As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 13, 2023
Registration Statement No. 333-272503
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
Amendment No. 1
To
FORM F-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Ireland | 3590 | N/A | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
+353-1-920-1000
Mespil Business Centre, Mespil House, Sussex Road, Dublin 4, Ireland
(Address and telephone number of registrant’s principal executive offices)
Puglisi & Associates
850 Library Avenue, Suite 204
Newark, DE 19711
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
Stephen E. Fox, Esq. Samantha Guido, Esq. Ruskin Moscou Faltischek P.C. 1425 RXR Plaza East Tower, 15th Floor Uniondale, NY 11556 Tel: (516) 663-6580 |
Doron Afik Adv. Afik & Co. 103 Hahashmonaim Street Tel Aviv, Israel 6120101 Tel: +972.3.6093609 |
Connor Manning Arthur Cox Ten Earlsfort Terrace Dublin 2 D02 T380 |
Joseph Lucosky Amit Hazan Lucosky Brookman LLP 101 Wood Avenue South Woodbridge, NJ 08830 (732) 395-4400 |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement becomes effective.
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 an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933.
☒ Emerging growth company
If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, 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 term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012. |
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 said Section 8(a), may determine.
PART II. INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
The Company will be subject to the ICA. Subject to exceptions, the ICA does not permit a company to exempt a director or certain officers from, or indemnify a director against, liability in connection with any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust by a director in relation to the company. The exceptions allow a company to (i) purchase and maintain director and officer insurance against any liability attaching in connection with any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust owed to the company; and (ii) indemnify a director or other officer against any liability incurred in defending proceedings, whether civil or criminal (a) in which judgement is given in his or her favor or in which he or she is acquitted or (b) in respect of which an Irish court grants him or her relief from any such liability on the grounds that he or she acted honestly and reasonably and that, having regard to all the circumstances of the case, he or she ought fairly to be excused for the wrong concerned.
Under the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, subject to certain limitations and so far as may be permitted by the ICA, each director, officer or employee of the Company, and each person who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer or employee of another company, or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans maintained or sponsored by the Company, shall be entitled to be indemnified by the Company against all costs, charges, losses, expenses and liabilities incurred by him or her in the execution and discharge of his or her duties or in relation thereto, including any liability incurred by him or her in defending any proceedings, civil or criminal, which relate to anything done or omitted or alleged to have been done or omitted by him or her as a director, officer or employee of the Company or such other company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, and in which judgment is given in his or her favor (or the proceedings are otherwise disposed of without any finding or admission of any material breach of duty on his or her part) or in which he or she is acquitted or in connection with any application under any statute for relief from liability in respect of any such act or omission in which relief is granted to him or her by the court. However, any such indemnity shall not be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable for fraud or dishonesty in the performance of his or her duty to the Company unless and only to the extent that the courts of Ireland or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that despite the adjudication of liability, but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses as the court shall deem proper.
The Company on closing entered into indemnification agreements with each of the directors of the Company to provide contractual indemnification providing for indemnification and advancements by the Company of certain expenses and costs relating to claims, suits or proceedings arising from his or her service to the Company, and to Lionheart if applicable or, at Lionheart’s request, service to other entities, as officers or directors occurring at or prior to the Merger Effective Time to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law.
The Company is also anticipated to maintain standard policies of insurance under which coverage is provided (1) to its directors and officers against loss arising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act, while acting in their capacity as directors and officers of the Company, and (2) to the Company with respect to payments which may be made by the Company to such officers and directors pursuant to any indemnification provision contained in the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association or otherwise as a matter of law.
Item 7. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
The following list sets forth information as to all of the Company’s securities sold in the last three years which were not registered under the Securities Act. The descriptions of these issuances are historical and have not been adjusted to give effect to the Business Combination.
In connection with the Company’s initial formation, the Company issued one ordinary share at a price of US$0.0001 each to Doron Afik, and subsequently issued 25,000 deferred ordinary shares at a price of €1.00 per share, to Doron Afik. Immediately prior to consummation of the Transactions, the Company had paid up capital of €25,000 and US$0.0001.
In March 2023, in connection with the SEPA, the Company issued 92,315 Ordinary Shares to Yorkville as a 1.5% commitment fee.
In April 2023, the Company granted, pursuant to its 2022 Incentive Equity Plan, (a) an aggregate of 4,361,920 restricted stock units that settle into ordinary shares of the Company and (b) options to purchase an aggregate of 597,030 ordinary shares, in each case to certain of the Company’s executives, directors, employees, consultants and agents.
On May 4, 2023, the Company issued (a) an aggregate of 872,418 ordinary shares, (b) redeemable warrants to purchase an aggregate of 384,500 ordinary shares and (c) warrants to purchase an aggregate of 255,500 ordinary shares, in each case to certain holders of outstanding convertible bridge promissory notes of the Company, upon the conversions thereof in accordance with their terms.
In May 2023, in connection with the SEPA, the Company issued 109,397 Ordinary Shares to Yorkville upon the conversion of $100,000 in principal amount of its convertible promissory note.
In June 2023, in connection with the SEPA, the Company issued 214,523 Ordinary Shares to Yorkville upon the conversion of $200,000 in principal amount of its convertible promissory note.
None of the foregoing transactions involved any underwriters, underwriting discounts or commissions, or any public offering. The Registrant believes these transactions were exempt from registration under the Securities Act in reliance upon Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act (or Regulation D or Regulation S promulgated thereunder), or Rule 701 promulgated under Section 3(b) of the Securities Act as transactions by an issuer not involving any public offering or pursuant to benefit plans and contracts relating to compensation as provided under Rule 701. The recipients of the securities in each of these transactions represented their intentions to acquire the securities for investment only and not with a view to or for sale in connection with any distribution thereof, and appropriate legends were placed upon the stock certificates issued in these transactions. All recipients had adequate access, through their relationships with us, to information about the Registrant.
| II-1 |
Item 8. Exhibits.
Item 8. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
| II-2 |
| II-3 |
| II-4 |
| II-5 |
* Previously Filed.
| II-6 |
(b) Financial Statement Schedules
Schedules have been omitted because the information required to be set forth therein is not applicable or is shown in the financial statements or notes thereto.
(d) Filing Fee Table.
The Filing Fee Table and related disclosure is filed herewith as Exhibit 107.
Item 9. Undertakings.
(a) The undersigned hereby undertakes:
(1) to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;
(ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) that, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and
(iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;
(2) that 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;
(3) to remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering;
(4) to file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement to include any financial statements required by “Item 8.A. of Form 20-F” at the start of any delayed offering or throughout a continuous offering. Financial statements and information otherwise required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act need not be furnished; provided, that the registrant includes in the prospectus, by means of a post-effective amendment, financial statements required pursuant to this paragraph and other information necessary to ensure that all other information in the prospectus is at least as current as the date of those financial statements; and
| II-7 |
(5) that, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:
(i) if the registrant is relying on Rule 430B:
(A) each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and
(B) each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date; or
(ii) if the registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness; provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.
(b) 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 SEC 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.
(c) The undersigned hereby undertakes:
(1) that 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; and
(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-8 |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form F-1 and has duly caused and authorized this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned.
| SMX (SECURITY MATTERS) PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY | ||
| June 13, 2023 | By: | /s/ Haggai Alon |
| Name: | Haggai Alon | |
| Title: | CEO | |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| Signature | Title | Date | ||
| /s/ Haggai Alon | Chief Executive Officer and Director | June 13, 2023 | ||
| Haggai Alon | (Principal Executive Officer) | |||
| * | Chief Financial Officer | June 13, 2023 | ||
| Limor Moshe Lotker | (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | |||
| * | Chairman of the Board of Directors | June 13, 2023 | ||
| Ophir Sternberg | ||||
| * | Director | June 13, 2023 | ||
| Amir Bader | ||||
| * | Director | June 13, 2023 | ||
| Pauline Khoo | ||||
| Director | ||||
| Roger Meltzer | ||||
| Director | ||||
| Thomas Hawkins | ||||
| * | Director | June 13, 2023 | ||
| Zeren Browne |
| * | Haggai Alon, pursuant to Powers of Attorney (executed by each of the officers and directors listed above and indicated as signed above, and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission), by signing his name hereto does hereby sign and execute this Amendment to the Registration Statement on behalf of each of the persons referenced above. |
| By: | /s/ Haggai Alon | June 13, 2023 | |
| Haggai Alon | |||
| Attorney-in-fact |
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this registration statement on Form F-1 has been signed on behalf of the registrant by the undersigned, solely in his capacity as the duly authorized representative of the registrant in the United States, on June 13, 2023.
| Puglisi & Associates | ||
| By: | /s/ Donald J. Puglisi | |
| Name: | Donald J. Puglisi | |
| Title | Managing Director | |
| II-9 |
Exhibit 1.1
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
[●], 2023
EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC
590 Madison Avenue, 39th Floor
New York, NY 10022
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company, a public company incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), hereby confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC (hereinafter referred to as “you” (including its correlatives)), acting as the sole underwriter (the “Underwriter”), as follows:
| 1. | Subscription for Sale of Shares and Warrants. |
| 1.1 | Firm Shares and Firm Warrants. |
| 1.1.1. | Nature and Subscription for Firm Shares and Firm Warrants. |
(i) On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the Underwriter an aggregate of [●] ordinary shares of the Company (each, an “Ordinary Share,” and collectively, the “Ordinary Shares”), par value $0.0001 per share (the “Firm Shares”), (ii) issue [●] warrants in the form of Warrant A to subscribe for [●] Ordinary Shares, at an exercise price of $[●] per share (“Warrant A”), and (iii) [●] warrants in the form of Warrant B to subscribe for [●] Ordinary Shares, at an exercise price of $[●] per share (“Warrant B” and together with Warrant A, the “Firm Warrants” and, collectively with the Firm Shares, the “Firm Securities”).
(ii) The Underwriter agrees to subscribe for from the Company [●] Ordinary Shares and [●] Firm Warrants. The purchase price for one Ordinary Share and shall be $[●]. The Firm Shares are to be offered initially to the public at the offering price set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus (as defined in Section 2(a)(B) hereof) (the “Purchase Price”) with the Firm Warrants issued for no additional consideration. The Firm Shares and the Firm Warrants will be separated immediately upon issuance.
(iii) To the extent that the purchase of Firm Shares would cause the beneficial ownership of a purchaser in the Offering, together with its affiliates and certain related parties, to exceed 4.99% of the Ordinary Shares, the Company agrees to issue the Underwriter, for delivery to such purchasers, at the election of the purchasers, a number shares of Pre-Funded Warrants (the “Pre-Funded Warrants”), which are initially convertible on a 1-for-1 basis into Ordinary Shares, at a price of $[●●] (100% of the public offering price allocated to each Firm Share less $0.0001), and the remaining non pre-funded exercise price of each pre-funded warrant will be $0.0001 per share. The Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants and the Warrants are hereinafter referred to as the “Warrant Shares”.
1.1.2. Payment and Delivery.
(i) Delivery and payment for the Firm Shares (or Pre-Funded Warrants) and Firm Warrants shall be made at 10:00 a.m., Eastern time, on the second (2nd) Business Day following the effective date (the “Effective Date”) of the Registration Statement (as defined in Section 2.1.1 below) (or the third (3rd) Business Day following the Effective Date if the Registration Statement is declared effective after 4:01 p.m., Eastern time) or at such earlier time as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter and the Company, at the offices of Lucosky Brookman LLP at 101 Wood Avenue South, 5th Floor Woodbridge, NJ 08330 (“Underwriter’s Counsel”), or at such other place (or remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter and the Company. The hour and date of delivery and payment for the Firm Shares (or Pre-Funded Warrants) and Firm Warrants (as applicable) is called the “Closing Date.”
| 1 |
(ii) Payment for the Firm Shares and payment of the pre-funded exercise price for the Pre-Funded Warrants shall be made on the Closing Date by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds, payable to the order of the Company upon delivery of the certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter) representing the Firm Shares (or Pre-Funded Warrants) and Firm Warrants (or through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”)) for the account of the Underwriter. The Firm Shares (or Pre-Funded Warrants) and Firm Warrants shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Underwriter may request in writing prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to deliver the Firm Shares (or Pre-Funded Warrants) except upon tender of payment by the Underwriter for all of the Firm Shares and the relevant pre-funded exercise price in respect of the Pre-Funded Warrants. The term “Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York, New York.
1.2. Over-allotment Option.
1.2.1. Option Securities. For the purposes of covering any over-allotments in connection with the distribution and sale of the Units, the Company hereby grants to the Underwriter an option (the “Over-allotment Option”) to subscribe for, in the aggregate, (a) up to [●] additional Ordinary Shares (15% of the Firm Shares) at a subscription price per share of $[●] (100% of the public offering price allocated to each Firm Share) (the “Option Shares” and together with the Firm Shares, the “Shares”) or Pre-Funded Warrants to subscribe for up to [●] Ordinary Shares at a price of $[●] (100% of the public offering price allocated to each Firm Share less $0.0001) and the remaining non pre-funded exercise price of each pre-funded warrant will be $0.0001 per share, and/or (b) [●] warrants in the form of Warrant A to subscribe for an aggregate of [●] Ordinary Shares (15% of the Firm Warrants) at an exercise price of $[●] per warrant (100% of the public offering price allocated to each set of warrants in the form of Warrant A), and/or (c) [●] warrants in the form of Warrant B to purchase an aggregate of [●] Ordinary Shares (15% of the Firm Warrants) at a purchase price of $[●] per warrant (100% of the public offering price allocated to each set of warrants in the form of Warrant B) (the “Option Warrants” and together with the Firm Warrants and Pre-Funded Warrants, if any, the “Warrants”), which may be subscribed for in any combination of Option Shares and/or the Option Warrants. The Option Shares and the Option Warrants are referred to as the “Option Securities”). The Firm Securities and the Option Securities are collectively referred to as the “Public Securities.” The offering and sale of the Public Securities is herein referred to as the “Offering.”
