As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 28, 2024

Registration No. 333-            

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

_________________________

FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

_________________________

Synergy CHC Corp.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

_________________________

Nevada

 

2833

 

99-0379440

(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)

 

(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

865 Spring Street
Westbrook, Maine 04092
(207) 321
-2350
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive office)

_________________________

Jack Ross
Chief Executive Officer
c/o Synergy CHC Corp.
865 Spring Street
Westbrook, Maine 04092
(902) 237-1220
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

_________________________

Copies to:

W. David Mannheim
Michael K. Bradshaw, Jr.
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP
301 Hillsborough Street, Suite 1400
Raleigh, NC 27603
(919) 329
-3800

 

Mitchell S. Nussbaum
Alexandria E. Kane
Loeb & Loeb LLP
345 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10154
(212) 407
-4000

_________________________

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box.

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer

 

 

Accelerated filer

 

   

Non-accelerated filer

 

 

Smaller reporting company

 

           

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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to Section 8(a), may determine.

 

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The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any state or other jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

Subject to Completion

DATED JUNE 28, 2024

        Shares
Common Stock

Synergy CHC Corp.

Synergy CHC Corp. is offering            shares of our common stock, par value $0.00001 per share. We currently estimate that the initial public offering price of our common stock will be between $            and $            .

Prior to September 28, 2021, shares of our common stock were quoted on the OTC Markets Group, Inc. Pink tier under the symbol “SNYR.” As a result of amendments to Exchange Act Rule 15c2-11, because we do not presently make current information publicly available, our common stock was shifted to the OTC Expert Market on September 28, 2021, which means that there are no longer publicly-available quotations of our common stock. We intend to apply to list our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market, or Nasdaq, under the symbol “SNYR.” No assurance can be given that our application will be approved. If shares of our common stock are not approved for listing on Nasdaq, we will not consummate this offering.

Upon completion of this offering, our principal stockholders will hold a majority of the voting power of our capital stock through ownership of approximately 61% of our outstanding common stock. As a result, we will be a “controlled company” under the listing requirements of Nasdaq, or the Nasdaq Rules. We do not intend to rely on any exemptions from the corporate governance requirements of the Nasdaq Rules. See the section titled “Management — Controlled Company Status.”

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 11.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

Per Share

 

Total

Public offering price

 

$

   

$

 

Underwriting discounts and commissions(1)

 

$

   

$

 

Proceeds to us, before expenses

 

$

   

$

 

____________

(1)    The underwriters will receive compensation in addition to the discounts and commissions. See “Underwriting” beginning on page 83 for a description of compensation payable to the underwriters.

We have granted a 30-day option to the representative of the underwriters to purchase up to            additional shares of common stock solely to cover over-allotments, if any.

The underwriters are offering the shares for sale on a firm commitment basis. The underwriters expect to deliver the shares to purchasers on or about            , 2024.

Roth Capital Partners

The date of this prospectus is            , 2024

 

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Page

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

 

1

THE OFFERING

 

8

SUMMARY HISTORICAL CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA

 

9

RISK FACTORS

 

11

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

27

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

29

MARKET FOR OUR COMMON STOCK

 

30

DIVIDEND POLICY

 

30

CAPITALIZATION

 

31

DILUTION

 

32

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

34

BUSINESS

 

46

MANAGEMENT

 

59

EXECUTIVE AND DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

 

65

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

 

71

PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS

 

73

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

 

75

SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

 

78

MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES TO NON-U.S. HOLDERS

 

79

UNDERWRITING

 

83

LEGAL MATTERS

 

90

EXPERTS

 

90

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

 

90

INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

F-1

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus or in any free writing prospectus that we may provide to you in connection with this offering. Neither we nor any of the underwriters has authorized anyone to provide you with information different from, or in addition to, that contained in this prospectus or in any such free writing prospectus. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We can provide no assurance as to the reliability of any other information that others may give you. Neither we nor any of the underwriters is making an offer to sell or seeking offers to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where or to any person to whom the offer or sale is not permitted. The information in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front cover of this prospectus, and the information in any free writing prospectus that we may provide you in connection with this offering is accurate only as of the date of such free writing prospectus. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

Trademarks

We own or have rights to various trademarks, service marks and trade names that we use in connection with the operation of our business. This prospectus may also contain trademarks, service marks and trade names of third parties, which are the property of their respective owners. Our use or display of third parties’ trademarks, service marks and trade names or products in this prospectus is not intended to, and does not imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship by us. Solely for convenience, the trademarks, service marks and trade names referred to in this prospectus may appear without the ®, TM or SM symbols, but the omission of such references is not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the right of the applicable owner of these trademarks, service marks and trade names.

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Market and Industry Data

Unless otherwise indicated, information contained in this prospectus concerning our industry, competitive position and the markets in which we operate is based on information from independent industry and research organizations, other third-party sources and management estimates. Management estimates are derived from publicly available information released by independent industry analysts and other third-party sources, as well as data from our internal research, and are based on assumptions we made upon reviewing such data, and our experience in, and knowledge of, such industry and markets, which we believe to be reasonable. In addition, projections, assumptions and estimates of the future performance of the industry in which we operate and our future performance are necessarily subject to uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors, including those described in “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.” These and other factors could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the estimates made by the independent parties and by us.

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This summary highlights information contained in greater detail elsewhere in this prospectus and does not contain all of the information that you should consider before deciding to invest in our common stock. You should read the entire prospectus carefully, including the “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included in this prospectus, before making an investment decision. Some of the statements in this prospectus constitute forward-looking statements. See “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.” Unless otherwise indicated in this prospectus, “Synergy CHC,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Synergy CHC Corp. and, where appropriate, its subsidiaries.

Our Company

We are a provider of consumer health care, beauty, and lifestyle products. Our current brand portfolio consists of two marquee brands, FOCUSfactor, a patented brain health supplement that has been shown to improve memory, concentration and focus, and Flat Tummy, a lifestyle and wellness brand that provides a suite of nutritional products to help women achieve their nutrition and weight management goals. During the year ended December 31, 2023, FOCUSfactor represented 87% of our net revenue and Flat Tummy was 13%. During the three months ended March 31, 2024, FOCUSfactor represented 85% of our net revenue and Flat Tummy represented 15%. Our products are sold through some of the nation’s leading club, mass drug, and other retailers such as Costco, Amazon.com, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, The Vitamin Shoppe, Target.com, H-E-B, Meijer, and Albertson’s. Additionally, we have expanded into Canada and the United Kingdom (UK).

We built our brand portfolio through strategic acquisitions. We acquired the FOCUSfactor brand in January 2015 for cash consideration of $6.0 million, including earnout. In November 2015, we acquired our second marquee brand, Flat Tummy, for AUD 10.0 million (or approximately $7.0 million), using a mix of cash and stock. Our capital structure following the acquisition of our key brands in 2015 was highly levered, and our focus was on paying our debt as we did not have the resources to grow our business. We have grown our FOCUSfactor brand from 3 SKUs at acquisition to over 34 SKUs, and our Flat Tummy Brand from 1 SKU to 13 SKUs.

Our growth from 2022 to the present was driven by expanded distribution of our FOCUSfactor product line to some of our major retailers, such as Costco, CVS and Walmart. This expansion included SKUs within our FOCUSfactor vision line as well as focus and energy Ready-to-Drink (RTD). As a result, net revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $42.8 million, an increase of $4.4 million, or 11%, over net revenue for the year ended December 31, 2022. Net revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2024 was $9.4 million, an increase of $1.4 million, or 18.2% over net revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2023. In particular, FOCUSfactor net revenue continued to benefit from our expanded distribution, increasing to $8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, a 25.4% increase over the same period in 2023.

Following the completion of this offering, we intend to use the proceeds to accelerate the growth of our current brands through advertising and other methods, and to drive our acquisition strategy as we have a pipeline of potential near-term acquisition targets that we are eager to pursue. In addition, we have tailored strategies for our Flat Tummy brand to maximize our return on investment and leverage our experience with both traditional and digital marketing. Our asset-light business model, in which we partner with third-party manufacturers to produce our brand offerings, allows us to scale quickly and profitably while satisfying growing demand.

During the year ended December 31, 2023, our net revenues, net income (loss) and EBITDA were $42.8 million, $6.3 million and $10.8 million, respectively, as compared to $38.4 million, $(32.6) million and $(25.8) million for the prior year. For the three months ended March 31, 2024, our net revenues, net income and EBITDA were $9.4 million, $0.6 million and $1.9 million, respectively, representing an increase of 18.2%, 77%, and 60% over the same period in the prior fiscal year.

Our Brands

Our flagship brand, FOCUSfactor, is a brain health nutritional supplement with over 24 years of history and a patented formula comprised of a proprietary blend of key brain supporting ingredients along with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. We believe FOCUSfactor is the only product in its category whose entire patented formula has been shown to support memory, concentration and focus. Our FOCUSfactor brand consists of over 34 SKUs and is sold primarily through leading retailers in the United States, including Costco, Walmart, Amazon.com, Walgreens, CVS, Meijer, and

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Albertson’s in addition to selling direct to consumer through the FOCUSfactor website. Across three of our key partners, we have increased the number of SKUs sold through the retailer from the single SKU available at the beginning of our relationship in 2015 or 2016. In addition, we have increased our presence in retail locations for these key partners, resulting in a significant increase in points of distribution, being the number of SKUs multiplied by the number of retail locations for each retailer. We have also expanded the brand internationally into Canada (2020), the UK (2023) and we anticipate being in Taiwan and Mexico in the second quarter of 2025 and in Australia and Asia in the first quarter of 2026.

FOCUSfactor has expanded into the beverage market with its focus plus energy RTD. According to Zion Research, the beverage market is a large ($176 billion in 2022) and growing (projected 8.6% CAGR through 2030) market with an expanding range of functional benefits such as energy, hydration, cognition/focus, weight loss, gut health and immunity. Examples such as Celsius and Beyond Raw offer dual-benefit products that deliver fat burning plus energy while C4 Smart Energy and FocusAid deliver focus plus energy. Additionally, consumers are looking for not only refreshing drinks but health perks such as zero sugar and low-calorie drinks. This consumer shift in preferences towards more functional benefits can be seen in the evolution of the energy RTD category where originally competitors like Red Bull and Monster delivered conventional energy, then the category offered more performance energy products with added vitamins and amino acids in products such as Reign and C4 Performance to products with more natural energy characteristics and then to the dual-benefit energy products that we see today.

FOCUSfactor is well-positioned to capitalize on the evolving energy RTD category (U.S. sales of $21.7 billion with a 3-year CAGR of 4.7%, according to Euromonitor) with its new focus plus energy RTD. We believe this represents a major growth opportunity, with our dual-benefit RTD formula offering both focus and energy behind a 24+ year brand with strong heritage and awareness in the area of brain health. The FOCUSfactor brand name clearly communicates the differentiation benefit of adding focus to energy. The FOCUSfactor formula does not have to rely as heavily on caffeine as other brands such as Celsius, Bang, Reign and C4, as its formula is a balanced blend of vitamins, cognitive nutrients and caffeine all in a zero sugar, low calorie, great-tasting drink. The brand also delivers a significant value relative to many competitors. Additionally, FOCUSfactor has long-term relationships with large retailers where it has an established presence, which will assist in market penetration for its RTD products. FOCUSfactor is looking to attract both existing consumers of supplement products (typically age 50+) to RTDs as well as a younger demographic (age 18-49).

FOCUSfactor has successfully demonstrated the ability to leverage its existing retailer relationships to expand its RTDs. FOCUSfactor conducted a 5-month trial of its RTD products at a warehouse club retailer throughout Texas with sales ranging from $550 per club per week to $2,382 per club per week. A second pilot is currently being conducted in a Canadian club retailer throughout Canada with results ranging from C$382 per club per week to C$2,231 per club per week.

Our second marquee brand, Flat Tummy, consists of a range of lifestyle and wellness products and accessories including tea, shakes, lollipops, supplements, apparel, and exercise accessories. We also provide a Flat Tummy mobile app, which, as of March 31, 2024, had over 1.6 million unique downloads and is intended as a tool to promote the Flat Tummy lifestyle centered around general wellness and health. Our Flat Tummy brand consists of 13 SKUs and is sold direct to consumer through the Flat Tummy website and application, as well as through Amazon.com, Target.com, and iherb.com.

We also own six additional, non-core brands. These developing brands are:

        Hand MD — complete hand care brand to help maintain clean and healthy hands while reducing the signs of aging.

        Perfekt Beauty — beauty line of products for the eyes, lips, brows, cheeks and skin.

        Sneaky Vaunt — a lingerie brand with a line of women’s shapewear, bralettes and panties.

        The Queen Pegasus — eyelash enhancement products for longer, thicker, natural lashes.

        Neuragen — fast-acting, effective topical treatments for neuropathic (nerve) pain.

        UrgentRx — line of fast-acting, portable, powdered over-the-counter medications.

While we may elect to promote these brands and commercialize their products in the future, we have prioritized our key brands, FOCUSfactor and Flat Tummy, and management is focused on the growth of these core products.

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Our net revenues by brand for the three months ended March 31, 2024 are below:

Net Revenue by Brand for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2024

In the United States, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”) has regulatory oversight over our FOCUSfactor and Flat Tummy products. However, no formal FDA approval or registration is required because our products are classified as dietary supplements (most FOCUSfactor products and some Flat Tummy products) or foods (some FOCUSfactor and Flat Tummy products).

In Canada, Health Canada (“HC”) has oversight over our FOCUSfactor and Flat Tummy products. Our FOCUSfactor and Flat Tummy products are considered natural health products by HC so they each have a natural product number that was assigned by HC upon its review and approval.

In the United Kingdom, both FOCUSfactor and Flat Tummy are considered food supplements that are regulated by the Food Standards Agency. While there is no requirement for licensing or registering food supplement products in the United Kingdom, products must comply with relevant food law.

In Australia, FOCUSfactor products are “Listed Medicines” that are regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (“TGA”) and require an AUST L (Australia Listed Medicine) number, which has been received for some SKUs. Flat Tummy products are classified as either Listed Medicines or meal replacements. Listed Medicines are regulated by the TGA while meal replacements are regulated under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

Our Competitive Strengths

We believe that we have attributes that differentiate us from our competitors and provide us with significant competitive advantages. Our key competitive strengths include:

Well-Positioned in Growing Categories Driven by Favorable Consumer Trends

An increased focus on health, beauty and wellness by consumers has served as a tailwind for our brands. The nutritional supplement market has experienced significant growth across a range of areas including immune health, brain health, heart health, sleep/stress, and overall nutrition and wellness as a result of an aging population, increased obesity, pandemic concerns and a desire for more natural solutions and treatments over prescription medication. We believe that we are well positioned to benefit from these favorable trends. The brain health segment is slated to grow at 8% per year in the United States and 13% per year globally, according to Grand View Research. Our FOCUSfactor and Flat Tummy brands have seen strong growth with net revenues up 18% year-over-year in the three months ended March 31, 2024. We believe our focus on lifestyle products has also benefited from the growth and prevalence of social media.

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Results Backed by Independent Study for FOCUSfactor

We believe FOCUSfactor is the only product in its category with both a patent and an independent clinical study to support the product claims for improved memory, concentration, and focus. FOCUSfactor has been tested in a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group study to evaluate its effect on memory, concentration, and focus in healthy adults.

In this study, FOCUSfactor was tested on its entire 52-ingredient formulation rather than testing one or two ingredients within a formulation. FOCUSfactor was shown to provide a 44% increase in recall memory (an increase of 6.5 words compared to 4.5 words for the placebo group) after six weeks of use versus placebo. This differentiates FOCUSfactor from other brain-health supplements and is a prime reason why FOCUSfactor has been placed in premier retailers. This controlled study was conducted in healthy male and female subjects between the ages of 18 and 65 who were randomized in a control group and a placebo group. Subjects were compensated for their participation. See “Business — FOCUSfactor Study” for additional information.

Experienced Management Team with Proven Track Record of Value Creation

Our executive team has a combined 90 years of experience in consumer marketing and distribution and has been instrumental in acquiring and building our core brands. Management has exercised strong financial discipline in its acquisition strategy, with a focus on acquiring brands at attractive valuations. For example, we acquired FOCUSfactor for approximately 3x trailing EBITDA. For the three months ended March 31, 2024, the year ended December 31, 2023 and the year ended December 31, 2022, FOCUSfactor generated net revenue of $8 million, $37.2 million and $31.8 million, respectively. Management’s philosophy is to acquire promising brands that fit within our health, beauty and lifestyle offerings, and apply our marketing and distribution strategies to develop brands to their full potential. We believe we are adept at identifying promising opportunities that build out and complement our core brand portfolio.

Premier Retail Partners

Our premier retail partners include Costco, Walmart, Amazon.com, Walgreens, Meijer, Albertson’s, and CVS. We sell products to these partners under their standard arrangements, which do not include a term or duration, as sales under each vendor agreement are generally made on a purchase order basis. Our partners provide a platform to expand the breadth of our current offerings through product line extensions and new product innovation. We continue to introduce new SKUs to our current retail partners, such as the addition of FOCUSfactor RTDs and vision products to our membership club and other channels. Additionally, the international footprint of certain of our various retail partners facilitates our geographic expansion plans.

Scalable and Flexible Asset-Light Model to Support Growth

Our focus is on brand management, marketing, product development and distribution, and we utilize contract manufacturing partners in order to produce our various brand offerings. The use of third-party manufacturing partners allows us to scale quickly, as we ensure that our partners have sufficient capacity to meet our demand needs. We also maintain multiple relationships with different contract manufacturers, ensuring diversification of our manufacturing base and reducing the likelihood of supply bottlenecks or deficits that could potentially slow our growth.

Our Growth Strategy

We intend to drive growth and increased profitability in our business through these key elements of our strategy:

Broaden Media Advertising Strategy

We have experienced significant acceleration in sales growth for the FOCUSfactor brand as a result of our television advertising in prior years. We launched a national advertising campaign in August 2020, which aired on major news and entertainment networks such as Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, TLC, and TNT, targeting adults 45 years of age and older. We anticipate a coordinated expansion of our advertising strategy towards the end of 2024, as we focus on pushing additional SKUs within our retail sales partner network to continue to build brand awareness and increase reach for FOCUSfactor. We also plan to invest in online marketing to promote all of our brands, including social media and influencer driven marketing. We have also experienced significant growth through our increased distribution, which we continue to drive forward.

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Acquire Brands which Complement Our Existing Portfolio

We will continue to evaluate acquisition opportunities that we believe fit well within our brand portfolio and create value for our stockholders, such as further retail expansion in nutraceuticals and market expansion in health and beauty. In spite of historical capital constraints, our opportunistic approach to acquisitions has resulted in a successful track record of identifying promising targets that align with our overall brand strategy in the health, beauty and lifestyle segments. With the proceeds from this offering, we expect to accelerate our acquisition strategy, focusing on acquisition targets that management believes have the greatest synergistic potential, enabling us to significantly grow our product offerings and reach.

Partner with Additional Leading Retailers to Expand the Reach of Our Products

We have established distribution relationships with premier retail partners, including Costco, Walmart, Amazon.com, Walgreens, CVS, The Vitamin Shoppe, Target.com, H-E-B, Meijer, and Albertson’s. Based on the success of our products with these leading retail partners, we believe that we are well positioned to add new retailers that will enhance our distribution footprint. We believe we have expansion opportunities with food retailers, including those focused on health foods. We intend to introduce three to five new SKUs across three potential retailers, which would potentially result in the addition of approximately 50,000 points of distribution.

Diversify Our Geographic Presence through Entry into New Markets

We seek to accelerate our sales growth by expanding and further diversifying our geographic footprint. In the year ended December 31, 2023, markets outside of North America represented 5% of our total net revenues. Our goal is to increase our net revenues generated from new markets. As we target new international markets, our strategy is to develop highly competitive and differentiated products that are produced in-country for ease of entry, with support from our regulatory group and an in-country regulatory consultant to help expedite the approval process. In the United Kingdom, where we have distribution with Costco and Holland & Barrett, we have established relationships with manufacturers who began producing FOCUSfactor in-country in December 2021. We currently plan to enter the Taiwan and Mexico markets in the second quarter of 2025 and in Australia and Asia in the first quarter of 2026, initially with FOCUSfactor, then followed by Flat Tummy. In Mexico, we have identified local manufacturers and will begin connecting with retailers in Mexico in 2024. We then plan to expand our brands into Australia (where we have TGA approval for our FOCUSfactor products) and Asian markets in 2026. In addition, we are developing our marketing plans in compliance with applicable law, and are initiating retailer meetings as we seek to gain distribution across these new retail markets.

Use Innovative Strategies to Boost Consumer Engagement

We have made investments in promoting an app for Flat Tummy and view this as a key aspect of growing our customer base and maintaining high levels of engagement. We have also focused on developing our social media presence, in particular through Instagram, in order to foster and grow our relationship with customers. Our brands appeal to both specific consumer needs as well as lifestyle choices and we seek to deepen our understanding of our customers and boost recognition of our brands through increased engagement.

Continue to Develop and Expand Our Current Brands

Our plan is to further develop and expand our brands by reaching a broader set of customers through advertising and product expansion. More specifically, we look to develop new products for our brands to satisfy the various customer segment opportunities (i.e., baby boomers, millennials, etc.) and satisfy various consumer needs as they relate to new and improved formulations, expanded and improved product benefits, alternative delivery formats and sizes. As we increase the product line-up behind our brands, we leverage our current retail distribution network by expanding our presence as well as adding incremental distribution with new retail partners. With a broader brand presence, we believe our advertising becomes even more efficient at driving sales velocity.

This is evidenced by our expanded FOCUSfactor product line, including focus and energy Ready-to-Drink (RTD) and liquid shots that are marketed to a younger adult audience. In 2023, we successfully launched an RTD pilot program in the United States through a major retailer. This major retailer will be re-launching the RTDs at the end of 2024. Additionally, in the second quarter of 2024, we launched three core FOCUSfactor focus and energy RTD

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products in Canada. In 2025, we plan to introduce an additional FOCUSfactor supplement for Taiwan, RTDs for the UK and focus and energy coffee for the United States. We also look to introduce new graphics for the FOCUSfactor line that provide a more impactful design, in the third quarter of 2024. In the fourth quarter of 2024, we plan on introducing new complementary products to the Flat Tummy line-up, including new protein shakes, gut-healthy ready-to-drink beverage, hydration powder and pre-workout powder. Additionally, we plan to employ this strategy of expanding our brands into international markets that include Mexico and Asia, among others.

Marketing and Sales

Our targeted, consumer-driven marketing strategy has been key to building our brands and driving revenue growth. We manage dedicated marketing strategies for each of our brands in order to build deep connections with our customers.

FOCUSfactor.    Our marketing strategy for FOCUSfactor is primarily focused on increased distribution and advertising campaigns that appeal to the demographics of our wellness focused customer base. In the year ended December 31, 2023, FOCUSfactor net revenue increased 17% year-over-year, to $37.2 million, due to increased distribution. As our flagship brand, FOCUSfactor accounted for 88% of our net revenue in the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared with 81% in the three months ended March 31, 2023, 85% in the year ended December 31, 2023 and 83% in the year ended December 31, 2022.

Flat Tummy.    We employ a primarily online and social media driven strategy for our Flat Tummy brand. The brand is focused primarily on women. We employ campaigns to reach our core target segments through a mix of traditional online advertising as well as influencer-based marketing. In the three months ended March 31, 2024, Flat Tummy accounted for 15% of our net revenue, compared with 20% in the three months ended March 31, 2023, 13% in the year ended December 31, 2023 and 17% in the year ended December 31, 2022.

Competition

The U.S. nutritional supplements retail industry is a large and highly fragmented industry with few barriers to entry. We compete against other domestic and international manufacturers, specialty retailers, mass merchants, multi-level marketing organizations, mail-order and direct-to-consumer companies, and e-commerce companies. This market is highly sensitive to the introduction of new products, which may rapidly capture a significant share of the market. Certain of our competitors may have significantly greater financial, technical and marketing resources than we do, and may be able to adapt to changes in consumer preferences more quickly, devote greater resources to the marketing and sale of their products, or generate greater brand recognition. In addition, our competitors may be more effective and efficient in introducing new products.

Summary Risk Factors

An investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks summarized below. These risks are discussed more fully in the section titled “Risk Factors” following this prospectus summary. These risks include, but are not limited to, the following:

        We operate in a highly competitive industry and our failure to compete effectively could materially and adversely affect our sales and growth prospects;

        Our failure to appropriately respond to changing consumer preferences and demand for new products or product enhancements could significantly harm our relationship with customers and our product sales, as well as our financial condition and operating results;

        Our sales growth is dependent upon maintaining our relationships with a small number of existing large customers, and the loss of any one such customer could materially adversely affect our business and financial performance;

        If our outside suppliers and manufacturers fail to supply products in sufficient quantities and in a timely fashion, our business could suffer;

        Adverse or negative publicity could cause our business to suffer;

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        We continue to explore new strategic initiatives, but we may not be able to successfully execute on, or realize the expected benefits from, the implementation of our strategic initiatives, and our pursuit of new strategic initiatives may pose significant costs and risks;

        The nutritional supplement industry increasingly relies on intellectual property rights and although we seek to ensure that we do not infringe the intellectual property rights of others, there can be no assurance that third parties will not assert intellectual property infringement claims against us;

        We plan to expand into additional international markets, which will expose us to significant operational risks;

        We may experience product recalls, withdrawals or seizures, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations;

        We and our suppliers are subject to numerous laws and regulations that apply to the manufacturing and sale of nutritional supplements, and compliance with these laws and regulations, as they currently exist or as modified in the future, may increase our costs, limit or eliminate our ability to sell certain products, subject us or our suppliers to the risk of enforcement action or litigation, or otherwise adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition; and

        The other factors described in “Risk Factors.”

Our Corporate Information

We were organized as a corporation under the laws of the State of Nevada on December 29, 2010 under the name “Oro Capital Corporation.” In April 2014, Synergy Strips Corp., a Delaware corporation, became our wholly-owned subsidiary, and we changed our name from “Oro Capital Corporation” to “Synergy Strips Corp.” In August 2015, we changed our name to “Synergy CHC Corp.” In January 2019, our other U.S. subsidiaries, Neuragen Corp., Sneaky Vaunt Corp., The Queen Pegasus Corp. and Breakthrough Products Inc., merged with and into the Company. In July 2021, we acquired Hand MD Corp. as a wholly-owned subsidiary.

We were a public reporting company until July 17, 2020, the date on which we filed a Form 15 to voluntarily suspend our duty to file reports under Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act. As a result of this offering, we will become subject again to the information and reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and we will file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC.

The address of our principal executive offices is currently 865 Spring Street, Westbrook, Maine 04092 and our phone number is (207) 321-2350. Our website is www.synergychc.com. The information contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference in, and is not part of, this prospectus.

1-for-            Reverse Stock Split

Prior to the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, we will effect a 1-for-            reverse stock split with respect to our common stock. Unless we indicate otherwise or the context otherwise requires, all information in this prospectus gives effect to this reverse stock split.

Implications of Being a Smaller Reporting Company

We are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in the Exchange Act. We may take advantage of certain of the scaled disclosures available to smaller reporting companies so long as the market value of our voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates is less than $250.0 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter, or our annual revenue is less than $100.0 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates is less than $700.0 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter.

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THE OFFERING

Common stock offered

 

          shares.

Common stock to be outstanding after this offering

 


          shares (or            shares if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full).

Over-allotment option

 

We have granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional          shares of our common stock at the public offering price to cover over-allotments, if any.

Use of proceeds

 

We estimate that the net proceeds to us from this offering will be approximately $          million, or approximately $          million if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full, assuming a public offering price of $          per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.

We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering to support our organic growth, for advertising and for other general corporate purposes, including for unidentified potential acquisitions. See “Use of Proceeds.”

Risk factors

 

You should read the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus beginning on page 11 for a discussion of factors to consider carefully before deciding to invest in shares of our common stock.

Proposed Nasdaq Capital Market symbol

 

SNYR

Insider Participation

 

Certain of our officers, directors and stockholders, including          , and certain of their respective affiliates, have indicated an interest in participating in this offering at the public offering price. We anticipate that such persons will purchase in the aggregate approximately          shares of common stock offered hereby. However, because indications of interest are not binding agreements or commitments to purchase, the underwriters could determine to sell fewer shares to them than they indicated an interest in purchasing or sell no shares to them, and they could determine to purchase fewer shares than they indicated an interest in purchasing or purchase no shares in this offering.

As of June 18, 2024, 89,889,074 shares of our common stock were outstanding. Unless we indicate otherwise or the context otherwise requires, all information in this prospectus:

        assumes no exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option;

        excludes 4,000,000 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding options at a weighted exercise price of $0.61 per share;

        gives effect to a 1-for-            reverse stock split with respect to our common stock, which will occur prior to the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part; and

        excludes 14,525,000 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance pursuant to our 2024 Equity Incentive Plan.

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SUMMARY HISTORICAL CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA

The following tables set forth our summary historical consolidated financial data as of, and for the periods ended on, the dates indicated.

The summary consolidated statements of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 are derived from our audited consolidated financial statements and notes that are included elsewhere in this prospectus.

The summary condensed consolidated statements of operations data for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 and the summary consolidated balance sheet data as of March 31, 2024 are derived from our unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements and notes that are included elsewhere in this prospectus. We have prepared the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and on the same basis as the audited consolidated financial statements. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of our results in any future period and results from our interim period may not necessarily be indicative of the results of the entire year.

 

For the
three months
ended
March 31,
2024

 

For the
three months
ended
March 31,
2023

 

For the year
ended
December 31,
2023

 

For the year
ended
December 31,
2022

   

(Unaudited)

 

(Unaudited)

       

Statement of operations data:

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Revenue

 

$

9,411,863

 

$

7,962,166

 

 

$

42,777,633

 

$

38,410,674

 

Cost of sales

 

 

2,637,139

 

 

2,084,964

 

 

 

10,697,323

 

 

25,112,988

 

Gross profit

 

 

6,774,724

 

 

5,877,202

 

 

 

32,080,310

 

 

13,297,686

 

Total operating expenses

 

 

4,966,395

 

 

4,728,498

 

 

 

21,273,564

 

 

39,468,116

 

Income (loss) from operations

 

 

1,808,329

 

 

1,148,704

 

 

 

10,806,746

 

 

(26,170,430

)

Total other expenses

 

 

1,100,610

 

 

831,194

 

 

 

4,233,016

 

 

6,428,686

 

Net income (loss) before income taxes

 

 

707,719

 

 

317,510

 

 

 

6,573,730

 

 

(32,599,116

)

Income tax expense (benefit)

 

 

127,189

 

 

(10,918

)

 

 

234,980

 

 

32,172

 

Net income (loss) after tax

 

$

580,530

 

$

328,428

 

 

$

6,338,750

 

$

(32,631,288

)

Net income (loss) per share – basic and diluted

 

$

0.01

 

$

0.00

 

 

$

0.07

 

$

(0.36

)

Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic and diluted

 

 

89,889,074

 

 

89,889,074

 

 

 

89,889,074

 

 

89,889,074

 

EBITDA

 

$

1,850,645

 

$

1,153,540

 

 

$

10,841,596

 

$

(25,809,320)

 

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

We currently focus on EBITDA to evaluate our business relationships and our resulting operating performance and financial position. EBITDA is defined as net income plus interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization. We believe that EBITDA, viewed in addition to, and not in lieu of, our reported results in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”), provides useful information to investors.

 

Three Months
Ended
March 31,
2024

 

Three Months
Ended
March 31,
2023

 

Year Ended
December 31,
2023

 

Year Ended
December 31,
2022

   

(Unaudited)

 

(Unaudited)

       

Net income (loss)

 

$

580,530

 

 

$

328,428

 

 

$

6,338,750

 

 

$

(32,631,288

)

Interest income

 

 

(387

)

 

 

(382

)

 

 

(1,616

)

 

 

(569

)

Interest expense

 

 

1,109,980

 

 

 

836,412

 

 

 

4,236,149

 

 

 

6,450,365

 

Taxes

 

 

127,189

 

 

 

(10,918

)

 

 

234,980

 

 

 

32,172

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

33,334

 

 

 

 

 

 

33,333

 

 

 

340,000

 

EBITDA

 

$

1,850,645

 

 

$

1,153,540

 

 

$

10,841,596

 

 

$

(25,809,320

)

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EBITDA is considered a non-GAAP financial measure. EBITDA represents earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. Our definition of EBITDA might not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.

 

March 31,
2024

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

   

(Unaudited)

       

Balance sheet data:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current assets

 

$

11,746,352

 

 

$

11,822,849

 

 

$

18,541,733

 

Total assets

 

 

12,129,685

 

 

 

12,239,516

 

 

 

18,541,733

 

Current liabilities

 

 

11,831,017

 

 

 

14,021,882

 

 

 

30,262,522

 

Total liabilities

 

 

38,723,491

 

 

 

39,545,489

 

 

 

52,061,600

 

Total stockholders’ deficit

 

 

(26,593,806

)

 

 

(27,305,973

)

 

 

(33,519,867

)

Total liabilities and stockholders’ deficit

 

$

12,129,685

 

 

$

12,239,516

 

 

$

18,541,733

 

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RISK FACTORS

An investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the following risks and all of the other information contained in this prospectus before deciding whether to invest in our common stock. If any of the following risks are realized, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our common stock could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment in our common stock. Additional risks of which we are not presently aware or that we currently believe are immaterial may also harm our business and results of operations. Some statements in this prospectus, including such statements in the following risk factors, constitute forward-looking statements. See the section entitled “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

Risks Related to Our Business, Strategy and Industry

We operate in a highly competitive industry and our failure to compete effectively could materially and adversely affect our sales and growth prospects.

The U.S. nutritional supplements retail industry is a large and highly fragmented industry with few barriers to entry. We compete against other domestic and international manufacturers, specialty retailers, mass merchants, multi-level marketing organizations, mail-order and direct-to-consumer companies, and e-commerce companies. This market is highly sensitive to the introduction of new products, which may rapidly capture a significant share of the market. As certain products become more mainstream, with broader distribution, we may experience increased competition for those products. Increased competition from companies that distribute through retail, e-commerce or wholesale channels could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Certain of our competitors may have significantly greater financial, technical and marketing resources than we do, and may be able to adapt to changes in consumer preferences more quickly, devote greater resources to the marketing and sale of their products, or generate greater brand recognition. In addition, our competitors may be more effective and efficient in introducing new products. Furthermore, if we fail to maximize the efficiency of our ship direct to customers strategies, or fail to provide our customers with an attractive omni-channel experience, our business and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. We may not be able to compete effectively, and any of the factors listed above may cause price reductions, reduced margins and losses of our market share.

Our failure to appropriately respond to changing consumer preferences and demand for new products or product enhancements could significantly harm our relationship with customers and our product sales, as well as our financial condition and operating results.

Our business is subject to changing consumer trends and preferences, including rapid and frequent changes in demand for products, new product introductions and enhancements. Our failure to accurately predict these trends could negatively impact consumer opinion of our products, which in turn could harm our customer relationships and cause the loss of sales. The success of our new product offerings and enhancements depends upon a number of factors, including our ability to:

        accurately anticipate consumer needs;

        innovate and develop new products or product enhancements that meet these needs;

        successfully commercialize new products or product enhancements in a timely manner;

        price our products competitively;

        manufacture and deliver our products in sufficient volumes and in a timely manner; and

        differentiate our product offerings from those of our competitors.

If we do not introduce new products or make enhancements to meet the changing needs of our customers in a timely manner, some of our products could be rendered obsolete, which could negatively impact our revenues, financial condition, and operating results.

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We depend on a small number of large retailers for a significant portion of our sales. Our sales growth is dependent upon maintaining our relationships with existing customers, and the loss of any one such customer could materially adversely affect our business and financial performance.

Certain retailers make up a significant percentage of our products’ retail volume. For the year ended December 31, 2023, our top three customers accounted for 78% of our net revenue. We sell products to each of Costco, Amazon and CVS under their standard vendor agreements. These vendor agreements do not include a term or duration as sales under each vendor agreement are generally made on a purchase order basis, and do not include any termination provisions. The loss of sales of any of our products in a major retailer, or the reduction of purchasing levels or the cancellation of any business from a major retailer, could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial performance. In addition, if we were to lose one or more of these retailers as a distribution channel for our products, we can make no assurances that we will be able to find a comparable retailer to replace such relationship or that we will be able to find a replacement at all, which could negatively impact our revenues, financial condition, and operating results.

If our outside suppliers and manufacturers fail to supply products in sufficient quantities and in a timely fashion, our business could suffer.

Contract manufacturers produce all of our products. Our contract manufacturers acquire all of the raw materials for manufacturing our products from third-party suppliers. We also depend on outside suppliers for the packaging materials for our products. In the event we were to lose any significant suppliers or contract manufacturers and have trouble in finding or transitioning to alternative suppliers or manufacturers, it could result in product shortages or product back orders, which could harm our business. There can be no assurance that suppliers will be able to provide our contract manufacturers the raw materials in the quantities and at the appropriate level of quality that we request or at a price that we are willing to pay. We are also subject to delays caused by any interruption in the production of these materials including weather, disease, crop conditions, climate change, transportation interruptions and natural disasters or other catastrophic events. Our profit margins and timely product delivery are dependent upon the ability of our suppliers and contract manufacturers to supply us with products in a timely and cost-efficient manner. Our ability to enter new markets and sustain satisfactory levels of sales in each market depends on the ability of our suppliers and contract manufacturers to provide required levels of ingredients and products and to comply with all applicable regulations. The failure of our outside suppliers or manufacturers to supply ingredients or produce our products could materially adversely affect our business operations. We believe we have dependable suppliers for all of our ingredients and we have identified alternative suppliers and manufacturers for all of our ingredients and products. If our suppliers are unable to perform, any delay in replacing or substituting such ingredients could adversely affect our business.

A downturn in the economy, could affect consumer purchases of discretionary items such as the health and wellness products that we offer, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, profitability, and cash flows.

We offer a broad selection of health and wellness products. A downturn in the economy could adversely impact consumer purchases of discretionary items such as health and wellness products. The United States and global economies may slow dramatically as a result of a variety of factors, including turmoil in the credit and financial markets, concerns regarding the stability and viability of major financial institutions, the state of the housing markets, and volatility in worldwide stock markets. In the event of such economic downturn, the U.S. and global economies could become significantly challenged in a recessionary state for an indeterminate period of time. Inflation or other changes in economic conditions that negatively affect demand for discretionary items could adversely affect our revenue. These economic conditions could cause many of our existing and potential customers to delay or reduce purchases of our products for some time, which in turn could harm our business by adversely affecting our revenues, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. We cannot predict these economic conditions or the impact they would have on our consumers or business.

Adverse or negative publicity could cause our business to suffer.

Our business depends, in part, on the public’s perception of our integrity and the safety and quality of our products. Any adverse publicity could negatively affect the public’s perception about our industry, our products, or our reputation and could result in a significant decline in our operations. Specifically, we are susceptible to adverse or negative publicity regarding:

        the nutritional supplements industry;

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        skeptical consumers;

        competitors;

        the safety and quality of our products and/or our ingredients;

        any recalls or adverse health consequences of our competitors’ products;

        regulatory investigations of our products or our competitors’ products; and

        scandals or regulatory investigations regarding the business practices or products of our competitors.

We continue to explore new strategic initiatives, but we may not be able to successfully execute on, or realize the expected benefits from, the implementation of our strategic initiatives, and our pursuit of new strategic initiatives may pose significant costs and risks.

Our strategic initiatives are focused on, among other things, new product acquisition, new customer acquisition, improving the customer experience through the roll-out of initiatives including increasing customer engagement and personalization, improving the omni-channel experience (including in stores as well as through the internet and mobile devices), providing a relevant and inspiring product assortment and improving customer loyalty and retention. We also continually evaluate acquisition opportunities that we believe fit well within our brand portfolio and create value for our stockholders. Our future operating results are dependent, in part, on our management’s success in implementing these and other strategic initiatives, and as a result could divert management’s attention from our existing business as management focuses on developing these initiatives and related operations. Also, our short-term operating results could be unfavorably impacted by the opportunity and financial costs associated with the implementation of our strategic plans or the completion of any acquisitions, and we might not realize the benefits from such strategies. In addition, we may not be successful in achieving the intended objectives of the strategic initiatives (including acquisitions) in a timely manner or at all. We may choose to fund any acquisitions by way of (i) debt, which would subject us to additional covenant obligations and liquidity constraints, (ii) cash, which could divert working capital away from our existing business, or (iii) equity, which would result in dilution for existing stockholders, or any combination of the foregoing. There can also be no guarantee that we will be able to obtain debt on favorable terms, or at all.

As has been the case with our historical acquisition transactions, future business combinations could involve the acquisition of significant tangible and intangible assets, which could require us to record ongoing amortization expense with respect to identified intangible assets acquired. In addition, we may need to record write-downs from future impairments of identified tangible and intangible assets and goodwill. These and other similar accounting charges would reduce any future earnings or increase any losses. In future acquisitions, we could also incur debt to pay for acquisitions or issue additional equity securities as consideration, either of which could cause our stockholders to suffer significant dilution. Additionally, our ability to utilize net operating loss carryforwards, if any, acquired in any acquisitions may be significantly limited or unusable by us under Section 382 or other sections of the Internal Revenue Code (as has been the case with our net operating loss carryforwards attributable to the acquisition of Breakthrough Products, Inc.).

Current and future acquisitions may use significant resources, may be unsuccessful, and could expose us to unforeseen liabilities.

As part of our growth strategy, we have a history of pursuing acquisitions of companies with products that are similar or complementary to those that we provide in our businesses to better leverage our existing, scalable infrastructure, and may continue to pursue this strategy in the future. These acquisitions may involve significant cash expenditures, debt incurrence, additional operating losses and expenses, and compliance risks that could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

We may not be able to successfully integrate our acquired businesses into our company, and therefore, we may not be able to realize the intended benefits of an acquisition. If we fail to successfully integrate acquisitions, our financial condition and results of operations may be materially adversely affected. These acquisitions could result in difficulties integrating acquired operations, technologies, and personnel into our business. Such difficulties may divert significant financial, operational, and managerial resources from our existing operations and make it more difficult to achieve our operating and strategic objectives. We may fail to retain employees or employer customers acquired

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through these acquisitions, which may negatively impact the integration efforts. These acquisitions could also harm our results of operations if it is subsequently determined that goodwill or other acquired intangible assets are impaired, thus resulting in an impairment charge in a future period.

In addition, these acquisitions involve risks that the acquired businesses will not perform in accordance with expectations, that we may become liable for unforeseen financial or business liabilities of the acquired businesses, including liabilities for failure to comply with healthcare regulations, that the expected synergies associated with acquisitions will not be achieved, and that business judgments concerning the value, strengths, and weaknesses of businesses acquired will prove incorrect, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

The nutritional supplement industry increasingly relies on intellectual property rights and although we seek to ensure that we do not infringe the intellectual property rights of others, there can be no assurance that third parties will not assert intellectual property infringement claims against us, which claims may result in substantial costs and diversion of management and other resources and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and operating results. Our inability to acquire, protect or maintain our intellectual property could harm our ability to compete or grow.

Recently it has become more and more common for suppliers and competitors to apply for patents or develop proprietary technologies and processes. We seek to ensure that we do not infringe the intellectual property rights of others, but there can be no assurance that third parties will not assert intellectual property infringement claims against us. These developments could prevent us from offering or supplying competitive products or ingredients in the marketplace. They could also result in litigation or threatened litigation against us related to alleged or actual infringement of third-party rights. If an infringement claim is asserted or litigation is pursued, we may be required to obtain a license of rights, pay royalties on a retrospective or prospective basis or terminate our manufacturing and marketing of our products that are alleged to have infringed. Litigation with respect to such matters could result in substantial costs and diversion of management and other resources and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We have one U.S. patent and numerous U.S. and foreign trademarks and service marks. There can be no assurance that the protection afforded by the patent and these trademarks and service marks will provide us with a competitive advantage or that we will be able to assert our intellectual property rights in infringement actions. We may be required to defend our intellectual property against such infringement, which could result in substantial costs and diversion of management and other resources. In addition, results of such litigation are difficult to predict and if we are not successful in defending our intellectual property rights, this could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

If we are not able to adequately prevent disclosure of proprietary knowledge, the value of our products could be materially diminished.

Trade secrets are difficult to protect. We rely on trade secrets to protect our proprietary knowledge, especially where we do not believe patent protection is appropriate or obtainable, or where such patents would be difficult to enforce. We rely in part on confidentiality agreements to protect our trade secrets and other proprietary knowledge. We cannot guarantee that we have entered into such agreements with each party that may have had access to our proprietary knowledge, or that such agreements, even if in place, will not be circumvented. These agreements may not effectively prevent disclosure of proprietary knowledge and may not provide an adequate remedy in the event of unauthorized disclosure of such information. In addition, others may independently discover our trade secrets and proprietary knowledge, in which case we may have no right to prevent them from using such trade secrets or proprietary knowledge to compete with us. Costly and time-consuming litigation could be necessary to enforce and determine the scope of our proprietary rights, and failure to obtain or maintain trade secret protection could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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International expansion will subject our business to additional economic and operational risks that could increase our costs and make it difficult to operate profitably.

One of our key growth strategies is to pursue international expansion. Expansion of our international operations may require significant expenditure of financial and management resources and result in increased administrative and compliance costs. As a result of such expansion, we will be increasingly subject to the risks inherent in conducting business internationally, including:

        foreign currency fluctuations, which could result in reduced revenues and increased operating expenses;

        longer or less predictable payment and sales cycles;

        difficulty in collecting accounts receivable;

        applicable foreign tax structures, including tax rates that may be higher than tax rates in the United States or taxes that may be duplicative of those imposed in the United States;

        tariffs and trade barriers;

        general economic and political conditions in each country;

        inadequate intellectual property protection in foreign countries;

        uncertainty regarding liability for information retrieved and replicated in foreign countries;

        the difficulties and increased expenses of complying with a variety of foreign laws, regulations and trade standards; and

        unexpected changes in regulatory requirements.

As a result of these risks, we may be required to incur higher than expected costs to implement or we may not be able to achieve the expected benefits of our international strategy. If we are unsuccessful in this international expansion, we would be required to reevaluate our growth strategy, and we may have incurred substantial expenses and devoted significant management time and resources in pursuing international growth.

We may experience product recalls, withdrawals or seizures, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may be subject to product recalls, withdrawals or seizures if any of the products we sell are believed to cause injury or illness or if we are alleged to have violated governmental regulations in the manufacturing, labeling, promotion, sale or distribution of those products. A significant recall, withdrawal or seizure of any of the products we manufacture or sell may require significant management attention, would likely result in substantial and unexpected costs and may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. Furthermore, a recall, withdrawal or seizure of any of our products may adversely affect consumer confidence in our brands and thus decrease consumer demand for our products. As is common in the nutritional supplements industry, we rely on our contract manufacturers and suppliers to ensure that the products they manufacture and sell to us comply with all applicable regulatory and legislative requirements. In general, we seek representations and warranties, indemnification and/or insurance from our contract manufacturers and suppliers. However, even with adequate insurance and indemnification, any claims of non-compliance could significantly damage our reputation and consumer confidence in our products. In addition, the failure of those products to comply with applicable regulatory and legislative requirements could prevent us from marketing the products or require us to recall or remove such products from the market, which in certain cases could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Increases in the price or shortages of supply of key raw materials could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our products are composed of certain key raw materials. If the prices of these raw materials were to increase significantly, it could result in a significant increase to us in the prices charged to us. Raw material prices may increase in the future and we may not be able to pass on those increases to customers who purchase our products. A significant increase in the price of raw materials that cannot be passed on to customers could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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We are subject to credit risk.

We are exposed to credit risk primarily on our accounts receivable. We provide credit to our customers in the ordinary course of our business and perform ongoing credit evaluations. While we believe that our exposure to concentrations of credit risk with respect to accounts receivable is mitigated by our large retail partner base, and we make allowances for doubtful accounts, we nevertheless run the risk of our customers not being able to meet their payment obligations, particularly in a future economic downturn. If a material number of our customers were not able to meet their payment obligations, our results of operations could be harmed.

Natural disasters and unusually adverse weather conditions could cause permanent or temporary damage to our distribution centers, impair our ability to purchase, receive or replenish inventory or cause customer traffic to decline, all of which could result in lost sales and otherwise materially and adversely affect our results of operations.

The occurrence of one or more natural disasters, such as hurricanes, fires, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, high winds and other severe weather, could materially and adversely affect our operations and results of operations. To the extent these events result in the suspension of shipping by our distributors, closure of our corporate headquarters, or a significant number of the stores in which our products are sold, or to the extent they adversely affect one or more of our key suppliers, our operations and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected through an inability to make deliveries to stores and through lost sales. In addition, these events could result in increases in fuel (or other energy) prices or a fuel shortage, the temporary lack of an adequate work force in a market, the temporary or long-term disruption in the supply of products from suppliers, delay in the delivery of goods to our distribution centers or stores, the temporary reduction in the availability of products in our stores and disruption to our information systems, as noted above. These events also could have indirect consequences, such as increases in the cost of insurance, if they were to result in significant loss of property or other insurable damage.

Loss of key vendor relationships or failure of a vendor to protect our data or confidential and proprietary information could affect our operations.

We rely on services and products provided by many vendors in the United States and abroad. These include, for example, outsourcing of manufacturing services. In the event that any vendor suffers a bankruptcy or otherwise becomes unable to continue to provide products or services, or fails to protect our confidential, proprietary, or other information, we may suffer operational impairments and financial losses. In addition, while we generally monitor vendor risk, including the security and stability of our critical vendors, we may fail to properly assess and understand the risks and costs involved in the third-party relationships, and our financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

We anticipate that we will continue to rely on third-party vendors in the future. Although we believe that there are commercially reasonable alternatives to the third-party vendors we currently utilize, this may not always be the case, or they may be difficult or costly to replace. In addition, integration of new third-party vendors may require significant work and require substantial investment of our time and resources. Our use of additional or alternative third-party vendors would require us to enter into agreements with third parties, which may not be available on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Many of the risks associated with the use of third-party vendors cannot be eliminated, and these risks could negatively affect our business.

Our e-commerce business is dependent on certain third parties. Changes in business practices or terms by such third parties could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

Our e-commerce business has several third-party relationships that contribute to our ability to generate revenue from a variety of online sources. These relationships may be dependent upon third-party tools, such as search engines, established business terms negotiated by us, or utilization of third-party marketplaces. If the economics of these relationships or the use of the third-party tools used to drive revenue change materially, this could affect our decision to maintain these relationships, and could result in lost sales and otherwise materially and adversely affect our financial performance.

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If we do not successfully develop and maintain a relevant omni-channel experience for our customers, our business and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

Omni-channel retailing is rapidly evolving, and we must keep pace with changing customer expectations and new developments by our competitors. Our customers are increasingly using computers, tablets, mobile phones, and other devices to shop online. As part of our omni-channel strategy, we have made and will continue to make technology investments to expand our online distribution. If we are unable to make, improve, or develop relevant customer-facing technology in a timely manner, our ability to compete and our business and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. In addition, if our e-commerce businesses or our other customer-facing technology systems do not function as designed, we may experience a loss of customer confidence, lost sales, or data security breaches, any of which could materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

Our principal stockholders have the ability to significantly influence or control matters requiring a stockholder vote and other stockholders may not have the ability to influence corporate transactions.

Currently, our principal stockholders beneficially own approximately 61% of our outstanding common stock, and following this offering, assuming the number of shares of common stock offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, will beneficially own approximately            % of our outstanding common stock. As a result, they have the ability to determine the outcome on all matters requiring approval of our stockholders, including the election of directors and approval of significant corporate transactions.

We are a “controlled company” within the meaning of the Nasdaq rules and, as a result, qualify for, and may rely on, exemptions and relief from certain corporate governance requirements. If we rely on these exemptions, our stockholders will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to such requirements.

Following this offering, our principal stockholders will beneficially own approximately 61% of the voting power of our common stock. As a result, we will be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the Nasdaq corporate governance standards. Under these corporate governance standards, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power in the election of directors is held by an individual, group or another company is a “controlled company” and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements. For example, controlled companies are not required to have:

        a board that is composed of a majority of “independent directors,” as defined under the Nasdaq rules;

        a compensation committee that is composed entirely of independent directors; and

        director nominations be made, or recommended to the full board of directors, by its independent directors, or by a nominations/governance committee that is composed entirely of independent directors.

While we do not intend to rely on the exemptions relating to being a “controlled company” within the meaning of the Nasdaq rules, we may utilize these exemptions for as long as we continue to qualify as a “controlled company.” Accordingly, our stockholders may not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of Nasdaq. Investors may find our common stock less attractive as a result of our reliance on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may be more volatile.

We are highly dependent on our management team, and the loss of our senior executive officers or other key employees could harm our ability to implement our strategies, impair our relationships with customers and adversely affect our business, results of operations and growth prospects.

Our success depends, in large degree, on the skills of our management team and our ability to retain, recruit and motivate key officers and employees. Our active senior executive leadership team, including Jack Ross, Stacy McLaughlin and Alfred Baumeler, have significant experience, and their knowledge and relationships would be difficult to replace. Leadership changes will occur from time to time, and we cannot predict whether significant resignations will occur or whether we will be able to recruit additional qualified personnel. Competition for senior executives and skilled personnel in our industry is intense, which means the cost of hiring, paying incentives and retaining skilled personnel may continue to increase.

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We need to continue to attract and retain key personnel and to recruit qualified individuals to succeed existing key personnel to ensure the continued growth and successful operation of our business. In addition, we must attract and retain qualified personnel to continue to grow our business, and competition for such personnel can be intense. Our ability to effectively compete for senior executives and other qualified personnel by offering competitive compensation and benefit arrangements may be restricted by cash flow and other operational restraints. The loss of the services of any senior executive or other key personnel, or the inability to recruit and retain qualified personnel in the future, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. In addition, to attract and retain personnel with appropriate skills and knowledge to support our business, we may offer a variety of benefits, which could reduce our earnings or have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Cyber incidents or attacks directed at us could result in information theft, data corruption, operational disruption and/or financial loss.

We depend on digital technologies, including information systems, infrastructure and cloud applications and services, including those of third parties with which we may deal. Sophisticated and deliberate attacks on, or security breaches in, our systems or infrastructure, or the systems or infrastructure of third parties or the cloud, could lead to corruption or misappropriation of our assets, proprietary information and sensitive or confidential data. As an early-stage company without significant investments in data security protection, we may not be sufficiently protected against such occurrences. We may not have sufficient resources to adequately protect against, or to investigate and remediate any vulnerability to, cyber incidents. It is possible that any of these occurrences, or a combination of them, could have adverse consequences on our business and lead to financial loss. Due to the political uncertainty involving Russia and Ukraine and the Middle East, there is an increased likelihood that escalation of tensions could result in cyber-attacks that could either directly or indirectly impact our business and lead to financial loss.

Our existing indebtedness may adversely affect our ability to obtain additional funds and may increase our vulnerability to economic or business downturns.

We are subject to a number of risks associated with our indebtedness, including: 1) we must dedicate a portion of our cash flows from operations to pay debt service costs, and therefore we have less funds available for operations and other purposes; 2) it may be more difficult and expensive to obtain additional funds through financings, if available at all; 3) we are more vulnerable to economic downturns and fluctuations in interest rates, less able to withstand competitive pressures and less flexible in reacting to changes in our industry and general economic conditions; and 4) if we default under any of our existing loans or if our creditors demand payment of a portion or all of our indebtedness, we may not have sufficient funds to make such payments. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, our outstanding current liabilities were approximately $11.8 million and $14.0 million, respectively.

We may need to raise additional capital in the future, and our failure to do so could restrict our operations or adversely affect our ability to operate and continue our business. There is no guarantee that we will successfully raise additional capital on favorable terms or at all and if and when we need it.

If we need to raise additional capital in the future for any reason, we cannot be certain that we will be able to obtain additional financing on favorable terms, if at all, and any additional financings may result in additional dilution to holders of the common stock. For instance, debt financing, if available, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions such as incurring additional debt, expending capital, or declaring dividends, or which impose financial covenants on us that limit our ability to achieve our business objectives. Additionally, if we enter into secured debt arrangements, we could be required to dispose of material assets or operations to meet our debt service and other obligations, which could negatively impact the business or cause the business to be discontinued. If we need additional capital and cannot raise it on acceptable terms, we may not be able to meet our business objectives and be unable to continue operating as a going concern.

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Legal and Regulatory Risks

Our products are subject to government regulation, both in the United States and abroad, which could increase our costs significantly and limit or prevent the sale of our products.

The manufacture, packaging, labeling, advertising, promotion, distribution and sale of our products are subject to regulation by numerous national and local governmental agencies in the United States and other countries. The primary regulatory bodies in the United States are the FDA and FTC, and we are also subject to similar regulatory bodies in all the countries in which we do business. Failure to comply with regulatory requirements may result in various types of penalties or fines. These include injunctions, product withdrawals, recalls, product seizures, fines and criminal prosecutions. Individual U.S. states also regulate nutritional supplements. A state may seek to interpret claims or products presumptively valid under federal law as illegal under that state’s regulations. For example, in February 2015, the New York Attorney General issued cease and desist letters to several national retailers regarding certain herbal supplements, and since that time both the New York Attorney General and other states’ Attorneys General have engaged in inquiries regarding the manufacture and sale of various supplements, and pursuant to such inquiries could seek to take actions against industry participants or amend applicable regulations in their state. In markets outside the United States, we are usually required to obtain approvals, licenses, or certifications from a country’s ministry of health or comparable agency, as well as labeling and packaging regulations, all of which vary from country to country. Approvals or licensing may be conditioned on reformulation of products or may be unavailable with respect to certain products or product ingredients. Any of these government agencies, as well as legislative bodies, can change existing regulations, or impose new ones, or could take aggressive measures, causing or contributing to a variety of negative consequences, including:

        requirements for the reformulation of certain or all products to meet new standards;

        the recall or discontinuance of certain or all products;

        additional record keeping;

        expanded documentation of the properties of certain or all products;

        expanded or different labeling;

        adverse event tracking and reporting; and

        additional scientific substantiation.

Any or all of these requirements could have a material adverse effect on us. There can be no assurance that the regulatory environment in which we operate will not change or that such regulatory environment, or any specific action taken against us, will not result in a material adverse effect on us.

Congress and/or regulatory agencies may impose additional laws or regulations or change current laws or regulations, and state attorneys general may increase enforcement of existing or new laws, and compliance with new or changed governmental regulations, or any state attorney proceeding, could increase our costs significantly and materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

From time to time, Congress, the FDA, the FTC, or other federal, state, local or foreign legislative and regulatory authorities may impose additional laws or regulations that apply to us, repeal laws or regulations that we consider favorable to us or impose more stringent interpretations of current laws or regulations. We are not able to predict the nature of such future laws, regulations, repeals or interpretations or to predict the effect that additional governmental regulation, when and if it occurs, would have on our business in the future. Those developments could require reformulation of certain products to meet new standards, recalls or discontinuance of certain products (including products that we sell) not able to be reformulated, additional record-keeping requirements, increased documentation of the properties of certain products, additional or different labeling, additional scientific substantiation, adverse event reporting or other new requirements. For example, in recent years, the FDA has issued warning letters to several cosmetic companies alleging improper claims regarding their cosmetic products. If the FDA determines that we have disseminated inappropriate drug claims for our products intended to be sold as cosmetics, we could receive a warning or untitled letter, be required to modify our product claims or take other actions to satisfy the FDA. Any developments of this nature could increase our costs significantly and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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Our failure to comply with regulations could result in substantial monetary penalties and could adversely affect our operating results.

The marketing and labeling of any food product in recent years has brought increased risk that consumers will bring class action lawsuits and that the FTC and/or state attorneys general will bring legal action concerning the truth and accuracy of the marketing and labeling of the product, seek removal of a product from the marketplace, and/or impose fines and penalties. Products that we sell carry express or implied statements relating to the ingredients or health and wellness related attributes of our products. For example, in May 2017, we were one of 45 brands that were warned by the FTC regarding influencer promotion of products on Instagram. The FTC warned the companies and influencers that any sponsored posts for a product must use clear language indicating that the post is a paid sponsorship. The lack of regulatory definition for many label statements has contributed to legal challenges against many supplements companies, and plaintiffs have commenced legal actions against several nutritional supplement companies, asserting false, misleading and deceptive advertising and labeling claims. As a result of such legal or regulatory challenges, consumers may avoid purchasing products from us or seek alternatives, even if the basis for the claim is unfounded.

The FTC has instituted numerous enforcement actions against dietary supplement companies for failure to have adequate substantiation for claims made in advertising or for the use of false or misleading advertising claims. Failure by us to comply with applicable regulations could result in substantial monetary penalties, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

Even when unmerited, class claims, action by the FTC or state attorneys general enforcement actions can be expensive to defend and adversely affect our reputation with existing and potential customers and consumers and our corporate and brand image, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. The number of private consumer class actions relating to false or deceptive advertising against nutritional supplement companies has increased in recent years. In addition, the FDA has aggressively enforced its regulations with respect to different types of product claims that may or may not be made for food products. These events could interrupt the marketing and sales of our products, severely damage our brand reputation and public image, increase our legal expenses, result in product recalls or litigation, and impede our ability to deliver our products in sufficient quantities or quality, which could result in a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

We may experience product liability claims and litigation to prosecute such claims, and although we maintain product liability insurance, which we believe to be adequate for our needs, there can be no assurance that our insurance coverage will be adequate or that we will be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage in the future. In addition, we may be subject to consumer fraud claims, including consumer class action claims regarding product labeling and advertising, and litigation to prosecute such claims; these claims are generally not covered by insurance.

We could face financial liability from product liability claims if the use of our products results in significant loss or injury. We can make no assurances that we will not be exposed to any future product liability claims. Such claims may include claims that our products contain contaminants or that we fail to provide or provide inadequate warnings concerning side effects or interactions of our products with other substances. Such claims may result in substantial settlement amounts or judgments against us, and may also require us to incur additional costs to change the packaging of our products to include adequate warning language or subject our products to additional testing. A product liability claim, regardless of its merit or ultimate outcome, could result in:

        injury to our reputation;

        decreased demand for our products;

        diversion of management’s attention;

        a change in the design, manufacturing process or the indications for which our marketed products may be used;

        loss of revenue; and

        an inability to commercialize product candidates.

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In addition, consumer fraud claims, including consumer class action claims regarding product labeling and advertising, are increasingly common as to food and dietary supplement products. If we face such claims, we may be forced to defend the action in the applicable courts. If such claims are found to be correct, this would have a material adverse effect on us and our reputation.

We carry insurance coverage in the types and amounts that we consider reasonably adequate to cover the risks we face from product liability claims. If insurance coverage is inadequate or unavailable or premium costs continue to rise, we may face additional claims not covered by insurance, and claims that exceed coverage limits or that are not covered could have a material adverse effect on us. Moreover, liability claims arising from a serious adverse event may in addition to increasing our costs through higher insurance premiums and deductibles, make it more difficult to secure adequate insurance coverage in the future. Because insurance is generally hard to obtain for such claims, these could have a material adverse effect on us.

We may experience Lanham Act claims by competitors, and litigation to prosecute such claims.

The Lanham Act empowers competitors to file suit regarding any promotional statements that the competitor believes to be false or misleading. If a competitor prevails, it could obtain monetary damages, including potentially treble damages and attorneys’ fees. A court can also order corrective advertising, or even a product recall if the offending claims are found on the product’s packaging and labeling. If we experience a Lanham Act claim filed against us, this could have a material adverse effect on us and on our products’ reputation.

If we fail to protect the integrity and security of customer-related and other confidential information, we could be exposed to litigation, increased costs and reputational damage, and our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.

The use of individually identifiable data by us, our customers, and others is regulated at the state, federal and international levels. Privacy and information security laws and regulations change from time to time, and there may not always be clear guidance from the respective governments and regulators regarding the interpretation of these laws and regulations, which may create the risk of an inadvertent violation. In addition, the increasing costs of compliance with those laws and regulations and related technology investments could materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations. Additionally, the success of our e-commerce operations depends upon the secure transmission of confidential information over public networks, including the use of cashless payments, and we use computers in substantially all other aspects of our business operations. Such uses give rise to cybersecurity risks, including security breach, espionage, system disruption, theft and inadvertent release of information. While we have taken significant steps to protect customers’ personal information, consumer preferences and credit card information, and other confidential information, including our employees’ private information and financial and strategic data about the Company and our business partners, our suppliers or others may undermine our security measures. As a result, unauthorized parties may obtain access to our data systems and misappropriate confidential data. Furthermore, because the methods used to obtain unauthorized access change frequently and may not be immediately detected, we may be unable to anticipate these methods or implement preventative measures, and our incident response efforts may not be entirely effective. Any preventative measures we implement may have the potential to negatively affect our relations with our customers or decrease activity on our websites or apps by making them less user-friendly. If our data security is compromised, it could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, results of operations and financial condition, materially increase the costs we incur to protect against those events in the future and subject us to additional legal risk and a competitive disadvantage and damage to our brand reputation. In addition, our customers could lose confidence in our ability to protect their personal information, which could cause them to stop using our websites or apps. We are reliant on third-party electronic payment systems and platforms, such as PayPal, Stripe, Amazon Pay, Afterpay and Shopify Payments, not only to protect the security of the information stored, but also to appropriately track and record data. Any failures or inadequacies in these third-party systems, even if unrelated to our business, could result in significant liability, could materially and adversely affect our reputation and business and could cause government agencies to enact additional regulatory requirements or to modify their enforcement or investigation activities.

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Changes in accounting standards and subjective assumptions, estimates and judgments by management related to complex accounting matters could significantly affect our financial results.

U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and related pronouncements, implementation guidelines and interpretations with regard to a wide variety of matters that are relevant to our business, such as, but not limited to, revenue recognition, stock-based compensation, trade promotions, and income taxes are highly complex and involve many subjective assumptions, estimates and judgments by our management. Changes to these rules or their interpretation or changes in underlying assumptions, estimates or judgments by our management could significantly change our reported results.

Risks Related to this Offering and Ownership of Our Common Stock

An active, liquid trading market for our common stock does not currently exist and may not develop after this offering, and as a result, you may not be able to sell your common stock at or above the public offering price, or at all.

Prior to September 28, 2021, shares of our common stock were quoted on the OTC Markets Group, Inc. Pink tier under the symbol “SNYR.” Trading on the OTC Pink marketplace was infrequent and in limited volume. As a result of amendments to Exchange Act Rule 15c2-11, because we do not presently make current information publicly available, our common stock was shifted to the OTC Expert Market on September 28, 2021, which means that there are no longer publicly-available quotations of our common stock. Although we intend to apply to list our shares of common stock on Nasdaq in connection with this offering, an active trading market for shares of our common stock may never develop or be sustained following this offering. If an active trading market does not develop, you may have difficulty selling your shares of common stock at an attractive price, or at all. The public offering price for our common stock will be determined by negotiations between us and the representative of the underwriters and may not be indicative of prices that will prevail in the open market following this offering. Consequently, you may not be able to sell your common stock at or above the public offering price or at any other price or at the time that you would like to sell. An inactive market may also impair our ability to raise capital by selling our common stock and may impair our ability to expand our business by using our common stock as consideration in an acquisition.

The price of our common stock may be volatile, and you may be unable to resell your shares at or above the price paid.

The trading price of our common stock may fluctuate substantially. The market price of our common stock may fluctuate higher or lower, depending on many factors, some of which are beyond our control and may not be related to our operating performance. These fluctuations could cause you to lose all or part of your investment in our common stock. Factors that could cause fluctuations in the trading price of our common stock include the following:

        actual or anticipated fluctuations in our financial condition and operating results;

        actual or anticipated changes in our growth rate relative to our competitors;

        commercial success and market acceptance of our products;

        success of our competitors in developing or commercializing products;

        ability to commercialize or obtain regulatory approvals for our product, or delays in commercializing or obtaining regulatory approvals;

        strategic transactions undertaken by us;

        additions or departures of key personnel;

        product liability claims;

        prevailing economic conditions;

        disputes concerning our intellectual property or other proprietary rights;

        FDA or other U.S. or foreign regulatory actions affecting us or our industry;

        sales of our common stock by our officers, directors or significant stockholders;

        future sales or issuances of equity or debt securities by us;

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        business disruptions caused by earthquakes, fires or other natural disasters;

        issuance of new or changed securities analysts’ reports or recommendations regarding us;

        changes in our capital structure, such as future issuances of debt or equity securities;

        short sales, hedging and other derivative transactions involving our capital stock; and

        general economic and geopolitical conditions, including the current or anticipated impact of military conflict and related sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States and other countries due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In addition, if the market for stocks in our industry or the stock market, in general, experience a loss of investor confidence, the trading price of our common stock could decline for reasons unrelated to our business, results of operations, or financial condition. The trading price of our common stock might also decline in reaction to events that affect other companies in our industry even if these events do not directly affect us. In the past, following periods of volatility in the market price of a company’s securities, securities class action litigation has often been brought against that company. If our stock price is volatile, we may become the target of securities litigation. Securities litigation could result in substantial costs and divert our management’s attention and resources from our business. This could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

You may be diluted by future issuances of common stock in connection with our incentive plans, acquisitions or otherwise; future sales of such shares in the public market, or the expectations that such sales may occur, could lower our stock price.

Our certificate of incorporation authorizes us to issue shares of our common stock and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to our common stock for the consideration and on the terms and conditions established by our Board of Directors (the “Board”) in its sole discretion. We could issue a significant number of shares of common stock in the future in connection with investments or acquisitions. Any of these issuances could dilute our existing stockholders, and such dilution could be significant. Moreover, such dilution could have a material adverse effect on the market price for the shares of our common stock.

A significant number of our total outstanding shares are restricted from immediate resale, but may be sold into the market in the near future. This could cause the market price of our common stock to drop significantly, even if our business is doing well.

Subject to certain exceptions, without the prior written consent of Roth Capital Partners, LLC, as representative of the underwriters, we, and our officers and directors and our 5% and greater stockholders, during the period ending 180 days after the date of this prospectus, have agreed not to: (1) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, make any short sale or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of common stock or any securities convertible into, exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive shares of common stock; (2) file any registration statement with the SEC relating to the offering of any shares of common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock; or (3) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of common stock, subject to certain exceptions. Roth Capital Partners, LLC, in its sole discretion, may release the common stock and other securities subject to the lock-up agreements described above in whole or in part at any time with or without notice. See “Underwriting.”

The market price of our common stock may decline significantly when the restrictions on resale by our existing stockholders lapse. A decline in the market price of our common stock might impede our ability to raise capital through the issuance of additional shares of common stock or other equity securities.

You will incur immediate dilution in the net tangible book value of the shares you purchase in this offering.

The public offering price of our common stock will be higher than the net tangible book value per share of outstanding common stock prior to completion of this offering. Based on our net tangible book value as of March 31, 2024 and upon the issuance and sale of shares of common stock by us at the assumed public offering price of $            per share (the mid-point of the range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus), if you purchase our common stock in this offering, you will suffer immediate dilution of approximately $            per share in net tangible

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book value. Dilution is the amount by which the offering price paid by purchasers of our common stock in this offering will exceed the as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock upon completion of this offering. If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares, you will experience future dilution. A total of 14,525,000 shares of common stock have been reserved for future issuance under our 2014 Equity Incentive Plan. You may experience additional dilution upon future equity issuances or the exercise of stock options to purchase common stock granted to our directors, officers and employees under our current and future stock-based compensation plans.

We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future.

We currently intend to retain our future earnings, if any, for the foreseeable future, to repay indebtedness and to fund the development and growth of our business. We do not intend to pay any dividends to holders of our common stock in the foreseeable future. Any decision to declare and pay dividends in the future will be made at the discretion of our Board taking into account various factors, including our business, operating results and financial condition, current and anticipated cash needs, plans for expansion, any legal or contractual limitations on our ability to pay dividends under our loan agreements or otherwise. As a result, if our Board does not declare and pay dividends, the capital appreciation in the price of our common stock, if any, will be your only source of gain on an investment in our common stock, and you may have to sell some or all of your common stock to generate cash flow from your investment.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, or if they downgrade their recommendations regarding our common stock, its trading price and volume could decline.

We expect the trading market for our common stock to be influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts publish about us, our business or our industry. As a new public company, we do not currently have and may never obtain research coverage by securities and industry analysts. If no securities or industry analysts commence coverage of our company, the trading price for our stock may be negatively impacted. If we obtain securities or industry analyst coverage and if one or more of these analysts cease coverage of our company or fail to publish reports on us regularly, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline and our common stock to be less liquid. Moreover, if one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrades our stock or publishes inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, or if our results of operations do not meet their expectations, our stock price could decline.

The requirements of being a public company may strain our resources, divert management’s attention and affect our ability to attract and retain executive management and qualified board members.

We were a public reporting company until July 17, 2020, the date on which we filed a Form 15 to voluntarily suspend our duty to file reports under Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act. At that time, because our common stock was not listed on a national securities exchange, we believed that the significant cost reductions associated with ceasing to be a reporting company would benefit us and our stockholders. After review, we felt that being on the over the counter market was not valuable due to the illiquidity and limited investor base. We now believe that listing our common stock on a national securities exchange, although accompanied by reporting requirements, is in our best interest because we expect such listing to improve the liquidity of our common stock, broaden the pool of investors that may be interested in investing in us, improve the attractiveness of using our stock as consideration for acquisitions and make our common stock a more attractive investment for institutional investors.

As a result of this offering, we will become subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, as amended, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Act, and other applicable securities rules and regulations. Compliance with these rules and regulations involves significant legal and financial compliance costs, may make some activities more difficult, time-consuming or costly and may increase demand on our systems and resources. The Exchange Act requires, among other things, that we file annual, quarterly and current reports with respect to our business and operating results. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires, among other things, that we maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. In order to maintain and, if required, improve our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting to meet this standard, significant resources and management oversight may be required. As a result, management’s attention may be diverted from other business concerns, which could adversely affect our business and operating results. We may need to hire more employees in the future or engage outside consultants, which will increase our costs and expenses.

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In addition, changing laws, regulations and standards relating to corporate governance and public disclosure are creating uncertainty for public companies, increasing legal and financial compliance costs and making some activities more time consuming. These laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations, in many cases due to their lack of specificity, and, as a result, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance is provided by regulatory and governing bodies. This could result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and higher costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to disclosure and governance practices. We intend to invest resources to comply with evolving laws, regulations and standards, and this investment may result in increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management’s time and attention from revenue-generating activities to compliance activities. If our efforts to comply with new laws, regulations and standards differ from the activities intended by regulatory or governing bodies due to ambiguities related to their application and practice, regulatory authorities may initiate legal proceedings against us, and our business may be adversely affected.

Furthermore, although we are permitted to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of our directors and officers, we do not currently do so and may have to expend significant funds to cover our commitments to indemnify our directors and officers. However, we are considering obtaining such insurance coverage with terms of coverage appropriate for a company of our size and nature.

We may be subject to additional regulatory burdens resulting from our public listing.

We are working with our legal, accounting and financial advisors to identify those areas in which changes should be made to our financial management control systems to manage our obligations as a public company listed on Nasdaq. These areas include corporate governance, corporate controls, disclosure controls and procedures and financial reporting and accounting systems. We have made, and will continue to make, changes in these and other areas, including our internal controls over financial reporting. However, we cannot assure holders of our common stock that these and other measures that we might take will be sufficient to allow us to satisfy our obligations as a public company listed on Nasdaq on a timely basis. In addition, compliance with reporting and other requirements applicable to public companies listed on Nasdaq will create additional costs for us and will require the time and attention of management. We cannot predict the amount of the additional costs that we might incur, the timing of such costs or the impact that management’s attention to these matters will have on our business.

The existence of indemnification rights held by our directors, officers and employees may result in substantial expenses.

Our articles of incorporation allow for us to, and our amended and restated bylaws will provide that we are obligated to, indemnify each of our directors or officers to the fullest extent authorized by Nevada law and, subject to certain conditions, advance the expenses incurred by any director or officer in defending any action, suit or proceeding prior to its final disposition. Those indemnification obligations could expose us to substantial expenditures to cover the cost of settlement or damage awards against our directors or officers, which we may be unable to afford. Further, those provisions and resulting costs may discourage us or our stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against any of our current or former directors or officers for breaches of their fiduciary duties, even if such actions might otherwise benefit our stockholders.

Anti-takeover effects of certain provisions of Nevada state law hinder a potential takeover of us.

Though not now, we may be or in the future we may become subject to Nevada’s control share law. A corporation is subject to Nevada’s control share law if it has more than 200 stockholders, at least 100 of whom are stockholders of record and residents of Nevada, and it does business in Nevada or through an affiliated corporation. The law focuses on the acquisition of a “controlling interest,” which means the ownership of outstanding voting shares sufficient, but for the control share law, to enable the acquiring person to exercise the following proportions of the voting power of the corporation in the election of directors: (i) one-fifth or more but less than one-third; (ii) one-third or more but less than a majority; or (iii) a majority or more. The ability to exercise such voting power may be direct or indirect, as well as individual or in association with others.

The effect of the control share law is that the acquiring person, and those acting in association with it, obtains only such voting rights in the control shares as are conferred by a resolution of the stockholders of the corporation, approved at a special or annual meeting of stockholders. The control share law contemplates that voting rights will be considered only once by the other stockholders. Thus, there is no authority to strip voting rights from the control

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shares of an acquiring person once those rights have been approved. If the stockholders do not grant voting rights to the control shares acquired by an acquiring person, those shares do not become permanent non-voting shares. The acquiring person is free to sell its shares to others. If the buyers of those shares themselves do not acquire a controlling interest, their shares do not become governed by the control share law.

If control shares are accorded full voting rights and the acquiring person has acquired control shares with a majority or more of the voting power, any stockholder of record, other than an acquiring person, who has not voted in favor of approval of voting rights is entitled to demand fair value for the redemption of such stockholder’s shares.

Nevada’s control share law may have the effect of discouraging takeovers of the corporation.

In addition to the control share law, Nevada has a business combination law, which prohibits certain business combinations between Nevada corporations and “interested stockholders” for two years after the “interested stockholder” first becomes an “interested stockholder,” unless the corporation’s board of directors approves the combination in advance or thereafter by both the board of directors and 60% of the disinterested stockholders. For purposes of Nevada law, an “interested stockholder” is any person who is (i) the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 10% or more of the voting power of the outstanding voting shares of the corporation, or (ii) an affiliate or associate of the corporation and at any time within the two previous years was the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 10% or more of the voting power of the then outstanding shares of the corporation. The definition of the term “business combination” is sufficiently broad to cover virtually any kind of transaction that would allow a potential acquirer to use the corporation’s assets to finance the acquisition or otherwise to benefit its own interests rather than the interests of the corporation and its other stockholders.

The effect of Nevada’s business combination law is to potentially discourage parties interested in taking control of us from doing so if it cannot obtain the approval of our board of directors.

We may experience fluctuations in our tax obligations and effective tax rate, which could materially and adversely affect our results of operations.

We are subject to U.S. federal and state income taxes and taxes in certain other non-U.S. jurisdictions. Tax laws, regulations and administrative practices in various jurisdictions may be subject to significant change, with or without advance notice, due to economic, political and other conditions, and significant judgment is required in evaluating and estimating our provision and accruals for these taxes. There are many transactions that occur during the ordinary course of business for which the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. Our effective tax rates could be affected by numerous factors, such as changes in tax, accounting and other laws, regulations, administrative practices, principles and interpretations, the mix and level of earnings in a given taxing jurisdiction or our ownership or capital structures. For example, the United States government may enact significant changes to the taxation of business entities including, among others, an increase in the corporate income tax rate, an increase in the tax rate applicable to certain income earned overseas and elimination of certain exemptions, and the imposition of minimum taxes or surtaxes on certain types of income. No specific United States tax legislation has been proposed at this time and the likelihood of these changes being enacted or implemented is unclear. We are currently unable to predict whether such changes will occur and, if so, the ultimate impact on our business. We urge investors to consult with their legal and tax advisers regarding implications of potential changes in U.S. tax laws on an investment in our common stock.

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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus includes statements that express our opinions, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or projections regarding future events or future results and therefore are, or may be deemed to be, “forward-looking statements.” All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this prospectus may be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms “believes,” “estimates,” “continues,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “seeks,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “may,” “will,” “would” or “should” or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology. They appear in a number of places throughout this prospectus, and include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs or current expectations concerning, among other things, our results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, prospects, growth, strategies, future acquisitions and the industry in which we operate.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. We believe that these risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described in the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus, which include, but are not limited to, risks related to the following:

        our ability to compete in our industry, including against competitors that have significantly greater financial, technical and marketing resources than we do;

        our ability to respond to customer preferences and successfully develop new and innovative products in a timely manner and effectively manage the introduction of new or enhanced products;

        risks related to a loss of, or material cancellation, reduction, or delay in purchases by, one or more of our largest customers;

        our outside suppliers and manufacturers failing to supply products in sufficient quantities and in a timely fashion;

        our ability to execute on our strategic initiatives (including acquisitions);

        our ability to maintain the reputation of our brands;

        the risks related to consumers’ perception of the safety and quality of our products as well as similar products distributed by other companies in our industry;

        the risks related to third parties asserting intellectual property infringement claims against us;

        the risks related to our planned expansion into additional international markets;

        the risks related to adverse economic conditions;

        the risks related to catastrophic events;

        our ability to retain key personnel, manage our business effectively, and continue to grow;

        the impact of numerous laws and regulations that apply to the manufacture, sale, and manufacturing of nutritional supplements, and compliance with these laws and regulations, as they currently exist or as modified in the future, on us and our suppliers;

        the risks related to product recalls;

        the risks related to product liability claims and litigation to prosecute such claims; and

        the other factors described in “Risk Factors.”

These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read with the other cautionary statements in this prospectus.

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Although we base these forward-looking statements on assumptions that we believe are reasonable when made, we caution you that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that our actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and industry developments may differ materially from statements made in or suggested by the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus. The matters summarized under “Prospectus Summary,” “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Business” and elsewhere in this prospectus could cause our actual results to differ significantly from those contained in our forward-looking statements. In addition, even if our results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and industry developments are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus, those results or developments may not be indicative of results or developments in subsequent periods.

In light of these risks and uncertainties, we caution you not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement that we make in this prospectus speaks only as of the date of such statement, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement or to publicly announce the results of any revision to any of those statements to reflect future events or developments, except as required by applicable law. Comparisons of results for current and any prior periods are not intended to express any future trends or indications of future performance, unless specifically expressed as such, and should only be viewed as historical data.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

Assuming a public offering price of $            per share, the midpoint of the range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, we estimate that the net proceeds to us from the sale of our common stock in this offering will be $            million (or $            million if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full), after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and the estimated offering expenses payable by us. Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed public offering price would increase (decrease) the net proceeds to us from this offering by approximately $            million (or $            million if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full), assuming the number of shares we sell, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and the estimated offering expenses payable by us.

We intend to use the net proceeds (which will be approximately $            million, or $            million if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full) to support our organic growth, for advertising and for other general corporate purposes, including to fund potential future investments and acquisitions of companies that we believe are complementary to our business and consistent with our growth strategy. Although we may, from time to time, evaluate potential strategic investments and acquisitions, we do not have any agreements, commitments or plans for any specific acquisitions at this time.

This expected use of the net proceeds from this offering represents our intentions based upon our current plans and business conditions. As of the date of this prospectus, we cannot predict with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to be received upon the closing of this offering or the amounts that we will actually spend on each allocation. As a result, our management will have broad discretion over how these proceeds are used.

Pending out use of the net proceeds from this offering, we intend to invest the net proceeds in a variety of capital preservation investments, including short-term, investment-grade, interest-bearing instruments and U.S. government securities.

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MARKET FOR OUR COMMON STOCK

As a result of amendments to Exchange Act Rule 15c2-11, because we do not presently make current information publicly available, our common stock was shifted from the OTC Markets Group, Inc. Pink tier to the OTC Expert Market on September 28, 2021, which means that there are no longer publicly-available quotations of our common stock. Prior to September 28, 2021, shares of our common stock were quoted on the OTC Pink under the symbol “SNYR.” Although our shares were quoted on the OTC Pink from July 2020 to September 2021, because trading on the OTC Pink was infrequent and limited in volume, the prices at which such transactions occurred may not necessarily reflect the price that would be paid for our common stock in a more liquid market. From April 2014 to July 2020, our common stock was quoted on the OTC Markets Group, Inc. OTCQB under the symbol “SNYR.” As of June 18, 2024, there were approximately 37 record holders of our common stock.

We intend to apply to list our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “SNYR.” However, we cannot assure you that a liquid trading market for our common stock will develop or be sustained after this offering. You may not be able to sell your shares quickly or at the market price if trading in our common stock is not active. See “Underwriting” for more information regarding our arrangements with the underwriters and the factors considered in setting the public offering price.

DIVIDEND POLICY

Since our inception, we have not paid any dividends on our common stock, and we currently expect that, for the foreseeable future, all earnings, if any, will be retained for use in the development and operation of our business. In the future, our Board may decide, at its discretion, whether dividends may be declared and paid to holders of our common stock.

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CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth our cash and cash equivalents and capitalization as of March 31, 2024:

        on an actual basis; and

        on an as adjusted basis to give effect to our 1-for-            reverse stock split, the issuance and sale by us in this offering of            shares of our common stock at an assumed public offering price of $            per share (the midpoint of the range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus), after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses that we expect to pay.

This table should be read in conjunction with, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, “Use of Proceeds,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

As of March 31, 2024

   

Actual

 

As Adjusted

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

910,749

 

   
   

 

 

 

   

Capitalization:

 

 

 

 

   

Current debt:

 

 

 

 

   

Current portion of long-term notes payable, net of debt discount and debt issuance cost, related party

 

$

1,400,000

 

 

Short term loans

 

 

4,094,057

 

 

Total current debt

 

 

5,494,057

 

 

Long-term debt:

 

 

 

 

   

Note payable, net of debt discount, related party

 

 

12,335,452

 

 

Loans payable

 

 

14,557,022

 

 

Total long-term debt

 

 

26,892,474

 

 

Stockholders’ deficit:

 

 

 

 

   

Common stock, $0.00001 par value; 300,000,000 shares authorized; 89,889,074 and            , shares issued and outstanding, respectively

 

 

899

 

   

Additional paid in capital

 

 

19,147,884

 

   

Accumulated other comprehensive income

 

 

29,170

 

   

Accumulated deficit

 

 

(45,771,759

)

 

 

Total stockholders’ deficit

 

 

(26,593,806

)

 

 

Total Capitalization

 

$

5,792,725

 

 

 

Unless we indicate otherwise, all information in this Capitalization section:

        assumes no exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option;

        excludes 4,000,000 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding options at a weighted exercise price of $0.61 per share; and

        excludes 14,525,000 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance pursuant to our 2014 Equity Incentive Plan.

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DILUTION

If you invest in our common stock in this offering, your interest will be diluted to the extent of the difference between the public offering price per share of our common stock and the as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock immediately after the closing of this offering.

Our historic net tangible book value of our common stock as of March 31, 2024 was approximately $(26.9 million), or $(0.30) per share, based on the number of shares of our common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2024. Historic net tangible book value per share represents our total tangible assets less our total liabilities, divided by the number of outstanding shares of common stock.

After giving effect to the 1-for-            reverse stock split and the receipt of the net proceeds from our sale of            shares of common stock in this offering at an assumed public offering price of $            per share (the midpoint of the range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus), after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our as adjusted net tangible book value as of March 31, 2024, would have been $            million, or $            per share. This represents an immediate increase in as adjusted net tangible book value of $            per share to our existing stockholders and an immediate dilution of $            per share to investors purchasing common stock in this offering.

We calculate dilution per share to new investors by subtracting the historic net tangible book value per share from the public offering price paid by the new investor. The following table illustrates the dilution to new investors on a per share basis:

Assumed public offering price per share

 

 

 

 

 

$

 

Historic net tangible book value per share as of March 31, 2024

 

$

(0.30

)

 

 

 

Increase in net tangible book value per share attributable to new investors in this offering

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dilution in net tangible book value per share to new investors in this offering

 

 

 

 

 

$

 

Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed public offering price of $            would increase (decrease) our as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering by $            per share and the dilution to new investors by $            per share, assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, each increase (decrease) of 1,000,000 shares in the number of shares of common stock offered by us would increase (decrease) the as adjusted net tangible book value by $            per share and the dilution to new investors by $            per share, assuming the assumed public offering price remains the same and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions.

If the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares to cover over-allotments is exercised in full, the as adjusted net tangible book value per share after giving effect to this offering would be $            per share, representing an immediate increase to existing stockholders of $            per share, and immediate dilution to new investors in this offering of $            per share.

The following table summarizes, as of March 31, 2024, on the as adjusted basis described above:

        the total consideration paid to us by our existing stockholders and by new investors purchasing common stock in this offering, assuming a public offering price of $            per share (the midpoint of the range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus), before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us in connection with this offering; and

        the average price per share paid by existing stockholders and by new investors purchasing shares in this offering.

 

Shares Purchased

 

Total Consideration

 

Average Price
Per Share

   

Number

 

Percent

 

Amount

 

Percent

 

Existing stockholders

     

%

 

$

   

%

 

$

 

New investors

     

%

 

 

   

%

 

 

 

Total

     

100.0%

 

$

   

100.0%

 

$

 

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A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed public offering price of $            per share would increase (decrease) total consideration paid by new investors by $            million and increase (decrease) the total consideration paid to us by new investors by            %, assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

If the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares to cover over-allotments is exercised in full, the number of shares held and the percentage of total consideration paid by the existing stockholders after this offering would be reduced to            % and            %, respectively, and the number of shares held and the percentage of total consideration paid by new investors would increase to            % and            %, respectively.

The foregoing calculations exclude:

        4,000,000 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding options at a weighted exercise price of $0.61 per share; and

        14,525,000 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance pursuant to our 2014 Equity Incentive Plan.

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following discussion and analysis of our results of operations and financial condition should be read together with “Summary Historical Consolidated Financial and Other Data” and the financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. Such discussion and analysis reflects our historical results of operations and financial position and does not give effect to the completion of this offering. This discussion contains forward-looking statements based upon current expectations that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including those set forth under “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and elsewhere in this prospectus.

Overview

We are a provider of consumer health care, beauty, and lifestyle products. Our current brand portfolio consists of two core brands: FOCUSfactor, a patented brain health supplement that has been shown to improve memory, concentration and focus and Flat Tummy, a lifestyle brand that provides a suite of nutritional products to help women achieve their weight management goals.

Our management’s discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are only based on our current business and should be read in conjunction with our unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements and audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus. Key factors affecting our results of operations include revenues, cost of revenue, operating expenses and income and taxation.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

We currently focus on EBITDA to evaluate our business relationships and our resulting operating performance and financial position. EBITDA is defined as net income plus interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization.

We believe that EBITDA, viewed in addition to, and not in lieu of, our reported results in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”), provides useful information to investors.

 

Three Months
Ended
March 31,
2024

 

Three Months
Ended
March 31,
2023

 

Year Ended
December 31,
2023

 

Year Ended
December 31,
2022

(Unaudited)

 

(Unaudited)

       

Net income (loss)

 

$

580,530

 

 

$

328,429

 

 

$

6,338,750

 

 

$

(32,631,288

)

Interest income

 

 

(387

)

 

 

(382

)

 

 

(1,616

)

 

 

(569

)

Interest expense

 

 

1,109,980

 

 

 

836,412

 

 

 

4,236,149

 

 

 

6,450,365

 

Taxes

 

 

127,189

 

 

 

(10,918

)

 

 

234,980

 

 

 

32,172

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

33,333

 

 

 

 

 

 

33,333

 

 

 

340,000

 

EBITDA

 

$

1,850,645

 

 

$

1,153,540

 

 

$

10,841,596

 

 

$

(25,809,320

)

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EBITDA is considered non-GAAP financial measures. EBITDA represents earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. Our definition of EBITDA might not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.

Results of Operations for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2023

During both the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, we focused on developing our currently owned brands into new markets and by product extensions. Our objective is to grow our two targeted verticals (Nutraceuticals and RTDs) to provide a balanced and synergistic portfolio that drives consumer demand via multiple channels. Our Nutraceuticals vertical consists of FOCUSfactor, including RTDs, and Flat Tummy consumables.

Revenue

For the three months ended March 31, 2024, we had revenue of $9,411,863 from sales of our products, as compared to revenue of $7,962,166 for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The revenue is comprised of the following categories:

 

March 31,
2024

 

March 31,
2023

Nutraceuticals

 

$

9,411,863

 

$

7,955,251

Consumer Goods

 

 

 

 

6,915

   

$

9,411,863

 

$

7,962,166

We had an increase in Nutraceuticals revenue in the three months ended March 31, 2024 as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023 due to expanded distribution of our FOCUSfactor product line to some of our major retailers, such as CVS, Walmart and Costco. This expansion included SKUs within our FOCUSfactor vision line as well as focus and energy Ready-to-Drink (RTD). The increase was due primarily to sales volume increases, as prices for our products did not increase year-over-year. We had a decrease in Consumer Goods revenue in 2024 as compared to 2023 due to no longer selling consumer goods products.

Cost of Revenue

For the three months ended March 31, 2024, our cost of revenue was $2,637,139. Our cost of revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2023, was $2,084,964. The increase in cost of sales was primarily due to the increase in revenue.

Gross Profit

Gross profit was $6,774,724, or 72% of revenue, for the three months ended March 31, 2024, as compared to gross profit of $5,877,202, or 74% of revenue, for the same period in 2023, an increase of $897,522, or 15%. The increase in gross profit is directly related to the increase in net sales.

Operating Expenses

Selling and Marketing Expenses

For the three months ended March 31, 2024, our selling and marketing expenses were $3,584,677 as compared to $3,071,601 for the three months ended March 31, 2023, which is primarily due to the correlation of the increase in revenue in 2024.

General and Administrative Expenses

For the three months ended March 31, 2024, our general and administrative expenses were $1,348,385. For the three months ended March 31, 2023, our general and administrative expenses were $1,656,897. The decrease is primarily due to improved management of operating costs.

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Depreciation and Amortization Expenses

For the three months ended March 31, 2024, our depreciation and amortization expenses were $33,333 as compared to $0 for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The increase is due to amortization of a license fee recorded in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Other Income and Expenses

For the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 we had other income and expense items as follows:

 

Three months
ended
March 31,
2024

 

Three months
ended
March 31,
2023

Interest income

 

$

(387

)

 

$

(382

)

Interest expense

 

 

1,109,980

 

 

 

836,412

 

Remeasurement loss (gain) on translation of foreign subsidiary

 

 

(8,983

)

 

 

(4,836

)

Total other expense

 

$

1,100,610

 

 

$

831,194

 

For the three months ended March 31, 2024, we had interest expense of $1,109,980 as compared to $836,412 for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The increase is primarily due to fees paid to Knight, a lender, to extend our credit facility in 2024.

Net Income

For the three months ended March 31, 2024, our net income was $580,530 as compared to a net income of $328,428 for the three months ended March 31, 2023 due to higher revenue.

Results of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022

During both 2023 and 2022, we focused on developing our currently owned brands into new markets and by product extensions.

Revenue

For the year ended December 31, 2023, we had revenues of $42,777,633 from sales of our products, as compared to revenue of $38,410,674 for the year ended December 31, 2022. This is comprised of the following categories:

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

Nutraceuticals

 

$

42,753,052

 

$

38,328,591

Consumer Goods

 

 

24,581

 

 

54,588

Cosmeceuticals

 

 

 

 

27,495

   

$

42,777,633

 

$

38,410,674

The increase in our Nutraceutical category was due to higher sales. The decrease in the Consumer Goods category is due to normalization of business after the 2019 launch of our online application. The decrease in the Cosmeceuticals category was due to the Company focusing on our two platform brands.

Cost of Sales

For the year ended December 31, 2023, our cost of sales was $10,697,323. Our cost of sales for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $25,112,988. The decrease in cost of sales was primarily due to an inventory write-off in 2022 of $12,456,346.

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Gross Profit

Gross profit was $32,080,310, or 75% of revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to gross profit of $13,297,686 or 35% of revenue for the same period in 2022, an increase of $18,782,624 or 141%. The increase in gross profit is largely related to the write off of obsolete inventory of $12,456,346 in 2022 which is recorded through cost of sales.

Operating Expenses

Selling and Marketing Expenses

For the year ended December 31, 2023, our selling and marketing expenses were $15,188,528 as compared to $28,504,524 for the year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease is due to a decrease in promotions and advertising in 2023, including $6,000,000 in media spending with NASCAR in 2022 that did not repeat in 2023.

Bad debts

For the year ended December 31, 2023, our bad debts expenses were $0. For the year ended December 31, 2022, our bad debts expenses were $222,357. The decrease is due to a write off in 2022 that was not necessary in 2023.

General and Administrative Expenses

For the year ended December 31, 2023, our general and administrative expenses were $6,051,703. For the year ended December 31, 2022, our general and administrative expenses were $9,197,068. The decrease is largely due to an accrual for legal fees in 2022 that did not repeat in 2023.

Impairment of Intangible Assets

For the year ended December 31, 2023, our impairment of intangible assets expense was $0 as compared to $1,204,167 for the year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease is due to the impairment of intangible assets in 2022 as a result of management’s reevaluation of such intangible assets arising out of the purchase of Hand MD.

Depreciation and Amortization Expenses

For the year ended December 31, 2023, our depreciation and amortization expenses were $33,333 as compared to $340,000 for the year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease is due to the impairment of intangible assets during 2022, thus lower amortization costs during 2023.

Other Income and Expenses

For the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, we had other (income) and expense items of the following:

 

Year ended
December 31,
2023

 

Year ended
December 31,
2022

Interest income

 

$

(1,616

)

 

$

(569

)

Interest expense

 

 

4,236,149

 

 

 

6,450,365

 

Remeasurement (gain) loss on translation of foreign subsidiary

 

 

(1,517

)

 

 

(21,110

)

Total

 

$

4,233,016

 

 

$

6,428,686

 

The decrease in interest expense in 2023 was due to accruals of success fees and warrants converted to debt in 2022.

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Income tax expense

For the year ended December 31, 2023, we incurred income tax expense of $234,980. For the year ended December 31, 2022 we incurred income tax expense of $32,172. The increase in 2023 relates to an accrual of estimated future taxes.

Net Income (Loss)

For the year ended December 31, 2023, our net income was $6,338,750. For the year ended December 31, 2022 our net loss was $(32,631,288). This increase was due to an impairment of intangible assets, a write off of obsolete inventory and one time marketing commitments in 2022.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Overview

As of March 31, 2024, we had $910,749 cash on hand. In addition, we had $20,000,000 available for certain future acquisitions under our credit facility with Knight, and restricted cash of $100,000 which is held for credit card collateral.

Our sources of cash have historically consisted of proceeds from issuances of loans from related parties and revenues generated from operations. We believe the existing cash and cash equivalents and cash provided by sales of our products will be sufficient to meet working capital and capital expenditure needs for at least the next 12 months. Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including growth rate, the timing and extent of spending to support development efforts, the expansion of sales and marketing activities, the introduction of new and enhanced product offerings, and the continuing market acceptance of our products. In the future, we may enter into arrangements to acquire or invest in complementary businesses, services and technologies, including intellectual property rights.

We may be required to seek additional equity or debt financing, including to fund these acquisitions or investments. In the event that additional financing is required from outside sources, we may not be able to raise it on terms acceptable to us or at all. If we are unable to raise additional capital or generate cash flows necessary to expand operations and invest in new products, our ability to compete successfully could be reduced and our results of operations may be adversely impacted.

Short- and Long-Term Borrowings

On June 26, 2015, we, through our wholly owned subsidiary, Neuragen Corp. (“Neuragen”), issued a 0% promissory note in a principal amount of $950,000 in connection with an Asset Purchase Agreement. The note required that $250,000 be paid on or before June 30, 2016, and $700,000 to be paid in quarterly installments (beginning with the quarter ending September 30, 2015) equal to the greater of $12,500 or 5% of U.S. net sales, and 2% of U.S. net sales of Neuragen for 60 months thereafter. The payment of such amounts was secured by a security interest in certain assets, undertakings and property (“Collateral”) pursuant to the Security Agreement, which will be released upon receipt of total payments of $1.2 million. During March 2024, this Security Agreement was consolidated with the other outstanding loans to Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc. (“Knight”).

On August 9, 2017, we entered into a Second Amendment to Loan Agreement (“Second Amendment”) with Knight, pursuant to which Knight agreed to loan us an additional $10 million, and an ongoing credit facility of up to $20 million, and which amount was borrowed at closing (the “Financing”) for working capital purposes. At closing, we paid Knight an origination fee of $200,000 and a work fee of $100,000 and also paid $100,000 of Knight’s expenses associated with the Loan.

On May 8, 2020, we entered into a Third Amendment Agreement (the “Third Amendment”) to the Amended and Restated Loan Agreement (the “Loan Agreement”) with Knight, pursuant to which Knight agreed to loan us an additional $2.5 million (the “Additional Loan”). That same day (the “Closing”), we paid Knight a work fee of $36,000, and $25,000 for Knight’s legal costs and expenses incurred in connection with the Third Amendment. The Third Amendment amends the original loan agreement that we entered into with Knight in January 2015 and subsequently amended (as amended, the “Original Loan Agreement”). The Additional Loan matured on May 8, 2021 (the “TA Maturity Date”) and bore interest at 12.5% per annum compounding quarterly. On the TA Maturity Date, we were

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obligated to pay Knight a success fee (the “Success Fee”) of $83,250. The Success Fee was payable in cash or stock as set forth in the Loan Agreement. The Third Amendment includes customary representations, warranties, and affirmative and restrictive covenants, including covenants to attain and maintain certain financial metrics, including an undertaking to maintain at all times a cash balance of $600,000 and EBITDA of $3,000,000 for the twelve months ended June 30, 2020 and $4,000,000 for the twelve-month period ending on the last day of each fiscal quarter thereafter.

Terms of the $10,000,000 August 9, 2017 loan (“Third Tranche”) were modified in the Third Amendment. The Third Tranche bore interest from May 8, 2020 at a rate equal to 12.5% per annum compounded quarterly. We were obligated to pay a success fee in the amount of $1,000,000 with respect to the Third Tranche, which was fully earned on May 8, 2020 and payable no later than August 31, 2022. The Third Tranche success fee bore interest at 12.5% per annum compounding quarterly. The loan was extended to a maturity date of December 31, 2021. Because these amendments were considered not substantive changes, we accounted for the modifications as modification of debt.

On July 7, 2022, we entered into a Fourth Amendment Agreement (the “Fourth Amendment”) to the Loan Agreement with Knight, pursuant to which Knight agreed to loan us an additional $2.0 million (the “Second Additional Loan”). The Fourth Amendment amended the Original Loan Agreement. The Second Additional Loan matured on the earlier of October 31, 2022 and the date that is ninety days after the date, if any, on which Knight delivers a Second Additional Loan Repayment Notice to us. We were obligated to pay Knight a success fee of $40,000 and an amendment fee of $30,000 which was fully earned and payable as of the Fourth Amendment Date. The loan bore interest at the greater of 14% or the prime rate plus 8% per annum, compounded quarterly. This $2.0 million Second Additional Loan (only) had a personal guarantee by Jack Ross, our chief executive officer and chairman of the board.

On September 30, 2023, we entered into a Fifth Amendment Agreement (the “Fifth Amendment”) to the Loan Agreement with Knight, pursuant to which Knight agreed to extend the maturity date of the Loan to March 31, 2024. The loan bore interest at 15.5% per annum compounding quarterly. We were obligated to pay Knight a closing fee of $1,000,000 and $150,000 as reimbursement for Knight’s legal fees incurred in connection with the Fifth Amendment. These have been accrued for during the year ended December 31, 2022 since this was earned upon renegotiation of the loan during 2022. We have also paid Knight an extension fee of $136,000 per month from October 2023 through February 2024.

The Fifth Amendment amended our financial covenants to be as follows: We will maintain a minimum EBITDA of $1,000,000 for the three (3) month period ending on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter starting June 30, 2023. We shall at all times maintain FOCUSfactor net sales on a trailing twelve-month basis of at least $30,000,000.

On October 1, 2023 (effective date), we entered into a second amendment to the Distribution Agreement with Knight with an initial term ending on February 25, 2026 and an automatic renewal of one year for a payment of $450,000 by us within 180 days from the effective date. We have recorded this payable in terms of a Note Payable to Knight Therapeutics in relation to a license fee of an intangible asset. The balance outstanding at December 31, 2023 was $450,000.

During March 2024, the Company entered into an Amended Agreement with Knight Therapeutics for its existing secured debt, which we finalized in June 2024. The consolidated loan will bear minimum interest rate at 12% per annum compounded quarterly and will be paid on the last day of each month. The principal repayment will begin in the first quarter of 2025 with $1,000,000 due quarterly until March 31, 2026 when the loan becomes due in full. As part of this agreement the outstanding royalties of $536,730 were converted to long term debt.

On June 6, 2024, we entered into a Sixth Amendment Agreement (the “Sixth Amendment”) to the Loan Agreement with Knight. This amendment amends certain sections and inserts or restates certain definitions. In addition, we are obligated to pay Knight principal of $1,000,000 at the end of the fiscal quarters ending March 31, 2025, June 30, 2025, September 30, 2025, and December 31, 2025, with the outstanding balance of the loan due on the maturity date. Additionally, we are obligated to pay Knight all accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount monthly, on the last day of each month. The final payment will be on the maturity date. One of the covenants was updated so that we must maintain a minimum EBITDA of $1,250,000 for the three-month period ending on the last day of each fiscal quarter, starting March 31, 2024.

On February 10, 2022, we entered into a promissory note for $2,000,000 with an individual which was to be repaid with subsequent financing. On March 31, 2024, we entered into a Modification Agreement in relation to this loan. Effective March 31, 2024, the interest rate is 12%, compounded quarterly. Cash payments of interest shall be made monthly, on the final day of each month commencing in April 2024. We are required to make principal payments of $1,000,000 each quarter starting from March 31, 2025 until December 31, 2025. The remaining principal and unpaid

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interest is fully due on March 31, 2026. In addition, a loan renegotiation fee of $500,000 shall be earned and payable on March 31, 2026 or at such time the loan is paid in full. Upon closing of a sale transaction, as defined in the agreement, a bonus success fee of $1,800,000 will be earned and payable. An event of default, as defined in the agreement, will trigger a default interest rate increase by 5% to 17%. An incentive fee of a maximum of $563,092 will be paid, prorated if the loan is paid off early. If the loan is not repaid by March 31, 2026, Jack Ross, majority shareholder, shall grant warrants covering 10% of his stock struck at $0.01 per share. There is a cross-default clause in the agreement which states that if Knight triggers an event of default on its own loan facility, this loan will also be under default. This Agreement consolidates this $2,000,000 loan and the $6,000,000 March 8, 2022 loan as detailed below.

On March 8, 2022, we entered into Securities Purchase Agreements with debenture holders for the Senior Subordinated Debentures in the amount of $6,000,000 with an original maturity date of September 8, 2022 and warrants with a term of 3 years. The Senior Subordinated Debentures were modified on June 14, 2023 in conjunction with the promissory note. The modification included the exercise of $1.5 million on cash payment in lieu of the exercise of warrants. Pursuant to ASC 480 warrants were liability classified and we accrued the warrant liability of $1.5 million on March 8, 2022, the date of issuance. Upon September 8, 2022, the date of exercise of the warrants, we offset this warrant liability and added the $1.5 million balance to the Senior Subordinated Debentures, for a combined outstanding balance of $7.5 million. The terms of the warrants were, at the sole option of the holder, to convert the warrant at a 25% discount in the event we consummated an IPO, a cash option whereby the holder could convert the warrants at a cash value of $1.5 million or convert the warrants into the private entity valued by an independent third-party appraiser. On March 31, 2024, we entered into a Modification Agreement in relation to this loan, which consolidates it with the $2,000,000 February 10, 2022 loan above.

On May 10, 2022, we entered into a loan agreement of $355,950 with Shopify Capital Inc. for an advancement of working capital from our online processing account. We received $315,000 from Shopify Capital Inc. and $40,950 was an original issue discount. The loan bears a repayment rate of 17% of daily sales. The payment of such amounts is secured by a security interest in certain assets, undertakings and property pursuant to the Security Agreement, which will be released upon receipt of total payments of $355,950. We recognized amortization original issue discount of $13,746 and $27,204, respectively, which are included in interest expense in the statement of income during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. The outstanding loan balance at December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $0 and $105,385, respectively.

On April 13, 2023, we entered into a loan agreement of $226,000 with Shopify Capital Inc. for an advancement of working capital from our online processing account. We received $200,000 from Shopify Capital Inc. and $26,000 was an original issue discount. The loan bears a repayment rate of 17% of daily sales. The payment of such amounts is secured by a security interest in certain assets, undertakings and property pursuant to the Security Agreement, which will be released upon receipt of total payments of $226,000. We recognized amortization original issue discount of $26,000, which is included in interest expense in the statement of income during the year ended December 31, 2023. The outstanding loan balance at December 31, 2023 was $0.

On July 12, 2023, we entered into a loan agreement of $180,800 with Shopify Capital Inc. for an advancement of working capital from our online processing account. We received $160,000 from Shopify Capital Inc. and $20,800 was an original issue discount. The loan bears a repayment rate of 17% of daily sales. The payment of such amounts is secured by a security interest in certain assets, undertakings and property pursuant to the Security Agreement, which will be released upon receipt of total payments of $180,800. We recognized amortization original issue discount of $8,512, which is included in interest expense in the statement of income during the year ended December 31, 2023. The outstanding loan balance at December 31, 2023 was $94,525, net of unamortized original issue discount of $12,288.

On December 28, 2023, we entered into a confidential settlement agreement and mutual general release with a former supplier. The loan bears interest at 5% per annum and is payable in full with the last payment. This settlement resulted in a gain to us of $2,235,986 and is reflected as a reduction of cost of sales (See Note 13). During 2023, we made payments of $1,000,000 toward this loan. The outstanding loan balance at December 31, 2023 was $4,802,445, including interest of $352,445.

On January 29, 2024, we entered into a loan agreement of $141,250 with Shopify Capital Inc. for an advancement of working capital from our online processing account. We received $125,000 from Shopify Capital Inc. and $16,250 was an original issue discount. The loan bears a repayment rate of 17% of daily sales. The payment of such amounts is secured by a security interest in certain assets, undertakings and property pursuant to the Security Agreement, which will be released upon receipt of total payments of $141,250. We recognized amortization original issue discount of $6,079, which is included in interest expense in the statement of income during the three months ended March 31, 2024. The outstanding loan balance at March 31, 2024 was $83,645.

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During March 2024, we received $1,400,000 in exchange for a short term note payable issued to an entity owned and controlled by our Chief Executive Officer.

On May 1, 2024, we entered into a loan agreement with Shopify Capital Inc. for an advancement of working capital from our online processing account. We received $370,000 from Shopify Capital Inc. and $48,100 was an original issue discount. The loan bears a repayment rate of 25% of daily sales. The payment of such amounts is secured by a security interest in certain assets, undertakings and property pursuant to the Security Agreement, which will be released upon receipt of total payments of $418,100. As of June 12, 2024, the balance owing is $404,919.

Operating Activities

For the three months ended March 31, 2024, net cash used by operating activities was $858,042 compared to net cash used in operating activities of $1,476,405 for the three months ended March 31, 2023. This decrease in net cash used by operating activities for the three months ended March 31, 2024 was primarily attributable to a decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses.

For the three months ended March 31, 2024, net cash used in operating activities of $858,042 consisted of our net income of $580,530 adjusted by:

Depreciation and amortization

 

$

33,334

 

Foreign currency transaction loss

 

 

11,178

 

Remeasurement gain on translation of foreign subsidiary

 

 

(8,983

)

Non cash implied interest

 

 

7,199

 

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable

 

 

(318,330

)

Loan receivable, related party

 

 

25,162

 

Inventory

 

 

1,016,455

 

Prepaid expense

 

 

(202,888

)

Prepaid expense, related party

 

 

(165,687

)

Income taxes payable

 

 

(20,315

)

Contract liabilities

 

 

12,932

 

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

 

 

(1,808,989

)

Accounts payable, related party

 

 

(19,640

)

For the three months ended March 31, 2023, net cash used by operating activities of $1,476,405 consisted of our net income of $328,428 adjusted by:

Foreign currency transaction loss

 

$

(86,520

)

Remeasurement loss on translation of foreign subsidiary

 

 

(4,836

)

Non cash implied interest

 

 

7,520

 

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable

 

 

1,173,554

 

Loan receivable, related party

 

 

(834

)

Inventory

 

 

1,329,333

 

Prepaid expense

 

 

(99,176

)

Prepaid expense, related party

 

 

32,045

 

Income taxes receivable

 

 

(10,468

)

Contract liabilities

 

 

5,366

 

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

 

 

(4,043,396

)

Accounts payable, related party

 

 

(107,422

)

For the year ended December 31, 2023, we had net cash provided by operating activities of $421,729 as compared to $8,431,439 of net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase was primarily due to decreases of inventory and an increase of accounts payable, related party, which was offset by a decrease in accounts payable and accrued liabilities and an increase in prepaid expense.

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For 2023, net cash provided by operating activities of $421,729 consisted of our net income of $6,338,750 adjusted by:

Amortization of debt issuance cost

 

$

48,610

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

33,333

 

Gain on settlement of liabilities

 

 

(4,635,986

)

Foreign currency transaction gain

 

 

(105,192

)

Remeasurement gain on translation of foreign subsidiary

 

 

(1,517

)

Non cash implied interest

 

 

29,401

 

Accrual of loan success fee and warrants converted to loan

 

 

83,250

 

Write-off of inventory

 

 

251,021

 

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable

 

 

1,378,620

 

Loan receivable, related party

 

 

(51,245

)

Inventory

 

 

3,990,456

 

Prepaid expenses

 

 

(288,789

)

Prepaid expense, related party

 

 

(369,427

)

Income taxes receivable

 

 

14,339

 

Income taxes payable

 

 

185,665

 

Contract liabilities

 

 

9,005

 

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

 

 

(6,645,324

)

Accounts payable, related party

 

 

156,759

 

For 2022, net cash used in operating activities of $8,431,439 consisted of our net loss of $32,631,288 adjusted by:

Amortization of debt issuance cost

 

$

65,026

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

340,000

 

Impairment of intangible assets

 

 

1,204,167

 

Foreign currency transaction loss

 

 

287,096

 

Bad debts

 

 

222,357

 

Remeasurement gain on translation of foreign subsidiary

 

 

(21,110

)

Non cash implied interest

 

 

31,817

 

Impairment of fixed assets

 

 

9,778

 

Accrual of loan success fee and warrants converted to loan

 

 

3,000,000

 

Write-off of inventory

 

 

12,456,346

 

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable

 

 

1,773,144

 

Loan and accounts receivable, related party

 

 

(392,536

)

Inventory

 

 

(7,464,832

)

Prepaid expenses

 

 

1,499,875

 

Prepaid expense, related party

 

 

(131,894

)

Income taxes receivable

 

 

34,613

 

Contract liabilities

 

 

(12,096

)

Short term disputed payables

 

 

8,433,363

 

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

 

 

3,523,160

 

Accounts payable, related party

 

 

(658,425

)

Investing Activities

For the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, we used net cash of $0 in investing activities.

For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, we used net cash of $0 in investing activities.

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Financing Activities

For the three months ended March 31, 2024, net cash provided by financing activities was $1,004,620 compared to net cash used in financing activities of $514,596 for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The increase was attributable to an advance from a related party.

Financing activities during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2023:

 

Three months
ended
March 31,
2024

 

Three months
ended
March 31,
2023

Advances from related party

 

$

1,400,000

 

 

$

 

Repayment of notes payable, related party

 

 

(84,500

)

 

 

(12,500)

 

Proceeds from notes payable

 

 

125,000

 

 

 

 

Repayment of notes payable

 

 

(435,880

)

 

 

(502,096

)

For the year ended December 31, 2023, net cash used in financing activities was $2,090,782, as compared to $8,963,301 provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease was attributable to the issuance of new notes in 2022 and repayment of such notes in 2023.

Financing activities during 2023:

Advances from related party

 

$

1,170,000

 

Repayments of advances to related party

 

 

(1,170,000

)

Repayment of notes payable, related party

 

 

(145,500

)

Proceeds from notes payable

 

 

360,000

 

Repayment of notes payable

 

 

(2,305,282

)

Financing activities during 2022:

Repayment of notes payable, related party

 

$

(62,500

)

Proceeds from notes payable

 

 

8,315,000

 

Proceeds from note payable, related party

 

 

2,000,000

 

Repayment of notes payable

 

 

(1,289,699

)

Key Near-Term Initiatives

During 2024, we intend to organically grow our current product lines by developing and launching new products and expanding into new markets. Specifically, for FOCUSfactor, we are working on increased distribution for our recently launched ready-to-drink beverage. Lastly, we intend to grow further through additional strategic acquisitions and we continue to evaluate opportunities and candidates that we believe fit well with our brand portfolio. With the proceeds from this offering, we expect to accelerate our acquisition strategy, in particular with candidates with whom we are in discussions. Certain of these acquisitions, if consummated, would require us to incur additional debt.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

During the three months ended March 31, 2024, and during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, we had no off-balance sheet arrangements.

Inflation

The effect of inflation on our operating results was not significant in the three months ended March 31, 2024 or the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.

Critical Accounting Policies

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations discusses our financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The preparation of these consolidated financial statements requires management to make estimates and judgments that

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affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and the related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities. On an on-going basis, management evaluates its estimates and judgments, including those related to revenue recognition and allowance for doubtful accounts. Management bases its estimates and judgments on historical experience and on various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions and conditions.

Management believes the following critical accounting policies, among others, affect its more significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of its consolidated financial statements.

Use of Estimates

In preparing the consolidated financial statements, management is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the statements of financial condition, and revenues and expenses for the years then ended. Actual results may differ significantly from those estimates. Significant estimates made by management include, but are not limited to, the assumptions used to calculate stock-based compensation, derivative liabilities and common stock issued for services. Significant estimates are assumptions about collection of accounts receivable, current income taxes, deferred income taxes valuation allowance, useful life of intangible assets, accrual of sales returns and accrual of legal expense. The results of any changes in accounting estimates are reflected in the financial statements in the period in which the changes become evident. Estimates and assumptions are reviewed periodically, and the effects of revisions are reflected in the period that they are determined to be necessary.

Revenue recognition

We recognize revenue in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”). Revenues are recognized when control is transferred to customers in amounts that reflect the consideration we expect to be entitled to receive in exchange for those goods. Revenue recognition is evaluated through the following five steps: (i) identification of the contract, or contracts, with a customer; (ii) identification of the performance obligations in the contract; (iii) determination of the transaction price; (iv) allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (v) recognition of revenue when or as a performance obligation is satisfied.

We recognize revenue upon shipment from our fulfillment centers. Certain of our distributors may also perform a separate function as a co-packer on our behalf. In such cases, ownership of and title to our products that are co-packed on our behalf by those co-packers who are also distributors, passes to such distributors when we are notified by them that they have taken transfer or possession of the relevant portion of our finished goods. Freight billed to customers is presented as revenues, and the related freight costs are presented as cost of goods sold. Cancelled orders are refunded if not already dispatched, refunds are only paid if stock is damaged in transit, discounts are only offered with specific promotions and orders will be refilled if lost in transit. We recognize revenue for our digital products in the month the download by the customer occurs.

All product sales were initiated based upon the retailer’s purchase orders at a fixed transaction price and revenues recognized when the products were delivered and accepted by the customer.

Contract Liabilities

Our contract liabilities consist of advance customer payments and deferred revenue. Contract liability results from transactions in which we have been paid for products by customers, but for which all revenue recognition criteria have not yet been met. Once all revenue recognition criteria have been met, the contract liabilities are recognized.

Income Taxes

We utilize FASB ASC 740, “Income Taxes,” which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements or tax returns. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and their financial reporting amounts based on enacted tax laws and statutory tax rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. A valuation allowance is recorded when it is “more likely-than-not” that a deferred tax asset will not be realized.

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We generated a deferred tax asset through net operating loss carry-forward. However, a valuation allowance of 100% has been established due to the uncertainty of our realization of the net operating loss carry forward prior to its expiration.

NomadChoice Pty Ltd, our wholly-owned Australian subsidiary, is subject to income taxes in the jurisdictions in which it operates. Significant judgment is required in determining the provision for income tax. There are many transactions and calculations undertaken during the ordinary course of business for which the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. We recognize liabilities for anticipated tax audit issues based on our current understanding of the tax law. Where the final tax outcome of these matters is different from the carrying amounts, such differences will impact the current and deferred tax provisions in the period in which such determination is made.

Synergy CHC Inc., our wholly-owned Canadian subsidiary, is subject to income taxes in the jurisdictions in which it operates. Significant judgment is required in determining the provision for income tax. There are many transactions and calculations undertaken during the ordinary course of business for which the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. We recognize liabilities for anticipated tax audit issues based on our current understanding of the tax law. Where the final tax outcome of these matters is different from the carrying amounts, such differences will impact the current and deferred tax provisions in the period in which such determination is made.

Effect of Exchange Rate on Results

The functional currency of one of our foreign subsidiaries (NomadChoice Pty Ltd.) is the U.S. Dollar. This foreign subsidiary maintains its records using local currency (Australian Dollar–“AUD”). All monetary assets and liabilities of the foreign subsidiary were translated into U.S. Dollars at period end exchange rates, non-monetary assets and liabilities of the foreign subsidiary were translated into U.S. Dollars at transaction day exchange rates. Income and expense items related to non-monetary items were translated at exchange rates prevailing during the transaction date and other incomes and expenses were translated using average exchange rate for the period. The resulting translation adjustments were recorded in statements of operations as Remeasurement gain or loss on translation of foreign subsidiary.

The functional currency of our other foreign subsidiary (Synergy CHC Inc.) is the Canadian Dollar (CAD). This foreign subsidiary maintains its records using local currency (CAD). All assets and liabilities of the foreign subsidiary were translated into U.S. Dollars at period end exchange rates and stockholders’ equity is translated at the historical rates. Income and expense items were translated using average exchange rate for the period. The resulting translation adjustments, net of income taxes, are reported as other comprehensive income and accumulated other comprehensive income in the stockholder’s equity in accordance with ASC 220 — Comprehensive Income.

The exchange rates used to translate amounts in AUD and CAD into USD for the purposes of preparing the consolidated financial statements were as follows:

Balance sheet:

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

Period-end AUD: USD exchange rate

 

$

0.6805

 

$

0.6813

Period-end CAD: USD exchange rate

 

$

0.7561

 

$

0.7383

Income statement:

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

Average Yearly AUD: USD exchange rate

 

$

0.6644

 

$

0.6948

Average Yearly CAD: USD exchange rate

 

$

0.7411

 

$

0.7688

Translation gains and losses that arise from exchange rate fluctuations from transactions denominated in a currency other than the functional currency are translated into either Australian Dollars or Canadian Dollars, as the case may be, at the rate on the date of the transaction and included in the results of operations as incurred.

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BUSINESS

Our Company

We are a provider of consumer health care, beauty, and lifestyle products. Our current brand portfolio consists of two marquee brands, FOCUSfactor, a patented brain health supplement that has been shown to improve memory, concentration and focus, and Flat Tummy, a lifestyle and wellness brand that provides a suite of nutritional products to help women achieve their nutrition and weight management goals. During the year ended December 31, 2023, FOCUSfactor represented 87% of our net revenue and Flat Tummy was 13%. During the three months ended March 31, 2024, FOCUSfactor represented 85% of our net revenue and Flat Tummy represented 15%. Our products are sold through some of the nation’s leading club, mass drug, and other retailers such as Costco, Amazon.com, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, The Vitamin Shoppe, Target.com, H-E-B, Meijer, and Albertson’s. Additionally, we have expanded into Canada and the UK.

We built our brand portfolio through strategic acquisitions. We acquired the FOCUSfactor brand in January 2015 for cash consideration of $6.0 million, including earnout. In November 2015, we acquired our second marquee brand, Flat Tummy, for AUD 10.0 million (or approximately $7.0 million), using a mix of cash and stock. Our capital structure following the acquisition of our key brands in 2015 was highly levered, and our focus was on paying our debt as we did not have the resources to grow our business. We have grown our FOCUSfactor brand from 3 SKUs at acquisition to over 34 SKUs, and our Flat Tummy Brand from 1 SKU to 13 SKUs.

Our growth from 2022 to the present was driven by expanded distribution of our FOCUSfactor product line to some of our major retailers, such as Costco, CVS and Walmart. This expansion included SKUs within our FOCUSfactor vision line as well as focus and energy Ready-to-Drink (RTD). As a result, net revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $42.8 million, an increase of $4.4 million, or 11%, over net revenue for the year ended December 31, 2022. Net revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2024 was $9.4 million, an increase of $1.5 million, or 18.2% over net revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2023. In particular, FOCUSfactor net revenue continued to benefit from our expanded distribution, increasing to $8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, a 25.4% increase over the same period in 2023.

Following the completion of this offering, we intend to use the proceeds to accelerate the growth of our current brands through advertising and other methods, and to drive our acquisition strategy as we have a pipeline of potential near-term acquisition targets that we are eager to pursue. In addition, we have tailored strategies for our Flat Tummy brand to maximize our return on investment and leverage our experience with both traditional and digital marketing. Our asset-light business model, in which we partner with third-party manufacturers to produce our brand offerings, allows us to scale quickly and profitably while satisfying growing demand.

For the three months ended March 31, 2024, our net revenues, net income and EBITDA were $9.4 million, $0.6 million and $1.9 million, respectively, representing an increase of 18.2%, 77%, and 60% over the same period in the prior fiscal year. During the year ended December 31, 2023, our net revenues, net income (loss) and EBITDA were $42.8 million, $6.3 million and $10.8 million, respectively, as compared to $38.4 million, $(32.6) million and $(25.8) million for the prior year.

Our Brands

Our flagship brand, FOCUSfactor, is a brain health nutritional supplement with over 24 years of history and a patented formula comprised of a proprietary blend of key brain supporting ingredients along with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. We believe FOCUSfactor is the only product in its category whose entire patented formula has been shown to support memory, concentration and focus. Our FOCUSfactor brand consists of over 34 SKUs and is sold primarily through leading retailers in the United States, including Costco, Walmart, Amazon.com, Walgreens, CVS, Meijer, and Albertson’s, in addition to selling direct to consumer through the FOCUSfactor website. Across three of our key partners, we have increased the number of SKUs sold through the retailer from the single SKU available at the beginning of our relationship in 2015 or 2016. In addition, we have increased our presence in retail locations for these key partners, resulting in a significant increase in points of distribution, being the number of SKUs multiplied by the number of retail locations for each retailer. We have also expanded the brand internationally into Canada (2020), the UK (2023) and we anticipate being in Taiwan and Mexico in the second quarter of 2025 and in Australia and Asia in the first quarter of 2026.

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FOCUSfactor has expanded into the beverage market with its focus plus energy RTD. According to Zion Research, the beverage market is a large ($176 billion in 2022) and growing (projected 8.6% CAGR through 2030) market with an expanding range of functional benefits such as energy, hydration, cognition/focus, weight loss, gut health and immunity. Examples such as Celsius and Beyond Raw offer dual-benefit products that deliver fat burning plus energy while C4 Smart Energy and FocusAid deliver focus plus energy. Additionally, consumers are looking for not only refreshing drinks but health perks such as zero sugar and low-calorie drinks. This consumer shift in preferences towards more functional benefits can be seen in the evolution of the energy RTD category where originally competitors like Red Bull and Monster delivered conventional energy, then the category offered more performance energy products with added vitamins and amino acids in products such as Reign and C4 Performance to products with more natural energy characteristics and then to the dual-benefit energy products that we see today.

FOCUSfactor is well-positioned to capitalize on the evolving energy RTD category (U.S. sales of $21.7 billion with a 3-year CAGR of 4.7%, according to Euromonitor) with its new focus plus energy RTD. We believe this represents a major growth opportunity, with our dual-benefit RTD formula offering both focus and energy behind a 24+ year brand with strong heritage and awareness in the area of brain health. The FOCUSfactor brand name clearly communicates the differentiation benefit of adding focus to energy. The FOCUSfactor formula does not have to rely as heavily on caffeine as other brands such as Celsius, Bang, Reign and C4, as its formula is a balanced blend of vitamins, cognitive nutrients and caffeine all in a zero sugar, low calorie, great-tasting drink. The brand also delivers a significant value relative to many competitors. Additionally, FOCUSfactor has long-term relationships with large retailers where it has an established presence, which will assist in market penetration for its RTD products. FOCUSfactor is looking to attract both existing consumers of supplement products (typically age 50+) to RTDs as well as a younger demographic (age 18-49).

FOCUSfactor has successfully demonstrated the ability to leverage its existing retailer relationships to expand its RTDs. FOCUSfactor conducted a 5-month trial of its RTD products at a warehouse club retailer throughout Texas with sales ranging from $550 per club per week to $2,382 per club per week. A second pilot is currently being conducted in a Canadian club retailer throughout Canada with results ranging from C$382 per club per week to C$2,231 per club per week.

Our second marquee brand, Flat Tummy, consists of a range of lifestyle and wellness products and accessories including tea, shakes, lollipops, supplements, apparel, and exercise accessories. We also provide a Flat Tummy mobile app, which, as of March 31, 2024, had over 1.6 million unique downloads and is intended as a tool to promote the Flat Tummy lifestyle centered around general wellness and health. Our Flat Tummy brand consists of 13 SKUs and is sold direct to consumer through the Flat Tummy website and application, as well as through Amazon.com, Target.com and iherb.com.

We also own six additional, non-core brands. These developing brands are:

        Hand MD — complete hand care brand to help maintain clean and healthy hands while reducing the signs of aging.

        Perfekt Beauty — beauty line of products for the eyes, lips, brows, cheeks and skin.

        Sneaky Vaunt — a lingerie brand with a line of women’s shapewear, bralettes and panties.

        The Queen Pegasus — eyelash enhancement products for longer, thicker, natural lashes.

        Neuragen — fast-acting, effective topical treatments for neuropathic (nerve) pain.

        UrgentRx — line of fast-acting, portable, powdered over-the-counter medications.

While we may elect to promote these brands and commercialize their products in the future, we have prioritized our key brands, FOCUSfactor and Flat Tummy, and management is focused on the growth of these core products.

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Our net revenues by brand for the three months ended March 31, 2024 are below:

Net Revenue by Brand for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2024

Our Competitive Strengths

We believe that we have attributes that differentiate us from our competitors and provide us with significant competitive advantages. Our key competitive strengths include:

Well-Positioned in Growing Categories Driven by Favorable Consumer Trends

An increased focus on health, beauty and wellness by consumers has served as a tailwind for our brands. The nutritional supplement market has experienced significant growth across a range of areas including immune health, brain health, heart health, sleep/stress, and overall nutrition and wellness as a result of an aging population, increased obesity, pandemic concerns and a desire for more natural solutions and treatments over prescription medication. We believe that we are well positioned to benefit from these favorable trends. The brain health segment is slated to grow at 8% per year in the United States and 13% per year globally, according to Grand View Research. Our FOCUSfactor and Flat Tummy brands have seen strong growth with net revenues up 18% year-over-year in the three months ended March 31, 2024. We believe our focus on lifestyle products has also benefited from the growth and prevalence of social media.

Results Backed by Independent Study for FOCUSfactor

We believe FOCUSfactor is the only product in its category with both a patent and an independent clinical study to support the product claims for improved memory, concentration, and focus. FOCUSfactor has been tested in a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group study to evaluate its effect on memory, concentration, and focus in healthy adults.

In this study, FOCUSfactor was tested on its entire 52-ingredient formulation rather than testing one or two ingredients within a formulation. FOCUSfactor was shown to provide a 44% increase in recall memory (an increase of 6.5 words compared to 4.5 words for the placebo group) after six weeks of use versus placebo. This differentiates FOCUSfactor from other brain-health supplements and is a prime reason why FOCUSfactor has been placed in premier retailers. See “ — FOCUSfactor Study” for additional information.

Experienced Management Team with Proven Track Record of Value Creation

Our executive team has a combined 90 years of experience in consumer marketing and distribution and has been instrumental in acquiring and building our core brands. Management has exercised strong financial discipline in its acquisition strategy, with a focus on acquiring brands at attractive valuations. For example, we acquired FOCUSfactor for approximately 3x trailing EBITDA. For the three months ended March 31, 2024, the year ended December 31, 2023 and the year ended December 31, 2022, FOCUSfactor generated net revenue of $8 million, $37.2 million and

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$31.8 million, respectively. Management’s philosophy is to acquire promising brands that fit within our health, beauty and lifestyle offerings, and apply our marketing and distribution strategies to develop brands to their full potential. We believe we are adept at identifying promising opportunities that build out and complement our core brand portfolio.

Premier Retail Partners

Our premier retail partners include Costco, Walmart, Amazon.com, Walgreens, Meijer, Albertson’s, and CVS. We sell products to these partners under their standard arrangements, which do not include a term or duration as sales under each vendor agreement are generally made on a purchase order basis. Our partners provide a platform to expand the breadth of our current offerings through product line extensions and new product innovation. We continue to introduce new SKUs to our current retail partners, such as the addition of FOCUSfactor RTDs and vision products to our membership club and other channels. Additionally, the international footprint of certain of our various retail partners facilitates our geographic expansion plans.

Scalable and Flexible Asset-Light Model to Support Growth

Our focus is on brand management, marketing, product development and distribution, and we utilize contract manufacturing partners in order to produce our various brand offerings. The use of third-party manufacturing partners allows us to scale quickly, as we ensure that our partners have sufficient capacity to meet our demand needs. We also maintain multiple relationships with different contract manufacturers, ensuring diversification of our manufacturing base and reducing the likelihood of supply bottlenecks or deficits that could potentially slow our growth.

Our Growth Strategy

We intend to drive growth and increased profitability in our business through these key elements of our strategy:

Broaden Media Advertising Strategy

We have experienced significant acceleration in sales growth for the FOCUSfactor brand as a result of our television advertising in prior years. We launched a national advertising campaign in August 2020, which aired on major news and entertainment networks such as Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, TLC, and TNT, targeting adults 45 years of age and older. We anticipate a coordinated expansion of our advertising strategy towards the end of 2024, as we focus on pushing additional SKUs within our retail sales partner network to continue to build brand awareness and increase reach for FOCUSfactor. We also plan to invest in online marketing to promote all of our brands, including social media and influencer driven marketing. We have also experienced significant growth through our increased distribution, which we continue to drive forward.

Acquire Brands which Complement Our Existing Portfolio

We will continue to evaluate acquisition opportunities that we believe fit well within our brand portfolio and create value for our stockholders, such as further retail expansion in nutraceuticals and market expansion in health and beauty. In spite of historical capital constraints, our opportunistic approach to acquisitions has resulted in a successful track record of identifying promising targets that align with our overall brand strategy in the health, beauty and lifestyle segments. With the proceeds from this offering, we expect to accelerate our acquisition strategy, focusing on acquisition targets that management believes have the greatest synergistic potential, enabling us to significantly grow our product offerings and reach.

Partner with Additional Leading Retailers to Expand the Reach of Our Products

We have established distribution relationships with premier retail partners, including Costco, Walmart, Amazon.com, Walgreens, CVS, The Vitamin Shoppe, Target.com, H-E-B, Meijer, and Albertson’s. Based on the success of our products with these leading retail partners, we believe that we are well positioned to add new retailers that will enhance our distribution footprint. We believe we have expansion opportunities with food retailers, including those focused on health foods. We intend to introduce three to five new SKUs across three potential retailers, which would potentially result in the addition of approximately 50,000 points of distribution.

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Diversify Our Geographic Presence through Entry into New Markets

We seek to accelerate our sales growth by expanding and further diversifying our geographic footprint. In the year ended December 31, 2023, markets outside of North America represented 5% of our total net revenues. Our goal is to increase our net revenues generated from new markets. As we target new international markets, our strategy is to develop highly competitive and differentiated products that are produced in-country for ease of entry, with support from our regulatory group and an in-country regulatory consultant to help expedite the approval process. In the United Kingdom, where we have distribution with Costco and Holland & Barrett, we have established relationships with manufacturers who began producing FOCUSfactor in-country in December 2021. We currently plan to enter the Taiwan and Mexico markets in the second quarter of 2025 and in Australia and Asia in the first quarter of 2026, initially with FOCUSfactor, then followed by Flat Tummy. In Mexico, we have identified local manufacturers and will begin connecting with retailers in Mexico in 2024. We then plan to expand our brands into Australia (where we have TGA approval for our FOCUSfactor products) and Asian markets in 2026. In addition, we are developing our marketing plans in compliance with applicable law, and are initiating retailer meetings as we seek to gain distribution across these new retail markets.

Use Innovative Strategies to Boost Consumer Engagement

We have made investments in promoting an app for Flat Tummy and view this as a key aspect of growing our customer base and maintaining high levels of engagement. We have also focused on developing our social media presence, in particular through Instagram, in order to foster and grow our relationship with customers. Our brands appeal to both specific consumer needs as well as lifestyle choices and we seek to deepen our understanding of our customers and boost recognition of our brands through increased engagement.

Continue to Develop and Expand Our Current Brands

Our plan is to further develop and expand our brands by reaching a broader set of customers through advertising and product expansion. More specifically, we look to develop new products for our brands to satisfy the various customer segment opportunities (i.e., baby boomers, millennials, etc.) and satisfy various consumer needs as they relate to new and improved formulations, expanded and improved product benefits, alternative delivery formats and sizes. As we increase the product line-up behind our brands, we leverage our current retail distribution network by expanding our presence as well as adding incremental distribution with new retail partners. With a broader brand presence, we believe our advertising becomes even more efficient at driving sales velocity.

This is evidenced by our expanded FOCUSfactor product line, including focus and energy Ready-to-Drink (RTD) and liquid shots that are marketed to a younger adult audience. In 2023, we successfully launched an RTD pilot program in the United States through a major retailer. This major retailer will be re-launching the RTDs at the end of 2024. Additionally, in the second quarter of 2024, we launched three core FOCUSfactor focus and energy RTD products in Canada. In 2025, we plan to introduce an additional FOCUSfactor supplement for Taiwan, RTDs for the UK and focus and energy coffee for the United States. We also look to introduce new graphics for the FOCUSfactor line that provide a more impactful design, in the third quarter of 2024. In the fourth quarter of 2024, we plan on introducing new complementary products to the Flat Tummy line-up, including new protein shakes, gut-healthy ready-to-drink beverage, hydration powder and pre-workout powder. Additionally, we plan to employ this strategy of expanding our brands into international markets that include Mexico and Asia, among others.

Marketing and Sales

Our targeted, consumer-driven marketing strategy has been key to building our brands and driving revenue growth. We manage dedicated marketing strategies for each of our brands in order to build deep connections with our customers.

FOCUSfactor.    Our marketing strategy for FOCUSfactor is primarily focused on increased distribution and advertising campaigns that appeal to the demographics of our wellness focused customer base. In the year ended December 31, 2023, FOCUSfactor net revenue increased 17% year-over-year, to $37.2 million, due to increased distribution. As our flagship brand, FOCUSfactor accounted for 85% of our net revenue in the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared with 81% in the three months ended March 31, 2023, 87% in the year ended December 31, 2023 and 83% in the year ended December 31, 2022.

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We also utilize in-store promotions along with online and social media advertising to promote our FOCUSfactor brand. We leverage the following online and social media assets as part of our marketing strategy:

        Website:    Our FOCUSfactor website helps to educate and inform consumers on our line of products. The website also serves as a direct-to-consumer sales channel for most FOCUSfactor products.

        Instagram:    Our main social media platform is Instagram. As of March 31, 2024, we had approximately 13,900 followers.

        FOCUSfactor — Brain Hub App:    Early in 2021 we launched our Brain Hub app on the Android and Apple iOS platforms to provide an additional point of engagement with customers. The app contains a library of brain games and guided meditation sessions on topics related to mindfulness and brain health in order to keep consumers engaged. As of March 31, 2024, we have approximately 10,700 app downloads.

Flat Tummy.    We employ a primarily online and social media driven strategy for our Flat Tummy brand. The brand is focused primarily on women. We employ campaigns to reach our core target segments through a mix of traditional online advertising as well as influencer-based marketing. In the three months ended March 31, 2024, Flat Tummy accounted for 15% of our net revenue, compared with 20% in the three months ended March 31, 2023, 13% in the year ended December 31, 2023 and 17% in the year ended December 31, 2022.

        Website:    Our Flat Tummy website acts as a platform for engagement with our customers. In addition to offering a direct-to-consumer sales channel for our products, we also host a lifestyle blog on our website with a focus on health and fitness.

        Instagram:    Our primary social media platform is Instagram. As of March 31, 2024, we had approximately 1.5 million followers. Our marketing strategy for Flat Tummy seeks to leverage our large online following to promote products from across the Flat Tummy brand. More recently we have engaged with social media influencers as a new strategy to promote our products.

        Facebook:    As of March 31, 2024, we had approximately 538,000 followers. We mainly use the platform to share promotions and to relay content and advertisements.

        Flat Tummy App:    Our Flat Tummy app had 1.5 million unique downloads as of March 31, 2024, across both the Apple and Android platforms. The app provides customized workouts, nutrition information, and diet plans. The app is currently free to customers; however, we are exploring different strategies to monetize our large user base.

FOCUSfactor Study

FOCUSfactor has been tested in a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group study to evaluate its effect on memory, concentration, and focus in healthy adults. The controlled study was conducted in normal, healthy, male and female subjects between the ages of 18 and 65 who had responded to advertisements. A total of 96 subjects were enrolled and randomized to one of the two treatment groups (FOCUSfactor and placebo). Subjects were compensated for their participation. The study was sponsored by Factor Nutrition Labs, LLC, the developer of FOCUSfactor, and was conducted in 2011 at Cognitive Research Corporation (“CRC”) in Saint Petersburg, Florida. The sponsor, in consultation with CRC, was responsible for study design including selection of dose, eligibility criteria, efficacy and safety assessments, and vitamin/nutraceutical supply. CRC, a contract research organization, was responsible for data collection, database preparation, overall project management, site monitoring, data management, statistical analyses, and preparation of the final study report.

The primary endpoint was sum recall for five trials of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), a standardized neuropsychological test of memory. The RAVLT is one of the most commonly used tests of memory in psychopharmacology research. The test was originally developed in the 1940s and has proven useful in evaluating verbal learning and memory, including proactive inhibition, retroactive inhibition, retention, encoding versus retrieval, and subjective organization. The standard RAVLT begins with a subject being read a list of 15 unrelated words at the rate of one word per second. The examiner then asks the subject to recall as many words as possible. This procedure is then repeated four more times with the same list of words and the number of correct responses is summed. This summed score was chosen as the primary outcome measure, or endpoint, for the current study.

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The study demonstrated that, compared to placebo, FOCUSfactor improved abilities referred to as memory (i.e., short term memory), attention (e.g., focus), concentration and working memory in healthy adults. Following six weeks of treatment, subjects who received FOCUSfactor had a mean increase in recall of 6.5 words compared to 4.5 words for those who received placebo (t = -4.32, df = 87, p <0.001). The total words recalled over the five trials following six weeks of treatment (corrected for baseline score) was 51.9 words for subjects receiving FOCUSfactor compared to 49.7 words for subjects receiving placebo (t = -2.98, df = 87, p = 0.002). The significant effect on the RAVLT summed score supports the hypothesis that FOCUSfactor improves memory, attention (e.g., focus), and concentration. In addition, FOCUSfactor was found to be very well tolerated.

Our History

We were organized as a corporation under the laws of the State of Nevada on December 29, 2010 under the name “Oro Capital Corporation.” In April 2014, Synergy Strips Corp., a Delaware corporation, became our wholly-owned subsidiary, and we changed our name from “Oro Capital Corporation” to “Synergy Strips Corp.” In August 2015, we changed our name to “Synergy CHC Corp.” In January 2019, our other U.S. subsidiaries, Neuragen Corp., Sneaky Vaunt Corp., The Queen Pegasus Corp. and Breakthrough Products Inc., merged with and into the Company. In July 2021, we acquired Hand MD Corp. as a wholly-owned subsidiary.

We were a public reporting company until July 17, 2020, the date on which we filed a Form 15 to voluntarily suspend our duty to file reports under Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act. As a result of this offering, we will become subject again to the information and reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and we will file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC.

Our Industry

The global nutritional supplement market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 9.3% from 2018 to 2028 according to Inkwood Research. One of the drivers of this growth is the increasing availability of over-the-counter products as an alternative to prescription medication.

FOCUSfactor competes in the brain health supplement category. The global brain health supplements market was estimated to be $8.6 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 13.3% from 2023 to 2030, according to Grand View Research. FOCUSfactor’s growth in the year ended December 31, 2023 was 17% year-over-year, significantly outpacing the overall brain health supplement market. The industry is fragmented, with both global and domestic competitors, which gives us an opportunity to scale and continue to take market share.

Our Flat Tummy brand competes in the weight management and wellbeing market, which in 2022 was estimated to be an $11.3 billion global market, with forecasted growth of 4.0% annually from 2023 to 2032, according to Business Research Insights.

Demographic trends and changing consumer habits, including a focus on reducing obesity prevalence, have been drivers of this market. We expect these trends will benefit the Flat Tummy brand and allow for new and innovative products to appeal to the changing market demographics.

Research and Development

The development of new products is comprised of two distinct steps. First, our marketing team reviews new product opportunities by analyzing market data and consumer trends in the market as well as products offered by our competition and then develops preliminary new product concepts which include claims/benefits, delivery form, packaging, and pricing targets, among others. We then work with our third-party manufacturers and leverage their research and development to finalize our new product initiative (including formula and specifications), as these partners are experienced in product development and formulation. When we acquire a brand, we typically further expand the SKUs under that brand, through internal development and with our existing partners. Generally, we take ownership of the formulas and related intellectual property, unless the products use a generic formulation.

Manufacturing and Related Operations

Our company collaborates with external manufacturers, known for their reliability, to produce our diverse range of products. We carefully select partners based on their expertise and manufacturing capabilities, ensuring our products are of the highest quality. The FOCUSfactor line is produced by several respected manufacturers, such as Nutrition

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Formulators Inc., Vit-Best Nutrition, and ProTab, to ensure supply continuity and support brand growth. For the Flat Tummy line, we work closely with manufacturers: Caraway Tea Company to make our teas, Vit-Best Nutrition for shakes and capsules, Global Widget for gummies, and Clever Foods for appetite suppression lollipops.

Distribution

Most of our revenues are generated through the retail channel, primarily due to our FOCUSfactor brand which is sold mainly through leading retailers. These retailers include club, mass, drug and other retailers such as Costco, Walmart, Amazon.com, Walgreens, Meijer, Albertson’s and CVS. All of our brands are also sold direct to consumer through their respective brand websites.

Competition

The U.S. nutritional supplements retail industry is a large and highly fragmented industry with few barriers to entry. We compete against other domestic and international manufacturers, specialty retailers, mass merchants, multi-level marketing organizations, mail-order and direct-to-consumer companies, and e-commerce companies. This market is highly sensitive to the introduction of new products, which may rapidly capture a significant share of the market. Certain of our competitors may have significantly greater financial, technical and marketing resources than we do, and may be able to adapt to changes in consumer preferences more quickly, devote greater resources to the marketing and sale of their products, or generate greater brand recognition. In addition, our competitors may be more effective and efficient in introducing new products.

Although there are many competing products on the market across our product categories, we believe that FOCUSfactor is the only brain-health formulation with both a patent and an independent study to support its claim of improving memory, concentration and focus. FOCUSfactor’s competitors include a wide range of products, from targeted brain-enhancement supplements to indirect competitors such as energy drinks that claim to improve concentration. Our Flat Tummy brand competes in well-established segments with a diverse range of competition both domestically and internationally.

Government Regulation

Domestic (United States) Overview

The processing, formulation, safety, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, advertising and distribution of our products in the United States are subject to regulation by several agencies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”), the Federal Trade Commission (the “FTC”), the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and by various agencies and programs of the states and localities in which our products are sold. The FDA, which exercises regulatory authority over foods, dietary supplements (a subset of the foods category), and cosmetics, is the primary U.S. regulatory body for the product categories in which we participate within the U.S. market. While the FDA doesn’t mandate pre-approval or registration for dietary supplements or food products, it does stipulate that these items must adhere to current good manufacturing practices (“cGMPs”) and be produced in FDA-registered and audited facilities. Additionally, the FDA exercises regulatory oversight of ingredients and labeling of these products. All FOCUSfactor products and Flat Tummy products are governed by the FDA regulations in 21 CFR Part 111 (dietary supplements) or 21 CFR Part 117 (foods).

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Dietary Supplements and Foods

The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (“DSHEA”) amended the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the “FD&C Act”) to establish a new framework governing the composition, safety, labeling, manufacturing and marketing of dietary supplements. Generally, under the FD&C Act, dietary ingredients (i.e., vitamins; minerals; herbs or other botanicals; amino acids; or dietary substances for use by humans to supplement the diet by increasing total dietary intake; or any concentrate, metabolite, constituent, extract or combination of any of the above) that were marketed in the United States prior to October 15, 1994 may be used in dietary supplements without notifying the FDA. “New” dietary ingredients (i.e., dietary ingredients that were not marketed in the United States before October 15, 1994) must be the subject of a new dietary ingredient notification submitted to the FDA unless the ingredient has been “present in the

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food supply as an article used for food” without being “chemically altered.” A new dietary ingredient notification must provide the FDA evidence of a “history of use or other evidence of safety” establishing that use of the dietary ingredient “will reasonably be expected to be safe.” A new dietary ingredient notification must be submitted to the FDA at least 75 days before the initial marketing of the new dietary ingredient. The FDA may determine that a new dietary ingredient notification does not provide an adequate basis to conclude that a dietary ingredient is reasonably expected to be safe.

Such a determination could prevent the marketing of such dietary ingredient. In 2011 and 2016, the FDA issued draft guidance setting forth recommendations for complying with the new dietary ingredient notification requirement. In 2024, FDA has issued another guidance finalizing New Dietary Ingredient Notification (“NDIN”) procedures and timeframes, noting that other parts of the 2016 draft guidance will be finalized in due time. Although FDA guidance is non-binding and does not establish legally enforceable responsibilities, and companies are free to use an alternative approach if the approach satisfies the requirements of applicable laws and regulations, FDA guidance is a strong indication of the FDA’s view on the topic discussed in the guidance, including its position on enforcement. At this time, the NDIN draft guidance, and finalized timelines and procedures guideline are not anticipated to have a material impact on our operations. As a part of our product development process, ingredients in products are vetted for compliance with FDA’s regulations for dietary supplements. Any ingredient suspected to fall under the NDIN classification is further vetted to confirm the ingredient is Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) or that the ingredient manufacturer/distributor has submitted NDIN to the FDA.

The FDA or other agencies could take actions against products or product ingredients that, in their determination, present an unreasonable health risk to consumers that would make it illegal for us to sell such products. In addition, the FDA could issue consumer warnings with respect to the products or ingredients in such products that we sell. Such actions or warnings could be based on information received through FD&C Act-mandated reporting of serious adverse events.

The Bioterrorism Act, enacted in 2002, is a U.S. federal law aimed at bolstering the nation’s ability to prevent, prepare for, and respond to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies. Key provisions include mandatory registration of food facilities with the FDA, prior notification of imported food shipments, recordkeeping requirements for food facilities, and the FDA’s authority to administratively detain food products posing serious health risks. This legislation enhanced food safety by facilitating better monitoring of food facilities and imports, improving traceability and recall efforts, and strengthening the FDA’s ability to respond swiftly to potential threats to public health.

In June 2007, pursuant to the authority granted by the FD&C Act as amended by DSHEA, the FDA published detailed current Good Manufacturing Practice (“cGMP”) regulations that govern the manufacturing, packaging, labeling, and holding operations of dietary supplement manufacturers. The cGMP regulations, among other things, imposed significant recordkeeping requirements on manufacturers. The cGMP requirements are in effect for all dietary supplement manufacturers, and the FDA conducts inspections of dietary supplement manufacturers pursuant to these requirements. The failure of a manufacturing facility to comply with the cGMP regulations renders products manufactured in such facility “adulterated,” and subjects such products and the manufacturer to a variety of potential FDA enforcement actions. In addition, the Food Safety Modernization Act (“FSMA”), which was enacted in January 2011, aimed to modernize and strengthen the food safety system by shifting the focus from responding to foodborne illness outbreaks to preventing them. The act granted the FDA new regulatory authority over the way foods are grown, harvested, and processed. It also required food facilities to implement preventive controls to identify and address potential hazards in their operations. FSMA represents a fundamental shift in food safety regulation, emphasizing prevention, risk-based approaches, and enhanced collaboration throughout the food supply chain, which has increased the costs of dietary ingredients and has subjected the suppliers of such ingredients to more rigorous inspections and enforcement. FSMA also requires importers of food, including dietary supplements and dietary ingredients, to conduct verification activities to ensure that the food or ingredients they import meet applicable domestic requirements.

We take several actions to ensure manufacturers we engage comply with the Bioterrorism Act, have implemented FSMA procedures (as applies), and are operating under cGMPs. As is common in our industry, we rely on our third-party suppliers and manufacturers to have policies and procedures that ensure that the products they manufacture and sell to us comply with all applicable regulatory and legislative requirements. Internally, we have a set of supplier onboarding procedures that ensure that the third-party facilities are registered with the FDA and are operating a quality system up to cGMP standards for the respective product category. We make an intentional effort to engage manufacturers that have additional quality certifications and third-party audits, such as food safety certifications under the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) or dietary supplement cGMP certifications audited by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), whenever possible. During this onboarding process, the supplier’s history is also

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researched for any recent recalls, warning letters, or import alerts related to their facility or products manufactured by the supplier. Additionally, each third-party manufacturer is required to enter into a quality agreement with us. This document specifically outlines responsibilities and cGMP/documentation expectations for each party. In general, we also seek representations and warranties, indemnification and/or insurance from our vendors. However, even with adequate insurance and indemnification, any claims of non-compliance could significantly damage our reputation and consumer confidence in our products. In addition, the failure of such products to comply with applicable regulatory and legislative requirements could prevent us from marketing the products or require us to recall or remove such products from the market, which in certain cases could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. A removal or recall could also result in negative publicity and damage to our reputation which could reduce future demand for our products. In such case, we may attempt to offset any losses related to recalls and removals with reformulated or alternative products; however, there can be no assurance that we would be able to offset all or any portion of losses related to any future removal or recall.

The FD&C Act permits structure/function claims to be included in labels and labeling for dietary supplements without FDA pre-market approval. However, companies must have substantiation that the claims are “truthful and not misleading,” and must submit a notification with the text of the claims to the FDA no later than 30 days after marketing the dietary supplement with the claims. Permissible structure/function claims may describe how a particular nutrient or dietary ingredient affects the structure, function, or general well-being of the body, or characterize the documented mechanism of action by which a nutrient or dietary ingredient acts to maintain such structure or function. The label or labeling of a product marketed as a dietary supplement may not expressly or implicitly represent that a dietary supplement will diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent a disease (i.e., a disease claim). If the FDA determines that a particular structure/function claim is an unacceptable disease claim that causes the product to be regulated as a drug, a conventional food claim, or an unauthorized version of a “health claim,” or, if the FDA determines that a particular claim is not adequately supported by existing scientific data or is false or misleading in any particular way, we would be prevented from using the claim and would have to update our product labels and labeling accordingly. We have an in-house regulatory team that reviews the scientific literature and develops substantiation as part of the product development process to ensure the crafting of compliant structure-function claims and product positioning. Our regulatory team engages in the review of web copy, e-commerce copy, and other marketing copy at the request of the brand directors of each respective brand.

In addition, DSHEA provides that so-called “third-party literature,” e.g., “a publication, including an article, a chapter in a book, or an official abstract of a peer-reviewed scientific publication that appears in an article and was prepared by the author or the editors of the publication” supplements, when reprinted in its entirety, may be used “in connection with the sale of a dietary supplement to consumers” without the literature being subject to regulation as labeling. Such literature: (1) must not be false or misleading; (2) may not “promote” a particular manufacturer or brand of dietary supplement; (3) must present a balanced view or is displayed or presented with other such items on the same subject matter so as to present a balanced view of the available scientific information; (4) if displayed in an establishment, must be physically separate from the dietary supplements; and (5) should not have appended to it any information by sticker or any other method. If the literature fails to satisfy each of these requirements, we may be prevented from disseminating such literature with our products, and any continued dissemination could subject our product to regulatory action as an illegal drug.

The FDA has broad authority to enforce the provisions of federal law applicable to dietary supplements, including powers to issue a public warning or notice of violation letter to a company, publicize information about illegal products, detain products intended for import, require the reporting of serious adverse events, require a recall of illegal or unsafe products from the market, and request the Department of Justice to initiate a seizure action, an injunction action or a criminal prosecution in United States courts.

Federal Trade Commission

The FTC exercises jurisdiction over the advertising of all products, including foods, dietary supplements and cosmetics, and requires that all advertising to consumers be truthful and non-misleading. The FTC actively monitors the dietary supplement space and has instituted numerous enforcement actions against dietary supplement companies for failure to have adequate substantiation for claims made in advertising or for the use of false or misleading advertising claims or practices. These enforcement actions have resulted in consent decrees and significant monetary judgments against the companies and/or individuals involved. Regulators require a company to convey product claims clearly and accurately and further require marketers to maintain adequate substantiation for their claims. More specifically, the

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FTC requires such substantiation to be based upon competent and reliable scientific evidence and requires a company to have a reasonable basis for the expressed and implied product claim before it disseminates an advertisement. A reasonable basis is determined based on the claims made, how the claims are presented in the context of the entire advertisement, and how the claims are qualified. The FTC’s standard for evaluating substantiation is designed to ensure that consumers are protected from false and/or misleading claims by requiring scientific substantiation of product claims at the time such claims are first made. The failure to have this substantiation violates the Federal Trade Commission Act.

Foreign

Our products sold in foreign countries are also subject to regulation under various national, local, and international laws that include provisions governing, among other things, the formulation, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, testing, advertising, and distribution of these products within their respective categories. Some foreign entities categorize these products/formulations as “Medicines” or subsets of a medicinal category instead of as “food supplements” or “dietary supplements”, based on the regionally-specific regulations and the nature of the product. Government regulations in foreign countries may prevent or delay the introduction, or require the reformulation, of certain of our products.

In foreign markets, our regulatory department works with an in-country regulatory consultant group to guide us through the regulatory process needed to launch our product in a particular country such as Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. For example, Canada and Australia require a product submission packet and approval from Health Canada (“HC”) and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (“TGA”), respectively, for products that would be considered “Natural Health Products” (in Canada) or “Listed Medicines” (in Australia). In the United Kingdom, on the other hand, no formal regulatory submission or pre-approval is needed for products within the food supplement category. Launch timing varies by country. In the United States and United Kingdom, once a formula is established and labeling has been approved by our regulatory and legal advisors, the product can be launched upon production. The Australian approval process generally takes four to eight weeks from the time the packet is submitted, while in Canada the approval process can take from six to twelve months from submission.

In Canada, HC has oversight over our FOCUSfactor and Flat Tummy products. Our FOCUSfactor and Flat Tummy products are considered natural health products (“NHPs”) by HC, and each has been issued, so they each have a natural product number (“NPN”) that was assigned by HC upon its review and approval. This applies to all products currently marketed or licensed in Canada, except for the FOCUSfactor energy drinks, which are considered supplemented foods and are not subject to pre-approval. Energy drinks are instead subject to supplemented foods regulations and manufacturing standards.

In the United Kingdom, FOCUSfactor products are considered food supplements that are regulated by the Food Standards Agency (“FSA”). There is no requirement for licensing or registering food supplement products in the United Kingdom. Products must comply with relevant food law, which include formulation/ingredient restrictions, specific labeling requirements, and other parameters. Brexit has introduced significant challenges for the sale of food supplements from the UK into the EU. These challenges primarily stem from regulatory misalignment and new border controls. Previously, products could be freely traded within the EU under harmonized regulations, but now, UK-based supplements must adhere to separate EU regulations to be sold in the European market. This necessitates costly and time-consuming compliance efforts, including product testing and re-labelling. Additionally, customs procedures and tariffs introduced post-Brexit have further impeded the flow of goods, increasing costs for businesses and potentially limiting consumer access to certain products. Flat Tummy products are not currently sold in the United Kingdom.

In Australia, FOCUSfactor products are “Listed Medicines” that are regulated by the TGA and require an AUST L (Australia Listed Medicine) number. Listed Medicines are regulated by the TGA, and the advertising of these products is also regulated by the TGA under the Therapeutic Goods Administrative Code (“TGAC”). Flat Tummy products are not currently sold in Australia.

New Legislation or Regulation

Legislation may be introduced which, if passed, would impose substantial new regulatory requirements on dietary supplements. We cannot determine what effect additional domestic or international governmental legislation, regulations, or administrative orders, when and if promulgated, would have on our business in the future. New legislation or regulations may require the reformulation or revised labeling of certain products to meet new standards,

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require the recall or discontinuance of certain products not capable of reformulation, or impose additional record keeping or submission requirements. Moreover, emerging or future regulations might introduce additional challenges beyond those currently foreseen, further affecting the industry landscape.

Fragmented state-level regulations develop in the United States from time-to-time. Once such bill, the New York Weight Loss Products Bill, effective as of April 22, 2024, imposes stricter regulations on weight loss and athletic performance products. Among its provisions, it requires manufacturers to implement age verification measures for the sale of consumers in the state of New York. Despite its passage, opposition from industry trade groups persists, citing concerns over its impact on the dietary supplement industry. Another noteworthy and continuously-evolving state-level regulation is Proposition 65, which is a California initiative that governs the presence of some chemicals and associated warnings and is managed by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA).

On a federal level in the United States, repeated legislative attempts have been made within the last several years to introduce a mandatory product listing (MPL) for the dietary supplement industry through the FDA, which would require notification to the FDA before bringing a product to the market and for label information to be submitted to and maintained in a central database. While the most recent MPL attempt failed in 2022, the FDA’s outlined budget and legislative proposals for 2025 continue to include the modernization of DSHEA regulations and the introduction of an MPL. Several trade association groups within the dietary supplement industry continue to express opposition to the current proposal, citing a clear lack of scope and definition of what it ultimately may require.

In Canada, Health Canada is in the process of reviewing and updating the database of ingredient and product monographs. While this effort is considerably focused on the clarification and harmonization of existing monographs and resources, the changing of certain ingredient monographs may have the potential to impact formulation or labeling, if any such ingredient is included in one of our licensed products. If this does occur, Health Canada is expected to provide phase-in and guidance for any such changes. Health Canada has also provided updated labeling formatting for Natural Health Products (NHPs), with a compliance date for existing products of 2028. Concurrently, Health Canada is in the consultation period for an updated fee schedule for Health Canada-related activities, such as the review of product submission packets, site licensing, and other activities relevant to maintaining operations and regulatory compliance in Canada. These discussions are still ongoing, but present potential additional future expenses to companies with natural health product registrations in the Canadian regions, as well as manufacturers or importers of such products. The benefit of this proposed pay scheme is that it may significantly reduce the number of product submissions from other companies in the Canadian market, which may reduce competition in the Canadian market and perhaps reduce review timelines by Health Canada for new product registrations and other such activities, therefore decreasing the time barrier to entry.

Intellectual Property

We own 23 trademarks that have been registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and have filed applications to register additional trademarks. In addition, we claim domestic trademark and service mark rights in numerous additional marks that we use. We own a number of trademark registrations in countries outside the United States. Federally registered trademarks in the United States have a perpetual life, as long as they are maintained and renewed on a timely basis and used properly as trademarks, subject to the rights of third parties to seek cancellation of the trademarks if they claim priority or confusion of usage. Most foreign trademark offices use similar trademark renewal processes. We regard our trademarks and other proprietary rights as valuable assets and believe they make a significant positive contribution to the marketing of our products.

We protect our legal rights concerning our trademarks by appropriate measures, which may include legal action. We possess a portfolio of both registered and unregistered (i.e., common law) trademarks. In certain circumstances, we seek and obtain registrations for our trademarks, which may confer certain advantages, and the decision to register a trademark is made on a case-by-case basis. We have registered and intend to register certain trademarks in certain limited jurisdictions outside the United States where our products are sold, but we may not register all or even some of our trademarks in every country in which we conduct business or intend to conduct business.

We own U.S. Patent 8,329,227 covering FOCUSfactor’s proprietary formulation “for enhanced mental function.” This patent was issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office in December 2012 and expires in April 2025.

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In addition to this intellectual property, we also rely on our proprietary knowledge and ongoing technological innovation to develop a competitive position in the market for our products. Each of our patents and know-how are integral to the conduct of our business and the loss of any could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Human Capital Management

We recognize that attracting, motivating and retaining passionate talent at all levels is vital to continuing our success. By improving employee retention and engagement, we also improve our ability to support our customers and protect the long-term interests of our stakeholders and stockholders. We invest in our employees through continuously improving benefits and various health and wellness initiatives, and offer competitive compensation packages, working to continuously improve fairness in internal compensation practices.

As of June 18, 2024, we had 25 full-time employees. We intend to grow our employee base in response to the demands and requirements of the business. We believe that the employer-employee relationships in our Company are positive. We have no labor union contracts.

Properties

The following table describes our principal properties leased as of June 18, 2024:

Purpose

 

Location

 

Square Footage

Technology Center(1)

 

Halifax, NS

 

8,500

Main Office(2)

 

Westbrook, ME

 

3,510

____________

(1)      Monthly rental payments are $0 Canadian Dollars per month on a month-to-month basis.

(2)      Monthly rental payments are $4,290 per month on a month-to-month basis.

Legal Proceedings

From time to time, we are involved in various litigation matters arising in the ordinary course of our business. We do not believe that any of these matters, individually or in the aggregate, are currently material to us.

On July 25, 2022, plaintiff Barbara Valenti (“Valenti”) filed a putative class action complaint against Synergy CHC Corp. in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Case No. 1:22-cv-4361-BMC, for alleged violations of New York General Business Law Sections 349 and 350, arising out of advertising for the FOCUSfactor product. On August 18, 2022, we filed a motion to dismiss and a motion to strike class claims. Valenti’s counsel filed an opposition to the motions on August 30, 2022, and we withdrew the motions on September 1, 2022. We filed an answer to the complaint on September 16, 2022. On December 29, 2022, and while denying all liability, we settled with Valenti for a payment of $340,000 to be paid in twelve installments ending on December 1, 2023, in exchange for a full release of Valenti’s individual claims. On December 29, 2022, plaintiff filed a stipulation of voluntarily dismissal of the individual claims with prejudice. During 2023, we fully paid the $340,000, per the agreement.

In August 2022, we filed a lawsuit in the Superior Court of Maine against one of our contract manufacturers, bringing several claims arising out of allegations that the contract manufacturer’s failure to timely produce and deliver our products in 2020 and 2021 damaged our business. The contract manufacturer brought counterclaims demanding payment in full for its manufacture of these products. This lawsuit was moved to federal court in the United States District Court for the District of Maine, Synergy CHC Corp. v. HVL, LLC d/b/a Atrium Innovations, Case No. 2:22-cv-00301-JAW (D. Me). The case was settled during December 2023, resulting in a net gain to us of $2,235,986, reflected as a reduction of cost of sales, and a loan payable of $5,450,000.

On July 28, 2023, L.O.D.C. Group (“LODC”) asserted claims of over $1,000,000 against us for breach of contract arising from their alleged failure to comply with contracts related to the delivery of hand sanitizer in L.O.D.C. Group, Ltd. v. Synergy CHC Corp., 4:23-cv-691; United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division. We deny all allegations and believe we are the aggrieved party in the relationship with LODC, and we filed a counterclaim. The case was settled during April 2024 by way of a confidential settlement agreement and mutual release, the settlement of the claim has been accounted for and reported as a charge to operations for the year ended December 31, 2023.

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MANAGEMENT

The following table sets forth certain information as of June 18, 2024 about our executive officers and members of our Board.

Name

 

Age

 

Position

Jack Ross

 

58

 

Chief Executive Officer and Chairman

Stacy B. McLaughlin

 

43

 

Chief Financial Officer

Alfred Baumeler(1)

 

59

 

President and Director Nominee

Jaime Fickett

 

46

 

Senior Vice President of Finance and Operations

J. Paul SoRelle

 

68

 

Director

Nitin Kaushal

 

58

 

Director Nominee

Scott Woodburn

 

60

 

Director Nominee

____________

(1)      Alfred Baumeler will be appointed to the Board effective upon the closing of the offering described in this prospectus.

Executive Officers

Jack Ross has served as our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman since October 2014, served as our Chief Financial Officer from August 2018 until July 2021 and from October 2014 until October 2017, and served as our President from May 2020 until January 2021 and from October 2014 until October 2017. Mr. Ross has also served as the Chief Executive Officer of Kenek Brands Inc., an executive consulting firm, since January 2014. In addition, Mr. Ross has served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Gowan Capital Inc. since May 2011. Mr. Ross’ significant leadership experience at various private and public companies led to the conclusion that he should serve as a member of our Board of Directors, in light of our business and structure.

Stacy B. McLaughlin was appointed as our Chief Financial Officer in April 2024. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. McLaughlin was the Chief Financial Officer of Splash Beverage Group, Inc. (NYSE American: SBEV) from January 2024 to March 2024 and Chief Financial Officer of Material Technologies, Corp. from 2022 to 2023. From 2013 to 2021, Ms. McLaughlin was the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Willdan Group, Inc. (Willdan), and prior to that, she was Willdan’s Compliance Manager from 2010 to 2013. During her tenure at Willdan, she was responsible for accounting and finance functions, SEC reporting, investor relations, treasury, and managed a follow-on equity offering. Prior to Willdan, Ms. McLaughlin was, from 2009 to 2010, Senior Associate at Windes & McClaughry Accountancy Corporation and, from 2004 to 2009, Senior Audit Associate at the public accounting firm KPMG LLP. Ms. McLaughlin has a Masters in Accounting from the University of Southern California and a BS from the University of Arizona. Ms. McLaughlin is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Alfred Baumeler has served as our President since January 2021 and has agreed to serve on our Board of Directors upon the completion of this offering. From August 2015 to December 2020, Mr. Baumeler served as our Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. From September 2012 to August 2015, Mr. Baumeler served as Senior Vice President of Marketing for Healthy Natural Systems/Core Science Medica (CSM)/Lifeagen, a nutritional supplement company. From January 2012 to August 2012, Mr. Baumeler was self-employed as a marketing consultant. From November 2009 to November 2011, Mr. Baumeler was the Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Natrol, Inc., a manufacturer of vitamins, minerals and supplements. Mr. Baumeler has also held senior positions in Sales and Marketing with Rexall Sundown, Wyeth and Novartis. Mr. Baumeler earned his Bachelor of Science from Rutgers University in Engineering and his Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Finance from Columbia Business School. Mr. Baumeler’s 30 years of experience in consumer goods, of which 20 were in the nutritional supplement industry, led to the conclusion that he should serve as a member of our Board of Directors.

Jaime Fickett has served as our Senior Vice President of Finance and Operations since January 2015. From August 2006 to January 2015, Ms. Fickett served as Chief Financial Officer of Factor Nutrition Labs, LLC, a company that developed dietary supplements. From 1999 to 2006, Ms. Fickett was employed in the public accounting sector as an auditor. Ms. Fickett earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Maine. Ms. Fickett earned her Master of Science in Accounting from Southern New Hampshire University.

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Directors and Director Nominees

J. Paul SoRelle was appointed as a director in December 2014. From 1999 to April 2020, Mr. SoRelle served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Pioneer Press of Greeley, Inc., a commercial printing company. Since April 2020, Mr. SoRelle has continued to consult for Pioneer Press. Prior to joining Pioneer Press, Mr. SoRelle acquired RamStar, Inc. in November 1988 and served as President and CEO, as well as in other roles. RamStar, Inc. was acquired by International Thunderbird Gaming Corporation in 1994, where Mr. SoRelle served on the board of directors and as Executive Vice President until October 1996. In November 1982, Mr. SoRelle acquired three convenience stores, expanded to eight stores and sold them in 1988. Mr. SoRelle’s significant leadership experience at Pioneer Press of Greeley, Inc. led to the conclusion that he should serve as a member of our Board of Directors, in light of our business and structure.

Nitin Kaushal has agreed to serve on our Board of Directors upon the completion of this offering. Since March 2020, Mr. Kaushal has served as President of Anik Capital Corp. He retired from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (Canada), where he was a Managing Director in the Corporate Finance Practice from April 2012 until February 2020. He has over thirty five years of experience in the financial services industry and has held senior roles in investment banking, venture capital and consulting firms including Desjardins Securities Inc., Orion Securities Inc., Vengate Capital, HSBC Securities Inc. and Gordon Capital and in the venture capital industry with MDS Capital Corp. Mr. Kaushal serves on the board of VieMed Healthcare, Inc., High Tide Inc., Delta 9 Cannabis Inc., and Everyday People Financial Inc. Mr. Kaushal earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Toronto and is a Chartered Accountant in Canada. Mr. Kaushal’s experience as a member of various boards of directors and as a Chartered Accountant provides the Board with additional perspective on financial reporting, governance and management issues and led to the conclusion that he should serve as a member of our Board of Directors.

Scott Woodburn has agreed to serve on our Board of Directors upon the completion of this offering. Since April 2021, Mr. Woodburn has served as Chief Executive Officer of S&W Industry Advisory Group, a business consulting firm specializing in global sales strategy, business development, and executive leadership, collaborating with the licensing and entertainment industry, investment banks, and private equity firms. Additionally, he serves as Executive Vice President of Sales for FulPac, a global manufacturer of eco-friendly service ware, partnering with top Quick Service Restaurant chains and retailers like Walmart. From November 1992 to March 2021, Mr. Woodburn was Vice President of National and Global Sales at Coca-Cola North America, where he led global sales strategy and managed a cross-functional team, handling P&L responsibilities for over $300 million in annual sales. He possesses extensive international experience across North America, Central and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Mr. Woodburn’s experience as a sales leader with over 30 years of experience in the foodservice, beverage, and consumer packaged goods industries, known for building strong teams, growing market share, and optimizing organizational capabilities, led to the conclusion that he should serve as a member of our Board of Directors.

Corporate Governance

Composition of our Board of Directors

Our business and affairs are managed under the direction of our Board. The number of directors will be fixed by our Board, subject to the terms of our certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws. Our Board currently consists of two directors (Mr. Ross and Mr. SoRelle), and will consist of five directors (Mr. Ross, Mr. Baumeler, Mr. SoRelle, Mr. Kaushal and Mr. Woodburn) upon the completion of this offering.

When considering whether directors and nominees have the experience, qualifications, attributes or skills, taken as a whole, to enable our Board to satisfy its oversight responsibilities effectively in light of our business and structure, the Board focuses primarily on each person’s background and experience as reflected in the information discussed in each of the directors’ individual biographies set forth above. We believe that our directors provide an appropriate mix of experience and skills relevant to the size and nature of our business.

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Corporate Governance Profile

We intend to structure our corporate governance in a manner we believe closely aligns our interests with those of our stockholders. Notable features of our corporate governance structure will include the following:

        our Board will not be classified, with each of our directors subject to re-election annually;

        we expect that a majority of our directors will satisfy the Nasdaq listing standards for independence;

        generally, all matters to be voted on by stockholders will be approved by a majority (or, in the case of election of directors, by a plurality) of the votes entitled to be cast by all stockholders present in person or represented by proxy, voting together as a single class;

        we intend to comply with the requirements of the Nasdaq marketplace rules, including having committees comprised solely of independent directors; and

        we do not have a stockholder rights plan.

Our directors will stay informed about our business by attending meetings of our Board and its committees and through supplemental reports and communications. Our independent directors will meet regularly in executive sessions without the presence of our corporate officers or non-independent directors.

Role of the Board in Risk Oversight

The Board actively manages the Company’s risk oversight process and receives periodic reports from management on areas of material risk to the Company, including operational, financial, legal, regulatory and cyber risks. The Board committees assist the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities in certain areas of risk. The Audit Committee assists the Board with its oversight of the Company’s major financial risk exposures. The Compensation Committee assists the Board with its oversight of risks arising from the Company’s compensation policies and programs. The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee assists the Board with its oversight of risks associated with board organization, board independence, and corporate governance. While each committee is responsible for evaluating certain risks and overseeing the management of those risks, the entire Board is regularly informed about the risks.

Director Independence

The Nasdaq marketplace rules require that, subject to specified exceptions, each member of a listed company’s audit, compensation and nominations committees be independent, or, if a listed company has no nominations committee, that director nominees be selected or recommended for the board’s selection by independent directors constituting a majority of the board’s independent directors. The Nasdaq marketplace rules further require that audit committee members satisfy independence criteria set forth in Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act and that compensation committee members satisfy the independence criteria set forth in Rule 10C-1 under the Exchange Act.

Prior to the completion of this offering, our Board undertook a review of the independence of our directors and considered whether any director has a material relationship with us that could compromise that director’s ability to exercise independent judgment in carrying out that director’s responsibilities. Our Board has affirmatively determined that each of Messrs. SoRelle, Kaushal and Woodburn qualify as an independent director, as defined under the applicable corporate governance standards of Nasdaq. These rules require that our Audit Committee be composed of at least three members, one of whom must be independent on the date of listing on Nasdaq, a majority of whom must be independent within 90 days of the effective date of the registration statement containing this prospectus, and all of whom must be independent within one year of the effective date of the registration statement containing this prospectus.

Board Leadership

The offices of the chairman of the Board and chief executive officer are currently combined. Mr. Ross serves as the Company’s chairman and chief executive officer. The Board believes that this structure is the most appropriate structure at this time for several reasons. Mr. Ross is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Company and the execution of its strategies. Since these topics are an integral part of Board discussions, Mr. Ross is the director best qualified to chair those discussions. In addition, Mr. Ross’ experience and knowledge of the Company and the industry

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are critical to Board discussions and the Company’s success. The Board believes that Mr. Ross is well qualified to serve in the combined roles of chairman and chief executive officer and that Mr. Ross’ interests are sufficiently aligned with the stockholders he represents.

The Board does not have a lead independent director. To help ensure the independence of the Company’s Board, the independent directors of the Board intend to meet without members of management at various times during the year.

Board Committees

Our Board of Directors will establish an audit committee, a compensation committee, and a nominating and corporate governance committee, each of which will operate pursuant to a charter to be adopted by our Board of Directors and will be effective upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, the composition and functioning of all of our committees will comply with all applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, Nasdaq and SEC rules and regulations.

Following the completion of this offering, the full text of our audit committee charter, compensation committee charter, and nominating and corporate governance charter will be posted on the investor relations portion of our website at www.synergychc.com. We do not incorporate the information contained on, or accessible through, our corporate website into this prospectus, and you should not consider it a part of this prospectus.

Each of the committees will report to our board of directors as such committee deems appropriate and as our board of directors may request. Members serve on these committees until their resignation or until otherwise determined by our board of directors.

Audit Committee

Upon completion of this offering, Messrs. SoRelle, Kaushal and Woodburn will serve on the Audit Committee, which will be chaired by Mr. Kaushal. The committee’s primary duties are to:

        review and discuss with management and our independent auditor our annual and quarterly financial statements and related disclosures, including disclosure under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and the results of the independent auditor’s audit or review, as the case may be;

        review our financial reporting processes and internal control over financial reporting systems and the performance, generally, of our internal audit function;

        oversee the audit and other services of our independent registered public accounting firm and be directly responsible for the appointment, independence, qualifications, compensation and oversight of the independent registered public accounting firm, which reports directly to the Audit Committee;

        provide an open means of communication among our independent registered public accounting firm, management, our internal auditing function and our Board;

        review any disagreements between our management and the independent registered public accounting firm regarding our financial reporting;

        prepare the Audit Committee report for inclusion in our proxy statement for our annual stockholder meetings;

        establish procedures for complaints received regarding our accounting, internal accounting control and auditing matters; and

        approve all audit and permissible non-audit services conducted by our independent registered public accounting firm.

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All members of our Audit Committee will meet the requirements for financial literacy under the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and the Nasdaq listing rules. Our Board of Directors has determined that Mr. Kaushal qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” within the meaning of applicable SEC regulations. In making this determination, our Board of Directors considered the nature and scope of experience that Mr. Kaushal has previously had with public reporting companies. Our Board of Directors has determined that all of the directors that will become members of our audit committee upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part satisfy the relevant independence requirements for service on the Audit Committee set forth in the rules of the SEC and the Nasdaq listing rules. Both our independent registered public accounting firm and management will periodically meet privately with our Audit Committee.

Compensation Committee

Upon completion of this offering, Messrs. SoRelle, Kaushal and Woodburn will serve on the Compensation Committee, which will be chaired by Mr. Kaushal. The committee’s primary duties are to:

        approve corporate goals and objectives relevant to chief executive officer compensation and evaluate performance in light of those goals and objectives;

        determine and approve executive officer compensation, including base salary and incentive awards;

        make recommendations to the Board regarding compensation plans; and

        administer our stock plan.

Our Compensation Committee determines and approves all elements of executive officer compensation. It also provides recommendations to the Board with respect to non-employee director compensation. The Compensation Committee may not delegate its authority to any other person, other than to a subcommittee.

Our Board of Directors has determined that each member of the Compensation Committee is “independent” as defined in the applicable Nasdaq rules. Each member of our Compensation Committee will be a non-employee director, as defined in Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act, and an outside director, as defined pursuant to Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

Upon completion of this offering, Messrs. SoRelle, Kaushal and Woodburn will serve on the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, which will be chaired by Mr. SoRelle. The committee’s primary duties are to:

        consider director nominees recommended by stockholders and recommend nominees for election as directors;

        oversee the evaluation of the Board;

        review our Board’s committee structure and composition and make recommendations; and

        develop, recommend and oversee our corporate governance principles, including our Code of Business Ethics and Conduct.

Code of Business Ethics and Conduct

Prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, we will adopt a written code of business ethics and conduct that applies to our directors, officers, and employees, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions. Following the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, a current copy of the code will be posted on the investor relations section of our website, which is located at www.synergychc.com. If we make any substantive amendments to, or grant any waivers from, the code of business ethics and conduct for any officer or director, we will disclose the nature of such amendment or waiver on our website or in a Current Report on Form 8-K.

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Controlled Company Status

Following the completion of this offering, we will be a “controlled” company within the meaning of the corporate governance rules of Nasdaq. Although we do not intend to rely on the exemptions from these corporate governance requirements, if we do rely on such exemptions in the future, you will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to these corporate governance requirements. In the event that we cease to be a “controlled company” and our shares continue to be listed on Nasdaq, we will be required to comply with these provisions within the applicable transition periods.

Legal Proceedings

To our knowledge, (i) no director or executive officer has been a director or executive officer of any business which has filed a bankruptcy petition or had a bankruptcy petition filed against it during the past ten years; (ii) no director or executive officer has been convicted of a criminal offense or is the subject of a pending criminal proceeding during the past ten years; (iii) no director or executive officer has been the subject of any order, judgment or decree of any court permanently or temporarily enjoining, barring, suspending or otherwise limiting his involvement in any type of business, securities or banking activities during the past ten years; and (iv) no director or officer has been found by a court to have violated a federal or state securities or commodities law during the past ten years.

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EXECUTIVE AND DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

We are a “smaller reporting company” under applicable SEC rules and are providing disclosure regarding our executive compensation arrangements pursuant to the rules applicable to emerging growth companies, which means that we are not required to provide a compensation discussion and analysis and certain other disclosures regarding our executive compensation. The following discussion relates to the compensation of our named executive officers for 2023, consisting of Jack Ross, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, and our two other most highly compensated executive officers as of December 31, 2023, Alfred Baumeler, our President, and Jaime Fickett, our Senior Vice President of Finance and Operations.

Fiscal Year 2023 and 2022 Summary Compensation Table

The following Fiscal Year 2023 and 2022 Summary Compensation Table contains information regarding compensation for 2023 and 2022 that we paid to Mr. Ross and our two other most highly compensated executive officers as of December 31, 2023.

Name and Principal Position

 

Year

 

Salary
($)

 

Bonus
($)

 

All other
compensation
($)

 

Total
($)

Jack Ross

 

2023

 

500,000

(2)

 

 

20,000

(3)

 

520,000

Chief Executive Officer and Chairman(1)

 

2022

 

738,483

(2)

 

 

37,500

(4)

 

775,983

Alfred Baumeler

 

2023

 

349,993

 

 

 

48,977

(5)

 

398,970

President

 

2022

 

345,827

 

 

150,000

 

50,782

(5)

 

546,608

Jaime Fickett

 

2023

 

379,493

 

 

 

13,712

(6)

 

393,204

Senior Vice President of Finance and Operations

 

2022

 

366,243

 

 

150,000

 

21,065

(6)

 

537,308

____________

(1)      Mr. Ross serves as our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, and is not an employee of the Company.

(2)      Consists of amounts paid to Kenek Brands Inc., a related party. See “Consulting Agreement” below.

(3)      Consists of a vehicle allowance of $2,500 per month for eight months.

(4)      Consists of a vehicle allowance of $2,500 per month for fifteen months.

(5)      Consists of a vehicle allowance of $600 per month, a retirement allowance of $7,500 and a health insurance allowance of $34,277 and $36,082, for 2023 and 2022, respectively.

(6)      Consists of a health insurance allowance of $13,712 for 2023 and a retirement allowance of $7,500 and a health insurance allowance of $13,565 for 2022.

Consulting Agreement

The following discussion relates to compensation arrangements on behalf of, and compensation paid by us to an entity controlled by Mr. Ross. We do not have an employment agreement with Mr. Baumeler or Ms. Fickett.

We are party to a Sales and Marketing Consultant and Distribution Agreement dated April 2, 2014 (the “Consulting Agreement”) with Kenek Brands Inc. (“Kenek”). Mr. Ross is the owner of Kenek and its sole officer and director. Pursuant to the Consulting Agreement, Kenek has been retained to serve as a consultant and advisor to us, including developing, expanding and managing sales, marketing and distribution and aiding in strategic direction of our sales and planning. As compensation for Kenek’s services, we pay Kenek $9,000 per month plus a 2% commission on all product sales on products that Kenek or its agents or brokers introduce to us. In addition, on April 2, 2014, we granted Kenek fully-vested options to purchase 1,000,000 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $0.25 per share, which have expired. We have also agreed to reimburse Kenek for all out-of-pocket expenses incurred to perform the duties set out in the Consulting Agreement, including travel, meals and lodging. The Consulting Agreement had an initial period of one year and automatically renews for successive one-year periods unless terminated by either party upon 90 days’ prior written notice. For two years following termination, we have agreed to pay to Kenek a 1% commission on all product sales on products that Kenek or its agents or brokers introduced to us. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” for additional information.

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Fiscal Year 2023 Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End Table

The following table lists all of the outstanding equity awards held on December 31, 2023 by each of the Company’s named executive officers, before adjusting for the proposed 1-for-            reverse stock split.

Name

 

Option Awards

 

Stock Awards

Number of
securities
underlying
unexercised
options
exercisable

(#)

 

Number of
securities
underlying
unexercised
options
unexercisable

(#)

 

Equity
incentive
plan
awards:
Number of
securities
underlying
unexercised
unearned
options

(#)

 

Option
exercise
price

($)

 

Option
expiration
date

 

Number
of shares
or units of
stock that
have not
vested

(#)

 

Market
value of
shares of
units of
stock that
have not
vested
($)

 

Equity
incentive
plan
awards:
Number of

unearned
shares,
units or
other rights
that have
not vested

(#)

 

Equity
incentive
plan
awards:
Market or
payout
value of
unearned
shares,
units or
other rights
that have
not vested
($)

Jack Ross

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alfred Baumeler

 

1,000,000

 

 

 

0.65

 

12/14/2025

 

 

 

 

Jaime Fickett

 

1,000,000

 

 

 

0.65

 

12/14/2025

 

 

 

 

Equity Incentive Plans

The following table summarizes information about our equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2023. All outstanding awards relate to our common stock.

Plan category

 

Number of
securities to
be issued upon
vesting of grants
and exercise
of outstanding
options,
warrants and
rights

 

Weighted-
average
exercise price
of outstanding
options,
warrants and
rights

 

Number of
securities
remaining
available for
future issuance
under equity
compensation
plans

Equity compensation plan approved by stockholders(1)

 

3,000,000

 

$

0.52

 

13,525,000

Equity compensation plan not approved by stockholders

 

 

$

 

Total

 

3,000,000

 

$

0.52

 

13,525,000

____________

(1)      The Company’s 2014 Stock Incentive Plan was approved by stockholders in July 2015.

Fiscal Year 2023 Director Compensation

Our named executive officer and director, Mr. Ross, did not receive any compensation for his service as a director for the year ended December 31, 2023. All compensation paid to Mr. Ross is set forth above under “— Fiscal Year 2023 and 2022 Summary Compensation Table.” No compensation was paid to our non-employee directors during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

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Director Compensation

We do not currently have a formal policy with respect to compensating non-employee directors for service as directors. Following the consummation of this offering, we anticipate that directors who are not also our officers or employees will receive compensation for their service on our board and committees thereof. The amount and form of such compensation has not yet been determined. Each non-employee director will be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with attending board and committee meetings.

Summary of the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan

The Synergy CHC Corp. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2024 Plan”) was adopted by the Board and stockholders on June 26, 2024 (the “Plan Effective Date”).

This section summarizes certain principal features of the 2024 Plan, which may be subject to change. The summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the 2024 Plan.

Awards

The 2024 Plan allows the Company to make equity and equity-based incentive awards to officers, employees, directors, consultants, and advisors. The Board anticipates that providing such persons with a direct stake in the Company will assure a closer alignment of the interests of such individuals with those of the Company and its stockholders, thereby stimulating their efforts on the Company’s behalf and strengthening their desire to remain with the Company.

The 2024 Plan will provide for the grant of Non-Qualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Performance Compensation Awards. No determination has been made as to the types or amounts of awards that will be granted to certain individuals pursuant to the 2024 Plan. All awards will be set forth in an award agreement which will detail all terms and conditions of the awards, including any applicable vesting and payment terms and post-termination exercise limitations.

A brief description of each award type follows.

        Non-Qualified Stock Options or “NQSO” means the right to purchase shares pursuant to terms and conditions that are not intended to be, or do not qualify as, an Incentive Stock Options;

        Incentive Stock Options or “ISO” means the right to purchase shares pursuant terms and conditions that are intended to qualify as, and that satisfy the requirements applicable to, an incentive equity option within the meaning of Code Section 422 of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended;

        Stock Appreciation Rights or “SAR” means a right, designated as an SAR, to receive the appreciation in the fair market value of shares;

        Restricted Stock means an award of shares subject to vesting conditions;

        Restricted Stock Units or “RSUs” shall mean a right to receive shares or cash upon vesting; and

        Performance Compensation Awards means an award granted to a participant that entitles the participant to delivery of shares upon achievement of performance goals.

The Company has initially reserved fifteen million five hundred twenty-five thousand (15,525,000) shares of common stock for the issuance of awards under the 2024 Plan (the “Initial Limit”). The Initial Limit is subject to adjustment in the event of a reorganization, recapitalization, reclassification, stock split, stock dividend, reverse stock split or other similar change in the Company’s capitalization. The maximum aggregate number of shares of common stock that may be issued upon exercise of incentive stock options under the 2024 Plan shall not exceed the Initial Limit, as adjusted. Shares underlying any awards under the 2024 Plan that are forfeited, cancelled, held back upon exercise of an option or settlement of an award to cover the exercise price or tax withholding, satisfied without the issuance of stock or otherwise terminated (other than by exercise) will be added back to the shares available for issuance under the 2024 Plan and, to the extent permitted under Section 422 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder, the shares that may be issued as incentive stock options.

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The 2024 Plan contains a limitation whereby the value of all awards under the 2024 Plan and all other cash compensation paid by the Company to any non-employee director may not exceed seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) in any calendar year.

The 2024 Plan will be administered by the compensation committee of the Board, the Board or such other similar committee pursuant to the terms of the 2024 Plan. The plan administrator, which initially will be the compensation committee of the Board, will have full power to select, from among the individuals eligible for awards, the individuals to whom awards will be granted, to make any combination of awards to participants, and to determine the specific terms and conditions of each award, subject to the provisions of the 2024 Plan. The plan administrator may delegate to a committee consisting of one or more officers of the Company, including the Chief Executive Officer, the authority to make awards to individuals who are not subject to the reporting and other provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and not members of the delegated committee, subject to certain limitations and guidelines.

Persons eligible to participate in the 2024 Plan will be officers, employees, non-employee directors, consultants, and advisors of the Company and its subsidiaries as selected from time to time by the plan administrator in its discretion. Approximately 25 individuals are eligible to participate in the 2024 Plan, which includes approximately 4 officers, 21 employees who are not officers, 3 non-employee directors, and 4 consultants/independent contractors.

The 2024 Plan permits the granting of both options to purchase common stock intended to qualify as incentive stock options under Section 422 of the Code and options that do not so qualify. Options granted under the 2024 Plan will be non-qualified options if they fail to qualify as incentive stock options or exceed the annual limit on incentive stock options. Incentive stock options may only be granted to employees of the Company and its subsidiaries. Non-qualified options may be granted to any persons eligible to receive awards under the 2024 Plan. The option exercise price of each option will be determined by the plan administrator but generally may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the common stock on the date of grant or, in the case of an incentive stock option granted to a ten percent stockholder, 110% of such share’s fair market value. The term of each option will be fixed by the plan administrator and may not exceed ten years from the date of grant. The plan administrator will determine at what time or times each option may be exercised, including the ability to accelerate the vesting of such options.

Upon exercise of options, the option exercise price must be paid in full either in cash, by certified or bank check or other instrument acceptable to the plan administrator or by delivery (or attestation to the ownership) of common stock that is beneficially owned by the optionee free of restrictions or were purchased in the open market. Subject to applicable law, the exercise price may also be delivered by a broker pursuant to irrevocable instructions to the broker from the optionee. In addition, the plan administrator may permit non-qualified options to be exercised using a “net exercise” arrangement that reduces the number of shares issued to the optionee by the largest whole number of shares with fair market value that does not exceed the aggregate exercise price.

The plan administrator may award stock appreciation rights subject to such conditions and restrictions as it may determine. Stock appreciation rights entitle the recipient to common stock, or cash, equal to the value of the appreciation in the Company’s stock price over the exercise price. The exercise price generally may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the common stock on the date of grant. The term of each stock appreciation right will be fixed by the plan administrator and may not exceed ten years from the date of grant. The plan administrator will determine at what time or times each stock appreciation right may be exercised, including the ability to accelerate the vesting of such stock appreciation rights.

The plan administrator may award restricted shares of common stock and restricted stock units to participants subject to such conditions and restrictions as it may determine. These conditions and restrictions may include the achievement of certain performance goals and/or continued employment with the Company through a specified vesting period. The plan administrator may also grant shares of common stock that are free from any restrictions under the 2024 Plan. Unrestricted stock may be granted to participants in recognition of past services or for other valid consideration and may be issued in lieu of cash compensation due to such participant. The plan administrator may grant dividend equivalent rights to participants that entitle the recipient to receive credits for dividends that would be paid if the recipient had held a specified number of shares common stock.

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The plan administrator may grant cash-based awards under the 2024 Plan to participants, subject to the achievement of certain performance goals, including continued employment with the Company. The 2024 Plan requires the plan administrator to make appropriate adjustments to the number of shares of common stock that are subject to the 2024 Plan, to certain limits in the 2024 Plan, and to any outstanding awards to reflect stock dividends, stock splits, extraordinary cash dividends and similar events.

Except as set forth in a stock award agreement issued under the 2024 Plan, in the event of (i) a transfer of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, (ii) a merger, consolidation or other capital reorganization or business combination transaction of the Company with or into another corporation, entity or person, or (iii) the consummation of a transaction, or series of related transactions, in which any person becomes the beneficial owner directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of Company’s then outstanding capital stock, each outstanding stock award (vested or unvested) will be treated as the plan administrator determines, which may include (a) Company’s continuation of such outstanding stock awards (if Company is the surviving corporation); (b) the assumption of such outstanding stock awards by the surviving corporation or its parent; (c) the substitution by the surviving corporation or its parent of new stock options or other equity awards for such stock awards; (d) the cancellation of such stock awards in exchange for a payment to the participants equal to the excess of (1) the fair market value of the shares subject to such stock awards as of the closing date of such corporate transaction over (2) the exercise price or purchase price paid or to be paid (if any) for the shares subject to the stock awards (which payment may be subject to the same conditions that apply to the consideration that will be paid to holders of shares in connection with the transaction, subject to applicable law); or (e) the opportunity for participants to exercise the stock options prior to the occurrence of the corporate transaction and the termination (for no consideration) upon the consummation of such corporate transaction of any stock options not exercised prior thereto.

The 2024 Plan provides that a stock award may be subject to additional acceleration of vesting and exercisability upon or after a “Change in Control” (as defined in the 2024 Plan) as may be provided in the award agreement for such stock award or as may be provided in any other written agreement between the Company or any affiliate and the participant, but in the absence of such provision, no such acceleration will occur.

Participants in the 2024 Plan are responsible for the payment of any federal, state or local taxes that the Company or its subsidiaries are required by law to withhold upon the exercise of options or stock appreciation rights or vesting of other awards. The plan administrator may cause any tax withholding obligation of the Company or its subsidiaries to be satisfied, in whole or in part, by the applicable entity withholding from shares of common stock to be issued pursuant to award shares with an aggregate fair market value that would satisfy the withholding amount due. The plan administrator may also require any tax withholding obligation of the Company or its subsidiaries to be satisfied, in whole or in part, by an arrangement whereby a certain number of shares issued pursuant to any award are immediately sold and proceeds from such sale are remitted to the Company or its subsidiaries in an amount that would satisfy the withholding amount due.

The 2024 Plan generally does not allow for the transfer or assignment of awards, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution or pursuant to a domestic relations order; however, the plan administrator may permit the transfer of non-qualified stock options by gift to an immediate family member, to trusts for the benefit of family members, or to partnerships in which such family members are the only partners.

The plan administrator may amend or discontinue the 2024 Plan and the plan administrator may amend or cancel outstanding awards for purposes of satisfying changes in law or any other lawful purpose, but no such action may materially and adversely affect rights under an award without the holder’s consent. Certain amendments to the 2024 Plan will require the approval of the Company’s stockholders. Generally, without shareholder approval, (i) no amendment or modification of the 2024 Plan may reduce the exercise price of any stock option or the strike price of any stock appreciation right, (ii) the plan administrator may not cancel any outstanding stock option or stock appreciation right where the fair market value of the common stock underlying such stock option or stock appreciation right is less than its exercise price and replace it with a new option or stock appreciation right, another award or cash and (iii) the plan administrator may not take any other action that is considered a “repricing” for purposes of the shareholder approval rules of the applicable securities exchange.

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All stock awards granted under the 2024 Plan will be subject to recoupment in accordance with any clawback policy that Company is required to adopt pursuant to the listing standards of any national securities exchange or association on which the Company’s securities are listed or as is otherwise required by the U.S. Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or other applicable law. In addition, the Board may impose such other clawback, recovery or recoupment provisions in a stock award agreement as the Board determines necessary or appropriate. No recovery of compensation under such a clawback policy will be an event giving rise to a right to resign for “good reason” or “constructive termination” (or similar term) under any agreement with the Company.

No awards may be granted under the 2024 Plan after the date that is ten years from the Plan Effective Date. No awards under the 2024 Plan have been made prior to the date of this prospectus.

Clawback Policy

We intend to adopt a clawback policy that is compliant with the Nasdaq rules, as required by the Dodd-Frank Act, to be effective upon the closing of this offering, the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Following is a description of transactions since January 1, 2021, including currently proposed transactions to which we have been or are to be a party in which the amount involved exceeded or will exceed $120,000, and in which any of our directors (including nominees), executive officers or beneficial holders of more than 5% of our capital stock, or any immediate family members of and any entities affiliated with any such person, had or will have a direct or indirect material interest.

We may encounter business arrangements or transactions with businesses and other organizations in which one of our directors or executive officers, significant stockholders or their immediate families is a participant and the amount exceeds $120,000. We refer to these transactions as related party transactions. Related party transactions have the potential to create actual or perceived conflicts of interest between us and our directors, officers and significant stockholders or their immediate family members. All services listed below are provided at cost.

On April 2, 2014, we entered into a Sales and Marketing Consultant and Distribution Agreement with Kenek Brands, Inc. (“Kenek”), a company owned by Jack Ross, our Chief Executive Officer. For the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, we expensed consulting fees of $500,000, $738,483 and $1,287,296, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2023, we paid eight months of a vehicle allowance of $2,500 per month. For the year ended December 31, 2022, we paid fifteen months of a vehicle allowance of $2,500 per month. We advanced $501,321 and $131,894 in the manner of a prepaid bonus in the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. We advanced $165,688 during the three months ended March 31, 2024. During the three months ended March 31, 2024 we were advanced $1,400,000 in the form of a short-term note. During 2023, we were advanced $1,170,000 in the form of a short-term note. We repaid this during 2023 with interest of $210,000.

On June 26, 2015, we entered into a Security Agreement with Knight Therapeutics, Inc. (“Knight Therapeutics”) (an affiliate of an owner of greater than 10% of our outstanding common stock) through its wholly owned subsidiary Neuragen Corp., for the purchase of the assets of Knight Therapeutics, Inc. At March 31, 2024, December 31, 2023, December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, we owed $275,000, $287,500, $325,000 and $387,000, respectively, in relation to this agreement. We recorded present value of future payments of $199,640, $204,941, $213,040 and $243,723 as of March 31, 2024, December 31, 2023, December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. This agreement was consolidated into the Amended and Restated Loan Agreement with Knight in June 2024.

Pursuant to our Amended and Restated Loan Agreement with Knight, as amended by the Sixth Amendment dated June 6, 2024, amounts owing under the loan bear interest at a rate of 12% per year. At December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, we owed Knight $12,335,452, $12,426,997 and $6,743,723, respectively, on this loan, net of debt issuance cost. Since January 1, 2021, the highest aggregate principal amount outstanding under this loan was $12,335,452 during the year ended December 31, 2023. During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, $145,500, $62,500 and $37,500 of principal was paid, respectively. During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, $1,693,642, $1,319,295 and $1,365,534 of interest was expensed, respectively. During 2024, through March 31, 2024, $84,500 of principal and $414,158 of interest was paid.

On December 23, 2016, we entered into an agreement with Knight Therapeutics, Inc. for the distribution rights of FOCUSfactor in Canada. In conjunction with this agreement, we are required to pay Knight Therapeutics a distribution fee equal to 30% of gross sales for sales achieved through a direct sales channel and 5% of gross sales for sales achieved through retail sales. The minimum due to Knight under this agreement is $100,000 Canadian dollars. On and after February 15, 2021, the agreement automatically renews for additional one-year terms unless either party gives notice of nonrenewal at least 180 days prior to the end of the then-current term. During the year ended December 31, 2023, we expensed $133,502 Canadian dollars ($98,939 U.S. Dollars). During the year ended December 31, 2022, we expensed $114,363 Canadian dollars (US Dollars $87,920). During the year ended December 31, 2021, we expensed $123,023 Canadian dollars (US Dollars $98,174). As of December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, the total outstanding balance was $549,229, $415,728 and $301,364 Canadian dollars, respectively. In U.S. Dollars, the total outstanding balance was $415,272, $306,932 and $237,716 as of December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. As of March 31, 2024, the total outstanding balance was $549,229 Canadian dollars ($403,936 U.S. Dollars). The outstanding distribution fees have been added to the related party notes payable.

On December 23, 2016, we entered into an agreement with Knight Therapeutics, Inc. for the distribution rights of Hand MD in Canada. In conjunction with this agreement, we are required to pay Knight Therapeutics a distribution fee equal to 60% of gross sales for sales achieved through a direct sales channel until the sales in the calendar year

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equal the threshold amount and then 40% of all such gross sales in such calendar year in excess of the threshold amount and 5% of gross sales for sales achieved through retail sales. The minimum due to Knight Therapeutics under this agreement is $25,000 Canadian dollars. On and after February 15, 2021, the agreement automatically renews for additional one-year terms unless either party gives notice of nonrenewal at least 180 days prior to the end of the then-current term. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company expensed was $25,000 Canadian dollars (US Dollars $18,531). During the year ended December 31, 2021, we expensed $25,000 Canadian dollars ($19,950 U.S. Dollars). As of December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, the total outstanding balance was $160,637, $135,637 and $135,637 Canadian dollars, respectively. In U.S. Dollars, the total outstanding balance was $121,458, $100,141 and $106,990 as of December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. As of March 31, 2024, the total outstanding balance was $160,637 Canadian dollars ($118,550 U.S. Dollars). The outstanding distribution fees have been added to the related party notes payable.

On January 1, 2017, we entered into agreements with Knight Therapeutics, Inc. for the distribution rights of Sneaky Vaunt in Canada, and with Knight Therapeutics International S.A. (formerly Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc.) for the distribution rights of Sneaky Vaunt in Israel, Romania, Russia and Sub-Saharan Africa. In conjunction with these agreements, for sales in Canada, we are required to pay Knight Therapeutics a distribution fee equal to 60% of gross sales until the sales in the calendar year equal the threshold amount and then 40% of gross sales in such calendar year in excess of the threshold amount. For sales in Israel, Romania, Russia and Sub-Saharan Africa, we are required to pay Knight Therapeutics International S.A. a distribution fee equal to 60% of gross sales. On and after February 15, 2021, the agreements automatically renew for additional one-year terms unless either party gives notice of nonrenewal at least 180 days prior to the end of the then-current term. We expensed royalties under the agreements of $0, $849 and $1,459 for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively, related to Sneaky Vaunt. At December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, we owed $0, $41 and $0, respectively, in connection with the royalty distribution agreements. We expensed royalties under the agreements of $0 during the nine months ended March 31, 2024. At March 31, 2024, we owed $0 in connection with the royalty distribution agreements.

On February 15, 2016, Nomad Choice Pty Ltd entered into agreements with Knight Therapeutics, Inc. for the distribution rights of Flat Tummy in Canada and with Knight Therapeutics International S.A. (formerly Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc.) for the distribution rights of Flat Tummy in Israel, Romania, Russia and Sub-Saharan Africa. In conjunction with these agreements, for sales in Canada, we are required to pay Knight Therapeutics a distribution fee equal to 60% of gross sales. For sales in Israel, Romania, Russia and Sub-Saharan Africa, we are required to pay Knight Therapeutics International S.A. a distribution fee equal to 60% of gross sales. On and after February 15, 2021, the agreements automatically renew for additional one-year terms unless either party gives notice of nonrenewal at least 180 days prior to the end of the then-current term. We expensed royalties under the agreements of $82,810, $74,088 and $124,836 for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively, related to Flat Tummy. At December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, we owed $19,324, $11,084 and $3,853, respectively, in connection with the royalty distribution agreements. We expensed royalties under the agreements of $22,478 during the three months ended March 31, 2024. At March 31, 2024, we owed $7,245 in connection with the royalty distribution agreements.

We entered into transactions with BoomBod Ltd., a related party 100% indirectly owned by Jack Ross, our Chief Executive Officer, during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021. The transactions were a pass through and allocation of expenses and reimbursements. As of March 31, 2024, December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021 we were owed $4,434,834, $4,459,996, $4,408,751 and $4,016,215, respectively.

We entered into transactions with Gowan Properties Inc., a related party 100% indirectly owned by Jack Ross, our Chief Executive Officer. The transactions are related to rent expense of $25,000 Canadian Dollars per month for our Fall River office. During the year ended December 31, 2021, we expensed $300,000 Canadian Dollars ($239,405 US Dollars) for rent expense. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the related party waived rent payments. During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the related party waived the expense.

On October 1, 2023 (effective date), we entered into second amendment to the Distribution Agreement with Knight with an initial term ending on February 25, 2026 with an automatic renewal of one year for a payment of $450,000 by us within 180 days from the effective date. We have recorded this payable in terms of a Note Payable to Knight in relation to a license fee of an intangible asset. The balance outstanding at both March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 was $450,000.

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PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS

Our only outstanding class of voting securities is our common stock. The following table sets forth information known to us about the beneficial ownership of our common stock on June 18, 2024 by (i) each current director and director nominee; (ii) each named executive officer; and (iii) all of our executive officers and directors as a group. Other than as set forth below, no person known to us beneficially owns 5% or more of the outstanding common stock as of June 18, 2024.

Unless otherwise indicated in the footnotes, each person listed in the following table has sole voting power and investment power over the common stock listed as beneficially owned by that person. The percentages reflect beneficial ownership immediately prior to and immediately after the completion of this offering and are based on 89,889,074 shares of our common stock outstanding as of June 18, 2024 and            shares of our common stock outstanding after the completion of this offering after taking into account the reverse stock split described below. The percentages assume the underwriters do not exercise their option to purchase any additional shares. Unless otherwise indicated in the footnotes, the address for each listed person is Synergy CHC Corp., 865 Spring Street, Westbrook, Maine 04092. The information in the table gives effect to the 1-for-            reverse stock split with respect to our common stock, which will occur prior to the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

     

After this Offering

   

Prior to this Offering

 

If Underwriters’
Option is Not
Exercised

 

If Underwriters’
Option is Exercised
in Full

   

Shares Beneficially
Owned
(1)

 

Shares Beneficially
Owned

 

Shares Beneficially
Owned

Name of Beneficial Owner

 

Number

 

Percent

 

Number

 

Percent

 

Number

 

Percent

5% Stockholders:

       

 

               

Gowan Private Equity Inc.(2)

 

43,780,750

 

47.1

%

               

Knight Therapeutics International S.A.(3)

 

17,645,812

 

19.0

%

               

Named executive officers, directors and director nominees:

       

 

               

Jack Ross(4)

 

52,499,865

 

56.5

%

               

Alfred Baumeler(5)

 

1,000,000

 

1.1

%

               

Jaime Fickett(6)

 

1,000,000

 

1.1

%

               

Stacy B. McLaughlin

 

 

 

               

J. Paul SoRelle(7)

 

2,296,658

 

2.5

%

               

Nitin Kaushal

 

 

 

               

Scott Woodburn

 

 

 

               

All executive officers and directors as a group (6 persons)

 

56,796,523

 

61.1

%

               

____________

*        Less than 1% of the outstanding common stock.

(1)      Beneficial ownership as reported in the table has been determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act and is not necessarily indicative of beneficial ownership for any other purpose. The number of shares of common stock shown as beneficially owned includes shares of common stock which may not be beneficially owned but over which a person would be deemed to exercise control or direction. The number of shares of common stock shown as beneficially owned includes shares of common stock subject to stock options exercisable and restricted stock units that were outstanding on June 18, 2024 and that will vest within 60 days of June 18, 2024. Shares of common stock subject to stock options exercisable and restricted stock units that will vest within 60 days after June 18, 2024 are deemed outstanding for computing the percentage of the person holding such securities but are not deemed outstanding for computing the percentage of any other person.

(2)      This stockholder’s address is 156 Heddas Way, Fall River NS B2T 0J4, Canada. Consists of 43,780,750 shares of common stock owned by Gowan Private Equity Inc. Jack Ross is the Chief Executive Officer of Gowan Private Equity Inc. Decisions regarding the voting or disposition of the shares held by Gowan Private Equity Inc. are made by Mr. Ross.

(3)      Consists of 17,645,812 shares of common stock. This stockholder’s address is 3622 Saldanha da Gama, Office 311, Montevideo, Uruguay. Decisions regarding the voting or disposition of the shares held by Knight Therapeutics International S.A. are made by Arvind Utchanah.

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(4)      This stockholder’s address is 156 Heddas Way, Fall River NS B2T 0J4, Canada. Consists of 3,885,432 shares of common stock owned by Jack Ross, 43,780,750 shares of common stock owned by Gowan Private Equity Inc., 3,208,649 shares of common stock owned by Dunhill Distribution Group and 1,625,034 shares of common stock owned by Gowan Capital Inc. Jack Ross is the Chief Executive Officer of Gowan Private Equity Inc., Dunhill Distribution Group, Inc. and Gowan Capital Inc. Decisions regarding the voting or disposition of the shares held by Gowan Private Equity Inc., Dunhill Distribution Group, Inc. and Gowan Capital Inc. are made by Mr. Ross.

(5)      Consists of options to purchase 1,000,000 shares of common stock.

(6)      Consists of options to purchase 1,000,000 shares of common stock.

(7)      Consists of 1,296,658 shares of common stock owned by the SoRelle Family Partnership LLLP and options to purchase 1,000,000 shares of common stock held by Mr. SoRelle. Decisions regarding the voting or disposition of the shares held by the SoRelle Family Partnership LLLP are made by its general partners, Mr. SoRelle, Carroll V. SoRelle, Carol S. Pederson and Merrie S. Foreman, and each general partner individually has voting and dispositive power over such shares.

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

The following descriptions are summaries of the material terms of our certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws as proposed to be in effect upon consummation of the offering. Reference is made to the more detailed provisions of, and the descriptions are qualified in their entirety by reference to, the certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, forms of which are filed with the SEC as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and applicable law.

General

Our authorized capital stock consists of 300,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.00001 per share, of which 89,889,074 shares are issued and outstanding as of June 18, 2024, held by approximately 37 stockholders of record, before giving effect to the 1-for-            reverse stock split. Upon completion of this offering, there will be            shares of common stock outstanding, after giving effect to the 1-for-            reverse stock split.

Common Stock

Dividend Rights

The holders of outstanding shares of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends out of funds legally available at the times and in the amounts that our Board of Directors may determine.

Voting Rights

Each holder of our common stock is entitled to one vote for each share of common stock held on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders. Cumulative voting for the election of directors is not provided for in our articles of incorporation, which means that the holders of a majority of our shares of common stock voted can elect all of the directors then standing for election.

Preemptive or Similar Rights

Our common stock is not entitled to preemptive rights and is not subject to conversion or redemption.

Liquidation Rights

Upon our liquidation, dissolution, or winding-up, the assets legally available for distribution to our stockholders would be distributable ratably among the holders of our common stock outstanding at that time after payment of other claims of creditors.

Anti-Takeover Effects of Certain Provisions of Nevada Law

Effect of Nevada Anti-takeover Statute.    We are subject to Section 78.438 of the Nevada Revised Statutes, an anti-takeover law. In general, Section 78.438 prohibits a Nevada corporation from engaging in any business combination with any interested stockholder for a period of two years following the date that the stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless prior to that date, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, or if after the date that the stockholder becomes an interested stockholder the business combination is approved by the board of directors and by 60% of the voting power of all disinterested stockholders at either an annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the corporation. Section 78.439 provides that business combinations after the two-year period following the date that the stockholder becomes an interested stockholder may also be prohibited unless either approved by the corporation’s directors before the stock acquisition, or by a majority of the disinterested stockholders or unless the price and terms of the transaction meet other criteria set forth in the statute.

Section 78.416 defines “business combination” to include the following:

        any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder or any other corporation which is an affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder;

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        any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition of the assets of the corporation involving the interested stockholder or any affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder if the assets transferred have a market value equal to 5% or more of all of the assets of the corporation or 5% or more of the value of the outstanding shares of the corporation or represent 10% or more of the earning power of the corporation;

        subject to certain exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to an interested stockholder, with a market value of 5% or more of the value of the outstanding shares of the corporation;

        the adoption of a plan of liquidation proposed by or under any arrangement with the interested stockholder or any affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder;

        any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of voting shares of securities convertible into voting shares of the corporation beneficially owned by the interested stockholder or any affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder; or

        the receipt by the interested stockholder or any affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder of the benefit, except proportionately as a stockholder of the corporation, of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits provided by or through the corporation.

In general, Section 78.423 defines an interested stockholder as any entity or person beneficially owning, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by any of these entities or persons.

Control Share Acquisitions.    Sections 78.378 through 78.3793 of the Nevada Revised Statutes limit the voting rights of certain acquired shares in a corporation. The provisions apply to any acquisition of outstanding voting securities of a Nevada corporation that has 200 or more stockholders, at least 100 of which are Nevada residents, and conducts business in Nevada (an “issuing corporation”) resulting in ownership of one of the following categories of an issuing corporation’s then outstanding voting securities: (i) twenty percent or more but less than thirty-three percent; (ii) thirty-three percent or more but less than fifty percent; or (iii) fifty percent or more. The securities acquired in such acquisition are denied voting rights unless a majority of the security holders approve the granting of such voting rights. Unless an issuing corporation’s articles of incorporation or bylaws then in effect provide otherwise: (i) voting securities acquired are also redeemable in part or in whole by an issuing corporation at the average price paid for the securities within 30 days if the acquiring person has not given a timely information statement to an issuing corporation or if the stockholders vote not to grant voting rights to the acquiring person’s securities, and (ii) if outstanding securities and the security holders grant voting rights to such acquiring person, then any security holder who voted against granting voting rights to the acquiring person may demand the purchase from an issuing corporation, for fair value, all or any portion of his securities. These provisions do not apply to acquisitions made pursuant to the laws of descent and distribution, the enforcement of a judgment, or the satisfaction of a security interest, or made in connection with certain mergers or reorganizations.

Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Neither our articles of incorporation, nor our amended and restated bylaws, prevent us from indemnifying our officers, directors and agents to the extent permitted under the Nevada Revised Statutes (“NRS”). NRS Section 78.7502, provides that a corporation may indemnify any director, officer, employee or agent of a corporation against expenses, including fees, actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with any defense to the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to Section 78.7502(1) or 78.7502(2), or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein.

NRS 78.7502(1) provides that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, except an action by or in the right of the corporation, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred

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by him in connection with the action, suit or proceeding if he: (a) is not liable pursuant to NRS 78.138; or (b) acted in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful.

NRS Section 78.7502(2) provides that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses, including amounts paid in settlement and attorneys’ fees actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of the action or suit if he: (a) is not liable pursuant to NRS 78.138; or (b) acted in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation. Indemnification may not be made for any claim, issue or matter as to which such a person has been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction, after exhaustion of all appeals there from, to be liable to the corporation or for amounts paid in settlement to the corporation, unless and only to the extent that the court in which the action or suit was brought or other court of competent jurisdiction determines upon application that in view of all the circumstances of the case, the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses as the court deems proper.

NRS Section 78.747 provides that except as otherwise provided by specific statute, no director or officer of a corporation is individually liable for a debt or liability of the corporation, unless the director or officer acts as the alter ego of the corporation. The court as a matter of law must determine the question of whether a director or officer acts as the alter ego of a corporation.

Our amended and restated bylaws will provide that we will indemnify our directors, officers, employees and agents to the extent and in the manner permitted by the provisions of the NRS, as amended from time to time, subject to any permissible expansion or limitation of such indemnification, as may be set forth in any stockholders’ or directors’ resolution or by contract. Any repeal or modification of these provisions approved by our stockholders will be prospective only and will not adversely affect any limitation on the liability of any of our directors or officers existing as of the time of such repeal or modification. We are also permitted to apply for insurance on behalf of any director, officer, employee or other agent for liability arising out of his actions, whether or not the NRS would permit indemnification.

We will enter into agreements with our officers and directors to provide contractual indemnification in addition to the indemnification provided for in our articles of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws.

We do not currently carry directors’ and officers’ insurance. However, we may in the future purchase a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures our officers and directors against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures us against our obligations to indemnify our officers and directors.

These provisions may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. Furthermore, a stockholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.

We believe that these provisions and the indemnity agreements are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced officers and directors.

Listing

We intend to apply to list our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “SNYR.”

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is VStock Transfer LLC, 18 Lafayette Place, Woodmere, New York 11598.

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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

Prior to this offering, there are no publicly-available quotations of our common stock. Future sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales may occur, could adversely affect market prices prevailing from time to time. Further, because only a limited number of shares will be available for sale shortly after this offering due to existing contractual and legal restrictions on resale as described below, there may be sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market after the restrictions lapse. This may adversely affect the prevailing market price and our ability to raise equity capital in the future.

Upon completion of this offering,            shares of common stock will be outstanding. Of these shares,            shares of our common stock (or            shares if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares) sold in this offering will be freely transferable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act, except for any shares purchased by our “affiliates,” as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. The remaining            shares of our common stock outstanding are “restricted shares” as defined in Rule 144. Restricted shares may be sold in the public market only if registered under the Securities Act or if they qualify for an exemption from registration under Rule 144. As a result of the contractual 180-day lock-up period described below, the shares subject to lock-up agreements will be available for sale in the public market only after 180 days from the date of this prospectus (generally subject to resale limitations).

Rule 144

In general, a person who has beneficially owned restricted shares of our common stock for at least six months would be entitled to sell such securities, provided that (i) such person is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates at the time of, or at any time during the 90 days preceding, the sale and (ii) we are subject to the Exchange Act periodic reporting requirements for at least 90 days before the sale. Persons who have beneficially owned restricted shares of our common stock for at least six months but who are our affiliates at the time of, or any time during the 90 days preceding, the sale, would be subject to additional restrictions, by which such person would be entitled to sell within any three-month period only a number of securities that does not exceed the greater of the following:

        1% of the number of shares of our common stock then outstanding, which will equal approximately            shares immediately after this offering; or

        the average weekly trading volume of our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to the sale;

provided, in each case, that we are subject to the Exchange Act periodic reporting requirements for at least 90 days before the sale. Such sales both by affiliates and by non-affiliates must also comply with the manner of sale and notice provisions of Rule 144 to the extent applicable.

Lock-up Agreements

The Company, each of our directors and executive officers following this offering, and our 5% and greater stockholders, have agreed, subject to certain limited exceptions, not to offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to purchase, or otherwise dispose of our common stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for common stock, or to enter into any hedge or other arrangement or any transaction that transfers, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the shares of our common stock for a period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus, without the prior written consent of Roth Capital Partners, LLC, as representative of the underwriters. See “Underwriting — Lock-up Agreements.” The underwriters do not have any present intention or arrangement to release any shares of our common stock subject to lock-up agreements prior to the expiration of the 180-day lock-up period.

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES TO NON-U.S. HOLDERS

The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences relating to the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of common stock acquired pursuant to this offering by non-U.S. holders (as defined below). This summary deals only with common stock held as a capital asset (within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code) and does not discuss the U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable to a non-U.S. holder that is subject to special treatment under U.S. federal income tax laws, including, but not limited to: a dealer in securities or currencies; a broker-dealer; a financial institution; a qualified retirement plan, individual retirement plan, or other tax-deferred account; a regulated investment company; a real estate investment trust; a tax-exempt organization; an insurance company; a person holding common stock as part of a hedging, integrated, conversion, or straddle transaction or a person deemed to sell common stock under the constructive sale provisions of the Code; a trader in securities that has elected the mark-to-market method of tax accounting; an accrual method taxpayer subject to special tax accounting rules under Section 451(b) of the Code; an entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes; a person that received such common stock in connection with services provided; qualified foreign pension funds as defined in Section 897(l)(2) of the Code and entities all of the interests of which are held by qualified foreign pension funds; a corporation that is subject to the accumulated earnings tax; a person that owns or has owned, actually or constructively, more than 5% of our common stock; a corporation organized outside the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia that is nonetheless treated as a U.S. taxpayer for U.S. federal income tax purposes; a person that is not a non-U.S. holder; a “controlled foreign corporation;” a “passive foreign investment company;” or a U.S. expatriate and former citizens or long-term residents of the United States.

This summary is based upon provisions of the Code, its legislative history, applicable U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, published rulings, and judicial decisions, all as in effect as of the date hereof. We have not sought, and will not seek, any ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, with respect to the tax consequences discussed herein, and there can be no assurance that the IRS will not take a position contrary to the tax consequences discussed below or that any position taken by the IRS would not be sustained. Those authorities may be repealed, revoked, or modified, perhaps retroactively, or may be subject to differing interpretations, which could result in U.S. federal income tax consequences different from those discussed below. This summary does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income tax, does not deal with all tax considerations that may be relevant to stockholders in light of their personal circumstances, and does not address any state, local, foreign, gift, Medicare, estate (except to the limited extent set forth herein), or alternative minimum tax considerations.

For purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. holder” is a beneficial holder of common stock that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes: an individual citizen or resident of the United States; a corporation (or any other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or a trust if it (1) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or (2) was in existence on August 20, 1996 and has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

For purposes of this discussion, a “non-U.S. holder” is a beneficial owner of common stock that is neither a U.S. holder nor a partnership (or any other entity or arrangement that is treated as a partnership) for U.S. federal income tax purposes regardless of its place of organization or formation. If a partnership (or an entity or arrangement that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds common stock, the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. A partner of a partnership holding common stock is urged to consult its own tax advisors.

THIS DISCUSSION IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TAX ADVICE. PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS ARE URGED TO CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS CONCERNING THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME, ESTATE, AND OTHER TAX CONSEQUENCES OF ACQUIRING, OWNING, AND DISPOSING OF OUR COMMON STOCK IN LIGHT OF THEIR SPECIFIC SITUATIONS, AS WELL AS THE TAX CONSEQUENCES ARISING UNDER ANY STATE, LOCAL, OR NON-U.S. TAX LAWS AND ANY OTHER U.S. FEDERAL TAX LAWS (INCLUDING THE U.S. FEDERAL ESTATE AND GIFT TAX LAWS) OR UNDER ANY APPLICABLE INCOME TAX TREATY.

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Distributions on Our Common Stock

Distributions with respect to common stock, if any, generally will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid out of current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Any portion of a distribution in excess of current or accumulated earnings and profits will be treated as a return of capital and will first be applied to reduce the holder’s tax basis in its common stock, but not below zero. Any remaining amount will then be treated as gain from the sale or exchange of the common stock and will be treated as described under “— Disposition of Our Common Stock” below.

Distributions treated as dividends that are paid to a non-U.S. holder, if any, with respect to shares of our common stock, will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate as may be specified in an applicable income tax treaty, provided the non-U.S. Holder furnishes a valid IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or applicable successor form or other documentation) to us or our paying agent certifying qualification for the lower treaty rate) of the gross amount of the dividends unless the dividends are effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States subject to the discussion below regarding foreign accounts and backup withholding. A non-U.S. Holder that does not timely furnish the required documentation, but that qualifies for a reduced treaty rate, may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS. Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding their entitlement to benefits under any applicable income tax treaties.

If a non-U.S. holder is engaged in a trade or business in the United States and dividends with respect to the common stock are effectively connected with the conduct of that trade or business and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a U.S. permanent establishment, then although the non-U.S. holder will generally be exempt from the 30% U.S. federal withholding tax, provided certain certification requirements are satisfied, the non-U.S. holder will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on those dividends on a net income basis at regular graduated U.S. federal income tax rates in the same manner as if such holder were a resident of the United States. Any such effectively connected income received by a foreign corporation may, under certain circumstances, be subject to an additional branch profits tax equal to 30% (or lower applicable income tax treaty rate) of its effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable year, as adjusted under the Code. To claim the exemption from withholding with respect to any such effectively connected income, the non-U.S. holder must generally furnish to us or our paying agent a properly executed IRS Form W-8ECI (or applicable successor form). In the case of a non-U.S. holder that is an entity, Treasury regulations and the relevant tax treaty provide rules to determine whether, for purposes of determining the applicability of a tax treaty, dividends will be treated as paid to the entity or to those holding an interest in that entity. If a non-U.S. holder holds stock through a financial institution or other agent acting on the holder’s behalf, the holder will be required to provide appropriate documentation to such agent. Such holder’s agent will then be required to provide certification to us or our paying agent.

Disposition of Our Common Stock

Subject to the discussion below regarding backup withholding, a non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain from a sale, exchange or other disposition of our stock unless:

(a)     that gain is effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a U.S. permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. holder);

(b)    the non-U.S. holder is a nonresident alien individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of that disposition, and certain other conditions are met; or

(c)     we are or have been a “United States real property holding corporation” within the meaning of Code Section 897(c)(2) for U.S. federal income tax purposes at any time during the shorter of the five-year period preceding the date of disposition or the holder’s holding period for our common stock, and certain other requirements are met.

If a non-U.S. holder is described in clause (a) of the preceding paragraph, the non-U.S. holder will generally be subject to tax on the net gain derived from the disposition at the regular graduated U.S. federal income tax rates in the same manner as if such non-U.S. holder were a U.S. person, unless an applicable income tax treaty provides otherwise. In addition, a non-U.S. holder that is a corporation may be subject to the branch profits tax at a rate equal to 30% (or lower applicable income tax treaty rate) of its effectively connected earnings and profits, as adjusted for certain items.

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If the non-U.S. holder is an individual described in clause (b) of the preceding paragraph, the non-U.S. holder will generally be subject to a flat 30% tax on the gain derived from the disposition, which may be offset by U.S.-source capital losses even though the non-U.S. holder is not considered a resident of the United States, provided that the non-U.S. holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses.

If the non-U.S. holder is described in clause (c) of the preceding paragraph, the non-U.S. holder will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax in the same manner as gain that is effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business, except that the branch profits tax generally will not apply. Although there can be no assurance, we believe that we are not, and we do not anticipate becoming, a United States real property holding corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Even if we are treated as a United States real property holding corporation, gain realized by a non-U.S. holder on a disposition of our common stock will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax so long as (1) the non-U.S. holder owned, directly, indirectly and constructively, no more than five percent of our common stock at all times within the shorter of (x) the five-year period preceding the disposition, or (y) the holder’s holding period, and (2) our common stock is regularly traded on an established securities market. There can be no assurance that our common stock will continue to qualify as regularly traded on an established securities market. If any gain on your disposition is taxable because we are a United States real property holding corporation and your ownership of our common stock exceeds five percent, you will be taxed on such disposition generally in the manner applicable to U.S. persons and in addition, a purchaser of your common stock may be required to withhold tax with respect to that obligation. Such withheld tax is not an additional tax but merely an advance payment, which may be credited against the tax liability of persons subject to such withholding or refunded to the extent it results in an overpayment of tax and the appropriate information is timely supplied to the IRS.

Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding any applicable tax treaties that may provide for different rules.

U.S. Federal Estate Tax

The estate of a nonresident alien individual is generally subject to U.S. federal estate tax on property it is treated as the owner of, or has made certain life transfers of, having a U.S. situs. Because we are a U.S. corporation, our common stock will be U.S. situs property and therefore will be included in the taxable estate of a nonresident alien decedent for U.S. federal estate tax purposes, unless an applicable estate tax treaty between the United States and the decedent’s country of residence provides otherwise.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding Tax

We report to our non-U.S. holders and the IRS certain information with respect to any dividends we pay on our common stock, including the amount of dividends paid during each fiscal year, the name and address of the recipient, and the amount, if any, of tax withheld. All distributions to holders of common stock are subject to any applicable withholding. Information reporting requirements apply even if no withholding was required because the distributions were effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business or withholding was reduced by an applicable income tax treaty. This information also may be made available under a specific treaty or agreement with the tax authorities in the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides or is established. Under U.S. federal income tax law, interest, dividends, and other reportable payments may, under certain circumstances, be subject to “backup withholding” at the then applicable rate (currently, 24%). Backup withholding, however, generally will not apply to distributions on our common stock to a non-U.S. holder, provided the non-U.S. holder furnishes to us or our paying agent the required certification as to its non-U.S. status, such as by providing a valid IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS Form W-8BEN-E or IRS Form W-8ECI, or otherwise establishes an exemption. Notwithstanding the foregoing, backup withholding may apply if either we or our paying agent has actual knowledge, or reason to know, that the holder is a U.S. person that is not an exempt recipient. Backup withholding is not an additional tax but merely an advance payment, which may be credited against the tax liability of persons subject to backup withholding or refunded to the extent it results in an overpayment of tax and the appropriate information is timely supplied to the IRS.

Information reporting and backup withholding will generally apply to the proceeds of a disposition of our common stock by a non-U.S. holder effected by or through the U.S. office of any broker, U.S. or foreign, unless the holder certifies its status as a non-U.S. holder and satisfies certain other requirements, or otherwise establishes an exemption. Generally, information reporting and backup withholding will not apply to a payment of disposition proceeds to a non-U.S. holder where the transaction is effected outside the United States through a non-U.S. office of

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a broker. However, information reporting but not backup withholding will apply in a manner similar to dispositions effected through a U.S. office of a broker, if a non-U.S. holder sells our common stock through a non-U.S. office of a broker that has certain connections with the United States.

Withholding on Payments to Foreign Accounts

Certain withholding taxes may apply under Section 1471 through 1472 of the Code (which are commonly referred to as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”)) to certain types of payments made to “foreign financial institutions” (as specially defined under these rules) and certain other non-U.S. entities if certification, information reporting and other specified requirements are not met. A 30% withholding tax may apply to “withholdable payments” if they are paid to a foreign financial institution or to a non-financial foreign entity, unless (a) the foreign financial institution undertakes certain diligence and reporting obligations and other specified requirements are satisfied, (b) the non-financial foreign entity either certifies it does not have any substantial U.S. owners or furnishes identifying information regarding each substantial U.S. owner and other specified requirements are satisfied or (c) the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualified for an exemption from these rules.

“Withholdable payment” generally means any payment of interest, dividends, rents, and certain other types of generally passive income if such payment is from sources within the United States. U.S. Treasury Regulations proposed in December 2018 (and upon which taxpayers and withholding agents are entitled to rely until final regulations are issued) eliminate possible withholding under these rules on the gross proceeds from any sale or other disposition of our common stock, previously scheduled to apply beginning January 1, 2019. If the payee is a foreign financial institution, it must enter into an agreement with the U.S. Treasury requiring, among other things, that it undertake to identify accounts held by certain U.S. persons or U.S.-owned foreign entities, annually report certain information about such accounts and withhold 30% on payments to account holders whose actions prevent it from complying with these reporting and other requirements, or comply with comparable requirements under an applicable inter-governmental agreement between the United States and the foreign financial institution’s home jurisdiction. Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States governing FATCA may be subject to different rules. If an investor does not provide us with the information necessary to comply with these rules, it is possible that distributions to such investor that are attributable to withholdable payments, such as dividends, will be subject to the 30% withholding tax.

Holders should consult their own tax advisers regarding the implications of FATCA on their investment in our common stock.

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UNDERWRITING

We have entered into an underwriting agreement, dated          , 2024, with Roth Capital Partners, LLC acting as the sole book-running manager (sometimes referred to as the “Representative”). Subject to the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement, each of the underwriters named below has agreed to purchase, and we have agreed to sell to it, the number of shares of common stock listed next to its name at the public offering price, less the underwriting discounts and commissions, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and as indicated below:

Underwriters

 

Number of
Shares

Roth Capital Partners, LLC

   
     
     
   

 

Total

 

 

The underwriting agreement provides that the obligation of the underwriters to purchase all of the shares being offered to the public is subject to approval of legal matters by counsel and the satisfaction of other conditions. These conditions include, among others, the continued accuracy of representations and warranties made by us in the underwriting agreement, delivery of legal opinions and the absence of any material changes in our assets, business or prospects after the date of this prospectus. The underwriters are obligated to purchase all of our shares in this offering, other than those covered by the over-allotment option described below, if they purchase any of our shares.

The Representative of the underwriters has advised us that the underwriters propose to offer the common stock directly to the public at the public offering prices listed on the cover page of this prospectus and to selected dealers, who may include the underwriters, at the public offering price less a selling concession not in excess of $ per share for the common stock. After the completion of this offering, the underwriters may change the offering price and other selling terms.

Pursuant to the underwriting agreement, we have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments which the underwriters or other indemnified parties may be required to make in respect of any such liabilities.

Pricing of the Offering

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for shares of our common stock. The initial public offering price will be determined by negotiations between us and the Representative. In determining the initial public offering price, we and the Representative expect to consider a number of factors including:

        the information set forth in this prospectus and otherwise available to the Representative;

        our history and prospects and the history and prospects for the industry in which we compete;

        an assessment of our management;

        our past and present financial performance;

        our prospects for future earnings and the present state of our development;

        the general condition of the securities markets at the time of this offering;

        the recent market prices of, and demand for, publicly traded common stock of generally comparable companies; and

        other factors deemed relevant by the underwriters and us.

Neither we nor the underwriters can assure investors that an active trading market will develop for the shares of our common stock, or that the shares will trade in the public market at or above the initial public offering price.

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Over-Allotment Option

We have granted the underwriters an over-allotment option. This option, which is exercisable for up to 30 days after the date of this prospectus, permits the underwriters to purchase a maximum of additional shares from us to cover over-allotments, if any. If the underwriters exercise all or part of this option, each underwriter will be obligated to purchase its proportionate number of shares covered by the option at the public offering price that appears on the cover page of this prospectus, less the underwriting discounts and commissions.

Commissions and Expenses

The following table provides information regarding the amount of the underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid to the underwriters by us. These amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares to cover over-allotments, if any.

 

Per Share

 

Total Without
Over-Allotment

 

With
Over-Allotment

Underwriting discounts and commissions paid by us (7%)

 

$

   

$

   

$

 

Proceeds, before expenses, to us

 

$

   

$

   

$

 

The estimated offering expenses payable by us, exclusive of the underwriting discounts and commissions, are approximately $            million, which includes our legal, accounting and printing costs and various other fees associated with registration and listing of our common stock. We have agreed to reimburse the Representative for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses actually incurred in the offering, up to a maximum of $325,000. We have agreed to reimburse the Representative for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses actually incurred up to $75,000 if the offering is not consummated.

Underwriter Warrants

Upon the closing of this offering, we have agreed to issue Underwriter Warrants to purchase 10% of the total number of shares of common stock sold in this offering (including the shares of common stock sold upon the underwriters’ exercise of the over-allotment option). The Underwriter Warrants will have an exercise price equal to 110% of the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus (or            per Underwriter Warrant), subject to standard anti-dilution adjustments for share splits and similar transactions. The Underwriter Warrants will be exercisable at any time, and from time to time, in whole or in part, during the period commencing six months after issuance with (i) 25% expiring in three years, (ii) 25% expiring in four years, and (iii) the remaining 50% expiring in five years from the commencement of sales in this offering in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(A). The Underwriter Warrants are also exercisable on a cashless basis. The Underwriter Warrants have been deemed compensation by FINRA and are therefore subject to a 180-day lock-up pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1). Except as permitted by Rule 5110(e)(1), the underwriters (or permitted assignees under the Rule) will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge, or hypothecate the Underwriter Warrants or the securities underlying the Underwriter Warrants, nor will any of them engage in any hedging, short sale, derivative, put, or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of the option or the underlying securities for a period of 180 days from the commencement of sales under this prospectus.

Lock-Up Agreements

Each of our directors and executive officers following this offering, and our 5% and greater stockholders have agreed to a 180-day “lock-up” from the date of this prospectus relating to shares of our common stock that they beneficially own. This means that, for a period of 180 days following the date of this prospectus, such persons may not offer, sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of these securities without the prior written consent of the representative, subject to certain exceptions.

The Representative may, in its sole discretion and at any time or from time to time, release all or any portion of the common stock or other securities subject to the lock-up agreement. Any determination to release any common stock would be based upon a number of factors at the time of determination, which may include the market price of the common stock, the liquidity of the trading market of the common stock, general market conditions, the number of shares of common stock or other securities proposed to be sold or otherwise transferred and the timing, purposes

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and terms of the proposed sale or other transfer. The Representative does not have any present intention, agreement or understanding, implicit or explicit, to release any of the shares of common stock or other securities subject to the lock-up agreements prior to the expiration of the lock-up period described above.

In addition, the underwriting agreement provides that, subject to certain exceptions, we will not, for a period of 180 days following the date of this prospectus, offer, sell or distribute any of our securities, without the prior written consent of the underwriters.

Nasdaq Capital Market

We intend to apply to have our shares of common stock listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “SNYR.” Our application might not be approved and the completion of this offering is contingent upon such approval.

Stabilization

Until the distribution of the securities offered by this prospectus is completed, rules of the SEC may limit the ability of the underwriters to bid for and to purchase our common stock. As an exception to these rules, the underwriters may engage in transactions effected in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act that are intended to stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of our common stock. The underwriters may engage in over-allotment sales, syndicate covering transactions, stabilizing transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M:

        Stabilizing transactions permit bids or purchases for the purpose of pegging, fixing or maintaining the price of the common stock, so long as stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum.

        Over-allotment involves sales by the underwriters of securities in excess of the number of securities the underwriters are obligated to purchase, which creates a short position. The short position may be either a covered short position or a naked short position. In a covered short position, the number of shares of common stock over-allotted by the underwriters is not greater than the number of shares of common stock that they may purchase in the over-allotment option. In a naked short position, the number of shares of common stock involved is greater than the number of shares in the over-allotment option. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their over-allotment option or purchasing shares of our common stock in the open market.

        Covering transactions involve the purchase of securities in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover short positions. In determining the source of securities to close out the short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of securities available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase securities through the over-allotment option. If the underwriters sell more shares of common stock than could be covered by the over-allotment option, creating a naked short position, the position can only be closed out by buying securities in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there could be downward pressure on the price of the securities in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering.

        Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a selected dealer when the securities originally sold by the selected dealer are purchased in a stabilizing or syndicate covering transaction.

These stabilizing transactions, covering transactions and penalty bids may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our common stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our common stock. As a result, the price of our common stock may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market.

Neither we nor the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the effect that the transactions described above may have on the prices of our common stock. These transactions may occur on any trading market. If any of these transactions are commenced, they may be discontinued without notice at any time.

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Electronic Prospectus

This prospectus may be made available in electronic format on Internet sites or through other online services maintained by the underwriters or their affiliates. In those cases, prospective investors may view offering terms online and may be allowed to place orders online. Other than this prospectus in electronic format, any information on the underwriters’ or their affiliates’ websites and any information contained in any other website maintained by the underwriters or any affiliate of the underwriters is not part of this prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, has not been approved and/or endorsed by us or the underwriters and should not be relied upon by investors.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Québec Only)

This document constitutes an “exempt offering document” as defined in and for the purposes of applicable Canadian securities laws. No prospectus has been filed with any securities commission or similar regulatory authority in Canada in connection with the offer and sale of shares of common stock described herein (the “Securities”). No securities commission or similar regulatory authority in Canada has reviewed or in any way passed upon this document or on the merits of the Securities and any representation to the contrary is an offence.

Canadian investors are advised that this document has been prepared in reliance on section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (“NI 33-105”). Pursuant to section 3A.3 of NI 33-105, this document is exempt from the requirement that the issuer and the underwriters in the offering provide Canadian investors with certain conflicts of interest disclosure pertaining to “connected issuer” and/or “related issuer” relationships as may otherwise be required pursuant to subsection 2.1(1) of NI 33-105.

Resale Restrictions

The offer and sale of the Securities in Canada are being made on a private placement basis only and are exempt from the requirement that the issuer prepare and file a prospectus under applicable Canadian securities laws. Any resale of Securities acquired by a Canadian investor in this offering must be made in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws, which may vary depending on the relevant jurisdiction, and which may require resales to be made in accordance with Canadian prospectus requirements, a statutory exemption from the prospectus requirements, in a transaction exempt from the prospectus requirements or otherwise under a discretionary exemption from the prospectus requirements granted by the applicable local Canadian securities regulatory authority. These resale restrictions may under certain circumstances apply to resales of the Securities outside of Canada.

Representations of Purchasers

Each Canadian investor who purchases the Securities will be deemed to have represented to the issuer, the underwriters and each dealer from whom a purchase confirmation is received, as applicable, that the investor (i) is purchasing as principal, or is deemed to be purchasing as principal in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws, for investment only and not with a view to resale or redistribution; (ii) is an “accredited investor” as such term is defined in section 1.1 of National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or, in Ontario, as such term is defined in section 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario); and (iii) is a “permitted client” as such term is defined in section 1.1 of National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations.

Taxation and Eligibility for Investment

Any discussion of taxation and related matters contained in this document does not purport to be a comprehensive description of all of the tax considerations that may be relevant to a Canadian investor when deciding to purchase the Securities and, in particular, does not address any Canadian tax considerations. No representation or warranty is hereby made as to the tax consequences to a resident, or deemed resident, of Canada of an investment in the Securities or with respect to the eligibility of the Securities for investment by such investor under relevant Canadian federal and provincial legislation and regulations.

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Rights of Action for Damages or Rescission

Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

Personal Information

We and the representative hereby notify prospective Canadian purchasers that: (a) we may be required to provide personal information pertaining to the purchaser as required to be disclosed in Schedule I of Form 45-106F1 under NI 45-106 (including its name, address, telephone number, email address, if provided, and the number and type of securities purchased, the total purchase price paid for such securities, the date of the purchase and specific details of the prospectus exemption relied upon under applicable securities laws to complete such purchase) (“personal information”), which Form 45-106F1 may be required to be filed by us under NI 45-106, (b) such personal information may be delivered to the securities regulatory authority or regulator in accordance with NI 45-106, (c) such personal information is being collected indirectly by the securities regulatory authority or regulator under the authority granted to it under the securities legislation of the applicable legislation, (d) such personal information is collected for the purposes of the administration and enforcement of the securities legislation of the applicable jurisdiction, and (e) the purchaser may contact the applicable securities regulatory authority or regulator by way of the contact information provided in Schedule 2 to Form 45-106F1. Prospective Canadian purchasers that purchase securities in this offering will be deemed to have authorized the indirect collection of the personal information by each applicable securities regulatory authority or regulator, and to have acknowledged and consented to such information being disclosed to the Canadian securities regulatory authority or regulator, and to have acknowledged that such information may become available to the public in accordance with requirements of applicable Canadian laws.

Language of Documents

Upon receipt of this document, each Canadian investor hereby confirms that it has expressly requested that all documents evidencing or relating in any way to the sale of the Securities described herein (including for greater certainty any purchase confirmation or any notice) be drawn up in the English language only. Par la réception de ce document, chaque investisseur canadien confirme par les présentes qu’il a expressément exigé que tous les documents faisant foi ou se rapportant de quelque manière que ce soit à la vente des valeurs mobilières décrites aux présentes (incluant, pour plus de certitude, toute confirmation d’achat ou tout avis) soient rédigés en anglais seulement.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the European Economic Area

In relation to the Member States of the European Economic Area (each, a “Relevant State”), no offer of shares of our common stock which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this prospectus to the public may be made in that Relevant State other than:

        to any legal entity that is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Regulation;

        to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the relevant representative or representatives nominated by us for any such offer; or

        in any other circumstances falling within Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation,

provided that no such offer of shares of our common stock described in this prospectus shall result in a requirement for the publication of a prospectus, by us or any of the underwriters, pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation.

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Each purchaser of shares of our common stock described in this prospectus located within a Relevant State will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that (1) it is a “qualified investor” within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation; and (2) in the case of any shares of common stock acquired by it as a financial intermediary as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the Prospectus Regulation, each such financial intermediary will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that the shares of common stock acquired by it in the offer have not been acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer to the public other than their offer or resale in a Relevant State to qualified investors, as that term is defined in the Prospectus Regulation, or in circumstances in which the prior consent of the underwriters has been given to the offer or resale; or where shares of common stock have been acquired by it on behalf of persons in any Relevant State other than qualified investors, the offer of those shares of common stock to it is not treated under the Prospectus Regulation as having been made to such persons. For purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to the shares of our common stock in any Relevant State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the shares of our common stock to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe to the shares and the expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom

In relation to the United Kingdom, no shares have been offered or will be offered pursuant to the offering to the public in the United Kingdom prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the shares that has been approved by the Financial Conduct Authority, except that offers of shares may be made to the public in the United Kingdom at any time under the following exemptions under the UK Prospectus Regulation:

        to any legal entity which is a “qualified investor” as defined under Article 2 of the UK Prospectus Regulation;

        to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than “qualified investors” as defined under Article 2 of the UK Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives for any such offer; or

        in any other circumstances falling within Section 86 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended, the “FSMA”),

provided that no such offer of shares shall require the Company or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Section 85 of the FSMA or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the UK Prospectus Regulation.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to any shares in the United Kingdom means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any shares and the expression “UK Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended by the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020.

In addition, in the United Kingdom, this prospectus is only being distributed to, and is only directed at, and any investment or investment activity to which this prospectus relates is available only to, and will be engaged in only with, persons in the United Kingdom who are “qualified investors” (as defined in the UK Prospectus Regulation) (i) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments who fall within the definition of “investment professionals” in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 as amended (the “Order”); and/or (ii) who are high net worth entities falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”) or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted and will not result in an offer to the public of any shares in the United Kingdom within the meaning of the FSMA. Any person in the United Kingdom who is not a relevant person should not take any action on the basis of this prospectus and should not act or rely on it.

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Notice to Prospective Investors in Switzerland

This document is not intended to constitute an offer or solicitation to purchase or invest in the securities. The securities may not be publicly offered, directly or indirectly, in Switzerland within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act (“FinSA”) and no application has or will be made to admit the securities to trading on any trading venue (exchange or multilateral trading facility) in Switzerland. Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the securities constitutes a prospectus pursuant to the FinSA, and neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the securities may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering, the Company or the securities have been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this document will not be filed with, and the offer of securities will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA (FINMA), and the offer of securities has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes (“CISA”). The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of the securities.

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the shares of common stock offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, Raleigh, North Carolina. Loeb & Loeb LLP, New York, New York is acting as counsel for the underwriters.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Synergy CHC Corp. as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 and for the years then ended included in this prospectus have been so included in reliance on the reports of RBSM LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, which are included herein, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act, with respect to the shares of common stock being offered by this prospectus. This prospectus, which constitutes part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement or the exhibits and schedules filed therewith. Statements contained in this prospectus regarding the contents of any contract or any other document that is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement are not necessarily complete, and each such statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the full text of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement.

Upon completion of this offering, we will be subject to the information and periodic requirements of the Exchange Act and, in accordance therewith, file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC. The address is www.sec.gov. We also maintain a website at www.synergychc.com. The information contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference in, and is not part of, this prospectus. You may access our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act with the SEC free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC.

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Table of Contents

Synergy CHC Corp.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

 

March 31,
2024

 

December 31,
2023

   

(Unaudited)

   

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

910,749

 

 

$

632,534

 

Restricted cash

 

 

100,000

 

 

 

100,000

 

Accounts receivable, net

 

 

2,424,424

 

 

 

2,106,094

 

Loan receivable (related party)

 

 

4,434,834

 

 

 

4,459,996

 

Prepaid expenses (including related party amount of $667,008 and $501,321, respectively)

 

 

1,166,560

 

 

 

797,985

 

Inventory, net

 

 

2,709,785

 

 

 

3,726,240

 

Total Current Assets

 

 

11,746,352

 

 

 

11,822,849

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Intangible assets, net

 

 

383,333

 

 

 

416,667

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Assets

 

$

12,129,685

 

 

$

12,239,516

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities and Stockholders’ Deficit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities (including related party payable of $7,245 and $26,885, respectively)

 

$

6,144,476

 

 

$

11,727,490

 

Income taxes payable

 

 

165,350

 

 

 

185,665

 

Contract liabilities

 

 

27,134

 

 

 

14,202

 

Short term loans payable, related party, net of debt discount

 

 

1,400,000

 

 

 

 

Current portion of long-term notes payable, net of debt discount and debt issuance cost

 

 

4,094,057

 

 

 

2,094,525

 

Total Current Liabilities

 

 

11,831,017

 

 

 

14,021,882

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long-term Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notes payable, net of debt discount, related parties

 

 

12,335,452

 

 

 

12,426,997

 

Notes payable

 

 

14,557,022

 

 

 

13,096,610

 

Total long-term liabilities

 

 

26,892,474

 

 

 

25,523,607

 

Total Liabilities

 

 

38,723,491

 

 

 

39,545,489

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commitments and contingencies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stockholders’ Deficit:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common stock, $0.00001 par value; 300,000,000 shares authorized;
89,889,074 and 89,889,074, shares issued and outstanding, respectively

 

 

899

 

 

 

899

 

Additional paid in capital

 

 

19,147,884

 

 

 

19,147,884

 

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

 

 

29,170

 

 

 

(102,467

)

Accumulated deficit

 

 

(45,771,759

)

 

 

(46,352,289

)

Total stockholders’ deficit

 

 

(26,593,806

)

 

 

(27,305,973

)

Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Deficit

 

$

12,129,685

 

 

$

12,239,516

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements

F-2

Table of Contents

Synergy CHC Corp.
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income and Other Comprehensive Income

 

For the three 
months ended
March 31,
2024

 

For the three
months ended
March 31,
2023

Revenue

 

$

9,411,863

 

 

$

7,962,166

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of Sales

 

 

2,637,139

 

 

 

2,084,964

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gross Profit

 

 

6,774,724

 

 

 

5,877,202

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Selling and marketing

 

 

3,584,677

 

 

 

3,071,601

 

General and administrative

 

 

1,348,385

 

 

 

1,656,897

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

33,333

 

 

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

 

 

4,966,395

 

 

 

4,728,498

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income from operations

 

 

1,808,329

 

 

 

1,148,704

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other (income) expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest income

 

 

(387

)

 

 

(382

)

Interest expense

 

 

1,109,980

 

 

 

836,412

 

Remeasurement gain on translation of foreign subsidiary

 

 

(8,983

)

 

 

(4,836

)

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total other expenses

 

 

1,100,610

 

 

 

831,194

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income before income taxes

 

 

707,719

 

 

 

317,510

 

Income tax expense (benefit)

 

 

127,189

 

 

 

(10,918

)

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income after tax

 

$

580,530

 

 

$

328,428

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income per share – basic and diluted

 

$

0.01

 

 

$

0.00

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average common shares outstanding

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic and Diluted

 

 

89,889,074

 

 

 

89,889,074

 

Comprehensive income:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

$

580,530

 

 

$

328,428

 

Foreign currency translation adjustment

 

 

131,637

 

 

 

(4,443

)

Comprehensive income

 

$

712,167

 

 

$

323,985

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements

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Table of Contents

Synergy CHC Corp.
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statement of Stockholders’ Deficit

 

Common stock

 

Additional
Paid in
Capital

 

Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income

 

Accumulated
Deficit

 

Total
Stockholders’
Deficit

Shares

 

Amount

 

Balance as of
December 31, 2022

 

89,889,074

 

$

899

 

$

19,147,884

 

$

22,389

 

 

$

(52,691,039

)

 

$

(33,519,867

)

Foreign currency
translation loss

     

 

   

 

   

 

(4,443

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

(4,443

)

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

328,428

 

 

 

328,428

 

Balance as of March 31, 2023

 

89,889,074

 

$

899

 

$

19,147,884

 

$

17,946

 

 

$

(52,362,611

)

 

$

(33,195,885

)

 

Common stock

 

Additional
Paid in
Capital

 

Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income

 

Accumulated
Deficit

 

Total
Stockholders’
Deficit

Shares

 

Amount

 

Balance as of December 31, 2023

 

89,889,074

 

$

899

 

$

19,147,884

 

$

(102,467

)

 

$

(46,352,289

)

 

$

(27,305,973

)

Foreign currency translation gain

     

 

   

 

   

 

131,637

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

131,637

 

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

580,530

 

 

 

580,530

 

Balance as of March 31, 2024

 

89,889,074

 

$

899

 

$

19,147,884

 

$

29,170

 

 

$

(45,771,759

)

 

$

(26,593,806

)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements

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Table of Contents

Synergy CHC Corp.
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

 

For the three
months ended
March 31,
2024

 

For the three
months ended
March 31,
2023

Cash Flows from Operating Activities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

$

580,530

 

 

$

328,428

 

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

33,334

 

 

 

 

Foreign currency transaction loss

 

 

11,178

 

 

 

(86,520

)

Remeasurement loss on translation of foreign subsidiary

 

 

(8,983

)

 

 

(4,836

)

Non cash implied interest

 

 

7,199

 

 

 

7,520

 

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable

 

 

(318,330

)

 

 

1,173,554

 

Loan receivable, related party

 

 

25,162

 

 

 

(834

)

Inventory

 

 

1,016,455

 

 

 

1,329,333

 

Prepaid expenses

 

 

(202,888

)

 

 

(99,176

)

Prepaid expense, related party

 

 

(165,687

)

 

 

32,045

 

Income taxes receivable

 

 

 

 

 

(10,468

)

Income taxes payable

 

 

(20,315

)

 

 

 

Contract liabilities

 

 

12,932

 

 

 

5,366

 

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

 

 

(1,808,989

)

 

 

(4,043,396

)

Accounts payable, related party

 

 

(19,640

)

 

 

(107,422

)

Net cash used in operating activities

 

 

(858,042

)

 

 

(1,476,405

)

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash Flows from Investing Activities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash Flows from Financing Activities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Advances from related party

 

 

1,400,000

 

 

 

 

Repayment of notes payable, related party

 

 

(84,500

)

 

 

(12,500

)

Proceeds from notes payable

 

 

125,000

 

 

 

 

Repayment of notes payable

 

 

(435,880

)

 

 

(502,096

)

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

 

 

1,004,620

 

 

 

(514,596

)

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Effect of exchange rate on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

 

 

131,637

 

 

 

(4,4443

)

Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

 

 

278,215

 

 

 

(1,995,444

)

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash, Cash Equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of year

 

 

732,534

 

 

 

2,526,443

 

Cash, Cash Equivalents and restricted cash, end of period

 

$

1,010,749

 

 

$

530,999

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash paid during the period for:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest

 

$

1,102,781

 

 

$

828,967

 

Income taxes

 

$

147,728

 

 

$

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supplemental Disclosure of Noncash Investing and Financing Activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable converted to loan payable upon settlement

 

$

3,770,824

 

 

$

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements

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Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 1 — Nature of the Business

Synergy CHC Corp. (“Synergy”, “we”, “us”, “our” or the “Company”) (formerly Synergy Strips Corp.) was incorporated on December 29, 2010 in Nevada under the name “Oro Capital Corporation.” On April 21, 2014, the Company changed its fiscal year end from July 31 to December 31. On April 28, 2014, the Company changed its name to “Synergy Strips Corp.”. On August 5, 2015, the Company changed its name to “Synergy CHC Corp.”

The Company is a consumer health care company that is in the process of building a portfolio of best-in-class consumer product brands. Synergy’s strategy is to grow its portfolio both organically and by further acquisition.

Effective January 1, 2019 the Company has merged the U.S. Subsidiaries (Neuragen Corp., Breakthrough Products Inc., Sneaky Vaunt Corp., and The Queen Pegasus Corp.) into the parent company.

Synergy is the sole owner of two subsidiaries: NomadChoice Pty Ltd. and Synergy CHC Inc. and the results have been consolidated in these statements.

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 and for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 are unaudited. The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“US GAAP”). Accordingly, they do not include all the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2024 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2023 and footnotes thereto

All amounts referred to in the notes to the consolidated financial statements are in United States Dollars ($) unless stated otherwise.

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant estimates included are assumptions about collection of accounts receivable, current income taxes, deferred income taxes valuation allowance, useful life of intangible assets, impairment analysis of intangible assets, accrual of sales returns, and accrual of legal expense. The results of any changes in accounting estimates are reflected in the financial statements in the period in which the changes become evident. Estimates and assumptions are reviewed periodically, and the effects of revisions are reflected in the period that they are determined to be necessary.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all cash on hand and in banks, including accounts in book overdraft positions, certificates of deposit and other highly-liquid investments with maturities of three months or less, when purchased, to be cash and cash equivalents. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had no cash equivalents. The Company maintains its cash and cash equivalents in banks insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in accounts that at times may be in excess of the federally insured limit of $250,000 per bank. The Company minimizes this risk by placing its cash deposits with major financial institutions. At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the uninsured balances amounted to $748,391 and $441,711, respectively.

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Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (cont.)

Restricted Cash

The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash reported within the statement of financial position that sum to the total of the same such amounts shown in the statement of cash flows.

 

March 31,
2024

 

December 31,
2023

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

910,749

 

$

632,534

Restricted cash

 

 

100,000

 

 

100,000

Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash shown in the statement of cash flows

 

$

1,010,749

 

$

732,534

Amounts included in restricted cash represent the amount held for credit card collateral and professional retainer.

Intangible Assets

We evaluate the recoverability of intangible assets periodically and take into account events or circumstances that warrant revised estimates of useful lives or that indicate that impairment exists. All of our intangible assets are subject to amortization. Intangible assets are amortized on a straight line basis over the useful lives.

Long-lived Assets

Long-lived assets include equipment and intangible assets other than those with indefinite lives. We assess the carrying value of our long-lived asset groups when indicators of impairment exist and recognize an impairment loss when the carrying amount of a long-lived asset is not recoverable when compared to undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use and eventual disposition of the asset.

Indicators of impairment include significant underperformance relative to historical or projected future operating results, significant changes in our use of the assets or in our business strategy, loss of or changes in customer relationships and significant negative industry or economic trends. When indications of impairment arise for a particular asset or group of assets, we assess the future recoverability of the carrying value of the asset (or asset group) based on an undiscounted cash flow analysis. If carrying value exceeds projected, net, undiscounted cash flows, an additional analysis is performed to determine the fair value of the asset (or asset group), typically a discounted cash flow analysis, and an impairment charge is recorded for the excess of carrying value over fair value.

Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes revenue in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”), Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”). Revenues are recognized when control is transferred to customers in amounts that reflect the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to receive in exchange for those goods. Revenue recognition is evaluated through the following five steps: (i) identification of the contract, or contracts, with a customer; (ii) identification of the performance obligations in the contract; (iii) determination of the transaction price; (iv) allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (v) recognition of revenue when or as a performance obligation is satisfied.

The Company recognizes revenue upon shipment from its fulfillment centers. Certain of our distributors may also perform a separate function as a co-packer on our behalf. In such cases, ownership of and title to our products that are co-packed on our behalf by those co-packers who are also distributors, passes to such distributors when we are notified by them that they have taken transfer or possession of the relevant portion of our finished goods. Freight billed to customers is presented as revenues, and the related freight costs are presented as cost of goods sold. Cancelled orders are refunded if not already dispatched, refunds are only paid if stock is damaged in transit, discounts are only offered with specific promotions and orders will be refilled if lost in transit. The Company recognizes revenue for its digital products in the month the download by the customer occurs.

F-7

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (cont.)

Contract Assets

The Company does not have any contract assets such as work-in-process. All trade receivables on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet are from contracts with customers.

Contract Costs

Costs incurred to obtain a contract are capitalized unless short term in nature. As a practical expedient, costs to obtain a contract that are short term in nature are expensed as incurred. The Company does not have any contract costs capitalized as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.

Contract Liabilities

The Company’s contract liabilities consist of advance customer payments. Contract liability results from transactions in which the Company has been paid for products by customers, but for which all revenue recognition criteria have not yet been met. Once all revenue recognition criteria have been met, the contract liabilities are recognized.

 

March 31,
2024

 

December 31,
2023

Beginning balance

 

$

14,202

 

 

$

5,197

 

Additions

 

 

27,134

 

 

 

14,202

 

Recognized as revenue

 

 

(14,202

)

 

 

(5,197

)

Ending balance

 

$

27,134

 

 

$

14,202

 

Accounts receivable

Accounts receivable are generally unsecured. The Company establishes an allowance for doubtful accounts receivable based on the age of outstanding invoices and management’s evaluation of collectability. Accounts are written off after all reasonable collection efforts have been exhausted and management concludes that likelihood of collection is remote. Any future recoveries are applied against the allowance for doubtful accounts. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the allowance for doubtful accounts was $48,263 and $149,446, respectively.

Advertising Expense

The Company expenses marketing, promotions and advertising costs as incurred. Such costs are included in selling and marketing expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

Research and Development

Costs incurred in connection with the development of new products and processing methods are charged to general and administrative expenses as incurred.

Income Taxes

The Company utilizes FASBASC 740, “Income Taxes,” which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements or tax returns. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and their financial reporting amounts based on enacted tax laws and statutory tax rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. A valuation allowance is recorded when it is “more likely-than-not” that a deferred tax asset will not be realized.

The Company generated a deferred tax asset through net operating loss carry-forward. However, a valuation allowance of 100% has been established due to the uncertainty of the Company’s realization of the net operating loss carry forward prior to its expiration.

F-8

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (cont.)

NomadChoice Pty Ltd, the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary is subject to income taxes in the jurisdictions in which it operates. Significant judgment is required in determining the provision for income tax. There are many transactions and calculations undertaken during the ordinary course of business for which the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. The company recognizes liabilities for anticipated tax audit issues based on the Company’s current understanding of the tax law. Where the final tax outcome of these matters is different from the carrying amounts, such differences will impact the current and deferred tax provisions in the period in which such determination is made.

Synergy CHC Inc. is a wholly-owned foreign subsidiary, is subject to income taxes in the jurisdictions in which it operates. Significant judgment is required in determining the provision for income tax. There are many transactions and calculations undertaken during the ordinary course of business for which the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. The company recognizes liabilities for anticipated tax audit issues based on the Company’s current understanding of the tax law. Where the final tax outcome of these matters is different from the carrying amounts, such differences will impact the current and deferred tax provisions in the period in which such determination is made.

Net Earnings (Loss) Per Common Share

The Company computes earnings per share under ASC subtopic 260-10, Earnings Per Share. Basic earnings (loss) per share is computed by dividing the net income (loss) attributable to the common stockholders (the numerator) by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding (the denominator) during the reporting periods. Diluted earnings per share is computed by increasing the denominator by the weighted average number of additional shares that could have been outstanding from securities convertible into common stock (using the “treasury stock” method), unless their effect on net income per share is anti-dilutive. As of both March 31, 2024 and 2023, options to purchase 3,000,000 shares of common stock were outstanding.

The following is a reconciliation of the number of shares used in the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share for the three months ended March 31, 2024, and 2023:

 

For the three months ended

   

March 31,
2024

 

March 31,
2023

Net income after tax

 

$

580,530

 

$

328,428

   

 

   

 

 

Weighted average common shares outstanding

 

 

89,889,074

 

 

89,889,074

Incremental shares from the assumed exercise of dilutive stock options

 

 

   

 

Dilutive potential common shares

 

 

89,889,074

 

 

89,889,074

   

 

   

 

 

Net earnings per share:

 

 

   

 

 

Basic

 

$

0.01

 

$

0.00

Diluted

 

$

0.01

 

$

0.00

The following securities were not included in the computation of diluted net earnings per share as their effect would have been antidilutive:

 

For the three months ended

   

March 31,
2024

 

March 31,
2023

Options to purchase common stock

 

3,000,000

 

3,000,000

F-9

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (cont.)

