UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 22, 2021 (November 19, 2021)
LOCAL BOUNTI CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware | 001-40125 | 98-1584830 | ||
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(IRS Employer
Identification No.) |
490 Foley Lane
Hamilton, MT 59840
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (406) 361-3711
Leo Holdings III Corp
21 Grosvenor Pl,
London SW1X 7HF,
United Kingdom
(310) 800-1000
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
☐ |
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
☐ |
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
☐ |
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
☐ |
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Title of each class |
Trading Symbol |
Name of each exchange on which registered |
||
Common Stock, par value of $0.0001 per share | LOCL | New York Stock Exchange | ||
Warrants, each exercisable for one share of Common Stock for $11.50 per share | LOCL WS | New York Stock Exchange |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☒
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Introductory Note
The Domestication and Business Combination
On November 19, 2021 (the “Closing Date”), Local Bounti Corporation, a Delaware corporation (f/k/a Leo Holdings III Corp) (the “Company” or “New Local Bounti”), consummated the previously announced transaction (the “Business Combination”) pursuant to that certain Business Combination Agreement and Plan of Reorganization, dated June 17, 2021 (the “Business Combination Agreement”), by and among the Company, Longleaf Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“First Merger Sub”), Longleaf Merger Sub II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“Second Merger Sub” and, together with First Merger Sub, the “Merger Subs”), and Local Bounti Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“Legacy Local Bounti”).
On November 19, 2021, as contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement and described in the section titled “The Domestication Proposal” beginning on page 102 of the final prospectus and definitive proxy statement, dated October 20, 2021 (the “Proxy Statement/Prospectus”) and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on October 20, 2021, the Company filed a notice of deregistration with the Cayman Islands Registrar of Companies, together with the necessary accompanying documents, and filed a certificate of incorporation and a certificate of corporate domestication with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, under which the Company was domesticated and continues as a Delaware corporation (the “Domestication”).
Also on November 19, 2021, as a result of the Business Combination and the other transactions contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement, following the consummation of the Domestication (a) First Merger Sub merged with and into Legacy Local Bounti, with Legacy Local Bounti surviving the merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (the “First Merger”) and (b) after the effectiveness of the First Merger, Legacy Local Bounti merged with and into Second Merger Sub with and into Legacy Local Bounti, with Second Merger Sub surviving the merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Second Merger” and, together with the First Merger and all other transactions contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement, the “Business Combination”).
Following the closing of the Business Combination, the Company will own, directly or indirectly, all of the issued and outstanding equity interests in the Second Merger Sub and its subsidiaries, and the stockholders of Legacy Local Bounti as of immediately prior to the effective time of the First Merger (the “Local Bounti Stockholders”) hold a portion of our common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”).
The aggregate merger consideration paid in connection with the Business Combination consisted of (i) 79,601,534 shares of Common Stock (including Class A Ordinary Shares, Class B Ordinary Shares, Legacy Local Bounti voting common stock and Legacy Local Bounti non-voting common stock that was converted into shares of Common Stock in connection with the Domestication and Business Combination, and shares issuable upon exercise or vesting of certain warrants, restricted stock units and options but excluding the shares of Common Stock issued in the PIPE Financing (as defined below) and the Transaction Fee Shares (as defined below)), and (ii) 5,500,000 Public Warrants (as defined below).
Each share of Local Bounti voting common stock was cancelled and converted into the right to receive the applicable portion of the merger consideration comprised of New Local Bounti Common Stock, earnout shares (as described below) and up to $37.5 million of cash consideration (subject to certain conditions specified in the Merger Agreement), each as determined in the Merger Agreement, (ii) each share of Local Bounti restricted stock was cancelled and converted into the right to receive the applicable portion of the merger consideration comprised of New Local Bounti Common Stock and earnout shares (as described below), each as determined in the Merger Agreement, (iii) each Local Bounti restricted stock unit, whether or not then vested, was assumed by New Local Bounti and converted into a New Local Bounti restricted stock unit, subject to the same terms and conditions as applied to such Local Bounti restricted stock unit immediately prior to the Closing with a value as if such Local Bounti restricted stock unit were settled prior to the closing of the Business Combination and is entitled to receive earnout shares (as described below), and (iv) each warrant of Local Bounti that was unexercised was assumed by New Local Bounti and converted into a warrant to purchase New Local Bounti Common Stock and represents the right to receive the applicable portion of the merger consideration upon exercise of such warrant as if such warrant were exercised prior to the closing of the Business Combination. In addition, all convertible debt of Local Bounti was fully converted into Local Bounti common stock
as of immediately prior to the Closing and received New Local Bounti Common Stock based on the number of shares of Local Bounti common stock issuable upon conversion of such convertible debt as of immediately prior to the Closing. Each Local Bounti equityholder entitled to receive a portion of the earnout consideration will receive its applicable portion of equal thirds of 2,500,000 earnout shares if the trading price of New Local Bounti Common Stock is greater than or equal to $13.00, $15.00 and $17.00 for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period and will also accelerate and be fully issuable in connection with any Change of Control (as defined in the Merger Agreement) if the applicable thresholds are met in such Change of Control.
In connection with the consummation of the Business Combination (the “Closing”), the registrant changed its name from Leo Holdings III Corp to Local Bounti Corporation.
The Business Combination Agreement and the Business Combination was approved by the Company’s shareholders at an extraordinary general meeting of the Company’s shareholders held on November 16, 2021 (the “Extraordinary General Meeting”). On November 19, 2021, the parties to the Business Combination Agreement consummated the Business Combination.
Immediately after giving effect to the Business Combination (including as a result of the exercise of redemptions by Leo’s shareholders at the Extraordinary General Meeting, there were 86,299,495 shares of Common Stock, issued and outstanding, comprised of (i) 6,875,000 shares of Common Stock held by Leo’ sponsor and its affiliates, which converted from the Class B Ordinary Shares on a one-for-one basis into shares of Common Stock in connection with the Business Combination, (ii) the issuance of 15,000,000 shares of Common Stock in the PIPE Financing (as defined below), (iii) the issuance of 62,482,214 shares of Common Stock upon the conversion of Legacy Local Bounti voting common stock, Legacy Local Bounti non-voting common stock and conversion of convertible debt of Local Bounti in connection with the Domestication and Business Combination, (iv) 241,000 shares of New Local Bounti Common Stock (based on the assumed price of $10.00 per share) issued to satisfy fees related to the Business Combination (the “Transaction Fee Shares”) and (v) 1,701,281 shares of Common Stock held by stockholders following the exercise of redemption rights in connection with the Extraordinary General Meeting. Immediately after giving effect to the Business Combination, there were also warrants to purchase 11,539,215 shares of Common Stock of the Company issued and outstanding.
Upon the Closing, the Common Stock and Public Warrants began trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbols “LOCL” and “LOCL WS,” respectively, and the Company’s public units automatically separated into their component securities and, as a result, no longer trade as a separate security and were delisted from the NYSE.
The foregoing description of the Business Combination does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the Merger Agreement, which are attached hereto as Exhibit 2.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
PIPE Financing
As previously disclosed, in connection with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, the Company entered into subscription agreements, each dated June 17, 2021 or November 4, 2021 (the “Subscription Agreements”), with certain accredited investors pursuant to which the investors agreed to purchase 15,000,000 shares of Common Stock in a private placement for an aggregate purchase price of $150,000,000 (the “PIPE Financing”). The PIPE Financing was consummated concurrently with the Closing.
Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this Current Report on Form 8-K to “we,” “us,” “our” and the “Company” refer to New Local Bounti and its subsidiaries.
Item 1.01 |
Entry Into A Material Definitive Agreement. |
Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement
In connection with the Closing, that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated March 2, 2021, among the Company and certain persons and entities holding securities of the Company (the “IPO Registration Rights Agreement”), was amended and restated and the Company, certain persons and entities holding securities of the Company prior to the Closing (the “Initial Holders”) and certain persons and entities receiving Common Stock or instruments exercisable for Common Stock in connection with the Business Combination (the “New Holders” and, together with the Initial Holders, the “Registration Rights Holders”) entered into an amended and restated registration rights agreement substantially in the form attached to the Business Combination Agreement as Exhibit G (the “A&R Registration Rights Agreement”). Pursuant to the A&R Registration Rights Agreement, New Local Bounti agreed that, within 30 calendar days after the consummation of the Business Combination, New Local Bounti will file with the Commission (at New Local Bounti’s sole cost and expense) a registration statement registering the resale of certain securities held by or issuable to the Registration Rights Holders (the “Resale Registration Statement”), and the Company will use its commercially reasonable best efforts to have the Resale Registration Statement declared effective as soon as reasonably practicable after the filing thereof. In certain circumstances, certain of the Registration Rights Holders can demand up to three underwritten offerings, and all of the Registration Rights Holders are entitled to customary piggyback registration rights. The A&R Registration Rights Agreement does not provide for the payment of any cash penalties by the Company if it fails to satisfy any of its obligations under the A&R Registration Rights Agreement.
The foregoing description of the A&R Registration Rights Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the A&R Registration Rights Agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
Amended and Restated Warrant Agreement
On the Closing Date, in connection with the consummation of the Business Combination, the Company entered into an Amended and Restated Warrant Agreement (the “Amended and Restated Warrant Agreement”) with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (“Continental”), which was approved by Leo’ shareholders at the special meeting of warrant holders on November 16, 2021. For the convenience of the reader, the description of New Local Bounti’s redeemable warrants (the “Public Warrants”) and the 5,333,333 warrants to purchase Common Stock of the Company that were issued in a private placement concurrently with the Leo’s initial public offering (the “Private Warrants” and, together with the Public Warrants, the “Warrants”) has been updated below to reflect the provisions of the Amended and Restated Warrant Agreement.
Public Warrants
Public warrants may only be exercised for a whole number of shares. No fractional public warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole public warrants will trade. The public warrants will become exercisable on the later of (a) 30 days after the completion of the Business Combination (or any other initial business combination) and (b) 12 months from the closing of the initial public offering; provided in each case that we have an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), covering the New Local Bounti Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the public warrants and a current prospectus relating to them is available and such shares are registered, qualified or exempt from registration under the securities, or blue sky, laws of the state of residence of the holder (or we permit holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis under certain circumstances). We have agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 20 business days after the Closing, we will use commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC and have an effective registration statement covering the New Local Bounti Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and to maintain a current prospectus relating to the New Local Bounti Common Stock until the warrants expire or are redeemed, as specified in the Warrant Agreement. If a registration statement covering the New Local Bounti Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective 60 business days after the Closing, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption. Notwithstanding the above, if the shares of New Local Bounti Common Stock are at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of a “covered security” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, we may, at our option, require holders of public warrants who exercise their warrants to do so on a “cashless basis” and, in the event we so elect, we will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement, and in the event we do not so elect, we will use commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available.
The warrants have an exercise price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustments, and will expire five years after the completion of the Business Combination or any other Initial Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.
Once the warrants become exercisable, we may redeem the outstanding warrants for cash (except as described herein with respect to the private placement warrants):
• |
in whole and not in part; |
• |
at a price of $0.01 per warrant; |
• |
upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption; and |
• |
if, and only if, the last sale price of the New Local Bounti Common Stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which we send the notice of redemption to the warrant holders. |
We will not redeem the warrants for cash unless a registration statement under the Securities Act covering the New Local Bounti Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants is effective and a current prospectus relating to the New Local Bounti Common Stock is available throughout the 30-day redemption period, except if the warrants may be exercised on a cashless basis and such cashless exercise is exempt from registration under the Securities Act.
In no event will we be required to net cash settle any warrant. If we are unable to complete the Business Combination or any other initial business combination within the combination period and we liquidate the funds held in the trust account, holders of warrants will not receive any of such funds with respect to their warrants, nor will they receive any distribution from our assets held outside of the trust account with respect to such warrants. Accordingly, the warrants may expire worthless.
Private Placement Warrants
The private placement warrants are identical to the public warrants underlying the units sold in the initial public offering, except that the private placement warrants and the New Local Bounti Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the private placement warrants will not be transferrable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of the Business Combination or any other initial business combination, subject to certain limited exceptions. The private placement warrants are non-redeemable.
The foregoing description of the Amended and Restated Warrant Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the Amended and Restated Warrant Agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 4.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
Lock-Up Arrangements
In connection with the Closing, Local Bounti securityholders entered into agreements (the “Lock-Up Agreements”) pursuant to which they agreed, subject to certain customary exceptions, not to (a) sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agree to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, any shares of Common Stock held by them immediately after the Effective Time, including any shares issuable upon the exercise of options to purchase shares of Common Stock held by them immediately after the Effective Time (“Lock-Up Shares”), (b) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any of such Lock-Up Shares, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such securities, in cash or otherwise or (c) publicly announce any intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (a) or (b) (the actions specified in clauses (a) through (c), collectively, “Transfer”) for 180 days after the Closing Date.
The foregoing description of the Lock-Up Agreements does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the form of Lock-Up Agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.2 and is incorporated herein by reference.
Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement and, subject to certain exceptions, the Sponsor (and its permitted transferees) are contractually restricted from selling or transferring any of their shares of common stock (not including any PIPE Shares issued in the PIPE Financing) (the “Sponsor Lock-up Shares”). Such restrictions began at Closing and end on the earlier of (i) one year after the Closing Date and (ii) the earlier to occur of, subsequent to the Closing Date, (x) the first date on which the last reported sale price of the Common Stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as equitably adjusted for share sub-divisions, share dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the Closing and (y) the date on which there is consummated a subsequent liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of New Local Bounti’s stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of Common Stock for cash, securities or other property.
Indemnification Agreements
The Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), which became effective upon the completion of the Business Combination, contains provisions limiting the liability of directors, and the Bylaws (together with the Certificate of Incorporation, the “Organizational Documents”), which became effective upon the completion of the Business Combination, provide that the Company will indemnify each of its directors to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law. The Organizational Documents also provide New Local Bounti’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) with discretion to indemnify officers and employees when determined appropriate by the Board.
New Local Bounti has entered into new indemnification agreements with all of its directors and executive officers and certain other key employees. The indemnification agreements provide that New Local Bounti will indemnify each of its directors, executive officers and other key employees against any and all expenses incurred by such director, executive officer or other key employee because of his or her status as one of New Local Bounti ’s directors, executive officers or other key employees, to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law and the Organizational Documents. In addition, the indemnification agreements provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, New Local Bounti will advance all expenses incurred by its directors, executive officers, and other key employees in connection with a legal proceeding involving his or her status as a director, executive officer or key employee. For more information regarding these indemnification agreements, see the section entitled “Description of Securities” in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus.
The foregoing description of the indemnification agreements does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the form of indemnification agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.3, the full text of the Certificate of Incorporation, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.1 and the full text of the Bylaws, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.2, each of which documents is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01 |
Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(c) |
List of Exhibits. |
* |
The schedules to this Exhibit have been omitted in accordance with Regulation S-K Item 601(b)(2). The Company agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted schedule to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon its request. |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Local Bounti Corporation | ||||||
Date: November 22, 2021 | By: |
/s/ Kathleen Valiasek |
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Name: | Kathleen Valiasek | |||||
Title: | Chief Financial Officer |
Exhibit 3.1
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF
LEO HOLDINGS III CORP
ARTICLE I
The name of this corporation is Leo Holdings III Corp (the Corporation).
ARTICLE II
The address of the Corporations registered office in the State of Delaware is 251 Little Falls Drive, New Castle County, Wilmington, DE 19808. The name of its registered agent at such address is Corporation Service Company.
ARTICLE III
The name and address of the sole incorporator is as follows:
Robert A. Jannusch
300 North LaSalle Drive
Chicago, IL 60654
ARTICLE IV
The nature of the business or purposes to be conducted or promoted by the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the General Corporation Law).
ARTICLE V
Section 1. Total Authorized.
1.1 The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock that the Corporation has authority to issue is 500,000,000 shares, consisting of two (2) classes: 400,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (Common Stock) and 100,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (Preferred Stock).
1.2 Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, the number of authorized shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of capital stock representing a majority of the voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the General Corporation Law, and no vote of the holders of any of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock voting separately as a class shall be required therefor.
Section 2. Preferred Stock.
2.1 The Corporations Board of Directors (the Board) is authorized, subject to any limitations prescribed by the law of the State of Delaware, by resolution or resolutions adopted
from time to time, to provide for the issuance of shares of Preferred Stock in one (1) or more series, and, by filing a certificate of designation pursuant to the applicable law of the State of Delaware (the Certificate of Designation), to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, to fix the designation, vesting, powers (including voting powers), preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights (and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof) of the shares of each such series and to increase (but not above the total number of authorized shares of the class) or decrease (but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding) the number of shares of any such series. The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may also be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, without a separate vote of the holders of the Preferred Stock or any series thereof, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the General Corporation Law, unless a vote of any such holders is required pursuant to the terms of any Certificate of Designation designating a series of Preferred Stock.
2.2 Except as otherwise expressly provided in any Certificate of Designation designating any series of Preferred Stock pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Article V, (i) any new series of Preferred Stock may be designated, fixed and determined as provided herein by the Board without approval of the holders of Common Stock or the holders of Preferred Stock, or any series thereof, and (ii) any such new series may have powers, preferences and rights, including, without limitation, voting rights, dividend rights, liquidation rights, redemption rights and conversion rights, senior to, junior to or pari passu with the rights of the Common Stock, the Preferred Stock or any future class or series of Preferred Stock or Common Stock.
Section 3. Rights of Common Stock. Except as otherwise expressly provided by this Certificate of Incorporation or as provided by law, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall (a) at all times vote together as a single class on all matters (including the election of directors) submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation, (b) be entitled to notice of any stockholders meeting in accordance with the Bylaws of the Corporation (as amended and/or restated from time to time, the Bylaws) and (c) be entitled to vote upon such matters and in such manner as may be provided by applicable law; provided, however, that, except as otherwise required by law, holders of shares of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one (1) or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together as a class with the holders of one (1) or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock). Except as otherwise expressly provided herein or required by applicable law, each holder of Common Stock shall have the right to one (1) vote per share of Common Stock held of record by such holder.
ARTICLE VI
Section 1. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board, except as otherwise provided herein or required by law. In addition to the powers and authority expressly conferred upon them by statute or by this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws, the directors of the Corporation are hereby empowered to exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation.
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Section 2. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, the total number of directors constituting the Whole Board (as defined below) shall be fixed from time to time exclusively by resolution duly adopted by a majority of the Whole Board. For purposes of this Certificate of Incorporation, the term Whole Board shall mean the total number of authorized directors of the board of directors of the Corporation whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships.
Section 3. Subject to the special rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the directors shall be divided, with respect to the time for which they severally hold office, into three (3) classes designated as Class I, Class II and Class III, respectively (the Classified Board). The Board is authorized to assign members of the Board already in office to such classes of the Classified Board, which assignments shall become effective at the same time the Classified Board becomes effective. Directors shall be assigned to each class in accordance with a resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board, with the number of directors in each class to be divided as nearly equal as reasonably possible. The initial term of office of the Class I directors shall expire at the Corporations first annual meeting of stockholders following the date of the filing of this Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the Effectiveness Date), the initial term of office of the Class II directors shall expire at the Corporations second annual meeting of stockholders following the Effectiveness Date and the initial term of office of the Class III directors shall expire at the Corporations third annual meeting of stockholders following the Effectiveness Date. At each annual meeting of stockholders following the Effectiveness Date, directors elected to succeed those directors of the class whose terms then expire shall be elected for a term of office to expire at the third succeeding annual meeting of stockholders after their election.
Section 4. Each director shall hold office until the annual meeting at which such directors term expires and until such directors successor is duly elected and qualified, or until such directors earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. Any director may resign at any time upon notice to the Corporation given in writing or by any electronic transmission permitted by the Bylaws. Subject to the special rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, no director may be removed from the Board except for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the voting power of the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors voting together as a single class. In the event of any increase or decrease in the authorized number of directors, (a) each director then serving as such shall nevertheless continue as a director of the class of which the director is a member and (b) the newly created or eliminated directorships resulting from such increase or decrease shall be apportioned by the Board among the classes of directors so as to ensure that no one class has more than one (1) director more than any other class. To the extent possible, consistent with the foregoing rule, any newly created directorships shall be added to those classes whose terms of office are to expire at the latest dates following such allocation, and any newly eliminated directorships shall be subtracted from those classes whose terms of office are to expire at the earliest dates following such allocation, unless otherwise provided from time to time by resolution adopted by the Board. No decrease in the authorized number of directors constituting the Board shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.
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Section 5. Subject to the special rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, any vacancy occurring in the Board for any reason, and any newly created directorship resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors, shall, unless (a) the Board determines by resolution that any such vacancies or newly created directorships shall be filled by the stockholders or (b) as otherwise provided by law, be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and not by the stockholders. Any director elected in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders at which the term of office of the class to which the director has been assigned expires or until such directors successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, or until such directors earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal.
Section 6. Election of directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws shall so provide.
ARTICLE VII
Section 1. To the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law as it now exists and as it may hereafter be amended, no current or former director of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or any of its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. Without limiting the effect of the preceding sentence, if the General Corporation Law is hereafter amended to authorize the further elimination or limitation of the liability of a current or former director, then the liability of such director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law, as so amended. For purposes of this Article VII, references to director shall include, for the avoidance of doubt, any person who has served as a director of Leo Holdings III Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company.
Section 2. The Corporation, to the fullest extent permitted by Section 145 of the General Corporation Law, shall indemnify, advance expenses and hold harmless all persons whom it may indemnify pursuant thereto (including current and former directors).
Section 3. Neither any amendment nor repeal of this Article VII, nor the adoption of any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article VII, shall eliminate, reduce or otherwise adversely affect any right or protection of, or any limitation on the personal liability of, a current or former director of the Corporation existing at the time of such amendment, repeal or adoption of such an inconsistent provision.
ARTICLE VIII
The Board shall have the power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws. Any adoption, amendment or repeal of the Bylaws by the Board shall require the approval of a majority of the Whole Board. The stockholders shall also have power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws; provided, however, that, notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation) or any provision of law that might otherwise permit a lesser or no vote, but in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required by applicable law or by this Certificate of Incorporation (including any
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Preferred Stock issued pursuant to any Certificate of Designation), the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to adopt, amend or repeal any provision of the Bylaws; provided, further, that if two-thirds (2/3) of the Whole Board has approved such adoption, amendment or repeal of any provisions of the Bylaws, then only the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to adopt, amend or repeal any provision of the Bylaws.
ARTICLE IX
Section 1. Subject to the rights of any series of Preferred Stock then outstanding, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such stockholders.
Section 2. Special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by the Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the Lead Independent Director (as defined in the Bylaws) or the Board acting pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board, and may not be called by any other person or persons. Only such business shall be considered at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been stated in the notice for such meeting.
Section 3. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of business to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner and to the extent provided in the Bylaws.
ARTICLE X
Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if and only if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks subject matter jurisdiction, any state court located within the State of Delaware or, if and only if all such state courts lack subject matter jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware) shall be the sole and exclusive forum for the following types of actions or proceedings under Delaware statutory or common law: (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation; (ii) any action or proceeding asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director, officer or other employee of the Corporation or any stockholder to the Corporation or the Corporations stockholders; (iii) any action or proceeding asserting a claim against the Corporation or any current or former director, officer or other employee of the Corporation or any stockholder in such stockholders capacity as such arising out of or pursuant to any provision of the General Corporation Law, this Certificate or the Bylaws of the Corporation (as each may be amended from time to time); (iv) any action or proceeding to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of this Certificate or the Bylaws of the Corporation (including any right, obligation or remedy thereunder); (v) any action or proceeding as to which the General Corporation Law confers jurisdiction to the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware; and (vi) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any
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director, officer or other employee of the Corporation or any stockholder, governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in all cases to the fullest extent permitted by law and subject to the courts having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants. This Article X shall not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction.
Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Any person or entity holding, owning or otherwise acquiring any interest in any security of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of this Article X.
ARTICLE XI
If any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, then such provision shall nonetheless be enforced to the maximum extent possible consistent with such holding and the remaining provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including without limitation, all portions of any section of this Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that are not themselves invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall remain in full force and effect.
ARTICLE XII
Section 1. The Corporation reserves the right to amend or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation in the manner prescribed by the laws of the State of Delaware and all rights conferred upon stockholders are granted subject to this reservation; provided, however, that, notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation) or any provision of law that might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of the stock of the Corporation required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation), and subject to Sections 1 and 2.1 of Article V, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend or repeal or adopt any provision inconsistent with Sections 1.2 and 2 of Article V, or Article VI, Article VII, Article VIII, Article IX, Article X, Article XI, or this Section 1 of this Article XII (the Specified Provisions); provided, further, that if two-thirds (2/3) of the Whole Board has approved such amendment or repeal of, or any provision inconsistent with, the Specified Provisions, then only the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend or repeal, or adopt any provision inconsistent with, the Specified Provisions.
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Section 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation) or any provision of law that might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of the stock of the Corporation required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation), the affirmative vote of the holders of Common Stock representing at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the voting power of the then-outstanding shares of Common Stock, voting separately as a single class, shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, Sections 1.2, 2.2, 3 of Article V or this Section 2 of this Article XII.
* * * *
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I, THE UNDERSIGNED, being the Sole Incorporator hereinbefore named, for the purpose of forming a corporation pursuant to the General Corporation Law, do make this Certificate, hereby declaring and certifying that this is my act and deed and the facts herein stated are true, and accordingly have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of November, 2021.
/s/ Robert A. Jannusch |
Robert A. Jannusch |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||||||
ARTICLE I STOCKHOLDERS | 1 | |||||||
1.1 | Annual Meetings | 1 | ||||||
1.2 | Special Meetings | 1 | ||||||
1.3 | Notice of Meetings | 1 | ||||||
1.4 | Adjournments | 2 | ||||||
1.5 | Quorum | 2 | ||||||
1.6 | Organization | 2 | ||||||
1.7 | Voting; Proxies | 3 | ||||||
1.8 | Fixing Date for Determination of Stockholders of Record | 3 | ||||||
1.9 | List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote | 4 | ||||||
1.10 | Inspectors of Elections | 4 | ||||||
1.11 | Notice of Stockholder Business; Nominations | 6 | ||||||
ARTICLE II BOARD OF DIRECTORS | 13 | |||||||
2.1 | Number; Qualifications | 13 | ||||||
2.2 | Election; Resignation; Removal; Vacancies | 13 | ||||||
2.3 | Regular Meetings | 14 | ||||||
2.4 | Special Meetings | 14 | ||||||
2.5 | Remote Meetings Permitted | 14 | ||||||
2.6 | Quorum; Vote Required for Action | 14 | ||||||
2.7 | Organization | 14 | ||||||
2.8 | Unanimous Action by Directors in Lieu of a Meeting | 15 | ||||||
2.9 | Powers | 15 | ||||||
2.10 | Compensation of Directors | 15 | ||||||
2.11 | Confidentiality | 15 | ||||||
ARTICLE III COMMITTEES | 15 | |||||||
3.1 | Committees | 15 | ||||||
3.2 | Committee Rules | 15 | ||||||
ARTICLE IV OFFICERS; CHAIRPERSON; LEAD INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR | 16 | |||||||
4.1 | Generally | 16 | ||||||
4.2 | Chief Executive Officer | 16 | ||||||
4.3 | Chairperson of the Board | 17 |
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
-ii-
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page | ||||||||
9.4 | Reliance Upon Books and Records | 24 | ||||||
9.5 | Certificate of Incorporation Governs | 25 | ||||||
9.6 | Severability | 25 | ||||||
9.7 | Time Periods | 25 | ||||||
ARTICLE X AMENDMENT | 25 |
-iii-
LOCAL BOUNTI CORPORATION
(a Delaware corporation)
BYLAWS
As Adopted November 19, 2021 and
As Effective November 19, 2021
ARTICLE I
STOCKHOLDERS
1.1 Annual Meetings.
An annual meeting of stockholders shall be held for the election of directors at such date and time as the Board of Directors (the Board) of Local Bounti Corporation (the Corporation) shall each year fix. The meeting may be held either at a place, within or without the State of Delaware as permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law (the DGCL), or by means of remote communication as the Board in its sole discretion may determine. Any proper business may be transacted at the annual meeting.