1.2.2. Exercise of Option. The Over-allotment Option granted pursuant to Section 1.2.1 hereof may be exercised by the Underwriter as to all (at any time) or any part (from time to time) of the Option Securities within forty-five (45) days after the Effective Date. The Underwriter shall not be under any obligation to subscribe for any of the Option Securities prior to the exercise of the Over-allotment Option. The Over-allotment Option granted hereby may be exercised by the giving of written notice to the Company from the Underwriter, setting forth the number of the Option Shares and/or Option Warrants to be subscribed for and the date and time for delivery of and, where relevant, the payment for the Option Shares and/or the pre-funded exercise price for the pre-funded Option Warrants (the “Option Closing Date”), which shall not be later than five (5) full Business Days after the date of the notice or such other time as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Underwriter, at the offices of Underwriter’s Counsel or at such other place (including remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Underwriter. If such delivery and, where relevant, payment for the Option Shares and/or the pre-funded exercise price for the pre-funded Option Warrants does not occur on the Closing Date, the Option Closing Date will be as set forth in the notice. Upon exercise of the Over-allotment Option with respect to all or any portion of the Option Securities subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (i) the Company shall become obligated to issue to the Underwriter the number of the Option Securities specified in such notice and (ii) the Underwriter, shall subscribe for the total number of the Option Securities then being subscribed for.
| 2 |
1.2.3. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Option Shares and payment of the pre-funded exercise price for the Pre-Funded Warrants to be delivered in respect of the Over-allotment Option shall be made on the Option Closing Date by wire transfer in U.S. dollars (same day) funds, payable to the order of the Company upon delivery to you of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter) representing the Option Shares and/or Option Warrants (or through the facilities of DTC or via DWAC transfer) for the account of the Underwriter. The Option Shares and/or Option Warrants shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Underwriter may request in writing prior to the Option Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to issue or deliver the Option Shares and/or relevant Pre-Funded Warrants except upon tender of payment by the Underwriter for applicable Option Shares and/or pre-funded exercise price in respect of the relevant Pre-Funded Warrants.
| 1.3 | Underwriter’s Warrants. |
1.3.1 Underwriter’s Warrants. The Company hereby agrees to issue and sell to the Underwriter (and/or their designees) on the Closing Date (“Underwriter’s Warrants”) five-year warrants for the purchase of a number of Ordinary Shares equal to 5.0% of the number of the Firm Shares (or Pre-Funded Warrants) and Option Shares issued in the Offering, pursuant to a warrant in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B, at an initial exercise price of $[●] (or 110% of the public offering price per Firm Share). The Underwriter’s Warrants and the Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise thereof are hereinafter referred to together as the “Underwriter’s Securities.” The Underwriter understands and agrees that there are significant restrictions pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 against transferring the Underwriter’s Warrants and the underlying Shares during the one hundred eighty (180) days after the Effective Date and by its acceptance thereof shall agree that it will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate the Underwriter’s Warrants, or any portion thereof, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of such securities for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Effective Date to anyone other than (i) the Underwriter in connection with the Offering, or (ii) an officer, partner, registered person or affiliate of the Underwriter; and only if any such transferee agrees to the foregoing lock-up restrictions.
1.3.2 Delivery. Delivery of the Underwriter’s Warrants shall be made on the Closing Date and shall be issued in the name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Underwriter may request.
2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriter as of the Applicable Time (as defined below), as of the Closing Date and as of the Option Closing Date, if any, as follows:
2.1. Filing of Registration Statement.
2.1.1. Pursuant to the Securities Act. The Company has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement, and an amendment or amendments thereto, on Form F-1 (File No. 333-272503), including any related prospectus or prospectuses, for the registration of the Public Securities and the Underwriter’s Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), which registration statement and amendment or amendments have been prepared by the Company in all material respects in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act (the “Securities Act Regulations”) and will contain all material statements that are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Except as the context may otherwise require, such registration statement, as amended, on file with the Commission at the time the registration statement became effective (including the Preliminary Prospectus included in the registration statement, financial statements, schedules, exhibits and all other documents filed as a part thereof and all information deemed to be a part thereof or incorporated therein as of the Effective Date pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations (the “Rule 430A Information”)), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement.” If the Company files any registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, then after such filing, the term “Registration Statement” shall include such registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b). The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission on the date hereof.
Each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted the Rule 430A Information that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, is herein called a “Preliminary Prospectus.” The Preliminary Prospectus, subject to completion, dated [●], 2023, that was included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the Applicable Time is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus.” The final prospectus in the form first furnished to the Underwriter for use in the Offering is hereinafter called the “Prospectus.” Any reference to the “most recent Preliminary Prospectus” shall be deemed to refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus in the Registration Statement.
| 3 |
“Applicable Time” means [●] p.m., Eastern time, on the date of this Agreement.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including without limitation any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations) relating to the Public Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Public Securities or of the Offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).
“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a “bona fide electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433 (the “Bona Fide Electronic Road Show”)), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule 2 hereto.
“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.
“Pricing Disclosure Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the Pricing Prospectus and the information included on Schedule 1 hereto, all considered together.
2.1.2. Pursuant to the Exchange Act. The registration of the Ordinary Shares pursuant to Section 12(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) is effective. The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Ordinary Shares under the Exchange Act, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration.
2.2. Share Exchange Listing. The Shares and the Ordinary Shares underlying the Underwriter’s Warrants and the Warrants have been approved for listing on the NASDAQ Global Market (the “Exchange”), and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, delisting of the Shares or the ordinary shares underlying the Underwriter’s Warrants and the Warrants from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any written notification that the Exchange is contemplating terminating such listing, except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure and the Prospectus.
2.3. No Stop Orders, etc. Neither the Commission nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any state regulatory authority has issued any written order preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or has instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to institute, any proceedings with respect to such an order. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.
2.4. Disclosures in Registration Statement.
2.4.1. Compliance with Securities Act and 10b-5 Representation.
(i) Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus, including the prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment or supplement thereto, and the Prospectus, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus delivered to the Underwriter for use in connection with this Offering and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to the Commission’s EDGAR filing system (“EDGAR”), except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T promulgated under the Securities Act (“Regulation S-T”).
| 4 |
(ii) Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date (if any), contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(iii) The Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date (if any), did not, does not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus hereto does not conflict in any material respect, with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, and each such Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Prospectus as of the Applicable Time, did not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements made or statements omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company in writing with respect to the Underwriter by the Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto. The parties acknowledge and agree that such information provided by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists solely of the information in the table set forth in the second paragraph of the “Underwriting” section and the disclosure contained in the “Underwriting” subsections “- Discounts,” “Underwriter Warrants,” “and “Price Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids” of the Prospectus (the “Underwriter’s Information”).
(iv) Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date (if any), included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to the Underwriter’s Information.
2.4.2. Disclosure of Agreements. The agreements and documents described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained therein and there are no agreements or other documents required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement, that have not been so described or filed. Each agreement or other instrument (however characterized or described) to which the Company is a party or by which it is or may be bound or affected and (i) that is referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or (ii) is material to the Company’s business, has been duly authorized and validly executed by the Company, is in full force and effect in all material respects and is enforceable against the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the other parties thereto, in accordance with its terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, none of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by the Company, and neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party is in default thereunder and, to the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default thereunder, except for any default or event which would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change (as defined below). To the Company’s knowledge, performance by the Company of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental or regulatory agency, authority, body, entity or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its assets or businesses (each, a “Governmental Entity”), including, without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and regulations, except for any violation which would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change (as defined below).
| 5 |
2.4.3. Prior Securities Transactions. During the past three (3) years from the date of this Agreement, no securities of the Company have been sold by the Company or by or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any person or persons controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Company, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and any Preliminary Prospectus.
2.4.4. Regulations. The disclosures in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus concerning the effects of federal, state, local and all foreign regulation on the Offering and regulations applicable to the Company’s business as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects and no other such regulations are required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which are not so disclosed.
2.5. Changes after Dates in Registration Statement.
2.5.1. No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as otherwise specifically stated therein: (i) there has been no material adverse change in the financial position or results of operations of the Company or its Subsidiaries (as defined below) taken as a whole, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any change or development that, singularly or in the aggregate, would involve a material adverse change in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, or assets of the Company or its Subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Change”); (ii) there have been no material transactions entered into by the Company or its Subsidiaries, other than as contemplated pursuant to this Agreement; and (iii) no executive officer or director of the Company has resigned from any position with the Company.
2.5.2. Recent Securities Transactions, etc. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and except as may otherwise be indicated or contemplated herein or disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not: (i) issued any securities or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money; or (ii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to its capital stock.
2.6. Independent Accountants. To the knowledge of the Company, BDO Ziv Haft (“BDO”), WithumSmith+Brown, P.C., and Marcum LLP (each, an “Auditor,” and collectively, “Auditors”), whose reports are filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are independent registered public accounting firms as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. The Auditors have not, during the periods covered by the financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.
| 6 |
2.7. Financial Statements, etc. The financial statements, including the notes thereto and supporting schedules, if any, included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, fairly present in all material respects the financial position and the results of operations of the Company at the dates and for the periods to which they apply; and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”), consistently applied throughout the periods involved (provided that unaudited interim financial statements are subject to year-end audit adjustments that are not expected to be material in the aggregate and do not contain all footnotes required by IFRS); and any supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects the information required to be stated therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations. The pro forma and pro forma as adjusted financial information and the related notes, if any, included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus have been properly compiled and prepared in all material respects in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission), if any, comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. Each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus discloses all material off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), and other relationships of the Company with unconsolidated entities or other persons that may have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (a) since the date of the last balance sheet included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Registration Statement (each, a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”), has incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions other than in the ordinary course of business, (b) the Company has not declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its Ordinary Shares or preferred shares (c) there has not been any change in the capital of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or, other than in the ordinary course of business, any grants under any stock compensation plan, and (d) there has not been any Material Adverse Change in the Company’s long-term or short-term debt. The Company represents that it has no direct or indirect subsidiaries other than those listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Registration Statement.
2.8. Authorized Capital; Options, etc. The Company had, at the date or dates indicated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the duly authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth therein. Based on the assumptions stated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company will have on the Closing Date the adjusted capitalization set forth therein. Except as set forth in, or contemplated by, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, on the Effective Date, as of the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date, there will be no options, warrants, or other rights to purchase or otherwise acquire any authorized, but unissued Ordinary Shares or any security convertible or exercisable into Ordinary Shares, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell Ordinary Shares or any such options, warrants, rights or convertible securities.
2.9. Valid Issuance of Securities, etc.
2.9.1. Outstanding Securities. All issued and outstanding securities of the Company issued prior to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof have no contractual rights of rescission with respect thereto, and are not subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; and none of such securities were issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The Ordinary Shares, preferred shares, and any other securities outstanding or to be outstanding upon consummation of the Offering conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The offers and sales of the outstanding Ordinary Shares were at all relevant times either registered under the Securities Act and the applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws or, based in part on the representations and warranties of the purchasers of such shares, exempt from such registration requirements.
| 7 |
2.9.2. Securities Issued Pursuant to this Agreement. The Public Securities and the Underwriter’s Warrants have been duly authorized for issuance and offer and, when issued and paid for (where relevant), will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the Public Securities and the Underwriter’s Warrants are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company; and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and offer of the Public Securities and the Underwriter’s Warrants has been duly and validly taken; the Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Underwriter’s Warrants or the Warrants have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and when issued in accordance with the Underwriter’s Warrants and the Warrants, as the case may be, such Ordinary Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. The Public Securities and the Underwriter’s Warrants conform in all material respects to all statements with respect thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
2.10. Registration Rights of Third Parties. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no holders of any securities of the Company or any rights exercisable for or convertible or exchangeable into securities of the Company have the right to require the Company to register any such securities of the Company under the Securities Act or to include any such securities in a registration statement to be filed by the Company.
2.11. Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements. This Agreement, the Warrants, and the Underwriter’s Warrants have been duly and validly authorized by the Company, and, when executed and delivered, will constitute, the valid and binding agreements of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except: (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally; (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws; and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.
2.12. No Conflicts, etc. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and all ancillary documents, the consummation by the Company of the transactions herein and therein contemplated and the compliance by the Company with the terms hereof and thereof do not and will not, with or without the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both: (i) result in a material breach of, or conflict with any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a material default under, or result in the creation, modification, termination or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party; (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation (as the same may be amended or restated from time to time, the “Charter”) or the by-laws of the Company; or (iii) violate in any material respect any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any Governmental Entity as of the date hereof having jurisdiction over the Company.