Fair Value Measurements

The Company measures and discloses the fair value of assets and liabilities required to be carried at fair value in accordance with ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures. ASC 820 defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value, and enhances fair value measurement disclosure.

ASC 825 defines fair value as the price that would be received from selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. When determining the fair value measurements for assets and liabilities required or permitted to be recorded at fair value, the Company considers the principal or most advantageous market in which it would transact and considers assumptions that market participants would use when pricing the asset or liability, such as inherent risk, transfer restrictions, and risk of nonperformance. ASC 825 establishes a fair value hierarchy that requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. ASC 825 establishes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:

Level 1

 

 

Quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets to which we have access at the measurement date.

Level 2

 

 

Inputs other than quoted prices within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly.

Level 3

 

 

Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.

The determination of where assets and liabilities fall within this hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

As of both March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company has determined that there were no assets or liabilities measured at fair value.

Inventory

Inventory consists of raw materials, components and finished goods. The Company’s inventory is stated at the lower of cost (FIFO cost basis) or net realizable value. Finished goods include the cost of labor to assemble the items.

Foreign Currency Translation

The functional currency of one of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries (NomadChoice Pty Ltd.) is the U.S. Dollar. The Company’s foreign subsidiary maintains its records using local currency (Australian Dollar —“AUD”). All monetary assets and liabilities of the foreign subsidiary were translated into U.S. Dollars at period end exchange rates, non-monetary assets and liabilities of the foreign subsidiary were translated into U.S. Dollars at transaction day exchange rates. Income and expense items related to non-monetary items were translated at exchange rates prevailing during the transaction date and other incomes and expenses were translated using average exchange rate for the period. The resulting translation adjustments, net of income taxes, were recorded in statements of operations as Remeasurement gain or loss on translation of foreign subsidiary.

The functional currency of the Company’s other foreign subsidiary (Synergy CHC Inc.) is the Canadian Dollar (CAD). The Company’s foreign subsidiary maintains its records using local currency (CAD). All assets and liabilities of the foreign subsidiary were translated into U.S. Dollars at period end exchange rates and stockholders’ equity is translated at the historical rates. Income and expense items were translated using average exchange rate for the period. The resulting translation adjustments, net of income taxes, are reported as other comprehensive income and accumulated other comprehensive income in the stockholder’s equity in accordance with ASC 220 — Comprehensive Income.

F-10

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (cont.)

The exchange rates used to translate amounts in AUD and CAD into USD for the purposes of preparing the consolidated financial statements were as follows:

Balance sheet:

 

March 31,
2024

 

December 31,
2023

Period-end AUD: USD exchange rate

 

$

0.6523

 

$

0.6805

Period-end CAD: USD exchange rate

 

$

0.7380

 

$

0.7561

Income statement:

 

March 31,
2024

 

March 31,
2023

Average Quarterly AUD: USD exchange rate

 

$

0.6580

 

$

0.6839

Average Quarterly CAD: USD exchange rate

 

$

0.7414

 

$

0.7397

Translation gains and losses that arise from exchange rate fluctuations from transactions denominated in a currency other than the functional currency are translated into either Australian Dollars or Canadian Dollars, as the case may be, at the rate on the date of the transaction and included in the results of operations as incurred.

Concentrations of Credit Risk

In the normal course of business, the Company provides credit terms to its customers; however, collateral was not required. Accordingly, the Company performed credit evaluations of its customers and maintained allowances for possible losses which, when realized, were within the range of management’s expectations. From time to time, a higher concentration of credit risk existed on outstanding accounts receivable for a select number of customers due to individual buying patterns.

Warehousing costs

Warehouse costs include all third-party warehouse rent fees and are charged to selling and marketing expenses as incurred. Any additional costs relating to assembly or special pack-outs of the Company’s products are charged to cost of sales.

Product display costs

All displays manufactured and purchased by the Company are for placement of product in retail stores. This also includes all costs for display execution and setup and retail services are charged to cost of sales and expensed as incurred.

Cost of Sales

Cost of sales includes the purchase cost of products sold, all costs associated with getting the products into the retail stores including buying and transportation costs and the hosting of our online Application.

Debt Issuance Costs

Debt issuance costs consist primarily of arrangement fees, professional fees and legal fees. These costs were netted off with the related loan and were being amortized to interest expense over the term of the related debt facilities.

Shipping Costs

Shipping and handling costs billed to customers are recorded in sales. Shipping costs incurred by the company are recorded in selling and marketing expenses.

F-11

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (cont.)

Related parties

Parties are considered to be related to the Company if the parties that, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, control, are controlled by, or are under common control with the Company. Related parties also include principal owners of the Company, its management, members of the immediate families of principal owners of the Company and its management and other parties with which the Company may deal if one party controls or can significantly influence the management or operating policies of the other to an extent that one of the transacting parties might be prevented from fully pursuing its own separate interests.

Segment Reporting

Segment identification and selection is consistent with the management structure used by the Company’s chief operating decision maker to evaluate performance and make decisions regarding resource allocation, as well as the materiality of financial results consistent with that structure. Based on the Company’s management structure and method of internal reporting, the Company has one operating segment. The Company’s chief operating decision maker does not review operating results on a disaggregated basis; rather, the chief operating decision maker reviews operating results on an aggregated basis.

Presentation of Financial Statements – Going Concern

Going Concern Evaluation

In connection with preparing unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2024, management evaluated whether there were conditions and events, considered in the aggregate, that raised substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year from the date that the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements are issued.

The Company considered the following:

        At March 31, 2024, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $45,771,759.

        At March 31, 2024, the Company had working capital deficit of $84,665.

        During the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company had $858,042 of net cash used in operating activities.

Ordinarily, conditions or events that raise substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern relate to the entity’s ability to meet its obligations as they become due.

The Company evaluated its ability to meet its obligations as they become due within one year from the date that the financial statements are issued by considering the following:

        During the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company repaid $$0.5 million of loans and received $1.5 million through loans from related party and others.

        During the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company had an increase in net revenue of $1,449,697.

        During the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company had a net income of $580,350.

        The Company has the option of privately selling its common stock to raise additional capital.

        The Company has the option of selling any of its brands to raise additional capital.

        The Company has restructured its debt agreements in 2024 which extends the terms into 2026.

Management concluded that the above factors alleviate doubts about the Company’s ability to generate enough cash from operations and other available sources to satisfy its obligations for the next twelve months from the issuance date.

F-12

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (cont.)

The Company will take the following actions if it starts to trend unfavorably to its internal profitability and cash flow projections, in order to mitigate conditions or events that would raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern:

        Raise additional capital through line of credit and/or loans financing for future mergers and acquisition.

        Implement restructuring and cost reductions.

        Raise additional capital through a private placement.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In December 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU’) No. 2023-09, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures” (“ASU 2023-09”). ASU 2023-09 amends the rules on income tax disclosures to require entities to disclose specific categories in the rate reconciliation, the income or loss from continuing operations before income tax expense or benefit (separated between domestic and foreign) and income tax expense or benefit from continuing operations (separated by federal, state, and foreign). In addition, ASU 2023-09 requires entities to disclose their income tax payments to international, federal, state, and local jurisdictions, among other changes. The amendments can be applied on a prospective basis although retrospective application is permitted. The amendments are effective for the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this update will have on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-07, “Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures” (“ASU 2023-07”). ASU 2023-07 expands segment disclosure requirements through enhanced disclosures related to significant segment expenses that are regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker (“CODM”), a description of other segment items by reportable segment, and any additional measures of a segment’s profit or loss used by the CODM when deciding how to allocate resources. All disclosure requirements under ASU 2023- 07 are also required for public entities with a single reportable segment. The amendments are effective for the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this update will have on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

In October 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-06, “Disclosure Improvements: Codification Amendments in Response to the SEC’s Disclosure Update and Simplification Initiative” (“ASU 2023-06”). ASU 2023-06 amends U.S. GAAP to reflect updates and simplifications to certain disclosure and presentation requirements referred to FASB by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The targeted amendments incorporate 14 of the 27 disclosures referred by the SEC into codification. Each amendment in ASU 2023-06 is effective on either the date on which the SEC’s removal of the related disclosure requirement from Regulation S-X or Regulation S-K becomes effective, or on June 30, 2027, if the SEC has not removed the requirements by that date. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this update will have on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

Note 3 — Income Taxes

The Company utilizes FASB ASC 740, “Income Taxes,” which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements or tax returns. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and their financial reporting amounts based on enacted tax laws and statutory tax rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. A valuation allowance is recorded when it is “more likely-than-not” that a deferred tax asset will not be realized.

Deferred income taxes arise from temporary differences resulting from income and expense items reported for financial accounting and tax purposes in different periods. Deferred taxes are classified as current or non-current, depending on the classification of assets and liabilities to which they relate. Deferred taxes arising from temporary differences that are not related to an asset or liability are classified as current or noncurrent depending on the periods in which the temporary differences are expected to reverse. The Company does not have any uncertain tax positions.

F-13

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 3 — Income Taxes (cont.)

For U.S. purposes, the Company has not completed its evaluation of NOL utilization limitations under Internal Revenue Code, as amended (the “Code”) Section 382/383, change of ownership rules. If the Company has had a change in ownership, the NOL’s would be limited or eliminated, as to the amount that could be utilized each year, based on the Code. NOL’s attributable to Breakthrough Products, Inc., which are the majority of the Company’s domestic NOL’s are Separate Return Limitation Year (SRLY) NOL’s. Such losses may generally not be available for use (limited or eliminated).

The Company has not filed its State & Local Income/Franchise tax returns in states it is required to file, as such returns and liability remain open. The Company does not expect this to be a significant liability.

The Company had tax expense of $127,189 for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and a tax benefit of $10,918 for the three months ended March 31, 2023.

The Company also has net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $52,858,000 and approximately $52,800,000 (United States and Canada) included in the deferred tax assets for March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively, the majority attributable to the acquisition of Breakthrough Products, Inc. However, due to limitations of carryover attributes and separate return limitation year rules, it is unlikely the company will benefit from the NOL’s and thus Management has determined a 100% valuation allowance is required. Further, the Company has not completed an evaluation of the NOL’s attributable to Breakthrough Products, Inc. at the date of this report.

Note 4 — Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable, net of allowances for doubtful accounts, consisted of the following:

 

March 31,
2024

 

December 31,
2023

Trade accounts receivable

 

$

2,472,687

 

 

$

2,255,540

 

Less allowances

 

 

(48,263

)

 

 

(149,446

)

Total accounts receivable, net

 

$

2,424,424

 

 

$

2,106,094

 

During the three months ended both March 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company charged $0 to bad debt expense.

Note 5 — Prepaid Expenses

At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, prepaid expenses consisted of the following:

 

March 31,
2024

 

December 31,
2023

Advances for inventory

 

$

309,220

 

$

128,025

Insurance

 

 

15,925

 

 

6,133

Deposits

 

 

24,000

 

 

60,000

Contract employee, related party

 

 

667,008

 

 

501,321

Components

 

 

53,385

 

 

97,606

Promotions

 

 

96,534

 

 

Miscellaneous

 

 

488

 

 

4,900

Total

 

$

1,166,560

 

$

797,985

Note 6 — Concentration of Credit Risk

Cash and cash equivalents

The Company maintains its cash and cash equivalents in banks insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in accounts that at times may be in excess of the federally insured limit of $250,000 per bank. The Company minimizes this risk by placing its cash deposits with major financial institutions. At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the uninsured balance amounted to $748,391 and $441,711, respectively.

F-14

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 6 — Concentration of Credit Risk (cont.)

Accounts receivable

As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, four and two customers accounted for 73% and 68%, respectively, of the Company’s accounts receivable.

Major customers

For the three months ended March 31, 2024, two customers accounted for approximately 68% of the Company’s net revenue. For the three months ended March 31, 2023, three customers accounted for approximately 77% of the Company’s net revenue. Substantially all of the Company’s business is with companies in the United States.

Accounts payable

As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, three and two vendors accounted for 44% and 64%, respectively, of the Company’s accounts payable.

Major suppliers

For the three months ended March 31, 2024, two suppliers accounted for approximately 73% of the Company’s purchases. For the three months ended March 31, 2023, one supplier accounted for approximately 13% of the Company’s purchases. Substantially all of the Company’s business is with suppliers in the United States.

Note 7 — Inventory

Inventory consists of finished goods, components and raw materials. The Company’s inventory is stated at the lower of cost (FIFO cost basis) or net realizable value.

The carrying value of inventory consisted of the following:

 

March 31,
2024

 

December 31,
2023

Finished goods

 

$

2,570,836

 

$

3,584,343

Components

 

 

93,949

 

 

93,949

Inventory in transit

 

 

 

 

2,948

Raw materials

 

 

45,000

 

 

45,000

Total inventory

 

$

2,709,785

 

$

3,726,240

As of January 22, 2015, inventory was pledged to Knight under the Loan Agreement (see note 12). As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, $0 and $2,948, respectively, of the Company’s inventory was in transit. During the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company had no inventory write-offs.

Note 8 — Intangible Assets

 

March 31,
2024

 

December 31,
2023

License Fee

 

$

450,000

 

 

$

450,000

 

Less accumulated amortization

 

 

(66,667

)

 

 

(33,333

)

Intangible assets, net

 

$

383,333

 

 

$

416,667

 

Amortization expense for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 was $33,334 and $0, respectively.

The estimated aggregate amortization expense over each of the next five years is as follows:

Nine months 2024

 

$

99,999

2025

 

 

133,333

2026

 

 

133,333

2027

 

 

16,668

F-15

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 9 — Related Party Transactions

The Company paid consulting fees through March 2024 to a company owned by Mr. Jack Ross, Chief Executive Officer of the Company. The Company expensed $0 and $308,511, respectively during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 as consulting fees. The Company advanced $165,687 in the manner of a prepaid consulting fees during the three months ended March 31, 2024. The prepaid balance as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 was $667,008 and $501,321, respectively. During 2024, the Company was advanced $1,400,000 in the form of a short-term note. The balance owed as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 the balance owed is $1,400,000 and $0, respectively.

On June 26, 2015, the Company entered into a Security Agreement with Knight Therapeutics, Inc., a related party (owner of greater than 10% shares of the Company), through its wholly owned subsidiary Neuragen Corp., for the purchase of Knight Therapeutics, Inc.’s assets. At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company owed Knight $275,000 and $287,500 in relation to this agreement (see Note 11). The Company recorded present value of future payments of $199,640 and $204,941 as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.

The Company entered into transactions with a related party controlled by the CEO during prior years. The transactions were a pass through and allocation of expenses and reimbursements. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 the Company was owed $4,434,834 and $4,459,996, respectively.

The Company entered into a transaction with a related party controlled by the CEO during the year ended December 31, 2023. The transaction was in the form of a short-term loan. The Company received $10,000 Canadian dollars (US Dollars $7,561). This amount was owed to the related party as of December 31, 2023 and was repaid during February 2024.

On August 9, 2017, the Company entered into a Loan Agreement with Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc., a related party (owner of greater than 10% shares of the Company), for a working capital loan. At both March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company owed Knight $5,000,000 on this loan, net of debt issuance cost (see Note 11). During the year ended December 31, 2020 a loan success fee of $1,000,000 was earned by Knight payable in August 2022 (see Note 11). At both March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company owed Knight $1,000,000 on the loan success fee (see Note 11).

On May 8, 2020, the Company entered into a Third Amendment Agreement with Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc., a related party, for working capital loan. At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company owed Knight $320,000 and $392,000, respectively on this loan (see Note 11).

On July 7, 2022, the Company entered into a Fourth Amendment Agreement with Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc., a related party, for an additional $2,000,000 loan (the “Second Additional Loan”). At both March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company owed Knight $2,000,000 on this loan (see Note 11). During the year ended December 31, 2023 a loan success fee of $83,250 was earned by Knight and is payable as of both March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 (see Note 11).

On September 30, 2023, the Company entered into a Fifth Amendment Agreement with Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc., a related party, to modify prior Agreements. This modification extends the maturity dates of loans to March 31, 2024. The Company will pay Knight a closing fee of $1,000,000 in connection with the Fifth Amendment. This has been accrued for during the year ended December 31, 2022 since this was earned upon renegotiation of the loan during 2022 (see Note 11).

During February 2024, the Company entered into an amended agreement with Knight Therapeutics Inc., a related party, to modify prior Agreements. This modification consolidates outstanding loans and extends the maturity dates of loans to March 31, 2026 (see Note 11).

The Company recognized interest expense of $414,158 and $398,201 during the period ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Accrued interest was $1,760,076 as of both March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023. Accrued interest was capitalized and included in the loan balance as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.

On December 23, 2016, the Company entered into an agreement with Knight Therapeutics for the distribution rights of FOCUSfactor in Canada. In conjunction with this agreement, the Company is required to pay Knight a distribution fee equal to 30% of gross sales for sales achieved through a direct sales channel and 5% of gross sales for

F-16

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 9 — Related Party Transactions (cont.)

sales achieved through retail sales. The minimum due to Knight under this agreement is $100,000 Canadian dollars. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company expensed $133,502 Canadian dollars (US Dollars $98,939). As of both March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the total outstanding balance was $549,229 Canadian dollars. In US Dollars, the total outstanding balance was $403,936 and $415,272 as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. The outstanding distribution fees have been added to the related party notes payable.

On December 23, 2016, the Company entered into an agreement with Knight Therapeutics for the distribution rights of Hand MD into Canada. In conjunction with this agreement, the Company is required to pay Knight a distribution fee equal to 60% of gross sales for sales achieved through a direct sales channel until the sales in the calendar year equal the threshold amount and then 40% of all such gross sales in such calendar year in excess of the threshold amount and 5% of gross sales for sales achieved through retail sales. The minimum due to Knight under this agreement is $25,000 Canadian dollars. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company expensed was $25,000 Canadian dollars (US Dollars $18,531). As of both March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the total outstanding balance was $160,637 Canadian dollars. In US Dollars, the total outstanding balance was $118,550 and $121,428 as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. The outstanding distribution fees have been added to the related party notes payable.

The Company expensed royalty of $22,478 and $22,153 for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company owed Knight Therapeutics $7,245 and $19,324, respectively, in connection with a royalty distribution agreement.

On October 1, 2023 (effective date), the Company entered into second amendment to the Distribution Agreement with Knight with an initial term ending on February 25, 2026 with an automatic renewal of one year for a payment of $450,000 by the Company within 180 days from the effective date. The Company has recorded this payable in terms of a Note Payable to Knight Therapeutics in relation to a license fee of an intangible asset. The balance outstanding at both March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 was $450,000.

Note 10 — Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities

As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, accounts payable and accrued liabilities consisted of the following:

 

March 31,
2024

 

December 31,
2023

Accrued payroll

 

$

332,236

 

$

329,652

Legal fees

 

 

634,161

 

 

707,590

Commissions

 

 

683,023

 

 

601,988

Manufacturers

 

 

629,167

 

 

4,424,146

Promotions

 

 

1,171,823

 

 

3,315,755

Accounting Fees

 

 

319,571

 

 

223,286

Interest

 

 

122,633

 

 

Royalties, related party

 

 

7,245

 

 

19,324

Warehousing

 

 

1,125,801

 

 

962,260

Sales taxes

 

 

34,835

 

 

18,364

Payroll taxes

 

 

896,600

 

 

871,047

Professional Fees

 

 

35,723

 

 

41,556

Inventory

 

 

 

 

49,972

Related party advance

 

 

 

 

7,561

Others

 

 

151,658

 

 

154,989

Total

 

$

6,144,476

 

$

11,727,490

The Company has estimated and accrued for its sales tax liability at $9,114 and $6,098 for the parent entity as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.

F-17

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 11 — Notes Payable

The Company’s notes payable at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 are as follows:

 

March 31,
2024

 

December 31,
2023

Notes payable

 

$

32,397,406

 

 

$

27,630,420

 

Unamortized debt issuance cost

 

 

(10,874

)

 

 

(12,288

)

Total

 

 

32,386,532

 

 

 

27,618,132

 

Current portion, related party

 

 

(1,400,000

)

 

 

(—

)

Current portion, other

 

 

(4,094,057

)

 

 

(2,094,525

)

Long-term portion, related party

 

 

12,335,452

 

 

 

12,426,997

 

Long-term portion, other

 

$

14,557,022

 

 

$

13,096,610

 

$950,000 June 26, 2015 Security Agreement:

On June 26, 2015, the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Neuragen Corp. (“Neuragen”), issued a 0% promissory note in a principal amount of $950,000 in connection with an Asset Purchase Agreement. The note requires $250,000 to be paid on or before June 30, 2016, and $700,000 to be paid in quarterly installments (beginning with the quarter ending September 30, 2015) equal to the greater of $12,500 or 5% of U.S. net sales, and 2% of U.S. net sales of Neuragen for 60 months thereafter. The payment of such amounts is secured by a security interest in certain assets, undertakings and property (“Collateral”) pursuant to the Security Agreement, which will be released upon receipt of total payments of $1.2 million.

The Company recorded present value of future payments of $199,640 and $204,941 as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 the Company owed Knight $275,000 and $287,500 in relation to this agreement. The Company recorded interest expense of $7,199 and $7,520 for the three months March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The Company made payments of $12,500 and $12,500 during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

During May 2024, this Security Agreement was consolidated with the other outstanding loans to Knight.

$10,000,000 August 9, 2017 Loan:

On August 9, 2017, the Company entered into a Second Amendment to Loan Agreement (“Second Amendment”) with Knight, pursuant to which Knight agreed to loan the Company an additional $10 million, and an ongoing credit facility of up to $20 million, and which amount was borrowed at closing (the “Financing”) for working capital purposes. At closing, the Company paid Knight an origination fee of $200,000 and a work fee of $100,000 and also paid $100,000 of Knight’s expenses associated with the Loan.

Additional Tranches under the Loan Agreement are available to the Company until August 9, 2022 provided that no event of default exists. Each Additional Tranche must be for a minimum amount of $1.0 million, may only be used to finance qualified acquisitions (as defined in the Loan Agreement), and can be denied in Knight’s absolute discretion. If an Additional Tranche is denied, the Company can effect a qualified acquisition through a special purpose entity with such special purpose entity being entitled to obtain financing from third parties so long as such financing does not adversely affect Knight or Knight’s rights under the Loan Agreement. Upon the closing of any Additional Tranche, the Company will pay Knight an origination fee equal to 2% of the Additional Tranche, a work fee equal to 1% of the amount of the Additional Tranche, and reimburse Knight for its expenses incurred in connection with its consideration of any Additional Tranche (whether or not advanced).

The Loan bears interest at 10.5% per annum. The amended Loan Agreement matures on August 8, 2020 and (b) the date that Knight, in its discretion, accelerates the Company’s obligations due to an event of default.

F-18

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 11 — Notes Payable (cont.)

On the Maturity Date of the Third Tranche and every Additional Tranche (or upon the acceleration of each such loan), the Company must pay Knight a success fee (the “Success Fee”) of that number of Company common shares equal to 10% of the loan, divided by the lesser of (a) $1.50, (b) the lowest price at which any common shares were issued by the Company in any offering or equity financing or other transaction between the Closing Date and the date the Success Fee is due, and (c) the current market price on the date the Success Fee is due. The Company may also pay the Success Fee in cash pursuant to the terms of the Loan Agreement.

The Loan Agreement includes customary representations, warranties, and affirmative and restrictive covenants, including covenants to attain and maintain certain financial metrics, and to not merge or dispose of assets, acquire other businesses (except for businesses substantially similar or complementary to the Company’s business, and provided that the aggregate consideration to be paid does not exceed $100,000 and the acquired business guarantees the Company’s obligations under the Loan Agreement) or make capital expenditures in excess of $500,000. The Loan Agreement also includes customary events of default, including payment defaults, breaches of covenants, change of control and material adverse effect defaults. Upon the occurrence of an event of default and during the continuation thereof, the principal amount of all loans under the Loan Agreement will bear a default interest rate of an additional 5%.

The Company’s obligations and liabilities under the Loan Agreement are secured and unconditionally guaranteed by certain of the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries as provided in the Loan Agreement.

On May 8, 2020, the Company entered into a Third Amendment Agreement (the “Third Amendment”) to the Amended and Restated Loan Agreement (the “Loan Agreement”) with Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc. (“Knight”), pursuant to which Knight agreed to loan the Company an additional $2.5 million (the “Additional Loan”). That same day (the “Closing”), the Company paid Knight a work fee of $36,000, and $25,000 for Knight’s legal costs and expenses incurred in connection with the Third Amendment. The Third Amendment amends the original loan agreement that the Company and Knight entered into in January 2015 and subsequently amended (as amended, the “Original Loan Agreement”). The Additional Loan matures on May 8, 2021 (the “TA Maturity Date”) and bears interest at 12.5% per annum compounding quarterly. On the TA Maturity Date, the Company will pay Knight a success fee (the “Success Fee”) of $83,250. The Success Fee is payable in cash or stock as set forth in the Loan Agreement. The Third Amendment includes customary representations, warranties, and affirmative and restrictive covenants, including covenants to attain and maintain certain financial metrics, including an undertaking to maintain at all times a cash balance of $600,000 and EBITDA of $3,000,000 for the twelve months ended June 30, 2020 and $4,000,000 for the twelve-month period ending on the last day of each fiscal quarter thereafter.

Terms of the $10,000,000 August 9, 2017 loan (Third Tranche) (see note 9) were modified in the Third amendment. Third tranche shall bear interest from May 8, 2020 at a rate equal to 12.5% per annum compounded quarterly. The Company shall pay success fee in the amount of $1,000,000 with respect to the Third Tranche, which shall be fully earned on May 8, 2020 and payable no later than August 31, 2022. Third Tranche success fee shall bear interest at 12.5% per annum compounding quarterly. The loan has been extended to a maturity date of December 31, 2021. Because these amendments were considered not substantive changes, the Company accounted for the modifications as modification of debt.

On July 7, 2022, the Company entered into a Fourth Amendment Agreement (the “Fourth Amendment”) to the Amended and Restated Loan Agreement (the “Loan Agreement”) with Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc. (“Knight”), pursuant to which Knight agreed to loan the Company an additional $2.0 million (the “Second Additional Loan”). The Fourth Amendment amends the original loan agreement that the Company and Knight entered into in January 2015 and subsequently amended (as amended, the “Original Loan Agreement”). The Second Additional Loan matures on the earlier of October 31, 2022 and the date that is ninety days after the date, if any, on which Knight delivers a Second Additional Loan Repayment Notice to the Company. The Company will pay Knight a success fee of $40,000 and an amendment fee of $30,000 which is fully earned and payable as of the Fourth Amendment Date. The loan bears interest at the greater of 14% or the prime rate plus 8% per annum, compounded quarterly. This $2.0 million Second Additional Loan (only) has a personal guarantee by a shareholder, Jack Ross.

F-19

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 11 — Notes Payable (cont.)

On September 30, 2023, the Company entered into a Fifth Amendment Agreement (the “Fifth Amendment”) to the Loan Agreement with Knight, pursuant to which Knight agreed to extend the maturity date of the Loan to March 31, 2024. The loan will bear interest at 15.5% per annum compounding quarterly. The Company will pay Knight a closing fee of $1,000,000 and $150,000 as reimbursement for Knights legal fees incurred in connection with the Fifth Amendment. These have been accrued for during the year ended December 31, 2022 since this was earned upon renegotiation of the loan during 2022. The Company has also paid Knight an extension fee of $136,000 per month from October 2023 through February 2024.

We have amended our financial covenants in the Fifth Amendment to as follows: We will maintain a minimum EBITDA of $1,000,000 for the three (3) month period ending on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter starting June 30, 2023. We shall at all times maintain Focus Factors net sales on a trailing twelve-month basis of at least $30,000,000.

The Company recognized interest expense of $414,158 and $398,201 during the period ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Accrued interest was $1,760,076 as of both March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023. Accrued interest was capitalized and included in the loan balance as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.

On October 1, 2023 (effective date), the Company entered into second amendment to the Distribution Agreement with Knight with an initial term ending on February 25, 2026 with an automatic renewal of one year for a payment of $450,000 by the Company within 180 days from the effective date. The Company has recorded this payable in terms of a Note Payable to Knight Therapeutics in relation to a license fee of an intangible asset. The balance outstanding at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 was $450,000.

During 2023, the Company accrued $83,250 as added to Notes Payable in the form of a loan success fee as earned.

During March 2024, the Company entered into an Amended Agreement with Knight Therapeutics for its existing secured debt, which was finalized in June 2024. The consolidated loan will bear minimum interest rate at 12% per annum compounded quarterly and will be paid on the last day of each month. The principal repayment will begin in the first quarter of 2025 with $1,000,000 due quarterly until March 31, 2026 when the loan becomes due in full. As part of this agreement the outstanding royalties of $536,730 were converted to long term debt (see note 9). The loan has been extended to a maturity date of March 31, 2026. Because these amendments were considered not substantive changes, the Company accounted for the modifications as modification of debt.

Minimum interest rate is subjected to the following adjustments:

(i)     Following an uncured event of default by Synergy, the Interest Rate will increase by 5%.

(ii)    Synergy shall raise Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) of equity no later than March 31, 2025. Should Synergy fail to raise equity of Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) by March 31, 2025, then (1) Knight will earn an additional fee of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) which will be added to the principal balance of the loan then outstanding and (2) the loan shall be considered to be in default. Any equity raise shall not dilute Knight’s ownership in Synergy below 10% of fully diluted basis.

Security:    This loan shall be senior secured against all current and future assets (cash, intellectual property, real property, etc.) of Synergy, its affiliates, and subsidiaries. Synergy shall not add any other debt without paying out KTI first.

Bonus Success Fee:    Upon closing of a Sale Transaction (hereinafter defined) of Synergy, KTI, shall be paid a One Million eight hundred thousand Dollar ($1,800,000) Bonus success fee (“Bonus Success Fee”). The Sale Transaction shall include but is not limited to the acquisition of Synergy by a Third Party, the merger of Synergy with a Third Party, partial or complete sale of any asset of Synergy. The obligation of Synergy to KTI under the Success Fee shall survive the Maturity Date and remain in force until a Sale Transaction. As the sole exemption from the above

F-20

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 11 — Notes Payable (cont.)

defined Sale transaction and herein Bonus success fee, If Synergy or any of its brands does an IPO on a publicly listed exchange, no such Bonus Success fee will be due nor payable by Synergy. An IPO shall be defined as Synergy raising at least $10 million of cash through the issuance of equity at a $50 million pre-money valuation.

Covenants:    The following covenants shall be added or amended to the existing Loan with KTI;

(i)     Jack Ross’s Synergy total annual compensation (salary, bonus and options) shall be capped at $500,000; until KTI’s loan is paid out or until such a time when Synergy is listed on a publicly traded stock exchange at such time the compensation committee will determine the annual compensation and approve by the Board of Directors.

(ii)    Synergy shall maintain a minimum EBITDA of US$1,250,000 for the three (3) month period ending on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter starting March 31, 2024.

(iii)   Synergy shall provide KTI a quarterly and annual operating budget for approval prior to implementation;

(iv)   Synergy shall enter into a Shareholders Agreement with KTI, by June 30, 2024; which shall contain customary terms and conditions acceptable to all parties

(v)    This Loan becomes immediately due if Focus Factor Net Revenues fall below a trailing 12-month net sales of $30 million. Synergy shall provide KTI with monthly Net Revenues for Focus Factor;

(vi)   Synergy is required to communicate to Knight within 2 working days in the event it receives a notice of default from any third party for any debt payables or obligations. If Synergy, default on any of its third-party debt obligations, then the Amended Loan will automatically enter into default.

(vii)  Timely payment of royalties due to Knight.

(viii) Synergy shall repay and terminate Shopify debt no later than December 31, 2024.

Other Loan Conditions:    In the event, Synergy does not repay the KTI in full on March 31, 2026, Jack Ross shall sell, for $1, a total of 5,400,000 of his Synergy shares to KTI. The purchase of the Additional Shares is at Knight’s option and Jack Ross and KTI shall execute a Share Purchase Agreement prior to April 30th, 2024.

As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 the total consolidated amount outstanding on these loans, including accrued interest and royalties is $12,335,452 and $12,426,997, respectively.

The Company is required to make future payments as follows:

2024

 

$

2025

 

$

4,000,000

2026

 

$

8,426,997

$1,700,000 July 13, 2021 Loan:

On July 13, 2021, the Company entered into a loan agreement of $1,700,000 with Hand MD, LLC for transfer of ownership to in Hand MD Corp. to The Company.

Payments are due as follows: $500,000 within 10 business days of execution, $400,000 on or before the six-month anniversary of the agreement, $400,000 on or before the twelve-month anniversary of the agreement and $400,000 on or before the eighteen-month anniversary of the agreement.

During the three months ended March 31, 2023 the Company paid remaining $400,000 toward the loan. This has been fully repaid during 2023.

F-21

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 11 — Notes Payable (cont.)

$2,000,000 February 10, 2022 Loan:

On February 10, 2022, the Company entered into a promissory note for $2,000,000 with an individual which was to be repaid with subsequent financing.

This interest rate on the promissory note was modified effective June 30, 2022 to 15.5% per annum compounded quarterly. Subsequently and pursuant to the modification agreement entered into on June 14th, 2023, effective September 9, 2022, the promissory loan would bear all the same characteristics as the additional $6,000,000 loan noted below in that, interest would be accrued to December 31, 2022 and added to the outstanding principal loan balance. Interest payments to commence January 31, 2023 on unpaid principal and accrued and unpaid interest through December 31, 2022. The Company shall repay all principal and interest on the earlier of a merger, sale of the Company or Focus Factor or the assets of the Company or September 30, 2023. The Company will pay a closing fee of $500,000 and $50,000 as reimbursement for legal fees incurred in connection with the loan renegotiation of both the $2,000,000 February 10, 2022 Loan and the $6,000,000 March 8, 2022 Loan. To the extent that this Note and $6 million March 8, 2022 Loan is not repaid on the terms, Jack Ross shall personally grant: Warrants struck at $0.01 penny per share, covering 10% of his stock in the event that Synergy does not make its principal repayment outlined above, in full. The warrant issuance shall be made to the holders of this Note and the $6 million March 8, 2022 Loan (ratably).

This promissory note was modified effective September 30, 2023 in conjunction with the Senior Subordinated Debentures. Interest payments to commence January 31, 2023 on unpaid principal and accrued and unpaid interest through December 31, 2022. Interest expensed and paid during 2023 has amounted to $332,769. Principal and interest payments shall begin effective October 31, 2023 and continue through March 31, 2024 on the earlier of a merger, sale of the Company or Focus Factor or the assets of the Company or March 31, 2024. To the extent that this Note and $6 million March 8, 2022 Loan is not repaid on the terms, Jack Ross shall personally grant: Warrants struck at $0.01 penny per share, covering 10% of his stock in the event that Synergy does not make its principal repayment outlined above, in full. The warrant issuance shall be made to the holders of this Note and the $6 million March 8, 2022 Loan (ratably). The pro-rata closing fee of $125,000 originally due on September 30th 2023 was also extended to March 31, 2024. The outstanding loan balance at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 was $1,800,000 and $1,875,000, respectively.

On March 31, 2024, the Company entered into a Modification Agreement in relation to this loan. Effective March 31, 2024, the interest rate is 12%, compounded quarterly. Cash payments of interest shall be made monthly, on the final day of each month commencing in April 2024. The Company is required to make principal payments of $1,000,000 each quarter, starting from March 31, 2025 through December 31, 2025. The remaining principal and unpaid interest is fully due on March 31, 2026. In addition, a loan renegotiation fee of $500,000 shall be earned and payable on March 31, 2026 or at such time the loan is paid in full. Upon closing of a sale transaction, as defined in the agreement, a bonus success fee of $1,800,000 will be earned and payable. An event of default, as defined in the agreement, will trigger a default interest rate increase by 5% to 17%. An incentive fee of a maximum of $563,092 will be paid, prorated if the loan is paid off early. If the loan is not repaid by March 31, 2026, Jack Ross, majority shareholder shall grant warrants covering 10% of his stock struck at $0.01 per share. There is a cross-default clause in the agreement which states that if Knight triggers an event of default on its own loan facility, this loan will also be under default. This Agreement consolidates this $2,000,000 loan and the $6,000,000 March 8, 2022 loan as detailed below. The loan has been extended to a maturity date of March 31, 2026. Because these amendments were considered not substantive changes, the Company accounted for the modifications as modification of debt.

The Company is required to make future payments as follows:

2024

 

$

2025

 

$

4,000,000

2026

 

$

5,994,165

F-22

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 11 — Notes Payable (cont.)

$6,000,000 March 8, 2022 Loans:

On March 8, 2022, the Company entered into Securities Purchase Agreements with debenture holders for the Senior Subordinated Debentures in the amount of $6,000,000 with an original maturity date of September 8, 2022 and warrants with a term of 3 years. The Senior Subordinated Debentures were modified on June 14, 2023 in conjunction with the promissory note. The modification included the exercise of $1.5 million on cash payment in lieu of the exercise of warrants. Pursuant to ASC 480 warrants were liability classified and the Company accrued the warrant liability of $1.5 million on March 8, 2022, the date of issuance. Upon September 8, 2022, the date of exercise of the warrants, the Company offset this warrant liability and added the $1.5 million balance to the Senior Subordinated Debentures, for a combined outstanding balance of $7.5 million. The terms of the warrants were, at the sole option of the holder, to convert the warrant at a 25% discount in the event the Company consummated an IPO, a cash option whereby the holder could convert the warrants at a cash value of $1.5 million or convert the warrants into the private entity valued by an independent third-party appraiser.

Covenants pursuant to the loan were as follows: The Company will maintain a minimum EBITDA of $1,000,000 for the three (3) month period ending on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter starting June 30, 2023. The Company shall at all times maintain Focus Factor’s net sales on a trailing twelve-month basis of at least $30,000,000. The Company also agreed to pay $50,000 as reimbursement for the debenture holders legal fees incurred in connection with the modification agreement.

The debentures required payments of interest at 8% per annum for the first 90 days the debentures were funded and outstanding, 9.5% interest per annum for the next 90 days the debentures were funded and outstanding at which time all interest and principal would be due.

These debentures were modified effective September 30, 2023 to the following terms: Interest rate adjusted to 15.5% compounded quarterly, effective September 9, 2022. Interest payments to commence January 31, 2023 on unpaid principal and accrued and unpaid interest through December 31, 2022. Interest accrued and unpaid during 2022 was $672,574 and was subsequently added to the principal balance of the loan outstanding. Interest expensed and paid during 2023 has amounted to $1,257,014. Nominal principal payments were negotiated in lieu of additional extension fees which began effective October 31, 2023 and continue through March 31, 2024 when the balance is due. Loan renegotiation fee of $500,000 is due March 31, 2024. This was accrued for during the year ended December 31, 2022, since this was earned upon renegotiation of the loan during 2022. The combined outstanding loan balance at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 was $6,900,000 and $7,125,000, respectively, which includes original principal amount net off repayment and warrants conversion to loan of $1,500,000.

On March 31, 2024, the Company entered into a Modification Agreement in relation to this loan, which consolidated it with the $2,000,000 February 10, 2022 loan above. The loan has been extended to a maturity date of March 31, 2026. Because these amendments were considered not substantive changes, the Company accounted for the modifications as modification of debt.

$180,800 July 12, 2023 Loan:

On July 12, 2023, the Company entered into a loan agreement of $180,800 with Shopify Capital Inc. for an advancement of working capital from its online processing account. The Company received $160,000 from Shopify Capital Inc. and $20,800 was an original issue discount. The loan bears a repayment rate of 17% of daily sales.

The payment of such amounts is secured by a security interest in certain assets, undertakings and property pursuant to the Security Agreement, which will be released upon receipt of total payments of $180,800.

The Company recognized amortization original issue discount of $8,512, which is included in interest expense in the statement of income during the year ended December 31, 2023. The outstanding loan balance at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 was $0 and $94,525, respectively.

F-23

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 11 — Notes Payable (cont.)

$5,450,000 December 28, 2023 Loan:

On December 28, 2023, the Company entered into a confidential settlement agreement and mutual general release with a former supplier. The loan bears interest at 5% per annum and is payable in full with the last payment. This settlement resulted in a gain to the Company of $2,235,986 and is reflected as a reduction of cost of sales (See Note 13).

During 2023, the Company made payments of $1,000,000 toward this loan. The outstanding loan balance at both March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 was $4,802,445, including interest of $352,445.

The Company is required to make future payments as follows:

2024

 

$

2,000,000

2025

 

 

2,000,000

2026

 

 

802,445

$141,250 January 29, 2024 Loan:

On January 21, 2024, the Company entered into a loan agreement of $141,250 with Shopify Capital Inc. for an advancement of working capital from its online processing account. The Company received $125,000 from Shopify Capital Inc. and $16,250 was an original issue discount. The loan bears a repayment rate of 17% of daily sales.

The payment of such amounts is secured by a security interest in certain assets, undertakings and property pursuant to the Security Agreement, which will be released upon receipt of total payments of $141,250.

The Company recognized amortization original issue discount of $6,079, which is included in interest expense in the statement of income during the three months ended March 31, 2024. The outstanding loan balance at March 31, 2024 was $83,645.

Note 12 — Stockholders’ Equity

The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock which the Company is authorized to issue is 300,000,000 shares of common stock with $0.00001 par value.

As of both March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, there were 89,889,074 shares of the Company’s common stock issued and outstanding.

Note 13 — Commitments and Contingencies

Litigation:

From time to time the Company may become a party to litigation in the normal course of business. Management believes that there are no current legal matters that would have a material effect on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

In August 2022, the Company filed a lawsuit in the Superior Court of Maine against one of its contract manufacturers, bringing several claims arising out of allegations that the contract manufacturer’s failure to timely produce and deliver the Company’s products in 2020 and 2021 damaged the Company’s business. The contract manufacturer brought counterclaims demanding payment in full for its manufacture of these products. This lawsuit was moved to federal court and remains pending in the United States District Court for the District of Maine, Synergy CHC Corp. v. HVL, LLC d/b/a Atrium Innovations, Case No. 2:22-cv-00301-JAW (D. Me). The case was settled during December 2023, resulting in a net gain to the company of $2,235,986, reflected as a reduction of cost of sales, and a loan payable of $5,450,000 (see Note 11).

F-24

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 13 — Commitments and Contingencies (cont.)

L.O.D.C. Group, Ltd. v. Synergy CHC Corp., 4:23-cv-691; United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division.    On July 28, 2023, L.O.D.C. Group (“LODC”) asserted claims of over $1,000,000 against Synergy for breach of contract arising from their alleged failure to comply with contracts related to the delivery of hand sanitizer. Synergy denies all allegations and believes Synergy is the aggrieved party in the relationship between Synergy and LODC and Synergy has filed a counterclaim. The case was settled during April 2024 by way of a confidential settlement agreement and mutual release, the settlement of the claim has been accounted for and reported as a charge to operations for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Note 14 — Stock Options

The following table summarizes the changes in options outstanding and the related prices for the shares of the Company’s common stock issued to employees and consultants under a stock option plan at March 31, 2024:

 

Options Outstanding

 

Options Exercisable

Exercise Price
($)

 

Number
Outstanding

 

Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual Life
(Years)

 

Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
($)

 

Number
Exercisable

 

Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
($)

$

0.25 – 0.65

 

3,000,000

 

1.71

 

$

0.52

 

3,000,000

 

$

0.52

The stock option activity for the three months ended March 31, 2024 is as follows:

 

Options
Outstanding

 

Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price

Outstanding at December 31, 2023

 

3,000,000

 

$

0.52

Granted

 

 

 

Exercised

 

 

 

Expired or canceled

 

 

 

Outstanding at March 31, 2024

 

3,000,000

 

$

0.52

Stock-based compensation expense related to vested options was $0 during the three months ended March 31, 2024. Stock options outstanding as of March 31, 2024, as disclosed in the above table, have an intrinsic value of $0.

Note 15 — Segments

Segment identification and selection is consistent with the management structure used by the Company’s chief operating decision maker to evaluate performance and make decisions regarding resource allocation, as well as the materiality of financial results consistent with that structure. Based on the Company’s management structure and method of internal reporting, the Company has one operating segment. The Company’s chief operating decision maker does not review operating results on a disaggregated basis; rather, the chief operating decision maker reviews operating results on an aggregated basis.

Net sales attributed to customers in the United States and foreign countries for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 were as follows:

 

March 31,
2024

 

March 31,
2023

United States

 

$

8,278,606

 

$

7,382,237

Foreign countries

 

 

1,133,257

 

 

579,929

   

$

9,411,863

 

$

7,962,166

F-25

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 15 — Segments (cont.)

Foreign country sales primarily consist of sales in Canada.

The Company’s net sales by product group for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 were as follows:

 

March 31,
2024

 

March 31,
2023

Nutraceuticals

 

$

9,411,863

 

$

7,955,251

Consumer Goods

 

 

 

 

6,915

   

$

9,411,863

 

$

7,962,166

____________

(1)      Net sales for any other product group of similar products are less than 10% of consolidated net sales.

The Company’s net sales by major sales channel for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 were as follows:

 

March 31,
2024

 

March 31,
2023

Online

 

$

1,170,637

 

$

2,846,725

Retail

 

 

8,241,226

 

 

5,115,441

   

$

9,411,863

 

$

7,962,166

Long-lived assets (net) attributable to operations in the United States and foreign countries as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 were as follows:

 

March 31,
2024

 

December 31,
2023

United States

 

$

383,333

 

$

416,667

Foreign countries

 

 

 

 

   

$

383,333

 

$

416,667

Note 16 — Subsequent Events

Management evaluated all activities of the Company through the issuance date of the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and concluded that except as noted below, no subsequent events have occurred that would require adjustment or disclosure into the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

On May 1, 2024, the Company entered into a loan agreement with Shopify Capital Inc. for an advancement of working capital from its online processing account. The Company received $370,000 from Shopify Capital Inc. and $48,100 was an original issue discount. The loan bears a repayment rate of 25% of daily sales. The payment of such amounts is secured by a security interest in certain assets, undertakings and property pursuant to the Security Agreement, which will be released upon receipt of total payments of $418,100. As of June 12, 2024, the balance owing is $404,919.

During May 2024, the Company finalized a confidential settlement agreement with a current supplier. The agreement calls for scheduled monthly payments through June 2026.

During May 2024, the Company paid in full the settlement to L.O.D.C Group, Ltd. (see Note 13).

During June 2024, the Company entered into an Amended Agreement with Knight Therapeutics for its existing secured debt. The consolidated loan will bear minimum interest rate at 12% per annum compounded quarterly and will be paid on the last day of each month. The principal repayment will begin in the first quarter of 2025 with $1,000,000 due quarterly until March 31, 2026 when the loan becomes due in full. As part of this agreement the outstanding royalties of $536,730 were converted to long term debt (see note 11).

F-26

Table of Contents

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of
Synergy CHC Corp. and subsidiaries

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Synergy CHC Corp. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the related statements of operations, other comprehensive income (loss), stockholders’ deficit, and cash flows for each of the years in the two year period ended December 31, 2023, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the consolidated financial statements). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2023, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Basis for Opinion

These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Critical Audit Matters

Critical audit matters are matters arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments.

We determined that there are no critical audit matters.

/s/ RBSM LLP

   

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2014.

   

New York, NY

   

June 26, 2024

   

F-27

Table of Contents

Synergy CHC Corp.
Consolidated Balance Sheets

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

632,534

 

 

$

1,926,443

 

Restricted cash

 

 

100,000

 

 

 

600,000

 

Accounts receivable, net

 

 

2,106,094

 

 

 

3,484,714

 

Loan receivable (related party)

 

 

4,459,996

 

 

 

4,408,751

 

Prepaid expenses (including related party amount of $501,321 and $131,894, respectively)

 

 

797,985

 

 

 

139,769

 

Income taxes receivable

 

 

 

 

 

14,339

 

Inventory, net

 

 

3,726,240

 

 

 

7,967,717

 

Total Current Assets

 

 

11,822,849

 

 

 

18,541,733

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Intangible assets, net

 

 

416,667

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Assets

 

$

12,239,516

 

 

$

18,541,733

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities and Stockholders’ Deficit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities (including related party payable of $26,885 and $418,197, respectively)

 

$

11,727,490

 

 

$

20,797,509

 

Short term disputed payables

 

 

 

 

 

8,433,363

 

Income taxes payable

 

 

185,665

 

 

 

 

Contract liabilities

 

 

14,202

 

 

 

5,197

 

Short term loans payable, net of debt discount

 

 

2,094,525

 

 

 

1,005,385

 

Current portion of long-term notes payable, net of debt discount and debt issuance cost, related party

 

 

 

 

 

21,068

 

Total Current Liabilities

 

 

14,021,882

 

 

 

30,262,522

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long-term Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notes payable, net of debt discount, related parties

 

 

12,426,997

 

 

 

11,463,656

 

Notes payable

 

 

13,096,610

 

 

 

10,335,422

 

Total long-term liabilities

 

 

25,523,607

 

 

 

21,799,078

 

Total Liabilities

 

 

39,545,489

 

 

 

52,061,600

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commitments and contingencies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stockholders’ Deficit:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common stock, $0.00001 par value; 300,000,000 shares authorized; 89,889,074 and 89,889,074, shares issued and outstanding, respectively

 

 

899

 

 

 

899

 

Additional paid in capital

 

 

19,147,884

 

 

 

19,147,884

 

Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income

 

 

(102,467

)

 

 

22,389

 

Accumulated deficit

 

 

(46,352,289

)

 

 

(52,691,039

)

Total stockholders’ deficit

 

 

(27,305,973

)

 

 

(33,519,867

)

Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Deficit

 

$

12,239,516

 

 

$

18,541,733

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

F-28

Table of Contents

Synergy CHC Corp.
Consolidated Statements of Operations and Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

 

For the
year ended
December 31,
2023

 

For the
year ended
December 31,
2022

Revenue

 

$

42,777,633

 

 

$

38,410,674

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of Sales

 

 

10,697,323

 

 

 

25,112,988

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gross Profit

 

 

32,080,310

 

 

 

13,297,686

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Selling and marketing

 

 

15,188,528

 

 

 

28,504,524

 

General and administrative

 

 

6,051,703

 

 

 

9,197,068

 

Reserve for bad debts

 

 

 

 

 

222,357

 

Impairment of assets

 

 

 

 

 

1,204,167

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

33,333

 

 

 

340,000

 

Total operating expenses

 

 

21,273,564

 

 

 

39,468,116

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income (loss) from operations

 

 

10,806,746

 

 

 

(26,170,430

)

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other (income) expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest income

 

 

(1,616

)

 

 

(569

)

Interest expense

 

 

4,236,149

 

 

 

6,450,365

 

Remeasurement gain on translation of foreign subsidiary

 

 

(1,517

)

 

 

(21,110

)

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total other expenses

 

 

4,233,016

 

 

 

6,428,686

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss) before income taxes

 

 

6,573,730

 

 

 

(32,599,116

)

Income tax expense

 

 

234,980

 

 

 

32,172

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss) after tax

 

$

6,338,750

 

 

$

(32,631,288

)

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss) per share – basic and diluted

 

$

0.07

 

 

$

(0.36

)

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average common shares outstanding

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic and Diluted

 

 

89,889,074

 

 

 

89,889,074

 

Comprehensive income (loss):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

 

$

6,338,750

 

 

$

(32,631,288

)

Foreign currency translation adjustment

 

 

(124,856

)

 

 

198,914

 

Comprehensive income (loss)

 

$

6,213,894

 

 

$

(32,432,374

)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

F-29

Table of Contents

Synergy CHC Corp.
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Deficit

 



Common stock

 

Additional
Paid in
Capital

 

Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income (Loss)

 

Accumulated
Deficit

 

Total
Stockholders’
Deficit

Shares

 

Amount

 

Balance as of December 31, 2021

 

89,889,074

 

$

899

 

$

19,147,884

 

$

(176,525

)

 

$

(20,059,751

)

 

$

(1,087,493

)

Foreign currency translation gain

     

 

   

 

   

 

198,914

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

198,914

 

Net loss

     

 

   

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

(32,631,288

)

 

 

(32,631,288

)

Balance as of December 31, 2022

 

89,889,074

 

$

899

 

$

19,147,884

 

$

22,389

 

 

$

(52,691,039

)

 

$

(33,519,867

)

Foreign currency translation loss

     

 

   

 

   

 

(124,856

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

(124,856

)

Net income

     

 

   

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

6,338,750

 

 

 

6,338,750

 

Balance as of December 31, 2023

 

89,889,074

 

$

899

 

$

19,147,884

 

$

(102,467

)

 

$

(46,352,289

)

 

$

(27,305,973

)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

F-30

Table of Contents

Synergy CHC Corp.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

 

For the
year ended
December 31,
2023

 

For the
year ended
December 31,
2022

Cash Flows from Operating Activities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

 

$

6,338,750

 

 

$

(32,631,288

)

Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amortization of debt issuance cost

 

 

48,610

 

 

 

65,026

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

33,333

 

 

 

340,000

 

Gain on settlement of liabilities

 

 

(4,635,986

)

 

 

 

Impairment of intangible assets

 

 

 

 

 

1,204,167

 

Foreign currency transaction (gain) loss

 

 

(105,192

)

 

 

287,096

 

Bad debts

 

 

 

 

 

222,357

 

Remeasurement gain on translation of foreign subsidiary

 

 

(1,517

)

 

 

(21,110

)

Non cash implied interest

 

 

29,401

 

 

 

31,817

 

Impairment of fixed assets

 

 

 

 

 

9,778

 

Accrual of loan success fee and warrants converted to loan

 

 

83,250

 

 

 

3,000,000

 

Write-off of inventory

 

 

251,021

 

 

 

12,456,346

 

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable

 

 

1,378,620

 

 

 

1,773,144

 

Loan receivable, related party

 

 

(51,245

)

 

 

(392,536

)

Inventory

 

 

3,990,456

 

 

 

(7,464,832

)

Prepaid expenses

 

 

(288,789

)

 

 

1,499,875

 

Prepaid expense, related party

 

 

(369,427

)

 

 

(131,894

)

Income taxes receivable

 

 

14,339

 

 

 

34,613

 

Income taxes payable

 

 

185,665

 

 

 

 

Contract liabilities

 

 

9,005

 

 

 

(12,096

)

Short term disputed payables

 

 

 

 

 

8,433,363

 

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

 

 

(6,645,324

)

 

 

3,523,160

 

Accounts payable, related party

 

 

156,759

 

 

 

(658,425

)

Net cash used provided by (used in) operating activities

 

 

421,729

 

 

 

(8,431,439

)

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash Flows from Investing Activities

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash Flows from Financing Activities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Advances from related party

 

 

1,170,000

 

 

 

 

Repayments of advances to related party

 

 

(1,170,000

)

 

 

 

Repayment of notes payable, related party

 

 

(145,500

)

 

 

(62,500

)

Proceeds from notes payable

 

 

360,000

 

 

 

8,315,000

 

Proceeds from note payable, related party

 

 

 

 

 

2,000,000

 

Repayment of notes payable

 

 

(2,305,282

)

 

 

(1,289,699

)

Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities

 

 

(2,090,782

)

 

 

8,963,301

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Effect of exchange rate on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

 

 

(124,856

)

 

 

198,914

 

Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

 

 

(1,793,909

)

 

 

730,776

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash, Cash Equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of year

 

 

2,526,443

 

 

 

1,795,667

 

Cash, Cash Equivalents and restricted cash, end of year

 

$

732,534

 

 

$

2,526,443

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

F-31

Table of Contents

Synergy CHC Corp.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows — (Continued)

 

For the
year ended
December 31,
2023

 

For the
year ended
December 31,
2022

Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information:

 

 

   

 

 

Cash paid during the period for:

 

 

   

 

 

Interest

 

$

4,174,895

 

$

1,271,470

Income taxes

 

$

 

$

   

 

   

 

 

Supplemental Disclosure of Non-cash Investing and Financing Activities:

 

 

   

 

 

Related party notes payable issued for the acquisition of intangible asset

 

$

450,000

 

$

Related party royalties converted to related party notes payable

 

$

536,730

 

$

Accounts payable converted to loan payable upon settlement

 

$

5,802,445

 

$

Capitalization of accrued interest

 

$

 

$

2,607,106

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

F-32

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 1 — Nature of the Business

Synergy CHC Corp. (“Synergy”, “we”, “us”, “our” or the “Company”) (formerly Synergy Strips Corp.) was incorporated on December 29, 2010 in Nevada under the name “Oro Capital Corporation.” On April 21, 2014, the Company changed its fiscal year end from July 31 to December 31. On April 28, 2014, the Company changed its name to “Synergy Strips Corp.”. On August 5, 2015, the Company changed its name to “Synergy CHC Corp.”

The Company is a consumer health care company that is in the process of building a portfolio of best-in-class consumer product brands. Synergy’s strategy is to grow its portfolio both organically and by further acquisition.

Effective January 1, 2019 the Company has merged the U.S. Subsidiaries (Neuragen Corp., Breakthrough Products Inc., Sneaky Vaunt Corp., and The Queen Pegasus Corp.) into the parent company.

Synergy is the sole owner of two subsidiaries: NomadChoice Pty Ltd. and Synergy CHC Inc. and the results have been consolidated in these statements.

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“US GAAP”).

All amounts referred to in the notes to the consolidated financial statements are in United States Dollars ($) unless stated otherwise.

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. At December 31, 2023 and 2022 significant estimates included are assumptions about collection of accounts receivable, current income taxes, deferred income taxes valuation allowance, useful life of intangible assets, impairment analysis of intangible assets, accrual of sales returns, and accrual of legal expense. The results of any changes in accounting estimates are reflected in the financial statements in the period in which the changes become evident. Estimates and assumptions are reviewed periodically, and the effects of revisions are reflected in the period that they are determined to be necessary.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all cash on hand and in banks, including accounts in book overdraft positions, certificates of deposit and other highly-liquid investments with maturities of three months or less, when purchased, to be cash and cash equivalents. As of December 31, 2023, and 2022, the Company had no cash equivalents. The Company maintains its cash and cash equivalents in banks insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in accounts that at times may be in excess of the federally insured limit of $250,000 per bank. The Company minimizes this risk by placing its cash deposits with major financial institutions. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, the uninsured balances amounted to $441,711 and $2,170,448, respectively.

F-33

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (cont.)

Restricted Cash

The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash reported within the statement of financial position that sum to the total of the same such amounts shown in the statement of cash flows.

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

632,534

 

$

1,926,443

Restricted cash

 

 

100,000

 

 

600,000

Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash shown in the statement of cash flows

 

$

732,534

 

$

2,526,443

Amounts included in restricted cash represent the amount held for credit card collateral and professional retainer.

Intangible Assets

We evaluate the recoverability of intangible assets periodically and take into account events or circumstances that warrant revised estimates of useful lives or that indicate that impairment exists. All of our intangible assets are subject to amortization. Intangible assets are amortized on a straight line basis over the useful lives.

Long-lived Assets

Long-lived assets include equipment and intangible assets other than those with indefinite lives. We assess the carrying value of our long-lived asset groups when indicators of impairment exist and recognize an impairment loss when the carrying amount of a long-lived asset is not recoverable when compared to undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use and eventual disposition of the asset.

Indicators of impairment include significant underperformance relative to historical or projected future operating results, significant changes in our use of the assets or in our business strategy, loss of or changes in customer relationships and significant negative industry or economic trends. When indications of impairment arise for a particular asset or group of assets, we assess the future recoverability of the carrying value of the asset (or asset group) based on an undiscounted cash flow analysis. If carrying value exceeds projected, net, undiscounted cash flows, an additional analysis is performed to determine the fair value of the asset (or asset group), typically a discounted cash flow analysis, and an impairment charge is recorded for the excess of carrying value over fair value.

Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes revenue in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”), Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”). Revenues are recognized when control is transferred to customers in amounts that reflect the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to receive in exchange for those goods. Revenue recognition is evaluated through the following five steps: (i) identification of the contract, or contracts, with a customer; (ii) identification of the performance obligations in the contract; (iii) determination of the transaction price; (iv) allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (v) recognition of revenue when or as a performance obligation is satisfied.

The Company recognizes revenue upon shipment from its fulfillment centers. Certain of our distributors may also perform a separate function as a co-packer on our behalf. In such cases, ownership of and title to our products that are co-packed on our behalf by those co-packers who are also distributors, passes to such distributors when we are notified by them that they have taken transfer or possession of the relevant portion of our finished goods. Freight billed to customers is presented as revenues, and the related freight costs are presented as cost of goods sold. Cancelled orders are refunded if not already dispatched, refunds are only paid if stock is damaged in transit, discounts are only offered with specific promotions and orders will be refilled if lost in transit. The Company recognizes revenue for its digital products in the month the download by the customer occurs.

F-34

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (cont.)

Contract Assets

The Company does not have any contract assets such as work-in-process. All trade receivables on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet are from contracts with customers.

Contract Costs

Costs incurred to obtain a contract are capitalized unless short term in nature. As a practical expedient, costs to obtain a contract that are short term in nature are expensed as incurred. The Company does not have any contract costs capitalized as of December 31, 2023 or 2022.

Contract Liabilities

The Company’s contract liabilities consist of advance customer payments. Contract liability results from transactions in which the Company has been paid for products by customers, but for which all revenue recognition criteria have not yet been met. Once all revenue recognition criteria have been met, the contract liabilities are recognized.

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

Beginning balance

 

$

5,197

 

 

$

17,293

 

Additions

 

 

14,202

 

 

 

5,197

 

Recognized as revenue

 

 

(5,197

)

 

 

(17,293

)

Ending balance

 

$

14,202

 

 

$

5,197

 

Accounts receivable

Accounts receivable are generally unsecured. The Company establishes an allowance for doubtful accounts receivable based on the age of outstanding invoices and management’s evaluation of collectability. Accounts are written off after all reasonable collection efforts have been exhausted and management concludes that likelihood of collection is remote. Any future recoveries are applied against the allowance for doubtful accounts. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the allowance for doubtful accounts was $149,446 and $148,282, respectively.

Advertising Expense

The Company expenses marketing, promotions and advertising costs as incurred. Such costs are included in selling and marketing expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

Research and Development

Costs incurred in connection with the development of new products and processing methods are charged to general and administrative expenses as incurred.

Income Taxes

The Company utilizes FASBASC 740, “Income Taxes,” which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements or tax returns. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and their financial reporting amounts based on enacted tax laws and statutory tax rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. A valuation allowance is recorded when it is “more likely-than-not” that a deferred tax asset will not be realized.

The Company generated a deferred tax asset through net operating loss carry-forward. However, a valuation allowance of 100% has been established due to the uncertainty of the Company’s realization of the net operating loss carry forward prior to its expiration.

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Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (cont.)

NomadChoice Pty Ltd, the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary is subject to income taxes in the jurisdictions in which it operates. Significant judgment is required in determining the provision for income tax. There are many transactions and calculations undertaken during the ordinary course of business for which the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. The company recognizes liabilities for anticipated tax audit issues based on the Company’s current understanding of the tax law. Where the final tax outcome of these matters is different from the carrying amounts, such differences will impact the current and deferred tax provisions in the period in which such determination is made.

Synergy CHC Inc. is a wholly-owned foreign subsidiary, is subject to income taxes in the jurisdictions in which it operates. Significant judgment is required in determining the provision for income tax. There are many transactions and calculations undertaken during the ordinary course of business for which the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. The company recognizes liabilities for anticipated tax audit issues based on the Company’s current understanding of the tax law. Where the final tax outcome of these matters is different from the carrying amounts, such differences will impact the current and deferred tax provisions in the period in which such determination is made.

Net Earnings (Loss) Per Common Share

The Company computes earnings per share under ASC subtopic 260-10, Earnings Per Share. Basic earnings (loss) per share is computed by dividing the net income (loss) attributable to the common stockholders (the numerator) by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding (the denominator) during the reporting periods. Diluted earnings per share is computed by increasing the denominator by the weighted average number of additional shares that could have been outstanding from securities convertible into common stock (using the “treasury stock” method), unless their effect on net income per share is anti-dilutive. As of both December 31, 2023, and 2022, options to purchase 3,000,000 shares of common stock were outstanding.

The following is a reconciliation of the number of shares used in the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share for the years ending December 31, 2023, and 2022:

 

For the year ending

   

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

Net income (loss) after tax

 

$

6,338,750

 

$

(32,631,288

)

   

 

   

 

 

 

Weighted average common shares outstanding

 

 

89,889,074

 

 

89,889,074

 

Incremental shares from the assumed exercise of dilutive stock options

 

 

   

 

 

Dilutive potential common shares

 

 

89,889,074

 

 

89,889,074

 

   

 

   

 

 

 

Net earnings (loss) per share:

 

 

   

 

 

 

Basic

 

$

0.07

 

$

(0.36

)

Diluted

 

$

0.07

 

$

(0.36

)

The following securities were not included in the computation of diluted net earnings per share as their effect would have been antidilutive:

 

For the year ending

   

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

Options to purchase common stock

 

3,000,000

 

3,000,000

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Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (cont.)

Fair Value Measurements

The Company measures and discloses the fair value of assets and liabilities required to be carried at fair value in accordance with ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures. ASC 820 defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value, and enhances fair value measurement disclosure.

ASC 825 defines fair value as the price that would be received from selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. When determining the fair value measurements for assets and liabilities required or permitted to be recorded at fair value, the Company considers the principal or most advantageous market in which it would transact and considers assumptions that market participants would use when pricing the asset or liability, such as inherent risk, transfer restrictions, and risk of nonperformance. ASC 825 establishes a fair value hierarchy that requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. ASC 825 establishes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:

Level 1

 

 

Quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets to which we have access at the measurement date.

Level 2

 

 

Inputs other than quoted prices within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly.

Level 3

 

 

Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.

The determination of where assets and liabilities fall within this hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

As of both December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company has determined that there were no assets or liabilities measured at fair value.

Inventory

Inventory consists of raw materials, components and finished goods. The Company’s inventory is stated at the lower of cost (FIFO cost basis) or net realizable value. Finished goods include the cost of labor to assemble the items.

Foreign Currency Translation

The functional currency of one of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries (NomadChoice Pty Ltd.) is the U.S. Dollar. The Company’s foreign subsidiary maintains its records using local currency (Australian Dollar — “AUD”). All monetary assets and liabilities of the foreign subsidiary were translated into U.S. Dollars at period end exchange rates, non-monetary assets and liabilities of the foreign subsidiary were translated into U.S. Dollars at transaction day exchange rates. Income and expense items related to non-monetary items were translated at exchange rates prevailing during the transaction date and other incomes and expenses were translated using average exchange rate for the period. The resulting translation adjustments, net of income taxes, were recorded in statements of operations as Remeasurement gain or loss on translation of foreign subsidiary.

The functional currency of the Company’s other foreign subsidiary (Synergy CHC Inc.) is the Canadian Dollar (CAD). The Company’s foreign subsidiary maintains its records using local currency (CAD). All assets and liabilities of the foreign subsidiary were translated into U.S. Dollars at period end exchange rates and stockholders’ equity is translated at the historical rates. Income and expense items were translated using average exchange rate for the period. The resulting translation adjustments, net of income taxes, are reported as other comprehensive income and accumulated other comprehensive income in the stockholder’s equity in accordance with ASC 220 — Comprehensive Income.

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Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (cont.)

The exchange rates used to translate amounts in AUD and CAD into USD for the purposes of preparing the consolidated financial statements were as follows:

Balance sheet:

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

Period-end AUD: USD exchange rate

 

$

0.6805

 

$

0.6813

Period-end CAD: USD exchange rate

 

$

0.7561

 

$

0.7383

Income statement:

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

Average Yearly AUD: USD exchange rate

 

$

0.6644

 

$

0.6948

Average Yearly CAD: USD exchange rate

 

$

0.7411

 

$

0.7688

Translation gains and losses that arise from exchange rate fluctuations from transactions denominated in a currency other than the functional currency are translated into either Australian Dollars or Canadian Dollars, as the case may be, at the rate on the date of the transaction and included in the results of operations as incurred.

Concentrations of Credit Risk

In the normal course of business, the Company provides credit terms to its customers; however, collateral was not required. Accordingly, the Company performed credit evaluations of its customers and maintained allowances for possible losses which, when realized, were within the range of management’s expectations. From time to time, a higher concentration of credit risk existed on outstanding accounts receivable for a select number of customers due to individual buying patterns.

Warehousing costs

Warehouse costs include all third-party warehouse rent fees and are charged to selling and marketing expenses as incurred. Any additional costs relating to assembly or special pack-outs of the Company’s products are charged to cost of sales.

Product display costs

All displays manufactured and purchased by the Company are for placement of product in retail stores. This also includes all costs for display execution and setup and retail services are charged to cost of sales and expensed as incurred.

Cost of Sales

Cost of sales includes the purchase cost of products sold, all costs associated with getting the products into the retail stores including buying and transportation costs and the hosting of our online Application.

Debt Issuance Costs

Debt issuance costs consist primarily of arrangement fees, professional fees and legal fees. These costs were netted off with the related loan and were being amortized to interest expense over the term of the related debt facilities.

Shipping Costs

Shipping and handling costs billed to customers are recorded in sales. Shipping costs incurred by the company are recorded in selling and marketing expenses.

F-38

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (cont.)

Related parties

Parties are considered to be related to the Company if the parties that, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, control, are controlled by, or are under common control with the Company. Related parties also include principal owners of the Company, its management, members of the immediate families of principal owners of the Company and its management and other parties with which the Company may deal if one party controls or can significantly influence the management or operating policies of the other to an extent that one of the transacting parties might be prevented from fully pursuing its own separate interests.

Segment Reporting

Segment identification and selection is consistent with the management structure used by the Company’s chief operating decision maker to evaluate performance and make decisions regarding resource allocation, as well as the materiality of financial results consistent with that structure. Based on the Company’s management structure and method of internal reporting, the Company has one operating segment. The Company’s chief operating decision maker does not review operating results on a disaggregated basis; rather, the chief operating decision maker reviews operating results on an aggregated basis.

Presentation of Financial Statements — Going Concern

Going Concern Evaluation

In connection with preparing consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023, management evaluated whether there were conditions and events, considered in the aggregate, that raised substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year from the date that the consolidated financial statements are issued.

The Company considered the following:

        At December 31, 2023, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $46,352,289.

        At December 31, 2023, the Company had working capital deficit of $2,199,033.

Ordinarily, conditions or events that raise substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern relate to the entity’s ability to meet its obligations as they become due.

The Company evaluated its ability to meet its obligations as they become due within one year from the date that the financial statements are issued by considering the following:

        In 2023, the Company repaid $3.6 million of loans and received $1.5 million through loans from related party and others.

        During 2023, the Company had $421,729 of net cash provided by operating activities.

        During 2023, the Company had an increase in net revenue of $4,366,959.

        During 2023, the Company had a net income of $6,338,750.

        The Company has the option of privately selling its common stock to raise additional capital.

        The Company has the option of selling any of its brands to raise additional capital.

        The Company has restructured its debt agreements in 2024 which extends the terms into 2026.

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Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (cont.)

Management concluded that the above factors alleviate doubts about the Company’s ability to generate enough cash from operations and other available sources to satisfy its obligations for the next twelve months from the issuance date.

The Company will take the following actions if it starts to trend unfavorably to its internal profitability and cash flow projections, in order to mitigate conditions or events that would raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern:

        Raise additional capital through line of credit and/or loans financing for future mergers and acquisition.

        Implement restructuring and cost reductions.

        Raise additional capital through a private placement.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

ASU 2016-13

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments — Credit Losses” to improve information on credit losses for financial assets and net investment in leases that are not accounted for at fair value through net income. ASU 2016-13 replaces the current incurred loss impairment methodology with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses. In April 2019 and May 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-04, “Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses, Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments” and ASU No. 2019-05, “Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Targeted Transition Relief” which provided additional implementation guidance on the previously issued ASU. In November 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-10, “Financial Instruments — Credit Loss (Topic 326), Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815), and Leases (Topic 842),” which defers the effective date for public filers that are considered small reporting companies (“SRC”) as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission to fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Since the Company is an SRC, implementation is not needed until January 1, 2023. The implementation did not have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

There were various updates recently issued, most of which represented technical corrections to the accounting literature or application to specific industries and are not expected to a have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Note 3 — Income Taxes

The Company utilizes FASB ASC 740, “Income Taxes,” which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements or tax returns. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and their financial reporting amounts based on enacted tax laws and statutory tax rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. A valuation allowance is recorded when it is “more likely-than-not” that a deferred tax asset will not be realized.

Deferred income taxes arise from temporary differences resulting from income and expense items reported for financial accounting and tax purposes in different periods. Deferred taxes are classified as current or non-current, depending on the classification of assets and liabilities to which they relate. Deferred taxes arising from temporary differences that are not related to an asset or liability are classified as current or noncurrent depending on the periods in which the temporary differences are expected to reverse. The Company does not have any uncertain tax positions.

F-40

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 3 — Income Taxes (cont.)

For U.S. purposes, the Company has not completed its evaluation of NOL utilization limitations under Internal Revenue Code, as amended (the “Code”) Section 382/383, change of ownership rules. If the Company has had a change in ownership, the NOL’s would be limited or eliminated, as to the amount that could be utilized each year, based on the Code. NOL’s attributable to Breakthrough Products, Inc., which are the majority of the Company’s domestic NOL’s are Separate Return Limitation Year (SRLY) NOL’s. Such losses may generally not be available for use (limited or eliminated).

The Company has not filed its State & Local Income/Franchise tax returns in states it is required to file, as such returns and liability remain open. The Company does not expect this to be a significant liability.

The table below summarizes the differences between the U.S. statutory federal rate and the Company’s estimated effective tax rate for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

U.S. Statutory Rate

 

(21

)%

 

(21

)%

AU/CA rates in excess of the US rate

 

1

%

 

(1

)%

Increase in valuation allowance

 

16

%

 

23

%

Other

 

  %

 

 

(1

)%

Utilization of Australian and Canadian NOL

 

  %

 

 

%

Total provision for income taxes

 

(4

)%

 

%

The Company has deferred tax assets, which have been fully reserved, as follows as of December 31, 2023 and 2022:

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

Net operating Losses

 

$

11,088,197

 

 

$

11,849,713

 

Obsolete inventory

 

 

244,397

 

 

 

192,869

 

Nonstatutory stock options

 

 

515,319

 

 

 

515,319

 

Success fee

 

 

525,000

 

 

 

525,000

 

Other

 

 

70,597

 

 

 

55,967

 

Impairment of Intangible Asset

 

 

220,150

 

 

 

220,150

 

Accruals

 

 

180,139

 

 

 

598,500

 

Amortization

 

 

78,400

 

 

 

71,400

 

Bad Debt Reserve

 

 

25,695

 

 

 

46,695

 

True up of prior year accruals

 

 

 

 

 

(47,250

)

Deferred tax asset

 

 

12,947,894

 

 

 

14,028,363

 

Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets

 

 

(12,947,894

)

 

 

(14,028,363

)

Net deferred tax assets

 

$

 

 

$

 

Tax expense was $234,980 and $32,172 for 2023 and 2022, respectively.

The Company also has net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $52,800,000 and approximately $55,000,000 (United States and Canada) included in the deferred tax asset table above for 2023 and 2022, respectively, the majority attributable to the acquisition of Breakthrough Products, Inc. However, due to limitations of carryover attributes and separate return limitation year rules, it is unlikely the company will benefit from the NOL’s and thus Management has determined a 100% valuation reserved is required. Further, the Company has not completed an evaluation of the NOL’s attributable to Breakthrough Products, Inc. at the date of this report.

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Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 4 — Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable, net of allowances for doubtful accounts, consisted of the following:

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

Trade accounts receivable (including related party receivable of $0 and $0, respectively – see note 9)

 

$

2,255,540

 

 

$

3,632,996

 

Less allowances

 

 

(149,446

)

 

 

(148,282

)

Total accounts receivable, net

 

$

2,106,094

 

 

$

3,484,714

 

During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company charged $0 and $222,357, respectively to bad debt expense and written off allowance of $164,489 in 2022.

Note 5 — Prepaid Expenses

At December 31, 2023 and 2022, prepaid expenses consisted of the following:

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

Advances for inventory

 

$

128,025

 

$

Insurance

 

 

6,133

 

 

2,070

Deposits

 

 

60,000

 

 

4,000

Contract employee, related party

 

 

501,321

 

 

131,866

Components

 

 

97,606

 

 

Miscellaneous

 

 

4,900

 

 

1,833

Total

 

$

797,985

 

$

139,769

Note 6 — Concentration of Credit Risk

Cash and cash equivalents

The Company maintains its cash and cash equivalents in banks insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in accounts that at times may be in excess of the federally insured limit of $250,000 per bank. The Company minimizes this risk by placing its cash deposits with major financial institutions. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, the uninsured balance amounted to $441,711 and $2,170,447, respectively.

Accounts receivable

As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, two customers accounted for 68% and 77%, respectively, of the Company’s accounts receivable.

Major customers

For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, three customers accounted for approximately 78% and 67%, respectively, of the Company’s net revenue. Substantially all of the Company’s business is with companies in the United States.

Accounts payable

As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, two and one vendors accounted for 64% and 63%, respectively, of the Company’s accounts payable.

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Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 6 — Concentration of Credit Risk (cont.)

Major suppliers

For the year ended December 31, 2023, one supplier accounted for approximately 18% of the Company’s purchases. For the year ended December 31, 2022, one supplier accounted for approximately 28% of the Company’s purchases. Substantially all of the Company’s business is with suppliers in the United States.

Note 7 — Inventory

Inventory consists of finished goods, components and raw materials. The Company’s inventory is stated at the lower of cost (FIFO cost basis) or net realizable value.

The carrying value of inventory consisted of the following:

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

Finished goods

 

$

3,584,343

 

$

7,858,250

Components

 

 

93,949

 

 

109,467

Inventory in transit

 

 

2,948

 

 

Raw materials

 

 

45,000

 

 

Total inventory

 

$

3,726,240

 

$

7,967,717

As of January 22, 2015, inventory was pledged to Knight under the Loan Agreement (see note 12). As of December 31, 2023, $2,948 of the Company’s inventory was in transit. During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, $251,021 and $12,456,346, respectively, of expiring and slow-moving inventory was written off to cost of sales. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company has accrued $387,176 and $1,660,000, respectively, related to storing this inventory and ultimate disposal of the obsolete inventory.

Note 8 — Fixed Assets and Intangible Assets

As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, fixed assets and intangible assets consisted of the following:

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

Property and equipment

 

$

 

$

579,520

 

Less accumulated depreciation

 

 

 

 

(528,914

)

Less accumulated impairment

 

 

 

 

(50,606

)

Fixed assets, net

 

$

 

$

 

Depreciation expense for each of the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $0. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company fully impaired remaining assets of $9,778.

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

Hand MD intellectual property

 

$

 

 

$

1,700,000

 

License Fee

 

 

450,000

 

 

 

 

Less accumulated amortization

 

 

(33,333

)

 

 

(495,833

)

Less accumulated impairment

 

 

 

 

 

(1,204,167

)

Intangible assets, net

 

$

416,667

 

 

$

 

Amortization expense for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $33,333 and $340,000, respectively. Impairment of intangible assets for the year ended December 31, 2022 related to intangible assets from the Hand MD intellectual property purchase in 2021.

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Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 8 — Fixed Assets and Intangible Assets (cont.)

The estimated aggregate amortization expense over each of the next five years is as follows:

2024

 

$

133,333

2025

 

 

133,333

2026

 

 

133,333

2027

 

 

16,668

Note 9 — Related Party Transactions

The Company accrued and paid consulting fees through December 2023 to a company owned by Mr. Jack Ross, Chief Executive Officer of the Company. The Company also paid eight months of a vehicle allowance of $2,500 per month. The Company expensed $500,000 and $738,483, respectively during 2023 and 2022 as consulting fees, advanced $501,321 and $131,894 in the manner of a prepaid consulting fees as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. During 2023, the Company was advanced $1,170,000 in the form of a short-term note. The Company repaid this during 2023 with interest of $210,000. As of both December 31, 2023 and 2022, the total outstanding balance was $0.

On June 26, 2015, the Company entered into a Security Agreement with Knight Therapeutics, Inc., a related party (owner of greater than 10% shares of the Company), through its wholly owned subsidiary Neuragen Corp., for the purchase of Knight Therapeutics, Inc.’s assets. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company owed Knight $287,500 and $325,000 in relation to this agreement (see Note 11). The Company recorded present value of future payments of $204,941 and $213,040 as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

The Company entered into transactions with a related party controlled by the CEO during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. The transactions were a pass through and allocation of expenses and reimbursements. During 2023, the Company loaned $426,500 and received repayments of $400,000. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022 the Company was owed $4,459,996 and $4,408,751, respectively.

The Company entered into a transaction with a related party controlled by the CEO during the year ended December 31, 2023. The transaction was in the form of a short-term loan. The Company received $10,000 Canadian dollars (US Dollars $7,561). This amount was owed to the related party as of December 31, 2023 and paid off in February 2024.

On August 9, 2017, the Company entered into a Loan Agreement with Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc., a related party (owner of greater than 10% shares of the Company), for a working capital loan. At both December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company owed Knight $5,000,000 on this loan, net of debt issuance cost (see Note 11). During the year ended December 31, 2020 a loan success fee of $1,000,000 was earned by Knight payable in August 2022 (see Note 11). At both December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company owed Knight $1,000,000 on the loan success fee (see Note 11).

On May 8, 2020, the Company entered into a Third Amendment Agreement with Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc., a related party, for working capital loan. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company owed Knight $392,000 and $500,000, respectively on this loan (see Note 11).

On July 7, 2022, the Company entered into a Fourth Amendment Agreement with Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc., a related party, for an additional $2,000,000 loan (the “Second Additional Loan”). At both December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company owed Knight $2,000,000 on this loan (see Note 11). During the year ended December 31, 2023 a loan success fee of $83,250 was earned by Knight and is payable as of December 31, 2023 (see Note 11).

On September 30, 2023, the Company entered into a Fifth Amendment Agreement with Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc., a related party, to modify prior Agreements. This modification extends the maturity dates of loans to March 31, 2024. The Company will pay Knight a closing fee of $1,000,000 in connection with the Fifth Amendment. This has been accrued for during the year ended December 31, 2022 since this was earned upon renegotiation of the loan during 2022. (see Note 11).

F-44

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 9 — Related Party Transactions (cont.)

The Company recognized interest expense of $1,693,642 and $1,319,295 during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Accrued interest was $1,760,076 and $1,771,684 as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Accrued interest was capitalized and included in the loan balance as of December 31, 2023 and 2022.

During February 2024, the Company entered into an amended agreement with Knight Therapeutics Inc., a related party, to modify prior Agreements. This modification consolidates outstanding loans and extends the maturity dates of loans to March 31, 2026 (see Note 11).

On December 23, 2016, the Company entered into an agreement with Knight Therapeutics for the distribution rights of FOCUSfactor in Canada. In conjunction with this agreement, the Company is required to pay Knight a distribution fee equal to 30% of gross sales for sales achieved through a direct sales channel and 5% of gross sales for sales achieved through retail sales. The minimum due to Knight under this agreement is $100,000 Canadian dollars. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company expensed $133,502 Canadian dollars (US Dollars $98,939). During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company expensed $114,363 Canadian dollars (US Dollars $87,920). As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the total outstanding balance was $549,229 and $415,728 Canadian dollars, respectively. In US Dollars, the total outstanding balance was $415,272 and $306,932 as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The outstanding distribution fees have been added to the related party notes payable.

On December 23, 2016, the Company entered into an agreement with Knight Therapeutics for the distribution rights of Hand MD into Canada. In conjunction with this agreement, the Company is required to pay Knight a distribution fee equal to 60% of gross sales for sales achieved through a direct sales channel until the sales in the calendar year equal the threshold amount and then 40% of all such gross sales in such calendar year in excess of the threshold amount and 5% of gross sales for sales achieved through retail sales. The minimum due to Knight under this agreement is $25,000 Canadian dollars. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company expensed was $25,000 Canadian dollars (US Dollars $18,531). As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the total outstanding balance was $160,637 and $135,637 Canadian dollars, respectively. In US Dollars, the total outstanding balance was $121,458 and $100,141 as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 respectively. The outstanding distribution fees have been added to the related party notes payable.

The Company expensed royalty of $849 for the year ended December 31, 2022. At December 31, 2022, the Company owed Knight Therapeutics $41 in connection with a royalty distribution agreement.

The Company expensed royalty of $82,810 and $74,088 for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company owed Knight Therapeutics $19,324 and $11,084, respectively, in connection with a royalty distribution agreement.

On October 1, 2023 (effective date), the Company entered into second amendment to the Distribution Agreement with Knight with an initial term ending on February 25, 2026 with an automatic renewal of one year for a payment of $450,000 by the Company within 180 days from the effective date. The Company has recorded this payable in terms of a Note Payable to Knight Therapeutics in relation to a license fee of an intangible asset. The balance outstanding at December 31, 2023 was $450,000.

Note 10 — Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities

As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, accounts payable and accrued liabilities consisted of the following:

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

Accrued payroll

 

$

329,652

 

$

273,214

Legal fees

 

 

707,590

 

 

2,428,031

Commissions

 

 

601,988

 

 

362,705

Manufacturers

 

 

4,424,146

 

 

7,107,763

Promotions

 

 

3,315,755

 

 

6,804,395

Accounting Fees

 

 

223,286

 

 

Interest

 

 

 

 

30,557

F-45

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 10 — Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities (cont.)

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

Royalties, related party

 

 

19,324

 

 

418,197

Warehousing

 

 

962,260

 

 

2,259,933

Sales taxes

 

 

18,364

 

 

76,044

Payroll taxes

 

 

871,047

 

 

706,944

Professional Fees

 

 

41,556

 

 

Inventory

 

 

49,972

 

 

109,972

Rent

 

 

 

 

90,000

Related party advance

 

 

7,561

 

 

Others

 

 

154,989

 

 

129,754

Total

 

$

11,727,490

 

$

20,797,509

The Company has estimated and accrued for its sales tax liability at $6,098 and $13,277 for the parent entity as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

During 2023 the Company recognized a gain on forgiveness of accounts payable of $2,400,000. This gain was included as a reduction of selling and marketing expenses.

Note 11 — Notes Payable

The Company’s notes payable at December 31, 2023 and 2022 are as follows:

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

Notes payable

 

$

27,630,420

 

 

$

22,839,277

 

Unamortized debt issuance cost

 

 

(12,288

)

 

 

(13,746

)

Total

 

 

27,618,132

 

 

 

22,825,531

 

Current portion, related party

 

 

(—

)

 

 

(21,068

)

Current portion, other

 

 

(2,094,525

)

 

 

(1,005,385

)

Long-term portion, related party

 

 

12,426,997

 

 

 

11,463,656

 

Long-term portion, other

 

$

13,096,610

 

 

$

10,335,422

 

$950,000 June 26, 2015 Security Agreement:

On June 26, 2015, the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Neuragen Corp. (“Neuragen”), issued a 0% promissory note in a principal amount of $950,000 in connection with an Asset Purchase Agreement. The note requires $250,000 to be paid on or before June 30, 2016, and $700,000 to be paid in quarterly installments (beginning with the quarter ending September 30, 2015) equal to the greater of $12,500 or 5% of U.S. net sales, and 2% of U.S. net sales of Neuragen for 60 months thereafter. The payment of such amounts is secured by a security interest in certain assets, undertakings and property (“Collateral”) pursuant to the Security Agreement, which will be released upon receipt of total payments of $1.2 million.

The Company recorded present value of future payments of $204,941 and $213,040 as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company owed Knight $287,500 and $325,000 in relation to this agreement. The Company recorded interest expense of $29,401 and $31,817 for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The Company made payments of $37,500 and $62,500 during 2023 and 2022, respectively.

During March 2024, this Security Agreement was consolidated with the other outstanding loans to Knight.

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Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 11 — Notes Payable (cont.)

$10,000,000 August 9, 2017 Loan:

On August 9, 2017, the Company entered into a Second Amendment to Loan Agreement (“Second Amendment”) with Knight, pursuant to which Knight agreed to loan the Company an additional $10 million, and an ongoing credit facility of up to $20 million, and which amount was borrowed at closing (the “Financing”) for working capital purposes. At closing, the Company paid Knight an origination fee of $200,000 and a work fee of $100,000 and also paid $100,000 of Knight’s expenses associated with the Loan.

Additional Tranches under the Loan Agreement are available to the Company until August 9, 2022 provided that no event of default exists. Each Additional Tranche must be for a minimum amount of $1.0 million, may only be used to finance qualified acquisitions (as defined in the Loan Agreement), and can be denied in Knight’s absolute discretion. If an Additional Tranche is denied, the Company can effect a qualified acquisition through a special purpose entity with such special purpose entity being entitled to obtain financing from third parties so long as such financing does not adversely affect Knight or Knight’s rights under the Loan Agreement. Upon the closing of any Additional Tranche, the Company will pay Knight an origination fee equal to 2% of the Additional Tranche, a work fee equal to 1% of the amount of the Additional Tranche, and reimburse Knight for its expenses incurred in connection with its consideration of any Additional Tranche (whether or not advanced).

The Loan bears interest at 10.5% per annum. The amended Loan Agreement matures on August 8, 2020 and (b) the date that Knight, in its discretion, accelerates the Company’s obligations due to an event of default.

On the Maturity Date of the Third Tranche and every Additional Tranche (or upon the acceleration of each such loan), the Company must pay Knight a success fee (the “Success Fee”) of that number of Company common shares equal to 10% of the loan, divided by the lesser of (a) $1.50, (b) the lowest price at which any common shares were issued by the Company in any offering or equity financing or other transaction between the Closing Date and the date the Success Fee is due, and (c) the current market price on the date the Success Fee is due. The Company may also pay the Success Fee in cash pursuant to the terms of the Loan Agreement.

The Loan Agreement includes customary representations, warranties, and affirmative and restrictive covenants, including covenants to attain and maintain certain financial metrics, and to not merge or dispose of assets, acquire other businesses (except for businesses substantially similar or complementary to the Company’s business, and provided that the aggregate consideration to be paid does not exceed $100,000 and the acquired business guarantees the Company’s obligations under the Loan Agreement) or make capital expenditures in excess of $500,000. The Loan Agreement also includes customary events of default, including payment defaults, breaches of covenants, change of control and material adverse effect defaults. Upon the occurrence of an event of default and during the continuation thereof, the principal amount of all loans under the Loan Agreement will bear a default interest rate of an additional 5%.

The Company’s obligations and liabilities under the Loan Agreement are secured and unconditionally guaranteed by certain of the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries as provided in the Loan Agreement.

On May 8, 2020, the Company entered into a Third Amendment Agreement (the “Third Amendment”) to the Amended and Restated Loan Agreement (the “Loan Agreement”) with Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc. (“Knight”), pursuant to which Knight agreed to loan the Company an additional $2.5 million (the “Additional Loan”). That same day (the “Closing”), the Company paid Knight a work fee of $36,000, and $25,000 for Knight’s legal costs and expenses incurred in connection with the Third Amendment. The Third Amendment amends the original loan agreement that the Company and Knight entered into in January 2015 and subsequently amended (as amended, the “Original Loan Agreement”). The Additional Loan matures on May 8, 2021 (the “TA Maturity Date”) and bears interest at 12.5% per annum compounding quarterly. On the TA Maturity Date, the Company will pay Knight a success fee (the “Success Fee”) of $83,250. The Success Fee is payable in cash or stock as set forth in the Loan Agreement. The Third Amendment includes customary representations, warranties, and affirmative and restrictive covenants, including covenants to attain and maintain certain financial metrics, including an undertaking to maintain at all times a cash balance of $600,000 and EBITDA of $3,000,000 for the twelve months ended June 30, 2020 and $4,000,000 for the twelve-month period ending on the last day of each fiscal quarter thereafter.

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Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 11 — Notes Payable (cont.)

Terms of the $10,000,000 August 9, 2017 loan (Third Tranche) (see note 9) were modified in the Third amendment. Third tranche shall bear interest from May 8, 2020 at a rate equal to 12.5% per annum compounded quarterly. The Company shall pay success fee in the amount of $1,000,000 with respect to the Third Tranche, which shall be fully earned on May 8, 2020 and payable no later than August 31, 2022. Third Tranche success fee shall bear interest at 12.5% per annum compounding quarterly. The loan has been extended to a maturity date of December 31, 2021. Because these amendments were considered not substantive changes, the Company accounted for the modifications as modification of debt.

On July 7, 2022, the Company entered into a Fourth Amendment Agreement (the “Fourth Amendment”) to the Amended and Restated Loan Agreement (the “Loan Agreement”) with Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc. (“Knight”), pursuant to which Knight agreed to loan the Company an additional $2.0 million (the “Second Additional Loan”). The Fourth Amendment amends the original loan agreement that the Company and Knight entered into in January 2015 and subsequently amended (as amended, the “Original Loan Agreement”). The Second Additional Loan matures on the earlier of October 31, 2022 and the date that is ninety days after the date, if any, on which Knight delivers a Second Additional Loan Repayment Notice to the Company. The Company will pay Knight a success fee of $40,000 and an amendment fee of $30,000 which is fully earned and payable as of the Fourth Amendment Date. The loan bears interest at the greater of 14% or the prime rate plus 8% per annum, compounded quarterly. This $2.0 million Second Additional Loan (only) has a personal guarantee by a shareholder, Jack Ross.

On September 30, 2023, the Company entered into a Fifth Amendment Agreement (the “Fifth Amendment”) to the Loan Agreement with Knight, pursuant to which Knight agreed to extend the maturity date of the Loan to March 31, 2024. The loan will bear interest at 15.5% per annum compounding quarterly. The Company will pay Knight a closing fee of $1,000,000 and $150,000 as reimbursement for Knights legal fees incurred in connection with the Fifth Amendment. These have been accrued for during the year ended December 31, 2022 since this was earned upon renegotiation of the loan during 2022. The Company has also paid Knight an extension fee of $136,000 per month from October 2023 through February 2024.

We have amended our financial covenants in the Fifth Amendment to as follows: We will maintain a minimum EBITDA of $1,000,000 for the three (3) month period ending on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter starting June 30, 2023. We shall at all times maintain Focus Factors net sales on a trailing twelve-month basis of at least $30,000,000.

The Company recognized interest expense of $1,693,642 and $1,319,295 during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Accrued interest was $1,760,076 and $1,771,684 as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Accrued interest was capitalized and included in the loan balance as of December 31, 2023 and 2022.

On October 1, 2023 (effective date), the Company entered into second amendment to the Distribution Agreement with Knight with an initial term ending on February 25, 2026 with an automatic renewal of one year for a payment of $450,000 by the Company within 180 days from the effective date. The Company has recorded this payable in terms of a Note Payable to Knight Therapeutics in relation to a license fee of an intangible asset. The balance outstanding at December 31, 2023 was $450,000.

During 2023, the Company accrued $83,250 as added to Notes Payable in the form of a loan success fee as earned.

During March 2024, the Company entered into an Amended Agreement with Knight Therapeutics for its existing secured debt, which was finalized in June 2024. The consolidated loan will bear minimum interest rate at 12% per annum compounded quarterly and will be paid on the last day of each month. The principal repayment will begin in the first quarter of 2025 with $1,000,000 due quarterly until March 31, 2026 when the loan becomes due in full. As part of this agreement the outstanding royalties of $536,730 were converted to long term debt (see note 9).

Minimum interest rate is subjected to the following adjustments:

(i)     Following an uncured event of default by Synergy, the Interest Rate will increase by 5%.

F-48

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 11 — Notes Payable (cont.)

(ii)    Synergy shall raise Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) of equity no later than March 31, 2025. Should Synergy fail to raise equity of Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) by March 31, 2025, then (1) Knight will earn an additional fee of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) which will be added to the principal balance of the loan then outstanding and (2) the loan shall be considered to be in default. Any equity raise shall not dilute Knight’s ownership in Synergy below 10% of fully diluted basis.

Security:    This loan shall be senior secured against all current and future assets (cash, intellectual property, real property, etc.) of Synergy, its affiliates, and subsidiaries. Synergy shall not add any other debt without paying out KTI first.

Bonus Success Fee:    Upon closing of a Sale Transaction (hereinafter defined) of Synergy, KTI, shall be paid a One Million eight hundred thousand Dollar ($1,800,000) Bonus success fee (“Bonus Success Fee”). The Sale Transaction shall include but is not limited to the acquisition of Synergy by a Third Party, the merger of Synergy with a Third Party, partial or complete sale of any asset of Synergy. The obligation of Synergy to KTI under the Success Fee shall survive the Maturity Date and remain in force until a Sale Transaction. As the sole exemption from the above defined Sale transaction and herein Bonus success fee, If Synergy or any of its brands does an IPO on a publicly listed exchange, no such Bonus Success fee will be due nor payable by Synergy. An IPO shall be defined as Synergy raising at least $10 million of cash through the issuance of equity at a $50 million pre-money valuation.

Covenants:    The following covenants shall be added or amended to the existing Loan with KTI;

(i)     Jack Ross’s Synergy total annual compensation (salary, bonus and options) shall be capped at $500,000; until KTI’s loan is paid out or until such a time when Synergy is listed on a publicly traded stock exchange at such time the compensation committee will determine the annual compensation and approve by the Board of Directors.

(ii)    Synergy shall maintain a minimum EBITDA of US$1,250,000 for the three (3) month period ending on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter starting March 31, 2024.

(iii)   Synergy shall provide KTI a quarterly and annual operating budget for approval prior to implementation;

(iv)   Synergy shall enter into a Shareholders Agreement with KTI, by June 30, 2024; which shall contain customary terms and conditions acceptable to all parties

(v)    This Loan becomes immediately due if Focus Factor Net Revenues fall below a trailing 12-month net sales of $30 million. Synergy shall provide KTI with monthly Net Revenues for Focus Factor;

(vi)   Synergy is required to communicate to Knight within 2 working days in the event it receives a notice of default from any third party for any debt payables or obligations. If Synergy, default on any of its third-party debt obligations, then the Amended Loan will automatically enter into default.

(vii)  Timely payment of royalties due to Knight.

(viii) Synergy shall repay and terminate Shopify debt no later than December 31, 2024.

Other Loan Conditions:    In the event, Synergy does not repay the KTI in full on March 31, 2026, Jack Ross shall sell, for $1, a total of 5,400,000 of his Synergy shares to KTI. The purchase of the Additional Shares is at Knight’s option and Jack Ross and KTI shall execute a Share Purchase Agreement prior to April 30th, 2024.

As of December 31, 2023 the total consolidated amount outstanding on these loans, including accrued interest and royalties is $12,426,997.

The Company is required to make future payments as follows:

2024

 

$

2025

 

$

4,000,000

2026

 

$

8,426,997

F-49

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 11 — Notes Payable (cont.)

$1,700,000 July 13, 2021 Loan:

On July 13, 2021, the Company entered into a loan agreement of $1,700,000 with Hand MD, LLC for transfer of ownership to in Hand MD Corp. to The Company.

Payments are due as follows: $500,000 within 10 business days of execution, $400,000 on or before the six-month anniversary of the agreement, $400,000 on or before the twelve-month anniversary of the agreement and $400,000 on or before the eighteen-month anniversary of the agreement.

During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 the Company paid $400,000 and $800,000, respectively, toward the loan. This has been fully repaid during 2023.

$214,700 October 13, 2021 Loan:

On October 13, 2021, the Company entered into a loan agreement of $214,700 with Shopify Capital Inc. for an advancement of working capital from its online processing account. The Company received $190,000 from Shopify Capital Inc. and $24,700 was an original issue discount. The loan bears a repayment rate of 17% of daily sales and the Company shall pay $35,783 every 60 days.

The payment of such amounts is secured by a security interest in certain assets, undertakings and property pursuant to the Security Agreement, which will be released upon receipt of total payments of $214,700.

The Company recognized amortization original issue discount of $24,700, which is included in interest expense in the statement of income during the year ended December 31, 2022. This was fully repaid during 2022.

$2,000,000 February 10, 2022 Loan:

On February 10, 2022, the Company entered into a promissory note for $2,000,000 with an individual which was to be repaid with subsequent financing.

This interest rate on the promissory note was modified effective June 30, 2022 to 15.5% per annum compounded quarterly. Subsequently and pursuant to the modification agreement entered into on June 14th, 2023, effective September 9, 2022, the promissory loan would bear all the same characteristics as the additional $6,000,000 loan noted below in that, interest would be accrued to December 31, 2022 and added to the outstanding principal loan balance. Interest payments to commence January 31, 2023 on unpaid principal and accrued and unpaid interest through December 31, 2022. The Company shall repay all principal and interest on the earlier of a merger, sale of the Company or Focus Factor or the assets of the Company or September 30, 2023. The Company will pay a closing fee of $500,000 and $50,000 as reimbursement for legal fees incurred in connection with the loan renegotiation of both the $2,000,000 February 10, 2022 Loan and the $6,000,000 March 8, 2022 Loan. To the extent that this Note and $6 million March 8, 2022 Loan is not repaid on the terms, Jack Ross shall personally grant: Warrants struck at $0.01 penny per share, covering 10% of his stock in the event that Synergy does not make its principal repayment outlined above, in full. The warrant issuance shall be made to the holders of this Note and the $6 million March 8, 2022 Loan (ratably).

This promissory note has been modified effective September 30, 2023 in conjunction with the Senior Subordinated Debentures. Interest payments to commence January 31, 2023 on unpaid principal and accrued and unpaid interest through December 31, 2022. Interest expensed and paid during 2023 has amounted to $332,769. Interest expensed in 2022 relating to the loan was $630,705, of which $467,857 was paid during 2022. Principal and interest payments shall begin effective October 31, 2023 and continue through March 31, 2024 on the earlier of a merger, sale of the Company or Focus Factor or the assets of the Company or March 31, 2024. To the extent that this Note and $6 million March 8, 2022 Loan is not repaid on the terms, Jack Ross shall personally grant: Warrants struck at $0.01 penny per share, covering 10% of his stock in the event that Synergy does not make its principal repayment outlined above, in full. The warrant issuance shall be made to the holders of this Note and the $6 million March 8, 2022 Loan (ratably). The pro-rata closing fee of $125,000 originally due on September 30th 2023 was also extended to March 31, 2024. The outstanding loan balance at December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $1,875,000 and $2,000,000, respectively.

F-50

Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 11 — Notes Payable (cont.)

On March 31, 2024, the Company entered into a Modification Agreement in relation to this loan. Effective March 31, 2024, the interest rate is 12%, compounded quarterly. Cash payments of interest shall be made monthly, on the final day of each month commencing in April 2024. The Company is required to make principal payments of $1,000,000 each starting from March 31, 2025 quarter till December 31, 2025 quarter. The remaining principal and unpaid interest is fully due on March 31, 2026. In addition, a loan renegotiation fee of $500,000 shall be earned and payable on March 31, 2026 or at such time the loan is paid in full. Upon closing of a sale transaction, as defined in the agreement, a bonus success fee of $1,800,000 will be earned and payable. An event of default, as defined in the agreement, will trigger a default interest rate increase by 5% to 17%. An incentive fee of a maximum of $563,092 will be paid, prorated if the loan is paid off early. If the loan is not repaid by March 31, 2026, Jack Ross, majority shareholder shall grant warrants covering 10% of his stock struck at $0.01 per share. There is a cross-default clause in the agreement which states that if Knight triggers an event of default on its own loan facility, this loan will also be under default. This Agreement consolidates this $2,000,000 loan and the $6,000,000 March 8, 2022 loan as detailed below.

The Company is required to make future payments as follows:

2024

 

$

2025

 

$

4,000,000

2026

 

$

6,294,165

$6,000,000 March 8, 2022 Loans:

On March 8, 2022, the Company entered into Securities Purchase Agreements with debenture holders for the Senior Subordinated Debentures in the amount of $6,000,000 with an original maturity date of September 8, 2022 and warrants with a term of 3 years. The Senior Subordinated Debentures were modified on June 14, 2023 in conjunction with the promissory note. The modification included the exercise of $1.5 million on cash payment in lieu of the exercise of warrants. Pursuant to ASC 480 warrants were liability classified and the Company accrued the warrant liability of $1.5 million on March 8, 2022, the date of issuance. Upon September 8, 2022, the date of exercise of the warrants, the Company offset this warrant liability and added the $1.5 million balance to the Senior Subordinated Debentures, for a combined outstanding balance of $7.5 million. The terms of the warrants were, at the sole option of the holder, to convert the warrant at a 25% discount in the event the Company consummated an IPO, a cash option whereby the holder could convert the warrants at a cash value of $1.5 million or convert the warrants into the private entity valued by an independent third-party appraiser.

Covenants pursuant to the loan were as follows: The Company will maintain a minimum EBITDA of $1,000,000 for the three (3) month period ending on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter starting June 30, 2023. The Company shall at all times maintain Focus Factor’s net sales on a trailing twelve-month basis of at least $30,000,000. The Company also agreed to pay $50,000 as reimbursement for the debenture holders legal fees incurred in connection with the modification agreement.

The debentures required payments of interest at 8% per annum for the first 90 days the debentures were funded and outstanding, 9.5% interest per annum for the next 90 days the debentures were funded and outstanding at which time all interest and principal would be due.

These debentures have been modified effective September 30, 2023 to the following terms: Interest rate adjusted to 15.5% compounded quarterly, effective September 9, 2022. Interest payments to commence January 31, 2023 on unpaid principal and accrued and unpaid interest through December 31, 2022. Interest accrued and unpaid during 2022 was $672,574 and was subsequently added to the principal balance of the loan outstanding. Interest expensed and paid during 2023 has amounted to $1,257,014. Nominal principal payments were negotiated in lieu of additional extension fees and shall begin effective October 31, 2023 and continue through March 31, 2024 when the balance is due. Loan renegotiation fee of $500,000 is due March 31, 2024. This has been accrued for during the year ended December 31, 2022, since this was earned upon renegotiation of the loan during 2022. The outstanding loan balance at December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $7,125,000 and $7,500,000, respectively, which includes original principal amount net off repayment and warrants conversion to loan of $1,500,000.

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SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 11 — Notes Payable (cont.)

On March 31, 2024, the Company entered into a Modification Agreement in relation to this loan, which consolidates it with the $2,000,000 February 10, 2022 loan above.

$355,950 May 10, 2022 Loan:

On May 10, 2022, the Company entered into a loan agreement of $355,950 with Shopify Capital Inc. for an advancement of working capital from its online processing account. The Company received $315,000 from Shopify Capital Inc. and $40,950 was an original issue discount. The loan bears a repayment rate of 17% of daily sales.

The payment of such amounts is secured by a security interest in certain assets, undertakings and property pursuant to the Security Agreement, which will be released upon receipt of total payments of $355,950.

The Company recognized amortization original issue discount of $13,746 and $27,204, respectively, which are included in interest expense in the statement of income during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. The outstanding loan balance at December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $0 and $105,385, respectively.

$226,000 April 13, 2023 Loan:

On April 13, 2023, the Company entered into a loan agreement of $226,000 with Shopify Capital Inc. for an advancement of working capital from its online processing account. The Company received $200,000 from Shopify Capital Inc. and $26,000 was an original issue discount. The loan bears a repayment rate of 17% of daily sales.

The payment of such amounts is secured by a security interest in certain assets, undertakings and property pursuant to the Security Agreement, which will be released upon receipt of total payments of $226,000.

The Company recognized amortization original issue discount of $26,000, which is included in interest expense in the statement of income during the year ended December 31, 2023. The outstanding loan balance at December 31, 2023 was $0.

$180,800 July 12, 2023 Loan:

On July 12, 2023, the Company entered into a loan agreement of $180,800 with Shopify Capital Inc. for an advancement of working capital from its online processing account. The Company received $160,000 from Shopify Capital Inc. and $20,800 was an original issue discount. The loan bears a repayment rate of 17% of daily sales.

The payment of such amounts is secured by a security interest in certain assets, undertakings and property pursuant to the Security Agreement, which will be released upon receipt of total payments of $180,800.

The Company recognized amortization original issue discount of $8,512, which is included in interest expense in the statement of income during the year ended December 31, 2023. The outstanding loan balance at December 31, 2023 was $94,525, net of unamortized original issue discount of $12,288.

$5,450,000 December 28, 2023 Loan:

On December 28, 2023, the Company entered into a confidential settlement agreement and mutual general release with a former supplier. The loan bears interest at 5% per annum and is payable in full with the last payment. This settlement resulted in a gain to the Company of $2,235,986 and is reflected as a reduction of cost of sales (See Note 13).

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SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 11 — Notes Payable (cont.)

During 2023, the Company made payments of $1,000,000 toward this loan. The outstanding loan balance at December 31, 2023 was $4,802,445, including interest of $352,445.

The Company is required to make future payments as follows:

2024

 

$

2,000,000

2025

 

 

2,000,000

2026

 

 

802,445

Note 12 — Stockholders’ Equity

The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock which the Company is authorized to issue is 300,000,000 shares of common stock with $0.00001 par value.

As of both December 31, 2023, and 2022, there were 89,889,074 shares of the Company’s common stock issued and outstanding.

Note 13 — Commitments and Contingencies

Litigation:

From time to time the Company may become a party to litigation in the normal course of business. Management believes that there are no current legal matters that would have a material effect on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

On July 25, 2022, plaintiff Barbara Valenti (“Valenti”) filed a putative class action complaint against Synergy CHC Corp. (“Synergy”) in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Case No. 1:22-cv-4361-BMC, for alleged violations of New York General Business Law Sections 349 and 350, arising out of advertising for the FOCUSfactor product. On August 18, 2022, Synergy filed a motion to dismiss and a motion to strike class claims. Valenti’s counsel filed an opposition to the motions on August 30, 2022, and Synergy withdrew the motions on September 1, 2022. Synergy filed an answer to the complaint on September 16, 2022. On December 29, 2022, and while denying all liability, Synergy settled with Valenti for a payment of $340,000 to be paid in twelve installments ending on December 1, 2023, in exchange for a full release of Valenti’s individual claims. On December 29, 2022, plaintiff filed a stipulation of voluntarily dismissal of the individual claims with prejudice. During 2023, the Company has fully paid $340,000, per the agreement.

In August 2022, the Company filed a lawsuit in the Superior Court of Maine against one of its contract manufacturers, bringing several claims arising out of allegations that the contract manufacturer’s failure to timely produce and deliver the Company’s products in 2020 and 2021 damaged the Company’s business. The contract manufacturer brought counterclaims demanding payment in full for its manufacture of these products. This lawsuit was moved to federal court and remains pending in the United States District Court for the District of Maine, Synergy CHC Corp. v. HVL, LLC d/b/a Atrium Innovations, Case No. 2:22-cv-00301-JAW (D. Me). The case was settled during December 2023, resulting in a net gain to the company of $2,235,986, reflected as a reduction of cost of sales, and a loan payable of $5,450,000 (see Note 11).

L.O.D.C. Group, Ltd. v. Synergy CHC Corp., 4:23-cv-691; United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division.    On July 28, 2023, L.O.D.C. Group (“LODC”) asserted claims of over $1,000,000 against Synergy for breach of contract arising from their alleged failure to comply with contracts related to the delivery of hand sanitizer. Synergy denies all allegations and believes Synergy is the aggrieved party in the relationship between Synergy and LODC and Synergy has filed a counterclaim. The case was settled during April 2024 by way of a confidential settlement agreement and mutual release, the settlement of the claim has been accounted for and reported as a charge to operations for the year ended December 31, 2023.

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Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 14 — Stock Options

The following table summarizes the changes in options outstanding and the related prices for the shares of the Company’s common stock issued to employees and consultants under a stock option plan at December 31, 2023:

 

Options Outstanding

 

Options Exercisable

Exercise Price
($)

 

Number
Outstanding

 

Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual Life
(Years)

 

Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
($)

 

Number
Exercisable

 

Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
($)

$

0.25 – 0.65

 

3,000,000

 

1.96

 

$

0.52

 

3,00,000

 

$

0.52

The stock option activity for the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 is as follows:

 



Options
Outstanding

 

Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price

Outstanding at December 31, 2021

 

3,466,667

 

 

$

0.54

 

Granted

 

 

 

 

 

Exercised

 

 

 

 

 

Expired or canceled

 

(466,667

)

 

 

(0.70

)

Outstanding at December 31, 2022

 

3,000,000

 

 

 

0.52

 

Granted

 

 

 

 

 

Exercised

 

 

 

 

 

Expired or canceled

 

 

 

 

 

Outstanding at December 31, 2023

 

3,000,000

 

 

$

0.52

 

Stock-based compensation expense related to vested options was $0 during both the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. Stock options outstanding as of December 31, 2023, as disclosed in the above table, have an intrinsic value of $0.

Note 15 — Segments

Segment identification and selection is consistent with the management structure used by the Company’s chief operating decision maker to evaluate performance and make decisions regarding resource allocation, as well as the materiality of financial results consistent with that structure. Based on the Company’s management structure and method of internal reporting, the Company has one operating segment. The Company’s chief operating decision maker does not review operating results on a disaggregated basis; rather, the chief operating decision maker reviews operating results on an aggregated basis.

Net sales attributed to customers in the United States and foreign countries for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 were as follows:

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

United States

 

$

40,621,985

 

$

35,644,296

Foreign countries

 

 

2,155,648

 

 

2,766,378

   

$

42,777,633

 

$

38,410,674

Foreign country sales primarily consist of sales in Canada.

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Table of Contents

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 15 — Segments (cont.)

The Company’s net sales by product group for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 were as follows:

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

Nutraceuticals

 

$

42,753,052

 

$

38,328,591

Consumer Goods

 

 

24,581

 

 

54,588

Cosmeceuticals

 

 

 

 

27,495

   

$

42,777,633

 

$

38,410,674

____________

(1)      Net sales for any other product group of similar products are less than 10% of consolidated net sales.

The Company’s net sales by major sales channel for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 were as follows:

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

Online

 

$

11,001,906

 

$

11,667,465

Retail

 

 

31,775,727

 

 

26,743,209

   

$

42,777,633

 

$

38,410,674

Long-lived assets (net) attributable to operations in the United States and foreign countries as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 were as follows:

 

December 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

United States

 

$

416,667

 

$

Foreign countries

 

 

 

 

   

$

416,667

 

$

Note 16 — Subsequent Events

The Company evaluated its December 31, 2023 consolidated financial statements for subsequent events through the date the consolidated financial statements were issued.

On January 29, 2024, the Company entered into a loan agreement with Shopify Capital Inc. for an advancement of working capital from its online processing account. The Company received $125,000 from Shopify Capital Inc. and $16,250 was an original issue discount. The loan bears a repayment rate of 17% of daily sales. The payment of such amounts is secured by a security interest in certain assets, undertakings and property pursuant to the Security Agreement, which will be released upon receipt of total payments of $141,250. As of June 12, 2024, the balance owing is $0.

During March 2024, the Company received $1,400,000 in exchange for a short term note payable issued to an entity owned and controlled by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer.

On May 1, 2024, the Company entered into a loan agreement with Shopify Capital Inc. for an advancement of working capital from its online processing account. The Company received $370,000 from Shopify Capital Inc. and $48,100 was an original issue discount. The loan bears a repayment rate of 25% of daily sales. The payment of such amounts is secured by a security interest in certain assets, undertakings and property pursuant to the Security Agreement, which will be released upon receipt of total payments of $418,100. As of June 12, 2024, the balance owing is $404,919.

During May 2024, the Company finalized a confidential settlement agreement with a current supplier. The agreement calls for scheduled monthly payments through June 2026.

During May 2024, the Company paid in full the settlement to L.O.D.C Group, Ltd. (see Note 13).

During June 2024, the Company finalized the Sixth Amendment Agreement with Knight Therapeutics for its existing secured debt. The consolidated loan will bear minimum interest rate at 12% per annum compounded quarterly and will be paid on the last day of each month. The principal repayment will begin in the first quarter of 2025 with $1,000,000 due quarterly until March 31, 2026 when the loan becomes due in full. As part of this agreement the outstanding royalties of $536,730 were converted to long term debt (see Note 11).

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            Shares of Common Stock

Synergy CHC Corp.

_________________

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

_________________

Roth Capital Partners

            , 2024

Through and including            , 2024 (25 days after the date of this prospectus), all dealers that effect transactions in our common stock, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This delivery requirement is in addition to the dealer’s obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with respect to unsold allotments or subscriptions.

 

Table of Contents

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 13.     Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

The following table sets forth all costs and expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, paid or payable by us in connection with the sale of the common stock being registered. All amounts shown are estimates except for the SEC registration fee, the FINRA filing fee and the listing fee for the Nasdaq Capital Market.

 

Amount Paid
or to be Paid

SEC registration fee

 

$

3,769

FINRA filing fee

 

 

4,330

Nasdaq listing fee

 

 

75,000

Printing and engraving expenses

 

 

5,000

Legal fees and expenses

 

 

400,000

Accounting fees and expenses

 

 

75,000

Transfer agent and registrar fees and expenses

 

 

20,000

Miscellaneous expenses

 

 

74,901

Total

 

$

658,000

Item 14.     Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Neither our articles of incorporation, nor our amended and restated bylaws, prevent us from indemnifying our officers, directors and agents to the extent permitted under the Nevada Revised Statutes (“NRS”). NRS Section 78.7502, provides that a corporation may indemnify any director, officer, employee or agent of a corporation against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with any defense to the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to Section 78.7502(1) or 78.7502(2), or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein.

NRS 78.7502(1) provides that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, except an action by or in the right of the corporation, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the action, suit or proceeding if he: (a) is not liable pursuant to NRS 78.138; or (b) acted in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful.

NRS Section 78.7502(2) provides that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses, including amounts paid in settlement and attorneys’ fees actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of the action or suit if he: (a) is not liable pursuant to NRS 78.138; or (b) acted in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation. Indemnification may not be made for any claim, issue or matter as to which such a person has been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction, after exhaustion of all appeals there from, to be liable to the corporation or for amounts paid in settlement to the corporation, unless and only to the extent that the court in which the action or suit was brought or other court of competent jurisdiction determines upon application that in view of all the circumstances of the case, the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses as the court deems proper.

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Table of Contents

NRS Section 78.747 provides that except as otherwise provided by specific statute, no director or officer of a corporation is individually liable for a debt or liability of the corporation, unless the director or officer acts as the alter ego of the corporation. The court as a matter of law must determine the question of whether a director or officer acts as the alter ego of a corporation.

Our amended and restated bylaws will provide that we will indemnify our directors, officers, employees and agents to the extent and in the manner permitted by the provisions of the NRS, as amended from time to time, subject to any permissible expansion or limitation of such indemnification, as may be set forth in any stockholders’ or directors’ resolution or by contract. Any repeal or modification of these provisions approved by our stockholders will be prospective only and will not adversely affect any limitation on the liability of any of our directors or officers existing as of the time of such repeal or modification. We are also permitted to apply for insurance on behalf of any director, officer, employee or other agent for liability arising out of his actions, whether or not the NRS would permit indemnification.

We will enter into indemnification agreements with each of our officers and directors, a form of which is filed as an exhibit to this Registration Statement.

These agreements will require us to indemnify these individuals to the fullest extent permitted under Nevada law against liabilities that may arise by reason of their service to us, and to advance expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified.

The proposed form of underwriting agreement filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Registration Statement provides for indemnification of directors and officers of the Registrant by the underwriter against certain civil liabilities that may be incurred in connection with this offering, including certain liabilities under the Securities Act.

Item 15.     Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

In the three years preceding the filing of this registration statement, we have issued the following securities that were not registered under the Securities Act:

On March 8, 2022, we entered into Securities Purchase Agreements with purchasers for Senior Subordinated Debentures in the aggregate amount of $6,000,000 with an original maturity date of September 8, 2022 and warrants to purchase common stock with a term of 3 years. We relied upon the exemption from registration provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act for transactions by an issuer not involving a public offering to issue the Senior Subordinated Debentures.

Item 16.     Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

(a)     Exhibits

The following documents are filed as exhibits to this registration statement:

Exhibit No.

 

Description

1.1**

 

Form of Underwriting Agreement.

2.1*

 

Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated April 7, 2014, by and among Oro Capital Corporation, Synergy Merger Sub, Inc. and Synergy Strips Corp.

2.2*

 

Asset Purchase Agreement, dated January 16, 2015, by and among Synergy Strips Corp.; Factor Nutrition Labs, LLC; Vita Partners, LLC, RPR Partners, LLC, and Thor Associates, Inc.

2.3*

 

Asset Purchase Agreement, dated June 26, 2015, by and between Neuragen Corp. and Knight Therapeutics, Inc.

3.1*

 

Articles of Incorporation, as amended.

3.2*

 

Bylaws.

3.3*

 

Amendment to Bylaws.

3.4*

 

Form of Amended and Restated Bylaws, to be in effect upon consummation of this offering.

4.1**

 

Form of Underwriter Warrants.

5.1**

 

Opinion of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP.

10.1#*

 

Sales and Marketing Consultant and Distribution Agreement, dated April 2, 2014, between Synergy Strips Corp. and Kenek Brands Inc.

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Table of Contents

Exhibit No.

 

Description

10.2*

 

Loan Agreement, dated January 22, 2015, between Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc. and Synergy Strips Corp.

10.3*

 

Distribution, License and Supply Agreement, dated January 22, 2015, by and between Synergy Strips Corp. and Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc.

10.4#*

 

Synergy Strips Corp. 2014 Stock Incentive Plan.

10.5#*

 

Synergy CHC Corp. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan.

10.6*

 

Contribution Agreement, dated August 18, 2015, among Hand MD, LLC, Principal Owners as listed therein, Synergy CHC Corp. and Hand MD Corp.

10.7*

 

Intellectual Property License Agreement, dated August 18, 2015, by and between Synergy CHC Corp. and Hand MD Corp.

10.8*

 

Stock Purchase Agreement, dated November 12, 2015, by and among Breakthrough Products, Inc., URX ACQUISITION TRUST, Jordan Eisenberg, other shareholders as listed therein and Synergy CHC Corp.

10.9*

 

Share Purchase Agreement, dated November 15, 2015, between TPR Investments Pty Ltd CAN 128 396 654 as trustee for Polmear Family Trust, Timothy Polmear and Rebecca Polmear, NomadChoice Pty Limited ACN 160 729 939 trading as Flat Tummy Tea and Synergy CHC Corp.

10.10*

 

First Amendment to Loan Agreement, dated November 12, 2015, between Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc. and Synergy CHC Corp.

10.11*

 

Amendment to First Amendment Agreement, dated December 3, 2015, between Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc. and Synergy CHC Corp.

10.12*

 

Amendment and Confirmation Agreement, dated December 3, 2015, by and among Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc., Nomad Choice Pty Ltd., Synergy CHC Corp. and Breakthrough Products, Inc.

10.13*

 

Settlement and Release Agreement, dated December 17, 2015, by and between Synergy CHC Corp., the former shareholders of Breakthrough Products, Inc. and URX ACQUISITION TRUST on its own behalf and as representative of certain shareholders.

10.14*

 

Hand MD Distribution Agreement (Canada), dated December 23, 2016, between Knight Therapeutics Inc. and Synergy CHC Corp.

10.15*

 

FOCUSfactor Distribution Agreement (Canada), dated December 23, 2016, between Knight Therapeutics Inc. and Synergy CHC Corp.

10.16*

 

Asset Purchase Agreement, dated June 21, 2017, among Synergy CHC Corp., Perfekt Beauty Holdings LLC and CDG Holdings, LLC.

10.17*

 

Amended and Restated Loan Agreement, dated August 9, 2017, between Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc. and Synergy CHC Corp.

10.18*

 

First Amendment to Amended and Restated Loan Agreement, dated May 14, 2018, between Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc. and Synergy CHC Corp.

10.19*

 

Second Amendment to Amended and Restated Loan Agreement, dated March 27, 2019, between Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc. and Synergy CHC Corp.

10.20*

 

Third Amendment Agreement, dated May 8, 2020, between Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc. and Synergy CHC Corp.

10.21*

 

Fourth Amendment Agreement, dated July 7, 2022, between Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc. and Synergy CHC Corp.

10.22*

 

Fifth Amendment Agreement, dated September 30, 2023, between Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc. and Synergy CHC Corp.

10.23*

 

Sixth Amendment Agreement, dated June 6, 2024, between Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc. and Synergy CHC Corp.

10.24*

 

Distribution Agreement (Canada), dated February 15, 2016, between Knight Therapeutics Inc. and Nomad Choice Pty Ltd.

10.25*

 

Distribution Agreement (Remaining Territories), dated February 15, 2016, between Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc. and Nomad Choice Pty Ltd.

10.26*

 

Distribution Agreement (Canada), dated January 1, 2017, between Knight Therapeutics Inc. and Sneaky Vaunt Corp.

10.27*

 

Distribution Agreement (Remaining Territories), dated January 1, 2017, between Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc. and Sneaky Vaunt Corp.

10.28+*

 

Costco Wholesale Basic Vendor Agreement, dated October 9, 2009, between Factor Nutrition Labs LLC and Costco Wholesale Corporation.

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Table of Contents

Exhibit No.

 

Description

10.29+*

 

Supplier Agreement by and among Factor Nutrition Labs LLC and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Wal-Mart Stores East, LP, Wal-Mart Stores East, Inc., Wal-Mart Stores Texas, LP, Sam’s West, Inc., and Sam’s East, Inc.

10.30*

 

Master Vendor Agreement, dated July 26, 2022, between iHerb, LLC and Synergy CHC Corp.

10.31*

 

Merchant Loan Agreement, dated January 29, 2024, between WebBank and Synergy CHC Corp.

10.32*

 

Merchant Loan Agreement, dated May 1, 2024, between WebBank and Synergy CHC Corp.

10.33*

 

Promissory Note, dated February 10, 2022, by Synergy CHC Corp. in favor of Don Sanders.

10.34*

 

Form of Securities Purchase Agreement, dated March 8, 2022, by and between Synergy CHC Corp. and the purchasers identified on the signature pages thereto.

10.35*

 

Form of Senior Subordinated Debenture due September 8, 2022.

10.36*

 

Modification Agreement, dated June 14, 2023, by and among Sanders Morris Harris, LLC, Mr. Don A. Sanders and Synergy CHC Corp.

10.37*

 

Modification Agreement, dated March 31, 2024, by and among Sanders Morris Harris, LLC, Don A. Sanders and Synergy CHC Corp.

10.38*

 

Form of Indemnification Agreement.

14.1*

 

Code of Business Ethics and Conduct.

21.1*

 

List of subsidiaries of the Registrant.

23.1*

 

Consent of RBSM LLP.

23.2**

 

Consent of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

24.1*

 

Powers of Attorney (included on signature page).

99.1*

 

Clawback Policy.

99.2*

 

Consent of Nitin Kaushal to be listed as a director nominee.

99.3*

 

Consent of Scott Woodburn to be listed as a director nominee.

107*

 

Filing Fee Table.

____________

#        Denotes a management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.

+        Certain confidential information contained in this agreement has been omitted because it is not material and would be competitively harmful if publicly disclosed.

*        Filed herewith.

**      To be filed by amendment.

(b)    Financial Statement Schedules

All schedules have been omitted because the information required to be set forth in the schedules is either not applicable or is shown in the financial statements or notes thereto.

Item 17.     Undertakings

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

II-4

Table of Contents

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(1)    For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

(2)    For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

II-5

Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement on Form S-1 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Westbrook, State of Maine, on the 28th day of June, 2024.

 

SYNERGY CHC CORP.

   

By:

 

/s/ Jack Ross

       

Jack Ross

       

Chief Executive Officer and Chairman

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Jack Ross his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with full power of substitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and to sign any registration statement for the same offering covered by the registration statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act, and all post-effective amendments thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent or any of them, his, hers or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done or by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

SIGNATURE

 

TITLE

 

DATE

/s/ Jack Ross

 

Chief Executive Officer and Chairman

 

June 28, 2024

Jack Ross

 

(principal executive officer)

   

/s/ Stacy B. McLaughlin

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

June 28, 2024

Stacy B. McLaughlin

 

(principal financial officer)

   

/s/ Alfred Baumeler

 

President and Director Nominee

 

June 28, 2024

Alfred Baumeler

       

/s/ Jaime Fickett

 

Senior Vice President of Finance and Operations

 

June 28, 2024

Jaime Fickett

 

(principal accounting officer)

   

/s/ J. Paul SoRelle

 

Director

 

June 28, 2024

J. Paul SoRelle

       

II-6

Exhibit 2.1

 

AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

 

by and among

 

Oro Capital Corporation

 

Synergy Merger Sub, Inc.,

 

and

 

Synergy Strips Corp.

 

dated as of April 7, 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

    Page
     
ARTICLE 1 THE MERGER 1
1.1. The Merger 1
1.2. Closing 1
1.3. Effective Time of the Merger 2
1.4. Effects of the Merger 2
1.5. Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation 2
1.6. Directors and Officers 2
ARTICLE 2 EFFECT OF THE MERGER ON THE CAPITAL STOCK OF COMPANY AND MERGER SUB 2
2.1. Effect on Capital Stock 2
2.2. Intentionally Omitted 3
2.3. Issuance and Reservation of Shares 3
2.4. Dissenting Shares 4
2.5. Additional Actions 4
ARTICLE 3 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY 4
3.1. Organization, Standing and Corporate Power 4
3.2. Subsidiaries 4
3.3. Capital Structure of the Company 5
3.4. Corporate Authority; Noncontravention 5
3.5. Governmental Authorization 5
3.6. Financial Statements 6
3.7. Absence of Certain Changes or Events 6
3.8. Certain Fees 6
3.9. Litigation; Labor Matters; Compliance with Laws 6
3.10. Benefit Plans 7
3.11. Tax Returns and Tax Payments 7
3.12. Environmental Matters 8
3.13. Material Contract Defaults 8
3.14. Accounts Receivable 8
3.15. Properties 8
3.16. Intellectual Property 9
3.17. Board Recommendation 9
3.18. Undisclosed Liabilities 9
3.19. No Registration of Securities 9
3.20. Parent Information 9
3.21. Licenses. 9
3.22. FDA and Related Matters. 10
3.23. Questionable Payments. 11
3.24. Full Disclosure 12

 

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ARTICLE 4 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUB 12
4.1. Organization, Standing and Corporate Power 12
4.2. Subsidiaries 12
4.3. Capital Structure of Parent and Merger Sub 12
4.4. Corporate Authority; Noncontravention 13
4.5. Government Authorization 14
4.6. SEC Documents; Undisclosed Liabilities; Financial Statements 14
4.7. Absence of Certain Changes 15
4.8. Certain Fees 15
4.9. Litigation; Labor Matters; Compliance with Laws 15
4.10. Benefit Plans 16
4.11. Certain Employee Payments 16
4.12. Tax Returns and Tax Payments 16
4.13. Intentionally Omitted 16
4.14. Material Contract Defaults 16
4.15. Accounts Receivable 17
4.16. Properties 17
4.17. Intellectual Property 17
4.18. Board Determination 17
4.19. Required Parent Share Issuance Approval 17
4.20. Undisclosed Liabilities 17
4.21. Full Disclosure 17
ARTICLE 5 CONDUCT OF BUSINESSES PENDING THE MERGER 18
5.1. Conduct of Business by the Company Pending the Merger. 18
5.2. Conduct of Business by Parent and Merger Sub Pending the Merger. 18
ARTICLE 6 COVENANTS OF PARENT OR COMPANY 19
6.1. Director and Officer Appointments 19
6.2. Private Placement 19
6.3. Parent Name Change 20
6.4. NASDAQ 20
ARTICLE 7 COVENANTS OF PARENT AND THE COMPANY 20
7.1. Public Announcements 20
7.2. Transfer Taxes 20
7.3. Fees and Expenses 20
7.4. Transfer Restrictions 20
7.5. Current Report 21
7.6. Access and Information 21
ARTICLE 8 INDEMNIFICATION 22
8.1. Indemnification of Parent and Merger Sub 22
8.2. Indemnification of the Company 22
8.3. Claims Procedure 22
8.4. Exclusive Remedy 23
ARTICLE 9 CONDITIONS TO MERGER 23
9.1. Condition to Obligation of Each Party to Effect the Merger 23
9.2. Additional Conditions to Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub 23
9.3. Additional Conditions to Obligations of the Company 24
ARTICLE 10 SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS 25

 

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ARTICLE 11 TERMINATION 25
11.1. Termination 25
11.2. Notice of Termination 26
11.3. Effect of Termination 26
ARTICLE 12 GENERAL PROVISIONS 26
12.1. Notices 26
12.2. Amendment 27
12.3. Waiver 27
12.4. Failure or Indulgence Not Waiver; Remedies Cumulative 27
12.5. Headings 27
12.6. Severability 27
12.7. Entire Agreement 27
12.8. Assignment 28
12.9. Parties In Interest 28
12.10. Governing Law 28
12.11. Counterparts 28
12.12. Attorneys Fees 28
12.13. Representation 28
12.14. Drafting 28
12.15. Interpretation 28

 

Signatures 29
Exhibit A - Certain Definitions A-1
Exhibit B - Delaware Certificate of Merger B-1
Exhibit C - Form of Stockholder Representation Letter C-1
Exhibit D - Form of Indemnification Agreement D-1

 

iii

 

 

AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

 

THIS AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (the “Agreement”), is made and entered into as of April 7, 2014, by and among Oro Capital Corporation, a Nevada corporation (“Parent”), Synergy Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (“Merger Sub”), and Synergy Strips Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”). Certain other capitalized terms used in this Agreement are defined in Exhibit A attached hereto.

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the respective Boards of Directors of Parent, Merger Sub, and the Company have determined that it is in the best interest of each company and their respective stockholders to consummate the merger transaction provided for herein in which Merger Sub would merge with and into the Company (the “Merger”), with the Company surviving the Merger, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein;

 

WHEREAS, the respective Boards of Directors of Parent, Merger Sub, and the Company have approved this Agreement, the Merger, and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement in accordance with the Nevada Revised Statutes (“NRS”), the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”) and their respective charter documents;

 

WHEREAS, each of Parent, Merger Sub, and the Company desires to make certain representations, warranties, covenants and agreements in connection with the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement and also to prescribe various conditions to the consummation thereof; and

 

WHEREAS, for federal income tax purposes, the parties intend that the Merger shall qualify as reorganization under the provisions of Section 368(a)(1)(B) of the Code.

 

AGREEMENT

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual promises, representations, warranties, covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE 1

 

THE MERGER

 

1.1. The Merger. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, and in accordance with the DGCL, Merger Sub shall be merged with and into the Company at the Effective Time of the Merger (as defined in Section 1.3). Also at the Effective Time, the separate corporate existence of Merger Sub shall cease, and the Company shall continue as the surviving corporation (the “Surviving Corporation”) and shall succeed to and assume all the rights, properties, liabilities and obligations of Merger Sub in accordance with the DGCL.

 

1.2. Closing. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein and unless this Agreement has been terminated pursuant to its terms, the closing of the Merger (the “Closing”) shall take place at the offices of Greenberg Traurig LLP located at 1201 K Street, Suite 1100, Sacramento, CA 95814 at the date on or before thirty (30) days following the date upon which the conditions to Closing set forth in Article 9 of this Agreement shall have been satisfied or, to the extent permitted hereunder, waived by the appropriate party (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing, but subject to the satisfaction or, to the extent permitted hereunder, waiver of all such conditions) or at such other time, date or location as the parties hereto agree. The date on which the Closing actually occurs and the transactions contemplated hereby become effective is hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.” At the time of the Closing, Parent, Merger Sub and the Company shall deliver the certificates and other documents and instruments required to be delivered hereunder.

 

1

 

 

1.3. Effective Time of the Merger. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, at the Closing, the parties hereto shall (a) cause a certificate of merger in substantially the form of Exhibit B (the “Delaware Certificate of Merger”) to be executed and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, as provided in Section 252 of the DGCL and (b) take all such other and further actions as may be required by the DGCL or other applicable Law to make the Merger effective. The Merger shall become effective as of the date and time of the filing of the Delaware Certificate of Merger or at such later date or time as may be agreed by the Company and Parent in writing and specified in the Delaware Certificate of Merger in accordance with relevant provisions of the DGCL. The date and time of such effectiveness are referred to herein as the “Effective Time.”

 

1.4. Effects of the Merger. Subject to the foregoing, the effects of the Merger shall be as provided in the applicable provisions of the DGCL.

 

1.5. Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation. The Certificate of Incorporation of the Company as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time and as amended by the Delaware Certificate of Merger shall, from and after the Effective Time, be the Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation until thereafter changed or amended as provided therein or in accordance with applicable Law. The Bylaws of the Company as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time shall, from and after the Effective Time, be the Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation until thereafter changed or amended as provided therein or in accordance with applicable Law.

 

1.6. Directors and Officers. The directors and officers of the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time shall, from and after the Effective Time, be the directors and officers, respectively, of the Surviving Corporation until their successors shall have been duly elected or appointed and qualified in accordance with applicable Law or until their earlier death, resignation or removal in accordance with the Surviving Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws.

 

ARTICLE 2

 

EFFECT OF THE MERGER ON THE CAPITAL STOCK

OF COMPANY AND MERGER SUB

 

2.1. Effect on Capital Stock. At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of Parent, Merger Sub or the Company or any holder of capital stock of Parent, Merger Sub or the Company:

 

(a) Capital Stock of Merger Sub. Each issued and outstanding share of capital stock of Merger Sub shall by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of any holder thereof, be converted into one share of the Company’s common stock. Such newly issued share shall thereafter constitute all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Surviving Corporation.

 

2

 

 

(b) Conversion of the Company Stock. Subject to other provisions of this Article 2:

 

(i) The shares of the Company Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (individually a “Share” and collectively the “Shares”), but excluding (A) Shares held by the Company, and (B) Shares held by Parent, Merger Sub or any other Subsidiary or parent of Parent or Merger Sub, if any, and (C) Dissenting Shares, shall, by virtue of the Merger, be converted automatically into the right to receive 16,000,000 shares of Common Stock of Parent (the “Merger Consideration”).

 

(ii) The Shares and the holders thereof shall be set forth on a Merger Consideration certificate that has been delivered by the Company to the Parent prior to the Closing (the “Merger Consideration Certificate”). Parent and the Surviving Corporation shall be entitled to rely on the Merger Consideration Certificate in connection with issuance of certificates representing the Merger Consideration pursuant to Section 2.3.

 

(iii) At the Effective Time, all Shares shall no longer be outstanding and shall automatically be canceled and retired and shall cease to exist, and subject to Section 2.4, each holder of a certificate formerly representing any Shares shall cease to have any rights with respect thereto, except the right to receive, upon the surrender of any certificates representing such holder’s Shares, a certificate or certificates representing the Merger Consideration to which such holder is entitled.

 

(iv) At the Effective Time, each Share held by the Company as treasury stock or held by Parent, Merger Sub or any Subsidiary or parent of Parent, Merger Sub or the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time shall, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of Parent, Merger Sub, the Company or the holder thereof, be canceled, retired and cease to exist, and no consideration shall be delivered with respect thereto.

 

2.2. Intentionally Omitted

 

2.3. Issuance and Reservation of Shares.

 

(a) Promptly after the Effective Time, Parent shall distribute the Merger Consideration to holders of Shares by issuance of certificates in accordance with the Merger Consideration Certificate and the applicable provisions of the NRS.

 

(b) If any portion of the Merger Consideration is to be issued to a Person other than the registered holder of the Shares represented by the certificates surrendered in exchange therefor, it shall be a condition to such issuance that the certificates so surrendered shall be properly endorsed or otherwise be in proper form for transfer and that the Person requesting such issuance shall pay to Parent any transfer or other taxes required as a result of such issuance to a Person other than the registered holder of such Shares or establish to the satisfaction of Parent that such tax has been paid or is not payable.

 

(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.3, Parent shall not be liable to any holder of Shares for any amount paid to a public official pursuant to and in accordance with the requirements of applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar Laws.

 

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2.4. Dissenting Shares.

 

(a) Notwithstanding Section 2.1, Shares outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time and held by a holder who has not voted in favor of, or consented in writing to, the Merger and who has properly exercised appraisal rights of such Shares in accordance with Section 262 of the DGCL (such Shares being referred to collectively as the “Dissenting Shares” until such time as such holder fails to perfect or otherwise loses such holder’s appraisal rights under the DGCL with respect to such Shares) shall not be converted into the right to receive any portion of the Merger Consideration as provided in Section 2.1(b) of this Agreement, but instead shall be entitled to only such rights as are granted by Section 262 of the DGCL; provided, however, that if, after the Effective Time, such holder fails to perfect, withdraws or loses such holder’s right to an appraisal pursuant to Section 262 of the DGCL or if a court of competent jurisdiction shall determine that such holder is not entitled to the relief provided by Section 262 of the DGCL, such Shares shall thereupon be treated as if they had been converted as of the Effective Time into the right to receive the Merger Consideration to which such holder is entitled pursuant to Section 2.1(b), upon surrender of such holder’s certificate formerly representing such Shares.

 

(b) The Company shall give Parent prompt notice of any demands received by the Company for the appraisal of Shares, and Parent shall have the right to consult with the Company regarding all negotiations and proceedings with respect to such demands. The Company shall not make any such payment without Parent’s prior written consent (not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed, denied, or conditioned).

 

2.5. Additional Actions. If, at any time after the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall consider or be advised that any deeds, bills of sale, assignments, assurances or any other actions or things are necessary or desirable to vest, perfect or confirm of record or otherwise in the Surviving Corporation its right, title or interest in, to or under any of the rights, properties or Assets of Merger Sub or the Company or otherwise to carry out this Agreement, the officers and directors of the Surviving Corporation shall be authorized to execute and deliver, in the name and on behalf of Merger Sub and the Company, all such deeds, bills of sale, assignments and assurances and to take and do, in the name and on behalf of Merger Sub or the Company, all such other actions and things as may be necessary or desirable to vest, perfect or confirm any and all right, title and interest in, to and under such rights, properties or Assets in the Surviving Corporation or otherwise carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE 3

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

 

The Company represents and warrants to Parent and Merger Sub that, except as set forth in the disclosure schedules delivered by the Company to Parent and Merger Sub (the “Company Disclosure Schedule”) which have been provided to Parent prior to the date hereof:

 

3.1. Organization, Standing and Corporate Power. The Company is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State of Delaware and has the requisite corporate power and authority and all government licenses, authorizations, Permits, consents and approvals required to own, lease and operate its properties and carry on its business as now being conducted. The Company is duly qualified or licensed to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the nature of its business or the ownership or leasing of its properties makes such qualification or licensing necessary, other than in such jurisdictions where the failure to be so qualified or licensed (individually or in the aggregate) would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

3.2. Subsidiaries. The Company does not own directly or indirectly, any equity or other ownership interest in any company, corporation, partnership, joint venture or otherwise.

 

4

 

 

3.3. Capital Structure of the Company. As of the date of this Agreement, the number of shares and type of all authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company, and all shares of capital stock reserved for issuance under the Company’s various option and incentive plans is specified on Schedule 3.3. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.3, no shares of capital stock or other equity securities of the Company are issued, reserved for issuance or outstanding. All outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and not subject to preemptive rights. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.3, there are no outstanding bonds, debentures, notes or other indebtedness or other securities of the Company having the right to vote (or convertible into, or exchangeable for, securities having the right to vote) on any matters. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.3, there are no outstanding securities, options, warrants, calls, rights, commitments, agreements, arrangements or undertakings of any kind to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound obligating the Company to issue, deliver or sell, or cause to be issued, delivered or sold, additional shares of capital stock or other equity or voting securities of the Company or obligating the Company to issue, grant, extend or enter into any such security, option, warrant, call, right, commitment, agreement, arrangement or undertaking. There are no outstanding contractual obligations, commitments, understandings or arrangements of the Company to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or make any payment in respect of any shares of capital stock of the Company. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.3, there are no agreements or arrangements pursuant to which the Company is or could be required to register shares of Company Common Stock or other securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Securities Act”) or other agreements or arrangements with or among any security holders of the Company with respect to securities of the Company.

 

3.4. Corporate Authority; Noncontravention. The Company has all requisite corporate and other power and authority to enter into this Agreement and, subject to receipt of the approval of its stockholders, to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby have been (or at Closing will have been) duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company. This Agreement has been duly executed and when delivered by the Company shall constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforcement may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar Laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by general principles of equity. The execution and delivery of this Agreement do not, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and compliance with the provisions hereof will not, conflict with, or result in any breach or violation of, or Default (with or without notice or lapse of time, or both) under, or give rise to a right of termination, cancellation or acceleration of or “put” right with respect to any obligation or to a loss of a material benefit under, or result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or Assets of the Company under, (a) the certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents of the Company, (b) any loan or credit agreement, note, bond, mortgage, indenture, lease or other agreement, instrument, Permit, concession, franchise or license applicable to the Company, its properties or Assets, or (c) subject to the governmental filings and other matters referred to in Section 3.5, any judgment, Order, decree, statute, Law, ordinance, rule, regulation or arbitration award applicable to the Company, its properties or Assets, other than, in the case of clauses (b) and (c), any such conflicts, breaches, violations, Defaults, rights, losses or Liens that individually or in the aggregate could not have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company or could not prevent, hinder or materially delay the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

3.5. Governmental Authorization. No consent, approval, Order or authorization of, or registration, declaration or filing with, or notice to, any Governmental Entity, is required by or with respect to the Company in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby, except, with respect to this Agreement, any filings under the DGCL, the NRS, the Securities Act or Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act”).

 

5

 

 

3.6. Financial Statements.

 

(a) At Closing, Parent has received a copy of the audited consolidated financial statements of the Company for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2013 (collectively, the “Company Financial Statements”). The Company Financial Statements fairly present the financial condition of the Company at the dates indicated and its results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended and, except as indicated therein, reflect all claims against, debts and liabilities of the Company, fixed or contingent, and of whatever nature, as of the dates indicated.

 

(b) Since January 1, 2014 (the “Company Balance Sheet Date”), there has been no Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company.

 

(c) Except as set forth on Schedule 3.6, since the Company Balance Sheet Date, the Company has not suffered any damage, destruction or loss of physical property (whether or not covered by insurance) affecting its condition (financial or otherwise) or operations (present or prospective).

 

3.7. Absence of Certain Changes or Events. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.7, since the Company Balance Sheet Date, the Company has conducted its business only in the ordinary course consistent with past practice, and there is not and has not been any:

 

(a) Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company;

 

(b) condition, event or occurrence which could reasonably be expected to prevent, hinder or materially delay the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

 

(c) creation or other incurrence by the Company of any Lien on any asset other than in the ordinary course consistent with past practices;

 

(d) labor dispute, other than routine, individual grievances, or, to the Knowledge of the Company, any activity or proceeding by a labor union or representative thereof to organize any employees of the Company or any lockouts, strikes, slowdowns, work stoppages or threats by or with respect to such employees;

 

(e) damage, destruction or loss having, or reasonably expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company;

 

(f) other condition, event or occurrence which individually or in the aggregate could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or give rise to a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company; or

 

(g) agreement or commitment to do any of the foregoing.

 

3.8. Certain Fees. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.8, no brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other person with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

3.9. Litigation; Labor Matters; Compliance with Laws.

 

(a) There is no suit, action or proceeding or investigation pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or any basis for any such suit, action, proceeding or investigation that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company or prevent, hinder or materially delay the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

6

 

 

(b) The Company is not a party to, or bound by, any collective bargaining agreement, Contract or other agreement or understanding with a labor union or labor organization, nor is it the subject of any proceeding asserting that it has committed an unfair labor practice or seeking to compel it to bargain with any labor organization as to wages or conditions of employment nor is there any strike, work stoppage or other labor dispute involving it pending or, to its Knowledge, threatened, any of which could have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to Company.

 

(c) The conduct of the business of the Company complies with all statutes, Laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgements, Orders, decrees or arbitration awards applicable thereto.

 

3.10. Benefit Plans. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.10, the Company is not a party to any Benefit Plan under which the Company currently has an obligation to provide benefits to any current or former employee, officer or director of the Company. As used herein, “Benefit Plan” shall mean any employee benefit plan, program, or arrangement of any kind, including any defined benefit or defined contribution plan, stock ownership plan, executive compensation program or arrangement, bonus plan, incentive compensation plan or arrangement, profit sharing plan or arrangement, deferred compensation plan, agreement or arrangement, supplemental retirement plan or arrangement, vacation pay, sickness, disability, or death benefit plan (whether provided through insurance, on a funded or unfunded basis, or otherwise), medical or life insurance plan providing benefits to employees, retirees, or former employees or any of their dependents, survivors, or beneficiaries, employee stock option or stock purchase plan, severance pay, termination, salary continuation, or employee assistance plan.

 

3.11. Tax Returns and Tax Payments.

 

(a) The Company has timely filed with the appropriate taxing authorities all Tax Returns required to be filed by it (taking into account all applicable extensions). All such Tax Returns are true, correct and complete in all respects. All Taxes due and owing by the Company have been paid (whether or not shown on any Tax Return and whether or not any Tax Return was required). The unpaid Taxes of the Company did not, as of the Company Balance Sheet Date, exceed the reserve for Tax liability (excluding any reserve for deferred Taxes established to reflect timing differences between book and Tax income) set forth on the face of the Company Financial Statements (rather than in any notes thereto). Since the Company Balance Sheet Date, the Company has not incurred any liability for Taxes outside the ordinary course of business consistent with past custom and practice. As of the Closing Date, the unpaid Taxes of the Company will not exceed the reserve for Tax liability (excluding any reserve for deferred Taxes established to reflect timing differences between book and Tax income) set forth on the books and records of the Company.

 

(b) No material claim for unpaid Taxes has been made or become a Lien against the property of the Company or is being asserted against the Company, and no extension of the statute of limitations on the assessment of any Taxes has been granted by the Company and is currently in effect.

 

(c) As used herein, “Taxes” shall mean all taxes of any kind, including, without limitation, those on or measured by or referred to as income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, franchise, profits, license, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium value added, property or windfall profits taxes, customs, duties or similar fees, assessments or charges of any kind whatsoever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts imposed by any governmental authority, domestic or foreign. As used herein, “Tax Return” shall mean any return, report or statement required to be filed with any governmental authority with respect to Taxes.

 

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3.12. Environmental Matters. The Company is in compliance with all Environmental Laws in all material respects. The Company holds all Permits and authorizations required under applicable Environmental Laws, unless the failure to hold such Permits and authorizations would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, and is in compliance with all terms, conditions and provisions of all such Permits and authorizations in all material respects. No releases of Hazardous Materials have occurred at, from, in, to, on or under any real property currently or formerly owned, operated or leased by the Company or any predecessor thereof and no Hazardous Materials are present in, on, about or migrating to or from any such property which could result in any liability to the Company. The Company has not transported or arranged for the treatment, storage, handling, disposal, or transportation of any Hazardous Material to any off-site location which could result in any liability to the Company. The Company has no liability, absolute or contingent, under any Environmental Law that if enforced or collected would have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

 

3.13. Material Contract Defaults. The Company is not, or has not received any notice or has any Knowledge that any other party is, in Material Contract Default under any Company Material Contract; and there has not occurred any event that with the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both would constitute such a Material Contract Default. For purposes of this Agreement, a “Company Material Contract” means any Contract that is effective as of the Closing Date to which the Company is a party (a) with expected receipts or expenditures in excess of $25,000, (b) requiring the Company to indemnify any person, (c) granting exclusive rights to any party, or (d) evidencing indebtedness for borrowed or loaned money in excess of $25,000, including guarantees of such indebtedness.

 

3.14. Accounts Receivable. All of the accounts receivable of the Company that are reflected on the Company Financial Statements or the accounting records of the Company as of the Closing (collectively, the “Accounts Receivable”) represent or will represent valid obligations arising from sales actually made or services actually performed in the ordinary course of business and are not subject to any defenses, counterclaims, or rights of set off other than those arising in the ordinary course of business and for which adequate reserves have been established. The Accounts Receivable are fully collectible to the extent not reserved for on the balance sheet on which they are shown.

 

3.15. Properties.

 

(a) The Company has valid land use rights for all real property that is material to its business and good, clear and marketable title to all the tangible properties and tangible Assets reflected in the latest balance sheet as being owned by the Company or acquired after the date thereof which are, individually or in the aggregate, material to the Company’s business (except properties sold or otherwise disposed of since the date thereof in the ordinary course of business), free and clear of all Material Liens, claims, options and restrictions of any nature whatsoever. Any real property and facilities held under lease by the Company is held by it under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases of which the Company is in compliance, except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b) The Company has good and marketable title to, or in the case of leased property, a valid leasehold interest in, the office space, computers, machinery, equipment and other material tangible Assets which are material to its business.

 

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3.16. Intellectual Property.

 

(a) As used in this Agreement, the term “Trademarks” means trademarks, service marks, trade names, internet domain names, designs, slogans, and general intangibles of like nature; the term “Trade Secrets” means technology; trade secrets and other confidential information, know-how, proprietary processes, formulae, algorithms, models, and methodologies; the term “Intellectual Property” means patents, copyrights, Trademarks, applications for any of the foregoing, and Trade Secrets; the term “License Agreements” means any license agreements granting any right to use or practice any rights under any Intellectual Property, and any written settlements relating to any Intellectual Property, to which any Person is a party or otherwise bound; and the term “Software” means any and all computer programs, including any and all software implementations of algorithms, models and methodologies, whether in source code or object code.

 

(b) The Company owns or has valid rights to use the Intellectual Property and Software that are necessary for the conduct of its business as now being conducted. All of the Company’s licenses to use Software are current and have been paid for the appropriate number of users. To the knowledge of the Company, none of the Company’s Intellectual Property or the Company’s License Agreements infringe upon the rights of any third party that may give rise to a cause of action or claim against the Company or its successors.

 

3.17. Board Recommendation. The Board of Directors of the Company has determined that the terms of the Merger are fair to and in the best interests of the stockholders of the Company and recommended that the Company’s stockholders approve the Merger.

 

3.18. Undisclosed Liabilities. The Company has no liabilities or monetary obligations of any nature (whether fixed or unfixed, secured or unsecured, known or unknown and whether absolute, accrued, contingent, or otherwise) except for such liabilities or obligations reflected or reserved against in the Company Financial Statements, incurred in the ordinary course of business after the Company Balance Sheet Date, or disclosed in Schedule 3.18.

 

3.19. No Registration of Securities. The Company understands and acknowledges that the offering, exchange and issuance of the Merger Consideration pursuant to this Agreement will not be registered under the Securities Act on the grounds that the offering, sale, exchange and issuance of securities contemplated by this Agreement are exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) and/or Section 3(b) of the Securities Act, and that Parent’s reliance upon such exemption is predicated in part upon the Company’s representations herein and upon the representations contained in the Stockholder Representation Letters, the form of which is attached as Exhibit C to this Agreement.

 

3.20. Parent Information. The Company acknowledges that it has had access to the documents filed by Parent under the Exchange Act, since the end of its most recently completed fiscal year to the date hereof, and has carefully reviewed the same (“Exchange Act Documents”). The Company further acknowledges that Parent has made available to it the opportunity to ask questions of and receive answers from Parent’s officers and directors concerning the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the business and financial condition of Parent, and the Company has received to its satisfaction, such information about the business and financial condition of Parent and the terms and conditions of the Agreement as it has requested. The Company has carefully considered the potential risks relating to Parent and investing in the Merger Consideration, and fully understands that such securities are speculative investments, which involve a high degree of risk of loss of the Company and its stockholders’ entire investment. Among others, the Company has carefully considered each of the risks identified under the caption “Risk Factors” in the Exchange Act Documents, which are incorporated herein by reference. The Company has made available all such information to its stockholders in considering the terms and conditions of the Merger.

 

3.21. Licenses. The Company possesses from all appropriate governmental authorities all licenses, permits, authorizations, approvals, franchises and rights necessary for the Company to engage in the business currently conducted by it, all of which are in full force and effect.

 

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3.22. FDA and Related Matters.

 

(a) The Company is and at all times has been in compliance in all respects with (i) all laws, rules, regulations and policies of the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) , Health Canada (“HC”) and other Healthcare Regulatory Authorities (as defined below) and (ii) all Healthcare Regulatory Authorizations (as defined below), including all requirements of the FDA, HC, and all other Healthcare Regulatory Authorities, that are applicable to the Company or by which any property, product, or other asset of the Company (including, without limitation, any Product Candidate (as defined below)) is bound or affected. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company has not received any written notification of any pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, claim, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, audit, investigation, arbitration or other action from any Healthcare Regulatory Authority. As used herein, “Healthcare Regulatory Authorities” means any entities that are concerned with or regulate the marketing, sale, use, handling and control, safety, efficacy, reliability or manufacturing of food, drug or biological products or medical devices or are concerned with or regulate public health care programs. As used herein, “Healthcare Regulatory Authorizations” means all approvals, clearances, authorizations, registrations, certifications, licenses and permits granted by any Healthcare Regulatory Authority, including all investigational new drug applications and new drug applications. As used herein, “Product Candidates” means foods, supplements, biologics, compounds or other products under development, current, active or otherwise, or consideration by the Company or any of its licensees.

 

(b) The Company holds and at all relevant times has held all Healthcare Regulatory Authorizations required for the conduct of its business, and all such Healthcare Regulatory Authorizations are in full force and effect. No event has occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other impairment of the rights of the holder of any such Healthcare Regulatory Authorization.

 

(c) There are no facts or circumstances that the Company has concluded are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the continued supply (either for clinical or commercial purposes) of the active ingredients or raw materials necessary to produce the Product Candidates currently used in clinical trials.

 

(d) The Company has not received any material written information from any Healthcare Regulatory Authority with jurisdiction over the marketing, sale, use, handling and control, safety, efficacy, reliability, or manufacturing of any of the Company’s products or services which would reasonably be expected to lead to the revocation, withdrawal, or denial of any application for marketing approval before such Healthcare Regulatory Authority.

 

(e) The Company has made available to Parent all reports, documents, claims, notices, filings, minutes, transcripts, recordings and other material correspondence between the Company and any Healthcare Regulatory Authority.

 

(f) All material reports, documents, claims, applicable product registration files and dossiers, notices and similar filings required to be filed, maintained, or furnished to any Healthcare Regulatory Authority by the Company have been so filed, maintained or furnished and, to the knowledge of the Company, were complete and correct in all material respects on the date filed (or were corrected in or supplemented by a subsequent filing).

 

(g) The Company has not voluntarily or involuntarily initiated, conducted or issued, or caused to be initiated, conducted or issued, any investigator notices, safety alerts or other notice of action relating to an alleged lack of safety, efficacy, or regulatory compliance of any Product Candidate being administered in a human clinical trial sponsored by the Company. The Company has not received any written notice that the FDA or any other governmental or regulatory authority has (i) commenced, or threatened to initiate, any action to request the recall of any Product Candidate, (ii) commenced, or threatened to initiate, any action to enjoin the manufacture or distribution of any Product Candidate, or (iii) commenced, or threatened to initiate, any action to enjoin the manufacture or distribution of any Product Candidate produced at any facility where any Product Candidate is manufactured, tested, processed, packaged or held for sale.

 

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(h) All manufacturing operations conducted by or for the benefit of the Company, whether domestic or foreign, have been, and are being conducted in material compliance with the FDA’s current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations for drug and biological products, including, without limitation, the relevant current International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidance documents (including, without limitation, the ICH Guidance Q7A Good Manufacturing Practices Guidance for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients), 21 C.F.R. Parts 210, 211, 606 and 610, and all similar local, state, federal, EU and other foreign laws or regulatory requirements.

 

(i) The Company has not received any FDA Form 483, notice of adverse finding, warning letters, untitled letters or other notices alleging a lack of safety from any Healthcare Regulatory Authority, and there is no action or proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by any such Healthcare Regulatory Authority, contesting the approval of, the uses of, or the labeling or promotion of, or otherwise alleging any violation of law with respect to, any product manufactured, distributed or marketed by or on behalf of the Company.

 

(j) The Company is not the subject of any pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened investigation regarding the Company or its products, by the FDA pursuant to its “Fraud, Untrue Statements of Material Facts, Bribery, and Illegal Gratuities” Final Policy set forth in 56 Fed. Reg. 46191 (Sept. 10, 1991) and any amendments thereto, or otherwise. Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any officer, employee, agent or distributor of the Company, has committed or been convicted of any crime or engaged in any conduct for which debarment is mandated by 21 U.S.C. § 335a(a) or any similar law or authorized by 21 U.S.C. § 335a(b) or any similar law. Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any officer, employee, agent or distributor of the Company, has been convicted of any crime or engaged in any conduct for which such Person could be excluded from participating in the federal health care programs under Section 1128 of the Social Security Act or any similar law. As of the date hereof, no claims, actions, proceedings or investigations that would reasonably be expected to result in a material debarment or exclusion of the Company is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of its directors, officers, employees or agents.

 

(k) Neither the Company nor any Affiliate thereof has taken or agreed to take any action or has any knowledge of any fact or circumstance that the Company believes is reasonably likely to materially impede or delay receipt of any approval or consent from any Healthcare Regulatory Authority that is necessary to consummate the Merger or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

3.23. Questionable Payments. Neither the Company nor any director, officer or, to the best knowledge of the Company, agent, employee or other Person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company, has used any corporate funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity; made any direct or indirect unlawful payments to government officials or employees from corporate funds; established or maintained any unlawful or unrecorded fund of corporate monies or other assets; made any false or fictitious entries on the books of record of any such corporations; or made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.

 

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3.24. Full Disclosure. All of the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement, including the Company Disclosure Schedules attached hereto, and all statements set forth in the certificates delivered by the Company at the Closing pursuant to this Agreement, are true, correct and complete in all material respects and do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make such representations, warranties or statements, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, misleading. The copies of all documents furnished by the Company pursuant to the terms of this Agreement are complete and accurate copies of the original documents. The schedules, certificates, and any and all other statements and information, whether furnished in written or electronic form, to Parent or its representatives by or on behalf of any of the Company or its Affiliates in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby do not contain any material misstatement of fact or omit to state a material fact or any fact necessary to make the statements contained therein not misleading.

 

ARTICLE 4

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUB

 

Parent and Merger Sub, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to the Company that, except as set forth in Parent Disclosure Schedule:

 

4.1. Organization, Standing and Corporate Power. Each of Parent and Merger Sub is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the States of Nevada and Delaware, respectively, and has the requisite corporate power and authority and all government licenses, authorizations, Permits, consents and approvals required to own, lease and operate its properties and carry on its business as now being conducted. Each of Parent and Merger Sub is duly qualified or licensed to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the nature of its business or the ownership or leasing of its properties makes such qualification or licensing necessary, other than in such jurisdictions where the failure to be so qualified or licensed (individually or in the aggregate) would not have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to Parent. Shares of common stock of Parent, par value $0.00001 (“Parent Common Stock”), trade on the OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol “OCAP.”

 

4.2. Subsidiaries. Other than Merger Sub, Parent does not own directly or indirectly, any equity or other ownership interest in any company, corporation, partnership, joint venture or otherwise.

 

4.3. Capital Structure of Parent and Merger Sub.

 

(a) Immediately prior to the issuance of the Merger Consideration at Closing, the authorized capital stock of Parent will consist of 75,000,000 shares of Parent Common Stock, $0.00001 par value, of which no more than approximately 49,000,000 shares of Parent Common Stock will be issued and outstanding, and no shares of Parent Common Stock will be issuable upon the exercise of outstanding warrants, convertible notes, options or otherwise. All outstanding shares of capital stock of Parent are, and all shares which may be issued pursuant to this Agreement will be, when issued, duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, not subject to preemptive rights, and issued in compliance with all applicable state and federal Laws concerning the issuance of securities. Except for the Parent Common Stock, there are no outstanding bonds, debentures, notes or other indebtedness or other securities of Parent having the right to vote (or convertible into, or exchangeable for, securities having the right to vote), and there are no outstanding securities, options, warrants, calls, rights, commitments, agreements, arrangements or undertakings of any kind to which Parent is a party or by which Parent is bound obligating Parent to issue, deliver or sell, or cause to be issued, delivered or sold, additional shares of capital stock or other equity securities of Parent or obligating Parent to issue, deliver or sell, or cause to be issued, delivered or sold, additional shares of capital stock or other equity securities of Parent or obligating Parent to issue, grant, extend or enter into any such security, option, warrant, call, right, commitment, agreement, arrangement or undertaking. There are no outstanding contractual obligations, commitments, understandings or arrangements of Parent or any of its subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or make any payment in respect of any shares of capital stock of Parent or any of its subsidiaries. There are no agreements or arrangements pursuant to which Parent is or could be required to register shares of Parent Common Stock or other securities under the Securities Act or other agreements or arrangements with or among any security holders of Parent with respect to securities of Parent.

 

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(b) Immediately prior to the Closing, the authorized capital stock of Merger Sub will consist of 1,000 shares of Merger Sub Common Stock, $0.001 par value, of which no more than 100 shares of Merger Sub Common Stock will be issued and outstanding, and no shares of Merger Sub Common Stock will be issuable upon the exercise of outstanding warrants, convertible notes, options or otherwise. All outstanding shares of capital stock of Merger Sub are owned by Parent and are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, not subject to preemptive rights, and issued in compliance with all applicable state and federal Laws concerning the issuance of securities. Except for the Merger Sub Common Stock, there are no outstanding bonds, debentures, notes or other indebtedness or other securities of Merger Sub having the right to vote (or convertible into, or exchangeable for, securities having the right to vote). There are no outstanding securities, options, warrants, calls, rights, commitments, agreements, arrangements or undertakings of any kind to which Merger Sub is a party or by which Merger Sub is bound obligating Merger Sub to issue, deliver or sell, or cause to be issued, delivered or sold, additional shares of capital stock or other equity securities of Merger Sub or obligating Merger Sub to issue, deliver or sell, or cause to be issued, delivered or sold, additional shares of capital stock or other equity securities of Merger Sub or obligating Merger Sub to issue, grant, extend or enter into any such security, option, warrant, call, right, commitment, agreement, arrangement or undertaking. There are no outstanding contractual obligations, commitments, understandings or arrangements of Merger Sub to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or make any payment in respect of any shares of capital stock of Merger Sub. There are no agreements or arrangements pursuant to which Merger Sub is or could be required to register shares of Merger Sub Common Stock or other securities under the Securities Act or other agreements or arrangements with or among any security holders of Merger Sub with respect to securities of Merger Sub. Merger Sub does not own directly or indirectly, any equity or other ownership interest in any company, corporation, partnership, joint venture or otherwise. Merger Sub has not conducted any operations and does not have any assets, liabilities or employees.

 

4.4. Corporate Authority; Noncontravention. Each of Parent and Merger Sub has all requisite corporate and other power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by each of Parent and Merger Sub and the consummation by each of Parent and Merger Sub of the transactions contemplated hereby have been (or at Closing will have been) duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of each of Parent and Merger Sub. This Agreement has been duly executed and when delivered by each of Parent and Merger Sub, shall constitute a valid and binding obligation of each of Parent and Merger Sub, enforceable against Parent and Merger Sub in accordance with its terms, except as such enforcement may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar Laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by general principles of equity. The execution and delivery of this Agreement do not, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and compliance with the provisions hereof will not, conflict with, or result in any breach or violation of, or Default (with or without notice or lapse of time, or both) under, or give rise to a right of termination, cancellation or acceleration of or “put” right with respect to any obligation or to loss of a material benefit under, or result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or Assets of Parent and Merger Sub under, (a) the articles of incorporation, bylaws, or other charter documents of each of Parent and Merger sub, (b) any loan or credit agreement, note, bond, mortgage, indenture, lease or other agreement, instrument, Permit, concession, franchise or license applicable to each of Parent or Merger Sub, each of its properties or Assets, or (c) subject to the governmental filings and other matters referred to in Section 4.5, any judgment, Order, decree, statute, Law, ordinance, rule, regulation or arbitration award applicable to each of Parent and Merger Sub, each of its properties or Assets, other than, in the case of clauses (b) and (c), any such conflicts, breaches, violations, Defaults, rights, losses or Liens that individually or in the aggregate could not have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to Parent or could not prevent, hinder or materially delay the ability of Parent to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

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4.5. Government Authorization. No consent, approval, Order or authorization of, or registration, declaration or filing with, or notice to, any Governmental Entity, is required by or with respect to each of Parent and Merger Sub in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement by Parent and Merger Sub, or the consummation by Parent and Merger Sub of the transactions contemplated hereby, except, with respect to this Agreement, any filings under the DGCL, the NRS, the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.

 

4.6. SEC Documents; Undisclosed Liabilities; Financial Statements.

 

(a) Parent has timely filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents as required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and Parent has delivered or made available to the Company all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents filed with the SEC (collectively, and in each case including all exhibits and schedules thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, the “Parent SEC Documents”). As of their respective dates, the Parent SEC Documents complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder applicable to such Parent SEC Documents. Except to the extent revised or superseded by a subsequent filing with the SEC (a copy of which has been provided to the Company prior to the date of this Agreement), none of the Parent SEC Documents (including any and all consolidated financial statements included therein) contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The consolidated financial statements of Parent included in such Parent SEC Documents comply as to form in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto, have been prepared in accordance with GAAP (except, in the case of unaudited consolidated quarterly statements, as permitted by Form 10-Q of the SEC) applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto) and fairly present the consolidated financial position of Parent and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and the consolidated results of operations and changes in cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited quarterly statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments as determined by Parent’s independent accountants). Except as set forth in the Parent SEC Documents, at the date of the most recent financial statements of Parent included in the Parent SEC Documents, Parent has not incurred any liabilities or monetary obligations of any nature (whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise), which, individually, or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent.

 

(b) Except as disclosed in the Parent SEC Documents filed prior to the date hereof or as set forth in this Agreement, since January 31, 2014 (the “Parent Balance Sheet Date”), there has been no Material Adverse Effect with respect to Parent.

 

(c) Except as disclosed in the Parent SEC Documents filed prior to the date hereof or as provided in this Agreement, since the Parent Balance Sheet Date, Parent has not issued, sold or otherwise disposed of, or agreed to issue, sell or otherwise dispose of, any capital stock or any other security of Parent and has not granted or agreed to grant any option, warrant or other right to subscribe for or to purchase any capital stock or any other security of Parent or has incurred or agreed to incur any indebtedness for borrowed money.

 

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4.7. Absence of Certain Changes. Except as disclosed in the Parent SEC Documents filed prior to the date hereof or as set forth on Schedule 4.7, since the Parent Balance Sheet Date, Parent has conducted its business only in the ordinary course consistent with past practice in light of its current business circumstances, and there is not and has not been any:

 

(a) Material Adverse Effect with respect to Parent;

 

(b) condition, event or occurrence which could reasonably be expected to prevent, hinder or materially delay the ability of Parent to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

 

(c) incurrence, assumption or guarantee by Parent of any indebtedness for borrowed money other than in the ordinary course and in amounts and on terms consistent with past practices;

 

(d) creation or other incurrence by Parent of any Lien on any asset other than in the ordinary course consistent with past practices;

 

(e) labor dispute, other than routine, individual grievances, or, to the Knowledge of Parent, any activity or proceeding by a labor union or representative thereof to organize any employees of Parent or any lockouts, strikes, slowdowns, work stoppages or threats by or with respect to such employees;

 

(f) payment, prepayment or discharge of liability other than in the ordinary course of business or any failure to pay any liability when due;

 

(g) material write-offs or write-downs of any Assets of Parent;

 

(h) damage, destruction or loss having, or reasonably expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect on Parent;

 

(i) other condition, event or occurrence which individually or in the aggregate could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or give rise to a Material Adverse Effect with respect to Parent; or

 

(j) agreement or commitment to do any of the foregoing.

 

4.8. Certain Fees. No brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by Parent or Merger Sub to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other person with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

4.9. Litigation; Labor Matters; Compliance with Laws.

 

(a) There is no suit, action or proceeding or investigation pending or, to the Knowledge of each of Parent and Merger Sub, threatened against or affecting Parent or Merger Sub or any basis for any such suit, action, proceeding or investigation that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to each of Parent or Merger Sub or prevent, hinder or materially delay the ability of each of Parent and Merger Sub to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, nor is there any judgment, decree, injunction, rule or Order of any Governmental Entity or arbitrator outstanding against Parent or Merger Sub having, or which, insofar as reasonably could be foreseen by Parent or Merger Sub, in the future could have, any such effect.

 

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(b) Each of Parent and Merger Sub is not a party to, or bound by, any collective bargaining agreement, Contract or other agreement or understanding with a labor union or labor organization, nor is it the subject of any proceeding asserting that it has committed an unfair labor practice or seeking to compel it to bargain with any labor organization as to wages or conditions of employment nor is there any strike, work stoppage or other labor dispute involving it pending or, to its Knowledge, threatened, any of which could have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to Parent.

 

(c) The conduct of the business of each of Parent and Merger Sub complies with all statutes, Laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, Orders, decrees or arbitration awards applicable thereto.

 

4.10. Benefit Plans. Each of Parent and Merger Sub is not a party to any Benefit Plan under which Parent or Merger Sub currently has an obligation to provide benefits to any current or former employee, officer or director of Parent or Merger Sub.

 

4.11. Certain Employee Payments. Parent is not a party to any employment agreement which could result in the payment to any current, former or future director or employee of Parent of any money or other property or rights or accelerate or provide any other rights or benefits to any such employee or director as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, whether or not (a) such payment, acceleration or provision would constitute a “parachute payment” (within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code), or (b) some other subsequent action or event would be required to cause such payment, acceleration or provision to be triggered.

 

4.12. Tax Returns and Tax Payments.

 

(a) Parent has timely filed with the appropriate taxing authorities all Tax Returns required to be filed by it (taking into account all applicable extensions). All such Tax Returns are true, correct and complete in all respects. All Taxes due and owing by Parent have been paid (whether or not shown on any Tax Return and whether or not any Tax Return was required). Parent is not currently the beneficiary of any extension of time within which to file any Tax Return or pay any Tax. No claim has ever been made in writing or otherwise addressed to Parent by a taxing authority in a jurisdiction where Parent does not file Tax Returns that it is or may be subject to taxation by that jurisdiction. The unpaid Taxes of Parent did not, as of the Parent Balance Sheet Date, exceed the reserve for Tax liability (excluding any reserve for deferred Taxes established to reflect timing differences between book and Tax income) set forth on the face of the financial statements (rather than in any notes thereto). Since the Parent Balance Sheet Date, neither the Parent nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred any liability for Taxes outside the ordinary course of business consistent with past custom and practice. As of the Closing Date, the unpaid Taxes of Parent and its subsidiaries will not exceed the reserve for Tax liability (excluding any reserve for deferred Taxes established to reflect timing differences between book and Tax income) set forth on the books and records of Parent.

 

(b) No material claim for unpaid Taxes has been made or become a Lien against the property of Parent or is being asserted against Parent, no audit of any Tax Return of Parent is being conducted by a tax authority, and no extension of the statute of limitations on the assessment of any Taxes has been granted by Parent and is currently in effect. Parent has withheld and paid all Taxes required to have been withheld and paid in connection with amounts paid or owing to any employee, independent contractor, creditor, stockholder or other third party.

 

4.13. Intentionally Omitted.

 

4.14. Material Contract Defaults. Parent is not, or has not received any notice or has any Knowledge that any other party is, in Material Contract Default under any Parent Material Contract; and there has not occurred any event that with the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both would constitute such a Material Contract Default. For purposes of this Agreement, a “Parent Material Contract” means any Contract that is effective as of the Closing Date to which the Parent is a party (a) with expected receipts or expenditures in excess of $25,000, (b) requiring the Parent to indemnify any person, (c) granting exclusive rights to any party, or (d) evidencing indebtedness for borrowed or loaned money in excess of $25,000, including guarantees of such indebtedness.

 

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4.15. Accounts Receivable. All of the accounts receivable of Parent that are reflected in the Parent SEC Documents or the accounting records of Parent as of the Closing (collectively, the “Parent Accounts Receivable”) represent or will represent valid obligations arising from sales actually made or services actually performed in the ordinary course of business and are not subject to any defenses, counterclaims, or rights of set off other than those arising in the ordinary course of business and for which adequate reserves have been established. The Parent Accounts Receivable are fully collectible to the extent not reserved for on the balance sheet on which they are shown.

 

4.16. Properties. Each of Parent and Merger Sub has valid land use rights for all real property that is material to its business and good, clear and marketable title to all the tangible properties and tangible Assets reflected in the latest balance sheet as being owned by Parent or Merger Sub or acquired after the date thereof which are, individually or in the aggregate, material to Parent’s business (except properties sold or otherwise disposed of since the date thereof in the ordinary course of business), free and clear of all Material Liens, claims, options and restrictions of any nature whatsoever. Any real property and facilities held under lease by Parent or Merger Sub are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases of which each of Parent and Merger Sub is in compliance, except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

4.17. Intellectual Property. Each of Parent and Merger Sub owns or has valid rights to use the Intellectual Property and Software that are necessary for the conduct of its business as now being conducted. All of Parent’s and Merger Sub’s licenses to use Software are current and have been paid for the appropriate number of users. To the Knowledge of each of Parent and Merger Sub, none of Parent’s or Merger Sub’s Intellectual Property or Parent’s or Merger Sub’s License Agreements infringe upon the rights of any third party that may give rise to a cause of action or claim against Parent or Merger Sub or each of its successors.

 

4.18. Board Determination. The Board of Directors of each of Parent and Merger Sub has unanimously determined that the terms of the Merger are fair to and in the best interests of Parent and Merger Sub and each of its stockholders.

 

4.19. Required Parent Share Issuance Approval. Parent represents that the issuance of the Merger Consideration will be in compliance with the NRS and the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of Parent.

 

4.20. Undisclosed Liabilities. Parent has no liabilities or obligations of any nature (whether fixed or unfixed, secured or unsecured, known or unknown and whether absolute, accrued, contingent, or otherwise) except for liabilities or obligations reflected or reserved against in the Parent SEC Documents filed prior to the date hereof or incurred in the ordinary course of business since the Parent Balance Sheet Date.

 

4.21. Full Disclosure. All of the representations and warranties made by each of Parent and Merger Sub in this Agreement, including the Parent Disclosure Schedules attached hereto, and all statements set forth in the certificates delivered by each of Parent and Merger Sub at the Closing pursuant to this Agreement, are true, correct and complete in all material respects and do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make such representations, warranties or statements, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, misleading. The copies of all documents furnished by each of Parent and Merger Sub pursuant to the terms of this Agreement are complete and accurate copies of the original documents. The schedules, certificates, and any and all other statements and information, whether in written or electronic form, to the Company or its representatives by or on behalf of any of the Parent or Merger Sub or their Affiliates in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby do not contain any material misstatement of fact or omit to state a material fact or any fact necessary to make the statements contained therein not misleading.

 

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ARTICLE 5

 

CONDUCT OF BUSINESSES PENDING THE MERGER

 

5.1. Conduct of Business by the Company Pending the Merger. Prior to the Effective Time, unless Parent or Merger Sub shall otherwise agree in writing or as otherwise contemplated by this Agreement or the other agreements contemplated hereby:

 

(a) the business of the Company shall be conducted only in the ordinary course;

 

(b) the Company shall not (i) directly or indirectly redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire or agree to redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire any shares of its capital stock; (ii) amend its Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws except to effectuate the transactions contemplated herein; or (iii) split, combine or reclassify the outstanding Shares or declare, set aside or pay any dividend payable in cash, stock or property or make any distribution with respect to any such stock;

 

(c) the Company shall not (i) issue or agree to issue any additional Shares, or options, warrants or rights of any kind to acquire any Shares, except in connection with the Financing, (ii) acquire or dispose of any fixed assets or acquire or dispose of any other substantial assets other than in the ordinary course of business; (iii) incur additional indebtedness or any other liabilities or enter into any other transaction other than in the ordinary course of business; (iv) enter into any contract, agreement, commitment or arrangement with respect to any of the foregoing; or (v) except as contemplated by this Agreement, enter into any contract, agreement, commitment or arrangement to dissolve, merge, consolidate or enter into any other material business combination;

 

(d) the Company shall use its best efforts to preserve intact the business organization of the Company, to keep available the service of its present officers and key employees, and to preserve the good will of those having business relationships with it; and

 

(e) the Company will not, nor will it authorize any director or authorize or permit any officer or employee or any attorney, accountant or other representative retained by it to, make, solicit, encourage any inquiries with respect to, or engage in any negotiations concerning, any Acquisition Proposal (as defined below for purposes of this paragraph). The Company will promptly advise Parent orally and in writing of any such inquiries or proposals (or requests for information) and the substance thereof. As used in this paragraph, “Acquisition Proposal” shall mean any proposal for a merger or other business combination involving the Company or for the acquisition of a substantial equity interest in it or any material assets of it other than as contemplated by this Agreement. The Company will immediately cease and cause to be terminated any existing activities, discussions or negotiations with any Person conducted heretofore with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

5.2. Conduct of Business by Parent and Merger Sub Pending the Merger. Prior to the Effective Time, unless the Company shall otherwise agree in writing or as otherwise contemplated by this Agreement or the other agreements contemplated hereby:

 

(a) the business of Parent and Merger Sub shall be conducted only in the ordinary course; provided, however, that Parent shall take the steps necessary to have discontinued its existing business without liability to Parent or Merger Sub or the Surviving Corporation immediately following the Effective Time;

 

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(b) neither Parent nor Merger Sub shall (i) directly or indirectly redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire or agree to redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire any shares of its capital stock; (ii) amend its charter or by-laws other than to effectuate the transactions contemplated hereby; or (iii) split, combine or reclassify its capital stock or declare, set aside or pay any dividend payable in cash, stock or property or make any distribution with respect to such stock;

 

(c) neither Parent nor Merger Sub shall (i) issue or agree to issue any additional shares of, or options, warrants or rights of any kind to acquire shares of, its capital stock; (ii) acquire or dispose of any assets other than in the ordinary course of business; (iii) incur additional indebtedness or any other liabilities or enter into any other transaction except in the ordinary course of business; (iv) enter into any contract, agreement, commitment or arrangement with respect to any of the foregoing or (v) except as contemplated by this Agreement, enter into any contract, agreement, commitment or arrangement to dissolve, merge, consolidate or enter into any other material business contract or enter into any negotiations in connection therewith;

 

(d) neither the Parent nor Merger Sub will, nor will they authorize any director or authorize or permit any officer or employee or any attorney, accountant or other representative retained by them to, make, solicit, encourage any inquiries with respect to, or engage in any negotiations concerning, any Acquisition Proposal (as defined below for purposes of this paragraph). Parent will promptly advise the Company orally and in writing of any such inquiries or proposals (or requests for information) and the substance thereof. As used in this paragraph, “Acquisition Proposal” shall mean any proposal for a merger or other business combination involving the Parent or Merger Sub or for the acquisition of a substantial equity interest in either of them or any material assets of either of them other than as contemplated by this Agreement. Parent will immediately cease and cause to be terminated any existing activities, discussions or negotiations with any Person conducted heretofore with respect to any of the foregoing; and

 

(e) neither Parent nor Merger Sub will enter into any new employment agreements with any of their officers or employees or grant any increases in the compensation or benefits of their officers and employees.

 

ARTICLE 6

 

COVENANTS OF PARENT OR COMPANY

 

6.1. Director and Officer Appointments. As of the Effective Time, Parent shall have taken all action to cause the persons as set forth on Schedule 6.1 to be appointed Parent’s directors and officers, and the current officers and directors of Parent on Schedule 6.1 shall have resigned from Parent. Parent shall use its best efforts to have a majority of its board members be independent by the director independence standards established by the NASDAQ Stock Market.

 

6.2. Disclosure. Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, the Company shall deliver to Parent and Merger Sub all schedules and exhibits to be attached hereto. Such schedules and exhibits, and all updates thereto shall be prepared in good faith and contain accurate, true, correct and complete information. From the date of execution of this Agreement through the Closing, the Company will promptly notify Parent and Merger Sub if the Company becomes aware of any fact, circumstance or condition that causes or constitutes a breach of any of the Company’s representations or warranties (with each such fact, circumstance or condition, an “Update”).

 

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6.3. Private Placement. The Company shall commence a private placement offering (the “Financing”) for the issuance of up to 5,000,000 Shares (such amount subject to adjustment upon the approval of both Parent and the Company) to investors in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Agreement.

 

6.4. Parent Name Change. Prior to the Effective Time, Parent shall have taken all required legal actions to change its corporate name to a name to be agreed upon by Parent and the Company. The parties acknowledge and agree that Parent has authorization for such name change, and to the extent the Company holds any rights in or to such name the Company hereby grants to Parent a non-exclusive right to use such name, including without limitation any trade name, service name, service mark or trade dress rights of the Company therein or thereto.

 

6.5. NASDAQ. After the Effective Time, Parent shall use its best efforts to cause the Parent Common Stock to be listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market.

 

ARTICLE 7

 

COVENANTS OF PARENT AND THE COMPANY

 

7.1. Public Announcements. No party shall have the right to issue any press release or other public statement with respect to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein without the prior written consent of each other party (not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed, denied or conditioned), except as required by Law.

 

7.2. Transfer Taxes. Parent, Merger Sub and the Company agree that the Company (prior to the Merger) and the Surviving Corporation (following the Merger) will pay any real property, transfer or gains tax, stamp tax, stock transfer tax, or other similar tax imposed on the Merger or the surrender of the Shares pursuant to the Merger (collectively, “Transfer Taxes”), excluding any Transfer Taxes as may result from the transfer of beneficial interests in the Shares other than as a result of the Merger, and any penalties or interest with respect to the Transfer Taxes. The Company agrees to cooperate with Parent in the filing of any returns with respect to the Transfer Taxes.

 

7.3. Fees and Expenses. All of the legal, accounting and other expenses incurred by any party hereto in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be paid by the Company simultaneously at, or immediately after, Closing.

 

7.4. Transfer Restrictions.

 

(a) The Company realizes that the Merger Consideration is not registered under the Securities Act, or any foreign or state securities Laws. The Company agrees that the Merger Consideration will and may not be sold, offered for sale, pledged, hypothecated, or otherwise transferred (collectively, a “Transfer”) except in compliance with the Securities Act, if applicable, and applicable foreign and state securities Laws, and with an opinion of Parent’s counsel. The Company understands that the Merger Consideration can only be Transferred pursuant to registration under the Securities Act or pursuant to an exemption therefrom. The Company understands that to Transfer the Merger Consideration may require in some jurisdictions specific approval by the appropriate governmental agency or commission in such jurisdiction.

 

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(b) To enable Parent to enforce the transfer restrictions contained in Section 7.4(a), the Company hereby consents to the placing of legends upon, and stop-transfer orders with the transfer agent of the Parent Common Stock with respect to the Merger Consideration, including, without limitation, the following:

 

“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “ACT”), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAW. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD, TRANSFERRED, ASSIGNED, PLEDGED, MORTGAGED, HYPOTHECATED, OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF, EXCEPT (I) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR SUCH SECURITIES UNDER THE ACT, OR (II) IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144 PROMULGATED UNDER THE ACT, OR (III) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, THE AVAILABILITY OF WHICH IS TO BE ESTABLISHED TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE COMPANY AND ITS COUNSEL.”

 

7.5. Current Report. Parent shall file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC on the Closing Date containing information about the Merger and pro forma financial statements of Parent and the Company and audited financial statements of the Company as required by Regulation S-K under the Securities Act (the “8-K Report”).

 

7.6. Access and Information. The Company, on the one hand, and Parent and Merger Sub, on the other hand, shall each afford to the other and to the other’s accountants, counsel and other representatives full access during normal business hours throughout the period prior to the Effective Time to all of its properties, books, contracts, commitments and records (including but not limited to tax returns) and during such period, each shall furnish promptly to the other all information concerning its business, properties and personnel as such other party may reasonably request. Each party shall hold, and shall cause its employees and agents to hold, in confidence all such information and shall use such information only to effect the transactions contemplated hereby and as otherwise expressly permitted herein (other than such information that (a) is already in such party’s possession or (b) becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of a disclosure by such party or its directors, officers, managers, employees, agents or advisors, or (c) becomes available to such party on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the other party hereto or its advisors, provided that such source is not known by such party to be bound by a confidentiality agreement with or other obligation of secrecy to the other party hereto until such time as such information is otherwise publicly available; provided, however, that (i) any such information may be disclosed to such party’s directors, officers, employees and representatives of such party’s advisors who need to know such information for the purpose of evaluating the transactions contemplated hereby (it being understood that such directors, officers, employees and representatives shall be informed by such party of the confidential nature of such information and bound by confidentiality and non-use obligations no less restrictive than those set forth herein), (ii) any disclosure of such information may be made as to which the party hereto furnishing such information has consented in writing, and (iii) any such information may be disclosed pursuant to a judicial, administrative or governmental order or request or applicable laws or rules of the SEC; provided, however, that the requested party will promptly so notify the other party so that the other party may seek a protective order or appropriate remedy and/or waive compliance with this Agreement and if such protective order or other remedy is not obtained or the other party waives compliance with this provision, the requested party will furnish only that portion of such information that is legally required and will exercise its best efforts to obtain a protective order or other reliable assurance that confidential treatment will be accorded the information furnished). If this Agreement is terminated, each party will deliver to the other all documents and other materials (including copies) obtained by such party or on its behalf from the other party as a result of this Agreement or in connection herewith, whether so obtained before or after the execution hereof.

 

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ARTICLE 8

 

INDEMNIFICATION

 

8.1. Indemnification of Parent and Merger Sub.

 

(a) Subject to the limitations contained in this Article 8, the Company shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless Parent and Merger Sub and their respective officers, directors, stockholders, employees and agents from and against any and all losses, claims, judgments, liabilities, demands, charges, suits, penalties, costs or expenses, including court costs and attorneys’ fees (“Claims and Liabilities”) with respect to or arising from (i) the breach of any warranty or any inaccuracy of any representation made by the Company in this Agreement, or (ii) the breach of any covenant or agreement made by the Company in this Agreement.

 

(b) In addition to the obligations set forth in Section 8.1(a) above, the Company shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless Parent and Merger Sub and their respective officers, directors, stockholders, employees and agents against any and all Claims and Liabilities with respect to or arising from any claims for any right to receive Merger Consideration made by any Person who is not a holder of Company Stock at the Effective Time or is a holder of Company Stock and claiming a right to Merger Consideration inconsistent with the Merger Consideration Certificate.

 

8.2. Indemnification of the Company. Parent shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, and its officers, directors, stockholders, employees and agents from and against any and all Claims and Liabilities with respect to or arising from (a) breach of any warranty or any inaccuracy of any representation made by Parent or Merger Sub, or (b) breach of any covenant or agreement made by Parent or Merger Sub in this Agreement.

 

8.3. Claims Procedure. Promptly after the receipt by any indemnified party (the “Indemnitee”) of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding against such Indemnitee, such Indemnitee shall, if a claim with respect thereto is or may be made against any indemnifying party (the “Indemnifying Party”) pursuant to this Article 8, give such Indemnifying Party written notice of the commencement of such action or proceeding and give such Indemnifying Party a copy of such claim and/or process and all legal pleadings in connection therewith. The failure to give such notice shall not relieve any Indemnifying Party of any of its indemnification obligations contained in this Article 8, except where, and solely to the extent that, such failure actually and Materially prejudices the rights of such Indemnifying Party. Such Indemnifying Party shall have, upon request within thirty (30) days after receipt of such notice, but not in any event after the settlement or compromise of such claim, the right to defend, at its own expense and by its own counsel reasonably acceptable to the Indemnitee, any such matter involving the asserted liability of the Indemnitee; provided, however, that if the Indemnitee determines that there is a reasonable probability that a claim may Materially and adversely affect it, other than solely as a result of money payments required to be reimbursed in full by such Indemnifying Party under this Article 8 or if a conflict of interest exists between Indemnitee and the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnitee shall have the right to defend, compromise or settle such claim or suit; and, provided, further, that such settlement or compromise shall not, unless consented to in writing by such Indemnifying Party, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, be conclusive as to the liability of such Indemnifying Party to the Indemnitee. In any event, the Indemnitee, such Indemnifying Party and its counsel shall cooperate in the defense against, or compromise of, any such asserted liability, and in cases where the Indemnifying Party shall have assumed the defense, the Indemnitee shall have the right to participate in the defense of such asserted liability at the Indemnitee’s own expense. In the event that such Indemnifying Party shall decline to participate in or assume the defense of such action, prior to paying or settling any claim against which such Indemnifying Party is, or may be, obligated under this Article 8 to indemnify an Indemnitee, the Indemnitee shall first supply such Indemnifying Party with a copy of a final court judgment or decree holding the Indemnitee liable on such claim or, failing such judgment or decree, the terms and conditions of the settlement or compromise of such claim. An Indemnitee’s failure to supply such final court judgment or decree or the terms and conditions of a settlement or compromise to such Indemnifying Party shall not relieve such Indemnifying Party of any of its indemnification obligations contained in this Article 8, except where, and solely to the extent that, such failure actually and Materially prejudices the rights of such Indemnifying Party. If the Indemnifying Party is defending the claim as set forth above, the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to settle the claim only with the consent of the Indemnitee.

 

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8.4. Exclusive Remedy. Each of the parties hereto acknowledges and agrees that, from and after the Closing Date, its sole and exclusive monetary remedy with respect to any and all claims relating to the subject matter of this Agreement shall be pursuant to the indemnification provisions set forth in this Article 8, except that nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to constitute a waiver of any injunctive or other equitable remedies or any tort claims of, or causes of action arising from, intentionally fraudulent misrepresentation, willful breach or deceit. The parties’ obligations under this Article 8 shall terminate twelve (12) months from the Closing Date.

 

ARTICLE 9

 

CONDITIONS TO MERGER

 

9.1. Condition to Obligation of Each Party to Effect the Merger. The respective obligations of Parent, Merger Sub and the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated herein are subject to the satisfaction or waiver in writing at or prior to the Effective Time of the following conditions.

 

(a) No Injunctions. No temporary restraining Order, preliminary or permanent injunction issued by any court of competent jurisdiction preventing or prohibiting the consummation of the Merger or the other transactions contemplated herein shall be in effect; provided, however, that each party shall have used its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the entry of such Orders or injunctions and to appeal as promptly as possible any such Orders or injunctions and to appeal as promptly as possible any such Orders or injunctions that may be entered.

 

(b) Company Stockholder Approval. This Agreement and the Merger shall have been approved and adopted by the requisite vote of the Company, the Company’s stockholders in accordance with the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and the DGCL.

 

(c) Parent and Merger Sub Approval. This Agreement and the Merger shall have been approved and adopted by the requisite vote of Parent’s board of directors in accordance with the Parent’s Articles of Incorporation and the NRS. This Agreement and the Merger shall have been approved and adopted by the requisite vote of Merger Sub’s stockholder in accordance with Merger Sub’s Certificate of Incorporation and the DGCL.

 

9.2. Additional Conditions to Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub. The obligations of Parent and the Merger Sub to consummate the transactions contemplated herein are also subject to the satisfaction or waiver in writing at or prior to the Effective Time of the following conditions.

 

(a) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement and in any certificate or other writing delivered to Parent pursuant hereto shall be true and correct on and as of the Effective Time with the same force and effect as if made on and as of the Effective Time, and Parent and Merger Sub shall have received a certificate to such effect signed by the President and the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

 

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(b) Agreements and Covenants. The Company shall have performed or complied with all agreements and covenants required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by them on or prior to the Effective Time, and Parent shall have received a certificate to such effect signed by the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

 

(c) Certificate of Secretary. The Company shall have delivered to Parent a certificate executed by the Secretary of the Company certifying: (i) resolutions duly adopted by the Board of Directors and stockholders of the Company authorizing this Agreement and the Merger; (ii) the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Company as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, including all amendments thereto; (iii) the Merger Consideration Certificate; and (iv) the incumbency of the officers of the Company executing this Agreement and all agreements and documents contemplated hereby.

 

(d) Consents Obtained. All consents, waivers, approvals, authorizations or Orders required to be obtained, and all filings required to be made, by the Company for the authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been obtained and made by the Company, except for such consents, waivers, approvals, authorizations and Orders, and such filings, which would not be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or the Surviving Corporation.

 

(e) Absence of Material Adverse Effect. There shall not have been any Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company.

 

(f) Merger Consideration Certificate. Parent shall have received the Merger Consideration Certificate from the Company.

 

(g) Audited Financial Statements. Parent shall have received from the Company the Company Financial Statements, the audited consolidated financial statements of the Company for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012 and pro forma financial statements as of the day prior to the Closing Date in form and content required to be included in the 8-K Report.

 

(h) Stockholder Representation Letters. Each stockholder of the Company shall have executed and delivered to Parent a stockholder representation letter in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C, and Parent shall be reasonably satisfied that the issuance of Parent Common Stock pursuant to the Merger is exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

 

9.3. Additional Conditions to Obligations of the Company. The obligations of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated herein are also subject to the satisfaction or waiver in writing at or prior to the Effective Time of the following conditions.

 

(a) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of Parent and Merger Sub contained in this Agreement and in any certificate or other writing delivered to the Company pursuant hereto shall be true and correct on and as of the Effective Time with the same force and effect as if made on and as of the Effective Time, and the Company shall have received a certificate to such effect signed by the President and the Chief Executive Officer of Parent.

 

(b) Agreements and Covenants. Parent and Merger Sub shall have performed or complied with all agreements and covenants required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by them on or prior to the Effective Time, and the Company shall have received a certificate to such effect signed by the President and Chief Executive Officer of Parent.

 

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(c) Certificate of Secretary. Parent shall have delivered to the Company a certificate executed by the Secretary of Parent certifying: (i) resolutions duly adopted by the Board of Directors of Parent and Merger Sub, respectively, authorizing this Agreement and the Merger and resolutions duly adopted by the sole stockholder of Merger Sub authorizing this Agreement and the Merger; (ii) the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of Parent as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, including all amendments thereto; and (iii) the incumbency of the officers of Parent executing this Agreement and all agreements and documents contemplated hereby.

 

(d) Consents Obtained. All consents, waivers, approvals, authorizations or Orders required to be obtained, and all filings required to be made, by Parent or Merger Sub for the authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been obtained and made by Parent and Merger Sub, respectively, except for such consents, waivers, approvals, authorizations and Orders, and such filings, which would not be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent or Merger Sub.

 

(e) Absence of Material Adverse Effect. There shall not have been any Material Adverse Effect on Parent or Merger Sub, other than any change that shall result from general economic conditions or conditions generally affecting the industry in which Parent conducts operations.

 

(f) Post-Merger Capitalization. At the Effective Time, the authorized capital stock of Parent shall consist of 75,000,000 shares of Parent Common Stock, of which 60,000,000 shares shall be issued and outstanding (including the Merger Consideration), not including any shares of Parent Common Stock issued in connection with the Financing.

 

(g) Officers and Directors. Parent shall deliver to the Company evidence of appointment of those new directors and officers as further described in Section 6.1. Parent shall have delivered to each new director an executed indemnification agreement in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit D. Parent shall also have delivered to the Company a letter of resignation executed by each Parent officer and director further described in Section 6.1 to be effective upon the Closing Date.

 

(h) Financing. The Company shall have consummated the initial closing of the Financing.

 

ARTICLE 10

 

SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS

 

All representations, warranties and covenants of the parties contained in this Agreement will remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the parties to this Agreement, until the date that is the first anniversary of the Closing Date, whereupon such representations, warranties and covenants will expire (except for covenants that by their terms survive for a longer period).

 

ARTICLE 11

 

TERMINATION

 

11.1. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Effective Time, whether before or after approval of the Merger by the stockholders of the Company:

 

(a) by mutual written agreement of the Company and Parent duly authorized by the Boards of Directors of the Company and Parent;

 

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(b) by either the Company or Parent, if the other party (which, in the case of Parent, shall mean Parent and Merger Sub) has breached any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement of such other party set forth in this Agreement and such breach has resulted or can reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect on such other party or would prevent or materially delay the consummation of the Merger;

 

(c) by either party, if the required approval of the stockholders of the Company shall not have been obtained by reason of the failure to obtain the required vote;

 

(d) by either party, if all the conditions to the obligations of such party for Closing the Merger shall not have been satisfied or waived on or before the Final Date (as defined below) other than as a result of a breach of this Agreement by the terminating party;

 

(e) by either party if the initial closing of the Financing has not been successfully consummated on or before the Final Date; or

 

(f) by either party, if a permanent injunction or other Order by any Federal or state court which would make illegal or otherwise restrain or prohibit the consummation of the Merger shall have been issued and shall have become final and nonappealable;

 

As used herein, the “Final Date” shall be April 30, 2014.

 

11.2. Notice of Termination. Any termination of this Agreement under Section 11.1 above will be effective immediately upon by the delivery of written notice of the terminating party to the other party hereto specifying with reasonable particularity the reason for such termination.

 

11.3. Effect of Termination. In the case of any termination of this Agreement as provided in this Section 10, this Agreement shall be of no further force and effect and nothing herein shall relieve any party from liability for any breach of this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE 12

 

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

12.1. Notices. All notices required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed effectively given: (a) upon personal delivery to the party to be notified; (b) when sent by confirmed facsimile if sent during normal business hours of the recipient, if not, then on the next business day; (c) five days after having been sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid; or (d) two days after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight courier, specifying not later than two day delivery, with written verification of receipt. All communications shall be sent to the parties at the following addresses or facsimile numbers specified below (or at such other address or facsimile number for a party as shall be designated by ten days advance written notice to the other parties hereto):

 

(a) If to Parent or Merger Sub:

 

Oro Capital Corporation

Dassan Island Drive

Plettenberg Bay, 6600

South Africa

Attn: Danny Aaron, President & CEO

 

with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

 

Greenberg Traurig, LLP

1201 K Street, Suite 1100

Sacramento, California 95814

Attn: Mark C. Lee

Ph: (916) 442-1111

Fax: (916) 448-1709

 

26

 

 

(b) If to the Company:

 

Synergy Strips Corp.

2105 Burton Branch Road

Algood, TN 38506

Attn: Jack Ross, President & CEO

Ph: (615) 939-9004

Fax: (888) 389-3036

 

12.2. Amendment. To the extent permitted by Law, this Agreement may be amended by a subsequent writing signed by each of the parties upon the approval of the Boards of Directors of each of the parties, whether before or after any stockholder approval of the issuance of the Merger Consideration has been obtained; provided, that after any such approval by the holders of Shares, there shall be made no amendment that pursuant to the DGCL requires further approval by such stockholders without the further approval of such stockholders.

 

12.3. Waiver. At any time prior to the Closing, any party hereto may with respect to any other party hereto (a) extend the time for performance of any of the obligations or other acts, (b) waive any inaccuracies in the representations and warranties contained herein or in any document delivered pursuant hereto, or (c) waive compliance with any of the agreements or conditions contained herein. Any such extension or waiver shall be valid if set forth in an instrument in writing signed by the party or parties to be bound thereby.

 

12.4. Failure or Indulgence Not Waiver; Remedies Cumulative. No failure or delay on the part of any party hereto in the exercise of any right hereunder shall impair such right or be construed to be a waiver of, or acquiescence in, any breach of any representation, warranty or agreement herein, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right preclude other or further exercise thereof or of any other rights. Except as otherwise provided hereunder, all rights and remedies existing under this Agreement are cumulative to, and not exclusive of, any rights or remedies otherwise available.

 

12.5. 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.

 

12.6. Severability. If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of Law, or public policy, all other 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 hereto 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, to the end that transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the extent possible.

 

12.7. Entire Agreement. This Agreement (including the Company Disclosure Schedule and the Parent Disclosure Schedule together with the Transaction Documents and the exhibits and schedules attached hereto and thereto and the certificates referenced herein) constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes all prior agreements and undertakings both oral and written, among the parties, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof and, except as otherwise expressly provided herein.

 

27

 

 

12.8. Assignment. No party may assign this Agreement or assign its respective rights or delegate their duties (by operation of Law or otherwise), without the prior written consent of the other party. This Agreement will be binding upon, inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

 

12.9. Parties In Interest. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each party hereto and their permitted assigns and respective successors, and nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person any right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement, including, without limitation, by way of subrogation.

 

12.10. Governing Law. This Agreement will be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with the Laws of the State of Nevada as applied to Contracts that are executed and performed in Nevada, without regard to the principles of conflicts of Law thereof.

 

12.11. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, any one of which need not contain the signatures of more than one party, but all such counterparts taken together will constitute one and the same Agreement. This Agreement, to the extent delivered by means of a facsimile machine or electronic mail (any such delivery, an “Electronic Delivery”), shall be treated in all manner and respects as an original agreement or instrument and shall be considered to have the same binding legal effect as if it were the original signed version thereof delivered in person. At the request of any party hereto, each other party hereto shall re-execute original forms hereof and deliver them in person to all other parties. No party hereto shall raise the use of Electronic Delivery to deliver a signature or the fact that any signature or agreement or instrument was transmitted or communicated through the use of Electronic Delivery as a defense to the formation of a contract, and each such party forever waives any such defense, except to the extent such defense related to lack of authenticity.

 

12.12. Attorneys Fees. If any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement, or the enforcement of any provision of this Agreement is brought by a party hereto against any party hereto, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs and disbursements (in addition to any other relief to which the prevailing party may be entitled).

 

12.13. Representation. The parties to this Agreement, and each of them, acknowledge, agree, and represent that it: (a) has been represented in connection with the negotiation and preparation of this Agreement by counsel of that party’s choosing; (b) has read the Agreement and has had it fully explained by its counsel; (c) it is fully aware of the contents and legal effect of this Agreement; (d) has authority to enter into and sign the Agreement; and (e) enters into and signs the same by its own free will.

 

12.14. Drafting. The parties to this Agreement acknowledge that each of them have participated in the drafting and negotiation of this Agreement. For purposes of interpreting this Agreement, each provision, paragraph, sentence and word herein shall be deemed to have been jointly drafted by both parties. The parties intend for this Agreement to be construed and interpreted neutrally in accordance with the plain meaning of the language contained herein, and not presumptively construed against any actual or purported drafter of any specific language contained herein.

 

12.15. Interpretation. For purposes of this Agreement, references to the masculine gender shall include feminine and neuter genders and entities. Where a reference in this Agreement is made to a Section, Exhibit or Schedule, such reference shall be to a Section of, Exhibit to or Schedule of this Agreement unless otherwise indicated. Whenever the words “include,” “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation.” References to a “party” or “parties” shall mean Parent and/or Merger Sub, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand, as applicable. The words “hereof,” “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. References to “this Agreement” shall include the Company Disclosure Schedule and the Parent Disclosure Schedule.

 

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank; Signature Page to Follow]

 

28

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement and Plan of Merger to be executed as of the date first written above by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized.

 

  ORO CAPITAL CORPORATION, a Nevada corporation
     
  By:                       
  Name: Danny Aaron
  Title: President & Chief Executive Officer
     
  SYNERGY MERGER SUB, INC. a Delaware corporation
     
  By:  
  Name: Danny Aaron
  Title: President
     
  SYNERGY STRIPS CORP., a Delaware corporation
     
  By:  
  Name: Jack Ross
  Title: President & Chief Executive Officer

 

29

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

 

The following terms, as used in the Agreement, have the following meanings:

 

Accounts Receivable” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 3.14 of the Agreement.

 

Affiliate(s)” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 12b-2 of the regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act.

 

Agreement” shall have the meaning as set forth in the Preamble.

 

Assets” of a Person shall mean all of the assets, properties, businesses and rights of such Person of every kind, nature, character and description, whether real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible, accrued or contingent, or otherwise relating to or utilized in such Person’s business, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, whether or not carried on the books and records of such Person, and whether or not owned in the name of such Person or any Affiliate of such Person and wherever located.

 

Benefit Plans” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 3.10 of the Agreement.

 

Claims and Liabilities” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 8.1(a) of the Agreement.

 

Closing” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 1.2 of the Agreement.

 

Closing Date” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 1.2 of the Agreement.

 

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

Company” shall have the meaning as set forth in the Preamble.

 

Company Balance Sheet Date” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 3.6(b) of the Agreement.

 

Company Disclosure Schedule” shall have the meaning as set forth in the opening paragraph of Article 3 of the Agreement.

 

Company Financial Statements” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 3.6(a) of the Agreement.

 

Company Material Contract” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 3.13 of the Agreement.

 

Company Common Stock” means the total outstanding capital stock of the Company as of the Closing Date.

 

Contract” means any written or oral agreement, arrangement, commitment, contract, indenture, instrument, lease, obligation, plan, restriction, understanding or undertaking of any kind or character, or other document to which any Person is a party or by which such Person is bound or affecting such Person’s capital stock, Assets or business.

 

Default” means (a) any breach or violation of or default under any Contract, Order or Permit, (b) any occurrence of any event that with the passage of time or the giving of notice or both would constitute a breach or violation of or default under any Contract, Order or Permit, or (c) any occurrence of any event that with or without the passage of time or the giving of notice would give rise to a right to terminate or revoke, change the current terms of, or renegotiate, or to accelerate, increase, or impose any Liability under, any Contract, Order or Permit.

 

Delaware Certificate of Merger” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 1.3 of the Agreement.

 

DGCL” shall have the meaning as set forth in the Recitals of the Agreement.

 

Dissenting Shares” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 2.4 of the Agreement.

 

Effective Time” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 1.3 of the Agreement.

 

A-1

 

 

Electronic Delivery” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 11.11 of the Agreement.

 

Environmental Laws” mean any and all federal, state, local and foreign statutes, laws, judicial decisions, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, codes, plans, injunctions, Permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements and governmental restrictions, relating to human health, the environment or to emissions, discharges or releases of pollutants, contaminants or other Hazardous Material or wastes into the environment, including without limitation ambient air, surface water, ground water or land, or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of pollutants, contaminants or other Hazardous Material or wastes or the clean-up or other remediation thereof.

 

Exchange Act” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.5 of the Agreement.

 

Exchange Act Documents” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.20 of the Agreement.

 

FINRA” means The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

 

GAAP” means U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

 

Governmental Entity” shall mean any government or any agency, bureau, board, directorate, commission, court, department, official, political subdivision, tribunal, or other instrumentality of any government, whether federal, state or local, domestic or foreign.

 

Hazardous Material” means any toxic, radioactive, corrosive or otherwise hazardous substance, including petroleum, its derivatives, by-products and other hydrocarbons, or any substance having any constituent elements displaying any of the foregoing characteristics, which in any event is regulated under any Environmental Law.

 

Indemnitee” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 8.3 of the Agreement.

 

Indemnifying Party” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 8.3 of the Agreement.

 

Intellectual Property” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 3.16(a) of the Agreement.

 

Knowledge” means the actual knowledge of the officers of a party.

 

Law” means any code, law, ordinance, regulation, reporting or licensing requirement, rule, or statute applicable to a Person or its Assets, liabilities or business, including those promulgated, interpreted or enforced by any Regulatory Authority.

 

License Agreements” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 3.16(a) of the Agreement.

 

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect to such asset.

 

Material” and “Materially” for purposes of this Agreement shall be determined in light of the facts and circumstances of the matter in question; provided that any specific monetary amount stated in this Agreement shall determine materiality in that instance.

 

Material Adverse Effect” means, with respect to any Person, any change or effect that either individually or in the aggregate with all such other changes or effects is materially adverse to the business, assets, properties or condition of such party and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

 

A-2

 

 

 

Material Contract Default” means a default under any Contract which would (a) permit any other party to cancel or terminate the same (with or without notice of passage of time) or (b) provide a basis for any other party to claim money damages in excess of $50,000 (either individually or in the aggregate with all other such claims under that contract) or (c) give rise to a right of acceleration of any material obligation or loss of any material benefit under any such Contract.

 

Merger” shall have the meaning as set forth in the Recitals of the Agreement.

 

Merger Consideration” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 2.1(b)(ii) of the Agreement.

 

Merger Consideration Certificate” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 2.1(b)(iii) of the Agreement.

 

Merger Sub” shall have the meaning as set forth in the Preamble.

 

NRS” shall have the meaning as set forth in the Recitals of the Agreement.

 

Order” means any administrative decision or award, decree, injunction, judgment, order, quasi-judicial decision or award, ruling, or writ of any federal, state, local or foreign or other court, arbitrator, mediator, tribunal, administrative agency or Regulatory Authority.

 

Parent” shall have the meaning as set forth in the Preamble.

 

Parent Accounts Receivable” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 4.15 of the Agreement.

 

Parent Balance Sheet” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 4.6(b) of the Agreement.

 

Parent Common Stock” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 4.1 of the Agreement.

 

Parent Disclosure Schedule” shall mean the written disclosure schedule delivered on or prior to the date hereof by Parent to the Company that is arranged in paragraphs corresponding to the numbered and lettered paragraphs corresponding to the numbered and lettered paragraphs contained in the Agreement.

 

Parent Material Contract” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 4.14 of the Agreement.

 

Parent SEC Documents” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 4.6(a) of the Agreement.

 

Person” means an individual, a corporation, a partnership, an association, a trust, a limited liability company or any other entity or organization, including a government or political subdivision or any agency or instrumentality thereof.

 

Permit” shall mean any federal, state, local, and foreign governmental approval, authorization, certificate, consent, easement, filing, franchise, letter of good standing, license, notice, permit, qualification, registration or right of or from any Governmental Entity (or any extension, modification, amendment or waiver of any of these) to which any Person is a party or that is or may be binding upon or inure to the benefit of any Person or its securities, Assets or business, or any notice, statement, filing or other communication to be filed with or delivered to any Governmental Entity.

 

Regulatory Authorities” means, collectively, the Federal Trade Commission, the United States Department of Justice, United States Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, United States Environmental Protection Agency, and all foreign, federal, state and local regulatory agencies and other Governmental Entities or bodies having jurisdiction over the parties and their respective Assets, employees, businesses and/or Subsidiaries, including FINRA and the SEC.

 

A-3

 

 

SEC” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 4.6(a) of the Agreement.

 

Securities Act” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 3.3 of the Agreement.

 

Share” or “Shares” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 2.1(b)(ii) of the Agreement.

 

Software” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 3.16(a) of the Agreement.

 

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, (i) any corporation, limited liability company, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of capital stock 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 that Person (or a combination thereof) and (ii) any partnership (a) the sole general partner or managing general partner of which is such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person or (b) the only general partners of which are such Person or of one or more Subsidiaries of such Person (or any combination thereof).

 

Surviving Corporation” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 1.1 of the Agreement.

 

Tax” or “Taxes” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 3.11(c) of the Agreement.

 

Tax Return” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 3.11(c) of the Agreement.

 

Trademarks” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 3.16(a) of the Agreement.

 

Trade Secrets” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 3.16(a) of the Agreement.

 

Transaction Documents” means the Agreement, and any other document executed and delivered pursuant hereto together with any exhibits or schedules to such documents.

 

Transfer” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 7.4(a) of the Agreement.

 

Transfer Taxes” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 7.3 of this Agreement.

 

8-K Report” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 7.5 of the Agreement.

 

A-4

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

CERTIFICATE OF MERGER

 

OF

 

SYNERGY MERGER SUB, INC.

 

INTO

 

SYNERGY STRIPS CORP.

 

(UNDER SECTION 8-252 OF THE
GENERAL CORPORATION LAW OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE)

 

Synergy Strips Corp., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, and Synergy Merger Sub, Inc. a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, each do hereby certify that:

 

  1. The name and state of incorporation of each of the constituent corporations are:

 

a.Synergy Strips Corp., a Delaware corporation; and

 

b.Synergy Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

 

  2. An Agreement and Plan of Merger has been approved, adopted, certified, executed, and acknowledged by Synergy Strips Corp and Synergy Merger Sub, Inc. in accordance with Section 8-252(c) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
     
  3. The name of the surviving corporation is Synergy Strips Corp. (the “Surviving Corporation”).
     
  4. The Certificate of Incorporation of Synergy Strips Corp. shall be the Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation.
     
  5. The merger is to become effective on [______], 2014.
     
  6. The executed Agreement and Plan of Merger is on file at the principal place of business of the Surviving Corporation at 2105 Burton Branch Road, Algood, TN 38506.
     
  7. A copy of the Agreement and Plan of Merger will be furnished by the Surviving Corporation, on request and without cost, to any stockholder of Synergy Strips Corp. or Synergy Merger Sub, Inc..
     
  8. The authorized capital stock of Synergy Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation, is 1,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share.
     
  9. The Surviving Corporation agrees that it may be served with process in the State of Delaware in any proceeding for enforcement of any obligation of the Surviving Corporation arising from this merger, including any suit or other proceeding to enforce the rights of stockholders as determined in appraisal proceedings pursuant to the provisions of Section 262 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, and irrevocably appoints the Secretary of State of Delaware as its agent to accept services of process in any such suit or proceeding. The Secretary of State shall mail any such process to the Surviving Corporation at 2105 Burton Branch Road, Algood, TN 38506.

 

B-1

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned officers, for and on behalf of their respective corporations, have executed this Certificate of Merger this ___ day of ________, 2014 and hereby acknowledge, under penalties of perjury, that this Certificate of Merger is the act and deed of their respective corporations and that the facts stated in this Certificate of Merger are true.

 

  SYNERGY STRIPS CORP.,
  a Delaware corporation
     
  By:   
  Name:  Jack Ross
  Title: Chief Executive Officer and President
     
  SYNERGY MERGER SUB, INC.,
  a Delaware corporation
     
  By:  
  Name: Danny Aaron
  Title: President

 

[Signature Page to Delaware Certificate of Merger]

 

B-2

 

 

EXHIBIT C

 

FORM OF STOCKHOLDER REPRESENTATION LETTER

 

__________, 2014

 

Oro Capital Corporation

Dassan Island Drive

Plettenberg Bay, 6600

South Africa

 

Shareholder Representation Letter

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Agreement”) dated as of April 7, 2014 (the “Agreement Date”) by and among Oro Capital Corporation, a Nevada corporation (“Pubco”), Synergy Merger Sub, Inc. a Delaware corporation, and Synergy Strips Corp. (“Synergy”), the undersigned (the “Shareholder”) expects to receive shares of Pubco Common Stock (the “Securities”) pursuant to a merger transaction in accordance with the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “Merger”). Capitalized terms used herein but not defined will have the meanings ascribed to them in the Agreement. The Shareholder whose signature appears below, represents and warrants to Pubco that, as of the date first written above and as of the Closing Date, the statements contained in this Shareholder Representation Letter are, and will be, correct and complete:

 

1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SHAREHOLDER.

 

1.1. “Accredited” Investor. The Merger pursuant to the Agreement, and the distribution of the Securities to the Shareholder at the Closing, are intended to be exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”). Unless the Shareholder checks the “no” box on the signature page hereof indicating that the Shareholder is not an Accredited Investor, the Shareholder represents and warrants that the Shareholder falls within one of the following definitions of Accredited Investor:

 

(Please initial the category that applies)

 

  _______ (a) The Shareholder is a natural person whose individual net worth, or joint net worth with spouse, exceeds $1,000,000.
     
    Explanation. In calculating net worth, you include all of your assets (other than your primary residence) whether liquid or illiquid, such as cash, stock, securities, personal property and real estate based on the fair market value of such property MINUS all debts and liabilities (other than a mortgage or other debt secured by your primary residence). In the event that the amount of any mortgage or other indebtedness secured by your primary residence exceeds the fair market value of the residence, that excess liability should also be deducted from your net worth. Any mortgage or indebtedness secured by your primary residence incurred within 60 days before the time of the sale of the Securities offered hereunder, other than as a result of the acquisition of the primary residence, shall also be deducted from your net worth.
     
  _______ (b) The Shareholder is a natural person who had an individual income in excess of $200,000 in each of the last two years or joint income with spouse in excess of $300,000 in each of those years and reasonably expects to reach the same income level in the current year.

 

C-1

 

 

  _______ (c) The Shareholder is either a director or executive officer of Pubco.
     
  _______ (d) The Shareholder is a corporation or other entity with total assets in excess of US$5,000,000, not formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the Securities.
     
  _______ (e) The Shareholder is an entity, all of the equity owners of which are as specified in (a) or (b) above.

 

The Shareholder further certifies that: (i) the Shareholder has the capacity to protect the Shareholder’s interests in this investment; (ii) the Shareholder is able to bear the economic risks of this investment; and (iii) the amount of the investment does not exceed 10% of the Shareholder’s net worth or joint net worth with spouse.

 

1.2. Regulation S; Non-U.S. Person Status. For purposes of compliance with the Regulation S exemption for the acquisition of the Securities by non-U.S. Persons, the Shareholder makes the following representations, warranties and covenants:

 

(a) The Shareholder is a person or entity that is outside the United States and is not a “US Person,” as such term is defined in Rule 902(k) of Regulation S.[1]

 

(b) The Shareholder is not acquiring the Securities for the account or benefit of a US Person.

 

(c) The Shareholder has been independently advised as to the applicable holding period imposed in respect of the Securities by securities legislation in the jurisdiction in which it resides and confirms that no representation has been made respecting the applicable holding periods for the Securities in such jurisdiction and it is aware of the risks and other characteristics of the Securities and of the fact that holders of Securities may not be able to resell the Securities except in accordance with applicable securities legislation and regulatory policy.

 

(d) To the knowledge of the Shareholder, without having made any independent investigation, neither Pubco or Synergy nor any person acting for Pubco or Synergy, has conducted any “directed selling efforts” in the United States as the term “directed selling efforts” is defined in Rule 902 of Regulation S, which, in general, means any activity undertaken for the purpose of, or that could reasonably be expected to have the effect of, conditioning the marketing in the United States for any of the Securities being offered. Such activity includes, without limitation, the mailing of printed material to investors residing in the United States, the holding of promotional seminars in the United States, and the placement of advertisements with radio or television stations broadcasting in the United States or in publications with a general circulation in the United States, which discuss the offering of the Securities. To the knowledge of the Shareholder, the Securities were not offered to the Shareholder through, and the Shareholder is not aware of, any form of general solicitation or general advertising, including without limitation, (i) any advertisement, article, notice or other communication published in any newspaper, magazine or similar media or broadcast over television or radio, and (ii) any seminar or meeting whose attendees have been invited by any general solicitation or general advertising.

 

(e) The Shareholder will offer, sell or otherwise transfer the Securities, only (i) pursuant to a registration statement that has been declared effective under the Act, (ii) pursuant to offers and sales that occur outside the United States within the meaning of Regulation S in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 904 (or other applicable Rule) under the Act, or (iii) pursuant to another available exemption from the registration requirements of the Act, subject to Pubco’s right prior to any offer, sale or transfer pursuant to clauses (ii) or (iii) to require the delivery of an opinion of counsel, certificates or other information reasonably satisfactory to Pubco for the purpose of determining the availability of an exemption.

 

C-2

 

 

(f) The Shareholder will not engage in hedging transactions involving the Securities unless such transactions are in compliance with the Act.

 

(g) The Shareholder represents and warrants that the Shareholder is not a citizen of the United States and is not, and has no present intention of becoming, a resident of the United States (defined as being any natural person physically present within the United States for at least 183 days in a 12-month consecutive period or any entity who maintained an office in the United States at any time during a 12-month consecutive period). The Shareholder understands that Pubco may rely upon the representations and warranty of this paragraph as a basis for an exemption from registration of the Securities under the Act, and the provisions of relevant state securities laws.

 

(h) The Shareholder hereby represents that he, she or it has satisfied and fully observed the laws of the jurisdiction in which he, she or it is located or domiciled, in connection with the acquisition of the Securities, including (i) the legal requirements of the Shareholder’s jurisdiction for the acquisition of the Securities, (ii) any foreign exchange restrictions applicable to such acquisition, (iii) any governmental or other consents that may need to be obtained, and (iv) the income tax and other tax consequences, if any, which may be relevant to the holding, redemption, sale, or transfer of the Securities; and further, the Shareholder agrees to continue to comply with such laws as long as he, she or it shall hold the Securities.

 

1.3. Holding For Own Account. The Shareholder is acquiring an interest in the Securities for the Shareholder’s own account, for investment purposes only, and not with a view toward the resale or distribution thereof within the meaning of the Act, except pursuant to effective registrations or qualifications relating thereto under the Act and applicable state securities or blue sky laws or pursuant to an exemption therefrom.

 

1.4. Unregistered Securities; Restrictions on Transfer. The Shareholder understands that: (a) the Securities have not been registered under the Act or the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction in reliance upon exemptions from such registration requirements for non-public offerings; (b) the Securities may not be sold, pledged or otherwise transferred except pursuant to effective registrations or qualifications relating thereto under the Act and other applicable securities laws or pursuant to an exemption therefrom; and (c) neither Pubco or Synergy are under any obligation to register or qualify the Securities under the Act or any other applicable securities laws, or to take any action to make any exemption from any such registration provisions available. The Shareholder understands that the Shareholder may not transfer any Securities unless such Securities are registered under the Act or qualified under applicable state securities laws or unless with respect to the Securities, in the reasonable opinion of counsel to Pubco, exemptions from such registration and qualification requirements are available. Pubco may require an opinion to such effect from counsel to the Shareholder reasonably satisfactory to Pubco. The Shareholder has also been advised that exemptions from registration and qualification may not be available or may not permit the Shareholder to transfer all or any of the Securities in the amounts or at the times proposed by the Shareholder.

 

1.5. Securities Law Restrictions. The Shareholder will not sell, assign or transfer any of the Securities received by the Shareholder in connection with the Agreement except (a) pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Act, (b) in conformity with the volume and other limitations of Securities and Exchange Commission Rule (“SEC”) Rule 144 promulgated under the Act (“Rule 144”), or (c) in a transaction which, in the opinion of independent counsel to the Shareholder delivered to Pubco and satisfactory to Pubco, is not required to be registered under the Act. Pubco shall not have any obligation to effect a transfer of any Securities that is not in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws.

 

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1.6. Rule 144; Legends. The Shareholder has been advised and acknowledges that Rule 144, which permits certain limited sales of unregistered securities, is not presently available with respect to the Securities and, in any event, requires that the Securities be held for a minimum of six months (and the sale thereof may be subject to certain volume and other limitations under Rule 144), after they have been purchased and paid for (within the meaning of Rule 144), before they may be resold under Rule 144. The Shareholder understands that Rule 144 may indefinitely apply to and restrict transfer of the Securities if the Shareholder is an “affiliate” of Pubco and “current public information” about Pubco (as defined in Rule 144) is not publicly available. The Shareholder further understands that, if applicable, sales under Rule 144 are not available to the Shareholder during such time as Pubco remains a “shell company” (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the 1933 Act).

 

Pubco may place any legend contemplated by the Agreement, one or more of the legends below, or such other legends as it may reasonably deem appropriate, on each certificate or instrument representing Securities:

 

THE SHARES EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “ACT”), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES OR BLUE SKY LAWS OF ANY STATE AND MAY NOT BE SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE ACT OR IN A TRANSACTION WHICH IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE ACT OR ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES OR BLUE SKY LAWS AND, IN THE CASE OF A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO SUCH REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS, UNLESS THE ISSUER HAS RECEIVED AN OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE HOLDER REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO IT THAT SUCH TRANSACTION DOES NOT REQUIRE REGISTRATION UNDER THE ACT.

 

1.7. Shareholder’s Business Experience. The Shareholder has, alone or together with the Shareholder’s representative, if any, such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters so that the Shareholder is capable of evaluating the relative merits and risks of the investment in the Securities that is represented by the Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby. The Shareholder has adequate means of providing for its, his or her current economic needs and possible personal contingencies, has no need for liquidity in its, his or her investment in Pubco and is able financially to bear the risks of such investment.

 

1.8. Availability of Information. The Shareholder acknowledges that the Shareholder has had access to all information regarding Pubco and its present and prospective business, assets, liabilities and financial condition that the Shareholder reasonably considers important in making the decision to acquire the Securities pursuant to the Merger, and that all documents, records and books pertaining to the investment in Pubco resulting from the Agreement and requested by the Shareholder or the Shareholder’s representative, if any, have been made available or delivered to the Shareholder, to the extent that Pubco possesses such information or can obtain such information without unreasonable efforts or expense.

 

1.9. Opportunity to Ask Questions. The Shareholder or the Shareholder’s representative, if any, has had an opportunity to discuss Pubco’s business, management and financial affairs with Pubco’s management and to ask questions of and receive answers from Pubco, or a person or persons acting on behalf of Pubco, concerning the business of Pubco. The Shareholder acknowledges that all such questions, if any, have been answered to the Shareholder’s satisfaction.

 

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1.10. Shareholder Representation Letter. The Shareholder has carefully read this Shareholder Representation Letter and, to the extent the Shareholder believes necessary, has discussed with the Shareholder’s counsel the representations, warranties and agreements that the Shareholder makes herein and the applicable limitations upon the Shareholder’s resale of the Securities.

 

1.11. Pubco Information. The Shareholder is also aware of and acknowledges the following:

 

(a) that no federal or state agency has made any finding or determination regarding the fairness of this investment, or any recommendation or endorsement of the Securities;

 

(b) that neither the officers, directors, agents, affiliates or employees of Pubco or Synergy, nor any other person, has expressly or by implication, made any representation or warranty to the Shareholder concerning Pubco or Synergy; and

 

(c) that the past performance or experience of Pubco or Synergy or their respective officers, directors, agents or employees will not in any way indicate or predict the results of the ownership of Securities or of Pubco’s activities.

 

1.12. Stop Transfer Instructions; No Requirement to Transfer. The Shareholder agrees that, in order to ensure compliance with the restrictions referred to herein, Pubco may issue appropriate “stop transfer” instructions to its transfer agent. Pubco shall not be required (a) to transfer or have transferred on its books any Securities that have been sold or otherwise transferred in violation of any of the provisions of this Shareholder Representation Letter or the Agreement or (b) to treat as owner of such Securities or to accord the right to vote or pay dividends to any shareholder or other transferee to whom such Securities shall have been so transferred in violation of any provision of this Shareholder Representation Letter or the Agreement.

 

1.13. No Public Solicitation. The Shareholder represents that at no time was the Shareholder presented with or solicited by any general mailing, leaflet, public promotional meeting, newspaper or magazine article, radio or television advertisement, or any other form of general advertising or general solicitation in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Agreement.

 

1.14. Principal Residence. The address shown under the Shareholder’s signature on the signature page hereof is the Shareholder’s principal residence.

 

1.15. Indemnification. The Shareholder will indemnify and hold harmless Pubco and Synergy and their respective officers, directors, managers and counsel, from and against any and all damages, losses, liabilities or expenses (including all legal fees and costs) directly or indirectly incurred, resulting or arising out of the breach of any of the representations, warranties or covenants given or made in this Shareholder Representation Letter.

 

1.16. Authorization of Transaction. The Shareholder has full power and authority to execute and deliver this Shareholder Representation Letter and to perform the Shareholder’s obligations hereunder.

 

1.17. Disposition of Securities. The Shareholder is not a party to any option, warrant, purchase right, or other contract or commitment that could require the Shareholder to sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of any of the Securities.

 

2. MERGER AGREEMENT. The Shareholder agrees that the Securities will be subject to and bound by, all of the provisions of the Agreement relating to the Securities.

 

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3. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. The Agreement and this Shareholder Representation Letter constitute the entire agreement and understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Shareholder Representation Letter, and supersede all prior understandings and agreements, whether oral or written, between or among the parties hereto with respect to the specific subject matter hereof.

 

4. COUNTERPARTS. This Shareholder Representation Letter may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

5. EFFECT OF HEADINGS. The section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Shareholder Representation Letter.

 

6. GOVERNING LAW; CONSENT TO JURISDICTION. This Shareholder Representation Letter shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Nevada applicable to contracts executed in and to be performed by residents of Nevada within that State.

 

7. NO TAX REPRESENTATIONS. The Shareholder represents, warrants and acknowledges that the Shareholder is not relying on Pubco or Synergy for any tax advice concerning the federal or state income or other tax consequences of the transactions contemplated by the Agreement or the Shareholder’s receipt of the Securities, and that the Shareholder has consulted such advisors as the Shareholder deems necessary or appropriate to understand the tax consequences of the investment represented by the Securities.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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  SHAREHOLDER
   
  Signature
  Name (Please Type or Print)
  Title (Please Type or Print) (if applicable)
  Street Address
  City, State, Zip Code
  Country
  Social Security Number
  (or tax I.D. Number, if an entity)
  Accredited Investor:
   
  (Please Check One of the Following Boxes)
  ☐ Yes ☐ No

 

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EXHIBIT D

 

FORM OF INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

 

This Indemnification Agreement (this “Agreement”), dated as of March __, 2014, is made by and between Oro Capital Corporation, a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and the undersigned, who is either a director or an officer (or both) of the Company (the “Indemnitee”), with this Agreement to be deemed effective as of the date that the Indemnitee first assumed either such capacity at the Company.

 

RECITALS

 

A. The Company is aware that competent and experienced persons are reluctant to serve as directors or officers of corporations unless they are protected by comprehensive liability insurance and indemnification, due to the exposure to litigation costs and risks resulting from their service to such corporations, and due to the fact that the exposure frequently bears no reasonable relationship to the compensation of such directors and officers;

 

B. The Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has concluded that, to retain and attract talented and experienced individuals to serve as officers or directors of the Company, it is necessary for the Company contractually to indemnify certain of such persons and to assume for itself maximum liability for expenses and damages in connection with claims against such persons in connection with their service to the Company;

 

C. Section 7502 of Chapter 78 of the Nevada General Corporation Law, under which the Company is organized (“Section 7502”), empowers the Company to indemnify by agreement its present and former officers and directors and persons who serve, at the request of the Company, as directors or officers of other corporations, partnerships, joint ventures, trusts, or other enterprises and expressly provides that the indemnification provided by Section 7502 is not exclusive; and

 

D. The Company desires and has requested the Indemnitee to serve or continue to serve as a director or an officer of the Company free from undue concern for claims for damages arising out of or related to such services to the Company.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Definitions

 

1.1 Agent. For the purposes of this Agreement, “agent” of the Company means any person who is or was a director or an officer of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company; or is or was serving at the request of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company as a director or an officer of another foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise or an affiliate of the Company. The term “enterprise” includes any employee benefit plan of the Company, its subsidiaries, affiliates, and predecessor corporations.

 

1.2 Company. For purposes of this Agreement, the “Company” includes, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger that, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors or officers so that any person who is or was a director or an officer of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director or an officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under this Agreement with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as such person would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.

 

1.3 Expenses. For the purposes of this Agreement, “expenses” includes all direct and indirect costs of any type or nature whatsoever (including, without limitation, all attorneys’ fees and related disbursements and other out-of-pocket costs) actually and reasonably incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense, or appeal of a proceeding or establishing or enforcing a right to indemnification or advancement of expenses under this Agreement, Section 7502 or otherwise; provided, however, that expenses shall not include any judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties, or amounts paid in settlement of a proceeding.

 

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1.4 Fines. For purposes of this Agreement, references to “fines” includes any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to any employee benefit plan.

 

1.5 Liabilities. For purposes of this Agreement, “liabilities” means judgments, fines, ERISA execute taxes or penalties, and amounts paid in settlement in connection with a proceeding.

 

1.6 Other Enterprises. For purposes of this Agreement, “other enterprises” includes employee benefit plans.

 

1.7 Proceeding. For the purposes of this Agreement, “proceeding” means any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, or other proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative.

 

1.8 Subsidiary. For purposes of this Agreement, “subsidiary” means any corporation of which more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities is owned directly or indirectly by the Company, by the Company and one or more of its subsidiaries, or by one or more of the Company’s subsidiaries.

 

1.9 Serving at the Request of the Company. For purposes of this Agreement, “serving at the request of the Company” includes any service as a director or an officer of the Company that imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director or officer with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Company” as referred to in this Agreement.

 

2. Agreement to Serve. The Indemnitee agrees to serve and/or continue to serve as an agent of the Company, at the will of the Company (or under separate agreement, if such agreement exists), in the capacity the Indemnitee currently serves as an agent of the Company, faithfully and to the best of his ability, so long as he is duly appointed or elected and qualified in accordance with the applicable provisions of the charter documents of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company; provided, however, that the Indemnitee may at any time and for any reason resign from such position (subject to any contractual obligation that the Indemnitee may have assumed apart from this Agreement), and the Company and any subsidiary shall have no obligation under this Agreement to continue the Indemnitee in any such position.

 

3. Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance. The Company shall, to the extent that the Board determines it to be economically reasonable, maintain a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance (“D&O Insurance”), on such terms and conditions as may be approved by the Board.

 

4. Mandatory Indemnification. Subject to Section 9 below, the Company hereby agrees to hold harmless and indemnify the Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law, as such may be amended from time to time. In furtherance of the foregoing indemnification, and without limiting the generality thereof:

 

4.1 Third-Party Actions. If the Indemnitee is a person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any proceeding (except an action by or in the right of the Company) by reason of the fact that the Indemnitee is or was an agent of the Company, or by reason of anything done or not done by the Indemnitee in any such capacity, against any and all expenses and liabilities of any type whatsoever incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with such proceeding if (a) the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner the Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Company and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful, or (b) the Indemnitee, if a director or an officer of the Company, did not act or fail to act in a manner that constituted a breach of the Indemnitee’s fiduciary duties as a director or an officer or such Indemnitee’s breach of those duties did not involve intentional misconduct, fraud, or a knowing violation of law; and

 

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4.2 Derivative Actions. If the Indemnitee is a person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the Indemnitee is or was an agent of the Company, or by reason of anything done or not done by the Indemnitee in any such capacity, against any and all expenses and liabilities incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with such proceeding if (a) the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner the Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Company, or (b) the Indemnitee, if a director or an officer of the Company, did not act or fail to act in a manner that constituted a breach of the Indemnitee’s fiduciary duties as a director or an officer or such Indemnitee breach of those duties involved intentional misconduct, fraud, or a knowing violation of law; except that no indemnification under this subsection shall be made in respect of any claim, issue, or matter as to which the Indemnitee shall have been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction, after the exhaustion of all appeals therefrom, to be liable to the Company or for amounts paid in settlement to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the court in which such proceeding was brought or another court of competent jurisdiction determines upon application that, in view of all the circumstances of the case, the Indemnitee is fairly and reasonable entitled to indemnity for such expenses as the court deems proper; and

 

4.3 Exception for Amounts Covered by Insurance. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be obligated to indemnify the Indemnitee for expenses or liabilities of any type whatsoever (including, but not limited to, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties, and amounts paid in settlement) to the extent such have been paid to the Indemnitee by D&O Insurance.

 

4.4 Indemnification for Expenses as a Witness. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of the Indemnitee’s status as an agent of the Company, a witness, or is made (or asked) to respond to discovery requests, in any proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, the Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all expenses and liabilities of any type whatsoever actually and reasonably incurred by him or her or on his or her behalf in connection therewith.

 

5. Partial Indemnification and Contribution.

 

5.1 Partial Indemnification. If the Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of any expenses or liabilities of any type whatsoever incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with a proceeding but is not entitled, however, to indemnification for all of the total amount thereof, then the Company shall nevertheless indemnify the Indemnitee for such total amount except as to the portion thereof to which the Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification.

 

5.2 Contribution. If the Indemnitee is not entitled to the indemnification provided in Section 4 for any reason other than the statutory limitations set forth in the Nevada General Corporation Law, then in respect of proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with the Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such proceeding), the Company shall contribute to the amount of expenses and liabilities paid or payable by the Indemnitee in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect (a) the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Indemnitee on the other hand from the transaction from which such proceeding arose and (b) the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Indemnitee on the other hand in connection with the events that resulted in such expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Indemnitee on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information, and opportunity to correct or prevent the circumstances resulting in such expenses, judgments, fines, or settlement amounts. The Company agrees that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5 were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the foregoing equitable considerations.

 

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6. Mandatory Advancement of Expenses.

 

6.1 Advancement. Subject to Section 9 below, the Company shall pay as incurred and in advance of the final disposition of a civil or criminal proceeding all expenses incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with defending any such proceeding to which the Indemnitee is a party or is threatened to be made a party by reason of the fact that the Indemnitee is or was an agent of the Company or by reason of anything done or not done by the Indemnitee in any such capacity. The Indemnitee hereby undertakes to promptly repay such amounts advanced only if, and to the extent that, it shall ultimately by determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company under the provisions of this Agreement, the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company, the Nevada General Corporation Law, or otherwise. The advances to be made hereunder shall be paid by the Company to the Indemnitee within thirty (30) days following delivery of a written request therefor by the Indemnitee to the Company.

 

6.2 Exception. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 6, the Company shall not be obligated to advance any expenses to the Indemnitee arising from a lawsuit filed directly by the Company against the Indemnitee if an absolute majority of the members of the Board reasonably determines in good faith, within thirty (30) days of the Indemnitee’s request to be advanced expenses, that the facts known to them at the time such determination is made demonstrate clearly and convincingly that the Indemnitee acted in bad faith. If such a determination is made, the Indemnitee may have such decision reviewed in the manner set forth in Section 8.5 hereof, with all references therein to “indemnification” being deemed to refer to “advancement of expenses,” and the burden of proof shall be on the Company to demonstrate clearly and convincingly that, based on the facts known at the time, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith. The Company may not avail itself of this Section 6.2 as to a given lawsuit if, at any time after the occurrence of the activities or omissions that are the primary focus of the lawsuit, the Company has undergone a change in control. For this purpose, a “change in control” shall mean a given person of group of affiliated persons or groups increasing their beneficial ownership interest in the Company by at least twenty (20) percentage points without advance Board approval.

 

7. Notice and Other Indemnification Procedures.

 

7.1 Notification. Promptly after receipt by the Indemnitee of notice of the commencement of or the threat of commencement of any proceeding, the Indemnitee shall, if the Indemnitee believes that indemnification with respect thereto may be sought from the Company under this Agreement, notify the Company of the commencement or threat of commencement thereof.

 

7.2 Insurance. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of the commencement of a proceeding pursuant to Section 7.1 hereof, the Company has D&O Insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of the commencement of such proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such proceeding in accordance with the terms of such D&O Insurance policies.

 

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7.3 Defense. In the event the Company shall be obligated to advance the expenses for any proceeding against the Indemnitee, the Company, if appropriate, shall be entitled to assume the defense of such proceeding, with counsel approved by the Indemnitee (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld), upon the delivery to the Indemnitee of written notice of its election to do so. After delivery of such notice, approval of such counsel by the Indemnitee and the retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to the Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees of counsel subsequently incurred by the Indemnitee with respect to the same proceeding, provided that (a) the Indemnitee shall have the right to employ the Indemnitee’s own counsel in any such proceeding at the Indemnitee’s expense; (b) the Indemnitee shall have the right to employ the Indemnitee’s own counsel in connection with any such proceeding, at the expense of the Company, if such counsel serves in a review, observer, advice, and counseling capacity and does not otherwise materially control or participate in the defense of such proceeding; and (c) if (i) the employment of counsel by the Indemnitee has been previously authorized by the Company, (ii) the Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there may be conflict of interest between the Company and the Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense, or (iii) the Company shall not, in fact, have employed counsel to assume the defense of such proceeding, then the fees and expenses of the Indemnitee’s counsel shall be at the expense of the Company.

 

8. Determination of Right to Indemnification.

 

8.1 Success on Merits. To the extent the Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any proceeding referred to in Section 4.1 or 4.2 of this Agreement or in the defense of any claim, issue, or matter described therein, the Company shall indemnify the Indemnitee against expenses actually and reasonably incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense, or appeal of such proceeding, or such claim, issue, or matter, as the case may be.

 

8.2 Proof by Company. In the event that Section 8.1 is inapplicable, or does not apply to the entire proceeding, the Company shall nonetheless indemnify the Indemnitee unless the Company shall prove by clear and convincing evidence to a forum listed in Section 8.4 below that the Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct required to entitle the Indemnitee to such indemnification.

 

8.3 Termination of Proceeding. The termination of any proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere its equivalent, does not, of itself, create a presumption that a person (a) did not act in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, (b) with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, that the person had reasonable cause to believe that the person’s conduct was unlawful, or (c) the person’s act or failure to act constituted a breach of the person’s fiduciary duties as a director or an officer or the person’s breach of those duties involved intentional misconduct, fraud, or a knowing violation of law.

 

8.4 Applicable Forums. The Indemnitee shall be entitled to select the forum in which the validity of the Company’s claim under Section 8.2 hereof that the Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification will be heard from among the following, except that the Indemnitee can select a forum consisting of the stockholders of the Company only with the approval of the Company and, if the Indemnitee is a director or an officer at the time of such determination, the determination shall be made in accordance with (a), (b), (c) or (d) below at the election of the Company:

 

(a) A majority vote of the directors who are not parties to the proceeding for which indemnification is being sought even though less than a quorum;

 

(b) By a committee of directors who are not parties to the proceeding for which indemnification is being sought designated by a majority vote of such directors, even though less than a quorum;

 

(c) If there are no directors who are not parties to the proceeding for which indemnification is sought, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion;

 

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(d) The stockholders of the Company;

 

(e) A panel of three arbitrators, one of whom is selected by the Company, another of whom is selected by the Indemnitee and the last of whom is selected by the first two arbitrators so selected; or

 

(f) A court having jurisdiction of subject matter and the parties.

 

8.5 Submission. As soon as practicable, and in no event later than thirty (30) days after the forum has been selected pursuant to Section 8.4 above, the Company shall, at its own expense, submit to the selected forum its claim that the Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, and the Company shall act in the utmost good faith to assure the Indemnitee a complete opportunity to defend against such claim.

 

8.6 Appeals. If the forum selected in accordance with Section 8.4 hereof is not a court, then after the final decision of such forum is rendered, the Company or the Indemnitee shall have the right to apply to a court of Nevada, the court in which the proceeding giving rise to the Indemnitee’s claim for indemnification is or was pending, or any other court of competent jurisdiction, for the purpose of appealing the decision of such forum, provided that such right is executed within sixty (60) days after the final decision of such forum is rendered. If the forum selected in accordance with Section 8.4 hereof is a court, then the rights of the Company or the Indemnitee to appeal any decision of such court shall be governed by the applicable laws and rules governing appeals of the decision of such court.

 

8.7 Expenses for Interpretation. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall indemnify the Indemnitee against all expenses incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with any hearing or proceeding under this Section 8 involving the Indemnitee and against all expenses incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with any other proceeding between the Company and the Indemnitee involving the interpretation or enforcement of the rights of the Indemnitee under this Agreement unless a court of competent jurisdiction finds that each of the material claims and/or defenses of the Indemnitee in any such proceeding was frivolous or not made in good faith.

 

9. Exceptions. Any other provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement in the following circumstances:

 

9.1 Claims Initiated by Indemnitee. To indemnify or advance expenses to the Indemnitee with respect to proceedings or claims initiated or brought voluntarily by the Indemnitee and not by way of defense, except with respect to proceedings specifically authorized by the Board or brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification and/or advancement of expenses arising under this Agreement, the charter documents of the Company or any subsidiary, or any statute or law or otherwise, but such indemnification or advancement of expenses may be provided by the Company in specific cases if the Board finds it to be appropriate; or

 

9.2 Unauthorized Settlements. To indemnify the Indemnitee hereunder for any amounts paid in settlement of a proceeding unless the Company consents in advance in writing to such settlement, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; or

 

9.3 Securities Law Actions. To indemnify the Indemnitee on account of any suit in which judgment is rendered against the Indemnitee for an accounting of profits made from the purchase or sale by the Indemnitee of securities of the company pursuant to the provisions of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and amendments thereto or similar provisions of any federal, state, or local statutory law; or

 

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9.4 Unlawful Indemnification. To indemnify the Indemnitee if a final decision by a court having jurisdiction in the mater shall determine that such indemnification is not lawful. In this respect, the Company and the Indemnitee have been advised that the Securities and Exchange Commission takes the position that indemnification for liabilities arising under the federal securities laws is against public policy and is, therefore, unenforceable and that claims for indemnification should be submitted to appropriate courts for adjudication.

 

10. Non-Exclusivity. The provisions for indemnification and advancement of expenses set forth in this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights that the Indemnitee may have under any provision of law, the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, the vote of the Company’s stockholders or disinterested directors, other agreements, or otherwise, both as to action in the Indemnitee’s official capacity and to action in another capacity while occupying the Indemnitee’s position as an agent of the Company, and the Indemnitee’s rights hereunder shall continue after the Indemnitee has ceased acting as an agent of the Company and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors, and administrators of the Indemnitee.

 

11. General Provisions.

 

11.1 Interpretation of Agreement. It is understood that the parties hereto intend this Agreement to be interpreted and enforced so as to provide indemnification and advancement of expenses to the Indemnitee to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by law, except as expressly limited herein.

 

11.2 Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever, then: (a) the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, all portions of any paragraphs of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable that are not themselves invalid, illegal, or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (b) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, all portions of any paragraphs of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, that are not themselves invalid, illegal, or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal, or unenforceable and to give effect to Section 11.1 hereof.

 

11.3 Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification, or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provision hereof (whether or not similar), nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.

 

11.4 Subrogation. In the event of full payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of the Indemnitee, who shall execute all documents required and shall do all acts that may be necessary or desirable to secure such rights and to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.

 

11.5 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, which shall together constitute one agreement.

 

11.6 Successors and Assigns. The terms of this Agreement shall bind, and shall inure to the benefit of, the successors and assigns of the parties hereto. The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this section shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or an officer and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors, and administrators of such a person.

 

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11.7 Notice. All notices, requests, demands, and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given if (a) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party addressee, or (b) mailed by certified or registered mail, with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the mailing date. Addresses for notice to either party are as shown on the signature page of this Agreement or as subsequently modified by written notice.

 

11.8 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed exclusively by and construed according to the laws of the State of Nevada, as applied to contracts between Nevada residents entered into and to be performed entirely within Nevada .

 

11.9 Consent to Jurisdiction. The Company and the Indemnitee each hereby irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Nevada for all purposes in connection with any action or proceeding which arises out of or relates to this Agreement.

 

11.10 Attorneys’ Fees. In the event Indemnitee is required to bring any action to enforce rights under this Agreement (including, without limitation, the expenses of any proceeding described in Section 4), the Indemnitee shall be entitled to all reasonable fees and expenses in bringing and pursuing such action, unless a court of competent jurisdiction finds each of the material claims of the Indemnitee in any such action was frivolous and not made in good faith.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have entered into this Indemnification Agreement effective as of the date first written above.

 

ORO CAPITAL CORPORATION INDEMNITEE:  
     
By:                      
Name:    
Title:    

 

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SCHEDULE 6.1

 

Directors to be Appointed to Parent

 

1. Mark Suponitsky

 

2. Jordin Mendelsohn

 

Director to Resign from Parent

 

1. Danny Aaron

 

Officers to be Appointed to Parent

 

1. Mark Suponitsky, President, CEO, Secretary, Treasurer

 

Officer to Resign from Parent

 

1. Danny Aaron, President, Secretary and Treasurer

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 2.2

 

ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

THIS ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) dated as of January 16, 2015, is by and among Synergy Strips Corp. (the “Buyer”); Factor Nutrition Labs, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Seller”); Vita Partners, LLC, RPR Partners, LLC, and Thor Associates, Inc. (each a “Principal Owner”); and, for purposes of Article XIV hereof, Jack Ross (“Guarantor”). The Buyer, Seller, Principal Owners and Guarantor are sometimes referred to collectively as “Parties” and individually as a “Party”.

 

W I T N E S S E T H :

 

WHEREAS, among Seller’s several ingestible dietary supplement lines of business is a line of business and products called FOCUS Factor (the “Product,” and the Product plus the business related to the Product is collectively the “Focus Factor Business”);

 

WHEREAS, the Principal Owners, either directly or indirectly, collectively own all of the equity of Seller; and

 

WHEREAS, Buyer desires to purchase all of the assets of the Focus Factor Business, and the Seller desires to sell such assets to the Buyer, in each case upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the respective covenants and agreements hereinafter contained, the Parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS.

 

As used in this Agreement (including the recitals and Disclosure Schedules hereto), the following terms shall have the following meanings (such meanings to be applicable equally to both singular and plural forms of the terms defined):

 

“Accounts Receivable” shall mean all accounts and notes receivable relating to sales of the Product, as set forth on Schedule A hereto;

 

“Action” means any claim, action, cause of action, demand, lawsuit, arbitration, inquiry, audit, notice of violation, proceeding, litigation, citation, summons, subpoena or investigation of any nature, civil, criminal, administrative, regulatory or otherwise, whether formal or informal, whether public or private and whether at law or in equity;

 

“Actual Proceeds” means the amount of the Purchase Price the applicable Principal Owner actually receives in cash.

 

“Additional Payment” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(b) hereof;

 

“Adverse Event” means any untoward medical occurrence in a consumer or clinical investigation subject administered Products and which does not necessarily have to have a causal relationship with such treatment.

 

“Affiliate” shall mean, as to any Person, any other Person which directly or indirectly controls, or is under common control with, or is controlled by, such Person. As used in this definition, “control” (including, with its correlative meanings, “controlled by” and “under common control with”) shall mean possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of management or policies (whether through ownership of securities or partnership or other ownership interests, by Contract or otherwise) of such Person;

 

“Assigned Contracts” shall mean all Contracts, licenses, instruments, obligations, promises, undertaking, and equipment leases and other agreements, whether written or oral, which are used in, support the production and sale of the Product or are related to the Focus Factor Business;

 

 

 

 

“Assumed Liabilities” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.4 hereof;

 

“Bad Conduct” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11.1 hereof;

 

“Business Day” shall mean days other than Saturdays, Sundays and other legal holidays or days on which banks in New York City are closed;

 

“Business Intellectual Property” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.9 hereof;

 

“Buyer” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble hereto;

 

“Buyer Indemnitees” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11.1 hereof;

 

“Buyer Losses” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11.1 hereof;

 

“Cap” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11.1 hereof;

 

“Clients” means all of the clients of Seller during each of Seller’s 2012 and 2013 fiscal years and during the period ended as of December 31, 2014;

 

“Closing” shall mean the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

 

“Closing Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4 hereof;

 

“Closing Payment” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(a) hereof;

 

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

“Commercially Reasonable Efforts” means the commercially reasonable efforts that a prudent Person desirous of achieving a result and having an incentive to and interest in achieving such result would use to achieve that result as expeditiously as reasonably possible under the circumstances;

 

“Confidentiality Agreement” means that certain confidentiality agreement dated as of August 22, 2014, between Buyer and Seller;

 

“Contract” means any agreement, contract, indenture, instrument, obligation, promise or undertaking (whether written or oral and whether express or implied) that is legally binding;

 

“Disputed Claim” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11.2(b) hereof;

 

“Domain Names” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.9(a) hereof;

 

“Employee” means an employee of Seller employed in connection with the Focus Factor Business;

 

“Employee Benefit Plan” means any pension, profit sharing, 401(k), retirement, deferred compensation, stock purchase, stock option or other equity based compensation plans, incentive, bonus, vacation, employment, independent contractor, severance, disability, hospitalization, sickness, death, medical insurance, dental insurance, life insurance and any other employee benefit plan (whether provided on a funded or unfunded basis, or through insurance or otherwise), agreement, program, policy, trust, fund, Contract or arrangement;

 

“Environmental Laws” means all Laws concerning pollution or protection of the environment and natural resources, including without limitation all those relating to the presence, use, production, generation, handling, transportation, treatment, storage, control or cleanup of any hazardous materials, substances or wastes, pesticides, pollutants or by products, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, or radiation, each as amended and as now or hereafter in effect;

 

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“Excluded Seller Assets” any asset of Seller that is not included in the definition of Purchased Property and specifically including, without limitation, any of the following Seller assets:

 

(i) cash and cash equivalents;

 

(ii) all tangible personal property of every kind owned or leased by Seller other than the Purchased Property;

 

(iii) all Contracts, licenses, IT vendor services Contracts and equipment leases and other agreements, whether written or oral, other than the Assigned Contracts, the IP Assets, the Intellectual Property and the Licensed Intellectual Property;

 

(iv) all files and records, other than the Files and Records;

 

(v) all of the other intangible rights and property of Seller, including any intellectual property rights, going concern value, goodwill, telephone, domains, and email addresses and listing, in each case other than the Assigned Contracts, the IP Assets, the Licensed Intellectual Property and the Intellectual Property; and

 

(vi) the assets of Seller set forth in Schedule B hereto.

 

“Excluded Liabilities” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.5 hereof;

 

“Files and Records” shall mean all files and records, whether in hard copy or digital, electronic, data, magnetic or other format, of the Seller relating to or used in connection with the Focus Factor Business or otherwise relating to the Purchased Property;

 

“Financial Statements” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.5 hereof;

 

“Fundamental Representations” shall mean the representations and warranties set forth in Sections 5.1 (Corporate Organization), 5.2 (Qualification to Do Business), 5.3 (Authorization and Validity of Agreement), 5.4 (No Conflict or Violation), 5.7 (Tax Matters), and 5.14 (Brokerage);

 

“GAAP” shall mean United States generally accepted accounting principles as in effect on the date on which the document or calculation to which it refers relates, applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby;

 

“General Intellectual Property” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.9 hereof;

 

“Government” shall mean any agency, division, subdivision, audit group or procuring office of the Government of the United States, any state of the United States, including the employees or agents thereof;

 

“Guarantee” means any Contract of guarantee, indemnification, assumption or endorsement or any other like commitment of the obligations, liabilities (fixed, contingent or otherwise) or indebtedness of another Person;

 

“Guaranteed Obligations” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 14(a);

 

“Guarantor” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble hereto.

 

“Indemnifiable Claim” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11.2(b) hereof;

 

“Intellectual Property” ” means all intellectual property rights whether protected, created or arising under the Laws of the United States or any other jurisdiction, including the following: (i) patents and patent applications; (ii) trademarks and service marks, including all applications and registrations and goodwill related to the foregoing; (iii) copyrights, including all applications and registrations related to the foregoing (including, without limitation, for all designs); (iv) Internet domain names; (v) telephone numbers, electronic mail addresses and social media accounts and registrations, including but not limited to accounts and registrations with Facebook, Linkedln, Twitter, and other similar services; and (vi) trade secrets, know-how, ideas, creative works, inventions, discoveries, methods, processes, technical data, specifications, research and development information, technology, software or computer programs, and data base.

 

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“IP Assets” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.9 hereof;

 

“IT Contracts” shall mean (i) all information technology vendor services Contracts used in the operations of the Focus Factor Business and (ii) any and all rights to the warranties received from IT vendors and suppliers to the Focus Factor Business with respect to the foregoing and any and all related claims, credits, rights of recovery and set-off with respect thereto;

 

“IT Vendors” shall mean all information technology vendors, suppliers, contractors and consultants who are parties to IT Contracts;

 

“Knowledge of the Seller” or “Seller’s Knowledge” or a similar phrase shall mean, with respect to any matter, the actual knowledge of the officers or managers of the Seller or the Principal Owners, or facts regarding such matter which reasonably should have been known by such persons after making a diligent inquiry with respect to such matter;

 

“Laws” means all statutes, laws, codes, ordinances, regulations, rules, orders, judgments, writs, injunctions, acts or decrees of any Government entity;

 

“Liability” means any liability or obligation of whatever kind or nature (whether known or unknown, whether asserted or unasserted, whether absolute or contingent, whether accrued or unaccrued, whether liquidated or unliquidated, and whether due or to become due), including without limitation any liability for Taxes;

 

“Lien” shall mean any mortgage, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other) or conditional sale agreement, and including claims on title and liens in favor of contractors, carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen, and subcontractors and statutory or common law liens to secure claims for labor, materials or supplies, and other similar liens and encumbrances;

 

“Licensed Intellectual Property” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.10(c) hereof;

 

“Marketing Materials of Focus Factor” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.10(a) hereof;

 

“Person” shall mean and include any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, any other unincorporated organization or Government;

 

“Pledge Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 14.

 

“Purchase Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3 hereof;

 

“Purchased Property” means all of the assets of Seller relating to the Focus Factor Business including, without limitation:

 

(i) the Product and all formulations related thereto;

 

(ii) all of Seller’s rights existing under all the Assigned Contracts, commitments, purchase orders and other agreements related to the Focus Factor Business, including all confidentiality, assignment of inventions, non-competition and/or non-solicitation covenants or any other Contract between each Transferred Employee and Seller, including the Assigned Contracts listed in Schedule 5.12:

 

(iii) the Accounts Receivable;

 

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(iv) the Business Intellectual Property (including the Trademarks, and Patents); the IP Assets (including the Domain Names, the Web Site Content and the Marketing Materials); and the Licensed Intellectual Property, including the Intellectual Property, IP Assets, and Licensed Intellectual Property listed on Schedule 5.9:

 

(v) the proprietary formulation for the Product;

 

(vi) the Files and Records, including the Files and Records listed on Schedule C:

 

(vii) all Focus Factor Business and Product inventory, finished goods, raw materials, work in progress, packaging, parts or other inventories, including the inventory listed on Schedule D (the “Inventory”);

 

(viii) the goodwill and going concern value with respect to the Focus Factor Business and the Product, including without limitation all relationships with the clients and the right for Buyer to represent itself as the successor to Seller in respect of The Focus Factor Business;

 

(ix) all prepayments, prepaid expenses, claims, deposits, warranties. Guarantees, refunds. Actions, rights of recovery, rights of set-off, rights of indemnification, and rights of recoupment related to the Focus Factor Business and similar assets relating to the Focus Factor Business, including those listed on Schedule E;

 

(x) all fixed assets relating to the Focus Factor Business, including all equipment, machinery, furniture, vehicles, spare parts, trade fixtures, leasehold improvements, computers, computer systems, telephones, telephone systems, and all related equipment and all other tangible personal property relating to the Focus Factor Business, including those set forth on Schedule F. which schedule reflects the location of any fixed assets as of the Closing that are not located on Sellers’ premises;

 

(xi) all assignable licenses, permits, certificates of authority, authorizations, approvals, registrations, qualifications, waivers and similar instruments granted or issued by any Government entity, and all pending applications therefor or renewals thereof (“Permits”) relating to the Focus Factor Business, including those set forth on Schedule 5.10;

 

(xii) all personnel files for Transferred Employees;

 

(xiii) all insurance, warranty and condemnation net proceeds received after the Closing Date with respect to damage, non conformance of or loss to the Purchased Property;

 

(xiv) all claims of Seller against third parties relating to the Purchased Property and the Assumed Liabilities, whether known or unknown, choate or inchoate, contingent or non-contingent; and

 

(xv) all other assets of any kind or nature of the Seller related to the Focus Factor Business, other than the Excluded Assets;

 

“Regulations” means the Treasury Regulations (including Temporary Regulations) promulgated by the United States Department of Treasury with respect to the code;

 

“Seller” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble hereto;

 

“Seller’s Events of Breach” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.1 hereof;

 

“Serious Adverse Event” or means an Adverse Event that at any dose (i) results in death, (ii) is life-threatening, (iii) requires inpatient hospitalization or prolongation of existing hospitalization, (iv) results in persistent or significant disability/incapacity, or (v) is a congenital anomaly/birth defect. The term “life-threatening” in this definition refers to an event in which the consumer was at risk of death at the time of the event; it does not refer to an event which hypothetically might have caused death if it had been more severe. Important medical events that may not be immediately life-threatening or result in death or hospitalization but may jeopardize the patient or require intervention to prevent one of the other outcomes listed above should also be included in this definition to the extent reasonable medical and scientific judgement indicates that expedited reporting is appropriate under applicable Laws.

 

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“Taxes” shall mean (i) all federal, state, local or foreign taxes, including, but not limited to, income, gross income, gross receipts, capital, production, excise, employment, sales, use, transfer, transfer gain, ad valorem, premium, profits, license, capital stock, franchise, severance, stamp, withholding, Social Security, employment, unemployment, disability, worker’s compensation, payroll, utility, windfall profit, custom duties, personal property, real property, environmental, registration, alternative or add-on minimum, estimated and other taxes, governmental fees or like charges of any kind whatsoever, (ii) any interest, penalties, fines, loss, damages, liability, expense or additions thereto whether disputed or not, and (iii) any transference liability in respect of any items described in clauses (i) or (ii) payable by reason of contract assumption, transference liability, operation of law, or otherwise;

 

“Tax Return” means any return, declaration, report, claim for refund, FBAR Report, information return or statement relating to any Taxes, including any schedule or attachment thereto and including any amendment thereof;

 

“Third Party Proceeding” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11.2 hereof;

 

“Threshold” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11.1 hereof;

 

“Trademarks” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.10(a) hereof;

 

“Transaction Documents” shall mean this Agreement, the Bill of Sale, the Pledge Agreement, and the other exhibits and schedules hereto and thereto, and all other agreements, instruments, certificates and other documents to be entered into or delivered by any Party in connection with the transactions contemplated to be consummated pursuant to any of the foregoing;

 

“Transfer Taxes” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.3 hereof; and

 

“Vendor” means the top five (5) production vendors and subcontractors of Seller in terms of amounts paid to such vendors during each of Seller’s 2012 and 2013 fiscal years and during the period ended as of December 31, 2014.

 

SECTION 2. PURCHASE AND SALE OF THE PURCHASED PROPERTY.

 

SECTION 2.1. Transfer of Assets. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Seller shall sell, convey, transfer, assign and deliver to the Buyer and/or its designated Affiliates, free and clear of any Liens (other than any Liens constituting a part of the Assumed Liabilities and specifically identified on Schedule 2.4 hereto), and the Buyer and/or its designated Affiliates shall purchase and accept from the Seller, on the Closing Date, all of Seller’s right, title and interest in and to the Purchased Property. For the avoidance of doubt, the Parties acknowledge that the Excluded Seller Assets are not part of the Purchased Property being conveyed to Buyer hereunder, and such Excluded Seller Assets shall remain the property of Seller after Closing.

 

SECTION 2.2. Sale at Closing Date. The sale, transfer, assignment and delivery by the Seller of the Purchased Property to the Buyer, as herein provided, shall be effected on the Closing Date by this Agreement and the Bill of Sale, and such other deeds, bills of sale, endorsements, assignments and other instruments of transfer and conveyance as counsel for the Buyer may reasonably require in order to provide for the proper legal transfer of the Purchased Property to Buyer.