1.2 Special Meetings.
Special meetings of stockholders for any purpose or purposes shall be called in the manner set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time, the Certificate of Incorporation). The special meeting may be held either at a place, within or without the State of Delaware, or by means of remote communication as the Board in its sole discretion may determine. Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to matters relating to the purpose or purposes stated in the notice of the meeting.
1.3 Notice of Meetings.
Notice of all meetings of stockholders shall be given in writing or by electronic transmission in the manner provided by applicable law (including, without limitation, as set forth in Section 7.1.1 of these Bylaws) stating the date, time and place, if any, of the meeting, the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, and the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting. In the case of a special meeting, such notice shall also set forth the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. Unless otherwise required by applicable law or the Certificate of Incorporation, notice of any meeting of stockholders shall be given not less than ten (10), nor more than sixty (60), days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting.
1.4 Adjournments.
The chairperson of the meeting (as determined by Section 1.6) shall have the power to adjourn the meeting to another time, date and place (if any). Any meeting of stockholders, annual or special, may be adjourned from time to time, and notice need not be given of any such adjourned meeting if the time, date and place (if any) thereof and the means of remote communication (if any) by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken; provided, however, that if the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. At the adjourned meeting, the stockholders may transact any business that might have been transacted by them at the original meeting. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any previously scheduled special or annual meeting of stockholders before it is to be held, regardless of whether any notice or public disclosure with respect to any such meeting has been sent or made pursuant to Section 1.3 hereof or otherwise, in which case notice shall be provided to the stockholders of the new date, time and place, if any, of the meeting as provided in Section 1.3 above.
1.5 Quorum.
Except as otherwise provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, at each meeting of stockholders the holders of a majority of the voting power of the shares of stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; provided, however, that where a separate vote by a class or classes or series of stock is required by applicable law or the Certificate of Incorporation, the holders of a majority of the voting power of the shares of such class or classes or series of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote on such matter, present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting, shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to the vote on such matter. If a quorum shall fail to attend any meeting, the chairperson of the meeting or, if directed to be voted on by the chairperson of the meeting, the holders of a majority of the voting power of the shares entitled to vote who are present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting may adjourn the meeting. Shares of the Corporations stock belonging to the Corporation (or to another corporation, if a majority of the shares entitled to vote in the election of directors of such other corporation are held, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation), shall neither be entitled to vote nor be counted for quorum purposes; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not limit the right of the Corporation or any other corporation to vote any shares of the Corporations stock held by it in a fiduciary capacity and to count such shares for purposes of determining a quorum. A quorum, once established at a meeting, shall not be broken by the withdrawal of enough votes to leave less than a quorum.
1.6 Organization.
Meetings of stockholders shall be presided over by (a) such person as the Board may designate, or (b) in such persons absence, the Chairperson of the Board, or (c) in such persons absence, the Lead Independent Director, or, (d) in such persons absence, the Chief Executive
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Officer of the Corporation, or (e) in such persons absence, the President of the Corporation, or (f) in the absence of such person, by a Vice President. Such person shall be the chairperson of the meeting and, subject to Section 1.10 of these Bylaws, shall determine the order of business and the procedure at the meeting, including such regulation of the manner of voting and the conduct of discussion as seems to such person to be in order. The Secretary of the Corporation shall act as the secretary of the meeting, but in such persons absence the chairperson of the meeting may appoint any person to act as the secretary of the meeting.
1.7 Voting; Proxies.
Except as otherwise provided by or pursuant to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, each stockholder entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders shall be entitled to one vote for each share of stock held by such stockholder which has voting power upon the matter in question. Each stockholder of record entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy. Such a proxy may be prepared, transmitted and delivered in any manner permitted by applicable law. A stockholder may revoke any proxy which is not irrevocable by attending the meeting and voting in person or by delivering to the Secretary of the Corporation (a) a revocation of the proxy or (b) a new proxy bearing a later date and explicitly revoking such prior proxy. Except as may be required in the Certificate of Incorporation, directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors. Unless otherwise provided by applicable law, rule or regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, every matter other than the election of directors shall be decided by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the shares of stock entitled to vote on such matter that are present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and are voted for or against the matter (or if there are two (2) or more classes or series of stock entitled to vote as separate classes, then in the case of each class or series, the holders of a majority of the voting power of the shares of stock of that class or series present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting voting for or against such matter).
1.8 Fixing Date for Determination of Stockholders of Record.
In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board may fix, in advance, a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which record date shall, unless otherwise required by law, not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If the Board so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is first given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board
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may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at the adjourned meeting in conformity herewith; and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.8 at the adjourned meeting.
In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board may fix, in advance, a record date, which shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board and which shall not be more than sixty (60) days prior to such action. If no such record date is fixed by the Board, then the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto.
1.9 List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote.
The Secretary shall prepare, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting (provided, however, if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten (10) days before the date of the meeting, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth (10th) day before the meeting date), arranged in alphabetical order and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting, (a) on a reasonably accessible electronic network as permitted by applicable law (provided that the information required to gain access to the list is provided with the notice of the meeting), or (b) during ordinary business hours, at the principal place of business of the Corporation. If the meeting is held at a location where stockholders may attend in person, the list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present at the meeting. If the meeting is held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access the list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting. Except as otherwise provided by law, the list shall presumptively determine the identity of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and the number of shares held by each of them.
1.10 Inspectors of Elections.
1.10.1 Applicability. Unless otherwise required by the Certificate of Incorporation or by the DGCL, the following provisions of this Section 1.10 shall apply only if and when the Corporation has a class of voting stock that is: (a) listed on a national securities exchange; (b) authorized for quotation on an interdealer quotation system of a registered national securities association; or (c) held of record by more than two thousand (2,000) stockholders. In all other cases, observance of the provisions of this Section 1.10 shall be optional, and at the discretion of the Board.
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1.10.2 Appointment. The Corporation shall, in advance of any meeting of stockholders, appoint one (1) or more inspectors of election to act at the meeting or the adjournment thereof and make a written report thereof. The Corporation may designate one (1) or more persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If no inspector or alternate is able to act at a meeting of stockholders, the person presiding at the meeting shall appoint one (1) or more inspectors to act at the meeting.
1.10.3 Inspectors Oath. Each inspector of election, before entering upon the discharge of such inspectors duties, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of such inspectors ability.
1.10.4 Duties of Inspectors. At a meeting of stockholders, the inspectors of election so appointed or designated shall (a) ascertain the number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation outstanding and the voting power of each such share, (b) determine the shares of capital stock of the Corporation represented at the meeting and the validity of proxies and ballots, (c) count all votes and ballots, (d) determine and retain for a reasonable period of time a record of the disposition of any challenges made to any determination by the inspectors, and (e) certify their determination of the number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation represented at the meeting, and their count of all votes and ballots. Such certification and report shall specify such other information as may be required by law. The inspectors may appoint or retain other persons or entities to assist the inspectors in the performance of the duties of the inspectors. No person who is a candidate for an office at an election may serve as an inspector at such election.
1.10.5 Opening and Closing of Polls. The date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting or the adjournment thereof shall be announced by the chairperson of the meeting at the meeting. No ballot, proxies or votes, nor any revocations thereof or changes thereto, shall be accepted by the inspectors after the closing of the polls unless the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, upon application by a stockholder, shall determine otherwise.
1.10.6 Determinations. In determining the validity and counting of proxies and ballots, the inspectors shall be limited to an examination of the proxies, any envelopes submitted with those proxies, any information provided in connection with proxies pursuant to Section 211(a)(2)b.(i) of the DGCL, or in accordance with Sections 211(e) or 212(c)(2) of the DGCL, ballots and the regular books and records of the Corporation, except that the inspectors may consider other reliable information for the limited purpose of reconciling proxies and ballots submitted by or on behalf of banks, brokers, their nominees or similar persons which represent more votes than the holder of a proxy is authorized by the record owner to cast or more votes than the stockholder holds of record. If the inspectors consider other reliable information for the limited purpose permitted herein, the inspectors at the time they make their certification of their determinations pursuant to this Section 1.10 shall specify the precise information considered by them, including the person or persons from whom they obtained the information, when the information was obtained, the means by which the information was obtained and the basis for the inspectors belief that such information is accurate and reliable.
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1.11 Notice of Stockholder Business; Nominations.
1.11.1 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
(a) Nominations of persons for election to the Board and the proposal of any other business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders, or any special meeting of stockholders called for such purpose only: (i) pursuant to the Corporations notice of such meeting (or any supplement thereto), (ii) by or at the direction of the Board or any committee thereof or (iii) by any stockholder of the Corporation who was a stockholder of record at the time of giving of the notice provided for in this Section 1.11, and at the time of such meeting (the Record Stockholder), who is entitled to vote at such meeting and who complies with the notice and other procedures set forth in this Section 1.11 in all applicable respects. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing clause (iii) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations or propose business (other than business included in the Corporations proxy materials pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (such act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, the Exchange Act)), at an annual meeting of stockholders, and such stockholder must fully comply with the notice and other procedures set forth in this Section 1.11 to make such nominations or propose business before an annual meeting.
(b) For nominations or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a Record Stockholder pursuant to Section 1.11.1(a) of these Bylaws:
(i) the Record Stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation and provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 1.11;
(ii) such other business (other than the nomination of persons for election to the Board) must otherwise be a proper matter for stockholder action under applicable law;
(iii) if the Proposing Person (as defined below) has provided the Corporation with a Solicitation Notice (as defined below), such Proposing Person must, in the case of a proposal other than the nomination of persons for election to the Board, have delivered a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporations voting shares required under applicable law to carry any such proposal, or, in the case of a nomination or nominations, have delivered a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of a percentage of the Corporations voting shares reasonably believed by such Proposing Person to be sufficient to elect the nominee or nominees proposed to be nominated by such Record Stockholder, and must, in either case, have included in such materials the Solicitation Notice; and
(iv) if no Solicitation Notice relating thereto has been timely provided pursuant to this Section 1.11, the Proposing Person proposing such business or nomination must not have solicited a number of proxies sufficient to have required the delivery of such a Solicitation Notice under this Section 1.11.
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To be timely, a Record Stockholders notice must be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the ninetieth (90th) day nor earlier than the close of business on the one hundred and twentieth (120th) day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding years annual meeting (except in the case of the Corporations first annual meeting following the closing of the Transaction (as defined below), for which such notice shall be timely if delivered in the same time period as if such meeting were a special meeting governed by Section 1.11.2 of these Bylaws); provided, however, that in the event that no annual meeting was held during the preceding year or the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30) days before, or more than sixty (60) days after, such anniversary date, notice by the Record Stockholder to be timely must be so delivered (A) no earlier than the close of business on the one hundred and twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual meeting and (B) no later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which Public Announcement (as defined below) of the date of such meeting is first made by the Corporation. In no event shall an adjournment or postponement of an annual or special meeting for which notice has been given commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for providing the Record Stockholders notice. Such Record Stockholders notice shall set forth:
(x) as to each person whom the Record Stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a director:
(i) the name, age, business address and residence address of such person;
(ii) the principal occupation or employment of such person (present and for the past five years);
(iii) the class, series and number of any shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are beneficially owned or owned of record by such person or any Associated Person (as defined in Section 1.11.3(c));
(iv) the date or dates such shares of capital stock of the Corporation were acquired and the investment intent of such acquisition;
(v) all other information relating to such person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for the election of directors in a contested election (even if a contested election is not involved), or would be otherwise required, in each case pursuant to and in accordance with Section 14(a) (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder (including such persons written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee, to the public disclosure of information regarding or related to such person provided to the Corporation by such person or otherwise pursuant to this Section 1.11 and to serving as a director if elected); and
(vi) whether such person meets the independence requirements of the stock exchange upon which the Corporations Common Stock is primarily traded.
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(y) as to any other business that the Record Stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend the Bylaws, the text of the proposed amendment), the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such Proposing Person, including any anticipated benefit to any Proposing Person therefrom; and
(z) as to the Proposing Person giving the notice:
(i) the current name and address of such Proposing Person, including, if applicable, their name and address as they appear on the Corporations stock ledger, if different;
(ii) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are directly or indirectly owned of record or beneficially owned by such Proposing Person, including any shares of any class or series of the Corporation as to which such Proposing Person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future;
(iii) whether and the extent to which any derivative interest in the Corporations equity securities (including without limitation any option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right, or similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to any class or series of shares of the Corporation or with a value derived in whole or in part from the value of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, whether or not such instrument or right shall be subject to settlement in the underlying class or series of shares of the Corporation or otherwise, and any cash-settled equity swap, total return swap, synthetic equity position or similar derivative arrangement, as well as any rights to dividends on the shares of any class or series of shares of the Corporation that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation) or any short interest in any security of the Corporation (for purposes of this Bylaw a person shall be deemed to have a short interest in a security if such person directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of the subject security, including through performance-related fees) is held directly or indirectly by or for the benefit of such Proposing Person, including, without limitation, whether and the extent to which any ongoing hedging or other transaction or series of transactions has been entered into by or on behalf of, or any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (including without limitation any short position or any borrowing or lending of shares) has been made, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to or manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or to increase or decrease the voting power of, such Proposing Person with respect to any share of stock of the Corporation;
(iv) any other material relationship between such Proposing Person, on the one hand, and the Corporation, any affiliate of the Corporation or any principal competitor of the Corporation, on the other hand;
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(v) any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement with the Corporation, any affiliate of the Corporation or any principal competitor of the Corporation (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement);
(vi) any other information relating to such Proposing Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies or consents by such Proposing Person in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (iv) through (vi) are referred to as Disclosable Interests). For purposes hereof, Disclosable Interests shall not include any information with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these Bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner;
(vii) such Proposing Persons written consent to the public disclosure of information provided to the Corporation pursuant to this Section 1.11;
(viii) a complete written description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether oral or in writing) (including any knowledge that another person or entity is Acting in Concert (as defined in Section 1.11.3(c)) with such Proposing Person) between or among such Proposing Person, any of its respective affiliates or associates and any other person Acting in Concert with any of the foregoing persons;
(ix) as to each person whom such Proposing Person proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a director, any agreement, arrangement or understanding of such person with any other person or entity other than the Corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation, reimbursement or indemnification in connection with service or action as a director known to such Proposing Person after reasonable inquiry;
(x) a representation that the Record Stockholder is a holder of record of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting and will continue to be a holder of record of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting through such date of such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business or nomination;
(xi) a representation whether such Proposing Person intends (or is part of a group that intends) to deliver a proxy statement or form of proxy to holders of, in the case of a proposal, at least the percentage of the Corporations voting shares required under applicable law to carry the proposal or, in the case of a nomination or nominations, a sufficient number of holders of the Corporations voting shares to elect such nominee or nominees (an affirmative statement of such intent being a Solicitation Notice); and
(xii) any proxy, contract, arrangement, or relationship pursuant to which the Proposing Person has a right to vote, directly or indirectly, any shares of any security of the Corporation.
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A stockholder providing written notice required by this Section 1.11 will update and supplement such notice in writing, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice is true and correct in all material respects as of (i) the record date for the meeting and (ii) the close of business on the fifth (5th) business day prior to the meeting and, in the event of any adjournment or postponement thereof, the close of business on the fifth (5th) business day prior to such adjourned or postponed meeting. In the case of an update and supplement pursuant to clause (i) of the foregoing sentence, such update and supplement will be received by the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive office of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for the meeting, and in the case of an update and supplement pursuant to clause (ii) of the foregoing sentence, such update and supplement will be received by the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive office of the Corporation not later than two (2) business days prior to the date for the meeting, and, in the event of any adjournment or postponement thereof, two (2) business days prior to such adjourned or postponed meeting.
(c) Notwithstanding anything in the second sentence of Section 1.11.1(b) of these Bylaws to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board is increased and there is no Public Announcement by the Corporation naming all of the nominees for director or specifying the size of the increased Board at least ninety (90) days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding years annual meeting (or, if the annual meeting is held more than thirty (30) days before or sixty (60) days after such anniversary date, at least ninety (90) days prior to such annual meeting), a stockholders notice required by this Section 1.11 shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive office of the Corporation no later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which such Public Announcement is first made by the Corporation.
(d) Notwithstanding anything in Section 1.11 or any other provision of the Bylaws to the contrary, any person who has been determined by a majority of the Whole Board to have violated Section 2.11 of these Bylaws or a Board Confidentiality Policy (as defined below) while serving as a director of the Corporation in the preceding five (5) years shall be ineligible to be nominated or serve as a member of the Board, absent a prior waiver for such nomination or service approved by two-thirds of the Whole Board.
1.11.2 Special Meetings of Stockholders. Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporations notice of such meeting. Nominations of persons for election to the Board may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected pursuant to the Corporations notice of such meeting (a) by or at the direction of the Board or any committee thereof or (b) provided that the Board has determined that directors shall be elected at such meeting, by any stockholder of the Corporation who is a stockholder of record at the time of giving of notice of the special meeting, who shall be entitled to vote at the meeting and who complies with the notice and other procedures set forth in this Section 1.11 in all applicable respects. In the event the Corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing one (1) or more directors to the Board, any such stockholder may nominate a person or persons (as the case may be), for election to such position(s) as specified in the Corporations notice of meeting, if the stockholders notice required by Section 1.11.1(b) of these Bylaws shall
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be delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (i) no earlier than the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such special meeting and (ii) no later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such special meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which Public Announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board to be elected at such meeting.
1.11.3 General.
(a) Only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1.11 shall be eligible to be elected at a meeting of stockholders and serve as directors and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1.11. Except as otherwise provided by law or these Bylaws, the chairperson of the meeting shall have the power and duty to determine whether a nomination or any other business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1.11 and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance herewith, to declare that such defective proposal or nomination shall be disregarded. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.11, unless otherwise required by law, if the stockholder (or a Qualified Representative of the stockholder (as defined below)) does not appear at the annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to present a nomination or proposed business, such nomination shall be disregarded and such proposed business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.11, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth herein. Nothing in this Section 1.11 shall be deemed to affect any rights of (a) stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporations proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act or any other applicable federal or state securities law with respect to that stockholders request to include proposals in the Corporations proxy statement or (b) the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors pursuant to any applicable provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation.
(c) For purposes of this Section 1.11 the following definitions shall apply:
(A) a person shall be deemed to be Acting in Concert with another person if such person knowingly acts (whether or not pursuant to an express agreement, arrangement or understanding) in concert with, or toward a common goal relating to the management, governance or control of the Corporation in substantial parallel with, such other person where (1) each person is conscious of the other persons conduct or intent and this awareness is an element in their decision-making processes and (2) at least one additional factor suggests that such persons intend to act in concert or in substantial parallel, which such additional factors may include, without limitation, exchanging information (whether publicly or
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privately), attending meetings, conducting discussions or making or soliciting invitations to act in concert or in substantial parallel; provided, that a person shall not be deemed to be Acting in Concert with any other person solely as a result of the solicitation or receipt of revocable proxies or consents from such other person in response to a solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, Section 14(a) (or any successor provision) of the Exchange Act by way of a proxy or consent solicitation statement filed on Schedule 14A. A person Acting in Concert with another person shall be deemed to be Acting in Concert with any third party who is also Acting in Concert with such other person;
(B) Associated Person shall mean with respect to any subject stockholder or other person (including any proposed nominee) (1) any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such stockholder or other person, (2) any beneficial owner of shares of stock of the Corporation owned of record or beneficially by such stockholder or other person, (3) any associate (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act)), of such stockholder or other person, and (4) any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control or Acting in Concert with any such Associated Person;
(C) Proposing Person shall mean (1) the stockholder providing the notice of business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting or nomination of persons for election to the Board at a stockholder meeting, (2) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of business proposed to be brought before the annual meeting or nomination of persons for election to the Board at a stockholder meeting is made, and (3) any Associated Person on whose behalf the notice of business proposed to be brought before the annual meeting or nomination of persons for election to the Board at a stockholder meeting is made;
(D) Public Announcement shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by a national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act; and
(E) to be considered a Qualified Representative of a stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or must be authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as a proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction thereof, at the annual meeting; provided, however, that if the stockholder is (1) a general or limited partnership, any general partner or person who functions as a general partner of the general or limited partnership or who controls the general or limited partnership shall
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be deemed a Qualified Representative, (2) a corporation or a limited liability company, any officer or person who functions as the substantial equivalent of an officer of the corporation or limited liability company or any officer, director, general partner or person who functions as an officer, director or general partner of any entity ultimately in control of the corporation or limited liability company shall be deemed a Qualified Representative or (z) a trust, any trustee of such trust shall be deemed a Qualified Representative. The Secretary of the Corporation, or any other person who shall be appointed to serve as the secretary of the meeting, may require, on behalf of the Corporation, reasonable and appropriate documentation to verify the status of a person purporting to be a Qualified Representative for purposes hereof.
ARTICLE II
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2.1 Number; Qualifications.
The total number of directors constituting the Board (the Whole Board) shall be fixed from time to time in the manner set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation. No decrease in the authorized number of directors constituting the Whole Board shall shorten the term of any incumbent director. Directors need not be stockholders of the Corporation.
2.2 Election; Resignation; Removal; Vacancies.
Election of directors need not be by written ballot. Unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation and subject to the special rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the Board shall be divided into three (3) classes, designated as Class I, Class II and Class III. Each class shall consist, as nearly as may be possible, of one-third of the Whole Board. Each director shall hold office until the annual meeting at which such directors term expires and until such directors successor is elected and qualified or until such directors earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. Any director may resign at any time by delivering a resignation in writing or by electronic transmission to the Corporation at its principal office or to the Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, President or the Secretary of the Corporation. Such resignation shall be effective upon delivery unless it is specified to be effective at a later time or upon the happening of an event. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective unless otherwise expressly provided in the resignation. Subject to the special rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, directors may be removed only as provided by the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law. Except as otherwise provided by law, all vacancies occurring in the Board and any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors shall be filled in the manner set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation. Any director elected to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship shall hold office until the next election of the class for which such director shall have been chosen and until his or her successor shall be elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal.
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2.3 Regular Meetings.
Regular meetings of the Board may be held at such places, within or without the State of Delaware, and at such times as the Board may from time to time determine. Notice of regular meetings need not be given if the date, times and places thereof are fixed by resolution of the Board but a copy of every resolution fixing or changing the time or place of regular meetings shall be mailed to every director at least five (5) days before the first meeting held in pursuance thereof.
2.4 Special Meetings.
Special meetings of the Board may be called by the Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, or President, the Lead Independent Director or by resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board and may be held at any time, date or place, within or without the State of Delaware, as the person or persons calling the meeting shall fix. Notice of the time, date and place of such meeting shall be given in writing or by electronic transmission (including electronic mail), by the person or persons calling the meeting to all directors at least four (4) days before the meeting if the notice is mailed, or at least twenty-four (24) hours before the meeting if such notice is given by telephone, hand delivery, telegram, telex, mailgram, facsimile, electronic mail or other means of electronic transmission. Unless otherwise indicated in the notice, any and all business may be transacted at a special meeting.
2.5 Remote Meetings Permitted.
Members of the Board, or any committee of the Board, may participate in a meeting of the Board or such committee by means of conference telephone or other remote communications by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting pursuant to conference telephone or other remote communications shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
2.6 Quorum; Vote Required for Action.
At all meetings of the Board, a majority of the Whole Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. If a quorum shall fail to attend any meeting, a majority of those present may adjourn the meeting to another place, date or time without further notice thereof. Notice of such adjourned meeting need not be given if the time and place of such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting so adjourned. Except as otherwise provided herein or in the Certificate of Incorporation, or required by law, the vote of a majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board.
2.7 Organization.
Meetings of the Board shall be presided over by (a) the Chairperson of the Board, or (b) in such persons absence, the Lead Independent Director, or (c) in such persons absence, by the Chief Executive Officer, or (d) in such persons absence, by a chairperson chosen by the Board at the meeting. The Secretary shall act as the secretary of the meeting, but in such persons absence the chairperson of the meeting may appoint any person to act as the secretary of the meeting.
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2.8 Unanimous Action by Directors in Lieu of a Meeting.
Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or such committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee, as applicable. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.
2.9 Powers.
Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or the DGCL, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board.
2.10 Compensation of Directors.
Members of the Board, as such, may receive, pursuant to a resolution of the Board, fees and reimbursement of expenses and other compensation for their services as directors, including without limitation their services as members of committees of the Board.
ARTICLE III
COMMITTEES
3.1 Committees.
The Board may designate one (1) or more committees, each committee to consist of one (1) or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one (1) or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of the committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting of such committee who are not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board to act at the meeting in place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided in a resolution of the Board, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers that may require it, but no such committee shall have the power or authority in reference to the following matters: (a) approving, adopting or recommending to the stockholders any action or matter (other than the election or removal of members of the Board) expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval or (b) adopting, amending or repealing any bylaw of the Corporation.
3.2 Committee Rules.
Each committee shall keep records of its proceedings and make such reports as the Board may from time to time request. Unless the Board otherwise provides, each committee designated by the Board may make, alter and repeal rules for the conduct of its business. In the absence of
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such rules, each committee shall conduct its business in the same manner as the Board conducts its business pursuant to Article II of these Bylaws. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws or the resolution of the Board designating the committee, any committee may create one (1) or more subcommittees, each subcommittee to consist of one (1) or more members of the committee, and may delegate to any such subcommittee any or all of the powers and authority of the committee.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS; CHAIRPERSON; LEAD INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR
4.1 Generally.
The officers of the Corporation shall consist of a Chief Executive Officer (who may be the Chairperson of the Board or the President), a President, a Secretary and a Treasurer and may consist of such other officers, including, without limitation, a Chief Financial Officer and one (1) or more Vice Presidents, as may from time to time be appointed by the Board. All officers shall be elected by the Board. Such officers shall have the authority and duties delegated to each of them, respectively, by these Bylaws or the Board of Directors from time to time. Except as otherwise provided by law, by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, each officer shall hold office until such officers successor is duly elected and qualified or until such officers earlier resignation, death, disqualification or removal. Any number of offices may be held by the same person. Any officer may resign by delivering a resignation in writing or by electronic transmission to the Corporation at its principal office or to the Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the Secretary. Such resignation shall be effective upon delivery unless it is specified to be effective at some later time or upon the happening of some later event. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation by death, resignation, removal or otherwise may be filled by the Board and the Board may, in its discretion, leave unfilled, for such period as it may determine, any offices. Each such successor shall hold office for the unexpired term of such officers predecessor and until a successor is duly elected and qualified or until such officers earlier resignation, death, disqualification or removal.
4.2 Chief Executive Officer.
Subject to the control of the Board and such supervisory powers, if any, as may be given by the Board, the powers and duties of the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation are:
(a) to act as the general manager and, subject to the control of the Board, to have general supervision, direction and control of the business and affairs of the Corporation;
(b) subject to Article I, Section 1.6 of these Bylaws, to preside at all meetings of the stockholders;
(c) subject to Article I, Section 1.2 of these Bylaws, to call special meetings of the stockholders to be held at such times and, subject to the limitations prescribed by law or by these Bylaws, at such places as the Chief Executive Officer shall deem proper;
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(d) to affix the signature of the Corporation to all deeds, conveyances, mortgages, guarantees, leases, obligations, bonds, certificates and other papers and instruments in writing which have been authorized by the Board or which, in the judgment of the Chief Executive Officer, should be executed on behalf of the Corporation; and
(e) to sign certificates for shares of stock of the Corporation (if any);
(f) and, subject to the direction of the Board, to have general charge of the property of the Corporation and to supervise and control all officers, agents and employees of the Corporation.