2.13. No Defaults; Violations. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no material default exists in the due performance and observance of any term, covenant or condition of any material license, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, note, loan or credit agreement, or any other agreement or instrument evidencing an obligation for borrowed money, or any other material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company is subject, except for such default that would not be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company is not (i) in violation of any term or provision of its Charter or by-laws, or (ii) in violation of any franchise, license, permit, applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment or decree of any Governmental Entity, except in the cases of clause (ii) for such violations which would not reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change.
2.14. Corporate Power; Licenses; Consents.
2.14.1. Conduct of Business. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has all requisite corporate power and authority, and has all necessary authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, certificates and permits of and from all Governmental Entities that it needs as of the date hereof to conduct its business purpose as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except for the absence of which would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
| 8 |
2.14.2. Transactions Contemplated Herein. The Company has all corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out the provisions and conditions hereof, and all consents, authorizations, approvals and orders required in connection therewith have been obtained. No consent, authorization or order of, and no filing with, any Governmental Entity is required for the valid issuance, sale and delivery of the Public Securities and the consummation of the transactions and agreements contemplated by this Agreement and the delivery of the Warrants and the Underwriter’s Warrants as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except with respect to applicable Securities Act Regulations, state securities laws and the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”),.
2.15. D&O Questionnaires. To the Company’s knowledge, all information contained in the questionnaires (the “Questionnaires”) completed by each of the Company’s directors and executive officers immediately prior to the Offering (the “Insiders”) as supplemented by all information concerning the Company’s directors and executive officers as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as well as in the Lock-Up Agreement (as defined in Section 2.24 below), provided to the Underwriter, is true and correct in all material respects and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in the Questionnaires to become materially inaccurate and incorrect.
2.16. Litigation; Governmental Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental proceeding pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against, or involving the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any executive officer or director that is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which has not been disclosed.
2.17. Good Standing. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation and is in good standing under the laws of the State of Ireland as of the date hereof, and is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of business requires such qualification, except where the failure to qualify, singularly or in the aggregate, would not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.18. Insurance. The Company carries or is entitled to the benefits of insurance, (including, without limitation, as to directors and officers insurance coverage), with, to the Company’s knowledge, reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks which the Company believes are adequate, and to the knowledge of the Company all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.19. Transactions Affecting Disclosure to FINRA.
2.19.1. Finder’s Fees. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, arrangements, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a finder’s, consulting or origination fee by the Company or any Insider with respect to the sale of the Public Securities hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its shareholders that may affect the Underwriter’s compensation, as determined by FINRA.
2.19.2. Payments within Six (6) Months. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not made any direct or indirect payments in connection with the Offering (in cash, securities or otherwise) to: (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) any FINRA member; or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member, within the six (6) months immediately prior to the original filing of the Registration Statement, other than the payment to the Underwriter as provided hereunder in connection with the Offering.
| 9 |
2.19.3. Use of Proceeds. None of the net proceeds of the Offering will be paid by the Company to any participating FINRA member or its affiliates, except as specifically authorized herein.
2.19.4. FINRA Affiliation. To the Company’s knowledge, and except as may otherwise be disclosed in FINRA questionnaires provided to the Underwriter’s Counsel, there is no (i) officer or director of the Company, (ii) beneficial owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company’s securities or (iii) beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the 180-day period immediately preceding the filing of the Registration Statement that is an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).
2.19.5. Information. To the Company’s knowledge, all information provided by the Company in its FINRA questionnaire to Underwriter’s Counsel specifically for use by Underwriter’s Counsel in connection with its Public Offering System filings (and related disclosure) with FINRA is true, correct and complete in all material respects.
2.20. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company and its Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company and its Subsidiaries or any other person acting on behalf of, and with authority from, the Company and its Subsidiaries, has, directly or indirectly, given or agreed to give any money, gift or similar benefit (other than legal price concessions to customers in the ordinary course of business) to any customer, supplier, employee or agent of a customer or supplier, or official or employee of any Governmental Entity or any political party or candidate for office (domestic or foreign) or other person who was, is, or may be in a position to help or hinder the business of the Company (or assist it in connection with any actual or proposed transaction) that (i) might subject the Company to any damage or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding, (ii) if not given in the past, might have had a Material Adverse Change or (iii) if not continued in the future, might adversely affect the assets, business, operations or prospects of the Company. The Company has taken reasonable steps to ensure that its accounting controls and procedures are sufficient to cause the Company to comply in all material respects with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
2.21. Compliance with OFAC. None of the Company and its Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company and its Subsidiaries or any other person acting on behalf of, and with authority from, the Company and its Subsidiaries, is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”), and the Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the Offering hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
2.22. Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, 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 Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.
2.23. Officers’ Certificate. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered to you or to Underwriter’s Counsel shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.
| 10 |
2.24. Lock-Up Agreements. The Company has caused each of its officers, directors and owners of the Company’s outstanding Ordinary Shares (or securities convertible or exercisable into Ordinary Shares) exceeding ten percent (10%) (collectively, the “Lock-Up Parties”), except those listed on Schedule 3 hereto, to deliver to the Underwriter an executed Lock-Up Agreement, in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Lock-Up Agreement”), prior to the execution of this Agreement.
2.25. Subsidiaries. All Subsidiaries of the Company are duly organized and in good standing under the laws of the place of organization or incorporation, and each Subsidiary is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of business requires such qualification, except where the failure to qualify would not have a Material Adverse Change on the assets, business or operations of the Company as a whole. The Company’s ownership and control of each Subsidiary is as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
2.26. Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the Company or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that have not been described as required by the Securities Act Regulations.
2.27. Board of Directors. The Board of Directors of the Company is comprised of the persons set forth under the heading of the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus captioned “Management.” The qualifications of the persons serving as board members and the overall composition of the board comply in all material respects with the Exchange Act, the Exchange Act Regulations, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) applicable to the Company and the listing rules of the Exchange. At least one member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is defined under Regulation S-K and the listing rules of the Exchange. In addition, at least a majority of the persons serving on the Board of Directors qualify as “independent,” as defined under the listing rules of the Exchange.
2.28. Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance.
2.28.1. Disclosure Controls. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has developed and currently maintains disclosure controls and procedures that will comply with Rule 13a-15 or 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations, and such controls and procedures are effective to ensure that all material information concerning the Company will be made known on a timely basis to the individuals responsible for the preparation of the Company’s Exchange Act filings and other public disclosure documents.
2.28.2. Compliance. The Company is in material compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act applicable to it, and has implemented or will implement such programs and has taken reasonable steps to ensure the Company’s future compliance (not later than the relevant statutory and regulatory deadlines therefor) with all of the material provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
2.29. Accounting Controls. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company maintains systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined under Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations) that comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, its respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with IFRS, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting, and, if applicable, with respect to such remedial actions disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company represents that it has taken all remedial actions set forth in such disclosure. The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which are known to the Company’s management and that have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’ ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud known to the Company’s management, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.
| 11 |
2.30. No Investment Company Status. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the Offering and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be, required to register as an “investment company,” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
2.31. No Labor Disputes. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent.
2.32. Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries owns or possesses or has valid rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets and similar rights (“Intellectual Property Rights”) described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and which are necessary for the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. To the knowledge of the Company, no action or use by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries necessary for the conduct of its business as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will involve or give rise to any infringement of, or license or similar fees for, any Intellectual Property Rights of others. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any written notice alleging any such infringement, fee or conflict with asserted Intellectual Property Rights of others. Except as would not reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change (A) to the knowledge of the Company, there is no infringement, misappropriation or violation by third parties of any of the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company; (B) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the rights of the Company in or to any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim, that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.32, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (C) the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Intellectual Property Rights licensed to the Company have not been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, and there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.32, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (D) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates any Intellectual Property Rights or other proprietary rights of others, the Company has not received any written notice of such claim and the Company is unaware of any other facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims referred to in this Section 2.32, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; and (E) to the Company’s knowledge, no employee of the Company is in or has ever been in violation in any material respect of any term of any employment contract, patent disclosure agreement, invention assignment agreement, non-competition agreement, non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement or any restrictive covenant to or with a former employer where the basis of such violation relates to such employee’s employment with the Company, or actions undertaken by the employee while employed with the Company and could reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change. To the Company’s knowledge, all material technical information developed by and belonging to the Company which has not been patented has been kept confidential. The Company is not a party to or bound by any options, licenses or agreements with respect to the Intellectual Property Rights of any other person or entity that are required to be set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and are not described therein. The Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus contain in all material respects the same description of the matters set forth in the preceding sentence. None of the technology employed by the Company has been obtained or is knowingly being used by the Company in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its officers, directors or employees, or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons.
| 12 |
2.33. Taxes. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has filed all returns (as hereinafter defined) required to be filed with taxing authorities prior to the date hereof or has duly obtained extensions of time for the filing thereof, except in any case in which the failure so to file would not reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has paid all taxes (as hereinafter defined) shown as due on such returns that were filed and has paid all taxes imposed on or assessed against the Company or such respective Subsidiary, except for any such taxes that are currently being contested in good faith or as would not reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change. The provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements filed with or as part of the Registration Statement are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid taxes, whether or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such consolidated financial statements. Except as disclosed in writing to the Underwriter, (i) no issues have been raised (and are currently pending) by any taxing authority in connection with any of the returns or taxes asserted as due from the Company or its Subsidiaries, and (ii) no waivers of statutes of limitation with respect to the returns or collection of taxes have been given by or requested from the Company or its Subsidiaries. The term “taxes” means all federal, state, local, foreign and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments or charges of any kind whatever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts with respect thereto. The term “returns” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.
2.34. ERISA Compliance. The Company is not subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or the regulations and published interpretations thereunder.
2.35. Compliance with Laws. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus and as could not, individually or in the aggregate, be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, each of the Company and each Subsidiary: (A) is and at all times has been in compliance with all statutes, rules, or regulations applicable to the business of the Company as currently conducted (“Applicable Laws”), except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change; (B) has not received any warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or notice from any other Governmental Entity alleging or asserting noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or any licenses, certificates, approvals, clearances, authorizations, permits and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Applicable Laws (“Authorizations”); (C) possesses all material Authorizations and such material Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and are not in material violation of any term of any such Authorizations; (D) has not received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any Governmental Entity or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such Governmental Entity or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding that if brought would result in a Material Adverse Change; (E) has not received written notice that any Governmental Entity has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such Governmental Entity is considering such action ; (F) has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and correct in all material respects on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission); and (G) has not, either voluntarily or involuntarily, initiated, conducted, or issued or caused to be initiated, conducted or issued, any recall, market withdrawal or replacement, safety alert, post-sale warning, or other notice or action relating to the alleged lack of safety of any product or any alleged product defect or violation and, to the Company’s knowledge, no third party has initiated, conducted or intends to initiate any such notice or action.
| 13 |
2.36. Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act Regulations) of the Public Securities and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.
2.37. Real Property. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real or personal property which are material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, claims and defects that do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or its Subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any written notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any Subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such Subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease, which would result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.38. Contracts Affecting Capital. There are no transactions, arrangements or other relationships between and/or among the Company, any of its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations) and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any structured finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity that could reasonably be expected to materially affect the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ liquidity or the availability of or requirements for their capital resources required to be described or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which have not been described or incorporated by reference as required.
2.39. Loans to Directors or Officers. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees or indebtedness by the Company or its Subsidiaries to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company, its Subsidiaries or any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
2.40. Industry Data; Forward-looking statements. The statistical and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate or represent the Company’s good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
2.41. Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not (i) alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communications and (ii) authorized anyone other than the Underwriter to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company confirms that the Underwriter has been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications. “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act; “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act.
| 14 |
2.42. Intentionally omitted.
2.43. Intentionally omitted.
2.44. Margin Securities. The Company owns no “margin securities” as that term is defined in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”), and none of the proceeds of Offering will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin security, for the purpose of reducing or retiring any indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry any margin security or for any other purpose which might cause any of the Ordinary Shares to be considered a “purpose credit” within the meanings of Regulation T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board.
2.45. Dividends and Distributions. Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, Registration Statement and the Prospectus, no Subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited or restricted, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such Subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company.
2.46. Lending Relationships. Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company (i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of the Underwriter and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of the Underwriter.
3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees as follows:
3.1. Amendments to Registration Statement. The Company shall deliver to the Underwriter, prior to filing, any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus proposed to be filed after the Effective Date and not file any such amendment or supplement to which the Underwriter shall reasonably object in writing.
3.2. Federal Securities Laws.
3.2.1. Compliance. The Company, subject to Section 3.2.2, shall comply in all material respects with the requirements of Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations, and will notify the Underwriter promptly, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed; (ii) of its receipt of any comments from the Commission; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Public Securities and the Underwriter’s Warrants for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the Offering of the Public Securities and the Underwriter’s Warrants. The Company shall effect all filings required under Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and shall take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.
| 15 |
3.2.2. Continued Compliance. The Company shall comply in all material respects with the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Public Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Public Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the Securities Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Public Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Underwriter notice of such event; (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Underwriter with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Underwriter or Underwriter’s Counsel shall reasonably object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriter such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriter may reasonably request. The Company has given the Underwriter notice of any filings made pursuant to the Exchange Act or the Exchange Act Regulations within two (2) business days prior to the Applicable Time. The Company shall give the Underwriter notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time until the later of the Closing Date and the exercise in full or expiration of the Over-allotment Option specified in Section 1.2 hereof and will furnish the Underwriter with copies of the related document(s) a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Underwriter or counsel for the Underwriter shall reasonably object.