 

SECTION 2.3. Subsequent Conveyance Documentation & Reconciliations

 

(a) The Seller shall, at any time and from time to time after the Closing Date, upon the request of the Buyer, execute, acknowledge and deliver, or cause to be executed, acknowledged and delivered, all such further authorizations, deeds, assignments, consents, transfers, conveyances and related documentation as may be reasonably required for the better assigning, transferring, granting, conveying and confirming to the Buyer or its successors and assigns, or for aiding and assisting in collecting and reducing to possession, any or all of the Purchased Property; including any documentation reasonably required to collect for the account of the Buyer all Accounts Receivable and any other item of Purchased Property. The Seller agrees to hold in trust for the account of the Buyer all Accounts Receivable and any other items of Purchased Property received by Seller on or after the Closing Date and further agree to promptly deliver such items of Purchased Property to the Buyer.

 

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(b) Seller shall conduct a reconciliation of its books and records relating to the Focus Factor Accounts Receivable as well as the Accounts Payable (as defined in Section 2.4) and accrued expenses (including those arising under any Assigned Contracts) on the day prior to the Closing Date and will provide it to the Buyer at Closing. At the Closing, or as soon as reasonably possible thereafter. Buyer and Seller will, respectively, use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to do the following: (i) Seller will promptly transfer to Buyer all Accounts Receivable that are or come into Seller’s possession; (ii) Buyer will promptly transfer to Seller all cash and cash equivalents that do not constitute cash and cash equivalents of the Focus Factor Business related to post-Closing periods that are or come into Buyer’s possession; and (iii) Seller shall pay all accounts payable and accrued expenses not arising under the Focus Factor Business (i.e., any accounts payable relating to the Excluded Assets).

 

SECTION 2.4. Assumed Liabilities. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, from and after the Closing, the Buyer will assume and pay, perform, discharge and be responsible for the following obligations and liabilities of the Seller: (i) the accounts payable of Seller set forth on Schedule 2.4(i) (the “Accounts Payable”), (ii) the obligations and liabilities of the Seller under the Assigned Contracts incurred after the Closing Date (and specifically excluding any obligations or liabilities under and breaches thereof arising prior to the Closing Date) which obligations and liabilities being assumed under such certain Assigned Contracts are specifically set forth on Schedule 2.4(ii) hereto, and (iii) the Liabilities set forth on Schedule 5.8 (the “Assumed Liabilities”); provided, however, the Assumed Liabilities shall not include any obligations or liabilities that were not incurred in the ordinary course of business. Assumed Liabilities shall include any liabilities for (a) Taxes relating to or arising out of the Focus Factor Business accruing on and after the Closing Date (including, without limitation, sales taxes), (b) Taxes payable by the Buyer resulting from payments made pursuant to this Agreement, (c) one-half of the Transfer Taxes, if applicable, and (d) Taxes of Buyer or any other Person, relating to the Focus Factor Business on and after the Closing Date, whether pursuant to an agreement, by operation law or transferee or successor liability, or otherwise. Seller shall retain, and Buyer shall not assume, any liability of Seller, direct or indirect, known or unknown, absolute or contingent, not expressly included in the Assumed Liabilities.

 

SECTION 2.5. Excluded Liabilities. Purchaser shall not assume and shall not be responsible to pay, perform or discharge any of the following Liabilities or obligations of Seller (collectively, the “Excluded Liabilities”): (i) Liabilities relating to or arising out of the ownership or leasing of the Purchased Property prior to the Closing Date; (ii) any liability arising out of any Action pending as of the Closing Date; (iii) Liabilities for Taxes relating to or arising out of the Focus Factor Business accruing prior to the Closing Date (including, without limitation, accrued sales taxes); (iv) liabilities for Taxes of the Seller, whether or not relating to or arising out of the Focus Factor business and whether or not incurred prior to the Closing date, including, without limitation, any Taxes payable by the Seller resulting from payments made pursuant to this Agreement; (v) any deferred Taxes of any nature; (vi) one-half of the Transfer Taxes, if applicable; (vii) any liability of Seller having to do with a business other than the Focus Factor Business; (viii) any liability with respect to any Employee or former employee of Seller, or any consultant retained by Seller; (ix) any liability to any Governmental entity arising out of or resulting from Seller’s compliance or noncompliance with any law, regulation, order, injunction, judgment, decree, ruling, assessment or award (an “Order”) of any Government entity (i.e., the liability is imposed by the Government entity); (x) any liability of Seller under this Agreement or any other document executed in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and (xi) any liability of Seller based on Seller’s actions or omissions occurring after the Closing Date.

 

SECTION 3. CONSIDERATION.

 

SECTION 3.1. Purchase Price. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, in reliance on the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the Seller contained herein, the aggregate purchase price of the Purchased Property shall be six million dollars and no cents ($6,000,000.00) (the “Purchase Price”). The Purchase Price will be paid by the Buyer (such payment secured by a pledge agreement between Buyer and Seller), for the sale and transfer of the Purchased Property, to or (as directed by Seller) for the benefit of the Seller as follows:

 

(a) At the Closing, four million five hundred thousand dollars ($4,500,000) (the “Closing Payment”); and

 

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(b) An additional payment of one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000), payable as follows (the “Additional Payment”):

 

(i) seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) on or before January 20, 2016; and

 

(ii) seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) on or before January 20, 2017.

 

SECTION 3.2. Allocation of Purchase Price. Seller and Buyer shall cooperate in the preparation of a joint schedule (the “Allocation Schedule”) allocating the Purchase Price (including for purposes of this Section 3.2 the Assumed Liabilities) among the Assets purchased pursuant to this Agreement. Seller and Buyer each agree to file IRS Form(s) 8594 and all federal, state and local income Tax Returns in accordance with the Allocation Schedule, and none of them shall thereafter take an income Tax Return position inconsistent with such allocation unless such inconsistent position shall arise out of or through an audit or other inquiry or examination by the IRS or other Tax authority. Seller and Buyer each agree to provide the other promptly with any other information required to complete the Allocation Schedule. If, however, Seller and Buyer are unable to complete such schedule within one hundred and twenty (120) days following the Closing Date, or such later date as agreed to by Buyer and Seller, then Buyer and Seller shall file IRS Form(s) 8594 and any federal, state and local income Tax Returns allocating the Final Purchase Price among the Assets in the manner each believes is appropriate; provided, however, that such allocation must be reasonable and in accordance with Code section 1060 and the Regulations thereunder and provided, further, that the portion of the Purchase Price allocated to Accounts Receivable shall not exceed the net amount of Accounts Receivable included in the Purchased Property.

 

SECTION 4. CLOSING. The Closing shall take place at the offices of Williams & Connolly LLP, at 10:00 a.m., local time on or before January 23, 2015, after the conditions in Section 9 and Section 10 have been met or waived, or at such other place and time as may be mutually agreed to by the Parties hereto, provided, however, that the Closing may occur virtually, such that copies of signatures may be exchanged via electronic mail (with originals to follow in the mail) (the date of Closing is “Closing Date”). The Closing shall be deemed to occur and be effective as of 12:01 AM on the Closing Date.

 

SECTION 5. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE SELLER. Asa material inducement to Buyer to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, Seller and each of the Principal Owners (other than Thor Associates, Inc., which is making only the representations and warranties set forth in Sections 5.3, 5.4, 5.22, and 5.25 and only with respect to Thor Associates, Inc.) hereby jointly and severally (other than Thor Associates, Inc., which is making these representations and warranties severally and not jointly) represent and warrant as of the date hereof, except as set forth on the disclosure schedules (the “Disclosure Schedules”) attached to this Agreement, to Buyer as follows:

 

SECTION 5.1. Corporate Organization. The Seller is a limited liability company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of formation. The organizational documents which have been furnished to Buyer reflect all amendments made thereto at any time prior to the date of this Agreement and are correct and complete. The minute books and other books and records of Seller, to the extent such minutes exist, have been furnished to Buyer. The Principal Owners do not, whether in their individual capacities or through any other entity, engage in any other business that competes with the Focus Factor Business.

 

SECTION 5.2. Qualification to Do Business. Seller has the requisite power and authority and all necessary governmental authority to own, operate or lease all the items of Purchased Property that it purports to own, operate or lease and to carry on the Focus Factor Business as it is now being conducted, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign company, and is in good standing, in each jurisdiction where the character of its assets owned, operated or leased or the nature of its activities makes such qualification necessary (except where failure to so qualify would not have a material adverse effect on the ability of Seller to execute, deliver and perform the Transaction Documents and consummate the transactions contemplated thereunder).

 

SECTION 5.3. Authorization and Validity of Agreement. Seller and the Principal Owners each has all requisite power and authority to enter into the Transaction Documents and to carry out its obligations thereunder. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and the performance of Seller’s or each Principal Owner’s obligations thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate, shareholder or member action of Seller and the Principal Owners, and no other proceedings on the part or in respect of the Seller or any Principal Owner is necessary to authorize such execution, delivery and performance. The Transaction Documents have been duly executed by Seller and the Principal Owners and constitute its valid and binding obligations, enforceable against each in accordance with their respective terms, except as may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium or similar laws of general application relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and except for the limitations imposed by general principles of equity.

 

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SECTION 5.4. No Conflict or Violation. Subject to obtaining any consents and approvals set forth in Schedule 5.4. the execution, delivery and performance by the Seller and the Principal Owners of the Transaction Documents and all Assigned Contracts (including the transfer of the Purchased Property to Buyer and Buyer’s use thereof following the Closing) does not and will not (a)(i) conflict with or result in a breach of the terms, conditions, or provisions of, (ii) constitute a default under (whether with or without the passage of time, the giving of notice or both), (iii) give any third party the right to modify, terminate or accelerate any obligation under, (iv) result in a violation of, or (v) require any consent, exemption or other action by or notice or declaration to, or filing with, any third party of any Government entity pursuant to (A) any organizational documents of the Seller or Principal Owners; (B) any provision of law, rule or regulation, or any order, judgment or decree of any court or other governmental or regulatory authority; (C) any Contract, lease, sublease, occupancy agreement, loan agreement, mortgage, security agreement, trust indenture or other agreement or instrument to which the Seller or any of the Principal Owners is a party or by which Seller or any of the Principal Owners is bound or to which any of the Seller’s or any of the Principal Owners’ properties or assets is subject; or (D) the Assigned Contracts or other rights, agreements or licenses constituting the Purchased Property; (b) result in the creation of any Lien or Tax upon the equity or assets of Seller or the Principal Owners (including the Purchased Property); or (c) otherwise interfere in any material manner with the operation of the Focus Factor Business or the Purchased Property or have any material adverse effect thereon.

 

SECTION 5.5. Financial Statements. Attached hereto as Schedule 5.5 are the financial statements of the Seller (the “Financial Statements”). The Financial Statements have been prepared using consistent accounting principles, presentations, methods, standards, policies, practices, classifications, estimation and adjustment methodologies, assumptions, and procedures. Seller’s books of account and records are complete and correct and fairly reflect all of the assets, liabilities, transactions, and results of operations of the business of Seller and the Focus Factor Business in all material respects. Seller has delivered to the Buyer or its representatives copies of the Financial Statements.

 

SECTION 5.6. Absence of Certain Changes or Events.

 

(a) Except as set forth in Schedule 5.6. since December 31, 2014, there has not been:

 

(i) any adverse change in the business, operations, properties, assets, or condition (financial or other) of the Purchased Property or Seller in any material respect, and, to Seller’s Knowledge, no fact or condition exists and no event has occurred that would be reasonably likely to result in any such change; or

 

(ii) any material loss, damage, destruction or other casualty to the Purchased Property (whether or not covered by insurance).

 

(b) Since December 31, 2014, the Seller has operated the Focus Factor Business in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practice and, except as set forth on Schedule 5.6 hereto, has not:

 

(i) incurred any obligation or liability (whether absolute, accrued, contingent or otherwise) relating to the operations of the Focus Factor Business, in an amount greater than $10,000 that will not have been paid in full by the Closing Date or having a term or duration of more than one year;

 

(ii) discharged or satisfied any Lien or paid or satisfied any obligation or Liability (whether absolute, accrued, contingent or otherwise);

 

(iii) mortgaged, pledged or subjected to any Lien any of the Purchased Property;

 

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(iv) sold, licensed, assigned, or transferred any of its assets or canceled any debts or claims or waived any material right or claim;

 

(v) disposed of, relinquished or allowed to lapse any patents, trademarks, service marks, domain names, web addresses or copyrights (or any interest therein) or any patent, trademark, service mark, domain name or web address or copyright applications (or any interest therein) used (or that were, or are intended to be used) in the operations of the Focus Factor Business;

 

(vi) defaulted on any material obligation relating to the operations of the Focus Factor Business;

 

(vii) written off as uncollectible any accounts receivable with respect to any products to be delivered to customers after the Closing Date;

 

(viii) amended any term of, or waived any right under, any Contract that is in the Purchased Property;

 

(ix) sold, assigned, transferred, abandoned, or permitted to lapse any Permits;

 

(x) entered into any agreement or made any commitment to do any of the foregoing;

 

(xi) commenced any litigation or binding dispute resolution process or settled or compromised any pending or threatened suit. Action or claim; or

 

(xii) entered into any other material Contract or material transaction.

 

SECTION 5.7. Tax Matters.

 

(a) The Seller and its subsidiaries has timely filed all material Tax Returns that it was required to file. All such Tax Returns as so filed disclose all Taxes required to be paid for the periods covered thereby. All material Taxes due and owing by the Seller (whether or not shown on any Tax Return) have been paid. The Seller is not currently is the beneficiary of any extension of time within which to file any Tax Return. There are no Liens for Taxes (other than Taxes not yet due and payable) upon any of the assets of the Seller. The Seller has withheld and paid all Taxes required to have been withheld and paid in connection with amounts paid or owing to any employee, independent contractor, creditor, stockholder, or other third party, and all Tax Returns and form required with respect thereto have been properly completed and timely filed. Upon and after the acquisition of the Purchased Property by Buyer, Buyer will have no, and will not be subject to any, liability, as a successor or otherwise, for or with respect to any Taxes of or pertaining to (i) Seller or (ii) Focus Factor for any period or transactions arising on or before the Closing.

 

(b) There is no material dispute or claim concerning any Tax liability of the Seller either (A) claimed or raised by any authority in writing or (B) to the knowledge of the Seller.

 

(c) Section 5.7 of the Disclosure Schedule lists all federal, state, local, and foreign income Tax Returns filed with respect to the Seller for taxable periods ended on or after December 31, 2010, indicates those Tax Returns that have been audited, and indicates those Tax Returns that currently are the subject of audit. The Seller has delivered to Buyer correct and complete copies of all federal income Tax Returns, examination reports, and statements of deficiencies assessed against or agreed to by the Seller since December 31, 2010. The Seller has not waived any statute of limitations in respect of Taxes or agreed to any extension of time with respect to a Tax assessment or deficiency.

 

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(d) The Seller has not made any material payments, is not obligated to make any material payments, and is not a party to any agreement that under certain circumstances could obligate it to make any material payments that will not be deductible under Code section 280G. The Seller is not a party to any Tax allocation or sharing agreement. The Seller (A) has not been a member of an affiliated group (within the meaning of Code section 1504(a)) filing a consolidated federal income Tax Return (other than a group the common parent of which was the Seller) and (B) does not have any liability for the Taxes of any Person under Regulations section 1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of state, local, or foreign law), as a transferee or successor, by contract, or otherwise.

 

(e) The unpaid Taxes of the Seller (A) did not, as of the most recent fiscal month end, exceed the reserve for Tax liability (rather than any reserve for deferred Taxes established to reflect timing differences between book and Tax income) set forth on the face of the most recent Financial Statements (rather than in any notes thereto) and (B) will not exceed that reserve as adjusted for operations and transactions through the Closing Date in accordance with the past custom and practice of the Seller in filing its Tax Returns.

 

(f) The Seller does not have any subsidiaries.

 

(g) The Seller has not distributed stock of another Person, or has had its stock distributed by another Person, in a transaction that was purported or intended to be governed in whole or in part by Code section 355 or Code section 361.

 

(h) At all times since its formation, Seller has been classified as a partnership for federal income Tax purposes.

 

SECTION 5.8. Absence of Undisclosed Liabilities: Indebtedness. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.8. Seller has no indebtedness or Liabilities, absolute or contingent, involving, affecting or relating to the Focus Factor Business, the Purchased Property, or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (other than any liabilities which constitute Excluded Liabilities hereunder).

 

SECTION 5.9. Intellectual Property.

 

(a) Definitions.

 

(i) “IP Assets” shall mean all of the following materials owned or licensed by Seller with respect to the Focus Factor Business: (A) the proprietary formulas for the Product; (B) the domain names listed on Schedule 5.9(a) (collectively, the “Domain Names”); (C) all the content on and accessible through the websites associated with the Domain Names, including demos (collectively, the “Website Content”); and (D) the entire Focus Factor Business marketing database consisting of all available customer information and all marketing, advertising and promotional materials, including logos, colors, videos, booklet designs, catalogs, solicitations, email templates, advertisements and all other Focus Factor Business marketing materials (whether in draft or final form) (collectively, the “Marketing Materials”).

 

(ii) Schedule 5.9(a) lists all patented, registered, applied-for, and other Intellectual Property used in the Focus Factor Business, and all Intellectual Property of Seller licensed to any third Person (collectively, the “Business Intellectual Property”), including the registration and application information, date of application or issuance and relevant jurisdiction as to each, and whether or not the Business Intellectual Property is owned or licensed. Business Intellectual Property that is licensed by Seller from a third party is “Licensed Intellectual Property”).

 

(b) Seller owns all right, title and interest in and to, or has a valid and enforceable license to use, all IP Assets, Business Intellectual Property, and the Licensed Intellectual Property, free and clear of all Liens, and all patented or registered Business Intellectual Property is valid and enforceable. Seller has taken commercially reasonable steps to maintain the confidentiality of all information that constitutes a trade secret of the Focus Factor Business. Seller has the valid right to transfer the Intellectual Property included in the Purchased Property to Buyer as contemplated hereunder.

 

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(c) (i) The conduct of the Focus Factor Business, including the delivery and distribution of the Product, has not infringed and does not infringe on any Intellectual Property or any other proprietary rights of any Person, including but not limited to the rights of privacy or publicity; (ii) to Seller’s Knowledge, no Person is infringing, violating or misappropriating any Business Intellectual Property; (iii) Seller has not taken any action, or failed to take any action, during prosecution of any application that could reasonably be expected to result in the invalidation or unenforceability of any registered Business Intellectual Property; (iv) Seller is not currently a party to any pending suit, claiming any alleged infringement or misappropriation of any Business Intellectual Property; (v) Seller has not received within the prior three (3) years any written notice, and is not currently a party to any pending suit, claiming any alleged infringement or misappropriation of the Intellectual Property rights of other Persons with respect to its or their use of Intellectual Property or the Product; (vi) Seller has not entered into any Contract that includes a forbearance to sue or settlement Contract with respect to any Intellectual Property; and (vii) Seller has not received any written notice of any claim within the prior three (3) years, and is not currently a party to any pending suit, which challenges the validity or enforceability of. Seller’s ownership of or right to use, any Intellectual Property (excluding, for clarity, office actions) or the Product. Seller has secured and has in place a policy to secure valid written confidentiality Contracts and assignments of Intellectual Property from all consultants, contractors. Employees and customers who contribute or have contributed to the creation, conception, reduction to practice or other development of any Intellectual Property developed on behalf of Seller.

 

(d) No Product provided or distributed by Seller in its conduct of the Business: (i) violates any Law; (ii) includes any information or material that is defamatory; or (iii) infringes any right of privacy of any Person. Each Person whose name, image, voice or likeness is incorporated into any Marketing Materials or other Purchased Property has executed a written release consenting to Seller’s use of such Person’s name, image, voice and/or likeness (as applicable) and releasing Seller from any claims with respect thereto (a “Release”), each of such Releases are fully assignable to Buyer without further consent of any Person and each of such Releases are included within the Purchased Property.

 

(e) Seller has operated the Focus Factor Business and provided all Products in compliance with any posted privacy policies and all applicable Laws relating to privacy, data protection, anti-spam, telemarketing, personally identifiable information and similar consumer protection Laws (“Information Privacy Laws”). Seller has not received written notice of any claims or been charged with violation of any Information Privacy Law. To the Knowledge of Seller, Seller is not under investigation with respect to any violation of any Information Privacy Laws.

 

SECTION 5.10. Compliance with Law. Except as set forth in Schedule 5.10. the manufacture and sale of the Product, the operation of the Focus Factor Business, and the business of Seller has been conducted in material compliance with all applicable Laws and other requirements of all courts and other governmental or regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over the Seller and its assets, properties and operations. Except as set forth in Schedule 5.10. the Seller has not received notice of any violation (or possible violation) of any such Law or other legal requirement, and the Seller is not in default with respect to any order, writ, judgment, award, injunction or decree of any federal, state or local court or Governmental or regulatory authority, applicable to Seller, the Focus Factor Business, or the Purchased Property. Without limiting the foregoing. Seller has not received any warning letter or untitled letter, report of inspectional observations, including FDA Form 483s, establishment inspection reports, notices of violation, clinical holds, enforcement notices or other documents from the FDA or any other similar Governmental entity or any institutional review board or independent ethics committee alleging a lack of material compliance by Company with any Laws. No “bulk sales” or similar Law applies to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Seller holds all Permits required for the conduct of the Focus Factor Business and the ownership of its properties. All such Permits are set forth on Schedule 5.10. No written notices have been received by Seller alleging the failure to hold any Permit. Seller is in compliance with all terms and conditions of all such Permits. All of such Permits shall be available for use by Seller immediately after the Closing.

 

SECTION 5.11. Litigation. There are no claims. Actions, suits, proceedings, complaints or investigations pending or, to the Knowledge of the Seller, threatened, before any federal, state, provincial or local court or governmental or regulatory authority, domestic or foreign, or before any arbitrator of any nature, brought by or against the Seller or any of its officers, directors, employees, agents or Affiliates involving, affecting or relating to Seller, any Principal Owner, the Focus Factor Business, the Purchased Property, or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

 

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SECTION 5.12. Assigned Contracts. Each Assigned Contract is valid, binding and enforceable against the parties thereto in accordance with its terms, and in full force and effect on the date hereof, except as may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium or similar laws of general application relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and except for the limitations imposed by general principles of equity. Each Assigned Contract will remain in full force and effect without penalty in accordance with its terms upon consummation of the Closing. The Seller has performed all payment and other obligations required to be performed by it to date hereunder, and is not in default or delinquent in performance, status or any other respect (claimed or actual) in connection with, any Assigned Contract, and, to the Knowledge of the Seller, no event has occurred which, with due notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default. To the Knowledge of the Seller, no other party to any Assigned Contract is in default in respect thereof, and, to the Knowledge of the Seller, no event has occurred which, with due notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default. To the Knowledge of Seller, there is no breach or cancellation or anticipated breach or cancellation by the other parties to any Assigned Contract. Schedule 5.12 sets forth a list all Assigned Contracts and, a list of all other written Contracts that are material to the Focus Factor Business, and a summary of all other oral Contracts that are material to the Focus Factor Business. The Seller has delivered to the Buyer or its representatives true and complete originals or copies of all written Contracts required to be listed on Schedule 5.12.

 

SECTION 5.13. Title to Purchased Property. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.13. Seller has good and valid title to, or a valid leasehold interest in, the Purchased Property, free and clear of all Liens. Such Purchased Property, taken as a whole, are free from any material defects, have been maintained in accordance with normal industry practice and are in good operating condition and repair (subject to normal wear and tear). The Purchased Property is sufficient for the continued operation of the Focus Factor Business after the Closing in substantially the same manner as conducted prior to the Closing and constitute all of the rights, property and assets used in or necessary to conduct the Focus Factor Business. None of the Excluded Seller Assets are material to the Focus Factor Business.

 

SECTION 5.14. Brokerage. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.14. neither Seller nor any of the Principal Owners have incurred, or will incur, a brokerage, finder’s, or similar fee in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

SECTION 5.15. Insurance. Seller is currently insured by insurers unaffiliated with Seller with respect to its properties, assets and operation of the Focus Factor Business in such amounts and against such risks which are appropriate and customary for the type of business conducted by Seller with customary deductibles and retained amounts. In addition, Seller has maintained comparable insurance for all prior periods. With respect to each insurance policy held by Seller (the “Insurance Policies”) (a) such Insurance Policy is legal, valid, binding and in full force and effect; (b) Seller is not in default under such Insurance Policy; and (c) Seller has delivered a true and correct copy of any such Insurance Policy requested by Buyer. There are no claims by Seller pending under any such Insurance Policies and Seller has not been informed that coverage has been questioned, denied or disputed by the underwriters of such Insurance Policies with respect to any such claims.

 

SECTION 5.16. Employment Matters.

 

(a) Schedule 5.16(a) separately sets forth all of the Employees as of the date hereof, including for each such Employee: name, job title, FLSA designation, work location (identified by street address), current compensation paid or payable, all wage arrangements, fringe benefits (other than Employee benefits applicable to all Employees, which benefits are set forth on a separate list on Schedule 5.16(a)) and visa and green card application status. To the Knowledge of Seller, no Employee is a party to, or is otherwise bound by, any Contract or arrangement, including any confidentiality or non-competition Contract, that in any way adversely affects or restricts the performance of such Employee’s duties.

 

(b) Except as set forth on Schedule 5.16(b). to the Knowledge of Seller, each Employee is (i) a United States citizen, (ii) a lawful permanent resident of the United States, or (iii) an alien authorized to work in the United States either specifically for Seller or for any United States employer. Seller is in compliance in all material respects with applicable Law, has completed a Form 1-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) for each Employee and each such Form 1-9 has since been updated as required by applicable Law and is correct and complete as of the date hereof. With respect to each Employee, an authorized official of Seller has reviewed the original documents relating to the employment eligibility and authorization of such Employee to be employed in the United States in compliance with applicable Law and such documents appeared, to such official, to be genuine on their face.

 

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(c) Seller has, or will have no later than the Closing Date, paid all accrued salaries, bonuses, commissions, wages, severance and accrued vacation pay of the Employees due to be paid through the Closing Date. Seller is in compliance, in all material respects, with all Laws governing the employment of labor, including but not limited to, all contractual commitments and all such Laws relating to wages, hours, affirmative action, collective bargaining, discrimination, civil rights, safety and health, workers’ compensation and the collection and payment of withholding and/or Social Security Taxes and similar Taxes, including, but not limited to, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, as amended. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. 201, et seq.) (“FLSA”), the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, as amended, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, as amended, the Family and Medical Leave Act (29 U.S.C. 2601, et seq.), as amended, the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, as amended. Executive Order 11246 and any other executive orders or regulations governing affirmative action, EEO and VETS-100 reporting obligations, the Immigration Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1324a, et seq.), as amended, and all similar applicable Laws (collectively the “Labor Laws”). Seller has, during the three (3) year period prior to the date hereof, conducted the Focus Factor Business in compliance with all applicable Labor Laws. Seller has withheld all amounts required by Law or Contract to be withheld from the wages or salaries of its Employees and is not liable for the payment of any arrears of wages or other Taxes, penalties, fines or other compensation of any kind, however designated, for failure to comply with any of the foregoing. Seller has maintained adequate and suitable records regarding the service of each Employee including records of working time. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.16(c). the Seller has properly classified its Employees pursuant to the FLSA. The Seller is not, and in the last three years has not been, a government contractor.

 

(d) Seller has not at any time during the last three (3) years had, nor to the Knowledge of Seller, is there now threatened, any walkout, strike, union activity, picketing, work stoppage, work slowdown, any effort to organize or any other similar occurrence or any attempt to organize or represent the labor force of Seller. There are no controversies pending or threatened between Seller, on the one hand, and any of its Employees (or former Employees), or any labor union or other collective bargaining unit representing any of their Employees, on the other hand. No investigation, review, complaint or proceeding by any Government entity or Employee or former Employee with respect to Seller in relation to any actual or alleged violation of any Labor Laws is pending or, to the Knowledge of Seller, threatened, nor has Seller received any notice from any Government entity indicating an intention to conduct the same. No union or other collective bargaining unit or Employee organizing entity has been certified or recognized by Seller as representing any of its Employees.

 

(e) Schedule 5.16(e) contains a true and compete list of any and all employment, change in control, severance, retention, termination, non-competition, nonsolicitation and other similar employment Contracts, arrangements or policies, whether written or oral, between the Seller and any individual other than at-will employment arrangements but including all Contracts, arrangements or policies that affect at-will Employees.

 

SECTION 5.17. Contractor Matters. Schedule 5.17 contains a complete and accurate listing of the name (if an entity, including the name of the individuals employed by or providing service on behalf of such entity) and contact information of each independent contractor, consultant, freelancer or other service provider (collectively, “Contractors”) used by Seller at any point during the prior one (1) year. A copy of each Contract relating to the services any Contractor provides to the Focus Factor Business has been provided to Seller. To the Knowledge of Seller, no Contractor used by Seller is a party to, or is otherwise bound by, any Contract or arrangement with any third party, including any confidentiality or non-competition Contract, that in any way adversely affects or restricts the performance of such Contractor’s duties for Seller. Each Contractor ever retained by Seller to create, modify or work with respect to the Business Intellectual Property has executed a nondisclosure and assignment-of-rights Contract for the benefit of Seller and Seller is the owner of all rights in and to all Intellectual Property created by each Contractor in performing services for Seller vesting all rights in work product created in Seller. To the Knowledge of Seller, no current Contractor used by Seller intends to terminate his or her or its relationship with Seller. Seller has no obligation or Liability with respect to any Taxes (or the withholding thereof) in connection with any Contractor. Seller has properly classified, pursuant to the Code, Labor Laws and any other applicable Law, all Contractors used by Seller at any point.

 

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SECTION 5.18. Employee Benefits.

 

(a) Schedule 5.18(a)SECTION 5.18. (a) contains a true and complete list of all Employee Benefit Plans maintained or contributed to by Seller or under which Seller has or could have any obligations (other than obligations to make current wage or salary payments or sales commissions terminable on notice of 30 days or less) or liabilities, actual or contingent, whether or not legally binding, in respect of, or which otherwise cover, any of the current or former officers, Employees or independent contractors of Seller who provide(d) services in respect of the Focus Factor Business or their dependents or beneficiaries (the items required to be disclosed on Schedule 5.18(a) and Schedule 5.16 (61 may be hereinafter individually referred to as a “Seller Benefit Plan” and collectively referred to as the “Seller Benefit Plans”). Seller has delivered or made available to Buyer true and complete copies of all documents, as they may have been amended through the date hereof, embodying or relating to the Seller Benefit Plans, including but not limited to Forms 5500 and actuarial valuations for the last three plan years, plan documents, trust agreements, insurance Contracts, administrative services agreements, most recent determination letters and other documents required under ERISA.

 

(b) Each Seller Benefit Plan has been established, maintained and administered in accordance with its terms and with all provisions of (including rules and regulations thereunder) ERISA, the Code and other applicable Law, and neither Seller nor any “party in interest” or any “disqualified person” with respect to any Seller Benefit Plan has engaged in a “prohibited transaction” within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code or Section 406 of ERISA or engaged in a similar transaction with respect to any Seller Benefit Plan. Each Seller Benefit Plan that is intended to be qualified within the meaning of Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and has received a favorable determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service (or, if such plan is a prototype or volume submitter plan document, such prototype or volume submitter plan document has received a favorable opinion from the IRS that the form meets the tax qualification requirements) to the effect that such Seller Benefit Plan satisfies the requirements of Section 401(a) of the Code and that its related trust is exempt from taxation under Section 501(a) of the Code and there are no facts or circumstances that could reasonably be expected to cause the loss of such qualification or the imposition of Liability, penalty or Tax under ERISA, the Code or other applicable Laws (including the rules and regulations under any of them).

 

(c) No Seller Benefit Plan is, and neither Seller nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has ever sponsored an Employee Benefit Plan that is or was, subject to Title IV of ERISA. No Seller Benefit Plan is, and neither the Seller nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has ever contributed, or been obligated to contribute, to any “multiemployer plan” (within the meaning of Sections 3(37) or 4001(a)(3) of ERISA) under Subtitle E of ERISA.

 

(d) Schedule 5.18(d). sets forth each Seller Benefit Plan that is a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan”, within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code (each, a “Section 409A Plan”), and identifies each Section 409A Plan in connection with which Seller or it successors may have Liability with respect to Employees, Contractors or directors. No such plan has assets set aside directly or indirectly in the manner described in Section 409A(b)(l) of the Code or contains a provision that would be subject to Section 409A(b)(2) of the Code. Each Section 409A Plan (i) was, since the date of the inception of such Seller Benefit Plan, administered in good faith compliance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and applicable guidance issued thereunder, (ii) has been, since the date of inception of such Seller Benefit Plan, administered in compliance, in all material respects, with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and the final regulations issued and outstanding thereunder. In the event of an audit by the IRS of either the Company or any individual participating in such Seller Benefit Plan, the additional Tax described in Section 409A(a)(l)(B) would not be assessed against any such participant with respect to benefits due or accruing under such Seller Benefit Plan.

 

(e) Neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will (either alone or in combination with another event): (i) result in any payment becoming due, or increase the amount of any compensation due, to any Employee; (ii) increase any benefits otherwise payable under any Seller Benefit Plan; or (iii) result in the acceleration of the time of payment or vesting of any such compensation or benefits.

 

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SECTION 5.19. Environmental and Safety Matters. Seller has complied and is in compliance with all Environmental Laws, including but not limited to all Permits required by Environmental Laws for the conduct of the business operations of Seller and the disposition of all hazardous materials in accordance with all applicable Environmental Laws. Seller has not received any outstanding and unresolved written or oral notices, reports or other information regarding any actual or alleged violation of Environmental Laws by Seller, or any Liabilities or potential Liabilities, including any remedial obligations, relating to any of them or their facilities arising under Environmental Laws. Seller is not a potentially responsible party under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, or any analogous state, local or foreign applicable Laws arising out of events occurring prior to the Closing Date. To Seller’s Knowledge, no facts, events or conditions relating to the past or present facilities, properties or operations of Seller, or any geologically or hydrologically adjoining properties, shall prevent, hinder or limit Seller’s continued compliance with Environmental Laws, give rise to any remedial obligations of Seller pursuant to Environmental Laws, or give rise to any other Liabilities of Seller pursuant to Environmental Laws, including, without limitation, any relating to onsite or offsite releases or threatened releases of hazardous materials, personal injury, property damage or natural resources damage. To Seller’s Knowledge, there have not been in the past and are not now any underground tanks or underground improvements, including treatment or storage tanks, sumps, or water, gas or oil wells; polychlorinated biphenyls; or asbestos or asbestos-containing materials at, on or under any of the Leased Real Property. Seller has delivered to Buyer true and complete copies and results of any reports, studies, analyses, tests, or monitoring possessed or initiated by Seller pertaining to hazardous materials in, on, under, or migrating to or from any of the Leased Real Property, or concerning compliance by Seller, or any other Person for whose conduct Seller is or may be held responsible, with Environmental Laws.

 

SECTION 5.20. Real Property.

 

(a) Schedule 5.20 (all sets forth the address of each leased real property of Seller (the “Leased Real Property”), and a true and complete list of all leases (including all amendments, extensions, renewals, Guarantees and other Contracts with respect thereto) for each such Leased Real Property (including the date and name of the parties to such lease or license document) (the “Leases”). Seller has delivered to Buyer a true and complete copy of each Lease, and in the case of any oral Lease, a written summary of the material terms of such Lease. With respect to each of the Leases: (i) such Lease is legal, valid, binding, enforceable and in full force and effect; (ii) the transactions set forth in this Agreement do not require the consent of any other Person to such Lease, or such consent has been obtained, shall not result in a breach of or default under such Lease, or otherwise cause such Lease to cease to be legal, valid, binding, enforceable and in full force and effect on identical terms following the Closing; (iii) Seller’s possession and quiet enjoyment of the Leased Real Property under such Lease has not been disturbed, and there are no disputes with respect to such Lease; (iv) Seller, and to Seller’s Knowledge any other party to the Lease, is not in breach or default under such Lease, and no event has occurred or circumstance exists which, with the delivery of notice, the passage of time or both, would constitute such a breach or default, or permit the termination, modification or acceleration of rent under such Lease; (v) no security deposit or portion thereof deposited with respect to such Lease has been applied in respect of a breach or default under such Lease which has not been redeposited in full; (vi) Seller does not owe, or shall owe in the future, any brokerage commissions or finder’s fees with respect to such Lease; (vii) the other party to such Lease is not an Affiliate of, and otherwise does not have any economic interest in, Seller; (viii) Seller has not subleased, licensed or otherwise granted any Person the right to use or occupy such Leased Real Property or any portion thereof; (ix) Seller has not collaterally assigned or granted any other security interest in such Lease or any interest therein; (x) there are no Liens on the estate or interest created by such Lease; and (xi) all buildings, structures, improvements, fixtures, building systems and equipment, and all components thereof, included in the applicable Leased Real Property are in good condition and repair (fair wear and tear excepted) and sufficient for the operation of the Focus Factor Business as conducted thereon.

 

(b) Seller does not own any real property.

 

SECTION 5.21. Affiliate Transactions. No shareholder, officer, director, member or Affiliate of Seller or any individual related by blood, marriage or adoption to any such individual or any entity in which any such Person or individual owns any beneficial interest, is a party to any Contract or transaction with Seller or has any interest in any real, tangible or intangible asset or property used by Seller.

 

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SECTION 5.22. Solvency.

 

(a) Each of Seller and the Principal Owners is not now insolvent and will not be rendered insolvent by any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. As used in this section, “insolvent” means that the sum of the debts and other probable Liabilities of Seller exceeds the present fair saleable value of Seller’s assets.

 

(b) Immediately after giving effect to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement: (i) Seller will be able to pay its Liabilities as they become due in the ordinary course of its business; (ii) Seller will not have unreasonably small capital with which to conduct its present or proposed business; (iii) Seller will have assets (calculated at fair market value) that exceed its Liabilities; and (iv) taking into account all pending and threatened litigation, final judgments against Seller in Actions for money damages are not reasonably anticipated to be rendered in such amounts that Seller will be unable to satisfy any such judgments promptly in accordance with their terms (taking into account the maximum probable amount of such judgments in any such Actions and the earliest reasonable time at which such judgments might be rendered) as well as all other obligations of Seller. The cash available to Seller, after taking into account all other anticipated uses of the cash, will be sufficient to pay all such debts and judgments promptly in accordance with their terms.

 

(c) Notwithstanding Section 5.22(b). Seller shall have the right to contest and resolve non-material debts and obligations outstanding as at Closing such as utilities and other non-material payments and Liabilities; provided, however, that no such non-material debts, obligations and Liabilities shall affect the Purchased Property or Buyer’s payment of the Purchase Price.

 

SECTION 5.23. Client and Vendor Relations. Schedule 5.23 contains a correct and complete list of the names of the Clients and Vendors, and the amount of revenues to or purchases from each such Client or Vendor during the 2013 fiscal year and the period ended as of December 31, 2014. Seller maintains commercially reasonable relations with each of the Clients and Vendors and to Seller’s Knowledge no event has occurred that could materially and adversely affect Seller’s relations with any Client or Vendor. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.23. no Client or Vendor has during the last twelve (12) months cancelled, terminated, materially decreased the rate of, materially altered the terms with respect to or, to the Knowledge of Seller, made any threat to cancel or otherwise terminate any of its Contracts with Seller or to decrease its usage or supply of Seller’s services or products, excluding for avoidance of doubt, discrete projects performed by the Seller for Clients, for which the Seller’s services terminated solely by virtue of the Seller’s having completed the project to the Clients’ satisfaction. To the Knowledge of Seller, no current Client or Vendor may terminate or materially alter its business relations with Seller, either as a result of the transactions contemplated hereby or otherwise except as set forth on Schedule 5.23.

 

SECTION 5.24. Product and Service Warranties: Adverse Events. Seller has made no express warranty or Guarantee to any customer or Client as to services or goods provided by Seller. There is no pending or, to the Knowledge of Seller, threatened claim alleging any breach of any warranty or Guarantee. Seller has not been required to pay direct, incidental, or consequential damages to any Person in connection with any services or goods provided at any time since January 1, 2010. There have not been any Adverse Events or Serious Adverse Events with respect to the Product of the Focus Factor Business.

 

SECTION 5.25. Disclosure.

 

(a) No representation or warranty by Seller or any of the Principal Owners contained in this Agreement, and no statement contained in the Disclosure Schedules or any other document, certificate or other instrument delivered to or to be delivered by or on behalf of Seller or any of the Principal Owners pursuant to this Agreement, contains or will contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omits or will omit to state any material fact necessary, in light of the circumstances under which it was or will be made, in order to make the statements herein or therein not misleading.

 

(b) Seller does not have Knowledge of any fact that has specific application to Seller (other than general economic or industry conditions) and that may materially adversely affect the Purchased Property, that has not been set forth in this Agreement or the Disclosure Schedules.

 

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SECTION 5.26. Accounts Receivable; Inventories. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.26. all accounts receivable reflected in the Financial Statements are valid receivables and represent arm’s length transactions in the ordinary course of business and are collectible in full net of the reserve for doubtful accounts, discounts, and/or promotional expenses set forth in the Financial Statements and assuming that the Buyer uses commercially reasonable and good faith efforts to collect such accounts receivable. The reserve for doubtful accounts, if any, set forth in the Financial Statements is accurate. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.26. Seller maintains no inventory, finished goods, raw materials, work in progress, packaging, parts or other inventories in the Focus Factor Business. All such inventory set forth on Schedule 5.26. whether or not reflected in the Financial Statements, consists of a quality and quantity usable and salable in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, except for obsolete, damaged, defective or slow-moving items that have been written off or written down to fair market value or for which adequate reserves have been established. All such inventory is owned by Seller free and clear of all Liens, and no such inventory is held on a consignment basis. The quantities of each such item of inventory (whether raw materials, work-in-process or finished goods) are not excessive, but are reasonable in the present circumstances of Seller.

 

SECTION 6. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE BUYER. The Buyer hereby represents and warrants to the Seller as follows:

 

SECTION 6.1. Corporate Organization. The Buyer is a limited liability company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Nevada, and has all requisite power and authority and all necessary governmental authority to own, operate or lease the properties that it purports to own, operate or lease and to carry on its businesses as now conducted. The Buyer is duly qualified to do business as a foreign company, and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the character of its properties owned, operated or leased or the nature of its activities makes such qualification necessary.

 

SECTION 6.2. Authorization and Validity of Agreement. The Buyer has all requisite power and authority to enter into the Transaction Documents and to carry out its obligations thereunder. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and the performance of the Buyer’s obligations thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary company action by the Buyer, and no other proceedings on the part of the Buyer are necessary to authorize such execution, delivery and performance. Each of the Transaction Documents has been duly executed by the Buyer and constitutes its valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium or similar laws of general application relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and except for the limitations imposed by general principles of equity.

 

SECTION 6.3. No Conflict or Violation. Subject to obtaining all consents and approvals set forth on Schedule 6.3 the execution, delivery and performance by the Buyer of the Transaction Documents (i) does not and will not violate or conflict with any provision of the organizational documents of the Buyer (ii) does not and will not violate any provision of law, rule or regulation, or any order, judgment or decree of any court or other governmental or regulatory authority; (iii) does not violate or will not result in a breach of or constitute (with due notice or lapse of time or both) a default under, or give rise to any acceleration of remedies or any right of termination under, any Contract, lease, sublease, occupancy agreement, loan agreement, mortgage, security agreement, trust indenture or other agreement or instrument to which Buyer is a party or by which Buyer is bound or to which any of the Buyers’ properties or assets is subject, except for such breaches, defaults and accelerations as would not have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Buyer to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

SECTION 7. COVENANTS OF THE SELLER.

 

The Seller covenants as follows:

 

SECTION 7.1. Conduct of Business Before the Closing Date.

 

(a) Without the prior written consent of the Buyer, between the date hereof and the Closing Date, the Seller shall not, except as required or expressly permitted pursuant to the terms hereof:

 

(i) make any material change in the conduct of the Focus Factor Business or enter into any transaction relating to or affecting the Focus Factor Business in an amount greater than $10,000 or having a term or duration of more than one year;

 

(ii) make any sale, assignment, transfer, abandonment or other conveyance of the Purchased Property or any part thereof;

 

(iii) subject any of the Purchased Property, or any part thereof, to any Lien or suffer such to exist;

 

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(iv) fail to keep in full force and effect insurance comparable in amount and scope of coverage maintained in respect of the Focus Factor Business;

 

(v) take any other action that would cause any of the representations and warranties made by them in the Transaction Documents not to remain true and correct in all material respects (except as to representations and warranties which are qualified as to materiality, which representations and warranties must remain true and correct in all respects);

 

(vi) make, enter into, modify, amend in any material respect, renew, extend or terminate any Assigned Contract; or

 

(vii) agree or commit to do any of the foregoing.

 

(b) From and after the date hereof and until the Closing Date, the Seller shall:

 

(i) continue to maintain, in all material respects, the Purchased Property in accordance with prudent practice in a condition suitable for its continued future use that is consistent with its current use;

 

(ii) continue to manufacture and sell the Product in the ordinary course of business consistent with existing practice;

 

(iii) keep the Files and Records in the ordinary course of business and in accordance with existing practice; and

 

(iv) use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to maintain existing business relationships with customers, suppliers and contractors with respect to the Focus Factor Business in accordance with existing practice.

 

SECTION 7.2. Consents and Approvals. The Seller shall, at its cost and expense, use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to obtain all necessary consents, waivers, authorizations and approvals of all governmental and regulatory authorities, and of all other Persons required to be obtained in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by it of the Transaction Documents, which shall include the use by Seller of Commercially Reasonable Efforts to obtain all consents and approvals necessary to assign to Buyer all rights under any Contracts that are included in the Purchased Property. Access to Properties and Records. Subject to the terms of the Confidentiality Agreement, between Seller and the Buyer, the Seller shall afford to the Buyer, and to the accountants, counsel and representatives of the Buyer, access during normal business hours throughout the period prior to the Closing Date (or the earlier termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 12 hereof) to all properties, books, Contracts, commitments, Employees, vendors and records of the Seller relating to the Focus Factor Business, the Purchased Property, and the Assumed Liabilities.

 

SECTION 7.3. Negotiations. From and after the date hereof until the Closing Date or termination of the Agreement pursuant to Section 12 hereof, none of the Seller, any Affiliate, nor any of their respective officers or directors nor any agent nor anyone else acting on behalf of the Seller or such persons shall, directly or indirectly, encourage, facilitate, solicit, engage in negotiations with, respond to inquiries or provide any information to, any Person, firm, or other entity or group (other than the Buyer or its representatives) concerning any merger, sale of substantial assets, purchase or sale of shares of capital stock or similar transaction involving the Focus Factor Business or any other transaction inconsistent with the transactions contemplated hereby. The Seller shall promptly communicate to the Buyer any inquiries or communications concerning any such transaction which it may receive or of which it may become aware.

 

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SECTION 7.4. Assignment of Contracts and Warranties. At the Closing and effective as of the Closing Date, the Seller shall assign to the Buyer all of its rights under the Assigned Contracts. No liabilities under any Contract shall be included as Assumed Liabilities except and unless as expressly provided in Section 2.4. Seller and the Principal Owners shall advise Buyer promptly in writing with respect to any Contract under which it knows or has reason to believe it will not receive the required consent. Seller and the Principal Owners shall take all actions reasonably requested by Buyer and cooperate with Buyer to obtain any new Contract (if necessary) on substantially similar terms and conditions as those under the existing Contract and/or to provide the economic benefit of such Contract to Buyer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and without affecting the Buyer’s closing conditions hereunder, to the extent that any Assigned Contracts cannot be assigned to the Buyer at the Closing Date, the Seller shall maintain such Contracts in effect and, as agent for Buyer, the performance obligations of the Seller, as the case may be, thereunder shall be deemed to be subleased or subcontracted to the Buyer until such Assigned Contract has been assigned. Seller shall (i) use all Commercially Reasonable Efforts to obtain all necessary consents, (ii) cooperate with the Buyer in any arrangement designed to provide to the Buyer the benefits (including the exercise of rights) under any such Assigned Contracts that Buyer designates that it wishes to be assigned, including enforcement for the benefit of the Buyer of any and all rights of Seller against a third party thereto arising out of the breach or cancellation by such third party or otherwise, (iii) hold all monies paid thereunder in trust for the account of the Buyer (unless otherwise agreed to in this Agreement), and (iv) remit all such money without set-off of any kind whatsoever to the Buyer as promptly as possible (unless otherwise agreed to in this Agreement).

 

SECTION 7.5. Post-Closing Matters. The Principal Owners shall cause Seller to preserve and maintain its organizational existence and remain in good standing for a period of at least twenty-four (24) months after the date hereof. As soon as practicable after the Closing Date but in any event no later than 30 days after the Closing, Seller shall take all action necessary to remove all Product and Seller names and logos and color schemes and any other Intellectual Property or IP Assets from their respective signage at all locations, letterhead, stationary, advertising, websites and other marketing materials and other content available for viewing by the public, and will change its name with the Delaware Secretary of State and all other jurisdictions in which Seller has made registrations to transact business, any other, any other registrations and/or name filings (including the amendment or withdrawal of any registrations and/or assumed name filings with the State of Delaware or any cities and counties within the State of Delaware and all applicable jurisdictions) such that Seller’s name does not include the words “Factor” or “Focus”, any derivative thereof, or any name which sounds or looks similar thereto, or any trademarks or trade names used in the Focus Factor Business, and Seller shall otherwise cease to use such names for all purposes, other than as necessary for the winding up of its business affairs. Seller herby covenants and agrees that it shall, no later than fifteen (15) days following the Closing Date, provide documentation to Buyer, in the form and substance satisfactory to Buyer, evidencing the filing of such amendments or withdrawals with such jurisdictions. Seller also agrees to execute any documentation necessary to give Buyer the right to collect payments related to the Purchased Property (including accounts receivable) in Seller’s name following Closing.

 

SECTION 7.6. Post-Closing Operation of Business. Following the Closing, Seller and each of the Principal Owners shall fully cooperate with Buyer to transfer the Focus Factor Business to Buyer in such a manner as to preserve the value thereof.

 

SECTION 7.7. Post-Closing Audit. Following the Closing, Seller and the Principal Owners shall reasonably cooperate in Buyer’s preparation and audit of GAAP financial statements for all periods in which Seller’s financial statements were not prepared in accordance with GAAP and audited, so that GAAP financial statements can be prepared no later than sixty (60) days following the Closing.

 

SECTION 7.8. Noncompetition. Nonsolicitation and Non disparagement.

 

(a) Noncompetition. Seller and the Principal Owners acknowledge that (i) Buyer would not have entered into this Agreement but for the agreements and covenants contained in this Section 7.8; and (ii) the agreements and covenants contained in this Section 7.8 are essential to protect the business and goodwill of the Focus Factor Business and are reasonable and appropriate in scope; (iii) the Focus Factor Business is national in scope; and (iv) the business of Buyer is worldwide in scope. To induce Buyer to enter into this Agreement, each of Seller and the Principal Owners (other than Thor Associates, Inc.) covenants and agrees that during the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Closing Date (the “Restricted Period”), Seller, the Principal Owners and their respective Affiliates shall not, directly or indirectly, (A) engage in any business or activity that competes with the Focus Factor Business; (B) render any services to any Person for use in competing with Buyer in connection with the Focus Factor Business; (C) have an interest in any Person engaged in any business that competes with Buyer in connection with the Focus Factor Business, directly or indirectly, in any capacity, including, without limitation, as a shareholder, officer, director, principal, agent, trustee or consultant or any other relationship or capacity; provided, however. Seller or any of the Principal Owners may own, directly or indirectly, solely as an investment, securities of any Person which are publicly traded if Seller or such Principal Owner, as the case may be (I) is not a controlling Person of, or a member of a group which controls, such Person and (II) does not, directly or indirectly, own two percent (2%) or more of any class of securities of such Person; or (D) interfere with business relationships (whether formed heretofore or hereafter) between Buyer or any of its Affiliates and customers, suppliers or prospects of the Focus Factor Business.

 

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(b) Employees of the Business. During the Restricted Period, Seller, the Principal Owners (other than Thor Associates, Inc.) and their respective Affiliates shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit or encourage any Employee or consultant performing services in connection with the Focus Factor Business to leave the employment or retention of Buyer or any of its Affiliates, or (ii) hire any such Employee or consultant who was performing services in connection with the Focus Factor Business and who has left the employment or retention of Buyer or any of its Affiliates within one (1) year of the termination of such Employee’s employment or consultant’s retention with Buyer or any of its Affiliates.

 

(c) Customers of the Business. During the Restricted Period, Seller, its employees, officers, directors, the Principal Owners (other than Thor Associates, Inc.), and their respective Affiliates shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) persuade or attempt to persuade any customer, prospective customer, client, prospective client, supplier or vendor of Buyer or any of its Affiliates not to hire or do business with Buyer or any of its Affiliates or any successor thereto; (ii) solicit for himself or any Person other than Buyer or any of its Affiliates, the business of any Person who is a customer, client, supplier or vendor of Buyer or any of its Affiliates, or was its customer or supplier within two (2) years prior to the time of such solicitation to the extent that such business is similar to the business conducted by such customer or supplier with Buyer.

 

(d) Confidential Information. From and after the Closing, Seller, its stockholders, employees, officers, directors, the Principal Owners and their respective Affiliates shall keep secret and retain in strictest confidence, and shall not use for the benefit of itself or others, all confidential matters relating to the Focus Factor Business or Buyer and its Affiliates, including, but not limited to, “know how”, trade secrets, customer lists, supplier lists, details of consultant and employment Contracts, pricing policies, operational methods, marketing plans or strategies, product development techniques or plans, business acquisition plans, technical processes, designs and design projects, processes, inventions, software, source codes, object codes, systems documentation and research projects and other business affairs (“Confidential Information”), and shall not disclose them to anyone outside of Buyer and its Affiliates; provided, however, this covenant shall not apply to any information which is or becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of disclosure by the Seller, the Principal Owners or their respective Affiliates. Seller, the Principal Owners and their respective Affiliates may disclose Confidential Information if required to do so in any legally required government or securities filings, legal proceedings, subpoena, civil investigative demand or other similar process; provided, that Seller (A) provides Buyer with prompt notice of such required disclosure so that Buyer may attempt to obtain a protective order, (B) cooperates with Buyer, at Buyer’s expense, in obtaining such protective order, and (C) only discloses that Confidential Information which it is absolutely required to disclose as advised by counsel. This subsection (d) shall not affect or amend the Confidentiality Agreement.

 

(e) Non disparagement. After the Closing Date, Seller and the Principal Owners will not disparage Buyer, any of Buyer’s Affiliates or any of such parties’ shareholders, directors, officers, employees or agents.

 

(f) Tolling of Covenant Periods. The Restricted Period provided in this Section 7.8 shall not include and shall be extended beyond, any time during which a party is failing to comply with any provision of this Section 7.8 with respect to such party.

 

(g) Blue Penciling. If any term or other provision of this Section 7.8 is invalid, illegal, or incapable of being enforced by any rule of Law or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Section 7.8 shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect. Upon determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal, or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to, or the arbitrator making such a determination shall, modify this Section 7.8 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 extent possible.

 

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SECTION 7.9. Employees.

 

(a) Buyer agrees to offer employment as of the Closing Date, on an “at will” basis to substantially all the Employees of Seller including all management Employees, and if any such Employee accepts Buyer’s offer of employment, he or she shall become an employee of Buyer after the Closing Date (such Employees are referred to hereinafter as the “Transferred Employees”). Transferred Employees shall be credited for past service toward Buyer’s then- current benefits offered by Buyer for purposes of determining eligibility (but not benefit accrual).

 

(b) Seller shall make all salary, commission, bonus, incentive, vacation pay or other benefit accrual payments, in each case that relate to periods prior to and through the Closing, to Employees as they become due. Buyer shall not be required to provide continuations of any of Seller’s salary arrangements, bonus or incentive pay or other plans, commission arrangements or commission agreements or wage or salary or compensation incentives after the Closing Date.

 

(c) Seller and Buyer shall cooperate to take whatever reasonable steps are necessary to effect the distribution and direct rollover to Buyer’s qualified retirement plan that includes a cash or deferred arrangement under Section 401(k) of the Code (“Buyer’s 401(k) Plan”) of the account balance of each Transferred Employee, if eligible in the Seller Benefit Plan that is a qualified retirement plan that includes a cash or deferred arrangement under Section 401(k) of the Code (“Seller’s 401(k) Plan”) as soon as administratively practicable following the Closing Date and after such Transferred Employee elects such a distribution and direct rollover, in accordance with and to the extent permitted by the terms of Seller’s 401(k) Plan, Buyer’s 401(k) Plan and applicable Law.

 

(d) The parties acknowledge and agree that it is their intention that all existing Contracts of non-competition between Seller and any Employee or any Contractor providing services to Seller in respect of the Business as of immediately prior to the Closing Date shall be transferred to or assumed by Buyer as a result of the transactions described herein and that such Contracts shall constitute Purchased Contracts hereunder. If any such Contract may not be so assigned. Seller agrees that it will cooperate with Buyer to enforce such Contracts as Buyer may reasonably request.

 

(e) Buyer and Seller (and their Affiliates) hereby agree to follow the “Alternate Procedure,” as such procedure is described in Section 5 of Rev. Proc. 2004-53, 2004- 34 I.R.B. 320 (Aug. 18, 2004), for preparing and filing Forms W-2, and 941, and transferring of Forms W-4 and W-5, with respect to Transferred Employees.

 

(f) This Section 7.9 shall operate exclusively for the benefit of the parties to this Agreement and not for the benefit of any other Person, including the Transferred Employees or any other Employee, Contractor, former Employee or other Person who performs or performed services to the Company.

 

SECTION 7.10. Claims Assistance.

 

(a) Seller and the Principal Owners provide such assistance, support and information as reasonably required by Buyer from time to time to assist in (i) the defense of claims made by third parties against Buyer in respect of Assumed Liabilities, and (ii) any claim by Buyer or Seller against third parties in respect of Assumed Liabilities.

 

(b) Seller and the Principal Owners shall provide such assistance, support and information as reasonably required by Buyer from time to time to assist Buyer to obtain any Permits that are necessary or useful to carry on the Business to the extent that such Permits are not assignable from Seller to Buyer.

 

SECTION 7.11. Post-Closing Receipts. If at any time following the Closing Date, Seller or any Principal Owner receives, or comes into possession of, any of the Purchased Property or any receipts, proceeds, checks, securities or other property of any kind comprising, arising out of or derived from the Purchased Property, then Seller or such Principal Owner shall immediately deliver it to the Seller with such endorsements, transfers or assignments as may be necessary or useful to ensure that the Seller receives the immediate and full benefit thereof.

 

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SECTION 8. COVENANTS OF THE BUYER.

 

SECTION 8.1. Consents and Approvals. The Buyer (i) shall, at its cost and expense, use all Commercially Reasonable Efforts to obtain all necessary consents, waivers, authorizations and approvals of all governmental and regulatory authorities, and all other Persons required to be obtained by the Buyer in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by it of the Transaction Documents, and (ii) shall diligently assist and cooperate with the Seller in preparing and filing all documents required to be submitted by the Seller to any governmental or regulatory authority, domestic or foreign, in connection with such transactions and in obtaining any governmental consents, waivers, authorizations or approvals which may be required to be obtained by the Seller in connection with such transactions (which assistance and cooperation shall include, without limitation, timely furnishing to the Seller all information concerning the Buyer that counsel to the Seller determines is required to be included in such documents or would be helpful in obtaining any such required consent, waiver, authorization or approval).

 

SECTION 8.2. Post-Closing Efforts. On and after the Closing Date and until payment in full of the Additional Payment, the Buyer shall use its Commercially Reasonable Efforts to maintain the Focus Factor Business and operations consistent with current levels, including without limitation acting in good faith to maintain current levels of distribution by Costco of the Product.

 

SECTION 9. CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATIONS OF THE SELLERS. The obligations of the Seller to effect the Closing and to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents are subject to the fulfillment, at or before the Closing Date, of each of the following conditions, any one or more of which may be waived by the Seller in its sole discretion:

 

SECTION 9.1. Representations and Warranties of the Buyer. All representations and warranties made by the Buyer in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects (except as to representations and warranties which are qualified as to materiality, which representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all respects) as of the date of this Agreement and on and as of the Closing Date as if again made by the Buyer on and as of such date.

 

SECTION 9.2. Performance of the Obligations of the Buyer. The Buyer shall have performed in all material respects all obligations required under this Agreement to be performed by it on or before the Closing Date.

 

SECTION 9.3. Financing. Buyer has delivered to Seller evidence of financing to Buyer in an aggregate amount sufficient to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

SECTION 9.4. Distribution of Cash. Immediately prior to Closing, Seller shall have distributed all cash in its accounts to its members.

 

SECTION 9.5. Due Diligence. Prior to Closing, Buyer shall have provided evidence to Seller by which Seller can reasonably conclude after due diligence that the assets securing Buyer’s obligations hereunder will cover such obligations.

 

SECTION 9.6. Buyer Closing Deliverables.

 

At the Closing, Buyer will:

 

(a) Execute and deliver a duly executed counterpart of the bill of sale in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Bill of Sale”);

 

(b) Deliver to the Seller the Closing Payment in immediately available funds;

 

(c) Deliver a certificate executed by the authorized person of the Buyer certifying as to the truthfulness, completeness and accuracy of attached copies of resolutions of the directors of the Buyer authorizing this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby;

 

(d) Deliver to Seller a certificate of the Secretary of the State of Nevada, dated reasonably close to the Closing Date, as to the legal existence and good standing of the Buyer in Nevada;

 

(e) Deliver to Seller an executed promissory note constituting the Additional Payment; and

 

(f) Execute and deliver the Pledge Agreement.

 

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SECTION 9.7. Board. The board of directors of Buyer shall have approved the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

SECTION 10. CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATIONS OF THE BUYER. The obligations of the Buyer to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents are subject to the fulfillment, at or before the Closing Date, of each of the following conditions, any one or more of which may be waived by the Buyer in its sole discretion:

 

SECTION 10.1. Representations and Warranties of the Seller. All representations and warranties made by the Seller in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects (except as to representations and warranties which are qualified as to materiality, which representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all respects) as of the date of this Agreement and on and as of the Closing Date as if again made by the Seller on and as of such date.

 

SECTION 10.2. Performance of the Obligations of the Seller. The Seller has performed in all material respects all agreement, covenants, and obligations required under this Agreement to be performed by it on or before the Closing Date.

 

SECTION 10.3. Liability for Outstanding Sums. Buyer shall have no liability with respect to outstanding sums owed to Seller’s existing officers and Employees, including, without limitation, with respect to any previous loans made by such officers or Employees.

 

SECTION 10.4. Seller Closing Documents. The Seller shall have delivered to the Buyer the following documents:

 

(a) the Files and Records forming a part of the Purchased Property;

 

(b) a duly executed Bill of Sale;

 

(c) physical possession and control of the Purchased Property;

 

(d) all consents that are required to transfer the Assigned Contracts and the other items of Purchased Property;

 

(e) a certificate executed by the appropriate officers of the Seller, certifying the satisfaction by the Seller of the conditions specified in Sections 10.1, 10.2, and 10.7;

 

(f) a certificate executed by the authorized person of the Seller certifying as to the truthfulness, completeness and accuracy of attached copies of resolutions of the directors and members of the Seller authorizing this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby;

 

(g) evidence of satisfaction and termination of all liens applicable to the Purchased Property (other than permitted liens, as may be mutually agreed upon by the Parties);

 

(h) such other documents relating to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents to be consummated at the Closing as counsel to the Buyer shall reasonably request in order to convey unencumbered title to the Purchased Property to Buyer;

 

(i) (i) a certificate of the Secretary of the State of Delaware and Maine, dated reasonably close to the Closing Date, as to the legal existence and good standing of the Seller in Delaware and Maine; and

 

(k) appropriate assignments of the Intellectual Property included in the Purchased Property, in a form acceptable to Buyer.

 

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SECTION 10.5. Filing of Required Notices. Seller shall have filed any and all applicable “bulk sale” and related notices with the appropriate authorities, and paid any and all sales taxes assessed in connection therewith.

 

SECTION 10.6. Amounts Due to Creditors. Seller shall pay at Closing out of the Closing Payment any and all amounts due and owing to creditors, other than those amounts expressly assumed by Buyer.

 

SECTION 10.7. Board and Stockholder Approval. The board of directors and the stockholders of Seller shall have approved the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

SECTION 10.8. No Proceeding or Litigation. No Action, suit or proceeding brought by or on behalf of any Person or Governmental entity challenging the legality of, or seeking to restrain, prohibit, materially modify or rescind the transactions contemplated by this agreement shall have been instituted and not settled or otherwise terminated.

 

SECTION 11. INDEMNIFICATION.

 

SECTION 11.1. Indemnification by the Seller. The Seller and each of the Principal Owners, jointly and severally, up to their respective Actual Proceeds, shall indemnify and save and hold the Buyer, any Affiliate of the Buyer and their respective directors, officers, managers, employees, successors, and assigns (the “Buyer Indemnitees”), harmless from and against any and all damages, claims, demands, obligations, liabilities, losses, costs, expenses (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses of investigation incurred by the Buyer Indemnitees in any Action or proceeding between the Seller and the Buyer Indemnitees or between the Buyer Indemnitees and any third party or otherwise), deficiencies, interests, penalties, impositions, assessments and/ or fines (collectively, “Buyer Losses”), whether or not in connection with a third-party claim, arising out of, resulting from or related to any and/or all of the Seller’s Events of Breach. As used herein, “Seller’s Events of Breach” shall be and mean any one or more of the following:

 

(a) any breach of any representation or warranty made by Seller or the Principal Owners in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents;

 

(b) any liabilities arising out of the ownership or operation of the Purchased Property prior to the Closing Date other than the Assumed Liabilities;

 

(c) any brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions or similar payments based upon any agreement or understanding made, or alleged to have been made, by any Person with Seller or the Principal Owners (or any person acting on their behalf) in connection with any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

 

(d) any Seller Benefit Plan in existence prior to the Closing Date, whether such Liability arises before, on or after the Closing Date, including, without limitation, unfunded Liabilities, Liability with respect to the termination of any such plan, any retiree from employment with Seller, any unfunded Liability under any such plan, or any accrued but unpaid claim under such Seller Benefit Plan;

 

(e) any Liability relating to compliance with any Environmental Law arising out of or relating to operation of the Business prior to the Closing Date or Seller’s leasing, ownership or operation of real property

 

(f) the employment (including the initial hiring and all terms, conditions, and events relating to the ongoing employment prior to the Closing Date) or termination of employment (including constructive termination) by Seller of any individual (including without limitation any current or former employee of the Seller), including any compensation due to the employees or contractors relating to periods ending on or prior to the Closing Date, including, without limitation, severance, salary, commission, bonus, incentives, vacation pay or other benefit accruals or any termination liability

 

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(g) all Liabilities and commitments with respect to eligible persons and their eligible dependants, in respect of health insurance under COBRA;

 

(h) any Liability relating to common law or statutory dissenter’s rights, appraisal rights, or any similar rights of the shareholders of Seller;

 

(i) any breach of any covenant or other agreement made by Seller or the Principal Owners in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents, or any failure of the Seller or the Principal Owners to duly perform or observe any term, provision, covenant, agreement contained in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents on the part of the Seller or the Principal Owners to be performed or observed; and

 

(j) any claim or cause of Action by any Party against any Buyer Indemnitee, with respect to any liabilities of the Seller and Affiliates of the Seller other than the Assumed Liabilities; provided, however, that neither Seller nor the Principal Owners shall be liable to make any payment in respect of a claim for indemnification in respect of any Seller’s Events of Breach until the aggregate of such Buyer Losses shall exceed $50,000 (“Threshold”), but once such Buyer Losses shall exceed such $50,000 Threshold (“Basket”), the Buyer Indemnitees shall have the right to indemnification hereunder, and the Seller and/or its members shall be required to make payment to the Buyer Indemnitees in respect of such claims, to the full extent of such Buyer Losses without reference to or deduction for the $50,000 Threshold up to an aggregate liability cap equal to the Purchase Price (“Cap”), provided, however, that the Basket and Cap shall not apply (and Seller and the Principal Owners shall be fully liable) in the case of any claims based on (i) a breach of any Fundamental Representations, (ii) fraud, bad faith, criminal conduct, intentional misrepresentation, or willful misconduct (“Bad Conduct”), or (iii) indemnification under Section 11.1(b), 11. l(i), or 11.1(j), provided, further, that the liability of each Principal Owner under (i) through (iii) shall not exceed such Principal Owner’s pro rata share of such liability (“pro rata share” shall mean the Principal Owner’s percentage ownership of Seller).

 

All representations, warranties, covenants and obligations of Seller and the Principal Owners herein, and all other agreements or instruments contemplated hereby to which Buyer, Seller or any Principal Owner is a party, shall survive the Closing Date for eighteen (18) months, except that: (i) all covenants and agreements which by their terms contemplate performance after the Closing Date shall survive the Closing indefinitely, unless specified otherwise by their terms; and (ii) for breaches of any Fundamental Representations or Bad Conduct, the survival period shall be indefinite. Any claim for indemnification made in accordance with this Section 11, prior to the expiration of the applicable indemnification period set forth in this paragraph shall survive until such matter is resolved.

 

Following the Closing, the indemnification afforded by this Section 11 shall be the sole and exclusive remedy of the Buyer Indemnitees in respect of claims for Seller’s Events of Breach.

 

SECTION 11.2. Procedures for Indemnification by the Seller.

 

(a) Notice of Claims. If a Seller’s Event of Breach occurs or is alleged and a Buyer Indemnitee asserts that the Seller has become obligated to such Buyer Indemnitee pursuant to Section 11.1 hereof (“Direct Claim”), or if any suit, Action, investigation, claim or proceeding (a “Third Party Proceeding”) is threatened, begun, made or instituted by a third party as a result of which the Seller may become obligated to a Buyer Indemnitee hereunder, such Buyer Indemnitee shall give written notice thereof to the Seller (the “Buyer’s Claims Notice”). The Buyer’s failure or delay in providing a Buyer’s Claims Notice shall not relieve Seller of its obligations under this Section 11 except to the extent that the Seller is materially prejudiced as a result thereof.

 

(b) Response to Direct Claims. The Seller shall have thirty (30) calendar days after receipt of the Buyer’s Claim Notice for a Direct Claim to reject or accept the claim as an indemnifiable claim for Buyer Losses under this Section 11. If, within thirty (30) calendar days after receipt by the Seller of such a Buyer’s Claim Notice, Seller delivers notice to the Buyer Indemnitee containing a written objection to the claim (or a portion thereof) by the Buyer Indemnitee, stating the nature of and grounds for such objection in reasonable detail, then such claim (or portion thereof) shall be deemed to be a “Disputed Claim” and such claim shall be resolved in accordance with Section 11.2(c) hereof. If, within thirty (30) calendar days after actual receipt by the Seller’s of the Buyer’s Claim Notice for a Direct Claim, the Seller delivers notice to the Buyer Indemnitee containing a written acceptance of the claim, (or a portion thereof) then such claim (or portion thereof) shall be deemed an indemnifiable claim under this Section 11 (the “Indemnifiable Claim”), and the Seller will be conclusively deemed to have consented to recovery by the Buyer Indemnitee of the full amount of Buyer Losses in connection with the claim.

 

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(c) Dispute Resolution. Any disputes arising under this Section 11 shall be resolved as follows: (i) first, the Parties shall attempt in good faith for 30 days to resolve the dispute, and (ii) if the dispute remains unresolved after such 30 day period, the Parties agree that any Party may file suit in any court or other adjudicative body having jurisdiction in order to resolve the dispute.

 

(d) Third Party Proceeding.

 

(i) Seller shall have twenty (20) days from receipt of a Buyer’s Claim Notice for a Third Party Proceeding to provide the Buyer Indemnitee with notice that it wishes to assume the defense in the Third Party Proceeding and acknowledges liability for such damages, in which event the Buyer Indemnitee shall have the right to participate in the defense at its own expense; provided, however, that the Buyer Indemnitee is hereby authorized prior to and during such time to file any motion, answer or other pleading that it shall deem necessary or appropriate to protect its interests and that is not prejudicial to Seller. If Seller fails to give the Buyer Indemnitee timely notice as provided herein, the Buyer Indemnitee shall have the right to defend against such Third Party Proceeding.

 

(ii) If Seller assumes the defense in a Third Party Proceeding, the Indemnifying Party shall not agree to any settlement, compromise or discharge of a Third-Party Claim that involves any consideration other than the payment of money without the Indemnified Party’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld. If the Indemnifying Party does not assume the defense of a Third-Party Claim, the Indemnified Party shall be entitled to undertake any settlement, compromise or discharge of such Third-Party Claim without the Indemnifying Party’s prior consent.

 

(iii) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary. Seller and the Principal Owners shall not be entitled to assume control of the defense in a Third Party Proceeding, and shall pay the reasonably documented fees and expenses of legal counsel retained by the Buyer Indemnitee, if a court of competent jurisdiction rules that Seller or the Principal Owners have failed or are failing to prosecute or defend such claim.

 

(iv) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 13.2, Seller hereby consents to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of any court in which an Action or claim in respect of a Third Party Proceeding is brought against any Buyer Indemnitee for purposes of any claim that a Buyer Indemnitee may have under this Agreement with respect to such Action or claim or the matters alleged therein and agrees that process may be served on Seller with respect to such a claim anywhere in the world.

 

SECTION 11.3. Indemnification Binds Successors and Assigns. All of the indemnification rights of the Buyer and obligations of the Seller arising pursuant to this Section 11 shall survive any sale, assignment or other transfer by the Buyer or any Seller of all or part of their respective title to or interest in all or part of the Transaction Documents or the Purchased Property and shall apply to and bind each and every successor and assign of the Buyer and each Seller.

 

SECTION 11.4. Dispute Resolution Costs. Each Party shall bear all its own costs of any court Action or other dispute resolution proceeding hereunder, including without limitation, the fees and expenses of its own legal counsel and other filing fees and expenses of such Party for such proceeding.

 

SECTION 12. TERMINATION.

 

SECTION 12.1. Conditions of Termination. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, this Agreement may be terminated at any time before the Closing:

 

(a) By mutual consent of the Seller and the Buyer,

 

(b) By either the Seller or the Buyer if the other Party shall have breached this Agreement in any material respect and such breach continues for a period of ten (10) days after the receipt of written notice of the breach from the non-breaching Party, or

 

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(c) By either the Seller or Buyer if the Closing has not occurred on or before 5:00 p.m. eastern time on January 23, 2015 (regardless of the pendency of any cure period provided for in Section 12.1(b).

 

SECTION 12.2. Effect of Termination. If this Agreement is terminated in accordance with Section 12.1 hereof, this Agreement shall become null and void and have no effect, with no liability on the part of the Seller or the Buyer, or their Affiliates and their respective directors, managers, officers, agents, members or shareholders, except for the obligations set forth in this Section 12.2, Section 7.9(d), Section 13, and the Confidentiality Agreement both of which shall survive any termination; and provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein and no termination hereof shall relieve any Party from liability for any breach of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this Agreement which arise prior to termination.

 

SECTION 13. MISCELLANEOUS.

 

SECTION 13.1. Successors and Assigns. Any Party hereto may assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the other Parties hereto; provided that this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of the Parties hereto.

 

SECTION 13.2. Governing Law: Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be construed, performed and enforced in accordance with, and governed by, the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of laws thereof. The Parties hereto irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of, the federal and state courts of the State of Delaware located in Wilmington, Delaware for such purpose.

 

SECTION 13.3. Expenses. Except as otherwise provided herein, each of the Parties hereto shall pay all its own expenses in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, any legal and accounting fees, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated. The Seller and the Buyer shall each pay one-half of any applicable state and local sales, transfer, excise, value-added or other similar Taxes, and all recording and filing fees that may be imposed by reason of the sale, transfer, assignment and delivery of the Purchased Property (collectively, the “Transfer Taxes”). Each party agrees to cooperate with such other party in the timely completion, execution and filing of any documentation required by any local, state, federal or other Tax authority in connection with the Transfer Taxes, including any documentation as may be requested to establish an exemption from (or otherwise reduce) or make a report with respect to the Transfer Taxes.

 

SECTION 13.4. Severability. In the event that any part of this Agreement is declared by any court or other judicial or administrative body to be null, void or unenforceable, said provision shall survive to the extent it is not so declared, and all of the other provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

 

SECTION 13.5. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (i) on the date of service if served personally on the Party to whom notice is to be given, (ii) on the day of transmission if sent via facsimile transmission or email to the facsimile number or email given below, and telephonic confirmation of receipt is obtained promptly after completion of transmission, or (iii) on the day of delivery by Federal Express or similar overnight courier or the Express Mail service maintained by the U.S. Postal Service, to the Party as follows:

 

If to the Seller or any Principal Owner:

 

Factor Nutrition Labs, LLC, c/o Michael O’Connor, Esq. Williams & Connolly, 725 Twelfth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20005.

 

With a copy to:

 

Thor Associates, Inc.

Thor Associates, Inc., c/o Sanford H. Greenberg Greenberg Freeman LLP 110 East 59th Street 22nd Floor

New York, New York 10022

 

If to the Buyer:

 

Jack Ross

865 Spring Street

Westbrook, Maine 04092

 

With a copy to:

 

Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP 4101 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607 Attention: W. David Mannheim, Esq.

 

Any Party may change its address for the purpose of this Section by giving the other Party written notice of its new address in the manner set forth above.

 

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SECTION 13.6. Amendments: Waivers. This Agreement may be amended or modified, and any of the terms, covenants, representations, warranties or conditions hereof may be waived, only by a written instrument executed by the Parties hereto, or in the case of a waiver, by the Party waiving compliance. Any waiver by any Party of any condition, or of the breach of any provision, term, covenant, representation or warranty contained in this Agreement, in any one or more instances, shall not be deemed to be nor construed as further or continuing waiver of any such condition, or of the breach of any other provision, term, covenant, representation or warranty of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 13.7. Public Announcements. The Parties will reasonably cooperate concerning the public announcement of the transactions contemplated herein, but no Party hereto shall make any public statement regarding this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein without Buyer’s prior written approval.

 

SECTION 13.8. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, the Exhibits and schedules hereto and the Confidentiality Agreement contain the entire understanding between the Parties hereto with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and supersede and replace all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with regard to such transactions. All schedules and exhibits hereto and any documents and instruments delivered pursuant to any provision hereof are expressly incorporated herein and made a part of this Agreement as fully as though completely set forth herein. This Agreement shall only be binding on the Parties hereto upon execution and delivery of this Agreement by each of the Parties.

 

SECTION 13.9. Parties in Interest. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to confer any rights or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement on any persons other than the Seller and the Buyer and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to relieve or discharge the obligations or liability of any third persons to the Seller or the Buyer. No provision of this Agreement shall give any third persons any right as a third party beneficiary of this Agreement or provide any right of subrogation or Action over or against the Seller or the Buyer.

 

SECTION 13.10. Section and Paragraph Headings. The section and paragraph headings in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 13.11. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts and via pdf, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which shall constitute the same instrument.

 

SECTION 13.12. Fulfillment of Obligations. Any obligation of any Party to any other Party under this Agreement, which obligation is performed, satisfied or fulfilled by an Affiliate of such Party, shall be deemed to have been performed, satisfied, or fulfilled by such Party.

 

SECTION 13.13. Remedies. Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, any Person having any rights under any provision of this Agreement, including, without limitation, Section 7.9, shall be entitled to enforce such rights specifically (without posting a bond or other security), to require Seller and their respective Affiliates to account for and pay over to Buyer all payments, profits, monies, accruals, increments or other benefits derived by such party by reason of any breach of any provision of this Agreement, to recover damages and to exercise all other rights granted by Laws. Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, all such rights and remedies shall be cumulative and non-exclusive, and may be exercised singularly or concurrently. The Parties acknowledge that any breach of this Agreement may cause substantial irreparable harm to the other Party. Therefore, this Agreement may be enforced in equity by specific performance, temporary restraining order and/or injunction. The rights to such equitable remedies shall be in addition to all other rights or remedies which a Party may have under this Agreement or under applicable law.

 

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SECTION 13.14. FURTHER ACTIONS. In case at any time after the Closing any further action is necessary to carry out the purposes of this Agreement, each of the parties shall take such further action (including the execution and delivery of such further instruments and documents) as any other party reasonably may request, all at the sole cost and expense of the requesting party (unless the requesting party is entitled to indemnification therefore under Section 11).

 

SECTION 14. GUARANTY

 

(a) The Guarantor hereby guarantees to the Seller the Additional Payment obligations of the Buyer under Section 3.1(b) of this Agreement and no other obligations (the Guaranteed Obligations”), subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 14. This guaranty is an absolute, unconditional and continuing guaranty of the full and punctual payment and performance of the Guaranteed Obligations, not only collectability, and is in no way conditioned upon any requirement that the Seller first attempt to collect any of the Guaranteed Obligations from the Buyer or resort to any security or other means of obtaining its payment or performance, except to the extent otherwise set forth in this Section 14. Should the Buyer default in the performance of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, or in the event that the Buyer or the Guarantor shall (i) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee or liquidator of it or a material portion of its or their property, (ii) admit in writing its or their inability to pay or fail generally to pay its or their debts as they mature, (iii) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, (iv) be adjudicated a bankrupt, or (v) file a voluntary petition in bankruptcy or a petition or an answer seeking reorganization or an arrangement with creditors or to take advantage of any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, readjustment of debts, dissolution or liquidation statute, or an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it or any of them in a proceeding under any such law, the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall become immediately due and payable to the Seller, without demand or notice of any nature, all of which are expressly waived by the Guarantor. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any of the Transaction Documents, in the event that Seller desires to collect any of the Guaranteed Obligations from Guarantor, Seller is required to first proceed against the assets of Guarantor that are secured by the Stock Pledge and Security Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit B (the “Pledge Agreement”), and if, and only if, the Guaranteed Obligations are not satisfied by the assets of Guarantor under Pledge Agreement, then Seller can proceed against Guarantor’s other assets.

 

(b) The Guarantor further agrees, as the principal obligor and not as a guarantor only, to pay to the Seller, on demand, all reasonable costs and expenses (including court costs and legal fees and expenses) incurred or expended by the Seller in connection with the enforcement of the Guaranteed Obligations and this guaranty, together with interest on amounts recoverable under this guaranty from the time of such demand until payment thereof at a rate equal to the sum of (i) the base rate as quoted in The Wall Street Journal (Eastern Edition) as of the date of any demand under this guaranty, plus (ii) 5%.

 

(c) Except as otherwise provided for herein, the Guarantor waives presentment, demand, protest, notice of acceptance, notice of Guaranteed Obligations incurred and all other notices of any kind, all defenses which may be available by virtue of any valuation, stay, moratorium law or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, any right to require the marshaling of assets of the Buyer or of the Guarantor, and all suretyship defenses generally. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Guarantor agrees to the provisions of any instrument evidencing, securing or otherwise executed in connection with any Guaranteed Obligation and agrees that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall not be released or discharged, in whole or in part, or otherwise affected by (i) the failure of the Seller to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any right or remedy against the Buyer; (ii) any extensions or renewals of any Guaranteed Obligation; (iii) any rescissions, waivers, amendments or modifications of any of the terms or provisions of any agreement evidencing, securing or otherwise executed in connection with any Guaranteed Obligation; (iv) the substitution or release of any entity primarily or secondarily liable for any Guaranteed Obligation; (v) the adequacy of any rights the Seller may have against any collateral or other means of obtaining repayment of the Guaranteed Obligations; (vi) the impairment of any collateral securing the Guaranteed Obligations, including the failure to perfect or preserve any rights the Seller might have in such collateral or the substitution, exchange, surrender, release, loss or destruction of any such collateral; or (vii) any other act or omission that might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of the Guarantor or otherwise operate as a release or discharge of the Guarantor, all of which may be done without notice to the Guarantor except as otherwise set forth herein.

 

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(d) If for any reason the Buyer has no legal existence or is under no legal obligation to discharge any of the Guaranteed Obligations, or if any of the Guaranteed Obligations have become irrecoverable from the Buyer by operation of law or for any other reason, this guaranty nevertheless shall be binding on the Guarantor to the same extent as if the Guarantor at all times had been the principal obligor on all such Guaranteed Obligations. In the event that acceleration of the time for payment of the Guaranteed Obligations is stayed upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of the Buyer, or for any other reason, all such amounts otherwise due under the terms of any agreement, document or instrument evidencing, securing or otherwise executed in connection with any Guaranteed Obligation shall be immediately due and payable by the Guarantor.

 

(e) Until the payment and performance in full of all Guaranteed Obligations: (i) the Guarantor shall not exercise any rights against the Buyer arising as a result of payment by the Guarantor hereunder, by way of subrogation or otherwise, and will not prove any claim in competition with the Seller in respect of any payment hereunder in bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings of any nature; and (ii) the Guarantor will not claim any set-off or counterclaim against the Buyer in respect of any liability of the Guarantor to the Seller. The payment of any amounts due with respect to any indebtedness of the Buyer for money now or hereafter borrowed from Guarantor or now or hereafter held by the Guarantor is hereby subordinated to the prior payment in full of the Guaranteed Obligations. The Guarantor agrees that for so long as any Guaranteed Obligation is due and payable to the Seller, the Guarantor will not demand, sue for or otherwise attempt to collect any such indebtedness of the Buyer to the Guarantor until such Guaranteed Obligations shall have been paid in full.

 

This guaranty shall remain in full force and effect until payment in full of any and all Guaranteed Obligations of the Buyer to the Seller, at which time it shall terminate. This guaranty shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time any payment made or value received with respect to the Guaranteed Obligations is rescinded, invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, or set aside or is required to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party under any case or proceeding, voluntary or involuntary, for the distribution, division or application of all or part of the assets of the Buyer or the Guarantor or the proceeds thereof, whether such case or proceeding be for the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Buyer or the Guarantor or their respective businesses, a receivership, insolvency or bankruptcy case or proceeding, an assignment for the benefit of creditors or a proceeding by or against the Buyer or the Guarantor for relief under the federal Bankruptcy Code or any other bankruptcy, reorganization or insolvency law or any other law relating to the relief of debtors, readjustment of indebtedness, reorganization, arrangement, composition or extension or marshaling of assets or otherwise, all as though such payment had not been made or value received.

 

[Signature page follows.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above written.

 

BUYER: SYNERGY STRIPS CORP.  
   
By: /s/ Jack Ross  
Name:  Jack Ross  
Title: CEO  
     
SELLER: FACTOR NUTRITION LABS, LLC  
   
By: /s/ Paul Levinsohn  
Name: Paul Levinsohn  
Title: Principal/CEO  
     
PRINCIPAL OWNERS:  
   
VITA PARTNERS, LLC  
   
By: /s/Jack Dushey  
Name: Jack Dushey  
Title:    
     
RPR PARTNERS, LLC  
   
By: /s/ Paul Levinsohn  
Name: Paul Levinsohn  
Title: Manager  
     
THOR ASSOCIATES, INC.  
     
By: /s/ Fern Lee  
Name: Fern Lee  
Title: CEO  
     
GUARANTOR  
     
By: /s/ Jack Ross  
Name: Jack Ross  

 

 

 

 

Omitted Exhibits and Schedules*

 

EXHIBITS
Exhibit A – Bill of Sale
Exhibit B – Pledge Agreement

SCHEDULES
Schedule A – Aged Receivables By Customer Code
Schedule B – Excluded Seller Assets
Schedule C – Files and Records
Schedule D – Inventory
Schedule E – Fixed Assets
Schedule F – Tangible Personal Property
Schedule 2.4 – Permitted Liens
Schedule 2.4(i) – Accounts Payable
Schedule 2.4(ii) – Assigned Contracts
Schedule 5.4 – Consents and Approvals
Schedule 5.5 – Financial Statements
Schedule 5.6 – Absence of Certain Changes or Events
Schedule 5.7 – Tax Returns
Schedule 5.8 – Assumed Liabilities
Schedule 5.9 – Licensed Intellectual Property
Schedule 5.9(a) – Domain Names
Schedule 5.10 – Permits
Schedule 5.12 – Assigned Contracts
Schedule 5.13 – Title to Purchased Property
Schedule 5.14 – Brokerage
Schedule 5.16(a) – Employee List
Schedule 5.16(b) – Employees
Schedule 5.16(c) – FLSA
Schedule 5.16(e) – Employment Contracts
Schedule 5.17 – Contractor Matters
Schedule 5.18(a) – Employee Benefit Plans
Schedule 5.18(d) – Section 409A Plans
Schedule 5.20(a) – Leased Real Property
Schedule 5.23 – Clients and Vendors
Schedule 5.26 – Accounts Receivable; Inventories
Schedule 6.3 – Buyer’s Consents and Approvals

 

*The listed exhibits and schedules have been omitted from this Exhibit 2.3 pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. Synergy Strips Corp. hereby undertakes to furnish supplementally copies of any of the omitted exhibits and schedules upon request by the SEC.

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 2.3

 

ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

THIS AGREEMENT is made and dated as of June 26, 2015.

 

BETWEEN: Neuragen Corp., a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Delaware;
   
  (the “Purchaser”)
   
AND: KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS INC., a corporation formed under the laws of Canada;
   
  (“Knight”)

 

RECITALS

 

(A) WHEREAS Knight was a secured creditor of Origin Biomed Inc. (“Origin”);
   
(B) WHEREAS on April 7, 2015 by Order of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia (the “Court”) and on the application of Knight, Grant Thornton Limited (“GTL”) was appointed Receiver of Origin;
   
(C) WHEREAS by Order dated June 4, 2015, the Court authorized GTL to convey the right, title and interest in certain of the property of Origin to Knight (a copy of the said Order and any related receiver reports being attached hereto as Schedule A);
   
(D) WHEREAS by agreement dated June 24, 2015, GTL conveyed such property, including the Purchased Assets, to Knight (a copy of the said agreement being attached hereto as Schedule B);
   
(E) WHEREAS the Purchaser desires to purchase and Knight desires to sell the Purchased Assets as herein defined;
   
(F) WHEREAS the Parties wish to enter into this Agreement, all on the terms and conditions set out herein.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of these premises and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby covenant, contract and agree as follows:

 

1. DEFINED TERMS

 

1.1 For the purposes of this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms shall have the respective meanings set out below and grammatical variations of such terms shall have corresponding meanings:

 

Affiliate” means any corporation or entity which is directly or indirectly controlled by, or controls or is under common control with, another corporation or entity, provided that “control” shall mean ownership as to more than fifty percent (50%) of another corporation or entity or the power to direct decisions of another corporation or entity, including, without limitation, the power to direct management and policies of another corporation or entity, whether by reason of ownership, by contract or otherwise;

 

Agreement” means this Asset Purchase Agreement and all schedules, exhibits and instruments supplemental hereto or in amendment or confirmation hereof.

 

Confidential Information” shall mean, with respect to a Party (the “Receiving Party”), all information, which is disclosed by the other Party (the “Disclosing Party”) to the Receiving Party hereunder or to any of its employees, consultants, Affiliates, licensees or sublicensees (“Representatives”), except to the extent that such information, (i) as of the date of disclosure is demonstrably known to the Receiving Party or its Representatives, as shown by written documentation, other than by virtue of a prior confidential disclosure to such Party or its Representatives by the Disclosing Party; (ii) as of the date of disclosure is in, or subsequently enters, the public domain, through no fault or omission of the Receiving Party; (iii) is obtained by the Receiving Party or its Representatives from a third Party having a lawful right to make such disclosure free from any obligation of confidentiality to the Disclosing Party; or (iv) is independently developed by or for the Receiving Party or its Representatives without reference to or reliance upon any Confidential Information of the Disclosing Party as demonstrated by competent written records.

 

Effective Date” shall mean the date hereof.

 

Know How” means any and all technical information, trade secrets, formulas, prototypes, specifications, directions, instructions, test protocols, procedures and results, studies, analyses, raw material sources, data, manufacturing data, formulation or production technology, conceptions, ideas, innovations, discoveries, inventions, processes, methods, materials, machines, devices, formulae, equipment, enhancements, modifications, technological developments, techniques, systems, tools, designs, drawings, plans, software, documentation, data, programs and other knowledge, information, skills and materials controlled or owned by Knight as at the date hereof and pertaining to the Products, and any modifications, variations, derivative works and improvements of or relating to any of the foregoing owned and controlled by Knight as at the date hereof.

 

IP Agreement” means that certain agreement dated October 18, 2009 between Neuroquest and Origin, as amended, copies of which are attached in Schedule I.

 

 

 

 

Liens” shall mean any security, interest, mortgage, pledge or other encumbrance.

 

“Losses” means losses, damages, liabilities, deficiencies, actions, judgments, interest, awards, penalties, fines, costs or expenses of whatever kind, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and the cost of enforcing any right to indemnification hereunder and the cost of pursuing any insurance providers.

 

LSU Agreement” means that certain agreement dated March 26, 2004 between Origin and the Louisiana State University Agricultural and Mechanical College, copy of which is attached in Schedule I.

 

Net Sales” means the gross amounts invoiced by or on behalf of the Purchaser and its Affiliates for sales of the Products to third parties that are not Affiliates of the Purchaser in bona fide, arm’s-length transactions, less the following deductions if and to the extent they are (i) determined in accordance with the Purchaser’s accounting standards which are in accordance with IFRS, (ii) actually taken by the Purchaser or its Affiliates, and (iii) included in the gross invoiced sales price of the Products or otherwise directly paid or incurred by the Purchaser or its Affiliates with respect to the sale of the Products:

 

  (a) cash discounts;
     
  (b) rebates;
     
  (c) direct to customer discounts and coupons;
     
  (d) charge-backs;
     
  (e) bad debt;
     
  (f) amounts repaid or credited by reasons of defects, rejections, recalls, returns; and
     
  (g) tariffs, duties, excise, sales, value-added and other similar taxes (other than taxes based on income).

 

Neuroquest” means Neuroquest Inc.

 

Parties” means Knight and the Purchaser, collectively, and “Party” means either of them.

 

Products” means the products and formulas listed in Schedule C.

 

Purchased Assets” means and comprises, as of the Effective Date, all right, title and interest of Knight in, to and under the following properties, assets and rights to the extent that such properties, assets and rights relate to the manufacturing (if applicable), marketing, promotion, sale and distribution of the Products exclusively in the Territory:

 

  (a) rights to the registered marks listed on Schedule D, and to the patents pending listed on Schedule D and all goodwill appurtenant thereto, applications, renewals and registrations thereof and all common law rights relating to the Territory therein;
     
  (b) any and all domain names and addresses and websites related exclusively to the Products in the Territory, including the domain names listed on Schedule D;
     
  (c) all finished goods, raw materials, and packaging material inventory of the Products to be used exclusively for sale in the Territory;
     
  (d) all accounts receivable relating to the sales of the Products in the Territory, as listed on Schedule E;
     
  (e) all prepaid expenses or deposits that would be to the benefit of the Purchaser in respect of the sale of the Products in the Territory, as listed on Schedule F;
     
  (f) all books and records (including customer lists) pertaining to the sale of the Products in the Territory in Knight’s possession or control, provided that where such books and records are not exclusive to the Territory, copies shall be provided;
     
  (g) the rights to the clinical trials in respect of the Products described in Schedule G, it being acknowledged and agreed by the Purchaser that Knight shall retain corresponding rights to such clinical trials for outside of the Territory;
     
  (h) those orders for the purchase of Products for the Territory that have been shipped but not yet invoiced, being those listed in Schedule H;
     
  (i) all data and know-how (including relating to formulation of the Products) and other intellectual property rights in Knight’s possession and control to the extent that these are exclusively related to the manufacture, use or sale of the Products in the Territory;
     
  (j) all personnel files related to the individuals described in Section 3.4 to the extent in Knight’s possession or control and to the extent such individuals are hired by the Purchaser;
     
  (k) all claims of Knight against third parties related to the Products in the Territory and the assets described in this definition, whether known or unknown, choate or inchoate, contingent or non-contingent; and

 

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  (l) the goodwill and going concern value with respect to the assets described in subsections (a) through (k) above.

 

Royalty Payment” has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 2.3.

 

Share Agreement” means that certain agreement dated December 21, 2011 between Origin, Neuroquest and Neurodyn Inc., as amended, copies of which are attached in Schedule I.

 

Territory” means the United States, including all states contained therein and Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

 

1.2 Schedules

 

  Schedule A Court Order
  Schedule B Purchase Agreement
  Schedule C Products
  Schedule D Patents Pending
  Schedule E Accounts Receivable
  Schedule F Prepaid Expenses or Deposits
  Schedule G Clinical Trials
  Schedule H Orders of Products
  Schedule I License Agreements
  Schedule J Current Assets and Liabilities

 

2. PURCHASE AND SALE

 

2.1 Purchased Assets: Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, Knight hereby sells, assigns and transfers to the Purchaser and the Purchaser hereby purchases from Knight, as of the Effective Date, the Purchased Assets.
   
2.2 Consideration. The consideration payable by the Purchaser for the Purchased Assets shall be:

 

  2.2.1 the amount of US$250,000 payable upon the execution of this Agreement;
     
  2.2.2 the amount of US$250,000 payable on or before June 30, 2016;
     
  2.2.3 the amount of US$700,000 payable in installments (i) in respect of the period ending September 30, 2015 and (ii) for each three month period thereafter (December 31, March 31, June 30, September 30) equal to the greater of (x) five percent (5%) of Net Sales for that period, and (y) US$12,500; and
     
  2.2.4 commencing from the payment in full of the amount of US$700,000 as set forth in Section 2.2.3 above, and for the sixty (60) months thereafter, an amount equal to two percent (2%) of Net Sales for that sixty (60) month period. Payments under this Section 2.2.4 shall accrue and be payable on a quarterly basis;

 

(collectively, the “Total Consideration”)

 

2.3 Royalty Payment: The obligations set forth in Sections 2.2.3 and 2.2.4 (the “Royalty Payments”), together with the reporting obligations set forth in Section 6 below, shall bind all sublicensees, assignees and other successors and assigns of the Purchaser.
   
2.4 Rights Reserved by Knight: Knight reserves to itself the right to market, sell, and distribute the Products outside the Territory. Knight recognizes and agrees that it has no right, title or license to market, sell or distribute the Products in the Territory, and that it will not grant any party the right, title or license to market, sell or distribute the Products in the Territory. To the extent required, the Purchaser hereby acknowledges that Knight may have the Products manufactured in the Territory for sale outside the Territory and Knight acknowledges that the Purchaser may have the Products manufactured outside the Territory for sale in the Territory.
   
2.5 Allocation of Purchase Price. Knight and the Purchaser shall cooperate in the preparation of a joint schedule allocating the purchase price among the Purchased Assets.

 

2.6 Closing. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the “Closing”) shall take place at the offices of Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP, Raleigh, NC, at 10:00 a.m. EST, on June 26, 2015. At the Closing, Knight shall deliver to the Purchaser the following:

 

  2.6.1 A bill of sale in a form and substance satisfactory to the Purchaser, duly executed by Knight, transferred the tangible personal property in the Purchased Assets to the Purchaser; and

 

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  2.6.2 Intellectual property assignments in form and substance satisfactory to the Purchaser and duly executed by Knight, transferring all of Knight’s right, title and interest in and to the intellectual property assets included in the Purchased Assets to the Purchaser.

 

3. LICENCE
   
3.1 Knight hereby grants to the Purchaser an exclusive, transferable, irrevocable, royalty-free (excluding any Royalty Payments required by this Agreement and the LSU Royalty), fully paid up perpetual right and licence or sublicense (as applicable) (with the right to sublicense), limited in all respects to the Territory, for and in respect to (i) the assets and rights described in paragraphs (a), (g) and (i) of the definition of Purchased Assets, (ii) the rights that Knight holds under the IP Agreement, the Share Agreement and/or the LSU Agreement, and (iii) all Know How, necessary for the manufacture, marketing, import, export, sale, distribution, and other exploitation of the Products in the Territory, including the distribution of the Products under private or non-Neuragen labels.
   
3.2 The Purchaser acknowledges that the Products are subject to the license obligations set forth in the agreements attached hereto as Schedule I and, to the extent applicable, agrees to assume such obligations in connection with the marketing, sale and distribution of the Products in the Territory, specifically excluding any royalty or payment obligations thereunder other than with respect to the LSU Agreement (the “LSU Royalty”). The Purchaser agrees to assume the royalty obligations (if any) payable to Louisiana State Agricultural and Mechanical College pursuant to the LSU Agreement. The LSU Royalty will be remitted by the Purchaser to Knight for payment to LSU.

 

4. Assumption of Liabilities AND OTHER MATTERS
   
4.1 Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, with effect as of the Effective Date, the Purchaser hereby assumes, and agrees to pay, perform and discharge when due, and shall indemnify Knight and/or its Affiliates, as the case may be, from and against the following liabilities (the “Assumed Liabilities”):

 

  4.1.1 the accounts payable owing to C-Care in the amount of US$51,795;
     
  4.1.2 the liabilities described in Section 3.2 with respect to the contracts listed on Schedule I, to the extent applicable, but only to the extent such liabilities thereunder are required to be performed after the Closing and do not arise from any failure to perform, improper performance, warranty or other breach, default or violation by Knight on or prior to the Closing; and
     
  4.1.3 all allowances for customer returns in respect of Products sold in the Territory prior to the Effective Date and credits and other amounts owed to customers in respect of the sale of Products in the Territory prior to the Effective Date, not to exceed US$100,000.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Purchaser shall not assume and shall not be responsible to pay, perform, or discharge any liabilities of Knight or its Affiliates of any kind or nature whatsoever other than the Assumed Liabilities (the “Excluded Liabilities”), and Knight shall pay and satisfy in due course all Excluded Liabilities which they are obligated to pay and satisfy. Excluded Liabilities include, without limitation, any royalties payable to Neuroquest Inc. (other than the LSU Royalty).

 

4.2 The Parties agree that the aggregate book value of the assets described in paragraphs (c), (d) and (e) of the definition of “Purchased Assets” shall exceed the liabilities assumed and paid by the Purchaser under Section 4.1 by not less than US$75,000 as set forth on Schedule J hereto. To the extent that the finished goods inventory included in the Purchased Assets cannot be sold solely as a result of those finished goods being stale-dated, then Knight shall provide to the Purchaser raw materials of the Products with an equivalent book value to the stale-dated goods but only to the extent necessary to meet the said US$75,000 threshold. The Purchaser shall use reasonable commercial efforts to sell such inventory prior to selling new inventory. If, as of the date two hundred seventy (270) days from the date hereof, the US$75,000 threshold has not been met, then Knight shall pay the Purchaser the amount of the shortfall or at its option provide the Purchaser with raw materials of the Products with an equivalent book value.
   
4.3 Origin employed two (2) employees in the Territory, namely Mike Herb and Angela MacIntosh. The Purchaser shall indicate by notice in writing to Knight to be sent by July 15, 2015 whether or not it wishes to hire one, both or neither of such employees. For each such employee in respect of which the Purchaser declines to hire, Knight shall indemnify the Purchaser with respect to any severance or other costs arising from the termination of such employees’ employment with Origin or Knight. Should the Purchaser or its Affiliates rehire any such employee within one (1) year of the date hereof, it shall reimburse to Knight any severance or other termination costs incurred by Knight.

 

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5. security
   
5.1 As security for the payment of the Total Consideration, the Purchaser shall, contemporaneously herewith, grant to Knight on terms and conditions satisfactory to Knight, an enforceable security charge and interest over certain of its assets, undertakings and property pursuant to a Security Agreement substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.
   
6. PAYMENT TERMS
   
6.1 Payment of Royalties. The Purchaser shall make the Royalty Payments owed to Knight hereunder within forty-five (45) days from the end of each quarterly period in which such payment accrues. For greater certainty, the Parties agree that Royalty Payments shall accrue on the date of shipment of the Products by or on behalf of the Purchaser. Each Royalty Payment shall be accompanied by a report setting forth the sales of the Products in the Territory in the quarter covered by such statement, specifying the Net Sales, if any and the royalties payable with respect thereto.
   
6.2 Accounting. All payments hereunder shall be made in United States dollars.
   
6.3 Interest. In the event that any payment due hereunder is not made when due, interest shall accrue at a rate per annum equal to the lesser of one percent (1%) per month or the highest rate permitted by Law, calculated on the number of days such payments are paid after the date such payments are due and compounded monthly.
   
6.4 Taxes. All payments paid by the Purchaser to Knight under this Agreement are exclusive of, and the Purchaser shall pay any sales, use, rental, custom, value added, consumption or other taxes, duties, levies, fees or charges that may be assessed in any jurisdiction resulting from or arising under this Agreement, provided, however, that the Purchaser shall in no event be responsible or liable for any income taxes attributable to Knight. All payments contemplated under this Section 6.4 shall be supported by a valid receipt for any tax withholding from the appropriate taxing authorities, as well as any other documentation required by the Canada Revenue Agency, the Internal Revenue Service, or any other taxing authority, for the purpose of obtaining an income tax deduction and/or tax credit for Knight. The Parties shall cooperate with each other by providing information to the other Party, as may be reasonably requested by the other Party, for use in connection with making any withholdings and/or in obtaining any tax deduction and/or tax credits hereunder. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Parties agree to execute certain forms required by the States of Maryland and New Jersey to be presented at Closing.

 

6.5 Records Retention; Review

 

  6.5.1 Payments. The Purchaser and its Affiliates shall keep for at least three (3) years from the end of the calendar year to which they pertain complete and accurate records of sales by the Purchaser or its Affiliates, as the case may be, of the Products and in sufficient detail to allow the accuracy of the payments hereunder to be confirmed.
     
  6.5.2 Review. At the request of Knight, upon at least ten (10) business days’ prior written notice from Knight, and at the expense of Knight (except as otherwise provided herein), the Purchaser shall permit Knight or its representative to inspect (during regular business hours) the relevant records required to be maintained by the Purchaser and its Affiliates under this Section 6.5. Knight shall be entitled to review the then-preceding four (4) years of records required to be maintained by the Purchaser and its Affiliates under this Section 6.5 solely for purposes of verifying the Purchaser’s calculations. If any review reveals a deficiency in the calculation of payments resulting in an underpayment by the Purchaser, the Purchaser shall promptly pay Knight the amount remaining to be paid and, if such underpayment is by five percent (5%) or more for any one-year period, the Purchaser shall pay the reasonable documented out-of-pocket expenses of the review.
     
  6.5.3 Other Parties. Each Party shall include in any agreement with its Affiliates or third parties, terms requiring such party to assume the Royalty Payments and LSU Royalty and to retain records as required in this Section 6.5 and to permit the other Party to inspect such records as required by this Section 6.5.

 

7. MANUFACTURING AND FORMULATION
   
7.1 The Purchaser acknowledges that the Products are currently sourced through C-Care Company of Linthicum Heights, MD, as contract manufacturer, and that there is no formal manufacturing or supply agreement in place with C-Care. Each of the Purchaser and Knight agree to use reasonable commercial efforts to coordinate with one another in respect of sourcing the Products (through C-Care or otherwise) with the intention of obtaining volume and other discounts and efficiencies (batch sizes, validation charges, etc.), provided that neither Party is obliged to source Products together.

 

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7.2 The Parties agree that at Knight’s request the Products shall be reformulated in a manner that excludes the use of geraniol. Knight shall initiate and lead such reformulation process in consultation with the Purchaser. Knight and the Purchaser shall share all of the costs of such reformulation equally. For greater certainty, the Purchaser will be entitled to such reformulated Products and the rights thereto solely in respect to the Territory and Knight will be so entitled everywhere outside the Territory. Upon any reformulation described in this Section 7.2, Knight and the Purchaser agree to enter into a separate agreement regarding the details of such reformulation. The Parties further agree to consult with one another with respect to any additional reformulation of the Products with the intention that they will cost share and have exclusive rights to the reformulated Product in their respective territories as above.
   
7.3 Should either Party at any time or from time to time wish to extend or add to the products sold under the “Neuragen” trademark (such as a line extension) (a “New Product”) for their respective territories, they shall offer the opportunity to the other to market and sell the New Product in its own territory, which offer shall include the proposed details (including proposed cost sharing or other financial terms for the new offering). The Parties shall negotiate in good faith for a period of not less than thirty (30) days after which the offering party may withdraw the offer.

 

8. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SYNERGY
   
8.1 The Purchaser represents and warrants to Knight that, as of the Effective Date:

 

  8.1.1 The Purchaser is duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
     
  8.1.2 The Purchaser has all necessary power, authority and capacity and is properly authorized to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the performance of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by it and its directors and the Agreement is a legal and binding obligation of the Purchaser, enforceable against the Purchaser by Knight in accordance with its terms except as enforcement may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and except that equitable remedies may be granted only in the discretion of a court of competent jurisdiction;
     
  8.1.3 The execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement by the Purchaser does not, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein will not, violate any provisions of the Purchaser’s organizational documents, any Law or regulation applicable to the Purchaser, or any agreement, mortgage, lease, instrument, order, judgment, or decree to which the Purchaser is a party or is bound.
     
  8.1.4 No consent or approval of, or filing with or notice to, any federal, state, provincial, or local regulatory authority, agency, or department or any other person not a party to this Agreement to which the Purchaser is a party is required or necessary to be obtained by the Purchaser or on its behalf in connection with the execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.

 

9. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF KNIGHT
   
9.1 Knight represents and warrants to the Purchaser that, as of the Effective Date:

 

  9.1.1 Knight is duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of Canada.
     
  9.1.2 Knight has all necessary corporate power, authority and capacity and is properly authorized to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the performance of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary actions of it, its shareholders, and its directors and the Agreement is a legal and binding obligation of Knight, enforceable against Knight by the Purchaser in accordance with its terms except as enforcement may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and except that equitable remedies may be granted only in the discretion of a court of competent jurisdiction;
     
  9.1.3 The execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement by Knight, including the sale and assignment of the Purchased Assets to the Purchaser, does not, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein will not (a) violate any provisions of Knight’s organizational documents, bylaws, any Law or regulation applicable to Knight, or any agreement, mortgage, lease, instrument, order, judgment, or decree to which Knight is a party or is bound; or (b) require the consent, notice or other action by any person under, conflict with, result in a violation or breach of, constitute a default under or result in the acceleration of any contract.

 

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  9.1.4 To the best of Knight’s knowledge, no consent or approval of, or filing with or notice to, any federal, state, provincial, or local regulatory authority, agency, or department or any other person not a party to this Agreement is required or necessary to be obtained by Knight or on its behalf in connection with the execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.

 

  9.1.5 Knight is the owner of and has good, valid, and marketable legal title to the Purchased Assets free and clear of all Liens. The Purchaser acknowledges that Knight’s title thereto is derived from and limited by the proceedings and agreements referred to in the Recitals hereto.
     
  9.1.6 Except as described in the Recitals hereto, there are no claims, actions, suits, proceedings, complaints, or investigations pending, or to the knowledge of Knight, threatened, before any federal, state, provincial or local court or government or regulatory authority, or before any arbitrator of any nature, brought by or against Knight or any of its Affiliates involving, affecting, or related to the Purchased Assets.
     
  9.1.7 The Purchased Assets, along with the licenses granted in Section 3.2, constitute all of the rights, property and assets in Knight’s possession or control with respect to the manufacture and distribution of the Products in the Territory.
     
  9.1.8 To the best of Knight’s knowledge, no action, suit, proceeding, or audit is pending against or with respect to the any of the Purchased Assets regarding taxes.

 

10. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES.
   
10.1 EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THIS AGREEMENT, EACH OF the Purchaser AND Knight HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL CONDITIONS, WARRANTIES AND STATEMENTS IN RESPECT OF THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS AGREEMENT, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, BY STATUTE, CUSTOM OF THE TRADE OR OTHERWISE (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY SUCH CONDITION, WARRANTY OR STATEMENT RELATING TO THE DESCRIPTION OR QUALITY OF ANY PURCHASED ASSETS, THE PRODUCTS, THEIR MERCHANTABILITY OR THEIR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE UNDER ANY CONDITIONS) AND ANY SUCH CONDITION, WARRANTY OR STATEMENT IS HEREBY DISCLAIMED BY EACH OF SYNERGY AND KNIGHT AND EXCLUDED.
   
11. INDEMNIFICATION. The representations and warranties contained herein shall survive the Closing and shall remain in full force and effect for a period of twelve (12) months. Knight shall indemnify and defend each of the Purchaser and its Affiliates and their respective representatives (collectively, the “Synergy Indemnitees”) against, and shall hold each of them harmless from and against, and shall pay and reimburse each of them for, any and all Losses incurred or sustained by, or imposed upon, the Synergy Indemnitees based upon, arising out of, with respect to or by reason of:
   
  (a) any inaccuracy in or breach of any of the representations or warranties of Knight contained in this Agreement, the other transaction documents related to this Agreement or in any certificate or instrument delivered by or on behalf of Knight pursuant to this Agreement, as of the date such representation or warranty was made or as if such representation or warranty was made on and as of the Closing (except for representations and warranties that expressly relate to a specified date, the inaccuracy in or breach of which will be determined with reference to such specified date);
   
  (b) any breach or non-fulfillment of any covenant, agreement or obligation to be performed by Knight pursuant to this Agreement, the other transaction documents related to this Agreement or any certificate or instrument delivered by or on behalf of Knight pursuant to this Agreement;
   
  (c) The Purchaser agrees that Knight’s liability for any breach of any condition, warranty or statement in respect of this Agreement or at law shall not exceed the consideration actually received by it pursuant to Section 2.2 above. The Purchaser shall be permitted any offset any Losses payable to it under this Section 11 against amounts otherwise payable by the Purchaser to Knight hereunder.

 

12. GENERAL
   
12.1 Other Expenses. Each of Knight and Purchaser will bear its own costs and expenses (including legal fees and expenses) incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

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12.2 Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements, understandings, negotiations and discussions, whether written or oral. There are no conditions, covenants, agreements, representations, warranties or other provisions, express or implied, collateral, statutory or otherwise, relating to the subject matter hereof except as herein provided.
   
12.3 Governing Law; Exclusive Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed wholly within the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof. The Parties expressly reject the application of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods and all implementing legislation thereunder. The Parties hereby consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal and New York State courts located in Manhattan, New York and hereby waive any objection to venue or forum laid therein. The Parties hereby agree that service of process by certified mail, return receipt requested, shall constitute personal service for all purposes hereof.

 

12.4 Counterparts; Facsimile Signature. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and all such counterparts shall be deemed to be part of one and the same original. One or more counterparts of this Agreement may be delivered via electronic means, with the intention that they shall have the same effect as an original counterpart hereof.
   
12.5 Confidentiality. Knight and the Purchaser acknowledge that each Party will be exposed to certain Confidential Information of the other Party. Knight and the Purchaser agree that Knight and its Affiliates, employees, agents and consultants, and the Purchaser and its Affiliates, employees, agents and consultants, will not use and will not disclose any Confidential Information of the other Party except in accordance with the provisions and for the purposes of this Agreement. In addition, neither Party will disclose any Confidential Information of the other Party to any Affiliate, employee, agent or consultant who does not have a need to know such Confidential Information.
   
12.6 Assignment. Neither party shall assign this Agreement or any part thereof without the prior written consent of the other party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld); provided, however, that the Purchaser and Knight, without such consent, may assign this Agreement to an Affiliate or in connection with the transfer or sale of substantially all of its business or assets to which this Agreement pertains, in the event of its merger or consolidation with another company. No such permitted assignment or other permitted transfer shall relieve the assigning or transferring party from its obligations hereunder. A change in ownership of either party shall not be construed as an assignment of this Agreement.
   
12.7 Successors in Interest. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties hereto, their subsidiaries, affiliates, successors and permitted assigns. Assignment to an affiliate or subsidiary shall not release the party making such assignment from responsibility for its obligations under this Agreement.

 

(Signatures on next page)

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

  Neuragen Corp.
     
  By: /s/ Jack Ross
  Name: Jack Ross
  Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
     
  Knight therapeutics inc.
     
  By: /s/ Jeffrey Kadanoff
  Name: Jeffrey Kadanoff
  Title: Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

Omitted Exhibits and Schedules*

 

EXHIBITS

 

  Exhibit A Security Agreement
     

SCHEDULES

 

  Schedule A Court Order
  Schedule B Purchase Agreement
  Schedule C Products
  Schedule D Patents Pending
  Schedule E Accounts Receivable
  Schedule F Prepaid Expenses or Deposits
  Schedule G Clinical Trials
  Schedule H Orders of Products
  Schedule I License Agreements
  Schedule J Current Assets and Liabilities

 

*The listed exhibits and schedules have been omitted from this Exhibit 2.4 pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. Synergy Strips Corp. hereby undertakes to furnish supplementally copies of any of the omitted exhibits and schedules upon request by the SEC.

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 3.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 3.2

 

BYLAWS

OF

ORO CAPITAL CORPORATION

 

I. SHAREHOLDER’S MEETING.

 

.01 Annual Meetings.

 

The annual meeting of the shareholders of this Corporation, for the purpose of election of Directors and for such other business as may come before it, shall be held at the registered office of the Corporation, or such other places, either within or without the State of Nevada, as may be designated by the notice of the meeting, on the first week in November of each and every year, at 1:00 p.m., commencing in 2009 but in case such day shall be a legal holiday, the meeting shall be held at the same hour and place on the next succeeding day not a holiday.

 

.02 Special Meeting.

 

Special meetings of the shareholders of this Corporation may be called at any time by the holders of ten percent (10%) of the voting shares of the Corporation, or by the President, or by the Board of Directors or a majority thereof. No business shall be transacted at any special meeting of shareholders except as is specified in the notice calling for said meeting. The Board of Directors may designate any place, either within or without the State of Nevada, as the place of any special meeting called by the president or the Board of Directors, and special meetings called at the request of shareholders shall be held at such place in the State of Nevada, as may be determined by the Board of Directors and placed in the notice of such meeting.

 

.03 Notice of Meeting.

 

Written notice of annual or special meetings of shareholders stating the place, day, and hour of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called shall be given by the secretary or persons authorized to call the meeting to each shareholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. Such notice shall be given not less than ten (10) nor more than fifty (50) days prior to the date of the meeting, and such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail addressed to the shareholder at his/her address as it appears on the stock transfer books of the Corporation.

 

.04 Waiver of Notice.

 

Notice of the time, place, and purpose of any meeting may be waived in writing and will be waived by any shareholder by his/her attendance thereat in person or by proxy. Any shareholder so waiving shall be bound by the proceedings of any such meeting in all respects as if due notice thereof had been given.

 

.05 Quorum and Adjourned Meetings.

 

A majority of the outstanding shares of the Corporation entitled to vote, represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of shareholders. A majority of the shares represented at a meeting, even if less than a quorum, may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present or represented, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally notified. The shareholders present at a duly organized meeting may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough shareholders to leave less than a quorum.

 

.06 Proxies.

 

At all meetings of shareholders, a shareholder may vote by proxy executed in writing by the shareholder or by his/her duly authorized attorney in fact. Such proxy shall be filed with the secretary of the Corporation before or at the time of the meeting. No proxy shall be valid after eleven (11) months from the date of its execution, unless otherwise provided in the proxy.

 

 

 

 

.07 Voting of Shares.

 

Except as otherwise provided in the Articles of Incorporation or in these Bylaws, every shareholder of record shall have the right at every shareholder’s meeting to one (1) vote for every share standing in his/her name on the books of the Corporation, and the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares represented at a meeting and entitled to vote thereat shall be necessary for the adoption of a motion or for the determination of all questions and business which shall come before the meeting.

 

II. DIRECTORS.

 

.01 General Powers.

 

The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by its Board of Directors.

 

.02 Number, Tenure and Qualifications.

 

The number of Directors of the Corporation shall be not less than one nor more than thirteen. Each Director shall hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders and until his/her successor shall have been elected and qualified. Directors need not be residents of the State of Nevada or shareholders of the Corporation.

 

.03 Election.

 

The Directors shall be elected by the shareholders at their annual meeting each year; and if, for any cause the Directors shall not have been elected at an annual meeting, they may be elected at a special meeting of shareholders called for that purpose in the manner provided by these Bylaws.

 

.04 Vacancies.

 

In case of any vacancy in the Board of Directors, the remaining Directors, whether constituting a quorum or not, may elect a successor to hold office for the unexpired portion of the terms of the Directors whose place shall be vacant, and until his/her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified. Further, the remaining Directors may fill any empty seats on the Board of Directors even if the empty seats have never been occupied.

 

.05 Resignation.

 

Any Director may resign at any time by delivering written notice to the secretary of the Corporation.

 

.06 Meetings.

 

At any annual, special or regular meeting of the Board of Directors, any business may be transacted, and the Board may exercise all of its powers. Any such annual, special or regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Corporation may be held outside of the State of Nevada, and any member or members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation may participate in any such meeting by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time; the participation by such means shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

A. Annual Meeting of Directors.

 

Annual meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held immediately after the annual shareholders’ meeting or at such time and place as may be determined by the Directors. No notice of the annual meeting of the Board of Directors shall be necessary.

 

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B. Special Meetings.

 

Special meetings of the Directors shall be called at any time and place upon the call of the president or any Director. Notice of the time and place of each special meeting shall be given by the secretary, or the persons calling the meeting, by mail, radio, telegram, or by personal communication by telephone or otherwise at least one (1) day in advance of the time of the meeting. The purpose of the meeting need not be given in the notice. Notice of any special meeting may be waived in writing or by telegram (either before or after such meeting) and will be waived by any Director in attendance at such meeting.

 

C. Regular Meetings of Directors.

 

Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at such place and on such day and hour as shall from time to time be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors. No notice of regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be necessary.

 

.07 Quorum and Voting.

 

A majority of the Directors presently in office shall constitute a quorum for all purposes, but a lesser number may adjourn any meeting, and the meeting may be held as adjourned without further notice. At each meeting of the Board at which a quorum is present, the act of a majority of the Directors present at the meeting shall be the act of the Board of Directors. The Directors present at a duly organized meeting may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough Directors to leave less than a quorum.

 

.08 Compensation.

 

By resolution of the Board of Directors, the Directors may be paid their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors and may be paid a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors or a stated salary as Director. No such payment shall preclude any Director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.

 

.09 Presumption of Assent.

 

A Director of the Corporation who is present at a meeting of the Board of Directors at which action on any corporate matter is taken shall be presumed to have assented to the action taken unless his/her dissent shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting or unless he/she shall file his/her written dissent to such action with the person acting as the secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall forward such dissent by registered mail to the secretary of the Corporation immediately after the adjournment of the meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to a Director who voted in favor of such action.

 

.10 Executive and Other Committees.

 

The Board of Directors, by resolution adopted by a majority of the full Board of Directors, may designate from among its members an executive committee and one of more other committees, each of which, to the extent provided in such resolution, shall have and may exercise all the authority of the Board of Directors, but no such committee shall have the authority of the Board of Directors, in reference to amending the Articles of Incorporation, adoption a plan of merger or consolidation, recommending to the shareholders the sale, lease, exchange, or other disposition of all of substantially all the property and assets of the dissolution of the Corporation or a revocation thereof, designation of any such committee and the delegation thereto of authority shall not operate to relieve any member of the Board of Directors of any responsibility imposed by law.

 

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.11 Chairman of Board of Directors.

 

The Board of Directors may, in its discretion, elect a chairman of the Board of Directors from its members; and, if a chairman has been elected, he/she shall, when present, preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and the shareholders and shall have such other powers as the Board may prescribe.

 

.12 Removal.

 

Directors may be removed from office with or without cause by a vote of shareholders holding a majority of the shares entitled to vote at an election of Directors.

 

III. ACTIONS BY WRITTEN CONSENT.

 

Any corporate action required by the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, or the laws under which this Corporation is formed, to be voted upon or approved at a duly called meeting of the Directors or shareholders may be accomplished without a meeting if a written memorandum of the respective Directors or shareholders, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by all the Directors or shareholders, as the case may be.

 

IV. OFFICERS.

 

.01 Officers Designated.

 

The Officers of the Corporation shall be a president, one or more vice presidents (the number thereof to be determined by the Board of Directors), a secretary and a treasurer, each of whom shall be elected by the Board of Directors. Such other Officers and assistant officers as may be deemed necessary may be elected or appointed by the Board of Directors. Any Officer may be held by the same person, except that in the event that the Corporation shall have more than one director, the offices of president and secretary shall be held by different persons.

 

.02 Election, Qualification and Term of Office.

 

Each of the Officers shall be elected by the Board of Directors. None of said Officers except the president need be a Director, but a vice president who is not a Director cannot succeed to or fill the office of president. The Officers shall be elected by the Board of Directors. Except as hereinafter provide, each of said Officers shall hold office from the date of his/her election until the next annual meeting of the Board of Directors and until his/her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.

 

.03 Powers and Duties.

 

The powers and duties of the respective corporate Officers shall be as follows:

 

A. President.

 

The president shall be the chief executive Officer of the Corporation and, subject to the direction and control of the Board of Directors, shall have general charge and supervision over its property, business, and affairs. He/she shall, unless a Chairman of the Board of Directors has been elected and is present, preside at meetings of the shareholders and the Board of Directors.

 

B. Vice President.

 

In the absence of the president or his/her inability to act, the senior vice president shall act in his place and stead and shall have all the powers and authority of the president, except as limited by resolution of the Board of Directors.

 

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C. Secretary.

 

The secretary shall:

 

  1. Keep the minutes of the shareholder’s and of the Board of Directors meetings in one or more books provided for that purpose;
 
  2. See that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws or as required by law;
 
  3. Be custodian of the corporate records and of the seal of the Corporation and affix the seal of the Corporation to all documents as may be required;
 
  4. Keep a register of the post office address of each shareholder which shall be furnished to the secretary by such shareholder;
 
  5. Sign with the president, or a vice president, certificates for shares of the Corporation, the issuance of which shall have been authorized by resolution of the Board of Directors;
 
  6. Have general charge of the stock transfer books of the corporation; and,
 
  7. In general perform all duties incident to the office of secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him/her by the president or by the Board of Directors.

 

D. Treasurer.

 

Subject to the direction and control of the Board of Directors, the treasurer shall have the custody, control and disposition of the funds and securities of the Corporation and shall account for the same; and, at the expiration of his/her term of office, he/she shall turn over to his/her successor all property of the Corporation in his/her possession.

 

E. Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers.

 

The assistant secretaries, when authorized by the Board of Directors, may sign with the president or a vice president certificates for shares of the Corporation the issuance of which shall have been authorized by a resolution of the Board of Directors. The assistant treasurers shall, respectively, if required by the Board of Directors, give bonds for the faithful discharge of their duties in such sums and with such sureties as the Board of Directors shall determine. The assistant secretaries and assistant treasurers, in general, shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to them by the secretary or the treasurer, respectively, or by the president or the Board of Directors.

 

.04 Removal.

 

The Board of Directors shall have the right to remove any Officer whenever in its judgment the best interest of the Corporation will be served thereby.

 

.05 Vacancies.

 

The Board of Directors shall fill any office which becomes vacant with a successor who shall hold office for the unexpired term and until his/her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.

 

.06 Salaries.

 

The salaries of all Officers of the Corporation shall be fixed by the Board of Directors.

 

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V. SHARE CERTIFICATES

 

.01 Form and Execution of Certificates.

 

Certificates for shares of the Corporation shall be in such form as is consistent with the provisions of the Corporation laws of the State of Nevada. They shall be signed by the president and by the secretary, and the seal of the Corporation shall be affixed thereto. Certificates may be issued for fractional shares.

 

.02 Transfers.

 

Shares may be transferred by delivery of the certificates therefor, accompanied either by an assignment in writing on the back of the certificates or by a written power of attorney to assign and transfer the same signed by the record holder of the certificate. Except as otherwise specifically provided in these Bylaws, no shares shall be transferred on the books of the Corporation until the outstanding certificate therefor has been surrendered to the Corporation.

 

.03 Loss or Destruction of Certificates.

 

In case of loss or destruction of any certificate of shares, another may be issued in its place upon proof of such loss or destruction and upon the giving of a satisfactory bond of indemnity to the Corporation. A new certificate may be issued without requiring any bond, when in the judgment of the Board of Directors it is proper to do so.

 

VI. BOOKS AND RECORDS.

 

.01 Books of Accounts, Minutes and Share Register.

 

The Corporation shall keep complete books and records of accounts and minutes of the proceedings of the Board of Directors and shareholders and shall keep at its registered office, principal place of business, or at the office of its transfer agent or registrar a share register giving the names of the shareholders in alphabetical order and showing their respective addresses and the number of shares held by each.

 

.02 Copies of Resolutions.

 

Any person dealing with the Corporation may rely upon a copy of any of the records of the proceedings, resolutions, or votes of the Board of Directors or shareholders, when certified by the president or secretary.

 

VII. CORPORATE SEAL.

 

The Corporation is not required to have a corporate seal.

 

VIII. LOANS.

 

No loans shall be made by the Corporation to its Officers or Directors

 

IX. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

 

.01 Indemnification.

 

The Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a Director, Trustee, Officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a Director, Trustee, Officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgment, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such person’s conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and with respect to any criminal action proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that such person’s conduct was unlawful.

 

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.02 Derivative Action

 

The Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in the Corporation’s favor by reason of the fact that such person is or was a Director, Trustee, Officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a Director, Trustee, Officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorney’s fees) and amount paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to amounts paid in settlement, the settlement of the suit or action was in the best interests of the Corporation; provided, however, that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable for gross negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of such person’s duty to the Corporation unless and only to the extent that, the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses as such court shall deem proper. The termination of any action or suit by judgment or settlement shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation.

 

.03 Successful Defense.

 

To the extent that a Director, Trustee, Officer, employee or Agent of the Corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise, in whole or in part in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in Paragraphs .01 and .02 above, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith.

 

.04 Authorization.

 

Any indemnification under Paragraphs .01 and .02 above (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the Corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the Director, Trustee, Officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because such person has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Paragraphs .01 and .02 above. Such determination shall be made (a) by the Board of Directors of the Corporation by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, or (b) is such a quorum is not obtainable, by a majority vote of the Directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, or (c) by independent legal counsel (selected by one or more of the Directors, whether or not a quorum and whether or not disinterested) in a written opinion, or (d) by the Shareholders. Anyone making such a determination under this Paragraph .04 may determine that a person has met the standards therein set forth as to some claims, issues or matters but not as to others, and may reasonably prorate amounts to be paid as indemnification.

 

.05 Advances.

 

Expenses incurred in defending civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding shall be paid by the Corporation, at any time or from time to time in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding as authorized in the manner provided in Paragraph .04 above upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the Director, Trustee, Officer, employee or agent to repay such amount unless it shall ultimately be by the Corporation is authorized in this Section.

 

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.06 Nonexclusivity.

 

The indemnification provided in this Section shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those indemnified may be entitled under any law, bylaw, agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested Directors or otherwise, both as to action in such person’s official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, and shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a Director, Trustee, Officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors, and administrators of such a person.

 

.07 Insurance.

 

The Corporation shall have the power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a Director, Trustee, Officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a Director, Trustee, Officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against any liability assessed against such person in any such capacity or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability.

 

.08 “Corporation” Defined.

 

For purposes of this Section, references to the “Corporation” shall include, in addition to the Corporation, an constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had the power and authority to indemnify its Directors, Trustees, Officers, employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a Director, Trustee, Officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation or of any entity a majority of the voting stock of which is owned by such constituent corporation or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a Director, Trustee, Officer, employee or agent of the corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Section with respect to the resulting or surviving Corporation as such person would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.

 

X. AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS.

 

.01 By the Shareholders.

 

These Bylaws may be amended, altered, or repealed at any regular or special meeting of the shareholders if notice of the proposed alteration or amendment is contained in the notice of the meeting.

 

.02 By the Board of Directors.

 

These Bylaws may be amended, altered, or repealed by the affirmative vote of a majority of the entire Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting of the Board.

 

XI. FISCAL YEAR.

 

The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be set by resolution of the Board of Directors.

 

XII. RULES OF ORDER.

 

The rules contained in the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules or Order, Newly Revised, shall govern all meetings of shareholders and Directors where those rules are not inconsistent with the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, or special rules or order of the Corporation.

 

XIII. REIMBURSEMENT OF DISALLOWED EXPENSES.

 

If any salary, payment, reimbursement, employee fringe benefit, expense allowance payment, or other expense incurred by the Corporation for the benefit of an employee is disallowed in whole or in part as a deductible expense of the Corporation for Federal Income Tax purposes, the employee shall reimburse the Corporation, upon notice and demand, to the full extent of the disallowance. This legally enforceable obligation is in accordance with the provisions of Revenue Ruling 69-115, 1969-1 C.B. 50, and is for the purpose of entitling such employee to a business expense deduction for the taxable year in which the repayment is made to the Corporation. In this manner, the Corporation shall be protected from having to bear the entire burden of disallowed expense items.

 

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Exhibit 3.3

 

AMENDMENT TO

BYLAWS OF SYNERGY STRIPS CORP.

 

THIS AMENDMENT to the Bylaws of Synergy Strips Corp. (the “Corporation”) is dated as of the 22nd day of June 2015.

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors and shareholders of the Corporation have adopted the Bylaws of Synergy Strips Corp. (as amended, the “Bylaws”); and

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to Article X.01 of the Bylaws, the Bylaws may be amended by a majority of the Corporation’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) and the Board has approved amending the Bylaws to allow action by written consent of a majority of the shareholders.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, the Bylaws have been amended as follows:

 

  1. Article III shall be amended as follows:
     
    “Any corporate action required by the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, or the laws under which this Corporation is formed, to be voted upon or approved at a duly called meeting of the Directors or shareholders may be accomplished without a meeting if a written memorandum of the respective Directors or shareholders, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by all the Directors or shareholders holding a majority of the voting capital stock, as the case may be.”

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned hereby certifies that this Amendment was duly adopted by the Board of Directors.

 

  SYNERGY STRIPS CORP.
   
  /s/ Jack Ross
  Jack Ross, President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary

 

 

Exhibit 3.4

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

 

OF

 

SYNERGY CHC CORP.

 

ARTICLE I.

 

OFFICES

 

Section 1.1. REGISTERED OFFICE - The registered office of the Corporation shall be in the City of North Las Vegas, State of Nevada.

 

Section 1.2. OTHER OFFICES - The Corporation may also have offices at such other places both within and without the State of Nevada as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may require.

 

ARTICLE II.

 

MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

 

Section 2.1 PLACE - All annual meetings of the stockholders shall be held at such place within or without the State of Nevada as the directors shall determine and as stated in the notice of meeting, or in a duly executed waiver thereof. Special meetings of the stockholders may be held at such time and place within or without the State of Nevada as shall be stated in the notice of the meeting, or in a duly executed waiver of notice thereof.

 

Section 2.2 ANNUAL MEETINGS - Annual meetings of the stockholders shall be held on such date and at such time fixed, from time to time, by the Board of Directors at which the stockholders shall elect a Board of Directors and transact such other business as may properly be brought before the meeting.

 

Section 2.3 SPECIAL MEETINGS - Special meetings of the stockholders, for any purpose or purposes, unless otherwise prescribed by the statute or by the Articles of Incorporation, may be called (i) by the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution approved by a majority of the entire Board of Directors; (ii) by the President or the Secretary; or (iii) if the holders of not less than fifty (50) percent of all the votes entitled to be cast on any issue proposed or to be considered at the proposed special meeting sign, date and deliver to the Secretary one or more written demands for the meeting describing the purpose or purposes for which it is to be held. The notice of meeting shall state the purpose or purposes of the proposed meeting.

 

Section 2.4 CONDUCT OF MEETINGS

 

(a) Officers of the Meeting. The Chairman of the Board, or in the absence of the Chairman, the President, or in their absence, the Vice Chairman, or if no such officer is present, a director designated by the Board of Directors, shall call all meetings of the stockholders to order and shall act as chairman of the meeting. The Secretary, or in the absence of the Secretary, an Assistant Secretary, shall act as secretary of the meeting of the stockholders, but in the absence of the Secretary and Assistant Secretary at a meeting of the stockholders the chairman of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.

 

(b) Order of Business. The chairman of the meeting shall have the right to determine the order of business at the meeting.

 

(c) Meeting Protocol. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the Board of Directors shall be entitled to make such rules or regulations for the conduct of meetings of stockholders as it shall deem necessary, appropriate or convenient. Subject to such rules and regulations of the Board of Directors, if any, the chairman of the meeting shall have the right and authority to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and take such action as, in the discretion of such chairman, are deemed necessary, appropriate or convenient for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations and procedures, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the chairman of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (i) establishing an agenda for the meeting and the order for the consideration of the items of business on such agenda; (ii) restricting admission to the time set for the commencement of the meeting; (iii) limiting attendance at the meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation entitled to vote at the meeting, their duly authorized proxies or other such persons as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (iv) limiting participation at the meeting on any matter to stockholders of record of the Corporation entitled to vote on such matter, their duly authorized proxies or other such persons as the chairman of the meeting may determine to recognize and, as a condition to recognizing any such participant, requiring such participant to provide the chairman of the meeting with evidence of his or her name and affiliation, whether he or she is a stockholder or a proxy for a stockholder, and the class and series and number of shares of each class and series of capital stock of the Corporation which are owned beneficially and/or of record by such stockholder; (v) limiting the time allotted to questions or comments by participants; (vi) taking such actions as are necessary or appropriate to maintain order, decorum, safety and security at the meeting; (vii) removing any stockholder who refuses to comply with meeting procedures, rules or guidelines as established by the chairman of the meeting; and (viii) complying with any state and local laws and regulations concerning safety and security. Unless otherwise determined by the chairman of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

 

 

 

 

Section 2.5 NOTICE OF MEETINGS - Notices of meetings shall be in writing and signed by the President or a Vice-President or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or by such other person or persons as the directors shall designate. Such notice shall state the purpose for which the meeting is called and the time and the place, which may be within or without this State, where it is to be held. A copy of such notice shall be either delivered personally to or shall be mailed, postage prepaid, to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before such meeting. If mailed, it shall be directed to a stockholder at his address as it appears upon the records of the Corporation and upon such mailing of any such notice, the service thereof shall be complete and the time of the notice shall be to run from the date upon which such notice is deposited in the mail for transmission to such stockholder. Personal delivery of any such notice to any officer of a Corporation or association or to any member of a partnership shall constitute delivery of such notice to such Corporation, association or partnership. In the event of the transfer of stock after delivery of such notice of and prior to the holding of the meeting it shall not be necessary to deliver or mail notice of the meeting to the transferee.

 

Section 2.6 PURPOSE OF MEETINGS - Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice.

 

Section 2.7 QUORUM - The holders of a majority of all shares entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders, represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the stockholders for the transaction of business except as otherwise provided by statute or by the Articles of Incorporation. If, however, such quorum shall not be present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, the stockholders entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall have power to adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until such quorum shall be present or represented.

 

Section 2.8 NOTICE OF ADJOURNED MEETING - When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, it shall not be necessary to give any notice of the adjourned meeting if the time and place to which the meeting is adjourned at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken, and at the adjourned meeting any business may be transacted that might have been transacted on the original date of the meeting. If, however, after the adjournment the Board of Directors fixes a new record date for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in this Article to each stockholder of record on the new record date.

 

Section 2.9 VOTING - When a quorum is present or represented at any meeting, the vote of the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote and represented at a meeting of stockholders in person or represented by proxy shall be sufficient to decide any questions brought before such meeting except the election of directors, which is governed by Article 3, Section 4, unless the question is one upon which by the express provision of the statutes or of the Articles of Incorporation, a different vote is required in which case such express provision shall govern and control the decision of such question.

 

Section 2.10 SHARE VOTING - A stockholder may vote at any meeting of stockholders of the Corporation, either in person or by proxy. Shares standing in the name of another Corporation, domestic or foreign, may be voted by the officer, agent or proxy designated by the bylaws of such corporate stockholder or, in the absence of any applicable bylaw, by such person or persons as the board of directors of the corporate stockholder may designate. In the absence of any such designation, or, in case of conflicting designation by the corporate stockholder, the chairman of the board, the president, any vice president, the secretary and the treasurer of the corporate stockholder, in that order, shall be presumed to be fully authorized to vote such shares. Shares held by an administrator, executor, guardian, personal representative, or conservator may be voted by him, either in person or by proxy, without a transfer of such shares into his name. Shares standing in the name of a trustee may be voted by him, either in person or by proxy, but no trustee shall be entitled to vote shares held by him without a transfer of such shares into his name or the name of his nominee. Shares held by or under the control of a receiver, a trustee in bankruptcy proceedings, or an assignee for the benefit of creditors may be voted by such person without the transfer thereof into his name. If shares stand of record in the names of two or more persons, whether fiduciaries, members of a partnership, joint tenants, tenants in common, tenants by the entirety or otherwise, or if two or more persons have the same fiduciary relationship respecting the same shares, unless the Secretary of the Corporation is given notice to the contrary and is furnished with a copy of the instrument or order appointing them or creating the relationship wherein it is so provided, then acts with respect to voting shall have the following effect: (a) if only one votes, in person or by proxy, his act binds all; (b) if more than one vote, in person or by proxy, the act of the majority so voting binds all; (c) if more than one vote, in person or by proxy, but the vote is evenly split on any particular matter, each faction is entitled to vote the share or shares in question proportionally; or (d) if the instrument or order so filed shows that any such tenancy is held in unequal interest, a majority or a vote evenly split for purposes hereof shall be a majority or a vote evenly split in interest. The principles of this paragraph shall apply, insofar as possible, to execution of proxies, waivers, consents, or objections and for the purpose of ascertaining the presence of a quorum.

 

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Section 2.11 PROXIES - Any stockholder of the Corporation, other person entitled to vote on behalf of a stockholder pursuant to law, or attorney-in-fact for a stockholder may vote the stockholder’s shares in person or by proxy. Any stockholder of the Corporation, other person entitled to vote on behalf of a stockholder pursuant to law, or attorney-in-fact for a stockholder may appoint a proxy to vote or otherwise act for the stockholder by signing an appointment form or by electronic transmission. Any type of electronic transmission appearing to have been, or containing or accompanied by such information or obtained under such procedures to reasonably ensure that the electronic transmission was, transmitted by such person is a sufficient appointment. An appointment of a proxy is effective when received by the Secretary of the Corporation or such other officer or agent which is authorized to tabulate votes, and shall be valid for up to 6 months, unless a longer period is expressly provided in the appointment. The death or incapacity of the stockholder appointing a proxy does not affect the right of the Corporation to accept the proxy’s authority unless notice of the death or incapacity is received by the secretary or other officer or agent authorized to tabulate votes before the proxy exercises his authority under the appointment. An appointment of a proxy is revocable by the stockholder unless the appointment form or electronic transmission conspicuously states that it is irrevocable and the appointment is coupled with an-interest.

 

Section 2.12 STOCKHOLDER LIST - After fixing a record date for a meeting of stockholders, the Corporation shall prepare an alphabetical list of the names of all its stockholders who are entitled to notice of the meeting, arranged by voting group with the address of, and the number and class and series, if any, of shares held by each. The stockholders’ list must be available for inspection by any stockholder for a period of ten (10) days prior to the meeting or such shorter time as exists between the record date and the meeting and continuing through the meeting at the Corporation’s principal office, at a place identified in the meeting notice in the city where the meeting will be held, or at the office of the Corporation’s transfer agent or registrar. Any stockholder of the Corporation or his agent or attorney is entitled on written demand to inspect the stockholders’ list (subject to the requirements of the Nevada Revised Statutes, as amended (“NRS”)), during regular business hours and at his expense, during the period it is available for inspection. The Corporation shall make the stockholders’ list available at the meeting of stockholders, and any stockholder or his agent or attorney is entitled to inspect the list at any time during the meeting or any adjournment.

 

Section 2.13 FIXING RECORD DATE -- For the purpose of determining stockholders entitled to notice of a stockholders’ meeting, to demand a special meeting, to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend, or in order to make a determination of stockholders for any other proper purposes, the Board of Directors may fix in advance a date as the record date for any such determination of stockholders, such date in any case to be not more than seventy (70) days, and, in case of a meeting of stockholders, not less than ten (10) days, prior to the date of a meeting or the date on which the particular action requiring such determination of stockholders is to be taken. If no record date is fixed for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders, or stockholders entitled to receive payment of a dividend, the date on which the notice of the meeting is mailed or the date on which the resolutions of the Board of Directors declaring such dividend is adopted, as the case may be, shall be the record date for such determination of stockholders. When a determination of stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders has been made as provided in this Section 2.13, such determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof, except where the Board of Directors fixes a new record date for the adjourned meeting, which it shall do if the meeting is adjourned to a date more than 70 days after the date fixed for the original meeting.

 

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Section 2.14 INSPECTORS AND JUDGES - The Board of Directors in advance of any meeting may, but need not, appoint one or more inspectors of election or judges of the vote, as the case may be, to act at the meeting or any adjournment(s) thereof. If any inspector or inspectors, or judge or judges, are not appointed, the person presiding at the meeting may, but need not, appoint one or more inspectors or judges. In case any person who may be appointed as an inspector or judge fails to appear or act, the vacancy may be filled by the Board of Directors in advance of the meeting, or at the meeting by the person presiding thereat. The inspectors or judges, if any, shall determine the number of shares of stock outstanding and the voting power of each, the shares of stock represented at the meeting, the existence of a quorum, the validity and effect of proxies, and shall receive votes, ballots and consents, hear and determine all challenges and questions arising in connection with the right to vote, count and tabulate votes, ballots and consents, determine the result, and do such acts as are proper to conduct the election or vote with fairness to all stockholders. On request of the person presiding at the meeting, the inspector or inspectors or judge or judges, if any, shall make a report in writing of any challenge, question or matter determined by him or them, and execute a certificate of any fact found by him or them.

 

Section 2.15 ADVANCE NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDER BUSINESS AND NOMINATIONS

 

(a) Advance Notice of Stockholder Business.

 

(1) At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business must be brought: (A) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting, given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, as included in its proxy materials (or any supplement thereto) with respect to such meeting, (B) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee thereof, or (C) by any stockholder of the Corporation who (1) is a stockholder of record at the time that the notice required by this Section 2.15(a) is delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation and on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting and (2) has timely complied in proper written form with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 2.15(a). In addition, for business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, such business must be a proper matter for stockholder action pursuant to these Bylaws and under the NRS. Except for proposals properly made in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (as so amended and inclusive of such rules and regulations, the “Exchange Act”), and included in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board, for the avoidance of doubt, clause (C) above shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to bring business before an annual meeting of stockholders.

 

(2) To comply with clause (C) of Section 2.15(a)(1) above, a stockholder’s notice with respect to any business (other than the nomination of persons for election as directors) that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting must be writing and must set forth all information required under this Section 2.15(a) and must be timely received by the Secretary of the Corporation. With respect to an annual meeting of stockholders, to be timely, notice must be received not less than sixty (60), no more than ninety (90) days prior to such meeting. With respect to meetings of stockholders for which less than seventy (70) days’ notice of the date of the meeting is given, to be timely, notice must be received no later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the earlier of the day notice of the meeting was mailed, or the day public disclosure of the meeting was made.

 

(3) To be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice of proposed business (other than the nomination of persons for election as directors) must set forth as to each matter the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting (i) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting and the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting, (ii) the name and record address of the stockholder proposing such business, (iii) the class, series and number of shares of stock which are beneficially owned by the stockholder, and (iv) any material interest of the stockholder in such business. The chairman of the meeting may refuse to acknowledge any stockholder who attempts to introduce business without compliance with the foregoing procedure.

 

(b) General.

 

(1) Except as otherwise provided by law, the chairman of the meeting shall have the power and duty (1) to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.15 and (2) if any proposed nomination or business was not made or proposed in compliance with this Section 2.15, to declare that such nomination shall be disregarded or that such proposed business shall not be transacted.

 

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ARTICLE III.

 

DIRECTORS

 

Section 3.1 POWERS - The business of the Corporation shall be managed by its Board of Directors which may exercise all such power of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by statute or by the Articles of Incorporation or by these Bylaws directed or required to be exercised or done by the stockholders.

 

Section 3.2 NUMBER OF DIRECTORS - The number of directors which shall constitute the whole board shall be set by the Board of Directors but shall never be less than one (1). The directors shall be elected at the Annual Meeting of the Stockholders except as provided in Section 3.5 of this Article. Each director elected shall hold office until his successor is elected and qualified. Directors need not be stockholders.

 

Section 3.3 TERM OF OFFICE -- Each director elected shall serve until the director’s successor is duly elected and qualified or until the director’s earlier resignation, removal from office or death. At each Annual Meeting of Stockholders, directors shall be elected, and the directors chosen to succeed those whose terms shall have expired shall be elected to hold office for a term to expire at the next ensuing Annual Meeting of Stockholders after their election, and until their respective successors are elected and qualified.

 

Section 3.4 VOTING FOR DIRECTORS -- Unless otherwise provided in the Articles of Incorporation, each candidate for director shall be elected a director by the affirmative vote of the majority of the votes cast with respect to such candidate at any meeting for the election of directors at which a quorum is present; provided, however, that directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast at any meeting of stockholders. For purposes of this Section 3.4, election by “the affirmative vote of the majority of the votes cast” means that the number of shares voted “for” a director’s election exceeds 50% of the number of votes cast with respect to that director’s election. Votes cast include votes to withhold authority in each case and exclude abstentions with respect to that director’s election. If directors are to be elected by a plurality of the votes cast, stockholders shall not be permitted to vote against a candidate.

 

Section 3.5 VACANCIES - A vacancy or vacancies in the Board of Directors shall be deemed to exist in case of the death, resignation or removal of any directors, or if the authorized number of directors be increased, or if the stockholders fail at any annual or special meeting of stockholders at which any director or directors are elected to elect the full authorized number of directors to be voted for at that meeting. Vacancies in the Board of Directors, including those caused by an increase in the number of directors, may be filled by a majority of the remaining directors, though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and each director so elected shall hold office until his successor is elected at an annual or a special meeting of the stockholders.

 

The stockholders may elect a director or directors at any time to fill any vacancy or vacancies not filled by the directors. If the Board of Directors accepts the resignation of a director tendered to take effect at a future time, the Board or the stockholders shall have the power to elect a successor to take office when the resignation is to become effective.

 

No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director prior to the expiration of his term of office.

 

Any director may be removed at any time, with or without cause, at meeting of the stockholders, provided that notice of the meeting states that the purpose, or one of the purposes, of the meeting is the removal of the director.

 

Section 3.6 RESIGNATION OF DIRECTORS

 

a) A director may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Corporation, the Board of Directors or the Chairman of the Board. Such resignation shall take effect when the notice is delivered unless the notice specifies a later effective date or an effective date determined upon the subsequent happening of an event. If a resignation is made effective at a later date or upon the subsequent happening of an event, the Board of Directors may fill the pending vacancy before the effective date if they provide that the successor does not take office until the effective date.

 

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b) In an uncontested election, if a nominee for director does not receive the vote of at least the majority of the votes cast at any meeting for the election of directors at which a quorum is present, the director will promptly tender his or her resignation to the Board of Directors. For purposes of this bylaw, a majority of votes cast means that the number of shares voted “for” a director’s election exceeds 50% of the number of votes cast with respect to that director’s election. Votes cast include votes to withhold authority in each case and exclude abstentions with respect to that director’s election. The Nominating and Governance Committee will make a recommendation to the Board of Directors as to whether to accept or reject the tendered resignation, or whether other action should be taken. The Board of Directors will act on the tendered resignation, taking into account the Nominating and Governance Committee’s recommendation, and publicly disclose (by a press release, a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission or other broadly disseminated means of communication) its decision regarding the tendered resignation and the rationale behind the decision within 90 days from the date of the certification of the election results. The Nominating and Governance Committee in making its recommendation, and the Board of Directors in making its decision, may each consider any factors or other information that it considers appropriate and relevant. The director who tenders his or her resignation will not participate in the recommendation of the Nominating and Governance Committee or the decision of the Board of Directors with respect to his or her resignation. If a director’s resignation is not accepted by the Board of Directors, such director will continue to serve until the next annual meeting and until his or her successor is duly elected, or his or her earlier resignation or removal. If a director’s resignation is accepted by the Board of Directors, then the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, may fill any resulting vacancy pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.5 above or may decrease the size of the Board of Directors pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.2 above.

 

c) To be eligible to be a nominee for election or reelection as a director of the Corporation, a person must deliver in accordance with the time periods prescribed for delivery of notice under Article Two, Section 15 to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation a written agreement (in the form provided by the secretary upon written request) that such person will abide by the requirements of Section 3.6(b) above.

 

ARTICLE IV.

 

MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

Section 4.1 PLACE - Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at any place within or without the State of Nevada which has been designated from time to time by resolution of the Board or by written consent of all members of the Board. In the absence of such designation, regular meetings shall be held at the registered office of the Corporation. Special meetings of the Board may be held either at a place so designated or at the registered office.

 

Section 4.2 FIRST MEETING - The first meeting of each newly elected Board of Directors shall be held immediately following the adjournment of the meeting of stockholders and at the place thereof. No notice of such meeting shall be necessary to the directors in order legally to constitute the meeting, provided a quorum be present. In the event such meeting is not so held, the meeting may be held at such time and place as shall be specified in a notice given as hereinafter provided for special meetings of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 4.3 REGULAR MEETINGS - Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without call or notice at such time and at such place as shall from time to time be fixed and determined by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 4.4 SPECIAL MEETINGS - Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer or the President or by any executive officer or by any two (2) directors.

 

Written notice of the time and place of special meetings shall be delivered personally to each director, or sent to each director by mail, facsimile or electronic mail or by other form of written communication, charges prepaid, addressed to him at his address as it is shown upon the records, or if not readily ascertainable, at the place in which the meetings of the directors are regularly held. In case such notice is mailed, it shall be deposited in the United States mail by the Corporation no less than three (3) business days prior to the time of the holding of the meeting. In case such notice is delivered via facsimile or electronic mail as above provided, it shall be so delivered at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the time of the holding of the meeting. Such mailing, faxing, e-mailing or delivery as above provided shall be due, legal and personal notice to such director.

 

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Section 4.5 NOTICE - Notice of the time and place of holding an adjourned meeting need not be given to the absent directors if the time and place be fixed at the meeting adjourned.

 

Section 4.6 WAIVER - The transactions of any meeting of the Board of Directors, however called and noticed or wherever held, shall be as valid as though had at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice, if a quorum be present, and if, whether before or after the meeting, each of the directors not present signs a written waiver of notice, or a consent to holding such meeting, or an approval of the minutes thereof. All such waivers, consents or approvals shall be filed with the corporate records or made a part of the minutes of the meeting.

 

Section 4.7 QUORUM - A majority of the authorized number of directors shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, except to adjourn as hereinafter provided. Every act or decision done or made by a majority of the directors present at a meeting duly held at which a quorum is present shall be regarded as the act of the Board of Directors, unless a greater number be required by statute or by the Articles of Incorporation. Any action of a majority, although not at a regularly called meeting, and the record thereof, if assented to in writing by all of the other members of the Board shall be as valid and effective in all respects as if passed by the Board in a regular meeting.

 

Section 4.8 ADJOURNMENT - A quorum of the directors may adjourn any directors meeting to meet again at a stated day and hour; provided, however, that in the absence of a quorum, a majority of the directors present at any directors meeting, whether regular or special, may adjourn from time to time until the time fixed for the next regular meeting of the Board.

 

Section 4.9 CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD - The Board of Directors may, in its discretion, choose a Chairman of the Board who shall preside at meetings of the stockholders and of the directors and shall be an ex officio member of all standing committees. The Chairman of the Board shall have such other powers and shall perform such other duties as shall be designated by the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board shall be a member of the Board of Directors but no other officers of the Corporation need be a director. The Chairman of the Board shall serve until his successor is chosen and qualified, but he may be removed at any time by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board of Directors.

 

ARTICLE V.

 

COMMITTEES OF DIRECTORS

 

Section 5.1 POWER TO DESIGNATE - The Board of Directors may, by resolution adopted by a majority of the whole Board, designate one or more committees of the Board of Directors, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation which, to the extent provided in the resolution, shall have and may exercise the power of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation and may have power to authorize the seal of the Corporation be affixed to all papers which may require it. Such committees and their makeup shall include any committees required by law or statute. Such committee or committees shall have such name or names as may be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors. At meetings of such committees, a majority of the members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the act of a majority of the members at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the committee.

 

Section 5.2 REGULAR MINUTES - The committees shall keep regular minutes of their proceedings and report the same to the Board of Directors.

 

Section 5.3 WRITTEN CONSENT - Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if a written consent thereto is signed by all members of the Board of Directors or of such committee, as the case may be, and such written consent is filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board or committee.

 

ARTICLE VI.

 

COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS

 

Section 6.1 COMPENSATION - The directors may be paid their expenses of attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors and may be paid a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors or a stated salary as director. No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor. Non-Director or Director members of special or standing committees may be allowed like reimbursement and compensation for attending committee meetings.

 

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ARTICLE VII.

 

NOTICES

 

Section 7.1 NOTICE - Except as otherwise provided in the Bylaws, notices to directors and stockholders shall be in writing and delivered personally or mailed to the directors or stockholders at their addresses appearing on the books of the Corporation. Notice by mail shall be deemed to be given at the time when the same shall be mailed. Notice to directors may also be given by electronic mail.

 

Section 7.2 CONSENT - Whenever all parties entitled to vote at any meeting, whether directors or stockholders, consent, either by a writing on the records of the meeting or filed with the secretary, or by presence at such meeting and oral consent entered on the minutes, or by taking part in the deliberations at such meeting without objection, the doings of such meetings shall be valid as if had at a meeting regularly called and noticed, and at such meeting any business may be transacted which is not excepted from the written consent or to the consideration of which no objection for want of notice is made at the time, and if any meeting be irregular for want of notice or of such consent, provided a quorum was present at such meeting, the proceedings of said meeting may be ratified and approved and rendered likewise valid and the irregularity or defect therein waived by a writing signed by all parties having the right to vote at such meeting; and such consent or approval of stockholders may be by proxy or power of attorney, but all such proxies and powers of attorney must be in writing.

 

Section 7.3 WAIVER OF NOTICE - Whenever any notice is required to be given under the provisions of the statutes, of the Articles of Incorporation or of these Bylaws, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to said notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent thereto.

 

ARTICLE VIII.

 

OFFICERS

 

Section 8.1 APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS - The officers of the Corporation shall be chosen by the Board of Directors and shall be a Chief Executive Officer, a President, a Secretary and a Treasurer. Any person may hold two or more offices.

 

Section 8.2 TIME OF APPOINTMENT - The Board of Directors at its first meeting after each annual meeting of stockholders shall choose a Chairman of the Board who shall be a director, and may or may not be an executive officer position, and shall choose a Chief Executive Officer, a President, a Secretary and a Treasurer, none of whom need to be directors.

 

Section 8.3 ADDITIONAL OFFICERS - The Board of Directors may appoint a Chairman, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Vice-Presidents and other executive officers of the Corporation. The Chief Executive Officer may appoint one or more Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers and such other officers and agents as he or she shall deem necessary who are not executive officers of the Corporation. Both the officers appointed by the Board of Directors and those appointed by the Chief Executive Officer shall hold their offices for such terms and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board or person who appointed them.

 

Section 8.4 SALARIES - The salaries and compensation of all executive officers of the Corporation shall be fixed by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 8.5 VACANCIES - The executive officers of the Corporation shall hold office at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. Any officer elected or appointed by the Board of Directors may be removed at any time by the Board of Directors and any officer appointed by the Chief Executive Officer may be removed at any time by the Chief Executive Officer. Any vacancy occurring in any executive office of the Corporation by death, resignation, removal or otherwise shall be filled by the Board of Directors and any vacancy occurring in any non-executive office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Chief Executive Officer.

 

Section 8.6 CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD - The Chairman of the Board shall preside at meetings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors, and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect. The Chairman, if intended to also be an executive officer, may also have active management duties as designated by the Board of Directors.

 

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Section 8.7 VICE-CHAIRMAN - The Vice-Chairman shall, in the absence or disability of the Chairman of the Board, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Chairman of the Board and shall perform such other duties as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe.

 

Section 8.8 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER - The Chief Executive Officer shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation, shall have general and active management of the business of the Corporation and shall see that orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect. In the absence of the Chairman of the Board or in the event the Board of Directors shall not have designated a Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer shall preside at meetings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors.

 

Section 8.9 PRESIDENT - If the Chief Executive Officer is not also the President, the President shall have such active management responsibility for the overall business of the Corporation as may be determined by the Board of Directors and shall, subject to direction from the Chief Executive Officer, see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect. In the absence of the Chairman of the Board or in the event the Board of Directors shall not have designated a Chairman of the Board, and in the absence of the Chief Executive Officer, the President shall preside at meetings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors.

 

Section 8.10 VICE-PRESIDENT - The Vice-Presidents shall act under the direction of the President and in the absence or disability of the President a Vice-President who is an executive officer shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the President, shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the President or the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe. The Board of Directors may designate one or more Executive Vice-Presidents or may otherwise specify the order of seniority of the Vice-Presidents. The duties and powers of the President shall descend to the Vice-Presidents in such specified order of seniority.

 

Section 8.11 SECRETARY - The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and all meetings of the stockholders and record the proceedings. He shall perform like duties for the standing committees when required. He/she shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the President or the Board of Directors.

 

Section 8.12 ASSISTANT SECRETARIES - The Assistant Secretaries shall, in the absence or disability of the Secretary, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Secretary. They shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the President or the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe.

 

Section 8.13 TREASURER - The Treasurer shall have custody of the corporate funds and securities and shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation and shall deposit all monies and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors. He/she shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the President or the Board of Directors, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the President and the Board of Directors, at its regular meetings, or when the Board of Directors so requires, an account of all of his transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the Corporation.

 

Section 8.14 SURETY - If required by the Board of Directors, the Treasurer shall give the Corporation a bond in such sum and with such surety or sureties as shall be satisfactory to the Board of Directors for the faithful performance of the duties of his office and for the restoration of the Corporation, in case of death, resignation, retirement or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in his possession or under his/her control belonging to the Corporation.

 

Section 8.15 ASSISTANT TREASURER - The Assistant Treasurers shall, in the absence or disability of the Treasurer, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Treasurer. They shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the President or the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe.

 

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ARTICLE IX.

 

CERTIFICATES OF STOCK

 

Section 9.1 SHARE CERTIFICATES - Every stockholder shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer, President or Vice-President and the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation, certifying the number of shares owned by such stockholder in the Corporation. If the Corporation shall be authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, the designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of the various classes of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such rights, shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face or back of the certificate which the Corporation shall issue to represent such stock.

 

Section 9.2 TRANSFER AGENTS - If a certificate is signed (a) by a transfer agent other than the Corporation or its employees or (b) by a registrar other than the Corporation or its employees, the signatures of the officers of the Corporation may be facsimiles. In case any officer who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed on a certificate shall cease to be such officer before such certificate is issued, such certificate may be issued with the same effect as though the person had not ceased to be such officer. The seal of the Corporation, or a facsimile thereof, may, but need not be, affixed to certificates of stock.

 

Section 9.3 LOST OR STOLEN CERTIFICATES - The Board of Directors may direct a new certificate or certificates to be issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost or destroyed upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost or destroyed. When authorizing such issue of a new certificate or certificates, the Board of Directors may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost or destroyed certificate or certificates, or his legal representative, to advertise the same in such manner as it shall require and/or give the Corporation a bond in such sum as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost or destroyed.

 

Section 9.4 SHARE TRANSFERS - Upon surrender to the Corporation or the transfer agent of the Corporation of a certificate for shares duly endorsed or accompanied by proper evidence of succession, assignment or authority to transfer, it shall be the duty of the Corporation, if it is satisfied that all provisions of the laws and regulations applicable to the Corporation regarding the transfer and ownership of shares have been complied with, to issue a new certificate to the person entitled thereto, cancel the old certificate and record the transaction upon its books.

 

Section 9.5 VOTING STOCKHOLDER - The Board of Directors may fix in advance a date not less than ten (10) days but not exceeding sixty (60) days preceding the date of any meeting of stockholders, or the date for the payment of any dividend, or the date for the allotment of rights, or the date when any change or conversion or exchange of capital stock shall go into effect, or a date in connection with obtaining the consent of stockholders for any purpose, as a record date for the determination of the stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at any such meeting, and any adjournment thereof, or entitled to receive payment of any such dividend, or to give such consent, and in such case, such stockholders, and only such stockholders as shall be stockholder of record on the date so fixed, shall be entitled to notice of and to vote at such meeting, or any adjournment thereof, or to receive payment of such dividend, or to receive such allotment of rights, or to exercise such rights, or to give such consent, as the case may be, notwithstanding any transfer of any stock on the books of the Corporation after any such record date fixed as aforesaid.

 

Section 9.6 STOCKHOLDERS RECORD - The Corporation shall be entitled to recognize the person, natural or otherwise, registered on its books as the owner of shares to be the exclusive owner for all purposes including voting and dividends, and the Corporation shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of Nevada.

 

Section 9.7 REDEMPTION OF CONTROL SHARES - As provided by Section 78.3792 of the Nevada Revised Statutes, if a person acquiring control shares of the Corporation does not file an offeror’s statement with the Corporation on or before the 10th day of acquisition of the control shares, the Corporation may call for redemption of the control shares at fair market value at any time during the 30 days following the last acquisition and redeem the control shares within 60 days after the call. If a person acquiring control shares of the Corporation files an offeror’s statement with the Corporation, the control shares may thereafter be redeemed by the Corporation only if such shares are not accorded full voting rights by the stockholders as provided by Nevada law.

 

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ARTICLE X.

 

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

Section 10.1 DIVIDENDS - Dividends upon the capital stock of the Corporation, subject to the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation, if any, may be declared by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting, pursuant to law. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property or in shares of the capital stock, subject to the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation.

 

Section 10.2 RESERVES - Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the Corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as the directors may from time to time, in their absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve or reserves to meet contingencies, or for equalizing dividends or for repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation or for such other purpose as the directors think conducive to the interest of the Corporation, and the directors may modify or abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.

 

Section 10.3 CHECKS - All checks or demands for money and notes of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers or such other person or persons as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate.

 

Section 10.4 FISCAL YEAR - The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 10.5 CORPORATE SEAL - The Corporation may or may not have a corporate seal, as may from time to time be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors. If a corporate seal is adopted, it shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation and the words “Corporate Seal” and “Nevada”. The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any manner reproduced.

 

ARTICLE XI.

 

INDEMNIFICATION

 

Section 11.1. Indemnification Respecting Third-Party Claims. The Corporation, to the full extent and in a manner permitted by Nevada law as in effect from time to time, shall indemnify, in accordance with the provisions of this Article, any person (including the heirs, executors, administrators or estate of any such person) who was or is made a party to or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding (including any appeal thereof), whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation or by any Corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which the Corporation owns, directly or indirectly through one or more other entities, a majority of the voting power or otherwise possesses a similar degree of control), by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, member, manager, partner, trustee, fiduciary, employee or agent (a “Subsidiary Officer”) of another Corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise (any such entity for which a Subsidiary Officer so serves, an “Associated Entity”), against expenses, including attorneys’ fees and disbursements, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if such person is not liable pursuant to NRS 78.138, or acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful; provided, however, that (i) the Corporation shall not be obligated to indemnify a person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or a Subsidiary Officer of an Associated Entity against expenses incurred in connection with an action, suit, proceeding or investigation to which such person is threatened to be made a party but does not become a party unless the incurring of such expenses was authorized by or under the authority of the Board of Directors and (ii) the Corporation shall not be obligated to indemnify against any amount paid in settlement unless the Board of Directors has consented to such settlement. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement or conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person (i) is liable pursuant to NRS 78.138 or (ii) did not act in good faith and in a manner which such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, or with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, that such person had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing provisions of this Section 11.1, a person shall not be entitled, as a matter of right, to indemnification pursuant to this Section 11.1 against costs or expenses incurred in connection with any action, suit or proceeding commenced by such person against the Corporation or any Associated Entity or any person who is or was a director, officer, fiduciary, employee or agent of the Corporation or a Subsidiary Officer of any Associated Entity (including, without limitation, any action, suit or proceeding commenced by such person to enforce such person’s rights under this Article, unless and only to the extent that such person is successful on the merits of such claim), but such indemnification may be provided by the Corporation in a specific case as permitted by Section 11.7 below in this Article.

 

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Section 11.2. Indemnification Respecting Derivative Claims. The Corporation, to the full extent and in a manner permitted by Nevada law as in effect from time to time, shall indemnify, in accordance with the provisions of this Article, any person (including the heirs, executors, administrators or estate of any such person) who was or is made a party to or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit (including any appeal thereof) brought in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a Subsidiary Officer of an Associated Entity, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) and costs actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if such person is not liable pursuant to NRS 78.138, or acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction after exhaustion of all appeals therefrom to be liable to the Corporation unless, and only to the extent that the court in which such action or suit was brought or other court of competent jurisdiction determines that, in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses and costs as the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper; provided, however, that the Corporation shall not be obligated to indemnify a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or a Subsidiary Officer of an Associated Entity against expenses incurred in connection with an action or suit to which such person is threatened to be made a party but does not become a party unless the incurrence of such expenses was authorized by or under the authority of the Board of Directors. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing provisions of this Section 11.2, a person shall not be entitled, as a matter of right, to indemnification pursuant to this Section 11.2 against costs and expenses incurred in connection with any action or suit in the right of the Corporation commenced by such person, but such indemnification may be provided by the Corporation in any specific case as permitted by Section 11.7 below in this Article.

 

Section 11.3. Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification. Any indemnification to be provided under either of Section 11.1 or 11.2 above in this Article (unless ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction or advanced as provided in Section 11.5 of this Article) shall be made by the Corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the director, officer, employee or agent is proper under the circumstances. Such determination must be made (a) by the stockholders, (b) by the Board of Directors by majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the action, suit or proceeding, or (c) if a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the action, suit or proceeding cannot be obtained, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion. In the event a request for indemnification is made by any person referred to in Section 11.1 or 11.2 above in this Article, the Corporation shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause such determination to be made not later than sixty (60) days after such request is made after the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding.

 

Section 11.4. Right to Indemnification upon Successful Defense and for Service as a Witness. (a) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Article, to the extent that a present or former director or officer has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in either of Section 11.1 or 11.2 above in this Article, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) and costs actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith.

 

(b) To the extent any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or a Subsidiary Officer of an Associated Entity has served or prepared to serve as a witness in, but is not a party to, any action, suit or proceeding (whether civil, criminal, administrative, regulatory or investigative in nature), including any investigation by any legislative or regulatory body or by any securities or commodities exchange of which the Corporation or an Associated Entity is a member or to the jurisdiction of which it is subject, by reason of his or her services as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or his or her service as a Subsidiary Officer of an Associated Entity (assuming such person is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a Subsidiary Officer of such Associated Entity), the Corporation may indemnify such person against expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) and out-of-pocket costs actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith and, if the Corporation has determined to so indemnify such person, shall use its reasonable best efforts to provide such indemnity within sixty (60) days after receipt by the Corporation from such person of a statement requesting such indemnification, averring such service and reasonably evidencing such expenses and costs; it being understood, however, that the Corporation shall have no obligation under this Article to compensate such person for such person’s time or efforts so expended.

 

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Section 11.5. Advance of Expenses. (a) Expenses incurred by any present or former director or officer of the Corporation in defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding shall, to the extent permitted by law, be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking in writing by or on behalf of such person to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that such person is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized by this Article.

 

(b) Expenses and costs incurred by any other person referred to in Section 11.1 or 11.2 above in this Article in defending a civil, criminal, administrative, regulatory or investigative action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding as authorized by or under the authority of the Board of Directors upon receipt of an undertaking in writing by or on behalf of such person to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that such person is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation in respect of such costs and expenses as authorized by this Article and subject to any limitations or qualifications provided by or under the authority of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 11.6. Notice of Action; Assumption of the Defense. Promptly after receipt by any person referred to in Section 11.1, 11.2 or 11.5 above in this Article of notice of the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or advancement of expenses may be sought under any such Section, such person (the “Indemnitee”) shall notify the Corporation thereof. The Corporation shall be entitled to participate in the defense of any such action, suit or proceeding and, to the extent that it may wish, except in the case of a criminal action or proceeding, to assume the defense thereof with counsel chosen by it. If the Corporation shall have notified the Indemnitee of its election so to assume the defense, it shall be a condition of any further obligation of the Corporation under such Sections to indemnify the Indemnitee with respect to such action, suit or proceeding that the Indemnitee shall have provided an undertaking in writing to repay all legal or other costs and expenses subsequently incurred by the Corporation in conducting such defense if it shall ultimately be determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified in respect of the costs and expenses of such action, suit or proceeding by the Corporation as authorized by this Article. Notwithstanding anything in this Article to the contrary, after the Corporation shall have notified the Indemnitee of its election so to assume the defense, the Corporation shall not be liable under such Sections for any legal or other costs or expenses subsequently incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with the defense of such action, suit or proceeding, unless (a) the parties thereto include both (i) the Corporation and the Indemnitee, or (ii) the Indemnitee and other persons who may be entitled to seek indemnification or advancement of expenses under any such Section and with respect to whom the Corporation shall have elected to assume the defense, and (b) the counsel chosen by the Corporation to conduct the defense shall have determined, in their sole discretion, that, under applicable standards of professional conduct, a conflict of interest exists that would prevent them from representing both (i) the Corporation and the Indemnitee, or (ii) the Indemnitee and such other persons, as the case may be, in which case the Indemnitee may retain separate counsel at the expense of the Corporation to the extent provided in such Sections above in this Article.

 

Section 11.7. Indemnification Not Exclusive. The provision of indemnification or the advancement of expenses and costs to any person under this Article, or the entitlement of any person to indemnification or advancement of expenses and costs under this Article does not exclude any other rights to which a person seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under the Articles of Incorporation or any Bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, for either an action in his official capacity or an action in another capacity while holding his office, except that indemnification, unless ordered by a court pursuant to NRS 78.7502 or for the advancement of expenses made pursuant to Section 11.5 of this Article may not be made to or on behalf of any director or officer if a final adjudication establishes that his acts or omissions involved intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of the law and was material to the cause of action.

 

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Section 11.8. Corporate Obligations; Reliance. The provisions of Sections 11.1, 11.2, 11.4(a) and 11.5(a) above of this Article shall be deemed to create a binding obligation on the part of the Corporation to the directors, officers, employees and agents of the Corporation, and the persons who are serving at the request of the Corporation as Subsidiary Officers of Associated Entities, on the effective date of this Article and persons thereafter elected as directors and officers or retained as employees or agents, or serving at the request of the Corporation as Subsidiary Officers of Associated Entities (including persons who served as directors, officers, employees and agents, or served at the request of the Corporation as Subsidiary Officers of Associated Entities, on or after such date but who are no longer so serving at the time they present claims for advancement of expenses or indemnity), and such persons in acting in their capacities as directors, officers, employees or agents of the Corporation, or serving at the request of the Corporation as Subsidiary Officers of any Associated Entity, shall be entitled to rely on such provisions of this Article.

 

Section 11.9. Further Changes. Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Article, nor the adoption of any provision of the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article, shall eliminate or reduce the effect of such provisions in respect of any act or omission or any matter occurring prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption of an inconsistent provision regardless of when any cause of action, suit or claim relating to any such matter accrued or matured or was commenced, and such provision shall continue to have effect in respect of such act, omission or matter as if such provision had not been so amended or repealed or if a provision inconsistent therewith had not been so adopted.

 

Section 11.10. Successors. The right, if any, of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a Subsidiary Officer of an Associated Entity, to indemnification or advancement of expenses under Sections 11.1 through 11.9 above in this Article shall continue after he shall have ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent or a Subsidiary Officer of an Associated Entity and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, distributees, executors, administrators and other legal representatives of such person.

 

Section 11.11. Insurance. (a) The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance or make other financial arrangements on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a Subsidiary Officer of any Associated Entity, against any liability asserted against such person and liability and expenses incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability and expenses.

 

(b) The other financial arrangements made by the Corporation pursuant to subsection (a) may include the following: (i) the creation of a trust fund; (ii) the establishment of a program of self-insurance; (iii) the securing of its obligation of indemnification by granting a security interest or other lien on any assets of the Corporation; and (iv) the establishment of a letter of credit, guaranty or surety. No financial arrangement made pursuant to this subsection may provide protection for a person adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction, after exhaustion of all appeals therefrom, to be liable for intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of law, except with respect to the advancement of expenses or indemnification ordered by a court.

 

(c) Any insurance or other financial arrangement made on behalf of a person pursuant to this section may be provided by the Corporation or other person approved by the Board of Directors, even if all or part of the other person’s stock or other securities is owned by the Corporation.

 

(d) In the absence of fraud or violation of any law or statute: (i) the decision of the Board of Directors as to the propriety of the terms and conditions of any insurance or other financial arrangement made pursuant to this section and the choice of the person to provide the insurance or other financial arrangement is conclusive; and (ii) the insurance or other financial arrangement (A) is not void or voidable, and (B) does not subject any director approving it to personal liability for his action, even if, in either case, a director approving the insurance or other financial arrangement is a beneficiary of the insurance or other financial arrangement.

 

Section 11.12. Definitions of Certain Terms. For purposes of this Article, references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to any employee benefit plan; references to “serving at the request of the Corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer employee or agent of the Corporation or as a Subsidiary Officer of any Associated Entity which service imposes duties on, or involves services by, such person with respect to any employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation” as referred to in this Article.

 

ARTICLE XII.

 

AMENDMENTS

 

Section 12.1 Except as otherwise provided in the NRS and except where the stockholders, in amending or repealing these Bylaws generally or in a particular provision of these Bylaws, provide expressly that the Board of Directors may not amend or repeal these Bylaws or that provision of these Bylaws, including provisions adopted by the stockholders, the Board of Directors shall have power to add any provision to, or to amend or repeal any provision of, these Bylaws by the affirmative vote of a majority of all of the directors at any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors, provided that a statement of the proposed action shall have been included in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting of the Board. The stockholders shall have power to add any provision to, or to amend or repeal any provision of, these Bylaws by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at any meeting, provided that a statement of the proposed action shall have been included in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting of stockholders.

 

 

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Exhibit 10.1

 

SALES AND MARKETING CONSULTANT AND DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

 

April 2, 2014

 

This will confirm the arrangement, terms and conditions pursuant to which Kenek Brands Inc (“Consultant”) has been retained to serve as a consultant and advisor to Synergy Strips Corp. (“the Company”). The undersigned hereby agree to the following terms and conditions:

 

1. Duties of Consultant The Consultant will provide such consulting services and advice pertaining to the Company’s business affairs as the Company may from time to time reasonably request. Consulting and advisory services shall take place at the mutual convenience of the Company and the Consultant. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Consultant will primarily assist the Company in developing, expanding and managing an extensive network of Broker/Sales/Retailers groups and aid in the strategic direction of the Company’s sales and planning.
   
2. Term of the Agreement The effective date of this Agreement shall be as of April 2, 2014. The term of this Agreement shall be for a one (1) year period and will be self-renewing at the end of the one (1) year period for an additional term unless otherwise terminated as set forth in this agreement prior to. Termination (as in paragraph 12) of this Agreement shall not affect the Company’s agreement to not circumvent Consultant or to indemnify Consultant (as in paragraphs 9 and 10).
   
3. Available Time Consultant shall make available such time as, in its sole discretion, it shall deem appropriate for the performance of its obligations under this Agreement. The Company acknowledges and agrees that Consultant will perform consulting or other services for other companies, subject to confidentiality agreement herein (paragraph 8).
   
4. Compensation As compensation for Consultant’s services hereunder, the Company shall pay to the Consultant as follows:

 

  a. Monthly Retainer Upon execution of the Agreement, the Company will advance the Consultant $9,000 USD on the 1st of each month until this agreement is mutually terminated subject to paragraph 12 herein.
     
  b. Sales Commission A two percent (2%) commission override will be paid on all product sales on products that Consultant or his sales agents or brokers introduce to the Company.
     
  c. Agreement Termination The termination of this Agreement (as in paragraph 11), shall not affect the payment of success compensation to Consultant as well as the share options described below in subparagraph (e) herein.
     
  d. Payment of Compensation At the end of each month, Consultant sales commission will be paid by the Company based on all sales generated as provided for in Section 4 (b).
     
  e. Share Options The Consultant will receive one (1) Million share options of the Company at a strike price of $0.25/per share which will vest in full upon signing of this agreement

 

5. Expenses The Company will reimburse the Consultant for all out of pocket expenses incurred to perform the duties set out in this agreement, specifically but not limited to travel, meals and lodging as required. The Company will establish an expense policy which will include that the Company will be required to reimburse Consultant at a minimum on a monthly basis or within seven days of receiving the Consultant’s expenses, whichever is earlier.

 

 

 

 

6. Relationship Nothing herein shall constitute Consultant as an employee or agent of the Company. It is understood that Consultant will be an independent contractor. Except to such extent as may hereinafter be expressly agreed for a specific purpose, Consultant shall not have the authority to obligate or commit the Company in any manner whatsoever. All decisions relating to products sold remain the sole responsibility of the Company (ingredients, packaging, pricing, shipping, financial, promotion, etc.)
   
7. Information The Company acknowledges the Consultant will rely on information furnished by the Company concerning the Company’s business affairs without independent certification, and the Company represents that such information will be materially complete and correct.
   
8. Confidentiality Except in the course of the performance of duties hereunder, Consultant and the Company agree that both parties shall not disclose any trade secrets, know-how, or other proprietary information not in the public domain, learned as a result of this Agreement unless and until such information becomes generally known.

 

a.Unless Consultant or the Company comes under direct subpoena to disclose this information to a court.

 

9. Mutual Non-circumvention The Company and the Consultant agree to a mutual non-circumvention on all aspects of the business. The Company, its representatives, and other consultants agree not to approach parties introduced by Consultant, on behalf of other companies with which they may be involved, without permission and involvement of Consultant. The Company agrees that the list of contacts introduced by Consultant shall be deemed confidential, and shall not be disclosed in part or in whole by another party without Consultant’s express permission. The Consultant agrees to the exact same non-circumvention provisions as it pertains to anyone that the Company introduces to the Consultant and the Consultant is bound by the same non-circumvention provisions that the Company has agreed to as described in this paragraph.

 

10. Mutual Indemnification The Company and the Consultant agree to a mutual indemnification. The Consultant agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its partners, officers, directors, and employees, from the and against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, and expenses whatsoever (including reasonable costs of investigation or defending any action) to which they or any of them may become subject under any applicable law arising out of Consultant’s performance under this Agreement. The Company agrees to indemnify the Consultant for all of the same issues and provisions described in this paragraph, which results in a mutual indemnification.
   
11. Title The Consultant shall operate its duties as set out in this agreement with the title of “Global Business Development”.
   
12. Termination Upon the happening of any one or more of the following events, in addition to any other rights and remedies available, either party may cancel and terminate this Agreement by giving ninety (90) days prior written notice to the other party.

 

a.Upon termination or non-renewal of this Agreement, the Company shall pay to the Consultant, during the first two (2) years only following termination; 50 percent(%) or (1%) of all sales commissions earned on all product sales from products that the Consultant or his sales agents or brokers introduce to the Company.

 

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13. Assignment This Agreement shall not be assignable without the written consent of the other party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party may assign this Agreement to an affiliated company or to a successor company by merger or sale.
   
14. Standard of Care Consultant shall at all times faithfully, industriously and to the best of Consultant’s abilities, experience and talents, provide Services that may be required pursuant to the express and implied terms and provisions of this Agreement.
   
15. Entire Agreement This Agreement sets forth the entire agreement of the parties hereto with regard of the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersedes and replaces all prior or contemporaneous agreements, understandings and representations, oral or written, with regard to such matters.
   
16. Other Provisions

 

  (a) Notices. All legal notices, consents or other communications shall be in writing and shall be delivered personally or by messenger, or mailed by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or via an email, in all cases addressed to the party for whom intended at its address set forth below:

 

If to the Company:

If to the Consultant: Kenek Brands Inc

275 Canterburry Lane

Fall River, Nova Scotia B2T 1A4

 

or such other address as a party has designated by notice in writing to the other party given in the manner provided by this section 8(a). Without limiting any other means by which a party may be able to prove that a notice has been received by the other party, a notice shall be deemed to be duly received (i) if sent by hand, overnight courier or telegram, the date when left at the address of the recipient; (ii) if sent by registered or certified mail, the date of the return receipt; or (iii) if sent by email, upon receipt by the sender of an acknowledgement or transmission report generated by the machine from which the email was sent indicating that the email was sent in its entirety to the recipient’s email address.

 

17. Governing Law This Agreement shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of California, and for all purposes shall be construed in accordance with the laws of said State.

 

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18. Arbitration In the event of any dispute arising out of or related to this Agreement or any parties’ conduct or performance under this Agreement, each of the parties agrees to resolve any such dispute by confidential and binding arbitration before JAMS from its offices in Los Angeles, California and pursuant to the Comprehensive Arbitration Rules and Procedures. Judgment upon the award rendered by the arbitrator(s) must be entered and/or confirmed in state or federal courts located in the County of Los Angeles, State of California and Consultant and Company agree to submit to the exercise of jurisdiction over them by said state or federal courts in the County of Los Angeles, State of California. The prevailing party in such arbitration shall be entitled to recover costs and attorneys’ fees incurred in arbitrating the dispute and in preparing for such arbitration.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have affixed their hands and seals the day and year provided below

 

Kenek Brands Inc.

 

    Date: April 2, 2014
Per: Jack Ross    
     
Synergy Strips Corp.    
    Date: April 2, 2014
Per: Mark Suponitsky    

 

4

 

Exhibit 10.2

 

 

 

 

 

LOAN AGREEMENT

 

Dated as of January 22, 2015

between

KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC.

as Lender

- and -

SYNERGY STRIPS CORP.

as Borrower

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

    Page
ARTICLE 1 - DEFINITIONS 1
1.1 General Definitions 1
1.2 Schedules and Exhibits 11
1.3 Accounting Terms and Definitions 11
1.4 Currency Conversion 12
1.5 Supplements, Re-enactments, Etc 12
1.6 Headings of Subdivisions 12
1.7 Gender and Number 12
1.8 Monetary References 12
1.9 Actions on Days Other Than Business Days 12
ARTICLE 2 - TERMS OF THE LOAN 12
2.1 The Loan 12
2.2 Maturity Date 12
ARTICLE 3 - PAYMENT 13
3.1 Payments on Principal 13
3.2 Optional Prepayments 13
3.3 General Matters 13
ARTICLE 4 - INTEREST. FEES AND CHARGES 13
4.1 Rate of Interest 13
4.2 Payment of Interest 14
4.3 Default Rate of Interest 14
4.4 Computation of Interest and Fees 14
4.5 Maximum Interest 14
4.6 Origination Fee 14
4.7 Work Fee 14
4.8 Lender’s Expenses 14
4.9 Illegality 14
4.10 Increased Costs 15
ARTICLE 5 - TERMINATION AND REDUCTION 15
5.1 Termination 15
5.2 Continuing Obligations 15
ARTICLE 6 - SECURITY AND COLLATERAL 15
6.1 Security Delivered on the Closing Date 15
6.2 Further Assurances 16
6.3 Security Effective Notwithstanding Date of Loan 16
6.4 No Merger 16
6.5 Release of Security 16

 

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Table of Contents (continued)

 

    Page
ARTICLE 7 - REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES 17
7.1 Representations and Warranties 17
7.2 Survival of Representations and Warranties 22
ARTICLE 8 - SCHEDULES AND REPORTS 22
8.1 Financial Information 22
8.2 Compliance Certificate 22
8.3 Other Matters 23
ARTICLE 9 - COVENANTS 23
9.1 Covenants 23
9.2 Negative Covenants 27
9.3 Entitled to Perform Covenants 29
ARTICLE 10 - CONDITIONS PRECEDENT 29
10.1 Conditions Precedent to Loan 29
ARTICLE 11 - EVENTS OF DEFAULT 31
11.1 Events of Default 31
11.2 Acceleration and Termination of Rights 33
11.3 Remedies Cumulative and Waivers 33
11.4 Saving 33
11.5 Third Parties 33
11.6 Set-Off or Compensation 33
ARTICLE 12 - INDEMNIFICATION, ETC 34
12.1 General Indemnity 34
12.2 Taxes 34
ARTICLE 13 - GENERAL PROVISIONS 35
13.1 Notice 35
13.2 Choice of Governing Law and Construction 36
13.3 Attornment 36
13.4 Press Releases 36
13.5 Modification and Benefit of Agreement 36
13.6 Power of Attorney 36
13.7 Waivers, Confidentiality, Information Sharing 36
13.8 Timing of Payments 37
13.9 Judgment Currency 37
13.10 Severability 37
13.11 Conflicts 37
13.12 Entire Agreement 37
13.13 Counterpart Execution/Electronic Delivery 37
13.14 English Language 37

 

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LOAN AGREEMENT

 

THIS LOAN AGREEMENT is made with effect as of the 21st day of January, 2015, by and between SYNERGY STRIPS CORP., a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Nevada (the “Borrower’ ) and KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC., a corporation formed under the laws of Barbados, and one or more Persons to whom the foregoing or their permitted assigns may from time to time assign an interest in the Loan Documents (as defined below) (collectively, the “Lender”);

 

RECITALS:

 

WHEREAS the Borrower desires that the Lender extend the Loan (as defined below) to the Borrower for the purpose of financing the acquisition of FNL, and the Lender has indicated its willingness to lend on the terms and conditions set forth herein;

 

AND WHEREAS the parties wish to provide for the terms and conditions upon which the Loan shall be made;

 

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants hereinafter contained and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE 1 – DEFINITIONS

 

1.1 General Definitions.

 

In this Agreement the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

“Acquisition” means, with respect to any Person, any purchase or other acquisition by such Person, regardless of how accomplished or effected (including any such purchase or other acquisition effected by way of amalgamation, merger, arrangement, business combination or other form of corporate reorganization or by way of purchase, lease or other acquisition arrangements), of (i) any other Person (including any purchase or acquisition of such number of the issued and outstanding securities of, or such portion of an Equity Interest in, such other Person so that such other Person becomes a Subsidiary of the purchaser or of any of its Affiliates) or of all or substantially all of the Property of any other Person, or (ii) any division, business, operation or undertaking of any other Person or of all or substantially all of the Property of any division, business, operation or undertaking of any other Person.

 

“Action Request” means any request from any Governmental Authority under any Environmental Law whereby such body or agency requests that the Person requested takes action or steps or does acts or things in respect of any Property in its charge, management or control to remediate a matter which is not or is alleged not to be in compliance with all Environmental Laws, except where such non-compliance would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

“Affiliate” means: (i) any Person which, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with any other Person; (ii) any Person which beneficially owns or holds, directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of any class of voting stock or Equity Interest (including partnership interests) of any other Person; or (iii) any Person, fifty percent (50%) or more of any class of the voting stock (or if such Person is not a corporation, fifty percent (50%) or more of the Equity Interest, including partnership interests) of which is beneficially owned or held, directly or indirectly, by any other Person. For the purposes of this definition, control of any Person (including the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to elect or appoint a majority of the board of directors of, or persons performing similar functions in respect of, such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.

 

“Agreement” means this agreement and all schedules attached hereto; the expressions “hereof’, “herein”, “hereto”, “hereunder”, “hereby” and similar expressions refer to this Agreement, as amended, restated or supplemented from time to time, as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section, Schedule, or other portion hereof or thereof.

 

“Annual Business Plan” means the annual business plan of the Borrower, prepared on a Consolidated basis, with detailed financial projections and budgets on a quarter to quarter basis for the following one (1) Fiscal Year, in each case consisting of a balance sheet, statement of income, retained earnings, statement of cash flows, proposed Capital Expenditures and a list of assumptions upon which such projections are based.

 

1

 

 

“Applicable Law” means (i) any domestic or foreign statute, law (including common and civil law), treaty, code, ordinance, rule, regulation, restriction or by-law (zoning or otherwise); (ii) any judgment, order, writ, injunction, decision, ruling, decree or award; (iii) any regulatory policy, practice, guideline or directive; or (iv) any franchise, licence, qualification, authorization, consent, exemption, waiver, right, permit or other approval of any Governmental Authority, binding on or affecting the Person referred to in the context in which the term is used or binding on or affecting the property of such Person, in each case whether or not having the force of law.

 

“Arm’s Length” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Non-Arm’s Length”.

 

“Associate” with respect to Lender means an “associate” as defined in the Canada Business Corporations Act.

 

“Audited Financial Statements” means the audited Consolidated statement of financial position of the Borrower for the Fiscal Year ended December 31, including, without limitation, balance sheet, statement of income and retained earnings and statements of cash flows for such Fiscal Year prepared in accordance with IFRS.

 

“Auditor” means the Borrower’s auditor and includes its successor which needs be an auditor of recognized national standing from time to time.

 

“Board” means the Borrower’s board of directors.

 

“Borrower” means Synergy Strips Corp., a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of Nevada, and its permitted successors and assigns.

 

“Business” means the manufacture, distribution and sale of ingestible dietary supplements, including the product known as Synergy Strips.

 

“Business Day” means a day (other than Saturday or Sunday) on which banks are generally open for business in Montreal, Quebec and New York, New York.

 

“Capital Expenditures” means, for any period, any expenditure made by any Person for the purchase, lease, acquisition, licence, erection, development, improvement, construction, repair or replacement of capital assets, and any expenditure related to a Capital Lease or any other expenditure required to be capitalized, all as determined in accordance with IFRS.

 

“Capital Lease” means, with respect to any Person, any lease of (or other agreement conveying the right to use) any real or personal property by such Person that, in conformity with IFRS, is or should be accounted for as a capital lease on the balance sheet of that Person.

 

“Cash Balance Statement” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 9.1(x)(iii).

 

“Change of Control” means, with respect to the Borrower, the acquisition by any Person or group of Persons who act together in concert for such purpose of (i) shares or other voting Equity Interests of the Borrower to which are attached more than fifty percent (50%) of the votes that may be cast to elect directors or other Persons charged with the direction of the management of the Borrower and which, if exercised, are sufficient to elect a majority of such directors or other management Persons, or (ii) any other right to appoint a majority of such directors or other management Persons or with respect to any Person who from time to time has previously met the foregoing test the further acquisition by such Person or group of Persons who act together in concert for such purpose of any further units or other voting Equity Interests of the Borrower.

 

“Closing Date” means January 21, 2015 or such other date on which the Loan is made concurrently with the closing of the FNL Transaction.

 

“Collateral” means all of the undertaking and Property, present and future, real, immovable, personal and movable, of Borrower, now or hereafter pledged, hypothecated, granted or assigned to the Lender to secure, either directly or indirectly, repayment on account of payment of any of the Obligations.

 

2

 

 

“Compliance Certificate” means the certificate required pursuant to Section 8.2, substantially in the form annexed as Schedule 8.2 and signed by the President and Chief Financial Officer of the Borrower.

 

“Consolidated” means, when used to modify a financial term, test, statement, or report of a Person, the application or preparation of such term, test, statement or report (as applicable) based upon the consolidation, in accordance with IFRS, of the financial condition or operating results of such Person.

 

“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the Consolidated net income after tax of the Borrower for such period.

 

“Contingent Obligation” means, as to any Person, any obligation, whether secured or unsecured, of such Person guaranteeing or indemnifying, or in effect guaranteeing or indemnifying, any indebtedness, leases, dividends, letters of credit or other monetary obligations (the “primary obligations”) of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, including any obligation of such Person as an account party in respect of a letter of credit or letter of guarantee issued to assure payment by the primary obligor of any such primary obligation and any obligations of such Person, whether or not contingent, (i) to purchase any such primary obligation or any Property constituting direct or indirect security therefor, (ii)to advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of any such primary obligation or to maintain working capital or equity capital of the primary obligor or otherwise to maintain the net worth or solvency of the primary obligor, (iii) to purchase Property, Equity Interests or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the obligee under any such primary obligation of the ability of the primary obligor to make payment of such primary obligation, or (iv) otherwise to assure or hold harmless the obligee under such primary obligation against loss in respect of such primary obligation; provided, however, that the term “Contingent Obligation” shall not include endorsements of instruments for deposit or collection in the ordinary course of business.

 

“Control Agreement” means a control agreement, in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender, executed and delivered by the Borrower, the Lender and the applicable securities intermediary with respect to a Securities Account or a deposit-taking institution with respect to a Deposit Account.

 

“Controlled Group” means, in respect of Borrower operating in the United States, all members of a controlled group of corporations and all trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated) under common control which, together with Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, are treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Revenue Code.

 

“Debt” means, with respect to any Person, without duplication, the aggregate of the following amounts, at the date of determination: (i) all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money; (ii) all obligations of such Person for the deferred purchase price of Property or services which constitute indebtedness; (iii) all obligations of such Person evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or other similar instruments; (iv) all obligations of such Person created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with respect to Property acquired by such Person (whether or not the rights and remedies of the seller or lender under such agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such Property); (v) all obligations of such Person as lessee under leases that have been or should be, in accordance with IFRS, recorded as Capital Leases; (vi) all reimbursement obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person under acceptance, letter of credit and similar facilities; (vii) all obligations of such Person to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise acquire for value any partnership or shareholder or other equity interests of such Person (for greater certainty, not including obligations with respect to unexercised options and rights of first refusal and where conditions precedent to the purchase, redemption, retirement, defeasance or other acquisition of such obligations have not occurred); (viii) all Contingent Obligations of such Person in respect of Debt of another Person; and (ix) any other obligation arising under arrangements or agreements that, in substance, provide financing to such Person.

 

“Deemed Interest Rate” means the interest rate applicable to the Loan as set out in Section 4.1 or 4.3, as the case may be, from time to time.

 

“Default” means any event or condition which, with the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default.

 

“Deposit Account” means any “deposit account” as such term is defined in the UCC.

 

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“Depreciation Expense” means, for any period with respect to any Person, depreciation, amortization, depletion and other like reductions to income of such Person for such period not involving any outlay of cash, determined, without duplication and determined on a consolidated basis, in accordance with IFRS.

 

“Disposition” means any sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance, lease or other disposition of any asset of Borrower in a single transaction or a series of related transactions and the word “Dispose” shall have a correlative meaning.

 

“Distribution” means, with respect to any Person, any payment, directly or indirectly, by such Person: (i) of any dividends on any shares of its capital, other than dividends payable in shares; (ii) on account of, or for the purpose of setting apart any property for a sinking or other analogous fund for, the purchase, redemption, retirement or other acquisition of any Equity Interests; (iii) of any other distribution in respect of any Equity Interests; or (iv) of any management, consulting or similar fee or compensation or any bonus payment or comparable payment, or by way of gift or other gratuity, to any Affiliate of such Person or to any director, officer or member of the management of such Person or an Affiliate of such Person or to any Person not dealing at Arm’s Length with such first Person (for greater certainty, compensation (including bonuses) paid by Borrower in the course of its business to directors, officers and members of management of Borrower shall not constitute Distributions hereunder).

 

EBITDA” means, for any period, Consolidated Net Income for the Borrower earned during such period, plus, to the extent deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income (without duplication):

 

  (i) Interest Expense for such period;
     
  (ii) Income Tax Expense for such period; and
     
  (iii) Depreciation Expense for such period;

 

decreased by the sum (without duplication) of:

 

  (iv) extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring items for such period; and
     
  (v) dividend and interest income earned or received for such period.

 

“Environmental Laws” means all Applicable Laws relating to Materials of Environmental Concern, pollution or protection of health, safety or the environment (including ambient air, surface water, ground water, land surface or subsurface strata), including without limitation, laws and regulations relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of Materials of Environmental Concern, or otherwise relating to the manufacturing, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal or transport of Materials of Environmental Concern.

 

“Equipment” means all machinery, apparatus, equipment, fittings, furniture, fixtures, motor vehicles and other tangible personal or movable Property (other than Inventory) of every kind and description used in a Person’s operations or owned by such Person or in which such Person has an interest, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by such Person and wherever located, and all parts, accessories and tools and all increases and accessories thereto and substitutions and replacements therefor.

 

“Equity Financing” means the completion of an offering or offerings of the Borrower’s equity securities or securities convertible into equity securities of at least $1,000,000 in the aggregate.

 

“Equity Interests” means (i) in the case of any corporation or company, all shares or capital stock and any securities exchangeable for or convertible into shares or capital stock, (ii) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participation rights or other equivalents of corporate stock (however designated) in or to such association or entity, (iii) in the case of a partnership, limited liability company or unlimited liability company, partnership or membership interests (whether general or limited), as applicable, and (iv) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distribution of assets of, the issuing Person, and including, in all of the foregoing cases described in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv), any warrants, rights or other options to purchase or otherwise acquire any of the interests described in any of the foregoing cases.

 

4

 

 

“Equivalent” means with respect to any two currencies, the amount obtained in one currency when an amount in the other currency is translated into the first currency in accordance with Section 1.4 hereof.

 

“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 of the United States, together with the regulations thereunder as the same may be amended from time to time.

 

“ERISA Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan covered by Title IV of ERISA or subject to the minimum funding standards under Section 412 of the Revenue Code (other than a multiemployer plan) that either (i) is maintained by Borrower (including after giving effect to the FNL Transaction), or (ii) with respect to which Borrower has or may have liability (including after giving effect to the FNL Transaction).

 

“Event of Default” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Article 11 hereof.

 

“Financial Statements” means the statements of financial position of the Borrower, including without limitation, the balance sheet, statement of income and retained earnings and statement of cash flows of the Borrower, the Cash Balance Statement, all prepared in accordance with IFRS and consistent with the approach used by the Borrower in its Audited Financial Statements.

 

“Fiscal Quarter” means any of the quarterly accounting periods of the Borrower ending on March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31 of each year.

 

“Fiscal Year” means any period of twelve consecutive months ending on December 31 of any calendar year.

 

“FNL” means Factor Nutrition Labs, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and its permitted successors and assigns.

 

“FNL Asset Acquisition” means the acquisition by Borrower of the FOCUSFactor assets of FNL pursuant to the FNL Asset Purchase Agreement.

 

“FNL Asset Purchase Agreement” means that certain Agreement for Purchase and Sale of Assets dated as of January , 2015, by and among FNL and Borrower.

 

“FNL Business” means the business of manufacturing, distribution and sale of FOCUSFactor, an ingestible dietary supplement.

 

“FNL Transaction” means the transactions contemplated by the FNL Asset Purchase Agreement.

 

“Governmental Authority” means the government of Canada, the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government, including any supranational bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank and including a Minister of the Crown, Superintendent of Financial Institutions or other comparable authority or agency.

 

“IFRS” means, at any time, the International Financial Reporting Standards, promulgated by the International Accounting Standards Board, as amended, supplemented or replaced from time to time.

 

“Income Tax Expense” means, with respect to the Borrower, for any period, the aggregate, without duplication and on a consolidated basis, of all current Taxes on the income of the Borrower for such period, determined in accordance with IFRS.

 

“Intellectual Property” means the intellectual property in patents, patent applications, trade-marks, trade-mark applications, trade names, service marks, copyrights, copyright registrations and trade secrets including, without limitation, customer lists and information and business opportunities, industrial designs, proprietary software, technology, recipes and formulae and other similar intellectual property rights.

 

5

 

 

“Interest Expense” of the Borrower means, for any period, without duplication and on a consolidated basis, the aggregate amount of interest and other financing charges paid or payable by the Borrower, on account of such period with respect to Debt including interest, amortization of discount and financing fees, commissions, discounts, the interest or time value of money component of costs related to factoring or securitizing receivables or monetizing inventory and other fees and charges payable with respect to letters of credit, letters of guarantee and bankers’ acceptance financing, standby fees, the interest component of Capital Leases, all as determined in accordance with IFRS.

 

“Interest Payment Date” means March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 in each year.

 

“Inventory” means, with respect to any Person, all inventory of such Person, whether now owned or hereafter acquired including, but not limited to, all goods intended for sale or lease by such Person, or for display or demonstration; all work in process; all raw materials and other materials and supplies of every nature and description used or which might be used in connection with the manufacture, printing, packing, shipping, advertising, selling, leasing or furnishing of such goods or otherwise used or consumed in such Person’s business.

 

“Lender Distribution Agreement” means the proposed license and distribution agreement between the Borrower and the Lender by which the Lender shall have the exclusive Canadian distribution rights to FOCUSFactor, FOCUSFactor Kids and Synergy Strips.

 

“Lender Option” means the option granted to the Lender pursuant to that certain distribution option agreement dated as of the date of this Agreement whereby the Lender will acquire the option to negotiate an exclusive distribution agreement for the Borrower’s Products for Canada, Russia, Sub-Sahara Africa and Israel.

 

“Lender’s Additional Equity” means the issuance to the Lender of a ten (10) year warrant to purchase 5% of the common shares of the Borrower, on a fully diluted basis, at a price per share equal to $0.34, being 80% of the current trading price, provided that should the share price remain at or above $1.00 for six (6) consecutive months, the Lender shall forfeit the difference between the number of (i) shares acquired under the said warrant prior to the expiry of the ninety (90) days after the said six (6) month period and (ii) 25% of the shares purchasable under the said warrant.

 

“Lender’s Equity” means the issuance to the Lender, for no additional consideration, of such number of common shares of the Borrower that will result in the Lender receiving, on a fully diluted basis and after giving effect to the issuance referred to in Section 10.1(v), of 6.5% of the common shares of the Borrower, on a fully diluted basis, which shares will not be subject to any trading restrictions, other than as required under Applicable Law.

 

“Lender’s Nominee” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 9. l(y) hereof.

 

“Lien” means: (i) any interest in Property securing an obligation owed to, or a claim by, a Person, whether such interest is based on the common law, civil law, statute, or contract, and including, without limitation, a security interest, charge, claim, hypothec or lien arising from a mortgage, deed of trust, hypothec, encumbrance, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, agreement, security agreement, conditional sale or trust receipt or a lease, consignment or bailment for security purposes; and (ii) to the extent not included under clause (i), (A) any rights of repossession or similar rights of unpaid suppliers, (B) any reservation, exception, encroachment, easement, right-of-way, covenant, condition, restriction, lease or other title exception or encumbrance affecting Property, and (C) any other lien, hypothec, charge, privilege, secured claim, title retention, garnishment right, deemed trust, encumbrance or other right affecting Property, choate or inchoate, whether or not crystallized or fixed, whether or not for amounts due or accruing due, arising by any statute or law of any jurisdiction, at law, in equity or by any agreement.

 

“Loan” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 2.1 hereof.

 

“Loan Documents” means (i) this Agreement and the Security Agreement delivered by Borrower pursuant to this Agreement, and (ii) all present and future security, agreements and documents labelled by the parties thereto as a Loan Document, in each case as the same may from time to time be supplemented, amended or restated, and “Loan Document” shall mean any one of the Loan Documents.

 

“Losses” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 12.1 hereof.

 

6

 

 

“Material Adverse Effect” shall mean (i) a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, operations, properties, assets, or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower on a consolidated basis, (ii) an adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents which could reasonably be considered material having regard to the Loan Documents considered as a whole, including the validity, enforceability, perfection or priority of any Lien created under any of the Security which could reasonably be considered material having regard to the Security considered as a whole, (iii) a material adverse effect on the ability of Borrower, to pay or perform any of its debts, liabilities or obligations under any of the Loan Documents, which could reasonably be considered material having regard to Borrower as a whole, or (iv) an adverse effect on the right, entitlement or ability of the Lender to enforce their rights or remedies under any of the Loan Documents which could reasonably be considered material having regard to the Loan Documents taken as a whole.

 

“Material Contracts” means, collectively, each written agreement (or multiple agreements with the same Person), arrangement or understanding entered into by Borrower or to be assigned to the Borrower pursuant to the FNL Transaction, which if not complied with, or expires, or is terminated, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

“Material Licences” means, collectively, each licence, permit or approval issued by any Governmental Authority or any applicable stock exchange or securities commission to Borrower or to be assigned to the Borrower pursuant to the FNL Transaction, the breach or default of which, or termination of, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

“Materials of Environmental Concern” means any chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, petroleum, petroleum products, together with any hazardous, toxic or dangerous substances, materials and wastes, including, without limitation, hydrocarbons (including naturally occurring or man-made petroleum and hydrocarbons), flammable explosives, asbestos, urea formaldehyde insulation, radioactive materials, biological substances, polychlorinated biphenyls, pesticides, herbicides and any other kind and/or type of pollutants or contaminants (including, without limitation, materials which include hazardous constituents), sewage, sludge, industrial slag, solvents and/or any other similar substances, materials or wastes and including any other substances, materials or wastes that are or become regulated under any laws relating to the protection of the environment or maintenance of occupational safety (including, without limitation, any that are or become classified as hazardous or toxic under any such laws).

 

“Maturity Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 2.2.

 

“Measurement Period” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 2.2.

 

“Net Debt” means, as of any date of determination, (i) Consolidated Debt of the Borrower outstanding on such date minus (ii) the aggregate amount of cash and cash equivalents included in the cash accounts listed on the Consolidated statement of financial position of the Borrower as of such date, to the extent the use thereof for application to payment of Debt is not prohibited by law or contract.

 

“Non-Arm’s Length” and similar phrases have the meaning attributed thereto for the purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada); and “Arm’s Length” shall have the opposite meaning.

 

“Obligations” means all present and future obligations and indebtedness, of any and every kind and nature, of Borrower to the Lender arising under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, whether now or hereafter existing, whether now due or to become due, whether primary, secondary, direct, indirect, absolute, contingent or otherwise (including without limitation, obligations of performance), whether several or joint or joint and several.

 

“OFAC” means The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Department of the Treasury.

 

“Organizational Documents” means, with respect to any applicable Person, such Person’s articles or other charter or constitutional documents, by-laws, shareholder agreement, partnership agreement, joint venture agreement, limited liability company agreement or trust agreement, as applicable, and any and all other similar agreements, documents and instruments relative to such Person.

 

“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any Person succeeding to any or all of its functions under ERISA.

 

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“Pension Plan” means (i) a “pension plan” or “plan” which is subject to the funding requirements of applicable pension benefit legislation in any jurisdiction as is applicable to the employees of Borrower (after giving effect to the FNL Transaction); or (ii) any pension benefit plan or similar agreement applicable to employees of Borrower (after giving effect to the FNL Transaction, other than a plan sponsored by a Governmental Authority) which, for greater certainty, includes an ERISA Plan.

 

“Perfection Certificate” means a certificate in the form of Exhibit 1. or any other form approved by the Lender.

 

“Permitted Cash Investments” means an investment in any of the following:

 

(i) direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the Government of the United States or of any state thereof, as applicable (or by any agency or instrumentality of any of the foregoing to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the Government of the United States or of such state, as applicable);

 

(ii) investments in certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances and time deposits maturing within 180 days from the date of acquisition thereof issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States or or federal state in the United States having combined capital and surplus of not less than $300,000,000 or the Equivalent in any other currency; and

 

(iii) commercial paper of an issuer rated at least A-1+ or the equivalent thereof by a rating agency satisfactory to the Lender, and in each case maturing within six months from the date of acquisition.

 

“Permitted Debt” means:

 

(i) Debt under this Agreement;

 

(ii) Debt in respect of Purchase Money Security Interests and Capital Leases in an outstanding amount not to exceed $100,000 in aggregate at any time;

 

(iii) Debt consented to in writing by the Lender from time to time and subject to the terms imposed by the Lender in connection with such consent;

 

(iv) to the extent included as Debt, accounts payable that arise, and accrued expenses incurred in, the ordinary course of business; and

 

(v) Debt of $1,500,000 owed to FNL pursuant to the FNL Asset Purchase Agreement.

 

“Permitted Disposition” means (i) the Disposition of Inventory in the ordinary course of business; (ii) the Disposition of used, worn-out or surplus Equipment in the ordinary course of business; (iii) other Dispositions to the extent that no Default or Event of Default exists and the fair market value of the assets Disposed of pursuant to this clause (iii) does not exceed during any Fiscal Year $150,000; and (iv) a Disposition under a distribution agreement contemplated by the Lender Option.

 

“Permitted Distribution” means (i) directors’ fees paid by the Borrower in an aggregate amount in any Fiscal Year not to exceed $50,000 so long as there exists no Default or Event of Default and such directors’ fees are customary and reasonable for directors in a similar business to the Business; and (ii) bonuses paid or other comparable payments made to its officers and members of management by the Borrower in an aggregate amount in respect of any Fiscal Year not to exceed $100,000 (the “Management Bonus Limit”), provided that such bonuses and comparable payments are customary and reasonable for officers and members of management in a business similar to the Business.

 

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“Permitted Liens” means, with respect to any Person, the following:

 

(i) liens for Taxes not yet due or for which installments have been paid based on reasonable estimates pending final assessments, or if due, the validity of which is being contested diligently and in good faith by appropriate proceedings by that Person for which reasonable reserves under IFRS are maintained;

 

(ii) undetermined or inchoate liens, rights of distress and charges incidental to current operations which have not at such time been filed or exercised and of which the Lender has been given notice, or which relate to obligations not due or payable, or if due, the validity of which is being contested diligently and in good faith by appropriate proceedings by that Person;

 

(iii) reservations, limitations, provisos and conditions expressed in any original grants from the Crown or other grants of real or immovable property, or interests therein;

 

(iv) zoning, land use and building restrictions, by-laws, regulations and ordinances of federal, provincial, state, municipal and other Governmental Authorities, licences, easements, servitudes, rights-of-way and rights in the nature of easements (including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, licences, easements, servitudes, rights-of-way and rights in the nature of easements for railways, sidewalks, public ways, sewers, drains, gas, steam and water mains or electric light and power, or telephone and telegraph conduits, poles, wires and cables) which do not materially impair the use of the affected land for the purpose for which it is used by that Person;

 

(v) title defects, encroachments or irregularities or other matters relating to title which are of a minor nature and which in the aggregate do not materially impair the use of the affected property for the purpose for which it is used by that Person;

 

(vi) the right reserved to or vested in any municipality or governmental or other public authority by the terms of any lease, licence, contract, franchise, grant or permit acquired by that Person or by any statutory provision to terminate any such lease, licence, contract, franchise, grant or permit, or to require annual or other payments as a condition to the continuance thereof;

 

(vii) the Lien resulting from the deposit of cash or securities in connection with contracts, tenders or expropriation proceedings, or to secure workers compensation, employment insurance, surety or appeal bonds, costs of litigation when required by law not to exceed $100,000 in aggregate outstanding at any time, liens and claims incidental to current construction, mechanics’, warehousemen’s, carriers’ and other similar liens, and public, statutory and other like obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(viii) security given to a public utility or any municipality or Governmental Authority when required by such utility or authority in connection with the operations of that Person in the ordinary course of its business provided that such security does not materially impair the use of the affected property for the purpose for which it is used by that Person;

 

(ix) the Lien created by a judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, as long as the judgment is being contested diligently and in good faith by appropriate proceedings by that Person and does not result in an Event of Default;

 

(x) the Security;

 

(xi) Purchase Money Security Interests and Capital Leases, provided that such Liens secure Permitted Debt;

 

(xii) such other Liens as agreed to in writing by the Lender in accordance with this Agreement; and

 

(xiii) any other Liens securing Debt the principal amount of which (when aggregated with the outstanding principal of any other such Debt secured by Borrower) does not exceed $100,000 (or its equivalent)).

 

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“Person” means any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization, association, corporation, institution, entity, party or foreign or local government (whether federal, provincial, state, county, city, municipal or otherwise), including, without limitation, any instrumentality, division, agency, body or department thereof.

 

“Prepayment Fee” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 3.2 hereof.

 

“Product” means each current and future product, process or service under development, developed, manufactured, licensed, distributed, marketed or sold by Borrower and any other current or future products or services in which Borrower has any proprietary rights or beneficial interests and includes all products and product rights to be acquired pursuant to the FNL Transaction.

 

“Prohibited Transaction” means any transaction set forth in Section 406 of ERISA, or Section 4975 of the Revenue Code, to the extent that such transaction is not otherwise exempt by Applicable Law.

 

“Property” means, with respect to any Person, all or any portion of its undertaking, property or asset, whether real, immovable, personal, movable, or mixed, tangible or intangible, including for greater certainty any Equity Interests of a corporation or ownership interest in any other Person.

 

“Purchase Money Security Interest” means a Lien created or assumed by Borrower securing Debt incurred to finance the unpaid acquisition price of personal Property provided that

 

“Regulatory Authority” means any Governmental Authority that has responsibility in any country or group of countries over the development, manufacture or commercialization of a Product, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada and the European Medicines Agency, and any successor agency thereof.

 

“Repayment Schedule” means the Schedule of repayment of principal of the Loan attached hereto as Schedule 3.1(b).

 

“Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043 of ERISA, other than an event for which the provision of notice has been waived.

 

“Requirements of Law” means, as to any Person, the Organizational Documents of such Person and any Applicable Law, or determination of a Governmental Authority, in each case, applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its business or Property or to which such Person or any of its business or Property is subject.

 

“Revenue Code” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, or any successor statute thereto, and the regulations and published interpretations thereof.

 

“Revenues” means, for any period, consolidated gross income for such period.

 

“Sanctioned Entity” means (i) a country or a government of a country, (ii) an agency of the government of a country, (iii) an organization directly or indirectly controlled by a country or its government, (iv) a Person resident in, or determined to be resident in, a country, in each case, that is subject to a country sanctions program administered and enforced by OF AC.

 

“Sanctioned Person” means a person named on the list of Specially Designated Nationals maintained by OF AC (including on account of its membership in a Controlled Group).

 

“Securities Account” means any “securities account” as such term is defined in the STA and the UCC.

 

“Security” means the Liens created by the Security Documents.

 

“Security Documents” means the documents set out in Section 6.1.

 

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“Subsidiary” means, with respect to a Person, any corporation of which more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding capital stock having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether at the time stock of any other class of such corporation shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time, directly or indirectly, owned by the Person or by any partnership or other corporate entity of which more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding equity interests are at the time, directly or indirectly, owned by the Person.

 

“Taxes” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 12.2 hereof.

 

“TTM EBITDA” means, at any date, EBITDA for the twelve (12) months immediately preceding such date.

 

“Violation Notice” means any notice received by a Person, from any Governmental Authority under any Environmental Law that such Person or any of its Property is not in compliance with the requirements of any Environmental Law, if such non-compliance would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

“Warrant” means that certain common share stock purchase warrant to be executed by the Borrower and the Lender to give effect to the Lender’s Equity issuance.

 

“Welfare Plan” means any medical, health, hospitalization, insurance or other employee benefit or welfare plan, agreement or arrangement subject to ERISA and applicable to employees of Borrower (including after giving effect to the FNL Transaction) and includes a “welfare plan” as defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA.

 

1.2 Schedules and Exhibits.

 

The following are the Schedules and Exhibits to this Agreement, which are deemed to be a part of this Agreement:

 

  Exhibit 1 Schedule 3.1(b)   Perfection Certificate Repayment Schedule
  Schedule 7.1(f) - Intellectual Property
  Schedule 7.1(i) - Litigation
  Schedule 7.1(j) - Material Contracts and Material Licences
  Schedule 7.1(o) - Taxes
  Schedule 7.1(r) - Location of Collateral
  Schedule 7.1(s) - Owned Real Property
  Schedule 7. l(t) - Leased Real Property
  Schedule 7.1(v) - Labor Matters
  Schedule 7.1(w) - Pension Plans
  Schedule 7.1(z) - Insurance
  Schedule 7.1(hh) - Regulatory Matters
  Schedule 8.2 - Officer’s Compliance Certificate

 

1.3 Accounting Terms and Definitions.

 

Unless otherwise defined or specified herein, all defined terms in Section 1.1 as used in this Agreement shall have the meanings set out in such paragraph, and all accounting terms used in this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with IFRS, applied on a basis consistent in all material respects with the annual Audited Financial Statements, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein. All accounting determinations for purposes of determining compliance with the financial covenants contained herein shall be made in accordance with IFRS as in effect on the Closing Date (unless and to the extent otherwise stipulated herein) and applied on a basis consistent in all material respects with the Audited Financial Statements, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein. Except as otherwise specified herein, the financial statements required to be delivered hereunder from and after the Closing Date, and all financial records, shall be maintained in accordance with sound accounting practices including, if applicable, IFRS. If IFRS shall change from the basis used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements, the Compliance Certificates required to be delivered pursuant to Section 8.2 demonstrating compliance with the covenants contained herein shall include, at the election of the Borrower or upon the request of the Lender, calculations setting forth the adjustments necessary to demonstrate how the Borrower is in compliance with the financial covenants based upon IFRS as in effect on the Closing Date.

 

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1.4 Currency Conversion.

 

Whenever in this Agreement there is a need to convert Canadian dollars to U.S. dollars, or vice versa, or any other foreign currency, for the purpose of any valuation, calculation or determination (including the determination of an Equivalent for the purpose of expressing an amount in one currency as an amount in another currency), the rate of exchange to be used shall be the Bank of Canada noon spot rate (or any other rate to which the parties agree) on such day, and if that day is not a Business Day, on the immediately preceding Business Day.

 

1.5 Supplements, Re-enactments, Etc.

 

References herein to any document or legislation are, unless otherwise stated, to be construed as references to such document or legislation as amended, restated or supplemented from time to time and references to any enactment include re-enactments, amendments and extensions thereof.

 

1.6 Headings of Subdivisions.

 

The headings of subdivisions in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only, and shall not govern the interpretation of any of the provisions of this Agreement.

 

1.7 Gender and Number.

 

Words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa and words importing gender include all genders.

 

1.8 Monetary References.

 

Any reference in this Agreement to “Dollars”, “dollars” or the sign shall be deemed to be a reference to lawful money of the United States, unless otherwise expressly stated.

 

1.9 Actions on Days Other Than Business Days.

 

Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, where any payment is required to be made or any other action is required to be taken on a particular day and such day is not a Business Day and, as a result, such payment cannot be made or action cannot be taken on such day, then this Agreement shall be deemed to provide that such payment shall be made or such action shall be taken on the first Business Day after such day.

 

ARTICLE 2 - TERMS OF THE LOAN

 

2.1 The Loan.

 

Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the Lender agrees to loan to the Borrower in lawful money of the United States the principal amount of $6,000,000 to or for the account of the Borrower (the “Loan”) on the Closing Date and the Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes the Lender to make the Loan on the Closing Date.

 

2.2 Maturity Date

 

The maturity date (the “Maturity Date”) shall be January 20, 2017; provided, however, that if the Borrower’s Revenues exceed USD$13,000,000 and the Borrower’s EBITDA exceeds $2,000,000 for the twelve (12) month period from April 1 to March 31 (the “Measurement Period”) commencing with the period ending March 31, 2016, the Borrower shall have the option to extend the Maturity Date for up to two (2) successive additional twelve (12) month period until no later than January 20, 2019. On or prior to May 15, in each year (starting with May 15, 2016), the Borrower shall provide the Lender with a certificate of the Auditor certifying that the Borrower’s Revenues and EBITDA for the Measurement Period have surpassed the said thresholds. If such thresholds have been surpassed and provided that there is then no Default or Event of Default then occurring, the Borrower may indicate in such notice that it wishes to extend the Maturity Date for an additional twelve (12) month period. In the event that the Borrower fails to send such notice, the Maturity Date shall not be extended.

 

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ARTICLE 3 – PAYMENT

 

3.1 Payments on Principal.

 

(a) The Borrower shall pay in full to the Lender the outstanding principal amount on the Loan, together with all accrued and unpaid interest thereon and any other accrued and unpaid Obligations (including, in the case of clause (ii) below, any Prepayment Fee), on the earliest to occur of: (i) the Maturity Date; and (ii) the date of the acceleration of the Obligations pursuant to Section 11.2 of this Agreement.

 

(b) On each Interest Repayment Date, commencing with the Interest Repayment Date falling on June 30, 2015 and in addition to the interest payments set forth in Section 4.2, the Borrower shall pay to the Lender on account of principal of the Loan the amount set forth on the Repayment Schedule.

 

(c) All payments to be made by the Borrower to the Lender hereunder shall be made to the Lender by wire transfer in accordance with the wire instructions given by the Lender to the Borrower in writing from time to time.

 

3.2 Optional Prepayments.

 

(a) Subject to the terms hereof, the Borrower may prepay the outstanding principal of the Loan (in whole but not in part) at any time following the Closing Date, subject to the concurrent payment to the Lender of a prepayment fee calculated in accordance with Section 3.2(b) (the “Prepayment Fee”), together with all accrued and unpaid interest thereon, provided that the Lender receives not less than 10 Business Days’ notice of such prepayment.

 

(b) The Prepayment Fee shall be equal to the greater of (i) the total unpaid annual Interest Expense that would have been payable during the year in which the prepayment in accordance with Section 3.2(a) is made if such prepayment is made prior to the first anniversary of the Closing; and (ii) $300,000.

 

(c) Any amounts prepaid or repaid shall not be re-borrowed. All amounts prepaid or repaid shall be applied (i) firstly in reduction of accrued and unpaid interest and all other amounts then outstanding (other than the principal amount of the Loan), and (ii) thereafter, in reduction of the principal amount of the Loan being prepaid or repaid.

 

3.3 General Matters.

 

All payments made by the Borrower shall be made without set-off, recoupment or counterclaim. The Loan shall, if requested by the Lender, in the Lender’s sole discretion, be evidenced by one or more promissory notes in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender. However, if such Loan is not so evidenced, the Loan made by the Lender, including rates of interest, fees and other charges, may be evidenced by entries upon the books and records maintained by the Lender which books and records shall constitute conclusive evidence thereof in the absence of manifest error.

 

ARTICLE 4 - INTEREST, FEES AND CHARGES

 

4.1 Rate of Interest.

 

Subject to Section 4.3, the principal amount of the Loan and other outstanding Obligations shall bear interest from the Closing Date to the date paid, and at a rate equal to 15% per annum compounded quarterly; provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an Equity Financing interest shall thereafter be calculated at a rate equal to 13% per annum compounded quarterly. In each case such interest shall be payable in arrears in accordance with Section 4.2 and calculated in accordance with Section 4.4.

 

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4.2 Payment of Interest.

 

The Borrower shall pay the Lender all accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount of the Loan and the outstanding amount of other Obligations quarterly in arrears in cash on each Interest Payment Date, starting with the Interest Payment Date falling on March 31, 2015.

 

4.3 Default Rate of Interest.

 

Upon and after the occurrence of an Event of Default under Section 11.1, and during the continuation thereof, the principal amount of the Loan and the other Obligations shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the interest rate otherwise payable pursuant to Section 4.1 plus five percent (5%) and such interest shall be calculated daily and compounded quarterly and shall be payable on demand by the Lender.

 

4.4 Computation of Interest and Fees.

 

Interest hereunder shall be determined daily and compounded quarterly not in advance, both before and after demand, default and judgment and shall be computed on the actual number of days elapsed over a year of three hundred and sixty-five (365) days or three hundred and sixty- six (366) days, as the case may be.

 

4.5 Maximum Interest.

 

It is the intent of the parties that the rate of interest and the other charges to the Borrower under this Agreement shall be lawful; therefore, if for any reason the interest or other charges payable under this Agreement are found by a court of competent jurisdiction, in a final determination, to exceed the limit which the Lender may lawfully charge the Borrower, then the obligation to pay interest and other charges shall automatically be reduced with retroactive effect to such limit and, if any amount in excess of such limit shall have been paid, then such amount shall be refunded to the Borrower.

 

4.6 Origination Fee.

 

The Borrower will pay to the Lender an origination fee equal to $120,000, being 2% of the Loan amount, which will be payable at Closing.

 

4.7 Work Fee.

 

The Borrower will pay to the Lender a work fee equal to $60,000, being 1% of the Loan amount, which will be payable at the earlier of January 23, 2015 and Closing. For greater certainty, the said fee is payable whether or not Closing occurs.

 

4.8 Lender’s Expenses.

 

The Borrower shall reimburse the Lender for all reasonable costs and expenses (including without limitation, reasonable consultant’s fees and expenses and reasonable legal fees and expenses in each applicable jurisdiction) incurred by the Lender in connection with: (a) the documentation and consummation of this transaction (whether or not this transaction is consummated) including, without limitation, security and other public record searches, lien filings, express mail or similar express or messenger delivery, due diligence costs and expenses, (b) and in seeking to collect, protect or enforce any rights in or to the Collateral or incurred by the Lender in seeking to collect any Obligations and to administer and enforce any of its rights under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. All such costs, expenses and charges incurred after the Closing Date will constitute Obligations hereunder, shall by payable by the Borrower to the Lender on demand and, if overdue by 30 days or more, until paid, will bear interest at the Deemed Interest Rate.

 

4.9 Illegality.

 

If any Applicable Law coming into force after the Closing Date, or if any change in any existing Applicable Law or in the interpretation or application thereof by any court or Governmental Authority, now or hereafter makes it unlawful for the Lender to have advanced or acquired interest in the Loan or to give effect to its obligations in respect thereof, the Lender may, by written notice thereof to the Borrower, declare its obligations under this Agreement to be terminated, and the Borrower shall prepay, within the time required by such law, the principal amount of the Loan together with accrued interest thereon and any other amounts owing under this Agreement as may be applicable to the date of such payment (excluding for the avoidance of doubt, any amount of the Prepayment Fee). If any such event shall, in the opinion of the Lender, only affect part of its obligations under this Agreement, the remainder of this Agreement shall be unaffected and the obligations of the Borrower under the Loan Documents shall continue.

 

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4.10 Increased Costs.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision herein, in the event that the introduction of or any change in any Applicable Law or in the interpretation or application thereof, or compliance by the Lender with any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority:

 

(a) subjects the Lender to any new tax of any kind whatsoever with respect to this Agreement, the other Loan Documents or the Loan, or changes the basis of taxation of payments to the Lender of principal, interest or any other amount payable hereunder (except for changes in the rate of tax imposed on the overall net income of the Lender); or

 

(b) imposes, modifies, holds applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan or similar requirement against Property held by, or deposits or other obligations in or for the account of, advances or loans by, or other credit extended by, or any other acquisition of funds by, any office of the Lender; and the result of any of the foregoing is to materially increase the cost to the Lender of agreeing to make, making, continuing or maintaining or participating in the Loan, or to materially reduce any amount receivable thereunder or to materially increase the withholding taxes payable then, in any such case, the Borrower shall pay the Lender, after demand by the Lender, any additional amounts necessary to compensate the Lender on an after-tax basis for such additional cost or reduced amount receivable or increased withholding taxes payable with respect to any Loan Document or the Loan made hereunder.

 

ARTICLE 5 - TERMINATION AND REDUCTION

 

5.1 Termination.

 

This Agreement shall be in effect from the date hereof until the indefeasible repayment and performance in full of the Obligations upon the Maturity Date (unless the Obligations become due and payable pursuant to Article 11 hereof in which case the Borrower shall immediately pay all of the Obligations, or are prepaid in accordance with Section 3.2). If the due date of the Obligations is accelerated pursuant to Article 11 hereof or if the Borrower prepays the Loan in accordance with Section 3.2 hereof, this Agreement shall terminate on the date that all such Obligations are indefeasibly paid in full. At such time as the Borrower has repaid all of the Obligations and this Agreement has terminated:

 

(a) the Borrower shall provide a release of any obligations and obligations of the Lender and its Affiliates, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Lender; and

 

(b) the Lender shall, at the Borrower’s cost and expense, deliver to the Borrower a termination, discharge and release of all security in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower and such other documents and instruments as the Borrower may reasonably request in order to effect or evidence the termination of this Agreement and the security.

 

5.2 Continuing Obligations.

 

Nothing in Section 5.1 shall affect any liabilities and obligations of Borrower or the Lender set out in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document which are stated to survive payment of the Obligations and termination of this Agreement or the Loan Documents, as the case may be.

 

ARTICLE 6 - SECURITY AND COLLATERAL

 

6.1 Security Delivered on the Closing Date.

 

On the Closing Date, as continuing collateral security for the payment and satisfaction of all Obligations of the Borrower to the Lender, the Borrower shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Lender Security on the Collateral, including the following Security Documents, all of which shall be in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender:

 

(a) a general security agreement from Borrower in favour of the Lender constituting a first-priority Lien (subject only to Permitted Liens) on all of the present and future Property of Borrower;

 

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(b) a collateral assignment from Borrower of its interests in all Material Contracts and Material Licenses;

 

(c) Subordination Agreement with FNL in favour of the Lender;

 

(d) Control Agreement;

 

(e) Intellectual Property Security Agreement; and

 

(f) such other agreements as the Lender may require from time to time.

 

6.2 Further Assurances.

 

The Borrower shall take or cause to be taken such action and execute and deliver or cause to be executed and delivered to the Lender such agreements, documents and instruments as the Lender shall request, and register, file or record the same (or a notice or financing statement in respect thereof) in all offices where such registration, filing or recording is, in the opinion of the Lender or Lender’s counsel, necessary or advisable to constitute, perfect and maintain the Security Documents referred to in Section 6.1 as first-ranking Liens of Borrower or the Person granting such Liens, subject only to the Permitted Liens, in all jurisdictions reasonably required by the Lender, in each case within a reasonable time after the request therefor by the Lender or Lender’s counsel, and in each case in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender and Lender’s counsel, acting reasonably.

 

6.3 Security Effective Notwithstanding Date of Loan.

 

The Security shall be effective and the undertakings in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with respect thereto shall be continuing, whether the monies hereby or thereby secured or any part thereof shall be advanced before or after or at the same time as the creation of any such Security or before or after or upon the date of execution of this Agreement. The Security shall not be affected by any payments on this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, but shall constitute continuing security to and in favour of the Lender for the Obligations from time to time.

 

6.4 No Merger.

 

The Security shall not merge in any other security. No judgment obtained by or on behalf of the Lender shall in any way affect any of the provisions of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents or the Security. For greater certainty, no judgment obtained by or on behalf of the Lender shall in any way affect the obligation of the Borrower to pay interest or other amounts at the rates, times and in the manner provided in this Agreement.

 

6.5 Release of Security.

 

Following due payment and performance in full of all Obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the Lender will, at the cost and expense of the Borrower, release and discharge the right and interest of the Lender in the Collateral, following indefeasible payment and performance in full of all Obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

In addition, if any Property of Borrower is Disposed of as permitted by this Agreement or is otherwise released from the Security at the direction or with the consent of the Lender, at the request, cost and expense of the Borrower (on satisfaction, or on being assured of concurrent satisfaction, of any condition to or obligation imposed with respect to such Disposition), the Lender shall discharge such Property from the Security and deliver and re-assign to the Borrower or its Subsidiaries (without any representation or warranty) any of such Property as is then in the possession of the Lender.

 

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ARTICLE 7 - REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

7.1 Representations and Warranties.

 

The Borrower hereby makes the following representations, warranties and covenants:

 

(a) Existence and Qualification. The Borrower (i) has been duly incorporated, amalgamated, formed, merged or continued, as the case may be, and is validly subsisting and in good standing as a corporation, company or partnership, under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, amalgamation, merger, formation or continuance, as the case may be, (ii) is duly qualified to carry on its business in each jurisdiction in which it carries on business or will carry on business after giving effect to the FNL Transaction except for nonqualification which has no adverse effect on the Business or the FNL Transaction, and (iii) has all required Material Licences.

 

(b) Power and Authority. The Borrower has the corporate, company or partnership power, capacity and authority, as the case may be, (i) to enter into, and to exercise its rights and perform its obligations under, the Loan Documents to which it is a party and all other instruments and agreements delivered by it pursuant to any of the Loan Documents, and (ii) to own its Property and carry on its business as currently conducted or as will be conducted after giving effect to the FNL Transaction.

 

(c) Execution, Delivery, Performance and Enforceability of Documents. The execution, delivery and performance of each of the Loan Documents to which Borrower is a party, and every other instrument or agreement delivered by Borrower pursuant to the FNL Transaction has been duly authorized by all corporate or limited liability company, as the case may be, actions required, and each of such documents has been duly executed and delivered by it. Each Loan Document to which Borrower is a party constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of Borrower, enforceable against Borrower in accordance with its respective terms (except, in any case, as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by principles of equity).

 

(d) Compliance with Applicable Laws, Organizational Documents and Contractual Obligations. None of the execution or delivery of, the consummation of the transactions contemplated in, or the compliance with the terms, conditions and provisions of any of, the Loan Documents or any of the agreements or documents delivered in connection with the FNL Transaction by Borrower conflicts with or will conflict with, or results or will result in any breach of, or constitutes a default under or contravention of, any Requirement of Law in any material respect, Borrower’s Organizational Documents or any Material Contract or Material Licence, or results or will result in the creation or imposition of any Liens upon any of its Property except for Permitted Liens.

 

(e) Consent Respecting Loan Documents. The Borrower has obtained, made or taken all consents, approvals, authorizations, declarations, registrations, filings, notices and other actions whatsoever required (except for registrations or filings which may be required in respect of the Security Documents) to enable it to execute and deliver each of the Loan Documents to which it is a party and to consummate the transactions contemplated in the Loan Documents, and to complete and implement the FNL Transaction and to execute and deliver each of the instruments and agreements delivered by it in connection with the FNL Transaction and to consummate the transactions contemplated in such instruments and agreements except where the failure to do so is immaterial considering the nature of the FNL Transaction and the Loan Documents.

 

(f) Intellectual Property.

 

(i) The Borrower possesses, and shall continue to possess, adequate Intellectual Property to continue to conduct its Business as heretofore conducted by it, details of all of which as of the Closing Date are described on Schedule 7.1(f). After completion of the FNL Transaction, Borrower shall possess and shall continue to possess adequate Intellectual Property to conduct the FNL Business as did FNL prior to the said completion.

 

(ii) Except as set forth in Schedule 7.1(f). Borrower will be entitled to continue to use, practice and exercise rights in, all of the Intellectual Property including that acquired as part of the FNL Transaction.

 

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(g) Current and Prior Names. The Borrower’s current and prior names, trade-names and division names and those proposed to be used after giving effect to the FNL Transaction are described on Schedule 7.1(g).

 

(h) Corporate Structure. The Borrower has no Subsidiaries. The Borrower is not engaged in any joint venture or partnership with any other Person.

 

(i) Litigation. Except as described in Schedule 7.1(i). to the best of Borrower’s knowledge after due inquiry, there are no actions, suits, counterclaims or proceedings which are pending or threatened against Borrower which if adversely determined would have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(j) Material Contracts and Licences. Schedule 7.1(j) (as amended from time to time and updated in accordance with delivery of a Compliance Certificate pursuant to Section 8.2), accurately sets out all Material Contracts and Material Licences, including after giving effect to the FNL Transaction. A true and complete certified copy of each Material Contract and Material Licence existing at the Closing Date, including after giving effect to the FNL Transaction, has been delivered to the Lender and each Material Contract and Material Licence is in full force and effect. No event has occurred and is continuing which would constitute a material breach of or a default under any such Material Contract or Material Licence. Each Material Contract to which Borrower is a party is binding upon Borrower and, to its knowledge, is a binding agreement of each other Person who is a party to the Material Contract. It has obtained, as of the Closing Date, all necessary consents, including consents of landlords to the granting of a security interest in each Material Contract and Material Licence pursuant to the Security Documents.

 

(k) No Liens. No security agreement, financing statement or analogous instrument exists as at the Closing Date with respect to any of the Collateral other than any security agreement, financing statement or analogous instrument evidencing Permitted Liens.

 

(l) Title to Collateral. The Borrower is the lawful owner of all Collateral now purportedly owned or hereafter purportedly acquired by it (including, without limitation, pursuant to the FNL Transaction), free from all Liens, whether voluntarily or involuntarily created and whether or not perfected, other than Permitted Liens.

 

(m) Financial Information. All of the quarterly and annual Financial Statements or other financial information which have been furnished to the Lender, in connection with this Agreement or the FNL Transaction are complete in all material respects and such Financial Statements or other financial information fairly present the results of operations and financial position of the Borrower or the FNL Business (as applicable) as of the dates referred to therein and have been prepared in accordance with IFRS. All other financial information (including, without limitation, the Annual Business Plan) provided to the Lender are complete in all material respects and based on reasonable assumptions and expectations.

 

(n) Permitted Debt. As of the Closing Date (giving effect to the making of the Loan), the Borrower is not obligated, whether directly or indirectly, for any Debt other than the Permitted Debt.

 

(o) Taxes. Except as disclosed in Schedule 7.1(o). the Borrower has duly and timely filed all Tax returns required to be filed by it and has paid or made adequate provision for the payment of all Taxes levied on its Property or income which are showing therein as due and payable, including interest and penalties, or has accrued such amounts in its financial statements for the payment of such Taxes except for Taxes which are not material in amount or which are not delinquent or if delinquent are being contested, and there is no material action (except, after the date of this Agreement, as is disclosed to the Lender in writing), suit, proceeding, investigation, audit or claim now pending, or to its knowledge, threatened by any Governmental Authority regarding any Taxes nor has it agreed to waive or extend any statute of limitations with respect to the payment or collection of Taxes. There is no material Tax liability to the Borrower that will arise as a result of the completion of the FNL Transaction.

 

(p) Full Disclosure. All information provided or to be provided to the Lender by or on behalf of Borrower in connection with the Loan and the FNL Transaction is, to Borrower’s knowledge, true and correct in all material respects and none of the documentation furnished to the Lender by or on behalf of it, to Borrower’s knowledge, omits or will omit as of such time, a material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein not misleading in any material way, and all expressions of expectation, intention, belief and opinion contained therein were honestly made on reasonable grounds (and any other Person who furnished such material on behalf of it).

 

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(q) Insolvency. The Borrower (i) has not committed any act of bankruptcy, (ii) is not insolvent, nor has proposed, nor given notice of its intention to propose, a compromise or arrangement to its creditors generally, nor (iii) has any petition for a receiving order in bankruptcy filed against it, made a voluntary assignment in bankruptcy, taken any proceeding with respect to any compromise or arrangement, taken any proceeding to have itself declared bankrupt or wound-up, taken any proceeding to have a receiver appointed of any part of its Property.

 

(r) Location of Collateral. The offices where Borrower keeps its books, records and accounts (or copies thereof) concerning the Collateral, Borrower’s principal place of business and all of Borrower’s other significant places of business and significant locations of Collateral, all after giving effect to the FNL Transaction, are as set forth in Schedule 7.1(r).

 

(s) Owned Real Property. A list of Borrower’s owned real property after giving effect to the FNL Transaction is as set forth in Schedule 7.1(s).

 

(t) Leased Real Property. A list of Borrower’s leased real property after giving effect to the FNL Transaction is as set forth in Schedule 7.1(t).

 

(u) Environmental Laws. The Borrower complied with all Environmental Laws applicable to the construction and operation of its Property and businesses, except where any non-compliance would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; the Borrower has no material contingent liability with respect to non-compliance with Environmental Laws or the generation, handling, use, storage, or disposal of Materials of Environmental Concern; and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Borrower:

 

(i) has not received any Action Request, Violation Notice, summons, complaint, order or other notice that it is not in compliance with, or that any Governmental Authority is investigating its compliance with. Environmental Laws:

 

(ii) has no knowledge or reason to believe that operations or any Property of or occupied by the Borrower or in the Borrower’s charge, management or control are not in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws and each of its Properties is free:

 

(A) from contamination by, and there has not been thereon a release, discharge or emission of, any Materials of Environmental Concern which is prohibited, controlled or regulated under any Environmental Law; and

 

(B) of underground storage tanks, landfills, land disposals and dumps;

 

(iii) has not filed any notice, or received notice, under any Applicable Law, including any Environmental Law, indicating past or present treatment, storage or disposal of a Material of Environmental Concern or reporting any spill or release of a Material of Environmental Concern into the environment;

 

(iv) has no contingent liability of which the Borrower has knowledge or reasonably should have knowledge in connection with any release of any Material of Environmental Concern;

 

(v) does not generate, transport, treat or dispose of any Material of Environmental Concern in any manner which is not in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws; and

 

(vi) has not disposed of any Material of Environmental Concern in or on the ground of Borrower’s real properties or premises leased by Borrower.

 

(v) Labor Matters. Except as provided on Schedule 7.1(v) and after giving effect to the FNL Transaction:

 

(i) there is no collective bargaining agreement or other labour contract covering employees of Borrower;

 

(ii) there is no pending or, to the best of its knowledge, threatened strike, work stoppage, material unfair labour practice claims, or other material labour dispute against or affecting Borrower or its employees which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

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(iii) there are no controversies pending or threatened between Borrower and any of its employees, other than employee grievances arising in the ordinary course of business which would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and

 

(iv) the Borrower is in compliance in all material respects with all Applicable Laws respecting employment and employment terms, conditions and practices, except where the failure to so comply would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(w) Pension Plans. Except as disclosed on Schedule 7.1(w) and after giving effect to the FNL Transaction, the Borrower does not sponsor or maintain or contribute to a Pension Plan. With respect to any Pension Plan adopted or to which Borrower may become obliged to contribute (including after giving effect to the FNL Transaction), no failure to remit contributions (other than immaterial amounts) has occurred with respect to any such Pension Plan, that is sufficient to give rise to a Lien under any Applicable Laws of any jurisdiction (other than a Permitted Lien), and no condition exists and no event or transaction has occurred with respect to any such Pension Plan which could result in the incurrence by Borrower of any material liability, fine or penalty. Each Pension Plan is in compliance in all material respects with all Applicable Laws pertaining to pension benefits and Tax laws, (i) all contributions (including employee contributions made by authorized payroll deductions or other withholdings) required to be made to the appropriate funding agency in accordance with all Applicable Laws and the terms of such Pension Plan have been made in accordance with all Applicable Laws and the terms of such Pension Plan, except for amounts which are immaterial, (ii) all liabilities under such Pension Plan are fully funded, on a going concern and solvency basis, in accordance with the terms of the respective Pension Plans, the requirements of applicable pension benefits laws and of applicable regulatory authorities and the most recent actuarial report filed with respect to the Pension Plan. No event has occurred and no conditions exist with respect to any such Pension Plan that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in such Pension Plan having its registration revoked or refused for the purposes of any applicable pension benefits or tax laws or being placed under the administration of any relevant pension benefits regulatory authority or being required to pay any taxes or penalties under any applicable pension benefits or tax laws.

 

(x) ERISA, (i) With respect to each ERISA Plan, it and each other member of its Controlled Group has fulfilled its obligations under the minimum funding standards of and is in compliance in all material respects with ERISA and the Revenue Code to the extent applicable to it and has not incurred any liability to the PBGC or under Title IV of ERISA, other than a liability to the PBGC for premiums under Section 4007 of ERISA; (ii) it does not have any contingent liabilities with respect to any post-retirement benefits under a Welfare Plan, other than liability for continuation coverage described in Part 6 of Title I of ERISA or as required under Applicable Law requirements for health continuation coverage, (iii) neither a Reportable Event nor a Prohibited Transaction has occurred and is continuing with respect to any ERISA Plan; (iv) no notice of intent to terminate an ERISA Plan has been filed, nor has any ERISA Plan been terminated; (v) no circumstances exist which constitute grounds entitling the PBGC to institute proceedings to terminate, or appoint a trustee to administer, ERISA Plan, nor has the PBGC instituted any such proceedings; (vi) neither it nor any member of its Controlled Group has completely or partially withdrawn from a multiemployer plan; (vii) it and all members of its Controlled Group have met their minimum funding requirements under ERISA with respect to all of their ERISA Plans and the present value of all vested benefits under each ERISA Plan exceeds the fair market value of all such ERISA Plan assets allocable to such benefits, as determined on the most recent valuation date of such ERISA Plan and in accordance with the provisions of ERISA; and neither it nor any member of its Controlled Group has incurred any liability to the PBGC under ERISA.

 

(y) Computer Software. The Borrower owns or has licensed for use or otherwise has the right to use or to acquire or licence all of the material software necessary to conduct its businesses and the FNL Business. All computer equipment owned or used by Borrower or to be acquired pursuant to the FNL Transaction and necessary for the conduct of business and the FNL Business has been properly maintained and is in good working order for the purposes of on-going operation, subject to ordinary wear and tear for computer equipment of comparable age.

 

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(z) Insurance. The Borrower has maintained and maintains insurance which is in full force and effect that complies with all of the requirements of this Agreement. The Borrower has maintained and maintains product liability insurance which is in full force and effect covering at least $1,000,000 per claim and $3,000,000 in the aggregate. Schedule 7.1(z) lists all existing insurance policies maintained by Borrower as of the Closing Date.

 

(aa) OF AC. The Borrower is not in violation of any of the country or list based economic and trade sanctions administered and enforced by OF AC. The Borrower (i) is not a Sanctioned Person or a Sanctioned Entity, (ii) has no more than ten percent (10%) of its assets located in Sanctioned Entities, or (iii) derives no more than ten percent (10%) of its revenues from investments in, or transactions with Sanctioned Persons or Sanctioned Entities.

 

(bb) Investment Company. The Borrower is not an “investment company” nor a company “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940 of the United Sates, as amended.

 

(cc) No Margin Stock. The Borrower is not engaged in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock. None of the proceeds of the Loan shall be used to purchase or carry, or to reduce or retire or refinance any credit incurred to purchase or carry, any margin stock (within the meaning of Regulations U and X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States) or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin stock.

 

(dd) Perfection Certificate. The information set forth in the Perfection Certificate (and each Perfection Certificate delivered in accordance herewith) is true, correct and complete as of the date set forth therein and will be true, correct and complete on the Closing Date.

 

(ee) FNL Asset Purchase Agreement. The accuracy and completeness of each of the representations and warranties set out in Section 5 of the FNL Asset Purchase Agreement, including the definitions used in such sections of the FNL Asset Purchase Agreement (whether defined in Section 5 of the FNL Asset Purchase Agreement or elsewhere) and all such representations, warranties and definitions are hereby incorporated into this Agreement by reference as if same were herewith recited at length and made directly by the Borrower for the benefit of the Lender. Such representations and warranties shall survive for so long as the Obligations remain outstanding, notwithstanding any shorter survival period under the Purchase Agreement.

 

(ff) No Material Adverse Effect. No event has occurred which has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(gg) No Default or Event of Default. No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

(hh) Regulatory Matters.

 

(i) Except as set out in Schedule 7.1(i). each Product that is subject to the Applicable Laws promulgated by a Regulatory Authority, is manufactured, packaged, labelled, imported, exported, stored, distributed, sold (whether or not for consideration), advertised and marketed in compliance with all such Applicable Laws, (except for immaterial non-compliance) as well as all material terms and conditions imposed in any licences and permits issued in respect of the Products.

 

(ii) Neither the Borrower nor, to the knowledge of the Borrower, any officer, employee, contractor or agent of the Borrower has ever made an untrue statement of material fact or fraudulent statement to a Regulatory Authority or failed to disclose a material fact required to be disclosed to a Regulatory Authority.

 

(iii) Except as set out in Schedule 7.1 (iii) no Product has been recalled, withdrawn, suspended or discontinued (other than for commercial or business reasons) by Borrower at any time, and Borrower have not received any information or report from any Governmental Authority, indicating that any of the Products, or ingredients therein, are unsafe or unsuitable for its intended use or pose an unacceptable health risk.

 

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(iv) To the knowledge of Borrower after due inquiry, none of the Products or ingredients therein have been the subject of a warning, consumer alert or other cautionary statement issued by any Governmental Authority nor is there any ongoing complaint or investigation by any Governmental Authority relating to the advertising or marketing practices used for any Product. Other than as provided for in Schedule 7.1(hh). Borrower are not aware of any facts that would indicate that any Governmental Authority has or will prohibit or materially restrict the marketing, sale, distribution or use in the United States, Canada or Europe of any Product or the operation or use of any facility currently used to produce, manufacture or distribute the Products.

 

(ii) None of the foregoing representations and warranties and no document furnished by or on behalf of Borrower to the Lender in connection with the negotiation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make any such statement or representation (taken as a whole) not materially misleading at such time in light of the circumstances under which such information or data was furnished.

 

7.2 Survival of Representations and Warranties.

 

The Borrower, for itself and on behalf of Borrower, represents, warrants and covenants that all representations, warranties and covenants contained in this Agreement (whether appearing in Article 7 or elsewhere) shall be true, correct and complete at the time of the Borrower’s execution of this Agreement, shall survive the execution, delivery and acceptance hereof by the parties hereto and the closing of the transactions described herein or related hereto, shall, except for representations and warranties that relate solely to an earlier date, remain true, correct and complete until the indefeasible repayment and performance in full of all of the Obligations and termination of this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE 8 - SCHEDULES AND REPORTS

 

8.1 Financial Information.

 

The Borrower shall deliver to the Lender the following financial information:

 

(a) no later than forty-five (45) days after the end of the Borrower’s first three Fiscal Quarters each year, copies of internally prepared Consolidated Financial Statements of the Borrower;

 

(b) no later than ninety (90) days after the end of each Fiscal Year of the Borrower, copies of annual Consolidated Audited Financial Statements of the Borrower, along with a comparison to the budget set forth in the Annual Business Plan and the previous year;

 

(c) no later than thirty (30) days prior to the commencement of each Fiscal Year of the Borrower, a copy of the Annual Business Plan (in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender) approved by the board of directors of the Borrower, and, within twenty (20) days of any material modification thereto, a copy of the Annual Business Plan previously delivered, as modified; provided, however, the parties acknowledge that a copy of the Annual Business Plan for Fiscal Year 2015 will only be delivered to the Lender on or before January 31, 2015; and

 

(d) no later than twenty-five (25) days after the end of each calendar month, copies of the Cash Balance Statements.

 

8.2 Compliance Certificate.

 

With each Financial Statement delivered pursuant to Sections 8.1(a), 8.1(b) and 8.1(d), the Borrower shall deliver to the Lender a Compliance Certificate. For greater certainty, the Compliance Certificate with respect to the Cash Balance Statement will be delivered monthly when due under Section 8.1(d).

 

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8.3 Other Matters.

 

At such times as may be requested by the Lender from time to time hereafter, the Borrower shall deliver to the Lender (i) such additional schedules, certificates, reports and information with respect to the Collateral as the Lender may from time to time reasonably require, including, but not limited to, non-consolidated Financial Statements of the Borrower; (ii) a collateral assignment of any or all items of property held by Borrower, from time to time, to the Lender or as the Lender may direct in order to perfect and further establish the security interests in favour of the Lender (or the Collateral Agent in the discretion of the Lender) in such property in accordance with this Agreement (to the extent not otherwise previously perfected under a Loan Document). All schedules, certificates, reports and assignments and other items delivered by the Borrower to the Lender hereunder shall be executed by an authorized representative of the Borrower, and shall be in such form and contain such information as the Lender shall reasonably request. The Lender, through its officers, employees or agents, shall have the right, upon reasonable notice at any time and from time to time in the Lender’s name, in the name of a nominee of the Lender or in Borrower’s name, to verify the validity, amount or any other matter relating to any of the Collateral, by mail, telephone, telegraph or otherwise. The Borrower shall reimburse the Lender, on demand, for all reasonable receipted costs, fees and expenses incurred by the Lender in this regard.

 

ARTICLE 9 – COVENANTS

 

9.1 Covenants.

 

Until indefeasible payment and performance in full of all Obligations and termination of this Agreement, unless the Borrower obtains the prior written consent of the Lender waiving or modifying any covenants hereunder in any specific instance, the Borrower shall:

 

(a) Timely Payment. Make due and timely payment of the Obligations required to be paid by it hereunder.

 

(b) Conduct of Business, Maintenance of Existence, Compliance with Laws. Carry on and conduct its business and operations in a proper, efficient and businesslike manner, in accordance with good business practice except for non-compliance which would not have a Material Adverse Effect; preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its existence; and take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business and to comply in all material respects with all Material Contracts, Material Licences and Requirements of Law.

 

(c) Further Assurances. Provide the Lender with such other documents, opinions, consents, acknowledgements and agreements as are reasonably necessary to implement this Agreement and the other Loan Documents from time to time.

 

(d) Access to Information. Promptly provide the Lender with all information reasonably requested by the Lender from time to time concerning its financial condition and Property, and during normal business hours and from time to time upon reasonable notice, permit representatives of the Lender to inspect any of its Property and to examine and take extracts from its financial books, accounts and records including but not limited to accounts and records stored in computer data banks and computer software systems, and to discuss its financial affairs, its business or any part of its Property with its senior officers and (in the presence of such of its representatives as it may designate) its Auditor. Provided that a Default or Event of Default is then continuing (or the Lender reasonably expects that that is the case), the Borrower will pay all reasonable expenses incurred by such representatives in order to visit Borrower’s premises or attend at the Borrower’s principal office, as applicable, for such purposes.

 

(e) Obligations and Taxes. Pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged, before the same shall become delinquent (i) all Taxes imposed upon it or upon its income or profits or in respect of its business or Property and file all tax returns in respect thereof; (ii) all lawful claims for labour, materials and supplies; (iii) all required payments under any of its Debt, and (iv) all other obligations; provided, however that it shall not be required to pay or discharge or to cause to be paid or discharged any such amount so long as the validity or amount thereof shall be contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and, in the case of clause (i) above, an adequate reserve in accordance with IFRS has been established in its books and records.

 

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(f) Use of Loan. Use the proceeds of the Loan only to finance the FNL Transaction and the expenses related thereto or related to this Agreement and the Loan Documents and for working capital for the Business.

 

(g) Insurance. Maintain or cause to be maintained with reputable insurers coverage against risk of loss or damage to its Property (including public liability and damage to property of third parties) and business interruption insurance of such types as is customary for and would be maintained by a corporation with an established reputation engaged in the same or similar business in similar locations and provide to the Lender, as requested (acting reasonably), evidence of such coverage. The Borrower shall, prior to the expiry or replacement of any insurance policy, notify the Lender of the replacement and at the Lender’s request send copies of all replacement policies to the Lender. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Borrower will maintain product liability insurance covering at least $1,000,000 per claim and $3,000,000 in the aggregate. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Borrower shall maintain in effect all insurance coverage reasonable and prudent for a business similar to the Business conducted in similar locations. The Lender shall be indicated in all insurance policies, as applicable, as first loss payee and additional insured, and all policies shall contain such standard mortgage clauses as the Lender shall reasonably require for the Lender’s protection.

 

(h) Notice of Default or Event of DefaultPromptly and, in any event within two (2) Business Days, notify the Lender of any Default or Event of Default that would apply to it or to Borrower of which it becomes aware along with the action to be taken by Borrower to remedy any such Default or Event of Default.

 

(i) Notice of Material Adverse Effect. Promptly notify the Lender of any Material Adverse Effect of which it becomes aware.

 

(j) Notice of Litigation. Promptly notify the Lender on becoming aware of the occurrence of any litigation, dispute, arbitration, proceeding or other circumstance the result of which if determined adversely would or could reasonably be expected to result in (a) a judgment or award against it in excess of $100,000 or (b) a Material Adverse Effect, and from time to time provide the Lender with all reasonable information requested by it concerning the status of any such proceeding.

 

(k) Other Notices. Promptly, upon having knowledge, give notice to the Lender of:

 

(i) any notice of expropriation affecting Borrower;

 

(ii) any Action Request or Violation Notice;

 

(iii) any violation of any Applicable Law which does or may have a Material Adverse Effect on Borrower;

 

(iv) any default under any Debt in a principal amount greater than $100,000 of Borrower;

 

(v) any termination prior to maturity of or default under a Material Contract or any termination, lapse, rescission or default under a Material Licence;

 

(vi) any damage to or destruction of any Property, of Borrower having a replacement cost in excess of $100,000;

 

(vii) the acquisition of any real property by Borrower;

 

(viii) the receipt of insurance proceeds by Borrower in excess of $100,000;

 

(ix) any Lien registered against any Property of Borrower, other than a Permitted Lien;

 

(x) the occurrence of any event referred to in Section 7. l(w);

 

(xi) a Product being recalled, withdrawn, suspended or discontinued or is under consideration of being recalled, withdrawn, suspended or discontinued;

 

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(xii) a Product being the subject of a warning, consumer alert or other cautionary statement issued by any Governmental Authority;

 

(xiii) any information or report from any Governmental Authority, indicating that any of the Products are, unsafe or unsuitable for its intended use or pose an unacceptable health risk;

 

(xiv) a default under the FNL Asset Purchase Agreement;

 

(xv) any entering into of a Material Contract or Material Licence; and

 

(xvi) any material adverse change in, or material adverse amendment to, or termination of a Material Contract or Material Licence.

 

(1) Environmental Compliance. Operate its business in compliance with Requirements of Environmental Laws (except where the failure to do so would not have a Material Adverse Effect) and operate all Property owned, leased or otherwise used by it such that no obligation, including a clean-up or remedial obligation, will arise under any Requirements of Environmental Law; provided, however, that if any such claim is made or any such obligation arises, the Borrower shall promptly satisfy, address or contest such claim or obligation at its own cost and expense. It shall promptly notify the Lender upon: (i) learning of the existence of any Materials of Environmental Concern located on, above or below the surface of any land which it owns, leases, operates, occupies or controls (except those being stored, used or otherwise handled in compliance with Requirements of Environmental Law), or contained in the soil or water constituting such land; and (ii) the occurrence of any reportable release, spill, leak, emission, discharge, leaching, dumping or disposal of Materials of Environmental Concern that has occurred on or from such land, which, in either the case of (i) or (ii), is likely to result in liability under Requirements of Environmental Law in excess of $100,000.

 

(m) Security. With respect to the Security:

 

(i) provide to the Lender the Security required from time to time pursuant to Article 6 in accordance with the provisions of such Article, accompanied by supporting resolutions, certificates and opinions in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender; and

 

(ii) do, execute and deliver all such things, documents, security, agreements and assurances as may from time to time be requested by the Lender to ensure that the Lender holds at all times valid, enforceable, perfected first-priority Liens (subject only to Permitted Liens) on the Collateral from Borrower meeting the requirements of Article 6.

 

(n) Maintenance of Property. Keep all Property useful and necessary in its business in good working order and condition, normal wear and tear excepted, and maintain all Intellectual Property necessary to carry on its business.

 

(o) Landlord Consents. Use its best commercial efforts to obtain, in favour of the Lender, a consent agreement from a landlord of premises that are leased at any time and from time to time by Borrower.

 

(p) Material Contracts. Ensure that any Material Contract is specifically assigned by way of security in favour of the Lender by the Borrower and to obtain, in favour of the Lender, if necessary to assign properly such Material Contract, an acknowledgement of a Person or Governmental Authority to such assignment.

 

(q) Employee Benefit and Welfare Plans. Maintain all employee benefit. Pension Plans and Welfare Plans relating to its business in compliance with all Applicable Laws except for immaterial non-compliance.

 

(r) Additional Information. Promptly provide the Lender, after the sending or filing thereof, with copies of all reports, notices, prospectuses and registration statements which Borrower files with a securities commission or securities regulatory authority in any Province of Canada or any other securities commission.

 

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(s) Material Contracts and Material Licences. At the request of the Lender from time to time, provide to the Lender certified copies of all Material Contracts and Material Licences.

 

(t) Regulatory Matters. Ensure that (i) all non-compliance (other than immaterial non-compliance) with regulatory matters as identified in Schedule 7.1(t) is remedied within a reasonable period of time following the Closing Date, and (ii) all existing and future Products are licensed and/or registered, as applicable, in compliance with Applicable Laws.

 

(u) ERISA. Promptly pay and discharge all obligations and liabilities arising under ERISA of a character which if unpaid or unperformed could result in the imposition of a Lien other than a Permitted Lien against any of its Properties; promptly notify the Lender of (i) the occurrence of any Reportable Event with respect to an ERISA Plan that could reasonably be expected to result in material liability, (ii) receipt of any notice from the PBGC of its intention to seek termination of any ERISA Plan or appointment of a trustee therefor, (iii) its intention to terminate or withdraw from any ERISA Plan or multiemployer plan that could reasonably be expected to result in material liability, and (iv) the occurrence of any event with respect to any ERISA Plan or multiemployer plan which would result in the incurrence by it or any Subsidiary of any material liability, fine or penalty, and (v) any material increase in its contingent liability with respect to any post-retirement Welfare Plan benefit.

 

(v) Patriot Act. In the case of Borrower, the Borrower acknowledges and agrees that pursuant to the provisions of the USA Patriot Act (Title HE of the Pub. L. 107-56) signed into law October 26, 2001 (the “Patriot Act”), the Lender may be required to obtain, verify and record information with respect to Borrower; and the Borrower hereby agrees to cooperate with the Lender and provide them with all information that may be required in order to fulfil their obligations under the Patriot Act; and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Borrower agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the consent of any of their respective officers, directors and employees whose consent to the disclosure of any such information is required under applicable privacy legislation in Canada.

 

(w) Books and Records. At all times keep accurate and complete books, records and accounts with respect to all of its business activities, in accordance with sound accounting practices and, where applicable, IFRS consistently applied, and shall keep such books, records and accounts, and any copies thereof, only at the addresses indicated for such purpose on Schedule 7.1(f):

 

(x) Financial Covenants.

 

  (i) Minimum EBITDA. The Borrower shall maintain a minimum EBITDA of $500,000 for the six (6) months ending on September 30, 2015 and for the six (6) month period ending on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter thereafter.
     
  (ii) Net Debt to TTM EBITDA Ratio. For the Fiscal Quarter ending on March 31, 2016 and at all times thereafter, the Borrower shall maintain a Net Debt to TTM EBITDA Ratio of no more than 6:1.
     
  (iii) Cash Balance. The Borrower will maintain at all times a minimum positive cash balance equal to $750,000 or such lower amount as is agreed to by the Lender acting reasonably (the “Cash Balance Statement”).

 

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(y) Board of Directors. Until the repayment and performance in full of all of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement the Lender shall be entitled to designate one individual (the “Lender’s Nominee”), to be an observer to or, if so determined by Lender, to be nominated and, if elected, to serve as a member of the Borrower’s board of directors (the “Board”), and so long as the Lender’s Nominee serves as a member of the Board, to serve on the Board’s Audit and Compensation Committee or, at Lender’s option, to serve as an observer to such Committees. The Lender acknowledges that any appointment to the Borrower’s Board must be ratified annually by a shareholder vote at the Borrower’s annual general or special meetings of shareholders and the Borrower shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the election of the Lender’s Nominee, including soliciting proxies in favour of the election of the Lender’s Nominee in the event the Borrower intends to solicit any such proxies in connection with a meeting of its shareholders. The Borrower shall notify the Lender in writing immediately upon determining the date of any meeting of its shareholders at which directors of the Borrower are to be elected and the Lender shall advise the Borrower and the Board of the name of the Lender’s Nominee within 14 Business Days after receiving such notice. The Lender will provide the Board with reasonable notice of the person it proposes to nominate to the Board, and the Board will give due consideration to the view of the independent members of the Board as to whether such person is an appropriate addition to the Board given his or her skill set. The Borrower shall not be entitled to veto the Lender’s Nominee unless such Lender’s Nominee has previously been removed by a resolution of its shareholders or such Lender Nominee is a director who retired by rotation and was not re-elected by the Borrower’s shareholders. If the Lender’s Nominee ceases to hold office as a director of the Borrower for any reason, the Lender shall be entitled to nominate an individual to replace him or her and the Borrower shall promptly take all steps as may be necessary to appoint such individual to the Board to replace the Lender’s Nominee who has ceased to hold office. The number of persons acting as directors of the Board shall not exceed five (5) persons without the Lender’s prior consent. The Lender’s Nominee shall be entitled, if acting as an observer or a director, to the same number of options to purchase common shares in the capital of the Borrower and on the same terms and conditions as would a director of the Borrower, but not fewer than 1,000,000 options.

 

9.2 Negative Covenants.

 

So long as this Agreement is in force and except as otherwise permitted by the prior written consent of the Lender, the Borrower shall not and shall ensure that Borrower shall not:

 

(a) Disposition of Property. Except for Permitted Dispositions, dispose of, in one transaction or a series of transactions, all or any part of its Property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired.

 

(b) No Consolidation, Amalgamation, etc. Consolidate, amalgamate or merge with any other Person, export a corporation into a jurisdiction outside of the United States, enter into any corporate reorganization or other transaction intended to effect or otherwise permit a change in its existing corporate or capital structure, liquidate, wind-up or dissolve itself, or permit any liquidation, winding-up or dissolution unless prior written approval has been received by the Lender and such documentation as is required by counsel to the Lender is delivered concurrently with such transaction.

 

(c) No Change of Name. Change its name or change its jurisdiction of incorporation or formation in each case without providing the Lender with fifteen (15) days’ prior written notice thereof.

 

(d) No Debt. Create, incur, assume or permit any Debt to remain outstanding, other than Permitted Debt.

 

(e) Operating Leases. Create, incur, assume or permit obligations outstanding in respect to operating leases (which, for greater certainty, does not include leases of real property) such that the aggregate annual payments due on such leases exceeds $100,000.

 

(f) No Distributions. Make any Distribution except Permitted Distributions.

 

(g) No Lien. Create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its Property except a Permitted Lien.

 

(h) Acquisitions. Make any Acquisitions except:

 

(i) the FNL Transaction;

 

(ii) provided that no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing (or would result from such Acquisition), an Acquisition of any other Person or of all or part of the Property of any other Person or of all or part of any division, business, operation or undertaking of any other Person where the business of such Person is the same or substantially the same as, similar, complementary or related to, the Business or the business of the Borrower and the aggregate consideration payable in respect of such Acquisition (including, without limitation, any deferred consideration) is not more than $100,000, and further provided that any property acquired pursuant to such Acquisition becomes Collateral subject to the Security (including, without limitation, any shares of any Subsidiary); or

 

(iii) exercise of the Borrower’s right to repurchase the Lender Option as permitted under the Lender Option.

 

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(i) No Change to Year End. Make any change to its Fiscal Year.

 

(j) Location of Assets in Other Jurisdictions. Except for any Property in transit in the ordinary course of business, acquire any Property outside of the jurisdictions identified in Schedule 7.1(r) or move any Property from one jurisdiction to another jurisdiction where the movement of such Property would cause the Lien of the Security over such Property to cease to be perfected under Applicable Law, or suffer or permit in any other manner any of its Property to not be subject to the Lien of the Security or to be or become located in a jurisdiction as a result of which the Lien of Security over such Property is not perfected, unless (i) Borrower has first given thirty (30) days’ prior written notice thereof to the Lender, and (ii) the Borrower has first executed and delivered to the Lender all Security and all financing or registration statements in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender which the Lender or its counsel, acting reasonably, from time to time deem necessary or advisable to ensure that the Security at all times constitutes a perfected first-priority Lien (subject only to Permitted Liens) over such Property notwithstanding the movement or location of such Property as aforesaid together with such supporting certificates, resolutions, opinions and other documents as the Lender may deem necessary or desirable in connection with such security and registrations.

 

(k) Amendments to Organizational Documents. Amend any of its Organizational Documents in a manner that would be materially prejudicial to the interests of the Lender under the Loan Documents.

 

(l) Amendments to other Documents. Amend, vary or alter any Material Contract or Material Licence in a manner that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(m) Non-Arm’s Length Transactions. Except as contemplated by Section 9.2(f), effect any transactions with any Person not dealing at Arm’s Length unless such transaction is on market terms and consistent with transactions with Persons at Arm’s Length.

 

(n) Sale and Leaseback. Enter into any arrangement with any Person providing for the leasing by Borrower, as lessee, of Property which has been or is to be sold or transferred by Borrower to such Person or to any other Person to whom funds have been or are to be advanced by such Person on the security of such Property or the lease obligation of Borrower.

 

(o) Employee Loans. Make any loans or advances to an employee of Borrower other than loans in an aggregate amount not to exceed $100,000 provided that such loans are used to purchase Equity Interests in Borrower and at the time of the loan no Default or Event of Default exists.

 

(p) Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts. The Borrower will not have any Permitted Cash Investments, cash or Equity Interests in any single Deposit Account or Securities Account located in the United States (other than payroll accounts), where the balance in such Deposit Account or Securities Account is in excess of $100,000 at any one time unless the Borrower and the applicable securities intermediary or deposit-taking institution have entered into a Control Agreement or similar agreement governing such Deposit Account or Securities Account in order to perfect (and further establish) the security interests in favour of the Lender under the Security Documents in such Permitted Cash Investments, cash or Equity Interests, except that (i) in the case of any Permitted Cash Investments, cash or Equity Interests in any single Deposit Account or Securities Account in existence on the Closing Date, the Borrower will within sixty (60) days of the Closing Date enter into a Control Agreement or similar agreement governing such Deposit Account or Securities Account in order to perfect (and further establish) the security interests in favour of the Lender under the Security Documents in such Permitted Cash Investments, cash or Equity Interests; and (ii) the requirements of this proviso will not apply to any Deposit Account or Securities Account that is required in connection with a Permitted Acquisition until sixty (60) days following the date such acquisition is consummated. The aggregate amount of all Permitted Cash Investments, cash and Equity Interests in all Deposit Accounts and all Securities Accounts owned by the Borrower for which a Control Agreement has not been delivered shall not exceed $200,000 at any time.

 

(q) New Subsidiaries. Create or acquire any Subsidiary after the date of this Agreement, including in respect of any Subsidiaries acquired as part of an Acquisition permitted under this Agreement, unless: (i) such Subsidiary exists pursuant to the laws of a state of the United States of America; (ii) all of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of such Subsidiary is owned by the Borrower; (iii) such new Subsidiary provides a legal, valid and enforceable guarantee in favour of the Lender and first-ranking security in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender; and in each case appropriate legal opinions are delivered by Borrower’s counsel to the Lender.

 

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(r) Capital Expenditures. Without prior written consent of the Lender, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld, the Borrower may not make any Capital Expenditures which exceed in any Fiscal Year an aggregate of $100,000 over the aggregate amount of Capital Expenditures included in the Annual Business Plan for such Fiscal Year.

 

(s) Compensation. Make any material changes to employee or management compensation practices other than changes which are customary and reasonable in a business similar to the Business.

 

9.3 Entitled to Perform Covenants

 

If the Borrower fails to perform any covenant contained in this Article 9, or in any other provision hereof or of any of the other Loan Documents, the Lender may perform in any manner deemed fit by it without thereby waiving any rights to enforce this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, any such covenant capable of being performed by it and if any such covenant requires the payment of money, the Lender may make such payments. All sums so expended by the Lender shall be deemed to form part of the Obligations, shall bear interest at the same rate as the Loan and shall be payable by the Borrower on demand.

 

ARTICLE 10 - CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

 

10.1 Conditions Precedent to Loan.

 

The obligations of the Lender to fund the Loan are subject to the satisfaction or waiver on or before the Closing Date of the following conditions precedent:

 

(a) this Agreement shall have been executed and delivered by all parties hereto;

 

(b) the Lender shall have received certified copies of the Organizational Documents of Borrower, the resolutions authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of Borrower’s respective obligations under the Loan Documents and the transactions contemplated herein, and the incumbency of the officers of Borrower;

 

(c) copies of all shareholder agreements and partnership agreements, if any, applicable to Borrower, certified by Borrower to be true, shall have been delivered to the Lender’s satisfaction;

 

(d) certificates of status or good standing, as applicable, for all relevant jurisdictions of Borrower shall have been delivered to the Lender;

 

(e) Borrower shall be in compliance in all material respects with all (if any) Material Contracts and Material Licences to the satisfaction of the Lender and copies of all Material Contracts and Material Licences if any, applicable to Borrower, shall have been delivered to the Lender;

 

(f) evidence of repayment in full of all Debt that is not Permitted Debt owing by Borrower to any third party lenders to Borrower concurrent with the Loan shall have been delivered to the Lender;

 

(g) evidence that all necessary or required consents or approvals of any Governmental Authority or other Person in connection with the completion of the FNL Transaction and the delivery of the Loan Documents have been obtained;

 

(h) releases, discharges, estoppels and postponements with respect to all Liens which are not Permitted Liens, if any, shall have been delivered to the Lender;

 

(i) payment of all amounts and fees payable to the Lender;

 

(j) duly executed copies of the Security shall have been delivered to the Lender and such financing statements or other registrations of such Security, or notice thereof, shall have been filed, registered, entered or recorded in all offices of public record necessary or desirable in the opinion of the Lender to preserve or protect the charges and security interests created thereby;

 

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(k) a currently dated letter of opinion of counsel to the Borrower along with the opinions of local counsel for Borrower shall have been delivered to the Lender;

 

(l) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Lender certificates of insurance acceptable to the Lender showing, inter alia, the Lender as a first loss payee as its interest may appear on all insurance policies that insure the assets to be secured by the Security;

 

(m) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the Closing Date or would result from making the Loan and a senior officer of the Borrower shall have certified the same to the Lender;

 

(n) all representations and warranties made by Borrower in the Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects;

 

(o) no Material Adverse Effect has occurred;

 

(p) a source and use of funds statement and an outline of the flow of funds from the Loan shall have been delivered to the Lender evidencing that the Loan will be used solely for the purpose provided for in Section 9.1(f);

 

(q) the Lender shall have received such additional evidence, documents or undertakings as the Lender shall reasonably request to establish the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and the FNL Transaction and be satisfied, acting reasonably, as to the taking of all proceedings in connection herewith in compliance with the conditions set forth in this Agreement;

 

(r) the Lender shall have completed all due diligence which it considers necessary or appropriate in its discretion in regard to Borrower and its Property, the FNL Transaction, books and records, operations, prospects and condition (financial or otherwise), including, without limitation, in regards to past and ongoing compliance with Applicable Laws (including Environmental Laws), union and labour relations and pension matters;

 

(s) the Lender and the Borrower will have entered into, executed and delivered, the Lender’s Option and the Lender’s Distribution Agreement, all on terms satisfactory to the parties, acting reasonably;

 

(t) concurrently therewith, the Borrower shall complete the FNL Transaction on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Lender;

 

(u) the Lender shall have received the Origination Fee (Section 4.6) and the Work Fee (Section 4.7);

 

(v) on or prior to Closing, Borrower will have completed an offering of Borrower’s equity securities or securities convertible into equity securities of at least $250,000;

 

(w) that certain agreement dated between FNL and inLife Business Development Group LLC shall and have been amended in a manner satisfactory to Lender;

 

(x) the execution and delivery of the Warrant by the Borrower;

 

(y) the execution and delivery by the Borrower of a warrant agreement giving effect to the Lender’s Additional Equity, on terms satisfactory to the Parties; and

 

(z) the Closing Date occurs by no later than January 23, 2015.

 

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ARTICLE 11 - EVENTS OF DEFAULT

 

11.1 Events of Default.

 

The occurrence of any one or more of the following events shall constitute an “Event of Default” hereunder:

 

(a) the failure of the Borrower to pay any principal hereunder when due; or

 

(b) the failure of the Borrower to pay any interest or other Obligations (other than principal hereunder) when due, which failure continues unremedied for three (3) Business Days; or

 

(c) the failure of (i) Borrower to perform, keep or observe in a material respect any of the financial covenants in Section 9.1 (x) of this Agreement, (ii) Borrower to perform, keep or observe any of the other covenants, conditions, promises, agreements or obligations under this Agreement (other than as described in Sections 11.1(a) and (b) and other than those covenants, conditions, promises, agreements or obligations referred to in (i) above) or in any of the Loan Documents, in each case which failure is not cured within thirty (30) days of receipt of written notice from the Lender of such failure; or

 

(d) the making or furnishing by Borrower or any director or officer thereof to the Lender of any representation, warranty, certificate, schedule, report or other communication of a material nature within or in connection with this Agreement or the Loan Documents, which is untrue or misleading in any material respect when made; provided that, no Event of Default under this Section 11.1(d) will occur if such representation, warranty or other communication was not intentionally untrue or misleading, is capable of being corrected within thirty (30) days of being made and is diligently corrected within such thirty (30) day period; or

 

(e) if Borrower ceases or threatens to cease to carry on business generally or admits it inability or fails to pay its debts generally; or

 

(f) if (i) the Borrower fails to make any payment when such payment is due and payable to any Person in relation to any indebtedness for borrowed money or other indebtedness or liabilities arising in respect of any other Debt which in the aggregate principal amount then outstanding is in excess of $100,000 and such payment is not made within any applicable cure or grace period; or (ii) the Borrower defaults in the observance or performance of any other agreement or condition in relation to any such indebtedness to any Person which in the aggregate principal amount then outstanding is in excess of $100,000 or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto and such default is not waived or cured within any applicable cure or grace period; or

 

(g) if Borrower denies its obligations under any Loan Document or claims any of the Loan Documents to be invalid or withdrawn in whole or in part; or

 

(h) any of the Loan Documents or any material provision of any of them becomes unenforceable, unlawful or is changed by virtue of legislation or by a court, statutory board or commission, in each case in a manner that is adverse to the Lender, if Borrower does not, within fifteen (15) Business Days of receipt of notice of such Loan Document or material provision becoming unenforceable, unlawful or being changed and being provided with any required new agreement or amendment for execution by the Lender (acting reasonably), replace such Loan Document with a new agreement that is in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender or amend such Loan Document to the satisfaction of the Lender; or

 

(i) if a decree or order of a court of competent jurisdiction is entered adjudging Borrower a bankrupt or insolvent or approving a petition seeking the winding-up of Borrower under the United States Bankruptcy Code or any other bankruptcy, insolvency or analogous laws or issuing sequestration or process of execution against any substantial part of the Property of Borrower or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs; or

 

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(j) if Borrower becomes insolvent, makes any assignment in bankruptcy or makes any other similar assignment for the benefit of creditors, makes any proposal under the United States Bankruptcy Code or any comparable law, seeks relief under any other bankruptcy, insolvency or analogous law, is adjudged bankrupt, files a petition or proposal to take advantage of any act of insolvency, consents to or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee, receiver, receiver and manager, interim receiver, custodian, sequestrator or other Person with similar powers of itself or of all or any substantial portion of its assets, or files a petition or otherwise commences any proceeding seeking any reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization or other similar law affecting creditors’ rights or consents to, or acquiesces in, the filing of such a petition; or

 

(k) if any proceeding or filing shall be instituted or made against Borrower seeking to have an order for relief entered against Borrower as debtor or to adjudicate it bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking liquidation, winding-up, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition under any law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or relief or debtors (including, without limitation, the United States Bankruptcy Code or seeking appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for Borrower or for any substantial part of its properties or assets unless the same is being contested actively and diligently in good faith by appropriate and timely proceedings and is dismissed, vacated or permanently stayed within thirty (30) days of institution; or

 

(l) if a Person takes possession by appointment of a receiver, receiver and manager, or otherwise of any material portion of the Property of Borrower; or

 

(m) if a final judgment, execution, writ of seizure and sale, sequestration or decree for the payment of money due shall have been obtained or entered against the Borrower in an amount in excess of $100,000 and such judgment, execution, writ of seizure and sale, sequestration or decree shall not have been and remain vacated, satisfied, discharged or stayed pending appeal within the applicable appeal period; or

 

(n) if any of the Security shall cease to be a valid and perfected first-priority security interest subject only to Permitted Liens and the Borrower shall have failed to remedy such default within fifteen (15) Business Days of the Borrower becoming aware of such fact; or

 

(o) if an event of default occurs under any Material Contract or Material Licence of Borrower and which is committed by Borrower (other than an event of default specifically dealt with in this Section) and such event of default has or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and is not remedied within fifteen (15) days after the Borrower becomes aware of such event of default; or

 

(p) if any of the following events shall occur with respect to any Pension Plan:

 

(i) the institution of any steps by Borrower or any member of its Controlled Group or any applicable regulatory authority to terminate a Pension Plan (wholly or in part) if, as a result of such termination, Borrower may be required to make an additional contribution to such Pension Plan, or to incur an additional liability or obligation to such Pension Plan or ERISA Plan, equal to or in excess of $100,000 or the equivalent thereof in another currency; or

 

(ii) any Reportable Event or Prohibited Transaction occurs; or

 

(iii) a contribution failure occurs with respect to any ERISA Plan maintained by the Borrower or any member of its Controlled Group sufficient to give rise to a lien or charge under Section 302(f) of ERISA or under any applicable pension benefits legislation in any other jurisdiction; or

 

(q) if a Change of Control occurs; or

 

(r) all or any material part of the Property of Borrower shall be nationalized, expropriated or condemned, seized or otherwise appropriated, or custody or control of such Property of Borrower shall be assumed by any Governmental Authority or any court of competent jurisdiction at the instance of any Governmental Authority, in each case which has or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect except where contested in good faith by proper proceedings diligently pursued where a stay of enforcement is in effect;

 

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(s) if any order is made by any Governmental Authority in relation to the Borrower, or there is any change of law, or the interpretation or administration therefore, in each case, which in the reasonable opinion of the Lender, operates to prevent or restrict the trading of the common shares of the Borrower;

 

(t) if the Lender’s Equity is not issued to Lender within the ten (10) days following Closing; or (u) if the Borrower fails to make either of the “Additional Payments” as defined in and pursuant to the FNL Asset Purchase Agreement on the due dates thereof.

 

11.2 Acceleration and Termination of Rights.

 

If any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, all Obligations owing by the Borrower under the Loan Documents shall, at the option of the Lender, become immediately due and payable, all without notice, presentment, protest, demand, notice of dishonour or any other demand or notice whatsoever, all of which are hereby expressly waived by Borrower; provided, if any Event of Default described in Section 11.1(e), 11.1 (i) through 11.1 (k) with respect to the Borrower shall occur, the outstanding principal amount of the Loan and all other Obligations shall automatically be and become immediately due and payable. In such event the Lender may, in its discretion, exercise any right or recourse and/or proceed by any action, suit, remedy or proceeding against Borrower authorized or permitted by law for the recovery of all the Obligations of the Borrower to the Lender and proceed to exercise any and all rights hereunder and under the Security and no such remedy for the enforcement of the rights of the Lender shall be exclusive of or dependent on any other remedy but any one or more of such remedies may from time to time be exercised independently or in combination.

 

11.3 Remedies Cumulative and Waivers.

 

For greater certainty, it is expressly understood and agreed that the rights and remedies of the Lender hereunder or under any other Loan Document or instrument executed pursuant to this Agreement are cumulative and are in addition to and not in substitution for any rights or remedies provided by law or by equity; and any single or partial exercise by the Lender of any right or remedy for a default or breach of any term, covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall not be deemed to be a waiver of or to alter, affect or prejudice any other right or remedy or other rights or remedies to which the Lender may be lawfully entitled for such default or breach. Any waiver by the Lender of the strict observance, performance or compliance with any term, covenant, condition or other matter contained herein and any indulgence granted, either expressly or by course of conduct, by the Lender shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which it was given and shall be deemed not to be a waiver of any rights and remedies of the Lender under this Agreement or any other Loan Document as a result of any other default or breach hereunder or thereunder.

 

11.4 Saving.

 

The Lender shall not be under any obligation to the Borrower or any other Person to realize any Collateral or enforce the Security or any part thereof or to allow any of the Collateral to be sold. dealt with or otherwise disposed of. The Lender shall not be responsible or liable to Borrower or any other Person for any loss or damage upon the realization or enforcement of, the failure to realize or enforce the Collateral or any part thereof or the failure to allow any of the Collateral to be sold, dealt with or otherwise disposed of or for any act or omission on their respective parts or on the part of any director, officer, agent, servant or adviser in connection with any of the foregoing, except that the Lender may be responsible or liable for any loss or damage arising from the wilful misconduct or gross negligence of Lender.

 

11.5 Third Parties.

 

No Person dealing with the Lender or any agent of the Lender shall be required to inquire whether the Security has become enforceable, or whether the powers which the Lender is purporting to exercise have been exercisable, or whether any Obligations remain outstanding upon the security thereof, or as to the necessity or expediency of the stipulations and conditions subject to which any sale shall be made, or otherwise as to the propriety or regularity of any sale or other disposition or any other dealing with the Collateral charged by such Security or any part thereof.

 

11.6 Set-Off or Compensation.

 

In addition to and not in limitation of any rights now or hereafter granted under Applicable Law, if repayment is accelerated pursuant to Section 11.2, the Lender may at any time and from time to time without notice to the Borrower or any other Person, any notice being expressly waived by the Borrower, set-off and compensate and apply any and all deposits, general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, matured or unmatured, and any other indebtedness at any time owing by the Lender, to or for the credit of or the account of the Borrower, against and on account of the Obligations notwithstanding that any of them are contingent or unmatured.

 

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ARTICLE 12 - INDEMNIFICATION, ETC.

 

12.1 General Indemnity.

 

The Borrower agrees to defend (with counsel satisfactory to the Lender), protect, indemnify and hold harmless the Lender, and each of its Affiliates, and Subsidiaries, and its respective officers, directors, employees, legal counsel and agents (each an “Indemnified Party”) from and against any and all obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, claims, costs, expenses and disbursements of any kind or nature (including, without limitation, the disbursements and the fees (on a solicitor-client basis) of one legal counsel (unless it would be inappropriate for one counsel to represent all Indemnified Parties due to a conflict of interest or otherwise in which case, all legal counsel for each Indemnified Party) in connection with any investigative, administrative or judicial proceedings, whether or not any Indemnified Party shall be designated a party thereto), (collectively, “Losses”) which may be imposed on, incurred by, or asserted against, any Indemnified Party (whether direct, indirect or consequential and whether based on any federal, provincial, state or local laws or regulations, including, without limitation, securities, environmental and commercial laws and regulations, under common law or in equity, or based on contract or otherwise) in any manner relating to or arising out of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any act, event or transaction related or attendant thereto, the making and/or the management of the Loan or the use or intended use of the proceeds of the Loan; provided, however that the Borrower shall have no obligation hereunder to any Indemnified Party to the extent that such Losses were caused by or resulted from the wilful misconduct or gross negligence of such Indemnified Party. To the extent that the undertaking to indemnify set forth in the preceding sentence may be unenforceable against the Borrower because it violates any law or public policy, the Borrower shall satisfy such undertaking to the maximum extent permitted by Applicable Law. Any Losses covered by this indemnity shall be paid to each Indemnified Party on demand, and, failing prompt payment, shall, together with interest thereon at the Deemed Interest Rate from the date incurred by each Indemnified Party until paid in full, be added to the Obligations and be secured by the Collateral. The provisions of this Section 12.1 shall survive the satisfaction and payment of all Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

 

12.2 Taxes.

 

All payments made by the Borrower under this Agreement and the Loan Documents shall be made free and clear of, and without deduction or withholding for or on account of, any present or future income, stamp or other taxes, levies, assessments, imposts, deductions, charges, or withholdings imposed by any foreign, federal, provincial, state, local or other jurisdiction or any Governmental Authority thereof or political subdivision or taxing authority therein, excluding taxes imposed on the net income or the capital of the Lender (all such non-excluded taxes being hereinafter called “Taxes”)- If any Taxes are required to be withheld from any amounts so payable to the Lender hereunder or under any Loan Documents the amounts so payable shall be increased to the extent necessary to yield to the recipient (after payment of all Taxes) interest or any such other amounts payable hereunder at the rates or in the amounts specified in this Agreement or any other Loan Documents. If the Borrower is required by Applicable Law to make any deduction or withholding on account of any Taxes or other amount from any sum paid or expressed to be payable to the Lender under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, then: (i) the Borrower shall notify the Lender of any such requirement or any change in any such requirement as soon as it becomes aware of it; (ii) the Borrower shall pay any such Taxes or other amount before the date on which penalties attached thereto become due and payable; (iii) the sum payable by the Borrower in respect of which the relevant deduction, withholding or payment is required shall be increased to the extent necessary to ensure that, after the making of that deduction, withholding or payment, the recipient receives on the due date and retains (free from any liability in respect of any such deduction, withholding or payment) a sum equal to that which it would have received and so retained had no such deduction, withholding or payment been required or made; and (iv) within thirty (30) days after payment of any sum from which the Borrower is required by Applicable Law to make any deduction or withholding, and within thirty (30) days after the due date of payment of any Taxes or other amount which it is required by clause (ii) above to pay, it shall deliver to the Lender all such certified documents and other evidence as to the making of such deduction, withholding or payment as (A) are reasonably satisfactory to the Lender as proof of such deduction, withholding or payment and of the remittance thereof to the relevant taxing or other authority and (B) are reasonably required by the Lender to enable it to claim a tax credit with respect to such deduction, withholding or payment. If the Borrower fails to pay any Taxes when due to the appropriate taxing authority, the Borrower shall indemnify the Lender for any incremental taxes, interest or penalties that may become payable by the Lender as a result of any such failure. The provisions of this Section 12.2 shall survive the satisfaction and payment of all Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

 

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ARTICLE 13 - GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

13.1 Notice.

 

Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given by facsimile or other means of electronic communication or by hand delivery as hereinafter provided. Any such notice, if sent by fax or other means of electronic communication, shall be deemed to have been received on the day of sending, or if delivered by hand shall be deemed to have been received at the time it is delivered to the applicable address noted below. Notices of change of address shall also be governed by this Section 13.1. Notices and other communications shall be addressed as follows:

 

  (a) if to the Borrower:
     
   

Synergy Strips Corp. c/o

Jack Ross 865 Spring Street

Westbrook, Maine 04092 Fax:

     
    E-mail: jack.ross@purebrands.ca
     
    with a copy to:
     
    Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP
4101 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 300
Raleigh, North Carolina 27607
U.S.A.
    Attention: W. David Mannheim, Esq.
    Fax No. (919)781-4865
    E-mail: dmannheim@wyrick.com

 

  (b) if to the Lender:
     
    Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc.
    Chancery
    House High
    Street
    Bridgetown, St. Michael
    BB11128
    Barbados, WI
    Attention: Andrew C. Ferreira
    Telecopier: 1-246-431-0076
     
    with a copy to:
     
    Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP 900
    New York, NY 10022 U.S.A.
     
    Attention: Hillel W. Rosen
    Telecopier: (212)308-0132

 

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13.2 Choice of Governing Law and Construction.

 

Except as expressly set forth therein, this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (unless expressly stated otherwise in the other Loan Documents) shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York therein as to interpretation, enforcement, validity, construction, effect, and in all other respects, including, without limitation, the legality of the interest rate and other charges, but excluding perfection and realization of the security interests and hypothecs in the Collateral, which shall be governed and controlled by the laws of the relevant jurisdiction.

 

13.3 Attornment.

 

The Parties hereto irrevocably submit and attorn to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York for all matters arising out of, or in connection with, this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

13.4 Press Releases.

 

Each party hereto agrees that it will promptly provide the other party with drafts of any press releases relating to the subject matter hereof, including the entering into of this Agreement, for review and comment prior to the issuance thereof, such review and comments not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed.

 

13.5 Modification and Benefit of Agreement.

 

This Agreement and the other Loan Documents may not be modified, altered or amended except by an agreement in writing signed by the Borrower and the Lender. The Borrower may not sell, assign or transfer this Agreement, or the other Loan Documents or any portion thereof including, without limitation, the Borrower’s right, tide, interest, remedies, powers or duties thereunder. The sale, assignment, transfer or other disposition by the Lender, at any time and from time to time hereafter, of this Agreement, or the other Loan Documents, or of any portion thereof, or participation therein including, without limitation, the right, title, interest, remedies, powers and/or duties of the Lender thereunder will require the prior written consent of the Borrower (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), unless an Event of Default is continuing or unless such sale, assignment, transfer or other disposition is to an Affiliate or Associate of the Lender. The Borrower agrees that it shall execute and deliver such documents as the Lender may request in connection with any such sale, assignment, transfer or other disposition. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the parties hereto and their successors and permitted assigns.

 

13.6 Power of Attorney.

 

The Borrower acknowledges and agrees that its appointment of the Lender as its attorney and agent for the purposes specified in this Agreement is an appointment coupled with an interest and shall be irrevocable until all of the Obligations are paid in full and this Agreement is terminated.

 

13.7 Waivers, Confidentiality, Information Sharing.

 

(a) In no event shall any party hereto be liable for lost profits or other special or consequential damages.

 

(b) To the maximum extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Borrower hereby waives all rights to a hearing of any kind prior to the exercise by the Lender of its rights to repossess the Collateral without judicial process or to reply, attach or levy upon such Collateral without prior notice or hearing.

 

(c) To the maximum extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Borrower hereby waives demand, presentment, protest and notice of nonpayment.

 

(d) Failure of the Lender, at any time or times hereafter, to require strict performance by the Borrower of any provision of this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents shall not waive, affect or diminish any right of the Lender thereafter to demand strict compliance and performance therewith. Any suspension or waiver by the Lender of a Default or Event of Default under this Agreement or any default under any of the Loan Documents shall not suspend, waive or affect any other Default or Event of Default under this Agreement or any other default under any of other Loan Documents, whether the same is prior or subsequent thereto and whether of the same or of a different kind or character. No delay on the part of the Lender in the exercise of any right or remedy under this Agreement or any other Loan Documents shall preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any right or remedy. None of the undertakings, agreements, warranties, covenants and representations of the Borrower contained in this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents and no Default or Event of Default under this Agreement or default under any of the other Loan Documents shall be deemed to have been suspended or waived by the Lender unless such suspension or waiver is in writing, signed by duly authorized officer(s) of the Lender and directed to the Borrower specifying such suspension or waiver.

 

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(e) The Borrower hereby agrees and acknowledges that the Lender shall be permitted to share with any of its Affiliates, any information concerning the Borrower, Borrower, this Agreement and all other Loan Documents, and the subject matter thereof, that the Lender has or will have in its possession.

 

13.8 Timing of Payments.

 

Any payment received by the Lender after 3:00 p.m. (Montreal time) on a Business Day, or on any day that is not a Business Day, shall be credited to the account of the Borrower on the following Business Day.

 

13.9 Judgment Currency.

 

If in the recovery by the Lender of any amount owing hereunder in any currency, judgment can only be obtained in another currency and because of changes in the exchange rate of such currencies between the date of judgment and payment in full of the amount of such judgment, the amount of recovery under the judgment differs from the full amount owing hereunder, the Borrower shall pay any such shortfall to the Lender, and such shortfall can be claimed by the Lender against the Borrower as an alternative or additional cause of action and any surplus received by the Lender will be repaid to the Borrower.

 

13.10 Severability.

 

If any provision of this Agreement is held to be prohibited by or invalid under Applicable Law, such provision shall be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provision or remaining provisions of this Agreement.

 

13.11 Conflicts.

 

In the event there occurs any conflict or inconsistency between any provision hereof and any provision of the other Loan Documents, the provision hereof, to the extent of any such conflict or inconsistency, shall govern.

 

13.12 Entire Agreement.

 

This Agreement and the other Loan Documents embody the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto and thereto and supersede all prior agreements and understandings between such parties relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof and may not be contradicted by evidence of prior or contemporaneous agreements of the parties. There are no unwritten oral agreements between the parties related to the subject matter of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

13.13 Counterpart Execution/Electronic Delivery.

 

This Agreement may be executed in counterpart and delivered by fax or other electronic means of delivery.

 

13.14 English Language.

 

At the request of the parties, this Agreement and the other Loan Documents have been negotiated in the English language and will be or have been executed in the English language. Les soussignes ont expressement demande que ce document et tous les documents annexes soient rediges en langue anglaise.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Borrower has duly executed this Agreement as of the date set out on the first page hereof.

 

  SYNERGY STRIPS CORP.
     
  Per: /s/ Jack Ross
  Name:  Jack Ross
  Title: CFO and Corporate Secretary
     
  KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC.
     
  Per: /s/ [Unintelligible]
  Name: Chancery Corporate Services Limited
  Title: Secretary

 

Signature Page- Loan Agreement

 

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SCHEDULE 8.2

 

COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 

TO: KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC.
  Chancery House, High Street Bridgetown, St. Michael BB 11128, Barbados WI
  Attention: Andrew C. Ferreira
  Telecopier: 1-246-431-0076
FROM: SYNERGY STRIPS CORP.
DATE: ●, 2015
   

1. This Compliance Certificate is delivered to you, as Lender, pursuant to the Loan Agreement made as of January 21, 2015 between the Borrower and the Lender, as amended, supplemented, restated or replaced from time to time (the “Loan Agreement”). All defined terms set forth, but not otherwise defined, in this notice shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Loan Agreement, unless the context requires otherwise.

 

2. I am the duly appointed ● of the Borrower and am providing this Certificate pursuant to the Loan Agreement.

 

3. Iam familiar with the Loan Agreement for purposes of delivering this Certificate.

 

4. The Borrower is in compliance with the Financial Covenants set forth in Section 9. l(x) of the Loan Agreement, namely:

 

  (a) EBITDA for the six (6) months ending ● was $●;
     
  (b) for the Fiscal Quarter ending ●, Net Debt to TTM EBITDA Ratio was ●;
     
  (c) as at ●, the cash balance was $●.

 

5. Attached as Schedule A is a list of additional Material Contracts and Material Licenses entered into since the date of the prior Compliance Certificate.

 

6. All rent payable to any landlord of leased real premises is up to date and there is no default by the Borrower under any such lease.

 

7. As of the date hereof, the Borrower is and will be in compliance with all of the terms and conditions of the Loan Agreement to which it is a party and no Default or Event of Default is continuing under the Loan Agreement.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have signed this Certificate.

 

  SYNERGY STRIPS CORP.
     
  Per:  
  Name:                  
  Title:  

 

 

 

 

Schedule A

 

MATERIAL CONTRACTS AND LICENSES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.3

 

DISTRIBUTION, LICENSE AND SUPPLY AGREEMENT

 

THIS AGREEMENT, effective January 22, 2015, by and between SYNERGY STRIPS CORP., a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Nevada (“Synergy”) and KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC., a corporation incorporated under the laws of Barbados (“Knight )

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS Synergy owns or licenses all right, title and interest in and to certain patents, trademark(s) and Know-How relating to an ingestible dietary supplement product known as FOCUSFactor and including FOCUSFactor Kids;

 

WHEREAS Synergy owns or licenses all right, title and interest in and to certain patents, trademark(s) and Know-How relating to an ingestible dietary supplement product known as Synergy Strips;

 

WHEREAS Knight wishes to be appointed by Synergy as exclusive distributor, to offer to sell and sell the Licensed Products in the Territory and Synergy is willing to grant such exclusive appointment;

 

WHEREAS Knight wishes to procure the Licensed Products from Synergy and Synergy wishes to supply the Licensed Products to Knight;

 

NOW THEREFORE in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:

 

1 DEFINITIONS

 

1.1 Definitions. The following terms as used hereinafter in this Agreement shall have the meaning set forth in this Section:

 

“Additional Territory” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.

 

“Adverse Drug Reaction” means a noxious and unintended response to a drug, which occurs at doses normally used or tested for the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of a disease or the modification of an organic function.

 

“Adverse Drug Event” means any untoward medical occurrence in a patient or clinical investigation subject administered a pharmaceutical product and which does not necessarily have to have a causal relationship with this treatment.

 

“Affiliate” means any corporation, firm, partnership or other entity that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with a Party, with “control” meaning ownership of greater than fifty percent (50%) of the voting stock or other voting interests in the Party or the right to receive over fifty percent (50%) of the profits or earnings of the Party. Such other relationship as in fact results in actual control over the management, business, and affairs of a Party shall also be deemed to constitute control.

 

“Agreement”, “hereto”, “hereunder”, “herein” and similar expressions mean this License, Development and Supply Agreement.

 

“Applicable Laws” means any law, regulation, rule, guidance, order, judgment or decree having the force of law in the Territory.

 

“Business Day” means any day other than (i) Saturday or Sunday or (ii) a day that is a legal holiday in either of Barbados or New York, New York, or (iii) any other day on which banks in either of Barbados or New York, New York are required to be closed.

 

“Calendar Quarter” means the three (3) month periods ending on March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 in each Calendar Year.

 

 

 

 

“Calendar Year” means, in respect of any particular year, the one (1) year period beginning on January 1 and ending on December 31.

 

“Commercial Sale” means any shipment of the Licensed Products in the Territory pursuant to an arm’s length sale by Knight or its Affiliates to a Third Party.

 

“Commercialize” means marketing, using, distributing, promoting, offering for sale, and selling the Licensed Products.

 

“Cost of Goods” means, with respect to the Licensed Products, the production cost of such Licensed Products (for the avoidance of doubt, including, without limitation, manufacturing oversight and quality assurance) calculated in accordance with internal cost accounting methods consistently applied by Synergy for its other similar pharmaceutical products; provided, that such methods comply with IFRS. Cost of Goods shall include direct labor, direct materials (including taxes and duties), but exclude corporate administrative overhead, any costs associated with excess capacity, any royalties or license fees payable to third parties and any other indirect costs. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event a Licensed Product is manufactured by a Third Party supplier and procured by Synergy, the “Cost of Goods” shall include the costs charged for such Licensed Product by such Third Party supplier to Synergy.

 

“Effective Date” means the date specified in the initial paragraph of this Agreement.

 

“Force Majeure” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.6.

 

“GMP” means good manufacturing practices as required under the rules of the applicable Governmental Authority in the Territory.

 

“Governmental Authority” means any federal, state, provincial, or municipal government body, commission, agency, board, court or tribunal in the Territory and having jurisdiction in the particular circumstances.

 

“IFRS” means, at any time, the International Financial Reporting Standards, promulgated by the International Accounting Standards Board, as amended, supplemented or replaced from time to time.

 

“Improvements” means any new indications, dosage strengths, reformulations, line extensions or other advances in, modifications or improvements to the Licensed Products.

 

“Initial Term” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.1.

 

“Know-How” means all scientific, technical, manufacturing, marketing, production, sales and other information relating to the Licensed Products that is known to or controlled by Synergy and which is reasonably necessary for the Commercialization of the Licensed Products in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

“Launch” means the date of the first Commercial Sale in the Territory of the applicable Licensed Product.

 

“Licensed Products” means each of FOCUSFactor, FOCUSFactor Kids and Synergy Strip and all Improvements thereto. “Licensed Product” means either of them.

 

“Long Term Inability to Supply” shall mean the inability to supply at least seventy percent (70%) of the volumes of a Licensed Product indicated in the current forecast that exceeds one hundred and twenty (120) days.

 

“Knight Indemnified Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.5.

 

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“Net Sales” means the gross amounts invoiced by or on behalf of Knight and its Affiliates for sales of Products to third parties that are not Affiliates of Knight in bona fide, arm’s-length transactions, less the following deductions if and to the extent they are (i) determined in accordance with Knight’s accounting standards which are in accordance with IFRS, (ii) actually taken by Knight or its Affiliates and (iii) included in the gross invoiced sales price of any Licensed Products or otherwise directly paid or incurred by Knight or its Affiliates with respect to the sale of Licensed Products:

 

  (a) cash discounts;
     
  (b) rebates;
     
  (c) direct to customer di scounts;
     
  (d) charge-backs;
     
  (e) bad debt;
     
  (f) amounts repaid or credited by reasons of defects, rejections, recalls, returns; and
     
  (g) tariffs, duties, excise, sales, value-added and other similar taxes (other than taxes based on income).

 

“Non-Renewal Fee” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.7.

 

“Non-Renewal Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.1.

 

“Party” means either Synergy or Knight and “Parties” means both Synergy and Knight.

 

“Regulatory Approval” means any and all approvals, marketing authorizations, registrations and licenses (including amendments and supplements thereto) necessary from a Governmental Authority for the Commercialization or manufacture of the Licensed Products in or for the Territory.

 

“Regulatory Submissions” means all applications, filings, dossiers and the like submitted to a Governmental Authority for the purpose of obtaining Regulatory Approval.

 

“Renewable Term” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.1.

 

“SDEA” means the Safety Data Exchange Agreement to be entered into by the Parties within ninety (90) days after the Effective Date.

 

“Short Term Inability to Supply” shall mean the inability to supply at least seventy percent (70%) of the volumes of a Licensed Product indicated in the current forecast that continues for more than sixty (60) days but less than one hundred and twenty (120) days.

 

“Specifications” means the finished product specifications for each Licensed Product as required by the applicable Regulatory Approval and as may be modified from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

 

“Supply Price” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.2.

 

“Synergy Indemnified Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.6.

 

“Synergy Marks” means the trade-marks “FOCUSFactor”, and any other marks Synergy may adopt for use for the Licensed Products.

 

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“Synergy Patents” means all patents in the Territory, including patent applications, continuations, divisional patents, re-examined patents, reissued patents, and foreign equivalents thereof, that are owned by or licensed to Synergy which claim inventions reasonably necessary for the Commercialization of the Licensed Products in the Territory.

 

“Term” means the Initial Term or a Renewal Term.

 

“Territory” means Canada and, subject to Section 12, may also include one or more of the Additional Territories.

 

“Third Party” means any person other than the Parties and their Affiliates.

 

1.2 Other Definitional and Agreement References. References to any agreement, contract, statute, act, or regulation are to that agreement, contract, statute, act, or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof

 

1.3 Ambiguities. Ambiguities, if any, in this Agreement shall not be construed against any Party, irrespective of which Party may be deemed to have authored the ambiguous provision.
   
1.4 Sections and Headings. The term “Section” refers to the specified Section of this Agreement, unless otherwise specified. Headings and captions of the Sections hereof are for convenience only and are not to be used in the interpretation of this Agreement.
   
1.5 Canadian Dollars. References in this Agreement to “Dollars” or “$” shall mean the legal tender of the United States, unless otherwise noted.
   
1.6 Date References. References from or through any date mean, unless otherwise specified, from and including or through and including, respectively.
   
1.7 Gender. Words of one gender include the other gender.
   
1.8 Include, Includes, Including. Whenever the words “include”, “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”, whether or not they are in fact followed by those words or words of like import.
   
1.9 Solidary Obligations. Unless specified otherwise in this Agreement, the obligations of any Party consisting of more than one person are solidary (joint and several).
   
1.10 No Strict Construction. This Agreement has been prepared jointly and shall not be strictly construed against either Party.
   
1.11 Number of Days. Whenever this Agreement refers to a number of days, unless otherwise specified, such number shall refer to calendar days.
   
1.12 Party References. Reference to any Party includes the successors and permitted assigns of that Party.
   
1.13 Singular/Plural. Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number, respectively.

 

2. GRANT OF RIGHTS

 

2.1 Appointment. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, Synergy, on behalf of itself and its Affiliates, hereby appoints Knight as its exclusive distributor of Licensed Products in the Territory for the Term and further grants to Knight and Knight hereby accepts, for the Term, and for the Territory only, an exclusive license under the Synergy Patents and Know-How to Commercialize the Licensed Products.
   
2.2 Sublicensing. Knight may sublicense its rights granted hereunder or use sub-distributors or third party service providers to exercise its right or fulfill its obligations hereunder. All sublicense agreements, distribution or other arrangements or agreements shall be consistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and Knight assumes full responsibility for any actions taken by or omissions by any sublicensee, distributor or other party and any of the expenses, costs, or fees incurred by any sublicensee, distributor or other party.

 

2.3 No Implied Licenses. Neither Party grants to the other Party any right or license to use any of its intellectual property, Know-How or other proprietary information, materials or technology, or to practice any of its patent, trademark, or trade dress rights, except as expressly set forth in this Agreement.
   
2.4 Restriction on Knight Sales. Knight shall not: (i) knowingly solicit or accept orders for distribution of Licensed Products to a Third Party outside the Territory; (ii) knowingly distribute any Licensed Products for sale or use outside the Territory; or (iii) supply any Third Party that has distributed or offered to distribute Licensed Products outside the Territory after Knight has actual knowledge that said Third Party has distributed or offered to distribute Licensed Products obtained from Knight outside of the Territory.

 

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2.5 Restriction on Synergy Sales. Synergy shall not: (i) knowingly solicit or accept orders for distribution of Licensed Products to a Third Party for sale or distribution in the Territory; (ii) knowingly distribute any Licensed Products for sale or use in the Territory; or (iii) supply any Third Party that has distributed or offered to distribute Licensed Products in the Territory after Synergy has actual knowledge that said Third Party has distributed or offered to distribute Licensed Products obtained from Synergy in the Territory.
   
2.6 Performance by Affiliates. The Parties agree that their respective rights and obligations may be exercised or performed by any of their Affiliates; provided, however, that each Party shall be fully responsible and liable for the actions of such Affiliates in the performance of such obligations and shall ensure that such Affiliate complies with the terms of this Agreement.
   
3 REGULATORY AND DEVELOPMENT
   
3.1 Regulatory Submissions. Knight shall be solely responsible, at its expense, for preparing, filing, and managing any Regulatory Submission and for maintaining any Regulatory Approval for the Licensed Products in the Territory. Synergy shall provide reasonable assistance to Knight in making submissions to Governmental Authorities and maintaining such Regulatory Approvals. Unless otherwise required by Applicable Law, any Regulatory Approvals shall be filed, owned and held in the name of Knight. Knight shall notify Synergy of all Regulatory Submissions that it submits.
   
3.2 Regulatory Correspondence. Each Party shall promptly (and in any event, within five (5) Business Days of the date of receipt of notice) notify the other Party in writing of, and shall provide the other Party with copies of, any material correspondence received from a Governmental Authority in the Territory. In the event that a Party receives any material regulatory letter requiring a response, the other Party will cooperate fully with the receiving Party in preparing such response and will promptly provide the receiving Party with any data or information required by the Receiving Party in preparing any such response.
   
3.3 Other Covenants of Knight. In addition to its other obligations, commitments and undertakings set out in this Agreement, Knight agrees to:

 

  (a) assume the reasonable costs of intellectual property fdings, procurement and maintenance for all intellectual property applications and registrations associated with the Licensed Products in the Territory, provided that all intellectual property rights relating to the Licensed Products shall remain the exclusive property of Synergy ;
     
  (b) assume all marketing, sales and distribution expenses related to the commercialization of the Licensed Products in the Territory; and
     
  (c) prepare an annual marketing and sales plan relating to the Licensed Products in the Territory.

 

3.4 Other Covenants of Synergy. In addition to its other obligations, commitments and undertakings set out in this Agreement, Synergy agrees to:

 

  (a) provide Knight with all documentation relating to the submissions for Regulatory Approval to the U S. Food and Drug Administration or the European Medicines Agency for the Licensed Products within one (1) month from submission;
     
  (b) where applicable, provide reasonable assistance to Knight with the Regulatory Submission of the Licensed Products in the Territory;
     
  (c) provide full assistance and cooperation with respect to securing intellectual property protection in the Territory for the Licensed Products;
     
  (d) not assign the intellectual property associated with Licensed Products to any Third Party;
     
  (e) coordinate Launch activities with Knight, including pharmacovigilence, pricing, reimbursement, positioning and health care conferences;
     
  (f) promptly provide United States international marketing and sales materials used for the Licensed Products.

 

4 TRADEMARKS
   
4.1 Trade-Mark License. Synergy hereby grants to Knight, for the Term, an exclusive, royalty-free license to use the Synergy Marks in the Territory in association with the Licensed Products.
   
4.2 Ownership. Knight acknowledges that the Synergy Marks are owned by Synergy. The Synergy Marks shall be and remain the sole and exclusive property of Synergy. Knight shall not contest the ownership of the Synergy Marks or the validity of any registration relating thereto. Knight agrees, at the request of Synergy, to execute any and all proper documents appropriate to assist Synergy in obtaining and maintaining Synergy’s rights in and to the Synergy Marks.
   
4.3 Licensed Products to Bear Mark. Licensed Products distributed by Knight under this Agreement shall bear the Synergy Marks together with a notice that the Synergy Marks are used under license from Synergy, subject to the approval of such labeling by appropriate Governmental Authorities. Knight shall submit to Synergy, for prior approval, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, a representative sample of any marketing or promotional materials prepared by Knight, bearing the Synergy Marks.
   
4.4 No Similar Mark. Knight will not, without Synergy’s prior written consent, register or use in connection with any product, any trade-mark that is confusingly similar to the Synergy Marks.

 

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5 COMMERCIALIZATION
   
5.1 Safety Data Exchange Agreement. The parties agree to develop and commit to a Safety Data Exchange Agreement (“SDEA”) that allows them to fulfill their respective regulatory and pharmacovigilence obligations relating to Adverse Drug Event and Adverse Drug Reaction reporting. Such SDEA will be completed within ninety (90) days after the Effective Date.
   
5.2 Quality Complaint Reporting. Knight shall be solely responsible for collecting and responding to any product quality complaint relating to the Licensed Products received from a customer in the Territory. Synergy shall investigate and provide Knight, in a timely manner, with reports resulting from such investigations. If Synergy receives a product quality complaint relating to the Licensed Products from a customer in the Territory, it shall investigate and promptly report the investigation results to Knight, who will be solely responsible for communication and response, if any, to the customer in the Territory. Furthermore, Synergy shall be responsible for investigating and submitting reports to Knight respecting any product quality complaints related to the manufacturing of the Licensed Products.

 

5.3Other Information. In addition to the foregoing information to be provided, each Party shall provide to the other Party with any: (i) information relating to the efficacy and/or safety of the Licensed Products, including any recall of the Licensed Products; (ii) complaints from customers, healthcare professionals or competitors in the Territory relating to the Licensed Products; (iii) information relating to any potential liability to any Third Party in the Territory that is reasonably likely to arise for either Party in connection with the manufacture, or Commercialization of the Licensed Products in the Territory; (iv) information relating to any inspections, inquiries, issues raised or actions taken by any Governmental Authority in the Territory; and (v) any other information necessary or reasonably desirable to enable each Party to comply with any Applicable Law in the Territory or elsewhere.

 

5.4Recall. Knight shall advise Synergy of any Governmental Authority initiated mandatory recall of Licensed Products in the Territory. Knight shall not initiate any voluntary recall of Licensed Products in the Territory without prior notice to and consultation with Synergy. Prior to executing any recall of Licensed Products in the Territory, Knight shall review with Synergy the proposed manner in which the recall is to be carried out. Knight will give due consideration to any reasonable recommendation from Synergy as to the manner of conducting the recall, provided that it is agreeable to the applicable Governmental Authority. Knight shall communicate directly with the applicable Governmental Authorities in relation to a Licensed Products recall in the Territory. If any Licensed Products recall in the Territory results from improper handling, shipping or storage of Licensed Products by Knight, and in no way results from the manufacture, control, handling, shipping or storage of the Licensed Products before receipt by Knight, the costs associated with the recall shall be paid by Knight and Knight shall indemnify Synergy against any Third Party claims in connection with the recall. If the recall results from any cause or issue other than ones for which Knight is responsible as set forth in the prior sentence, all costs and expenses arising from the recall, including any costs associated with replacing recalled Licensed Products, shall be paid for by Synergy and Synergy shall indemnify Knight against any Third Party Claims in connection therewith.

 

6 MANUFACTURE AND SUPPLY
   
6.1 Manufacture by Synergy. During the Term, Knight agrees to obtain exclusively from Synergy all Knight’s requirements of the Licensed Products for the Territory. Synergy agrees to supply Knight with all of its requirements of Licensed Products as set forth in each order submitted by Knight. Synergy may, at its discretion, use the services of a contract manufacturer to manufacture and package the Licensed Products.
   
6.2 Price. Synergy shall supply Licensed Products at a cost to Knight equal to Synergy’s Cost of Goods plus ten percent (10%), plus applicable sales taxes. Payment of such amounts shall be made by Knight to Synergy within thirty-five (35) days following Knight’s receive of an invoice from Synergy.
   
6.3 Orders. Knight shall order Licensed Products from Synergy by submitting purchase orders to Synergy. Such purchase order shall specify, at a minimum, the desired delivery date, unit quantity, place of delivery and an order number. Knight shall order Licensed Products. The initial purchase order will have a lead time of between sixty (60) and ninety (90) days between the time when an order for Licensed Products is submitted to Synergy until the Licensed Products is delivered to Knight. Thereafter, the purchase order will have not less than five (5) Business Days lead time
   
6.4 Delivery Terms. Licensed Products will, at Knight’s direction, be shipped directly to Knight or to a Third Party in the Territory designated by Knight. The terms for delivery of orders of Licensed Products shall be FOB (Incoterms 2010) Synergy’s manufacturer’s facility in the United States.
   
6.5 Packaging and Labeling. Knight shall determine the artwork and design for the packaging and labelling in the Territory in consultation with Synergy. Knight shall be entitled to have its trade-marks displayed on the packaging for the Licensed Products. Knight shall be responsible for the costs associated with the development of Knight’s artwork for the packaging and labeling of the Licensed Products for Launch and for any changes thereto made at Knight’s request or for any special packaging required by Knight or a Governmental Authority.

 

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6.6 Specifications. Licensed Products manufactured and supplied to Knight hereunder shall conform to the Specifications which may be changed from time to time upon mutual agreement, or as required by any Governmental Authority.
   
6.7 GIMP. All manufacture and quality control operations by Synergy or its designee shall be in compliance with GMP.
   
6.8 Shelf Life. All Licensed Products supplied by Synergy hereunder shall have not less than eighty-five percent (85%) of its shelf life remaining upon delivery to Knight.
   
6.9 Quality Agreement. The Parties shall enter into a quality agreement regarding supply of Licensed Products by Synergy to Knight, incorporating provisions that are standard in the pharmaceutical field within ninety (90) days of the Effective Date.
   
6.10 Changes. A Party shall promptly notify the other Party in writing of all proposed changes, whether voluntary or involuntary, including those arising from a request from a Governmental Authority, concerning the quality of Licensed Products and/or documentation or other items for such changes relating to the quality of the Licensed Products. The Parties shall negotiate in good faith towards an appropriate response to a Governmental Authority in respect of each proposed change in the quality of the Licensed Products including any costs associated with implementing said changes. Synergy shall notify Knight of any proposed change in manufacturing facility or manufacturing procedures.
   
6.11 Minor Changes. Minor changes in the procedures for manufacture or quality control that do not require approval from a Governmental Authority or that will not affect Regulatory Approvals will be communicated by Synergy to Knight in an annual review.
   
6.12 Release to Knight. Synergy, or its designee, shall only release for shipment to Knight, finished batches of Licensed Products that have been examined by Synergy for compliance with the Specifications. Synergy is responsible for conducting, or having conducted, all required stability and release testing to ensure that the finished batches of Licensed Products are in compliance with the Specifications.
   
6.13 Quality Audit. During normal working hours and upon reasonable notice, Knight shall be entitled to inspect areas within Synergy’s or its contract manufacturer’s establishment where Licensed Products are manufactured or stored, and to inspect the manufacturing, packaging, and quality control records relating to the Licensed Products.
   
6.14

Government Inspections. Synergy shall make its internal practices, and its manufacturing, packaging, and quality control records relating to the Licensed Products available to Governmental Authorities and will allow access to all facilities used for manufacturing the Licensed Products to the applicable Governmental Authorities for the purposes of determining Synergy’s compliance with Applicable Laws. Synergy agrees to advise Knight immediately of any proposed or announced visit or inspection, and as soon as possible but in any case within three (3) Business Days after any unannounced visit or inspection, by a Governmental Authority in the Territory relating to the Licensed Products. Synergy shall provide Knight with a reasonable description in writing of each such visit or inspection promptly thereafter, and with copies of any letters, reports or other documents issued by any such Governmental Authorities that relate to the Licensed Products.

 

6.15 Defects. Any claim by Knight regarding an apparent failure of the Licensed Products to comply with the Specifications must be made in writing with full particulars within thirty (30) days after receipt of the Licensed Products by Knight. In the case of latent defects, such defects shall be reported to Synergy within thirty (30) days of Knight having actual notice of the defect. In case of a justifiable claim for defect because of a failure of the Licensed Products to conform to the Specifications, Synergy or its designee shall, without charge, promptly replace the defective portion with supplies that are in compliance with such Specifications. Synergy shall assume all costs associated with transportation of replacement Licensed Products. Knight shall follow any reasonable instructions to return to Synergy or dispose of, in either event at Synergy’s expense, any quantities of Licensed Products as aforesaid that are not in compliance with the Specifications.

 

6.16 Independent Lab. If Synergy does not agree with Knight that the Licensed Products rejected by Knight fails to conform to the Specifications, the matter will be submitted for analysis to an independent laboratory agreed between the Parties. The decision of such independent laboratory following its analysis of the Licensed Products shall be final. The cost of the analysis, as well as the costs associated with reasonable shipping, handling, and storage of any Licensed Products under dispute as to compliance with the Specifications, shall be borne by the Party who was in error.
   
6.17 Short Shipment. If Knight determines that there is a shortage in the quantity of any shipment of Licensed Products (from quantities specified in the relevant bill of lading or other shipping documents), and it is determined that discrepancy existed at the time it was delivered to Knight from Synergy, Knight shall notify Synergy in writing as soon as reasonably possible, and Synergy shall make up the shortage within thirty (30) days of such notification at no additional cost to Knight.

 

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6.18 Failure.

 

  (a) In the event of any Short Term Inability to Supply the Product in the Territory, Synergy shall be liable for payments to Knight as follows: (i) reimbursement for Knight’s share of all Licensed Products lost sales attributable to the Short Term Inability to Supply and quantified by Knight using commercially reasonable methods and (ii) all reasonable direct expenses incurred by Knight in dealing with and attempting to manage and resolve such Short Term Inability to Supply in the Territory, including but not limited to bona fide sales and marketing expenses and penalties imposed by distributors and wholesalers. Knight shall attempt to quantify the financial impact of any Short Term Inability to Supply, in writing, as soon as reasonably possible to Synergy and shall use all reasonable efforts to mitigate such impact. Payments due under this Section 6.18 shall be payable within thirty (30) days of receipt of said claim. In the event that two (2) Short Term Inability to Supply events occur within twenty four (24) month period, then Synergy shall, upon Knight’s request and Synergy’s expense, be required to enter into a contract manufacturing agreement with a Third Party for the manufacture in the Territory and supply of the Licensed Products to the Knight.
     
  (b) In the event of a Long Term Inability to Supply, Knight shall be entitled to all of the rights and recourses set forth in Section 6.18(a). In addition, Knight shall be entitled by notice in writing to terminate the supply arrangements contemplated in this Agreement, in which event:

 

  (i) Knight shall be entitled to purchase the Licensed Products from a Third Party. For greater certainty. Synergy shall grant to a Third Party designated by the Knight the non-exclusive license to use all relevant intellectual property for or in respect of the manufacture of the Licensed Products for commercialization in the Territory.
     
  (ii) Synergy shall provide such assistance as is required by Knight acting reasonably, from time to time to assist in sourcing the Licensed Products from a third party.
     
  (iii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing. Synergy shall enter into a technology transfer agreement with a Third Party manufacturer selected by Knight under which Synergy shall transfer to the selected manufacturer all technical information necessary to manufacture the Licensed Products and supply the Licensed Products in the Territory.

 

6.19 Shortfall. In the event of an interruption or shortfall in supply of Licensed Products, for whatever reason, that exceeds ninety (90) days in duration, such that not all purchase orders for Licensed Products hereunder can be met, then Synergy shall immediately notify Knight and shall allocate a prorated share of its available sources and supplies among Knight and Synergy’s other partners (distributors, licensees, agents,) and internal needs, based on the respective forecasted commercial supply requirements of each of the parties for that allocation period. In any case, the Parties will discuss and agree in good faith on acceptable delivery dates and measures to mitigate the effects of the interruption or shortfall. Synergy shall use commercially reasonable efforts to eliminate, cure or overcome such shortage and to resume performance of its obligations hereunder as soon as reasonably possible.

 

6.20 Capacity and Supply. Synergy will maintain sufficient manufacturing time in its production schedule to provide consistent availability of Licensed Products to meet Knight’s firm orders. Synergy shall maintain or cause its contract manufacturer to maintain sufficient volumes of Licensed Products as Knight and Synergy, each acting reasonably and based on the then current and anticipated sales, from time to time determine.
   
6.21 Payment Method. All payment due to Synergy hereunder will be paid in United States Dollars by wire transfer to an account designated by Synergy.
   
6.22 Record Retention. Synergy will maintain complete and accurate books, records, and accounts used for the determination of expenses, deductions, credits, or other relevant factors in connection with the calculation of Cost of Goods, in sufficient detail to confirm the accuracy of any payments required under this Agreement, which books, records, and accounts will be retained until three (3) years after the end of the period to which such books, records, and accounts pertain.
   
6.23 Audit. During the Term of this Agreement and for three (3) years thereafter, Knight will have the right to have an independent certified public accounting firm of internationally recognized standing access during normal business hours, and upon reasonable prior written notice, to such of the records of Synergy as may be reasonably necessary to verify the accuracy of Cost of Goods for any Calendar Quarter. The accounting firm will disclose to the Parties only whether the Cost of Goods reported by Synergy is correct or incorrect and the specific details concerning any discrepancies. The auditing Party will bear all costs of such audit, unless the audit reveals a discrepancy in the auditing Party’s favor of more than five percent (5%), in which case the other Party will bear the cost of the audit. Each Party will treat all information subject to review under this Section 6 as Confidential Information and will cause its accounting firm to enter into a reasonably acceptable confidentiality agreement obligating such firm to maintain all such financial information in confidence pursuant to such confidentiality agreement.

 

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6.24 Payment of Additional Amounts. If, based on the results of any audit under Section 6.23, payments are owed by one Party to the other under this Agreement, then the Party having such obligation will make such payment promptly after the accounting firm’s written report is delivered by courier or registered mail to both Parties.
   
7. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
   
7.1 Notification of Third Party Infringement. Each Party shall promptly disclose to the other in writing within ten (10) Business Days, any actual, alleged, or threatened Third Party infringement or misappropriation in the Territory of any Synergy Patent and any actual, alleged or threatened infringement or passing off of the Synergy Mark, of which such Party becomes aware.

 

7.2 Response to Third Party Infringement. Synergy shall have the first right, but not any obligation, to respond to any actual or threatened infringement of an Synergy Patent, the Synergy Mark or of any unfair trade practices, trade dress imitation, passing off of counterfeit goods, or like offenses in the Territory relating to the Licensed Products. If Synergy elects to respond to any actual or threatened infringement by initiating a proceeding. Synergy shall use legal counsel of its choice at its expense and shall have full control over the conduct of such proceeding. Synergy may settle or compromise any such proceeding without the consent of Knight; provided, however, that if such settlement affects Knight’s rights under this Agreement, or Knight’s ability to Commercialize the Licensed Products within the Territory, or otherwise requires Knight to admit wrongdoing, fault, or liability. Synergy will not settle or compromise any such proceeding without the consent of Knight, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned, or delayed. If Synergy elects not to respond to any actual or threatened infringement of an Synergy Patent, the Synergy Mark or of any unfair trade practices, trade dress imitation, passing off of counterfeit goods, or like offenses in the Territory relating to the Licensed Products, then Knight shall have the right, but not the obligation, to take action, at its sole expense, in which case Knight shall have full control over the conduct of such proceeding and Knight may settle or compromise any such proceeding without the consent of Synergy; provided, however, that if such settlement affects Synergy’s intellectual property rights or its rights under this Agreement, or Synergy’s ability to Commercialize the Licensed Products outside the Territory, or otherwise requires Synergy to admit wrongdoing, fault, or liability, Knight will not settle or compromise any such proceeding without the consent of Synergy, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned, or delayed. Knight shall be solely responsible for any legal costs or damages awards made in any proceeding that is initiated by Knight in the event that Synergy elects not to respond to any actual or threatened infringement.
   
7.3 Cooperation. Each Party shall cooperate reasonably, at its expense, in any enforcement effort initiated by the other Party. The Parties nor their Affiliates shall contest any joinder in any proceeding sought to be brought by the other Party if such joinder is required by Law.
   
7.4 Recovery. Except as otherwise agreed to by the Parties as part of a cost-sharing arrangement, any monetary award recovered from a Third Party in connection with any proceeding initiated to protect, maintain, defend, or enforce any intellectual property in the Territory or recovered from a Third Party in connection with any proceeding initiated for infringement or misappropriation of intellectual property shall first be used to reimburse the Parties for any out-of-pocket legal expenses relating to such proceeding and the balance being retained by the Party that brought and controlled such litigation.
   
7.5 Infringement of Third Party IP. If either Party becomes aware that its activities performed hereunder may constitute actual or alleged infringement or misappropriation of the intellectual property rights of a Third Party, it shall promptly notify the other Party and the Parties shall discuss a strategy to defend or mitigate against any actual or alleged infringement.
   
8. REPRESENTATION AND WARRANTIES
   
8 1 Synergy Covenants, Representations and Warranties Synergy covenants, represents and warrants (as the case may be) to Knight that:

 

  (a) Synergy is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of Nevada;
     
  (b) Synergy has the legal right and authority to enter into this Agreement;
     
  (c) Synergy has taken all necessary actions to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement;

 

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  (d) Synergy has obtained all consents, licenses and authorizations that are necessary to perform its obligations under this Agreement;
     
  (e) Upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement, this Agreement shall constitute a valid and binding obligation of Synergy, enforceable against Synergy in accordance with its terms, except to the extent enforceability is limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights and remedies or equitable principles;
     
  (f) The performance of Synergy’s obligations under this Agreement will not conflict with its organizational documents, as amended, or result in a breach of any material agreements or contracts to which it is a party;
     
  (g) Synergy has not and will not, during the term of this Agreement, enter into any material agreements or contracts that would conflict with its obligations under this Agreement;
     
  (h) Synergy owns or licenses all of the Synergy Patents licensed to Knight pursuant to this Agreement and the Synergy Patents licensed to Knight pursuant to this Agreement are all of the patents owned or licensed by Synergy that are reasonably necessary for Knight to carry out its obligations and exercise its rights under this Agreement;
     
  (i) Synergy has not received any notice that the manufacture, sale, or use of the Licensed Products in the Territory infringes upon any intellectual property rights of any Third Parties in the Territory;
     
  (j) Synergy has not received any notice from a Third Party that any issued Synergy Patent is invalid or unenforceable for any reason;
     
  (k) To the knowledge of Synergy, there are no activities being carried out by Third Parties in the Territory that would constitute infringement or misappropriation of the Synergy Patents or the Synergy Mark;
     
  (l) Licensed Products manufactured by Synergy and provided to Knight pursuant to this Agreement will meet the Specifications at the time of delivery to Knight and will have been manufactured in accordance with the requirements of GMP.

 

8.2 Knight Representations and Warranties. Knight covenants, represents and warrants to
   
  Synergy (as the case may be) as follows:

 

  (a) Knight is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing, under the laws of Barbados.

 

  (b) Knight has the legal right, authority, and power to enter into this Agreement.
     
  (c) Knight has taken all necessary action to authorize the execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement.
     
  (d) Upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement, this Agreement shall constitute a valid and binding obligation of Knight, enforceable against Knight in accordance with its terms, except to the extent enforceability is limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights and remedies or equitable principles.
     
  (e) The performance of Knight’s obligations under this Agreement will not conflict with its organizational documents or result in a breach of any material agreements or contracts to which any is a party.
     
  (f) Knight has not and will not, during the term of this Agreement, enter into any material agreements or contracts that would be inconsistent with its obligations under this Agreement.
     
  (g) Neither Knight nor its Affiliates will initiate a proceeding to challenge the validity or enforceability of any Synergy Patent or the Synergy Marks, or directly or indirectly assist any Third Party with respect to any such proceeding.

 

8.3 WARRANTY DISCLAIMER. EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT, NEITHER PARTY MAKES ANY REPRESENTATIONS OR EXTENDS ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE WITH RESPECT TO THE LICENSED PRODUCTS OR ANY TECHNOLOGY OR ANY LICENSE GRANTED BY EITHER PARTY HEREUNDER. SYNERGY DOES NOT WARRANT NOR REPRESENT THAT ANY OF THE SYNERGY PATENTS ARE VALID OR ENFORCEABLE
   
8.4 LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY. WITHOUT LIMITING THE PARTIES’ OBLIGATIONS REGARDING INDEMNIFICATION, NEITHER PARTY SHALL BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER PARTY OR TO ANY THIRD PARTY WHO MAY BENEFIT FROM ANY PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT FOR SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, LOSS OF PROFITS, INTERRUPTION OR LOSS OF BUSINESS OR OTHER ECONOMIC LOSS) ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR WITH RESPECT TO A PARTY’S PERFORMANCE OR NON-PERFORMANCE HEREUNDER

 

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8.5

Indemnification by Synergy. Synergy hereby agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold Knight, its Affiliates and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents, (each a “Knight Indemnified Party”) harmless from and against any Third Party’s claims for loss, damage, or liability resulting from: (i) any breach of this Agreement or any warranty or covenant provided in this Agreement by Synergy or an Affiliate of Synergy; (ii) any violation of Applicable Law by Synergy or its Affiliates; and (iii) any negligent act or omission or willful misconduct of Synergy or its Affiliates; (iv) any claim that the sale by Knight or its Affiliates, of the Licensed Products infringes on intellectual property rights in the Territory of any other person; (v) any claim arising from any use, within the approved labelling, made by any person of any of the Licensed Products; in all cases, except to the extent such Third Party’s claim for loss, damage or liability is the result of: (i) any breach of this Agreement by Knight or a Knight Indemnified Party, (ii) any violation of Applicable Law by Knight or a Knight Indemnified Party, or (iii) any negligent act or omission or willful misconduct of Knight or a Knight Indemnified Party.

 

8.6 Indemnification by Knight. Knight hereby agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold Synergy, its Affiliates and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents, (each a “Synergy Indemnified Party”) harmless from and against any Third Party’s claims for loss, damage, or liability resulting from: (i) any breach of this Agreement or any warranty or covenant provided in this Agreement by Knight or an Affiliate of Knight; (ii) any violation of Applicable Law by Knight or its Affiliates; and (iii) any negligent act or omission or willful misconduct of Knight or its Affiliates; in all cases, except to the extent such Third Party’s claim for loss, damage or liability is the result of: (i) any breach of this Agreement by Synergy or an Synergy Indemnified Party, (ii) any violation of Applicable Law by Synergy or an Synergy Indemnified Party, or (iii) any negligent act or omission or willful misconduct of Synergy or an Synergy Indemnified Party.

 

8.7 Indemnification Procedure. If an indemnified party intends to claim indemnification under this Section 8, such party shall promptly notify the other party of any loss, claim, damage, liability or action in respect of which the indemnified party intends to claim such indemnification, and the indemnifying party shall have a first opportunity to assume the sole defense thereof with counsel selected by the indemnifying party and approved by the indemnified party acting reasonably; provided, however, that an indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel and participate fully in the defense, with the fees and expenses to be paid by the indemnified party. The failure or delay to deliver notice to the indemnifying party, within a reasonable time after the commencement of any such proceeding, if irreparably prejudicial to the indemnifying party’s ability to defend such proceeding, shall relieve the indemnifying party of any and all liability to the indemnified party under this Section 8. The indemnified party shall cooperate fully with the indemnifying party and their legal representatives in the investigation of any loss, claim, damage, or liability covered by this indemnification, and shall mitigate such loss and damages. Any amount payable in order to satisfy an indemnity hereunder shall be paid as soon as reasonably possible after the indemnified party has incurred an indemnified expense and notified the indemnifying party thereof.
   
8.8 Compliance with Law. Each Party shall comply, and shall require their Affiliates and permitted sublicensees to comply, with all Applicable Laws relative to their obligations hereunder.
   
8.9 Insurance. The Parties shall maintain insurance, including product liability insurance, that is adequate to cover their obligations hereunder and that is consistent with normal business practices of prudent corporations engaged in the same or a similar business. The Parties acknowledge and agree that such insurance shall not be construed to create a limit with respect to their indemnification obligations.
   
9. TERM AND TERMINATION
   
9.1 Term. This Agreement will take effect from the Effective Date and, unless earlier terminated in accordance with the terms herein, will continue in full force and effect for fifteen (15) years from the Launch (the “Initial Term”). This Agreement shall automatically renew for successive fifteen (15) year periods (each a “Renewal Term”) unless, at least one (1) year prior to the expiry of the Initial Term or Renewal Term, either Party provides the other with written notice of its intention not to renew the Agreement (a “Non-Renewal Notice”) at the end of the applicable period, and further provided that if the notifying Party is Synergy, it shall be obliged to pay to Knight the Non-Renewal Fee set out in Section 9.7 below.
   
9.2 Termination for Breach. Either Party may terminate this Agreement by written notice to the other Party with immediate effect in the following cases:

 

  (a) In the event of a petition in bankmptcy or insolvency of the other Party, or in case of the filing by the other Party of any petition or answer seeking reorganization, readjustment, or rearrangement of its business under any law or any government regulation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency, or in case of the institution by the other Party of any proceedings for the liquidation or winding up of its business, or for the termination of its corporate charter.
     
  (b) If the other Party is otherwise in material default or breach of this Agreement and such default or breach is not cured within (i) sixty (60) days after written notice thereof is delivered to the defaulting or breaching Party (thirty (30) days in the case of Knight’s failure to pay any amounts due hereunder), or (ii) in the case of a breach that cannot be cured within sixty (60) days, within a reasonable period not exceeding one hundred twenty (120) days after written notice thereof is delivered to the defaulting or breaching Party.

 

9.3 Termination of Knight. Knight may terminate this Agreement in whole or in part (with respect to a particular Licensed Product Territory or Additional Territory) by notice in writing given no less than sixty (60) days prior to the intended termination date.

 

9.4 Effect of Termination. Upon expiry or termination of this Agreement, all licenses and rights granted by Synergy hereunder shall terminate and Knight undertakes to:

 

  (a) except as provided for in Section 9.6, cease any Commercialization of the Licensed Products in the Territory; and
     
  (b) within thirty (30) days or expiry or termination, transfer title to all current and pending Regulatory Approvals for the Licensed Products to Synergy and assist Synergy, at Synergy’s cost, in submitting appropriate documents to transfer the Regulatory Approvals for the Licensed Products to Synergy or its designee.

 

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9.5 Survival. In the event of the termination of this Agreement for any reason, the following provisions of this Agreement shall survive Sections 1, 7, 9, 10 and 12 and any other terms which, by their nature, require or contemplate performance by the Parties after expiry or termination. In any event, termination of this Agreement shall not relieve the Parties of any liability which accrued hereunder prior to the effective date of such termination.
   
9.6 Sell-Off of Inventory. Upon termination of this Agreement, Knight shall be entitled to sell off any inventory of the Licensed Products in Knight’s possession or control or which are subject to binding purchase orders on the date such termination is effective.

 

9.7 Non-Renewal Fee. In the event that Synergy issues a Non-Renewal Notice, it shall be obliged to pay to Knight an amount equal to the Net Sales of the Licensed Products as achieved by Knight in the Territory during the eight (8) Calendar Quarters preceding the date of such notice, plus all applicable taxes (the “Non-Renewal Fee”). Within sixty (60) days of its receipt of the Non-Renewal Notice, Knight shall issue an invoice for the payment of the Non-Renewal Fee which shall include reasonable details as to the calculation of the said amount. The Non-Renewal Fee shall be payable by Synergy within thirty (30) days of the issuance of the said invoice.
   
10. DISPUTE RESOLUTION
   
10.1 Arbitration. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, any dispute or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or to the breach, termination, or validity of this Agreement, will be resolved as follows: each Party shall discuss the matter and make reasonable efforts to attempt to resolve the dispute. If the Parties are unable to resolve, the dispute a CEO or President of each Party will meet within thirty days (30) of a request to attempt to resolve such dispute being made by a Party. If the CEOs or Presidents cannot resolve the dispute through good faith negotiations within sixty (60) days after a Party requests such meeting, then the Parties shall resort to binding arbitration before a single arbitrator using the arbitration procedures set forth under the simplified rules of the American Arbitration Association under its Commercial Arbitration Rules. Any hearing in the course of the arbitration shall be held in New York New York in the English language. The decision of the arbitrator shall be final and not subject to appeal and the arbitrator may apportion the costs of the arbitration, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of the parties, between or among the parties in such manner as the arbitrator considers reasonable. All matters in relation to the arbitration shall be kept confidential to the full extent permitted by law, and no individual shall be appointed as an arbitrator unless he or she agrees in writing to be bound by this provision.
   
10.2 Irreparable Harm. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 10.2, if either Party in its sole judgment, acting reasonably, believes that any such dispute could cause it irreparable harm, such Party (i) will be entitled to seek equitable relief in order to avoid such irreparable harm and (ii) will not be required to follow the procedures set forth in Section 10.2.

 

11. KNIGHT OPTION FOR ADDITIONAL TERRITORIES
   
  Knight (directly or through one of its Affdiates) shall have the option to become Synergy’s exclusive distribution partner for either or both of the Licensed Products in any one or more of Israel, Russia and Sub-Saharan Africa (each an “Additional Territory”) under the same terms and conditions as this Agreement. Knight shall inform Synergy of its intention to exercise such right (directly or through one of its Affdiates) at any time or from time to time by notice in writing. If Knight exercises such right, then the said Additional Territories and the Licensed Product(s) referred to in such Territory shall be deemed to be part of the “Territory” for all purposes of this Agreement. Where the option is exercised on behalf of a Knight Affiliate, the parties shall enter into a separate and identified agreement concerning the particular Licensed Product and Additional Territory.

 

12. OTHER PROVISIONS
   
12.1 Withholding Tax. Knight will make all payments to Synergy under this Agreement without deduction or withholding for taxes except to the extent that any such deduction or withholding is required by law in effect at the time of payment. Any tax required to be withheld on amounts payable by Knight under this Agreement will be timely paid by Knight on behalf of Synergy to the appropriate Governmental Authority, and Knight will furnish Synergy with the corresponding proof of payment of such tax, as may be required in order to enable Synergy to request reimbursement or deduction of the withheld amount, or to otherwise comply with its duties. Knight and Synergy agree to cooperate to legally minimize and reduce such withholding taxes and provide any information or documentation required by any taxing authority.
   
12.2 Further Assurances. Upon request by either Party and at such Party’s expense, the other Party shall do such further acts and execute such additional agreements and instruments as may be reasonably necessary to give effect to the purposes of this Agreement.
   
12.3 Independent status. Each Party shall act as an independent contractor and shall not bind nor attempt to bind the other Party to any contract, nor any performance of obligations outside of the license agreement. Nothing contained or done under the Agreement shall be interpreted as constituting either Party the agent of the other in any sense of the term whatsoever or in the relationship of partners or joint venturers.
   
12.4 Assignment. Except in connection with the acquisition of a Party or the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of such Party, this Agreement may not be, directly or indirectly, assigned or transferred, in whole or in part, by a Party to a Third Party without the prior written consent of the other Party. The rights and obligations contained herein shall enure to the benefit of each Party’s successors and permitted assigns, and shall be binding on and enforceable against the relevant Party’s successors and permitted assigns. Any reference in this Agreement to any Party shall be construed accordingly.

 

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12.5 Compliance with law. Each Party shall comply with, and shall not be in violation of any valid applicable international, national, provincial or local statutes, laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, or other governmental orders of the Territory.
   
12.6 Force Majeure. No Party shall be responsible for a failure or delay in performance of any of the obligations hereunder due wars, insurrections, strikes, acts of God, power outages, storms, or actions of regulatory agencies (such events being defined as “Force Majeure”), provided that the Party seeking relief from its obligations advises the other Party forthwith of the Force Majeure. A Party whose performance of obligations has been delayed by force majeure shall use commercially reasonable efforts to overcome the effect of the Force Majeure as soon as possible. The other Party will have no right to demand indemnity for damage or assert a breach against such Party, provided, however, that if the event of Force Majeure preventing performance shall continue for more than six (6) months and such underlying cause would not also prevent other parties from performing such obligations, then the Party not subject to the event of Force Majeure may terminate this Agreement with a written notice to the other without any liability hereunder, except the obligation to make payments due to such date.

 

12.7 Notices and Amendments. Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given by facsimile or other means of electronic communication or by hand delivery as hereinafter provided. Any such notice, if sent by fax or other means of electronic communication, shall be deemed to have been received on the day of sending, or if delivered by hand shall be deemed to have been received at the time it is delivered to the applicable address noted below. Notices of change of address shall also be governed by this Section 12.7. Notices and other communications shall be addressed as follows:

 

  (a) In the case of Synergy:
     
    Synergy Strips Corp.
c/o Jack Ross 865 Spring
Street Westbrook, Maine 04092
Fax:
     
  E-mail: jack.ross@purebrands.ca
     
  with a copy to:
   
  Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP
4101 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 300
Raleigh, North Carolina 27607 U.S.A.
  Attention: W. David Mannheim, Esq.
  Fax: (919) 781-4865
  E-mail: dmann heim@ wy ri ck. c om

 

  Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc.
  Chancery House High Street
  Bridgetown, St. Michael
  BB11128  
  Barbados, WI
  Attention: Andrew C. Ferreira
  Fax: 1-246-431-0076
     
  With a copy to:
     
  Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP 900 Third Avenue 24th Floor
  New York, NY 10022
  LJ.S.A.  
  Attention: Hillel W. Rosen
  Fax: (212)308-0132

 

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12.8 Complete Agreement. This Agreement together with the SDEA, and the Quality Agreement, embodies all of the understandings and obligations between the Parties with respect to the Licensed Products and supersedes any prior or contemporaneous agreements and understandings, whether written or oral, between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. Any amendments or supplements to this Agreement shall not be valid unless executed in writing by duly authorized officers of both parties.
   
12.9 Waiver. No failure to exercise and no delay in exercising any right or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. Any waiver granted hereunder shall only be applicable the specific acts covered thereby and shall not apply to any subsequent events, acts, or circumstances.
   
12.10 Severability. In the event any portion of this Agreement shall be held illegal, void or ineffective, the remaining portion hereof shall remain in full force and effect. If any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement are in conflict with any applicable statute or rule of law, then such terms or provisions shall be deemed inoperative to the extent that they may conflict therewith and shall be deemed to be modified to conform with such statute or rule of law.

 

12.11 Governing Law. This Agreement all disputes arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or the performance, enforcement, breach or termination hereof or thereof, and any remedies relating thereto, shall be construed, governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

12.12 Public Announcements. Neither Party shall originate any publicity, news release, or public announcements relating to this Agreement (including, without limitation, its existence, its subject matter, the Parties’ performance, any amendment hereto, or performance hereunder), whether to the public or press, stockholders, or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the other Party, save only such announcements that are required by law or the rules of any relevant stock exchange to be made or that are otherwise agreed to by the Parties. If a Party decides to make an announcement, whether required by law or otherwise, it shall give the other Party reasonable notice of the text of the announcement so that the other Party shall have an opportunity to comment upon the announcement. To the extent that the receiving Party reasonably requests the deletion of any information in any such announcement, the disclosing Party shall delete such information unless, in the opinion of the disclosing Party’s legal counsel, such information is required by law or the rules of any relevant stock exchange to be disclosed. The timing and content of the initial press release relating to this Agreement, if any, including its existence, the subject matter to which it relates and the transactions contemplated herein will, except as otherwise required by law or any stock exchange rules, be determined jointly by the Parties.
   
12.13 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be considered one and the same Agreement and shall become effective when a counterpart hereof has been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Party.
   
12.14 Time of Essence. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement and of each provision hereof.
   
12.15 English Language. At the request of the parties, this Agreement and the other Loan Documents have been negotiated in the English language and will be or have been executed in the English language. Les soussignes out expressement demande que ce document et tons les documents annexes soient rediges en langue anglaise.

 

(Signature page follows)

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have signed this Agreement

 

By: /s/ Jack Ross   By: /s/ [Unintelligible]
Name: JACK ROSS   Name: CHANCERY CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED
Title: CEO   Title: SECRETARY

 

 

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Exhibit 10.4

 

Synergy Strips Corp. 2014

Equity Incentive Plan

 

1. ESTABLISHMENT OF PLAN; DEFINITIONS

 

1.1 Purpose. The purpose of the Synergy Strips Corp. 2014 Equity Incentive Plan is to encourage certain officers, employees, directors, and consultants of Synergy Strips Corp., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), to acquire and hold stock in the Company as an added incentive to remain with the Company and increase their efforts in promoting the interests of the Company, and to enable the Company to attract and retain capable individuals.

 

1.2 Definitions. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

1.2.1 “Award” shall mean, individually or collectively, a grant under this Plan of Stock Options or Stock Awards.

 

1.2.2 “Award Agreement” shall mean a written agreement containing the terms and conditions of an Award, not inconsistent with this Plan.

 

1.2.3 “Beneficiary” and “Beneficial Ownership” shall mean the person, persons, trust, or trusts that have been designated by a Grantee in his or her most recent written beneficiary designation filed with the Committee to receive the benefits specified under this Plan upon such Grantee’s death or to which Awards or other rights are transferred if and to the extent permitted under Section 7.2.4 hereof. If, upon a Grantee’s death, there is no designated Beneficiary or surviving designated Beneficiary, then the term Beneficiary shall mean the person, persons, trust, or trusts entitled by will or the laws of descent and distribution to receive such benefits.

 

1.2.4 “Beneficial Owner” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act and any successor to such Rule.

 

1.2.5 “Board” shall mean the board of directors of the Company.

 

1.2.6 “Change in Control” shall mean a Change in Control as defined in Section 7.1.1(b).

 

1.2.7 “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as it may be amended from time to time.

 

1.2.8 “Committee” shall mean the Board or a committee of the Board appointed pursuant to Section 1.4 of this Plan.

 

1.2.9 “Common Stock” shall mean the Company’s common stock, par value $0.00001 per share.

 

1.2.10 “Company” shall mean Synergy Strips Corp., a Nevada corporation.

 

1.2.11 “Consultants” shall mean individuals who provide services to the Company and any Subsidiary who are not also Employees or Directors and which services are not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction and do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s securities.

 

1.2.12 “Covered Employee” shall mean a Grantee who, as of the date of vesting and/or payout of an Award, or the date the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is entitled to a tax deduction as a result of the Award, as applicable, is one of the group of “covered employees,” as defined in the regulations promulgated under Code Section 162(m), or any successor statute.

 

1.2.13 “Designated Officer” shall mean any executive officer of the Company to whom duties and powers of the Board or Committee hereunder have been delegated pursuant to Section 1.4.3.

 

 

 

 

1.2.14 “Directors” shall mean those members of the Board or the board of directors of any Subsidiary who are not also Employees.

 

1.2.15 “Disability” shall mean a medically determinable physical or mental condition that causes an Employee, Director, or Consultant to be unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity and that can be expected to result in death or to be of long-continued and indefinite duration.

 

1.2.16 “Effective Date” shall mean the effective date of this Plan, which shall be the Stockholder Approval Date.

 

1.2.17 “Employee” shall mean any common law employee, including Officers, of the Company or any Subsidiary as determined under the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder.

 

1.2.18 “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, or any successor act thereto.

 

1.2.19 “Fair Market Value” shall mean (i) if the Common Stock is listed on a national securities exchange or the NASDAQ system, the mean between the highest and lowest sales prices for the Common Stock on such date, or, if no such prices are reported for such day, then on the next preceding day on which there were reported prices; (ii) if the Common Stock is not listed on a national securities exchange or the NASDAQ system, the mean between the bid and asked prices for the shares on such date, or if no such prices are reported for such day, then on the next preceding day on which there were reported prices; or (iii) as determined in good faith by the Board.

 

1.2.20 “Grantee” shall mean an Officer, Employee, Director, or Consultant granted an Award.

 

1.2.21 “Incentive Stock Option” shall mean a Stock Option that meets the requirements of Code Section 422 and is granted pursuant to the Incentive Stock Option provisions as set forth in Section 2.

 

1.2.22 “Incumbent Board” shall mean the Incumbent Board as defined in Section 7.1.1(b)(ii).

 

1.2.23 “Non-Statutory Stock Option” shall mean a Stock Option that does not meet the requirements of Code Section 422 and is granted pursuant to the Non-Statutory Stock Option provisions as set forth in Section 3.

 

1.2.24 “Officer” shall mean a person who is an officer of the Company or a Subsidiary within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

1.2.25 “Performance Award” shall mean an Award under Section 6 hereof.

 

1.2.26 “Performance Measure” shall mean one or more of the following criteria, or such other operating objectives, selected by the Committee to measure performance of the Company or any Subsidiary for a Performance Period, whether in absolute or relative terms: basic or diluted earnings per share of Stock; earnings per share of Common Stock growth; revenue; operating income; net income (either before or after taxes); earnings and/or net income before interest and taxes; earnings and/or net income before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization; return on capital; return on equity; return on assets; net cash provided by operations; free cash flow; Common Stock price; economic profit; economic value; total stockholder return; and gross margins and costs. Each such measure shall be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles as consistently applied and, as determined by the independent accountants of the Company in the case of a Performance Award to a Covered Employee, to the extent intended to meet the performance-based compensation exception under Code Section 162(m), or as determined by the Committee for other Performance Awards, adjusted to omit the effects of extraordinary items, gain or loss on the disposal of a business segment, unusual or infrequently occurring events and transactions, and cumulative effects of changes in accounting principles.

 

1.2.27 “Performance Period” shall mean a period of not less than one (1) year over which the achievement of targets for Performance Measures is determined.

 

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1.2.28 “Person” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, and shall include a “group” as defined in Section 13(d) thereof.

 

1.2.29 “Plan” shall mean the Synergy Strips Corp. 2014 Equity Incentive Plan as set forth herein and as amended from time to time.

 

1.2.30 “Related Entity” shall mean any Subsidiary, and any business, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other entity designated by the Board, in which the Company or a Subsidiary holds a substantial ownership interest, directly or indirectly.

 

1.2.31 “Restricted Stock” shall mean Common Stock that is issued pursuant to the Restricted Stock provisions as set forth in Section 4.

 

1.2.32 “Restricted Stock Units” shall mean Common Stock that is issued pursuant to the Restricted Stock Unit provisions as set forth in Section 5.

 

1.2.33 “Rule 16b-3” shall mean Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or any successor thereto.

 

1.2.34 “Stockholder Approval Date” shall mean the date on which this Plan is approved by the stockholders of the Company eligible to vote in the election of directors, by a vote sufficient to meet the requirements of Code Sections 162(m) (if applicable) and 422, Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act (if applicable), applicable requirements under the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which the Common Stock may be listed on quoted, and other laws, regulations, and obligations of the Company applicable to this Plan.

 

1.2.35 “Stock Award” shall mean an award of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to this Plan.

 

1.2.36 “Stock Option” shall mean an option granted pursuant to this Plan to purchase shares of Common Stock.

 

1.2.37 “Subsidiary” shall mean any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with and including the Company, if each of the corporations other than the last corporation in the unbroken chain owns stock possessing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain.

 

1.3 Shares of Common Stock Subject to this Plan.

 

1.3.1 Subject to the provisions of Section 7.1, the shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to Stock Options and Stock Awards granted under this Plan shall not exceed fifteen million five hundred twenty five thousand (15,525,000) shares in the aggregate. If a Stock Option shall expire and terminate for any reason, in whole or in part, without being exercised or, if Stock Awards are forfeited because the restrictions with respect to such Stock Awards shall not have been met or have lapsed, the number of shares of Common Stock that are no longer outstanding as Stock Awards or subject to Stock Options may again become available for the grant of Stock Awards or Stock Options. There shall be no terms and conditions in a Stock Award or Stock Option that provide that the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option reduces the number of shares of Common Stock for which an outstanding Non-Statutory Stock Option may be exercised; and there shall be no terms and conditions in a Stock Award or Stock Option that provide that the exercise of a Non-Statutory Stock Option reduces the number of shares of Common Stock for which an outstanding Incentive Stock Option may be exercised.

 

1.3.2 The maximum number of shares of Common Stock subject to Awards that may be granted during any one calendar year to any one Covered Employee shall be limited to five million one hundred seventy five thousand (5,175,000) shares. To the extent required by Code Section 162(m) and so long as Code Section 162(m) is applicable to persons eligible to participate in this Plan, shares of Common Stock subject to the foregoing maximum with respect to which the related Award is terminated, surrendered, or cancelled shall nonetheless continue to be taken into account with respect to such maximum for the calendar year in which granted.

 

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1.4 Administration of this Plan.

 

1.4.1 The Plan shall be administered by the Board. In the alternative, the Board may delegate authority to a Committee to administer this Plan on behalf of the Board, subject to such terms and conditions as the Board may prescribe. Such Committee shall consist of not less than two (2) members of the Board each of whom is a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3, or any successor rule of similar import, and an “outside director” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder. Once appointed, the Committee shall continue to serve until otherwise directed by the Board. From time to time, the Board may increase the size of the Committee and appoint additional members thereof, remove members (with or without cause) and appoint new members in substitution therefor, fill vacancies, however caused, and remove all members of the Committee and, thereafter, directly administer this Plan. In the event that the Board is the administrator of this Plan in lieu of a Committee, the term “Committee” as used herein shall be deemed to mean the Board.

 

1.4.2 The Committee shall meet at such times and places and upon such notice as it may determine. A majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. Any acts by the Committee may be taken at any meeting at which a quorum is present and shall be by majority vote of those members entitled to vote. Additionally, any acts reduced to writing or approved in writing by all of the members of the Committee shall be valid acts of the Committee.

 

1.4.3 The Board may, in its sole discretion, divide the duties and powers of the Committee by establishing one or more secondary Committees to which certain duties and powers of the Board hereunder are delegated (each of which shall be regarded as a “Committee” under this Plan with respect to such duties and powers), or delegate all of its duties and powers hereunder to a single Committee. Additionally, if permitted by applicable law, the Board or Committee may delegate any or all of its duties and powers hereunder to a Designated Officer subject to such conditions and limitations as the Board or Committee shall prescribe. However, only the Committee described under Section 1.4.1 may designate and grant Awards to Grantees who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act or Section 162(m) of the Code. The Committee shall also have the power to establish sub-plans (which may be included as appendices to this Plan or the respective Award Agreement), which may constitute separate programs, for the purpose of establishing programs that meet any special tax or regulatory requirements of jurisdictions other than the United States and its subdivisions. Any such interpretations, rules, administration and sub-plans shall be consistent with the basic purposes of this Plan.

 

1.4.4 Powers of the Committee. The Committee shall have all the powers vested in it by the terms of this Plan, such powers to include authority, in its sole and absolute discretion, to grant Awards under this Plan, prescribe Award Agreements and establish programs for granting Awards. The Committee shall have full power and authority to take all other actions necessary to carry out the purpose and intent of this Plan, including, but not limited to, the authority to:

 

(a) determine the Grantees to whom, and the time or times at which, Awards shall be granted;

 

(b) determine the types of Awards to be granted;

 

(c) determine the number of shares of Common Stock and/or amount of cash to be covered by or used for reference purposes for each Award;

 

(d) impose such terms, limitations, vesting schedules, restrictions, and conditions upon any such Award as the Committee shall deem appropriate, including without limitation establishing, in its discretion, Performance Measures that must be satisfied before an Award vests and/or becomes payable, the term during which an Award is exercisable, the purchase price, if any, under an Award, and the period, if any, following a Grantee’s termination of employment or service with the Company or any Subsidiary during which the Award shall remain exercisable;

 

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(e) modify, extend, or renew outstanding Awards, accept the surrender of outstanding Awards, and substitute new Awards, provided that no such action shall be taken with respect to any outstanding Award that would materially and adversely affect the Grantee without the Grantee’s consent, or constitute a repricing of stock options without the consent of the holders of the Company’s voting securities under Section 1.4.4(f) below;

 

(f) only with the approval of the holders of the voting securities of the Company to the extent that such approval is required by applicable law, regulation, or the rules of a national securities exchange or automated quotation system to which the Company is subject, reprice Incentive Stock Options and Non-Statutory Stock Options either by amendment to lower the exercise price or by accepting such stock options for cancellation and issuing replacement stock options with a lower exercise price or through any other mechanism;

 

(g) accelerate the time in which an Award may be exercised or in which an Award becomes payable and waive or accelerate the lapse, in whole or in part, of any restriction or condition with respect to an Award;

 

(h) establish objectives and conditions, including targets for Performance Measures, if any, for earning Awards and determining whether Awards will be paid after the end of a Performance Period; and

 

(i) permit the deferral of, or require a Grantee to defer such Grantee’s receipt of or the delivery of Stock and/or cash under an Award that would otherwise be due to such Grantee and establish rules and procedures for such payment deferrals, provided the requirements of Code Section 409A are met with respect to any such deferral.

 

The Committee shall have full power and authority to administer and interpret this Plan and to adopt such rules, regulations, agreements, guidelines, and instruments for the administration of this Plan as the Committee deems necessary, desirable or appropriate in accordance with the bylaws of the Company.

 

1.4.5 To the maximum extent permitted by law, no member of the Board or Committee or a Designated Officer shall be liable for any action taken or decision made in good faith relating to this Plan or any Award thereunder.

 

1.4.6 The members of the Board and Committee and any Designated Officer shall be indemnified by the Company in respect of all their activities under this Plan in accordance with the procedures and terms and conditions set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation and bylaws of the Company as in effect from time to time. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled under the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise.

 

1.4.7 All actions taken and decisions and determinations made by the Committee or a Designated Officer on all matters relating to this Plan pursuant to the powers vested in it hereunder shall be in the Committee’s or Designated Officer’s sole and absolute discretion and shall be conclusive and binding on all parties concerned, including the Company, its stockholders, any Grantees, and any other Employee, and their respective successors in interest.

 

1.5 Amendment or Termination.

 

1.5.1 The Committee, without further approval of the Company’s stockholders, may amend or terminate this Plan or any portion thereof at any time, except that no amendment shall become effective without prior approval of the stockholders of the Company to increase the number of shares of Common Stock subject to this Plan or if stockholder approval is necessary to comply with any tax or regulatory requirement or rule of any national securities exchange or national automated quotation system upon which the Common Stock is listed or quoted (including for this purpose stockholder approval that is required for continued compliance with Rule 16b-3 or stockholder approval that is required to enable the Committee to grant Incentive Stock Options pursuant to this Plan).

 

1.5.2 The Committee shall be authorized to make minor or administrative amendments to this Plan as well as amendments to this Plan that may be dictated by the requirements of U.S. federal or state laws applicable to the Company or that may be authorized or made desirable by such laws. The Committee may amend any outstanding Award in any manner as provided in Section 1.4.4 and to the extent that the Committee would have had the authority to make such Award as so amended.

 

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1.5.3 No amendment to this Plan or any Award may be made that would materially adversely affect any outstanding Award previously made under this Plan without the approval of the Grantee. Further, no amendment to this Plan or an Award shall be made that would cause any Award to fail to either comply with or meet an exception from Code Section 409A.

 

1.6 Effective Date and Duration of this Plan. This Plan shall become effective on the Effective Date. This Plan shall terminate at such time as may be determined by the Board, and no Stock Award or Stock Option may be issued or granted under this Plan thereafter, but such termination shall not affect any Stock Award or Stock Option theretofore issued or granted.

 

2. INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION PROVISIONS

 

2.1 Granting of Incentive Stock Options.

 

2.1.1 Only Employees of the Company shall be eligible to receive Incentive Stock Options under this Plan. Officers, Directors, and Consultants of the Company who are not also Employees shall not be eligible to receive Incentive Stock Options.

 

2.1.2 The purchase price of each share of Common Stock subject to an Incentive Stock Option shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a share of the Common Stock on the date the Incentive Stock Option is granted. If an Employee owns or is deemed to own (by reason of the attribution rules applicable under Section 424(d) of the Code) more than 10% of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company (or any parent corporation or subsidiary corporation of the Company, as those terms are defined in Sections 424(e) and (f) of the Code, respectively) and an Incentive Stock Option is granted to such Employee, the exercise price of such Incentive Stock Option (to the extent required by the Code at the time of grant) shall be no less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date such Incentive Stock Option is granted.

 

2.1.3 No Incentive Stock Option shall be exercisable more than ten (10) years from the date the Incentive Stock Option was granted; provided however, that if a Grantee owns or is deemed to own (by reason of the attribution rules of Section 424(d) of the Code) more than 10% of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company (or any parent corporation or subsidiary corporation of the Company, as those terms are defined in Sections 424(e) and (f) of the Code, respectively) and the Incentive Stock Option is granted to such Grantee, the term of the Incentive Stock Option shall be (to the extent required by the Code at the time of the grant) for no more than five (5) years from the date of grant.

 

2.1.4 The Committee shall determine and designate from time to time those Employees who are to be granted Incentive Stock Options and specify the number of shares subject to each Incentive Stock Option.

 

2.1.5 The Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine whether any particular Incentive Stock Option shall become exercisable in one or more installments, specify the installment dates, and, within the limitations herein provided, determine the total period during which the Incentive Stock Option is exercisable. Further, the Committee may make such other provisions as may appear generally acceptable or desirable to the Committee or necessary to qualify its grants under the provisions of Section 422 of the Code.

 

2.1.6 The Committee may grant at any time new Incentive Stock Options to an Employee who has previously received Incentive Stock Options or other options whether such prior Incentive Stock Options or other options are still outstanding, have previously been exercised in whole or in part, or are cancelled in connection with the issuance of new Incentive Stock Options. The purchase price of the new Incentive Stock Options may be established by the Committee without regard to the existing Incentive Stock Options or other options.

 

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2.1.7 Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time the option is granted) of the Common Stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by the Employee during any calendar year (under all such plans of the Grantee’s employer corporation and its parent corporation or subsidiary corporation as those terms are defined in Sections 424(e) and (f) of the Code, respectively) shall not (to the extent required by the Code at the time of the grant) exceed One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000). To the extent that such aggregate Fair Market Value shall exceed One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000), or other applicable amount, such Stock Options to the extent of the Common Stock in excess of such limit shall be treated as Non-Statutory Stock Options. In such case, the Company may designate the shares of Common Stock that are to be treated as Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option.

 

2.2 Exercise of Incentive Stock Options. The exercise price of an Incentive Stock Option shall be payable on exercise of the option (i) in cash or by check, bank draft, or postal or express money order, (ii) ) if provided in the written Award Agreement and permitted by applicable law, by the surrender of Common Stock then owned by the Grantee, which Common Stock such Grantee has held for at least six (6) months, (iii) the proceeds of a loan from an independent broker-dealer whereby the loan is secured by the option or the stock to be received upon exercise, or (iv) any combination of the foregoing; provided, that each such method and time for payment and each such borrowing and terms and conditions of repayment shall then be permitted by and be in compliance with applicable law. Shares of Common Stock so surrendered in accordance with clause (ii) or (iv) shall be valued at the Fair Market Value thereof on the date of exercise, surrender of such Common Stock to be evidenced by delivery of the certificate(s) representing such shares in such manner, and endorsed in such form, or accompanied by stock powers endorsed in such form, as the Committee may determine.

 

2.3 Termination of Employment.

 

2.3.1 If a Grantee’s employment with the Company is terminated other than by Disability or death, the terms of any then outstanding Incentive Stock Option held by the Grantee shall extend for a period ending on the earlier of the date on which such Stock Option would otherwise expire or three (3) months after such termination of employment, and such Stock Option shall be exercisable to the extent it was exercisable as of such last date of employment.

 

2.3.2 If a Grantee’s employment with the Company is terminated by reason of Disability, the term of any then outstanding Incentive Stock Option held by the Grantee shall extend for a period ending on the earlier of the date on which such Stock Option would otherwise expire or twelve (12) months after such termination of employment, and such Stock Option shall be exercisable to the extent it was exercisable as of such last date of employment.

 

2.3.3 If a Grantee’s employment with the Company is terminated by reason of death, the representative of his estate or beneficiaries thereof to whom the Stock Option has been transferred shall have the right during the period ending on the earlier of the date on which such Stock Option would otherwise expire or twelve (12) months after such date of death, to exercise any then outstanding Incentive Stock Options in whole or in part. If a Grantee dies without having fully exercised any then outstanding Incentive Stock Options, the representative of his estate or beneficiaries thereof to whom the Stock Option has been transferred shall have the right to exercise such Stock Options in whole or in part.

 

3. NON-STATUTORY STOCK OPTION PROVISIONS

 

3.1 Granting of Stock Options.

 

3.1.1 Officers, Employees, Directors, and Consultants shall be eligible to receive Non-Statutory Stock Options under this Plan.

 

3.1.2 The Committee shall determine and designate from time to time those Officers, Employees, Directors, and Consultants who are to be granted Non-Statutory Stock Options and the amount subject to each Non-Statutory Stock Option.

 

3.1.3 The Committee may grant at any time new Non-Statutory Stock Options to an Employee, Director, or Consultant who has previously received Non-Statutory Stock Options or other Stock Options, whether such prior Non-Statutory Stock Options or other Stock Options are still outstanding, have previously been exercised in whole or in part, or are cancelled in connection with the issuance of new Non-Statutory Stock Options.

 

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3.1.4 The Committee shall determine the purchase price of each share of Common Stock subject to a Non-Statutory Stock Option. Such price shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such Common Stock on the date the Non-Statutory Stock Option is granted.

 

3.1.5 The Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine whether any particular Non-Statutory Stock Option shall become exercisable in one or more installments, specify the installment dates, and, within the limitations herein provided, determine the total period during which the Non-Statutory Stock Option is exercisable. Further, the Committee may make such other provisions as may appear generally acceptable or desirable to the Committee, including the extension of a Non-Statutory Stock Option, provided that such extension does not extend the option beyond the period specified in Section 3.1.6 below.

 

3.1.6 No Non-Statutory Stock Option shall be exercisable more than ten (10) years from the date such option is granted.

 

3.2 Exercise of Stock Options. The exercise price of a Non-Statutory Stock Option shall be payable on exercise of the Stock Option (i) in cash or by check, bank draft, or postal or express money order, (ii) if provided in the written Award Agreement and permitted by applicable law, by the surrender of Common Stock then owned by the Grantee, which Common Stock such Grantee has held for at least six (6) months, (iii) the proceeds of a loan from an independent broker-dealer whereby the loan is secured by the option or the stock to be received upon exercise, or (iv) any combination of the foregoing; provided, that each such method and time for payment and each such borrowing and terms and conditions of repayment shall then be permitted by and be in compliance with applicable law. Shares of Common Stock so surrendered in accordance with clause (ii) or (iv) shall be valued at the Fair Market Value thereof on the date of exercise, surrender of such Common Stock to be evidenced by delivery of the certificate(s) representing such shares in such manner, and endorsed in such form, or accompanied by stock powers endorsed in such form, as the Committee may determine.

 

3.3 Termination of Relationship.

 

3.3.1 If a Grantee’s employment with the Company is terminated, a Director Grantee ceases to be a Director, or a Consultant Grantee ceases to be a Consultant, other than by reason of Disability or death, the terms of any then outstanding Non-Statutory Stock Option held by the Grantee shall extend for a period ending on the earlier of the date established by the Committee at the time of grant or three (3) months after the Grantee’s last date of employment or cessation of being a Director or Consultant, and such Stock Option shall be exercisable to the extent it was exercisable as of the date of termination of employment or cessation of being a Director or Consultant.

 

3.3.2 If a Grantee’s employment is terminated by reason of Disability, a Director Grantee ceases to be a Director by reason of Disability or a Consultant Grantee ceases to be a Consultant by reason of Disability, the term of any then outstanding Non-Statutory Stock Option held by the Grantee shall extend for a period ending on the earlier of the date on which such Stock Option would otherwise expire or twelve (12) months after the Grantee’s last date of employment or cessation of being a Director or Consultant, and such Stock Option shall be exercisable to the extent it was exercisable as of such last date of employment or cessation of being a Director or Consultant.

 

3.3.3 If a Grantee’s employment is terminated by reason of death, a Director Grantee ceases to be a Director by reason of death or a Consultant Grantee ceases to be a Consultant by reason of death, the representative of his estate or beneficiaries thereof to whom the Stock Option has been transferred shall have the right during the period ending on the earlier of the date on which such Stock Option would otherwise expire or twelve (12) months following his death to exercise any then outstanding Non-Statutory Stock Options in whole or in part. If a Grantee dies without having fully exercised any then outstanding Non-Statutory Stock Options, the representative of his estate or beneficiaries thereof to whom the Stock Option has been transferred shall have the right to exercise such Stock Options in whole or in part.

 

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4. RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS

 

4.1 Grant of Restricted Stock.

 

4.1.1 Officers, Employees, Directors and Consultants shall be eligible to receive grants of Restricted Stock under this Plan.

 

4.1.2 The Committee shall determine and designate from time to time those Officers, Employees, Directors and Consultants who are to be granted Restricted Stock and the number of shares of Common Stock subject to such Stock Award.

 

4.1.3 The Committee, in its sole discretion, shall make such terms and conditions applicable to the grant of Restricted Stock as may appear generally acceptable or desirable to the Committee.

 

4.2 Termination of Relationship.

 

4.2.1 If a Grantee’s employment with the Company is terminated, a Director Grantee ceases to be a Director, or a Consultant Grantee ceases to be a Consultant, prior to the lapse of any restrictions applicable to the Restricted Stock, then such Common Stock shall be forfeited and the Grantee shall return the certificates representing such Common Stock to the Company.

 

4.2.2 If the restrictions applicable to a grant of Restricted Stock shall lapse, then the Grantee shall hold such Common Stock free and clear of all such restrictions except as otherwise provided in this Plan.

 

5. RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARDS

 

5.1 Grant of Restricted Stock Units.

 

5.1.1 Officers, Employees, Directors, and Consultants shall be eligible to receive grants of Restricted Stock Units under this Plan.

 

5.1.2 The Committee shall determine and designate from time to time those Officers, Employees, Directors and Consultants who are to be granted Restricted Stock Units and number of shares of Common Stock subject to such Stock Award.

 

5.1.3 The Committee, in its sole discretion, shall make such terms and conditions applicable to the grant of Restricted Stock Units as may appear generally acceptable or desirable to the Committee.

 

5.2 Termination of Relationship.

 

5.2.1 If a Grantee’s employment with the Company is terminated, a Director Grantee ceases to be a Director, or a Consultant Grantee ceases to be a Consultant, prior to the lapse of any restrictions applicable to the Restricted Stock Units, then such Common Stock shall be forfeited and the Grantee shall return the certificates representing such Common Stock to the Company.

 

5.2.2 If the restrictions applicable to a grant of Restricted Stock Units shall lapse, then the Grantee shall hold such Common Stock free and clear of all such restrictions except as otherwise provided in this Plan.

 

6. PERFORMANCE AWARDS

 

6.1 The Committee, in its discretion, may establish targets for Performance Measures for selected Grantees and authorize the granting, vesting, payment, and/or delivery of Performance Awards in the form of Incentive Stock Options, Non-Statutory Stock Options, Restricted Stock, and Restricted Stock Units to such Grantees upon achievement of such targets for Performance Measures during a Performance Period. The Committee, in its discretion, shall determine the Grantees eligible for Performance Awards, the targets for Performance Measures to be achieved during each Performance Period, and the type, amount, and terms and conditions of any Performance Awards. Performance Awards may be granted either alone or in addition to other Awards made under this Plan.

 

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6.2 After the Company is subject to Code Section 162(m), in connection with any Performance Awards granted to a Covered Employee that are intended to meet the performance-based compensation exception under Code Section 162(m), the Committee shall (i) establish in the applicable Award Agreement the specific targets relative to the Performance Measures that must be attained before the respective Performance Award is granted, vests, or is otherwise paid or delivered, (ii) provide in the applicable Award Agreement the method for computing the portion of the Performance Award that shall be granted, vested, paid, and/or delivered if the target or targets are attained in full or part, and (iii) at the end of the relevant Performance Period, and prior to any such grant, vesting, payment, or delivery, certify the extent to which the applicable target or targets were achieved and whether any other material terms were in fact satisfied. The specific targets and the method for computing the portion of such Performance Award that shall be granted, vested, paid, or delivered to any Covered Employee shall be established by the Committee prior to the earlier to occur of (A) ninety (90) days after the commencement of the Performance Period to which the Performance Measure applies and (B) the elapse of twenty-five percent (25%) of the Performance Period and in any event while the outcome is substantially uncertain. In interpreting Plan provisions applicable to Performance Measures and Performance Awards that are intended to meet the performance-based compensation exception under Code Section 162(m), it is the intent of this Plan to conform with the standards of Section 162(m) of the Code and Treasury Regulations Section 1.162-27(e)(2), and the Committee in interpreting this Plan shall be guided by such provisions.

 

7. GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

7.1 Adjustment Provisions.

 

7.1.1 Change of Control.

 

(a) Effect of “Change in Control.” If and only to the extent provided in the Award Agreement, or to the extent otherwise determined by the Committee, upon the occurrence of a “Change in Control,” as defined in Section 7.1.1(b):

 

(i) The Committee shall take such action as it deems appropriate and equitable to effectuate the purposes of this Plan and to protect the grantees of Awards, which action may include, without limitation, any one or more of the following, provided such action is in compliance with Code Section 409A if applicable: (i) acceleration or change of the exercise and/or expiration dates of any Award to require that exercise be made, if at all, prior to the Change in Control; and (ii) cancellation of any Award upon payment to the holder in cash of the Fair Market Value of the Stock subject to such Award as of the date of (and, to the extent applicable, as established for purposes of) the Change in Control, less the aggregate exercise price, if any, of the Award.

 

(ii) Notwithstanding the foregoing or any provision in any Award Agreement to the contrary, if in the event of a Change in Control, the successor company assumes or substitutes for a Stock Option or Stock Award, then each such outstanding Stock Option or Stock Award shall not be accelerated as described in Sections 7.1.1(a)(i). For the purposes of this Section 7.1.1(a)(ii), such Stock Option or Stock Award shall be considered assumed or substituted for if following the Change in Control the Award confers the right to purchase or receive, for each share of Common Stock subject to the Stock Option or Stock Award immediately prior to the Change in Control, the consideration (whether stock, cash, or other securities or property) received in the transaction constituting a Change in Control by holders of Common Stock shares for each Common Stock share held on the effective date of such transaction (and if holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares); provided, however, that if such consideration received in the transaction constituting a Change in Control is not solely common stock of the successor company or its parent or subsidiary, the Committee may, with the consent of the successor company or its parent or subsidiary, provide that the consideration to be received upon the exercise or vesting of a Stock Option or Stock Award, for each Common Stock share subject thereto, will be solely common stock of the successor company or its parent or subsidiary substantially equal in fair market value to the per share consideration received by holders of Common Stock shares in the transaction constituting a Change in Control. The determination of such substantial equality of value of consideration shall be made by the Committee in its sole discretion and its determination shall be conclusive and binding.

 

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(b) Definition of “Change in Control”. Unless otherwise specified in an Award Agreement, a “Change in Control” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following:

 

(i) The acquisition by any Person of Beneficial Ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of more than fifty percent (50%) of either (A) the value of then outstanding equity securities of the Company (the “Outstanding Company Stock”) or (B) the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”) (the foregoing Beneficial Ownership hereinafter being referred to as a “Controlling Interest”); provided, however, that for purposes of this Section 7.1.1, the following acquisitions shall not constitute or result in a Change in Control: (v) any acquisition directly from the Company; (w) any acquisition by the Company; (x) any acquisition by any Person that as of the Effective Date owns Beneficial Ownership of a Controlling Interest; (y) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Related Entity; or (z) any acquisition by any entity pursuant to a transaction that complies with clauses (A), (B), and (C) of subsection 7.1.1(b)(iii) below; or

 

(ii) During any period of two (2) consecutive years (not including any period prior to the Effective Date) individuals who constitute the Board on the Effective Date (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the Effective Date whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board; or

 

(iii) Consummation of a reorganization, merger, statutory share exchange, or consolidation or similar transaction involving the Company or any of its Related Entities, a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or the acquisition of assets or equity of another entity by the Company or any of its Related Entities (each a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination, (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners, respectively, of the Outstanding Company Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than fifty percent (50%) of the value of the then outstanding equity securities and the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of members of the board of directors (or comparable governing body of an entity that does not have such a board), as the case may be, of the entity resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, an entity that as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Company Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, (B) no Person (excluding any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or such entity resulting from such Business Combination or any Person that as of the Effective Date owns Beneficial Ownership of a Controlling Interest) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of the value of the then outstanding equity securities of the entity resulting from such Business Combination or the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of such entity except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination, and (C) at least a majority of the members of the Board or other governing body of the entity resulting from such Business Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such Business Combination; or

 

(iv) Approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

 

7.1.2 Adjustments to Awards. In the event that any extraordinary dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Common Stock, or other property), recapitalization, forward or reverse split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination, repurchase, share exchange, liquidation, dissolution or other similar corporate transaction or event affects the Common Stock and/or such other securities of the Company or any other issuer such that a substitution, exchange, or adjustment is determined by the Committee to be appropriate, then the Committee shall, in such manner as it may deem equitable, substitute, exchange, or adjust any or all of (A) the number and kind of Shares that may be delivered in connection with Awards granted thereafter, (B) the number and kind of Shares by which annual per-person Award limitations are measured under this Plan’s provisions, (C) the number and kind of Shares subject to or deliverable in respect of outstanding Awards, (D) the exercise price, grant price or purchase price relating to any Award and/or make provision for payment of cash or other property in respect of any outstanding Award, and (E) any other aspect of any Award that the Committee determines to be appropriate.

 

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7.1.3 Adjustments in Case of Certain Transactions. In the event of any merger, consolidation or other reorganization in which the Company does not survive, or in the event of any Change in Control, any outstanding Awards may be dealt with in accordance with any of the following approaches, as determined by the agreement effectuating the transaction or, if and to the extent not so determined, as determined by the Committee: (a) the continuation of the outstanding Awards by the Company, if the Company is a surviving entity, (b) the assumption or substitution for, as those terms are defined in Section 7.1.1(b)(iv), the outstanding Awards by the surviving entity or its parent or subsidiary, (c) full exercisability or vesting and accelerated expiration of the outstanding Awards, or (d) settlement of the value of the outstanding Awards in cash or cash equivalents or other property followed by cancellation of such Awards (which value, in the case of Stock Options, shall be measured by the amount, if any, by which the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock exceeds the exercise or grant price of the Stock Option as of the effective date of the transaction). The Committee shall give written notice of any proposed transaction referred to in this Section 7.1.3 a reasonable period of time prior to the closing date for such transaction (which notice may be given either before or after the approval of such transaction), in order that Grantees may have a reasonable period of time prior to the closing date of such transaction within which to exercise any Awards that are then exercisable (including any Awards that may become exercisable upon the closing date of such transaction). A Grantee may condition his exercise of any Awards upon the consummation of the transaction.

 

7.1.4 Other Adjustments. The Committee (and the Board if and only to the extent such authority is not required to be exercised by the Committee to comply with Section 162(m) of the Code) is authorized to make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards (including Performance Awards, or performance goals relating thereto) in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, acquisitions and dispositions of businesses and assets) affecting the Company, any Related Entity or any business unit, or the financial statements of the Company or any Related Entity, or in response to changes in applicable laws, regulations, accounting principles, tax rates and regulations or business conditions or in view of the Committee’s assessment of the business strategy of the Company, any Related Entity or business unit thereof, performance of comparable organizations, economic and business conditions, personal performance of a Grantee, and any other circumstances deemed relevant; provided that no such adjustment shall be authorized or made if and to the extent that such authority or the making of such adjustment would cause Stock Options or Stock Awards granted pursuant to Section 6 to Grantees designated by the Committee as Covered Employees and intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m) and the regulations thereunder to otherwise fail to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m) and regulations thereunder.

 

7.1.5 Fractional Shares. No adjustment or substitution provided for in this Section 7.1 shall require the Company to sell a fractional share, and the total substitution or adjustment with respect to each outstanding Stock Option shall be limited accordingly.

 

7.1.6 Adjustment Certificates. Upon any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 7.1 the Company will, upon request, deliver to the Grantee a certificate setting forth the exercise price thereafter in effect and the number and kind of shares or other securities thereafter purchasable on the exercise of such Stock Option.

 

7.2 General.

 

7.2.1 Each Stock Option and Stock Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement containing such terms and conditions, not inconsistent with this Plan, as the Committee shall approve.

 

7.2.2 The granting of a Stock Option or Stock Award in any year shall not give the Grantee any right to similar grants in future years or any right to be retained in the employ of the Company, and all Employees shall remain subject to discharge to the same extent as if this Plan were not in effect.

 

7.2.3 No Officer, Employee, Director, or Consultant and no beneficiary or other person claiming under or through him, shall have any right, title or interest by reason of any Stock Option or any Stock Award to any particular assets of the Company, or any shares of Common Stock allocated or reserved for the purposes of this Plan or subject to any Stock Option or any Stock Award except as set forth herein. The Company shall not be required to establish any fund or make any other segregation of assets to assure the payment of any Stock Option or Stock Award.

 

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7.2.4 Limits on Transferability.

 

(a) Except to the extent otherwise provided in the respective Award Agreement, no Award, other right, or interest granted under this Plan shall be pledged, hypothecated, or otherwise encumbered or subject to any lien, obligation, or liability of such Grantee to any party, or assigned or transferred by such Grantee otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution or to a Beneficiary upon the death of a Grantee. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee in accordance with the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence, an Award may be exercised during the lifetime of the Grantee only by the Grantee or, during the period the Grantee is under a Disability, by the Grantee’s guardian or legal representative.

 

(b) Notwithstanding Section 7.2.4(a), an Award other than an Incentive Stock Option may, in the Committee’s sole discretion, be transferable by gift or domestic relations order to (i) the Grantee’s child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, including adoptive relationships (such persons, “Family Members”), (ii) a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other business entity whose only stockholders, partners, or members, as applicable are the Grantee and/or Family Members, or (iii) a trust in which the Grantee and/or Family Members have all of the beneficial interests, and subsequent to any such transfer any Award may be exercised by any such transferee, provided, however, no Award may be transferred for value (as defined in the General Instructions to Form S-8 Registration Statement).

 

(c) Notwithstanding Sections 7.2.4(a) and 7.2.4(b), an Award may be transferred pursuant to a domestic relations order that would satisfy Section 414(p)(1)(A) of the Code if such Section applied to an Award under this Plan, but only if the tax consequences flowing from the assignment or transfer are specified in said order, the order is accompanied by signed agreement by both or all parties to the domestic relations order, and, if requested by the Committee, an opinion is provided by qualified counsel for the Grantee that the order is enforceable by or against this Plan under applicable law, and said opinion further specifies the tax consequences flowing from the order and the appropriate tax reporting procedures for this Plan.

 

7.2.5 Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan or agreements made pursuant thereto, the Company’s obligation to issue or deliver any certificate or certificates for shares of Common Stock under a Stock Option or Stock Award, and the transferability of Common Stock acquired by exercise of a Stock Option or grant of a Stock Award, shall be subject to all of the following conditions:

 

(a) Any registration or other qualification of such shares under any state or federal law or regulation, or the maintaining in effect of any such registration or other qualification that the Board shall, in its absolute discretion upon the advice of counsel, deem necessary or advisable; and

 

(b) The obtaining of any other consent, approval, or permit from any state or federal governmental agency that the Board shall, in its absolute discretion upon the advice of counsel, determine to be necessary or advisable.

 

The Company may, to the extent deemed necessary or advisable by the Committee, postpone the issuance or delivery of Common Stock or payment of other benefits under any Award until completion of such registration or qualification of such Common Stock (including, but not limited to, the conditions described in Sections 7.2.5(a) and 7.2.5(b) above) or other required action under any federal or state law, rule or regulation, listing, or other required action with respect to any stock exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Shares or other Company securities are listed or quoted, or compliance with any other obligation of the Company, as the Committee, may consider appropriate, and may require any Grantee to make such representations, furnish such information and comply with or be subject to such other conditions as it may consider appropriate in connection with the issuance or delivery of Shares or payment of other benefits in compliance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations, listing requirements, or other obligations.

 

7.2.6 All payments to Grantees or to their legal representatives shall be subject to any applicable tax, community property, or other statutes or regulations of the United States or of any state or country having jurisdiction over such payments. The Grantee may be required to pay to the Company the amount of any withholding taxes that the Company is required to withhold with respect to a Stock Option or its exercise or a Stock Award. In the event that such payment is not made when due, the Company shall have the right to deduct, to the extent permitted by law, from any payment of any kind otherwise due to such person all or part of the amount required to be withheld.

 

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7.2.7 In the case of a grant of a Stock Option or Stock Award to any Employee of a Subsidiary, the Company may, if the Committee so directs, issue or transfer the shares, if any, covered by the Stock Option or Stock Award to such Subsidiary, for such lawful consideration as the Committee may specify, upon the condition or understanding that such Subsidiary will transfer the shares to the Employee in accordance with the terms of the Stock Option or Stock Award specified by the Committee pursuant to the provisions of this Plan.

 

7.2.8 A Grantee entitled to Common Stock as a result of the exercise of a Stock Option or grant of a Stock Award shall not be deemed for any purpose to be, or have rights as, a stockholder of the Company by virtue of such exercise, except to the extent that a stock certificate is issued therefor and then only from the date such certificate is issued. No adjustments shall be made for dividends or distributions or other rights for which the record date is prior to the date such stock certificate is issued. The Company shall issue any stock certificates required to be issued in connection with the exercise of a Stock Option with reasonable promptness after such exercise.

 

7.2.9 The grant or exercise of Stock Options granted under this Plan or the grant of a Stock Award under this Plan shall be subject to, and shall in all respects comply with, applicable law relating to such grant or exercise, or to the number of shares of Common Stock that may be beneficially owned or held by any Grantee.

 

7.2.10 The Company intends that this Plan shall comply with the requirements of Rule 16b-3 (the “Rule”) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, during the term of this Plan. Should any additional provisions be necessary for this Plan to comply with the requirements of the Rule, the Board may amend this Plan to add to or modify the provisions of this Plan accordingly.

 

7.2.11 Code Section 409A.

 

(a) If any Award constitutes a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” under Section 409A of the Code (a “Section 409A Plan”), then the Award shall be subject to the following additional requirements, if and to the extent required to comply with Section 409A of the Code:

 

(i) Payments under the Section 409A Plan may not be made earlier than (u) the Grantee’s separation from service, (v) the date the Grantee becomes disabled, (w) the Grantee’s death, (x) a specified time (or pursuant to a fixed schedule) specified in the Award Agreement at the date of the deferral of such compensation, (y) a change in the ownership or effective control of the corporation, or in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the corporation, or (z) the occurrence of an unforeseeable emergency;

 

(ii) The time or schedule for any payment of the deferred compensation may not be accelerated, except to the extent provided in applicable Treasury Regulations or other applicable guidance issued by the Internal Revenue Service;

 

(iii) Any elections with respect to the deferral of such compensation or the time and form of distribution of such deferred compensation shall comply with the requirements of Section 409A(a)(4) of the Code; and

 

(iv) In the case of any Grantee who is specified employee, a distribution on account of a separation from service may not be made before the date that is six (6) months after the date of the Grantee’s separation from service (or, if earlier, the date of the Grantee’s death).

 

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For purposes of the foregoing, the terms “separation from service”, “disabled,” and “specified employee”, all shall be defined in the same manner as those terms are defined for purposes of Section 409A of the Code, and the limitations set forth herein shall be applied in such manner (and only to the extent) as shall be necessary to comply with any requirements of Section 409A of the Code that are applicable to the Award.

 

(b) The Award Agreement for any Award that the Committee reasonably determines to constitute a Section 409A Plan, and the provisions of this Plan applicable to that Award, shall be construed in a manner consistent with the applicable requirements of Section 409A, and the Committee, in its sole discretion and without the consent of any Grantee, may amend any Award Agreement (and the provisions of this Plan applicable thereto) if and to the extent that the Committee determines that such amendment is necessary or appropriate to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code. No Section 409A Plan shall be adjusted, modified, or substituted for, pursuant to any provision of this Plan, without the consent of the Grantee if any such adjustment, modification, or substitution would cause the Section 409A Plan to violate the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

 

(c) The Company intends that this Plan shall comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, to the extent applicable. Should any changes to this Plan be necessary for this Plan to comply with the requirements of Section 409A, the Board may amend this Plan to add to or modify the provisions of this Plan accordingly.

 

7.2.12 The validity, construction, and effect of this Plan, any rules and regulations under this Plan, and any Award Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the laws of the State of Nevada without giving effect to principles of conflict of laws, and applicable federal law. Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, recipients of an Award under this Plan are deemed to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the federal or state courts whose jurisdiction covers California to resolve any and all issues that may arise out of or relate to this Plan or any related Award Agreement.

 

7.2.13 The Board shall have the authority to adopt such modifications, procedures, and subplans as may be necessary or desirable to comply with provisions of the laws of foreign countries in which the Company or its Related Entities may operate to assure the viability of the benefits from Awards granted to Grantees performing services in such countries and to meet the objectives of this Plan.

 

7.2.14 The Company will seek stockholder approval in the manner and to the degree required under applicable laws. If the Company fails to obtain any required stockholder approval of this Plan within twelve (12) months after the date this Plan is adopted by the Board, pursuant to Section 422 of the Code, any Option granted as an Incentive Stock Option at any time under this Plan will not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option within the meaning of the Code and will be deemed to be a Non-Statutory Stock Option.

 

 

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Exhibit 10.5

 

SYNERGY CHC CORP.

2024 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

 

1. Purpose. The purpose of the Synergy CHC Corp. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) is to provide a means through which Synergy CHC Corp. (“the Company”) and its Affiliates may attract and retain key personnel and to provide a means whereby directors, officers, employees, consultants and advisors (and prospective directors, officers, employees, consultants and advisors) of the Company and its Affiliates can acquire and maintain an equity interest in the Company, or be paid incentive compensation, which may (but need not) be measured by reference to the value of the Common Stock, thereby strengthening their commitment to the welfare of the Company and its Affiliates and aligning their interests with those of the Company’s shareholders.

 

2. Definitions. The following definitions shall be applicable throughout the Plan:

 

(a) “Affiliate” means, at the time of determination, (i) any person or entity that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Company and/or (ii) to the extent provided by the Committee, any person or entity in which the Company has a significant interest. The term “control” (including, with correlative meaning, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as applied to any person or entity, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such person or entity, whether through the ownership of voting or other securities, by contract or otherwise. The Committee will have the authority to determine the time or times at which “Affiliate” is determined within the forgoing definition.

 

(b) “Award” means, individually or collectively, any Incentive Stock Option, Non-Qualified Stock Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, Stock Bonus Award, and Performance Compensation Award granted under the Plan.

 

(c) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

(d) “Business Combination” has the meaning given such term in the definition of “Change in Control.”

 

(e) “Cause” shall have the meaning set forth in the applicable Participant’s employment or similar agreement with the Company or its Affiliates and in the absence of such agreement or definition, shall mean (i) the Company or an Affiliate having “cause” to terminate a Participant’s employment or service, as defined in any employment or consulting or similar agreement between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate in effect at the time of such termination or (ii) in the absence of any such employment or consulting or similar agreement (or the absence of any definition of “Cause” contained therein), (A) gross misconduct by the Participant which results in loss, damage or injury to the Company or any of its Affiliates, its goodwill, business or reputation; (B) the commission or attempted commission of an act of embezzlement, fraud or breach of fiduciary duty which results in loss, damage or injury to the Company or any of its Affiliates, its goodwill, business or reputation; (C) the unauthorized disclosure or misappropriation of any trade secret or confidential information of the Company, any of its Affiliate or any third party who has a business relationship with the Company; (D) the Participant’s conviction of or plea of nolo contendere to, a felony under any state or federal law; (E) the violation (or potential violation) by the Participant, in any material respect, of a non-competition, non-solicitation, nondisclosure or assignment of inventions covenant between the Participant and the Company or any of its Affiliates; (F) the Participant’s failure to perform the Participant’s assigned duties and responsibilities to the reasonable satisfaction of the Company which failure continues, in the reasonable judgment of the Company, after written notice given to the Participant by the Company; or (G) the use of controlled substances, illicit drugs, alcohol or other substances or behavior which interferes with the Participant’s ability to perform his or her services for the Company or any of its Affiliates or which otherwise results in loss, damage or injury to the Company, its goodwill, business or reputation. Any determination of whether Cause exists shall be made by the Committee in its sole discretion.

 

 

 

 

(f) “Change in Control” shall, in the case of a particular Award, unless the applicable Award agreement states otherwise or contains a different definition of “Change in Control,” be deemed to occur upon:

 

(i) Any sale, lease, exchange or other transfer (in one or a series of related transactions) of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company;

 

(ii) Any “Person” as such term is used in Section 13(d) and Section 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) becomes, directly or indirectly, the “beneficial owner” as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act of securities of the Company that represent fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding voting securities (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that for purposes of this Section 2(f)(ii), the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control: (I) any acquisition directly from the Company principally for bona fide equity financing purposes, (II) any acquisition by the Company, (III) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Affiliate, (IV) any acquisition by any corporation pursuant to a transaction that complies with Sections 2(f)(iv)(A) and 2(f)(iv)(B), (V) any acquisition involving beneficial ownership of less than fifty percent (50%) of the then-outstanding Common Stock (the “Outstanding Company Common Stock”) or the Outstanding Company Voting Securities that is determined by the Board, based on review of public disclosure by the acquiring Person with respect to its passive investment intent, not to have a purpose or effect of changing or influencing the control of the Company; provided, however, that for purposes of this clause (V), any such acquisition in connection with (x) an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents or (y) any “Business Combination” (as defined below) shall be presumed to be for the purpose or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the Company;

 

(iii) During any period of not more than two (2) consecutive years, individuals who constitute the Board as of the beginning of the period (the “Incumbent Directors”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board, provided that any person becoming a director subsequent to the beginning of such period, whose election or nomination for election was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the Incumbent Directors then on the Board (either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the Company in which such person is named as a nominee for director, without written objection to such nomination) will be an Incumbent Director; provided, however, that no individual initially elected or nominated as a director of the Company as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to directors or as a result of any other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies by or on behalf of any person other than the Board will be deemed to be an Incumbent Director;

 

(iv) Consummation of a merger, amalgamation or consolidation (a “Business Combination”) of the Company with any other corporation, unless, following such Business Combination, (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities that were the beneficial owners of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and the Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than fifty percent (50%) of the then-outstanding shares of common stock (or, for a non-corporate entity, equivalent securities) and the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (or, for a non-corporate entity, equivalent governing body), as the case may be, of the entity resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, an entity that, as a result of such transaction, owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and the Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, and (B) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors (or, for a non-corporate entity, equivalent governing body) of the entity resulting from such Business Combination were Incumbent Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement or of the action of the Board providing for such Business Combination;

 

(v) Shareholder approval of a plan of complete liquidation of the Company.

 

(g) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any successor thereto. Reference in the Plan to any section of the Code shall be deemed to include any regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, regulations or guidance.

 

(h) “Committee” means a committee of at least two (2) people as the Board may appoint to administer the Plan or, if no such committee has been appointed by the Board, the Board.

 

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(i) “Common Stock” means the shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.00001 per share.

 

(j) “Company” means Synergy CHC Corp., a Nevada corporation.

 

(k) “Date of Grant” means the date on which the granting of an Award is authorized, or such other date as may be specified in such authorization.

 

(l) “Effective Date” means the later of (i) the date on which the Plan is approved by the shareholders of the Company, and (ii) the date that is one day prior to the date of the closing of transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement.

 

(m) “Eligible Director” means a person who is a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act.

 

(n) “Eligible Person” with respect to an Award denominated in Common Stock, means any (i) individual employed by the Company or an Affiliate; (ii) director of the Company or an Affiliate; (iii) consultant or advisor to the Company or an Affiliate; provided that if the Securities Act applies such persons must be eligible to be offered securities registrable on Form S-8 under the Securities Act; or (iv) prospective employees, directors, officers, consultants or advisors who have accepted offers of employment or consultancy from the Company or its Affiliates (and would satisfy the provisions of clauses (i) through (iii) above once he or she begins employment with or begins providing services to the Company or its Affiliates).

 

(o) “Exchange Act” has the meaning given such term in the definition of “Change in Control,” and any reference in the Plan to any section of (or rule promulgated under) the Exchange Act shall be deemed to include any rules, regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section or rule, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, rules, regulations or guidance.

 

(p) “Exercise Price” has the meaning given such term in Section 7(b) of the Plan.

 

(q) “Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of Common Stock determined as follows:

 

(i) If the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange or a national market system will be the closing sales price for such shares (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) as quoted on such exchange or system on the day of determination, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Committee deems reliable;

 

(ii) If the Common Stock is regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer but selling prices are not reported, the Fair Market Value of a Common Share will be the mean between the high bid and low asked prices for the Common Stock on the day of determination, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Committee deems reliable; or

 

(iii) In the absence of an established market for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value will be determined in good faith by the Committee.

 

(r) “Good Reason” shall have the meaning set forth in the applicable Participant’s employment or similar agreement with the Company or its Affiliates and in the absence of such agreement or definition, shall mean that one or more of the following has occurred without the Participant’s written consent:

 

(i) a material negative change in the nature or scope of the Participant’s responsibilities, duties or authority;

 

(ii) a material reduction in the Participant’s base compensation, excluding any reduction up to ten percent (10%) that is applied to all similarly situated service providers of the Company; or

 

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(iii) the Participant’s required re-location to a worksite location which is more than fifty (50) miles from the Participant’s then current principal worksite without the Participant’s prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld);

 

provided that, in any such case, the Participant provides written notice to the Company that the event giving rise to such claim of Good Reason has occurred within thirty (30) days after the occurrence of such event, and such Good Reason remains uncured thirty (30) days after the Participant has provided such written notice; provided further that any resignation of the Participant’s employment or service for “Good Reason” occurs no later than thirty (30) days following the expiration of such cure period.

 

(s) “Immediate Family Members” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 15(b).

 

(t) “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option that is designated by the Committee as an incentive stock option as described in Section 422 of the Code and otherwise meets the requirements set forth in the Plan.

 

(u) “Indemnifiable Person” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(e) of the Plan.

 

(v) “Mature Shares” means Common Stock owned by a Participant that are not subject to any pledge or security interest and that have been either previously acquired by the Participant on the open market or meet such other requirements, if any, as the Committee may determine are necessary in order to avoid an accounting earnings charge on account of the use of such shares to pay the Exercise Price or satisfy a tax or deduction obligation of the Participant.

 

(w) “Non-Qualified Stock Option” means an Option that is not designated by the Committee as an Incentive Stock Option.

 

(x) “Option” means an Award granted under Section 7 of the Plan.

 

(y) “Option Period” has the meaning given such term in Section 7(c) of the Plan.

 

(z) “Outstanding Company Common Stock” has the meaning given such term in the definition of “Change in Control.”

 

(aa) “Outstanding Company Voting Securities” has the meaning given such term in the definition of “Change in Control.”

 

(bb) “Participant” means an Eligible Person who has been selected by the Committee to participate in the Plan and to receive an Award pursuant to Section 6 of the Plan.

 

(cc) “Performance Compensation Award” shall mean any Award designated by the Committee as a Performance Compensation Award pursuant to Section 11 of the Plan.

 

(dd) “Performance Criteria” shall mean the criterion or criteria that the Committee shall select for purposes of establishing the Performance Goal(s) for a Performance Period with respect to any Performance Compensation Award under the Plan.

 

(ee) “Performance Formula” shall mean, for a Performance Period, the one or more formulae applied against the relevant Performance Goal to determine, with regard to the Performance Compensation Award of a particular Participant, whether all, some portion but less than all, or none of the Performance Compensation Award has been earned for the Performance Period.

 

(ff) “Performance Goals” shall mean, for a Performance Period, the one or more goals established by the Committee for the Performance Period based upon the Performance Criteria.

 

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(gg) “Performance Period” shall mean the one or more periods of time, as the Committee may select, over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s right to, and the payment of, a Performance Compensation Award.

 

(hh) “Permitted Transferee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 15(b) of the Plan.

 

(ii) “Person” has the meaning given such term in the definition of “Change in Control.”

 

(jj) “Plan” means this RBio Energy Holdings Corp. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time.

 

(kk) “Qualifying Termination” means, except as otherwise provided by the Committee as set forth in the Award, the occurrence of either a termination of a Participant’s employment by the Company without Cause or for Good Reason, in either case, occurring on or within the twelve (12) month period (or such other period specified in the applicable Award Agreement) following the consummation of a Change in Control.

 

(ll) “Restricted Period” means the period of time determined by the Committee during which an Award is subject to restrictions or, as applicable, the period of time within which performance is measured for purposes of determining whether an Award has been earned.

 

(mm) “Restricted Stock Unit” means an unfunded and unsecured promise to deliver Common Stock, cash, other securities or other property, subject to certain performance or time-based restrictions (including, without limitation, a requirement that the Participant remain continuously employed or provide continuous services for a specified period of time), granted under Section 9 of the Plan.

 

(nn) “Restricted Stock” means Common Stock, subject to certain specified performance or time-based restrictions (including, without limitation, a requirement that the Participant remain continuously employed or provide continuous services for a specified period of time), granted under Section 9 of the Plan.

 

(oo) “Retirement” means, in the case of a particular Award, the definition set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

(pp) “SAR Period” has the meaning given such term in Section 8(b) of the Plan.

 

(qq) “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any successor thereto. Reference in the Plan to any section of the Securities Act shall be deemed to include any rules, regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, rules, regulations or guidance.

 

(rr) “Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means an Award granted under Section 8 of the Plan.

 

(ss) “Stock Bonus Award” means an Award granted under Section 10 of the Plan.

 

(tt) “Strike Price” means, except as otherwise provided by the Committee in the case of Substitute Awards, (i) in the case of a SAR granted in tandem with an Option, the Exercise Price of the related Option, or (ii) in the case of a SAR granted independent of an Option, the Fair Market Value on the Date of Grant.

 

(uu) “Subsidiary” means, with respect to any specified Person:

 

(i) any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of shares (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency and after giving effect to any voting agreement or shareholders’ agreement that effectively transfers voting power) is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination thereof); and

 

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(ii) any partnership (or any comparable foreign entity (a) the sole general partner (or functional equivalent thereof) or the managing general partner of which is such Person or Subsidiary of such Person or (b) the only general partners (or functional equivalents thereof) of which are that Person or one or more Subsidiaries of that Person (or any combination thereof).

 

(vv) “Substitute Award” has the meaning given such term in Section 5(e).

 

3. Effective Date; Duration. The Plan shall be effective as of the Effective Date. The expiration date of the Plan, on and after which date no Awards may be granted hereunder, shall be the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date; provided, however, that such expiration shall not affect Awards then outstanding, and the terms and conditions of the Plan shall continue to apply to such Awards.

 

4. Administration.

 

(a) The Committee shall administer the Plan. To the extent required to comply with the applicable provisions of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act (if the Board is not acting as the Committee under the Plan), it is intended that each member of the Committee shall, at the time he or she takes any action with respect to an Award under the Plan, be an Eligible Director. However, the fact that a Committee member shall fail to qualify as an Eligible Director shall not invalidate any Award granted by the Committee that is otherwise validly granted under the Plan.

 

(b) Subject to the provisions of the Plan and applicable law, the Committee shall have the sole and plenary authority, in addition to other express powers and authorizations conferred on the Committee by the Plan or by the Board, to: (i) designate Participants; (ii) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to a Participant; (iii) determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be covered by, or with respect to which payments, rights, or other matters are to be calculated in connection with, Awards; (iv) determine the form of Award agreement and the terms and conditions of any Award; (v) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances Awards may be settled or exercised in cash, Common Stock, other securities, other Awards or other property, or canceled, forfeited, or suspended and the method or methods by which Awards may be settled, exercised, canceled, forfeited, or suspended; (vi) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances the delivery of cash, Common Stock, other securities, other Awards or other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the Participant or of the Committee; (vii) interpret, administer, reconcile any inconsistency in, correct any defect in and/or supply any omission in the Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to, or Award granted under, the Plan; (viii) establish, amend, suspend, or waive any rules and regulations and appoint such agents as the Committee shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan; (ix) accelerate the vesting or exercisability of, payment for or lapse of restrictions on, Awards, including, but not limited to, upon a Qualifying Termination; and (x) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan.

 

(c) The Committee may delegate to one (1) or more officers of the Company or any Affiliate the authority to act on behalf of the Committee with respect to any matter, right, obligation, or election that is the responsibility of or that is allocated to the Committee herein, and that may be so delegated as a matter of law, except for grants of Awards to persons subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

 

(d) Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, all designations, determinations, interpretations, and other decisions under or with respect to the Plan or any Award or any documents evidencing Awards granted pursuant to the Plan shall be within the sole discretion of the Committee, may be made at any time and shall be final, conclusive and binding upon all persons or entities, including, without limitation, the Company, any Affiliate, any Participant, any holder or beneficiary of any Award, and any shareholder of the Company.

 

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(e) No member of the Board, the Committee, delegate of the Committee or any employee or agent of the Company (each such person, an “Indemnifiable Person”) shall be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or any determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Award hereunder. Each Indemnifiable Person shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from any loss, cost, liability, or expense (including attorneys’ fees) that may be imposed upon or incurred by such Indemnifiable Person in connection with or resulting from any action, suit or proceeding to which such Indemnifiable Person may be a party or in which such Indemnifiable Person may be involved by reason of any action taken or omitted to be taken under the Plan or any Award agreement and against and from any and all amounts paid by such Indemnifiable Person with the Company’s approval, in settlement thereof, or paid by such Indemnifiable Person in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding against such Indemnifiable Person, provided that the Company shall have the right, at its own expense, to assume and defend any such action, suit or proceeding and once the Company gives notice of its intent to assume the defense, the Company shall have sole control over such defense with counsel of the Company’s choice. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be available to an Indemnifiable Person to the extent that a final judgment or other final adjudication (in either case not subject to further appeal) binding upon such Indemnifiable Person determines that the acts or omissions of such Indemnifiable Person giving rise to the indemnification claim resulted from such Indemnifiable Person’s bad faith, fraud or willful criminal act or omission or that such right of indemnification is otherwise prohibited by law or by the Company’s Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such Indemnifiable Persons may be entitled under the Company’s Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any other power that the Company may have to indemnify such Indemnifiable Persons or hold them harmless.

 

(f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Plan, the Board may, in its sole discretion, at any time and from time to time, grant Awards and administer the Plan with respect to such Awards. In any such case, the Board shall have all the authority granted to the Committee under the Plan.

 

5. Grant of Awards; Shares Subject to the Plan; Limitations.

 

(a) The Committee may, from time to time, grant Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Stock Bonus Awards and/or Performance Compensation Awards to one or more Eligible Persons.

 

(b) Subject to Section 12 of the Plan, Awards granted under the Plan shall be subject to the following limitations: (i) the Committee is authorized to deliver under the Plan an aggregate of fifteen million five hundred twenty five thousand (15,525,000) shares of Common Stock, all of which may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options; and (ii) the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be granted under the Plan during any single fiscal year to any Participant who is a non-employee director, when taken together with any cash fees paid to such non-employee director during such year in respect of his or her service as a non-employee director (including service as a member or chair of any committee of the Board), shall not exceed seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) in total value (calculating the value of any such Awards based on the grant date fair value of such Awards for financial reporting purposes); provided that the non-employee directors who are considered independent (under the rules of The NASDAQ Stock Market or other securities exchange on which the Common Stock is traded) may make exceptions to this limit for a non-executive chair of the Board, if any, in which case the non-employee Director receiving such additional compensation may not participate in the decision to award such compensation.

 

(c) In the event that (i) any Option or other Award granted hereunder is exercised through the tendering of Common Stock (either actually or by attestation) or by the withholding of Common Stock by the Company, or (ii) tax or deduction liabilities arising from such Option or other Award are satisfied by the tendering of Common Stock (either actually or by attestation) or by the withholding of Common Stock by the Company, then in each such case the Common Stock so tendered or withheld shall be added to the Common Stock available for grant under the Plan on a one-for-one basis. Shares underlying Awards under the Plan that are forfeited, cancelled, expire unexercised, or are settled in cash are available again for Awards under the Plan.

 

(d) Common Stock delivered by the Company in settlement of Awards may be authorized and unissued shares, shares held in the treasury of the Company, shares purchased on the open market or by private purchase, or a combination of the foregoing.

 

(e) Awards may, in the sole discretion of the Committee, be granted under the Plan in assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by an entity acquired by the Company or with which the Company combines (“Substitute Awards”). The number of shares of Common Stock underlying any Substitute Awards shall not be counted against the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock available for Awards under the Plan.

 

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6. Eligibility. Participation shall be limited to Eligible Persons who have entered into an Award agreement or who have received written notification from the Committee, or from a person designated by the Committee, that they have been selected to participate in the Plan.

 

7. Options.

 

(a) Generally. Each Option granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award agreement (whether in paper or electronic medium (including email or the posting on a web site maintained by the Company or a third party under contract with the Company)). Each Option so granted shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 7, and to such other conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award agreement. All Options granted under the Plan shall be Non-Qualified Stock Options unless the applicable Award agreement expressly states that the Option is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option. Incentive Stock Options shall be granted only to Eligible Persons who are employees of the Company and its Affiliates, and no Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to any Eligible Person who is ineligible to receive an Incentive Stock Option under the Code. No Option shall be treated as an Incentive Stock Option unless the Plan has been approved by the shareholders of the Company in a manner intended to comply with the stockholder approval requirements of Section 422(b)(1) of the Code; provided that any Option intended to be an Incentive Stock Option shall not fail to be effective solely on account of a failure to obtain such approval, but rather such Option shall be treated as a Non-Qualified Stock Option unless and until such approval is obtained. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option, the terms and conditions of such grant shall be subject to and comply with such rules as may be prescribed by Section 422 of the Code. If for any reason an Option intended to be an Incentive Stock Option (or any portion thereof) shall not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option, then, to the extent of such non-qualification, such Option or portion thereof shall be regarded as a Non-Qualified Stock Option appropriately granted under the Plan.

 

(b) Exercise Price. Except with respect to Substitute Awards, the exercise price (“Exercise Price”) per Common Share for each Option shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of such share determined as of the Date of Grant; provided, however, that in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to an employee who, at the time of the grant of such Option, owns shares representing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares of the Company or any related corporation (as determined in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.422-2(f)), the Exercise Price per share shall not be less than one hundred and ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value per share on the Date of Grant and provided further, that, notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, the Exercise Price shall not be less than the par value per Common Share.

 

(c) Vesting and Expiration. Options shall vest and become exercisable in such manner and on such date or dates determined by the Committee and shall expire after such period, not to exceed ten (10) years, as may be determined by the Committee (the “Option Period”); provided, however, that the Option Period shall not exceed five (5) years from the Date of Grant in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Participant who on the Date of Grant owns shares representing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares of the Company or any related corporation (as determined in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.422-2(f)); provided, further, that notwithstanding any vesting dates set by the Committee, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the exercisability of any Option, which acceleration shall not affect the terms and conditions of such Option other than with respect to exercisability. Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in an Award agreement: (i) the unvested portion of an Option shall expire upon the Participant’s termination of employment or service with the Company and its Affiliates, and the vested portion of such Option shall remain exercisable for (A) one (1) year following termination of employment or service by reason of such Participant’s death or disability (as determined by the Committee), but not later than the expiration of the Option Period or (B) ninety (90) days following termination of employment or service for any reason other than such Participant’s death or disability, and other than such Participant’s termination of employment or service for Cause, but not later than the expiration of the Option Period; and (ii) both the unvested and the vested portion of an Option shall expire upon the termination of the Participant’s employment or service by the Company for Cause. If the Option would expire at a time when the exercise of the Option would violate applicable securities laws, the expiration date applicable to the Option will be automatically extended to a date that is thirty (30) calendar days following the date such exercise would no longer violate applicable securities laws (so long as such extension shall not violate Section 409A of the Code); provided, that in no event shall such expiration date be extended beyond the expiration of the Option Period.

 

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(d) Method of Exercise and Form of Payment. No Common Stock shall be delivered pursuant to any exercise of an Option until payment in full of the Exercise Price therefor is received by the Company and the Participant has paid to the Company an amount equal to any taxes required to be withheld or paid. Options that have become exercisable may be exercised by delivery of written or electronic notice of exercise to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Option accompanied by payment of the Exercise Price. The Exercise Price shall be payable (i) in cash, check, cash equivalent and/or Common Stock valued at the fair market value at the time the Option is exercised (including, pursuant to procedures approved by the Committee, by means of attestation of ownership of a sufficient number of Common Stock in lieu of actual delivery of such shares to the Company); provided that such Common Stock are not subject to any pledge or other security interest and are Mature Shares and; (ii) by such other method as the Committee may permit in accordance with applicable law, in its sole discretion, on a case by case basis, including without limitation: (A) in other property having a fair market value on the date of exercise equal to the Exercise Price or (B) if there is a public market for the Common Stock at such time, by means of a broker-assisted “cashless exercise” pursuant to which the Company is delivered a copy of irrevocable instructions to a stockbroker to sell the Common Stock otherwise deliverable upon the exercise of the Option and to deliver promptly to the Company an amount equal to the Exercise Price or (C) by a “net exercise” method whereby the Company withholds from the delivery of the Common Stock for which the Option was exercised that number of shares of Common Stock having a fair market value equal to the aggregate Exercise Price for the Common Stock for which the Option was exercised. Fractional shares of Common Stock may be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award in the sole discretion of the Committee, and in the event the Committee determines that no fractional shares may be issued or delivered, the Committee shall determine whether cash, other securities or other property shall be paid or transferred in lieu of any fractional Common Shares, or whether such fractional shares of Common Stock or any rights thereto shall be canceled, terminated or otherwise eliminated.

 

(e) Notification upon Disqualifying Disposition of an Incentive Stock Option. Each Participant awarded an Incentive Stock Option under the Plan shall notify the Company in writing immediately after the date he makes a disqualifying disposition of any Common Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of such Incentive Stock Option. A disqualifying disposition is any disposition (including, without limitation, any sale) of such Common Stock before the later of (A) two (2) years after the Date of Grant of the Incentive Stock Option or (B) one (1) year after the date of exercise of the Incentive Stock Option. The Company may, if determined by the Committee and in accordance with procedures established by the Committee, retain possession of any Common Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option as agent for the applicable Participant until the end of the period described in the preceding sentence.

 

(f) Compliance with Laws, etc. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall a Participant be permitted to exercise an Option in a manner that the Committee determines would violate the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, if applicable, or any other applicable law or the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission or the applicable rules and regulations of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the securities of the Company are listed or traded.

 

8. Stock Appreciation Rights.

 

(a) Generally. Each SAR granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award agreement (whether in paper or electronic medium (including email or the posting on a web site maintained by the Company or a third party under contract with the Company)). Each SAR so granted shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 8, and to such other conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award agreement. Any Option granted under the Plan may include tandem SARs. The Committee also may award SARs to Eligible Persons independent of any Option.

 

(b) Exercise Price. The Exercise Price per Common Share for each SAR shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of such share determined as of the Date of Grant.

 

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(c) Vesting and Expiration. A SAR granted in connection with an Option shall become exercisable and shall expire according to the same vesting schedule and expiration provisions as the corresponding Option. A SAR granted independent of an Option shall vest and become exercisable and shall expire in such manner and on such date or dates determined by the Committee and shall expire after such period, not to exceed ten years, as may be determined by the Committee (the “SAR Period”); provided, however, that notwithstanding any vesting dates set by the Committee, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the exercisability of any SAR, which acceleration shall not affect the terms and conditions of such SAR other than with respect to exercisability. Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in an Award agreement: (i) the unvested portion of a SAR shall expire upon termination of employment or service of the Participant granted the SAR, and the vested portion of such SAR shall remain exercisable for (A) one (1) year following termination of employment or service by reason of such Participant’s death or disability (as determined by the Committee), but not later than the expiration of the SAR Period or (B) ninety (90) days following termination of employment or service for any reason other than such Participant’s death or disability, and other than such Participant’s termination of employment or service for Cause, but not later than the expiration of the SAR Period; and (ii) both the unvested and the vested portion of a SAR shall expire upon the termination of the Participant’s employment or service by the Company for Cause. If the SAR would expire at a time when the exercise of the SAR would violate applicable securities laws, the expiration date applicable to the SAR will be automatically extended to a date that is thirty (30) calendar days following the date such exercise would no longer violate applicable securities laws (so long as such extension shall not violate Section 409A of the Code); provided, that in no event shall such expiration date be extended beyond the expiration of the SAR Period.

 

(d) Method of Exercise. SARs that have become exercisable may be exercised by delivery of written or electronic notice of exercise to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Award, specifying the number of SARs to be exercised and the date on which such SARs were awarded. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if on the last day of the Option Period (or in the case of a SAR independent of an option, the SAR Period), the fair market value exceeds the Strike Price, the Participant has not exercised the SAR or the corresponding Option (if applicable), and neither the SAR nor the corresponding Option (if applicable) has expired, such SAR shall be deemed to have been exercised by the Participant on such last day and the Company shall make the appropriate payment therefor.

 

(e) Payment. Upon the exercise of a SAR, the Company shall pay to the Participant an amount equal to the number of shares subject to the SAR that are being exercised multiplied by the excess, if any, of the fair market value of one Common Share on the exercise date over the Strike Price, less an amount equal to any taxes required to be withheld or paid. The Company shall pay such amount in cash, in Common Stock valued at fair market value, or any combination thereof, as determined by the Committee. Fractional shares of Common Stock may be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award in the sole discretion of the Committee, and in the event the Committee determines that no fractional shares may be issued or delivered, the Committee shall determine whether cash, other securities or other property shall be paid or transferred in lieu of any fractional shares of Common Stock, or whether such fractional shares of Common Stock or any rights thereto shall be canceled, terminated or otherwise eliminated.

 

9. Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units.

 

(a) Generally. Each grant of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall be evidenced by an Award agreement (whether in paper or electronic medium (including email or the posting on a web site maintained by the Company or a third party under contract with the Company)). Each such grant shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 9, and to such other conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award agreement.

 

(b) Restricted Accounts; Escrow or Similar Arrangement. Upon the grant of Restricted Stock, a book entry in a restricted account shall be established in the Participant’s name at the Company’s transfer agent and, if the Committee determines that the Restricted Stock shall be held by the Company or in escrow rather than held in such restricted account pending the release of the applicable restrictions, the Committee may require the Participant to additionally execute and deliver to the Company (i) an escrow agreement satisfactory to the Committee, if applicable, and (ii) the appropriate share power (endorsed in blank) with respect to the Restricted Stock covered by such agreement. If a Participant shall fail to execute an agreement evidencing an Award of Restricted Stock and, if applicable, an escrow agreement and blank share power within the amount of time specified by the Committee, the Award shall be null and void. Subject to the restrictions set forth in this Section 9 and the applicable Award agreement, the Participant generally shall have the rights and privileges of a shareholder as to such Restricted Stock, including without limitation the right to vote such Restricted Stock and the right to receive dividends, if applicable. To the extent shares of Restricted Stock are forfeited, any share certificates issued to the Participant evidencing such shares shall be returned to the Company, and all rights of the Participant to such shares and as a shareholder with respect thereto shall terminate without further obligation on the part of the Company.

 

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(c) Vesting; Acceleration of Lapse of Restrictions. Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in an Award agreement the unvested portion of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall terminate and be forfeited upon termination of employment or service of the Participant granted the applicable Award.

 

(d) Delivery of Restricted Stock and Settlement of Restricted Stock Units.

 

(i) Upon the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any shares of Restricted Stock, the restrictions set forth in the applicable Award agreement shall be of no further force or effect with respect to such shares, except as set forth in the applicable Award agreement. If an escrow arrangement is used, upon such expiration, the Company shall deliver to the Participant, or his beneficiary, without charge, the share certificate evidencing the shares of Restricted Stock that have not then been forfeited and with respect to which the Restricted Period has expired (rounded down to the nearest full share). Dividends, if any, that may have been withheld by the Committee and attributable to any particular share of Restricted Stock shall be distributed to the Committee and attributable to any particular share of Restricted Stock shall be distributed to the Participant in cash or, at the sole discretion of the Committee, in Common Stock having a fair market value equal to the amount of such dividends, upon the release of restrictions on such share and, if such share is forfeited, the Participant shall have no right to such dividends (except as otherwise set forth by the Committee in the applicable Award agreement).

 

(ii) Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in an Award agreement, upon the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any outstanding Restricted Stock Units, the Company shall deliver to the Participant, or his beneficiary, without charge, one (1) Common Share for each such outstanding Restricted Stock Unit; provided, however, that the Committee may, in its sole discretion, elect to (i) pay cash or part cash and part Common Share in lieu of delivering only Common Stock in respect of such Restricted Stock Units or (ii) defer the delivery of Common Stock (or cash or part Common Stock and part cash, as the case may be) beyond the expiration of the Restricted Period if such delivery would result in a violation of applicable law until such time as is no longer the case. If a cash payment is made in lieu of delivering Common Stock, the amount of such payment shall be equal to the fair market value of the Common Stock as of the date on which the Restricted Period lapsed with respect to such Restricted Stock Units, less an amount equal to any taxes required to be withheld or paid.

 

10. Stock Bonus Awards. The Committee may issue unrestricted Common Stock, or other Awards denominated in Common Stock, under the Plan to Eligible Persons, either alone or in tandem with other awards, in such amounts as the Committee shall from time to time in its sole discretion determine. Each Stock Bonus Award granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award agreement (whether in paper or electronic medium (including email or the posting on a web site maintained by the Company or a third party under contract with the Company)). Each Stock Bonus Award so granted shall be subject to such conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award agreement.

 

11. Performance Compensation Awards.

 

(a) Generally. The Committee shall have the authority, at the time of grant of any Award described in Sections 7 through 10 of the Plan, to designate such Award as a Performance Compensation Award. The Committee shall have the authority to make an award of a cash bonus to any Participant and designate such Award as a Performance Compensation Award. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, all Performance Compensation Awards shall be evidenced by an Award agreement.

 

(b) Discretion of Committee with Respect to Performance Compensation Awards. The Committee shall have the discretion to establish the terms, conditions and restrictions of any Performance Compensation Award. With regard to a particular Performance Period, the Committee shall have sole discretion to select the length of such Performance Period, the type(s) of Performance Compensation Awards to be issued, the Performance Criteria that will be used to establish the Performance Goal (s), the kind(s) and/or level(s) of the Performance Goals(s) that is (are) to apply and the Performance Formula.

 

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(c) Performance Criteria. The Committee may establish Performance Criteria that will be used to establish the Performance Goal(s) for Performance Compensation Awards which may be based on the attainment of specific levels of performance of the Company (and/or one or more Affiliates, divisions, business segments or operational units, or any combination of the foregoing) and may include, without limitation, any of the following: (i) net earnings or net income (before or after taxes); (ii) basic or diluted earnings per share (before or after taxes); (iii) revenue or revenue growth (measured on a net or gross basis); (iv) gross profit or gross profit growth; (v) operating profit (before or after taxes); (vi) return measures (including, but not limited to, return on assets, capital, invested capital, equity, or sales); (vii) cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow, free cash flow, net cash provided by operations and cash flow return on capital); (viii) financing and other capital raising transactions (including, but not limited to, sales of the Company’s equity or debt securities); (ix) earnings before or after taxes, interest, depreciation and/or amortization; (x) gross or operating margins; (xi) productivity ratios; (xii) share price (including, but not limited to, growth measures and total shareholder return); (xiii) expense targets; (xiv) margins; (xv) productivity and operating efficiencies; (xvi) customer satisfaction; (xvii) customer growth; (xviii) working capital targets; (xix) measures of economic value added; (xx) inventory control; (xxi) enterprise value; (xxii) sales; (xxiii) debt levels and net debt; (xxiv) combined ratio; (xxv) timely launch of new facilities; (xxvi) client retention; (xxvii) employee retention; (xxviii) timely completion of rollouts of new products and services; (xxix) cost targets; (xxx) reductions and savings; (xxxi) productivity and efficiencies; (xxxii) strategic partnerships or transactions; and (xxxiii) personal targets, goals or completion of projects. Any one (1) or more of the Performance Criteria may be used on an absolute or relative basis to measure the performance of the Company and/or one or more Affiliates as a whole or any business unit(s) of the Company and/or one or more Affiliates or any combination thereof, as the Committee may deem appropriate, or any of the above Performance Criteria may be compared to the performance of a selected group of comparison or peer companies, or a published or special index that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate, or as compared to various stock market indices. The Committee also has the authority to provide for accelerated vesting of any Award based on the achievement of Performance Goals pursuant to the Performance Criteria specified in this paragraph. Any Performance Criteria that are financial metrics, may be determined in accordance with United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) or may be adjusted when established to include or exclude any items otherwise includable or excludable under GAAP.

 

(d) Modification of Performance Goal(s). The Committee is authorized at any time to adjust or modify the calculation of a Performance Goal for such Performance Period, based on and in order to appropriately reflect any specified circumstance or event that occurs during a Performance Period, including but not limited to the following: (i) asset write-downs; (ii) litigation or claim judgments or settlements; (iii) the effect of changes in tax laws, accounting principles, or other laws or regulatory rules affecting reported results; (iv) any reorganization and restructuring programs; (v) unusual and/or infrequently occurring items as described in Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 30 (or any successor pronouncement thereto) and/or in management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations appearing in the Company’s annual report to shareholders for the applicable year; (vi) acquisitions or divestitures; (vii) discontinued operations; (viii) any other specific unusual or infrequently occurring or non-recurring events, or objectively determinable category thereof; (ix) foreign exchange gains and losses; and (x) a change in the Company’s fiscal year.

 

(e) Terms and Conditions to Receipt of Payment. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award agreement, a Participant must be employed by the Company on the last day of a Performance Period to be eligible for payment in respect of a Performance Compensation Award for such Performance Period. A Participant shall be eligible to receive payment in respect of a Performance Compensation Award only to the extent that: (A) the Performance Goals for such period are achieved; and (B) all or some of the portion of such Participant’s Performance Compensation Award has been earned for the Performance Period based on the application of the Performance Formula to such achieved Performance Goals. Following the completion of a Performance Period, the Committee shall determine whether, and to what extent, the Performance Goals for the Performance Period have been achieved and, if so, calculate the amount of the Performance Compensation Awards earned for the period based upon the Performance Formula. The Committee shall then determine the amount of each Participant’s Performance Compensation Award actually payable for the Performance Period.

 

(f) Timing of Award Payments. Except as provided in an Award agreement, Performance Compensation Awards granted for a Performance Period shall be paid to Participants as soon as administratively practicable following the Committee’s determination in accordance with Section 11(e).

 

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12. Changes in Capital Structure and Similar Events. In the event of (i) any dividend (other than ordinary cash dividends) or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Common Stock, other securities or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, spin-off, split-up, split-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to acquire Common Stock or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event (including, without limitation, a Change in Control) that affects the Common Stock, or (ii) unusual or infrequently occurring events (including, without limitation, a Change in Control) affecting the Company, any Affiliate, or the financial statements of the Company or any Affiliate, or changes in applicable rules, rulings, regulations or other requirements of any governmental body or securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system, accounting principles or law, such that in either case an adjustment is determined by the Committee in its sole discretion to be necessary or appropriate, then the Committee shall make any such adjustments in such manner as it may deem equitable, including without limitation any or all of the following:

 

(a) adjusting any or all of (A) the number of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or other property) that may be delivered in respect of Awards or with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan (including, without limitation, adjusting any or all of the limitations under Section 5 of the Plan) and (B) the terms of any outstanding Award, including, without limitation, (1) the number of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or other property) subject to outstanding Awards or to which outstanding Awards relate, (2) the Exercise Price or Strike Price with respect to any Award or (3) any applicable performance measures (including, without limitation, Performance Criteria and Performance Goals);

 

(b) providing for a substitution or assumption of Awards in a manner that substantially preserves the applicable terms of such Awards;

 

(c) accelerating the exercisability or vesting of, lapse of restrictions on, or termination of, Awards or providing for a period of time for exercise prior to the occurrence of such event;

 

(d) modifying the terms of Awards to add events, conditions or circumstances (including termination of employment within a specified period after a Change in Control) upon which the exercisability or vesting of or lapse of restrictions thereon will accelerate;

 

(e) deeming any performance measures (including, without limitation, Performance Criteria and Performance Goals) satisfied at target, maximum or actual performance through closing or such other level determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, or providing for the performance measures to continue (as is or as adjusted by the Committee) after closing;

 

(f) providing that for a period prior to the Change in Control determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, any Options or SARs that would not otherwise become exercisable prior to the Change in Control will be exercisable as to all Common Stock subject thereto (but any such exercise will be contingent upon and subject to the occurrence of the Change in Control and if the Change in Control does not take place after giving such notice for any reason whatsoever, the exercise will be null and void) and that any Options or SARs not exercised prior to the consummation of the Change in Control will terminate and be of no further force and effect as of the consummation of the Change in Control; and

 

(g) canceling any one or more outstanding Awards and causing to be paid to the holders thereof, in cash, Common Stock, other securities or other property, or any combination thereof, the value of such Awards, if any, as determined by the Committee (which if applicable may be based upon the price per Common Share received or to be received by other shareholders of the Company in such event), including without limitation, in the case of an outstanding Option or SAR, a cash payment in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the fair market value (as of a date specified by the Committee) of the Common Stock subject to such Option or SAR over the aggregate Exercise Price or Strike Price of such Option or SAR, respectively (it being understood that, in such event, any Option or SAR having a per share Exercise Price or Strike Price equal to, or in excess of, the fair market value of a Common Share subject thereto may be canceled and terminated without any payment or consideration therefor); provided, however, that in the case of any “equity restructuring” (within the meaning of the Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718), the Committee shall make an equitable or proportionate adjustment to outstanding Awards to reflect such equity restructuring. The Company shall give each Participant notice of an adjustment hereunder and, upon notice, such adjustment shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes.

 

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13. Amendments and Termination.

 

(a) Amendment and Termination of the Plan. The Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the Plan or any portion thereof at any time; provided that (i) no amendment to Section 13(b) (to the extent required by the proviso in such Section 13(b)) shall be made without shareholder approval and (ii) no such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuation or termination shall be made without shareholder approval if such approval is necessary to comply with any tax or regulatory requirement applicable to the Plan (including, without limitation, as necessary to comply with any rules or requirements of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Common Stock may be listed or quoted); provided, further, that any such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant or any holder or beneficiary of any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the affected Participant, holder or beneficiary.

 

(b) Amendment of Award Agreements. The Committee may, to the extent consistent with the terms of any applicable Award agreement, waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of, or alter, suspend, discontinue, cancel or terminate, any Award theretofore granted or the associated Award agreement, prospectively or retroactively; provided that any such waiver, amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, cancellation or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant with respect to any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the affected Participant; provided, further, that without shareholder approval, except as otherwise permitted under Section 12 of the Plan, (i) no amendment or modification may reduce the Exercise Price of any Option or the Strike Price of any SAR, (ii) the Committee may not cancel any outstanding Option or SAR where the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock underlying such Option or SAR is less than its Exercise Price and replace it with a new Option or SAR, another Award or cash and (iii) the Committee may not take any other action that is considered a “repricing” for purposes of the shareholder approval rules of the applicable securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted.

 

14. General.

 

(a) Award Agreements. Each Award under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award agreement, which shall be delivered to the Participant (whether in paper or electronic medium (including email or the posting on a web site maintained by the Company or a third party under contract with the Company)) and shall specify the terms and conditions of the Award and any rules applicable thereto, including without limitation, the effect on such Award of the death, disability or termination of employment or service of a Participant, or of such other events as may be determined by the Committee.

 

(b) Non-Transferability.

 

(i) Each Award shall be exercisable only by a Participant during the Participant’s lifetime, or, if permissible under applicable law, by the Participant’s legal guardian or representative. No Award may be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by a Participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or an Affiliate; provided that the designation of a beneficiary shall not constitute an assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance.

 

(ii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, permit Awards (other than Incentive Stock Options) to be transferred by a Participant, without consideration, subject to such rules as the Committee may adopt consistent with any applicable Award agreement to preserve the purposes of the Plan, to: (A) any person who is a “family member” of the Participant, as such term is used in the instructions to Form S-8 under the Securities Act (collectively, the “Immediate Family Members”); (B) a trust solely for the benefit of the Participant and his or her Immediate Family Members; (C) a partnership or limited liability company whose only partners or stockholders are the Participant and his or her Immediate Family Members; or (D) any other transferee as may be approved either (I) by the Board or the Committee in its sole discretion, or (II) as provided in the applicable Award agreement. (each transferee described in clauses (A), (B), (C) and (D) above is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Transferee”); provided that the Participant gives the Committee advance written notice describing the terms and conditions of the proposed transfer and the Committee notifies the Participant in writing that such a transfer would comply with the requirements of the Plan.

 

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(iii) The terms of any Award transferred in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence shall apply to the Permitted Transferee and any reference in the Plan, or in any applicable Award agreement, to a Participant shall be deemed to refer to the Permitted Transferee, except that (A) Permitted Transferees shall not be entitled to transfer any Award, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution; (B) Permitted Transferees shall not be entitled to exercise any transferred Option unless there shall be in effect a registration statement on an appropriate form covering the Common Stock to be acquired pursuant to the exercise of such Option if the Committee determines, consistent with any applicable Award agreement, that such a registration statement is necessary or appropriate; (C) the Committee or the Company shall not be required to provide any notice to a Permitted Transferee, whether or not such notice is or would otherwise have been required to be given to the Participant under the Plan or otherwise; and (D) the consequences of the termination of the Participant’s employment by, or services to, the Company or an Affiliate under the terms of the Plan and the applicable Award agreement shall continue to be applied with respect to the Participant, including, without limitation, that an Option shall be exercisable by the Permitted Transferee only to the extent, and for the periods, specified in the Plan and the applicable Award agreement.

 

(c) Tax Withholding and Deductions.

 

(i) A Participant shall be required to pay to the Company or any Affiliate, and the Company or any Affiliate shall have the right and is hereby authorized to deduct and withhold, from any cash, Common Stock, other securities or other property deliverable under any Award or from any compensation or other amounts owing to a Participant, the amount (in cash, Common Stock, other securities or other property) of any required taxes (up to the maximum statutory rate under applicable law as in effect from time to time as determined by the Committee) and deduction in respect of an Award, its grant, vesting or exercise, or any payment or transfer under an Award or under the Plan and to take such other action as may be necessary in the opinion of the Committee or the Company to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such taxes.

 

(ii) Without limiting the generality of clause (i) above, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, determined on a case by case basis, permit a Participant to satisfy, in whole or in part, the foregoing tax and deduction liability by (A) the delivery of Common Stock (which are not subject to any pledge or other security interest and are Mature Shares, except as otherwise determined by the Committee) owned by the Participant having a fair market value equal to such liability or (B) having the Company withhold from the number of shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable or deliverable pursuant to the exercise or settlement of the Award a number of shares with a Fair Market Value equal to such liability.

 

(d) No Claim to Awards; No Rights to Continued Employment; Waiver. No employee of the Company or an Affiliate, or other person, shall have any claim or right to be granted an Award under the Plan or, having been selected for the grant of an Award, to be selected for a grant of any other Award. There is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Participants or holders or beneficiaries of Awards. The terms and conditions of Awards and the Committee’s determinations and interpretations with respect thereto need not be the same with respect to each Participant and may be made selectively among Participants, whether or not such Participants are similarly situated. Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as giving any Participant any right to be retained in the employ or service of the Company or an Affiliate, nor shall it be construed as giving any Participant any rights to continued service on the Board. The Company or any of its Affiliates may at any time dismiss a Participant from employment or discontinue any consulting relationship, free from any liability or any claim under the Plan, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or any Award agreement. By accepting an Award under the Plan, a Participant shall thereby be deemed to have waived any claim to continued exercise or vesting of an Award or to damages or severance entitlement related to non-continuation of the Award beyond the period provided under the Plan or any Award agreement, notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any written employment contract or other agreement between the Company and its Affiliates and the Participant, whether any such agreement is executed before, on or after the Date of Grant.

 

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(e) Addenda. The Committee may adopt such addenda to the Plan as it may consider necessary or appropriate for the purpose of granting Awards, which Awards may contain such terms and conditions as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy or custom, which may deviate from the terms and conditions set forth in this Plan. The terms of any such addenda shall supersede the terms of the Plan to the extent necessary to accommodate such differences but shall not otherwise affect the terms of the Plan as in effect for any other purpose. With respect to Participants who reside or work outside of the United States of America, the Committee may in its sole discretion amend the terms of the Plan or outstanding Awards with respect to such Participants in order to conform such terms with the requirements of local law or to obtain more favorable tax or other treatment for a Participant, the Company or its Affiliates.

 

(f) Designation and Change of Beneficiary. Each Participant may file with the Committee a written designation of one or more persons as the beneficiary(ies) who shall be entitled to receive the amounts payable with respect to an Award, if any, due under the Plan upon his death. A Participant may, from time to time, revoke or change his beneficiary designation without the consent of any prior beneficiary by filing a new designation with the Committee. The last such designation received by the Committee shall be controlling; provided, however, that no designation, or change or revocation thereof, shall be effective unless received by the Committee prior to the Participant’s death, and in no event shall it be effective as of a date prior to such receipt. If no beneficiary designation is filed by a Participant, the beneficiary shall be deemed to be his or her spouse or, if the Participant is unmarried at the time of death, his or her estate.

 

(g) Termination of Employment/Service. Unless determined otherwise by the Committee at any point following such event: (i) neither a temporary absence from employment or service due to illness, vacation or leave of absence nor a transfer from employment or service with the Company to employment or service with an Affiliate (or vice-versa) shall be considered a termination of employment or service with the Company or an Affiliate; and (ii) if a Participant’s employment with the Company and its Affiliates terminates, but such Participant continues to provide services to the Company and its Affiliates in a non-employee capacity (or vice-versa), such change in status shall not be considered a termination of employment with the Company or an Affiliate.

 

(h) No Rights as a Stockholder. Except as otherwise specifically provided in the Plan or any Award agreement, no person shall be entitled to the privileges of ownership in respect of Common Stock or other securities that are subject to Awards hereunder until such shares have been issued or delivered to that person.

 

(i) Government and Other Regulations.

 

(i) The obligation of the Company to settle Awards in Common Stock or other consideration shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by governmental agencies as may be required. Notwithstanding any terms or conditions of any Award to the contrary, the Company shall be under no obligation to offer to sell or to sell, and shall be prohibited from offering to sell or selling, any Common Stock or other securities pursuant to an Award unless such shares have been properly registered for sale pursuant to the Securities Act with the Securities and Exchange Commission or unless the Company has received an opinion of counsel, satisfactory to the Company, that such shares may be offered or sold without such registration pursuant to an available exemption therefrom and the terms and conditions of such exemption have been fully complied with. The Company shall be under no obligation to register for sale under the Securities Act any of the Common Stock or other securities to be offered or sold under the Plan. The Committee shall have the authority to provide that all certificates for Common Stock or other securities of the Company or any Affiliate delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan, the applicable Award agreement, the federal securities laws, or the rules, regulations and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system upon which such shares or other securities are then listed or quoted and any other applicable federal, state, local or non-U.S. laws, and, without limiting the generality of Section 9 of the Plan, the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions. Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, the Committee reserves the right to add any additional terms or provisions to any Award granted under the Plan that it in its sole discretion deems necessary or advisable in order that such Award complies with the legal requirements of any governmental entity to whose jurisdiction the Award is subject.

 

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(ii) The Committee may cancel an Award or any portion thereof if it determines, in its sole discretion, that legal or contractual restrictions and/or blockage and/or other market considerations would make the Company’s acquisition of Common Stock from the public markets, the Company’s issuance of Common Stock or other securities to the Participant, the Participant’s acquisition of Common Stock or other securities from the Company and/or the Participant’s sale of Common Stock to the public markets, illegal, impracticable or inadvisable. If the Committee determines to cancel all or any portion of an Award denominated in Common Stock in accordance with the foregoing, the Company shall pay to the Participant an amount equal to the excess of (A) the aggregate fair market value of the Common Stock subject to such Award or portion thereof canceled (determined as of the applicable exercise date, or the date that the shares would have been vested or delivered, as applicable), over (B) the aggregate Exercise Price or Strike Price (in the case of an Option or SAR, respectively) or any amount payable as a condition of delivery of Common Stock (in the case of any other Award). Such amount shall be delivered to the Participant as soon as practicable following the cancellation of such Award or portion thereof.

 

(j) Payments to Persons Other Than Participants. If the Committee shall find that any person to whom any amount is payable under the Plan is unable to care for his affairs because of illness or accident, or is a minor, or has died, then any payment due to such person or his estate (unless a prior claim therefor has been made by a duly appointed legal representative) may, if the Committee so directs the Company, be paid to his spouse, child, relative, an institution maintaining or having custody of such person, or any other person deemed by the Committee to be a proper recipient on behalf of such person otherwise entitled to payment. Any such payment shall be a complete discharge of the liability of the Committee and the Company therefor.

 

(k) Non-Exclusivity of the Plan. Neither the adoption of this Plan by the Board nor the submission of this Plan to the shareholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable, including, without limitation, the granting of stock options or other equity-based awards otherwise than under this Plan, and such arrangements may be either applicable generally or only in specific cases.

 

(l) No Trust or Fund Created. Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company or any Affiliate, on the one hand, and a Participant or other person or entity, on the other hand. No provision of the Plan or any Award shall require the Company, for the purpose of satisfying any obligations under the Plan, to purchase assets or place any assets in a trust or other entity to which contributions are made or otherwise to segregate any assets, nor shall the Company maintain separate bank accounts, books, records or other evidence of the existence of a segregated or separately maintained or administered fund for such purposes. Participants shall have no rights under the Plan other than as unsecured general creditors of the Company, except that insofar as they may have become entitled to payment of additional compensation by performance of services, they shall have the same rights as other employees under general law.

 

(m) Reliance on Reports. Each member of the Committee and each member of the Board shall be fully justified in acting or failing to act, as the case may be, and shall not be liable for having so acted or failed to act in good faith, in reliance upon any report made by the independent public accountant of the Company and its Affiliates and/or any other information furnished in connection with the Plan by any agent of the Company or the Committee or the Board, other than himself.

 

(n) Relationship to Other Benefits. No payment under the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, profit sharing, group insurance or other benefit plan of the Company except as otherwise specifically provided in such other plan.

 

(o) Governing Law. The Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the conflict of laws provisions thereof. Each party hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts seated in Delaware (and any appellate courts thereof) in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Plan, and each of the parties hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (a) agrees not to commence any such action or proceeding except in such courts, (b) agrees that any claim in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such court, (c) waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in any such court, and (d) waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court. Each party agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Each party hereby knowingly, voluntarily and intentionally irrevocably waives the right to a trial by jury in respect to any litigation, dispute, claim, legal action or other legal proceeding based hereon, or arising out of, under, or in connection with, this Plan.

 

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(p) Severability. If any provision of the Plan or any Award or Award agreement is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or as to any person or entity or Award, or would disqualify the Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable laws, or if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be construed or deemed stricken as to such jurisdiction, person or entity or Award and the remainder of the Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.

 

(q) Obligations Binding on Successors. The obligations of the Company under the Plan shall be binding upon any successor corporation or organization resulting from the merger, amalgamation, consolidation or other reorganization of the Company, or upon any successor corporation or organization succeeding to substantially all of the assets and business of the Company.

 

(r) Code Section 409A.

 

(i) Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan to the contrary, all Awards made under this Plan are intended to be exempt from or, in the alternative, comply with Code Section 409A and the interpretive guidance thereunder, including the exceptions for stock rights and short-term deferrals. The Plan shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with such intent. Each payment under an Award shall be treated as a separate payment for purposes of Code Section 409A and, if an Award includes “dividend equivalents” within the meaning of Section 1.409A-3(e) of Code Section 409A, the Participant’s right to receive the dividend equivalents will be treated separately from the right to other amounts under the Award.

 

(ii) If a Participant is a “specified employee” (as such term is defined for purposes of Code Section 409A) at the time of his or her termination of service, no amount that is non-qualified deferred compensation subject to Code Section 409A and that becomes payable by reason of such termination of service shall be paid to the Participant (or in the event of the Participant’s death, the Participant’s representative or estate) before the earlier of (x) the first business day after the date that is six months following the date of the Participant’s termination of service, and (y) within thirty (30) days following the date of the Participant’s death (in each case, without interest). Any payments of non-qualified deferred compensation under any Award payable more than six months following the Participant’s termination of service will be paid at the time or times the payments are otherwise scheduled to be made. For purposes of Code Section 409A, a termination of service shall be deemed to occur only if it is a “separation from service” within the meaning of Code Section 409A, and references in the Plan and any Award agreement to “termination of service” or similar terms shall mean a “separation from service”, whether such “separation from service” occurs upon or after the Participant’s termination of service. If any Award is or becomes subject to Code Section 409A and if payment of such Award would be accelerated or otherwise triggered under a Change in Control, then the definition of Change in Control shall be deemed modified, only to the extent necessary to avoid the imposition of an excise tax under Code Section 409A, to mean a “change in control event” as such term is defined for purposes of Code Section 409A.

 

(iii) Any adjustments made pursuant to Section 12 to Awards that are subject to Code Section 409A shall be made in compliance with the requirements of Code Section 409A, and any adjustments made pursuant to Section 12 to Awards that are not subject to Code Section 409A shall be made in such a manner as to ensure that after such adjustment, the Awards either (x) continue not to be subject to Code Section 409A or (y) comply with the requirements of Code Section 409A.

 

(s) Expenses; Gender; Titles and Headings. The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Affiliates. Masculine pronouns and other words of masculine gender shall refer to both men and women. The titles and headings of the sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only, and in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings shall control.

 

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(t) Other Agreements. Notwithstanding the above, the Committee may require, as a condition to the grant of and/or the receipt of Common Stock or other securities under an Award, that the Participant execute lock-up, shareholder or other agreements, as it may determine in its sole and absolute discretion.

 

(u) Payments. Participants shall be required to pay, to the extent required by applicable law, any amounts required to receive Common Stock or other securities under any Award made under the Plan.

 

(v) Erroneously Awarded Compensation. All Awards shall be subject (including on a retroactive basis) to (i) any clawback, forfeiture or similar incentive compensation recoupment policy established from time to time by the Company, including, without limitation, any such policy established to comply with the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, (ii) applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and Section 954 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act), and/or (iii) the rules and regulations of the applicable securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Common Stock or other securities are listed or quoted, and such requirements shall be deemed incorporated by reference into all outstanding Award agreements.

 

Adopted by consent of the Board: June 26, 2024
Shareholder Approved: June 26, 2024

 

 

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Exhibit 10.6

 

CONTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

 

This Contribution Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made effective as of the 18th day of August, 2015 (the “Effective Date”) among Hand MD, LLC, a California limited liability company (“Seller”); Kara Harshbarger, Alex Khadavi and Afshin Shargani (each a “Principal Owner”); Synergy CHC Corp., a Nevada corporation (“Synergy”); and Hand MD Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Hand MD”). Hand MD, Synergy, Principal Owners and Seller are sometimes referred to collectively as the “Parties” and individually as a “Party”.

 

BACKGROUND

 

A. Seller is engaged in the business of developing, manufacturing, and selling skincare, nail care and nail polish products (the “Products”) (the Products and the business related to the Products is collectively the “Seller Business”).

 

B. The Principal Owners, either directly or indirectly, collectively own all of the equity of Seller.

 

C. Seller holds all right, title and interest in and to all Intellectual Property used in the Seller Business.

 

D. Seller wishes to contribute the Intellectual Property, together with certain other assets, to Hand MD under the terms and conditions set forth below in exchange for shares of the capital stock of Hand MD. Hand MD will be jointly owned by Synergy and Seller.

 

AGREEMENT

 

NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the mutual promises, covenants, and agreements contained herein, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged by the Parties, the Parties agree as follows:

 

1. Definitions.

 

Affiliate” means, as to any Person, any other Person which directly or indirectly controls, or is under common control with, or is controlled by, such Person. As used in this definition, “control” (including, with its correlative meanings, “controlled by” and “under common control with”) shall mean possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of management or policies (whether through ownership of securities or partnership or other ownership interests, by contract or otherwise) of such Person;

 

Assigned Contracts” means all contracts, licenses, instruments, obligations, promises, undertaking, and equipment leases and other agreements, whether written or oral, which are used in, support the production and sale of the Products or are related to the Seller Business;

 

Closing” means the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

 

Files and Records” shall mean all files and records, whether in hard copy or digital, electronic, data, magnetic or other format, of Seller relating to or used in connection with the Seller Business or otherwise relating to the Contributed Assets;

 

Intellectual Property” means all intellectual property rights whether protected, created or arising under the laws of the United States or any other jurisdiction, including the following: (i) patents and patent applications; (ii) trademarks and service marks, including all applications and registrations and goodwill related to the foregoing; (iii) copyrights, including all applications and registrations related to the foregoing (including, without limitation, for all designs); (iv) Internet domain names; (v) telephone numbers, electronic mail addresses and social media accounts and registrations, including but not limited to accounts and registrations with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other similar services; and (vi) trade secrets, know-how, ideas, creative works, inventions, discoveries, methods, processes, technical data, specifications, research and development information, technology, software or computer programs, and data base.

 

 

 

IP Assets” has the meaning set forth in Section 5;

 

Knowledge of Seller” or “Seller’s Knowledge” or a similar phrase means, with respect to any matter, the actual knowledge of the members, officers or managers of Seller or the Principal Owners, or facts regarding such matter which reasonably should have been known by such persons after making a diligent inquiry with respect to such matter;

 

Person” means any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, any other unincorporated organization or government;

 

Transaction Documents” means this Agreement, the Bill of Sale, the IP Assignment Agreement, and the other exhibits and schedules hereto and thereto, and all other agreements, instruments, certificates and other documents to be entered into or delivered by any Party in connection with the transactions contemplated to be consummated pursuant to any of the foregoing.

 

2. Contribution of Assets. In exchange for the issuance of the Hand MD Securities (as defined below), Seller hereby grants, conveys, assigns, transfers and delivers to Hand MD all rights, title and interest in and to all of its intellectual property assets, including, without limitation, those specific assets set forth on Exhibit A attached hereto, and its Files and Records (collectively, the “Contributed Assets”).

 

3. Issuance of Hand MD Securities. In exchange for the contribution of the Contributed Assets and Seller’s execution of this Agreement, Hand MD hereby agrees to issue to Seller 1,000,000 shares of its Common Stock (the “Hand MD Securities”), representing fifty percent (50%) of Hand MD’s issued and outstanding capital stock on a fully-diluted basis as of the Closing.

 

4. Hand MD Representations. Hand MD hereby represents and warrants to Seller as follows:

 

(a) Corporate Organization. Hand MD is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, and has all requisite power and authority and all necessary governmental authority to own, operate or lease the properties that it purports to own, operate or lease and to carry on its businesses as now conducted.

 

(b) Authorization and Validity of Agreement. Hand MD has all requisite power and authority to enter into the Transaction Documents and to carry out its obligations thereunder. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and the performance of Hand MD’s obligations thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary company action by Hand MD, and no other proceedings on the part of Hand MD are necessary to authorize such execution, delivery and performance. Each of the Transaction Documents has been duly executed by Hand MD and constitutes its valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.

 

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(c) No Conflict or Violation. The execution, delivery and performance by Hand MD of the Transaction Documents (i) does not and will not violate or conflict with any provision of the organizational documents of Hand MD (ii) does not and will not violate any provision of law, rule or regulation, or any order, judgment or decree of any court or other governmental or regulatory authority; (iii) does not violate or will not result in a breach of or constitute (with due notice or lapse of time or both) a default under, or give rise to any acceleration of remedies or any right of termination under, any contract, or other agreement or instrument to which Hand MD is a party.

 

5. Seller Representations. Seller and each of the Principal Owners hereby jointly and severally represent and warrant as follows:

 

(a) Organization. Seller is a limited liability company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of formation. The members of Seller do not, whether in their individual capacities or through any other entity, engage in any other business that competes with the Seller Business.

 

(b) Qualification to Do Business. Seller has the requisite power and authority and all necessary governmental authority to own, operate or lease the Contributed Assets, and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the character of its assets owned, operated or leased or the nature of its activities makes such qualification necessary.

 

(c) Authorization and Validity of Agreement. Seller and the Principal Owners each have all requisite power and authority to enter into the Transaction Documents and to carry out their obligations thereunder. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and the performance of Seller’s and the Principal Owners’ obligations thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or member action of Seller, and no other proceedings on the part or in respect of Seller or the Principal Owners is necessary to authorize such execution, delivery and performance. The Transaction Documents have been duly executed by Seller and the Principal Owners and constitute valid and binding obligations, enforceable against Seller and the Principal Owners in accordance with their respective terms.

 

(d) No Conflict or Violation. The execution, delivery and performance by Seller and the Principal Owners of the Transaction Documents does not and will not (a)(i) conflict with or result in a breach of the terms, conditions, or provisions of, (ii) constitute a default under (whether with or without the passage of time, the giving of notice or both), (iii) give any third party the right to modify, terminate or accelerate any obligation under, (iv) result in a violation of, or (v) require any consent, exemption or other action by or notice or declaration to, or filing with, any third party of any government entity pursuant to (A) any organizational documents of Seller; (B) any provision of law, rule or regulation, or any order, judgment or decree of any court or other governmental or regulatory authority; (C) any contract, lease, sublease, occupancy agreement, loan agreement, mortgage, security agreement, trust indenture or other agreement or instrument to which Seller is a party or by which Seller is bound or to which any of Seller’s properties or assets is subject; or (D) the Assigned Contracts or other rights, agreements or licenses constituting the Contributed Assets; or (b) otherwise interfere in any material manner with the operation of the Seller Business or the Contributed Assets or have any material adverse effect thereon.

 

(e) QVC Statements. Attached hereto are financial statements regarding sale of the Products on QVC. The statements are complete and correct and accurately reflect sales of the Products.

 

(f) Absence of Undisclosed Liabilities; Indebtedness. Seller has no indebtedness or liability, absolute or contingent, involving, affecting or relating to the Seller Business, the Contributed Assets, or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

 

(g) Intellectual Property.

 

  i. IP Assets” means all of the following materials owned or licensed by Seller with respect to the Seller Business: (A) all Intellectual Property used in the Seller Business, including, but not limited to, the proprietary formulas for the Products; (B) all domain names used by the Seller Business; (C) all the content on and accessible through the websites associated with such domain names; and (D) the entire Seller Business marketing database consisting of all available customer information and all marketing, advertising and promotional materials, including logos, colors, videos, booklet designs, catalogs, solicitations, email templates, advertisements and all other Seller Business marketing materials (whether in draft or final form).
     
  ii. Exhibit A lists all patented, registered, applied-for, and other Intellectual Property used in the Seller Business, and all Intellectual Property of Seller licensed to any third Person (collectively, the “Business Intellectual Property”), including the registration and application information, date of application or issuance and relevant jurisdiction as to each, and whether or not the Business Intellectual Property is owned or licensed. Business Intellectual Property that is licensed by Seller from a third party is “Licensed Intellectual Property”).

 

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  iii. Seller owns all right, title and interest in and to, or has a valid and enforceable license to use, all IP Assets, Business Intellectual Property, and the Licensed Intellectual Property, free and clear of all liens, and all patented or registered Business Intellectual Property is valid and enforceable. Seller has taken commercially reasonable steps to maintain the confidentiality of all information that constitutes a trade secret of the Seller Business. Seller has the valid right to transfer the Intellectual Property included in the Contributed Assets to Hand MD as contemplated hereunder.
     
  iv. (a) the conduct of the Seller Business, including the delivery and distribution of the Products has not infringed and does not infringe on any Intellectual Property or any other proprietary rights of any individual or entity, including but not limited to the rights of privacy or publicity; (b) no Person is infringing, violating or misappropriating any Business Intellectual Property; (c) Seller has not taken any action, or failed to take any action, during prosecution of any application that could reasonably be expected to result in the invalidation or unenforceability of any registered Business Intellectual Property; (d) Seller is not currently a party to any pending suit, claiming any alleged infringement or misappropriation of any Business Intellectual Property; (e) Seller has not received within the prior three (3) years any written notice, and is not currently a party to any pending suit, claiming any alleged infringement or misappropriation of the Intellectual Property rights of other Persons with respect to its or their use of Intellectual Property or the Products; (f) Seller has not entered into any contract that includes a forbearance to sue or settlement contract with respect to any Intellectual Property; and (g) Seller has not received any written notice of any claim within the prior three (3) years, and is not currently a party to any pending suit, which challenges the validity or enforceability of, Seller’s ownership of or right to use, any Intellectual Property (excluding, for clarity, office actions) or the Products. Seller has secured and has in place a policy to secure valid written confidentiality contracts and assignments of Intellectual Property from all consultants, contractors, employees and customers who contribute or have contributed to the creation, conception, reduction to practice or other development of any Intellectual Property developed on behalf of Seller.

 

(h) Compliance with Law. The manufacture and sale of the Products, the operation of the Seller Business, and the business of Seller has been conducted in material compliance with all applicable laws and other requirements of all courts and other governmental or regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over the Seller and its assets, properties and operations. Seller has not received notice of any violation (or possible violation) of any such law or other legal requirement, and the Seller is not in default with respect to any order, writ, judgment, award, injunction or decree of any federal, state or local court or governmental or regulatory authority, applicable to Seller, the Seller Business, or the Contributed Assets. Without limiting the foregoing, Seller has not received any warning letter or untitled letter, report of inspectional observations, including FDA Form 483s, establishment inspection reports, notices of violation, clinical holds, enforcement notices or other documents from the FDA or any other similar governmental entity or any institutional review board or independent ethics committee alleging a lack of material compliance by Company with any laws. No “bulk sales” or similar law applies to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Seller holds all permits required for the conduct of the Seller Business and the ownership of its properties.

 

(i) Litigation. There are no claims, actions, suits, proceedings, complaints or investigations pending or, to the Knowledge of the Seller, threatened, before any federal, state, provincial or local court or governmental or regulatory authority, domestic or foreign, or before any arbitrator of any nature, brought by or against the Seller or any of its members, managers, officers, directors, employees, agents or Affiliates involving, affecting or relating to Seller, any member or manager of Seller, the Seller Business, the Contributed Assets, or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

 

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(j) Assigned Contracts. Each contract assigned to Hand MD is valid, binding and enforceable against the parties thereto in accordance with its terms, and in full force and effect on the date hereof, except as may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium or similar laws of general application relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and except for the limitations imposed by general principles of equity. Each Assigned Contract will remain in full force and effect without penalty in accordance with its terms upon consummation of the Closing. Seller has performed all payment and other obligations required to be performed by it to date hereunder, and is not in default or delinquent in performance, status or any other respect (claimed or actual) in connection with, any Assigned Contract, and, to the Knowledge of the Seller, no event has occurred which, with due notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default. To the Knowledge of Seller, no other party to any Assigned Contract is in default in respect thereof, and, to the Knowledge of Seller, no event has occurred which, with due notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default. There is no breach or cancellation or anticipated breach or cancellation by the other parties to any Assigned Contract.

 

(k) Title to Contributed Assets. Seller has good and valid title to, or a valid leasehold interest in, the Contributed Assets, free and clear of all liens.

 

(l) Product and Service Warranties; Adverse Events. Seller has made no express warranty or guarantee to any customer as to services or goods provided by Seller. There is no pending or, to the Knowledge of Seller, threatened claim alleging any breach of any warranty or guarantee. There have not been any adverse events with respect to the Products of the Seller Business.

 

(m) Clients and Vendors. Seller maintains commercially reasonable relations with each of its clients and vendors, and no event has occurred that could materially and adversely affect Seller’s relations with any client or vendor.

 

(n) Status. Seller and the Principal Owners each represent and warrant that (a) it has had an opportunity to discuss the business, management and financial affairs of Hand MD, has had access to, the management of Hand MD, and has had the opportunity to review any other information requested by Seller, and (b) Hand MD will be relying upon Seller’s and the Principal Owners’ representations and warranties set forth herein in offering the Hand MD Securities to it. Seller and the Principal Owners further each represent and warrant that: (i)(A) it has adequate net worth and means of providing for its current needs and possible contingencies to sustain a complete loss in the Hand MD Securities, and has no need for liquidity of the Hand MD Securities; (B) it recognizes that ownership of the Hand MD Securities involves substantial risks, including a risk of total loss of the value of the Hand MD Securities, and has taken full cognizance of and understands all of the risk factors related to the ownership of the Hand MD Securities; and (C) it has sufficient knowledge and experience in business and investments, including financial, business and tax matters, to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of ownership in Hand MD and making an informed decision about ownership in Hand MD; or (ii) is an “accredited investor” as such term is defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D.

 

(o) Acquisition for Own Account. This Agreement is made with Seller and the Principal Owners in reliance upon such parties’ representations Hand MD, which by its execution hereof Seller and the Principal Owners hereby confirm, that the Hand MD Securities to be received by it will be acquired for investment for Seller’s own account, not as a nominee or agent, and not with a view to the sale or distribution of any part thereof, and that it has no present intention of selling, granting participation in, or otherwise distributing the same. By executing this Agreement, Seller further represents that it does not have any contract, undertaking, agreement, or arrangement with any person to sell, transfer or grant participations to such person, or to any third person, with respect to the Hand MD Securities.

 

(p) No Intention to Distribute. Seller and the Principal Owners understand that the Hand MD Securities have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act) on the grounds that the sale provided for in this Agreement and the issuance of securities hereunder is exempt from registration under the 1933 Act, and that Hand MD’s reliance on such exemption is predicated in part on the representations set forth herein. Sellers and the Principal Owners realize that the basis for the exemption may not be present if, notwithstanding such representations, Seller has in mind merely acquiring the Hand MD Securities for a fixed or determined period in the future, or for a market rise, or for sale if the market does not rise. Seller and the Principal Owners do not have any such intention.

 

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(q) No Registration. Seller and the Principal Owners understand that the Hand MD Securities may not be sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of without registration under the 1933 Act or an exemption therefrom, and that in the absence of an effective registration statement covering the Hand MD Securities or an available exemption from registration under the 1933 Act, the Hand MD Securities must be held indefinitely. In particular, Seller and the Principal Owners are aware that the Hand MD Securities may not be sold pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the 1933 Act unless all of the conditions of that Rule are met. Among the conditions for use of Rule 144 may be the availability of current information to the public about Hand MD. Seller and the Principal Owners represent that, in the absence of an effective registration statement covering the Hand MD Securities, it will sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of such shares only in a manner consistent with its representations set forth herein and the Bylaws of Hand MD, as the same may be amended from time to time.

 

(r) Restrictions on Transfer. Seller agrees that in no event will it make a transfer or disposition of any of the Hand MD Securities (other than pursuant to an effective registration statement under the 1933 Act, or Rule 144 sale in compliance with the terms of such Rule or, to Hand MD’s reasonable satisfaction, pursuant to an exemption from the 1933 Act), unless and until (i) Seller shall have notified Hand MD of the proposed disposition and shall have furnished Hand MD with a statement of the circumstances surrounding the disposition, and (ii) if requested by Hand MD, at the expense of Seller or transferee, it shall have furnished to Hand MD an opinion of counsel, reasonably satisfactory to Hand MD, to the effect that such transfer may be made without registration under the 1933 Act.

 

(s) No representation or warranty by Seller or the Principal Owners contained in this Agreement, and no statement contained in the Disclosure Schedules or any other document, certificate or other instrument delivered to or to be delivered by or on behalf of Seller or the Principal Owners pursuant to this Agreement, contains or will contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omits or will omit to state any material fact necessary, in light of the circumstances under which it was or will be made, in order to make the statements herein or therein not misleading. Seller does not have Knowledge of any fact that has specific application to Seller (other than general economic or industry conditions) and that may materially adversely affect the Contributed Assets, that has not been set forth in this Agreement or the Disclosure Schedules.

 

6. Execution and Delivery of Instruments. In addition to any other documents to be delivered under other provisions of this Agreement, on the Effective Date the Parties will execute and deliver (a) the IP Assignment Agreement, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the “IP Assignment Agreement”), and (b) a bill of sale substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the “Bill of Sale”). Following the Effective Date, Seller agrees to duly execute and deliver or cause to be executed and delivered all instruments of sale, conveyance, transfer and assignment, and all notices, releases, acquittances and other documents that may be necessary to more fully grant, convey, transfer and assign, and deliver to, and vest in, Hand MD the Contributed Assets hereby granted, conveyed, transferred and assigned.

 

7. Post-Closing Matters. Seller shall preserve and maintain its organizational existence and remain in good standing for a period of at least twenty-four (24) months after the Effective Date. As soon as practicable after the Effective Date, Seller shall take all action necessary to remove all Product and Seller names and logos and color schemes and any other Intellectual Property or IP Assets from their respective signage at all locations, letterhead, stationary, advertising, websites and other marketing materials and other content available for viewing by the public, and will change its name with the California Secretary of State and all other jurisdictions in which Seller has made registrations to transact business, and any other registrations and/or name filings such that Seller’s name does not include the words “Hand MD” or any derivative thereof, or any name which sounds or looks similar thereto, or any trademarks or trade names used in the Seller Business, and Seller shall otherwise cease to use such names for all purposes, other than as necessary for the winding up of its business affairs.

 

8. Noncompetition, Nonsolicitation and Nondisparagement.

 

(a) Noncompetition. Seller and the Principal Owners each acknowledge that (i) Hand MD and Synergy would not have entered into this Agreement but for the agreements and covenants contained in this Section 8; and (ii) the agreements and covenants contained in this Section 8 are reasonable and appropriate in scope; (iii) the Seller Business is worldwide in scope; and (iv) the business of Hand MD is worldwide in scope. To induce Hand MD to enter into this Agreement, each of Seller and the Principal Owners covenants and agrees that during the period commencing on the Effective Date and ending on the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Effective Date (the “Restricted Period”), Seller, the Principal Owners and their respective Affiliates shall not, directly or indirectly, (A) engage in any business or activity that competes with the Seller Business; (B) render any services to any Person for use in competing with Hand MD in connection with the Seller Business; (C) have an interest in any Person engaged in any business that competes with Hand MD in connection with the Seller Business, in any capacity, including, without limitation, as a shareholder, officer, director, principal, agent, trustee or consultant or any other relationship or capacity; provided, however, Seller or any of the Principal Owners may own, solely as an investment, securities of any Person which are publicly traded if Seller or such Principal Owner, as the case may be (I) is not a controlling Person of, or a member of a group which controls, such Person and (II) does not own two percent (2%) or more of any class of securities of such Person; or (D) interfere with business relationships (whether formed heretofore or hereafter) between Hand MD or any of its Affiliates and customers, suppliers or prospects of the Seller Business. For purposes of this Section 8(a), with respect only to Alex Khadavi, the “Seller Business” shall be defined as the business of developing, manufacturing, and selling hand care, nail care and nail polish products.

 

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(b) Employees of the Business. During the Restricted Period, Seller, the Principal Owners and their respective Affiliates shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit or encourage any employee or consultant performing services in connection with the Seller Business to leave the employment or retention of Hand MD or any of its Affiliates, or (ii) hire any such employee or consultant who was performing services in connection with the Seller Business and who has left the employment or retention of Hand MD or any of its Affiliates within one (1) year of the termination of such employee’s employment or consultant’s retention with Hand MD or any of its Affiliates.

 

(c) Customers of the Business. During the Restricted Period, Seller, its employees, officers, directors, the Principal Owners, and their respective Affiliates shall not (i) persuade or attempt to persuade any customer, prospective customer, client, prospective client, supplier or vendor of Hand MD or any of its Affiliates not to hire or do business with Hand MD or any of its Affiliates or any successor thereto; (ii) solicit for himself or any Person other than Hand MD or any of its Affiliates, the business of any Person who is a customer, client, supplier or vendor of Hand MD or any of its Affiliates, or was its customer or supplier within two (2) years prior to the time of such solicitation to the extent that such business is similar to the business conducted by such customer or supplier with Hand MD.

 

(d) Confidential Information. From and after the Closing, Seller, its members, employees, officers, managers, the Principal Owners and their respective Affiliates shall keep secret and retain in strictest confidence, and shall not use for the benefit of itself or others, all confidential matters relating to the Seller Business or Hand MD and its Affiliates, including, but not limited to, “know how”, trade secrets, customer lists, supplier lists, details of consultant and employment contracts, pricing policies, operational methods, marketing plans or strategies, product development techniques or plans, business acquisition plans, technical processes, designs and design projects, processes, inventions, software, source codes, object codes, systems documentation and research projects and other business affairs (“Confidential Information”), and shall not disclose them to anyone outside of Hand MD and its Affiliates; provided, however, this covenant shall not apply to any information which is or becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of disclosure by the Seller, the Principal Owners or their respective Affiliates. Seller, the Principal Owners and their respective Affiliates may disclose Confidential Information if required to do so in any legally required government or securities filings, legal proceedings, subpoena, civil investigative demand or other similar process; provided, that Seller (A) provides Hand MD with prompt notice of such required disclosure so that Hand MD may attempt to obtain a protective order, (B) cooperates with Hand MD, at Hand MD’s expense, in obtaining such protective order, and (C) only discloses that Confidential Information which it is absolutely required to disclose as advised by counsel.

 

(e) Nondisparagement. After the Effective Date, Seller and the Principal Owners will not disparage Hand MD, any of Hand MD’s Affiliates or any of such parties’ shareholders, directors, officers, employees or agents.

 

(f) Tolling of Covenant Periods. The Restricted Period provided in this Section 8 shall not include and shall be extended beyond, any time during which a party is failing to comply with any provision of this Section 8 with respect to such party.

 

(g) Blue Penciling. If any term or other provision of this Section 8 is invalid, illegal, or incapable of being enforced by any rule of law or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Section 8 shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect. Upon determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal, or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to, or the arbitrator making such a determination shall, modify this Section 8 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 extent possible.

 

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9. Indemnification.

 

(a) Survival. All representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained herein and all related rights to indemnification shall survive the Closing.

 

(b) Indemnification by Seller. Seller shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless Synergy, its affiliates and their respective stockholders, directors, officers and employees from and against all claims, judgments, damages, liabilities, settlements, losses, costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees and disbursements, arising from or relating to:

 

  i. any inaccuracy in or breach of any of the representations or warranties of Seller contained in this Agreement or any document to be delivered hereunder; or
     
  ii. any breach or non-fulfillment of any covenant, agreement or obligation to be performed by Seller pursuant to this Agreement or any document to be delivered hereunder.

 

(c) Indemnification Procedures. Whenever any claim shall arise for indemnification hereunder, Synergy shall promptly provide written notice of such claim to Seller. In connection with any claim giving rise to indemnity hereunder resulting from or arising out of any action by a person or entity who is not a party to this Agreement, Seller, at its sole cost and expense and upon written notice to Synergy, may assume the defense of any such action with counsel reasonably satisfactory to Synergy. Synergy shall be entitled to participate in the defense of any such action, with its counsel and at its own cost and expense. If Seller does not assume the defense of any such action, Synergy may, but shall not be obligated to, defend against such action in such manner as it may deem appropriate, including, but not limited to, settling such action, after giving notice of it to Seller, on such terms as Synergy may deem appropriate and no action taken by Synergy in accordance with such defense and settlement shall relieve Seller of its indemnification obligations herein provided with respect to any damages resulting therefrom. Seller shall not settle any action without Synergy’s prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed).

 

10. Severability. In the event that any part of this Agreement is declared by any court or other judicial or administrative body to be null, void or unenforceable, said provision shall survive to the extent it is not so declared, and all of the other provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

 

11. Governing Law; Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be construed, performed and enforced in accordance with, and governed by, the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of laws thereof. The Parties hereto irrevocably consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of, the federal and state courts of the State of Delaware located in Wilmington, Delaware for such purpose.

 

12. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (i) on the date of service if served personally on the Party to whom notice is to be given, or (ii) on the day of delivery by Federal Express or similar overnight courier or the Express Mail service maintained by the U.S. Postal Service, to the Party as follows:

 

  If to the Seller or any Principal Owner: Hand MD, LLC
    12121 Wilshire Boulevard #1012
    Los Angeles, CA 90025
    Attention: Advanced Skin and Care
     
  Copy to: Klehr Harrison Harvey Branzberg LLP
    1835 Market Street, Suite 1400
    Philadelphia, PA 19103
    Attention: William W. Matthews, III
     
  If to Hand MD: Hand MD Corp.
    865 Spring Street
    Westbrook, ME 04092
    Attention: President

 

  Copy to: Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP
    4101 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 300
    Raleigh, North Carolina 27607
    Attention: Zachary R. Bishop

 

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Any Party may change its address for the purpose of this Agreement by giving the other Party written notice of its new address in the manner set forth above.

 

13. Execution of Documents; Counterparts; Delivery by Facsimile or E-Mail. Each party agrees to execute all documents necessary to carry out the purpose of this Agreement and to cooperate with each other for the expeditious filing of any and all documents and the fulfillment of the terms of this Agreement. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts with the same effect as if all parties hereto had signed the same document. All counterparts shall be construed together and shall constitute one agreement. This Agreement and any signed agreement or instrument entered into in connection with this Agreement or contemplated hereby, to the extent signed and delivered by facsimile transmission or email (in PDF format), shall be treated in all manner and respects as an original agreement or instrument and shall be considered to have the same binding legal effect as if it were the original signed version thereof delivered in person.

 

14. Successors and Assigns. Any Party hereto may assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the other Parties hereto; provided that this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of the Parties hereto.

 

15. Amendments; Waivers. This Agreement may be amended or modified, and any of the terms, covenants, representations, warranties or conditions hereof may be waived, only by a written instrument executed by the Parties hereto, or in the case of a waiver, by the Party waiving compliance. Any waiver by any Party of any condition, or of the breach of any provision, term, covenant, representation or warranty contained in this Agreement, in any one or more instances, shall not be deemed to be nor construed as further or continuing waiver of any such condition, or of the breach of any other provision, term, covenant, representation or warranty of this Agreement.

 

16. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, the Exhibits and schedules hereto contain the entire understanding between the Parties hereto with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and supersede and replace all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with regard to such transactions. All schedules and exhibits hereto and any documents and instruments delivered pursuant to any provision hereof are expressly incorporated herein and made a part of this Agreement as fully as though completely set forth herein. This Agreement shall only be binding on the Parties hereto upon execution and delivery of this Agreement by each of the Parties.

 

[THE NEXT PAGE IS THE SIGNATURE PAGE]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned parties has duly executed this Contribution Agreement, effective as of the date first set forth above.

 

  HAND MD, LLC
     
  By: /s/ Kara Harshbarger
  Name:  Kara Harshbarger
  Title: President
     
  HAND MD CORP.
     
  By: /s/ Jack Ross
  Name: Jack Ross
  Title: President
     
  SYNERGY CHC CORP.
     
  By: /s/ Jack Ross
  Name: Jack Ross
  Title: CEO
   
  /s/ Kara Harshbarger
  Kara Harshbarger
   
  /s/ Alex Khadavi
  Alex Khadavi
   
  /s/ Afshin Shargani
  Afshin Shargani

 

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Exhibit 10.7

 

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LICENSE AGREEMENT

 

THIS AGREEMENT, effective August 18, 2015 (the “Effective Date”), is entered into by and between Synergy CHC Corp., a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Nevada (“Synergy”) and HAND MD CORP., a corporation incorporated under the laws of Delaware (“Hand”).

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, Hand owns or licenses all right, title and interest in and to certain trademark(s), Know-How, and other intellectual property relating to a skincare product known as Hand MD; and

 

WHEREAS, the Parties desire to enter into an agreement whereby Hand will license to Synergy the exclusive right to manufacture and distribute the Licensed Products (as defined below), pursuant to the terms and conditions herein.

 

NOW THEREFORE in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:

 

DEFINITIONS

 

Definitions. The following terms as used hereinafter in this Agreement shall have the meaning set forth in this Section:

 

Adverse Drug Reaction” means a noxious and unintended response to a drug, which occurs at doses normally used or tested for the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of a disease or the modification of an organic function.

 

Adverse Drug Event” means any untoward medical occurrence in a patient or clinical investigation subject administered a pharmaceutical product and which does not necessarily have to have a causal relationship with this treatment.

 

Affiliate” means any corporation, firm, partnership or other entity that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with a Party, with “control” meaning ownership of greater than fifty percent (50%) of the voting stock or other voting interests in the Party or the right to receive over fifty percent (50%) of the profits or earnings of the Party. Such other relationship as in fact results in actual control over the management, business, and affairs of a Party shall also be deemed to constitute control.

 

Agreement”, “hereto”, “hereunder”, “herein” and similar expressions mean this Intellectual Property License Agreement.

 

Applicable Laws” means any law, regulation, rule, guidance, order, judgment or decree having the force of law in the Territory.

 

Business Day” means any day other than (i) Saturday or Sunday or (ii) a day that is a legal holiday in New York, New York, or (iii) any other day on which banks in New York, New York are required to be closed.

 

Commercial Sale” means any shipment of the Licensed Products in the Territory pursuant to an arm’s length sale by Synergy or its Affiliates to a Third Party.

 

Commercialize” means marketing, using, distributing, promoting, offering for sale, and selling the Licensed Products.

 

Effective Date” means the date specified in the initial paragraph of this Agreement.

 

Force Majeure” has the meaning set forth in Section 0.

 

GMP” means good manufacturing practices as required under the rules of the applicable Governmental Authority in the Territory.

 

 

 

 

Governmental Authority” means any federal, state, provincial, or municipal government body, commission, agency, board, court or tribunal in the Territory and having jurisdiction in the particular circumstances.

 

Hand Indemnified Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 0.

 

Hand Marks” means the trade-marks “Hand MD”, and any other marks Hand may adopt for use for the Licensed Products.

 

Improvements” means any new indications, dosage strengths, reformulations, line extensions or other advances in, modifications or improvements to the Licensed Products.

 

Know-How” means all scientific, technical, manufacturing, marketing, production, sales and other information relating to the Licensed Products, as well as any other intellectual property for or related to the Licensed Products, that is known to or controlled by Hand and which is reasonably necessary for the Commercialization of the Licensed Products in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

Launch” means the date of the first Commercial Sale in the Territory of the applicable Licensed Product.

 

Licensed Products” means the Hand MD skincare products and all Improvements thereto.

 

Minimum Royalty” means $0 for the first 12 months following the Effective Date; $250,00 for months 13 through 24 following the Effective Date; and $500,000 for months 25 through 36 following the Effective Date.

 

Net Sales” means the gross amounts invoiced by or on behalf of Synergy and its Affiliates for sales of Products to third parties that are not Affiliates of Synergy in bona fide, arm’s-length transactions, plus any amounts not invoiced in connection with any wholesale or retail level discounted prices, less the following deductions if and to the extent they are (i) determined in accordance with Synergy’s accounting standards, (ii) actually taken by Synergy or its Affiliates and (iii) included in the gross invoiced sales price of any Licensed Products or otherwise directly paid or incurred by Synergy or its Affiliates with respect to the sale of Licensed Products:

 

  (a) charge-backs;
     
  (b) bad debt; and
     
  (c) amounts repaid or credited by reasons of defects, rejections, recalls, returns.

 

Party” means either Hand or Synergy and “Parties” means both Hand and Synergy.

 

Regulatory Approval” means any and all approvals, marketing authorizations, registrations and licenses (including amendments and supplements thereto) necessary from a Governmental Authority for the Commercialization or manufacture of the Licensed Products in or for the Territory.

 

Regulatory Submissions” means all applications, filings, dossiers and the like submitted to a Governmental Authority for the purpose of obtaining Regulatory Approval.

 

SDEA” means the Safety Data Exchange Agreement to be entered into by the Parties within ninety (90) days after the Effective Date.

 

Specifications” means the finished product specifications for each Licensed Product as required by the applicable Regulatory Approval and as may be modified from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

 

Synergy Indemnified Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 0.

 

“Territory” means worldwide.

 

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Third Party” means any person other than the Parties and their Affiliates.

 

Other Definitional and Agreement References. References to any agreement, contract, statute, act, or regulation are to that agreement, contract, statute, act, or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof.

 

Ambiguities. Ambiguities, if any, in this Agreement shall not be construed against any Party, irrespective of which Party may be deemed to have authored the ambiguous provision.

 

Sections and Headings. The term “Section” refers to the specified Section of this Agreement, unless otherwise specified. Headings and captions of the Sections hereof are for convenience only and are not to be used in the interpretation of this Agreement.

 

Dollars. References in this Agreement to “Dollars” or “$” shall mean the legal tender of the United States, unless otherwise noted.

 

Date References. References from or through any date mean, unless otherwise specified, from and including or through and including, respectively.

 

Gender. Words of one gender include the other gender.

 

Include, Includes, Including. Whenever the words “include”, “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”, whether or not they are in fact followed by those words or words of like import.

 

Solidary Obligations. Unless specified otherwise in this Agreement, the obligations of any Party consisting of more than one person are solidary (joint and several).

 

No Strict Construction. This Agreement has been prepared jointly and shall not be strictly construed against either Party.

 

Number of Days. Whenever this Agreement refers to a number of days, unless otherwise specified, such number shall refer to calendar days.

 

Party References. Reference to any Party includes the successors and permitted assigns of that Party.

 

Singular/Plural. Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number, respectively.

 

GRANT OF RIGHTS

 

License. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, Hand hereby grants to Synergy and Synergy hereby accepts, for the Term, and for the Territory, an exclusive license under the Know-How to Commercialize the Licensed Products.

 

Sublicensing. Synergy may sublicense its rights granted hereunder or use sub-distributors or third party service providers to exercise its rights or fulfill its obligations hereunder. All sublicense agreements, distribution or other arrangements or agreements shall be consistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and Synergy assumes full responsibility for any actions taken by any sublicensee, distributor or other party and any of the expenses, costs, or fees incurred by any sublicensee, distributor or other party.

 

No Implied Licenses. Neither Party grants to the other Party any right or license to use any of its intellectual property, Know-How or other proprietary information, materials or technology, or to practice any of its patent, trademark, or trade dress rights, except as expressly set forth in this Agreement.

 

Restriction on Hand. During the Term of this Agreement, Hand shall not: (i) solicit or accept orders for distribution of Licensed Products to a Third Party for sale or distribution in the Territory; (ii) distribute any Licensed Products for sale or use in the Territory; or (iii) grant any license or right with respect to the Licensed Products in the Territory.

 

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Performance by Affiliates. The Parties agree that their respective rights and obligations may be exercised or performed by any of their Affiliates; provided, however, that each Party shall be fully responsible and liable for the actions of such Affiliates in the performance of such obligations and shall ensure that such Affiliate complies with the terms of this Agreement.

 

REGULATORY AND DEVELOPMENT

 

Regulatory Submissions. Synergy shall be solely responsible, at its expense, for preparing, filing, and managing any Regulatory Submission and for maintaining any Regulatory Approval for the Licensed Products in the Territory. Hand shall provide reasonable assistance to Synergy in making submissions to Governmental Authorities and maintaining such Regulatory Approvals. Unless otherwise required by Applicable Law, any Regulatory Approvals shall be filed, owned and held in the name of Synergy. Synergy shall notify Hand of all Regulatory Submissions that it submits.

 

Regulatory Correspondence. Each Party shall promptly (and in any event, within five (5) Business Days of the date of receipt of notice) notify the other Party in writing of, and shall provide the other Party with copies of, any material correspondence received from a Governmental Authority in the Territory. In the event that a Party receives any material regulatory letter requiring a response, the other Party will cooperate fully with the receiving Party in preparing such response and will promptly provide the receiving Party with any data or information required by the Receiving Party in preparing any such response.

 

Other Covenants of Synergy. In addition to its other obligations, commitments and undertakings set out in this Agreement, Synergy agrees to:

 

assume the reasonable costs of intellectual property filings, procurement and maintenance for all intellectual property applications and registrations associated with the Licensed Products in the Territory; and

 

assume all marketing, sales and distribution expenses related to the commercialization of the Licensed Products in the Territory.

 

Other Covenants of Hand. In addition to its other obligations, commitments and undertakings set out in this Agreement, Hand agrees to:

 

provide Synergy with all documentation relating to the submissions for Regulatory Approval to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or the European Medicines Agency or any other Governmental Authority for the Licensed Products within one (1) month from submission;

 

where applicable, provide reasonable assistance to Synergy with the Regulatory Submission of the Licensed Products in the Territory;

 

provide full assistance and cooperation with respect to securing intellectual property protection in the Territory for the Licensed Products;

 

not assign the intellectual property associated with Licensed Products to any Third Party;

 

coordinate Launch activities with Synergy, including pharmacovigilence, pricing, reimbursement, positioning and health care conferences; and

 

promptly provide United States and international marketing and sales materials used for the Licensed Products.

 

TRADEMARKS

 

Trade-Mark License. Hand hereby grants to Synergy, for the Term, an exclusive, royalty-free license to use the Hand Marks in the Territory in association with the Licensed Products.

 

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Ownership. Synergy acknowledges that the Hand Marks are owned by Hand. The Hand Marks shall be and remain the sole and exclusive property of Hand. Synergy shall not contest the ownership of the Hand Marks or the validity of any registration relating thereto. Synergy agrees, at the request of Hand, to execute any and all proper documents appropriate to assist Hand in obtaining and maintaining Hand’s rights in and to the Hand Marks.

 

Licensed Products to Bear Mark. Licensed Products distributed by Synergy under this Agreement shall bear the Hand Marks, subject to the approval of such labeling by appropriate Governmental Authorities.

 

No Similar Mark. Synergy will not, without Hand’s prior written consent, register or use in connection with any product, any trade-mark that is confusingly similar to the Hand Marks.

 

COMMERCIALIZATION

 

Safety Data Exchange Agreement. The parties agree to develop and commit to a Safety Data Exchange Agreement (“SDEA”) that allows them to fulfill their respective regulatory and pharmacovigilence obligations relating to Adverse Drug Event and Adverse Drug Reaction reporting. Such SDEA will be completed within ninety (90) days after the Effective Date.

 

Quality Complaint Reporting. Synergy shall be solely responsible for collecting and responding to any product quality complaint relating to the Licensed Products received from a customer in the Territory. Synergy shall investigate and provide Hand, in a timely manner, with reports resulting from such investigations. If Hand receives a product quality complaint relating to the Licensed Products from a customer in the Territory, it shall investigate and promptly report the investigation results to Synergy, who will be solely responsible for communication and response, if any, to the customer in the Territory. If Synergy does not or is unable to respond to any product quality complaints related to the Licensed Products in a timely manner, Hand shall have the right to do so.

 

Other Information. In addition to the foregoing information to be provided, each Party shall provide to the other Party with any: (i) information relating to the efficacy and/or safety of the Licensed Products, including any recall of the Licensed Products; (ii) complaints from customers, healthcare professionals or competitors in the Territory relating to the Licensed Products; (iii) information relating to any potential liability to any Third Party in the Territory that is reasonably likely to arise for either Party in connection with the Commercialization of the Licensed Products in the Territory; (iv) information relating to any inspections, inquiries, issues raised or actions taken by any Governmental Authority in the Territory; and (v) any other information necessary or reasonably desirable to enable each Party to comply with any Applicable Law in the Territory or elsewhere.

 

Recall. Synergy shall advise Hand of any Governmental Authority initiated mandatory recall of Licensed Products in the Territory. Prior to executing any recall of Licensed Products in the Territory, Synergy shall review with Hand the proposed manner in which the recall is to be carried out. Synergy will give due consideration to any reasonable recommendation from Hand as to the manner of conducting the recall, provided that it is agreeable to the applicable Governmental Authority. Synergy shall communicate directly with the applicable Governmental Authorities in relation to a Licensed Products recall in the Territory.

 

ROYALTIES

 

Earned Royalty. In consideration of its license to the Know-How under this Agreement, Synergy shall pay to Hand a royalty of 5% of the Net Sales Price of each Licensed Product sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of by or for Synergy in the Territory during Term pursuant to Section 2.1, not including Sublicensing Royalty (“Earned Royalty”), and 5% of all amounts received by Synergy from any sublicenses granted pursuant to Section 2.2 (“Sublicensing Royalty; the Earned Royalty and Sublicensing Royalty shall be collectively the “Royalties”).

 

Minimum Royalty. If the total Royalties for any calendar quarter is less than the Minimum Royalty, Synergy shall pay Hand the Earned Royalty plus the difference between the Minimum Royalty and the Earned Royalty for that calendar quarter. For clarity, the Minimum Royalty (if any) is calculated quarterly (i.e., for months 13 through 24 following the Effective Date, it is $62,500 per calendar quarter). The Minimum Royalty terminates upon the 3 year anniversary of the Effective Date.

 

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Taxes. Synergy will make all payments to Hand under this Agreement without deduction or withholding for taxes except to the extent that any such deduction or withholding is required by law in effect at the time of payment. Any tax required to be withheld on amounts payable by Synergy under this Agreement will be timely paid by Synergy on behalf of Hand to the appropriate Governmental Authority, and Synergy will furnish Hand with the corresponding proof of payment of such tax, as may be required in order to enable Hand to request reimbursement or deduction of the withheld amount, or to otherwise comply with its duties. Synergy and Hand agree to cooperate to legally minimize and reduce such withholding taxes and provide any information or documentation required by any taxing authority.

 

Payment Terms and Royalty Statements

 

Synergy shall pay all Royalties (and Minimum Royalties, if applicable) for each calendar quarter within 60 days of the end of such calendar quarter. Synergy shall make all payments in US dollars by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account to be designated in writing by Hand.

 

On or before the due date for all payments to Hand pursuant to this Section 6, Synergy shall provide Hand with a statement (“Payment Statement”) showing:

 

the total Net Sales Price of all Licensed Products sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of by Synergy and the total Sublicensing Revenue accrued in the relevant calendar quarter;

 

the calendar quarter for which the Earned Royalties and the Sublicensing Royalties were calculated; and

 

such other particulars as are reasonably necessary or as may be reasonably requested by Hand for an accurate accounting of the payments made pursuant to this Agreement.

 

6.4 Records. During the Term of the Agreement and for a period of 2 years from the termination of this Agreement, Synergy shall keep complete and accurate records of its and its records that are reasonably necessary for the calculation of payments to be made to Hand hereunder.

 

Audit

Hand, at its own expense, may at any time within 1 year after receiving any Payment Statement from Synergy, nominate an independent Certified Public Accountant (“Auditor”) who shall have access to Synergy’s applicable records during Synergy’s normal business hours for the purpose of verifying all payments made under this Agreement.

 

Hand shall provide to Synergy a copy of the Auditor’s audit report within 5 days of Hand’s receipt of the report. If the report shows that payments made by Synergy are deficient by more than five percent (5%) of the amount that was reported under this Agreement, Synergy shall pay Hand the deficient amount and the fees and expenses of the Auditor in connection with such audit within 30 days after Synergy’s receipt of the audit report.

 

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

 

Notification of Third Party Infringement. Each Party shall promptly disclose to the other in writing within ten (10) Business Days, any actual, alleged, or threatened Third Party infringement or misappropriation in the Territory of any Know-How and any actual, alleged or threatened infringement or passing off of the Hand Mark, of which such Party becomes aware.

 

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Response to Third Party Infringement. Hand shall have the first right, but not any obligation, to respond to any actual or threatened infringement of Know-How, the Hand Mark or of any unfair trade practices, trade dress imitation, passing off of counterfeit goods, or like offenses in the Territory relating to the Licensed Products. If Hand elects to respond to any actual or threatened infringement by initiating a proceeding, Hand shall use legal counsel of its choice at its expense and shall have full control over the conduct of such proceeding. Hand may settle or compromise any such proceeding without the consent of Synergy; provided, however, that if such settlement affects Synergy’s rights under this Agreement, or Synergy’s ability to Commercialize the Licensed Products within the Territory, or otherwise requires Synergy to admit wrongdoing, fault, or liability, Hand will not settle or compromise any such proceeding without the written consent of Synergy, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned, or delayed. If Hand elects not to respond to any actual or threatened infringement of the Know-How, the Hand Mark or of any unfair trade practices, trade dress imitation, passing off of counterfeit goods, or like offenses in the Territory relating to the Licensed Products, then Synergy shall have the right, but not the obligation, to take action, at its sole expense, in which case Synergy shall have full control over the conduct of such proceeding and Synergy may settle or compromise any such proceeding without the consent of Hand; provided, however, that if such settlement affects Hand’s intellectual property rights or its rights under this Agreement, or otherwise requires Hand to admit wrongdoing, fault, or liability, Synergy will not settle or compromise any such proceeding without the written consent of Hand, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned, or delayed. Synergy shall be solely responsible for any legal costs or damages awards made in any proceeding that is initiated by Synergy in the event that Hand elects not to respond to any actual or threatened infringement.

 

Cooperation. Each Party shall cooperate reasonably, at its expense, in any enforcement effort initiated by the other Party. The Parties nor their Affiliates shall contest any joinder in any proceeding sought to be brought by the other Party if such joinder is required by Law.

 

Recovery. Except as otherwise agreed to by the Parties as part of a cost-sharing arrangement, any monetary award recovered from a Third Party in connection with any proceeding initiated to protect, maintain, defend, or enforce any intellectual property in the Territory or recovered from a Third Party in connection with any proceeding initiated for infringement or misappropriation of intellectual property shall first be used to reimburse the Parties for any out-of-pocket legal expenses relating to such proceeding and the balance being retained by the Party that brought and controlled such litigation.

 

Infringement of Third Party IP. If either Party becomes aware that its activities performed hereunder may constitute actual or alleged infringement or misappropriation of the intellectual property rights of a Third Party, it shall promptly notify the other Party and the Parties shall promptly discuss a strategy to defend or mitigate against any actual or alleged infringement.

 

REPRESENTATION AND WARRANTIES

 

Hand Covenants, Representations and Warranties. Hand covenants, represents and warrants (as the case may be) to Synergy that:

 

Hand is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of Delaware;

 

Hand has the legal right and authority to enter into this Agreement;

 

Hand has taken all necessary actions to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement;

 

Hand has obtained all consents, licenses and authorizations that are necessary to perform its obligations under this Agreement;

 

Upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement, this Agreement shall constitute a valid and binding obligation of Hand, enforceable against Hand in accordance with its terms, except to the extent enforceability is limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights and remedies or equitable principles;

 

The performance of Hand’s obligations under this Agreement will not conflict with its organizational documents, as amended, or result in a breach of any material agreements or contracts to which it is a party;

 

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Hand has not and will not, during the term of this Agreement, enter into any material agreements or contracts that would conflict with its obligations under this Agreement;

 

Hand solely owns all of the Know-How and Hand Marks licensed to Synergy pursuant to this Agreement and the Know-How licensed to Synergy pursuant to this Agreement is all of the Know-How that is necessary for Synergy to carry out its obligations and exercise its rights under this Agreement;

 

Hand has not received any notice that the manufacture, sale, or use of the Licensed Products in the Territory infringes upon any intellectual property rights of any Third Parties in the Territory; and

 

To the knowledge of Hand, there are no activities being carried out by Third Parties in the Territory that would constitute infringement or misappropriation of the Know-How or the Hand Mark.

 

Synergy Representations and Warranties. Synergy covenants, represents and warrants to Hand (as the case may be) as follows:

 

Synergy is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing, under the laws of Nevada;

 

Synergy has the legal right, authority, and power to enter into this Agreement;

 

Synergy has taken all necessary action to authorize the execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement;

 

Upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement, this Agreement shall constitute a valid and binding obligation of Synergy, enforceable against Synergy in accordance with its terms, except to the extent enforceability is limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights and remedies or equitable principles;

 

The performance of Synergy’s obligations under this Agreement will not conflict with its organizational documents or result in a breach of any material agreements or contracts to which it is a party; and

 

Synergy has not and will not, during the term of this Agreement, enter into any material agreements or contracts that would be inconsistent with its obligations under this Agreement.

 

WARRANTY DISCLAIMER. EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT, NEITHER PARTY MAKES ANY REPRESENTATIONS OR EXTENDS ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED.

 

LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY. WITHOUT LIMITING THE PARTIES’ OBLIGATIONS REGARDING INDEMNIFICATION, NEITHER PARTY SHALL BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER PARTY OR TO ANY THIRD PARTY WHO MAY BENEFIT FROM ANY PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT FOR SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, LOSS OF PROFITS, INTERRUPTION OR LOSS OF BUSINESS OR OTHER ECONOMIC LOSS) ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR WITH RESPECT TO A PARTY’S PERFORMANCE OR NON-PERFORMANCE HEREUNDER.

 

Indemnification by Hand. Hand hereby agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold Synergy, its Affiliates and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents, (each a “Synergy Indemnified Party”) harmless from and against any Third Party’s claims for loss, damage, or liability resulting from: (i) any breach of this Agreement or any warranty or covenant provided in this Agreement by Hand or an Affiliate of Hand; (ii) any violation of Applicable Law by Hand or its Affiliates; and (iii) any negligent act or omission or willful misconduct of Hand or its Affiliates; (iv) any claim that the sale by Synergy or its Affiliates, of the Licensed Products infringes on intellectual property rights in the Territory of any other person; (v) any claim arising from any use, within the approved labelling, made by any person of any of the Licensed Products; in all cases, except to the extent such Third Party’s claim for loss, damage or liability is the result of: (i) any breach of this Agreement by Synergy or a Synergy Indemnified Party, (ii) any violation of Applicable Law by Synergy or a Synergy Indemnified Party, or (iii) any negligent act or omission or willful misconduct of Synergy or a Synergy Indemnified Party.

 

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Indemnification by Synergy. Synergy hereby agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold Hand, its Affiliates and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents, (each a “Hand Indemnified Party”) harmless from and against any Third Party’s claims for loss, damage, or liability resulting from: (i) any breach of this Agreement or any warranty or covenant provided in this Agreement by Synergy or an Affiliate of Synergy; (ii) any violation of Applicable Law by Synergy or its Affiliates; and (iii) any negligent act or omission or willful misconduct of Synergy or its Affiliates; in all cases, except to the extent such Third Party’s claim for loss, damage or liability is the result of: (i) any breach of this Agreement by Hand or a Hand Indemnified Party, (ii) any violation of Applicable Law by Hand or a Hand Indemnified Party, or (iii) any negligent act or omission or willful misconduct of Hand or a Hand Indemnified Party.

 

Indemnification Procedure. If an indemnified party intends to claim indemnification under this Section 0, such party shall promptly notify the other party of any loss, claim, damage, liability or action in respect of which the indemnified party intends to claim such indemnification, and the indemnifying party shall have a first opportunity to assume the sole defense thereof with counsel selected by the indemnifying party and approved by the indemnified party acting reasonably; provided, however, that an indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel and participate fully in the defense, with the fees and expenses to be paid by the indemnified party. The failure or delay to deliver notice to the indemnifying party, within a reasonable time after the commencement of any such proceeding, if irreparably prejudicial to the indemnifying party’s ability to defend such proceeding, shall relieve the indemnifying party of any and all liability to the indemnified party under this Section 0. The indemnified party shall cooperate fully with the indemnifying party and their legal representatives in the investigation of any loss, claim, damage, or liability covered by this indemnification, and shall mitigate such loss and damages. Any amount payable in order to satisfy an indemnity hereunder shall be paid as soon as reasonably possible after the indemnified party has incurred an indemnified expense and notified the indemnifying party thereof.

 

Compliance with Law. Each Party shall comply, and shall require their Affiliates and permitted sublicensees to comply, with all Applicable Laws relative to their obligations hereunder.

 

Insurance. The Parties shall maintain insurance, including product liability insurance, that is adequate to cover their obligations hereunder and that is consistent with normal business practices of prudent corporations engaged in the same or a similar business. The Parties acknowledge and agree that such insurance shall not be construed to create a limit with respect to their indemnification obligations.

 

TERM AND TERMINATION

 

Term. This Agreement will take effect from the Effective Date and, unless earlier terminated in accordance with the terms herein, will continue in perpetuity (the “Term”).

 

Termination for Breach. Either Party may terminate this Agreement by written notice to the other Party with immediate effect in the following cases:

 

In the event of a petition in bankruptcy or insolvency of the other Party, or in case of the filing by the other Party of any petition or answer seeking reorganization, readjustment, or rearrangement of its business under any law or any government regulation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency, or in case of the institution by the other Party of any proceedings for the liquidation or winding up of its business, or for the termination of its corporate charter.

 

If the other Party is otherwise in material default or breach of this Agreement and such default or breach is not cured within (i) thirty (30) days after written notice thereof is delivered to the defaulting or breaching Party, or (ii) in the case of a breach that cannot be cured within thirty (30) days, within a reasonable period not exceeding sixty (60) days after written notice thereof is delivered to the defaulting or breaching Party.

 

Effect of Termination. Upon expiry or termination of this Agreement, all licenses and rights granted by Hand hereunder shall terminate and Synergy will:

 

except as provided for in Section 0, cease any Commercialization of the Licensed Products in the Territory; and

 

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within thirty (30) days or expiry or termination, transfer title to all current and pending Regulatory Approvals for the Licensed Products to Hand and assist Hand, at Hand’s cost, in submitting appropriate documents to transfer the Regulatory Approvals for the Licensed Products to Hand or its designee.

 

Survival. In the event of the termination of this Agreement for any reason, the following provisions of this Agreement shall survive: Sections 1, 7, 8.5, 8.7, 9.4, 9.5 and 10, and any other terms which, by their nature, require or contemplate performance by the Parties after expiry or termination. In any event, termination of this Agreement shall not relieve the Parties of any liability which accrued hereunder prior to the effective date of such termination.

 

Sell-Off of Inventory. Upon termination of this Agreement, Synergy shall be entitled to sell off any inventory of the Licensed Products in Synergy’s possession or control on the date such termination is effective, provided such sales are in the normal course of business and consistent with sales of the License Products during the Term of this Agreement.

 

OTHER PROVISIONS

 

Further Assurances. Upon request by either Party and at such Party’s expense, the other Party shall do such further acts and execute such additional agreements and instruments as may be reasonably necessary to give effect to the purposes of this Agreement.

 

Independent Status. Each Party shall act as an independent contractor and shall not bind nor attempt to bind the other Party to any contract, nor any performance of obligations outside of the license agreement. Nothing contained or done under the Agreement shall be interpreted as constituting either Party the agent of the other in any sense of the term whatsoever or in the relationship of partners or joint venturers.

 

Assignment. Except in connection with the acquisition of Synergy or the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of Synergy, this Agreement may not be, directly or indirectly, assigned or transferred, in whole or in part, by a Party to a Third Party without the prior written consent of the other Party. The rights and obligations contained herein shall enure to the benefit of each Party’s successors and permitted assigns, and shall be binding on and enforceable against the relevant Party’s successors and permitted assigns. Any reference in this Agreement to any Party shall be construed accordingly.

 

Compliance with law. Each Party shall comply with, and shall not be in violation of any valid applicable international, national, provincial or local statutes, laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, or other governmental orders of the Territory.

 

Force Majeure. No Party shall be responsible for a failure or delay in performance of any of the obligations hereunder due wars, insurrections, strikes, acts of God, power outages, storms, or actions of regulatory agencies (such events being defined as “Force Majeure”), provided that the Party seeking relief from its obligations promptly advises the other Party forthwith of the Force Majeure. A Party whose performance of obligations has been delayed by force majeure shall use commercially reasonable efforts to overcome the effect of the Force Majeure as soon as possible. The other Party will have no right to demand indemnity for damage or assert a breach against such Party, provided, however, that if the event of Force Majeure preventing performance shall continue for more than one (1) month, and such underlying cause would not also prevent other parties from performing such obligations, then the Party not subject to the event of Force Majeure may terminate this Agreement with a written notice to the other without any liability hereunder, except the obligation to make payments due to such date.

 

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Notices and Amendments. Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given by internationally recognized international courier, and shall be deemed to have been received at the time it is delivered to the applicable address noted below. Notices of change of address shall also be governed by this Section 0. Notices and other communications shall be addressed as follows:

 

In the case of Synergy:

 

Synergy CHC Corp.

c/o Jack Ross

865 Spring Street

Westbrook, Maine 04092

E-mail: jack@synergystrips.com

 

with a copy to:

 

Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP

4101 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 300

Raleigh, North Carolina 27607

U.S.A.

Attention: W. David Mannheim

E-mail: dmannheim@wyrick.com

 

In the case of Hand:

 

[____________]

Attention:

Fax:

E-mail:

 

with a copy to:

 

Klehr Harrison Harvey Branzberg LLP

1835 Market Street, Suite 1400

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103

U.S.A.

Attention: William W. Matthews, III

E-mail: WMatthews@klehr.com

 

Complete Agreement. This Agreement embodies all of the understandings and obligations between the Parties with respect to the Licensed Products and supersedes any prior or contemporaneous agreements and understandings, whether written or oral, between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. Any amendments or supplements to this Agreement shall not be valid unless executed in writing by duly authorized officers of both parties.

 

Waiver. No failure to exercise and no delay in exercising any right or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. Any waiver granted hereunder shall only be applicable the specific acts covered thereby and shall not apply to any subsequent events, acts, or circumstances.

 

Severability. In the event any portion of this Agreement shall be held illegal, void or ineffective, the remaining portion hereof shall remain in full force and effect. If any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement are in conflict with any applicable statute or rule of law, then such terms or provisions shall be deemed inoperative to the extent that they may conflict therewith and shall be deemed to be modified to conform with such statute or rule of law.

 

Governing Law. This Agreement all disputes arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or the performance, enforcement, breach or termination hereof or thereof, and any remedies relating thereto, shall be construed, governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware. The Parties hereto irrevocably consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of, the federal and state courts of the State of Delaware located in Wilmington, Delaware for such purpose. If either Party in its sole judgment, acting reasonably, believes that any dispute could cause it irreparable harm, such Party will be entitled to seek equitable relief in order to avoid such irreparable harm.

 

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Public Announcements. Neither Party shall originate any publicity, news release, or public announcements relating to this Agreement (including, without limitation, its existence, its subject matter, the Parties’ performance, any amendment hereto, or performance hereunder), whether to the public or press, stockholders, or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the other Party, save only such announcements that are required by law or the rules of any relevant stock exchange to be made or that are otherwise agreed to by the Parties. If a Party decides to make an announcement, whether required by law or otherwise, it shall give the other Party reasonable notice of the text of the announcement so that the other Party shall have an opportunity to comment upon the announcement. To the extent that the receiving Party reasonably requests the deletion of any information in any such announcement, the disclosing Party shall delete such information unless, in the opinion of the disclosing Party’s legal counsel, such information is required by law or the rules of any relevant stock exchange to be disclosed. The timing and content of the initial press release relating to this Agreement, if any, including its existence, the subject matter to which it relates and the transactions contemplated herein will, except as otherwise required by law or any stock exchange rules, be determined jointly by the Parties.

 

Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be considered one and the same Agreement and shall become effective when a counterpart hereof has been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Party.

 

Time of Essence. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement and of each provision hereof.

 

[Signature page follows]

 

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In witness whereof, the parties have signed this Agreement.

 

SYNERGY CHC CORP.   HAND MD CORP.
         
By: /s/ Jack Ross   By: /s/ Jack Ross
Name: Jack Ross   Name: Jack Ross
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer   Title: President

 

Signature Page – Intellectual Property License Agreement

 

 

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Exhibit 10.8

 

STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

THIS STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) dated as of November 12, 2015, by and among Breakthrough Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), URX ACQUISITION TRUST, a Delaware statutory trust, (the “Trust”), Jordan Eisenberg, the chief executive officer and a shareholder of the Company (“Eisenberg”), the other shareholders of the Company listed on Exhibit A (Eisenberg and such other shareholders being sometimes collectively referred to as the “Sellers,” and individually as a “Seller”), and Synergy CHC Corp., a Nevada corporation (the “Buyer”). Company, Trust, Sellers, and Buyer are sometimes referred to collectively as the “Parties” and individually as a “Party”.

 

BACKGROUND

 

Sellers, either directly or indirectly, collectively own all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company.

 

The Company, operating as UrgentRx, is engaged in the business of developing and selling medications for headache, heart burn, allergy attack, ache and pain, and upset stomach in the form of powders (the “Products”) (the Products and the business related to the manufacture, sale, marketing and distribution of the Products is collectively the “Business”).

 

Buyer desires to purchase all of the outstanding capital stock of the Company (the “Stock Purchase”), and Sellers desire to sell such outstanding capital stock to Buyer, in each case upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement.

 

The Trust was formed for the sole purpose of holding, collecting, and managing the Purchase Consideration (as defined below) payable with respect to the Stock Purchase (including voting the shares issued as purchase price consideration and exercising all shareholder rights with respect thereto while being held by the Trust), enforcing the rights of the Sellers with respect to this Agreement, payment of any expenses and any liabilities of the Sellers under this Agreement, and distributing the assets of the Trust to the Sellers.

 

In consideration of the foregoing and the respective covenants and agreements hereinafter contained, the Parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

1. DefinitionsAs used in this Agreement (including the recitals and Disclosure Schedules hereto), the following selected terms shall have the following meanings (such meanings to be applicable equally to both singular and plural forms of the terms defined):

 

Action” means any claim, action, cause of action, demand, lawsuit, arbitration, audit, notice of violation, proceeding, litigation, citation, summons, subpoena or investigation of any nature, civil, criminal, administrative, regulatory or otherwise, whether formal or informal, whether public or private and whether at law or in equity;

 

Affiliate” shall mean, as to any Person, any other Person which directly or indirectly controls, or is under common control with, or is controlled by, such Person. As used in this definition, “control” (including, with its correlative meanings, “controlled by” and “under common control with”) shall mean possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of management or policies (whether through ownership of securities or partnership or other ownership interests, by Contract or otherwise) of such Person;

 

Closing” shall mean the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

 

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended;

 

Commercially Reasonable Efforts” means the commercially reasonable efforts that a prudent Person desirous of achieving a result and having an incentive to and interest in achieving such result would use to achieve that result as expeditiously as reasonably possible under the circumstances;

 

 

 

 

Company Equityholder” means the holder of any capital stock of the Company or any options, warrants, purchase rights, subscription rights, conversion rights, exchange rights, or other Contracts or commitments that could require the Company to issue, sell, or otherwise cause to become outstanding any of its capital stock;

 

Contract” means any agreement, contract, indenture, instrument, obligation, promise or undertaking (whether written or oral and whether express or implied) that is legally binding;

 

Customers” means all of the customers of Company during each of Company’s 2012, 2013, and 2014 fiscal years and during the period ended as of September 30, 2015;

 

Disclosure Schedules” means the disclosure letter delivered by Sellers concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement;

 

Employee” means an employee of Company employed in connection with the Business;

 

Employee Benefit Plan” means any pension, profit sharing, retirement, deferred compensation, stock purchase, stock option or other equity based compensation plans, incentive, bonus, vacation, employment agreement, independent contractor agreement, severance, disability, hospitalization, sickness, death, medical insurance, dental insurance, life insurance and any other material employee benefit plan (whether provided on a funded or unfunded basis, or through insurance or otherwise), agreement, program, policy, trust, fund, Contract or arrangement;

 

Environmental Laws” means all Laws concerning pollution or protection of the environment and natural resources, including without limitation all those relating to the presence, use, production, generation, handling, transportation, treatment, storage, control or cleanup of any hazardous materials, substances or wastes, pesticides, pollutants or byproducts, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, or radiation, each as amended and as now or hereafter in effect;

 

Fundamental Representations” shall mean the representations and warranties set forth in (i) Sections 3(a), 3(b), 3(c), and 3(d); (ii) Sections 4(a), 4(c), 4(d), and 4(e); (iii) Sections 5(a), 5(b), 5(c), 5(d), 5(g), 5(h), (5(i) and 5(j); and Sections 6(a), 6(b), 6(c), and 6(d).

 

Government” shall mean any agency, division, subdivision, audit group or procuring office of the Government of the United States, any state of the United States, including the employees or agents thereof;

 

Guarantee” means any Contract of guarantee, indemnification, assumption or endorsement or any other like commitment of the obligations, liabilities (fixed, contingent or otherwise) or indebtedness of another Person;

 

Intellectual Property” means all intellectual property rights whether protected, created or arising under the Laws of the United States or any other jurisdiction, including the following: (i) patents and patent applications; (ii) trademarks and service marks, including all applications and registrations and goodwill related to the foregoing; (iii) copyrights, including all applications and registrations related to the foregoing (including, without limitation, for all designs); (iv) Internet domain names; (v) telephone numbers, electronic mail addresses and social media accounts and registrations, including but not limited to accounts and registrations with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other similar services; and (vi) trade secrets, know-how, ideas, creative works, inventions, discoveries, methods, processes, technical data, specifications, research and development information, technology, software or computer programs, and data base;

 

Knowledge of Company” or “Company’s Knowledge” or a similar phrase shall mean, with respect to any matter, the actual knowledge the Eisenberg, Lynn Millheiser (COO), Kimber Ward (VP Marketing), and Genevieve Bucsek (Controller), or facts regarding such matter which reasonably should have been known by such persons after making a diligent inquiry with respect to such matter;

 

Laws” means all statutes, laws, codes, ordinances, regulations, rules, orders, judgments, writs, injunctions, acts or decrees of any Government entity;

 

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Liability” means any liability or obligation of whatever kind or nature (whether known or unknown, whether asserted or unasserted, whether absolute or contingent, whether accrued or unaccrued, whether liquidated or unliquidated, and whether due or to become due), including without limitation any liability for Taxes;

 

Lien” shall mean any mortgage, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other) or conditional sale agreement, and including claims on title and liens in favor of contractors, carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen, and subcontractors and statutory or common law liens to secure claims for labor, materials or supplies, and other similar liens and encumbrances;

 

Material Adverse Effect” shall mean, when used in connection with an entity means any change, event, circumstance, condition or effect that is or is reasonably likely to be, individually or in the aggregate, materially adverse to: (i) the condition (financial or otherwise), capitalization, properties, prospects, products, assets (including intangible assets), Intellectual Property, liabilities, business, operations or results of operations of such entity and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (ii) such entity’s ability to consummate the Stock Purchase or to perform its obligations under this Agreement;

Material Adverse Event” means any untoward or negative occurrence (including, without limitation, physical injury) related to the Business or the use of the Products that would result in a Material Adverse Effect;

 

Person” shall mean and include any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, and any other unincorporated organization or Government;

 

Regulations” means the Treasury Regulations (including Temporary Regulations) promulgated by the United States Department of Treasury with respect to the Code;

 

Taxes” shall mean (i) all federal, state, local or foreign taxes, including, but not limited to, income, gross income, gross receipts, capital, production, excise, employment, sales, use, transfer, transfer gain, ad valorem, premium, profits, license, capital stock, franchise, severance, stamp, withholding, Social Security, employment, unemployment, disability, worker’s compensation, payroll, utility, windfall profit, custom duties, personal property, real property, environmental, registration, alternative or add-on minimum, estimated and other taxes, governmental fees or like charges of any kind whatsoever, and (ii) any interest, penalties, fines, loss, damages, liability, expense or additions thereto whether disputed or not; and (iii) any transference liability in respect of any items described in clauses (i) or (ii) payable by reason of contract assumption, transference liability, operation of law, or otherwise;

 

Tax Return” means any return, declaration, report, claim for refund, information return or statement relating to any taxes, including any schedule or attachment thereto and including any amendment therof;

 

Transaction Documents” shall mean this Agreement, the Share certificates, and the other exhibits and schedules hereto and thereto, and all other agreements, instruments, certificates and other documents to be entered into or delivered by any Party in connection with the transactions contemplated to be consummated pursuant to any of the foregoing.

 

2. Stock Purchase.

 

(a) Purchase and Sale of the Company’s Capital Stock. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, Sellers agree to sell, convey, transfer, assign and deliver to Buyer, and Buyer agrees to purchase and accept from Sellers, at the Closing, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company (the “Shares”).

 

(b) Consideration.

 

(i) Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, in reliance on the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of Sellers contained herein, the consideration payable to Sellers for the Stock Purchase shall be the right to receive the corpus of the Trust pursuant to the governing documents of the Trust.

 

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(ii) In consideration of the Stock Purchase, Buyer shall:

  

  1. Issue and deliver to the Trust for the benefit of the Sellers Six Million (6,000,000) shares of the common stock of Buyer, with a deemed value of $0.85 per share (the “Equity Consideration”); and
     
  2. Following the first Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) in gross sales of the Products by Buyer or its Affiliates (including the Company), on a quarterly basis for a period of seven (7) years from the date of this Agreement, pay a royalty to the Trust for the benefit of the Sellers equal to five percent (5%) of gross sales of the Products by Buyer or its Affiliates (including the Company) (the “Royalty Consideration” and together with the Equity Consideration, the “Purchase Consideration”). For purposes of clarity, the $5 million gross sales threshold before Royalty Consideration becomes due and payable shall only apply once during the seven year period when Royalty Consideration is or may become due and payable by Buyer.

 

(c) Closing. The Closing will take place contemporaneously with the execution of this Agreement at the offices of Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP, 1230 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 3100, Atlanta, Georgia 30309. The Parties agree that the Closing may occur electronically through the delivery of facsimile or electronic copies of any and all other ancillary documents or documents required to be delivered under the terms of this Agreement, unless specifically set forth herein.

 

(d) Closing Deliverables. At the Closing:

 

(i) Each Seller will deliver to Buyer either (i) the certificates representing all of the Shares owned by such Seller, duly endorsed in blank or with appropriate stock powers with respect thereto duly endorsed in blank, or (ii) if such certificates are not available at Closing, stock powers for such unavailable certificates, duly endorsed in blank. All certificates will be delivered to Buyer no later than ten (10) days following the Closing. If any certificates cannot be located, such Seller will deliver to the Buyer, no later than ten (10) days following the Closing, an affidavit of such Seller reasonably satisfactory to Buyer stating that the certificates representing all of the Shares owned by such Seller have been lost, stolen or otherwise cannot be located.

 

(ii) The Company will deliver to Buyer evidence that the officers and directors of the Company in office immediately prior to the Closing have resigned as officers and directors of the Company effective as of the Closing, unless otherwise requested by Buyer; excluding Jordan Eisenberg, who shall have entered into an employment agreement with the Company.

 

(iii) The Company will deliver to Buyer evidence that the Shares can be transferred from the Sellers to Buyer free from any rights of first refusal, registration rights, rights of co-sale or other restrictions or conditions relating to transfer of the Shares.

 

(iv) The Company will deliver to Buyer evidence that all options, warrants, purchase rights, subscription rights, conversion rights, exchange rights, or other Contracts or commitments that could require the Company to issue, sell, or otherwise cause to become outstanding any of its capital stock have been terminated.

 

(v) The Company will deliver to Buyer a Release Agreement in the form of Exhibit B duly executed by each Company Equityholder who is not also a Seller.

 

(vi) The Company will deliver to Buyer a certificate executed by the authorized person of the Company certifying as to the truthfulness, completeness and accuracy of attached copies of resolutions of the directors and shareholders of the Company authorizing this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby; and such other documents relating to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents to be consummated at the Closing as counsel to Buyer shall reasonably request in order to complete the Stock Purchase by Buyer.

 

(vii) The Company will deliver to Buyer a certificate of the State of Delaware dated reasonably close to the Closing Date, as to the legal existence and good standing of Company in Delaware.

 

(viii) The Trust will deliver to Buyer its duly executed governing instrument(s).

 

(ix) The Trust will deliver to Buyer a certificate executed by its trustee, certifying the satisfaction by the Company of the conditions specified in Section 5 and certifying as to the truthfulness, completeness and accuracy of attached copies the Trust Documents (as defined below) authorizing this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby; and such other documents relating to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents to be consummated at the Closing as counsel to Buyer shall reasonably request in order to complete the Stock Purchase by Buyer.

 

(x) Buyer shall issue and deliver to the Trust for the benefit of the Sellers the Equity Consideration.

 

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3. Representations And Warranties Of SellersAs a material inducement to Buyer to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, each Seller severally represents and warrants to the Buyer that the statements contained in this Section 3 are true and correct as of the date hereof, with respect to itself, except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedules.

 

(a) Authority of SellersEach Seller has all requisite power and authority to enter into the Transaction Documents to which such Seller is a party and to carry out such Seller’s obligations thereunder. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and the performance of each Seller’s obligations thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate, shareholder, partnership or member action of such Seller (if such Seller is a corporation or an entity with shareholders, partners or members), and no other proceedings on the part or in respect of such Seller is necessary to authorize such execution, delivery and performance. The Transaction Documents to which a Seller is identified as a party thereto have been duly executed by or on behalf of such Seller and assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties thereto, constitute such Seller’s valid and binding obligations, enforceable against such Seller in accordance with their respective terms, except as may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium or similar laws of general application relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and except for the limitations imposed by general principles of equity.

 

(b) No Conflicts; Consents. The execution, delivery and performance by Seller of the Transaction Documents to which such Seller is a party does not and will not: (a) result in a violation or breach of any provision of the governing documents of Seller, if applicable; (b) result in a violation or breach of any provision of any Law or Governmental order, judgment or decree applicable to Seller; or (c) require the consent, notice or other action by any Person under, conflict with, result in a violation or breach of, constitute a default under, or result in the acceleration of any agreement to which Seller is a party. No consent, waiver, approval, order, or authorization of, or registration, declaration, or filing with, any court, administrative agency, or commission or other governmental authority or instrumentality (“Governmental Entity”), or any other Person, is required by or with respect to Seller in connection with the execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents to which Seller is a party or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(c) Title to Shares. Seller is the legal owner of the number and class of the Shares listed on Exhibit A hereto with respect to such Seller, free and clear of all Encumbrances.

 

(d) Legal Proceedings. There are no actions, suits, claims, investigations or other legal proceedings pending or, to Seller’s knowledge, threatened against or by Seller that challenge or seek to prevent, enjoin or otherwise delay the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

(e) Brokers. Except for Creo Capital Advisors LLC, who was hired by the Company, no broker, finder, or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage, finder’s, or other fee or commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of Seller.

 

4. Representations and Warranties of the CompanyAs a material inducement to Buyer to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, the Company represents and warrants to the Buyer that the statements contained in this Section 4 are true and correct as of the date hereof, except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedules.

 

(a) Corporate Organization. The Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of formation. The organizational documents which have been furnished to Buyer reflect all amendments made thereto at any time prior to the date of this Agreement and are correct and complete. The minute books and other books and records of the Company, to the extent such minutes exist, have been furnished to Buyer. The Trust is a statutory trust duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of formation.

 

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(b) Qualification to Do Business. The Company has full corporate power and authority to carry on its business as now being conducted and is entitled to own, lease, or operate the properties and assets now owned, leased, or operated by it. The Company is qualified to do business, is in good standing, and has all required and appropriate licenses in each jurisdiction except jurisdictions in which failure to obtain or maintain such qualification, good standing, or licensing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company is duly qualified to conduct the Business as presently conducted by the Company as a foreign corporation in the jurisdictions listed in the Disclosure Schedule. No consent, waiver, approval, order, or authorization of, or registration, declaration, or filing with, any Governmental Entity or any other Person, is required to be made or obtained by the Company in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company, or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby, except for such consents, authorizations, filings, approvals and registrations that, if not obtained or made, would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

 

(c) Authorization and Validity of Agreement. The Company has all requisite power and authority to enter into the Transaction Documents to which it is a party and to carry out its obligations thereunder. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and the performance of the Company’s obligations thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, and no other proceedings on the part or in respect of the Company is necessary to authorize such execution, delivery and performance. The Transaction Documents to which the Company is a party have been duly executed by or on behalf of the Company and assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties thereto constitute the valid and binding obligations of, and enforceable in accordance with their respective terms against, the Company, except as may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium or similar laws of general application relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and except for the limitations imposed by general principles of equity.

 

(d) No Conflict or Violation. Subject to obtaining any consents and approvals identified in the Disclosure Schedules, the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party does not and will not (i)(A) conflict with or result in a breach of the terms, conditions, or provisions of, (B) constitute a default under (whether with or without the passage of time, the giving of notice or both), (C) give any third party the right to modify, terminate or accelerate any obligation under, (D) result in a violation of, or (E) require any consent, exemption or other action by or notice or declaration to, or filing with, any third party of any Government Entity pursuant to (1) any organizational documents of Company; (2) any provision of law, rule or regulation, or any order, judgment or decree of any court or other governmental or regulatory authority; or (3) any Contract, lease, sublease, occupancy agreement, loan agreement, mortgage, security agreement, trust indenture or other agreement or instrument to which Company is a party or by which Company is bound or to which any of Company’s properties or assets is subject; (ii) result in the creation of any Lien or Tax upon the equity or assets of Company; or (iii) otherwise interfere in any material manner with the Business. All of the Contracts and Permits of Company will continue without penalty, adjustment, breach of any such Contract or Permit, or the right of the customer or any Governmental Entity to terminate or modify any such Contract or Permit as a result of the Stock Purchase.

 

(e) Capitalization. The authorized capital stock of the Company, the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company, and the par value per share of all of the authorized capital stock of the Company, are set forth in the Disclosure Schedule. All of the Shares are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. There are no outstanding or authorized options, warrants, purchase rights, subscription rights, conversion rights, exchange rights, or other Contracts or commitments that could require the Company to issue, sell, or otherwise cause to become outstanding any of its capital stock. Except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedule, there is no outstanding or authorized stock appreciation, phantom stock, profit participation, or similar rights with respect to the Company. Except as described in the Disclosure Schedule, there are no voting trusts, proxies, or other agreements or understandings with respect to the voting of the capital stock of the Company. Following the Closing, Buyer may freely terminate any voting trusts, proxies, or other agreements or understandings with respect to the voting of the capital stock of the Company. All actions have been properly authorized such that the Shares can be transferred to Buyer free from any rights of first refusal, registration rights, rights of co-sale or other restrictions or conditions relating to transfer of the Shares. All holders of Company capital stock are able to receive the Equity Consideration by virtue of an exemption to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”).

 

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(f) Assets. The Company has good and marketable title to, or a valid leasehold interest in, all of its assets and properties, free and clear of all Encumbrances, except those identified in the Disclosure Schedule, and except for liens for Taxes not yet due and payable, and mechanics’ liens, materialmen’s liens, and other liens arising by operation of law, which liens do not in any case materially and adversely affect the Company’s title to its assets, the Company’s use of its assets or the value of such assets. Except as set forth on the Disclosure Schedule, the obligations giving rise to the Encumbrances identified in the Disclosure Schedule may be prepaid at any time by the Company without penalty, premium or other special charge Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Schedule, to the Company’s Knowledge, the Company’s assets which are tangible personal property are in reasonably good and serviceable condition, normal wear and tear excepted, have been maintained in accordance with normal industry practice, and are suitable for the purposes for which they are presently used. The Company owns or leases all equipment or other tangible assets that are necessary for the conduct of the Business as presently conducted. No assets are used in the Business that are not owned or leased or licensed by the Company and not included in the Assets. The Company operates no business other than the Business and related activities.

 

(g) Subsidiaries. The Company does not own, directly or indirectly, any stock or other interests in any other entity.

 

(h) Financial Statements. Set forth in the Disclosure Schedules and provided to the Buyer are the Company’s most recent unaudited balance sheet, and unaudited income statement, as of October 31, 2015 (the “Financial Statements”). The Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”), are complete and fairly represent in all material respects all of the assets, liabilities, transactions, and results of operations of the Business and the Company as of the dates thereof; subject, however, to normal year-end adjustments consistent with past practice, and further subject to the absence of footnotes, statements of cash flow, and changes in equity. The Company shall have a minimum cash balance of One Million Five Hundred Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($1,575,000) at Closing after payment of, or reservation on the Financial Statements for, all debts, fees, liabilities, payables, Taxes, claims, costs and expenses of or against the Company including, without limitation, all costs, expenses, payables, debts and liabilities arising out of the operations of the Company incurred or arising prior to the Closing.

 

(i) Absence of Certain Changes or Events. Except as otherwise provided in the Disclosure Schedule, since October 31, 2015, the Company has conducted the Business only in the ordinary course consistent with past practices. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, since October 31, 2015, except as disclosed pursuant to the Disclosure Schedule:

 

(i) there has been no increase in the compensation or benefits paid or payable by the Company, other than in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices, to any of its officers, directors, employees, agents, consultants or shareholders, including any grant of severance or termination pay to any director, officer or employee of the Company, or any deferred compensation or similar agreement (or any amendment to any such existing agreement) with any director, officer or employee of the Company;

 

(ii) there has been no declaration, setting aside, or payment of dividends or distributions in respect of the capital stock of the Company, any split up or other recapitalization in respect of the capital stock of the Company or any direct or indirect redemption, purchase by the Company, or other acquisition by the Company of any such capital stock, except dividends declared and paid, or distributions made, prior to the Closing Date to Seller in the ordinary course of business consistent with the past practices of the Company;

 

(iii) the Company has not waived or compromised any right of material value or any payment, direct or indirect, of any material debt, liability, or other obligation;

 

(iv) there has been no Material Adverse Effect on the Company;

 

(v) there has been no issuance, transfer, sale, or pledge by the Company of any shares of its capital stock or other securities or any commitment, option, right, or privilege under which the Company is or may become obligated to issue any shares of its capital stock or other securities; there has been no indebtedness for borrowed money incurred by the Company except such as may have been incurred or entered into in the ordinary course of business; no loan has been made or agreed to be made by the Company, nor has the Company become liable or agreed to become liable as a guarantor with respect to any loan or other indebtedness of the Company or Seller, or any third party;

 

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(vi) the Company has not waived or compromised any right of material value or any payment, direct or indirect, of any material debt, liability, or other obligation;

 

(vii) there has been no sale, assignment, or transfer of, or royalty arrangement with respect to the Company’s trade names, trademarks, service marks, domain names, web addresses, copyrights (or any interest therein), patent, or logos of material value, or any patent, trademark, service mark, domain name or web address or copyright applications (or any interest therein) used (or that were, or are intended to be used) in the operations of the Business;

 

(viii) there has been no sale, lease or disposition of, any material property or asset, tangible or intangible, of the Company;

 

(ix) there has been no actual or, to the Company’s Knowledge, threatened termination or loss of any (A) material contract, lease, license, permit or other agreement to which the Company was or is a party other than terminations of contracts upon completion of work; (ii) certificate, license, or other authorization required for the continued operation by the Company of any material portion of the Business; or (B) customer or other revenue source, which termination or loss could reasonably be expected to result in loss or revenues to the Company in excess of Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) per year, and there is no event known to the Company (including, without limitation, the transactions contemplated hereby) that could reasonably be expected to result in any such termination or loss;

 

(x) there has been no resignation or termination of employment of any key officer or employee of the Company or, to any Company’s Knowledge, any impending resignation or termination of employment of any such officer or employee;

 

(xi) there has been no agreement or commitment by the Company or Seller to do any of the things described in this Section 4(i).

 

(j) Tax Matters.

 

(i) The Company has timely filed all material Tax Returns that it was required to file. All such Tax Returns as so filed are materially accurate, and, to the Company’s Knowledge, disclose all Taxes required to be paid for the periods covered thereby. All material Taxes due and owing by the Company (whether or not shown on any Tax Return) have been paid. The Company is not currently the beneficiary of any extension of time within which to file any Tax Return. There are no Liens for Taxes (other than Taxes not yet due and payable) upon any of the assets of the Company. The Company has withheld and paid all Taxes required to have been withheld and paid in connection with amounts paid or owing to any employee, independent contractor, creditor, stockholder, or other third party, and all Tax Returns and forms required with respect thereto have been properly completed and timely filed.

 

(ii) There is no material dispute or claim concerning any Tax liability of the Company either (A) claimed or raised by any authority in writing or (B) to the Knowledge of Company.

 

(iii) The Disclosure Schedule identifies all federal, state, local and foreign income Tax returns filed with respect to the Company for taxable periods ended on or after December 31, 2011, indicates those Tax Returns that have been audited, and indicates those Tax Returns that currently are the subject of audit. The Company has delivered to Buyer correct and complete copies of all federal income Tax Returns, examination reports, and statements of deficiencies assessed against or agreed to by the Company since December 31, 2011. The Company has not waived any statute of limitations in respect of Taxes or agreed to any extension of time with respect to a Tax assessment or deficiency.

 

(iv) The Company has not made any material payments, is not obligated to make any material payments, and is not a party to any agreement that under certain circumstances (including without limitation the performance of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) could obligate it to make any material payments that will not be deductible under Code section 280G. The Company is not a party to any Tax allocation or sharing agreement. The Company (A) has not been a member of an affiliated group (within the meaning of Code section 1504(a)) filing a consolidated federal income Tax Return (other than a group the common parent of which was the Company) and (B) does not have any liability for the Taxes of any Person under Regulations section 1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of state, local, or foreign law), as a transferee or successor, by contract, or otherwise.

 

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(v) The unpaid Taxes of the Company (A) did not, as of the most recent fiscal month end, exceed the reserve for Tax liability (rather than any reserve for deferred Taxes established to reflect timing differences between book and Tax income) set forth on the face of the most recent Financial Statements (rather than in any notes thereto) and (B) will not exceed that reserve as adjusted for operations and transactions through the Closing Date in accordance with the past custom and practice of the Company in filing its Tax Returns.

 

(vi) The Company has not distributed stock of another Person, or has had its stock distributed by another Person, in a transaction that was purported or intended to be governed in whole or in part by Code section 355 or Code section 361.

 

(vii) At all times since its formation, the Company has been classified as a corporation for federal, state, local and foreign income Tax purposes.

 

(viii) The Company is not a “foreign person” as that term is used in Regulations section 1.1445-2.

 

(k) Absence of Undisclosed Liabilities; Indebtedness. Except as identified pursuant to the Disclosure Schedule, or reflected on the Financial Statements, or incurred in the ordinary course of business, the Company has no indebtedness or liability, absolute or contingent, involving, affecting or relating to the Business or the Products.

 

(l) Intellectual Property.

 

(i) “IP Assets” shall mean all of the following materials owned or licensed by the Company with respect to the Business: (A) the proprietary formulas for the Products; (B) the domain names listed on Schedule 4(l) (collectively, the “Domain Names”); (C) all the content on and accessible through the websites associated with the Domain Names, including demos (collectively, the “Website Content”); and (D) the entire Business marketing database consisting of all available customer information and all marketing, advertising and promotional materials, including logos, colors, videos, booklet designs, catalogs, solicitations, email templates, advertisements and all other Business marketing materials (whether in draft or final form) (collectively, the “Marketing Materials”).

 

(ii) Schedule 4(l) lists all patented, registered, applied-for, and other Intellectual Property used in the Business and all Intellectual Property of the Company licensed to any third Person (collectively, the “Business Intellectual Property”), including the registration and application information, date of application or issuance and relevant jurisdiction as to each, and whether or not the Business Intellectual Property is owned or licensed. Business Intellectual Property that is licensed by the Company from a third party is “Licensed Intellectual Property”.

 

(iii) The Company owns all right, title and interest in and to or has a valid and enforceable license to use, all IP Assets, Business Intellectual Property, and the Licensed Intellectual Property, free and clear of all Liens, and all patented or registered Business Intellectual Property is valid and enforceable. To the Company’s Knowledge, it has taken commercially reasonable steps to maintain the confidentiality of all information that constitutes a trade secret of the Business.

 

(iv) Except as set forth on Schedule 4(l), (A) the conduct of the Business, including the delivery and distribution of the Products, has not infringed and does not infringe on any Intellectual Property or any other proprietary rights of any Person, including but not limited to the rights of privacy or publicity; (B) to the Knowledge of the Company, no Person is infringing, violating or misappropriating any Business Intellectual Property; (C) the Company has not taken any action, or failed to take any action, during prosecution of any application that could reasonably be expected to result in the invalidation or unenforceability of any registered Business Intellectual Property; (D) the Company is not currently a party to any pending suit, claiming any alleged infringement or misappropriation of any Business Intellectual Property; (E) the Company has not received within the prior three (3) years any written notice, and is not currently a party to any pending suit, claiming any alleged infringement or misappropriation of the Intellectual Property rights of other Persons with respect to its or their use of Intellectual Property or the Products; (F) the Company has not entered into any Contract that includes a forbearance to sue or settlement Contract with respect to any Intellectual Property and (G) the Company has not received any written notice of any claim within the prior three (3) years, and is not currently a party to any pending suit, which challenges the validity or enforceability of, the Company’s ownership of or right to use, any Intellectual Property (excluding, for clarity, office actions) or the Products. The Company has secured, and has in place a policy to secure, valid written confidentiality Contracts and assignments of Intellectual Property from all consultants, contractors, Employees and customers who contribute or have contributed to the creation, conception, reduction to practice or other development of any Intellectual Property developed on behalf of Company.

 

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(v) No Product provided or distributed by the Company in its conduct of the Business: (A) violates any material Law; (B) includes any information or material that, to the Knowledge of the Company, is defamatory; or (C) infringes any right of privacy of any Person. Each Person whose name, image, voice or likeness is incorporated into any Marketing Materials has executed a written release consenting to the Company’s use of such Person’s name, image, voice and/or likeness (as applicable) and releasing the Company from any claims with respect thereto (a “Release”), each of such Releases are fully assignable to Buyer without further consent of any Person.

 

(vi) The Company has operated the Business and provided all Products in compliance with any posted privacy policies and all applicable Laws relating to privacy, data protection, anti-spam, telemarketing, personally identifiable information and similar consumer protection Laws (“Information Privacy Laws”). The Company has not received written notice of any claims or been charged with violation of any Information Privacy Law. To the Knowledge of Company, the Company is not under investigation with respect to any violation of any Information Privacy Laws.

 

(m) Compliance with Law. Except as identified in the Disclosure Schedule, the manufacture and sale of the Products and the operation of the Business has been conducted in material compliance with all applicable material Laws and other requirements of all courts and other governmental or regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over the Company and its assets, properties and operations. Except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedule, the Company has not received notice of any violation (or possible violation) of any such Law or other legal requirement, and the Company is not in default with respect to any order, writ, judgment, award, injunction or decree of any federal, state or local court or Governmental Entity or regulatory authority, applicable to the Company, the Business, the Products or the Shares. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company has not received any warning letter or untitled letter, report of inspectional observations, including FDA Form 483s, establishment inspection reports, notices of violation, clinical holds, enforcement notices or other documents from the FDA or any other similar Governmental entity or any institutional review board or independent ethics committee alleging a lack of material compliance by Company with any Laws. The Company holds all Permits required for the conduct of the Business and the ownership of its properties except where the absence thereof would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. No written notices have been received by the Company alleging the failure to hold any Permit. The Company is in material compliance with all terms and conditions of all such Permits. All of such Permits shall be available for use by Buyer immediately after the Closing. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company has not received any warning letter or untitled letter, report of inspectional observations, establishment inspection reports, notices of violation, clinical holds, enforcement notices or other documents from any Governmental Entity or any institutional review board or independent ethics committee alleging a lack of material compliance by Company with any Laws. No “bulk sales” or similar Law applies to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

(n) Litigation. Except as set forth on Schedule 4(n), there are no claims, Actions, suits, proceedings, complaints or investigations pending or, to the Knowledge of Company, threatened before any federal, state, provincial, court or governmental or regulatory authority, domestic or foreign, or before any arbitrator of any nature, brought by or against the Company or any of its officers, directors, employees, agents or Affiliates, or the Sellers, involving, affecting or relating to the Company, the Business, the Products, the Shares, or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

 

(o) Brokers. Except for Creo Capital Advisors LLC, who was hired by the Company, no broker, finder, or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage, finder’s, or other fee or commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of the Company.

 

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(p) Insurance. The Company is currently insured by insurers unaffiliated with the Company with respect to its properties, assets and operation of the Business in such amounts and against such risks which to the Knowledge of Company are appropriate and customary for the type of business conducted by the Company with customary deductibles and retained amounts. In addition, the Company has maintained comparable insurance for all prior periods. With respect to each insurance policy held by the Company (the “Insurance Policies”) (i) to the Knowledge of Company such Insurance Policy is legal, valid, binding and in full force and effect; (ii) the Company is not in default under such Insurance Policy; and (iii) the Company has delivered a true and correct copy of such Insurance Policy to Buyer. There are no claims by the Company pending under any such Insurance Policies and the Company has not been informed that coverage has been questioned, denied or disputed by the underwriters of such Insurance Policies with respect to any such claims.

 

(q) Employment Matters.

 

(i) The Disclosure Schedule identifies all of the Employees as of the date hereof, including for each such Employee: name, job title, FLSA classification, work location (identified by street address), current compensation paid or payable, all wage and fringe benefit arrangements. Except as set forth on the Disclosure Schedule, each Employee is employed by the Company at will and may be terminated by the Company without cause on thirty (30) days or less notice without penalty or severance. To the Knowledge of Company, no Employee is a party to, or is otherwise bound by, any Contract or arrangement, including any confidentiality or non-competition Contract, that in any way adversely affects or restricts the performance of such Employee’s duties. Each current Employee has executed a nondisclosure and assignment-of-rights Contract for the benefit of the Company vesting all rights in work product created by the Employee, during the Employee’s employment or affiliation with the Company, in the Company. To the Knowledge of Company and except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedule, no Employee intends to terminate his or her employment with the Company. In accordance with its normal payroll policies the Company has paid all salaries, bonuses, commissions, wages, and severance that are owed to the Employees as of the Closing and maintained adequate reserves, as reflected in the Financial Statements, for all salaries, bonuses, commissions, wages, and severance not yet due and payable as of the Closing. The Company is in compliance, in all material respects, with all Laws governing the employment of labor.

 

(ii) Except as identified in the Disclosure Schedule, to the Knowledge of Company, each Employee is (i) a United States citizen, (ii) a lawful permanent resident of the United States, or (iii) an alien authorized to work in the United States either specifically for the Company or for any United States employer. The Company is in compliance in all material respects with applicable Law, has completed a Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) for each Employee and each such Form I-9 has since been updated as required by applicable Law and, to the Knowledge of the Company, is correct and complete as of the date hereof.

 

(iii) The Company is in compliance, in all material respects, with all Laws governing the employment of labor, including but not limited to, all such Laws relating to wages, hours, leaves of absence, affirmative action, collective bargaining, discrimination, civil rights, safety and health, workers’ compensation and the collection and payment of withholding and/or Social Security Taxes and similar Taxes, including, but not limited to, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, as amended, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. 201, et seq.) (“FLSA”), the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, as amended, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, as amended, the Family and Medical Leave Act (29 U.S.C. 2601, et seq.), as amended, the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, as amended, Executive Order 11246 and any other executive orders or regulations governing affirmative action, EEO and VETS-100 reporting obligations, the Immigration Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1324a, et seq.), as amended, and all similar applicable Laws (collectively the “Labor Laws”). The Company has, during the five (5) year period prior to the date hereof, conducted the Business in material compliance with all applicable Labor Laws. The Company has withheld all amounts required by Law or Contract to be withheld from the wages or salaries of its Employees and is not liable for the payment of any arrears of wages or other Taxes, penalties, fines or other compensation of any kind, however designated, for failure to comply with any of the foregoing. The Company has maintained adequate and suitable records regarding the service of each Employee including records of working time, where available. Each Employee of the Company has been properly classified as “exempt” or “non-exempt” under the FLSA and all other applicable Laws. The Company is not, and in the last three (3) years has not been, a government contractor.

 

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(iv) The Company has not at any time during the last three (3) years had, nor to the Knowledge of Company is there now threatened, any walkout, strike, union activity, picketing, work stoppage, work slowdown, any effort to organize or any other similar occurrence or any attempt to organize or represent the labor force of the Company. There are no controversies pending or overtly threatened between the Company, on the one hand, and any of its Employees (or former Employees) or any labor union or other collective bargaining unit representing or purporting to represent any of its Employees, on the other hand. The Company is not a party to, bound by, or subject to any collective bargaining agreement or other Contract, written or oral, with any union representing or purporting to represent the Company’s Employees. No union or other collective bargaining unit or Employee organizing entity has been certified or recognized by Seller as representing any of its Employees.

 

(v) No investigation, review, complaint or proceeding by any Government entity or Employee or former Employee with respect to the Company in relation to any actual or alleged violation of any Labor Laws is pending or, to the Knowledge of Company, threatened, nor has the Company or Seller received any notice from any Government entity indicating an intention to conduct the same.

 

(vi) Within the past five (5) years, the Company has not implemented any mass layoff, plant closing, or other termination of employees that could implicate the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN Act) or any similar state or local Law.

 

(vii) The Company has identified in the Disclosure Schedule and provided to Buyer all employment, change in control, severance, retention, termination, non-competition, non-solicitation and other similar Contracts, arrangements or policies, whether written or oral, between Seller and any individual other than at-will employment arrangements but including all Contracts, arrangements or policies that affect at-will Employees. The Company is in material compliance with its obligations under all such Contracts.

 

(r) Contractor Matters. The Company has identified in the Disclosure Schedule the name and contact information of each independent contractor, consultant, freelancer or other service provider (i) utilized by the Company as of the date hereof or (ii) utilized by the Company relating to the development, modification or creation of any proprietary formulas for the Products within the three (3) years immediately preceding such date (collectively, “Contractors”). A copy of each Contract relating to the services any Contractor provides or provided to the Business has been made available to the Buyer. To the Knowledge of Company, no Contractor used by the Company is a party to, or is otherwise bound by, any Contract or arrangement with any third party, including any confidentiality or non-competition Contract, that in any way adversely affects or restricts the performance of such Contractor’s duties for Seller. Each Contractor ever retained by the Company to create, modify or develop with respect to the proprietary formulas for the Products has executed a nondisclosure and assignment-of-rights Contract for the benefit of the Company and the Company is the owner of all rights in and to all Intellectual Property created by such Contractor in performing services for the Company vesting all rights in work product created in the Company. All individuals who have been treated by the Company as independent contractors in the five (5) years immediately preceding the date hereof were, to the Knowledge of Company, correctly classified as such for purposes of the Code and all other applicable Laws.

 

(s) Employee Benefits.

 

(i) The Disclosure Schedule lists all Employee Benefit Plans maintained or contributed to by the Company or under which the Company has or could have any obligations (other than obligations to make current wage or salary payments or sales commissions terminable on notice of thirty (30) days or less) or liabilities, actual or contingent, whether or not legally binding, in respect of any of the current or former officers, Employees or independent contractors of the Company who provided services in respect of the Business or their dependents or beneficiaries (individually referred to as a “Company Benefit Plan” and collectively referred to as the “Company Benefit Plans”). The Company has delivered or provided to Buyer true and complete copies of the plan documents, as they may have been amended through the date hereof, for each company Employee Benefit Plan, as well as, to the extent applicable, Forms 5500 and actuarial valuations for the last three plan years, plan documents, trust agreements, insurance Contracts, administrative services agreements, most recent determination letters and other documents required under ERISA.

 

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(ii) Each Company Benefit Plan has been established, maintained and administered in accordance with its terms and in material compliance with all applicable provisions of (including rules and regulations thereunder) ERISA, the Code and other applicable Law, and neither the Company nor any “party in interest” or any “disqualified person” with respect to any Company Benefit Plan has engaged in a “prohibited transaction” within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code or Section 406 of ERISA with respect to any Company Benefit Plan. Each Company Benefit Plan that is intended to be qualified within the meaning of Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service (or, if such plan is a prototype or volume submitter plan document, such prototype or volume submitter plan document has received a favorable opinion from the IRS that the form meets the tax qualification requirements) to the effect that such Company Benefit Plan satisfies the requirements of Section 401(a) of the Code and that its related trust is exempt from taxation under Section 501(a) of the Code and there are no facts or circumstances that could reasonably be expected to cause the loss of such qualification or the imposition of Liability, penalty or Tax under ERISA, the Code or other applicable Laws (including the rules and regulations under any of them).

 

(iii) No Company Benefit Plan is, and neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has ever sponsored an Employee Benefit Plan that is or was, subject to Title IV of ERISA. No Company Benefit Plan is, and neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has ever contributed, or been obligated to contribute, to any “multiemployer plan” (within the meaning of Sections 3(37) or 4001(a)(3) of ERISA) under Subtitle E of ERISA.

 

(iv) The Disclosure Schedule identifies each Company Benefit Plan that is a “non-qualified deferred compensation plan”, within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code (each, a “Section 409A Plan”), and identifies each Section 409A Plan in connection with which the Company or it successors may have Liability with respect to Employees, Contractors or directors. No such plan has assets set aside directly or indirectly in the manner described in Section 409A(b)(1) of the Code or contains a provision that would be subject to Section 409A(b)(2) of the Code. Each Section 409A Plan (i) was, since the date of the inception of such Company Benefit Plan, (or since January 1, 2005, if later) administered in good faith compliance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and applicable guidance issued thereunder, (ii) has been, since the date of inception of such Company Benefit Plan (or since January 1, 2005, if later), administered in compliance, in all material respects, with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and the final regulations issued and outstanding thereunder. In the event of an audit by the IRS of either the Company or any individual participating in such Company Benefit Plan, the additional Tax described in Section 409A(a)(1)(B) would not be assessed against any such participant with respect to benefits due or accruing under such Company Benefit Plan.

 

(v) Except as identified in the Disclosure Schedule, neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will (either alone or in combination with another event): (i) result in any payment becoming due, or increase the amount of any compensation due, to any Employee; (ii) increase any benefits otherwise payable under any Company Benefit Plan; or (iii) result in the acceleration of the time of payment or vesting of any such compensation or benefits.

 

(vi) The Company does not currently sponsor any Company Benefit Plan that is intended to be qualified within the meaning of Section 401(a) of the Code, including but not limited to any 401(k) plan. Company Employees are currently able to participate in a 401(k) plan sponsored by a professional employer organization (TriNet Group, Inc., or one of its affiliates), subject to the terms of such plan.

 

(t) Environmental and Safety Matters. The Company has complied in all material respects and is in material compliance with all Environmental Laws, including but not limited to all Permits required by Environmental Laws for the conduct of the business operations of the Company and the disposition of all hazardous materials in accordance with all applicable Environmental Laws. The Company has not received any outstanding and unresolved written or oral notices, reports or other information regarding any actual or alleged violation of Environmental Laws by the Company, or any Liabilities or potential Liabilities, including any remedial obligations, relating to any of them or their facilities arising under Environmental Laws. The Company is not a potentially responsible party under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, or any analogous state, local or foreign applicable Laws arising out of events occurring prior to the Closing Date. To the Knowledge of Company, no facts, events or conditions relating to the past or present facilities, properties or operations of the Company, or any geologically or hydrologically adjoining properties, shall prevent, hinder or limit the Company’s continued compliance with Environmental Laws, give rise to any remedial obligations of the Company pursuant to Environmental Laws, or give rise to any other Liabilities of the Company pursuant to Environmental Laws, including, without limitation, any relating to onsite or offsite releases or threatened releases of hazardous materials, personal injury, property damage or natural resources damage. To the Knowledge of Company, there have not been in the past and are not now any underground tanks or underground improvements, including treatment or storage tanks, sumps, or water, gas or oil wells; polychlorinated biphenyls; or asbestos or asbestos-containing materials at, on or under any of the Leased Real Property. The Company has delivered to Buyer true and complete copies and results of any reports, studies, analyses, tests, or monitoring possessed or initiated by the Company pertaining to hazardous materials in, on, under, or migrating to or from any of the Leased Real Property, or concerning compliance by the Company, or any other Person for whose conduct the Company is or may be held responsible, under Environmental Law.

 

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(u) Real Property. The Disclosure Schedule identifies the address of each leased real property of the Company (the “Leased Real Property”). Seller has provided to Buyer a true and complete copy of all leases and subleases (including all amendments, extensions, renewals, Guarantees and other Contracts with respect thereto) for each such Leased Real Property (the “Leases”), and in the case of any oral Lease, a written summary of the material terms of such Lease. With respect to each of the Leases except as disclosed pursuant to the Disclosure Schedule: (i) to the Knowledge of Company, such Lease is legal, valid, binding, enforceable and in full force and effect; (ii) the transactions set forth in this Agreement do not require the consent of any other Person to such Lease, or such consent has been obtained, shall not result in a breach of or default under such Lease, or otherwise cause such Lease to cease to be legal, valid, binding, enforceable and in full force and effect on identical terms following the Closing; (iii) Seller’s possession and quiet enjoyment of the Leased Real Property under such Lease has not been disturbed, and there are no disputes with respect to such Lease; (iv) the Company, and any other party to the Lease, is not in breach or default under such Lease, and no event has occurred or circumstance exists which, with the delivery of notice, the passage of time or both, would constitute such a breach or default, or permit the termination, modification or acceleration of rent under such Lease; (v) no security deposit or portion thereof deposited with respect to such Lease has been applied in respect of a breach or default under such Lease which has not been redeposited in full; (vi) the Company does not owe, or shall owe in the future, any brokerage commissions or finder’s fees with respect to such Lease; (vii) the other party to such Lease is not an Affiliate of, and otherwise does not have any economic interest in, the Company; (viii) the Company has not subleased, licensed or otherwise granted any Person the right to use or occupy such Leased Real Property or any portion thereof; (ix) the Company has not collaterally assigned or granted any other security interest in such Lease or any interest therein; (x) there are no Liens on the estate or interest created by such Lease; and (xi) to the Knowledge of Company, all buildings, structures, improvements, fixtures, building systems and equipment, and all components thereof, included in the applicable Leased Real Property are in good condition and repair (reasonable wear and tear excepted). The Company does not own any real property, nor has it ever owned any real property.

 

(v) Affiliate Transactions. Except as identified in the Disclosure Schedule, to the Knowledge of Company, no shareholder, officer, director, member or Affiliate of a Seller or any individual related by blood, marriage or adoption to any such individual or any entity in which any such Person or individual owns any beneficial interest, is a party to any Contract or transaction with Seller or has any interest in any real, tangible or intangible asset or property used by Seller.

 

(w) Customer and Vendor Relations. The Disclosure Schedule identifies a correct and complete list of the names of the top ten (10) Customers and Vendors and the amount of net revenues to or purchases from each such Customer or Vendor during the each of the 2013 and 2014 fiscal years and the period ended as of September 30, 2015 (each a “Key Relationship”). The Company maintains commercially reasonable relations with each of its Key Relationships and no event has occurred that would reasonably be expected to affect materially and adversely the Company’s relations with any Key Relationship. Except as disclosed pursuant to the Disclosure Schedule, no Customer or Vendor has during the last twelve (12) months cancelled, terminated, materially decreased the rate of, materially altered the terms with respect to or, to the Knowledge of Company, made any threat to cancel or otherwise terminate any of its Contracts with the Company or to decrease its usage or supply of the Company’s services or products, excluding for avoidance of doubt, discrete projects performed by the Company for Customers, for which the Company’s services terminated solely by virtue of the Company’s having completed the project to the Customers’ satisfaction. To the Knowledge of Company, except as identified in the Disclosure Schedule no current Customer or Vendor may terminate or materially alter its business relations with the Company, either as a result of the transactions contemplated hereby or otherwise.

 

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(x) Product and Service Warranties; Adverse Events. Except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedule, the Company has made no express warranty or Guarantee to any Customer (or end user of the Company’s goods) as to services or goods provided by the Company. There is no pending or, to the Knowledge of Company, threatened claim alleging any breach of any warranty or Guarantee. The Company does not have any Liability under any such a warranty or Guarantee that would reasonably be expected to result in Liability to the Company, individually or in the aggregate, in excess of $10,000. There have not been any Material Adverse Events with respect to the Products or the Business.

 

(y) Guaranties. The Company is not a guarantor or otherwise liable for any liability, indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person.

 

(z) Disclosure. No representation or warranty by the Company contained in this Agreement, and no statement contained in the Disclosure Schedules or any other document, certificate or other instrument delivered to or to be delivered by or on behalf of the Company pursuant to this Agreement, contains or will contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omits or will omit to state any material fact necessary, in light of the circumstances under which it was or will be made, in order to make the statements herein or therein not misleading.

 

(aa) Inventory. All inventory of the Company, whether or not reflected in the Balance Sheet, consists of a quality and quantity usable and salable in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, except for obsolete, damaged, defective or slow-moving items that have been written off or written down to fair market value or for which adequate reserves have been established. All such inventory is owned by the Company free and clear of all encumbrances, and no inventory is held on a consignment basis. The quantities of each item of inventory are not excessive, but are reasonable in the present circumstances of the Company.

 

(bb) Contracts; Agreements.

 

(i) Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Schedule, the Company is not a party to or bound by:

 

  1. any customer, license, sale, distribution, commission, marketing, agent, franchise, technical assistance or similar Contract relating to or providing for the marketing and/or sale of products or services to which the Company is a party or by which it is otherwise bound;
     
  2. any Contract involving the license of any patent, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary right constituting Intellectual Property to or from the Company;

 

  3. any Contract providing for the development of any software, content (including textual content and visual, photographic or graphics content), technology or intellectual property for (or for the benefit or use of) use by the Company, or providing for the purchase by or license to (or for the benefit or use of) it of any hardware, software, content (including textual content and visual, photographic or graphics content), technology or intellectual property, which hardware, integrated circuits, software, content, technology or intellectual property is in any manner used or incorporated (or is contemplated by it to be used or incorporated) in connection with any aspect or element of any product or service provided by or technology used by the Company;
     
  4. any agreement, contract or commitment relating to the acquisition or disposition of any business (whether by merger, sale of stock, sale of assets or otherwise);
     
  5. (A) any agreement relating to Indebtedness or (B) any mortgages, indentures, loans or credit agreements, security agreements or other agreements or instruments relating to indebtedness;
     
  6. any joint venture or partnership or other similar agreement;
     
  7. any agreement with any Affiliate of the Company, with any director or officer of the Company, or with any “associate” or any member of the “immediate family” (as such terms are respectively defined in Rules 12b-2 and 16a-1 of the 1934 Act) of any such director or officer, other than employment, invention assignment and equity-related agreements provided to Buyer;

 

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  8. any employment or consulting agreement, contract or commitment with an employee or individual consultant or salesperson or consulting or sales agreement, contract or commitment with a firm or other organization not otherwise disclosed on the Disclosure Schedule or not cancellable on thirty (30) days notice or less without penalty;
     
  9. any agreement or plan, including, without limitation, any stock option plan, stock appreciation rights plan or stock purchase plan, any of the benefits of which will be increased, or the vesting of benefits of which will be accelerated, by the occurrence of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the value of any of the benefits of which will be calculated on the basis of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement not otherwise disclosed on the Disclosure Schedule;
     
  10. any other oral or written Contract or obligation that individually has a value in excess of $15,000 or is otherwise material to the Company or its businesses, operations, financial condition, properties or assets.

 

(ii) Each agreement, contract, plan, lease, arrangement or commitment required to be disclosed, and which would be required to be disclosed absent disclosure elsewhere, pursuant to Section 4(bb)(i) above (each, a “Material Contract”) is a valid and binding agreement the Company and is in full force and effect with respect to the Company and, to the Knowledge of Company, each other party thereto, and neither the Company, nor to the Knowledge of Company, any other party thereto, is in default or breach in any material respect under the terms of any such Material Contract, and, to the Knowledge of Company, no event or circumstance has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would reasonably be expected to constitute any event of default thereunder. True and complete copies of each such Material Contract have been provided to Buyer. The Company has fulfilled all material obligations required pursuant to each Material Contract to have been performed by the Company prior to the date hereof.

 

(iii) Except in the ordinary course of business, no Person is renegotiating or seeking to renegotiate, or, to the Knowledge of Company, has a right (absent any default or breach of a Material Contract) pursuant to the terms of any Material Contract to renegotiate, any material amount paid or payable to the Company under any Material Contract or any other material term or provision of any Material Contract. The Company has not received any written indication or, to the Knowledge of the Company, verbal indication of an intention to terminate or renegotiate the terms of any of the Material Contracts by any of the parties to any of the Material Contracts.

 

(cc) Trust. No representation or warranty by the Trust contained in this Agreement, and no statement contained in the Disclosure Schedules or any other document, certificate or other instrument delivered to or to be delivered by or on behalf of the Trust pursuant to this Agreement, contains or will contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omits or will omit to state any material fact necessary, in light of the circumstances under which it was or will be made, in order to make the statements herein or therein not misleading.

 

5. Representations And Warranties of the TrustAs a material inducement to Buyer to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, the Trust hereby represents and warrants to the Buyer that the statements contained in this Section 5 are true and correct as of the date hereof.

 

(a) Organization. The Trust is a statutory trust duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of formation. The Trust has provided to the Buyer duly executed copies of its organizational and governing documents (collectively, the “Trust Documents”).

 

(b) Authorization and Validity of Agreement. The Trust has full power and authority to carry out its purpose as now being conducted or contemplated and is entitled to own, lease, or operate the assets it will own in accordance with this Agreement. No consent, waiver, approval, order, or authorization of, or registration, declaration, or filing with, any Governmental Entity or other Person is required to be made or obtained by the Trust in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Trust, or the consummation by the Trust of the transactions contemplated hereby, except for such consents, authorizations, filings, approvals and registrations that, if not obtained or made, would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Trust. The Trust has all requisite power and authority to enter into the Transaction Documents to which it is a party and to carry out its obligations thereunder. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and the performance of the Trust’s obligations thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary trustee action of the Trust, and no other proceedings on the part or in respect of the Trust is necessary to authorize such execution, delivery and performance. The Transaction Documents to which the Trust is a party have been duly executed by or on behalf of the Trust and assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties thereto constitute the valid and binding obligations of, and enforceable in accordance with their respective terms against, the Trust, except as may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium or similar laws of general application relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and except for the limitations imposed by general principles of equity.

 

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(c) No Conflict or Violation. The execution, delivery and performance by the Trust of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party does not and will not (i)(A) conflict with or result in a breach of the terms, conditions, or provisions of, (B) constitute a default under (whether with or without the passage of time, the giving of notice or both), (C) give any third party the right to modify, terminate or accelerate any obligation under, (D) result in a violation of, or (E) require any consent, exemption or other action by or notice or declaration to, or filing with, any third Person or any Government Entity pursuant to (1) any organizational documents of the Trust; (2) any provision of law, rule or regulation, or any order, judgment or decree of any court or other governmental or regulatory authority; or (3) any Contract, security agreement, trust indenture or other agreement or instrument to which the Trust is a party or by which the Trust is bound or to which any of the Trust’s properties or assets is subject; (ii) result in the creation of any Lien or Tax upon the equity or assets of Trust; or (iii) otherwise interfere in any material manner with the Business.

 

(d) Governing Documents. The Trust Documents provide that the Equity Consideration will be held by the Trust and not distributed to the Sellers for a period of three (3) years from the Closing. The allocation scheme in the Trust documents for disbursement and distribution of the Purchase Consideration is identical in all respects to the current Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as amended, such that all Sellers will receive the identical portion of the Purchase Consideration as would have been received had he Buyer paid the Purchase Consideration directly to the Sellers, after adjust for any expenses of the Trust and indemnification claims by Buyer.

 

(e) Assets. The assets held by the Trust, until such time as no further Royalty Consideration is due, will consist solely of the Purchase Consideration and remain free and clear of all Encumbrances.

 

(f) Legal Proceedings. There are no actions, suits, claims, investigations or other legal proceedings pending or, to the Trust’s knowledge, threatened against or by the Trust that challenge or seek to prevent, enjoin or otherwise delay the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

(g) Status of Trust and Its Beneficiaries. (i) The Trust and its beneficiaries have had an opportunity to discuss the business, management and financial affairs of Buyer, have had access to, the management of Buyer, and have had the opportunity to review the information set forth in Buyer’s public filings and any other information requested by the Trust or any beneficiary, (ii) Buyer will be relying upon the Trust’s representations and warranties set forth herein in offering the Equity Consideration to it in its own right and for the benefit of Sellers, and (iii) the Trust and its beneficiaries recognize that ownership of the Equity Consideration involves substantial risks, including a risk of total loss of the value of the Equity Consideration, and have taken full cognizance of and understand all of the risk factors related to the ownership of the Equity Consideration; (iv) the Trust and its beneficiaries have an adequate net worth and means of providing for its current needs and possible contingencies to sustain a complete loss in the Equity Consideration; and (v) the Trust and its beneficiaries are able to receive the Equity Consideration by virtue of an exemption to the 1933 Act.

 

(h) Acquisition for Sellers’ Account. This Agreement is made with the Trust in reliance upon the Trust’s representations to Buyer, that the Equity Consideration to be issued to and held by the Trust for the benefit of the Sellers (in accordance with the terms of the Trust), was acquired for investment, and not with a view to the sale or distribution of any part thereof other than as permitted under the 1933 Act and that the Trust has no present intention of selling, granting participation in, or otherwise distributing the same other than what is permitted under the 1933 Act. Except as set forth in the Trust Documents, the Trust does not have any contract, undertaking, agreement, or arrangement with any person to sell, transfer or grant participations to such person, or to any third person, with respect to the Equity Consideration.

 

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(i) No Intention to Distribute. The Trust and its beneficiaries understand that the Equity Consideration shares have not been registered under the 1933 Act on the grounds that the sale provided for in this Agreement and the issuance of the Equity Consideration is exempt from registration under the 1933 Act, and that Buyer’s reliance on such exemption is predicated in part on the representations set forth herein. The Trust and its beneficiaries realize that the basis for the exemption may not be present if, notwithstanding such representations, the Trust and its beneficiaries have in mind merely acquiring the Equity Consideration for a fixed or determined period in the future, or for a market rise, or for sale if the market does not rise. The Trust and its beneficiaries do not have any such intention.

 

(j) No Registration. The Trust and its beneficiaries understand that the Equity Consideration may not be sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of without registration under the 1933 Act or an exemption therefrom, and that in the absence of an effective registration statement covering the shares or an available exemption from registration under the 1933 Act, the Equity Consideration must be held indefinitely. In particular, the Trust and its beneficiaries are aware that the shares may not be sold pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the 1933 Act unless all of the conditions of that Rule are met. Among the conditions for use of Rule 144 may be the availability of current information to the public about Buyer. The Trust represents that, in the absence of an effective registration statement covering the Equity Consideration shares, it will not sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of such shares except in a manner consistent with its representations set forth herein.

 

(k) Brokers. Except for Creo Capital Advisors LLC, who was hired by the Company, no broker, finder, or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage, finder’s, or other fee or commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of Seller.

 

(l) Disclosure. No representation or warranty by the Trust contained in this Agreement, and no statement contained in the Disclosure Schedules or any other document, certificate or other instrument delivered to or to be delivered by or on behalf of the Trust pursuant to this Agreement, contains or will contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omits or will omit to state any material fact necessary, in light of the circumstances under which it was or will be made, in order to make the statements herein or therein not misleading.

 

6. Representations And Warranties of the Buyer. As a material inducement to Buyer to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, Buyer hereby represents and warrants to Sellers and Trust as follows:

 

(a) Corporate Organization. Buyer is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Nevada, and has all requisite power and authority and all necessary governmental authority to own, operate or lease the properties that it purports to own, operate or lease and to carry on its businesses as now conducted. Buyer is duly qualified to do business as a foreign company, and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the character of its properties owned, operated or leased or the nature of its activities makes such qualification necessary. Buyer’s capitalization is sufficient to satisfy is obligation to issue the Equity Consideration.

 

(b) Authorization and Validity of Agreement. Buyer has all requisite power and authority to enter into the Transaction Documents and to carry out its obligations thereunder. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and the performance of Buyer’s obligations thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary company action by Buyer, and no other proceedings on the part of Buyer are necessary to authorize such execution, delivery and performance. Each of the Transaction Documents has been duly executed by Buyer and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties thereto, constitutes its valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium or similar laws of general application relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and except for the limitations imposed by general principles of equity.

 

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(c) No Conflict or Violation. The execution, delivery and performance by Buyer of the Transaction Documents (i) does not and will not violate or conflict with any provision of the organizational documents of Buyer; (ii) does not and will not violate any provision of law, rule or regulation, or any order, judgment or decree of any court or other governmental or regulatory authority; (iii) does not violate or will not result in a breach of or constitute (with due notice or lapse of time or both) a default under, or give rise to any acceleration of remedies or any right of termination under, any Contract, lease, sublease, occupancy agreement, loan agreement, mortgage, security agreement, trust indenture or other agreement or instrument to which Buyer is a party or by which Buyer is bound or to which any of Buyer’s properties or assets is subject, except for such breaches, defaults and accelerations as would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the ability of Buyer to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(d) Investment Purpose. Buyer is acquiring the Shares solely for its own account for investment purposes and not with a view to, or for offer or sale in connection with, any distribution thereof. Buyer acknowledges that the Shares are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws, and that the Shares may not be transferred or sold except pursuant to the registration provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended or pursuant to an applicable exemption therefrom and subject to state securities laws and regulations, as applicable.

 

(e) Litigation. There are no claims, Actions, suits, proceedings, complaints or investigations pending or, to the knowledge of Buyer, threatened before any federal, state, provincial, court or governmental or regulatory authority, domestic or foreign, or before any arbitrator of any nature, brought by or against the Buyer or any of its officers, directors, employees, agents or Affiliates, involving, affecting or relating to the Buyer, its business, the Equity Consideration, or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. No event has occurred or circumstances exist that may give rise or serve as a basis for any such Action.

 

(f) SEC Documents; Financial Statements. (a) Since [December 31, 2012], Buyer has filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be so filed or furnished (the “Buyer SEC Documents”). All of the Buyer SEC Documents (other than preliminary material), as of their respective filing dates, complied as to form in all material respects with all applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and, in each case, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder applicable to such the Buyer SEC Documents. None of the Buyer SEC Documents at the time of filing contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except to the extent such statements have been modified or superseded by later Buyer SEC Documents. As of their respective dates, the consolidated financial statements of Buyer included in the Buyer SEC Documents complied as to form in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto, have been prepared in accordance with GAAP (except, in the case of unaudited statements, as permitted by Form 10-Q of the SEC) applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto) and fairly presented in all material respects in accordance with the applicable requirements of GAAP, the financial position of Buyer as of the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to notes and to normal and recurring year-end audit adjustments). There are no outstanding or unresolved comments from the SEC with respect to any of the Buyer SEC Documents. Buyer and its subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act. No stop order suspending the sale of the Buyer’s securities in any jurisdiction has been issued within the previous year, and no investigation or proceeding for that purpose has been commenced or is pending or threatened.

 

(g) Disclosure. No representation or warranty by the Buyer contained in this Agreement, and no statement contained in the Buyer SEC Documents or any other document, certificate or other instrument delivered to or to be delivered by or on behalf of the Buyer pursuant to this Agreement, contains or will contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omits or will omit to state any material fact necessary, in light of the circumstances under which it was or will be made, in order to make the statements herein or therein not misleading.

 

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7. Post Closing Covenants.

 

(a) Noncompetition, Nonsolicitation and Nondisparagement.

 

(i) Noncompetition. Eisenberg acknowledge that (i) Buyer would not have entered into this Agreement but for the agreements and covenants contained in this Section 7; and (ii) the agreements and covenants contained in this Section 7 are essential to protect the Business and are reasonable and appropriate in scope; (iii) the Business is national in scope, and as such the “Territory” for purposes of this Section 7 is the United States of America; and (iv) the business of Buyer is worldwide in time, territory, scope and all other respects. To induce Buyer to enter into this Agreement, Eisenberg covenants and agrees that during the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on the third (3rd) anniversary of the Closing Date (the “Restricted Period”), Eisenberg shall not (A) engage in any business or activity that competes with the Business in the Territory; (B) render any services to any Person for use in competing with Company in the Territory in connection with the Business; (C) have an interest in any Person engaged in any business that competes with Buyer in the Territory in connection with the Business, directly or indirectly, in any capacity, including, without limitation, as a shareholder, officer, director, principal, agent, trustee or consultant or any other relationship or capacity; or (D) interfere with business relationships (whether formed heretofore or hereafter) between Company and customers, suppliers or prospects of the Business; providedhowever, Eisenberg may own, directly or indirectly, solely as an investment, securities of any Person which are publicly traded if Eisenberg (I) is not a controlling Person of, or a member of a group which controls, such Person; and (II) does not, directly or indirectly, own two percent (2%) or more of any class of securities of such Person.

 

(ii) Employees of the Business. During the Restricted Period, Eisenberg shall not, directly or indirectly, solicit or encourage any Employee or consultant performing services in connection with the Business to leave the employment or retention of the Company.

 

(iii) Customers of the Business. During the Restricted Period, Eisenberg shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) persuade or attempt to persuade any customer, prospective customer, client, prospective client, supplier or vendor of Company not to hire or do business with Company or any successor thereto; or (ii) solicit for himself or any Person other than Company, the business of any Person who is a customer, client, supplier or vendor of Company, or was its customer or supplier within one (1) year prior to the time of such solicitation to the extent that such business is similar to the business conducted by such customer or supplier with Company.

 

(iv) Confidential Information. From and after the Closing, Eisenberg shall keep secret and retain in strictest confidence, and shall not use for the benefit of himself or others, all confidential matters relating to the Business, the Buyer or Company, including, but not limited to, “know how”, trade secrets, customer lists, supplier lists, details of consultant and employment Contracts, pricing policies, operational methods, marketing plans or strategies, product development techniques or plans, business acquisition plans, technical processes, designs and design projects, processes, inventions, software, source codes, object codes, systems documentation and research projects and other business affairs (“Confidential Information”), and shall not disclose them to anyone outside of Buyer and its Affiliates (including Company); providedhowever, this covenant shall not apply to any information which is or becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of an improper disclosure by Eisenberg. Eisenberg may disclose Confidential Information if required to do so in any legally required government or securities filings, legal proceedings, subpoena, civil investigative demand or other similar process; provided, that the Eisenberg (i) provides Buyer with prompt notice of such required disclosure so that Buyer may attempt to obtain a protective order, (ii) cooperates with Buyer, at Buyer’s expense, in obtaining such protective order, and (iii) only discloses that Confidential Information which it is absolutely required to disclose as advised by counsel.

 

(v) Nondisparagement. After the Closing Date, Eisenberg will not disparage Buyer, any of Buyer’s Affiliates (including Company) or any of such parties’ shareholders, directors, officers, employees or agents.

 

(vi) Tolling of Covenant Periods. The Restricted Period provided in this Section 7 shall not include and shall be extended beyond, any time during which Eisenberg is failing to comply with any provision of this Section 7, as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction or arbitrator, with respect to such Party.

 

(vii) Blue Penciling. If any term or other provision of this Section 7 is invalid, illegal, or incapable of being enforced by any rule of Law or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Section 7 shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect. Upon determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal, or incapable of being enforced, Eisenberg and Buyer shall negotiate in good faith to, or the arbitrator making such a determination shall, modify this Section 7 so as to effect the original intent of Eisenberg and Buyer as closely as possible to the maximum extent allowed by Law to the end that the transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the extent possible.

 

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(b) Employees. Buyer agrees to offer, or cause the Company to offer, continued employment, on an “at will” basis to all the Employees as of the Closing, including all management Employees, and if any such Employee accepts such offer of employment, he or she shall become an employee of Buyer or Company, as applicable, after the Closing Date (such Employees are referred to hereinafter as the “Retained Employees”). Retained Employees shall be credited for past service toward all benefits offered by Buyer or Company for purposes of determining eligibility and benefit accrual.

 

(c) Securities Law Compliance. The Trust agrees that it will not transfer or dispose of any of the Equity Consideration other than pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act or a Rule 144 sale in compliance with the terms of such Rule or pursuant to an exemption from the 1933 Act. Buyer shall file and maintain such additional Buyer SEC Documents as may be necessary such that the representations and warranties set forth in Section 6(f) continue to remain true for all periods that the Equity Consideration is held by the Trust or Sellers, and Buyer shall cooperate with the Trust (and any Seller receiving a distribution of the any Equity Consideration) and any applicable transfer agent, in the removal of any legend on the shares constituting the Equity Consideration to permit the trade or liquidation thereof in the marketplace as permitted under Rule 144 (as promulgated under the Securities Act and in effect as of the applicable time), if requested by the Trust or applicable Seller.

 

(d) Trust Operation. From and after the Closing, all undertakings and actions of the Trust will carried out as set forth in this Agreement and the Trust Documents.

 

(e) Return of Trust Property by Sellers. In the event the Trust distributes the assets of the Trust to the Sellers in violation of this Agreement or the Trust Documents, each Seller covenants to promptly return such assets to the Trust.

 

(f) Product Sales Information. Within thirty (30) days after the end of each calendar quarter, Buyer will furnish to Trust, a complete and accurate written statement in a form reasonably acceptable to Trust, certified by Buyer’s authorized financial officer, showing the total number of Products (the volume and sales of each Product expressed in dollars, volume, and SKUs) sold and distributed by Buyer during the preceding calendar quarter. Buyer will keep at a location within the continental United States, reasonably detailed, complete and accurate books of account and records covering all transactions relating to the Products. Upon at least five (5) Business Days prior notice to Buyer, Trust and/or its authorized representatives will have the right, during regular business hours, to examine and copy such books of account and records and all other documents and material in the possession or under the control of Buyer insofar as they relate to the Products sold in the last two (2) years, in order to determine the accuracy of the periodic statements delivered or which should have been delivered by Buyer to Trust as provided above. In the event such examination indicates any under or overpayment of Royalty Consideration, an appropriate credit or refund will be promptly issued. If any such examination reveals an underpayment of Royalty Consideration, of more than five percent (5%) of the amount paid by Buyer, or if such examination is in connection with Buyer’s failure to deliver any periodic statement or pay any amounts due hereunder, then Buyer will bear all costs and expenses incurred by Trust in connection with the examination and collection of any such unpaid amounts (including, without limitation, all reasonable attorney’s fees and expenses). The full amount of any underpayment of Royalty Consideration, and related costs and expenses will be due and payable upon demand by Trust. All books of account and records of Buyer relating to the Products will be kept available for inspection by or on behalf of Trust for at least two (2) years after the expiration or termination of the seven-year Royalty Consideration period. All information received, reviewed and copied by Trust or its representatives in connection with or pursuant to this Section 7(f) shall be kept confidential and not disclosed to any other Person.

 

(g) Adoption of Release. By its execution hereof, each of the Sellers hereby agrees that it is bound by the terms of the Release Agreement attached as Exhibit B, the terms of which are incorporated herein by this reference.

 

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8. Indemnification.

 

(a) Indemnification with Respect to a Seller’s Breach.

 

(i) To the extent the assets of the Trust are sufficient but subject to Section 8(f), the Trust shall indemnify and save and hold the Buyer, any Affiliate of the Buyer and their respective directors, officers, managers, employees, successors, and assigns (the “Buyer Indemnitees”), harmless from and against any and all damages, claims, demands, obligations, Liabilities, losses, costs, expenses (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses of investigation incurred by the Buyer Indemnitees in any Action or proceeding between a Seller and the Buyer Indemnitees or between the Buyer Indemnitees and any other Person or otherwise), deficiencies, interests, penalties, impositions, assessments and/ or fines (collectively, “Buyer Losses”), whether or not in connection with a third-party claim, arising out of, resulting from, or related to (i) a breach of any representation or warranty made by a Seller in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents to which a Seller is a party; or (ii) a Seller’s breach of any covenant made by a Seller in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents to which such Seller is a party; or (iii) any Liability relating to common law or statutory dissenter’s rights, appraisal rights, or any similar rights of a Seller arising with respect to the transactions which are the subject of this Agreement; provided that such indemnification shall not extend to the Covenantors breach of Section 7(a), or the breach of any employment agreement or the like to which a Seller may be a party.

 

(ii) To the extent the assets of the Trust are not sufficient to indemnify the Buyer Indemnitees for any Buyer Losses under Section 8(a)(i) above, but subject to Section 8(f), each Seller shall, severally but not jointly, indemnify and save and hold the Buyer Indemnitees harmless from and against any and all Buyer Losses whether or not in connection with a third-party claim, arising out of, resulting from, or related to (i) a breach of any representation or warranty made by such Seller in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents to which such Seller is a party; or (ii) such Seller’s breach of any covenant made by a Seller in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents to which such Seller is a party; or (iii) any Liability relating to common law or statutory dissenter’s rights, appraisal rights, or any similar rights of such Seller arising with respect to the transactions which are the subject of this Agreement; provided that such indemnification shall not extend to Eisenberg’s breach of Section 7(a), or the breach of any employment agreement or the like to which such Seller may be a party.

 

(b) Indemnification with Respect to the Company’s Breach.

 

(i) To the extent the assets of the Trust are sufficient, but subject to Section 8(f), the Trust shall indemnify and save and hold the Buyer Indemnitees, harmless from and against any and all Buyer Losses, whether or not in connection with a third-party claim, arising out of, resulting from or related to (i) the Company’s breach of any representation or warranty made by the Company in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents to which the Company is a party; or (ii) any Liability relating to common law or statutory dissenter’s rights, appraisal rights, or any similar rights of a Seller arising with respect to the transactions which are the subject of this Agreement or of any party other than a Seller claiming to be a shareholder arising with respect to the transactions which are the subject of this Agreement.

 

(ii) To the extent the assets of the Trust are not sufficient to indemnify the Buyer Indemnitees for any Buyer Losses under Section 8(b)(i) above, but subject to Section 8(f), each Seller shall, severally but not jointly, indemnify and save and hold the Buyer Indemnitees harmless from and against any and all Buyer Losses whether or not in connection with a third-party claim, arising out of, resulting from, or related to (i) the Company’s breach of any representation or warranty made by the Company in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents to which the Company is a party; or (ii) any Liability relating to common law or statutory dissenter’s rights, appraisal rights, or any similar rights of a Seller arising with respect to the transactions which are the subject of this Agreement or of any party other than a Seller claiming to be a shareholder arising with respect to the transactions which are the subject of this Agreement.

 

(c) Indemnification with Respect to the Trust’s Breach. To the extent the assets of the Trust are sufficient, but subject to Section 8(f), the Trust shall indemnify and save and hold the Buyer Indemnitees, harmless from and against any and all Buyer Losses, whether or not in connection with a third-party claim, arising out of, resulting from or related to (i) the Trust’s breach of any representation or warranty made by the Trust in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents to which the Trust is a party; or (ii) the Trust’s breach of any covenant made by the Trust in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents to which the Trust is a party; or (iii) the Trust’s breach of the Trust Documents.

 

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(d) Indemnification by Buyer. Buyer shall indemnify and save and hold the Sellers, the Trust, any Affiliate of a Seller or the Trust and their respective directors, officers, managers, trustees, employees, advisors, successors, and assigns (the “Seller Indemnitees”), harmless from and against any and all damages, claims, demands, obligations, liabilities, losses, costs, expenses (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses of investigation incurred by the Seller Indemnitees in any Action or proceeding between the Buyer and the Seller Indemnitees or between the Seller Indemnitees and any third party or otherwise), deficiencies, interests, penalties, impositions, assessments and/ or fines (collectively, “Seller Losses”), whether or not in connection with a third-party claim, arising out of, resulting from or related to (i) Buyer’s breach of any representation or warranty made by Buyer in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents to which the Buyer is a party, or (ii) Buyer’s breach of any covenant made by Buyer in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents to which the Buyer is a party; or (iii) any Liability relating to common law or statutory dissenter’s rights, appraisal rights, or any similar rights of a shareholder of Buyer arising with respect to the transactions which are the subject of this Agreement.

 

(e) Set-Off by Buyer. Amounts that (i) the Trust and the Buyer agree in writing are due or (ii) upon a final determination by a court of competent jurisdiction or arbitrator that such amounts are due to the Buyer Indemnities under Sections 8(a) , (b) and (c) may be satisfied by set-off by the Buyer Indemnities, at their sole election, against any Royalty Consideration then due or to become due in the future.

 

(f) Limitations. The indemnification provided for in Sections 8(a)(b) and (c) shall be subject to the following limitations and provisions:

 

(i) The Trust and the Sellers shall not be liable to the Buyer Indemnitees for indemnification (other than with respect to a claim for indemnification based upon, arising out of, with respect to, or by reason of any inaccuracy in or breach of a Fundamental Representation or fraud) until the aggregate amount of Buyer Losses in respect of indemnification exceeds $50,000 (the “Basket”), in which event Trust and the Sellers, as applicable, shall be required to pay or be liable for the Buyer Losses in excess of the Basket in accordance with this Section 8;

 

(ii) The Trust and the Sellers shall not be liable to the Buyer Indemnitees for indemnification (other than with respect to a claim for indemnification based upon, arising out of, with respect to or by reason of any inaccuracy in or breach of a Fundamental Representation or fraud) for any Buyer Losses that, in the aggregate, are in excess of fifty percent (50%) of the Purchase Consideration.

 

(iii) The Trust shall not be liable to the Buyer Indemnitees for indemnification (other than with respect to a claim for indemnification based upon, arising out of, with respect to, or by reason of fraud) for any Buyer Losses that, in the aggregate, are in excess of the Purchase Consideration.

 

(iv) Each Seller shall not be liable to the Buyer Indemnitees for indemnification (other than with respect to a claim for indemnification based upon, arising out of, with respect to, or by reason of fraud) for any Buyer Losses that, in the aggregate, are in excess of the Purchase Consideration received by such Seller through distributions from the Trust.

 

(v) All claims for indemnification shall be paid either from the Equity Consideration or the set-off in Section 8(e), if elected by Buyer, unless the Trust elects to pay such claim in cash. For purposes of the foregoing each share of Equity Consideration will be valued at the greater of $0.85, or its Fair Market Value on the date the claim is paid. For purposes hereof, the Fair Market Value means, as of any particular date, (A) the volume weighted average of the closing sales prices of a security of the type that comprises the Equity Consideration for such day on all domestic securities exchanges on which such security may at the time be listed, (B) if there have been no sales of such security on any such exchange on any such day, the average of the highest bid and lowest asked prices for such security on all such exchanges at the end of such day, (C) if on any such day such security is not listed on a domestic securities exchange, the closing sales price of such security as quoted on the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority OTC Bulletin Board electronic inter-dealer quotation system (the “OTC Bulletin Board”), the OTC Markets Group Inc. electronic inter-dealer quotation system, including OTCQX, OTCQB and OTC Pink (the “Pink OTC Markets”) or similar quotation system or association for such day or (D) if there have been no sales of such security on the OTC Bulletin Board, the Pink OTC Markets or similar quotation system or association on such day, the average of the highest bid and lowest asked prices for such security quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board, the Pink OTC Markets or similar quotation system or association at the end of such day; in each case, averaged over twenty (20) consecutive Business Days ending on the Business Day immediately prior to the day as of which “Fair Market Value” is being determined, and (ii) “Business Day” means any day, except a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, on which banking institutions in the city of New York, New York, are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close; provided, that if such security is listed on any domestic securities exchange, the term “Business Day” as used herein means Business Days on which such exchange is open for trading. If at any time a security is not listed on any domestic securities exchange or quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board, the Pink OTC Markets or similar quotation system or association, the market value of such security shall be the fair market value per share as determined by mutual agreement of the Trust and Buyer; provided, that if the Trust and Buyer are unable to agree on the market value per share of such security within 14 calendar days, such market value shall be determined by a nationally recognized investment banking, accounting or valuation firm jointly selected by the Trust from a list of at least three (3) provided by the Buyer. The determination of such firm shall be final and conclusive, and the fees and expenses of such valuation firm shall be borne by the Party whose proposed valuation is furthest from that reach by the firm.

 

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(vi) Prior to or contemporaneously with, and as a condition to, pursuing any claim for indemnification for Buyer Losses under this Section 8 against any Seller or the Trust, a Buyer Indemnitee shall assert and pursue a claim for recovery under any policy of insurance that provides coverage for such Buyer Losses. Any recovery by a Buyer Indemnitee under such policy of insurance shall offset and reduce the amount of Buyer Losses for which the Trust or any Seller must indemnify the Buyer Indemnitee under this Section 8. To the extent any Seller or the Trust pays a Buyer Indemnitee for any Buyer Losses or Buyer exercises its right of set-off under Section 8(e) and the Buyer Indemnitee also recovers under a policy of insurance for such Buyer Losses, the Buyer Indemnitee shall promptly pay to the Trust or such Seller, as applicable, the amount (if any) by which the total recovery by Buyer Indemnitee exceeds the amount of such Buyer Losses.

 

(vii) To the extent such Buyer Losses arise from or were caused by acts or omissions by any of the Buyer Indemnitees after the Closing. For purposes of clarity, the limitation of this Section 8(f)(vii) shall not apply to any products liability claims relating to inventory of the Products existing as of the Closing and sold by the Company following the Closing in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices.

 

(g) Survival. All representations, warranties, covenants and obligations contained in this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents shall survive the Closing for eighteen (18) months, except that: (i) all covenants and agreements which by their terms contemplate performance after the Closing shall survive the Closing indefinitely, unless specified otherwise by their terms; (ii) for breaches of Sections 4(j) or 4(s), the survival shall be the applicable statute of limitations; (iii) for breaches of any Fundamental Representations, the survival period shall be indefinite; and (iv) for breaches based upon, arising out of, with respect to, or by reason of fraud, the survival period shall be the applicable statute of limitations. Notwithstanding the above, any claim for indemnification made in accordance with this Section 8 prior to the expiration of the applicable indemnification period set forth in this paragraph shall survive until such matter is resolved.

 

(h) Exclusive Remedy. The indemnification afforded by this Section 8 shall be the sole and exclusive remedy of the Seller Indemnitees and Buyer Indemnitees in respect of claims for any misrepresentation, breach of warranty or nonfulfillment or failure to be performed of any covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents, except for (i) Eisenberg’s breach of Section 7(a); (ii) the breach of any employment agreement or the like to which a Seller may be a party; (iii) the Trust’s breach of any representations, warranties, covenants or obligations contained in this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents which by their terms contemplate performance after the Closing; (iv) any Seller’s breach of the covenants in Section 7(e); or (v) Buyer’s breach of the covenants in Section 7(f).

 

(i) Materiality. For purposes of determining the amount of Buyer Losses under this Section 8, and not for purposes of determining whether or not a breach has occurred, any inaccuracy in or breach of any representation or warranty shall be determined without regard to any materiality, Material Adverse Effect or other similar qualification contained in or otherwise applicable to such representation or warranty.

 

(j) Procedures for Indemnification.

 

(i) Notice of Claims. If any misrepresentation, breach of warranty or nonfulfillment or failure to be performed of any covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents occurs or is alleged and either (i) a Buyer Indemnitee asserts that Trust or any Seller(s), has become obligated to such Buyer Indemnitee pursuant to Section 8 hereof, or (ii) a Seller Indemnitee asserts that Buyer, has become obligated to such Seller Indemnitee pursuant to Section 8 hereof (“Direct Claim”), or if any suit, Action, investigation, claim or proceeding is threatened, begun, made or instituted by a third party (a “Third Party Proceeding”) as a result of which the Trust or any Seller(s) may become obligated to a Buyer Indemnitee hereunder, or Buyer may become obligated to a Seller Indemnitee, such Buyer Indemnitee or Seller Indemnitee, as applicable, shall give written notice thereof to the Trust or Buyer, as the case may be (the “Claims Notice”). For purposes of this Section 8(j) a Buyer Indemnitee or Seller Indemnitee sending a Claims Notice shall be referred to as an “Indemnitee.” A failure or delay in providing a Claims Notice shall not relieve Buyer, any Seller(s) or Trust of its indemnification obligations under this Section 8 except to the extent that such Party is materially prejudiced as a result thereof.

 

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(ii) Response to Direct Claims. Any Seller(s), the Trust or Buyer as the indemnifying party under this Section 8 (the “Indemnitor”) shall have thirty (30) days after receipt of the Claims Notice for a Direct Claim to reject or accept the claim as an indemnifiable claim under Section 8. If, within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Indemnitor of such a Claims Notice, the Indemnitor delivers notice to the Indemnitee containing a written objection to the claim (or a portion thereof) by the Indemnitee, stating the nature of and grounds for such objection in reasonable detail, then such claim (or portion thereof) shall be deemed to be a “Disputed Claim” and such claim shall be resolved in accordance with this Section 8(j). If, within thirty (30) days after actual receipt by an Indemnitor of a Claims Notice for a Direct Claim, Indemnitor delivers notice to the Indemnitee containing a written acceptance of the claim, (or a portion thereof) then such claim (or portion thereof) shall be deemed an indemnifiable claim under this Section 8 (the “Indemnifiable Claim”), and unless such notice includes a reservation of rights, Indemnitor will be conclusively deemed to have consented to recovery by the Indemnitee of the full amount of Buyer Losses or Seller Losses, as applicable, subject to the limitations set forth in the Section 8, as applicable.

 

(iii) Dispute Resolution. Any disputes arising under this Section 8 shall be resolved as follows: (i) first, the Buyer and the Trust shall attempt in good faith for thirty (30) days to resolve the dispute, and (ii) if the dispute remains unresolved after such thirty (30) day period, the Buyer and the Trust agree that either the Buyer or the Trust may file suit in any court or other adjudicative body having jurisdiction pursuant to this Agreement in order to resolve the dispute.

 

(iv) Third Party Proceeding. Indemnitor shall have twenty (20) days from receipt of a Claims Notice for a Third Party Proceeding to provide the Indemnitee with notice that it wishes to assume the defense in the Third Party Proceeding, in which event the Indemnitee shall have the right to participate in the defense at its own expense; providedhowever, that the Indemnitee is hereby authorized prior to and during such time to file any motion, answer or other pleading that it shall deem necessary or appropriate to protect its interests and that is not prejudicial to Indemnitor. If Indemnitor fails to give the Indemnitee timely notice as provided herein, the Indemnitee shall have the right to defend against such Third Party Proceeding. If Indemnitor assumes the defense in a Third Party Proceeding, the Indemnitor shall not agree to any settlement, compromise or discharge of a Third-Party Claim without the Indemnitee’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld. If the Indemnitor does not assume the defense of a Third-Party Claim, the Indemnitee shall be entitled to undertake any settlement, compromise or discharge of such Third-Party Claim without the Indemnitor’s prior consent. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, an Indemnitor shall not be entitled to assume control of the defense in a Third Party Proceeding, and shall pay the reasonably documented fees and expenses of legal counsel retained by the Indemnitee if: (i) Indemnitee reasonably believes that an adverse determination of such claim could be detrimental to its interests; (ii) Indemnitee reasonably believes that the Indemnitor lacks the financial capability to pay any adverse monetary judgment being sought in the Third Party proceeding; (iii) Indemnitee reasonably believes that a conflict of interest exists or could reasonably arise which, under applicable principles of legal ethics, could prohibit a single legal counsel from representing both the parties in such proceeding, other than a conflict which may exist due to the underlying nature of the duty to indemnify; (iv) a court of competent jurisdiction rules that Indemnitor has failed or is failing to prosecute or defend such claim; or (v) such claim seeks damages other than monetary damages.

 

(v) Consent to Jurisdiction. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 8, Indemnitor hereby consents to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of any court in which an Action or claim in respect of a Third Party Proceeding is brought against an Indemnitee for purposes of any claim that an Indemnitee may have under this Agreement with respect to such Action or claim or the matters alleged therein and agrees that process may be served on Indemnitor with respect to such a claim anywhere in the world.

 

(vi) Indemnification Binds Successors and Assigns. All of the indemnification rights of the Parties arising pursuant to this Section 8 shall survive any sale, assignment or other transfer by a Party of all or part of their respective title to or interest in all or part of the Transaction Documents and shall apply to and bind each and every successor and assign of a Party hereto.

 

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(vii) Fraud. For purposes of this Section 8, the term “fraud” shall only be deemed to refer to willful and intentional misrepresentations or omissions made, or intentional concealment performed, with the intent to deceive and shall not be deemed to include negligent misrepresentation, omissions or similar claims.

 

9. Appointment of the Trust as Representative of Sellers.

 

(a) By approving this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, each Seller shall have irrevocably authorized, directed and appointed the Trust to act as sole and exclusive agent, attorney-in-fact and representative of such Seller, with full power of substitution with respect to all matters under this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, determining, giving and receiving notices and processes hereunder, receiving distributions of the Purchase Consideration to or for the benefit of Sellers, contesting and settling any and all claims for indemnification pursuant to Article 8, resolving any other disputes hereunder, performing the duties expressly assigned to the Trust hereunder and under the Trust Documents and incur such other expenses as the Trust shall reasonably deem necessary or prudent in connection with the foregoing.

 

(b) The Trust shall have the sole and exclusive right on behalf of each Seller to take any action or provide any waiver, or receive any notice with respect to any claims for indemnification under Article 8 and to settle any claim or controversy arising with respect thereto. Any such actions taken, exercises of rights, power or authority, and any decision or determination made by the Trust, shall be absolutely and irrevocably binding on each Seller as if such Seller personally had taken such action, exercised such rights, power or authority or made such decision or determination in such Seller’s individual capacity, and no Seller shall have the right to object, dissent, protest or otherwise contest the same. Any action required to be taken by any Seller hereunder or any action that any Seller, at its election, has the right to take hereunder, shall be taken only by the Trust and no Seller acting on its own shall be entitled to take any such action. After Closing, Buyer shall be entitled to deal exclusively with the Trust on all matters relating to this Agreement and shall be entitled to rely conclusively (without further evidence of any kind whatsoever) on any document executed or purported to be executed on behalf of any Seller by the Trust, and on any other action taken or purported to be taken on behalf of any Seller by the Trust, as being fully binding upon such Seller. Notices or communications to or from the Trust shall constitute notice to or from each Seller. Any decision or action by the Trust hereunder, including any agreement between the Trust and Buyer relating to the defense, payment or settlement of any claims for indemnification hereunder, shall constitute a decision or action of any or all Sellers, as applicable, and shall be final, binding and conclusive upon each such Seller. No Seller shall have the right to object to, dissent from, protest or otherwise contest the same. The provisions of this Section 9, including the power of attorney granted hereby, are independent and severable, are irrevocable and coupled with an interest and shall not be terminated by any act of any one or Sellers or by operation of Law.

 

(c) The Trust may resign at any time; provided, however, in no event shall the Trust resign without having first appointed a new representative to serve in the same capacity and with the same authority as the Trust, who shall assume such duties immediately upon the resignation or removal of the Trust. Notice of the appointment of such new representative shall be sent to Buyer, such appointment to be effective upon the later of the date indicated in such notice or the date such notice is received by Buyer; providedthat until such notice is received, Buyer shall be entitled to rely on the decisions and actions of the Trust as described in Sections 9(a) and (b) above.

 

(d) The Trust shall not be liable to any Seller for actions taken pursuant to this Agreement, except to the extent such actions shall have been determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to have constituted gross negligence or involved fraud, intentional misconduct or bad faith (it being understood that any act done or omitted pursuant to the advice of counsel, accountants and other professionals and experts retained by the Trust shall be conclusive evidence of good faith).

 

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10. Miscellaneous.

 

(a) Successors and Assigns. Any Party hereto may assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the other Parties hereto; provided that this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of the Parties hereto.

 

(b) Governing Law; Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be construed, performed and enforced in accordance with, and governed by, the laws of the State of North Carolina, United States, without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of laws thereof. The Parties hereto irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of, the federal and state courts of the State of North Carolina located in Wake County, North Carolina for such purpose.

 

(c) Expenses. Except as otherwise provided herein, each of the Parties hereto shall pay all its own expenses in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, any legal and accounting fees, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated.

 

(d) Severability. In the event that any part of this Agreement is declared by any court or other judicial or administrative body to be null, void or unenforceable, said provision shall survive to the extent it is not so declared, and all of the other provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

 

(e) Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (i) on the date of service if served personally on the Party to whom notice is to be given, or (ii) on the day of delivery by Federal Express or similar overnight courier or the Express Mail service maintained by the U.S. Postal Service, to the Party as follows:

 

  If to Trust: [Insert Address]
     
  Copy to: Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP
    Suite 3100, Promenade
    1230 Peachtree Street, NE
    Atlanta, Georgia 30309
    Attention: John C. Ethridge, Jr.
     
  If to Buyer: Synergy CHC Corp.
    865 Spring Street
    Westbrook, ME 04092
    Attn: President
     
  Copy to: Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP
    4101 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 300
    Raleigh, North Carolina 27607
    Attention: W. David Mannheim

 

Any Party may change its address for the purpose of this Section by giving the other Party written notice of its new address in the manner set forth above.

 

(f) Amendments; Waivers. This Agreement may be amended or modified, and any of the terms, covenants, representations, warranties or conditions hereof may be waived, only by a written instrument executed by the Parties hereto, or in the case of a waiver, by the Party waiving compliance. Any waiver by any Party of any condition, or of the breach of any provision, term, covenant, representation or warranty contained in this Agreement, in any one or more instances, shall not be deemed to be nor construed as further or continuing waiver of any such condition, or of the breach of any other provision, term, covenant, representation or warranty of this Agreement.

 

(g) Public Announcements. Sellers and the Trust shall not make any public statement regarding this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein without Buyer’s prior written approval. Buyer shall provide a copy of any public statement to the Trust prior to the information being made public.

 

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(h) Entire Agreement. This Agreement, the exhibits and schedules hereto contains the entire understanding between the Parties hereto with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and supersede and replace all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with regard to such transactions. All schedules and exhibits hereto and any documents and instruments delivered pursuant to any provision hereof are expressly incorporated herein and made a part of this Agreement as fully as though completely set forth herein. This Agreement shall only be binding on the Parties hereto upon execution and delivery of this Agreement by each of the Parties.

 

(i) Parties in Interest. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to confer any rights or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement on any persons other than the Parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to relieve or discharge the obligations or liability of any third persons to any of the Parties hereto. No provision of this Agreement shall give any third persons any right as a third party beneficiary of this Agreement or provide any right of subrogation or Action over or against a Party hereto.

 

(j) Section and Paragraph Headings. The section and paragraph headings in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

 

(k) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts and via .pdf, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which shall constitute the same instrument.

 

(l) Fulfillment of Obligations. Any obligation of any Party to any other Party under this Agreement, which obligation is performed, satisfied or fulfilled by an Affiliate of such Party, shall be deemed to have been performed, satisfied, or fulfilled by such Party.

 

(m) Remedies. Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, any Person having any rights under any provision of this Agreement, including, without limitation, Section 7, shall be entitled to enforce such rights specifically (without posting a bond or other security) and to exercise all other rights granted by Laws. Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, all such rights and remedies shall be cumulative and non-exclusive, and may be exercised singularly or concurrently. The Parties acknowledge that any breach of this Agreement may cause substantial irreparable harm to the other Party. Therefore, this Agreement may be enforced in equity by specific performance, temporary restraining order and/or injunction. The rights to such equitable remedies shall be in addition to all other rights or remedies which a Party may have under this Agreement or under applicable law.

 

(n) Further Actions. In case at any time after the Closing any further action is necessary to carry out the purposes of this Agreement, each of the Parties shall take such further action (including the execution and delivery of such further instruments and documents) as any other Party reasonably may request, all at the sole cost and expense of the requesting Party (unless the requesting Party is entitled to indemnification therefore under Section 8). Without limiting the foregoing, after the Closing each Seller will furnish Buyer with such information and documents in such Seller’s possession or under such Seller’s control or that such Seller can execute or cause to be executed to further evidence Buyer’s ownership of the Shares.

 

[Signature pages follow]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above written.

 

  /s/ Jordan Eisenberg
  JORDAN EISENBERG
     
  BREAKTHROUGH PRODUCTS, INC.
     
  By: /s/ Jordan Eisenberg
  Name: Jordan Eisenberg
  Title: Chief Executive officer
     
  SYNERGY CHC CORP.
     
  By: /s/ Jack Ross
  Name: Jack Ross
  Title: Chief Executive Officer
     
  URX ACQUISITION TRUST
     
  By: /s/ Michael Valentino
  Name: Michael Valentino
  Title: Trustee

 

Signature Page to Stock Purchase Agreement - 1

 

 

 

 

[Form of Seller Signature Page]

 

Seller:

 

(USE THIS BLOCK IF AN INDIVIDUAL)

 
(Signature)

 

Address:   
   
   

(USE THIS BLOCK IF AN ENTITY)

 

By:  
Name:  
Title:  
Address:   
   
   

 

Signature Page to Stock Purchase Agreement - 2

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.9

 

SHARE PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

THIS SHARE PURCHASE AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) dated as of November 15, 2015, between TPR Investments Pty Ltd ACN 128 396 654 as trustee for Polmear Family Trust (the “Seller”), Timothy Polmear and Rebecca Polmear (collectively, the “Principal Owners”), NomadChoice Pty Limited ACN 160 729 939 trading as Flat Tummy Tea, an Australian proprietary limited company (the “Company”), and Synergy CHC Corp., a Nevada corporation (the “Buyer”). Buyer and Seller are sometimes referred to collectively as the “Parties” and individually as a “Party”.

 

BACKGROUND

 

Seller and the Principal Owners, either directly or indirectly, collectively own, all of the issued fully paid ordinary shares of the Company (the “Company Shares”).

 

The Company is engaged in the business of developing, manufacturing, and selling herbal detox tea (the “Products”) (the Products and the business related to the Products is collectively the “Business”). For the avoidance of doubt, the “Business” shall be limited to the business known as “Flat Tummy Tea” and operated by the Company.

 

Buyer desires to purchase all of the Company Shares (the “Share Purchase”), and Seller and the Principal Owners desire to sell such Company Shares to Buyer, in each case upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement.

 

In consideration of the foregoing and the respective covenants and agreements hereinafter contained, the Parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Definitions.

 

As used in this Agreement (including the recitals and Disclosure Schedules hereto), the following selected terms shall have the following meanings (such meanings to be applicable equally to both singular and plural forms of the terms defined):

 

Action” means any claim, action, cause of action, demand, lawsuit, arbitration, audit, notice of violation, proceeding, litigation, citation, summons, subpoena or investigation of any nature, civil, criminal, administrative, regulatory or otherwise, whether formal or informal, whether public or private and whether at law or in equity;

 

Adjusted EBITDA” shall mean, with respect to any applicable period, the net income before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization less any capital expenditures of the Company for such period, all as calculated on a consistent basis with the accounting standards and general accounting principles applied in the financial statements attached as Schedule 4(h);

 

Affiliate” shall mean, as to any Person, any other Person which directly or indirectly controls, or is under common control with, or is controlled by, such Person. As used in this definition, “control” (including, with its correlative meanings, “controlled by” and “under common control with”) shall mean possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of management or policies (whether through ownership of securities or partnership or other ownership interests, by Contract or otherwise) of such Person;

 

Calculation Period” means the period beginning on November 1, 2015 and ending on June 30, 2016;

 

Calculation Period EBITDA” means the Company’s Adjusted EBITDA during the Calculation Period;

 

Clients” means all of the clients of the Company during each of the Company’s 2012, 2013, and 2014 fiscal years and during the period ended as of October 31, 2015;

 

Closing” shall mean the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement which shall occur on the Closing Date;

 

 

 

 

“Closing Date” means 12 November 2015;

 

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended;

 

Commercially Reasonable Efforts” means the commercially reasonable efforts that a prudent Person desirous of achieving a result and having an incentive to and interest in achieving such result would use to achieve that result as expeditiously as reasonably possible under the circumstances;

 

Contract” means any agreement, contract, indenture, instrument, obligation, promise or undertaking (whether written or oral and whether express or implied) that is legally binding;

 

Disclosure Schedules” means the disclosure letter delivered by Seller concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement;

 

Earn-Out Multiple” means two (2);

 

Employee” means an employee of the Company employed in connection with the Business;

 

Employee Benefit Plan” means any pension, profit sharing, retirement, deferred compensation, share purchase, share option or other equity based compensation plans, incentive, bonus, vacation, employment, independent contractor, severance, disability, hospitalization, sickness, death, medical insurance, dental insurance, life insurance and any other employee benefit plan (whether provided on a funded or unfunded basis, or through insurance or otherwise), agreement, program, policy, trust, fund, Contract or arrangement;

 

Environmental Laws” means all Laws concerning pollution or protection of the environment and natural resources, including without limitation all those relating to the presence, use, production, generation, handling, transportation, treatment, storage, control or cleanup of any hazardous materials, substances or wastes, pesticides, pollutants or byproducts, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, or radiation, each as amended and as now or hereafter in effect;

 

Files and Records” shall mean all files and records, whether in hard copy or digital, electronic, data, magnetic or other format, of the Company relating to or used in connection with the Business;

 

Event of Insolvency” means, in relation to a corporation:

 

  (a) receiver, manager, receiver and manager, trustee, administrator or similar officer is appointed in respect of a person or any material asset of a corporation;
     
  (b) a liquidator or provisional or interim liquidator is appointed in respect of a corporation;
     
  (c) any application (not being an application withdrawn or dismissed within 7 days) is made to a court for an order, or an order is made, or a meeting is convened, or a resolution is passed, for the purpose of:
       
    (i) appointing a person referred to in paragraphs (a) or (b);
       
    (ii) winding up the relevant corporation; or
       
    (iii) proposing or implementing a compromise with creditors (including a scheme of arrangement, other than to carry out a reconstruction or amalgamation while solvent);
       
  (d) a final order, judgment or award is made against the corporation which it fails to satisfy within 7 days of being required to do so; or
     
  (e) the corporation becomes, or admits in writing that it is, is declared to be, or is deemed under any applicable Law to be, insolvent or unable to pay its debts;

 

Fundamental Representations” shall mean the representations and warranties set forth in Sections 4(a), 4(b), 4(c), 4(d), 4(e), 4(f), 4(j), 4(l), and 4(o);

 

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Government” shall mean any agency, division, subdivision, audit group or procuring office of the Government of Australia or the United States, any state of Australia or the United States, including the employees or agents thereof;

 

GST Act” means as A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 (Cth);

 

Guarantee” means any Contract of guarantee, indemnification, assumption or endorsement or any other like commitment of the obligations, liabilities (fixed, contingent or otherwise) or indebtedness of another Person;

 

Intellectual Property” means all intellectual property rights whether protected, created or arising under the Laws of the United States, Australia, or any other jurisdiction, including the following: (i) patents and patent applications; (ii) trademarks and service marks, including all applications and registrations and goodwill related to the foregoing; (iii) copyrights, including all applications and registrations related to the foregoing (including, without limitation, for all designs); (iv) Internet domain names; (v) telephone numbers, electronic mail addresses and social media accounts and registrations, including but not limited to accounts and registrations with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other similar services; and (vi) trade secrets, know-how, ideas, creative works, inventions, discoveries, methods, processes, technical data, specifications, research and development information, technology, software or computer programs, and data base;

 

Knowledge of the Seller” or “Seller’s Knowledge” or a similar phrase shall mean, with respect to any matter, the actual knowledge of the Seller, or the Principal Owners as at the date of this agreement;

 

Laws” means all statutes, laws, codes, ordinances, regulations, rules, orders, judgments, writs, injunctions, acts or decrees of any Government entity;

 

Liability” means any liability or obligation of whatever kind or nature (whether known or unknown, whether asserted or unasserted, whether absolute or contingent, whether accrued or unaccrued, whether liquidated or unliquidated, and whether due or to become due), including without limitation any liability for Taxes;

 

Lien” shall mean any mortgage, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other) or conditional sale agreement, and including claims on title and liens in favor of contractors, carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen, and subcontractors and statutory or common law liens to secure claims for labor, materials or supplies, and other similar liens and encumbrances;

 

Material Adverse Effect” when used in connection with an entity, means any change, event, circumstance, condition or effect that is or is reasonably likely to be, individually or in the aggregate, materially adverse to: (i) the condition (financial or otherwise), capitalization, properties, prospects, products, assets (including intangible assets), Intellectual Property, liabilities, business, operations or results of operations of such entity and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (ii) such entity’s ability to consummate the Share Purchase or to perform its obligations under this Agreement;

 

Material Adverse Event” means any untoward or negative occurrence (including, without limitation, physical injury) related to the Business or the use of the Products and which has a Material Adverse Effect;

 

Person” shall mean and include any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, and any other unincorporated organization or Government;

 

Taxes” shall mean (i) all federal, state, local or foreign taxes, including, but not limited to, income, gross income, gross receipts, capital, production, excise, employment, sales, use, transfer, transfer gain, ad valorem, premium, profits, license, capital stock, franchise, severance, stamp, withholding, employment, unemployment, disability, worker’s compensation, payroll, utility, windfall profit, custom duties, personal property, real property, environmental, registration, alternative or add-on minimum, estimated and other taxes, governmental fees or like charges of any kind whatsoever, and (ii) any interest, penalties, fines, loss, damages, liability, expense or additions thereto whether disputed or not; and (iii) any transference liability in respect of any items described in clauses (i) or (ii) payable by reason of contract assumption, transference liability, operation of law, or otherwise;

 

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Tax Return” means any return, declaration, report, claim for refund, information return or statement relating to any taxes, including any schedule or attachment thereto and including any amendment therof;

 

Transaction Documents” shall mean this Agreement, the Share certificates, and the other exhibits and schedules hereto and thereto, and all other agreements, instruments, certificates and other documents to be entered into or delivered by any Party in connection with the transactions contemplated to be consummated pursuant to any of the foregoing;

 

The parties agree that for the purposes of calculating the Australian to US dollar conversion, the exchange rate will be $1.00:US$0.70.

 

2. Share Purchase

 

  (a) Purchase and Sale of the Company Shares. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, Seller agrees to sell, convey, transfer, assign and deliver to Buyer and Buyer agrees to purchase and accept from Seller, on the Closing Date, the Company Shares as set forth on Schedule 2(a), being all of the fully paid ordinary shares in the capital of the Company.

 

  (b) Surrender of the Company’s Share Certificates; Further Cooperation. At the Closing, Seller will deliver to Buyer its certificates representing all of Company Shares owned by Seller. From time to time after the Closing Date, without further consideration, Seller will execute and deliver such other instruments of conveyance and transfer and take such other action as Buyer reasonably may request to effectuate the transaction contemplated by this Agreement. Seller will furnish Buyer with such information and documents in Seller’s possession or under Seller’s control or that Seller can execute or cause to be executed as will enable Buyer to prosecute any and all pending claims, applications and the like which that be assigned hereunder.

 

3. Consideration

 

  (a) Initial Consideration. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, in reliance on the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of Seller contained herein, the consideration payable to Seller for the Share Purchase shall be an amount of (i) Three Million Four Hundred Fifty Thousand Australian dollars ($3,450,000 AUD), which will be paid by Buyer at Closing (the “Cash Consideration”); plus (ii) Three Million Five Hundred Seventy One Thousand Four Hundred and Twenty-Eight (3,571,428) shares of the Common Stock of Buyer (the “Equity Consideration”) (collectively, the “Purchase Price”).

 

  (b) Earn-out Payment. As additional consideration for the Company Shares, at such times as provided in this Section 3(b) if the Calculation Period EBITDA is $5,000,000 AUD or more, Buyer shall pay to Seller an amount, if any (the Earn-out Payment), equal to (i)(A) the Calculation Period EBITDA; multiplied by (B) the Earn-out Multiple; minus (ii) the total of $6,500,000 AUD plus the Top Up EBITDA. In the event that the number produced by the formula above is negative, no payment shall be made. In no event shall Buyer be obligated to pay Seller more than Three Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($3,500,000 AUD) in the aggregate for Earn-out Payment. The parties agree to release the Earn-out Payment from the Escrow Account and pay this amount to Seller pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Escrow Agreement.

 

  (c) If the Calculation Period EBITDA is initially less than $5,000,000 AUD (“Initial Period EBITDA”), the parties agree that an amount equal to (A) $5,000,000 AUD, less (B) the Initial Period EBIDTA (“Top Up EBITDA”) will count towards the Calculation Period EBITDA for the purposes of the Earn-out Payment calculation in Section 3(b); provided, however, in no event will the Top Up EBITDA exceed $2,357,912 AUD.

 

  (d) Procedures Applicable to Determination of the Earn-out Payment.

 

(i)On or before July 15, 2016 Buyer will prepare and deliver to Seller a written statement (an “Earn-out Calculation Statement”) setting forth in reasonable detail its determination of the Calculation Period EBITDA as of June 30, 2016 and its calculation of any resulting Earn-out Payment (an “Earn-out Calculation”).

 

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(ii)Seller will have twenty (20) days after receipt of the Earn-out Calculation Statement (the “Review Period”) to review the Earn-out Calculation Statement. During the Review Period, Seller will have the right to inspect the Company’s books and records for the purposes reasonably related to the determinations of Adjusted EBITDA and the resulting Earn-out Payment. Prior to the expiration of the Review Period, Seller may object to the Earn-out Calculation set forth in the Earn-out Calculation Statement by delivering a written notice of objection (an “Earn-out Calculation Objection Notice”) to Buyer. Any Earn-out Calculation Objection Notice must specify the items in the applicable Earn-Out Calculation disputed by Seller and must describe in reasonable detail the basis for such objection, as well as the amount in dispute. If Seller fails to deliver an Earn-out Calculation Objection Notice to Buyer prior to the expiration of the Review Period, then the Earn-out Calculation set forth in the Earn-out Calculation Statement will be final and binding on the Parties and:

 

  1. the Earn-Out Payment will be payable to the Seller within ten (10) days (or such other period agreed by the parties) of the expiration of the Review Period; and

 

  2. the Buyer and the Seller agree and undertake to immediately provide executed written instruct ions (in accordance with the requirements of the Escrow Agreement) to the Escrow Agent to disburse an amount equal to the Earn-out Payment (in Australian dollars) to the Seller.

 

(iii)If Seller timely delivers an Earn-out Calculation Objection Notice, Buyer and Seller will negotiate in good faith to resolve the disputed items and agree upon the resulting amount of Adjusted EBITDA and the resulting Earn-out Payment. If Buyer and Seller are unable to reach an agreement within seven (7) days after such Earn-out Calculation Objection Notice has been given, all unresolved disputed items must be promptly referred to an impartial internationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants, other than Seller’s and Buyer’s accountants (the “Independent Accountant”). The Independent Accountant must be directed to render a written report on the unresolved disputed items as promptly as practicable, but in no event greater than seven (7) days after such submission to the Independent Accountant, and to resolve only those unresolved disputed items set forth in the Earn-out Calculation Objection Notice. If unresolved disputed items are submitted to the Independent Accountant, Buyer and Seller must each furnish to the Independent Accountant such work papers, schedules and other documents and information relating to the unresolved disputed items as the Independent Accountant may reasonably request. The Independent Accountant must resolve the disputed items based solely on the applicable definitions and other terms in this Agreement and the presentations by Buyer and Seller, and not by independent review. The resolution of the dispute and the calculation of Adjusted EBITDA that is the subject of the applicable Earn-out Calculation Objection Notice by the Independent Accountant will be final and binding on the Parties and:

 

  1. the Earn-Out Payment will be payable to the Seller within 10 days (or such other period agreed by the parties) of the resolution of the dispute and calculation of the Adjusted EBITDA by the Independent Accountant; and

 

  2. the Buyer and the Seller agree and undertake to immediately provide executed written instruct ions (in accordance with the requirements of the Escrow Agreement) to the Escrow Agent to disburse an amount equal to the Earn-out Payment (in Australian dollars) to the Seller.

 

(iv)The fees and expenses of the Independent Accountant will be borne equally by Seller and Buyer.

 

  (e) Post-closing Operation of the Company. The Buyer acknowledges that given the method in which the Earn-out Payment is calculated, it is critical that the Buyer preserves the essence and character of the Business during the Calculation Period.

 

  (f) Subject to the terms of this Agreement, subsequent to the Closing, Buyer will have sole discretion with regard to all matters relating to the operation of the Company; provided, that, during the Calculation Period (i) Buyer shall not change the name of the Company’s product “Flat Tummy Tea”; (ii) Buyer shall operate the Business in the ordinary course of business in the same or similar manner and style using methods, practices, approaches and policies as have been used (or similar to those that have been used) by the Seller and the Principal Owners in the period prior to Closing; (iii) Buyer shall notify Seller as soon as reasonably practicable of any Material Adverse Effect on the Company or the Business; (iv) Buyer shall not make any capital expenditure payments that are unnecessary or larger than necessary in the context of the needs of the Business; (v) the Buyer shall use all reasonable endeavours to manage and conduct the Business as a going concern with all due care and in accordance with normal and prudent practice (having regard to the nature of the Business and good commercial practice and so as to comply with all applicable Laws), in order to preserve the value of the Company; and (vi) Buyer shall protect and maintain the Business and the assets of the Company, in order to properly preserve and grow their value. Buyer shall not, directly or indirectly, take any actions in bad faith that would have the purpose of avoiding or reducing any of the Earn-out Payments hereunder.

 

  (g) Right to Set-off. Buyer will have the right to withhold and set off against any amount otherwise due to be paid pursuant to this Section 3 the amount of Buyer’s Losses to which any of the Buyer Indemnitees are finally determined to be entitled to under Section 12.

 

  (h) Security. The Parties understand and agree that (i) the contingent rights to receive any Earn-out Payment shall not be represented by any form of certificate or other instrument, are not transferable, except by operation of Laws relating to descent and distribution, divorce and community property, and do not constitute an equity or ownership interest in Buyer or the Company, (ii) Seller shall not have any rights as a security holder of Buyer or the Company as a result of Seller’s contingent right to receive any Earn-out Payment hereunder, and (iii) no interest is payable with respect to any Earn-out Payment. However, the Buyer agrees that the amount deposited into the Escrow Account pursuant to clause 3(i) must not be secured by or form part of any secured property in any security document or arrangement granted by either the Buyer or the Company. The Buyer also agrees that any security granted by the Company or the Buyer, and the enforcement of any such security, shall be subject to the Buyer’s obligations to pay the Earn-out Payment and to deposit the amounts in accordance with clause 3(i).

 

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  (i) Earn-Out Account. During the Calculation Period the Buyer shall, in each month that the Company’s Adjusted EBITDA exceeds four hundred thousand Australian dollars ($400,000 AUD), deposit seventy percent (70%) of such month’s Adjusted EBITDA into an Australian dollar denominated escrow account (the “Escrow Account”) established pursuant to the terms and conditions of a customary escrow agreement (the “Escrow Agreement”) with Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP (the “Escrow Agent”) and where the Escrow Agent, Seller and Buyer are parties thereto. Each monthly deposit shall be made within thirty (30) days after the end of such month. The parties agree that the Escrow Agreement shall be provided and executed at Closing. The Escrow Agreement shall reflect in all material respects the terms and conditions of release of the Escrow Amount to Seller or Buyer, as applicable, set forth in this Section 3. The Escrow Amount shall be held in the Escrow Account until the final determination of the Earn-Out Payment in accordance with this Section 3. To the extent that there is a shortfall between the Earn-out Payment and the amount in the Escrow Account, for any reason, including as a result of foreign currency exchange, the Buyer must pay the difference to the Seller at the same time as the Earn-out Payment is released by the Escrow Agent.

 

4. Representations and Warranties of Seller and the Company.

 

As a material inducement to Buyer to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, Seller, the Principal Owners, and the Company jointly and severally represent and warrants as of the date hereof, except as set forth on the Disclosure Schedules (or as disclosed in any other section, subsection or clause of the Disclosure Schedule to the extent that the applicability to such other section, subsection or clause is reasonably apparent on its face) to Buyer as set forth below.

 

  (a) Corporate Organization. The Company is a proprietary limited company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of formation. The organizational documents which have been furnished to Buyer reflect all amendments made thereto at any time prior to the date of this Agreement and are correct and complete. The minute books and other books and records of the Company, to the extent such minutes exist, have been furnished to Buyer.

 

  (b) Qualification to Do Business. The Company has full corporate power and authority to carry on its business as now being conducted and is entitled to own, lease, or operate the properties and assets now owned, leased, or operated by it. The Company is qualified to do business, is in good standing, and to the Seller’s Knowledge has all required and appropriate licenses in each jurisdiction except jurisdictions in which failure to obtain or maintain such qualification, good standing, or licensing (i) would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably could be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) would result in a material breach of any of the other representations, warranties, or covenants set forth in this Agreement. The Company is duly qualified to conduct the Business as presently conducted by the Company as an Australian corporation. No consent, waiver, approval, order, or authorization of, or registration, declaration, or filing with, any court, administrative agency, or commission or other governmental authority or instrumentality (“Governmental Entity”), or any third party, is required to be made or obtained by Seller or the Company in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement by Seller or the consummation by Seller of the transactions contemplated hereby, except for such consents, authorizations, filings, approvals and registrations that, if not obtained or made, would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or such consents, authorizations, filings, approvals and registrations that must occur following Closing.

 

  (c) Authorization and Validity of Agreement. Seller and the Principal Owners have all requisite power and authority to enter into the Transaction Documents and to carry out their obligations thereunder. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and the performance of Seller’s and the Principal Owners’ obligations thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate, shareholder or member action of Seller and the Principal Owners, and no other proceedings on the part or in respect of Seller or the Principal Owners is necessary to authorize such execution, delivery and performance. The Transaction Documents have been duly executed by Seller and the Principal Owners and constitute its valid and binding obligations, enforceable against Seller and the Principal Owners in accordance with their respective terms, except as may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium or similar laws of general application relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and except for the limitations imposed by general principles of equity.

 

  (d) No Conflict or Violation. Subject to obtaining any consents and approvals set forth in Schedule 4(d), the execution, delivery and performance by Seller of the Principal Owners of the Transaction Documents does not and will not to the Seller’s Knowledge (i)(A) conflict with or result in a breach of the terms, conditions, or provisions of, (B) constitute a default under (whether with or without the passage of time, the giving of notice or both), (C) give any third party the right to modify, terminate or accelerate any obligation under, (D) result in a violation of, or (E) require any consent, exemption or other action by or notice or declaration to, or filing with, any third party of any Government entity pursuant to (1) any organizational documents of the Company; (2) any provision of law, rule or regulation, or any order, judgment or decree of any court or other governmental or regulatory authority; or (3) any Contract, lease, sublease, occupancy agreement, loan agreement, mortgage, security agreement, trust indenture or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or to which any of the Seller’s or Principal Owners’ properties or assets is subject; (ii) result in the creation of any Lien or Tax upon the equity or assets of Seller or the Principal Owners; or (iii) otherwise interfere in any material manner with the Business.

 

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  (e) Capitalization. The Company Shares are paid up. All of the Company Shares are duly authorized, validly issued and fully paid. There are no outstanding or authorized options, warrants, purchase rights, subscription rights, conversion rights, exchange rights, or other Contracts or commitments that could require the Company to issue, sell, or otherwise cause to become outstanding any of its shares. There is no outstanding or authorized share appreciation, phantom shares, profit participation, or similar rights with respect to the Company. There are no voting trusts, proxies, or other agreements or understandings with respect to the voting of the shares of the Company.

 

  (f) Assets. The Company has good and marketable title to, or a valid leasehold interest in, all of its assets and properties, free and clear of all Encumbrances, except for liens for Taxes not yet due and payable, and mechanics’ liens, materialmen’s liens, and other liens arising by operation of law, which liens do not in any case materially and adversely affect the Company’s title to its assets, the Company’s use of its assets or the value of such assets. The Company’s assets which are tangible personal property are in reasonably good and serviceable condition, normal wear and tear excepted, have been maintained in accordance with normal industry practice, and are suitable for the purposes for which they are presently used. The Company owns or leases all equipment or other tangible assets that are necessary for the conduct of the Business as presently conducted. No assets are used in the Business that are not owned or leased by the Company and not included in the Assets. The Company operates no business other than the Business and related activities.

 

  (g) Subsidiaries. The Company does not own, directly or indirectly, any shares or other interests in any other entity.

 

  (h) Financial Statements. Attached hereto as Schedule 4(h) are: the Company’s most recent balance sheet, and income statement as of October 31, 2015 (the “Financial Statements”). The Financial Statements have been prepared using consistent accounting principles, presentations, methods, standards, policies, practices, classifications, estimation and adjustment methodologies, assumptions, and procedures. The Company’s books of account and records are complete and correct and accurately reflect all of the assets, liabilities, transactions, and results of operations of the business of the Company. The Financial Statements fairly present in all material respects the results of operations of the Business as of the dates thereof. Seller has delivered to Buyer or its representatives copies of the Financial Statements.

 

  (i) Absence of Certain Changes or Events. Since October 31, 2015, the Company has conducted the Business only in the ordinary course consistent with past practices. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, since October 31, 2015:

 

(i)there has been no increase in the compensation or benefits paid or payable by the Company, other than in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices, to any of its officers, directors, employees, agents, consultants or shareholders, including any grant of severance or termination pay to any director, officer or employee of the Company, or any deferred compensation or similar agreement (or any amendment to any such existing agreement) with any director, officer or employee of the Company;

 

(ii)there has been no declaration, setting aside, or payment of dividends or distributions in respect of the Company Shares, any split up or other recapitalization in respect of the Company Shares or any direct or indirect redemption, purchase by the Company, or other acquisition by the Company of any such shares, except dividends declared and paid, or distributions made, prior to the Closing Date to Seller in the ordinary course of business consistent with the past practices of the Company;

 

(iii)the Company has not waived or compromised any right of material value or any payment, direct or indirect, of any material debt, liability, or other obligation;

 

(iv)there has been no Material Adverse Effect on the Company;

 

(v)there has been no issuance, transfer, sale, or pledge by the Company of any Company Shares or other securities or any commitment, option, right, or privilege under which the Company is or may become obligated to issue any shares or other securities; there has been no indebtedness for borrowed money incurred by the Company except such as may have been incurred or entered into in the ordinary course of business; no loan has been made or agreed to be made by the Company, nor has the Company become liable or agreed to become liable as a guarantor with respect to any loan or other indebtedness of the Company or Seller, or any third party;

 

(vi)there has been no sale, assignment, or transfer of, or royalty arrangement with respect to the Company’s trade names, trademarks, service marks, domain names, web addresses, copyrights (or any interest therein), patent, or logos of material value, or any patent, trademark, service mark, domain name or web address or copyright applications (or any interest therein) used (or that were, or are intended to be used) in the operations of the Business;

 

(vii)there has been no sale, lease or disposition of, any material property or asset, tangible or intangible, of the Company;

 

(viii)there has been no actual or, to any Seller’s Knowledge, threatened termination or loss of any (A) material contract, lease, license, permit or other agreement to which the Company was or is a party other than terminations of contracts upon completion of work; (ii) certificate, license, or other authorization required for the continued operation by the Company of any material portion of the Business; or (B) customer or other revenue source, which termination or loss could reasonably be expected to result in loss or revenues to the Company in excess of Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) per year, and there is no event known to Seller (including, without limitation, the transactions contemplated hereby) that could reasonably be expected to result in any such termination or loss;
   
(ix)there has been no resignation or termination of employment of any key officer or employee of the Company or, to any Seller’s Knowledge, any impending resignation or termination of employment of any such officer or employee other than the Principal Owners which will resign following the Calculation Period;
   
(x)there has been no agreement or commitment by the Company or Seller to do any of the things described in this Section 4(i).

 

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  (j) Tax Matters

 

(i)the Company has timely filed all material Tax Returns that it was required to file. All such Tax Returns as so filed disclose all Taxes required to be paid for the periods covered thereby. All material Taxes due and owing by the Company (whether or not shown on any Tax Return) have been paid or provided for in the Company’s balance sheet. The Company is not currently the beneficiary of any extension of time within which to file any Tax Return. There are no Liens for Taxes (other than Taxes not yet due and payable) upon any of the assets of the Company. The Company has withheld and paid, or made provision in its balance sheet for, all Taxes required to have been withheld and paid in connection with amounts paid or owing to any employee, independent contractor, creditor, shareholder, or other third party, and all Tax Returns and forms required with respect thereto have been properly completed and timely filed. Upon and after the acquisition of the Company Shares by Buyer, Buyer will have no, and will not be subject to any, liability, as a successor or otherwise, for or with respect to any Taxes of or pertaining to (i) the Company or (ii) the Business for any period or transactions arising before the Closing other than as provided for on its balance sheet. For the avoidance of doubt, the Seller and Principal Owners do not represent or warrant that there will not be any taxes payable or liabilities arising on or after Closing in relation to the Share Purchase.

 

(ii)There is no material dispute or claim concerning any Tax liability of the Company either (A) claimed or raised by any authority in writing or (B) to the Knowledge of the Company.

 

  (k) Absence of Undisclosed Liabilities; Indebtedness. Except as set forth in the Company’s balance sheet, the Company has no indebtedness or liability, absolute or contingent, involving, affecting or relating to the Business, the Products, or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

 

  (l) Intellectual Property.

 

(i)IP Assets” shall mean all of the following materials owned or licensed by the Company with respect to the Business: (A) the proprietary formulas for the Products; (B) the domain names listed on Schedule 4(l) (collectively, the “Domain Names”); (C) all the content on and accessible through the websites associated with the Domain Names, including demos (collectively, the “Website Content”); and (D) the entire Business marketing database consisting of all available customer information and all marketing, advertising and promotional materials, including logos, colors, videos, booklet designs, catalogs, solicitations, email templates, advertisements and all other Business marketing materials (whether in draft or final form) (collectively, the “Marketing Materials”).

 

(ii)Schedule 4(l) lists all patented, registered, applied-for, and other Intellectual Property used in the Business, and all Intellectual Property of the Company licensed to any third Person (collectively, the “Business Intellectual Property”), including the registration and application information, date of application or issuance and relevant jurisdiction as to each, and whether or not the Business Intellectual Property is owned or licensed. Business Intellectual Property that is licensed by the Company from a third party is “Licensed Intellectual Property”.

 

(iii)The Company owns, or will own at Closing, all right, title and interest in and to or has a valid and enforceable license or right to use, all IP Assets, Business Intellectual Property, and the Licensed Intellectual Property, free and clear of all Liens, and all patented or registered Business Intellectual Property is valid and enforceable. The Company has taken commercially reasonable steps to maintain the confidentiality of all information that constitutes a trade secret of the Business. The Company has the valid right to transfer the Intellectual Property included in the Business to Buyer as contemplated hereunder.

 

(iv)Except as set forth on Schedule 4(l), (A) to the Knowledge of the Seller, the conduct of the Business, including the delivery and distribution of the Products, has not infringed and does not infringe on any Intellectual Property or any other proprietary rights of any Person, including but not limited to the rights of privacy or publicity; (B) to the Knowledge of the Seller, no Person is infringing, violating or misappropriating any Business Intellectual Property; (C) to the Knowledge of the Seller the Company, has not taken any action, or failed to take any action, during prosecution of any application that could reasonably be expected to result in the invalidation or unenforceability of any registered Business Intellectual Property; (D) the Company is not currently a party to any pending suit, claiming any alleged infringement or misappropriation of any Business Intellectual Property; (E) the Company has not received within the prior three (3) years any written notice, and is not currently a party to any pending suit, claiming any alleged infringement or misappropriation of the Intellectual Property rights of other Persons with respect to its or their use of Intellectual Property or the Products; (F) the Company has not entered into any Contract that includes a forbearance to sue or settlement Contract with respect to any Intellectual Property and (G) the Company has not received any written notice of any claim within the prior three (3) years, and is not currently a party to any pending suit, which challenges the validity or enforceability of, the Company’s ownership of or right to use, any Intellectual Property (excluding, for clarity, office actions) or the Products. With respect to the material Intellectual Property of the Company (e.g., product formulas, etc.), Seller has secured valid written confidentiality Contracts and assignments of Intellectual Property from all consultants, contractors, Employees, and customers who contribute or have contributed to the creation, conception, reduction to practice or other development of such Intellectual Property developed on behalf of Seller.

 

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(v)To the Knowledge of the Seller, no Product provided or distributed by Seller in its conduct of the Business: (A) violates any Law in any material respect; (B) includes any information or material that is defamatory in any material respect; or (C) infringes any right of publicity, privacy, or other right of any Person in any material respect.

 

  (m) Compliance with Law. To the Knowledge of the Seller, the manufacture and sale of the Products and the operation of the Business has been conducted in material compliance with all applicable Laws and other requirements of all courts and other governmental or regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over the Company and its assets, properties and operations. The Company has not received notice of any violation (or possible violation) of any such Law or other legal requirement, and the Company is not in default with respect to any order, writ, judgment, award, injunction or decree of any federal, state or local court or Governmental or regulatory authority, applicable to the Company, the Business, or the Company Shares. To the Seller’s Knowledge, the Company holds all Permits required for the conduct of the Business and the ownership of its properties. No written notices have been received by the Company alleging the failure to hold any Permit. To the Seller’s Knowledge, the Company is in compliance with all terms and conditions of all such Permits. All of such Permits shall be available for use by Buyer immediately after the Closing. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company has not received any warning letter or untitled letter, report of inspectional observations, establishment inspection reports, notices of violation, clinical holds, enforcement notices or other documents from the any governmental entity or any institutional review board or independent ethics committee alleging a lack of material compliance by Company with any Laws. No “bulk sales” or similar Law applies to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

  (n) Litigation. There are no claims, Actions, suits, proceedings, complaints or investigations pending or, to the Knowledge of the Seller, threatened before any court or governmental or regulatory authority, domestic or foreign, or before any arbitrator of any nature, brought by or against the Company or any of its officers, directors, employees, agents or Affiliates, or the Principal Owners, involving, affecting or relating to the Company, the Business, the Company Shares, or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

 

  (o) Brokerage. Except for payment to be made to Go Capital set forth on Schedule 4(o), the Company has not incurred, and shall not incur, any brokerage, finder’s or similar fee in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

  (p) Insurance. The Company is currently insured by insurers unaffiliated with the Company with respect to its properties, assets and operation of the Business in such amounts and against such risks which are appropriate and customary for the type of business conducted by the Company with customary deductibles and retained amounts. With respect to each insurance policy held by the Company (the “Insurance Policies”) (i) such Insurance Policy is legal, valid, binding and in full force and effect; (ii) the Company is not in default under such Insurance Policy; and (iii) the Company has delivered a true and correct copy of such Insurance Policy to Buyer. There are no claims by the Company pending under any such Insurance Policies and the Company has not been informed that coverage has been questioned, denied or disputed by the underwriters of such Insurance Policies with respect to any such claims.

 

  (q) Employment MattersSchedule 4(q) separately sets forth all of the Employees as of the date hereof, including for each such Employee: name, job title, designation, work location (identified by street address), current compensation paid or payable, all wage arrangements, fringe. No Employee is a party to, or is otherwise bound by, any Contract or arrangement, including any confidentiality or non-competition Contract, that in any way adversely affects or restricts the performance of such Employee’s duties. Each current Employee has executed, or will have executed as of Closing, a nondisclosure and assignment-of-rights Contract for the benefit of the Company vesting all rights in work product created by the Employee, during the Employee’s employment or affiliation with the Company, in the Company. To the Knowledge of the Seller and except as set forth on Schedule 4(q), no Employee other than the Principal Owners intends to terminate his or her employment with the Company. The Company has, or will have no later than the Closing Date, included provision for all accrued salaries, bonuses, commissions, wages, severance and accrued vacation pay of the Employees due to be paid through the Closing Date in the Company’s accounts / financial statements. The Company is in compliance, in all material respects, with all Laws governing the employment of labor.

 

  (r) Contractor MattersThe Seller has or will, prior to the Closing Date, disclose a list of the name (if an entity, including the name of the individuals employed by or providing service on behalf of such entity) and contact information of each material independent contractor, consultant, freelancer or other service provider (collectively, “Contractors”) used by the Company at any point during the prior one (1) year. A copy of each Contract relating to the services any Contractor provides to the Business has been provided to the Company. To the Knowledge of the Seller, no Contractor used by the Company is a party to, or is otherwise bound by, any Contract or arrangement with any third party, including any confidentiality or non-competition Contract, that in any way adversely affects or restricts the performance of such Contractor’s duties for the Company. To the Knowledge of the Seller, no current Contractor used by the Company intends to terminate his or her or its relationship with the Company. The Company has no obligation or Liability with respect to any Taxes (or the withholding thereof) in connection with any Contractor. The Company has properly classified, pursuant to any applicable Law, all Contractors used by the Company at any point.

 

  (s) Employee Benefits. The Company does not maintain or contribute to any Employee Benefit Plans other than in respect to the bonus and incentives available to its Employees. .

 

  (t) Environmental and Safety Matters. The Company has complied and is in compliance with all Environmental Laws, including but not limited to all Permits required by Environmental Laws for the conduct of the business operations of the Company and the disposition of all hazardous materials in accordance with all applicable Environmental Laws in all material respects. The Company has not received any outstanding and unresolved written or oral notices, reports or other information regarding any actual or alleged violation of Environmental Laws by the Company, or any Liabilities or potential Liabilities, including any remedial obligations, relating to any of them or their facilities arising under Environmental Laws.

 

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  (u) Real PropertySchedule 4(u) sets forth the address of each leased real property of the Company (the “Leased Real Property”), and a true and complete list of all leases (including all amendments, extensions, renewals, Guarantees and other Contracts with respect thereto) for each such Leased Real Property (including the date and name of the parties to such lease or license document) (the “Leases”). Seller has delivered to Buyer a true and complete copy of each Lease, and in the case of any oral Lease, a written summary of the material terms of such Lease. With respect to each of the Leases: (i) such Lease is legal, valid, binding, enforceable and in full force and effect; (ii) the transactions set forth in this Agreement do not require the consent of any other Person to such Lease, or such consent has been obtained, shall not result in a breach of or default under such Lease, or otherwise cause such Lease to cease to be legal, valid, binding, enforceable and in full force and effect on identical terms following the Closing; (iii) the Company’s possession and quiet enjoyment of the Leased Real Property under such Lease has not been disturbed, and there are no disputes with respect to such Lease; (iv) the Company, and any other party to the Lease, is not in breach or default under such Lease, and no event has occurred or circumstance exists which, with the delivery of notice, the passage of time or both, would constitute such a breach or default, or permit the termination, modification or acceleration of rent under such Lease; (v) no security deposit or portion thereof deposited with respect to such Lease has been applied in respect of a breach or default under such Lease which has not been redeposited in full; (vi) the Company does not owe, or shall not owe in the future, any brokerage commissions or finder’s fees with respect to such Lease; (vii) the other party to such Lease is not an Affiliate of, and otherwise does not have any economic interest in, the Company; (viii) the Company has not subleased, licensed or otherwise granted any Person the right to use or occupy such Leased Real Property or any portion thereof; (ix) the Company has not collaterally assigned or granted any other security interest in such Lease or any interest therein; (x) there are no Liens on the estate or interest created by such Lease; and (xi) all buildings, structures, improvements, fixtures, building systems and equipment, and all components thereof, included in the applicable Leased Real Property are in good condition and repair (fair wear and tear excepted). The Company does not own any real property, nor has it ever owned any real property.

 

  (v) Affiliate Transactions. No shareholder, officer, director, member or Affiliate of the Company or any individual related by blood, marriage or adoption to any such individual or any entity in which any such Person or individual owns any beneficial interest, is a party to any Contract or transaction with the Company or has any interest in any real, tangible or intangible asset or property used by the Company.

 

  (w) Product and Service Warranties; Adverse Events. The Company has made no express warranty or Guarantee to any customer or Client as to services or goods provided by the Company other than those required to be provided by Law. There is no pending or, to the Knowledge of the Seller, threatened claim alleging any breach of any warranty or Guarantee. There have not been any Material Adverse Events with respect to the Products or the Business.

 

  (x) Guaranties. The Company is not a guarantor or otherwise liable for any liability, indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person.

 

  (y) Status. Seller represents and warrants that (i) it has had an opportunity to discuss the business, management and financial affairs of Buyer, has had access to, the management of Buyer, and has had the opportunity to review the information set forth in Buyer’s public filings and any other information requested by Seller, (ii) Buyer will be relying upon Seller’s representations and warranties set forth herein in offering the Company Shares to it, and (iii) it has retained and consulted with a “Purchaser Representative,” as such term is defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act). Seller further represents and warrants that: (i)(A) it recognizes that ownership of the Equity Consideration involves substantial risks, including a risk of total loss of the value of the Equity Consideration, and has taken full cognizance of and understands all of the risk factors related to the ownership of the Equity Consideration; (B) it has sufficient knowledge and experience in business and investments, including financial, business and tax matters, to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of ownership in the Buyer and making an informed decision about ownership in the Buyer, and (C) it has an adequate net worth and means of providing for its current needs and possible contingencies to sustain a complete loss in the Equity Consideration; or (ii) it is an “accredited investor” as such term is defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D.

 

  (z) Acquisition for Own Account. This Agreement is made with Seller and Principal Owners in reliance upon such parties’ representations to Buyer, which by its execution hereof Seller and the Principal Owners hereby confirm that the Equity Consideration to be received by it will be acquired for investment for Seller’s own account, not as a nominee or agent, and not with a view to the sale or distribution of any part thereof other than as permitted under the 1933 Act and that it has no present intention of selling, granting participation in, or otherwise distributing the same other than what is permitted under the 1933 Act. By executing this Agreement, Seller further represents that it does not have any contract, undertaking, agreement, or arrangement with any person to sell, transfer or grant participations to such person, or to any third person, with respect to the Equity Consideration.

 

  (aa) No Intention to Distribute. Seller and the Principal Owners understand that the Equity Consideration shares have not been registered under the 1933 Act on the grounds that the sale provided for in this Agreement and the issuance of securities hereunder is exempt from registration under the 1933 Act, and that Buyer’s reliance on such exemption is predicated in part on the representations set forth herein. Seller and the Principal Owners realize that the basis for the exemption may not be present if, notwithstanding such representations, Seller or the Principal Owners have in mind merely acquiring the Equity Consideration shares for a fixed or determined period in the future, or for a market rise, or for sale if the market does not rise. Seller and the Principal Owners do not have any such intention.

 

  (bb) No Registration. Seller and the Principal Owners understand that the Equity Consideration may not be sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of without registration under the 1933 Act or an exemption therefrom, and that in the absence of an effective registration statement covering the shares or an available exemption from registration under the 1933 Act, the Equity Consideration must be held indefinitely. In particular, Seller and the Principal Owners are aware that the shares may not be sold pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the 1933 Act unless all of the conditions of that Rule are met. Among the conditions for use of Rule 144 may be the availability of current information to the public about Buyer. The Seller and Principal Owners represent that, in the absence of an effective registration statement covering the Equity Consideration shares, it will sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of such shares only in a manner consistent with its representations set forth herein and then only in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

 

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  (cc) Restrictions on Transfer. Seller agrees that in no event will it make a transfer or disposition of any of the Equity Consideration (other than pursuant to an effective registration statement under the 1933 Act or a Rule 144 sale in compliance with the terms of such Rule or pursuant to an exemption from the 1933 Act. Buyer shall cooperate with Seller and Seller’s transfer agent in the removal of any legend on the shares constituting the Equity Consideration to permit the trade or liquidation thereof in the marketplace as permitted under Rule 144 of the 1933, if requested by Seller.

 

  (dd) Inventory. All inventory of the Company, whether or not reflected in the Balance Sheet, consists of a quality and quantity usable and salable in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, except for obsolete, damaged, defective or slow-moving items that have been written off or written down to fair market value or for which adequate reserves have been established. All such inventory is owned by the Company free and clear of all encumbrances, and no inventory is held on a consignment basis. The quantities of each item of inventory are not excessive, but are reasonable in the present circumstances of the Company.

 

  (ee) Customers. The due diligence materials provided by the Company to Buyer includes information regarding each customer who has paid consideration to the Company for goods or services rendered for each of the last two (2) most recent fiscal years, and the amount of consideration paid.

 

  (ff) Contracts; Agreements.

 

(i)Except as disclosed in Schedule 4(ff), the Company is not a party to or bound by any oral or written Contract or obligation that individually has a value in excess of $15,000, has a term of greater than two (2) years or is otherwise material to the Company or its businesses, operations, financial condition, properties or assets.

 

(ii)Each agreement, contract, plan, lease, arrangement or commitment required to be disclosed pursuant to this Section 4(ff) (each, a “Material Contract”) is a valid and binding agreement the Company and is in full force and effect with respect to the Company and, to the Knowledge of the Seller, each other party thereto, and neither the Company, nor to the Knowledge of the Seller, any other party thereto, is in default or breach in any material respect under the terms of any such Material Contract, and, to the Knowledge of the Seller, no event or circumstance has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would reasonably be expected to constitute any event of default thereunder. True and complete copies of each such Material Contract have been made available to Buyer. The Company has fulfilled all material obligations required pursuant to each Material Contract to have been performed by the Company prior to the date hereof, and, to the Knowledge of the Seller, without giving effect to the Share Purchase and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Company will be able to fulfill, when due, all of its obligations under the Material Contracts that remain to be performed after the date hereof.

 

(iii)No Person is renegotiating or seeking to renegotiate, or, to the Knowledge of the Seller, has a right (absent any default or breach of a Material Contract) pursuant to the terms of any Material Contract to renegotiate, any material amount paid or payable to the Company under any Material Contract or any other material term or provision of any Material Contract. The Company has not received any written indication or, to the Knowledge of the Company, verbal indication of an intention to terminate or renegotiate the terms of any of the Material Contracts by any of the parties to any of the Material Contracts.

 

  (gg) Seller is a “non-U.S. Person” (as defined in Regulation S promulgated under the 1933 Act) and (i) the transaction contemplated by this Agreement constitutes an “offshore transaction” (as such term is defined in Regulation S) and (ii) the Equity Consideration will be for investment for the Seller’s own account, not as a nominee or agent, and not with a view to the resale or distribution of any part thereof in the U.S. or to a U.S. resident, and that Seller has no present intention of selling, granting any participation in, or otherwise distributing the same. By executing this Agreement, Seller further represents that it (A) does not have any contract, undertaking, agreement, or arrangement with any person to sell, transfer, or grant participations to such person, or to any third person in the U.S. or to a U.S. resident, with respect to any of the Equity Consideration; (B) agrees to resell the Equity Consideration only in accordance with the provisions of Regulation S of the 1933 Act, pursuant to registration under the 1933 Act, or pursuant to an available exemption from registration under the 1933 Act; and (iii) agrees not to engage in hedging transactions with respect to such Equity Consideration unless otherwise in compliance with the 1933 Act. Seller acknowledges that, to its knowledge, neither the Buyer, nor any of its affiliates, nor any person acting on its or their behalf has engaged in any directed selling efforts in violation of the requirements of Regulation S.

 

5. Limitations to representations and warranties of the Seller and the Company and Actions

 

  (a) The Buyer acknowledges and agrees that the Seller, the Principal Owners and the Company have disclosed or are deemed to have disclosed against the representations and warranties of Seller and the Company, and the Buyer is aware of, and will be treated as having actual knowledge of, all facts, matters and circumstances that:

 

(i)are within the actual knowledge of the Buyer or its advisers in relation to the Share Purchase; and

 

(ii)are fairly disclosed in the Disclosure Schedules and the due diligence material in relation to the Business and the Company that have been provided to the Buyer.

 

  (b) The warranties and representations of the Seller and Principal Owners are given subject to the disclosures or deemed disclosures described in Section 5(a). The Seller and the Principal Owners will have no liability under the representation and warranty of Seller and the Principal Owners to the extent that disclosure is made or is deemed to have been made against the representations and warranties given under Section 4.

 

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  (c) It shall not be a breach of a representation and warranty of Seller and the Company, if the facts, matters or circumstances giving rise to such Action are fairly disclosed or are deemed to have been fairly disclosed under Section 5(a).

 

  (d) Neither the Seller nor the Principal Owners are liable under an Action for any Liability to the extent that the Buyer recovers, or is compensated for by any other means, from another source whether by way of contract, indemnity or otherwise (including under a policy of insurance or from a government agency).

 

  (e) This Section 5 does not prevent the Buyer being entitled to commence an Action under this Agreement or a Transaction Documents. However, if for any reason more than one amount is paid in respect of the same Liability, the Buyer must procure that the amount in excess of the amount of the Liability (less the costs and expenses of making the claim or commencing the Action) is immediately repaid to the Seller to give full effect to this Section 5.

 

  (f) The Buyer must:

 

(i)take all reasonable actions (subject to being indemnified by Seller against all reasonable costs and expenses incurred) to mitigate any Liability that may give rise to an Action, including, if the Buyer is entitled to recover, or be compensated for by any other means, any Liability from another source the Buyer must use all reasonable endeavours to recover or be compensated for or procure that such Liability is recovered or compensated for as soon as practicable from that source. The Buyer must notify its insurers of this Section 5(f).

 

(ii)not omit to take any reasonable action that would mitigate any Liability that may give rise to an Action.

 

  (g) Neither the Seller nor the Principal Owners are liable under any Action, other than Action in respect of Tax, for any Liability to the extent that Liability:

 

(i)(provisions in accounts) has been included as a provision, allowance, reserve or accrual in the Company’s accounts or financial statements that have been provided to the Buyer or that arises in respect of a matter that has been noted in the Company’s accounts or financial statements that have been provided to the Buyer;

 

(ii)(contingent losses): is contingent, unless and until the Liability becomes an actual Liability and is due and payable;

 

(iii)(change of law or interpretation): arises from:

 

(iv)the enactment or amendment of any legislation or regulations;

 

      (1) a change in the judicial or administrative interpretation of the law; or
         
      (2) a change in the practice or policy of any governmental agency,

 

after the date of Closing, including legislation, regulations, amendments, interpretation, practice or policy that has a retrospective effect;

 

    (v) (consequential loss): is special, indirect or consequential loss or damage including loss of profit or loss of reputation;

 

    (vi) (post Closing conduct):arises from anything done or not done after Closing by or on behalf of the Buyer or its Affiliates that is outside the ordinary course of the Business and the Buyer was aware or ought reasonably be aware would give rise to an Action against the Seller or the Principal Owners;

 

    (vii) (promoted claims): arises from an Action initiated by a third party that is attributable to anything done or not done after Closing by or on behalf of the Buyer or its Affiliates that was calculated or intended to cause the Action initiated by the third party to be made;

 

    (viii) (change in accounting policy): would not have arisen but for a change after Closing in any accounting policy or practice of the Buyer that applied before Closing;

 

    (ix) (change of Business): arises out of the cessation or alteration of the Business after Closing;

 

    (x) (legal costs): is not a reasonable legal cost; and

 

    (xi) (remediable loss): is remediable, provided it is remedied to the satisfaction of the Buyer, acting reasonably, within 45 days after the Seller or Principal Owners receives written notice of an Action or a Direct Claim in accordance with this Agreement.

 

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6. Representations And Warranties Of The Buyer.

 

Buyer hereby represents and warrants to Seller as follows:

 

  (a) Corporate Organization. Buyer is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Nevada, and has all requisite power and authority and all necessary governmental authority to own, operate or lease the properties that it purports to own, operate or lease and to carry on its businesses as now conducted. Buyer is duly qualified to do business as a foreign company, and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the character of its properties owned, operated or leased or the nature of its activities makes such qualification necessary.

 

  (b) Authorization and Validity of Agreement. Buyer has all requisite power and authority to enter into the Transaction Documents and to carry out its obligations thereunder. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and the performance of Buyer’s obligations thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary company action by Buyer, and no other proceedings on the part of Buyer are necessary to authorize such execution, delivery and performance. Each of the Transaction Documents has been duly executed by Buyer and constitutes its valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium or similar laws of general application relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and except for the limitations imposed by general principles of equity.

 

  (c) No Conflict or Violation. Subject to obtaining all consents and approvals set forth herein, the execution, delivery and performance by Buyer of the Transaction Documents, to the knowledge of Buyer, (i) does not and will not violate or conflict with any provision of the organizational documents of Buyer; (ii) does not and will not violate any provision of law, rule or regulation, or any order, judgment or decree of any court or other governmental or regulatory authority; (iii) does not violate or will not result in a breach of or constitute (with due notice or lapse of time or both) a default under, or give rise to any acceleration of remedies or any right of termination under, any Contract, lease, sublease, occupancy agreement, loan agreement, mortgage, security agreement, trust indenture or other agreement or instrument to which Buyer is a party or by which Buyer is bound or to which any of Buyer’s properties or assets is subject, except for such breaches, defaults and accelerations as would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the ability of Buyer to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

  (d) No Event of Insolvency: no Event of Insolvency has occurred in relation to the Buyer, nor is there any act which has occurred or to the best of its knowledge, is anticipated to occur which is likely to result in an Event of Insolvency in relation to the Buyer.

 

  (e) No litigation: the Buyer is not a party to any investigation, prosecution, litigation, legal proceeding, arbitration, mediation or any other form of dispute resolution, and to the best of its knowledge no such proceedings are pending or threatened and there is no circumstance or fact that is likely to give rise to any such proceedings.

 

  (f) Compliance with Applicable Law: To the knowledge of Buyer, Buyer is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable Laws; and

 

  (g) Securities Law: the Buyer:

 

    (i) is a “reporting company” that is subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934;
       
    (ii) has complied with the periodic reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and
       
    (iii) has otherwise complied the requirements of Rule 144 promulgated under the 1933 Act so as to ensure that the Equity Consideration to be received by the Seller will be eligible for exemption from registration under Rule 144 of the 1933 Act and will be freely tradable on the date which is 6 months following the issue of the Equity Consideration, provided that Seller owns less than 10% of the voting securities of Buyer.

 

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7. Covenants

 

  (a) Seller Covenants: The Seller covenants as follows:

 

    (i) Consents and Approvals. Seller shall, at its cost and expense, use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to obtain all necessary consents, waivers, authorizations and approvals of all governmental and regulatory authorities, and of all other Persons required to be obtained in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by it of the Transaction Documents.
       
    (ii) Post-Closing Operation of Business. Following the Closing, Seller shall fully cooperate with Buyer to transfer the Business assets and liabilities to Buyer in such a manner as to preserve the value thereof.

 

  (b) Buyer Covenants: The Buyer covenants as follows:

 

    (i) that on the date which is 6 months following the issue of the Equity Consideration, it will take such action as is required to ensure that the Equity Consideration is freely tradable, including, without limitation, requesting removal of any restrictive legend attaching to the Equity Consideration; and

 

    (ii) that the Buyer must pay all relevant taxes for which the Company is liable for and which relate to the period prior to Closing but which are due after Closing has occurred, on or before the due date, subject to the sufficient provision being made for the tax/es in the Company’s Financial Statements.

 

8. Noncompetition, Nonsolicitation and Nondisparagement.

 

  (a) Noncompetition. Seller and the Principal Owners acknowledge that (i) Buyer would not have entered into this Agreement but for the agreements and covenants contained in this Section 8; and (ii) the agreements and covenants contained in this Section 8 are essential to protect the Business and are reasonable and appropriate in scope; (iii) the Business is international in scope; and (iv) the business of Buyer is international in scope. To induce Buyer to enter into this Agreement, Seller and the Principal Owners covenant and agree that during the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Closing Date (the “Restricted Period”), Seller, the Principal Owners, and their respective Affiliates shall not, directly or indirectly, (A) engage in any business or activity that competes with the Business ; (B) render any services to any Person for use in competing with Buyer in connection with the Business; (C) have an interest in any Person engaged in any business that competes with Buyer in connection with the Business, directly or indirectly, in any capacity, including, without limitation, as a shareholder, officer, director, principal, agent, trustee or consultant or any other relationship or capacity but, for the avoidance of doubt, this shall not include the Seller or the Principal Owners’ engagement of a non-Employee blogger or any other service provider or person for a purpose not related to a business or activity that competes with the Business but who may promote a product for a business that competes with the Business; providedhowever, Seller or the Principal Owners may own, directly or indirectly, solely as an investment, securities of any Person which are publicly traded if Seller or the Principal Owner (I) is not a controlling Person of, or a member of a group which controls, such Person and (II) does not, directly or indirectly, own two percent (2%) or more of any class of securities of such Person; or (III) interfere with business relationships (whether formed heretofore or hereafter) between Buyer or any of its Affiliates and customers, suppliers or prospects of the Business.

 

  (b) Employees of the Business. During the Restricted Period, Seller, and the Principal Owners, and their respective Affiliates shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit or encourage any Employee or consultant performing services in connection with the Business to leave the employment or retention of Buyer or any of its Affiliates, or (ii) hire any such Employee or consultant who was performing services in connection with the Business and who has left the employment or retention of Buyer or any of its Affiliates within one (1) year of the termination of such Employee’s employment or consultant’s retention with Buyer or any of its Affiliates.

 

  (c) Customers of the Business. During the Restricted Period, the Principal Owners and Seller, its employees, officers, and directors shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) persuade or attempt to persuade any customer, prospective customer, client, prospective client, supplier or vendor of Buyer or any of its Affiliates not to hire or do business with Buyer or any of its Affiliates or any successor thereto; (ii) solicit for himself or any Person other than Buyer or any of its Affiliates, the business of any Person who is a customer, client, supplier or vendor of Buyer or any of its Affiliates, or was its customer or supplier within one (1) year prior to the time of such solicitation to the extent that such business is similar to the business conducted by such customer or supplier with Buyer. For the avoidance of doubt, this clause shall not prevent the Seller or the Principal Owners from conducting such advertising or marketing for a business that does not compete with the Business nor shall it prevent a previous customer, client, supplier or vendor of the Business from initiating contact with and utilizing the services of any business which is operated by the Seller or the Principal Owners which does not compete with the Business.

 

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  (d) Confidential Information. From and after the Closing, the Principal Owners and Seller, its shareholders, employees, officers, and directors shall keep secret and retain in strictest confidence, and shall not use for the benefit of itself or others, all confidential matters relating to the Business or Buyer and its Affiliates, including, but not limited to, “know how”, trade secrets, customer lists, supplier lists, details of consultant and employment Contracts, pricing policies, operational methods, marketing plans or strategies, product development techniques or plans, business acquisition plans, technical processes, designs and design projects, processes, inventions, software, source codes, object codes, systems documentation and research projects and other business affairs (“Confidential Information”), and shall not disclose them to anyone outside of Buyer and its Affiliates; providedhowever, this covenant shall not apply to any information which is or becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of disclosure by the Principal Owners or Seller or its respective Affiliates. The Principal Owners and Seller and its respective Affiliates may disclose Confidential Information if required to do so in any legally required government or securities filings, legal proceedings, subpoena, civil investigative demand or other similar process; provided, that Seller and the Principal Owners (i) provides Buyer with prompt notice of such required disclosure so that Buyer may attempt to obtain a protective order, (ii) cooperates with Buyer, at Buyer’s expense, in obtaining such protective order, and (iii) only discloses that Confidential Information which it is absolutely required to disclose as advised by counsel. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 8(d), the Principal Owners and Seller, its shareholders, employees, officers, and directors shall be free to use for any purpose the residuals resulting from access to or work with the Confidential Information, provided that such party shall not disclose the Confidential Information except as expressly permitted pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. The term “residuals” means information in intangible form (i.e., not written or other documentary form, including tape or disk), which is incidentally and unintentionally retained in memory by persons who have had access to the Confidential Information, including ideas, concepts, know-how or techniques contained therein and where the source of the Confidential Information has become remote (e.g., as a result of the passage of time or the person’s subsequent exposure to information of a similar nature from other sources) such that the person can no longer identify the Confidential Information’s confidential source; provided, however, that no license to any Company intellectual property is granted under this Section, this Section 8(d) will not supersede or alter any separate agreement between such party and the Company, unless that agreement is acknowledged to be expressly subject to this clause, and residuals do not include any Product formulations.

 

  (e) Nondisparagement. After the Closing Date, Seller and the Principal Owners will not disparage Buyer, any of Buyer’s Affiliates or any of such parties’ shareholders, directors, officers, employees or agents.

 

  (f) Tolling of Covenant Periods. The Restricted Period provided in this Section 8 shall not include and shall be extended beyond, any time during which a party is failing to comply with any provision of this Section 8 with respect to such party.

 

  (g) Blue Penciling. If any term or other provision of this Section 8 is invalid, illegal, or incapable of being enforced by any rule of Law or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Section 8 shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect. Upon determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal, or incapable of being enforced, the Parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to, or the arbitrator making such a determination shall, modify this Section 8 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 extent possible.

 

9. Employees.

 

During the Calculation Period, the Buyer must retain all Employees including all management Employees with the Company and shall not terminate their employment without the prior written consent of the Seller, such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, except that Buyer can terminate Employees for cause. Seller shall make all salary, commission, bonus, incentive, vacation pay or other benefit accrual payments, in each case that relate to periods prior to and through the Closing, to Employees as they become due. Buyer shall not be required to provide continuations of any of Seller’s salary arrangements, bonus or incentive pay or other plans, commission arrangements or commission agreements or wage or salary or compensation incentives after the Closing Date.

 

10. Conditions to Obligations of Seller.

 

The obligations of Seller to effect the Closing and to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents are subject to the fulfillment, at or before the Closing Date, of each of the following conditions, any one or more of which may be waived by Seller in its sole discretion:

 

  (a) Representations and Warranties of the Buyer. All representations and warranties made by Buyer in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects (except as to representations and warranties which are qualified as to materiality, which representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all respects) as of the date of this Agreement and on and as of the Closing Date as if again made by Buyer on and as of such date.

 

  (b) Performance of the Obligations of the Buyer. Buyer shall have performed in all material respects all obligations required under this Agreement to be performed by it on or before the Closing Date.

 

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  (c) Buyer Closing Deliverables. At the Closing, Buyer will:

 

    (i) Deliver to Seller the Cash Consideration in immediately available AUS funds;
       
    (ii) Deliver to Seller the Equity Consideration, including certificates therefor;
       
    (iii) Deliver a certificate executed by the authorized person of the Buyer certifying as to the truthfulness, completeness and accuracy of attached copies of resolutions of the directors of the Buyer authorizing this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby; and
       
    (iv) Deliver to the Seller the Escrow Agreement executed by the Buyer and the Escrow Agent.

 

  (d) Pay to Go Capital Pty Ltd the payment set forth on Schedule 4(o) in immediately available funds;
     
  (e) Deliver to Seller a certificate of the Secretary of the State of Nevada, dated reasonably close to the Closing Date, as to the legal existence and good standing of the Buyer in Nevada.

 

11. Conditions to Obligations of Buyer.

 

The obligations of Buyer to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents are subject to the fulfillment, at or before the Closing Date, of each of the following conditions, any one or more of which may be waived by Buyer in its sole discretion:

 

  (a) Representations and Warranties of Seller. All representations and warranties made by Seller in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects (except as to representations and warranties which are qualified as to materiality, which representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all respects) as of the date of this Agreement and on and as of the Closing Date as if again made by Seller on and as of such date.
     
  (b) Performance of the Obligations of Seller. Seller has performed in all material respects all agreement, covenants, and obligations required under this Agreement to be performed by it on or before the Closing Date.
     
  (c) Satisfaction of Liabilities and Obligations. All debts, fees, liabilities, payables, Taxes, claims, costs and expenses of or against the Company including, without limitation, all costs, expenses, payables, debts and liabilities arising out of the operations of the Company incurred or arising prior to the Closing will be paid or satisfied by the Company at or before Closing or the Purchase Price will be adjusted therefor at the Closing, except with respect to creditors in the day-to-day operation of the Business with no Lien or security interest in any of the Company’s assets. All cash in excess of zero working capital requirements will have been paid into the Escrow Account established for the segregation of Adjusted EBITDA from July 1, 2015 to October 31, 2015.
     
  (d) Seller Closing Documents. Seller shall have delivered to Buyer the following documents:

 

    (i) all certificates representing all of the Company, duly endorsed in blank or with appropriate share powers;

 

    (ii) a certificate executed by the authorized person of Seller certifying as to the truthfulness, completeness and accuracy of attached copies of resolutions of the of Seller authorizing this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby;
       
    (iii) such other documents relating to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents to be consummated at the Closing as counsel to Buyer shall reasonably request in order to complete the share purchase by Buyer;
       
    (iv) a extract of the register maintained by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, dated reasonably close to the Closing Date, as to the legal existence and good standing of the Company in Australia;
       
    (v) resignations of the officers and directors of the Company in office immediately prior to the Closing; and
       
    (vi) deliver to the Buyer the Escrow Agreement executed by the Seller.

 

12. Indemnification.

 

  (a) Indemnification by Buyer. Buyer shall indemnify and save and hold the Seller and Principal Owners, successors, and assigns (the “Seller Indemnitees”), harmless from and against any and all damages, claims, demands, obligations, liabilities, losses, costs, expenses (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses of investigation incurred by the Seller Indemnitees in any Action or proceeding between Buyer and the Seller Indemnitees or between the Seller Indemnitees and any third party or otherwise), deficiencies, interests, penalties, impositions, assessments and/ or fines (collectively, “Seller Losses”), whether or not in connection with a third-party claim, arising out of, resulting from or related to (each “Buyer’s Events of Breach”):

 

    (i) any breach of any representation or warranty made by the Buyer in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents; and

 

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    (ii) all acts and omissions in the conduct of the Company and the Business on and after Closing and indemnifies, and must keep indemnified, the Seller Indemnitees against any loss arising in respect of any such acts or omissions after Closing including liability arising out of defects in products sold or services provided by the Buyer after Closing. This indemnity extends to liability that may arise as a result of any of the products so sold or advice given being defective;
       
    (iii) any breach of any covenant or other agreement made by Seller in Section 7(b) of this Agreement,

 

providedhowever, that Buyer shall not be liable to make any payment in respect of a claim for indemnification in respect of any breach of any representation or warranty made by the Buyer in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents until the aggregate of such Seller Losses shall exceed $5,000 (“Threshold”). Once such Seller Losses shall exceed such $5,000 Threshold (“Basket”), the Seller Indemnitees shall have the right to indemnification hereunder, and Buyer and/or its members shall be required to make payment to the Seller Indemnitees in respect of such claim to the full extent of such Seller Losses without reference to or deduction for the $5,000 Threshold up to an aggregate liability cap equal to the value of Cash Consideration as set out in this Agreement (“Cap”), providedhowever, that the Basket and Cap shall not apply (and Buyer and its members shall be fully liable) in the case of any claims based on fraud, bad faith, criminal conduct, intentional misrepresentation, or willful misconduct (“Bad Conduct”) or (ii) indemnification under Sections 12(a)(ii) and 12(a)(iii). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, Seller Indemnitees’ right to indemnification in this Section 12(a) will not apply to the extent that the Seller Losses arise out of or in connection with a Seller Event of Breach.

 

  (b) Indemnification by Seller. Seller and each of the Principal Owners, jointly and severally, shall indemnify and save and hold the Buyer, any Affiliate of the Buyer and their respective directors, officers, managers, employees, successors, and assigns (the “Buyer Indemnitees”), harmless from and against any and all damages, claims, demands, obligations, liabilities, losses, costs, expenses (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses of investigation incurred by the Buyer Indemnitees in any Action or proceeding between Seller and the Buyer Indemnitees or between the Buyer Indemnitees and any third party or otherwise), deficiencies, interests, penalties, impositions, assessments and/ or fines (collectively, “Buyer Losses”), whether or not in connection with a third-party claim, arising out of, resulting from or related to any and/or all of Seller’s Events of Breach.
     
  (c) As used herein, “Seller’s Events of Breach” shall be and mean any one or more of the following:

 

    (i) any breach of any representation or warranty made by Seller or the Principal Owners in this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents;
       
    (ii) any Seller employee benefit plan in existence prior to the Closing Date, whether such Liability arises before, on or after the Closing Date, including, without limitation, unfunded Liabilities, Liability with respect to the termination of any such plan, any retiree from employment with Seller, any unfunded Liability under any such plan, or any accrued but unpaid claim under such Seller employee benefit plan;
       
    (iii) the employment (including the initial hiring and all terms, conditions, and events relating to the ongoing employment prior to the Closing Date) or termination of employment (including constructive termination) by Seller of any individual (including without limitation the Principal Owners and any current or former employee of Seller), including any compensation due to the Employees or Contractors relating to periods ending on or prior to the Closing Date, including, without limitation, severance, salary, commission, bonus, incentives, vacation pay or other benefit accruals or any termination liability; and

 

    (iv) any Liability relating to common law or statutory dissenter’s rights, appraisal rights, or any similar rights of the shareholders or owners of Seller,
       
    (v) any breach of any covenant or other agreement made by Seller in Section 7(a) or Section 8 of this Agreement,

 

providedhowever, that neither Seller nor the Principal Owners shall be liable to make any payment in respect of a claim for indemnification in respect of any Seller’s Events of Breach until the aggregate of such Buyer Losses shall exceed $5,000 (“Threshold”). Once such Buyer Losses shall exceed such $5,000 Threshold (“Basket”), the Buyer Indemnitees shall have the right to indemnification hereunder, and Seller and/or its members shall be required to make payment to the Buyer Indemnitees in respect of such claim to the full extent of such Buyer Losses without reference to or deduction for the $5,000 Threshold up to an aggregate liability cap equal to the Cash Consideration (“Cap”), providedhowever, that the Basket and Cap shall not apply (and Seller and its members shall be fully liable) in the case of any claims based on (i) a breach of any Fundamental Representations, (ii) fraud, bad faith, criminal conduct, intentional misrepresentation, or willful misconduct (“Bad Conduct”), or (iii) indemnification under Sections 12(c)(ii) through 12(c)(v).

 

17

 

 

  (d) All representations, warranties, covenants and obligations of Buyer, Seller and/or the Principal Owners, and all other agreements or instruments contemplated hereby to which Buyer or Seller, or the Principal Owners, is a party shall survive the Closing Date for twelve (12) months, except that: (i) all covenants and agreements which by their terms contemplate performance after the Closing Date shall survive the Closing for a period of four (4) years, unless specified otherwise by their terms; and (ii) for breaches of any Fundamental Representations or Bad Conduct, the survival period shall be four (4) years. Notwithstanding the above, any claim for indemnification made in accordance with this Section 12 prior to the expiration of the applicable indemnification period set forth in this paragraph shall survive until such matter is resolved. For the avoidance of any doubt, a Buyer’s Claim Notice must have been received in accordance with clause 12(g)(i) prior to the expiration of the applicable indemnification period set forth in this paragraph in order for the claim to survive the applicable indemnification period.
     
  (e) Following the Closing, the indemnification afforded by this Section 12 shall be the sole and exclusive remedy of the Buyer Indemnitees in respect of claims for Seller’s Events of Breach.

 

  (f) For purposes of this Section 12, any inaccuracy in or breach of any representation or warranty shall be determined without regard to any materiality, Material Adverse Effect or other similar qualification contained in or otherwise applicable to such representation or warranty.
     
  (g) Procedures for Indemnification by the Seller.

 

    (i) Notice of Claims. If a Seller’s Event of Breach occurs or is alleged and a Buyer Indemnitee asserts that Seller has become obligated to such Buyer Indemnitee pursuant to Section 12 hereof (“Direct Claim”), or if any suit, Action, investigation, claim or proceeding (a “Third Party Proceeding”) is threatened, begun, made or instituted by a third party as a result of which Seller may become obligated to a Buyer Indemnitee hereunder, such Buyer Indemnitee shall give written notice thereof to Seller which must contain full details of the Direct Claim or Third Party Proceeding then known to the Buyer of the events, matters or circumstances giving rise to the claim (the “Buyer’s Claims Notice”). The Buyer’s failure or delay in providing the Buyer’s Claim Notice shall not relieve Seller or its obligations under this Section except to the extent that Seller is materially prejudiced as a result thereof. If a Buyers’ Event of Breach occurs or is alleged and a Seller Indemnitee asserts that Buyer has become obligated to such Seller Indemnitee pursuant to Section 12 hereof (“Seller Direct Claim”), or if any Third Party Proceeding is threatened, begun, made or instituted by a third party as a result of which Buyer may become obligated to a Seller Indemnitee hereunder, such Seller Indemnitee shall give written notice thereof to Buyer which must contain full details of the Seller Direct Claim or Third Party Proceeding then known to the Seller of the events, matters or circumstances giving rise to the claim (the “Seller’s Claims Notice”). The Seller’s failure or delay in providing the Seller’s Claim Notice shall not relieve Buyer or its obligations under this Section except to the extent that Buyer is materially prejudiced as a result thereof.

 

    (ii) Response to Direct Claims. Seller shall have thirty (30) days after receipt of the Buyer’s Claim Notice for a Direct Claim to reject or accept the claim as an indemnifiable claim for Buyer Losses under Section 12. If, within thirty (30) days after receipt by Seller of such a Buyer’s Claim Notice, Seller delivers notice to the Buyer Indemnitee containing a written objection to the claim (or a portion thereof) by the Buyer Indemnitee, stating the nature of and grounds for such objection in reasonable detail, then such claim (or portion thereof) shall be deemed to be a “Disputed Claim” and such claim shall be resolved in accordance with Section 12. If, within thirty (30) days after actual receipt by Seller’s of the Buyer’s Claim Notice for a Direct Claim, Seller delivers notice to the Buyer Indemnitee containing a written acceptance of the claim, (or a portion thereof) then such claim (or portion thereof) shall be deemed an indemnifiable claim under this Section 12 (the “Indemnifiable Claim”), and Seller will be conclusively deemed to have consented to recovery by the Buyer Indemnitee of the full amount of Buyer Losses subject to offset for the Basket in connection with the claim, if applicable.

 

18

 

 

  (h) Dispute Resolution. Any disputes arising under this Section 12 shall be resolved as follows: (i) first, the Parties shall attempt in good faith for thirty (30) days to resolve the dispute, and (ii) if the dispute remains unresolved after such thirty (30) day period, the Parties agree that Section 14(c) will apply.
     
  (i) Third Party Proceeding. Seller shall have twenty (20) days from receipt of a Buyer’s Claim Notice for a Third Party Proceeding to provide the Buyer Indemnitee with notice that it wishes to assume the defense in the Third Party Proceeding and acknowledges liability for such damages, in which event the Buyer Indemnitee shall have the right to participate in the defense at its own expense; providedhowever, that the Buyer Indemnitee is hereby authorized prior to and during such time to file any motion, answer or other pleading that it shall deem necessary or appropriate to protect its interests and that is not prejudicial to Seller. If Seller fails to give the Buyer Indemnitee timely notice as provided herein, the Buyer Indemnitee shall have the right to defend against such Third Party Proceeding. If Seller assumes the defense in a Third Party Proceeding, (i) the Indemnifying Party shall not agree to any settlement, compromise or discharge of a Third-Party Claim without the Indemnified Party’s prior written consent; and (ii) the Buyer must provide the Seller and the Principal Owners with all reasonable assistance requested by them in relation to the Third Party Proceeding, including providing access to witnesses and documentary or other evidence relevant to the Third Party Proceedings, allow them and their advisers to inspect and take copies of all relevant books, records, files and documents, and providing them with reasonable access to the personnel, premises and chattels of the Seller for the purposes of obtaining information in relation to the Third Party Proceeding.
     
  (j) If the Indemnifying Party does not assume the defense of a Third-Party Claim, the Indemnified Party shall be entitled to undertake any settlement, compromise or discharge of such Third-Party Claim without the Indemnifying Party’s prior consent. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Seller and the Principal Owners shall not be entitled to assume control of the defense in a Third Party Proceeding, and shall pay the reasonably documented fees and expenses of legal counsel retained by the Buyer Indemnitees if: (i) Buyer reasonably believes that an adverse determination of such claim could be detrimental to the Buyer’s business; (ii) Buyer reasonably believes that a conflict of interest exists or could reasonably arise which, under applicable principles of legal ethics, could prohibit a single legal counsel from representing both the parties in such proceeding, other than a conflict which may exist due to the underlying nature of the duty to indemnify; (iii) a court of competent jurisdiction rules that Seller has failed or is failing to prosecute or defend such claim; (iv) such claim seeks damages other than monetary damages; or (v) such claim involves conduct of the Business both before and after the Closing.

 

  (k) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 12(g), Seller hereby consents to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of any court in which an Action or claim in respect of a Third Party Proceeding is brought against any Buyer Indemnitee for purposes of any claim that a Buyer Indemnitee may have under this Agreement with respect to such Action or claim or the matters alleged therein and agrees that process may be served on Seller with respect to such a claim anywhere in the world.
     
  (l) Indemnification Binds Successors and Assigns. All of the indemnification rights of the Buyer and obligations of Seller arising pursuant to this Section 12 shall apply to and bind each and every successor and assign of Buyer and Seller.
     
  (m) Dispute Resolution Costs. Each Party shall bear all its own costs of any court Action or other dispute resolution proceeding hereunder, including without limitation, the fees and expenses of its own legal counsel and other filing fees and expenses of such Party for such proceeding.

 

19

 

 

13. Termination.

 

  (a) Conditions of Termination. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, this Agreement may be terminated at any time before the Closing:

 

    (i) By mutual consent of Seller and Buyer;
       
    (ii) By either Seller or Buyer if the other Party shall have breached this Agreement in any material respect and such breach continues for a period of ten (10) days after the receipt of written notice of the breach from the non-breaching Party; or

 

  (b) Effect of Termination. If this Agreement is terminated in accordance with Section 13 hereof, this Agreement shall become null and void and have no effect, with no liability on the part of Seller or Buyer, or their Affiliates and their respective directors, managers, officers, agents, members or shareholders, except for the obligations set forth in this Section 13Section 11, which shall survive any termination; and providedhowever, that notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein and no termination hereof shall relieve any Party from liability for any breach of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this Agreement which arise prior to termination.

 

14. Miscellaneous.

 

  (a) Successors and Assigns. Any Party hereto may assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the other Parties hereto; provided that this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of the Parties hereto.
     
  (b) Governing Law; Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be construed, performed and enforced in accordance with, and governed by, the laws of the State of New York, United States, without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of laws thereof.
     
  (c) Dispute Resolution. Subject to Section 3(c)(iii), any dispute or Action arising in connection with this Agreement shall be referred to and finally resolved under the then applicable rules of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) , which SIAC Rules are deemed to be incorporated by reference into this clause. There shall be 3 (three) arbitrators. The seat of the arbitration shall be Singapore. The language to be used in the arbitral proceedings shall be English.
     
  (d) Expenses. Except as otherwise provided herein, each of the Parties hereto shall pay all its own expenses in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, any legal and accounting fees, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated. Buyer shall be responsible for and shall pay all applicable state and local sales, transfer, excise, value-added or other similar Taxes, and all recording and filing fees that may be imposed by reason of the Share Purchase (collectively, the “Transfer Taxes”). Each party agrees to cooperate with such other party in the timely completion, execution and filing of any documentation required by any local, state, federal or other Tax authority in connection with the Transfer Taxes, including any documentation as may be requested to establish an exemption from (or otherwise reduce) or make a report with respect to the Transfer Taxes.
     
  (e) Goods and Services Tax.

 

    (i) In this Section 14(e), the expressions Input Tax CreditSupplyTax InvoiceRecipient and Taxable Supply have the meanings given to those expressions in the GST Act.
       
    (ii) With the exception of any amount payable under this Section 14(e), unless otherwise expressly stated, all amounts stated to be payable in this Agreement are exclusive of GST.
       
    (iii) If GST is imposed on any Supply made under or in accordance with this Agreement, the Recipient of the Taxable Supply must pay to the Supplier an additional amount equal to the GST payable on or for the Taxable Supply. Payment of the additional amount will be made at the same time as payment for the Taxable Supply is required to be made in accordance with this Agreement, subject to the provision of a Tax Invoice.
       

 

20

 

 

    (iv) If this Agreement requires a party to pay for, reimburse or contribute to any expense, loss, indemnity or outgoing (Reimbursable Expense) suffered or incurred by another party, the amount required to be paid, reimbursed or contributed by the first party will be the sum of:

 

      (1) the amount of the Reimbursable Expense less the Input Tax Credits (if any) to which the other party is entitled in respect of the Reimbursable Expense; and
         
      (2) if the other party’s recovery from the first party is a Taxable Supply, any GST payable in respect of that Supply.

 

  (f) Severability. In the event that any part of this Agreement is declared by any court or other judicial or administrative body to be null, void or unenforceable, said provision shall survive to the extent it is not so declared, and all of the other provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

 

  (g) Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (i) on the date of service if served personally on the Party to whom notice is to be given, or (ii) on the day of delivery by Federal Express or similar overnight courier or the Express Mail service maintained by the U.S. Postal Service, to the Party as follows:

 

  If to Seller or any Principal Owner:  
     
    NomadChoice Pty Limited trading as Flat Tummy Tea
    LVI 330 Churchill Ave.
    Subiaco WA 6008 Australia
     
  Copy to: Steinepreis Paganin
    Level 4, the Read Buildings
    16 Milligan Street
    Perth, WA 6000 Australia
     
  If to Buyer: Synergy CHC Corp.
    865 Spring Street
    Westbrook, ME 04092
    Attn: President
     
  Copy to: Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP
    4101 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 300
    Raleigh, North Carolina 27607
    Attention: W. David Mannheim

 

Any Party may change its address for the purpose of this Section by giving the other Party written notice of its new address in the manner set forth above.

 

  (h) Amendments; Waivers. This Agreement may be amended or modified, and any of the terms, covenants, representations, warranties or conditions hereof may be waived, only by a written instrument executed by the Parties hereto, or in the case of a waiver, by the Party waiving compliance. Any waiver by any Party of any condition, or of the breach of any provision, term, covenant, representation or warranty contained in this Agreement, in any one or more instances, shall not be deemed to be nor construed as further or continuing waiver of any such condition, or of the breach of any other provision, term, covenant, representation or warranty of this Agreement.

 

21

 

 

    (i) Public Announcements. Seller shall not make any public statement regarding this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein without Buyer’s prior written approval. Buyer shall provide a copy of any public statement to Seller prior to the information being made public.
       
    (ii) Entire Agreement. This Agreement, the exhibits and schedules hereto contains the entire understanding between the Parties hereto with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and supersede and replace all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with regard to such transactions. All schedules and exhibits hereto and any documents and instruments delivered pursuant to any provision hereof are expressly incorporated herein and made a part of this Agreement as fully as though completely set forth herein. This Agreement shall only be binding on the Parties hereto upon execution and delivery of this Agreement by each of the Parties.
       
    (iii) Parties in Interest. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to confer any rights or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement on any persons other than Seller and Buyer and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to relieve or discharge the obligations or liability of any third persons to Seller or Buyer. No provision of this Agreement shall give any third persons any right as a third party beneficiary of this Agreement or provide any right of subrogation or Action over or against Seller or Buyer.
       
    (iv) Section and Paragraph Headings. The section and paragraph headings in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
       
    (v) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts and via .pdf, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which shall constitute the same instrument.
       
    (vi) Fulfillment of Obligations. Any obligation of any Party to any other Party under this Agreement, which obligation is performed, satisfied or fulfilled by an Affiliate of such Party, shall be deemed to have been performed, satisfied, or fulfilled by such Party.

 

    (vii) Remedies. Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, any Person having any rights under any provision of this Agreement, including, without limitation, Section 8, shall be entitled to enforce such rights specifically (without posting a bond or other security), to require: (i) Seller and their respective Affiliates to account for and pay over to Buyer; and (ii) Buyer and its respective Affiliates to account for and pay over to Seller, all payments, profits, monies, accruals, increments or other benefits derived by such party by reason of any breach of any provision of this Agreement, to recover damages and to exercise all other rights granted by Laws. Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, all such rights and remedies shall be cumulative and non-exclusive, and may be exercised singularly or concurrently. The Parties acknowledge that any breach of this Agreement may cause substantial irreparable harm to the other Party. Therefore, this Agreement may be enforced in equity by specific performance, temporary restraining order and/or injunction. The rights to such equitable remedies shall be in addition to all other rights or remedies which a Party may have under this Agreement or under applicable law.
       
    (viii) Further Actions. In case at any time after the Closing any further action is necessary to carry out the purposes of this Agreement, each of the Parties shall take such further action (including the execution and delivery of such further instruments and documents) as any other Party reasonably may request, all at the sole cost and expense of the requesting Party (unless the requesting Party is entitled to indemnification therefore under Section 12).

 

[Signature page follows]

 

22

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above written.

 

EXECUTED by TPR INVESTMENTS
PTY LIMITED
ACN 128 396 654 AS TRUSTEE FOR
THE POLMEAR FAMILY TRUST
in accordance with section 127 of the
Corporations Act 2001 (Cth):
)
)
)
)

 

/s/ Tim Polmear  
Signature of director  
   
Tim Polmear  
Name of director  

 

*please delete as applicable

 

EXECUTED by NOMADCHOICE PTY
LIMITED
ACN 160 729 939
in accordance with section 127 of the
Corporations Act 2001 (Cth):
)
)
)
)

 

/s/ Timothy Polmear  
Signature of director  
   
Timothy Polmear  
Name of director  

 

[Signature Page to Stock Purchase Agreement]

 

23

 

 

SIGNED by TIMOTHY POLMEAR
in the presence of:
)
)
)
 
     
/s/ Matthew Hawtin   /s/ Timothy Polmear
Signature of witness   Signature
     
Matthew Hawtin    
Name of witness    

 

SIGNED by REBECCA POLMEAR
in the presence of:
)
)
)
 
     
/s/ Matthew Hawtin   /s/ Rebecca Polmear
Signature of witness   Signature
     
Matthew Hawtin    
Name of witness    

 

  SYNERGY CHC CORP.
     
  By: /s/ Jack Ross
  Name:  Jack Ross
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

24

 

 

Exhibit 10.10

 

FIRST AMENDMENT TO LOAN AGREEMENT entered into as of the 12th day of November, 2015 (the “First Amendment”),

 

BETWEEN: KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC., a corporation formed under the laws of Barbados;
   
  (hereinafter called the “Lender”)
   
AND: SYNERGY CHC CORP., a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Nevada;
   
  (hereinafter called the “Synergy”)

 

WHEREAS Synergy (then known as Synergy Strips Corp.) and the Lender are parties to that certain loan agreement (the “Loan Agreement”) made as of the 21st day of January, 2015, pursuant to which the Lender has extended a loan to Synergy in the principal amount of Six Million United States Dollars (US$6,000,000) (the “Original Loan”);

 

WHEREAS Synergy has requested an additional loan in the principal amount of Five Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$5,500,000) (the “Additional Loan”);

 

WHEREAS the Lender and Synergy desire to amend the Loan Agreement to, inter alia, provide for the Additional Loan on the terms and conditions set forth herein;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of these presents and of the mutual covenants hereinafter contained, the parties have agreed as follows:

 

ARTICLE 1

INTERPRETATION

 

1.1 Capitalized Terms

 

In this First Amendment, capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Loan Agreement as if amended to include the amendments set out in this First Amendment.

 

ARTICLE 2

AMENDMENTS

 

2.1 Amendments to the Loan Agreement

 

The Borrower and the Lender hereby agree to amend the Loan Agreement as follows:

 

  2.1.1 Section 1.1 of the Loan Agreement is amended by inserting or restating the following definitions (as the case may be).

 

2015 First Warrant” means that certain common share stock purchase warrant to be executed by the Borrower and the Lender to give effect to the Lender’s 2015 Immediate Equity issuance.

 

2015 Second Warrant” means that certain common share stock purchase warrant to be executed by the Borrower and the Lender to give effect to the Lender’s 2015 Equity.

 

Additional Loan” means the loan to the Borrower by the Lender in the principal amount of Five Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$5,500,000) pursuant to the First Amendment.

 

 

 

 

Borrower” means Synergy CHC Corp. (formerly known as Synergy Strips Corp.) a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of Nevada together with all of its Subsidiaries and also includes their respective permitted successors and assigns.

 

Breakthrough” means Breakthrough Products, Inc.

 

Breakthrough Acquisition” means the acquisition by the Borrower of all the issued and outstanding shares of Breakthrough Products, Inc.

 

Business” means the business of the Borrower including the manufacture, distribution, sale of consumer health products, including the products known as Synergy Strips, Flat Tummy Tea and UrgentRX Products.

 

Equity Financing” means the completion, on or prior to the first anniversary of the Second Closing Date, of an offering or offerings of the Borrower’s equity securities or securities convertible into equity securities of at least Two Million Dollars in the aggregate.

 

First Amendment” means the First Amendment to this Agreement entered into as of the 12th day of November, 2015.

 

Lender’s 2015 Equity” means the issuance to the Lender of a ten (10) year warrant to purchase 5% of the common shares of the Borrower, on a fully diluted basis after giving effect to the Lender’s 2015 Immediate Equity and to both the Breakthrough Acquisition and the Nomad Acquisition, at a price per share equal to $0.70, including a full ratchet clause pegged at $0.70 a share.

 

Lender’s 2015 Immediate Equity” means the issuance to the Lender, for no additional consideration, of such number of common shares of the Borrower that will result in the Lender receiving, on a fully diluted basis and after giving effect to (i) the Breakthrough Acquisition, (ii) the Nomad Acquisition, and (iii) the Lender’s 2015 Equity, 6.5% of the common shares of the Borrower, which shares will not be subject to any trading restrictions, other than as required under Applicable Law. For clarity, these shares are in addition to shares of Borrower currently being held by Lender.

 

Lender’s Nomad Distribution Agreement” means the proposed license and distribution agreement among the Borrower, Nomad and the Lender by which (i) Lender shall have exclusive distribution rights to all products of Nomad including the “Flat Tummy Tea” products, in each of Canada, Israel, Romania, Russia and Sub Saharan Africa, and (ii) Lender shall sublicense the direct-to-consumer channel for the said territory back to Nomad for a royalty equal to sixty percent (60%) of Gross Sales.

 

Loan” means, as the context requires, both the Original Loan and the Additional Loan, collectively.

 

Maturity Date” means: (i) with respect to the Original Loan, January 17, 2017 and (ii) with respect to the Additional Loan, November 11, 2017.

 

Nomad” means Nomadchoice Pty Ltd (ABN 41 160 729 939).

 

Nomad Acquisition” means the acquisition by the Borrower of all the issued and outstanding shares of Nomad.

 

Nomad Guarantee” means a guarantee agreement satisfactory to the Lender executed by Nomad in respect of the Obligations.

 

2

 

 

Nomad Purchase Agreement” means that certain Stock Purchase Agreement dated November 12, 2015 among the Borrower, Nomad, TPR Investments Pty Ltd CAN 128 396 654, as trustee for Polmear Family Trust, Timothy Polmear and Rebecca Polmear, effecting the Nomad Acquisition.

 

Nomad Security Documents” means the Security Documents to be granted by Nomad in respect of the Nomad Guarantee.

 

Nomad Vendors” means the vendor’s of the shares of Nomad pursuant to the Nomad Acquisition.

 

Original Loan” means the loan to the Borrower by the Lender in the principal amount of Six Million United States Dollars (US$6,000,000) pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Repayment Schedule” means the Amended and Restated Schedule of Repayment of principal of the Original Loan and the Additional Loan attached this Amendment as Schedule A.

 

Second Closing Date” means November 12, 2015 or such other date on which the Additional Loan is made concurrently with the closing of the Nomad Acquisition.

 

Warrant” means the 2015 First Warrant and the 2015 Second Warrant, together or separately, as the context requires.

 

  2.1.2 The following definitions set forth in the Loan Agreement are amended:

 

Loan Documents” is hereby amended to include this First Amendment, any additional, amended or restated Loan Documents delivered to the Lender in connection with this First Amendment or otherwise in connection with the Loan Agreement, including any Loan Document delivered to the Lender as general continuing collateral security for the payment and performance of the present and future Obligations (including obligations relating to the Additional Loan), as well as any amendments, replacements, supplements or other modifications hereto or thereto or any other documents or instruments contemplated hereby or thereby.

 

Permitted Debt” is amended to include:

 

“(vi) Debt of a maximum of AUD$3,500,000 that may be owed to the Nomad Vendors pursuant to the Nomad Purchase Agreement.”

 

  2.1.3 Section 1 of the Loan Agreement as currently stated shall be renumbered as Section 2.1(a) and refer to the Original Loan only. The following shall be added as Section 2.1(b) in respect of the Additional Loan:

 

“Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the Lender agrees to loan to the Borrower in lawful money of the United States the Additional Loan on the terms hereof and the Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes the Lender to make the Additional Loan on the terms hereof. The Additional Loan shall bear interest as set forth in Section 4.1 of this Agreement.

 

The Additional Loan shall be disbursed in two tranches. The first tranche of Three Million Two Hundred Fifty Thousand United States Dollars (US$3,250,000) shall be disbursed upon the satisfaction of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 3.1 of this Agreement.

 

The balance of the Additional Loan, being Two Million Two Hundred Fifty Thousand United States Dollars (US$2,250,000) shall be disbursed upon satisfaction of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 3.2 of this Agreement.”

 

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  2.1.4 Section 2.2 of the Loan Agreement as currently stated shall be renumbered as Section 2.2(a) and refers to the Original Loan only. The following shall be added as a new Section 2.2(b) in respect of the Additional Loan:

 

“The Maturity Date of the Additional Loan shall be November 11, 2017.”

 

  2.1.5 Sections 3.2(a) and (b) of the Loan Agreement as currently stated shall be renumbered as Sections 3.2(a)(i) and 3.2(a)(ii) and refer to the Original Loan only. The following shall be added as a new Section 3.2(b) in respect of the Additional Loan:

 

“Subject to the terms hereof, the Borrower may prepay the outstanding principal of the Additional Loan any time following the first anniversary of the Second Closing Date. Such prepayments may only be for a minimum amount of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) and in additional increments of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) unless the entire Additional Loan is being prepaid in full. Such prepayment must be accompanied by a prepayment fee of five percent (5%) of the amount of the Additional Loan being prepaid at that time.”

 

  2.1.6 Section 4.3 of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended by deleting the words:

 

“the interest rate otherwise payable pursuant to Section 4.1 plus five percent (5%)” and replacing same by “twenty percent (20%)”

 

  2.1.7 Section 6.1 of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended by adding the following:

 

  “(g) Guarantee Agreement of the Obligations from Breakthrough;
     
  (h) Nomad Guarantee;
     
  (i) General Security Agreement from each of Borrowers’ Subsidiaries including Breakthrough and Nomad;
     
  (j) a collateral assignment from each of Borrower’s Subsidiaries of its interest on all Material Contracts and Material Licenses;
     
  (k) Intellectual Property Security Agreement of each of Borrower’s Subsidiaries;
     
  (l) Subordination Agreement by Nomad Vendors in favour of Knight;
     
  (m) specific security agreement granted by the Borrower in respect of the issued share capital in Nomad.”

 

  2.1.8 Section 7 of the Loan Agreement is amended by adding the following:

 

  “(jj) Nomad Share Purchase Agreement. The accuracy and completeness of each of the representations and warranties set out in the Nomad Purchase Agreement and all such representations and warranties are hereby incorporated into this Agreement by reference as if same were herewith recited at length and made directly by the Borrower for the benefit of Lender. Such representations and warranties shall survive for so long as the Obligations remain outstanding notwithstanding any shorter survival period under the said share purchase agreement.

 

  (kk) Breakthrough Share Purchase Agreement. The accuracy and completeness of each of the representations and warranties set out in the share purchase agreement concerning the Breakthrough Acquisition and all such representations and warranties are hereby incorporated into this Agreement by reference as if same were herewith recited at length and made directly by the Borrower for the benefit of Lender. Such representations and warranties shall survive for so long as the Obligations remain outstanding notwithstanding any shorter survival period under the said share purchase agreement.”

 

  2.1.9 Section 9.1 of the Loan Agreement is amended by adding the following:

 

  “(z) Borrower must maintain separate financial records for the business conducted by Breakthrough (including a separate balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement);
     
  (aa) following the release of Borrower’s financial statements for the quarter ended March 31, 2015 and at any time thereafter, Borrower shall promptly (and in any event within three (3) Business Days) notify Knight should either (i) the business being conducted by Breakthrough reflect negative EBITDA for the relevant quarter, or (ii) the working capital related to that business fall below Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000). In such event, Knight may, in its sole discretion, direct Borrower to immediately cease the UrgenRX business. For certainty, failure to do so upon receipt of such direction will be an Event of Default under this Agreement.

 

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  (bb) Borrower must ensure that:

 

  (a) Nomad completes a financial assistance whitewash procedure in relation to the Nomad Guarantee and Nomad Security Documents granted in respect thereto in accordance with Section 260B of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) by no later than the date that is 30 days after the Second Closing Date; and
     
  (b) the Nomad Guarantee and Nomad Security Documents granted in respect thereto are effective no later than the date that is thirty (30) days after the Second Closing Date.

 

  Failure to comply with this clause will be an Event of Default if not cured within ten (10) Business Days of non-compliance.”

 

  2.1.10 Section 9.1(x)(i) of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended by adding the following at the end of that Section:

 

“Commencing with the six (6) month period ending on June 30, 2016, and for each six (6) month period ending on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter thereafter, Borrower shall maintain a minimum EBITDA of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000).”

 

  2.1.11 Section 9.1(x)(iii) of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended by requiring the amount of minimum cash balance to be One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) commencing on June 30, 2016.

 

  2.1.12 Section 9.2 of the Loan Agreement is amended by adding the following:

 

  “(t) Nomad. Make any payment under the Nomad Purchase Agreement if a Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would occur as a result of making such payment.”

 

  2.1.13 Article 11 of the Loan Agreement is amended by adding the following:

 

  “(u) If the Borrower fails to make any of the “earn-out payments” pursuant to the Nomad Acquisition.
     
  (w) If the Borrower does not complete the Equity Financing by the first anniversary of the Second Closing Date.”

 

  2.1.14 From and after the Second Closing Date, (i) all references in the Loan Agreement to “this Agreement” shall mean the Loan Agreement as amended by this First Amendment, and as may otherwise be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, and (ii) all references in the other Loan Documents to the “Loan Agreement” (or words of similar import) shall be deemed to be references to the Loan Agreement as amended by this First Amendment, and as may otherwise be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time. All references in any of the Loan Documents to the “Loan Documents” shall mean the Loan Documents as amended by this First Amendment and as may otherwise be amended restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

  2.1.15 Except as expressly amended by this First Amendment, all other provisions of the Loan Agreement and the Transaction Documents not specifically amended hereby shall remain unchanged and in full force and effect.

 

ARTICLE 3

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT & CLOSING DATE

 

3.1 Conditions to Loan by the Lender

 

The effectiveness of this First Amendment and the Lender’s obligation to fund the Additional Loan amount shall be subject to following conditions precedent having been met to the satisfaction of the Lender, or, alternatively, waived in writing by the Lender:

 

  3.1.1 the Borrower will pay to the Lender an origination fee equal to One Hundred Ten Thousand United States Dollars (US$110,000), being two percent (2%) of the Additional Loan amount, on the Second Closing Date;
     
  3.1.2 the Borrower will pay to the Lender a work fee equal to Fifty Five Thousand United States Dollars (US$55,000), being one percent (1%) of the Additional Loan amount, at the earlier of November 12, 2015 and the Second Closing Date, whether or not the Additional Loan is advanced;
     
  3.1.3 this Agreement shall have been executed and delivered by all parties hereto;
     
  3.1.4 the Borrower and each of the Subsidiaries shall have executed and delivered to the Lender the Loan Documents to which each is a party including, without limitation, the Security Documents;

 

  3.1.5 the Lender shall have received certified copies of the resolutions authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of Borrower’s, Nomad’s and Breakthrough’s respective obligations under the Loan Documents to which they are a party and the transactions contemplated therein, and the incumbency of the officers of Borrower, Nomad and Breakthrough;

 

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  3.1.6 certificates of status or good standing, as applicable, for all relevant jurisdictions of Borrower shall have been delivered to the Lender;
     
  3.1.7 certificate of incorporation and constituent documents of Nomad;

 

  3.1.8 Borrower shall be in compliance in all material respects with all (if any) Material Contracts and Material Licences to the satisfaction of the Lender and copies of all Material Contracts and Material Licences if any, applicable to Borrower, shall have been delivered to the Lender;
     
  3.1.9 evidence of repayment in full of all Debt that is not Permitted Debt owing by Borrower to any third party lenders to Borrower concurrent with the Loan shall have been delivered to the Lender;
     
  3.1.10 evidence that all necessary or required consents or approvals of any Governmental Authority or other Person in connection with the completion of the Breakthrough Acquisition and the Nomad Acquisition and the delivery of the Loan Documents have been obtained;

 

  3.1.11 releases, discharges, estoppels and postponements with respect to all Liens which are not Permitted Liens, if any, shall have been delivered to the Lender;
     
  3.1.12 payment of all amounts and fees payable to the Lender;
     
  3.1.13 duly executed copies of the Security shall have been delivered to the Lender and such financing statements or other registrations of such Security, or notice thereof, shall have been filed, registered, entered or recorded in all offices of public record necessary or desirable in the opinion of the Lender to preserve or protect the charges and security interests created thereby;
     
  3.1.14 the Borrower shall have delivered to the Lender original share certificates in respect of all of the issued share capital in Nomad together with share transfer forms in respect of the shares in Nomad duly executed by the Borrower;
     
  3.1.15 evidence satisfactory to the Lender that entry into the Security Documents to which Nomad is a party does not materially prejudice the interests of Nomad or its shareholders and does not materially prejudice the ability of Nomad to pay its creditors (and that the board of directors of Nomad have resolved that this is the case);
     
  3.1.16 evidence that immediately prior to the acquisition by the Borrower of all the issued share capital in Nomad, the directors of Nomad will be Jack Ross, Stephen Fryer and Timothy Polmeer and that appointment of such directors has been, or will be, notified to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission;
     
  3.1.17 a currently dated letter of opinion of counsel to the Borrower along with the opinions of local counsel for Borrower shall have been delivered to the Lender. Such opinions shall, amongst other things, confirm that the existing Security delivered in connection with the Original Loan is first ranking security in favour of the Lender in respect to all of the Obligations, including without limitation, the Additional Loan;
     
  3.1.18 the Borrower shall have delivered to the Lender certificates of insurance acceptable to the Lender showing, inter alia, the Lender as a first loss payee as its interest may appear on all insurance policies that insure the assets to be secured by the Security;
     
  3.1.19 no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the Second Closing Date or would result from making the Additional Loan and a senior officer of the Borrower shall have certified the same to the Lender;
     
  3.1.20 all representations and warranties made by Borrower, Nomad and Breakthrough in the Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects;

 

  3.1.21 no Material Adverse Effect has occurred;
     
  3.1.22 a source and use of funds statement and an outline of the flow of funds from the Loan shall have been delivered to the Lender evidencing that the Loan will be used solely for the Nomad Acquisition and for working capital purposes;
     
  3.1.23 the Lender shall have received such additional evidence, documents or undertakings as the Lender shall reasonably request to establish the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Breakthrough Acquisition and the Nomad Acquisition and be satisfied, acting reasonably, as to the taking of all proceedings in connection herewith in compliance with the conditions set forth in this Agreement;
     
  3.1.24 the Lender shall have completed all due diligence which it considers necessary or appropriate in its discretion in regard to Borrower and its Property, the Breakthrough Acquisition and the Nomad Acquisition, books and records, operations, prospects and condition (financial or otherwise), including, without limitation, in regards to past and ongoing compliance with Applicable Laws (including Environmental Laws), union and labour relations and pension matters;

 

6

 

 

  3.1.25 the Lender and the Borrower will have entered into, executed and delivered the Lender’s Nomad Distribution Agreement, all on terms satisfactory to the parties, acting reasonably;

 

  3.1.26 concurrently therewith, the Borrower shall complete the Breakthrough Acquisition and the Nomad Acquisition on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Lender;
     
  3.1.27 the execution and delivery of the 2015 First Warrant and the 2015 Second Warrant by the Borrower; and
     
  3.1.28 the Second Closing Date occurs by no later than November 16, 2015;
     

provided that if and to the extent that any Loan Document or other condition precedent set forth in this Section 3.1 and relating specifically and solely to Breakthrough or the Breakthrough Acquisition is not delivered at or prior to the Second Closing Date, then same shall instead become a condition precedent to the Lender advancing the second tranche of the Additional Loan as set forth in Section 3.2 and shall not be a waiver of such unfulfilled condition.

 

3.2 Conditions of Second Tranche
   

The effectiveness of the Lender’s obligation to fund the second tranche of the Additional Loan amount, as set forth in Section 2.1.4 of this Agreement, shall be subject to following conditions precedent having been met to the satisfaction of the Lender, or, alternatively, waived in writing by the Lender:

 

  3.2.1 Borrower must ensure that:

 

  (a) Nomad completes a financial assistance whitewash procedure in relation to the Nomad Guarantee and Nomad Security Documents granted in respect thereto in accordance with Section 260B of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) by no later than the date that is thirty (30) days after the Second Closing Date; and
     
  (b) the Nomad Guarantee and Nomad Security Documents granted in respect thereto are effective no later than the date that is thirty (30) days after the Second Closing Date.

 

  3.2.2 Borrower shall have satisfied all those conditions precedent set forth in Section 3.1 that relate to Breakthrough and/or the Breakthrough Acquisition that were not satisfied on or prior to the Second Closing Date;

 

  3.2.3 no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of disbursement or would result from making the second tranche of the Additional Loan and a senior officer of the Borrower shall have certified the same to the Lender;
     
  3.2.4 all representations and warranties made by Borrower in the Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects;
     
  3.2.5 no Material Adverse Effect has occurred.

 

3.3 Termination

 

This First Amendment shall automatically be terminated on November 18, 2015 if the conditions precedent set forth under Section 3.1 have not been met.

 

ARTICLE 4

MISCELLANEOUS

 

4.1 Further Assurances

 

Each of the Borrower and the Lender shall, from time to time hereafter and upon any reasonable request of the other party, execute and deliver such further agreements and documents and do all such other acts and things as may be necessary or appropriate to give effect to the foregoing.

 

4.2 Time of the Essence

 

Time shall be of the essence of this First Amendment.

 

4.3 Severability

 

If any provision of this First Amendment is found by final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part, such provision (or part thereof, as the case may be) shall be severable and such finding shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of such provision or of any other provision hereof.

 

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4.4 Enurement

 

This First Amendment shall enure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their permitted assigns.

 

4.5 Counterparts

 

This First Amendment may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which, taken together, shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

4.6 Paramountcy

 

In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this First Amendment and the terms and conditions of any other Transaction Document, including the Loan Agreement, the terms and conditions of this First Amendment shall prevail and be paramount to the extent of such conflict or inconsistency.

 

4.7 Governing Law

 

This First Amendment will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Province of Quebec and the laws of Canada applicable therein.

 

4.8 Language

 

The parties acknowledge that they have requested that this First Amendment and all ancillary documents be drawn up in the English language only. Les parties reconnaissent avoir exigé que cette convention ainsi que tous les documents y reliés soient rédigés en anglais seulement.

 

(signature page follows)

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties hereto have duly executed this First Amendment as of the date and at the place first hereinabove set forth.

 

  KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC.
     
  by: /s/ Michael Loustric               
  Name: Michael Loustric
  Title: President

 

  SYNERGY CHC CORP.
     
  by: /s/ Jack Ross     
  Name: Jack Ross
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

 

9

 

 

Exhibit 10.11

 

AMENDMENT TO FIRST AMENDMENT AGREEMENT entered into as of the 3rd day of December, 2015 (the “Amendment”).

 

BETWEEN:   KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC., a corporation formed under the laws of Barbados;
    (hereinafter called the “Lender”)
     
AND:   SYNERGY CHC CORP., a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Nevada;
    (hereinafter called the “Synergy”)

 

WHEREAS Synergy (then known as Synergy Strips Corp.) and the Lender are parties to that certain loan agreement (as amended by the First Amendment, the “Loan Agreement”) made as of the 21st day of January, 2015, pursuant to which the Lender has extended a loan to Synergy in the principal amount of Six Million United States Dollars (US$6,000,000) as amended by a first amendment to the loan agreement made as of November 12, 2015 (the “First Amendment”) pursuant to which the Lender has extended an additional loan to Synergy in the principal amount of Five Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$5,500,000) (the “Additional Loan”);

 

WHEREAS the Lender and Synergy desire to amend the First Amendment to, inter alia, modify the conditions precedent for the second tranche of the Additional Loan;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of these presents and of the mutual covenants hereinafter contained, the parties have agreed as follows:

 

ARTICLE 1

INTERPRETATION

 

1.1 Capitalized Terms

 

In this Amendment, capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Loan Agreement.

 

ARTICLE 2

AMENDMENTS

 

2.1 Amendments to the First Amendment

 

The Borrower and the Lender hereby agree to amend the First Agreement as follows:

 

  2.1.1 Section 2.1.1 of the First Amendment is hereby amended by inserting the following definition:
     
    Amendment and Confirmation Agreement” means that certain agreement among the Lender, Synergy, Nomad and Breakthrough by which Nomad and Breakthrough confirm that the terms of the distribution, license and supply agreement dated January 22, 2015 between Synergy and the Lender apply to them and by which the parties amend certain provisions of such distribution, license and supply agreement;

 

  2.1.2 Section 2.1.1 of the First Amendment is hereby amended by deleting the definition of “Lender’s Nomad Distribution Agreement”.
     
  2.1.3 Section 3.2.5 of the First Amendment is hereby amended to replace “Lender’s Nomad Distribution Agreement” by “Amendment and Confirmation Agreement”.

 

 

 

 

  2.1.4 Article 3 of the First Amendment is hereby amended by adding the following:

 

  3.5 Distribution Agreement

 

    The Lender, Nomad and Borrower shall enter into, execute and deliver a distribution agreement within thirty (30) days of the disbursement of the second tranche of the Additional Loan with the following terms and conditions:
     
  (a) Lender and/or its affiliates shall grant to Nomad non-exclusive distribution rights for “Flat Tummy Tea” products in the Territory for direct to consumer sales; and
     
  (b) Nomad shall buy its “Flat Tummy Tea” products in the Territory for direct to consumer sales under the distribution agreement on an exclusive basis from the Lender and/or its affiliates at cost of goods plus 60% of gross sales.

 

  2.1.5 From and after the date hereof, (i) all references in the First Amendment to “this First Amendment” shall mean the First Amendment as amended by this Amendment, and as may otherwise be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, and (ii) all references in the other Loan Documents to the “Loan Agreement” (or words of similar import) shall be deemed to be references to the Loan Agreement as amended by the First Amendment as amended by this Amendment, and as may otherwise be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time. All references in any of the Loan Documents to the “Loan Documents” shall mean the Loan Documents as amended by this Amendment and as may otherwise be amended restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
     
  2.1.6 Except as expressly amended by this Amendment, all other provisions of the First Amendment and the Transaction Documents not specifically amended hereby shall remain unchanged and in full force and effect.

 

ARTICLE 3

MISCELLANEOUS

 

3.1 Further Assurances

 

Each of the Borrower and the Lender shall, from time to time hereafter and upon any reasonable request of the other party, execute and deliver such further agreements and documents and do all such other acts and things as may be necessary or appropriate to give effect to the foregoing.

 

3.2 Time of the Essence

 

Time shall be of the essence of this Amendment.

 

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3.3 Severability

 

If any provision of this Amendment is found by final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part, such provision (or part thereof, as the case may be) shall be severable and such finding shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of such provision or of any other provision hereof.

 

3.4 Enurement

 

This Amendment shall enure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their permitted assigns.

 

3.5 Counterparts

 

This Amendment may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which, taken together, shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

3.6 Paramountcy

 

In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Amendment and the terms and conditions of any other Transaction Document, including the Loan Agreement and the First Amendment, the terms and conditions of this Amendment shall prevail and be paramount to the extent of such conflict or inconsistency.

 

3.7 Governing Law

 

This Amendment will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Province of Quebec and the laws of Canada applicable therein.

 

3.8 Language

 

The parties acknowledge that they have requested that this Amendment and all ancillary documents be drawn up in the English language only. Les parties reconnaissent avoir exigé que cette convention ainsi que tous les documents y reliés soient rédigés en anglais seulement.

 

3

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties hereto have duly executed this Amendment as of the date and at the place first hereinabove set forth.

 

  KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC.
   
  By: /s/ Michael Loustric
  Name: Michael Loustric
  Title: President
     
  SYNERGY CHC CORP.
   
  By: /s/ Jack Ross
  Name:  Jack Ross
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

 

4

 

Exhibit 10.12

 

AMENDMENT AND CONFIRMATION AGREEMENT

 

THIS AGREEMENT, effective December 3rd, 2015, by and among KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC. (“Knight”), a corporation incorporated under the laws of Barbados, NOMAD CHOICE PTY LTD. (Nomad), a corporation formed under the laws of Australia, and SYNERGY CHC CORP. (Synergy), a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Nevada, and BREAKTHROUGH PRODUCTS, INC. (“Breakthrough”), a corporation formed under the laws of Delaware.

 

WHEREAS Synergy and Knight are parties to that certain distribution, license and supply agreement dated January 22, 2015 as may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time (the “DLS Agreement”);

 

WHEREAS pursuant to the DLS Agreement, Synergy, for itself and on behalf of its Affiliates, has named Knight its exclusive distributor of Licensed Products in the Territory;

 

WHEREAS Synergy has acquired all of the shares of Nomad effective November 16, 2015 and, as and from that date, Nomad became an Affiliate;

 

WHEREAS Synergy has acquired all of the shares of Breakthrough effective November 12, 2015 and as and from that date, Breakthrough became an Affiliate;

 

WHEREAS the parties wish to confirm that the terms and conditions of the DLS Agreement apply to Nomad and Breakthrough effective from the dates each became an Affiliate;

 

WHEREAS the parties wish to confirm certain amendments to the DLS Agreement;

 

NOW THEREFORE in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:

 

1 DEFINITIONS
   
1.1 Definitions. Unless the context otherwise indicates, defined terms used in this Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the DLS Agreement.
   
2 GRANT OF RIGHTS
   
2.1 Each of Nomad and Breakthrough hereby confirms that it is subject to the terms and conditions of the DLS Agreement, as hereby amended, as if it were an original signatory thereto.
   
2.2 The DLS Agreement is hereby amended by replacing the definition of “Licensed Product” as follows:

 

“(i) with respect to Synergy means FocusFactor, FocusFactor Kids, Synergy Strips and all Improvements thereto, and (ii) with respect to Nomad, Breakthrough and any other Subsidiary of Synergy means all of the their present and future products (including with respect to Nomad “Flat Tummy Tea” and with respect to Breakthrough “urgentRX”)”.

 

2.3 The DLS Agreement is hereby amended by replacing the definition of “Territory” as follows:

 

“Territory (i) means Canada, Israel, Romania, Russia and each of the countries within Sub-Saharan Africa.”

 

2.4 The DLS Agreement is hereby amended by deleting (i) Section 11 thereof and (ii) all references in the DLS Agreement to the defined term “Additional Territory”.
   
2.5 Section 9.3 of the DLS Agreement is deleted and replaced with the following:

 

“9.3 Termination of Knight. Knight may terminate this Agreement in whole or in part (including with respect to a particular Licensed Product and/or Territory or a particular Territory in respect of a particular Licensed Product) by notice in writing given not less than sixty (60) days prior to the intended termination date.”

 

 

 

 

3 OTHER PROVISIONS
   
3.1 Waiver. No failure to exercise and no delay in exercising any right or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. Any waiver granted hereunder shall only be applicable the specific acts covered thereby and shall not apply to any subsequent events, acts, or circumstances.
   
3.2 Severability. In the event any portion of this Agreement shall be held illegal, void or ineffective, the remaining portion hereof shall remain in full force and effect. If any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement are in conflict with any applicable statute or rule of law, then such terms or provisions shall be deemed inoperative to the extent that they may conflict therewith and shall be deemed to be modified to conform with such statute or rule of law.
   
3.3 Governing Law. This Agreement all disputes arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or the performance, enforcement, breach or termination hereof or thereof, and any remedies relating thereto, shall be construed, governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
   
3.4 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be considered one and the same Agreement and shall become effective when a counterpart hereof has been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Party.
   
3.5 Time of Essence. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement and of each provision hereof.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have signed this Agreement.

 

  KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC.

 

  By: /s/ Michael Loustric
  Name:  Michael Loustric
  Title: President

 

  NOMAD CHOICE PTY LTD.

 

  By: /s/ Jack Ross
  Name:  Jack Ross
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

  SYNERGY CHC CORP.

 

  By: /s/ Jack Ross
  Name:  Jack Ross
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

  BREAKTHROUGH PRODUCTS, INC.

 

  By: /s/ Jack Ross
  Name:  Jack Ross
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.13

 

SETTLEMENT AND RELEASE AGREEMENT

 

This Settlement and Release Agreement (“Agreement”) by and between Synergy CHC Corp., a Nevada corporation (“Releasor”), the former shareholders (the “Shareholders”) of Breakthrough Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), URX ACQUISITION TRUST, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), on its own behalf and as the representative of the Shareholders, David T. Leyrer (“Leyrer”), Michael Valentino (“Valentino”), Ron Fugate (“Fugate”), and Randall Kaplan (“Kaplan”, and collectively with Leyrer, Valentino, Fugate, the “Former Directors”) is dated and effective as of the 17th day of December, 2015.

 

WHEREAS, the Company, the Trust, Jordan Eisenberg, the former chief executive officer of the Company and a Shareholder, the Shareholders and Releasor are parties to that certain Stock Purchase Agreement (the “SPA”) dated November 12, 2015 (capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined have the meaning ascribed to them in the SPA);

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the SPA, Releasor acquired all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company (the “Transaction”);

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the SPA, the Shareholders, the Company and the Trust made certain representations and warranties to Releasor regarding, among other things, the financial condition of the Company and the Company’s outstanding liabilities and obligations to third parties;

 

WHEREAS, following the Transaction, Releasor discovered certain irregularities in the financial information of the Company as well as conflicting information regarding the Company’s liabilities and obligations to third parties from what was previously provided by the Company;

 

WHEREAS, Releasor made a claim for indemnification against the Shareholders and the Trust pursuant to Section 8 of the SPA (the “Claim”);

 

WHEREAS, Releasor and the Trust, on its own behalf and on behalf of the Shareholders, have reached an agreement to resolve the Claim to the mutual satisfaction of all parties and wish to document such settlement in this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Settlement Payments.

 

  a. The Trust will return Three Million (3,000,000) shares of Releasor’s common stock to Releasor. Upon execution of this Agreement, the Trust will return the certificate representing the Equity Consideration to Releasor’s transfer agent, VStock Transfer, with instructions to transfer Three Million (3,000,000) shares to Releasor and return a new certificate to the Trust for the balance of Three Million (3,000,000) shares of Releasor’s common stock.
     
  b. The time period under which Royalty Consideration is payable to the Trust by Releasor under the SPA is reduced from seven (7) years to five (5) years.
     
  c. Releasor will issue a warrant in the form of Exhibit A to the Trust.

 

 

 

 

2. Releases.

 

  a. Release of the Trust and Shareholders by Releasor. Except as set forth in Section 3 of this Agreement, in exchange for the payments outlined above, Releasor, on its own behalf and on behalf of its Affiliates, directors, officers, managers, employees, agents, representatives, successors, and assigns, forever releases and discharges the Trust and its trustees, the Shareholders and their respective agents, representatives, successors, and assigns from any and all claims, demands, and causes of action of every kind and nature, whether known or unknown, direct or indirect, accrued, contingent or potential, which Releasor ever had or now has and which arose from the beginning of time until the date of this Agreement.
     
  b. Release of the former Directors of the Company by Releasor. Except as set forth in Section 3 of this Agreement, in exchange for the payments outlined above, Releasor, on its own behalf and on behalf of its Affiliates, directors, officers, managers, employees, agents, representatives, successors, and assigns, forever releases and discharges the Former Directors and their agents, representatives, heirs and assigns from any and all claims, demands, and causes of action of every kind and nature, whether known or unknown, direct or indirect, accrued, contingent or potential, which Releasor ever had or now has and which arose from the beginning of time until the date of this Agreement.

 

  c. Release of Releasor by the Trust and the Former Directors. Except as set forth in Section 3 of this Agreement, in exchange for the payments outlined above, the Trust, on its own behalf and as the representative of the Shareholders, its trustees, agents, representatives, successors, and assigns and the Former Directors, their heirs and assigns, forever release and discharge Releasor, its Affiliates, and their respective directors, officers (other than the officers of the Company prior to November 12, 2015), managers, employees (other than employees of the Company who were employees prior to November 12, 2015, whether or not they remained employees after such date), agents, representatives, successors, and assigns from any and all claims, demands, and causes of action of every kind and nature, whether known or unknown, direct or indirect, accrued, contingent or potential, which such parties ever had or now have and which arose from the beginning of time until the date of this Agreement.
     
  d. With respect to the foregoing releases, Releasor, Trust and the Former Directors each expressly waive any and all provisions, rights and benefits conferred by any law of the United States or of any country, state or territory of the United States, or principle of common law, which is similar, comparable, or equivalent to Section 1542 of the California Civil Code, and including Section 1542 of the California Civil Code which provides:

 

A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH THE CREDITOR DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS OR HER FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE, WHICH IF KNOWN BY HIM OR HER MUST HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR.

 

3. Future Claims. Each party to this Agreement specifically acknowledges and agrees that all rights of any party to pursue Jordan Eisenberg and any former officers and employees of the Company (the “Company Management Team”) are specifically reserved, except that no claim survives against Valentino notwithstanding his title as Chairman of the Company. Releasor hereby covenants and agrees not to bring or initiate any proceeding to assert any claims, rights or remedies against the Trust, any trustee of the Trust, any Former Director or any Shareholder (other than Shareholders who are also members of the Company Management Team) under the indemnification provisions of the SPA or otherwise that relate in any way to the Claim, to any other potential claims under the SPA or to the Transaction; providedhowever, that all parties acknowledge and agree that any claims by Releasor against the Trust or any Shareholder for breach of any representation or warranty contained in Sections 3 and 4(e) of the SPA are specifically preserved (the “Preserved Claims”). For purposes of clarity, Releasor and its successors and assigns shall have no further rights to indemnification under Section 8 of the SPA other than claims against the Company Management Team and other than the Preserved Claims.

 

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4. AuthorityEach party to this Agreement, on its own behalf and on behalf of those it represents, represents and warrants to all other parties that such party has all requisite power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out its obligations thereunder.

  

5. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of the parties hereto.

 

6. Governing Law; Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be construed, performed and enforced in accordance with, and governed by, the laws of the State of North Carolina, United States, without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of laws thereof. The parties hereto irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of, the federal and state courts of the State of North Carolina located in Wake County, North Carolina for such purpose.

 

7. ExpensesExcept as otherwise provided herein, each of the parties hereto shall pay all its own expenses in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, any legal and accounting fees.

 

8. SeverabilityIn the event that any part of this Agreement is declared by any court or other judicial or administrative body to be null, void or unenforceable, said provision shall survive to the extent it is not so declared, and all of the other provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

 

9. NoticesAll notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (i) on the date of service if served personally on the party to whom notice is to be given, or (ii) on the day of delivery by Federal Express or similar overnight courier or the Express Mail service maintained by the U.S. Postal Service, to the party the addresses set forth in the SPA.

 

10. Amendments; Waivers. This Agreement may be amended or modified, and any of the terms, covenants, representations, warranties or conditions hereof may be waived, only by a written instrument executed by the parties hereto, or in the case of a waiver, by the party waiving compliance. Any waiver by any party of any condition, or of the breach of any provision, term, covenant, representation or warranty contained in this Agreement, in any one or more instances, shall not be deemed to be nor construed as further or continuing waiver of any such condition, or of the breach of any other provision, term, covenant, representation or warranty of this Agreement.

 

11. Public Announcements. The Trust shall not make any public statement regarding this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein without Releasor’s prior written approval. Releasor will be required to file a Form 8-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regarding this Agreement.

 

12. Entire AgreementThis Agreement and the exhibits hereto contain the entire understanding between the parties hereto with respect to the matters contemplated hereby and thereby and supersede and replace all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with regard to such matters.

 

13. Section and Paragraph HeadingsThe section and paragraph headings in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

 

14. CounterpartsThis Agreement may be executed in counterparts and via .pdf, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which shall constitute the same instrument.

 

15. Independent Counsel; Mutual Drafting. Each party hereto consulted, or had the opportunity to consult, legal counsel or other advisors of its own choosing with respect to this Agreement and fully understands the meaning and intent of, this Agreement, including, but not limited to, the final and binding effect of this Agreement and the acknowledgments, releases, and waivers contained herein. Each party hereto shall be deemed to have consulted and assisted with the drafting of this Agreement such that any ambiguity herein shall not be construed in favor of one party over the other party.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Settlement and Release Agreement effective as of the day and year first above written.

 

  SYNERGY CHC CORP.
     
  By: /s/ Jack Ross
  Name:  Jack Ross
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

  URX ACQUISITION TRUST,
  on its own behalf and as representative of the Shareholders
     
  KMJZ Investments, L.L.C., Voting Trustee
     
  By: /s/ Scott Peppett
  Name:  Scott Peppett
  Title: Authorized Representative
     
  Arbicha Invesments, L.L.C., Voting Trustee
  By Arbicha, LLC, Sole Member
     
  By: /s/ Randall Kaplan
  Name: Randall Kaplan
  Title: Manager
     
  Casa Vicente, LLC, Voting Trustee
     
  By: /s/ David Leyrer
  Name: David Leyrer
  Title: Manager
     
  URX Acquisition Trustee, LLC
     
  By: /s/ Michael Valentino
  Name: Michael Valentino
  Title: Sole Member

 

[Signature Page to Settlement and Release Agreement]

 

 

 

 

  FORMER DIRECTORS:
   
  David T. Leyrer
   
  /s/ David T. Leyrer
   
  Michael Valentino
   
  /s/ Michael Valentino
   
  Ron Fugate
   
  /s/ Ron Fugate
   
  Randall Kaplan
   
  /s/ Randall Kaplan

 

[Signature Page to Settlement and Release Agreement]

 

 

 

 

Exhibit A

 

Form of Warrant

 

[Exhibit A to Settlement and Release Agreement]

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.14

 

HAND MD

DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

(Canada)

 

THIS AGREEMENT, effective December 23, 2016, by and among KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS INC. (“Knight”), a corporation incorporated under the laws of Canada, and SYNERGY CHC CORP. (“Synergy”), a corporation formed under the laws of Nevada.

 

WHEREAS Synergy and Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc. (“KB”) are parties to that certain distribution, license and supply agreement dated January 22, 2015 as may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time (collectively the “DLS Agreement”);

 

WHEREAS pursuant to the DLS Agreement, Synergy, for itself and on behalf of its Affiliates, has named KB its exclusive distributor of Licensed Products in the Territory;

 

WHEREAS KB assigned all of its rights under the DLS Agreement in respect of Licensed Products in Canada to Knight;

 

WHEREAS MD Products (as herein defined) are included amongst the Licensed Products;

 

WHEREAS Knight wishes to enter into this distribution agreement with Synergy in respect of Direct Channel Sales and of Retail Sales of MD Products in Canada;

 

NOW THEREFORE in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:

 

1 DEFINITIONS

 

1.1 Definitions. Unless the context otherwise indicates, defined terms used in this Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the DLS Agreement.
   
1.2 The following terms as used hereinafter in this Agreement shall have the meaning set forth in this Section:

 

“Cost of Goods” means Knight’s cost of manufacture, packaging and/or purchase of MD Products and supply of same to Synergy under this Agreement. For greater certainty, where Knight purchases MD Products from a Manufacturer, the Cost of Goods will be the amount paid by Knight to the Manufacturer.

 

“Direct Channel Sales” means the Commercialization of MD Products in Canada directly to consumers from a website or any other direct-to-consumer sales channel.

 

“MD Products” means the “Hand MD” line of products as now or may in the future be Commercialized by Synergy or its Affiliates (including future line extensions relating thereto) and other skin care products and related accessories Commercialized from time to time by Synergy or any company or entity controlled by Synergy. For greater certainty, the “Hand MD” line of products shall include any products and accessories that are Commercialized under the “Hand MD” trademark and/or tradename (or any variations thereof).

 

 

 

 

Gross Sales” means the gross invoiced sales price for MD Products sold by Synergy or its Affiliates, as applicable, to Third Parties throughout Canada during each Calendar Quarter, less only (i) the shipping and handling charges that are actually incurred by Synergy or its Affiliates in delivering such MD Products to Third Parties in Canada and (ii) sales, value added and other similar taxes that are included in the gross invoiced sales price of MD Products. Sales between or among Synergy and its Affiliates shall be excluded from the computation of Gross Sales, but Gross Sales shall include the subsequent final sales to Third Parties by any such Affiliates. Where (a) MD Products are sold by Synergy or its Affiliates other than in an arm’s length sale, (b) MD Products are sold as one of a number of items without a separate invoiced price; or (c) consideration for MD Products shall include any non-cash element, the Gross Sales applicable to any such transaction shall be deemed to be Synergy’s average Gross Sales to Third Parties for the applicable quantity of MD Products at that time.

 

Retail Sales” means the Commercialisation of MD Products in Canada, other than through Direct Channel Sales, and includes wholesale distribution and retail sales.

 

“Threshold Amount” means the aggregate gross sales in Canada for the four (4) successive Calendar Quarters ending December 31, 2016 of the Flat Tummy Tea products as determined pursuant to the Distribution Agreement between Knight and an affiliate of Synergy in respect to such product.

 

1.3 Other Definitional and Agreement References. References to any agreement, contract, statute, act, or regulation are to that agreement, contract, statute, act, or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof.
   
1.4 Ambiguities. Ambiguities, if any, in this Agreement shall not be construed against any Party, irrespective of which Party may be deemed to have authored the ambiguous provision.
   
1.5 Sections and Headings. The term “Section” refers to the specified Section of this Agreement, unless otherwise specified. Headings and captions of the Sections hereof are for convenience only and are not to be used in the interpretation of this Agreement.
   
1.6 Canadian Dollars. References in this Agreement to “Dollars” or “$” shall mean the legal tender of Canada, unless otherwise noted.
   
1.7 Gender. Words of one gender include the other gender,
   
1.8 Include, Includes, Including. Whenever the words “include”, “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”, whether or not they are in fact followed by those words or words of like import.

 

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1.9 Joint and Several Obligations. Unless specified otherwise in this Agreement, the obligations of any Party consisting of more than one person are joint and several.
   
1.10 Number of Days. Whenever this Agreement refers to a number of days, unless otherwise specified, such number shall refer to calendar days.
   
1.11 Party References. Reference to any Party includes the successors and permitted assigns of that Party.
   
1.12 Singular/Plural. Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number, respectively.

 

DISTRIBUTION TERMS

 

2.1 Distribution. Subject to the terms of the Agreement, Knight on behalf of itself and its Affiliates, hereby appoints Synergy as its exclusive Third Party distributor of MD Products for Canada solely and exclusively in respect of Direct Channel Sales and Retail Sales and further grants to Synergy and Synergy hereby accepts for Canada and solely and exclusively in respect of Direct Channel Sales and Retail Sales a non-exclusive sublicense under the Synergy Marks used in association with MD Products to Commercialize MD Products through Direct Channel Sales and Retail Sales in Canada. For greater certainty, the said appointment shall not limit the right of Knight (directly or through its Affiliates) to distribute MD Products in Canada through Direct Channel Sales and Retail Sales. Without limiting the generality of the forgoing, in the event that Knight determines to create and operate a website or uses other social media to promote and sell MD Products in Canada, it shall consult with Synergy and each of Synergy and Knight shall coordinate and cooperate with respect to their web and social media initiatives. In commercializing the MD Products in Canada through Direct Channel Sales or Retail Sales, Knight shall not pursue a brand strategy that Synergy, acting reasonably, determines is materially adverse to the brand equity of MD Products in Canada.
   
2.2 Sublicensing. Synergy may sublicense its rights granted hereunder or use sub-distributors or third party service providers to exercise its right or fulfill its obligations hereunder. All sublicense agreements, distribution or other arrangements or agreements shall be consistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and Synergy assumes full responsibility for any actions taken by any sublicensee, distributor or other party and any of the expenses, costs, or fees incurred by any sublicensee, distributor or other party.
   
2.3 Interim Period. Section 3.2 below contemplates that Knight may enter into an agreement with the Manufacturer. Knight shall advise Synergy by notice in writing when such agreement is in place (the “Notice Date”). Notwithstanding Section 3.1, until the Notice Date, Synergy shall be permitted to source MD Products directly from the Manufacturer. In respect to inventory of MD Products sourced directly by Synergy as permitted by this Section 2.3, Synergy will make the following payments to Knight in each Calendar Year:

 

  2.3.1 In respect to MD Products Commercialized through Direct Channel Sales, sixty percent (60%) of Gross Sales until Gross Sales from Direct Channel Sales in such Calendar Year are equal to the Threshold Amount and then forty percent (40%) of all such Gross Sales in such Calendar Year in excess of the Threshold Amount.

 

  2.3.2 In respect to MD Products Commercialized through Retail Sales, five percent (5%) of Gross Sales from Retail Sales.

 

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2.4 Payment. Payment shall be made on a monthly basis (on or before the fifteenth (15th) day of each month) for all Gross Sales of such inventory and until such inventory is exhausted.

 

3 SUPPLY

 

3.1 Exclusivity. Except as set forth otherwise in Section 2.3, Synergy will purchase all of its requirements of MD Products for Canada and in respect of Direct Channel Sales or Retail Sales exclusively from Knight, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
   
3.2 Manufacturer. Synergy acknowledges that Knight may from time to time enter into an agreement with contract manufacturer(s) (collectively, the “Manufacturer”) for the supply (which may include packaging) of MD Products under this Agreement. In such instances, Knight and Synergy shall determine mutually acceptable procedures that will allow Synergy to liaise directly with the Manufacturer in respect of order entry, logistics, delivery and other related matters; provided that Synergy shall acquire MD Products exclusively from Knight as stated in Section 3.1 above. Subject to Section 3.5 below, Knight will, at Synergy’s request, facilitate any claims, demands, complaints or similar actions that Synergy wishes to assert against the Manufacturer in respect of MD Products purchased by Synergy from Knight.
   
3.3 Packaging. The parties acknowledge that to the extent that the Manufacturer does not supply the packaging for the MD Products, Knight shall not be obliged to supply packaging to Synergy. Synergy will continue to source such packaging itself and will make arrangements with the Manufacturer to fill bulk product into the packaging provided.
   
3.4 Credit Limit. Knight may impose reasonable credit limits on the amount of MD Products that are on order or unpaid from time to time.
   
3.5 Liability. Synergy acknowledges that Knight’s liability for any and all claims arising from or in connection with the supply of MD Products under this Agreement shall be limited to the amounts that Knight may itself recover from the Manufacturer less all amounts incurred by Knight to recover such amounts.
   
3.6 Regulatory Submissions. Knight shall be solely responsible, at its expense, for preparing, filing, and managing any Regulatory Submission and for maintaining any Regulatory Approval for the MD Products in Canada. Synergy shall provide reasonable assistance to Knight in making submissions to Governmental Authorities and maintaining such Regulatory Approvals. Unless otherwise required by Applicable Law, any Regulatory Approvals shall be filed, owned and held in the name of Knight. Knight shall notify Synergy of all Regulatory Submissions that it submits.

 

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3.7 Regulatory Correspondence. Each Party shall promptly (and in any event, within five (5) Business Days of the date of receipt of notice) notify the other Party in writing of, and shall provide the other Party with copies of, any material correspondence received from a Governmental Authority in Canada. In the event that a Party receives any material regulatory letter requiring a response, the other Party will cooperate fully with the receiving Party in preparing such response and will promptly provide the receiving Party with any data or information required by the Receiving Party in preparing any such response.

 

3.8 Other Covenants. In addition to its other obligations, commitments and undertakings set out in this Agreement, Knight agrees to assume the reasonable costs of intellectual property filings, procurement and maintenance for all intellectual property applications and registrations associated with the MD Products in Canada.

 

3.9 Additional Terms.

 

  3.9.1 A Party shall promptly notify the other Party in writing of all proposed changes, whether voluntary or involuntary, including those arising from a request from a Governmental Authority in Canada, concerning the quality of MD Products and/or documentation or other items for such changes relating to the quality of the MD Products. The Parties shall negotiate in good faith towards an appropriate response to such a Governmental Authority in respect of each proposed change in the quality of the MD Products including any costs associated with implementing said changes.
     
  3.9.2 Minor changes in the procedures for manufacture or quality control that do not require approval from a Governmental Authority in Canada or that will not affect Regulatory Approvals in Canada will be communicated by Knight to Synergy in an annual review.
     
  3.9.3 Knight will maintain complete and accurate books, records, and accounts used for the determination of expenses, deductions, credits, or other relevant factors in connection with the calculation of Cost of Goods, in sufficient detail to confirm the accuracy of any payments required under this Agreement, which books, records, and accounts will be retained until three (3) years after the end of the period to which such books, records, and accounts pertain.
     
  3.9.4 During the Term of this Agreement and for three (3) years thereafter, Synergy will have the right to have an independent certified public accounting firm of internationally recognized standing access during normal business hours, and upon reasonable prior written notice, to such of the records of Knight as may be reasonably necessary to verify the accuracy of Cost of Goods for any Calendar Quarter. The accounting firm will disclose to the Parties only whether the Cost of Goods reported by Knight is correct or incorrect and the specific details concerning any discrepancies. The auditing Party will bear all costs of such audit, unless the audit reveals a discrepancy in the auditing Party’s favor of more than five percent (5%), in which case the other Party will bear the cost of the audit.

 

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Each Party will treat all information subject to review under this Section as Confidential Information and will cause its accounting firm to enter into a reasonably acceptable confidentiality agreement obligating such firm to maintain all such financial information in confidence pursuant to such confidentiality agreement.

 

  3.9.5 If, based on the results of any audit under Section 3.9.4, payments are owed by one Party to the other under this Agreement, then the Party having such obligation will make such payment promptly after the accounting firm’s written report is delivered by courier or registered mail to both Parties.
     
  3.9.6 With respect to the Commercialization of MD Products in Canada, Synergy shall comply with (i) the requirements of the Advertising Standards Canada, (ii) the Code of Ethical Practices adopted from time to time by Innovative Medicines Canada and (iii) all Applicable Laws.

 

3.10 Responsibility. Synergy acknowledges the terms and conditions of the DLS Agreement and agrees that, except as set forth in this Agreement, it shall be solely liable and responsible for all obligations, liabilities and requirements under the DLS Agreement and under Applicable Law relating to the Commercialization of MD Products in Canada through Direct Channel Sales and Retail Sales as permitted pursuant to Section 2.1 and shall indemnify and hold Knight harmless in respect of same.

 

4 PAYMENT AND FINANCIAL TERMS

 

4.1 Product Price. Knight will supply MD Products to Synergy at a price (the “Product Price”) equal to the aggregate of (i) the Cost of Goods and (ii) in respect to MD Products sold through Direct Channel Sales, for each Calendar Year sixty percent (60%) of Gross Sales from Direct Channel Sales until the Gross Sales in such Calendar Year from Direct Channel Sales equal the Threshold Amount and then forty percent (40%) of all such Gross Sales in that same Calendar Year in excess of the Threshold Amount and (iii) in respect to MD Products sold thought Retail Sales, five percent (5%) of Gross Sales from Retail Sales. Knight shall initially invoice Synergy for the Cost of Goods for MD Products supplied hereunder. Synergy shall pay Knight’s invoice for the Cost of Goods no later than thirty (30) days after delivery of MD Products relating thereto.

 

4.2 Report. Within twenty-five (25) days following the end of each Calendar Quarter, Synergy shall render a written report to Knight setting forth the following information and calculations in which sales of MD Products occurred in the Calendar Quarter covered by such report:

 

  4.2.1 the Gross Sales, if any, in Canadian dollars;
     
  4.2.2 the calculation of the balance of the Product Price for MD Products Commercialised through Direct Chanel Sales (having regard to the Cost of Goods previously invoiced) based on that Calendar Quarter’s actual Gross Sales; and

 

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  4.2.3 the calculation of the balance of the Product Price for MD Products Commercialised through Retail Sales (having regard to the Cost of Goods previously invoiced) based on that Calendar Quarter’s actual Gross Sales.

 

4.3 Balance of Product Price. The payment of the balance of the Product Price shall be made by Synergy within thirty (30) days from the end of each Calendar Quarter in which such payment accrues.
   
4.4 Minimum. The minimum payment to be paid each full Calendar Year during the Term by Synergy to Knight in respect of Retail Sales pursuant to Sections 2.3.2 and 4.1(iii) shall be no less than $25,000 in the aggregate. Synergy shall, by no later than January 31 of the Calendar Year immediately following, make such payment (if any) as is required to meet such requirement. If the Agreement is terminated other than at the end of a Calendar Year, such minimum payment shall be pro-rated.
   
4.5 Currency. The Product Price shall be paid by Synergy in Canadian dollars. For the purposes of determining the Cost of Goods, if incurred by Knight in a currency other than Canadian dollars, the Cost of Goods shall be converted into Canadian dollars using the closing conversion rate of the Bank of Canada on the business date prior to the date of the invoice to Synergy in respect thereof, and with respect to the balance of the Product Price, if Gross Sales were invoiced in a currency other than Canadian dollars, Gross Sales shall be converted into Canadian dollars using the closing conversion rate of the Bank of Canada on the last business day of the calendar quarter preceding the applicable calendar quarter.
   
4.6 Procedures. All sums due under this Agreement shall be paid by wire transfer of immediately available funds, or such other method mutually agreed upon by the Parties, in each case at the expense of the payer, no later than the due date thereof (with twenty-four (24) hours advance notice of each wire transfer) to the bank accounts or such other bank accounts as the payee shall designate in writing within reasonable period of time prior to such due date.
   
4.7 Interest. In the event that any payment due hereunder is not made when due, interest shall accrue at a rate per annum equal to the lesser of one point twenty-five percent (1.25%) per month or the highest rate permitted by Law, calculated on the number of days such payments are paid after the date such payments are due and compounded monthly.
   
4.8 Withholding Tax. Synergy will make all payments to Knight under this Agreement without deduction or withholding for taxes except to the extent that any such deduction or withholding is required by law in effect at the time of payment. Any tax required to be withheld on amounts payable by Synergy under this Agreement will be timely paid by Synergy on behalf of Knight to the appropriate Governmental Authority, and Synergy will furnish Knight with the corresponding proof of payment of such tax, as may be required in order to enable Knight to request reimbursement or deduction of the withheld amount, or to otherwise comply with its duties. Synergy and Knight agree to cooperate to legally minimize and reduce such withholding taxes and provide any information or documentation required by any taxing authority.

 

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4.9 VAT and Similar Taxes. All amounts paid by Synergy to Knight under this Agreement are exclusive of, and Synergy shall pay any sales, use, rental, custom, excise, stamp documentary, value added, consumption or other similar Taxes, duties, levies, fees or charges that may be assessed in any jurisdiction resulting from or arising under this Agreement. Knight shall collect and remit such taxes, duties, levies, fees or charges as required under Law.

 

5 TERM

 

5.1 Initial Term. The appointment set forth in Section 2.1 shall be for an initial period terminating on February 15, 2021, and this Agreement shall automatically renewal for additional one (1) year terms unless either Party gives notice of nonrenewal at least one hundred and eighty (180) days prior to the end of the then-current term.
   
5.2 Termination for Breach. Either Party may terminate this Agreement by written notice to the other Party with immediate effect in the following cases:

 

  (a) In the event of a petition in bankruptcy or insolvency of the other Party, or in case of the filing by the other Party of any petition or answer seeking reorganization, readjustment, or rearrangement of its business under any law or any government regulation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency, or in case of the institution by the other Party of any proceedings for the liquidation or winding up of its business, or for the termination of its corporate charter.

 

  (b) If the other Party is otherwise in material default or breach of this Agreement and such default or breach is not cured within (i) sixty (60) days after written notice thereof is delivered to the defaulting or breaching Party (thirty (30) days in the case of Synergy’s failure to pay any amounts due hereunder), or (ii) in the case of a breach that cannot be cured within sixty (60) days, within a reasonable period not exceeding one hundred twenty (120) days after written notice thereof is delivered to the defaulting or breaching Party.

 

5.3 Effect of Termination. Upon expiry or termination of this Agreement, all rights granted by Knight hereunder shall terminate and Synergy undertakes to except as provided for in Section 5.4, cease any Commercialization of the MD Products in Canada.

 

5.4 Sell-Off of Inventory. Subject to compliance with Section 4 hereof, upon termination of this Agreement, Synergy shall be entitled to sell off any inventory of the MD Products in Synergy’s possession or control or which are subject to binding purchase orders on the date such termination is effective.

 

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6 LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

 

WITHOUT LIMITING THE PARTIES’ OBLIGATIONS REGARDING INDEMNIFICATION, NEITHER PARTY SHALL BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER PARTY OR TO

 

ANY THIRD PARTY WHO MAY BENEFIT FROM ANY PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT FOR SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, LOSS OF PROFITS, INTERRUPTION OR LOSS OF BUSINESS OR OTHER ECONOMIC LOSS) ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR WITH RESPECT TO A PARTY’S PERFORMANCE OR NON-PERFORMANCE HEREUNDER.

 

7 OTHER PROVISIONS

 

7.1 Further Assurances. Upon request by either Party and at such Party’s expense, the other Party shall do such further acts and execute such additional agreements and instruments as may be reasonably necessary to give effect to the purposes of this Agreement.
   
7.2 Independent Status. Each Party shall act as an independent contractor and shall not bind nor attempt to bind the other Party to any contract, nor any performance of obligations outside of the license agreement. Nothing contained or done under the Agreement shall be interpreted as constituting either Party the agent of the other in any sense of the term whatsoever or in the relationship of partners or joint venturers.
   
7.3 Assignment. Except in connection with the acquisition of a Party or the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of such Party, this Agreement may not be, directly or indirectly, assigned or transferred, in whole or in part, by a Party to a Third Party without the prior written consent of the other Party. The rights and obligations contained herein shall inure to the benefit of each Party’s successors and permitted assigns, and shall be binding on and enforceable against the relevant Party’s successors and permitted assigns. Any reference in this Agreement to any Party shall be construed accordingly.
   
7.4 Compliance with Law. Each Party shall comply with, and shall not be in violation of any valid applicable international, national, provincial or local statutes, laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, or other governmental orders of Canada.
   
7.5 Force Majeure. No Party shall be responsible for a failure or delay in performance of any of the obligations hereunder due wars, insurrections, strikes, acts of God, power outages, storms, or actions of regulatory agencies (such events being defined as “Force Majeure”), provided that the Party seeking relief from its obligations advises the other Party forthwith of the Force Majeure. A Party whose performance of obligations has been delayed by force majeure shall use commercially reasonable efforts to overcome the effect of the Force Majeure as soon as possible. The other Party will have no right to demand indemnity for damage or assert a breach against such Party, provided, however, that if the event of Force Majeure preventing performance shall continue for more than six (6) months and such underlying cause would not also prevent other parties from performing such obligations, then the Party not subject to the event of Force Majeure may terminate this Agreement with a written notice to the other without any liability hereunder, except the obligation to make payments due to such date.

 

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7.6 Notices and Amendments. Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given by facsimile or other means of electronic communication or by hand delivery as hereinafter provided. Any such notice, if sent by fax or other means of electronic communication, shall be deemed to have been received on the day of sending, or if delivered by hand shall be deemed to have been received at the time it is delivered to the applicable address noted below. Notices of change of address shall also be governed by this Section 7.6. Notices and other communications shall be addressed as follows:

 

(a)      In the case of the Synergy:

 

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
865 Spring Street

Westbrook, Maine 04092
Attention: Jack Ross

E-mail: jack.ross@purebrands.ca

 

with a copy to:

 

Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LIP

4101 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 300

Raleigh, North Carolina 27607

U.S.A.

Attention: W. David Mannheim, Esq.

Fax: (919) 781-4865

E-mail: dmannheim@wyrick.com

 

(b)      In the case of Knight:

 

KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS INC.

3400 de Mainsonneuve

Suite 1055

Westmount, Quebec H3Z 3B8

Attention: Jeff Kadanoff, Chief Financial Officer

Fax: (514) 481-4116

E-mail: jkadanoff@gud-knight.com

 

With a copy to:

 

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP

1501 McGill College Ave.

Suite 2600

Montreal, Quebec H3A 3N9

Attention: Hillel W. Rosen

Fax: (514) 841-6499

E-mail: hrosen@dwpv.com

 

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7.7 Waiver. No failure to exercise and no delay in exercising any right or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. Any waiver granted hereunder shall only be applicable the specific acts covered thereby and shall not apply to any subsequent events, acts, or circumstances

 

7.8 Complete Agreement. This Agreement embodies all of the understandings and obligations between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior or contemporaneous agreements and understandings, whether written or oral, between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. Any amendments or supplements to this Agreement shall not be valid unless executed in writing by duly authorized officers of both parties.

 

7.9 Severability. In the event any portion of this Agreement shall be held illegal, void or ineffective, the remaining portion hereof shall remain in full force and effect. If any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement are in conflict with any applicable statute or rule of law, then such terms or provisions shall be deemed inoperative to the extent that they may conflict therewith and shall be deemed to be modified to conform with such statute or rule of law.

 

7.10 Governing Law. This Agreement all disputes arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or the performance, enforcement, breach or termination hereof or thereof, and any remedies relating thereto, shall be construed, governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
   
7.11 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be considered one and the same Agreement and shall become effective when a counterpart hereof has been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Party.
   
7.12 Time of Essence. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement and of each provision hereof
   
7.13 Arbitration. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, any dispute or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or to the breach, termination, or validity of this Agreement, will be resolved as follows: each Party shall discuss the matter and make reasonable efforts to attempt to resolve the dispute. If the Parties are unable to resolve, the dispute a CEO or President of each Party will meet within thirty days (30) of a request to attempt to resolve such dispute being made by a Party. If the CEOs or Presidents cannot resolve the dispute through good faith negotiations within sixty (60) days after a Party requests such meeting, then the Parties shall resort to binding arbitration before a single arbitrator using the arbitration procedures set forth under the American Arbitration Association under its Commercial Arbitration Rules. Any hearing in the course of the arbitration shall be held New York, New York in the English language. The decision of the arbitrator shall be final and not subject to appeal and the arbitrator may apportion the costs of the arbitration, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of the parties, between or among the parties in such manner as the arbitrator considers reasonable. All matters in relation to the arbitration shall be kept confidential to the full extent permitted by law, and no individual shall be appointed as an arbitrator unless he or she agrees in writing to be bound by this provision..

 

[Signature page follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have signed this Agreement.

 

  KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS INC.
   
  By: /s/ Jeffrey Kadanoff
  Name: Jeffrey Kadanoff
  Title: CFO

 

  SYNERGY CHC CORP.
   
  By: /s/ Jack Ross
  Name: Jack Ross
  Title: CEO

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.15

 

FOCUSFactor

DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

(Canada)

 

THIS AGREEMENT, effective December 23, 2016, by and among KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS INC. (“Knight”), a corporation incorporated under the laws of Canada, and SYNERGY CHC CORP. (“Synergy”), a corporation formed under the laws of Nevada.

 

WHEREAS Synergy and Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc. (“KB”) are parties to that certain distribution, license and supply agreement dated January 22, 2015 as may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time (collectively the “DLS Agreement”);

 

WHEREAS pursuant to the DLS Agreement, Synergy, for itself and on behalf of its Affiliates, has named KB its exclusive distributor of Licensed Products in the Territory;

 

WHEREAS KB assigned all of its rights under the DLS Agreement in respect of Licensed Products in Canada to Knight;

 

WHEREAS FF Products (as herein defined) are included amongst the Licensed Products;

 

WHEREAS Knight wishes to enter into this distribution agreement with Synergy in respect of Direct Channel Sales and of Retail Sales of FF Products in Canada;

 

NOW THEREFORE in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:

 

1 DEFINITIONS

 

1.1 Definitions. Unless the context otherwise indicates, defined terms used in this Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the DLS Agreement.

 

1.2 The following terms as used hereinafter in this Agreement shall have the meaning set forth in this Section:

 

“Cost of Goods” means Knight’s cost of manufacture, packaging and/or purchase of FF Products and supply of same to Synergy under this Agreement including without limitation, its internal and external costs related to quality assurance and stability procedures and processes undertaken with respect to the FF Products. For greater certainty, where Knight purchases FF Products from a Manufacturer, the Cost of Goods will be the amount paid by Knight to the Manufacturer plus its internal and external costs related to quality assurance and stability procedures and processes undertaken with respect to the FF Products.

 

“Direct Channel Sales” means the Commercialization of FF Products in Canada directly to consumers from a website or any other direct-to-consumer sales channel.

 

“FF Products” means FOCUSFactor, FOCUSFactor Kids and all Improvements thereto.

 

 

 

 

“Gross Sales” means the gross invoiced sales price for FF Products sold by Synergy or its Affiliates, as applicable, to Third Parties throughout Canada during each Calendar Quarter, less only (i) the shipping and handling charges that are actually incurred by Synergy or its Affiliates in delivering such FF Products to Third Parties in Canada and (ii) sales, value added and other similar taxes that are included in the gross invoiced sales price of FF Products. Sales between or among Synergy and its Affiliates shall be excluded from the computation of Gross Sales, but Gross Sales shall include the subsequent final sales to Third Parties by any such Affiliates. Where (a) FF Products are sold by Synergy or its Affiliates other than in an arm’s length sale, (b) FF Products are sold as one of a number of items without a separate invoiced price; or (c) consideration for FF Products shall include any non-cash element, the Gross Sales applicable to any such transaction shall be deemed to be Synergy’s average Gross Sales to Third Parties for the applicable quantity of FF Products at that time.

 

“Retail Sales” means the Commercialisation of FF Products in Canada, other than through Direct Channel Sales, and includes wholesale distribution and retail sales.

 

1.3 Other Definitional and Agreement References. References to any agreement, contract, statute, act, or regulation are to that agreement, contract, statute, act, or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof.
   
1.4 Ambiguities. Ambiguities, if any, in this Agreement shall not be construed against any Party, irrespective of which Party may be deemed to have authored the ambiguous provision.
   
1.5 Sections and Headings. The term “Section” refers to the specified Section of this Agreement, unless otherwise specified. Headings and captions of the Sections hereof are for convenience only and are not to be used in the interpretation of this Agreement.
   
1.6 Canadian Dollars. References in this Agreement to “Dollars” or “S” shall mean the legal tender of Canada, unless otherwise noted.
   
1.7 Gender. Words of one gender include the other gender.
   
1.8 Include, Includes, Including. Whenever the words “include”, “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”, whether or not they are in fact followed by those words or words of like import.
   
1.9 Joint and Several Obligations. Unless specified otherwise in this Agreement, the obligations of any Party consisting of more than one person are joint and several.

 

1.10 Number of Days. Whenever this Agreement refers to a number of days, unless otherwise specified, such number shall refer to calendar days.

 

1.11 Party References. Reference to any Party includes the successors and permitted assigns of that Party.

 

1.12 Singular/Plural. Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number, respectively.

 

2 DISTRIBUTION TERMS
   
2.1 Distribution. Subject to the terms of the Agreement, Knight on behalf of itself and its Affiliates, hereby appoints Synergy as its exclusive Third Party distributor of FF Products for Canada solely and exclusively in respect of Direct Channel Sales and Retail Sales and further grants to Synergy and Synergy hereby accepts for Canada and solely and exclusively in respect of Direct Channel Sales and Retail Sales a non-exclusive sublicense under the Synergy Marks and to the extent required under any Knight trademarks used in association with FF Products to Commercialize FF Products through Direct Channel Sales and Retail Sales in Canada. For greater certainty, the said appointment shall not limit the right of Knight (directly or through its Affiliates) to distribute FF Products in Canada through Direct Channel Sales and Retail Sales. Without limiting the generality of the forgoing, in the event that Knight determines to create and operate a website or uses other social media to promote and sell FF Products in Canada, it shall consult with Synergy and each of Synergy and Knight shall coordinate and cooperate with respect to their web and social media initiatives. In commercializing the FF Products in Canada through Direct Channel Sales or Retail Sales, Knight shall not pursue a brand strategy that Synergy, acting reasonably, determines is materially adverse to the brand equity of FF Products in Canada.

 

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2.2 Sublicensing. Synergy may sublicense its rights granted hereunder or use sub-distributors or third party service providers to exercise its right or fulfill its obligations hereunder. All sublicense agreements, distribution or other arrangements or agreements shall be consistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and Synergy assumes full responsibility for any actions taken by any sublicensee, distributor or other party and any of the expenses, costs, or fees incurred by any sublicensee, distributor or other party.
   
2.3 Interim Period. Section 3.2 below contemplates that Knight may enter into an agreement with the Manufacturer. Knight shall advise Synergy by notice in writing when such agreement is in place (the “Notice Date”). Notwithstanding Section 3.1, until the Notice Date, Synergy shall be permitted to source FF Products directly from the Manufacturer. In respect to inventory of FF Products sourced directly by Synergy as permitted by this Section 23, Synergy will make the following payments to Knight:

 

  2.3.1 In respect to FF Products Commercialized through Direct Channel Sales, thirty percent (30%) of Gross Sales therefrom;

 

  2.3.2 In respect to FF Products Commercialized through Retail Sales, five percent (5%) of Gross Sales therefrom;

 

2.4 Payment. Payment shall be made on a monthly basis (on or before the fifteenth (15th) day of each month) for all Gross Sales of such inventory and until such inventory is exhausted.

 

3 SUPPLY
   
3.1 Exclusivity. Except as set forth otherwise in Section 2.3, Synergy will purchase all of its requirements of FF Products for Canada and in respect of Direct Channel Sales or Retail Sales exclusively from Knight, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
   
3.2 Manufacturer. Synergy acknowledges that Knight may from time to time enter into an agreement with contract manufacturer(s) (collectively, the “Manufacturer”) for the supply (which may include packaging) of FF Products under this Agreement. In such instances, Knight and Synergy shall determine mutually acceptable procedures that will allow Synergy to liaise directly with the Manufacturer in respect of order entry, logistics, delivery and other related matters; provided that Synergy shall acquire FF Products exclusively from Knight as stated in Section 3.1 above. Subject to Section 3.5 below, Knight will, at Synergy’s request, facilitate any claims, demands, complaints or similar actions that Synergy wishes to assert against the Manufacturer in respect of FF Products purchased by Synergy from Knight.
   
3.3 Packaging. The parties acknowledge that to the extent that the Manufacturer does not supply the packaging for the FF Products, Knight shall not be obliged to supply packaging to Synergy. Synergy will continue to source such packaging itself and will make arrangements with the Manufacturer to fill bulk product into the packaging provided.
   
3.4 Credit Limit. Knight may impose reasonable credit limits on the amount of FF Products that are on order or unpaid from time to time.
   
3.5 Liability. Synergy acknowledges that Knight’s liability for any and all claims arising from or in connection with the supply of FF Products under this Agreement shall be limited to the amounts that Knight may itself recover from the Manufacturer less all amounts incurred by Knight to recover such amounts.
   
3.6 Regulatory Submissions. Knight shall be solely responsible, at Synergy’s expense, for preparing, filing, and managing any Regulatory Submission required after the date hereof and for maintaining at Synergy’s expense any Regulatory Approval for the FF Products in Canada. Each Party shall provide reasonable assistance to the other in making submissions to Governmental Authorities and maintaining such Regulatory Approvals. Unless otherwise required by Applicable Law, any Regulatory Approvals shall be filed, owned and held in the name of Knight. Knight shall notify Synergy of all Regulatory Submissions that it submits.

 

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17 Regulatory Correspondence. Each Party shall promptly (and in any event, within five (5) Business Days of the date of receipt of notice) notify the other Party in writing of, and shall provide the other Party with copies of, any material correspondence received from a Governmental Authority in Canada. In the event that a Party receives any material regulatory letter requiring a response, the other Party will cooperate fully with the receiving Party in preparing such response and will promptly provide the receiving Party with any data or information required by the Receiving Party in preparing any such response.

 

3.8 Other Covenants. In addition to its other obligations, commitments and undertakings set out in this Agreement, Knight agrees to assume the reasonable costs of intellectual property filings, procurement and maintenance for all intellectual property applications and registrations associated with the FF Products in Canada.
   
3.9 Additional Terms.

 

  3.9.1 A Party shall promptly notify the other Party in writing of all proposed changes, whether voluntary or involuntary, including those arising from a request from a Governmental Authority in Canada, concerning the quality of FF Products and/or documentation or other items for such changes relating to the quality of the FF Products. The Parties shall negotiate in good faith towards an appropriate response to such a Governmental Authority in respect of each proposed change in the quality of the FF Products including any costs associated with implementing said changes.

 

  3.9.2 Minor changes in the procedures for manufacture or quality control that do not require approval from a Governmental Authority in Canada or that will not affect Regulatory Approvals in Canada will be communicated by Knight to Synergy in an annual review.

 

  3.9.3 Knight will maintain complete and accurate books, records, and accounts used for the determination of expenses, deductions, credits, or other relevant factors in connection with the calculation of Cost of Goods, in sufficient detail to confirm the accuracy of any payments required under this Agreement, which books, records, and accounts will be retained until three (3) years after the end of the period to which such books, records, and accounts pertain.

 

  3.9.4 During the Term of this Agreement and for three (3) years thereafter, Synergy will have the right to have an independent certified public accounting firm of internationally recognized standing access during normal business hours, and upon reasonable prior written notice, to such of the records of Knight as may be reasonably necessary to verify the accuracy of Cost of Goods for any Calendar Quarter. The accounting firm will disclose to the Parties only whether the Cost of Goods reported by Knight is correct or incorrect and the specific details concerning any discrepancies. The auditing Party will bear all costs of such audit, unless the audit reveals a discrepancy in the auditing Party’s favor of more than five percent (5%), in which case the other Party will bear the cost of the audit. Each Party will treat all information subject to review under this Section as Confidential Information and will cause its accounting firm to enter into a reasonably acceptable confidentiality agreement obligating such firm to maintain all such financial information in confidence pursuant to such confidentiality agreement.

 

  3.9.5 If, based on the results of any audit under Section 3.9.4, payments are owed by one Party to the other under this Agreement, then the Party having such obligation will make such payment promptly after the accounting firm’s written report is delivered by courier or registered mail to both Parties.

 

  3.9.6 With respect to the Commercialization of FF Products in Canada, Synergy shall comply with (i) the requirements of the Advertising Standards Canada, (ii) the Code of Ethical Practices adopted from time to time by Innovative Medicines Canada and (iii) all Applicable Laws.

 

3.10 Marketing. Synergy shall use reasonable commercial efforts to Commercialize the FF Products in Canada, including using its “Einstein” materials and through television advertising.

 

3.11 Responsibility. Synergy acknowledges the terms and conditions of the DLS Agreement and agrees that, except as set forth in this Agreement, it shall be solely liable and responsible for all obligations, liabilities and requirements under the DLS Agreement and under Applicable Law relating to the Commercialization of FF Products in Canada through Direct Channel Sales and Retail Sales as permitted pursuant to Section 2.1 and shall indemnify and hold Knight harmless in respect of same.

 

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4 PAYMENT AND FINANCIAL TERMS

 

4.1 Product Price. Knight will supply FF Products to Synergy at a price (the “Product Price”) equal to the aggregate of (i) the Cost of Goods and (ii) in respect to FF Products sold through Direct Channel Sales, thirty percent (30%) of Gross Sales from Direct Channel Sales and (iii) in respect to FF Products sold though Retail Sales, five percent (5%) of Gross Sales from Retail Sales. Knight shall initially invoice Synergy for the Cost of Goods for FF Products supplied hereunder. Synergy shall pay Knight’s invoice for the Cost of Goods no later than thirty (30) days after delivery of FF Products relating thereto.

 

4.2 Report. Within twenty-five (25) days following the end of each Calendar Quarter, Synergy shall render a written report to Knight setting forth the following information and calculations in which sales of FF Products occurred in the Calendar Quarter covered by such report:

 

  4.2.1 the Gross Sales, if any, in Canadian dollars;

 

  4.2.2 the calculation of the balance of the Product Price for FF Products Commercialised through Direct Chanel Sales (having regard to the Cost of Goods previously invoiced) based on that Calendar Quarter’s actual Gross Sales; and

 

  4.2.3 the calculation of the balance of the Product Price for FF Products Commercialised through Retail Sales (having regard to the Cost of Goods previously invoiced) based on that Calendar Quarter’s actual Gross Sales.

 

4.3 Balance of Product Price. The payment of the balance of the Product Price shall be made by Synergy within thirty (30) days from the end of each Calendar Quarter in which such payment accrues.
   
4.4 Minimum. The minimum payment to be paid each full Calendar Year during the Term by Synergy to Knight in respect of Retail Sales pursuant to Sections 2.3.2 and 4.1(iii) shall be no less than $100,000 in the aggregate. Synergy shall, by no later than January 31 of the Calendar Year immediately following, make such payment (if any) as is required to meet such requirement. In the event that this Agreement is terminated other than at the end of a Calendar Year, the said minimum payment shall be pro-rated.
   
4.5 Currency. The Product Price shall be paid by Synergy in Canadian dollars. For the purposes of determining the Cost of Goods, if incurred by Knight in a currency other than Canadian dollars, the Cost of Goods shall be converted into Canadian dollars using the closing conversion rate of the Bank of Canada on the business date prior to the date of the invoice to Synergy in respect thereof, and with respect to the balance of the Product Price, if Gross Sales were invoiced in a currency other than Canadian dollars, Gross Sales shall be converted into Canadian dollars using the closing conversion rate of the Bank of Canada on the last business day of the calendar quarter preceding the applicable calendar quarter.
   
4.6 Procedures. All sums due under this Agreement shall be paid by wire transfer of immediately available funds, or such other method mutually agreed upon by the Parties, in each case at the expense of the payer, no later than the due date thereof (with twenty-four (24) hours advance notice of each wire transfer) to the bank accounts or such other bank accounts as the payee shall designate in writing within reasonable period of time prior to such due date.
   
4.7 Interest. In the event that any payment due hereunder is not made when due, interest shall accrue at a rate per annum equal to the lesser of one point twenty-five percent (1.25%) per month or the highest rate permitted by Law, calculated on the number of days such payments are paid after the date such payments are due and compounded monthly.
   
4.8 Withholding Tax. Synergy will make all payments to Knight under this Agreement without deduction or withholding for taxes except to the extent that any such deduction or withholding is required by law in effect at the time of payment. Any tax required to be withheld on amounts payable by Synergy under this Agreement will be timely paid by Synergy on behalf of Knight to the appropriate Governmental Authority, and Synergy will furnish Knight with the corresponding proof of payment of such tax, as may be required in order to enable Knight to request reimbursement or deduction of the withheld amount, or to otherwise comply with its duties. Synergy and Knight agree to cooperate to legally minimize and reduce such withholding taxes and provide any information or documentation required by any taxing authority.

 

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4.9 Transition. Upon the execution of this Agreement, Synergy shall purchase Knights’ inventory of FF Products for a purchase price equal to Knight’s Cost of Goods for same.

 

4.10 VAT and Similar Taxes. All amounts paid by Synergy to Knight under this Agreement are exclusive of, and Synergy shall pay any sales, use, rental, custom, excise, stamp documentary, value added, consumption or other similar Taxes, duties, levies, fees or charges that may be assessed in any jurisdiction resulting from or arising under this Agreement. Knight shall collect and remit such taxes, duties, levies, fees or charges as required under Law.

 

5 TERM

 

5.1 Initial Term. The appointment set forth in Section 2.1 shall be for an initial period terminating on February 15, 2021, and this Agreement shall automatically renewal for additional one (1) year terms unless either Party gives notice of nonrenewal at least one hundred and eighty (180) days prior to the end of the then-current term.
   
5.2 Termination for Breach. Either Party may terminate this Agreement by written notice to the other Party with immediate effect in the following cases:

 

  (a) In the event of a petition in bankruptcy or insolvency of the other Party, or in case of the filing by the other Party of any petition or answer seeking reorganization, readjustment, or rearrangement of its business under any law or any government regulation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency, or in case of the institution by the other Party of any proceedings for the liquidation or winding up of its business, or for the termination of its corporate charter.
     
  (b) If the other Party is otherwise in material default or breach of this Agreement and such default or breach is not cured within (i) sixty (60) days after written notice thereof is delivered to the defaulting or breaching Party (thirty (30) days in the case of Synergy’s failure to pay any amounts due hereunder), or (ii) in the case of a breach that cannot be cured within sixty (60) days, within a reasonable period not exceeding one hundred twenty (120) days after written notice thereof is delivered to the defaulting or breaching Party.

 

5.3 Effect of Termination. Upon expiry or termination of this Agreement, all rights granted by Knight hereunder shall terminate and Synergy undertakes except as provided for in Section 5.4, to cease any Commercialization of the FF Products in Canada.
   
5.4 Sell-Off of Inventory. Subject to compliance with Section 4 hereof, upon termination of this Agreement, Synergy shall be entitled to sell off any inventory of the FF Products in Synergy’s possession or control or which are subject to binding purchase orders on the date such termination is effective.

 

6 LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

 

WITHOUT LIMITING THE PARTIES’ OBLIGATIONS REGARDING INDEMNIFICATION, NEITHER PARTY SHALL BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER PARTY OR TO ANY THIRD PARTY WHO MAY BENEFIT FROM ANY PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT FOR SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, LOSS OF PROFITS, INTERRUPTION OR LOSS OF BUSINESS OR OTHER ECONOMIC LOSS) ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR WITH RESPECT TO A PARTY’S PERFORMANCE OR NON-PERFORMANCE HEREUNDER.

 

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7 OTHER PROVISIONS
   
7.1 Further Assurances. Upon request by either Party and at such Party’s expense, the other Party shall do such further acts and execute such additional agreements and instruments as may be reasonably necessary to give effect to the purposes of this Agreement.
   
7.2 Independent Status. Each Party shall act as an independent contractor and shall not bind nor attempt to bind the other Party to any contract, nor any performance of obligations outside of the license agreement. Nothing contained or done under the Agreement shall be interpreted as constituting either Party the agent of the other in any sense of the term whatsoever or in the relationship of partners or joint venturers.
   
7.3 Assignment. Except in connection with the acquisition of a Party or the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of such Party, this Agreement may not be, directly or indirectly, assigned or transferred, in whole or in part, by a Party to a Third Party without the prior written consent of the other Party. The rights and obligations contained herein shall inure to the benefit of each Party’s successors and permitted assigns, and shall be binding on and enforceable against the relevant Party’s successors and permitted assigns. Any reference in this Agreement to any Party shall be construed accordingly.
   
7.4 Compliance with Law. Each Party shall comply with, and shall not be in violation of any valid applicable international, national, provincial or local statutes, laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, or other governmental orders of Canada.
   
7.5 Force Majeure. No Party shall be responsible for a failure or delay in performance of any of the obligations hereunder due wars, insurrections, strikes, acts of God, power outages, storms, or actions of regulatory agencies (such events being defined as “Force Majeure”), provided that the Party seeking relief from its obligations advises the other Party forthwith of the Force Majeure. A Party whose performance of obligations has been delayed by force majeure shall use commercially reasonable efforts to overcome the effect of the Force Majeure as soon as possible. The other Party will have no right to demand indemnity for damage or assert a breach against such Party, provided, however, that if the event of Force Majeure preventing performance shall continue for more than six (6) months and such underlying cause would not also prevent other parties from performing such obligations, then the Party not subject to the event of Force Majeure may terminate this Agreement with a written notice to the other without any liability hereunder, except the obligation to make payments due to such date.

 

7.6 Notices and Amendments. Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given by facsimile or other means of electronic communication or by hand delivery as hereinafter provided. Any such notice, if sent by fax or other means of electronic communication, shall be deemed to have been received on the day of sending, or if delivered by hand shall be deemed to have been received at the time it is delivered to the applicable address noted below. Notices of change of address shall also be governed by this Section 7.6. Notices and other communications shall be addressed as follows:

 

  (a) In the case of the Synergy:

 

SYNERGY CHC CORP.

865 Spring Street

Westbrook, Maine 04092

Attention: Jack Ross

E-mail: jack.ross@purebrands.ca

 

with a copy to:

 

Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP

4101 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 300

Raleigh, North Carolina 27607

U.S.A.

Attention: W. David Mannheim, Esq.

Fax: (919) 781-4865

E-mail: dmaimheim@wyrick.com

 

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  (b) In the case of Knight:

 

KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS INC.

3400 de Maisonneuve West

Suite 1055

Westmount, Quebec H3Z 3B8

Attention: Jeff Kadanoff, Chief Financial Officer

Fax: (514)481-4116

E-mail: jkadanoff@gud-knight.com

 

With a copy to:

 

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP

1501 McGill College Ave.

Suite 2600

Montreal, Quebec H3A 3N9

Attention: Hillel W. Rosen

Fax: (514) 841-6499

E-mail: hrosen@dwpv.com

 

7.7 Waiver. No failure to exercise and no delay in exercising any right or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. Any waiver granted hereunder shall only be applicable the specific acts covered thereby and shall not apply to any subsequent events, acts, or circumstances

  

7.8 Complete Agreement. This Agreement embodies all of the understandings and obligations between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior or contemporaneous agreements and understandings, whether written or oral, between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. Any amendments or supplements to this Agreement shall not be valid unless executed in writing by duly authorized officers of both parties.
   
7.9 Severability. In the event any portion of this Agreement shall be held illegal, void or ineffective, the remaining portion hereof shall remain in full force and effect. If any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement are in conflict with any applicable statute or rule of law, then such terms or provisions shall be deemed inoperative to the extent that they may conflict therewith and shall be deemed to be modified to conform with such statute or rule of law.

 

7.10 Governing Law. This Agreement all disputes arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or the performance, enforcement, breach or termination hereof or thereof, and any remedies relating thereto, shall be construed, governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

7.11 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be considered one and the same Agreement and shall become effective when a counterpart hereof has been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Party.

 

7.12 Time of Essence. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement and of each provision hereof

 

7.13 Arbitration. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, any dispute or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or to the breach, termination, or validity of this Agreement, will be resolved as follows: each Party shall discuss the matter and make reasonable efforts to attempt to resolve the dispute. If the Parties are unable to resolve, the dispute a CEO or President of each Party will meet within thirty days (30) of a request to attempt to resolve such dispute being made by a Party. If the CEOs or Presidents cannot resolve the dispute through good faith negotiations within sixty (60) days after a Party requests such meeting, then the Parties shall resort to binding arbitration before a single arbitrator using the arbitration procedures set forth under the American Arbitration Association under its Commercial Arbitration Rules. Any hearing in the course of the arbitration shall be held New York, New York in the English language. The decision of the arbitrator shall be final and not subject to appeal and the arbitrator may apportion the costs of the arbitration, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of the parties, between or among the parties in such manner as the arbitrator considers reasonable. All matters in relation to the arbitration shall be kept confidential to the full extent permitted by law, and no individual shall be appointed as an arbitrator unless he or she agrees in writing to be bound by this provision..

 

[Signature page follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have signed this Agreement.

 

  KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS INC.

 

  By: /s/ Jeffrey Kadanoff
  Name: Jeffrey Kadanoff
  Title: CFO

 

  SYNERGY CHC CORP.

 

  By: /s/ Jack Ross
  Name: Jack Ross
  Title: CEO

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.16

 

ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

THIS ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT is made and entered into this 21st day of June 2017, by and among the following parties: (A) Synergy CHC Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Buyer”); (B) Perfekt Beauty Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company “Seller”); and (C) CDG Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Member”).

 

WITNESSETH:

 

WHEREAS, the Seller is engaged in the business of developing and selling skincare and cosmetics products under the brand Per-fekt (the “Products” and the business related to the manufacture, sale, marketing and distribution of the Products is, collectively, the “Business”);

 

WHEREAS, the Member owns 92.3% of all of the issued and outstanding equity interests of the Seller; and

 

WHEREAS, the Seller desires to sell, and Buyer desires to purchase, all or substantially all of Seller’s assets for the consideration payable by Buyer to Seller as set forth in this Agreement, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the above premises and of the mutual covenants, conditions and agreements set forth herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE 1: DEFINITIONS

 

1.1 Definitions. Unless the context shall otherwise require, terms used in this Agreement with initial capital letters shall have the meanings ascribed to them in Annex A, which is hereby incorporated by reference into this Agreement and made a part hereof.

 

1.2 Rules of Construction. For purposes of this Agreement: (a) whenever the context requires, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms; (b) where the context so requires or permits, the use of the singular form includes the plural, and the use of the plural form includes the singular; (c) the words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”; (d) all references to “party” and “parties” shall be deemed references to parties to this Agreement, unless the context shall otherwise require; (e) except as specifically otherwise provided in this Agreement, a reference to an Article, Section, Schedule or Exhibit is a reference to an Article or Section of this Agreement or a Schedule or Exhibit of or to this Agreement; (f) the term “or” is used in its inclusive sense and shall be deemed to have the meaning “and/or”, and, together with the terms “either” and “any” shall not be exclusive; (g) the term “any” shall be deemed to have the meaning “any and/or all”; (h) when used in this Agreement, words such as “herein”, “hereinafter”, “hereby”, “hereof,” “hereto”, “hereunder” and words of similar import shall refer to this Agreement as a whole, including Schedules and Exhibits hereto, and not to any particular provision of this Agreement, unless the context clearly requires otherwise; (i) any reference to any Contract or other document or instrument or to any Law is to it as amended and supplemented from time to time through the date of the Closing (and in the case of any Law, to any successor provisions, and to any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, in effect as of the date of this Agreement and as of the date of the Closing), unless the context requires otherwise; (j) any reference to a Person shall include the permitted successors and assigns of such Person; and (k) any reference to any materials, including any document, report, record, file or other data, shall, in each case, include any form or medium of such materials (including electronic form).

 

ARTICLE 2: ASSET PURCHASE

 

2.1 Asset Purchase; Assumption of Liabilities.

 

(a) Asset Purchase. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, and except for the assets set forth on Schedule 2.1(a) hereof, at the Closing, the Seller shall sell, assign, transfer and deliver to the Buyer, and the Buyer shall purchase, acquire and accept from Seller, one hundred percent (100%) of the assets of the Seller, tangible and intangible, wherever located, whether or not listed in the Financial Statements (the “Purchased Assets”). The Purchased Assets include, without limitation: (i) all accounts receivable of Seller; (ii) the Beauty Brands and Costco orders; (iii) all Seller customer relationships; and (iv) and all formulas related to the Per-fekt products. The Purchased Assets shall be sold, transferred and assigned free and clear of all Liens and Encumbrances, except for Permitted Encumbrances. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Purchased Assets will not include any of the assets listed on Schedule 2.1(a) (collectively, the “Excluded Assets”).

 

 

 

 

(b) Documentation. At the Closing, the Seller shall deliver one or more assignment and transfer agreement(s) and bill(s) of sale to the Buyer, such assignment and transfer agreement(s) and bill(s) of sale to be in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Buyer.

 

(c) Assumption of Liabilities. The Buyer shall assume and agree to pay, perform and discharge when due, only the following liabilities and obligations of Seller (the “Assumed Liabilities”): (i) the Liabilities of the Seller described in Schedule 2.1(c)(i); (ii) the Liabilities of Seller arising after the Closing under the Contracts included in the Purchased Assets, including those listed on Schedule 2.1(c)(ii) (the “Assumed Contracts”), provided that the Buyer shall not assume any Liabilities of the Seller arising out of or in connection with any breaches or defaults by the Seller under the Assumed Contracts arising prior to the Closing and that the Assumed Liabilities shall not include any obligations or liabilities that were not incurred in the ordinary course of business and shall not include Liabilities or obligations that are caused by the actions or inactions of the Seller with respect to the Purchased Assets on or prior to the Closing Date; and (iii) the Liabilities arising out of operation of the Business or ownership of the Purchased Assets after Closing.

 

(d) Non-Assumption of Other Liabilities. Unless specifically set forth and assumed in Sections 2.1(c) or (e), the Buyer will not assume or in any way undertake to pay, perform, satisfy or discharge any Liability or other obligation whatsoever of the Seller or the Business, including, without limitation, any and all Liabilities for, relating to, arising out of or resulting from (i) any Taxes (whether payable by or for the Seller, any member of Seller or any other Person), (ii) accounts payable of the Seller not listed in Schedule 2.1(c)(i), (iii) the services or products of the Seller (including the Products) to the extent sold, performed, or delivered prior to the Closing Date (including, without limitation, any product returns, which shall remain the sole and complete liability of the Seller), (iv) the ownership or leasing of the Purchased Assets prior to or on the Closing Date, (v) any Action arising out of events occurring prior to the Closing, regardless of when made or asserted, (vi) any Liability under any Assumed Contract incurred during or relating in any way to the period prior to the Closing, (vii) any Employee or former employee of the Seller, or any consultant retained by the Seller, (viii) any obligation to indemnify, reimburse or advance amounts to any officer, director, Employee or agent of the Seller, (ix) any Action pending as of the Closing Date, (x) any Action commenced after the Closing Date and arising out of or relating to any occurrence or event happening prior to the Closing Date, (xi) the Seller’s compliance or noncompliance with any Law or Governmental Order, (xii) any liability of the Seller or the Member under this Agreement or any other document executed in connection with the Transactions, (xiii) the Seller’s actions or omissions occurring before, on or after the Closing Date, and (xiv) employee benefits (including, without limitation, any and all Liabilities for offering and providing COBRA continuation coverage (and all required notices related thereto) and accrued vacation, sick leave and bonuses, with respect to Seller’s Employees and former employees and their respective dependents and other COBRA qualified beneficiaries under Seller’s group health plans for “qualifying events” (within the meaning of §4980B of the Code and applicable regulations) occurring prior to and including the Closing Date (including any “qualifying event” occurring by virtue of an Employee not being hired by Buyer in connection with the consummation of the Transactions)) (collectively, the “Excluded Liabilities”). The Seller shall promptly pay and discharge all Excluded Liabilities in the ordinary course of business.

 

(e) Ulta Liability. As of the Closing, the Excluded Liabilities includes the wholesale value of returns of the Product inventory held by Ulta as of the Closing (“Ulta Held Inventory”), which, as of Closing, has a wholesale value of approximately $1,010,000 (the “Ulta Liability Amount”). In the event of Product returns of the Ulta Held Inventory by Ulta, Buyer shall be obligated to purchase the returned Products (except those returned Products that are reasonably deemed to be damaged, expired or otherwise unsaleable) from Seller at Seller’s true cost of manufacturing for such returned Products. Excluded Liabilities shall not include, and Seller shall have no liability for, freight or transportation costs associated with such returns. Following Closing, Buyer agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to sell Products to Ulta (such sales being “New Product Sales”) and to support the resale of Products sold to Ulta. The Ulta Liability Amount shall decrease by the amount of New Product Sales by Buyer, from time to time, and once New Product Sales (measured using the Net Sales definition) equal or exceed the Ulta Liability Amount, then all Liabilities associated with the Ulta Held Inventory shall become an Assumed Liability. Notwithstanding the foregoing, on the one-year anniversary of the Closing, all Liabilities associated with the Ulta Held Inventory shall become an Assumed Liability.

 

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2.2 Payment of Consideration.

 

(a) Purchase Price. The total purchase price for the Purchased Assets (such amount, the “Purchase Price”) will be payable in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and equal to the sum of:

 

(i) the Preliminary Adjustment Amount; minus

 

(ii) the Seller Indebtedness Amount (as defined in Section 2.2(b)(i) below); minus

 

(iii) the amount of any Final Adjustment Amount Underage (as determined in accordance with Section 2.3 below); plus

 

(iv) the amount of any Final Adjustment Amount Overage (as determined in accordance with Section 2.3 below); plus

 

(v) Any Royalty Consideration (as defined in Section 2.2(c) below).

 

(b) Payment of Closing Date Purchase Price. In consideration of the transfer of the Purchased Assets to Buyer, at the Closing, Buyer shall:

 

(i) direct payment of an amount equal to the Seller’s Indebtedness set forth on Schedule 2.2(b)(i) hereof as of the Closing Date pursuant to payoff letter(s) in form reasonably acceptable to Buyer which will cause the release of all Liens (if any) on the Purchased Assets (the “Seller Indebtedness Amount”); and

 

(ii) pay to the Seller the following (the “Closing Payment”): (A) the Preliminary Adjustment Amount, minus (B) the Seller Indebtedness Amount. The Closing Payment shall be paid to Seller in the form of shares of Common Stock of Buyer. The Buyer shall issue to Seller at the Closing a number of shares of Common Stock of Buyer equal to the Closing Payment divided by $1.50.

 

(c) Royalty Consideration. As additional consideration for the purchase of the Purchased Assets, the Buyer agrees to make the following payments to the Seller in accordance with, and subject to the conditions of, this Section 2.2(c) and Section 6.1 (the sum of any such payments, if any, the “Royalty Consideration”):

 

(i) A 5% royalty on a quarterly basis beginning on the Closing Date, and terminating on the ten (10) year anniversary of the Closing Date, on all Net Sales of Products.

 

(d) Closing Deliverables. At or prior to the Closing, the Seller will prepare and deliver to the Buyer a statement of the amount of the estimated Adjustment Amount as of 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on the Closing Date without taking into account any of the transactions to be completed on the Closing Date in accordance with the terms of this Agreement (the “Preliminary Adjustment Amount”), together with a reasonably detailed supporting calculation thereof. The Seller shall conduct a physical inventory count in order to determine the wholesale value of the Inventory. The Seller shall not promote, remove or liquidate any Inventory through sales, bulk sales or shipments to another retailer or location prior to Closing.

 

2.3 Purchase Price Adjustment.

 

(a) Within 90 days following the Closing, the Buyer shall prepare and deliver, or cause to be prepared and delivered, to the Seller a statement (the “Closing Schedule”) setting forth:

 

(i) the Buyer’s determination of the actual amounts of (A) the Adjustment Amount, including the Final Adjustment Amount Overage or the Final Adjustment Amount Underage (the “Final Adjustment Amount”), and (B) the Seller Indebtedness Amount, in each case as of 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on the Closing Date without taking into account any of the transactions to be completed on the Closing Date in accordance with the terms of this Agreement;

 

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(ii) a calculation of any adjustments to the Closing Payment based on such calculations (the adjusted Closing Payment as a result of such calculation being the “Final Closing Payment”); and

 

(iii) a calculation of the accounts receivable contained in the Preliminary Adjustment Amount that were not collected by Buyer within the thirty (30) days immediately following the Closing and the accounts receivable existing at the Closing but not taken into account in calculating the Adjustment Amount (the “Excluded AR”).

 

(b) Within fifteen (15) days after delivery of the Closing Schedule, the Seller may deliver a notice to Buyer either: (i) concurring with the Closing Schedule (a “Notice of Concurrence”); or (ii) disagreeing therewith (a “Notice of Disagreement”). If the Seller delivers a Notice of Disagreement, then it shall be accompanied by the Seller’s proposed revisions to the Closing Schedule. If the Seller fails to deliver any notice within such 15-day period, the Seller shall be deemed to have delivered a Notice of Concurrence.

 

(c) If a Notice of Concurrence is delivered or deemed delivered, and if the Final Closing Payment is less than the Closing Payment, the Buyer shall be entitled to payment out of the Royalty Consideration in the full amount of such shortfall. If a Notice of Concurrence is delivered or deemed delivered, and the Final Closing Payment is greater than the Closing Payment, Buyer shall pay to the Seller the full amount of such excess (with such payment being in shares of Buyer Common Stock priced at $1.50 per share) within thirty (30) days of the delivery of the Notice of Concurrence.

 

(d) If a Notice of Disagreement is delivered, then the Seller and the Buyer shall, during the 15-day period following such delivery (the “Negotiation Period”), use commercially reasonable efforts to agree on the Final Adjustment Amount. If, during such period, the Seller and the Buyer are unable to reach agreement, they promptly shall engage a nationally recognized certified public accounting firm reasonably acceptable to each such party (the “Independent Auditor”) to resolve the disagreement, and any such resolution shall be final, conclusive and binding upon the parties hereto, absent fraud or manifest error. To the extent the Final Closing Payment as determined by the Independent Auditor is less than the Closing Payment, the Buyer shall be entitled to payment out of the Royalty Consideration in the full amount of such shortfall. To the extent the Final Closing Payment as determined by the Independent Auditor is more than the Closing Payment, the Buyer shall pay to the Seller the full amount of such excess (with such payment being in shares of Buyer Common Stock priced at $1.50 per share) within thirty (30) days of such resolution.

 

(e) Each of the Seller and the Buyer shall pay fifty percent (50%) of the fees and expenses of the Independent Auditor.

 

2.4 Allocation of Consideration. The parties will mutually agree upon an allocation of the consideration paid hereunder among the Purchased Assets in accordance with Section 1060 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder and consistent with the allocation set forth on Schedule 2.4 and agree to use the allocations therein for all filings, declarations and reports with the IRS. The parties each agree to complete and file IRS Form 8594 with its U.S. Federal Income Tax Return consistent with such allocation for the Tax year in which the Closing occurs.