The person holding the office of President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation unless the Board shall designate another officer to be the Chief Executive Officer.
4.3 Chairperson of the Board.
Subject to the provisions of Section 2.7 of these Bylaws, the Chairperson of the Board shall have the power to preside at all meetings of the Board and shall have such other powers and duties as provided in these Bylaws and as the Board may from time to time prescribe.
4.4 Lead Independent Director.
The Board may, in its discretion, elect a lead independent director from among its members that are Independent Directors (as defined below) (such director, the Lead Independent Director). The Lead Independent Director shall preside at all meetings at which the Chairperson of the Board is not present and shall exercise such other powers and duties as may from time to time be assigned to such person by the Board or as prescribed by these Bylaws. For purposes of these Bylaws, Independent Director has the meaning ascribed to such term under the rules of the exchange upon which the Corporations Common Stock is primarily traded.
4.5 President.
The person holding the office of Chief Executive Officer shall be the President of the Corporation unless the Board shall have designated one (1) individual as the President and a different individual as the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation. Subject to the provisions of these Bylaws and to the direction of the Board, and subject to the supervisory powers of the Chief Executive Officer (if the Chief Executive Officer is an officer other than the President), and subject to such supervisory powers and authority as may be given by the Board to the Chairperson of the Board, and/or to any other officer, the President shall have the responsibility for the general management and control of the business and affairs of the Corporation and the general supervision and direction of all of the officers, employees and agents of the Corporation (other than the Chief Executive Officer, if the Chief Executive Officer is an officer other than the President) and shall perform all duties and have all powers that are commonly incident to the office of President or that are delegated to the President by the Board.
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4.6 Vice President.
Each Vice President shall have all such powers and duties as are commonly incident to the office of Vice President or that are delegated to such Vice President by the Board or the Chief Executive Officer. A Vice President may be designated by the Board to perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Chief Executive Officer or President in the event of the Chief Executive Officers or Presidents absence or disability.
4.7 Chief Financial Officer.
The person holding the office of Chief Financial Officer shall be the Treasurer of the Corporation unless the Board shall have designated another officer as the Treasurer of the Corporation. Subject to the direction of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer shall perform all duties and have all powers that are commonly incident to the office of Chief Financial Officer, or as the Board may from time to time prescribe.
4.8 Treasurer.
The person holding the office of Treasurer shall have custody of all monies and securities of the Corporation. The Treasurer shall make such disbursements of the funds of the Corporation as are authorized and shall render from time to time an account of all such transactions. The Treasurer shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as are commonly incident to the office of Treasurer, or as the Board or the Chief Executive Officer may from time to time prescribe.
4.9 Secretary.
The Secretary shall issue or cause to be issued all authorized notices for, and shall keep, or cause to be kept, minutes of all meetings of the stockholders and the Board. The Secretary shall have charge of the corporate minute books and similar records and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as are commonly incident to the office of Secretary, or as the Board or the Chief Executive Officer may from time to time prescribe.
4.10 Delegation of Authority.
The Board may from time to time delegate the powers or duties of any officer of the Corporation to any other officers or agents of the Corporation, notwithstanding any provision hereof.
4.11 Removal.
Any officer of the Corporation shall serve at the pleasure of the Board and may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the Board. Such removal shall be without prejudice to the contractual rights of such officer, if any, with the Corporation. The election or appointment of an officer shall not of itself create contract rights.
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ARTICLE V
STOCK
5.1 Certificates; Uncertificated Shares.
The shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be uncertificated shares; provided, however, that the resolution of the Board that the shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be uncertificated shares shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the Corporation (or the transfer agent or registrar, as the case may be). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of its stock shall be certificated shares. Every holder of stock represented by certificates shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation, by any two authorized officers of the Corporation (it being understood that each of the Chairperson of the Board, Vice Chairperson of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary, and any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation shall be an authorized officer for such purpose), representing the number of shares registered in certificate form. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such person were an officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue. With respect to all uncertificated shares, the name of the holder of record of such uncertificated shares represented, with the number of such shares and the date of issue, shall be entered on the books of the Corporation.
5.2 Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Stock Certificates; Issuance of New Certificates or Uncertificated Shares.
The Corporation may issue a new certificate of stock or uncertificated shares in the place of any certificate previously issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen or destroyed, and the Corporation may require the owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owners legal representative, to agree to indemnify the Corporation and/or to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify it, against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate or uncertificated shares.
5.3 Other Regulations.
Subject to applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation and these Bylaws, the issue, transfer, conversion and registration of shares represented by certificates and of uncertificated shares shall be governed by such other regulations as the Board may establish.
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ARTICLE VI
INDEMNIFICATION
6.1 Indemnification of Officers and Directors.
Each person who was or is made a party to, or is threatened to be made a party to, or is involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, legislative or any other type whatsoever (a Proceeding), by reason of the fact that such person (or a person of whom such person is the legal representative), is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, agent or trustee of another corporation, or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans (for purposes of this Article VI, an Indemnitee), shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than such law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all expenses, liability and loss (including attorneys fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such Indemnitee in connection therewith, provided such Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner that the Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the Indemnitees conduct was unlawful. Such indemnification shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of such Indemnitees heirs, executors and administrators. Notwithstanding the foregoing, subject to Section 6.5 of these Bylaws, the Corporation shall indemnify any such Indemnitee seeking indemnity in connection with a Proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such Indemnitee only if such Proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board or such indemnification is authorized by an agreement approved by the Board.
6.2 Advance of Expenses.
Except as otherwise provided in a written indemnification contract between the Corporation and an Indemnitee, the Corporation shall pay on a current and as-incurred basis all expenses (including attorneys fees) incurred by an Indemnitee in defending any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that if the DGCL then so requires, the advancement of such expenses shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such Indemnitee, to repay such amounts if it shall ultimately be determined that such Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article VI or otherwise.
6.3 Non-Exclusivity of Rights.
The rights conferred on any person in this Article VI shall not be exclusive of any other right that such person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, agreement, vote or consent of stockholders or disinterested
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directors, or otherwise. Additionally, nothing in this Article VI shall limit the ability of the Corporation, in its discretion, to indemnify or advance expenses to persons whom the Corporation is not obligated to indemnify or advance expenses pursuant to this Article VI.
6.4 Indemnification Contracts.
The Board is authorized to cause the Corporation to enter into indemnification contracts with any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or any person serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, agent or trustee of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including employee benefit plans, providing indemnification or advancement rights to such person. Such rights may be greater than those provided in this Article VI.
6.5 Right of Indemnitee to Bring Suit.
The following shall apply to the extent not in conflict with any indemnification contract provided for in Section 6.4 of these Bylaws.
6.5.1 Right to Bring Suit. If a claim under Section 6.1 or 6.2 of these Bylaws is not paid in full by the Corporation within sixty (60) days after a written claim has been received by the Corporation, except in the case of a claim for an advancement of expenses, in which case the applicable period shall be twenty (20) days, the Indemnitee may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim. If successful in whole or in part in any such suit, or in a suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the expense of prosecuting or defending such suit. In any suit brought by the Indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification hereunder (but not in a suit brought by the Indemnitee to enforce a right to an advancement of expenses) it shall be a defense that the Indemnitee has not met any applicable standard of conduct which makes it permissible under the DGCL (or other applicable law) for the Corporation to indemnify the Indemnitee for the amount claimed.
6.5.2 Effect of Determination. Neither the absence of a determination prior to the commencement of such suit that indemnification of the Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because the Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in applicable law, nor an actual determination that the Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that the Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct or, in the case of such a suit brought by the Indemnitee, be a defense to such suit.
6.5.3 Burden of Proof. In any suit brought by the Indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, or brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the burden of proving that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of expenses, under this Article VI, or otherwise, shall be on the Corporation.
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6.6 Nature of Rights.
The rights conferred upon Indemnitees in this Article VI shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer or trustee and shall inure to the benefit of the Indemnitees heirs, executors and administrators. Any amendment, repeal or modification of any provision of this Article VI that adversely affects any right of an Indemnitee or an Indemnitees successors shall be prospective only, and shall not adversely affect any right or protection conferred on a person pursuant to this Article VI with respect to any Proceeding involving any occurrence or alleged occurrence of any action or omission to act that took place prior to such amendment, repeal or modification.
6.7 Insurance.
The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the DGCL.
ARTICLE VII
NOTICES
7.1 Notice.
7.1.1 Form and Delivery. Except as otherwise specifically required in these Bylaws (including, without limitation, Section 7.1.2 of these Bylaws) or by applicable law, all notices required to be given pursuant to these Bylaws shall be in writing and may (a) in every instance in connection with any delivery to a member of the Board, be effectively given by hand delivery (including use of a delivery service), by depositing such notice in the mail, postage prepaid, or by sending such notice by overnight express courier, facsimile, electronic mail or other form of electronic transmission and (b) be effectively delivered to a stockholder when given by hand delivery, by depositing such notice in the mail, postage prepaid or, if specifically consented to by the stockholder as described in Section 7.1.2 of these Bylaws, by sending such notice by facsimile, electronic mail or other form of electronic transmission. Any such notice shall be addressed to the person to whom notice is to be given at such persons address as it appears on the records of the Corporation. The notice shall be deemed given: (a) in the case of hand delivery, when received by the person to whom notice is to be given or by any person accepting such notice on behalf of such person; (b) in the case of delivery by mail, upon deposit in the mail; (c) in the case of delivery by overnight express courier, when dispatched; and (d) in the case of delivery via facsimile, electronic mail or other form of electronic transmission, at the time provided in Section 7.1.2 of these Bylaws.
7.1.2 Electronic Transmission. Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these Bylaws shall be effective if given by a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder to
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whom the notice is given in accordance with Section 232 of the DGCL. Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice to the Corporation. Any such consent shall be deemed revoked if (a) the Corporation is unable to deliver by electronic transmission two (2) consecutive notices given by the Corporation in accordance with such consent and (b) such inability becomes known to the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or to the transfer agent, or other person responsible for the giving of notice; provided, however, that the inadvertent failure to treat such inability as a revocation shall not invalidate any meeting or other action. Notice given pursuant to this Section 7.1.2 shall be deemed given: (i) if by facsimile telecommunication, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; (ii) if by electronic mail, when directed to an electronic mail address at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; (iii) if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of such posting and the giving of such separate notice; and (iv) if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder.
7.1.3 Affidavit of Giving Notice. An affidavit of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or of the transfer agent or other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given in writing or by a form of electronic transmission shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.
7.2 Waiver of Notice.
Whenever notice is required to be given under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, a written waiver of notice, signed by the person entitled to notice, or waiver by electronic transmission by such person, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the stockholders, directors or members of a committee of directors need be specified in any waiver of notice.
ARTICLE VIII
INTERESTED DIRECTORS
8.1 Interested Directors.
No contract or transaction between the Corporation and one (1) or more of its members of the Board or officers, or between the Corporation and any other corporation, partnership, association or other organization in which one (1) or more of its directors or officers are members of the board of directors or officers, or have a financial interest, shall be void or voidable solely for this reason, or solely because the director or officer is present at or participates in the meeting of the Board or committee thereof that authorizes the contract or transaction, or solely because such directors or officers votes are counted for such purpose, if: (a) the material facts as to such directors or officers relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the Board or the committee, and the Board
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or committee in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative votes of a majority of the disinterested directors, even though the disinterested directors be less than a quorum; (b) the material facts as to such directors or officers relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the stockholders entitled to vote thereon, and the contract or transaction is specifically approved in good faith by vote of the stockholders; or (c) the contract or transaction is fair as to the Corporation as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified by the Board, a committee thereof, or the stockholders.
8.2 Quorum.
Interested directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board or of a committee which authorizes the contract or transaction.
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
9.1 Fiscal Year.
The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be determined by resolution of the Board.
9.2 Seal.
The Board may provide for a corporate seal, which may have the name of the Corporation inscribed thereon and shall otherwise be in such form as may be approved from time to time by the Board.
9.3 Form of Records.
Any records maintained by the Corporation in the regular course of its business, including its stock ledger, books of account and minute books, may be kept on or by means of, or be in the form of any other information storage device or method, electronic or otherwise, provided, that the records so kept can be converted into clearly legible paper form within a reasonable time. The Corporation shall so convert any records so kept upon the request of any person entitled to inspect such records pursuant to any provision of the DGCL.
9.4 Reliance Upon Books and Records.
A member of the Board, or a member of any committee designated by the Board shall, in the performance of such persons duties, be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the books and records of the Corporation and upon such information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the Corporation by any of the Corporations officers or employees, or committees of the Board, or by any other person as to matters the member reasonably believes are within such other persons professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Corporation.
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9.5 Certificate of Incorporation Governs.
In the event of any conflict between the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation shall govern.
9.6 Severability.
If any provision of these Bylaws shall be held to be invalid, illegal, unenforceable or in conflict with the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, then such provision shall nonetheless be enforced to the maximum extent possible consistent with such holding and the remaining provisions of these Bylaws (including without limitation, all portions of any section of these Bylaws containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal, unenforceable or in conflict with the Certificate of Incorporation, that are not themselves invalid, illegal, unenforceable or in conflict with the Certificate of Incorporation) shall remain in full force and effect.
9.7 Time Periods.
In applying any provision of these Bylaws which requires that an act be done or not be done a specified number of days prior to an event or that an act be done during a period of a specified number of days prior to an event, calendar days shall be used, the day of the doing of the act shall be excluded, and the day of the event shall be included.
ARTICLE X
AMENDMENT
Notwithstanding any other provision of these Bylaws, any alteration, amendment or repeal of these Bylaws, and any adoption of new Bylaws, shall require the approval of the Board or the stockholders of the Corporation as expressly provided in the Certificate of Incorporation.
* * * * *
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CERTIFICATION OF BYLAWS
OF
LOCAL BOUNTI CORPORATION
(a Delaware corporation)
I, Craig M. Hurlbert, certify that I am the Co-Chief Executive Officer of Local Bounti Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the Corporation), that I am duly authorized to make and deliver this certification and that the attached Bylaws are a true and complete copy of the Bylaws of the Corporation in effect as of the date of this certificate.
Dated: November 19, 2021 |
/s/ Craig M. Hurlbert |
|||||
Craig M. Hurlbert | ||||||
Co-Chief Executive Officer |
Exhibit 4.1
AMENDED AND RESTATED WARRANT AGREEMENT
between
LEO HOLDINGS III CORP
and
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED WARRANT AGREEMENT (this Agreement), dated as of November 18, 2021, is by and between Leo Holdings III Corp, a Cayman Islands exempted company (the Company), and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a New York corporation, as warrant agent (the Warrant Agent, also referred to herein as the Transfer Agent).
WHEREAS, the Company and the Warrant Agent entered into that certain Warrant Agreement, dated as of March 2, 2021 (the Original Warrant Agreement) in connection with the Companys entry into that certain Sponsor Warrants Purchase Agreement with Leo Investors II Limited Partnership, a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership (the Sponsor), pursuant to which the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 5,333,333 warrants, each exercisable to purchase one Class A ordinary share at $11.50 per share and bearing the legend set forth in Exhibit B hereto (the Private Placement Warrants) at a purchase price of $1.50 per Private Placement Warrant; and
WHEREAS, in order to finance the Companys transaction costs in connection with an intended initial merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, involving the Company and one or more businesses (a Business Combination), the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor or certain of the Companys officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as the Company may require, of which up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into up to an additional 1,000,000 Private Placement Warrants at a price of $1.50 per Private Placement Warrant; and
WHEREAS, the Company completed an initial public offering (the Offering) of units of the Companys equity securities, each such unit comprised of one Class A ordinary share (as defined below) and one-fifth of one Public Warrant (as defined below) (the Units) and, in connection therewith, issued and delivered 5,500,000 warrants to public investors in the Offering (the Public Warrants and, together with the Private Placement Warrants, the Warrants). Each whole Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Class A ordinary share of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (the Ordinary Shares), for $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as described herein; and
WHEREAS, the Company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) a registration statement on Form S-1, File No. 333-252294 (the Registration Statement) and prospectus (the Prospectus), for the registration, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), of the Units, the Public Warrants and the Ordinary Shares included in the Units; and
WHEREAS, Section 9.8 of the Original Agreement permits amendment of the terms thereof with the vote or written consent of the Registered Holders of of 50% of the then-outstanding Public Warrants (the Holder Consent); and
WHEREAS, the Company desires, upon receipt of the Holder Consent, to amend and restate the Original Agreement as set forth herein; and to provide for the form and provisions of the Warrants, the terms upon which they shall be issued and exercised, and the respective rights, limitation of rights, and immunities of the Company, the Warrant Agent, and the holders of the Warrants; and
WHEREAS, all acts and things have been done and performed which are necessary to make the Warrants, when executed on behalf of the Company and countersigned by or on behalf of the Warrant Agent, as provided herein, the valid, binding and legal obligations of the Company, and to authorize the execution and delivery of this Agreement. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Appointment of Warrant Agent. The Company hereby appoints the Warrant Agent to act as agent for the Company for the Warrants, and the Warrant Agent hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the same in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.
2. Warrants.
2.1 Form of Warrant. Each Warrant shall initially be issued in registered form only.
2.2 Effect of Countersignature. If a physical certificate is issued, unless and until countersigned by the Warrant Agent pursuant to this Agreement, a certificated Warrant shall be invalid and of no effect and may not be exercised by the holder thereof.
2.3 Registration.
2.3.1 Warrant Register. The Warrant Agent shall maintain books (the Warrant Register), for the registration of original issuance and the registration of transfer of the Warrants. Upon the initial issuance of the Warrants in book-entry form, the Warrant Agent shall issue and register the Warrants in the names of the respective holders thereof in such denominations and otherwise in accordance with instructions delivered to the Warrant Agent by the Company. Ownership of beneficial interests in the Public Warrants shall be shown on, and the transfer of such ownership shall be effected through, records maintained by institutions that have accounts with the Depository Trust Company (the Depositary) (such institution, with respect to a Warrant in its account, a Participant).
If the Depositary subsequently ceases to make its book-entry settlement system available for the Public Warrants, the Company may instruct the Warrant Agent regarding making other arrangements for book-entry settlement. In the event that the Public Warrants are not eligible for, or it is no longer necessary to have the Public Warrants available in, book-entry form, the Warrant Agent shall provide written instructions to the Depositary to deliver to the Warrant Agent for cancellation each book-entry Public Warrant, and the Company shall instruct the Warrant Agent to deliver to the Depositary definitive certificates in physical form evidencing such Warrants (Definitive Warrant Certificates) which shall be in the form annexed hereto as Exhibit A.
Physical certificates, if issued, shall be signed by, or bear the facsimile signature of, the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, President or other principal officer of the Company. In the event the person whose facsimile signature has been placed upon any Warrant shall have ceased to serve in the capacity in which such person signed the Warrant before such Warrant is issued, it may be issued with the same effect as if he or she had not ceased to be such at the date of issuance.
2.3.2 Registered Holder. Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of any Warrant, the Company and the Warrant Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name such Warrant is registered in the Warrant Register (the Registered Holder) as the absolute owner of such Warrant and of each Warrant represented thereby, for the purpose of any exercise thereof, and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Warrant Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
2.4 Detachability of Warrants. The Ordinary Shares and Public Warrants comprising the Units became eligible for separate trading on April 23, 2021.
2.5 Fractional Warrants. The Company shall not issue fractional Warrants other than as part of the Units, each of which is comprised of one Ordinary Share and one-fifth of one whole Public Warrant. If, upon the detachment of Public Warrants from the Units or otherwise, a holder of Warrants would be entitled to receive a fractional Warrant, the Company shall round down to the nearest whole number the number of Warrants to be issued to such holder.
2.6 Private Placement Warrants. The Private Placement Warrants shall be identical to the Public Warrants, except that the Private Placement Warrants: (i) including the Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Private Placement Warrants, may not be transferred, assigned or sold until thirty (30) days after the completion by the Company of an initial Business Combination, and (ii) shall not be redeemable by the Company; provided, however, that in the case of (i), the Private Placement Warrants and any Ordinary Shares issued upon exercise of the Private Placement Warrants may be transferred by the holders thereof:
(a) to the Companys officers or directors, any affiliates or family members of any of the Companys officers or directors, any members or partners of the Sponsor or their affiliates, any affiliates of the Sponsor or any employees of such affiliates;
(b) in the case of an individual, by gift to a member of one of the individuals immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of the individuals immediate family, an affiliate of such person or to a charitable organization,
(c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual;
(d) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order;
(e) by private sales or transfers made in connection with the Business Combination at prices no greater than the price at which the Private Placement Warrants or Ordinary Shares, as applicable, were originally purchased;
(f) by virtue of the holders organizational documents upon liquidation or dissolution of the holder;
(g) to the Company for no value for cancellation in connection with the consummation of its initial Business Combination;
(h) in the event of the Companys liquidation prior to the completion of its initial Business Combination; or
(i) in the event of the Companys completion of a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of the Companys shareholders having the right to exchange their Ordinary Shares for cash, securities or other property subsequent to the completion of the Companys initial Business Combination; provided, however, that, in the case of clauses (a) through (f), these permitted transferees (the Permitted Transferees) must enter into a written agreement with the Company agreeing to be bound by the transfer restrictions in this Agreement. Once the Private Placement Warrants are no longer held by a Permitted Transferee they are deemed Public Warrants hereunder.
3. Terms and Exercise of Warrants.
3.1 Warrant Price. Each whole Warrant shall entitle the Registered Holder thereof, subject to the provisions of such Warrant and of this Agreement, to purchase from the Company the number of Ordinary Shares stated therein, at the price of $11.50 per share, subject to the adjustments provided in Section 4 hereof and in the second to last sentence of this Section 3.1. The term Warrant Price as used in this Agreement shall mean the price per share (including in cash or by payment of Warrants pursuant to a cashless exercise, to the extent permitted hereunder) described in the prior sentence at which Ordinary Shares may be purchased at the time a Warrant is exercised. The Company in its sole discretion may lower the Warrant Price at any time prior to the Expiration Date (as defined below) for a period of not less than fifteen (15) Business Days (unless otherwise required by the Commission, any national securities exchange on which the Warrants are listed or applicable law); provided that the Company shall provide at least five (5) days prior written notice of such reduction to Registered Holders of the Warrants; and provided further, that any such reduction shall be identical among all of the Warrants. The term Business Day means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or federal holiday, on which banks in New York City are generally open for normal business.
3.2 Duration of Warrants. A Warrant may be exercised only during the period (the Exercise Period) (A) commencing on the later of: (i) the date that is thirty (30) days after the first date on which the Company completes a Business Combination, or (ii) the date that is twelve (12) months from the date of the closing of the Offering, and (B) terminating at the earliest to occur of (x) 5:00 p.m. New York City time on the date that is five (5) years after the date on which the Company completes its initial Business Combination, (y) the liquidation of the Company in accordance with the Companys amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, as amended from time to time, if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination, and (z) other than with respect to the Private Placement Warrants, 5:00 p.m. New York City time on the Redemption Date (as defined below) (the Expiration Date); provided, however, that the exercise of any Warrant shall be subject to the satisfaction of any applicable conditions, as set forth in subsection 3.3.2 below with respect to an effective registration statement or a valid exemption therefrom being available. Except with respect to the right to receive the Redemption Price (as defined below) (other than with respect to a Private Placement Warrant), in the event of a redemption (as set forth in Section 6 hereof), each Warrant (other than a Private Placement Warrant) not exercised on or before the Expiration Date shall become void, and all rights thereunder and all rights in respect thereof under this Agreement shall cease at 5:00 p.m. New York City time on the Expiration Date. The Company in its sole discretion may extend the duration of the Warrants by delaying the Expiration Date; provided that the Company shall provide at least twenty (20) days prior written notice of any such extension to Registered Holders of the Warrants and, provided further that any such extension shall be identical in duration among all the Warrants.
3.3 Exercise of Warrants.
3.3.1 Payment. Subject to the provisions of the Warrant and this Agreement, a Warrant may be exercised by the Registered Holder thereof by delivering to the Warrant Agent at its corporate trust department (i) the Definitive Warrant Certificate evidencing the Warrants to be exercised, or, in the case of a Warrant represented by a book-entry, the Warrants to be exercised (the Book-Entry Warrants) on the records of the Depositary to an account of the Warrant Agent at the Depositary designated for such purposes in writing by the Warrant Agent to the Depositary from time to time, (ii) an election to purchase (Election to Purchase) any Ordinary Shares pursuant to the exercise of a Warrant, properly completed and executed by the Registered holder on the reverse of the Definitive Warrant Certificate or, in the case of a Book-Entry Warrant, properly delivered by the Participant in accordance with the Depositarys procedures, and (iii) the payment in full of the Warrant Price for each full Ordinary Share as to which the Warrant is exercised and any and all applicable taxes due in connection with the exercise of the Warrant, the exchange of the Warrant for the Ordinary Shares and the issuance of such Ordinary Shares, as follows:
(a) in lawful money of the United States, in good certified check or good bank draft payable to the Warrant Agent; or
(b) as provided in Section 7.4 hereof.
3.3.2 Issuance of Ordinary Shares on Exercise. As soon as practicable after the exercise of any Warrant and the clearance of the funds in payment of the Warrant Price (if payment is pursuant to subsection 3.3.1(a)), the Company shall issue to the Registered Holder of such Warrant a book-entry position or certificate, as applicable, for the number of Ordinary Shares to which he, she or it is entitled, registered in such name or names as may be directed by him, her or it on the register of members of the Company, and if such Warrant shall not have been exercised in full, a new book-entry position or countersigned Warrant, as applicable, for the number of Ordinary Shares as to which such Warrant shall not have been exercised. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be obligated to deliver any Ordinary Shares pursuant to the exercise of a Warrant and shall have no obligation to settle such Warrant exercise unless (i) a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the Ordinary Shares underlying the Public Warrants is then effective and a prospectus relating thereto is current, subject to the Companys satisfying its obligations under Section 7.4, or (ii) a valid exemption from registration is available. No Warrant shall be exercisable and the Company shall not be obligated to issue Ordinary Shares upon exercise of a Warrant unless the Ordinary Shares issuable upon such Warrant exercise have been registered, qualified or deemed to be exempt from registration or qualification under the securities laws of the state of residence of the Registered Holder of the Warrants. If, by reason of any exercise of Warrants on a cashless basis, the holder of any Warrant would be entitled, upon the exercise of such Warrant, to receive a fractional interest in an Ordinary Share, the Company shall round down to the nearest whole number, the number of Ordinary Shares to be issued to such holder. For the avoidance of doubt, in no event will the Company be required to pay cash to the holder of any Warrant.
3.3.3 Valid Issuance. All Ordinary Shares issued upon the proper exercise of a Warrant in conformity with this Agreement shall be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
3.3.4 Date of Issuance. Each person in whose name any book-entry position or certificate, as applicable, for Ordinary Shares is issued and who is registered in the register of members of the Company shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of such Ordinary Shares on the date on which the Warrant, or book-entry position representing such Warrant, was surrendered and payment of the Warrant Price was made, irrespective of the date of delivery of such certificate in the case of a certificated Warrant, except that, if the date of such surrender and payment is a date when the register of members of the Company or book-entry system of the Warrant Agent are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the holder of such Ordinary Shares at the close of business on the next succeeding date on which the register of members or book-entry system are open.