3.2.3. Exchange Act Registration. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the registration of the Ordinary Shares under the Exchange Act.
3.2.4. Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Underwriter, it shall not make any offer relating to the Public Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Underwriter shall be deemed to have consented to each Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus set forth in Schedule 2. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Underwriter as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriter and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.
3.2.5. Testing-the-Waters Communications. If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company shall promptly notify the Underwriter and shall promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.
| 16 |
3.3. Delivery to the Underwriter of Registration Statements. The Company has delivered or made available or shall deliver or make available to the Underwriter and Underwriter’s Counsel, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and upon request will also deliver to the Underwriter, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for Underwriter. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriter will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
3.4. Delivery to the Underwriter of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered or made available or will deliver or make available to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to the Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Public Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriter will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
3.5. Effectiveness and Events Requiring Notice to the Underwriter. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Registration Statement covering the issuance of the Ordinary Shares underlying the Warrants and the Underwriter’s Warrants to remain effective with a current prospectus for at least nine (9) months after the Applicable Time, and shall notify the Underwriter immediately and confirm the notice in writing: (i) of the cessation of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto; (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iii) of the issuance by any state securities commission of any proceedings for the suspension of the qualification of the shares underlying the Warrants or the Underwriter’s Warrants for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iv) of the mailing and delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus; (v) of the receipt of any comments or request for any additional information from the Commission; and (vi) of the happening of any event during the period described in this Section 3.5 that, in the judgment of the Company, makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus untrue or that requires the making of any changes in (a) the Registration Statement in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or (b) in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Commission or any state securities commission shall enter a stop order or suspend such qualification at any time, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain promptly the lifting of such order.
3.6. Review of Financial Statements. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company, at its expense, shall cause its regularly engaged independent registered public accounting firm to review (but not audit) the Company’s financial statements for each of the first half-years immediately preceding the announcement of any such financial information.
3.7. Listing. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the listing of the Ordinary Shares and the Ordinary Shares underlying the Warrants on the Exchange for at least three (3) years from the date of this Agreement.
3.8. Reserved.
| 17 |
3.9. Reports to the Underwriter.
3.9.1. Periodic Reports, etc. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall furnish or make available to the Underwriter copies of such financial statements and other periodic and special reports as the Company from time to time furnishes generally to holders of any class of its securities and also furnish or make available to the Underwriter: (i) a copy of each periodic report the Company shall be required to file with the Commission under the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations; (ii) a copy of every press release and every news item and article with respect to the Company or its affairs which was released by the Company; (iii) a copy of each Form 6-K prepared and filed by the Company; (iv) a copy of each registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act; and (v) such additional documents and information with respect to the Company and the affairs of any future subsidiaries of the Company as the Underwriter may from time to time reasonably request; provided the Underwriter shall sign, if requested by the Company, a Regulation FD compliant confidentiality agreement which is reasonably acceptable to the Underwriter and Underwriter’s Counsel in connection with the Underwriter’s receipt of such information. Documents filed with the Commission pursuant to its EDGAR system shall be deemed to have been delivered to the Underwriter pursuant to this Section 3.9.1.
3.9.2. Transfer Agent; Transfer Sheets. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall retain a transfer agent and registrar acceptable to the Underwriter (the “Transfer Agent”) and shall furnish to the Underwriter at the Company’s sole cost and expense such transfer sheets of the Company’s securities as the Underwriter may reasonably request, including the daily and monthly consolidated transfer sheets of the Transfer Agent and DTC. Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company is acceptable to the Underwriter to act as Transfer Agent for the Ordinary Shares.
3.9.3. Trading Reports. For a period of six (6) months after the date hereof, during such time as the Shares are listed on the Exchange, the Company shall provide to the Underwriter, at the Company’s expense, such reports published by the Exchange relating to price trading of the Shares, as the Underwriter shall reasonably request.
3.10. Payment of Expenses
3.10.1. General Expenses Related to the Offering. The Company hereby agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, to the extent not paid at the Closing Date, all expenses related to the Offering and incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including, but not limited to: (a) all filing fees and communication expenses relating to the registration of the Public Securities to be sold in the Offering with the Commission; (b) all Public Filing System filing fees associated with the review of the Offering by FINRA; (c) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration, qualification or exemption of the Public Securities under the securities laws of such foreign jurisdictions as the Underwriter may reasonably designate; (d) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to background checks of the Company’s officers and directors and other due diligence expenses; (e) the costs associated with receiving commemorative mementos and lucite tombstones; (f) fees and expenses of the Underwriter’s Counsel not to exceed $75,000; (g) the Underwriter’s due diligence expenses; (h) the cost associated with the Underwriter’s use of Ipreo’s book-building, prospectus tracking and compliance software for the Offering; (i) the cost associated data services and communications expenses; (j) the Underwriter’s actual accountable “road show” expenses; and (k) the cost associated with the Underwriter’s market making and trading, and clearing firm settlement expenses for the Offering. The expenses to be paid by the Company and reimbursed to the Underwriter under this Section 3.10.1 shall not exceed $150,000 without the prior approval of the Company. The Underwriter may deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, if any, the expenses set forth herein to be paid by the Company to the Underwriter; provided, however, that in the event that the Offering is terminated, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriter pursuant to Section 8.3 hereof.
3.10.2. Non-accountable Expenses. The Company further agrees that, in addition to the expenses payable pursuant to Section 3.10.1, on the Closing Date it shall pay to the Underwriter, by deduction from the net proceeds of the Offering contemplated herein, a non-accountable expense allowance equal to one percent (1.0%) of the gross proceeds received by the Company from the issuance of the Firm Securities or Option Securities.
| 18 |
3.11. Tail Period. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, in the event that the Offering is not consummated by the Underwriter as contemplated herein, the Company agrees to pay the Underwriter a cash fee equal to two percent (2.0%) of the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the securities offered to any investor actually introduced by the Underwriter to the Company during the Engagement Period (as defined below) (the “Tail Financing”), and such Tail Financing is consummated at any time during the Engagement Period or within the six (6) month period following the expiration of the Engagement Period, provided that such financing is by a party actually introduced to the Company in an offering in which the Company has direct knowledge of such party’s participation. In addition, unless (x) the Company terminates this Agreement for “Cause” (as defined below), or (y) the Underwriter fails to provide the underwriting services provided in this Agreement, upon termination of this Agreement, if the Company subsequently completes a public or private financing with any investors introduced to the Company by the Underwriter during the six (6) month period following such termination, the Underwriter shall be entitled to receive the same compensation to be paid to the Underwriter in connection with the Offering. In the event that the Company believes that the Underwriter has engaged in conduct constituting Cause, the Company must first notify the Underwriter in writing of the facts and circumstances supporting such an assertion(s), and the Underwriter shall have twenty (20) days to cure such alleged conduct.
“Cause” means, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, willful misconduct, gross negligence or a material breach of this Agreement by the Underwriter.
“Engagement Period” means the period beginning on March 7, 2023, and ending on the earlier of (i) twelve (12) months from the date of such date, (ii) the final closing, if any, of the Offering, or (iii) on or after the two hundred and seventieth (270th day) following March 7, 2023, the date that either party to this Agreement gives the other party to this Agreement at least thirty (30) days’ advance written notice of termination of that certain engagement letter agreement by and between the Company and the Underwriter, dated as of March 7, 2023.
3.12. Right of First Refusal. The Underwriter shall have an irrevocable right of first refusal (the “Right of First Refusal”), for a period of twelve (12) months following the Closing Date, to act as sole investment banker, sole book-runner and/or sole placement agent, at the Underwriter’s sole discretion, for each and every future public and private equity and debt offering, including all equity linked financings (each, a “Subject Transaction”), during such twelve (12) month period for the Company, or any successor to or any current or future Subsidiary of the Company, on terms and conditions agreed to by both the Company and the Underwriter in good faith. The Company shall notify the Underwriter of its intention to pursue a Subject Transaction, including the material terms thereof, by providing written notice thereof by registered mail or overnight courier service addressed to the Underwriter. If the Underwriter fails to exercise its Right of First Refusal with respect to any Subject Transaction within ten (10) Business Days after the mailing of such written notice, then the Underwriter shall have no further claim or right with respect to the Subject Transaction. The Underwriter may elect, in its sole and absolute discretion, not to exercise its Right of First Refusal with respect to any Subject Transaction; provided that any such election by the Underwriter shall not adversely affect the Underwriter’s Right of First Refusal with respect to any other Subject Transaction during the period agreed to above. For the avoidance of any doubt, the Company shall not retain, engage or solicit any additional investment banker, book-runner, financial advisor, underwriter, sales agent and/or placement agent in a Subject Transaction without the express written consent of the Underwriter unless the Underwriter does not exercise its Right of First Refusal after being provided adequate notice and expiration of any period in which to reply, and this Right of First Refusal shall not apply to any transaction where the Company does not engage an investment banker, underwriter, placement agent or other intermediary. The Underwriter shall have the sole right to determine whether or not any other broker-dealer shall have the right to participate in any Subject Transaction in which it exercises this Right of First Refusal and the economic terms of any such participation.
3.13. Application of Net Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the Offering received by it in a manner consistent with the application thereof described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
3.14. Delivery of Earnings Statements to Security Holders. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the Exchange Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, an earnings statement (which need not be certified by independent registered public accounting firm unless required by the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, but which shall satisfy the provisions of Rule 158(a) under Section 11(a) of the Securities Act) covering a period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months beginning after the date of this Agreement.
| 19 |
3.15. Stabilization. Neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or shareholders has taken or shall take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under Regulation M of the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Public Securities.
3.16. Internal Controls. Except to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus, the Company shall maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with IFRS and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
3.17. Accountants. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company has retained an independent registered public accounting firm reasonably acceptable to the Underwriter, and the Company shall continue to retain a nationally recognized independent registered public accounting firm for a period of at least three (3) years after the date of this Agreement. The Underwriter acknowledges that BDO, the selected Auditor for purposes of providing the comfort letters, is acceptable to the Underwriter.
3.18. FINRA. For a period of ninety (90) days from the later of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, if any, the Company shall advise the Underwriter (who shall make an appropriate filing with FINRA) if it is or becomes aware that (i) any officer or director of the Company, (ii) any beneficial owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company’s securities or (iii) any beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the 180 days immediately preceding the filing of the original Registration Statement is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).
3.19. No Fiduciary Duties. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriter’s responsibility to the Company is solely contractual in nature and that none of the Underwriter or its affiliates or any selling agent shall be deemed to be acting in a fiduciary capacity, or otherwise owes any fiduciary duty to the Company or any of its affiliates in connection with the Offering and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
3.20. Company Lock-Up. The Company, on behalf of itself and any successor entity, agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Underwriter, it will not, for a period of three (3) months after the date of this Agreement (the “Lock-Up Period”), (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company; (ii) file or cause to be filed any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company (other than pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8 for employee benefit plans); or (iii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of capital stock of the Company, whether any such transaction described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above is to be settled by delivery of shares of capital stock of the Company or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The restrictions contained in this section shall not apply to (i) the Public Securities and the Underwriter’s Warrants and shares underlying the Warrants or the Underwriter’s Warrants to be sold hereunder; (ii) the issuance by the Company of Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of an outstanding option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof or disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Disclosure Package; provided that such securities have not been amended (which for the avoidance of doubt would not include any adjustment in accordance with its terms) 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 other similar corporate events) or to extend the term of such securities; (iii) the issuance of Ordinary Shares pursuant to the Company’s existing stock option or bonus plans as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Pricing Disclosure Package and as approved by a majority of the non-employee members of the board of directors; (iv) the sale or issuance by the Company of no more than $10,000,000 of Ordinary Shares and/or any security entitling the holder thereof to acquire Ordinary Shares in connection with a financing other than the Offering; (v) in connection with strategic transactions or to bona fide commercial partners approved by the Board of Directors (provided such transactions are not primarily for the purpose of raising capital) subject to the consent and approval of the Underwriter which shall not be unreasonably withheld; and (vi) in connection with the Company’s acquisition, joint-venture, licensing or business transaction of assets or services from or to any individuals or entities approved by the Board of Directors (provided such transactions are not primarily for the purpose of raising capital) subject to the consent and approval of the Underwriter which shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Company agrees not to accelerate the vesting of any option or warrant or the lapse of any repurchase right prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period.
| 20 |
3.21. Release of D&O Lock-up Period. If the Underwriter, in its sole discretion, unanimously agree to release or waive the restrictions set forth in the Lock-Up Agreements described in Section 2.24 hereof for an officer or director of the Company and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three (3) Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release through a major news service at least two (2) Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver.
3.22. Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriter, if necessary, to qualify the Public Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Underwriter may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Public Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.
3.23. Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Public Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by the Exchange Act and Exchange Act Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Public Securities as may be required under Rule 463 under the Securities Act Regulations.
4. Conditions of Underwriter’s Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriter to subscribe for and, where relevant, pay for the Public Securities or the pre-funded exercise price of the Pre-Funded Warrants, as provided herein, shall be subject to (i) the continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any; (ii) the accuracy of the statements of officers of the Company made pursuant to the provisions hereof; (iii) the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and (iv) the following conditions:
4.1. Regulatory Matters.
4.1.1. Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Rule 430A Information. The Registration Statement has become effective not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the date of this Agreement or such later date and time as shall be consented to in writing by you, and, at the Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the Securities Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated by the Commission. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. The Prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)) or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A.
| 21 |
4.1.2. FINRA Clearance. On or before the date of this Agreement, the Underwriter shall have received clearance from FINRA as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Underwriter as described in the Registration Statement.