 

2.5 Closing. The closing of the Transactions (the “Closing”) will take place remotely via the exchange of documents and signatures (the date of the Closing, the “Closing Date”). The Closing shall be effective as of 12:01 AM Eastern Time on the Closing Date.

 

2.6 Collection of Accounts ReceivableBuyer shall use commercially reasonable efforts to collect accounts receivable included in the Purchased Assets as of the Closing Date and shall permit Seller to assist in collection efforts, including permitting Seller to directly contact payors. Each of Buyer and Seller shall be responsible for the costs and expenses of their respective collection efforts. Any and all Excluded AR shall be the property of Seller and Seller may use its discretion in collecting all such Excluded AR for its benefit after the thirty (30) day period following Closing.

 

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2.7 Financial Statement PreparationFollowing the Closing Date, Seller and Member shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to assist Buyer in causing to be prepared, as promptly as practicable, and in any event no later than seventy (75) days following the Closing Date, any financial statements that Buyer is required to file pursuant to Form 8-K, Rule 3-05 or Article 11 of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act, and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the consents of its auditor(s) with respect thereto as may be required by applicable SEC regulations. Seller represents and warrants that it has secured and will secure the cooperation of its finance staff to assist Buyer with getting audited financial statements. All costs and expenses associated with this Section 2.7, including reasonable compensation for services provided by Seller’s finance staff and auditors, shall be paid by Buyer.

 

ARTICLE 3: REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
OF THE SELLER AND THE MEMBERS

 

As of the Closing Date, each of the Seller and Member, jointly and severally, hereby represents and warrants to the Buyer as to the matters specified in this Article 3 (other than the investment representations in Sections 3.31 to 3.35, which are made by Seller only) subject to the exceptions disclosed in the disclosure schedules delivered by the Seller and the Member to the Buyer (the “Schedules”) concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement. The sections of the Schedules are numbered to correspond to the applicable Section of this Agreement. The Schedules set forth, among other things, items the disclosure of which is necessary either in response to an express disclosure requirement contained in a section of this Agreement or as an exception to one or more representations or warranties contained in the corresponding section of this Article 3. Information or disclosures set forth in one section of the Schedules shall qualify other sections in this Agreement to the extent that it is readily apparent on its face that such information or disclosures apply to such other sections.

 

3.1 Organization and Standing. The Seller has been duly formed and organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its formation. The Seller has the requisite power and authority to own its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently conducted. The Seller is duly qualified or licensed to do business and in good standing as a foreign entity (if applicable) in each jurisdiction in which it conducts business, except where failure to so qualify would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Seller. Schedule 3.1 contains a complete and accurate list of the Seller’s jurisdiction of organization and any other jurisdictions in which it is qualified to do business as a foreign entity. The Seller has furnished to Buyer true and correct copies of its Organizational Documents, as amended to date, and such Organizational Documents are in full force and effect. The Seller is not in violation of any of the provisions of its Organizational Documents. The Seller has no Subsidiaries.

 

3.2 Authorization; Enforceability . The Seller has all requisite power and authority to enter into this Agreement and the other agreements referenced herein or required hereby (the “Seller Related Agreements”), and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (the “Transactions”). The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Seller Related Agreements and the consummation of the Transactions have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Seller, and no further action is required on the part of the Seller to authorize this Agreement, the Seller Related Agreements, and the Transactions. This Agreement and the Seller Related Agreements have been duly executed and delivered by the Seller and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties hereto and thereto, constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Seller, enforceable against it in accordance with their respective terms, except as such enforceability may be subject to the laws of general application relating to bankruptcy, insolvency and the relief of debtors and rules of law governing specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies.

 

3.3 Absence of Conflicting Agreements; Consents. Neither the execution, delivery or performance by the Seller of this Agreement and any Seller Related Agreements to which the Seller is a party, nor the consummation of the Transactions, does or will, after the giving of notice, or the lapse of time or both, or otherwise:

 

(a) contravene, result in a breach of, or constitute a default under, the Seller’s Organizational Documents;

 

(b) contravene or violate any Law to which the Seller or the Business is subject or by which the Seller or the Business is bound;

 

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(c) contravene or constitute a default under any Material Contract;

 

(d) contravene in any material respect, result in any material breach of or constitute a default in any material respect (or which with the giving of notice or lapse of time would become such a default) under, give rise to any right of termination, material amendment, material modification, acceleration or cancellation of any material obligation or loss of any material benefit under, result in the creation of any Lien or Encumbrance on any of the assets of the Seller (including the Purchased Assets) pursuant to or under any Law or Governmental Order applicable to the Seller; or

 

(e) require the Consent of any Person or any Governmental Authority, other than as set forth in Schedule 3.3.

 

3.4 CapitalizationSchedule 3.4 sets forth the number, class and ownership of the Seller’s outstanding equity securities immediately prior to Closing (the “Seller Equity Interests”). The Seller Equity Interests constitute all of the outstanding equity or voting interests of the Seller, and the Seller Equity Interests have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. There are no outstanding securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into equity of the Seller or any options, warrants, purchase rights, subscription rights, preemptive rights, conversion rights, exchange rights, calls, puts, rights of first refusal or other Contracts that could require the Seller to issue, sell or otherwise cause to become outstanding or to acquire, repurchase or redeem any equity interest. There are no voting trusts, proxies or other Contracts relating to the voting of equity of the Seller.

 

3.5 Sufficiency of, Title to and Condition of the Assets.

 

(a) The Purchased Assets constitute all of the assets related to or used in or otherwise owned or leased by the Seller in connection with the Business as the Business is currently conducted, and are sufficient to permit operation of the Business from and immediately after the Closing Date in substantially the same manner as the Business is currently conducted. All items of tangible personal property, material to the operation of the Business, whether owned or leased by the Seller, have been maintained in accordance with normal industry practice, are adequate and suitable for the purposes for which they are presently being used or held for use, conform in all material respects to all applicable Laws and Permits relating to their use and operation, and are free from defects (patent and latent) and deferred maintenance obligations, subject to normal wear and tear. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the equipment included in the Purchased Assets has been properly maintained and is in good working condition, subject to normal wear and tear.

 

(b) The Seller has good and marketable title in and to (or in the case of leased assets, a valid leasehold interest in) all of the Purchased Assets (other than inventory and other assets sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business), free and clear of all Liens and Encumbrances other than Permitted Encumbrances.

 

3.6 Contracts.

 

(a) Schedule 3.6(a) sets forth a true, complete and correct list of all of the following Contracts to which the Seller is a party (such Contracts together with any Contracts listed on Schedule 3.8(b), collectively the “Material Contracts”):

 

(i) any written employment or severance Contract with any current or former employee of the Seller whereby the Seller continues to have ongoing obligations thereunder;

 

(ii) any Contract (or group of related Contracts) related to the engagement of any consultant or other independent contractor that provides for payments or other consideration in excess of $2,000;

 

(iii) any Contract (or group of related Contracts) with a customer or client or purchase orders (or group of related purchase orders) for the purchase or sale of products or services (A) having remaining obligations on the part of the Seller to a customer or client by any party thereto in excess of $2,000 or having remaining obligations on the part of the Seller to a vendor or supplier with respect to purchase orders (or group of related purchase orders by any party thereto) in excess of $2,000, (B) containing provisions of the type commonly referred to as a “most favored nation” provision, or (C) requiring the Seller to purchase its total requirements of any product or service from any Person or containing “take or pay” provisions;

 

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(iv) any note, bond, indenture and other similar instrument or Contract evidencing, creating or otherwise relating to Indebtedness;

 

(v) any Contract with any Related Party relating to or in any way affecting the Business;

 

(vi) any executory Contract or commitment (or group of related Contracts or commitments) for capital expenditures that has remaining obligations in excess of $2,000;

 

(vii) any Contract that limits or purports to limit the ability of the Seller to compete in any line of business or with any Person in any geographic area during any period of time, as well as any Contract that limits the ability of any Employee to compete with the Seller;

 

(viii) any Contract creating a partnership or joint venture or similar entity or venture or any corporate sponsorship;

 

(ix) any Contract that is a collective bargaining agreement;

 

(x) any Contract (or group of related Contracts) that is material to the Business, or the absence or termination of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(xi) any Contract that provides for the indemnification of any Person or the assumption of any Liability of any Person that could reasonably be expected to exceed $2,000; and

 

(xii) any other Contract (or group of related Contracts) the performance of which involves future payments or receipts by the Seller in excess of $2,000.

 

(b) The Seller has delivered to Buyer true, correct and complete copies of all Material Contracts, including all amendments, modifications and changes thereto, and any assignments thereof. The Material Contracts constitute all of the Contracts that are material to the Business. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.6(b): (i) the Seller has performed, in all material respects, all terms, covenants, conditions and agreements of each of the Material Contracts that are required to be performed by the Seller; (ii) the Seller is not in default, in any material respect, under any Material Contract, and, to the Knowledge of the Seller, no other Person that is a party to any such Material Contract is in default thereunder in any material respect; (iii) to the Knowledge of the Seller, no event has occurred that (before or after notice or lapse of time or both) would become a breach or default, in any material respect, by the Seller or, to the Knowledge of the Seller, any other Person that is a party thereto under any such Material Contract; and (iv) each of the Material Contracts is valid, binding, enforceable and in full force and effect and constitutes the legal and binding obligation of the Seller and, to the Knowledge of the Seller, each other Person that is a party thereto in accordance with its terms.

 

3.7 Intellectual Property.

 

(a) Except as set forth on Schedule 3.7(a)(i), the Seller is the exclusive owner of all Intellectual Property, or has the rights to use all Intellectual Property, that is material or necessary to operate the Business as now conducted, free and clear of any Liens and Encumbrances (collectively such owned and licensed Intellectual Property is referred to herein as the “Seller Intellectual Property”) other than Permitted Encumbrances. Schedule 3.7(a)(ii) sets forth a true, complete and correct list of all such Seller Intellectual Property, including, without limitation formulas used in the Business, and Seller Intellectual Property that has been registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or Copyright Office and pending applications for registration, in each case listing the title and current owner(s), the jurisdiction(s) in which such Seller Intellectual Property has been issued or registered, and the application, serial or registration number, all of which will be transferred to the Buyer hereunder.

 

(b) Except as set forth in Schedule 3.7(b), the Seller has not received notice from any Person, nor has any knowledge of any valid basis for any Person to be, claiming that the operation of the Business currently infringes or misappropriates the Intellectual Property rights of any Person or constitutes unfair competition or trade practices under the Laws of any jurisdiction. Schedule 3.7(b) lists any complaint, claim, or notice, or written threat thereof, received by the Seller alleging any currently existing infringement, violation or misappropriation of the Intellectual Property of any Person.

 

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(c) With respect to each item of Seller Intellectual Property which is licensed to the Seller: (i) the Seller has the valid right to use such Intellectual Property pursuant to a valid and enforceable license agreement; and (ii) the Seller is not in breach of any applicable license agreement and is not aware of any party that is in breach of the applicable license agreement. Each license agreement to which the Seller is party will remain unchanged and unaffected by the Transactions and the consummation of the Transactions will not result in the loss or impairment or termination of any Seller Intellectual Property.

 

(d) The Seller has taken all commercially reasonable steps necessary or required to insure the privacy of its databases and the security against breach of its computer systems by any unauthorized third party.

 

(e) No Product provided or distributed by the Seller in its conduct of the Business: (A) materially violates any Law; (B) includes any information or material that, to the Knowledge of the Seller, is defamatory; or (C) to the Knowledge of the Seller, infringes any right of privacy of any Person. Each Person whose name, image, voice or likeness is incorporated into any Marketing Materials has executed a written release consenting to the Seller’s use of such Person’s name, image, voice and/or likeness (as applicable) and releasing the Seller from any claims with respect thereto, each of such releases are fully assignable to Buyer without further consent of any Person.

 

(f) The Seller has operated the Business and provided all Products in material compliance with any posted privacy policies and all applicable Laws relating to privacy, data protection, anti-spam, telemarketing, personally identifiable information and similar consumer protection Laws (“Information Privacy Laws”). The Seller has not received written notice of any claims or been charged with violation of any Information Privacy Law. To the Knowledge of the Seller, the Seller is not under investigation with respect to any violation of any Information Privacy Laws.

 

3.8 Real Property; Leases.

 

(a) The Seller does not own any real property.

 

(b) The leases, licenses and subleases listed on Schedule 3.8(b) (collectively, the “Leases”) constitute all of the current leases, licenses or subleases for the use or occupancy of real property by or from the Seller (the “Seller Leased Real Property”).

 

(c) With respect to each such Lease:

 

(i) the Seller is not in breach or in default in any material respect thereof, and to the Knowledge of the Seller, no other Person that is a party to any such Lease is in breach or default in any material respect thereunder;

 

(ii) each of the Leases constitutes the legal and binding obligations of the Seller, and to the Knowledge of the Seller, any other Person that is a party thereto in accordance with its terms;

 

(iii) the Seller has not assigned, transferred, conveyed, mortgaged, deeded in trust or caused any Lien or Encumbrance (other than any Permitted Encumbrance) to exist with respect to any interest of the Seller in such Lease;

 

(iv) the Seller has not received notice of any non-compliance with current zoning or land use Laws or of any pending condemnation or similar proceeding affecting such Seller Leased Real Property or any portion thereof, and, to the Knowledge of the Seller, no such action is presently threatened;

 

(v) the Seller is entitled to the right of quiet enjoyment of each parcel of Seller Leased Real Property and is in peaceful and undisturbed possession of the Seller Leased Real Property, and the Seller has not received notice of any uncured violation of any contractual or legal restrictions that preclude or restrict the ability to use the Seller Leased Real Property for the purposes for which it is currently being used;

 

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(vi) the Seller Leased Real Property and any buildings, structures, improvements and fixtures thereon constitute the only real property, improvements and fixtures used by the Seller and are adequate for the conduct of the Business as it currently is conducted;

 

(vii) the Seller has delivered to Buyer true, correct and complete copies of all of the Leases, including all amendments, modifications and changes thereto, and any assignments thereof; and

 

(viii) the Seller has not granted any license, lease or sublease to use or occupy the Seller Leased Real Property.

 

3.9 Financial Statements.

 

(a) The Seller has delivered to Buyer true, correct and complete copies (a) of the unaudited balance sheet for the Seller, as of December 31, 2016, and the related statement of operations and members’ equity for the fiscal year then ended, including any notes thereto (collectively, the “Annual Financial Statements”), and (b) an unaudited balance sheet (the “Most Recent Balance Sheet”) for the Seller as of May 31, 2017 (the “Most Recent Fiscal Month End”), and the related unaudited statement of operations for the five (5) month period then ended (collectively, the “Interim Financial Statements” and, together with the Annual Financial Statements, the “Financial Statements”).

 

(b) Except as set forth on Schedule 3.9(b)(i), the Financial Statements: (i) are complete and correct in all material respects and are derived from and are in accordance with the books and Records of the Seller; (ii) fairly and accurately represent, in all material respects, the financial condition of the Seller, as applicable, at the respective dates specified therein and the results of operations for the respective periods specified therein; and (iii) have been prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, except (x) to the extent prepared on a cash basis, and in such event, the Financial Statements are complete and correct in all material respects and fairly and accurately represent, in all material respects, the financial condition of the Seller or (y) in the case of the Interim Financial Statements, subject to normal recurring year-end adjustments and absence of notes.

 

3.10 Absence of Changes. Except as disclosed in Schedule 3.10, since May 31, 2017, there has not been:

 

(a) any change in the assets, business, properties, condition (financial or otherwise), or results of operations of the Seller, taken as a whole, from that reflected in the Financial Statements, except changes in the ordinary course of business that have not had, or would not reasonably be expected to have, in the aggregate and with or without the lapse of time, a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(b) any significant damage, destruction or loss that could reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the Business or the assets and properties of the Seller, whether or not covered by insurance;

 

(c) any amendments or changes in the Organizational Documents, except as contemplated by this Agreement;

 

(d) any waiver or compromise by the Seller of a material right or of a material debt owed to or by the Seller, except in the ordinary course of business and that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(e) any satisfaction or discharge of any Lien or Encumbrance or payment of any obligation by the Seller, except in the ordinary course of business and that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(f) any indication by any material customer or any supplier of the Seller of an intention to discontinue or change the terms of its relationship with the Seller;

 

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(g) any declaration or payment of any dividend or other distribution of the assets or properties of the Seller;

 

(h) any increase in or modification of the compensation or benefits payable by the Seller to any of its directors, officers or Employees, other than annual increases or consistent with past practice;

 

(i) any delay or postponement in the payment of trade payables and other Liabilities outside the ordinary course of business;

 

(j) any imposition of any Lien or Encumbrance (other than Permitted Encumbrances) upon any of the assets or properties of the Seller;

 

(k) any sale, lease or other disposition of any asset or property of the Seller (including Seller Intellectual Property) except in the ordinary course of business;

 

(l) any occurrence, event, incident, action, failure to act, or transaction that has had or could reasonably be expected to have, with or without the lapse of time, a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(m) any material change in the accounting methods used by the Seller; or

 

(n) any labor dispute involving the Seller.

 

3.11 Litigation. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.11, (a) there is no Action pending or, to the Knowledge of the Seller, threatened against the Seller or relating to or affecting any of its assets or properties or that seeks to prevent, enjoin or otherwise delay the Transactions and (b) the Seller is not subject to any Governmental Order. Except for claims for collections in the ordinary course of business or as set forth in Schedule 3.11, there is no Action or investigation by the Seller currently pending or that the Seller intends to initiate. To the Knowledge of the Seller, no event has occurred or circumstance exists, with or without the lapse of time, that is reasonably likely to give rise to or serve as a basis for the commencement of any such Action.

 

3.12 Compliance with Laws.

 

(a) The Seller is and has been in compliance in all material respects with all applicable Laws and Permits, and to the Knowledge of the Seller, no event has occurred and no condition or circumstance exists that could reasonably be expected (with or without notice or lapse of time) to constitute, or result directly or indirectly in, a default under, a breach or violation of, or a failure to comply, in any material respect, with any applicable Laws or Permits. The Seller has not received any written notice from any Person regarding any actual, alleged or potential violation of any Laws or Permits since January 1, 2016.

 

(b) Except as identified on Schedule 3.12, the operation of the Business has been conducted in material compliance with all applicable material Laws and other requirements of all courts and other governmental or regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over the Seller and its assets, properties and operations. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.12, the Seller has not received written notice of any violation (or possible violation) of any such Law or other legal requirement, and the Seller is not in default with respect to any order, writ, judgment, award, injunction or decree of any federal, state or local court or Governmental Authority or regulatory authority, applicable to the Seller, the Business, or the Products. Without limiting the foregoing, the Seller has not received any warning letter or untitled letter, report of inspectional observations, including FDA Form 483s, establishment inspection reports, notices of violation, clinical holds, enforcement notices or other documents from the United States Food and Drug Administration or any other similar Governmental Authority or any institutional review board or independent ethics committee alleging a lack of material compliance by Seller with any Laws. The Seller holds all Permits required for the conduct of the Business and the ownership of its properties except where the absence thereof would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. No written notices have been received by the Seller alleging the failure to hold any Permit. The Seller is in material compliance with all terms and conditions of all such Permits.

 

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3.13 Taxes.

 

(a) The Seller has accurately prepared and timely filed all federal, state and local, foreign and other Tax Returns that are required to be filed by it, and has paid or made provision for the payment of all Taxes of the Seller, if any, that have become due and payable, whether or not shown on a Tax Return. No deficiency assessment or proposed adjustment of the Seller’s United States Tax or state, local or foreign Taxes is pending, and there is no Liability of the Seller for any Tax as of the date of the Interim Financial Statements for which there is not an adequate reserve reflected in the Most Recent Balance Sheet.

 

(b) All Taxes payable by, or due from, the Seller have been fully paid or adequately disclosed and fully provided for in the books and Financial Statements. The Seller has not received any notice of an examination of any Tax Return of the Seller by any Governmental Authority. There are no outstanding agreements or waivers extending the statutory period of limitation applicable to any Tax Return of the Seller.

 

(c) No claim has been made by (i) a Governmental Authority in a jurisdiction where the Seller does not file Tax Returns that the Seller is or may be subject to taxation by that jurisdiction or (ii) a Governmental Authority in any jurisdiction in which the Seller does file Tax Returns that the Seller is or may be subject to taxation for any type of Tax for which the Seller has not filed all such Tax Returns in that jurisdiction. There are no Liens or other Encumbrances for Taxes (other than Taxes not yet due and payable) upon any of the assets of the Seller.

 

(d) The Seller has withheld and paid all Taxes required to have been withheld and paid in connection with any amounts paid or owing to any Employee, independent contractor, creditor, stockholder, member, equity holder or other Person.

 

(e) The Seller has not received from any foreign, federal, state, or local Tax authority (including jurisdictions where the Seller has not filed Tax Returns) any (i) written notice indicating an intent to open an audit or other review, (ii) request for information related to Tax matters, or (iii) notice of deficiency or proposed adjustment for any amount of Tax proposed, asserted, or assessed by any Tax authority against the Seller. The Seller has delivered to Buyer correct and complete copies of all United States federal, state, local or foreign income Tax Returns, examination reports, and statements of deficiencies assessed against or agreed to by the Seller filed or received since January 1, 2016.

 

(f) Except as set forth in Schedule 3.13(f), the Seller is not a party to any Contract, plan or other arrangement that, individually or collectively, could give rise to the payment of any amount that would be subject to withholding under sections 409A, 457A or 4999 of the Code (whether directly under such Code section or pursuant to Code section 3401).

 

(g) The Seller has not engaged, or is not currently engaging, in any “reportable transaction” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation section 1.6011-4(b).

 

(h) Except as set forth in Schedule 3.13(h), the Seller is not a party to or bound by any Tax allocation, indemnification or sharing agreement. The Seller (i) has not been a member of an “affiliated group” (within the meaning of Code section 1504(a)) filing a consolidated federal income Tax Return or (ii) does not have any Liability for the Taxes of any Person under Treasury Regulations section 1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of state, local, or foreign law), as a transferee or successor, by contract, or otherwise.

 

(i) Seller (i) does not own, directly or indirectly, any interest in any entity that is organized outside of the United States and (ii) has not filed a Form 8832 with the IRS, or otherwise made a “classification” election under Treasury Regulations section 301.7701-3.

 

(j) The Seller has conducted all aspects of its business in accordance in all material respects with the terms and conditions of all Tax rulings, Tax concessions and Tax holidays that were provided by any relevant Tax authority.

 

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3.14 Insurance. The Seller has in full force and effect, and has had in full force and effect since January 1, 2016, the liability and casualty insurance, errors and omissions insurance, workers compensation insurance, automobile insurance, and employee fidelity insurance insuring the Business, properties, assets, employees and officers and/or directors of the Seller as listed in Schedule 3.14. True, complete and correct copies of each such insurance policy (or certificate of insurance, if such insurance policy is unavailable) listed or required to be listed in Schedule 3.14 have been delivered to Buyer. Neither the Seller nor, to the Knowledge of the Seller, the insurance companies party thereto are in default, in any material respect, with respect to any such insurance policies, and the Seller has not failed to give any notice or present any material claim that is pending under any policies in due and timely fashion. Since January 1, 2016, no insurer has (a) denied or disputed (or otherwise reserved its rights with respect to) the coverage of any claim pending under any insurance policy or (b) threatened to cancel any insurance policy.

 

3.15 Guarantees. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.15, (a) the Seller is not a guarantor or otherwise responsible for any Liability (including Indebtedness) of any other Person other than endorsements of checks for deposit in the ordinary course of business and (b) no Person (other than the Seller) has guaranteed or is otherwise responsible for any Liability (including Indebtedness) of the Seller other than endorsements of checks for deposit in the ordinary course of business.

 

3.16 Employees; Independent Contractors.

 

(a) Schedule 3.16(a) sets forth a true, correct and complete list of all current employees, managers, and officers of the Seller (collectively, the “Employees”) showing each of their names, the identity of their employer, job titles, exemption classification under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended (“FLSA”), status (full-time or part-time, active or inactive), current annual compensation, bonuses, commissions, deferred or contingent compensation, pension, accrued and unused vacation and other paid leave, sick and paid time off, paid or payable (in cash or otherwise). Except as set forth in Schedule 3.16(a), the employment or term of service of all Employees is terminable at will, which means that their employment can be terminated at any time, with or without notice, for any reason or no reason at all without penalty or severance.

 

(b) Schedule 3.16(b) sets forth a true and correct list of all independent contractors (collectively, “Independent Contractors”) that are presently engaged by the Seller and an indication of which, if any, of such Independent Contractors cannot be terminated on thirty (30) days’ notice or less or at any time, without Liability other than fees, costs and remuneration accrued through the effective time of termination.

 

(c) To the Knowledge of the Seller, within the past one (1) year, no Employee or Independent Contractor has been in violation in any material respect of any employment contract, non-disclosure agreement, non-competition agreement or restrictive covenant to a former employer relating to the right of any such Person to be employed or retained by the Seller because of the nature of the business conducted by the Seller. To the Knowledge of the Seller, within the past one (1) year, no Employee, former employee or Independent Contractor has been in violation in any material respect of any enforceable employment contract, nondisclosure agreement, non-competition agreement or restrictive covenant in respect of an agreement or Contract between the Seller, on the one hand, and that Employee, former employee or Independent Contractor, on the other hand.

 

(d) The Seller is compliant in all material respects with the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, and other applicable Laws regarding work authorization and the employment of individuals who are not citizens of the United States, all as amended from time to time (collectively the “Immigration Laws”). To the Knowledge of the Seller, each Employee who is a resident alien and who works the Seller has obtained all required documentation to permit such Employee to work for the Seller under the Immigration Laws. To the Knowledge of the Seller, the Seller does not employ any Employee who is not authorized to work in the United States under the Immigration Laws. There are no pending or, to the Knowledge of the Seller, threatened investigations, audits, claims or proceedings relating in any way to compliance by the Seller with respect to the Immigration Laws.

 

(e) (i) The Seller is not party to, bound by, or subject to any collective bargaining agreement or other labor union contract covering any of the Employees, and to the Knowledge of the Seller, there exists no organizational effort presently being made or threatened by or on behalf of any labor union, work council, or other organization with respect to the Employees, and, to the Knowledge of the Seller, no such efforts have been made since January 1, 2016; (ii) the Seller has not been or is not engaged in any unfair labor practice or other unlawful wage and hour or employment practice since January 1, 2016, and there are no charges of any unfair labor practice, charge of discrimination or harassment or other unlawful wage and hour or employment practice pending against the Seller before the National Labor Relations Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the United States Department of Labor or any other Governmental Authority; and (iii) since January 1, 2016, the Seller has not experienced any strikes, grievances, claims of unfair labor practices, or other collective bargaining disputes or other labor disputes or controversies and, to the Knowledge of the Seller, none of the foregoing are threatened.

 

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(f) Other than as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, the Seller is in compliance, and has complied, with the FLSA and all other applicable Laws concerning the classification of Employees and Independent Contractors and have properly classified all such persons for purposes of participation in the Employee Benefit Plans and other applicable Laws. The Seller (i) is in compliance in all material respects, and have complied in all material respects, with all Laws concerning employment, employment practices, termination of employment, terms and conditions of employment, wages and hours, duration of work, overtime, collective bargaining, employment discrimination, leaves of absence, immigration, civil rights, safety and health, workers’ compensation, pay equity and classification of employees; (ii) has withheld and reported all Taxes or other amounts required by Law or by agreement to be withheld and reported from the wages, salaries and other payments to Employees and former employees; (iii) is not liable for any arrears of wages or other compensation, or any Taxes or any penalty for failure to comply with any of the foregoing; and (iv) is not liable for any payment to any trust or other fund or to any Governmental Authority, with respect to unemployment compensation benefits, social security or other benefits for Employees and former employees (other than routine payments to be made in the normal course of business and consistent with past practice). Except as set forth on Schedule 3.16(f), there are no pending or, to the Knowledge of the Seller, threatened or reasonably anticipated Actions against the Seller under any worker’s compensation policy or long-term disability policy.

 

(g) The Seller is in compliance with the Worker Readjustment And Notification Act, as amended (the “WARN Act”) and any applicable state laws or other applicable Laws regarding redundancies, reductions in force, mass layoffs, and plant closings, including all obligations to furnish promptly and correctly all notices required to be given thereunder in connection with any redundancy, reduction in force, mass layoff, or plant closing to affected employees, representatives, any state dislocated worker unit and local government officials, or any other Governmental Authority. No reduction in the notification period under the WARN Act is being relied upon by the Seller.

 

(h) The Seller is in compliance in all material respects with all Health and Safety Laws and any applicable foreign, state, provincial or other applicable Laws regarding employee and workplace safety.

 

(i) In connection with Closing, the Seller shall satisfy in cash payments to each Employee all obligations for accrued wages, bonuses, Employee Benefit Plans, independent contractor payments, accrued vacation and sick leave or similar benefits provided to such Employees.

 

3.17 Benefit Plans. The Seller does not have, and has never had, any (i) “employee benefit plans” as such term is defined in section 3(3) of ERISA (such as pension and 401(k) plans, and medical, life, and disability plans), or (ii) any bonus, stock option, stock purchase, restricted stock, incentive, deferred compensation, retiree medical or life insurance, cafeteria plan, dependent care plan, supplemental retirement or other benefit plan, program or arrangement or any employment, termination, severance, retention, stay bonus or other contract, agreement, plan, program or arrangement that provides or promises benefits or payments to any current Employee or former employee, Independent Contractor, officer, shareholder or director of the Seller that the Seller maintains or makes contributions to or has any responsibility or Liability for.

 

3.18 Environmental Compliance.

 

(a) The Seller is in compliance in all material respects with all Environmental Laws, and any past noncompliance by the Seller with Environmental Laws in any respect has been resolved without any ongoing or future Liabilities.

(b) The Seller has not received any written notice of any Action, and, to the Knowledge of the Seller, no such Action has been filed, commenced or threatened against the Seller that:

 

(i) asserts or alleges that the Seller violated any Environmental Laws;

 

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(ii) asserts or alleges that the Seller is required to conduct any Remedial Action at the Seller Leased Real Property or in connection with the Business;

 

(iii) asserts or alleges that the Seller is required to pay all or a portion of the cost of any past, present or future Remedial Action at any of the Seller Leased Real Property or in connection with the Business; or

 

(iv) asserts or alleges that the Seller is liable in connection with the exposure of any persons to Hazardous Materials that are present at or Released at or from any Seller Leased Real Property or that relate to the Business.

 

(c) The Seller has not caused, permitted or suffered Hazardous Materials to be stored, deposited, treated, recycled, disposed of, or Released at any Seller Leased Real Property in violation of any applicable Environmental Laws in any material respect, and to the Knowledge of the Seller, there has been no Release at any of the Seller Leased Real Property, that would subject any owner or operator of such Seller Leased Real Property to Liability for any Remedial Action under any Environmental Laws. To the Knowledge of the Seller, there are no tanks or other facilities, equipment or transformers on, under, or at the Seller Leased Real Property that contain any Hazardous Materials that, if known to be present in soils or ground water, would subject any owner or operator of such Seller Leased Real Property to Liability for any Remedial Action under any Environmental Laws. The Seller is not subject, as a result of its interests in the Seller Leased Real Property or in connection with the Business, to any Governmental Order related to or arising out of any Environmental Laws, and, to the Knowledge of the Seller, the Seller has not been named or listed as a potentially responsible party in a matter related to or arising out of any Environmental Laws. The Seller is not conducting or funding any Remedial Action in connection with the Business or at any Seller Leased Real Property. The Seller has provided Buyer with true, correct and complete copies of all environmental assessments, audits, studies or other analyses of any Seller Leased Real Property in its possession or control. All amounts required to correct any issue related to compliance by the Seller with any and all Environmental Laws are reflected in the Financial Statements.

 

3.19 Brokers; Service Providers. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.19, neither the Seller nor any of its Affiliates have any Liability to pay any brokers’, finders’ or similar agents’ fees or commissions with respect to the Transactions. Except for third party service providers set forth on Schedule 3.19, neither the Seller nor any of its Affiliates have any Liability to pay any fees, commissions, expenses or reimbursements of any third party service provider with respect to the Transactions.

 

3.20 Transactions with Affiliates.

 

(a) Schedule 3.20(a) sets forth a true, correct and complete list of all Contracts and arrangements between or among the Seller, on the one hand, and (i) any of the Seller’s Affiliates, members, directors, or officers, or (ii) any Employees of the Seller’s members or family members of any Employee of the Seller’s members who own an equity interest in any of the Seller’s members or trusts created for the benefit of any such family member or employee (collectively, the “Related Parties”), on the other hand.

 

(b) Except as set forth in Schedule 3.20(a), no Related Party (i) has been involved in any business agreement, arrangement or relationship with, relating to or in any way affecting the Seller or the Business (including furnishing services to or receiving services from, renting or leasing equipment, real estate or other assets or properties to or from, or providing or receiving the benefit of properties or assets for non-arm’s length compensation) since January 1, 2016, or (ii) owns any asset, tangible or intangible, that is material to the operation of the Business and that is used by the Seller. All transactions with any of the Related Parties have been fully and completely and accurately reflected in the Financial Statements, including but not limited to payments to any of the Related Parties for services or products or other contributions to the Seller in connection with the operation of the Business.

 

3.21 SuppliersSchedule 3.21 sets forth a true, correct and complete list of the ten (10) largest suppliers for the Seller who supplied products, materials or services to the Seller during the 2016 and 2017 fiscal years. No such supplier has given written notice to the Seller that it intends to stop supplying, or alter in any material respect its relationship with the Seller with respect to, such products, material or services to the from terms and conditions and quantities similar in all material respects to those used in its current sales or services to the Business.

 

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3.22 CustomersSchedule 3.22 sets forth a true, correct and complete list of the ten (10) largest customers for the Seller who purchased Products, materials or services from the Seller during the 2016 and 2017 fiscal years. No such customer has given written notice to the Seller that it intends to stop purchasing, or alter in any material respect its relationship with the Seller with respect to, such Products, material or services from the Business from terms and conditions and quantities similar in all material respects to those used in its current purchases from the Business.

 

3.23 No Undisclosed Liabilities. The Seller has no Liability (and, to the Knowledge of the Seller, there is no basis for any present or future Action, charge, complaint, claim, or demand against the Seller or the Business giving rise to any Liability), except for (a) Liabilities required in accordance with GAAP to be set forth on the Most Recent Balance Sheet, (b) Liabilities that have arisen after the Most Recent Fiscal Month End in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices (none of which results from, arises out of, relates to, is in the nature of, or was caused by any breach of contract, breach of warranty, tort, infringement, or violation of Law), (c) Liabilities resulting from the obligations of the Seller under this Agreement or the Seller Related Agreements, and (d) the Liabilities set forth in Schedule 3.23.

 

3.24 PermitsSchedule 3.24 contains a true, complete and correct list of all Permits of the Seller. Such Permits constitute all material Permits required by applicable Laws to carry on the Business as currently conducted. All such Permits are valid, and in full force and effect and. The Seller is in compliance in all material respects with the requirements and limitations included in such Permits.

 

3.25 Disputed Accounts Payable. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.25, there are no (individually or in the aggregate) unpaid invoices or bills representing amounts alleged to be owed by the Seller that the Seller has disputed or determined to dispute or refuse to pay.

 

3.26 Minute Books. The Seller has made available to Buyer all of the Records of the Seller, all of which are complete and correct in all material respects and represent actual, bona fide transactions and have been maintained in accordance with sound business practices.

 

3.27 Computer Systems. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.27, none of the computer software, computer hardware (whether general or special purpose), telecommunications capabilities (including voice, data and video networks) and other similar or related items of automated, computerized, and/or software systems and any other networks or systems and related services that are used by or relied on by the Seller in the Business (i) has experienced bugs, failures, breakdowns, or continued substandard performance in the past twelve (12) months that has caused any material disruption or interruption in or to the use of any such systems by the Seller; or (ii) will require the consent or approval of any Person to be transferred to the Buyer in connection with the Closing.

 

3.28 Inventory. All inventories of the Seller, including, but not limited to, all raw materials, Products, finished product, samples, and Product components or ingredients (collectively, “Inventory”) consists of a quality and quantity usable and salable in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, except for obsolete, damaged or defective items that have been written off or written down to fair market value or for which a reasonable reserve has been established. At the Closing, the Inventory will include sufficient quantities as are reasonably necessary for the conduct of the Business in the ordinary course consistent with past practices. The term “Inventory” shall not include out of date, discontinued or non-approved Products set forth on Schedule 3.28. The Seller’s accounting practice with respect to Inventory is to expense the Inventory at the time of purchase.

 

3.29 Solvency. The Seller is not now insolvent nor will the Seller be rendered insolvent by any of the Transactions. As used in this section, “insolvent” means that the sum of the Seller’s debts and other probable Liabilities exceed the present fair saleable value of the Seller’s assets.

 

3.30 Product and Service Warranties . Except as set forth on Schedule 3.30 the Seller has made no express warranty to any customer (or end user of the Seller’s goods or Products) as to services or goods provided by the Seller. There is no pending or, to the Knowledge of the Seller, threatened claim alleging any breach of any warranty. The Seller does not have any Liability under any such a warranty that would reasonably be expected to result in Liability to the Seller, individually or in the aggregate, in excess of $5,000. To the Knowledge of the Seller, there have not been any Adverse Events with respect to the Products or the Business.

 

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3.31 Status. The Seller represents and warrants that (a) it has had an opportunity to discuss the business, management and financial affairs of the Buyer, has had access to, the management of the Buyer, and has had the opportunity to review the information set forth in the Buyer’s public filings and any other information requested by the Seller, and (b) the Buyer will be relying upon the Seller’s representations and warranties set forth herein in issuing the shares of Common Stock of the Buyer as part of the Purchase Price (the “Equity Consideration”) to it, and it is not relying on the advice or recommendations of the Buyer and it has made its own independent decision that the Equity Consideration is suitable and appropriate for the Seller. The Seller further represents and warrants that: (i)(A) it recognizes that ownership of the Equity Consideration involves substantial risks, including a risk of total loss of the value of the Equity Consideration, and has taken full cognizance of and understands all of the risk factors related to the ownership of the Equity Consideration; and (B) it has sufficient knowledge and experience in business and investments, including financial, business and tax matters, to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of ownership in the Buyer and making an informed decision about ownership in the Buyer; or (ii) it is an “accredited investor” as such term is defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”).

 

3.32 Acquisition for Own Account. This Agreement is made with the Seller in reliance upon Seller’s representations to the Buyer, which by its execution hereof the Seller hereby confirms, that the Equity Consideration to be received by Seller will be acquired for investment for the Seller’s own account, not as a nominee or agent, and not with a view to the sale or distribution of any part thereof other than as permitted under the 1933 Act and that it has no present intention of selling, granting participation in, or otherwise distributing the same other than what is permitted under the 1933 Act. By executing this Agreement, the Seller further represents that it does not have any contract, undertaking, agreement, or arrangement with any person to sell, transfer or grant participations to such person, or to any third person, with respect to the Equity Consideration.

 

3.33 No Intention to Distribute. The Seller understand that the Equity Consideration shares have not been registered under the 1933 Act on the grounds that the sale provided for in this Agreement and the issuance of securities hereunder is exempt from registration under the 1933 Act, and that the Buyer’s reliance on such exemption is predicated in part on the representations set forth herein. The Seller realizes that the basis for the exemption may not be present if, notwithstanding such representations, the Seller has in mind merely acquiring the Equity Consideration shares for a fixed or determined period in the future, or for a market rise, or for sale if the market does not rise. The Seller does not have any such intention.

 

3.34 No Registration. The Seller understands that the Equity Consideration may not be sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of without registration under the 1933 Act or an exemption therefrom, and that in the absence of an effective registration statement covering the Equity Consideration shares or an available exemption from registration under the 1933 Act, the Equity Consideration must be held indefinitely. In particular, the Seller is aware that the Equity Consideration shares may not be sold pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the 1933 Act unless all of the conditions of that Rule are met. Among the conditions for use of Rule 144 may be the availability of current information to the public about the Buyer.

 

3.35 Restrictions on Transfer. The Seller agrees that in no event will it make a transfer or disposition of any of the Equity Consideration other than pursuant to an effective registration statement under the 1933 Act or a Rule 144 sale in compliance with the terms of such Rule or pursuant to an exemption from the 1933 Act. Buyer shall cooperate with Seller and Seller’s transfer agent in the removal of any legend on the Equity Consideration shares constituting the Equity Consideration to permit the trade or liquidation thereof in the marketplace as permitted under Rule 144 of the 1933 Act, if requested by the Seller.

 

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ARTICLE 4: REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE BUYER

 

As of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, the Buyer hereby represents and warrants to the Seller as follows:

 

4.1 Organization and Standing. The Buyer is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the Governmental Body of its incorporation and is duly qualified or licensed to do business and in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the character of its properties owned, operated, or leased or the nature of its properties owned, operated or leased make such qualification necessary except as would not materially and adversely affect the Buyer. The Buyer has the requisite corporate power to own, lease, and operate its properties and to carry on its business as such is now conducted and as is contemplated to be conducted immediately after the Closing.

 

4.2 Authorization; Enforceability. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the agreements, documents, certificates and instruments contemplated under this Agreement to which the Buyer is or will be a party (collectively, “Buyer Related Agreements”) and the consummation by the Buyer of the Transactions, are within the power of the Buyer and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action by the Buyer and its shareholders and board of directors, and no approval from or notice to any of the shareholders and board of directors of the Buyer is required regarding the same that has not been obtained or given, as applicable. This Agreement and the Buyer Related Agreements have been duly executed and delivered by the Buyer and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties hereto and thereto, constitutes (or, if such agreement is to be executed and delivered at Closing, will constitute) the valid and binding obligation of the Buyer, enforceable against the Buyer in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be subject to the laws of general application relating to bankruptcy, insolvency and the relief of debtors and rules of law governing specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies.

 

4.3 Absence of Conflicting Agreements; Consents. Neither the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement and the Buyer Related Agreements, nor the consummation of the Transactions by the Buyer, does or will, after the giving of notice, or the lapse of time or both, or otherwise: (a) contravene, result in a breach of, or constitute a default under, the Organizational Documents of the Buyer; (b) contravene or violate in any material respect any material applicable Law to which the Buyer is a party or by which the Buyer or its assets are bound; (c) contravene in any material respect, or constitute a default in any material respect under, any contract or agreement to which the Buyer is a party or by which the Buyer or its assets are bound; or (d) require the Consent of or notice to any Governmental Authority.

 

4.4 Capitalization. As of the date hereof, the authorized capital stock of the Buyer consists of 300,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.00001 par value. As of the date hereof, approximately 88,764,357 shares of Common Stock are validly issued and outstanding, and each outstanding share of Common Stock is fully paid and nonassessable. As of the date hereof, Buyer has 9,225,000 shares of Common Stock available for future grant pursuant to the Buyer’s 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, (collectively, the “Equity Plan”), (ii) outstanding options to purchase 6,300,000 shares of Common Stock under the Equity Plan, and (iii) no outstanding shares of restricted stock under the Equity Plan. The issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock conform to the description thereof contained in the reports (the “Exchange Act Reports”) filed by the Buyer with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Except for options issued under the Equity Plan, the Buyer does not have outstanding any options or warrants to purchase, or any preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, any securities or obligations convertible into, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell, shares of its capital stock, and there is no commitment, plan or arrangement to issue, any securities or obligations convertible into any shares of capital stock of the Buyer or any such options, rights convertible securities or obligations.

 

4.5 Issuance, Sale and Delivery of the Equity Consideration. The Equity Consideration has been duly authorized and, when issued, delivered and paid for in the manner set forth in this Agreement, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of any Lien or Encumbrance, other than restrictions of transfer from federal or state securities laws. No preemptive rights or other rights (which have not been waived) to subscribe for or purchase exist with respect to the issuance and sale of the Equity Consideration by the Buyer pursuant to this Agreement.

 

4.6 Financials. The Buyer’s financial statements (including all notes and schedules thereto) included in the Exchange Act Reports relating to the two year period preceding the date hereof present fairly in all material respects the financial position, results of operations, statements of cash flows and statements of stockholders’ equity and other information purported to be shown therein of the Buyer at the respective dates and for the respective periods to which they apply (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes) and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with GAAP, consistently applied throughout the periods involved (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto). Since the date of the most recent financial statements included in the Exchange Act Reports, there has not been any event or condition of any character that, either individually or cumulatively, has or would have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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4.7 Exchange Act Reports. The Buyer has complied in all material respects with the filing requirements of the SEC under the Exchange Act and all rules and regulations thereunder for the two years preceding the date hereof. As of their respective filing dates, all documents filed by the Buyer with the SEC complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and all rules and regulations thereunder, and none of the Exchange Act Reports, when filed, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted any fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

4.8 Offering Valid. Assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Seller contained in Article 3 hereof, the offer, sale and issuance of the Equity Consideration will be exempt from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act, and will have been registered or qualified (or exempt from registration and qualification) under the registration, permit or qualification requirements of all applicable state securities laws.

 

4.9 Brokers. Neither the Buyer nor any of its Affiliates has any Liability to pay any finders’, brokers’ or similar agents’ fees or commissions with respect to the Transactions.

 

4.10 Litigation. There is no material Action pending or, to the knowledge of the Buyer, threatened against the Buyer or its Affiliates with respect to the Transactions. Neither the Buyer nor any of its Affiliates is subject to any Governmental Order that would alone or in the aggregate materially and adversely affect the ability of the Buyer to close the Transactions or have a material adverse effect on the Business after the Closing Date.

 

4.11 No Other Representations. The Buyer acknowledges and agrees that except for the representations and warranties contained in Article 3, neither Seller nor Member, nor any of their respective directors, officers, employees, subsidiaries, controlling persons, agents or Affiliates, makes or has made any representation or warranty, either express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness of any information relating to the Seller, Member, the Business, the Purchased Assets or the Assumed Liabilities, and the Buyer is not relying, and has not relied, on any representations or warranties whatsoever regarding the subject matter of this Agreement, express or implied, except for the representations and warranties in Article 3.

 

ARTICLE 5: CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CLOSING; CLOSING DELIVERABLES

 

5.1 General Conditions. Consummation of the Transactions shall be subject to the fulfillment on or before the Closing Date of each of the following conditions:

 

(a) No Proceedings. No Action or proceeding shall have been instituted or threatened prior to or on the Closing Date before any Governmental Authority pertaining to the Transactions, the result of which could prevent or make illegal the consummation of the Transactions.

 

(b) No Order. There shall not be in force any Governmental Order by any Governmental Authority of competent jurisdiction or any Law restraining, enjoining, prohibiting, invalidating or otherwise preventing the consummation of the Transactions.

 

5.2 Conditions to Closing in Favor of the Buyer . The obligation of the Buyer to consummate the Transactions is subject to the satisfaction, or the written waiver by Buyer, of each of the following conditions on or before the Closing Date:

 

(a) Representations, Warranties and Covenants. (i) Each representation and warranty of the Seller contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date in all material respects (except for those representations and warranties which address matters only as of a particular date, which shall have been true and correct as of such particular date and except for representations and warranties that contain “Material Adverse Effect” qualifications and other qualifications based on the word “material,” which shall be true and correct in all respects), and (ii) the Seller shall have performed and complied in all material respects with all covenants and obligations under this Agreement required to be performed and complied with by the Seller prior to or as of the Closing.

 

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(b) No Material Adverse Effect. No event or events shall have occurred since the date of this Agreement which individually or in the aggregate has had, or is reasonably likely to have, a Material Adverse Effect on the Seller, the Business or the Purchased Assets.

 

(c) Officer’s Certificate of the Seller. Buyer shall have received a certificate, validly executed by an executive officer of the Seller for and on its behalf, to the effect that, as of the Closing, (i) the conditions to the obligations of the Buyer set forth in Sections 5.2(a) and (b) hereof have been satisfied to his or her actual knowledge, and (ii) each and every one of the other conditions to the obligations of the Buyer set forth in this Section 5.2 have been satisfied to his or her actual knowledge (unless otherwise waived in accordance with the terms hereof).

 

(d) FIRPTA Certificate. Buyer shall have received a properly executed certificate of non-foreign status substantially in the form specified in Section 1.1445-2 of the Treasury Regulations from the Seller.

 

(e) Consents. Prior to the Closing, the Seller shall obtain the Consents, waivers and approvals, and timely provide notices, under the Contracts, Leases, Permits, real estate leases and other arrangements set forth on Schedule 5.2(e), so as to preserve all rights of, and benefits to, the Buyer thereunder from and after the Closing. To the extent that the rights of the Seller under any Contract or other Purchased Asset to be assigned to Buyer hereunder may not be assigned without the Consent of another Person which has not been obtained as of the Closing, this Agreement will not constitute an agreement to assign the same if an attempted assignment would constitute a breach thereof or be unlawful, and the Seller, at its expense, will obtain any such required Consent(s) within sixty (60) days of Closing. If any such Consent has not been obtained as of the Closing or if any attempted assignment would be ineffective or would impair the Buyer’s rights under the Contract or Purchased Asset in question so that the Buyer would not in effect acquire the benefit of all such rights, Seller, to the maximum extent permitted by Law and the Contract or Purchased Asset, will act after the Closing as the Buyer’s agent for the limited purpose of obtaining for it the benefits thereunder and will cooperate, to the maximum extent permitted by Law and the Contract or Purchased Asset, with Buyer in any other reasonable arrangement satisfactory to all parties designed to provide such benefits to the Buyer, and the Buyer will be responsible for the costs and expenses of obtaining such benefits. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any failure to obtain any required Consent, whether or not disclosed by the Seller to the Buyer in the Schedules or otherwise, will not relieve the Seller of its obligation to obtain all such Consents as set forth herein.

 

(f) Delivery of Documents. The Seller shall have executed and delivered to Buyer all documents, certificates, instruments and schedules required hereunder.

 

(g) Release of Liens and Encumbrances. Buyer shall have received from the Seller duly and validly executed copies of all agreements, instruments, certificates and other documents, in form and substance acceptable to Buyer, that are necessary or appropriate to evidence the release of all Liens and Encumbrances and satisfy all Indebtedness identified on Schedule 5.2(g).

 

(h) Employee Matters.

 

(i) Immediately prior to the Closing, without penalty or Liability to the Buyer, the Seller shall terminate all Employees.

 

(ii) In connection with Closing, the Seller shall satisfy in cash payments to each Employee all obligations for accrued wages, bonuses, Employee Benefit Plans, independent contractor payments, accrued vacation and sick leave or similar benefits provided to such Employees.

 

(iii) Nothing in this Agreement or any other Transaction document shall be construed as an obligation of the Buyer to continue the employment of any Employee for any period following the Closing Date. Nothing contained in this Agreement: (i) shall be construed to limit in any way the ability of the Buyer or any of its Affiliates to terminate the employment of any Employee at any time and for any or no reason; (ii) shall be construed to establish, amend or modify any benefit or compensation plan, program, agreement or arrangement; (iii) shall alter or limit the Buyer or any of its Affiliates’ ability to amend, modify or terminate any benefit or compensation plan, program, agreement or arrangement at any time assumed, established, sponsored or maintained by the Buyer or any of its Affiliates; (iv) is intended to confer upon any current or former employee (including any Employee) or any other Person any right to a particular term or condition of employment; or (v) is intended to alter or impair any rights an Employee has or may have accrued under any Employee Benefit Plan or Contract. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer any rights, benefits, remedies, obligations or liabilities upon any Person other than the parties to this Agreement and their respective successors and assigns, including any current or former employees, retirees, or dependents or beneficiaries of employees or retirees.

 

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(i) Name Change. At the Closing, the Seller will deliver to the Buyer a fully executed amendment to the Seller’s Organizational Documents to change its name to a name bearing no resemblance to its present name (including, without limitation, removal of the word “Per-fekt” from such name) and authorize the Buyer to file such amendments with the applicable Governmental Authority on the Seller’s behalf.

 

(j) Good Standing and Tax Clearance Certificates. The Seller shall have delivered to Buyer (i) a certificate or certificates dated within five (5) days of the Closing Date of the jurisdiction where the Seller is incorporated and any other jurisdictions where the Seller is qualified as a foreign corporation as to the good standing of the Seller, and (b) tax clearance certificates from applicable taxing authorities as reasonably requested by Buyer.

 

(k) Intellectual Property Assignment. The Seller shall have delivered to Buyer an executed Intellectual Property Assignment in the form attached hereto.

 

(l) Other Matters. The Seller shall have delivered to Buyer, in form and substance acceptable to Buyer, such certificates and other evidence as Buyer may reasonably request as to the satisfaction of the conditions contained in this Section 5.2.

 

5.3 Conditions to Closing in Favor of the Seller. The obligation of the Seller to consummate the transactions to be performed by it at the Closing is subject to the satisfaction, or the written waiver by the Seller, of each of the following conditions on or before the Closing Date:

 

(a) Representations, Warranties and Covenants. (i) Each representation and warranty of the Buyer contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date (except for those representations and warranties which address matters only as of a particular date, which shall have been true and correct as of such particular date and except for representations and warranties that contain “Material Adverse Effect” qualifications and other qualifications based on the word “material,” which shall be true and correct in all respects), and (ii) the Buyer shall have performed and complied in all material respects with all covenants and obligations under this Agreement required to be performed and complied with by the Buyer prior to or as of the Closing.

 

(b) Officer’s Certificate of the Buyer. The Seller shall have received a certificate, validly executed by an executive officer of the Buyer to the effect that, as of the Closing, (i) the condition to the obligations of the Seller set forth in Section 5.3(a) hereof have been satisfied to his actual knowledge, and (ii) each and every one of the other conditions to the obligations of the Seller set forth in this Section 5.3 have been satisfied to his actual knowledge (unless otherwise waived in accordance with the terms hereof).

 

(c) Delivery of Documents. The Buyer shall have executed and delivered all documents, certificates, instruments and schedules required hereunder to the Seller.

 

ARTICLE 6: ROYALTY OBLIGATIONS

 

6.1 Reporting; Audit. Buyer will send Seller an accounting statement reflecting Buyer’s Net Sales for each calendar quarter, along with a computation and payment of Royalty Consideration due, within forty-five (45) days following each calendar quarter. No more than once every twelve (12) months, Seller may audit the books and records of Buyer to ensure that all accountings and payments are accurate, provided that Seller provides Buyer with written notice at least ten (10) days prior to conducting such audit. Seller may not conduct an audit of the same accounting statement more than once. In the event Seller discovers an underpayment following an audit, Buyer shall compensate Seller the total underpayment. Seller is responsible for paying along with the reasonable and verified costs and expenses of said audit, unless the audit uncovers an underpayment of 5% or more in which case Buyer will pay said expenses.

 

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ARTICLE 7: SURVIVAL; INDEMNIFICATION

 

7.1 Survival. All of the representations and warranties of the parties hereto contained in this Agreement shall survive the Closing and continue in full force and effect for a period of one (1) year from the Closing Date; providedhowever, that (a) the representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.1 (Organization and Standing), Section 3.2 (Authorization; Enforceability), Section 3.4 (Capitalization), Section 3.19 (Brokers; Service Providers), Section 4.1 (Organization and Standing), Section 4.2 (Authorization; Enforceability), and Section 4.9 (Brokers) (such representations and warranties, collectively, the “Fundamental Representations”) shall survive the Closing and continue in full force and effect indefinitely, and (b) the representations and warranties contained in Section 3.13 (Taxes), Section 3.17 (Employee Benefit Plans) and Section 3.18 (Environmental Compliance) shall survive the Closing and continue in full force and effect for six (6) months following the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations with respect thereto. The covenants and agreements of the parties set forth in this Agreement shall survive the Closing until fully performed and discharged. The applicable period of survival set forth in this Section 7.1 is referred to as the “Survival Period.” Any claims as to a breach or default of a representation or warranty under Section 7.2 must be asserted with reasonable specificity in writing by the party making such claim within the applicable Survival Period; provided, that any claim made with reasonable specificity by the Person seeking to be indemnified within the time periods set forth in this Section 7.1 shall survive until such claim is finally and fully resolved.

 

7.2 Indemnification by the Seller and the Member. The Seller and the Member agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless, jointly and severally, the Buyer and each of its Affiliates and their respective Affiliates, officers, managers, members, employees, agents, advisors, representatives, and the successors and assigns of the foregoing (each hereinafter referred to individually as a “Buyer Indemnified Person,” and collectively as “Buyer Indemnified Persons”), without duplication, from, against and in respect of all Losses resulting from, arising out of, or caused by any of the following (collectively, “Seller Indemnifiable Matters”):

 

(a) any breach of any representation or warranty made by the Seller or the Member herein;

 

(b) any breach by the Seller or the Member of, or failure by the Seller or the Member to perform, carry out or otherwise fulfill or comply with, any of the covenants, agreements, undertakings or obligations contained in this Agreement;

 

(c) any claim, demand or Action made or filed by any Person that such Person is or was entitled (by contract, employment, or otherwise) to receive any amount or property in such Person’s capacity (or asserted capacity) prior to the date hereof as a holder of equity interests or similar synthetic or contractual interests in the Seller or any predecessor of the Seller;

 

(d) the amount of any Taxes owed by the Seller or the members of Seller or that relate to the Business or to the Purchased Assets for any periods on or before the Closing Date;

 

(e) the amount of any Taxes owed by the Seller or the Shareholders or that relate to the Purchased Assets for any periods on or before the Closing Date;

 

(f) any Liability arising from the ownership or operation of the Purchased Assets or the Business on or prior to the Closing Date, subject to Sections 2.1(c) and (e);

 

(g) any Liability with respect to the Excluded Assets;

 

(h) any Liability with respect to the Excluded Liabilities; and

 

(i) any claim, demand or Action made or filed by Richard Anderson, or any of his successors, assigns, or Affiliates, that he or they were or are entitled (by contract, employment, or otherwise) to receive any amount or property in his or their capacity (or asserted capacity) prior to the date hereof as a holder of equity interests or similar synthetic or contractual interests in the Seller or any predecessor of the Seller, or arising out of his employment relationship with the Seller or any predecessor of the Seller.

 

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7.3 Indemnification by the Buyer. The Buyer agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless, jointly and severally, the Seller and each of its Affiliates and their respective officers, managers, members, employees, agents, advisors, representatives, and the successors and assigns of the foregoing (each hereinafter referred to individually as a “Seller Indemnified Person,” and collectively as “Seller Indemnified Persons”), without duplication, from, against and in respect of all Losses resulting from, arising out of, or caused by any of the following (collectively, “Buyer Indemnifiable Matters”):

 

(a) any breach of any representation or warranty made by the Buyer herein; and

 

(b) any breach by the Buyer of, or failure by the Buyer to perform, carry out or otherwise fulfill or comply with, any of the covenants, agreements, undertakings or obligations contained in this Agreement.

 

7.4 Limitations on Indemnification .

 

(a) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article 7 and except as set forth in Section 7.4(d), the Seller and the Member shall not be required to defend, indemnify or hold the Buyer Indemnified Persons harmless under Section 7.2 unless and until the aggregate Losses for which the Seller and the Member are liable thereunder exceed a cumulative aggregate amount of $20,000 (the “Basket”), in which event the Buyer Indemnified Persons (as a group) shall, subject to the other limitations herein, be indemnified by the Seller and the Member for all such Losses including the amount of the Basket. Except as set forth in Section 7.4(d), the aggregate liability of the Seller and the Member on account of any Seller Indemnifiable Matters shall be limited to an aggregate amount equal to the Purchase Price (the “Cap”).

 

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article 7 and except as set in Section 7.4(d), the Buyer shall not be required to defend, indemnify or hold the Seller Indemnified Persons harmless under Section 7.3 unless and until the aggregate Losses for which the Buyer is liable thereunder exceed the Basket, in which event the Seller Indemnified Persons (as a group) shall, subject to the other limitations herein, be indemnified by the Buyer for all such Losses including the amount of the Basket. Except as set forth in Section 7.4(d), the aggregate liability of the Buyer on account of Buyer Indemnifiable Matters shall be limited to an aggregate amount equal to the Cap.

 

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article 7 and except as set in Section 7.4(d), no party shall be entitled to indemnification under this Article 7 with respect to incidental damages, special damages, exemplary damages, or punitive damages (other than such incidental, special, exemplary, or punitive damages recoverable by a third party pursuant to a Third Party Claim).

 

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) neither the Cap nor the Basket shall apply to Losses resulting from, arising out of, or caused by (1) a breach by the Buyer, the Seller or the Member of a Fundamental Representation or (2) the Seller and the Member’s indemnity obligations set forth in Sections 7.2(c)(d), (e), (f), (g), or (h), and (ii) none of the Cap, the Basket nor the limitations of Section 7.4(c) shall apply to Losses directly or indirectly incurred in connection with or as a result of fraud by any of the Buyer, the Seller or the Member.

 

(e) All references in this Agreement to “materiality,” “in all material respects,” “Material Adverse Effect” and other terms derived therefrom shall be disregarded for purposes of determining the amount of Losses for which a party shall be indemnified under this Article 7.

 

7.5 Indemnification Procedures. The procedures for indemnification under this Agreement shall be as follows:

 

(a) The Buyer Indemnified Person(s) or the Seller Indemnified Person(s), as applicable (either, a “Claimant”), shall promptly give notice to the party from which indemnification is claimed (the “Indemnifying Party”) of any demand, suit, assertion of liability, Action or claim (a “Claim”). If the Claim relates to an Action filed by another Person against the Claimant (a “Third Party Claim”), then such notice shall be given by the Claimant within five (5) Business Days after written notice of such Action was received by the Claimant and shall include true, correct and complete copies of all Claim notices and documents; providedhowever, that the failure or delay of the Claimant to provide any such notice shall not release the Indemnifying Party from any of its obligations under this Article 7 unless (and then solely to the extent that) the Indemnifying Party is actually prejudiced by such delay.

 

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(b) With respect to Claims solely between the parties, following receipt of written notice from the Claimant of a Claim, stating with reasonable specificity the factual basis of such Claim, the Indemnifying Party shall have forty-five (45) days to make such investigation of the Claim as the Indemnifying Party reasonably deems necessary or desirable, and the Claimant agrees to make available to the Indemnifying Party and its authorized representatives all information relevant and necessary to substantiate the Claim, except to the extent any attorney-client privilege would thereby be vitiated. If the Claimant and the Indemnifying Party agree at or prior to the expiration of such forty-five (45) day period to the validity and amount of such Claim, then, subject to Section 7.6, the Indemnifying Party shall promptly pay to the Claimant, or if applicable deduct from the Royalty Consideration, when due, the full amount of the Claim, subject to the terms and limitations hereof. If the Claimant and the Indemnifying Party agree at or prior to the expiration of such forty-five (45) day period to the validity and amount of such Claim, but (i) the Claim is subject to the Basket and (ii) the Claim, together with all previous valid Claims, does not cause the Basket to be met or exceeded, then the Indemnifying Party need not pay to the Claimant any monies with respect to such Claim, but the full amount of the Claim shall be added to the Basket, subject to the terms and limitations hereof. If the Claimant and the Indemnifying Party do not reach any such agreement within such forty-five (45) day period, then the Claimant may seek an appropriate remedy at law or in equity, as applicable, subject to the terms and limitations hereof.

 

(c) With respect to any Third Party Claim, the Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to assume and maintain control of the defense and settlement of such Third Party Claim; providedhowever, that, the Claimant shall be entitled to reasonably participate in the defense of such Third Party Claim and to employ counsel, at its own expense, to assist in the handling of such Third Party Claim. So long as the Indemnifying Party is defending diligently and in good faith any such Third Party Claim, Claimant shall not settle or compromise such claim or demand. The Indemnifying Party shall have the power and authority to settle or consent to the entry of judgment of such Third Party Claim in its sole discretion, provided that the Indemnifying Party shall not settle or compromise any Third Party Claim without the consent of Claimant if the judgment or settlement (i) would result in the payment by Claimant of money damages for which Claimant is not entitled to indemnification hereunder or other equitable relief against Claimant, or (ii) does not include a full and complete release of Claimant from any and all liability thereunder.

 

7.6 Set-Off of Recovery by Buyer Indemnified Persons. The amount of any indemnifiable Loss that (x) the Seller or the Member agree in writing is due and payable to the Buyer Indemnified Persons pursuant to this Article 7 or (y) a court of competent jurisdiction or arbitrator finally determines is due and payable by the Seller or the Member to the Buyer Indemnified Persons pursuant to this Article 7, shall be paid or offset in the following order and priority:

 

(a) First, such indemnifiable Losses shall be paid out of amounts payable as Royalty Consideration, if any, payable in the next two installments (or, at the Buyer’s election, future installments); and

 

(b) Second, in the event that the amounts payable as Royalty Consideration in the next two installments (or, at the Buyer’s election, future installments) is not sufficient to fully pay all such indemnifiable Losses, any shortfall may be satisfied by payment from the Seller or the Member to the applicable Buyer Indemnified Persons.

 

7.7 Withholding Rights. Each party shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from any amounts payable pursuant to this Agreement such amount as it is required to deduct and withhold with respect to the making of such payment under the Code or other applicable Law. To the extent that amounts are so withheld, such withheld amounts shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the relevant payee in respect of which such deduction and withholding was made.

 

7.8 Determination of Loss Net of Other Recoveries. The amount of Losses recoverable by any Claimant hereunder with respect to a particular Claim shall be net of any amounts actually recovered or recoverable from insurance recoveries with respect thereto, less any costs related to obtaining such recoveries.

 

7.9 Exclusive Remedy. Following the Closing, the indemnification and other remedies set forth under this Article 7 shall constitute the sole and exclusive remedies of the parties with respect to any matters arising under or relating to this Agreement, except in the case of fraud by any party or the right of any party to seek injunctive or other equitable relief pursuant to Section 8.13.

 

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7.10 Tax Treatment. For purposes of Tax reporting, the parties shall treat all payments and set-off made by or deemed to be made by a party under this Article 7 as adjustments to the consideration paid by the Buyer, unless otherwise required by applicable Law.

 

ARTICLE 8: MISCELLANEOUS

 

8.1 Entire Agreement; Amendment. This Agreement, the Schedules and Exhibits hereto and all documents and certificates executed and delivered pursuant to this Agreement constitute the entire agreement and understanding among the parties pertaining to the subject matter hereof, and supersede all prior and contemporaneous agreements (including any term sheet, letter of intent, or confidentiality or non-disclosure agreement between or among the parties or their respective Affiliates), understandings, negotiations and discussions of the parties, whether oral or written, and there are no warranties, representations or other covenants or agreements between or among the parties in connection with the subject matter hereof, except as specifically set forth herein. No amendment, supplement, modification, waiver or termination of this Agreement or provision hereof shall be binding unless executed in writing by the party to be bound thereby.

 

8.2 Extension; Waiver. At any time prior to the Closing, the Seller, on the one hand, and the Buyer, on the other hand, may, to the extent legally allowed, (a) extend the time for the performance of any of the obligations of the other party hereto, (b) waive any inaccuracies in the representations and warranties made to such party contained herein or in any document delivered pursuant hereto, and (c) waive compliance with any of the agreements or conditions for the benefit of such party contained herein. Any agreement on the part of a party hereto to any such extension or waiver shall be valid only if set forth in an instrument in writing signed on behalf of such party. Such extension or waiver shall not be deemed to apply to any time for performance, inaccuracy in any representation or warranty, or noncompliance with any agreement or condition, as the case may be, other than that which is specified in the extension or waiver. The failure of any party to this Agreement to assert any of its rights under this Agreement or otherwise shall not constitute a waiver of such rights.

 

8.3 Benefit; Assignment. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns. No party to this Agreement may, directly or indirectly, by merger, operation of law, or otherwise, assign either this Agreement or any of its rights, interests or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other parties hereto; providedhowever, that the Buyer or Seller may, without the consent of the other Party assign all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement and the related documents delivered at Closing at any time to an Affiliate, which for this purpose shall include any equity owner of Seller, or, on or after the Closing, any other Person in connection with a sale of all or substantially all of its assets, or the Business, however effected. Any purported assignment or delegation in violation of the preceding provisions of this Section 8.3 will be null and void.

 

8.4 Notices. All communications, notices, demands and requests required or permitted to be given under the provisions of this Agreement shall be (a) in writing, (b) sent by confirmed facsimile, electronic mail, delivered by personal delivery or sent by commercial delivery service or certified mail, return receipt requested, (c) deemed to have been given on the date sent by facsimile or electronic mail if sent on a Business Day before 5:00 p.m. local time of the recipient, and if not then on the next Business Day immediately thereafter; the date of personal delivery; or the date set forth in the records of the commercial delivery service or on the return receipt, and (d) addressed as follows, unless and until any of such parties notifies the other in accordance with this Section 8.4 of a change of address or change of facsimile number:

 

(i) If to the Seller:

 

Perfekt Beauty Holdings LLC

6059 Bristol Parkway

Culver City, California 90230 USA

Attention: Maurice Rasgon

Telephone No. (310) 397-9300

Facsimile No.: (310) 397-9399

E-mail: Maurice@cdgla.net

 

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With a required copy that shall not constitute notice to:

 

Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, P.C.

660 Newport Center Drive, Suite 1600

Newport Beach, CA 92660

Attention: Christopher D. Ivey

Telephone No.: (949) 725-4121

Facsimile No.: (949) 823-5121

E-mail: civey@sycr.com

 

(ii) If to the Member:

 

CDG Holdings, LLC

6059 Bristol Parkway

Culver City, California 90230 USA

Attention: Maurice Rasgon

Telephone No. (310) 397-9300

Facsimile No.: (310) 397-9399

E-mail: Maurice@cdgla.net

 

With a required copy that shall not constitute notice to:

 

Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, P.C.

660 Newport Center Drive, Suite 1600

Newport Beach, CA 92660

Attention: Christopher D. Ivey

Telephone No.: (949) 725-4121

Facsimile No.: (949) 823-5121

E-mail: civey@sycr.com

 

(iii) If to the Buyer:

 

Synergy CHC Corp.

865 Spring Street

Westbrook, ME 04092

Attention; President

Telephone No.______________

Facsimile No.:_______________

E-mail:_________________________

 

With a required copy that shall not constitute notice to:

 

Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP

4101 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 300

Raleigh, North Carolina 27607

Attention: Zachary R. Bishop

Telephone No.: (919) 781-4000

Facsimile No.: (919) 781-4865

E-mail: zbishop@wyrick.com

 

8.5 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed and delivered in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed original, but such counterparts shall together (when executed and delivered) constitute but one and the same instrument. This Agreement may be executed and delivered in counterpart signature pages executed and delivered via facsimile or other electronic transmission in Adobe portable document format (also known as “PDF”), and any such counterpart executed and delivered via facsimile or other electronic transmission in PDF shall be deemed an original for all intents and purposes. Any party who delivers such a signature page agrees to later deliver an original executed counterpart to any party who requests it, promptly upon request.

 

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8.6 Headings. The Table of Contents and Article, Section and other headings set forth in this Agreement and the Schedules and Exhibits hereto are inserted or used for convenience of reference only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of the provisions of this Agreement.

 

8.7 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any Person or circumstance shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable to any extent, the remainder of this Agreement and the application of such provision to other Persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby and shall be enforced to the greatest extent permitted by applicable Law 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 or unenforceable, the parties hereto 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 are fulfilled to the greatest extent possible.

 

8.8 No Reliance. Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, no Person other than any party hereto is entitled to rely on any of the representations, warranties, covenants, agreements, rights or remedies of the parties under or by virtue of this Agreement. No party assumes any Liability to any such other Person because of any reliance on the representations, warranties, agreements, rights or remedies of the parties under or by virtue of this Agreement.

 

8.9 Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial.

 

(a) This Agreement shall be governed, construed and enforced in accordance with the Laws of the State of Delaware applicable to contracts made and performed in that State without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law principle, provision or rule, including all matters of construction, interpretation, validity and performance.

 

(b) EACH PARTY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY ACTIONS (IN CONTRACT, IN TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, ANY RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN OR AMONG THE PARTIES HEREUNDER AND ANY DISPUTES WITH RESPECT TO ANY OF THE FOREGOING IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND THEREFORE IT HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION. NO PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY ASSIGNEE, SUCCESSOR, HEIR OR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF A PARTY MAY SEEK A JURY TRIAL IN ANY ACTION, LAWSUIT, PROCEEDING, COUNTERCLAIM OR ANY OTHER LITIGATION PROCEDURE BASED UPON OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE OTHER AGREEMENTS OR THE DEALINGS OR THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PARTIES. NO PARTY WILL SEEK TO CONSOLIDATE ANY SUCH ACTION, IN WHICH A JURY TRIAL HAS BEEN WAIVED, WITH ANY OTHER ACTION IN WHICH A JURY TRIAL CANNOT OR HAS NOT BEEN WAIVED. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION 8.9(b) HAVE BEEN FULLY DISCUSSED BY THE PARTIES HERETO, AND THESE PROVISIONS WILL BE SUBJECT TO NO EXCEPTIONS. NO PARTY HERETO HAS IN ANY WAY AGREED WITH OR REPRESENTED TO ANY OTHER PARTY HERETO THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION 8.9(b) WILL NOT BE FULLY ENFORCED IN ALL INSTANCES.

 

8.10 Consent to Jurisdiction and Service of Process. EACH PARTY HEREBY CONSENTS AND AGREES THAT THE STATE OR FEDERAL COURTS LOCATED IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE HAVE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION TO HEAR AND DETERMINE ANY CLAIMS OR DISPUTES BETWEEN THE PARTIES PERTAINING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR TO ANY MATTER ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER TRANSACTION DOCUMENTS, EACH PARTY EXPRESSLY SUBMITS AND CONSENTS IN ADVANCE TO SUCH JURISDICTION IN ANY ACTION OR SUIT COMMENCED IN ANY SUCH COURT, AND EACH PARTY HEREBY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION THAT SUCH PARTY MAY HAVE BASED UPON LACK OF PERSONAL JURISDICTION, IMPROPER VENUE OR FORUM NON CONVENIENS AND HEREBY CONSENTS TO THE GRANTING OF SUCH LEGAL OR EQUITABLE RELIEF AS SUCH COURT DEEMS APPROPRIATE. EACH PARTY HEREBY WAIVES PERSONAL SERVICE OF THE SUMMONS, COMPLAINT AND OTHER PROCESS ISSUED IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR SUIT AND AGREES THAT SERVICE OF SUCH SUMMONS, COMPLAINTS AND OTHER PROCESS MAY BE MADE BY REGISTERED OR CERTIFIED MAIL ADDRESSED TO SUCH PARTY AT THE ADDRESS SET FORTH IN SECTION 8.4 OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THAT SERVICE SO MADE WILL BE DEEMED COMPLETED UPON THE EARLIER OF SUCH PARTY’S ACTUAL RECEIPT THEREOF OR FIVE BUSINESS DAYS AFTER DEPOSIT IN THE UNITED STATES MAIL, PROPER POSTAGE PREPAID.

 

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8.11 No Strict Construction. The parties have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement, and the language used in this Agreement shall be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent. In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement will be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties, and no presumption or burden of proof will arise favoring or disfavoring any Person by virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions of this Agreement.

 

8.12 Expenses. Each party shall bear his, her or its own costs and expenses (including legal fees and expenses) incurred in connection with this Agreement and the Transactions.

 

8.13 Specific Performance. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that the failure of any party to perform its agreements and covenants hereunder, including such party’s failure to take all actions as are necessary on such party’s part in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, will cause irreparable injury to the other parties, for which damages, even if available, will not be an adequate remedy. Accordingly, each party hereby consents to the issuance of injunctive relief by any court of competent jurisdiction to compel performance of such party’s obligations and to the granting by any court of the remedy of specific performance of such party’s obligations hereunder.

 

8.14 Publicity. The Seller and the Member shall not issue any press release or make any public announcement relating to the subject matter of this Agreement without the prior written consent of Buyer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing contained in this Agreement shall prevent any party, after notification to the other party to the extent legally permissible, from making any announcement or publication required by applicable Law or from making any filings with Governmental Authorities that, based on advice of legal counsel, is required in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the consummation of the Transactions.

 

8.15 Further Assurances. From time to time after the Closing Date, upon the reasonable request of any party hereto, the other party or parties hereto shall execute and deliver or cause to be executed and delivered such further instruments of conveyance, assignment, transfer, acceptance and assumption, and take such further action as the requesting party may reasonably request in order to fully effectuate the purposes, terms and conditions of this Agreement. Subject to the terms and conditions provided in this Agreement, following the Closing, each of the parties hereto shall use commercially reasonable efforts to take promptly, or cause to be taken, all actions, and to do promptly, or cause to be done, all things necessary, proper or advisable under applicable Laws and regulations to consummate and make effective the Transactions and to effect all necessary registrations and filings and to remove any injunctions or other impediments or delays, legal or otherwise, in order to consummate and make effective the Transactions for the purpose of securing to the parties hereto the benefits contemplated by this Agreement.

 

8.16 Sales, Transfer and Documentary Taxes, etc.. The Seller will pay all federal, state and local sales, documentary and other transfer taxes, if any, due as a result of the purchase, sale or transfer of the Purchased Assets in accordance herewith whether imposed by law on the Seller or the Buyer, and the Seller and the Members will indemnify, reimburse and hold harmless the Buyer in respect of the liability for payment of or failure to pay any such taxes or the filing of or failure to file any reports required in connection therewith.

 

* * * * *

 

THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK;

THE SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Asset Purchase Agreement as of the day and year first written above.

 

  SELLER:
   
  Perfekt Beauty Holdings LLC
     
  By:  
    _______________, President
     
  MEMBER:
   
  CDG Holdings LLC
     
  By:  
  Name:   
  Its:  
     
  BUYER:
   
  Synergy CHC Corp.
     
  By:  
    Jack Ross, Chief Executive Officer

 

Signature Page to Asset Purchase Agreement

 

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ANNEX A

 

Defined Terms

 

Capitalized terms used in the Agreement to which this Annex A is attached shall have (unless the context shall otherwise require) the following respective meanings, and all references to Sections, Exhibits or Schedules in the following definitions shall refer to Sections, Exhibits or Schedules of or to the Agreement:

 

Action” shall mean any claim, demand, charge, complaint, notice, action, suit, litigation, arbitration, inquiry, proceeding or investigation of any matter by or before any Governmental Authority.

 

Adjustment Amount” means the aggregate value of the of the following items as of the close of business on the day prior to the Closing Date: (i) the wholesale value of the Seller’s useable, new and unsold Inventory; (ii) the dollar amount equal to $56,085.57; and (iii) the dollar amount (expressed as a positive number) of certain collectible accounts receivable of the Seller.

 

Adverse Event” means any untoward or negative occurrence (including, without limitation, physical injury) related to the Business or the use of the Products.

 

Affiliate” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common Control with such Person.

 

Agreement” shall mean this Asset Purchase Agreement, together with the Schedules and Exhibits attached hereto, as the same shall be amended and/or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

Annual Financial Statements” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.9(a).

 

Assumed Contracts” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(c).

 

Assumed Liabilities” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(c).

 

Basket” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.4(a).

 

Business” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.

 

Business Day” shall mean any day excluding Saturdays, Sundays and any day that banking institutions located in New York City are authorized or required by applicable Law or other action of a Governmental Authority to close.

 

Buyer” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

Buyer Indemnifiable Matters” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.3.

 

Buyer Indemnified Person” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.2.

 

Buyer Related Agreements” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.2.

 

CDG” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

Cap” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.4(a).

 

Claim” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.5(a).

 

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Claimant” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.5(a).

 

Closing” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.5.

 

Closing Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.5.

 

Closing Payment” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(b)(ii).

 

Closing Schedule” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(a).

 

COBRA” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.17(b).

 

Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

 

Consents” shall mean the consents, permits or approvals of, and filings or notices to, Government Authorities and other Persons necessary to consummate the Transactions.

 

Contracts” shall mean all contracts, leases, arrangements, indentures, notes, bonds, mortgages, guarantees, loans, instruments, commitments or other agreements (including leases for personal or real property and employment agreements), written or oral (including any amendments, supplements, restatements, extensions and other modifications thereto), of the Seller or to which the Seller is a party and that are in effect as of the date of this Agreement.

 

Control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlled by,” “controlling” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any Person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

 

Employees” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.16(a).

 

Encumbrance” means any claim, charge, easement, encumbrance, lease, covenant, security interest, mortgage, Lien, option, pledge, rights of others, restriction (whether on voting, sale, transfer, disposition or otherwise), or other encumbrance whatsoever, whether imposed by agreement, understanding, Law, equity or otherwise, except for any restrictions on transfer generally arising under any applicable federal or state securities law.

 

Environmental Laws” shall mean any and all federal, state, provincial and local Laws, rules and regulations, including statutes, regulations, ordinances, codes, orders and rules, as amended, any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any consent decree or judgment, relating to pollution or the protection of the environment, natural resources, or natural resource damages, including those relating to the Release, use, handling, transportation, treatment or storage of Hazardous Materials. Environmental Laws include the Federal Solid Waste Disposal Act, the Federal Clean Air Act, the Federal Clean Water Act, the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, the Federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide & Rodenticide Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Federal Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act, the Federal Noise Control Act of 1972, the Federal Pollution Prevention Act of and 1990, and the Federal Emergency Planning & Community Right-To-Know Act, each as amended, and regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency, regulations of the Nuclear Regulatory Agency and regulations of any state department of natural resources or state environmental protection agency. Environmental Laws also include any permit, approval, license or other authorization required under any applicable Environmental Law.

 

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Equity Plan” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.4.

 

ERISA” shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

 

Estimated Purchase Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(a)(i).

 

Exchange Act” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.4.

 

Exchange Act Reports” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.4.

 

Excluded AR” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(a)(iii).

 

Excluded Assets” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

 

Excluded Liabilities” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(d).

 

Exhibits” shall mean those exhibits referenced in this Agreement, which exhibits are hereby incorporated and made a part hereof.

 

Final Adjustment Amount” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(a)(i).

 

Final Adjustment Amount Overage” means the amount, if any, by which Final Adjustment Amount exceeds the Preliminary Adjustment Amount.

 

Final Adjustment Amount Underage” means the amount, if any, by which Final Adjustment Amount is less than Preliminary Adjustment Amount.

 

Final Closing Payment” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(a)(ii).

 

Financial Statements” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.9(a).

 

FLSA” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.16(a).

 

Fundamental Representations” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.1.

 

GAAP” shall mean generally accepted accounting principles as in effect in the United States.

 

Governmental Authority” means (i) any federal, state, provincial, regional, county, city, municipal or local government, whether foreign or domestic or (ii) governmental or quasi-governmental authority of any nature, including any regulatory or administrative agency, commission, department, board, bureau, court, tribunal, arbitrator, arbitral body, agency, branch, official entity or other administrative or regulatory body obtaining authority from any of the foregoing, including courts, public utilities, sewer authorities and any supra-national organization, state, county, city or other political subdivision.

 

Governmental Order” shall mean any order, writ, judgment, citation, injunction, decree, ruling, charge, stipulation, determination or award entered by any Governmental Authority.

 

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Guarantee” means any Contract of guarantee, assumption or endorsement or any other like commitment of the obligations, liabilities (fixed, contingent or otherwise) or indebtedness of another Person.

 

Hazardous Material” shall mean (i) any material, substance or waste defined or regulated as hazardous or toxic or as a pollutant or contaminant, as those terms are defined in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, 42 U.S.C. Sections 9601 et seq., or any other applicable Environmental Laws, including toxic materials or harmful physical agents, as defined in the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, as amended, 29 U.S.C. Section 651 et seq., and (ii) petroleum and petroleum products, byproducts or breakdown products, radioactive materials, asbestos, and polychlorinated biphenyls and toxic mold.

 

Health and Safety Laws” shall mean any and all federal, state and local Laws, rules and regulations, including statutes, regulations, ordinances, codes, orders and rules, as amended, any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any consent decree or judgment, relating to health and safety, including those relating to worker health and safety. Health and Safety Laws include the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, as amended, and regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and of any similar state department or agency. Health and Safety Laws also include any permit, approval, license or other authorization required under any applicable Health and Safety Laws.

 

Immigration Laws” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.16(d).

 

Indebtedness” shall mean any of the following Liabilities: (i) any indebtedness for borrowed money or issued in substitution for or exchange of indebtedness for borrowed money, (ii) any indebtedness evidenced by any note, bond, debenture or other debt instrument, (iii) any Liability with respect to deferred compensation, bonuses or commissions or the buy-out or earn-out payments or for the deferred purchase price of property or the provision of services with respect to which a Person is liable, contingently or otherwise, as obligor or otherwise, whether accrued or otherwise, (iv) any commitment by which a Person insures a creditor against loss, (v) any outstanding letters of credit, indebtedness guaranteed in any manner by a Person (including guarantees in the form of an agreement to repurchase or reimburse) and any other off-balance sheet indebtedness, (vi) any Liabilities under capitalized leases with respect to which a Person is liable, contingently or otherwise, as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, (vii) bank overdrafts or checks issued in excess of deposits, (viii) any amounts payable by the Seller, including with respect to accrued and unpaid dividends or other amounts due with respect to the equity interests of the Seller, (ix) any costs, fees, expenses or other Liabilities of the Seller (to the extent not paid prior to the Closing Date) incurred in connection with, or otherwise triggered in whole or in part by, the Transactions, (x) any accrued interest (payable or otherwise), prepayment penalties or obligations, premiums or make-whole amounts related to any of the foregoing clauses and (xi) guarantees in respect of any obligations of the type described in the foregoing clauses (i) through (x) of this definition.

 

Indemnifying Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.5(a).

 

Independent Auditor” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(d).

 

Independent Contractors” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.16(b).

 

Information Privacy Laws” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.17(f)

 

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Intellectual Property” shall mean all (i) inventions and discoveries (whether or not patentable or reduced to practice), patents, patent applications, invention disclosures and statutory invention registrations, (ii) Trademarks, (iii) published and unpublished works of authorship, whether copyrightable or not, including websites, software programs, programming material and jingles, copyrights therein and thereto, registrations, applications, renewals and extensions therefor and thereof, and any and all rights associated therewith, email addresses, phone and fax numbers, marketing materials, business names, source codes, object codes, computer software programs, databases, (iv) confidential and proprietary information, including trade secrets, know-how, invention rights, methods, designs, processes, procedures and technology, (v) rights of privacy and publicity, and (vi) the entire Business marketing database consisting of all available customer information and all marketing, advertising and promotional materials, including logos, colors, videos, booklet designs, catalogs, solicitations, email templates, advertisements and all other Business marketing materials (whether in draft or final form) (collectively, the “Marketing Materials”) (vii) all domain names and (viii) any and all other proprietary rights, in each case, whether written or unwritten, and all goodwill associated with, and all derivatives, improvements and refinements of, any of the foregoing.

 

Interim Financial Statements” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.9(a).

 

Inventory” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.28.

 

IRS” shall mean the United States Internal Revenue Service.

 

Knowledge of the Seller” shall mean the actual knowledge, after reasonable inquiry of the affairs, properties and business of the Seller, of Maurice Rasgon and Alison Kohlenstein.

 

Law” shall mean any constitution, treaty, statute, law, ordinance, regulation, judgment, decree, injunction, ruling, Governmental Order, rule, requirement, stipulation or determination issued, promulgated or entered by or with any Governmental Authority (including common law).

 

Leases” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.8(b).

 

Liability” shall mean any liability or obligation, whether known or unknown, whether asserted or unasserted, whether absolute, contingent, fixed or otherwise, whether accrued or unaccrued, whether liquidated or unliquidated, and whether due or to become due, regardless of when asserted, including any liability arising under any Law, Action or Governmental Order and any liability for Taxes.

 

Lien” shall mean any mortgage, deed of trust, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, adverse claim of ownership or use, lease, option, easement, reversion, violation, adverse claim, servitude, hypothecation, restriction on transfer (such as a right of first refusal or other similar right), defect of title, lien or charge of any kind, whether voluntarily incurred or arising by operation of Law or otherwise, affecting any assets or property.

 

Losses” shall mean all losses, damages, amounts paid in settlement, costs, expenses, fines, deficiencies, Liabilities, obligations, Taxes and Actions (whether or not resulting from Third Party Claims), including interest and penalties with respect thereto and out of pocket expenses and reasonable attorneys’ and accountants’ fees.

 

Marketing Materials” shall have the definition set forth in the definition of Intellectual Property.

 

Material Adverse Effect” shall mean any event, change, circumstance, occurrence, effect or state of facts that has, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate with all other effects, changes and events, a materially adverse effect or impact on (i) the condition (financial or otherwise), assets, results of operations, customer or employee relations, prospects or cash flow of the Buyer or Seller, as applicable, or (ii) the ability of the Buyer or Seller, as applicable, to perform its obligations under this Agreement.

Material Contracts” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.6(a).

 

Member” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

Most Recent Balance Sheet” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.9(a).

 

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Most Recent Fiscal Month End” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.9(a).

 

Negotiation Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(d).

 

Net Sales” shall mean total invoiced billing for sales of only Products sold under the “Per-fekt” mark, less (i) freight and transportation (not to exceed 10%), (ii) all trade, quantity and cash discounts, (iii) all credits and allowances actually granted on Products due to returns including warranty replacements, rejections, billing errors, and retroactive price reductions, and (iv) sale, value-added and use taxes, and equivalent taxes actually paid on Products.

 

Notice of Concurrence” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(b).

 

Notice of Disagreement” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(b).

 

Organizational Documents” shall mean the legal document(s) by which any Person (other than an individual) establishes its legal existence or which govern its internal affairs. For example, the “Organizational Documents” of a corporation are its articles or certificate of incorporation and bylaws, the “Organizational Documents” of a limited partnership are its certificate of limited partnership and limited partnership agreement and the “Organizational Documents” of a limited liability company are its articles of organization and operating agreement.

 

Buyer” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

PDF” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.5.

 

Permit” shall mean any franchise, grant, authorization, agreement, license, permit, qualification, registration, easement, variance, exception, consent, clearance, certificate, approval, order, underground storage tank or other trust fund coverage or similar rights issued, granted or obtained by or from any Governmental Authority.

 

Permitted Encumbrance” shall mean: (i) Liens for Taxes not yet due and payable; (ii) materialmen’s, mechanics’, workmen’s, repairmen’s, landlord’s or other like non-consensual Liens arising in the course of construction or in the ordinary course of operations or maintenance and securing amounts not yet due and payable or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings, if appropriate reserves or accruals with respect thereto are maintained in accordance with GAAP; and (iii) easements, rights-of-way, zoning, building codes and other encumbrances on Real Property which do not interfere with the business conducted thereon.

 

Person” shall mean any natural person, general or limited partnership, corporation, firm, limited liability company or partnership, association, trust or other entity, group (as such term is used in Section 13 of the Exchange Act) or organization, including a Governmental Authority, or other legal entity.

 

Preliminary Adjustment Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(d).

 

Products” shall have the meaning set forth the recitals.

 

Purchase Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(a).

 

Purchased Assets” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

 

Records” shall mean all books of account, files, databases, documents and other records in the Seller’s possession or control pertaining to the Business.

 

Related Parties” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.20.

 

Release” shall mean disposing, discharging, injecting, spilling, leaking, leaching, dumping, emitting, escaping, emptying, seeping, placing and the like into or upon any land or water or air or otherwise entering into the environment.

 

Remedial Action” shall mean all action to (i) clean up, remove, treat or handle in any other way Hazardous Materials in the environment; (ii) restore or reclaim the environment or natural resources; (iii) prevent the Release of Hazardous Materials so that they do not migrate, endanger or threaten to endanger public health or the environment; (iv) abate, encapsulate or remove any Hazardous Materials containing any building material, facility, equipment or transformer; or (v) perform remedial investigations, feasibility studies, corrective actions, closures and postremedial or postclosure studies, investigations, operations, maintenance and monitoring.

 

Royalty Consideration” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(c).

 

SEC” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.4.

 

34

 

 

Schedules” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble of Article 3 and are hereby incorporated herein and made a part hereof.

 

Securities Act” shall mean the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Self-Insured Employee Plan” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.17(l).

 

Seller” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

Seller Equity Interests” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.4.

 

Seller Indebtedness Amount” shall have the mening set forth in Section 2.2(b)(i).

 

Seller Indemnifiable Matters” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.2.

 

Seller Indemnified Persons” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.3.

 

Seller Intellectual Property” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.7(a).

 

Seller Leased Real Property” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.8(a).

 

Seller Related Agreements” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.2.

 

Subsidiary” of any party shall mean any Person of which (i) 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities are directly or indirectly owned by such party or one of its Subsidiaries; (ii) such party or any Subsidiary of such party is a general partner, managing member or managing director; or (iii) such party and/or one or more of its Subsidiaries holds voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or any similar governing body.

 

Survival Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.1.

 

Tax” shall mean any federal, state, provincial, local or foreign income, gross receipts, license, payroll, employment, excise, customs, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, windfall profit, environmental (including taxes under Code Section 59A), capital stock, franchise, profits, inventory, withholding, social security (or similar), unemployment, disability, real property, personal property, ad valorem, sales, use, transfer, registration, value-added, alternative or add on minimum, estimated or other tax levy, duty, impost, fee or similar charge of any kind whatsoever imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, penalty, fine or addition thereto or imposed in connection therewith, whether disputed or not.

 

Tax Return” shall mean any return, report, claim for refund, estimate, statement, form or other document (including elections, declarations, amendments, schedules, information returns or attachments thereto) relating to or required to be filed with a Governmental Authority or other Person with respect to Taxes.

 

Third Party Claim” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.5(a).

 

Trademarks” shall mean trademarks, service marks, domain names, uniform resource locators, websites, trade dress, slogans, logos, symbols, trade names, brand names and other identifiers of source or goodwill, including registrations and applications for registration thereof and including the goodwill symbolized thereby or associated therewith.

 

Transactions” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.2.

 

Treasury Regulations” shall mean the final and temporary regulations promulgated by the United States Department of the Treasury under and pursuant to the Code.

 

WARN Act” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.16(g).

 

 

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Exhibit 10.17

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED LOAN AGREEMENT

 

Dated as of August 9, 2017

 

between

 

KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC.

 

as Lender

 

– and –

 

SYNERGY CHC CORP.

 

as Borrower

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

    Page
     
ARTICLE 1 - DEFINITIONS 1
   
1.1 General Definitions. 1
1.2 Schedules and Exhibits. 19
1.3 Accounting Terms and Definitions. 20
1.4 Supplements, Re-enactments, Etc. 20
1.5 Headings of Subdivisions. 20
1.6 Gender and Number. 20
1.7 Monetary References. 20
1.8 Actions on Days Other Than Business Days. 21
     
ARTICLE 2 - TERMS OF THE LOAN 21
   
2.1 The Loan. 21
2.2 Additional Tranches 21
     
ARTICLE 3 - PAYMENT 23
   
3.1 Payments on Principal 23
3.2 Prepayments. 23
3.3 General Matters 24
     
ARTICLE 4 - INTEREST, FEES AND CHARGES 24
   
4.1 Rate of Interest. 24
4.2 Payment of Interest. 24
4.3 Default Rate of Interest. 25
4.4 Computation of Interest and Fees. 25
4.5 Maximum Interest. 25
4.6 Origination Fee. 25
4.7 Work Fee 25
4.8 Success Fees 25
4.9 Lender’s Expenses. 26
4.10 Illegality. 26
4.11 Increased Costs. 27
     
ARTICLE 5 - TERMINATION AND REDUCTION 27
   
5.1 Termination. 27
5.2 Continuing Obligations. 27
     
ARTICLE 6 - SECURITY AND COLLATERAL 28
   
6.1 Security Delivered on or Prior to the Closing Date. 28
6.2 Further Assurances 29
6.3 Security Effective Notwithstanding Date of Loan. 29
6.4 No Merger. 29
6.5 Release of Security. 29

 

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Table of Contents (continued)

 

    Page
     
ARTICLE 7 - REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES 30
   
7.1 Representations and Warranties 30
7.2 Survival of Representations and Warranties. 41
     
ARTICLE 8 - SCHEDULES AND REPORTS 41
   
8.1 Financial Information 41
8.2 Compliance Certificate. 42
8.3 Other Matters. 42
     
ARTICLE 9 - COVENANTS 43
   
9.1 Covenants 43
9.2 Negative Covenants. 49
9.3 Entitled to Perform Covenants. 52
     
ARTICLE 10 - CONDITIONS PRECEDENT 52
   
10.1 Conditions Precedent to Loan. 52
     
ARTICLE 11 - EVENTS OF DEFAULT 54
   
11.1 Events of Default. 54
11.2 Acceleration and Termination of Rights 57
11.3 Remedies Cumulative and Waivers. 57
11.4 Saving. 58
11.5 Third Parties 58
11.6 Set-Off or Compensation. 58
     
ARTICLE 12 - INDEMNIFICATION, ETC 59
   
12.1 General Indemnity. 59
12.2 Taxes. 59
     
ARTICLE 13 - GENERAL PROVISIONS 60
   
13.1 Notice. 60
13.2 Choice of Governing Law and Construction. 61
13.3 Attornment. 61
13.4 Press Releases. 62
13.5 Modification and Benefit of Agreement. 62
13.6 Power of Attorney. 62
13.7 Waivers, Confidentiality, Information Sharing. 62
13.8 Timing of Payments. 63
13.9 Judgment Currency. 63
13.10 Severability. 63
13.11 Conflicts. 63
13.12 Entire Agreement. 63
13.13 Counterpart Execution/Electronic Delivery 63
13.14 Interpretation. 63

 

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AMENDED AND RESTATED LOAN AGREEMENT

 

THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED LOAN AGREEMENT is made with effect as of the ninth (9th) day of August, 2017, by and between SYNERGY CHC CORP., a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Nevada (the “Borrower”) and KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC., a corporation formed under the laws of Barbados, and one or more Persons to whom the foregoing or its permitted assigns may from time to time assign an interest in the Loan Documents (as defined below) (collectively, the “Lender”);

 

RECITALS:

 

WHEREAS the Borrower (then “known as Synergy Strips Corp.) and Lender entered into that certain loan agreement made as of January 21, 2015 (the “Initial Loan Agreement”), pursuant to which Lender extended a loan to the Borrower in the principal amount of $6,000,000 (the “First Tranche”);

 

WHEREAS the Borrower and Lender entered into that certain first amendment to the Initial Loan Agreement made as of the November 12, 2015, as amended by an amendment on December 3, 2015 (collectively with the Initial Loan Agreement, the “Existing Loan Agreement”), pursuant to which Lender extended an additional loan to the Borrower in the principal amount of $5,500,000 (the “Second Tranche”);

 

WHEREAS the Borrower has requested (i) an additional loan in the principal amount of $10,000,000 (the “Third Tranche”) and (ii) an ongoing credit facility for Additional Tranches (as defined below) for an aggregate of up to $20,000,000, and Lender has indicated its willingness to lend on the terms and conditions set forth herein;

 

WHEREAS Lender and the Borrower desire to amend and restate the Existing Loan Agreement, without novation, in order to, inter alia, provide for the Third Tranche and the Additional Tranches (as hereinafter defined) on the terms and conditions set forth herein;

 

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants hereinafter contained and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE 1 - DEFINITIONS

 

1.1 General Definitions.

 

In this Agreement the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

Acquisition” means, with respect to any Person, any purchase or other acquisition by such Person, regardless of how accomplished or effected (including any such purchase or other acquisition effected by way of amalgamation, merger, arrangement, business combination or other form of corporate reorganization or by way of purchase, lease or other acquisition arrangements), of (i) any other Person (including any purchase or acquisition of such number of the issued and outstanding securities of, or such portion of an Equity Interest in, such other Person so that such other Person becomes a Subsidiary of the purchaser or of any of its Affiliates) or of all or substantially all of the Property of any other Person, or (ii) any division, business, operation or undertaking of any other Person or of all or substantially all of the Property of any division, business, operation or undertaking of any other Person.

 

 

 

 

Action Request” means any request from any Governmental Authority under any Applicable Law whereby such body or agency requests that the Person requested takes action or steps or does acts or things in respect of any Property in its charge, management or control to remediate a matter which is not or is alleged not to be in compliance with all Applicable Laws.

 

Affiliate” means: (i) any Person which, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with any other Person; (ii) any Person which beneficially owns or holds, directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of any class of voting stock or Equity Interest (including partnership interests) of any other Person; or (iii) any Person, fifty percent (50%) or more of any class of the voting stock (or if such Person is not a corporation, fifty percent (50%) or more of the Equity Interest, including partnership interests) of which is beneficially owned or held, directly or indirectly, by any other Person. For the purposes of this definition, control of any Person (including the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to elect or appoint a majority of the board of directors of, or persons performing similar functions in respect of, such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.

 

Agreement” means this agreement and all schedules attached hereto; the expressions “hereof”, “herein”, “hereto”, “hereunder”, “hereby” and similar expressions refer to this Agreement, as amended, restated or supplemented from time to time, as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section, Schedule, or other portion hereof or thereof.

 

Annual Business Plan” means the annual business plan of the Borrower, prepared on a Consolidated basis, with detailed financial projections and budgets on a quarter to quarter basis for the following one (1) Fiscal Year, in each case consisting of a balance sheet, statement of income, retained earnings, statement of cash flows, proposed Capital Expenditures and a list of assumptions upon which such projections are based.

 

Applicable Law” means (i) any domestic or foreign statute, law (including common and civil law), treaty, code, ordinance, rule, regulation, restriction or by-law (zoning or otherwise), including all Health Care Laws and Privacy Laws, (ii) any judgment, order, writ, injunction, decision, ruling, decree or award; (iii) any regulatory policy, practice, guideline or directive; or (iv) any franchise, license, qualification, authorization, consent, exemption, waiver, right, permit or other approval of any Governmental Authority, binding on or affecting the Person referred to in the context in which the term is used or binding on or affecting the property of such Person, in each case whether or not having the force of law.

 

Arm’s Length” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Non-Arm’s Length”.

 

Associate” with respect to Lender means an “associate” as defined in the Canada Business Corporations Act.

 

Audited Financial Statements” means the audited Consolidated statement of financial position of the Borrower for the Fiscal Year ended December 31, including, without limitation, balance sheet, statement of income and retained earnings and statements of cash flows for such Fiscal Year prepared in accordance with GAAP.

 

2

 

 

Auditor” means the Borrower’s auditor and includes its successor which needs be an auditor of recognized national standing from time to time.

 

Board” means the Borrower’s board of directors.

 

Borrower” means Synergy CHC Corp. (formerly known as Synergy Strips Corp.) a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of Nevada, and its permitted successors and assigns.

 

Breakthrough” means Breakthrough Products, Inc.

 

Breakthrough Acquisition” means the acquisition by the Borrower that occurred on or about November 12, 2015 of all the issued and outstanding shares of Breakthrough Products, Inc.

 

Business” means the business of the Borrower as of the date hereof, being the manufacture, distribution, sale of consumer health, wellness and beauty products, including the products known as Synergy Strips, Flat Tummy Tea, UrgentRX Products, FOCUSfactor, FOCUSfactor Kids, Hand MD, Neuragen, Perfekt Beauty, Sneaky Vaunt and The Queen Pegasus.

 

Business Day” means a day (other than Saturday or Sunday) on which banks are generally open for business in Bridgetown, Barbados and New York, New York.

 

Capital Expenditures” means, for any period, any expenditure made by any Person for the purchase, lease, acquisition, license, erection, development, improvement, construction, repair or replacement of capital assets, and any expenditure related to a Capital Lease or any other expenditure required to be capitalized, all as determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Capital Lease” means, with respect to any Person, any lease of (or other agreement conveying the right to use) any real or personal property by such Person that, in conformity with GAAP, is or should be accounted for as a capital lease on the balance sheet of that Person.

 

Cash Balance Statement” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 9.1(z)(iii).

 

Change of Control” means, with respect to the Borrower, the acquisition by any Person or group of Persons who act together in concert for such purpose of (i) shares or other voting Equity Interests of the Borrower to which are attached more than fifty percent (50%) of the votes that may be cast to elect directors or other Persons charged with the direction of the management the Borrower and which, if exercised, are sufficient to elect a majority of such directors or other management Persons, or (ii) any other right to appoint a majority of such directors or other management Persons or with respect to any Person who from time to time has previously met the foregoing test the further acquisition by such Person or group of Persons who act together in concert for such purpose of any further units or other voting Equity Interests of any Loan Party.

 

Closing Date” means August 9, 2017 or such other date on which the Third Tranche is advanced.

 

3

 

 

Collateral” means all of the undertaking and Property, present and future, real, immovable, personal and movable, of the Loan Parties, now or hereafter pledged, hypothecated, granted or assigned to Lender to secure, either directly or indirectly, repayment on account of payment of any of the Obligations.

 

Compliance Certificate” means the certificate required pursuant to Section 8.2, substantially in the form annexed as Schedule 8.2 and signed by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Borrower.

 

Consolidated” means, when used to modify a financial term, test, statement, or report of a Person, the application or preparation of such term, test, statement or report (as applicable) based upon the consolidation, in accordance with GAAP, of the financial condition or operating results of such Person.

 

Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the Consolidated net income after tax of the Borrower for such period.

 

Contingent Obligation” means, as to any Person, any obligation, whether secured or unsecured, of such Person guaranteeing or indemnifying, or in effect guaranteeing or indemnifying, any indebtedness, leases, dividends, letters of credit or other monetary obligations (the “primary obligations”) of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, including any obligation of such Person as an account party in respect of a letter of credit or letter of guarantee issued to assure payment by the primary obligor of any such primary obligation and any obligations of such Person, whether or not contingent, (i) to purchase any such primary obligation or any Property constituting direct or indirect security therefor, (ii) to advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of any such primary obligation or to maintain working capital or equity capital of the primary obligor or otherwise to maintain the net worth or solvency of the primary obligor, (iii) to purchase Property, Equity Interests or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the obligee under any such primary obligation of the ability of the primary obligor to make payment of such primary obligation, or (iv) otherwise to assure or hold harmless the obligee under such primary obligation against loss in respect of such primary obligation; provided, however, that the term “Contingent Obligation” shall not include endorsements of instruments for deposit or collection in the ordinary course of business.

 

Control Agreement” means a control agreement, in form and substance satisfactory to Lender, executed and delivered by any Loan Party, Lender and the applicable securities intermediary with respect to a Securities Account or a deposit-taking institution with respect to a Deposit Account.

 

Controlled Group” means, in respect of a Loan Party operating in the United States, all members of a controlled group of corporations and all trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated) under common control which, together such Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, are treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Revenue Code.

 

Current Market Price” means the thirty (30) day volume weighted average of the closing sales price of the common shares of the Borrower for a given day on all domestic securities exchanges on which such security may at the time be listed.

 

4

 

 

Data Breach” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1(e)

 

Debt” means, with respect to any Person, without duplication, the aggregate of the following amounts, at the date of determination: (i) all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money; (ii) all obligations of such Person for the deferred purchase price of Property or services which constitute indebtedness; (iii) all obligations of such Person evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or other similar instruments; (iv) all obligations of such Person created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with respect to Property acquired by such Person (whether or not the rights and remedies of the seller or lender under such agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such Property); (v) all obligations of such Person as lessee under leases that have been or should be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as Capital Leases; (vi) all reimbursement obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person under acceptance, letter of credit and similar facilities; (vii) all obligations of such Person to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise acquire for value any partnership or shareholder or other Equity Interests of such Person (for greater certainty, not including obligations with respect to unexercised options and rights of first refusal and where conditions precedent to the purchase, redemption, retirement, defeasance or other acquisition of such obligations have not occurred); (viii) all Contingent Obligations of such Person in respect of Debt of another Person; and (ix) any other obligation arising under arrangements or agreements that, in substance, provide financing to such Person.

 

Deemed Interest Rate” means the interest rate applicable to the Loan as set out in Section 4.1 or 4.3, as the case may be, from time to time.

 

Default” means any event or condition which, with the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default.

 

Deposit Account” means any “deposit account” as such term is defined in the UCC.

 

Depreciation Expense” means, for any period with respect to any Person, depreciation, amortization, depletion and other like reductions to income of such Person for such period not involving any outlay of cash, determined, without duplication and determined on a Consolidated basis, in accordance with GAAP.

 

Disposition” means any sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance, lease or other disposition of any asset of any Loan Party in a single transaction or a series of related transactions and the word “Dispose” or “Disposed” shall have a correlative meaning.

 

Distribution” means, with respect to any Person, any payment, directly or indirectly, by such Person: (i) of any dividends on any shares of its capital, other than dividends payable in shares; (ii) on account of, or for the purpose of setting apart any property for a sinking or other analogous fund for, the purchase, redemption, retirement or other acquisition of any Equity Interests; (iii) of any other distribution in respect of any Equity Interests; or (iv) of any management, consulting or similar fee or compensation or any bonus payment or comparable payment, or by way of gift or other gratuity, to any Affiliate of such Person or to any director, officer or member of the management of such Person or an Affiliate of such Person or to any Person not dealing at Arm’s Length with such first Person.

 

5

 

 

EBITDA” means, for any period, Consolidated Net Income for the Borrower earned during such period, plus, to the extent deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income (without duplication):

 

(i) Interest Expense for such period;

 

(ii) Income Tax Expense for such period; and

 

(iii) Depreciation Expense for such period;

 

decreased by the sum (without duplication) of:

 

(iv)  extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring items for such period; and

 

(v) dividend and interest income earned or received for such period.

 

Employment Arrangement” means any written or oral employment agreement with any executive employee or key employee, or any consulting services contract, management services contract, labor services contract or similar agreement or arrangement pursuant to which any Person will, directly or indirectly, provide any services similar to executive employee or key employee services to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

Environmental Laws” means all Applicable Laws relating to Materials of Environmental Concern, pollution or protection of health, safety or the environment (including ambient air, surface water, ground water, land surface or subsurface strata), including without limitation, laws and regulations relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of Materials of Environmental Concern, or otherwise relating to the manufacturing, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal or transport of Materials of Environmental Concern.

 

Equipment” means all machinery, apparatus, equipment, fittings, furniture, fixtures, motor vehicles and other tangible personal or movable Property (other than Inventory) of every kind and description used in a Person’s operations or owned by such Person or in which such Person has an interest, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by such Person and wherever located, and all parts, accessories and tools and all increases and accessories thereto and substitutions and replacements therefor.

 

Equity Financing” means the completion of an offering or offerings of the Borrower’s Equity Interests or securities convertible into Equity Interests with proceeds of at least $1,000,000 in the aggregate.

 

Equity Interests” means (i) in the case of any corporation or company, all shares or capital stock and any securities exchangeable for or convertible into shares or capital stock, (ii) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participation rights or other equivalents of corporate stock (however designated) in or to such association or entity, (iii) in the case of a partnership, limited liability company or unlimited liability company, partnership or membership interests (whether general or limited and regardless of whether denoted as units or shares), as applicable, and (iv) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distribution of assets of, the issuing Person, and including, in all of the foregoing cases described in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv), any warrants, rights or other options to purchase or otherwise acquire any of the interests described in any of the foregoing cases.

 

6

 

 

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 of the United States, together with the regulations thereunder as the same may be amended from time to time.

 

ERISA Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan covered by Title IV of ERISA or subject to the minimum funding standards under Section 412 of the Revenue Code (other than a multiemployer plan) that either (i) is maintained by a Loan Party, or (ii) with respect to which a Loan Party has or may have liability.

 

Event of Default” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 11.1 hereof.

 

Existing Loan Agreement” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the recitals hereof.

 

FDA” means the Food and Drug Administration of the United States of America or any successor entity thereto.

 

Financial Statements” means the Consolidated or combined statements of financial position of the Borrower, including without limitation, the balance sheet, statement of income and retained earnings and statement of cash flows of the Borrower, the Cash Balance Statement, all prepared in accordance with GAAP and consistent with the approach used by the Borrower in its Audited Financial Statements.

 

First Tranche” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the recitals hereof.

 

Fiscal Quarter” means any of the quarterly accounting periods of the Borrower ending on March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31 of each year.

 

Fiscal Year” means any period of twelve consecutive months ending on December 31 of any calendar year.

 

FNL” means Factor Nutrition Labs, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and its permitted successors and assigns.

 

FNL Asset Purchase Agreement” means that certain Agreement for Purchase and Sale of Assets dated as of January __, 2015, by and among FNL and Borrower.

 

GAAP” means United States generally accepted accounting principles, as amended, supplemented or replaced from time to time.

 

Governmental Authority” means the government of Canada, the United States, Australia or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government, including the FDA and any supranational bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank and including a Minister of the Crown, Superintendent of Financial Institutions or other comparable authority or agency.

 

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Health Care Laws” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1(kk)

 

Income Tax Expense” means, with respect to the Borrower, for any period, the aggregate, without duplication and on a Consolidated basis, of all current Taxes on the income of the Borrower for such period, determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Independent Director” means an individual who is not at the time of initial appointment, or at any time while serving as a director, and has not been at any time during the preceding five years: (a) a shareholder holding more than 10% of the shares of the Borrower, director (with the exception of serving as an Independent Director), officer, employee, consultant, partner, attorney or counsel of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; (b) a material customer, supplier or creditor of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any Affiliate of any of them; (c) a person controlling or under common control with any such shareholder, director, officer, consultant, partner, customer, supplier or other person; or (d) a member of the immediate family of any such shareholder, director, officer, employee, partner, customer, supplier or other person (as used in this definition, the term “control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of management, policies or activities of a person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise).

 

Intellectual Property” means the intellectual property in patents, patent applications, trade-marks, trade-mark applications, trade names, service marks, copyrights, copyright registrations and trade secrets including, without limitation, customer lists and information and business opportunities, industrial designs, proprietary software, technology, recipes and formulae and other similar intellectual property rights.

 

Interest Expense” of the Borrower means, for any period, without duplication and on a Consolidated basis, the aggregate amount of interest and other financing charges paid or payable by the Borrower, on account of such period with respect to Debt including interest, amortization of discount and financing fees, commissions, discounts, the interest or time value of money component of costs related to factoring or securitizing receivables or monetizing inventory and other fees and charges payable with respect to letters of credit, letters of guarantee and bankers’ acceptance financing, standby fees, the interest component of Capital Leases, all as determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Interest Payment Date” means March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 in each year.

 

Inventory” means, with respect to any Person, all inventory of such Person, whether now owned or hereafter acquired including, but not limited to, all goods intended for sale or lease by such Person, or for display or demonstration; all work in process; all raw materials and other materials and supplies of every nature and description used or which might be used in connection with the manufacture, printing, packing, shipping, advertising, selling, leasing or furnishing of such goods or otherwise used or consumed in such Person’s business.

 

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Lender Distribution Agreements” means, collectively, any license and distribution agreement between the Borrower or any other Loan Party (or any of their respective Affiliates) and Lender (or any of its Affiliates).

 

Lender Option” means the option granted to Lender pursuant to that certain distribution option agreement dated as of January 22, 2015 whereby Lender acquired the option to negotiate an exclusive distribution agreement for the Borrower’s Products for Canada, Russia, Sub-Sahara Africa and Israel.

 

Lender’s Nominee” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 9.1(aa) hereof.

 

License” or “License Agreement” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 7.1(g) hereof.

 

Lien” means: (i) any interest in Property securing an obligation owed to, or a claim by, a Person, whether such interest is based on the common law, civil law, statute, or contract, and including, without limitation, a security interest, charge, claim, hypothec or lien arising from a mortgage, deed of trust, hypothec, encumbrance, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, agreement, security agreement, conditional sale or trust receipt or a lease, consignment or bailment for security purposes; and (ii) to the extent not included under clause (i), (A) any rights of repossession or similar rights of unpaid suppliers, (B) any reservation, exception, encroachment, easement, right-of-way, covenant, condition, restriction, lease or other title exception or encumbrance affecting Property, and (C) any other lien, hypothec, charge, privilege, secured claim, title retention, garnishment right, deemed trust, encumbrance or other right affecting Property, choate or inchoate, whether or not crystallized or fixed, whether or not for amounts due or accruing due, arising by any statute or law of any jurisdiction, at law, in equity or by any agreement.

 

Loan” means, collectively or individually, as the context requires, the First Tranche, the Second Tranche, the Third Tranche and any Additional Tranches.

 

Loan Documents” means (i) this Agreement and the Security Documents delivered by the Loan Parties pursuant to this Agreement and the Existing Loan Agreement or otherwise in connection with this Agreement and the Existing Loan Agreement, including any Loan Document delivered to Lender as general continuing collateral security for the payment and performance of the present and future Obligations (including obligations relating to the Second Tranche, the Third Tranche and any Additional Tranche), as well as any amendments, replacements, supplements or other modifications hereto or thereto or any other documents or instruments contemplated hereby or thereby, (ii) all present and future security, agreements and documents labelled by the parties thereto as a Loan Document, (iii) all confirmation agreements delivered by the Loan Parties confirming the validity of any of the foregoing Loan Documents and (iv) Lender Distribution Agreements, in each case as the same may from time to time be supplemented, amended or restated, and “Loan Document” shall mean any one of the Loan Documents.

 

Loan Parties” means the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

 

Losses” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 12.1 hereof.

 

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Material Adverse Effect” shall mean (i) a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, operations, properties, assets, or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower on a consolidated basis, (ii) an adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents which could reasonably be considered material having regard to the Loan Documents considered as a whole, including the validity, enforceability, perfection or priority of any Lien created under any of the Security which could reasonably be considered material having regard to the Security considered as a whole, (iii) a material adverse effect on the ability of any Loan Party, to pay or perform any of its debts, liabilities or obligations under any of the Loan Documents, which could reasonably be considered material having regard to Borrower and the other Loan Parties as a whole, or (iv) an adverse effect on the right, entitlement or ability of Lender to enforce its rights or remedies under any of the Loan Documents which could reasonably be considered material having regard to the Loan Documents taken as a whole.

 

Material Contract” means any agreement (whether written or oral), or multiple agreements with the same Person, arrangement or understanding entered into by any Loan Party or assigned to any Loan Party, (i) which could reasonably be expected to be material to the financial condition, property, assets, operations or business of any Loan Party, (ii) involving payments by or to any Loan Party (or all of them) in excess of $500,000 in the aggregate, or (iii) contracts relating to Employment Arrangements.

 

Material Licenses” means, collectively, each license, certificates, certification, concession, grant, franchise, variance, exemption or permission from, accreditations, product clearances or approvals, provider numbers or provider authorizations, marketing authorizations, other authorizations, establishment licenses, registrations, permits, consents and approvals issued by any Governmental Authority or any applicable stock exchange or securities commission to any Loan Party or assigned to any Loan Party issued or required (i) in connection with the conduct of any of the Borrower’s or any Subsidiary’s Business (ii) required for the research, development, manufacture, distribution, marketing, storage, transportation, use and sale of Products, or (iii) to comply with Applicable Laws, including without limitation new drug applications, abbreviated new drug applications, biologics license applications, investigational new drug applications, over-the-counter drug monograph, device pre-market approval applications, device pre-market notifications, investigational device exemptions, product recertifications, manufacturing approvals and authorizations, CE Marks, pricing and reimbursement approvals, labeling approvals or their foreign equivalent, controlled substance registrations, and wholesale distributor permits.

 

Materials of Environmental Concern” means any chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, petroleum, petroleum products, together with any hazardous, toxic or dangerous substances, materials and wastes, including, without limitation, hydrocarbons (including naturally occurring or man-made petroleum and hydrocarbons), flammable explosives, asbestos, urea formaldehyde insulation, radioactive materials, biological substances, polychlorinated biphenyls, pesticides, herbicides and any other kind and/or type of pollutants or contaminants (including, without limitation, materials which include hazardous constituents), sewage, sludge, industrial slag, solvents and/or any other similar substances, materials or wastes and including any other substances, materials or wastes that are or become regulated under any laws relating to the protection of the environment or maintenance of occupational safety (including, without limitation, any that are or become classified as hazardous or toxic under any such laws).

 

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Maturity Date(s)” means: (i) with respect to the First Tranche, January 20, 2018, (ii) with respect to the Second Tranche, November 11, 2017, (iii) with respect to the Third Tranche, the third anniversary of the Closing Date and (iv) with respect to any Additional Tranche, the third anniversary of the date of the advance thereof.

 

Net Debt” means, as of any date of determination, (i) Consolidated Debt of the Borrower outstanding on such date minus (ii) the aggregate amount of cash and cash equivalents included in the cash accounts listed on the Consolidated statement of financial position of the Borrower as of such date, to the extent the use thereof for application to payment of Debt is not prohibited by law or contract.

 

Nomad” means Nomadchoice Pty Ltd (ABN 41 160 729 939).

 

Nomad Acquisition” means the acquisition by the Borrower of all the issued and outstanding shares of Nomad, which occurred on or about November 12, 2015.

 

Nomad Purchase Agreement” means that certain Stock Purchase Agreement dated November 12, 2015 among the Borrower, Nomad, TPR Investments Pty Ltd CAN 128 396 654, as trustee for Polmear Family Trust, Timothy Polmear and Rebecca Polmear, effecting the Nomad Acquisition.

 

Non-Arm’s Length” and similar phrases have the meaning attributed thereto for the purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada); and “Arm’s Length” shall have the opposite meaning.

 

Obligations” means all present and future obligations and indebtedness, of any and every kind and nature, of the Loan Parties to Lender arising under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, whether now or hereafter existing, whether now due or to become due, whether primary, secondary, direct, indirect, absolute, contingent or otherwise (including without limitation, obligations of performance), whether several or joint or joint and several.

 

OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Department of the Treasury.

 

Organizational Documents” means, with respect to any applicable Person, such Person’s articles or other charter or constitutional documents, by-laws, shareholder agreement, partnership agreement, joint venture agreement, limited liability company agreement or trust agreement, as applicable, and any and all other similar agreements, documents and instruments relative to such Person.

 

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any Person succeeding to any or all of its functions under ERISA.

 

Pension Plan” means (i) a “pension plan” or “plan” which is subject to the funding requirements of applicable pension benefit legislation in any jurisdiction as is applicable to the employees of any Loan Party; or (ii) any pension benefit plan or similar agreement applicable to employees of the Loan Parties (other than a plan sponsored by a Governmental Authority) which, for greater certainty, includes an ERISA Plan.

 

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Perfection Certificate” means a certificate in the form of Exhibit 1, or any other form approved by Lender.

 

Permitted Cash Investments” means an investment in any of the following:

 

(i) direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the Government of the United States or of any state thereof, as applicable (or by any agency or instrumentality of any of the foregoing to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the Government of the United States or of such state, as applicable);

 

(ii) investments in certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances and time deposits maturing within 180 days from the date of acquisition thereof issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States or federal state in the United States having combined capital and surplus of not less than $300,000,000 or the equivalent in any other currency; and

 

(iii) commercial paper of an issuer rated at least A-1+ or the equivalent thereof by a rating agency satisfactory to Lender, and in each case maturing within six months from the date of acquisition.

 

Permitted Debt” means:

 

(i) Debt under this Agreement;

 

(ii) Debt in respect of Purchase Money Security Interests and Capital Leases in an outstanding amount not to exceed $250,000 in aggregate at any time;

 

(iii) Debt consented to in writing by Lender from time to time and subject to the terms imposed by Lender in connection with such consent;

 

(iv) to the extent included as Debt, accounts payable that arise, and accrued expenses incurred in, the ordinary course of business; and

 

(v) Debt incurred by a Subsidiary of the Borrower in accordance Section 2.2(d).

 

Permitted Disposition” means (i) the Disposition of Inventory in the ordinary course of business; (ii) the Disposition of used, worn-out or surplus Equipment in the ordinary course of business; (iii) other Dispositions to the extent that no Default or Event of Default exists and the fair market value of the assets Disposed of pursuant to this clause (iii) does not exceed during any Fiscal Year $150,000; and (iv) a Disposition under a distribution agreement contemplated by Lender Option.

 

Permitted Distribution” means, so long as there exists no Default or Event of Default (i) fees paid by the Borrower to Independent Directors in an aggregate amount in any Fiscal Year not to exceed $100,000, provided such directors’ fees are customary and reasonable for directors in a similar business to the Business; (ii) bonuses paid or other comparable payments made to Borrower’s officers and members of management by the Borrower in amounts materially consistent with the past compensation practice of the Borrower and customary and reasonable for officers and members of management in a business similar to the Business, provided that the aggregate amount in respect of all such bonuses and comparable payments in any Fiscal Year (for certainty, including any payments contemplated by (iii) below) shall not exceed 5% of TTM EBITDA (the “Management Bonus Limit”), (iii) subject to the Management Bonus Limit, bonuses and other comparable payments paid, directly or indirectly, to any one Person pursuant to any employment agreements, consulting services contracts (including agreements between the Borrower and Kenek Brands Inc.), management services contracts, labor services contracts or similar agreements or arrangements for the services of such Person (whether pursuant to one agreement or multiple agreements) of no more than $695,000 per Fiscal Year (for certainty, in excess of any base compensation payable to such Person), provided that any such payments paid to any such Person shall also be determined and paid strictly in accordance with the relevant Employment Arrangement(s) (the terms of which shall have been disclosed to the Lender) and (iv) any distribution by the Subsidiaries of the Borrower (other than a Special Purposes Entity) to the Borrower.

 

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Permitted Liens” means, with respect to any Person, the following:

 

(i) liens for Taxes not yet due or for which installments have been paid based on reasonable estimates pending final assessments, or if due, the validity of which is being contested diligently and in good faith by appropriate proceedings by that Person for which reasonable reserves under GAAP are maintained;

 

(ii) undetermined or inchoate liens, rights of distress and charges incidental to current operations which have not at such time been filed or exercised and of which Lender has been given notice, or which relate to obligations not due or payable, or if due, the validity of which is being contested diligently and in good faith by appropriate proceedings by that Person;

 

(iii) reservations, limitations, provisos and conditions expressed in any original grants from the Crown or other grants of real or immovable property, or interests therein;

 

(iv) zoning, land use and building restrictions, by-laws, regulations and ordinances of federal, provincial, state, municipal and other Governmental Authorities, licenses, easements, servitudes, rights-of-way and rights in the nature of easements (including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, licenses, easements, servitudes, rights-of-way and rights in the nature of easements for railways, sidewalks, public ways, sewers, drains, gas, steam and water mains or electric light and power, or telephone and telegraph conduits, poles, wires and cables) which do not materially impair the use of the affected land for the purpose for which it is used by that Person;

 

(v) title defects, encroachments or irregularities or other matters relating to title which are of a minor nature and which in the aggregate do not materially impair the use of the affected property for the purpose for which it is used by that Person;

 

(vi) the right reserved to or vested in any municipality or governmental or other public authority by the terms of any lease, license, contract, franchise, grant or permit acquired by that Person or by any statutory provision to terminate any such lease, license, contract, franchise, grant or permit, or to require annual or other payments as a condition to the continuance thereof;

 

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(vi) the Lien resulting from the deposit of cash or securities in connection with contracts, tenders or expropriation proceedings, or to secure workers compensation, employment insurance, surety or appeal bonds, costs of litigation when required by law not to exceed $100,000 in aggregate outstanding at any time, liens and claims incidental to current construction, mechanics’, warehousemen’s, carriers’ and other similar liens, and public, statutory and other like obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(vii) security given to a public utility or any municipality or Governmental Authority when required by such utility or authority in connection with the operations of that Person in the ordinary course of its business provided that such security does not materially impair the use of the affected property for the purpose for which it is used by that Person;

 

(viii) the Lien created by a judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, as long as the judgment is being contested diligently and in good faith by appropriate proceedings by that Person and does not result in an Event of Default;

 

(ix) the Security;

 

(x) Purchase Money Security Interests and Capital Leases, provided that such Liens secure Permitted Debt;

 

(xi) such other Liens as agreed to in writing by Lender in accordance with this Agreement;

 

(xii) any other Liens securing Debt the principal amount of which (when aggregated with the outstanding principal of any other such Debt secured by Borrower) does not exceed $100,000 (or its equivalent));

 

(xiii) any Lien in favour of Knight Therapeutics, Inc. perfected by the UCC financing statement filed on July 31, 2015 against Neuragen Corp. in favour of Knight Therapeutics, Inc. under original file number 20153327714 at the Delaware Secretary of State; and

 

(xiv) Liens granted by Special Purpose Entities in order to secure Qualified Acquisitions otherwise permitted hereby.

 

“Person” means any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization, association, corporation, institution, entity, party or foreign or local government (whether federal, provincial, state, county, city, municipal or otherwise), including, without limitation, any instrumentality, division, agency, body or department thereof.

 

Privacy Law” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1(e)

 

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“Product” means each current and future product, process or service under development, developed, manufactured, tested, licensed, distributed, marketed or sold by any Loan Party and any other current or future products or services in which any Loan Party has any proprietary rights or beneficial interests.

 

Prohibited Transaction” means any transaction set forth in Section 406 of ERISA, or Section 4975 of the Revenue Code, to the extent that such transaction is not otherwise exempt by Applicable Law.

 

Property” means, with respect to any Person, all or any portion of its undertaking, property or asset, whether real, immovable, personal, movable, or mixed, tangible or intangible, including for greater certainty any Equity Interests of a corporation or ownership interest in any other Person.

 

Purchase Money Security Interest” means a Lien created or assumed by a Loan Party securing Debt incurred to finance the unpaid acquisition price of personal Property provided that (i) such Lien is created concurrently with or prior to the acquisition of such personal Property, (  ) such Lien does not at any time encumber any Property other than the Property financed or refinanced (to the extent the principal amount is not increased) by such Debt, (iii) the principal amount of Debt secured thereby is not increased subsequent to such acquisition, and (iv) the principal amount of Debt secured by any such Lien at no time exceeds 100% of the original purchase price of such personal Property at the time it was acquired, and for the purposes of this definition the term “acquisition” shall include a Capital Lease and the term “acquire” shall have a corresponding meaning.

 

Qualified Acquisition” means any Acquisition by the Borrower or any other Loan Party, whether by purchase, merger or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the assets of, all of the Equity Interests of, or a business line or unit or a division of, any Person (the “Target”), provided that:

 

(i) the Target shall be a profitable, cash-positive business that is in the same business as or in a business complementary to the Business;

 

(ii) immediately prior to, and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom;

 

(iii) immediately prior to, and after giving effect thereto, all representations and warranties herein and in any other Loan Document shall be true and correct in all material respects;

 

(iv) the Target and all of its assets shall be located only in one or more of the countries in which the Loan Parties operate as of the Closing Date, or such other country as may be approved by Lender in its sole discretion, all transactions in connection therewith shall be consummated, in all material respects, in accordance with all Applicable Laws and in conformity with all applicable governmental approvals and the consummation of such transaction shall not subject Lender to any additional regulatory or other requirements;

 

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(xv) simultaneously with the consummation of such acquisition or, to the extent restricted under Applicable Law, as soon as legally permissible in the relevant jurisdiction, Lender shall be granted a first priority, perfected Lien in the Target (subject only to Permitted Liens) which shall be in form and substance satisfactory to Lender and shall not subject Lender to any additional regulatory or other requirements;

 

(xvi) in the case of the Acquisition of Equity Interests, the Acquisition shall be of all of the Equity Interests (except for any such Equity Interests in the nature of directors’ qualifying shares required pursuant to Applicable Laws) of the Target, and the Equity Interest so acquired or otherwise issued by such Target or any newly formed Subsidiary of a Loan Party in connection with such acquisition shall be owned 100% by a Loan Party and such Loan Party shall have taken, or caused to be granted Lender a duly perfected first-priority Lien, subject only to Permitted Liens, in all of the present and after-acquired assets, property and undertaking of the Target or Subsidiary as security for the Obligations, and shall have delivered to Lender all supporting documents and opinions, as reasonably required by Lender;

 

(xvii) both before and after giving effect to the Acquisition, the Borrower and the other Loan Parties shall be in compliance with all of the covenants (including, for certainty, the financial covenants) set forth herein;

 

(xviii) the Acquisition shall have been approved by the board of directors or other governing body or controlling Person of the Target or the Person from whom such assets or division is acquired; and

 

(xix) on or prior to the date of such acquisition, Lender shall have received, each in form and substance satisfactory to, certified copies of the acquisition agreement and all material related agreements and instruments, and all opinions, certificates, lien search results and other credit documents in respect thereof in form and substance acceptable to Lender;

 

(xx) Lender shall have received copies of, and shall have been satisfied with, all legal and business due diligence reports prepared for the benefit of the Loan Parties in respect of such acquisitions, as well as its own legal and business due diligence (if any);

 

(xxi) the Borrower shall have certified to Lender that it has obtained all necessary or required material consents or approvals of any Governmental Authority or other Person in connection with the completion of the Acquisition; and

 

(xxii) Lender shall have received a source and use of funds statement (which shall, among other things, demonstrate that all of the proceeds of the Acquisition will be used to fund the Acquisition) and an outline of the flow of funds with respect to the Acquisition shall have been delivered to Lender; and

 

(xxiii) Lender shall (in its sole discretion) otherwise be satisfied in all respects with the proposed Acquisition.

 

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Regulatory Authority” means any Governmental Authority that has responsibility in any country or group of countries over the development, manufacture or commercialization of a Product, including the FDA, Health Canada and the European Medicines Agency, and any successor agency thereof.

 

Repayment Schedule” means the Amended and Restated Schedule of Repayment of principal for each Loan, attached hereto as Schedule 3.1(b).

 

Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043 of ERISA, other than an event for which the provision of notice has been waived.

 

Requirements of Law” means, as to any Person, the Organizational Documents of such Person and any Applicable Law, or determination of a Governmental Authority, in each case, applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its business or Property or to which such Person or any of its business or Property is subject.

 

Revenue Code” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, or any successor statute thereto, and the regulations and published interpretations thereof.

 

Revenues” means, for any period, consolidated gross income for such period.

 

Sanctioned Entity” means (i) a country or a government of a country, (ii) an agency of the government of a country, (iii) an organization directly or indirectly controlled by a country or its government, (iv) a Person resident in, or determined to be resident in, a country, in each case, that is subject to a country sanctions program administered and enforced by OFAC.

 

Sanctioned Person” means a person named on the list of Specially Designated Nationals maintained by OFAC (including on account of its membership in a Controlled Group).

 

Second Tranche” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the recitals hereof.

 

Securities Account” means any “securities account” as such term is defined in the Personal Property Security Act (Ontario) and the UCC.

 

Security” means the Liens created by the Security Documents.

 

Security Documents” means the documents set out in Section 6.1.

 

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Special Purpose Entity” means a Person that at all times since its formation and at all times thereafter (unless otherwise expressly agreed to by the Lender in writing): (i) was and will be organized solely for the purpose of owning, developing or operating the business acquired pursuant to a particular Qualified Acquisition (the “Specific Business”) and activities which are related and ancillary thereto; (ii) has not engaged and will not engage in any business unrelated to the Specific Business, (iii) has not had and will not have any assets other than those related to the Specific Business, (iv) has not engaged, sought or consented to and will not engage in, seek or consent to any dissolution, winding up, liquidation, consolidation, merger, asset sale, transfer of Equity Interests or the like, or amendment of its limited partnership agreement, articles of incorporation, articles of organization, certificate of formation or operating agreement (as applicable); (v) has remained and will remain solvent; and has maintained and will maintain adequate capital in light of its contemplated business operations; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not require the contribution of additional capital or any other advance of funds by the Borrower or any other Loan Party or any other Person, (vi) has not failed and will not fail to use commercially reasonably efforts to correct any known misunderstanding regarding the separate identity of such Person; (vii) has maintained and will maintain its accounts, books and records separate from any other Person and will file its own tax returns and maintain its own appropriate insurance coverage; (viii) has not commingled and will not commingle its funds or assets with those of any other Person; (ix) has held and will hold its assets in its own name; (x) has conducted and will conduct the Specific Business in its name only; (xi) has maintained and will maintain its financial statements, accounting records and other entity documents separate from any other Person; (xii) has paid and will pay its own liabilities, including the salaries of its own employees, if any, out of its own funds and assets; (xiii) has observed and will observe all material partnership, corporate or limited liability company formalities, as applicable; (xiv) has maintained and will maintain an arm’s-length relationship with its Affiliates; (xiv) has not entered into or been a party to, and will not enter into or be a party to, any transaction with any other Loan Party except (I) with the prior written consent of Lender and (II) in the ordinary course of its business and on terms which are intrinsically fair and are no less favorable to it than would be obtained in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with an unrelated third party, provided that any consideration paid by any Loan Party to such Special Purpose Entity pursuant to any commercial arrangement shall be on terms no more beneficial to such Special Purpose Entity than terms paid by any Loan Party to any other Loan Party under similar commercial arrangements; (xv) has no and will have no indebtedness other than the indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 2.2(d) hereof (“Specific Business Financing”); (xvi) has not and will not assume or guarantee or become obligated for the debts of any other Person or hold out its credit as being available to satisfy the obligations of any other Person, (xvii) has not and will not acquire obligations or securities of any other Loan Party, (xvii) except in connection with the Specific Business Financing, has not pledged and will not pledge its assets for the benefit of any other Person; (xviii) has held itself out and identified itself, and will hold itself out and identify itself, as a separate and distinct entity under its own name and not as a division or part of any other Person; (xix) has maintained and will maintain its assets in such a manner that it will not be costly or difficult to segregate, ascertain or identify its individual assets from those of any other Person; (xx) has not made and will not make loans to any Person; (xxi) has not identified and will not identify any other Loan Party, or any Affiliate of any of them, as a division or part of it; (xxii) will consider the interests of its creditors in connection with all corporate, partnership or limited liability company actions, as applicable; (xxiii) for certainty, has not done and will not do any of the following: (I) file a bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization petition or otherwise seek any relief under any laws relating to the relief from debts or the protection of debtors generally; (II) seek or consent to the appointment of a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian or any similar official for such entity or all or any portion of such entity’s properties; (III) make any assignment for the benefit of such entity’s creditors’ or (IV) take any action that might cause such entity to become insolvent; and (xxiv) satisfies such other criteria as required by Lender in its sole discretion.

 

Subsidiary” means, with respect to a Person, any corporation of which more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding capital stock having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether at the time stock of any other class of such corporation shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time, directly or indirectly, owned by the Person or by any partnership or other corporate entity of which more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding Equity Interests are at the time, directly or indirectly, owned by the Person.

 

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Taxes” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 12.2 hereof.

 

Termination Date” means the fifth anniversary of the Closing Date.

 

Third Tranche” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the recitals hereof.

 

TTM EBITDA” means, at any particular time, EBITDA for the twelve (12) month period immediately preceding the last day of the period reported upon in the most recent Financial Statements.

 

UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in the State of New York or any other state the laws of which are required to be applied in connection with the issue of perfection of security interests.

 

Unfunded Qualified Acquisition” means a Qualified Acquisition that is financed by the Borrower’s cash flow.

 

Violation Notice” means any notice received by a Person, from any Governmental Authority under any Applicable Law that such Person or any of its Property is not in compliance with the requirements of any Applicable Law, including any notice that the FDA, Health Canada or any other similar Governmental Authority is limiting, suspending or revoking any Material License, changing the market classification, distribution pathway or parameters, or labeling of the Products, or considering any of the foregoing.

 

Welfare Plan” means any medical, health, hospitalization, insurance or other employee benefit or welfare plan, agreement or arrangement subject to ERISA and applicable to employees of the Loan Parties and includes a “welfare plan” as defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA.

 

1.2 Schedules and Exhibits.

 

The following are the Schedules and Exhibits to this Agreement, which are deemed to be a part of this Agreement:

 

Exhibit 1 Perfection Certificate 
Schedule 3.1(b) Repayment Schedule
Schedule 7.1(g) Intellectual Property
Schedule 7.1(h) Current and Prior Names
Schedule 7.1(i) Subsidiaries
Schedule 7.1(j) Litigation
Schedule 7.1(k) Material Contracts and Material Licenses
Schedule 7.1(p) Taxes
Schedule 7.1(s) Location of Collateral
Schedule 7.1(t) Owned Real Property
Schedule 7.1(u) Leased Real Property

 

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Schedule 7.1(x) Labor Matters
Schedule 7.1(y) Pension Plans
Schedule 7.1(bb) Insurance
Schedule 7.1(kk) Regulatory Matters
Schedule 8.2 Officer’s Compliance Certificate 

 

1.3 Accounting Terms and Definitions.

 

Unless otherwise defined or specified herein, all defined terms in Section 1.1 as used in this Agreement shall have the meanings set out in such paragraph, and all accounting terms used in this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, applied on a basis consistent in all material respects with the annual Audited Financial Statements, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein. All accounting determinations for purposes of determining compliance with the financial covenants contained herein shall be made in accordance with GAAP as in effect on the Closing Date (unless and to the extent otherwise stipulated herein) and applied on a basis consistent in all material respects with the Audited Financial Statements, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein. Except as otherwise specified herein, the financial statements required to be delivered hereunder from and after the Closing Date, and all financial records, shall be maintained in accordance with sound accounting practices including, if applicable, GAAP. If GAAP shall change from the basis used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements, the Compliance Certificates required to be delivered pursuant to Section 8.2 demonstrating compliance with the covenants contained herein shall include, at the election of the Borrower or upon the request of Lender, calculations setting forth the adjustments necessary to demonstrate how the Borrower is in compliance with the financial covenants based upon GAAP as in effect on the Closing Date.

 

1.4 Supplements, Re-enactments, Etc.

 

References herein to any agreement, document or legislation are, unless otherwise stated, to be construed as references to such agreement, document or legislation as amended, restated or supplemented from time to time and references to any enactment include re-enactments, amendments and extensions thereof.

 

1.5 Headings of Subdivisions.

 

The headings of subdivisions in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only, and shall not govern the interpretation of any of the provisions of this Agreement.

 

1.6 Gender and Number.

 

Words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa and words importing gender include all genders.

 

1.7 Monetary References.

 

Any reference in this Agreement to “Dollars”, “dollars” or the sign “$” shall be deemed to be a reference to lawful money of the United States, unless otherwise expressly stated.

 

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1.8 Actions on Days Other Than Business Days.

 

Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, where any payment is required to be made or any other action is required to be taken on a particular day and such day is not a Business Day and, as a result, such payment cannot be made or action cannot be taken on such day, then this Agreement shall be deemed to provide that such payment shall be made or such action shall be taken on the first Business Day after such day.

 

ARTICLE 2 - TERMS OF THE LOAN

 

2.1 The Loan.

 

(a) First Tranche. As of the date hereof, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the First Tranche is $1,687,500 and the Borrower acknowledges that the First Tranche shall for all purposes hereunder constitute and be referred to as a portion of the Loan, without constituting a novation, but in all cases subject to the terms and conditions applicable to Loans hereunder. The Borrower shall not be permitted to reborrow any amount of the First Tranche once repaid.

 

(b) Second Tranche. As of the date hereof, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Second Tranche is $1,375,000 and the Borrower acknowledges that the Second Tranche shall for all purposes hereunder constitute and be referred to as a portion of the Loan, without constituting a novation, but in all cases subject to the terms and conditions applicable to Loans hereunder. The Borrower shall not be permitted to reborrow any amount of the Second Tranche once repaid.

 

(c) Third Tranche. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, Lender agrees to loan to the Borrower the Third Tranche to or for the account of the Borrower on the Closing Date and the Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes Lender to advance the Third Tranche on the Closing Date.

 

2.2 Additional Tranches.

 

(a) Additional Tranches. Subject to the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement, from the Closing Date until the Termination Date, and provided that no Event of Default and no Default then exists, the Borrower may from time to time request additional advances of One Million Dollars or more (from Lender to support one or more Qualified Acquisitions (“Additional Tranches”), it being agreed and understood that (i) each request by the Borrower for an Additional Tranche shall be in a minimum amount of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) and (ii) the maximum aggregate principal amount of all Additional Tranches made by Lender hereunder shall not exceed Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000). For certainty, Additional Tranches may only be used to finance Qualified Acquisitions.

 

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(b) Additional Tranche Request. Whenever Borrower desires an Additional Tranche, Borrower shall notify Lender of the proposed Qualified Acquisition and the proposed borrowing (an “Additional Tranche Request”). Any Additional Tranche Request shall, inter alia: (i) specify the proposed closing date of the Qualified Acquisition, (ii) specify the purchase price of the Qualified Acquisition, including a breakdown of all details relating to the purchase price and any other consideration (e.g., cash vs. other consideration, upfront vs. deferred, consideration in the form or royalties and equity, etc.), (iii) the principal amount of the Additional Tranche requested and a summary of expected uses and sources of funds for the Qualified Acquisition, (iv) be accompanied by a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Borrower, stating that no Default or Event of Default exists or, after giving effect to the Qualified Acquisition and the advance of the requested Additional Tranche, will exist, and (iv) include an appropriate and comprehensive information package relating to the proposed transaction, including a full set of business and legal due diligence materials relating thereto. Lender shall thereafter have ten (10) Business Days following its confirmed receipt of an Additional Tranche Request to notify the Borrower whether it agrees to make an Additional Tranche (the “Review Period”), provided, however, that should Lender fail to respond before the expiry of the Review Period it shall be deemed to have declined the Additional Tranche Request. Lender shall be entitled to request such additional information about the proposed Qualified Acquisition (including any additional due diligence materials) as necessary or useful, in the opinion of the Lender, to properly assess the Qualified Acquisition, and if the Lender makes any such requests before the expiry of the Review Period then a new Review Period shall begin upon Lender’s receipt of such additional information in order to allow Lender to consider the Additional Tranche Request. For certainty, Lender shall not be obligated to make a requested Additional Tranche and Lender, in its sole and absolute discretion, may decline to issue an Additional Tranche even if Borrower is in compliance with this Agreement. The refusal of any proposed Additional Tranche by Lender shall not affect the Borrower’s right to request an Additional Tranche at a future date.

 

(c) Additional Tranche Terms: In the event that Lender agrees, in its sole discretion, to grant any Additional Tranche, and without limiting anything else set forth herein or in any other Loan Document or any other provisions herein which apply to Loans (which, for certainty, apply to Additional Tranches unless otherwise provided), the following shall apply to such Additional Tranche(s)

 

(i)Amendments; Additional Documents. Lender shall provide Borrower with such amendment documents, if any, to the Loan Documents as may be required to give effect to the Additional Tranche (including a duly updated Repayment Schedule), as well as a list of such additional documents and deliverables (including Security Documents) as Lender may require in its sole discretion in connection with such Additional Tranche and the execution and delivery of such documents and any other customary documents and deliverables so required by the Lender shall be conditions precedent to the advance of any Additional Tranche.

 

(ii)Additional Tranche Work Fee. The Borrower will pay to Lender a work fee equal to 1% of the amount of any Additional Tranche that the Lender agrees to advance in accordance with 2.2(b) above, which amount will be fully earned and payable on the date that the Lender notifies the Borrower of its acceptance to advance such Additional Tranche (for certainty, whether or not the Qualified Acquisition is effected and/or such Additional Tranche is ultimately advanced).

 

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  (  ) Additional Tranche Origination Fee. Concurrently with the advance of any Additional Tranche, the Borrower will pay to Lender an origination fee equal to 2% of the amount of such Additional Tranche, which amount will be fully earned and payable on the date of the advance of such Additional Tranche.

 

(i)Success Fee. For certainty, any Additional Tranche made by Lender shall entitle Lender to additional common shares or cash consideration pursuant to Section 4.8 hereof in accordance with the terms thereof.

 

(ii)Expenses. For certainty, the Borrower shall reimburse Lender for its expenses incurred in connection with its consideration of any Additional Tranche Requests (whether or not agreed to) and any Additional Tranches (whether or not advanced) in accordance with Section 4.9 hereof.

 

(d) If Lender declines an Additional Tranche Request on the terms described herein, and notwithstanding Sections 9.2(d) and 9.2(r) hereof, then the Borrower shall be entitled to effect the Qualified Acquisition through a Special Purpose Entity which Special Purpose Entity shall be entitled to obtain secured financing or other financing from third parties to finance the proposed Qualified Acquisition, on the strict condition that no Loan Party other than such Special Purpose Entity shall be a party to or otherwise involved in or affected by such transactions and that such transactions shall not, in the opinion of the Lender, otherwise adversely affect Lender or its rights hereunder.

 

ARTICLE 3 - PAYMENT

 

3.1 Payments on Principal.

 

(a) The Borrower shall pay in full to Lender the outstanding principal amount on each Loan, together with all accrued and unpaid interest thereon and any other accrued and unpaid Obligations, on the earliest to occur of: (i) the applicable Maturity Date; and (ii) the date of the acceleration of the Obligations pursuant to Section 11.2 of this Agreement.

 

(b) In addition to the interest payments set forth in Section 4.2, the Borrower shall pay to Lender on account of principal of each Loan the amounts set forth on the Repayment Schedule.

 

(c) All payments to be made by the Borrower to Lender hereunder shall be made to Lender by wire transfer in accordance with the wire instructions given by Lender to the Borrower in writing from time to time.

 

3.2 Prepayments.

 

Without the prior written consent of Lender, which may be withheld or conditioned by Lender in its sole discretion, the outstanding principal of Loans shall not be prepaid prior to the applicable Maturity Date of such Loans. Any amounts prepaid or repaid (to the extent permitted by Lender) shall not be re-borrowed and shall be applied (i) firstly in reduction of accrued and unpaid interest and all other amounts then outstanding (other than the principal amount of the relevant Loan), and (ii) thereafter, in reduction of the principal amount of such Loan.

 

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3.3 General Matters.

 

All payments made by the Borrower shall be made without set-off, recoupment or counterclaim. The Loan shall, if requested by Lender, in Lender’s sole discretion, be evidenced by one or more promissory notes in form and substance satisfactory to Lender. However, if such Loan is not so evidenced, the Loan made by Lender, including rates of interest, fees and other charges, may be evidenced by entries upon the books and records maintained by Lender which books and records shall constitute conclusive evidence thereof in the absence of manifest error.

 

ARTICLE 4 - INTEREST, FEES AND CHARGES

 

4.1 Rate of Interest.

 

(a) First Tranche and Second Tranche. Subject to Section 4.3, the principal amount of the First Tranche and the Second Tranche and other outstanding Obligations relating to the First Tranche and the Second Tranche shall bear interest at a rate equal to 15% per annum compounded quarterly; provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an Equity Financing interest on the First Tranche only shall thereafter be calculated at a rate equal to 13% per annum compounded quarterly. In each case such interest shall be payable in arrears in accordance with Section 4.2 and calculated in accordance with Section 4.4(a).

 

(b) Third Tranche. Subject to Section 4.3, the principal amount of the Third Tranche and other outstanding Obligations relating to the Third Tranche shall bear interest from the Closing Date to the date paid, at a rate equal to 10.5% per annum compounded quarterly. In each case such interest shall be payable in arrears in accordance with Section 4.2 and calculated in accordance with Section 4.4(b).

 

(c) Additional Tranches. Subject to Section 4.3, the principal amount of each Additional Tranche and other outstanding Obligations relating to such Additional Tranche shall bear interest from the date of the advance thereof to the date paid, at a rate equal to 10.5% per annum compounded quarterly. In each case such interest shall be payable in arrears in accordance with Section 4.2 and calculated in accordance with Section 4.4(b).

 

4.2 Payment of Interest.

 

The Borrower shall pay Lender all accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount of the Second Tranche then outstanding monthly in arrears in cash on the eleventh (11th) day of each month and pay Lender all accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount of all other Loans (including, for certainty, any Additional Tranches) then outstanding and the outstanding amount of other Obligations quarterly in arrears in cash on each Interest Payment Date, starting with the Interest Payment Date falling on September 30, 2017. For certainty, the final payment date with respect to interest and principal owing under the First Tranche shall be January 20, 2018.

 

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4.3 Default Rate of Interest.

 

Upon and after the occurrence of an Event of Default under Section 11.1, and during the continuation thereof, the principal amount of the Loan and the other Obligations shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the interest rate otherwise payable pursuant to Section 4.1 plus five percent (5%) and such interest shall be calculated daily and compounded quarterly and shall be payable on demand by Lender.

 

4.4 Computation of Interest and Fees.

 

(a) First Tranche and Second Tranche. With respect to the First Tranche, interest shall be determined daily and compounded quarterly not in advance, and with respect to the Second Tranche, interest shall be determined daily and compounded monthly not in advance, in each case both before and after demand, default and judgment and shall be computed on the actual number of days elapsed over a year of three hundred and sixty-five (365) days or three hundred and sixty-six (366) days, as the case may be.

 

(b) Third Tranche and Additional Tranches. With respect to the Third Tranche and any Additional Tranches, interest shall be determined daily and compounded quarterly not in advance, both before and after demand, default and judgment and shall be computed on a 360-day basis.

 

4.5 Maximum Interest.

 

It is the intent of the parties that the rate of interest and the other charges to the Borrower under this Agreement shall be lawful; therefore, if for any reason the interest or other charges payable under this Agreement are found by a court of competent jurisdiction, in a final determination, to exceed the limit which Lender may lawfully charge the Borrower, then the obligation to pay interest and other charges shall automatically be reduced with retroactive effect to such limit and, if any amount in excess of such limit shall have been paid, then such amount shall be refunded to the Borrower.

 

4.6 Origination Fee.

 

The Borrower will pay to Lender an origination fee equal to $200,000 (the “Origination Fee”), being 2% of the Third Tranche amount, which will be fully earned and payable on the date hereof.

 

4.7 Work Fee.

 

The Borrower will pay to Lender a work fee equal to $100,000 (the “Work Fee”), being 1% of the Third Tranche amount, which will be fully earned and payable at the earlier of August 1, 2017 and the Closing Date. For greater certainty, the said fee is payable whether or not the Third Tranche is advanced.

 

4.8 Success Fees.

 

On (i) the Maturity Date of each Loan advanced hereunder on or after the date hereof (including, for certainty, the Third Tranche and every Additional Tranche), or (ii) at the option of the Lender, on the date of the acceleration by Lender of each such Loan advanced hereunder on or after the date hereof pursuant to Section 11.2 hereof (each, a “Calculation Date”) the Borrower shall pay the Lender a success fee payable with respect to each Loan so advanced by issuance and delivery by the Borrower to the Lender of such number of common shares being equal 10% of such Loan, divided by the lesser of (A) $1.50, (B) the lowest price at which any common shares were issued by the Borrower in any offering or equity financing or other transaction between the Closing Date and the Calculation Date of the relevant Loan, and (C) the Current Market Price on the Calculation Date of the relevant Loan (“Success Fee Shares”). Within five (5) Business Days of each Calculation Date, the Borrower shall, at its option, either: (X) issue and deliver the relevant number of Success Fee Shares to the Lender or (Y) make a cash payment to the Lender in an amount equal to the number of Success Fee Shares otherwise issuable multiplied by the Current Market Price as of the relevant Calculation Date.

 

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4.9 Lender’s Expenses.

 

The Borrower shall reimburse Lender for all reasonable costs and expenses (including without limitation, reasonable accounting, valuation and consultant fees and expenses and reasonable legal fees and expenses in each applicable jurisdiction) incurred by Lender before or after the Closing Date in connection with: (a) the preparation, negotiation, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and the documentation and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (whether or not a given Loan transaction is consummated and whether such transactions are effected concurrently with the funding of a Loan or subsequently), including matters relating to the post-closing deliverables contemplated by this Agreement, to Lender’s Distribution Agreements and, for certainty, to Qualified Acquisitions (including the consideration thereof) and Additional Tranches (whether or not advanced), as well as any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof, including, without limitation, security and other public record searches, lien filings, express mail or similar express or messenger delivery, due diligence costs and expenses, (b) its administration and interpretation of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and its seeking to collect, protect or enforce any rights in or to the Collateral or incurred by Lender in seeking to collect any Obligations and to administer and enforce any of its rights under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. All such costs, expenses and charges incurred on or prior to August 1, 2017 or the Closing Date, as applicable, shall be paid on such date, and all such costs, expenses and charges incurred after the Closing Date will constitute Obligations hereunder, shall be payable by the Borrower to or to the order of Lender on demand and, if overdue by 30 days or more, until paid, will bear interest at the Deemed Interest Rate.

 

4.10 Illegality.

 

If any Applicable Law coming into force after the Closing Date, or if any change in any existing Applicable Law or in the interpretation or application thereof by any court or Governmental Authority, now or hereafter makes it unlawful for Lender to have advanced or acquired interest in the Loan or to give effect to its obligations in respect thereof, Lender may, by written notice thereof to the Borrower, declare its obligations under this Agreement to be terminated, and the Borrower shall prepay, within the time required by such law, the principal amount of the Loan together with accrued interest thereon and any other amounts owing under this Agreement as may be applicable to the date of such payment. If any such event shall, in the opinion of Lender, only affect part of its obligations under this Agreement, the remainder of this Agreement shall be unaffected and the obligations of the Loan Parties under the Loan Documents shall continue.

 

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4.11 Increased Costs.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision herein, in the event that the introduction of or any change in any Applicable Law or in the interpretation or application thereof, or compliance by Lender with any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority:

 

(a) subjects Lender to any new tax of any kind whatsoever with respect to this Agreement, the other Loan Documents or the Loan, or changes the basis of taxation of payments to Lender of principal, interest or any other amount payable hereunder (except for changes in the rate of tax imposed on the overall net income of Lender); or

 

(b) imposes, modifies, holds applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan or similar requirement against Property held by, or deposits or other obligations in or for the account of, advances or loans by, or other credit extended by, or any other acquisition of funds by, any office of Lender;

 

and the result of any of the foregoing is to materially increase the cost to Lender of agreeing to make, making, continuing or maintaining or participating in the Loan, or to materially reduce any amount receivable thereunder or to materially increase the withholding taxes payable then, in any such case, the Borrower shall pay Lender, after demand by Lender, any additional amounts necessary to compensate Lender on an after-tax basis for such additional cost or reduced amount receivable or increased withholding taxes payable with respect to any Loan Document or the Loan made hereunder.

 

ARTICLE 5 - TERMINATION AND REDUCTION

 

5.1 Termination.

 

This Agreement shall be in effect from the date hereof until the later of (i) the indefeasible repayment and performance in full of the Obligations and (ii) the Termination Date. At such time:

 

(a) the Borrower shall provide a release of any obligations and obligations of Lender and its Affiliates, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Lender; and

 

(b) Lender shall, at the Borrower’s cost and expense, deliver to the Borrower a termination, discharge and release of all security in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower and such other documents and instruments as the Borrower may reasonably request in order to effect or evidence the termination of this Agreement and the security.

 

5.2 Continuing Obligations.

 

Nothing in Section 5.1 shall affect any rights, liabilities and obligations of Borrower or Lender set out in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document which are stated to survive payment of the Obligations and termination of this Agreement or the Loan Documents, as the case may be.

 

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ARTICLE 6 - SECURITY AND COLLATERAL

 

6.1 Security Delivered on or Prior to the Closing Date.

 

On or prior to the Closing Date (subject to the post-closing delays noted below), as continuing collateral security for the payment and satisfaction of all Obligations, the Loan Parties shall deliver or cause to be delivered to Lender Security on the Collateral, including the following Security Documents, all of which shall be in form and substance satisfactory to Lender:

 

(a) a general security agreement from each Loan Party in favour of Lender constituting a first-priority Lien (subject only to Permitted Liens) on all of the present and future Property of each Loan Party in all relevant jurisdictions;

 

(b) the shares of the Subsidiaries, duly pledged and endorsed for transfer in blank (to be delivered within 10 days of the Closing Date);

 

(c) a collateral assignment from each Loan Party of its interests in all Material Contracts and Material Licenses;

 

(d) such Control Agreements as Lender may require (to be delivered within 60 days of the Closing Date);

 

(e) landlord access agreement with the landlord of any leased premises of any Loan Party (to be delivered within 30 days of the Closing Date);

 

(f) Intellectual Property security agreement from each Loan Party in favour of Lender, duly filed in such intellectual property registries as the Lender shall require (Borrower shall effect the necessary filings in the appropriate intellectual property registries in Canada, the United, the European Union, Australia and with the World Intellectual Property Organization (and any other registries designated by Knight) within 30 days of the Closing Date).

 

(g) Waivers from bailees or warehouseman with respect to any premises where Property of the Borrower or any other Loan Party having a book value in excess of $25,000 may be located from time to time (to be delivered within 30 days of the Closing Date);

 

(h) a guarantee agreement of the Obligations from each Subsidiary of the Borrower in favour of Lender;

 

(i) specific security agreement granted by the Borrower in respect of the issued share capital in Nomad;

 

(j) confirmation agreements from the Borrower, Nomad and Breakthrough in favour of Lender in relation to the Security Documents delivered prior to the Closing Date, including those delivered pursuant to the Existing Loan Agreement; and

 

(k) such other agreements as Lender may require from time to time. 28

 

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6.2 Further Assurances.

 

The Borrower shall take or cause to be taken such action and execute and deliver or cause to be executed and delivered to Lender such agreements, documents and instruments as Lender shall request, and register, file or record the same (or a notice or financing statement in respect thereof) in all offices where such registration, filing or recording is, in the opinion of Lender or Lender’s counsel, necessary or advisable to constitute, perfect and maintain the Security Documents referred to in Section 6.1 as first-ranking Liens of Borrower or the Person granting such Liens, subject only to the Permitted Liens, in all jurisdictions reasonably required by Lender, in each case within a reasonable time after the request therefor by Lender or Lender’s counsel, and in each case in form and substance satisfactory to Lender and Lender’s counsel, acting reasonably.

 

6.3 Security Effective Notwithstanding Date of Loan.

 

The Security and the Security Documents shall be effective and the undertakings in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with respect thereto shall be continuing, whether the monies hereby or thereby secured or any part thereof shall be advanced before or after or at the same time as the creation of any such Security or before or after or upon the date of execution of this Agreement. The Security shall not be affected by any payments on this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, but shall constitute continuing security to and in favour of Lender for the Obligations from time to time.

 

6.4 No Merger.

 

The Security and the Security Documents shall not merge in any other security granted by the Borrower. No judgment obtained by or on behalf of Lender shall in any way affect any of the provisions of this Agreement, the Security Documents or the other Loan Documents. For greater certainty, no judgment obtained by or on behalf of Lender shall in any way affect the obligation of the Borrower to pay interest or other amounts at the rates, times and in the manner provided in this Agreement, or the obligations of the other Loan Parties under the Security.

 

6.5 Release of Security.

 

At the later of (i) the due payment and performance in full of all Obligations and (ii) the Termination Date, Lender will, at the cost and expense of the Borrower, release and discharge the right and interest of Lender in the Collateral, following indefeasible payment and performance in full of all Obligations.

 

In addition, if any Property of any of the Loan Parties is Disposed of as permitted by this Agreement or is otherwise released from the Security at the direction or with the consent of Lender, at the request, cost and expense of the Borrower (on satisfaction, or on being assured of concurrent satisfaction, of any condition to or obligation imposed with respect to such Disposition), Lender shall discharge such Property from the Security and deliver and re-assign to the Borrower or its Subsidiaries (without any representation or warranty) any of such Property as is then in the possession of Lender.

 

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ARTICLE 7 - REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

7.1 Representations and Warranties.

 

The Borrower hereby makes the following representations:

 

(a) Existence and Qualification. Each Loan Party (i) has been duly incorporated, amalgamated, formed, merged or continued, as the case may be, and is validly subsisting and in good standing as a corporation, company or partnership, under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, amalgamation, merger, formation or continuance, as the case may be, (ii) is duly qualified to carry on its business in each jurisdiction in which it carries on business except for non-qualification which has no adverse effect on the Business, and (iii) has all required Material Licenses.

 

(b) Power and Authority. Each Loan Party has the corporate, company or partnership power, capacity and authority, as the case may be, (i) to enter into, and to exercise its rights and perform its obligations under, the Loan Documents to which it is a party and all other instruments and agreements delivered by it pursuant to any of the Loan Documents, and (ii) to own its Property and carry on its business as currently conducted.

 

(c) Execution, Delivery, Performance and Enforceability of Documents. The execution, delivery and performance of each of the Loan Documents to which each Loan Party is a party has been duly authorized by all corporate or limited liability company, as the case may be, actions required, and each of such documents has been duly executed and delivered by it. Each Loan Document to which each Loan Party is a party constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable against such Loan Party in accordance with its respective terms (except, in any case, as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by principles of equity).

 

(d) Compliance with Applicable Laws, Organizational Documents and Contractual Obligations. None of the execution or delivery of, the consummation of the transactions contemplated in, or the compliance with the terms, conditions and provisions of any of, the Loan Documents conflicts with or will conflict with, or results or will result in any breach of, or constitutes a default under or contravention of, any Applicable Law, the Loan Parties’ respective Organizational Documents or any Material Contract or Material License, or results or will result in the creation or imposition of any Liens upon any of its Property except for Permitted Liens.

 

(e) Privacy Laws. Without in any way limiting anything else set forth herein, the Borrower and the other Loan Parties have established policies and procedures with respect to the collection, use, transfer and disclosure of information (including health information) about identifiable individuals including with respect to employees, customers, patients and health care professionals (“Personal Data”) compliant with Applicable Law relating to privacy and data protection (“Privacy Law”), and have been and are operating at all times in compliance in all material respects with all such Applicable Law. None of the Loan Parties has had any breach, misappropriation, or unauthorized collection, use or disclosure of any Personal Data (a “Data Breach”) or are a party to any Action Request or Violation Notice which has been instituted or threatened involving a claim against them for any breach, misappropriation or unauthorized collection, use, transfer or disclosure or any breach of any Applicable Law relating to privacy and data protection of Personal Data. Without limiting the foregoing, (i) the Loan Parties have obtained all necessary and required consents with respect to the collection, use and disclosure of Personal Data; (ii) the transfers of any Personal Data by the Borrower to the Lender arising from or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document will comply in all material respects with any Applicable Law relating to privacy law and data protection law in all relevant jurisdictions (iii) the Loan Parties have obtained all necessary and required consents with respect to the sending of commercial electronic messages to third parties; and (d) the Borrower has full records of all privacy law consents or such other consents so required obtained in writing, including the record of the date, time, purpose, and manner of each consent so as to demonstrate the context in which the consenting party provided consent, with such records including full copies of any materials the consenting party may have encountered in providing such consent.

 

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(f) Consent Respecting Loan Documents. Each Loan Party has obtained, made or taken all consents, approvals, authorizations, declarations, registrations, filings, notices and other actions whatsoever required (except for registrations or filings which may be required in respect of the Security Documents) to enable it to execute and deliver each of the Loan Documents to which it is a party and to consummate the transactions contemplated in the Loan Documents, except where the failure to do so is immaterial considering the nature of the Loan Documents.

 

(g) Intellectual Property/License Agreements. Each Loan Party owns or licenses or otherwise has the right to use all Intellectual Property that is material and necessary and useful to continue to conduct its Business as heretofore conducted by it or proposed to be conducted, details of all of which as of the Closing Date are described in Schedule 7.1(g). As of the date hereof, no Loan Party has any Intellectual Property registered, or subject to pending applications, in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office or any similar office or agency in the United States, Canada, Australia, any State or Province thereof, any political subdivision thereof or in any other country, other than those described in Schedule 7.1(g). and has not granted any licenses with respect thereto other than as set forth in Schedule 7.1(g). No event has occurred which permits or would permit after notice or passage of time or both, the revocation, suspension or termination of such rights and each Loan Party will be entitled to continue to use, practice and exercise rights in all of the Intellectual Property. To the Borrower’s knowledge, no slogan or other advertising device, product, process, method, substance or other Intellectual Property or goods bearing or using any Intellectual Property presently contemplated to be sold by or employed by any Loan Party infringes any patent, trademark, servicemark, tradename, copyright, license or other Intellectual Property owned by any other Person presently and no claim or litigation is pending or, to the Borrower’s knowledge, threatened against or affecting any Loan Party contesting its right to sell or use any such Intellectual Property. Schedule 7.1(g) sets forth all of the agreements or other arrangements of the Loan Parties pursuant to which any Loan Party has a license or other right to use any trademarks, logos, designs, representations or other Intellectual Property owned by another person as in effect on the date hereof and the dates of the expiration of such agreements or other arrangements of any Loan Party as in effect on the date hereof (collectively, together with such agreements or other arrangements as may be entered into by a Loan Party after the date hereof, collectively, the “Licenses” or “License Agreements” and individually, a “License” or “License Agreement”).

 

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(h) Jurisdiction, Current and Prior Names. Each Loan Parties jurisdiction of organization, chief executive office, legal name and prior names, trade-names and division names are described on Schedule 7.1(h) as of the date hereof, and such schedule also lists all jurisdictions of organization and legal names of such Loan Party for the six (6) months preceding the date hereof, if different.

 

(i) Corporate Structure. The Loan Parties have no Subsidiaries, other than the Subsidiaries described in Schedule 7.1(i). The Loan Parties are not engaged in any joint venture or partnership with any other Person.

 

(j) Litigation. Except as described in Schedule 7.1(j), to the best of Borrower’s knowledge after due inquiry, there are no actions, suits, counterclaims or proceedings which are pending or threatened against the Loan Parties where more than $100,000 is at issue.

 

(k) Material Contracts and Material Licenses. Schedule 7.1(k) (as amended from time to time and updated with the delivery of each Compliance Certificate pursuant to Section 8.2), accurately sets out all Material Contracts and Material Licenses. A true and complete certified copy of each Material Contract and Material License existing at the Closing Date has been delivered to Lender and each Material Contract and Material License is in full force and effect. No event has occurred and is continuing which would constitute a material breach of or a default under any such Material Contract or Material License. Each Material Contract to which the Loan Parties are a party is binding upon such Loan Party and, to Borrower’s knowledge, is a binding agreement of each other Person who is a party to the Material Contract. It has obtained, as of the Closing Date, all necessary consents, including consents of landlords, licensees, Government Authorities and other third parties to the granting of a security interest in each Material Contract and Material License pursuant to the Security Documents.

 

(l) No Liens. No security agreement, financing statement or analogous instrument exists as at the Closing Date with respect to any of the Collateral other than any security agreement, financing statement or analogous instrument evidencing Permitted Liens.

 

(m) Title to Collateral. The Loan Parties are the lawful owners of all Collateral now purportedly owned or hereafter purportedly acquired by them, free from all Liens, whether voluntarily or involuntarily created and whether or not perfected, other than Permitted Liens.

 

(n) Financial Information. All of the quarterly and annual Financial Statements or other financial information which have been furnished to Lender, in connection with this Agreement are complete in all material respects and such Financial Statements or other financial information fairly present the results of operations and financial position of the Borrower as of the dates referred to therein and have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. All other financial information provided to Lender (including, without limitation, the Annual Business Plan) are complete in all material respects and based on reasonable assumptions and expectations.

 

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(o) Permitted Debt. As of the Closing Date (giving effect to the making of the Third Tranche), the Loan Parties are not obligated, whether directly or indirectly, for any Debt other than the Permitted Debt.

 

(p) Taxes. Except as disclosed in Schedule 7.1(p), each Loan Party has duly and timely filed all tax returns required to be filed by it and has paid or made adequate provision for the payment of all Taxes levied on its Property or income which are showing therein as due and payable, including interest and penalties, or has accrued such amounts in its financial statements for the payment of such Taxes except for Taxes which are not material in amount or which are not delinquent or if delinquent are being contested, and there is no material action (except, after the date of this Agreement, as is disclosed to Lender in writing), suit, proceeding, investigation, audit or claim now pending, or to its knowledge, threatened by any Governmental Authority regarding any Taxes nor has it agreed to waive or extend any statute of limitations with respect to the payment or collection of Taxes.

 

(q) Full Disclosure. All information provided or to be provided to Lender by or on behalf of the Loan Parties in connection with the Loan is, to Borrower’s or such Loan Party’s knowledge, true and correct in all material respects and none of the documentation furnished to Lender by or on behalf of it, to Borrower’s knowledge, omits or will omit as of such time, a material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein not misleading in any material way, and all expressions of expectation, intention, belief and opinion contained therein were honestly made on reasonable grounds (and any other Person who furnished such material on behalf of it).

 

(r) Insolvency. Each Loan Party (i) has not committed any act of bankruptcy, (ii) is not insolvent, will not be rendered insolvent hereby, nor has proposed, nor given notice of its intention to propose, a compromise or arrangement to its creditors generally, nor (iii) has any petition for a receiving order in bankruptcy filed against it, made a voluntary assignment in bankruptcy, taken any proceeding with respect to any compromise or arrangement, taken any proceeding to have itself declared bankrupt or wound-up, taken any proceeding to have a receiver appointed of any part of its Property.

 

(s) Location of Collateral. The offices where each Loan Party keeps its books, records and accounts (or copies thereof) concerning the Collateral, each Loan Party’s principal place of business and each Loan Party’s other significant places of business and significant locations of Collateral are as set forth in Schedule 7.1(s).

 

(t) Owned Real Property. A list of each Loan Party’s owned real property is as set forth in Schedule 7.1(t).

 

(u) Leased Real Property. A list of each Loan Party’s leased real property is as set forth in Schedule 7.1(u).

 

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(v) Deposit Accounts and Security Accounts. A list of the Borrower’s Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts as of the Closing Date is set forth in Schedule 7.1(v), including in each case the name and address of each depository, the name in which the account is held, a general description of the purpose of the account and the complete account number therefor.

 

(w) Environmental Laws. Each Loan Party complied with all Environmental Laws applicable to the construction and operation of its Property and businesses, except where any non-compliance would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; each Loan Party has no material contingent liability with respect to non-compliance with Environmental Laws or the generation, handling, use, storage, or disposal of Materials of Environmental Concern; and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Loan Parties:

 

(i) have not received any Action Request, Violation Notice, summons, complaint, order or other notice that it is not in compliance with, or that any Governmental Authority is investigating its compliance with, Environmental Laws:

 

(ii) have no knowledge or reason to believe that operations or any Property of or occupied by the Loan Parties or in the Loan Parties’ charge, management or control are not in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws and each of their Properties is free:

 

(A) from contamination by, and there has not been thereon a release, discharge or emission of, any Materials of Environmental Concern which is prohibited, controlled or regulated under any Environmental Law; and

 

(B) of underground storage tanks, landfills, land disposals and dumps;

 

(iii) have not filed any notice, or received notice, under any Applicable Law, including any Environmental Law, indicating past or present treatment, storage or disposal of a Material of Environmental Concern or reporting any spill or release of a Material of Environmental Concern into the environment;

 

(iv) have no contingent liability of which the Borrower has knowledge or reasonably should have knowledge in connection with any release of any Material of Environmental Concern;

 

(v) do not generate, transport, treat or dispose of any Material of Environmental Concern in any manner which is not in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws; and

 

(vi) have not disposed of any Material of Environmental Concern in or on the ground of the Loan Parties’ real properties or premises leased by the Loan Parties.

 

(x) Labor Matters. Except as provided on Schedule 7.1(x):

 

(i) there is no collective bargaining agreement or other labour contract covering employees of the Loan Parties;

 

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(ii) there is no pending or, to the best of its knowledge, threatened strike, work stoppage, material unfair labour practice claims, or other material labour dispute against or affecting the Loan Parties or their employees which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(iii) there are no controversies pending or threatened between the Loan Parties and any of their employees, other than employee grievances arising in the ordinary course of business which would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and

 

(iv) no employee of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and no consultant, independent contractor or agent engaged by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (and no employee of such consultant or independent contractor) is an illegal or undocumented worker. All employees, consultants, independent contractors or agents have all work permits, visas, authorizations or status, as the case may be, required to perform work or provide services in the United States (or in the case of non-US subsidiaries, such other relevant jurisdiction in which a Subsidiary resides); and

 

(v) each Loan Party is in compliance in all material respects with all Applicable Laws respecting employment and employment terms, conditions and practices.

 

(y) Pension Plans. Except as disclosed on Schedule 7.1(y), the Loan Parties do not sponsor or maintain or contribute to a Pension Plan. With respect to any Pension Plan adopted or to which the Loan Parties may become obliged to contribute, no failure to remit contributions (other than immaterial amounts) has occurred with respect to any such Pension Plan, that is sufficient to give rise to a Lien under any Applicable Laws of any jurisdiction (other than a Permitted Lien), and no condition exists and no event or transaction has occurred with respect to any such Pension Plan which could result in the incurrence by a Loan Party of any material liability, fine or penalty. Each Pension Plan is in compliance in all material respects with all Applicable Laws pertaining to pension benefits and Tax laws, (i) all contributions (including employee contributions made by authorized payroll deductions or other withholdings) required to be made to the appropriate funding agency in accordance with all Applicable Laws and the terms of such Pension Plan have been made in accordance with all Applicable Laws and the terms of such Pension Plan, except for amounts which are immaterial, (ii) all liabilities under such Pension Plan are fully funded, on a going concern and solvency basis, in accordance with the terms of the respective Pension Plans, the requirements of applicable pension benefits laws and of applicable regulatory authorities and the most recent actuarial report filed with respect to the Pension Plan. No event has occurred and no conditions exist with respect to any such Pension Plan that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in such Pension Plan having its registration revoked or refused for the purposes of any applicable pension benefits or tax laws or being placed under the administration of any relevant pension benefits regulatory authority or being required to pay any taxes or penalties under any applicable pension benefits or tax laws.

 

(z) ERISA. (i) With respect to each ERISA Plan, each Loan Party and each other member of its Controlled Group has fulfilled its obligations under the minimum funding standards of and is in compliance in all material respects with ERISA and the Revenue Code to the extent applicable to it and has not incurred any liability to the PBGC or under Title IV of ERISA, other than a liability to the PBGC for premiums under Section 4007 of ERISA; (ii) it does not have any contingent liabilities with respect to any post-retirement benefits under a Welfare Plan, other than liability for continuation coverage described in Part 6 of Title I of ERISA or as required under Applicable Law requirements for health continuation coverage, (iii) neither a Reportable Event nor a Prohibited Transaction has occurred and is continuing with respect to any ERISA Plan; (iv) no notice of intent to terminate an ERISA Plan has been filed, nor has any ERISA Plan been terminated; (v) no circumstances exist which constitute grounds entitling the PBGC to institute proceedings to terminate, or appoint a trustee to administer, ERISA Plan, nor has the PBGC instituted any such proceedings; (vi) neither it nor any member of its Controlled Group has completely or partially withdrawn from a multiemployer plan; (vii) it and all members of its Controlled Group have met their minimum funding requirements under ERISA with respect to all of their ERISA Plans and the present value of all vested benefits under each ERISA Plan exceeds the fair market value of all such ERISA Plan assets allocable to such benefits, as determined on the most recent valuation date of such ERISA Plan and in accordance with the provisions of ERISA; and neither it nor any member of its Controlled Group has incurred any liability to the PBGC under ERISA.

 

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(aa) Computer Software. Each Loan Party owns or has licensed for use or otherwise has the right to use or to acquire or License all of the material software necessary to conduct its businesses. All computer equipment owned or used by the Loan Parties and necessary for the conduct of business has been properly maintained and is in good working order for the purposes of on-going operation, subject to ordinary wear and tear for computer equipment of comparable age.

 

(bb) Insurance. Each Loan Party has maintained and maintains insurance which is in full force and effect that complies with all of the requirements of this Agreement. Each Loan Party has maintained and maintains product liability insurance which is in full force and effect covering at least $5,000,000 per claim and $5,000,000 in the aggregate. Schedule 7.1(bb) lists all existing insurance policies maintained by the Loan Parties as of the Closing Date.

 

(cc) OFAC. The Loan Parties are not in violation of any of the country or list based economic and trade sanctions administered and enforced by OFAC or any of the United States Department of State, the United States Department of Commerce or any other government authority or pursuant to any Executive Order of the President of the United States of America. The Borrower (i) is not a Sanctioned Person or a Sanctioned Entity or named on any other list of terrorists, terrorist organizations or narcotics traffickers maintained pursuant to any of the Rules and Regulations of OFAC or any similar lists maintained by the aforementioned Governmental Authorities, (ii) has no more than ten percent (10%) of its assets located in Sanctioned Entities or by Sanctioned Persons, or (iii) derives no more than ten percent (10%) of its revenues from investments in, or transactions with Sanctioned Persons or Sanctioned Entities. or other Persons described in clause (i).

 

(dd) Anti-Money Laundering, Etc. Each Loan Party has conducted all transactions, negotiations, discussions and dealings in full compliance with anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws and regulations applicable in any jurisdiction in which they are located or conducting business. No Loan Party has made any offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of payment of money or anything of value to any government official, or any other person while having reasonable grounds to believe that all or a portion of such money or thing of value will be offered, given or promised, directly or indirectly, to a government official, for the purpose of (i) assisting the parties in obtaining, retaining or directing business; (ii) influencing any act or decision of a government official in his or its official capacity; (iii) inducing a government official to do or omit to do any act in violation of his or its lawful duty, or to use his or its influence with a government or instrumentality thereof to affect or influence any act or decision of such government or department, agency, instrumentality or entity thereof; (iv) securing any improper advantage; or (v) otherwise violating the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended from time to time, including any replacement legislation; The operations of each of the Loan Parties are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Authority (collectively, the “Applicable Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Authority involving the Borrower with respect to Applicable Money Laundering Laws is pending or threatened;

 

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(ee) Investment Company. No Loan Party is an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940 of the United Sates, as amended.

 

(ff) No Margin Stock. No Loan Party is engaged in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock. None of the proceeds of the Loan shall be used to purchase or carry, or to reduce or retire or refinance any credit incurred to purchase or carry, any margin stock (within the meaning of Regulations U and X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States) or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin stock.

 

(gg) Perfection Certificate. The information set forth in the Perfection Certificate (and each Perfection Certificate delivered in accordance herewith) is true, correct and complete as of the date set forth therein and will be true, correct and complete on the Closing Date.

 

(hh) Purchase Agreements. The accuracy and completeness of each of the representations and warranties set out in the Nomad Purchase Agreement, the share purchase agreement concerning the Breakthrough Acquisition and Section 5 of the FNL Asset Purchase Agreement, including the definitions used therein and all such representations, warranties and definitions are hereby incorporated into this Agreement by reference as if same were herewith recited at length and made directly by the Borrower for the benefit of Lender. Such representations and warranties shall survive for so long as the Obligations remain outstanding, notwithstanding any shorter survival period under agreements.

 

(ii) No Material Adverse Effect. No event has occurred which has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(jj) No Default or Event of Default. No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

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(kk) Regulatory Matters.

 

(i) Except as set forth on Schedule 7.1(kk) and (i) each Loan Party has obtained and holds in its name all Material Licenses required by the FDA, Health Canada or any other Governmental Authority, for the conduct of their Business as currently conducted, to permit any manufacturing, distribution, sales, testing, marketing or research and development activities of such Loan Party to date (the “Activities to Date”) with respect to each Product; (B) all such Material Licenses are in full force and effect and no event has occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other material impairment of the rights of the holder of any Material License; (C) each Loan Party in compliance in all respects with all terms and conditions of each Material License, and with all Applicable Laws and requirements pertaining to the Activities to Date with respect to each Product; (D) each Loan Party is in compliance with all Applicable Laws regarding registration or notification for the site at which the Products are manufactured, processed, packed, held for distribution or from which and into which they are distributed; (ii) all manufacturing operations performed by or on behalf of each Loan Party are in compliance with current good manufacturing practice requirements and Applicable Laws and Material Licenses; and (iii) each Loan Party is in compliance with all reporting requirements for all Material Licenses, including, without limitation plant registrations.

 

(ii) All applications, notifications, submissions, information, claims, reports and statistics, and other data and conclusions derived therefrom, utilized as the basis for or submitted in connection with any and all requests for a Material License from the FDA, Health Canada, or other Governmental Authority relating to the Loan Parties or the Business or Products, when submitted to the FDA, Health Canada, United States Department of Agriculture or other Governmental Authority were true, complete and correct in all material respects as of the date of submission and any necessary or required updates, changes, corrections or modification have been submitted to the FDA, Health Canada, or other Governmental Authority. The claims for the Products are valid and supported by proper research, design, testing, analysis and disclosure.

 

(iii) Except as set out in Schedule 7.1(kk), each Product that is subject to the Applicable Laws promulgated by a Regulatory Authority, is manufactured, packaged, labelled, imported, exported, stored, distributed, sold (whether or not for consideration), advertised and marketed in compliance with all such Applicable Laws, (except for immaterial non-compliance) as well as all material terms and conditions imposed in any Licenses and permits issued in respect of the Products.

 

(iv) None of the Loan Parties nor, to the knowledge of the Borrower, any officer, employee, contractor or agent of the Loan Parties has ever made an untrue statement of material fact or fraudulent statement to a Regulatory Authority or failed to disclose a material fact required to be disclosed to a Regulatory Authority, or committed any act, made any statement, or failed to make any statement, that would reasonably be expected to provide a basis for the FDA to invoke its policy respecting “Fraud, Untrue Statements of Material Facts, Bribery, and Illegal Gratuities,” set forth in 56 Fed. Reg. 46191 (September 10, 1991) or Health Canada or other Governmental Authority to invoke any similar policy or law.

 

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(xxiv) No Loan Party has ever entered into a consent decree with the FDA, Health Canada or other Regulatory Authority or has been otherwise subject to a consent decree entered into by the FDA, Health Canada or other Governmental Authority.

 

(xxv) Except as set out in Schedule 7.1(kk), no Product has been recalled, withdrawn, suspended or discontinued (other than for commercial or business reasons), the subject of warnings, “dear doctor” letters, investigator notices, safety alerts, “serious adverse event” reports or other notice of action relating to an alleged lack of safety or regulatory compliance of any Products by any Loan Party at any time, any clinical investigator and/or other third party, and the Loan Parties have not received any information or report from any Governmental Authority, indicating that any of the Products, or ingredients therein, are unsafe or unsuitable for its intended use or pose an unacceptable health risk.

 

(xxvi) To the knowledge of Borrower after due inquiry, none of the Products or ingredients therein have been the subject of a warning, consumer alert or other cautionary statement issued by any Governmental Authority nor is there any ongoing complaint or investigation by any Governmental Authority relating to the advertising or marketing practices used for any Product. Other than as provided for in Schedule 7.1(kk), Borrower is not aware of any facts that would indicate that any Governmental Authority has or will prohibit or materially restrict the marketing, sale, distribution or use in the United States, Canada or Europe of any Product or the operation or use of any facility currently used to produce, manufacture or distribute the Products. Without limiting the foregoing, no Loan Party (i) has had any Product or manufacturing site subject to a Regulatory Authority (including Health Canada, FDA or the DEA) shutdown or import or export prohibition, (ii) has received any FDA Form 483 or other Regulatory Authority written notice of inspectional observations, “warning letters,” “untitled letters” or written requests or requirements to make changes to any Products or any Loan Party’s manufacturing facilities, processes or procedures (including, but not limited to, packaging and labeling) that if not complied with could, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to materially affect the Borrower, (iii) has received similar correspondence or notice from the FDA, DEA, Health Canada or other Regulatory Authority in respect of their respective Businesses alleging or asserting material noncompliance with any applicable Law, Material License or such requests or requirements of a Regulatory Authority, nor (iv) has received written notice from any applicable Regulatory Authority that such Regulatory Authority is conducting an investigation or review of any Material License or that such Permit has been revoked or withdrawn, nor has any such Regulatory Authority issued any order or recommendation stating that the development, testing, sale, marketing and/or manufacturing of such product should cease. As of the date hereof, to the knowledge of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, neither the FDA, nor the DEA, Health Canada or any Governmental Authority is considering any such action described in this paragraph.

 

(xxvii) As of the date hereof, none of the Loan Parties or, to the knowledge of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, any of their respective officers, key employees or agents has been convicted of any crime or engaged in any conduct that has resulted, or would reasonably be expected to result, in debarment under Applicable Law, including, without limitation, 21 U.S.C. Section 335a. No claims, actions, proceedings or investigations that would reasonably be expected to result in such a material debarment or exclusion are pending, or to the knowledge of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, threatened, against Borrower or its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, employees or agents.

 

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(ix) Each Loan Party and each of their respective directors, officers, employees, and agents (while acting in such capacity) is, and at all times has been, in compliance with all health care Applicable Laws applicable to Borrower and its Subsidiaries or by which any or their respective properties, businesses (including the Business), Products or other assets is bound or affected, including, without limitation, the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b)), the Anti-Inducement Law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7a(a)(5)), the civil False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. §§ 3729 et seq.), the administrative False Claims Law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(a)), the Federal Civil Monetary Penalties Law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7a), all criminal laws relating to health care fraud and abuse including, without limitation, 18 U.S.C. §§ 286, 287, 1001 and 1347, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. § 1320d et seq.), as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 (42 U.S.C. § 17921 et seq.), the Physician Payment Sunshine Act (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7h), the exclusion laws (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7), the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. §§ 301 et seq.), the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 201 et seq.), the Medicare Program (Title XVIII of the Social Security Act), the Medicaid Program (Title XIX of the Social Security Act), the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. §§ 801 et seq.), the Criminal Code (Canada), the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act (Canada), the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (Canada) and any other federal or provincial law regulating privacy of individually identifiable personal and personal health information, the Food and Drugs Act (Canada), the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Canada), the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act (Canada), the Natural Health Products Regulations (Canada), the Medical Devices Regulations (Canada), the Ontario Drug Benefit Act (Ontario), the Drug Interchangeability and Dispensing Fee Act (Ontario) (“DIDFA”), and any similar law and all the regulations promulgated pursuant to all such laws, and any policy statement or written guidance document relating to all such laws, including, without limitation, the requirements for collection, reporting, and processing of any applicable rebate, chargeback or adjustment, under applicable rules and regulations relating to the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program (42 U.S.C. § 1396r-8) and any state, provincial or territorial supplemental rebate program, Medicare average sales price reporting (42 U.S.C. § 1395w-3a), the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. § 256b), the VA Federal Supply Schedule (38 U.S.C. § 8126) or under any state, provincial or territorial pharmaceutical assistance program or U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs agreement, and any successor government programs (collectively, the “Health Care Laws”). None of Loan Parties have received any pending or threatened claim, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, audit, investigation, arbitration or other action or any other notification, correspondence or written or oral communication from any Governmental Authority, including, without limitation, FDA, Health Canada, the Executive Officer appointed under DIDFA, DEA, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, of potential or actual non-compliance by, or liability of, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, under any Health Care Laws, in any such case which could reasonably be expected to have be material to the financial condition, property, assets, operations or business of any Loan Party, no Loan Party has engaged in activities which are, as applicable, cause for false claims liability, civil penalties or mandatory or permissive exclusion from Medicare, Medicaid or any other federal or state healthcare program. Borrower and its Subsidiaries have filed, obtained, maintained, and submitted all reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Health Care Law (“Filings”), and all such Filings were true, complete, correct and not misleading on the date filed and any necessary or required updates, changes, corrections or modification have been submitted. Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any corporate integrity agreements, monitoring agreements, consent decrees, settlement agreements, or similar agreements related to any Health Care Law imposed by any Governmental Authority. None of Borrower, its Subsidiaries, or their respective directors, officers, employees, and agents has been or is currently suspended or excluded from participation in any federal health care program (as defined in Section 1128B(f) of the Social Security Act).

 

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(ll) None of the foregoing representations and warranties and no document furnished by or on behalf of Borrower or any other Loan Party to Lender in connection with the negotiation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make any such statement or representation (taken as a whole) not materially misleading at such time in light of the circumstances under which such information or data was furnished.

 

7.2 Survival of Representations and Warranties.

 

The Borrower, for itself and on behalf of the other Loan Parties, represents, warrants and covenants that all representations, warranties and covenants contained in this Agreement (whether appearing in Article 7 or elsewhere) shall be true, correct and complete at the time of the Borrower’s execution of this Agreement, shall survive the execution, delivery and acceptance hereof by the parties hereto and the closing of the transactions described herein or related hereto, shall, except for representations and warranties that relate solely to an earlier date, remain true, correct and complete until the indefeasible repayment and performance in full of all of the Obligations and termination of this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE 8 - SCHEDULES AND REPORTS

 

8.1 Financial Information.

 

The Borrower shall be subject to the following obligations with respect to the delivery or disclosure of financial information:

 

(a) the Borrower shall publicly-file copies of its internally prepared Consolidated Financial Statements as required by Applicable Law no later than forty-five (45) days after the end of the Borrower’s first three Fiscal Quarters each year,

 

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(b) the Borrower shall publicly-file copies of its annual Consolidated Audited Financial Statements as required by Applicable Law no later than ninety (90) days after the end of each Fiscal Year,

 

(c) beginning with the 2018 Fiscal Year of the Borrower, no later than thirty (30) days prior to the commencement of each Fiscal Year of the Borrower, a copy of the Annual Business Plan (in form and substance satisfactory to Lender) approved by the board of directors of the Borrower, and, within twenty (20) days of any material modification thereto, a copy of the Annual Business Plan previously delivered, as modified; and

 

(d) The Borrower shall deliver to Lender copies of the Cash Balance Statements no later than twenty-five (25) days after the end of each calendar month.

 

8.2 Compliance Certificate.

 

The Borrower shall deliver to the Lender a Compliance Certificate (containing supporting calculations) confirming, inter alia, that it has maintained the financial covenants set forth in Section 9.1(z)(i) and 9.1(z)(iv) concurrently with the public filing of each Financial Statement filed pursuant to Sections 8.1(a) and 8.1(b) and, concurrently with the public filing of each Financial Statement filed pursuant to Section 8.1(b), commencing with the 2018 Fiscal Year of the Borrower, the Borrower shall also provide a comparison to the budget set forth in the Annual Business Plan and the previous year. Together with the Cash Balance Statement delivered pursuant to 8.1(d), the Borrower shall deliver to the Lender a Compliance Certificate (containing supporting calculations) confirming that it has maintained the financial covenants set forth in Section 9.1(z)(ii) and 9.1(z)(iii).

 

8.3 Other Matters.

 

At such times as may be requested by Lender from time to time hereafter, the Borrower shall deliver to Lender (i) without limiting Borrower’s obligations in Section 8.2 and 9.1(o), such additional schedules, certificates, reports and information with respect to the Collateral as Lender may from time to time reasonably require, including, but not limited to, non-consolidated Financial Statements of the Borrower; (ii) a collateral assignment of any or all items of property held by the Loan Parties, from time to time, to Lender or as Lender may direct in order to perfect and further establish the security interests in favour of Lender in such property in accordance with this Agreement (to the extent not otherwise previously perfected under a Loan Document). All schedules, certificates, reports and assignments and other items delivered by the Loan Parties to Lender hereunder shall be executed by an authorized representative of the Loan Parties, and shall be in such form and contain such information as Lender shall reasonably request. Lender, through its officers, employees or agents, shall have the right, upon reasonable notice at any time and from time to time in Lender’s name, in the name of a nominee of Lender or in Borrower’s name, to verify the validity, amount or any other matter relating to any of the Collateral, by mail, telephone, telegraph or otherwise. The Borrower shall reimburse Lender, on demand, for all reasonable receipted costs, fees and expenses incurred by Lender in this regard.

 

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ARTICLE 9 - COVENANTS

 

9.1 Covenants.

 

Until indefeasible payment and performance in full of all Obligations and termination of this Agreement, unless the Borrower obtains the prior written consent of Lender waiving or modifying any covenants hereunder in any specific instance, the Borrower shall and shall cause each Loan Party to (as applicable):

 

(a) Timely Payment. Make due and timely payment of the Obligations required to be paid by it hereunder.

 

(b) Conduct of Business, Maintenance of Existence, Compliance with Laws. Carry on and conduct its business and operations in a proper, efficient and businesslike manner, in accordance with good business practice except for non-compliance which would not have a Material Adverse Effect; preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its existence, will ensure that each Loan Party that is a Special Purpose Entity continues to maintain itself in all respects as a Special Purpose Entity, and take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business and to comply in all material respects with all Material Contracts, Material Licenses, material Licenses and Requirements of Law, including Health Care Law, Privacy Law, applicable consumer protection legislation and any other Applicable Law.

 

(c) Regulatory Compliance. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing (i) in connection with the development, testing, manufacture, marketing or sale of each and any Product by any Loan Party, such Loan Party shall comply fully and completely in all respects Material Licenses at all times issued by any Government Authority, specifically including the FDA and Health Canada, with respect to such development, testing, manufacture, marketing or sales of such Product by the Loan Parties as such activities are at any such time being conducted by the Loan Parties and (ii) the Loan Parties shall not permit any event or occurrence to occur or to take or to fail to take any action if the result of any of the forgoing would be that any of the representations and warranties set forth in Section 7.1(kk) to become untrue in any respect as of any date.

 

(d) Further Assurances. Provide Lender with such other documents, opinions, consents, acknowledgements and agreements as are reasonably necessary to implement this Agreement and the other Loan Documents from time to time.

 

(e) Access to Information. Promptly provide Lender with all information reasonably requested by Lender from time to time concerning its financial condition and Property, and during normal business hours and from time to time upon reasonable notice, permit representatives of Lender to inspect any of its Property and to examine and take extracts from its financial books, accounts and records including but not limited to accounts and records stored in computer data banks and computer software systems, and to discuss its financial affairs, its business or any part of its Property with its senior officers and (in the presence of such of its representatives as it may designate) its Auditor. Provided that a Default or Event of Default is then continuing (or Lender reasonably expects that that is the case), the Borrower will pay all reasonable expenses incurred by such representatives in order to visit Borrower’s premises or attend at the Borrower’s principal office, as applicable, for such purposes.

 

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(f) Obligations and Taxes. Pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged, before the same shall become delinquent (i) all Taxes imposed upon it or upon its income or profits or in respect of its business or Property and file all tax returns in respect thereof; (ii) all lawful claims for labour, materials and supplies; (iii) all required payments under any of its Debt, and (iv) all other obligations; provided, however that it shall not be required to pay or discharge or to cause to be paid or discharged any such amount so long as the validity or amount thereof shall be contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and, in the case of clause (i) above, an adequate reserve in accordance with GAAP has been established in its books and records.

 

(g) Use of Loan. Use the proceeds of the Third Tranche for general working capital for the Business and to fund Unfunded Qualified Acquisitions and use the proceeds of the Additional Tranches to fund Qualified Acquisitions.

 

(h) Insurance. Maintain or cause to be maintained with reputable insurers coverage against risk of loss or damage to its Property (including public liability and damage to property of third parties) and business interruption insurance of such types as is customary for and would be maintained by a corporation with an established reputation engaged in the same or similar business in similar locations and provide to Lender, as requested (acting reasonably), evidence of such coverage. The Borrower shall, prior to the expiry or replacement of any insurance policy, notify Lender of the replacement and at Lender’s request send copies of all replacement policies to Lender. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Borrower will maintain product liability insurance covering at least $5,000,000 per claim and $5,000,000 in the aggregate. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Borrower shall maintain in effect all insurance coverage reasonable and prudent for a business similar to the Business conducted in similar locations. Lender shall be indicated in all insurance policies, as applicable, as first loss payee and additional insured, and all policies shall contain such standard mortgage clauses as Lender shall reasonably require for Lender’s protection.

 

(i) Notice of Default or Event of Default. Promptly and, in any event within two (2) Business Days, notify Lender of any Default or Event of Default that would apply to it or to any Loan Party of which it becomes aware along with the action to be taken by such Loan Party to remedy any such Default or Event of Default.

 

(j) Notice of Material Adverse Effect. Promptly notify Lender of any Material Adverse Effect of which it becomes aware.

 

(k) Notice of Litigation. Promptly notify Lender on becoming aware of the occurrence of any litigation, dispute, arbitration, proceeding or other circumstance the result of which if determined adversely would or could reasonably be expected to result in (a) a judgment or award against a Loan Party in excess of $100,000 or (b) a Material Adverse Effect, and from time to time provide Lender with all reasonable information requested by it concerning the status of any such proceeding.

 

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(l) Other Notices. Promptly, upon having knowledge, give notice to Lender of:

 

(i) any Loan Party becoming aware that any of the representations and warranties set forth herein are untrue in any material respect;

 

(ii) any notice of expropriation affecting any Loan Party;

 

(iii) any Action Request or Violation Notice;

 

(iv) any Data Breach;

 

(v) any Loan Party becoming subject to any administrative or regulatory action, inspection, Form FDA 483 observation, warning letter, notice of violation letter, or other notice, response or commitment made to or with the FDA, Health Canada or any comparable Governmental Authority, or any Product of any Loan Party being seized, withdrawn, recalled, detained, or subject to a suspension of manufacturing, or the commencement of any proceedings in the United States, Canada or any other jurisdiction seeking the withdrawal, recall, suspension, import detention, or seizure of any Product are pending or threatened against the Loan Parties;

 

(vi) any violation of any Applicable Law, including Privacy Laws, Health Care Laws and consumer protection legislation;

 

(vii) any default under any Debt in a principal amount greater than $100,000 of any Loan Party;

 

(viii) any termination prior to maturity of or default under a Material Contract or any termination, lapse, rescission or default under a Material License;

 

(ix) any damage to or destruction of any Property, of any Loan Party having a replacement cost in excess of $100,000;

 

(x) the acquisition of any real property by any Loan Party;

 

(xi) the receipt of insurance proceeds by any Loan Party in excess of $100,000;

 

(xii) any Lien registered against any Property of any Loan Party, other than a Permitted Lien;

 

(xiii) the occurrence of any event referred to in Section 7.1(y);

 

(xiv) a Product being recalled, withdrawn, suspended or discontinued or is under consideration of being recalled, withdrawn, suspended or discontinued;

 

(xv) a Product or any Loan Party being the subject of a warning, consumer alert or other cautionary statement issued by any Governmental Authority;

 

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(xvi) any information or report from any Governmental Authority, indicating that any of the Products are, unsafe or unsuitable for its intended use or pose an unacceptable health risk;

 

(xvii) any entering into of a Material Contract or Material License; and

 

(xviii) any material adverse change in, or material adverse amendment to, or termination of a Material Contract or Material License.

 

(m) Environmental Compliance. Operate its business in compliance with Requirements of Environmental Laws (except where the failure to do so would not have a Material Adverse Effect) and operate all Property owned, leased or otherwise used by it such that no obligation, including a clean-up or remedial obligation, will arise under any Requirements of Environmental Law; provided, however, that if any such claim is made or any such obligation arises, the Borrower shall, or shall cause the applicable Loan Party to, promptly satisfy, address or contest such claim or obligation at its own cost and expense. Borrower shall promptly notify Lender upon: (i) learning of the existence of any Materials of Environmental Concern located on, above or below the surface of any land which it owns, leases, operates, occupies or controls (except those being stored, used or otherwise handled in compliance with Requirements of Environmental Law), or contained in the soil or water constituting such land; and (ii) the occurrence of any reportable release, spill, leak, emission, discharge, leaching, dumping or disposal of Materials of Environmental Concern that has occurred on or from such land, which, in either the case of (i) or (ii), is likely to result in liability under Requirements of Environmental Law in excess of $100,000.

 

(n) Security. With respect to the Security:

 

(i) provide to Lender the Security required from time to time pursuant to Article 6 in accordance with the provisions of such Article, accompanied by supporting resolutions, certificates and opinions in form and substance satisfactory to Lender; and

 

(ii) do, execute and deliver all such things, documents, security, agreements and assurances as may from time to time be requested by Lender to ensure that Lender holds at all times valid, enforceable, perfected first-priority Liens (subject only to Permitted Liens) on the Collateral from the Loan Parties meeting the requirements of Article 6.

 

(o) Perfection Certificate. The Borrower shall provide Lender with an updated Perfection Certificate upon any material change to the information set forth therein and in any event at least once per calendar year.

 

(p) Maintenance of Property. Keep all Property useful and necessary in its business in good working order and condition, normal wear and tear excepted, and maintain all Intellectual Property necessary to carry on its business.

 

(q) Landlord Consents. Use its best commercial efforts to obtain, in favour of Lender, a consent agreement from a landlord of premises that are leased at any time and from time to time by Borrower.

 

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(r) Material Contracts, Material Licenses and Material License Agreements. Ensure that any Material Contract, Material License and material License Agreement is assigned by way of security in favour of Lender by the applicable Loan Party and to obtain, in favour of Lender, if requested by Lender or if reasonably necessary for a valid assignment of or grant of a security interest in such Material Contract, Material License or material License Agreement, or for the enforcement by Lender of the Security with respect thereto following an Event of Default (including the transfer upon foreclosure to Lender or to third parties), an acknowledgement of a Person or Governmental Authority to such assignment.

 

(s) Employee Benefit and Welfare Plans. Maintain all employee benefit, Pension Plans and Welfare Plans relating to its business in compliance with all Applicable Laws except for immaterial non-compliance.

 

(t) Additional Information. Promptly provide Lender, after the sending or filing thereof, with copies of all reports, notices, prospectuses and registration statements which Borrower or any other Loan Party files with a securities commission or securities regulatory authority in any Province of Canada or any other securities commission.

 

(u) Material Contracts and Material Licenses. At the request of Lender from time to time, provide to Lender certified copies of all Material Contracts and Material Licenses.

 

(v) Regulatory Matters. Ensure that (i) all non-compliance (other than immaterial non-compliance) with regulatory matters as identified in Schedule 7.1(kk) is remedied within a reasonable period of time following the Closing Date, and (ii) all existing and future Products are licensed and/or registered, as applicable, in compliance with Applicable Laws.

 

(w) ERISA. Promptly pay and discharge all obligations and liabilities arising under ERISA of a character which if unpaid or unperformed could result in the imposition of a Lien other than a Permitted Lien against any of its Properties; promptly notify Lender of (i) the occurrence of any Reportable Event with respect to an ERISA Plan that could reasonably be expected to result in material liability, (ii) receipt of any notice from the PBGC of its intention to seek termination of any ERISA Plan or appointment of a trustee therefor, (iii) its intention to terminate or withdraw from any ERISA Plan or multiemployer plan that could reasonably be expected to result in material liability, and (iv) the occurrence of any event with respect to any ERISA Plan or multiemployer plan which would result in the incurrence by it or any Subsidiary of any material liability, fine or penalty, and (v) any material increase in its contingent liability with respect to any post-retirement Welfare Plan benefit.

 

(x) Patriot Act. In the case of Borrower, the Borrower acknowledges and agrees that pursuant to the provisions of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of the Pub. L. 107-56) signed into law October 26, 2001 (the “Patriot Act”) or any analogous or corresponding provision of applicable Australian law, Lender may be required to obtain, verify and record information with respect to Borrower; and the Borrower hereby agrees to cooperate with Lender and provide them with all information that may be required in order to fulfil their obligations under the Patriot Act; and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Borrower agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the consent of any of their respective officers, directors and employees whose consent to the disclosure of any such information is required under applicable privacy legislation in Canada.

 

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(y) Books and Records. At all times keep accurate and complete books, records and accounts with respect to all of its business activities, in accordance with sound accounting practices and, where applicable, GAAP consistently applied, and shall keep such books, records and accounts, and any copies thereof, only at the addresses indicated for such purpose on Schedule 7.1(s).

 

(z) Financial Covenants.

 

(i)Minimum EBITDA. The Borrower shall maintain a minimum EBITDA of Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) for the twelve (12) months ending on September 30, 2017 and for the twelve (12) month period ending on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter thereafter, provided that the minimum EBITDA amount shall be increased by an amount equal to 50% of any Additional Tranche advanced to Borrower hereunder.

 

(ii)Net Debt to TTM EBITDA Ratio. At all times, the Borrower shall maintain a Net Debt to TTM EBITDA Ratio of no more than 6:1.

 

(iii)Cash Balance. The Borrower will maintain at all times a minimum positive cash balance equal to (i) One Million Dollars ($1,000,000), if the aggregate principal amount of the Third Tranche and all Additional Tranches advanced to Borrower hereunder (whether or not then outstanding) is below $15,000,000, (ii) or Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000), if the aggregate principal amount of the Third Tranche and all Additional Tranches advanced to Borrower hereunder (whether or not then outstanding) is $15,000,000 or above, and shall prepare a statement in accordance with GAAP setting forth the aggregate amount of cash and cash equivalents held by the Borrower, which statement shall be certified by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Borrower (the “Cash Balance Statement”).

 

(iv)Minimum Revenues. The Borrower will maintain minimum Consolidated gross income of Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000) for the twelve (12) months ending on September 30, 2017 and for the twelve (12) month period ending on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter thereafter, provided that the required minimum Consolidated gross income amount shall be increased by an amount equal to 200% of any Additional Tranche advanced to Borrower hereunder (whether or not then outstanding).

 

(aa) Observer Rights. Until the repayment and performance in full of all of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement Lender shall be entitled to designate one individual (the “Lender’s Nominee”), to be an observer to the Borrower’s board of directors (the “Board”), and so long as Lender’s Nominee serves as an observer of the Board, to observe the Board’s Audit and Compensation Committee.

 

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9.2 Negative Covenants.

 

So long as this Agreement is in force and except as otherwise permitted by the prior written consent of Lender, the Borrower shall not and shall ensure that the Loan Parties (individually or collectively) shall not:

 

(a) Disposition of Property. Except for Permitted Dispositions, dispose of, in one transaction or a series of transactions, all or any part of its Property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired.

 

(b) No Consolidation, Amalgamation, Merger, etc. Consolidate, amalgamate or merge with any other Person, export a corporation into a jurisdiction outside of the United States, enter into any corporate reorganization or other transaction intended to effect or otherwise permit a change in its existing corporate or capital structure, liquidate, wind-up or dissolve itself, or permit any liquidation, winding-up or dissolution unless prior written approval has been received by Lender and such documentation as is required by counsel to Lender is delivered concurrently with such transaction.

 

(c) No Change of Name. Change its name or change its jurisdiction of incorporation or formation in each case without providing Lender with fifteen (15) days’ prior written notice thereof.

 

(d) No Debt. Create, incur, assume or permit any Debt to remain outstanding, other than Permitted Debt.

 

(e) Operating Leases. Create, incur, assume or permit obligations outstanding in respect to operating leases (which, for greater certainty, does not include leases of real property) such that the aggregate annual payments due on such leases exceeds $250,000.

 

(f) No Distributions. Make any Distribution except Permitted Distributions.

 

(g) No Lien. Create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its Property except a Permitted Lien.

 

(h) Acquisitions. Make any Acquisitions except:

 

(a) provided that no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing (or would result from such Acquisition), an Acquisition of any other Person or of all or part of the Property of any other Person or of all or part of any division, business, operation or undertaking of any other Person where the business of such Person is the same or substantially the same as, similar, complementary or related to, the Business and the aggregate consideration payable in respect of such Acquisition (including, without limitation, any deferred consideration) is not more than $100,000, and further provided that any Person acquired becomes a guarantor (and a “Loan Party”) hereunder and otherwise complies with Section 9.2(r)) and any property acquired pursuant to such Acquisition becomes Collateral subject to the Security (including, without limitation, any shares of any Subsidiary); or

 

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(ii) exercise of the Borrower’s right to repurchase Lender Option as permitted under Lender Option; or

 

(iii) a Qualified Acquisition that is financed by the Lender pursuant to an Additional Tranche in accordance with Section 2.2 or a third party financing in accordance with Section 2.2(d), or

 

(iv) subject to the written consent of the Lender (not to be unreasonably withheld), Unfunded Qualified Acquisitions, provided that the aggregate value of the consideration payable for all Unfunded Qualified Acquisitions in the 365 days preceding any Unfunded Qualified Acquisition (including, for certainty, consideration payable for the proposed Unfunded Qualified Acquisition) fifty percent (50%) or less of TTM EBITDA.

 

(i) No Change to Year End. Make any change to its Fiscal Year.

 

(j) Location of Assets in Other Jurisdictions. Except for any Property in transit in the ordinary course of business, acquire any Property outside of the jurisdictions identified in Schedule 7.1(s) or move any Property from one jurisdiction to another jurisdiction where the movement of such Property would cause the Lien of the Security over such Property to cease to be perfected under Applicable Law, or suffer or permit in any other manner any of its Property to not be subject to the Lien of the Security or to be or become located in a jurisdiction as a result of which the Lien of Security over such Property is not perfected, unless (i) Borrower has first given thirty (30) days’ prior written notice thereof to Lender, and (ii) the applicable Loan Party has first executed and delivered to Lender all Security and all financing or registration statements in form and substance satisfactory to Lender which Lender or its counsel, acting reasonably, from time to time deem necessary or advisable to ensure that the Security at all times constitutes a perfected first-priority Lien (subject only to Permitted Liens) over such Property notwithstanding the movement or location of such Property as aforesaid together with such supporting certificates, resolutions, opinions and other documents as Lender may deem necessary or desirable in connection with such security and registrations.

 

(k) Amendments to Organizational Documents. Amend any of its Organizational Documents in a manner that would be prejudicial to the interests of Lender under the Loan Documents.

 

(l) Amendments to other Documents. Amend, vary or alter any Material Contract, Material License or material License Agreement or any other contract or agreement in any manner which could reasonably be expected to be material to the financial condition, property, assets, operations or business of any Loan Party.

 

(m) Non-Arm’s Length Transactions. Except as contemplated by Section 9.2(f), effect any transactions with any Person not dealing at Arm’s Length unless such transaction is on market terms and consistent with transactions with Persons at Arm’s Length.

 

(n) Employment Arrangements. Without limiting anything else set forth herein or in any other Loan Document, not (i) enter into any one or more Employment Arrangement with any Person where after the entering into of such Employment Arrangement(s) the aggregate base compensation payable to such Person by the Borrower and the Subsidiaries is more than $500,000 per Fiscal Year, or (ii) increase the compensation payable (directly or indirectly) to any Person pursuant to any Employment Arrangement(s), or make any other changes to any Employment Arrangement(s), where the aggregate base compensation payable (directly or indirectly) to any Person by the Borrower and the Subsidiaries after such increase or change will be more than $500,000 per Fiscal Year (including, for certainty, increases to the base compensation payable where the amount payable prior to any increase or change is already above $500,000 per Fiscal Year), in each case without the prior written consent of the Lender, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld.

 

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(o) Sale and Leaseback. Enter into any arrangement with any Person providing for the leasing by any Loan Party, as lessee, of Property which has been or is to be sold or transferred by such Loan Party to such Person or to any other Person to whom funds have been or are to be advanced by such Person on the security of such Property or the lease obligation of such Loan Party.

 

(p) Employee Loans. Make any loans or advances to an employee of any Loan Party other than loans in an aggregate amount (for all Loan Parties) not to exceed $100,000 provided that such loans are used to purchase Equity Interests in Borrower and at the time of the loan no Default or Event of Default exists.

 

(q) Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts. The Loan Parties will not have any Permitted Cash Investments, cash or Equity Interests in any single Deposit Account or Securities Account located in the United States, Canada or any other jurisdiction where security interests in such accounts can be perfected by agreement (other than payroll accounts), where the balance in such Deposit Account or Securities Account is in excess of $100,000 at any one time unless such Loan Party and the applicable securities intermediary or deposit-taking institution have entered into a Control Agreement or similar agreement governing such Deposit Account or Securities Account in order to perfect (and further establish) the security interests in favour of Lender under the Security Documents in such Permitted Cash Investments, cash or Equity Interests, except that (i) in the case of any Permitted Cash Investments, cash or Equity Interests in any single Deposit Account or Securities Account in existence on the Closing Date, such Loan Party will within sixty (60) days of the Closing Date enter into a Control Agreement or similar agreement governing such Deposit Account or Securities Account in order to perfect (and further establish) the security interests in favour of Lender under the Security Documents in such Permitted Cash Investments, cash or Equity Interests; and (ii) the requirements of this proviso will not apply to any Deposit Account or Securities Account that is required in connection with a Qualified Acquisition until sixty (60) days following the date such acquisition is consummated. The aggregate amount of all Permitted Cash Investments, cash and Equity Interests in all Deposit Accounts and all Securities Accounts owned by the Loan Parties for which a Control Agreement has not been delivered shall not exceed $200,000 at any time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the proceeds of the Third Tranche advanced by the Lender on the Closing Date and any Additional Tranches advanced thereafter shall be immediately deposited in and at all times thereafter held only in Deposit Accounts that are subject to Control Agreements and, for certainty, the transfer of all or any portion of the proceeds of the Third Tranche or any Additional Tranches to any other Deposit Account at any time shall constitute an Event of Default hereunder.

 

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(r) New Subsidiaries. Create or acquire any Subsidiary after the date of this Agreement (other than Special Purpose Entities otherwise permitted hereunder), including in respect of any Subsidiaries acquired as part of an Acquisition permitted under this Agreement, unless: (i) such Subsidiary exists pursuant to the laws of a state of the United States of America or of a province of Canada; (ii) all of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of such Subsidiary is owned by a Loan Party and pledged to the Lender as security for the Obligations; (iii) such new Subsidiary provides a legal, valid and enforceable guarantee in favour of Lender and first-ranking security in all relevant jurisdictions; supported in each case by appropriate certificates, estoppels, consents, corporate deliverables and legal opinions, the whole in form and substance satisfactory to Lender.

 

(s) Capital Expenditures. Without prior written consent of Lender, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld, the Loan Parties may not make any Capital Expenditures which exceed in any Fiscal Year an aggregate of $500,000.

 

(t) Compensation. Make any material changes to employee or management compensation practices other than changes which are customary and reasonable in a business similar to the Business.

 

9.3 Entitled to Perform Covenants.

 

If any of the Loan Parties fails to perform any covenant contained in this Article 9, or in any other provision hereof or of any of the other Loan Documents, Lender may perform in any manner deemed fit by it without thereby waiving any rights to enforce this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, any such covenant capable of being performed by it and if any such covenant requires the payment of money, Lender may make such payments. All sums so expended by Lender shall be deemed to form part of the Obligations, shall bear interest at the same rate as the Loan and shall be payable by the Borrower on demand.

 

ARTICLE 10 - CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

 

10.1 Conditions Precedent to Loan.

 

The effectiveness of this Agreement and Lender’s obligation to fund the Third Tranche amount shall be subject to the following conditions precedent having been met to the satisfaction of Lender, or, alternatively, waived in writing by Lender:

 

(a) this Agreement shall have been executed and delivered by all parties hereto;

 

(b) the Loan Parties shall have executed and delivered to Lender the Loan Documents to which each is a party including, without limitation, the Security Documents;

 

(c) Lender shall have received certified copies of the Organizational Documents of the Loan Parties, the resolutions authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of the Loan Parties’ respective obligations under the Loan Documents to which they are a party and the transactions contemplated therein, and the incumbency of the officers of each Loan Party;

 

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(d) copies of all shareholder, limited liability and partnership agreements, if any, applicable to the Loan Parties, certified by Borrower to be true, shall have been delivered to Lender’s satisfaction;

 

(e) certificates of status or good standing, as applicable, for all relevant jurisdictions of each Loan Party shall have been delivered to Lender;

 

(f) Borrower shall be in compliance in all material respects with all (if any) Material Contracts and Material Licenses to the satisfaction of Lender and copies of all Material Contracts and Material Licenses if any, applicable to Borrower, shall have been delivered to Lender;

 

(g) evidence of repayment in full of all Debt that is not Permitted Debt owing by the Loan Parties to any third party lenders to the Loan Parties concurrent with the Loan shall have been delivered to Lender;

 

(h) releases, discharges, estoppels and postponements with respect to all Liens which are not Permitted Liens, if any, shall have been delivered to Lender;

 

(i) payment of all amounts and fees payable to Lender;

 

(j) duly executed copies of the Security shall have been delivered to Lender and such financing statements or other registrations of such Security, or notice thereof, shall have been filed, registered, entered or recorded in all offices of public record necessary or desirable in the opinion of Lender to preserve or protect the charges and security interests created thereby;

 

(k) the share certificates of the Subsidiaries pledged in favour of the Lender pursuant to the Security Documents shall have been delivered to the Lender, duly endorsed in blank (to be delivered within 10 days of the Closing Date);

 

(l) a letter of opinion of counsel to the Borrower along with the opinions of local counsel for Borrower shall have been delivered to Lender. Such opinions shall, amongst other things, confirm that the existing Security and any additional Security delivered in connection with the Loan is first ranking security in favour of Lender in respect to all of the Obligations;

 

(m) the Borrower shall have delivered to Lender certificates of insurance acceptable to Lender showing, inter alia, Lender as a first loss payee as its interest may appear on all insurance policies that insure the assets to be secured by the Security;

 

(n) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the Closing Date or would result from making the Third Tranche;

 

(o) all representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties in the Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects;

 

(p) no Material Adverse Effect has occurred;

 

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(q) all outstanding obligations following the acquisitions of Nomad and FNL have been satisfied;

 

(r) Lender shall have received such additional evidence, documents or undertakings as Lender shall reasonably request to establish the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and be satisfied, acting reasonably, as to the taking of all proceedings in connection herewith in compliance with the conditions set forth in this Agreement;

 

(s) Lender shall have completed all due diligence which it considers necessary or appropriate in its discretion in regard to the Loan Parties and their Property, books and records, operations, prospects and condition (financial or otherwise), including, without limitation, in regards to past and ongoing compliance with Applicable Laws (including Environmental Laws), union and labour relations and pension matters;

 

(t) Lender shall have received a duly completed Perfection Certificate with respect to all of the Loan Parties; and

 

(u) Lender shall have received the Origination Fee (Section 4.6) and the Work Fee (Section 4.7).

 

10.2 Additional Condition Precedent to Loan in favour of Borrower

 

At the request of the Borrower, and as a condition precedent to the effectiveness of the Borrower’s obligations hereunder (unless waived by the Borrower), the Lender shall have executed and delivered the Irrevocable Proxy to be dated as of the date hereof with respect to the common shares of the Borrower, duly countersigned by the Chief Executive Officer of the Borrower.

 

ARTICLE 11 – EVENTS OF DEFAULT

 

11.1 Events of Default.

 

The occurrence of any one or more of the following events shall constitute an “Event of Default” hereunder:

 

(a) the failure of the Borrower to pay any principal hereunder when due; or

 

(b) the failure of the Borrower or any other Loan Party to pay any interest or other Obligations (other than principal hereunder) when due, which failure continues unremedied for three (3) Business Days; or

 

(c) the failure of (i) Borrower or any other Loan Party to perform, keep or observe in a material respect any of the financial covenants in Section 9.1(z) of this Agreement, (ii) a Loan Party to perform, keep or observe any of the other covenants, conditions, promises, agreements or obligations under this Agreement (other than as described in Sections 11.1(a) and (b) and other than those covenants, conditions, promises, agreements or obligations referred to in (i) above) or in any of the Loan Documents, in each case which failure is not cured within thirty (30) days of receipt of written notice from Lender of such failure; or

 

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(d) the making or furnishing by a Loan Party or any director or officer thereof to Lender of any representation, warranty, certificate, schedule, report or other communication of a material nature within or in connection with this Agreement or the Loan Documents, which is untrue or misleading in any material respect when made; provided that, no Event of Default under this Section 11.1(d) will occur if such representation, warranty or other communication was not intentionally untrue or misleading, is capable of being corrected within thirty (30) days of being made and is diligently corrected within such thirty (30) day period; or

 

(e) if a Loan Party ceases or threatens to cease to carry on business generally or admits it inability or fails to pay its debts generally; or

 

(f) if (i) the Debt under any subordinated loan agreement is accelerated by lender thereunder, (ii) a Loan Party fails to make any payment when such payment is due and payable to any Person in relation to any indebtedness for borrowed money or other indebtedness or liabilities arising in respect of any other Debt which in the aggregate principal amount then outstanding is in excess of $100,000 and such payment is not made within any applicable cure or grace period; or (iii) a Loan Party defaults in the observance or performance of any other agreement or condition in relation to any such indebtedness to any Person which in the aggregate principal amount then outstanding is in excess of $100,000 or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto and such default is not waived or cured within any applicable cure or grace period; or

 

(g) if a Loan Party denies its obligations under any Loan Document or claims any of the Loan Documents to be invalid or withdrawn in whole or in part; or

 

(h) any of the Loan Documents or any material provision of any of them becomes unenforceable, unlawful or is changed by virtue of legislation or by a court, statutory board or commission, in each case in a manner that is adverse to Lender, if a Loan Party does not, within fifteen (15) Business Days of receipt of notice of such Loan Document or material provision becoming unenforceable, unlawful or being changed and being provided with any required new agreement or amendment for execution by Lender (acting reasonably), replace such Loan Document with a new agreement that is in form and substance satisfactory to Lender or amend such Loan Document to the satisfaction of Lender; or

 

(i) if a decree or order of a court of competent jurisdiction is entered adjudging a Loan Party a bankrupt or insolvent or approving a petition seeking the winding-up of a Loan Party under the United States Bankruptcy Code, the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (Canada), the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada) or any other bankruptcy, insolvency or analogous laws, including any analogous or corresponding provision of applicable Australian law, or issuing sequestration or process of execution against any substantial part of the Property of a Loan Party or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs; or

 

(j) if a Loan Party becomes insolvent, makes any assignment in bankruptcy or makes any other similar assignment for the benefit of creditors, makes any proposal under the United States Bankruptcy Code, the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (Canada), the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada), the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) or any comparable law, including any analogous or corresponding provision of applicable Australian law, seeks relief under any other bankruptcy, insolvency or analogous law, is adjudged bankrupt, files a petition or proposal to take advantage of any act of insolvency, consents to or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee, receiver, receiver and manager, interim receiver, custodian, sequestrator or other Person with similar powers of itself or of all or any substantial portion of its assets, or files a petition or otherwise commences any proceeding seeking any reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization or other similar law affecting creditors’ rights or consents to, or acquiesces in, the filing of such a petition; or

 

55

 

 

(k) if any proceeding or filing shall be instituted or made against a Loan Party seeking to have an order for relief entered against a Loan Party as debtor or to adjudicate it bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking liquidation, winding-up, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition under any law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or relief or debtors (including, without limitation, the United States Bankruptcy Code the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (Canada), the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada), the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) or any comparable law, including any analogous or corresponding provision of applicable Australian law) or seeking appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for a Loan Party and the Winding-Up and Restructuring Act (Canada) or for any substantial part of its properties or assets unless the same is being contested actively and diligently in good faith by appropriate and timely proceedings and is dismissed, vacated or permanently stayed within thirty (30) days of institution; or

 

(l) if a Person takes possession by appointment of a receiver, receiver and manager, or otherwise of any material portion of the Property of a Loan Party; or

 

(m) if a final judgment, execution, writ of seizure and sale, sequestration or decree for the payment of money due shall have been obtained or entered against a Loan Party in an amount in excess of $100,000 and such judgment, execution, writ of seizure and sale, sequestration or decree shall not have been and remain vacated, satisfied, discharged or stayed pending appeal within the applicable appeal period; or

 

(n) if any of the Security shall cease to be a valid and perfected first-priority security interest subject only to Permitted Liens and the Borrower or the applicable Loan Party shall have failed to remedy such default within fifteen (15) Business Days of the Borrower becoming aware of such fact; or

 

(o) if an event of default occurs under any Material Contract or Material License of Borrower and which is committed by a Loan Party (other than an event of default specifically dealt with in this Section) and such event of default has or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and is not remedied within fifteen (15) days after the Borrower becomes aware of such event of default; or

 

(p) if any of the following events shall occur with respect to any Pension Plan:

 

(i) the institution of any steps by a Loan Party or any member of its Controlled Group or any applicable regulatory authority to terminate a Pension Plan (wholly or in part) if, as a result of such termination, a Loan Party may be required to make an additional contribution to such Pension Plan, or to incur an additional liability or obligation to such Pension Plan or ERISA Plan, equal to or in excess of $100,000 or the equivalent thereof in another currency; or

 

56

 

 

(ii) any Reportable Event or Prohibited Transaction occurs; or

 

(iii) a contribution failure occurs with respect to any ERISA Plan maintained by a Loan Party or any member of its Controlled Group sufficient to give rise to a lien or charge under Section 302(f) of ERISA or under any applicable pension benefits legislation in any other jurisdiction; or

 

(q) if a Change of Control occurs; or

 

(r) all or any material part of the Property of a Loan Party shall be nationalized, expropriated or condemned, seized or otherwise appropriated, or custody or control of such Property of a Loan Party shall be assumed by any Governmental Authority or any court of competent jurisdiction at the instance of any Governmental Authority, in each case which has or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect except where contested in good faith by proper proceedings diligently pursued where a stay of enforcement is in effect; or

 

(s) if any order is made by any Governmental Authority in relation to the Borrower, or there is any change of law, or the interpretation or administration therefore, in each case, which in the reasonable opinion of Lender, operates to prevent or restrict the trading of the common shares of the Borrower.

 

11.2 Acceleration and Termination of Rights.

 

If any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, all Obligations owing by the Borrower under the Loan Documents shall, at the option of Lender, become immediately due and payable, all without notice, presentment, protest, demand, notice of dishonour or any other demand or notice whatsoever, all of which are hereby expressly waived by Borrower; provided, if any Event of Default described in Section 11.1(e), 11.1(i) through 11.1(k) with respect to the Loan Parties shall occur, the outstanding principal amount of the Loan and all other Obligations shall automatically be and become immediately due and payable. In such event Lender may, in its discretion, exercise any right or recourse and/or proceed by any action, suit, remedy or proceeding against the Loan Parties authorized or permitted by law for the recovery of all the Obligations of the Loan Parties to Lender and proceed to exercise any and all rights hereunder and under the Security and no such remedy for the enforcement of the rights of Lender shall be exclusive of or dependent on any other remedy but any one or more of such remedies may from time to time be exercised independently or in combination.

 

11.3 Remedies Cumulative and Waivers.

 

For greater certainty, it is expressly understood and agreed that the rights and remedies of Lender hereunder or under any other Loan Document or instrument executed pursuant to this Agreement are cumulative and are in addition to and not in substitution for any rights or remedies provided by law or by equity; and any single or partial exercise by Lender of any right or remedy for a default or breach of any term, covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall not be deemed to be a waiver of or to alter, affect or prejudice any other right or remedy or other rights or remedies to which Lender may be lawfully entitled for such default or breach. Any waiver by Lender of the strict observance, performance or compliance with any term, covenant, condition or other matter contained herein and any indulgence granted, either expressly or by course of conduct, by Lender shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which it was given and shall be deemed not to be a waiver of any rights and remedies of Lender under this Agreement or any other Loan Document as a result of any other default or breach hereunder or thereunder.

 

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11.4 Saving.

 

Lender shall not be under any obligation to the Loan Parties or any other Person to realize any Collateral or enforce the Security or any part thereof or to allow any of the Collateral to be sold, dealt with or otherwise disposed of. Lender shall not be responsible or liable to the Loan Parties or any other Person for any loss or damage upon the realization or enforcement of, the failure to realize or enforce the Collateral or any part thereof or the failure to allow any of the Collateral to be sold, dealt with or otherwise disposed of or for any act or omission on their respective parts or on the part of any director, officer, agent, servant or adviser in connection with any of the foregoing, except that Lender may be responsible or liable for any loss or damage arising from the wilful misconduct or gross negligence of Lender.

 

11.5 Third Parties.

 

No Person dealing with Lender or any agent of Lender shall be required to inquire whether the Security has become enforceable, or whether the powers which Lender is purporting to exercise have been exercisable, or whether any Obligations remain outstanding upon the security thereof, or as to the necessity or expediency of the stipulations and conditions subject to which any sale shall be made, or otherwise as to the propriety or regularity of any sale or other disposition or any other dealing with the Collateral charged by such Security or any part thereof.

 

11.6 Set-Off or Compensation.

 

In addition to and not in limitation of any rights now or hereafter granted under Applicable Law, if repayment is accelerated pursuant to Section 11.2, Lender may at any time and from time to time without notice to the Borrower or any other Loan Party or any other Person, any notice being expressly waived by the Borrower or any Loan Party, set-off and compensate and apply any and all deposits, general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, matured or unmatured, and any other indebtedness at any time owing by Lender, to or for the credit of or the account of the Borrower, against and on account of the Obligations notwithstanding that any of them are contingent or unmatured.

 

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ARTICLE 12 - INDEMNIFICATION, ETC.

 

12.1 General Indemnity.

 

The Borrower agrees to (and to cause the other Loan Parties to) defend (with counsel satisfactory to Lender), protect, indemnify and hold harmless Lender, and each of its Affiliates, and Subsidiaries, and its respective officers, directors, employees, legal counsel and agents (each an “Indemnified Party”) from and against any and all obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, claims, costs, expenses and disbursements of any kind or nature (including, without limitation, the disbursements and the fees (on a solicitor-client basis) of one legal counsel (unless it would be inappropriate for one counsel to represent all Indemnified Parties due to a conflict of interest or otherwise in which case, all legal counsel for each Indemnified Party) in connection with any investigative, administrative or judicial proceedings, whether or not any Indemnified Party shall be designated a party thereto), (collectively, “Losses”) which may be imposed on, incurred by, or asserted against, any Indemnified Party (whether direct, indirect or consequential and whether based on any federal, provincial, state or local laws or regulations, including, without limitation, securities, environmental and commercial laws and regulations, under common law or in equity, or based on contract or otherwise) in any manner relating to or arising out of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any act, event or transaction related or attendant thereto, the making and/or the management of the Loan or the use or intended use of the proceeds of the Loan; provided, however that the Borrower shall have no obligation hereunder to any Indemnified Party to the extent that such Losses were caused by or resulted from the wilful misconduct or gross negligence of such Indemnified Party. To the extent that the undertaking to indemnify set forth in the preceding sentence may be unenforceable against the Borrower because it violates any law or public policy, the Borrower shall satisfy such undertaking to the maximum extent permitted by Applicable Law. Any Losses covered by this indemnity shall be paid to each Indemnified Party on demand, and, failing prompt payment, shall, together with interest thereon at the Deemed Interest Rate from the date incurred by each Indemnified Party until paid in full, be added to the Obligations and be secured by the Collateral. The provisions of this Section 12.1 shall survive the satisfaction and payment of all Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

 

12.2 Taxes.

 

All payments made by any other Loan Party under this Agreement and the Loan Documents shall be made free and clear of, and without deduction or withholding for or on account of, any present or future income, stamp or other taxes, levies, assessments, imposts, deductions, charges, or withholdings imposed by any foreign, federal, provincial, state, local or other jurisdiction or any Governmental Authority thereof or political subdivision or taxing authority therein, excluding taxes imposed on the net income or the capital of Lender (all such non-excluded taxes being hereinafter called “Taxes”). If any Taxes are required to be withheld from any amounts so payable to Lender hereunder or under any Loan Documents the amounts so payable shall be increased to the extent necessary to yield to the recipient (after payment of all Taxes) interest or any such other amounts payable hereunder at the rates or in the amounts specified in this Agreement or any other Loan Documents. If the Borrower is required by Applicable Law to make any deduction or withholding on account of any Taxes or other amount from any sum paid or expressed to be payable to Lender under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, then: (i) such Loan Party shall notify Lender of any such requirement or any change in any such requirement as soon as it becomes aware of it; (ii) such Loan Party shall pay any such Taxes or other amount before the date on which penalties attached thereto become due and payable; (iii) the sum payable by the Borrower in respect of which the relevant deduction, withholding or payment is required shall be increased to the extent necessary to ensure that, after the making of that deduction, withholding or payment, the recipient receives on the due date and retains (free from any liability in respect of any such deduction, withholding or payment) a sum equal to that which it would have received and so retained had no such deduction, withholding or payment been required or made; and (iv) within thirty (30) days after payment of any sum from which the Borrower is required by Applicable Law to make any deduction or withholding, and within thirty (30) days after the due date of payment of any Taxes or other amount which it is required by clause (ii) above to pay, it shall deliver to Lender all such certified documents and other evidence as to the making of such deduction, withholding or payment as (A) are reasonably satisfactory to Lender as proof of such deduction, withholding or payment and of the remittance thereof to the relevant taxing or other authority and (B) are reasonably required by Lender to enable it to claim a tax credit with respect to such deduction, withholding or payment. If a Loan Party fails to pay any Taxes when due to the appropriate taxing authority, such Loan Party shall indemnify Lender for any incremental taxes, interest or penalties that may become payable by Lender as a result of any such failure. The provisions of this Section 12.2 shall survive the satisfaction and payment of all Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

 

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ARTICLE 13 - GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

13.1 Notice.

 

Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given by facsimile or other means of electronic communication or by hand delivery as hereinafter provided. Any such notice, if sent by fax or other means of electronic communication, shall be deemed to have been received on the day of sending, or if delivered by hand shall be deemed to have been received at the time it is delivered to the applicable address noted below. Notices of change of address shall also be governed by this Section 13.1. Notices and other communications shall be addressed as follows:

 

  (a) if to the Borrower:

 

Synergy CHC Corp.

c/o Jack Ross

865 Spring Street

Westbrook, Maine 04092

Fax:

  E-mail: jack.ross@purebrands.ca

 

with a copy to:

 

Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP

4101 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 300

Raleigh, North Carolina 27607

U.S.A.

  Attention: W. David Mannheim, Esq.
  Fax No. (919) 781-4865
  E-mail: dmannheim@wyrick.com

 

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  (b) if to Lender:

 

Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc.

The Business Center

Upton, St. Michael

BB11103

Barbados, WI

  Attention: Michel Loustric, President
  E-mail mloustric@gudknight.com

 

with a copy to:

 

Knight Therapeutics Inc.

3400 De Maisonneuve W., Suite 1055

Montreal Quebec

Canada H3Z 3B8

  Attention: Samira Sakhia, President
  E-mail ssakhia@gud-knight.com

 

and with a copy to:

 

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP

900 Third Avenue

24th Floor

New York, NY 10022

U.S.A.

  Attention: Dan Wolfensohn
  Telecopier: (212) 308-0132
  E-mail dwolfensohn@dwpv.com

 

13.2 Choice of Governing Law and Construction.

 

Except as expressly set forth therein, pursuant to Section 5-1401 of the New York General Obligations Law, this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (unless expressly stated otherwise in the other Loan Documents) shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York therein as to interpretation, enforcement, validity, construction, effect, and in all other respects, including, without limitation, the legality of the interest rate and other charges, but excluding perfection and realization of the security interests and hypothecs in the Collateral, which shall be governed and controlled by the laws of the relevant jurisdiction.

 

13.3 Attornment.

 

Pursuant to Section 5-1402 of the New York General Obligations Law, the parties hereto irrevocably submit and attorn to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York for all matters arising out of, or in connection with, this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

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13.4 Press Releases.

 

Each party hereto agrees that it will promptly provide the other party with drafts of any press releases relating to the subject matter hereof, including the entering into of this Agreement, for review and comment prior to the issuance thereof, such review and comments not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed.

 

13.5 Modification and Benefit of Agreement.

 

This Agreement and the other Loan Documents may not be modified, altered or amended except by an agreement in writing signed by the Borrower and Lender. The Borrower may not sell, assign or transfer this Agreement, or the other Loan Documents or any portion thereof including, without limitation, the Borrower’s right, title, interest, remedies, powers or duties thereunder. The sale, assignment, transfer or other disposition by Lender, at any time and from time to time hereafter, of this Agreement, or the other Loan Documents, or of any portion thereof, or participation therein including, without limitation, the right, title, interest, remedies, powers and/or duties of Lender thereunder will require the prior written consent of the Borrower (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), unless an Event of Default is continuing or unless such sale, assignment, transfer or other disposition is to an Affiliate or Associate of Lender. The Borrower agrees that it shall execute and deliver such documents as Lender may request in connection with any such sale, assignment, transfer or other disposition. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the parties hereto and their successors and permitted assigns.

 

13.6 Power of Attorney.

 

The Borrower acknowledges and agrees that its appointment of Lender as its attorney and agent for the purposes specified in this Agreement is an appointment coupled with an interest and shall be irrevocable until all of the Obligations are paid in full and this Agreement is terminated.

 

13.7 Waivers, Confidentiality, Information Sharing.

 

(a) In no event shall any party hereto be liable for lost profits or other special or consequential damages.

 

(b) To the maximum extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Borrower hereby waives all rights to a hearing of any kind prior to the exercise by Lender of its rights to repossess the Collateral without judicial process or to reply, attach or levy upon such Collateral without prior notice or hearing.

 

(c) To the maximum extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Borrower hereby waives demand, presentment, protest and notice of nonpayment.

 

(d) Failure of Lender, at any time or times hereafter, to require strict performance by any Loan Party of any provision of this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents shall not waive, affect or diminish any right of Lender thereafter to demand strict compliance and performance therewith. Any suspension or waiver by Lender of a Default or Event of Default under this Agreement or any default under any of the Loan Documents shall not suspend, waive or affect any other Default or Event of Default under this Agreement or any other default under any of other Loan Documents, whether the same is prior or subsequent thereto and whether of the same or of a different kind or character. No delay on the part of Lender in the exercise of any right or remedy under this Agreement or any other Loan Documents shall preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any right or remedy. None of the undertakings, agreements, warranties, covenants and representations of the Loan Parties contained in this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents and no Default or Event of Default under this Agreement or default under any of the other Loan Documents shall be deemed to have been suspended or waived by Lender unless such suspension or waiver is in writing, signed by duly authorized officer(s) of Lender and directed to the Loan Parties specifying such suspension or waiver.

 

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(e) The Borrower hereby agrees and acknowledges that Lender shall be permitted to share with any of its Affiliates, any information concerning the Loan Parties, this Agreement and all other Loan Documents, and the subject matter thereof, that Lender has or will have in its possession.

 

13.8 Timing of Payments.

 

Any payment received by Lender after 3:00 p.m. (New York time) on a Business Day, or on any day that is not a Business Day, shall be credited to the account of the Borrower on the following Business Day.

 

13.9 Judgment Currency.

 

If in the recovery by Lender of any amount owing hereunder in any currency, judgment can only be obtained in another currency and because of changes in the exchange rate of such currencies between the date of judgment and payment in full of the amount of such judgment, the amount of recovery under the judgment differs from the full amount owing hereunder, the Borrower shall pay any such shortfall to Lender, and such shortfall can be claimed by Lender against the Borrower as an alternative or additional cause of action and any surplus received by Lender will be repaid to the Borrower.

 

13.10 Severability.

 

If any provision of this Agreement is held to be prohibited by or invalid under Applicable Law, such provision shall be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provision or remaining provisions of this Agreement.

 

13.11 Conflicts.

 

In the event there occurs any conflict or inconsistency between any provision hereof and any provision of the other Loan Documents, the provision hereof, to the extent of any such conflict or inconsistency, shall govern.

 

13.12 Entire Agreement.

 

This Agreement and the other Loan Documents embody the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto and thereto and supersede all prior agreements and understandings between such parties relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof and may not be contradicted by evidence of prior or contemporaneous agreements of the parties. There are no unwritten oral agreements between the parties related to the subject matter of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

13.13 Counterpart Execution/Electronic Delivery.

 

This Agreement may be executed in counterpart and delivered by fax or other electronic means of delivery.

 

13.14 Interpretation.

 

From and after the date hereof, all references in the Loan Documents to the “Loan Agreement” (or words of similar import) shall be deemed to be references to this Amended and Restated Loan Agreement, as may otherwise be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time. All references in any of the Loan Documents to the “Loan Documents” shall mean the Loan Documents as amended by this Amended and Restated Loan Agreement, as may otherwise be amended, restated, supplemented, confirmed or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Borrower has duly executed this Agreement as of the date set out on the first page hereof.

 

  KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC.
     
  Per: /s/ Michel Loustric
  Name:  Michel Loustric
  Title: President
     
  SYNERGY CHC CORP.
     
  Per: /s/ Jack Ross
  Name: Jack Ross
  Title: CFO and Corporate Secretary
     
  Per: /s/ Jack Ross
  Name: Jack Ross
  Title: CEO

 

Signature Page – Loan Agreement

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE 8.2

 

COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 

TO: KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC.

Chancery House, High Street

Bridgetown, St. Michael

BB 11128, Barbados WI

 

  Attention: Michel Loustric
  Telecopier: 1-246-431-0076

 

FROM: SYNERGY CHC CORP.

 

DATE: ●, 201●

 

1. This Compliance Certificate is delivered to you, as Lender, pursuant to the Amended and Restated Loan Agreement made as of ●, 2017 between the Borrower and Lender, as amended, supplemented, restated or replaced from time to time (the “Loan Agreement”). All defined terms set forth, but not otherwise defined, in this notice shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Loan Agreement, unless the context requires otherwise.

 

2. I am the duly appointed • of the Borrower and am providing this Certificate pursuant to the Loan Agreement.

 

3. I am familiar with the Loan Agreement for purposes of delivering this Certificate.

 

4. The Borrower is in compliance with the Financial Covenants set forth in Section 9.1(z) of the Loan Agreement, namely:

 

(a) EBITDA for the twelve (12) months ending • was $•;

 

(b) for the Fiscal Quarter ending •, Net Debt to TTM EBITDA Ratio was •;

 

(c) as at ●, the cash balance was $•; and

 

(d) as at ●, the minimum Consolidated gross income was $•.

 

5. Attached as Schedule A is a list of additional Material Contracts and Material Licenses entered into since the date of the prior Compliance Certificate.

 

6. All rent payable to any landlord of leased real premises is up to date and there is no default by the Borrower under any such lease.

 

 

 

 

7. As of the date hereof, the Borrower is and will be in compliance with all of the terms and conditions of the Loan Agreement to which it is a party and no Default or Event of Default is continuing under the Loan Agreement.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have signed this Certificate.

 

  SYNERGY CHC CORP.
     
  Per:  
  Name: 
  Title: Chief Executive Officer
     
  Per:  
  Name:
  Title: Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

Schedule 3.1(b)

 

Repayment Schedule

 

First Tranche Repayment Schedule1

 

Date  Amount 
     
30/09/2017   562.5 
31/12/2017   562.5 
20/01/2018   562.5 

 

 

1 ($k)

 

Second Tranche Repayment Schedule1

 

Date  Amount 
     
11/8/2017   343.75 
11/9/2017   343.75 
11/10/2017   343.75 
11/11/2017   343.75 

 

Third Tranche Repayment Schedule2

 

Date  Amount 
     
8/11/2017   500 
8/2/2018   500 
8/5/2018   500 
8/8/2018   500 
8/11/2018   500 
8/2/2019   500 
8/5/2019   500 
8/8/2019   500 
8/11/2019   500 
8/2/2020   500 
8/5/2020   500 
8/8/2020   4,500 

 

 

1 ($k)

2 ($k)

 

Additional Tranche Repayment Schedule

 

sixty percent (60%) of the principal amount of any Additional Tranche shall be repaid in equal quarterly payments over the term of such Additional Tranche; and
   
forty percent (40%) of the principal amount of any Additional Tranche shall be repaid at the applicable Maturity Date of such Additional Tranche;

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.18

 

LOAN AMENDMENT AGREEMENT

 

LOAN AMENDMENT AGREEMENT TO AMENDED AND RESTATED LOAN AGREEMENT entered into as of the 14th day of May 2018 (the “First Amendment Agreement”),

 

BETWEEN: KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC., a corporation formed under the laws of Barbados;

 

(hereinafter called the “Lender”)

 

AND: SYNERGY CHC CORP., a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Nevada;

 

(hereinafter called the “Synergy”)

 

WHEREAS Synergy and the Lender are parties to that certain loan agreement (the “Amended and Restated Loan Agreement”) made as of the 9th day of August 2017, pursuant to which the Lender has extended a loan to Synergy in the principal amount of Ten Million United States Dollars ($10,000,000) (the “Loan”);

 

WHEREAS, per the March 31, 2018 statements, Synergy did not meet the Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) Minimum EBITDA covenant as per Clause 9.1(z)(i) to the Amended and Restated Loan Agreement (“Event of Default”);

 

WHEREAS, Due to the Event of Default, the Lender and Synergy agree to the following;

 

In this Loan Amendment Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

“FF Net Sales” means, with respect to any period, the total amount billed or invoiced on sales of FF Products and any royalties or milestone payments received or accrued during such period in any jurisdiction by the Borrower or any of its Affiliates, their associated parties and any licensees to unaffiliated third parties in bona fide arm’s length transactions, less the following deductions, in each case to the extent reasonable and customarily provided to unaffiliated entities and actually allowed and taken or accrued with respect to such sales:

 

(a) credits, price adjustments or allowances for damaged products, returns or rejections of any FF Products;

 

(b) normal and customary trade, cash and quantity discounts, allowances and credits (other than price discounts granted at the time of invoicing which have already been included in the gross amount invoiced);

 

(c) chargeback payments, repayments and rebates (or the equivalent thereof) granted to or imposed by group purchasing organizations, managed health care organizations or federal, state/provincial, local and other governments, including any or all of their regulatory authorities, agencies, review boards or tribunals, or trade customers;

 

(d) sales, value-added (to the extent not refundable in accordance with Applicable Law), and excise Taxes and other Taxes directly related to the sale (but not including Taxes assessed against the income derived from such sale).

 

(e) stocking allowances; and

 

 

 

(f) any other payment which reduces gross revenue and is permitted to be deducted in calculating net sales in accordance with GAAP,

 

the whole of which shall at all times be calculated in accordance with GAAP.”

 

FF Products” means, collectively, the products known as FOCUSfactor, FOCUSfactor Kids and any other products of Borrower or its Subsidiaries now or hereafter marketed or sold under the FOCUSfactor brand, and any improvements thereon.

 

Synergy and the Lender agree to the following amendments to the Amended and Restated Loan Agreement:

 

1.Synergy and the Lender hereby agree to replace clause 9.1(z)(i) of the Amended and Restated Loan Agreement with the following:

 

TheBorrower shall maintain a minimum EBITDA of Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000) for the twelve (12) months ending on September 30, 2017 and for each twelve (12) month period ending on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter until September 30th, 2018 and the borrower shall maintain a minimum EBITDA of Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) for the twelve (12) month period ending on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter thereafter, provided that the minimum EBITDA amount shall be increased by an amount equal to 50% of any Additional Tranche advanced to Borrower hereunder;

 

2.An additional default interest rate of 5% (“Default Interest Rate”) will apply as from April 1st, 2018 up to later of i) September 30th, 2018 or ii) when Event of Default is cured;

 

3.The Default Interest Rate will be reduced to 13% if Synergy amends its employment agreement for each and every employee earning $250,000 or more annually through a reduction of individual salary by at least $60,000 in exchange for bonus of no more than $75,000 payable upon Synergy achieving an EBITDA of $13.887 million for calendar year 2018;

 

4.Synergy and the Lender hereby agree to add clause 9.1(z)(v) of the Amended and Restated Loan Agreement with the following:

 

Synergy shall maintain FF Net Sales as measured on a year-end basis of at least USD$15 million for each fiscal year starting with December 31st, 2017

 

▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪

 

 

 

In witness whereof, the parties have duly executed this amendment as of May 14th, 2018.

 

/s/ Jack Ross   /s/ Michel Loustric
Jack Ross, CEO – Synergy CHC Corp   Michel Loustric, President – Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc.

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.19

 

SECOND AMENDMENT TO AMENDED & RESTATED LOAN AGREEMENT

 

The SECOND AMENDMENT to the AMENDED AND RESTATED LOAN AGREEMENT is entered into as of the 27th day of March 2019 (the “Second Amendment Agreement”),

 

BETWEEN: KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC., a corporation formed under the laws of Barbados;

 

(hereinafter called the “Lender”)

 

AND: SYNERGY CHC CORP., a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Nevada;

 

(hereinafter called the “Synergy”)

 

WHEREAS Synergy and the Lender are parties to that certain loan agreement (the “Amended and Restated Loan Agreement”) made as of the 9th day of August 2017, pursuant to which the Lender has extended a loan to Synergy in the principal amount of Ten Million United States Dollars ($10,000,000) (the “Loan”);

 

WHEREAS, per the audited financial statements for the year ended December 31”, 2018, Synergy failed to achieve (1) the Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) Minimum EBITDA covenant in accordance with Clause 9.1(z)(i) of the Amended and Restated Loan Agreement, (2) the Net Debt to TTM EBITDA ratio of 6:1 in accordance with Clause 9.1(z)(ii) and (3) the Cash Balance in accordance with Clause 9.1(z)(iii). In accordance with Article 11.1 of the Amended and Restated Loan Agreement such failure is an Event of Default.

 

WHEREAS, Due to the Event of Default, the Lender and Synergy agree to the following;

 

In this Second Amendment Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

“FF Net Sales” means, with respect to any period, the total amount billed or invoiced on sales of Focus Factor Products and any royalties or milestone payments received or accrued during such period in any jurisdiction by the Borrower or any of its Affiliates, their associated parties and any licensees to unaffiliated third parties in bona fide arm’s length transactions, less the following deductions, in each case to the extent reasonable and customarily provided to unaffiliated entities and actually allowed and taken or accrued with respect to such sales:

 

  a) Credits, price adjustments or allowances for damaged products, returns or rejections of any FF products;
     
  b) Normal and customary trade, cash and quantity discount, allowances and credits (other than price discounts granted at the time of invoicing which have already been included in the gross amount invoiced);
     
  c) Chargeback payments, repayments and rebates (or the equivalent thereof) granted to or imposed by group purchasing organizations, managed health care organizations or federal, state/provincial, local and other governments, including any or all of their regulatory authorities, agencies, review boards or tribunals, or trade customers;
     
  d) Sales, value-added (to the extent not refundable in accordance with Applicable Law), and excise Taxes and other Taxes directly related to the sale to the extent included in amount invoiced (but not including Taxes assessed against the income derived from such sale).

 

 

 

 

  e) Stocking allowances; and

 

The whole of which shall at all times be calculated in accordance with GAAP

 

“FF Products” means, collectively, the products known as FOCUSfactor, FOCUSfactor Kids and any other products of Borrower or its Subsidiaries now or here after marketed or sold under the FOCUSfactor brand, and any improvements thereon.

 

Synergy and the Lender agree to the following amendments to the Amended and Restated Loan Agreement:

 

  1. Synergy and the Lender hereby agree to replace clause 9.1(z)(i) of the Amended and Restated Loan agreement with the following:

 

The Borrower shall maintain a minimum EBITDA of One Million and Nine Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,900,000) for the twelve (12) months ending on December 31$t, 2018. For each twelve (12) month period ending on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter until September 30th, 2019, the minimum EBITDA shall be maintained pursuant to Schedule “A” herein attached but for clarity to be:

 

The Borrower shall maintain a minimum EBITDA of Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($2,500,000) for the twelve (12) months ending on March 31, 2019

 

The Borrower shall maintain a minimum EBITDA of Three Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($3,500,000) for the twelve (12) months ending on June 30th, 2019

 

Following thereafter, the borrower shall maintain a minimum EBITDA of Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) for the twelve (12) month period ending on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter thereafter, provided that the minimum EBITDA amount shall be increased by an amount equal to 50% of any Additional Tranche advanced to Borrower hereunder;

 

  2. Synergy and the Lender hereby agree to replace clause 9.1(z)(ii) of the Amended and Restated Loan agreement with the following:

 

The Borrower shall maintain a Net Debt to TIM EBITDA Ratio of no more than 8:1 for the twelve (12) month period ending on December 31, 2018 until March 31, 2019 and shall maintain a Net Debt to TTM EBITDA Ratio of no more than 6:1

 

  3. Synergy and the Lender hereby agree to replace clause 9.1(z)(iii) of the Amended and Restated Loan agreement with the following:

 

The Borrower shall maintain at all times a minimum positive cash balance equal to Five Hundred and Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($575,000) for the three (3) months ending on December 31, 2018.

 

The Borrower shall maintain at all times a minimum positive cash balance equal to Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($750,000) for the three (3) months ending on March 31, 2019

 

The Borrower shall maintain at all times a minimum positive cash balance equal to One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) after March 31, 2019.

 

  4. The default interest rate of 15.5% will apply as from October 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019. The interest shall be calculated daily, compounded quarterly and payable in accordance with the terms of the Amended and Restated Loan Agreement.
     
  5. The borrower has included one-time adjustments of approximately $4.4 million (“Adjustments”) in the 2018 EBITDA calculation. For clarity purposes, the Adjustments are subject to the review and approval by Lender. The borrower will provide necessary support and documentation of the Adjustments within 15 days of execution of Second Amendment Agreement.

 

2

 

 

In witness whereof, the parties have duly executed this amendment as of March 27th, 2019.

 

/s/ Jack Ross   /s/ Michel Loustric
Jack Ross, CEO – Synergy CHC Corp   Michel Loustric, President – Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc.

 

3

 

 

Schedule “A”

 

Covenant  Current
Dec’18
  Q1  Q2  Q3  Q4
Minimum TTM EBITDA  1,900,000  2,500,000  3,500,000  5,000,000  5,000,000
Minimum Cash Balance  575,000  750,000  1,000,000  1,000,000  1,000,000
Minimum UM Revenues  20,000,000  20,000,000  20,000,000  20,000,000  20,000,000
Minimum FF Net Sales  15,000,000  15,000,000  15,000,000  15,000,000  15,000,000
Net Debt to UM EBITDA  8:1  6:1  6:1  6:1  6:1

 

4

Exhibit 10.20

 

THIRD AMENDMENT AGREEMENT entered into as of the May 8, 2020 (the “Third Amendment”),

 

BETWEEN: KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC., a corporation formed under the laws of Barbados;

 

(hereinafter called the “Lender”)

 

AND: SYNERGY CHC CORP., a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Nevada;

 

(hereinafter called the “Borrower”)

 

WHEREAS the Borrower and the Lender are parties to that certain loan agreement made as of the 21st day of January, 2015, as amended by a first amending agreement dated November 12, 2015, as amended and restated as of the 9th day of August, 2017, as amended by a loan amendment agreement to the amended and restated loan agreement dated May 14, 2018 and as amended by a second amendment to the amended and restated loan agreement dated March 27, 2019 (such agreement, as amended, restated, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time as of the date hereof, the “Loan Agreement”);

 

WHEREAS the Borrower has requested (i) that the Lender advance an additional loan in the principal amount of Two Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$2,500,000) in order to fund working capital needs (the “Additional Loan”) and (ii) certain amendments to the Loan Agreement, including with respect to Maturity Date and the payment of the Third Tranche Success Fee (as hereinafter defined);

 

WHEREAS the Lender and the Borrower desire to amend the Loan Agreement to, inter alia, provide for the Additional Loan on the terms and conditions set forth herein and to amend certain terms and conditions in the Loan Agreement;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of these presents and of the mutual covenants hereinafter contained, the parties have agreed as follows:

 

 

 

ARTICLE 1

INTERPRETATION

 

1.1 Capitalized Terms

 

In this Third Amendment (including the recitals), capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Loan Agreement as if amended to include the amendments set out in this Third Amendment.

 

1.2 To be Read with Loan Agreement

 

This Third Amendment is an amendment to the Loan Agreement. Unless the context of the Third Amendment otherwise requires, the Loan Agreement and this Third Amendment shall be read together and shall have effect as if the provisions of the Loan Agreement and this Third Amendment were contained in one agreement.

 

ARTICLE 2

AMENDMENTS

 

2.1 Amendments to the Loan Agreement

 

The Borrower and the Lender hereby agree to amend the Loan Agreement as follows:

 

  2.1.1  Section 1.1 of the Loan Agreement is amended by inserting or restating the following definitions (as the case may be):
     
    Additional Loan” means the loan to the Borrower by the Lender in the principal amount of Two Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$2,500,000) pursuant to the Third Amendment.
     
    Additional Loan Success Fee” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.8. “Third Tranche Success Fee” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.8.
     
    Loan” means, collectively or individually, as the context requires, the First Tranche, the Second Tranche, the Third Tranche, the Additional Loan, any Additional Tranches and, starting August 9, 2020, the Third Tranche Success Fee.
     
    Loan Documents” means (i) this Agreement and the Loan Agreement, as amended hereby, and the Security Documents delivered by the Loan Parties pursuant to this Agreement and the Existing Loan Agreement or otherwise in connection with this Agreement and the Existing Loan Agreement, including any Loan Document delivered to Lender as general continuing collateral security for the payment and performance of the present and future Obligations (including obligations relating to the Second Tranche, the Third Tranche, the Additional Loan, any Additional Tranche and the Third Tranche Success Fee), as well as any amendments, replacements, supplements or other modifications hereto or thereto or any other documents or instruments contemplated hereby or thereby, (ii) all present and future security, agreements and documents labelled by the parties thereto as a Loan Document, (iii) all confirmation agreements delivered by the Loan Parties confirming the validity of any of the foregoing Loan Documents and (iv) Lender Distribution Agreements, in each case as the same may from time to time be supplemented, amended or restated, and “Loan Document” shall mean any one of the Loan Documents.

 

2

 

    Maturity Date(s)” means: (i) with respect to the First Tranche, January 20, 2018, (ii) with respect to the Second Tranche, November 11, 2017, (iii) with respect to the Third Tranche, December 31, 2020, (iv) with respect to the Additional Loan, the first anniversary of the Second Closing Date and (v) with respect to the Third Tranche Success Fee, August 31, 2022.
     
    Projected Sales Schedule” means the target revenues and projected sales of the Borrower attached to the Third Amendment as Schedule B.
     
    Repayment Schedule” means the Amended and Restated Schedule of Repayment of principal of the Loan attached to the Third Amendment as Schedule A.
     
    Second Closing Date” means May 8, 2020 or such other date on which the Additional Loan is advanced to the Borrower.
     
    Termination Date” means August 31, 2022.
     
    Third Amendment” means that certain Third Amendment to Loan Agreement dated as of May 8, 2020.

 

  2.1.2 The following shall be added as Section 2.1(d) immediately following Section 2.1(c) in respect of the Additional Loan:
     
    “(d) Additional Loan. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the Lender agrees to loan to the Borrower in lawful money of the United States the Additional Loan on the terms hereof and the Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes the Lender to advance the Additional Loan on the terms hereof. The Additional Loan shall bear interest as set forth in Section 4.1 of this Agreement.”
     
  2.1.3  Section 4.1 (b) is hereby amended and restated as follows:
     
    “(b) Third Tranche and Additional Loan. Subject to Section 4.3, the principal amount of the Third Tranche, the Additional Loan and other outstanding Obligations relating to the Third Tranche and the Additional Loan shall bear interest from the Second Closing Date to the date paid in full, at a rate equal to 12.5% per annum compounded quarterly. In each case such interest shall be payable in arrears in accordance with Section 4.2 and calculated in accordance with Section 4.4(b).

 

3

 

  2.1.4 Section 4.1 is hereby amended by adding the following immediately after 4.1(c):
     
    “(d) Third Tranche Success Fee. Subject to Section 4.3, the principal amount of the Third Tranche Success Fee and other outstanding Obligations relating to the Third Tranche Success Fee shall bear interest from August 9, 2020 to the date paid, at a rate equal to 12.5% per annum compounded quarterly. In each case such interest shall be payable in arrears in accordance with Section 4.2 and calculated in accordance with Section 4.4(b).
     
  2.1.5 Section 4.4 is hereby amended by adding the following after 4.4(b):
     
    “(c) Additional Loan and the Third Tranche Success Fee. With respect to the Additional Loan and the Third Tranche Success Fee, interest shall be determined daily and compounded quarterly not in advance, both before and after demand, default and judgment and shall be computed on a 360-day basis.”
     
  2.1.6 Section 4.8 is hereby amended and restated as follows:
     
    The Borrower will pay to Lender (i) a success fee in the amount of US$1,000,000 with respect to the Third Tranche (the “Third Tranche Success Fee”), which amount shall be fully earned as of the Second Closing Date and payable no later than the Termination Date and (ii) a success fee in the amount of US$83,250 with respect to the Additional Loan (the “Additional Loan Success Fee”), which shall be fully no later than the Second Closing Date and payable on the first anniversary of the Second Closing Date. The Third Tranche Success Fee shall bear interest as set forth in Section 4.1 of this Loan Agreement and, for certainty, the Third Tranche Success Fee and the Additional Loan Success Fee shall be “Obligations” as defined in this Agreement and in the other Loan Documents.
     
  2.1.7 The following shall be added as Section 9.1 (bb) immediately following Section 9.1 (aa):
     
    9.1 (bb) Weekly Sweep. Without limiting in any way the provisions of Section 9.2(q), the Loan Parties undertake and agree that any funds, Permitted Cash Investments, cash or Equity Interests deposited or held in a Deposit Account or a Security Account not subject to a Control Agreement shall be transferred to a Deposit Account or a Security Account subject to a Control Agreement on no less than a weekly basis.

 

4

 

  2.1.8 The following shall be added as Section 9.4 immediately following Section 9.3:
     
    9.4. Agreements and other deliverables to be delivered following the Second Closing Date.
     
    (a) Within thirty (30) days of the Second Closing Date (or such later date agreed to by the Lender), the Borrower shall enter into, and provide the Lender with an executed copy of, a third party logistics services agreement with Moulton Logistics, which agreement shall be on terms and conditions consistent with the current arrangements between the Borrower and Moulton Logistics as disclosed by the Borrower to the Lender prior to the date hereof (the “3PL Agreement”;
     
    (b) Within thirty (30) days of the Second Closing Date (or such later date agreed to by the Lender), the Borrower shall obtain a consent, waiver and acknowledgement from Moulton Logistics, in form, scope and substance reasonably acceptable to the Lender;
     
    (c) Within sixty (60) days of the Second Closing Date (or such later date agreed to by the Lender), the Borrower shall enter into, and provide the Lender with executed copies of, master quality agreements between the Borrower and each of its two principal suppliers with respect to FF Products, which agreements shall be in form, scope and substance satisfactory to the Lender, acting reasonably;
     
    (d) Within fifteen (15) days of the Second Closing Date (or such later date agreed to by the Lender), the Borrower shall deliver evidence of the perfection of the Lender’s security in the State of Maine;
     
    (e) Within ten (15) days of the Second Closing Date (or such later date agreed to by the Lender), the Borrower shall deliver a certificate of status or good standing, as applicable, for the State of Maine;
     
    (f) Within twenty (20) days of the Second Closing Date (or such later date agreed to by the Lender), the Borrower shall deliver a certificate of insurance to the Lender evidencing appropriate property insurance, in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender, acting reasonably; and
     
    (h) Within thirty (30) days of the Second Closing Date (or such later date agreed to by the Lender), the Borrower shall provide the Lender with evidence that notices of the Liens granted to the Lender have been duly filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Canadian Intellectual Property Office.

 

5

 

  2.1.9 Section 9.1(z)(i) of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:
     
    “(i) Minimum EBITDA. The Borrower shall maintain a minimum EBITDA of Three Million Dollars (US$3,000,000) for the twelve (12) months ending on June 30, 2020 and Four Million Dollars (US$4,000,000) for the twelve (12) month period ending on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter thereafter.”
     
  2.1.10 Section 9.1(z)(iii) of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:
     
    “(iii) Cash Balance. The Borrower will maintain at all times a minimum positive cash balance equal to Six Hundred Thousand Dollars (US$600,000), and the Borrower shall prepare a statement in accordance with GAAP setting forth the aggregate amount of cash and cash equivalents so held by the Borrower, which statement shall be certified by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Borrower (the “Cash Balance Statement”).”
     
  2.1.11 Section 9.2(q) of the Loan Agreement is amended by adding the following text at the end thereof.
     
    “Notwithstanding the foregoing, the proceeds of the Additional Loan advanced by the Lender on the Second Closing Date shall be immediately deposited in and at all times thereafter held only in Deposit Accounts that are subject to Control Agreements and, for certainty, the transfer of all or any portion of the proceeds of the Additional Loan to any other Deposit Account, or any other account at any financial institution or any other institution (including securities firms) and brokerage accounts, at any time shall constitute an Event of Default hereunder.”
     
  2.1.12 Section 9.2 of the Loan Agreement is amended by adding the following text after subsection (t):
     
    “(u) Covid-19 Covenant. Notwithstanding anything else set forth in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document, if the monthly Consolidated net revenues of the Borrower fall below the monthly revenue targets and projected sales set forth in the Projected Sales Schedule by an amount of more than 18%, then the Borrower shall immediately: (i) cease all consulting service payments otherwise payable to Kenek Brands Inc. pursuant to any written or oral employment service or consulting agreements (the “Suspension of Compensation”), (ii) implement such other cost-cutting measures proposed by the Borrower and approved by and satisfactory to the Lender, acting reasonably (the “Acceptable Cost-Cutting Measures”) and, unless otherwise confirmed by the Lender to the Borrower in writing, the Suspension of Compensation and Acceptable Cost-Cutting Measures shall remain in effect until the earlier of (i) the indefeasible repayment and performance in full of the Obligations and (ii) the Termination Date. For certainty, the failure of the Borrower to implement and maintain the Suspension of Compensation or establish, implement and maintain Acceptable Cost-Cutting Measures shall be an Event of Default.

 

6

 

  2.1.13 From and as of the Second Closing Date, (i) all references in the Loan Agreement to “this Agreement” shall mean the Loan Agreement as amended by this Third Amendment, and as may otherwise be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, and (ii) all references in the other Loan Documents to the “Loan Agreement” (or words of similar import) shall be deemed to be references to the Loan Agreement as amended by this Third Amendment, and as may otherwise be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time. All references in any of the Loan Documents to the “Loan Documents” shall mean the Loan Documents as amended by this Third Amendment and as may otherwise be amended restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time and, for certainty, shall include any security, agreements and documents executed and delivered by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with this Third Amendment.
     
  2.1.14 Except as expressly amended by this Third Amendment, all other provisions of the Loan Agreement and the Loan Documents not specifically amended hereby shall remain unchanged and in full force and effect.

 

ARTICLE 3

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

3.1 Representations and Warranties

 

In order to induce the Lender to enter into this Third Amendment, the Borrower represents and warrants to the Lender as of the Second Closing Date as follows, which representations and warranties shall survive the execution and delivery hereof:

 

  3.1.1 after giving effect to the updated disclosure schedules contemplated in subsection 3.1.4 of this Third Amendment, the representations and warranties set forth in Article 7 of the Loan Agreement are true and correct as of the Second Closing Date;
     
  3.1.2 all consents and approvals required in connection with the execution and delivery by the Loan Parties of this Third Amendment and the other Loan Documents contemplated hereby have been obtained;
     
  3.1.3 the execution and delivery of this Third Amendment and the other Loan Documents contemplated hereby do not conflict with or contravene any agreement to which any Loan Party is a party;
     

7

 

  3.1.4 attached to this Third Amendment are updated disclosure schedules to the Loan Agreement in connection with each representation set forth in Section 11 of the Loan Agreement, which schedules reflect such representations being current to the Second Closing Date (as contrasted to the Closing Date);
     
  3.1.5 all necessary action, corporate or otherwise, has been taken to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Third Amendment and the other Loan Documents contemplated hereby by the Loan Parties;
     
  3.1.6 as of the Second Closing Date, no Default or Event of Default exists.

 

ARTICLE 4

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT & CLOSING DATE

 

4.1 Conditions to Loan by the Lender

 

The effectiveness of this Third Amendment and the Lender’s obligation to fund the Additional Loan amount shall be subject to the following conditions precedent having been met to the satisfaction of the Lender, or, alternatively, waived in writing by the Lender:

 

  4.1.1 the Borrower will pay to the Lender Thirty Six Thousand United States Dollars (US$36,000) as payment of the Work Fee in respect of the Additional Loan amount, (which, for certainty, shall be fully earned and payable on the date hereof, whether or not the Additional Loan is advanced);
     
  4.1.2 the Borrower will pay to the Lender Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$500,000) as a partial repayment of the outstanding principal amount of the Third Tranche;
     
  4.1.3 this Agreement shall have been executed and delivered by all parties hereto;
     
  4.1.4 the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall have executed and delivered to the Lender a confirmation of guarantee and security agreement;
     
  4.1.5 the Lender shall have received certified copies of the resolutions authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of Borrower’s obligations hereunder and copies of the resolutions of the Borrower authorizing the confirmation of guarantee and security agreement regarding the Loan Documents to which they are a party and the transactions contemplated therein, and the incumbency of the officers of Borrower;
     
  4.1.6 certificates of status or good standing, as applicable, for all relevant jurisdictions of Borrower shall have been delivered to the Lender;
     
  4.1.7 the Loan Parties shall be in compliance in all material respects with all (if any) Material Contracts and Material Licences to the satisfaction of the Lender and copies of all Material Contracts and Material Licences if any, applicable to the Loan Parties, shall have been delivered to the Lender;

 

8

 

  4.1.8 evidence that all necessary or required consents or approvals of any Governmental Authority or other Person in connection the delivery of the Loan Documents have been obtained;
     
  4.1.9 US and Canadian Lien searches and reports thereon, and releases, discharges, estoppels and postponements with respect to all Liens which are not Permitted Liens, if any, shall have been delivered to the Lender;
     
  4.1.10 payment of all amounts and fees payable to the Lender (for certainty, including fees of counsel to the Lender);
     
  4.1.11 duly executed copies of the Security (including any additional Security required by the Lender further to the merger of the Borrower or otherwise) shall have been delivered to the Lender and such financing statements or other registrations of such Security, or notice thereof, shall have been filed, registered, entered or recorded in all offices of public record necessary or desirable in the opinion of the Lender to preserve or protect the charges and security interests created thereby;
     
  4.1.12 a currently dated letter of opinion of US counsel to the Borrower shall have been delivered to the Lender. Such opinions shall, amongst other things, opine as to the enforceability of this Agreement and the Loan Agreement as amended hereby, that the existing Security delivered in connection with the Loan Agreement is first ranking perfected security in favour of the Lender in respect to all of the Obligations, including without limitation, the Additional Loan, and shall also address other customary enforceability, security and corporate matters;
     
  4.1.13  the Borrower shall have delivered to the Lender certificates of insurance acceptable to the Lender showing, inter alia, the Lender as a first loss payee as its interest may appear on all insurance policies that insure the assets to be secured by the Security;
     
  4.1.14  no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the Second Closing Date or would result from making the Additional Loan and a senior officer of the Borrower shall have certified the same to the Lender;
     
  4.1.15 no Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred;
     
  4.1.16 the Lender shall have received such additional evidence, documents or undertakings as the Lender shall reasonably request to establish the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and be satisfied, acting reasonably, as to the taking of all proceedings in connection herewith in compliance with the conditions set forth in this Third Amendment; and
     
  4.1.17 the Lender shall have completed all due diligence which it considers necessary or appropriate in its discretion in regard to the Loan Parties and their Property, books and records, operations, prospects and condition (financial or otherwise), including, without limitation, in regards to past and ongoing compliance with Applicable Laws (including Environmental Laws), union and labour relations and pension matters.

 

9

 

ARTICLE 5

MISCELLANEOUS

 

5.1 Further Assurances

 

Each of the Borrower and the Lender shall, from time to time hereafter and upon any reasonable request of the other party, execute and deliver such further agreements and documents and do all such other acts and things as may be necessary or appropriate to give effect to the foregoing.

 

5.2 Time of the Essence

 

Time shall be of the essence of this Third Amendment.

 

5.3 Severability

 

If any provision of this Third Amendment is found by final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part, such provision (or part thereof, as the case may be) shall be severable and such finding shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of such provision or of any other provision hereof.

 

5.4 Enurement

 

This Third Amendment shall enure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their permitted assigns.

 

5.5 Counterparts

 

This Third Amendment may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which, taken together, shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

5.6 Paramountcy

 

In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Third Amendment and the terms and conditions of any other Loan Document, including the Loan Agreement, the terms and conditions of this Third Amendment shall prevail and be paramount to the extent of such conflict or inconsistency.

 

5.7 Continuance of Loan Agreement and Security

 

The Loan Agreement, as changed, altered, amended or modified by this Third Amendment, shall be and continue in full force and effect and is hereby confirmed and the rights and obligations of all parties thereunder shall not be affected or prejudiced in any manner except as specifically provided for herein. Nothing in this Third Amendment shall constitute a release, settlement, extinguishment, rescission or novation of any indebtedness or Loan outstanding under the Loan Agreement and all advances outstanding under the Loan Agreement shall continue as advances following the execution and delivery of this Third Amendment.

 

10

 

5.8 Performance; No Lender Defaults.

 

The Borrower confirms that the Lender has fully and timely performed all of its respective obligations and duties in compliance with the Loan Documents and applicable law, and has acted reasonably and in good faith. In further consideration of the Lender’s execution of this Third Amendment, the Borrower, on behalf of itself, its successors, assigns, affiliates, members, officers, directors, employees, agents and attorneys hereby forever, fully, unconditionally and irrevocably waive and release the Lender, and the respective successors, assigns, parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors, employees, attorneys and agents of each (each a “Releasee”) from any and all claims, liabilities, obligations, debts, causes of action (whether at law or in equity or otherwise), defenses, counterclaims, setoffs, of any kind, whether known or (to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law) unknown, whether liquidated or unliquidated, matured or unmatured, fixed or contingent, directly or indirectly arising out of, connected with, resulting from or related to any act or omission by the Lender, or any other Releasee, with respect to the Loan Documents and any collateral, other than Lender’s or any Releasee’s gross negligence or willful misconduct, on or before the date of this Third Amendment (collectively, the “Claims”). Borrower further agrees that it shall not commence, institute, or prosecute any lawsuit, action or other proceeding, whether judicial, administrative or otherwise, to collect or enforce any Claim.

 

5.9 Governing Law

 

This Third Amendment will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Province of Quebec and the laws of Canada applicable therein.

 

5.10 Language

 

The parties acknowledge that they have requested that this Third Amendment and all ancillary documents be drawn up in the English language only. Les parties reconnaissent avoir exigé que cette convention ainsi que tous les documents y reliés soient rédigés en anglais seulement.

 

(signature page follows)

 

11

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties hereto have duly executed this Third Amendment as of the date and at the place first hereinabove set forth.

 

  KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC.
     
  by /s/ Michel Loustric
  Name: Michel Loustric
  Title: President
     
  SYNERGY CHC CORP.
     
  by /s/ Jack Ross
  Name: Jack Ross
  Title: CEO

 

12

Exhibit 10.21

 

FOURTH AMENDMENT AGREEMENT entered into as of the July 7, 2022 (the “Fourth Amendment”),

 

BETWEEN: KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS INTERNATIONAL S.A., a company registered under the laws of Uruguay (formerly known as Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc.);
   
  (hereinafter called the “Lender”)

 

AND:SYNERGY CHC CORP., a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Nevada;
  
 (hereinafter called the “Borrower”)

 

WHEREAS the Borrower and the Lender (then known as Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc., a corporation formed under the laws of Barbados) are parties to that certain loan agreement made as of the 21st day of January, 2015, as amended by a first amending agreement dated November 12, 2015, as amended and restated as of the 9th day of August, 2017, as amended by a loan amendment agreement to the amended and restated loan agreement dated May 14, 2018, as amended by a second amendment to the amended and restated loan agreement dated March 27, 2019 and as amended by a third amendment to the amended and restated loan agreement dated May 8, 2020 (such agreement, as amended, restated, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time as of the date hereof, the “Loan Agreement”);

 

WHEREAS after the date of the most recent amendment, the Lender migrated to Uruguay and changed its name from “Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc.” to “Knight Therapeutics International S.A.”;

 

WHEREAS the Borrower has requested an additional advance of US$2,000,000 (being the Second Additional Loan described herein) and certain amendments to the Loan Agreement; and the Lender has agreed to make such advance and memorialize such amendments on the terms and conditions set forth herein;

 

 

 

 

NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of these presents and of the mutual covenants hereinafter contained, the parties have agreed as follows:

 

ARTICLE 1
INTERPRETATION

 

1.1Capitalized Terms

 

In this Fourth Amendment (including the recitals), capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Loan Agreement as if amended to include the amendments set out in this Fourth Amendment.

 

1.2To be Read with Loan Agreement

 

This Fourth Amendment is an amendment to the Loan Agreement. Unless the context of the Fourth Amendment otherwise requires, the Loan Agreement and this Fourth Amendment shall be read together and shall have effect as if the provisions of the Loan Agreement and this Fourth Amendment were contained in one agreement.

 

ARTICLE 2
AMENDMENTS

 

2.1Amendments to the Loan Agreement

 

The Borrower and the Lender hereby agree to amend the Loan Agreement as follows:

 

2.1.1.1Lender” means Knight Therapeutics International S.A., a corporation continued under the laws of Uruguay (formerly known as Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc.), and its successors and assigns, and one or more Persons to whom the foregoing or its successors or assigns may from time to time assign an interest in the Loan Documents.

 

2.1.1.2Section 1.1 of the Loan Agreement is amended by inserting or restating the following definitions (as the case may be):

 

Business Day” means a day (other than a Saturday or Sunday) on which banks are generally open for business in Montevideo, Uruguay and New York, New York”;

 

Fourth Amendment” means that certain Fourth Amendment to Loan Agreement dated as of the Fourth Amendment Closing Date.

 

Fourth Amendment Closing Date” means July 7, 2022.

 

JR Guarantee” means the personal guarantee dated as of the date hereof granted by Jack Ross in favour of the Lender as security for the repayment of the Second Additional Loan.

 

Loan” means, collectively or individually, as the context requires, the First Tranche, the Second Tranche, the Third Tranche, the Additional Loan, the Second Additional Loan, any Additional Tranches and the Third Tranche Success Fee.

 

-2-

 

 

“Loan Documents” means (i) this Agreement and the Loan Agreement, as amended hereby, and the Security Documents delivered by the Loan Parties pursuant to this Agreement and the Existing Loan Agreement or otherwise in connection with this Agreement and the Existing Loan Agreement, including any Loan Document delivered to Lender as general continuing collateral security for the payment and performance of the present and future Obligations (including obligations relating to the Second Tranche, the Third Tranche, the Additional Loan, any Additional Tranche and the Third Tranche Success Fee), as well as any amendments, replacements, supplements or other modifications hereto or thereto or any other documents or instruments contemplated hereby or thereby, (ii) all present and future security, agreements and documents labelled by the parties thereto as a Loan Document including, for certainty, the JR Guarantee, (iii) all confirmation agreements delivered by the Loan Parties confirming the validity of any of the foregoing Loan Documents and (iv) Lender Distribution Agreements, in each case as the same may from time to time be supplemented, amended or restated, and “Loan Document” shall mean any one of the Loan Documents.

 

“Maturity Date(s)” means: (i) with respect to the First Tranche, January 20, 2018, (ii) with respect to the Second Tranche, November 11, 2017, (iii) with respect to the Third Tranche, October 31, 2021 (iv) with respect to the Additional Loan, October 31, 2022, (v) with respect to the Third Tranche Success Fee, August 31, 2022, and (vi) with respect to the Second Additional Loan, the Second Additional Loan Maturity Date.

 

“Prime Rate” means the rate identified in the “Money Rates” section of The Wall Street Journal as the Prime Rate. It is acknowledged that the Prime Rate is not necessarily the lowest rate offered by any relevant institution to its respective borrowers.

 

“Repayment Schedule” means the Amended and Restated Schedule of Repayment of principal of the Loan attached to the Fourth Amendment as Schedule A.

 

“Second Additional Loan” means the loan to the Borrower by the Lender in the principal amount of Two Million United States Dollars (US$2,000,000) pursuant to the Fourth Amendment,

 

“Second Additional Loan Interest Rate” means the greater of (i) 14% and (ii) the [Prime Rate] plus 8% per annum, in each case compounded quarterly.

 

“Second Additional Loan Maturity Date” means the earlier of (i) October 31, 2022, and (ii) the date that is ninety (90) days after the date, if any, on which the Lender delivers a Second Additional Loan Repayment Notice to the Borrower.

 

-3-

 

 

“Second Additional Loan Repayment Notice” means a notice delivered by the Lender to the Borrower (which may be by email) seeking repayment of the Second Additional Loan.

 

“Second Additional Loan Success Fee” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.8.

 

2.1.1.3The following shall be added as Section 2.1(e) immediately following Section 2.1(d) in respect of the Second Additional Loan:

 

“(e) Second Additional Loan. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the Lender agrees to loan to the Borrower in lawful money of the United States the Second Additional Loan on the terms hereof and the Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes the Lender to advance the Second Additional Loan on the terms hereof. The Second Additional Loan shall bear interest as set forth in Section 4.1 of this Agreement.”

 

2.1.1.4The following shall be added as Section 4.1(c) immediately following Section 4.1(b) in respect of the Second Additional Loan:

 

“(b) Second Additional Loan. Subject to Section 4.3, the principal amount of the Second Additional Loan shall bear interest from the Fourth Amendment Closing Date to the date paid in full, at a rate equal to the Second Additional Loan Interest Rate. In each case such interest shall be payable in arrears in accordance with Section 4.2.

 

2.1.1.5Section 4.1 is hereby amended by adding the following immediately after 4.1(d):

 

“(e) Second Additional Loan Success Fee. Subject to Section 4.3, the principal amount of the Second Additional Success Fee and other outstanding Obligations relating to the Second Additional Loan shall bear interest from the date hereof until to the date paid, at a rate equal to the Second Additional Loan Interest Rate. In each case such interest shall be payable in arrears in accordance with Section 4.2.

 

2.1.1.6Section 4.4 is hereby amended by adding the following after 4.4(e):

 

“(f) Second Additional Loan and Second Additional Loan Success Fee. With respect to the Second Additional Loan and the Second Additional Loan Success Fee, interest shall be determined daily and compounded quarterly not in advance, both before and after demand, default and judgment and shall be computed on a 360-day basis.”

 

-4-

 

 

2.1.1.7Section 4.8 is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

The Borrower will pay to Lender (i) a success tee in the amount of US$1,000,000 with respect to the Third Tranche (the “Third Tranche Success Fee”), which amount shall be fully earned as of the Second Closing Date and payable no later than the Termination Date, (ii) a success fee in the amount of US$83,250 with respect to the Additional Loan (the “Additional Loan Success Fee”), which shall be fully earned as of the Second Closing Date and payable no later than the Second Closing Date and payable on the first anniversary of the Second Closing Date and (iii) a success fee in the amount of $40,000 with respect to the Second Additional Loan (the “Second Additional Loan Success Fee”), which shall be fully earned and payable as of the Fourth Amendment Date. The Third Tranche Success Fee shall bear interest as set forth in Section 4.1 of this Loan Agreement and, for certainty, the Third Tranche Success Fee, the Additional Loan Success Fee and the Second Additional Loan Success Fee shall be “Obligations” as defined in this Agreement and in the other Loan Documents.

 

2.1.1.8Section 8.1(a) of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

The Borrower shall provide Lender with copies of its internally prepared Consolidated Financial Statements for so long as required by Applicable Law no later than forty-five (45) days after the end of the Borrower’s first three Fiscal Quarters each year and, without limiting the foregoing, shall deliver Consolidated Financial Statements, duly reviewed by the Borrower’s independent external auditors, to the Lender no later than forty-five (45) days after the end of the Borrower’s first three Fiscal Quarters each year;

 

2.1.1.9Section 8.1(b) of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

The Borrower shall provide Lender with copies of its annual Consolidated Audited Financial Statements for so long as required by Applicable Law no later than ninety (90) days after the end of each Fiscal Year, and, without limiting the foregoing, shall deliver its annual Consolidated Audited Financial Statements to the Lender no later ninety (90) days after the end of each Fiscal Year;

 

-5-

 

 

2.1.1.10Section 8.2 of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

The Borrower shall deliver to the Lender a Compliance Certificate (containing supporting calculations) confirming, inter alia, that it has maintained the financial covenants required by this Agreement concurrently with the delivery of Financial Statement delivered to the Lender pursuant to Sections 8.1(a) or 8.1(b) of this Agreement, and concurrently with the delivery of each Financial Statement delivered pursuant to Section 8,1(b), the Borrower shall also provide a comparison to the budget set forth In the Annual Business Plan and the previous year. Together with the Cash Balance Statement delivered pursuant to 8.1(d), the Borrower shall deliver to the Lender a Compliance Certificate (containing supporting calculations) confirming that it has maintained the financial covenants set forth in this Agreement.

 

2.1.1.11The following shall be added as 9.1(dd) immediately following section 9.1(cc):

 

9.1(dd). Shareholders Agreement. By no later than September 30, 2022, the Lender and each of the other shareholders of the Borrower that own more than five percent (5%) of the Borrower’s common stock shall enter into a shareholders’ agreement governing the Borrower (the “Shareholders’ Agreement”), which shall contain customary terms and conditions acceptable to the Lender, including without limitation (i) board representation and governance decisions; (ii) shareholder approval thresholds for corporate decisions and actions including actions outside the ordinary course of business; (iii) definitions of liquidity events and alternative liquidation events and priorities as to distribution of proceeds in such circumstances; (iv) pre-emptive rights, rights of first refusal and tag-along rights; and (v) confidentiality, it being understood that the articles and by-laws of the Borrower shall be amended prior to or concurrently with the effective date of the Shareholders’ Agreement in order to the extent necessary to be consistent therewith; provided that failure to satisfy this obligation to enter the Shareholders’ Agreement will not be a Default or Event of Default.

 

2.1.1.12Section 9.2 of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

(b) No Consolidation, Amalgamation, Merger, etc. Consolidate, amalgamate or merge with, or convert into, any other Person, export a corporation into a jurisdiction outside of the United States, purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise acquire any Equity Interests from any shareholder of the Borrower or enters into any corporate reorganization or other transaction intended to effect or otherwise permit a change in its existing corporate or capital structure, liquidate, wind-up or dissolve itself, or permit any liquidation, winding-up or dissolution unless prior written approval has been delivered by Lender and such documentation as is required by counsel to Lender is delivered prior to or concurrently with such transaction, as mandated by counsel.

 

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2.1.1.13The notice address set forth in Section 13.1 (b) of the Loan Agreement is deleted and replaced with the following:

 

(b) if to the Lender

 

Knight Therapeutics International S.A.

Dr. Luis Bonavita 1294, of. 2004

Montevideo, Uruguay

Fax: 598 2626 2344

Attention: Arvind Utchanah, Chief Financial Officer

Email: autchanahgknighttx.com

 

with a copy to:

 

Knight Therapeutics Inc.

3400 De Maisonneuve W., Suite 1055

Montreal Quebec

Canada H3Z 3B8

Attention: Samira Sakhia, President & Chief Executive Officer

E-mail ssakhia@knighttx.com

 

and with a copy to:

 

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP

1501 McGill College Ave.

Suite 2600

Montreal, Quebec H3A 3N9

Canada

Attention: Dan Wolfensohn

E-mail dwolfensohn@dwpv.com

 

2.1.1.14From and as of the Fourth Amendment Closing Date, (i) all references in the Loan Agreement to “this Agreement” shall mean the Loan Agreement as amended by this Fourth Amendment, and as may otherwise be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, and (ii) all references in the other Loan Documents to the “Loan Agreement” (or words of similar import) shall be deemed to be references to the Loan Agreement as amended by this Fourth Amendment, and as may otherwise be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time. All references in any of the Loan Documents to the “Loan Documents” shall mean the Loan Documents as amended by this Fourth Amendment and as may otherwise be amended restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time and, for certainty, shall include any security, agreements and documents executed and delivered by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with this Fourth Amendment. For certainty, references in any of the Loan Documents to “Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc.” or “Lender” shall be deemed to be references to “Knight Therapeutics International S.A.” and its successors and assigns.

 

2.1.1.15Except as expressly amended by this Fourth Amendment, all other provisions of the Loan Agreement and the Loan Documents not specifically amended hereby shall remain unchanged and in full force and effect.

 

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ARTICLE 3
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

3.1Representations and Warranties

 

In order to induce the Lender to enter into this Fourth Amendment, the Borrower represents and warrants to the Lender as of the Fourth Amendment Closing Date as follows, which representations and warranties shall survive the execution and delivery hereof:

 

3.1.1.1after giving effect to the updated disclosure schedules contemplated in subsection 3.1.4 of this Fourth Amendment, the representations and warranties set forth in Article 7 of the Loan Agreement are true and correct as of the Fourth Amendment Closing Date;

 

3.1.1.2all consents and approvals required in connection with the execution and delivery by the Loan Parties of this Fourth Amendment and the other Loan Documents contemplated hereby have been obtained;

 

3.1.1.3the execution and delivery of this Fourth Amendment and the other Loan Documents contemplated hereby do not conflict with or contravene any agreement to which any Loan Party is a party;

 

3.1.1.4attached to this Fourth Amendment are updated disclosure schedules to the Loan Agreement in connection with each representation set forth in Section 11 of the Loan Agreement, which schedules reflect such representations being current to the Fourth Amendment Closing Date (as contrasted to the Closing Date);

 

3.1.1.5all necessary action, corporate or otherwise, has been taken to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Fourth Amendment and the other Loan Documents contemplated hereby by the Loan Parties; and

 

3.1.1.6as of the Fourth Amendment Closing Date, no Default or Event of Default exists.

 

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ARTICLE 4
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT & CLOSING DATE

 

4.1Conditions Precedent

 

The effectiveness of this Fourth Amendment and the Lender’s obligation to fund the Second Additional Loan amount shall be subject to the following conditions precedent having been met to the satisfaction of the Lender, or, alternatively, waived in writing by the Lender:

 

4.1.1.1the Borrower will pay to the Lender an amendment fee of thirty thousand United States Dollars (US$30,000) (the “Closing Fee”) and the Second Additional Loan Success Fee in consideration for the Lender’s agreement to amend the Loan Agreement pursuant to this Fourth Amendment (which amendment fee shall, for certainty, be fully earned and payable on the date of this Fourth Amendment);

 

4.1.1.2this Agreement shall have been executed and delivered by all parties hereto;

 

4.1.1.3the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall have executed and delivered to the Lender a confirmation of guarantee and security agreement;

 

4.1.1.4Jack Ross shall have executed and delivered to the Lender the JR Guarantee, in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender;

 

4.1.1.5the Lender shall have received certified copies of the resolutions authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of Borrower’s obligations hereunder and copies of the resolutions of the Borrower authorizing the confirmation of guarantee and security agreement regarding the Loan Documents to which they are a party and the transactions contemplated therein, and the incumbency of the officers of Borrower;

 

4.1.1.6certificates of status or good standing, as applicable, for all relevant jurisdictions of Borrower shall have been delivered to the Lender;

 

4.1.1.7the Loan Parties shall be in compliance in all material respects with all (if any) Material Contracts and Material Licences to the satisfaction of the Lender and copies of all Material Contracts and Material Licences if any, applicable to the Loan Parties, shall have been delivered to the Lender;

 

4.1.1.8evidence that all necessary or required consents or approvals of any Governmental Authority or other Person in connection the delivery of the Loan Documents have been obtained;

 

4.1.1.9payment of all amounts and fees payable to the Lender (for certainty, including fees of counsel to the Lender and the Closing Fee), provided that fees of counsel to the Lender will only be reimbursed to the extent they do not exceed $60,000.00;

 

-9-

 

 

4.1.1.10 a currently dated letter of opinion of US counsel to the Borrower shall have been delivered to the Lender. Such opinions shall, amongst other things, opine as to the enforceability of this Fourth Amendment, and the Loan Agreement as amended hereby, the JR Guarantee, that the existing Security delivered in connection with the Loan Agreement is first ranking perfected security in favour of the Lender in respect to all of the Obligations, and shall also address other customary corporate, enforceability, security and corporate matters;

 

4.1.1.11the Borrower shall have delivered to the Lender certificates of insurance acceptable to the Lender showing, inter alia, the Lender as a first loss payee as its interest may appear on all insurance policies that insure the assets to be secured by the Security;

 

4.1.1.12no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the Fourth Amendment Closing Date and a senior officer of the Borrower shall have certified the same to the Lender;

 

4.1.1.13no Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred;

 

4.1.1.14the Lender shall have received such additional evidence, documents or undertakings as the Lender shall reasonably request to establish the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and be satisfied, acting reasonably, as to the taking of all proceedings in connection herewith in compliance with the conditions set forth in this Fourth Amendment;

 

4.1.1.15the Borrower shall have delivered to the Lender no later than August 3151, 2022, copies of its audited financial statements for the Fiscal Year ended 2021; and

 

4.1.1.16the Lender shall have completed all due diligence which it considers necessary or appropriate in its discretion in regard to the Loan Parties and their Property, books and records, operations, prospects and condition (financial or otherwise), including, without limitation, in regards to past and ongoing compliance with Applicable Laws (including Environmental Laws), union and labour relations and pension matters, and shall have obtained all internal approvals required under its internal procedures.

 

4.2Conditions Subsequent

 

The Borrower acknowledges that it has failed to satisfy certain obligations under Section 9.4 of the Loan Agreement and the Lender has agreed to extend the cure period regarding these obligations until October 31, 2022, and, for certainty, the Borrower hereby further undertakes to ensure the satisfaction of all of its obligations under Section 9.4 by no later than October 31, 2022, failing which, notwithstanding anything else set forth in any Loan Document, an Event of Default shall have immediately and automatically occurred.

 

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ARTICLE 5
MISCELLANEOUS

 

5.1Further Assurances

 

Each of the Borrower and the Lender shall, from time to time hereafter and upon any reasonable request of the other party, execute and deliver such further agreements and documents and do all such other acts and things as may be necessary or appropriate to give effect to the foregoing.

 

5.2Time of the Essence

 

Time shall be of the essence of this Fourth Amendment.

 

5.3Severability

 

If any provision of this Fourth Amendment is found by final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part, such provision (or part thereof, as the case may be) shall be severable and such finding shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of such provision or of any other provision hereof.

 

5.4Enurement

 

This Fourth Amendment shall enure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their permitted assigns.

 

5.5Counterparts

 

This Fourth Amendment may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which, taken together, shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

5.6Paramountcy

 

In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Fourth Amendment and the terms and conditions of any other Loan Document, including the Loan Agreement, the terms and conditions of this Fourth Amendment shall prevail and be paramount to the extent of such conflict or inconsistency.

 

5.7Continuance of Loan Agreement and Security

 

The Loan Agreement, as changed, altered, amended or modified by this Fourth Amendment, shall be and continue in full force and effect and is hereby confirmed and the rights and obligations of all parties thereunder shall not be affected or prejudiced in any manner except as specifically provided for herein. Nothing in this Fourth Amendment shall constitute a release, settlement, extinguishment, rescission or novation of any indebtedness or Loan outstanding under the Loan Agreement and all advances outstanding under the Loan Agreement shall continue as advances following the execution and delivery of this Fourth Amendment.

 

-11-

 

 

5.8Performance; No Lender Defaults.

 

The Borrower confirms that the Lender has fully and timely performed all of its respective obligations and duties in compliance with the Loan Documents and applicable law, and has acted reasonably and in good faith. In further consideration of the Lender’s execution of this Fourth Amendment, the Borrower, on behalf of itself, its successors, assigns, affiliates, members, officers, directors, employees, agents and attorneys hereby forever, fully, unconditionally and irrevocably waive and release the Lender, and the respective successors, assigns. parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors, employees, attorneys and agents of each (each a “Releasee”) from any and all claims, liabilities, obligations, debts, causes of action (whether at law or in equity or otherwise), defenses, counterclaims, setoffs, of any kind, whether known or (to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law) unknown, whether liquidated or unliquidated, matured or unmatured, fixed or contingent, directly or indirectly arising out of. connected with, resulting from or related to any act or omission by the Lender, or any other Releasee, with respect to the Loan Documents and any collateral, other than Lender’s or any Releasee’s gross negligence or willful misconduct, on or before the date of this Fourth Amendment (collectively, the “Claims”). Borrower further agrees that it shall not commence, institute, or prosecute any lawsuit, action or other proceeding, whether judicial, administrative or otherwise, to collect or enforce any Claim.

 

5.9Choice of Governing Law and Construction.

 

Except as expressly set forth therein, pursuant to Section 5-1401 of the New York General Obligations Law, this Fourth Amendment and the other Loan Documents (unless expressly stated otherwise in the other Loan Documents) shall be governed by the Laws of the State of New York therein as to interpretation, enforcement, validity, construction, effect, and in all other respects, including, without limitation, the legality of the interest rate and other charges, but excluding perfection and realization of the security interests and hypothecs in the Collateral, which shall be governed and controlled by the laws of the relevant jurisdiction. Section 5.9 of the Third Amendment to Amended and Restated Loan Agreement is replaced with the preceding sentences (substituting “Third” for “Fourth”).

 

5.10Attornment.

 

Pursuant to Section 5-1402 of the New York General Obligations Law, the parties hereto irrevocably submit and attorn to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York and the United States courts for the Southern District of New York for all matters arising out of, or in connection with, this Fourth Amendment and the other Loan Documents.

 

5.11Waiver of Jury Trial

 

EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMUTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OILIER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT, BREACH OF DUTY, COMMON LAW, STATUTE OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION. EACH PARTY HERETO FURTHER REPRESENTS AND WARRANTS THAT IT HAS REVIEWED THIS WAIVER WITH ITS LEGAL COUNSEL AND THAT IT KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY WAIVES ITS JURY TRIAL RIGHTS FOLLOWING CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL.

 

5.12Language.

 

The parties acknowledge that they have requested that this Fourth Amendment and all ancillary documents be drawn up in the English language only. Les parties reconnaissent avoir exige que cette convention ainsi que tous les documents y relies soient rediges en anglais seulement.

 

(signature page follows)

 

-12-

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties hereto have duly executed this Fourth Amendment as of the date and at the place first hereinabove set forth.

 

  KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS INTERNATIONAL S.A.
   
  by /s/ Arvind Utchanah
    Name:  Arvind Utchanah
    Title: CFO
   
  SYNERGY CHC CORP.
   
    /s/ Jack Ross
    Name: Jack Ross
    Title: Chairman and CEO

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.22

 

FIFTH AMENDMENT AGREEMENT entered into as of September 30, 2023 (this “Fifth Amendment”),

 

BETWEEN:KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS INTERNATIONAL S.A., a company registered under the laws of Uruguay (formerly known as Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc.);
  
 (hereinafter called the “Lender”)

 

AND:SYNERGY CHC CORP., a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Nevada;
  
 (hereinafter called the “Borrower”)

 

WHEREAS the Borrower and the Lender (then known as Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc., a corporation formed under the laws of Barbados) are parties to that certain loan agreement made as of the 21st day of January, 2015, as amended by a first amending agreement dated November 12, 2015 and the amendment to the first amending agreement dated December 3, 2015, as amended and restated as of the 91h day of August, 2017, as amended by a loan amendment agreement to the amended and restated loan agreement dated May 14, 2018, as amended by a second amendment to the amended and restated loan agreement dated March 27, 2019, as amended by a third amendment to the amended and restated loan agreement dated May 8, 2020 and as amended by a fourth amendment (the “Fourth Amendment”) to the amended and restated loan agreement dated July 7, 2022 (such agreement, as amended, restated, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time as of the date hereof, the “Loan Agreement”);

 

WHEREAS the outstanding principal balance of the Loan Immediately prior to the Fifth Amendment Closing Date was $8,500,000;

 

WHEREAS the Borrower and the Lender have agreed to capitalize and add the all accrued interest, fees and other Obligations or charges outstanding as of the Fifth Amendment Closing Date to the principal amount of the Loan such that the principal balance of the Loan as of the Fifth Amendment Closing Date is $10,260,076;

 

WHEREAS the Borrower has requested certain amendments to the Loan Agreement; and the Lender has agreed to memorialize such amendments on the terms and conditions set forth herein;

 

WHEREAS the Borrower has requested that Lender extend the Maturity Date from September 30, 2023 to October 31, 2023 in accordance with Section 3.1(b) of the Loan Agreement and has paid the applicable Extension Fee and Extension Principal Payment;

 

 

 

 

NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of these presents and of the mutual covenants hereinafter contained, the parties have agreed as follows:

 

ARTICLE 1

INTERPRETATION

 

1.1 Capitalized Terms

 

In this Fifth Amendment (including the recitals), capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Loan Agreement as if amended to include the amendments set out in this Fifth Amendment.

 

1.2 To be Read with Loan Agreement

 

This Fifth Amendment is an amendment to the Loan Agreement. Unless the context of the Fifth Amendment otherwise requires, the Loan Agreement and this Fifth Amendment shall be read together and shall have effect as if the provisions of the Loan Agreement and this Fifth Amendment were contained in one agreement.

 

ARTICLE 2
AMENDMENTS

 

2.1 Amendments to the Loan Agreement

 

The Borrower and the Lender hereby agree to amend the Loan Agreement as follows:

 

2.1.1.1Section 1.1 of the Loan Agreement is amended by inserting or restating the following definitions (as the case may be):

 

“Escrow Agreement” means that certain escrow agreement dated as of the date hereof between Holdco, the Lender and Nelson Muffins, as escrow agent, entered into in connection with the Share Sale (as defined therein) pursuant to which Holdco agrees to sell a portion of its Equity Interests in the Borrower to the Lender on the Maturity Date (including, for certainty, any Extended Maturity Date).

 

“Extension Fee” means an extension fee payable by the Borrower for any exercise of a one month extension pursuant to Section 3.1(b) hereof, in an amount $136,000.

 

“Extension Principal Payment” means a mandatory principal payment in respect of the Loan payable by the Borrower for any exercise of a one month extension pursuant to Section 3.1(b), in an amount of $36,000.

 

“Fifth Amendment Closing Date” means September 30, 2023.

 

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“FF Net Sales” means, with respect to any period, the total amount billed or invoiced on sales of FF Products plus any royalties or milestone payments received or accrued during such period in any jurisdiction by the Borrower or any of its Affiliates, their associated parties and any licensees to unaffiliated third parties in bona fide arm’s length transactions, less the sum of the following deductions, in each case to the extent reasonable and customarily provided to unaffiliated entities and actually allowed and taken or accrued with respect to such sales:

 

a. credits, price adjustments or allowances for damaged products, returns or rejections of any FF Products;

 

b. normal and customary trade, cash and quantity discounts, allowances and credits (other than price discounts granted at the time of invoicing which have already been included in the gross amount invoiced);

 

c. chargeback payments, repayments and rebates (or the equivalent there of) granted to or imposed by group purchasing organizations, managed health care organizations or federal, state/provincial, local and other governments, including any or all of their regulatory authorities, agencies, review boards or tribunals, or trade customers;

 

d. sales, value-added (to the extent not refundable in accordance with Applicable Law), excise Taxes and other Taxes directly related to the sale (but not including Taxes assessed against the income derived from such sale).

 

e. stocking allowances ; and

 

f. any other payment by the applicable party or reduction in amounts receivable from a third party, the effect of which is to reduce gross revenue to the extent permitted to be deducted in calculating net sales in accordance with GAAP,

 

the whole of which shall at all times be calculated in accordance with GAAP.

 

“ FF Products” means, collectively, the products known as FOCUSfactor and FOCUSfactor Kids and any other products of Borrower or its Subsidiaries now or hereafter marketed or sold under the FOCUSfactor brand, and any improvements thereon or accessions thereto.

 

“Holdco” means Gowan Capital, Inc. a Nova Scotia company.

 

“Holdco Pledge Agreement” means the stock pledge agreement dated as of the date hereof granted by Holdco in favour of the Lender as security for the Borrower’s repayment of the Loan.

 

“Loan” means the aggregate principal amount owing by the Borrower to the Lender on account of previous advances under the Loan Agreement and capitalized interest and fees, being $10,260,076 as of the Fifth Amendment Closing Date, and, for certainty, any reference to a Loan or to “the relevant Loan” in this Agreement shall be a reference to the Loan.

 

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“Loan Documents” means (I) this Agreement, as amended hereby, and the Security Documents delivered by the Loan Parties and Holdco pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise in connection with this Agreement, including any Loan Document delivered to Lender as general continuing collateral security for the payment and performance of the present and future Obligations, as well as any amendments, replacements, supplements or other modifications hereto or thereto or any other documents or instruments contemplated hereby or thereby, (ii) all present and future security, agreements and documents labelled by the parties thereto as a Loan Document or that a reasonable Person would determine to be a Loan Document, including, for certainty, the JR Guarantee and the Holdco Pledge Agreement, (iii) all confirmation agreements delivered by the Loan Parties confirming the validity of any of the foregoing Loan Documents and (iv) Lender Distribution Agreements, in each case as the same may from time to time be supplemented, amended or restated, and “Loan Document” shall mean any one of the Loan Documents.

 

“Maturity Date” means September 30, 2023 or, if applicable, any Extended Maturity Date.

 

“Repayment Transaction” means the (X) the sale, licensing or any other disposition whatsoever of all or substantially all of the FOCUSfactor business or assets, (Y) the sale of substantially all of the assets and/or stock of the Borrower and (Z) the refinancing of the Loan with new third party indebtedness (each, a “Repayment Transaction”).

 

2.1.1.2Section 3.1(a) of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

The Borrower shall pay in full to Lender the outstanding principal amount of the Loan, together with all accrued and unpaid interest thereon and any other accrued and unpaid Obligations, on the earliest to occur of., (i) the applicable Maturity Date; and (ii) the date of the acceleration of the Obligations pursuant to Section 11.2 of this Agreement.

 

2.1.1.3Section 3.1(b) (Repayment Schedule) of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower may by (a) written notice to Lender not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the then applicable Maturity Date (the then “Existing Maturity Date’) and (b) payment of the applicable Extension Fee and Extension Principal Payment to the Lender, request that Lender extend the Existing Maturity Date for up to six additional periods of one (1) month. If (i) the Borrower timely delivers such notice to the Lender, (!i) the Borrower pays the applicable Extension Fee and Extension Principal Payment to Lender for the applicable extension, and (iii) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing both at the time of the request for an extension or the effective date of the extension, then the then Existing Maturity Date shall be extended for by one month from the then applicable Existing Maturity Date (the “Extended Maturity Date’) provided, that, for certainty, in no event may the Extended Maturity Date be extended under this Section 3.1(b) to a date later than March 31, 2024). If the Existing Maturity Date is extended pursuant to this Section 3.1(b), the terms and conditions of this Agreement will apply during such extension period.

 

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2.1.1.4Section 3.2 of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

Without the prior written consent of Lender, which may be withheld or conditioned by Lender in its sole discretion, the outstanding principal of Loan shall not be prepaid prior to the applicable Maturity Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Borrower shall be entitled to repay the Loan concurrently with the completion of a Repayment Transaction without the prior written consent of Lender if (i) Borrower has given Lender no less than 30 days prior written notice of such Repayment Transaction, (if) the proceeds of such Repayment Transaction sufficient to, and are used to, effect the indefeasible repayment and performance in full of the Obligations concurrently with the completion of such Repayment Transaction and (iii) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time Borrower gives prior written notice of such Repayment Transaction to Lender or at any time prior to the completion of such Repayment Transaction. Any amounts prepaid or repaid (to the extent permitted by Lender) shall not be re-borrowed and shall be applied (i) firstly in reduction of accrued and unpaid interest and all other amounts then outstanding (other than the principal amount of the Loan, and (ii) thereafter, in reduction of the principal amount of the Loan.

 

2.1.1.5Section 4.1 of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

Subject to Section 4.3, the principal amount of the Loan and other outstanding Obligations relating to the Loan shall bear interest at a rate equal to 15.5% per annum compounded quarterly.

 

2.1.1.6Section 4.2 of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

The Borrower shall pay Lender all accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount of the Loan then outstanding monthly in arrears in cash (via wire transfer) on the last day of each month starting January 31, 2023. For certainty, the final payment date with respect to interest and principal owing under the Loan shall be the Maturity Date.

 

2.1.1.7Section 4.3 of the Loan Agreement Is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

Upon and after the occurrence of an Event of Default under Section 11.1, and during the continuation thereof, the principal amount of the Loan and the other Obligations shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the interest rate otherwise payable pursuant to Section 4.1 plus five percent (5%) and such interest shall be calculated daily and compounded quarterly and shall be payable on demand by Lender.

 

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2.1.1.8Section 4.4 of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

Interest with respect to the Loan shall be determined daily and compounded quarterly not in advance, both before and after demand, default and judgment and shall be computed on a 360-day basis.

 

2.1.1.9Section 8.1(b) of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended by adding the following text after subsection (d):

 

(e) Without limiting the foregoing, the Borrower shall provide the Lender with

 

(1) a rolling weekly thirteen week cash flow forecast, with an explanation of any variance of more than $250,000 with respect to any week covered in a previously-submitted forecast;

 

and each of the following within thirty (30) days of each month end (in each case prepared by an independent financial advisor selected by or otherwise acceptable to the Lender and in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender):

 

(ii) detailed monthly bank statements for all Deposit Accounts of every Loan Party;

 

(iii) monthly consolidated financial statements (balance sheet, income statements and cash flow statements), including detailed consolidations workbooks;

 

(iv) monthly working capital analysis with detailed schedules supporting each item;

 

(v) monthly statement on revenue, gross margin and contribution margin by product; and

 

(vi) monthly revenue and cash flow forecasts for the next nine months.

 

2.1.1.10Section 9.1(z)(i) of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

“(i) Minimum EBITDA. The Borrower shall maintain a minimum EBITDA of US$1,000,000 Million Dollars for the three (3) month period ending on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter starting June 30, 2023.

 

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2.1.1.11Section 9.1 of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended by adding the following immediately after Section 9.1(z)(iv):

 

“(v) FF Net Sales . The Borrower will at all times maintain FF Net Sales measured on a trailing twelve month basis of at least US$30,000,000.

 

2.1.1.12Section 9.1(dd) of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

9.1(dd). Shareholders Agreement. The Lender and each of the other shareholders of the Borrower that own more than five percent (5%) of the Borrower’s issued and outstanding common stock shall to enter into a shareholders’ agreement governing the Borrower (the “Shareholders’ Agreement”) by no later than December 31, 2023, which shall contain customary terms and conditions acceptable to the Lender, including without limitation (0 board representation and governance decisions; (ii) shareholder approval thresholds for corporate decisions and actions including actions outside the ordinary course of business; (iii) definitions of liquidity events and alternative liquidation events and priorities as to distribution of proceeds in such circumstances; (iv) pre-emptive rights, rights of first refusal and tag-along rights; and (v) confidentiality, it being understood that the articles and by-laws of the Borrower shall be amended prior to or concurrently with the effective date of the Shareholders’ Agreement in order to the extent necessary to be consistent therewith; provided that failure to satisfy this obligation to enter the Shareholders’ Agreement will not be a Default or Event of Default, provided that, the foregoing obligation to enter into the Shareholders’ Agreement shall not apply of the shares of the Borrower are listed and posted for trading on a recognized stock exchange in North America on or prior to December 31, 2023.

 

2.1.1.13The following shall be added as 9.1(ee) immediately following 9.1(dd):

 

9.1(ee) Boombod. By October 31, 2023, provide the Lender with satisfactory evidence that Boombod Limited shall have granted the Borrower fully-perfected subordinated Liens on all of its assets as security for indebtedness owing by Boombod Limited to the Borrower.

 

2.1.1.14Section 2.1.1.12 of the Fourth Amendment is hereby amended and restated to read as set forth below, with the result being that (for certainty) Section 9.2 of the Loan Agreement as existed immediately prior to the Fourth Amendment remains in full force and effect, subject to the following:

 

2.1.1.14.1Section 9.2(b) of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

(b) No Consolidation, Amalgamation, Merger, etc. Consolidate, amalgamate or merge with, or convert into, any other Person, export a corporation into a Jurisdiction outside of the United States, purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise acquire any Equity Interests from any shareholder of the Borrower or enters into any corporate reorganization or other transaction intended to effect or otherwise permit a change in its existing corporate or capital structure, liquidate, wind-up or dissolve itself, or permit any liquidation, winding-up or dissolution unless prior written approval has been delivered by Lender and such documentation as is required by counsel to Lender is delivered prior to or concurrently with such transaction, as mandated by counsel.

 

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2.1.1.14.2Section 9.2(n) of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended by adding the following text after the last sentence thereof:

 

Without limiting the foregoing, the aggregate gross compensation (including base salary, bonuses, and the value of equity benefits and any other compensation) payable to Jack Ross or to his Affiliates by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries during the 2023 Fiscal year shall not exceed US$500,000, and no payments to Jack Ross or to his Affiliates by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries on account of any 2022 income since October 27, 2022.

 

2.1.1.14.3Section 9.2 of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended by adding the following text after subsection (u):

 

(t) Expenditures. Notwithstanding anything else set forth herein, not make expenditures or incur obligations or liabilities, absolute or contingent, in excess of $250,000 in the aggregate between the date hereof and the Maturity Date without the written consent of the Lender, other than the purchase of inventory and other reasonable expenditures in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice.

 

2.1.1.15From and as of the Fifth Amendment Closing Date, (i) all references in the Loan Agreement to “this Agreement” shall mean the Loan Agreement as amended by this Fifth Amendment, and as may otherwise be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, and (ii) all references in the other Loan Documents to the “Loan Agreement” (or words of similar import) shall be deemed to be references to the Loan Agreement as amended by this Fifth Amendment, and as may otherwise be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time. All references in any of the Loan Documents to the “Loan Documents” shall mean the Loan Documents as amended by this Fifth Amendment and as may otherwise be amended restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time and, for certainty, shall include any security, agreements and documents executed and delivered by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or by Holdco in connection with this Fifth Amendment or the Loan Agreement. Except as expressly amended by this Fifth Amendment, all other provisions of the Loan Agreement and the Loan Documents not specifically amended hereby shall remain unchanged and in full force and effect.

 

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ARTICLE 3

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

3.1 Representations and Warranties

 

In order to induce the Lender to enter Into this Fifth Amendment, the Borrower represents and warrants to the Lender as of the Fifth Amendment Closing Date as follows, which representations and warranties shall survive the execution and delivery hereof:

 

3.1.1.1after giving effect to the updated disclosure schedules contemplated in subsection 3.1.4 of this Fifth Amendment, the representations and warranties set forth in Article 7 of the Loan Agreement are true and correct as of the Fifth Amendment Closing Date;

 

3.1.1.2all consents and approvals required in connection with the execution and delivery by the Loan Parties and Holdco of this Fifth Amendment and the other Loan Documents contemplated hereby have been obtained;

 

3.1.1.3the execution and delivery of this Fifth Amendment and the other Loan Documents contemplated hereby and the performance of the applicable Loan Parties and Holdco of their obligations under the Loan Documents, as amended, do not conflict with or contravene any agreement to which any Loan Party is a party;

 

3.1.1,4attached to this Fifth Amendment are updated disclosure schedules to the Loan Agreement in connection with each representation set forth In Section 11 of the Loan Agreement, which schedules reflect such representations being current to the Fifth Amendment Closing Date (as contrasted to the Closing Date);

 

3.1.1.5all necessary action, corporate or otherwise, has been taken to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Fifth Amendment and the other Loan Documents contemplated hereby by the Loan Parties and Holdco; and

 

3.1.1.6as of the Fifth Amendment Closing Date, no Default or Event of Default exists and the activities requiring revisions to the disclosure schedules do not reflect events or conditions that comprise a Default or Event of Default.

 

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ARTICLE 4

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT & CLOSING DATE

 

4.1 Conditions Precedent

 

The effectiveness of this Fifth Amendment shall be subject to the following conditions precedent having been met to the satisfaction of the Lender, or, alternatively, waived in writing by the Lender:

 

4.1.1.1the Borrower will pay to the Lender an amendment fee of one million United States Dollars (US$1,000,000) (the “Closing Fee”) in consideration for the Lender’s agreement to amend the Loan Agreement pursuant to this Fifth Amendment, which amendment fee shall be fully earned on the date of this Fifth Amendment and payable on the Maturity Date (and, for certainty, the Closing Fee shall be Included among the “Obligations” as defined in this Agreement and in the other Loan Documents.);

 

4.1.1.2this Agreement shall have been executed and delivered by all parties hereto;

 

4.1.1.3the Borrower shall have provided the Lender with an updated Perfection Certificate which shall be current as of the Fifth Amendment Effective Date and which shall include information regarding all of the Loan Parties and Holdco, provided that, for certainty, the information regarding Holdco may be limited to Information that is relevant to the perfection of the security contemplated by the Holdco Pledge Agreement;

 

4.1.1.4the Borrower shall have provided the Lender with current US and Canadian Lien and other Lender-requested searches regarding the Borrower and Holdco in all relevant jurisdictions, together with reports thereon;

 

4.1.1.5the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and Jack Ross shall have executed and delivered to the Lender a confirmation of guarantee and security agreement;

 

4.1.1.6Holdco and, as applicable, a duly authorized representative of Nelson Mullins, shall have executed and delivered to the Lender the Holdco Pledge Agreement, the Share Sale Agreement and the Escrow Agreement, each in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender;

 

4.1.1.7the Lender shall have received certified copies of the resolutions authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of Borrower’s obligations hereunder and copies of the resolutions of the Borrower authorizing the confirmation of guarantee and security agreement regarding the Loan Documents to which they are a party and the transactions contemplated therein, resolutions of Holdco authorizing the Holdco Pledge Agreement, the Share Sale Agreement and the Escrow Agreement, and the incumbency of the officers of Borrower and Holdco;

 

10

 

 

4.1.1.8certificates of status or good standing, as applicable, for all relevant Jurisdictions of Borrower and Holdco shall have been delivered to the Lender;

 

4.1.1.9the Loan Parties shall be in compliance in all material respects with all (if any) Material Contracts and Material Licences to the satisfaction of the Lender and copies of all Material Contracts and Material Licences if any, applicable to the Loan Parties, shall have been delivered to the Lender;

 

411.10evidence that all necessary or required consents or approvals of any Governmental Authority or other Person in connection the delivery of the Loan Documents have been obtained;

 

4.1.1.11payment of all amounts and fees payable to the Lender (for certainty, including fees of counsel to the Lender), provided that fees of counsel to the Lender (not including taxes and disbursements) accrued as of the date hereof will only be reimbursed to the extent they do not exceed $150,000.00;

 

4.1.1.12a currently dated letter of opinion of US counsel to the Borrower and Canadian counsel to Holdco shall have been delivered to the Lender. Such opinions shall, amongst other things, opine as to the enforceability of this Fifth Amendment, and the Loan Agreement as amended hereby, the Holdco Pledge, the Share Sale Agreement, the Escrow Agreement, that the existing Security delivered in connection with the Loan Agreement is first ranking perfected security in favour of the Lender in respect to all of the Obligations, and shall also address other customary corporate, enforceability, security and corporate matters;

 

4.1.1.13the Borrower shall have delivered to the Lender certificates of insurance acceptable to the Lender showing, inter alia, the Lender as a first loss payee (or additional insured, as requested by the Lender) as its interest may appear on all insurance policies that insure the assets to be secured by the Security;

 

4.1.1.14no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the Fifth Amendment Closing Date;

 

4.1.1.15no Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred;

 

4.1.1.16the Lender shall have received such additional evidence, documents or undertakings as the Lender shall reasonably request to establish the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and be satisfied, acting reasonably, as to the taking of all proceedings in connection herewith in compliance with the conditions set forth in this Fifth Amendment; and

 

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4.1.1.17the Lender shall have completed all due diligence which it considers necessary or appropriate in its discretion in regard to the Loan Parties and their Property, books and records, operations, prospects and condition (financial or otherwise), including, without limitation, In regards to past and ongoing compliance with Applicable Laws (including Environmental Laws), union and labour relations and pension matters, and shall have obtained all internal approvals required under its internal procedures.

 

4.2 Conditions Subsequent

 

The Borrower acknowledges that it has not delivered its Audited Financial Statements for each of the Audited Financial Statements for the 2021 Fiscal Year (the “2021 Audited FS”) and the Audited Financial Statements for the 2022 Fiscal Year (the “2022 Audited FS”) to the Lender as required pursuant to Section 8.1(b) of the Loan Agreement and the Lender has agreed to extend the cure period regarding these obligations until October 31, 2023 in respect of both the 2021 Audited FS and the 2022 Audited FS (the “Audited FS Deadline”) on the condition that such Audited Financial Statements (I) are consistent In all respects with the unaudited Financial Statements previously provided by the Borrower to the Lender and (II) are otherwise satisfactory and form and substance to the Lender. For certainty, the Borrower acknowledges and agrees that, notwithstanding anything else set forth in the Loan Agreement or any Loan Document, the failure by the Borrower to deliver the 2021 Audited FS or the 2022 Audited FS by the Audited FS Deadline shall constitute an Event of Default.

 

ARTICLE 5

MISCELLANEOUS

 

5.1 Further Assurances

 

Each of the Borrower and the Lender shall, from time to time hereafter and upon any reasonable request of the other party, execute and deliver such further agreements and documents and do all such other acts and things as may be necessary or appropriate to give effect to the foregoing.

 

5.2 Time of the Essence

 

Time shall be of the essence of this Fifth Amendment.

 

5.3 Severability

 

If any provision of this Fifth Amendment is found by final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part, such provision (or part thereof, as the case may be) shall be severable and such finding shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of such provision or of any other provision hereof.

 

5.4 Enurement

 

This Fifth Amendment shall enure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their permitted assigns.

 

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5.5 Counterparts

 

This Fifth Amendment may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which, taken together, shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

5.6 Paramountcy

 

In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Fifth Amendment and the terms and conditions of any other Loan Document, including the Loan Agreement, the terms and conditions of this Fifth Amendment shall prevail and be paramount to the extent of such conflict or inconsistency.

 

5.7 Continuance of Loan Agreement and Security

 

The Loan Agreement, as changed, altered, amended or modified by this Fifth Amendment, shall be and continue in full force and effect and is hereby confirmed and the rights and obligations of all parties thereunder shall not be affected or prejudiced in any manner except as specifically provided for herein. Nothing in this Fifth Amendment shall constitute a release, settlement, extinguishment, rescission or novation of any indebtedness or Loan outstanding under the Loan Agreement and all advances outstanding under the Loan Agreement shall continue as advances following the execution and delivery of this Fifth Amendment. Without limiting the foregoing, the Borrower hereby acknowledges and confirms that shall comply with and that it is subject to

 

5.8 Performance; No Lender Defaults.

 

The Borrower confirms that the Lender has fully and timely performed all of its respective obligations and duties in compliance with the Loan Documents and applicable law, and has acted reasonably and in good faith. In further consideration of the Lender’s execution of this Fifth Amendment, the Borrower, on behalf of itself, its successors, assigns, affiliates, members, officers, directors, employees, agents and attorneys hereby forever, fully, unconditionally and irrevocably waive and release the Lender, and the respective successors, assigns, parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors, employees, attorneys and agents of each (each a “Releasee”) from any and all claims, liabilities, obligations, debts, causes of action (whether at law or in equity or otherwise), defenses, counterclaims, setoffs, of any kind, whether known or (to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law) unknown, whether liquidated or unliquidated, matured or unmatured, fixed or contingent, directly or indirectly arising out of, connected with, resulting from or related to any act or omission by the Lender, or any other Releasee, with respect to the Loan Documents and any collateral, other than Lender’s or any Releasee’s gross negligence or willful misconduct, on or before the date of this Fifth Amendment (collectively, the “Claims”). Borrower further agrees that it shall not commence, institute, or prosecute any lawsuit, action or other proceeding, whether judicial, administrative or otherwise, to collect or enforce any Claim.

 

5.9 Choice of Governing Law and Construction.

 

Except as expressly set forth therein, pursuant to Section 5-1401 of the New York General Obligations Law, this Fifth Amendment and the other Loan Documents (unless expressly stated otherwise in the other Loan Documents) shall be governed by the Laws of the State of New York therein as to interpretation, enforcement, validity, construction, effect, and in all other respects, including, without limitation, the legality of the interest rate and other charges, but excluding perfection and realization of the security interests and hypothecs in the Collateral, which shall be governed and controlled by the laws of the relevant jurisdiction.

 

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5.10 Attornment.

 

Pursuant to Section 5-1402 of the New York General Obligations Law, the parties hereto irrevocably submit and attorn to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York and the United States courts for the Southern District of New York for all matters arising out of, or in connection with, this Fifth Amendment and the other Loan Documents.

 

5.11 Waiver of Jury Trial

 

EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT, BREACH OF DUTY, COMMON LAW, STATUTE OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION. EACH PARTY HERETO FURTHER REPRESENTS AND WARRANTS THAT IT HAS REVIEWED THIS WAIVER WITH ITS LEGAL COUNSEL AND THAT IT KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY WAIVES ITS JURY TRIAL RIGHTS FOLLOWING CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL,

 

5.12 Language

 

The parties acknowledge that they have requested that this Fifth Amendment and all ancillary documents be drawn up in the English language only. Les parties reconnaissent avoir exige que cette convention ainsi que tons les documents y relies soienf rediges en anglais seulement.

 

(signature page follows)

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties hereto have duly executed this Fifth Amendment as of the date and at the place first hereinabove set forth.

 

  KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS INTERNATIONAL S.A.
     
  By: /s/ Arvind Utchanah
  Name: Arvind Utchanah
  Title: CFO
     
  SYNERGY CHC CORP.
   
  By: /s/ Jack Ross
  Name: Jack Ross
  Title: Chairman & CEO

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.23

 

SIXTH AMENDMENT AGREEMENT entered into as June 6, 2024 (this “Sixth Amendment”),

 

BETWEEN: KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS INTERNATIONAL S.A., a company registered under the laws of Uruguay (formerly known as Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc.);
   
  (hereinafter called the “Lender”)
   
AND:SYNERGY CHC CORP., a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Nevada;
  
 (hereinafter called the “Borrower”)

 

WHEREAS the Borrower and the Lender (then known as Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc., a corporation formed under the laws of Barbados) are parties to that certain loan agreement made as of the 21st day of January, 2015, as amended by a first amending agreement dated November 12, 2015 and the amendment to the first amending agreement dated December 3, 2015, as amended and restated as of the 9th day of August, 2017, as amended by a loan amendment agreement to the amended and restated loan agreement dated May 14, 2018, as amended by a second amendment to the amended and restated loan agreement dated March 27, 2019, as amended by a third amendment to the amended and restated loan agreement dated May 8, 2020, as amended by a fourth amendment to the amended and restated loan agreement dated July 7, 2022 and as amended by a fifth amendment to the amended and restated loan agreement dated as of September 30, 2023 (such agreement, as amended, restated, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time as of the date hereof, the “Loan Agreement”);

 

WHEREAS the outstanding principal balance of the Loan immediately prior to the Sixth Amendment Closing Date was US$11,163,326;

 

WHEREAS as of March 31, 2024, the Borrower was indebted to Knight Therapeutics Inc. (“Knight”), an affiliate of the Lender, for an amount of US$1,169,727 on account of (i) outstanding licensing fees and arrears for royalty payments owing by the Borrower to Knight pursuant to that certain distribution, license and supply agreement dated January 22, 2015 between the Borrower and Knight, as amended and (ii) a balance of sale owing by the Borrower to the Knight pursuant to an Asset Purchase Agreement dated June 26, 2015 between Borrower (formerly Neuragen Corp) and Knight (collectively, the “Transferred Synergy Liabilities”),

 

WHEREAS on May 1, 2024, Knight assigned its right, title and interest to the claims against the Borrower in respect of the Transferred Synergy Liabilities to the Lender and, as such, the Borrower owes the Transferred Synergy Liabilities to the Lender;

 

 

 

 

WHEREAS the Borrower and the Lender have agreed to capitalize and add the Transferred Synergy Liabilities to the principal amount of the Loan such that the principal balance of the Loan as of the Sixth Amendment Closing Date is US$12,333,053;

 

WHEREAS the Borrower has requested certain other amendments to the Loan Agreement, and the Lender has agreed to memorialize such amendments on the terms and conditions set forth herein;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of these presents and of the mutual covenants hereinafter contained, the parties have agreed as follows:

 

ARTICLE 1

INTERPRETATION

 

1.1Capitalized Terms

 

In this Sixth Amendment (including the recitals), capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Loan Agreement as if amended to include the amendments set out in this Sixth Amendment.

 

1.2To be Read with Loan Agreement

 

This Sixth Amendment is an amendment to the Loan Agreement. Unless the context of the Sixth Amendment otherwise requires, the Loan Agreement and this Sixth Amendment shall be read together and shall have effect as if the provisions of the Loan Agreement and this Sixth Amendment were contained in one agreement.

 

ARTICLE 2

AMENDMENTS

 

2.1Amendments to the Loan Agreement

 

The Borrower and the Lender hereby agree to amend the Loan Agreement as follows:

 

2.1.1.1Section 1.1 of the Loan Agreement is amended by deleting the definitions of “Extension Fee” and “Extension Principal Payment” and by inserting or restating the following definitions (as the case may be):

 

Escrow Agreement” means that certain escrow agreement dated as of the date hereof between Holdco, the Lender and Nelson Mullins, as escrow agent, entered into in connection with the Share Sale (as defined therein).

 

Loan” means the aggregate principal amount owing by the Borrower to the Lender on account of previous advances under the Loan Agreement and capitalized interest and fees, and including the Transferred Synergy Liabilities assigned to the Lender, being US$12,333,053 as of the Sixth Amendment Closing Date, and, for certainty, any reference to a Loan or to “the relevant Loan” in this Agreement shall be a reference to the Loan.

 

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Loan Documents” means (i) this Agreement, as amended hereby, and the Security Documents delivered by the Loan Parties and Holdco pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise in connection with this Agreement, including any Loan Document delivered to Lender as general continuing collateral security for the payment and performance of the present and future Obligations, as well as any amendments, replacements, supplements or other modifications hereto or thereto or any other documents or instruments contemplated hereby or thereby, (ii) all present and future security, agreements and documents labelled by the parties thereto as a Loan Document or that a reasonable Person would determine to be a Loan Document, including, for certainty, the JR Guarantee (iii) all confirmation agreements delivered by the Loan Parties confirming the validity of any of the foregoing Loan Documents, (iv) the Share Sale Agreement and the Escrow Agreement, and (v) Lender Distribution Agreements, in each case as the same may from time to time be supplemented, amended or restated, and “Loan Document” shall mean any one of the Loan Documents.

 

Maturity Date” means March 31, 2026.

 

Modification Agreement” means that certain Modification Agreement dated as of March 31, 2024 between the Borrower and Sanders Morris Harris, LLC, in its capacity as representative of the Noteholders.

 

New Equity Financingmeans an offering or offerings of the Borrower’s Equity Securities or securities convertible into Equity Securities after the date hereof of at least US$5,000,000 in the aggregate, excluding, for greater certainty, a Public Offering.

 

Noteholders” has the meaning set forth in the Modification

 

Agreement. “Permitted Debt” means:

 

i.Debt under this Agreement;

 

ii.Debt in respect of Purchase Money Security Interests and Capital Leases in an outstanding amount not to exceed $250,000 in aggregate at any time;

 

iii.Debt consented to in writing by Lender from time to time and subject to the terms imposed by Lender in connection with such consent;

 

iv.to the extent included as Debt, accounts payable that arise, and accrued expenses incurred in, the ordinary course of business;

 

v.the Shopify Debt in an outstanding amount not to exceed $500,000 in aggregate at any time, and subject to the conditions set forth in Section 9.1 (gg) of this Agreement; and

 

vi.Debt incurred by a Subsidiary of the Borrower in accordance Section 2.2(d).

 

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Public Offering” means the initial public offering of any class of shares in the capital of the Borrower or securities in the capital of another Person formed for the purpose of taking the business of the Borrower public or another transaction, as a result of which (in either case) any class of shares in the capital of the Borrower (or the securities in the capital of another Person issued in exchange for all outstanding shares in the capital of the Borrower and/or issued as consideration for the sale or transfer by the Borrower of all or substantially all of its assets) are listed and posted for trading, traded or quoted on the Toronto Stock Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ National Market or any other stock exchange, market or quotation system approved by the Lender.

 

Sanders Incentive Fee” means the incentive fee described in Section 14 of Exhibit “A” to the Modification Agreement.

 

Share Sale Agreement” means that certain purchase and sale agreement dated as of the date hereof between Holdco and the Lender pursuant to which Holdco agrees to sell the Purchased Shares (as defined therein) to the Lender subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein.

 

Shopify Debt” means the Debt owing from time to time by the Borrower to WebBank, a Utah-chartered industrial bank, pursuant to that certain merchant loan agreement between WebBank and the Borrower entered into on January 14, 2024 and such other loan documentation between the Borrower and WebBank entered into from time to time (provided copies thereof have been providing to the Lender).

 

“Sixth Amendment Closing Date” means May 30, 2024.

 

Transferred Synergy Liabilities” has the meaning set forth in the sixth amendment to the amended and restated loan agreement between the Borrower and the Lender dated as of the Sixth Amendment Closing Date.

 

2.1.1.2Section 3.1(b) (Repayment Schedule) of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

In addition to the interest payments set forth in Section 4.2, the Borrower shall pay to the Lender on account of principal of the Loan US$1,000,000 at the end of the Fiscal Quarters ending March 31, 2025, June 30, 2025, September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2025, with the outstanding balance of the Loan being due on the Maturity Date.

 

2.1.1.3Section 4.1 of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

Subject to Section 4.3, the principal amount of the Loan and other outstanding Obligations relating to the Loan shall bear interest at a rate equal to 12% per annum compounded quarterly.

 

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2.1.1.4Section 4.2 of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

The Borrower shall pay Lender all accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount of the Loan then outstanding monthly in arrears in cash (via wire transfer) on the last day of each month. For certainty, the final payment date with respect to app payments owing under the Loan (other than the Bonus Success Fee) shall be the Maturity Date.

 

2.1.1.5The following is hereby added immediately after Section 4.11:

 

4.12 Incentive Fee.

 

As additional consideration for the Lender agreeing to the extension of the Maturity Date as provided herein, the Borrower shall to pay to the Lender a fee in an amount equal to the Sanders Incentive Fee, which such fee shall be fully earned at the date the Sanders Incentive Fee is paid and becomes concurrently due to Lender.

 

2.1.1.6Section 9.1(o) of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

Perfection Certificate and Schedules. The Borrower shall provide Lender with an updated Perfection Certificate and updated disclosure schedules upon any material change to the information set forth therein and in any event, no later than forty-five (45) days after the end of each Fiscal Quarter.

 

2.1.1.7Section 9.1(z)(i) of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

“(i) Minimum EBITDA. The Borrower shall maintain a minimum EBITDA of US$1,250,000 Million Dollars for the three (3) month period ending on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter starting March 31, 2024.

 

2.1.1.8Section 9.1(dd) of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

9.1(dd). Shareholders Agreement. The Lender and each of the other shareholders of the Borrower that own more than five percent (5%) of the Borrower’s issued and outstanding common stock shall to enter into a shareholders’ agreement governing the Borrower (the “Shareholders’ Agreement”) by no later than June 30, 2024, which shall contain customary terms and conditions acceptable to the Lender, including without limitation (i) shareholder approval thresholds for corporate decisions and actions including actions outside the ordinary course of business; (ii) definitions of liquidity events and alternative liquidation events and priorities as to distribution of proceeds in such circumstances; (iii) pre-emptive rights, rights of first refusal and tag-along rights; and (iv) confidentiality, it being understood that the articles and by-laws of the Borrower shall be amended prior to or concurrently with the effective date of the Shareholders’ Agreement in order to the extent necessary to be consistent therewith; provided that failure to satisfy this obligation to enter the Shareholders’ Agreement will not be a Default or Event of Default, provided that, the foregoing obligation to enter into the Shareholders’ Agreement shall not apply if the shares of the Borrower are listed and posted for trading on a recognized stock exchange or Nasdaq Market in North America on or prior to June 30, 2024.

 

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2.1.1.9The following is hereby added immediately after Section 9.1(dd):

 

9.1(ee). The Borrower shall complete the New Equity Financing on or prior to March 31, 2025 (time being of the essence), which, as to the first $5,000,000, shall not dilute the Lender’s ownership interest in the Borrower below 10% on a fully diluted basis, failing which the Borrower will become liable to pay the Lender a fee in the amount of US$1,000,000, which amount shall be fully earned as of March 31, 2025 and added to the principal of the Loan as of such date.

 

9.1(ff). Upon the sale, licensing or any other disposition whatsoever of all or substantially all of the FOCUSfactor business or assets or the sale of substantially all of the assets and/or stock of the Borrower in one or more related transactions, including by way of merger, consolidation or any other “corporate” transaction(s) (a “Sale Transaction”), the Borrower shall pay (at the closing of the Sale Transaction) a success fee in the amount of US$1,800,000 to the Lender (the “Bonus Success Fee”). The obligation of the Borrower to pay the Bonus Success Fee shall survive the repayment of the Loan and/or the termination of this Agreement, provided that no Bonus Success Fee shall be payable if the Borrower effects a Public Offering and receives gross proceeds of no less than US$10 million in the aggregate through the issuance of equity at pre-money valuation of no less than US$50 million.

 

9.1(gg). The Borrower shall repay in full and terminate the Shopify Debt by no later than December 31, 2024, from which date the Shopify Debt shall cease to be Permitted Debt. Notwithstanding the foregoing, The Borrower shall immediately notify Lender as soon as it becomes aware WebBank has perfected any security interest in respect of the Shopify Debt. Should WebBank perfect its security interest in respect of the Shopify Debt, Borrower shall have thirty (30) days from the date of perfection to repay in full and terminate the Shopify Debt, and deliver to Lender evidence of discharge of any Liens granted in favour of WebBank.

 

2.1.1.10The last sentence of Section 9.2(n) of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated as follows:

 

Without limiting the foregoing, the aggregate gross compensation (including base salary, bonuses, and the value of equity benefits and any other compensation) payable to Jack Ross or to his Affiliates by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries during any Fiscal year shall not exceed US$500,000, until such time as the Borrower shall be listed on a publicly traded stock exchange; in which case Jack Ross’s compensation may be decided by the compensation committee of the Borrower.

 

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2.1.1.11Article 11 of the Loan Agreement is amended by adding the following to the end of Section 11.1:

 

(t) the failure of the Borrower to complete the New Equity Financing by March 31, 2025; or

 

(u) without limiting Section 11.1(b), the failure of the Borrower to pay when due any amounts owing to any Affiliates of the Lender pursuant to Lender Distribution Agreements; or

 

(v) failure of the Borrower to repay the Shopify Debt in accordance with Section 9.1(gg) of this Agreement.

 

2.1.1.12From and as of the Sixth Amendment Closing Date, (i) all references in the Loan Agreement to “this Agreement” shall mean the Loan Agreement as amended by this Sixth Amendment, and as may otherwise be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, and (ii) all references in the other Loan Documents to the “Loan Agreement” (or words of similar import) shall be deemed to be references to the Loan Agreement as amended by this Sixth Amendment, and as may otherwise be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time. All references in any of the Loan Documents to the “Loan Documents” shall mean the Loan Documents as amended by this Sixth Amendment and as may otherwise be amended restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time and, for certainty, shall include any security, agreements and documents executed and delivered by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or by Holdco in connection with this Sixth Amendment or the Loan Agreement. Except as expressly amended by this Sixth Amendment, all other provisions of the Loan Agreement and the Loan Documents not specifically amended hereby shall remain unchanged and in full force and effect.

 

ARTICLE 3

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

3.1Representations and Warranties

 

In order to induce the Lender to enter into this Sixth Amendment, the Borrower represents and warrants to the Lender as of the Sixth Amendment Closing Date as follows, which representations and warranties shall survive the execution and delivery hereof:

 

3.1.1.1after giving effect to the updated disclosure schedules contemplated in subsection 3.1.4 of this Sixth Amendment, the representations and warranties set forth in Article 7 of the Loan Agreement are true and correct as of the Sixth Amendment Closing Date;

 

3.1.1.2all consents and approvals required in connection with the execution and delivery by the Loan Parties and Holdco of this Sixth Amendment and the other Loan Documents contemplated hereby have been obtained;

 

3.1.1.3the execution and delivery of this Sixth Amendment and the other Loan Documents contemplated hereby and the performance of the applicable Loan Parties and Holdco of their obligations under the Loan Documents, as amended, do not conflict with or contravene any agreement to which any Loan Party is a party;

 

3.1.1.4attached to this Sixth Amendment are updated disclosure schedules to the Loan Agreement in connection with each representation set forth in Section 11 of the Loan Agreement, which schedules reflect such representations being current to the Sixth Amendment Closing Date (as contrasted to the Closing Date);

 

3.1.1.5all necessary action, corporate or otherwise, has been taken to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Sixth Amendment and the other Loan Documents contemplated hereby by the Loan Parties and Holdco; and

 

3.1.1.6as of the Sixth Amendment Closing Date, no Default or Event of Default exists and the activities requiring revisions to the disclosure schedules do not reflect events or conditions that comprise a Default or Event of Default.

 

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ARTICLE 4

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT & CLOSING DATE

 

4.1Conditions Precedent

 

The effectiveness of this Sixth Amendment shall be subject to the following conditions precedent having been met to the satisfaction of the Lender, or, alternatively, waived in writing by the Lender:

 

4.1.1.1the Borrower will pay to the Lender a work fee of US$50,000 in consideration for the Lender’s agreement to amend the Loan Agreement pursuant to this Sixth Amendment, which amendment fee shall be fully earned and payable on the Sixth Amendment Closing Date;

 

4.1.1.2this Agreement shall have been executed and delivered by all parties hereto;

 

4.1.1.3the Borrower shall have provided the Lender with an updated Perfection Certificate which shall be current as of the Sixth Amendment Closing Date and which shall include information regarding all of the Loan Parties;

 

4.1.1.4the Borrower shall have provided the Lender with current US and Canadian Lien and other Lender-requested searches regarding the Borrower and Holdco in all relevant jurisdictions, together with reports thereon;

 

4.1.1.5the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and Jack Ross shall have executed and delivered to the Lender a confirmation of guarantee and security agreement;

 

4.1.1.6Holdco and, as applicable, a duly authorized representative of Nelson Mullins, shall have executed and delivered to the Lender the Share Sale Agreement and the Escrow Agreement, each in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender;

 

4.1.1.7the Lender shall have received certified copies of the resolutions authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of Borrower’s obligations hereunder and copies of the resolutions of the Borrower authorizing the confirmation of guarantee and security agreement regarding the Loan Documents to which they are a party and the transactions contemplated therein, resolutions of Holdco authorizing the Share Sale Agreement and the Escrow Agreement, and the incumbency of the officers of Borrower and Holdco;

 

4.1.1.8certificates of status or good standing, as applicable, for all relevant jurisdictions of Borrower and Holdco shall have been delivered to the Lender;

 

4.1.1.9the Loan Parties shall be in compliance in all material respects with all (if any) Material Contracts and Material Licences to the satisfaction of the Lender and copies of all Material Contracts and Material Licences if any, applicable to the Loan Parties, shall have been delivered to the Lender;

 

4.1.1.10evidence that all necessary or required consents or approvals of any Governmental Authority or other Person in connection the delivery of the Loan Documents have been obtained;

 

4.1.1.11a currently dated letter of opinion of US counsel to the Borrower and Canadian counsel to Holdco shall have been delivered to the Lender. Such opinions shall, amongst other things, opine as to the enforceability of this Sixth Amendment, and the Loan Agreement as amended hereby, and the Share Sale Agreement, the Escrow Agreement, that the existing Security delivered in connection with the Loan Agreement is first ranking perfected security in favour of the Lender in respect to all of the Obligations and shall also address other customary corporate, enforceability, security and corporate matters;

 

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4.1.1.12the Borrower shall have delivered to the Lender certificates of insurance acceptable to the Lender showing, inter alia, the Lender as a first loss payee (or additional insured, as requested by the Lender) as its interest may appear on all insurance policies that insure the assets to be secured by the Security;

 

4.1.1.13no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the Sixth Amendment Closing Date;

 

4.1.1.14no Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred;

 

4.1.1.15the Lender shall have received such additional evidence, documents or undertakings as the Lender shall reasonably request to establish the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and be satisfied, acting reasonably, as to the taking of all proceedings in connection herewith in compliance with the conditions set forth in this Sixth Amendment; and

 

4.1.1.16the Lender shall have completed all due diligence which it considers necessary or appropriate in its discretion in regard to the Loan Parties and their Property, books and records, operations, prospects and condition (financial or otherwise), including, without limitation, in regards to past and ongoing compliance with Applicable Laws (including Environmental Laws), union and labour relations and pension matters, and shall have obtained all internal approvals required under its internal procedures.

 

4.2Post-Closing

 

The effectiveness of this Sixth Amendment shall be subject to the following conditions subsequent having been met to the satisfaction of the Lender, or, alternatively, waived in writing by the Lender:

 

4.2.1.1within one hundred eighty (180) days of the Sixth Amendment Closing Date (the “Post-Closing Period”), the Borrower shall provide to the Lender current US Lien and other Lender-requested searches regarding the Borrower in all relevant jurisdictions, together with reports thereon, evidencing clear tax status for the Borrower in all jurisdictions. In no event shall the outstanding amount of tax Liens registered against the Borrower during the Post-Closing Period exceed $1,200,000 in the aggregate at any time.

 

ARTICLE 5

MISCELLANEOUS

 

5.1Further Assurances

 

Each of the Borrower and the Lender shall, from time to time hereafter and upon any reasonable request of the other party, execute and deliver such further agreements and documents and do all such other acts and things as may be necessary or appropriate to give effect to the foregoing.

 

5.2Time of the Essence

 

Time shall be of the essence of this Sixth Amendment.

 

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5.3Severability

 

If any provision of this Sixth Amendment is found by final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part, such provision (or part thereof, as the case may be) shall be severable and such finding shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of such provision or of any other provision hereof.

 

5.4Enurement

 

This Sixth Amendment shall enure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their permitted assigns.

 

5.5Counterparts

 

This Sixth Amendment may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which, taken together, shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

5.6Paramountcy

 

In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Sixth Amendment and the terms and conditions of any other Loan Document, including the Loan Agreement, the terms and conditions of this Sixth Amendment shall prevail and be paramount to the extent of such conflict or inconsistency.

 

5.7Continuance of Loan Agreement and Security

 

The Loan Agreement, as changed, altered, amended or modified by this Sixth Amendment, shall be and continue in full force and effect and is hereby confirmed and the rights and obligations of all parties thereunder shall not be affected or prejudiced in any manner except as specifically provided for herein. Nothing in this Sixth Amendment shall constitute a release, settlement, extinguishment, rescission or novation of any indebtedness or Loan outstanding under the Loan Agreement and all advances outstanding under the Loan Agreement shall continue as advances following the execution and delivery of this Sixth Amendment. Without limiting the foregoing, the Borrower hereby acknowledges and confirms that shall comply with and that it is subject to

 

5.8Performance; No Lender Defaults.

 

The Borrower confirms that the Lender has fully and timely performed all of its respective obligations and duties in compliance with the Loan Documents and applicable law, and has acted reasonably and in good faith. In further consideration of the Lender’s execution of this Sixth Amendment, the Borrower, on behalf of itself, its successors, assigns, affiliates, members, officers, directors, employees, agents and attorneys hereby forever, fully, unconditionally and irrevocably waive and release the Lender, and the respective successors, assigns, parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors, employees, attorneys and agents of each (each a “Releasee”) from any and all claims, liabilities, obligations, debts, causes of action (whether at law or in equity or otherwise), defenses, counterclaims, setoffs, of any kind, whether known or (to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law) unknown, whether liquidated or unliquidated, matured or unmatured, fixed or contingent, directly or indirectly arising out of, connected with, resulting from or related to any act or omission by the Lender, or any other Releasee, with respect to the Loan Documents and any collateral, other than Lender’s or any Releasee’s gross negligence or willful misconduct, on or before the date of this Sixth Amendment (collectively, the “Claims”). Borrower further agrees that it shall not commence, institute, or prosecute any lawsuit, action or other proceeding, whether judicial, administrative or otherwise, to collect or enforce any Claim.

 

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5.9Choice of Governing Law and Construction.

 

Except as expressly set forth therein, pursuant to Section 5-1401 of the New York General Obligations Law, this Sixth Amendment and the other Loan Documents (unless expressly stated otherwise in the other Loan Documents) shall be governed by the Laws of the State of New York therein as to interpretation, enforcement, validity, construction, effect, and in all other respects, including, without limitation, the legality of the interest rate and other charges, but excluding perfection and realization of the security interests and hypothecs in the Collateral, which shall be governed and controlled by the laws of the relevant jurisdiction.

 

5.10Attornment.

 

Pursuant to Section 5-1402 of the New York General Obligations Law, the parties hereto irrevocably submit and attorn to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York and the United States courts for the Southern District of New York for all matters arising out of, or in connection with, this Sixth Amendment and the other Loan Documents.

 

5.11Waiver of Jury Trial

 

EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT, BREACH OF DUTY, COMMON LAW, STATUTE OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION. EACH PARTY HERETO FURTHER REPRESENTS AND WARRANTS THAT IT HAS REVIEWED THIS WAIVER WITH ITS LEGAL COUNSEL AND THAT IT KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY WAIVES ITS JURY TRIAL RIGHTS FOLLOWING CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL.

 

5.12Language

 

The parties acknowledge that they have requested that this Sixth Amendment and all ancillary documents be drawn up in the English language only. Les parties reconnaissent avoir exigé que cette convention ainsi que tous les documents y reliés soient rédigés en anglais seulement.

 

(signature page follows)

 

-11-

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties hereto haVe duly executed this SiXth Amendenent as of the date and at the place.first .hereinabove set forth.

 

  KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS INTERNATIONAL S.A.
   
  by: /s/ Arvind Utchanah
    Name:  Arvind Utchanah
    Title: CFO

 

  SYNERGY CHC CORP.
   
  by: /s/ Jack Ross
    Name:  Jack Ross
    Title: Chairman and CEO

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULES*

 

Schedule 7.1(f) - Intellectual Property

 

Schedule 7.1(h) - Current and Prior Names

 

Schedule 7.1(i) - Subsidiaries

 

Schedule 7.1(j) - Litigation

 

Schedule 7.1(k) - Material Contracts and Material Licenses

 

Schedule 7.1(p) - Taxes

 

Schedule 7.1(s) - Location of Collateral

 

Schedule 7.1(t) - Owned Real Property

 

Schedule 7.1(u) - Leased Real Property

 

Schedule 7.1(v) - Deposit Accounts and Security Accounts

 

Schedule 7.1(x) - Labor Matters

 

Schedule 7.1(z) - Pension Plans

 

Schedule 7.1(bb) - Insurance

 

Schedule 7.1(kk) - Regulatory Matters

 

*The listed schedules have been omitted from this Exhibit 10.23 pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. Synergy CHC Corp. hereby undertakes to furnish supplementally copies of any of the omitted schedules upon request by the SEC.

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.24

 

DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
(Canada)

 

THIS AGREEMENT, effective February 15, 2016, by and among KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS INC. (“Knight”), a corporation incorporated under the laws of Canada, and NOMAD CHOICE PTY LTD. (“Nomad”), a corporation formed under the laws of Australia.

 

WHEREAS Synergy CHC Corp. (“Synergy”) and Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc. (“KB”) are parties to that certain distribution, license and supply agreement dated January 22, 2015 as may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, including by amendment and confirmation agreement dated December 3, 2015 to which amendment Nomad and Breakthrough Products, Inc. were also parties (collectively the “DLS Agreement”);

 

WHEREAS pursuant to the DLS Agreement, Synergy, for itself and on behalf of its Affiliates, has named KB its exclusive distributor of Licensed Products in the Territory;

 

WHEREAS Synergy has acquired all of the shares of Nomad effective November 16, 2015 and, as and from that date, Nomad became an Affiliate;

 

WHEREAS pursuant to the amendment and confirmation agreement dated December 3, 2015 and referred to above, Nomad confirmed that the terms and conditions of the DLS Agreement apply to it and its products;

 

WHEREAS KB assigned all of its rights under the DLS Agreement in respect of Licensed Products in Canada to Knight;

 

WHEREAS FT Products (as herein defined) are included amongst the Licensed Products;

 

WHEREAS Knight wishes to enter into this distribution agreement with Nomad in respect of Direct Channel Sales of FT Products in Canada;

 

NOW THEREFORE in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:

 

1DEFINITIONS

 

1.1Definitions. Unless the context otherwise indicates, defined terms used in this Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the DLS Agreement.

 

1.2The following terms as used hereinafter in this Agreement shall have the meaning set forth in this Section:

 

“Cost of Goods” means Knight’s cost of manufacture, packaging and/or purchase of FT Products and supply of same to Nomad under this Agreement. For greater certainty, where Knight purchases FT Products from a Manufacturer, the Cost of Goods will be the amount paid by Knight to the Manufacturer.

 

Direct Channels Sales” means the Commercialization of FT Products in Canada directly to consumers from a website or any other direct-to-consumer sales channel.

 

FT Products” means the “Flat Tummy Tea” line of products as now or may in the future be Commercialized by Nomad or its Affiliates (including future line extensions relating thereto) and other tea or beverage products and related accessories Commercialized from time to time by Nomad or any company or entity controlled by Nomad. For greater certainty, the “Flat Tummy Tea” line of products shall include any products and accessories that are Commercialized under the “Flat Tummy” trademark and/or tradename (or any variations thereof) together with any tea products and related accessories, or any beverage products that are marketed to reduce bloating.

 

 

 

Gross Sales” means the gross invoiced sales price for FT Products sold by Nomad or its Affiliates, as applicable, to Third Parties throughout Canada during each Calendar Quarter, less only (1) the shipping and handling charges that are actually incurred by Nomad or its Affiliates in delivering such FT Products to the end users in Canada and (ii) sales, value added and other similar taxes that are included in the gross invoiced sales price of FT Products. Sales between or among Nomad and its Affiliates shall be excluded from the computation of Gross Sales, but Gross Sales shall include the subsequent final sales to Third Parties by any such Affiliates. Where (a) FT Products are sold by Nomad or its Affiliates other than in an arm’s length sale, (b) FT Products are sold as one of a number of items without a separate invoiced price; or (c) consideration for FT Products shall include any non-cash element, the Gross Sales applicable to any such transaction shall be deemed to be Nomad’s average Gross Sales to Third Parties for the applicable quantity of FT Products at that time.

 

1.3Other Definitional and Agreement References. References to any agreement, contract, statute, act, or regulation are to that agreement, contract, statute, act, or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof.

 

1.4Ambiguities. Ambiguities, if any, in this Agreement shall not be construed against any Party, irrespective of which Party may be deemed to have authored the ambiguous provision.

 

1.5Sections and Headings. The term “Section” refers to the specified Section of this Agreement, unless otherwise specified. Headings and captions of the Sections hereof are for convenience only and are not to be used in the interpretation of this Agreement.

 

1.6Canadian Dollars. References in this Agreement to “Dollars” or “s” shall mean the legal tender of Canada, unless otherwise noted.

 

1.7Gender. Words of one gender include the other gender.

 

1.8Include, Includes, Including. Whenever the words “include”, “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”, whether or not they are in fact followed by those words or words of like import.

 

1.9 Joint and Several Obligations. Unless specified otherwise in this Agreement, the obligations of any Party consisting of more than one person are joint and several.
   
1.10 Number of Days. Whenever this Agreement refers to a number of days, unless otherwise specified, such number shall refer to calendar days.
   
1.11 Party References. Reference to any Party includes the successors and permitted assigns of that Party.
   
1.12 Singular/Plural. Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number, respectively.
   
2 DISTRIBUTION TERMS
   
2.1 Distribution. Subject to the terms of the Agreement, Knight on behalf of itself and its Affiliates, hereby appoints Nomad as its exclusive Third Party distributor of FT Products for Canada solely and exclusively in respect of Direct Channel Sales and further grants to Nomad and Nomad hereby accepts for Canada and solely and exclusively in respect of Direct Channel Sales a non-exclusive sublicense under the Synergy Marks used in association with FT Products to Commercialize FT Products through Direct Channel Sales in Canada. For greater certainty, the said appointment shall not limit the right of Knight (directly or through its Affiliates) to distribute FT Products in Canada through Direct Channel Sales. In the event that Knight determines to create and operate a website or uses other social media to promote and sell FT Products in Canada, it shall consult with Nomad and each of Nomad and Knight shall coordinate and cooperate with respect to their web and social media initiatives. In commercializing the FT Products in Canada through Direct Channel Sales, Knight shall not pursue a brand strategy that Nomad, acting reasonably, determines is materially adverse to the brand equity of FT Products in Canada.

 

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2.2 Sublicensing. Nomad may sublicense its rights granted hereunder or use sub-distributors or third party service providers to exercise its right or fulfill its obligations hereunder. All sublicense agreements, distribution or other arrangements or agreements shall be consistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and Nomad assumes full responsibility for any actions taken by any sublicensee, distributor or other party and any of the expenses, costs, or fees incurred by any sublicensee, distributor or other party.
   
2.3 Interim Period. Section 3.2 below contemplates that Knight shall enter into an agreement with the Manufacturer. Knight shall advise Nomad by notice in writing when such agreement is in place (the “Notice Date”). Notwithstanding Section 3.1, until the Notice Date, Nomad shall be permitted to source FT Products directly from the Manufacturer. Nomad will make payments to Knight equal to sixty percent (60%) of Gross Sales in respect of the period from November 1, 2015 and until Nomad exhausts sales of FT Products sourced from such directly acquired inventory. The first such payment in respect of Gross Sales made during the period from November 1, 2015 to and including December 31, 2015 shall be made within ten (10) Business Days from the date hereof A further payment in respect of the Gross Sales made during the period from January 1, 2016 to and including the Notice Date shall be made within ten (10) Business Days of the Notice Date for Gross Sales made during such period. Thereafter, payments shall be made on a monthly basis (on or before the fifteenth (15th) day of each month) from all Gross Sales of such inventory and until such inventory is exhausted.

 

3 SUPPLY
   
3.1 Exclusivity. Except as set forth otherwise in Section 2.3, Nomad will purchase all of its requirements of FT Products for Canada and in respect of Direct Channel Sales exclusively from Knight, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
   
3.2 Manufacturer. Nomad acknowledges that Knight may from time to time enter into an agreement with a contract manufacturer (the “Manufacturer”) for the supply of FT Products under this Agreement. In such instances, Knight and Nomad shall determine mutually acceptable procedures that will allow Nomad to liaise directly with the Manufacturer in respect of order entry, logistics, delivery and other related matters; provided that Nomad shall acquire FT Products exclusively from Knight as stated in Section 3.1 above. Subject to Section 3.5 below, Knight will, at Nomad’s request, facilitate any claims, demands, complaints or similar actions that Nomad wishes to assert against the Manufacturer in respect of FT Products purchased by Nomad from Knight.
   
3.3 Packaging. The parties acknowledge that to the extent that the Manufacturer does not supply the packaging for the FT Products, Knight shall not be obliged to supply packaging to Nomad. Nomad will continue to source such packaging itself and will make arrangements with the Manufacturer to fill bulk product into the packaging provided.
   
3.4 Credit Limit. Knight may impose reasonable credit limits on the amount of FT Products that are on order or unpaid from time to time.
   
3.5 Liability. Nomad acknowledges that Knight’s liability for any and all claims arising from or in connection with the supply of FT Products under this Agreement shall be limited to the amounts that Knight may itself recover from the Manufacturer less all amounts incurred by Knight to recover such amounts.
   
3.6 Regulatory Submissions. Knight shall be solely responsible, at its expense, for preparing, filing, and managing any Regulatory Submission and for maintaining any Regulatory Approval for the FT Products in Canada. Nomad shall provide reasonable assistance to Knight in making submissions to Governmental Authorities and maintaining such Regulatory Approvals. Unless otherwise required by Applicable Law, any Regulatory Approvals shall be filed, owned and held in the name of Knight. Knight shall notify Nomad of all Regulatory Submissions that it submits.
   
3.7 Regulatory Correspondence. Each Party shall promptly (and in any event, within five (5) Business Days of the date of receipt of notice) notify the other Party in writing of, and shall provide the other Party with copies of, any material correspondence received from a Governmental Authority in Canada. In the event that a Party receives any material regulatory letter requiring a response, the other Party will cooperate fully with the receiving Party in preparing such response and will promptly provide the receiving Party with any data or information required by the Receiving Party in preparing any such response.

 

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3.8Other Covenants. In addition to its other obligations, commitments and undertakings set out in this Agreement, Knight agrees to assume the reasonable costs of intellectual property filings, procurement and maintenance for all intellectual property applications and registrations associated with the FT Products in Canada.

 

3.9Additional Terms.

 

  3.9.1 A Party shall promptly notify the other Party in writing of all proposed changes, whether voluntary or involuntary, including those arising from a request from a Governmental Authority in Canada, concerning the quality of FT Products and/or documentation or other items for such changes relating to the quality of the FT Products. The Parties shall negotiate in good faith towards an appropriate response to such a Governmental Authority in respect of each proposed change in the quality of the FT Products including any costs associated with implementing said changes.
     
  3.9.2 Minor changes in the procedures for manufacture or quality control that do not require approval from a Governmental Authority in Canada or that will not affect Regulatory Approvals in Canada will be communicated by Knight to Nomad in an annual review,
     
  3.9.3 Knight will maintain complete and accurate books, records, and accounts used for the determination of expenses, deductions, credits, or other relevant factors in connection with the calculation of Cost of Goods, in sufficient detail to confirm the accuracy of any payments required under this Agreement, which books, records, and accounts will be retained until three (3) years after the end of the period to which such books, records, and accounts pertain.
     
  3.9.4 During the Term of this Agreement and for three (3) years thereafter, Nomad will have the right to have an independent certified public accounting firm of internationally recognized standing access during normal business hours, and upon reasonable prior written notice, to such of the records of Knight as may be reasonably necessary to verify the accuracy of Cost of Goods for any Calendar Quarter. The accounting firm will disclose to the Parties only whether the Cost of Goods reported by Knight is correct or incorrect and the specific details concerning any discrepancies. The auditing Party will bear all costs of such audit, unless the audit reveals a discrepancy in the auditing Party’s favor of more than five percent (5%), in which case the other Party will bear the cost of the audit. Each Party will treat all information subject to review under this Section as Confidential Information and will cause its accounting firm to enter into a reasonably acceptable confidentiality agreement obligating such firm to maintain all such financial information in confidence pursuant to such confidentiality agreement.

 

  3.9.5 If, based on the results of any audit under Section 3.9.4, payments are owed by one Party to the other under this Agreement, then the Party having such obligation will make such payment promptly after the accounting firm’s written report is delivered by courier or registered mail to both Parties.
     
3.10 Responsibility. Nomad acknowledges the terms and conditions of the DLS Agreement and agrees that, except as set forth in this Agreement, it shall be solely liable and responsible for all obligations, liabilities and requirements under the DLS Agreement and under Applicable Law relating to the Commercialization of FT Products in Canada through Direct Channel Sales as permitted pursuant to Section 2.1 and shall indemnify and hold Knight harmless in respect of same.
     
4 PAYMENT AND FINANCIAL TERMS
     
  4.1 Product Price. Knight will supply FT Products to Nomad at a price (the “Product Price”) equal to the aggregate of (i) the Cost of Goods and (ii) sixty percent (60%) of the Gross Sales. Knight shall initially invoice Nomad for the Cost of Goods for FT Products supplied hereunder. Nomad shall pay Knight’s invoice for the Cost of Goods no later than thirty (30) days after delivery of FT Products relating thereto.

 

4

 

  4.2 Report. Within sixty (60) days following the end of each Calendar Quarter, Nomad shall render a written report to Knight setting forth the following information and calculations in which sales of FT Products occurred as permitted pursuant to Section 2.1 above in the Calendar Quarter covered by such report:

 

  4.2.1 the Gross Sales, if any, in Canadian dollars; and
     
  4.2.2 the calculation of the balance of the Product Price for FT Products (having regard to the Cost of Goods previously invoiced) based on that Calendar Quarter’s actual Gross Sales.

 

4.3Balance of Product Price. The payment of the balance of the Product Price shall be made by Nomad within thirty (30) days from the end of each Calendar Quarter in which such payment accrues.

 

4.4Currency. The Product Price shall be paid by Nomad in Canadian dollars. For the purposes of determining the Cost of Goods, if incurred by Knight in a currency other than Canadian dollars, the Cost of Goods shall be converted into Canadian dollars using the closing conversion rate of the Bank of Canada on the business date prior to the date of the invoice to Nomad in respect thereof, and with respect to the balance of the Product Price, if Gross Sales were invoiced in a currency other than Canadian dollars, Gross Sales shall be converted into Canadian dollars using the closing conversion rate of the Bank of Canada on the last business day of the calendar quarter preceding the applicable calendar quarter.

 

4.5Procedures. All sums due under this Agreement shall be paid by wire transfer of immediately available funds, or such other method mutually agreed upon by the Parties, in each case at the expense of the payer, no later than the due date thereof (with twenty- four (24) hours advance notice of each wire transfer) to the bank accounts or such other bank accounts as the payee shall designate in writing within reasonable period of time prior to such due date.

 

4.6Interest. In the event that any payment due hereunder is not made when due, interest shall accrue at a rate per annum equal to the lesser of one point twenty-five percent (1.25%) per month or the highest rate permitted by Law, calculated on the number of days such payments are paid after the date such payments are due and compounded monthly.

 

4.7Withholding Tax. Nomad will make all payments to Knight under this Agreement without deduction or withholding for taxes except to the extent that any such deduction or withholding is required by law in effect at the time of payment. Any tax required to be withheld on amounts payable by Nomad under this Agreement will be timely paid by Nomad on behalf of Knight to the appropriate Governmental Authority, and Nomad will furnish Knight with the corresponding proof of payment of such tax, as may be required in order to enable Knight to request reimbursement or deduction of the withheld amount, or to otherwise comply with its duties. Nomad and Knight agree to cooperate to legally minimize and reduce such withholding taxes and provide any information or documentation required by any taxing authority.

 

4.8VAT and Similar Taxes. All amounts paid by Nomad to Knight under this Agreement are exclusive of, and Nomad shall pay any sales, use, rental, custom, excise, stamp documentary, value added, consumption or other similar Taxes, duties, levies, fees or charges that may be assessed in any jurisdiction resulting from or arising under this Agreement. Knight shall collect and remit such taxes, duties, levies, fees or charges as required under Law.

 

5TERM

 

5.1Initial Term. The appointment set forth in Section 2.1 shall be for the duration of five (5) years commencing on the date hereof, and this Agreement shall automatically renewal for additional one (1) year terms unless either Party gives notice of nonrenewal at least one hundred and eighty (180) days prior to the end of the then-current term.

 

5

 

5.2Termination for Breach. Either Party may terminate this Agreement by written notice to the other Party with immediate effect in the following cases:

 

(a)In the event of a petition in bankruptcy or insolvency of the other Party, or in case of the filing by the other Party of any petition or answer seeking reorganization, readjustment, or rearrangement of its business under any law or any government regulation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency, or in case of the institution by the other Party of any proceedings for the liquidation or winding up of its business, or for the termination of its corporate charter.

 

(b)If the other Party is otherwise in material default or breach of this Agreement and such default or breach is not cured within (i) sixty (60) days after written notice thereof is delivered to the defaulting or breaching Party (thirty (30) days in the case of Nomad’s failure to pay any amounts due hereunder), or (ii) in the case of a breach that cannot be cured within sixty (60) days, within a reasonable period not exceeding one hundred twenty (120) days after written notice thereof is delivered to the defaulting or breaching Party.

 

5.3 Effect of Termination. Upon expiry or termination of this Agreement, all rights granted by Knight hereunder shall terminate and Nomad undertakes to except as provided for in Section 5.4, cease any Commercialization of the FT Products in Canada.
   
5.4 Sell-Off of Inventory. Subject to compliance with Section 4 hereof, upon termination of this Agreement, Nomad shall be entitled to sell off any inventory of the FT Products in Nomad’s possession or control or which are subject to binding purchase orders on the date such termination is effective.
   
6 LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
   
  WITHOUT LIMITING THE PARTIES’ OBLIGATIONS REGARDING INDEMNIFICATION, NEITHER PARTY SHALL BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER PARTY OR TO ANY THIRD PARTY WHO MAY BENEFIT FROM ANY PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT FOR SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, LOSS OF PROFITS, INTERRUPTION OR LOSS OF BUSINESS OR OTHER ECONOMIC LOSS) ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR WITH RESPECT TO A PARTY’S PERFORMANCE OR NON-PERFORMANCE HEREUNDER.
   
7 OTHER PROVISIONS
   
7.1 Further Assurances. Upon request by either Party and at such Party’s expense, the other Party shall do such further acts and execute such additional agreements and instruments as may be reasonably necessary to give effect to the purposes of this Agreement.
   
7.2 Independent Status. Each Party shall act as an independent contractor and shall not bind nor attempt to bind the other Party to any contract, nor any performance of obligations outside of the license agreement. Nothing contained or done under the Agreement shall be interpreted as constituting either Party the agent of the other in any sense of the term whatsoever or in the relationship of partners or joint venturers.
   
7.3 Assignment. Except in connection with the acquisition of a Party or the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of such Party, this Agreement may not be, directly or indirectly, assigned or transferred, in whole or in part, by a Party to a Third Party without the prior written consent of the other Party. The rights and obligations contained herein shall inure to the benefit of each Party’s successors and permitted assigns, and shall be binding on and enforceable against the relevant Party’s successors and permitted assigns. Any reference in this Agreement to any Party shall be construed accordingly.

 

7.4 Compliance with Law. Each Party shall comply with, and shall not be in violation of any valid applicable international, national, provincial or local statutes, laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, or other governmental orders of Canada.
   
7.5 Force Majeure. No Party shall be responsible for a failure or delay in performance of any of the obligations hereunder due wars, insurrections, strikes, acts of God, power outages, storms, or actions of regulatory agencies (such events being defined as “Force Majeure”), provided that the Party seeking relief from its obligations advises the other Party forthwith of the Force Majeure. A Party whose performance of obligations has been delayed by force majeure shall use commercially reasonable efforts to overcome the effect of the Force Majeure as soon as possible. The other Party will have no right to demand indemnity for damage or assert a breach against such Party, provided, however, that if the event of Force Majeure preventing performance shall continue for more than six (6) months and such underlying cause would not also prevent other parties from performing such obligations, then the Party not subject to the event of Force Majeure may terminate this Agreement with a written notice to the other without any liability hereunder, except the obligation to make payments due to such date.

 

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7.6 Notices and Amendments. Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given by facsimile or other means of electronic communication or by hand delivery as hereinafter provided. Any such notice, if sent by fax or other means of electronic communication, shall be deemed to have been received on the day of sending, or if delivered by hand shall be deemed to have been received at the time it is delivered to the applicable address noted below. Notices of change of address shall also be governed by this Section 7.6. Notices and other communications shall be addressed as follows:

 

  (a) In the case of the Nomad:

 

NOMAD CHOICE PTY LTD.

c/o Synergy Strips Corp.

865 Spring Street

Westbrook, Maine 04092

Attention: Jack Ross

E-mail:          jack.ross@purebrands.ca

 

with a copy to:

 

Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP

4101 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 300

Raleigh, North Carolina 27607

U.S.A.

Attention: W. David Mannheim, Esq.

Fax:               (919) 781-4865

E-mail:          dmannheim@wyrick.com

 

  (b) In the case of Knight:

 

KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS INC.

376 Victoria Avenue

Suite 220

Westmount, Quebec H3Z 1C3

Attention: Jeff Kadanoff, Chief Financial Officer

Fax: (514) 481-4116

E-mail:          jkadanoff@gud-laiight.com

 

With a copy to:

 

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP

1501 McGill College Ave.

Suite 2600

Montreal, Quebec H3A 3N9

Attention: Hillel W. Rosen

Fax:               (514) 841-6499

E-mail:          hrosen@dwpv.com

 

73 Waiver. No failure to exercise and no delay in exercising any right or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. Any waiver granted hereunder shall only be applicable the specific acts covered thereby and shall not apply to any subsequent events, acts, or circumstances

 

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7.8 Complete Agreement. This Agreement embodies all of the understandings and obligations between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior or contemporaneous agreements and understandings, whether written or oral, between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. Any amendments or supplements to this Agreement shall not be valid unless executed in writing by duly authorized officers of both parties.
   
7.9 Severability. In the event any portion of this Agreement shall be held illegal, void or ineffective, the remaining portion hereof shall remain in full force and effect. If any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement are in conflict with any applicable statute or rule of law, then such terms or provisions shall be deemed inoperative to the extent that they may conflict therewith and shall be deemed to be modified to conform with such statute or rule of law.
   
7.10 Governing Law. This Agreement all disputes arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or the performance, enforcement, breach or termination hereof or thereof, and any remedies relating thereto, shall be construed, governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
   
7.11 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be considered one and the same Agreement and shall become effective when a counterpart hereof has been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Party.

 

7.12 Time of Essence. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement and of each provision hereof
   
7.13 Arbitration. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, any dispute or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or to the breach, termination, or validity of this Agreement, will be resolved as follows: each Party shall discuss the matter and make reasonable efforts to attempt to resolve the dispute. If the Parties are unable to resolve, the dispute a CEO or President of each Party will meet within thirty days (30) of a request to attempt to resolve such dispute being made by a Party. If the CEOs or Presidents cannot resolve the dispute through good faith negotiations within sixty (60) days after a Party requests such meeting, then the Parties shall resort to binding arbitration before a single arbitrator using the arbitration procedures set forth under the American Arbitration Association under its Commercial Arbitration Rules. Any hearing in the course of the arbitration shall be held New York, New York in the English language. The decision of the arbitrator shall be final and not subject to appeal and the arbitrator may apportion the costs of the arbitration, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of the parties, between or among the parties in such manner as the arbitrator considers reasonable. All matters in relation to the arbitration shall be kept confidential to the full extent permitted by law, and no individual shall be appointed as an arbitrator unless he or she agrees in writing to be bound by this provision.

 

[Signature page follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have signed this Agreement,

 

  KNIGHT THERAPEUTICICS
     
  By: /s/ Jeffrey Kadanoff
  Name: Jeffrey Kadanoff
  Title: CFO
     
  NOMAD CHOICE PTY LTD.
     
  By:  
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have signed this Agreement,

 

  KNIGHT THERAPEUTICICS
     
  By:                              
  Name:  
  Title:  
     
  NOMAD CHOICE PTY LTD.
     
  By: /s/ Jack Ross
  Name: Jack Ross
  Title: CEO

 

 

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Exhibit 10.25

 

DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
(Remaining Territories)

 

THIS AGREEMENT, effective February 15, 2016, by and among KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC. (“Knight”), a corporation incorporated under the laws of Barbados, and NOMAD CHOICE PTY LTD. (“Nomad”), a corporation formed under the laws of Australia.

 

WHEREAS Synergy CHC Corp. (“Synergy”) and Knight are parties to that certain distribution, license and supply agreement dated January 22, 2015 as may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, including by amendment and confirmation agreement dated December 3, 2015 to which amendment Nomad and Breakthrough Products, Inc. were also parties (collectively the “DLS Agreement”);

 

WHEREAS pursuant to the DLS Agreement, Synergy, for itself and on behalf of its Affiliates, has named Knight its exclusive distributor of Licensed Products in the Territory;

 

WHEREAS Synergy has acquired all of the shares of Nomad effective November 16, 2015 and, as and from that date, Nomad became an Affiliate;

 

WHEREAS pursuant to the amendment and confirmation agreement dated December 3, 2015 and referred to above, Nomad confirmed that the terms and conditions of the DLS Agreement apply to it and its products;

 

WHEREAS FT Products (as herein defined) are included amongst the Licensed Products;

 

WHEREAS Knight wishes to enter into this distribution agreement with. Nomad in respect of Direct Channel Sales of FT Products in all countries of the Territory other than Canada (collectively, the “Remaining Territories”);

 

WHEREAS Knight assigned all of its rights under the DLS Agreement in respect of Licensed Products in Canada to Knight Therapeutics Inc. (“KTI”);

 

WHEREAS, contemporaneously herewith, Nomad and KTI are entering into a similar distribution agreement with respect to Canada.

 

NOW THEREFORE in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:

 

1 DEFINITIONS
   
1.1 Definitions. Unless the context otherwise indicates, defined terms used in this Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the DLS Agreement.

 

 

 

 

1.2 The following terms as used hereinafter in this Agreement shall have the meaning set forth in this Section:
   
  “Cost of Goods” means Knight’s cost of manufacture, packaging and/or purchase of FT Products and supply of same to Nomad under this Agreement. For greater certainty, where Knight purchases FT Products from a Manufacturer, the Cost of Goods will be the amount paid by Knight to the Manufacturer.
   
  “Direct Channels Sales” means the Commercialization of FT Products in the Remaining Territories directly to consumers from a website or any other direct-to-consumer sales channel.
   
  “FT Products” means the “Flat Tummy Tea” line of products as now or may in the future be Commercialized by Nomad or its Affiliates (including future line extensions relating thereto) and other tea or beverage products and related accessories Commercialized from time to time by Nomad or any company or entity controlled by Nomad. For greater certainty, the “Flat Tummy Tea” line of products shall include any products and accessories that are Commercialized under the “Flat Tummy” trademark and/or tradename (or any variations thereof) together with any tea products and related accessories, or any beverage products that are marketed to reduce bloating.
   
  “Gross Sales” means the gross invoiced sales price for FT Products sold by Nomad or its Affiliates, as applicable, to Third Parties throughout the Remaining Territories during each Calendar Quarter, less only (i) the shipping and handling charges that are actually incurred by Nomad or its Affiliates in delivering such FT Products to the end users in the Remaining Territories and (ii) sales, value added and other similar taxes that are included in the gross invoiced sales price of FT Products. Sales between or among Nomad and its Affiliates shall be excluded from the computation of Gross Sales, but Gross Sales shall include the subsequent final sales to Third Parties by any such Affiliates. Where
   
  (a) FT Products are sold by Nomad or its Affiliates other than in an arm’s length sale,
  (b) FT Products are sold as one of a number of items without a separate invoiced price; or
  (c) consideration for FT Products shall include any non-cash element, the Gross Sales applicable to any such transaction shall be deemed to be Nomad’s average Gross Sales to Third Parties for the applicable quantity of FT Products at that time.
   
1.3 Other Definitional and Agreement References. References to any agreement, contract, statute, act, or regulation are to that agreement, contract, statute, act, or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof
   
1.4 Ambiguities. Ambiguities, if any, in this Agreement shall not be construed against any Party, irrespective of which Party may be deemed to have authored the ambiguous provision.
   
1.5 Sections and Headings. The term “Section” refers to the specified Section of this Agreement, unless otherwise specified. Headings and captions of the Sections hereof are for convenience only and are not to be used in the interpretation of this Agreement.
   
1.6 Gender. Words of one gender include the other gender.

 

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1.7 Include, Includes, Including. Whenever the words “include”, “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”, whether or not they are in fact followed by those words or words of like import.
   
1.8 Joint and Several Obligations. Unless specified otherwise in this Agreement, the obligations of any Party consisting of more than one person are joint and several.
   
1.9 Number of Days. Whenever this Agreement refers to a number of days, unless otherwise specified, such number shall refer to calendar days.
   
1.10 Party References. Reference to any Party includes the successors and permitted assigns of that Party.
   
1.11 Singular/Plural. Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number, respectively.
   
1.12 United States Dollars. References in this Agreement to “Dollars” or “$” shall mean the legal tender of the United States, unless otherwise noted.
   
2 DISTRIBUTION TERMS
   
2.1 Distribution. Subject to the terms of the Agreement, Knight on behalf of itself and its Affiliates, hereby appoints Nomad as its exclusive Third Party distributor of FT Products for the Remaining Territories solely and exclusively in respect of Direct Channel Sales and further grants to Nomad and Nomad hereby accepts for the Remaining Territories and solely and exclusively in respect of Direct Channel Sales a non-exclusive sublicense under the Synergy Marks used in association with FT Products to Commercialize FT Products through Direct Channel Sales in the Remaining Territories. For greater certainty, the said appointment shall not limit the right of Knight (directly or through its Affiliates) to distribute FT Products in the Remaining Territories through Direct Channel Sales. In the event that Knight determines to create and operate a website or uses other social media to promote and sell FT Products in the Remaining Territories, it shall consult with Nomad and each of Nomad and Knight shall coordinate and cooperate with respect to their web and social media initiatives. In commercializing the FT Products in the Remaining Territories through Direct Channel Sales, Knight shall not pursue a brand strategy that Nomad, acting reasonably, determines is materially adverse to the brand equity of FT Products in the Remaining Territories.
   
2.2 Sublicensing. Nomad may sublicense its rights granted hereunder or use sub-distributors or third party service providers to exercise its right or fulfill its obligations hereunder. All sublicense agreements, distribution or other arrangements or agreements shall be consistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and Nomad assumes full responsibility for any actions taken by any sublicensee, distributor or other party and any of the expenses, costs, or fees incurred by any sublicensee, distributor or other party.

 

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2.3 Interim Period. Section 3.2 below contemplates that Knight shall enter into an agreement with the Manufacturer. Knight shall advise Nomad by notice in writing when such agreement is in place (the “Notice Date”). Notwithstanding Section 3.1, until the Notice Date, Nomad shall be permitted to source FT Products directly from the Manufacturer. Nomad will make payments to Knight equal to sixty percent (60%) of Gross Sales in respect of the period from November 1, 2015 and until Nomad exhausts sales of FT Products sourced from such directly acquired inventory. The first such payment in respect of Gross Sales made during the period from November 1, 2015 to and including December 31, 2015 shall be made within ten (10) Business Days from the date hereof. A further payment in respect of the Gross Sales made during the period from January 1, 2016 to and including the Notice Date shall be made within ten (10) Business Days of the Notice Date for Gross Sales made during such period. Thereafter, payments shall be made on a monthly basis (on or before the fifteenth (15th) day of each month) from all Gross Sales of such inventory and until such inventory is exhausted.
   
3 SUPPLY
   
3.1 Exclusivity. Except as set forth otherwise in Section 2.3, Nomad will purchase all of its requirements of FT Products for the Remaining Territories and in respect of Direct Channel Sales exclusively from Knight, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
   
3.2 Manufacturer. Nomad acknowledges that Knight may from time to time enter into an agreement with a contract manufacturer (the “Manufacturer”) for the supply of FT Products under this Agreement. In such instances, Knight and Nomad shall determine mutually acceptable procedures that will allow Nomad to liaise directly with the Manufacturer in respect of order entry, logistics, delivery and other related matters; provided that Nomad shall acquire FT Products exclusively from Knight as stated in Section 3.1 above. Subject to Section 3.5 below, Knight will, at Nomad’s request, facilitate any claims, demands, complaints or similar actions that Nomad wishes to assert against the Manufacturer in respect of FT Products purchased by Nomad from Knight.
   
3.3 Packaging. The parties acknowledge that to the extent that the Manufacturer does not supply the packaging for the FT Products, Knight shall not be obliged to supply packaging to Nomad. Nomad will continue to source such packaging itself and will make arrangements with the Manufacturer to fill bulk product into the packaging provided.
   
3.4 Credit Limit. Knight may impose reasonable credit limits on the amount of FT Products that are on order or unpaid from time to time.
   
3.5 Liability. Nomad acknowledges that Knight’s liability for any and all claims arising from or in connection with the supply of FT Products under this Agreement shall be limited to the amounts that Knight may itself recover from the Manufacturer less all amounts incurred by Knight to recover such amounts.
   
3.6 Regulatory Submissions. Knight shall be solely responsible, at its expense, for preparing, filing, and managing any Regulatory Submission and for maintaining any Regulatory Approval for the FT Products in the Remaining Territories. Nomad shall provide reasonable assistance to Knight in making submissions to Governmental Authorities and maintaining such Regulatory Approvals. Unless otherwise required by Applicable Law, any Regulatory Approvals shall be filed, owned and held in the name of Knight. Knight shall notify Nomad of all Regulatory Submissions that it submits.

 

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3.7 Regulatory Correspondence. Each Party shall promptly (and in any event, within five (5) Business Days of the date of receipt of notice) notify the other Party in writing of, and shall provide the other Party with copies of, any material correspondence received from a Governmental Authority in the Remaining Territories. In the event that a Party receives any material regulatory letter requiring a response, the other Party will cooperate fully with the receiving Party in preparing such response and will promptly provide the receiving Party with any data or information required by the Receiving Party in preparing any such response.
   
3.8 Other Covenants. In addition to its other obligations, commitments and undertakings set out in this Agreement, Knight agrees to assume the reasonable costs of intellectual property filings, procurement and maintenance for all intellectual property applications and registrations associated with the FT Products in the Remaining Territories.
   
3.9 Additional Terms.
     
  3.9.1 A Party shall promptly notify the other Party in writing of all proposed changes, whether voluntary or involuntary, including those arising from a request from a Governmental Authority in the Remaining Territories, concerning the quality of FT Products and/or documentation or other items for such changes relating to the quality of the FT Products. The Parties shall negotiate in good faith towards an appropriate response to such a Governmental Authority in respect of each proposed change in the quality of the FT Products including any costs associated with implementing said changes.
     
  3.9.2 Minor changes in the procedures for manufacture or quality control that do not require approval from a Governmental Authority in the Remaining Territories or that will not affect Regulatory Approvals in the Remaining Territories will be communicated by Knight to Nomad in an annual review.
     
  3.9.3 Knight will maintain complete and accurate books, records, and accounts used for the determination of expenses, deductions, credits, or other relevant factors in connection with the calculation of Cost of Goods, in sufficient detail to confirm the accuracy of any payments required under this Agreement, which books, records, and accounts will be retained until three (3) years after the end of the period to which such books, records, and accounts pertain.

 

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  3.9.4 During the Term of this Agreement and for three (3) years thereafter, Nomad will have the right to have an independent certified public accounting firm of internationally recognized standing access during normal business hours, and upon reasonable prior written notice, to such of the records of Knight as may be reasonably necessary to verify the accuracy of Cost of Goods for any Calendar Quarter. The accounting firm will disclose to the Parties only whether the Cost of Goods reported by Knight is correct or incorrect and the specific details concerning any discrepancies. The auditing Party will bear all costs of such audit, unless the audit reveals a discrepancy in the auditing Party’s favor of more than five percent (5%), in which case the other Party will bear the cost of the audit. Each Party will treat all information subject to review under this Section as Confidential Information and will cause its accounting firm to enter into a reasonably acceptable confidentiality agreement obligating such firm to maintain all such financial information in confidence pursuant to such confidentiality agreement.
     
  3.9.5 If, based on the results of any audit under Section 3.9.4, payments are owed by one Party to the other under this Agreement, then the Party having such obligation will make such payment promptly after the accounting firm’s written report is delivered by courier or registered mail to both Parties.
     
3.10 Responsibility. Nomad acknowledges the terms and conditions of the DLS Agreement and agrees that, except as set forth in this Agreement, it shall be solely liable and responsible for all obligations, liabilities and requirements under the DLS Agreement and under Applicable Law relating to the Commercialization of FT Products in the Remaining Territories through Direct Channel Sales as permitted pursuant to Section 2.1 and shall indemnify and hold Knight harmless in respect of same.
   
4 PAYMENT AND FINANCIAL TERMS
   
4.1 Product Price. Knight will supply FT Products to Nomad at a price (the “Product Price”) equal to the aggregate of (i) the Cost of Goods and (ii) sixty percent (60%) of the Gross Sales. Knight shall initially invoice Nomad for the Cost of Goods for FT Products supplied hereunder. Nomad shall pay Knight’s invoice for the Cost of Goods no later than thirty (30) days after delivery of FT Products relating thereto.
   
4.2 Report. Within sixty (60) days following the end of each Calendar Quarter, Nomad shall render a written report to Knight setting forth the following information and calculations in which sales of FT Products occurred as permitted pursuant to Section 2.1 above in the Calendar Quarter covered by such report:
     
  4.2.1 the Gross Sales, if any, in United States dollars; and
     
  4.2.2 the calculation of the balance of the Product Price for FT Products (having regard to the Cost of Goods previously invoiced) based on that Calendar Quarter’s actual Gross Sales.
     
4.3 Balance of Product Price. The payment of the balance of the Product Price shall be made by Nomad within thirty (30) days from the end of each Calendar Quarter in which such payment accrues.

 

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4.4 Currency. The Product Price shall be paid by Nomad in United States dollars. For the purposes of determining the Cost of Goods, if incurred by Knight in a currency other than United States dollars, the Cost of Goods shall be converted into United States dollars using the closing conversion rate of the Bank of Canada on the business date prior to the date of the invoice to Nomad in respect thereof, and with respect to the balance of the Product Price, if Gross Sales were invoiced in a currency other than United States dollars, Gross Sales shall be converted into United States dollars using the closing conversion rate of the Bank of Canada on the last business day of the calendar quarter preceding the applicable calendar quarter.
   
4.5 Procedures. All sums due under this Agreement shall be paid by wire transfer of immediately available funds, or such other method mutually agreed upon by the Parties, in each case at the expense of the payer, no later than the due date thereof (with twenty-four (24) hours advance notice of each wire transfer) to the bank accounts or such other bank accounts as the payee shall designate in writing within reasonable period of time prior to such due date.
   
4.6 Interest. In the event that any payment due hereunder is not made when due, interest shall accrue at a rate per annum equal to the lesser of one point twenty-five percent (1.25%) per month or the highest rate permitted by Law, calculated on the number of days such payments are paid after the date such payments are due and compounded monthly.
   
4.7 Withholding Tax. Nomad will make all payments to Knight under this Agreement without deduction or withholding for taxes except to the extent that any such deduction or withholding is required by law in effect at the time of payment. Any tax required to be withheld on amounts payable by Nomad under this Agreement will be timely paid by Nomad on behalf of Knight to the appropriate Governmental Authority, and Nomad will furnish Knight with the corresponding proof of payment of such tax, as may be required in order to enable Knight to request reimbursement or deduction. of the withheld amount, or to otherwise comply with its duties. Nomad and Knight agree to cooperate to legally minimize and reduce such withholding taxes and provide any information or documentation required by any taxing authority.
   
4.8 VAT and Similar Taxes. All amounts paid by Nomad to Knight under this Agreement are exclusive of, and Nomad shall pay any sales, use, rental, custom, excise, stamp documentary, value added, consumption or other similar Taxes, duties, Ievies, fees or charges that may be assessed in any jurisdiction resulting from or arising under this Agreement. Knight shall collect and remit such taxes, duties, levies, fees or charges as required under Law.
   
5 TERM
   
5.1 Initial Term. The appointment set forth in Section 2.1 shall be for the duration of five (5) years commencing on the date hereof, and this Agreement shall automatically renewal for additional one (1) year terms unless either Party gives notice of nonrenewal at least one hundred and eighty (180) days prior to the end of the then-current term.

 

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5.2 Termination for Breach. Either Party may terminate this Agreement by written notice to the other Party with immediate effect in the following cases:
     
  (a) In the event of a petition in bankruptcy or insolvency of the other Party, or in case of the filing by the other Party of any petition or answer seeking reorganization, readjustment, or rearrangement of its business under any law or any government regulation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency, or in case of the institution by the other Party of any proceedings for the liquidation or winding up of its business, or for the termination of its corporate charter.
     
  (b) If the other Party is otherwise in material default or breach of this Agreement and such default or breach is not cured within (i) sixty (60) days after written notice thereof is delivered to the defaulting or breaching Party (thirty (30) days in the case of Nomad’s failure to pay any amounts due hereunder), or (ii) in the case of a breach that cannot be cured within sixty (60) days, within a reasonable period not exceeding one hundred twenty (120) days after written notice thereof is delivered to the defaulting or breaching Party.
     
5.3 Effect of Termination. Upon expiry or termination of this Agreement, all rights granted by Knight hereunder shall terminate and Nomad undertakes to except as provided for in Section 5.4, cease any Commercialization of the FT Products in the Remaining Territories.
   
5.4 Sell-Off of Inventory. Subject to compliance with Section 4 hereof, upon termination of this Agreement, Nomad shall be entitled to sell off any inventory of the FT Products in Nomad’s possession or control or which are subject to binding purchase orders on the date such termination is effective.
     
6 LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
   
  WITHOUT LIMITING THE PARTIES’ OBLIGATIONS REGARDING INDEMNIFICATION, NEITHER PARTY SHALL BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER PARTY OR TO ANY THIRD PARTY WHO MAY BENEFIT FROM ANY PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT FOR SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, LOSS OF PROFITS, INTERRUPTION OR LOSS OF BUSINESS OR OTHER ECONOMIC LOSS) ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR WITH RESPECT TO A PARTY’S PERFORMANCE OR NON-PERFORMANCE HEREUNDER.
     
7 OTHER PROVISIONS
   
7.1 Further Assurances. Upon request by either Party and at such Party’s expense, the other Party shall do such further acts and execute such additional agreements and instruments as may be reasonably necessary to give effect to the purposes of this Agreement.
   
7.2 Independent Status. Each Party shall act as an independent contractor and shall not bind nor attempt to bind the other Party to any contract, nor any performance of obligations outside of the license agreement. Nothing contained or done under the Agreement shall be interpreted as constituting either Party the agent of the other in any sense of the term whatsoever or in the relationship of partners or joint venturers.

 

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7.3 Assignment. Except in connection with the acquisition of a Party or the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of such Party, this Agreement may not be, directly or indirectly, assigned or transferred, in whole or in part, by a Party to a Third Party without the prior written consent of the other Party. The rights and obligations contained herein shall inure to the benefit of each Party’s successors and permitted assigns, and shall be binding on and enforceable against the relevant Party’s successors and permitted assigns. Any reference in this Agreement to any Party shall be construed accordingly.
   
7.4 Compliance with Law. Each Party shall comply with, and shall not be in violation of any valid applicable international, national, provincial or local statutes, laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, or other governmental orders of the Remaining Territories.
   
7.5 Force Majeure. No Party shall be responsible for a failure or delay in performance of any of the obligations hereunder due wars, insurrections, strikes, acts of God, power outages, storms, or actions of regulatory agencies (such events being defined as “Force Majeure”), provided that the Party seeking relief from its obligations advises the other Party forthwith of the Force Majeure. A Party whose performance of obligations has been delayed by force majeure shall use commercially reasonable efforts to overcome the effect of the Force Majeure as soon as possible. The other Party will have no right to demand indemnity for damage or assert a breach against such Party, provided, however, that if the event of Force Majeure preventing performance shall continue for more than six (6) months and such underlying cause would not also prevent other parties from performing such obligations, then the Party not subject to the event of Force Majeure may terminate this Agreement with a written notice to the other without any liability hereunder, except the obligation to make payments due to such date.
   
7.6 Notices and Amendments. Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given by facsimile or other means of electronic communication or by hand delivery as hereinafter provided. Any such notice, if sent by fax or other means of electronic communication, shall be deemed to have been received on the day of sending, or if delivered by hand shall be deemed to have been received at the time it is delivered to the applicable address noted below. Notices of change of address shall also be governed by this Section 7.6. Notices and other communications shall be addressed as follows:

 

  (a) In the case of the Nomad:

 

NOMAD CHOICE PTY LTD.

do Synergy Strips Corp.

865 Spring Street

Westbrook, Maine 04092

Attention: Jack Ross

E-mail:          jack.ross@purebrands.ca

 

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with a copy to:

 

Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP

4101 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 300

Raleigh, North Carolina 27607

U.S.A.

Attention: W. David Mannheim, Esq.

Fax:               (919) 781.4865

E-mail:          dmannheim@wyrick.com

 

  (b) In the case of Knight:

 

KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC.

The Business Centre

Upton, St-Michael

BB11103 Barbados

Attention: Michel Loustric, President

E-mail:          mloustric@gud-knight.com

 

With a copy to:

 

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP

900 Third Avenue - 24th Floor

New York, New York 10022

U.S.A.

Attention: Hillel W. Rosen

Fax:              (212) 308-0132

E-mail:          hrosen@dwpv.com

 

7.7 Waiver. No failure to exercise and no delay in exercising any right or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. Any waiver granted hereunder shall only be applicable the specific acts covered thereby and shall not apply to any subsequent events, acts, or circumstances
   
7.8 Complete Agreement. This Agreement embodies all of the understandings and obligations between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior or contemporaneous agreements and understandings, whether written or oral, between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. Any amendments or supplements to this Agreement shall not be valid unless executed in writing by duly authorized officers of both parties.
   
7.9 Severability. In the event any portion of this Agreement shall be held illegal, void or ineffective, the remaining portion hereof shall remain in full force and effect. If any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement are in conflict with any applicable statute or rule of law, then such terms or provisions shall be deemed inoperative to the extent that they may conflict therewith and shall be deemed to be modified to conform with such statute or rule of law.

 

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7.10 Governing Law. This Agreement all disputes arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or the performance, enforcement, breach or termination hereof or thereof, and any remedies relating thereto, shall be construed, governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
   
7.11 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be considered one and the same Agreement and shall become effective when a counterpart hereof has been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Party.
   
7.12 Time of Essence. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement and of each provision hereof
   
7.13 Arbitration. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, any dispute or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or to the breach, termination, or validity of this Agreement, will be resolved as follows: each Party shall discuss the matter and make reasonable efforts to attempt to resolve the dispute. If the Parties are unable to resolve, the dispute a CEO or President of each Party will meet within thirty days (30) of a request to attempt to resolve such dispute being made by a Party. If the CEOs or Presidents cannot resolve the dispute through good faith negotiations within sixty (60) days after a Party requests such meeting, then the Parties shall resort to binding arbitration before a single arbitrator using the arbitration procedures set forth under the American Arbitration Association under its Commercial Arbitration Rules. Any hearing in the course of the arbitration shall be held New York, New York in the English language. The decision of the arbitrator shall be final and not subject to appeal and the arbitrator may apportion the costs of the arbitration, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of the parties, between or among the parties in such manner as the arbitrator considers reasonable. All matters in relation to the arbitration shall be kept confidential to the full extent permitted by law, and no individual shall be appointed as an arbitrator unless he or she agrees in writing to be bound by this provision.

 

[Signature page follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have signed this Agreement,

 

  KNIGHT THERAPEUTICICS
  (BARBADOS) INC.
     
  By: /s/ Michael Loustric
  Name: Michael Loustric
  Title: President
     
  NOMAD CHOICE PTY LTD.
     
  By:
  Name:
  Title:

 

 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have signed this Agreement,

 

  KNIGHT THERAPEUTICICS
  (BARBADOS) INC.
     
  By:                        
  Name:
  Title:
     
  NOMAD CHOICE PTY LTD.
     
  By: /s/ Jack Ross
  Name: Jack Ross
  Title: CEO

 

 

Exhibit 10.26

 

DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
(Canada)

 

THIS AGREEMENT, effective January 1, 2017, by and among KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS INC. (“Knight”), a corporation incorporated under the laws of Canada, and SNEAKY VAUNT CORP. (“SVC”), a corporation formed under the laws of Delaware.

 

WHEREAS Synergy CHC Corp (“Synergy”) and Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc. (“KB”) are parties to that certain distribution, license and supply agreement dated January 22, 2015 as may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, including by amendment and confirmation agreement dated December 3, 2015 to which. amendment Nomad Choice pty Ltd and Breakthrough Products, Inc. were also parties and that certain Amendment Agreement dated December 22, 2016 (collectively the “DLS Agreement”);

 

WHEREAS pursuant to the DLS Agreement, Synergy, for itself and on behalf of its Affiliates, has named KB its exclusive distributor of Licensed Products in the Territory;

 

WHEREAS KB assigned all of its rights under the DLS Agreement in respect of Licensed Products in Canada to Knight;

 

WHEREAS SVC is a subsidiary of Synergy and markets and sells SV Products (as herein defined);

 

WHEREAS SV Products are accordingly included amongst the Licensed Products;

 

WHEREAS Knight wishes to enter into this distribution agreement with SVC in respect of Direct Channel Sales of SV Products in Canada;

 

WHEREAS contemporaneously herewith, KB and SVC are entering into a similar distribution agreement with respect to Countries in the Territory other than Canada;

 

NOW THEREFORE in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:

 

1 DEFINITIONS
   
1.1 Definitions. Unless the context otherwise indicates, defined terms used in this Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the DLS Agreement.
   
1.2 The following terms as used hereinafter in this Agreement shall have the meaning set forth in this Section:
   
  “Cost of Goods” means Knight’s cost of manufacture, packaging and/or purchase of SV Products and supply of same to SVC under this Agreement. For greater certainty, where Knight purchases SV Products from a Manufacturer, the Cost of Goods will be the amount paid by Knight to the Manufacturer.

 

 

 

 

  “Direct Channels Sales” means the Commercialization of SV Products in Canada directly to consumers from a website or any other direct-to-consumer sales channel.
   
  “Gross Sales” means the gross invoiced sales price for SV Products sold by SVC or its Affiliates, as applicable, to Third Parties throughout Canada during each Calendar Quarter, less only (i) the shipping and handling charges that are actually incurred by SVC or its Affiliates in delivering such SV Products to the end users in Canada and (ii) sales, value added and other similar taxes that are included in the gross invoiced sales price of SV Products. Sales between or among SVC and its Affiliates shall be excluded from the computation of Gross Sales, but Gross Sales shall include the subsequent final sales to Third Parties by any such Affiliates. Where (a) SV Products are sold by SVC or its Affiliates other than in an arm’s length sale, (b) SV Products are sold as one of a number of items without a separate invoiced price; or (c) consideration for SV Products shall include any non-cash element, the Gross Sales applicable to any such transaction shall be deemed to be SVC’s average Gross Sales to Third Parties for the applicable quantity of SV Products at that time.
   
  “SV Products” means the “Sneaky Vaunt” line of products as now or may in the future be Commercialized by SVC or its Affiliates (including future line extensions relating thereto) and lingerie and other apparel products and related accessories Commercialized from time to time by SVC or any company or entity controlled by SVC. For greater certainty, the “Sneaky Vaunt” line of products shall include any products and accessories that are Commercialized under the “Sneaky Vaunt” trademark and/or tradename (or any variations thereof).
   
  “Threshold Amount” means $1,096,497.07.
   
1.3 Other Definitional and Agreement References. References to any agreement, contract, statute, act, or regulation are to that agreement, contract, statute, act, or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof.
   
1.4 Ambiguities. Ambiguities, if any, in this Agreement shall not be construed against any Party, irrespective of which Party may be deemed to have authored the ambiguous provision.
   
1.5 Sections and Headings. The term “Section” refers to the specified Section of this Agreement, unless otherwise specified. Headings and captions of the Sections hereof are for convenience only and are not to be used in the interpretation of this Agreement.
   
1.6 Canadian Dollars. References in this Agreement to “Dollars” or “$” shall mean the legal tender of Canada, unless otherwise noted.
   
1.7 Gender. Words of one gender include the other gender.
   
1.8 Include, Includes, Including. Whenever the words “include”, “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”, whether or not they are in fact followed by those words or words of like import.

 

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1.9 Joint and Several Obligations. Unless specified otherwise in this Agreement, the obligations of any Party consisting of more than one person are joint and several.
   
1.10 Number of Days. Whenever this Agreement refers to a number of days, unless otherwise specified, such number shall refer to calendar days.
   
1.11  Party References. Reference to any Party includes the successors and permitted assigns of that Party.
   
1.12 Singular/Plural. Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number, respectively.
   
2 DISTRIBUTION TERMS
   
2.1 Distribution. Subject to the terms of the Agreement, Knight on behalf of itself and  its Affiliates, hereby appoints SVC as its exclusive Third Party distributor of SV Products for Canada solely and exclusively in respect of Direct Channel Sales and further grants to SVC and SVC hereby accepts for Canada and solely and exclusively in respect of Direct Channel Sales a non-exclusive sublicense under the SVC Marks used in association with SV Products to Commercialize SV Products through Direct Channel Sales in Canada. For greater certainty, the said appointment shall not limit the right of Knight (directly or through its Affiliates) to distribute SV Products in Canada through Direct Channel Sales. In the event that Knight determines to create and operate a website or uses other social media to promote and sell SV Products in Canada, it shall consult with SVC and each of SVC and Knight shall coordinate and cooperate with respect to their web and social media initiatives. In commercializing the SV Products in Canada through Direct Channel Sales, Knight shall not pursue a brand strategy that SVC, acting reasonably, determines is materially adverse to the brand equity of SV Products in Canada.
   
2.2 Sublicensing. SVC may sublicense its rights granted hereunder or use sub-distributors or third party service providers to exercise its right or fulfill its obligations hereunder. All sublicense agreements, distribution or other arrangements or agreements shall be consistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and SVC assumes full responsibility for any actions taken by any sublicensee, distributor or other party and any of the expenses, costs, or fees incurred by any sublicensee, distributor or other party.
   
2.3 Interim Period. Section 3.2 below contemplates that Knight shall enter into an agreement with the Manufacturer. Knight shall advise SVC by notice in writing when such agreement is in place (the “Notice Date”). Notwithstanding Section 3.1, until the Notice Date, SVC shall be permitted to source SV Products directly from the Manufacturer. With respect to SV Products not purchased from Knight and commencing January 1, 2017 and for each Calendar Year thereafter, SVC will make payments to Knight equal to sixty percent (60%) of Gross Sales from sales of SV Products until Gross Sales in such Calendar Year equal the Threshold Amount and then forty percent (40%) of Gross Sales in that same Calendar Year in excess of the Threshold Amount. Payments shall be made (i) initially within 2 Business Days of the execution of this Agreement in respect to all Calendar Quarters prior to the date hereof and (ii) within thirty (30) days following the end of each subsequent Calendar Quarter. Such payments shall be accompanied by the report to Knight as per Section 4.2.1.

 

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3 SUPPLY
   
3.1 Exclusivity. Except as set forth otherwise in Section 2.3, SVC will purchase all of its requirements of SV Products for Canada and in respect of Direct Channel Sales exclusively from Knight, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
   
3.2 Manufacturer. SVC acknowledges that Knight may from time to time enter into an agreement with a contract manufacturer (the “Manufacturer”) for the supply of SV Products under this Agreement. In such instances, Knight and SVC shall determine mutually acceptable procedures that will allow SVC to liaise directly with the Manufacturer in respect of order entry, logistics, delivery and other related matters; provided that SVC shall acquire SV Products exclusively from Knight as stated in Section 3.1 above. Subject to Section 3.5 below, Knight will, at SVC’s request, facilitate any claims, demands, complaints or similar actions that SVC wishes to assert against the Manufacturer in respect of SV Products purchased by SVC from Knight.
   
3.3 Labelling and Packaging. The parties acknowledge that to the extent that the Manufacturer does not supply the labelling and/or packaging for the SV Products, Knight shall not be obliged to supply labelling and/or packaging to SVC. SVC will continue to source such labelling and/or packaging itself.
   
3.4 Credit Limit. Knight may impose reasonable credit limits on the amount of SV Products that are on order or unpaid from time to time.
   
3.5 Liability. SVC acknowledges that Knight’s liability for any and all claims arising from or in connection with the supply of SV Products under this Agreement shall be limited to the amounts that Knight may itself recover from the Manufacturer less all amounts incurred by Knight to recover such amounts.
     
3.6 Additional Terms
     
  3.6.1 Each party will maintain complete and accurate books, records, and accounts used for the determination of (i) in the case of Knight, expenses, deductions, credits, or other relevant factors in connection with the calculation of Cost of Goods, and (ii) in the case of SVC, the determination of Gross Sales in sufficient detail to confirm the accuracy of any payments required under this Agreement, which books, records, and accounts will be retained until three (3) years after the end of the period to which such books, records, and accounts pertain.

 

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  3.6.2 During the Term of this Agreement and for three (3) years thereafter, each Party will have the right to have an independent certified public accounting firm of internationally recognized standing access during normal business hours, and upon reasonable prior written notice, to such of the records of the other Party as may be reasonably necessary to verify the accuracy of Cost of Goods or Gross Sales (as the case may be) for any Calendar Quarter. The accounting firm will disclose to the Parties only whether the Cost of Goods reported by Knight or Gross Sales reported by SVC (as applicable) is correct or incorrect and the specific details concerning any discrepancies. The auditing Party will bear all costs of such audit, unless the audit reveals a discrepancy in the auditing Party’s favor of more than five percent (5%), in which case the other Party will bear the cost of the audit. Each Party will treat all information subject to review under this Section as Confidential Information and will cause its accounting firm to enter into a reasonably acceptable confidentiality agreement obligating such firm to maintain all such financial information in confidence pursuant to such confidentiality agreement.
     
  3.6.3 If, based on the results of any audit under Section 3.6.2, payments are owed by one Party to the other under this Agreement, then the Party having such obligation will make such payment promptly after the accounting firm’s written report is delivered by courier or registered mail to both Parties.
     
3.7 Responsibility. SVC acknowledges the terms and conditions of the DLS Agreement and agrees that, except as set forth in this Agreement, it shall be solely liable and responsible for all obligations, liabilities and requirements under the DLS Agreement and under Applicable Law relating to the Commercialization of SV Products in Canada through Direct Channel Sales as permitted pursuant to Section 2.1 and shall indemnify and hold Knight harmless in respect of same.
     
4 PAYMENT AND FINANCIAL TERMS
   
4.1 Product Price. Knight will supply SV Products to SVC at a price (the “Product Price”) equal to the aggregate of (i) the Cost of Goods and (ii) for each Calendar Year, sixty percent (60%) of the Gross Sales until the Gross Sales in such Calendar Year equal the Threshold Amount and then forty percent (40%) of all Gross Sales in that same Calendar Year in excess of the Threshold Amount. Knight shall initially invoice SVC for the Cost of Goods for SV Products supplied hereunder. SVC shall pay Knight’s invoice for the Cost of Goods no later than thirty (30) days after delivery of SV Products relating thereto.
   
4.2 Report. Within twenty-five (25) days following the end of each Calendar Quarter, SVC shall render a written report to Knight setting forth the following information and calculations in which sales of SV Products occurred as permitted pursuant to Section 2.1 above in the Calendar Quarter covered by such report:
     
  4.2.1 the Gross Sales, if any, in Canadian dollars; and
     
  4.2.2 the calculation of the balance of the Product Price for SV Products (having regard to the Cost of Goods previously invoiced) based on that Calendar Quarter’s actual Gross Sales.

 

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4.3 Balance of Product Price. The payment of the balance of the Product Price shall be made by SVC within thirty (30) days from the end of each Calendar Quarter in which such payment accrues.
   
4.4 Currency. The Product Price shall be paid by SVC in Canadian dollars. For the purposes of determining the Cost of Goods, if incurred by Knight in a currency other than Canadian dollars, the Cost of Goods shall be converted into Canadian dollars using the closing conversion rate of the Bank of Canada on the business date prior to the date of the invoice to SVC in respect thereof, and with respect to the balance of the Product Price, if Gross Sales were invoiced in a currency other than Canadian dollars, Gross Sales shall be converted into Canadian dollars using the closing conversion rate of the Bank of Canada on the last business day of the calendar quarter preceding the applicable calendar quarter.
   
4.5

Procedures. All sums due under this Agreement shall be paid by wire transfer of immediately available funds, or such other method mutually agreed upon by the Parties, in each case at the expense of the payer, no later than the due date thereof (with twenty-four (24) hours advance notice of each wire transfer) to the bank accounts or such other bank accounts as the payee shall designate in writing within reasonable period of time prior to such due date.

   
4.6

Interest. In the event that any payment due hereunder is not made when due, interest shall accrue at a rate per annum equal to the lesser of one point twenty-five percent (1.25%) per month or the highest rate permitted by Law, calculated on the number of days such payments are paid after the date such payments are due and compounded monthly.

   
4.7 Withholding Tax. SVC will make all payments to Knight under this Agreement without deduction or withholding for taxes except to the extent that any such deduction or withholding is required by law in effect at the time of payment. Any tax required to be withheld on amounts payable by SVC under this Agreement will be timely paid by SVC on behalf of Knight to the appropriate Governmental Authority, and SVC will furnish Knight with the corresponding proof of payment of such tax, as may be required in order to enable Knight to request reimbursement or deduction of the withheld amount, or to otherwise comply with its duties. SVC and Knight agree to cooperate to legally minimize and reduce such withholding taxes and provide any information or documentation required by any taxing authority.
   
4.8 VAT and Similar Taxes. All amounts paid by SVC to Knight under this Agreement are exclusive of, and SVC shall pay any sales, use, rental, custom, excise, stamp documentary, value added, consumption or other similar Taxes, duties, levies, fees or charges that may be assessed in any jurisdiction resulting from or arising under this Agreement. Knight shall collect and remit such taxes, duties, levies, fees or charges as required under Law.

 

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5 TERM
   
5.1 Initial Term. The appointment set forth in Section 2.1 shall be for an initial period terminating on February 15, 2021 and this Agreement shall automatically renewal for additional one (1) year terms unless either Party gives notice of nonrenewal at least one hundred and eighty (180) days prior to the end of the then-current term.
     
5.2 Termination for Breach. Either Party may terminate this Agreement by written notice to the other Party with immediate effect in the following cases:
     
     
  (a) In the event of a petition in bankruptcy or insolvency of the other Party, or in case of the filing by the other Party of any petition or answer seeking reorganization, readjustment, or rearrangement of its business under any law or any government regulation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency, or in case of the institution by the other Party of any proceedings for the liquidation or winding up of its business, or for the termination of its corporate charter.
     
  (b) If the other Party is otherwise in material default or breach of this Agreement and such default or breach is not cured within (i) sixty (60) days after written notice thereof is delivered to the defaulting or breaching Party (thirty (30) days in the case of SVC’s failure to pay any amounts due hereunder), or (ii) in the case of a breach that cannot be cured within sixty (60) days, within a reasonable period not exceeding one hundred twenty (120) days after written notice thereof is delivered to the defaulting or breaching Party.

 

5.3 Effect of Termination. Upon expiry or termination of this Agreement, all rights granted by Knight hereunder shall terminate and SVC undertakes to except as provided for in Section 5.4, cease any Commercialization of the SV Products in Canada.
   
5.4 Sell-Off of Inventory. Subject to compliance with Section 4 hereof, upon termination of this Agreement, SVC shall be entitled to sell off any inventory of the SV Products in SVC’s possession or control or which are subject to binding purchase orders on the date such termination is effective.

 

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6 LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
   
  WITHOUT LIMITING THE PARTIES’ OBLIGATIONS REGARDING INDEMNIFICATION, NEITHER PARTY SHALL BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER PARTY OR TO ANY THIRD PARTY WHO MAY BENEFIT FROM ANY PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT FOR SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, LOSS OF PROFITS, INTERRUPTION OR LOSS OF BUSINESS OR OTHER ECONOMIC LOSS) ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR WITH RESPECT TO A PARTY’S PERFORMANCE OR NON-PERFORMANCE HEREUNDER.
   
7 OTHER PROVISIONS
   
7.1 Further Assurances. Upon request by either Party and at such Party’s expense, the other Party shall do such further acts and execute such additional agreements and instruments as may be reasonably necessary to give effect to the purposes of this Agreement.
   
7.2 Independent Status. Each Party shall act as an independent contractor and shall not bind nor attempt to bind the other Party to any contract, nor any performance of obligations outside of the license agreement. Nothing contained or done under the Agreement shall be interpreted as constituting either Party the agent of the other in any sense of the term whatsoever or in the relationship of partners or joint venturers.
   
7.3 Assignment. Except in connection with the acquisition of a Party or the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of such Party, this Agreement may not be, directly or indirectly, assigned or transferred, in whole or in part, by a Party to a Third Party without the prior written consent of the other Party. The rights and obligations contained herein shall inure to the benefit of each Party’s successors and permitted assigns, and shall be binding on and enforceable against the relevant Party’s successors and permitted assigns. Any reference in this Agreement to any Party shall be construed accordingly.
   
7.4 Compliance with Law. Each Party shall comply with, and shall not be in violation of any valid applicable international, national, provincial or local statutes, laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, or other governmental orders of Canada.
   
7.5 Force Majeure. No Party shall be responsible for a failure or delay in performance of any of the obligations hereunder due wars, insurrections, strikes, acts of God, power outages, storms, or actions of regulatory agencies (such events being defined as “Force Majeure”), provided that the Party seeking relief from its obligations advises the other Party forthwith of the Force Majeure. A Party whose performance of obligations has been delayed by force majeure shall use commercially reasonable efforts to overcome the effect of the Force Majeure as soon as possible. The other Party will have no right to demand indemnity for damage or assert a breach against such Party, provided, however, that if the event of Force Majeure preventing performance shall continue for more than six (6) months and such underlying cause would not also prevent other parties from performing such obligations, then the Party not subject to the event of Force Majeure may terminate this Agreement with a written notice to the other without any liability hereunder, except the obligation to make payments due to such date.

 

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7.6 Notices and Amendments. Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given by facsimile or other means of electronic communication or by hand delivery as hereinafter provided. Any such notice, if sent by fax or other means of electronic communication, shall be deemed to have been received on the day of sending, or if delivered by hand shall be deemed to have been received at the time it is delivered to the applicable address noted below. Notices of change of address shall also be governed by this Section 7.6. Notices and other communications shall be addressed as follows:
     
  (a) In the case of the SVC:

 

SNEAKY VAUNT CORP.

do Synergy CI-IC Corp

865 Spring Street

Westbrook, Maine 04092

Attention: Jack Ross

E-mail:          jack@synergychc.com

 

with a copy to:

 

Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP

4101 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 300

Raleigh, North Carolina 27607

U.S.A.

Attention: W. David Mannheim, Esq.

Fax:               (919) 781-4865

E-mail:          dmannheim@wyrick.com

 

  (b) In the case of Knight:

 

KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS INC.

3400 De Maisonneuve Blvd. West

Suite 1055

Montreal, Quebec H3Z 3B8

Attention: Jeffrey Kadanoff, Chief Financial Officer

Fax:              (514) 481-4116

E-mail:          jkadanoff@gudknight.com

 

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With a copy to:

 

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP

1501 McGill College Ave.

Suite 2600

Montreal, Quebec H3A 3N9

Attention: Hillel W. Rosen

Fax:              (514) 841-6499

E-mail:          hrosen@dwpv.com

 

7.7 Waiver. No failure to exercise and no delay in exercising any right or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. Any waiver granted hereunder shall only be applicable the specific acts covered thereby and shall not apply to any subsequent events, acts, or circumstances
   
7.8 Complete Agreement. This Agreement embodies all of the understandings and obligations between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior or contemporaneous agreements and understandings, whether written or oral, between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. Any amendments or supplements to this Agreement shall not be valid unless executed in writing by duly authorized officers of both parties.
   
7.9 Severability. In the event any portion of this Agreement shall be held illegal, void or ineffective, the remaining portion hereof shall remain in full force and effect. If any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement are in conflict with any applicable statute or rule of law, then such terms or provisions shall be deemed inoperative to the extent that they may conflict therewith and shall be deemed to be modified to conform with such statute or rule of law.
   
7.10 Governing Law. This Agreement all disputes arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or the performance, enforcement, breach or termination hereof or thereof, and any remedies relating thereto, shall be construed, governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
   
7.11 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be considered one and the same Agreement and shall become effective when a counterpart hereof has been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Party.
   
7.12 Time of Essence. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement and of each provision hereof
   
7.13 Arbitration. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, any dispute or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or to the breach, termination, or validity of this Agreement, will be resolved as follows: each Party shall discuss the matter and make reasonable efforts to attempt to resolve the dispute. If the Parties are unable to resolve, the dispute a CEO or President of each Party will meet within thirty days (30) of a request to attempt to resolve such dispute being made by a Party. If the CEOs or Presidents cannot resolve the dispute through good faith negotiations within sixty (60) days after a Party requests such meeting, then the Parties shall resort to binding arbitration before a single arbitrator using the arbitration procedures set forth under the American Arbitration Association under its Commercial Arbitration Rules. Any hearing in the course of the arbitration shall be held New York, New York in the English language. The decision of the arbitrator shall be final and not subject to appeal and the arbitrator may apportion the costs of the arbitration, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of the parties, between or among the parties in such manner as the arbitrator considers reasonable. All matters in relation to the arbitration shall be kept confidential to the full extent permitted by law, and no individual shall be appointed as an arbitrator unless he or she agrees in writing to be bound by this provision.

 

[Signature page follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have signed this Agreement,

 

  KNIGHT THERAPEUTICICS
   
  By: /s/ Jeffrey Kadanoff
  Name: Jeffrey Kadanoff
  Title: CFO
                                   
  SNEAKY VAUNT
   
  By: /s/ Jack Ross
  Name: Jack Ross
  Title: CEO

 

11

Exhibit 10.27

 

DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

(Remaining Territories)

 

THIS AGREEMENT, effective January 1, 2017, by and among KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC. (“Knight”), a corporation incorporated under the laws of Barbados, and SNEAKY VAUNT CORP (“SVC”), a corporation fowled under the laws of Delaware.

 

WHEREAS Synergy CHC Corp. (“Synergy”) and Knight are parties to that certain distribution, license and supply agreement dated January 22, 2015 as may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, including by amendment and confirmation agreement dated December 3, 2015 to which amendment Nomad Choice Pty Ltd. and Breakthrough Products, Inc. were also parties and that certain Amendment Agreement dated December 22, 2016 (collectively the “DLS Agreement”);

 

WHEREAS pursuant to the DLS Agreement, Synergy, for itself and on behalf of its Affiliates, has named Knight its exclusive distributor of Licensed Products in the Territory;

 

WHEREAS SVC is a subsidiary of Synergy and markets and sells SV Products (as herein defined);

 

WHEREAS SV Products accordingly are included amongst the Licensed Products;

 

WHEREAS Knight wishes to enter into this distribution agreement with SVC in respect of Direct Channel Sales of SV Products in all countries of the Territory other than Canada (the “Remaining Territories”);

 

WHEREAS Knight assigned all of its rights under the DLS Agreement in respect of Licensed Products in Canada to Knight Therapeutics Inc (“KTI”);

 

WHEREAS contemporaneously herewith, KTI and SVC are entering into a similar distribution agreement with respect to Canada;

 

NOW THEREFORE in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:

 

1 DEFINITIONS
   
1.1 Definitions. Unless the context otherwise indicates, defined terms used in this Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the DLS Agreement.
   
1.2 The following terms as used hereinafter in this Agreement shall have the meaning set forth in this Section:

 

“Cost of Goods” means Knight’s cost of manufacture, packaging and/or purchase of SV Products and supply of same to SVC under this Agreement. For greater certainty, where Knight purchases SV Products from a Manufacturer, the Cost of Goods will be the amount paid by Knight to the Manufacturer.

 

 

 

 

“Direct Channel Sales” means the Commercialization of SV Products in the Remaining Territories directly to consumers from a website or any other direct-to-consumer sales channel.

 

“Gross Sales” means the gross invoiced sales price for SV Products sold by SVC or its Affiliates, as applicable, to Third Parties throughout the Remaining Territories during each Calendar Quarter, less only (i) the shipping and handling charges that are actually incurred by SVC or its Affiliates in delivering such SV Products to the end users in the Remaining Territories and (ii) sales, value added and other similar taxes that are included in the gross invoiced sales price of SV Products. Sales between or among SVC and its Affiliates shall be excluded from the computation of Gross Sales, but Gross Sales shall include the subsequent final sales to Third Parties by any such Affiliates. Where (a) SV Products are sold by SVC or its Affiliates other than in an arm’s length sale, (b) SV Products are sold as one of a number of items without a separate invoiced price; or (c) consideration for SV Products shall include any non-cash element, the Gross Sales applicable to any such transaction shall be deemed to be SVC’s average Gross Sales to Third Parties for the applicable quantity of SV Products at that time.

 

“SV Products” means the “Sneaky Vaunt” line of products as now or may in the future be Commercialized by SVC or its Affiliates (including future line extensions relating thereto) and lingerie and other apparel products and related accessories Commercialized from time to time by SVC or any company or entity controlled by SVC. For greater certainty, the “Sneaky Vaunt” line of products shall include any products and accessories that are Commercialized under the “Sneaky Vaunt” trademark and/or tradename (or any variations thereof).

 

1.3 Other Definitional and Agreement References. References to any agreement, contract, statute, act, or regulation are to that agreement, contract, statute, act, or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof.
   
1.4 Ambiguities. Ambiguities, if any, in this Agreement shall not be construed against any Party, irrespective of which Party may be deemed to have authored the ambiguous provision.
   
1.5 Sections and Headings. The term “Section” refers to the specified Section of this Agreement, unless otherwise specified. Headings and captions of the Sections hereof are for convenience only and are not to be used in the interpretation of this Agreement.
   
1.6 United States Dollars. References in this Agreement to “Dollars” or “$” shall mean the legal tender of United States, unless otherwise noted.
   
1.7 Gender. Words of one gender include the other gender.
   
1.8 Include, Includes, Including. Whenever the words “include”, “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”, whether or not they are in fact followed by those words or words of like import.

 

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1.9 Joint and Several Obligations. Unless specified otherwise in this Agreement, the obligations of any Party consisting of more than one person are joint and several.
   
1.10 Number of Days. Whenever this Agreement refers to a number of days, unless otherwise specified, such number shall refer to calendar days.
   
1.11 Party References.’ Reference to any Party includes the successors and permitted assigns of that Party.
   
1.12 Singular/Plural. Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number, respectively.

 

2 DISTRIBUTION TERMS
   
2.1 Distribution. Subject to the terms of the Agreement, Knight on behalf of itself and its Affiliates, hereby appoints SVC as its exclusive Third Party distributor of SV Products for the Remaining Territories solely and exclusively in respect of Direct Channel Sales and further grants to SVC and SVC hereby accepts for the Remaining Territories and solely and exclusively in respect of Direct Channel Sales a non-exclusive sublicense under the Synergy Marks used in association with SV Products to Commercialize SV Products through Direct Channel Sales in the Remaining Territories. For greater certainty, the said appointment shall not limit the right of Knight (directly or through its Affiliates) to distribute SV Products in the Remaining Territories through Direct Channel Sales. In the event that Knight determines to create and operate a website or uses other social media to promote and sell SV Products in the Remaining Territories, it shall consult with SVC and each of SVC and Knight shall coordinate and cooperate with respect to their web and social media initiatives. In commercializing the SV Products in the Remaining Territories through Direct Channel Sales, Knight shall not pursue a brand strategy that SVC, acting reasonably, determines is materially adverse to the brand equity of SV Products in the Remaining Territories.
   
2.2 Sublicensing. SVC may sublicense its rights granted hereunder or use sub-distributors or third party service providers to exercise its right or fulfill its obligations hereunder. All sublicense agreements, distribution or other arrangements or agreements shall be consistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and SVC assumes full responsibility for any actions taken by any sublicensee, distributor or other party and any of the expenses, costs, or fees incurred by any sublicensee, distributor or other party.
   
2.3 Interim Period. Section 3.2 below contemplates that Knight shall enter into an agreement with the Manufacturer. Knight shall advise SVC by notice in writing when such agreement is in place (the “Notice Date”). Notwithstanding Section 3.1, until the Notice Date, SVC shall be permitted to source SV Products directly from the Manufacturer. With respect to SV Products not purchased from Knight, effective January 1, 2017, SVC will make payments to Knight equal to sixty percent (60%) of Gross Sales from sales of SV Products. Payments shall be made (i) initially within 2 Business Days of the execution of this Agreement in respect to all Calendar Quarters prior to the date hereof and (ii) within thirty (30) days following the end of each subsequent Calendar Quarter. Such payments shall be accompanied by the report to Knight as per Section 4.2.1.

 

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3 SUPPLY
   
3.1 Exclusivity. Except as set forth otherwise in Section 2.3, SVC will purchase all of its requirements of SV Products for the Remaining Territories and in respect of Direct Channel Sales exclusively from Knight, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
   
3.2 Manufacturer. SVC acknowledges that Knight may from time to time enter into an agreement with a contract manufacturer (the “Manufacturer”) for the supply of SV Products under this Agreement. In such instances, Knight and SVC shall determine mutually acceptable procedures that will allow SVC to liaise directly with the Manufacturer in respect of order entry, logistics, delivery and other related matters; provided that SVC shall acquire SV Products exclusively from Knight as stated in Section 3.1 above. Subject to Section 3.5 below, Knight will, at SVC’s request, facilitate any claims, demands, complaints or similar actions that SVC wishes to assert against the Manufacturer in respect of SV Products purchased by SVC from Knight.
   
3.3 Labelling and Packaging. The parties acknowledge that to the extent that the Manufacturer does not supply the labelling and/or packaging for the SV Products, Knight shall not be obliged to supply labelling and/or packaging to SVC. SVC will continue to source such labelling and/or packaging itself.
   
3.4 Credit Limit. Knight may impose reasonable credit limits on the amount of SV Products that are on order or unpaid from time to time.
   
3.5 Liability. SVC acknowledges that Knight’s liability for any and all claims arising from or in connection with the supply of SV Products under this Agreement shall be limited to the amounts that Knight may itself recover from the Manufacturer less all amounts incurred by Knight to recover such amounts.

 

3.6 Additional Terms.

 

  3.6.1 Each Party will maintain complete and accurate books, records, and accounts used for the determination of (i) in the case of Knight expenses, deductions, credits, or other relevant factors in connection with the calculation of Cost of Goods and (ii) in the case of SVC, the determination of Gross Sales, in sufficient detail to confirm the accuracy of any payments required under this Agreement, which books, records, and accounts will be retained until three (3) years after the end of the period to which such books, records, and accounts pertain.

 

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  3.6.2 During the Term of this Agreement and for three (3) years thereafter, each Party will have the right to have an independent certified public accounting firm of internationally recognized standing access during normal business hours, and upon reasonable prior written notice, to such of the records of the other Party as may be reasonably necessary to verify the accuracy of Cost of Goods or Gross Sales (as the case may be) for any Calendar Quarter. The accounting firm will disclose to the Parties only whether the Cost of Goods reported by Knight or Gross Sales reported by SVC (as applicable) is correct or incorrect and the specific details concerning any discrepancies. The auditing Party will bear all costs of such audit, unless the audit reveals a discrepancy in the auditing Party’s favor of more than five percent (5%), in which case the other Party will bear the cost of the audit. Each Party will treat all information subject to review under this Section as Confidential Information and will cause its accounting firm to enter into a reasonably acceptable confidentiality agreement obligating such firm to maintain all such financial information in confidence pursuant to such confidentiality agreement.
     
  3.6.3 If, based on the results of any audit under Section 3.6.2, payments are owed by one Party to the other under this Agreement, then the Party having such obligation will make such payment promptly after the accounting firm’s written report is delivered by courier or registered mail to both Parties.

 

3.7 Responsibility. SVC acknowledges the terms and conditions of the DLS Agreement and agrees that, except as set forth in this Agreement, it shall be solely liable and responsible for all obligations, liabilities and requirements under the DLS Agreement and under Applicable Law relating to the Commercialization of SV Products in the Remaining Territories through Direct Channel Sales as permitted pursuant to Section 2.1 and shall indemnify and hold Knight harmless in respect of same.

 

4 PAYMENT AND FINANCIAL TERMS
   
4.1 Product Price. Knight will supply SV Products to SVC at a price (the “Product Price”) equal to the aggregate of (i) the Cost of Goods and (ii) sixty percent (60%) of the Gross Sales. Knight shall initially invoice SVC for the Cost of Goods for SV Products supplied hereunder. SVC shall pay Knight’s invoice for the Cost of Goods no later than thirty (30) days after delivery of SV Products relating thereto.
   
4.2 Report. Within twenty-five (25) days following the end of each Calendar Quarter, SVC shall render a written report to Knight setting forth the following information and calculations in which sales of SV Products occurred as permitted pursuant to Section 2.1 above in the Calendar Quarter covered by such report:
   

 

  4.2.1 the Gross Sales, if any, in United States dollars; and
     
  4.2.2 the calculation of the balance of the Product Price for SV Products (having regard to the Cost of Goods previously invoiced) based on that Calendar Quarter’s actual Gross Sales.

 

4.3 Balance of Product Price. The payment of the balance of the Product Price shall be made by SVC within thirty (30) days from the end of each Calendar Quarter in which such payment accrues.

 

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4.4 Currency. The Product Price shall be paid by SVC in United States dollars. For the purposes of determining the Cost of Goods, if incurred by Knight in a currency other than United States dollars, the Cost of Goods shall be converted into United States dollars using the closing conversion rate of the Bank of Canada on the business date prior to the date of the invoice to SVC in respect thereof, and with respect to the balance of the Product Price, if Gross Sales were invoiced in a currency other than United States dollars, Gross Sales shall be converted into United States dollars using the closing conversion rate of the Bank of Canada on the last business day of the calendar quarter preceding the applicable calendar quarter.
   
4.5 Procedures. All sums due under this Agreement shall be paid by wire transfer of immediately available funds, or such other method mutually agreed upon by the Parties, in each case at the expense of the payer, no later than the due date thereof (with twenty-four (24) hours advance notice of each wire transfer) to the bank accounts or such other bank accounts as the payee shall designate in writing within reasonable period of time prior to such due date.
   
4.6 Interest. In the event that any payment due hereunder is not made when due, interest shall accrue at a rate per annum equal to the lesser of one point twenty-five percent (1.25%) per month or the highest rate permitted by Law, calculated on the number of days such payments are paid after the date such payments are due and compounded monthly.
   
4.7 Withholding Tax. SVC will make all payments to Knight under this Agreement without deduction or withholding for taxes except to the extent that any such deduction or withholding is required by law in effect at the time of payment. Any tax required to be withheld on amounts payable by SVC under this Agreement will be timely paid by SVC on behalf of Knight to the appropriate Governmental Authority, and SVC will furnish Knight with the corresponding proof of payment of such tax, as may be required in order to enable Knight to request reimbursement or deduction of the withheld amount, or to otherwise comply with its duties. SVC and Knight agree to cooperate to legally minimize and reduce such withholding taxes and provide any information or documentation required by any taxing authority.
   
4.8 VAT and Similar Taxes. All amounts paid by SVC to Knight under this Agreement are exclusive of, and SVC shall pay any sales, use, rental, custom, excise, stamp documentary, value added, consumption or other similar Taxes, duties, levies, fees or charges that may be assessed in any jurisdiction resulting from or arising under this Agreement. Knight shall collect and remit such taxes, duties, levies, fees or charges as required under Law.
   
5 TERM
   
5.1 Initial Term. The appointment set forth in Section 2.1 shall be for an initial period
   
  terminating on February 15, 2021 and this Agreement shall automatically renewal for additional one (1) year terms unless either Party gives notice of nonrenewal at least one hundred and eighty (180) days prior to the end of the then-current term.

 

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5.2 Termination for Breach. Either Party may terminate this Agreement by written notice to the other Party with immediate effect in the following cases:

 

  (a) In the event of a petition in bankruptcy or insolvency of the other Party, or in case of the filing by the other Party of any petition or answer seeking reorganization, readjustment, or rearrangement of its business under any law or any government regulation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency, or in case of the institution by the other Party of any proceedings for the liquidation or winding up of its business, or for the termination of its corporate charter.
     
  (b) If the other Party is otherwise in material default or breach of this Agreement and such default or breach is not cured within (i) sixty (60) days after written notice thereof is delivered to the defaulting or breaching Party (thirty (30) days in the case of SVC’s failure to pay any amounts due hereunder), or (ii) in the case of a breach that cannot be cured within sixty (60) days, within a reasonable period not exceeding one hundred twenty (120) days after written notice thereof is delivered to the defaulting or breaching Party.

 

5.3 Effect of Termination. Upon expiry or termination of this Agreement, all rights granted by Knight hereunder shall terminate and SVC undertakes to except as provided for in Section 5.4, cease any Commercialization of the SV Products in the Remaining Territories.
   
5.4 Sell-Off of Inventory. Subject to compliance with Section 4 hereof, upon termination of this Agreement, SVC shall be entitled to sell off any inventory of the SV Products in SVC’s possession or control or which are subject to binding purchase orders on the date such termination is effective.
   
6 LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
   
  WITHOUT LIMITING THE PARTIES’ OBLIGATIONS REGARDING INDEMNIFICATION, NEITHER PARTY SHALL BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER PARTY OR TO ANY THIRD PARTY WHO MAY BENEFIT FROM ANY PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT FOR SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, LOSS OF PROFITS, INTERRUPTION OR LOSS OF BUSINESS OR OTHER ECONOMIC LOSS) ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR WITH RESPECT TO A PARTY’S PERFORMANCE OR NON-PERFORMANCE HEREUNDER.
   
7 OTHER PROVISIONS
   
7.1 Further Assurances. Upon request by either Party and at such Party’s expense, the other Party shall do such further acts and execute such additional agreements and instruments as may be reasonably necessary to give effect to the purposes of this Agreement.

 

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7.2 Independent Status. Each Party shall act as an independent contractor and shall not bind nor attempt to bind the other Party to any contract, nor any performance of obligations outside of the license agreement. Nothing contained or done under the Agreement shall be interpreted as constituting either Party the agent of the other in any sense of the term whatsoever or in the relationship of partners or joint venturers.
   
7.3 Assignment. Except in connection with the acquisition of a Party or the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of such Party, this Agreement may not be, directly or indirectly, assigned or transferred, in whole or in part, by a Party to a Third Party without the prior written consent of the other Party. The rights and obligations contained herein shall inure to the benefit of each Party’s successors and permitted assigns, and shall be binding on and enforceable against the relevant Party’s successors and permitted assigns. Any reference in this Agreement to any Party shall be construed accordingly.
   
7.4 Compliance with Law. Each Party shall comply with, and shall not be in violation of any valid applicable international, national, provincial or local statutes, laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, or other governmental orders of the Remaining Territories.
   
7.5 Force Majeure. No Party shall be responsible for a failure or delay in performance of any of the obligations hereunder due wars, insurrections, strikes, acts of God, power outages, storms, or actions of regulatory agencies (such events being defined as “Force Majeure”), provided that the Party seeking relief from its obligations advises the other Party forthwith of the Force Majeure. A Party whose performance of obligations has been delayed by force majeure shall use commercially reasonable efforts to overcome the effect of the Force Majeure as soon as possible. The other Party will have no right to demand indemnity for damage or assert a breach against such Party, provided, however, that if the event of Force Majeure preventing performance shall continue for more than six (6) months and such underlying cause would not also prevent other parties from performing such obligations, then the Party not subject to the event of Force Majeure may terminate this Agreement with a written notice to the other without any liability hereunder, except the obligation to make payments due to such date.
   
7.6 Notices and Amendments. Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given by facsimile or other means of electronic communication or by hand delivery as hereinafter provided. Any such notice, if sent by fax or other means of electronic communication, shall be deemed to have been received on the day of sending, or if delivered by hand shall be deemed to have been received at the time it is delivered to the applicable address noted below. Notices of change of address shall also be governed by this Section 7.6. Notices and other communications shall be addressed as follows:

 

  (a) In the case of the Sneaky Vaunt Corp

 

SNEAKY VAUNT CORP

c/o Synergy CHC Corp.

865 Spring Street

Westbrook, Maine 04092

Attention: Jack Ross

E-mail: jack@synergychc.com

 

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with a copy to:

Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP

4101 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 300

Raleigh, North Carolina 27607

U.S.A.

Attention: W. David Mannheim, Esq.

Fax: (919) 781-4865

E-mail: dmannheim@wyrick.com

 

  (b) In the case of Knight:

 

KNIGHT THERAPEUTICS (BARBADOS) INC.

The Business Centre

Upton, St-Michael

BB11103 Barbados

Attention: Michel Loustric, President

E-mail: mloustric@gudknight.com

 

With a copy to:

 

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP

900 Third Avenue 24th Floor

New York, New York 10022

U.S.A.

Attention: Hillel W. Rosen

Fax: (212) 308-0132

E-mail: hrosen@dwpv.com

 

7.7 Waiver. No failure to exercise and no delay in exercising any right or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof Any waiver granted hereunder shall only be applicable the specific acts covered thereby and shall not apply to any subsequent events, acts, or circumstances
   
7.8 Complete Agreement. This Agreement embodies all of the understandings and obligations between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior or contemporaneous agreements and understandings, whether written or oral, between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof Any amendments or supplements to this Agreement shall not be valid unless executed in writing by duly authorized officers of both parties.
   
7.9 Severability. In the event any portion of this Agreement shall be held illegal, void or ineffective, the remaining portion hereof shall remain in full force and effect. If any of the terns or provisions of this Agreement are in conflict with any applicable statute or rule of law, then such terms or provisions shall be deemed inoperative to the extent that they may conflict therewith and shall be deemed to be modified to conform with such statute or rule of law.

 

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7.10 Governing Law. This Agreement all disputes arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or the performance, enforcement, breach or termination hereof or thereof, and any remedies relating thereto, shall be construed, governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
   
7.11 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be considered one and the same Agreement and shall become effective when a counterpart hereof has been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Party.
   
7.12 Time of Essence. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement and of each provision hereof
   
7.13 Arbitration. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, any dispute or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or to the breach, termination, or validity of this Agreement, will be resolved as follows: each Party shall discuss the matter and make reasonable efforts to attempt to resolve the dispute. If the Parties are unable to resolve, the dispute a CEO or President of each Party will meet within thirty days (30) of a request to attempt to resolve such dispute being made by a Party. If the CEOs or Presidents cannot resolve the dispute through good faith negotiations within sixty (60) days after a Party requests such meeting, then the Parties shall resort to binding arbitration before a single arbitrator using the arbitration procedures set forth under the American Arbitration Association under its Commercial Arbitration Rules. Any hearing in the course of the arbitration shall be held New York, New York in the English language. The decision of the arbitrator shall be final and not subject to appeal and the arbitrator may apportion the costs of the arbitration, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of the parties, between or among the parties in such manner as the arbitrator considers reasonable. All matters in relation to the arbitration shall be kept confidential to the full extent permitted by law, and no individual shall be appointed as an arbitrator unless he or she agrees in writing to be bound by this provision.

 

[Signature page follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have signed this Agreement,

 

  KNIGHT THERAPEUTICICS
  (BARBADOS) INC.
                                
  By: /s/ Michael Loustric
  Name:  Michael Loustric
  Title: President
     
  SNEAKY VAUNT
     
  By: /s/ Jack Ross
  Name: Jack Ross
  Title: CEO

 

 

Exhibit 10.28

 

[***] Certain information in this document has been excluded pursuant to Regulation S-K, Item 601(b)(10). Such excluded information is not material and would likely cause competitive harm to the registrant if publicly disclosed.

 

Date: October 9, 2009    Vendor A/P No.
      Dept. No  

 

COSTCO WHOLESALE

BASIC VENDOR AGREEMENT

United States (2004)

 

Factor Nutrition Labs LLC (“Vendor”) and Costco
Wholesale Corporation (referred to as “Costco Wholesale”) agree that:  

 

A. Agreement Documents. All sales and deliveries of all merchandise by Vendor to Costco Wholesale (or other purchaser under paragraph C below), and all purchase orders by Costco Wholesale (or other purchaser under paragraph C below) to Vendor, will be covered by and subject to the terms of each of the following documents (collectively the “Agreement Documents”):

 

  ●  This Basic Vendor Agreement;
     
  ●  The attached Costco Wholesale Standard Terms United States (2004), as they may be amended in writing by Costco Wholesale from time to time (“Standard Terms”); and
     
  ●  Each Vendor Purchase Program Agreement, Item Agreement, or any other agreements (such as warehouse displays, promotions or rebates) that have been or will be signed between Vendor and Costco Wholesale.

 

B. Inconsistency. The above Agreement Documents collectively are an agreement between us, are part of this Basic Vendor Agreement and are incorporated herein by reference. In case of any inconsistency among any Agreement Documents, the lowest such document in the above list will take priority over any document higher on the list.
   
C. Purchaser. Each purchase will be made in the name of “Costco Wholesale,” but may be for the account of its affiliates or licensees.
   
D. Insurance. The insurance requirements are set forth in Section 16 of the Standard Terms.
   
E. Disputes. Disputes shall be resolved under Sections 20 and 21 of the Standard Terms.
   
F. Relationship of the Parties. The relationship between Costco Wholesale and Vendor is that of an independent contractor and Vendor agrees that it has not and shall not hold itself out as, nor shall Vendor be deemed to be, an agent of Costco Wholesale.

 

 

 

 

G. Vendor Code of Conduct. Vendor agrees to comply with Costco Wholesale’s Vendor Code of Conduct (December 2003), as it may be amended in writing by Costco Wholesale from time to time.
   
H. Other Forms. The Agreement Documents supersede all terms in Vendor’s invoices and other forms, and all prior oral or written communications between us. No party is entering into these Agreement Documents in reliance on any oral or written promises, representations or understandings other than those in the Agreement Documents.

 

COSTCO WHOLESALE CORPORATION VENDOR:
       
By By /s/ Annie L Hodgdon
  (Buyer)   (Signature of Owner, Officer or other Authorized Employee)
       
By   Annie L. Hodgdon Retail Coordinator
  (GMM)   (Print Name and Title

 

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3

 

 

 

4

 

 

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      Vendor A/P No. __________________________________________
Date:  

Sept. 23, 2009

Dept. No. ____________________________________________________

 

COSTCO.COM DROP-SHIP VENDOR AGREEMENT

United States (2004)

 

Factor Nutrition Labs LLC (“Vendor”) and Costco Wholesale Corporation (referred to hereinafter as “costco.com” unless specifically stated otherwise agree that:

 

1. Agreement Documents. All sales and deliveries of all Merchandise by Vendor to costco.com’s Customers purchased by costco.com from Vendor, and sold through the Internet e-commerce site(s) of costco.com or its Affiliate Purchasers (as defined below), will be covered by and subject to the definitions in the Drop-Ship E-Standard Terms and the terms of each of the following documents (collectively the “Drop-Ship Agreement Documents”):

 

(a) This costco.com Drop-Ship Vendor Agreement;
   
(b) The attached costco.com Drop-Ship E-Standard Terms (United States 2004), as they may be amended in writing by costco.com from time to time (the “Drop-Ship E-Standard Terms”); and
   
(c) Each Vendor Purchase Program Agreement, costco.com E-Item Agreement or any other agreement that has been or will be signed between Vendor and costco.com.

 

2. Inconsistency. The above Drop-Ship Agreement Documents collectively are an agreement between us, are part of this costco.com Drop-Ship Vendor Agreement and are incorporated herein by reference. In case of any inconsistency among any Drop-Ship Agreement Documents, the lowest such document on the list in Section 1 above will take priority over any document higher on the list.

 

3. Purchaser. Each purchase will be made in the trade name of “costco.com,” but may be for the account of Costco Wholesale or of its affiliates or licensees that operate online e-commerce sites and for whom Costco Wholesale acts as purchasing agent (“Affiliate Purchasers”).

 

4. Insurance. Vendor shall comply with the insurance requirements set forth in Section 27 of the Drop-Ship E-Standard Terms.

 

5. Disputes. Disputes shall be resolved as provided in Sections 32, 33 and 34 of the Drop-Ship E- Standard Terms.

 

6. Relationship of the Parties. The relationship between costco.com and Vendor is that of an independent contractor and Vendor agrees that it has not and shall not hold itself out as, nor shall Vendor be deemed to be, an agent of costco.com.

 

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7. Assigned Numbers. Vendor acknowledges that the Vendor A/P number and department number referenced on page 1 of this costco.com Drop-Ship Vendor Agreement, as well as any vendor number assigned to Vendor by costco.com, are included for the sole benefit of costco.com and may be changed by costco.com at any time and from time to time. Costco.com will notify Vendor of any such change(s) and Vendor will thereafter use the revised number(s) as and when required by costco.com.

 

8. Vendor Code of Conduct. Vendor agrees to comply with Costco Wholesale’s Vendor Code of Conduct (December 2003), as it may be amended in writing by Costco Wholesale from time to time.

 

9. Other Forms. The Agreement Documents supersede all terms in Vendor’s invoices and other forms, and all prior oral or written communications between us. Costco.com shall not be bound by, and specifically objects to, any term, condition or other provision that is different or in addition to the provisions of the Agreement Documents and is offered by Vendor and otherwise appears in any email, invoice, receipt, acceptance, confirmation, correspondence or otherwise, unless costco.com specifically agrees to such provision in a writing signed by costco.com. No party is entering into these Agreement Documents in reliance on any oral or written promises, representations or understandings other than those in the Agreement Documents.

 

Costco. com :

Vendor:

   
Costco Wholesale Corporation Factor Nutrition Labs LLC
     
Signature of GMM: _____________________________ Signature: /s/ Annie L Hodgon
     
Printed Name: _____________________________ Printed Name: Annie L. Hodgdon
     
Signature of Buyer: _____________________________ Title: Retail Coordinator
     
Printed Name: _____________________________    

 

 

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Exhibit 10.29

 

[***] Certain information in this document has been excluded pursuant to Regulation S-K, Item 601(b)(10). Such excluded information is not material and would likely cause competitive harm to the registrant if publicly disclosed.

 

SUPPLIER AGREEMENT

 

Supplier Number: −40− Effective Date: //

 

This Supplier Agreement (“Agreement”) between the party listed below (“Supplier”) and Wal−Mart Stores, Inc., Wal−Mart Stores East, LP, Wal−Mart Stores East, Inc., Wal−Mart Stores Texas, LP, Sam’s West, Inc., Sam’s East, Inc. and affiliates (hereinafter referred to collectively as “Company”) sets forth Supplier’s qualifications and the general terms of the business relationship between Company and Supplier. The parties agree that all sales and deliveries of all Merchandise (as defined below) by Supplier to Company and all Orders (as defined below) by Company will be covered by and subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Standards for Suppliers (which is attached and incorporated by reference) and any Order signed or initialed (electronically or otherwise) by an Authorized Buyer (as defined below) for Company. This Agreement becomes effective on the date shown above and remains effective for the term set forth herein. The execution and submission of this Agreement does not impose upon Company any obligation to purchase Merchandise.

 

General Supplier Information

 

Supplier’s Business Classification: (Please disregard this section if Supplier is not a female or minority−owned business)

 

Woman−Owned? Minority Owned?

BLACK ASIAN−PACIFIC AMERICAN INDIAN ESKIMO HISPANIC NATIVE AMERICAN ALEUT NATIVE HAWAIIAN

 

If Supplier falls within any of the above classes, and has been certified as minority−owned by a government agency or purchasing council, Supplier is qualified for the first step in the Wal−Mart Minority/Female Owned Business Development Program (the “Supplier Development Program”). Supplier agrees to provide to Company a copy of its certification as a prerequisite to qualification in the Supplier Development Program. For further information, please contact the Wal−Mart Supplier Development Office at 1−800−604−4555.

 

Enter the Federal Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) of the Supplier Named Below.

If a TIN has not been issued, enter the Employer’s Social Security Number.

TIN: *****0274

Type of Payee (Check Only One): _Individual/Sole Proprietorship _Corporation _Partnership X Other

 

Supplier Information: FACTOR NUTRITION LABS   President : PAUL LEVINSHOHN Phone: 2073212309
Address: 100 COMMERCIAL STREET   Acct. Executive or V.P. Sales: MICHAEL WILSON Phone: 2073212303
Address 2:            
City/State/Zip: PORTLAND, ME 04101   Acct. Contact:   Phone:  

 

ADDRESS TO MAIL PAYMENT:     ADDRESS TO SEND ORDERS:
         
Supplier Name: FACTOR NUTRITION LABS    Supplier Name: FACTOR NUTRITION LABS
         
Address: 100 COMMERCIAL STREET SUITE 200    Attention: JAIME UNDERWOOD
         

 

 

 

 

Address 2:   Address: 100 COMMERCIAL STREET
         
City/State/Zip: PORTLAND, ME 04101   City/State/Zip: PORTLAND, ME 04101
         
Factor Name:     Street Address for use by delivery services other than the U.S.
         
Supplier Also Doing Business As: (Attach a list to Agreement if space below is insufficient):     Mail, if not already shown in the Purchase Order address above.:
        Room:
Supplier Number:     Expedite Orders: Phone: Extension #:
      2073212337  
         
ADDRESS TO MAIL CLAIM DOCUMENTATION:      
      ADDRESS TO SEND
Attention: JAIME UNDERWOOD   PRICING TICKETS:
Address: 100 COMMERCIAL STREET   Supplier Name: FACTOR NUTRITION LABS
City/State/Zip: PORTLAND, ME 04101   Attention: JAIME UNDERWOOD
Accounting Phone Number: 2073212337 Extension #: 0   Address: 100 COMMERCIAL STREET
Toll Free Number: Fax Number: 2073212397   City/State/Zip: PORTLAND, ME 04101

 

Has Supplier or any related entity previously conducted business with Company? Yes No X If so, under what name(s)?

 

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

 

1. DEFINITIONS. As used in this Agreement or any Company issued Order, the following capitalized words shall have the following meanings:

 

(a) “Account” shall mean any right to receive payments arising under this Agreement.

(b) “Anticipation” shall mean the intentional or unintentional payment of obligations prior to the due date which results in a monetary adjustment in amounts payable to Supplier.

(c) “Authorized Buyer” shall mean any General Merchandise Manager, Divisional Merchandise Manager, Buyer 1, 2 or 3 and replenishment manager assigned to the Wal−Mart category/department corresponding to the purchased Merchandise.

(d) “Merchandise” shall mean all products, goods, materials, equipment, articles, and tangible items supplied by Supplier to Company and all packaging, instructions, warnings, warranties, advertising and other services included therewith.

(e) “Electronic Data Interchange” (“EDI”) shall mean the moving of information regarding specific business processes (invoicing, ordering, reporting, etc.) electronically between two or more businesses. The information is transmitted electronically structured according to standards mandated by Company.

 

( ) “End of Month Dating” shall mean payment terms beginning at the first of the following month rather than from the receipt of merchandise, if the merchandise is received on or after the 24th of the month.

(a) “High Risk Supplier” shall mean a Supplier identified as such by Company in view of the nature of the Supplier’s products, the severity of claims made against Supplier’s products, the frequency of claims made, past litigation involving the Supplier’s products and other factors deemed relevant by Company.

(b) “Order” shall mean any written or electronic purchase order issued by Company.

(c) “Recall” shall mean any removal of Merchandise from the stream of commerce initiated by Supplier, a government entity or Company.

(d) “Standards” shall mean the Wal−Mart Stores, Inc. Standards for Suppliers, attached hereto.

(e) “Vendor Master” shall mean the accounting department of Company responsible for control and processing of new supplier agreements and updates to existing agreements.

 

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2. ORDERS; CANCELLATION. Supplier may ship only after receipt of an Order. Acceptance of an Order may be made only by shipment of the Merchandise in accordance herewith. Acceptance is expressly limited to all of the terms and conditions of such Order, including, all shipping, routing and billing instructions and all attachments and supplemental instructions delivered therewith. Shipments made contrary to Company’s routing instructions will be deemed F.O.B. Destination (either store, club or warehouse). Supplier’s invoice, confirmation memorandum or other writing may not vary the terms of any Order. Supplier’s failure to comply with one or more terms of an Order shall constitute an event of default and shall be grounds for the exercise by Company of any of the remedies provided for in this Agreement or by applicable law. Projections, past purchasing history and representations about quantities to be purchased are not binding, and Company shall not be liable for any act or expenditure (including but not limited to expenditures for equipment, materials, packaging or other capital expenditures) by Supplier in reliance on them. Company may cancel all or any part of an Order at any time prior to shipment.

 

3. SUPPLIER FINANCIAL INFORMATION; SALES TO COMPANY. Supplier shall submit to Company with this Agreement one of the following: (1) a complete set of audited current financial statements, (2) a current Dun & Bradstreet financial report, or (3) if publicly held, Supplier’s most recent annual report to shareholders and management proxy information. If Company’s purchases from Supplier are anticipated by Supplier to constitute twenty percent (20%) or more of Supplier’s gross annual sales on a calendar year basis, Supplier agrees to notify Company of this fact, in writing, within thirty (30) days of Supplier becoming aware of such possibility.

 

4. PAYMENT TERMS; CASH DISCOUNT; ANTICIPATION. Supplier shall transmit invoices on the same day Merchandise is shipped, but payment terms shall date from Company’s receipt of the Merchandise. If Supplier selects End of Month Dating on Appendix 1 hereto, Merchandise received after the 24th of any month shall be payable as if received on the first day of the following month. Any cash discount selected by Supplier on Appendix 1 will be calculated on the gross amount of Supplier’s invoice. Anticipation may be taken upon the mutual consent of the parties.

 

5. SET−OFF; RESERVATION OF ACCOUNT; CREDIT BALANCE. Company may set off against amounts payable under any Order all present and future indebtedness of Supplier to Company arising from this or any other transaction whether or not related hereto. If Company determines that Supplier’s performance under an Order and/or this Agreement is likely to be impaired, Company may establish a reserve on Supplier’s Account to satisfy Supplier’s actual or anticipated obligations to Company arising from any such Order or this Agreement, by withholding payment of Supplier’s invoices. Supplier agrees that any credit balance will be paid in cash to Company upon written request.

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE: ALL PAYMENTS OF MONIES OWED PURSUANT TO THIS SUPPLIER AGREEMENT AND PURCHASE ORDERS MUST BE MAILED TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:

 

WAL−MART STORES, INC./SAM’S CLUB, C/O CORPORATE ACCOUNTING, P.O. BOX 500787, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI 63150−0787.

 

Note: Any payments on your Wal−Mart or SAM’S CLUB Credit Card should be mailed to the billing address indicated on your credit card statement, not the address above.

 

6. NOTICE REGARDING ASSIGNMENT OF ACCOUNTS; ACCOUNT DISPUTES. Supplier shall provide Company written notice of an assignment, factoring, or other transfer of its Account at least 30 days prior to such assignment, factoring, or other transfer taking legal effect. Such written notice shall include the name and address of the assignee/transferee, the date the assignment is to begin, and terms of the assignment, and shall be considered delivered upon receipt of such written notice by Vendor Master. Supplier may have only one assignment, factoring or transfer of its Account effective at any time. The assignment of any Account hereunder shall not affect Company’s rights set forth in Section 5 of this Agreement. Supplier shall defend indemnify and hold Company harmless from any and all lawsuits, claims, demands, actions, damages (including reasonable attorney fees, court costs, obligations, liabilities or liens) arising from or related to the assignment, transfer or factoring of its Account. Supplier releases and waives any right, claim or action against Company for amounts due and owing under this Agreement where Supplier has not complied with the notice requirements of this provision. Notices required pursuant to this Section shall be mailed to: Wal−Mart Stores, Inc., Attn: Vendor Master, 1108 S.E. 10th St. Bentonville, AR 72716−0680.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, any dispute or any other circumstance, Company reserves the right to remit payment to Supplier.

 

7. TAXES. The prices set forth in any Order are deemed to include all taxes. If any manufacturer’s excise or other similar or different taxes are paid on the Merchandise described in any Order and if such tax, or any part thereof, is refunded to Supplier, then Supplier shall immediately pay Company the amount of such refund.

 

8. PRICE PROTECTION; PRICE GUARANTEE AND NOTICE OF PRICE INCREASES. Supplier guarantees its prices against manufacturer’s or Supplier’s own price decline. If Supplier reduces its price on any Merchandise sold to Company, which Merchandise has not yet been delivered to Company by Supplier or, if consistent with Supplier’s practice, which Merchandise is currently in Company’s inventory (including Merchandise on hand, in warehouses and in transit), Supplier shall at Company’s discretion either issue a check or give Company a credit equal to the price difference for such Merchandise, multiplied by the units of such Merchandise to be delivered by Supplier and/or currently in Company’s inventory. For all Merchandise not yet shipped to Company, Supplier agrees to meet the price of any of its competitors selling comparable merchandise. If a court, regulatory agency or other government entity with jurisdiction finds that the prices on an Order are in excess of that allowed by any law or regulation of any governmental agency, the prices shall be automatically revised to equal a price which is not in violation of said law or regulation. If Company shall have made payment before it is determined that there has been a violation of this section, Supplier shall promptly refund an amount of money equal to the difference between the price paid for the Merchandise and the price which is not in violation of this section. If contemporaneously with Supplier’s sale of Merchandise to the Company, Supplier sells or offers to any competitor of Company any merchandise of like grade and quality at lower prices and/or on terms more favorable than those stated on the Order, the prices and/or terms of the Order shall be deemed automatically revised to equal the lowest prices and most favorable terms at which Supplier shall have sold or shall have offered such merchandise and payment shall be made accordingly. If Company shall become entitled to such lower prices, but shall have made payment at any prices in excess thereof, Supplier shall promptly refund the difference in price to Company. If there is a price increase, Supplier shall give Company written notice of any such increase at least sixty (60) days prior to the effective date of the increase.

 

9. SUPPLIER EDI RESPONSIBILITIES.

 

(a) Supplier shall electronically receive Orders and send Company invoices via EDI unless otherwise agreed to by Company in writing.

 

(b) Supplier shall assure that access by its employees to the EDI interchange is restricted by password to those persons authorized to contractually bind Supplier.

 

(c) Supplier’s use of the EDI interchange acknowledges Supplier’s review and acceptance of the terms and requirements for using the EDI system to contract electronically.

 

(d) Supplier will establish a user I.D. to identify itself, and the presence of this user I.D. in the EDI interchange will be sufficient to verify the source of the data and the authenticity of the document.

 

(e) Documents containing the user I.D. will constitute a signed writing, and neither party shall contest the validity or enforceability of the document on the basis of lack of a signature or sufficient identification of the parties.

 

(f) EDI documents or printouts thereof shall constitute originals.

 

(g) EDI documents will be retained by both Company and Supplier in a form that is accessible and reproducible.

 

(h) If Company agrees to waive the EDI requirements of this section of this Agreement, Orders may be sent via overnight mail at Supplier’s expense.

 

10. PURCHASE COSTS AND CONDITIONS. Supplier is responsible for verifying the accuracy of costs, discounts, allowances and all other terms of sale on all Orders. If incorrect information exists, Supplier shall notify Company not less than twenty−four (24) hours prior to shipment. If a change is necessary, no shipment is to commence without written confirmation of the change from an authorized member of Company’s merchandising department. If Merchandise ships prior to discovery of an error on the Order, the parties shall confer within forty−eight (48) hours of such discovery to determine the actions to be taken regarding the erroneous Order.

 

11. SHIPPER LOAD AND COUNT RESPONSIBILITIES. Supplier who is shipping a full truckload collect, or full truckload under Company control, to Company will be responsible for monitoring its shipping process. Supplier is required to close the trailer, seal it with a Supplier−provided seal, and document the seal number on all copies of the Bill of Lading. All such shipments will be considered Shipper Load and Shipper Count, whether or not so notated. If Supplier fails to seal the trailer, or fails to reference and identify the seal on all copies of the Bill of Lading, and shortages occur, Supplier shall be liable for such shortage. The Shipper expressly agrees that the contractual provision herein shall supersede any contrary Bill of Lading term, clause, notation, other provision, or any other writing.

 

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12. DELIVERY TIME. THE TIME SPECIFIED IN AN ORDER FOR SHIPMENT OF MERCHANDISE IS OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT AND IF SUCH MERCHANDISE IS NOT SHIPPED WITHIN THE TIME SPECIFIED, COMPANY RESERVES THE RIGHT, AT ITS OPTION AND WITHOUT LIMITATION, TO CANCEL THE ORDER AND/OR REJECT ANY MERCHANDISE DELIVERED AFTER THE TIME SPECIFIED. In addition to the aforementioned remedy, Company may exercise any other remedies provided for in this Agreement or provided by applicable law, including but not limited to those remedies provided by the Uniform Commercial Code. Notwithstanding Company’s right to cancel shipment, or to reject or revoke acceptance of Merchandise, Supplier agrees to inform Company immediately of any actual or anticipated failure to ship all or any part of an Order or the exact Merchandise called for in an Order on the shipment date specified. Acceptance of any Merchandise shipped after the specified shipment date shall not be construed as a waiver of any of Company’s rights or remedies resulting from the late shipment.

 

13. REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND GUARANTEES. By acceptance of an Order, Supplier represents, warrants and guarantees that:

 

(a) The Merchandise will be new and not used, remanufactured, reconditioned or refurbished, and will comply with all specifications contained in such Order and will be of equal or better quality as all samples delivered to Company;

 

(b) The Merchandise is genuine and is not counterfeit, adulterated, misbranded, falsely labeled or advertised or falsely invoiced within the meaning of any applicable local, state or federal laws or regulations;

 

(c) The Merchandise has been labeled, advertised and invoiced in accordance with the requirements (if applicable) of the Wool Products Labeling Act of 1939, the Fur Products Labeling Act, the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act and any other applicable local, state or federal laws or regulations, and the sale of the Merchandise by Company does not and will not violate any such laws;

 

(d) Reasonable and representative tests made in accordance with the requirements of the Flammable Fabrics Act (if applicable) show that the Merchandise is not so highly flammable as to be dangerous when worn by individuals;

 

(e) The Merchandise is properly labeled as to content as required by applicable Federal Trade Commission Trade Practice Rules, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act and similar local, state or federal laws, rules or regulations;

 

(f) The Merchandise shall be delivered in good and undamaged condition and shall, when delivered, be merchantable and fit and safe for the purposes for which the same are intended to be used, including but not limited to consumer use;

 

(g) The Merchandise does not infringe upon or violate any patent, copyright, trademark, trade name, trade dress, trade secret or, without limitation, any other rights belonging to others, and all royalties owed by Supplier, if any, have been paid to the appropriate licensor;

 

(h) All weights, measures, sizes, legends or descriptions printed, stamped, attached or otherwise indicated with regard to the Merchandise are true and correct, and conform and comply with all laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, codes and/or standards of federal, state and local governments relating to said Merchandise;

 

(i) The Merchandise is not in violation of any other laws, ordinances, statutes, rules or regulations of the United States or any state or local government or any subdivision or agency thereof, including but not limited to all laws and regulations relating to health, safety, environment, serial and identification numbers, labeling and country of origin designation, toxic substances, OSHA and EPA regulations, Federal Meat Inspection Act or Poultry Products Inspections Act (or any other food safety statute) and the requirements of California Proposition 65, and such Merchandise or the sale thereof by Company do not and will not violate any such laws;

 

(j) All Merchandise shall have an accurate twelve (12) digit manufacturer−assigned UPC number that complies with Companys UPC requirements, as amended from time to time;

 

(k) There is no other impediment or restriction, legal or otherwise, that limits, prohibits or prevents Supplier from selling and delivering the Merchandise to Company or limits, prohibits or prevents Company from reselling the Merchandise to its customers;

 

(l) The Merchandise is mined, produced, manufactured, assembled and packaged in compliance with the Standards; and

 

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(m) The Merchandise is not transshipped for the purpose of mislabeling, evading quota or country of origin restrictions or avoiding compliance with the Standards. Where applicable, Supplier agrees to provide Company with a current, complete and accurate Material Safety Data Sheet (“MSDS”) for said Merchandise;

(n)if any particular item of Merchandise under this Agreement contains a powder, liquid, gel or paste that is not intended for human consumption; a compressed gas or propellant (such as an aerosol); or a flammable solid (such as matches), Supplier shall notify Company. If the item Merchandise contains such properties, Companys Chemicals Return Policy shall govern all returns of such Merchandise and Supplier shall promptly elect return options under that policy.

 

It shall be within the sole discretion of Company to determine if Supplier has breached the above−mentioned representations, warranties and guarantees. In addition to the representations, warranties and guarantees contained in this paragraph, all other representations, warranties and guarantees provided by law, including but not limited to any warranties provided by the Uniform Commercial Code, are specifically incorporated herein. Nothing contained in this Agreement or an Order shall be deemed a waiver of any representations, warranties or guarantees implied by law.

 

14. INDEMNIFICATION. Supplier shall protect, defend, hold harmless and indemnify Company, including its officers, directors, employees and agents, from and against any and all lawsuits, claims, demands, actions, liabilities, losses, damages, costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees and court costs), regardless of the cause or alleged cause thereof, and regardless of whether such matters are groundless, fraudulent or false, arising out of any actual or alleged:

 

(a) Misappropriation or infringement of any patent, trademark, trade dress, trade secret, copyright or other right relating to any Merchandise;

 

(b) Death of or injury to any person, damage to any property, or any other damage or loss, by whomsoever suffered, resulting or claimed to result in whole or in part from any actual or alleged use of or latent or patent defect in, such Merchandise, including but not limited to (i) any actual or alleged failure to provide adequate warnings, labelings or instructions, (ii) any actual or alleged improper construction or design of said Merchandise, or (iii) any actual or alleged failure of said merchandise to comply with specifications or with any express or implied warranties of Supplier;

 

(c) Violation of any law, statute, ordinance, governmental administrative order, rule or regulation relating to the merchandise, or to any of its components or ingredients, or to its manufacture, shipment, labeling, use or sale, or to any failure to provide a Material Safety Data Sheet or certification;

 

(d) Act, activity or omission of Supplier or any of its employees, representatives or agents, including but not limited to activities on Company’s premises and the use of any vehicle, equipment, fixture or material of Supplier in connection with any sale to or service for the Company; and

 

(e) Any installation by Supplier of Merchandise covered by this Agreement.

 

Supplier shall promptly notify Company of the assertion, filing or service of any lawsuit, claim, demand, action, liability or other matter that is or may be covered by this indemnity, and shall immediately take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the interests of Company, its officers, directors, employees and agents. Any and all counsel selected or provided by Supplier to represent or defend Company or any of its officers, directors, employees or agents shall accept and acknowledge receipt of Company’s Indemnity Counsel Guidelines, and shall conduct such representation or defense strictly in accordance with such Guidelines. If Company in its sole discretion shall determine that such counsel has not done so, or appears unwilling or unable to do so, Company may replace such counsel with other counsel of Company’s own choosing. In such event, any and all fees and expenses of Company’s new counsel, together with any and all expenses or costs incurred on account of the change of counsel, shall be paid or reimbursed by Supplier as part of its indemnity obligation hereunder. Company shall at all times have the right to direct the defense of, and to accept or reject any offer to compromise or settle, any lawsuit, claim, demand or liability asserted against Company or any of its officers, directors, employees or agents. The duties and obligations of Supplier created hereby shall not be affected or limited in any way by Company’s extension of express or implied warranties to its customers.

 

15. RECALLS. If Merchandise is the subject of a Recall, whether initiated by Supplier, Company or a government entity (including the issuance of safety notices), Supplier shall be responsible for all matters and costs associated with the Recall, including but not limited to:

 

(a) Consumer notification and contact;

 

(b) All expenses and losses incurred by Company in connection with such Recall (and where applicable, any products with which the Recalled Merchandise has been packaged, consolidated or commingled), including but not limited to refunds to customers, lost profits, transportation costs and all other costs associated therewith; and

 

(c) Initial contact and reporting of the Recall to any government agency having jurisdiction over the affected Merchandise.

 

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If a government agency initiates any inquiry or investigation relating to the Merchandise or similar goods manufactured or supplied by Supplier, Supplier shall notify Company immediately thereof and take reasonable steps to resolve the matter without exposing Company to any liability or risk.

 

16. LIMITATION OF DAMAGES. In no event shall Company be liable for any punitive, special, incidental or consequential damages of any kind (including but not limited to loss of profits, business revenues, business interruption and the like), arising from or relating to the relationship between Supplier and Company, including all prior dealings and agreements, or the conduct of business under or breach of this Agreement or any Order, Company’s cancellation of any Order or Orders or the termination of business relations with Supplier, regardless of whether the claim under which such damages are sought is based upon breach of warranty, breach of contract, negligence, tort, strict liability, statute, regulation or any other legal theory or law, even if Company has been advised by Supplier of the possibility of such damages.

 

17. REMEDIES. Supplier’s failure to comply with any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement or any Order shall be grounds for the exercise by Company of any one or more of the following remedies:

 

(a) Cancellation of all or any part of any undelivered Order without notice, including but not limited to the balance of any remaining installments on a multiple−shipment Order;

 

(b) Rejection (or revocation of acceptance) of all or any part of any delivered shipment. Upon rejection or revocation of acceptance of any part of or all of a shipment, Company may return the Merchandise or hold it at Supplier’s risk and expense. Payment of any invoice shall not limit Company’s right to reject or revoke acceptance. Company’s right to reject and return or hold Merchandise at Supplier’s expense and risk shall also extend to Merchandise which is returned by Company’s customers. Company may, at its option, require Supplier to grant a full refund or credit to Company of the price actually paid by any customer of Company for any such item in lieu of replacement with respect to any item. Company shall be under no duty to inspect the Merchandise, and notice to Supplier of rejection shall be deemed given within a reasonable time if given within a reasonable time after notice of defects or deficiencies has been given to Company by its customers. In respect of any Merchandise rejected (or acceptance revoked) by Company, there shall be charged to Supplier all expenses incurred by Company in (i) unpacking, examining, repacking and storing such Merchandise (it being agreed that in the absence of proof of a higher expense that the Company shall claim an allowance for each rejection at the rate of 10% of the price for each rejection made by Company) and (ii) landing and reshipping such Merchandise. Unless Company otherwise agrees in writing, Supplier shall not have the right to make a conforming delivery within the contract time;

  

(c) Termination of all current and future business relationships;

 

(d) Assessment of monetary fines as determined in Company’s reasonable discretion;

 

(e) Recovery from Supplier of any damages sustained by Company as a result of Supplier’s breach or default; and

 

(f) Buyer’s remedies under the Uniform Commercial Code and such other remedies as are provided under applicable law.

 

These remedies are not exclusive and are in addition to all other remedies available to Company at law or in equity.

 

18. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS. Supplier is required to obtain and maintain the following insurance coverage from a carrier acceptable to Company in the amounts and with the conditions listed below:

 

a) Commercial General Liability, including Contractual, Personal & Advertising Injury, Products and Completed Operations coverage, with certificate holder named as Additional Insured as evidenced by attached endorsement or blanket additional insured coverage provided by the policy. Policy shall be occurrence based with limits of no less than $5,000,000 per occurrence, without any aggregate limits or $50,000,000 in the aggregate. Defense costs shall not apply against coverage limits. High Risk Suppliers (as defined by Company) shall maintain policy limits of not less than $10,000,000 per occurrence without any aggregate limits or $100,000,000 in the aggregate.

 

b) Statutory Workers’ Compensation Coverage for a Supplier whose employees will be entering Company’s premises, with $1,000,000 in employers’ liability coverage and a waiver of subrogation where Permitted By Law.

 

c) Automobile Coverage, with certificate holder named as Additional Insured as evidenced by attached endorsement or blanket additional insured coverage provided by the policy, for a Supplier whose employees or agents will be driving on Company’s premises or making delivery to Company’s premises shall be occurrence based with limits of no less than $5,000,000 per occurrence, without any aggregate limits or $50,000,000 in the aggregate. Defense costs shall not apply against coverage limits.

 

d) Supplier shall provide at least thirty (30) days’ written notice prior to any cancellation of any policy of insurance maintained hereunder, and each such policy shall obligate the insurer to provide at least thirty (30) days’ written notice to Company in advance of any contemplated cancellation or termination thereof.

 

e) Supplier’s insurance shall be considered primary, non−contributory and not excess coverage.

 

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A copy of Supplier’s current Certificate of Insurance with the following requirements must be submitted with this Agreement:

 

● Certificate Holder should read: WAL−MART STORES, INC., ITS SUBSIDIARIES & ITS AFFILIATES, 702 SW 8th Street, Bentonville, AR 72716−0145, Attn: Risk Management

 

● Renewals of Certificates of Insurance must be submitted prior to expiration of insurance coverage

 

● Existing Suppliers must include Supplier Number on Certificate of Insurance.

 

● Please direct any questions regarding your insurance to Risk Management at (479) 277−1658 or (479) 277−2890.

 

SUPPLIER CONTACT FOR PRODUCT LIABILITY CLAIMS:

 

Name: FACTOR NUTRITION LABS   Insuring Company: FEDERAL INSURANCE COMPANY
Address: 100 COMMERCIAL STREET   Telephone: 5163333000 Extension #: 0
City/State/Zip: PORTLAND, ME 04101        
Telephone: 2073212300   Extension #: 109  
Fax Number: 2077754349   e−mail: PLEVINSOHN@FACTORNUTRITION.COM

 

19. FORCE MAJEURE. If any place of business or other premises of Company shall be affected by lockouts, strikes, riots, war, acts of terrorism, fire, civil insurrection, flood, earthquake or any other casualty or cause beyond Company’s control, which might reasonably tend to impede or delay the reception, handling, inspecting, processing or marketing of the Merchandise covered by this Agreement, Company may, at its option, cancel all or any part of the undelivered Order hereunder by giving written notice to Supplier which notice shall be effective upon mailing.

 

20. ASSIGNMENT. Except as specifically set forth in Section 6, no part of this Agreement or of any Order shall be assignable by Supplier without the written consent of Company, and Company shall not be obligated to accept a tender of performance by any assignee, unless Company shall have previously expressly consented in writing to such an assignment.

 

21. PUBLICITY; USE OF NAME AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. Supplier shall not refer to Company in any advertising or published communication without the prior written approval of Company. Supplier shall not use, or allow to be used, Company’s name, logo, trademarks, service marks, patents, copyrights or trade dress without the prior written approval of Company. Company may use Supplier’s name, logo, trademarks, service marks, patents, copyrights and trade dress in connection with Company’s marketing of the Merchandise.

 

22. COMPLIANCE WITH STANDARDS FOR SUPPLIER. Supplier warrants that it has read and understands and will comply with the requirements set forth in the Standards located at http://www.walmartstores.com/Files/SupplierStandards.pdf, or attached, as may be reasonably amended from time to time by Company. If the Supplier is not able to view the Standards on−line they may request a current copy from Supplier Development, their local Global Procurement office or from the Direct Imports Division. Company reserves the right to cancel any outstanding Order, refuse any shipments and otherwise cease to do business with Supplier if Supplier fails to comply with any terms of the Standards or if Company reasonably believes Supplier has failed to do so.

 

23. SEVERABILITY; WAIVER. At the option of Company, no finding that a part of this Agreement is invalid or unenforceable shall affect the validity of any other part hereof. Company’s failure to enforce at any time any provision of this Agreement will not be construed as a waiver of such provision or of any rights thereafter to enforce such provision. Any waiver by Company of any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement or any Order must be in writing signed by an authorized representative of Company.

 

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24. FORUM SELECTION; CHOICE OF LAW; STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS. This Agreement, any and all Orders, and any and all disputes arising thereunder or relating thereto, whether sounding in contract or tort, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Arkansas without regard to the internal law of Arkansas regarding conflicts of law, and the federal and/or state courts of Benton and Washington County, Arkansas, shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any actions or suits relating thereto. The parties mutually acknowledge and agree that they shall not raise, and hereby waive, any defenses based upon venue, inconvenience of forum or lack of personal jurisdiction in any action or suit brought in accordance with the foregoing. Any legal action brought by Supplier against Company with respect to this Agreement or any Orders shall be filed in one of the above referenced jurisdictions within two (2) years after the cause of action arises or it shall be deemed forever waived. The parties acknowledge that they have read and understand this clause and agree willingly to its terms.

 

25. ATTORNEY FEES AND INTEREST OBLIGATIONS. Company reserves the right to charge Supplier interest at the rate of 12% per annum or such lower rate as may be permitted under applicable law for any obligations owed by Supplier to Company, including debit balances not paid within thirty (30) days after due, until such amounts are paid in full, and Company will be entitled to recover from Supplier its attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in collecting any past−due obligation.

 

26. NOTICES. Unless otherwise specifically provided for herein, any notice or demand which under the terms of this Agreement or under any statute must or may be given or made shall be in writing and shall be given or made by overnight express service addressed as follows: if to Company: Wal−Mart Stores, Inc., Attn: General Merchandise Manager (identify department or category), 702 SW 8th Street, Bentonville, AR 72716. If to Supplier: to Supplier’s address set forth above. Such notice or demand shall be deemed given on the second (2nd) business day after deposit of such notice or demand with the overnight express service. The above addresses may be changed at any time by giving prior written notice as provided above.

 

27. TERM OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement ends one year after the Effective Date. This Agreement may only be renewed or extended by an agreement signed by an authorized officer of Company and Supplier. Supplier and Company are under no obligation to extend the term of this Agreement or to renew this Agreement. Neither Supplier nor Company should take any actions in reliance upon this Agreement being extended or renewed. Neither party shall be responsible for any costs incurred by the other in anticipation of the extension or renewal of this Agreement.

 

28. INFORMATION SECURITY. Supplier represents that it currently follows industry best practices as a means to prevent any compromise of its information systems, computer networks, or data files (“Systems”) by unauthorized users, viruses, or malicious computer programs which could in turn be propagated via computer networks, email, magnetic media or other means to Company. Supplier agrees to immediately give Company notice if the security of its Systems are breached or compromised in any way.

 

Supplier agrees to apply appropriate internal information security practices, including, but not limited to, using appropriate firewall and anti−virus software; maintaining said countermeasures, operating systems, and other applications with up−to−date virus definitions and security patches; installing and operation security mechanisms in the manner in which they were intended sufficient to ensure the Company will not be impacted nor operations disrupted; and permitting only authorized users access to computer systems, applications, and Retail Link.

 

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Supplier specifically agrees to: use up−to−date anti−virus tools to remove known viruses and malware from any email message or data transmitted to Company; prevent the transmission of attacks on Company via the network connections between Company and the Supplier; and prevent unauthorized access to Company systems via the Supplier’s networks and access codes.

 

In accordance with all applicable US and International privacy laws, Supplier agrees to safeguard confidential protected individually identifiable personal information (health, financial, identity) which are received, transmitted, managed, processed, etc. and to require subcontractor or agent to meet these same security agreements.

 

Financial service suppliers, who handle personally identifiable financial information of our customers agree to maintain a current SAS70 Type II audit.

 

29. SURVIVAL OF PROVISIONS. The provisions of this Agreement which by their nature are intended to survive termination of this Agreement (including but not limited to representations, warranties, guarantees, indemnifications, payment of obligations, remedies, forum selection and statute of limitations) shall survive its termination.

 

The parties hereto agree that this Agreement, the Standards and any Order constitute the full understanding of the parties, a complete allocation of risks between them and a complete and exclusive statement of the terms and conditions of their agreement. All prior agreements, negotiations, dealings and understandings, whether written (including any electronic record) or oral, regarding the subject matter hereof, are superseded by this Agreement. Any changes in this Agreement shall be in writing and executed by both parties. Furthermore, if there is a conflict of terms between this Agreement and an Order, this Agreement shall be the controlling document.

 

We (Company) will never assume that you (Supplier) will be willing to extend or renew this Agreement or to accept any specific volume of Orders. Conversely, we urge you never to assume that this Agreement will be renewed or extended by us or that we will issue Orders for specific volume of Merchandise, even if your impression is based on discussions you may have had with Company representatives. No Company representative has authority to renew or extend this Agreement except in a writing signed by an authorized officer of Company, and no Company representative has authority to order Merchandise except an Authorized Buyer through an Order issued pursuant to and subject to the terms of this Agreement.

 

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Supplier No. Department No. 40 Effective Date: //

 

WAL−MART STORES, INC.

 

STANDARDS FOR SUPPLIERS

 

Wal−Mart Stores, Inc. (“Wal−Mart”) has enjoyed success by adhering to three basic beliefs since its founding in 1962:

 

1. Respect for the Individual

2. Service to our Customers

3. Strive for Excellence

 

Wal−Mart strives to conduct its business in a manner that reflects these three basic beliefs. Our suppliers are expected to conform to these beliefs and the values inherent therein and to assure these beliefs and values are reflected in their contracting, subcontracting or other relationships.

 

Since Wal−Mart believes that the conduct of its suppliers can be attributed to Wal−Mart and affect its reputation, Wal−Mart requires its suppliers to conform to standards of business practices which are consistent with the three beliefs described above. More specifically, Wal−Mart requires conformity from its suppliers with the following standards, and hereby reserves the right to make periodic, unannounced inspections of supplier’s facilities to satisfy itself of supplier’s compliance with these standards:

 

1. COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS. All Suppliers shall comply with the legal requirements and standards of their industry under the national laws of the countries in which the Suppliers are doing business, including the labor and employment laws of those countries, and any applicable U.S. laws. Should the legal requirements and standards of the industry conflict, Suppliers must, at a minimum, be in compliance with the legal requirements of the country in which the products are manufactured. If, however, the industry standards exceed the country’s legal requirements, Wal−Mart will favor Suppliers who meet such industry standards. Suppliers shall comply with all requirements of all applicable governmental agencies. Necessary invoices and required documentation must be provided in compliance with the applicable law. Suppliers shall warrant to Wal−Mart that no merchandise sold to Wal−Mart infringes the patents, trademarks or copyrights of others and shall provide to Wal−Mart all necessary licenses for selling merchandise sold to Wal−Mart, which is under license from a third party. All merchandise shall be accurately marked or labeled with its country of origin in compliance with applicable laws and including those of the country of manufacture. All shipments of merchandise will be accompanied by the requisite documentation issued by the proper governmental authorities, including but not limited to Form A’s, import licenses, quota allocations and visas and shall comply with orderly marketing agreements, voluntary restraint agreements and other such agreements in accordance with applicable law. The commercial invoice shall, in English and in any other language deemed appropriate, accurately describe all the merchandise contained in the shipment, identify the country of origin of each article contained in the shipment, and shall list all payments, whether direct or indirect, to be made for the merchandise, including, but not limited to any assists, selling commissions or royalty payments. Backup documentation, and any Wal−Mart required changes to any documentation, will be provided by Suppliers promptly. Failure to supply complete and accurate information may result in cancellation or rejection of the goods.

 

2. EMPLOYMENT. At a minimum, Wal−Mart expects its “suppliers” to meet the following terms and conditions of employment:

 

Compensation. Suppliers shall fairly compensate their employees by providing wages and benefits, which are in compliance with the local and national laws of the jurisdictions in which the suppliers are doing business or which are consistent with the prevailing local standards in the jurisdictions in which the suppliers are doing business, if the prevailing local standards are higher.

 

Hours of Labor. Suppliers shall maintain reasonable employee work hours in compliance with local standards and applicable laws of the jurisdictions in which the suppliers are doing business. Employees shall not work more than 72 hours per 6 days or work more than a maximum total working hours of 14 hours per calendar day (midnight to midnight). The factory should be working toward achieving a 60−hour work week. Wal−Mart will not use suppliers who, on a regularly scheduled basis, require employees to work in excess of the statutory requirements without proper compensation as required by applicable law. Employees should be permitted reasonable days off (at least one day off for every seven−day period) and leave privileges.

 

Forced Labor/Prison Labor. Forced or prison labor will not be tolerated by Wal−Mart. Suppliers shall maintain employment on a voluntary basis. Wal−Mart will not accept products from suppliers who utilize in any manner forced labor or prison labor in the manufacture or in their contracting, subcontracting or other relationships for the manufacture of their products.

 

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Child Labor. Wal−Mart will not tolerate the use of child labor. Wal−Mart will not accept products from suppliers who utilize in any manner child labor in the manufacture or in the contracting, subcontracting or other relationships for the manufacture of their products. No person shall be employed at an age younger than the law of the jurisdiction of manufacture allows. Where country laws allow children below the age of 14 years to work, Wal−Mart will only recognize the minimum working age of 14 years, regardless of the law of the jurisdiction.

 

Discrimination/Human Rights. Wal−Mart recognizes that cultural differences exist and different standards apply in various jurisdictions, however, we believe that all terms and conditions of employment should be based on an individual’s ability to do the job, not on the basis of personal characteristics or beliefs. Wal−Mart favors suppliers who have a social and political commitment to basic principles of human rights and who do not discriminate against their employees in hiring practices or any other term or condition of work, on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or other similar factors.

 

3. WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT. Wal−Mart expects its suppliers to maintain a safe, clean, healthy and productive environment for its employees. Factories producing merchandise to be sold by Wal−Mart shall provide adequate medical facilities, fire exits and safety equipment, well−lighted and comfortable workstations, clean restrooms, and adequate living quarters where necessary. Workers should be adequately trained to perform their jobs safely. Wal−Mart will not do business with any supplier that provides an unhealthy or hazardous work environment or which utilizes mental or physical disciplinary practices.

 

4. CONCERN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. We believe it is our role to be a leader in protecting our environment. We encourage our customers and associates to always reduce, reuse, and recycle. We also encourage our suppliers to reduce excess packaging and to use recycled and non−toxic materials whenever possible. We will favor suppliers who share our commitment to the environment.

 

9. FACTORY INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS. Scheduled inspections should typically be conducted a maximum of three times per year to ensure compliance with the standards, terms, and conditions set forth herein. Wal−Mart reserves the right to conduct unannounced factory inspections.

 

In the case of domestic suppliers, factory audits shall typically be conducted by Wal−Mart approved third party audit firms. All charges related to the third party inspection and certification of such facilities shall be paid fully by the supplier. Any supplier who fails or refuses to comply with these standards is subject to immediate cancellation of any and all outstanding orders, refusal or return of any shipment, and termination of its business relationship with Wal−Mart. In the case of suppliers working through Global Procurement Direct Imports, audits should be conducted by Wal−Mart’s internal auditors. Once a factory has been audited and assessed either green or yellow by either Wal−Mart’s internal auditors or an approved third party audit firm, the factory is valid for any supplier to use for Wal−Mart business.

 

10. RIGHT OF INSPECTION. To further assure proper implementation of and compliance with the standards set forth herein, Wal−Mart or a third party designated by Wal−Mart will undertake affirmative measures, such as on−site inspection of production facilities, to implement and monitor said standards. Any supplier which fails or refuses to comply with these standards or does not allow inspection of production facilities is subject to immediate cancellation of any and all outstanding orders, refuse or return any shipment, and otherwise cease doing business with Wal−Mart.

 

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11. CONFIDENTIALITY. Supplier shall not at any time, during or after the term of this Agreement, disclose to others and will not take or use for its own purposes or the purpose of others any trade secrets, confidential information, knowledge, designs, data, know−how, or any other information reasonably considered “confidential.” Supplier recognizes that this obligation applies not only to technical information, designs and marketing, but also to any business information that Wal−Mart treats as confidential. Any information that is not readily available to the public shall be considered to be a trade secret and confidential. Upon termination of this Agreement, for any cause, supplier shall return all items belonging to Wal−Mart and all copies of documents containing Wal−Mart’s trade secrets, confidential information, knowledge, data or know−how in supplier’s possession or under supplier’s control.

 

12. WAL−MART GIFT AND GRATUITY POLICY. Wal−Mart Stores, Inc. has a very strict policy which forbids and prohibits the solicitation, offering or acceptance of any gifts, gratuities or any form of “pay off” or facilitation fee as a condition of doing business with Wal−Mart; as a form of gratitude, or as an attempt to gain favor or accept merchandise or services at a lesser degree than what was agreed. Wal−Mart believes in delivering and receiving only the total quantity agreed.

 

Any supplier, factory or manufacturer who violates this policy by offering or accepting any form of gift or gratuity to/from any associate, employee, agent or affiliate of Wal−Mart Stores, Inc. will be subject to all loss of existing and future business, regardless of whether the gift or gratuity was accepted. In addition, a supplier, factory or manufacturer who violates this policy, will be reported to the appropriate governmental authorities of the supplier’s respective and affiliated jurisdictions.

 

Failure to report such information will result in severe action against such supplier, trading company or factory including but not limited to termination of all existing and future business relationships and monetary damages.

 

STANDARDS FOR SUPPLIERS A copy of these Standards for Suppliers shall be posted in a location visible to all employees at all facilities that manufacture products for Wal−Mart Stores, Inc. and its affiliates. Any person with knowledge of a violation of any of these standards by a Supplier or a Wal−Mart associate should call 1−800−WM−ETHIC (1−800−963−8442) (in countries other than the United States, dial AT&T’s U.S.A. Direct Number first) or write to: Wal−Mart Stores, Inc., Business Ethics Committee, 702 SW 8th St., Bentonville, AR 72716−8095.

 

13. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF STANDARDS. As an officer or duly authorized representative of my company, a Supplier of Wal−Mart, I have read the principles and terms described in this document and understand my company’s business relationship with Wal−Mart is based upon said company being in full compliance with these principles and terms. I further understand that failure by a Supplier to abide by any of the terms and conditions stated herein may result in the immediate cancellation by Wal−Mart of all outstanding orders with that Supplier and refusal by Wal−Mart to continue to do business in any manner with said Supplier. I am signing this Supplier Agreement as a corporate representative of my company, to acknowledge, accept and agree to abide by the standards, terms and conditions set forth herein between my company and Wal−Mart. I hereby affirm that all actions, legal and corporate, to make this Standards for Suppliers binding and enforceable against my company have been completed.

 

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Supplier No. Department No. 40 Effective Date: //

 

APPENDIX

 

This Appendix constitutes and is part and parcel of the Supplier Agreement. The terms of the Supplier Agreement are binding and enforceable as to this Appendix.

 

STANDARD PURCHASE ORDER ALLOWANCE

 

These allowances apply to each Purchase Order issued, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties.

 

    DISC       HOW PAID   WHEN PAID
CODE ALLOWANCE   %   SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS   OI   CM   CK   EI   M   Q   S   A
SA New Store/Club Discount (% Applied to each line item for each new store P.O.)                                        
OL New Store/Club Discount (% Represents contribution of total business to New Store Program.)                                        
NW New Distribution Center                                        
WA Warehouse Allowance                                        
QD Warehouse Distribution Allowance                                        
DM Defective/Returned Mdse. Allowance − Not applicable in Puerto Rico. (When selected must mark option 3 under warranty policy.)                                        
SD Soft Goods Defective Allow                                        
PA Promotional Allowance                                        
VD Volume Discount                                        
FA Freight Allowance                                        
AA Advertising Allowance                                        
TR TV/Radio Media Allowance                                        
DA Display/Endcap Allowance                                        
EB Early Buy Allowance                                        
HA Handling Allowance                                        

 

OI−Off Invoice; CM−Credit Memo; CK−Check; EI−Each Invoice; M−Monthly; Q−Quarterly; S−Semi−Annually; A−Annually;

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE: ALL PAYMENTS OF MONIES OWED PURSUANT TO THIS SUPPLIER AGREEMENT AND PURCHASE ORDERS MUST BE MAILED TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:WAL−MART STORES, INC./SAM’S CLUB, C/O CORPORATE ACCOUNTING, P.O. BOX 500787, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI 63150−0787. Note: Any payments on your Wal−Mart or SAM’S CLUB Credit Card should be mailed to the billing address indicated on your credit card statement, not the address above.

 

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PAYMENT TERMS

 

[***] Cash Discount −−Enter whole percents

 

[***] Cash Discount Days Available(Must be filled in if a Cash Discount is used)

 

[***] Net Payment Days Available(Must be at least one day more than Cash Discount Days Available)

 

End Of Month Dating__ Yes X No

  NEW STORE/WHSE TERMS IF DIFFERENT THAN REGULAR TERMS:

 

SHIPPING TERMS
       
FREIGHT TERMS   MINIMUM FOR PREPAID FREIGHT TERMS
       
__ Collect − F.O.B Supplier     0  Pounds
       
X Prepaid − F.O.B Company     1 Cases/Units
       
__Prepaid To consolidator − F.O.B. Company’s Consolidator     0 Whole Dollars

 

No freight charges are to be added to invoices. Refer to the current Routing Guide for detailed instructions.

 

CONDITION OF SALE

 

X Guaranteed Sales      __Consignment     __ Preticketing     __ Prepricing     __ Stock Balancing     __ Shelf Labels

 

__ Point of Sale (Pay from Scan)           __ Other

 

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Product Chemical Information

 

Does Supplier currently sell, or anticipate selling, to Company under this Agreement any item of Merchandise that is or contains a powder, liquid, gel or paste that is not intended for human consumption; a compressed gas or propellant (such as an aerosol); or a flammable solid (such as matches)?

__Yes X No

 

RETURN POLICY.(SUPPLIER MUST CHOOSE ONE OPTION BELOW AND COMPLETE THE NECESSARY INFORMATION.)

 

Supplier will be charged current merchandise costs plus a 10% handling charge for all returned merchandise. Returned merchandise will be shipped with return freight charges billed back to Supplier. Returns are F.O.B. Purchaser.

 

__SUPPLIER OPTION #1: SUPPLIER WANTS RETURNED MERCHANDISE SENT TO THEM:

 

__A. Returned merchandise will be sent to Supplier direct from each store.

 Permanent return authorization #: _______________ , if required for shipment. If automatic return is not possible, a toll free number should be provided or Supplier must accept Purchaser’s collect calls to secure return authorization over the phone.

Phone: Extension #: Contact:

 

__B. Returned merchandise will be sent from store locations to the Return Center and sent to Supplier.

 Permanent return authorization #: _______________ , if required for shipment. If automatic return is not possible, a toll free number must be provided or Supplier must provide a fax number and a contact name.

Phone:                          Extension #:                          Contact:

 

Permanent return authorization #:___________

RETURN SHIPPING ADDRESS: Address:___________ City:___________ State: ____Zip:

 

Special Instructions:

 

X SUPPLIER OPTION #2: SUPPLIER DOES NOT WANT RETURNED MERCHANDISE SENT TO THEM.

 

__A. Returned merchandise must be disposed of by the individual store; OR

 

X B. Returned merchandise will be sent from store locations to the Return Center for disposal.[Choose one of the following

three.]

__ i. Return Center may dispose of returned merchandise through salvage outlets or recycling operations, without accounting for the proceeds of such disposal;

 

__ii. Return Center must destroy returned merchandise. (Supplier may be charged for any additional costs of destruction.);

 

X iii. Return Center may donate returned merchandise to charity.

 

Special Instructions:

 

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__SUPPLIER OPTION #3: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION MERCHANDISE ALLOWANCE:

 

Supplier will allow the Customer Satisfaction Merchandise Allowance stated in this agreement. The percentage must be adequate to cover all costs associated with returned merchandise, including but not limited to defective/returned merchandise and handling costs, or additional claims will be filed by the Return Center at our fiscal year end.

 

A.       Return Center may dispose of returned merchandise through salvage outlets or recycling operations, without accounting for the proceeds of such disposal;

B.       Return Center must destroy returned merchandise. (Supplier may incur additional handling charges to cover costs of destruction.);

C.       Returned merchandise will be sent from store locations to the Return Center and sent to Supplier. If Supplier requests the returned merchandise be sent to them, in addition to the Customer Satisfaction Allowance, the merchandise will be shipped with return freight charges billed back to Supplier; OR

D.       Return Center may donate Return Merchandise to charity.

 

Permanent return authorization #:___________

RETURN SHIPPING ADDRESS: Address:___________ City:___________ State: ____Zip:

 

Special Instructions:

 

In electing SUPPLIER OPTION 2.B.iii. or SUPPLIER OPTION 3.D. above, Supplier acknowledges and agrees that not all returned merchandise is suitable for donation. If the returned merchandise is deemed by Company to be unsuitable for donation, Supplier agrees that Company may either (i) destroy such returned merchandise (and Supplier may be charged for any additional costs of destruction) or (ii) dispose of such returned merchandise through recycling operations, without accounting for the proceeds of such disposal. Provided however, Company agrees to retain documentation of returned merchandise for a period of one (1) year after the date on such documentation. Supplier shall have the right, upon reasonable prior notice to Company, to examine and make copies of such documentation related to Supplier’s returned merchandise. Supplier shall be responsible for any and all expenses related to the examination or copies of such records.

 

SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS

 

Supplier will ship all merchandise in accordance with the then current Shipping and Routing Instructions, Wal−Mart Stores, Inc. (the “Routing Instructions”). Supplier acknowledges it has received a copy of the Routing Instructions. The current Routing Instructions, as may be reasonably amended by Company from time to time, shall be available on Retail Link. Each purchase order will show a routing, which is determined by Company’s Traffic Department. Supplier is liable for the excess transportation cost if the designated routing is not followed. If Supplier has a question concerning the routing selected, Supplier must call Company’s Traffic Department before releasing the shipment at the following number: (479) 273−6359.

 

SHIPPING POINT   SHIPPING STATE
PITTSBURGH   PA

 

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AMENDMENT TO SUPPLIER AGREEMENT

 

This Amendment is to the Supplier Agreement dated // between WAL−MART with its corporate offices at 702 SW 8th St., Bentonville, AR 72716 (hereinafter “Company”) and FACTOR NUTRITION LABS with its corporate offices at 100 COMMERCIAL STREET (hereinafter “Supplier”).

 

This Amendment shall be fully incorporated into the Supplier Agreement and any conflict between the Supplier Agreement and this Amendment shall be resolved in favor of this Amendment. Subsequent modifications, amendments, or addenda shall not change or affect this Amendment in any way unless this Amendment is specifically referenced therein and executed by Supplier and Company.

 

Pursuant to the foregoing, Company and Supplier specifically agree to the following changes to the Agreement:

 

Except as modified by this Amendment or by any other written agreement between the parties executed after the date of this Amendment, the sale and purchase of merchandise or goods by the parties will be controlled by the terms of the Supplier Agreement. This Amendment and the Supplier Agreement constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to its subject matter and no modification, change or alteration shall be effective unless in writing and executed by both parties.

 

18

Exhibit 10.30

 

Master Vendor Agreement

 

This Master Vendor Agreement (“Agreement”) is hereby entered into this July 26, 2022, (the “Effective Date”) by and between iHerb, LLC, whose principal place of business is located at 17400 Laguna Canyon Road, Suite 400, Irvine, CA 92618 (“iHerb”), and Synergy CHC Corp. whose principal place of business is located at 865 Spring Street, Westbrook, Maine 04092 (“Vendor”).

 

Recitals

 

A.Whereas, iHerb is an online retailer of health and wellness products;

 

B.Whereas, Vendor is in the business of manufacturing, producing, supplying, and/or distributing products in which iHerb intends to market to its customers;

 

C.Whereas, iHerb intends to purchase and Vendor intends to sell to iHerb products which are manufactured, produced, supplied and/or distributed by Vendor (“Products”) subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

 

NOW THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:

 

1. General

 

From time to time, iHerb may purchase certain Products from Vendor and Vendor hereby agrees to sell such Products to iHerb, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement. This Agreement does not impart any obligation on iHerb to purchase any Product from Vendor, nor on Vendor to sell any Product to iHerb until a purchase order (“Order”) is submitted by iHerb and agreed to by Vendor (in accordance with Section 3 below). This Agreement governs such purchase of Products and any other terms and conditions of any Order or other communications shall not alter, amend or affect any provision of this Agreement unless agreed to in writing by both parties.

 

2. Applicability

 

These terms and conditions in this Agreement prevail over any terms or conditions contained in any other documentation, and expressly supersede any of Vendor’s general terms and conditions of sale or any other document issued by Vendor in connection with an Order. It is Vendor’s responsibility to comply with this Agreement, any Order, and all referenced documents, and to clarify with iHerb any inconsistencies or conflicts in any parts of an Order or referenced documents. Should Vendor fail to contact iHerb to resolve conflicts or inconsistencies, Vendor will be solely responsible for errors resulting from said conflicts or inconsistencies.

 

Except as set forth in this Agreement, iHerb’s Supplier Manual shall be guidance only. iHerb’s Supplier Manual sections regarding New Item Recap and Update Form, Product Shelf Life, Product Returns, Product Recalls, EDI Requirements, Notification of Changes, Supplier Notification of Changes, and Production Changes shall be hereby incorporated and legally binding to the extent no such provision therein conflicts, in whole or in part, with this Agreement.

 

3. Acceptance and Initial Orders

 

An Order is not binding on iHerb until Vendor accepts the Order in writing or starts to perform, including without limitation, by shipping any Products, in accordance with the Order. iHerb may withdraw the Order at any time before it is accepted by Vendor or Vendor starts to perform. Vendor shall notify iHerb within seventy-two (72) hours if any ordered Products are out of stock or if there is any discrepancy in information.

 

 

 

iHerb shall place an initial Order (“First Fill”) for each iHerb hub. Vendor shall be solely responsible for the Product cost, delivery, and related expenses of fulfilling and shipping any First Fills. First Fills shall typically equate to two (2) months’ worth of Product based on iHerb’s projected sales.

 

4. New Item Recap and Update Form

 

For each Product which iHerb may want to purchase from Vendor, Vendor shall complete a “New Item Recap and Update Form,” details of which may be found in iHerb’s Supplier Manual. For each new Product, Vendor shall provide at least one (1) finished sample, at Vendor’s expense, to iHerb for product imaging.

 

a.If there are any changes to the information for any Product on the New Item Recap and Update Form which had previously been provided to iHerb, Vendor shall supply a new form to iHerb with such changes and Vendor shall not ship such Product until Vendor receives written confirmation from iHerb of iHerb’s receipt and acceptance of the new form.

 

b.If there are any changes to the New Item Recap and Update Form which require additional warnings, labeling, restrictions, or handling/shipping instructions which iHerb cannot accommodate, then iHerb will not accept the new form and may, at its discretion, cancel or delay the purchase or shipment of said Product without incurring any liability.

 

5. Shipping and Delivery

 

Vendor shall deliver the Products in the quantities and on the date(s) specified in an Order or as otherwise agreed in writing by the parties (the “Delivery Date”). Timely delivery of the Products is of the essence. If Vendor fails to deliver the Products in full on the Delivery Date, iHerb may terminate an Order immediately by providing written notice to Vendor and Vendor shall indemnify iHerb against any losses, claims, damages, and reasonable costs and expenses attributable to Vendor’s failure to deliver the Products on the Delivery Date. Unless otherwise specified in an Order, iHerb has the right to return any Products delivered prior to the Delivery Date at Vendor’s expense and Vendor shall redeliver such Products on the Delivery Date.

 

All Products shall be delivered to the address specified in an Order (the “Delivery Location”) during iHerb’s normal business hours or as otherwise instructed by iHerb.

 

Vendor shall give written notice of shipment to iHerb when the Products are delivered to a carrier for transportation. Vendor shall provide iHerb all shipping documents, including the commercial invoice, packing list, air waybill/bill of lading and any other documents necessary to release the Products to iHerb no later than one day after Vendor delivers the Products to the transportation carrier. The Order number must appear on all shipping documents, shipping labels, bills of lading, air waybills, invoices, correspondence, and any other documents pertaining to the Order. Unless a specific Order specifies otherwise and only for that particular Order, title passes to iHerb upon delivery of the Products to the Delivery Location. Vendor bears all risk of loss or damage to the Products until delivery of the Products to the Delivery Location, unless specified otherwise in a specific Order and only for that particular Order. If any Products are delivered pursuant to an Order designated as FOB Origin, possession is transferred to iHerb when the order is released to the assigned carrier. iHerb reserves the right to inspect the Products and raise any non-carrier related issues with the Products for any Order designated as FOB Origin.

 

Any other shipping or delivery terms not referenced in this Agreement shall be subject to the terms or conditions noted on an Order.

 

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6. Products

 

All Products shall be clearly marked with the lot number and expiration date as detailed in the Supplier Manual. The lot number and expiration date are required to be on the Products as well as electronically provided to iHerb in the EDI ASN 856 document and the UCC-128 label. If Vendor delivers more than the quantity of Products ordered, iHerb may reject all or any Products, including without limitation all or any excess Products. Any such rejected Products shall be returned to Vendor at Vendor’s risk and expense. If iHerb does not reject the Products and instead accepts the delivery of Products at the increased or reduced quantity, the Price for the Products shall be adjusted on a pro-rata basis.

 

7. Inspection and Rejection of Nonconforming Products

 

iHerb has the right to inspect the Products on or after the Delivery Date. iHerb, at its sole option, may inspect all or a sample of the Products, and may reject all or any portion of the Products if it determines the Products are nonconforming or defective. For purposes of clarity, nonconforming Products includes but is not limited to Products that do not meet the minimum shelf life specified in iHerb’s Supplier Manual. If iHerb rejects any portion of the Products, iHerb has the right, effective upon written notice to Vendor, to: (a) rescind the Order in its entirety; (b) accept the Products at a pro-rata basis; or (c) reject the Products and require replacement of the rejected Products. If iHerb requires replacement of the Products, Vendor shall, at its expense, promptly replace the nonconforming Products and pay for all related expenses, including, but not limited to, transportation charges for the return of the defective Products and the delivery of replacement Products. Any inspection or other action by iHerb under this Section shall not reduce or otherwise affect Vendor’s obligations herein, and iHerb shall have the right to conduct further inspections after Vendor has carried out its remedial actions.

 

8. Returns and Recalls

 

Any Products that are: damaged during shipment, incorrectly shipped (including overage and/or incorrect Products/SKU), defective, dangerous, incomplete, infringing upon any third party intellectual property rights, not in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, or otherwise do not comply with iHerb policies and procedures will be replaced and reshipped, at Vendor’s expense, in accordance with iHerb’s Supplier Manual.

 

In the event of any and all recalls of Products that are either (i) agreed to by Vendor or iHerb, or (ii) that are required either by law or in the commercially reasonable judgement of iHerb (because iHerb has reason to believe that Products are defective, dangerous, incomplete, infringe upon intellectual property rights, or are not in compliance with applicable laws or regulations), the Products will be returned to Vendor at Vendor’s expense as outlined in iHerb’s Supplier Manual. Upon Vendor’s knowledge of a recall, Vendor shall immediately notify iHerb. iHerb will ensure that all Products recalls are immediately communicated with applicable iHerb customers upon receipt of Vendor’s notice.

 

9. Price

 

The price of the Products is the price stated in a particular Order (the “Price”). If no price is included in an Order, the Price shall be the price set out in Vendor’s published price list in force as of the date of the Order, or such lesser price as may have been agreed upon by iHerb and Vendor. Unless otherwise specified in an Order, the Price includes all packaging, transportation costs to the Delivery Location, insurance, customs duties, and fees and applicable taxes, including, but not limited to, all sales, use, or excise taxes. No increase in the Price is effective, whether due to increased material, labor, or transportation costs or otherwise, without the prior written consent of iHerb. Vendor shall provide iHerb with a minimum of ninety (90) day advance written notice of price changes for any Products.

 

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10. Payment Terms

 

Vendor shall issue an invoice to iHerb on or after the completion of delivery of the Products and in accordance with this Agreement. iHerb shall pay all properly invoiced amounts due to Vendor sixty (60) days after the later of: (i) the date of receipt of the invoice, or (ii) the date the Products are received. iHerb will consider the discounted payment terms 2/20 NET 60 and 1/30 NET 60. Procurement credit cards shall not be accepted. If there are any inconsistencies between the payment terms in this Agreement or an Order, the payment terms in that Order shall prevail for that particular Order only. All payments hereunder must be in US dollars.

 

Without prejudice to any other right or remedy it has, iHerb reserves the right to set off at any time any amount owing to it by Vendor against any amount payable by iHerb to Vendor.

 

Vendor is responsible for EDI Enrollment and testing, which are required prior to sending an invoice transmission and receiving payment from iHerb. Testing fees, as determined by iHerb’s then current service partner, will apply and shall be Vendor’s responsibility.

 

11. Termination

 

This Agreement will commence on the Effective Date and will remain in effect unless terminated for convenience by either party, upon at least thirty (30) prior days written notice to the other party. If the Vendor becomes insolvent, files a petition for bankruptcy or commences or has commenced against it proceedings relating to bankruptcy, receivership, reorganization, or assignment for the benefit of creditors, then the iHerb may terminate this Agreement upon written notice to Vendor.

 

Additionally, iHerb may terminate an Order, in whole or in part, at any time with or without cause for undelivered Products by providing written notice to Vendor prior to shipment. In addition to any remedies that may be provided under this Agreement, iHerb may terminate an Order with immediate effect upon written notice to the Vendor, either before or after the acceptance of the Products, if Vendor has not performed or complied with any of the terms of this Agreement or has delivered nonconforming Products, in whole or in part. If iHerb terminates an Order for any reason, Vendor’s sole and exclusive remedy is (i) payment for the Products received and accepted by iHerb prior to the termination or (ii) in the case of any Products which are custom and specifically manufactured for iHerb, iHerb shall remit costs to Vendor associated with any work in progress commenced prior to the termination (not to exceed the amount of the Order).

 

12. Vendor Insurance Requirements

 

Vendor shall furnish to iHerb a valid Certificate of Insurance (“COI”) before Vendor ships any Products. COIs will be issued by an insurance company with A.M. Best ratings of “A-, VI” or better. During the term of this Agreement and for at least twelve months thereafter, Vendor shall maintain Commercial General Liability (“CGL”) insurance, including contractual liability, personal and advertising injury, broad form bodily injury and property damage, extended liability, and products liability at minimum coverage limits of:

 

Per Occurrence  $2,000,000 
General Aggregate  $2,000,000 
Products Completed Operations Aggregate  $2,000,000 

 

The above coverage limitations may be met using a combination of primary and excess/umbrella policies on a following form primary or broader form.

 

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Vendor shall provide a broad form Vendor’s endorsement naming iHerb as an additional insured on Vendor’s CGL insurance policy and the endorsement must be attached to the COI. Coverage afforded to iHerb must be primary and not contributory to any other insurance or self-insurance available. All liability insurance policies will provide that the insurance company waives all rights of recovery by way of subrogation against iHerb in connection with any matter covered by such policy. Vendor shall promptly notify iHerb of its intention to substantially modify its currently existing insurance coverage, including, without limitation, changes in coverage limits below the Coverage Minimums. If any of Vendor’s insurance policies lapse or are terminated, Vendor shall cease operations with iHerb until Vendor procures acceptable insurance. Vendor shall provide iHerb at least thirty (30) days prior written notice of any cancellation. Vendor’s indemnification obligation shall not be negated or reduced by virtue of denial of insurance coverage or refusal to defend iHerb for any occurrence or event which is subject to the said indemnity obligation. In no event shall the limits of any policy be considered as limiting the liability of the Vendor.

 

13. Grant of Rights

 

On an ongoing basis, Vendor shall provide to iHerb, free of charge, all current Products information, literature, descriptions, images, packaging and any warnings required by law to be disclosed in any sale, advertisement, or other promotion of the Products (collectively, “Products Information”). Vendor represents and warrants that Vendor owns, licenses, or has the authority to sublicense or grant the use of all right, title and interest in and to the Products and the Products Information. Vendor hereby grants to iHerb and its affiliates during this Agreement and for a reasonable sell-off period following the term of this Agreement, a non-exclusive, and royalty-free license and right to: (i) distribute and sell the Products to customers, (ii) use, copy, display, perform, and/or distribute the Products Information in connection with the sale or marketing of the Products on any website or other online platform, mobile application, or other media owned or controlled by iHerb or its affiliates, (iii) use trademarks, trade names, logos or other intellectual property included in the Products and Products Information, and (iv) ability to sublicense any of the foregoing rights to third parties in connection with iHerb’s programs or services (e.g., to advertise the Products), and upon the termination or expiration of this Agreement, the Vendor will further provide iHerb with a reasonable sell off period to sell off any remaining Vendor Products. Nothing by virtue of the terms in this Agreement shall be deemed as granting a party the intellectual property rights of the other party unless explicitly set forth herein. Further, Vendor will not, without iHerb’s prior written consent, use any trademark, service mark, commercial symbol or other proprietary rights of iHerb.

 

14. Representations, Warranties and Covenants.

 

A. Vendor represents, warrants and covenants that:

 

1.the Products are genuine, free of defect and have adequate warnings and instructions.

 

2.conform to applicable specifications, be fit for their intended purpose and operate as intended, be merchantable, and be free and clear of all liens, security interests, or other encumbrances.

 

3.the Products Information, Product packaging, labeling, and New Item Recap and Update Forms are true, accurate and complete.

 

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4.iHerb’s marketing, sale, or distribution of the Products as permitted under this Agreement, including without limitation iHerb’s use of any Products Information, will not infringe upon any patent, trademark, trade dress, trade name, copyright or otherwise violate any third party’s rights.

 

5.Vendor is an authorized distributor or manufacturer of the Products it sells to iHerb and no consents of any third party are required for Vendor to sell and deliver the Products to iHerb for resale to customers, to grant the license and rights hereunder, or to enter into this Agreement.

 

6.The Products may be lawfully marketed, stored, sold, distributed and disposed of by iHerb or its affiliates without restriction other than any specific restrictions or prohibitions Vendor discloses in writing to iHerb and iHerb consents in writing in advance of shipment to iHerb.

 

7.no Product is or contains ingredients that are: (i) regulated as a controlled substance or drug, (ii) listed as a regulated chemical, or (iii) regulated as a hazardous or dangerous product or material, unless: (1) Vendor specified such in the New Item Recap and Update Form which iHerb receives and, (2) it is a “Dangerous Products in Excepted Quantity,” and (3) Vendor provides a valid SDS or exemption letter. Except for the “Dangerous Products in Excepted Quantity” that meet the requirements in the previous sentence, no other “Dangerous Products” (including “Dangerous Products in Limited Quantity”) will be accepted under any circumstances. Vendor is responsible for, and shall indemnify iHerb and the iHerb Indemnified Parties in accordance with Section 14 of this Agreement from, any and all issues arising from the transport or sale of such Products, including any violations of any applicable rules or regulations of any governmental authority or international bodies, including without limitation the IATA, DOT, IMDG, TDG, or ICAO.

 

8.Vendor, its subcontractors and suppliers and others in its supply chain are, and the Products were produced, manufactured, assembled, packaged, labeled, tested, certified, marked, weighed, inspected, shipped and sold, in compliance with all applicable industry standards and all applicable laws, rules, regulations, and ordinances, including without limitations, (i) all laws, rules, regulations and ordinances relating to health, safety, environment, serial and identification numbers, labeling and country of origin designation; (ii) all FDA, toxic substances, cGMP regulations, OSHA and EPA regulations, and any food, drug or supplement safety statutes; (iii) all customs requirements; (iv) all requirements pertaining to the California Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 and its regulations, as may be amended from time to time (“Prop 65”); (v) and all applicable employment, labor, living conditions, working conditions, wage and hour laws, rules, regulations and ordinances, including national and international laws prohibiting slavery and human trafficking.

 

9.Vendor and its subcontractors, suppliers and others in its supply chain do not use any form of forced, prison and/or child labor.

 

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10.Pursuant to Prop 65, Vendor is responsible for identifying Products that fall under Prop 65’s requirements and for complying therewith, including correctly labelling all Products (and/or packaging) with the warning information required by Prop 65 and providing the requisite notice and warning materials to the authorized agent of iHerb. As an online retailer, iHerb will not determine if a warning is or is not needed for the Products or whether or not the warning materials provided by Vendor comply with Prop 65. As such, Vendor agrees that it shall provide iHerb with Prop 65 compliant Products data/warning materials for display on iHerb’s website using iHerb’s current warning collection method. Vendor acknowledges that iHerb’s sole obligation under Prop 65 is to display the warning materials, if any, that iHerb receives from Vendor (the “Warning Language”) on iHerb’s website to a customer prior to the customer completing their online purchase. Necessary Warning Language for any Products must be provided to iHerb before the Products are shipped. If the Warning Language at any time needs to be changed, Vendor shall furnish iHerb the new warning language either prior to shipping any new Products or within 48 hours of determining a new warning is needed for any Products iHerb has in stock, whichever comes first.

 

a.If the Vendor provides iHerb a Prop 65 Warning that needs to be later modified or removed from the website, including but not limited to cases of Products reformulation, Vendor must (1) supply a list of lot numbers that have and still would require the previous Prop 65 Warning, (2) buy back or credit all stock from all warehouses that need the previous warning in which Vendor is responsible for all Products destroying or return/re-shipping fees, and (3) credit iHerb for all consumer Products returns from the lot numbers that require the previous warning.

 

11.Upon iHerb’s reasonable request, Vendor will provide, at Vendor’s expense, all certifications and other documents required in compliance with this Section, including but not limited to any Safety Data Sheet (“SDS”) as required by OSHA regulations, Certificates of Origin, and Certificates (“CoA”) that fully substantiates the labelling of the Products.

 

a.The CoA shall include the Product’s: (i) name; (ii) lot number(s); (iii) expiration date; (iv) date tested; (v) results attesting the Product has undergone testing specified by iHerb; (v) confirmation that the Product adheres to its specifications, standards, and labeling; and (vi) physical and chemical properties.

 

b.If Vendor does not provide the documentation required in this Section, Vendor warrants that they have met all laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, and guidance by shipping the Products to iHerb.

 

c.For Products that are defined by law to be dietary supplements (“Dietary Supplements”), Vendor shall provide an adequate CoA or CoA exemption letter that must be approved in writing by iHerb before Vendor ships any Dietary Supplements. iHerb reserves the right to reject shipments of Dietary Supplements if Vendor does not provide adequate documentation and receive iHerb’s written approval before shipment. Any such rejected Dietary Supplements shall be returned to Vendor at Vendor’s risk and expense.

 

15. General Indemnification

 

Vendor will defend, indemnify, and hold iHerb, its affiliates, and its and their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, successors and assigns (collectively, the “iHerb Indemnified Parties”) harmless from any and all claims, liabilities, fines, penalties, losses, damages, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) (each a “Claim”) arising from or relating to (i) any actual or alleged death of or injury to any person or animal or other damage or loss due in whole or in part to any Products or any actual or alleged defect in such Products, whether latent or patent, including but not limited to any alleged failure to provide adequate warnings, labeling or instructions, (ii) any recall of the Products, (iii) any allegation or finding that any Products, any Products Information or other content or material provided by Vendor infringes or misappropriates any proprietary rights or other rights of any third party, (iv) Vendor’s failure to provide an accurate and up to date New Item Recap and Update Form, Products Information, CoAs, applicable certifications, Warning Language, or other adequate warnings or instructions, (v) any act, activity or omission of Vendor or any of its employees, representatives, or agents, (vi) iHerb’s reliance on any certification, Warning Language or documentation or instructions from Vendor, (vii) representations, warranties and covenants made by Vendor under Sections 12 and 13 of this Agreement, or (viii) any actual or alleged violation of law, statute, rule, regulation, ordinance or any administrative order, rule or regulation relating to the Products or its manufacture, shipment, import, labeling, weights and measurements, use or sale, or any failure to provide an SDS. Vendor shall not be obligated to indemnify the iHerb Indemnified Parties to the proportional extent the liability for a Claim is caused by the negligence or intentional misconduct of the iHerb Indemnified Party.

 

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In the event that iHerb receives notice that any Claim for which Vendor may be required to indemnify iHerb is asserted against or sought to be collected from iHerb, iHerb shall provide prompt written notice to Vendor. iHerb shall at all times have the right to fully participate in such defense at its own expense and shall not be obligated, against its consent, to participate in any settlement. Vendor shall not make any settlement of any claims that might give rise to liability unless such settlement includes a full, unconditional release of iHerb; moreover Vendor may not enter into any settlement which imposes any obligation, liability or admission of guilt on the part of iHerb without prior written consent of iHerb.

 

16. Confidential Information

 

Unless otherwise set forth in non-disclosure agreement entered into by the parties, each party agrees that it will (i) maintain all Confidential Information (as defined below) which is disclosed to or otherwise observed by such party in strict confidence and take all reasonable precautions to protect such Confidential Information, (ii) not divulge any Confidential Information to any third party, and (iii) not make or authorize any use of any Confidential Information other than for the performance of this Agreement, except with the prior written consent of the disclosing party or as required by law. All rights in and title to the Confidential Information shall remain in the disclosing party. For purposes hereof, “Confidential Information” means all information disclosed through any means of communication or by personal observation by or on behalf of the disclosing party to or for the benefit of the receiving party that relates to the disclosing party’s Products, projects, productions, research and development, intellectual properties, trade secrets, customers, employees, vendors, suppliers, technical know-how, policies or practices (and all creative, business and technical information relating thereto), and any other matter that the receiving party is advised or has reason to know is the confidential, trade secret or proprietary information of the disclosing party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term Confidential Information shall not include information which (i) is or becomes publicly available other than as a result of a disclosure by receiving party in violation of this Agreement; (ii) is or was independently developed by receiving party without the use of any Confidential Information (as defined without regard to this exception); (iii) is or becomes available to receiving party on a non- confidential basis from a source (other than disclosing party) which is not prohibited from disclosing such information to receiving party by any legal, contractual or fiduciary obligation; or (iv) is information that was already known by receiving party, so long as receiving party can demonstrate, by written records, that such information had been in receiving party’s possession prior to receipt of the Confidential Information by receiving party. To the extent the receiving party is legally compelled to disclose Confidential Information, then the receiving party shall notify the disclosing party as soon as reasonably practicable.

 

17. Notices

 

All demands, notices, and other communications to be given hereunder, if any, shall be in writing and shall be sufficient for all purposes if sent by registered or certified United States mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, and addressed to the respective party; if to iHerb: 301 N. Lake Avenue, Suite 500 Pasadena, CA 91101 (Attn: Legal Department) with a copy to legal@iherb.com; if to Vendor: 865 Spring Street, Westbrook, Maine 04092 with a copy to jack@synergychc.com. Notice by mail shall be deemed effective and complete three (3) days after deposit in the United States mail.

 

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18. Governing Law; Venue

 

This Agreement and any related documents shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California. With the exception of injunctions other equitable relief for which the parties may seek remedies in court, any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement or related documents, or any breach thereof, shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association and judgment upon the award rendered by the arbitrators may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. Any such arbitration shall be held in Los Angeles County, California. The prevailing party shall be entitled to reimbursement from the non-prevailing party of all costs associated with the arbitration or court action, including the recovery of all reasonable attorneys’ fees and/or arbitrator’s fees.

 

19. Force Majeure

 

Neither party shall be liable to the other for any delay or failure in performing its obligations under the Agreement to the extent that such delay or failure is caused by an event or circumstance that is beyond the reasonable control of that party, without such party’s fault or negligence, and which by its nature could not have been foreseen by such party or, if it could have been foreseen, was unavoidable (“Force Majeure Event”). Force Majeure Events include, but are not limited to, acts of God or the public enemy, government restrictions, floods, fire, earthquakes, explosion, epidemic, war, invasion, hostilities, terrorist acts, riots, or embargoes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Force Majeure Events expressly excludes the following: (a) any event that a party could reasonably have prevented by quality assurance, disaster recovery or other testing consistent with industry practices; and (b) any event where a party could have implemented a reasonable work around to prevent such loss, damage, delay or failure in performing its obligations hereunder. If a Force Majeure Event prevents Vendor from carrying out its obligations under the Agreement for a continuous period of more than thirty (30) business days, iHerb may terminate this Agreement immediately by giving written notice to Vendor

 

20. Miscellaneous

 

This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto relating to the matters discussed herein and may be amended or modified only by a written agreement duly executed by the parties hereto. No change to this Agreement is binding upon iHerb unless it is in writing, specifically states that it amends this Agreement and is signed by an authorized representative of iHerb. Notwithstanding the above, the iHerb reserves the right at any time to issue a written change order or amendment to an Order concerning any of the following: (a) specifications and data incorporated in the Order where the Products to be furnished are custom and specifically manufactured for the iHerb; (b) quantity; (c) methods of shipment or packaging, (d) Delivery Location, (e) Delivery Date; or (f) any other matters affecting an Order. Vendor shall not assign, transfer, delegate, or subcontract any of its rights or obligations under the Agreement without the prior written consent of iHerb, which may be withheld in iHerb’s sole discretion. Neither party will make or issue, or cause to be made or issued, any announcement or statement regarding activities under this Agreement for dissemination to the general public or to any third party without the prior written consent of the other party. Any failure by either party to enforce the other party’s strict performance of any provision of this Agreement will not constitute a waiver of its right to subsequently enforce such provision or any other provision of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give rise to a relationship between the parties hereto as a joint venture or partnership or other relationship other than that of independent contractors. In the event that any portion of this Agreement is held invalid or unenforceable for any reason, said invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the other portions of this Agreement, and the remaining portions thereof shall remain in full force and effect. Provisions of this Agreement which by their nature should survive beyond the expiration or earlier termination of this Agreement will remain in force after such expiration or earlier including, but not limited to, Sections 10-20 of this Agreement.

 

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Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank; Signatures on Next Page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have signed this Master Vendor Agreement as of the Effective Date.

 

  iHerb, LLC
     
  By: /s/ Mike Cody
  Printed: Mike Cody
  Title CFO
  Date: 9/6/2022
     
  By: /s/ Lindsey Wiefels
  Printed:  Lindsey Wiefels
  Title: VP, Purchasing
  Date: 8/19/2022
     
  Synergy CHC Corp.
     
  By: /s/ Jack Ross
  Printed:  jack@synergychc.com
  Title: CEO
  Date: 8/19/2022

 

 

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Exhibit 10.31

 

Merchant Loan Agreement

 

Total Payment Amount:   Loan Amount:   Cost of Funds:   Repayment rate:
             
$141,250.00 USD   $125,000.00 USD   $16,250.00 USD   17% of daily sales

 

This Merchant Loan Agreement (“Agreement”), dated as of the Effective Date (as defined below) is between WebBank, a Utah-chartered industrial bank (“Lender,” “We”, “Us” or “Our”), and Synergy CHC Corp (“Borrower,” “You”, or “Your”). The parties agree to the following terms and conditions, which create a binding legal relationship:

 

1. Definitions

 

As used in this Agreement, the following words have the meanings as specified below:

 

  Account has the meaning set forth in Section 4.2.1.
     
  Arbitration Provision has the meaning set forth in Section 12.1.
     
  Authorized Representative means any individual who has been authorized by Borrower to obtain the Loan and has authority to accept this Agreement on behalf of Borrower.
     
  Claims has the meaning set forth in Section 12.1.
     
  Collateral has the meaning set forth in Section 5.1.
     
  Confidential Information means any and all information associated with a party’s business and not publicly known, including specific business information, technical processes and formulas, software, customer lists, prospective customer lists, names, addresses and other information regarding customers and prospective customers, product designs, sales, costs (including any relevant processing fees), price lists, and other unpublished financial information, business plans and marketing data, and any other confidential and proprietary information, whether or not marked as confidential or proprietary. Lender’s Confidential Information includes all information that Borrower receives relating to Lender, or to the terms of this Loan, that is not known to the general public.
     
  Daily Payment means the daily payment due to Lender, which shall be an amount equal to the Shopify Account Credits attributed to Borrower’s Shopify Services Account for such day multiplied by the Daily Payment Percentage. If Borrower does not have any Shopify Account Credits for any given day, then there shall be no Daily Payment for such day.
     
  Daily Payment Percentage means 17%
     
  Effective Date means the date on which we deliver the funding to You.
     