3.3.5 Maximum Percentage. A holder of a Warrant may notify the Company in writing in the event it elects to be subject to the provisions contained in this subsection 3.3.5; however, no holder of a Warrant shall be subject to this subsection 3.3.5 unless he, she or it makes such election. If the election is made by a holder, the Warrant Agent shall not effect the exercise of the holders Warrant, and such holder shall not have the right to exercise such Warrant, to the extent that after giving effect to such exercise, such person (together with such persons affiliates), to the
Warrant Agents actual knowledge, would beneficially own in excess of 4.9% or 9.8% (as specified by the holder) (the Maximum Percentage) of the Ordinary Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the aggregate number of Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by such person and its affiliates shall include the number of Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrant with respect to which the determination of such sentence is being made, but shall exclude Ordinary Shares that would be issuable upon (x) exercise of the remaining, unexercised portion of the Warrant beneficially owned by such person and its affiliates and (y) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or unconverted portion of any other securities of the Company beneficially owned by such person and its affiliates (including, without limitation, any convertible notes or convertible preference shares or warrants) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this paragraph, beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act). For purposes of the Warrant, in determining the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares, the holder may rely on the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares as reflected in (1) the Companys most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, Current Report on Form 8-K or other public filing with the Commission as the case may be, (2) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (3) any other notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent setting forth the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding. For any reason at any time, upon the written request of the holder of the Warrant, the Company shall, within two (2) Business Days, confirm orally and in writing to such holder the number of Ordinary Shares then outstanding. In any case, the number of issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of equity securities of the Company by the holder and its affiliates since the date as of which such number of issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares was reported. By written notice to the Company, the holder of a Warrant may from time to time increase or decrease the Maximum Percentage applicable to such holder to any other percentage specified in such notice; provided, however, that any such increase shall not be effective until the sixty-first (61st) day after such notice is delivered to the Company.
4. Adjustments.
4.1 Share Dividends.
4.1.1 Split-Ups. If after the date hereof, and subject to the provisions of Section 4.7 below, the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares is increased by a capitalization or share dividend payable in Ordinary Shares, in each case with made to holders of all or substantially all of the Ordinary Shares, or by a split-up of Ordinary Shares or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such capitalization or share dividend, split-up or similar event, the number of Ordinary Shares issuable on exercise of each Warrant shall be increased in proportion to such increase in the outstanding Ordinary Shares. A rights offering made to holders of the Ordinary Shares entitling holders to purchase Ordinary Shares at a price less than the Historical Fair Market Value (as defined below) shall be deemed a share dividend of a number of Ordinary Shares equal to the product of (i) the number of Ordinary Shares actually sold in such rights offering (or issuable under any other equity securities sold in such rights offering that are convertible into or exercisable for the Ordinary Shares) multiplied by (ii) one (1) minus the quotient of (x) the price per Ordinary Share paid in such rights offering divided by (y) the Historical Fair Market Value. For purposes of this subsection 4.1.1, (i) if the rights offering is for securities convertible into or exercisable for Ordinary Shares, in determining the price payable for Ordinary Shares, there shall be taken into account any consideration received for such rights, as well as any additional amount payable upon exercise or conversion and (ii) Historical Fair Market Value means the volume weighted average price of the Ordinary Shares during the ten (10) trading day period ending on the trading day prior to the first date on which the Ordinary Shares trade on the applicable exchange or in the applicable market, regular way, without the right to receive such rights.
4.1.2 Extraordinary Dividends. If the Company, at any time while the Warrants are outstanding and unexpired, pays to all or substantially all of the holders of the Ordinary Shares a dividend or makes a distribution in cash, securities or other assets on account of such Ordinary Shares (or other shares into which the Warrants are convertible), other than (a) as described in subsection 4.1.1 above, (b) Ordinary Cash Dividends (as defined below), (c) to satisfy the redemption rights of the holders of the Ordinary Shares in connection with a proposed initial Business Combination, (d) to satisfy the redemption rights of the holders of the Ordinary Shares in connection with a shareholder vote to amend the Companys amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to modify the substance or timing of the Companys obligation to redeem 100% of the Ordinary Shares if the Company does not complete the initial Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of the Offering or with respect to any other provisions relating to the rights of holders of Ordinary Shares, or (e) in connection with the redemption of public
shares upon the failure of the Company to complete its initial Business Combination and any subsequent distribution of its assets upon its liquidation (any such non-excluded event being referred to herein as an Extraordinary Dividend), then the Warrant Price shall be decreased, effective immediately after the effective date of such Extraordinary Dividend, by the amount of cash and/or the fair market value (as determined by the Companys board of directors (the Board), in good faith) of any securities or other assets paid on each Ordinary Share in respect of such Extraordinary Dividend. For purposes of this subsection 4.1.2, Ordinary Cash Dividends means any cash dividend or cash distribution which, when combined on a per share basis, with the per share amounts of all other cash dividends and cash distributions paid on the Ordinary Shares during the 365-day period ending on the date of declaration of such dividend or distribution (as adjusted to appropriately reflect any of the events referred to in other subsections of this Section 4 and excluding cash dividends or cash distributions that resulted in an adjustment to the Warrant Price or to the number of Ordinary Shares issuable on exercise of each Warrant) does not exceed $0.50 (being 5% of the offering price of the Units in the Offering). Solely for purposes of illustration, if the Company, at a time while the Warrants are outstanding and unexpired, pays a cash dividend of $0.35 per share and previously paid an aggregate of $0.40 of cash dividends and cash distributions on the Class A Ordinary Shares during the 365-day period ending on the date of declaration of such $0.35 per share dividend, then the Warrant Price will be decreased, effectively immediately after the effective date of such $0.35 per share dividend, by $0.25 (the absolute value of the difference between $0.75 per share (the aggregate amount of all cash dividends and cash distributions paid or made in such 365-day period, including such $0.35 dividend) and $0.50 per share (the greater of (x) $0.50 per share and (y) the aggregate amount of all cash dividends and cash distributions paid or made in such 365-day period prior to such $0.35 dividend)).
4.2 Aggregation of Shares. If after the date hereof, and subject to the provisions of Section 4.7 hereof, the number of issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares is decreased by a consolidation, combination, reverse share split or reclassification of Ordinary Shares or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such consolidation, combination, reverse share split, reclassification or similar event, the number of Ordinary Shares issuable on exercise of each Warrant shall be decreased in proportion to such decrease in issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares.
4.3 Adjustments in Exercise Price. Whenever the number of Ordinary Shares purchasable upon the exercise of the Warrants is adjusted, as provided in subsection 4.1.1 or Section 4.2 above, the Warrant Price shall be adjusted (to the nearest cent) by multiplying such Warrant Price immediately prior to such adjustment by a fraction (x) the numerator of which shall be the number of Ordinary Shares purchasable upon the exercise of the Warrants immediately prior to such adjustment, and (y) the denominator of which shall be the number of Ordinary Shares so purchasable immediately thereafter
4.4 Raising of the Capital in Connection with the Initial Business Combination. If (x) the Company issues additional Ordinary Shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of its initial Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per Ordinary Share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by the Board and, (i) in the case of any such issuance to the Sponsor or its affiliates, without taking into account any Class B ordinary shares of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (the Class B ordinary shares), held by the Sponsor or such affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance, and (ii) to the extent that such issuance is made to Leo Investors II Limited Partnership or its affiliates, without taking into account the transfer of Class B ordinary shares or Private Placement Warrants (including if such transfer is effectuated as a surrender to the Company and subsequent reissuance by the Company) by the Sponsor in connection with such issuance) (the Newly Issued Price), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of an initial Business Combination on the date of the consummation of such initial Business Combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the volume-weighted average trading price of the Ordinary Shares during the twenty (20) trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which the Company consummates an initial Business Combination (such price, the Market Value) is below $9.20 per share, the Warrant Price will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described in Section 6.1 will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price.
4.5 Replacement of Securities upon Reorganization, etc. In case of any reclassification or reorganization of the issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares (other than a change under Section 4.1 or Section 4.2 hereof or that solely affects the par value of such Ordinary Shares), or in the case of any merger or consolidation of the Company with or
into another corporation (other than a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing corporation and that does not result in any reclassification or reorganization of the issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares), or in the case of any sale or conveyance to another corporation or entity of the assets or other property of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety in connection with which the Company is dissolved, the holders of the Warrants shall thereafter have the right to purchase and receive, upon the basis and upon the terms and conditions specified in the Warrants and in lieu of the Ordinary Shares of the Company immediately theretofore purchasable and receivable upon the exercise of the rights represented thereby, the kind and amount of shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) receivable upon such reclassification, reorganization, merger or consolidation, or upon a dissolution following any such sale or transfer, that the holder of the Warrants would have received if such holder had exercised his, her or its Warrant(s) immediately prior to such event (the Alternative Issuance ); provided, however, that if the holders of the Ordinary Shares were entitled to exercise a right of election as to the kind or amount of securities, cash or other assets receivable upon such consolidation or merger, then the kind and amount of securities, cash or other assets constituting the Alternative Issuance for which each Warrant shall become exercisable shall be deemed to be the weighted average of the kind and amount received per share by the holders of the Ordinary Shares in such consolidation or merger that affirmatively make such election; provided further that if less than 70% of the consideration receivable by the holders of the Ordinary Shares in the applicable event is payable in the form of shares in the successor entity that is listed for trading on a national securities exchange or is quoted in an established over-the-counter market, or is to be so listed for trading or quoted immediately following such event, and if the Registered Holder properly exercises the Warrant within thirty (30) days following the public disclosure of the consummation of such applicable event by the Company pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission, the Warrant Price shall be reduced by an amount (in dollars) equal to the difference of (i) the Warrant Price in effect prior to such reduction minus (ii) (A) the Per Share Consideration (as defined below) (but in no event less than zero) minus (B) the Black-Scholes Warrant Value (as defined below). The Black-Scholes Warrant Value means the value of a Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of the applicable event based on the Black-Scholes Warrant Model for (x) with respect to a Public Warrant, a Capped American Call, and (y) with respect to a Private Placement Warrant, an Uncapped American Call, in each case as provided on Bloomberg Financial Markets (assuming zero dividends) (Bloomberg). For purposes of calculating such amount, (1) Section 6 of this Agreement shall be taken into account, (2) the price of each Ordinary Share shall be the volume weighted average price of the Ordinary Shares during the ten (10) trading day period ending on the trading day prior to the effective date of the applicable event, (3) the assumed volatility shall be the 90 day volatility obtained from the HVT function on Bloomberg determined as of the trading day immediately prior to the day of the announcement of the applicable event, and (4) the assumed risk-free interest rate shall correspond to the U.S. Treasury rate for a period equal to the remaining term of the Warrant. Per Share Consideration means (i) if the consideration paid to holders of the Ordinary Shares consists exclusively of cash, the amount of such cash per Ordinary Share, and (ii) in all other cases, the volume weighted average price of the Ordinary Shares during the ten (10) trading day period ending on the trading day prior to the effective date of the applicable event. If any reclassification or reorganization also results in a change in Ordinary Shares covered by subsection 4.1.1, then such adjustment shall be made pursuant to subsection 4.1.1 or Sections 4.2, 4.3 and this Section 4.5. The provisions of this Section 4.5 shall similarly apply to successive reclassifications, reorganizations, mergers or consolidations, sales or other transfers. In no event will the Warrant Price be reduced to less than the par value per share issuable upon exercise of the Warrant.
4.6 Notices of Changes in Warrant. Upon every adjustment of the Warrant Price or the number of Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of a Warrant, the Company shall give written notice thereof to the Warrant Agent, which notice shall state the Warrant Price resulting from such adjustment and the increase or decrease, if any, in the number of Ordinary Shares purchasable at such price upon the exercise of a Warrant, setting forth in reasonable detail the method of calculation and the facts upon which such calculation is based. Upon the occurrence of any event specified in Sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4 or 4.5, the Company shall give written notice of the occurrence of such event to each holder of a Warrant, at the last address set forth for such holder in the Warrant Register, of the record date or the effective date of the event. Failure to give such notice, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of such event.
4.7 No Fractional Shares. Notwithstanding any provision contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall not issue fractional Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of Warrants. If, by reason of any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 4, the holder of any Warrant would be entitled, upon the exercise of such Warrant, to receive a fractional interest in a share, the Company shall, upon such exercise, round down to the nearest whole number the number of Ordinary Shares to be issued to such holder.
4.8 Form of Warrant. The form of Warrant need not be changed because of any adjustment pursuant to this Section 4, and Warrants issued after such adjustment may state the same Warrant Price and the same number of Ordinary Shares as is stated in the Warrants initially issued pursuant to this Agreement; provided, however, that the Company may at any time in its sole discretion make any change in the form of Warrant that the Company may deem appropriate and that does not affect the substance thereof, and any Warrant thereafter issued or countersigned, whether in exchange or substitution for an outstanding Warrant or otherwise, may be in the form as so changed.
4.9 Other Events. In case any event shall occur affecting the Company as to which none of the provisions of preceding subsections of this Section 4 are strictly applicable, but which would require an adjustment to the terms of the Warrants in order to (i) avoid an adverse impact on the Warrants and (ii) effectuate the intent and purpose of this Section 4, then, in each such case, the Company shall appoint a firm of independent public accountants, investment banking or other appraisal firm of recognized national standing, which shall give its opinion as to whether or not any adjustment to the rights represented by the Warrants is necessary to effectuate the intent and purpose of this Section 4 and, if they determine that an adjustment is necessary, the terms of such adjustment. The Company shall adjust the terms of the Warrants in a manner that is consistent with any adjustment recommended in such opinion.
4.10 No Adjustment. For the avoidance of doubt, no adjustment shall be made to the terms of the Warrants solely as a result of an adjustment to the conversion ratio of the Class B Ordinary Shares into Ordinary Shares or the conversion of the Class B Ordinary Shares into Ordinary Shares, in each case, pursuant to the Companys amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, as amended from time to time.
5. Transfer and Exchange of Warrants.
5.1 Registration of Transfer. The Warrant Agent shall register the transfer, from time to time, of any outstanding Warrant upon the Warrant Register, upon surrender of such Warrant for transfer, properly endorsed with signatures properly guaranteed and accompanied by appropriate instructions for transfer. Upon any such transfer, a new Warrant representing an equal aggregate number of Warrants shall be issued and the old Warrant shall be cancelled by the Warrant Agent. In the case of certificated Warrants, the Warrants so cancelled shall be delivered by the Warrant Agent to the Company from time to time upon request.
5.2 Procedure for Surrender of Warrants. Warrants may be surrendered to the Warrant Agent, together with a written request for exchange or transfer, and thereupon the Warrant Agent shall issue in exchange therefor one or more new Warrants as requested by the Registered Holder of the Warrants so surrendered, representing an equal aggregate number of Warrants; provided, however, that except as otherwise provided herein or with respect to any Book-Entry Warrant, each Book-Entry Warrant may be transferred only in whole and only to the Depositary, to another nominee of the Depositary, to a successor depository, or to a nominee of a successor depository; provided further, however that in the event that a Warrant surrendered for transfer bears a restrictive legend (as in the case of the Private Placement Warrants), the Warrant Agent shall not cancel such Warrant and issue new Warrants in exchange thereof until the Warrant Agent has received an opinion of counsel for the Company stating that such transfer may be made and indicating whether the new Warrants must also bear a restrictive legend.
5.3 Fractional Warrants. The Warrant Agent shall not be required to effect any registration of transfer or exchange which shall result in the issuance of a warrant certificate or book-entry position for a fraction of a warrant, except as part of the Units.
5.4 Service Charges. No service charge shall be made for any exchange or registration of transfer of Warrants.
5.5 Warrant Execution and Countersignature. The Warrant Agent is hereby authorized to countersign and to deliver, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Warrants required to be issued pursuant to the provisions of this Section 5, and the Company, whenever required by the Warrant Agent, shall supply the Warrant Agent with Warrants duly executed on behalf of the Company for such purpose.
6. Redemption.
6.1 Redemption of Warrants when the price per Ordinary Share equals or exceeds $18.00. Not less than all of the outstanding Public Warrants may be redeemed, at the option of the Company, at any time during the Exercise Period, at the office of the Warrant Agent, upon notice to the Registered Holders of the Public Warrants, as described in Section 6.3 below, at a Redemption Price of $0.01 per Public Warrant, provided that (a) the Reference Value equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (subject to adjustment in compliance with Section 4 hereof) and (b) there
is an effective registration statement covering the issuance of the Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants, and a current prospectus relating thereto, available throughout the 30-day Redemption Period (as defined in Section 6.3 below).
6.2 [RESERVED]
6.3 Date Fixed for, and Notice of, Redemption; Redemption Price; Reference Value. In the event that the Company elects to redeem the Public Warrants pursuant to Section 6.1, the Company shall fix a date for the redemption (the Redemption Date). Notice of redemption shall be mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, by the Company not less than thirty (30) days prior to the Redemption Date (the 30-day Redemption Period) to the Registered Holders of the Public Warrants to be redeemed at their last addresses as they shall appear on the registration books. Any notice mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given whether or not the Registered Holder received such notice. As used in this Agreement, (a) Redemption Price shall mean the price per Public Warrant at which any Public Warrants are redeemed pursuant to Section 6.1 and (b) Reference Value shall mean the last reported sales price of the Ordinary Shares for any twenty (20) trading days within the thirty (30) trading-day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which notice of the redemption is given.
6.4 Exercise After Notice of Redemption. The Public Warrants may be exercised, for cash at any time after notice of redemption shall have been given by the Company pursuant to Section 6.3 hereof and prior to the Redemption Date. On and after the Redemption Date, the record holder of the Public Warrants shall have no further rights except to receive, upon surrender of the Public Warrants, the Redemption Price.
7. Other Provisions Relating to Rights of Holders of Warrants.
7.1 No Rights as Shareholder. A Warrant does not entitle the Registered Holder thereof to any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to receive dividends, or other distributions, exercise any preemptive rights to vote or to consent or to receive notice as shareholders in respect of the meetings of shareholders or the election of directors of the Company or any other matter.
7.2 Lost, Stolen, Mutilated, or Destroyed Warrants. If any Warrant is lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed, the Company and the Warrant Agent may on such terms as to indemnity or otherwise as they may in their discretion impose (which shall, in the case of a mutilated Warrant, include the surrender thereof), issue a new Warrant of like denomination, tenor, and date as the Warrant so lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed. Any such new Warrant shall constitute a substitute contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the allegedly lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed Warrant shall be at any time enforceable by anyone.
7.3 Reservation of Ordinary Shares. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available a number of its authorized but unissued Ordinary Shares that shall be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Warrants issued pursuant to this Agreement.
7.4 Registration of Ordinary Shares. The Company agrees that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than twenty (20) Business Days after the closing of its initial Business Combination, it shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to file with the Commission a registration statement for the registration, under the Securities Act, of the Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the same to become effective within sixty (60) Business Days following the closing of its initial Business Combination and to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement, and a current prospectus relating thereto, until the expiration or redemption of the Warrants in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. If any such registration statement has not been declared effective by the sixtieth (60th) Business Day following the closing of the Business Combination, holders of the Warrants shall have the right, during the period beginning on the sixty-first (61st) Business Day after the closing of the Business Combination and ending upon such registration statement being declared effective by the Commission, and during any other period when the Company shall fail to have maintained an effective registration statement covering the issuance of the Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, to exercise such Warrants on a cashless basis, by exchanging the Warrants (in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act (or any successor rule) or another exemption) for that number of Ordinary Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of Ordinary Shares underlying the Warrants, multiplied by the excess of the Fair Market Value (as defined below) less the Warrant Price by (y) the Fair Market Value. Solely for purposes of this Section 7.4, Fair Market Value shall mean the volume-weighted average price of the Ordinary Shares as reported during the ten (10) trading day period
ending on the trading day prior to the date that notice of exercise is received by the Warrant Agent from the holder of such Warrants or its securities broker or intermediary. The date that notice of cashless exercise is received by the Warrant Agent shall be conclusively determined by the Warrant Agent. In connection with the cashless exercise of a Warrant, the Company shall, upon request, provide the Warrant Agent with an opinion of counsel for the Company (which shall be an outside law firm with securities law experience) stating that (i) the exercise of the Warrants on a cashless basis in accordance with this Section 7.4 is not required to be registered under the Securities Act and (ii) the Ordinary Shares issued upon such exercise shall be freely tradable under United States federal securities laws by anyone who is not an affiliate (as such term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act (or any successor rule)) of the Company and, accordingly, shall not be required to bear a restrictive legend. For the avoidance of doubt, unless and until all of the Warrants have been exercised or have expired, the Company shall continue to be obligated to comply with its registration obligations under the first three sentences of this Section 7.4.
8. Concerning the Warrant Agent and Other Matters.
8.1 Payment of Taxes. The Company shall from time to time promptly pay all taxes and charges that may be imposed upon the Company or the Warrant Agent in respect of the issuance or delivery of Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of the Warrants, but the Company shall not be obligated to pay any transfer taxes in respect of the Warrants or such Ordinary Shares.
8.2 Resignation, Consolidation, or Merger of Warrant Agent.
8.2.1 Appointment of Successor Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent, or any successor to it hereafter appointed, may resign its duties and be discharged from all further duties and liabilities hereunder after giving sixty (60) days notice in writing to the Company. If the office of the Warrant Agent becomes vacant by resignation or incapacity to act or otherwise, the Company shall appoint in writing a successor Warrant Agent in place of the Warrant Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the Warrant Agent or by the holder of a Warrant (who shall, with such notice, submit his, her or its Warrant for inspection by the Company), then the holder of any Warrant may apply to the Supreme Court of the State of New York for the County of New York for the appointment of a successor Warrant Agent at the Companys cost. Any successor Warrant Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such court, shall be a corporation or other entity organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, in good standing and having its principal office in the United States of America, and authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority. After appointment, any successor Warrant Agent shall be vested with all the authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations of its predecessor Warrant Agent with like effect as if originally named as Warrant Agent hereunder, without any further act or deed; but if for any reason it becomes necessary or appropriate, the predecessor Warrant Agent shall execute and deliver, at the expense of the Company, an instrument transferring to such successor Warrant Agent all the authority, powers, and rights of such predecessor Warrant Agent hereunder; and upon request of any successor Warrant Agent the Company shall make, execute, acknowledge, and deliver any and all instruments in writing for more fully and effectually vesting in and confirming to such successor Warrant Agent all such authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations.
8.2.2 Notice of Successor Warrant Agent. In the event a successor Warrant Agent shall be appointed, the Company shall give notice thereof to the predecessor Warrant Agent and the Transfer Agent for the Ordinary Shares not later than the effective date of any such appointment.
8.2.3 Merger or Consolidation of Warrant Agent. Any entity into which the Warrant Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated or any entity resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Warrant Agent shall be a party shall be the successor Warrant Agent under this Agreement without any further act.
8.3 Fees and Expenses of Warrant Agent.
8.3.1 Remuneration. The Company agrees to pay the Warrant Agent reasonable remuneration for its services as such Warrant Agent hereunder and shall, pursuant to its obligations under this Agreement, reimburse the Warrant Agent upon demand for all expenditures that the Warrant Agent may reasonably incur in the execution of its duties hereunder.
8.3.2 Further Assurances. The Company agrees to perform, execute, acknowledge, and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged, and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments, and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Warrant Agent for the carrying out or performing of the provisions of this Agreement.
8.4 Liability of Warrant Agent.
8.4.1 Reliance on Company Statement. Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement, the Warrant Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a statement signed by the President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, the General Counsel or the Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent may rely upon such statement for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.
8.4.2 Indemnity. The Warrant Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross negligence, willful misconduct, fraud or bad faith. The Company agrees to indemnify the Warrant Agent and save it harmless against any and all liabilities, including judgments, reasonable out-of-pocket costs and reasonable outside counsel fees, for anything done or omitted by the Warrant Agent in the execution of this Agreement, except as a result of the Warrant Agents gross negligence, willful misconduct, fraud or bad faith.
8.4.3 Exclusions. The Warrant Agent shall have no responsibility with respect to the validity of this Agreement or with respect to the validity or execution of any Warrant (except its countersignature thereof). The Warrant Agent shall not be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Warrant. The Warrant Agent shall not be responsible to make any adjustments required under the provisions of Section 4 hereof or responsible for the manner, method, or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment; nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Ordinary Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Warrant or as to whether any Ordinary Shares shall, when issued, be valid and fully paid and non-assessable.
8.5 Acceptance of Agency. The Warrant Agent hereby accepts the agency established by this Agreement and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions herein set forth and among other things, shall account promptly to the Company with respect to Warrants exercised and concurrently account for, and pay to the Company, all monies received by the Warrant Agent for the purchase of Ordinary Shares through the exercise of the Warrants.
8.6 Waiver. The Warrant Agent has no right of set-off or any other right, title, interest or claim of any kind (Claim) in, or to any distribution of, the Trust Account (as defined in that certain Investment Management Trust Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and between the Company and the Warrant Agent as trustee thereunder) and hereby agrees not to seek recourse, reimbursement, payment or satisfaction for any Claim against the Trust Account for any reason whatsoever. The Warrant Agent hereby waives any and all Claims against the Trust Account and any and all rights to seek access to the Trust Account.
9. Miscellaneous Provisions.
9.1 Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Warrant Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns.
9.2 Notices. Any notice, statement or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Warrant Agent or by the holder of any Warrant to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given when so delivered if by hand or overnight delivery or if sent by certified mail or private courier service within five (5) days after deposit of such notice, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Company with the Warrant Agent), as follows:
Leo Holdings III Corp
Albany Financial Center
South Ocean Blvd
Suite #507
P.O. Box SP-63158
New Providence, Nassau,
The Bahamas
Attention: Simon Brown
Any notice, statement or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the holder of any Warrant or by the Company to or on the Warrant Agent shall be sufficiently given when so delivered if by hand or overnight delivery or if sent by certified mail or private courier service within five (5) days after deposit of such notice, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Warrant Agent with the Company), as follows:
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Attn: Compliance Department
with a copy in each case to:
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
601 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10022
Attn: Christian O. Nagler
Peter Seligson
and
Ropes & Gray LLP
1211 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10036
Attn: Paul D. Tropp
Christopher J. Capuzzi
and
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
60 Wall Street, 4th Floor
New York, New York 10005
Attn: Ravi Raghunathan
9.3 Applicable Law and Exclusive Forum. The validity, interpretation, and performance of this Agreement and of the Warrants shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another jurisdiction. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, these provisions of the warrant agreement will not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America are the sole and exclusive forum.
Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in the Warrants shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the forum provisions in this Section 9.3. If any action, the subject matter of which is within the scope the forum provisions above, is filed in a court other than a court located within the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (a foreign action) in the name of any warrant holder, such warrant holder shall be deemed to have consented to: (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the forum provisions (an enforcement action), and (y) having service of process made upon such warrant holder in any such enforcement action by service upon such warrant holders counsel in the foreign action as agent for such warrant holder.
9.4 Persons Having Rights under this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to confer upon, or give to, any person, corporation or other entity other than the parties hereto and the Registered Holders of the Warrants any right, remedy, or claim under or by reason of this Agreement or of any covenant, condition, stipulation, promise, or agreement hereof. All covenants, conditions, stipulations, promises, and agreements contained in this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and their successors and assigns and of the Registered Holders of the Warrants.
9.5 Examination of the Warrant Agreement. A copy of this Agreement shall be available at all reasonable times at the office of the Warrant Agent in the United States of America, for inspection by the Registered Holder of any Warrant. The Warrant Agent may require any such holder to submit such holders Warrant for inspection by the Warrant Agent.
9.6 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of original or facsimile counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
9.7 Effect of Headings. The section headings herein are for convenience only and are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the interpretation thereof.
9.8 Amendments. This Agreement may be amended by the parties hereto without the consent of any Registered Holder for the purpose of (i) curing any ambiguity or to correct any mistake, including to conform the provisions hereof to the description of the terms of the Warrants and this Agreement set forth in the Prospectus, or defective provision contained herein, (ii) amending the definition of Ordinary Cash Dividend as contemplated by and in accordance with the second sentence of subsection 4.1.2 or (iii) adding or changing any provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Agreement as the parties may deem necessary or desirable and that the parties deem shall not adversely affect the rights of the Registered Holders under this Agreement. All other modifications or amendments, including any modification or amendment to increase the Warrant Price or shorten the Exercise Period and any amendment to the terms of the Private Placement Warrants, shall require the vote or written consent of the Registered Holders of 50% of the then-outstanding Public Warrants. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may lower the Warrant Price or extend the duration of the Exercise Period pursuant to Sections 3.1 and 3.2, respectively, without the consent of the Registered Holders.