4.1.3. Exchange Market Clearance. On the Closing Date, the Firm Shares and Warrant Shares shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance. On the first Option Closing Date (if any), the Option Shares shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance.
4.2. Company Counsel Matters.
4.2.1. Closing Date Opinions of Counsel. On the Closing Date, the Underwriter shall have received the favorable opinions of Arthur Cox LLP, Irish counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Underwriter’s Counsel addressed to the Underwriter and stating that such opinions may be relied upon by Underwriter’s Counsel.
4.2.2. Option Closing Date Opinions of Counsel. On the Option Closing Date, if any, the Underwriter shall have received the favorable opinions of Arthur Cox LLP, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter, confirming as of the Option Closing Date, the statements made by such counsel in their opinions delivered on the Closing Date.
4.2.3. Reliance. In rendering such opinions, such counsel may rely: (i) as to matters involving the application of laws other than the laws of the United States and jurisdictions in which they are admitted, to the extent such counsel deems proper and to the extent specified in such opinion, if at all, upon an opinion or opinions (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter) of other counsel reasonably acceptable to the Underwriter, familiar with the applicable laws; and (ii) as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates or other written statements of officers of the Company and officers of departments of various jurisdictions having custody of documents respecting the corporate existence or good standing of the Company, provided that copies of any such statements or certificates shall be delivered to Underwriter’s Counsel if requested.
4.3. Comfort Letters.
4.3.1. Cold Comfort Letter. At the time this Agreement is executed the Underwriter shall have received a cold comfort letter containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ comfort letters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information related to the Company contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, addressed to the Underwriter and in form and substance satisfactory in all respects to the Underwriter and to BDO, dated as of the date of this Agreement.
4.3.2. Bring-down Comfort Letter. At each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Underwriter shall have received from BDO a letter, dated as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable, to the effect that BDO reaffirms the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to Section 4.3.1, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three (3) Business Days prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable.
| 22 |
4.4. Officers’ Certificates.
4.4.1. Officers’ Certificate. The Company shall have furnished to the Underwriter a certificate, dated the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date (if such date is other than the Closing Date), of its Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer stating on behalf of the Company and not in an individual capacity that (i) such officers have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and, in their opinion, the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date) did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as of its date and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto, as of the respective date thereof and as of the Closing Date, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, (ii) since the effective date of the Registration Statement, no event has occurred which should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (iii) to the best of their knowledge after reasonable investigation, as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects (except for those representations and warranties qualified as to materiality, which shall be true and correct in all respects and except for those representations and warranties which refer to facts existing at a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of such date) and the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), and (iv) there has not been, subsequent to the date of the most recent audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package, a Material Adverse Change.
4.4.2. Secretary’s Certificate. At the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Underwriter shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date, certifying on behalf of the Company and not in an individual capacity: (i) that each of the Charter and Bylaws (or Irish equivalency) is true and complete, has not been modified and is in full force and effect; (ii) that the resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors (and any pricing committee thereof) relating to the Offering are in full force and effect and have not been modified; and (iii) as to the incumbency of the officers of the Company. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.
4.5. No Material Changes. Prior to and on the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any: (i) there shall have been no Material Adverse Change in the condition or prospects or the business activities, financial or otherwise, of the Company from the latest dates as of which such condition is set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (ii) no action, suit or proceeding, at law or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened against the Company or any Insider before or by any court or federal or state commission, board or other administrative agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding may reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (iii) no stop order shall have been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and (iv) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto shall contain all material statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and shall conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and neither the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package nor the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
4.6. Delivery of Agreements.
4.6.1. Lock-Up Agreements. On or before the date of this Agreement, the Company shall have delivered to the Underwriter executed copies of the Lock-Up Agreements.
4.6.2. Underwriter’s Warrants. On the Closing date, the Company shall have delivered to the Underwriter an executed copy of the Underwriter’s Warrant.
| 23 |
4.7. Additional Documents. At the Closing Date and at each Option Closing Date, if any, Underwriter’s Counsel shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling Underwriter’s Counsel to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Public Securities and the Underwriter’s Warrants as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Underwriter and Underwriter’s Counsel.
5. Indemnification.
5.1. Indemnification of the Underwriter.
5.1.1. General. Subject to the conditions set forth below, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter, its affiliates and each of its and their respective directors, officers, members, employees, representatives, partners, shareholders, affiliates, counsel, and agents and each person, if any, who controls any such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (collectively the “Underwriter Indemnified Parties,” and each an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”), against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including but not limited to any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and the Company or between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and any third party, or otherwise) to which they or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any other statute or at common law or otherwise or under the laws of foreign countries (a “Claim”), arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in (A) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication (as from time to time each may be amended and supplemented); (B) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the Offering, including any “road show” or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically); or (C) any application or other document or written communication (in this Section 5, collectively called “application”) executed by the Company or based upon written information furnished by the Company in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Public Securities and the Underwriter’s Warrants under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, any state securities commission or agency, the Exchange or any other national securities exchange; unless, with respect to each subsection (A) through (C), such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, the Underwriter’s Information. With respect to any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus, the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 5.1.1 shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter Indemnified Party to the extent that any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense of such Underwriter Indemnified Party results from the fact that a copy of the Prospectus was not given or sent to the person asserting any such loss, liability, claim or damage at or prior to the written confirmation of sale of the Public Securities to such person as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and if the untrue statement or omission has been corrected in the Prospectus, unless such failure to deliver the Prospectus was a result of non-compliance by the Company with its obligations under Section 3.3 hereof. The Company also agrees that it will reimburse each Underwriter Indemnified Party for all reasonable fees and expenses (including but not limited to any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and the Company or between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and any third party, or otherwise) (collectively, the “Expenses”), and further agrees wherever and whenever possible to advance payment of Expenses as they are incurred by an Underwriter Indemnified Party in investigating, preparing, pursuing or defending any Claim.
| 24 |
5.1.2. Procedure. If any action is brought against an Underwriter Indemnified Party in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company pursuant to Section 5.1.1, such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the institution of such action and the Company shall assume the defense of such action, including the employment and fees of counsel (subject to the approval of such Underwriter Indemnified Party (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld)) and payment of actual expenses if an Underwriter Indemnified Party requests that the Company do so. Such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, and the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of the Company and shall be advanced by the Company; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to bear the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one firm of attorneys selected by the Underwriter Indemnified Party (in addition to local counsel). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, and provided that the Company has timely honored its obligations under Section 5, the Underwriter Indemnified Party shall not enter into any settlement without the prior written consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld) of the terms of any settlement by the Company. The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any action effected without its prior written consent (which shall not be unreasonably delayed or withheld). In addition, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Underwriter (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any pending or threatened action in respect of which advancement, reimbursement, indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not such Underwriter Indemnified Party is a party thereto) unless such settlement, compromise, consent or termination (i) includes an unconditional release of each Underwriter Indemnified Party, acceptable to such Underwriter Indemnified Party, from all liabilities, expenses and claims arising out of such action for which indemnification or contribution may be sought and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any Underwriter Indemnified Party.
5.2. Indemnification of the Company. The Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and persons who control the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the foregoing indemnity from the Company to the Underwriter, as incurred, but only with respect to such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses (or actions in respect thereof) which arise out of or are based upon untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or in any application, in reliance upon, and in conformity with, the Underwriter’s Information. In case any action shall be brought against the Company or any other person so indemnified based on any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or any application, and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against any Underwriter, such Underwriter shall have the rights and duties given to the Company, and the Company and each other person so indemnified shall have the rights and duties given to the Underwriter by the provisions of Section 5.1.2. The Company agrees promptly to notify the Underwriter of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against the Company or any of its officers, directors or any person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, in connection with the issuance and sale of the Public Securities or in connection with the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication.
| 25 |
5.3. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 5 shall for any reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 5.1 or 5.2 in respect of any liabilities and Expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such liabilities and Expenses, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, from the Offering, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, in connection with the matters as to which such liabilities or Expenses relate, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other, with respect to such Offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds actually received by the Company from the Offering of the Public Securities purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions actually received by the Underwriter in connection with the Offering, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Underwriter, on the other, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement, omission, act or failure to act; provided that the parties hereto agree that the written information furnished to the Company through the Underwriter by or on behalf of any Underwriter for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, any Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, consists solely of the Underwriter’s Information. The Company and the Underwriter agrees that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriter was treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). Notwithstanding the above, no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act shall be entitled to contribution from a party who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
5.4. Limitation. The Company also agrees that no Underwriter Indemnified Party shall have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract or tort or otherwise) to the Company for or in connection with advice or services rendered or to be rendered by any Underwriter Indemnified Party pursuant to this Agreement, the transactions contemplated thereby or any Underwriter Indemnified Party’s actions or inactions in connection with any such advice, services or transactions, except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction has made a finding that liabilities (and related Expenses) of the Company have resulted from such Underwriter Indemnified Party’s fraud, bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct in connection with any such advice, actions, inactions or services or such Underwriter Indemnified Party’s breach of this Agreement or any obligations of confidentiality owed to the Company.
5.5. Survival & Third-Party Beneficiaries. The advancement, reimbursement, indemnity and contribution obligations set forth in this Section 5 shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any termination of, or the completion of any Underwriter Indemnified Party’s services under or in connection with, this Agreement. Each Underwriter Indemnified Party’s is an intended third-party beneficiary of this Section 5, and has the right to enforce the provisions of Section 5 as if he/she/it was a party to this Agreement.
6. Intentionally Omitted.
7. Intentionally Omitted.
8. Effective Date of this Agreement and Termination Thereof.
8.1. Effective Date. This Agreement shall become effective when both the Company and the Underwriter have executed the same and delivered counterparts of such signatures to the other party.
8.2. Termination. The Underwriter shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior to any Closing Date, (i) if any domestic or international event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in your opinion will in the immediate future materially disrupt, general securities markets in the United States; or (ii) if trading on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC shall have been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required by FINRA or by order of the Commission or any other government authority having jurisdiction; or (iii) if the United States shall have become involved in a new war or an increase in major hostilities; or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by a New York State or federal authority; or (v) if a moratorium on foreign exchange trading has been declared which materially adversely impacts the United States securities markets; or (vi) if the Company shall have sustained a material loss by fire, flood, accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other calamity or malicious act which, whether or not such loss shall have been insured, will, in the Underwriter’s opinion, make it inadvisable to proceed with the delivery of the Firm Securities (or Pre-Funded Warrants) or Option Securities; or (vii) if the Company is in material breach of any of its representations, warranties or covenants hereunder; or (viii) if the Underwriter shall have become aware after the date hereof of such a Material Adverse Change, or such adverse material change in general market conditions as in the Underwriter’s judgment would make it impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Public Securities or to enforce contracts made by the Underwriter for the sale of the Public Securities.
| 26 |
8.3. Expenses. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, in the event that this Agreement shall not be carried out for any reason whatsoever, within the time specified herein or any extensions thereof pursuant to the terms herein, the Company shall be obligated to pay to the Underwriter its actual and accountable out-of-pocket expenses related to the transactions contemplated herein then due and payable up to the amounts set forth in Section 3.10.1 and upon demand the Company shall pay such amount thereof to the Underwriter on behalf of the Underwriter; provided, however, that such expense cap in no way limits or impairs the indemnification and contribution provisions of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any advance received by the Underwriter will be reimbursed to the Company to the extent not actually incurred in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(4)(A).
8.4. Indemnification. Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in this Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this Agreement, and whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the provisions of Section 5 shall remain in full force and effect and shall not be in any way affected by, such election or termination or failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or any part hereof.
8.5. Representations, Warranties, Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company or (ii) delivery of and payment for the Public Securities.
9. Miscellaneous.
9.1. Notices. All communications hereunder, except as herein otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and shall be mailed (registered or certified mail, return receipt requested), emailed, personally delivered or sent by facsimile transmission and confirmed and shall be deemed given when so delivered or faxed and confirmed or if mailed, two (2) days after such mailing.
If to the Underwriter:
EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC
590 Madison Avenue, 39th Floor
New York, NY 10022
Attn: Sam Fleischman
Email: sfleischman@efhuttongroup.com
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Lucosky Brookman LLP
101 Wood Avenue South, 5th Floor
Woodbridge, NJ 08330
Attention: Joseph M. Lucosky, Esq.
Fax No.: (732) 395-4401
E-Mail: jlucosky@lucbro.com
| 27 |
If to the Company:
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company
Mespil Business Centre, Mespil House, Sussex Road,
Dublin 4, Ireland
Attention: Haggai Alon
Email: Chief Executive Officer
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Ruskin Moscou Faltischek P.C.
1425 RXR Plaza
East Tower, 15th Floor
Uniondale, NY 11556
Attention: Stephen E. Fox, Esq.
Email: sfox@rmfpc.com
9.2. Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement.