  Event of Default means the occurrence of an event described in Section 8.
     
  Lender Information has the meaning set forth in Section 10.15.2.
     
  Loan means the closed-end business purpose loan made by Lender to Borrower under this Agreement.
     
  Loan Amount means the total amount of funding provided by Lender to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.
     
  Make-up Payments means deductions from Your Account, as applicable, initiated by Lender or Processor or any Other Processor for the benefit of Lender if any of Lender, Processor or Other Processor, as applicable, was unable to effect a transfer for any payment due hereunder on a particular day because of insufficient funds in Your Account or any other reason.
     
  Manual Payment has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1.2.

 

 

 

 

  Obligations means, collectively, Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement, including Your obligation to pay the Total Payment Amount, and any other fees or expenses due hereunder (including, without limitation, the reasonable attorney’s fees and expenses that arise upon an Event of Default, including after the filing of a bankruptcy or other insolvency proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in whole or in part as a claim in such bankruptcy or other insolvency proceeding); and Borrower’s obligation to pay all other obligations and liabilities owed to Lender under any other document or agreement now or hereafter entered into between Lender and Borrower.
     
  Other Business Account means, collectively, all bank accounts associated with Shopify Services accounts of Borrower, or Owners, subsidiaries or affiliates of Borrower, and into which funds related to Other Business Credits are deposited.
     
  Other Business Credits means any funds of a business owned or operated by Borrower or the Owners, subsidiaries or affiliates of Borrower, other than the Shopify Store, including any funds that are credited to one or more Accounts or Shopify Services accounts of Borrower or the Owner, subsidiaries or affiliates of Borrower (other than the Shopify Services Account), regardless of source.
     
  Other Processor means, collectively and individually, any processor, acquirer, service provider or financial institution taking custody of, holding, possessing, or issuing payment instructions with respect to any Other Business Accounts.
     
  Outstanding Total Payment Amount means the Total Payment Amount, less the aggregate amounts of Payments received by Lender.
     
  Owner means any parent company, any individual who, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, owns 25 percent or more of the equity interests of a legal entity, sole proprietor, principal, or member of Borrower.
     
  Payments means, collectively, the Daily Payments and any Manual Payments.
     
  Processor means, collectively and individually, any processor, acquirer, service provider or financial institution taking custody of, holding, possessing, or issuing payment instructions with respect to the Shopify Account Credits.
     
  Processor Terms of Service means the agreement, as it may be amended from time to time, under which Processor or Other Processor (along with other applicable third parties) provides Borrower with payment services.
     
  Register has the meaning set forth in Section 13.1.
     
  Shopify Account Credits means all funds from transactions associated with Your Shopify Services Account while You have a Loan with Us, regardless of source, whether those funds are credited through cash, bank checks, credit cards, debit cards, and other types of payment cards, electronic money transfers, such as Automated Clearing House or “ACH” debits and PayPal® money transfers or other forms of payment, excluding only the Loan.
     
  Shopify Admin means the administrative dashboard associated with Borrower’s Shopify Services Account.
     
  Shopify Merchant Business Account or SMBA means the bank account or other business stored-value account of Borrower set out in the Shopify Admin and into which: (a) the Shopify Account Credits settle (less any transaction or other related fees); and (b) the Loan would be funded.
     
  Shopify Services means the ecommerce software and services provided to Borrower by Shopify Inc.
     
  Shopify Services Account means the account provisioned by Shopify Inc. to Borrower in respect of the Shopify Services.
     
  Shopify Store means Synergy CHC Corp.
     
  Shopify Terms of Service means the agreement, including the Shopify Acceptable Use Policy and any other documents incorporated by reference, as may be amended from time to time, under which Shopify Inc. provides Borrower with the Shopify Services.
     
  Total Payment Amount means $141,250.00 USD, which is the total amount that Borrower promises to pay Lender as consideration for the Loan. For the avoidance of doubt, Borrower in addition to the Total Payment Amount may also be liable to Lender herein for any costs, fees, or other damages payable upon an Event of Default or any amounts due under Borrower’s indemnification obligations under this Agreement

 

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2. Loan Funding

 

2.1. By clicking on “Submit Application,” You accept this Agreement and are making a request for Lender to complete its review of Your application and make a Loan to You. For this review, We may obtain and review any information on the Borrower, an Owner, or the Authorized Representative that We are permitted by applicable law to obtain and review for this purpose, including: (a) Your Shopify Services Account history; (b) information about any financial accounts Borrower has with third-party institutions, including transaction data with respect to such accounts, which We may obtain directly or through third-party services; and (c) name, address, date of birth, other information that allows Us to verify Your identity, together with any necessary identification documents, collected and verified in accordance with federal anti-money laundering, terrorist financing, and other financial regulations.

 

2.2. As provided above, You authorize Us to obtain account information from third-party services for the purpose of authenticating or obtaining information about accounts You have with financial institutions. You acknowledge that You may be required to provide such authorization directly to such third parties. If You do not provide the required authorization to the third-party services described above, We may decline to proceed with Your request for funding. We also may decline to proceed with Your request for funding if a financial institution prevents us or our service provider to access Your account, even if you did not instruct the financial institution to do so.

 

2.3. If Lender approves Your application, in its sole and absolute discretion, Lender shall accept the Agreement and make the Loan to Borrower by making a single disbursement to the SMBA in the amount of $125,000.00 USD on a date determined by Lender. This Agreement will not take effect unless We accept it by funding the Loan. THE LOAN SHALL BE MADE

 

BY LENDER IN ITS SOLE AND ABSOLUTE DISCRETION, AND BORROWER’S ACCEPTANCE OF THIS AGREEMENT SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED TO OBLIGATE LENDER TO MAKE THE LOAN.

 

3. Business Purpose; Business Account

 

3.1. Business Purpose. You agree that You are obtaining this Loan and will use the funds received in connection with this Loan for business purposes only. You will not use this Loan for personal, family, or household purposes. You understand that You are not receiving a consumer loan and that statutory and regulatory protections for consumers will not apply to Your Loan. You also understand that We may, but are not obligated to, verify whether the use of any funds provided conforms to this section. You agree that Your breach of this section will not affect Lender’s right to: (a) enforce Your promise to pay all Obligations and amounts owed under this Agreement, regardless of the purpose for which the funds are in fact obtained; or (b) use any remedy legally available to Lender, even if that remedy would not have been available had the funds been provided for consumer purposes.

 

3.2. Business Account. You agree that the SMBA, any substitute Account, and the Shopify Services Account are each business accounts used solely for business purposes only and that the Account(s) named above are not and will not be used for personal, family, consumer, or household purposes.

 

4. Repayment of the Loan; Authorizations

 

4.1. Repayment Terms.

 

4.1.1. Borrower promises to pay Lender the Total Payment Amount. In furtherance of this promise, the Borrower promises to make Daily Payments to Lender, starting on the Effective Date until the Total Payment Amount is received by Lender.

 

4.1.2. In addition to the Daily Payments, You may make one or more additional payments for any amount, up to and including the then-remaining Outstanding Total Payment Amount (“Manual Payments”). Manual Payments may be made only by ACH, or such other method that Lender permits, in its sole discretion. Lender may refuse any attempted Manual Payment or impose limits on the frequency or amounts of Manual Payments at any time. If You successfully make a Manual Payment that is less than the Outstanding Total Payment Amount, the Outstanding Total Payment Amount will be adjusted by the amount of such Manual Payment. If You successfully pay the entire Outstanding Total Payment Amount, You will have no further payment obligations to Us under the Agreement. If the Manual Payment is reversed or disputed, then any credit to the Outstanding Total Payment Amount applied as a result of the Manual Payment will be reversed as of the date it was applied and You will continue to be obligated to repay Your Loan under this Agreement until the Total Payment Amount has been repaid.

 

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4.2. Fund Transfers. To the extent that Processor or Other Processor, if applicable, is not acting on behalf of Lender pursuant to Section 4.2.1 below or as Lender may otherwise determine, Lender may act in accordance with Section 4.2.2 below.

 

4.2.1. Processing Arrangement. Borrower explicitly authorizes and directs Processor or Other Processor to transfer to Lender from the SMBA, any Other Business Account and/or any other account containing Your Shopify Account Credits or Other Business Credits (collectively, the “Account”): (a) Daily Payments due on business days, will be transferred on a daily basis and Daily Payments due on a non-business day will be transferred on the following business day until the Total Payment Amount has been paid to Lender; and (b) in the event that the Lender declare the entire Outstanding Total Payment Amount (plus any other amounts due under this Agreement) to be immediately due and payable upon an Event of Default, the then Outstanding Total Payment Amount plus the amount of any other outstanding Obligations. Upon an Event of Default, You irrevocably authorize Processor and any Other Processor to deliver all funds on deposit in any Account to Us until We have received the Outstanding Total Payment Amount (plus any other amounts due under this Agreement). You agree that any Processor and Other Processor may rely on any instructions issued by Us with respect to the delivery of funds on deposit in any Account, including, but not limited to, an instruction to deliver to Us all Shopify Account Credits, Other Business Credits, and funds on deposit in any such Accounts to Us until the then Outstanding Total Payment Amount (plus any other amounts due under this Agreement) are delivered to Us after an Event of Default. You agree that You do not have the right to revoke or otherwise seek to override the authorization set forth herein and that this authorization may only be revoked by Us. If there has been no Event of Default, no Processor or Other Processor will deliver to Us any particular payment owed hereunder if such payment has already been delivered to Us by Processor or Other Processor, as applicable, or We have taken such amount via Section 4.2.2 below.

 

4.2.2. Lender Electronic Fund Transfer Authorization. You irrevocably authorize Us (which includes, for the purposes of this authorization, Our agents, service providers, successors, and assigns) to initiate an electronic fund transfer via the ACH network from any Account in the amount of any Payment due or other amount due under this Agreement. You authorize Us, to initiate a single ACH for the combined amounts of different Payments owed hereunder (e.g., initiate a single ACH on Monday for Daily Payments that were created on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) or to initiate individual ACHs for any such Payments. We will not initiate an ACH for any Payments delivered to Us via Section 4.2.1. After the occurrence of an Event of Default, You irrevocably authorize Us to initiate an ACH or ACHs from any Account until We have received the Outstanding Total Payment Amount (plus any other Obligations or amounts due under this Agreement). You also authorize Us to initiate ACH credits or debits to any Account to correct any errors We may make in processing a payment. In the event that an ACH is returned unpaid, You authorize Us to re-initiate the ACH until it is paid. You agree that You will not cancel this authorization or instruct any depository holding Shopify Account Credits (or, after an Event of Default, any other depository holding Other Business Credits) to reject Our ACHs. You promise that the Account is used for business purposes and not for personal, family, consumer or household purposes and that You are an authorized signor on the Accounts. You agree to be bound by the rules and regulations of the National Automated Clearing House Association (“NACHA”).

 

4.3. Make-up Payments; Transfer Size/Timing. If any of Lender, Processor or Other Processor is unable to effect a transfer or debit for any payment due hereunder, You authorize and direct Lender, Processor or Other Processor, as applicable, on any subsequent day to deduct any available funds from Your Account, as applicable, to make up for the failed transfer or debit until the full amount of the failed transfer or debit has been paid in full. You authorize and direct any of Lender, Processor or Other Processor to initiate transfers or debits for Make-up Payments in combination with any other payments due or as separate transfers or debits. You agree that any transfer or debit may be split into multiple, smaller transfers or debits and/or initiated the moment funds are credited to the Account, as applicable.

 

5. Security Interest; Collateral

 

5.1. As security for all Obligations, Borrower hereby grants, assigns, and pledges to Lender a continuing and unconditional lien on and security interest in and to the following, whether now owned, or hereafter acquired, or arising and wherever located (collectively, the Collateral): (a) all Accounts and all balances in such Accounts; (b) all general intangibles (as that term is defined in Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code), all payment intangibles, all rights to payment, all accounts receivable (including the Other Business Credits), and all other rights (whether arising under common law, statutes, regulations, or otherwise) of Borrower in each case arising with respect to or in connection with the Accounts; (c) all money, cash equivalents, and other similar assets of Borrower that now or hereafter come into the possession, custody, or control of Lender, Processor or Other Processor (or any of their respective agents or designees); and (d) all of the proceeds (as such term is defined in the applicable UCC) and products, whether tangible or intangible, of any of the foregoing.

 

5.2. In furtherance of the intentions of the parties hereto, this Agreement shall constitute written notice to all interested parties of Lender’s security interest in the Collateral. Borrower acknowledges and agrees that so long as any of the Obligations remain outstanding, all Accounts and any funds on deposit from time to time therein shall be under the sole dominion and control of Lender. Neither Borrower nor any other person or entity, acting by, through, or under Borrower, shall have any control over the use of, or any right to withdraw any amount from such Accounts without the consent of Lender, provided that Lender shall be deemed to have granted such consent until such time as the occurrence of an Event of Default. In addition, Lender shall have the exclusive rights: (a) to require that any bank or securities intermediary at which any Collateral may be located acknowledge Lender’s security interest in and control of the Collateral for purposes of perfecting Lender’s security interest therein; and (b) to direct and provide instructions to such bank or securities intermediary as to the disposition of the Collateral to fulfill Borrower’s Obligations herein. Borrower agrees that Borrower shall execute and deliver any document requested by Lender to perfect and continue its security interest in the Collateral, including, but not limited to, any account control agreements and take any other action to perfect and maintain Lender’s security interest. Borrower further agrees not to create, grant, or permit any other lien, pledge, or security interest to exist on any of the Collateral, except for the security interest granted to the Lender under this Agreement.

 

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5.3. You authorize Us to file one or more UCC-1 financing statements to memorialize and perfect on the security interest granted to Us hereunder. Any financing statements may include notice that You have given a negative pledge of the Collateral.

 

6. Representations and Warranties

 

Borrower represents and warrants that, as of the date of this Agreement and during the term of this Agreement:

 

6.1. Your form of organization is correctly set forth in the Shopify Admin. Unless You are an individual or sole proprietorship, You were duly incorporated or formed, are validly existing, and are in good standing under the laws of the state where your business is registered. You further represent and warrant that: (a) You are duly qualified, licensed, and in good standing in every state in which You are doing business; (b) Your principal office and the location where You keep Your records concerning Your accounts, contract rights, and other property, are accurately reflected in Your Shopify Admin; (c) Your exact legal name is accurately set forth in the Your Shopify Admin and in this Agreement; (d) You have the requisite power and authority, and the legal right to own, lease, and operate Your properties and assets and to conduct Your business as it is now being conducted and to enter into this Agreement; (e) You are complying and will comply with all laws, statutes, regulations, and ordinances pertaining to the conduct of Your business; (f) all of Your organization papers and all amendments thereto have been duly filed and are in proper order, and any capital stock, member interest, or other equity issued by You and outstanding was and is properly issued; and (g) all Your books and records are accurate and up to date and will be so maintained.

 

6.2. No consent or authorization of, filing with, notice to, or other act by, or in respect of, any governmental authority or any other individual or entity is required in order for You to execute, deliver, or perform any of Your obligations under this Agreement. The execution, delivery, and performance of the Agreement and any other document executed in connection therewith are within Your powers, have been duly authorized, and are not in contravention of law or the terms of Your charter, by-laws, or other organization papers, if any, or of any indenture, contract, agreement, or undertaking to which You are a party. You are not subject to any charter, corporate, or other legal restriction, or any judgment, award, decree, order, governmental rule, regulation, or contractual restriction that could have a material adverse effect on Your financial condition, business or prospects. You are in compliance with Your organization documents and by-laws, if any, and all contractual requirements by which You may be bound and where the failure to comply might materially adversely affect Your financial condition, business or prospects, or Your ability to perform Your obligations under this Agreement.

 

6.3. There is no action, suit, proceeding, or investigation pending or, to Your knowledge, threatened against or affecting You, Your Shopify Store, or any of Your assets that, if determined adversely, could have a material adverse effect on Your financial condition, business or prospects or Your ability to perform Your obligations under this Agreement.

 

6.4. This Agreement is Borrower’s valid, legal, and binding obligation, enforceable against Borrower in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (whether enforcement is sought by proceedings in equity or at law).

 

6.5. You have not sold nor are subject to any other contract or agreement that provides for the sale, assignment, or any other transfer of any interest in the Collateral as of the date of this Agreement. You have good, complete, and marketable title to the Collateral, free and clear of any claims, charges, liens, restrictions, encumbrances, or security interests of any nature whatsoever, other than in favor of Lender. The Shopify Account Credits are and will be the proceeds of bona fide transactions with Borrower’s customers.

 

6.6. Borrower does not presently intend to cease to operate the business, either permanently or temporarily. Borrower is solvent and does not contemplate bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings. Borrower has not filed any petition for bankruptcy protection and there has been no involuntary petition threatened or filed against Borrower. Borrower does not anticipate the voluntary or involuntary filing of any such bankruptcy petition.

 

6.7. All federal, state, local, and foreign tax returns and tax reports, and all taxes due and payable that are required to be filed by Borrower have been or will be filed and paid, on a timely basis (including any extensions). All such returns and reports are and will be true, correct, and complete. Borrower has no material liabilities and, to the best of its knowledge, knows of no material contingent liabilities, except current liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business.

 

6.8. You are entering into this Agreement for business purposes and not as a consumer or for personal, family, consumer, or household purposes. Any credit extended under this Agreement is solely for business purposes and not for personal, family, consumer, or household use.

 

6.9. Any attempt to receive the Loan or pay Your Daily Payment, Make-Up Payment, Manual Payment, or Outstanding Total Payment Amount through any account other than the SMBA will entitle Lender, Processor, and any Other Processor to consider any such account as part of Your SMBA for purposes of this Agreement.

 

6.10. Each Authorized Representative is at least eighteen (18) years of age and has the legal capacity and all necessary authority to bind You to this Agreement.

 

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7. Covenants

 

Borrower agrees to comply with the covenants in this Agreement and to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement. In this regard, Borrower irrevocably agrees that, during the term of this Agreement, Borrower shall:

 

7.1. cause the SMBA and any substitute Accounts to remain in good standing;

 

7.2. comply with the Processor or Other Processor Terms of Service in connection with all payments Borrower accepts and processes during the term of this Agreement;

 

7.3. provide account statements for any account into which Shopify Account Credits are deposited or transferred, any bank account reflected in Borrower’s Shopify Admin, and, on request of the Lender, for any account opened at any time during the performance of this Agreement (including, but not limited to, any other bank accounts associated with other Shopify Services account(s) of Borrower), no later than five (5) business days after Our request. You agree that if You own or operate any other business other than the Shopify Store, You will keep separate accounting records for each business;

 

7.4. not take any action that would discourage those making payments to Borrower from paying via a method that settles into the SMBA or permit any event to occur that could have an adverse effect on the making of such payments into the SMBA;

 

7.5. not withdraw funds from the SMBA prior to Lender receiving the Daily Payment for such day;

 

7.6. not, without Our prior written consent: (a) change Your name (including any d/b/a name), place of business, chief executive office (if applicable), or organizational identification number, if any; (b) change Your type of organization, jurisdiction of organization, or other legal structure; (c) materially change the goods or services sold by the Shopify Store; (d) materially change the nature of the Shopify Store; (e) change the methods by which You accept or process payments; or (f) close the Shopify Store or cease operations (either permanently or temporarily);

 

7.7. (a) preserve, renew, and maintain, in full force and effect, Your corporate or organizational existence; (b) take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privilege,s and franchises necessary or desirable for the normal conduct of Your business; and (c) remain duly qualified, licensed, and in good standing in Your state of organization (if any) and every other state in which You are doing business;

 

7.8. not create, incur, or assume any indebtedness or borrow money, except for the Loan and trade debt incurred in the ordinary course of Borrower’s business;

 

7.9. not create or permit any lien or other encumbrance to be placed on the Collateral, other than in favor of Lender;

 

7.10. not permit any event to occur that could cause diversion of: (a) any amounts payable to or from any Account; or (b) the Shopify Account Credits from Lender;

 

7.11. maintain all of Your contact information current, including primary electronic mail, Your phone number, and physical address, and notify Lender promptly of any change to Your phone number or physical, electronic mail and/or website address(es);

 

7.12. cooperate fully with Lender to take all necessary actions required to effectuate Borrower’s obligations hereunder, including, but not limited to, signing any and all documents Lender deems necessary or appropriate;

 

7.13. only use the Loan, the SMBA, any substitute Account, and the Shopify Services Account for commercial or business purposes, in the ordinary course of business, and not for personal, family, consumer, or household purposes;

 

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7.14. not, without Our prior written consent, merge or consolidate with or into any other business entity or enter into any joint venture or partnership with any person, firm, or corporation;

 

7.15. be solely responsible for the payment of any fees and charges imposed on Lender with respect to the Accounts or any processing agreement with the Processor or Other Processor;

 

7.16. provide promptly to Lender, from time to time at Lender’s request, purchase transaction files maintained by Borrower and any other information related to past purchases, Shopify Account Credits, or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, whether created for the purpose of audit or otherwise, and such information about Your financial condition and operations as We may from time to time reasonably request;

 

7.17. maintain on Your property insurance from responsible and reputable companies in such amounts and covering such risks as is prudent and is usually carried by companies engaged in businesses similar to that of Borrower; Borrower shall furnish Lender, on request, with certified copies of insurance policies or other appropriate evidence of compliance with the foregoing covenant;

 

7.18. promptly provide notice to Us in writing upon becoming aware of any Event of Default, the occurrence or existence of an event which, with the passage of time or the giving of notice or both, would constitute an Event of Default, or any material adverse change in Your cash flow, business operation, or business ownership;

 

7.19. provide to Lender, upon request, documentation confirming the authority of any Authorized Representative;

 

7.20. settle or “batch out” Your receipts with Processor or Other Processor on a daily basis; and

 

7.21. not make any changes to the SMBA, any other Account, or the Shopify Services Account that would adversely affect Lender.

 

8. Events of Default

 

In addition to the events of default identified elsewhere in this Agreement, You will be in default under this Agreement and an “Event of Default” will be deemed to have occurred if:

 

8.1. you fail to pay any of the Total Payment Amount when due;

 

8.2. during the term of the Loan, Processor, Other Processor, or Lender initiates transfers for Make-up Payments in connection with more than three separate Daily Payments;

 

8.3. you breach any of the representations or warranties made in this Agreement or any other term of this Agreement;

 

8.4. you fail to perform or complete any covenant in this Agreement;

 

8.5. you make a misrepresentation or omission in connection with your application for a Loan or the servicing of your Loan;

 

8.6. you seek to close or terminate Your Shopify Services Account, SMBA, or any substitute Account while there is an Outstanding Total Payment Amount;

 

8.7. you become insolvent, file for bankruptcy protection, dissolve, die, or become incapacitated;

 

8.8. you attempt to terminate this Agreement while there is an Outstanding Total Payment Amount;

 

8.9. you authorize any third party, without Our prior written consent, to divert payments away from Your SMBA or substitute Account;

 

8.10. you sell, transfer, or otherwise encumber or attempt to sell, transfer, or otherwise encumber Collateral without Our prior written consent;

 

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8.11. you sell all or substantially all of Your assets used in the operation of Your business to a third party without Our prior written consent;

 

8.12. you become a party to or the subject of any agreement, pursuant to or as a result of, which any person or group of persons acquires, controls, directly or indirectly, Your business, without Our prior written consent;

 

8.13. you materially change the operation of Your business (including, without limitation, shutting down or ceasing operations or changing industry, concept, size, etc.) without Our prior written consent;

 

8.14. you stop accepting a particular method of payment while You remain open for business;

 

8.15. you change Your legal name or jurisdiction of formation or carry-on business through a different business entity without Our prior written consent;

 

8.16. a default or other similar event occurs under any other loan agreement or merchant cash advance agreement You have with Lender or an affiliate of Lender;

 

8.17. you breach any other agreement you have with Us, the Processor, or Other Processor, including, but not limited to, the Processor Terms of Service, the Shopify Terms of Service, and the Shopify Acceptable Use Policy;

 

8.18. you close or suspend your Shopify Services Account;

 

8.19. you decide, for whatever reason, to cease doing business; or

 

8.20. you take or fail to take an action that hinders Our taking delivery of the Daily Payments or Make-Up Payments.

 

9. Consequences of Event of Default

 

Upon an Event of Default, Lender in its sole and absolute discretion may, in addition to exercising all rights and remedies available under applicable law, and as otherwise set forth in this

Agreement, and without waiver of any such rights and remedies:

 

9.1. declare the Outstanding Total Payment Amount and any other Obligations or liabilities of Borrower to Lender to be forthwith due and payable immediately. At Our option (subject to any applicable law to the contrary), You agree to pay Lender any and all damages Lender incurs, including, without limitation, reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if permitted by applicable law, in any way relating to the Loan, this Agreement, any Account, any substitute account, or an Event of Default, and agree to hold Lender harmless from any liability it may have to any other person(s) as a result of the Event of Default, the Loan or any Obligation.

 

9.2. take any of the following actions, or direct Processor or any Other Processor to take any or all of the following actions on Lender’s behalf, in order to enforce Lender’s rights to collect from Borrower any amount due and owing as a result of such Event of Default:

 

9.2.1. place limitations on and/or deduct funds owed to Lender from any Account; and/or

 

9.2.2. offset any amounts You owe under this Agreement against amounts to which You may be entitled under any agreement You have entered into with Us or an affiliate; and/or

 

9.2.3. freeze, suspend, halt, terminate, or otherwise cease in any manner, any services We or an affiliate of Ours may provide You or Your affiliates.

 

10. Miscellaneous

 

10.1. Modifications; Amendments. No modification, amendment, waiver, or consent of any provision of this Agreement will be effective unless it is in writing and signed by the Lender

 

10.2. Assignment. We may assign, transfer, or sell Our right to receive the Total Payment Amount or any other rights hereunder or delegate Our duties hereunder, either in whole or in part, without prior notice to You, and without Your consent. Borrower may not assign or transfer its rights and obligations hereunder, either in whole or in part, without prior written consent from Us, which consent We may withhold in Our sole and absolute discretion.

 

10.3. Governing Law/Forum. Except as set forth in the Arbitration Provision: (a) this Agreement, any transactions it contemplates, the construction of the terms of the Agreement, and all transactions, and the interpretation, performance, and enforcement of the rights and duties of You and Us, will be governed by and construed in accordance with federal law and, to the extent state law applies, the laws of the State of Utah without regard to conflicts of law principles; and (b) the parties agree that federal law and, to the extent state law applies, the laws of Utah govern the entire relationship between the parties, including, without limitation, all issues or claims arising out of, relating to, in connection with, or incident to this Agreement and any transaction it contemplates, whether such claims are based in tort or contract, or arise under statute or in equity. The parties acknowledge and agree that this Agreement is made and performed in Utah.

 

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10.4. Survival. Except as set forth in the Arbitration provisions, all provisions of this Agreement, including Section 12, that by their nature are intended to survive Your performance of all obligations hereunder will survive and remain in full force and effect.

 

10.5. Waiver; Remedies. We reserve the right, at any time and in Our sole and absolute discretion, not to exercise any of Our other rights under this Agreement and, should We do so, We will not waive Our right to exercise the right as set forth in this Agreement in the future. Without limiting the foregoing, We may, at Our option, accept partial payments without notifying You and without releasing You from Your obligation to pay all amounts owing under this Agreement in full or to otherwise perform the terms and conditions of this Agreement. You understand and agree that Your obligation to pay all amounts owing under this Agreement and otherwise to perform the terms and conditions of this Agreement are absolute and unconditional. No failure on Our part to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right under this Agreement constitutes a waiver of such right, nor will any single or partial exercise of any right under this Agreement preclude any other or further exercise of that right or the exercise of any other right. The remedies provided in this Agreement are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law or equity.

 

10.6. Severability. In case any of the provisions in this Agreement are found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any respect by a court of competent jurisdiction, the validity, legality, and enforceability of any other provision contained herein will not in any way be affected or impaired, and that court will have the power to rewrite that provision to the maximum extent enforceable and the remainder of this Agreement will continue in full force and effect.

 

10.7. Counterparts; Electronic Signatures. This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which constitutes an original and all of which when taken together constitute the same agreement. Electronic signatures will be deemed manual signatures, and each party to this Agreement may rely on an electronic signature as an original for purposes of enforcing this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, Borrower’s acceptance of the Agreement by clicking “Submit Application” will be deemed to constitute such party’s electronic signature and effective as a manual signature of each such party.

 

10.8. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between Borrower and Lender relating to this Loan and supersedes any other prior or contemporaneous agreement between You and Us relating to this Loan.

 

10.9. Inspection of Place of Borrower. We or Our designated representatives and agents have the right during Your normal business hours and at other reasonable times to examine Your business where located, including the interior and exterior. Any such examination may include, among other things, whether You have a place of business that is separate from any personal residence, are open for business, have sufficient inventory to conduct Your business, and have one or more point-of-sale terminals to process payment transactions. When performing an examination, We or Our designated representatives and agents may photograph the interior and exterior of any of Your places of business, including any signage and may photograph any principals.

 

10.10. Publicity. You and each Owner authorize Us to use Your name in a listing of clients and in advertising and marketing materials.

 

10.11. Binding Effect. This Agreement is binding upon and inures to the benefit of You and Us and Our respective successors and permitted assigns.

 

10.12. Maximum Interest Rate. Regardless of any provisions contained in this Agreement or in any of the other Loan documents, Lender shall never be deemed to have contracted for or be entitled to receive, collect, or apply as interest (whether explicit or deemed to be interest by judicial determination or operation of law) on the Loan, any amount in excess of the maximum rate of interest permitted to be charged by applicable law, and, in the event Lender receives, collects, or applies as interest any such excess, such amount that would be excessive interest shall be deemed to be a partial prepayment of principal and treated hereunder as such, and if the principal balance of the Loan is paid in full, any remaining excess shall forthwith be paid to Borrower. In determining whether or not the interest paid or payable under any specific contingency exceeds the highest lawful rate, Borrower and Lender shall, to the maximum extent permitted under applicable law: (a) characterize any non-principal payment (other than payments that are expressly designated as interest payments hereunder) as an expense, fee, or premium, rather than as interest; (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effect thereof; and (c) spread the total amount of interest throughout the entire contemplated term of the Loan so that the interest rate is uniform throughout such term.

 

10.13. Headings. Section headings are for convenience of reference only and shall in no way affect the interpretation of this Agreement.

 

10.14. Information Sharing between Lender, Processor, and Other Processor. You authorize Lender to share with its affiliates, Processor, and Other Processor any information in Lender’s records related to this Loan, including information about Your payment history. You also authorize Lender’s Processor or Other Processor to share with Lender any information in their records related to Your Shopify Services Account or any Account and any services Borrower obtains pursuant to the Processor or Other Processor. You also authorize Other Processor to share with Lender any information in its records related to any Other Business Credits, any Shopify Services account, and any Other Business Account. You agree that there is no limitation on the purpose for which Lender may share such information with its affiliates, Processor, or Other Processor or for which Lender’s affiliates, Processor, or Other Processor may share such information with Lender. You further agree that Lender, Processor, and Other Processor may use such information in their sole and absolute discretion.

 

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10.15. Disclosure.

 

10.15.1. Neither party will disclose the other’s Confidential Information to any third parties, except that Lender may make any disclosures: (a) contemplated by this Agreement; (b) that are reasonably necessary for consummation of this Agreement; (c) to its affiliates, members, managers, investors, prospective investors, financing sources, and equity holders and any external accountants, agents, attorneys, and other advisors; (d) to Processor or Other Processor; (e) as required or requested by any regulatory authority or examiner; (f) any insurance association; (g) as required by any applicable law, court decree, subpoena, or legal or administrative order or process; (h) in connection with the exercise of any remedy hereunder; or (i) as agreed by Borrower.

 

10.15.2. Borrower understands and agrees that the terms and conditions of the products and services offered hereunder, including this Agreement and any other agreement related hereto (“Lender Information”), are proprietary and Confidential Information of Lender. Accordingly, unless disclosure is required by law or court order, Borrower shall not disclose any Lender Information to any other person other than an attorney, accountant or financial advisor who needs to know such information for purposes of advising Borrower; provided such person uses such Lender Information solely for the purposes of advising Borrower and first agrees not to disclose any Lender Information to any person.

 

10.16. Credit Reports. Borrower acknowledges that We may report information about Borrower’s obligation under this Agreement to credit bureaus. A default under this Agreement may be reflected in Borrower’s credit report.

 

10.17. Right To Cancel. Within three (3) business days of the Effective Date, You may cancel this Agreement by notifying Us in writing and returning to Lender the full amount advanced by Lender to Your SMBA on the Effective Date. Such notice and return of the amount of the Loan must be received by Us prior to midnight on the third business day after the Effective Date. Instructions for the return of the amount of the Loan will be provided by Lender upon receipt of notice of cancellation.

 

10.18. Processor Waiver. You waive and release any and all claims You may have against Processor or Other Processor that are in any way related to its respective duties as a processor.

 

10.19. Indemnity; Limitation of Liability. YOU, YOUR SUCCESSORS AND PERMITTED ASSIGNEES AND AFFILIATES, AGREE TO FOREVER PROTECT, INDEMNIFY, AND “HOLD HARMLESS” US, PROCESSOR, OTHER PROCESSOR(S), AND THEIR AND OUR RESPECTIVE SUCCESSORS, ASSIGNS, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, MANAGERS, MEMBERS, AGENTS, AND AFFILIATES, AGAINST ALL DAMAGES, EXPENSES, CLAIMS, SUITS, DEMANDS, COSTS, ATTORNEYS’ FEES OR LOSSES, ARISING OUT OF OR ALLEGED TO HAVE ARISEN OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR CONDUCT OF YOUR BUSINESS, YOUR PERFORMANCE, OR NON-PERFORMANCE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, THE DELIVERING OF ANY PAYMENTS TO US AS DESCRIBED IN THIS AGREEMENT AND THE EXERCISE OF ANY OF OUR RIGHTS AS DESCRIBED IN THIS AGREEMENT. IN NO EVENT WILL WE, OUR AFFILIATES, PROCESSOR, OR OTHER PROCESSOR(S) BE LIABLE TO YOU OR TO ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY LOSS OF USE, REVENUE OR PROFIT OR LOSS OF DATA OR FOR ANY DIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, EXEMPLARY, SPECIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, WHETHER ARISING OUT OF BREACH OF CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), OR OTHERWISE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SUCH DAMAGE WAS FORESEEABLE AND WHETHER OR NOT SUCH PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

 

10.20. Power of Attorney. You grant to Us an irrevocable power of attorney, coupled with an interest, and appoint Us and Our designees as Your attorney-in-fact to take any and all actions necessary or appropriate to direct new or additional processors to make payment to Us as contemplated by this Agreement.

 

11. Communications Between You and Lender.

 

11.1. Notices. All notices, requests, consents, demands, and other communications hereunder must be in writing and delivered by electronic mail or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the respective parties to this Agreement, in the case of the Borrower, at the Borrower’s addresses set forth in the Shopify Admin, and in the case of the Lender to 100 Shockoe Slip, 2nd Floor, Richmond, VA 23219 or capital-support@shopify.com.

 

11.2. Consent to Electronic Disclosures. You consent to receive electronically any disclosure, notice, or communication that is required by law to be provided in writing at any email address you provide to Us. You agree to maintain up to date hardware and software that is capable of receiving and retaining such materials, and You also agree to promptly notify Us of any change to your email address so that you can continue to receive such materials from Us.

 

11.3. Telephone, Text, and Email Servicing Communications. We may use automated telephone dialling, text messaging systems, and electronic mail to provide messages to You about the Loan. The telephone messages may be played by a machine automatically when the telephone is answered, whether answered by You or another party. These messages may also be recorded by Your answering machine or voicemail. You give Us permission to call or send a text message to any telephone number that You or Your Authorized Representative have given Us and to play pre-recorded or artificial messages or send text messages with information about this Agreement, the SMBA or Your Loan over the phone. You also give Us permission to communicate such information to You via electronic mail. You agree that We will not be liable to You for any such calls or electronic communications, even if information is communicated to an unintended recipient. You understand that, when You receive such calls or electronic communications, You may incur a charge from the company that provides You with telecommunications, wireless, and/or Internet services. You agree that We have no liability for such charges. You agree to immediately notify Us if You change telephone numbers or are otherwise no longer the subscriber or customary user of a telephone number You have previously provided to Us.

 

11.4. Monitoring and Recording. We, Processor, or Other Processor may monitor, tape, or electronically record Our telephone calls with You.

 

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12. Arbitration Provision with Class Action Waiver.

 

12.1. You and We (which for the purposes of this Section 12 includes Shopify Inc. and Shopify Capital Inc.) agree to resolve any and all claims and disputes relating in any way to this Agreement or Our dealings with You (“Claims”), except for Claims concerning the validity, scope, or enforceability of this Section 12 (“Arbitration Provision”), through BINDING INDIVIDUAL ARBITRATION. Notwithstanding the foregoing, You or We may bring an individualized action in small claims court for Claims within the jurisdiction of that court. This Arbitration Provision is made with respect to transactions involving interstate commerce and shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §§ 1-16 (the “FAA”), and not by state law.

 

12.2. Individual Arbitration. By entering into this Arbitration Provision, neither You nor We will be able to have the dispute settled by a court or jury trial or to participate in a class action, collective action, class arbitration, or other representative action or proceeding. Other rights that You and We would have if You or We went to court will not be available or will be more limited in arbitration, including the right to appeal. You and We each understand that by agreeing to resolve any dispute through individual arbitration, WE ARE EACH WAIVING THE RIGHT TO A COURT OR JURY TRIAL. YOU AND WE AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR OUR INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING. The arbitrator(s) may not consolidate more than one party’s claims and may not otherwise preside over any form of a representative or class proceeding. Further, the arbitrator may award declaratory or injunctive relief only in favor of the individual party seeking relief and only to the extent necessary to provide relief warranted by that party’s individual claim. If applicable law precludes enforcement of any of this paragraph’s limitations as to a particular claim for relief, then that claim (and only that claim) must be severed from arbitration and may be brought in court. If any portion of this Arbitration Provision other than this paragraph’s limitations is deemed invalid or unenforceable, it shall not invalidate the remaining portions of this Arbitration Provision.

 

12.3. Arbitration Rules. Arbitration of any dispute under this Arbitration Provision shall be administered by JAMS pursuant to the applicable rules of JAMS in effect at the time the arbitration is initiated. You may contact JAMS to obtain information about arbitration, by calling 800-352-5267 or visiting www.jamsadr.com. If JAMS is unable or unwilling to administer the arbitration of a dispute, then a dispute may be referred to any other arbitration organization You and We agree upon or to an arbitration organization or arbitrator appointed pursuant to section 5 of the FAA. Arbitrations shall be conducted before a single arbitrator. Any in-person arbitration shall take place in the federal judicial district in which Your physical address is located unless otherwise agreed by You and Us in writing. If Your claim is for $10,000 or less, We agree that You may choose whether the arbitration will be conducted solely on the basis of documents submitted to the arbitrator, through a telephonic hearing, or by an in-person hearing as established by the JAMS rules. If Your claim exceeds $10,000, the right to a hearing will be determined by the JAMS rules.

 

12.4. Regardless of the manner in which the arbitration is conducted, the arbitrator shall issue a reasoned written decision sufficient to explain the essential findings and conclusions on which the award is based. The arbitrator shall apply applicable substantive law consistent with the FAA and applicable statutes of limitations and shall be authorized to award any relief that would have been available in court, provided that the arbitrator’s authority to resolve claims and make awards is limited to You and Us alone, except as otherwise specifically stated herein. The decision by the arbitrator shall be final and binding. You and We agree that this Arbitration Provision extends to any other parties involved in any Claims, including but not limited to Your and Our employees, affiliated companies, and vendors. In the event of any conflict between this Arbitration Provision and the JAMS arbitration rules or the rules of any other arbitration organization or arbitrator, this Arbitration Provision shall govern.

 

12.5. Arbitration Fees and Costs. Except as otherwise provided for herein, We will pay all JAMS filing, administration, and arbitrator fees. If, however, the arbitrator finds that either the substance of Your claim or the relief sought in Your arbitration demand is frivolous or brought for an improper purpose (as measured by the standards set forth in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11(b)), then the payment of such fees will be governed by the JAMS rules. In such case, You agree to reimburse Us for all monies previously disbursed by Us that are otherwise Your obligation to pay under the JAMS rules. In addition, if You initiate an arbitration in which You seek more than $75,000 in damages, the payment of these fees will be governed by the JAMS rules.

 

12.6. Arbitration Provision Is Optional. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REJECT THIS ARBITRATION PROVISION, BUT YOU MUST EXERCISE THIS RIGHT PROMPTLY. If You do not wish to be bound by this agreement to arbitrate, You must notify Us in writing within sixty (60) days after the date of this Agreement. You must send Your request to: 100 Shockoe Slip, 2nd Floor Richmond, VA 23219, or to contract_notices@shopify.com. The request must include Your full name, address, Shopify Store name, d/b/a name (if applicable), and the statement “I reject the Arbitration Provision contained in my Shopify Loan Agreement.” If You exercise Your right under this Section 12.6 to reject arbitration, the other terms of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect as if You had not rejected arbitration. Opting out of this Arbitration Provision has no effect on any other or future arbitration agreements that You may have with Us.

 

13. Register.

 

13.1. You agree that Lender, on Your behalf, may maintain a register in order to record the amount of Your Loan and the current or future owner of Your Loan (including any assignee, participant or transferee, if any, who becomes the subsequent owner of any portion of Your Loan) (the “Register”). The parties hereto agree that the entity whose name is recorded in the Register as the current owner of Your Loan is treated as the owner of Your Loan. The Register must be updated for any transfer of ownership of Your Loan to occur.

 

13.2. By clicking on “Submit Application” You are signing this Agreement electronically. You agree that your electronic signature is the equivalent of a physical signature. You further agree, on behalf of Your business Synergy CHC Corp, as Borrower, to the terms of this Agreement, which includes an arbitration and waiver of class action provision, and You agree that You are an Authorized Representative of Borrower and acknowledge that You received a copy of this Agreement.

 

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Exhibit 10.32

 

Merchant Loan Agreement

 

Total Payment Amount:   Loan Amount:   Cost of Funds:
         
$418,100.00   $370,000.00 USD   $48,100.00 USD
         
Repayment rate:     Term:    
         
USD 25% of daily sales   18 Months    

 

This Merchant Loan Agreement (“Agreement”), dated as of the Effective Date (as defined below) is between WebBank, a Utah-chartered industrial bank (“Lender,” “We”, “Us” or “Our”), and Synergy CHC Corp (“Borrower,” “You”, or “Your”). The parties agree to the following terms and conditions, which create a binding legal relationship:

 

1.Definitions

 

As used in this Agreement, the following words have the meanings specified below:

 

  Account has the meaning set forth in Section 4.2.1.
     
  Arbitration Provision has the meaning set forth in Section 12.1.
     
  Authorized Representative means any individual, including but not limited to the Store Owner, who has been authorized by Borrower to obtain the Loan and has authority to accept this Agreement on behalf of Borrower.
     
  Business Day means any Day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or a Day on which banking institutions in the State of Utah are closed.
     
  Claims has the meaning set forth in Section 12.1.
     
  Collateral has the meaning set forth in Section 5.2.
     
  Confidential Information means any and all information associated with a party’s business and not publicly known, including specific business information, technical processes and formulas, software, customer lists, prospective customer lists, names, addresses and other information regarding customers and prospective customers, product designs, sales, costs (including any relevant processing fees), price lists, and other unpublished financial information, business plans and marketing data, and any other confidential and proprietary information, whether or not marked as confidential or proprietary. Lender’s Confidential Information includes all information that Borrower receives relating to Lender, or to the terms of this Loan, that is not known to the general public.
     
  Day means any calendar day.
     
  Daily Payment means the daily payment due to Lender, which shall be an amount equal to the Shopify Account Credits attributed to Borrower’s Shopify Services Account for such Day multiplied by the Daily Payment Percentage.
     
  Daily Payment Percentage means 25%
     
  Effective Date means the date on which we deliver the funding to You.
     
  Event of Default means the occurrence of an event described in Section 8.
     
  Lender Information has the meaning set forth in Section 10.16.2.
     
  Loan means the closed-end business purpose loan made by Lender to Borrower under this Agreement.

 

 

 

 

  Loan Amount means the total amount of funding provided by Lender to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.
     
  Make-up Payments means deductions from Your Account, as applicable, initiated by Lender or Processor or any Other Processor for the benefit of Lender if any of Lender, Processor or Other Processor, as applicable, was unable to effect a transfer for any payment due hereunder on a particular Day because of insufficient funds in Your Account or any other reason.
     
  Manual Payment has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1.2.
     
  Minimum Payment means thirty (30) percent of the Total Payment Amount.
     
  Month means a calendar month.
     
  Obligations means, collectively, Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement, including Your obligation to pay the Total Payment Amount within the Term, pay any applicable Minimum Payments, and pay any other fees or expenses due hereunder (including, without limitation, the reasonable attorney’s fees and expenses that arise upon an Event of Default, including after the filing of a bankruptcy or other insolvency proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in whole or in part as a claim in such bankruptcy or other insolvency proceeding); and Borrower’s obligation to pay all other obligations and liabilities owed to Lender under any other document or agreement now or hereafter entered into between Lender and Borrower.
     
  Other Business Account means, collectively, all bank accounts associated with Shopify Services accounts and stores of Borrower, or Owners, subsidiaries or affiliates of Borrower, and into which funds related to Other Business Credits are deposited.
     
  Other Business Credits means any funds of a business owned or operated by Borrower or the Owners, subsidiaries or affiliates of Borrower, other than the Shopify Store, including any funds that are credited to one or more Accounts or Shopify Services accounts of Borrower or the Owner, subsidiaries or affiliates of Borrower (other than the Shopify Services Account), regardless of source.
     
  Other Processor means, collectively and individually, any processor, acquirer, service provider or financial institution taking custody of, holding, possessing, or issuing payment instructions with respect to any Other Business Accounts.
     
  Outstanding Total Payment Amount means the Total Payment Amount, less the aggregate amounts of Payments received by Lender.
     
  Owner means any parent company, any individual who, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, owns 25 percent or more of the equity interests of a legal entity, sole proprietor, principal, or member of Borrower.
     
  Payments means, collectively, the Daily Payments and any Minimum Payments or Manual Payments.
     
  Processor means, collectively and individually, any processor, acquirer, service provider or financial institution taking custody of, holding, possessing, or issuing payment instructions with respect to the Shopify Account Credits.

 

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  Processor Terms of Service means the agreement, as it may be amended from time to time, under which Processor or Other Processor (along with other applicable third parties) provides Borrower with payment services.
   
  Register has the meaning set forth in Section 13.1.
   
  Shopify Account Credits means all funds from transactions associated with Your Shopify Services Account while You have a Loan with Us, regardless of source, whether those funds are credited through cash, bank checks, credit cards, debit cards, and other types of payment cards, electronic money transfers, such as Automated Clearing House or “ACH” debits and PayPal® money transfers or other forms of payment, excluding only the Loan.
   
  Shopify Admin means the administrative dashboard associated with Borrower’s Shopify Services Account.
   
  Shopify Merchant Business Account or means the bank account or other business stored-value account of Borrower set out in the Shopify Admin and into which: (a) the
     
  SMBA Shopify Account Credits settle (less any transaction or other related fees); and (b) the Loan would be funded.
   
  Shopify Services means the ecommerce software and services provided to Borrower by Shopify Inc.
   
  Shopify Services Account means the account provisioned by Shopify Inc. to Borrower in respect of the Shopify Services.
   
  Shopify Store means Synergy CHC Corp.
   
  Shopify Terms of Service means the agreement, including the Shopify Acceptable Use Policy and any other documents incorporated by reference, as may be amended from time to time, under which Shopify Inc. provides Borrower with the Shopify Services.
   
  Store Owner means the person signing up for the Shopify Services by opening a Shopify account, who will be the contracting party for the purposes of the Shopify Terms of Service and who will be the person who is authorized to use any corresponding account Shopify may provide to the Store Owner in connection with the Shopify Services.
   
  Total Payment Amount means $418,100.00 USD, which is the total amount that Borrower promises to pay Lender as consideration for the Loan. For the avoidance of doubt, Borrower, in addition to the Total Payment Amount, may also be liable to Lender herein for any costs, fees, or other damages payable upon an Event of Default or any amounts due under Borrower’s indemnification obligations under this Agreement.
   
  Term means the eighteen (18) Month time period within which the Total Payment is due beginning on the Effective Date.

 

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2.Loan Funding

 

2.1. By clicking on “Submit Application,” You accept this Agreement and are making a request for Lender to complete its review of Your application and make a Loan to You. For this review, We may obtain and review any information on the Borrower, an Owner, or the Authorized Representative that We are permitted by applicable law to obtain and review for this purpose, including: (a) Your Shopify Services Account history; (b) information about any financial accounts Borrower has with third-party institutions, including transaction data with respect to such accounts, which We may obtain directly or through third-party services; and (c) name, address, date of birth, other information that allows Us to verify Your identity, together with any necessary identification documents, collected and verified in accordance with federal anti-money laundering, terrorist financing, and other financial regulations.

 

2.2. As provided above, You authorize Us to obtain account information from third-party services for the purpose of authenticating or obtaining information about accounts You have with financial institutions. You acknowledge that You may be required to provide such authorization directly to such third parties. If You do not provide the required authorization to the third-party services described above, We may decline to proceed with Your request for funding. We also may decline to proceed with Your request for funding if a financial institution prevents us or our service provider to access Your account, even if you did not instruct the financial institution to do so.

 

2.3. If Lender approves Your application, in its sole and absolute discretion, Lender shall accept the Agreement and make the Loan to Borrower by making a single disbursement to the SMBA in the amount of $370,000.00 USD on a date determined by Lender. This Agreement will not take effect unless We accept it by funding the Loan. THE LOAN SHALL BE MADE BY LENDER IN ITS SOLE AND ABSOLUTE DISCRETION, AND BORROWER’S ACCEPTANCE OF THIS AGREEMENT SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED TO OBLIGATE LENDER TO MAKE THE LOAN.

 

3.Business Purpose; Business Account

 

3.1. Business Purpose. You agree that You are obtaining this Loan and will use the funds received in connection with this Loan for business purposes only. You will not use this Loan for personal, family, or household purposes. You understand that You are not receiving a consumer loan and that statutory and regulatory protections for consumers will not apply to Your Loan. You also understand that We may, but are not obligated to, verify whether the use of any funds provided conforms to this section. You agree that Your breach of this section will not affect Lender’s right to: (a) enforce Your promise to pay all Obligations and amounts owed under this Agreement, regardless of the purpose for which the funds are in fact obtained; or (b) use any remedy legally available to Lender, even if that remedy would not have been available had the funds been provided for consumer purposes.

 

3.2. Business Account. You agree that the SMBA, any substitute Account, and the Shopify Services Account are each business accounts used solely for business purposes only and that the Account(s) named above are not and will not be used for personal, family, consumer, or household purposes.

 

4.Repayment of the Loan; Authorizations

 

4.1. Repayment Terms.

 

4.1.1. Borrower promises to pay Lender (i) a Minimum Payment within the first six (6) Month period from the Effective Date; (ii) an additional Minimum Payment within the next six Month period from Month six (6) to Month twelve (12) of the Term so that the total paid is at least 60 percent of the Total Payment Amount by the end of Month twelve (12) and (iii) the Total Payment Amount prior to the end of the Term. In furtherance of this promise, the Borrower promises to make Daily Payments to Lender that will apply towards the Minimum Payments, starting on the Effective Date until the Total Payment Amount is received by Lender. Your Daily Payments are based on gross sales. Refunds, returns, or cancellations of a transaction are not deducted or adjusted. No refunds or adjustments will be provided for Daily Payments that exceed the Minimum Payment.

 

4.1.2. In addition to the Daily Payments, You may make one or more additional payments for any amount, up to and including the then-remaining Outstanding Total Payment Amount (“Manual Payments”) without penalty or fees. For example, you may be required to make a Manual Payment to meet your obligation to pay the Minimum Payment amount by the end of Month six (6) or Month twelve (12) (as applicable). Manual Payments may be made only by ACH, or such other method that Lender permits, in its sole discretion. Lender may refuse any attempted Manual Payment or impose limits on the frequency or amounts of Manual Payments at any time. If You successfully make a Manual Payment that is less than the Outstanding Total Payment Amount, the Outstanding Total Payment Amount will be adjusted by the amount of such Manual Payment. If You successfully pay the entire Outstanding Total Payment Amount, You will have no further payment obligations to Us under the Agreement. If the Manual Payment is reversed or disputed, then any credit to the Outstanding Total Payment Amount applied as a result of the Manual Payment will be reversed as of the date it was applied and You will continue to be obligated to repay Your Loan under this Agreement until the Total Payment Amount has been repaid.

 

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4.2. Fund Transfers. To the extent that Processor or Other Processor, if applicable, is not acting on behalf of Lender pursuant to Section 4.2.1 below or as Lender may otherwise determine, Lender may act in accordance with Section 4.2.2 below.

 

4.2.1. Processing Arrangement. Borrower explicitly authorizes and directs Processor or Other Processor to transfer to Lender from the SMBA, any Other Business Account and/or any other account containing Your Shopify Account Credits or Other Business Credits (collectively, the “Account”): (a) Daily Payments due on Business Days, will be transferred on a daily basis and Daily Payments due on a non-Business Day will be transferred on the following Business Day until the Total Payment Amount has been paid to Lender; (b) Each Minimum Payment due equal to the Minimum Payment amount minus all Daily Payments received (i) for the first Minimum Payment due, from the Effective Date through Month six (6), and (ii) for the second Minimum Payment due, from the beginning of Month seven (7) through Month twelve (12); (c) any outstanding Total Payment Amount on the last Day of the Term and (d) in the event that the Lender declares the entire Outstanding Total Payment Amount (plus any other amounts due under this Agreement) to be immediately due and payable upon an Event of Default, the then Outstanding Total Payment Amount plus the amount of any other outstanding Obligations. Upon an Event of Default, You irrevocably authorize Processor and any Other Processor to deliver all funds on deposit in any Account to Us until We have received the Outstanding Total Payment Amount (plus any other amounts due under this Agreement). You agree that any Processor and Other Processor may rely on any instructions issued by Us with respect to the delivery of funds on deposit in any Account, including, but not limited to, an instruction to deliver to Us all Shopify Account Credits, Other Business Credits, and funds on deposit in any such Accounts to Us until the then Outstanding Total Payment Amount (plus any other amounts due under this Agreement) are delivered to Us after an Event of Default. You agree that You do not have the right to revoke or otherwise seek to override the authorization set forth herein and that this authorization may only be revoked by Us. If there has been no Event of Default, no Processor or Other Processor will deliver to Us any particular payment owed hereunder if such payment has already been delivered to Us by Processor or Other Processor, as applicable, or We have taken such amount via Section 4.2.2 below.

 

4.2.2. Lender Electronic Fund Transfer Authorization. You irrevocably authorize Us (which includes, for the purposes of this authorization, Our agents, service providers, successors, and assigns) to initiate an electronic fund transfer via the ACH network from any Account in the amount of any Payment due or other amount due under this Agreement. You authorize Us, to initiate a single ACH for the combined amounts of different Payments owed hereunder (e.g., initiate a single ACH on Monday for Daily Payments that were created on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) or to initiate individual ACHs for any such Payments. We will not initiate an ACH for any Payments delivered to Us via Section 4.2.1. After the occurrence of an Event of Default, You irrevocably authorize Us to initiate an ACH or ACHs from any Account until We have received the Outstanding Total Payment Amount (plus any other Obligations or amounts due under this Agreement). You also authorize Us to initiate ACH credits or debits to any Account to correct any errors We may make in processing a payment. In the event that an ACH is returned unpaid, You authorize Us to re-initiate the ACH until it is paid. You agree that You will not cancel this authorization or instruct any depository holding Shopify Account Credits (or, after an Event of Default, any other depository holding Other Business Credits) to reject Our ACHs. You promise that the Account is used for business purposes and not for personal, family, consumer or household purposes and that You are an authorized signor on the Accounts. You agree to be bound by the rules and regulations of the National Automated Clearing House Association (“NACHA”). Any failure by Shopify to automatically deduct via an electronic fund transfer the amount required for You to meet Your Minimum Payment obligation within a six (6) Month period will not be considered a waiver of Section 4.1 by Lender.

 

4.3. Make-up Payments; Transfer Size/Timing. If any of Lender, Processor or Other Processor is unable to effect a transfer or debit for any payment due hereunder, You authorize and direct Lender, Processor or Other Processor, as applicable, on any subsequent Day to deduct any available funds from Your Account, as applicable, to make up for the failed transfer or debit until the full amount of the failed transfer or debit has been paid in full. You authorize and direct any of Lender, Processor or Other Processor to initiate transfers or debits for Make-up Payments in combination with any other payments due or as separate transfers or debits. You agree that any transfer or debit may be split into multiple, smaller transfers or debits and/or initiated the moment funds are credited to the Account, as applicable.

 

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5.Security Interest; Collateral

 

5.1. As security for all Obligations, Borrower hereby grants, assigns, and pledges to Lender a continuing and unconditional security interest in and lien on Your right, title and interest in all of Your assets other than real estate, whether now owned, or hereafter acquired, or arising and wherever located, including, without limitation, all accounts including all Accounts and all balances in such Accounts, all Shopify Account Credits, investment property, letter-of-credit rights, letters of credit, money, and to the extent not otherwise included, all proceeds of each of the foregoing all accessions to, substitutions, and replacements for, rents, profits and products of each of the foregoing (in each case as that term is defined in Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code) (collectively, the “Collateral”).

 

5.2. You authorize Us to file one or more financing statements to perfect the security interest granted to Us hereunder describing the Collateral as “all assets” or words to that effect. You agree to provide us with all information necessary to prepare such financing statement. You agree to execute and deliver any document We reasonably request to perfect and continue Our security interest in the Collateral, including, but not limited to, any account control agreements, and take any other action we reasonably request to perfect and maintain such security interest.

 

6.Representations and Warranties

 

Borrower represents and warrants that, as of the date of this Agreement and during the term of this Agreement:

 

6.1. Your form of organization is correctly set forth in the Shopify Admin. Unless You are an individual or sole proprietorship, You were duly incorporated or formed, are validly existing, and are in good standing under the laws of the state where your business is registered in the United States of America. You further represent and warrant that: (a) You are duly qualified, licensed, and in good standing in every state in which You are doing business; (b) Your principal office and the location where You keep Your records concerning Your accounts, contract rights, and other property, are accurately reflected in Your Shopify Admin; (c) Your exact legal name is accurately set forth in the Your Shopify Admin and in this Agreement; (d) You have the requisite power and authority, and the legal right to own, lease, and operate Your properties and assets and to conduct Your business as it is now being conducted and to enter into this Agreement; (e) You are complying and will comply with all laws, statutes, regulations, and ordinances pertaining to the conduct of Your business; (f) all of Your organization papers and all amendments thereto have been duly filed and are in proper order, and any capital stock, member interest, or other equity issued by You and outstanding was and is properly issued; and (g) all Your books and records are accurate and up to date and will be so maintained.

 

6.2. No consent or authorization of, filing with, notice to, or other act by, or in respect of, any governmental authority or any other individual or entity is required in order for You to execute, deliver, or perform any of Your obligations under this Agreement. The execution, delivery, and performance of the Agreement and any other document executed in connection therewith are within Your powers, have been duly authorized, and are not in contravention of law or the terms of Your charter, by-laws, or other organization papers, if any, or of any indenture, contract, agreement, or undertaking to which You are a party. You are not subject to any charter, corporate, or other legal restriction, or any judgment, award, decree, order, governmental rule, regulation, or contractual restriction that could have a material adverse effect on Your financial condition, business or prospects. You are in compliance with Your organization documents and by-laws, if any, and all contractual requirements by which You may be bound and where the failure to comply might materially adversely affect Your financial condition, business or prospects, or Your ability to perform Your obligations under this Agreement.

 

6.3. There is no action, suit, proceeding, or investigation pending or, to Your knowledge, threatened against or affecting You, Your Shopify Store, or any of Your assets that, if determined adversely, could have a material adverse effect on Your financial condition, business or prospects or Your ability to perform Your obligations under this Agreement.

 

6.4. This Agreement is Borrower’s valid, legal, and binding obligation, enforceable against Borrower in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (whether enforcement is sought by proceedings in equity or at law).

 

6.5. You have not sold nor are subject to any other contract or agreement that provides for the sale, assignment, or any othe r transfer of any interest in the Collateral as of the date of this Agreement. You have good, complete, and marketable title to the Shopify Account Creditsand Collateral, free and clear of any claims, charges, liens, restrictions, encumbrances, or security interests of any nature whatsoever, other than in favor of Lender. The Shopify Account Credits are and will be the proceeds of bona fide transactions with Borrower’s customers.

 

6.6. Borrower does not presently intend to cease to operate the business, either permanently or temporarily. Borrower is solvent and does not contemplate bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings. Borrower has not filed any petition for bankruptcy protection and there has been no involuntary petition threatened or filed against Borrower. Borrower does not anticipate the voluntary or involuntary filing of any such bankruptcy petition.

 

6.7. All federal, state, local, and foreign tax returns and tax reports, and all taxes due and payable that are required to be filed by Borrower have been or will be filed and paid, on a timely basis (including any extensions). All such returns and reports are and will be true, correct, and complete. Borrower has no material liabilities and, to the best of its knowledge, knows of no material contingent liabilities, except current liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business.

 

6.8. You are entering into this Agreement for business purposes and not as a consumer or for personal, family, consumer, or household purposes. Any credit extended under this Agreement is solely for business purposes and not for personal, family, consumer, or household use.

 

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6.9. Any attempt to receive the Loan or pay Your Daily Payment, Make-Up Payment, Manual Payment, or Outstanding Total Payment Amount through any account other than the SMBA will entitle Lender, Processor, and any Other Processor to consider any such account as part of Your SMBA for purposes of this Agreement.

 

6.10. Each Authorized Representative is at least eighteen (18) years of age and has the legal capacity and all necessary authority to bind You to this Agreement.

 

6.11. You are a business located in the United States and all payments under this Agreement will be made in United States Dollars from an Account or substitute account located in the United States.

 

7.Covenants

 

Borrower agrees to comply with the covenants in this Agreement and to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement. In this regard, Borrower irrevocably agrees that, during the term of this Agreement, Borrower shall:

 

7.1. cause the SMBA and any substitute Accounts to remain in good standing;

 

7.2. comply with the Processor or Other Processor Terms of Service in connection with all payments Borrower accepts and processes during the term of this Agreement;

 

7.3. provide account statements for any account into which Shopify Account Credits are deposited or transferred, any bank account reflected in Borrower’s Shopify Admin, and, on request of the Lender, for any account opened at any time during the performance of this Agreement (including, but not limited to, any other bank accounts associated with other Shopify Services account(s) of Borrower), no later than five (5) Business Days after Our request. You agree that if You own or operate any other business other than the Shopify Store, You will keep separate accounting records for each business;

 

7.4. not take any action that would discourage those making payments to Borrower from paying via a method that settles into the SMBA or permit any event to occur that could have an adverse effect on the making of such payments into the SMBA;

 

7.5. not withdraw funds from the SMBA prior to Lender receiving the Daily Payment for such day;

 

7.6. not, without Our prior written consent: (a) change Your name (including any d/b/a name), place of business, chief executive office (if applicable), or organizational identification number, if any; (b) change Your type of organization, jurisdiction of organization, or other legal structure; (c) materially change the goods or services sold by the Shopify Store; (d) materially change the nature of the Shopify Store; (e) change the methods by which You accept or process payments; or (f) close the Shopify Store or cease operations (either permanently or temporarily);

 

7.7. (a) preserve, renew, and maintain, in full force and effect, Your corporate or organizational existence; (b) take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, and franchises necessary or desirable for the normal conduct of Your business; and (c) remain duly qualified, licensed, and in good standing in Your state of organization (if any) and every other state in which You are doing business;

 

7.8. not permit any event to occur that could cause diversion of: (a) any amounts payable to or from any Account; or (b) the Shopify Account Credits from Lender;

 

7.9. maintain all of Your contact information current, including primary electronic mail, Your phone number, and physical address, and notify Lender promptly of any change to Your phone number or physical, electronic mail and/or website address(es);

 

7.10. cooperate fully with Lender to take all necessary actions required to effectuate Borrower’s obligations hereunder, including, but not limited to, signing any and all documents Lender deems necessary or appropriate;

 

7.11. only use the Loan, the SMBA, any substitute Account, and the Shopify Services Account for commercial or business purposes, in the ordinary course of business, and not for personal, family, consumer, or household purposes;

 

7.12. not, without Our prior written consent, merge or consolidate with or into any other business entity or enter into any joint venture or partnership with any person, firm, or corporation;

 

7.13. be solely responsible for the payment of any fees and charges imposed on Lender with respect to the Accounts or any processing agreement with the Processor or Other Processor;

 

7.14. provide promptly to Lender, from time to time at Lender’s request, purchase transaction files maintained by Borrower and any other information related to past purchases, Shopify Account Credits, or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, whether created for the purpose of audit or otherwise, and such information about Your financial condition and operations including but not limited to a failure to make Minimum Payments, changes to Your business operations and declines in Shopify Account Credits as We may from time to time reasonably request;

 

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7.15. maintain on Your property insurance from responsible and reputable companies in such amounts and covering such risks as is prudent and is usually carried by companies engaged in businesses similar to that of Borrower; Borrower shall furnish Lender, on request, with certified copies of insurance policies or other appropriate evidence of compliance with the foregoing covenant;

 

7.16. promptly provide notice to Us in writing upon becoming aware of any Event of Default, the occurrence or existence of an event which, with the passage of time or the giving of notice or both, would constitute an Event of Default, or any material adverse change in Your cash flow, business operation, or business ownership;

 

7.17. provide to Lender, upon request, documentation confirming the authority of any Authorized Representative;

 

7.18. settle or “batch out” Your receipts with Processor or Other Processor on a daily basis; and

 

7.19. not make any changes to the SMBA, any other Account, or the Shopify Services Account that would adversely affect Lender.

 

8.Events of Default

 

In addition to the events of default identified elsewhere in this Agreement, You will be in default under this Agreement and an “Event of Default” will be deemed to have occurred if:

 

8.1. you fail to make a Minimum Payment amount when due;

 

8.2. you fail to pay the Total Payment Amount during the Term;

 

8.3. during the Term of the Loan, Processor, Other Processor, or Lender initiates transfers for Make-up Payments in connection with more than three separate Daily Payments;

 

8.4. you breach any of the representations, warranties or covenants made in this Agreement or any other term of this Agreement;

 

8.5. you fail to perform or complete any covenant in this Agreement;

 

8.6. you make a misrepresentation or omission in connection with your application for a Loan or the servicing of your Loan;

 

8.7. you seek to close or terminate Your Shopify Services Account, SMBA, or any substitute Account while there is an Outstanding Total Payment Amount;

 

8.8. you become insolvent, file for bankruptcy protection, dissolve, die, or become incapacitated;

 

8.9. you attempt to terminate this Agreement while there is an Outstanding Total Payment Amount;

 

8.10. you authorize any third party, without Our prior written consent, to divert payments away from Your SMBA or substitute Account;

 

8.11. you sell, transfer, or otherwise encumber or attempt to sell, transfer, or otherwise encumber Collateral without Our prior written consent;

 

8.12. you sell all or substantially all of Your assets used in the operation of Your business to a third party without Our prior written consent or our security interest in the Collateral ceases to be perfected for any reason;

 

8.13. you become a party to or the subject of any agreement, pursuant to or as a result of, which any person or group of persons acquires, controls, directly or indirectly, Your business, without Our prior written consent;

 

8.14. you materially change the operation of Your business (including, without limitation, shutting down or ceasing operations or changing industry, concept, size, etc.) without Our prior written consent;

 

8.15. you stop accepting a particular method of payment while You remain open for business;

 

8.16. you change Your legal name or jurisdiction of formation or carry-on business through a different business entity without Our prior written consent;

 

8.17. a default or other similar event occurs under any other loan agreement or merchant cash advance agreement You have with Lender or an affiliate of Lender;

 

8.18. you breach any other agreement you have with Us, the Processor, or Other Processor, including, but not limited to, the Processor Terms of Service, the Shopify Terms of Service, and the Shopify Acceptable Use Policy;

 

8.19. you close or suspend your Shopify Services Account;

 

8.20. you decide, for whatever reason, to cease doing business; or

 

8.21. you take or fail to take an action that hinders Our taking delivery of the Daily Payments or Make-Up Payments.

 

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9.Consequences of Event of Default

 

Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, Lender in its sole and absolute discretion may, in addition to exercising all rights and remedies available under the Uniform Commercial Code and other applicable law, and as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, and without waiver of any such rights and remedies:

 

9.1. declare the Outstanding Total Payment Amount and any other Obligations or liabilities of Borrower to Lender to be forthwith due and payable immediately; provided that in the case of an Event of Default described in Section 8.8, such declaration shall be made automatically.

 

9.2. take any of the following actions, or direct Processor or any Other Processor to take any or all of the following actions on Our behalf:

 

9.2.1. take sole dominion and control of all Accounts and any funds on deposit therein; and place limitations on and/or deduct funds owed to Lender from any Account; and/or

 

9.2.2. offset any amounts You owe under this Agreement against amounts to which You may be entitled under any agreement You have entered into with Us or an affiliate; and/or

 

9.2.3. cease any services We or an affiliate of Ours or may provide You or Your affiliates.

 

10.Miscellaneous

 

10.1. Modifications; Amendments. No modification, amendment, waiver, or consent of any provision of this Agreement will be effective unless it is in writing and signed by the Lender

 

10.2. Assignment. We may assign, transfer, or sell Our right to receive the Total Payment Amount or any other rights hereunder or delegate Our duties hereunder, either in whole or in part, without prior notice to You, and without Your consent, to any person, including to Shopify Inc. or any affiliate of Shopify Inc. Borrower may not assign or transfer its rights and obligations hereunder, either in whole or in part, without prior written consent from Us, which consent We may withhold in Our sole and absolute discretion.

 

10.3. Governing Law/Forum. Except as set forth in the Arbitration Provision: (a) this Agreement, any transactions it contemplates, the construction of the terms of the Agreement, and all transactions, and the interpretation, performance, and enforcement of the rights and duties of You and Us, will be governed by and construed in accordance with federal law and, to the extent state law applies, the laws of the State of Utah without regard to conflicts of law principles; and (b) the parties agree that federal law and, to the extent state law applies, the laws of the State of Utah govern the entire relationship between the parties, including, without limitation, all issues or claims arising out of, relating to, in connection with, or incident to this Agreement and any transaction it contemplates, whether such claims are based in tort or contract, or arise under statute or in equity. The parties acknowledge and agree that this Agreement is made and performed in the State of Utah.

 

10.4. Survival. Except as set forth in the Arbitration provisions, all provisions of this Agreement, including Section 12, that by their nature are intended to survive Your performance of all obligations hereunder will survive and remain in full force and effect.

 

10.5. Waiver; Remedies. We reserve the right, at any time and in Our sole and absolute discretion, not to exercise any of Our other rights under this Agreement and, should We do so, We will not waive Our right to exercise the right as set forth in this Agreement in the future. Without limiting the foregoing, We may, at Our option, accept partial payments without notifying You and without releasing You from Your obligation to pay all amounts owing under this Agreement in full or to otherwise perform the terms and conditions of this Agreement. You understand and agree that Your obligation to pay all amounts owing under this Agreement and otherwise to perform the terms and conditions of this Agreement are absolute and unconditional. No failure on Our part to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right under this Agreement constitutes a waiver of such right, nor will any single or partial exercise of any right under this Agreement preclude any other or further exercise of that right or the exercise of any other right. The remedies provided in this Agreement are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law or equity.

 

10.6. Severability. In case any of the provisions in this Agreement are found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any respect by a court of competent jurisdiction, the validity, legality, and enforceability of any other provision contained herein will not in any way be affected or impaired, and that court will have the power to rewrite that provision to the maximum extent enforceable and the remainder of this Agreement will continue in full force and effect.

 

10.7. Counterparts; Electronic Signatures. This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which constitutes an original and all of which when taken together constitute the same agreement. Electronic signatures will be deemed manual signatures, and each party to this Agreement may rely on an electronic signature as an original for purposes of enforcing this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, Borrower’s acceptance of the Agreement by clicking “Submit Application” will be deemed to constitute such party’s electronic signature and effective as a manual signature of each such party.

 

10.8. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between Borrower and Lender relating to this Loan and supersedes any other prior or contemporaneous agreement between You and Us relating to this Loan.

 

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10.9. Inspection of Place of Borrower. We or Our designated representatives and agents have the right during Your normal business hours and at other reasonable times to examine Your business where located, including the interior and exterior. Any such examination may include, among other things, whether You have a place of business that is separate from any personal residence, are open for business, have sufficient inventory to conduct Your business, and have one or more point-of-sale terminals to process payment transactions. When performing an examination, We or Our designated representatives and agents may photograph the interior and exterior of any of Your places of business, including any signage and may photograph any principals.

 

10.10. Publicity. You and each Owner authorize Us to use Your name in a listing of clients and in advertising and marketing materials.

 

10.11. Binding Effect. This Agreement is binding upon and inures to the benefit of You and Us and Our respective successors and permitted assigns.

 

10.12. Maximum Interest Rate. Regardless of any provisions contained in this Agreement or in any of the other Loan documents, Lender shall never be deemed to have contracted for or be entitled to receive, collect, or apply as interest (whether explicit or deemed to be interest by judicial determination or operation of law) on the Loan, any amount in excess of the maximum rate of interest permitted to be charged by applicable law, and, in the event Lender receives, collects, or applies as interest any such excess, such amount that would be excessive interest shall be deemed to be a partial prepayment of principal and treated hereunder as such, and if the principal balance of the Loan is paid in full, any remaining excess shall forthwith be paid to Borrower. In determining whether or not the interest paid or payable under any specific contingency exceeds the highest lawful rate, Borrower and Lender shall, to the maximum extent permitted under applicable law: (a) characterize any non-principal payment (other than payments that are expressly designated as interest payments hereunder) as an expense, fee, or premium, rather than as interest; (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effect thereof; and (c) spread the total amount of interest throughout the entire contemplated term of the Loan so that the interest rate is uniform throughout such term.

 

10.13. Headings. Section headings are for convenience of reference only and shall in no way affect the interpretation of this Agreement.

 

10.14. Information Sharing between Lender, Processor, and Other Processor. You authorize Lender to share with its affiliates, Processor, and Other Processor any information in Lender’s records related to this Loan, including information about Your payment history. You also authorize Lender’s Processor or Other Processor to share with Lender any information in their records related to Your Shopify Services Account or any Account and any services Borrower obtains pursuant to the Processor or Other Processor. You also authorize Other Processor to share with Lender any information in its records related to any Other Business Credits, any Shopify Services account, and any Other Business Account. You agree that there is no limitation on the purpose for which Lender may share such information with its affiliates, Processor, or Other Processor or for which Lender’s affiliates, Processor, or Other Processor may share such information with Lender. You further agree that Lender, Processor, and Other Processor may use such information in their sole and absolute discretion.

 

10.15. Disclosure.

 

10.15.1. Neither party will disclose the other’s Confidential Information to any third parties, except that Lender may make any disclosures: (a) contemplated by this Agreement; (b) that are reasonably necessary for consummation of this Agreement; (c) to its affiliates, members, managers, investors, prospective investors, financing sources, and equity holders and any external accountants, agents, attorneys, and other advisors; (d) to Processor or Other Processor; (e) as required or requested by any regulatory authority or examiner; (f) any insurance association; (g) as required by any applicable law, court decree, subpoena, or legal or administrative order or process; (h) in connection with the exercise of any remedy hereunder; or (i) as agreed by Borrower.

 

10.15.2. Borrower understands and agrees that the terms and conditions of the products and services offered hereunder, including this Agreement and any other agreement related hereto (“Lender Information”), are proprietary and Confidential Information of Lender. Accordingly, unless disclosure is required by law or court order, Borrower shall not disclose any Lender Information to any other person other than an attorney, accountant or financial advisor who needs to know such information for purposes of advising Borrower; provided such person uses such Lender Information solely for the purposes of advising Borrower and first agrees not to disclose any Lender Information to any person.

 

10.16. Credit Reports. Borrower acknowledges that We may report information about Borrower’s obligation under this Agreement to credit bureaus. A default under this Agreement may be reflected in Borrower’s credit report.

 

10.17. Right To Cancel. Within three (3) business days of the Effective Date, You may cancel this Agreement by notifying Us in writing and returning to Lender the full amount advanced by Lender to Your SMBA on the Effective Date. Such notice and return of the amount of the Loan must be received by Us prior to midnight on the third business day after the Effective Date. Instructions for the return of the amount of the Loan will be provided by Lender upon receipt of notice of cancellation.

 

10.18. Processor Waiver. You waive and release any and all claims You may have against Processor or Other Processor that are in any way related to its respective duties as a processor.

 

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10.19. Indemnity; Limitation of Liability. YOU, YOUR SUCCESSORS AND PERMITTED ASSIGNEES AND AFFILIATES, AGREE TO FOREVER PROTECT, INDEMNIFY, AND “HOLD HARMLESS” US, PROCESSOR, OTHER PROCESSOR(S), AND THEIR AND OUR RESPECTIVE SUCCESSORS, ASSIGNS, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, MANAGERS, MEMBERS, AGENTS, AND AFFILIATES, AGAINST ALL DAMAGES, EXPENSES, CLAIMS, SUITS, DEMANDS, COSTS, ATTORNEYS’ FEES OR LOSSES, ARISING OUT OF OR ALLEGED TO HAVE ARISEN OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR CONDUCT OF YOUR BUSINESS, YOUR PERFORMANCE, OR NON- PERFORMANCE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, THE DELIVERING OF ANY PAYMENTS TO US AS DESCRIBED IN THIS AGREEMENT AND THE EXERCISE OF ANY OF OUR RIGHTS AS DESCRIBED IN THIS AGREEMENT. IN NO EVENT WILL WE, OUR AFFILIATES, PROCESSOR, OR OTHER PROCESSOR(S) BE LIABLE TO YOU OR TO ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY LOSS OF USE, REVENUE OR PROFIT OR LOSS OF DATA OR FOR ANY DIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, EXEMPLARY, SPECIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, WHETHER ARISING OUT OF BREACH OF CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), OR OTHERWISE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SUCH DAMAGE WAS FORESEEABLE AND WHETHER OR NOT SUCH PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

 

10.20. Power of Attorney. You grant to Us an irrevocable power of attorney, coupled with an interest, and appoint Us and Our designees as Your attorney-in-fact to take any and all actions necessary or appropriate to direct new or additional processors to make payment to Us as contemplated by this Agreement.

 

11.Communications Between You and Lender.

 

11.1. Notices. All notices, requests, consents, demands, and other communications hereunder must be in writing and delivered by electronic mail or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the respective parties to this Agreement, in the case of the Borrower, at the Borrower’s addresses set forth in the Shopify Admin, and in the case of the Lender to 100 Shockoe Slip, 2nd Floor, Richmond, VA 23219 or capital-support@shopify.com.

 

11.2. Consent to Electronic Disclosures. You consent to receive electronically any disclosure, notice, or communication that is required by law to be provided in writing at any email address you provide to Us. You agree to maintain up to date hardware and software that is capable of receiving and retaining such materials, and You also agree to promptly notify Us of any change to your email address so that you can continue to receive such materials from Us.

 

11.3. Telephone, Text, and Email Servicing Communications. We may use automated telephone dialling, text messaging systems, and electronic mail to provide messages to You about the Loan. The telephone messages may be played by a machine automatically when the telephone is answered, whether answered by You or another party. These messages may also be recorded by Your answering machine or voicemail. You give Us permission to call or send a text message to any telephone number that You or Your Authorized Representative have given Us and to play pre-recorded or artificial messages or send text messages with information about this Agreement, the SMBA or Your Loan over the phone. You also give Us permission to communicate such information to You via electronic mail. You agree that We will not be liable to You for any such calls or electronic communications, even if information is communicated to an unintended recipient. You understand that, when You receive such calls or electronic communications, You may incur a charge from the company that provides You with telecommunications, wireless, and/or Internet services. You agree that We have no liability for such charges. You agree to immediately notify Us if You change telephone numbers or are otherwise no longer the subscriber or customary user of a telephone number You have previously provided to Us.

 

11.4. Monitoring and Recording. We, Processor, or Other Processor may monitor, tape, or electronically record Our telephone calls with You.

 

12.Arbitration Provision with Class Action Waiver.

 

12.1. You and We (which for the purposes of this Section 12 includes Shopify Inc. and Shopify Capital Inc.) agree to resolve any and all claims and disputes relating in any way to this Agreement or Our dealings with You (“Claims”), except for Claims concerning the validity, scope, or enforceability of this Section 12 (“Arbitration Provision”), through BINDING INDIVIDUAL ARBITRATION. Notwithstanding the foregoing, You or We may bring an individualized action in small claims court for Claims within the jurisdiction of that court. This Arbitration Provision is made with respect to transactions involving interstate commerce and shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §§ 1-16 (the “FAA”), and not by state law.

 

12.2. Individual Arbitration. By entering into this Arbitration Provision, neither You nor We will be able to have the dispute settled by a court or jury t rial or to participate in a class action, collective action, class arbitration, or other representative action or proceeding. Other rights that You and We would have if You or We went to court will not be available or will be more limited in arbitration, including the right to appeal. You and We each understand that by agreeing to resolve any dispute through individual arbitration, WE ARE EACH WAIVING THE RIGHT TO A COURT OR JURY TRIAL. YOU AND WE AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR OUR INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING. The arbitrator(s) may not consolidate more than one party’s claims and may not otherwise preside over any form of a representative or class proceeding. Further, the arb itrator may award declaratory or injunctive relief only in favor of the individual party seeking relief and only to the extent necessary to provide relief warranted by that party’s individual claim. If applicable law precludes enforcement of any of this paragraph’s limitations as to a particular claim for relief, then that claim (and only that claim) must be severed from arbitration and may be brought in court. If any portion of this Arbitration Provision other than this paragraph’s limitations is deemed invalid or unenforceable, it shall not invalidate the remaining portions of this Arbitration Provision.

 

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12.3. Arbitration Rules. Arbitration of any dispute under this Arbitration Provision shall be administered by JAMS pursuant to the applicable rules of JAMS in effect at the time the arbitration is initiated. You may contact JAMS to obtain information about arbitration, by calling 800-352-5267 or visiting www.jamsadr.com. If JAMS is unable or unwilling to administer the arbitration of a dispute, then a dispute may be referred to any other arbitration organization You and We agree upon or to an arbitration organization or arbitrator appointed pursuant to section 5 of the FAA. Arbitrations shall be conducted before a single arbitrator. Any in-person arbitration shall take place in the federal judicial district in which Your physical address is located unless otherwise agreed by You and Us in writing. If Your claim is for $10,000 or less, We agree that You may choose whether the arbitration will be conducted solely on the basis of documents submitted to the arbitrator, through a telephonic hearing, or by an in-person hearing as established by the JAMS rules. If Your claim exceeds $10,000, the right to a hearing will be determined by the JAMS rules.

 

12.4. Regardless of the manner in which the arbitration is conducted, the arbitrator shall issue a reasoned written decision sufficient to explain the essential findings and conclusions on which the award is based. The arbitrator shall apply applicable substantive law consistent with the FAA and applicable statutes of limitations and shall be authorized to award any relief that would have been available in court, provided that the arbitrator’s authority to resolve claims and make awards is limited to You and Us alone, except as otherwise specifically stated herein. The decision by the arbitrator shall be final and binding. You and We agree that this Arbitration Provision extends to any other parties involved in any Claims, including but not limited to Your and Our employees, affiliated companies, and vendors. In the event of any conflict between this Arbitration Provision and the JAMS arbitration rules or the rules of any other arbitration organization or arbitrator, this Arbitration Provision shall govern.

 

12.5. Arbitration Fees and Costs. Except as otherwise provided for herein, We will pay all JAMS filing, administration, and arbitrator fees. If, however, the arbitrator finds that either the substance of Your claim or the relief sought in Your arbitration demand is frivolous or brought for an improper purpose (as measured by the standards set forth in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11(b)), then the payment of such fees will be governed by the JAMS rules. In such case, You agree to reimburse Us for all monies previously disbursed by Us that are otherwise Your obligation to pay under the JAMS rules. In addition, if You initiate an arbitration in which You seek more than $75,000 in damages, the payment of these fees will be governed by the JAMS rules.

 

12.6. Arbitration Provision Is Optional. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REJECT THIS ARBITRATION PROVISION, BUT YOU MUST EXERCISE THIS RIGHT PROMPTLY. If You do not wish to be bound by this agreement to arbitrate, You must notify Us in writing within sixty (60) days after the date of this Agreement. You must send Your request to: 100 Shockoe Slip, 2nd Floor Richmond, VA 23219, or to contract_notices@shopify.com. The request must include Your full name, address, Shopify Store name, d/b/a name (if applicable), and the statement “I reject the Arbitration Provision contained in my Shopify Loan Agreement.” If You exercise Your right under this Section 12.6 to reject arbitration, the other terms of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect as if You had not rejected arbitration. Opting out of this Arbitration Provision has no effect on any other or future arbitration agreements that You may have with Us.

 

13.Register.

 

13.1. You agree that Lender, on Your behalf, may maintain a register in order to record the amount of Your Loan and, acting solely for this purpose as Your non-fiduciary agent, shall maintain a register of the current or future owner of Your Loan (including any assignee, participant or transferee, if any, who becomes the subsequent owner of any portion of Your Loan) (the “Register”). Absent manifest error and notwithstanding anything else in this Agreement to the contrary, the entries in the Register shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, assignments and transfers of ownership of Your Loan are not effective until reflected in the Register. The parties hereto agree that the entity whose name is recorded in the Register as the current owner of Your Loan is treated as the owner of Your Loan for all purposes. The Register must be updated for any transfer of ownership of Your Loan to occur. As to Your Loan, Lender shall make the Register available for inspection upon reasonable request.

 

13.2. By clicking on “Submit Application” You are signing this Agreement electronically. You agree that your electronic signature is the equivalent of a physical signature. You further agree, on behalf of Your business Synergy CHC Corp, as Borrower, to the terms of this Agreement, which includes an arbitration and waiver of class action provision, and You agree that You are an Authorized Representative of Borrower and acknowledge that You received a copy of this Agreement.

 

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Exhibit 10.33

 

 

865 Spring Street, Westbrook, ME 04092

(207) 321-2350 / Synergychc.com

 

 

PROMISSORY NOTE FINANCING OF

SYNERGY CHC CORP.
FEBRUARY 10TH 2022

 

This promissory note summarizes the principal terms of the Promissory Note Financing of Synergy CHC Corp., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), located at 865 Spring Street, Westbrook, Maine 04092 and Don Sanders, an individual. This promissory note shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

Note Terms    
     
Closing Date:   February 10th, 2022 (the “Closing”).
     
Amount To Be Raised:   $2,000,000 (Two Million) United States Dollars
     
Repayment Date:   Approximately 7 days (1 Week) from date of Closing
     
Fee:   Fee associated with this note will be $25,000 (Twenty Five Thousand United States Dollars) per week outstanding, calculated from closing date
     
Details:   This promissory note is for $2,000,000 (Two Million United States Dollars) and will be repaid with proceeds of the 5,000,000 (Five Million United Sates Dollar) note. This note is anticipated to be short term in nature and repaid approximately I week from date of closing

 

Signatures to Follow

 

SYNERGY CHC CORP   DON SANDERS  
     
Per: /s/ Jack Ross    
  Jack Ross, Chairman & CEO   Don Sanders, Individual

Exhibit 10.34

 

SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

This Securities Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement”) is dated as of March 8, 2022, between Synergy CHC Corp., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and each purchaser identified on the signature pages hereto (each, including its successors and assigns, a “Purchaser” and collectively, the “Purchasers” or a “Subscriber” or “Subscribers”).

 

WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act (as defined below), and Rule 506 promulgated thereunder, the Company desires to issue and sell to each Purchaser, and each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, desires to purchase from the Company, the Debenture (hereafter defined) and Warrant (hereafter defined, and along with the Debenture, the “Securities”) of the Company as more fully described in this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each Purchaser agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS

 

1.1 Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement: (a) capitalized terms that are not otherwise defined herein have the meanings given to such terms in the Debentures (as defined herein), and (b) the following terms have the meanings set forth in this Section 1.1:

 

Acquiring Person” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.5.

 

Action” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(j).

 

Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company.

 

Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay at home”, “shelter-in-place”, “non-essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in The City of New York are generally open for use by customers on such day.

 

Closing” means the closing of the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to Section 2.1.

 

 

 

 

Closing Date” means the Trading Day on which all of the Transaction Documents have been executed and delivered by the applicable parties thereto, and all conditions precedent to (i) the Purchasers’ obligations to pay the Subscription Amount and (ii) the Company’s obligations to deliver the Securities, in each case, have been satisfied or waived.

 

Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $[0.00001 per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed.

 

Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.

 

Company Counsel” means Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP.

 

Debentures” means the Senior Subordinated Debentures due, subject to the terms therein, issued by the Company to the Purchasers hereunder, in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto.

 

Disclosure Schedules” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1.

 

Disclosure Time” means, (i) if this Agreement is signed on a day that is not a Trading Day or after 9:00 a.m. (New York City time) and before midnight (New York City time) on any Trading Day, 9:01 a.m. (New York City time) on the Trading Day immediately following the date hereof, [unless otherwise instructed as to an earlier time by the Placement Agent, and (ii) if this Agreement is signed between midnight (New York City time) and 9:00 a.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, no later than 9:01 a.m. (New York City time) on the date hereof[, unless otherwise instructed as to an earlier time by the Placement Agent.

 

Effective Date” means the date on which the Notes are issued and consideration therefor is paid.

 

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

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Exempt Issuance” means the issuance of (a) shares of Common Stock or options to employees, officers or directors of the Company pursuant to any stock or option plan duly adopted for such purpose, by a majority of the non-employee members of the Board of Directors or a majority of the members of a committee of non-employee directors established for such purpose for services rendered to the Company, (b) securities upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion of any Securities issued hereunder, warrants to the Placement Agent in connection with the transactions pursuant to this Agreement and any securities upon exercise of warrants to the Placement Agent and/or other securities exercisable or exchangeable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding on the date of this Agreement, provided that such securities have not been amended since the date of this Agreement to increase the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise price, exchange price or conversion price of such securities (other than in connection with stock splits or combinations) or to extend the term of such securities, and (c) securities issued pursuant to acquisitions, financings or strategic transactions approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company and issued on an arm’s length basis.

 

FCPA” means the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.

 

GAAP” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(h).

 

Indebtedness” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(z).

 

Intellectual Property Rights” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(o).

 

Legend Removal Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.1(c).

 

Liens” means a lien, charge, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive right or other restriction.

 

Material Adverse Effect” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.1(b).

 

Material Permits” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(n).

 

Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

Placement Agent” means Sanders Morris Harris, LLC.

 

Pledged Securities” means any and all certificates and other instruments representing or evidencing all of the capital stock and other equity interests of the Subsidiaries.

 

Principal Amount” means, as to each Purchaser, the amounts set forth below such Purchaser’s signature block on the signature pages hereto next to the heading “Principal Amount,” in United States Dollars, which shall equal such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount.

 

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Proceeding” means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an informal investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.

 

Purchaser Party” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.7.

 

Required Minimum” means, as of any date, the maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock then issued or potentially issuable in the future pursuant to the Transaction Documents, including any Underlying Shares issuable upon exercise in full of all Warrants,

 

Securities” means the Debentures, the Warrants, and the Underlying Shares.

 

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Subscription Amount” means, as to each Purchaser, the aggregate amount to be paid for Debentures and Warrants purchased hereunder as specified below such Purchaser’s name on the signature page of this Agreement and next to the heading “Subscription Amount,” in United States dollars and in immediately available funds.

 

Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Company as set forth on Schedule 3.1(a) and shall, where applicable, also include any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company formed or acquired after the date hereof.

 

Trading Day” means a day on which the principal Trading Market is open for trading.

 

Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the New York Stock Exchange, the Pink Open Market, OTCQB or the OTCQX (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

 

Transaction Documents” means this Agreement, the Debentures and the Warrants, and all exhibits and schedules thereto and hereto and any other documents or agreements executed in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder.

 

Transfer Agent” means VStock, the current transfer agent of the Company, or any successor transfer agent of the Company.

 

Underlying Shares” means the Warrant Shares, in each case without respect to any limitation or restriction on the exercise of the Warrants.

 

Warrants” means, collectively, the Common Stock purchase warrants delivered to the Purchasers at the Closing in accordance with Section 2.2(a) hereof, in the form of Exhibit B attached hereto.

 

Warrant Shares” means the Underlying Shares.

 

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ARTICLE II.
PURCHASE AND SALE

 

2.1 Closing. On the Closing Date, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, substantially concurrent with the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the parties hereto, the Company agrees to sell, and the Purchasers, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase, up to an aggregate of $6 million in principal amount of the Debentures. Each Purchaser shall deliver to the Company, via wire transfer, immediately available funds equal to such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount as set forth on the signature page hereto executed by such Purchaser, and the Company shall deliver to each Purchaser its respective Debenture and a Warrant, as determined pursuant to Section 2.2(a), and the Company and each Purchaser shall deliver the other items set forth in Section 2.2 deliverable at the Closing. The Closing shall take place remotely by electronic transfer of the Closing documentation.

 

2.2 Deliveries.

 

(a) On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to each Purchaser the following:

 

(i) this Agreement duly executed by the Company;

 

(ii) a Debenture with a principal amount equal to such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount, registered in the name of such Purchaser;

 

(iii) a Warrant registered in the name of such Purchaser to a number of Underlying Shares (as defined in the Warrants) equal to the principal amount of the Debenture divided by the Exercise Price (as defined in the Warrant), subject to adjustment therein;

 

(iv) the Company shall have provided each Purchaser, or the Placement Agent acting for and on behalf of a Purchaser, with the Company’s wire instructions, on Company letterhead and executed by the Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer

 

(b) On or prior to the Closing Date, each Purchaser shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Company or the Escrow Agent, as applicable, the following:

 

(i) this Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser;

 

(ii) , such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount by wire transfer to the account specified in writing by the Company;

 

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ARTICLE III.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

3.1 Representations and Warranties of the Company. Except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedules, which Disclosure Schedules shall be deemed a part hereof and shall qualify any representation or otherwise made herein to the extent of the disclosure contained in the corresponding section of the Disclosure Schedules, the Company hereby makes the following representations and warranties to each Purchaser:

 

(a)  Subsidiaries. All of the direct and indirect subsidiaries of the Company are set forth in the SEC Reports. The Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock or other equity interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any Liens, and all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary are validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. If the Company has no subsidiaries, all other references to the Subsidiaries or any of them in the Transaction Documents shall be disregarded.

 

(b)  Organization and Qualification. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with the requisite power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently conducted. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation nor default of any of the provisions of its respective certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, could not have or reasonably be expected to result in: (i) a material adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of any Transaction Document, (ii) a material adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business, prospects or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iii) a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under any Transaction Document (any of (i), (ii) or (iii), a “Material Adverse Effect”) and no Proceeding has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification.

 

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(c)  Authorization; Enforcement. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no further action is required by the Company, the Board of Directors or the Company’s stockholders in connection herewith or therewith. This Agreement and each other Transaction Document to which it is a party has been (or upon delivery will have been) duly executed by the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

 

(d)  No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party, the issuance and sale of the Securities and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, anti-dilution or similar adjustments, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any material agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a Company or Subsidiary debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) conflict with or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or governmental authority to which the Company or a Subsidiary is subject (including federal and state securities laws and regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company or a Subsidiary is bound or affected; except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), such as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(e)  Filings, Consents and Approvals. The Company is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority or other Person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Transaction Documents.

 

(f)  Issuance of the Securities. The Securities are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the applicable Transaction Documents, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company other than restrictions on transfer provided for in the Transaction Documents. The Underlying Shares, when issued in accordance with the terms of the Transaction Documents, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company other than restrictions on transfer provided for in the Transaction Documents. The Company has reserved from its duly authorized capital stock a number of shares of Common Stock for issuance of the Underlying Shares at least equal to the Required Minimum on the date hereof.

 

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(g)  Capitalization. The capitalization of the Company as of the date hereof is as set forth in the Registration Statement shall also include the number of shares of Common Stock owned beneficially, and of record, by Affiliates of the Company as of the date hereof. The Company has not issued any capital stock since its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act, other than pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options under the Company’s stock option plans, the issuance of shares of Common Stock to employees pursuant to the Company’s employee stock purchase plans and pursuant to the conversion and/or exercise of Common Stock Equivalents outstanding as of the date of the most recently filed Registration Statement. No Person has any right of first refusal, preemptive right, right of participation, or any similar right to participate in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Except as set forth in the Registration Agreement or as a result of the purchase and sale of the Securities, there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights or obligations convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire, any shares of Common Stock or the capital stock of any Subsidiary, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue additional shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents or capital stock of any Subsidiary. The issuance and sale of the Securities will not obligate the Company or any Subsidiary to issue shares of Common Stock or other securities to any Person (other than the Purchasers). There are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any Subsidiary with any provision that adjusts the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price of such security or instrument upon an issuance of securities by the Company or any Subsidiary. There are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any Subsidiary that contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company or such Subsidiary. The Company does not have any stock appreciation rights or “phantom stock” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal and state securities laws, and none of such outstanding shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights or similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. No further approval or authorization of any stockholder, the Board of Directors or others is required for the issuance and sale of the Securities. There are no stockholders agreements, voting agreements or other similar agreements with respect to the Company’s capital stock to which the Company is a party or, to the knowledge of the Company, between or among any of the Company’s stockholders.

 

(h) SEC Reports; Financial Statements. As of their respective dates, the Registration Statement, and all exhibits filed relating thereto (the foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, being collectively referred to herein as the “SEC Reports”) complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and none of the SEC Reports, when filed, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Reports comply in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the rules and regulations of the Commission with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (“GAAP”), except as may be otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not contain all footnotes required by GAAP, and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of and for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal, immaterial, year-end audit adjustments.

 

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(i)  Material Changes; Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC Reports, (i) there has been no event, occurrence or development that has had or that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has not incurred any liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Company’s financial statements pursuant to GAAP or disclosed in filings made with the Commission, (iii) the Company has not altered its method of accounting, (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its stockholders or purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any shares of its capital stock and (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer, director or Affiliate, except pursuant to existing Company stock option plans. Except for the issuance of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement , no event, liability, fact, circumstance, occurrence or development has occurred or exists or is reasonably expected to occur or exist with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective businesses, prospects, properties, operations, assets or financial condition, that would have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

 

(j)  Litigation. Except as set forth in the SEC Reports, there is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by any court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an “Action”). None of the Actions set forth in the SEC Reports (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents or the Securities or (ii) could, if there were an unfavorable decision, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor any director or officer thereof, is or has been the subject of any Action involving a claim of violation of or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim of breach of fiduciary duty. There has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the Commission involving the Company or any current or former director or officer of the Company. The Commission has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company or any Subsidiary under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act.

 

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(k)  Labor Relations. No labor dispute exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent with respect to any of the employees of the Company, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ employees is a member of a union that relates to such employee’s relationship with the Company or such Subsidiary, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to a collective bargaining agreement, and the Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relationships with their employees are good. To the knowledge of the Company, no executive officer of the Company or any Subsidiary, is, or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement or non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant in favor of any third party, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does not subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all U.S. federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where the failure to be in compliance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(l)  Compliance. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary: (i) is in default under or in violation of (and no event has occurred that has not been waived that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would result in a default by the Company or any Subsidiary under), nor has the Company or any Subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is in default under or that it is in violation of, any indenture, loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound (whether or not such default or violation has been waived), (ii) is in violation of any judgment, decree or order of any court, arbitrator or other governmental authority or (iii) is or has been in violation of any statute, rule, ordinance or regulation of any governmental authority, including without limitation all foreign, federal, state and local laws relating to taxes, environmental protection, occupational health and safety, product quality and safety and employment and labor matters, except in each case as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(m)  Environmental Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with all federal, state, local and foreign laws relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, or toxic or hazardous substances or wastes (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) into the environment, or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials, as well as all authorizations, codes, decrees, demands, or demand letters, injunctions, judgments, licenses, notices or notice letters, orders, permits, plans or regulations, issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder (“Environmental Laws”); (ii) have received all permits licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval where in each clause (i), (ii) and (iii), the failure to so comply could be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(n)  Regulatory Permits. The Company and the Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports, except where the failure to possess such permits could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (“Material Permits”), and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Material Permit.

 

(o)  Title to Assets. The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by them and good and marketable title in all personal property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all Liens, except for (i) Liens as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the Subsidiaries and (ii) Liens for the payment of federal, state or other taxes, for which appropriate reserves have been made therefor in accordance with GAAP and, the payment of which is neither delinquent nor subject to penalties. Any real property and facilities held under lease by the Company and the Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with which the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance.

 

(p)  Intellectual Property. The Company and the Subsidiaries have, or have rights to use, all patents, patent applications, trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names, trade secrets, inventions, copyrights, licenses and other intellectual property rights and similar rights necessary or required for use in connection with their respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports and which the failure to so have could have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “Intellectual Property Rights”). None of, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received a notice (written or otherwise) that any of, the Intellectual Property Rights has expired, terminated or been abandoned, or is expected to expire or terminate or be abandoned, within two (2) years from the date of this Agreement. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC Reports, a written notice of a claim or otherwise has any knowledge that the Intellectual Property Rights violate or infringe upon the rights of any Person, except as could not have or reasonably be expected to not have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Company, all such Intellectual Property Rights are enforceable and there is no existing infringement by another Person of any of the Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their intellectual properties, except where failure to do so could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(q)  Insurance. The Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and the Subsidiaries are engaged, including, but not limited to, directors and officers insurance coverage at least equal to the aggregate Subscription Amount. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business without a significant increase in cost.

 

(r)  Transactions with Affiliates and Employees. Other than Jack Ross’s consulting entity and rent owed to a related party, none of the officers or directors of the Company or any Subsidiary and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any Subsidiary (other than for services as employees, officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from providing for the borrowing of money from or lending of money to, or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee, stockholder, member or partner, in each case in excess of $120,000 other than for (i) payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and (iii) other employee benefits, including stock option agreements under any stock option plan of the Company.

 

(s)  Certain Fees. Except for fees payable by the Company to the Placement Agent, no brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company or any Subsidiaries to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. The Purchasers shall have no obligation with respect to any fees or with respect to any claims made by or on behalf of other Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this Section that may be due in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

 

(t)  Private Placement. Assuming the accuracy of the Purchasers’ representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.3, no registration under the Securities Act is required for the offer and sale of the Securities by the Company to the Purchasers as contemplated hereby and the private placement memorandum (“PPM”) relating to the offering (the “Offering”) of the Debentures and Warrants (collectively, the “Securities”) when circulated to the Purchasers, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(u)  Investment Company. The Company is not, and is not an Affiliate of, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Securities, will not be or be an Affiliate of, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Company shall conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become an “investment company” subject to registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

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(v)  Registration Rights. No Person has any right to cause the Company or any Subsidiary to effect the registration under the Securities Act of any securities of the Company or any Subsidiaries.

 

(w)  Application of Takeover Protections. The Company and the Board of Directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Company’s certificate of incorporation (or similar charter documents) or the laws of its state of incorporation that is or could become applicable to the Purchasers as a result of the Purchasers and the Company fulfilling their obligations or exercising their rights under the Transaction Documents, including without limitation as a result of the Company’s issuance of the Securities and the Purchasers’ ownership of the Securities.

 

(x)  Disclosure. Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, the Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided any of the Purchasers or their agents or counsel with any information that it believes constitutes or might constitute material, non-public information. The Company understands and confirms that the Purchasers will rely on the foregoing representation in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. All of the disclosure furnished by or on behalf of the Company to the Purchasers regarding the Company and its Subsidiaries, their respective businesses and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Disclosure Schedules to this Agreement, is true and correct and does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The press releases disseminated by the Company during the twelve months preceding the date of this Agreement taken as a whole do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made and when made, not misleading. The Company acknowledges and agrees that no Purchaser makes or has made any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in Section 3.3 hereof.

 

(y)  No Integrated Offering. Assuming the accuracy of the Purchasers’ representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.3, neither the Company, nor any of its Affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause this offering of the Securities to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of (i) the Securities Act which would require the registration of any such securities under the Securities Act, or (ii) any applicable shareholder approval provisions of any Trading Market on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated.

 

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(z)  Solvency. Based on the consolidated financial condition of the Company as of the Closing Date, after giving effect to the receipt by the Company of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder, (i) the fair saleable value of the Company’s assets exceeds the amount that will be required to be paid on or in respect of the Company’s existing debts and other liabilities (including known contingent liabilities) as they mature, (ii) the Company’s assets do not constitute unreasonably small capital to carry on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be conducted including its capital needs taking into account the particular capital requirements of the business conducted by the Company, consolidated and projected capital requirements and capital availability thereof, and (iii) the current cash flow of the Company, together with the proceeds the Company would receive, were it to liquidate all of its assets, after taking into account all anticipated uses of the cash, would be sufficient to pay all amounts on or in respect of its liabilities when such amounts are required to be paid. The Company does not intend to incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature (taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its debt). The Company has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances which lead it to believe that it will file for reorganization or liquidation under the bankruptcy or reorganization laws of any jurisdiction within one year from the Closing Date. Schedule 3.1(bb) sets forth as of the date hereof all outstanding secured and unsecured Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary, or for which the Company or any Subsidiary has commitments. For the purposes of this Agreement, “Indebtedness” means (x) any liabilities for borrowed money or amounts owed in excess of $50,000 (other than trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (y) all guaranties, endorsements and other contingent obligations in respect of indebtedness of others, whether or not the same are or should be reflected in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet (or the notes thereto), except guaranties by endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business; and (z) the present value of any lease payments in excess of $50,000 due under leases required to be capitalized in accordance with GAAP. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default with respect to any Indebtedness.

 

(aa) Tax Status. Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries each (i) has made or filed all United States federal, state and local income and all foreign income and franchise tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject, (ii) has paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations and (iii) has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all material taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply. There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company or of any Subsidiary know of no basis for any such claim.

 

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(bb) No General Solicitation. Neither the Company nor any Person acting on behalf of the Company has offered or sold any of the Securities by any form of general solicitation or general advertising. The Company has offered the Securities for sale only to the Purchasers and certain other “accredited investors” within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act.

 

(cc) Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, any agent or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary, has (i) directly or indirectly, used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses related to foreign or domestic political activity, (ii) made any unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to any foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds, (iii) failed to disclose fully any contribution made by the Company or any Subsidiary (or made by any person acting on its behalf of which the Company is aware) which is in violation of law or (iv) violated in any material respect any provision of FCPA.

 

(dd) Accountants.The Company’s accounting firm is set forth in the Registration Statement. To the knowledge and belief of the Company, such accounting firm (i) is a registered public accounting firm as required by the Exchange Act and (ii) shall express its opinion with respect to the financial statements to be included in the Company’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ending 2021.

 

(ee) Seniority. As of the Closing Date, except for the Knight debt, no Indebtedness or other claim against the Company is senior to the Debentures in right of payment, whether with respect to interest or upon liquidation or dissolution, or otherwise, other than indebtedness secured by purchase money security interests (which is senior only as to underlying assets covered thereby) and capital lease obligations (which is senior only as to the property covered thereby).

 

(ff) No Disagreements with Accountants and Lawyers. There are no disagreements of any kind presently existing, or reasonably anticipated by the Company to arise, between the Company and the accountants and lawyers formerly or presently employed by the Company and the Company is current with respect to any fees owed to its accountants and lawyers which could affect the Company’s ability to perform any of its obligations under any of the Transaction Documents.

 

(gg) Acknowledgment Regarding Purchasers’ Purchase of Securities. The Company acknowledges and agrees that each of the Purchasers is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length purchaser with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby. The Company further acknowledges that no Purchaser is acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity) with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby and any advice given by any Purchaser or any of their respective representatives or agents in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby is merely incidental to the Purchasers’ purchase of the Securities. The Company further represents to each Purchaser that the Company’s decision to enter into this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents has been based solely on the independent evaluation of the transactions contemplated hereby by the Company and its representatives.

 

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(hh) Stock Option Plans. Each stock option granted by the Company under the Company’s stock option plan was granted (i) in accordance with the terms of the Company’s stock option plan and (ii) with an exercise price at least equal to the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date such stock option would be considered granted under GAAP and applicable law. No stock option granted under the Company’s stock option plan has been backdated. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no Company policy or practice to knowingly grant, stock options prior to, or otherwise knowingly coordinate the grant of stock options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its Subsidiaries or their financial results or prospects.

 

(ii) Cybersecurity. (i)(x) There has been no security breach or other compromise of or relating to any of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data (including the data of its respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained by or on behalf of it), equipment or technology (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”) and (y) the Company and the Subsidiaries have not been notified of, and has no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any security breach or other compromise to its IT Systems and Data; (ii) the Company and the Subsidiaries are presently in compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) the Company and the Subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable safeguards to maintain and protect its material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and Data; and (iv) the Company and the Subsidiaries have implemented backup and disaster recovery technology consistent with industry standards and practices.

 

(jj) Office of Foreign Assets Control. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any Subsidiary is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”).

 

(kk) U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation. The Company is not and has never been a U.S. real property holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the Company shall so certify upon Purchaser’s request.

 

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(ll) Bank Holding Company Act . Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”) and to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or twenty-five percent or more of the total equity of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.

 

(mm) Money Laundering. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record-keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, applicable money laundering statutes and applicable rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), and no Action or Proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any Subsidiary with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, threatened.

 

(nn) No Disqualification Events. With respect to the Securities to be offered and sold hereunder in reliance on Rule 506 under the Securities Act, none of the Company, any of its predecessors, any affiliated issuer, any director, executive officer, other officer of the Company participating in the offering hereunder, any beneficial owner of 20% or more of the Company’s outstanding voting equity securities, calculated on the basis of voting power, nor any promoter (as that term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) connected with the Company in any capacity at the time of sale (each, an “Issuer Covered Person” and, together, “Issuer Covered Persons”) is subject to any of the “Bad Actor” disqualifications described in Rule 506(d)(1)(i) to (viii) under the Securities Act (a “Disqualification Event”), except for a Disqualification Event covered by Rule 506(d)(2) or (d)(3). The Company has exercised reasonable care to determine whether any Issuer Covered Person is subject to a Disqualification Event. The Company has complied, to the extent applicable, with its disclosure obligations under Rule 506(e), and has furnished to the Purchasers a copy of any disclosures provided thereunder.

 

(oo) Other Covered Persons. [Other than the Placement Agent], the Company is not aware of any person (other than any Issuer Covered Person) that has been or will be paid (directly or indirectly) remuneration for solicitation of purchasers in connection with the sale of any Securities.

 

(pp) Notice of Disqualification Events. The Company will notify the Purchasers and the Placement Agent in writing, prior to the Closing Date of (i) any Disqualification Event relating to any Issuer Covered Person and (ii) any event that would, with the passage of time, become a Disqualification Event relating to any Issuer Covered Person.

 

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3.2 Representations and Warranties of the Purchasers. Each Purchaser, for itself and for no other Purchaser, hereby represents and warrants as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date to the Company and the Placement Agent, as a third party beneficiary, as follows (unless as of a specific date therein, in which case they shall be accurate as of such date):

 

(a)  Organization; Authority. Such Purchaser is either an individual or an entity duly incorporated or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation with full right, corporate, partnership, limited liability company or similar power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and performance by such Purchaser of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership, limited liability company or similar action, as applicable, on the part of such Purchaser. Each Transaction Document to which it is a party has been duly executed by such Purchaser, and when delivered by such Purchaser in accordance with the terms hereof, will constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of such Purchaser, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

 

(b)  Own Account. Such Purchaser understands that the Securities are “restricted securities” and have not been registered under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law and is acquiring the Securities as principal for its own account and not with a view to or for distributing or reselling such Securities or any part thereof in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law, has no present intention of distributing any of such Securities in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law and has no direct or indirect arrangement or understandings with any other persons to distribute or regarding the distribution of such Securities in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law (this representation and warranty not limiting such Purchaser’s right to sell the Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws). Such Purchaser is acquiring the Securities hereunder in the ordinary course of its business.

 

(c)  Purchaser Status. At the time such Purchaser was offered the Securities, it was, and as of the date hereof it is, and on each date on which it exercises any Warrants or converts any Debentures it will be an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7), (a)(8), (a)(9), (a)(12), or (a)(13) under the Securities Act.

 

(d)  Experience of Such Purchaser. Such Purchaser, either alone or together with its representatives, has such knowledge, sophistication and experience in business and financial matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment in the Securities, and has so evaluated the merits and risks of such investment. Such Purchaser is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities and, at the present time, is able to afford a complete loss of such investment.

 

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(e)  General Solicitation. Such Purchaser is not, to such Purchaser’s knowledge, purchasing the Securities as a result of any advertisement, article, notice or other communication regarding the Securities published in any newspaper, magazine or similar media or broadcast over television or radio or presented at any seminar or, to the knowledge of such Purchaser, any other general solicitation or general advertisement.

 

(f)  Access to Information. Such Purchaser acknowledges that it has had the opportunity to review the Transaction Documents (including all exhibits and schedules thereto) and the SEC Reports and has been afforded (i) the opportunity to ask such questions as it has deemed necessary of, and to receive answers from, representatives of the Company concerning the terms and conditions of the offering of the Securities and the merits and risks of investing in the Securities; (ii) access to information about the Company and its financial condition, results of operations, business, properties, management and prospects sufficient to enable it to evaluate its investment; and (iii) the opportunity to obtain such additional information that the Company possesses or can acquire without unreasonable effort or expense that is necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to the investment. Neither the Placement Agent nor any Affiliate has made or makes any representation as to the Company or the quality of the Securities and the Placement Agent and any Affiliate may have acquired non-public information with respect to the Company which such Purchaser agrees need not be provided to it. In connection with the issuance of the Securities to such Purchaser, neither the Placement Agent nor any of its Affiliates has acted as a financial advisor or fiduciary to such Purchaser.

 

(g)  Certain Transactions and Confidentiality. Other than consummating the transactions contemplated hereunder, such Purchaser has not, nor has any Person acting on behalf of or pursuant to any understanding with such Purchaser, directly or indirectly executed any purchases or sales, of the securities of the Company during the period commencing as of the time that such Purchaser first received a term sheet (written or oral) from the Company or any other Person representing the Company setting forth the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereunder and ending immediately prior to the execution hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a multi- managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage separate portions of such Purchaser’s assets and the portfolio managers have no direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers managing other portions of such Purchaser’s assets, the representation set forth above shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by the portfolio manager that made the investment decision to purchase the Securities covered by this Agreement. Other than to other Persons party to this Agreement or to such Purchaser’s representatives, including, without limitation, its officers, directors, partners, legal and other advisors, employees, agents and Affiliates, such Purchaser has maintained the confidentiality of all disclosures made to it in connection with this transaction (including the existence and terms of this transaction). Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained herein shall constitute a representation or warranty against, or a prohibition of, any actions with respect to the borrowing of, arrangement to borrow, identification of the availability of, and/or securing of, securities of the Company in order for such Purchaser (or its broker or other financial representative) to effect Short Sales or similar transactions in the future.

 

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(h)  Representations of Subscriber. Subscriber hereby represents and warrants to the Company and SMH and each of their officers, managers, employees, agents, partners and members, that Subscriber:

 

(i) Purchaser has received a copy of the PPM and has had an opportunity to review the PPM and all exhibits thereto and to ask questions of, and receive answers from, the Company and its officers concerning the terms and conditions of this Offering, the Company and its business and prospects and to obtain any additional information that Purchaser deems necessary to verify the accuracy of the information received, and requires no further information concerning the Offering or the Company;

 

(ii) Purchasers acknowledges that a purchase of the Debenture and Warrants represents a speculative investment involving a high degree of risk

 

(iii) Purchaser acknowledges and agrees: (a) that Sanders Morris is acting as placement agent for this Offering on a “best efforts” basis and acknowledges and agrees that the Company will pay Sanders Morris a six percent (6%) commission on the placement of such investment and (b) as such, there is a on the part of Sanders Morris in soliciting your investment given that it will receive a 6% commission as a result of your investment.

 

(iv) Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that a portion of the proceeds from the Offering (approximately $2.1 million) shall be used to repay a loan (the “Sanders Loan”) made by Donald A. Sanders, a broker with Sanders Morris, and/or certain trusts established for the benefit of Mr. Sanders children and/or grandchildren (“Sanders Trusts”), which loan was made in anticipation of this Offering in order to provide the Company with funds to start immediately buying inventory (i.e., the use of the Sanders Loan was for the same purposes as the use of proceeds from the Offering); Mr. Sanders and/or the Sanders Trusts will participate in this Offering as Subscribers.

 

(v) Purchaser represents: (i) that the investment in the Debentures represents less than 3% of the Purchaser’s net worth, (ii) that Purchaser can bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities for an indefinite period of time, can afford to sustain a complete loss of such investment, has no need for liquidity in connection with an investment in the Securities, and can afford to hold the Securities indefinitely; and (iii) is experienced and knowledgeable in financial and business matters, and capable of evaluating the merits and risks of investing in the Securities;

 

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(vi) Purchaser represents that the investment in the Securities is suitable for Purchaser based upon Purchaser’s investment objectives and financial needs, and Purchaser has adequate net worth and means for providing for Purchaser’s current financial needs and contingencies and has no need for liquidity of investment with respect to the Securities. Purchaser’s overall commitment to investments that are illiquid or not readily marketable is not disproportionate to Purchaser’s net worth, and an investment in the Securities will not cause such overall commitment to become excessive;

 

(vii) that the Securities are being purchased for Purchaser’s own account and for long term investment and without the intention of reselling or redistributing the Securities, that Purchaser’s financial condition is such that it is not likely that it will be necessary for Purchaser to dispose of any of the Securities in the foreseeable future;

 

(viii) without limiting the generality of subsection (g) above, Purchaser further acknowledges that the Securities are “restricted securities” within the meaning of Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act. Purchaser acknowledges that Purchaser has been advised of the provisions of Rule 144 and understands that Purchaser may not resell the Securities without compliance with either the registration provisions of the Securities Act, pursuant to the provisions of Rule 144 or pursuant to an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the Company that neither the Securities may legally be sold without compliance with either the registration provisions of the Securities Act or the provisions of Rule 144.

 

(ix) Purchaser acknowledges that Purchaser has been furnished with all of the financial and other information concerning the Company and the circumstances surrounding the acquisition of the Securities, to the extent the Company possesses such information or could acquire it without unreasonable effort or expense, which Purchaser considered necessary in order for Purchaser to make the decision to acquire the Securities. Purchaser has reviewed all such information and after such review, Purchaser believes that the Securities are of the kind that Purchaser wishes to acquire and hold for investment and that the nature and amount of the Securities acquired are consistent with Purchaser’s investment objectives. Purchaser further acknowledges and understands that no federal or state agency have approved or disapproved the Securities or has passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of the Offering or made any finding or determination as to the fairness of this transaction.

 

(x) Purchaser acknowledges that there is presently no market for the Securities and that there are significant restrictions on the transferability of the Unit.

 

(xi) Purchaser acknowledges that neither the Securities have been registered for sale under the Securities Act, nor applicable state securities laws, and understands that the offering and sale of the Securities are intended to be exempt from registration under the Securities Act and State Laws by virtue of the private placement exemption from registration provided in Regulation D, Rule 506 promulgated under the Securities Act and exemptions under applicable State Laws, and agrees that any Securities acquired by the Purchaser may not be sold, offered for sale, transferred, pledged, hypothecated, or otherwise disposed of in any manner that would require the Company to register the Securities under the Securities Act.

 

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(xii) Purchaser understands that the Company requires each investor in the Company to be an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D and the Purchaser represents and warrants that it is an accredited investor;

 

(xiii) Purchaser is not relying on any statements or assurances made by Sanders Morris or the Company’s representatives with respect to the tax consequences or any other economic considerations associated with the acquisition, ownership, or disposition of the Securities and its consequences on the particular personal tax circumstances of Purchaser, and instead has relied completely on the advice of, or has consulted with, Purchaser’s own personal tax, investment, legal or other advisors;

 

(xiv) Purchaser has not received any oral or written representations in connection with the purchase of the Securities that are in any way inconsistent with the information stated in the PPM;

 

(xv) Purchaser (i) has not relied on any information or advice furnished by or on behalf of Sanders Morris, as the placement agent, in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby; (ii) acknowledges that Sanders Morris has not made any representations and warranties with respect to the Company or the transactions contemplated hereby; and (iii) will not rely on any statements made by Sanders Morris, orally or in writing, to the contrary. The Purchaser further represents and acknowledges that Sanders Morris will not be responsible for the ultimate success of its investment in the Company. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Purchaser releases Sanders Morris and its employees, officers and affiliates from any liability with respect to the Purchaser’s participation in the transactions contemplated hereby. The Purchaser hereby represents and acknowledges that nothing herein or in the Subscription Documents creates any fiduciary or agency relationship between the Purchaser and Sanders Morris, and the Purchaser hereby disclaims any such relationship and all claims, if any, based thereon.

 

(xvi) Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that the Company may (in its sole and absolute discretion) accept your subscription for a lesser number of Securities than the number of Securities for which you subscribed and such acceptance of such lesser number of Securities shall be final;

 

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(xvii) Purchaser has the requisite power, capacity and authority necessary to execute, deliver and perform Purchaser’s obligations under this Subscription Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. This Subscription Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Purchaser and the execution, delivery and performance of this Subscription Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary actions, corporate or otherwise, in respect thereof. This Subscription Agreement constitutes legal, valid and binding obligations of Purchaser, enforceable against Purchaser in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding of law or in equity);

 

(xviii) that the execution, delivery and/or performance of this Subscription Agreement will not (i) conflict with, (ii) result in a breach of the terms, conditions or provisions of, or (iii) constitute a default under, any agreement or instrument to which Purchaser is now a party or by which Purchaser may be bound;

 

(xix) if a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or other business entity, is duly and validly organized, validly existing and in good standing, under the laws of the State of its formation;

 

(xx) if a partnership, the representations, warranties, agreements and understandings set forth herein are true with respect to all partners in Purchaser (and if any such partner is itself a partnership, all persons holding an interest in such partnership, directly or indirectly, including through one or more partnerships), and the person executing this Subscription Agreement has made due inquiry to determine the truthfulness of the representations and warranties made hereby;

 

(xxi) if a revocable trust, that (i) Purchaser is a trustee of a revocable trust for the sole benefit of the investor or his/her family (measured at the time of the transfer, and at all times thereafter), (ii) Purchaser is acting as a trustee of such trust or has the unrestricted power to remove the trustee, and (iii) the trustee of such trust shall hold such Securities subject to the provisions of the Company Agreement, and shall not transfer any of such Securities to any person(s) or entity unless and until such trustee has complied with all of the provisions of the Company Agreement regarding transfers by members;

 

(xxii) Purchaser agrees that if purchasing in a representative or fiduciary capacity, the above representations and warranties shall be deemed to have been made on behalf of the person or persons for whom Purchaser is so purchasing;

 

(xxiii) Purchaser agrees that within five (5) days after receipt of a request from the Company, Purchaser will provide such information and deliver such documents as may reasonably be necessary to comply with any and all laws to which the Company is subject;

 

(xxiv) Purchaser agrees that the Securities were not offered to Purchaser through an advertisement in printed media of general and regular circulation, radio, or telephone and that Purchaser has a pre-existing relationship with Sanders Morris or one or more of its members, managers, principals, or officers;

 

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(xxv) Purchaser agrees that each of the representations and warranties of Purchaser is true and correct in all respects; acknowledges that his, her, or its subscription payment is being used to purchase Inventory and other general working capital purposes and the repay the Sanders Debt (defined below); and that the Company’s use of the proceeds from the subscription is a fair and reasonable use of the subscription payment;

 

(xxvi) Purchaser understands that, although the Company does not anticipate receiving regular dividends or other distributions, each member will be responsible for his, her, or its respective federal, state, and local tax obligations related to such allocated items of income or loss from the Company’s operations. The Company may not have sufficient operating cash flow in order to make distributions to the members, and, as a result, members may experience “phantom income,” or taxable income, for which there is no corresponding distribution of cash from the Company.

 

(xxvii) Purchaser is not a person, and, after making a commercially reasonable inquiry that no person who directly owns a controlling interest in or otherwise directly controls Purchaser is, (i) listed on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked persons List maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), Department of the Treasury, and/or on any other similar list maintained by the OFAC pursuant to any authorizing statute, Executive Order (as defined below) or regulation; or (ii) a person designated under Sections 1(a), 1(b), 1(c) or 1(d) of Executive Order No. 13224, 66 Fed. Reg. 49079 (published September 25, 2001) or similarly designated under any related enabling legislation or any other similar Executive Orders (collectively, the “Executive Orders”).

 

The Company acknowledges and agrees that the representations contained in this Section 3.3 shall not modify, amend or affect such Purchaser’s right to rely on the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or any representations and warranties contained in any other Transaction Document or any other document or instrument executed and/or delivered in connection with this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained herein shall constitute a representation or warranty, or preclude any actions, with respect to locating or borrowing shares in order to effect Short Sales or similar transactions in the future.

 

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ARTICLE IV.

OTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

 

4.1Transfer Restrictions.

 

(a) The Securities may only be disposed of in compliance with state and federal securities laws. In connection with any transfer of Securities other than pursuant to an effective registration statement or Regulation D, to the Company or to an Affiliate of a Purchaser or in connection with a pledge as contemplated in Section 4.1(b), the Company may require the transferor thereof to provide to the Company an opinion of counsel selected by the transferor and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the form and substance of which opinion shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that such transfer does not require registration of such transferred Securities under the Securities Act. As a condition of transfer, any such transferee shall agree in writing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and shall have the rights and obligations of a Purchaser under this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

(b) The Purchasers agree to the imprinting, so long as is required by this Section 4.1, of a legend on any of the Securities in the following form:

 

NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THIS SECURITY IS EXERCISABLE HAS BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THIS SECURITY AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THIS SECURITY MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT WITH A REGISTERED BROKER-DEALER OR OTHER LOAN WITH A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION THAT IS AN “ACCREDITED INVESTOR” AS DEFINED IN RULE 501(a) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR OTHER LOAN SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES.

 

The Company acknowledges and agrees that a Purchaser may from time to time pledge pursuant to a bona fide margin agreement with a registered broker-dealer or grant a security interest in some or all of the Securities to a financial institution that is an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act and, if required under the terms of such arrangement, such Purchaser may transfer pledged or secured Securities to the pledgees or secured parties. Such a pledge or transfer would not be subject to approval of the Company and no legal opinion of legal counsel of the pledgee, secured party or pledgor shall be required in connection therewith. Further, no notice shall be required of such pledge. At the appropriate Purchaser’s expense, the Company will execute and deliver such reasonable documentation as a pledgee or secured party of Securities may reasonably request in connection with a pledge or transfer of the Securities, including, if the Securities are subject to registration pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the preparation and filing of any required prospectus supplement under Rule 424(b)(3) under the Securities Act or other applicable provision of the Securities Act to appropriately amend the list of Selling Stockholders (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) thereunder.

 

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(c) Certificates evidencing the Underlying Shares shall not contain any legend (including the legend set forth in Section 4.1(b) hereof): (i) while a registration statement (including the Registration Statement) covering the resale of such security is effective under the Securities Act, (ii) following any sale of such Underlying Shares pursuant to a registered offering (assuming cashless exercise of the Warrants), (iii) if such Underlying Shares are eligible for sale under Rule 144 (assuming cashless exercise of the Warrants), without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information required under Rule 144 as to such Underlying Shares and without volume or manner-of- sale restrictions or (iv) if such legend is not required under applicable requirements of the Securities Act (including judicial interpretations and pronouncements issued by the staff of the Commission). The Company shall cause its counsel to issue a legal opinion to the Transfer Agent or the Purchaser promptly after the Effective Date if required by the Transfer Agent to effect the removal of the legend hereunder, or if requested by a Purchaser, respectively. If all or any portion of a Debenture is converted or Warrant is exercised at a time when there is an effective registration statement to cover the resale of the Underlying Shares, or if such Underlying Shares may be sold under Rule 144 without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information required under Rule 144 (assuming cashless exercise of the Warrants) as to such Underlying Shares and without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions or if such legend is not otherwise required under applicable requirements of the Securities Act (including judicial interpretations and pronouncements issued by the staff of the Commission) then such Underlying Shares shall be issued free of all legends. The Company agrees that following the Effective Date or at such time as such legend is no longer required under this Section 4.1(c), it will following the delivery by a Purchaser to the Company or the Transfer Agent of a certificate representing Underlying Shares, as applicable, issued with a restrictive legend (such date, the “Legend Removal Date”), deliver or cause to be delivered to such Purchaser a certificate representing such shares that is free from all restrictive and other legends. The Company may not make any notation on its records or give instructions to the Transfer Agent that enlarge the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Section 4. Certificates for Underlying Shares subject to legend removal hereunder shall be transmitted by the Transfer Agent to the Purchaser by crediting the account of the Purchaser’s prime broker with the Depository Trust Company System as directed by such Purchaser.

 

(d) Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, agrees with the Company that such Purchaser will sell any Securities pursuant to either the registration requirements of the Securities Act, including any applicable prospectus delivery requirements, or an exemption therefrom, and that if Securities are sold pursuant to a Registration Statement, they will be sold in compliance with the plan of distribution set forth therein, and acknowledges that the removal of the restrictive legend from certificates representing Securities as set forth in this Section 4.1 is predicated upon the Company’s reliance upon this understanding.

 

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4.2 Acknowledgment of Dilution. The Company acknowledges that the issuance of the Securities may result in dilution of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, which dilution may be substantial under certain market conditions. The Company further acknowledges that its obligations under the Transaction Documents, including, without limitation, its obligation to issue the Underlying Shares pursuant to the Transaction Documents, are unconditional and absolute and not subject to any right of set off, counterclaim, delay or reduction, regardless of the effect of any such dilution or any claim the Company may have against any Purchaser and regardless of the dilutive effect that such issuance may have on the ownership of the other stockholders of the Company.

 

4.3 Integration. The Company shall not sell, offer for sale or solicit offers to buy or otherwise negotiate in respect of any security (as defined in Section 2 of the Securities Act) that would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities in a manner that would require the registration under the Securities Act of the sale of the Securities or that would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities for purposes of the rules and regulations of any Trading Market such that it would require shareholder approval prior to the closing of such other transaction unless shareholder approval is obtained before the closing of such subsequent transaction.

 

4.4 Exercise Procedures. The form of Notice of Exercise included in the Warrants set forth the totality of the procedures required of the Purchasers in order to exercise the Warrants. Without limiting the preceding sentences, no ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise form be required in order to exercise the Warrants or convert the Debentures. No additional legal opinion, other information or instructions shall be required of the Purchasers to exercise their Warrants. The Company shall honor exercises of the Warrants and shall deliver Underlying Shares in accordance with the terms, conditions and time periods set forth in the Transaction Documents.

 

4.5 Shareholder Rights Plan. No claim will be made or enforced by the Company or, with the consent of the Company, any other Person, that any Purchaser is an “Acquiring Person” under any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or similar anti-takeover plan or arrangement in effect or hereafter adopted by the Company, or that any Purchaser could be deemed to trigger the provisions of any such plan or arrangement, by virtue of receiving Securities under the Transaction Documents or under any other agreement between the Company and the Purchasers.

 

4.6 Non-Public Information. Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, which shall be disclosed pursuant to Section 4.6, the Company covenants and agrees that neither it, nor any other Person acting on its behalf will provide any Purchaser or its agents or counsel with any information that constitutes, or the Company reasonably believes constitutes, material non-public information, unless prior thereto such Purchaser shall have consented in writing to the receipt of such information and agreed in writing with the Company to keep such information confidential. The Company understands and confirms that each Purchaser shall be relying on the foregoing covenant in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. To the extent that the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective officers, director, agents, employees or Affiliates delivers any material, non-public information to a Purchaser without such Purchaser’s consent, the Company hereby covenants and agrees that such Purchaser shall not have any duty of confidentiality to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, Affiliates, or agents, including, without limitation, the Placement Agent, or a duty to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, Affiliates or agents, including, without limitation, the Placement Agent, not to trade on the basis of, such material, non-public information, provided that the Purchaser shall remain subject to applicable law. The Company understands and confirms that each Purchaser shall be relying on the foregoing covenant in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.

 

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4.7 Indemnification of Purchasers. Subject to the provisions of this Section 4.8, the Company will indemnify and hold each Purchaser and its directors, officers, shareholders, members, partners, employees and agents (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title), each Person who controls such Purchaser and the directors, officers, shareholders, agents, members, partners or employees (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of such controlling persons (each, a “Purchaser Party”) harmless from any and all losses, liabilities, obligations, claims, contingencies, damages, costs and expenses, including all judgments, amounts paid in settlements, court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of investigation that any such Purchaser Party may suffer or incur as a result of or relating to (a) any breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by the Company in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents or (b) any action instituted against the Purchaser Parties in any capacity, or any of them or their respective Affiliates, by any stockholder of the Company who is not an Affiliate of such Purchaser Party, with respect to any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (unless such action is solely based upon a material breach of such Purchaser Party’s representations, warranties or covenants under the Transaction Documents or any agreements or understandings such Purchaser Party may have with any such stockholder or any violations by such Purchaser Party of state or federal securities laws or any conduct by such Purchaser Party which is finally judicially determined to constitute fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct). If any action shall be brought against any Purchaser Party in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Agreement, such Purchaser Party shall promptly notify the Company in writing, and the Company shall have the right to assume the defense thereof with counsel of its own choosing reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser Party. Any Purchaser Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Purchaser Party except to the extent that (i) the employment thereof has been specifically authorized by the Company in writing, (ii) the Company has failed after a reasonable period of time to assume such defense and to employ counsel or (iii) in such action there is, in the reasonable opinion of counsel, a material conflict on any material issue between the position of the Company and the position of such Purchaser Party, in which case the Company shall be responsible for the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one such separate counsel. The Company will not be liable to any Purchaser Party under this Agreement (y) for any settlement by a Purchaser Party effected without the Company’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; or (z) to the extent, but only to the extent that a loss, claim, damage or liability is attributable to any Purchaser Party’s breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by such Purchaser Party in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents. The indemnification required by this Section 4.10 shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as and when bills are received or are incurred. The indemnity agreements contained herein shall be in addition to any cause of action or similar right of any Purchaser Party against the Company or others and any liabilities the Company may be subject to pursuant to law.

 

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4.8 Reservation and Listing of Securities.

 

(a) The Company shall maintain a reserve of the Required Minimum from its duly authorized shares of Common Stock for issuance pursuant to the Transaction Documents in such amount as may then be required to fulfill its obligations in full under the Transaction Documents.

 

(b) If, on any date, the number of authorized but unissued (and otherwise unreserved) shares of Common Stock is less than the Required Minimum on such date, then the Board of Directors shall use commercially reasonable efforts to amend the Company’s certificate or articles of incorporation to increase the number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock to at least the Required Minimum at such time, as soon as possible and in any event not later than the 75th day after such date.

 

(c) The Company shall, if applicable: (i) in the time and manner required by the principal Trading Market, prepare and file with such Trading Market an additional shares listing application covering a number of shares of Common Stock at least equal to the Required Minimum on the date of such application, (ii) take all steps necessary to cause such shares of Common Stock to be approved for listing or quotation on such Trading Market as soon as possible thereafter, (iii) provide to the Purchasers evidence of such listing or quotation and (iv) maintain the listing or quotation of such Common Stock on any date at least equal to the Required Minimum on such date on such Trading Market or another Trading Market. The Company agrees to maintain the eligibility of the Common Stock for electronic transfer through the Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation, including, without limitation, by timely payment of fees to the Depository Trust Company or such other established clearing corporation in connection with such electronic transfer. [In addition, the Company shall hold a special meeting of shareholders (which may also be at the annual meeting of shareholders) at the earliest practical date after the date the number of shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to this Agreement on a fully converted or exercised basis (ignoring for such purposes any conversion or exercise limitations therein) exceeds 15% of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock on the Closing Date for the purpose of obtaining Shareholder Approval, with the recommendation of the Company’s Board of Directors that such proposal be approved, and the Company shall solicit proxies from its shareholders in connection therewith in the same manner as all other management proposals in such proxy statement and all management- appointed proxyholders shall vote their proxies in favor of such proposal. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain such Shareholder Approval. If the Company does not obtain Shareholder Approval at the first meeting, the Company shall call a meeting every four months thereafter to seek Shareholder Approval until the earlier of the date Shareholder Approval is obtained or the Debentures are no longer outstanding.

 

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4.9 Equal Treatment of Purchasers. No consideration (including any modification of any Transaction Document) shall be offered or paid to any Person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of the Transaction Documents unless the same consideration is also offered to all of the parties to such Transaction Documents. Further, the Company shall not make any payment of principal or interest on the Debentures in amounts which are disproportionate to the respective principal amounts outstanding on the Debentures at any applicable time. For clarification purposes, this provision constitutes a separate right granted to each Purchaser by the Company and negotiated separately by each Purchaser, and is intended for the Company to treat the Purchasers as a class and shall not in any way be construed as the Purchasers acting in concert or as a group with respect to the purchase, disposition or voting of Securities or otherwise.

 

4.10 Certain Transactions and Confidentiality. Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, covenants that neither it, nor any Affiliate acting on its behalf or pursuant to any understanding with it will execute any purchases or sales, including Short Sales, of any of the Company’s securities during the period commencing with the execution of this Agreement and ending at such time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.6. Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, covenants that until such time as the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are publicly disclosed by the Company pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.6, such Purchaser will maintain the confidentiality of the existence and terms of this transaction and the information included in the Disclosure Schedules (other than as disclosed to its legal and other representatives). Notwithstanding the foregoing, and notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that (i) no Purchaser makes any representation, warranty or covenant hereby that it will not engage in effecting transactions in any securities of the Company after the time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.6, (ii) no Purchaser shall be restricted or prohibited from effecting any transactions in any securities of the Company in accordance with applicable securities laws from and after the time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.6 and (iii) no Purchaser shall have any duty of confidentiality or duty not to trade in the securities of the Company to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, Affiliates or agent, including, without limitation, the Placement Agent, after the issuance of the initial press release as described in Section 4.6. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a multi- managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage separate portions of such Purchaser’s assets and the portfolio managers have no direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers managing other portions of such Purchaser’s assets, the covenant set forth above shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by the portfolio manager that made the investment decision to purchase the Securities covered by this Agreement.

 

4.11 Form D; Blue Sky Filings. The Company agrees to timely file a Form D with respect to the Securities as required under Regulation D and to provide a copy thereof, promptly upon request of any Purchaser. The Company shall take such action as the Company shall reasonably determine is necessary in order to obtain an exemption for, or to qualify the Securities for, sale to the Purchasers at the Closing under applicable securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states of the United States, and shall provide evidence of such actions promptly upon request of any Purchaser.

 

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4.12 Use of Proceeds. The Company shall use the proceeds from the Offering to: (a) refinance that certain indebtedness owed to Donald A. Sanders, an employee of Sanders Morris, and/or certain family members and/or trusts relating to Donald A. Sanders, which indebtedness was recently incurred to procure Inventory (hereafter defined) and (b) procure inventory for sale to consumers through the Company’s distribution channels (“Inventory”).

 

4.13 Application of Proceeds. The Company shall use the proceeds from the sale of Inventory acquired through the use of proceeds from the Offering to repay the Debentures on the date when such Debentures are due and payable.

 

ARTICLE V.
MISCELLANEOUS

 

5.1 Fees and Expenses. Except as expressly set forth in the Transaction Documents to the contrary, each party shall pay the fees and expenses of its advisers, counsel, accountants and other experts, if any, and all other expenses incurred by such party incident to the negotiation, preparation, execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement. The Company shall pay all Transfer Agent fees (including, without limitation, any fees required for same-day processing of any instruction letter delivered by the Company and any conversion or exercise notice delivered by a Purchaser), stamp taxes and other taxes and duties levied in connection with the delivery of any Securities to the Purchasers and all expenses relating to Blue Sky filings and other obligations of the Company relating hereto.

 

5.2 Entire Agreement. The Transaction Documents, together with the exhibits and schedules thereto, contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the parties acknowledge have been merged into such documents, exhibits and schedules.

 

5.3 Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of: (a) the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via email attachment at the email address as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto at or prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day, (b) the next Trading Day after the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via email attachment as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (c) the second (2nd) Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service or (d) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications shall be as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto.

 

5.4 Amendments; Waivers. No provision of this Agreement may be waived, modified, supplemented or amended except in a written instrument signed, in the case of an amendment, by the Company and Sanders Morris, whom the Purchasers appoint as the Purchaser representative. No waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right. Any amendment effected in accordance with this Section 5.5 shall be binding upon each Purchaser and holder of Securities and the Company.

 

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5.5 Headings. The headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

 

5.6 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns. The Company may not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Purchaser (other than by merger). Any Purchaser may assign any or all of its rights under this Agreement to any Person to whom such Purchaser assigns or transfers any Securities, provided that such transferee agrees in writing to be bound, with respect to the transferred Securities, by the provisions of the Transaction Documents that apply to the “Purchasers.”

 

5.7 No Third Party Beneficiaries. The Placement Agent shall be the third-party beneficiary of the representations and warranties of the Company in Section 3.1 and the representations and warranties of the Purchasers in Section 3.3 and any other section of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents which, either directly or indirectly, provide for the same. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person, except as otherwise set forth in Section 4.10 and this Section 5.8.

 

5.8 Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of the Transaction Documents shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Texas, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal Proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and any other Transaction Documents (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of Houston. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of Houston, Harris County for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect to the enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any Action or Proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such Action or Proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such Proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such Action or Proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. If any party shall commence an Action or Proceeding to enforce any provisions of the Transaction Documents, then, in addition to the obligations of the Company under Section 4.10, the prevailing party in such Action or Proceeding shall be reimbursed by the non-prevailing party for its reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such Action or Proceeding.

 

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5.9 Survival. The representations and warranties contained herein shall survive the Closing and the delivery of the Securities.

 

5.10 Execution. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to each other party, it being understood that the parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf’ format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such “.pdf’ signature page were an original thereof.

 

5.11 Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.

 

5.12 Rescission and Withdrawal Right. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in (and without limiting any similar provisions of) any of the other Transaction Documents, whenever any Purchaser exercises a right, election, demand or option under a Transaction Document and the Company does not timely perform its related obligations within the periods therein provided, then such Purchaser may rescind or withdraw, in its sole discretion from time to time upon written notice to the Company, any relevant notice, demand or election in whole or in part without prejudice to its future actions and rights; provided, however, that, in the case of a rescission of a conversion of a Debenture or exercise of a Warrant, the applicable Purchaser shall be required to return any shares of Common Stock subject to any such rescinded conversion or exercise notice concurrently with the return to such Purchaser of the aggregate exercise price paid to the Company for such shares and the restoration of such Purchaser’s right to acquire such shares pursuant to such Purchaser’s Warrant (including, issuance of a replacement warrant certificate evidencing such restored right).

 

5.13 Replacement of Securities. If any certificate or instrument evidencing any Securities is mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall issue or cause to be issued in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation thereof (in the case of mutilation), or in lieu of and substitution therefor, a new certificate or instrument, but only upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of such loss, theft or destruction. The applicant for a new certificate or instrument under such circumstances shall also pay any reasonable third-party costs (including customary indemnity) associated with the issuance of such replacement Securities.

 

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5.14 Remedies. In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or granted by law, including recovery of damages, each of the Purchasers and the Company will be entitled to specific performance under the Transaction Documents. The parties agree that monetary damages may not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of any breach of obligations contained in the Transaction Documents and hereby agree to waive and not to assert in any Action for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

 

5.15 Payment Set Aside. To the extent that the Company makes a payment or payments to any Purchaser pursuant to any Transaction Document or a Purchaser enforces or exercises its rights thereunder, and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, disgorged by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver or any other Person under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or setoff had not occurred.

 

5.16 Usury. To the extent it may lawfully do so, the Company hereby agrees not to insist upon or plead or in any manner whatsoever claim, and will resist any and all efforts to be compelled to take the benefit or advantage of, usury laws wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, in connection with any Action or Proceeding that may be brought by any Purchaser in order to enforce any right or remedy under any Transaction Document. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in any Transaction Document, it is expressly agreed and provided that the total liability of the Company under the Transaction Documents for payments in the nature of interest shall not exceed the maximum lawful rate authorized under applicable law (the “Maximum Rate”), and, without limiting the foregoing, in no event shall any rate of interest or default interest, or both of them, when aggregated with any other sums in the nature of interest that the Company may be obligated to pay under the Transaction Documents exceed such Maximum Rate. It is agreed that if the maximum contract rate of interest allowed by law and applicable to the Transaction Documents is increased or decreased by statute or any official governmental action subsequent to the date hereof, the new maximum contract rate of interest allowed by law will be the Maximum Rate applicable to the Transaction Documents from the effective date thereof forward, unless such application is precluded by applicable law. If under any circumstances whatsoever, interest in excess of the Maximum Rate is paid by the Company to any Purchaser with respect to indebtedness evidenced by the Transaction Documents, such excess shall be applied by such Purchaser to the unpaid principal balance of any such indebtedness or be refunded to the Company, the manner of handling such excess to be at such Purchaser’s election.

 

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5.17 Independent Nature of Purchasers’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Purchaser under any Transaction Document are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser shall be responsible in any way for the performance or nonperformance of the obligations of any other Purchaser under any Transaction Document. Nothing contained herein or in any other Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Each Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights, including, without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of the other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any Proceeding for such purpose. Each Purchaser has been represented by its own separate legal counsel in its review and negotiation of the Transaction Documents. The Company has elected to provide all Purchasers with the same terms and Transaction Documents for the convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so by any of the Purchasers. It is expressly understood and agreed that each provision contained in this Agreement and in each other Transaction Document is between the Company and a Purchaser, solely, and not between the Company and the Purchasers collectively and not between and among the Purchasers.

 

5.18 Liquidated Damages. The Company’s obligations to pay any partial liquidated damages or other amounts owing under the Transaction Documents is a continuing obligation of the Company and shall not terminate until all unpaid partial liquidated damages and other amounts have been paid notwithstanding the fact that the instrument or security pursuant to which such partial liquidated damages or other amounts are due and payable shall have been canceled.

 

5.19 Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Business Day, then such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Business Day.

 

5.20 Construction. The parties agree that each of them and/or their respective counsel have reviewed and had an opportunity to revise the Transaction Documents and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of the Transaction Documents or any amendments thereto. In addition, each and every reference to share prices and shares of Common Stock in any Transaction Document shall be subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of the Common Stock that occur after the date of this Agreement.

 

5.21 Indemnification. Subscriber agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Sanders Morris, each current and future Manager, member, agent, attorney, accountant, affiliate and equity holder thereof and each other person, if any, who controls any thereof, within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, from and against any and all loss, claim, expense, damage or liability whatsoever (including, but not limited to, any and all expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation commenced or threatened or any claim whatsoever) due to, or arising out of, (i) a breach of any agreement, representation or warranty of Subscriber or Purchaser contained herein, or (ii) the resale or other distribution by Subscriber of all or any portion of the Securities in violation of the Securities Act or of any applicable State Laws. Subscriber further agrees that any information furnished to the Company in connection with Subscriber’s purchase of the Securities may be relied on by the Company in determining the availability of any exemption from the registration provisions of the Securities Act or (iii) in the case of Sanders Morris, any act or omission, whether through negligence or gross negligence, in its capacity as Purchaser Representative or acting for and on behalf of the Purchasers and/or Subscribers (or their assignees) in connection with the Debenture and/or Warrants, whether acting in a formal capacity or acting on behalf of the Purchaser and/or Subscribers in connection with the Debenture and/or Warrants.

 

5.22 Purchaser Representative. The Holder hereby appoints Sanders Morris as the Holder’s representative to negotiate on behalf of the Holder in connection with any matter in connection with any provision, term, condition, agreement or other term in the Transaction Documents (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement) (in such capacity, the “Purchaser Representative”).

 

5.23 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. IN ANY ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING IN ANY JURISDICTION BROUGHT BY ANY PARTY AGAINST ANY OTHER PARTY, THE PARTIES EACH KNOWINGLY AND INTENTIONALLY, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, HEREBY ABSOLUTELY, UNCONDITIONALLY, IRREVOCABLY AND EXPRESSLY WAIVES FOREVER TRIAL BY JURY.

 

(Signature Pages Follow)

 

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IN WITNESS WI IEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

 

SYNERGY CHC CORP.   Address for Notice:
    865 Spring Street
By:     Westbrook, Maine 04092
Name: Jack Ross    
Title: Chief Executive Officer   Email:
With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):   jack@synergychc.com

 

Sanders Morris Harris LLC hereby joins this Securities Purchase Agreement as a third-party beneficiary.

 

SANDERS MORRIS HARRIS LLC   Address for Notice:
    600 Travis Street, Suite 5900
By:     Houston, TX 77002
Name: Steve Mangold    
Title: Chief Executive Officer   Email:
With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):   steve.mangold@smhgroup.com

 

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SIGNATURE PAGE FOR PURCHASER FOLLOWS]

 

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PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGES TO SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

 

Name of Purchaser:

 

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser:  

 

Name of Authorized Signatory:

 

Title of Authorized Signatory:

 

Email Address of Authorized Signatory:

 

Address for Notice to Purchaser:

 

Address for Delivery of Securities to Purchaser (if not same as address for
notice):

 

Subscription Amount:

 

Principal Amount:

 

Warrant Shares: An amount of Warrant Shares equal to the
Principal Amount divided by the Exercise Price (as defined in the Warrant).

 

EIN or Social Security Number:

 

[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]

 

37

 

 

Schedule 3.1(a)

All Direct and Indirect Subsidiaries of the Company

 

Hand MD Corp. - wholly-owned subsidiary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

38

 

 

ANNEX A

 

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RECEIPT AND FULL UNDERSTANDING

OF PRIVATE PLACEMENT MEMORANDUM

 

I acknowledge the following:

 

I have received, read and understand the Synergy CHC Corp. Private Placement Memorandum.

 

I have the right to ask questions as I deem necessary of, and to receive answers from, representatives of the Company concerning the terms and conditions of the offering of the Securities and the merits and risks of investing in the Securities; (ii) access to information about the Company and its financial condition, results of operations, business, properties, management and prospects sufficient to enable it to evaluate its investment; and (iii) the opportunity to obtain such additional information that the Company possesses or can acquire without unreasonable effort or expense that is necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to the investment.

 

I understand the securities offered hereby constitute a speculative investment, involve a high degree of risk and should not be purchased by anyone who does not satisfy the suitability standards set forth herein.

 

I understand SMH will serve as Placement Agent for this Offering on a “best efforts” basis. It will be paid a commission fee of 6% of the gross proceeds from the subscriptions received from investors in the Offering. Given the foregoing, there is a conflict of interest in the sale of Securities by SMH.

 

I understand no person should invest who is not in a position to lose his or her entire investment.

 

  Signature: _________________________________
  Name: _________________________________
  Title: _________________________________
  Date: _________________________________
   
    If Joint Subscriber:
     
  Signature: _________________________________
  Name: _________________________________
  Title: _________________________________
  Date: _________________________________

 

[Annex A — Acknowledgment of Receipt and Full Understanding of Private Placement Memorandum]

 

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ANNEX B

 

ACCREDITED INVESTOR REPRESENTATION FORM

 

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS REQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH CERTAIN EXEMPTIONS FROM THE SECURITIES ACT AND STATE LAWS BEING RELIED ON BY THE COMPANY WITH RESPECT TO THE OFFER AND SALE OF THE SECURITIES. ALL SUCH INFORMATION WILL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL, AND WILL BE REVIEWED ONLY BY THE COMPANY AND ITS COUNSEL. SUBSCRIBER AGREES TO FURNISH ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT THE COMPANY OR ITS COUNSEL DEEMS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO VERIFY THE RESPONSES SET FORTH BELOW.

 

Subscriber represents that it is an “accredited investor” for purposes of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), because of its status as the following (check all that apply):

 

(A)If Subscriber is a natural person, please indicate the manner in which such person qualifies as an “accredited investor” pursuant to Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act:

 

a manager or executive officer of the Company;

 

a natural person whose individual net worth’, or joint net worth with that person’s spouse, at the time of Subscriber’s purchase exceeds $1,000,000 (excluding the value of the primary residence of such natural person and that person’s spouse, if applicable); and

 

a natural person who had an individual income2 in excess of $200,000 in each of the two most recent years or joint income3 with that person’s spouse in excess of $300,000 in each of those years and has a reasonable expectation of reaching the same income level in the current year and future years.

 

(B)If Subscriber is not a natural person (e.g., a trust or other entity), please indicate the manner in which such entity qualifies as an “accredited investor” pursuant to Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act:

 

an 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;

 

a corporation, Massachusetts or similar business trust, or partnership, not formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the Securities, with total assets in excess of $5,000,000;

 

a trust, with total assets in excess of $5,000,000, not formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the Securities, whose purchase is directed by a sophisticated person who has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters that he is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment; and

 

an entity in which all of the equity owners are “accredited investors” (if this box is checked, I will provide statements signed by each equity owner demonstrating how each is qualified as an accredited investor).

 

 

1For purposes of this item, “net worth” means the excess of total assets at fair market value, including home and personal property, over total liabilities, including mortgage debt. If the current fair market value of such person’s primary residence exceeds the amount of debt secured by such residence (including primary and secondary mortgages, equity lines, etc.), then the value of the residence and the amount of all such debt are to be excluded from the calculation of such person’s net worth (i.e., the amount of “equity” in the residence cannot be included in calculating the person’s net worth). If the amount of debt secured by such person’s primary residence exceeds the current fair market value of such residence, then the amount by which the debt exceeds the value of the residence is to be subtracted from such person’s net worth (i.e., the amount that the residence is “underwater” must be included in calculating the person’s net worth).
  
2For purposes of this item, “individual income” means adjusted gross income as reported for federal income tax purposes, less any income attributable to a spouse or to property owned by a spouse, increased by the following amounts (but not including any amounts attributable to a spouse or to property owned by a spouse): (i) the amount of any interest income received which is tax-exempt under 1403 of the Internal Revenue Code; (ii) the amount of losses claimed as a limited partner in a limited partnership (as reported on Schedule E of Form 1040); (iii) any deduction claimed for depletion under §611 et seq. of the Internal Revenue Code; and (iv) any amount by which income from long-term capital gains has been reduced in arriving at adjusted gross income pursuant to the provisions of 11202 of the Internal Revenue Code prior to its repeal by the Tax Reform Act of 1986.
  
3For purposes of this item, “joint income” means adjusted gross income as reported for federal income tax purposes, including any income attributable to a spouse or to property owned by a spouse, increased by the following amounts (including any amounts attributable to a spouse or to property owned by a spouse): (i) the amount of any interest income received which is tax-exempt under 1103 of the Internal Revenue Code; (ii) the amount of losses claimed as a limited partner in a limited partnership (as reported on Schedule E of Form 1040); (iii) any deduction claimed for depletion under §611 et seq. of the Internal Revenue Code; and (iv) any amount by which income from long-term capital gains has been reduced in arriving at adjusted gross income pursuant to the provisions of 11202 of the Internal Revenue Code prior to its repeal by the Tax Reform Act of 1986.

 

[Annex B — Accredited Investor Representation Form]

 

 

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Exhibit 10.35

 

NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THIS SECURITY IS CONVERTIBLE HAVE BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THIS SECURITY MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER LOAN SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES.

 

Original Issue Date: March 8, 2022

 

$______________

 

SENIOR SUBORDINATED DEBENTURE
DUE SEPTEMBER 8, 2022

 

THIS SENIOR SUBORDINATED DEBENTURE is one of a series of duly authorized and validly issued Senior Subordinated Debentures of Synergy CHC Corp., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), having its principal place of business at 865 Spring Street, Westbrook, Maine 04092, designated as its Senior Subordinated Debenture due September 8, 2022 (this debenture, the “Debenture” and, collectively with the other debentures of such series, the “Debentures”).

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the Company promises to pay to ______________________ or its registered assigns (the “Holder”), or shall have paid pursuant to the terms hereunder, the principal sum of $_____________ on September 8, 2022 (the “Maturity Date”) or such earlier date as this Debenture is required or permitted to be repaid as provided hereunder, and to pay interest to the Holder on the aggregate and then outstanding principal amount of this Debenture in accordance with the provisions hereof. This Debenture is subject to the following additional provisions:

 

Section 1. Definitions. For the purposes hereof, in addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Debenture, (a) capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Purchase Agreement and (b) the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

Bankruptcy Event” means any of the following events: (a) the Company or any Significant Subsidiary (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X) thereof commences a case or other proceeding under any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment of debt, relief of debtors, dissolution, insolvency or liquidation or similar law of any jurisdiction relating to the Company or any Significant Subsidiary thereof, (b) there is commenced against the Company or any Significant Subsidiary thereof any such case or proceeding that is not dismissed within 60 days after commencement, (c) the Company or any Significant Subsidiary thereof is adjudicated insolvent or bankrupt or any order of relief or other order approving any such case or proceeding is entered, (d) the Company or any Significant Subsidiary thereof suffers any appointment of any custodian or the like for it or any substantial part of its property that is not discharged or stayed within 60 calendar days after such appointment, (e) the Company or any Significant Subsidiary thereof makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, (f) the Company or any Significant Subsidiary thereof calls a meeting of its creditors with a view to arranging a composition, adjustment or restructuring of its debts, (g) the Company or any Significant Subsidiary thereof admits in writing that it is generally unable to pay its debts as they become due, (h) the Company or any Significant Subsidiary thereof, by any act or failure to act, expressly indicates its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any of the foregoing or takes any corporate or other action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing.

 

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Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay at home”, “shelter-in-place”, “non-essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in The City of New York are generally are open for use by customers on such day.

 

Change of Control Transaction” means the occurrence after the date hereof of any of (a) an acquisition after the date hereof by an individual or legal entity or “group” (as described in Rule 13d-5(b)(1) promulgated under the Exchange Act) of effective control (whether through legal or beneficial ownership of capital stock of the Company, by contract or otherwise) of in excess of 33% of the voting securities of the Company, (b) the Company merges into or consolidates with any other Person, or any Person merges into or consolidates with the Company and, after giving effect to such transaction, the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such transaction own less than 66% of the aggregate voting power of the Company or the successor entity of such transaction, (c) the Company (and all of its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole) sells or transfers all or substantially all of its assets to another Person and the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such transaction own less than 66% of the aggregate voting power of the acquiring entity immediately after the transaction, (d) a replacement at one time or within a three year period of more than one-half of the members of the Board of Directors which is not approved by a majority of those individuals who are members of the Board of Directors on the date hereof (or by those individuals who are serving as members of the Board of Directors on any date whose nomination to the Board of Directors was approved by a majority of the members of the Board of Directors who are members on the date hereof), or (e) the execution by the Company of an agreement to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound, providing for any of the events set forth in clauses (a) through (d) above.

 

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Debenture Register” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).

 

Event of Default” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8(a).

 

Fundamental Transaction” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.

 

Interest Payment Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

 

Late Fees” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(c).

 

Mandatory Default Amount” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8(b).

 

Texas Courts” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9(d).

 

Permitted Indebtedness” means (a) the indebtedness evidenced by the Debentures, (b) the Knight Debt, (c) lease obligations and purchase money indebtedness incurred in the ordinary course of business and (d) indebtedness that (i) is expressly subordinate to the Debentures or not secured by assets of the Company or its Subsidiaries other than the assets so acquired or leased and (ii) has a maturity date, prior to any acceleration, no later than the 31st day following the Maturity Date.

 

Permitted Lien” means the individual and collective reference to the following: (a) Liens for taxes, assessments and other governmental charges or levies not yet due or Liens for taxes, assessments and other governmental charges or levies being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings for which adequate reserves (in the good faith judgment of the management of the Company) have been established in accordance with GAAP, (b) Liens imposed by law which were incurred in the ordinary course of the Company’s business, such as carriers’, warehousemen’s and mechanics’ Liens, statutory landlords’ Liens, and other similar Liens arising in the ordinary course of the Company’s business, and which (x) do not individually or in the aggregate materially detract from the value of such property or assets or materially impair the use thereof in the operation of the business of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries or (y) are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, which proceedings have the effect of preventing for the foreseeable future the forfeiture or sale of the property or asset subject to such Lien, (c) Liens incurred in connection with Permitted Indebtedness and (d) Liens that are either subordinate to this Debenture or not secured by assets of the Company or its Subsidiaries other than the assets so acquired or leased.

 

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Purchase Agreement” means the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of even date herewith among the Company and the original Holders, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with its terms.

 

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Trading Day” means a day on which the principal Trading Market is open for trading.

 

Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the New York Stock Exchange, OTCQB or OTCQX (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

 

VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, , or (c) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by Sanders Morris, on behalf of the Purchasers of the Securities and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

Section 2. Interest; Seniority

 

a) Payment of Interest in Cash. The Company shall pay interest to the Holder on the aggregate outstanding principal amount of this Debenture at the rate of: (a) 8% per annum, for the first 90 days that this Debenture is funded and outstanding, which shall commence on the date hereof and continue and include the 90th day after the date hereof (“First Payment Date”) payable on such 90th day and (b) 9.5% per annum, for the second days that this Debenture is outstanding, which shall commence on the 91st day after the date hereof and continue and include the 180th day after the date hereof (“Maturity Date”), on which date the second interest payment, along with the entire original principal amount, shall be due and payable (if any of the foregoing Interest Payment Dates (hereafter defined) is not a Business Day, then the applicable payment shall be due on the next succeeding Business Day), in cash. An Interest Payment Date shall be the First Payment Date and the Maturity Date or any other date on which an interest and/or principal payment is due hereunder.

 

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b) Interest Calculations. Interest shall be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year and shall accrue daily commencing on the Original Issue Date until payment in full of the outstanding principal, together with all accrued and unpaid interest, liquidated damages and other amounts which may become due hereunder, has been made. Interest hereunder will be paid to the Person in whose name this Debenture is registered on the records of the Company regarding registration and transfers of this Debenture (the “Debenture Register”). Except as otherwise provided herein, if at any time the Company pays interest partially in cash and partially in shares of Common Stock to the holders of the Debentures, then such payment of cash shall be distributed ratably among the holders of the then-outstanding Debentures based on their (or their predecessor’s) initial purchases of Debentures pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.

 

c) Late Fee. All overdue accrued and unpaid interest to be paid hereunder shall entail a late fee at an interest rate equal to the lesser of 12% per annum or the maximum rate permitted by applicable law (the “Late Fees”) which shall accrue daily from the date such interest is due hereunder through and including the date of actual payment in full.

 

d) Prepayment. The Company may prepay any portion of the principal amount of this Debenture without the prior written consent of the Holder.

 

e) Seniority. The indebtedness evidenced by this Debenture shall be senior to all indebtedness of the Company, including trade creditors, except for that certain loan agreement made as of the 21st day of January, 2015, as amended by a first amending agreement dated November 12, 2015, as amended and restated as of the 9th day of August, 2017, as amended by a loan amendment agreement to the amended and restated loan agreement dated May 14, 2018, as amended by a second amendment to the amended and restated loan agreement dated March 27, 2019, as amended by a third amendment to the amended and restated loan agreement dated May 8, 2020, as amended by a fourth amendment to the amended and restated loan agreement dated January __

 

f)                , 2021 (such agreement, as amended, restated, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time as of the date hereof, the “Knight Debt”.

 

Section 3. Registration of Transfers and Exchanges.

 

a) Different Denominations. This Debenture is exchangeable for an equal aggregate principal amount of Debentures of different authorized denominations, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same. No service charge will be payable for such registration of transfer or exchange.

 

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b) Investment Representations. This Debenture has been issued subject to certain investment representations of the original Holder set forth in the Purchase Agreement and may be transferred or exchanged only in compliance with the Purchase Agreement and applicable federal and state securities laws and regulations.

 

c) Reliance on Debenture Register. Prior to due presentment for transfer to the Company of this Debenture, the Company and any agent of the Company may treat the Person in whose name this Debenture is duly registered on the Debenture Register as the owner hereof for the purpose of receiving payment as herein provided and for all other purposes, whether or not this Debenture is overdue, and neither the Company nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

Section 4. Fundamental Transaction. If, at any time while this Debenture is outstanding, (i) the Company (and all of its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole), directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (ii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Common Stock are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, (iii) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Common Stock is effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off, merger or scheme of arrangement) with another Person or group of Persons whereby such other Person or group acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not including any shares of Common Stock held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then the Company shall repay the entire principal amount hereunder, along with all interest relating thereto, as if this Debenture shall have matured upon its Maturity Date.

 

Section 5. Negative Covenants. As long as any portion of this Debenture remains outstanding, unless the holders of at least 67% in principal amount of the then outstanding Debentures shall have otherwise given prior written consent, the Company shall not, and shall not permit any of the Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly:

 

a) other than Permitted Indebtedness, enter into, create, incur, assume, guarantee or suffer to exist any indebtedness for borrowed money of any kind, including, but not limited to, a guarantee, on or with respect to any of its property or assets now owned or hereafter acquired or any interest therein or any income or profits therefrom;

 

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b) other than Permitted Liens, enter into, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Liens of any kind, on or with respect to any of its property or assets now owned or hereafter acquired or any interest therein or any income or profits therefrom;

 

c) amend its charter documents, including, without limitation, its certificate of incorporation and bylaws, in any manner that materially and adversely affects any rights of the Holder;

 

d) repay, repurchase or offer to repay, repurchase or otherwise acquire more than a de minimis number of shares of its Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents other than as to (i) the Warrant Shares as permitted or required under the Transaction Documents and (ii) repurchases of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents of departing officers and directors of the Company, provided that such repurchases shall not exceed an aggregate of $100,000 for all officers and directors during the term of this Debenture;

 

e) repay, repurchase or offer to repay, repurchase or otherwise acquire any Indebtedness, other than the Knight Debt and Debentures [other than regularly scheduled principal and interest payments as such terms are in effect as of the Original Issue Date;

 

f) pay cash dividends or distributions on any equity securities of the Company;

 

g) enter into any transaction with any Affiliate of the Company which would be required to be disclosed in any public filing with the Commission, unless such transaction is made on an arm’s-length basis and expressly approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company (even if less than a quorum otherwise required for board approval); or

 

h) enter into any agreement with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

Section 8. Events of Default.

 

a) “Event of Default” means, wherever used herein, any of the following events (whatever the reason for such event and whether such event shall be voluntary or involuntary or effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court, or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):

 

i. any default in the payment of (A) the principal amount of any Debenture or (B) interest, liquidated damages and other amounts owing to a Holder on any Debenture, as and when the same shall become due and payable (whether on an Interest Payment Date or the Maturity Date or by acceleration or otherwise) which default, solely in the case of an interest payment or other default under clause (B) above, is not cured within 10 Business Days;

 

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ii. the Company shall fail to observe or perform any other covenant or agreement contained in the Debentures or in any Transaction Document, which failure is not cured, if possible to cure, within the earlier to occur of (A) 5 Business Days after notice of such failure sent by the Holder or by any other Holder to the Company and (B) 10 Business Days after the Company has become aware of such failure;

 

iii. a default or event of default (subject to any grace or cure period provided in the applicable agreement, document or instrument) shall occur under (A) any of the Transaction Documents or (B) any other material agreement, lease, document or instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary is obligated (and not covered by clause (vi) below);

 

iv. any representation or warranty made in this Debenture, any other Transaction Documents, any written statement pursuant hereto or thereto or any other report, financial statement or certificate made or delivered to the Holder or any other Holder shall be untrue or incorrect in any material respect as of the date when made or deemed made;

 

v. the Company or any Significant Subsidiary (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X) shall be subject to a Bankruptcy Event;

 

vi. the Company or any Subsidiary shall default on any of its obligations to any person not a related party under any mortgage, credit agreement or other facility, indenture agreement, factoring agreement or other instrument under which there may be issued, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any indebtedness for borrowed money or money due under any long term leasing or factoring arrangement that (a) involves an obligation greater than $250,000, whether such indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created, and (b) results in such indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable;

 

vii. the Company (and all of its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole) shall be a party to any Change of Control Transaction or Fundamental Transaction or shall agree to sell or dispose of all or in excess of 33% of its assets in one transaction or a series of related transactions (whether or not such sale would constitute a Change of Control Transaction);

 

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viii. any monetary judgment, writ or similar final process shall be entered or filed against the Company, any subsidiary or any of their respective property or other assets for more than $250,000, and such judgment, writ or similar final process shall remain unvacated, unbonded or unstayed for a period of 45 calendar days; or

 

ix. a false or inaccurate certification by the Company that the Equity Conditions are satisfied or that there has been no Equity Conditions Failure or as to whether any Event of Default has occurred.

 

b) Remedies Upon Event of Default. If any Event of Default occurs, the outstanding principal amount of this Debenture, plus accrued but unpaid interest, liquidated damages and other amounts owing in respect thereof through the date of acceleration, shall become, at the Holder’s election, immediately due and payable in cash (the “Mandatory Default Amount”). Commencing 5 days after the occurrence of any Event of Default that results in the eventual acceleration of this Debenture, the interest rate on this Debenture shall accrue at an interest rate equal to the lesser of 12% per annum or the maximum rate permitted under applicable law. Upon the payment in full of the Mandatory Default Amount, the Holder shall promptly surrender this Debenture to or as directed by the Company. In connection with such acceleration described herein, the Holder need not provide, and the Company hereby waives, any presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, and the Holder may immediately and without expiration of any grace period enforce any and all of its rights and remedies hereunder and all other remedies available to it under applicable law, including the commencement of foreclosure proceedings against the Company. The Holder hereby appoints Sanders Morris as Holder Representative to assert rights for and on behalf of any of them under this paragraph (b), including, without limitation, the commencing of foreclosure proceedings against the Company in connection with a default hereunder and the Company acknowledges and agrees to such appointment, with such Holder unconditionally agreeing to reimburse Sanders Morris for any and all expenses relating to such appointment, which amounts shall be deducted from any amounts recovered in any such proceeding. Such acceleration may be rescinded and annulled by Holder at any time prior to payment hereunder and the Holder shall have all rights as a holder of the Debenture until such time, if any, as the Holder receives full payment pursuant to this Section 8(b). No such rescission or annulment shall affect any subsequent Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

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Section 9. Miscellaneous.

 

a) Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Holder hereunder, shall be in writing and delivered personally, by email attachment, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, addressed to the Company, at the address set forth above, or such other email address, or address as the Company may specify for such purposes by notice to the Holder delivered in accordance with this Section 9(a). Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Company hereunder shall be in writing and delivered personally, by email attachment, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service addressed to each Holder at the email address or address of the Holder appearing on the books of the Company, or if no such email attachment or address appears on the books of the Company, at the principal place of business of such Holder, as set forth in the Purchase Agreement. Any notice or other communication or deliveries hereunder shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via email attachment to the email address set forth on the signature pages attached hereto prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any date, (ii) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via email attachment to the email address set forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (iii) the second Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given.

 

b) Absolute Obligation. Except as expressly provided herein, no provision of this Debenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of, liquidated damages and accrued interest, as applicable, on this Debenture at the time, place, and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed. This Debenture is a direct debt obligation of the Company. This Debenture ranks pari passu with all other Debentures now or hereafter issued under the terms set forth herein. For the avoidance of doubt, the Knight Debt is not a Debenture.

 

c) Lost or Mutilated Debenture. If this Debenture shall be mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall execute and deliver, in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation of a mutilated Debenture, or in lieu of or in substitution for a lost, stolen or destroyed Debenture, a new Debenture for the principal amount of this Debenture so mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, but only upon receipt of evidence of such loss, theft or destruction of such Debenture, and of the ownership hereof, reasonably satisfactory to the Company.

 

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d) Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Debenture shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Texas, without regard to the principles of conflict of laws thereof. Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretation, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by any of the Transaction Documents (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective Affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, employees or agents) shall be commenced in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of Houston, Harris County (the “Texas Courts”). Each party hereto hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Texas Courts for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect to the enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of such Texas Courts, or such Texas Courts are improper or inconvenient venue for such proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Debenture and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by applicable law. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Debenture or the transactions contemplated hereby. If any party shall commence an action or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Debenture, then the prevailing party in such action or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its attorneys fees and other costs and expenses incurred in the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding.

 

e) Waiver; Amendment. Any waiver by the Company or the Holder of a breach of any provision of this Debenture shall not operate as or be construed to be a waiver of any other breach of such provision or of any breach of any other provision of this Debenture. The failure of the Company or the Holder to insist upon strict adherence to any term of this Debenture on one or more occasions shall not be considered a waiver or deprive that party of the right thereafter to insist upon strict adherence to that term or any other term of this Debenture on any other occasion. Any waiver or amendment hereof by the Company or the Holder must be in writing, signed by both parties.

 

f) Severability. If any provision of this Debenture is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the balance of this Debenture shall remain in effect, and if any provision is inapplicable to any Person or circumstance, it shall nevertheless remain applicable to all other Persons and circumstances. If it shall be found that any interest or other amount deemed interest due hereunder violates the applicable law governing usury, the applicable rate of interest due hereunder shall automatically be lowered to equal the maximum rate of interest permitted under applicable law. The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it shall not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law or other law which would prohibit or forgive the Company from paying all or any portion of the principal of or interest on this Debenture as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, or which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Debenture, and the Company (to the extent it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefits or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Holder, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such as though no such law has been enacted.

 

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g) Remedies, Characterizations, Other Obligations, Breaches and Injunctive Relief. The remedies provided in this Debenture shall be cumulative and in addition to all other remedies available under this Debenture and any of the other Transaction Documents at law or in equity (including a decree of specific performance and/or other injunctive relief), and nothing herein shall limit the Holder’s right to pursue actual and consequential damages for any failure by the Company to comply with the terms of this Debenture. The Company covenants to the Holder that there shall be no characterization concerning this instrument other than as expressly provided herein. Amounts set forth or provided for herein with respect to payments and the like (and the computation thereof) shall be the amounts to be received by the Holder and shall not, except as expressly provided herein, be subject to any other obligation of the Company (or the performance thereof). The Company acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder will cause irreparable harm to the Holder and that the remedy at law for any such breach may be inadequate. The Company therefore agrees that, in the event of any such breach or threatened breach, the Holder shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies, to an injunction restraining any such breach or any such threatened breach, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required. The Company shall provide all information and documentation to the Holder that is requested by the Holder to enable the Holder to confirm the Company’s compliance with the terms and conditions of this Debenture.

 

h) Next Business Day. Whenever any payment or other obligation hereunder shall be due on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day.

 

i) Headings. The headings contained herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Debenture and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

 

*********************

 

(Signature Page Follows)

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Debenture to be duly executed by a duly authorized officer as of the date first above indicated.

 

  SYNERGY CHC CORP.
   
  By:  
  Name: Jack Ross
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

 

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Exhibit 10.36

 

MODIFICATION AGREEMENT

 

THIS MODIFICATION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), is made and entered into effective as of this 14th day of June, 2023, by and among SANDERS MORRIS HARRIS, LLC, in its capacity as representative of the Noteholders (defined below) and Mr. Don A. Sanders (the “REPRESENTATIVE”), Don A. Sanders and SYNERGY CLIC CORP., a Nevada corporation (the “COMPANY”), (each a “Party” and collectively the “Parties”).

 

RECITALS;

 

A.The Company and certain clients of the Representative (the “Noteholders”) entered into that certain Securities Purchase Agreement dated March 8, 2022 (“SPA”), pursuant to which such Noteholders purchased Senior Subordinated Debentures of even date therewith issued by the Company (the “Notes”) and were issued a Common Stock Purchase Warrant (the “Warrants”);

 

B.Pursuant to Sections 5.22 and 5.04 of the SPA, Sanders Morris was appointed a representative of the Noteholders (the “Representative”), providing it with the authority to act on behalf of such Noteholders to amend, modify or otherwise change the terms of the SPA, the Notes, the warrants issued in connection therewith (the “Warrants”) or any other document or agreement relating to the securities offering under the SPA, and Mr. Don Sanders has agreed for Sanders Morris to represent him with respect to the note issued to him by the Company (the “Sanders Note”); and

 

C.The Company defaulted under the Notes and the Sanders Note and the Representative and Company desire to amend the terms of the Sanders Note and the Notes, as set forth herein, on behalf of the Noteholders and Don A. Sanders (as applicable), with the Representative representing the Noteholders to cure the default.

 

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and other good and valuable consideration contained herein, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:

 

1.AMENDMENT

 

1.1Amendment

 

The Company and the Representative, on behalf of the Noteholders and Mr. Sanders, hereby agree to modify the terms of the SPA and the Notes and the Sanders Note as set forth on Exhibit “A” appended hereto and each term set forth on Exhibit “A” hereby amends the applicable term in the SPA and/or the Notes or Sanders Note (as applicable) without any further action on the part of the Noteholders or Don A. Sanders (as applicable) or the Company. The Noteholders and Mr. Sanders, and the amount of their respective notes (as amended by Exhibit “A”) are set forth on Appendix “A” under the column entitled “Accumulated Investment Balance Dec 31, 2022” as of the date hereof and shall be entitled to the interest and loan renegotiation fee and other terms set forth on Exhibit “A”. Exhibit “A” and Appendix “A” are both incorporated herein and made a part of this Agreement for all purposes. Synergy acknowledges and agrees that Sanders Morris Harris LLC has the requisite power and authority to act on behalf of the Noteholders and Mr. Sanders, as the case may be, and agree to be bound by any agreements, amendments, modifications or waivers under this Agreement or any other agreement associated with the Transaction Agreements.

 

Modification AgreementPage 1

 

 

1.2Conflict

 

To the extent that the terms of Exhibit “A” and Appendix “A” conflict with the terms of the SPA, the Notes, the Warrants or any document or agreement relating thereto (between the Noteholders and the Company), the terms of Exhibit “A” shall control.

 

1.3Further Action

 

To the extent that the Representative believes, that the Company needs to enter into, and deliver, a new or substitute promissory note and/or warrant with any or all of the investors set forth in Appendix “A” to effect the changes set forth in this Agreement, the Company shall enter into a promissory note and/or warrant (as the case may be) with any such investor in the form originally entered into in connection with the SPA, with modifications necessary to conform to the terms of this Agreement.

 

1.4Mr. Jack Ross (individually)

 

To the extent that Mr. Jack Ross, individually, shall be obligated to issue and execute any warrants pursuant to Section 6 of Exhibit “A”, Mr. Ross hereby, in his individual capacity, agrees to do so and viii execute and deliver execute warrants in form and substance satisfactory to both the Representative and Mr. Ross pursuant to Section 6 of Exhibit “A”. By signing below, Mr. Ross agrees to be bound by this Section 1.4.

 

1.5Warrants; No Default

 

The Company hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Representative and each Noteholder has timely elected to take the Cash Option (as defined in the Warrant) under the Warrants and agrees to add such Cash Option, along with unpaid and accrued interest, to the principal balance of the Notes as of December 31, 2022 such that the new principal amount as of December 31, 2022 for each Noteholder is as set forth in the column entitled “Accumulated Investment Balance Dec 31, 2022” on Appendix “A”. Upon execution of this Agreement and the continued performance of the SPA, the Notes (as modified by this Agreement) and the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall be deemed to be in compliance with the terms of the SPA, the Notes, the Sanders Note and each other Transaction Agreement (hereafter defined), unless there is an Event of Default after the day hereof as set forth below.

 

2.EVENT OF DEFAULT

 

2.1Default

 

For purposes of this Agreement, a “Default” shall exist if any one or more of the following events shall occur:

 

(a) On or after the date hereof, the Company fails to pay or perform when due any principal, interest or other obligation under the Note or Sanders Note (in each case, as modified by this Agreement) or any other indebtedness of the Company; or

 

(b) The Company defaults in the performance of any of its other covenants or agreements contained in the SPA (as modified by this Agreement), the Notes (as modified by this Agreement) and the Sanders Note as updated per Exhibit “A”;

 

Modification AgreementPage 2

 

 

3.TERM AND TERMINATION

 

The term of this Agreement shall commence as of the date hereof, and shall terminate upon the date on which all Notes and Sanders Note, and all accrued and unpaid interest thereon, have been repaid in their entirety and all warrants issued by Mr. Jack Ross, if any.

 

4.ENTIRE AGREEMENT

 

This Agreement (together with the SPA, the Warrants, the Note, the Sanders Note and all documents associated therewith) (collectively, the “Transaction Agreements”) set forth the entire understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous understandings and agreements between the parties, with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may not be contradicted by evidence of any prior or contemporaneous statements or agreements. Each party to this Agreement acknowledges that no representations, inducements, promises or agreements, orally or otherwise, have been made by any party, or anyone acting on behalf of any party, that are not embodied in the Transaction Agreements, and that no other understanding, agreement, statement or promise not contained in the Transaction Agreements shall be valid or binding as between the Noteholders and Mr. Don A. Sanders (who are represented herein by the Representative) and the Company with respect to the subject matter hereof. To the extent that any provision of the Agreement and Exhibit “A” and Appendix “A” conflict with the terms of any other Transaction Agreement, the terms of this Agreement and Exhibit “A” and Appendix “A” shall govern.

 

5.MODIFICATION

 

This Agreement may not be orally changed or modified. All changes or modifications to any of the Transaction Agreements, or the waiver of any terms or conditions herein, shall be in writing signed by the party against whom enforcement of any waiver, change, modification, extension or discharge is sought.

 

6.WAIVER

 

No delay or failure to exercise any remedy or right occurring upon any breach or default shall be construed as a waiver of such remedy or right, nor shall it affect any subsequent default of a same or different nature.

 

7.ASSIGNMENT

 

No Party shall assign this Agreement or any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party.

 

8.SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS

 

All of the provisions herein contained shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the respective successors of the parties hereto to the same extent as if such successors were in each case named as a party to this Agreement.

 

9.EFFECT OF INVALIDITY

 

Should any part of this Agreement for any reason be declared invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of any remaining portion, which remaining portion shall remain in force and effect as if this Agreement had been executed with the invalid parties thereof eliminated.

 

10.FURTHER ACTIONS

 

At any time and from time to time, each party shall, without further consideration, take such actions and to execute and deliver such documents as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this Agreement.

 

Modification AgreementPage 3

 

 

11.CAPTIONS

 

The paragraph captions contained in this Agreement are inserted only as a matter of convenience and reference, and in no way define, limit or describe the scope of this Agreement, nor the intent of any provision thereof.

 

12.COUNTERPARTS

 

This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but which, taken together, shall constitute one Agreement. The Parties may deliver executed counterpart signature pages to this Agreement by facsimile transmission, by electronic mail in .pdf form, or by any other electronic means intended to preserve the original graphic and pictorial appearance of a document, and such delivery shall have the same effect as physical delivery of the paper document bearing an original signature.

 

13.GOVERNING LAW

 

This Agreement shall be interpreted and enforced in accordance with the internal laws, and not the law of conflicts, of the State of Texas applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such State and the applicable federal laws of the United States of America.

 

SIGNATURES ON FOLLOWING PAGE

 

Modification AgreementPage 4

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

SANDERS MORRIS HARRIS, LLC (AS REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE NOTEHOLDERS)  
   
By: /s/ Steve Mangold  
  Steve Mangold  
Title: Chief Executive Officer  
   
SYNERGY CHC CORP.  
   
By: /s/ Jack Ross  
  Jack Ross  
Title: Chief Executive Officer  
   
DON A. SANDERS, INDIVIDUALLY  
   
/s/ Don A. Sanders  
Don A. Sanders, Individually  

 

Mr. Jack Ross, individually, agrees to be bound by Section 1.4 only

 

/s/ Jack Ross  
Jack Ross, Individually  

 

Modification AgreementPage 5

 

 

EXHIBIT A

BINDING LOAN AGREEMENT

 

June 14th, 2023

 

Sanders Group Loan  
Amount $6;000,000 USD (Six Million United States Dollars), plus all accrued and unpaid interest plus the- $1.5 million cash payment in lieu of the’ exercise of the warrants (“Cash Warrant Payment”) shall be added to principal as of September 8, 2022 (the. “Amended Principal Amount”).as set forth ‘in Section 5 below.
Financial Terms  
2. (a) Default Interest Rate:

The loan agreement interest shall accrue on the. Amended Principal Amount at:

Default interest rate. of 15.5% compounded quarterly, starting on September 9, 2022,

(b) Extra Default Interest (With respect to any default occurring after the effective date. Of this

Loan Amendment)

5% to be added to. the interest rate .of loan (Effective rate would. equate to 20.5%

compounded quarterly)

2. Interest payments: Cash interest payments to commence on January 31, 2023 on the Amended Principal Amount plus all accrued and unpaid interest thereon through ‘December 31, 2022.(the “December 31 Principal Amounts”) , At this point, the Sanders Note and the Sanders Group Loan will be treated the same. The. payment shall be equal to the monthly accrued interest per month with interest calculations commencing January 1 2023, up to the maturity date of the Loan when all outstanding principal and Interest balances shall be repaid in full. See appendix “A” attached herein.
   
Principal Balance Repayment Terns  
3. Principal repayment:

In ‘addition to the interest payments set forth ‘in Section 2 above, Synergy shall repay all principal and any unpaid interest; provided,-however, that ‘the entire December 31 Principal Amount, plus all accrued and. unpaid interest thereon, shall be repaid in full on the earlier of a Merger, sale of the Company or Focus Factor or the assets of the Company (“Sale”) or September 30, 2023. See appendix “A” attached herein.

 

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Loan Renegotiation Fee  
4. Loan Renegotiation Fee:

Loan renegotiation fee USD $500 thousand shall be earned and payable on September. 30, 2023 and allocated ratably to the noteholders. See appendix “A” attached herein.

 
Warrants  
5. Outstanding Warrants:

Synergy agrees to convert all outstanding warrants of $1.8M USD into cash as of September 8, 2021 The converted warrants shall be added to principal on such date and included in the Amended Principal Amount. See appendix “A” attached herein.

6. Additional Warrants

To the extent that the Sanders Note and Sanders Group note is not ‘repaid on the terms, Jack Ross shall personally grant Warrants, struck at $.01 penny per share, covering 10% of*stock in the event that Synergy does not .make its principal repayment outlined: in clause 3. above, in full. The warrant issuance shall be made to the holders of the Sanders Note and the Sanders Group note (ratably) For clarity, the only event which shall. trigger these additional warrants. is the non-payment of the principal balance due on or before September 30, 2023, outlined in clause. 3 above.

Events of Default  

7. Events of Default which triggers the extra default interest (Clause 1(b)) increase of 5% to 20.5%

Non-Payment of interest. and/or Non-payment of Principal when due

An event of default can only occur based on one of the two scenarios occurring

(a)   Non-Payment of interest when due —.in the event Synergy does not pay the interest to the debt holders once due, pursuant to clause 2 (Cash interest payment) — an event of default will have-occurred

(b)   Non-Payment of principal when due — in the event Synergy does not pay the principal balance by the respective due date, pursuant- to clause 3 (Principal balance repayment)--an event of default will have occurred

   
Professional Fees  
8. Professional fees related to the loan amendment Synergy shall reimburse Sanders Morris Harris all professional fees (including internal counsel) related to the loan amendment, up to a maximum of $50,000, with time properly documented.

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Sharing of Information  
9. Investment bank - Nomura Synergy. shall ensure Nomura, the investment banker provides a monthly Written report by activity, which shall be Shared with all stakeholders by no later than the 15th of the following month.
10. Monthly reporting

Synergy shall share. all information which is required by Knight, pursuant to their loan amendment with Sanders Morris Harris at the: same time information it shared with Knight (All required reporting info shall go to both parties.at the same time)

   
Other Conditions  
11. Postponement

Sander’s loan and Sander group loan shall both. be: postponed and for greater certainty, Sanders and - Sanders group loan cannot act on any event of Default, other than non-receipt from-Synergy of its:monthly interest payments Outlined in Clause 2 above, unless Knight triggers an event of default on its own loan facility. Other events of default which can only be triggered after a notice of default has been sent to Synergy from Knight, are as follows:

(a)   Falling below the minimum quarterly adjusted EBITDA amount of $1.25M starting in Q1-23, shall trigger an event of default

(b)   Failing to maintain a minimum trailing 12 months, revenues for the Focus Factor brand of $30M USD, shall trigger an; event of default.

(c)   Either Synergy or Jack Ross is in default of any provision with respect to any indebtedness of Synergy, including, without limitation, the Knight Therapeutics Inc (‘Knight) loan agreement or- any extension, amendment or modification thereof (assuming that the-defaults under the Sanders. note, Sanders Group. note-and Knight note are cured pursuant to the amendments contemplated by the parties)..

(d)   Minimum quarterly adjusted EBITDA. Amount of $145M starting, Q1-23.

(e)   Focus Factors-trailing 12 month revenues fail below the minimum of $30M USD threshold.

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12. Documentation: This agreement is binding and supersedes all. other prior agreements or arrangements or negotiations pertaining thereto, whether written or oral, up to the date of this agreement on any of the parties hereto and shall be subject to the execution and delivery of this binding agreement. This binding agreement shall act as the amendment to the Loan Agreement, which amendment shall include. a provision waiving all prior defaults.
13. Sanders & Sanders Group acknowledgement Sanders and Sanders group acknowledges this binding agreement replaces all prior defaults and is. meant to Augment the loan agreements.
14. Don Sanders Acknowledgement of loan interest Renegotiation for Personal Loan in. the amount of $2M USD It is hereby acknowledged that the promissory note issued to Don Sanders in his personal capacity on February 10, 2022 in the amount of $2,000,000 USD at an interest rate of approximately 65% per annum, shall hereby begin accruing interest at the default interest rate of 15.5% as outlined in clause 2 above, .effective as of of June 30, 2022 onward. See appendix “A’’ attached herein for payment breakdown and schedule:

 

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Omitted Exhibits and Schedules*

 

Schedule A – Synergy CHC Corp., Sanders Group & Sanders Personal Repayment Schedule

 

*The listed schedule has been omitted from this Exhibit 10.36 pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. Synergy CHC Corp. hereby undertakes to furnish supplementally copies of any of the omitted schedules upon request by the SEC.

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.37

 

MODIFICATION AGREEMENT

 

THIS MODIFICATION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), is made and entered into effective as of this 31st day of March, 2024, by and among SANDERS MORRIS HARRIS, LLC, in its capacity as representative of the Noteholders (defined below) and Mr. Don A. Sanders (the “REPRESENTATIVE”) and SYNERGY CHC CORP., a Nevada corporation (the “COMPANY”), (each a “Party” and collectively the “Parties”).

 

RECITALS:

 

A.The Company and certain clients of the Representative (the “Sanders Noteholders”) entered into that certain Securities Purchase Agreement dated March 8, 2022 (“SPA”), pursuant to which such Noteholders purchased Senior Subordinated Debentures of even date therewith issued by the Company (the “Sanders Notes”) and were issued a Common Stock Purchase Warrant (the “Warrants”)

 

B.The Parties entered into that certain Modification Agreement between the Parties dated June 14, 2024, pursuant to which the Company consolidated the Sanders Notes and a promissory note issued to Don Sanders (the “Don Sanders Note” and together with the Sanders Notes, the “Notes”) along with certain other terms and conditions therein;

 

C.Pursuant to Sections 5.22 and 5.04 of the SPA, Sanders Morris was appointed a representative of the Noteholders (the “Representative”), providing it with the authority to act on behalf of such Noteholders to amend, modify or otherwise change the terms of the SPA, the Notes, the warrants issued in connection therewith (the “Warrants”) or any other document or agreement relating to the securities offering under the SPA, and Mr. Don Sanders (Mr. Sanders and the Sanders Noteholders will herein be collectively referred to as the “Noteholders”) has agreed for Sanders Morris to represent him with respect to the note issued to him by the Company (the “Sanders Note”); and

 

D.The Company desires to further extend the maturity of the Notes from March 31, 2024 to March 31, 2026 on the terms and conditions set forth herein and as set forth on Exhibit “A”

 

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and other good and valuable consideration contained herein, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:

 

1.AMENDMENT

 

1.1 Amendment

 

The Company andthe Representative, onbehalfof the Noteholders and Mr. Sanders, hereby agreeto modify the terms of the SPA and the Notes as set forth on Exhibit “A” appended hereto and each term set forth on Exhibit “A” hereby amends the applicable term in the SPA and/or the Notes without any further action on the part of the Noteholders or the Company. The Noteholders, and the amount of their respective notes (as amended by Exhibit “A”) are set forth on Schedule “A” under the column entitled “Outstanding Balance March 31’, 2024” as of the date hereof and shall be entitled to the interest, principal payments, bonus success fee (if earned), loanrenegotiation fee and other terms set forth on Exhibit “A”. Exhibit “A” and Schedule “A” are both incorporated herein and made a part of this Agreement for all purposes. Synergy acknowledges and agrees that Sanders Morris Harris LLC has the requisite power and authority to act on behalf of the Noteholders and Mr. Sanders, as the case may be, and agree to be bound by any agreements, amendments, modifications or waivers under this Agreement or any other agreement associated with the Transaction Agreements.

 

Modification AgreementPage 1

 

 

1.2 Conflict

 

To the extent that the terms of Exhibit “A” and Schedule “A” thereto conflict with the terms of the SPA, the Notes, the Warrants or any document or agreement relating thereto (between the Noteholders and the Company), the terms of Exhibit “A” shall control.

 

1.3 Further Action

 

To the extent that the Representative believes, that the Company needs to enter into, and deliver, a new or substitute promissory note with any or all of the investors set forth in Schedule “A” to effect the changes set forth in this Agreement, the Company shall enter into a promissory note with any such investor in the form originally entered into in connection with the SPA, with modifications necessary to conform to the terms of this Agreement. In addition, the Company agrees covenants and agrees to amend the SPA to include Mr. Sanders as a party thereto, on the same terms and conditions as the Sanders Noteholders, and issue a substitute note to Mr. Sanders on the same terms and conditions as the Sanders Noteholders.

 

1.4 Mr. Jack Ross (individually)

 

To theextent that Mr. Jack Ross, individually, shall be obligated to issue and execute any warrants pursuant to Section 15 of Exhibit “A”, Mr. Ross hereby, in his individual capacity, agrees to do so and will execute and deliver execute warrants in form and substance satisfactory to both the Representative and Mr. Ross pursuant to Section 15 of Exhibit “A”. By signing below, Mr. Ross agrees to be bound by this Section 1.4

 

2.EVENT OF DEFAULT

 

2.1 Default

 

For purposes of this Agreement, a “Default” shall exist if any one or more of the following events shall occur:

 

(a) On or after the date hereof, the Company fails to pay or perform when due any principal, interest or other obligation under the Notes (in each case, as modified by this Agreement) or any other indebtedness of the Company; or

 

(b) The Company defaults in the performance of any of its other covenants or agreements contained in the SPA (as modified by this Agreement), the Notes (as modified by this Agreement) per Exhibit “A”;

 

3.TERM AND TERMINATION

 

The term of this Agreement shall commence as of the date hereof, and shall terminate upon the date on which all Notes, and all accrued and unpaid interest thereon, have been repaid in their entirety and all warrants issued by Mr. Jack Ross, if any.

 

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4.ENTIRE AGREEMENT

 

This Agreement (together with the SPA, the Notes and all documents associated therewith) (collectively, the “Transaction Agreements”) set forth the entire understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous understandings and agreements between the parties, with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may not be contradicted by evidence of any prior or contemporaneous statements or agreements. Each party to this Agreement acknowledges that no representations, inducements, promises or agreements, orally or otherwise, have been made by any party, or anyone acting on behalf of any party, that are not embodied in the Transaction Agreements, and that no other understanding, agreement, statement or promise not contained in the Transaction Agreements shall be valid or binding as between the Noteholders and Mr. Don A. Sanders (who are represented herein by the Representative) and the Company with respect to the subject matter hereof. To the extent that any provision of the Agreement and Exhibit “A” and Schedule “A” conflict with the terms of any other Transaction Agreement, the terms of this Agreement and Exhibit “A” and Schedule “A” shall govern.

 

5.MODIFICATION

 

This Agreement may not be orally changed or modified. All changes or modifications to any of the Transaction Agreements, or the waiver of any terms or conditions herein, shall be in writing signed by the party against whom enforcement of any waiver, change, modification, extension or discharge is sought.

 

6.WAIVER

 

No delay or failure to exercise any remedy or right occurring upon any breach or default shall be construed as a waiver of such remedy or right, nor shall it affect any subsequent default of a same or different nature.

 

7.ASSIGNMENT

 

No Party shall assign this Agreement or any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party.

 

8.SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS

 

All of the provisions herein contained shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the respective successors of the parties hereto to the same extent as if such successors were in each case named as a party to this Agreement.

 

9.EFFECT OF INVALIDITY

 

Should any part of this Agreement for any reason be declared invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of any remaining portion, which remaining portion shall remain in force and effect as if this Agreement had been executed with the invalid parties thereof eliminated.

 

10.FURTHER ACTIONS

 

At any time and from time to time, each party shall, without further consideration, take such actions and to execute and deliver such documents as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this Agreement.

 

11.CAPTIONS

 

The paragraph captions contained in this Agreement are inserted only as a matter of convenience and reference, and in no way define, limit or describe the scope of this Agreement, nor the intent of any provision thereof.

 

12.COUNTERPARTS

 

This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but which, taken together, shall constitute one Agreement. The Parties may deliver executed counterpart signature pages to this Agreement by facsimile transmission, by electronic mail in .pdf form, or by any other electronic means intended to preserve the original graphic and pictorial appearance of a document, and such delivery shall have the same effect as physical delivery of the paper document bearing an original signature.

 

13.GOVERNING LAW

 

This Agreement shall be interpreted and enforced in accordance with the internal laws, and not the law of conflicts, of the State of Texas applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such State and the applicable federal laws ofthe United States of America.

 

SIGNATURES ON FOLLOWING PAGE

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

SANDERS MORRIS HARRIS, LLC (AS REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE NOTEHOLDERS)
   
By: /s/ Steve Mangold    
  Steve Mangold  
Title: Chief Executive Officer  
     
SYNERGY CHC CORP.  
   
By: /s/ Jack Ross  
  Jack Ross  
Title: Chief Executive Officer  
   
DON A. SANDERS, INDIVIDUALLY  
   
/s/ Don A. Sanders  
Don A. Sanders, Individually  

 

Mr. Jack Ross, individually, agrees to be bound by Section 1.4 only

 

/s/ Jack Ross   
Jack Ross, Individually  

 

Modification AgreementPage 4

 

 

EXHIBIT “A”
BINDINGLOANAGREEMENT
EFFECTIVEDATE: March 31, 2024

 

SIGNED: April 5th, 2024

 

Sanders Group Loan  
Principal Amount $9,294,165 (Nine million, two hundred thousand, ninety-four thousand and one hundred sixty five and no/100s dollars) (“Principal Amount”), which Is allocated to the investors as set forth on Schedule me and is the principal amount outstanding as of April 14.2024 (assuming that the principal payment for March 31, 2024 was paid prior to April 1, 2024).
Financial Terms  
1. Interest Rate:

The loan agreement interest shall accrue on the Principal Amount at: interest rate of 12% compounded quarterly, starting on April 1st, 2024.

(b) Default Interest (With respect to any default occurring after the effective date of this Loan Amendment)

5% to be added to the interest rate of loan upon an event of default (defined below). For the avoidance of doubt, if there is an event of default, interest on the Principal Amount shall accrue at an interest rate of 17% compounded quarterly, commencing on the date of default.

2. Interest payments:

Cash interest payments shall be paid monthly on the final day of each month. Interest shall be paid on the Principal Amount outstanding over the course of the month. The first interest payment due and payable under this amendment shall be on April 30, 2024 and relate to Principal Amount outstanding over the course of April 2024. Monthly interest payments shall continue until the Principal Amount (along with all accrued and unpaid interest thereon) is paid in full. For the avoidance of doubt, the interest and principal payments shall be as set forth on Schedule ‘A” attached hereto and, in the event that there is any discrepancy between this Agreement and ScheduleSchedule “A”, ScheduleSchedule “A” shall control and govern.

   
Principal Balance Repayment Terms  
3. Principal repayment:

In addition to the interest payments set forth in Section 2 above, Synergy shall repay all principal and any unpaid Interest on or before March 31, 2026 (“Maturity Date”); provided, however, that the entire Principal Amount, minus all principal repayments made by the Company from October 2023 to March 31, 2026 plus all accrued and unpaid Interest thereon, shall be repaid in full on the earlier of a merger, sale of the Company or Focus Factor or the assets of the Company (“Sale”) or the Maturity Date. For the avoidance of doubt, an IPO as defined in section 5 below is not considered a Sale Transaction as defined above.

 

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Loan Renegotiation Fee  
4. Loan Renegotiation Fee:

A loan renegotiation fee of USD $500,000 (five hundred thousand and no/100s dollars) shall be earned and be due and payable on the earlier to occur of March 31, 2026 or at such a time that the loan is repaid in full. The loan renegotiation fee shall be allocated and paid ratably to the noteholders in accordance with Schedule “A”

attached hereto.

Bonus Success Fee  
5. Bonus Success Fee

Upon closing of a Sale Transaction (hereinafter defined) of Synergy, the Sanders Group shall be paid a One Million eight hundred thousand dollars ($1,800,000) success fee (“Bonus Success Fee”), which Bonus Success Fee shall be allocated to the noteholders based on their respective outstanding principal balances at the time such fee is paid (i.e., in the same manner in which the Loan Renegotiation Fee is paid, as set forth on Schedule “A”). The Sale Transaction shall include but is not limited to the acquisition of Synergy by a Third Party, the merger of Synergy with a Third Party or the partial or complete sale of any asset of Synergy, including any business, brand or product line. As the sole exemption from the above defined Sale transaction and herein Bonus Success Fee, if Synergy or any of its brands (or product line) does an IPO (defined below), no such Bonus Success fee will be due nor payable by Synergy as a result of such IPO. An IPO shall be defined as Synergy raising at least $10 million of cash through the issuance of equity at a $50 million pre-money valuation. For the purposes of clarity and certainty, if the principal and any interest owing is repaid to the Sanders Group in full and before six (6) months prior to a Sale Transaction defined above occurring, then this Bonus Success Fee shall not be due or payable and Synergy shall have no obligation to pay such fee. For greater clarity, If the principal and any interest owing is repaid in full less than six (6) months prior to a sale transaction, the Bonus Success fee shall be due and payable to the Sanders Group.

 

A-2

 

 

Events of Default  

6. Events of Default which triggers the extra default interest (Clause 1(b)) increase of 5% to 17%. Non-Payment of interest and/or Non-payment of Principal when due

An event of default can only occur based on one of the following scenarios occurring

  (a) Non-Payment of interest when due — In the event Synergy does notpaythe interest to the debt holders once due, pursuant to clause 2 (Cash interest payment) — an event of default will have occurred
  (b) Non-Payment of principal when due — In the event Synergy does not pay the principal balance by the respective due date, pursuant to clauses 3 (Principal balance repayment) and 13 —an event of default will have occurred
  (c) Synergy fails to close the sale of Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) of equity by March 31, 2025. Should Synergyfail to raise equity of Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) by March 31, 2025, then Sanders group shall earn an additional fee of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) which will be added to the principal balance of the loan then outstanding. For clarity and certainty, if all of the unpaid Principal Amount and all interest thereon is repaid to the Sanders Group in full prior to March 31, 2025, this provision shall be null, void and of no effect.
   
Professional Fees  
7. Professional fees related to the loan amendment

Synergy shall reimburse Sanders Morris Harris $50,000 for its professional fees (including internal costs associated with reviewing the documentation) at the time the Principal Amount, and all interest thereon, is repaid.

   
Sharing of Information  
8. Investment bank - Roth

Synergy shall ensure Roth, the Investment banker provides a monthly written report by activity, which shall be shared with Sanders Morris Harris by no later than the 15th of the folowing month regarding its IPO Initiatives.

 

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9. Monthly reporting Synergy shall share all information which Is required by Knight, pursuant to their loan amendment with Sanders Morris Harris at the same time information is shared with Knight (All required reporting info shall go to both parties at the same time)
   
Other Conditions  
10. Postponement

Sanders Group loan (including Sanders) cannot act on any event of Default, other than non-receipt from Synergy of its monthly Interest payments outlined in Clause 2 above or principal payments outlined in Section 13 below, unless Knight triggers an event of default on its own loan facility. Other events of default which can only be triggered after a notice of default has been sent to Synergy from Knight, are as follows:

  (a) Falling below the minimum quarterly adjusted EBITDA amount of $1.25M starting in 01-24, shall trigger an event of default
  (b) Failing to maintain a minimum trailing 12 months revenues for the Focus Factor brand of $30M USD, shall trigger an event of default
  (c) Either Synergy or Jack Ross is in default of any provision with respect to any indebtedness of Synergy, including, without limitation, the Knight Therapeutics Inc (“Knight”) loan agreement or any extension, amendment or modification thereof (assuming that the defaults under the Sanders note, Sanders Group note and Knight note are cured pursuant to the amendments contemplated by the parties).
11. Documentation:

This agreement is binding and supersedes all other prior agreements or arrangements or negotiations pertaining thereto, whether written or oral, up to the date of this agreement on any of the parties hereto and shall be subject to the execution and delivery of this binding agreement. This binding agreement shall act as the amendment to the Loan Agreement, which amendment shall include a provision waiving all prior defaults.

 

A-4

 

 

12. Sanders & Sanders Group acknowledgement

Sanders and Sanders group acknowledges this binding agreement replaces all prior defaults and is meant to Augment the loan agreements

13. Principal Repayment Schedule

Principal repayments will be made by Synergy to the Sanders and Sander group on a pro-rata basis based on the following dates and corresponding amounts (See updated Schedule “A” for principal repayment schedule details)

    - March 31, 2025 - $1,000,000 USD
    - June 30, 2025 - $1,000,000 USD
    - September 30, 2025 - $1,000,000 USD
    - December 31, 2025 - $1,000,000 USD
    - March 31 2026 - $5,294,165 USD
14. Incentive Fee As an incentive to the noteholders for extending the maturity date and loan renegotiation fee, Synergy shall pay a one-time fee which will be prorated over the term of this agreement (24 months). The one-time fee will be to a maximum of Five hundred sixty-three thousand ninety-two dollars ($563,092) USD. By way of example and for clarity, if the loan to the noteholders is paid off in 10 months, the incentive fee will be calculated as (10/24 x $563,092) and shall be allocated to the noteholders based on their respective outstanding principal balances at the time such fee is paid.

15. Additional Warrants

To the extent that the Principal Amount plus Loan Renegotiation Fee and any outstanding interest thereon on the Sanders Group notes (as set forth on Schedule “A”) is not repaid in full by December 31, 2024, Jack Ross shall personally grant: Warrants, struck at $.01 pennyper share, covering 10% of his stock. The warrant issuance shall be made to the holders of the Sanders Group notes (ratably) in the same manner as the manner in which the Loan Renegotiation Fee is allocation on Schedule “A”. For clarity, the only event which shall trigger these additional warrants to be issued, is the non-repayment of the Principal Amount and Loan Renegotiation Fee on or before December 31, 2024.

 

A-5

 

 

Omitted Exhibits and Schedules*

 

Schedule A – Synergy CHC Corp., Principal Repayment Total by Period

 

*The listed schedule has been omitted from this Exhibit 10.37 pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. Synergy CHC Corp. hereby undertakes to furnish supplementally copies of any of the omitted schedules upon request by the SEC.

 

 

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Exhibit 10.38

 

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

 

This Indemnification Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of            , 2024 between Synergy CHC Corp., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and ____________ (“Indemnitee”).

 

WITNESSETH THAT:

 

WHEREAS, highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve corporations as directors, officers or in other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance or adequate indemnification against inordinate risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of the corporation;

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that, in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its subsidiaries from certain liabilities. Although the furnishing of such insurance has been a customary and widespread practice among United States-based corporations and other business enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market conditions and trends, such insurance may be available to it in the future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions. At the same time, directors, officers, and other persons in service to corporations or business enterprises are being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the Company or business enterprise itself. Chapter 78 of the Nevada Revised Statutes (the “NRS”) and the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company (the “Articles”) authorize indemnification of the directors, officers, employees, fiduciaries and agents of the Company. The Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (the “Bylaws”) provide that the Company will indemnify the directors and officers of the Company. The NRS expressly provides that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and persons acting on behalf of the Company with respect to indemnification;

 

WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to such insurance and to indemnification have increased the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons;

 

WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company’s stockholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the future;

 

WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so indemnified;

 

WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of any indemnification provisions in the Articles and/or the Bylaws of the Company and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder; and

 

WHEREAS, Indemnitee does not regard the protection available under the NRS, the Bylaws and insurance as adequate in the present circumstances, and may not be willing to serve as an officer or a director without adequate protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve in such capacity. Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to take on additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that he or she be so indemnified.

 

 

 

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of Indemnitee’s agreement to serve as an officer and/or a director from and after the date of this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1. Indemnity of Indemnitee. The Company hereby agrees to hold harmless and indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law, as such may be amended from time to time. In furtherance of the foregoing indemnification, and without limiting the generality thereof.

 

(a) Proceedings Other Than Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. Indemnitee shall be entitled to the rights of indemnification provided in this Section l(a) if, by reason of his or her Corporate Status (as hereinafter defined), Indemnitee was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a party, to any Proceeding (as hereinafter defined) other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company. Pursuant to this Section 1(a), the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses (as hereinafter defined), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or her, or on his or her behalf, in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee either (i) is not liable pursuant to NRS 78.138 or (ii) acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and with respect to any criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.

 

(b) Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. Indemnitee shall be entitled to the rights of indemnification provided in this Section 1(b) if, by reason of his or her Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding brought by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 1(b), the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee, or on Indemnitee’s behalf, in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matters therein, if Indemnitee either (i) is not liable pursuant to NRS 78.138 or (ii) acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company; provided, however, if applicable law so provides, no indemnification against such Expenses or other amounts shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction, after exhaustion of all appeals therefrom, to be liable to the Company or for amounts paid in settlement to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the court in which the Proceeding was brought or other court of competent jurisdiction shall determine that in view of all the circumstances in the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses as the court deems proper.

 

(c) Termination of Proceeding. The termination of any Proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create an inference or presumption either that Indemnitee is liable pursuant to NRS 78.138, that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, or, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that the conduct was unlawful. The Company acknowledges that such a resolution, short of final judgment, may be successful on the merits if it permits a party to avoid expense, delay, distraction, disruption and uncertainty. In the event that any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party is resolved in any manner other than by adverse judgment against Indemnitee (including, without limitation, settlement of such Proceeding with or without payment of money or other consideration) it shall be presumed that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in such Proceeding. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence.

 

(d) Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his or her Corporate Status, a party to and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the maximum extent permitted by law, as such may be amended from time to time, against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her on his or her behalf in connection with the defense of the Proceeding. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her, or on his or her behalf, in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. For purposes of this Section and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.

 

2. Additional Indemnity. In addition to, and without regard to any limitations on, the indemnification provided for in Section 1 of this Agreement, the Company shall and hereby does indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by law, as may be amended from time to time, against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or her, or on his or her behalf, if, by reason of his or her Corporate Status, he or she was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a party, to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company), including, without limitation, all liability arising out of the simple or gross negligence, recklessness, or active or passive wrongdoing of Indemnitee. The only limitation that shall exist upon the Company’s obligations pursuant to this Agreement shall be that the Company shall not be obligated to make any payment to Indemnitee that is finally determined (under the procedures, and subject to the presumptions, set forth in Section 6 and Section 7 hereof) to be unlawful.

 

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3. Contribution.

 

(a) Whether or not the indemnification provided in Section 1 and Section 2 hereof is available, in respect of any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), the Company shall pay the entire amount of any judgment or settlement of such Proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have against Indemnitee. The Company shall not enter into any settlement of any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding) unless such settlement provides for a full and final release of all claims asserted against Indemnitee.

 

(b) Without diminishing or impairing the obligations of the Company set forth in the preceding subparagraph, if, for any reason, Indemnitee shall elect or be required to pay all or any portion of any judgment or settlement in any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), the Company shall contribute to the amount of Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred and paid or payable by Indemnitee in proportion to the relative benefits received by the Company and all officers, directors or employees of the Company, other than Indemnitee, who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, from the transaction from which such Proceeding arose; provided, however, that the proportion determined on the basis of relative benefit may, to the extent necessary to conform to law, be further adjusted by reference to the relative fault of the Company and all officers, directors or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, in connection with the events that resulted in such expenses, judgments, fines or settlement amounts, as well as any other equitable considerations which applicable law may require to be considered. The relative fault of the Company and all officers, directors or employees of the Company, other than Indemnitee, who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, the degree to which their actions were motivated by intent to gain personal profit or advantage, the degree to which their liability is primary or secondary and the degree to which their conduct is active or passive.

 

(c) The Company hereby agrees to fully indemnify and hold Indemnitee harmless from any claims of contribution which may be brought by officers, directors, or employees of the Company, other than Indemnitee, who may be jointly liable with Indemnitee.

 

(d) To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving cause to such Proceeding and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or transaction(s).

 

(e) The Company hereby acknowledges that Indemnitee may have rights to indemnification for payment of the judgment or settlement amount provided by another entity (“Other Indemnitor(s)”). The Company agrees with Indemnitee that the Company is the indemnitor of first resort of Indemnitee with respect to matters for which indemnification is provided under this Agreement and that the Company will be obligated to make all payments due to or for the benefit of Indemnitee under this agreement without regard to any rights that Indemnitee may have against the Other Indemnitor(s). The Company hereby waives any equitable rights to contribution or indemnification from the Other Indemnitor in respect of any amounts paid to Indemnitee hereunder until such time as the Indemnitee has been fully and finally indemnified. The Company further agrees that no payment of Expenses or losses by the Other Indemnitor(s) to or for the benefit of Indemnitee shall affect the obligations of the Company hereunder.

 

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4. Indemnification for Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee, by reason of his or her Corporate Status, is a witness, or is made (or asked) to respond to discovery requests or otherwise asked to participate in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her, or on his or her behalf, in connection therewith.

 

5. Advancement of Expenses. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company shall advance all Expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with defending any Proceeding within thirty (30) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements from Indemnitee requesting such advance or advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of such Proceeding. Such statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee and Indemnitee shall also submit a written undertaking to repay any Expenses advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company against such Expenses. Any advances and undertakings to repay pursuant to this Section 5 shall be unsecured and interest free. In furtherance of the foregoing, Indemnitee hereby undertakes to repay such amounts advanced if, and to the extent that, it shall ultimately be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

 

6. Procedures and Presumptions for Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification. It is the intent of this Agreement to secure for Indemnitee rights of indemnity that are as favorable as may be permitted under the NRS and public policy of the State of Nevada. Accordingly, the parties agree that the following procedures and presumptions shall apply in the event of any question as to whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement:

 

(a) To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification. The Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any failure of Indemnitee to provide such a request to the Company, or to provide such a request in a timely fashion, shall not relieve the Company of any liability that it may have to Indemnitee unless, and to the extent that, the Company is actually and materially prejudiced as a result of such failure.

 

(b) Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of Section 6(a) hereof, a determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case by one of the following three methods, which shall be at the election of the Board (i) by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors (as defined below), (ii) if a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors so orders, or if a quorum of Disinterested Directors cannot be obtained, by Independent Counsel (as defined below) in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee, or (iii) by the stockholders of the Company.

 

(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, if a request for indemnification is made after a Change in Control, at the election of Indemnitee made in writing to the Company, and if the Board by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors orders the determination of Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification to be made by an Independent Counsel, or if a quorum of Disinterested Directors cannot be obtained, any determination required to be made pursuant to Section 6(b) above as to whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall be made by Independent Counsel selected as provided in this Section 6(c). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee, unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Board. The party making the selection shall give written notice to the other party advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. The party receiving such notice may, within seven (7) days after such written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the other party a written objection to such selection. Such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 13 hereof, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If a written objection is made, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until a court has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20) days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected (or, if selected, such selection shall have been objected to) in accordance with this paragraph, then either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the courts of the State of Nevada or other court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the court or by such other person as the court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom an objection is favorably resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 6(c) hereof. The Company shall pay any and all reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel incurred by such Independent Counsel in connection with acting pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof. The Company shall pay any and all reasonable and necessary fees and expenses incident to the procedures of this Section 6(c), regardless of the manner in which such Independent Counsel was selected or appointed.

 

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(d) If the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 6(d). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board. Indemnitee may, within ten (10) days after such written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 13 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If a written objection is made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20) days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected (or, if selected, such selection shall have been objected to) in accordance with this paragraph, then either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the appropriate courts of the State of Nevada or other court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by Indemnitee to the Company’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the court or by such other person as the court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom an objection is favorably resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 6(b) hereof. The Company shall pay any and all reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel in connection with acting pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof, and the Company shall pay any and all reasonable fees and expenses incident to the procedures of this Section 6(d), regardless of the manner in which such Independent Counsel was selected or appointed.

 

(e) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person or persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. Neither the failure of the Company (including by its directors or independent legal counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by its directors or independent legal counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

 

(f) Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise (as hereinafter defined), including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Enterprise. In addition, the knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement. Whether or not the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(f) are satisfied, it shall in any event be presumed that Indemnitee has at all times acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. The Company will promptly advise Indemnitee in writing with respect to any determination that Indemnitee is or is not entitled to indemnification, including a description of any reason or basis for which indemnification has been denied.

 

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(g) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, if the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 6 to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have been appointed or shall not have made a determination within sixty (60) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, unless the Company establishes by written opinion of Independent Counsel that (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that such sixty (60) day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional thirty (30) days, if the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time to obtain or evaluate documentation and/or information relating thereto; and provided, further, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(g) shall not apply if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by the stockholders pursuant to Section 6(b) of this Agreement and if (A) within fifteen (15) days after receipt by the Company of the request for such determination, the Disinterested Directors resolve as required by Section 6(b)(iii) of this Agreement to submit such determination to the stockholders for their consideration at an annual meeting thereof to be held within seventy five (75) days after such receipt and such determination is made thereat, or (B) a special meeting of stockholders is called within fifteen (15) days after such receipt for the purpose of making such determination, such meeting is held for such purpose within sixty (60) days after having been so called and such determination is made thereat.

 

(h) Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any Independent Counsel or member of the Board or stockholder of the Company shall act reasonably and in good faith in making a determination regarding Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement. Any costs or expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.

 

7. Remedies of Indemnitee.

 

(a) In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 6 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 5 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification is made pursuant to Section 6(b) or Section 6(c) of this Agreement within sixty (60) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, or such longer period, not to exceed an additional thirty (30) days, to which the period may be extended pursuant to Section 6(g), (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor or (v) payment of indemnification is not made within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or such determination is deemed to have been made pursuant to Section 6 of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication of Indemnitee’s entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of expenses either, at Indemnitee’s sole option, in (1) an appropriate court of the State of Nevada, or any other court of competent jurisdiction or (2) an arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator, selected by mutual agreement of the Company and Indemnitee, pursuant to the rules of the American Arbitration Association. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication.

 

(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(b) or Section 6(c) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, (i) any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7 shall be conducted in all respects de novo on the merits, and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of any adverse determination under Section 6(b) or Section 6(c); and (ii) in any such judicial proceeding or arbitration, the Company shall have the burden of proving that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement.

 

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(c) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(b) or Section 6(c), or shall have been deemed to have been made pursuant to Section 6(g), of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be obligated to pay the amounts constituting such indemnification within five (5) days after such determination has been made or has been deemed to have been made and shall be conclusively bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section 7, unless the Company establishes by written opinion of Independent Counsel that (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s misstatement not materially misleading in connection with the request for indemnification or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.

 

(d) In the event that Indemnitee, pursuant to this Section 7, seeks a judicial adjudication of, or an award in arbitration to enforce, his or her rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement, or to recover under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, the Company shall pay to him or her, or on his or her behalf, in advance, and shall indemnify him or her against, any and all expenses (of the types described in the definition of Expenses in Section 13 of this Agreement) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in such judicial adjudication or arbitration, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, advancement of expenses or insurance recovery.

 

(e) The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against any and all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefore) advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, such expenses to Indemnitee, which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action brought by Indemnitee for indemnification or advance of Expenses from the Company under this Agreement or under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, advancement of Expenses or insurance recovery, as the case may be.

 

8. Non-Exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Subrogation.

 

(a) The rights of indemnification and advancement of expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of, and shall be in addition to, any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Articles or the Bylaws of the Company, any agreement, a vote of stockholders, a resolution of directors of the Company, or otherwise, and nothing in this Agreement shall diminish or otherwise restrict Indemnitee’s rights to indemnification or advancement of expenses under any of the foregoing. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his or her Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in the NRS, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification than would be afforded currently under the Articles, the Bylaws and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change and Indemnitee shall be deemed to have such greater benefits hereunder. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy. The Company shall not adopt any amendments to its Articles or Bylaws, the effect of which would be to deny, diminish or encumber Indemnitee’s right to indemnification or advancement of expenses under this Agreement, any other agreement or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the Indemnitee.

 

(b) The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain and maintain in effect one or more policies of insurance with reputable insurance companies to provide the officers/directors of the Company with coverage for losses from wrongful acts and omissions and to ensure the Company’s performance of its indemnification obligations under this Agreement. The Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director or officer under such policy or policies. In all such insurance policies, the Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide the Indemnitee with the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company’s directors and officers.

 

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(c) In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights (with all of Indemnitee’s reasonable expenses, including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and charges, related thereto to be reimbursed by or, at the option of Indemnitee, advanced by the Company).

 

(d) The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.

 

(e) The Company’s obligation to indemnify or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification or advancement of expenses from such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise.

 

9. Exception to Right of Indemnification. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnity in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee:

 

(a) for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision; or

 

(b) for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law; or

(c) for any reimbursement of the Company by Indemnitee of any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation or of any profits realized by Indemnitee from the sale of securities of the Company, as required in each case under the Exchange Act (including any such reimbursements that arise from an accounting restatement of the Company pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), or the payment to the Company of profits arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 306 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act); or

 

(d) for any reimbursement of the Company by Indemnitee of any compensation pursuant to any compensation recoupment or clawback policy adopted by the Board or the compensation committee of the Board, including but not limited to any such policy adopted to comply with stock exchange listing requirements implementing Section 10D of the Exchange Act; or

 

(e) in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company (other than to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement) or its directors, officers, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board of the Company authorized the Proceeding (or such part of the Proceeding) prior to its initiation, or (ii) the Company indemnifies Indemnitee, in its sole discretion, independently of this Agreement pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law.

 

10. Retroactive Effect; Duration of Agreement; Successors and Binding Agreement. All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall be deemed to have become effective upon the date Indemnitee first had Corporate Status; shall continue during the period Indemnitee has Corporate Status; and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee may be subject to any Proceeding (or any action commenced under Section 7 hereof) by reason of his or her Corporate Status, whether or not he or she is acting or serving in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification can be provided under this Agreement. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation, reorganization or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company), assigns, spouses, heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives. The Company shall require any such successor to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company, by agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee and his or her counsel, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place. Except as otherwise set forth in this Section 10, this Agreement shall not be assignable or delegable by the Company.

 

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11. Security. To the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Board of the Company, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral. Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of Indemnitee.

 

12. Enforcement.

 

(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumes the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve, or continue to serve, as an officer or a director of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving or continuing to serve as an officer or a director of the Company.

 

(b) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

13. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement:

 

(a) “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:

 

(i) Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Other than Jack Ross and Knight Therapeutics (Barbados) Inc., any Person (as defined below) is or becomes the “beneficial owner” as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act (a “Beneficial Owner”), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifteen percent (15%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, unless (1) the change in the relative Beneficial Ownership of the Company’s securities by any Person results solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, or (2) such acquisition was approved in advance by the Continuing Directors (as defined below) and such acquisition would not constitute a Change in Control under part (iii) of this definition;

 

(ii) Change in Board of Directors. Individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board, and any new director whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors on the date hereof or whose election for nomination for election was previously so approved (collectively, the “Continuing Directors”), cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board;

 

(iii) Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, involving the Company and one or more businesses or assets (a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination: (1) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 51% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a corporation which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more Subsidiaries (as defined below)) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Business Combination, of the securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; (2) other than the Sponsor or an affiliate thereof, no Person (excluding any corporation resulting from such Business Combination) is the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the surviving corporation except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination; and (3) at least a majority of the Board of Directors of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination were Continuing Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board of Directors, providing for such Business Combination;

 

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(iv) Liquidation. The approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement or series of agreements for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than factoring the Company’s current receivables or escrows due (or, if such stockholder approval is not required, the decision by the Board to proceed with such a liquidation, sale, or disposition in one transaction or a series of related transactions); or

 

(v) Other Events. There occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or any successor rule) (or a response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act, whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement.

 

(b) “Corporate Status” means the fact that a person is or was a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.

 

(c) “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.

 

(d) “Enterprise” shall mean the Company, and any other corporation, constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger to which the Company (or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries) is a party, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that Indemnitee is or was serving at the express written request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, employee, agent or fiduciary.

 

(e) “Expenses” shall include all reasonable attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts and other professionals, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, ERISA excise taxes and penalties, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred or actually incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, participating, or being or preparing to be a witness in a Proceeding, or responding to, or objecting to, a request to provide discovery in a Proceeding. Expenses also shall include Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including, without limitation, the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersede as bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent. Should any payments by the Company to or for the account of Indemnitee under this Agreement be determined to be subject to any federal, state or local income or excise tax, Expenses shall also include such amounts as are necessary to place Indemnitee in the same after-tax position (after giving effect to all applicable taxes) Indemnitee would have been in had no such tax been determined to apply to those payments. The parties agree that for the purposes of any advancement of Expenses for which Indemnitee has made written demand to the Company in accordance with this Agreement, all Expenses included in such demand that are certified by affidavit of Indemnitee’s counsel as being reasonable in the good faith judgment of such counsel shall be presumed conclusively to be reasonable. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.

 

(f) “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five (5) years has been, retained to represent (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify such counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.

 

(g) “Person” shall have the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act as in effect on the date hereof; provided, however, that “Person” shall exclude: (i) the Company; (ii) any Subsidiaries (as defined below) of the Company; (iii) any employment benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company; and (iv) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of a corporation owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company.

 

(h) “Proceeding” includes any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, claim, counterclaim, cross claim, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought by or in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether civil, criminal, administrative, legislative or investigative (formal or informal); in each case whether or not Indemnitee’s Corporate Status existed at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification can be provided under this Agreement; including one pending on or before the date of this Agreement, but excluding one initiated by an Indemnitee pursuant to Section 7 of this Agreement to enforce his or her rights under this Agreement.

 

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(i) “Subsidiary,” with respect to any Person, shall mean any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by that Person.

 

14. Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision hereof shall in no way affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this Agreement is intended to confer upon Indemnitee indemnification rights to the fullest extent permitted by applicable laws. In the event any provision hereof conflicts with any applicable law, such provision shall be deemed modified, consistent with the aforementioned intent, to the extent necessary to resolve such conflict.

 

15. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification, termination or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.

 

16. Notice by Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing upon being served with or otherwise receiving any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification covered hereunder. The failure to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement unless, and only to the extent that, the Company is actually and materially prejudiced as a result of such delay or failure.

 

17. Notices. All notices and other communications given or made pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed effectively given (a) upon personal delivery to the party to be notified, (b) when sent by confirmed facsimile, or (c) upon delivery when sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier, specifying next day delivery, with written verification of receipt. All communications shall be sent:

 

(a) To Indemnitee at the address set forth below Indemnitee’s signature hereto.

 

(b) To the Company at:

    Synergy CHC Corp.
    865 Spring Street
    Westbrook, Maine 04092

 

or to such other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company or to the Company by Indemnitee, as the case may be.

 

18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two (2) or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same the same instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

 

19. Headings. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.

 

20. Successors and Assigns. The terms of this Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company) and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s spouse, assigns, heirs, devisees, executors, administrators and other legal representatives.

 

21. Governing Law and Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Nevada, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. The Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement (other than an arbitration pursuant to Section 7 hereof) shall be brought only in the Eighth Judicial District Court of Clark County (the “Nevada Court”), and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country, (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Nevada Court for purposes of such action or proceeding, (iii) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Nevada Court, and (iv) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Nevada Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum.

 

22. Waiver of Claims to Trust Account. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, Indemnitee hereby agrees that it does not have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind (each, a “Claim”) in or to any monies in the trust account established in connection with the Company’s initial public offering for the benefit of the Company and holders of shares issued in such offering, and hereby waives any Claim it may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to the Company and will not seek recourse against such trust account for any reason whatsoever.

 

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on and as of the day and year first above written.

 

  COMPANY
   
  SYNERGY CHC CORP.
   
  By:                  
  Name:   
  Title:  

 

  INDEMNITEE
   
   
  Name:  
  Address:            
     
     

 

[Signature Page to Indemnification Agreement]

 

 

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Exhibit 14.1

 

Synergy CHC Corp.

 

CODE OF BUSINESS ETHICS AND CONDUCT

 

(Effective as of    , 2024)

 

Introduction

 

Consistent ethical business conduct by all Directors, employees, agents, consultants, contractors and business partners is critical to the preservation and enhancement of the business reputation of Synergy CHC Corp., and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, hereafter referred to as the “Company”, conducting business currently in the United States and Canada.

 

Contained within this code of business ethics and conduct, hereafter referred to as the “Code”, are fundamental values and principles that are nonnegotiable. These include, but are not limited to:

 

Respect for:

 

one another,

 

our shareholders, and

 

the environment,

 

and a commitment to:

 

the health and safety of employees, contractors, and the communities in which we work and live.

 

Employees are expected to accept certain responsibilities, adhere to acceptable legal business principles and exhibit a high degree of personal integrity at all times. Employees are expected to refrain from actions that might be harmful to themselves, co-workers, our business associates or the Company. The intent of the Code is not to place unreasonable restrictions on personal actions, but to set out the minimum standards of conduct expected as an employee of the Company.

 

The Company requires all employees to conduct themselves in accordance with the Code and will hold all employees accountable for their conduct. Those who engage in any conduct contrary to the Code may be terminated summarily for just cause.

 

Fundamental Principles

 

The Code will describe the minimum standards of business conduct that the Company expects from every employee at every level of responsibility and to the extent feasible and applicable, to our agents, consultants, contractors and business partners. Furthermore, these principles will apply to every part of the Company, whether operating domestically or internationally.

 

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Section 1.

 

1.0 Definitions

 

Employee

 

For the purposes of the Code, employee will be defined as all directors, officers, and employees, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions for the Company.

 

Company

 

For the purposes of the Code, the Company will be defined as Synergy CHC Corp., and all of its wholly owned subsidiaries conducting business currently in the United States and Canada.

 

Company Resources

 

Company resources include Company time, materials, supplies, equipment, information, intellectual property, electronic mail and computer systems.

 

Compliance Officer

 

Shall be defined as the acting chair of the Corporate Governance Committee.

 

Gifts and Hospitality

 

In the Code the term(s) “gifts and hospitality” shall include, but will not be limited to such items as meals, beverages, and invitations to social or recreational outings, accommodation, and travel.

 

Insider Trading

 

For the purposes of the Code, insider trading will be defined as the illegal buying or selling of the Company’s securities on the basis of Material Information that is Nonpublic.

 

Material Information

 

Information about the Company is “material” if it would be expected to affect the investment or voting decisions of a reasonable shareholder or investor, or if the disclosure of the information would be expected to alter significantly the total mix of information in the marketplace about the Company. Examples of material information include, but are not limited to:

 

Financial performance and significant changes in financial performance or liquidity.

 

Potential material mergers and acquisitions or material sales of Company assets or subsidiaries.

 

Stock splits, public or private securities/debt offerings, or changes in Company dividend policies or amounts.

 

Significant changes in senior management.

 

New major contracts or customers, or the loss of a major customer.

 

Initiation of a significant lawsuit.

 

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Nonpublic Information

 

Material information is “nonpublic” if it has not been widely disseminated to the public, for example, through major newswire services, national news services, Web casts or financial news services. For the purposes of the Code, information will be considered public, i.e., no longer “nonpublic,” at the opening of trading on the third full trading day following the Company’s widespread public release of the information.

 

Proprietary Confidential Information (PCI)

 

PCI includes, but is not limited to: any information, know-how, patent, copyright, Intangible Property, trade secret, process, technique, program, design or formula; any marketing, advertising, financial, commercial, sales or programming matter; any customer or supplier lists or pricing information; any confidential personal information of customers, suppliers or any other parties to whom the Company has obligations of confidentiality; any budget, plan, model or analysis; any written materials, compositions, drawings, diagrams, computer programs, studies, work in progress, visual demonstrations, ideas or concepts; any other PCI including the terms and conditions of any completed or potential transaction; and any of the forgoing derived in whole or in part from PCI whether in oral, written, graphic, electronic, or any other form or medium whatsoever, of the Company or relating to the Company that may be disclosed to, or in the possession of, the employee in connection with employment with the Company.

 

Intellectual Property

 

Intellectual property includes: computer software programs, technical processes, inventions, research devices, reports or articles containing any form of unique or original innovation or development, whether or not protected by patent, trademark, copyright, or otherwise.

 

Intellectual property that has been created or developed by any employee in the course of employment is the sole property of the Company.

 

Section 2.

 

2.0 Compliance with Laws

 

Employees, and where applicable agents, consultants, contractors and business partners are required to perform their duties on behalf of the Company in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and with Company policies and procedures that are designed to facilitate compliance. This obligation includes, but is not limited to, compliance with all relevant laws regarding health and safety, fraud, kickbacks, referral fees, false claims, commercial bribery, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets, information privacy, insider trading, illegal political contributions, antitrust, foreign corrupt practices, employment discrimination or harassment, false or misleading financial information, and misuse of Company assets.

 

The Company’s Compliance Officer and the Company’s General Legal Counsel are available to provide advice and guidance on compliance with applicable laws.

 

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Section 3.

 

3.0 Conflict of Interest

 

Definition

 

Any position, circumstance, or situation where an employee’s personal interest conflicts, is perceived to conflict, or could potentially conflict, in any way with the interests of the Company.

 

Guiding Principles for avoiding Conflict of Interest

 

Business decisions must be based on merit ensuring that the best interest of the Company is kept primary.

 

Whether direct or indirect, there shall be no personal advantage derived from having made a business decision on behalf of the Company.

 

Situations that may result in, or may be perceived to result in, a conflict of interest between an employee’s personal interest and those of the Company should be summarily avoided.

 

Abstain from any decision or situation that may influence a decision related to the Company that could result in any real or perceived financial or other advantage for an employee, his or her family members, or friends.

 

In most instances, common sense and integrity will identify the best course of action, however, should there be a circumstance, situation or position that causes even the slightest doubt on course to the decision to be made, err on the side of caution and refer the circumstance, situation or position to the Company compliance officer.

 

Declaring Actual, Perceived, or Potential Conflict of Interest Process

 

The responsibility to declare any actual, perceived or potential conflict of interest must be submitted in writing, to the department manager or the Company Compliance Officer, by the employee(s) involved. If in doubt about any circumstance, situation or position it is recommended that a form be completed and provided to the manager of the department, or the Company Compliance Officer to assist in determining the appropriate course of action.

 

3.1 Political Participation

 

As a private citizen, an employee may participate in levels of recognized political activity during non-working hours provided these obligations do not conflict or negatively impact an employee’s duties and responsibilities as an employee of the Company. Participation must always be kept separate from the association with the Company.

 

Prior to participating as a candidate in a federal, state, provincial, or municipal election, an employee must notify his immediate supervisor in writing, no less than two (2) months prior to any election. An employee may be requested to apply for an unprotected leave of absence from his job without pay as a result.

 

It will be considered a violation of the Code should an employee use any supplies, facilities, tools, or other Company assets to support political activities.

 

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3.2 Non-Profit and Professional Organizations

 

The Company recognizes that employees may have an interest in contributing in a positive way to non-profit and professional organizations through active participation in a wide variety of organizations. However, this participation must not at any time, interfere with individual performance of job duties during working hours.

 

For those employees wishing to participate in non-profit or professional organizations the employee’s immediate supervisor must pre-approve such participation.

 

Should an employee be afforded the opportunity to act as a spokesperson for any organization, professional or otherwise, it must be made clear that the employee is speaking on behalf of that organization, or himself, but not as a spokesperson, agent, or representative of the Company.

 

3.3 Outside Business Activities

 

Acting in a Director or Officer Capacity of an Organization

 

You may not act in the capacity of a Director or Officer of an organization that:

 

Competes directly or indirectly with the Company

 

Purchases goods or services from the Company

 

Supplies goods or services to the Company

 

Exceptions to section 3.3 of the Code must have written pre-approval from the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

Services performed for another organization

 

Employees may choose to provide services for compensation to additional organizations during non-working hours of the Company as they desire.

 

However,

 

Prior to providing said services for an organization other than the Company, you must obtain written approval from the Company Compliance Officer and your immediate supervisor if the services to be provided conflict, appear to conflict, or may conflict in the future with your ability to perform your duties as an employee of the Company.

 

The approval process is initiated by the employee by completing the appropriate request for approval form, and submitting this to their immediate supervisor.

 

Immediate supervisors will then be responsible to provide appropriate comments where required and to submit the completed form to the Company Compliance Officer.

 

Failure by an employee to disclose information pertaining to the provision of services to another organization that conflicts, appears to conflict, or may conflict in the future, with an employees’ ability to perform their duties as an employee of the Company will not be an acceptable excuse for failing to meet minimum performance standards of their job duties.

 

Set out below is a list of rules to be considered by those employees wishing to provide services to another organization.

 

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The absence of a specific rule in this list shall not be considered as a rule condonable by the Company on the premise that it was not identified in this list.

 

Never:

 

Perform services for the other organization during Company work hours.

 

Permit customers or colleagues from the other organization to contact you at the Company.

 

Use any Company resources, supplies, facilities, tools, personnel, or intellectual property in the course of providing service to the other organization.

 

Participate in an organization that offers products and/or services that could be perceived as competing for business with the Company.

 

Perform services for a supplier of the Company.

 

Sell products or services of a supplier of the Company.

 

Perform services that currently or in future, may have the potential to provide current or future competitors with a competitive advantage over the Company.

 

Promote the products and/or services of the other organization during your working hours at the Company.

 

Perform services for an organization that competes with the Company.

 

Perform services for an organization currently providing services for the Company or any competitors of the organization.

 

Participate in or in any way influence the Company’s decisions to purchase goods and/or services that relate to an employment interest or business interest that may benefit an employee directly or indirectly.

 

Perform services for an organization that would by definition result in a conflict of interest as defined by the Code.

 

3.4 Financial Interest

 

Employees and their families, (families will include spouse, children, or spouse equivalent residing together as a family) shall not own, control or direct a material financial interest (greater than 5%) in a contractor, competitor, supplier, or in any business enterprise which currently or in future may, conduct business with the Company.

 

This would include those situations when, although an employee of the Company may not directly hold the investment, the employee does have the ability to control or direct the investment.

 

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Section 4.

 

4.0 Business Gifts and Hospitality

 

Employees must be judicious in the offering or acceptance of gifts and/or hospitality to or from a person or entity with which the Company currently does or seeks to do business in the future.

 

Accepting gifts and/or hospitality may compromise or appear to compromise an employees’ ability to make business decisions that are in the best interest of the Company. However, on occasion, it may be acceptable to give or receive a business related gift or hospitality when there is a business benefit to the Company.

 

Employees must consult their immediate supervisor, the department manager or the Company Compliance Officer for advice on the appropriateness of accepting or offering gifts and/or hospitality.

 

Gifts having a monetary value such as cash, gift certificates, loans, services, and discounts are not permitted. Gifts such as unsolicited advertising mementos of nominal value would generally be acceptable. Depending on the circumstances, unacceptable gifts should be returned with thanks and clarification of the Code.

 

These requirements do not change during traditional gift-giving seasons.

 

4.1 Accepting/Offering Gifts or Hospitality

 

General Guideline

 

Prior to offering or accepting anything from a person or entity with which the Company currently does or seeks to do business with in the future, the employee should ask himself:

 

Is the value of the item nominal, e.g. a pen or a fridge magnet?

 

What will the business benefit be to the Company versus the employee?

 

Is the value and the reason for the gift or hospitality appropriate considering the situation, the people involved, and the employee’s role or function within the Company?

 

Could it compromise or be perceived to compromise the employee’s ability to make a decision in the best interest of the Company?

 

Would the employee be uncomfortable discussing the situation with his immediate supervisor, peers, or family?

 

Could this be considered to be a form of bribe or kickback?

 

For all situations regarding the offering of gifts and hospitality on behalf of the Company, employees at all levels must receive appropriate approval prior to the provision of said gifts and/or hospitality. An employee should consult his immediate supervisor, department manager or the Company Compliance Officer.

 

Never offer, ask for, or receive:

 

Any form of bribe, kickback or any other form of monetary or material gift or hospitality that may be perceived to be a bribe or kickback.

 

Any gift, gratuity, entertainment, hospitality, or any other benefit that may compromise or be perceived to compromise the ability to make business decisions in the best interest of the Company.

 

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Section 5.

 

5.0 Proprietary Confidential Information (PCI)

 

Employees are responsible to the Company to ensure maximum effort is afforded in keeping PCI confidential. This effort is necessary to:

 

Safeguard assets.

 

Preserve the privacy of employees, customers, suppliers and business partners.

 

Comply with all legal, regulatory, or applicable contractual obligations.

 

Ensure the Company’s competitive advantage.

 

Safeguard intellectual property of the Company.

 

5.1 Employee Responsibilities

 

It is every employee’s responsibility to know what PCI must remain in confidence. Should an employee question whether certain PCI would be classified as confidential, he is encouraged to discuss the PCI with his immediate supervisor, or the manager of the department prior to the disclosure of the PCI.

 

Do not disclose PCI, except where required by law.

 

Do not disclose PCI to others including colleagues or other current or previous employees of the Company, except as required for current employees to carry out their job duties.

 

Make every effort to protect PCI against theft, loss, destruction, misuse, or unauthorized access.

 

Comply with applicable insider-trading laws and regulations that govern the use of certain PCI.

 

Comply with the terms and conditions as set out in any policies and procedures regarding company and confidential personal information.

 

Comply with the Company policies and procedures as related to the use of e-mail, and technology systems when storing and transmitting PCI.

 

An employee should advise his immediate supervisor, the department manager, or the Company Compliance Officer in the event that he is aware of any attempt to obtain or disclose PCI by/to unauthorized individuals.

 

5.2 Insider Trading

 

Securities laws explicitly prohibit any person in a special relationship with the Company from trading with knowledge of “material nonpublic information” or “insider information” which has not been generally disclosed. In addition, securities laws prohibit any person in a special relationship with the Company from informing another person of any “material non-public” or “insider” information which has not been generally disclosed.

 

Employees of the Company, and their immediate family members, will not trade in their personal account in any physical commodity or financial derivative of any physical or financial commodity related to those traded by the Company if that employee holds a position at the Company that would make them privy to detailed or inside information about the Company’s commodity trading activities.

 

8

 

 

5.3 Media

 

Employees contacted by the media, should refer the inquiry to their immediate supervisor who should in turn, contact the Director, Corporate Relations or General Counsel. Employees shall be cordial to the media, but should respectfully decline any questions. Refrain from confirming, denying or otherwise, information related to the Company with representatives from the media unless specifically directed to by the director, corporate relations. Never discuss PCI or matters involved with litigation.

 

5.4 Litigation

 

Employees are responsible to notify their immediate supervisor, department manager or the Company Compliance Officer of any subpoena, summons, complaint, court order, or any audit documents received by any federal, state or provincial agency governing the Company.

 

5.5 Purchasing

 

Employees involved in the purchase of goods and/or services must ensure:

 

All purchasing policies, procedures and applicable processes are followed for every purchasing transaction.

 

Purchasing decisions are made honestly and with integrity utilizing criteria that ensure competitive pricing, quality, quantity, delivery and service.

 

Purchasing decisions are not based on personal gain, prejudice, favoratism, or preferential treatment.

 

Any real or perceived purchasing decisions that may be questionable when considering the terms of the Code are disclosed to the employee’s immediate supervisor, department manager or the Company Compliance Officer.

 

Section 6.

 

6.0 Suppliers

 

Employees involved with external suppliers of goods and/or services must:

 

Treat all suppliers with the utmost respect, courtesy and professionalism.

 

Inform suppliers of the existence of, and the terms and conditions of the Code.

 

Deal with suppliers that observe the Code.

 

All supplier contracts contain a provision for the observation of the Code.

 

Take immediate action to address any concerns with suppliers as related to violations of the Code, or any other applicable law.

 

Inform their immediate supervisor, department manager or the Company Compliance Officer of any real or perceived violation of the Code as applicable to suppliers.

 

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Section 7.

 

7.0 Company Resources

 

General Principles

 

Employees engaged in the use of Company resources will be responsible to:

 

Protect the Company’s resources, use them appropriately, and for Company business only.

 

Protect the Company’s resources from theft and destruction whether through vandalism or neglect.

 

Protect the Company’s intellectual property, and PCI.

 

Never misuse Company resources entrusted to them.

 

7.1 Use of Company Resources

 

Company resources are generally to be used only in the course of carrying out job duties and for company-defined purposes.

 

7.2 Use of Internet, Voice mail and E-mail

 

The Company’s computer networks and information resources include our electronic mail and messaging systems and the public internet. The Company’s computer resources and networks are provided for company-related business purposes. Excessive personal use is inappropriate. Use of the Company’s computer resources to view, retrieve or send sexually-related or pornographic messages or material; violent or hate-related messages or material; bigoted, racist or other offensive messages or other messages or material related to illegal activities is strictly prohibited.

 

7.3 Use of the Company Name

 

Employees must not use their employment status to obtain personal gain from those doing or seeking to do business with the Company. Employees may not use the Company’s name or purchasing power to obtain personal discounts or rebates.

 

In protecting the Company’s resources, the Company will reserve the right to periodically monitor access and contents of the Company’s computer systems and networks. Employees should not assume they have any right to privacy of PCI residing on the Company’s computer resources.

 

Section 8.

 

8.0 Business Expenses

 

Certain employees may be required to travel for the purposes of conducting business on behalf of the Company. Employees who, in the course of their employment, incur business related expenses must keep the following in mind:

 

Exercise integrity, prudence, and sound business judgment in the expenses incurred.

 

Ensure the expenses are for the purposes of good and ethical business purposes and will enhance the business interests of the Company.

 

Ensure the expenses comply with any Company policies and procedures regarding travel and expenses.

 

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Section 9.

 

9.0 Finance, Accounting and Business Reporting

 

No false, artificial or misleading entries in the books, records and documents of the Company shall be made for any reason. No employee shall engage in any arrangement that results in prohibited acts. All reports filed by the Company shall be in accordance with applicable internal reporting practices, in addition to all applicable laws, regulations and statutes applicable to the filing of reports and the keeping of all books and records. Additionally, all disclosure will be full, fair, accurate, complete and understandable.

 

Section 10.

 

10.0 Fair Dealing

 

Employees must deal fairly with the Company’s customers, suppliers, competitors and employees. No one should take advantage of another through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts, or any other unfair dealing practices.

 

Employees must disclose prior to, or at their time of hire with the Company, the existence of any employment agreement, non-compete or non-solicitation agreement, confidentiality agreement or similar agreement with a former employer that in any way restricts or prohibits the performance of any duties or responsibilities of their positions with the Company. In no event shall an employee use any trade secrets, proprietary confidential information, personal confidential information or similar property, acquired in the course of his of her employment with another employer, in the performance of his of her duties for the Company.

 

10.1 Illegal Remuneration

 

The Company is committed to compliance with all laws, statutes, and regulations regarding illegal remuneration (kickbacks, bribes, and improper payments). The Company specifically prohibits employees from engaging in any fraudulent, deceptive or corrupt conduct toward the Company, its customers, suppliers, contractors, employees, representatives or anyone else with whom the Company has current of future business associations. Prohibited actions include kickbacks, inflated billing and offering, accepting or soliciting, directly or indirectly, of money, goods or services where the purpose of the action is to influence a person to act contrary to the interest of his of her own employer. Company employees may not ask for gifts or gratuities from customers or suppliers of the Company. No employee of the Company will ever offer or receive anything of value with the intent to influence or be influenced by any supplier, customer, government official, candidate, or holder of public office.

 

Section 11.

 

11.0 Employment Practices

 

The Company is committed to ensuring a work environment where employees are treated with dignity, fairness and respect. All employees have the right to work in an atmosphere that provides equal employment opportunities and is free of discriminatory practices and illegal harassment.

 

11.1 Diversity

 

The Company values the background, experience, perspectives and talents of every individual, and thus, strives to create a diverse workforce comprised of individuals drawn from the community within which it conducts business.

 

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11.2 Discrimination

 

Neither the Company nor any employee of the Company nor any person acting as an agent on behalf of the Company shall refuse to employ or continue to employ, nor shall they discriminate against any person with regard to employment, term or condition of employment, on the grounds of race, ancestry, place of origin, color, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, record of offences for which a pardon has been granted, marital status, same sex-partnership status, family status,(including pregnancy or child-birth) or handicap, all as defined by applicable Human Rights legislation or other similar applicable law.

 

11.3 Harassment

 

The Company does not condone any form of illegal harassment or any other conduct that interferes with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment. The Company will make every reasonable effort to ensure employees, contractors, and persons acting as agents on behalf of the Company conform to the Company’s anti-harassment and anti-sexual harassment policies.

 

11.4 Workplace Violence

 

The Company expects all employees to treat all fellow employees and persons the Company conducts business with currently, or in the future, with dignity and respect. As such, the Company will not tolerate, whether real or implied, threats or acts of abuse, intimidation, or violence against any employee of the Company, or the organizations the Company conducts business with.

 

11.5 Drug and Alcohol Policy

 

The Company is committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment for all employees. As such the use of illicit drugs, the inappropriate use of alcohol and the misuse of medications and other substances is prohibited.

 

11.6 New Hires

 

All new hire offer letters to prospective employees will require prospective employees to disclose any conflict, or potential conflict of interest, prior to the acceptance of employment with the Company.

 

Section 12.

 

12.0 Health Safety and Environment

 

The Company is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment and protecting the public interest with standards and programs that meet or exceed industry standards and applicable government codes, standards and regulations in all jurisdictions in which it conducts business.

 

All Company operations are to be conducted in a manner that protects the health and safety of its employees and all people in the communities where the Company operates. All Company employees are responsible for understanding, reinforcing and implementing the Company’s commitment to environmental responsibility.

 

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Section 13.

 

13.0 Fraud or Criminal Conduct

 

Fraud is defined but not limited to, an intentional deception, maladministration of Company resources, falsification or manipulation of PCI, to the advantage or disadvantage of a person or entity.

 

Management is responsible for the detection and prevention of fraud, misappropriations and other inappropriate conduct: however, all employees have some responsibility in the detection, prevention or reporting of fraudulent activities. Employees who detect or suspect possible fraudulent activity of any employee, supplier, customer or any other party having any association with the Company, must provide a written report containing the details to the Company Compliance Officer immediately. Do not discuss instances of actual or suspected fraud with anyone except those authorized to investigate such conduct.

 

The Company Compliance Officer will investigate and/or engage the services of additional investigative services for all cases of fraud or criminal conduct including local and federal law enforcement agencies. In the event an investigation substantiates that fraudulent activities have occurred, the Company Compliance

 

Officer will issue reports to appropriate designated personnel, The Board of Directors, and appropriate law enforcement agencies.

 

Section 14.

 

14.0 Compliance

 

Employees must complete any required training on the Code as required. Annual training on the Code will be the responsibility of the employee’s immediate supervisor, and shall be substantiated in employee files.

 

All new hires of the Company will be required to complete training on the Code within 30 days of their original hire date and shall be included as part of the new hire induction training.

 

14.1 Reporting Real or Perceived Violations of the Code

 

Employees who are aware or become aware of conduct by others that violates, or appears to violate the Code are required to report the details of the violation or apparent violation to their immediate supervisor, department manager or the Company Compliance Officer. Supervisors and Managers will be responsible to submit the detailed report of the violation or apparent violation to the Company Compliance Officer immediately.

 

14.2 Whistle Blowing

 

The Company strictly prohibits reprisals or retaliation against anyone who reports a violation or perceived violation, in good faith of the Code.

 

In the event that an employee feels he or she have been subjected to retaliatory or disciplinary action as a result of having filed a report in good faith of a violation or perceived violation of the Code, please contact the Company Compliance Officer.

 

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14.3 Confidentiality

 

To the extent permissible by applicable law and to the extent that is reasonable, the Company will keep the report of the violation or perceived violation of the Code, confidential. The Company will however, cooperate fully with all external investigative authorities involved with the report of a violation or perceived violation of the Code as required by law, and will provide all information requested by said investigative authorities.

 

14.4 When the Code does NOT Have the Answer

 

There may be occasions when the Code may not have the answer to the ethical question facing an employee, or there may be a difficult judgment call to make with respect to the application of the Code. In these cases, the employee should consult with his or her manager, who will either provide guidance or refer the employee to the relevant policy or to the Company Compliance Officer.

 

14.5 Consequences for non-Compliance

 

Employees who make the unilateral decision to not comply with the Code may be subject to disciplinary actions up to and including dismissal and/or legal action.

 

14.6 Enforcement

 

The Company must ensure prompt and consistent action against violations of this Code.

 

If, after investigating a report of an alleged prohibited action by a director or executive officer, the Audit Committee determines that a violation of this Code has occurred, the Audit Committee will report such determination to the Board of Directors.

 

If, after investigating a report of an alleged prohibited action by any other person, the relevant supervisor or the Compliance Officer determines that a violation of this Code has occurred, the supervisor or the Compliance Officer will report such determination to the General Counsel.

 

Upon receipt of a determination that there has been a violation of this Code, the Board of Directors or the General Counsel will take such preventative or disciplinary action as it deems appropriate, including, but not limited to, reassignment, demotion, dismissal and, in the event of criminal conduct or other serious violations of the law, notification of appropriate governmental authorities.

 

Section 15.

 

15.0 Waiver

 

Each of the Board of Directors (in the case of a violation by a director or executive officer) and the General Counsel (in the case of a violation by any other person) may, in its discretion, waive any violation of this Code.

 

Any waiver for a director or an executive officer shall be disclosed as required by SEC and Nasdaq rules.

 

 

14

 

Exhibit 21.1

 

Subsidiaries

 

Name   State of Incorporation
     
Hand MD Corp.   Delaware
     
NomadChoice Pty Ltd.   Tasmania, Australia
     
Synergy CHC Inc.   Alberta, Canada

 

 

 

Exhibit 23.1

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

We consent to the inclusion in this Registration Statement on Form S-1 of our report dated June 26, 2024 with respect to the audited consolidated financial statements of Synergy CHC Corp. (the “Company”) as of and for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.

 

We also consent to the references to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.

 
/s/ RBSM LLP  
   
New York, NY  
June 28, 2024  

Exhibit 99.1

 

SYNERGY CHC CORP.

 

Incentive Compensation Recovery Policy (the “Policy”)

 

1. Recovery of Excess Incentive Compensation. If Synergy CHC Corp. (the “Company”) is required to prepare a Restatement, the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”) shall, unless the Board’s Compensation Committee determines it to be Impracticable, take reasonably prompt action to recover all Recoverable Compensation from any Covered Person. The Company’s obligation to recover Recoverable Compensation is not dependent on if or when the restated financial statements are filed. Subject to applicable law, the Board may seek to recover Recoverable Compensation by requiring a Covered Person to repay such amount to the Company; by adding “holdback” or deferral policies to incentive compensation; by adding post-vesting “holding” or “no transfer” policies to equity awards; by set-off of a Covered Person’s other compensation; by reducing future compensation; or by such other means or combination of means as the Board, in its sole discretion, determines to be appropriate. This Policy is in addition to (and not in lieu of) any right of repayment, forfeiture or off-set against any Covered Person that may be available under applicable law or otherwise (whether implemented prior to or after adoption of this Policy). The Board may, in its sole discretion and in the exercise of its business judgment, determine whether and to what extent additional action is appropriate to address the circumstances surrounding any Restatement to minimize the likelihood of any recurrence and to impose such other discipline as it deems appropriate.

 

2. Administration of Policy. The Board shall have full authority to administer, amend or terminate this Policy. The Board shall, subject to the provisions of this Policy, make such determinations and interpretations and take such actions in connection with this Policy as it deems necessary, appropriate or advisable. All determinations and interpretations made by the Board shall be final, binding and conclusive. The Board may delegate any of its powers under this Policy to the Compensation Committee of the Board or any subcommittee or delegate thereof.

 

3. Acknowledgement by Executive Officers. The Board shall provide notice to and seek written acknowledgement of this Policy from each Executive Officer; provided that the failure to provide such notice or obtain such acknowledgement shall have no impact on the applicability or enforceability of this Policy.

 

4. No Indemnification. Notwithstanding the terms of any of the Company’s organizational documents, any corporate policy or any contract, no Covered Person shall be indemnified against the loss of any Recoverable Compensation.

 

5. Disclosures. The Company shall make all disclosures and filings with respect to this Policy and maintain all documents and records that are required by the applicable rules and forms of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) (including, without limitation, Rule 10D-1 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) and any applicable Exchange listing standard.

 

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6. Definitions. In addition to terms otherwise defined in this Policy, the following terms, when used in this Policy, shall have the following meanings:

 

“Applicable Period” means the three completed fiscal years preceding the earlier to occur of: (i) the date that the Board, a committee of the Board, or the officer or officers of the Company authorized to take such action if Board action is not required, concludes, or reasonably should have concluded, that the Company is required to prepare a Restatement; or (ii) the date a court, regulator, or other legally authorized body directs the Company to prepare a Restatement. “Applicable Period” also includes, in addition to the three fiscal year period described in the preceding sentence, any transition period (that results from a change in the Company’s fiscal year) within or immediately following that completed three fiscal year period; provided, further, a transition period between the last day of the Company’s previous fiscal year end and the first day of its new fiscal year that comprises a period of nine to 12 months would be deemed a completed fiscal year.

 

“Covered Person” means any person who receives Recoverable Compensation.

 

“Exchange” means any national securities exchange or national securities association upon which the Company has a class of securities listed.

 

“Executive Officer” includes the Company’s president, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer (or if there is no such accounting officer, the controller), any vice-president of the Company in charge of a principal business unit, division, or function (such as sales, administration, or finance), any other officer who performs a policy-making function, or any other person (including any executive officer of the Company’s subsidiaries or affiliates) who performs similar policy-making functions for the Company. At a minimum, the term “Executive Officer” shall include all executive officers identified in SEC filings pursuant to Item 401(b) of Regulation S-K, 17 C.F.R. §229.401(b).

 

“Financial Reporting Measure” means a measure that is determined and presented in accordance with the accounting principles used in preparing the Company’s financial statements, and any measure that is derived wholly or in part (including “non-GAAP” financial measures, such as those appearing in earnings releases) from such measures; provided, however, that any such measure need not be presented within the Company’s financial statements or included in a filing made with the SEC. Examples of Financial Reporting Measures include measures based on: revenues, net income, operating income, financial ratios, EBITDA, liquidity measures (such as free cash flow), return measures (such as return on assets or return on invested capital), profitability of one or more segments, and cost per employee. Stock price and total shareholder return (“TSR”) also are Financial Reporting Measures.

 

“Impracticable” means, after exercising a normal due process review of all the relevant facts and circumstances and taking all steps required by Exchange Act Rule 10D-1 and any applicable Exchange listing standard, the Compensation Committee determines that recovery of the Recoverable Compensation is impracticable because: (i) it has determined that the direct expense that the Company would pay to a third party to assist in enforcing this Policy and recovering the otherwise Recoverable Compensation would exceed the amount to be recovered; (ii) it has concluded that the recovery of the Recoverable Compensation would violate home country law adopted prior to November 28, 2022; or (iii) it has determined that the recovery of the Recoverable Compensation would cause a tax-qualified retirement plan, under which benefits are broadly available to the Company’s employees, to fail to meet the requirements of 26 U.S.C. 401(a)(13) or 26 U.S.C. 411(a) and regulations thereunder. The Company must: (i) in the case of clause (i) of the preceding sentence, prior to making that determination, make a reasonable attempt to recover any Recoverable Compensation, document such reasonable attempt(s) to recover, and provide that documentation to the Exchange; and (ii) in the case of clause (ii) of the preceding sentence, obtain an opinion of home country counsel, acceptable to the Exchange, that recovery would result in such a violation, and provide that opinion to the Exchange.

 

“Incentive-Based Compensation” means any compensation that is granted, earned, or vested based wholly or in part upon the attainment of a Financial Reporting Measure; however it does not include: (i) base salaries; (ii) discretionary cash bonuses; (iii) awards (either cash or equity) that are based upon subjective, strategic or operational standards; and (iv) equity awards that vest solely on the passage of time.

 

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“Received” – Incentive-Based Compensation is deemed “Received” in any Company fiscal period during which the Financial Reporting Measure specified in the Incentive-Based Compensation award is attained, even if the payment or grant of the Incentive-Based Compensation occurs after the end of that period.

 

“Recoverable Compensation” means all Incentive-Based Compensation (calculated on a pre-tax basis) Received after October 2, 2023 by a Covered Person: (i) after beginning service as an Executive Officer; (ii) who served as an Executive Officer at any time during the performance period for that Incentive-Based Compensation; (iii) while the Company had a class of securities listed on an Exchange; and (iv) during the Applicable Period, that exceeded the amount of Incentive-Based Compensation that otherwise would have been Received had the amount been determined based on the Financial Reporting Measures, as reflected in the Restatement. With respect to Incentive-Based Compensation based on stock price or TSR, when the amount of erroneously awarded compensation is not subject to mathematical recalculation directly from the information in an accounting restatement: (i) the amount must be based on a reasonable estimate of the effect of the Restatement on the stock price or TSR upon which the Incentive-Based Compensation Received by the Covered Person originally was based; and (ii) the Company must maintain documentation of the determination of the reasonable estimate and provide such documentation to the Exchange.

 

“Restatement” means an accounting restatement of any of the Company’s financial statements due to the Company’s material noncompliance with any financial reporting requirement under U.S. securities laws, including any required accounting restatement to correct an error in previously issued financial statements that is material to the previously issued financial statements (often referred to as a “Big R” restatement), or that would result in a material misstatement if the error were corrected in the current period or left uncorrected in the current period (often referred to as a “little r” restatement). A Restatement does not include situations in which financial statement changes did not result from material non-compliance with financial reporting requirements, such as, but not limited to retrospective: (i) application of a change in accounting principles; (ii) revision to reportable segment information due to a change in the structure of the Company’s internal organization; (iii) reclassification due to a discontinued operation; (iv) application of a change in reporting entity, such as from a reorganization of entities under common control; (v) adjustment to provision amounts in connection with a prior business combination; and (vi) revision for stock splits, stock dividends, reverse stock splits or other changes in capital structure.

 

Adopted by the Board of Directors on [●], 2024

 

 

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Exhibit 99.2

 

Consent of Director Nominee

 

Synergy CHC Corp.

 

Pursuant to Rule 438 of Regulation C promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the “Registration Statement”) of Synergy CHC Corp. (the “Company”), the undersigned hereby consents to being named and described as a director nominee in the Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement to any prospectus included in such Registration Statement, any amendment to such Registration Statement or any subsequent Registration Statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act and to the filing or attachment of this consent with such Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this consent as of June 26, 2024.

 

  /s/ Nitin Kaushal
  Name:  Nitin Kaushal

 

 

Exhibit 99.3

 

Consent of Director Nominee

 

Synergy CHC Corp.

 

Pursuant to Rule 438 of Regulation C promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the “Registration Statement”) of Synergy CHC Corp. (the “Company”), the undersigned hereby consents to being named and described as a director nominee in the Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement to any prospectus included in such Registration Statement, any amendment to such Registration Statement or any subsequent Registration Statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act and to the filing or attachment of this consent with such Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this consent as of June 26, 2024.

 

  /s/ Scott Woodburn
  Name:  Scott Woodburn

 

 

Exhibit 107

 

Calculation of Filing Fee Tables

 

Form S-1

 

Synergy CHC Corp.

 

Table 1: Newly Registered Securities

 

   Security
Type
  Security Class Title  Fee
Calculation
or Carry
Forward
Rule
  Amount
Registered
   Proposed
Maximum
Offering
Price Per
Unit
   Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price(1)
   Fee Rate   Amount of
Registration
Fee(2)
 
Fees to Be Paid  Equity  Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share(3)(4)  457(o)          —         —   $23,000,000    0.00014760   $3,394.80 
   Other  Representative’s Warrants(5)  Other                    
   Equity  Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Representative’s Warrants(6)  457(o)          $2,530,000    0.00014760   $373.43 
   Total Offering Amounts        $25,530,000       $3,768.23 
   Total Fee Offsets                  
   Net Fee Due                $3,768.23 

 

(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the amount of the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).
(2) Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act based on an estimate of the proposed maximum aggregate offering price.
(3) Includes up to an additional 15% of the aggregate offering price to cover a 30-day option granted to the underwriters to purchase additional shares of our common stock to cover over-allotments, if any.
(4) Pursuant to Rule 416(a) of the Securities Act, the shares of common stock registered hereby also includes an indeterminable number of additional securities that may be issued to prevent dilution resulting from stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions.
(5) No fee required pursuant to Rule 457(g).  
(6) We have agreed to issue to the representative of the underwriters (the “Representative”), upon the closing of this offering, warrants to purchase up to an aggregate number of shares of our common stock (the “Representative’s Warrants”) in an aggregate equal to ten percent (10%) of the aggregate number of shares of common stock to be issued and sold in this offering. The Representative’s Warrants are exercisable at a per share price equal to 110% of the public offering price per share of the shares of common stock sold in this offering.