9.9 Severability. This Agreement shall be deemed severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision hereof shall not affect the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or of any other term or provision hereof. Furthermore, in lieu of any such invalid or unenforceable term or provision, the parties hereto intend that there shall be added as a part of this Agreement a provision as similar in terms to such invalid or unenforceable provision as may be possible and be valid and enforceable.
Exhibit A Form of Warrant Certificate
Exhibit B Legend Private Placement Warrants
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.
LEO HOLDINGS III CORP | ||
By: |
/s/ Simon Brown |
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Name: | Simon Brown | |
Title: | Secretary |
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, as Warrant Agent | ||
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Name: | ||
Title: |
EXHIBIT A
Form of Warrant Certificate
[FACE]
Number
Warrants
THIS WARRANT SHALL BE VOID IF NOT EXERCISED PRIOR TO
THE EXPIRATION OF THE EXERCISE PERIOD PROVIDED FOR
IN THE WARRANT AGREEMENT DESCRIBED BELOW
LEO HOLDINGS III CORP
A Cayman Islands Exempted Company
CUSIP:[●]
Warrant Certificate
This Warrant Certificate certifies that [ ], or registered assigns, is the registered holder of [ ] warrant(s) evidenced hereby (the Warrants and each, a Warrant) to purchase Class A ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value (the Ordinary Shares), of Leo Holdings III Corp, a Cayman Islands exempted company (the Company). Each Warrant entitles the holder, upon exercise during the period set forth in the Warrant Agreement referred to below, to receive from the Company that number of fully paid and non-assessable Ordinary Shares as set forth below, at the exercise price (the Exercise Price) as determined pursuant to the Warrant Agreement, payable in lawful money (or through cashless exercise as provided for in the Warrant Agreement) of the United States of America upon surrender of this Warrant Certificate and payment of the Exercise Price at the office or agency of the Warrant Agent referred to below, subject to the conditions set forth herein and in the Warrant Agreement. Defined terms used in this Warrant Certificate but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Warrant Agreement.
Each whole Warrant is initially exercisable for one fully paid and non-assessable Ordinary Share. Fractional shares shall not be issued upon exercise of any Warrant. If, upon the exercise of Warrants, a holder would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in an Ordinary Share, the Company shall, upon exercise, round down to the nearest whole number the number of Ordinary Shares to be issued to the Warrant holder. The number of Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants is subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events set forth in the Warrant Agreement.
The initial Exercise Price per one Ordinary Share for any Warrant is equal to $11.50 per share. The Exercise Price is subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events as set forth in the Warrant Agreement.
Subject to the conditions set forth in the Warrant Agreement, the Warrants may be exercised only during the Exercise Period and to the extent not exercised by the end of such Exercise Period, such Warrants shall become void. The Warrants may be redeemed, subject to certain conditions, as set forth in the Warrant Agreement.
Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Warrant Certificate set forth on the reverse hereof and such further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as though fully set forth at this place.
This Warrant Certificate shall not be valid unless countersigned by the Warrant Agent, as such term is used in the Warrant Agreement.
This Warrant Certificate shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflicts of laws principles thereof.
LEO HOLDINGS III CORP | ||
By: |
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Name: | ||
Title: | ||
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, as Warrant Agent | ||
By: |
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Name: | ||
Title: |
Form of Warrant Certificate
[Reverse]
The Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate are part of a duly authorized issue of Warrants entitling the holder on exercise to receive Ordinary Shares and are issued or to be issued pursuant to a Warrant Agreement dated as of February [ ], 2021 (the Warrant Agreement), duly executed and delivered by the Company to Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a New York corporation, as warrant agent (the Warrant Agent), which Warrant Agreement is hereby incorporated by reference in and made a part of this instrument and is hereby referred to for a description of the rights, limitation of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Warrant Agent, the Company and the holders (the words holders or holder meaning the Registered Holders or Registered Holder, respectively) of the Warrants. A copy of the Warrant Agreement may be obtained by the holder hereof upon written request to the Company. Defined terms used in this Warrant Certificate but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Warrant Agreement.
Warrants may be exercised at any time during the Exercise Period set forth in the Warrant Agreement. The holder of Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate may exercise them by surrendering this Warrant Certificate, with the form of Election to Purchase set forth hereon properly completed and executed, together with payment of the Exercise Price as specified in the Warrant Agreement (or through cashless exercise as provided for in the Warrant Agreement) at the principal corporate trust office of the Warrant Agent. In the event that upon any exercise of Warrants evidenced hereby the number of Warrants exercised shall be less than the total number of Warrants evidenced hereby, there shall be issued to the holder hereof or his, her or its assignee, a new Warrant Certificate evidencing the number of Warrants not exercised.
Notwithstanding anything else in this Warrant Certificate or the Warrant Agreement, no Warrant may be exercised unless at the time of exercise (i) a registration statement covering the issuance of the Ordinary Shares to be issued upon exercise is effective under the Securities Act and (ii) a prospectus thereunder relating to the Ordinary Shares is current, except through cashless exercise as provided for in the Warrant Agreement.
The Warrant Agreement provides that upon the occurrence of certain events the number of Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants set forth on the face hereof may, subject to certain conditions, be adjusted. If, upon exercise of a Warrant, the holder thereof would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in an Ordinary Share, the Company shall, upon exercise, round down to the nearest whole number of Ordinary Shares to be issued to the holder of the Warrant.
Warrant Certificates, when surrendered at the principal corporate trust office of the Warrant Agent by the Registered Holder thereof in person or by legal representative or attorney duly authorized in writing, may be exchanged, in the manner and subject to the limitations provided in the Warrant Agreement, but without payment of any service charge, for another Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates of like tenor evidencing in the aggregate a like number of Warrants.
Upon due presentation for registration of transfer of this Warrant Certificate at the office of the Warrant Agent a new Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates of like tenor and evidencing in the aggregate a like number of Warrants shall be issued to the transferee(s) in exchange for this Warrant Certificate, subject to the limitations provided in the Warrant Agreement, without charge except for any tax or other governmental charge imposed in connection therewith.
The Company and the Warrant Agent may deem and treat the Registered Holder(s) hereof as the absolute owner(s) of this Warrant Certificate (notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing hereon made by anyone), for the purpose of any exercise hereof, of any distribution to the holder(s) hereof, and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Warrant Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary. Neither the Warrants nor this Warrant Certificate entitles any holder hereof to any rights of a shareholder of the Company.
Election to Purchase
(To Be Executed Upon Exercise of Warrant)
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the right, represented by this Warrant Certificate, to receive [ ] Ordinary Shares and herewith tenders payment for such Ordinary Shares to the order of Leo Holdings III Corp (the Company) in the amount of $[ ] in accordance with the terms hereof. The undersigned requests that a certificate for such Ordinary Shares be registered in the name of [ ], whose address is [ ] and that such Ordinary Shares be delivered to [ ] whose address is [ ]. If said number of Ordinary Shares is less than all of the Ordinary Shares purchasable hereunder, the undersigned requests that a new Warrant Certificate representing the remaining balance of such Ordinary Shares be registered in the name of [ ], whose address is [ ] and that such Warrant Certificate be delivered to [ ], whose address is [ ].
In the event that the Warrant is to be exercised on a cashless basis pursuant to Section 7.4 of the Warrant Agreement, the number of Ordinary Shares that this Warrant is exercisable for shall be determined in accordance with Section 7.4 of the Warrant Agreement.
In the event that the Warrant may be exercised, to the extent allowed by the Warrant Agreement, through cashless exercise (i) the number of Ordinary Shares that this Warrant is exercisable for would be determined in accordance with the relevant section of the Warrant Agreement which allows for such cashless exercise and (ii) the holder hereof shall complete the following: The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the right, represented by this Warrant Certificate, through the cashless exercise provisions of the Warrant Agreement, to receive Ordinary Shares. If said number of shares is less than all of the Ordinary Shares purchasable hereunder (after giving effect to the cashless exercise), the undersigned requests that a new Warrant Certificate representing the remaining balance of such Ordinary Shares be registered in the name of [ ], whose address is [ ] and that such Warrant Certificate be delivered to [ ], whose address is [ ].
[Signature Page Follows]
Date: , 20
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(Address) |
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(Tax Identification Number) |
Signature Guaranteed: |
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THE SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM, PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15 UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED).
[Signature Page to Election to Purchase]
EXHIBIT B
LEGEND
THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF UNLESS REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION IS AVAILABLE. IN ADDITION, SUBJECT TO ANY ADDITIONAL LIMITATIONS ON TRANSFER DESCRIBED IN THE LETTER AGREEMENT BY AND AMONG LEO HOLDINGS III CORP (THE COMPANY), LEO INVESTORS II LIMITED PARTNERSHIP AND THE OTHER PARTIES THERETO, THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE MAY NOT BE SOLD OR TRANSFERRED PRIOR TO THE DATE THAT IS THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER THE DATE UPON WHICH THE COMPANY COMPLETES ITS INITIAL BUSINESS COMBINATION (AS DEFINED IN SECTION 3 OF THE WARRANT AGREEMENT REFERRED TO HEREIN) EXCEPT TO A PERMITTED TRANSFEREE (AS DEFINED IN SECTION 2 OF THE WARRANT AGREEMENT) WHO AGREES IN WRITING WITH THE COMPANY TO BE SUBJECT TO SUCH TRANSFER PROVISIONS.
SECURITIES EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE AND CLASS A ORDINARY SHARES OF THE COMPANY ISSUED UPON EXERCISE OF SUCH SECURITIES SHALL BE ENTITLED TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS UNDER A REGISTRATION AND SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS AGREEMENT TO BE EXECUTED BY THE COMPANY.
No. Warrants
Exhibit 10.1
AMENDED AND RESTATED REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this Agreement) is entered into as of November 19, 2021 by and among Local Bounti Corporation, a Delaware corporation (formerly known as Leo Holdings III Corp, a Cayman Islands exempted company) (including any of its successors or assigns, the Company), and the other parties hereto identified as an Investor on the signature pages and Schedule A hereto (together with any person or entity who hereafter becomes a party to this Agreement pursuant to Section 6.2 of this Agreement, an Investor and collectively the Investors).
WHEREAS, the Company, Longleaf Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company (First Merger Sub), Longleaf Merger Sub II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company (Second Merger Sub) and Local Bounti Corporation, a Delaware corporation, have entered into that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 17, 2021 (as amended or supplemented from time to time, the Business Combination Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, the Business Combination). Pursuant to the transactions contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement, the Company will domesticate as a Delaware corporation and, as a result, certain of the Investors designated as Original Investors on Schedule A hereto (the Original Investors) will hold (i) common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the Common Stock) and (ii) warrants to purchase Common Stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment (the Warrants);
WHEREAS, certain of the Investors designated as New Investors on Schedule A hereto (the New Investors) are receiving, among other things, shares of Common Stock (the Business Combination Shares) on or about the date hereof, pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement;
WHEREAS, the Company and certain of the Original Investors are parties to that certain Registration and Shareholder Rights Agreement, dated as of March 2, 2021 (the Prior Agreement);
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 6.7 of the Prior Agreement, the provisions, covenants and conditions of the Prior Agreement may be amended or modified by the consent of the Company and the Original Investors holding at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the Registrable Securities (as defined in the Prior Agreement) at the time in question;
WHEREAS, the parties to the Prior Agreement desire to terminate the Prior Agreement and amend and restate in its entirety the Prior Agreement with this Agreement to provide for certain rights and obligations included herein and to include the recipients of the Business Combination Shares identified herein as parties to this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the Company and certain other holders have entered into those certain Subscription Agreements (the Subscription Agreements), dated as of June 17, 2021, and the Company has agreed to issue and sell to such holders, the number of shares of Common Stock set forth in such Subscription Agreements in exchange for the purchase price set forth therein, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements set forth herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. |
DEFINITIONS. The following capitalized terms used herein have the following meanings: |
Actions means actions, suits, litigations, arbitrations, mediations, claims, charges, complaints, inquiries, proceedings, hearings, audits, investigations or reviews by or before any Governmental Entity.
Adverse Disclosure shall mean any public disclosure of material non-public information, which disclosure, in the good faith judgment of the Board, after consultation with counsel to the Company, (i) would be required to be made in any Registration Statement or prospectus in order for the applicable Registration Statement or prospectus not to contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein (in the case of any prospectus and any preliminary prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, (ii) would not be required to be made at such time if the Registration Statement were not being filed, and (iii) the Company has a bona fide business purpose for not making such information public.
Agreement is defined in the preamble to this Agreement.
Block Trade means any non-marketed underwritten offering taking the form of a block trade to a financial institution, QIB or Institutional Accredited Investor, bought deal, over-night deal or similar transaction effected pursuant to a Registration Statement without substantial marketing efforts prior to pricing.
Board is defined in Section 3.1.1.
Business Combination is defined in the preamble to this Agreement.
Business Combination Agreement is defined in the preamble to this Agreement.
Business Combination Shares is defined in the preamble to this Agreement.
Business Day means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to close.
Closing Date is defined in the Business Combination Agreement.
Commission means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any other Federal agency then administering the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.
Common Stock is defined in the preamble to this Agreement.
Company is defined in the preamble to this Agreement.
Demand Registration is defined in Section 2.2.1.
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Demanding Holder is defined in Section 2.2.1.
Effectiveness Period is defined in Section 3.1.3.
Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, all as the same shall be in effect at the time.
First Merger Sub is defined in the preamble to this Agreement.
Form S-1 means a Registration Statement on Form S-1.
Form S-3 means a Registration Statement on Form S-3 or any similar short-form registration that may be available at such time.
Governmental Entity means any federal, state or local government, any political subdivision thereof or any court, administrative or regulatory agency, department, court, instrumentality, tribunal, arbitrator, legislative body, authority, body, program, plan, office, board, rate setting agency, bureau, division, official or instrumentality, or commission or other governmental authority or agency, or arbitral body (public or private), in the United States or in a foreign jurisdiction and including any contractors of a Governmental Entity, department or agency as authorized by law, and acting pursuant to the terms and conditions of any such contract.
Indemnified Party is defined in Section 4.3.
Indemnifying Party is defined in Section 4.3.
Institutional Accredited Investor means an institutional accredited investor as defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D under the Securities Act.
Investor is defined in the preamble to this Agreement.
Investor Indemnified Party is defined in Section 4.1.
Joinder is defined in Section 6.2.
Legal Dispute means any Action among the parties, whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise, arising in connection with any disagreement, dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any related document or any of the transaction contemplated hereby or thereby.
Maximum Number of Shares is defined in Section 2.3.
Misstatement shall mean an untrue statement of a material fact or an omission to state a material fact required to be stated in a Registration Statement or prospectus, or necessary to make the statements in a Registration Statement or prospectus (in the case of a prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading.
New Investors is defined in the preamble to this Agreement.
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Original Investors is defined in the preamble to this Agreement.
Permitted Transferee means (i) the members of an Investors immediate family (for purposes of this Agreement, immediate family shall mean with respect to any natural person, any of the following: such persons spouse, the siblings of such person and his or her spouse, and the direct descendants and ascendants (including adopted and step children and parents) of such person and his or her spouses and siblings); (ii) any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of an Investor or the immediate family of an Investor; (iii) if an Investor is a trust, to the trustor or beneficiary of such trust or to the estate of a beneficiary of such trust; (iv) any officer, director, general partner, limited partner, shareholder, member, or owner of similar equity interests in an Investor; (v) any affiliate of an Investor or the immediate family of such affiliate or (vi) any affiliate of an immediate family of the Investor.
Piggy-Back Registration is defined in Section 2.4.1.
Prior Agreement is defined in the preamble to this Agreement.
Pro Rata is defined in Section 2.3.
QIB means qualified institutional buyer as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act.
Registration mean a registration effected by preparing and filing a registration statement or similar document in compliance with the requirements of the Securities Act, and the applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and such registration statement becoming effective.
Registrable Securities means (i) all shares of Common Stock held by the Original Investors as of immediately following the closing of the Business Combination, (ii) all Warrants held by the Original Investors as of immediately following the closing of the Business Combination, (iii) all shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon the exercise of any Warrants referred to in clause (ii), (iv) all shares of Common Stock held by the New Investors as of immediately following the closing of the Business Combination and (v) any equity securities of the Company or subsidiary of the Company that may be issued or distributed or be issuable with respect to the securities referred to in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) by way of conversion, dividend, stock split or other distribution, merger, consolidation, exchange, recapitalization or reclassification or similar transaction, in each case held by any Investor. As to any particular Registrable Securities, such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when: (a) a Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such securities shall have become effective under the Securities Act and such securities shall have been sold, transferred, disposed of or exchanged in accordance with such Registration Statement; (b) such securities shall have been otherwise transferred, new certificates or book entry provisions for them not bearing a legend restricting further transfer shall have been delivered by the Company and subsequent public distribution of them shall not require registration under the Securities Act; (c) such securities shall have ceased to be outstanding; (d) such securities may be sold without registration pursuant to Rule 144 or any successor rule promulgated under the Securities Act (but with no limitation as to volume); and (e) such securities have been sold to, or through, a broker, dealer or underwriter in a public distribution or other public securities transaction.
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Registration Statement means a registration statement filed by the Company or its successor with the Commission in compliance with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder for a public offering and sale of equity securities, or securities or other obligations exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into, equity securities (other than a registration statement on Form S-4 or Form S-8, or their successors, or any registration statement covering only securities proposed to be issued in exchange for securities or assets of another entity).
Resale Shelf Registration Statement is defined in Section 2.1.1.
Second Merger Sub is defined in the preamble to this Agreement.
Securities Act means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, all as the same shall be in effect at the time.
Subscription Agreements is defined in the preamble to this Agreement.
Underwriter means a securities dealer who purchases any Registrable Securities as principal in an underwritten offering and not as part of such dealers market-making activities.
Underwritten Demand Registration shall mean an underwritten public offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Demand Registration, as amended or supplemented, that is a fully marketed underwritten offering that requires Company management to participate in road show presentations to potential investors requiring substantial marketing effort from management over multiple days, the issuance of a comfort letter by the Companys auditors, and the issuance of legal opinions by the Companys legal counsel.
Underwritten Takedown shall mean an underwritten public offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Resale Shelf Registration Statement, as amended or supplemented that requires the issuance of a comfort letter by the Companys auditors and the issuance of legal opinions by the Companys legal counsel.
Warrants is defined in the preamble to this Agreement.
2. |
REGISTRATION RIGHTS. |
2.1 Resale Shelf Registration Rights.
2.1.1 Registration Statement Covering Resale of Registrable Securities. Subject to compliance by the Investors with Section 3.4, the Company shall prepare and file or cause to be prepared and filed with the Commission, no later than forty five (45) calendar days following the Closing Date, a Registration Statement on Form S-3 or its successor form, or, if the Company is ineligible to use Form S-3, a Registration Statement on Form S-1, for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 of the Securities Act registering the resale from time to time pursuant to any method or combination of methods legally available to, and requested by, the Investors of all of the Registrable Securities then held by such Investors that are not covered by an effective resale registration statement (the Resale Shelf Registration Statement). The
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Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Resale Shelf Registration Statement to be declared effective as soon as practicable after filing, but in any event no later than the earlier of (i) ninety (90) calendar days (or one hundred twenty (120) calendar days if the Commission notifies the Company that it will review the Registration Statement) after the date of this Agreement and (ii) the tenth (10th) Business Day after the date the Company is notified (orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the Commission that such Registration Statement will not be reviewed or will not be subject to further review, and, once effective, to keep the Resale Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act at all times until the expiration of the Effectiveness Period. In the event that the Company files a Form S-1 pursuant to this Section 2.1, the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to convert the Form S-1 to a Form S-3 as soon as practicable after the Company is eligible to use Form S-3. When effective, a Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Section 2.1 (including any documents incorporated therein by reference) will comply as to form in all material respects with all applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
2.1.2 Notification and Distribution of Materials. The Company shall notify the Investors in writing of the effectiveness of the Resale Shelf Registration Statement and shall furnish to them, without charge, such number of copies of the Resale Shelf Registration Statement (including any amendments, supplements and exhibits), the prospectus contained therein (including each preliminary prospectus and all related amendments and supplements) and any documents incorporated by reference in the Resale Shelf Registration Statement or such other documents as the Investors may reasonably request in order to facilitate the sale of the Registrable Securities in the manner described in the Resale Shelf Registration Statement.
2.1.3 Amendments and Supplements. Subject to the provisions of Section 2.1.1, the Company shall promptly prepare and file with the Commission from time to time such amendments and supplements to the Resale Shelf Registration Statement and prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep the Resale Shelf Registration Statement effective and to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all the Registrable Securities during the Effectiveness Period.
2.1.4 Notice of Certain Events. The Company shall promptly notify the Investors in writing of any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to, or additional information in connection with, the Resale Shelf Registration Statement required to be prepared and filed hereunder (or prospectus relating thereto). The Company shall promptly notify each Investor in writing of the filing of the Resale Shelf Registration Statement or any prospectus, amendment or supplement related thereto or any post-effective amendment to the Resale Shelf Registration Statement and the effectiveness of any post-effective amendment.
2.1.5 Underwritten Takedown. If the Company shall receive a request from the holders of Registrable Securities with an estimated market value of at least $30,000,000 (such amount of Registrable Securities (the Minimum Amount)) that the Company effect an Underwritten Takedown of all or any portion of the requesting holders Registrable Securities, then the Company shall promptly give notice of such requested Underwritten Takedown at least five (5) Business Days prior to the anticipated filing date of the prospectus or supplement relating to such Underwritten Takedown to the other Investors and thereupon shall use commercially reasonable efforts to effect, as expeditiously as possible, the offering in such Underwritten Takedown of:
(i) subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 2.3, all Registrable Securities for which the requesting holder has requested such offering under Section 2.1.5, and
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(ii) subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 2.3, all other Registrable Securities that any holders of Registrable Securities have requested the Company to offer by request received by the Company within two (2) Business Days after such holders receive the Companys notice of the Underwritten Takedown notice, all to the extent necessary to permit the disposition (in accordance with the intended methods thereof as aforesaid) of the Registrable Securities so to be offered.
(a) Promptly after the expiration of the two-Business Day-period referred to in Section 2.1.5(ii), the Company will notify all selling holders of the identities of the other selling holders and the number of shares of Registrable Securities requested to be included therein.
(b) The Company shall only be required to effectuate one Underwritten Takedown pursuant to this Agreement within any six-month period.
(iii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Original Investors may request to sell their Registrable Securities in an Underwritten Takedown yielding less than the Minimum Amount to the extent that such request comprises all of the remaining Registrable Securities held by the Original Investors.
2.1.6 Block Trade. If the Company shall receive a request from the holders of Registrable Securities with an estimated market value of at least $10,000,000 that such holders wish to effect the sale of all or any portion of the Registrable Securities in a Block Trade, then the Company shall, as expeditiously as possible, use commercially reasonable efforts to facilitate the offering of such Registrable Securities for which such requesting holder has requested in such Block Trade, and in any event, within 72 hours of receipt of such request.
2.1.7 Withdrawal. Holders of a majority-in-interest of the Registrable Securities included in an Underwritten Takedown may elect to withdraw from such Underwritten Takedown by giving written notice to the Company and the Underwriter or Underwriters of their request to withdraw prior to the public announcement of such Underwritten Takedown, whereby upon receiving such notice the Company shall have a right to abandon the Underwritten Takedown and, in which case, such withdrawn Underwritten Takedown will count as an Underwritten Takedown for the purposes of Section 2.1.5(b) unless the withdrawing holders reimburse the Company for all Registration Expenses with respect to such Underwritten Takedown; provided, however, that if at the time of such withdrawal, the withdrawing holders have learned of a material adverse change in the condition, business or prospects of the Company from that known to the holders at the time of their request and have withdrawn the request with reasonable promptness following disclosure by the Company of such material adverse change, then the withdrawing holders shall not be required to pay any of such expenses and shall retain their rights pursuant to Sections 2.1.5(b). Following the receipt of a notice of withdrawal, the Company shall promptly forward such notice to any other holders that had elected to participate in such Underwritten Takedown. The Company shall be responsible for the Registration Expenses incurred in connection with an Underwritten Takedown prior to its withdrawal under this Section 2.1.7, other than if a holder elects to pay such Registration Expenses pursuant to this Section 2.1.7.
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2.1.8 Selection of Underwriters. Selling holders holding a majority in interest of the Registrable Securities requested to be sold in an Underwritten Takedown shall have the right to select an Underwriter or Underwriters in connection with such Underwritten Takedown, which Underwriter or Underwriters shall be reasonably acceptable to the Company. In connection with an Underwritten Takedown, the Company shall enter into customary agreements (including an underwriting agreement in customary form) and take such other actions as are reasonably required in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities in such Underwritten Takedown, including, if necessary, the engagement of a qualified independent underwriter in connection with the qualification of the underwriting arrangements with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. No holder participating in an Underwritten Takedown shall be required to make any representations or warranties to or agreements with the Company or the Underwriters other than representations, warranties or agreements regarding such holders authority to enter into such underwriting agreement and to sell, and its ownership of, the securities being registered on its behalf, its intended method of distribution and any other representation required by law.
2.1.9 Underwritten Takedowns effected pursuant to this Section 2.1 shall be counted as Demand Registrations effected pursuant to Section 2.2.
2.2 Demand Registration.
2.2.1 Request for Registration. At any time and from time to time, subject to compliance by the Investors with Section 3.4, and provided that there is not an effective Resale Shelf Registration Statement available for the resale of the Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2.1, Investors who hold a majority of the Registrable Securities held by all Investors may make a written demand for Registration under the Securities Act of all or any portion of their Registrable Securities on Form S-1 or any similar long-form Registration or, if then available, on Form S-3. Each registration requested pursuant to this Section 2.2.1 is referred to herein as a Demand Registration. Any demand for a Demand Registration shall specify the number of shares of Registrable Securities proposed to be sold and the intended method(s) of distribution thereof. The Company will notify all Investors that are holders of Registrable Securities of the demand, and each such holder of Registrable Securities who wishes to include all or a portion of such holders Registrable Securities in the Demand Registration (each such holder including shares of Registrable Securities in such registration, a Demanding Holder) shall so notify the Company within twenty (20) calendar days after the receipt by the holder of the notice from the Company. Upon any such request, the Demanding Holders shall be entitled to have their Registrable Securities included in the Demand Registration, subject to Section 2.2.4 and the provisos set forth in Section 3.1.1. The Company shall not be obligated pursuant to this Agreement to effect more than one (1) Demand Registration during any six-month period or any Demand Registration at any time there is an effective Resale Shelf Registration Statement on file with the Commission pursuant to Section 2.1.
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2.2.2 Effective Registration. A Registration will not count as a Demand Registration until the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to such Demand Registration has been declared effective and the Company has complied with all of its obligations under this Agreement with respect thereto; provided, however, that if, after such Registration Statement has been declared effective, the offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Demand Registration is interfered with by any stop order or injunction of the Commission or any other governmental agency or court, the Registration Statement with respect to such Demand Registration will be deemed not to have been declared effective, unless and until, (i) such stop order or injunction is removed, rescinded or otherwise terminated, and (ii) a majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders thereafter elect to continue the offering; provided, further, that the Company shall not be obligated to file a second Registration Statement until a Registration Statement that has been filed is counted as a Demand Registration or is terminated.
2.2.3 Underwritten Demand Registration. If the Demanding Holders so elect and such holders so advise the Company as part of their written demand for a Demand Registration, the offering of such Registrable Securities pursuant to such Demand Registration shall be in the form of an Underwritten Demand Registration. In such event, the right of any holder to include its Registrable Securities in such registration shall be conditioned upon such holders participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of such holders Registrable Securities in the underwriting to the extent provided herein. All Demanding Holders proposing to distribute their Registrable Securities through such underwriting shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the Underwriter or Underwriters selected for such underwriting by the holders initiating the Demand Registration, and subject to the approval of the Company. The parties agree that, in order to be effected, any Underwritten Demand Registration must result in aggregate proceeds to the selling stockholders of an amount at least equal to the Minimum Amount.
2.2.4 Withdrawal. A majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders may elect to withdraw from such Demand Registration by giving written notice to the Company and the Underwriter or Underwriters of their request to withdraw prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to such Demand Registration, whereby upon receiving such notice the Company shall have a right to abandon the Demand Registration and, in which case, such withdrawn Demand Registration will count as a Demand Registration for the purposes of Section 2.2.1 unless the withdrawing holders reimburse the Company for all Registration Expenses with respect to such Demand Registration; provided, however, that if at the time of such withdrawal, the withdrawing holders have learned of a material adverse change in the condition, business or prospects of the Company from that known to the holders at the time of their request and have withdrawn the request with reasonable promptness following disclosure by the Company of such material adverse change, then the withdrawing holders shall not be required to pay any of such expenses and shall retain their rights pursuant to Sections 2.1.5(b). Following the receipt of a notice of withdrawal, the Company shall promptly forward such notice to any other holders that had elected to participate in such Demand Registration. The Company shall be responsible for the Registration Expenses incurred in connection with a Demand Registration prior to its withdrawal under this Section 2.2.4, other than if a holder elects to pay such Registration Expenses pursuant to this Section 2.2.4.
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2.3 Reduction of Underwritten Offering. If the managing Underwriter or Underwriters for an underwritten offering conducted pursuant to this Agreement advise the Company and the Investors requesting to include Registrable Securities in such underwritten offering in writing that, in such Underwriters or Underwriters opinion, the dollar amount or number of shares of Registrable Securities which the Investors have requested to include in such underwritten offering, taken together with all other shares of Common Stock or other securities which the Company desires to sell and the Common Stock or other securities, if any, as to which registration has been requested pursuant to written contractual piggy-back registration rights held by other equityholders of the Company who desire to sell, exceeds the maximum dollar amount or maximum number of securities that can be sold in such offering without adversely affecting the proposed offering price, the timing, the distribution method, or the probability of success of such offering (such maximum dollar amount or maximum number of shares, as applicable, the Maximum Number of Shares), then the Company shall include in such registration: (i) first, the Registrable Securities requested to be included by Investors pursuant to this Agreement (pro rata in accordance with the number of shares that each such person has requested be included in such registration, regardless of the number of shares held by each such person (such proportion is referred to herein as Pro Rata)) that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares; (ii) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Shares has not been reached under the foregoing clause (i), the securities of the Company that the Company desires to sell for its own account; and (iii) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Shares has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii), any securities of the Company for the account of other persons that the Company is obligated to register pursuant to written contractual arrangements with such persons, other than pursuant to the Subscription Agreements, as to which piggy-back registration has been requested by the holders thereof that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares.
2.4 Piggy-Back Registration.
2.4.1 Piggy-Back Rights. If at any time, subject to compliance by the Investors with Section 3.4, the Company proposes to file a Registration Statement under the Securities Act with respect to an offering of equity securities, or securities or other obligations exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into, equity securities, by the Company for its own account or for equityholders of the Company for their account, other than a Registration Statement (i) filed in connection with any employee stock option or other benefit plan, (ii) for an exchange offer or offering of securities solely to the Companys existing stockholders, (iii) for an offering of debt that is convertible into equity securities of the Company, (iv) for a dividend reinvestment plan, or (v) for a corporate reorganization or transaction under Rule 145 of the Securities Act, then the Company shall (x) give written notice of such proposed filing to the holders of Registrable Securities as soon as practicable but in no event less than five (5) calendar days before the anticipated filing date, which notice shall describe the amount and type of securities to be included in such offering, the intended method(s) of distribution, and the name of the proposed managing Underwriter or Underwriters, if any, of the offering, and (y) offer to the holders of Registrable Securities in such notice the opportunity to register the sale of such number of shares of Registrable Securities as such holders may request in writing within three (3) calendar days following receipt of such notice (a Piggy-Back Registration). The Company shall cause such Registrable Securities to be included in such registration and shall use its best efforts to cause the managing Underwriter or Underwriters of a proposed underwritten offering to permit the Registrable Securities requested to be included in a Piggy-Back Registration on the same terms and conditions as any similar securities of the Company and to permit the sale or other disposition of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof. All holders of Registrable Securities proposing to distribute their securities through a Piggy-Back Registration that involves an Underwriter or Underwriters shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the Underwriter or Underwriters selected for such Piggy-Back Registration.
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2.4.2 Reduction of Piggy-Back Offering. If the managing Underwriter or Underwriters for a Piggy-Back Registration that is to be an underwritten offering advises the Company and the holders of Registrable Securities that have requested to participate in such Piggy-Back Registration in writing that the dollar amount or number of securities of the Company which the Company desires to sell for its own account, taken together with securities of the Company, if any, as to which registration has been demanded pursuant to written contractual arrangements with persons other than the holders of Registrable Securities hereunder and the Registrable Securities as to which registration has been requested under this Section 2.4, exceeds the Maximum Number of Shares, then the Company shall include in any such registration:
(i) If the registration is undertaken for the Companys account: (A) first, the securities of the Company that the Company desires to sell that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares; (B) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Shares has not been reached under the foregoing clause (A), the Registrable Securities, as to which registration has been requested pursuant to the terms of this Agreement that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares, Pro Rata; and (C) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Shares has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), the securities of the Company for the account of other persons that the Company is obligated to register pursuant to written contractual piggy-back registration rights with such persons, other than pursuant to this Agreement, and that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares;
(ii) If the registration is undertaken as a demand pursuant to contractual rights with the Company, other than this Agreement, (A) first, the securities of the Company for the account of the persons entitled to such contractual rights making such demand that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares; (B) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Shares has not been reached under the foregoing clause (A), the Registrable Securities, as to which registration has been requested pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares, Pro Rata; (C) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Shares has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), the securities of the Company that the Company desires to sell that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares; and (D) fourth, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Shares has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A), (B) and (C), the securities of the Company for the account of any other persons that the Company is obligated to register pursuant to written contractual arrangements with such persons, other than this Agreement, that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares.
2.4.3 Withdrawal. Any holder of Registrable Securities may elect to withdraw such holders request for inclusion of Registrable Securities in any Piggy-Back Registration by giving written notice to the Company of such request to withdraw prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, if such offering is pursuant to a Demand Registration, or prior to the public announcement of the offering, if such offering is pursuant to an Underwritten Takedown, or similar transaction. The Company (whether on its own determination or as the result of a withdrawal by
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persons making a demand pursuant to written contractual obligations) may withdraw a Registration Statement at any time prior to the effectiveness of such Registration Statement. Notwithstanding any such withdrawal, the Company shall pay all expenses incurred by the holders of Registrable Securities in connection with such Piggy-Back Registration as provided in Section 3.3.
3. |
REGISTRATION PROCEDURES. |
3.1 Filings; Information. Whenever the Company is required to effect the registration of any Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2, the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to effect the registration and sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof as expeditiously as practicable, and in connection with any such request:
3.1.1 Filing Registration Statement. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to, as expeditiously as possible after receipt of a request for a Demand Registration pursuant to Section 2.2, prepare and file with the Commission a Registration Statement on any form for which the Company then qualifies or which counsel for the Company shall deem appropriate and which form shall be available for the sale of all Registrable Securities to be registered thereunder in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof, and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and use commercially reasonable efforts to keep it effective for the Effectiveness Period; provided, however, that the Company shall have the right to defer any Demand Registration for up to ninety (90) calendar days, and any Piggy-Back Registration for such period as may be applicable to deferment of any Demand Registration (whether under this Agreement) to which such Piggy-Back Registration relates, in each case if the Company shall furnish to the holders a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer or Chairman of the Company stating that, in the good faith judgment of the Board of Directors of the Company (the Board), it would be materially detrimental to the Company and its stockholders for such Registration Statement to be effected at such time.
3.1.2 Copies. The Company shall, prior to filing a Registration Statement or prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, furnish without charge to the holders of Registrable Securities included in such registration, and such holders legal counsel, copies of such Registration Statement as proposed to be filed, each amendment and supplement to such Registration Statement (in each case, including all exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein), the prospectus included in such Registration Statement (including each preliminary prospectus), and such other documents as the holders of Registrable Securities included in such registration or legal counsel for any such holders may request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such holders.
3.1.3 Amendments and Supplements. The Company shall prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, including post-effective amendments, and supplements to such Registration Statement and the prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective and in compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act until all Registrable Securities and other securities covered by such Registration Statement have been disposed of in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution set forth in such Registration Statement or such securities have been withdrawn (the Effectiveness Period).
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3.1.4 Notification. After the filing of a Registration Statement, the Company shall promptly, and in no event more than three (3) Business Days after such filing, notify the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement of such filing, and shall further notify such holders promptly and confirm such advice in writing in all events within three (3) Business Days of the occurrence of any of the following: (i) when such Registration Statement becomes effective; (ii) when any post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement becomes effective; (iii) the issuance or threatened issuance by the Commission of any stop order (and the Company shall take all actions required to prevent the entry of such stop order or to remove it if entered); and (iv) any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement or any prospectus relating thereto or for additional information or of the occurrence of an event requiring the preparation of a supplement or amendment to such prospectus so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of the securities covered by such Registration Statement, such prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and promptly make available to the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement any such supplement or amendment; except that before filing with the Commission a Registration Statement or prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, excluding documents incorporated by reference, the Company shall furnish to the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement and to the legal counsel for any such holders, copies of all such documents proposed to be filed sufficiently in advance of filing to provide such holders and legal counsel with a reasonable opportunity to review such documents and comment thereon.
3.1.5 Securities Laws Compliance. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to (i) register or qualify the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement under such securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement (in light of their intended plan of distribution) may reasonably request and (ii) take such action necessary to cause such Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental authorities as may be necessary by virtue of the business and operations of the Company and do any and all other acts and things that may be necessary or advisable to enable the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities in such jurisdictions; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this paragraph or subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction.
3.1.6 Agreements for Disposition. The Company shall enter into customary agreements (including, if applicable, an underwriting agreement in customary form) and take such other actions as are reasonably required in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities.
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3.1.7 Comfort Letters. In the event of an Underwritten Takedown or an Underwritten Demand Registration, the Company shall obtain a cold comfort letter from the Companys independent registered public accountants in the event of an underwritten offering, and a customary bring-down thereof, in customary form and covering such matters of the type customarily covered by cold comfort letters, as the managing Underwriter may reasonably request, and, if addressed to the participating holders, reasonably satisfactory to a majority-in-interest of the participating holders. For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 3.1.7 shall not apply to Block Trades.
3.1.8 Opinions and Negative Assurance Letters. In the event of an Underwritten Takedown or an Underwritten Demand Registration, on the date the Registrable Securities are delivered for sale pursuant to any Registration, the Company shall obtain an opinion and negative assurances letter, each dated such date, of one (1) counsel representing the Company for the purposes of such Registration, including an opinion of local counsel if applicable, addressed to the holders, the placement agent or sales agent, if any, and the Underwriters, if any, covering such legal matters with respect to such Registration in respect of which such opinion is being given as the holders, placement agent, sales agent, or Underwriter may reasonably request and as are customarily included in such opinions, and, if addressed to the participating holders, reasonably satisfactory to a majority in interest of the participating holders. For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 3.1.8 shall not apply to Block Trades.
3.1.9 Cooperation. The principal executive officer of the Company, the principal financial officer of the Company, the principal accounting officer of the Company (if different from the principal financial officer) and all other officers and members of the management of the Company shall reasonably cooperate fully in any offering of Registrable Securities hereunder, which cooperation shall include, without limitation, the preparation of the Registration Statement with respect to such offering and all other offering materials and related documents, and participation in meetings with Underwriters, attorneys, accountants and potential investors.
3.1.10 Transfer Agent. The Company shall provide and maintain a transfer agent and registrar for the Registrable Securities.
3.1.11 Records. Upon execution of confidentiality agreements, the Company shall make available for inspection by the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement, any Underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to such registration statement and any attorney, accountant or other professional retained by any holder of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement or any Underwriter, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company, as shall be reasonably necessary to enable them to exercise their due diligence responsibility, and cause the Companys officers, directors and employees to supply all information requested by any of them in connection with such Registration Statement.
3.1.12 Earnings Statement. The Company shall comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission and the Securities Act, and make available to its stockholders, as soon as practicable, an earnings statement covering a period of twelve (12) months, which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder.
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3.1.13 Road Show. If an offering pursuant to this Agreement is conducted as an Underwritten Takedown or Underwritten Demand Registration and involves Registrable Securities with an aggregate offering price (before deduction of underwriting discounts) which exceeds $50,000,000, the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to make available senior executives of the Company to participate in customary road show presentations that may be reasonably requested by the Underwriter in such offering.
3.1.14 Listing. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause all Registrable Securities included in any Registration Statement to be listed on such exchanges or otherwise designated for trading in the same manner as similar securities issued by the Company are then listed or designated.
3.2 Obligation to Suspend Distribution. Upon receipt of written notice from the Company that a Registration Statement or prospectus contains a Misstatement, each of the Investors shall forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities until he, she or it has received copies of a supplemented or amended prospectus correcting the Misstatement (it being understood that the Company hereby covenants to prepare and file such supplement or amendment as soon as practicable after the time of such notice), or until he, she or it is advised in writing by the Company that the use of the prospectus may be resumed. If the filing, initial effectiveness or continued use of a Registration Statement in respect of any Registration at any time would require the Company to make an Adverse Disclosure or would require the inclusion in such Registration Statement of financial statements that are unavailable to the Company for reasons beyond the Companys control, the Company may, upon giving prompt written notice of such action to the Investors, delay the filing or initial effectiveness of, or suspend use of, such Registration Statement for the shortest period of time, but in no event more than one hundred and twenty (120) calendar days in any consecutive 12-month period, determined in good faith by the Company to be necessary for such purpose. In the event the Company exercises its rights under the preceding sentence, the Investors agree to suspend, immediately upon their receipt of the notice referred to above, their use of the prospectus relating to any Registration in connection with any sale or offer to sell Registrable Securities. The Company shall immediately notify the Investors of the expiration of any period during which it exercised its rights under this Section 3.2.
3.3 Registration Expenses. Subject to Section 2.1.7 and Section 2.2.4, the Company shall bear all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the Resale Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2.1, any Demand Registration pursuant to Section 2.2.1, any Underwritten Takedown pursuant to Section 2.1.5, any Block Trade pursuant to Section 2.1.6 (other than expenses set forth below in clause (ix) of this Section 3.3), any Piggy-Back Registration pursuant to Section 2.4.1, and all expenses incurred in performing or complying with its other obligations under this Agreement, whether or not the Registration Statement becomes effective, including, without limitation: (i) all registration and filing fees; (ii) fees and expenses of compliance with securities or blue sky laws (including fees and disbursements of counsel in connection with blue sky qualifications of the Registrable Securities); (iii) printing expenses; (iv) the Companys internal expenses (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees); (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities as required by Section 3.1.14; (vii) Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. fees; (vii) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and fees and expenses for independent certified public accountants retained by the Company; (viii) the reasonable fees and
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expenses of any special experts retained by the Company in connection with such registration (including the expenses or costs associated with any opinions or comfort letters requested pursuant to Sections 3.1.7 and 3.1.8); and (ix) the reasonable fees and expenses of one legal counsel selected by the holders of a majority-in-interest of the Registrable Securities included in such registration not to exceed $75,000. The Company shall have no obligation to pay any underwriting discounts or selling commissions attributable to the Registrable Securities being sold by the holders thereof, which underwriting discounts or selling commissions shall be borne by such holders, but the Company shall pay any underwriting discounts or selling commissions attributable to the securities it sells for its own account. Additionally, in an underwritten offering, all selling stockholders and the Company shall bear the expenses of the Underwriter pro rata in proportion to the respective amount of shares each is selling in such offering.
3.4 Information. The holders of Registrable Securities shall promptly provide such information and affidavits as may reasonably be requested by the Company, or the managing Underwriter, if any, in connection with the preparation of any Registration Statement, including amendments and supplements thereto, in order to effect the registration of any Registrable Securities under the Securities Act and in connection with the Companys obligation to comply with Federal and applicable state securities laws.
3.5 Other Obligations. At any time and from time to time in connection with a sale or transfer of Registrable Securities exempt from registration under the Securities Act or through any broker-dealer transactions described in the plan of distribution set forth within any prospectus and pursuant to the Registration Statement of which such prospectus forms a part, the Company shall, subject to the receipt of customary documentation required from the applicable holders in connection therewith and compliance with applicable laws, (i) promptly instruct its transfer agent to remove any restrictive legends applicable to the Registrable Securities being sold or transferred and (ii) cause its legal counsel to deliver the necessary legal opinions, if any, to the transfer agent in connection with the instruction under subclause clause (i). In addition, the Company shall cooperate reasonably with, and take such customary actions as may reasonably be requested by such holders in connection with the aforementioned sales or transfers.
4. |
INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION. |
4.1 Indemnification by the Company. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Investor and each other holder of Registrable Securities, and each of their respective affiliates and each of their respective officers, employees, directors, partners, members, attorneys and agents, and each person, if any, who controls an Investor and each other holder of Registrable Securities (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) (each, an Investor Indemnified Party), from and against any expenses, losses, judgments, claims, damages or liabilities, whether joint or several, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement (or allegedly untrue statement) of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement under which the sale of such Registrable Securities was registered under the Securities Act, any preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or summary prospectus contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement, or arising out of or based upon any omission (or alleged omission) to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or any violation by the Company of the Securities Act or any rule or regulation promulgated
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thereunder applicable to the Company and relating to action or inaction required of the Company in connection with any such registration; and the Company shall promptly reimburse the Investor Indemnified Party for any legal and any other expenses reasonably incurred by such Investor Indemnified Party in connection with investigating and defending any such expense, loss, judgment, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such expense, loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or allegedly untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in such Registration Statement, preliminary prospectus, final prospectus, or summary prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company, in writing, by such selling holder expressly for use therein, or is based on any selling holders violation of the federal securities laws (including Regulation M) or failure to sell the Registrable Securities in accordance with the plan of distribution contained in the prospectus.
4.2 Indemnification by Holders of Registrable Securities. Each selling holder of Registrable Securities will, in the event that any Registration is being effected under the Securities Act pursuant to this Agreement of any Registrable Securities held by such selling holder, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors and officers, and each other selling holder and each other person, if any, who controls another selling holder within the meaning of the Securities Act, against any losses, claims, judgments, damages or liabilities, whether joint or several, insofar as such losses, claims, judgments, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or allegedly untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement under which the sale of such Registrable Securities was registered under the Securities Act, any preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or summary prospectus contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, or arise out of or are based upon any omission or the alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statement therein not misleading, if the statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by such selling holder expressly for use therein, or is based on any selling holders violation of the federal securities laws (including Regulation M) or failure to sell the Registrable Securities in accordance with the plan of distribution contained in the prospectus, and shall reimburse the Company, its directors and officers, and each other selling holder or controlling person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by any of them in connection with investigation or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action. Each selling holders indemnification obligations hereunder shall be several and not joint and shall be limited to the amount of any net proceeds actually received by such selling holder.
4.3 Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. Promptly after receipt by any person of any notice of any loss, claim, damage or liability or any action in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Sections 4.1 or 4.2, such person (the Indemnified Party) shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against any other person for indemnification hereunder, notify such other person (the Indemnifying Party) in writing of the loss, claim, judgment, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the failure by the Indemnified Party to notify the Indemnifying Party shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party from any liability which the Indemnifying Party may have to such Indemnified Party hereunder, except and solely to the extent the Indemnifying Party is actually prejudiced by such failure. If the Indemnified Party is seeking indemnification
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with respect to any claim or action brought against the Indemnified Party, then the Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to participate in such claim or action, and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with all other Indemnifying Parties, to assume control of the defense thereof with counsel satisfactory to the Indemnified Party. After notice from the Indemnifying Party to the Indemnified Party of its election to assume control of the defense of such claim or action, the Indemnifying Party shall not be liable to the Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the Indemnified Party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however, that in any action in which both the Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party are named as defendants, the Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (but no more than one such separate counsel, which counsel is reasonably acceptable to the Indemnifying Party) to represent the Indemnified Party and its controlling persons who may be subject to liability arising out of any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought by the Indemnified Party against the Indemnifying Party, with the fees and expenses of such counsel to be paid by such Indemnifying Party if, based upon the written opinion of counsel of such Indemnified Party, representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, consent to entry of judgment or effect any settlement of any claim or pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which the Indemnified Party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Party, unless such judgment or settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability arising out of such claim or proceeding.
4.4 Contribution.
4.4.1 If the indemnification provided for in the foregoing Sections 4.1, 4.2 and/or 4.3 is unavailable to any Indemnified Party in respect of any loss, claim, damage, liability or action referred to herein, then each such Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such loss, claim, damage, liability or action in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnified Parties and the Indemnifying Parties in connection with the actions or omissions which resulted in such loss, claim, damage, liability or action, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of any Indemnified Party and any Indemnifying Party 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 such Indemnified Party or such Indemnifying Party and the parties relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
4.4.2 The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 4.4 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 Section 4.4.1.
4.4.3 The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Party as a result of any loss, claim, damage, liability or action referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above in Section 4.4.1, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending any
18
such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 4.4, no holder of Registrable Securities shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the dollar amount of the net proceeds (after payment of any underwriting fees, discounts, commissions or taxes) actually received by such holder from the sale of Registrable Securities which gave rise to such contribution obligation. 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.
5. |
UNDERWRITING AND DISTRIBUTION. |
5.1 Rule 144. As long as any Holder shall own Registrable Securities, the Company, at all times while it shall be a reporting company under the Exchange Act, covenants that it shall (i) file (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) any reports required to be filed by it after the date hereof pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and to promptly furnish such Holders with true and complete copies of all such filings (which shall include providing notice that such filings are available on the SECs website at www.sec.gov or the Companys website within two days of such filing), and (ii) take such further action as the holders of Registrable Securities may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such holders to sell Registrable Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rule 144 under the Securities Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission. Upon the request of any Holder, the Company will deliver to such Holder a written statement of a duly authorized officer as to whether the Company has complied with such information requirements, and, if not, the specific reasons for non-compliance.
6. |
MISCELLANEOUS. |
6.1 Other Registration Rights and Arrangements. Other than with respect to the Subscription Agreements, the Company represents and warrants that no person, other than a holder of the Registrable Securities has any right to require the Company to register any of the Companys share capital or capital stock for sale or to include the Companys share capital or capital stock in any registration filed by the Company for the sale of shares for its own account or for the account of any other person. The parties hereby terminate the Prior Agreement, which shall be of no further force and effect and is hereby superseded and replaced in its entirety by this Agreement. The Company shall not hereafter enter into any agreement with respect to its securities which is inconsistent with or violates the rights granted to the holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement and in the event of any conflict between any such agreement or agreements and this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall prevail. For the avoidance of doubt, the Subscription Agreements shall not be deemed inconsistent with or to violate this Agreement.
6.2 Assignment; No Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement and the rights, duties and obligations of the Company hereunder may not be assigned or delegated by the Company in whole or in part. This Agreement and any of the rights, duties and obligations of the holders of Registrable Securities hereunder may be freely assigned or delegated, in whole or in part, by such holder of Registrable Securities in conjunction with and to the extent of any transfer of any Registrable Security by any such holder to a Permitted Transferee(s). This Agreement and the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of each of the parties hereto
19
and their respective successors and assigns and the holders of Registrable Securities and their respective successors and permitted assigns. This Agreement is not intended to confer any rights or benefits on any persons that are not party hereto other than as expressly set forth in Section 4 and this Section 6.2. The rights of a holder of Registrable Securities under this Agreement may be transferred, in whole or in part, by such a holder to a Permitted Transferee who acquires or holds any Registrable Security; provided, however, that such transferee has executed and delivered to the Company a properly completed agreement to be bound by the terms of this Agreement substantially in form attached hereto as Exhibit A (a Joinder), and the transferor shall have delivered to the Company no later than five (5) Business Days following the date of the transfer, written notification of such transfer setting forth the name of the transferor, the name and address of the Permitted Transferee, and the number of Registrable Securities so transferred. The execution of a Joinder shall constitute a permitted amendment of this Agreement.
6.3 Amendments and Modifications. Upon the written consent of the Company and the holders of at least a majority in interest of the Registrable Securities at the time in question, compliance with any of the provisions, covenants and conditions set forth in this Agreement may be waived, or any of such provisions, covenants or conditions may be amended or modified; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, any amendment hereto or waiver hereof that adversely affects an Investor, solely in his, her or its capacity as a holder of the securities of the Company, in a manner that is materially different from other Investors (in such capacity) shall require the consent of such Investor so affected. No course of dealing between any Investor or the Company and any other party hereto or any failure or delay on the part of an Investor or the Company in exercising any rights or remedies under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver of any rights or remedies of any Investor or the Company. No single or partial exercise of any rights or remedies under this Agreement by a party shall operate as a waiver or preclude the exercise of any other rights or remedies hereunder or thereunder by such party.
6.4 Term. This Agreement shall terminate upon the earlier of (i) the tenth anniversary of the date of this Agreement or (ii) the date as of which there shall be no Registrable Securities outstanding; provided that with respect to any Investor, such Investor will have no rights under this Agreement and all obligations of the Company to such Investor under this Agreement shall terminate upon the date that such Investor no longer holds Registrable Securities.
6.5 Notices. All notices, requests, demands, waivers and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (a) when delivered in person or by e-mail, (b) on the next Business Day when sent by overnight courier or (c) on the second (2nd) succeeding Business Day when sent by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective Parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a Party as shall be specified by like notice):
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If to the Company:
490 Foley Lane
Hamilton, MT 59840
Attn: Kathleen Valiasek
Email: kvaliasek@localbounti.com
with a copy to:
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
1000 Marsh Rd.
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Attention: Matthew Gemello
Albert Vanderlaan
E-mail: mgemello@orrick.com
avanderlaan@orrick.com
If to an Original Investor:
c/o Leo Investors III LP
21 Grosvenor Place
London SW1X 7HF
United Kingdom
Attention: Simon Brown
E-mail: brown@leo.holdings
with copies to:
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
601 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10022
Attn: Christian O. Nagler
Brooks W. Antweill
Email: cnagler@kirkland.com
brooks.antweil@kirkland.com
Fax: (212) 446-4900
and:
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
2049 Century Park East, 37th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Attn: Damon R. Fisher, P.C.
Jennifer Yapp
Email: dfisher@kirkland.com
jennifer.yapp@kirkland.com
Fax: (310) 552-5900
If to an Investor, to the address set forth under such Investors signature to this Agreement or to such Investors address as found in the Companys books and records.
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All such notices, requests, demands, waivers and other communications shall be deemed received upon (i) actual receipt thereof by the addressee, or (ii) actual delivery thereof to the appropriate address.
6.6 Severability. If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of Law or public policy, all other terms, conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in a mutually acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement be consummated as originally contemplated to the fullest extent possible.
6.7 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement by facsimile or e-mail shall be as effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of the Agreement. Minor variations in the form of the signature page, including footers from earlier versions of this Agreement or any such other document, will be disregarded in determining a Partys intent or the effectiveness of such signature.
6.8 Entire Agreement. This Agreement (including all agreements entered into pursuant hereto and all certificates and instruments delivered pursuant hereto and thereto) constitute the entire agreement among the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement and supersede all other prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral, between the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement, including without limitation, the Prior Agreement. Each party acknowledges and agrees that, in entering into this Agreement, such party has not relied on any promises or assurances, written or oral, that are not reflected in this Agreement (including the Schedules and Exhibits attached hereto).
6.9 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware (regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of laws thereof) as to all matters (including Actions related hereto), including matters of validity, construction, effect, performance and remedies.
6.10 Consent to Jurisdiction; Etc.. Each party hereby agrees, and any Person asserting rights as a third party beneficiary may do so only if he, she or it irrevocably agrees, that any Legal Dispute shall be brought only to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Delaware or the federal courts located in the State of Delaware, and each party hereby consents to the jurisdiction of such courts (and of the appropriate appellate courts therefrom) in any such Action and irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such Action in any such court or that any such Action that is brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. During the period a Legal Dispute that is filed in accordance with this Section 6.10 is pending before a court, all Actions with respect to such Legal Dispute or any other Legal Dispute, including any counterclaim, cross-claim or interpleader, shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of such
22
court. Each party hereby waives, and any person asserting rights as a third party beneficiary may do so only if he, she or it hereby waives, and shall not assert as a defense in any Legal Dispute, that (a) such party is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the above named courts for any reason, (b) such Action may not be brought or is not maintainable in such court, (c) such partys property is exempt or immune from execution, (d) such Action is brought in an inconvenient forum, or (e) the venue of such Action is improper. A final judgment in any Action described in this Section 6.10 following the expiration of any period permitted for appeal and subject to any stay during appeal shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by applicable laws.
6.11 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH OF THE PARTIES HEREBY UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, AND ANY PERSON ASSERTING RIGHTS AS A THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARY MAY DO SO ONLY IF HE, SHE OR IT IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY ON ANY CLAIMS OR COUNTERCLAIMS ASSERTED IN ANY LEGAL DISPUTE RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM RELATING THERETO. IF THE SUBJECT MATTER OF ANY SUCH LEGAL DISPUTE IS ONE IN WHICH THE WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL IS PROHIBITED, NO PARTY NOR ANY PERSON ASSERTING RIGHTS AS A THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARY SHALL ASSERT IN SUCH LEGAL DISPUTE A NONCOMPULSORY COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. FURTHERMORE, NO PARTY NOR ANY PERSON ASSERTING RIGHTS AS A THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARY SHALL SEEK TO CONSOLIDATE ANY SUCH LEGAL DISPUTE WITH A SEPARATE ACTION OR OTHER LEGAL PROCEEDING IN WHICH A JURY TRIAL CANNOT BE WAIVED.
[Signature pages follow]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.
COMPANY: LOCAL BOUNTI CORPORATION |
||
By: |
/s/ Craig Hurlbert |
|
Name: | Craig Hurlbert | |
Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |
[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.
NEW INVESTORS: | ||
LEO INVESTORS III LP | ||
By: | Leo Investors GP III Ltd. | |
Its: | General Partner | |
By: |
/s/ Simon Brown |
|
Name: Simon Brown | ||
Title: Director | ||
/s/ Lori Bush |
||
Lori Bush | ||
/s/ Mary E. Minnick |
||
Mary E. Minnick | ||
/s/ Mark Masinter |
||
Mark Masinter | ||
/s/ Scott Flanders |
||
Scott Flanders | ||
/s/ Imran Khan |
||
Imran Khan | ||
/s/ Scott McNealy |
||
Scott McNealy |
[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]
LEO HOLDINGS III CORP | ||
By: |
/s/ Lyndon Lea |
|
Name: Lyndon Lea | ||
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer |
[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.
NEW INVESTOR: Wheat Wind Farms, LLC |
||
By: | /s/ Craig Hurlbert | |
Name: | Craig Hurlbert | |
Title: | President |
McLeod Management Co., LLC | ||
By: | /s/ Travis Joyner | |
Name: | Travis Joyner | |
Title: | President |
Live Oak Ventures, LLC | ||
By: | /s/ C.R. Schwab | |
Name: |
Charles R. Schwab | |
Title: | Director |
Charles R. Schwab TTEE The Charles & Helen Schwab Living Trust U/1 DTD 11/22/1985 | ||
By: | /s/ C.R. Schwab | |
Name: |
Charles R. Schwab | |
Title: | Director |
Charles R. Schwab & Helen O. Schwab TTEE The Charles & Helen Schwab Living Trust U/1 DTD 11/22/1985 | ||
By: | /s/ C.R. Schwab | |
Name: |
Charles R. Schwab | |
Title: | Director |
Craig Hurlbert | ||
By: |
/s/ Craig Hurlbert |
|
Travis Joyner | ||
By: |
/s/ Travis Joyner |
|
Pamela Brewster | ||
By: |
/s/ Pamela Brewster |
|
Mark Nelson | ||
By: |
/s/ Mark Nelson |
|
Kathleen Valiasek | ||
By: |
/s/ Kathleen Valiasek |
|
Lake Street Capital Markets, LLC | ||
By: |
/s/ Mike Townley |
|
Name: Mike Townley | ||
Title: Head of Investment Banking |
[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]
EXHIBIT A
Joinder
This Joinder (Joinder) is executed on ________, 20__, by the undersigned (the New Holder) pursuant to the terms of that certain Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement dated as of [], 2021 (the Agreement), by and among Local Bounti Corporation, a Delaware corporation (formerly known as Leo Holdings III Corp, a Cayman Islands exempted company) (including any of its successors or assigns, the Company), and the Investors identified therein, as such Agreement may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Joinder shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in the Agreement. By the execution of this Joinder, the New Holder agrees as follows:
1. Acknowledgment. New Holder acknowledges that New Holder is acquiring certain equity securities of the Company (the Shares) as a transferee of such Shares from a party in such partys capacity as a holder of Registrable Securities under the Agreement, and after such transfer, New Holder shall be considered an Investor and a holder of Registrable Securities for all purposes under the Agreement.
2. Agreement. New Holder hereby (a) agrees that the Shares shall be bound by and subject to the terms of the Agreement and (b) adopts the Agreement with the same force and effect as if the New Holder were originally a party thereto.
3. Notice. Any notice required or permitted by the Agreement shall be given to New Holder at the address or facsimile number listed below New Holders signature below.
NEW HOLDER: | ACCEPTED AND AGREED: | |||||||
Print Name: | COMPANY | |||||||
By: | By: | |||||||
Address: | ||||||||
SCHEDULE A
ORIGINAL INVESTORS:
|
Leo Investors III LP |
|
Lori Bush |
|
Mark Masinter |
|
Mary E. Minnick |
|
Scott Flanders |
|
Imran Khan |
|
Scott McNealy |
NEW INVESTORS:
|
Wheat Wind Farms, LLC |
|
McLeod Management Co., LLC |
|
Live Oak Ventures, LLC |
|
Charles R. Schwab TTEE The Charles & Helen Schwab Living Trust U/A DTD 11/22/1985 |
|
Charles R. Schwab & Helen O. Schwab TTEE The Charles & Helen Schwab Living Trust U/A DTD 11/22/1985 |
|
Craig Hurlbert |
|
Travis Joyner |
|
Pam Brewster |
|
Mark Nelson |
|
Kathleen Valiasek |
|
Lake Street Capital Markets, LLC |
Exhibit 10.2
FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
This lock-up agreement (this Agreement) is dated as of [_____], 2021 by and between Local Bounti Corporation, a Delaware corporation and successor to Leo Holdings III Corp, a Cayman Islands exempted company (including any of its successors or assigns, PubCo), and the undersigned stockholder (the Holder). Each of PubCo and the Holder may be referred to herein as a Party and collectively as the Parties. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Agreement shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in the Merger Agreement (as defined below).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, PubCo entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger with Local Bounti Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the Company), Longleaf Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation (First Merger Sub) and Longleaf Merger Sub II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (Second Merger Sub), dated as of June 17, 2021 (as amended or modified from time to time in accordance with the terms of such agreement, the Merger Agreement), pursuant to which, among other things, on the date hereof, First Merger Sub merged with and into the Company, with the Company surviving as a subsidiary of PubCo (the First Merger), and immediately following the consummation of the First Merger, the Company merged with and into Second Merger Sub, with Second Merger Sub being the surviving entity;
WHEREAS, as a result of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, among other things, the Holder has received Lock-Up Shares (as defined below); and
WHEREAS, the Parties desire to set forth their agreement with respect to certain matters, in each case, in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement with respect to the Lock-Up Shares received by the Holder under the Merger Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual promises, covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound, the Parties hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
LOCK-UP
Section 1.1 Lock-Up.
(a) The Holder shall not Transfer, or make a public announcement of any intention to effect such Transfer, of any Lock-Up Shares Beneficially Owned or otherwise held by the Holder during the Lock-Up Period; provided, that such prohibition shall not apply to Transfers permitted pursuant to Section 1.2. The Lock-Up Period shall be the period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the date that is the one hundred and eightieth (180th) day anniversary of the date hereof. The term Lock-Up Shares means, collectively, (i) the Common Stock held by the Holder as of the date hereof and (ii) any Equity Securities of PubCo that would be considered to be Lock-Up Shares pursuant to Section 2.9.
(b) During the Lock-Up Period, any purported Transfer of Lock-Up Shares other than in accordance with this Agreement shall be null and void, and PubCo shall refuse to recognize any such Transfer for any purpose.
(c) The Holder acknowledges and agrees that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned by the Holder shall remain subject to any restrictions on Transfer under applicable securities Laws of any Governmental Entity, including all applicable holding periods under the Securities Act and other rules of the SEC.
Section 1.2 Permitted Transfers. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, during the Lock-Up Period, the Holder may Transfer, without the consent of PubCo, any of its Lock-Up Shares to (a) any of its Permitted Transferees, upon written notice to PubCo or (b) (i) a bona fide charitable organization, upon written notice to PubCo; (ii) in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual; (iii) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (iv) in the case of an entity, Transfers by virtue of the laws of the jurisdiction of the entitys organization and the entitys organizational documents upon dissolution of the entity; (v) pursuant to transactions of PubCo Shares or other securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for PubCo Shares acquired in open market transactions after the Closing; (vi) pursuant to the exercise of any options or warrants to purchase PubCo Shares (which exercises may be effected on a cashless basis to the extent the instruments representing such options or warrants permit exercises on a cashless basis); (vii) Transfers to PubCo to satisfy tax withholding obligations pursuant to PubCos equity incentive plans or arrangements, but only to the extent permitted pursuant to the terms of PubCos equity incentive plans; (viii) Transfers to PubCo pursuant to any contractual arrangement in effect at the Closing that provides for the repurchase by PubCo or the Company or forfeiture of the Holders shares in PubCo or the Company or other securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares in PubCo or the Company in connection with the termination of the Holders service to PubCo or the Company; (ix) pursuant to the entry, by the Holder, at any time after the Closing, into any trading plan providing for the sale of PubCo Shares by the Holder, which trading plan meets the requirements of Rule 10b5-1(c) under the Exchange Act, provided, however, that such plan does not provide for, or permit, the sale of any PubCo Shares during the Lock-Up Period and no public announcement or filing is voluntarily made or required regarding such plan during the Lock-Up Period; (x) Transfers of PubCo Shares acquired by the Holder in the PIPE Financing; (xi) pursuant to transactions solely to satisfy any U.S. federal, state, or local income tax obligations of the Holder (or its direct or indirect owners) arising from a change in the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), or the U.S. Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder (the Regulations) after the date on which the Merger Agreement was executed by the parties thereto, and such change prevents the Transactions from qualifying as a reorganization pursuant to Section 368 or Section 351 of the Code (and the Transactions do not qualify for similar tax-free treatment pursuant to any successor or other provision of the Code or Regulations taking into account such changes) solely to the extent that such income tax obligations are actually due and required to be paid prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period; and (xii) pursuant to any liquidation, merger, stock exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of PubCos stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of Common Stock for cash, securities or other property subsequent to the date hereof; provided, that in connection with any Transfer of such Lock-Up Shares pursuant to clause (b) above, (x) the restrictions and obligations contained in Section 1.1 and this Section 1.2 will continue to apply to such Lock-Up Shares after any Transfer of such Lock-Up Shares, and (y) the Transferee of such Lock-Up Shares shall have no rights under this Agreement, unless, for the avoidance of doubt, such Transferee is a Permitted Transferee in accordance with this Agreement. Any Transferee of Lock-Up Shares who is a Permitted Transferee of the Transferor or a Transferee pursuant to clause (b) above pursuant to this Section 1.2 shall be required, at the time of and as a condition to such Transfer, to become a party to this Agreement by executing and delivering a joinder in the form attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A, whereupon such Transferee will be treated as a Party (with the same rights and obligations as the Transferor) for all purposes of this Agreement. To the extent a Transfer of Lock-Up Shares is made during the Lock-Up Period with the prior consent of PubCo, such consent shall also apply to a proportionate number of (i) Lock-Up Shares or other securities of PubCo owned by Holders party to a Lock-Up Agreement entered into in connection with the Merger Agreement and (ii) shares of PubCo subject to the Lock-Up (as defined in the Letter Agreement, dated February 25, 2021 by and among PubCo (f/k/a Leo Holdings III Corp), Parent Sponsor and the other parties thereto).
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Section 1.3 Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
Affiliate shall have the meaning set forth in the Merger Agreement; provided that no Party shall be deemed an Affiliate of PubCo or any of its Subsidiaries for purposes of this Agreement.
Beneficially Own has the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act; provided, that, a Transfer with respect to any Equity Securities shall, for purposes of this Agreement, mean that the Transferor no longer Beneficially Owns such Equity Securities (except, for the avoidance of doubt, for any Transfer to Permitted Transferees or with respect to pledges or encumbrances which do not Transfer economic risk). Beneficially Owns, Beneficially Owned, and Beneficial Ownership shall have correlative meanings.
Certificate of Incorporation means the certificate of incorporation of PubCo, as in effect on the date hereof, and as the same may be amended from time to time.
Common Stock means, as applicable, (a) the common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of PubCo, or (b) following any consolidation, merger, reclassification or other similar event involving PubCo, any shares or other securities of PubCo or any other Person that are issued or issuable in consideration for the common stock of PubCo or into which the common stock of PubCo is exchanged or converted as a result of such consolidation, merger, reclassification or other similar event, in each case, including any shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of any warrant or other right to acquire shares of the Common Stock and.
Equity Securities means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock or equity of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock or equity of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock or equity of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares or equity (or such other interests), restricted stock awards, restricted stock units, equity appreciation rights, phantom equity rights, profit participation and all of the other ownership or profit interests of such Person (including partnership or member interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting.
Family Member means with respect to any Person, a spouse, lineal descendant (whether natural or adopted) or spouse of a lineal descendant of such Person or any trust created for the benefit of such Person or of which any of the foregoing is a beneficiary.
Permitted Transferee means with respect to any Person, (a) any Family Member of such Person and (b) any Affiliate of such Person (including any partner, limited partner, stockholder, shareholder, member controlling or under common control with such Member and Affiliated investment fund or vehicle) of such Person, but excluding any Affiliate under this clause (b) who operates or engages in a business which competes with the business of PubCo or its subsidiaries and any portfolio company.
Transfer means, when used as a noun, any voluntary or involuntary, direct or indirect, transfer, sale, pledge, hedge, encumbrance, or hypothecation or other disposition (whether by operation of law or otherwise), contract or legally binding agreement to undertake any of the foregoing, by the Transferor and, when used as a verb, the Transferor voluntarily or involuntarily, directly or indirectly, transfers, sells, pledges, hedges, encumbers or hypothecates or otherwise disposes of (whether by operation of law or otherwise), contracts or agrees (in a legally binding manner) to do any of the foregoing, including, in each case, (a) the establishment or increase of a put equivalent position or liquidation with respect to, or decrease of a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act with respect to, any security or (b) entry into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another Person, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any security, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such securities, in cash or otherwise. The terms Transferee, Transferor, Transferred, and other forms of the word Transfer shall have the correlative meanings.
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ARTICLE II
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 2.1 Notices. All notices, requests, demands, waivers and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (a) when delivered in person or by e-mail, (b) on the next Business Day when sent by overnight courier or (c) on the second (2nd) succeeding Business Day when sent by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective Parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a Party as shall be specified by like notice):
if to PubCo, to:
[________________]
[________________]
Attention: [________________]
E-mail: [________________]
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
1000 Marsh Rd.
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Attention: Matthew Gemello
Albert Vanderlaan
E-mail: mgemello@orrick.com
avanderlaan@orrick.com
if to the Holder, to the address set forth on the signature page of the Holder hereto.
All such notices, requests, demands, waivers and other communications shall be deemed received upon (i) actual receipt thereof by the addressee, or (ii) actual delivery thereof to the appropriate address.
Section 2.2 Assignment; Successors and Assigns; No Third Party Beneficiaries.
(a) Except as otherwise permitted hereunder, the Holder may not assign such Holders rights or obligations under this Agreement, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of PubCo. Any such assignee may not again assign those rights, other than in accordance with this Section 2.2(a). Any attempted assignment of rights or obligations in violation of this Section 2.2(a) shall be null and void.
(b) All of the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon the Parties and their respective successors, assigns, heirs and representatives, but shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the successors, assigns, heirs and representatives of any Party only to the extent that they are permitted successors, assigns, heirs and representatives pursuant to the terms hereof.
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(c) Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party, other than the Parties and their respective permitted successors, assigns, heirs and representatives, any rights or remedies under this Agreement or otherwise create any third party beneficiary hereto.
Section 2.3 Termination. The Holders obligations under this Agreement shall terminate concurrently with the termination of the Lock-Up Period.
Section 2.4 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable by any Governmental Entity, the remaining provisions hereof, to the extent permitted by Law, shall remain in full force and effect.
Section 2.5 Entire Agreement; Amendments; No Waiver.
(a) This Agreement, together with Exhibit A to this Agreement, the Merger Agreement, and all other Ancillary Agreements (as such term is defined in the Merger Agreement), constitute the entire agreement among the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede all prior and contemporaneous agreements, understandings and discussions, whether oral or written, relating to such subject matter in any way and there are no warranties, representations or other agreements among the Parties in connection with such subject matter except as set forth in this Agreement and therein.
(b) No provision of this Agreement may be amended or modified in whole or in part at any time without the express written consent of PubCo; provided that any such amendment or modification that would be materially adverse in any respect to the Holder shall require the prior written consent of the Holder; provided, further, that a provision that has terminated with respect to a Party shall not require any consent of such Party with respect to amending or modifying such provision.
(c) No waiver of any provision or default under, nor consent to any exception to, the terms of this Agreement shall be effective unless in writing and signed by the Party to be bound and then only to the specific purpose, extent and instance so provided.
Section 2.6 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement by facsimile or e-mail shall be as effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of the Agreement. Minor variations in the form of the signature page, including footers from earlier versions of this Agreement or any such other document, will be disregarded in determining a Partys intent or the effectiveness of such signature.
Section 2.7 Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction, etc. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware (regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of laws thereof) as to all matters (including Actions related hereto), including matters of validity, construction, effect, performance and remedies. Each Party hereby agrees, and any Person asserting rights as a third party beneficiary may do so only if he, she or it irrevocably agrees, that any Legal Dispute shall be brought only to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Delaware or the federal courts located in the State of Delaware, and each Party hereby consents to the jurisdiction of such courts (and of the appropriate appellate courts therefrom) in any such Action and irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by Law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such Action in any such court or that any such Action that is brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. During the period a Legal Dispute that is filed in accordance with this Section 2.7 is pending before a court, all Actions with respect to such Legal Dispute or any other Legal Dispute, including any counterclaim, cross-claim or interpleader, shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of such court. Each Party hereby waives, and any Person asserting rights as a third party beneficiary may do so only if he, she or it hereby waives, and shall not assert as a defense in any Legal Dispute, that (a) such Party is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the above named courts for any reason, (b) such Action may not be brought or is not maintainable in such court, (c)
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such Partys property is exempt or immune from execution, (d) such Action is brought in an inconvenient forum, or (e) the venue of such Action is improper. A final judgment in any Action described in this Section 2.7 following the expiration of any period permitted for appeal and subject to any stay during appeal shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by applicable Laws. EACH OF THE PARTIES HEREBY UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, AND ANY PERSON ASSERTING RIGHTS AS A THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARY MAY DO SO ONLY IF HE, SHE OR IT IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY ON ANY CLAIMS OR COUNTERCLAIMS ASSERTED IN ANY LEGAL DISPUTE RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM RELATING THERETO. IF THE SUBJECT MATTER OF ANY SUCH LEGAL DISPUTE IS ONE IN WHICH THE WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL IS PROHIBITED, NO PARTY NOR ANY PERSON ASSERTING RIGHTS AS A THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARY SHALL ASSERT IN SUCH LEGAL DISPUTE A NONCOMPULSORY COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. FURTHERMORE, NO PARTY NOR ANY PERSON ASSERTING RIGHTS AS A THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARY SHALL SEEK TO CONSOLIDATE ANY SUCH LEGAL DISPUTE WITH A SEPARATE ACTION OR OTHER LEGAL PROCEEDING IN WHICH A JURY TRIAL CANNOT BE WAIVED.
Section 2.8 Specific Performance. Each Party hereby agrees and acknowledges that it will be impossible to measure in money the damages that would be suffered if the Parties fail to comply with any of the obligations imposed on them by this Agreement and that, in the event of any such failure, an aggrieved Party will be irreparably damaged and will not have an adequate remedy at Law. Any such Party shall, therefore, be entitled (in addition to any other remedy to which such Party may be entitled at Law or in equity) to injunctive relief, including specific performance, to enforce such obligations, without the posting of any bond, and if any Action should be brought in equity to enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement, none of the Parties shall raise the defense that there is an adequate remedy at Law.
Section 2.9 Subsequent Acquisition of Shares. Any Equity Securities of PubCo or the Company acquired by issuance from the PubCo or the Company subsequent to the date hereof and prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period by the Holder shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and such shares shall be considered to be Lock-Up Shares as such term is used in this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, this provision shall not apply to any Equity Securities of PubCo or the Company acquired in the open market or in the PIPE Financing.
[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY BLANK]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, PubCo and the Holder have duly executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.
PUBCO: | ||
LOCAL BOUNTI CORPORATION | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
HOLDER | ||
Name: |
Address: | ||
[___________________] | ||
[___________________] | ||
[___________________] | ||
Email: | [___________________] |
[Signature Page - Lock-Up Agreement]
Exhibit A
Form of Joinder
This Joinder (this Joinder) to the Lock-Up Agreement (each as defined below), made as of , is between (Transferor) and (Transferee).
WHEREAS, as of the date hereof, Transferee is acquiring Equity Securities (the Acquired Interests) from Transferor;
WHEREAS, Transferor is a party to that certain Lock-Up Agreement, dated as of [____], 2021, by and between Local Bounti Corporation (PubCo) and Transferor (the Lock-Up Agreement); and
WHEREAS, Transferee is required, at the time of and as a condition to such Transfer, to become a party to the Lock-Up Agreement by executing and delivering this Joinder, whereupon such Transferee will be treated as a Party (with the same rights and obligations as the Transferor) for all purposes of the Lock-Up Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the respective covenants and agreements set forth herein, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:
Section 1.1 Definitions. To the extent capitalized words used in this Joinder are not defined in this Joinder, such words shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Lock-Up Agreement.
Section 1.2 Acquisition. The Transferor hereby Transfers to the Transferee all of the Acquired Interests.
Section 1.3 Joinder. Transferee hereby acknowledges and agrees that (a) such Transferee has received and read the Lock-Up Agreement, (b) such Transferee is acquiring the Acquired Interests in accordance with and subject to the terms and conditions of the Lock-Up Agreement, and (c) such Transferee will be treated as a Party (with the same rights and obligations as the Transferor) for all purposes of the Lock-Up Agreement.
Section 1.4 Notice. Any notice, request, demand, waiver or other communications under the Lock-Up Agreement to Transferee shall be given to Transferee at the address set forth on the signature page hereto in accordance with Section 2.1 of the Lock-Up Agreement.
Section 1.5 Governing Law. This Joinder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of Delaware (regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of laws thereof) as to all matters (including Actions related hereto), including matters of validity, construction, effect, performance and remedies.
Section 1.6 Counterparts. This Joinder may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement by facsimile or e-mail shall be as effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of the Agreement. Minor variations in the form of the signature page, including footers from earlier versions of this Agreement or any such other document, will be disregarded in determining a Partys intent or the effectiveness of such signature.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Joinder has been duly executed and delivered by the parties as of the date first above written.
[TRANSFEROR] | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
[TRANSFEREE] | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
Address for notices: |
[Signature Page to Joinder]
Exhibit 10.3
LOCAL BOUNTI CORPORATION
FORM OF INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Indemnification Agreement (this Agreement) is made as of [____], 2021, by and between Local Bounti Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the Company), and [____] (Indemnitee).
RECITALS
The Company and Indemnitee recognize the increasing difficulty in obtaining liability insurance for directors, officers and key employees, the significant increases in the cost of such insurance and the general reductions in the coverage of such insurance. The Company and Indemnitee further recognize the substantial increase in corporate litigation in general, subjecting directors, officers and key employees to expensive litigation risks at the same time as the availability and coverage of liability insurance has been severely limited. Indemnitee does not regard the current protection available as adequate under the present circumstances, and Indemnitee may not be willing to continue to serve in Indemnitees current capacity with the Company without additional protection. The Company desires to attract and retain the services of highly qualified individuals, such as Indemnitee, and to indemnify its directors, officers and key employees so as to provide them with the maximum protection permitted by law.
AGREEMENT
In consideration of the mutual promises made in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Company and Indemnitee hereby agree as follows:
1. Indemnification.
(a) Third-Party Proceedings. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, as such may be amended from time to time, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee, if Indemnitee was, is or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness or otherwise) in any Proceeding (other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in the Companys favor), against all Expenses, judgments, fines, losses, liabilities, penalties, and amounts paid in settlement (if such settlement is approved in advance by the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitees behalf in connection with such Proceeding if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitees conduct was unlawful.
(b) Proceedings By or in the Right of the Company. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee, if Indemnitee was, is or is threatened to be made a party to or a participant (as a witness or otherwise) in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in the Companys favor, against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such Proceeding if Indemnitee
acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudicated by court order or judgment to be liable to the Company unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such Proceeding is or was pending shall determine upon application that, in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which such court shall deem proper.
(c) Success on the Merits. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any Proceeding referred to in Section 1(a) or Section 1(b) or the defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection therewith. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, if Indemnitee is successful on the merits or otherwise as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in a Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such successfully resolved claims, issues or matters to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. If any Proceeding is disposed of on the merits or otherwise (including a disposition without prejudice), without (i) the disposition being adverse to Indemnitee, (ii) an adjudication that Indemnitee was liable to the Company, (iii) a plea of guilty by Indemnitee, (iv) an adjudication that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and (v) with respect to any criminal Proceeding, an adjudication that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe Indemnitees conduct was unlawful, Indemnitee shall be considered for the purposes hereof to have been wholly successful with respect thereto.
(d) Witness Expenses. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is a witness or otherwise asked to participate in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such Proceeding.
2. Indemnification Procedure.
(a) Advancement of Expenses. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company shall advance all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with a Proceeding within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of a statement requesting such advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of any Proceeding. Such advances shall be unsecured and interest free and shall be made without regard to Indemnitees ability to repay the Expenses and without regard to Indemnitees ultimate entitlement to indemnification under the other provisions of this Agreement. Indemnitee shall be entitled to continue to receive advancement of Expenses pursuant to this Section 2(a) unless and until the matter of Indemnitees entitlement to indemnification hereunder has been finally adjudicated by court order or judgment from which no further right of appeal exists. Indemnitee hereby undertakes to repay such amounts advanced only if, and to the extent that, it ultimately is determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company under the other provisions of this Agreement. Indemnitee shall qualify for advances upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement, which shall constitute the requisite undertaking with respect to repayment of advances made hereunder and no other form of undertaking shall be required to qualify for advances made hereunder other than the execution of this Agreement.
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(b) Notice and Cooperation by Indemnitee. Indemnitee shall promptly notify the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter for which indemnification will or could be sought under this Agreement. Such notice to the Company shall include a description of the nature of, and facts underlying, the Proceeding, shall be directed to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and shall be given in accordance with the provisions of Section 13(e) below. In addition, Indemnitee shall give the Company such additional information and cooperation as the Company may reasonably request. Indemnitees failure to so notify, provide information and otherwise cooperate with the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation that it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement, except to the extent that the Company is adversely affected by such failure.
(c) Determination of Entitlement.
(i) Final Disposition. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement, no determination as to entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding.
(ii) Determination and Payment. Subject to the foregoing, promptly after receipt of a statement requesting payment with respect to the indemnification rights set forth in Section 1, to the extent required by applicable law, the Company shall take the steps necessary to authorize such payment in the manner set forth in Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. The Company shall pay any claims made under this Agreement, under any statute, or under any provision of the Companys Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws providing for indemnification or advancement of Expenses, within thirty (30) days after a written request for payment thereof has first been received by the Company, and if such claim is not paid in full within such thirty (30) day-period, Indemnitee may, but need not, at any time thereafter bring an action against the Company in the Delaware Court of Chancery to recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, subject to Section 12, Indemnitee shall also be entitled to be paid for all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with bringing such action. It shall be a defense to any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for advancement of Expenses under Section 2(a)) that Indemnitee has not met the standards of conduct which make it permissible under applicable law for the Company to indemnify Indemnitee for the amount claimed. In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person or persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement and the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption with clear and convincing evidence to the contrary. The termination of any Proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, or, in the case of a criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitees conduct was unlawful. In addition, it is the parties intention that if the Company contests Indemnitees right to indemnification, the question of Indemnitees right to indemnification shall be for the court to decide, and neither the failure of the Company (including its Board of Directors, any committee
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or subgroup of the Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination that indemnification of Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct required by applicable law, nor an actual determination by the Company (including its Board of Directors, any committee or subgroup of the Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that Indemnitee has or has not met the applicable standard of conduct. If any requested determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder has not been made within ninety (90) days after the final disposition of the Proceeding, the requisite determination that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall be deemed to have been made.
(iii) Change of Control. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement, if a Change of Control has occurred, any person or body appointed by the Board of Directors in accordance with applicable law to review the Companys obligations hereunder and under applicable law shall be Independent Counsel selected by Indemnitee and approved by the Company (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld). Such counsel, among other things, will render its written opinion to the Company and Indemnitee as to whether and to what extent Indemnitee would be entitled to be indemnified hereunder under applicable law and the Company agrees to abide by such opinion. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to indemnify fully such counsel against any and all expenses (including attorneys fees), claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company shall not be required to pay Expenses of more than one Independent Counsel in connection with all matters concerning a single Indemnitee, and such Independent Counsel shall be the Independent Counsel for any or all other Indemnitees unless (i) the Company otherwise determines or (ii) any Indemnitee shall provide a written statement setting forth in detail a reasonable objection to such Independent Counsel representing other indemnitees under agreements similar to this Agreement.
(d) Payment Directions. To the extent payments are required to be made hereunder, the Company shall, in accordance with Indemnitees request (but without duplication), (i) pay such Expenses on behalf of Indemnitee, (ii) advance to Indemnitee funds in an amount sufficient to pay such Expenses, or (iii) reimburse Indemnitee for such Expenses.
(e) Notice to Insurers. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a claim pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof, the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of the commencement of such Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies. The Company shall provide to Indemnitee: (i) copies of all potentially applicable directors and officers liability insurance policies, (ii) a copy of such notice delivered to the applicable insurers, and (iii) copies of all subsequent correspondence between the Company and such insurers regarding the Proceeding, in each case substantially concurrently with the delivery or receipt thereof by the Company.
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(f) Defense of Claim and Selection of Counsel. In the event the Company shall be obligated under Section 2(a) hereof to advance Expenses with respect to any Proceeding, the Company, if appropriate, shall be entitled to assume the defense of such Proceeding, with counsel reasonably acceptable to Indemnitee, upon the delivery to Indemnitee of written notice of its election so to do, and upon Indemnitee providing signed, written consent to such assumption, which shall not be unreasonably withheld. After delivery of such notice, approval of such counsel by Indemnitee and the retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees of counsel subsequently incurred by Indemnitee with respect to the same Proceeding, provided that (i) Indemnitee shall have the right to employ counsel in any such Proceeding at Indemnitees expense; and (ii) if (A) the employment of counsel by Indemnitee has been previously authorized by the Company, (B) Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense or (C) the Company shall not, in fact, have employed counsel to assume the defense of such Proceeding, then the fees and expenses of Indemnitees counsel shall be at the expense of the Company. In addition, if there exists a potential, but not an actual conflict of interest between the Company and Indemnitee, the actual and reasonable legal fees and expenses incurred by Indemnitee for separate counsel retained by Indemnitee to monitor the Proceeding (so that such counsel may assume Indemnitees defense if the conflict of interest between the Company and Indemnitee becomes an actual conflict of interest) shall be deemed to be Expenses that are subject to indemnification hereunder. The existence of an actual or potential conflict of interest, and whether such conflict may be waived, shall be determined pursuant to the rules of attorney professional conduct and applicable law. The Company shall not be required to obtain the consent of Indemnitee for the settlement of any Proceeding the Company has undertaken to defend if the Company assumes full and sole responsibility for each such settlement; provided, however, that the Company shall be required to obtain Indemnitees prior written approval, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, before entering into any settlement which (1) does not grant Indemnitee a complete release of liability, (2) would impose any penalty or limitation on Indemnitee, or (3) would admit any liability or misconduct by Indemnitee.
3. Additional Indemnification Rights.
(a) Scope. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company hereby agrees to indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law, notwithstanding that such indemnification is not specifically authorized by the other provisions of this Agreement, the Companys Certificate of Incorporation, the Companys Bylaws or by statute. In the event of any change, after the date of this Agreement, in any applicable law, statute, or rule which expands the right of a Delaware corporation to indemnify a member of its board of directors or an officer, such changes shall be deemed to be within the purview of Indemnitees rights and the Companys obligations under this Agreement. In the event of any change in any applicable law, statute or rule which narrows the right of a Delaware corporation to indemnify a member of its board of directors or an officer, such changes, to the extent not otherwise required by such law, statute or rule to be applied to this Agreement shall have no effect on this Agreement or the parties rights and obligations hereunder.
(b) Nonexclusivity. The indemnification provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any rights to which Indemnitee may be entitled under the Companys Certificate of Incorporation, its Bylaws, any agreement, any vote of stockholders or disinterested members of the Companys Board of Directors, the Delaware General Corporation Law, or otherwise, both as to action in Indemnitees official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office.
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(c) Interest on Unpaid Amounts. If any payment to be made by the Company to Indemnitee hereunder is delayed by more than ninety (90) days from the date the duly prepared request for such payment is received by the Company, interest shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee at the legal rate under Delaware law for amounts which the Company indemnifies or is obligated to indemnify for the period commencing with the date on which Indemnitee actually incurs such Expense or pays such judgment, fine or amount in settlement and ending with the date on which such payment is made to Indemnitee by the Company.
(d) Third-Party Indemnification. The Company hereby acknowledges that Indemnitee has or may from time to time obtain certain rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses and/or insurance provided by one or more third parties (collectively, the Third-Party Indemnitors). The Company hereby agrees that it is the indemnitor of first resort (i.e., its obligations to Indemnitee are primary and any obligation of the Third-Party Indemnitors to advance expenses or to provide indemnification for the same expenses or liabilities incurred by Indemnitee are secondary), and that the Company will not assert that the Indemnitee must seek expense advancement or reimbursement, or indemnification, from any Third-Party Indemnitor before the Company must perform its expense advancement and reimbursement, and indemnification obligations, under this Agreement. No advancement or payment by the Third-Party Indemnitors on behalf of Indemnitee with respect to any claim for which Indemnitee has sought indemnification from the Company shall affect the foregoing. The Third-Party Indemnitors shall be subrogated to the extent of such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery which Indemnitee would have had against the Company if the Third-Party Indemnitors had not advanced or paid any amount to or on behalf of Indemnitee. If for any reason a court of competent jurisdiction determines that the Third-Party Indemnitors are not entitled to the subrogation rights described in the preceding sentence, the Third-Party Indemnitors shall have a right of contribution by the Company to the Third-Party Indemnitors with respect to any advance or payment by the Third-Party Indemnitors to or on behalf of the Indemnitee.
(e) Indemnification of Control Person. If (i) Indemnitee is or was affiliated with one or more of the Companys current or former stockholders that may be deemed to be or to have been a controlling person of the Company (each a Control Person), (ii) a Control Person is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (including as a witness) in any Proceeding, and (iii) the Control Persons involvement in the Proceeding is related to Indemnitees service to the Company as a director of the Company, or arises from the Control Persons status or alleged status as a controlling person of the Company resulting from such Control Persons affiliation with Indemnitee, then the Control Person shall be entitled to all of the indemnification rights and remedies under this Agreement to the same extent as Indemnitee.
4. Partial Indemnification. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of the Expenses, judgments, fines or amounts paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred in connection with a Proceeding, but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion of such Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement to which Indemnitee is entitled.
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5. Director and Officer Liability Insurance.
(a) D&O Policy. The Company shall, from time to time, make the good faith determination whether or not it is practicable for the Company to obtain and maintain a policy or policies of insurance with reputable insurance companies providing the directors and officers of the Company with coverage for losses from wrongful acts, or to ensure the Companys performance of its indemnification obligations under this Agreement. Among other considerations, the Company will weigh the costs of obtaining such insurance coverage against the protection afforded by such coverage. In all policies of director and officer liability insurance, Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Companys directors, if Indemnitee is a director; or of the Companys officers, if Indemnitee is not a director of the Company but is an officer; or of the Companys key employees, if Indemnitee is not an officer or director but is a key employee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall have no obligation to obtain or maintain such insurance if the Company determines in good faith that such insurance is not reasonably available, if the premium costs for such insurance are disproportionate to the amount of coverage provided, if the coverage provided by such insurance is limited by exclusions so as to provide an insufficient benefit, or if Indemnitee is covered by similar insurance maintained by a parent or subsidiary of the Company.
(b) Tail Coverage. In the event of a Change of Control or the Companys becoming insolvent (including being placed into receivership or entering the federal bankruptcy process and the like), the Company shall maintain in force any and all insurance policies then maintained by the Company in providing insurance (directors and officers liability, fiduciary, employment practices or otherwise) in respect of Indemnitee, for a period of six years thereafter.
6. Severability. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to require or shall be construed as requiring the Company to do or fail to do any act in violation of applicable law. The Companys inability, pursuant to court order, to perform its obligations under this Agreement shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement. If this Agreement or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee to the full extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Agreement that shall not have been invalidated, and the balance of this Agreement not so invalidated shall be enforceable in accordance with its terms.
7. Exclusions. Any other provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement:
(a) Claims Initiated by Indemnitee. To indemnify or advance Expenses to Indemnitee with respect to Proceedings initiated or brought voluntarily by Indemnitee and not by way of defense, except with respect to Proceedings brought to establish, enforce or interpret a right to indemnification under this Agreement or any other statute or law or otherwise as required under Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, but such indemnification or advancement of Expenses may be provided by the Company in specific cases if the Board of Directors finds it to
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be appropriate; provided, however, that the exclusion set forth in the first clause of this subsection shall not be deemed to apply to any investigation initiated or brought by Indemnitee to the extent reasonably necessary or advisable in support of Indemnitees defense of a Proceeding to which Indemnitee was, is or is threatened to be made, a party;
(b) Lack of Good Faith. To indemnify Indemnitee for any Expenses incurred by Indemnitee with respect to any Proceeding instituted by Indemnitee to establish, enforce or interpret a right to indemnification under this Agreement or any other statute or law or otherwise as required under Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, if a court of competent jurisdiction determines that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee in such proceeding was not made in good faith or was frivolous;
(c) Unlawful Payments. To indemnify Indemnitee for Expenses to the extent it is determined by a final court order or judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction, to which all rights of appeal have either lapsed or been exhausted, that such indemnification is unlawful;
(d) Certain Conduct. To indemnify Indemnitee for Expenses on account of Indemnitees conduct that is established by a final court order or judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction, to which all rights of appeal have either lapsed or been exhausted, as knowingly fraudulent;
(e) Insured Claims. To indemnify Indemnitee for Expenses to the extent such Expenses have been paid directly to Indemnitee by an insurance carrier under an insurance policy maintained by the Company; or
(f) Certain Exchange Act Claims. To indemnify Indemnitee in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee for (i) an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or any similar successor statute or any similar provisions of state statutory law or common law, or (ii) any reimbursement of the Company by Indemnitee of any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation or of any profits realized by Indemnitee from the sale of securities of the Company, as required in each case under the Exchange Act (including any such reimbursements that arise from an accounting restatement of the Company pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the Sarbanes-Oxley Act) or Section 954 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, or the payment to the Company of profits arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 306 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act); provided, however, that to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent Indemnitee is successful on the merits or otherwise with respect to any such Proceeding, the Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any such Proceeding shall be deemed to be Expenses that are subject to indemnification hereunder.
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8. Contribution Claims.
(a) If the indemnification provided in Section 1 is unavailable in whole or in part and may not be paid to Indemnitee for any reason other than those set forth in Section 7, then in respect to any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for Expenses, judgments, fines, losses, liabilities, penalties, or amounts paid in settlement, in connection with any Proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment, and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have at any time against Indemnitee.
(b) Without diminishing or impairing the obligations of the Company set forth in the preceding Section 8(a), if, for any reason, Indemnitee shall elect or be required to pay all or any portion of any Expenses, judgments, fines, losses, liabilities, penalties and amounts paid in settlement in any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), the Company shall contribute to the amount of Expenses, judgments, fines, losses, liabilities, penalties and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred and paid or payable by Indemnitee in proportion to the relative benefits received by the Company and all officers, directors or employees of the Company, other than Indemnitee, who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, from the transaction or events from which such Proceeding arose; provided, however, that the proportion determined on the basis of relative benefit may, to the extent necessary to conform to law, be further adjusted by reference to the relative fault of the Company and all officers, directors or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, in connection with the transaction or events that resulted in such Expenses, judgments, fines, losses, liabilities, penalties or settlement amounts, as well as any other equitable considerations which applicable law may require to be considered. The relative fault of the Company and all officers, directors or employees of the Company, other than Indemnitee, who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, the degree to which their actions were motivated by intent to gain personal profit or advantage, the degree to which their liability is primary or secondary and the degree to which their conduct is active or passive.
(c) With respect to a Proceeding brought against directors, officers, employees or agents of the Company (other than Indemnitee), to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee from any claims for contribution that may be brought by any such directors, officers, employees or agents of the Company (other than Indemnitee) who may be jointly liable with Indemnitee, to the same extent Indemnitee would have been entitled to such indemnification under this Agreement if such Proceeding had been brought against Indemnitee.
9. No Imputation. The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of the Company or the Company itself shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining any rights under this Agreement.
10. Determination of Good Faith. For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitees action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or the Board of Directors of the Enterprise or any counsel selected
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by any committee of the Board of Directors of the Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser, investment banker, compensation consultant, or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Enterprise or the Board of Directors of the Enterprise or any committee thereof. The provisions of this Section 10 shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which the Indemnitee may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct. Whether or not the foregoing provisions of this Section are satisfied, it shall in any event be presumed that Indemnitee has at all times acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company.
11. Defined Terms and Phrases. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) Beneficial Owner and Beneficial Ownership shall have the meanings set forth in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date hereof.
(b) Change of Control shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest of any of the following events:
(i) Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Any Person is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 20% or more of the combined voting power of the Companys then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, unless (1) the change in the relative Beneficial Ownership of the Companys securities by any Person results solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, or (2) such acquisition was approved in advance by the Continuing Directors and such acquisition would not constitute a Change of Control under part (iii) of this definition.
(ii) Change in Board of Directors. Individuals who, as of the date of this Agreement, constitute the Companys Board of Directors (the Board), and any new director whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Companys stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors on the date of this Agreement (collectively, the Continuing Directors), cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board.
(iii) Corporate Transaction. The effective date of a reorganization, merger, or consolidation of the Company (a Business Combination), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination: (1) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 51% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors resulting from such Business Combination (including a corporation which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Companys assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such Business Combination, of the securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors and with the power to elect at least a majority of the Board or other governing body of the surviving entity; (2) no Person (excluding any
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corporation resulting from such Business Combination) is the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of 15% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of such corporation except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination; and (3) at least a majority of the Board of Directors of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination were Continuing Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board of Directors, providing for such Business Combination.
(iv) Liquidation. The approval by the Companys stockholders of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement or series of agreements for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Companys assets, other than factoring the Companys current receivables or escrows due (or, if such approval is not required, the decision by the Board to proceed with such a liquidation, sale or disposition in one transaction or a series of related transactions).
(v) Other Events. There occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or a response to any similar item or any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement.
(c) Company shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that if Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other enterprise, Indemnitee shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Agreement with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as Indemnitee would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.
(d) Enterprise means the Company and any other enterprise that Indemnitee was or is serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, partner (general, limited or otherwise), member (managing or otherwise), trustee, fiduciary, employee or agent.
(e) Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(f) Expenses shall include all direct and indirect costs, fees and expenses of any type or nature whatsoever, including all attorneys fees and costs, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, fees of private investigators and professional advisors, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payment under this Agreement (including taxes that may be imposed upon the actual or deemed receipt of payments under this Agreement with respect to the imposition of federal, state, local or foreign taxes), fax transmission charges, secretarial services and all other disbursements, obligations or expenses in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, settlement or
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appeal of, or otherwise participating in a Proceeding. Expenses also shall include any of the foregoing expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including the principal, premium, security for, and other costs relating to any costs bond, supersedes bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent. Expenses also shall include any interest, assessment or other charges imposed thereon and costs incurred in preparing statements in support of payment requests hereunder. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
(g) Independent Counsel means an attorney or firm of attorneys, selected in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(c)(iii), who will not have otherwise performed services for the Company or Indemnitee within the last three years (other than with respect to matters concerning the rights of Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnity agreements).
(h) Person shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act as in effect on the date hereof; provided, however, that Person shall exclude: (i) the Company; (ii) any direct or indirect majority owned subsidiaries of the Company; (iii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or any direct or indirect majority owned subsidiaries of the Company or of any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the Companys stockholders in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company (an Employee Benefit Plan); and (iv) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an Employee Benefit Plan.
(i) Proceeding shall include any actual, threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing, claim, or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought by a third party, a government agency, the Company or its Board of Directors or a committee thereof, whether in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil (including intentional or unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative, legislative or investigative (formal or informal) nature, including any appeal therefrom, in which Indemnitee was, is, will or might be involved as a party, potential party, non-party witness or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, by reason of any action (or failure to act) taken by Indemnitee or of any action (or failure to act) on Indemnitees part while acting as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, partner (general, limited or otherwise), member (managing or otherwise), trustee, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement or advancement of expenses can be provided under this Agreement.
(j) In addition, references to other enterprise shall include another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or any other enterprise; references to fines shall include any excise taxes assessed on Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan; references to serving at the request of the Company shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee
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reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a manner not opposed to the best interests of the Company as referred to in this Agreement; references to include or including shall mean include or including, without limitation; and references to Sections, paragraphs or clauses are to Sections, paragraphs or clauses in this Agreement unless otherwise specified.
12. Attorneys Fees. In the event that any Proceeding is instituted by Indemnitee under this Agreement to enforce or interpret any of the terms hereof, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such Proceeding, unless a court of competent jurisdiction determines that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee as a basis for such Proceeding were not made in good faith or were frivolous. In the event of a Proceeding instituted by or in the name of the Company under this Agreement or to enforce or interpret any of the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such Proceeding (including with respect to Indemnitees counterclaims and cross-claims made in such action), unless a court of competent jurisdiction determines that each of Indemnitees material defenses to such action were made in bad faith or were frivolous.
13. Miscellaneous.
(a) Governing Law. The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of this Agreement, and all acts and transactions pursuant hereto and the rights and obligations of the parties hereto shall be governed, construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the state of Delaware, without giving effect to principles of conflicts of law.
(b) Entire Agreement; Binding Effect. Without limiting any of the rights of Indemnitee described in Section 3(b), this Agreement sets forth the entire agreement and understanding of the parties relating to the subject matter herein and merges all prior discussions and supersedes any and all previous agreements between them covering the subject matter herein. The indemnification provided under this Agreement applies with respect to events occurring before or after the effective date of this Agreement, and shall continue to apply even after Indemnitee has ceased to serve the Company in any and all indemnified capacities.
(c) Amendments and Waivers. No modification of or amendment to this Agreement, nor any waiver of any rights under this Agreement, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the parties to this Agreement. No delay or failure to require performance of any provision of this Agreement shall constitute a waiver of that provision as to that or any other instance.
(d) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its successors (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company) and assigns, and inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitees heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives and assigns. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
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(e) Notices. Any notice, demand or request required or permitted to be given under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed sufficient when delivered personally or by overnight courier or sent by email, or 48 hours after being deposited in the U.S. mail as certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, addressed to the party to be notified at such partys address as set forth on the signature page, as subsequently modified by written notice, or if no address is specified on the signature page, at the most recent address set forth in the Companys books and records.
(f) Severability. If one or more provisions of this Agreement are held to be unenforceable under applicable law, the parties agree to renegotiate such provision in good faith. In the event that the parties cannot reach a mutually agreeable and enforceable replacement for such provision, then (i) such provision shall be excluded from this Agreement, (ii) the balance of the Agreement shall be interpreted as if such provision were so excluded and (iii) the balance of the Agreement shall be enforceable in accordance with its terms.
(g) Construction. This Agreement is the result of negotiations between and has been reviewed by each of the parties hereto and their respective counsel, if any; accordingly, this Agreement shall be deemed to be the product of all of the parties hereto, and no ambiguity shall be construed in favor of or against any one of the parties hereto.
(h) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered shall be deemed an original, and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Execution of a facsimile or scanned copy or by electronic means will have the same force and effect as execution of an original, and a facsimile, scanned or electronically generated signature will be deemed an original and valid signature.
(i) No Employment Rights. Nothing contained in this Agreement is intended to create in Indemnitee any right to continued employment.
(j) Company Position. The Company shall be precluded from asserting, in any Proceeding brought for purposes of establishing, enforcing or interpreting any right to indemnification under this Agreement, that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement and is precluded from making any assertion to the contrary.
(k) Subrogation. Subject to Section 3(d), in the event of payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all documents required and shall do all acts that may be necessary to secure such rights and to enable the Company to effectively bring suit to enforce such rights.
[Signature Page Follows]
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The parties have executed this Indemnification Agreement as of the date first set forth above.
THE COMPANY: | ||
LOCAL BOUNTI CORPORATION |
By: | ||
(Signature) |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
Address: |
490 Foley Lane | ||
Hamilton, MT 59840 |
AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED: |
INDEMNITEE: |
[ ] |
|
(Signature) |
Address: | ||
Email: |
Exhibit 99.1
Local Bounti, Disruptive AgTech Company, Closes Business Combination with Leo Holdings III Corp to
List on NYSE Under the Ticker LOCL
- Creates a Leading Publicly Traded Sustainable AgTech Company Delivering Fresher and Better Tasting
Nutritious Produce
- Local Bountis Common Stock to Begin Trading on the NYSE under the Ticker Symbol LOCL
Today
HAMILTON, Mont., November 22, 2021 Breakthrough U.S. indoor agriculture company Local Bounti Corporation (Local Bounti), today announced the successful closing of its approximately $1.1 billion business combination with Leo Holdings III Corp (NYSE:LIII) (Leo), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, on November 19, 2021. As a result of the closing of the business combination, Leo was renamed Local Bounti Corporation. The common stock and public warrants of Local Bounti will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange today, November 22, 2021, under the ticker symbols LOCL and LOCL WS, respectively.
We are incredibly fortunate to have found and to partner with a leading AgTech business like Local Bounti, which is pioneering the field of sustainably grown produce, said Edward C. Forst, Chairman of Leo. Local Bountis top tier management team and differentiated business model make it well-positioned to enter the public market and launch into this next chapter. We are truly excited to support the companys future growth as it continues to disrupt the agriculture industry and drives to maximize shareholder returns.
This is a truly exciting moment in Local Bountis history and a testament to the support of our employees, our customers, Leo, and our shareholders, said Craig Hurlbert, Co-CEO of Local Bounti. We are thankful for all of their support and look forward to ramping our growth with the right people and capital structure in place as a public company to make our name known as a leading provider of sustainable produce to retail customers and consumers who seek a better, fresher product from a company doing right by them and our planets resources.
About Local Bounti
Local Bounti is a premier controlled environment agriculture (CEA) company redefining conversion efficiency and environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards for indoor agriculture. Local Bounti operates an advanced indoor growing facility in Hamilton, Montana, within a few hours drive of its retail and food service partners. Reaching retail shelves in record time post-harvest, Local Bounti produce is superior in taste and quality compared to traditional field-grown greens. Local Bountis USDA Harmonized Good Agricultural Practices (GAP Plus+) and non-genetically modified organisms (GMO) produce is sustainably grown using proprietary technology 365 days a year, free of pesticides and herbicides, and using 90% less land and 90% less water than conventional outdoor farming methods. With a mission to bring our farm to your kitchen in the fewest food miles possible, Local Bounti is disrupting the cultivation and delivery of produce. Local Bounti is also committed to making meaningful connections and giving back to each of the communities it serves. To find out more, visit localbounti.com or follow the company on LinkedIn for the latest news and developments.
Advisors
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Nomura Securities International, Inc. served as placement agents on the PIPE and Debevoise & Plimpton LLP served as legal advisor to the placement agents. Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal advisor to Leo. Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. served as sole underwriter for Leos initial public offering. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Nomura Greentech served as financial advisors to Local Bounti and Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP served as legal advisor to Local Bounti.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by words such as feel, believes, expects, estimates, projects, intends, should, is to be, or the negative of such terms, or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained herein due to many factors, including, but not limited to: Local Bountis ability to generate revenue; the risk that Local Bounti may never achieve or sustain profitability; the risk that Local Bounti could fail to effectively manage its future growth; the risk that Local Bounti will fail to obtain additional necessary capital when needed on acceptable terms, or at all, which may force Local Bounti to delay, limit, reduce or terminate its operations and future growth; Local Bountis ability to build out additional facilities, which will require significant expenditures for capital improvements and operating expenses and may be subject to delays in construction and unexpected costs due to governmental approvals and permitting requirements, reliance on third parties for construction, delays relating to material delivery and supply chains, and fluctuating material prices; Local Bountis ability to decrease its cost of goods sold over time, which is dependent on its ability to scale its operations and Local Bounti may not be able to achieve such decreases due to factors outside of its control such as inflation or global supply chain interruptions; potential for damage to or problems with Local Bountis CEA facilities; Local Bountis ability to attract and retain qualified employees; Local Bounti ability to develop and maintain its brand; Local Bountis ability to maintain its company culture or focus on its vision as it grows; Local Bountis ability to execute on its growth strategy; the risks of diseases and pests destroying crops; Local Bountis ability to compete successfully in the highly competitive natural food market; Local Bountis ability to defend itself against intellectual property infringement claims; changes in consumer preferences, perception and spending habits in the food industry; demand for lettuce, cilantro, basil and other greens and herbs is subject to seasonal fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties indicated from time to time, including those under Risk Factors and Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements in Leos Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2021, and which are set forth in the Registration Statement on Form S-4 (as amended or supplemented through the date hereof, the Registration Statement), which includes a joint proxy statement/prospectus filed by Leo on July 19, 2021 and in Leos historical filings with the SEC and Local Bountis other filings with the SEC. Some of these risks and uncertainties may in the future be amplified by the COVID-19 outbreak and there may be additional risks that we consider immaterial or which are unknown. It is not possible to predict or identify all such risks. Local Bounti cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. Local Bounti cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Local Bounti does not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
Contact:
Kathleen Valiasek, Chief Financial Officer
Local Bounti
investors@localbounti.com