9.3. Amendment. This Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument executed by each of the parties hereto.
9.4. Entire Agreement. This Agreement (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement) constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
9.5. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the Underwriter, the Company and the controlling persons, directors and officers referred to in Section 5 hereof, and their respective successors, legal representatives, heirs and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any provisions herein contained. The term “successors and assigns” shall not include a purchaser, in its capacity as such, of securities from the Underwriter.
9.6. Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; Trial by Jury. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflict of laws principles thereof. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the City, County and State of New York, or in the United States District Court located in the City, County and State of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 9.1 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company agrees that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its shareholders and affiliates) and the Underwriter hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
9.7. Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts has been signed by each of the parties hereto and delivered to each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or email/pdf transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery thereof.
9.8. Waiver, etc. The failure of any of the parties hereto to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way effect the validity of this Agreement or any provision hereof or the right of any of the parties hereto to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Agreement. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.
[Signature Page Follows]
| 28 |
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Underwriter and the Company, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between us.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
Confirmed as of the date first written above mentioned:
| EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| 29 |
SCHEDULE 1
Pricing Information
Number of Firm Shares: [●]
Number of Firm Warrants: [●] Warrants
Number of Option Shares: [●]
Number of Option Warrants: [●] Warrants
Public Offering Price per one Firm Share (with two Warrants included for no additional consideration): $[●]
Underwriting Discount per one Firm Share (with two Warrants included for no additional consideration): $[●] (8.0%)
Price per Option Share: $[●]
Underwriting Discount per Option Share: $[●]
Non-Accountable Expense Allowance per one Firm Share or Option Share (with two Warrants included for no additional consideration): $[●] (1.0%)
| 30 |
SCHEDULE 2
Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses
None
| 31 |
SCHEDULE 3
List of Parties exempted from Lock-Up Agreement
| 32 |
EXHIBIT A
Form of Lock-Up Agreement
June 14, 2023
EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC
590 Madison Avenue, 39th Floor
New York, NY 10022
As Underwriter
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC (the “Underwriter”), proposes to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) of, among other securities of the Company, Ordinary Shares, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the “Ordinary Shares”).
To induce the Underwriter to continue its efforts in connection with the Public Offering, each of the Company’s executive officers, directors and owners of the Company’s outstanding Ordinary Shares (or securities convertible or exercisable into Ordinary Shares) exceeding ten percent (10%), except those listed on Schedule 3 of the Underwriting Agreement, agrees to deliver to the Underwriter an executed Lock-Up Agreement.
The undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Underwriter, the undersigned will not, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending six months after the date of the Underwriting Agreement relating to the Public Offering (the “Lock-Up Period”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, grant, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition (collectively, the “Lock-Up Securities”); (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Lock-Up Securities, in cash or otherwise; (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any Lock-Up Securities (other than pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8 for employee benefit plans); or (4) publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge or disposition, or to enter into any transaction, swap, hedge or other arrangement relating to any Lock-Up Securities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, the undersigned may transfer Lock-Up Securities without the prior written consent of the Underwriter in connection with (a) transactions relating to Lock-Up Securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the Public Offering; provided that no filing under Section 13 or Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or other public announcement shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with subsequent sales of Lock-Up Securities acquired in such open market transactions; (b) transfers of Lock-Up Securities as a bona fide gift, by will or intestacy or to a family member or trust for the benefit of the undersigned or a family member (for purposes of this lock-up agreement, “family member” means any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin); (c) transfers of Lock-Up Securities to a charity or educational institution; (d) if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other business entity, (i) any transfers of Lock-Up Securities to another corporation, partnership or other business entity that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the undersigned or (ii) distributions of Lock-Up Securities to members, partners, stockholders, subsidiaries or affiliates (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned; (e) if the undersigned is a trust, to a trustee or beneficiary of the trust; provided that in the case of any transfer pursuant to the foregoing clauses (b), (c), (d) or (e), (i) any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (ii) each transferee shall sign and deliver to the Underwriter a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of this lock-up agreement and (iii) no filing under Section 13 or Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act or other public announcement shall be required or shall be voluntarily made; (f) the receipt by the undersigned from the Company of Ordinary Shares upon the vesting of restricted stock awards or stock units or upon the exercise of options to purchase the Company’s Ordinary Shares issued under an equity incentive plan of the Company or an employment arrangement described in the Pricing Prospectus (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) (the “Plan Shares”) or the transfer of Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into Ordinary Shares to the Company upon a vesting event of the Company’s securities or upon the exercise of options to purchase the Company’s securities, in each case on a “cashless” or “net exercise” basis or to cover tax obligations of the undersigned in connection with such vesting or exercise, but only to the extent such right expires during the Lock-up Period, provided that no filing under Section 13 or Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act or other public announcement shall be required or shall be voluntarily made within six months after the date of the Underwriting Agreement, and after such six month date, if the undersigned is required to file a report under Section 13 or Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of Ordinary Shares during the Lock-Up Period, the undersigned shall include a statement in such schedule or report to the effect that the purpose of such transfer was to cover tax withholding obligations of the undersigned in connection with such vesting or exercise and, provided further, that the Plan Shares shall be subject to the terms of this lock-up agreement; (g) the transfer of Lock-Up Securities pursuant to agreements described in the Pricing Prospectus under which the Company has the option to repurchase such securities or a right of first refusal with respect to the transfer of such securities, provided that if the undersigned is required to file a report under Section 13 or Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of Ordinary Shares during the Lock-Up Period, the undersigned shall include a statement in such schedule or report describing the purpose of the transaction; (h) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of Lock-Up Securities, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Lock-Up Securities during the Lock-Up Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such public announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Lock-Up Securities may be made under such plan during the Lock-Up Period; (i) the transfer of Lock-Up Securities that occurs by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order or in connection with a divorce settlement, provided that the transferee agrees to sign and deliver a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of this lock-up agreement for the balance of the Lock-Up Period, and provided further, that any filing under Section 13 or Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act that is required to be made during the Lock-Up Period as a result of such transfer shall include a statement that such transfer has occurred by operation of law; and (j) the transfer of Lock-Up Securities pursuant to a bona fide third party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction made to all holders of the Ordinary Shares involving a change of control (as defined below) of the Company after the closing of the Public Offering and approved by the Company’s board of directors; provided that in the event that the tender offer, merger, consolidation or other such transaction is not completed, the Lock-Up Securities owned by the undersigned shall remain subject to the restrictions contained in this lock-up agreement. For purposes of clause (j) above, “change of control” shall mean the consummation of any bona fide third party tender offer, merger, amalgamation, consolidation or other similar transaction the result of which is that any “person” (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), or group of persons, becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 of the Exchange Act) of a majority of total voting power of the voting stock of the Company. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with this lock-up agreement.
| A-1 |
If the undersigned is an executive officer or director of the Company, (i) the undersigned agrees that the foregoing restrictions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed or “friends and family” Securities that the undersigned may purchase in the Public Offering; (ii) the Underwriter agrees that, at least three (3) business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of Lock-Up Securities, the Underwriter will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver; and (iii) the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two (2) business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by the Underwriter hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two (2) business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer of Lock-Up Securities not for consideration and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this lock-up agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of such transfer.
The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriter are relying upon this lock- up agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public Offering. The undersigned further understands that this lock-up agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns.
The undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement is not executed by June 20, 2023, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Ordinary Shares to be sold thereunder, then this lock-up agreement shall be void and of no further force or effect.
[Signature Page Follows]
| A-2 |
| By: | ||
| Signature | ||
| Printed Name of Person Signing | ||
| (and indicate capacity of person signing if signing as custodian, trustee, or on behalf of an entity) | ||
| A-3 |
EXHIBIT B
Form of Underwriter’s Warrant
THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS WARRANT BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT SELL, TRANSFER OR ASSIGN THIS WARRANT EXCEPT AS HEREIN PROVIDED AND THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS WARRANT AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT SELL, TRANSFER, ASSIGN, PLEDGE OR HYPOTHECATE THIS WARRANT FOR A PERIOD OF ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAYS FOLLOWING [__], 2023 (THE “EFFECTIVE DATE”) TO ANYONE OTHER THAN (I) EF HUTTON, DIVISION OF BENCHMARK INVESTMENTS, LLC OR A SELECTED DEALER IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING FOR WHICH THIS WARRANT WAS ISSUED TO THE UNDERWRITER AS CONSIDERATION (THE “OFFERING”), OR (II) AN OFFICER, PARTNER, REGISTERED PERSON OR AFFILIATE EF HUTTON, DIVISION OF BENCHMARK INVESTMENTS, LLC.
ORDINARY SHARES WARRANT
For the Subscription of [____] Ordinary Shares
of
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company
1. Warrant. THIS CERTIFIES THAT, in consideration of funds duly paid by or on behalf of [__] (“Holder”), as registered owner of this Warrant, SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), Holder is entitled, at any time or from time to time beginning [__], 2023 (the “Commencement Date”), and at or before 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, [__]1, 2028 (the “Date”), but not thereafter, to subscribe for, purchase and receive, in whole or in part, up to [____]2 Ordinary Shares of the Company (the “Shares”), subject to adjustment as provided in Section 6 hereof. If the Expiration Date is a day on which banking institutions are authorized by law to close, then this Warrant may be exercised on the next succeeding day which is not such a day in accordance with the terms herein. During the period ending on the Expiration Date, the Company agrees not to take any action that would terminate this Warrant. This Warrant is initially exercisable at $[___]3 per Share; provided, however, that upon the occurrence of any of the events specified in Section 6 hereof, the rights granted by this Warrant, including the exercise price per Share and the number of Shares to be received upon such exercise, shall be adjusted as therein specified. The term “Exercise Price” shall mean the initial exercise price or the adjusted exercise price, depending on the context.
2. Exercise.
2.1 Exercise Form. In order to exercise this Warrant, the exercise form attached hereto must be duly executed and completed and delivered to the Company, together with this Warrant and payment of the Exercise Price for the Shares being subscribed payable in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Company or by certified check or official bank check. If the subscription rights represented hereby shall not be exercised at or before 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the Expiration Date, this Warrant shall become and be void without further force or effect, and all rights represented hereby shall cease and expire. Each exercise hereof shall be irrevocable.
2.2 Intentionally Omitted.
“Ordinary Shares” means (i) the Company’s ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and (ii) any capital stock into which such Ordinary Shares shall have been changed or any capital stock resulting from a reclassification of such Ordinary Shares.
2.3 Legend. Each certificate for the securities subscribed under this Warrant shall bear a legend as follows unless such securities have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”):
“The securities represented by this certificate have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), or applicable state law. Neither the securities nor any interest therein may be offered for sale, sold or otherwise transferred except pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Act, or pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Act and applicable state law which, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, is available.”
1 Insert date five years from the date of commencement of sales of the public offering.
2 Number equal to 5% of the total number of Ordinary Shares and pre-funded warrants sold.
3 Amount equal to 110% of the public offering price of the shares sold in the offering.
| B-1 |
3. Transfer.
3.1 General Restrictions. The registered Holder of this Warrant agrees by his, her or its acceptance hereof, that such Holder will not for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Effective Date: (a) sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate this Warrant to anyone other than: (i) EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC (“EFH”), or an underwriter, placement agent, or a selected dealer participating in the Offering, or (ii) an officer, partner, registered person or affiliate of EFH or of any such underwriter, placement agent or selected dealer, in each case in accordance with FINRA Conduct Rule 5110(e)(1), or (b) cause this Warrant or the securities issuable hereunder to be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of this Warrant or the securities hereunder, except as provided for in FINRA Rule 5110(e)(2). After 180 days after the Effective Date, transfers to others may be made subject to compliance with or exemptions from applicable securities laws. In order to make any permitted assignment, the Holder must deliver to the Company the assignment form attached hereto duly executed and completed, together with the Warrant and payment of all transfer taxes, if any, payable in connection therewith. The Company shall within five (5) Business Days transfer this Warrant on the books of the Company and shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants of like tenor to the appropriate assignee(s) expressly evidencing the right to subscribe for the aggregate number of Shares purchasable hereunder or such portion of such number as shall be contemplated by any such assignment.
3.2 Restrictions Imposed by the Act. The securities evidenced by this Warrant shall not be transferred unless and until: (i) if required by applicable law, the Company has received the opinion of counsel for the Company that the securities may be transferred pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Act and applicable state securities laws, or (ii) a registration statement or a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement relating to the offer and sale of such securities has been filed by the Company and declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) and compliance with applicable state securities law has been established.
4. Registration Rights.
4.1 Grant of Demand Right. The Company, upon written demand (a “Demand Notice”) of the Holder(s) of at least 51% of the Warrants and/or the underlying Warrant Shares (“Majority Holders”), agrees to register, on one occasion, all or any portion of the Warrant Shares underlying the Warrants (collectively, the “Registrable Securities”). On such occasion, the Company will file a registration statement with the Commission covering the Registrable Securities within sixty (60) days after receipt of a Demand Notice and use its reasonable best efforts to have the registration statement declared effective promptly thereafter, subject to compliance with review by the Commission; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to comply with a Demand Notice if the Company has filed a registration statement with respect to which the Holder is entitled to piggyback registration rights pursuant to Section 4.2 hereof and either: (i) the Holder has elected to participate in the offering covered by such registration statement or (ii) if such registration statement relates to an underwritten primary offering of securities of the Company, until the offering covered by such registration statement has been withdrawn or until thirty (30) days after such offering is consummated. The demand for registration may be made at any time beginning on the Initial Exercise Date and expiring on the fifth anniversary of the commencement date of sales in the Offering. The Company covenants and agrees to give written notice of its receipt of any Demand Notice by any Holder(s) to all other registered Holders of the Warrants and/or the Registrable Securities within ten (10) days after the date of the receipt of any such Demand Notice.
| B-2 |
4.2 Grant of “Piggy-Back” Right. Whenever the Company proposes to register any of its Ordinary Shares under the Act (other than (i) a registration effected solely to implement an employee benefit plan or a transaction to which Rule 145 of the Act is applicable, or (ii) a registration statement on Form S-4, S-8 or any successor form thereto or another form not available for registering the Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant for sale to the public, whether for its own account or for the account of one or more stockholders of the Company (a “Piggyback Registration”), the Company shall give prompt written notice (in any event no later than ten (10) Business Days prior to the filing of such registration statement) to the Holder of the Company’s intention to effect such a registration and, subject to the remaining provisions of this Section 4.2, shall include in such registration such number of Registrable Securities that the Holders have (within ten (10) Business Days of the respective Holder’s receipt of such notice) requested in writing (including such number) to be included within such registration. If a Piggyback Registration is an underwritten offering and the managing underwriter advises the Company that it has determined in good faith that marketing factors require a limit on the number of ordinary shares to be included in such registration, including all Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant (if the Holder has elected to include such shares in such Piggyback Registration) and all other ordinary shares proposed to be included in such underwritten offering, the Company shall include in such registration (i) first, the number of ordinary shares that the Company proposes to sell and (ii) second, the number of ordinary shares, if any, requested to be included therein by selling stockholders (including the Holder) allocated pro rata among all such persons on the basis of the number of Ordinary Shares then owned by each such person. If any Piggyback Registration is initiated as a primary underwritten offering on behalf of the Company, the Company shall select the investment banking firm or firms to act as the managing underwriter or underwriters in connection with such offering. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the obligations of the Company pursuant to this Section 4.2 shall terminate on the earlier of (i) the seventh anniversary of the Effective Date and (ii) the date that Rule 144 would allow the Holder to sell its Registrable Securities during any ninety (90) day period.
4.3 Indemnification. The Company shall indemnify the Holder(s) of the Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to any registration statement hereunder and each person, if any, who controls such Holders within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 (a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”), against all loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and other out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any claim whatsoever) to which any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from such registration statement but only to the same extent and with the same effect as the provisions pursuant to which the Company has agreed to indemnify EFH contained in the Underwriting Agreement between EFH and the Company, dated as of [__], 2023. The Holder(s) of the Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to such registration statement, and their successors and assigns, shall severally, and not jointly, indemnify the Company, against all loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any claim whatsoever) to which they may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from information furnished by or on behalf of such Holders, or their successors or assigns, in writing, for specific inclusion in such registration statement to the same extent and with the same effect as the provisions contained in the Underwriting Agreement pursuant to which EFH has agreed to indemnify the Company.
4.4 Exercise of Warrants. Nothing contained in this Warrant shall be construed as requiring the Holder(s) to exercise their Warrants prior to or after the initial filing of any registration statement or the effectiveness thereof.
4.5 Documents Delivered to Holders. The Company shall deliver promptly to each Holder participating in the offering requesting the correspondence and memoranda described below, copies of all correspondence between the Commission and the Company, its counsel or auditors and all memoranda relating to discussions with the Commission or its staff with respect to the registration statement and permit each Holder and underwriter to do such investigation, upon reasonable advance notice, with respect to information contained in or omitted from the registration statement as it deems reasonably necessary to comply with applicable securities laws or rules of FINRA. Such investigation shall include access to books, records and properties and opportunities to discuss the business of the Company with its officers and independent auditors, all to such reasonable extent and at such reasonable times, during normal business hours, as any such Holder shall reasonably request.
4.6 Underwriting Agreement. The Holders shall be parties to any underwriting agreement relating to a Piggyback Registration. Such Holders shall not be required to make any representations or warranties to or agreements with the Company or the underwriters except as they may relate to such Holders, their Shares and the amount and nature of their ownership thereof and their intended methods of distribution.
4.7 Documents to be Delivered by Holder(s). Each of the Holder(s) participating in any of the foregoing offerings shall furnish to the Company a completed and executed questionnaire provided by the Company requesting information customarily sought of selling security holders.
| B-3 |
4.8 Damages. Should the Company fail to comply with such provisions, the Holder(s) shall, in addition to any other legal or other relief available to the Holder(s), be entitled to obtain specific performance or other equitable (including injunctive) relief against the threatened breach of such provisions or the continuation of any such breach, without the necessity of proving actual damages and without the necessity of posting bond or other security.
5. New Warrants to be Issued.
5.1 Partial Exercise or Transfer. Subject to the restrictions in Section 3 hereof, this Warrant may be exercised or assigned in whole or in part. In the event of the exercise or assignment hereof in part only, upon surrender of this Warrant for cancellation, together with the duly executed exercise or assignment form and funds sufficient to pay any Exercise Price and/or transfer tax if exercised pursuant to Section 2.1 hereto, the Company shall cause to be delivered to the Holder without charge a new Warrant of like tenor to this Warrant in the name of the Holder evidencing the right of the Holder to subscribe for the number of Shares purchasable hereunder as to which this Warrant has not been exercised or assigned.
5.2 Lost Certificate. Upon receipt by the Company of evidence satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant and of reasonably satisfactory indemnification or the posting of a bond, determined in the sole discretion of the Company, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant of like tenor and date. Any such new Warrant executed and delivered as a result of such loss, theft, mutilation or destruction shall constitute a substitute contractual obligation on the part of the Company.
6. Adjustments.
6.1 Adjustments to Exercise Price and Number of Securities. The Exercise Price and the number of Shares underlying the Warrant shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as hereinafter set forth:
6.1.1 Share Dividends; Split Ups. If, after the date hereof, and subject to the provisions of Section 6.3 below, the number of outstanding Shares is increased by a stock dividend payable in Shares or by a split up of Shares or other similar event, then, on the effective day thereof, the number of Shares purchasable hereunder shall be increased in proportion to such increase in outstanding Shares, and the Exercise Price shall be proportionately decreased.
6.1.2 Aggregation of Shares. If, after the date hereof, and subject to the provisions of Section 6.3 below, the number of outstanding Shares is decreased by a consolidation, combination or reclassification of Shares or other similar event, then, on the effective date thereof, the number of Shares purchasable hereunder shall be decreased in proportion to such decrease in outstanding Shares, and the Exercise Price shall be proportionately increased.
6.1.3 Replacement of Securities upon Reorganization, etc. In case of any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding Shares other than a change covered by Section 6.1.1 or 6.1.2 hereof or that solely affects the par value of such Shares, or in the case of any share reconstruction or amalgamation or consolidation or merger of the Company with or into another corporation (other than a consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation or merger in which the Company is the continuing corporation and that does not result in any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding Shares), or in the case of any sale or conveyance to another corporation or entity of the property of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety in connection with which the Company is dissolved, the Holder of this Warrant shall have the right thereafter (until the expiration of the right of exercise of this Warrant) to receive upon the exercise hereof, for the same aggregate Exercise Price payable hereunder immediately prior to such event, the kind and amount of shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) receivable upon such reclassification, reorganization, share reconstruction or amalgamation, or consolidation, or upon a dissolution following any such sale or transfer, by a Holder of the number of Shares of the Company obtainable upon exercise of this Warrant immediately prior to such event; and if any reclassification also results in a change in Shares covered by Section 6.1.1 or 6.1.2, then such adjustment shall be made pursuant to Sections 6.1.1, 6.1.2 and this Section 6.1.3. The provisions of this Section 6.1.3 shall similarly apply to successive reclassifications, reorganizations, share reconstructions or amalgamations, or consolidations, sales or other transfers.
6.1.4 Changes in Form of Warrant. This form of Warrant need not be changed because of any change pursuant to this Section 6.1, and Warrants issued after such change may state the same Exercise Price and the same number of Shares as are stated in the Warrants initially issued pursuant to this Agreement. The acceptance by any Holder of the issuance of new Warrants reflecting a required or permissive change shall not be deemed to waive any rights to an adjustment occurring after the Commencement Date or the computation thereof.
| B-4 |
6.2 Substitute Warrant. In case of any consolidation of the Company with, or share reconstruction or amalgamation or merger of the Company with or into, another corporation (other than a consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation or merger which does not result in any reclassification or change of the outstanding Shares), the corporation formed by such consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation shall execute and deliver to the Holder a supplemental Warrant providing that the holder of each Warrant then outstanding or to be outstanding shall have the right thereafter (until the stated expiration of such Warrant) to receive, upon exercise of such Warrant, the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities and property receivable upon such consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation, by a holder of the number of Shares of the Company for which such Warrant might have been exercised immediately prior to such consolidation, share reconstruction or amalgamation or merger, sale or transfer. Such supplemental Warrant shall provide for adjustments which shall be identical to the adjustments provided for in this Section 6. The above provision of this Section shall similarly apply to successive consolidations or share reconstructions or amalgamations or mergers.
6.3 Elimination of Fractional Interests. The Company shall not be required to issue certificates representing fractions of Shares upon the exercise of the Warrant, nor shall it be required to issue scrip or pay cash in lieu of any fractional interests, it being the intent of the parties that all fractional interests shall be eliminated by rounding any fraction up or down, as the case may be, to the nearest whole number of Shares or other securities, properties or rights.
7. Reservation. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized Shares, solely for the purpose of issuance upon exercise of the Warrants, such number of Shares or other securities, properties or rights as shall be issuable upon the exercise thereof. The Company covenants and agrees that, upon exercise of the Warrants and payment of the Exercise Price therefor, in accordance with the terms hereby, all Shares and other securities issuable upon such exercise shall be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and not subject to preemptive rights of any shareholder.
8. Certain Notice Requirements.
8.1 Holder’s Right to Receive Notice. Nothing herein shall be construed as conferring upon the Holders the right to vote or consent or to receive notice as a shareholder for the election of directors or any other matter, or as having any rights whatsoever as a shareholder of the Company. If, however, at any time prior to the expiration of the Warrants and their exercise, any of the events described in Section 8.2 shall occur, then, in one or more of said events, the Company shall deliver to each Holder a copy of each notice relating to such events given to the other shareholders of the Company at the same time and in the same manner that such notice is given to the shareholders.
8.2 Events Requiring Notice. The Company shall be required to give the notice described in this Section 8 upon one or more of the following events: (i) if the Company shall take a record of the holders of its Shares for the purpose of entitling them to receive a dividend or distribution payable otherwise than in cash, or a cash dividend or distribution payable otherwise than out of retained earnings, as indicated by the accounting treatment of such dividend or distribution on the books of the Company, or (ii) the Company shall offer to all the holders of its Shares any additional shares of capital stock of the Company or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company, or any option, right or warrant to subscribe therefor.
8.3 Notice of Change in Exercise Price. The Company shall, promptly after an event requiring a change in the Exercise Price pursuant to Section 6 hereof, send notice to the Holders of such event and change (“Price Notice”). The Price Notice shall describe the event causing the change and the method of calculating same.
8.4 Transmittal of Notices. All notices, requests, consents and other communications under this Warrant shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly made when hand delivered, or mailed by express mail or private courier service: (i) if to the registered Holder of the Warrant, to the address of such Holder as shown on the books of the Company, or (ii) if to the Company, to following address or to such other address as the Company may designate by notice to the Holders:
| B-5 |
If to the Holder:
EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC
Attention: Chief Executive Officer
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Lucosky Brookman LLP
101 Wood Avenue South
Woodbridge, NJ 08830
Attention: Amit Hazan, Esq.
Email: Ahazan@lucbro.com
If to the Company:
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company
Mespil Business Centre, Mespil House
Sussex Road, Dublin 4, Ireland
Attention: Haggai Alon, Chief Executive Officer
Email: haggai@securitymattersltd.com
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Ruskin Moscou Faltischek P.C.
1425 RXR Plaza
East Tower, 15th Floor
Uniondale, NY 11556
Attention: Stephen E. Fox, Esq.
Email: sfox@rmfpc.com
9. Miscellaneous.
9.1 Amendments. The Company and EFH may from time to time supplement or amend this Warrant without the approval of any of the Holders in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained herein that may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, or to make any other provisions in regard to matters or questions arising hereunder that the Company and EFH may deem necessary or desirable and that the Company and EFH deem shall not adversely affect the interest of the Holders. All other modifications or amendments shall require the written consent of and be signed by (i) the Company and (ii) the Holder(s) of Warrants then-exercisable for at least a majority of the Shares then-exercisable pursuant to all then-outstanding Warrants.
9.2 Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Warrant.
9.3. Entire Agreement. This Warrant (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Warrant) constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
9.4 Binding Effect. This Warrant shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon, the Holder and the Company and their permitted assignees, respective successors, legal representative and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Warrant or any provisions herein contained.
| B-6 |
9.5 Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Trial by Jury. This Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflict of laws principles thereof. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any way to this Warrant shall be brought and enforced in the courts located in the State of New York and of the United States of America sitting in The City and County of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 8 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company and the Holder agree that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and the Holder hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
9.6 Waiver, etc. The failure of the Company or the Holder to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Warrant shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way affect the validity of this Warrant or any provision hereof or the right of the Company or any Holder to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Warrant. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Warrant shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.
