 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 Distributing Holder agree that
it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section were
determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which
does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this
Section. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred
to above in this Section 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. 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.
Section 10. Notices. Any notice pursuant to this Agreement by
the Company or by the Holder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have
been duly given if delivered by (i) hand, (ii) by facsimile and followed by mail
delivery or (iii) if mailed by certified mail, return receipt requested, postage
prepaid, addressed as follows:
(a) If to the Holder, to its, his or her address set forth on
the first page of this Agreement.
(b) If to the Company, at the address set forth herein, or to
such other address as any such party may designate by notice to the other party.
Notices shall be deemed given at the time they are delivered personally or five
(5) days after they are mailed in the manner set forth above. If notice is
delivered by facsimile to the Company and followed by mail, delivery shall be
deemed given two (2) days after such facsimile is sent.
Section 11. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
Section 12. Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for reference
purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of
this Agreement.
Section 13. Governing Law, Venue. This Agreement will be
construed and enforced in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State
of New York, except for matters arising under the Securities Act, without
reference to principles of conflicts of law. Each of the parties consents to the
jurisdiction of the federal courts whose districts encompass any part of the
State of New York or the state courts of the State of New York in connection
with any dispute arising under this Agreement and hereby waives, to the maximum
extent permitted by law, any objection, including any objection based on forum
non conveniens, to the bringing of any such proceeding in such jurisdictions.
Each party hereby agrees that if another party to this Agreement obtains a
judgment against it in such a proceeding, the party which obtained such judgment
may enforce same by summary judgment in the courts of any state or country
having jurisdiction over the party against whom such judgment was obtained, and
each party hereby waives any defenses available to it under local law and agrees
to the enforcement of such a judgment. Each party to this Agreement irrevocably
consents to the service of process in any such proceeding by the mailing of
copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to such party
at its address set forth herein. Nothing herein shall affect the right of any
party to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.
Section 14. Severability/Defined Terms. If any provision of
this Agreement shall for any reason be held invalid or unenforceable, such
invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision hereof and
this Agreement shall be construed as if such invalid or unenforceable provision
had never been contained herein. Terms not otherwise defined herein shall be
defined in accordance with the 6% Convertible Preferred Stock Series 98-A
Subscription Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Registration Rights Agreement to be duly executed, on the day and year first
above written.
Attest: SGI INTERNATIONAL, INC
/s/ JOHN R. TAYLOR
By:______________________ By:_________________________
Name: John R. Taylor Name:
Title: Sr. Vice President Title:
SOVEREIGN PARTNERS, L.P.
Purchaser
By:_________________________
Name:
Title:
SETTONDOWN CAPITAL
INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
Purchaser
By:_____________________________
Name:
Title:
SETTONDOWN CAPITAL
INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
Finder
By:____________________________
Name:
Title: