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): June 26, 2018 (June 25, 2018)
HENNESSY CAPITAL ACQUISITION CORP. III
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware | 001-38119 | 81-4838205 | ||
(State
or other jurisdiction
of incorporation) |
(Commission
File Number) |
(IRS
Employer
Identification No.) |
3485 N. Pines Way, Suite 110 Wilson, Wyoming |
83014 | |
(Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (307) 734-7879
Not Applicable
(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)) |
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. ☐
Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
Purchase Agreement
On June 25, 2018, Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), entered into a Purchase Agreement (the “ Purchase Agreement ”) with JFL-NRC-SES Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Seller ”).
Proposed Business Combination
The Purchase Agreement provides for the acquisition by the Company from Seller of all of the issued and outstanding membership interests of NRC Group Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ NRC Group ”), which conducts its business through its subsidiaries, National Response Corporation and Sprint Energy Services, LLC (the “ Business Combination ”).
Consideration and Equity Financing
Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the aggregate purchase price for the proposed Business Combination is $662.5 million, subject to certain pre- and post-closing adjustments as set forth in the Purchase Agreement (the “ Total Purchase Price ”). The Company will pay the Total Purchase Price partially in cash (the “ Cash Component ”) and partially in common stock of the Company (the “ Equity Component ”), as follows:
● | The Cash Component means the positive number equal to (i) the dollar amount remaining in the Company’s trust account after redemptions (described below), plus (ii) the amount raised in connection with the PIPE Investment (as defined herein), which amount is expected to be $100.0 million, plus (iii) the amount raised if the Company conducts a private placement pursuant to the Backstop Commitment (as defined herein), plus (iv) the amount raised, if any, pursuant to the JFL Subscription Agreement (as defined herein) minus (v) the Company’s expenses incurred in connection with the proposed Business Combination; and |
● | The Equity Component will consist of the number of shares, rounded up to the nearest whole number, of Company common stock equal to the quotient of: |
o | The positive amount equal to the Total Purchase Price minus the Cash Component, divided by |
o | The number equal to the quotient of (1) the remaining trust amount (without giving effect to any redemptions) as of two business days prior to Closing (as defined herein), divided by (2) the outstanding public shares of Company common stock (without giving effect to any redemptions), provided, however, that the minimum proportion of the Total Purchase Price represented by the Equity Component is to be at least twenty percent (20%) of the Total Purchase Price, and additional shares of Company common stock will be issued to satisfy such minimum proportion and the Cash Component will be reduced accordingly. |
The Cash Component will be funded through a combination of cash held in the Company’s trust account and the proceeds from the expected sale of $75.0 million of the Company’s Series A Convertible Cumulative Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“ Preferred Stock ”), plus an additional $25.0 million of additional Preferred Stock and/or Company common stock in a private placement (the “ PIPE Investment ”). A total of $100.0 million of the PIPE Investment has been subscribed. Additionally, the Company has received commitments from Subscriber (as defined below) to purchase up to $25.0 million of Company common stock through (i) open market or privately negotiated transactions with third parties, (ii) a private placement with consummation to occur concurrently with that of the proposed Business Combination, or (iii) a combination thereof, in order to ensure sufficient funds to finance the Cash Component (the “ Backstop Commitment ”).
Representations and Warranties
Under the Purchase Agreement, Seller, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand, made customary representations and warranties for transactions of this nature. Except for certain representations made by Seller relating to its ownership of all the issued and outstanding membership interests of NRC Group (which survive for a period of one year after the closing of the proposed Business Combination), the representations and warranties made by Seller and the Company to each other in the Purchase Agreement will not survive the consummation of the proposed Business Combination.
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Conditions to Consummation of the Proposed Business Combination
Consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement (the “ Closing ”) is subject to customary conditions of the respective parties, including the completion of the Redemption Offer (as defined below). Each redemption of public shares by the Company’s public stockholders will decrease the amount in the Company’s trust account, which holds approximately $261.3 million as of June 21, 2018. If the aggregate amount of cash available to pay the Cash Component is less than $125.0 million (less the payment of the Company’s unpaid transaction expenses), then Seller may, at its option, elect not to consummate the proposed Business Combination.
In addition, consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement is subject to other closing conditions, including, among others: (i) the waiting period and any extension thereof under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvement Act of 1976 shall have expired or been terminated; (ii) the obligations of each party under the Purchase Agreement shall have been performed in all material respects; (iii) the representations and warranties of each party under the Purchase Agreement shall be true in all respects, except for such inaccuracy that, individually or in the aggregate, would not result in a material adverse effect on such party; (iv) the Company shall have issued and Seller shall have received the Equity Component; (v) no material adverse effect of either party shall have occurred; (vi) each party shall have received a fully executed Lock-Up Agreement (as defined below)from each other; (vii) each of the Backstop and Subscription Agreement (as defined below), the JFL Subscription Agreement (as defined herein), the Sponsor Warrant Exchange and Share Forfeiture Agreement (as defined below), the Registration Rights Agreement (as defined below) and the Voting and Support Agreement (as defined below) remaining in full force and effect, and the parties thereto are in compliance with the terms and conditions thereof in all material respects, and if Seller exercises its rights to enforce the Backstop and Subscription Agreement, the JFL Subscription Agreement or the Voting and Support Agreement pursuant to the terms thereof, such Subscriber (as defined in the Backstop and Subscription Agreement or JFL Subscription Agreement) or Founder Stockholder (as defined in the Purchase Agreement), as applicable, will have complied with and consummated its obligations with respect thereto; (viii) no unapproved shares shall have been issued by the Company; (ix) the Company’s common stock remaining listed on the NYSE American; (x) the Credit Agreement (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) shall be in effect and no event of default shall have occurred thereunder; (xi) the proposed form of Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company shall have been approved by the stockholders of the Company and the proposed form of Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company shall have been adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “ Board ”), and each shall be in effect as of the Closing; (xii) the proposed form of new management equity incentive plan shall have been approved by the stockholders of the Company; (xiii) the Redemption Offer shall have been completed; (xiv) the Company will have at least $5,000,001 of net tangible assets remaining after the proposed Business Combination; and (xv) the receipt of approval by the Company’s stockholders of the Purchase Agreement and the proposed Business Combination.
Termination
As discussed above, Seller may, at its option, terminate the Purchase Agreement if the amount of the Cash Component is less than $125.0 million (less the payment of the Company’s unpaid transaction expenses). The Purchase Agreement may also be terminated under certain customary and limited circumstances at any time prior to the Closing, including by either party if the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement have not been completed by November 30, 2018, provided that the failure of the Closing to occur on or before such date is not due to the failure by the party seeking termination to perform and comply in all material respects with its covenants and agreements contained in the Purchase Agreement or any of the other documents that are required to be performed or complied with at or prior to Closing. If the Purchase Agreement is validly terminated, no party thereto will have any liability or any further obligation to any other party under the Purchase Agreement with certain limited exceptions, including liability for any willful breach of the Purchase Agreement.
A copy of the Purchase Agreement is filed with this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 2.1 and is incorporated herein by reference, and the foregoing description of the Purchase Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference thereto. The Purchase Agreement contains representations, warranties and covenants that the respective parties made to each other as of the date of such agreement or other specific dates. The assertions embodied in those representations, warranties and covenants were made for purposes of the contract among the respective parties and are subject to important qualifications and limitations agreed to by the parties in connection with negotiating such agreement. The representations, warranties and covenants in the Purchase Agreement are also modified in important part by the underlying disclosure schedules which are not filed publicly and which are subject to a contractual standard of materiality different from that generally applicable to stockholders and were used for the purpose of allocating risk among the parties rather than establishing matters as facts. The Company does not believe that these schedules contain information that is material to an investment decision.
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Redemption Offer
Pursuant to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and in accordance with the terms of the Purchase Agreement, the Company will be providing its public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their shares of Company common stock for cash equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount on deposit in the Company’s trust account (which holds the proceeds of the Company’s July 2017 initial public offering, less taxes payable) as of two business days prior to the Closing (the “ Redemption Offer ”). For illustrative purposes, based on funds in the trust account of approximately $261.3 million on June 21, 2018, the estimated per share redemption price would have been approximately $10.18.
Backstop and Subscription Agreement
Concurrent with the execution of the Purchase Agreement, the Company entered into a Backstop and Subscription Agreement (the “ Backstop and Subscription Agreement ”) with Nomura Securities International, Inc., a New York corporation (in its capacity as investor and not advisor, “ Subscriber ”), pursuant to which Subscriber has agreed to purchase (i) $75.0 million worth of Preferred Stock (subject to a possible increase of up to an additional $25.0 million if the Company is unable to enter into one or more backstop and/or subscription agreements prior to the Closing) and (ii) up to $25.0 million worth of shares of Company common stock. Subscriber will purchase the shares through one or more of (x) open market or privately negotiated transactions with third parties (including forward contracts), (y) a private placement with consummation concurrently with that of the proposed Business Combination at a purchase price of $10.25 per share of Company common stock, or (z) a combination thereof. Subscriber in the Backstop Commitment has agreed to vote any Company common stock that it owns, whether acquired pursuant to the Backstop Commitment or otherwise, in favor of the proposed Business Combination and the other proposals to be set forth in the Company’s proxy statement relating to the transactions described in this Current Report (the “ Proxy Statement ”). The terms, rights, obligations and preferences of the Preferred Stock are set forth in the form of Certificate of Designations, Preferences, Rights and Limitations of Series A Convertible Cumulative Preferred Stock of NRC Group Holdings Corp. (formerly known as Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III) attached as Exhibit A to the Backstop and Subscription Agreement. Subscriber in the Backstop Commitment has also agreed not to transfer any Company common stock that it owns until the earlier of (i) the Closing or (ii) the public announcement by the Company of the termination of the Purchase Agreement. In consideration for the aggregate $125.0 million equity commitment, Subscriber will receive (i) a commitment fee of $2.5 million, which fee will be paid by JFL (as defined below) or one of its affiliates on behalf of the Company, subject to credit to the Total Purchase Price, and (ii) upon the Closing, five percent (5%) of the aggregate consideration paid by Subscriber to acquire the shares of common stock in connection with the Backstop Commitment (if any) (not to exceed five percent (5%) of the total Backstop Commitment). Subscriber may receive up to a three percent (3%) placement and/or funding fee on the aggregate Preferred Stock acquired pursuant to the Backstop and Subscription Agreement.
In addition, pursuant to the terms of the Backstop and Subscription Agreement, Subscriber has agreed to use its reasonable best efforts to exercise its right to acquire the Preferred Stock by having one or more U.S. citizens (within the meaning of the Jones Act), prior to the Closing, enter into subscription agreements with the Company for the direct purchase from the Company of shares of Preferred Stock (so that the Subscriber does not take title to those shares) for the Company at all times (including from and after the Closing) to the extent necessary to satisfy the U.S. citizenship requirements set forth in the Jones Act, and otherwise to the extent necessary to comply with the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws in effect as of the Closing. Further, if prior to the Closing an insufficient amount of Preferred Stock will be directly acquired by U.S. citizens, then in lieu of purchasing Preferred Stock, the Subscriber shall acquire such alternative securities or other contractual obligations of the Company as the Company shall structure such that the Company at all times (including from and after the Closing) to the extent required satisfies the U.S. citizenship requirements set forth in the Jones Act, provided that such alternative securities or other contractual obligations have substantially similar economic terms as the Preferred Stock, including economic terms based on a theoretical conversion into (or exercise for) Preferred Stock or common stock of the of the Company.
The Backstop and Subscription Agreement is filed with this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated herein by reference, and the foregoing description of the Backstop and Subscription Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference thereto.
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JFL Subscription Agreement
Concurrent with the execution of the Purchase Agreement, the Company entered into a subscription agreement (the “ JFL Subscription Agreement ”) with J.F. Lehman & Company, LLC (“ JFLCo ”). The JFL Subscription Agreement provides that JFLCo or one or more of its affiliated investment funds may elect to purchase (i) up to 300,000 shares of Preferred Stock for a per share price of $97.00, (ii) up to 1,951,220 shares of Company common stock for a per share price of $10.25, and (iii) an additional number of shares of Company common stock as determined in accordance with the terms of the JFL Subscription Agreement. The JFL Subscription Agreement is filed with this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.2 and is incorporated herein by reference, and the foregoing description of the JFL Subscription Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference thereto.
Voting and Support Agreement
Concurrent with the execution of the Purchase Agreement, the Sponsor and certain stockholders of the Company, in each case, that hold founder shares (together with the Sponsor, the “ Initial Hennessy Stockholders ”) entered into a Voting and Support Agreement with Seller (the “ Voting and Support Agreement ”). Pursuant to the Voting and Support Agreement, the Initial Hennessy Stockholders (representing as of the date hereof approximately 20% of the voting power of the Company) agreed to vote: (i) in favor of the adoption of the Purchase Agreement and approval of the proposed Business Combination and other transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement; (ii) against any actions that would result in a breach by the Company of any representations, warranties, covenants, obligations or agreements contained in the Purchase Agreement; (iii) in favor of the proposals set forth in the Company’s Proxy Statement when available, related to the Redemption Offer and the proposed Business Combination; (iv) for any proposal to adjourn or postpone the special meeting of stockholders to approve matters related to the proposed Business Combination to a later date if there are not sufficient votes for approval of such matters, and (v) against any alternative proposals or transactions to the proposed Business Combination.
The Voting and Support Agreement generally prohibits the Initial Hennessy Stockholders from transferring, or permitting to exist any liens on, their shares of the Company’s common stock prior to the termination of such agreement. The Voting and Support Agreement will automatically terminate, as to any Initial Hennessy Stockholder, upon the first to occur of (i) the mutual written consent of Seller and such Initial Hennessy Stockholder, (ii) the Closing or (iii) the date of termination of the Purchase Agreement in accordance with its terms. A copy of the Voting and Support Agreement is filed with this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.3 and is incorporated herein by reference, and the foregoing description of the Voting and Support Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference thereto.
Sponsor Warrant Exchange and Share Forfeiture Agreement
Concurrent with the execution of the Purchase Agreement, the Company entered into a Sponsor Share Exchange and Share Forfeiture Agreement with the Sponsor (the “ Sponsor Warrant Exchange and Share Forfeiture Agreement ”), which provides for the exchange of 9,600,000 outstanding placement warrants for 1,920,000 newly issued shares of Company common stock (the “ Sponsor Warrant Exchange ”) concurrent with, and contingent upon, the consummation of the proposed Business Combination. Pursuant to the Sponsor Share Exchange and Share Forfeiture Agreement, the Sponsor has also agreed that, (i) for a period of up to 180 days from the Closing (which period may be shortened under certain circumstances), it shall not transfer, assign or sell any of its shares issuable upon exchange of placement warrants and (ii) immediately prior to and contingent upon the Closing, it will forfeit 1,920,000 founder shares currently held by the Sponsor and such shares shall be retired and canceled by the Company. The Sponsor has also agreed in the Sponsor Warrant Exchange and Share Forfeiture Agreement that it will not, directly or indirectly, transfer or otherwise dispose of the founder shares to be so forfeited prior to the Closing. A copy of the Sponsor Warrant Exchange and Share Forfeiture Agreement is filed with this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.3 and is incorporated herein by reference, and the foregoing description of the Sponsor Warrant Exchange and Share Forfeiture Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference thereto.
Registration Rights Agreement
At the Closing, the Company and Sponsor will enter into an amended and restated registration rights agreement (the “ Registration Rights Agreement ”) with each of the Initial Hennessy Stockholders, Seller, JFL, and the investors in the Backstop Commitment and the PIPE Investment. In this “Registration Rights Agreement” section, each of the parties to the Registration Rights Agreement (other than the Company) is referred to as a “Restricted Stockholder.”
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Resale Shelf Registration Statement.
Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company has agreed to file, as soon as reasonably practicable within 60 days (but in no event later than 90 days) after the Closing, a resale shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (the “ Shelf Registration Statement ”), for the benefit of the Restricted Stockholders, to register (i) the shares of Company common stock issued to Seller upon the Closing as part of the Equity Component, (ii) the founder shares held by the Initial Hennessy Stockholders, (iii) the shares of Company common stock issued to the Sponsor in exchange for its warrants, (iv) any shares of Company common stock or any shares of Preferred Stock issued in the PIPE Investment (including any shares of Company common stock issued or issuable upon conversion of such Preferred Stock), (v) the shares of Company common stock issued to Backstop Commitment investors in a private placement by the Company pursuant to the Backstop and Subscription Agreement, (vi) any shares of Company common stock or any shares of Preferred Stock issued pursuant to the JFL Subscription Agreement (including any shares of Company common stock issued or issuable upon conversion of such Preferred Stock) (vi) any outstanding shares of Company common stock or any other security of the Company held by a holder as of the date of the Registration Rights Agreement and (vii) any other equity security of the Company issued or issuable with respect to a combination of shares, distribution, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, reorganization or other similar event (collectively, the “ Registrable Securities ”). In addition, the Company intends to register the shares issuable upon the exercise of the public warrants in the Shelf Registration Statement. The Company is obligated to use reasonable best efforts to cause the Shelf Registration Statement to be declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“ SEC ”) within 180 days following the Closing (or 120 days following the Closing if the SEC does not comment on the Shelf Registration Statement), and to use best efforts to maintain the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act, subject to certain permitted blackout periods, during the period (the “ Shelf Registration Statement Effective Period ”) from the date the Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC until the earliest to occur of (a) 36 months after the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement, (b) the date on which all the Registrable Securities have been sold or distributed pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement or (c) the date on which the Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement first become eligible for sale pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act without volume limitation or other restrictions on transfer thereunder.
Certain Restricted Stockholders (consisting of the Initial Hennessy Stockholders, certain investors in the PIPE Investment, investors in the Backstop Commitment, JFL and Seller) (each such person, a “ Demand Right Holder ”) will have the right, subject to certain conditions, to demand an underwritten offering of their respective Registrable Securities. The Company is not obligated to effect more than (i) six underwritten offerings for Seller, (ii) one underwritten offering for the other Demand Right Holders (acting individually), and (iii) a customary number of demands for JFL in the event they purchase securities under the JFL Subscription Agreement, in each case less any demand registrations initiated by such person . In addition, the Company is not obligated to effect any underwritten offering demand unless the minimum aggregate offering price is at least $5.0 million.
Demand Rights.
Subject to certain restrictions and limitation, if (a) the Shelf Registration Statement is not declared effective by the SEC on or prior to the date that is 180 days after the Closing or (b) at any time during the Shelf Registration Statement Effective Period, the Shelf Registration Statement is not available to the Restricted Stockholders (subject to certain specified exceptions), the Demand Right Holders will have the right, subject to certain conditions, to require the Company by written demand to prepare and file a registration statement registering the offer and sale of a certain number of registrable securities (which offering may, in certain cases, be in the form of an underwritten offering). The Company is not obligated to effect more than (i) six demand registrations for Seller, (ii) one demand registration for the other Demand Right Holders (acting individually), and (iii) a customary number of demands for JFL in the event they purchase securities under the JFL Subscription Agreement, in each case less any underwritten offerings pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement initiated by such person .
In addition, the Company is also not obligated to effect any demand registration in the form of an underwritten offering unless the minimum aggregate offering price is at least $5.0 million (if on Form S-3) or at least $25.0 million (if the Company is not eligible to use Form S-3 or any successor form or similar short-form registration).
Piggyback Rights.
If at any time on or after the Closing (a)(i) the Shelf Registration Statement is not declared effective by the SEC on or prior to the date that is 180 days after the Closing or (ii) at any time during the Shelf Registration Statement Effective Period, the Shelf Registration Statement is not available to the Restricted Stockholders (subject to certain specified exceptions), and (b) the Company proposes to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to an offering of equity securities for its own account or for the account of stockholders of the Company (other than those an offering pursuant to a registration statement on a form that does not permit registration for resale by the Restricted Stockholders), then the Restricted Stockholders will have customary piggyback registration rights that allow them to include their equity securities in any such registration statement. In addition, if the Company proposes to effect an underwritten offering for its own account or for the account of stockholders of the Company, then the Restricted Stockholders will have customary piggyback rights that allow them to include their equity securities in such underwritten offering, subject to proportional cutbacks based on the identity of the party initiating such offering.
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Limitations; Expenses; Indemnification.
These registration rights are subject to certain customary limitations, including the right of the underwriters to limit the number of securities to be included in an underwritten public offering and the Company’s right to delay or withdraw a registration statement under certain circumstances. The Company will generally be required to bear the registration expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer taxes, associated with any registration and sale of Registrable Securities held by the Restricted Stockholders. In addition, the Company will pay the reasonable fees and expenses of one legal counsel selected by the majority-in-interest of the Demand Right Holders initiating a demand registration. Under the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company has agreed to indemnify the Restricted Stockholders against any losses or damages resulting from any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission of a material fact in any registration statement or prospectus pursuant to which they sell its equity securities, unless such liability arose from their misstatement or omission, and each of the Restricted Stockholders, severally and individually, has agreed to indemnify the Company against any losses or damages caused by such Restricted Stockholder’s material misstatements or omissions in those documents.
A form of the Registration Rights Agreement is filed with this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.5 and is incorporated herein by reference, and the foregoing description of the Registration Rights Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference thereto
Lock-Up Agreements
At the Closing, Seller will enter into a 180-day lock-up agreement (the “ Seller Lock-Up Agreement ”) with the Company with respect to the shares of the Company common stock received by Seller as part of the Equity Component (the “ Seller Lock-Up Shares ”). Also at Closing, Sponsor will enter will enter into a 180-day lock-up agreement (the “ Sponsor Lock-Up Agreement ” and together with the Seller Lock-Up Agreement, the “ Lock-Up Agreements ”) with the Company with respect to the shares of the Company common stock owned by Sponsor (the “ Sponsor Lock-Up Shares, ” together with the Seller Lock-Up Shares, the “ Lock-Up Shares ”). Pursuant to the Lock-Up Agreements, each of Seller and Sponsor individually will agree that, for a period of 180 days from the Closing (which period may be shortened under certain circumstances), they will not (i) sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose 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 Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”), with respect to any Lock-Up Shares, (ii) 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 the Lock-Up Shares, in cash or otherwise, or (iii) publicly announce any intention to affect any transaction specified in clause (i) or (ii). Notwithstanding the foregoing, pursuant to the Lock-Up Agreements, Seller and Sponsor may sell or otherwise transfer any Lock-Up Shares to their respective equity holders or to any of its other affiliates, provided that the transferee thereof agrees to be bound by the restrictions set forth in the Lock-Up Agreements. A form of the Lock-Up Agreements is filed with this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.6 and is incorporated herein by reference, and the foregoing description of the Lock-Up Agreements is qualified in its entirety by reference thereto.
Investor Rights Agreement
At the Closing, the Company will enter into an Investor Rights Agreement with Seller and JFLCo (the “ Investor Rights Agreement ”). The Investor Rights Agreement provides that JFLCo (together with Seller and each of its respective affiliates, subsidiaries and managed funds and its and their successors and assigns (other than the Company and its subsidiaries, collectively “ JFL ”) shall have the right (but not the obligation) to nominate to the Board, a number of designees equal to at least: (i) a majority of the total number of directors serving on the Board, so long as JFL collectively beneficially owns 50% or more of the shares of Company common stock; (ii) 50% of the total number of directors serving on the Board in the event that JFL collectively beneficially owns 40% or more, but less than 50% of the shares of Company common stock; (iii) 40% of the total number of directors serving on the Board in the event that JFL collectively beneficially owns 30% or more, but less than 40% of the Company common stock; (iv) 30% of the total number of directors serving on the Board in the event that JFL collectively beneficially owns 15% or more, but less than 30% of the shares of Company common stock; and (v) 20% of number of directors serving on the Board in the event JFL collectively beneficially owns 10% or more, but less than 15% of the shares of Company Stock. A form of the Investor Rights Agreement is filed with this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.7 and is incorporated herein by reference, and the foregoing description of the Investor Rights Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference thereto.
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Item 3.02 Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.
The disclosure set forth above in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference herein. The shares of Company common stock and Preferred Stock (including the shares of Company common stock issuable upon conversion thereof) to be issued in connection with the proposed Business Combination, the JFL Subscription Agreement, the PIPE Investment and the Backstop Commitment (pursuant to the Backstop and Subscription Agreement) will not be registered under the Securities Act in reliance upon the exemption provided in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and/or Regulation D promulgated thereunder.
Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.
Attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated into this Item 7.01 by reference is a copy of the press release issued June 26, 2018 announcing the proposed Business Combination.
Attached as Exhibit 99.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated into this Item 7.01 by reference is the investor presentation dated June 2018 (the “ Investor Presentation ”) that will be used by the Company in making presentations to certain existing and potential stockholders of the Company with respect to the proposed Business Combination.
The Company and NRC Group management will hold a joint conference call on June 27, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) to discuss the proposed Business Combination. Interested investors and other parties may listen to the joint conference call by dialing (877) 407-0789 and refer to audience passcode 13681067. To access the replay, please dial (844) 512-2921 and reference audience passcode 13681067. There will not be a question-and-answer session on this call.
Interested investors and other parties may also listen to a simultaneous webcast of the conference call by logging on to http://public.viavid.com/index.php?id=130227, where the Investor Presentation has also been posted. The online replay will remain available for a limited time beginning immediately after the conclusion of the call. The information contained in, or that can be accessed through the Company’s website, is not a part of this Item 7.01.
The foregoing (including Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2) is being furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 and shall not be deemed to be filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act or otherwise be subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed to be incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.
Additional Information About the Proposed Business Combination and Where To Find It
The proposed Business Combination will be submitted to stockholders of the Company for their consideration. The Company intends to file with the SEC preliminary and definitive proxy statements in connection with the proposed Business Combination and other matters and will mail a definitive proxy statement and other relevant documents to its stockholders as of the record date established for voting on the proposed Business Combination. The Company’s stockholders and other interested persons are advised to read, once available, the preliminary proxy statement and any amendments thereto and, once available, the definitive proxy statement, in connection with the Company’s solicitation of proxies for its special meeting of stockholders to be held to approve, among other things, the proposed Business Combination because these documents will contain important information about the Company, NRC Group and the proposed Business Combination . Stockholders may also obtain a copy of the preliminary or definitive proxy statement, once available, as well as other documents filed with the SEC regarding the proposed Business Combination and other documents filed with the SEC by the Company, without charge, at the SEC’s website located at www.sec.gov or by directing a request to Nicholas A. Petruska, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, 3485 North Pines Way, Suite 110, Wilson, Wyoming 83014 or by telephone at (312) 803-0372.
Participants in the Solicitation
The Company, Seller, NRC Group, and certain of their respective directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may, under SEC rules, be deemed to be participants in the solicitations of proxies from the Company’s stockholders in connection with the proposed Business Combination. Information regarding the persons who may, under SEC rules, be deemed participants in the solicitation of the Company’s stockholders in connection with the proposed Business Combination will be set forth in the Company’s Proxy Statement when it is filed with the SEC. You can find more information about the Company’s directors and executive officers in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, filed with the SEC on April 2, 2018. Additional information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests will be included in the Proxy Statement when it becomes available, which can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above.
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Forward Looking Statements
This report includes, or incorporates by reference, “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “target” or other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (1) references with respect to the anticipated benefits of the proposed Business Combination; (2) the projection of future financial performance of NRC Group, NRC Group’s operating companies and the Company following the proposed Business Combination; (3) changes in the market for NRC Group’s services and expansion plans and opportunities; (4) future acquisition or additional business combinations; (5) the financing component of the proposed Business Combination; (6) the sources and uses of cash; (7) the management and board composition of the Company following the proposed Business Combination n; (8) the anticipated capitalization and enterprise value of the Company following the proposed Business Combination; (9) the continued listing of the Company’s securities on the NYSE American; and (10) the expected date of closing the proposed Business Combination.
These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. Important risk factors that may cause such a difference in connection with the proposed Business Combination include, but are not limited to, the following factors: (1) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the purchase agreement between Seller and the Company; (2) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against NRC Group, Seller or the Company following announcement of the proposed Business Combination and related transactions; (3) the inability to complete the transactions contemplated by the purchase agreement between Seller and the Company due to the failure to obtain approval of the stockholders of the Company, consummate the anticipated financing, obtain necessary approval from governmental authorities or satisfy other conditions to the closing of the proposed Business Combination; (4) the ability to obtain or maintain the listing of the Company’s securities on the NYSE American following the proposed Business Combination; (5) the risk that the proposed Business Combination disrupts the parties’ current plans and operations as a result of the announcement and consummation of the transactions described herein; (6) the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the proposed Business Combination, which may be affected by, among other things, competition and the ability of the combined business to grow and manage growth profitably; (7) unexpected costs, charges or expenses related to or resulting from the proposed Business Combination; (8) changes in applicable laws or regulations; (9) the possibility that NRC Group or the Company may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; and (10) other risks associated with the proposed Business Combination, as are more fully discussed in the Proxy Statement to be filed by the Company with the SEC in connection with the proposed Business Combination. Investors and potential investors are urged not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements in this report, which speak only as of this date. Neither the Company nor Seller nor NRC Group undertakes any obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement to reflect future events or circumstances. Nothing contained herein constitutes or will be deemed to constitute a forecast, project or estimate of the future financial performance of the Company, NRC Group or the combined company following the implementation of the proposed Business Combination or otherwise. In addition, actual results are subject to other risks identified in the Company’s prior and future filings with the SEC, available at www.sec.gov .
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Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) | Exhibits |
9 |
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.
Dated: June 26, 2018
HENNESSY CAPITAL ACQUISITION CORP. III | ||
By: | /s/ Daniel J. Hennessy | |
Name: Daniel J. Hennessy | ||
Title: Chief Executive Officer |
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Exhibit 2.1
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
BY AND BETWEEN
JFL-NRC-SES PARTNERS, LLC
AND
HENNESSY CAPITAL ACQUISITION CORP. III
RELATING TO THE PURCHASE OF MEMBERSHIP INTERESTS OF
NRC GROUP HOLDINGS, LLC
DATED AS OF JUNE 25, 2018
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS | 2 |
ARTICLE II TERMS OF PURCHASE AND SALE | 20 |
Section 2.01 Purchase and Sale | 20 |
Section 2.02 Total Purchase Price | 20 |
Section 2.03 Closing Payment | 21 |
Section 2.04 Purchase Price Common Stock | 22 |
Section 2.05 Closing | 22 |
ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE SELLER | 22 |
Section 3.01 Organization and Qualification; Acquired Entities | 23 |
Section 3.02 Capitalization | 23 |
Section 3.03 Authority | 24 |
Section 3.04 No Conflict; Solvency | 25 |
Section 3.05 Financial Statements; No Undisclosed Liabilities | 26 |
Section 3.06 Absence of Certain Changes | 26 |
Section 3.07 Taxes | 27 |
Section 3.08 Tangible Property; Real Property | 28 |
Section 3.09 Intellectual Property | 30 |
Section 3.10 Material Contracts | 32 |
Section 3.11 Litigation | 33 |
Section 3.12 Environmental Matters | 34 |
Section 3.13 Employee Benefit Plans | 34 |
Section 3.14 Compliance with Applicable Law | 36 |
Section 3.15 Labor Matters | 37 |
Section 3.16 Brokers | 38 |
Section 3.17 Government Contracts | 38 |
Section 3.18 Relationships with Related Persons | 39 |
Section 3.19 Absence of Certain Payments | 39 |
Section 3.20 Material Customers and Suppliers | 40 |
Section 3.21 Company Information | 40 |
Section 3.22 U.S. Citizenship | 40 |
Section 3.23 Accredited Investor | 40 |
Section 3.24 NO OTHER REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES | 41 |
ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE PURCHASER | 41 |
Section 4.01 Organization and Qualification | 41 |
Section 4.02 Authority | 42 |
Section 4.03 No Conflict | 42 |
Section 4.04 Capitalization | 43 |
Section 4.05 Litigation | 43 |
Section 4.06 SEC Filings and Financial Statements | 44 |
Section 4.07 Purchaser Trust Amount | 46 |
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Section 4.08 No Additional Representations; Independent Assessment | 46 |
Section 4.09 Investment Intent | 47 |
Section 4.10 Brokers and Purchaser Transaction Expenses | 47 |
Section 4.11 No Operations; Absence of Changes | 47 |
Section 4.12 Transactions with Affiliates | 47 |
Section 4.13 Solvency | 47 |
Section 4.14 Purchaser Information | 47 |
Section 4.15 U.S. Citizenship | 48 |
Section 4.16 Investor Agreements | 48 |
Section 4.17 NO OTHER REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES | 48 |
ARTICLE V ACTIONS PRIOR TO THE CLOSING | 49 |
Section 5.01 Investigation | 49 |
Section 5.02 Disclosure Letter; Anti-Sandbagging | 49 |
Section 5.03 Further Action | 50 |
Section 5.04 The Acquired Entities’ Operations Prior to the Closing | 50 |
Section 5.05 No Public Announcement; Confidentiality | 52 |
Section 5.06 Regulatory Filings | 53 |
Section 5.07 Exclusivity | 54 |
Section 5.08 Proxy Statement | 54 |
Section 5.09 Stockholder Vote; Recommendation of the Board of the Purchaser | 57 |
Section 5.10 Listing | 58 |
Section 5.11 Operations of the Purchaser Prior to the Closing | 58 |
Section 5.12 Investor Agreements; Founder Voting Agreement; Exchange and Forfeiture Agreement | 59 |
Section 5.13 Founder Letter Agreement | 60 |
Section 5.14 FIRPTA Certificates | 61 |
Section 5.15 No Claim Against the Purchaser Trust | 61 |
Section 5.16 280G | 62 |
Section 5.17 Purchaser SEC Reports | 62 |
Section 5.18 Potential Acquisition Earnout Amount | 62 |
Section 5.19 Registration Rights | 63 |
ARTICLE VI CONDITIONS TO CLOSING | 64 |
Section 6.01 Conditions to Obligations of the Purchaser | 64 |
Section 6.02 Conditions to Obligations of the Seller | 65 |
Section 6.03 Conditions to Each Party’s Obligations | 67 |
ARTICLE VII TERMINATION | 67 |
Section 7.01 Termination by Mutual Consent | 67 |
Section 7.02 Termination by the Purchaser or the Seller | 67 |
Section 7.03 Termination by the Purchaser | 68 |
Section 7.04 Termination by the Seller | 68 |
Section 7.05 Effect of Termination | 69 |
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ARTICLE VIII TAX MATTERS | 69 |
Section 8.01 Cooperation | 69 |
Section 8.02 Income Tax Treatment and Allocation | 69 |
Section 8.03 No Section 338 Election | 70 |
ARTICLE IX POST-CLOSING COVENANTS | 70 |
Section 9.01 Director and Officer Liability; Indemnification | 70 |
Section 9.02 Preservation of, and Access to, Books and Records | 71 |
ARTICLE X GENERAL PROVISIONS | 71 |
Section 10.01 Expenses | 71 |
Section 10.02 Survival | 72 |
Section 10.03 Consequences of Breach | 72 |
Section 10.04 Governing Law | 72 |
Section 10.05 Consent to Jurisdictionce | 72 |
Section 10.06 Waiver of Jury Trial | 73 |
Section 10.07 Notices | 73 |
Section 10.08 Successors and Assigns; Benefit | 74 |
Section 10.09 Entire Agreement; Amendments; Waiver | 75 |
Section 10.10 Interpretation | 75 |
Section 10.11 Severability | 75 |
Section 10.12 Execution in Counterparts | 76 |
Section 10.13 Time | 76 |
Section 10.14 Sales and Transfer Taxes | 76 |
Section 10.15 Disclosure Letter | 76 |
Section 10.16 Remedies; Specific Performance | 77 |
Section 10.17 No Recourse | 77 |
Annex I | — | Board of Directors and Committee Members of Purchaser |
Exhibit A | — | Form of Certificate of Designations, Preferences, Rights and Limitations |
Exhibit B | — | Form of Amended and Restated Bylaws |
Exhibit C | — | Form of Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation |
Exhibit D | — | Form of Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan |
Exhibit E | — | Form of Lock-up Agreement |
Exhibit F | — | Form of Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement |
Exhibit G | — | Form of Indemnification Agreement |
Exhibit H | — | Form of Investor Rights Agreement |
Purchaser Disclosure Letter
Seller Disclosure Letter
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PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This Purchase Agreement (this “ Agreement ”), dated as of June 25, 2018, is made by and between JFL-NRC-SES Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Seller ”), and Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III, a Delaware corporation (the “ Purchaser ”). The Seller and the Purchaser are each referred to herein as a “ Party ” and, collectively, as the “ Parties ”.
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Seller owns all of the outstanding membership interests of NRC Group Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Company ”);
WHEREAS, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, the Seller wishes to sell to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser wishes to acquire from the Seller, all of the issued and outstanding membership interests of the Company (collectively, the “ Membership Interests ”);
WHEREAS, in furtherance of the acquisition of the Membership Interests by the Purchaser and in accordance with the terms hereof, the Purchaser shall provide an opportunity to its stockholders to have their Public Shares redeemed for the consideration, and on the terms and subject to the conditions and limitations, set forth in this Agreement and the applicable Purchaser Governing Documents in conjunction with, inter alia , obtaining approval from the stockholders of the Purchaser for the Transactions (collectively with the other transactions, authorization and approvals set forth in the Proxy Statement, the “ Offer ”);
WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, the Purchaser has entered into a Backstop and Subscription Agreement (the “ Backstop and Subscription Agreement ”, a copy of which has been provided to the Seller) with the subscriber named therein, dated as of the date hereof, pursuant to which, among other things, the subscriber named therein has agreed to (i) subscribe for and purchase shares of Purchaser Common Stock in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions with third parties, (ii) subscribe for and purchase from the Purchaser, newly issued 7.00% Series A Convertible Cumulative Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share and with the terms set forth in the form of certificate of designations attached as Exhibit A (the “ Certificate of Designations ” and, such shares, the “ Preferred Shares ”), (iii) not transfer or otherwise redeem any of its shares of Purchaser Common Stock and (iv) vote any of its shares of Purchaser Common Stock in favor of certain matters (including the Transactions and certain other proposals of the Purchaser in respect of the Proxy Statement), all on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein;
WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, the Purchaser, Hennessy Capital Partners III LLC (the “ Sponsor ”), and J.F. Lehman & Company, LLC (“ JFL ”) have entered into a Subscription Agreement (the “ JFL Subscription Agreement ”), dated as of the date hereof, pursuant to which, among other things, JFL has the right to subscribe for, and purchase from the Purchaser, newly issued Preferred Shares and shares of Purchaser Common Stock;
WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, the Purchaser, the Seller, the Sponsor and the other Founder Stockholders have entered into a Voting and Support Agreement (the “ Founder Voting Agreement ”), dated as of the date hereof, pursuant to which, among other things, the Sponsor and the other Founder Stockholders have agreed to vote their shares of the Purchaser Common Stock in favor of the Purchaser Stockholder Approval and certain other proposals of the Purchaser contemplated to be included in the Proxy Statement, all on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein; and
WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, the Purchaser and the Sponsor have also delivered to the Seller a Sponsor Warrant Exchange and Share Forfeiture Agreement (the “ Exchange and Forfeiture Agreement ”), whereby the Sponsor has agreed that immediately prior to the Closing, subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein, (a) the Sponsor shall exchange all of the Sponsor Warrants for 1,920,000 newly issued shares of the Purchaser Common Stock, and (b) the Sponsor shall transfer to the Purchaser for forfeiture, the Sponsor Forfeited Shares.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained and for other good and valuable consideration, the Parties agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
“ Acquired Entities ” means the Company, together with each Subsidiary of the Company.
“ Action ” means any action, lawsuit, claim, suit, arbitration, hearing, examination or judicial or legal proceeding or investigation, whether civil, criminal or administrative, at law or in equity, or by or before any Governmental Authority.
“ Additional Purchaser SEC Reports ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.17 .
“ Affiliate ” means, with respect to any specified Person, any other Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such specified Person. The term “control” (including the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
“ Aggregate Acquisition Adjustments ” means an amount equal to the sum of (a)(i) 50% multiplied by (ii) the aggregate of all Individual Acquisition Adjustments, (b) the aggregate consideration paid by the Seller or any Acquired Entity in connection with any Interim Acquisition Agreement upon consummation of such transaction or thereafter if paid prior to the Closing, together with any out-of-pocket transaction expenses related to any Interim Acquisition Transaction (not to exceed $2,000,000 in the aggregate unless otherwise approved by the Purchaser, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, provided , however , that any out-of-pocket expenses related to the Potential Acquisition shall not be included in calculating such limitation) and (c) $10,000,000 if the Potential Acquisition has been consummated at or prior to the Closing.
“ Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“ Allocation ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(c) .
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“ Amended and Restated Bylaws ” means the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Purchaser, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A .
“ Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation ” means that certain Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Purchaser, filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on June 22, 2017.
“ Ancillary Agreements ” means all agreements, other than this Agreement, entered into in connection with the consummation of the Transactions, including each of the Investor Agreements, the Exchange and Forfeiture Agreement, the Founder Voting Agreement and the documents entered in connection therewith.
“ Backstop and Subscription Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“ Balance Sheet Date ” means March 31, 2018.
“ Business ” means the businesses of the Acquired Entities as conducted as of the date hereof and as of the Closing.
“ Business Combination ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.15 .
“ Business Day ” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banks in New York, New York are authorized or obligated by Law to close.
“ Capital Expenditures ” means those expenditures described on the capital expenditure budget for the Acquired Entities set forth on Section 1.1(a) of the Seller Disclosure Letter and such other expenditures as may be approved by the Purchaser (which approval may be withheld at the Purchaser’s sole discretion), in each case, including any amounts paid by an Acquired Entity, in respect of settling (but not prosecuting or defending) any pending or threatened Action related to any such Capital Expenditure or otherwise expended in furtherance of obtaining or maintaining (but not in respect of any pending or threatened Action) any Permit necessary for any facility to which any such Capital Expenditures relate.
“ Cash ” means the sum, as of the Effective Time, of all cash on hand, cash in bank or other accounts, readily marketable securities, and other cash equivalent liquid assets of any nature of the Acquired Entities, as determined in accordance with GAAP applied on a basis consistent with the policies, procedures, practices, judgments and methodologies used in preparing the Financial Statements.
“ Cash Purchase Price ” means the positive amount equal to (a) the Final Purchaser Trust Amount, plus (b) the Preferred Offering Proceeds (if any), plus (c) the Common Offering Proceeds (if any), minus (d) unpaid Purchaser Transaction Expenses; provided , however , that to the extent, as a result of the proviso in the definition of Purchase Price Common Stock, the Cash Purchase Price plus the Purchase Price Common Stock multiplied by the Per Share Price is greater than the Total Purchase Price, then the Cash Purchase Price will be reduced by an amount equal to such excess.
“ Certificate of Designations ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
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“ Claims ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.15 .
“ Closing ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05 .
“ Closing Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05 .
“ Closing Statement ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(c) .
“ Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
“ Combination ” means the (a) contribution by JFL-NRC Partners, LLC of all of the equity interests of JFL-NRC Holdings, LLC to the Seller in exchange for equity interests in the Seller, and (b) contribution by JFL-SES Partners, LLC of all of the equity interests of SES Holdco, LLC to the Seller in exchange for equity interests in the Seller, in each case, pursuant to the Contribution Agreement.
“ Common Offering ” means, collectively, the offering of shares of Purchaser Common Stock pursuant to the Investor Agreements.
“ Common Offering Proceeds ” means the amount of gross proceeds from the Common Offering received by the Purchaser for newly issued shares of the Purchaser Common Stock (which amount, for the avoidance of doubt, will not be reduced for the payment by any Person of any fees (including any up-front commitment fee), commissions, expenses, other amounts or Taxes or the withholding of such amounts in connection therewith).
“ Company ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“ Company Indemnitees ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.01(a) .
“ Company Transaction Expenses ” means all out-of-pocket fees and expenses including all legal, accounting and other consulting fees and expenses, incurred or payable by or on behalf of the Seller or any Acquired Entity incident to (a) the preparation and filing of the Proxy Statement and any ancillary documents related thereto, including fees and expenses related to the preparation of any financial statements included in the Proxy Statement and responding to comments from the SEC, and (b) preparing the Company to be a subsidiary of a publicly traded company as of the Closing; provided , however , that unless mutually agreed by the Parties, Company Transaction Expenses shall not exceed $2,500,000.
“ Computer Software ” means any and all computer programs, including operating system and applications software, implementations of algorithms, databases, compilations, data files, user interfaces, and program interfaces, whether in source code or object code form (including all of the foregoing that is installed on computer hardware) and all documentation, including user manuals, relating to the foregoing.
“ Confidentiality A g reement ” means that certain Confidentiality Agreement, dated March 22, 2018, by and between the Purchaser and JFL-NRC Holdings, LLC.
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“ Contracts ” means all legally binding contracts, leases, mortgages, notes, indentures, commitments, agreements, licenses and arrangements.
“ Contribution Agreement ” means the Joint Contribution and Subscription Agreement, dated as of June 7, 2018, by and among JFL-NRC Partners, LLC, JFL-SES Partners, LLC and the Seller.
“ Copyri g hts ” means all copyrights, including all U.S. and foreign published and unpublished works of authorship (including Computer Software), and registrations and applications therefor, and all renewals, extensions, restorations and reversions thereof.
“ Credit Agreement ” means that certain Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of June 11, 2018, by and among the Company, certain of its Subsidiaries, the lenders party thereto and BNP Paribas, as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent thereunder.
“ Data ” means all data contained in the IT Systems or otherwise used by any Acquired Entity (including all User Data) and all other information and data compilations used by, or necessary to the Business.
“ Direct Subscription Agreements ” means direct subscription agreements with respect to the issuance of Preferred Shares entered into pursuant to the terms of the Backstop and Subscription Agreement and Section 5.12(c) .
“ Disclosure Letters ” means the Seller Disclosure Letter and Purchaser Disclosure Letter, collectively.
“ Dividend Recapitalization ” means the making of the 2018 Dividend (as such term is defined in the Credit Agreement), any borrowings under the Credit Agreement and the payment of any fees and expenses, in each case, associated with the making of the 2018 Dividend.
“ Effective Time ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05 .
“ Entity ” means a Person that is not a natural Person.
“ Environmental Claim ” means any written complaint, summons, citation, notice, directive, order, claim, action, cause of action, litigation, investigation, judicial or administrative proceeding, judgment, letter or other communication from any Governmental Authority or any third party alleging violations of Environmental Laws, or liability based on exposure to or the presence of, Releases of Hazardous Materials (a) at, on or from any Real Property or (b) from or onto any facilities which received Hazardous Materials generated or transported by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
“ Environmental Laws ” means any applicable Law in any relevant jurisdictions relating to pollution or protection of human health (to the extent relating to exposure to Hazardous Materials) or the environment, including those imposing liability or establishing requirements for the use, storage, transport, handling, treatment, Release of, exposure to, and disposal of Hazardous Materials.
“ Equityholder Approval ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.16 .
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“ ERISA ” means of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
“ ERISA Affiliate ” means a trade or business (whether or not incorporated): (a) which together with an Acquired Entity is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code; or (b) which is under common control (within the meaning of Section 4001(b)(1) of ERISA) with an Acquired Entity.
“ Excess Capital Expenditures Adjustment ” means the greater of 0 and the difference between (a) the aggregate amount of Capital Expenditures made prior to the Closing, and (b) $7,182,000, provided that the aggregate amount of the Excess Capital Expenditures Adjustment will not exceed $3,500,000 unless the Purchaser provided its prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) to any such accelerated capital expenditures being in excess of the $3,500,000 aggregate total adjustment limitation.
“ Excess Purchaser Expenses Amount ” means the amount, if any, by which the Purchaser Transaction Expenses less Seller-Paid Purchaser Transaction Expenses exceeds $20,000,000.
“ Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
“ Exchange and Forfeiture Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“ Federal Securities Laws ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.08(c) .
“ Final Purchaser Trust Amount ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(a) .
“ Financial Statements ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.05(a) .
“ FIRPTA Certificate ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.14 .
“ Founder Letter Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.13 .
“ Founder Stockholder ” means each person who is a “Stockholder” under the Founder Voting Agreement.
“ Founder Voting Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“ GAAP ” means United States generally accepted accounting principles and practices in effect from time to time applied consistently throughout the periods involved; provided , however , that with respect to the Acquired Entities, GAAP will only include those accounting principles or practices that would be required under GAAP for a private company as established by the Private Company Council and the Financial Accounting Standards Board.
“ Government Bid ” means any proposal or offer, solicited or unsolicited made by an Acquired Entity at any time in the one year period prior to the Closing Date which, if accepted by the offeree, would result in a Government Contract. A Government Bid: (a) includes any proposal or offer made by an Acquired Entity that has been accepted by the offeree but has not resulted in a Government Contract prior to the Closing Date; and (b) does not include any proposal or offer made by an Acquired Entity that has been accepted and has resulted in a Government Contract prior to the Closing Date.
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“ Government Contract ” means any Contract of an Acquired Entity under which the Acquired Entity has performance obligations to (a) any Governmental Authority, (b) any prime contractor of a Governmental Authority in its capacity as a prime contractor to any Governmental Authority, or (c) any subcontractor at any tier with respect to any contract of a type described in clauses (a) or (b) above. A task, purchase or delivery order under a Government Contract shall not constitute a separate Government Contract for purposes of this definition but shall be part of the Government Contract to which it relates.
“ Governmental Authority ” means any federal, national, supranational, foreign, state, provincial, local, county, municipal or other government, any governmental, regulatory or administrative authority, agency, department, bureau, board, commission or official or any quasi-governmental or private body exercising any regulatory, taxing, importing or other governmental or quasi-governmental authority, or any court, tribunal, judicial or arbitral body, or any Self-Regulatory Organization (in each case to the extent that the rules, regulations or orders of such body or authority have the force of Law).
“ Governmental Order ” means any judgment, ruling, order, writ, injunction, award or decree of any Governmental Authority.
“ Hazardous Materials ” means: (a) those substances defined in or regulated as pollutants, contaminants, dangerous goods or hazardous or toxic substances, materials of concern or wastes under Environmental Laws; (b) petroleum and petroleum products, including crude oil and any fractions thereof; and (c) asbestos, polychlorinated byphenyls, radioactive materials and other chemicals or substances for which liability or standards of care are imposed by Environmental Laws.
“ HSR Act ” means the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvement Act of 1976.
“ HSR Approval ” means the filing of a Notification and Report Form with the United States Federal Trade Commission and the United States Department of Justice under the HSR Act and the expiration or termination of any applicable waiting period (including any extensions) thereunder, if required.
“ Improvements ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.08(d) .
“ Income Taxes ” means any income, franchise, net profits, excess profits or similar Taxes measured on the basis of net income.
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“ Indebtedness ” means, without duplication, the unsatisfied liabilities or obligations of the Acquired Entities, whether contingent or otherwise (including penalties, interest and premiums): (a) in respect of borrowed money, or with respect to advances of any kind under a credit facility or other debt instrument (including under any applicable credit line); (b) evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments; (c) constituting a capital lease as determined by GAAP; (d) any obligations for the deferred purchase price of property or services, including all earn-out or other similar contingent payment obligations to the extent such obligations are payable as a result of the consummation of the Transactions; (e) all indebtedness created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with respect to property acquired (even though the rights and remedies of seller or lender under such agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such property); (f) all indebtedness secured by a purchase money mortgage or other Lien to secure all or part of the purchase price of the property subject to such mortgage or Lien; (g) all obligations with respect to swaps, collars, hedges and other derivative instruments or agreements; (h) amounts drawn on letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances; (i) unfunded pension liabilities; (j) payables owing to Affiliates (other than another Acquired Entity); and (k) guarantees of the liabilities described in clauses (a) through (j) above of any other Person; provided , however , that each of (i) trade accounts payable and other ordinary course operating liabilities, (ii) Income Taxes, (iii) any outstanding surety or performance bonds (to the extend undrawn) or letters of credit (to the extent undrawn) and (iv) any liabilities or obligations owed by one Acquired Entity to another Acquired Entity, shall not constitute Indebtedness.
“ Individual Acquisition Adjustment ” means, with respect to any Interim Acquisition Transaction, the greater of 0 and an amount equal to (a)(i) the adjusted, normalized earnings before income tax, depreciation and amortization (as defined by a Quality of Earnings Report prepared for the benefit of the Seller or an Acquired Entity) for the previous trailing 12 months, or a number mutually agreed to by the Purchaser and the Seller, of the business, assets or entity being acquired in such Interim Acquisition Transaction multiplied by (ii) eight, minus (b) the aggregate consideration paid or to be paid (including any deferred purchase price payment obligations, including all promissory notes, earn-outs or other similar contingent payment obligations) by or on behalf of an Acquired Entity in connection with such Interim Acquisition Transaction; provided , however , that any deferred purchase price payment obligation constituting a contingent payment obligation shall be excluded from the calculation of the Individual Acquisition Adjustment for all purposes in the event the adjusted, normalized earnings before income tax, depreciation and amortization or other measure of financial performance (as defined in the applicable definitive documents related to such contingent deferred payment obligation) of the acquired business, assets or entity during the applicable measurement period is greater than the adjusted normalized earnings before income tax, depreciation and amortization or other measure of financial performance for the previously trailing 12 months of the business, assets or entity being acquired; provided , further , that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Parties agree that Section 1.1(b) of the Seller Disclosure Letter sets forth the calculation of the Individual Acquisition Adjustment with respect to the Potential Acquisition. For the sake of clarity, the aggregate consideration in clause (b) above does not include out-of-pocket transaction expenses paid or incurred by the Acquired Entity.
“ Intellectual Property ” means: (a) Trademarks; (b) Patents; (c) Trade Secrets; (d) Copyrights; and (e) all other intellectual property or proprietary rights and claims or causes of action arising out of or related to any infringement, misappropriation or other violation of any of the foregoing, including rights to recover for past, present and future violations thereof.
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“ Interim Acquisition Transaction ” means an acquisition by an Acquired Entity of the business, assets (other than assets acquired in the Ordinary Course of Business for use by the Acquired Entities in the Business) or equity of another Person, in each case with respect to which such transaction has either (a) been consummated following the date of this Agreement or at or prior to the Closing or (b) a binding definitive acquisition agreement to effect such transaction has been entered into following the date of this Agreement or at or prior to the Closing and such transaction is continuing to be pursued as of the Closing; provided , however , that the Purchaser has provided its prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) to such Interim Acquisition Transaction, including as to the material economic terms and conditions of the definitive acquisition agreement for such Interim Acquisition Transaction and without limitation of other reasonable Purchaser consent consideration factors, the Purchaser shall be entitled to reasonably consider the impact the proposed Interim Acquisition Transaction (including the sources and uses of funds to effect such Interim Acquisition Transaction) would have on the consolidated balance sheet of the Acquired Entities and the availability of funds and resulting restrictions under the Credit Agreement, and the ability of the Parties to satisfy the conditions set forth in Article VI ; provided further , Purchaser hereby provides its consent to the Potential Acquisition being an Interim Acquisition Transaction and notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, so long as the Potential Acquisition is continuing to be pursued the Potential Acquisition shall not be subject to the requirements of clauses (a) or (b) of this definition (except that the requirement that the Potential Acquisition must either be consummated or continuing to be pursued as of the Closing in order to be an Interim Acquisition Transaction shall still apply). Notwithstanding anything to the foregoing, in no event shall any Interim Acquisition Transaction include any such transaction that would, individually or when taken together with all other Interim Acquisition Transactions, require new financial information to be included in the Proxy Statement under Regulation S-X (including Rule 3-05 or Article 11 thereof) of the SEC, unless the Purchaser has provided its prior written consent (which consent may be withheld at the Purchaser’s sole discretion), provided , however that the Parties agree that the Potential Acquisition does not require any new financial information to be included in the Proxy Statement under Regulation S-X (including Rule 3-05 or Article 11 thereof) of the SEC.
“ Investigation ” means any administrative, civil, criminal or other inquiry, review, indictment or investigation by any Governmental Authority.
“ Investor Agreements ” means the Backstop and Subscription Agreement, the JFL Subscription Agreement, any Direct Subscription Agreements entered into in accordance with Section 5.12(c) and any other subscription agreement to acquire shares of Purchaser Common Stock to be entered into in accordance with Section 5.12(c) .
“ IPO ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.15 .
“ IT Systems ” means all information technology and computer systems, electronic data processing, record keeping systems, communications systems, telecommunications systems, networking systems, account management systems, inventory management systems and other applications, Computer Software, hardware and equipment (including all databases, firmware and related documentation), necessary for or otherwise material to the Business.
“ JFL Subscription Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“ Law ” means any law (statutory, common or otherwise), including any statute, ordinance, regulation, rule, code, treaty, directive, executive order, injunction, judgment, decree or other order of a Governmental Authority.
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“ Leased Real Property ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.08(b) .
“ Liens ” means any pledges, claims, liens, charges, mortgages, easements, encumbrances, security interests or other similar restrictions.
“ Management Incentive Plan ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.08(c) .
“ Material Adverse Effect ” means any effect, change, event, development or circumstance that, individually or in the aggregate with all other effects, changes, events, developments or circumstances, (a) has had a material adverse effect on the Business, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, properties, assets or liabilities of the Acquired Entities, taken as a whole, or (b) has or would reasonably be expected to prevent, materially impair or materially delay beyond the Termination Date the Seller from consummating the Transactions; provided , however , that “Material Adverse Effect” shall not include the following, nor shall any of the following be taken into account in determining whether there has been a Material Adverse Effect: (i) the entry into or announcement or pendency of this Agreement or the Transactions, in each case, including (A) by reason of the identity of, or facts or circumstances relating to the Purchaser or any of its Affiliates, (B) by reason of any communication by the Purchaser or any of its Affiliates regarding the plans or intentions with respect to the conduct of the Business following Closing and (C) the impact of the foregoing on any relationships with customers, suppliers, vendors, business partners, employees or regulators; (ii) effects, changes, events, developments, circumstances or conditions that generally affect the industry in which the Acquired Entities operate; (iii) general business or economic conditions; (iv) national or international political or social conditions, including the engagement in hostilities, whether or not pursuant to the declaration of a national emergency or war, or the occurrence of any actual or threatened military or terrorist attack; (v) the conditions of any financial, banking, or securities markets (including any disruption thereof, any decline in the price of any security or any market index, and any changes in interest or exchange rates); (vi) changes in GAAP; (vii) changes in Law or other binding directives issued by any Governmental Authority; (viii) earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, or other natural disasters; (ix) any matter of which the Purchaser is aware on the date hereof; (x) acts or omissions of the Seller or any Acquired Entity carried out (or omitted to be carried out) pursuant to this Agreement or at the request of the Purchaser or otherwise consented to by the Purchaser; or (xi) the failure, in and of itself, of the Acquired Entities to meet any published or internally prepared estimates of revenues, earnings or other financial projections, performance measures or operating statistics; provided , however , that with respect to each of clauses (ii) through (vii), any effect, change, event, development or circumstance referred to above shall be taken into account in determining whether a Material Adverse Effect has occurred or would reasonably be expected to occur to the extent that such effect, change, event, development or circumstance has a disproportionate effect on the Acquired Entities compared to other participants in the industries in which such Acquired Entities primarily conduct their businesses (in which case only such disproportionate adverse effect may be taken into account in determining whether a Material Adverse Effect has occurred or would reasonably be expected to occur).
“ Material Contracts ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.10(a) .
“ Material Customer ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.20 .
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“ Material Supplier ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.20 .
“ Material Tangible Property ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.08(a) .
“ Membership Interests ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“ Net Working Capital ” means (a) the sum of the items listed as “current assets” (other than Cash) of the Acquired Entities on Section 1.1(c) of the Seller Disclosure Letter minus (b) the sum of the items listed as “current liabilities” (other than Indebtedness, Seller Transaction Expenses or Purchaser Transaction Expenses) of the Acquired Entities on Section 1.1(c) of the Seller Disclosure Letter, in each case, as of the Effective Time, and prepared on a consolidated basis from the books and records of the Acquired Entities in accordance with GAAP applied on a basis consistent with the policies, procedures, practices, judgments and methodologies used in preparing the Financial Statements; provided , however , that in no event shall Net Working Capital include any Cash, Indebtedness, Purchaser Transaction Expenses, Seller Transaction Expenses, Income Taxes, Company Transaction Expenses or any deferred Tax assets and liabilities. A sample calculation of Net Working Capital is contained in Section 1.1(c) of the Seller Disclosure Letter.
“ Net Working Capital Adjustment ” means (a) the amount by which Net Working Capital exceeds $48,546,000 or (b) the amount by which Net Working Capital is less than $48,546,000, provided that any amount which is calculated pursuant to clause (b) above shall be deemed to be a negative number.
“ Non-Trust Expense Account ” means funds held by Purchaser for payment of expenses in an account outside of the Purchaser Trust.
“ NYSE ” means the NYSE American (f/k/a NYSE MKT) market (or its successor).
“ Offer ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“ Offer Documents ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.08(c) .
“ Ordinary Course of Business ” means, with respect to any Person, actions that are materially consistent with the past practices of such Person, taken in the ordinary course of the normal day-to-day operations of such Person.
“ Organizational Documents ” means, with respect to a Person that is not an individual, its articles of incorporation, certificate of incorporation, certificate of formation, bylaws, memorandum and/or articles of incorporation, operating agreement, certificate of limited partnership, partnership agreement and/or similar documents, instruments or certificates executed, adopted or filed in connection with the creation, formation or organization of such Person, including any amendments thereto.
“ Overpaid Pre-Closing Income Taxes ” means the aggregate amount of the excess (if any) of: (a) estimated or other payments made prior to the Closing Date for Income Taxes attributable to any Pre-Closing Tax Period of any of the Acquired Entities; over (b) Income Taxes attributable to any Pre-Closing Tax Period of any of the Acquired Entities.
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“ Outstanding Indebtedness ” means, without duplication, the amount of any Indebtedness outstanding as of the Effective Time.
“ Owned Intellectual Property ” means the Intellectual Property owned by the Acquired Entities.
“ Owned Real Property ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.08(c) .
“ Party ” or “ Parties ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“ Patents ” means all U.S. and foreign inventions and discoveries, and all patents and patent applications therefor, including utility, utility model and design patents, including all issued claims therein, whether published or unpublished, including provisional, national, regional and international applications as well as divisions, continuations, continuations-in-part, reissues, re-examination applications, patent disclosures, industrial designs, inventions (whether or not patentable or reduced to practice) and improvements thereto.
“ Per Share Price ” means a number equal to the quotient of (a) the Purchaser Trust Amount then on deposit (without giving effect to any redemptions and including interest net of Taxes payable thereon) as of two Business Days prior to the Closing Date, divided by (b) the number of Public Shares of the Purchaser Common Stock then outstanding (without giving effect to any redemptions or the Transactions).
“ Permits ” means any franchise, license, permit, consent and order of any Governmental Authority necessary for any Acquired Entity to own, lease and operate its properties or to carry on the Business.
“ Permitted Lien(s) ” means (a) Liens consisting of zoning or planning restrictions, easements, permits and other restrictions or limitations on the use of real property or irregularities in title thereto that (i) are set forth in title insurance commitments made available to the Purchaser, or (ii) do not materially detract from the value of, or materially impair the use of, such property by the Acquired Entities in the operation of their respective businesses, or other exceptions with respect to title to the Real Property (including easements and other matters of public record) that do not materially interfere with the current and currently intended use of such Real Property, (b) Liens (i) of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, suppliers, materialmen or repairmen or (ii) for wages of masters, crews or stevedores, in each case arising in the Ordinary Course of Business, (c) Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or levies on property not yet due and delinquent or being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which reserves in conformity with GAAP have been provided on the books of the Acquired Entities or which are set forth on Section 1.1(d) of the Seller Disclosure Letter, (d) Liens securing purchase money Indebtedness incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business or otherwise related to the Credit Agreement, (e) pledges or deposits in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation, (f) deposits by or on behalf of any Acquired Entity to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts (other than for borrowed money), leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business, including Liens in respect of bonds or other securities posted to prevent or secure the release of the arrest of a vessel, (g) licenses of Intellectual Property granted in the Ordinary Course of Business, which do not in any case materially detract from the value of the Intellectual Property subject thereto, (h) Liens created by, or on behalf of, the Purchaser, (i) Liens consisting of restrictions on transfer generally arising under applicable Federal Securities Laws or state securities Law, (j) other Liens set forth on Section 1.1(d) of the Seller Disclosure Letter; and (k) with respect to vessels: (i) Liens arising in the Ordinary Course of Business and not incurred in connection with Indebtedness for necessaries (as defined in 46 U.S.C. § 31301) and other Liens arising out of the operation, maintenance and repair of vessels, provided the same are discharged in the Ordinary Course of Business; (ii) Liens for general average, salvage and contract salvage; (iii) Liens in favor of a charterer of a vessel arising by operation of law, (iv) Liens that, as indicated by the written admission of liability therefor by an insurance company, are covered by insurance, (v) Liens for damages arising from maritime torts, and (vi) Liens for wages of the vessel’s crew.
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“ Person(s) ” means and includes an individual, a partnership (general or limited), a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an estate, a limited liability company, an association, a joint-stock company, an unincorporated organization or other entity and a Governmental Authority.
“ Personal Data ” means a natural person’s name, street address, telephone number, email address, photograph, social security number, driver’s license number, passport number, or customer or account number, or any other piece of information that allows the identification of a natural person.
“ Personnel ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.09(i) .
“ Plans ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.13(a) .
“ Potential Acquisition ” means that certain Interim Acquisition Transaction described on Section 1.1(e) of the Seller Disclosure Letter.
“ Potential Acquisition Earnout Amount ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.18(b) .
“ Potential Acquisition Earnout Requirements ” means the metrics set forth in Section 1.1(e) of the Seller Disclosure Letter required to be obtained in order for any portion of the Potential Acquisition Earnout Amount to be payable pursuant to Section 5.18 .
“ Pre-Closing Tax Period ” means any taxable period (or, with respect to a Straddle Period, any portion thereof) ending on or prior to the Closing Date.
“ Preferred Offering ” means the offering of Preferred Shares pursuant to the Backstop and Subscription Agreement, the JFL Subscription Agreement, and any Direct Subscription Agreement entered into in accordance with Section 5.12(c) .
“ Preferred Offering Proceeds ” means the amount of gross proceeds from the Preferred Offering received by the Purchaser for Preferred Shares (which amount, for the avoidance of doubt, will not be reduced for the payment by any Person of any fees (including any up-front commitment fee), commissions, expenses, other amounts or taxes or the withholding of such amounts in connection therewith).
“ Preferred Shares ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
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“ Preliminary Proxy Statement ” means the preliminary proxy statement of the Purchaser to be initially filed with the SEC in connection with the Transactions.
“ Privacy Policy ” means each external or internal, past or present privacy policy of each Acquired Entity, including any policy relating to: (a) the privacy of users of any Computer Software or product of the Acquired Entities; (b) the collection, storage, disclosure or transfer of any User Data; and (c) any employee information.
“ Prospectus ” means that certain final prospectus of the Purchaser, dated June 22, 2017 and filed June 23, 2017, prepared, filed and made available to the public in accordance with applicable Federal Securities Laws.
“ Proxy Statement ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.08(a) .
“ Public Shares ” means the 25,665,000 shares of Purchaser Common Stock issued and sold as part of Purchaser units in the IPO contemplated by the Prospectus.
“ Public Stockholders ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.15 .
“ Public Warrants ” means the warrants to purchase up to 19,248,750 shares of the Purchaser Common Stock at an issue price of $11.50 per share, which are listed on the NYSE under the ticker symbol “HCAC WS”.
“ Purchase Price Common Stock ” means a number of shares, rounded up to the nearest whole number, of Purchaser Common Stock equal to the quotient of (a) the positive amount equal to (i) the Total Purchase Price minus (ii) the Cash Purchase Price, divided by (b) the Per Share Price; provided , however , that, subject to the proviso in the definition of Cash Purchase Price, in no event will the shares of Purchaser Common Stock issued as Purchase Price Common Stock be less than 20% of the shares of Purchaser Common Stock outstanding as of immediately prior to the Closing (without giving effect to the Transactions).
“ Purchaser ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“ Purchaser Acquisition Transaction ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.07 .
“ Purchaser Balance Sheet ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.06(c) .
“ Purchaser Common Stock ” means shares of common stock of the Purchaser, par value $0.0001 per share.
“ Purchaser Disclosure Letter ” means a letter referencing the appropriate section or clause of this Agreement and delivered by the Purchaser to the Seller on or prior to the date hereof, as may be subsequently amended in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
“ Purchaser Governing Documents ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.08(a) .
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“ Purchaser MAE ” means any effect, change, event, development or circumstance that, individually or in the aggregate with all other effects, changes, events, developments or circumstances, (a) has had a material adverse effect on the business, properties, condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations, properties, assets or liabilities of the Purchaser and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (b) has or would reasonably be expected to prevent, materially impair or materially delay beyond the Termination Date the Purchaser or the Sponsor from consummating the Transactions; provided , however , that “Purchaser MAE” shall not include the following, nor shall any of the following be taken into account in determining whether there has been a Purchaser MAE: (i) general business or economic conditions; (ii) the conditions of any financial, banking, or securities markets (including any disruption thereof, any decline in the price of any security or any market index, and any changes in interest or exchange rates); (iii) changes in GAAP; (iv) changes in Law or other binding directives issued by any Governmental Authority; (v) any matter of which the Seller is aware on the date hereof; and (vi) acts or omissions of the Purchaser carried out (or omitted to be carried out) pursuant to this Agreement or at the request of the Seller.
“ Purchaser Parties ” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.03 .
“ Purchaser SEC Reports ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.06(a) .
“ Purchaser Stockholder Approval ” means the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by the Purchaser’s stockholders present in person or represented by proxy to approve this Agreement at the Special Meeting.
“ Purchaser Transaction Expenses ” means all out-of-pocket (a) fees and expenses incurred or payable by the Purchaser or paid by or on behalf of the Purchaser as Seller-Paid Purchaser Transaction Expenses incident to the negotiation and preparation of this Agreement and the other Ancillary Agreements and the performance and compliance with all agreements and conditions contained herein or therein to be performed or complied with, including the fees, expenses and disbursements of its counsel and accountants, due diligence expenses, advisory and consulting fees and any commissions, commitment or other fees or expenses under or in connection with the Investor Agreements or consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, (b) the premium for and any other fees and expenses of the Purchaser incident to obtaining a “tail” directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policy pursuant to Section 9.01(c) , (c) fees and expenses, if any, payable under the Credit Agreement to secure any waiver, consent, notice or approval thereunder for the consummation of the Transactions, in each case to the extent payable in connection with the consummation of the Transactions, and (d) 50% of all filing fees incurred in connection with the filing required to be made under the HSR Act and for any other Regulatory Approval. For the sake of clarity and notwithstanding any provision that may be read to the contrary contained herein, the Purchaser Transaction Expenses shall not include expenses of the Acquired Entities or the Seller other than Seller-Paid Purchaser Transaction Expenses.
“ Purchaser Trust ” means that certain trust account of the Purchaser with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, acting as trustee, established under the Purchaser Trust Agreement.
“ Purchaser Trust Agreement ” means that certain Investment Management Trust Agreement, dated as of June 22, 2017, by and between the Purchaser and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, and delivered to the Seller prior to the date hereof.
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“ Purchaser Trust Amount ” means, as the date of determination, the aggregate amount of funds held in the Purchaser Trust (including any amounts contributed to the Purchaser Trust in connection with the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option in the IPO (as described in the Prospectus)).
“ Purchaser’s Knowledge ” or any similar phrase, with respect to the Purchaser, means the actual knowledge of Kevin Charlton, Daniel Hennessy and Nicholas Petruska.
“ Real Property ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.08(c) .
“ Real Property Lease ” means a lease or sublease under which an Acquired Entity leases or subleases real property from a third party.
“ Registered ” means, with respect to Intellectual Property, issued, registered, renewed or the subject of a pending application.
“ Regulatory Approvals ” means any consent, approval, authorization or permit of, or filing with or notification to, any Governmental Authority; provided , that in no event shall the term Regulatory Approvals include the filing of, or securing effectiveness of the Proxy Statement.
“ Release ” means any spilling, leaking, pumping, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, migrating, dumping, or disposing of Hazardous Materials (including the abandonment or discarding of barrels, containers or other closed receptacles containing Hazardous Materials) into the indoor or outdoor environment, in violation of Environmental Laws.
“ Released Party ” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.17 .
“ Representatives ” means the officers, directors, managers, employees, attorneys, accountants, advisors, representatives, consultants and agents of a Person.
“ Required Information ” means (a) (i) the GAAP audited consolidated balance sheets of JFL-NRC Holdings, LLC and its Subsidiaries as at December 31, 2016 and 2017 and the related statements of operations, comprehensive loss, changes in member’s (deficit)/equity, and cash flows for each 12-month period then ended, audited in accordance with Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) auditing standards and compliant with all applicable requirements of Regulation S-X of the SEC; (ii) the GAAP audited consolidated balance sheets of SES Holdco, LLC and its Subsidiaries as at December 31, 2016 and 2017 and the related statements of operations, changes in members’ capital, and cash flows for each 12-month period then ended, audited in accordance with Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) auditing standards and compliant with all applicable requirements of Regulation S-X of the SEC; (iii) the GAAP unaudited consolidated balance sheet of JFL-NRC Holdings, LLC and its Subsidiaries as at the Balance Sheet Date and the related statement of operations for the three-month period then ended (which shall have been reviewed by Seller’s independent accountants as provided in SAS 100 and comply with all applicable requirements of Regulation S-X of the SEC); and (iv) the GAAP unaudited consolidated balance sheet of SES Holdco, LLC and its Subsidiaries as at the Balance Sheet Date and the related statement of operations for the three-month period then ended (which shall have been reviewed by Seller’s independent accountants as provided in SAS 100 and comply with all applicable requirements of Regulation S-X of the SEC); (b) the GAAP unaudited consolidated balance sheets and related statements of operations, comprehensive loss, changes in member’s (deficit)/equity, and cash flows (which shall have been reviewed by Seller’s independent accountants as provided in SAS 100 and comply with all applicable requirements of Regulation S-X of the SEC) for each of (i) JFL-NRC Holdings, LLC and its Subsidiaries and (ii) SES Holdco, LLC and its Subsidiaries for each subsequent fiscal quarter after March 31, 2018 that ends at least 45 days prior to the Closing Date; (c) the audited and unaudited financial statements and other financial information of businesses acquired or to be acquired by the Acquired Entities (including in an Interim Acquisition Transaction) to the extent required to be included in the Proxy Statement under Regulation S-X of the SEC; and (d) all financial information relating to Seller and the Acquired Entities (and, in the case of clause (c), any businesses acquired or to be acquired by the Acquired Entities) as may be required to prepare pro forma financial statements and customary “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations” disclosures for inclusion in the Proxy Statement.
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“ SEC ” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
“ Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation ” means the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Purchaser, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C .
“ Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933.
“ Self-Regulatory Or g anization ” means any securities exchange, futures exchange, contract market, any other exchange or corporation or similar self-regulatory body or organization applicable to a Party.
“ Seller ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“ Seller Disclosure Letter ” means a letter of the Company referencing the appropriate section or clause of this Agreement and delivered by the Seller to the Purchaser on or prior to the date hereof, as may be subsequently amended in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
“ Seller-Paid Purchaser Transaction Expenses ” means any Purchaser Transaction Expenses paid at or prior to the Closing by the Seller or any Acquired Entity or any of their respective Affiliates or Representatives with the written consent of the Purchaser, including any Purchaser Transaction Expense paid in connection with or with respect to the Investor Agreements or the Proxy Statement. The Purchaser agrees that as of the date of this Agreement the Seller has incurred the Seller-Paid Purchaser Transaction Expenses set forth in Section 1.1(g) of the Seller Disclosure Letter, all of which have been deemed to have been incurred with the written consent of the Purchaser.
“ Seller Parties ” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.03 .
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“ Seller Transaction Expenses ” means all of the Seller’s or any Acquired Entity’s out-of-pocket and unpaid (a) fees and expenses incident to the negotiation and preparation of this Agreement and the other Ancillary Agreements and the performance and compliance with all agreements and conditions contained herein to be performed or complied with, including the fees, expenses and disbursements of its counsel and accountants, due diligence expenses, advisory and consulting fees, (b) fees and expenses related to the entry into the and consummation of the Combination, the Dividend Recapitalization and Credit Agreement (but not any such fees and expenses incurred solely as a result of consummation of the Transactions), (c) 50% of all filing fees incurred in connection with the filing required to be made under the HSR Act and for any other Regulatory Approval for the consummation of the Transactions, and (d) fees and expenses related to any transaction, sale or stay bonus, success, retention, change of control, severance, phantom equity or other payment (including the employer portion of any employment, payroll, unemployment or withholding Taxes related to such payments) incurred or payable in connection with the consummation of the Transactions; provided , however , that in no event will Seller Transaction Expenses include any fees or expenses that are Company Transaction Expenses or Purchaser Transaction Expenses.
“ Seller’s Knowledge ” or any similar phrase, with respect to the Seller or the Acquired Entities, means the actual knowledge of Christopher Swinbank, Robert Nelson, III, Philip Bowman, Jonathan Selden and Joseph Peterson.
“ Special Meeting ” means the special meeting of stockholders to be held by the Purchaser to approve the matters set forth in the Proxy Statement.
“ Sponsor ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“ Sponsor Forfeited Shares ” means the number of Sponsor Shares to be forfeited to the Company by the Sponsor in accordance with the Exchange and Forfeiture Agreement, such number being 1,920,000.
“ Sponsor Shares ” means the shares of the Purchaser Common Stock held by the Sponsor as of immediately prior to the Closing.
“ Sponsor Warrants ” means the 9,600,000 private placement warrants held by the Sponsor to purchase 9,600,000 shares of the Purchaser Common Stock at an issue price of $11.50 per share held by the Sponsor, which Sponsor Warrants will be exchanged for 1,920,000 shares of the Purchaser Common Stock in accordance with the Exchange and Forfeiture Agreement.
“ Straddle Period ” means any taxable period that includes (but does not end on) the Closing Date.
“ Subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person, any Entity of which a majority of the total voting power entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof, or any partnership, limited liability company, association or other Entity of which a majority of the partnership, limited liability company or other similar ownership interest is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof. For purposes of this definition, a Person is deemed to have a majority ownership interest in a partnership, limited liability company, association or other Entity if such Person is allocated a majority of the gains or losses of such partnership, limited liability company, association or other Entity or controls the managing member or general partner or similar position of such partnership, limited liability company, association or other Entity.
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“ Subsidiary Interests ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(c) .
“ Tax ” or “ Taxes ” means any tax, charge, duty, fee, levy or other similar assessment or liability (whether payable directly or by withholding and whether or not requiring the filing of a Tax Return), including income, gross receipts, ad valorem , premium, value-added, excise, real property, personal property, sales, goods and services, harmonized sales, use, services, transfer, withholding, employment, payroll, franchise, profits, capital gains, customs, capital stock, occupation, severance, windfall profits, stamp, license, social security, goods and services harmonized sales, escheat payments, and other taxes imposed by the United States or Canada or any state, local or foreign government, or any agency thereof, or other political subdivision of the United States or Canada or any such government, and any interest, penalty, or addition to tax attributable to any of the foregoing.
“ Tax Return ” means any tax return, statement, form or report (including any election, declaration, disclosure, schedule, estimate and information Tax Return and other information required to be supplied to a taxing authority in connection with any Tax) relating to any Tax, including any amendments thereof.
“ Termination Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.03(b) .
“ Total Purchase Price ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02 .
“ Trade Secrets ” means confidential and proprietary information, trade secrets and know-how, including confidential processes, schematics, databases, formulae, drawings, prototypes, models, designs, know-how, concepts, methods, devices, technology, research and development results and records, inventions, compositions, reports, data, mailing lists, business plans, and customer lists, in each case, to the extent protectable under applicable Law as a trade secret.
“ Trademarks ” means all U.S., state, and foreign trademarks, service marks, Internet domain names, logos, symbols, trade dress, assumed names, fictitious names, trade names, and other indicia of origin, whether registered or unregistered, all applications and registrations for all of the foregoing, and all goodwill associated therewith and symbolized thereby, including all renewals of same.
“ Transactions ” means the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, including the sale and transfer of the Membership Interests by the Seller to the Purchaser, the issuance of securities of the Purchaser pursuant to the Investor Agreements and the exchange and forfeiture of securities of the Purchaser pursuant to the Exchange and Forfeiture Agreement.
“ Updated Seller Disclosure Letter ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.02 .
“ Unpaid Pre-Closing Income Taxes ” mean the aggregate amount of the excess (if any) of: (a) Income Taxes attributable to any Pre-Closing Tax Period of any of the Acquired Entities; over (b) estimated or other payments made prior to the Closing Date for Income Taxes attributable to any Pre-Closing Tax Period of any of the Acquired Entities.
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“ U.S. Citizen ” means a citizen of the United States within the meaning of the U.S. Maritime Laws, eligible and qualified to own and operate U.S.-flag vessels in the U.S. Coastwise Trade.
“ U.S. Coastwise Trade ” means the carriage or transport of merchandise and/or other materials and/or passengers in the coastwise trade of the United States of America within the meaning of 46 U.S.C. Chapter 551 and any successor statutes thereto, as amended or supplemented from time to time.
“ U.S. Maritime Laws ” means, collectively, the U.S. citizenship and cabotage laws principally contained in 46 U.S.C. § 50501 and 46 U.S.C. Chapters 121 and 551 and any successor statutes thereto, together with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Maritime Administration and their practices enforcing, administering and interpreting such laws, statutes, rules and regulations, in each case as amended or supplemented from time to time, relating to the ownership and operation of U.S.-flag vessels in the U.S. Coastwise Trade.
“ User Data ” means any Personal Data or other data or information collected by or on behalf of any Acquired Entity from users of any Computer Software or products of the Acquired Entities.
“ Waivers ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.16 .
ARTICLE II
TERMS OF PURCHASE AND SALE
Section 2.01 Purchase and Sale . Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, at the Closing, the Seller shall sell, convey, transfer, assign and deliver to the Purchaser, free and clear of all Liens (except for (a) Liens created by, or on behalf of, the Purchaser and (b) Liens consisting of restrictions on transfer generally arising under applicable Federal Securities Laws or state securities Law), and the Purchaser shall purchase and acquire from the Seller, the Membership Interests.
Section 2.02 Total Purchase Price . The aggregate purchase price for the Membership Interests shall be (a) an amount equal to (i) $662,500,000, plus (ii) any Cash, plus (iii) any Company Transaction Expenses paid in connection with the Closing, plus (iv) any Seller-Paid Purchaser Transaction Expenses, plus (v) any Excess Purchaser Expenses Amount, minus (vi) any Outstanding Indebtedness, plus (vii) any Net Working Capital Adjustment (which may be a negative number thereby reducing the Total Purchase Price), plus (viii) any Excess Capital Expenditures Adjustment, minus (ix) any Seller Transaction Expenses plus (x) any Aggregate Acquisition Adjustments, minus (xi) any Unpaid Pre-Closing Income Taxes, plus (xii) any Overpaid Pre-Closing Income Taxes (the “ Total Purchase Price ”) and (b) any post-Closing payments payable to the Seller pursuant to Section 5.18 . The Total Purchase Price will be comprised of (a) the Cash Purchase Price and (b) the Purchase Price Common Stock.
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Section 2.03 Closing Payment .
(a) No later than 6:00 pm local time in New York, NY on the date on which the Offer has concluded, the Purchaser shall notify the Seller in writing of the Purchaser Trust Amount upon conclusion of the Offer, as may have been reduced by reasonable withdrawals of interest thereon to pay Taxes in connection therewith (the “ Final Purchaser Trust Amount ”).
(b) At least five Business Days prior to the Closing, the Seller shall deliver to the Purchaser a written schedule setting forth the Seller’s good faith estimate as of the Closing, together with reasonable supporting detail, of (i) the Seller Transaction Expenses, (ii) Seller-Paid Purchaser Transaction Expenses, (iii) Company Transaction Expenses, (iv) any Net Working Capital Adjustment, (v) any Excess Capital Expenditures Adjustment, (vi) any Aggregate Acquisition Adjustments, (vii) any Unpaid Pre-Closing Income Taxes, (viii) any Overpaid Pre-Closing Income Taxes, (ix) Outstanding Indebtedness, and (x) Cash. At least two Business Days prior to the Closing, the Purchaser shall deliver to the Seller a written schedule setting forth the Purchaser’s good faith estimate as of the Closing, together with reasonable supporting detail, of (A) the unpaid Purchaser Transaction Expenses, (B) the Preferred Offering Proceeds and (C) the Common Offering Proceeds.
(c) Following receipt of the Final Purchaser Trust Amount and the estimates referenced in Section 2.03(b) , and at least two Business Days prior to the Closing, the Seller shall deliver to the Purchaser a written schedule (the “ Closing Statement ”) setting forth the Seller’s good faith calculation, together with reasonable supporting detail, of (i) the Total Purchase Price and the components thereof, (ii) the Cash Purchase Price and the components thereof, (iii) the number of shares of Purchase Price Common Stock to be issued and (iv) the allocation (the “ Allocation ”) of the Total Purchase Price, any post-Closing payments payable to the Seller pursuant to Section 5.18 and any assumed liabilities treated as amounts realized and any other relevant amounts for U.S. federal income Tax purposes to the stock of each of NRC US Holding Company, LLC, NRC Int. Holding Company, LLC and SES Holdco, LLC. The Closing Statement shall also include a certificate signed by an authorized officer of the Seller, solely in such capacity and not in his personal capacity, certifying in writing that it has been prepared in good faith using the latest available financial information of the Acquired Entities. The Purchaser shall be entitled to review and make reasonable comments and revisions to the Closing Statement. The Seller will reasonably cooperate with the Purchaser in the review of the Closing Statement, including providing the Purchaser and its Representatives with reasonable access to the relevant books, records and employees of the Acquired Entities in order for the Purchaser to review the Closing Statement. The Seller will cooperate reasonably with the Purchaser to revise the Closing Statement to the extent necessary to reflect any of the Purchaser’s reasonable comments. If the Closing Statement is so revised, such revised Closing Statement, or if the Purchaser had no such comments, then the initial Closing Statement shall be deemed to be the final “Closing Statement,” in each case as approved in writing by Purchaser (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed).
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(d) At the Closing, the Purchaser shall pay or cause to be paid in cash, by wire transfer of immediately available funds:
(i) the Seller Transaction Expenses, in the amounts and to the accounts set forth in the Closing Statement;
(ii) the unpaid Purchaser Transaction Expenses, in the amounts and to the accounts set forth in the Closing Statement, which Purchaser Transaction Expenses shall first be paid from the Non-Trust Expense Account; and
(iii) the Cash Purchase Price, less the amount of the Seller Transaction Expenses paid pursuant to clause (i) above, to the accounts designated by the Seller and set forth in the Closing Statement.
Section 2.04 Purchase Price Common Stock . At the Closing, the Purchaser shall (a) issue to the accounts designated by the Seller in the Closing Statement the shares of Purchase Price Common Stock, free and clear of all Liens (except for (i) Liens created by, or on behalf of, the Purchaser and (ii) Liens consisting of restrictions on transfer generally arising under applicable Federal Securities Laws or state securities Law), and (b) make appropriate book entries (to the accounts designated by the Seller in writing prior to Closing) evidencing the issuance to the Seller of the shares of the Purchaser Common Stock comprising the Purchase Price Common Stock, and evidence of the same shall be delivered to the Seller pursuant to one or more certificates to the foregoing effect, signed by a duly authorized officer of the Purchaser and delivered to the Seller at the Closing.
Section 2.05 Closing . Unless another date, location or time is mutually agreed upon by the Purchaser and the Seller, and subject to a party’s right to earlier terminate this Agreement as set forth in Article VII hereof, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (“ Closing ”) shall take place at 9:00 a.m. local time on the third Business Day after satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to the obligations of the parties set forth in Article VI other than such conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing, but subject to the satisfaction or waiver of those conditions. The date on which the Closing takes place is herein referred to as the “Closing Date.” The Closing will be effective as of 12:01 a.m. New York time on the Closing Date (the “ Effective Time ”), and all actions scheduled in this Agreement to take place at the Closing shall be deemed to occur simultaneously at such time.
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE SELLER
Except as set forth in (a) the Seller Disclosure Letter (it being understood that any information set forth in one section or subsection of the Seller Disclosure Letter shall be deemed to apply to and qualify the section or subsection of this Agreement to which it corresponds in number, and each other section or subsection of this Agreement to the extent that it is reasonably apparent on its face that such information is relevant to such other section or subsection of this Agreement) and (b) the Preliminary Proxy Statement, the Seller represents and warrants to the Purchaser as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date (except for representations and warranties that are made as of a specific date, which are made only as of such date) as follows:
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Section 3.01 Organization and Qualification; Acquired Entities .
(a) Each of the Seller and each Acquired Entity is duly organized, validly existing and to the extent applicable in the respective jurisdiction, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is organized or formed (as applicable) and has full corporate, limited liability or other applicable business entity power and authority to own, lease or otherwise hold its properties and assets and to conduct its business as presently conducted. Each Acquired Entity is duly qualified or licensed to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the nature of the Business or its ownership or leasing of its properties makes such qualification or licensing necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or licensed has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) No Acquired Entity is in default under or in violation of any material provision of such Acquired Entity’s Organizational Documents.
(c) Section 3.01(c) of the Seller Disclosure Letter lists, as of the date of this Agreement, each of the Acquired Entities, the interests of such Acquired Entity owned directly or indirectly by the Seller (the “ Subsidiary Interests ”), and its jurisdiction of organization or formation (as applicable). The Subsidiary Interests have been validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
Section 3.02 Capitalization .
(a) The Seller owns all of the Membership Interests, which Membership Interests are all of the issued and outstanding equity interests of the Company. Except for the Membership Interests, as of the date of this Agreement, there are no outstanding (i) equity securities of the Company, (ii) securities of the Company having the right to vote on any matters on which the holders of equity securities of the Company may vote or which are convertible into or exchangeable for, at any time, equity securities of the Company, (iii) options or other rights to acquire from the Company, and no obligations of the Company to issue, purchase or redeem any equity securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable for equity securities of the Company or (iv) proxies, voting agreements or other agreements or arrangements to which any Acquired Entity is a party or is otherwise obligated relating to any equity securities of the Company.
(b) All of the issued and outstanding Membership Interests are duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid, and were issued free and clear of any preemptive rights (except to the extent provided by applicable Law), restrictions on transfer (other than restrictions under the Organizational Documents of the Seller or the Company or of the Seller’s immediate members, applicable federal, state and other securities Laws), and are owned, beneficially and of record, by the Seller free and clear of all Liens (other than restrictions under applicable federal, state and other securities Laws).
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(c) Section 3.02(c) of the Seller Disclosure Letter sets forth the name, owner, jurisdiction of formation or organization (as applicable) and percentages of outstanding equity securities owned, directly or indirectly, by each Acquired Entity and, to the Seller’s Knowledge, each joint venture to which an Acquired Entity is a party, owns, directly or indirectly, any equity or equity-related securities, and each such entity that is (i) a joint venture and (ii) that is not an Acquired Entity. Except as set forth in its Organizational Documents, all outstanding equity securities of each Acquired Entity and, to the Seller’s Knowledge, each joint venture to which an Acquired Entity is a party, in each case, (except to the extent such concepts are not applicable under the applicable Law of such Acquired Entity’s or joint venture’s jurisdiction of formation or organization) have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable, free and clear of any preemptive rights (except to the extent provided by applicable Law and other than such rights as may be held by any Acquired Entity), restrictions on transfer (other than restrictions under applicable federal, state, provincial and other securities Laws), or Liens (other than Permitted Liens) and, except with respect to each joint venture, are majority owned, beneficially and of record, by another Acquired Entity. Except as set forth on Section 3.02(c) of the Seller Disclosure Letter, there are no outstanding (i) equity securities of any Acquired Entity or, to the Seller’s Knowledge, of any joint venture to which an Acquired Entity is a party, (ii) securities of any Acquired Entity or, to the Seller’s Knowledge, of any joint venture to which an Acquired Entity is a party, having the right to vote on any matters on which the holders of equity securities of such Acquired Entity or joint venture may vote or which are convertible into or exchangeable for, at any time, equity securities of such Acquired Entity or joint venture, (iii) options or other rights to acquire from any Acquired Entity or, to the Seller’s Knowledge, any joint venture to which an Acquired Entity is a party, and no obligations of any such Acquired Entity or joint venture to issue, purchase or redeem any equity securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable for equity securities of such Acquired Entity or joint venture or (iv) proxies, voting agreements or other agreements or arrangements to which any Acquired Entity is a party or is otherwise obligated relating to any equity securities of any Acquired Entity or, to the Seller’s Knowledge, any joint venture to which an Acquired Entity is a party.
Section 3.03 Authority . The Seller has the requisite power and authority to execute, deliver and enter into this Agreement, and the Ancillary Agreements to which it is or will become a party, and to consummate the Transactions. The execution and delivery by the Seller of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements to which it is or will become a party have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Seller. The Seller has duly executed and delivered this Agreement, and this Agreement constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as such enforcement may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws of general application relating to creditors’ rights generally or by principles of equity.
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Section 3.04 No Conflict; Solvency .
(a) Except as may result from any facts or circumstances relating solely to the Purchaser or its Affiliates, or with respect to any Plan, the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Seller does not, the performance of this Agreement by the Seller will not, and the consummation of the Combination and the Dividend Recapitalization did not, (i) conflict with or result in any breach of any material provision of any Acquired Entity’s Organizational Documents or, to the Seller’s Knowledge, any Organizational Documents for any joint venture to which an Acquired Entity is a party, (ii) result in a violation or breach of, or cause acceleration, or constitute (with or without due notice or lapse of time or both) a default (or give rise to any right of termination, cancellation or acceleration) under any of the material terms, conditions or provisions of any Material Contract, (iii) except as contemplated by this Agreement or with respect to Permitted Liens, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the material assets of any Acquired Entity or, to the Seller’s Knowledge, any joint venture to which any Acquired Entity is a party, except for any such Lien which, individually, or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect, or (iv) assuming that all Regulatory Approvals have been obtained, conflict with or violate any Law applicable to the Seller or any Acquired Entity or by which any property or asset of any Acquired Entity is bound or affected, except for any such violations which would not (A) result in a material liability on, or impose an injunction that is materially adverse to, the Acquired Entities, taken as a whole, or (B) prevent or delay beyond the Termination Date the consummation of the Transaction. The Combination and the Dividend Recapitalization have been consummated prior to the date hereof in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the Contribution Agreement and the Credit Agreement.
(b) The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Seller do not, and the performance of this Agreement by the Seller will not, require any material Regulatory Approval except for the requirements of the HSR Act, the Federal Securities Laws or any U.S. state securities or “blue sky” Laws, except where the failure to obtain such a Regulatory Approval would not (i) result in a material liability on, or impose an injunction that is materially adverse to, the Acquired Entities, taken as a whole or (ii) prevent or delay beyond the Termination Date the consummation of the Transactions. No material Regulatory Approval was required to effectuate the Combination and the Dividend Recapitalization.
(c) The Seller is not entering into this Agreement, and the Seller and the Acquired Entities have not engaged in the Dividend Recapitalization and are not consummating the Transactions, with the intent to hinder, delay or defraud either past, present or future creditors of any Acquired Entities. At the time of the entry into the Dividend Recapitalization documents and effectuation of the transactions contemplated thereby, including the borrowings thereunder and the occurrence of the Dividend Recapitalization (including the incurrence of any Indebtedness in connection therewith), and at all times thereafter for the period ending at the Closing (i) the fair saleable value of the assets of Acquired Entities (valued on a going concern basis) on a consolidated basis will exceed the liabilities of the Acquired Entities on a consolidated basis and (ii) the Acquired Entities on a consolidated basis will be able to pay their debts as such debts mature.
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Section 3.05 Financial Statements; No Undisclosed Liabilities .
(a) Section 3.05 of the Seller Disclosure Letter sets forth true and complete copies of: (i) the audited consolidated balance sheets of JFL-NRC Holdings, LLC and its Subsidiaries as at December 31, 2016 and 2017 and the related statements of operations, comprehensive loss, changes in member’s (deficit)/equity, and cash flows for each 12-month period then ended; (ii) the audited consolidated balance sheets of SES Holdco, LLC and its Subsidiaries as at December 31, 2016 and 2017 and the related statements of operations, changes in members’ capital, and cash flows for each 12-month period then ended; (iii) the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of JFL-NRC Holdings, LLC and its Subsidiaries as at the Balance Sheet Date and the related statement of operations for the three-month period then ended; and (iv) the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of SES Holdco, LLC and its Subsidiaries as at the Balance Sheet Date and the related statement of operations for the three-month period then ended (all such financial statements referred to in clauses (i) through (iv), collectively, the “ Financial Statements ”).
(b) The Financial Statements (i) have been prepared from the books and records of the applicable Acquired Entities in all material respects, (ii) have been prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, except as may be indicated in the notes thereto and except, in the case of unaudited Financial Statements, for the absence of footnotes and subject to customary year-end adjustments (including year-end reserve, accrual and tax accounting adjustments), and (iii) fairly present, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of such applicable Acquired Entities as of the dates thereof and their consolidated results of operations for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of the unaudited Financial Statements, to the absence of footnotes and to customary year-end adjustments (including year-end reserve, accrual and tax accounting adjustments)).
(c) Except for matters reflected or reserved against in the Financial Statements (including the notes thereto), neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any liabilities of any nature that would be required under GAAP, as in effect on the date of this Agreement, to be reflected on a consolidated balance sheet of an Acquired Entity (including the notes thereto), except liabilities that (i) were incurred since the date of such balance sheet in the Ordinary Course of Business (none of which results from or arises out of any material breach of or material default under any contract, material breach of warranty, tort, material infringement or material violation of applicable Law), (ii) are incurred in connection with the Transactions, or (iii) would be material to the Acquired Entities, taken as a whole.
Section 3.06 Absence of Certain Changes . Except as set forth in Section 3.06 of the Seller Disclosure Letter, since the Balance Sheet Date, (a) the Business has been conducted in the Ordinary Course of Business, (b) there has not occurred any event, change, occurrence, effect, fact, violation, development or circumstance of the type described in Section 5.04(a)(i) through (xiii) , and (c) there has not occurred a Material Adverse Effect.
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Section 3.07 Taxes .
(a) Tax Returns. Each of the Acquired Entities has timely filed or caused to be timely filed (including pursuant to applicable extensions) with the appropriate taxing authorities all Tax Returns that are required to be filed by, or with respect to, such Acquired Entity. All such filed Tax Returns are true, correct and complete in all material respects.
(b) Payment of Taxes. Each of the Acquired Entities has timely paid in full all material Taxes that are due and owing whether or not shown on such filed Tax Returns.
(c) Other Tax Matters.
(i) (A) none of the Acquired Entities is currently the subject of an audit or other examination of material Taxes by the tax authorities of any nation, state or locality and (B) none of the Acquired Entities has received any written notice from any taxing authority relating to any issue which could have an adverse effect in any material respect on the Tax liability of the Acquired Entities after the date hereof.
(ii) None of the Acquired Entities has entered into an agreement or waiver that will be in effect after the date hereof or been requested to enter into an agreement or waiver that could be in effect after the date hereof extending any statute of limitations relating to the payment, assessment or collection of Taxes of the Acquired Entities.
(iii) All material Taxes which any of the Acquired Entities was required by applicable Law to withhold or collect in connection with amounts paid or owing to any employee, independent contractor, creditor, stockholder, non-resident or other third party have been duly withheld or collected (including, but not limited to, Code Section 3402), and have been timely paid over to the proper authorities to the extent due and payable.
(iv) There are no tax sharing, allocation, indemnification or similar agreements in effect as between any of the Acquired Entities and any other Person (other than the Acquired Entities) under which the Acquired Entities could be liable for the Taxes of another Person after the date hereof.
(v) There are no Liens with respect to any Taxes of the Acquired Entities other than Permitted Liens.
(vi) To the Seller’s Knowledge, no jurisdiction where no Tax Return has been filed or no Tax has been paid by any Acquired Entity has made a claim for the payment of any Acquired Entity Tax or the filing of any Acquired Entity Tax Return.
(vii) No Acquired Entity is or will be required to include any item of income in, or exclude any item of deduction from, federal taxable income for any Tax period (or portion thereof) ending after the Closing Date, as a result of a change in method of accounting, any installment sale or open transaction or any prepaid amount.
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(viii) No Acquired Entity is or has ever been a beneficiary of or otherwise participated in any reportable transaction within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4(b)(1).
(ix) There are no Tax rulings, requests for rulings or closing agreements relating to Taxes for which any Acquired Entity may be liable that would reasonably be likely to adversely affect any Acquired Entity’s liability for Taxes for any taxable period ending after the Closing Date.
(x) No Acquired Entity has distributed stock of another Person nor has its stock been distributed by another Person, in a transaction that was purported or intended to be governed in whole or in part by Code Section 355.
(xi) None of the Acquired Entities will recognize any income, gain or loss, as a result of the Combination or the Dividend Recapitalization.
(xii) Each of NRC Group Holdings, LLC, JFL-NRC Holdings, LLC, and NRC Intermediate Int. Holding Company, LLC, has at all times since the date of its formation been classified as a disregarded entity for U.S. federal and applicable state income Tax purposes; each of NRC US Holding Company, LLC, NRC Int. Holding Company, LLC, and SES Holdco, LLC, is classified as a corporation for U.S. federal and applicable state income Tax purposes.
(xiii) The representations and warranties in this Section 3.07 are the sole and exclusive representations and warranties of the Seller regarding Tax matters of the Acquired Entities and refer only to the past activities of the Acquired Entities and are not intended to serve as a representation to or a guarantee of, nor can they be relied upon for, any Tax position taken on or after the Closing Date.
Section 3.08 Tangible Property; Real Property .
(a) The Acquired Entities have good title to all material machinery, equipment and other tangible personal property reflected as owned by the Acquired Entities in the Financial Statements and necessary for the conduct of the Business (“ Material Tangible Property ”), except for Material Tangible Property sold or disposed of since the Balance Sheet Date in the Ordinary Course of Business, free of any Liens (other than Permitted Liens). The Material Tangible Property is in good operating condition and repair (subject to normal wear and tear), is free from material defects and has been reasonably maintained.
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(b) Section 3.08(b) of the Seller Disclosure Letter lists all the Real Property Leases to which an Acquired Entity is a party and as to which such Acquired Entity is required to pay more than $500,000 annually in rental payments or has a remaining lease term greater than one year. Except as set forth in Section 3.08(b) of the Seller Disclosure Letter, to the Seller’s Knowledge, as of the date of this Agreement, the applicable Acquired Entity has valid leasehold interests in the real property leased by them under each Real Property Lease (the “ Leased Real Property ”), in each case, free and clear of all Liens (other than Permitted Liens). The Acquired Entities have not subleased or otherwise granted any Person the right to use or occupy any Leased Real Property. The Acquired Entities have not granted a collateral assignment or granted any other security interest in the Leased Real Property or any interest thereof that has not been released.
(c) The real property listed on Section 3.08(c) of the Seller Disclosure Letter consists of all the real property owned in fee by the Acquired Entities (the “ Owned Real Property ” and, together with the Leased Real Property, the “ Real Property ”). The applicable Acquired Entity has good and indefeasible fee simple title to all of the Owned Real Property, in each case free and clear of all Liens (other than Permitted Liens). The Acquired Entities have not leased to any Person or otherwise granted any Person the right to use or occupy any Owned Real Property. Except with respect to any Leased Real Property, none of the Acquired Entities are obligated or bound by any options, obligations or rights of first refusal or contractual rights to sell, lease or acquire any material real property.
(d) Neither the whole nor any part of the Real Property is subject to any material pending suit for condemnation or other taking by any public authority, and, to the Seller’s Knowledge, no such condemnation or other taking is threatened or contemplated. To the Seller’s Knowledge, (i) the use and occupancy of the Real Property by the Acquired Entities and the conduct of the Business does not violate in any material respect any applicable Laws (including zoning Laws), (ii) to the Seller’s Knowledge, there are no leases, subleases, licenses, or other agreements granting to any Person (other than the Acquired Entities under the Real Property Leases) the right of use or occupancy of any portion of the Real Property, (iii) all buildings, structures, facilities and improvements located on the Owned Real Property, including buildings, structures, facilities and improvements which are under construction (collectively, “ Improvements ”), comply in all material respects with valid and current certificates of occupancy or similar permits to the extent required by Law for the use thereof, and conform in all material respects with all applicable Laws; and (iv) to the Seller’s Knowledge, the Improvements are in all material respects in good operating condition and repair (ordinary wear and tear excepted).
(e) The Material Tangible Property and Real Property assets owned and leased by the Acquired Entities constitute all the material assets used in connection with the operation of the Business. Such Material Tangible Property and Real Property assets constitute all the assets necessary for each of the Acquired Entities to continue to conduct its business in all material respects following the Closing as it is currently being conducted in the Ordinary Course of Business and as was conducted as of immediately prior to the Combination.
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Section 3.09 Intellectual Property .
(a) Section 3.09(a) of the Seller Disclosure Letter sets forth a true and complete list of all Registered Owned Intellectual Property.
(b) All Registered Owned Intellectual Property is subsisting and, to the Seller’s Knowledge, is valid and enforceable.
(c) (i) The Acquired Entities own or have the right to use all material Intellectual Property used in the operation of the Business as it is currently conducted, free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens; and (ii) there are no pending or, to the Seller’s Knowledge, threatened interference, re-examination, opposition or cancellation proceedings involving the Registered Owned Intellectual Property.
(d) No Action (i) is pending and has been served, or (ii) has settled or been threatened in writing in the last three years, in each case, concerning any claim or position that any of the Acquired Entities has violated any Intellectual Property rights of any Person. To the Seller’s Knowledge, none of the Acquired Entities is infringing, violating or misappropriating, or has infringed, violated or misappropriated any Intellectual Property rights in any material respect in the last three years.
(e) To the Seller’s Knowledge, no Person is violating any material Owned Intellectual Property.
(f) Each of the Acquired Entities have taken commercially reasonable measures to maintain and protect the secrecy and confidentiality of the Trade Secrets included in the Owned Intellectual Property. To the Seller’s Knowledge, no unauthorized disclosure of any material Trade Secrets included in the Owned Intellectual Property has been made.
(g) Subject to any necessary notices and consents, the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, will not result in the forfeiture, cancellation, termination or other material impairment of, or give rise to any right of any Person to cancel, terminate or otherwise exercise any other rights that the Acquired Entities currently have with respect to any Owned Intellectual Property that is, individually or in the aggregate, material to the Business.
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(h) To the Seller’s Knowledge, the material IT Systems used in the operation of the Business are adequate in all material respects for the operation of the Business by the Acquired Entities as currently conducted, and are, to the Seller’s Knowledge, in good working condition (normal wear and tear excepted), and to the Seller’s Knowledge, such material IT Systems are free of all viruses, worms, trojan horses, bugs and of a nature that would materially disrupt their operation or have a materially detrimental impact on the operation of the Business by the Acquired Entities as currently conducted, and there has not been any material malfunction with respect to any of the material IT Systems used by the Acquired Entities in connection with the operation of the Business since January 1, 2016 that has not been remedied or replaced in all material respects. The Acquired Entities have in place commercially reasonable measures to protect the confidentiality and security of the material IT Systems (and all material information and transactions stored or contained therein) against any unauthorized use, or access. The Acquired Entities have implemented commercially reasonable data backup, data storage, system redundancy and disaster avoidance and recovery procedures. None of the Acquired Entities has been notified by, or, to the Seller’s Knowledge, been required to notify, any Person of any information security breach involving Personal Data.
(i) Each of the employees, agents, consultants, contractors and others who have contributed to or participated in the discovery, creation or development of any material Intellectual Property on behalf of the Acquired Entities (“ Personnel ”) (i) has assigned to the respective Acquired Entity, or is under a valid obligation to assign to the respective Acquired Entity by Contract or otherwise, all right, title and interest in such Intellectual Property, or (ii) is a party to a valid “work for hire” agreement under which the respective Acquired Entity is deemed to be the original author/owner of all subject matter included in such Intellectual Property; or (iii) to the extent the Personnel do not have the ability to take any of the actions described in the foregoing clauses (i) or (ii), has granted to the respective Acquired Entity a license or other legally enforceable right granting the respective Acquired Entity a perpetual, unrestricted and royalty-free right to use such Intellectual Property or such Intellectual Property is owned by an Acquired Entity by operation of Law. Immediately after the Closing, Acquired Entities shall own all right, title and interest of the Personnel under all Contracts and other arrangements described in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii).
(j) To the Seller’s Knowledge, since January 1, 2015, each Acquired Entity has complied in all material respects with all of its respective Privacy Policies in effect as of the date of this Agreement, except where failure to do so would not result in material liability to the Acquired Entities, taken as a whole. To Seller’s Knowledge, since January 1, 2015, no Acquired Entity has ever suffered a security breach with respect to Data, except where failure to do so would not result in material liability to the Acquired Entities, taken as a whole.
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Section 3.10 Material Contracts .
(a) Except as disclosed in Section 3.10 of the Seller Disclosure Letter and for Contracts related to the Plans, none of the Acquired Entities is a party to or bound by any Contract (including any Government Contract) in effect as of the date of this Agreement and of the following nature (all such Contracts required to be disclosed by this Section 3.10 , collectively, the “ Material Contracts ”):
(i) pursuant to which, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries incurred Indebtedness exceeding $1,000,000 for which any Acquired Entity will be liable following the Closing, including the Credit Agreement;
(ii) that (A) involve the performance by an Acquired Entity of services of an amount or value (as measured by the revenue derived therefrom during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017) in excess of $2,000,000 annually or (B) involve payments by the Acquired Entities in excess of $2,000,000 annually, unless, in the case of clauses (A) and (B), any such Contract is terminable by the Acquired Entities on not more than 60 days’ notice without material penalty;
(iii) which involve, as parties thereto, any Acquired Entity on the one hand, and any of the directors, officers, employees or equityholders of any Acquired Entity on the other hand, exceeding $250,000;
(iv) which prohibits any Acquired Entity from competing in the business of the Acquired Entities as conducted as of the date hereof or in any geographic area or that restricts any Acquired Entity’s ability to solicit or hire any person as an employee;
(v) that relates to the future disposition or acquisition of material assets or properties by any Acquired Entity except in the Ordinary Course of Business, or any merger or business combination with respect to any other Person;
(vi) that requires or provides for any capital expenditure in excess of $1,000,000;
(vii) for the provision of services to any Acquired Entity by any independent contractor for annual consulting fees in excess of $250,000 (other than any Contract that may be terminated by any party thereto upon 30 days or less advance notice);
(viii) under which any Acquired Entity leases, or is provided with the right to hold or operate, any tangible property (other than real property), owned by any other Person, except for any lease or agreement under which the aggregate annual rental payments do not exceed $250,000;
(ix) under which any Acquired Entity leases, or permits any third party to hold or operate, any tangible property (other than Real Property), owned or controlled by the Company, except for any lease or agreement under which the aggregate annual rental payments do not exceed $250,000;
(x) which establish a joint venture, strategic alliance or material partnership involving the sharing of profits (other than any such Contracts solely among the Acquired Entities);
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(xi) which involve the license or grant of rights licensed to or licensed from any Acquired Entity to Intellectual Property or Computer Software material to the Business but excluding (A) any inbound agreements that have individual acquisition costs of $250,000 or less relating to “shrink wrap”, “click wrap” and similar generally available end-user licenses to software, (B) any outbound agreements that involve consideration of less than $250,000 over the 12 months prior to the date of this Agreement, (C) any nonexclusive license to Owned Intellectual Property granted in the Ordinary Course of Business, and (D) any non-disclosure agreements or Company employee agreements;
(xii) with any labor union or collective bargaining association representing any employee of an Acquired Entity;
(xiii) the Contribution Agreement; and
(xiv) each Real Property Lease.
(b) As of the date of this Agreement: (i) each Material Contract is in full force and effect, and is a valid and binding obligation of (A) the Acquired Entities party thereto, and (B) to the Seller’s Knowledge, each other party thereto; (ii) the applicable Acquired Entity is not in material breach or material violation of, or material default under any such Material Contract; (iii) no Material Contract has been terminated for cause in writing by any other party thereto; (iv) to the Seller’s Knowledge, no other party is in material breach or material violation of, or material default under, any Material Contract; and (v) no Acquired Entity has given a written notice of its intent to terminate, materially modify, materially amend or otherwise materially alter the terms and conditions of any Material Contract or has received any written claim of default under any Material Contract. The Seller has furnished or made available to the Purchaser true and complete copies of the Material Contracts, including any amendments to such Material Contracts.
Section 3.11 Litigation . There is no material Action pending or, to the Seller’s Knowledge, threatened against any Acquired Entity, or any property or asset of any Acquired Entity, that (a) if adversely determined, individually, or in the aggregate, would reasonably be likely to result in material liability to the Acquired Entities, taken as a whole, or (b) seeks material injunctive or other material non-monetary relief against the Acquired Entities, taken as a whole. No Acquired Entity nor any property or asset of any Acquired Entity is subject to any continuing material Governmental Order. For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 3.11 shall not apply to Taxes, environmental matters or the Plans. All representations and warranties in relation to Taxes are set forth in Section 3.07 ; all representations and warranties in relation to environmental matters are set forth in Section 3.12 ; and all representations and warranties in relation to the Plans are set forth in Section 3.13 .
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Section 3.12 Environmental Matters . (a) Each Acquired Entity is, and since January 1, 2015 has been, in compliance with Environmental Laws in all material respects, possesses and is in material compliance with all Permits required under Environmental Laws for its operations, such Permits are valid and in full force and effect (including after taking into account any name changes of the Acquired Entities), there are no material Actions pending, or to the Seller’s Knowledge, threatened before any Governmental Authority that seek the revocation, cancellation, suspension or adverse modification of any such Permits, and, to the Seller’s Knowledge, there are no issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws or concerning Hazardous Materials, except as would not reasonably be expected to result in any liability under Environmental Law which is material to the Acquired Entities, taken as a whole; (b) there is no Action or Governmental Order pending or, to the Seller’s Knowledge, threatened by a third party against any Acquired Entity alleging a liability under any Environmental Laws, except as would not reasonably be expected to result in any liability under Environmental Law which is material to the Acquired Entities; (c) no Acquired Entity has identified Hazardous Materials contamination at or is remediating Hazardous Materials at any Owned Real Property or Leased Real Property pursuant to any Environmental Law, except as would not reasonably be expected to result in any liability under Environmental Law which is material to the Acquired Entities, taken as a whole; (d) no Acquired Entity has contractually assumed any liability of any other Person (other than an Acquired Entity) arising out of or pursuant to Environmental Laws and Permits that would reasonably be expected to result in material liability to the Acquired Entities, taken as a whole or is subject to any unresolved consent decrees, administrative or judicial orders, judgments or settlement agreements, in either case, that would reasonably be expected to result in any liability under Environmental Law which is material to the Acquired Entities, taken as a whole; (e) there have been no Releases of Hazardous Materials at any of the Real Property that would reasonably be expected to result in a material Environmental Claim against the Seller or any Acquired Entity; (f) none of the Seller or any Acquired Entity has received written notice that it has been identified as a potentially responsible party in respect of any real property to which Hazardous Materials generated or transported by any Acquired Entity were sent for treatment or disposal; and (g) there are no material Environmental Claims or unresolved written notices of material violations (including any investigatory, corrective or remedial obligation) pending, or to the Seller’s Knowledge threatened, against any Acquired Entity. The Seller has made available to the Purchaser all material environmental assessments, reports, data, results of investigations or audits created within the past three years that are in the Acquired Entities’ possession or control regarding environmental matters pertaining to the Acquired Entities and the Real Property.
Section 3.13 Employee Benefit Plans .
(a) Section 3.13(a) of the Seller Disclosure Letter lists a correct and complete list of all material Plans. For purposes of this Agreement, “Plan” means (i) any “employee benefit plan” within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA and (ii) any severance, salary continuation, separation, change in control, retention, consulting, employment, vacation, welfare, incentive, bonus, stock option, stock purchase, pension, equity or equity-based, deferred compensation, sick leave, fringe benefit, retirement, profit sharing, thrift, savings, compensation, flexible spending account, group insurance, or restricted stock plan, program, arrangement, agreement or policy, in each case, (A) sponsored or maintained by any of the Acquired Entities, (B) with respect to which any of the Acquired Entities contributes or is required to contribute, (C) to which any Acquired Entity is a party or (D) with respect to which any of the Acquired Entities has any liability (including on account of an ERISA Affiliate).
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(b) Except as set forth in Section 3.13(b) of the Seller Disclosure Letter, all Plans are in material compliance with ERISA, the Code, and other applicable Laws and have been administered and maintained in all material respects in accordance with their terms and such Laws. Each Plan which is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination or opinion letter from the Internal Revenue Service and, to the Seller’s Knowledge, there are no facts or circumstances reasonably likely to result in (i) revocation of any such favorable determination or opinion letter, or (ii) loss of such qualification under Section 401(a) of the Code. There are no material Actions (other than routine claims for benefits) pending or, to the Seller’s Knowledge, threatened with respect to any Plans. There is no audit, inquiry or examination pending or, to the Seller’s Knowledge, threatened by any Governmental Authority with respect to any Plans. No Plan is, and none of the Acquired Entities nor any ERISA Affiliate has any liability with respect to, (i) an “employee pension benefit plan” (within the meaning of Section 3(2) of ERISA) that is subject to Title IV of ERISA, Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code, (ii) a “multiemployer plan” (within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA), (iii) a “multiple employer plan” subject to Sections 4063 or 4064 of ERISA or (iv) a “multiple employer welfare arrangement” (within the meaning of Section 3(40) of ERISA). No Plan provides or has an obligation to provide (i) any retiree medical, disability, life insurance or other material welfare benefits to any current or former employee, officer or director of any Acquired Entity after such individual terminates employment other than continuation coverage required to be provided under Section 4980B of the Code, Part 6 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA or other applicable Law for which the covered individual pays the full cost of coverage, or (ii) welfare benefits to any individual who is not a current or former employee of an Acquired Entity (or a dependent thereof).
(c) With respect to each Plan, the Seller has provided or made available to the Purchaser a current, accurate and complete copy thereof and, to the extent applicable: (i) all plan documents (or with respect to any unwritten Plan, a written summary thereof), any related trust agreement, insurance policy or other funding instrument and all amendments thereto; (ii) the most recent determination or opinion letter from the Internal Revenue Service with respect to any Plan intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code; (iii) the most recent summary plan description and all summaries of material modifications thereto; (iv) all correspondence received from or provided to the Department of Labor, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, the Internal Revenue Service or any other Governmental Authority during the past three years; and (v) for the two most recent years (A) the Form 5500 and attached schedules, (B) the audited financial statements, and (C) actuarial valuation reports.
(d) No fiduciary (within the meaning of Section 3(21) of ERISA) of any Plan subject to Part 4 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA has committed a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to that Plan that could subject an Acquired Entity or an employee of an Acquired Entity to any material liability (including liability on account of an indemnification obligation). No Acquired Entity has incurred any excise Taxes under Chapter 43 of the Code with respect to any Plan and nothing has occurred with respect to any Plan that could reasonably be expected to subject any Acquired Entity to any such Taxes, in either case, except as would not result in material liability to any Acquired Entity.
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(e) All contributions, premiums, fees and administrative expenses required to be paid in full under or in connection with the Plans on or before the Closing Date, have been timely paid in full or properly accrued in accordance with GAAP as of the Closing Date, except as would not result in material liability to the Acquired Entities, taken as a whole.
(f) No Plan subject to Section 409A of the Code has failed, in form or operation, to meet the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, except where such failure would not reasonably be expected to result in material liability to the Acquired Entities, taken as a whole.
(g) Except as set forth on Section 3.13(g) of the Seller Disclosure Letter, neither the execution of this Agreement nor the consummation of the Transactions (whether alone or in connection with any subsequent event(s)), could result in (i) any payment becoming due or any increase in compensation (including severance pay upon any termination of employment) or any cancellation of Indebtedness with respect to any current or former employee, officer, director or consultant of any Acquired Entity or (ii) the acceleration of the time of payment or vesting or result in any payment or funding (through a grantor trust or otherwise) under, increase in the amount payable or result in any other obligation pursuant to, any of the Plans. Neither the execution of this Agreement nor the consummation of the Transactions (whether alone or in connection with any subsequent event(s)), could result in payments under any Plan or other arrangement currently in effect which would not be deductible under Section 280G of the Code. No Acquired Entity has any obligation to make a “gross-up” or similar payment in respect of any Taxes that may become payable under Sections 4999 and 409A of the Code.
(h) The Seller has properly classified for all purposes (including for Tax purposes and for purposes of determining eligibility to participate in any Plan) persons who have performed services for or on behalf of any Acquired Entity, except where such improper classification would not reasonably be expected to result in material liability to the Acquired Entities, taken as a whole.
(i) Since the date of the last Balance Sheet Date, other than in the Ordinary Course of Business, no Acquired Entity has formally adopted or authorized any additional Plan or any material change in or termination of any existing Plan.
Section 3.14 Compliance with Applicable Law . The Acquired Entities, hold, as of the date hereof, all material Permits of and from all, and have made all material declarations and filings with, Governmental Authorities necessary for the lawful conduct of the Business as presently conducted. As of the date of this Agreement, the Business is operated in material compliance with, and, to the Seller’s Knowledge, each of the officers, directors and key employees of such Persons, in the course of their conduct of the Business, are in compliance and, have complied, in all material respects, with all applicable Laws of all applicable Governmental Authorities, including the Jones Act, as applicable. To the Seller’s Knowledge, any joint venture to which any Acquired Entity is a party is operated in compliance with all applicable Laws of all applicable Governmental Authorities, except where such non-compliance would not reasonably be expected to result in material liability to the Acquired Entities, taken as a whole. There is no Action, to the Seller’s Knowledge, threatened by any Governmental Authority with respect to any alleged material violation by any Acquired Entity or, in the course of their conduct of the Business, officer, director or key employee, of any Laws or order of any Governmental Authority.
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Section 3.15 Labor Matters .
(a) There are no material Actions pending or, to the Seller’s Knowledge, threatened between any Acquired Entity and any of their present or former employees.
(b) Except as set forth in Section 3.15(b) of the Seller Disclosure Letter, none of the Acquired Entities is a party to or bound by any collective bargaining agreements, works councils or other labor union contracts. To the Seller’s Knowledge, there is no labor union organizing or election activity pending or threatened with respect to the employees of any Acquired Entity. No Acquired Entity has suffered or sustained any labor strike, slowdown or work stoppage in the past three years and, to the Seller’s Knowledge, no labor strike, slowdown or work stoppage is threatened by the employees of the Acquired Entities. No Acquired Entity has engaged in any plant closing or employee layoff activities since the last Balance Sheet Date that would violate the Worker Adjustment Retraining and Notification Act of 1988, or any similar state or local plant closing or mass layoff Law.
(c) The Acquired Entities have complied in all material respects with all applicable Laws related to the employment of their respective employees, including provisions related to payment of wages, hours of work, leaves of absence, equal opportunity, occupational health and safety, and workers’ compensation.
(d) To the Seller’s Knowledge, no officer, executive or management-level employee of any Acquired Entity is party to any confidentiality, non competition, non solicitation, proprietary rights or other such agreement that would materially restrict the performance of such Person’s current employment duties with any Acquired Entity.
(e) Except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a material liability to the Acquired Entities, taken as a whole, the Acquired Entities have complied with all material information reporting and backup withholding requirements, including the maintenance of required records with respect thereto, in connection with amounts paid to any employee or independent contractor.
(f) The consummation of the Combination did not (i) entitle any current or former employee, director or independent contractor to severance pay, unemployment compensation or any other payment in any material amount, except for such amounts included in Indebtedness or as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, or (ii) accelerate the time of payment or vesting or increase the amount of compensation due to any current or former employee, director or independent contractor.
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(g) Except as set forth in Section 3.15(g) of the Seller Disclosure Letter, the sale and transfer of the Membership Interests by the Seller to the Purchaser will not (i) entitle any current or former employee, director or independent contractor to severance pay, unemployment compensation or any other payment in any material amount, except for such amounts included as Indebtedness or as a Seller Transaction Expense or as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or (ii) increase the amount of compensation due to any current or former employee, director or independent contractor.
Section 3.16 Brokers . Except as set forth in Section 3.16 of the Seller Disclosure Letter, no broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage fees, commissions, finders’ fees or financial advisor fees in connection with the Transactions by reason of any action taken by the Seller, the Company or any of its Representatives for which any Acquired Entity or the Purchaser would become liable after the Closing.
Section 3.17 Government Contracts .
(a) (i) All of the Government Contracts are, to the Seller’s Knowledge, binding on the parties thereto, and are in full force and effect; (ii) to the Seller’s Knowledge, the Government Contracts are not currently the subject of bid or award protest proceedings before the U.S. Government Accountability Office or Court of Federal Claims; and (iii) no Person has notified any Acquired Entity in writing that any Governmental Authority intends to seek agreement from an Acquired Entity to lower rates under any of the Government Contracts or Government Bids.
(b) To the Seller’s Knowledge: (i) the Acquired Entities have, in the past two years, complied, in all material respects, with all terms and conditions of the Government Contracts to which they are parties and have performed all material obligations required to be performed by them thereunder; (ii) the Acquired Entities have, in the past two years, complied, in all material respects, with all statutory and regulatory requirements applicable to the Government Contracts; (iii) the representations, certifications and warranties made by the Acquired Entities with respect to the Government Contracts were accurate in all material respects as of their respective effective dates, (iv) no terminations for default, cure notices, show cause notices or other similar notices, either written or orally, have been issued and remain unresolved with respect to the Government Contracts, and no events, conditions or omissions have occurred in the past two years or currently exist that constitute sufficient grounds for such action; (v) no past performance evaluations disclosed to the Acquired Entities in the past two years with respect to the Government Contracts have set forth a default or other material failure to perform thereunder; (vi) no money due to an Acquired Entity pertaining to any Government Contracts has been withheld or set-off in the past two years, nor have there been any attempts by Governmental Authorities in the past two years to withhold or set-off any money due under Government Contracts; and (vii) all certified claims submitted by the Acquired Entities in the past two years under the Government Contracts were accurate in all material respects as of their respective submission dates.
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(c) None of the Acquired Entities has, in the past two years been, or is currently, suspended, debarred or proposed for suspension or debarment from bidding on any Government Contract, declared ineligible, or otherwise excluded from participation in the award of any Government Contract or for any reason been listed on the List of Parties Excluded from Federal Procurement and Nonprocurement Programs. No suspension, debarment or exclusion proceeding actions with respect to Government Contracts have been commenced or, to the Seller’s Knowledge, threatened (whether orally or in writing) against any of the Acquired Entities. To the Seller’s Knowledge, no negative determination of responsibility has been issued against any of the Acquired Entities with respect to any outstanding Government Bid.
Section 3.18 Relationships with Related Persons . Except as set forth in Section 3.18 of the Seller Disclosure Letter or with respect to the Plans, to the Seller’s Knowledge, none of the Seller’s Affiliates (other than the Acquired Entities), nor any of its Affiliates’ general partners, managers, employees, officers or directors or any immediate family member of such officer, general partners, managers, employee or director is a party to any Contract or arrangement with an Acquired Entity other than compensation and benefits as an employee or officer payable in the Ordinary Course of Business. Except as set forth in Section 3.18 of the Seller Disclosure Letter, no Acquired Entity has loaned any amounts that remain outstanding to any Affiliate, shareholder, employee, member, manager, officer or director of any Acquired Entity, other than in the Ordinary Course of Business or intercompany loans between Acquired Entities or loans that will be repaid prior to the Closing, and no Acquired Entity has borrowed funds from any of the foregoing that will remain outstanding following the Closing, other than intercompany loans between Acquired Entities or any Indebtedness. Except as set forth on Section 3.18 of the Seller Disclosure Letter, no Affiliate, officer or director of an Acquired Entity (other than another Acquired Entity or a joint venture of an Acquired Entity) (a) has any direct financial interest in any material property right, tangible or intangible, which is used by an Acquired Entity in the conduct of the Business, or (b) is, to the Seller’s Knowledge, a director, officer or management-level employee of any Person which is a material supplier, customer, lessor or lessee of any Acquired Entity, in each case, other than transactions entered into and relationships maintained on an arms-length basis with other Persons owned or controlled by the private equity sponsor of the Seller. Ownership of securities of a company whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act, of five percent or less of any class of such securities shall not be deemed to be a financial interest for purposes of this Section 3.18 .
Section 3.19 Absence of Certain Payments . As of the date of this Agreement, to the Seller’s Knowledge, no employee of an Acquired Entity has, and no agent or representative instructed by an Acquired Entity to act on behalf of an Acquired Entity has, in violation of Law (a) used any corporate funds for any contribution, gift, entertainment or other expense relating to political activity; (b) made any direct or indirect payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (c) violated any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or (d) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other payment.
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Section 3.20 Material Customers and Suppliers . Section 3.20 of the Seller Disclosure Letter sets forth a true and complete list of (a) the 20 largest customers of the Acquired Entities on a consolidated basis (based on dollar volume of sales to such customers) (each, a “ Material Customer ”) and (b) the 20 largest suppliers of the Acquired Entities on a consolidated basis (based on dollar volume of purchases from such suppliers) (each, a “ Material Supplier ”), in each case, for the 2017 calendar year and for the period of January 1, 2018 to the Balance Sheet Date. To the Seller’s Knowledge, there exists no condition or event that, after notice or passage of time or both, would constitute a default by any party to any Contract with a Material Customer or Material Supplier. Since December 31, 2017, no Material Customer or Material Supplier has notified any Acquired Entity in writing that it intends to discontinue or materially and adversely change its relationship with any Acquired Entity other than by fluctuations in purchase order volume that occur in the Ordinary Course of Business.
Section 3.21 Company Information . None of the information supplied or to be supplied by the Seller or the Company or any of their respective Affiliates relating to the Seller or any Acquired Entity or any of their respective equityholders, members, control Persons and Representatives expressly for inclusion in the filings with the SEC contemplated by this Agreement, mailings to the Purchaser’s stockholders with respect to the Offer, or the redemption of the Purchaser Common Stock, any supplements thereto and/or in any other document filed with any Governmental Authority in connection herewith (including the Offer Documents), will, at the date of filing or mailing, as the case may be, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading (subject to the qualifications and limitations set forth in the materials provided by the Company or that are included in such filings and/or mailings). No representation or warranty is made by the Seller, any Acquired Entity or any of their respective Affiliates or Representatives with respect to statements made or incorporated by reference therein based on information supplied or to be supplied by, or on behalf of, the Purchaser or any of its Affiliates or Representatives or any other Person.
Section 3.22 U.S. Citizenship . As of the date of this Agreement and as of immediately prior to the Closing, the Company and, except as set forth on Section 3.22 of the Seller Disclosure Letter, each other Acquired Entity, is a U.S. Citizen. As of the date of this Agreement the Seller is, and following the Closing will continue to be, a U.S. Citizen.
Section 3.23 Accredited Investor . The Seller and each equityholder of the Seller to whom shares of Purchase Price Common Stock are distributable are “accredited investors,” as such term is defined in Regulation D of the Securities Act and will acquire its portion of the shares of Purchase Price Common Stock for their own accounts and not with a view to a sale or distribution thereof in violation of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, any state “blue sky” Laws or any other securities Laws.
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Section 3.24 NO OTHER REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES . THE SELLER, ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND ITS AFFILIATES AND REPRESENTATIVES ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THE REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES MADE BY THE PURCHASER IN ARTICLE IV ARE THE EXCLUSIVE REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES MADE BY THE PURCHASER. EXCEPT FOR THE REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES SET FORTH IN ARTICLE IV , THE SELLER, ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND ITS AFFILIATES AND REPRESENTATIVES HEREBY DISCLAIMS ANY OTHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES NOT EXPRESSLY INCLUDED IN THIS AGREEMENT WHETHER OR NOT MADE, COMMUNICATED OR FURNISHED (ORALLY OR IN WRITING) TO THE SELLER, ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND ITS AFFILIATES AND REPRESENTATIVES OR ANY OTHER PERSON, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY REGARDING ANY PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION, FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS OR OTHER FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS PROVIDED BY OR ON BEHALF OF THE PURCHASER, WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR ANY IMPLIED OR STATUTORY WARRANTY WHATSOEVER WITH RESPECT TO THE PURCHASER AND ANY OF ITS ASSETS OR PROPERTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY REAL OR PERSONAL PROPERTY OR ANY FIXTURES. NEITHER THE SELLER NOR ANY OTHER PERSON ACTING ON ITS BEHALF HAS RELIED ON ANY INFORMATION OR ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY NOT SET FORTH IN THIS ARTICLE IV OR IN ANY OTHER AGREEMENT ENTERED INTO IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSACTIONS THAT CONTAINS A REPRESENTATION AND WARRANTY MADE BY THE PURCHASER.
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE PURCHASER
Except as set forth in the Purchaser Disclosure Letter (it being understood that any information set forth in one section or subsection of the Purchaser Disclosure Letter shall be deemed to apply to and qualify the section or subsection of this Agreement to which it corresponds in number, and each other section or subsection of this Agreement to the extent that it is reasonably apparent on its face that such information is relevant to such other section or subsection of this Agreement), the Purchaser represents and warrants to the Seller as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date (except for representations and warranties that are made as of a specific date, which are made only as of such date) as follows:
Section 4.01 Organization and Qualification .
(a) The Purchaser is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
(b) The Purchaser is not in default under or in violation of any material provision of its Organizational Documents.
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Section 4.02 Authority . The Purchaser has the requisite power and authority to execute, deliver and enter into this Agreement, and the Ancillary Agreements to which it is or will become a party, and, subject to obtaining the Purchaser Stockholder Approval, to consummate the Transactions. Assuming all shares of Purchaser Common Stock issued and outstanding as of the date of this Agreement are present at the Special Meeting, including the 6,416,250 shares of the Purchaser Common Stock required to vote in favor of this Agreement pursuant to the Founder Voting Agreement and the Founder Letter Agreement, no more than 9,624,376 additional shares of the Purchaser Common Stock are required to be voted in favor of this Agreement to obtain the Purchaser Stockholder Approval. The execution and delivery by the Purchaser of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements to which it is or will become a party have been duly authorized by all necessary action. The Purchaser has provided to the Seller accurate and complete copies of the Purchaser Governing Documents as currently in effect, including all amendments thereto. The Purchaser has duly executed and delivered this Agreement, and this Agreement constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as such enforcement may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws of general application relating to creditors’ rights generally or by principles of equity.
Section 4.03 No Conflict .
(a) The execution and delivery by the Purchaser of this Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements to which it is or will become a party do not, and the performance of this Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements to which it is or will become a party and the consummation of the Transactions by the Purchaser will not, (i) subject to obtaining the Purchaser Stockholder Approval and completing the Offer, conflict with or violate the Purchaser Governing Documents, or (ii) subject to obtaining all consents, approvals, authorizations and other actions described in Section 4.03(b) below, conflict with or violate any Law applicable to the Purchaser or by which any property or asset of either of them is bound or affected, or result in any breach of, or constitute a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become a default) under, require any consents under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any note, bond, mortgage or indenture, Contract, agreement, lease, sublease, license, permit, franchise or other instrument or arrangement to which the Purchaser is a party, or by which the Purchaser or any of its property or assets are bound or affected.
(b) The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Purchaser do not, and the performance of this Agreement by the Purchaser will not, require any material Regulatory Approval except for compliance with, filings under, and approvals of Governmental Authorities relating to, the requirements of the HSR Act, the Federal Securities Laws and/or any U.S. state securities or “blue sky” Laws, the rules and regulations of the NYSE and where the failure to obtain a Regulatory Approval would not (i) result in a material liability on, or impose an injunction that is materially adverse to, the Purchaser (or, after the Closing, the Acquired Entities, taken as a whole) or (ii) prevent or delay beyond the Termination Date the consummation of the Transactions.
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Section 4.04 Capitalization . As of the date of this Agreement, (a) the authorized capital stock of the Purchaser consists of (i) 200,000,000 shares of the Purchaser Common Stock, par value $0.0001 (of which 32,081,250 shares are issued and outstanding, including the Sponsor Forfeited Shares, and all of which are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable) and (ii) 1,000,000 shares of blank check preferred stock, par value $0.0001 (of which none are issued or outstanding), and (b) 28,848,750 shares of the Purchaser Common Stock are issuable in respect of Public Warrants and Sponsor Warrants. As of immediately following the Closing, (a) the authorized capital stock of the Purchaser will consist of (i) 200,000,000 shares of the Purchaser Common Stock, par value $0.0001 (of which no Sponsor Forfeited Shares shall be outstanding) and (ii) 5,000,000 shares of blank check preferred stock, par value $0.0001, of which up to 1,300,000, pursuant to the terms hereof, shall be designated Preferred Shares, (b) 19,248,750 shares of Purchaser Common Stock are issuable in respect of Public Warrants and (c) no Sponsor Warrants will be outstanding. No shares of the Purchaser Common Stock are held in the treasury of the Purchaser. Except for the Offer and the Transactions and except for the Sponsor Warrants and the Public Warrants noted above, there are no options, warrants or other rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments of any character relating to the issued or unissued capital stock of the Purchaser or obligating the Purchaser to issue or sell any shares of capital stock of, or other equity interests in, the Purchaser. All shares of Purchaser Common Stock subject to issuance, upon issuance on the terms and conditions specified in the instruments pursuant to which they are issuable, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. The shares of Purchase Price Common Stock (including any shares of Purchaser Common Stock that may be issued as consideration for the Potential Acquisition Earnout Amount) and Preferred Shares to be issued pursuant to the Transactions have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued to the Sellers and the subscribers under the Investor Agreements pursuant to this Agreement and the Investor Agreements, as applicable, shall be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. There are no outstanding contractual obligations of the Purchaser to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of the Purchaser Common Stock (except for the Offer and as disclosed in the Purchaser SEC Reports). There are no outstanding contractual obligations of the Purchaser to provide funds to, or make any investment (in the form of a loan, capital contribution or otherwise) in, any Person. To the Purchaser’s Knowledge, except for the Founder Voting Agreement and as set forth the Purchaser Disclosure Letter, there are no outstanding proxies, voting agreements or other agreements or arrangements relating to any equity securities of the Purchaser. There are no outstanding securities of the Purchaser having the right to vote on any matters on which the holders of equity securities of the Purchaser may vote or which are convertible into or exchangeable for, at any time, equity securities of the Purchaser.
Section 4.05 Litigation . Since the inception of Purchaser, there has not been any Action pending, and as of the date of this Agreement, there is no Action pending or, to the Purchaser’s Knowledge, threatened against the Purchaser, any Subsidiary of the Purchaser, or any property or asset of the Purchaser that (a) if adversely determined, individually, or in the aggregate, would have a Purchaser MAE, or (b) would reasonably be expected to affect the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements to which the Purchaser is or will become a party. Neither the Purchaser nor any Subsidiary of the Purchaser nor any property or asset of the Purchaser or any Subsidiary of the Purchaser is subject to any continuing Governmental Order that would have a Purchaser MAE.
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Section 4.06 SEC Filings and Financial Statements .
(a) The Purchaser has timely filed all forms, reports and documents required to be filed by it with the SEC since June 22, 2017, together with any amendments, restatements or supplements thereto. The Purchaser has provided to the Seller, in the form filed with the SEC, except to the extent available in full without redaction on the SEC’s EDGAR website, (i) its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2018 and (ii) the Prospectus, all registration statements and other forms, reports and documents filed by the Purchaser with the SEC since its inception (the forms, reports and other documents referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above being collectively, the “ Purchaser SEC Reports ”). The Purchaser SEC Reports were, and the Additional Purchaser SEC Reports will be, prepared in all material respects in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and the rules and regulations thereunder. The Purchaser SEC Reports did not, and the Additional Purchaser SEC Reports will not, at the time they were or are filed, as the case may be, with the SEC (except to the extent that information contained (i) in any Purchaser SEC Report or (ii) in any Additional Purchaser SEC Report is superseded by a later timely filed Additional Purchaser SEC Report) has been superseded by a later timely filed the Purchaser SEC Report) contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(b) Each of the financial statements (including, in each case, any notes thereto) contained in the Purchaser SEC Reports was prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods indicated (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto or, in the case of unaudited statements, as permitted by Form 10-Q of the SEC) and each fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Purchaser as at the respective dates thereof and for the respective periods indicated therein.
(c) Except as and to the extent set forth on the balance sheet of the Purchaser as at March 31, 2018, including the notes thereto (the “ Purchaser Balance Sheet ”), the Purchaser has no liability or obligation of any nature (whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise), except for: (i) liabilities and obligations incurred since the date of the Purchaser Balance Sheet in the Ordinary Course of Business which are not, individually or in the aggregate, material to the Purchaser; (ii) liabilities and obligations incurred in connection with the Transactions; and (iii) liabilities and obligations which are not, individually or in the aggregate, material to the Purchaser.
(d) The Purchaser has heretofore furnished to the Seller complete and correct copies of all amendments and modifications that have not been filed by the Purchaser with the SEC to all agreements, documents and other instruments that previously had been filed by the Purchaser with the SEC and are currently in effect.
(e) All comment letters received by the Purchaser from the SEC or the staff thereof since its inception and all responses to such comment letters filed by or on behalf of the Purchaser are publicly available on the SEC’s EDGAR website or otherwise have been made available to the Seller.
(f) To the Purchaser’s Knowledge, since June 22, 2017, each director and executive officer of the Purchaser has filed with the SEC on a timely basis all statements required by Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
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(g) Since June 22, 2017, the Purchaser has timely filed and made available to the Company all certifications and statements required by (x) Rule 13a-14 or Rule 15d-14 under the Exchange Act or (y) 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 (Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002) with respect to any Purchaser SEC Report. Each such certification is true and correct. The Purchaser maintains disclosure controls and procedures required by Rule 13a-15 or Rule 15d-15 under the Exchange Act; such controls and procedures are reasonably designed to ensure that all material information concerning the Purchaser is made known on a timely basis to the individuals responsible for the preparation of the Purchaser SEC Reports and other public disclosure documents. Section 4.06(g) of the Purchaser Disclosure Letter lists, and the Purchaser has made available to the Seller, complete and correct copies of, all written descriptions of, and all policies, manuals and other documents promulgating, such disclosure controls and procedures. As used in this Section 4.06 , the term “file” shall be broadly construed to include any manner in which a document or information is furnished, supplied or otherwise made available to the SEC.
(h) The Purchaser maintains and will continue to maintain a standard system of accounting established and administered in accordance with GAAP. The Purchaser has designed and maintains a system of internal controls over financial reporting, as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act, sufficient to provide reasonable assurances regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP. The Purchaser maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Section 4.06(h) of the Purchaser Disclosure Letter lists, and the Purchaser has provided to the Company complete and correct copies of, all written descriptions of, and all policies, manuals and other documents promulgating, such internal accounting controls.
(i) All non-audit services were approved by the audit committee of the board of directors and committees of the Purchaser. The Purchaser has no off-balance sheet arrangements.
(j) Neither the Purchaser nor, to the Purchaser’s Knowledge, any of its Representatives has received or otherwise had or obtained knowledge of any complaint, allegation, assertion or claim, whether written or oral, regarding the accounting or auditing practices, procedures, methodologies or methods of the Purchaser or their respective internal accounting controls, including any complaint, allegation, assertion or claim that the Purchaser has engaged in questionable accounting or auditing practices. No attorney representing the Purchaser, whether or not employed by the Purchaser, has reported evidence of a material violation of securities laws, breach of fiduciary duty or similar violation by the Purchaser or any of its officers, directors, employees or agents to the board of directors of the Purchaser (or any committee thereof) or to any director or officer of the Purchaser. Since the Purchaser’s inception, there have been no internal investigations regarding accounting or revenue recognition discussed with, reviewed by or initiated at the direction of the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, general counsel, the board of directors of the Purchaser or any committee thereof.
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(k) To the Purchaser’s Knowledge, no employee of the Purchaser has provided or is providing information to any law enforcement agency regarding the commission or possible commission of any crime or the violation or possible violation of any applicable Law. Neither the Purchaser nor any officer, employee, contractor, subcontractor or agent of the Purchaser has discharged, demoted, suspended, threatened, harassed or in any other manner discriminated against an employee of the Purchaser in the terms and conditions of employment because of any act of such employee described in 18 U.S.C. § 1514A(a).
(l) All accounts payable of the Purchaser reflected on the Purchaser Balance Sheet or arising thereafter are the result of bona fide transactions in the Ordinary Course of Business. Since the date of the Purchaser Balance Sheet, the Purchaser has not altered in any material respects its practices for the payment of such accounts payable, including the timing of such payment.
Section 4.07 Purchaser Trust Amount . As of the date of this Agreement, the Purchaser Trust Amount is approximately $261.28 million.
Section 4.08 No Additional Representations; Independent Assessment .
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement, the Purchaser acknowledges that neither the Seller nor any of its Affiliates makes, will make or has made to the Purchaser any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the prospects of the Acquired Entities or their profitability, or with respect to any forecasts, projections or business plans made available to the Purchaser in connection with the Purchaser’s review of the Acquired Entities.
(b) The Purchaser confirms that the Seller has made available to the Purchaser the opportunity to ask questions of the officers and management of the Acquired Entities, to access all materials, documents and other information that it deems necessary or advisable to evaluate the Membership Interests, the Business, the Acquired Entities and the Transactions and each Agreement and Ancillary Agreement to which it is a party and to acquire additional information about the Business and the assets and financial condition of the Acquired Entities.
(c) The Purchaser has made its own independent examination, investigation, analysis and any other relevant evaluation of the Membership Interests, the Business and the Acquired Entities, including its own estimate of the value of the Membership Interests and has undertaken such due diligence, including a review of the assets, properties, liabilities, books, records and Contracts of the Acquired Entities, as it deems adequate.
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Section 4.09 Investment Intent . The Purchaser is acquiring the Membership Interests for investment purposes only and not with a view toward, or for sale in connection with, any distribution of such shares in violation of Laws. The Purchaser agrees that it does not intend to sell, transfer, offer for sale, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise dispose of any equity securities of the Company in violation of any Laws. The Purchaser is an “accredited investor” (as defined under Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act).
Section 4.10 Brokers and Purchaser Transaction Expenses . Except as disclosed in Section 4.10 of the Purchaser Disclosure Letter, no broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage fees, commissions, finders’ fees or financial advisory fees in connection with the Transactions by reason of any action taken by or on behalf of the Purchaser. From and after the Closing and upon payment of the Purchaser Transaction Expenses set forth on the Closing Statement, neither the Seller nor the Purchaser nor any of the Purchaser’s Subsidiaries (including the Acquired Entities) shall have any liabilities with respect to any Purchaser Transaction Expenses.
Section 4.11 No Operations; Absence of Changes . Since its inception, the Purchaser (a) has not engaged in any business or operations other than in connection with or related to the Transactions, (b) has not experienced a Purchaser MAE and (c) has conducted its business only in the Ordinary Course of Business. The Purchaser has no Subsidiaries.
Section 4.12 Transactions with Affiliates . Except as set forth in Section 4.12 of the Purchaser Disclosure Letter or as disclosed in the Purchaser SEC Reports (or filed as exhibits thereto), in each case to the Purchaser’s Knowledge, none of the Purchaser’s Affiliates, nor any of such Affiliates’ general partners, managers, employees, officers or directors or any immediate family member of such officer, general partners, managers, employee or director (a) is a party to any Contract or arrangement with the Purchaser other than compensation and benefits as an employee or officer payable in the Ordinary Course of Business, (b) has any direct financial interest in any property used by the Purchaser, or (c) is a director, officer or management-level employee of, any Person (other than the Purchaser) which is a material supplier, customer, lessor or lessee of the Purchaser. Ownership of securities of a company whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act, of five percent or less of any class of such securities shall not be deemed to be a financial interest for purposes of this Section 4.12 .
Section 4.13 Solvency . The Purchaser is not entering into this Agreement with the intent to hinder, delay or defraud either present or future creditors of any of the Acquired Entities.
Section 4.14 Purchaser Information . None of the information supplied or to be supplied by the Purchaser or any of its Affiliates expressly for inclusion in the Purchaser SEC Reports or any Additional Purchaser SEC Reports, mailings to the Purchaser’s stockholders with respect to the Offer or the other Transactions, any supplements thereto or in any other document filed with any Governmental Authority in connection herewith (including the Offer Documents), will, at the date of filing or mailing, as the case may be, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading (subject to the qualifications and limitations set forth in the materials provided by the Purchaser or that is included in the applicable filings). No representation or warranty is made by the Purchaser with respect to statements made or incorporated by reference therein based on information supplied or to be supplied by, the Seller, any Acquired Entity or any of their respective Affiliates.
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Section 4.15 U.S. Citizenship . The Purchaser is, and following the Closing will continue to be, a U.S. Citizen.
Section 4.16 Investor Agreements . The Purchaser has delivered to the Seller true and complete copies of the Investor Agreements as in effect as of the date of this Agreement. As of the date of this Agreement, each Investor Agreement is in full force and effect and is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Purchaser, and to the Purchaser’s Knowledge, the other parties thereto, except as such enforcement may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws of general application relating to creditors’ rights generally or by principles of equity. Except as set forth in the Investor Agreements, there are no (a) conditions precedent to the respective obligations of the subscribers therein specified in the Investor Agreements to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Investor Agreements or (b) contractual contingencies under any agreements, side letters or arrangements relating to the Common Offering or Preferred Offering to which the Purchaser or any of its Affiliates is a party that would (i) permit the subscribers specified in the Investor Agreements to reduce the total amount of Preferred Shares or Purchaser Common Stock, as applicable, to be acquired by such Person, (ii) that would require the Purchaser or any Acquired Entity to incur any additional liability or obligation in respect of the Common Offering or the Preferred Offering or (iii) materially and adversely affect the ability to consummate the Common Offering and the Preferred Offering or change any other material terms.
Section 4.17 NO OTHER REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES . THE PURCHASER, ON BEHALF OF ITSELF, THE SPONSOR AND ITS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES AND REPRESENTATIVES ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THE REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES MADE BY THE SELLER IN ARTICLE III ARE THE EXCLUSIVE REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES MADE BY THE SELLER. EXCEPT FOR THE REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES SET FORTH IN ARTICLE III, THE PURCHASER, ON BEHALF OF ITSELF, THE SPONSOR AND ITS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES AND REPRESENTATIVES, HEREBY DISCLAIMS ANY OTHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES NOT EXPRESSLY INCLUDED IN THIS AGREEMENT WHETHER OR NOT MADE, COMMUNICATED OR FURNISHED (ORALLY OR IN WRITING) TO THE PURCHASER OR THE SPONSOR OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES OR REPRESENTATIVES OR ANY OTHER PERSON, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY REGARDING ANY FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS OR OTHER FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS PROVIDED BY OR ON BEHALF OF THE SELLER OR THE ACQUIRED ENTITIES, WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR ANY IMPLIED OR STATUTORY WARRANTY WHATSOEVER WITH RESPECT TO ANY ACQUIRED ENTITY AND ANY OF THE ACQUIRED ENTITIES’ RESPECTIVE ASSETS OR PROPERTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY REAL OR PERSONAL PROPERTY OR ANY FIXTURES. NEITHER THE PURCHASER NOR ANY OTHER PERSON ACTING ON ITS BEHALF HAS RELIED ON ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY OF THE SELLER NOT SET FORTH IN ARTICLE III OR IN ANY OTHER AGREEMENT ENTERED INTO IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSACTIONS THAT CONTAINS REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES MADE BY THE SELLER.
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ARTICLE V
ACTIONS PRIOR TO THE CLOSING
The respective Parties covenant and agree to take the following actions:
Section 5.01 Investigation . Between the date hereof and the Closing, the officers, employees and authorized Representatives of the Purchaser (at the Purchaser’s sole cost and expense) shall have reasonable access during normal business hours upon providing written notice to the Seller no later than two Business Days prior to the date of such desired access, to the offices, properties, assets, premises, books and records of the Acquired Entities in order for the Purchaser to have the opportunity to make such investigation as it will reasonably desire in connection with the consummation of the Transactions; provided , however , that in exercising such access rights, the Purchaser and the Purchaser’s Representatives will not be permitted to interfere unreasonably with the Business, and no such investigation shall include performing invasive or subsurface investigations or sampling of properties or facilities of the Acquired Entities. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, no such access or examination may be permitted to the extent that it would require any Acquired Entity to disclose information subject to attorney-client privilege or attorney work-product privilege, conflict with any third-party confidentiality obligations to which any Acquired Entity is bound, or violate any applicable Law. The Purchaser will indemnify and hold harmless the Acquired Entities from and against any losses that are incurred by any of them to the extent arising out of or related to the bad faith or gross negligence of the Purchaser or the Purchaser’s Representatives in the use, storage or handling by the Purchaser or the Purchaser’s Representatives of (a) any personally identifiable information relating to employees or customers of any Acquired Entity and (b) any other information that is protected by applicable Law (including privacy Laws) or Contract and to which the Purchaser or the Purchaser’s Representatives are afforded access pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. To the extent necessary, the Seller shall instruct the Representatives of the Seller and each of the Acquired Entities to reasonably cooperate with the Purchaser and its Representatives in their investigation of the Acquired Entities.
Section 5.02 Disclosure Letter; Anti-Sandbagging . Prior to the Closing, each Party shall have the right to supplement, modify or update its respective Disclosure Letter with respect to any matter hereafter arising or of which such Party becomes aware after the date hereof (with respect to the Seller, the “ Updated Seller Disclosure Letter ”, and with respect to the Purchaser, the “ Updated Purchaser Disclosure Letter ”, and each, an “ Updated Disclosure Letter ”) and neither Party, nor any of its respective Affiliates, shall have any right to make a claim against the other Party with respect to any matter set forth in an Updated Disclosure Letter of such other Party; provided , however , that if such event, development or occurrence that is the subject of (a) the Updated Seller Disclosure Letter constitutes or relates to a matter that has had a Material Adverse Effect, then the Purchaser shall have the right to terminate this Agreement for failure to satisfy the closing condition set forth in Section 6.01(a) ; and (b) the Updated Purchaser Disclosure Letter constitutes or relates to a matter that has had a Purchaser MAE, then the Seller shall have the right to terminate this Agreement for failure to satisfy the closing condition set forth in Section 6.02(a) ; provided , further , that if any Party has the right to, but does not elect to, terminate this Agreement within ten days of its receipt of such Updated Disclosure Letter, then such Party shall be deemed to have irrevocably waived any right to terminate this Agreement with respect to such matter. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Party shall be entitled at any time to claim that any representation or warranty of the other Party has been breached, and neither Party nor any of its respect Affiliates shall be entitled to make a claim against the other Party on account of such breach if, on the date hereof, there exists to the Purchaser’s Knowledge or Seller’s Knowledge, as applicable, that such representation or warranty of the other Party has been breached.
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Section 5.03 Further Action . Subject to the terms and conditions herein provided, during the period from the date hereof through the Closing or the earlier valid termination of this Agreement in accordance with Article VII , each of the Parties shall execute and deliver such documents and take such further actions as may be reasonably necessary or desirable to carry out the provisions hereof and the Transactions; provided that such efforts will not require agreeing to any obligations or accommodations (financial or otherwise) binding on the Purchaser or an Acquired Entity in the event the Closing does not occur. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereof, each of the Parties shall use reasonable best efforts under the circumstances including by taking, or causing to be taken, all actions and to do, or cause to be done, all other things necessary, proper or advisable to consummate and make effective the Transactions. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, (a) the Parties shall cooperate in using their reasonable best efforts promptly (i) to effect all registrations and filings with, and to obtain all consents, amendments, permits or other actions from, any Person required to be made or obtained by the terms of this Agreement or otherwise necessary or desirable for the due and punctual consummation of the Transactions and (ii) to fulfill all conditions to the consummation of the Transactions, and (b) to the extent the stockholders of the Purchaser are required by applicable Federal Securities Laws to separately approve the provisions of Section 6.4, Section 8.1, Article VII or Article XI of the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, and the Parties believe that such approval is unlikely to be obtained, then the Parties will cooperate to revise the provisions of such as set forth in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C in order to obtain such stockholder approval.
Section 5.04 The Acquired Entities’ Operations Prior to the Closing .
(a) Between the date hereof and the Closing, except as (x) set forth in Section 5.04(a) of the Seller Disclosure Letter, (y) contemplated by this Agreement or (z) with the prior approval of the Purchaser, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed (and which approval shall be deemed to have been granted five Business Days after the date of receipt of the written request unless denied in writing), the Seller shall, and shall cause each Acquired Entity to, operate in the Ordinary Course of Business and the Seller shall not, and shall cause each Acquired Entity to not, take any of the following actions:
(i) amend the Organizational Documents of any of the Acquired Entities;
(ii) split, combine or reclassify the Membership Interests;
(iii) transfer, issue, sell or otherwise dispose of any equity securities, or grant any options, warrants or other rights to purchase or obtain (including upon conversion, exchange or exercise) equity securities;
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(iv) acquire any third party or its business (whether by merger, sale of stock, sale of assets or otherwise);
(v) make any loans, advances, or capital contributions to, or investments in, any other Person (other than among the Acquired Entities), except in the Ordinary Course of Business;
(vi) make a material change in any method of accounting or accounting practice of the Acquired Entities, except as required by GAAP or applicable Law or as disclosed in the notes to the Financial Statements;
(vii) sell, lease, license or otherwise dispose of any of the assets (whether by merger, sale of stock, sale of assets or otherwise) shown or reflected in the Financial Statements, except in the Ordinary Course of Business or except for any assets having an aggregate value of less than $500,000;
(viii) sell, assign, transfer, license, abandon, or otherwise dispose of any material Intellectual Property, except in the Ordinary Course of Business;
(ix) issue or incur any additional Indebtedness except for borrowings under the Company’s existing credit facilities or the assumption of Indebtedness in connection with an Interim Acquisition Transaction;
(x) amend or modify the Credit Agreement in a manner that would be materially adverse to the Acquired Entities, taken as a whole, other than any such amendment or modification made in connection with an Interim Acquisition Transaction, provided, in each case that such amendment or modification would not otherwise prevent or delay beyond the Termination Date consummation of the Transactions;
(xi) increase the compensation of any member of management of the Acquired Entities; other than (A) as provided for in any written agreements or the Plans, (B) increases in commercially reasonable amounts, (C) in the Ordinary Course of Business, or (D) as required by Law;
(xii) except as required by the terms of any Plan or applicable Law, adopt, materially amend or modify any Plan, the effect of which in the aggregate would increase the obligations of the Acquired Entities by more than 15% of their aggregate existing annual obligations to such plans;
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(xiii) hire or engage any new employee or consultant, if such new employee or consultant will receive an annual base salary in excess of $250,000;
(xiv) make or change any Tax election, change any annual Tax accounting period adopt or change any method of Tax accounting, file any amended Tax Return, enter into any closing agreement, settle any Tax claim or assessment, surrender any right to claim a Tax refund or consent to any extension or waiver of the limitation period applicable to any Tax claim or assessment, if any such action would have the effect of materially increasing the Tax liability of any Acquired Entity for any period (or portion thereof) ending after the Closing Date;
(xv) declare or pay any dividend or distribution on, or make any payment on account of, the purchase, redemption, defeasance, retirement or other acquisition of, any of its capital stock or common shares, as applicable, or make any other distribution in respect thereof, either directly or indirectly whether in cash or property (in each case, other than among the Acquired Entities or Tax allocation cash payment distributions made in the Ordinary Course of Business); or
(xvi) any agreement to do any of the foregoing, or any action or omission that would result in any of the foregoing.
Section 5.05 No Public Announcement; Confidentiality .
(a) No Party or any of their Affiliates shall, without the prior written consent of the other Party, make any press release or other public announcement concerning the Transactions except as may be required by applicable Law, in which case, the disclosing Party shall send notice to such effect, accompanied by the text of the proposed disclosure, to the other Party as far in advance as practicable, and shall reasonably consider any comments made by the other Party relating to the proposed disclosure.
(b) Other than press releases and public announcements undertaken in accordance with Section 5.05(a) , no Party shall make any statement to any third party with respect to this Agreement, the existence of this Agreement or the Transactions (including the Offer Documents) or, disclose to any third party any confidential information of the other Party (or in the case of the Purchaser, of the Acquired Entities or the Business) without the prior written consent of the other Party; provided , however , that (notwithstanding the limitations regarding such disclosures under the Confidentiality Agreement) this provision shall not apply to disclosures of publicly-available information or to disclosures by either Party to its respective legal and financial advisors (including those providing valuation analysis) or in connection with seeking any consent with respect to the Transactions, so long as the same are obligated to maintain the confidentiality of any nonpublic information so provided.
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Section 5.06 Regulatory Filings . Within ten Business Days after the date hereof, with respect to the Transactions, the Parties shall make, or cause to be made, the filings required (if any) of each of them or any of their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates under the HSR Act with respect to the Transactions. The Parties shall make, or cause to be made, as promptly as practicable, all filings necessary to obtain all Regulatory Approvals other than the HSR Approval. The Parties shall use their reasonable best efforts to: (a) respond to any requests for additional information made by any Governmental Authority; (b) provide the other party with a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on any filing, submission, response to an information request or other (verbal or written) communication to be submitted or made to any Governmental Authority and such receiving party shall consider any such received comments in good faith; (c) advise the other Party (and, where applicable, provide a copy) of any written or verbal communications that it receives from any Governmental Authority in respect of such filings (including in respect of any supplementary filings or submissions) and otherwise in connection with satisfying the Regulatory Approvals; (d) provide the other party with a reasonable opportunity to participate in any meetings with any Governmental Authority (subject to any opposition by a Governmental Authority to a particular party’s participation in such meeting) and participate in, or review, any material communication before it is made to any Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Party has the right to redact or otherwise exclude the other Party from receiving any confidential competitively sensitive information required to be shared under this Section 5.06 ; provided that such other Party’s external counsel shall be entitled to receive such confidential competitively sensitive information on an external counsel only basis. The Parties shall: (i) not agree to an extension of any waiting period or review being undertaken by a Governmental Authority without the other Party’s prior written consent; (ii) cause any applicable waiting periods to terminate or expire at the earliest possible date; and (iii) resist vigorously, at their respective cost and expense, any Governmental Order challenging the completion of the Transactions or any temporary or permanent injunction which could delay or prevent the Closing, all to the end of expediting consummation of the Transactions contemplated herein. Without limiting the generality of the Purchaser’s undertaking pursuant to this Section 5.06 , the Purchaser agrees to use its reasonable best efforts including by taking any and all steps necessary to avoid or eliminate each and every impediment under any antitrust, competition or trade regulation Law that may be asserted by any Governmental Authority or any other party so as to enable the Parties to close the Transactions as promptly as possible, including proposing, negotiating, committing to and effecting, by consent decree, order, hold separate orders, or otherwise, the sale, divestiture or disposition of any of its assets, properties or businesses or of the assets, properties or businesses to be acquired by it pursuant to this Agreement as are required to be divested in order to avoid the entry of, or to effect the dissolution of, any injunction, temporary restraining order or other Governmental Order in any suit or proceeding, which would otherwise have the effect of materially delaying or preventing the consummation of the Transactions. In addition, the Purchaser shall use its reasonable best efforts including by defending through litigation on the merits any claim asserted in any Governmental Authority by any party in order to avoid entry of, or to have vacated or terminated, any Governmental Order (whether temporary, preliminary or permanent) that would prevent the consummation of the Closing. The filing fee for the HSR Act and for any other Regulatory Approval for the consummation of the Transactions shall be paid 50% by the Purchaser and 50% by the Seller as a Purchaser Transaction Expense and Seller Transaction Expense.
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Section 5.07 Exclusivity . During the period from the date hereof through the Closing or the earlier valid termination of this Agreement in accordance with Article VII , neither Party shall take, nor permit any of its Affiliates or its or their respective Representatives to take, any action to initiate, respond to, encourage the submission of, solicit or engage in discussions or negotiations with, or provide any information to or enter into any agreement with, any Person (other than the Purchaser or the Seller, as applicable) concerning, in the case of the Purchaser, any alternative business combination transaction involving the Purchaser, including any purchase or sale of equity or assets of the Purchaser or any other Person or a merger, combination or recapitalization of the Purchaser or any Subsidiary thereof (each such transaction, a “ Purchaser Acquisition Transaction ”), and in the case of the Seller, any purchase of any equity securities of the Acquired Entities or any merger, combination, recapitalization, sale of substantial assets or similar transaction involving the Acquired Entities, to any other Person.
Section 5.08 Proxy Statement .
(a) As promptly as practicable after the date on which the Required Information has been made available to the Purchaser and its Representatives, the Purchaser shall file with the SEC a proxy statement relating to the Offer and the Transactions (as amended or supplemented from time to time, the “Proxy Statement”) and provide all of its stockholders with the opportunity to redeem, in the aggregate, up to 25,665,000 of their Public Shares, to be redeemed in conjunction with a stockholder vote on the Transactions, all in accordance with and as required by the applicable governing documents of the Purchaser (including the Prospectus and the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the Purchaser’s bylaws) (the “Purchaser Governing Documents”), applicable Law, and any applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and the NYSE.
(b) The Purchaser shall not terminate or withdraw the Offer other than in connection with the valid termination of this Agreement in accordance with Article VII . The Purchaser shall extend the Offer for any period required by any rule, Law, regulation, interpretation or position of the SEC, the NYSE or the respective staff thereof that is applicable to the Offer. Nothing in this Section 5.08(b) shall (i) impose any obligation on the Purchaser to extend the Offer beyond the Termination Date (as the same may be extended in accordance with Section 7.03(b) ), or (ii) be deemed to impair, limit or otherwise restrict in any manner the right of the Purchaser to terminate this Agreement in accordance with Article VII .
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(c) Without limitation, in the Proxy Statement, the Purchaser shall (i) seek (A) approval of this Agreement by the holders of shares of the Purchaser Common Stock in accordance with applicable Law and NYSE exchange rules and regulations, (B) approval of the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, (C) approval of the new omnibus equity incentive plan, the form of which is attached as Exhibit D hereto (the “ Management Incentive Plan ”), that, among other things, provides for a grant of outstanding the Purchaser Common Stock to employees of the Acquired Entities in the form of stock options, restricted stock units, restricted stock or other equity-based awards, (D) to appoint, and designate the classes of, the members of the board of directors of the Purchaser, in each case as set forth on Annex I hereto, subject to any changes to Annex I as provided therein, (E) to the extent necessary, approval of the issuance of the Purchaser Common Stock pursuant to the Investor Agreements by the holders of shares of the Purchaser Common Stock in accordance with applicable Law and exchange rules and regulations, and (F) to obtain any and all other approvals necessary or advisable to effect the consummation of the Transactions, and (ii) file with the SEC financial and other information about the Transactions in accordance with applicable proxy solicitation rules set forth in the Purchaser’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Exchange Act or otherwise (such Proxy Statement and the documents included or referred to therein pursuant to which the Offer will be made, together with any supplements, amendments and/or exhibits thereto, the “ Offer Documents ”). Except with respect to the information provided by the Seller for inclusion in the Proxy Statement and other Offer Documents, the Purchaser shall ensure that, when filed, the Proxy Statement and other Offer Documents will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. Subject to the Purchaser’s receipt of the Required Information, the Purchaser shall cause the Offer Documents to be disseminated as promptly as practicable to the Purchaser’s equityholders after the Proxy Statement is cleared by the SEC for mailing as and to the extent such dissemination is required by United States federal securities laws and the rules and regulations of the SEC and the NYSE promulgated thereunder or otherwise (the “ Federal Securities Laws ”), and the Purchaser shall take all actions necessary in accordance with applicable Law and the Purchaser Governing Documents to duly call, give notice of, convene and hold (on a date selected by the Purchaser and reasonably acceptable to the Seller, which date shall in no event be later than 30 days following the date the Proxy Statement is cleared by the SEC for mailing to the Purchaser’s equityholders) the Special Meeting of the Purchaser’s stockholders solely for the purpose of obtaining the Purchaser Stockholder Approval and obtaining the approval of the Purchaser’s stockholders with respect to the other matters contemplated to be included in the Proxy Statement in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. The Purchaser may, without the prior consent of the Seller, make one or more successive postponements or adjournments of such Special Meeting (i) if required by applicable Law or a request from the SEC or its staff, (ii) to the extent necessary to ensure that any supplement or amendment to the Proxy Statement or the Offer Documents that the Purchaser board of directors, after consultation with its outside counsel, has determined in good faith, is required by applicable Law is provided to the Purchaser’s stockholders, or (iii) if, on a date for which such Special Meeting is scheduled, the Purchaser has not received proxies representing a sufficient number of shares of the Purchaser Common Stock to obtain the Purchaser Stockholder Approval, whether or not a quorum is present, provided that (A) the duration of any such adjournment or postponement shall be limited to the minimum duration reasonably necessary to remedy the circumstances giving rise to such adjournment or postponement, (B) no single such adjournment or postponement shall be for more than five Business Days except as may be required by Federal Securities Laws, and (C) in the case of clause (iii), such Special Meeting shall not be postponed to later than the date that is ten Business Days after the date for which such Special Meeting was originally scheduled without the prior written consent of the Seller. All other postponements or adjournments shall require the prior written consent of the Seller. The Purchaser shall ensure that such Special Meeting is called, noticed, convened, held and conducted, and that all Persons solicited in connection with such Special Meeting are solicited, in compliance with all applicable Laws.
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(d) The Seller shall promptly provide to the Purchaser the Required Information as and when available and such other information concerning the Seller, the Acquired Entities as is either required by Federal Securities Laws or reasonably requested by the Purchaser for inclusion in the Proxy Statement. Subject to the Seller’s compliance with the immediately preceding sentence with respect to the information provided or to be provided by the Seller for inclusion in the Offer Documents, the Purchaser shall cause the Offer Documents to comply in all material respects with the Federal Securities Laws. The Purchaser shall provide copies of the proposed forms of the Offer Documents (including any amendments or supplements thereto) to the Seller such that the Seller and the Acquired Entities and its and their respective Representatives are afforded a reasonable amount of time prior to the dissemination or filing thereof to review such material and comment thereon prior to such dissemination or filing, and the Purchaser shall reasonably consider in good faith any comments of such Persons. The Purchaser and the Seller shall respond promptly to any comments of the SEC or its staff with respect to the Offer or the Offer Documents and promptly correct any information provided by it for use in the Offer Documents if and to the extent that such information shall have become false or misleading in any material respect or as otherwise required by the Federal Securities Laws. The Purchaser shall amend or supplement the Offer Documents and cause the Offer Documents, as so amended or supplemented, to be filed with the SEC and to be disseminated to the holders of shares of the Purchaser Common Stock, in each case as and to the extent required by the Federal Securities Laws and subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the applicable Purchaser Governing Documents. The Purchaser shall provide the Seller, the Company and their respective Representatives with copies of any written comments, and shall inform them of any material oral comments, that the Purchaser or any of its Representatives receive from the SEC or its staff with respect to the Offer or the Offer Documents promptly after the receipt of such comments and shall give the Seller and the Company a reasonable opportunity under the circumstances to review and comment on any proposed written or material oral responses to such comments, and the Purchaser shall reasonably consider in good faith any comments of such Persons. The Purchaser shall use reasonable best efforts to cause the Proxy Statement to “clear” comments from the SEC and its staff and to permit the Seller, the Company and their respective Representatives to participate with the Purchaser or its Representatives in any discussions or meetings with the SEC and its staff. The Seller shall, and shall cause each of the Acquired Entities to, make their respective directors, officers and employees, upon reasonable advance notice, available to the Purchaser and its Representatives in connection with the drafting of the public filings with respect to the Transactions (including the Offer Documents) and responding in a timely manner to comments from the SEC.
(e) If at any time prior to the Effective Time, any information relating to the Purchaser, or the Acquired Entities, or any of their respective Subsidiaries, Affiliates, officers or directors, should be discovered by the Purchaser or the Seller, as applicable, that should be set forth in an amendment or supplement to the Proxy Statement, so that such documents would not include any misstatement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, the party which discovers such information shall promptly notify each other party hereto and an appropriate amendment or supplement describing such information shall be promptly filed with the SEC and, to the extent required by law, disseminated to the stockholders of the Purchaser.
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(f) Subject to the second sentence of this Section 5.08(f) , but notwithstanding anything else to the contrary in this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, the Purchaser shall not make any public filing with respect to the Transactions (including the Offer Documents) without the prior written consent of the Seller. The Purchaser may make any public filing with respect to the Transactions to the extent required by applicable Law, provided , that the Seller shall, in any event, be consulted in order to determine the extent to which any such filing is required by applicable Law and to the extent such filing is jointly determined by the Seller and the Purchaser to be not so required, such filing shall not be made.
Section 5.09 Stockholder Vote; Recommendation of the Board of the Purchaser . Except as expressly required or permitted by the terms of this Agreement or consented to in writing by the Seller, from and after the date of this Agreement, the Purchaser shall not directly or indirectly subject this Agreement or the Transactions or any other transaction or matter to any vote, consent or approval of the direct or indirect holders of capital stock of the Purchaser. Subject to this Section 5.09 , the board of directors of the Purchaser shall recommend that the Purchaser’s stockholders vote in favor of, and shall solicit proxies from the Purchaser’s stockholders in favor of, (a) approving this Agreement, (b) approving the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, (c) approving the Management Incentive Plan, (d) appointing, and designating the classes of, the members of the board of directors of the Purchaser in accordance with Annex I , (e) to the extent necessary, approving the issuance of the Purchaser Common Stock pursuant to the Investor Agreements, and (f) consummation of the Transactions, and the Purchaser shall, include such recommendation in the Proxy Statement. Prior to the valid termination of this Agreement in accordance with Article VII , subject to this Section 5.09 , neither the board of directors of the Purchaser nor any committee or agent or representative thereof shall (i) withdraw (or modify in any manner adverse to the Seller), or propose to withdraw (or modify in any manner adverse to the Seller), the board of director’s recommendation in favor of this Agreement and the Transactions, (ii) approve, recommend or declare advisable, or propose publicly to approve, recommend or declare advisable, any Purchaser Acquisition Transaction, (iii) approve, recommend or declare advisable, or propose to approve, recommend or declare advisable, or allow the Purchaser to execute or enter into, any agreement related to a Purchaser Acquisition Transaction, (iv) enter into any agreement, letter of intent, or agreement in principle requiring the Purchaser to abandon, terminate or fail to consummate the Transactions or breach its obligations hereunder, (v) fail to recommend against any Purchaser Acquisition Transaction, (vi) fail to re-affirm the aforementioned board of director recommendation at the written request of the Company within five Business Days or (vii) resolve or agree to do any of the foregoing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time following the date of this Agreement and prior to obtaining the Purchaser Stockholder Approval, the board of directors of the Purchaser, after consultation with its outside legal counsel, determines in good faith that failure to withdraw or modify its recommendations would be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties to the Purchaser’s stockholders under applicable Law, then the board of directors of the Purchaser may withdraw or modify its recommendations so long as the Purchaser (to the extent lawful and reasonably practicable) first provides the Seller with at least 48 hours advance written notice of such withdrawal or modification.
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Section 5.10 Listing . From the date of this Agreement through the Closing, the Purchaser shall use all reasonable efforts that are necessary or desirable for the Purchaser to remain listed as a public company on, and for shares of the Purchaser Common Stock to be tradable over, the applicable NYSE market(s).
Section 5.11 Operations of the Purchaser Prior to the Closing . Between the date hereof and the Closing, and except as contemplated by this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements or with the prior approval of the Seller, the Purchaser shall not take any of the following actions:
(a) make any amendment or modification to any of the Purchaser Governing Documents;
(b) take any action in violation or contravention of any of the Purchaser Governing Documents, applicable Law or any applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and the NYSE;
(c) split, combine or reclassify the Purchaser Common Stock, or reduce below $10.00 per share the offering price (as described in the Prospectus);
(d) make any amendment or modification to the Trust Agreement;
(e) effect any recapitalization, reclassification, equity split or like change in its capitalization;
(f) make or allow to be made any reduction in the Purchaser Trust Amount, other than as expressly permitted by the Purchaser Governing Documents;
(g) contact, directly or indirectly, (or permit any of its employees, agents, representatives or Affiliates to contact) any customer, supplier, distributor, joint-venture partner, lessor, lender or other material business relation of any Acquired Entity with respect to the Transactions;
(h) contact, directly or indirectly, any employee of any Acquired Entity, other than contacts with senior-level management employees in connection with the Transactions;
(i) (i) issue any Preferred Shares to any Person other than as expressly provided for in the Backstop and Subscription Agreement, the JFL Subscription Agreement or any Direct Subscription Agreement entered into in accordance with Section 5.12(c) , or (ii) issue any other equity or indebtedness (other than as expressly provided for in the Investor Agreements and shares of Purchaser Common Stock to be issued to the Sponsor pursuant to the Exchange and Forfeiture Agreement);
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(j) undertake any operations or actions, except for operations or actions as are reasonable and appropriate in furtherance of the Transactions.
(k) hire any employee;
(l) amend, waive or terminate, in whole or in part, any Investor Agreement or the Founder Voting Agreement, or, except in accordance with Section 5.12 , enter into any new Investor Agreement;
(m) establish any Subsidiary or acquire any interest in any asset; or
(n) any agreement to do any of the foregoing, or any action or omission that would result in any of the foregoing.
Section 5.12 Investor Agreements; Founder Voting Agreement; Exchange and Forfeiture Agreement .
(a) Without limitation of Section 10(i) (Binding Effect) of the Backstop and Subscription Agreement and Section 5.1 (Binding Agreement) of the Founder Voting Agreement, the Purchaser hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Seller has the right to cause the Purchaser and the Sponsor to enforce the Purchaser’s and the Sponsor’s rights and perform the Purchaser’s obligations under each Investor Agreement, the Founder Voting Agreement and the Exchange and Forfeiture Agreement, and the Purchaser further acknowledges that money damages would not be an adequate remedy at law if any party to such agreements fails to perform in any material respect any of such party’s obligations under such agreements, and accordingly, upon the written request and expense of the Seller, the Purchaser shall, in addition to any other remedy at law or in equity, seek an injunction or similar Governmental Order of equitable relief restraining such party, as applicable, from committing or continuing any such breach or threatened breach or to seek to compel specific performance of the obligations of any other party under each agreement, without the posting of any bond, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable agreement in any court of the United States or any State thereof having jurisdiction, and if any Action should be brought in equity to enforce any of the provisions of such agreements, the Purchaser shall not, and shall cause its Affiliates and its and their respective Representatives not to, raise the defense that there is an adequate remedy at law.
(b) Without the prior written consent of the Seller, the Purchaser shall not and shall not permit its Affiliates or its or their respective Representatives to amend, modify, terminate, assign or agree to any waiver under, in a manner adverse to the Seller, any Investor Agreement, the Founder Voting Agreement or the Exchange and Forfeiture Agreement. The Purchaser will promptly notify the Seller if it has any reason to believe that any event has occurred which, with or without notice, lapse of time or both, would constitute a breach or default on the part of the Purchaser or to the Purchaser’s Knowledge, any other party thereto under any Investor Agreement, the Founder Voting Agreement or the Exchange and Forfeiture Agreement. The Purchaser will also promptly notify the Seller if it has any reason to believe that it or any other party thereto will be unable to satisfy on a timely basis any term of any Investor Agreement, the Founder Voting Agreement or the Exchange and Forfeiture Agreement.
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(c) Prior to the Closing, the Purchaser may seek to enter into subscription agreements for (i) the sale of up to $25.0 million of newly issued shares of Purchaser Common Stock in lieu of issuing a corresponding value of Preferred Shares under the Backstop and Subscription Agreement and (ii) the sale of up to $25.0 million of newly issued shares of Purchaser Common Stock in lieu utilizing a corresponding amount of the Backstop Commitment (as such term is defined in the Backstop and Subscription Agreement) under the Backstop and Subscription Agreement. Pursuant to Section 1(b) of the Backstop and Subscription Agreement, in lieu of issuing Preferred Shares to the subscriber named in the Backstop and Subscription Agreement, the Purchaser may enter into Direct Subscription Agreements with other subscribers pursuant to the terms of the Backstop and Subscription Agreement, provided , however , that in no event will the aggregate number of Preferred Shares to be issued under the Backstop and Subscription Agreement and any Direct Subscription Agreement exceed 1,000,000 Preferred Shares less any reductions to the number of Preferred Shares to be issued in the Preferred Offering as a result of the issuance of shares of Purchaser Common Stock pursuant to Section 5.12(c)(i) . Unless entered into on economic terms and conditions substantially similar in all respects with any Investor Agreement with J.F. Lehman & Company LLC or its affiliated investment funds, any Investor Agreement entered into in connection with this Section 5.12(c) shall be on terms and conditions that are acceptable to the Seller. The Purchaser shall provide the Seller with complete executed copies of such Investor Agreements promptly upon execution thereof.
(d) The Purchaser will negotiate and enter into definitive agreements with respect to the Preferred Offering and the Common Offering on terms and conditions contained in the Investor Agreements or consistent in all material respects with the Investor Agreements at or prior to the Closing and promptly upon execution thereof provide complete executed copies of such definitive agreements to the Seller, provided , however , that the Purchaser will not enter into any definitive agreement with respect to the Preferred Offering or the Common Offering unless such definitive agreement has been approved in writing by the Seller (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed).
Section 5.13 Founder Letter Agreement . The Purchaser shall enforce to the fullest extent permitted by Law the restrictions on transfer of the 6,416,250 shares of Purchaser Common Stock initially acquired by the Sponsor and other Purchaser insiders prior to the consummation of the IPO as well as the waiver of each of the Founder Stockholders’ respective rights to redeem such shares, in accordance with that certain letter agreement, dated as of June 22, 2017, among the Purchaser, the Sponsor and the other individuals party thereto (the “ Founder Letter Agreement ”), and without the prior written consent of the Seller, the Purchaser shall not and shall not permit its Affiliates or its or their respective Representatives to amend, modify, terminate or agree to any waiver under, in a manner adverse to the Seller, the Founder Letter Agreement. The Purchaser will promptly notify the Seller if it has any reason to believe that any event has occurred which, with or without notice, lapse of time or both, would constitute a breach or default on the part of the Purchaser or to the Purchaser’s Knowledge, any other party thereto under the Founder Letter Agreement. The Purchaser will also promptly notify the Seller if it has any reason to believe that it or any other party thereto will be unable to satisfy on a timely basis any term of the Founder Letter Agreement.
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Section 5.14 FIRPTA Certificates . Each of NRC US Holding Company, LLC and SES Holdco, LLC shall deliver to the Purchaser (a) a statement in accordance with Treasury Regulation §§ 1.1445-2(c)(3) and 1.897-2(h) certifying that it is not, and has not been, a “United States real property holding corporation” for purposes of Sections 897 and 1445 of the Code (each such statement, the “ FIRPTA Certificate ”) and (b) the notification to the Internal Revenue Service described in Treasury Regulation § 1.897-2(h)(2) regarding delivery of the statement referred to in the preceding clause (a), signed by a responsible corporate officer of such Acquired Entity.
Section 5.15 No Claim Against the Purchaser Trust . The Seller acknowledges that it has read the Prospectus and that the Purchaser has established the Purchaser Trust from the proceeds of its June and July 2017 initial public offering (“ IPO ”) and from certain private placements occurring simultaneously with the IPO for the benefit of the Purchaser’s holders of Public Shares (“ Public Stockholders ”) and certain parties (including the underwriters of the IPO) and that, except for a portion of the interest earned on the amounts held in the Purchaser Trust, the Purchaser may disburse monies from the Purchaser Trust only: (a) to the Public Stockholders in the event they elect to redeem shares of Purchaser Common Stock in connection with the consummation of the Purchaser’s initial business combination (as such term is used in the Prospectus) (the “ Business Combination ”); (b) to the Public Stockholders if the Purchaser fails to consummate a Business Combination within 18 months from the closing of the IPO; (c) any amounts necessary to pay any Taxes; or (d) to, or on behalf of, the Purchaser after or concurrently with the consummation of a Business Combination. The Seller hereby agrees that, it does not now and shall not at any time hereafter have (other than its rights upon Closing) any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the Purchaser Trust or distributions therefrom, or make any claim prior to Closing against the Purchaser Trust, regardless of whether such claim arises based on contract, tort, equity or any other theory of legal liability (any and all such claims are collectively referred to hereafter as the “ Claims ”). The Seller hereby irrevocably waives any Claims it may have, against the Purchaser Trust (including any distributions therefrom) now or in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with the Purchaser and will not, prior to the Closing, seek recourse against the Purchaser Trust (including any distributions therefrom) for any reason whatsoever (including for an alleged breach of this Agreement). For the avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the waivers under this Section 5.15 will continue to apply at and after the Closing or termination of this Agreement (as applicable) to distributions made to redeeming Public Stockholders and for transaction expenses paid (including deferred IPO underwriting discount and expenses payable to the Purchaser’s underwriters in connection with the IPO). The Seller agrees and acknowledges that such irrevocable waiver is material to this Agreement and specifically relied upon by the Purchaser to induce it to enter into this Agreement. This Section 5.15 shall not limit the Seller’s right to seek specific performance against the Purchaser pursuant to Section 10.16 , including the right to seek specific performance against the Purchaser to require the Purchaser to take such actions contemplated by this Agreement subject to the satisfaction of the Purchaser’s conditions to the Closing in Sections 6.01 and 6.03 , and to comply with the terms of the Purchaser Trust Agreement, including distribution of funds from the Purchaser Trust upon the Closing in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
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Section 5.16 280G . Prior to the Closing Date, the Seller shall cause the Company to use its reasonable best efforts to seek valid waivers (collectively, the “ Waivers ”) of any payments and/or benefits that the Company reasonably determines may, individually or in the aggregate, constitute “parachute payments” (within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Purchaser, and shall use its reasonable best efforts to seek equityholder approval (in a manner satisfactory to the Purchaser), by such number of equityholders as is required pursuant to Section 280G(b)(5)(B) of the Code, of all such payments and/or benefits (the “ Equityholder Approval ”), such that such payments and benefits shall not be deemed to be “parachute payments” under Section 280G of the Code and that the deduction of such payments and/or benefits will not be limited by the application of Section 280G of the Code and the applicable regulations thereunder, in each case, if such Waivers and Equityholder Approval are obtained. The Seller will cause the Company to provide the Purchaser with a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on all calculations and documents prepared in connection with the foregoing and will make such modifications thereto as are reasonably requested by the Purchaser.
Section 5.17 Purchaser SEC Reports . From the date of this Agreement to the Closing, the Purchaser shall timely file all forms, reports and documents required to be filed by it with the SEC under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act (each such form, report and document, an “ Additional Purchaser SEC Report ”). As of its filing date, or if amended after the date of this Agreement, as of the date of the last such amendment, each such Additional Purchaser SEC Report shall fully comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the Securities Act, as the case may be.
Section 5.18 Post-Closing Payments with respect to Potential Acquisition .
(a) In the event the Potential Acquisition is consummated following the Closing, then concurrently with such consummation, the Purchaser shall pay $10,000,000 to the Seller pursuant to Section 5.18(e) .
(b) The Purchaser shall pay to the Seller up to $25,000,000 of additional consideration (the “ Potential Acquisition Earnout Amount ”) in the event the Potential Acquisition has been consummated and the Potential Acquisition Earnout Requirements have been satisfied within the applicable measurement period set forth in Section 1.1(e) of the Seller Disclosure Letter.
(c) From and after the closing of the Potential Acquisition through the end of the measurement periods related to the Potential Acquisition Earnout Requirements, the Company shall, and after the Closing the Purchaser shall cause the Company to: (i) operate the business to which the Potential Acquisition relates in a reasonable and prudent manner; (ii) use its reasonable best efforts to provide the resources necessary to operate the Business in the Ordinary Course of Business, including using reasonable best efforts to maintain relationships and goodwill with customers, employees, and others having relationships with such business as well as to maximize revenue and profitability; (iii) maintain sufficient records to enable the Potential Acquisition Earnout Requirements to be calculated in a transparent manner; and (iv) not take any action which is knowingly intended, by any means, to deprive the Seller of the benefits provided by this Section 5.18 .
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(d) The Potential Acquisition Earnout Amount that may be payable in accordance with this Agreement shall be calculated by the Purchaser based on the books and records of the Acquired Entities. Purchaser will inform and provide written notice to the Seller of the amount of any Potential Acquisition Earnout Amount within 20 Business Days after the expiration of any applicable measurement period related to the Potential Acquisition Earnout Requirements, and the Purchaser will provide the Seller with reasonable supporting detail for such calculations, including reasonable access to employees and records of the Acquired Entities. If the Seller does not deliver a written notice of dispute to the Purchaser within 30 days of receiving notice for the applicable measurement period, then the Purchaser’s determinations with respect to the Potential Acquisition Earnout Amount for such measurement period shall be deemed final and binding. If the Seller does deliver a written notice of dispute of the amount of the Potential Acquisition Earnout Amount within such time, and the Parties are unable to agree on a final resolution within 30 days of delivery of such notice, then the Parties shall jointly submit the dispute for arbitration to a nationally recognized independent accounting firm to resolve the dispute.
(e) Any Potential Acquisition Earnout Amount or payment pursuant to Section 5.18(a) that is payable hereunder shall be paid, at the discretion of the Purchaser’s Board of Directors in cash or shares of Purchaser Common Stock or any combination thereof. To the extent any shares of Purchaser Common Stock are issued in satisfaction of any Potential Acquisition Earnout Amount that is payable, the value of each such share shall be an amount equal to the volume-weighted average price per share of Purchaser Common Stock on the NYSE for the five consecutive trading days preceding (but not including) the date on which it is finally determined that any portion of the Potential Acquisition Earnout Amount is payable. To the extent any such payment is paid in cash, such payment will be paid to the Seller by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Seller.
Section 5.19 Registration Rights . To the extent that the Purchaser enters into a registration rights agreement pursuant to an Investor Agreement that provides for terms to applicable subscribers that are more favorable to such subscribers than the terms of the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement are to the Seller, then the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement shall be amended to reflect such more favorable terms.
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ARTICLE VI
CONDITIONS TO CLOSING
Section 6.01 Conditions to Obligations of the Purchaser . The obligations of the Purchaser to consummate the Transactions are subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions on or before the Closing, any and all of which may be waived in whole or in part by the Purchaser to the extent permitted by applicable Law:
(a) No Misrepresentations or Breach of the Seller’s Covenants . (i) The Seller shall have performed in all material respects all of its obligations hereunder required to be performed by it on or prior to the Closing Date, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Seller contained in Article III of this Agreement (without giving effect to any limitation as to “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” qualifiers) shall be true and correct in all respects as of the date hereof and at and as of the Closing Date (except to the extent that any representation or warranty speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty shall be true only as of such earlier date), except for such inaccuracies that, individually or in the aggregate, would not result in a Material Adverse Effect, and (iii) the Purchaser shall have received a certificate signed by a duly authorized officer of the Seller, to the foregoing effect.
(b) Ancillary Agreements . The Purchaser shall have received a counterpart signature page for each Ancillary Agreement to which the Seller or an Acquired Entity is specified to be a party, duly executed by the Seller or Acquired Entity as well as all other documents required to be delivered by the Seller on or prior to the Closing Date pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise reasonably required in order to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.
(c) Board of Managers Declaration . The Purchaser shall have received a declaration of the board of managers of the Seller certifying that attached thereto are true and complete copies of all resolutions adopted by the board of managers of the Seller authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements and the consummation of the Transactions, and that all such resolutions are in full force and effect and are all the resolutions adopted in connection with the Transactions.
(d) FIRPTA Certificate . The Purchaser shall have received fully-executed FIRPTA Certificates.
(e) No Material Adverse Effect . There shall not have occurred a Material Adverse Effect since the date hereof.
(f) Lock-Up Agreement . The Purchaser shall have received a fully-executed Lock-Up Agreement in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit E .
(g) Investor Rights Agreement . The Purchaser shall have received a fully-executed Investor Right Agreement in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit F .
(h) Termination of Certain Contracts . The Contracts set forth on Section 6.01(i) of the Seller Disclosure Letter shall each have been terminated, without further force or effect, effective as of immediately prior to the Closing and the Purchaser shall have received the applicable fully-executed written Contracts to such effect.
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Section 6.02 Conditions to Obligations of the Seller . The obligations of the Seller to consummate the Transactions are subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions, any and all of which may be waived in whole or in part by the Seller to the extent permitted by applicable Law:
(a) No Misrepresentations or Breach of Covenants and Warranties . (i) The Purchaser shall have performed in all material respects all of its obligations hereunder required to be performed by it on or prior to the Closing Date, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Purchaser contained in Article IV of this Agreement (without giving effect to any limitation as to “materiality” or “Purchaser MAE” qualifiers) shall be true in all respects as of the date hereof and at and as of the Closing Date (except to the extent that any representation or warranty speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty shall be true only as of such earlier date), except for such inaccuracies that, individually or in the aggregate, would not result in a Purchaser MAE, and (iii) the Seller shall have received a certificate signed by a duly authorized officer of the Purchaser to the foregoing effect
(b) Payment of Cash Purchase Price . The Seller shall have received the Cash Purchase Price less the Seller Transaction Expenses in accordance with Section 2.03 .
(c) Issuance of Purchase Price Common Stock . The Seller shall have been issued the shares of Purchase Price Common Stock in accordance with Section 2.04 .
(d) No Purchaser MAE . There shall not have occurred a Purchaser MAE since the date hereof.
(e) Ancillary Agreements . The Seller shall have received a counterpart signature page for each Ancillary Agreement to which the Purchaser is specified to be a party, duly executed by the Purchaser as well as all other documents required to be delivered by the Purchaser on or prior to the Closing Date pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise reasonably required in order to consummate the Transactions.
(f) Secretary’s Certificate . The Seller shall have received a certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary (or equivalent officer) of the Purchaser certifying that attached thereto are true and complete copies of all resolutions adopted by the board of directors of the Purchaser authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements and the consummation of the Transactions, and that all such resolutions are in full force and effect and are all the resolutions adopted in connection with the Transactions.
(g) Resignations . The Seller shall have received evidence of the resignations of each director, officer and employee of the Purchaser, each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Seller.
(h) Registration Rights . The Seller and the Purchaser shall have entered into the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement in substantially the form attached as Exhibit F hereto (as the same may be amended in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.19 ).
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(i) No Unapproved Shares . Except for (i) the Preferred Shares to be issued pursuant to the Backstop and Subscription Agreement, the JFL Subscription Agreement and any Direct Subscription Agreement entered into in accordance with Section 5.12(c) and (ii) the shares of Purchaser Common Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement, the Investor Agreements and the Exchange and Forfeiture Agreement, from the date of this Agreement through the Closing no Preferred Shares or shares of Purchaser Common Stock shall have been issued to any Person in an amount or on terms other than those approved with the prior written consent of the Seller.
(j) Listing . The shares of Purchase Price Common Stock to be issued pursuant to the Transactions (including any such shares to be issued with respect to the Potential Acquisition Earnout Amount), and the shares of Purchaser Common Stock to be issued pursuant to the Exchange and Forfeiture Agreement and the Investor Agreements shall have been approved for listing on the NYSE, subject to official notice of the issuance thereof.
(k) Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws . (i) The Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation shall have been approved; and (ii) the Amended and Restated Bylaws shall have been adopted by the Board of Directors of the Purchaser, and each shall be effective as of the Closing.
(l) Board and Committee Appointments . The members of the board of directors of the Purchaser, and any committees thereof, in each case as set forth on Annex I (subject to any changes thereto made in accordance with this Agreement), shall have been approved and appointed to their respective position(s) (including any role as chairman indicated thereon), and the Purchaser shall have offered each of the same the opportunity to enter an agreement for indemnification (in addition to the indemnification provided for in the Purchaser Governing Documents), effective as of the Closing and in substantially the form attached as Exhibit G hereto.
(m) Management Incentive Plan . The Management Incentive Plan shall have been approved by the Purchaser’s stockholders.
(n) Investor Agreements; Founder Voting Agreement . Each of the Investor Agreements and the Founder Voting Agreement shall remain in full force and effect, and the parties thereto shall be in compliance with the terms and conditions thereof in all material respects, and if the Seller shall have exercised its rights to enforce any Investor Agreement or the Founder Voting Agreement pursuant to the terms thereof and hereof, such Subscriber (as defined in the applicable Investor Agreement) or Founder Stockholder, as applicable, shall have complied with and consummated its obligations with respect thereto.
(o) Exchange and Forfeiture Agreement . The Exchange and Forfeiture Agreement shall remain in full force and effect, and the parties thereto shall be in compliance with the terms and conditions thereof in all material respects.
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(p) Completion of Offer . The Offer shall have been completed in accordance with the Offer Documents.
(q) Lock-Up Agreement . The Seller shall have received a fully-executed Lock-Up Agreement in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit E .
(r) Investor Rights Agreement . The Seller shall have received a fully-executed Investor Rights Agreement in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit H .
Section 6.03 Conditions to Each Party’s Obligations . The obligations of each Party to consummate the Transactions are subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:
(a) Receipt of HSR Approval . The HSR Approval shall have been obtained.
(b) No Restraint . No provision of any applicable Law or Governmental Order shall be in effect prohibiting the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, and there shall not be any pending Investigation by any Governmental Authority which would reasonably be expected to result in the issuance of any such Governmental Order.
(c) Purchaser Stockholder Approval . The Purchaser Stockholder Approval shall have been obtained.
(d) Net Tangible Assets . The Purchaser shall have at least $5,000,001 of net tangible assets (as determined in accordance with Rule 3a51 1(g)(1) of the Exchange Act) remaining after the closing of the Offer.
(e) Credit Agreement Compliance . (i) The Credit Agreement shall be in effect; (ii) no Default or Event of Default (as each such term is defined in the Credit Agreement) shall have occurred and be continuing under the Credit Agreement; and (iii) consummation of the Transactions will not result in a Default or Event of Default under the Credit Agreement.
ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
Section 7.01 Termination by Mutual Consent . This Agreement may be terminated and the Transactions may be abandoned at any time prior to the Closing by the mutual written consent of the Purchaser and the Seller.
Section 7.02 Termination by the Purchaser or the Seller . This Agreement may be terminated and the Transactions may be abandoned at any time prior to the Closing by either the Purchaser or the Seller if any permanent injunction or other Governmental Order of any Governmental Authority preventing the consummation of the Transactions shall have become final and non-appealable.
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Section 7.03 Termination by the Purchaser . The Purchaser may terminate this Agreement at any time prior to the Closing by written notice to the Seller:
(a) upon a material breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement on the part of the Seller set forth in this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements, or if any representation or warranty of the Seller shall have become untrue, incomplete or incorrect, in either case which has rendered the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 6.01(a) incapable of fulfillment, and such violation or breach has neither been waived by the Purchaser nor cured by the Seller within 30 days of the Seller’s receipt of written notice of such violation or breach from the Purchaser; provided , however , that the right to terminate this Agreement under this Section 7.03(a) shall not be available to the Purchaser if the Purchaser is then in material breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement set forth in this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements; or
(b) if (i) the Closing shall not have occurred by November 30, 2018 (the “ Termination Date ”); provided , that the Termination Date may be extended by mutual written consent of the Purchaser and the Seller and (ii) the failure of the Closing to occur on or before such date is not caused by a failure of the Purchaser to perform and comply in all material respects with its covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements that are required to be performed or complied with at or prior to Closing.
Section 7.04 Termination by the Seller . The Seller may terminate this Agreement at any time prior to the Closing by written notice to the Purchaser:
(a) if the Cash Purchase Price is less than the difference between (i) $125,000,000 minus (ii) unpaid Purchaser Transaction Expenses;
(b) upon a material breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement on the part of the Purchaser set forth in this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements, or if any representation or warranty of the Purchaser shall have become untrue, incomplete or incorrect, in either case which has rendered the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 6.02(a) incapable of fulfillment, and such violation or breach has neither been waived by the Seller nor cured by the Purchaser within 30 days of the Purchaser’s receipt of written notice of such violation or breach from the Seller; provided , however , that the right to terminate this Agreement under this Section 7.04(b) shall not be available to the Seller if the Seller is then in material breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement set forth in this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements; or
(c) if (i) the Closing shall not have occurred by the Termination Date and (ii) the failure of the Closing to occur on or before such date is not caused by a failure of the Seller to perform and comply in all material respects with its covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement or any of the Ancillary Agreements that are required to be performed or complied with at or prior to Closing.
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Section 7.05 Effect of Termination . If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Article VII , all further obligations of the Parties under this Agreement (other than those contained in Section 5.05 , this Article VII , Article X and the Confidentiality Agreement, which shall continue in effect) shall be terminated and shall be of no further force and effect, and no Party or its respective Representatives or Affiliates will have any further liability to the other Party; provided , that nothing herein shall relieve any Party from liability for such Party’s willful breach of this Agreement prior to such termination; provided , further , and notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, that in the event of termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms neither the Seller nor the Purchaser shall be relieved or released from liability for willful breach of this Agreement or for intentional fraud under applicable Law.
ARTICLE VIII
TAX MATTERS
Section 8.01 Cooperation . After the Closing Date, the Purchaser and the Seller shall provide each other with reasonable cooperation in connection with the preparation of Tax Returns of the Acquired Entities and shall make available to the other and to any taxing authority as reasonably requested, all information, records or documents relating to Tax liabilities or potential Tax liabilities of the Acquired Entities for all periods that end prior to or on the Closing Date and shall preserve all such information, records and documents until the expiration of any statute of limitations or extensions thereof.
Section 8.02 Income Tax Treatment and Allocation .
(a) For all purposes of the Agreement, in the case of a Straddle Period, the amount of Taxes allocable to the Pre-Closing Tax Period portion of such Straddle Period shall be (i) in the case of property Taxes and other Taxes imposed on a periodic basis without regard to income, gross receipts, payroll or sales, deemed to be the amount of such Taxes for the entire Straddle Period multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of calendar days in the portion of such Straddle Period ending at the end of the Closing Date and the denominator of which is the number of calendar days in the entire Straddle Period and (ii) in the case of all other Taxes, determined as though the taxable year of the Acquired Entities terminated at the end of the Closing Date; provided that the Parties agree that any Tax deductions for compensatory payments made to employees, consultants or independent contractors of the Acquired Entities relating to the consummation of the Transactions shall, to the extent permitted by applicable Laws, be treated as allocable to such Pre-Closing Tax Period.
(b) The Seller and the Purchaser agree to treat, and to cause their respective Affiliates to treat, the sale and purchase of the Membership Interests pursuant to this Agreement as the sale and purchase of the stock of each of NRC US Holding Company, LLC, NRC Int. Holding Company, LLC and SES Holdco, LLC for U.S. federal income Tax purposes. The Seller and the Purchaser shall, and shall cause their respective Affiliates, to allocate the Total Purchase Price and any assumed liabilities treated as amounts realized and any other relevant amounts for U.S. federal income Tax purposes in a manner consistent with the Allocation. The Seller and the Purchaser shall not, and shall cause their respective Affiliates not to, file any Tax Return inconsistent with this Section 8.02 .
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Section 8.03 No Section 338 Election . The Purchaser shall not make, and shall cause its Affiliates not to make, an election under Section 338 of the Code with respect to any actual or deemed sale and purchase of stock for U.S. federal income Tax purposes pursuant to this Agreement without the prior written consent of the Seller.
ARTICLE IX
POST-CLOSING COVENANTS
Section 9.01 Director and Officer Liability; Indemnification .
(a) If the Closing occurs, the Purchaser shall cause all rights to indemnification and all limitations on liability existing in favor of any employee, officer, director, managing member, manager, Affiliate and agent of the Acquired Entities, in each case that is an individual (collectively, the “ Company Indemnitees ”), as provided in the Organizational Documents of the Acquired Entities to survive the consummation of the Transactions and continue in full force and effect and be honored by the Acquired Entities after the Closing. The obligations of the Purchaser under this Section 9.01(a) shall not be terminated or modified in such a manner as to adversely affect any Company Indemnitee to whom this Section 9.01(a) applies without the consent of such affected Company Indemnitee (it being expressly agreed that the Company Indemnitees to whom this Section 9.01(a) applies shall be third party beneficiaries of this Section 9.01(a) ). If the Closing occurs, the Purchaser shall cause the Acquired Entities to pay all expenses to any Company Indemnitee incurred in successfully enforcing the indemnity or other obligations provided for in this Section 9.01(a) .
(b) In the event the Purchaser, the Acquired Entities or any of their respective successors or assigns (i) consolidates with or merges into any other Person and shall not be the continuing or surviving Person of such consolidation or merger or (ii) transfers all or substantially all of its properties and assets or stock or other equity interests to any Person, then and in each such case, the Purchaser shall ensure that proper provision shall be made so that the successors and assigns of the Purchaser or the Acquired Entities, as the case may be (or their respective successors and assigns), shall assume the obligations set forth in this Section 9.01 .
(c) The Seller shall, or shall cause its Affiliates to, obtain a “tail” directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policy, effective for a period of at least six years from the Closing Date, for the benefit of the Acquired Entities or any of their officers and directors, as the case may be, with respect to claims arising from facts or events that occurred on or before the Closing Date.
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Section 9.02 Preservation of, and Access to, Books and Records . For a period of six and one-half years from and after the Closing (or such longer period as may be required by any Governmental Authority or ongoing Action):
(a) the Purchaser shall not, and shall not permit any Acquired Entity to, destroy, alter or otherwise dispose of any of the books and records and files of any of the Acquired Entities relating to the period preceding the Closing Date, without first giving 30 days’ prior written notice to the Seller. Upon such notice, the Seller shall have the right, at its option and expense, upon prior written notice to the Purchaser within such 30-day period, to take possession of the records and files within 15 days after the date of such notice. The Purchaser shall bear the costs associated with preserving these records.
(b) the Purchaser shall allow, and shall cause the Acquired Entities to allow, the Seller and any of the Seller’s Representatives reasonable access during normal business hours to all employees and files of the Acquired Entities and any books and records and other materials of the Acquired Entities relating to periods prior to the Closing Date in connection with general business purposes, whether or not relating to or arising out of this Agreement or the Transactions (including the preparation of any Tax Return, amended Tax Return or claim for refund of Taxes (and any materials necessary for the preparation of any of the foregoing), and financial statements for periods ending on or prior to the Closing Date), to comply with the rules and regulations of the Internal Revenue Service or any other Governmental Authority or otherwise relating to the Seller’s other businesses or operations, including in connection with the preparation and audit of an Acquired Entity’s financial statements.
ARTICLE X
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 10.01 Expenses . Except as expressly provided herein, at the Closing, (a) each of the Seller and the Purchaser shall cause the Company to pay the Seller Transaction Expenses and the Purchaser Transaction Expenses. Neither the Purchaser nor the Seller nor any Acquired Entity shall bear any costs or expenses of any kind incurred by the Sponsor. Except as expressly provided herein, if this Agreement is validly terminated in accordance with Article VII , the Seller shall pay the Seller Transaction Expenses and the Purchaser shall pay the Purchaser Transaction Expenses. In the event this Agreement is validly terminated in accordance with Article VII (except in the event of a valid termination pursuant to Section 7.03(a)) , then (a) if the Purchaser redeems shares of Purchaser Common Stock in connection with a liquidation distribution from the Purchaser Trust due to a Business Combination not being timely completed, the Purchaser will reimburse the Seller or the Acquired Entities, as the case may be, for all Company Transaction Expense incurred prior to such termination and for all Seller-Paid Purchaser Transaction Expenses incurred prior to such termination, in each case up to the then remaining balance of the Non-Trust Expense Account after satisfaction of the other then unpaid liabilities (if any) from such account, or (b) if a Purchaser Acquisition Transaction is completed by the Purchaser, then the Purchaser will reimburse the Seller or the Acquired Entities, as the case may be, for all Company Transaction Expense incurred prior to such termination and for all Seller-Paid Purchaser Transaction Expenses incurred prior to such termination.
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Section 10.02 Survival . The agreements and obligations of the Parties under Section 7.05 and this Article X shall survive, as the case may be, (a) the valid termination of this Agreement in accordance with Article VII hereof or (b) the Closing. The agreements and obligations of the Parties under Article IX hereof shall survive the Closing and shall continue in accordance with their terms. No representations or warranties or other covenants and agreements in this Agreement shall survive the Closing and/or the valid termination of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the representations and warranties in Section 3.02(a) shall survive the Closing until the one-year anniversary of the Closing Date (on which date such representations and warranties shall terminate), and the Purchaser shall be entitled to make a claim against the Seller for a breach thereof until such date; provided that, except in the case of intentional fraud, Purchaser shall not be entitled to claim or recover with respect to a breach thereof an aggregate monetary amount in excess of the Cash Purchase Price.
Section 10.03 Consequences of Breach . Except in the case of intentional fraud, there shall be no remedy available to the Purchaser or the Acquired Entities and their respective successors and permitted assigns, their respective officers, directors, managers, employees, Affiliates and Representatives (collectively, the “ Purchaser Parties ”) for any and all losses that are sustained or incurred by any of the Purchaser Parties by reason of, resulting from or arising out of any breach of or inaccuracy in any of the Seller’s representations or warranties contained in this Agreement. Except for the purpose of determining the obligations of the Purchaser to consummate the Transactions in accordance with Section 6.01(a)(ii) , (a) the representations and warranties provided by the Seller in this Agreement (including Article III ) are provided for informational purposes only and (b) the Seller shall have no liability to any Purchaser Party for any losses incurred due to any fact or circumstance that constitutes a breach of any representation or warranty of the Seller contained in this Agreement. Except in the case of intentional fraud, there shall be no remedy available to the Seller and its respective successors and permitted assigns, its respective officers, directors, managers, employees, Affiliates and Representatives (collectively, the “ Seller Parties ”) for any and all losses that are sustained or incurred by any of the Seller Parties by reason of, resulting from or arising out of any breach of or inaccuracy in any of the Purchaser’s representations or warranties contained in this Agreement. Except for the purpose of determining the obligations of the Seller to consummate the Transactions in accordance with Section 6.02(a)(ii) , (a) the representations and warranties provided by the Purchaser in this Agreement (including Article IV ) are provided for informational purposes only and (b) the Purchaser shall have no liability to any the Seller Party for any losses incurred due to any fact or circumstance that constitutes a breach of any representation or warranty of the Purchaser contained in this Agreement.
Section 10.04 Governing Law . This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal Laws of the State of Delaware (without reference to its choice of Law rules).
Section 10.05 Consent to Jurisdiction . Each Party hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (a) agrees that any Action, at law or equity, arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements or the Transactions shall only be brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks jurisdiction, then in the applicable Delaware state court), or if under applicable Law exclusive jurisdiction of such Action is vested in the federal courts, then the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, (b) expressly submits to the personal jurisdiction and venue of such courts for the purposes thereof and (c) waives and agrees not to raise (by way of motion, as a defense or otherwise) any and all jurisdictional, venue and convenience objections or defenses that such party may have in such Action. Each Party hereby irrevocably and unconditionally consents to the service of process of any of the aforementioned courts. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to affect the right of any Party to serve process in any manner permitted by Law or commence an Action against the other Party in any other jurisdiction to enforce judgments obtained in any Action brought pursuant to this Section 10.05 . Each Party hereby irrevocably and unconditionally consents to the service of process of any of the aforementioned courts. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to affect the right of any Party to serve process in any manner permitted by Law or commence an Action against the other Party in any other jurisdiction to enforce judgments obtained in any Action brought pursuant to this Section 10.05 .
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Section 10.06 Waiver of Jury Trial . EACH OF THE PARTIES HEREBY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS. EACH OF THE PARTIES (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THAT FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 10.06 .
Section 10.07 Notices . All notices or other communications, including service of process, required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given or delivered and received on the earliest of (a) the day when delivered, if delivered personally, (b) one Business Day after deposit with a nationally-recognized courier or overnight service such as Federal Express (or upon any earlier receipt confirmed in writing by such service), (c) five Business Days after mailing via U.S. certified mail, return receipt requested, or (d) the date sent, with no mail undeliverable or other rejection notice, if sent by email, in each case addressed as follows:
If to the Purchaser, to:
Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III
3485 North Pines Way,
Suite 110
Wilson, Wyoming 83014
Attention: Daniel J. Hennessy and Kevin Charlton
Email: dhennessy@hennessycapllc.com and kcharlton@hennessycapllc.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Sidley Austin LLP
One South Dearborn
Chicago, Illinois 60603
Attention: Jeffrey N. Smith and Dirk W. Andringa
Email: jnsmith@sidley.com and dandringa@sidley.com
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and to:
Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP
1345 Avenue of the Americas, 11th Floor
New York, New York 10105
Attention: Stuart Neuhauser and Joshua N. Englard
Email: neuhauser@egsllp.com and jenglard@egsllp.com
If to the Seller:
JFL-NRC-SES Partners, LLC
c/o J.F. Lehman & Company
110 East 59th Street, 27th Floor
New York, New York 10022
Attention: C. Alexander Harman, Glenn M. Shor and David L. Rattner
Email: cah@jflpartners.com, gms@jflpartners.com, and dlr@jflpartners.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Jones Day
2727 North Harwood Street
Dallas, Texas 75201
Attention: Alain Dermarkar and Giles Elliott
Email: adermarkar@jonesday.com and gpelliott@jonesday.com
and to such other address or addressee as any such Party has specified by prior written notice to the other Party in accordance with this Section 10.07 .
Section 10.08 Successors and Assigns; Benefit .
(a) The rights of any Party under this Agreement shall not be assignable by such Party without the written consent of the other Parties. No assignment shall relieve the assigning Party of any of its obligations hereunder.
(b) This Agreement is for the sole benefit of the Parties and their permitted assigns and nothing herein express or implied shall give or be construed to give to any Person, other than the Parties, the Company Indemnitiees pursuant to Section 9.01(a) and such permitted assigns, any legal or equitable rights hereunder.
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Section 10.09 Entire Agreement; Amendments; Waiver .
(a) This Agreement and the Annex and Exhibits and Disclosure Letters referred to herein, the Ancillary Agreements and the Confidentiality Agreement contain the entire understanding of the Parties with regard to the subject matter contained herein or therein, and supersede all prior agreements, understandings or intents, whether express or implied, between or among any of the Parties with respect to such subject matter.
(b) No amendment or modification of this Agreement shall be binding or effective for any purpose unless it is made in a writing signed by all of the Parties. No waiver of this Agreement shall be binding or effective for any purpose unless it is made in a writing signed by the Party against whom enforcement of such waiver is sought. No course of dealing between the Parties shall be deemed to modify, amend or discharge any provision or term of this Agreement. No delay or failure by any Party in the exercise of any of its rights or remedies shall operate as a waiver thereof, and no single or partial exercise by any Party of any such right or remedy shall preclude any other or further exercise thereof. A waiver of any right or remedy on any one occasion shall not be construed as a bar to or waiver of any such right or remedy on any other occasion.
Section 10.10 Interpretation . Article, titles and headings to Sections herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be a part of or to affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. The Disclosure Letters, Annex and Exhibits referred to herein shall be construed with and as an integral part of this Agreement to the same extent as if they were set forth verbatim herein. The references herein to Sections, Articles, Exhibits, Annexes and Disclosure Letters, unless otherwise indicated, are references to Sections and Articles of and Exhibits, Annexes and Disclosure Letters to this Agreement. Words used herein, regardless of the number and gender specifically used, shall be deemed and construed to include any other number, singular or plural, and any other gender, masculine, feminine or neuter, as the context requires. Any reference to a Law shall include any amendment thereof or any successor thereto and any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Any reference to any Contract or Permit is a reference to it as amended, modified and supplemented from time to time. In this Agreement, except to the extent that the context otherwise requires: (a) “days” means calendar days unless otherwise indicated; (b) “$” or “US$” means United States Dollars; (c) whenever the words “include,” “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they are deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”; (d) the words “hereof,” “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import, when used in this Agreement, refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement; (e) all terms defined in this Agreement have the defined meanings when used in any certificate or other document made or delivered pursuant hereto, unless otherwise defined therein; (f) references to a Person are also to its permitted successors and assigns; (g) all references to dollar amounts in this Agreement shall mean U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated and all payments hereunder shall be in US$; and (h) each accounting term used but not otherwise defined in this Agreement has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP.
Section 10.11 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 and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the Transactions 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 hereby are consummated as originally contemplated to the fullest extent possible.
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Section 10.12 Execution in Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be considered an original instrument, but all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement, and shall become binding when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Party. A signed copy of this Agreement delivered by facsimile, e-mail or other means of electronic transmission shall be deemed to have the same legal effect as delivery of an original signed copy of this Agreement.
Section 10.13 Time . Time shall be of the essence in and for purposes of this Agreement.
Section 10.14 Sales and Transfer Taxes . All transfer Taxes, stamp Taxes and other sales, use, excise, and similar Taxes, if any, that are imposed in connection with or as a result of the consummation of the Transactions, shall be paid 50% by Purchaser as a Purchaser Transaction Expense and 50% by the Seller as a Seller Transaction Expense.
Section 10.15 Disclosure Letter . Each Disclosure Letter is qualified in its entirety by reference to the specific provisions of this Agreement and is not intended to constitute, and shall not be construed as constituting, representations or warranties of the Seller, except as and to the extent provided in this Agreement. The specification of any dollar amount in the representations or warranties (as applicable) contained in this Agreement or the inclusion of any specific item in the Disclosure Letter is not intended to imply that such amounts, or higher or lower amounts, or the items so included, or other items, are or are not required to be disclosed or are within or outside of the Ordinary Course of Business, and none of the Parties shall use the fact of the setting forth of such amounts or the fact of the inclusion of any such item in the Disclosure Letter in any dispute or controversy with any Party as to whether any obligation, item or matter not included in a section of the Disclosure Letter is or is not required to be disclosed (including whether such amounts or items are required to be disclosed as material) or in the Ordinary Course of Business for the purposes of this Agreement. If any information required by this Agreement to be furnished in any section of the Disclosure Letter is contained in this Agreement or in any section of the Disclosure Letter, such information shall be deemed to be included in all sections of the Disclosure Letter to the extent it is reasonably apparent that such information is applicable to such other section of the Disclosure Letter. Such additional matters are set forth for informational purposes only and do not necessarily include other matters of a similar nature. In no event shall any disclosure of such additional matters be deemed or interpreted to broaden or otherwise amend any of the covenants or representations or warranties in this Agreement. The information contained in the Disclosure Letter is disclosed solely for purposes of this Agreement, and no information contained therein shall be deemed to be an admission by any Party thereto to any third party of any matter whatsoever, including of any violation of Law or breach of any agreement. Headings have been inserted in the sections of the Disclosure Letter for the convenience of reference only and shall to no extent have the effect of amending or changing the express description of the sections as set forth in this Agreement.
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Section 10.16 Remedies; Specific Performance. The Parties acknowledge that money damages would not be an adequate remedy at law if any Party fails to perform in any material respect any of its obligations hereunder and accordingly agree that each Party, in addition to any other remedy to which it may be entitled at law or in equity, shall be entitled to seek an injunction or similar equitable relief restraining such Party from committing or continuing any such breach or threatened breach or to seek to compel specific performance of the obligations of any other Party under this Agreement, without the posting of any bond, in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement in any court of the United States or any State thereof having jurisdiction, 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. No remedy shall be exclusive of any other remedy, and all available remedies shall be cumulative.
Section 10.17 No Recourse . Except in the case of intentional fraud, all Actions that may be based upon, in respect of, arise under, out or by reason of, be connected with, or relate in any manner to: (a) this Agreement, (b) the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement (including any representation or warranty made in, in connection with, or as an inducement to, this Agreement), (c) any breach of this Agreement and (d) any failure of the Transactions to be consummated, may be made only against (and, without prejudice to the rights of any express third party beneficiary to whom rights under this Agreement inure pursuant to Section 10.08 ), are those solely of the Persons that are expressly identified as parties to this Agreement and not against any Released Party. Except in the case of intentional fraud, no other Person, including any director, officer, employee, incorporator, member, partner, manager, stockholder, optionholder, Affiliate, agent, attorney or representative of, or any financial advisor or lender to, any Party, or any director, officer, employee, incorporator, member, partner, manager, stockholder, Affiliate, agent, attorney or representative of, or any financial advisor or lender (each of the foregoing, a “ Released Party ”) to any of the foregoing shall have any liabilities (whether in contract or in tort, in law or in equity, or granted by statute whether by or through attempted piercing of the corporate, limited partnership or limited liability company veil) for any claims, causes of action, obligations or liabilities arising under, out of, in connection with or related in any manner to the items in the immediately preceding clauses (a) through (d) and each Party, on behalf of itself and its Affiliates, hereby irrevocably releases and forever discharges each of the Released Parties from any such liability or obligation.
[Signature pages follow]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have duly executed this Purchase Agreement as of the date first above written.
THE PURCHASER: | |||
HENNESSY CAPITAL ACQUISITION CORP. III | |||
By: | /s/ Daniel J. Hennessy | ||
Name: | Daniel J. Hennessy | ||
Title: | Chairman of the Board and | ||
Chief Executive Officer | |||
THE SELLER: | |||
JFL-NRC-SES PARTNERS, LLC | |||
By: | /s/ C. Alexander Harman | ||
Name: | C. Alexander Harman | ||
Title: | President and Assistant Secretary |
ANNEX I
Board of Directors and Committee Members
Subject to the Agreement and this Annex I , unless otherwise agreed by the Parties, effective as of the Closing, the Purchaser Board of Directors will consist of seven members, comprised as follows:
● | James O’Neil, Executive Chairman | |
● | The Chief Executive Officer of the Purchaser as of Closing; | |
● | Three nominees of the Seller, who are C. Alexander Harman, Glenn Shor and James Baumgardner | |
● | Two nominees of the Sponsor, who are Kevin Charlton and Daniel Hennessy, Vice-Chairman |
To the extent prior to the Closing (a) any nominee of the Seller is no longer able to serve as a director or, in the case of C. Alexander Harman and Glenn Shor, is no longer affiliated with the Seller, then the Seller shall nominate such alternative individuals as may be reasonably acceptable to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Purchaser Board of Directors for nomination as a director; (b) any nominee of the Sponsor is no longer able to serve as a director or is no longer affiliated with the Sponsor, then the Sponsor shall nominate such alternative individuals as may be reasonably acceptable to each of the Seller and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Purchaser Board of Directors for nomination as a director; or (c) the Executive Chairman or Chief Executive Officer is no longer able to serve as a director or, in the case of the Chief Executive Officer, will no longer serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Purchaser as of immediately following the Closing, then the Parties will cooperate to propose new individuals to serve as Executive Chairman or Chief Executive Officer, as applicable, for consideration by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Purchaser Board of Directors for nomination as a director.
The directors will be allocated in the following classes:
Class I – Term expires in 2019
● | Kevin Charlton | |
● | Glenn Shor |
Class II – Term expires in 2020
● | C. Alexander Harman | |
● | Daniel Hennessy | |
● | James O’Neil |
Class III – Term expires in 2021
● | Christian Swinbank | |
● | James Baumgardner |
Annex I- 1 |
The number of directors as of the Closing will be increased to the extent necessary: (a) to ensure that the total number of directors as of the Closing that will be nominated by the Seller is consistent with Section 2(a) of the Investor Rights Agreement, in which case the Seller will cooperate to identify such additional individuals as are reasonably acceptable to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Purchaser Board of Directors for nomination as a director; and (b) to comply with applicable Law and exchange rules and regulations with respect to independence of directors, in which case the Parties will cooperate to identify such additional individuals as are reasonably acceptable to the Parties for nomination by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Purchaser Board of Directors for nomination as a director. Furthermore, to the extent that compliance with applicable exchange rules require or as required by the NYSE Staff in connection with the supplemental listing process, and such requirements cannot be satisfied by increasing the number of directors as of the Closing, the Parties will cooperate to amend the applicable percentages listed in Section 2(a)(i) of the Investor Rights Agreement, as necessary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, such amendments to the applicable percentages shall in no way modify in any material respect the right to appoint directors in a proportional amount to JFL’s beneficial ownership as contemplated in Section 2(a)(i) of the Investor Rights Agreement.
To the extent any additional directors are necessary, either as a result of Section 2(a) of the Investor Rights Agreement or due to applicable Law and exchange rules and regulations, such new director designees will be allocated proportionately among the classes of directors.
The composition of the following committees of the Purchaser Board of Directors as of the Closing will be as follows:
● | Audit Committee |
o | James Baumgardner |
o | James O’Neil |
o | Daniel Hennessy |
● | Compensation Committee |
o | Glenn Shor |
o | Kevin Charlton |
● | Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee |
o | Daniel Hennessy |
o | James O’Neil |
o | C. Alexander Harman |
Annex I-2
Exhibit 10.1
BACKSTOP AND SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT
This BACKSTOP AND SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT (this “ Subscription Agreement ”) is entered into this 25th day of June, 2018, by and between Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III, a Delaware corporation (the “ Issuer ”), and Nomura Securities International, Inc., a corporation formed under the laws of the State of New York (“ Subscriber ”).
WHEREAS, the Issuer has entered into that certain Purchase Agreement, dated as of June 25, 2018 (as may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the “ Purchase Agreement ”), by and between the Issuer and JFL-NRC-SES Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ NRC Seller ”), pursuant to which NRC will sell to the Issuer, and the Issuer will acquire from NRC Seller, all of the issued and outstanding membership interests of NRC Group Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ NRC ”), on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein (the “ Acquisition ,” and the consummation of the Acquisition in accordance with the Purchase Agreement, the “ Acquisition Closing ”);
WHEREAS, in connection with, and subject to completion of, the closing of the Acquisition, Subscriber desires to subscribe for, and purchase from, the Issuer shares of the Issuer’s 7.00 % Series A Convertible Cumulative Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, having terms substantially consistent with those set forth in the form of certificate of designations attached as Exhibit A hereto (the “ Certificate of Designations ” and, such shares, the “ Preferred Shares ”), for a cash purchase price of $100.00 per Preferred Share, and the Issuer desires to issue and sell to Subscriber that number of Preferred Shares as set forth in Section 1 hereof in consideration of payment of the cash purchase price therefor by or on behalf of Subscriber to the Issuer on or prior to the Closing (as defined below); and
WHEREAS, in connection with, and subject to completion of, the Acquisition, Subscriber also desires to acquire, at any one time or from time to time, commencing on the date hereof and through the Purchase Deadline (as defined below) and the Acquisition Closing (if required pursuant to Section 2(a)(iv) below), shares of the Issuer’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “ Common Shares ”), for aggregate cash consideration of up to $25.0 million (the “ Backstop Commitment ”), in consideration of the payment of the cash fees by or on behalf of the Issuer to Subscriber as set forth in Section 2(b) hereof.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual representations, warranties and covenants, and subject to the conditions, herein contained, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
1. Preferred Share Subscription .
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions hereof and the substantially concurrent Acquisition Closing, Subscriber hereby agrees to subscribe for and purchase, and the Issuer hereby agrees to issue and sell to Subscriber, upon payment of the aggregate cash purchase price of $75.0 million, 750,000 Preferred Shares (such subscription and issuance, the “ Base Subscription ”). In addition, to the extent the Issuer is unable to enter into one or more backstop and/or subscription agreements with other “accredited investor(s)” (as such term is defined in Rule 501 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”)) with respect to the purchase, prior to or concurrent with the Acquisition Closing, of $25.0 million of additional Preferred Shares and/or $25.0 million of Common Shares in the aggregate, the Issuer may deliver a written notice to Subscriber, not less than two (2) business days prior to the scheduled Acquisition Closing date, setting forth the number of additional Preferred Shares (not to exceed 250,000 Preferred Shares in the aggregate) (the “ Additional Preferred Shares ”) to be issued and sold by the Issuer to Subscriber for a cash purchase price of $100.00 per Preferred Share, and Subscriber hereby agrees to so subscribe for and purchase such number of Additional Preferred Shares in such circumstances. The subscription for, and issuance of, any Additional Preferred Shares pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence (such subscription and issuance (if any), together with the Base Subscription, the “ Preferred Subscription ”) shall be consummated concurrently with the Closing of the Base Subscription. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and for the avoidance of doubt, if the Purchase Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms prior to the Acquisition Closing, then Subscriber’s obligations to proceed with the Preferred Subscription under this Section 1(a) shall immediately terminate and be extinguished.
(b) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) Subscriber shall use its reasonable best efforts to exercise its right to the Preferred Subscription by having one or more U.S. citizens (within the meaning of the Jones Act (as defined below)) (the “ Direct Purchasers ”), prior to the Closing, enter into subscription agreements acceptable to the Issuer (with substantially similar closing conditions and representations and warranties as those contained in this Subscription Agreement) with the Issuer for the direct purchase from the Issuer of the Preferred Shares (the “ Direct Subscription Agreements ”) (such that Subscriber does not take title to such Preferred Shares) for the Issuer at all times (including from and after the Closing) to the extent necessary to satisfy the U.S. citizenship requirements set forth in the Jones Act, and otherwise to the extent necessary to comply with the Issuer’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation (including the Certificate of Designations) and bylaws in effect as of the Acquisition Closing, and (ii) if prior to the Closing an insufficient amount of Direct Subscription Agreements of the Preferred Subscription as required by the immediately preceding clause (i) have been executed, then in lieu of purchasing the Preferred Shares pursuant to the portion of the Preferred Subscription retained by the Subscriber, the Subscriber shall acquire such alternative securities or other contractual obligations of the Issuer as the Issuer shall structure such that the Issuer at all times (including from and after the Closing) to the extent required satisfies the U.S. citizenship requirements set forth in the Jones Act, provided that such alternative securities or other contractual obligations have substantially similar economic terms as the Preferred Shares, including economic terms based on a theoretical conversion into (or exercise for) Preferred Shares or Common Shares. For the avoidance of doubt, any subsequent purchaser or transferee who acquires such alternative securities or other contractual obligations of the Issuer from the Subscriber (as described in clause (ii) of the immediately preceding sentence), including from and after the Closing, shall be entitled to convert (or exercise for) such alternative securities into Preferred Shares or Common Shares, to the extent such conversion or exercise will permit the Issuer at all times (including from and after the Closing) to satisfy the U.S. citizenship requirements set forth in the Jones Act and complies with the Issuer’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation (including the Certificate of Designations) and bylaws in effect as of the Acquisition Closing. Neither Subscriber’s payment obligations under this Subscription Agreement nor the aggregate amount of the Preferred Subscription shall at any time be reduced or otherwise affected as a result of its purchase of any such alternative securities or contractual obligations in lieu of the Preferred Shares contemplated by the immediately preceding clause (ii), and no Direct Subscription Agreements shall relieve Subscriber of an obligation to effect such Preferred Subscription pursuant to the terms of this Subscription Agreement in the event any such Direct Purchaser fails to so subscribe for and purchase Preferred Shares pursuant to the terms of any Direct Subscription Agreement as contemplated by the immediately preceding clause (i). “ Jones Act ” means, collectively, the U.S. citizenship and cabotage laws principally contained in 46 U.S.C. § 50501 and 46 U.S.C. Chapters 121 and 551 and any successor statutes thereto, together with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Maritime Administration enforcing, administering and interpreting such laws, statutes, rules and regulations, in each case as amended or supplemented from time to time, relating to the ownership and operation of U.S.-flag vessels in the carriage or transport of merchandise and/or other materials and/or passengers in the coastwise trade of the United States of America within the meaning of 46 U.S.C. Chapter 551 and any successor statutes thereto, as amended or supplemented from time to time.
2. Common Share Backstop and Subscription; Commitment Fees .
(a) (i) Subscriber covenants and agrees that until the earlier of the (A) closing date of the Acquisition or (B) Termination Date (as defined in the Purchase Agreement), it shall not, and shall ensure that each of its Affiliates does not, Transfer any Common Shares. For purposes hereof, “ Affiliate ” shall mean affiliate as such term is defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”), including, without limitation, any entity for which Subscriber directly or indirectly serves as investment adviser or manager; and “ Transfer ” shall mean any direct or indirect transfer, redemption, disposition or monetization in any manner whatsoever, including, without limitation, through redemption election or any derivative transactions.
(ii) Subscriber covenants and agrees that it shall, and shall cause each of its Affiliates to, (A) vote its Common Shares that it owns as of the record date for the Special Meeting (as defined below) in favor of the Acquisition and the other proposals of the Issuer set forth in its proxy statement (the “ Proxy Statement ”) to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”) in connection with a special meeting of Issuer stockholders (the “ Special Meeting ”) to be held to approve, among other things, the Acquisition, and (B) not exercise its redemption rights with respect to any Common Shares in connection with the Special Meeting.
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(iii) Commencing on the date hereof and through the close of business on the third Trading Day (as defined below) prior to the Special Meeting (the “ Purchase Deadline ”), Subscriber shall (provided it is lawful to do so and to the extent requested by the Issuer) use reasonable best efforts to purchase Common Shares, at any one time or from time to time and in such amount or amounts as directed by the Issuer, for an aggregate purchase price up to (but not exceeding) the Backstop Commitment. All such purchases under this Section 2(a)(iii) shall be made by Subscriber via one or more open market purchases or in one or more privately negotiated transactions with one or more third parties, including through forward contracts, provided that: (a) any such privately negotiated transactions settle no later than, and are conditioned upon, the substantially concurrent Acquisition Closing, and (b) Subscriber shall not be required to purchase any Common Shares at a price in excess of $10.25 per share. On the date immediately following the Purchase Deadline, and at such other times as may be requested by the Issuer, Subscriber shall (x) notify the Issuer in writing of the number of Common Shares so purchased pursuant to this Section 2(a)(iii) (the “ Market Shares ”) and the aggregate purchase price paid therefor by Subscriber and (y) in the case of any Market Shares acquired in privately negotiated transactions with one or more third parties, provide the Issuer with all documentation reasonably requested by the Issuer and its advisors (including without limitation, its legal counsel) and its transfer agent and proxy solicitor to confirm that: (A) Subscriber purchased, or has contracted to purchase, such Market Shares, and (B) the seller of such Market Shares has provided to Subscriber a representation that (I) the seller voted such Market Shares in favor of the Acquisition and the other proposals of the Issuer set forth in the Proxy Statement and (II) the seller of such Market Shares did not exercise its redemption rights with respect to such Market Shares in connection with the Special Meeting. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and for the avoidance of doubt, if the Purchase Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms prior to the Acquisition Closing, then Subscriber’s obligations to purchase Common Shares under this Section 2(a)(iii) shall immediately terminate and be extinguished. For purposes hereof, “ Trading Day ” shall mean a day during which trading in the Common Shares generally occurs on the NYSE American or, if the Common Shares are not then listed on the NYSE American, on the principal other national or regional securities exchange on which the Common Shares are then listed or, if the Common Shares are not listed on a national or regional securities exchange, on the principal other market on which the Common Shares are then listed or admitted for trading.
(iv) In the event Subscriber has not acquired a sufficient number of Market Shares pursuant to Section 2(a)(iii) hereof to satisfy in full its Backstop Commitment, Subscriber hereby irrevocably subscribes for and agrees, subject to the substantially concurrent Acquisition Closing and the other terms and conditions set forth herein, and to the extent requested by the Issuer, to purchase from the Issuer that number of Common Shares equivalent to its Private Placement Remainder (as defined below) (or such lesser number of Common Shares as the Issuer may direct) at a purchase price of $10.25 per share, and the Issuer agrees to sell such Common Shares to Subscriber at such price per share, subject to the Issuer’s right to sell to Subscriber such lesser number of Common Shares as the Issuer may deem necessary or desirable (the Common Shares to be sold being referred to hereafter as the “ Private Placement Shares ” and, together with the total number of Preferred Shares (or alternative securities of the Issuer with substantially similar economic terms, if required under Section 1(b) ) being sold pursuant to Section 1 hereof, the “ Acquired Shares ”). For the avoidance of doubt, if the Purchase Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms prior to the Acquisition Closing, then Subscriber’s obligations to purchase Common Shares under this Section 2(a)(iv) shall immediately terminate and be extinguished. The subscription for, and issuance of, any Private Placement Shares pursuant to this Section 2(a)(iv) (such subscription and issuance (if any), together with the Preferred Subscription, the “ Subscriptions ”) shall be consummated concurrently with the Closing of the Preferred Subscription. For purposes hereof, Subscriber’s “ Private Placement Remainder ” shall mean that number of Common Shares that is equal to (A) the Backstop Commitment, divided by $10.25, less (B) the number of Market Shares (if any) acquired or to be acquired pursuant to Section 2(a)(iii) hereof. For the avoidance of doubt, in the event that no Market Shares are acquired by Subscriber pursuant to Section 2(a)(iii) , Subscriber’s obligations under this Section 2(a)(iv) shall nevertheless continue to apply.
(b) In consideration for Subscriber’s obligations described in Sections 1 and 2(a) hereof, Subscriber shall be paid, in immediately available funds, a commitment fee of $2.5 million in cash (the “ Commitment Fee ”), promptly following the execution of this Subscription Agreement. Subscriber and the Issuer acknowledge that the Commitment Fee is being paid by and on behalf of the Issuer by JFL or one of its Affiliates and that in the event that pursuant to the terms of Section 9 hereof, the Commitment Fee less Carrying Costs (as defined below) is required to be paid pursuant to Section 9 hereof, such payment shall be made to JFL and not the Issuer. In addition, to the extent Subscriber acquires Market Shares and/or Private Placement Shares hereunder on or prior to the Acquisition Closing, Issuer shall pay Subscriber, in immediately available funds, an additional cash fee of five percent (5%) of the aggregate consideration paid by Subscriber to acquire Market Shares and/or Private Placement Shares on or prior to the Closing Date (as defined below) (not to exceed five percent (5%) of the total Backstop Commitment).
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3. Closing .
(a) The closing of the Subscriptions contemplated hereby (the “ Closing ”) is contingent upon the substantially concurrent Acquisition Closing and shall occur immediately prior thereto. Not less than two (2) business days prior to the scheduled Acquisition Closing date, the Issuer shall provide written notice to Subscriber (the “ Closing Notice ”) of the date of Closing hereunder (the “ Closing Date ”). On the Closing Date, (i) the Issuer shall deliver to Subscriber the Acquired Shares, free and clear of any liens or other restrictions whatsoever (other than those arising under state or federal securities laws), in the name of Subscriber (or its nominee in accordance with its delivery instructions) or to a custodian designated by Subscriber, as applicable, and (ii) prior to the Acquisition Closing, Subscriber shall deliver to the Issuer the aggregate cash purchase price payable pursuant to Section 1 (in respect of the total number of Preferred Shares (or alternative securities of the Issuer with substantially similar economic terms, if required under Section 1(b) ) being acquired thereunder) and Section 2(a)(iv) (in respect of the total number of Private Placement Shares, if any, being acquired thereunder) by wire transfer of U.S. dollars in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Issuer in the Closing Notice. In the event the Acquisition Closing does not occur within one (1) business day of the Closing, the Issuer shall promptly (but not later than two (2) business days thereafter) return to Subscriber the aggregate cash purchase price deposited with the Issuer, and any book-entries or share certificates shall be deemed cancelled and any share certificates shall be promptly (but not later than two (2) business days thereafter) returned to the Issuer.
(b) The Closing shall be subject to the conditions that, on the Closing Date:
(i) no suspension of the qualification of the Acquired Shares for offering or sale or trading in any jurisdiction, or initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes, shall have occurred;
(ii) all representations and warranties of the Issuer and Subscriber contained in this Subscription Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date, and consummation of the Closing shall constitute a reaffirmation by each of the Issuer and Subscriber of each of the representations, warranties and agreements of each such party contained in this Subscription Agreement as of the Closing Date (except, in each case, to the extent such representations and warranties are specifically made as of a particular date, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such date);
(iii) the Issuer shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Subscription Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by it at or prior to the Closing;
(iv) no governmental authority shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any judgment, order, law, rule or regulation (whether temporary, preliminary or permanent) which is then in effect and has the effect of making consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby illegal or otherwise preventing or prohibiting consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, and no governmental authority shall have instituted or threatened in writing a proceeding seeking to impose any such prevention or prohibition;
(v) the Purchase Agreement shall not have been amended in a manner materially adverse to the Preferred Shares or Common Shares; and
(vi) all conditions precedent to the Acquisition Closing, including the approval of the Issuer’s stockholders, shall have been satisfied (other than those conditions that may only be satisfied at the Acquisition Closing), but subject to satisfaction of such conditions as of the Acquisition Closing.
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(c) At the Closing, the parties hereto shall execute and deliver such additional documents and take such additional actions as the parties reasonably may deem to be practical and necessary in order to consummate the Subscriptions as contemplated by this Subscription Agreement.
4. Issuer Representations and Warranties . For purposes of this Section 4 , the term “Issuer” shall refer to the Issuer as of the date hereof and, for purposes of only representations contained in paragraphs (h), (i), (k), (n), (p),and (r) of this Section 4 and to the extent such representations and warranties are made as of the Closing Date, the combined company after giving effect to the Acquisition. The Issuer represents and warrants that:
(a) The Issuer has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as presently conducted and to enter into, deliver and perform its obligations under this Subscription Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement (as defined below) and the Purchase Agreement.
(b) The Acquired Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered to Subscriber against full payment for the Acquired Shares in accordance with the terms of this Subscription Agreement and duly registered, the Acquired Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will not have been issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive or similar rights created under the Issuer’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws or under the laws of the State of Delaware.
(c) The maximum number of Common Shares issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Shares pursuant to the Subscriber’s Preferred Subscription have been duly authorized and reserved and, when such Common Shares are issued upon conversion of such Preferred Shares in accordance with the terms thereof, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and will not have been issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive or similar rights created under the Issuer’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws or under the laws of the State of Delaware.
(d) This Subscription Agreement and the Purchase Agreement have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Issuer, and each constitutes a legal valid and binding obligation of the Issuer , enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited or otherwise affected by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally, and (ii) principles of equity, whether considered at law or equity.
(e) The Registration Rights Agreement will constitute upon execution and delivery by the Issuer a legal valid and binding obligation of the Issuer enforceable against it in accordance with its terms except as may be limited or otherwise affected by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally, and (ii) principles of equity, whether considered at law or equity.
(f) The execution, delivery and performance of this Subscription Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement and the Purchase Agreement (including compliance by the Issuer with all of the provisions hereof and thereof), the issuance and sale of the Acquired Shares and the consummation of the other transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Rights Agreement and Purchase Agreement will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of the property or assets of the Issuer pursuant to the terms of (i) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease, license or other agreement or instrument to which the Issuer is a party or by which the Issuer is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Issuer is subject, which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) on the Issuer and NRC or materially affect the validity of the Acquired Shares or the legal authority of the Issuer to comply in all material respects with the terms of this Subscription Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement or the Purchase Agreement; (ii) the organizational documents of the Issuer; or (iii) any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Issuer or any of its properties that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) or materially affect the validity of the Acquired Shares or the legal authority of the Issuer to comply in all material respects with this Subscription Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement or the Purchase Agreement.
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(g) There are no securities or instruments issued by or to which the Issuer is a party as of the date hereof containing anti-dilution or similar provisions that will be triggered by the issuance of the Acquired Shares that have not been or will not be validly waived on or prior to the Closing Date.
(h) The Issuer is not in default or violation (and no event has occurred which, with notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute a default or violation) of any term, condition or provision of (i) the organizational documents of the Issuer, (ii) any loan or credit agreement, note, bond, mortgage, indenture, lease or other agreement, permit, franchise or license to which the Issuer is now a party or by which the Issuer’s properties or assets are bound or (iii) any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Issuer or any of its properties, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), for defaults or violations that have not had and would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Purchase Agreement).
(i) The Issuer is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority, self-regulatory organization or other person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Issuer of this Subscription Agreement (including, without limitation, the issuance of the Acquired Shares), the Registration Rights Agreement or the Purchase Agreement, other than (i) filings with the SEC, including the Proxy Statement, the Registration Statement (as defined below) and any Current Reports on Form 8-K relating to the Acquisition, (ii) filings required by applicable state securities laws, (iii) the filing required in accordance with Section 11(p) of this Subscription Agreement; (iv) those required by the New York Stock Exchange with respect to the NYSE American (f/k/a NYSE MKT) market (the “ NYSE ”), including with respect to obtaining Issuer stockholder approval, (v) the filing of the Certificate of Designations with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and (vi) those the failure of which to obtain would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
(j) The authorized capital stock of the Issuer consists of (i) 1,000,000 undesignated Preferred Shares and (ii) 200,000,000 Common Shares. As of the date hereof: (i) no Preferred Shares are issued and outstanding, (ii) 32,081,250 Common Shares are issued and outstanding and (iii) 19,248,750 redeemable public purchase warrants and 9,600,000 private placement warrants are outstanding. As of the Closing Date, and subject to approval by the Issuer’s stockholders, the authorized capital stock of the Issuer will consist of (i) 5,000,000 Preferred Shares, at least 1,300,000 of which will be designated as 7.00% Series A Convertible Cumulative Preferred Stock, and (ii) 200,000,000 Common Shares.
(k) The Issuer has not received any written communication since March 31, 2018 from a governmental entity that alleges that the Issuer is not in compliance with or is in default or violation of any applicable law, except where such non-compliance, default or violation would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Purchase Agreement).
(l) The Common Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and are listed for trading on the NYSE American under the symbol “HCAC.” There is no suit, action, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Issuer, threatened against the Issuer by the NYSE or the SEC with respect to any intention by such entity to deregister the Common Shares or prohibit or terminate the listing of the Common Shares on the NYSE American. The Issuer has taken no action that is designed to terminate the registration of the Common Shares under the Exchange Act.
(m) The NYSE American will have approved the issuance of the Preferred Shares prior to the Closing Date.
(n) Assuming the accuracy of Subscriber’s representations and warranties set forth in Section 5 of this Subscription Agreement, no registration under the Securities Act is required for the offer and sale of the Acquired Shares by the Issuer to Subscriber.
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(o) Neither the Issuer nor any person acting on its behalf has engaged or will engage in any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D of the Securities Act) in connection with any offer or sale of the Acquired Shares.
(p) As of the date hereof, the Issuer has not entered into any side letter or similar agreement with any other investor in connection with such other investor’s direct or indirect investment in the Issuer other than (x) the Purchase Agreement and (y) that certain Subscription Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, with J.F. Lehman & Company, LLC.
(q) The Issuer has made available to Subscriber (including via the SEC’s EDGAR system) a copy of each form, report, statement, schedule, prospectus, proxy, registration statement and other document, if any, filed by the Issuer with the SEC since its initial registration of the Common Shares (the “ SEC Documents ”). None of the SEC Documents filed under the Exchange Act contained, when filed or, if amended, as of the date of such amendment with respect to those disclosures that are amended, included any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Issuer has timely filed each report, statement, schedule, prospectus, and registration statement that the Issuer was required to file with the SEC since its inception. There are no material outstanding or unresolved comments in comment letters from the SEC Staff with respect to any of the SEC Documents.
(r) Except for such matters as have not had and would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Purchase Agreement), there is no (i) action, lawsuit, claim, suit, arbitration, hearing, examination or judicial or legal proceeding or investigation, whether civil, criminal or administrative, at law or in equity, or by or before any governmental authority pending, or, to the knowledge of the Issuer, threatened against the Issuer or (ii) judgment, decree, injunction, ruling or order of any governmental entity or arbitrator outstanding against the Issuer.
(s) Except for placement agent fees payable to Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC (“ Credit Suisse ”) and Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated (“ Stifel ,” and together with Credit Suisse, in their respective capacities as placement agents with respect to the issuance and sale of the Acquired Shares, the “ Placement Agents ”) at the Closing, the Issuer has not paid, and is not obligated to pay, any brokerage, finder’s or other fee or commission in connection with its issuance and sale of the Acquired Shares, including, for the avoidance of doubt, any fee or commission payable to any stockholder or affiliate of the Issuer.
(t) The Proxy Statement, when filed or, if amended, as of the date of such amendment with respect to those disclosures that are amended, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(u) As of the date hereof, all representations and warranties of NRC and NRC Seller that are contained in the Purchase Agreement are true and correct in all material respects, to the knowledge of the Issuer after due inquiry.
5. Subscriber Representations and Warranties . Subscriber represents and warrants that:
(a) Subscriber is validly existing in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or formation, with power and authority to enter into, deliver and perform its obligations under this Subscription Agreement.
(b) This Subscription Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Subscriber. This Subscription Agreement is enforceable against Subscriber in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited or otherwise affected by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally, and (ii) principles of equity, whether considered at law or equity.
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(c) The execution, delivery and performance by Subscriber of this Subscription Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of the property or assets of Subscriber or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to the terms of (i) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease, license or other agreement or instrument to which Subscriber or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which Subscriber or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of Subscriber or any of its subsidiaries is subject, which would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, financial condition, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of Subscriber and any of its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a “ Subscriber Material Adverse Effect ”), or materially affect the legal authority of Subscriber to comply in all material respects with the terms of this Subscription Agreement; (ii) the organizational documents of Subscriber; or (iii) any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over Subscriber or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties that would reasonably be expected to have a Subscriber Material Adverse Effect or materially affect the legal authority of Subscriber to comply in all material respects with this Subscription Agreement.
(d) Subscriber (i) is a “qualified institutional buyer” (as defined in Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act (“ Rule 144A ”)) (a “ QIB ”) or an institutional “accredited investor” (within the meaning of Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act) satisfying the applicable requirements set forth on Schedule A hereto, (ii) is acquiring the Acquired Shares (including the Underlying Common Shares (as defined in Section 6(a) below)) only for its own account and not for the account of others, or if Subscriber is subscribing for the Acquired Shares as a fiduciary or agent for one or more investor accounts, each owner of such account is a qualified institutional buyer and Subscriber has full investment discretion with respect to each such account, and the full power and authority to make the acknowledgements, representations and agreements herein on behalf of each owner of each such account, and (iii) shall provide the requested information on Schedule A hereto following the signature page hereto.
(e) Subscriber understands that the Acquired Shares are being offered in a transaction not involving any public offering within the meaning of the Securities Act and that the Acquired Shares have not been registered under the Securities Act. Subscriber understands that the Acquired Shares may not be resold, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed of by Subscriber absent an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, except (i) to the Issuer or a subsidiary thereof, (ii) to non-U.S. persons pursuant to offers and sales that occur outside the United States within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (iii) pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act, provided that all of the applicable conditions thereof have been met, (iv) pursuant to Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act or (v) pursuant to another applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, and that any certificates or book-entry records representing the Acquired Shares shall contain a legend to such effect. Subscriber understands and agrees that the Acquired Shares will be subject to transfer restrictions and, as a result of these transfer restrictions, Subscriber may not be able to readily resell the Acquired Shares and may be required to bear the financial risk of an investment in the Acquired Shares for an indefinite period of time. Subscriber understands that it has been advised to consult legal counsel prior to making any offer, resale, pledge or transfer of any of the Acquired Shares. To the extent Subscriber resells the Acquired Shares pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act, Subscriber understands and agrees that (1) it will only offer and sell the Acquired Shares to persons reasonably believed to be QIBs and (2) it will not offer or sell the Acquired Shares by any manner involving a public offering in the United States within the meaning of Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.
(f) Subscriber understands and agrees that Subscriber is purchasing the Acquired Shares directly from the Issuer. Subscriber further acknowledges that there have been no representations, warranties, covenants and agreements made to Subscriber by the Issuer or any of its officers or directors, expressly or by implication, other than those representations, warranties, covenants and agreements expressly included in this Subscription Agreement.
(g) Subscriber represents and warrants that its acquisition and holding of the Acquired Shares will not constitute or result in a non-exempt prohibited transaction under section 406 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ ERISA ”), section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code ”), or any applicable similar law. Subscriber represents that it is not an employee benefit plan that is subject to Title I of ERISA, a plan, an individual retirement account or other arrangement that is subject to section 4975 of the Code or an employee benefit plan that is a governmental plan (as defined in section 3(32) of ERISA), a church plan (as defined in section 3(33) of ERISA), a non-U.S. plan (as described in section 4(b)(4) of ERISA) or other plan that is not subject to the foregoing but may be subject to provisions under any other federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other laws or regulations that are similar to such provisions of ERISA or the Code, or an entity whose underlying assets are considered to include “plan assets” of any such plan, account or arrangement, subject to the fiduciary or prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA or section 4975 of the Code.
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(h) In making its decision to purchase the Acquired Shares, Subscriber represents that it has relied solely upon independent investigation made by Subscriber. Subscriber acknowledges and agrees that Subscriber has received such information as Subscriber deems necessary in order to make an investment decision with respect to the Acquired Shares, including with respect to the Issuer, NRC and the Acquisition. Subscriber has had the opportunity to retain, at its own expense, and relied upon, appropriate professional advice regarding the investment, tax and legal merits and consequences of purchasing and owning the Acquired Shares. Subscriber represents and agrees that Subscriber and Subscriber’s professional advisor(s), if any, have had the full opportunity to ask such questions, receive such answers and obtain such information as Subscriber and Subscriber’s professional advisor(s), if any, have deemed necessary to make an investment decision with respect to the Acquired Shares and determined that the Acquired Shares are a suitable investment for Subscriber and that Subscriber is able at this time and in the foreseeable future to bear the economic risk of a total loss of Subscriber’s investment in the Issuer. Subscriber acknowledges specifically that a possibility of total loss exists.
(i) Subscriber became aware of this offering of the Acquired Shares solely by means of direct contact between Subscriber and the Issuer (or Credit Suisse or Stifel on behalf of the Issuer), and the Acquired Shares were offered to Subscriber solely by direct contact between Subscriber and the Issuer. Subscriber did not become aware of this offering of the Acquired Shares, nor were the Acquired Shares offered to Subscriber, by any other means. Subscriber acknowledges that the Issuer represents and warrants that the Acquired Shares (i) were not offered by any form of general solicitation or general advertising and (ii) are not being offered in a manner involving a public offering under, or in a distribution in violation of, the Securities Act, or any state securities laws.
(j) Subscriber acknowledges that it is aware that there are substantial risks incident to the purchase and ownership of the Acquired Shares. Subscriber has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the Acquired Shares, and Subscriber has sought such accounting, legal and tax advice as Subscriber has considered necessary to make an informed investment decision.
(k) Subscriber understands and agrees that no federal or state agency has passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the Acquired Shares or made any findings or determination as to the fairness of this investment.
(l) Subscriber represents and warrants that Subscriber is not (i) a person or entity named on the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons, the Executive Order 13599 List, the Foreign Sanctions Evaders List, or the Sectoral Sanctions Identification List, each of which is administered by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“ OFAC ”) (collectively, the “ OFAC Lists ”); (ii) owned or controlled by, or acting on behalf of, a person, that is named on an OFAC List; (iii) organized, incorporated, established, located, resident or born in, or a citizen, national, or the government, including any political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, of, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, the Crimea region of Ukraine, or any other country or territory embargoed or subject to substantial trade restrictions by the United States; (iv) a Designated National as defined in the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 515; or (v) a non-U.S. shell bank or providing banking services indirectly to a non-U.S. shell bank. Subscriber represents that if it is a financial institution subject to the Bank Secrecy Act (31 U.S.C. section 5311 et seq.), as amended by the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, and its implementing regulations (collectively, the “ BSA/PATRIOT Act ”), that Subscriber maintains policies and procedures reasonably designed to comply with applicable obligations under the BSA/PATRIOT Act. Subscriber also represents that, to the extent required, it maintains policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure compliance with OFAC-administered sanctions programs, including for the screening of its investors against the OFAC Lists. Subscriber further represents and warrants that, to the extent required, it maintains policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that the funds held by Subscriber and used to purchase the Acquired Shares were legally derived.
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(m) Subscriber has, and at the Closing will have, sufficient funds to pay the aggregate cash purchase price payable pursuant to Section 3(a) .
(n) As of the date hereof, Subscriber does not own, directly or indirectly, any Common Shares.
(o) Subscriber (i) acknowledges that Stifel is engaged by both the Issuer and an affiliate of NRC Seller in connection with the Acquisition, (x) serving as an underwriter in the Issuer’s June 2017 initial public offering and providing related capital markets, investment banking and financial advisory services to the Issuer, including acting as co-placement agent with respect to the issuance and sale of Acquired Shares pursuant to this Subscription Agreement, for which Stifel will receive customary compensation (including placement agent fees and a deferred IPO underwriting discount) payable at the Acquisition Closing, and (y) serving as financial advisor to J.F. Lehman & Company (“ JFL ”), an affiliate of NRC Seller, in connection with the Acquisition, for which Stifel will be entitled to receive customary compensation; and (ii) waives any conflict of interest with respect to Stifel serving in these roles on behalf of both the Issuer and JFL, an affiliate of NRC Seller.
6. Registration Rights .
(a) At the Closing, the Issuer and Subscriber shall enter into a Registration Rights Agreement (the “ Registration Rights Agreement ”), pursuant to which the Issuer will agree to (i) as soon as reasonably practicable within sixty (60) days after the Closing Date, but in no event later than ninety (90) days following the Closing Date, file a shelf registration statement to register the resale of the Acquired Shares (including the Common Shares into which the Preferred Shares may be converted (the “ Underlying Common Shares ”)) under the Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and applicable state securities laws, (ii) use its reasonable best efforts to cause such registration statement (the “ Registration Statement ”) to become effective as promptly thereafter as practicable, but in any event not later than one hundred eighty (180) days after the Closing Date if the Issuer receives comments to the Registration Statement from the staff of the SEC (“ SEC Comments ”) or one hundred twenty (120) days after the Closing Date if the Issuer does not receive SEC Comments and (iii) provide Subscriber and certain other investors in the Issuer’s equity securities with customary piggyback registration rights. The Registration Rights Agreement shall include such additional terms and conditions as are customary and reasonably satisfactory to the Issuer and Subscriber.
(b) None of the Acquired Shares (including the Underlying Common Shares) may be directly or indirectly transferred, disposed of or otherwise monetized in any manner whatsoever, except pursuant to a registration statement or in a transaction that is exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.
7. Cooperation with respect to the Offering and Jones Act .
The Issuer shall use reasonable best efforts to cooperate with Nomura with respect to any reasonable requests for assistance and customary documentation requested by the Subscriber in connection with any resale or private offering exempt from registration of the Acquired Securities (the “Offering”) by the Subscriber. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, such cooperation and assistance shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following:
(a) The Issuer shall (i) furnish or cause to be furnished to the Subscriber such customary and non-privileged information as the Subscriber may reasonably request about the Issuer, NRC and NRC Seller, including a description of the Issuer’s management, business, operations and financial condition, financial statements, pro forma financial statements and other financial data of the type and form customarily included in offering memoranda customarily used in Rule 144A offerings for inclusion in the Offering Memorandum and/or Offering Materials, (ii) ensure that such information does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and (iii) promptly advise the Subscriber if it becomes aware that any such information previously provided has become materially inaccurate or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the information not misleading.
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(b) The Issuer shall assist Nomura in the preparation and review of any offering memorandum (the “ Offering Memorandum ”) and any other offering or marketing materials (“ Offering Materials ”) in connection with the Offering, containing the information described in item (a) above, including promptly furnishing any diligence materials reasonably requested by Subscriber in connection with such transaction.
(c) The Issuer shall use commercially reasonable efforts to make senior management of the Issuer, NRC and NRC Seller, available at reasonable times and upon reasonable advance notice by the Subscriber in connection with the preparation of the Offering Materials or in connection with one or more calls with prospective purchasers of the Acquired Securities.
(d) The Issuer shall deliver or shall cause to be delivered to Subscriber and its counsel, on or prior to the Acquisition Closing, such closing certificates and customary opinion of counsel (which, for the sake of clarity, would exclude any negative assurances), in each case to the extent reasonably requested by Subscriber, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Subscriber and of the type and form customarily prepared and delivered in a Rule 144A offering for securities substantially similar to the Acquired Shares;
(e) Each of the Issuer and Subscriber shall cooperate with the other in connection with the monitoring of and analysis of compliance by the Issuer and by the Direct Purchasers with the U.S. citizenship requirements set forth in the Jones Act and provide such other assistance and cooperation as the other may reasonably request to ensure continued compliance by the Issuer and by the Direct Purchasers with the U.S. citizenship requirements set forth in the Jones Act.
The fees and expenses to be incurred by the Issuer in connection with this Section 7 shall be borne solely by the Issuer. The provisions of this Section 7 shall at all times be effective and will survive the termination of this Subscription Agreement.
8. Indemnification of Subscriber.
The Issuer shall indemnify and hold harmless the Subscriber, its affiliates, the directors, officers, employees and agents of the Subscriber and each person, if any, who controls Subscriber within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against any and all losses, claims, liabilities, expenses and damages (including any and all investigative, legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any claim, suit, action, proceeding, investigation or inquiry (collectively, a “Proceeding”) between any of the indemnified parties and any indemnifying parties or between any indemnified party and any third party, or otherwise, or any claim asserted), to which they, or any of them, may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, liabilities, expenses or damages arise out of or are based on any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in, or the omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which such statements were made, not misleading, the Offering Memorandum (to the extent such statement was derived from the Proxy Statement or SEC Documents); provided , however , that the Issuer shall not be liable to the extent that such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage is based on any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance on and in conformity with information provided by Subscriber.
In addition, in the event that the Subscriber becomes involved in any capacity in any Proceeding in connection with any matter in any way relating to or referred to in this Subscription Agreement or arising out of the matters contemplated by this Subscription Agreement, the Issuer will reimburse the Subscriber for its reasonably incurred and documented legal and other expenses (including the reasonably incurred and documented costs of any investigation and preparation) as such expenses are incurred by the Subscriber and promptly following request to the Issuer for reimbursement therefor in connection therewith.
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If indemnification under this Section 8 is unavailable or insufficient for any reason, the Issuer agrees to contribute to the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses involved (i) in the proportion appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Issuer , on the one hand, and the Subscriber, on the other hand, in connection with the matters contemplated by this Subscription Agreement or (ii) if (but only if and to the extent) the allocation provided for in clause (i) is for any reason held unenforceable, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Issuer, on the one hand, and the party entitled to contribution, on the other hand, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The Issuer agrees that for the purposes of this paragraph the relative benefits received by the Issuer, on the one hand, and the party entitled to contribution, on the other hand, in connection with the matters contemplated by this Subscription Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same proportion that the total value received by the Issuer as a result of or in connection with the matters (whether or not consummated) bears to the total consideration received by Nomura under the Subscription Agreement. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any alleged untrue statement or omission or any other alleged conduct relates to information provided by the Issuer or other conduct by the Issuer (or its employees or other agents), on the one hand, or by the Subscriber, on the other hand.
The indemnity and contribution rights hereunder shall be in addition to any rights that any indemnified party may have at common law or otherwise.
9. Termination .
Except for the provisions of Sections 7 through 11, which shall survive any termination hereunder, this Subscription Agreement shall terminate and be void and of no further force and effect, and all rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall terminate without any further liability on the part of any party in respect thereof, upon the earlier to occur of (a) such date and time as the Purchase Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms, (b) upon the mutual written agreement of each of the parties hereto to terminate this Subscription Agreement, (c) if any of the conditions to Closing set forth in Section 3 of this Subscription Agreement are not satisfied on or prior to the Closing and, as a result thereof, the transactions contemplated by this Subscription Agreement are not consummated at the Closing or (d) the Termination Date (as defined in the Purchase Agreement); provided , that nothing herein shall relieve any party from liability for any willful breach hereof prior to the time of termination, and each party shall be entitled to any remedies at law or in equity to recover losses, liabilities or damages arising from such breach; provided, further , that upon any termination of this Subscription Agreement pursuant to this Section 9 arising out of or relating to the failure of Subscriber to perform its obligations under this Subscription Agreement, then in addition to and without limiting any such rights or remedies of the Issuer or JFL under this Subscription Agreement, Subscriber shall promptly repay the Commitment Fee less Carrying Costs in cash in immediately available funds to JFL. The Issuer shall promptly notify Subscriber of the termination of the Purchase Agreement promptly after the termination thereof. For purposes of this Subscription Agreement, “Carrying Costs” means Subscriber’s documented out-of-pocket costs of carrying its investment obligations under this Subscription Agreement, which costs are its unsecured funding costs for investment banking and global markets activities and are used generally and not specific to the investments contemplated hereunder. The Carrying Costs will be determined in a manner consistent with the practices described and specified by Subscriber to the Issuer and JFL in a written document or correspondence that specifically references this Section 9 and is delivered by Subscriber to the Issuer and JFL on the date hereof.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Subscriber may terminate this Subscription Agreement at any time at or prior to the Acquisition Closing, by notice to the Issuer if since the time of execution of this Subscription Agreement, there shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of Closing: (A) a long-term suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the NYSE, the NYSE American or Nasdaq; or (B) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; provided , that prior to or concurrently with any termination by Subscriber pursuant to clause (A) or (B) above, Subscriber shall have repaid the Commitment Fee less Carrying Costs in cash in immediately available funds to JFL.
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10. Waiver of Claims Against Trust . Reference is made to the final prospectus of the Issuer, filed with the SEC (File No. 333-218341) (the “ Prospectus ”), and dated as of June 22, 2017. The Subscriber hereby represents and warrants that it understands that the Issuer has established a trust account (the “ Trust Account ”) containing the proceeds of its initial public offering (“ IPO ”) and from certain private placements occurring simultaneously with the IPO (including interest accrued from time to time thereon) for the benefit of the Issuer’s public stockholders (including overallotment shares acquired by the Issuer’s underwriters, the “ Public Stockholders ”), and has read the provisions of the Prospectus relating thereto, and that, except as otherwise described in the Prospectus, the Issuer may disburse monies from the Trust Account only: (a) to the Public Stockholders in the event they elect to redeem their Common Shares in connection with the consummation of the Issuer’s initial business combination (as such term is used in the Prospectus) (the “ Business Combination ”) or in connection with an extension of the deadline to consummate a Business Combination, (b) to the Public Stockholders if the Issuer fails to consummate a Business Combination within eighteen (18) months after the closing of the IPO, (c) with respect to any interest earned on the amounts held in the Trust Account, as necessary to pay any taxes or (d) to the Issuer after or concurrently with the consummation of a Business Combination. For and in consideration of the Issuer’s entering into discussions with Subscriber regarding the Acquired Shares, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, Subscriber hereby agrees that it does not now and shall not at any time hereafter have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the Trust Account or distributions therefrom, or make any claim against, the Trust Account (including any distributions therefrom), regardless of whether such claim arises as a result of, in connection with or relating in any way to any proposed or actual business relationship between Subscriber and the Issuer, this Subscription Agreement or any other matter, and regardless of whether such claim arises based on contract, tort, equity or any other theory of legal liability (any and all such claims are collectively referred to hereafter as the “ Released Claims ”). The Subscriber on behalf of itself and its affiliates hereby irrevocably waives any Released Claims that Subscriber or its affiliates may have against the Trust Account (including any distributions therefrom) now or in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with the Issuer (including this Subscription Agreement) or its representatives and will not seek recourse against the Trust Account (including any distributions therefrom) for any reason whatsoever (including for an alleged breach of any agreement with the Issuer or its affiliates). The Subscriber agrees and acknowledges that such irrevocable waiver is material to this Subscription Agreement and specifically relied upon by the Issuer and its affiliates to induce the Issuer to enter into this Subscription Agreement, and the Subscriber further intends and understands such waiver to be valid, binding and enforceable under applicable law. To the extent the Subscriber or any of its affiliates commences any action or proceeding based upon, in connection with, relating to or arising out of any matter relating to the Issuer or its representatives, which proceeding seeks, in whole or in part, monetary relief against the Issuer or its representatives, the Subscriber hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Subscriber’s and its affiliates’ sole remedy shall be against funds held outside of the Trust Account and that such claim shall not permit the Subscriber or its affiliates (or any person claiming on any of their behalves or in lieu of any of them) to have any claim against the Trust Account (including any distributions therefrom) or any amounts contained therein. In the event the Subscriber or any of its affiliates commences any action or proceeding based upon, in connection with, relating to or arising out of any matter relating to the Issuer or its representatives, which proceeding seeks, in whole or in part, relief against the Trust Account (including any distributions therefrom) or the Public Stockholders, whether in the form of money damages or injunctive relief, the Issuer and its representatives, as applicable, shall be entitled to recover from the Subscriber and its affiliates the associated legal fees and costs in connection with any such action, in the event the Issuer or its representatives, as applicable, prevails in such action or proceeding. This Section 10 will survive any termination or expiration of this Subscription Agreement and will continue with respect to claims against funds contained in the Trust Account (other than those set aside or otherwise attributable to distributions made to Public Stockholders) until such time as immediately after a Business Combination has been consummated; provided that with respect to claims involving distributions made to Public Stockholders and for transaction expenses paid (including deferred IPO underwriting discount and expenses payable to the Issuer’s underwriters in connection with the IPO), this Section 10 will survive indefinitely.
11. Miscellaneous .
(a) Each of the Issuer and Subscriber acknowledges that it and others will rely on the acknowledgments, understandings, agreements, representations and warranties made by the other party and contained in this Subscription Agreement. Prior to the Closing, each party agrees to promptly notify the other party if any of the acknowledgments, understandings, agreements, representations and warranties set forth herein are no longer accurate in all material respects.
(b) Each of the Issuer and Subscriber is entitled to rely upon this Subscription Agreement and is irrevocably authorized to produce this Subscription Agreement or a copy hereof to any interested party in any administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry with respect to the matters covered hereby.
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(c) Each of the Issuer and Subscriber acknowledges and agrees that the Placement Agents shall be entitled to rely on their respective representations and warranties contained in Section 4 and Section 5 , respectively, of this Subscription Agreement as if such representations and warranties were being made to the Placement Agents. Subscriber acknowledges that it is not relying on the Placement Agents or their respective affiliates with respect to (i) the legal, tax, economic and related considerations of an investment in the Acquired Shares, (ii) the accuracy or completeness of any documents or materials provided by the Issuer to Subscriber, or (iii) Subscriber’s decision to subscribe for and purchase the Acquired Shares.
(d) Neither this Subscription Agreement nor any rights that may accrue to Subscriber hereunder (other than the Acquired Shares acquired hereunder, if any) may be transferred or assigned except to an affiliate of the Subscriber (provided that Subscriber has provided written notice to the Issuer of such assignment and such affiliate has agreed in writing to be bound by the terms and provisions of this Subscription Agreement). Neither this Subscription Agreement nor any rights that may accrue to the Issuer hereunder may be transferred or assigned.
(e) All the agreements, representations and warranties made by each party hereto in this Subscription Agreement shall survive the Closing.
(f) The Issuer may request from Subscriber such additional information as the Issuer may deem necessary to evaluate the eligibility of Subscriber to acquire the Acquired Shares, and Subscriber shall provide such information as may be reasonably requested, to the extent readily available and to the extent consistent with its internal policies and procedures.
(g) This Subscription Agreement may not be modified, waived or terminated except by an instrument in writing, signed by the party against whom enforcement of such modification, waiver, or termination is sought. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that JFL is a third party beneficiary with respect to Sections 2(b) and 9 of this Subscription Agreement, and JFL may enforce such provisions of this Subscription Agreement to the same extent as if it were a party hereto, and in no event will the terms of such provisions be modified, waived or terminated in any manner adverse to JFL or any of its affiliates without the prior written consent of JFL.
(h) This Subscription Agreement constitutes the entire agreement, and supersedes all other prior agreements, understandings, representations and warranties, both written and oral, among the parties, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
(i) Except as otherwise provided herein, this Subscription Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives, and permitted assigns, and the agreements, representations, warranties, covenants and acknowledgments contained herein shall be deemed to be made by, and be binding upon, such heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns.
(j) If any provision of this Subscription Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality or enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Subscription Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall continue in full force and effect.
(k) This Subscription Agreement may be executed in two (2) or more counterparts (including by electronic means), all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when signed by each of the parties and delivered to the other parties, it being understood that all parties need not sign the same counterpart.
(l) Subscriber shall pay all of its own expenses in connection with this Subscription Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein.
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(m) Notices . Any notice or communication required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and either delivered personally, emailed or telecopied, sent by overnight mail via a reputable overnight carrier, or sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, and shall be deemed to be given and received (a) when so delivered personally, (b) upon receipt of an appropriate electronic answerback or confirmation when so delivered by telecopy (to such number specified below or another number or numbers as such person may subsequently designate by notice given hereunder), (c) when sent, with no mail undeliverable or other rejection notice, if sent by email, or (d) five (5) business days after the date of mailing to the address below or to such other address or addresses as such person may hereafter designate by notice given hereunder:
(i) | if to Subscriber, to such address or addresses set forth on the page following the signature page hereto; |
with a copy to:
Mayer Brown LLP
1221Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10020
Attention: Anna T. Pinedo, Esq.
Email:apinedo@mayerbrown.com
(ii) | if to the Issuer (prior to the Acquisition Closing), to: |
Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III
3485 N. Pines Way, Suite 10
Wilson, Wyoming 83104
Attention: Daniel J. Hennessy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Email: dhennessy@hennessycapllc.com
with a copy to:
Sidley Austin LLP
One South Dearborn
Chicago, Illinois 60603
Attention: Jeffrey N. Smith, Esq.
and Michael P. Heinz
, Esq.
Email: jnsmith@sidley.com and
mheinz@sidley.com
(iii) | if to the Issuer (following the Acquisition Closing), to: |
NRC Group Holdings Corp.
3500 Sunrise Highway, Suite 200, Building 200
Great River, New York 11739
Attention: Christian Swinbank, Chief Executive Officer
Email: cswinbank@sprintenergy.com
with a copy to:
Jones Day
2727 North Harwood Street
Dallas, Texas 75201
Attention: Alain Dermarkar, Esq.
Email: adermarkar@jonesday.com
(n) This Subscription Agreement, and any claim or cause of action hereunder based upon, arising out of or related to this Subscription Agreement (whether based on law, in equity, in contract, in tort or any other theory) or the negotiation, execution, performance or enforcement of this Subscription Agreement, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the Laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of law thereof.
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THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY SUBMIT TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE NEW YORK STATE COURTS AND THE U.S. FEDERAL COURTS SITTING IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF NEW YORK, BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN IN RESPECT OF THE INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT AND THE DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT AND IN RESPECT OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, AND HEREBY WAIVE, AND AGREE NOT TO ASSERT, AS A DEFENSE IN ANY ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING FOR INTERPRETATION OR ENFORCEMENT HEREOF OR ANY SUCH DOCUMENT THAT IS NOT SUBJECT THERETO OR THAT SUCH ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING MAY NOT BE BROUGHT OR IS NOT MAINTAINABLE IN SAID COURTS OR THAT VENUE THEREOF MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE OR THAT THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT OR ANY SUCH DOCUMENT MAY NOT BE ENFORCED IN OR BY SUCH COURTS, AND THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AGREE THAT ALL CLAIMS WITH RESPECT TO SUCH ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE HEARD AND DETERMINED BY SUCH A NEW YORK STATE OR U.S. FEDERAL COURT. THE PARTIES HEREBY CONSENT TO AND GRANT ANY SUCH COURT JURISDICTION OVER THE PERSON OF SUCH PARTIES AND OVER THE SUBJECT MATTER OF SUCH DISPUTE AND AGREE THAT MAILING OF PROCESS OR OTHER PAPERS IN CONNECTION WITH SUCH ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING IN THE MANNER PROVIDED IN SECTION 11(m) OR IN SUCH OTHER MANNER AS MAY BE PERMITTED BY LAW SHALL BE VALID AND SUFFICIENT SERVICE THEREOF.
EACH PARTY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY CONTROVERSY WHICH MAY ARISE UNDER THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND THEREFORE EACH SUCH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT SUCH PARTY MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT. EACH PARTY CERTIFIES AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT (I) NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER; (II) SUCH PARTY UNDERSTANDS AND HAS CONSIDERED THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE FOREGOING WAIVER; (III) SUCH PARTY MAKES THE FOREGOING WAIVER VOLUNTARILY AND (IV) SUCH PARTY HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVER AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 11(n) .
(o) Subscriber hereby acknowledges that the Issuer and its counsel represent the interests of the Issuer and not those of Subscriber in any agreement (including this Subscription Agreement) to which the Issuer is a party.
(p) The Issuer shall, by 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the first (1st) business day following the date of this Subscription Agreement, issue one or more press releases or file or furnish with the SEC a Current Report on Form 8-K (such press release or Current Report on Form 8-K, the “ Disclosure Document ”) disclosing all material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby and the Acquisition. Notwithstanding anything in this Subscription Agreement to the contrary, the Issuer shall not publicly disclose the name of Subscriber or any of its affiliates, or include the name of Subscriber or any of its affiliates in any press release or in any filing with the SEC or any regulatory agency or trading market, without the prior written consent of Subscriber (not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), except (i) as required by the federal securities laws in connection with the Proxy Statement and/or the Registration Statement, (ii) the filing of this Subscription Agreement with the SEC and in the related Current Report on Form 8-K, and (iii) to the extent such disclosure is required by law, at the request of the Staff of the SEC or regulatory agency or under the regulations of the NYSE, in which case the Issuer shall provide Subscriber with prior written notice (to the extent lawful and reasonably practicable) of such disclosure permitted under this subclause (iii).
[Signature pages follow.]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF , each of the Issuer and Subscriber has executed or caused this Backstop and Subscription Agreement to be executed by its duly authorized representative as of the date set forth below.
ISSUER: | ||
HENNESSY CAPITAL ACQUISITION CORP. III | ||
By: | /s/ Daniel J. Hennessy | |
Name: | Daniel J. Hennessy | |
Title: |
Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Office |
|
Date: | June 25, 2018 |
SUBSCRIBER: | ||
NOMURA SECURITIES INTERNATIONAL, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ Mark Connelly | |
Name: | Mark Connelly | |
Title: |
Managing Director - Head Equity Capital Markets |
|
Date: | June 25, 2018 |
Signature Page to
Subscription Agreement
Name of Subscriber:
|
|
(Please print. Please indicate name and
capacity of person signing above) |
|
Name in which securities are to be registered
(if different): |
|
Email Address: | |
If there are joint investors, please check one: | |
☐ Joint Tenants with Rights of Survivorship | |
☐ Tenants-in-Common | |
☐ Community Property | |
Subscriber’s EIN: ____________ | |
Business Address-Street: | |
City, State, Zip: | |
Attn: | |
Telephone No.: _________________________ | |
Facsimile No.: __________________________ |
You must pay the aggregate purchase price payable pursuant to Section 3(a) by wire transfer of United States dollars in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Issuer in the Closing Notice.
Signature Page to
Subscription Agreement
SCHEDULE A
ELIGIBILITY REPRESENTATIONS OF SUBSCRIBER
A. |
QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER STATUS
(Please check the applicable subparagraphs): |
1. | ☐ We are a “qualified institutional buyer” (as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act (a “QIB”)). |
2. | ☐ We are subscribing for the Acquired Shares as a fiduciary or agent for one or more investor accounts, and each owner of such account is a QIB. |
*** OR ***
B. |
INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR STATUS
(Please check the applicable subparagraphs): |
1. | ☐ We are an “accredited investor” (within the meaning of Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act) or an entity in which all of the equity holders are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act, and have marked and initialed the appropriate box on the following page indicating the provision under which we qualify as an “accredited investor.” |
2. | ☐ We are not a natural person. |
*** AND ***
C. |
AFFILIATE STATUS
(Please check the applicable box) |
SUBSCRIBER: |
☐ | is: |
☐ | is not: |
an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act) of the Issuer or acting on behalf of an affiliate of the Issuer.
This page should be completed by
Subscriber
and constitutes a part of the Subscription Agreement.
Schedule A- 1 |
Rule 501(a), in relevant part, states that an “accredited investor” shall mean any person who comes within any of the below listed categories, or who the issuer reasonably believes comes within any of the below listed categories, at the time of the sale of the securities to that person. Subscriber has indicated, by marking and initialing the appropriate box below, the provision(s) below which apply to Subscriber and under which Subscriber accordingly qualifies as an “accredited investor.”
☐ Any bank as defined in section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act, or any savings and loan association or other institution as defined in section 3(a) (5)(A) of the Securities Act whether acting in its individual or fiduciary capacity;
☐ Any broker or dealer registered pursuant to section 15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934;
☐ Any insurance company as defined in section 2(a)(13) of the Securities Act;
☐ Any investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 or a business development company as defined in section 2(a)(48) of that Act;
☐ Any Small Business Investment Company licensed by the U.S. Small Business Administration under section 301(c) or (d) of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958;
☐ Any plan established and maintained by a state, its political subdivisions, or any agency or instrumentality of a state or its political subdivisions, for the benefit of its employees, if such plan has total assets in excess of $5,000,000;
☐ Any employee benefit plan within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 if the investment decision is made by a plan fiduciary, as defined in section 3(21) of such act, which is either a bank, savings and loan association, insurance company, or registered investment adviser, or if the employee benefit plan has total assets in excess of $5,000,000 or, if a self-directed plan, with investment decisions made solely by persons that are accredited investors;
☐ Any private business development company as defined in section 202(a)(22) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940;
☐ Any organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, corporation, Massachusetts or similar business trust, or partnership, not formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the securities offered, with total assets in excess of $5,000,000; or
☐ Any trust, with total assets in excess of $5,000,000, not formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the securities offered, whose purchase is directed by a sophisticated person as described in § 230.506(b)(2)(ii).
Schedule A- 2 |
Exhibit A
Form of Certificate of Designations
[See attached.]
FORM OF
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS,
PREFERENCES, RIGHTS AND LIMITATIONS
OF
7.00% SERIES A CONVERTIBLE CUMULATIVE PREFERRED STOCK
OF
NRC GROUP HOLDINGS CORP.
(formerly known as Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III)
Pursuant to Section 151 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
NRC GROUP HOLDINGS CORP. (formerly known as Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III), a Delaware corporation (the “ Corporation ”), certifies that pursuant to the authority contained in Article IV of its Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “ Certificate of Incorporation ”), and in accordance with the provisions of Section 151 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “ DGCL ”), the Board of the Corporation has adopted the following resolution on [______], 2018, creating a series of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Corporation designated as 7.00% Series A Convertible Cumulative Preferred Stock, which resolution remains in full force and effect on the date hereof:
RESOLVED, that a series of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Corporation be, and hereby is, created, and that the designation and number of shares thereof and the voting powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights and such qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof are as follows:
1) Designation and Amount; Ranking.
(a) There shall be created from the 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Corporation authorized to be issued pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation, a series of preferred stock, designated as “7.00% Series A Convertible Cumulative Preferred Stock”, par value $0.0001 per share (the “ Preferred Stock ”), and the authorized number of shares of Preferred Stock shall be [_____]. 1 Shares of Preferred Stock that are purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation, or that are converted into shares of Common Stock, shall be cancelled and shall revert to authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock.
(b) The Preferred Stock, with respect to dividend rights and rights upon the liquidation, winding-up or dissolution of the Corporation, ranks: (i) senior to all Junior Stock; (ii) on a parity with all Parity Stock; and (iii) junior to all Senior Stock, in each case as provided more fully herein.
2) Definitions . As used herein, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) “ Accumulated Dividends ” shall mean, with respect to any share of Preferred Stock, as of any date, the aggregate accumulated and unpaid dividends, whether or not declared, on such share from the Issue Date until the most recent Dividend Payment Date on or prior to such date. There shall be no Accumulated Dividends with respect to any share of Preferred Stock prior to the Issue Date. For the avoidance of doubt, dividends that have been paid in Preferred Stock or Common Stock shall not be included in Accumulated Dividends.
1 Note to Draft: Amount to be total Preferred Shares issued in the Preferred Offering.
(b) “ Affiliate ” shall have the meaning ascribed to it, on the date hereof, under Rule 144 of the Securities Act.
(c) “ Agent Members ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 15(a).
(d) “ Approved Stock Plan ” shall mean any employee benefit plan which has been approved by the Board and the Corporation’s stockholders, pursuant to which the Corporation’s securities may be issued to any employee, officer, consultant or director for services provided to the Corporation or its Subsidiaries.
(e) “ Base Conversion Price ” shall mean an amount equal to $12.50.
(f) “ Beneficial Ownership Limitation ” shall mean, with respect to any Holder, 9.99% of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of Preferred Stock held by such Holder.
(g) “ Bloomberg ” shall mean Bloomberg Financial Markets.
(h) “ Board ” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Corporation or, with respect to any action to be taken by the Board of Directors, any committee of the Board of Directors duly authorized to take such action, except that for purposes of the definition of “Fundamental Change,” the Board shall refer to the full Board of Directors of the Corporation.
(i) “ Business Day ” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which the Federal Reserve Bank of New York is authorized or required by law or executive order to close or be closed.
(j) “ Capital Stock ” shall mean, for any entity, any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) stock issued by that entity.
(k) “ Certificated Notice of Conversion ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 8(b)(ii)(A).
(l) “ close of business ” shall mean 5:00 p.m. (New York City time).
(m) “ Closing Sale Price ” of the Common Stock on any date shall mean the closing sale price per share (or if no closing sale price is reported, the average of the closing bid and ask prices or, if more than one in either case, the average of the average closing bid and the average closing ask prices) of the Common Stock on such date as reported on the NYSE American or, if the Common Stock is not listed on the NYSE American, on the principal other national or regional securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed or, if the Common Stock is not listed on a national or regional securities exchange, on the principal other market on which the Common Stock is then listed, quoted or admitted for trading. In the absence of such a quotation, the Closing Sale Price shall be the average of the midpoint of the last bid and ask prices for the Common Stock on the relevant date from each of at least three nationally recognized independent investment banking firms selected by the Corporation for this purpose.
(n) “ Common Stock ” shall mean the common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Corporation, subject to Section 8(j).
(o) “ Conversion Agent ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 14(a).
(p) “ Conversion Cap ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8(a).
(q) “ Conversion Date ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 8(b).
(r) “ Conversion Instruction ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 8(b)(i).
A- 2
(s) “ Conversion Price ” shall mean, at any time, the Liquidation Preference divided by the Conversion Rate in effect at such time.
(t) “ Conversion Rate ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 8(a).
(u) “ Convertible Securities ” shall mean any stock or securities (other than Options) directly or indirectly convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock, including the Corporation’s warrants.
(v) “ Depositary ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 15(a).
(w) “ Distributed Property ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 8(e)(iii).
(x) “ Dividend Payment Date ” shall mean [●], [●], [●] and [●] of each year, commencing on the first such date after the date of the first issuance of the Preferred Stock.
(y) “ Dividend Rate ” shall mean the rate per annum of 7.00% per share of Preferred Stock on the Liquidation Preference.
(z) “ Dividend Record Date ” shall mean, with respect to any Dividend Payment Date, the [●], [●], [●] or [●], as the case may be, immediately preceding such Dividend Payment Date.
(aa) “ Dividends ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 3(a).
(bb) “ DTC ” means The Depository Trust Corporation.
(cc) “ Effective Date ” shall mean the date on which a Fundamental Change event occurs or becomes effective, except that, as used in Section 8(e), Effective Date shall mean the first date on which the shares of the Common Stock trade on the applicable exchange or market, regular way, reflecting the relevant share split or share combination, as applicable.
(dd) “ Exchange Act ” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(ee) “ Excluded Securities ” shall mean any Common Stock issued or issuable (i) in connection with any Approved Stock Plan; (ii) upon conversion or redemption of the Preferred Stock; (iii) upon exercise of any Options or Convertible Securities which are outstanding on the Issue Date; or (iv) shares issuable pursuant to the terms of Section 5.18 of that certain Purchase Agreement dated as of June 25, 2018, by and between JFL-NRC-SES Partners, LLC and Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III; provided, that the terms of such Options or Convertible Securities are not amended, modified or changed in any material respect on or after the Issue Date.
(ff) “ Ex-Date ,” when used with respect to any issuance, dividend or distribution on the Common Stock, shall mean the first date on which the Common Stock trades on the applicable exchange or in the applicable market, regular way, without the right to receive such issuance, dividend or distribution from the Corporation or, if applicable, from the seller of the Common Stock on such exchange or market (in the form of due bills or otherwise) as determined by such exchange or market.
(gg) “ Final Mandatory Conversion Period ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9(c).
(hh) “ First Mandatory Conversion Period ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9(a).
(ii) “ First Mandatory Conversion Premium ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9(a).
A- 3
(jj) “ Fundamental Change ” shall be deemed to have occurred at any time after the Preferred Stock is originally issued if any of the following occurs:
(i) a “person” or “group” within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, other than any of the Corporation or any of its Affiliates or Subsidiaries, and the employee benefit plans of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries, has become the direct or indirect “beneficial owner,” as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, of more than 50% of the voting power in the aggregate of all classes of Capital Stock then outstanding entitled to vote generally in elections of the Board;
(ii) the consummation of (A) any recapitalization, reclassification or change of the Common Stock (other than changes resulting from a subdivision or combination) as a result of which the Common Stock would be converted into, or exchanged for, stock, other securities, other property or assets; (B) any share exchange, consolidation or merger of the Corporation with any Person (other than any of the Corporation’s Subsidiaries) pursuant to which the Common Stock will be converted into cash, securities or other property; or (C) any sale, lease or other transfer in one transaction or a series of transactions of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, including pursuant to a merger transaction, to any Person (other than one of the Corporation’s Subsidiaries); provided , however, that any merger solely for the purpose of changing the Corporation’s jurisdiction of incorporation, and resulting in a reclassification, conversion or exchange of outstanding shares of Common Stock solely into shares of common stock of the surviving entity, shall not be a Fundamental Change;
(iii) the stockholders of the Corporation approve any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Corporation;
(iv) the Common Stock (or other Reference Property) ceases to be listed or quoted on any of the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE American or The Nasdaq Stock Market (or any of their respective successors); or
(v) the number of shares of the Common Stock (or other Reference Property) held by beneficial holders and holders of record who are not, either directly or indirectly, an executive officer or director of the Corporation, or the beneficial holder of more than 10% of the total shares of the Common Stock (or other Reference Property) outstanding is less than 50% of the number of shares of the Common Stock (or other Reference Property) that would be issued if all shares of the Preferred Stock were converted into shares of the Common Stock (or other Reference Property) in accordance with Section 8(a) (determined without regard to the Conversion Cap, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation or the Permitted Percentage Limitation);
provided , however, that a transaction or transactions described in clause (i) or (ii) above shall not constitute a Fundamental Change, if at least 90% of the consideration received or to be received by the common stockholders of the Corporation, excluding cash payments for fractional shares and cash payments made pursuant to dissenters’ appraisal rights, in connection with such transaction or transactions consists of shares of common stock and as a result of such transaction or transactions the Preferred Stock becomes convertible into such consideration pursuant to the terms hereof.
(kk) “ Fundamental Change Additional Shares ” shall mean, in respect of a Fundamental Change, such number of shares as is set forth under the Acquisition Price Per Share applicable to such Fundamental Change, and beside the date indicating the last day of the 12-month period in which the Effective Date of such Fundamental Change occurred, on Annex A hereto.
(ll) “ Fundamental Change Notice ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 5(a).
(mm) “ Global Preferred Share ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 15(a).
(nn) “ Global Shares Legend ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 15(a).
(oo) “ Holder ” or “ holder ” shall mean a holder of record of the Preferred Stock.
(pp) Holder Stock Price ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 5(b).
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(qq) “ Issue Date ” shall mean [●], 2018, the original date of issuance of the Preferred Stock.
(rr) “ Junior Stock ” shall mean Common Stock and any class of Capital Stock or series of preferred stock established after the Issue Date, the terms of which expressly provide that such class or series will rank junior to the Preferred Stock as to dividend rights or rights upon the liquidation, winding-up or dissolution of the Corporation.
(ss) “ Liquidation Preference ” shall mean $100.00 per share of Preferred Stock.
(tt) “ Mandatory Conversion Date ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9(d).
(uu) “ Material Change ” shall mean any change (i) expediting the commencement of the First Mandatory Conversion Period, the Second Mandatory Conversion Period or the Final Mandatory Conversion Period, (ii) reducing the First Mandatory Conversion Premium, the Second Mandatory Conversion Premium, the Dividend Rate or the Liquidation Preference, (iii) increasing the Base Conversion Price or (iv) any change that impairs the Seven-Year Holder Conversion Right.
(vv) “ Notice of Conversion ” shall mean, as applicable, a Conversion Instruction or a Certificated Notice of Conversion.
(ww) “ NYSE American ” shall mean the NYSE American (f/k/a NYSE MKT) market (or its successor).
(xx) “ Officer ” shall mean the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation.
(yy) “ open of business ” shall mean 9:00 a.m. (New York City time).
(zz) “ Options ” shall mean any rights, warrants or options to subscribe for or purchase shares of Common Stock or Convertible Securities.
(aaa) “ Outstanding ” shall mean, when used with respect to Preferred Stock, as of any date of determination, all Preferred Stock theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Certificate of Designations, except shares of Preferred Stock as to which any property deliverable upon conversion thereof has been delivered and required to be cancelled pursuant to Sections 5, 8 or 9.
(bbb) “ Parity Stock ” shall mean any class of Capital Stock or series of preferred stock established after the Issue Date, the terms of which expressly provide that such class or series will rank on a parity with the Preferred Stock as to dividend rights, and/or rights upon the liquidation, winding-up or dissolution of the Corporation and/or voting rights.
(ccc) “ Paying Agent ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 14(a).
(ddd) “ Permitted Percentage Limitation ” shall mean, with respect to the Common Stock (or any other class or series of the Corporation’s capital stock), after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock (or any other class or series of the Corporation’s capital stock) issuable upon conversion of Preferred Stock held by any Holder, 24% of the number of shares of Common Stock (or any other class or series of the Corporation’s capital stock) issued and outstanding being beneficially owned by Non-U.S. Citizens (as defined in the Certificate of Incorporation) in the aggregate.
(eee) “ Person ” shall mean any individual, corporation, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.
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(fff) “ Record Date ” shall mean, with respect to any dividend, distribution or other transaction or event in which the holders of the Common Stock or the Preferred Stock (or other applicable security) have the right to receive any cash, securities or other property or in which the Common Stock or the Preferred Stock (or such other security) is exchanged for or converted into any combination of cash, securities or other property, the date fixed for determination of holders of the Common Stock or the Preferred Stock (or such other security) entitled to receive such cash, securities or other property (whether such date is fixed by the Board, statute, contract or otherwise).
(ggg) “ Reference Property ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 8(j).
(hhh) “ Registrar ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.
(iii) “ Reorganization Event ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 8(j).
(jjj) “ Required Holders ” means any Holder that acquired the Preferred Stock on the Issue Date (solely for the purposes of this definition, treating any Holder and its Affiliates (or any other funds or accounts managed by the same investment manager) that are Holders as a singular Holder) that, as of any time, continues to own at least 14.99% of the shares of Preferred Stock originally issued.
(kkk) “ Resale Restriction Termination Date ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 13(a).
(lll) “ Restricted Securities ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 13(a).
(mmm) “ Rule 144 ” shall mean Rule 144 as promulgated under the Securities Act.
(nnn) “ SEC ” or “ Commission ” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
(ooo) “ Second Mandatory Conversion Period ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9(b).
(ppp) “ Second Mandatory Conversion Premium ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9(b).
(qqq) “ Securities Act ” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(rrr) “ Senior Stock ” shall mean any class of the Corporation’s Capital Stock or series of preferred stock established after the Issue Date, the terms of which expressly provide that such class or series will rank senior to the Preferred Stock as to dividend rights and/or rights upon the liquidation, winding-up or dissolution of the Corporation.
(sss) “ Seven-Year Holder Conversion Right ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 8(a).
(ttt) “ Shareholder Approval ” shall mean all approvals, if any, of the shareholders of the Corporation necessary for purposes of Section 713(a) of the NYSE American Company Guide or the terms hereof, including without limitation, to approve (i) the conversion of the Preferred Stock into shares of Common Stock, (ii) the voting rights of the Preferred Stock, and (iii) the payment of additional Preferred Stock or Common Stock as Dividends.
(uuu) “ Spin-Off ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 8(e)(iii).
(vvv) “ Subsidiary ” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any corporation, association, partnership or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock or other interests (including partnership interests) entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers, general partners or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person; (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person; or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.
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(www) “ Trading Day ” shall mean a day during which trading in the Common Stock generally occurs on the NYSE American or, if the Common Stock is not listed on the NYSE American, on the principal other national or regional securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed or, if the Common Stock is not listed on a national or regional securities exchange, on the principal other market on which the Common Stock is then listed or admitted for trading. If the Common Stock is not so listed or traded, Trading Day means a Business Day.
(xxx) “ Transfer Agent ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.
(yyy) “ Weighted Average Price ” shall mean for any security as of any Trading Day, the per share volume-weighted average price for such security as displayed under the heading “Bloomberg VWAP” on Bloomberg page Ticker <HCAC> VWAP (or its equivalent successor if such page is not available) in respect of the period from 9:30:01 a.m. to 4:00:00 p.m., New York City time, on such Trading Day or, if no weighted average price is reported for such security by Bloomberg for such hours, the average of the highest closing bid price and the lowest closing ask price of any of the market makers for such security as reported in the OTC Link or “pink sheets” by OTC Markets Group Inc. (formerly Pink OTC Markets Inc.). If the Weighted Average Price cannot be calculated for a security on a particular date on any of the foregoing bases, the Weighted Average Price of such security on such date shall be the fair market value as mutually determined by the Corporation and a majority of the Holders. All such determinations are to be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, reclassification or similar transaction during the applicable calculation period.
3) Dividends .
(a) Holders of shares of Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board out of funds of the Corporation legally available for payment, cumulative dividends at the Dividend Rate (“ Dividends ”). Dividends on the Preferred Stock shall be paid quarterly in arrears at the Dividend Rate in cash or, at the election of the Corporation, subject to receipt of any necessary Shareholder Approval (to the extent necessary), in Common Stock as provided pursuant to Section 4. For the avoidance of doubt, unless prohibited by applicable law, (i) the Board shall not fail to declare such Dividends on Preferred Stock and (ii) notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, dividends on the Preferred Stock shall accrue for all fiscal periods during which the Preferred Stock is outstanding, regardless of whether the Corporation has earnings in any such period, whether there are funds legally available for the payment of such dividends and whether or not such dividends are authorized or declared. Dividends shall be payable in arrears on each Dividend Payment Date to the holders of record of Preferred Stock as they appear on the Corporation’s stock register at the close of business on the relevant Dividend Record Date. Dividends payable for any period less than a full quarterly dividend period (based upon the number of days elapsed during such period) shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.
(b) No dividend shall be declared or paid upon, or any sum set apart for the payment of dividends upon, any Outstanding share of the Preferred Stock with respect to any dividend period unless all dividends for all preceding dividend periods have been declared and paid, or declared and a sufficient sum has been set apart for the payment of such dividend, upon all Outstanding shares of Preferred Stock.
(c) No dividends or other distributions (other than a dividend or distribution payable solely in shares of Parity Stock or Junior Stock (in the case of Parity Stock) or Junior Stock (in the case of Junior Stock) and cash in lieu of fractional shares) may be declared, made or paid, or set apart for payment upon, any Parity Stock or Junior Stock, nor may any Parity Stock or Junior Stock be redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for any consideration (or any money paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any Parity Stock or Junior Stock) by the Corporation or on behalf of the Corporation (except by (i) conversion into or exchange for shares of Parity Stock or Junior Stock (in the case of Parity Stock) or Junior Stock (in the case of Junior Stock) and cash solely in lieu of fractional shares of Parity Stock or Junior Stock (in the case of Parity Stock) or Junior Stock (in the case of Parity Stock) and (ii) payments in connection with the satisfaction of employees’ tax withholding obligations pursuant to employee benefit plans or outstanding awards (and payment of any corresponding requisite amounts to the appropriate governmental authority), unless all Accumulated Dividends (as of the date of such declaration, payment, redemption, purchase or acquisition) shall have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid in cash. Further, no dividends or other distributions (other than a dividend or distribution payable solely in shares of Junior Stock and cash in lieu of fractional shares) may be declared, made or paid, or set apart for payment upon, any Junior Stock (except payments in connection with the satisfaction of employees’ tax withholding obligations pursuant to employee benefit plans or outstanding awards (and payment of any corresponding requisite amounts to the appropriate governmental authority) unless the payment of the dividend in respect of the Preferred Stock for the most recent dividend period ending on or prior to the date of such declaration or payment has been declared and paid in cash or declared and a sum of cash sufficient for the payment thereof has been set aside for such payment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if full dividends have not been paid on the Preferred Stock and any Parity Stock, dividends may be declared and paid on the Preferred Stock and such Parity Stock so long as the dividends are declared and paid pro rata so that the amounts of dividends declared per share on the Preferred Stock and such Parity Stock shall in all cases bear to each other the same ratio that accumulated and unpaid dividends per share on the shares of Preferred Stock and such Parity Stock bear to each other at the time of declaration.
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(d) Holders of shares of Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to any dividend, whether payable in cash, property or stock, in excess of full cumulative dividends (it being understood that this Section 3(d) shall not limit the Corporation’s obligations pursuant to Section 3(a).
(e) If any Dividend Payment Date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, the required payment will be on the next succeeding Business Day and no interest or dividends on such payment will accrue or accumulate as the case may be, in respect of the delay.
(f) The holders of shares of Preferred Stock at the close of business on a Dividend Record Date shall be entitled to receive the dividend payment on those shares on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the conversion of such shares in accordance with Sections 8 or 9 following such Dividend Record Date or the Corporation’s default in payment of the dividend due on such Dividend Payment Date. In the case of conversion of shares of Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 5 following the close of business on a Dividend Record Date but prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, the holders of such shares shall not be entitled to receive the corresponding dividend payment following conversion (it being understood that the value thereof is included in the conversion terms set forth in Section 5).
(g) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, to the extent that any Holder’s right to participate in any Dividend would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation or the Permitted Percentage Limitation, then the rights appurtenant to such Dividend to which such Holder is entitled pursuant hereto shall be limited to the same extent provided in Section 11 hereof.
(h) Except as provided in Section 8 the Corporation shall make no payment or allowance for unpaid dividends, whether or not in arrears, on converted shares of Preferred Stock or for dividends on the shares of Common Stock issued upon conversion.
4) Method of Payment of Dividends .
(a) Subject to the restrictions set forth herein, the Corporation may elect to pay any dividend on the Preferred Stock: (i) in cash; (ii) by delivery of shares of Common Stock; or (iii) through any combination of cash and Common Stock.
(b) If the Corporation elects to make a dividend payment, or any portion thereof, in shares of Common Stock, the number of shares deliverable shall be (i) the cash amount of such dividend payment that would apply if no payment were to be made in Common Stock, or such portion, divided by (ii) the product of (x) the Weighted Average Price of the Common Stock for each of the 10 consecutive Trading Days ending on the second Trading Day immediately preceding such Dividend Payment Date (as equitably adjusted by the Board to the extent necessary for any stock splits, combinations or like transactions); multiplied by (y) 0.95; provided, that at least 2 Trading Days prior to the beginning of the averaging period described in (ii)(x) above, the Corporation shall provide written notice of such election to the Holder.
(c) The Corporation shall make each dividend payment on the Preferred Stock in cash, except to the extent the Corporation elects to make all or any portion of such payment in shares of the Common Stock (or any combination thereof) as set forth above. The Corporation shall give Holders notice of any such election and the portion of such payment that will be made in cash and the portion that will be made in shares of the Common Stock no later than 12 Trading Days prior to the Dividend Payment Date for such dividend.
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5) Conversion Upon a Fundamental Change .
(a) The Corporation must give notice (a “ Fundamental Change Notice ”) of each Fundamental Change to all Holders of the Preferred Stock no later than 10 Business Days prior to the anticipated Effective Date (determined in good faith by the Board) of the Fundamental Change or, if not practicable because the Corporation is unaware of the Fundamental Change, as soon as reasonably practicable but in any event no later than one (1) Business Day after the Corporation becomes aware of such Fundamental Change.
(b) Within 15 days following the Effective Date of such Fundamental Change, each Outstanding share of the Preferred Stock shall (subject to the limitations set forth in Section 11), at the election of the Holder thereof pursuant to the delivery of a Notice of Conversion, be converted into a number of shares of Common Stock equal to (i) the greater of (A) the sum of the Conversion Rate on the Effective Date of such Fundamental Change plus the Fundamental Change Additional Shares and (B) the quotient of (x) the Liquidation Preference, divided by (y) the greater of (1) the applicable Holder Stock Price and (2) 66 2/3% of the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on the Issue Date (it being understood that for purposes of this Section 5(b) the Closing Sale Price shall be adjusted proportionally in the event of any stock split, stock dividend, issuance of rights, options or warrants or other event that would result in an adjustment to the Conversion Rate pursuant to Section 8(e)) plus (ii) the number of shares of the Common Stock that would be issued if any and all accumulated and unpaid dividends were paid in shares of the Common Stock in accordance with the terms hereof. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, prior to the receipt of Shareholder Approval, shares of Preferred Stock shall not be convertible pursuant to this Section 5 in the aggregate into more than the Conversion Cap. As used herein, “ Holder Stock Price ” means (i) in the case of a Fundamental Change in which the Holders of Common Stock will receive only cash consideration, the price to be paid (or deemed paid) per share of Common Stock in such Fundamental Change transaction and (ii) in all other cases, the average Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on the 10 consecutive Trading Days immediately preceding the Effective Date of the Fundamental Change.
(c) The Fundamental Change Notice shall be given by first-class mail to each record holder of shares of Preferred Stock, at such Holder’s address as the same appears on the books of the Corporation. Each such notice shall state (i) the anticipated Effective Date and (ii) that dividends on the Preferred Stock to be converted will cease to accrue on the date immediately preceding the Effective Date of the Fundamental Change.
(d) Whenever any provision of this Certificate of Designations requires the Corporation to calculate the Weighted Average Price or Closing Sale Price for purposes of a Fundamental Change over a span of multiple days, the Board shall make appropriate adjustments to account for any adjustment to the Conversion Rate that becomes effective, or any event requiring an adjustment to the Conversion Rate where the Record Date of the event occurs, at any time during the period when such Weighted Average Prices or Closing Sale Prices are to be calculated.
6) Voting . The shares of Preferred Stock shall have no voting rights except as set forth in this Section 6 or otherwise required by Delaware law. So long as any shares of Preferred Stock remain Outstanding, unless a greater percentage shall then be required by law, the Corporation shall not, without the affirmative vote or consent of (a) the Holders of at least 50.1% of the shares of Preferred Stock Outstanding at the time, voting together as a single class with all series of Parity Stock upon which similar voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable, given in person or by proxy, either in writing or at a meeting, amend, alter or repeal the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise, so as to materially and adversely affect any right, preference, privilege or voting powers of the shares of Preferred Stock; provided , however, that so long as any shares of Preferred Stock remain Outstanding with the terms thereof materially unchanged, such amendment, alteration or repeal shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of Holders of the shares of Preferred Stock and, provided further, that any increase in the amount of authorized preferred stock (including, without limitation, additional Preferred Stock) or the creation or issuance of any additional shares of Preferred Stock or other series of preferred stock, or any increase in the amount of authorized shares of such series, in each case of Parity Stock or Junior Stock, shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of Holders of shares of Preferred Stock specified herein and (b) for so long as there is any Required Holder, the Required Holder(s), given in person or by proxy, either in writing or at a meeting, amend, alter or repeal the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise, so as to effect a Material Change.
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7) Liquidation Rights .
(a) In the event of any liquidation, winding-up or dissolution of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, each Holder of shares of Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive and to be paid out of the assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders the Liquidation Preference plus all accumulated and unpaid dividends in respect of the Preferred Stock (whether or not declared) to the date fixed for liquidation, winding-up or dissolution in preference to the holders of, and before any payment or distribution is made on, any Junior Stock, including, without limitation, the Common Stock.
(b) Neither the sale (for cash, shares of stock, securities or other consideration) of all or substantially all the assets or business of the Corporation (other than in connection with the liquidation, winding-up or dissolution of the Corporation) nor the merger or consolidation of the Corporation into or with any other Person shall be deemed to be a liquidation, winding-up or dissolution, voluntary or involuntary, for the purposes of this Section 7.
(c) After the payment to the Holders of the shares of Preferred Stock of full preferential amounts provided for in this Section 7, the Holders of Preferred Stock as such shall have no right or claim to any of the remaining assets of the Corporation.
(d) In the event the assets of the Corporation available for distribution to the Holders of shares of Preferred Stock and holders of shares of Parity Stock upon any liquidation, winding-up or dissolution of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, shall be insufficient to pay in full all amounts to which such Holders are entitled pursuant to this Section 7, no such distribution shall be made on account of any shares of Parity Stock upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding-up unless proportionate distributable amounts shall be paid on account of the shares of Preferred Stock, equally and ratably, in proportion to the full distributable amounts for which holders of all Preferred Stock and of any Parity Stock are entitled upon such liquidation, winding-up or dissolution.
8) Conversion .
(a) Each Holder of Preferred Stock shall have the right at any time, at its option, to convert, subject to the terms and provisions of this Section 8 and subject to the limitations set forth in Section 11, any or all of such Holder’s shares of Preferred Stock into Common Stock at a conversion rate equal to the quotient of (i) the Liquidation Preference; divided by (ii) the Base Conversion Price (subject to adjustment as provided in this Section 8, the “ Conversion Rate ”) per share of Preferred Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, but subject to the Conversion Cap, each Holder of Preferred Stock shall have the right (the “ Seven-Year Holder Conversion Right ”) at any time after the seven-year anniversary of the Issue Date, if the then-current Conversion Price exceeds the Weighted Average Price for the Common Stock during any 10 consecutive Trading Days, at its option by delivery of a Notice of Conversion in accordance with Section 8(b) below no later than 5 Business Days following such 10 th consecutive Trading Day, to convert any or all of such Holder’s shares of Preferred Stock into, at the Corporation’s sole discretion, either Common Stock, cash or a combination of Common Stock and cash; provided, that the Corporation shall provide such converting Holder notice of its election within 2 Trading Days of receipt of the Notice of Conversion; provided further, that in the event the Corporation elects to issue Common Stock for all or a portion of such conversion, the “Conversion Rate” for such conversion (subject to the limitations set forth in Section 11) shall mean the quotient of the Liquidation Preference divided by the average Weighted Average Price for the Common Stock during the 20 consecutive Trading Days commencing on the Trading Day immediately following the Trading Day on which the Corporation provided such notice. If the Corporation does not elect a settlement method prior to the deadline set forth, the Corporation shall be deemed to have elected to settle the conversion entirely in Common Stock. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, prior to the receipt of Shareholder Approval, shares of Preferred Stock shall not be converted pursuant to this Section 8 in the aggregate into more than 19.99% of the shares of Common Stock outstanding on the Issue Date (subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of a stock split, stock dividend, combination or other similar recapitalization) (such limitation, the “ Conversion Cap ”). Upon conversion of any share of Preferred Stock, the Corporation shall deliver to the converting Holder, in respect of each share of Preferred Stock being converted, a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Conversion Rate, together with a cash payment in lieu of any fractional share of Common Stock in accordance with Section 10, on the second Business Day immediately following the relevant Conversion Date; provided, that upon any Holder’s election to convert any share or shares of Preferred Stock pursuant to the second sentence of this Section 8(a) the Corporation shall have the option to deliver the applicable conversion value (or any portion thereof) in cash in lieu of shares of Common Stock, after providing such Holder at least 2 Business Days’ prior written notice of its election pursuant to this proviso; provided further, that any such payment in cash in lieu of shares of Common Stock shall be made in an amount equal to the Liquidation Preference for every whole share of Preferred Stock so converted; provided further, that if the conversion value consists (x) solely of cash, then the Corporation shall deliver such cash payment to the Holder no later than 2 Trading Days from the receipt of the Notice of Conversion or (y) partially of cash, then the Corporation shall deliver such cash payment to the Holder simultaneously with the delivery of the Common Stock included in the conversion value.
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(b) Before any Holder shall be entitled to convert a share of Preferred Stock as set forth above, such Holder who:
(i) holds a beneficial interest in a Global Preferred Share must deliver to DTC the appropriate instruction form for conversion pursuant to DTC’s conversion program (a “ Conversion Instruction ”) and, if required, pay all transfer or similar taxes or duties, if any; or
(ii) holds Preferred Stock in definitive, certificated form must:
(A) manually sign and deliver an irrevocable notice to the office of the Conversion Agent as set forth in the Form of Certificated Notice of Conversion (or a facsimile thereof) in the form included in Exhibit A hereto (a “ Certificated Notice of Conversion ”) and state in writing therein the number of shares of Preferred Stock to be converted and the name or names (with addresses) in which such Holder wishes the certificate or certificates for any shares of Common Stock, if any, to be delivered and registered;
(B) surrender such shares of Preferred Stock, at the office of the Conversion Agent;
(C) if required, furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents; and
(D) if required, pay all transfer or similar taxes or duties, if any.
The Conversion Agent shall notify the Corporation of any pending conversion pursuant to this Section 8 on the Conversion Date for such conversion. The date on which a Holder complies with the procedures in this clause (b) is the “ Conversion Date .” If more than one share of Preferred Stock shall be surrendered for conversion at one time by the same Holder, the number of shares of Common Stock to be delivered upon conversion of such shares of Preferred Stock shall be computed on the basis of the aggregate number of shares of Preferred Stock so surrendered.
(c) With respect to any conversion of shares of Preferred Stock:
(i) if there shall have been surrendered certificate or certificates, as the case may be, representing a greater number of shares of Preferred Stock than the number of shares of Preferred Stock to be converted, the Corporation shall execute and the Registrar shall countersign and deliver to such Holder or such Holder’s designee, at the expense of the Corporation, a new certificate or certificates, as the case may be, representing the number of shares of Preferred Stock that shall not have been converted; and
(ii) if the shares of Preferred Stock converted are held in book-entry form through the facilities of the Depositary, promptly following the relevant Conversion Date, the Corporation shall cause the Transfer Agent and Registrar to reduce the number of shares of Preferred Stock represented by the global certificate by making a notation on Schedule I attached to the relevant Global Preferred Share.
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(d) Immediately prior to the close of business on the Conversion Date with respect to a conversion, a converting Holder of Preferred Stock shall be deemed to be the holder of record of the Common Stock issuable upon conversion of such Holder’s Preferred Stock notwithstanding that the share register of the Corporation shall then be closed or that certificates representing such Common Stock, if any, shall not then be actually delivered to such Holder. On the date of any conversion, all rights with respect to the shares of Preferred Stock so converted, including the rights, if any, to receive notices, shall terminate, excepting only the rights of holders thereof (i) pursuant to Section 3(f) and (ii) to (A) receive certificates for the number of whole shares of Common Stock, if any, into which such shares of Preferred Stock have been converted (with a cash payment in lieu of any fractional share of Common Stock in accordance with Section 10) and (B) exercise the rights to which they are thereafter entitled as holders of Common Stock, if any.
(e) The Conversion Rate shall be adjusted, without duplication, upon the occurrence of any of the following events:
(i) If the Corporation exclusively issues shares of Common Stock as a dividend or distribution on all shares of its Common Stock, or if the Corporation effects a share split or share combination, the Conversion Rate shall be adjusted based on the following formula:
where,
CR 0 |
= | the Conversion Rate in effect immediately prior to the close of business on the Record Date for such dividend or distribution, or immediately prior to the open of business on the Effective Date of such share split or share combination, as the case may be; | |
CR 1 | = | the Conversion Rate in effect immediately after the close of business on the Record Date for such dividend or distribution, or immediately after the open of business on the Effective Date of such share split or share combination, as the case may be; | |
OS 0 | = | the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the close of business on the Record Date for such dividend or distribution, or immediately prior to the open of business on the Effective Date of such share split or share combination, as the case may be; and | |
OS 1 | = | the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such dividend or distribution, or such share split or share combination, as the case may be. |
Any adjustment made under this Section 8(e)(i) shall become effective immediately after the close of business on the Record Date for such dividend or distribution, or immediately after the open of business on the Effective Date for such share split or share combination, as the case may be. If any dividend or distribution of the type described in this Section 8(e)(i) is declared but not so paid or made, the Conversion Rate shall be immediately readjusted, effective as of the date the Board determines not to pay such dividend or distribution, to the Conversion Rate that would then be in effect if such dividend or distribution had not been declared.
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(ii) If the Corporation distributes to all or substantially all holders of its Common Stock any rights, options or warrants entitling them, for a period expiring not more than 60 days immediately following the announcement date of such distribution, to purchase or subscribe for shares of its Common Stock at a price per share that is less than the average of the Closing Sale Prices of the Common Stock over the 10 consecutive Trading Day period ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the Ex-Date of such distribution, the Conversion Rate shall be increased based on the following formula:
where,
CR 0 |
= | the Conversion Rate in effect immediately prior to the close of business on the Record Date for such distribution; | |
CR 1 | = | the Conversion Rate in effect immediately after the close of business on the Record Date for such distribution; | |
OS 0 | = | the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the close of business on the Record Date for such distribution; | |
X | = | the total number of shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to such rights, options or warrants; and | |
Y | = | the number of shares of Common Stock equal to the aggregate price payable to exercise such rights, options or warrants, divided by the average of the Closing Sale Prices of the Common Stock over the 10 consecutive Trading Day period ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the Ex-Date of such distribution. |
Any increase made under this Section 8(e)(ii) shall be made successively whenever any such rights, options or warrants are distributed and shall become effective immediately after the close of business on the Record Date for such distribution. To the extent that shares of Common Stock are not delivered after the expiration of such rights, options or warrants, the Conversion Rate shall be readjusted, effective as of the date of such expiration, to the Conversion Rate that would then be in effect had the increase with respect to the distribution of such rights, options or warrants been made on the basis of delivery of only the number of shares of Common Stock actually delivered. If such rights, options or warrants are not so distributed, the Conversion Rate shall be decreased, effective as of the date the Board determines not to make such distribution, to be the Conversion Rate that would then be in effect if such Record Date for such distribution had not occurred. If such rights, options or warrants are only exercisable upon the occurrence of certain triggering events, then the Conversion Rate shall not be adjusted until the triggering events occur.
For purposes of this Section 8(e)(ii) in determining whether any rights, options or warrants entitle the holders to subscribe for or purchase shares of Common Stock at less than such average of the Closing Sale Prices of the Common Stock for the 10 consecutive Trading Day period ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the Ex-Date of such distribution, and in determining the aggregate offering price of such shares of Common Stock, there shall be taken into account any consideration received by the Corporation for such rights, options or warrants and any amount payable on exercise or conversion thereof, the value of such consideration, if other than cash, to be determined by the Board.
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(iii) If the Corporation distributes shares of its Capital Stock, evidences of its indebtedness or other assets, securities or property of the Corporation or rights, options or warrants to acquire its Capital Stock or other securities, to all or substantially all holders of Common Stock, excluding (a) dividends, distributions or issuances as to which an adjustment was effected pursuant to Section 8(e)(i) or Section 8(e)(ii), (b) dividends or distributions paid exclusively in cash as to which an adjustment was effected pursuant to (or a cash amount paid pursuant to the last paragraph of) Section 8(e)(iv) and (c) Spin-Offs as to which the provisions set forth below in this Section 8(e)(iii) shall apply (any of such shares of Capital Stock, evidences of indebtedness, other assets, securities or property or rights, options or warrants to acquire Capital Stock or other securities, the “ Distributed Property ”), then the Conversion Rate shall be increased based on the following formula:
where,
CR 0 |
= | the Conversion Rate in effect immediately prior to the close of business on the Record Date for such distribution; | |
CR 1 | = | the Conversion Rate in effect immediately after the close of business on the Record Date for such distribution; | |
SP 0 | = | the average of the Closing Sale Prices of the Common Stock over the 10 consecutive Trading Day period ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the Ex-Date for such distribution; and | |
FMV | = | the fair market value as of the Record Date for such distribution (as determined by the Board) of the Distributed Property with respect to each outstanding share of the Common Stock. |
Any increase made under the portion of this Section 8(e)(iii) above shall become effective immediately after the close of business on the Record Date for such distribution. If such distribution is not so paid or made, the Conversion Rate shall be decreased, effective as of the date the Board determines not to pay the distribution, to be the Conversion Rate that would then be in effect if such distribution had not been declared.
Notwithstanding the foregoing (but subject to the limitations set forth in Section 11), if “FMV” (as defined above) is equal to or greater than “SP 0 ” (as defined above), in lieu of the foregoing increase, each Holder of Preferred Stock shall receive, for each share of Preferred Stock, at the same time and upon the same terms as holders of the Common Stock, the amount and kind of Distributed Property that such Holder would have received as if such Holder owned a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Conversion Rate (determined without regard to the Conversion Cap, Beneficial Ownership Limitation or the Permitted Percentage Limitation) in effect on the Record Date for the distribution.
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With respect to an adjustment pursuant to this Section 8(e)(iii) where there has been a payment of a dividend or other distribution on the Common Stock consisting solely of shares of Capital Stock of any class or series, or similar equity interests, of or relating to a Subsidiary or other business unit of the Corporation where such Capital Stock or similar equity interest is, or will be when issued, listed or admitted for trading on a U.S. national securities exchange (a “ Spin-Off ”), the Conversion Rate will be increased based on the following formula:
where,
CR 0 |
= | the Conversion Rate in effect immediately prior to the close of business on the 10 th Trading Day immediately following, and including, the Ex-Date for the Spin-Off; | |
CR 1 | = | the Conversion Rate in effect immediately after the close of business on the 10 th Trading Day immediately following, and including, the Ex-Date for the Spin-Off; | |
FMV | = | the average of the Closing Sale Prices of the Capital Stock or similar equity interest distributed to holders of the Common Stock applicable to one share of Common Stock over the 10 consecutive Trading Day period immediately following, and including, the Ex-Date for the Spin-Off; and | |
MP 0 | = | the average of the Closing Sale Prices of the Common Stock over the 10 consecutive Trading Day period immediately following, and including, the Ex-Date for the Spin-Off. |
The adjustment to the Conversion Rate under the preceding paragraph shall become effective at the close of business on the 10 th Trading Day immediately following, and including, the Ex-Date for the Spin-Off; provided that, for purposes of determining the Conversion Rate, in respect of any conversion during the 10 Trading Days following, and including, the Ex-Date of any Spin-Off, references within the portion of this Section 8(e)(iii) related to Spin-Offs to 10 consecutive Trading Days shall be deemed to be replaced with such lesser number of consecutive Trading Days as have elapsed between the Ex-Date of such Spin-Off and the relevant Conversion Date.
(iv) If any cash dividend or distribution is made to all or substantially all holders of the Common Stock, excluding any consideration payable in connection with a tender or exchange offer made by the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries, the Conversion Rate shall be increased based on the following formula:
where,
CR 0 |
= | the Conversion Rate in effect immediately prior to the close of business on the Record Date for such dividend or distribution; | |
CR 1 | = | the Conversion Rate in effect immediately after the close of business on the Record Date for such dividend or distribution; | |
SP 0 | = | the average of the Closing Sale Prices of the Common Stock over the 10 consecutive Trading Day period ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the Ex-Date for such dividend or distribution; and | |
C | = | the amount in cash per share of Common Stock the Corporation distributes to all or substantially all holders of its Common Stock. |
Any increase pursuant to this Section 8(e)(iv) shall become effective immediately after the close of business on the Record Date for such dividend or distribution. If such dividend or distribution is not so paid, the Conversion Rate shall be decreased, effective as of the date the Board determines not to pay or make such dividend or distribution, to be the Conversion Rate that would then be in effect if such dividend or distribution had not been declared.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if “C” (as defined above) is equal to or greater than “SP 0 “ (as defined above), in lieu of the foregoing increase, each Holder of Preferred Stock shall receive, for each share of Preferred Stock, at the same time and upon the same terms as holders of the Common Stock, the amount of cash that such Holder would have received as if such Holder owned a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Conversion Rate on the Record Date for such cash dividend or distribution (determined without regard to the Conversion Cap, Beneficial Ownership Limitation or the Permitted Percentage Limitation).
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(v) If the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries makes a payment in respect of a tender offer or exchange offer for the Common Stock and the cash and value of any other consideration included in the payment per share of the Common Stock exceeds the average of the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock over the 10 consecutive Trading Day period commencing on, and including, the Trading Day next succeeding the last date on which tenders or exchanges may be made pursuant to such tender or exchange offer, the Conversion Rate shall be increased based on the following formula:
where,
CR 0 |
= | the Conversion Rate in effect immediately prior to the close of business on the last Trading Day of the 10 consecutive Trading Day period commencing on, and including, the Trading Day next succeeding the date such tender or exchange offer expires; | |
CR 1 | = | the Conversion Rate in effect immediately after the close of business on the last Trading Day of the 10 consecutive Trading Day period commencing on, and including, the Trading Day next succeeding the date such tender or exchange offer expires; | |
AC | = | the aggregate value of all cash and any other consideration (as determined by the Board) paid or payable for shares of Common Stock purchased in such tender or exchange offer; | |
OS 0 | = | the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the date such tender or exchange offer expires (prior to giving effect to the purchase of all shares of Common Stock accepted for purchase or exchange in such tender or exchange offer); | |
OS 1 | = | the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after the date such tender or exchange offer expires (after giving effect to the purchase of all shares of Common Stock accepted for purchase or exchange in such tender or exchange offer); and | |
SP 1 | = | the average of the Closing Sale Prices of the Common Stock over the 10 consecutive Trading Day period commencing on, and including, the Trading Day next succeeding the date such tender or exchange offer expires. |
The increase to the Conversion Rate under this Section 8(e)(v) shall occur at the close of business on the 10th Trading Day immediately following, and including, the Trading Day next succeeding the date such tender or exchange offer expires; provided that, for purposes of determining the Conversion Rate, in respect of any conversion during the 10 Trading Days immediately following, and including, the Trading Day next succeeding the date that any such tender or exchange offer expires, references within this Section 8(e)(v) to 10 consecutive Trading Days shall be deemed to be replaced with such lesser number of consecutive Trading Days as have elapsed between the date such tender or exchange offer expires and the relevant Conversion Date.
In the event that the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries is obligated to purchase shares of Common Stock pursuant to any such tender offer or exchange offer, but the Corporation or such Subsidiary is permanently prevented by applicable law from effecting any such purchases, or all such purchases are rescinded, then the Conversion Rate shall be readjusted to be such Conversion Rate that would then be in effect if such tender offer or exchange offer had not been made.
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(vi) All calculations and other determinations under this Section 8(e) shall be made by the Corporation and shall be made to the nearest one-ten thousandth (1/10,000 th ) of a share. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no adjustment under this Section 8(e) shall be made to the Conversion Rate unless such adjustment would result in a change of at least 1% in the Conversion Rate then in effect. Any lesser adjustment shall be carried forward and shall be made at the time of and together with the next subsequent adjustment, if any, which, together with any adjustment or adjustments so carried forward, shall amount to a change of at least 1% in such Conversion Rate; provided , however , that the Corporation shall make such carried-forward adjustments, regardless of whether the aggregate adjustment is less than 1%, (a) on December 31 of each calendar year, (b) on the Conversion Date for any conversions of Preferred Stock, (c) upon the occurrence of a Fundamental Change and (d) in the event that the Corporation exercises its mandatory conversion right pursuant to Section 9. No adjustment to the Conversion Rate shall be made if it results in a Conversion Price that is less than the par value (if any) of the Common Stock.
(vii) In addition to those adjustments required by clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) of this Section 8(e) and to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to the applicable rules of the NYSE American, the Corporation may from time to time increase the Conversion Rate by any amount for a period of at least 20 Business Days or any longer period permitted or required by law if the increase is irrevocable during that period and the Board determines that such increase would be in the Corporation’s best interest. In addition, the Corporation may (but is not required to) increase the Conversion Rate to avoid or diminish any income tax to holders of Common Stock or rights to purchase Common Stock in connection with a dividend or distribution of shares (or rights to acquire shares) or similar event. Whenever the Conversion Rate is increased pursuant to any of the preceding two sentences, the Corporation shall mail to the Holder of each share of Preferred Stock at its last address appearing on the stock register of the Corporation a notice of the increase at least 15 days prior to the date the increased Conversion Rate takes effect, and such notice shall state the increased Conversion Rate and the period during which it will be in effect.
(viii) For purposes of this Section 8(e) the number of shares of Common Stock at any time outstanding shall not include shares held in the treasury of the Corporation so long as the Corporation does not pay any dividend or make any distribution on shares of Common Stock held in the treasury of the Corporation, but shall include shares issuable in respect of scrip certificates issued in lieu of fractions of shares of Common Stock.
(f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 8(e), no adjustment to the Conversion Rate shall be made with respect to any transaction described in Section 8(e)(i) through Section 8(e)(iv) if the Corporation makes provision for each Holder of the Preferred Stock to participate in such transaction, at the same time as holders of the Common Stock, without conversion, as if such Holder held a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Conversion Rate in effect on the Record Date or Effective Date, as the case may be, for such transaction, multiplied by the number of shares of Preferred Stock held by such Holder (determined without regard to the Conversion Cap, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation or the Permitted Percentage Limitation). No adjustment to the Conversion Rate shall be made with respect to any transaction described in Section 8(e)(v) if the Corporation makes provision for each Holder of the Preferred Stock to participate in such transaction, at the same time as holders of the Common Stock as if such Holder held a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Conversion Rate in effect on the Record Date or Effective Date, as the case may be, for such transaction, multiplied by the number of shares of Preferred Stock held by such Holder (determined without regard to the Conversion Cap, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation or the Permitted Percentage Limitation).
(g) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no adjustment to the Conversion Rate shall be made pursuant to this Section 8 in respect of the issuance of any Excluded Securities.
(h) If the Corporation shall take a record of the holders of its Common Stock for the purpose of entitling them to receive an extraordinary dividend or other distribution, and shall thereafter (and before the extraordinary dividend or distribution has been paid or delivered to stockholders) legally abandon its plan to pay or deliver such extraordinary dividend or distribution, then thereafter no adjustment in the Conversion Rate then in effect shall be required by reason of the taking of such record.
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(i) Upon any increase in the Conversion Rate, the Corporation shall deliver to each Holder, as promptly as practicable, a certificate signed by an authorized officer of the Corporation, setting forth in reasonable detail the event requiring the adjustment and the method by which such adjustment was calculated and specifying the increased Conversion Rate then in effect following such adjustment.
(j) In the case of:
(i) any recapitalization, reclassification or change of the Common Stock (other than changes resulting from a subdivision or combination),
(ii) any consolidation, merger or combination involving the Corporation,
(iii) any sale, lease or other transfer to a third party of the consolidated assets of the Corporation and the Corporation’s Subsidiaries substantially as an entirety, or
(iv) any statutory share exchange,
as a result of which the Common Stock is converted into, or exchanged for, stock, other securities, other property or assets (including cash or any combination thereof) (any such transaction or event, a “ Reorganization Event ”), then, at and after the effective time of such Reorganization Event, the right to convert each share of Preferred Stock shall be changed into a right to convert such share into the kind and amount of shares of stock, other securities or other property or assets (including cash or any combination thereof) that a holder of a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Conversion Rate immediately prior to such Reorganization Event would have owned or been entitled to receive upon such Reorganization Event (such stock, securities or other property or assets, the “ Reference Property ”). If the Reorganization Event causes the Common Stock to be converted into, or exchanged for, the right to receive more than a single type of consideration (determined based in part upon any form of stockholder election), then the Reference Property into which the Preferred Stock will be convertible shall be deemed to be the weighted average of the types and amounts of consideration received by the holders of Common Stock that affirmatively make such an election. The Corporation shall notify Holders of such weighted average as soon as practicable after such determination is made. None of the foregoing provisions shall affect the right of a Holder of Preferred Stock to convert its Preferred Stock into shares of Common Stock as set forth in Section 8(a) prior to the effective time of such Reorganization Event. Notwithstanding Section 8(e) no adjustment to the Conversion Rate shall be made for any Reorganization Event to the extent stock, securities or other property or assets become the Reference Property receivable upon conversion of Preferred Stock.
The Corporation shall provide, by amendment hereto effective upon any such Reorganization Event, for anti-dilution and other adjustments that shall be as nearly equivalent as is possible to the adjustments provided for in this Section 8. The provisions of this Section 8 shall apply to successive Reorganization Events.
In this Certificate of Designations, if the Common Stock has been replaced by Reference Property as a result of any such Reorganization Event, references to the Common Stock are intended to refer to such Reference Property.
(k) The Corporation shall at all times reserve and keep available for issuance upon the conversion of the Preferred Stock a number of its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock equal to the aggregate Liquidation Preference divided by the Conversion Price on the Issue Date, and shall take all action required to increase the authorized number of shares of Common Stock if at any time there shall be insufficient unissued shares of Common Stock to permit such reservation or to permit the conversion of all Outstanding shares of Preferred Stock or the payment or partial payment of dividends declared on Preferred Stock that are payable in Common Stock.
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(l) For the avoidance of doubt, the Corporation shall not be required to pay any tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance and delivery of any such certificate in a name other than that of the holder of the shares of the relevant Preferred Stock and the Corporation shall not be required to issue or deliver such certificate unless or until the Person or Persons requesting the issuance or delivery thereof shall have paid to the Corporation the amount of such tax or shall have established to the reasonable satisfaction of the Corporation that such tax has been paid.
(m) Shares of Preferred Stock shall immediately and permanently cease to be subject to the Conversion Cap for purposes of this Section 8 and Sections 5 and 9 upon the receipt of Shareholder Approval. For the avoidance of doubt and notwithstanding anything in this Certificate of Designations to the contrary, the Conversion Cap shall not in any way limit the amounts to accrue or be paid as dividends. Shares of Preferred Stock not convertible as a result of the Conversion Cap shall remain Outstanding and shall become convertible by such Holder or another Holder to the extent the Conversion Cap no longer applies. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Conversion Cap shall have no effect on any adjustment to the Conversion Rate pursuant to this Section 8.
(n) Notwithstanding Sections 8(e)(ii) and 8(e)(iii), if the Corporation has a rights plan (including, without limitation, the distribution of rights pursuant thereto to all holders of the Common Stock) in effect while any shares of Preferred Stock remain Outstanding, Holders of Preferred Stock will receive, upon conversion of Preferred Stock, in addition to the Common Stock to which a Holder is entitled (subject to the limitations set forth in Section 11), a corresponding number of rights in accordance with the rights plan. If, prior to any conversion, such rights have separated from the shares of Common Stock in accordance with the provisions of the applicable rights plan so that Holders of Preferred Stock would not be entitled to receive any rights in respect of the Common Stock delivered upon conversion of Preferred Stock, the Conversion Rate will be adjusted at the time of separation, as if the Corporation had distributed to all holders of its Common Stock, shares of Capital Stock, evidences of indebtedness, assets, securities, property, rights, options or warrants as described in Section 8(e)(iii) above, subject to readjustment in the event of the expiration, termination or redemption of such rights.
9) Mandatory Conversion .
(a) During the period on or after the 3-year anniversary of the Issue Date but prior to the 5-year anniversary of the Issue Date (the “ First Mandatory Conversion Period ”), the Corporation shall have the right, at its option, to give notice of its election to cause all Outstanding shares of Preferred Stock to be automatically converted into that number of whole shares of Common Stock for each share of Preferred Stock equal to the Conversion Rate in effect on the Mandatory Conversion Date (subject to the limitations set forth in Section 11), with cash in lieu of any fractional share pursuant to Section 10. The Corporation may exercise its right to cause a mandatory conversion pursuant to this Section 9(a) only if the Weighted Average Price of the Common Stock equals or exceeds 140% (such percentage, the “ First Mandatory Conversion Premium ”) of the then-current Conversion Price for at least 20 Trading Days (whether or not consecutive) in a period of 30 consecutive Trading Days, including the last Trading Day of such 30 Trading Day period, ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the Business Day on which the Corporation issues a press release announcing the mandatory conversion as described in Section 9(d).
(b) During the period on or after the 5-year anniversary of the Issue Date but prior to the 7-year anniversary of the Issue Date (the “ Second Mandatory Conversion Period ”), the Corporation shall have the right, at its option, to give notice of its election to cause all Outstanding shares of Preferred Stock to be automatically converted into that number of whole shares of Common Stock for each share of Preferred Stock equal to the Conversion Rate in effect on the Mandatory Conversion Date (subject to the limitations set forth in Section 11), with cash in lieu of any fractional share pursuant to Section 10. The Corporation may exercise its right to cause a mandatory conversion pursuant to this Section 9 only if the Weighted Average Price of the Common Stock equals or exceeds 115% (such percentage, the “ Second Mandatory Conversion Premium ”) of the then-current Conversion Price for at least 20 Trading Days (whether or not consecutive) in a period of 30 consecutive Trading Days, including the last Trading Day of such 30 Trading Day period, ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the Business Day on which the Corporation issues a press release announcing the mandatory conversion as described in Section 9(d).
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(c) On or after the 7-year anniversary of the Issue Date (the “ Final Mandatory Conversion Period ”), the Corporation shall have the right, at its option, to give notice of its election to cause all Outstanding shares of Preferred Stock to be automatically converted into that number of whole shares of Common Stock for each share of Preferred Stock equal to the Conversion Rate in effect on the Mandatory Conversion Date (subject to the limitations set forth in Section 11), with cash in lieu of any fractional share pursuant to Section 10. The Corporation may exercise its right to cause a mandatory conversion pursuant to this Section 9(c) only if the Weighted Average Price of the Common Stock equals or exceeds the Conversion Price for at least 10 consecutive Trading Days, ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the Business Day on which the Corporation issues a press release announcing the mandatory conversion as described in Section 9(d).
(d) To exercise any mandatory conversion right described in Sections 9(a) through 9(c), the Corporation must issue a press release for publication on the Dow Jones News Service or Bloomberg Business News (or if either such service is not available, another broadly disseminated news or press release service selected by the Corporation) prior to the open of business on the first Trading Day following any date on which the condition described in any of Sections 9(a) through 9(c) is met, announcing such a mandatory conversion. The Corporation shall also give notice by mail or by publication (with subsequent prompt notice by mail) to the Holders of the Preferred Stock (not later than 3 Business Days after the date of the press release) of the mandatory conversion announcing the Corporation’s intention to convert the Preferred Stock. The conversion date shall be a date selected by the Corporation (the “ Mandatory Conversion Date ”) and shall be no fewer than 15 Trading Days, nor more than 20 Trading Days, after the date on which the Corporation issues the press release described in this Section 9(d). Upon conversion of any Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section 9, the Corporation shall deliver to the applicable Holder the applicable number of shares of Common Stock, together with any applicable cash payment in lieu of any fractional share of Common Stock, on the 3 rd Business Day immediately following the relevant Mandatory Conversion Date.
(e) In addition to any information required by applicable law or regulation, the press release and notice of a mandatory conversion described in Section 9 shall state, as appropriate: (i) the Mandatory Conversion Date; (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock to be issued upon conversion of each share of Preferred Stock; and (iii) that dividends on the Preferred Stock to be converted will cease to accrue on the Mandatory Conversion Date.
(f) On and after the Mandatory Conversion Date, dividends shall cease to accrue on the Preferred Stock called for a mandatory conversion pursuant to Section 9 and all rights of Holders of such Preferred Stock shall terminate except for the right to receive the whole shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion thereof with a cash payment in lieu of any fractional share of Common Stock in accordance with Section 10. The full amount of any dividend payment with respect to the Preferred Stock called for a mandatory conversion pursuant to Section 9 on a date during the period beginning at the close of business on any Dividend Record Date and ending on the close of business on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date shall be payable on such Dividend Payment Date to the record holder of such share at the close of business on such Dividend Record Date if such share has been converted after such Dividend Record Date and prior to such Dividend Payment Date. Except as provided in the immediately preceding sentence with respect to a mandatory conversion pursuant to Section 9, no payment or adjustment shall be made upon conversion of Preferred Stock for dividends with respect to the Common Stock issued upon such conversion thereof.
(g) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 9, prior to the receipt of Shareholder Approval, shares of Preferred Stock shall not be convertible pursuant to Sections 9(a), 9(b) or 9(c) in the aggregate into more than the Conversion Cap.
10) No Fractional Shares . No fractional shares of Common Stock or securities representing fractional shares of Common Stock shall be delivered upon conversion, whether voluntary or mandatory, of the Preferred Stock. Instead, the Corporation will make a cash payment to each Holder that would otherwise be entitled to a fractional share based on the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on the relevant Conversion Date; provided , however, that the Corporation may round such fractional share up to the next highest whole number of shares in lieu of making such cash payment.
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11) Beneficial Ownership Limitation; Permitted Percentage Limitation; Certain Other Transfer Restrictions .
(a) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Corporation shall not effect any conversion of the Preferred Stock, and a Holder shall not have the right to convert any portion of the Preferred Stock, in each case to the extent that, after giving effect to such conversion, such Holder would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation. For purposes of this Section 11(a), beneficial ownership of a Holder shall be calculated in accordance with Section 16(a) and 16(b) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder for purposes of determining whether such Holder is subject to the reporting and liability provisions of Section 16(a) and 16(b) of the Exchange Act. For purposes of complying with this Section 11(a), the Corporation shall be entitled to conclusively rely on the information set forth in any Holder’s Notice of Conversion, and each Holder delivering a Notice of Conversion shall be deemed to represent to the Corporation that such Notice of Conversion does not violate the restrictions set forth in this paragraph, and the Corporation shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such representation. Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Corporation shall, within 2 Trading Days, confirm orally and in writing to such Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. By written notice to the Corporation, a Holder may from time to time increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation applicable solely to such Holder to any other percentage; provided that any such increase or decrease will not be effective until the 65 th day after such notice is delivered to the Corporation. The express purpose of this Section 11 is to preclude any Holder’s ownership of any shares of Preferred Stock from causing such Holder to become subject to the reporting and liability provisions of Section 16(a) and 16(b) of the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Rule 16a-2 promulgated by the Commission, and this Section 11 shall be interpreted according to such express purpose. Solely for purposes of this Section 11(a) the term “Holder” shall include all persons whose beneficial ownership of the Common Stock is aggregated pursuant to Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act or Rule 13d-5 thereunder.
(b) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the Corporation shall not effect any conversion of the Preferred Stock, and a Holder shall not have the right to convert any portion of the Preferred Stock, in each case to the extent that, after giving effect to such conversion, the number of shares of Common Stock (or any other class or series of the Corporation’s capital stock) beneficially owned by Non-U.S. Citizens (as defined in the Certificate of Incorporation) in the aggregate would exceed the Permitted Percentage Limitation, and (ii) the Preferred Stock shall be subject to the limitations on Non-U.S. Citizen (as defined in the Certificate of Incorporation) ownership set forth in the U.S. Maritime Laws (as defined in the Certificate of Incorporation), and Article V (Compliance with U.S. Maritime Laws) of the Certificate of Incorporation shall be incorporated by reference herein, mutatis mutandis , and shall apply as if fully set forth herein, mutatis mutandis , to the ownership and transfer of Preferred Stock.
(c) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no Preferred Stock may be owned by or transferred to any Holder or beneficial owner that is not a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a) (30) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and any transfer made or effected in violation of this Section 11(c) shall be void ab initio .
(d) Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, prior to receipt of Shareholder Approval conversion of the Preferred Stock shall at all times be limited by the Conversion Cap.
12) Transfer Agent and Registrar . The duly appointed transfer agent (the “ Transfer Agent ”) and Registrar (the “ Registrar ”) for the Preferred Stock shall be Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company. The Corporation may, in its sole discretion, remove the Transfer Agent in accordance with the agreement between the Corporation and the Transfer Agent; provided that the Corporation shall appoint a successor transfer agent who shall accept such appointment prior to the effectiveness of such removal. For the avoidance of doubt, the Corporation shall notify the Registrar in writing upon the Corporation’s or any of its Affiliates’ purchases or sales of Preferred Stock.
13) Certificates; Restrictions on Transfer .
(a) If physical certificates are issued, then the Corporation shall, upon written request of a Holder, issue certificates in definitive form representing the shares of Preferred Stock held by such Holder. Every share of Preferred Stock that bears or is required under this Section 13(a) to bear the legend set forth in Section 13(b) (together with any Common Stock issued upon conversion of the Preferred Stock that is required to bear the legend set forth in Section 13(b), collectively “ Restricted Securities ”) shall be subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in Section 11 and this Section 13(a) (including the legend set forth below), unless such restrictions on transfer shall be eliminated or otherwise waived by written consent of the Corporation, and the Holder of each such Restricted Security, by such Holder’s acceptance thereof, agrees to be bound by all such restrictions on transfer. As used in this Section 13(a) and in Section 13(b) the term “transfer” encompasses any sale, pledge, transfer or other disposition whatsoever of any Restricted Security.
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Until the later of (i) the date on which such shares of Preferred Stock may be transferred pursuant to a registration statement that has become or been declared effective under the Securities Act and that continues to be effective at the time of such transfer, or sold pursuant to the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144 or any similar provision then in force under the Securities Act, or unless otherwise agreed by the Corporation in writing with written notice thereof to the Transfer Agent), and (ii) such later date, if any, as may be required by applicable law (the “ Resale Restriction Termination Date ”), any certificate evidencing such Preferred Stock (and all securities issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof, other than Common Stock, if any, issued upon conversion thereof, which shall bear the legend set forth in Section 13(b) if applicable) shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:
THIS SHARE OF PREFERRED STOCK AND THE COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION OF THIS SHARE OF PREFERRED STOCK HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NEITHER THIS SHARE OF PREFERRED STOCK NOR THE COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION OF THIS SHARE OF PREFERRED STOCK NOR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN OR THEREIN MAY BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING:
BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF OR OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN, THE ACQUIRER:
1. | REPRESENTS THAT IT AND ANY ACCOUNT FOR WHICH IT IS ACTING IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” (WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) AND THAT IT EXERCISES SOLE INVESTMENT DISCRETION WITH RESPECT TO EACH SUCH ACCOUNT, AND |
2. | AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF NRC GROUP HOLDINGS CORP. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS HENNESSY CAPITAL ACQUISITION CORP. III) (THE “COMPANY”) THAT IT WILL NOT OFFER, SELL, PLEDGE OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS SECURITY OR ANY BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN PRIOR TO THE DATE THAT IS THE LATER OF (X) ONE (1) YEAR OR SUCH OTHER PERIOD OF TIME AS PERMITTED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY SUCCESSOR PROVISION THERETO AFTER THE LAST DATE OF INITIAL ISSUANCE HEREOF, AND (Y) SUCH LATER DATE, IF ANY, AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW, EXCEPT: |
(A) | TO THE COMPANY OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES, OR |
(B) | PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT THAT HAS BEEN DECLARED EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR |
(C) | TO A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR |
(D) | PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY OTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. |
PRIOR TO THE REGISTRATION OF ANY TRANSFER IN ACCORDANCE WITH CLAUSE (2) (D) ABOVE, THE COMPANY AND THE TRANSFER AGENT RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF SUCH LEGAL OPINIONS, CERTIFICATIONS OR OTHER EVIDENCE AS MAY REASONABLY BE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THAT THE PROPOSED TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NO REPRESENTATION IS MADE AS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF ANY EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.
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3. | ACKNOWLEDGES THAT NO PREFERRED STOCK MAY BE OWNED BY OR TRANSFERRED TO ANY HOLDER OR BENEFICIAL OWNER THAT IS NOT A “UNITED STATES PERSON” WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 7701(A)(30) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED, AND THE RULES AND REGULATIONS PROMULGATED THEREUNDER, AND ANY TRANSFER MADE OR EFFECTED IN VIOLATION OF THIS REQUIREMENT SHALL BE VOID AB INITIO. |
No transfer of any Preferred Stock prior to the Resale Restriction Termination Date will be registered by the Registrar (and shall not be effective) unless the applicable box on the Form of Assignment and Transfer attached hereto as Exhibit B has been checked (it being understood that the checking of such box shall not substitute for satisfaction of any other applicable transfer restrictions).
Any share of Preferred Stock (or security issued in exchange or substitution therefor) as to which such restrictions on transfer shall have expired in accordance with their terms may, upon surrender of such Preferred Stock for exchange to the Registrar, be exchanged for a new share or shares of Preferred Stock, of like aggregate number of shares of Preferred Stock, which shall not bear the restrictive legend required by this Section 13(a) and shall not be assigned a restricted CUSIP number.
(b) Until the Resale Restriction Termination Date, any stock certificate representing Common Stock issued upon conversion of Preferred Stock shall bear a legend in substantially the following form (unless such Common Stock has been transferred pursuant to a registration statement that has become or been declared effective under the Securities Act and that continues to be effective at the time of such transfer, or pursuant to the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144 or any similar provision then in force under the Securities Act, or such Common Stock has been issued upon conversion of shares of Preferred Stock that have been transferred pursuant to a registration statement that has become or been declared effective under the Securities Act and that continues to be effective at the time of such transfer, or pursuant to the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144 or any similar provision then in force under the Securities Act, or unless otherwise agreed by the Corporation with written notice thereof to the Transfer Agent):
THIS SHARE OF COMMON STOCK HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NEITHER THIS SHARE OF COMMON STOCK NOR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING:
BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF OR OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN, THE ACQUIRER:
1. | REPRESENTS THAT IT AND ANY ACCOUNT FOR WHICH IT IS ACTING IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” (WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) AND THAT IT EXERCISES SOLE INVESTMENT DISCRETION WITH RESPECT TO EACH SUCH ACCOUNT, AND |
2. | AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF NRC GROUP HOLDINGS CORP. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS HENNESSY CAPITAL ACQUISITION CORP. III) (THE “COMPANY”) THAT IT WILL NOT OFFER, SELL, PLEDGE OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS SECURITY OR ANY BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN PRIOR TO THE DATE THAT IS THE LATER OF (X) ONE YEAR OR SUCH OTHER PERIOD OF TIME AS PERMITTED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY SUCCESSOR PROVISION THERETO AFTER THE LAST DATE OF INITIAL ISSUANCE OF THE PREFERRED STOCK FROM WHICH THIS SHARE OF COMMON STOCK WAS CONVERTED, AND (Y) SUCH LATER DATE, IF ANY, AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW, EXCEPT: |
(A) | TO THE COMPANY OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES, OR |
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(B) | PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT THAT HAS BEEN DECLARED EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR |
(C) | TO A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR |
(D) | PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY OTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT |
PRIOR TO THE REGISTRATION OF ANY TRANSFER IN ACCORDANCE WITH CLAUSE (2)(D) ABOVE, THE COMPANY AND THE TRANSFER AGENT RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF SUCH LEGAL OPINIONS, CERTIFICATIONS OR OTHER EVIDENCE AS MAY REASONABLY BE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THAT THE PROPOSED TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NO REPRESENTATION IS MADE AS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF ANY EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.
Any such Common Stock as to which such restrictions on transfer shall have expired in accordance with their terms may, upon surrender of the certificates representing such shares of Common Stock for exchange in accordance with the procedures of the Transfer Agent, be exchanged for a new certificate or certificates for a like aggregate number of shares of Common Stock, which shall not bear the restrictive legend required by this Section 13(b). Until the Resale Restriction Termination Date, no transfer of any Common Stock issued upon conversion of Preferred Stock will be registered by the Registrar (and shall not be effective) unless the applicable box on the Form of Assignment and Transfer attached hereto as Exhibit B has been checked (it being understood that the checking of such box shall not substitute for satisfaction of any other applicable transfer restrictions).
(c) The Preferred Stock shall initially be issued with a restricted CUSIP number.
14) Paying Agent and Conversion Agent .
(a) The Corporation shall maintain in the United States (i) an office or agency where Preferred Stock may be presented for payment (the “ Paying Agent ”) and (ii) an office or agency where, in accordance with the terms hereof, Preferred Stock may be presented for conversion (the “ Conversion Agent ”). The Transfer Agent may act as Paying Agent and Conversion Agent, unless another Paying Agent or Conversion Agent is appointed by the Corporation. The Corporation may appoint the Registrar, the Paying Agent and the Conversion Agent and may appoint one or more additional paying agents and one or more additional conversion agents in such other locations as it shall determine. The term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent and the term “Conversion Agent” includes any additional conversion agent. The Corporation may change any Paying Agent or Conversion Agent without prior notice to any Holder. The Corporation shall notify the Registrar of the name and address of any Paying Agent or Conversion Agent appointed by the Corporation. If the Corporation fails to appoint or maintain another entity as Paying Agent or Conversion Agent, the Registrar shall act as such or the Corporation or any of its Affiliates shall act as Paying Agent, Registrar or Conversion Agent.
(b) Payments due on the Preferred Stock shall be payable at the office or agency of the Corporation maintained for such purpose in The City of New York and at any other office or agency maintained by the Corporation for such purpose. Payments of cash shall be payable by United States dollar check drawn on, or wire transfer (provided, that appropriate wire instructions have been received by the Registrar at least 15 days prior to the applicable date of payment) to a U.S. dollar account maintained by the Holder with, a bank located in New York City; provided that at the option of the Corporation, payment of cash dividends may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Preferred Stock register.
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15) Form .
(a) The Preferred Stock shall be issued in the form of one or more permanent global shares of Preferred Stock in definitive, fully registered form eligible for book-entry settlement with the global legend (the “ Global Shares Legend ”) as set forth on the form of Preferred Stock certificate attached hereto as Exhibit C (each, a “ Global Preferred Share ”), which is hereby incorporated in and expressly made part of this Certificate of Designations. The Global Preferred Shares may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, stock exchange rules, agreements to which the Corporation is subject, if any, or usage (provided, that any such notation, legend or endorsement is in a form acceptable to the Corporation). The Global Preferred Shares shall be deposited on behalf of the Holders represented thereby with the Registrar, at its New York office as custodian for DTC (the “ Depositary ”), and registered in the name of the Depositary or a nominee of the Depositary, duly executed by the Corporation and countersigned and registered by the Registrar as hereinafter provided. The aggregate number of shares represented by each Global Preferred Share may from time to time be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the Registrar and the Depositary or its nominee as hereinafter provided.
This Section 15(a) shall apply only to a Global Preferred Share deposited with or on behalf of the Depositary. The Corporation shall execute and the Registrar shall, in accordance with this Section 15(a) countersign and deliver any Global Preferred Shares that (i) shall be registered in the name of Cede & Co. or other nominee of the Depositary and (ii) shall be delivered by the Registrar to Cede & Co. or pursuant to instructions received from Cede & Co. or held by the Registrar as custodian for the Depositary pursuant to an agreement between the Depositary and the Registrar. Members of, or participants in, the Depositary (“ Agent Members ”) shall have no rights under this Certificate of Designations with respect to any Global Preferred Share held on their behalf by the Depositary or by the Registrar as the custodian of the Depositary, or under such Global Preferred Share, and the Depositary may be treated by the Corporation, the Registrar and any agent of the Corporation or the Registrar as the absolute owner of such Global Preferred Share for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Corporation, the Registrar or any agent of the Corporation or the Registrar from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depositary or impair, as between the Depositary and its Agent Members, the operation of customary practices of the Depositary governing the exercise of the rights of a holder of a beneficial interest in any Global Preferred Share. The Holder of the Global Preferred Shares may grant proxies or otherwise authorize any Person to take any action that a Holder is entitled to take pursuant to the Global Preferred Shares, this Certificate of Designations or the Certificate of Incorporation.
Owners of beneficial interests in Global Preferred Shares shall not be entitled to receive physical delivery of certificated shares of Preferred Stock, unless (x) the Depositary notifies the Corporation that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for the Global Preferred Shares and the Corporation does not appoint a qualified replacement for the Depositary within 90 days or (y) the Depositary ceases to be a “clearing agency” registered under the Exchange Act and the Corporation does not appoint a qualified replacement for the Depositary within 90 days. In any such case, the Global Preferred Shares shall be exchanged in whole for definitive stock certificates that are not issued in global form, with the same terms and of an equal aggregate Liquidation Preference, and such definitive stock certificates shall be registered in the name or names of the Person or Persons specified by the Depositary in a written instrument to the Registrar.
(b) Signature . Two Officers permitted by applicable law shall sign each Global Preferred Share for the Corporation, in accordance with the Corporation’s Bylaws and applicable law, by manual or facsimile signature. If an Officer whose signature is on a Global Preferred Share no longer holds that office at the time the Registrar countersigned such Global Preferred Share, such Global Preferred Share shall be valid nevertheless. A Global Preferred Share shall not be valid until an authorized signatory of the Registrar manually countersigns such Global Preferred Share. Each Global Preferred Share shall be dated the date of its countersignature. The foregoing paragraph shall likewise apply to any certificate representing shares of Preferred Stock.
16) Other Provisions .
(a) With respect to any notice to a Holder of shares of Preferred Stock required to be provided hereunder, neither failure to mail such notice, nor any defect therein or in the mailing thereof, to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of the notice or the validity of the proceedings referred to in such notice with respect to the other Holders or affect the legality or validity of any distribution, rights, warrant, reclassification, consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer, dissolution, liquidation or winding-up, or the vote upon any such action. Any notice which was mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given whether or not the Holder receives the notice.
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(b) Shares of Preferred Stock that have been issued and reacquired in any manner, including shares of Preferred Stock that are purchased or exchanged or converted, shall (upon compliance with any applicable provisions of the laws of Delaware) have the status of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock of the Corporation undesignated as to series and may be designated or redesignated and issued or reissued, as the case may be, as part of any series of preferred stock of the Corporation; provided that any issuance of such shares as Preferred Stock must be in compliance with the terms hereof.
(c) The shares of Preferred Stock shall be issuable only in whole shares.
(d) If any applicable law requires the deduction or withholding of any tax from any payment or deemed dividend to a Holder on its Preferred Stock, the Corporation or an applicable withholding agent may withhold such tax on cash dividends, shares of Preferred Stock, Common Stock or sale proceeds paid, subsequently paid or credited with respect to such Holder or his successors and assigns.
(e) All notice periods referred to herein shall commence on the date of the mailing of the applicable notice that initiates such notice period. Notice to any Holder shall be given to the registered address set forth in the Corporation’s records for such Holder.
(f) To the extent lawful to do so, the Corporation shall provide the Holders prior written notice of any cash dividend or distribution to be made to the holders of Common Stock, with such notice to be made no later than the notice thereof provided to all holders of Common Stock of the Corporation.
(g) Any payment required to be made hereunder on any day that is not a Business Day shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day and no interest or dividends on such payment will accrue or accumulate, as the case may be, in respect of such delay.
(h) Holders of Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to any preemptive rights to acquire additional capital stock of the Corporation.
[Signature page follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Certificate of Designations as of [______], 2018.
NRC GROUP HOLDINGS CORP. | ||
By: | ||
Name: [●] | ||
Title: [●] |
EXHIBIT A
[FORM OF NOTICE OF CONVERSION]
Exh A- 1 |
EXHIBIT B
[FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AND TRANSFER]
Exh B- 1 |
EXHIBIT C
[FORM OF PREFERRED STOCK CERTIFICATE]
Exh C- 1 |
SCHEDULE A
SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES FOR GLOBAL SECURITY
ANNEX A
FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE ADDITIONAL SHARES
Exhibit 10.2
SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT
This SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) is entered into as of June 25, 2018, among Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), Hennessy Capital Partners III LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ HCP ”), and J.F. Lehman & Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ JFL ”).
WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, the Company and JFL-NRC-SES Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Seller ”), are entering into a Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date hereof (as may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the “ Purchase Agreement ”), pursuant to which the Seller will sell to the Company, and the Company will acquire from the Seller, all of the issued and outstanding membership interests of NRC Group Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ NRC ”), on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein (the “ Acquisition ”, and the consummation of the Acquisition in accordance with the Purchase Agreement, the “ Acquisition Closing ”); and
WHEREAS, capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein are defined in the Purchase Agreement and shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Purchase Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained and for other good and valuable consideration, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Subscription . At any time prior to the close of business on the date that is ten Business Days prior to the scheduled Acquisition Closing date, JFL or one or more of its affiliated investment funds may, by written notice to the Company and HCP, elect to:
(a) subscribe for and purchase from the Company 300,000 shares of the Company’s 7.00% Series A Convertible Cumulative Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “ Preferred Shares ”), for a per share price of $97.00; and
(b) (i) subscribe for and purchase from the Company 1,951,220 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “ Common Shares ”), for a per share price of $10.25 (the “ Base Per-Share Price ”) and (ii) acquire from HCP the applicable HCP Transfer Shares for no additional consideration. “ HCP Transfer Shares ” means the number of shares as necessary for the Net Per-Share Price to equal $9.75. The “ Net Per-Share Price ” means the Common Shares multiplied by the Base Per-Share Price and divided by the sum of the Common Shares and the HCP Transfer Shares.
If JFL or any of its affiliates elects to subscribe for the Preferred Shares and Common Shares pursuant to this Section 1 , the parties hereto will execute definitive agreements on terms and conditions that are consistent with this Agreement and that are otherwise no less favorable to JFL than any agreements entered into by the Company or Sponsor in respect of the Preferred Offering and the Common Offering.
2. Registration Rights .
(a) At the Acquisition Closing, the Company and JFL, or one or more of its affiliated investment funds, shall enter into a Registration Rights Agreement (the “ Registration Rights Agreement ”), pursuant to which the Company will agree to (i) as soon as reasonably practicable within sixty (60) days after the Acquisition Closing, but in no event later than ninety (90) days following the Acquisition Closing, file a shelf registration statement to register the resale of the equity securities purchased pursuant to this Agreement (including the Common Shares into which the Preferred Shares may be converted (the “ Underlying Common Shares ”)) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”) and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and applicable state securities laws, (ii) use its reasonable best efforts to cause such registration statement (the “ Registration Statement ”) to become effective as promptly thereafter as practicable, but in any event not later than one hundred eighty (180) days after the Acquisition Closing if the Company receives comments to the Registration Statement from the staff of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“ SEC Comments ”) or one hundred twenty (120) days after the Acquisition Closing if the Company does not receive SEC Comments and (iii) provide JFL, or one or more of its affiliated investment funds, and certain other investors in the Company’s equity securities with customary demand rights and piggyback registration rights. The Registration Rights Agreement shall also include such additional terms and conditions as are customary and reasonably satisfactory to the Company and JFL, or one or more of its affiliated investment funds.
(b) None of the equity securities purchased pursuant to this Agreement (including the Underlying Common Shares) may be directly or indirectly transferred, disposed of or otherwise monetized in any manner whatsoever, except pursuant to a registration statement or in a transaction that is exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.
3. Representations and Warranties . Each party hereto hereby represents and warrants to the other parties as follows:
(a) Such party has all necessary power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby by such Party have been duly authorized by all necessary actions on the part of such Party. This Agreement, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by other parties hereto, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such party enforceable against such party in accordance with its terms (except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditor’s rights, and to general equitable principles).
(b) No filing with, or notification to, any Governmental Authority and no consent, approval, authorization or permit of any other person is necessary for the execution of this Agreement by such party and the consummation by such party of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(c) None of the execution and delivery of this Agreement by such party, the consummation by such party of the transactions contemplated hereby or compliance by such party with any of the provisions hereof shall (i) conflict with or result in any breach of the organizational documents of such party, (ii) result in, or give rise to, a violation or breach of or a default under any of the terms of any material contract, understanding, agreement or other instrument or obligation to which such party is a party or by which such party or any of its assets may be bound or (iii) violate any applicable order, writ, injunction, decree, law, statute, rule or regulation of any Governmental Authority, except for any of the foregoing as would not reasonably be expected to impair such party’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement in any material respect.
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4. Termination . This Agreement shall terminate and be void and of no further force and effect, and all rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall terminate without any further liability on the part of any party in respect thereof, upon the earlier to occur of (a) such date and time as the Purchase Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms, (b) upon the mutual written agreement of each of the parties hereto to terminate this Agreement or (c) the Termination Date; provided , that nothing herein shall relieve any party from liability for any willful breach hereof prior to the time of termination, and each party shall be entitled to any remedies at law or in equity to recover losses, liabilities or damages arising from such breach.
5. Notices . All notices or other communications, including service of process, required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given or delivered and received on the earliest of (a) the day when delivered, if delivered personally, (b) one Business Day after deposit with a nationally-recognized courier or overnight service such as Federal Express (or upon any earlier receipt confirmed in writing by such service), (c) five Business Days after mailing via U.S. certified mail, return receipt requested, or (d) the date sent, with no mail undeliverable or other rejection notice, if sent by email, in each case addressed as follows:
If to the Company or HCP, to:
Hennessy
Capital Acquisition Corp. III
3485 North Pines Way,
Suite 110
Wilson, Wyoming 83014
Attention: Daniel J. Hennessy and Kevin Charlton
Email: dhennessy@hennessycapllc.com and kcharlton@hennessycapllc.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Sidley
Austin LLP
One South Dearborn
Chicago, Illinois 60603
Attention: Jeffrey N. Smith and Dirk W. Andringa
Email: jnsmith@sidley.com and dandringa@sidley.com
and to:
Ellenoff
Grossman & Schole LLP
1345 Avenue of the Americas, 11th Floor
New York, New York 10105
Attention: Stuart Neuhauser and Joshua N. Englard
Email: neuhauser@egsllp.com and jenglard@egsllp.com
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If to JFL:
J.F.
Lehman & Company, LLC
110 East 59th Street, 27th Floor
New York, New York 10022
Attention: C. Alexander Harman, Glenn M. Shor and David L. Rattner
Email: cah@jflpartners.com, gms@jflpartners.com, and dlr@jflpartners.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Jones
Day
2727 North Harwood Street
Dallas, Texas 75201
Attention: Alain Dermarkar and Giles Elliott
Email: adermarkar@jonesday.com and gpelliott@jonesday.com
and to such other address or addressee as any such Party has specified by prior written notice to the other Party in accordance with this Section 5
6. Miscellaneous .
(a) No party hereto may assign its rights or obligations hereunder without the express written consent of the other parties hereto, provided, however, that JFL may assign all or a portion of its rights hereto to any investment affiliates of JFL.
(b) This Agreement may not be modified, waived or terminated except by an instrument in writing, signed by the party against whom enforcement of such modification, waiver, or termination is sought.
(c) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes all other prior agreements, understandings, representations and warranties, both written and oral, among the parties, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
(d) Except as otherwise provided herein, this Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns, and the agreements, representations, warranties, covenants and acknowledgments contained herein shall be deemed to be made by, and be binding upon, such heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns.
(e) If any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality or enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall continue in full force and effect.
(f) This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts (including by electronic means), all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when signed by each of the parties and delivered to the other parties, it being understood that all parties need not sign the same counterpart.
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(g) This Agreement and any claim or cause of action hereunder based upon, arising out of or related to this Agreement (whether based on law, in equity, in contract, in tort or any other theory) or the negotiation, execution, performance or enforcement of this Agreement, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the Laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of law thereof.
(h) THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY SUBMIT TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, Delaware state court and the United States District Court for the District of Delaware SOLELY IN RESPECT OF THE INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THIS AGREEMENT AND IN RESPECT OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, AND HEREBY WAIVE, AND AGREE NOT TO ASSERT, AS A DEFENSE IN ANY ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING FOR INTERPRETATION OR ENFORCEMENT HEREOF OR ANY SUCH DOCUMENT THAT IS NOT SUBJECT THERETO OR THAT SUCH ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING MAY NOT BE BROUGHT OR IS NOT MAINTAINABLE IN SAID COURTS OR THAT VENUE THEREOF MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE OR THAT THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY SUCH DOCUMENT MAY NOT BE ENFORCED IN OR BY SUCH COURTS, AND THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AGREE THAT ALL CLAIMS WITH RESPECT TO SUCH ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE HEARD AND DETERMINED BY SUCH A DELAWARE STATE OR FEDERAL COURT. THE PARTIES HEREBY CONSENT TO AND GRANT ANY SUCH COURT JURISDICTION OVER THE PERSON OF SUCH PARTIES AND OVER THE SUBJECT MATTER OF SUCH DISPUTE AND AGREE THAT MAILING OF PROCESS OR OTHER PAPERS IN CONNECTION WITH SUCH ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING IN THE MANNER PROVIDED IN SECTION 5 OR IN SUCH OTHER MANNER AS MAY BE PERMITTED BY LAW SHALL BE VALID AND SUFFICIENT SERVICE THEREOF. EACH PARTY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY CONTROVERSY WHICH MAY ARISE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND THEREFORE EACH SUCH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT SUCH PARTY MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT. EACH PARTY CERTIFIES AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT (I) NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER; (II) SUCH PARTY UNDERSTANDS AND HAS CONSIDERED THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE FOREGOING WAIVER; (III) SUCH PARTY MAKES THE FOREGOING WAIVER VOLUNTARILY AND (IV) SUCH PARTY HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVER AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 6(h) .
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.
HENNESSY CAPITAL ACQUISITION CORP. III | ||
By: | /s/ Daniel J. Hennessy | |
Name: | Daniel J. Hennessy | |
Title: | Chairman of the Board and | |
Chief Executive Officer | ||
HENNESSY CAPITAL PARTNERS III LLC | ||
a Delaware limited liability company | ||
By: Hennessy Capital LLC, its managing member | ||
By: | /s/ Daniel J. Hennessy | |
Name: | Daniel J. Hennessy | |
Title: | Managing Member | |
J.F. LEHMAN & COMPANY, LLC | ||
By: | /s/ C. Alexander Harman | |
Name: | C. Alexander Harman | |
Title: | Managing Member |
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Exhibit 10.3
VOTING AND SUPPORT AGREEMENT
This VOTING AND SUPPORT AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) is entered into as of June 25, 2018, by and among JFL-NRC-SES Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Seller ”), Hennessy Capital Partners III LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Hennessy Capital Partners III ”), and the stockholders of Purchaser (as defined below) set forth on Schedule I hereto (such individuals together with Hennessy Capital Partners III, each a “ Stockholder ”, and collectively, the “ Stockholders ”). The Seller and the Stockholders are sometimes referred to herein as a “ Party ” and collectively as the “ Parties ”.
W I T N E S S E T H :
WHEREAS, as of the date hereof, each of the Stockholders “ beneficially owns ” (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) and is entitled to dispose of (or to direct the disposition of) and to vote (or to direct the voting of) the number of shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “ Common Stock ”), of Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III, a Delaware corporation (“ Purchaser ”), set forth opposite such Stockholder’s name on Schedule I hereto (such shares of Common Stock, together with any other shares of Common Stock the voting power over which is acquired by Stockholder during the period from the date hereof through the date on which this Agreement terminates in accordance with Section 6.1 hereof (such period, the “ Voting Period ”), including any and all Common Stock acquired by such Stockholder during the Voting Period pursuant to the exercise, exchange or conversion of, or other transaction involving, any and all warrants issued to such Stockholder in a private placement that occurred prior to Purchaser’s initial public offering (the “ Warrants ”) and all Sponsor Forfeited Shares, are collectively referred to herein as the “ Subject Shares ”);
WHEREAS, the Seller and Purchaser propose to enter into a purchase agreement, dated as of the date hereof (as the same may be amended from time to time, the “ Purchase Agreement ”), pursuant to which, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein, Purchaser agrees to acquire from Seller, and Seller agrees to sell to Purchaser, all of the issued and outstanding membership interests of NRC Group Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Company ”) (such transaction, together with the other transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, the “ Transactions ”); and
WHEREAS, as a condition to the willingness of the Seller to enter into the Purchase Agreement, and as an inducement and in consideration therefor, the Stockholders are executing this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual premises, representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained herein, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.01 Capitalized Terms . For purposes of this Agreement, capitalized terms used and not defined herein shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them in the Purchase Agreement.
ARTICLE II
VOTING AGREEMENT
Section 2.1 Agreement to Vote the Subject Shares . Each Stockholder hereby unconditionally and irrevocably agrees that, during the Voting Period, at any duly called meeting of the stockholders of Purchaser (or any adjournment or postponement thereof), and in any action by written consent of the stockholders of Purchaser requested by Purchaser’s board of directors or undertaken as contemplated by the Transactions, such Stockholder shall, if a meeting is held, appear at the meeting, in person or by proxy, or otherwise cause its Subject Shares to be counted as present thereat for purposes of establishing a quorum, and it shall vote or consent (or cause to be voted or consented), in person or by proxy, all of its Subject Shares (a) in favor of the approval of the Purchase Agreement and approval of the Transactions (and any actions required in furtherance thereof), (b) against any action, proposal, transaction or agreement that would result in a breach in any respect of any representation, warranty, covenant, obligation or agreement of Purchaser contained in the Purchase Agreement, (c) in favor of the proposals set forth in Purchaser’s proxy statement (including in favor of the election of the Seller’s designees to the board of directors of Purchaser set forth on Schedule II hereto and in favor of each proposal to amend the Purchaser’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation consistent with Exhibit B to the Purchase Agreement), to be filed by Purchaser with the SEC relating to the Offer and the Transactions (including any proxy supplement thereto, the “ Proxy Statement ”), (d) for any proposal to adjourn or postpone the Special Meeting to a later date if there are not sufficient votes for approval of the Purchase Agreement and the other proposals related thereto as set forth in the Proxy Statement on the date on which such meeting is held and (e) except as set forth in the Proxy Statement, against the following actions or proposals: (i) any Purchaser Acquisition Transaction or any proposal in opposition to approval of the Purchase Agreement or in competition with or materially inconsistent with the Purchase Agreement; and (ii) (A) any change in the present capitalization of Purchaser or any amendment of the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of Purchaser, except to the extent expressly contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, (B) any liquidation, dissolution or other change in Purchaser’s corporate structure or business, (C) any action, proposal, transaction or agreement that would result in a breach in any material respect of any covenant, representation or warranty or other obligation or agreement of a Stockholder under this Agreement, or (D) any other action or proposal involving Purchaser or any of its subsidiaries that is intended, or would reasonably be expected, to prevent, impede, interfere with, delay, postpone or adversely affect the Transactions or would reasonably be expected to result in any of Purchaser’s closing conditions or obligations under the Purchase Agreement not being satisfied. Each of the Stockholders agrees not to, and shall cause its Affiliates not to, enter into any agreement, commitment or arrangement with any Person, the effect of which would be inconsistent with or violative of the provisions and agreements contained in this Article II.
Section 2.2 No Obligation as Director or Officer . Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to impose any obligation or limitation on votes or actions taken by any director, officer, employee, agent or other representative (collectively, “ Representatives ”) of any Stockholder or by any Stockholder that is a natural person, in each case, in his or her capacity as a director or officer of Purchaser.
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ARTICLE III
COVENANTS
Section 3.1 Generally .
(a) Each of the Stockholders agrees that during the Voting Period it shall not, and shall cause its Affiliates not to, without the Seller’s prior written consent (except to a permitted transferee as set forth in Section 7(c) in that certain letter agreement, dated June 22, 2017, between Purchaser and such Stockholder (the “ Insider Letter ”) who agrees in writing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement): (i) offer for sale, sell (including short sales), transfer, tender, pledge, encumber, assign or otherwise dispose of (including by gift) (collectively, a “ Transfer ”), or enter into any contract, option, derivative, hedging or other agreement or arrangement or understanding (including any profit-sharing arrangement) with respect to, or consent to, a Transfer of, any or all of the Subject Shares; (ii) grant any proxies or powers of attorney with respect to any or all of the Subject Shares; (iii) permit to exist any lien of any nature whatsoever with respect to any or all of the Subject Shares; or (iv) take any action that would have the effect of preventing, impeding, interfering with or adversely affecting such Stockholder’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement.
(b) In the event of a stock dividend or distribution, or any change in the Common Stock or Warrants by reason of any stock dividend or distribution, split-up, recapitalization, combination, conversion, exchange of shares or the like, the term “Subject Shares” shall be deemed to refer to and include the Subject Shares as well as all such stock dividends and distributions and any securities into which or for which any or all of the Subject Shares or Warrants may be changed or exchanged or which are received in such transaction. Each of the Stockholders agrees, while this Agreement is in effect, to notify the Seller promptly in writing (including by e-mail) of the number of any additional shares of Common Stock acquired by such Stockholder, if any, after the date hereof.
(c) Each of the Stockholders agrees, while this Agreement is in effect, not to take or agree or commit to take any action that would make any representation and warranty of such Stockholder contained in this Agreement inaccurate in any material respect. Each of the Stockholders further agrees that it shall use its reasonable best efforts to cooperate with the Seller to effect the transactions contemplated hereby and the Transactions.
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Section 3.2 Standstill Obligations of the Stockholders . Each of the Stockholders covenants and agrees with the Seller that, during the Voting Period:
(a) None of the Stockholders shall, nor shall any Stockholder act in concert with any person to make, or in any manner participate in, directly or indirectly, a “solicitation” of “proxies” or consents (as such terms are used in the proxy solicitation rules of the SEC) or powers of attorney or similar rights to vote, or seek to advise or influence any person with respect to the voting of, any shares of Common Stock in connection with any vote or other action with respect to a business combination transaction, other than to recommend that stockholders of Purchaser vote in favor of approval of the Purchase Agreement and in favor of approval of the other proposals set forth in the Proxy Statement (including the election of the directors set forth on Schedule II hereto) (and any actions required in furtherance thereof and otherwise as expressly provided by Article II of this Agreement).
(b) None of the Stockholders shall, nor shall any Stockholder act in concert with any person to, deposit any of the Subject Shares in a voting trust or subject any of the Subject Shares to any arrangement or agreement with any person with respect to the voting of the Subject Shares, except as provided by Article II of this Agreement.
Section 3.3 Stop Transfers . Each of the Stockholders agrees with, and covenants to, the Seller that such Stockholder shall not request that Purchaser register the transfer (book-entry or otherwise) of any certificate or uncertificated interest representing any Subject Shares during the term of this Agreement without the prior written consent of the Seller other than pursuant to a transfer permitted by Section 3.1(a) of this Agreement.
Section 3.4 Consent to Disclosure . Each Stockholder hereby consents to the publication and disclosure in the Proxy Statement (and, as and to the extent otherwise required by Federal Securities Laws or the SEC or any other securities authorities, any other documents or communications provided by Purchaser or Seller to any Governmental Authority or to securityholders of Purchaser) of such Stockholder’s identity and beneficial ownership of Subject Shares and the nature of such Stockholder’s commitments, arrangements and understandings under and relating to this Agreement and, if deemed appropriate by Purchaser or Seller, a copy of this Agreement. Each Stockholder will promptly provide any information reasonably requested by Purchaser or Seller for any regulatory application or filing made or approval sought in connection with the Transactions (including filings with the SEC).
Section 3.5 Notices of Certain Events . Each Party shall notify the other Parties hereto of any development occurring after the date hereof that causes, or that would reasonably be expected to cause, any breach in any material respect of any of the representations and warranties of such Party set forth in this Agreement.
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF STOCKHOLDERS
Each of the Stockholders hereby represents and warrants, severally but not jointly, to the Seller as follows:
Section 4.1 Binding Agreement . Such Stockholder (a) if a natural person, is of legal age to execute this Agreement and is legally competent to do so, and (b) if not a natural person, (i) is a corporation, limited liability company or partnership duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and (ii) has all necessary power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby by such Stockholder has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate, limited liability or partnership action on the part of such Stockholder, as applicable. This Agreement, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the Seller, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Stockholder, enforceable against such Stockholder in accordance with its terms (except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditor’s rights, and to general equitable principles).
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Section 4.2 Ownership of Shares . Schedule I hereto sets forth opposite such Stockholder’s name the number of all of the shares of Common Stock and the number of all of the Warrants over which such Stockholder has beneficial ownership as of the date hereof. As of the date hereof, such Stockholder is the lawful owner of the shares of Common Stock and Warrants denoted as being owned by such Stockholder on Schedule I and has the sole power to vote or cause to be voted such shares of Common Stock and, assuming the exercise of the Warrants, the shares of Common Stock underlying such Warrants. Such Stockholder has good and valid title to the Common Stock and Warrants denoted as being owned by such Stockholder on Schedule I, free and clear of any and all pledges, mortgages, encumbrances, charges, proxies, voting agreements, Liens, adverse claims, options, security interests and demands of any nature or kind whatsoever, other than those created by this Agreement, those imposed by the Insider Letter and those imposed by applicable law, including federal and state securities laws. There are no claims for finder’s fees or brokerage commission or other like payments in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby payable by such Stockholder pursuant to arrangements made by such Stockholder. Except for the shares of Common Stock and Warrants denoted on Schedule I, as of the date of this Agreement, such Stockholder is not a beneficial owner or record holder of any (i) equity securities of Purchaser, (ii) securities of Purchaser having the right to vote on any matters on which the holders of equity securities of Purchaser may vote or which are convertible into or exchangeable for, at any time, equity securities of Purchaser, or (iii) options or other rights to acquire from Purchaser any equity securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable for equity securities of Purchaser.
Section 4.3 No Conflicts .
(a) No filing with, or notification to, any Governmental Authority, and no consent, approval, authorization or permit of any other person is necessary for the execution of this Agreement by such Stockholder and the consummation by such Stockholder of the transactions contemplated hereby. If such Stockholder is a natural person, no consent of such Stockholder’s spouse is necessary under any “community property” or other laws in order for such Stockholder to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement.
(b) None of the execution and delivery of this Agreement by such Stockholder, the consummation by such Stockholder of the transactions contemplated hereby or compliance by such Stockholder with any of the provisions hereof shall (i) conflict with or result in any breach of the organizational documents of such Stockholder, as applicable, (ii) result in, or give rise to, a violation or breach of or a default under any of the terms of any material contract, understanding, agreement or other instrument or obligation to which such Stockholder is a party or by which such Stockholder or any of such Stockholder’s Subject Shares or assets may be bound, or (iii) violate any applicable order, writ, injunction, decree, law, statute, rule or regulation of any Governmental Authority, except for any of the foregoing in clauses (i) through (iii) as would not reasonably be expected to impair such Stockholder’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement in any material respect.
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Section 4.4 Reliance by the Seller. Such Stockholder understands and acknowledges that the Seller is entering into the Purchase Agreement in reliance upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Stockholders.
Section 4.5 No Inconsistent Agreements . Such Stockholder hereby covenants and agrees that, except for this Agreement, such Stockholder (a) has not entered into, nor will enter into at any time while this Agreement remains in effect, any voting agreement or voting trust with respect to such Stockholder’s Subject Shares inconsistent with such Stockholder’s obligations pursuant to this Agreement, (b) has not granted, nor will grant at any time while this Agreement remains in effect, a proxy, a consent or power of attorney with respect to such Stockholder’s Subject Shares and (c) has not entered into any agreement or knowingly taken any action (nor will enter into any agreement or knowingly take any action) that would make any representation or warranty of such Stockholder contained herein untrue or incorrect in any material respect or have the effect of preventing such Stockholder from performing any of its material obligations under this Agreement.
Section 4.6 Stockholder Has Adequate Information . Such Stockholder is a sophisticated stockholder and has adequate information concerning the business and financial condition of Purchaser and the Company to make an informed decision regarding the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement and has independently and without reliance upon Purchaser or the Seller and based on such information as such Stockholder has deemed appropriate, made its own analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Such Stockholder acknowledges that the Seller has not made and does not make any representation or warranty, whether express or implied, of any kind or character except as expressly set forth in this Agreement. Such Stockholder acknowledges that the agreements contained herein with respect to the Subject Shares held by such Stockholder are irrevocable.
ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE SELLER
The Seller hereby represents and warrants to the Stockholders as follows:
Section 5.1 Binding Agreement . The Seller is a limited liability company, duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of Delaware. The Seller has all necessary power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby by the Seller have been duly authorized by all necessary actions on the part of the Seller. This Agreement, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the Stockholders, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Seller enforceable against the Seller in accordance with its terms (except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditor’s rights, and to general equitable principles).
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Section 5.2 No Conflicts .
(a) No filing with, or notification to, any Governmental Authority, and no consent, approval, authorization or permit of any other person is necessary for the execution of this Agreement by the Seller and the consummation by the Seller of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(b) None of the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Seller, the consummation by the Seller of the transactions contemplated hereby or compliance by the Seller with any of the provisions hereof shall (i) conflict with or result in any breach of the organizational documents of the Seller, (ii) result in, or give rise to, a violation or breach of or a default under any of the terms of any material contract, understanding, agreement or other instrument or obligation to which the Seller is a party or by which the Seller or any of its assets may be bound, or (iii) violate any applicable order, writ, injunction, decree, law, statute, rule or regulation of any Governmental Authority, except for any of the foregoing as would not reasonably be expected to impair the Seller’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement in any material respect.
ARTICLE VI
TERMINATION
Section 6.1 Termination . This Agreement shall automatically terminate, without any further action by the Parties, and none of the Seller or the Stockholders shall have any rights or obligations hereunder, and this Agreement shall become null and void and have no effect upon the earliest to occur of: (a) as to each Stockholder, the mutual written consent of the Seller and such Stockholder, (b) the Closing Date (following the performance of the obligations of the Parties required to be performed on the Closing Date) and (c) the date of termination of the Purchase Agreement in accordance with its terms. The termination of this Agreement shall not prevent any Party hereunder from seeking any remedies (at law or in equity) against another Party or relieve such Party from liability for such Party’s breach of any terms of this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the provisions of Article VI shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
ARTICLE VII
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 7.1 Further Assurances . From time to time, at the other Party’s request and without further consideration, each Party shall execute and deliver such additional documents and take all such further action as may be reasonably necessary or desirable to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 7.2 Fees and Expenses . Each of the Parties shall be responsible for its own fees and expenses (including, without limitation, the fees and expenses of investment bankers, accountants and counsel) in connection with the entering into of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
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Section 7.3 No Ownership Interest . Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to vest in the Seller any direct or indirect ownership or incidence of ownership of or with respect to any Subject Shares.
Section 7.4 Amendments, Waivers, etc . This Agreement may not be amended, changed, supplemented, waived or otherwise modified, except upon the execution and delivery of a written agreement executed by each of the Parties. The failure of any Party to exercise any right, power or remedy provided under this Agreement or otherwise available in respect hereof at law or in equity, or to insist upon compliance by any other Party with its obligations hereunder, and any custom or practice of the Parties at variance with the terms hereof shall not constitute a waiver by such Party of its right to exercise any such or other right, power or remedy or to demand such compliance.
Section 7.5 Notices . All notices or other communications, including service of process, required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given or delivered and received on the earliest of (a) the day when delivered, if delivered personally, (b) one Business Day after deposit with a nationally-recognized courier or overnight service such as Federal Express (or upon any earlier receipt confirmed in writing by such service), (c) five Business Days after mailing via U.S. certified mail, return receipt requested, or (d) the date, with no mail undeliverable or other rejection notice, if sent by email, in each case addressed as follows:
(a) | If to the Seller: |
JFL-NRC-SES Partners, LLC
c/o J.F. Lehman & Company
110 East 59th Street, 27th Floor
New York, New York 10022
Attention: C. Alexander Harman, Glenn M. Shor and David L. Rattner
Email: cah@jflpartners.com, gms@jflpartners.com, and dlr@jflpartners.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Jones Day
2727 North Harwood Street
Dallas, Texas 75201
Attention: Alain Dermarkar and Giles Elliott
Email: adermarkar@jonesday.com and gpelliott@jonesday.com
(b) | If to any of the Stockholders: |
c/o Hennessy Capital Partners III LLC
3485 N. Pines Way, Suite 10
Wilson, Wyoming 83104
Attention: Daniel J. Hennessy, Kevin Charlton and Nicholas Petruska
Email: dhennessy@hennessycapllc.com, kcharlton@hennessycapllc.com and npetruska@hennessycapllc.com
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with copies (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Sidley Austin LLP
One South Dearborn
Chicago, Illinois 60603
Attention: Jeffrey N. Smith and Dirk W. Andringa
Facsimile: (312) 853-7036
Email: jnsmith@sidley.com and dandringa@sidley.com
and to:
Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10105
Attention: Stuart Neuhauser and Joshua N. Englard
Facsimile: (212) 370-7889
Email: sneuhauser@egsllp.com and jenglard@egsllp.com
Section 7.6 Headings . The headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
Section 7.7 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 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 hereby is not affected in any manner 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 an acceptable manner to the end that the transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the fullest extent possible.
Section 7.8 Entire Agreement; Assignment . This Agreement (together with the Purchase Agreement, to the extent referred to herein, and the schedules hereto) constitutes the entire agreement among the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among the Parties, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof. Except for transfers permitted by Section 3.1, this Agreement shall not be assigned by operation of law or otherwise without the prior written consent of the other Party.
Section 7.9 Certificates . Promptly following the date of this Agreement, each Stockholder shall advise Purchaser’s transfer agent in writing that such Stockholder’s Subject Shares are subject to the restrictions set forth herein and, in connection therewith, provide Purchaser’s transfer agent in writing with such information as is reasonable to ensure compliance with such restrictions.
Section 7.10 Parties in Interest . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each Party, and nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other person any rights, benefits or remedies of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.
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Section 7.11 Interpretation . The references herein to Sections, Articles and Schedules, unless otherwise indicated, are references to Sections and Articles of and Schedules to this Agreement. Words used herein, regardless of the number and gender specifically used, shall be deemed and construed to include any other number, singular or plural, and any other gender, masculine, feminine or neuter, as the context requires. Any reference to a Law shall include any amendment thereof or any successor thereto and any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Any reference to any Contract is a reference to it as amended, modified and supplemented from time to time. In this Agreement, except to the extent that the context otherwise requires: (a) “days” means calendar days unless otherwise indicated; (b) whenever the words “include,” “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they are deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”; (c) the words “hereof,” “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import, when used in this Agreement, refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement; and (d) references to a Person are also to its permitted successors and assigns. This Agreement shall be construed without regard to any presumption or rule requiring construction or interpretation against the Party drafting or causing any instrument to be drafted.
Section 7.12 Governing Law . This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal Laws of the State of Delaware (without reference to its choice of Law rules).
Section 7.13 Specific Performance; Jurisdiction . The Parties agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that the Parties shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions of this Agreement in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks jurisdiction, then in the applicable Delaware state court) or, if under applicable Law exclusive jurisdiction over such matter is vested in the federal courts, any court of the United States located in the State of Delaware (or any court in which appeal from such courts may be taken), this being in addition to any other remedy to which such Party is entitled at law or in equity. In addition, each of the Parties (a) consents to submit itself to the personal jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or any court of the United States located in the State of Delaware (or any court in which appeal from such courts may be taken) in the event any dispute arises out of this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (b) agrees that it will not attempt to deny or defeat such personal jurisdiction by motion or other request for leave from any such court, (c) agrees that it will not bring any Action relating to this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in any court other than the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or, if under applicable law exclusive jurisdiction over such matter is vested in the federal courts, any court of the United States located in the State of Delaware (or any court in which appeal from such courts may be taken) and (d) consents to service being made through the notice procedures set forth in Section 7.5. Each of the Stockholders and the Seller hereby agrees that service of any process, summons, notice or document by U.S. registered mail to the respective addresses set forth in Section 7.5 shall be effective service of process for any proceeding in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
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Section 7.14 Waiver of Jury Trial . EACH OF THE PARTIES HEREBY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. EACH OF THE PARTIES (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THAT FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 7.14 .
Section 7.15 Execution in Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be considered an original instrument, but all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement, and shall become binding when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Party. A signed copy of this Agreement delivered by facsimile, email or other means of electronic transmission shall be deemed to have the same legal effect as delivery of an original signed copy of this Agreement.
Section 7.16 No Partnership, Agency or Joint Venture . This Agreement is intended to create a contractual relationship between the Stockholders, on the one hand, and the Seller, on the other hand, and is not intended to create, and does not create, any agency, partnership, joint venture or any like relationship between or among the Parties. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing sentence, each of the Stockholders (a) is entering into this Agreement solely on its own behalf and shall not have any obligation to perform on behalf of any other holder of Common Stock or any liability (regardless of the legal theory advanced) for any breach of this Agreement by any other holder of Common Stock and (b) by entering into this Agreement does not intend to form a “group” for purposes of Rule 13d-5(b)(1) of the Exchange Act or any other similar provision of applicable law. Each of the Stockholders has acted independently regarding its decision to enter into this Agreement and regarding its investment in Purchaser.
[ Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank ]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Seller and the Stockholders have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
JFL-NRC-SES Partners, LLC | ||
By: | /s/ David L. Rattner | |
Name: | David L. Rattner | |
Title: | Secretary |
[ Signature Page to Voting and Support Agreement ]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Seller and the Stockholders have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
HENNESSY CAPITAL PARTNERS III LLC, |
||
a Delaware limited liability company | ||
By: Hennessy Capital LLC, its managing member | ||
By: | /s/ Daniel J. Hennessy | |
Name: Daniel J. Hennessy | ||
Title: Managing Member | ||
THE BRADLEY J. BELL REVOCABLE TRUST | ||
By: | /s/ Bradley Bell | |
Name: Bradley Bell | ||
Title: Trustee | ||
/s/ Richard Burns | ||
Richard Burns | ||
/s/ Daniel R. DiMicco | ||
Daniel R. DiMicco | ||
/s/ James O’Neil III | ||
James O’Neil III | ||
/s/ Nicholas Petruska | ||
Nicholas Petruska | ||
/s/ Kevin Charlton | ||
Kevin Charlton | ||
BALLYBUNION, LLC | ||
By: | /s/ Peter Shea | |
Name: Peter Shea | ||
Title: Member/Manager |
[ Signature Page to Voting and Support Agreement ]
SCHEDULE I
Beneficial Ownership of Securities
Stockholder |
Number of
Shares |
Number of
Warrants |
||||||
Hennessy Capital Partners III LLC | 5,291,250 | 9,600,000 | ||||||
The Bradley J. Bell Revocable Trust | 75,000 | — | ||||||
Richard Burns | 75,000 | — | ||||||
Daniel R. DiMicco | 75,000 | — | ||||||
James O’Neil III | 75,000 | — | ||||||
Nicholas Petruska | 250,000 | — | ||||||
Kevin Charlton | 500,000 | — | ||||||
Ballybunion, LLC | 75,000 | — | ||||||
Total | 6,416,250 | 9,600,000 |
SCHEDULE II
Directors
C. Alexander Harman
Glenn M. Shor
James Baumgardner
Exhibit 10.4
SPONSOR WARRANT EXCHANGE AND SHARE FORFEITURE AGREEMENT
June 25, 2018
Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III
3485 N. Pines Way, Suite 110
Wilson, Wyoming 83014
Re: | Exchange of Private Placement Warrants and Forfeiture of Founder Shares |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Reference is made to that certain Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date hereof (the “Purchase Agreement”), by and between Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and JFL-NRC-SES Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Seller”). In order to facilitate the Company’s purchase (the “Acquisition”) of all of the issued and outstanding membership interests of NRC Group Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, from the Seller pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, and in order to induce the Company and the Seller to enter into the Purchase Agreement and to proceed with the Acquisition and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Hennessy Capital Partners III LLC (“HCP”) has agreed to enter into this letter agreement (this “Agreement”) relating to the exchange of 9,600,000 warrants sold to HCP by the Company in a private placement in connection with the Company’s initial public offering (the “Private Placement Warrants”) for 1,920,000 newly issued shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) and transfer by HCP to the Company for forfeiture of an equivalent number of existing shares of Common Stock held by HCP. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein are defined in the Purchase Agreement and shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Purchase Agreement.
HCP and the Company hereby agree as follows:
1. Immediately prior to (and contingent upon) the Closing on the Closing Date, HCP shall exchange all of the 9,600,000 Private Placement Warrants held by HCP with the Company for newly issued shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of five (5) Private Placement Warrants per share of Common Stock, resulting in the issuance by the Company to HCP (and its designees) of 1,920,000 shares of Common Stock (such shares of Common Stock to be issued to HCP pursuant to this Agreement being referred to collectively hereafter as the “Exchange Shares”). In order to effectuate such exchange, immediately prior to the Closing on the Closing Date, HCP shall deliver its Private Placement Warrants to the Company against delivery to HCP of evidence of the issuance (in book-entry form or, if unavailable, in certified form) of the Exchange Shares. The Company agrees that the registration rights granted to HCP with respect to the Private Placement Warrants shall continue with respect to the Exchange Shares to be issued to HCP (and its designees) hereunder pursuant to the terms of an amended and restated registration rights agreement to be entered into at the Closing.
2. Immediately prior to (and contingent upon) the Closing, HCP shall forfeit to the Company 1,920,000 existing shares of Common Stock held by HCP prior to the Closing (such shares, the “Founder Forfeited Shares,” and such forfeiture, the “Forfeiture”). To effect the Forfeiture, immediately prior to (and contingent upon) the Closing: (a) HCP shall transfer the Founder Forfeited Shares to the Company for cancellation and in exchange for no consideration; (b) the Company shall immediately retire and cancel all of the Founder Forfeited Shares (and shall direct the Company’s transfer agent (or such other intermediaries as appropriate) to take any and all such actions incident thereto); and (c) HCP and the Company each shall (i) take such actions as are necessary to cause the Founder Forfeited Shares to be retired and cancelled, after which the Founder Forfeited Shares shall no longer be issued or outstanding and (ii) provide the Company with evidence that such retirement and cancellation has occurred.
3. Prior to the Closing, HCP shall not, directly or indirectly, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of or hypothecate, or otherwise grant any interest in or to, the Founder Forfeited Shares other than pursuant to the Forfeiture. HCP hereby authorizes the Company during the period from the date hereof until the earlier of the Closing or termination of this Agreement to cause its transfer agent for the Founder Forfeited Shares to decline to transfer, and to note stop transfer restrictions on the stock register and/or legends on the stock certificate(s) and other records relating to the Founder Forfeited Shares to effectuate these restrictions with respect to the Founder Forfeited Shares.
4. Prior to the date that is 180 days after the Closing Date or earlier if, subsequent to the Closing Date, (i) the last sale price of the Common Stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock 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 Date (such 20 th trading day, the “Alternative Lock-up Termination Date”) or (ii) the date following the Closing Date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, stock exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of the Company’s stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of Common Stock for cash, securities or other property (the period from the Closing Date until the earliest to occur of 180 days after the Closing Date and clause (i) and (ii), the “Lock-Up Period”), HCP shall not directly or indirectly sell, transfer, pledge, encumber, assign or otherwise dispose of any portion of the Exchange Shares. HCP hereby authorizes the Company during the Lock-Up Period to cause its transfer agent for the Exchange Shares to decline to transfer, and to note stop transfer restrictions on the stock register and other records relating to the Exchange Shares, if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, HCP may sell or otherwise transfer all or any portion of the Exchange Shares to: (a) its direct or indirect equity holders or to any of its other Affiliates (as defined in Rule 405 of Regulation C of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended), (b) the immediate family members (including spouses, children, sons-in-law or daughters-in-law, grandchildren, parents, mothers-in-law or fathers-in-law, siblings, brothers-in-law or sisters-in-law, any lineal descendants of the specified person or any trust for the benefit of any of the foregoing persons) of its direct or indirect equity holders or any of its other affiliates, (c) a family trust, foundation or partnership established for the exclusive benefit of HCP, its direct or indirect equity holders, any of its affiliates or any of their respective immediate family members, (d) a charitable foundation controlled by HCP, its direct or indirect equity holders, any of its affiliates or any of their respective immediate family members, (e) in the case of an individual, (1) by gift to a member of one of the members of the individual’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of one of the individual’s immediate family, an affiliate of such person or to a charitable organization, (2) by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual and (3) pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; and (f) by virtue of the laws of the State of Delaware or upon the dissolution of HCP; provided that, in each such case, that the transferee thereof enters into a written agreement to be bound by the restrictions set forth in this paragraph 4 to the extent and for the duration that such restrictions remain in effect at the time of such transfer.
5. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior understandings, agreements, or representations by or among the parties hereto, written or oral, to the extent they relate in any way to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may not be changed, amended, modified or waived (other than to correct a typographical error) as to any particular provision, except by a written instrument executed by all parties hereto.
6. No party hereto may assign either this Agreement or any of its rights, interests, or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the other party hereto. Any purported assignment in violation of this paragraph shall be void and ineffectual and shall not operate to transfer or assign any interest or title to the purported assignee. This Agreement shall be binding on the undersigned and their respective successors and assigns.
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7. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another jurisdiction. Each of the parties hereto hereby (i) agrees that any action, proceeding, claim or dispute arising out of, or relating in any way to, this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks jurisdiction, then in the applicable Delaware state court), or if under applicable Law exclusive jurisdiction of such action is vested in the federal courts, then the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction and venue, which jurisdiction and venue shall be exclusive, and (ii) waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and venue or that such courts represent an inconvenient forum.
8. Any notice, consent or request to be given in connection with any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be sent by express mail or similar private courier service, by certified mail (return receipt requested), by hand delivery or facsimile transmission.
9. This Agreement shall immediately terminate, without any further action by the parties hereto, at such time, if any, that the Purchase Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms.
[ Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank ]
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Please indicate your agreement to the foregoing by signing in the space provided below.
HENNESSY CAPITAL PARTNERS III LLC, | ||
a Delaware limited liability company | ||
By: Hennessy Capital LLC, its managing member | ||
By: | /s/ Daniel J. Henness y | |
Name: Daniel J. Hennessy | ||
Title: Managing Member |
ACCEPTED AND AGREED TO: | ||
HENNESSY CAPITAL ACQUISITION CORP. III | ||
By: | / s/ Daniel J. Hennessy | |
Name: | Daniel J. Hennessy | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
Exhibit 10.5
FORM OF
AMENDED AND RESTATED
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT 1
THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”), effective as of [_______], 2018, is made and entered into by and among Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), Hennessy Capital Partners III LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Sponsor ”), each of the undersigned parties that holds Founder Shares (as defined below) and is identified as an “Other Pre-IPO Holder” on the signature pages hereto (collectively, with the Sponsor, the “ Pre-IPO Holders ”), [__________] (the “ Lead Investor ”), [__________] (the “ Other Investors ”) and JFL-NRC-SES Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ JFL Seller ”) (each of the foregoing parties (other than the Company) and any person or entity who hereafter becomes a party to this Agreement pursuant to Section 5.2 of this Agreement, a “ Holder ” and collectively, the “ Holders ”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS , each of the Company and the Pre-IPO Holders is a party to, and hereby consents to, this amendment and restatement of that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated June 22, 2017 (the “ Original Registration Rights Agreement ”) , pursuant to which the Company granted the Pre-IPO Holders certain registration rights with respect to certain securities of the Company, as set forth therein;
WHEREAS , the Company and the Sponsor previously entered into that certain Securities Purchase Agreement (the “ Founder Shares Purchase Agreement ”), dated as of March 31, 2017, pursuant to which the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 7,906,250 shares (1,490,000 of which were subsequently cancelled or forfeited) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “ Common Stock ”), which were issued in a private placement prior to the closing of the Company’s IPO (as defined below) (such pre-IPO shares being referred to herein as the “ Founder Shares ”);
WHEREAS, the Sponsor and certain of the officers, directors and advisors of the Company entered into that certain Securities Assignment Agreement, dated as of May 23, 2017, pursuant to which the Sponsor transferred an aggregate of 1,125,000 Founder Shares to such persons for an aggregate purchase price of $3,375.00;
WHEREAS , on June 20, 2017, the Company and the Sponsor entered into that certain Third Amended and Restated Sponsor Warrants Purchase Agreement, pursuant to which the Sponsor purchased 9,600,000 warrants (the “ Sponsor Warrants ”), in a private placement transaction occurring simultaneously with the closing of the Company’s initial public offering (the “ IPO ”);
1 NTD : Form of Registration Rights Agreement to be updated in the event JFL entity elects under that certain JFL Subscription Agreement with the Company to subscribe for and purchase shares of Preferred Stock and/or Common Stock. The Registration Rights Agreement would provide for a separate registration right for the shares issued pursuant to the election (with separate demand rights, cap, etc.).
WHEREAS , the Company and JFL Seller have entered into that certain Purchase Agreement (as may be amended from time to time, the “ Purchase Agreement ”), dated as of June 25, 2018, pursuant to which, on the Effective Date (as defined below), the Company will purchase the issued and outstanding membership interests of NRC Group Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ NRC Acquisition ”);
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, JFL Seller will be entitled to receive, as partial consideration for the membership interests of NRC Group Holdings, LLC purchased in the NRC Acquisition, (i) a specified number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock equal to the Purchase Price Common Stock (as defined in the Purchase Agreement), (ii) any shares of the Company’s Common Stock that may be issued as consideration for the Potential Acquisition Earnout Amount (as defined in the Purchase Agreement), and (iii) any additional shares of the Company’s Common Stock received by JFL Seller in accordance with the terms of the Purchase Agreement (all such shares to be issued upon closing of the NRC Acquisition or in accordance with the terms of the Purchase Agreement being referred to hereafter as the “ JFL Shares ”);
WHEREAS , concurrently with the execution of the Purchase Agreement, on June 25, 2018, the Company and the Sponsor entered into that Warrant Exchange and Share Forfeiture Agreement, pursuant to which the Sponsor has agreed that immediately prior to (and contingent upon) the closing of the NRC Acquisition, subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein, (a) the Sponsor shall exchange all of the Sponsor Warrants for 1,920,000 newly issued shares of the Company’s Common Stock (“ New Sponsor Shares ”), and (b) the Sponsor shall transfer to the Company for forfeiture, 1,920,000 of the Founder Shares then held by the Sponsor;
WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution of the Purchase Agreement, on June 25, 2018, the Company and the Lead Investor entered into that certain Backstop and Subscription Agreement (the “ Lead Investor Subscription Agreement ”), pursuant to which, on or prior to the Effective Date, the Company will issue and sell to the Lead Investor (a) an aggregate of 750,000 shares (at a face value of $100.00 per share) of the Company’s 7.00% Series A Convertible Cumulative Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “ Preferred Stock ”), each share of Preferred Stock being convertible into shares of Common Stock (the “ Underlying Common Shares ”) on the terms provided in the Certificate of Designations, Preferences, Rights and Limitations of the Preferred Stock and (b) up to an aggregate of $25.0 million of additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or $25.0 million of shares of Common Stock;
[WHEREAS, the Company and each of the Other Investors have entered into those certain Subscription Agreements, each dated as of June [__], 2018 (collectively, and together with the Lead Investor Subscription Agreement, the “ Investor Agreements ”), pursuant to which, on the Effective Date, the Company will issue and sell to the Other Investors [(a)] an aggregate of [________] shares of Preferred Stock (at a face value of $100.00 per share) on the terms provided in the Certificate of Designations, Preferences, Rights and Limitations of the Preferred Stock [and (b) an aggregate of [__] shares of Common Stock] (the shares of Preferred Stock (and the Underlying Common Shares) [and shares of Common Stock] being issued to the Lead Investor pursuant to the Lead Investor Subscription Agreement and the shares of Preferred Stock [and shares of Common Stock] being issued to the Other Investors pursuant to such Subscription Agreements being referred to collectively herein as the “ PIPE Shares ”);] 2 and
2 NTD: The description of the Other Investors will need to be conformed to final PIPE terms.
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WHEREAS , the Company and the Holders desire to enter into this Agreement in connection with the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement and the Investor Agreements, as applicable, to amend and restate the Original Registration Rights Agreement to provide certain registration rights with respect to certain securities of the Company, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.
NOW , THEREFORE , in consideration of the representations, covenants and agreements contained herein, and certain other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
1.1 Definitions . The terms defined in this Article I shall, for all purposes of this Agreement, have the respective meanings set forth below:
“ Adverse Disclosure ” shall mean any public disclosure of material non-public information, which disclosure, in the good faith judgment of the principal executive officer of the Company, principal financial officer of the Company or principal legal officer of the Company, after consultation with an outside recognized securities law counsel to the Company, (a) 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, (b) would not be required to be made at such time if the Registration Statement were not being filed, and (c) the Company has a bona fide business purpose for not making such information public.
“ Affiliate ” shall mean when used with reference to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controlling, controlled by or under common control with such first Person and, when used with reference to any natural person, shall also include such person’s spouse, parents and descendants (whether by blood or adoption, and including stepchildren) and the spouses of such persons.
“ Agreement ” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble.
“ Blackout Period ” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.3 .
“ Board ” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
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“ Commission ” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“ Common Stock ” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“ Company ” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble.
“ Demand Registration ” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.4 .
“ Demand Registration Requesting Holder ” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.4 .
“ Demand Right Holders ” shall mean the Pre-IPO Demanding Holders, the PIPE Demanding Holders and JFL Seller.
“ Demanding Holder ” shall mean a Demand Right Holder who has made a written demand pursuant to subsection 2.1.3 , 2.1.4 or 2.1.6 , as applicable.
“ Effective Date ” shall mean the date the Company consummates the NRC Acquisition.
“ Exchange Act ” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as it may be amended from time to time.
“ Form S-1 ” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.4 .
“ Form S-3 ” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.1 .
“ Founder Shares ” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“ Founder Shares Purchase Agreement ” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“ Holders ” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble.
“ Investor Agreements ” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“ IPO ” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“ JFL Seller ” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble.
“ JFL Shares ” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“ Lead Investor ” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble.
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“ Lock-Up Agreements ” shall mean those certain Lock-Up Agreements, each effective as of the Effective Date, by and between certain holders of the Company’s Common Stock, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand, entered into pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
“ Lock-up Period ” shall mean the applicable lock-up periods for the Holders set forth in the Investor Agreements, the Lock-Up Agreements and the Founder Shares Purchase Agreement.
“ Material Adverse Change ” shall mean (a) any general suspension of trading in, or limitation on prices for, securities on any national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market in the United States; (b) the declaration of a banking moratorium or any suspension of payments in respect of banks in the United States; (c) a material outbreak or escalation of armed hostilities or other international or national calamity involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or a change in national or international financial, political or economic conditions; or (d) any event, change, circumstance or effect that is or is reasonably likely to be materially adverse to the business, properties, assets, liabilities, condition (financial or otherwise), operations, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.
“ Maximum Number of Securities ” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.4 .
“ 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 light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading.
“ New Sponsor Shares ” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“ NRC Acquisition ” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“ Other Investors ” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble.
“ Original Registration Rights Agreement ” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“ Permitted Transferee ” shall mean a person or entity to whom a Holder of Registrable Securities is permitted to transfer such Registrable Securities prior to the expiration of the applicable Lock-up Period under the Investor Agreements, the Lock-Up Agreements, the Founder Shares Purchase Agreement and any letter agreement with the Company, and in the case of the Sponsor, under the Sponsor’s limited liability company agreement, in each case in accordance with and without violating such agreement; provided, however, a person shall not be a Permitted Transferee under this Agreement unless and until such person has entered into a written agreement agreeing to be bound by the transfer restrictions set forth in the Investor Agreements, the Lock-Up Agreements, the Founder Shares Purchase Agreement and, if applicable, such other agreements.
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“ Person ” shall mean a company, a corporation, an association, a partnership, a limited liability company, an organization, a joint venture, a trust or other legal entity, an individual, a government or political subdivision thereof or a governmental agency.
“ Piggyback Registration ” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.2.1 .
“ PIPE Demanding Holder ” shall mean each PIPE Holder initiating a demand pursuant to subsection 2.1.3 , 2.1.4 or 2.1.6 , as applicable.
“ PIPE Holder 3 ” shall mean the Other Investors, the Lead Investor or any of their respective Affiliates or their respective Permitted Transferees, in each case who are Holders of Registrable Securities.
“ PIPE Shares ” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“ Pre-IPO Demanding Holders ” shall mean the Pre-IPO Holders (or any of their respective Affiliates or their respective Permitted Transferees, in each case who are Holders of Registrable Securities) initiating a demand pursuant to subsection 2.1.3 , 2.1.4 or 2.1.6 , as applicable, and representing at least a majority in interest of the then outstanding number of Registrable Securities held by the Pre-IPO Holders in the aggregate.
“ Pre-IPO Holders ” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble.
“ Preferred Stock ” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals.
“ Pro Rata ” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.7 .
“ Prospectus ” shall mean the prospectus included in any Registration Statement (and the Shelf Prospectus in the case of the Shelf Registration Statement), as supplemented by any and all prospectus supplements and as amended by any and all post-effective amendments and including all material incorporated by reference in such prospectus.
“ Purchase Agreement ” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
3 Note to Draft: Only PIPE Holders with at least $50 million in equity at closing will have demand rights; others will have piggyback rights only. Conforming changes to be made as appropriate once final PIPE Holder equity allocations are known prior to Closing.
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“ Registrable Security ” shall mean (a) the JFL Shares, (b) the Founder Shares, (c) the New Sponsor Shares, (d) the PIPE Shares issued pursuant to the Investor Agreements, (e) the Underlying Common Shares, (f) any outstanding shares of the Common Stock or any other equity security (including the shares of the Common Stock issued or issuable upon the exercise or exchange of any other equity security) of the Company held by a Holder as of the date of this Agreement, and (g) any other equity security of the Company issued or issuable with respect to any such share of the Common Stock by way of a stock dividend or stock split or in connection with a combination of shares, distribution, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, reorganization or other similar event; provided , however , that, as to any particular Registrable Security, such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when: (i) 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; (ii) such securities shall have been otherwise transferred, new certificates for such securities not bearing a legend restricting further transfer shall have been delivered by the Company and subsequent public distribution of such securities shall not require registration under the Securities Act; (iii) such securities shall have ceased to be outstanding; (iv) such securities may be sold without registration pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act (but with no volume or other restrictions or limitations); or (v) such securities have been sold to, or through, a broker, dealer or underwriter in a public distribution or other public securities transaction.
“ Registration ” shall 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.
“ Registration Expenses ” shall mean the out-of-pocket expenses of a Registration, including, without limitation, the following:
(a) all registration and filing fees (including fees with respect to filings required to be made with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) and any securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed;
(b) fees and expenses of compliance with securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with blue sky qualifications of Registrable Securities);
(c) internal fees and expenses of the Company;
(d) printing, messenger, telephone and delivery expenses;
(e) reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company;
(f) reasonable fees and disbursements of all independent registered public accountants of the Company incurred specifically in connection with such Registration; and
(g) reasonable fees and expenses of one (1) legal counsel selected by the majority-in-interest of the Holders in connection with each Registration to represent the interests of the Holders, except, in connection with a Demand Registration, legal counsel shall be selected by the majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders (and, in any event, so selected with the approval of JFL Seller, provided that JFL Seller is participating in such Demand Registration) initiating a Demand Registration to be registered for offer and sale in the applicable Registration.
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“ Registration Statement ” shall mean any registration statement (including the Shelf Registration Statement) that covers the Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, including the Prospectus included in such registration statement (and the Shelf Prospectus in the case of the Shelf Registration Statement), amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to such registration statement, and all exhibits to and all material incorporated by reference in such registration statement.
“ Requesting Holder ” shall mean the Demand Registration Requesting Holders and the Underwritten Shelf Offering Requesting Holders, as applicable.
“ SEC Comments ” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.1 .
“ Securities Act ” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.
“ Shelf Prospectus ” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.1 .
“ Shelf Registration Statement ” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.1 .
“ Shelf Registration Statement Effective Period ” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.1 .
“ Shelf Takedown ” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.2 .
“ Shelf Takedown Notice ” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.2 .
“ Sponsor ” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble.
“ Sponsor Warrants ” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“ Underlying Common Shares ” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“ Underwriter ” shall mean a securities dealer who purchases any Registrable Securities as principal in an Underwritten Offering and not as part of such dealer’s market-making activities.
“ Underwritten Offering ” shall mean a Registration in which securities of the Company are sold to an Underwriter in a firm commitment underwriting for distribution to the public.
“ Underwritten Shelf Offering Requesting Holder ” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.1.3 .
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ARTICLE
II
REGISTRATIONS
2.1 Shelf Registration Statement; Demand Registration .
2.1.1 Shelf Registration Statement . As soon as reasonably practicable within 60 days after the Effective Date, but in no event later than 90 days following the Effective Date, the Company shall (a) file with the Commission a shelf registration statement (the “ Shelf Registration Statement ”) under the Securities Act on Form S-3 (or any successor form or similar short-form registration involving a similar amount of disclosure constituting a “shelf” registration statement for a public offering to be made on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act) (“ Form S-3 ”) that covers all Registrable Securities then held by the Holders for a public offering to be made on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act (or any successor rule thereto) and includes a Prospectus (the “ Shelf Prospectus ”) that permits the disposition of all Registrable Securities subject to the Shelf Registration Statement and (b) use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Shelf Registration Statement to become effective as promptly thereafter as practicable, but in any event not later than one hundred eighty (180) days after the Effective Date if the Company receives comments to the Shelf Registration Statement from the staff of the Commission (“ SEC Comments ”) or one hundred twenty (120) days after the Effective Date if the Company does not receive SEC Comments. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, post-effective amendments and supplements (including prospectus supplements) to such Shelf Registration Statement and the Shelf Prospectus as may be necessary to keep such Shelf Registration Statement effective and to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act to, subject to Section 3.4 , permit the disposition of all Registrable Securities subject thereto during the period (the “ Shelf Registration Statement Effective Period ”) beginning on the date the staff of the Commission declares the Shelf Registration Statement effective and ending on the earliest to occur of (i) 36 months after the effective date of such Shelf Registration Statement, (ii) the date on which all the Registrable Securities subject thereto have been sold or distributed pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement or (iii) the date when all Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement first become eligible for sale pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act without volume limitation or other restrictions on transfer thereunder.
2.1.2 Request for Shelf Takedown . Subject to the provisions of subsection 2.1.7 and Section 2.3 hereof, at any time and from time to time on or after the Effective Date, at any time that the Shelf Registration Statement is effective, if a Holder of Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement delivers a notice to the Company (a “ Shelf Takedown Notice ” ) stating that the Holder intends to effect an offering of all or part of its Registrable Securities included in the Shelf Registration Statement (a “ Shelf Takedown ”) and the Company is eligible to use the Shelf Registration Statement for such Shelf Takedown, then, the Company shall, subject to Section 3.4 , as promptly as reasonably practicable, take all actions reasonably required, including amending or supplementing the Shelf Registration Statement, to enable such Registrable Securities to be offered and sold as contemplated by such Shelf Takedown Notice. Each Shelf Takedown Notice shall specify the amount and type of Registrable Securities to be offered and sold in the Shelf Takedown and the intended method of distribution thereof. Except as set forth in subsection 2.1.3 hereof, the Company shall not be obligated to effect requests set forth in a Shelf Takedown Notice through an Underwritten Offering.
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2.1.3 Underwritten Offering pursuant to Shelf Takedown . Any Demand Right Holder that has initiated a Shelf Takedown and delivered a Shelf Takedown Notice to the Company pursuant to subsection 2.1.2 shall have the right to demand as part of their Shelf Takedown Notice an offering in the form of an Underwritten Offering, provided that the aggregate offering price for any such offering is at least $5,000,000.00 in the aggregate. The Company shall, within 10 days of the Company’s receipt from such Demanding Holder of such Shelf Takedown Notice that includes a written demand for an Underwritten Offering, notify, in writing, all other Demand Right Holders of Registrable Securities and such Holder who thereafter wishes to include all or a portion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in such Underwritten Offering pursuant to a Shelf Takedown (each such Holder, an “ Underwritten Shelf Offering Requesting Holder ”) shall so notify the Company, in writing, within five days after the receipt by such Holder of the notice from the Company. Upon receipt by the Company of any such written notification from an Underwritten Shelf Offering Requesting Holder, such Holder shall be entitled, subject to subsection 2.1.7 and Section 2.3 hereof, to have its Registrable Securities included in the Underwritten Offering pursuant to the Shelf Takedown. All such Holders proposing to distribute their Registrable Securities through a Shelf Takedown under this subsection 2.1.3 shall, at the time of any such Shelf Takedown, enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the Underwriter(s) selected by the Demand Right Holder that initiated the Underwritten Offering pursuant to the Shelf Takedown ( provided , however , that such Underwriter(s) is reasonably satisfactory to the Company and JFL Seller (but only to the extent that JFL Seller is participating in such Underwritten Offering pursuant to a Shelf Takedown pursuant to this subsection 2.1.3 ); provided , further that any obligation of any such Holder to indemnify any Person pursuant to any such underwriting agreement shall be several, not joint and several, among such Holders selling Registrable Securities, and such liability shall be limited to the net amount received by any such Holder from the sale of his, her or its Registrable Securities pursuant to such Underwritten Offering, and the relative liability of each such Holder shall be in proportion to such net amounts). The number of Shelf Takedowns that the Demand Right Holders may initiate pursuant to subsection 2.1.2 shall not be limited, provided that the number of Underwritten Offerings that may be initiated hereunder shall be limited, in the case of JFL Seller, to a total of six (6) (less any Demand Registration requests initiated by JFL Seller pursuant to subsection 2.1.4 ) and, in the case of the PIPE Demanding Holders or the Pre-IPO Demanding Holders, to one (1) each (less any Demand Registration requests initiated by any such Demand Right Holders pursuant to subsection 2.1.4 ).
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2.1.4 Request for Demand Registration . Subject to the provisions of subsection 2.1.7 and Section 2.3 , at any time and from time to time on or after the Effective Date, if (a) the Shelf Registration Statement is not declared effective by the Commission on or prior to the date that is 180 days after the Effective Date or (b) at any time during the Shelf Registration Statement Effective Period, the Shelf Registration Statement is not available to the Holders (except for any unavailability resulting from information supplied by or on behalf of a Holder for use in the Shelf Registration Statement being incorrect or incomplete), any Demand Right Holder may make a written demand for Registration under the Securities Act of all or part of their Registrable Securities, which written demand shall describe the amount and type of securities to be included in such Registration and the intended method(s) of distribution thereof (such written demand a “ Demand Registration ”). Any such Demand Registration may (but shall not be required to be), at the election of the Demanding Holder, be a shelf registration pursuant to Rule 415 (or any successor rule promulgated thereafter by the Commission). The Company shall, within 10 days of the Company’s receipt of the Demand Registration, notify, in writing, all other Demand Right Holders of Registrable Securities of such demand, and each such Holder who thereafter wishes to include all or a portion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in a Registration pursuant to the Demand Registration (each such Holder, a “ Demand Registration Requesting Holder ”) shall so notify the Company, in writing, within five days after the receipt by such Holder of the notice from the Company. Upon receipt by the Company of any such written notification from a Demand Registration Requesting Holder to the Company, such Holder shall be entitled, subject to subsection 2.1.7 and Section 2.3 hereof, to have their Registrable Securities included in a Registration Statement pursuant to a Demand Registration, and the Company shall file a Registration Statement relating thereto within 30 days after receipt by the Company of the Demand Registration and shall cause such Registration Statement to become effective as soon thereafter as reasonably practicable, providing for the Registration of all Registrable Securities requested by the Demanding Holders and Demand Registration Requesting Holders pursuant to such Demand Registration. The number of Registrations pursuant to a Demand Registration that the Demand Right Holders may initiate pursuant to the first sentence of this subsection 2.1.4 shall be limited, (i) in the case of JFL Seller, to a total of six (6) (less any Shelf Takedown Notice in the form of an Underwritten Offering initiated by JFL Seller pursuant to subsection 2.1.3 ) and, (ii) in the case of the PIPE Demanding Holders or the Pre-IPO Demanding Holders, to one (1) each (less any Shelf Takedown Notice in the form of an Underwritten Offering initiated by any such Demand Right Holders pursuant to subsection 2.1.3 ); provided , however , that a Registration shall not be counted for such purposes unless a Form S-1 or any similar long-form registration statement that may be available at such time (“ Form S-1 ”) has become effective and all of the Registrable Securities requested by the Requesting Holders to be registered on behalf of the Requesting Holders in such Form S-1 Registration have been sold, in accordance with Section 3.1 of this Agreement.
2.1.5 Effective Registration . Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection 2.1.4 above or any other part of this Agreement, a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration shall not count as a Registration unless and until (a) the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration has been declared effective by the Commission, (b) the Company has complied with all of its obligations under this Agreement with respect thereto and (c) the Registration Statement has remained effective continuously until the earlier of (x) one (1) year after effectiveness or (y) the date on which all of the Registrable Securities requested by the Requesting Holders to be registered on behalf of the Requesting Holders in such Registration Statement have been sold; provided , further , that if, after such Registration Statement has been declared effective, an offering of Registrable Securities in a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration is subsequently interfered with by any stop order or injunction of the Commission, federal or state court or any other governmental agency the Registration Statement with respect to such Registration shall 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 Holder(s) initiating such Demand Registration thereafter affirmatively elect to continue with such Registration and accordingly notify the Company in writing, but in no event later than five days, of such election; provided , further , that the Company shall not be obligated or required to file another Registration Statement until the Registration Statement that has been previously filed with respect to a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration becomes effective or is subsequently terminated.
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2.1.6 Underwritten Offering pursuant to Demand Registration . Subject to the provisions of subsection 2.1.7 and Section 2.3 hereof, the Demanding Holder(s) may advise the Company as part of their Demand Registration that the offering of the Registrable Securities pursuant to such Demand Registration, or a portion thereof, may be in the form of an Underwritten Offering provided , however , that the aggregate offering price for any such Underwritten Offering may not be less than $25,000,000.00, unless the Company is eligible to register such shares of Common Stock on a Form S-3, or subsequent similar form, in a manner which does not require inclusion of any information concerning the Company other than to incorporate by reference (including forward incorporation by reference) its filings under the Exchange Act, in which case the aggregate offering price for any such Underwritten Offering may not be less than $5,000,000.00. All such Demanding Holders and Requesting Holders (if any) proposing to distribute their Registrable Securities through an Underwritten Offering under this subsection 2.1.6 shall, at the time of any such Underwritten Offering, enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the Underwriter(s) selected by the Demanding Holder ( provided , however , that such Underwriter(s) is reasonably satisfactory to the Company and JFL Seller (but only to the extent that JFL Seller is participating in such Underwritten Offering); provided , further that any obligation of any such Holder to indemnify any Person pursuant to any such underwriting agreement shall be several, not joint and several, among such Holders selling Registrable Securities, and such liability shall be limited to the net amount received by any such Holder from the sale of his, her or its Registrable Securities pursuant to such Underwritten Offering, and the relative liability of each such Holder shall be in proportion to such net amounts).
2.1.7 Reduction of Underwritten Offering in Connection with Shelf Takedown or Demand Registration . If the managing Underwriter(s) in an Underwritten Offering effected pursuant to a Shelf Takedown or Demand Registration, as applicable, in good faith, advises the Company, the Demanding Holders and/or the Requesting Holders (as applicable) in writing that the dollar amount or number of Registrable Securities that the Demanding Holders and/or the Requesting Holders (as applicable) desire to sell, taken together with all other Common Stock or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell and the Common Stock, if any, as to which a Registration has been requested pursuant to separate written contractual piggyback registration rights held by any other stockholders who desire to sell, exceeds the maximum dollar amount or maximum number of equity securities that can be sold in the Underwritten 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 such securities, as applicable, the “ Maximum Number of Securities ”), then the Company shall include in such Underwritten Offering, as follows: (a) first, the Registrable Securities of the Demanding Holders and JFL Seller (as applicable) (pro rata based on the number of Registrable Securities that each Demanding Holder has requested to be included in such Underwritten Offering and, in the case of JFL Seller, based on the respective number of Registrable Securities then held by such Holders (such proportion is referred to herein as “ Pro Rata ”)) up to the maximum amount that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities, (b) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clause (a), the Registrable Securities of the PIPE Holders (Pro Rata, based on the respective number of Registrable Securities that each such Holder has requested to be included in such Underwritten Offering), (c) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (a) and (b), the Registrable Securities of the Pre-IPO Holders (Pro Rata, based on the respective number of Registrable Securities that each such Holder has so requested to be included in such Underwritten Offering without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (d) fourth, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (a), (b) and (c), the Registrable Securities of other Holders (Pro Rata, based on the respective number of Registrable Securities that each Holder has so requested exercising their rights to register their Registrable Securities pursuant to subsection 2.2.1 hereof, without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (e) fifth, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (a), (b), (c) and (d), the Common Stock or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and (f) sixth, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (a), (b), (c) (d) and (e), the Common Stock or other equity securities, Pro Rata, of other persons or entities that the Company is obligated to register in a Registration pursuant to separate written contractual arrangements with such persons and that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities. 4
4 Note to Draft: Cutback provisions remain subject to change as a result of negotiations with PIPE Holders.
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2.1.8 Demand Registration Withdrawal .
(a) A Holder may withdraw all or any portion of its Registrable Securities included in a Demand Registration from such Demand Registration at any time prior to the effectiveness of the applicable Registration Statement; provided that such withdrawal shall be irrevocable and, after making such withdrawal, a Holder shall no longer have any right to include Registrable Securities in the Demand Registration as to which such withdrawal was made. In the event the initiating Demanding Holder notifies the Company that it is withdrawing all of its Registrable Securities from the Demand Registration, the Company shall cease all efforts to secure effectiveness of the applicable Registration Statement. Such registration nonetheless shall be deemed a Demand Registration with respect to such initiating Holder for purposes of subsection 2.1.4 unless (i) such Holder shall have paid or reimbursed the Company for its pro rata share of all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees and expenses incurred by the Company in connection with the withdrawn registration of such Registrable Securities (based on the number of securities such Holder sought to register, as compared to the total number of securities included in such Demand Registration) or (ii) the withdrawal is made following the occurrence of a Material Adverse Change or pursuant to the Company’s request for suspension.
(b) In the case of any Underwritten Offering in connection with any Shelf Takedown or Demand Registration, any participating Holder shall have the right to withdraw their respective Registrable Securities, in whole or in part, from such Underwritten Offering prior to the pricing of such Underwritten Offering; provided that such withdrawal shall be irrevocable and, after making such withdrawal, a Holder shall no longer have any right to include Registrable Securities in the Underwritten Offering as to which such withdrawal was made. If the withdrawing Holder is the Holder who initiated the Underwritten Offering pursuant to subsection 2.1.3 , such Underwritten Offering nonetheless shall be deemed a Shelf Takedown with respect to such withdrawing Holder for purposes of subsection 2.1.3 unless (i) such Holder shall have paid or reimbursed the Company for its pro rata share of all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees and expenses incurred by the Company in connection with the withdrawn Underwritten Offering (based on the number of securities such Holder sought to include in the Underwritten Offering, as compared to the total number of securities included in such Underwritten Offering) or (ii) the withdrawal is made following the occurrence of a Material Adverse Change or pursuant to the Company’s request for suspension.
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(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company shall be responsible for the Registration Expenses incurred in connection with a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration or an Underwritten Offering prior to its withdrawal under this subsection 2.1.8 .
2.2 Piggyback Registration .
2.2.1 Piggyback Rights .
(a) If at any time on or after the Effective Date, (i) the Shelf Registration Statement is not declared effective by the Commission on or prior to the date that is 180 days after the Effective Date or (ii) at any time during the Shelf Registration Statement Effective Period, the Shelf Registration Statement is not available to the Holders (except for any unavailability resulting from information supplied by or on behalf of a Holder for use in the Shelf Registration Statement being incorrect or incomplete) and 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, for its own account or for the account of stockholders of the Company (or by the Company and by the stockholders of the Company), other than a Registration Statement (A) filed in connection with any employee stock option or other benefit plan, (B) for an exchange offer or offering of securities solely to the Company’s existing stockholders, or (C) for a dividend reinvestment plan, then the Company shall give written notice of such proposed filing to all of the Holders of Registrable Securities as soon as practicable but not less than ten days before the anticipated effectiveness date of such Registration Statement, which notice shall (1) 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, in such offering, and (2) offer to all of the Holders of Registrable Securities the opportunity to register the sale of such number of Registrable Securities as such Holders may request in writing within five days after receipt of such written notice (such Registration, a “ Piggyback Registration ”). The Company shall, in good faith, cause such Registrable Securities to be included in such Piggyback Registration.
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(b) If at any time on or after the Effective Date, the Company proposes to effect an Underwritten Offering for its own account or for the account of stockholders of the Company (a “ Company Underwritten Offering ”), the Company shall notify, in writing, all Holders of Registrable Securities of such demand, and such Holder who thereafter wishes to include all or a portion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in such Underwritten Offering (each such Holder, a “ Company Underwritten Shelf Offering Requesting Holder ”) shall so notify the Company, in writing, within five days after the receipt by such Holder of the notice from the Company. Upon receipt by the Company of any such written notification from a Company Underwritten Shelf Offering Requesting Holder, such Holder shall be entitled, subject to subsection 2.2.2 and Section 2.3 hereof, to have its Registrable Securities included in the Company Underwritten Offering. All such Holders proposing to distribute their Registrable Securities through the Company Underwritten Offering shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the Underwriter(s) selected by the Company. The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the managing Underwriter or Underwriters of any proposed Company Underwritten Offering to permit the Registrable Securities requested by the Holders pursuant to this subsection 2.2.1(b) to be included in such Company Underwritten Offering on the same terms and conditions as any similar securities of the Company included in such Company Underwritten Offering and to otherwise permit the sale or other disposition of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof. All such Holders proposing to distribute their Registrable Securities through any Company Underwritten Offering under this subsection 2.2.1(b) shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the Underwriter(s) selected for such Underwritten Offering by the Company; provided , however that any obligation of any such Holder to indemnify any Person pursuant to any such underwriting agreement shall be several, not joint and several, among such Holders selling Registrable Securities, and such liability shall be limited to the net amount received by any such Holder from the sale of his, her or its Registrable Securities pursuant to such Underwritten Offering, and the relative liability of each such Holder shall be in proportion to such net amounts.
2.2.2 Reduction of Underwritten Offering in Connection with Piggyback Registration . If the managing Underwriter(s) in any Underwritten Offering to be effected in connection with a Piggyback Registration, in good faith, advises the Company and the Holders of Registrable Securities participating in the Underwritten Offering in writing that the dollar amount or number of the Common Stock that the Company desires to sell in such Underwritten Offering, taken together with (i) the Common Stock, if any, as to which inclusion in such Underwritten Offering has been demanded pursuant to separate written contractual arrangements with persons or entities other than the Holders of Registrable Securities hereunder, (ii) the Registrable Securities as to which inclusion in such Underwritten Offering has been requested pursuant to subsection 2.2.1 hereof, and (iii) the Common Stock, if any, as to which inclusion in such Underwritten Offering has been requested pursuant to separate written contractual piggyback registration rights of other stockholders of the Company, exceeds the Maximum Number of Securities, then:
(a) If the Company Underwritten Offering is undertaken for the Company’s account, the Company shall include in any such Underwritten Offering (A) first, the Common Stock or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell in such Underwritten Offering, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (B) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clause (A), the Registrable Securities of JFL Seller that it has requested to be included in such Underwritten Offering pursuant to subsection 2.2.1(b) hereof, Pro Rata, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (C) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), the Registrable Securities of the PIPE Holders exercising their rights to include their Registrable Securities in such Underwritten Offering pursuant to subsection 2.2.1(b) hereof, Pro Rata, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (D) fourth, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A), (B) and (C), the Registrable Securities of the Pre-IPO Holders exercising their rights to include their Registrable Securities in such Underwritten Offering pursuant to subsection 2.2.1(b) hereof, Pro Rata, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and (E) fifth, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A), (B), (C) and (D), the Common Stock, if any, as to which inclusion in such Underwritten Offering has been requested pursuant to written contractual piggyback registration rights of other stockholders of the Company, Pro Rata, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities;
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(b) If the Company Underwritten Offering is pursuant to a request by persons or entities other than the Holders of Registrable Securities, then the Company shall include in any such Underwritten Offering (A) first, the Common Stock or other equity securities (if any), Pro Rata, of such requesting persons or entities, other than the Holders of Registrable Securities, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (B) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clause (A), the Registrable Securities of JFL Seller that it has requested to be included in such Underwritten Offering pursuant to subsection 2.2.1(b) hereof, Pro Rata, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities, (C) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), the Registrable Securities of the PIPE Holders exercising their rights to include their Registrable Securities in such Underwritten Offering pursuant to subsection 2.2.1(b) , Pro Rata, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (D) fourth, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A), (B) and (C), the Common Stock or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell in such Underwritten Offering, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (E) fifth, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A), (B), (C) and (D), the Registrable Securities of the Pre-IPO Holders exercising their rights to include their Registrable Securities in such Underwritten Offering pursuant to subsection 2.2.1(b) , Pro Rata, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and (F) sixth, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A), (B), (C), (D) and (E), the Common Stock or other equity securities, Pro Rata, for the account of other persons or entities that the Company is obligated to include in such Underwritten Offering pursuant to separate written contractual arrangements with such persons or entities, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities. 5
2.2.3 Piggyback Registration Withdrawal . Any Holder of Registrable Securities shall have the right to withdraw from a Piggyback Registration for any or no reason whatsoever upon written notification to the Company and the Underwriter(s) (if any) of such Holder’s intention to withdraw from such Piggyback Registration prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to such Piggyback Registration. The Company (whether on its own good faith determination or as the result of a request for withdrawal by persons pursuant to separate written contractual obligations) may withdraw a Registration Statement filed with the Commission in connection with a Piggyback Registration at any time prior to the effectiveness of such Registration Statement. In the case of any Underwritten Offering in connection with any Piggyback Registration, any participating Holder shall have the right to withdraw their respective Registrable Securities from such Underwritten Offering prior to the pricing of such Underwritten Offering. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company shall be responsible for the Registration Expenses incurred in connection with the Piggyback Registration or Underwritten Offering prior to its withdrawal under this subsection 2.2.3 .
5 Note to Draft: Cutback provisions remain subject to change as a result of negotiation with PIPE Holders.
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2.2.4 Unlimited Piggyback Registration Rights . For purposes of clarity, any Registration or Underwritten Offering effected pursuant to Section 2.2 hereof shall not be counted as a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration effected under Section 2.1 hereof.
2.3 Restrictions on Registration Rights . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Company shall not be obligated to (but may, at its sole option) (a) effect any Demand Registration or an Underwritten Offering within sixty (60) days after the closing of an Underwritten Offering or (b) file a Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or effect an Underwritten Offering (or, if the Company has filed a Shelf Registration Statement and has included Registrable Securities therein, the Company shall be entitled to suspend the offer and sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement) for a period of up to forty-five (45) days if the Company has determined in good faith that the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant a Registration Statement would require disclosure of material non-public information not otherwise required to be disclosed under applicable securities laws (i) which disclosure would have a material adverse effect on the Company or (ii) relating to a material transaction involving the Company (any such period, a “ Blackout Period ”); provided, however, that in no event shall any Blackout Period together with other Blackout Periods exceed an aggregate of 90 days in any consecutive 12-month period. Any delivery by the Company of notice of a Blackout Period during the sixty (60) days immediately following effectiveness of any Registration Statement effected pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof shall give the Holders of a majority in aggregate amount of Registrable Securities being sold pursuant to such Registration Statement the right, by written notice to the Company within twenty (20) business days after the end of such Blackout Period, to cancel such registration. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not exercise its rights under this Section 2.3 to invoke a Blackout Period unless it applies the same Blackout Period restrictions contained herein to all other securityholders of the Company with contractual registration rights.
ARTICLE
III
COMPANY PROCEDURES
3.1 General Procedures . If at any time on or after the Effective Date the Company is required to effect the Registration of Registrable Securities, the Company shall use its best efforts to effect such Registration to permit the sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended plan of distribution thereof, and pursuant thereto the Company shall, as expeditiously as possible:
3.1.1 prepare and file with the Commission as soon as practicable a Registration Statement with respect to such Registrable Securities and use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective until all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement have been sold;
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3.1.2 prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and post-effective amendments to the Registration Statement, and such supplements to the Prospectus, as may be requested by the Holders or any Underwriter of Registrable Securities or as may be required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used by the Company or by the Securities Act or rules and regulations thereunder to keep the Registration Statement effective until all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement are sold in accordance with the intended plan of distribution set forth in such Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus;
3.1.3 prior to filing a Registration Statement or prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, furnish without charge to the Underwriters, if any, and 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 Underwriters and the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration or the legal counsel for any such Holders may request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Holders;
3.1.4 prior to any public offering of Registrable Securities, use its best efforts to (a) 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 request and (b) 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 or take any action to which it would be subject to general service of process or taxation in any such jurisdiction where it is not then otherwise so subject;
3.1.5 notify each selling Holder promptly of any written comments by the Commission or any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of such Registration Statement or prospectus or for additional information;
3.1.6 cause all such Registrable Securities to be listed on each securities exchange or automated quotation system on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed;
3.1.7 provide a transfer agent or warrant agent, as applicable, and registrar for all such Registrable Securities no later than the effective date of such Registration Statement;
3.1.8 provide a CUSIP number for all Registrable Securities not later than the effective date of the Registration Statement with respect thereto;
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3.1.9 advise each seller of such Registrable Securities, promptly after it shall receive notice or obtain knowledge thereof, of the issuance of any stop order by the Commission suspending the effectiveness of such Registration Statement or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose and promptly use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such stop order should be issued;
3.1.10 at least five business days prior to the filing of any Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement or Prospectus, furnish a copy thereof to each seller of such Registrable Securities or its counsel;
3.1.11 notify the Holders at any time when a Prospectus relating to such Registration Statement is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the happening of any event as a result of which the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes a Misstatement, and then to correct such Misstatement as set forth in Section 3.4 hereof;
3.1.12 permit a representative of the Holders, the Underwriters, if any, and any attorney or accountant retained by such Holders or Underwriter to participate, at each such person’s own expense, in the preparation of the Registration Statement, and cause the Company’s officers, directors and employees to supply all information reasonably requested by any such representative, Underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with the Registration; provided, however, that such representatives or Underwriters enter into a confidentiality agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company, prior to the release or disclosure of any such information;
3.1.13 obtain a “comfort” letter for the benefit of the Underwriters from the Company’s independent registered public accountants in the event of an Underwritten Offering, in customary form and covering such matters of the type customarily covered by “comfort” letters as the managing Underwriter and its counsel may reasonably request;
3.1.14 on the date the Registrable Securities are delivered for sale pursuant to such Registration, obtain an opinion and negative assurance letter, dated such date, of counsel representing the Company for the purposes of such Registration, addressed to the Underwriters, if any, covering such legal matters with respect to the Registration in respect of which such opinion and negative assurance letter is being given as the Underwriters may reasonably request and as are customarily included in such opinions and negative assurance letters;
3.1.15 in the event of any Underwritten Offering or Shelf Takedown, enter into and perform its obligations under an underwriting agreement, in usual and customary form, with the managing Underwriters of such offering;
3.1.16 make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering the period of at least 12 months beginning with the first day of the Company’s first full calendar quarter after the effective date of the Registration Statement which satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder;
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3.1.17 if the Registration involves the Registration of Registrable Securities involving gross proceeds in excess of $25,000,000.00, use its reasonable efforts to make available senior executives of the Company to participate in customary “road show” presentations that may be reasonably requested by the Underwriters in any Underwritten Offering or Shelf Takedown ( provided that the dollar threshold in this Section 3.1.17 shall be reduced to $10,000,000 in a Registration relating to Registrable Securities of JFL Seller);
3.1.18 take no direct or indirect action prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act; provided , that , to the extent that any prohibition is applicable to the Company, the Company will take all reasonable action to make any such prohibition inapplicable; and
3.1.19 otherwise, in good faith, cooperate reasonably with, and take such customary actions as may reasonably be requested by the Holders, in connection with such Registration.
3.2 Registration Expenses . The Registration Expenses of all Registrations shall be borne by the Company. It is acknowledged by the Holders that each Holder shall be responsible for any Underwriters’ commissions and discounts or brokerage fees in respect of the Registrable Securities sold by it and, other than as set forth in the definition of “Registration Expenses,” the fees and expenses of any legal counsel representing the Holders.
3.3 Requirements for Participation in Underwritten Offerings and Shelf Takedowns . No person may participate in any Underwritten Offering or Shelf Takedown for equity securities of the Company pursuant to a Registration initiated by the Company hereunder unless such person (a) agrees to sell such person’s securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Company and (b) completes and executes all customary questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, lock-up agreements, underwriting agreements and other customary documents as may be reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.
3.4 Suspension of Sales; Adverse Disclosure . Upon receipt of written notice from the Company that a Registration Statement or Prospectus contains a Misstatement, each of the Holders shall forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities until 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 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 Company’s control, the Company may, upon giving prompt written notice of such action to the Holders, 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 30 days, 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 Holders 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 Holders of the expiration of any period during which it exercised its rights under this Section 3.4 .
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3.5 Reporting Obligations . As long as any Holder shall own Registrable Securities, the Company, at all times while it shall be reporting under the Exchange Act, covenants to file timely (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and, if requested by Holders, to promptly furnish such Holders with true and complete copies of all such filings. The Company covenants that, promptly after the Effective Date (but no later than four business days after the Effective Date), it shall file “Form 10 information” (as such term is defined in Rule 144(i) under the Securities Act) with the Commission. The Company further covenants that it shall take such further action as any Holder may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell shares of the Common Stock held by such Holder without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, including providing any legal opinions. Upon the request of any Holder, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a written certification of a duly authorized officer as to whether it has complied with such requirements.
ARTICLE
IV
INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTIO
N
4.1 Indemnification .
4.1.1 The Company agrees to indemnify, to the extent permitted by law, each Holder of Registrable Securities, its partners, officers, directors, employees and agents, and each person who controls such Holder (within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable) against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) caused by any untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact contained in (or incorporated by reference in) any Registration Statement, Prospectus, preliminary Prospectus, free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act or any successor rule thereto) or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any filing under any state securities law required to be filed or furnished, or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and shall reimburse such Holder for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by any of them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, action, damage, liability or proceeding, except insofar as the same are caused by or contained in any information furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly stating that it is for use therein. The Company shall indemnify the Underwriters, their partners, officers, directors, employees and agents, and each person who controls such Underwriters (within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable), to the same extent as provided in the foregoing with respect to the indemnification of the Holders.
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4.1.2 In connection with any Registration Statement in which a Holder of Registrable Securities is participating, such Holder shall furnish to the Company in writing such information as the Company reasonably requests for use in connection with any such Registration Statement or Prospectus and, to the extent permitted by law, shall indemnify the Company, its partners, directors, officers, employees and agents, and each other Holder and its respective partners, directors, officers, employees and agents, and each person who controls the Company or any other Holder (within the meaning of the Securities Act or Exchange Act, as applicable) against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including without limitation reasonable attorneys’ fees) resulting from any untrue statement of material fact contained in the Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only to the extent that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any information so furnished in writing by such Holder expressly stating that it is for use therein; provided , however , that the obligation to indemnify shall be several, not joint and several, among such Holders of Registrable Securities, and the liability of each such Holder of Registrable Securities shall be in proportion to and limited to the net proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement. The Holders of Registrable Securities shall indemnify the Underwriters, their partners, officers, directors, employees and agents, and each person who controls such Underwriters (within the meaning of the Securities Act), to the same extent as provided in the foregoing with respect to indemnification of the Company.
4.1.3 Any person entitled to indemnification herein shall (a) give prompt written notice to the indemnifying party of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification (provided that the failure to give prompt notice shall not impair any person’s right to indemnification hereunder to the extent such failure has not materially prejudiced the indemnifying party) and (b) unless in such indemnified party’s reasonable judgment a conflict of interest between such indemnified and indemnifying parties may exist with respect to such claim, permit such indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. If such defense is assumed, the indemnifying party shall not be subject to any liability for any settlement made by the indemnified party without its consent (but such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld). An indemnifying party who is not entitled to, or elects not to, assume the defense of a claim shall not be obligated to pay the fees and expenses of more than one counsel (and one applicable local counsel) for all parties indemnified by such indemnifying party with respect to such claim, unless in the reasonable judgment of any indemnified party a conflict of interest may exist between such indemnified party and any other of such indemnified parties with respect to such claim. No indemnifying party shall, without the consent of the indemnified party, consent to the entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which cannot be settled in all respects by the payment of money (and such money is so paid by the indemnifying party pursuant to the terms of such settlement) or which settlement does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation.
4.1.4 The indemnification provided for under this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the indemnified party or any partner, officer, director, employee, agent or controlling person of such indemnified party and shall survive the transfer of securities. The Company and each Holder of Registrable Securities participating in an offering also agrees to make such provisions as are reasonably requested by any indemnified party for contribution to such party in the event the Company’s or such Holder’s indemnification is unavailable for any reason.
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4.1.5 If the indemnification provided under Section 4.1 hereof from the indemnifying party is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to herein, then the indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying the indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the indemnifying party and indemnified party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, was made by, or relates to information supplied by, such indemnifying party or indemnified party, and the indemnifying party’s and indemnified party’s relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action; provided , however , that the liability of any Holder under this subsection 4.1.5 shall be limited to the amount of the net proceeds received by such Holder in such offering giving rise to such liability. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses or other liabilities referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in subsections 4.1.1 , 4.1.2 and 4.1.3 above, any legal or other fees, charges or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with any investigation or proceeding. The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection 4.1.5 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation, which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this subsection 4.1.5 . No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution pursuant to this subsection 4.1.5 from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
ARTICLE
V
MISCELLANEOUS
5.1 Notices . Any notice or communication under this Agreement must be in writing and given by (a) deposit in the United States mail, addressed to the party to be notified, postage prepaid and registered or certified with return receipt requested, (b) delivery in person or by courier service providing evidence of delivery, or (c) transmission by hand delivery or electronic mail (provided that if by electronic mail, a copy is delivered for next day delivery by a nationally recognized overnight courier service). Each notice or communication that is mailed, delivered, or transmitted in the manner described above shall be deemed sufficiently given, served, sent, and received, in the case of mailed notices, on the third business day following the date on which it is mailed and, in the case of notices delivered by courier service, hand delivery or electronic mail, at such time as it is delivered to the addressee (with the delivery receipt or the affidavit of messenger) or at such time as delivery is refused by the addressee upon presentation. Any notice or communication to the Company under this Agreement must be addressed to the Company at NRC Group Holdings Corp. (f/k/a Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III), 3500 Sunrise Highway, Suite 200, Building 200, Great River, New York 11739, Attention: Secretary (Email: [●]). Any notice or communication to any Holder under this Agreement must be addressed to such Holder’s address as found in the Company’s books and records. Any party may change its address for notice at any time and from time to time by written notice to the other parties hereto, and such change of address shall become effective 30 days after delivery of such notice as provided in this Section 5.1 .
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5.2 Assignment; No Third Party Beneficiaries .
5.2.1 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.
5.2.2 Prior to the expiration of the applicable Lock-up Period, no Holder may assign or delegate such Holder’s rights, duties or obligations under this Agreement, in whole or in part, except in connection with a transfer of Registrable Securities by such Holder to a Permitted Transferee (but only if, as set forth in the definition thereof, such person has agreed to become bound by the transfer restrictions set forth in the Investor Agreements, the Lock-Up Agreements, the Founder Shares Purchase Agreement and, if applicable, any other applicable letter agreements).
5.2.3 This Agreement and the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of each of the parties and its successors and the permitted assigns of the Holders, which shall include Permitted Transferees.
5.2.4 This Agreement shall not confer any rights or benefits on any persons that are not parties hereto, other than as expressly set forth in this Agreement and Section 5.2 .
5.2.5 No assignment by any party hereto of such party’s rights, duties and obligations hereunder shall be binding upon or obligate the Company unless and until the Company shall have received (a) written notice of such assignment as provided in Section 5.1 and (b) the written agreement of the assignee, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to be bound by the terms and provisions of this Agreement (which may be accomplished by an addendum or certificate of joinder to this Agreement). Any transfer or assignment made other than as provided in this Section 5.2 shall be null and void.
5.3 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts (including facsimile or PDF counterparts), each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of which together shall constitute the same instrument, but only one of which need be produced.
5.4 Governing Law . NOTWITHSTANDING THE PLACE WHERE THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE EXECUTED BY ANY OF THE PARTIES HERETO, THE PARTIES EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE AS APPLIED TO AGREEMENTS AMONG DELAWARE RESIDENTS ENTERED INTO AND TO BE PERFORMED ENTIRELY WITHIN DELAWARE, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICT OF LAW PROVISIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION.
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5.5 Amendments and Modifications . Upon the written consent at the time in question of the Company and the Holders of at least a majority in interest of the Registrable Securities, 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 one Holder, solely in its capacity as a holder of the shares of capital stock of the Company, in a manner that is materially different from the other Holders (in such capacity) shall require the consent of the Holder so affected. No course of dealing between any Holder or the Company and any other party hereto or any failure or delay on the part of a Holder or the Company in exercising any rights or remedies under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver of any rights or remedies of any Holder 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.
5.6 Other Registration Rights . The Company represents and warrants that no person, other than a Holder of Registrable Securities and other than the holders of warrants issued to public investors pursuant to that certain Warrant Agreement, dated June 22, 2017, between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, has any right to require the Company to register any securities of the Company for sale or to include such securities of the Company in any Registration filed by the Company for the sale of securities for its own account or for the account of any other person. Further, the Company represents and warrants that this Agreement supersedes and restates the Original Registration Rights Agreement or agreement with similar terms and conditions and in the event of a conflict between any such agreement or agreements and this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall prevail. Except as required by a pre-existing registration rights agreement referenced in this Section 5.6 , neither the Company nor any stockholder of the Company (other than the Holders) may include securities in any Registration made pursuant to Section 2.1 of this Agreement.
5.7 Term . This Agreement shall terminate upon the date as of which (a) all of the Registrable Securities have been sold pursuant to a Registration Statement (but in no event prior to the applicable period referred to in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act and Rule 174 thereunder) or (b) the Holders of all Registrable Securities are permitted to sell the Registrable Securities under Rule 144 (or any similar provision) under the Securities Act without limitation on the amount of securities sold or the manner of sale. The provisions of Section 3.5 , Article IV and Article V shall survive any termination.
[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the undersigned have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date first written above.
COMPANY | ||
HENNESSY CAPITAL ACQUISITION CORP. III, | ||
a Delaware corporation | ||
By: | ||
Name: Daniel J. Hennessy | ||
Title: Chief Executive Officer |
[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]
PRE-IPO HOLDERS | ||
HENNESSY CAPITAL PARTNERS III LLC | ||
a Delaware limited liability company | ||
By: Hennessy Capital II LLC, its managing member | ||
By: | ||
Name: Daniel J. Hennessy | ||
Title: Managing Member | ||
THE BRADLEY J. BELL REVOCABLE TRUST | ||
By: | ||
Name: Bradley Bell | ||
Title: Trustee | ||
Richard Burns | ||
Daniel R. DiMicco | ||
James O’Neil III | ||
Nicholas Petruska | ||
Kevin Charlton | ||
BALLYBUNION, LLC | ||
By: | ||
Name: Peter Shea | ||
Title: |
[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]
JFL SELLER | ||
JFL-NRC-SES PARTNERS LLC , | ||
a Delaware limited liability company | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]
[LEAD INVESTOR] | ||
[ · ] | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
[OTHER INVESTORS] | ||
[ · ] | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement]
Exhibit 10.6
FORM OF
LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
[ ], 2018
Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III
3500 Sunrise Highway
Suite 200, Building 200
Great River, New York 11739
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This letter agreement (this “ Agreement ”) relates to a Purchase Agreement entered into as of June 25, 2018 (“ Purchase Agreement ”) by and between Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III, a Delaware corporation (“ Purchaser ”), and JFL-NRC-SES Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein are defined in the Purchase Agreement and shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Purchase Agreement.
1. In order to induce all parties to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, the undersigned hereby agrees that, from the date hereof until the earliest of: (a) the 180 th day after the Closing Date, (b) the date following the completion of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement on which Purchaser completes a liquidation, merger, stock exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of Purchaser’s stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of Purchaser Common Stock for cash, securities or other property and (c) the Alternative Lock-up Termination Date (as defined in the Exchange and Forfeiture Agreement) (the period between the Closing Date and the earliest of clauses (a), (b) and (c), the “ Lock-Up Period ”), the undersigned will not: (i) 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 Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder (the “ Exchange Act ”), with respect to the shares of Purchaser Common Stock received as Purchase Price Common Stock pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (such shares, collectively, the “ Lock-up Shares ”), (ii) 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 the Lock-up Shares, in cash or otherwise, or (iii) publicly announce any intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (i) or (ii).
2. The undersigned hereby authorizes Purchaser during the Lock-Up Period to cause its transfer agent for the Lock-up Shares to decline to transfer, and to note stop transfer restrictions on the stock register and other records relating to, Lock-up Shares for which the undersigned is the record holder and, in the case of Lock-up Shares for which the undersigned is the beneficial but not the record holder, agrees during the Lock-Up Period to cause the record holder to cause the relevant transfer agent to decline to transfer, and to note stop transfer restrictions on the stock register and other records relating to, such Lock-up Shares, if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Agreement.
3. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may sell or otherwise transfer Lock-up Shares during the undersigned’s lifetime or on death (or, if the undersigned is not a natural person, during its existence) (i) if the undersigned is not a natural person, to its direct or indirect equity holders or to any of its other Affiliates, (ii) to the immediate family members (including spouses, significant others, lineal descendants, brothers and sisters) of the undersigned, (iii) to a family trust, foundation or partnership established for the exclusive benefit of the undersigned, its equity holders or any of their respective immediate family members, or (iv) to a charitable foundation controlled by the undersigned, its equityholders or any of their respective immediate family members; provided, however, that in each such case, any such sale or transfer shall be conditioned upon entry by such transferees into a written agreement, addressed to Purchaser, agreeing to be bound by these transfer restrictions and the other terms and conditions of this Agreement.
4. The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Agreement and that this Agreement constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the undersigned, enforceable in accordance with its terms. Upon request, the undersigned will execute any additional documents necessary in connection with enforcement hereof. Any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of the undersigned from the date first above written.
5. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior understandings, agreements, or representations by or among the parties hereto, written or oral, to the extent they relate in any way to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may not be changed, amended, modified or waived (other than to correct a typographical error) as to any particular provision, except by a written instrument executed by all parties hereto.
6. No party hereto may assign either this Agreement or any of its rights, interests, or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the other party. Any purported assignment in violation of this paragraph shall be void and ineffectual and shall not operate to transfer or assign any interest or title to the purported assignee. This Agreement shall be binding on the undersigned and its successors and assigns.
7. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another jurisdiction. The parties hereto (i) all agree that any action, proceeding, claim or dispute arising out of, or relating in any way to, this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks jurisdiction, then in the applicable Delaware state court), or if under applicable Law exclusive jurisdiction of such action is vested in the federal courts, then the United States District Court for the District of Delaware courts, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction and venue, which jurisdiction and venue shall be exclusive, and (ii) waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and venue or that such courts represent an inconvenient forum.
8. Any notice, consent or request to be given in connection with any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be sent by express mail or similar private courier service, by certified mail (return receipt requested) or email transmission to the address or email address (as applicable) set forth below such party’s name on the signature page hereto.
[ Signature on the following page ]
2 |
Very truly yours, | ||
JFL-NRC-SES Partners, LLC | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
Address: | ||
Email: | ||
Accepted and Agreed: | ||
PURCHASER | ||
HENNESSY CAPITAL ACQUISITION CORP. III | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
Address: | 3500 Sunrise Highway | |
Suite 200, Building 200 | ||
Great River, New York 11739 | ||
Attention: Secretary | ||
Email: |
[Signature Page to Lock-Up Agreement]
Exhibit 10.7
FORM
OF
INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS INVESTOR RIGHTS AGREEMENT (the “ Agreement ”) is made and entered into as of [_________], 2018 by and among Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), JFL-NRC-SES Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ JFL Seller ”), and J.F. Lehman & Company, LLC (“ JFLCo, ” and, together with JFL Seller and each of its respective Affiliates (as defined below), subsidiaries and managed funds and its and their successors and assigns (other than the Company and its subsidiaries), collectively, “ JFL ”).
RECITALS
A. WHEREAS , the Company and JFL Seller have entered into that certain Purchase Agreement (as may be amended from time to time, the “ Purchase Agreement ”), dated as of June 25, 2018, pursuant to which, on the Effective Date (as defined below), the Company will purchase the outstanding membership interests of NRC Group Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ NRC Acquisition ”);
B. WHEREAS , pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, JFL Seller will be entitled to receive, as partial consideration for the membership interests of NRC Group Holdings, LLC purchased in the NRC Acquisition, a specified number of shares of the common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “ Common Stock ”) of the Company equal to the Purchase Price Common Stock (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) (such shares to be issued upon closing of the NRC Acquisition being referred to hereafter as the “ JFL Initial Acquisition Shares ”);
C. WHEREAS , pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, JFL Seller may also receive additional shares of Common Stock with respect to the Potential Acquisition Earnout Amount (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) (such shares, together with all other shares of Common Stock issued to JFL Seller pursuant to the Purchase Agreement after the closing of the NRC Acquisition being referred to hereafter as the “ JFL Post-Closing Acquisition Shares ”);
D. WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the Purchase Agreement and related JFL Subscription Agreement dated of even date therewith, JFL may acquire additional shares of Purchaser Common Stock and Preferred Shares (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) in accordance with the terms of the JFL Subscription Agreement (such shares, including without limitation the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Shares, being referred to hereafter as the “ JFL Subscription Shares ” and, together with the JFL Initial Acquisition Shares and the JFL Post-Closing Acquisition Shares, the “ JFL Shares .”
D. WHEREAS , in connection with the NRC Acquisition and pursuant to Sections 6.01(g) and 6.02(r) of the Purchase Agreement, the Company and JFL Seller desire to enter into this Agreement setting forth certain rights and obligations with respect to the nomination of directors to the board of directors of the Company (the “ Board ”) and other matters relating to the Board from and after the Effective Date.
NOW, THEREFORE , for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them below:
(a) “ Affiliate ” means, with respect to any specified Person, any other Person who, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such Person.
(b) “ beneficially own ” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term under Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act.
(c) “ Bylaws ” means the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, as may be amended from time to time.
(d) “ Certificate of Incorporation ” means the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as may be amended from time to time.
(e) “ DGCL ” means the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended from time to time.
(f) “ Effective Date ” means the date the Company consummates the NRC Acquisition.
(g) “ Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(h) “ Person ” means a natural person or any legal, commercial or governmental entity, such as, but not limited to, a corporation, general partnership, joint venture, limited partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, trust, business association, group acting in concert, or any person acting in a representative capacity.
(i) “ Total Number of Directors ” means the total number of directors constituting the Board.
2. Board Nominations . 1
(a)
(i) Following the Effective Date, JFLCo (on behalf of each JFL entity that owns JFL Shares or any other shares of capital stock of the Company) shall have the right (but not the obligation) pursuant to this Section 2 to nominate to the Board at every meeting of the stockholders of the Company in which directors are elected, including, without limitation, at every adjournment or postponement thereof, and on any action approval by written consent of the stockholders of the Company relating to the election of directors, a number of designees equal to at least: (i) a majority of the Total Number of Directors, so long as JFL collectively beneficially own 50% or more of the shares of Common Stock; (ii) 50% of the Total Number of Directors, in the event that JFL collectively beneficially own 40% or more, but less than 50%, of the shares of Common Stock; (iii) 40% of the Total Number of Directors, in the event that JFL collectively beneficially own 30% or more, but less than 40%, of the shares of Common Stock; (iv) 30% of the Total Number of Directors, in the event that JFL collectively beneficially own 15% or more, but less than 30%, of the shares of Common Stock and (v) 20% of the Total Number of Directors, in the event that JFL collectively beneficially own 10% or more, but less than 15%, of the shares of Common Stock (the “ JFL Director ” or “ JFL Directors ,” as the case may be). For purposes of calculating the number of directors that JFLCo is entitled to designate pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence, any fractional amounts shall automatically be rounded to the nearest whole number (e.g., one and three quarters (1-3/4) directors shall equate to two (2) directors, one and one quarter (1-1/4) directors shall equate to one (1) director, or one and one-half (1-1/2) directors shall equate to two (2) directors) and any such calculations shall be made after taking into account any increase in the Total Number of Directors.
1 Note to Draft: Subject to Annex I of the Purchase Agreement.
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(ii) Subject to the Federal Securities Laws and applicable national stock exchange requirements on which the Company’s Common Stock may then be listed, at least one JFL Director shall be entitled to serve on each standing or ad hoc committee of the Board, and the Board shall not create any new committees without the consent of at least one JFL Director.
(iii) For the avoidance of doubt, as of the Effective Date, each of Glenn M. Shor, C. Alexander Harman and James R. Baumgardner shall be a JFL Director under the terms of this Agreement.
(b) In the event that the number of JFL Directors serving on the Board is less than the total number of JFL Directors that JFLCo shall be entitled to nominate pursuant to Section 2(a)(i) , then JFLCo shall have the right, at any time, to nominate such additional nominee(s) to which JFLCo is entitled, in which case, the Board shall take all necessary corporate action (including as required by Section 2(c) below) to (i) increase the size of the Board as required to enable JFLCo to so nominate such additional nominee(s) and (ii) designate such additional nominee(s) to fill such newly created vacancies.
(c) So long as this Agreement remains in effect, in addition to any requirement of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws or the DGCL, the size of the Board shall not be increased without affirmative vote of at least one JFL Director.
(d) The following procedures shall be followed with respect to the nomination of JFL Directors pursuant to Section 2(a) and any vacancy created by the death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal of any JFL Director:
(i) For purposes of whether JFLCo has a right to nominate a JFL Director pursuant to Section 2(a)(i) , JFL’s beneficial ownership of the outstanding Common Stock will be measured as of the record date for such meeting or written consent.
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(ii) Vacancies arising through the death, resignation retirement, disqualification or removal of any JFL Director may be filled by the Board only with a director nominee selected by JFLCo, and the JFL Director so chosen shall hold office until the next election and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal.
(iii) So long as JFLCo is entitled to nominate any directors pursuant to Section 2(a)(i) hereof, the Company shall notify JFL Seller in writing of the date on which proxy materials are expected to be mailed by the Company in connection with an election of directors at an annual or special meeting of the shareholders (and the Company shall deliver such notice at least 60 days (or such shorter period to which JFL Seller consents in writing) prior to such expected mailing date or such earlier date as may be specified by the Company reasonably in advance of such earlier delivery date on the basis that such earlier delivery is necessary so as to ensure that such nominee may be included in such proxy materials at the time such proxy materials are mailed). The Company shall provide JFL Seller with a reasonable opportunity to review and provide comments on any portion of the proxy materials relating to the JFL Director or the rights and obligations provided under this Agreement and to discuss any such comments with the Company. The Company shall notify JFL Seller of any opposition to a JFL Director sufficiently in advance of the date on which such proxy materials are to be mailed by the Company in connection with such election of directors so as to enable JFL Seller to propose a replacement JFL Director, if necessary, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, and JFL Seller shall have 10 business days to designate another nominee.
(iv) No later than the latest date specified in or permitted by the Company’s Bylaws for stockholder director nominations for that year’s annual meeting of stockholders, JFL Seller shall provide the Board with JFL Seller’s nominee(s), as the case may be, for JFL Director(s), along with any other information reasonably requested by the Board to evaluate the suitability of such candidate(s) for directorship; provided , that in no event shall JFL Seller be required to provide any such notice of its nominees with respect to any JFL Director that is then currently serving on the Board and that has not provided notice in writing to the Company of his or her decision not to stand for re-election at that year’s annual meeting; provided, further, in no event will the failure to so timely nominate any JFL Director in accordance with the terms of this Section 2(d)(iv) or the Company’s Bylaws impair, restrict or limit the rights of JFL under this Agreement or the Company’s obligation to nominate such directors at any meeting of stockholders or written consent related to the election of directors. With respect to any JFLCo nominee, JFLCo shall use its reasonable best efforts to ensure that any such nominee substantially satisfies all reasonable stated criteria and guidelines for director nominees of the Company (it being understood and agreed that each of the JFL Directors on the Effective Date meet such criteria) and in compliance with applicable Federal Securities Laws and applicable national stock exchange requirements on which the Company’s Common Stock may then be listed. The Company shall be entitled to rely on any written direction from JFLCo regarding nominee(s) on behalf of JFL pursuant to this Agreement without further action by the Company.
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(v) The Board (or any authorized committee thereof) shall use all commercially reasonable efforts to the fullest extent of the DGCL and other applicable law to nominate and include in the slate of nominees recommended by the Board for election at any meeting of stockholders called for the purpose of electing directors the persons designated pursuant to this Section 2 and to nominate and recommend each such individual to be elected as a JFL Director as provided herein, and to solicit proxies or consents in favor thereof.
(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement and without any further action by the Company, JFL Seller’s right to nominate any person to the Board shall automatically terminate, and be of no further force and effect, on the date that JFL collectively beneficially own less than 10% of the Common Stock; provided that a reduction in the percentage of total voting power of the Common Stock beneficially owned by JFL shall not shorten the term of any incumbent director. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may nominate an individual who previously served as JFL Director or any other Person associated or affiliated with JFL for election or re-election to the Board at any time.
(f) Each of the JFL Directors, upon appointment or election to the Board, will be governed by the same protections and obligations as all other directors of the Company, including, without limitation, protections and obligations regarding customary liability insurance for directors and officers, confidentiality, conflicts of interests, fiduciary duties, trading and disclosure policies, director evaluation process, director code of ethics, director share ownership guidelines, stock trading and pre-approval policies, and other governance matters. The Company agrees that it shall enter into an indemnification agreement with each JFL Director as of the Effective Date in the same form as indemnification agreements entered into with each of the other members of the Board, and shall enter into substantially similar indemnification agreements whenever a new JFL Director becomes a member of the Board. The Company shall at all times maintain paid and in effect directors and officers liability insurance policy coverage on terms commercially reasonable and consistent with other similarly situated public companies which expressly cover all JFL Directors.
(g) So long as this Agreement shall remain in effect, subject to applicable legal requirements, the Bylaws and the Certificate of Incorporation shall accommodate and be subject to and not in any respect conflict with the rights and obligations set forth herein.
3. Miscellaneous .
(a) Successors and Assigns. Any assignment of this Agreement or any of the rights or obligations under this Agreement by either of the parties hereto (whether by operation of law or otherwise) shall be void, invalid and of no effect without the prior written consent of the other party; provided , however , that the rights under this Agreement may be assigned by JFL Seller and JFLCo to one or more member(s) of JFL so long as the assignee(s) agree in writing to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement. The terms and conditions of this Agreement inure to the benefit of and are binding upon the respective successors and permitted assignees of the parties. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and permitted assignees any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided herein.
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(b) Termination . This Agreement shall terminate at such time as JFLCo or any assignee of JFLCo, as permitted under Section 3(a) hereof, no longer has the authority to nominate a director to the Board of the Company pursuant to Section 2 . Upon such termination, no party shall have any further obligations or liabilities hereunder; provided that such termination shall not relieve any party from liability for any breach of this Agreement prior to such termination.
(c) Governing Law . This Agreement and any controversy arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware as to matters within the scope thereof, and as to all other matters shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of Delaware, without regard to conflict of law principles that would result in the application of any law other than the law of the State of Delaware.
(d) Counterparts; Electronic Transmission . This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. This Agreement may also be executed and delivered by portable document format (pdf) and in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
(e) Headings . The titles and subtitles used in this Agreement are for convenience only and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting this Agreement.
(f) Notices . All notices, requests, demands, and other communications hereunder shall be in writing (which shall include communications by e-mail) and shall be delivered (a) in person or by courier or overnight service, or (b) by e-mail with a copy delivered as provided in clause (a), as follows:
If to the Company:
NRC
Group Holdings Corp. (f/k/a Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III)
3500 Sunrise Highway, Suite 200, Building 200
Great River, New York 11739
Attention: Christian Swinbank, Chief Executive Officer
E-mail: cswinbank@sprintenergy.com
If to JFL Seller or JFLCo:
JFL-NRC-SES
Partners, LLC
c/o J.F. Lehman & Company
110 East 59th Street, 27th Floor
New York, New York 10022
Attention: C. Alexander Harman, Glenn M. Shor and David L. Rattner
Email: cah@jflpartners.com, gms@jflpartners.com, and dlr@jflpartners.com
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(g) Amendments and Waivers . Any term of this Agreement may be amended and the observance of any term of this Agreement may be waived (either generally or in a particular instance, and either retroactively or prospectively) only with the written consent of both parties. No waivers of or exceptions to any term, condition, or provision of this Agreement, in any one or more instances, shall be deemed to be or construed as a further or continuing waiver of any such term, condition, or provision.
(h) Severability . In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Agreement is for any reason held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision of this Agreement, and such invalid, illegal, or unenforceable provision shall be reformed and construed so that it will be valid, legal, and enforceable to the maximum extent permitted by law.
(i) Entire Agreement . This Agreement (including any Schedules and Exhibits hereto) constitutes the full and entire understanding and agreement among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and any other written or oral agreement relating to the subject matter hereof existing between the parties is expressly canceled.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.
Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III | ||
By: | ||
Name: | [●] | |
Title: | [●] | |
JFL-NRC-SES PARTNERS, LLC | ||
By: | ||
Name: | [●] | |
Title: | [●] | |
J.F. LEHMAN & COMPANY, LLC | ||
By: | ||
Name: | [●] | |
Title: | [●] |
[Signature Page to Investor Rights Agreement]
Exhibit 99.1
Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III Announces Agreement to Acquire NRC Group Holdings, LLC from J.F. Lehman & Company
- Hennessy to Acquire a Leading Global Provider of Comprehensive Environmental, Compliance and Waste Management Services from J.F. Lehman & Company -
- Management to Discuss Acquisition via Conference Call Tomorrow, June 27, at 10:00 a.m. EDT -
NEW YORK, NEW YORK and GREAT RIVER, NEW YORK – June 26, 2018 – Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III (NYSE American: HCAC.U, HCAC, HCAC.WS) (“HCAC” or the “Company”) and JFL-NRC-SES Partners, LLC (“JFL-NRC-SES”), a portfolio company of an investment affiliate of J.F. Lehman & Company (“JFLCO”), announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement whereby HCAC will acquire all of the issued and outstanding membership interests of NRC Group Holdings, LLC (“NRC Group”) from JFL-NRC-SES. Following the consummation of the transaction, NRC Group will be a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of HCAC. Investment affiliates of JFLCO will continue to own a significant equity position in the public company as part of the transaction.
NRC Group is a global provider of comprehensive environmental, compliance and waste management services to the marine and rail transportation, general industrial and energy markets. NRC Group’s broad range of capabilities includes standby, environmental and waste disposal services, and enable it to provide global reach to meet the critical, non-discretionary needs of its more than 5,000 customers across diverse industries and end markets to ensure compliance with environmental, health and safety laws around the world.
Daniel J. Hennessy, Chairman and CEO of HCAC commented, “With its best-in-class industry position, a scalable business platform and numerous opportunities to further enhance and differentiate its unique platform, NRC Group is poised for significant growth and shareholder value creation. Our team is excited about partnering with NRC Group’s senior management and J.F. Lehman & Company to support the numerous growth initiatives underway and to drive operational excellence.”
NRC Group will continue to be led by its current CEO Chris Swinbank, who stated, “We are excited about the impact this combination will have on our business and how it will significantly enhance the execution of our organic and acquisition-driven growth strategy. We believe the supportive end-market conditions, our industry’s current outlook and the significant growth opportunities currently underway make the timing of this combination highly compelling.”
Transaction Details
NRC Group is a portfolio company of an investment affiliate of JFLCO, a leading middle-market private equity firm focused exclusively on the aerospace, defense, maritime, government and environmental sectors.
The proposed transaction will introduce NRC Group as a publicly traded company with an anticipated initial enterprise value of approximately $748 million. For a summary of the terms of the proposed transaction, please see the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on June 26, 2018. Any description of the proposed transaction in this news release is only a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the transaction documents, copies of which are being filed by HCAC on such Current Report on Form 8-K. Additional information about the proposed transaction and related financing transactions will be described in HCAC’s preliminary proxy statement relating to the acquisition, which HCAC will file with the SEC.
HCAC has secured all the required financing to complete the proposed transaction and related refinancing, including a fully-committed equity capital commitment of up to $125 million from Nomura Securities International, Inc. which can be exercised in whole or in part at HCAC’s election.
Following the closing of the transaction, HCAC will change its name to NRC Group Holdings Corp. and apply to continue to list its common stock and warrants on the NYSE American under the proposed ticker symbols “NRCG” and “NRCG.WS,” respectively.
Upon completion of the proposed transaction, the Company’s board will consist of Daniel J. Hennessy, current Chairman and CEO of HCAC; Kevin Charlton, current COO and director of HCAC; James O’Neil III, a current HCAC director; Christian Swinbank, the current CEO of NRC Group; and JFLCO representatives James R. Baumgardner, Glenn M. Shor and C. Alexander Harman, with Mr. O’Neil serving as Executive Chairman.
The proposed transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory and stockholder approvals and the receipt of proceeds from the proposed equity financing activities, and is expected to close promptly following HCAC’s special meeting of stockholders to approve the proposed transaction. The parties expect the transaction to be completed in the third quarter of 2018.
HCAC was advised on the transaction by Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and Stifel as capital markets advisors; Nomura Securities International, Inc. as financial advisor and committed equity financing provider; and with Sidley Austin LLP and Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP as legal counsel.
Conference Call
The management of HCAC and NRC Group will host an investor conference call tomorrow, June 27, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time, to discuss the proposed transaction. Interested investors may participate in the call by dialing into the below numbers:
Toll-free dial-in number: (877) 407-0789
International dial-in number: (201) 689-8562
Conference ID: 13681067
Please call the conference telephone number 5-10 minutes prior to the start time. An operator will register your name and organization. If you have any difficulty connecting with the conference call, please contact Liolios at 1-949-574-3860.
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The conference call will be broadcast live and available for replay at http://public.viavid.com/player/index.php?id=130227 . There will not be a question-and-answer session on this call.
A telephonic replay of the conference call will be available after 1:00 p.m. Eastern time on the same day through September 30, 2018.
Toll-free replay number: (844) 512-2921
International replay number: (412) 317-6671
Replay ID: 13681067
About NRC Group and JFLCO
NRC Group is a portfolio company of an investment affiliate of JFLCO, a leading middle-market private equity firm focused exclusively on the aerospace, defense, maritime, government and environmental sectors. NRC Group is a global provider of comprehensive environmental, compliance and waste management services to the marine and rail transportation, general industrial and energy markets. NRC Group’s broad range of capabilities includes standby, environmental and waste disposal services, and enable it to provide global reach to meet the critical, non-discretionary needs of its more than 5,000 customers across diverse end markets. NRC Group was established in June 2018 through the combination of two businesses, National Response Corporation and Sprint Energy Services, both previously operating separately under the ownership of investment affiliates of JFLCO. For more information, please visit www.nrcc.com . For more information on JFLCO, please visit www.jflpartners.com . No portion of the websites referenced in this paragraph is incorporated by reference into or otherwise deemed to be a part of this news release.
About Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III
Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III is a blank check company founded by Daniel J. Hennessy and formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. The company’s acquisition and value creation strategy is to identify, acquire and, after its initial business combination, build an industrial/infrastructure manufacturing, distribution or services business. For additional information, please visit www.hennessycapllc.com . No portion of HCAC’s website is incorporated by reference into or otherwise deemed to be a part of this news release.
Additional Information About The Transaction And Where To Find It
The proposed transaction will be submitted to stockholders of HCAC for their consideration. HCAC intends to file with the SEC preliminary and definitive proxy statements in connection with the proposed transaction and other matters and will mail a definitive proxy statement and other relevant documents to its stockholders as of the record date established for voting on the proposed transaction. HCAC’s stockholders and other interested persons are advised to read, once available, the preliminary proxy statement and any amendments thereto and, once available, the definitive proxy statement, in connection with HCAC’s solicitation of proxies for its special meeting of stockholders to be held to approve, among other things, the proposed transaction, because these documents will contain important information about HCAC, NRC Group and the proposed transaction. Stockholders may also obtain a copy of the preliminary or definitive proxy statement, once available, as well as other documents filed with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction and other documents filed with the SEC by HCAC, without charge, at the SEC’s website located at www.sec.gov or by directing a request to Nicholas A. Petruska, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, 3485 North Pines Way, Suite 110, Wilson, Wyoming 83014 or by telephone at (312) 803-0372.
Participants in the Solicitation
HCAC, JFL-NRC-SES, NRC Group, and certain of their respective directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may, under SEC rules, be deemed to be participants in the solicitations of proxies from HCAC’s stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction. Information regarding the persons who may, under SEC rules, be deemed participants in the solicitation of HCAC’s stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction will be set forth in HCAC’s proxy statement when it is filed with the SEC. You can find more information about HCAC’s directors and executive officers in HCAC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, filed with the SEC on April 2, 2018. Additional information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests will be included in HCAC’s proxy statement when it becomes available, which can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above.
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Forward-Looking Statements
This news release includes, or incorporates by reference, “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “target” or other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (1) references with respect to the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction; (2) the projection of future financial performance of NRC Group, NRC Group’s operating companies and HCAC following the proposed transaction; (3) changes in the market for NRC Group’s services and expansion plans and opportunities; (4) future acquisition or additional business combinations; (5) the financing component of the proposed transaction; (6) the sources and uses of cash; (7) the management and board composition of the Company following the proposed transaction; (8) the anticipated capitalization and enterprise value of the Company following the transaction; (9) the continued listing of the Company’s securities on the NYSE American; and (10) the expected date of closing the transaction.
These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. Important risk factors that may cause such a difference in connection with the proposed transaction include, but are not limited to, the following factors: (1) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the purchase agreement between JFL-NRC-SES and HCAC; (2) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against NRC Group, JFL-NRC-SES or HCAC following announcement of the proposed transaction and related transactions; (3) the inability to complete the transactions contemplated by the purchase agreement between JFL-NRC-SES and HCAC due to the failure to obtain approval of the stockholders of HCAC, consummate the anticipated financing, obtain necessary approval from governmental authorities or satisfy other conditions to the closing of the proposed transaction; (4) the ability to obtain or maintain the listing of the Company’s securities on the NYSE American following the proposed transaction; (5) the risk that the proposed transaction disrupts the parties’ current plans and operations as a result of the announcement and consummation of the transactions described herein; (6) the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction, which may be affected by, among other things, competition and the ability of the combined business to grow and manage growth profitably; (7) unexpected costs, charges or expenses related to or resulting from the proposed transaction; (8) changes in applicable laws or regulations; (9) the possibility that NRC Group or HCAC may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; and (10) other risks associated with the proposed transaction, as more fully discussed in the proxy statement to be filed by HCAC with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction. Investors and potential investors are urged not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements in this news release, which speak only as of this date. Neither HCAC nor JFL-NRC-SEC nor NRC Group undertakes any obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement to reflect future events or circumstances. Nothing contained herein constitutes or will be deemed to constitute a forecast, project or estimate of the future financial performance of HCAC, NRC Group, or the combined company, following the implementation of the proposed transaction or otherwise. In addition, actual results are subject to other risks identified in HCAC’s prior and future filings with the SEC, available at www.sec.gov .
No Offer or Solicitation
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
Contacts:
Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III
Daniel J. Hennessy, 307-734-4849
Chairman and CEO
dhennessy@hennessycapllc.com
or
Nicholas A. Petruska, 312-803-0372
Executive Vice President and CFO
npetruska@hennessycapllc.com
Liolios Group, Investor Relations
Cody Slach
949.574.3860
HCAC@liolios.com
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Exhibit 99.2
I NVESTOR P RESENTATION June 2018
Important Disclaimers
Use of Projections and NRC 2017 Financial Information
This presentation contains financial forecasts with respect to NRC Group Holdings’ (“NRC” or the “Company”) projected revenues, Adjusted EBITDA, and net capital expenditures for NRC’s fiscal 2018 and 2019. Neither the independent auditors of Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III (“HCAC”) nor the independent registered public accounting firms of NRC, or its subsidiaries, audited, reviewed, compiled, or performed any procedures with respect to the projections for the purpose of their inclusion in this presentation, and accordingly, neither of them expressed an opinion or provided any other form of assurance with respect thereto for the purpose of this presentation. These projections should not be relied upon as being necessarily indicative of future results.
In this presentation, certain of the above-mentioned projected information has been repeated (in each case, with an indication that the information is an estimate and is subject to the qualifications presented herein), for purposes of providing comparisons with historical data. The assumptions and estimates underlying the prospective financial information are inherently uncertain and are subject to a wide variety of significant business, economic and competitive risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the prospective financial information. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the prospective results are indicative of the future performance of HCAC, NRC, or the combined company after completion of the proposed business combination, or that actual results will not differ materially from those presented in the prospective financial information. Inclusion of the prospective financial information in this presentation should not be regarded as a representation by any person that the results contained in the prospective financial information will be achieved.
NRC Group Holdings was established in June 2018 through the combination of two businesses, National Response Corporation and Sprint Energy Services, both previously operating separately under the ownership of investment affiliates of J.F. Lehman & Company (“JFL”). Unless otherwise noted, this presentation, and all references to “NRC” included herein, give effect to such June 2018 combination and related dividend recapitalization. All historical financial information of NRC included herein has been presented on a combined basis, reflecting the combined historical results of National Response Corporation and Sprint Energy Services on the basis described herein, and is not necessarily indicative of the operating results of the combined entities that would have been achieved for such prior periods. The “pro forma” financial data included herein has not been prepared in accordance with Article 11 of the SEC’s Regulation S-X, is presented for informational purposes only and may differ materially from the Regulation S-X compliant pro forma financial statements of NRC for the year ended December 31, 2017 to be included in HCAC’s proxy statement in connection with the proposed transaction (when available). In addition, all NRC historical financial information included herein is preliminary and subject to change pending finalization of the audits of National Response Corporation and Sprint Energy Services, LLC as of and for the years ended December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016 in accordance with PCAOB auditing standards.
Forward Looking Statements
This presentation includes, or incorporates by reference, “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “target” or other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (1) references with respect to the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction; (2) the projection of future financial performance of NRC Group, NRC Group’s operating companies and HCAC following the proposed transaction; (3) changes in the market for NRC Group's services, and expansion plans and opportunities; (4) future acquisition or additional business combinations; (5) the financing component of the proposed transaction; (6) the sources and uses of cash; (7) the management and board composition of the combined company following the proposed transaction; (8) the anticipated capitalization and enterprise value of the combined company following the consummation of the proposed transaction; (9) the continued listing of HCAC’s securities on the NYSE American; and (10) the expected closing date of the proposed transaction.
These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. Important risk factors that may cause such a difference in connection with the proposed transaction include, but are not limited to, the following factors: (1) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the purchase agreement between JFL-NRC-SES and HCAC; (2) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against NRC Group, JFL-NRC-SES or HCAC following announcement of the proposed transaction and related transactions; (3) the inability to complete the transactions contemplated by the purchase agreement between JFL-NRC-SES and HCAC due to the failure to obtain approval of the stockholders of HCAC, consummate the anticipated financing, obtain necessary approval from governmental authorities or satisfy other conditions to the closing of the proposed transaction; (4) the ability to obtain or maintain the listing of the combined company's securities on the NYSE American following the consummation of the proposed transaction; (5) the risk that the proposed transaction disrupts the parties' current plans and operations as a result of the announcement and consummation of the transactions described herein; (6) the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction, which may be affected by, among other things, competition and the ability of the combined business to grow and manage growth profitably; (7) unexpected costs, charges or expenses related to or resulting from the proposed transaction; (8) changes in applicable laws or regulations; (9) the possibility that NRC Group or HCAC may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; and (10) other risks associated with the proposed transaction, as more fully discussed in the proxy statement to be filed by HCAC with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction. Investors and potential investors are urged not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements in this presentation, which speak only as of this date. Neither HCAC nor JFL-NRC-SEC nor NRC Group undertakes any obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement to reflect future events or circumstances. Nothing contained herein constitutes or will be deemed to constitute a forecast, project or estimate of the future financial performance of HCAC, NRC Group, or the combined company, following the implementation of the proposed transaction or otherwise. In addition, actual results are subject to other risks identified in HCAC's prior and future filings with the SEC, available at www.sec.gov.
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This presentation includes non-GAAP financial measures, including Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow. NRC defines Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) plus (i) depreciation and amortization, (ii) interest expense, (iii) provision for income taxes, (iv) acquisition-related transaction expenses (including due diligence costs, legal, accounting and other advisory fees and costs, retention and severance payments, facility closure costs and financing fees and expenses), (v) the pro forma impact of pre-acquisition revenues, earnings and EBITDA of certain recent acquisitions and certain NRC management estimates relating thereto, (vi) normalization adjustments to reflect a run-rate level of EBITDA within NRC’s historical financial statements, (vii) non-recurring costs and other non-operating expenses and income, (viii) the impact of certain completed cost savings initiatives at various NRC domestic regions, (ix) the impact of a reduction in force adjustment and (x) costs relating to the shutdown of certain international operations, less EBITDA related to a large response event at Sprint Energy Services in 2015. Free Cash Flow is defined as Adjusted EBITDA less total capital expenditures excluding one-time waste investments. See Slide 41 for more details regarding Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow. You can find the reconciliation of these measures to the nearest comparable GAAP measures elsewhere in this presentation. Except as otherwise noted, all references herein to full-year periods refer to NRC’s fiscal year, which ends on December 31. NRC believes that these non-GAAP measures of financial results provide useful information to management and investors regarding certain financial and business trends relating to NRC’s financial condition and results of operations. NRC’s management uses these non-GAAP measures to compare NRC’s performance to that of prior periods for trend analyses and for budgeting and planning purposes.
NRC believes that the use of these non-GAAP financial measures provides an additional tool for investors to use in evaluating ongoing operating results and trends. Management of NRC does not consider these non-GAAP measures in isolation or as an alternative to financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP. We have not reconciled the non-GAAP forward looking information to their corresponding GAAP measures because we do not provide guidance for the various reconciling items such as provision for income taxes and depreciation and amortization, as certain items that impact these measures are out of our control or cannot be reasonably predicted without unreasonable efforts. You should review NRC’s, and its subsidiaries, financial statements, which will be included in HCAC’s proxy statement filings with the SEC, and not rely on any single financial measure to evaluate NRC’s business.
Other companies may calculate Adjusted EBITDA, Free Cash Flow and other non-GAAP measures differently, and therefore NRC’s Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow and other non-GAAP measures may not be directly comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.
Additional Information About the Proposed Transaction and Where To Find It
The proposed transaction will be submitted to stockholders of HCAC for their consideration. HCAC intends to file with the SEC preliminary and definitive proxy statements in connection with the proposed transaction and other matters and will mail a definitive proxy statement and other relevant documents to its stockholders as of the record date established for voting on the proposed transaction. HCAC's stockholders and other interested persons are advised to read, once available, the preliminary proxy statement and any amendments thereto and, once available, the definitive proxy statement, in connection with HCAC's solicitation of proxies for its special meeting of stockholders to be held to approve, among other things, the proposed transaction, because these documents will contain important information about HCAC, NRC Group and the proposed transaction. Stockholders may also obtain a copy of the preliminary or definitive proxy statement, once available, as well as other documents filed with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction and other documents filed with the SEC by HCAC, without charge, at the SEC's website located at www.sec.gov or by directing a request to Nicholas A. Petruska, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, 3485 North Pines Way, Suite 110, Wilson, Wyoming 83014 or by telephone at (312) 803-0372. This presentation does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
Participants in the Solicitation
HCAC, JFL-NRC-SES, NRC Group, and certain of their respective directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may, under SEC rules, be deemed to be participants in the solicitations of proxies from HCAC’s stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction. Information regarding the persons who may, under SEC rules, be deemed participants in the solicitation of HCAC’s stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction will be set forth in HCAC’s proxy statement when it is filed with the SEC. You can find more information about HCAC’s directors and executive officers in HCAC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, filed with the SEC on April 2, 2018. Additional information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests will be included in HCAC’s proxy statement when it becomes available, which can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above.
3 Chris Swinbank Chief Executive Officer Presenters Experienced Team Committed to Continuous Growth & Improvement Joe Peterson Chief Financial Officer Daniel Hennessy Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Jim O’Neil III Independent Director
4 Executive Summary (1) Post - combination, HCAC’s name will be changed to reflect the combination with NRC. References to NRC post - combination in this pr esentation are references to the public company. (2) See slide 5 for additional details. (3) NRC projections based on mid - point of guidance range (see slides 29 and 30 for additional details). (4) Source: CapitalIQ as of June 22, 2018. (5) FCF is defined as adjusted EBITDA less total capex excluding one - time waste investments. Transaction Overview Transaction Rationale Consideration Management & Board • Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III (“HCAC”) has agreed to acquire the equity of NRC Group Holdings (“NRC”) • Purchase agreement was signed June 25, 2018 and anticipate closing the transaction in Q3 2018 • Post combination, NRC common stock and warrants will be listed on NYSE American under the tickers NRCG and NRCG.WS, respectively (1) • All financing required to close the transaction ($125 million in convertible preferred and common equity) committed at announcement at attractive terms • NRC is a leading provider of a comprehensive suite of mission - critical , non - discretionary services to ensure compliance with environmental, health, and safety (“EH&S”) laws • Highly diversified and blue - chip base of over 5,000 customers supported by over 1,200 Master Service Agreements (“MSAs”) • Only global standby provider with a global presence of 100 strategically - located facilities supported by an independent contractor network to ensure rapid response to environmental events, anytime and anywhere NRC’s customers need • Established and recognized brand providing superior services with significant barriers to entry • Highly visible and diverse recurring revenues supported by industry - leading free cash flow conversion • Numerous organic and acquisitive growth initiatives with exceptional potential return on investment (“ROI”) • Transaction implies a $ 748 million Enterprise Value (2) ► 8.6x 2018E Adjusted EBITDA (3) and 6.5x 2019E Adjusted EBITDA (3) (compared to 11.5x & 10.8x for peers (4) , respectively) ► 10.7x 2018E FCF (5) and 7.6x 2019E FCF (5) (compared to 18.2x & 16.8x for peers (4) , respectively) • Chris Swinbank to serve as CEO and Director with the existing management teams continuing to run the business • Daniel Hennessy and Kevin Charlton from HCAC to join NRC’s Board of Directors • Alex Harman and Glenn Shor from J.F. Lehman & Company to join NRC’s Board of Directors • HCAC Independent Director and former CEO and Director of Quanta Services ( NYSE:PWR), Jim O’Neil, to serve as Executive Chairman of NRC • Jim Baumgardner, former CEO of US Ecology (NASDAQ:ECOL), to serve as Independent Director of NRC
(1) | Based on estimated $263 million cash held in trust at closing and assumes 10% redemptions for illustrative purposes, which is the scenario that provides maximum cash to NRC selling shareholders but no proceeds for debt reduction. If redemptions are lower than 10%, any incremental cash from HCAC’s trust would be used to pay down existing debt. 0% redemptions and existing NRC shareholders maintaining 20% pro forma ownership would result in net debt of $262 million or 3.0x 2018E Adjusted EBITDA. |
(2) | Assumes 10% redemptions for illustrative purposes and no purchase price adjustments or other payment under purchase agreement for net working capital, excess capital expenditures or interim acquisitions (among other possible adjustments). |
(3) | Based on the following assumptions: (a) estimated NRC debt and cash as of June 2018 after giving effect to combination of National Response Corporation and Sprint Energy Services and related dividend recapitalization (and such debt and cash amounts may vary as of the closing date), (b) estimated 36.9 million pro forma outstanding shares of common stock, estimated market value of $10.25/share and 10% redemptions, (c) no purchase price adjustments or other payment under definitive purchase agreement, (d) no purchase of shares under JFL subscription agreement, (e) no exercise of $25 million preferred accordion feature under Nomura Securities International, Inc. (“Nomura”) financing commitment and no draw on Nomura $25 million common equity backstop or other backstop and/or common equity PIPE offering In lieu thereof, and (f) no exercise of outstanding 19.2 million public HCAC warrants or conversion of new HCAC convertible preferred stock. Ownership and share count excludes outstanding 19.2 million HCAC warrants (strike price of $11.50 or ~12% out-of-the-money) and gives effect to the exchange of 9.6 million Founder warrants for shares of HCAC common stock at a ratio of 5:1 for a total of 1.9 million shares while simultaneously cancelling 1.9 million Founder shares fully offsetting any dilution from the exchange. |
(4) | Projected adjusted EBITDA based on mid-point of guidance range (see slides 29 and 30 for additional details). |
(5) | $40 million committed but no borrowings expected at closing of the proposed transaction. |
(6) | Excludes (a) NRC transaction expenses, which are anticipated to be paid from cash on NRC balance sheet, and (b) cash commitment, placement and/or funding fees payable in connection with the NRC convertible preferred stock issuance and/or common equity backstop or PIPE offering. |
5 Indicative Transaction Overview (1) Based on estimated $263 million cash held in trust at closing and assumes 10% redemptions for illustrative purposes, which is th e scenario that provides maximum cash to NRC selling shareholders but no proceeds for debt reduction. If redemptions are lowe r t han 10%, any incremental cash from HCAC’s trust would be used to pay down existing debt. 0% redemptions and existing NRC shareholders maintaining 20% pro forma ownersh ip would result in net debt of $262 million or 3.0x 2018E Adjusted EBITDA. (2) Assumes 10% redemptions for illustrative purposes and no purchase price adjustments or other payment under purchase agreement for net working capital, excess capital expenditures or interim acquisitions (among ot her possible adjustments). (3) Based on the following assumptions: (a) estimated NRC debt and cash as of June 2018 after giving effect to combination of Nat ion al Response Corporation and Sprint Energy Services and related dividend recapitalization (and such debt and cash amounts may var y as of the closing date), (b) estimated 36.9 million pro forma outstanding shares of common stock, estimated market value of $10.25/share and 10% redemptions, (c) no pu rchase price adjustments or other payment under definitive purchase agreement, (d) no purchase of shares under JFL subscription agreement, (e) no exercise of $25 million preferred accordion feature under Nomura Securities International, Inc. (“Nomura”) financing commitment and no draw on Nomura $2 5 million common equity backstop or other backstop and/or common equity PIPE offering In lieu thereof, and (f) no exercise of outstanding 19.2 million public HCAC warrants or conversion of new HCAC convertible preferred stock. Ownership and share count excludes outstanding 19.2 million HCAC warrants (strike price of $11.50 or ~ 12% out - of - the - money) and gives effect to the exchange of 9.6 million Founder warrants for shares of HCAC common stock at a ratio of 5:1 for a total of 1.9 million shares while simultaneously cancelling 1.9 million Founder shares fully offsetting any dilution from the exchange. (4) Projected adjusted EBITDA based on mid - point of guidance range (see slides 29 and 30 for additional details). (5) $40 million committed but no borrowings expected at closing of the proposed transaction. (6) Excludes (a) NRC transaction expenses, which are anticipated to be paid from cash on NRC balance sheet, and (b) cash commitme nt, placement and/or funding fees payable in connection with the NRC convertible preferred stock issuance and/or common equity backstop or PIP E offering. Estimated Sources ($ in millions) Estimated Uses ($ in millions) Illustrative Pro Forma Capitalization (3) ($ in millions) Illustrative Pro Forma Ownership (3) (shares in millions) Shares % HCAC Shareholders 29.5 80% Existing NRC Equityholders 7.4 20% Pro Forma Outstanding Shares 36.9 100% Assumption of Existing Net Debt $295 Assumed HCAC Cash-in-Trust (1) 237 Convertible Preferred 75 Stock Consideration (2) 76 TOTAL SOURCES $683 Assumption of Existing Net Debt $295 Cash Consideration 292 Stock Consideration (2) 76 Estimated HCAC Fees & Expenses (6) 20 TOTAL USES $683 $ x 2018EAdj. EBITDA (4) x 2019EAdj. EBITDA (4) Cash $15 Revolver (5) 0 0.0x 0.0x Senior Term Loan 308 3.5x 2.7x Equipment Financing 2 0.0x 0.0x Total Debt $310 3.5x 2.7x Net Debt $295 3.4x 2.6x Equity Market Capitalization $378 Net Debt 295 Convertible Preferred 75 Pro Forma Enterprise Value $748 8.6x 6.5x
(1) | 2008 - 2011 (prior ownership period) based on NRC management estimates, as adjusted to exclude $603 million in 2009 - 2010 related to Deepwater Horizon. Audited revenue utilized for 2012 - 2017, together with NRC management estimates for 2012 - May 2015 Sprint revenue and exclusion of a $43 million large marine spill event in 2014. 2018 - 2019 based on NRC management estimates and reflects pro forma treatment for Cleanline and SWS acquisitions as if they occurred on 1/1/2018. |
(2) | Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration. |
(3) | NRC projections based on mid-point of guidance range (see slides 29 and 30 for additional details). |
(4) | FCF Conversion is defined as FCF (adjusted EBITDA less total capex excluding one-time waste investments) divided by adjusted EBITDA. |
(5) | Source: Management estimates, Company Public Filings, CapitalIQ as of June 22, 2018 (see slide 32 for additional details). |
(6) | FCF is defined as adjusted EBITDA less total capex excluding one-time waste investments. |
(7) | EV / EBITDA multiples based on pro forma LTM adjusted EBITDA. |
6 10.7x 18.2x 8.6x 11.5x 7.6x 16.8x 6.5x 10.8x 0.0x 5.0x 10.0x 15.0x 20.0x 25.0x NRC Peers NRC Peers 2018E 2019E $40 $60 $80 $100 $0 $100 $200 $300 $400 $500 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018E 2019E Average $ / Barrel $ in Millions, unaudited Revenue WTI Crude Oil Price The NRC Opportunity for Investors (1) 2008 - 2011 (prior ownership period) based on NRC management estimates, as adjusted to exclude $ 603 million in 2009 - 2010 related to Deepwater Horizon. Audited revenue utilized for 2012 - 2017 , together with NRC management estimates for 2012 - May 2015 Sprint revenue and exclusion of a $ 43 million large marine spill event in 2014. 2018 - 2019 based on NRC management estimates and reflects pro forma treatment for Cleanline and SWS acquisitions as if they occurred on 1/1/2018. (2) Source: U.S . Energy Information Administration. (3) NRC projections based on mid - point of guidance range (see slides 29 and 30 for additional details). (4) FCF Conversion is defined as FCF ( a djusted EBITDA less total capex excluding one - time waste investments ) divided by adjusted EBITDA . (5) Source : Management estimates, Company Public Filings, CapitalIQ as of June 22, 2018 (see slide 32 for additional details ). (6) FCF is defined as adjusted EBITDA less total capex excluding one - time waste investments. (7) EV / EBITDA multiples based on pro forma LTM adjusted EBITDA. …With Meaningful & Recurring FCF (4) Conversion… …With High ROI Opportunities to Deploy Cash Flows… …At a Highly Compelling Entry Point Relative to Peers (3)(5) Stable & Consistent Performance through The Great Recession… …And Through Significant Commodity Price Volatility… …Poised for Significant Near - Term Organic Growth… NRC maintains numerous strategic alternatives to provide significant upside and stock price appreciation to shareholders Organic Growth Accretive Acquisitions 3 landfills with exceptional ROI & payback period Multi - pronged s tandby & environmental service growth 9 acquisitions since 2013, ~ 4x (7) avg. multiple (1) (2) EV / FCF (6) EV / Adj. EBITDA (3) (3) 70% 76% 74% 80% 85% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% PF 2015 PF 2016 PF 2017 2018E 2019E
7 I. Company Overview II. Growth Strategies III. Financial Summary IV. Appendix Table of Contents 9 22 29 35
C OMPANY O VERVIEW Marine Standby Response
9 Investment Highlights Compelling Opportunity to Further Enhance & Differentiate NRC’s Platform Compelling Opportunity Exceptional Growth x Provides an Integrated Solution x Delivers Scale with Global Capabilities x Attractive Regulatory & Market Environment x Stability through Recessions & Commodity Cycles x Significant Barriers to Entry x Compelling , Highly Visible Financial Model x Diverse End Market Exposure x NRC Presents an Unique Investment Opportunity x Proven Management Team with Significant Experience x Multi - Pronged Standby Services Growth x National Corporate Account Growth x Near - Term Waste Disposal Expansion x Established Acquisition Platform
10 Scalable Platform Poised for Growth (1) AOST is a partnered local emergency response provider . Key Figures Service Offering Breakdown Global Platform Diverse Offering, Global P latform and Blue - Chip C ustomer B ase Drive NRC Longstanding Blue - Chip Customer Base Compelling Investment Merits NRC Locations ICN Locations NRC Equipment Only Headquarters AOST Locations (1) 2018E Adj. EBITDA $85M - $90M $365M - $390M 2018E Revenue 9 Acquisitions Since 2013 99% Standby Services Customer Retention 5,000+ Diverse Customer Base Standby 26% Environmental 51% Waste Disposal 23% $85M - $90M 2018E Adj. EBITDA 1,200 + MSAs ~50 Average Daily Projects 1,000+ Scalable Employee Base Comprehensive Suite of Specialized Services Significant Barriers to Entry Highly Recurring, Non - Discretionary Demand Exceptional Cash Flow Generation Attractive Market Opportunity National Scale with Global Service Capabilities Multi - Pronged Growth Strategy Established Acquisition Platform Experienced Management Team Standby Services Environmental Services Waste Disposal Services
11 Key Customer Value Proposition NRC Provides an Integrated Solution Comprehensive Suite of Non - Discretionary, Mission - Critical Capabilities Standby Services (26% of 2018E Adj. EBITDA (1) ) Environmental Services (51% of 2018E Adj. EBITDA (1 ) ) Waste Disposal Services (23% of 2018E Adj. EBITDA (1 ) ) • High - margin retainer - based business that provides opportunity for incremental marine spill response revenue • Provides access to regulatory certifications, specialized assets, and highly - trained personnel that are on - call to respond to an oil or HAZMAT spill or other industrial emergency (such as a fire) • 2,000+ customers under long - term contract • High - frequency, non - discretionary, small - ticket suite of recurring services across broad base of customers • Key services include: industrial cleaning, hazardous waste management and remediation, land emergency response, marine services and equipment rental • 3,000+ customers across general industrial markets • Uniquely - positioned assets that provide broad waste disposal capabilities serving the Texas energy market • Key services include: disposal of drill cuttings/muds, tank bottom sediment, contaminated soils, and produced sands, disposal tank and truck washouts and waste oil recovery • Principally upstream customer base x Full suite of services supported by specialized equipment x Required federal, state and local certifications and accreditations x 24/7 emergency response x First and only call customers need to make in an emergency x Minimize outstanding MSAs and vendor agreements for customers x S uccessful track record of high quality project execution (1) Excludes $11 million of estimated corporate overhead expenses, which is not allocated to the individual segments.
12 Situation Overview • Customer: • Location: Britton, SD • Service: Standby Services Customer Case Studies Customers Rely on NRC’s Solutions to Maintain Uptime & EH&S Compliance Standby Services Environmental Services Waste Disposal Services Situation Overview • Customer: • Location: 3 Facilities • Service: Environmental Situation Overview • Customer: • Location: Eagle Ford & Permian • Service: Waste Disposal Customer Challenge • In November 2017, TransCanada asked NRC to respond to a significant leak in their pipeline near Britton, SD • Estimated 5,000 bbls of crude oil spilled NRC Solution • NRC quickly activated assets from ICN • Built a 1 - mile road to the remote site • Managed 100+ personnel • Utilized a wide array of vacuum trucks, storage tanks, pumps, earth - moving equipment and safety equipment • Growth opportunities: Keystone Pipeline and Mexico Customer Challenge • Environmental services support required at three pharma and laboratory facilities • 24/7 emergency response NRC Solution • Employees on - site to provide services including equipment decontamination • Designated the primary 24/7 emergency responder for all 3 sites • Awarded a 5 year MSA in 2009 that has been extended to August 2019 • Awarded “Vendor of the Year” by Genentech out of ~300 total vendors Customer Challenge • Pioneer utilized NRC’s disposal capabilities when they were more active in the Eagle Ford • Currently active in the Permian Basin NRC Solution • Pioneer has become one of NRC’s largest customers almost entirely through utilization of environmental services in the Permian Basin • Growth opportunity: Pioneer is one of the largest operators in the vicinity of the Reagan facility, and expected to be an anchor customer once opened
13 100 + Strategically Located Facilities Augmented by ICN, MRN, and ARN to Greatly Enhance Capabilities (1) • Network of 100 + strategically - located facilities, assets, and resources are augmented by: ► Independent Contractor Network (“ICN”): ICN is a highly skilled network of 140+ emergency response companies with over 500+ locations ► Marine Resource Network (“MRN”): Priority access to an extensive network of marine assets ► Aerial Resource Network (“ARN”): Priority access to ~30 helicopters and 15 fixed wing planes with ability to coordinate cargo logistics and dispersant services NRC Delivers Scale with Global Capabilities (1) NRC locations include 3 waste disposal sites currently pending permits . (2) AOST is a partnered local emergency response provider. Superior Solutions to Any Environmental Event , Anytime & Anywhere NRC’s Customers Need NRC Locations ICN Locations NRC Equipment Only Headquarters AOST Locations (2) Waste Disposal Location Pending Waste Disposal Locations 10 Rapidly deploy assets and personnel within 1 - 24 hours depending upon proximity of necessary equipment Customer or U.S. Coast Guard places call into NRC’s 24/7 International Operations Center to report incident Utilize proprietary database to identify appropriate internal or ICN, MRN and/or ARN resources to fulfill needs Rapid Response Capabilities
14 Environmental Services Regulations Have Consistently Become Increasingly Stringent 1970s & Prior 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s Future • Safe Drinking Water Act • Clean Water Act • Toxic Substances Control Act • Resource Conservation and Recovery Act • Clean Air Act • Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA) (1965) • SWDA Amendment • Emergency Planning and Community Right - to - Know Act • Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act • Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA - 90) • Federal Facilities Compliance Act • Universal Waste Rule • PCB Penalty Policy • Cathode Ray Tube Rule • Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals from Electric Utilities • Regulation of Solvent Contaminated Wipes • State - level waste disposal regulations (following new CA regulations) • Updates to existing regulatory framework Regulatory History Attractive Regulatory & Market Environment Regulatory Environment Driving Demand to Comprehensive Providers of Scale Why NRC Wins Safety Record : Organization’s established safety and training programs resulting in exceptional safety records Responsiveness : 24/7 incident response capabilities and ability to deploy assets quickly Scale : Strategically - located assets complemented by Independent Contractor Network with 500+ locations Technical Expertise : Demonstrated ability to respond to incidents with the appropriate personnel and equipment Asset Base : Significant investment in well - maintained, unique, owned equipment Vendor Relationships : Deep relationships with vendors ensures cost - and time - efficiency
15 Historical Revenue Trend Stability through Recessions & Commodity Cycles (1) 2008 - 2011 (prior ownership period) based on NRC management estimates, as adjusted to exclude $ 603 million in 2009 - 2010 related to Deepwater Horizon. Audited revenue utilized for 2012 - 2017 , together with NRC management estimates for 2012 - May 2015 Sprint revenue and exclusion of a $ 43 million large marine spill event in 2014 . (2) Source: U.S . Energy Information Administration . (3) Based on revenue of $130 million in 2012 and revenue of $278 million in 2017. Stability & Resistance to Commodity P rice Volatility and Economic Cycles Revenue CAGR of 16% (3) through significant commodity price volatility Stable and consistent performance through the Great Recession (1) (2) $20 $40 $60 $80 $100 $0 $100 $200 $300 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Average $ / Barrel $ in Millions, unaudited Revenue WTI Crude Oil Price
16 Significant Barriers to Entry Specialized Asset Base and Essential Regulatory Certifications Investment in Asset Base Required Certifications & Accreditations x $200+ million asset base (1) across Standby Services, Environmental Services, and Waste Disposal x Unique equipment not readily available x Specialized capabilities require operational expertise and extensive training requirements x Proprietary technology platform tracks location and status of specialized equipment, enabling compliance with regulatory mandated response times x No new entrants in standby market since inception x Federal , state, and local legislation and other environmental agencies require numerous certifications and accreditations x Expensive multi - step, complex permitting processes are often cost and time prohibitive x Decades of experience successfully permitting and maintaining regulatory compliance x Long - time Jones Act operator Value of Existing Equipment (1) ($ in millions) U.S. Coastguard California Washington / Alaska Location National State State Required (Yes / No) P P P Type of OSRO Classification (1) Value shown as current insured value of Vessels and Marine Equipment; Vehicles & Rolling Stock; and Other Equipment. Waste Disposal assets shown as total capital investment from 2015 - 2019E. Does not include impact of Cleanline and SWS acquisitions. $74 $60 $17 $62 $213 $0 $50 $100 $150 $200 $250 Vessels & Marine Vehicles & Rolling Stock Other Equipment Waste Disposal Assets Total
(1) | Based on NRC management estimates and of historical segment performance. |
(2) | As of March 31, 2018. |
(3) | Total adjusted EBITDA includes corporate overhead expenses of ($7) million in 2015, ($7) million in 2016, ($10) million in 2017, ($11) million in 2018E and ($12) million in 2019E. 2015 excludes $9 million of adjusted EBITDA related to a large response event. |
(4) | FCF Conversion is defined as FCF (adjusted EBITDA less total capex excluding one-time waste investments) divided by adjusted EBITDA. |
17 Revenue Stability Coupled with Exceptional Margins Drives Extraordinary Free Cash Flow Compelling, Highly Visible Financial Model NRC presented on a pro forma basis for intra - period acquisitions. (1) Based on NRC management estimates and of historical segment performance. (2) As of March 31, 2018. (3) Total adjusted EBITDA includes corporate overhead expenses of ($ 7 ) million in 2015, ($ 7) million in 2016, ($10) million in 2017, ($ 11) million in 2018E and ($ 12) million in 2019E. 2015 excludes $ 9 million of adjusted EBITDA related to a large response event. (4) FCF Conversion is defined as FCF (adjusted EBITDA less total capex excluding one - time waste investments) divided by adjusted EBITDA . Non - Discretionary Demand Delivers Highly Visible, Recession Resistant FCF Adjusted EBITDA by Service (3) ($ in millions) Free Cash Flow Conversion (4) Standby Services x Highly recurring revenue base with ~99% customer retention (2,000+ customers and 20,000+ assets covered) x Over 80% of revenue from customers with contracts over 5 years with half over 10 years x 85% flow through of incremental revenue to adjusted EBITDA (1) Environmental Services Waste Disposal Services x Vast majority of environmental services revenue derived from ~1,200 MSAs x Performs over 20,000 projects annually for over 3,000 customers x Growing need across diverse end markets with high frequency, small ticket jobs driving diversity and stability x Permitting of wellbores provide enhanced visibility into regional waste streams x Since opening Karnes in Q2 2016, processed >56,000 loads with ~ 20 active / daily blue - chip customers (2) x Differentiated capabilities include ability to accept all oil & gas exempt waste streams and 24 / 7 operations $49 $41 $69 $85 - $90 $110 - $120 $0 $30 $60 $90 $120 $150 PF 2015 PF 2016 PF 2017 2018E 2019E Standy Services Environmental Services Waste Disposal 70% 76% 74% 80% 85% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% PF 2015 PF 2016 PF 2017 2018E 2019E
18 32% 14% 12% 11% 7% 5% 3% 3% 12% Industrial Non - Regulated O&G OPA - 90 Utility / Municipal Oil & Gas Waste Disposal Transportation Government Pharma Other Diverse End Market Exposure (1) Revenue excludes all domestic environmental services customers <$30,000. Highly Diversified R evenue Across End Markets, Servicing 5,000+ Customers 2017 Revenue by End Market (1) • Substantial portion of revenue (67% in 2017) is comprised of customers that require high - volume, low - ticket projects across industrial, transportation, utility, and government end markets • OPA - 90 customers, which represent 12% of 2017 revenue, are required by law to procure compliance coverage every year • Waste disposal services provided to oil & gas customers are highly - regulated and considered non - discretionary (i.e., operators must terminate waste at permitted facilities within a defined framework) Industrial Upstream Midstream Transportation Other Downstream Key Clients by End - Market
19 Company Standby Services Environmental / Industrial Services Emergency Response Waste Disposal NRC Presents an Unique Investment Opportunity NRC is the ONLY Comprehensive Provider of Essential EH&S Services Core Focus Non - Core Focus
20 Proven Management Team with Significant Experience NRC’s Senior Management Team Averages 20+ Years of Experience • 21+ years of environmental services experience • Founded Sprint Energy after successfully founding and ultimately selling Triton Oilfield Services, a water logistics company • S erved in various capacities at several Sprint entities providing waste management services Chris Swinbank Chief Executive Officer • 27+ years of experience in the environmental services industry; has executed over 30 acquisitions • Prior roles include CEO of A&D Environmental Services Inc. and President of PSC Inc. Paul Taveira President, Standby & Environmental • 20+ years of experience in the financial services industry as well as prior private equity owned companies • Prior roles include SVP of Finance for a global consumer finance company and various divisional CFO roles at American Express Joe Peterson Chief Financial Officer • 11+ years of industry experience in the environmental services industry • Formerly VP of Corporate Operational Development at C&J Energy Services • Currently serves on the Board of Directors of Sanchez Energy Robby Nelson President, Waste Disposal
G ROWTH S TRATEGIES Karnes Waste Disposal Facility
22 Numerous Drivers of Growth Scalable Platform with Multiple Avenues for Sustained Growth Multi - Pronged Standby Services Growth 1 x Proven ability to increase contracted retainers with unmatched retention x Increasing “tolling” revenue and roll - out of Global Response Services x First - mover advantage in newly privatized Mexican oil & gas markets Near - Term Waste Expansion 3 x Customers pulling NRC into Permian Basin to support existing activities x Exceptional unit economics and rapid payback period x Significant experience designing, permitting & operating landfills Established Acquisition Platform 4 x Successfully integrated 9 acquisitions since 2013 – avg . ~4.0x (1) multiple x Extensive acquisition pipeline of transformative and bolt - on targets x Acquire ICNs to increase self - performed response and enhance margins National Corporate Account Growth 2 x Offer national and regional accounts that require diverse service capabilities x Momentum with recent key customer wins in diverse end markets x Significant cross - selling opportunities – only 5% of clients use 3+ services (1) EV / EBITDA multiples based on pro forma LTM adjusted EBITDA .
23 • Incremental revenue generated from “tolls” charged to customers for specific compliance coverage when a vessel enters an independently - regulated geography – 100% flow through to adjusted EBITDA (2) ► NRC maintains a vessel market share of 75 % (3) and is the dominant recipient of tolling revenue • Strong growth prospects for nascent offerings in Alaska (entered in 2015) and South America (entered in 2016) ► Both markets are expected to contribute over $1.0 million of revenue in 2018 • Global Response Services (“GRS”) leverages Company’s unique global footprint and capabilities to be the only single - source Standby Services provider globally ► ~$ 20 million identified addressable market (1) Multi - Pronged Standby Services Growth Attractive Growth Prospects with a Demonstrated History of Success 1 Tolling Revenue & GRS (1) NRC management estimates. (2) Based on NRC management estimates and of historical segment performance. (3) Based on 2016 commissioned industry study by a leading consulting firm. (4) Source: MarineTraffic. • Steady, consistent revenue derived from retainer - based pricing model with exceptional margin profile • Fee based on type of vessel, pipeline, or other infrastructure • Highly recurring and predictable with ~99% customer retention and 85% flow through to adjusted EBITDA (2) ► Over 80% of revenue from customers with contracts over 5 years with half over 10 years Contracted Retainer Revenue Snapshot of En Voyage Vessels & Tankers (4) Vessels Tankers • Mexico represents a significant growth opportunity, and NRC’s first mover advantage in a newly regulated industry with limited competition has established a strong competitive position ► Currently maintain 100% market share (won all 4 tenders to date) ► $ 1.6 million of new contracts won within first 18 months of operations ► >$50 million 5 - year addressable market (1) Mexico Opportunity Mexico Addressable Market (1) 5 - Year Addressable Market $50M+ Near - Term Addressable Market $23M+ Existing Operations $10M
24 National Corporate Account Growth (1) ER = Emergency response; IC = Industrial Cleaning; SR = Site Remediation; WM = Waste Management . (2) Data based on 2017 projects and is not pro forma for acquisitions of Cleanline and SWS. Targeting National Accounts that Require Diverse Capabilities 2 5 % 95% 1 or 2 Services 3+ Services Sales Team Actively Targeting National Accounts… …And Generated Wins on Key Targets (1) Significant Cross Selling Opportunity (2) Case Study: Whitman Greenhill • Type : MSA (SR, IC, WM ) • Type : MSA (ER, IC ) • Type: ER, IC, WM • Type : MSA (IC, SR ) • Type : MSA (IC, SR ) Whitman Greenhill • Client initially made contact with the Company as a local contractor to provide 30 personnel for a project • After two weeks, Whitman Greenhill expanded business to include 200 billable personnel, operating across 5 states on a daily basis • Whitman Greenhill credited NRC’s vast experience with large events and ability to mobilize quickly as reasons for rapid expansion of scope
25 Meaningful market share gain driven by unique value proposition – since June 2017, volume has increased by 40% despite rig count declining by 16% 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Jul-16 Aug-16 Sep-16 Oct-16 Nov-16 Dec-16 Jan-17 Feb-17 Mar-17 Apr-17 May-17 Jun-17 Jul-17 Aug-17 Sep-17 Oct-17 Nov-17 Dec-17 Jan-18 Feb-18 Mar-18 Rig Count Loads Monthly Loads (Reported) Trend Line Rig Count Proven Waste Disposal Model (1) Resource Conservation & Recovery Act. NRC’s Total Waste Solution Creates a Unique Competitive Advantage 3 Value Proposition x Strategic location provides critical logistics advantage for operators’ waste disposal requirements in highly active Eagle Ford Basin x Highly critical to operations – disposal of cuttings represents <1% of total cost of drilling, but can cause a rig to shut down x Construction specifications to RCRA (1) Subtitle D provide customers with high fidelity waste disposal option x Streamlined logistics design provides efficient turn - around time x Washout facility provides ancillary services for “one - stop” solution to streamline efficiencies for drivers Permian Basin – Formula for Success • [ ] ► [ ] - [ ] • Consistent ramp in volumes since opening in late 2016 • Eagle Ford remains active but is >50% below its peak activity levels • Superior value proposition in a growing market has led to rapid volume expansion and dominant market position Karnes Waste Disposal Facility – Meaningful Ramp in Volume Since Opening Driven by Market Share Gains Established Relationships with Operators High Quality, Value - Added Services Existing Environmental Services Footprint Total Waste Solutions
26 Near - Term Waste Disposal Expansion (1) Based on NRC management estimates. If new facilities achieved a similar ramp in volume and market share as the existing Karnes facility, annual adjusted EBITDA would be expected to exceed these estimates. (2) Coyanosa permit to be sought simultaneously with Andrews permit; gap in approval incorporated for conservatism. Strategically Located Sites Based on Discussions with Existing Customers 3 Commentary • Highly attractive unit economics: ~$ 60 million invested in four waste disposal facilities expected to generate ~$60M adjusted EBITDA annually when fully operational (1) • Facilities have decades of permitted capacity available • Management team has decades of experience designing, permitting and operating waste disposal facilities • Permian Basin represents the most attractive market in North America with substantial ongoing investment Permian Basin – Facility Locations Andrews (Midland Basin) & Coyanosa (Delaware Basin ) • Andrews and Coyanosa Facilities are expected to commence operations in 2019 and 2020, respectively ► Expect to acquire land in two phases throughout 2018 ► Expecting permit approvals by year - end 2018 for Andrews and mid 2019 for Coyanosa (2) Karnes Facility (Current) Near - Term Expansion H Horizontal Oil H Horizontal Gas Reagan Facility (Midland Basin) • Reagan Facility is expected to commence operations in Q1 - 19 ► Land currently under option and acquisition will be completed upon permit issuance ► Expecting permit approval in early Q3 2018 – active dialogue with the Texas Railroad Commission (the relevant regulatory body) ► Construction for landfill expected to begin in 2H 2018 Reagan County (Q1 - 19 target start) Coyanosa, TX (2020 target start) Andrews, TX (2019 target start) Source: Baker Hughes as of May 9, 2018
(1) | EV / EBITDA multiples based on pro forma LTM adjusted EBITDA. |
(2) | ES includes all Environmental Services except emergency response. |
(3) | ER includes land-based emergency response services. |
(4) | Any acquisitions will be dependent on, among other things, due diligence results and NRC may not complete any acquisitions in its pipeline. |
(5) | Based on NRC management estimates. |
27 Established Acquisition Platform (1) EV / EBITDA multiples based on pro forma LTM adjusted EBITDA. (2) ES includes all Environmental Services except emergency response. (3) ER includes land - based emergency response services. (4) Any acquisitions will be dependent on, among other things, due diligence results and NRC may not complete any acquisitions in it s pipeline. (5) Based on NRC management estimates. Successfully Integrated 9 Acquisitions Since 2013; ~4.0x (1) Avg. EBITDA Multiple 4 Track Record of Executing & Integrating Acquisitions Built - in Pipeline from ICNs • ICN acquisitions increase the Company’s footprint and reduce reliance on subcontractors, thereby representing a margin expansion opportunity • Target 1 - 3 acquisitions per year • Utilize longstanding industry relationships, ICN network, and third - party brokers to maintain M&A pipeline • Track record of integrating acquisitions and achieving meaningful cost savings through IT rationalization, back office integration, reduction of duplicate facilities and buy vs. leasing equipment Actionable Pipeline of Acquisition Targets (4) ($ in millions) Independent Contractor Network Acquisition Focus Areas Target Rationale Revenue (5) Current ICN Target 1 Geographic Expansion $100 Target 2 Service Enhancement $100 P Target 3 New Service $100 Target 4 Geographic Expansion $50 P Target 5 Service Enhancement $50 P Target 6 Service Enhancement $50 P Target 7 Service Enhancement $30 Target 8 Service Enhancement $30 P Target 9 Geographic Expansion $25 Target 10 Service Enhancement $15 P Acquisitions Year Sector (2)(3) Geography Former ICN July 2013 ES & ER New York / Northeast P March 2014 Offshore ES & ER UK / North Sea March 2014 ER & High Hazard Rail Texas P October 2014 ES & ER Alaska April 2016 ES & ER Northeast P November 2016 ES & ER Northeast P January 2017 ES & WWT Pacific Northwest March 2018 ES UK April 2018 ES & ER Southeast P
F INANCIAL S UMMARY NRC Upstream Customer
(1) | Total adjusted EBITDA includes corporate overhead expenses of ($7) million in 2015, ($7) million in 2016, ($10) million in 2017, ($11) million in 2018E and ($12) million in 2019E, which has not been allocated to the individual segments. |
(2) | FCF Conversion is defined as FCF (adjusted EBITDA less total capex excluding one-time waste investments) divided by adjusted EBITDA. |
29 Summary Financial Performance Note: 2015 excludes $37 million of revenue and $9 million of adjusted EBITDA related to a large response event. NRC presented on a pro forma basis for intra - period acquisitions. (1) Total adjusted EBITDA includes corporate overhead expenses of ($7) million in 2015, ($7) million in 2016, ($10) million in 2017, ($11) million in 2018E and ($12 ) million in 2019E, which has not been allocated to the individual segments. (2) FCF Conversion is defined as FCF (adjusted EBITDA less total capex excluding one - time waste investments) divided by adjusted EBI TDA. Stable & Repeatable Performance with Exceptional Margins & FCF Conversion Revenue by Service ($ in millions) Capital Expenditures ($ in millions) Adjusted EBITDA by Service (1) ($ in millions) Free Cash Flow Conversion (2) $353 $310 $350 $365 - $390 $410 - $450 $0 $100 $200 $300 $400 $500 PF 2015 PF 2016 PF 2017 2018E 2019E Standy Services Environmental Services Waste Disposal $49 $41 $69 $85 - $90 $110 - $120 $0 $30 $60 $90 $120 $150 PF 2015 PF 2016 PF 2017 2018E 2019E Standy Services Environmental Services Waste Disposal 70% 76% 74% 80% 85% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% PF 2015 PF 2016 PF 2017 2018E 2019E $21 $14 $23 $37 $38 2% 2% 3% 3% 3% 0% 2% 4% 6% $0 $10 $20 $30 $40 $50 PF 2015 PF 2016 PF 2017 2018E 2019E Maintenance Growth One-Time Waste Investment Maintenance as % of Revenue
30 Adjusted EBITDA Bridge Multiple Avenues of Growth Driving High Visibility Adjusted EBITDA Bridge ($ in millions) • Projected financials do not include any M&A activity or the impact of any major event, which could represent upside to the projections • Standby Services – Majority of growth comes through emergence of the Mexican market, with significant upside potential as the Company continues to capitalize on its dominate global market presence • Environmental Services – Projects modest growth with ability to leverage national accounts • Waste Disposal – Growth driven primarily by conservatively staggered commencement of operations at three facilities in the Permi an Basin; currently assuming a slower ramp in activity than existing facility despite established customer relationships in the reg ion Management Commentary $69 $3 $12 $5 ($1) $85 - $90 $7 $5 $2 $10 $5 ($1) $110 - $120 $0 $25 $50 $75 $100 $125 $150 PF 2017 Standby Services Enviro. Services Waste Disposal Facility 1 Corporate 2018E Standby Services Enviro. Services Waste Disposal Facility 1 Waste Disposal Facility 2 Waste Disposal Facility 3 Corporate 2019E
(1) | FCF Conversion is defined as FCF (adjusted EBITDA less total capex excluding one-time waste investments) divided by adjusted EBITDA. |
31 80% 57% 60% 63% 68% 68% 60% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% NRC ADSW CLH RSG ECOL WCN WM 23% 28% 14% 29% 23% 32% 28% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% NRC ADSW CLH RSG ECOL WCN WM 29% 8% 9% 5% 10% 8% 5% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% NRC ADSW CLH RSG ECOL WCN WM 11% 3% 8% 2% 6% 6% 3% 0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% NRC ADSW CLH RSG ECOL WCN WM Mean 26% Mean 63% Mean 5 % Mean 8 % Benchmarking to Peers – Growth & Margins Source: NRC management projections, Company Public Filings, CapitalIQ as of June 22, 2018. Note: Projections for public peers based on consensus Wall Street Research estimates from CapitalIQ. Note : NRC projections based on mid - point of guidance range (see slides 29 and 30 for additional details). Note: NRC presented on a pro forma basis for intra - period acquisitions. (1) FCF Conversion is defined as FCF ( a djusted EBITDA less total capex excluding one - time waste investments ) divided by adjusted EBITDA. NRC Maintains an Exceptional Growth, Margin and Cash F low Profile 2017 – 2019E Revenue CAGR 2017 – 2019E Adjusted EBITDA CAGR 2018E Adjusted EBITDA Margins 2018E Free Cash Flow Conversion (1)
(1) | FCF is defined as adjusted EBITDA less total capex excluding one-time waste investments. |
32 8.6x 9.5x 9.7x 10.7x 12.9x 15.1x 10.9x 0.0x 4.0x 8.0x 12.0x 16.0x NRC ADSW CLH RSG ECOL WCN WM 6.5x 9.0x 9.0x 10.2x 12.0x 14.0x 10.3x 0.0x 4.0x 8.0x 12.0x 16.0x NRC ADSW CLH RSG ECOL WCN WM 10.7x 16.7x 16.2x 17.0x 19.1x 22.3x 18.0x 0.0x 5.0x 10.0x 15.0x 20.0x 25.0x NRC ADSW CLH RSG ECOL WCN WM 7.6x 15.8x 14.6x 15.7x 17.3x 20.9x 16.4x 0.0x 5.0x 10.0x 15.0x 20.0x 25.0x NRC ADSW CLH RSG ECOL WCN WM Mean 11.5x Mean 10.8x Mean 18.2x Mean 16.8x Benchmarking to Peers – Valuation Source: NRC management projections, Company Public Filings, CapitalIQ as of June 22, 2018. Note: Projections for public peers based on consensus Wall Street Research estimates from CapitalIQ. Note: NRC projections based on mid - point of guidance range. NRC presented on a pro forma basis for intra - period acquisitions . (1) FCF is defined as a djusted EBITDA less total capex excluding one - time waste investments . Ability to Invest in NRC at a Discount to Peers Despite Premium Business EV / 2018E FCF (1) EV / 2019E FCF (1 ) EV / 2018E Adjusted EBITDA EV / 2019E Adjusted EBITDA
33 Conclusion Compelling Opportunity to Further Enhance & Differentiate NRC’s Platform Compelling Opportunity Exceptional Growth x Provides an Integrated Solution x Delivers Scale with Global Capabilities x Attractive Regulatory & Market Environment x Stability through Recessions & Commodity Cycles x Significant Barriers to Entry x Compelling , Highly Visible Financial Model x Diverse End Market Exposure x NRC Presents an Unique Investment Opportunity x Proven Management Team with Significant Experience x Multi - Pronged Standby Services Growth x National Corporate Account Growth x Near - Term Waste Disposal Expansion x Established Acquisition Platform
A PPENDIX Emergency Response – Oil Spill
35 • Former CEO and Director of Quanta Services ( NYSE:PWR ) where he grew the business to over $7 billion of revenue and over $5 billion of market capitalization • Quanta completed nearly 200 acquisitions under Jim’s leadership • He is currently a director at First Energy, National Trench Safety and at Sterling Lumber, where he was elected Chairman in 2016 • CEO and Director of Quanta Services from 2011 until 2016 • COO of Quanta from 2008 – 2011 • From 2002 – 2008, he was Senior Vice President of Operation Integration and Audit • Jim joined Quanta in 1999 • Jim began his career at Halliburton, where he rose from engineering, sales and operational roles into global leadership positions, including overseeing operations for Clean Gulf Associates, one of three U.S. OSRO standby providers • Received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Tulane University Jim O’Neil As Executive Chairman, Jim O’Neil will Provide Proven Leadership & Results Jim O’Neil III Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. III Independent Director
36 • Over 30 years of diverse business experience in various executive roles • Formerly President, CEO, COO, CFO, and Director of US Ecology, Inc. ( NASDAQ:ECOL ) where he successfully grew the business organically and through acquisitions to over $250 million of revenue with a $500 million market capitalization (currently $1.3 billion) • President, CEO, and Director of US Ecology, Inc. from 2010 – 2012 ► Served as CFO from 1999 – 2006 ► Served as COO in 2009 • He is currently a Director at Waste Control Specialists; Quantum Spatial Inc.; Living Earth, LLC; and Peak Utility Services Group, Inc., where he was elected Chairman in 2014 • CEO of Peak Utility Services Group from 2014 – 2017 • CFO of SECOR International, Inc. from 2006 – 2008 • Designated SEC Financial Expert • Received a BS and an MBA from Oregon State University Jim Baumgardner Experienced, Independent Board Member Providing Unique & Valuable Insight Jim Baumgardner Independent Director
37 (1) Source: U.S . Energy Information Administration. (2) Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration. Represents U.S. Refinery Annual Operable Atmospheric Crude Oil Distillation Capacity (Barrels per Stream Day), and U.S. Refinery Catalytic Reforming, Catalytic Cracking, and Catalytic Hydrocracking Downstream Charge Capacity (Barrels per Calendar Day). Commercial Standby Services Provider with 75% Market Share in Core Markets Market Overview U.S. Crude Oil Exports & Production (1) Attractive Secular Trends and Growth Opportunities U.S. Refinery Capacity (2) Standby Services Market Overview • Legislation enacted post - Exxon - Valdez (OPA - 90) requires onshore and offshore facilities and vessels carrying oil or a derivative to have a plan for “worst case discharge” • Steady long - term growth driven by consistent expansion of energy infrastructure and increasing regulatory scrutiny requiring OSRO usage • High barriers to entry driven by high cost of failure, necessity of scale, and regulatory certification requirements • Continued growth in domestic oil & gas production, together with emergence of U.S. crude export market, driving growth in vessel and tanker voyages • Emerging opportunity to generate incremental “tolling” revenue from fees charged to customer vessels entering independently - regulated geographies • Market potential in new geographies, including Mexico, as well as new sales initiatives targeting ability to offer current and prospective customers broader suite of services 24.1 24.4 24.6 24.8 24.8 25.0 25.3 25.6 25.9 26.1 26.1 29.3 29.8 29.2 30.0 30.2 30.2 30.6 31.0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Million Bbls / Day Operable Crude Distillation Capacity Conversion Capacity 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 0 500,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 2,000,000 2,500,000 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Thousand Barrels per Day Thousand Barrels U.S. Crude Oil Exports U.S. Crude Oil Production
38 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Number of Reported Incidents Environmental Services Market Overview (1) Source: IBISWorld. (2) Source: IHS Markit. (3) Source: National Response Center; note, not all incidents are reported to the National Response Center. Regulatory and End Market D ynamics P osition NRC for Sustained Growth Supportive End - Market Conditions & Outlook • Robust and increasing EH&S regulatory requirements provide fundamental support to the environmental services market • Stable projected growth in activity across a broad set of industrial subsectors support growing demand for environmental services • In addition to maintenance requirements, there are a stable number of environmental incidents that occur each year $17 Billion Addressable Market (1) U.S. Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (2) Stability of Reported U.S. Environmental Incidents (3) Site Remediation Building Remediation Environmental Emergency Response Other Services 50% 26% 13% 11% Average: ~30,000 incidents per year 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 Apr-16 May-16 Jun-16 Jul-16 Aug-16 Sep-16 Oct-16 Nov-16 Dec-16 Jan-17 Feb-17 Mar-17 Apr-17 May-17 Jun-17 Jul-17 Aug-17 Sep-17 Oct-17 Nov-17 Dec-17 Jan-18 Feb-18 Mar-18 Apr-18
39 80 58 51 36 35 0 20 40 60 80 100 80 73 49 46 46 0 20 40 60 80 100 Waste Disposal Market Overview (1) Source: Spears. (2) Represents cumulative production volume in 2016. Industry and Capex Dynamics Position NRC to Achieve Outsized Growth Supportive End - Market Conditions & Outlook • Steadily increasing focus on environmental stewardship • Waste streams are regulated by federal and state laws that require proper disposal according to stringent requirements ► Operators find the waste regulatory requirements too complicated or capital intensive to keep in - house • Company is well - positioned to capitalize on increased activity in core markets (e.g., Permian and Eagle Ford ) • Reliable waste disposal services are critical to E&P operations, yet represent a modest portion of total costs West Texas Drives Oilfield Demand (1) Karnes vs. Top Producing Counties (2) ( million bbls) E&P Capex Budgets Offer Substantial Upside 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Feet Drilled (millions) US Horizontal Rigs Eagle Ford + Permian Rest of US Eagle Ford Permian '16/'17 '17/'18E ($ in billions) 2016A 2017A 2018E $ Change % Change $ Change % Change Permian $17 $27 $33 $9 53% $7 24% Eagle Ford $9 $12 $15 $3 33% 3 26% Marcellus / Utica $8 $13 $13 $5 55% 1 4% Bakken $7 $8 $10 $2 28% 2 24% Niobrara $3 $5 $6 $2 61% 1 18% Top Five Unconventional $44 $65 $78 $21 46% $13 20% Other U.S. Unconventional $10 $13 $16 $3 29% 3 21% Total U.S. Unconventional $54 $78 $93 $23 43% $16 20% Eagle Ford Permian
40 $32 $32 $35 $35 $35 $35 $36 $36 $37 $38 $38 $39 $41 $42 $43 $43 $44 $46 $47 $47 $49 $49 $51 $54 $61 $66 $84 $0 $20 $40 $60 $80 $100 $78 $68 $67 $55 $45 $40 $37 $36 $0 $20 $40 $60 $80 $100 2012 2013 2014 2015 1H16 2H16 1H17 Current Waste Disposal Market Overview (cont’d) Sustainable Improvements in Shale Economics Driven by Lower Lifting Costs Eagle Ford Breakeven ($ / bbl ) Oil Breakevens by Basin (1) ($ / bbl) Source: Wall Street Research . (1) At 15% ATAX IRR. Breakeven costs have continued to move lower driven primarily by advances in technology, efficiency gains, and well performance Company’s Karnes Facility is strategically located in the core of the oil window of the Eagle Ford – the one - year forward curve is currently 57% above this break - even price per barrel Permian Eagle Ford Other Company Operating Areas WTI Forward Price
41 Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliation Pre - Acquisition EBITDA Adjustments – Represents the pro forma impact of pre - closing EBITDA for NRC acquisitions, calculated in a consistent manner as NRC EBITDA . Some management estimates were required for some pre - acquisition periods. Pro Forma Adjustments – Discrete identified impact of management actions taken subsequent to the reporting period, including cost reductions from post - acquisition synergy realization efforts, implied revenue increases from waste disposal price increases made in 2018 (reflected in 2017), removal of revenue and costs associated with discontinued operations, etc . Non - Recurring Expenses – Non - recurring expenses incurred in prior periods, including restructuring and startup expenses, one - time equipment purchases, severance, and other adjustments. Normalization Adjustments – Normalization of financial performance to remove the impact of unusual factors that management determined are not recurring and/or representative of the business. Adjustments include normalized SWS cost structure post - acquisition for actions not yet taken, estimated lost earnings from Hurricane Harvey disruption in Texas, normalized operating margins during ramp - up period of waste disposal activities, etc . Transaction / Transition Expenses – One - time M&A transaction, severance, and facility closure expenses. Other Income / Expense – Management fees, gain or loss on sale of assets, and other non - EBITDA expenses incurred by the Company. Large Response Event – Removal of management - estimated EBITDA contribution from a $37M revenue response event related to the 2015 U.S. bird flu outbreak. Other – Miscellaneous other adjustments (1) FCF is defined as a djusted EBITDA less total capex excluding one - time waste investments . ($ in millions, unaudited) 2015 2016 2017 Net Income (Loss) ($26.9) ($27.8) $2.5 Depreciation and Amortization 34.5 36.0 29.3 Interest Expense / (Income) 13.5 13.3 14.1 Taxes 1.3 (3.2) 0.4 Non-Cash Expense / (Income) 1.1 1.0 0.2 EBITDA $23.4 $19.4 $46.6 Enpro 2.9 (0.6) - Boom-Tech - - - WTS 0.6 (0.0) - Cleanline 1.4 1.7 1.2 SWS 10.2 (4.1) (1.7) Pre-Acquisition EBITDA Adjustments $15.2 ($3.0) ($0.5) Pro Forma EBITDA $38.6 $16.4 $46.1 Pro Forma Adjustments 5.6 5.4 8.5 Non-Recurring Expenses 5.6 8.2 6.7 Normalization Adjustments 1.5 2.1 4.9 Transaction / Transition Expenses 5.5 7.9 1.8 Other Income / Expense 0.8 0.7 1.0 Large Response Event (9.0) - - Other 0.0 (0.0) (0.2) Total Other Adjustments $10.1 $24.3 $22.7 Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA $48.7 $40.7 $68.8 Maintenance 8.5 7.6 10.3 Growth 5.8 2.3 7.5 Capital Expenditures $14.4 $9.9 $17.8 Free Cash Flow (1) $34.3 $30.8 $51.0
42 Summary Debt Terms Term Loan Base Facility (1) : $ 308,000,000 Maturity: 6 years Indicative Interest Rate: L + 525 bps LIBOR Floor: 1.0% Amortization: 1% p.a. Prepayment Premium: 101 soft call premium first 6 months Financial Covenants (2) : None Acquisition Facilities: Unlimited subject to, if first lien indebtedness, a First Lien Net Leverage Ratio not greater than 3.90x, if subordinated secured indebtedness, a First Lien Net Leverage Ratio not greater than 4.40x, and if unsecured indebtedness, a Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio not greater than 4.65x (1) Excludes a $40 million committed revolver with no borrowings expected at close . (2) If greater than 30% of the Revolving Credit Limit (excluding undrawn letters of credit up to $ 15 million) is utilized, there will be a springing net leverage covenant of 5.45x .