9.7 Exchange Agreement. As a condition of the Holder’s receipt and acceptance of this Warrant, Holder agrees that, at any time prior to the complete exercise of this Warrant by Holder, if the Company and EFH enter into an agreement (“Exchange Agreement”) pursuant to which they agree that all outstanding Warrants will be exchanged for securities or cash or a combination of both, then Holder shall agree to such exchange and become a party to the Exchange Agreement.
[Signature Page Follows]
| B-7 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be signed by its duly authorized officer as of the [___] day of June, 2023.
| SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | Haggai Alon | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
| B-8 |
[Form to be used to exercise Warrant]
Date: __________, 20___
The undersigned hereby elects irrevocably to exercise the Warrant for ______ Ordinary Shares, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Shares”), of SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), and hereby makes payment of $____ (at the rate of $____ per Share) in payment of the Exercise Price pursuant thereto. Please issue the Shares as to which this Warrant is exercised in accordance with the instructions given below and, if applicable, a new Warrant representing the number of Shares for which this Warrant has not been exercised.
Please issue the Shares as to which this Warrant is exercised in accordance with the instructions given below and, if applicable, a new Warrant representing the number of Shares for which this Warrant has not been converted.
| Signature |
| Signature Guaranteed |
| B-9 |
INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES
| Name: | ||
| (Print in Block Letters) |
| Address: | ||
NOTICE: The signature to this form must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the Warrant without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever, and must be guaranteed by a bank, other than a savings bank, or by a trust company or by a firm having membership on a registered national securities exchange.
| B-10 |
[Form to be used to assign Warrant]
ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered Holder to effect a transfer of the within Warrant):
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, __________________ does hereby sell, assign and transfer unto the right to subscribe for Ordinary Shares of, par value $0.0001 per share, of SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), evidenced by the Warrant and does hereby authorize the Company to transfer such right on the books of the Company.
Dated: __________, 20__
| Signature |
| Signature Guaranteed |
NOTICE: The signature to this form must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the within Warrant without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever, and must be guaranteed by a bank, other than a savings bank, or by a trust company or by a firm having membership on a registered national securities exchange.
| B-11 |
Exhibit 4.3
FORM OF WARRANT A
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company
WARRANT TO SUBSCRIBE FOR ORDINARY SHARES
Warrant No.: [ ]
Number of Ordinary Shares: [ ]
Date of Issuance: June [ ], 2023 (“Issuance Date”)
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), hereby certifies that, [ ], the registered holder hereof or its permitted assigns (the “Holder”), is entitled, subject to the terms set forth below, to subscribe for from the Company, at the Exercise Price (as defined below) then in effect, at any time or times on or after June [ ], 2023 (the “Initial Exercisability Date”), but not after 11:59 p.m., New York time, on the Expiration Date, (as defined below), [ ] fully paid non-assessable Ordinary Shares (as defined below), subject to adjustment as provided herein (the “Warrant Shares”). Except as otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms in this Warrant to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares (including any Warrants to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares issued in exchange, transfer or replacement hereof, this “Warrant”), shall have the meanings set forth in Section 16. This Warrant is one of the Warrants to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares (the “Warrants”) issued pursuant to (i) that certain Underwriting Agreement, dated as of June [ ], 2023 (the “Subscription Date”) by and between the Company and EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC, as sole underwriter (the “Underwriting Agreement”), (ii) the Company’s Registration Statement on Form F-1 (File number 333-272503 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Registration Statement”) and (iii) the Company’s prospectus dated as of June [ ], 2023.
1. EXERCISE OF WARRANT.
(a) Mechanics of Exercise. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof (including, without limitation, the limitations set forth in Section 1(f)), this Warrant may be exercised by the Holder at any time or times on or after the Initial Exercisability Date, in whole or in part, by delivery (whether via facsimile, electronic mail or otherwise) of a written notice, in the form attached hereto as Annex A (the “Exercise Notice”), of the Holder’s election to exercise this Warrant. Within one (1) Trading Day following the delivery of the Exercise Notice, the Holder shall make payment to the Company of an amount equal to the Exercise Price in effect on the date of such exercise multiplied by the number of Warrant Shares as to which this Warrant is being exercised (the “Aggregate Exercise Price”) in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds or, if the provisions of Section 1(d) are applicable, by notifying the Company that this Warrant is being exercised pursuant to a Cashless Exercise (as defined in Section 1(d)). For clarification purposes, any reference to a Cashless Exercise in this Warrant shall include, without limitation, an “alternative cashless exercise” as contemplated in Section 1(d) below. The Holder shall not be required to deliver the original Warrant in order to effect an exercise hereunder, nor shall any ink-original signature or medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) with respect to any Exercise Notice be required. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Exercise Notice(s) delivered on or prior to 12:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Initial Exercisability Date, which may be delivered at any time after the time of execution on the Subscription Date, the Company agrees to deliver the Warrant Shares subject to such notice(s) by 4:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Initial Exercisability Date and the Initial Exercisability Date shall be the Share Delivery Date (as defined below) for purposes hereunder, provided that payment of the aggregate Exercise Price (other than in the case of a cashless exercise) is received by such Share Delivery Date. Execution and delivery of the Exercise Notice with respect to less than all of the Warrant Shares shall have the same effect as cancellation of the original Warrant and delivery of a new Warrant evidencing the right to subscribe for the remaining number of Warrant Shares and the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company until the Holder has subscribed for all of the Warrant Shares available hereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company for cancellation within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the final Exercise Notice is delivered to the Company. On or before the first (1st) Trading Day following the date on which the Holder has delivered the applicable Exercise Notice, the Company shall transmit by facsimile or electronic mail an acknowledgment of confirmation of receipt of the Exercise Notice, in the form attached to the Exercise Notice, to the Holder and the Transfer Agent. So long as the Holder delivers the Aggregate Exercise Price (or notice of a Cashless Exercise, if applicable) on or prior to the first (1st) Trading Day following the date on which the Exercise Notice has been delivered to the Company, then on or prior to the earlier of (i) the second (2nd) Trading Day and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period, in each case following the date on which the Exercise Notice has been delivered to the Company, or, if the Holder does not deliver the Aggregate Exercise Price (or notice of a Cashless Exercise, if applicable) on or prior to the first (1st) Trading Day following the date on which the Exercise Notice has been delivered to the Company, then on or prior to the first (1st) Trading Day following the date on which the Aggregate Exercise Price (or notice of a Cashless Exercise) is delivered (such earlier date, or if later, the earliest day on which the Company is required to deliver Warrant Shares pursuant to this Section 1(a), the “Share Delivery Date”), the Company shall (X) provided that the Transfer Agent is participating in The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program (“FAST”), credit such aggregate number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit / Withdrawal At Custodian system, or (Y) if the Transfer Agent is not participating in FAST, issue and dispatch by overnight courier to the physical address or email address as specified in the Exercise Notice, a certificate or evidence of a credit of book-entry shares, registered in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise. The Company shall be responsible for all fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent and all fees and expenses with respect to the issuance of Warrant Shares via DTC, if any, including without limitation for same day processing. Upon delivery of the Exercise Notice, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record and beneficial owner of the Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date such Warrant Shares are credited to the Holder’s DTC account or the date of delivery of the certificates evidencing such Warrant Shares, as the case may be. If this Warrant is physically delivered to the Company in connection with any exercise pursuant to this Section 1(a) and the number of Warrant Shares represented by this Warrant submitted for exercise is greater than the number of Warrant Shares being acquired upon an exercise, then the Company shall as soon as practicable and in no event later than three (3) Trading Days after any exercise and at its own expense, issue and deliver to the Holder (or its designee) a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)) representing the right to subscribe for the number of Warrant Shares issuable immediately prior to such exercise under this Warrant, less the number of Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant is exercised. No fractional Warrant Shares are to be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant, but rather the number of Warrant Shares to be issued shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number. The Company shall pay any and all transfer, stamp, issuance and similar taxes, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent) which may be payable with respect to the issuance and delivery of Warrant Shares upon exercise of this Warrant. The Company’s obligations to issue and deliver Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions hereof are absolute and unconditional, irrespective of any action or inaction by the Holder to enforce the same, any waiver or consent with respect to any provision hereof, the recovery of any judgment against any Person or any action to enforce the same, or any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, limitation or termination; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to deliver Warrant Shares with respect to an exercise prior to the Holder’s delivery of the Aggregate Exercise Price (or notice of a Cashless Exercise) with respect to such exercise.
| 1 |
(b) Exercise Price. For purposes of this Warrant, “Exercise Price” means $[ ] per share, subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(c) Company’s Failure to Timely Deliver Securities. If either (I) the Company shall fail for any reason or for no reason to issue to the Holder on or prior to the applicable Share Delivery Date, if (x) the Transfer Agent is not participating in FAST, a certificate or evidence of a book-entry credit for the number of Ordinary Shares to which the Holder is entitled and register such Ordinary Shares on the Company’s share register or (y) the Transfer Agent is participating in FAST, to credit the Holder’s balance account with DTC, for such number of Ordinary Shares to which the Holder is entitled upon the Holder’s exercise of this Warrant or (II) a registration statement (which may be the Registration Statement) covering the issuance of the Warrant Shares that are the subject of the Exercise Notice (the “Exercise Notice Warrant Shares”) is not available for the issuance of such Exercise Notice Warrant Shares and (x) the Company fails to promptly, but in no event later than one (1) Business Day after such registration statement becomes unavailable, to so notify the Holder and (y) the Company is unable to deliver the Exercise Notice Warrant Shares electronically without any restrictive legend by crediting such aggregate number of Exercise Notice Warrant Shares to the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit / Withdrawal At Custodian system (the event described in the immediately foregoing clause (II) is hereinafter referred as a “Notice Failure” and together with the event described in clause (I) above, an “Exercise Failure”), then, in addition to all other remedies available to the Holder, if on or prior to the applicable Share Delivery Date either (I) if the Transfer Agent is not participating in FAST, the Company shall fail to issue and deliver a certificate or evidence of a book-entry credit to the Holder and register such Ordinary Shares on the Company’s share register or, if the Transfer Agent is participating in FAST, credit the Holder’s balance account with DTC for the number of Ordinary Shares to which the Holder is entitled upon the Holder’s exercise hereunder or pursuant to the Company’s obligation pursuant to clause (ii) below or (II) if a Notice Failure occurs, and if on or after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, Ordinary Shares to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall, within three (3) Trading Days after the Holder’s request, (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions and other out-of-pocket expenses, if any) for the Ordinary Shares so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of Ordinary Shares that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder subscribes for Ordinary Shares having a total exercise price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of Ordinary Shares with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver Ordinary Shares upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof. The Company’s current transfer agent participates in FAST. In the event that the Company changes transfer agents while this Warrant is outstanding, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to select a transfer agent that participates in FAST and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause its transfer agent to participate in FAST with respect to this Warrant. In addition to the foregoing rights, (i) if the Company fails to deliver the applicable number of Warrant Shares upon an exercise pursuant to Section 1 by the applicable Share Delivery Date, then the Holder shall have the right to rescind such exercise in whole or in part and retain and/or have the Company return, as the case may be, any portion of this Warrant that has not been exercised pursuant to such Exercise Notice; provided that the rescission of an exercise shall not affect the Company’s obligation to make any payments that have accrued prior to the date of such notice pursuant to this Section 1(c) or otherwise, and (ii) if a registration statement (which may be the Registration Statement) covering the issuance of the Warrant Shares that are subject to an Exercise Notice is not available for the issuance of such Exercise Notice Warrant Shares and the Holder has submitted an Exercise Notice prior to receiving notice of the non-availability of such registration statement and the Company has not already delivered the Warrant Shares underlying such Exercise Notice electronically without any restrictive legend by crediting such aggregate number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit / Withdrawal At Custodian system, the Holder shall have the option, by delivery of notice to the Company, to (x) rescind such Exercise Notice in whole or in part and retain or have returned, as the case may be, any portion of this Warrant that has not been exercised pursuant to such Exercise Notice; provided that the rescission of an Exercise Notice shall not affect the Company’s obligation to make any payments that have accrued prior to the date of such notice pursuant to this Section 1(c) or otherwise, and/or (y) switch some or all of such Exercise Notice from a cash exercise to a Cashless Exercise. In addition to the foregoing, if the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant Shares subject to an Exercise Notice by the second Trading Day following the Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares subject to such exercise (based on the Fixed Price), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the third Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day following the second Trading Day following such Share Delivery Date until such Warrant Shares are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise.
| 2 |
(d) Cashless Exercise. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, if a registration statement (which may be the Registration Statement) covering the issuance of the Exercise Notice Warrant Shares is not available for the issuance of such Exercise Notice Warrant Shares, the Holder may, in its sole discretion, exercise this Warrant in whole or in part and, in lieu of making the cash payment otherwise contemplated to be made to the Company upon such exercise in payment of the Aggregate Exercise Price, elect instead to receive upon such exercise the “Net Number” of Ordinary Shares determined according to the following formula (a “Cashless Exercise”):
| Net Number = (A x B) - (A x C) |
| B |
For purposes of the foregoing formula:
| A = the total number of shares with respect to which this Warrant is then being exercised. | |
| B = the Fixed Price | |
| C = the Exercise Price then in effect for the applicable Warrant Shares at the time of such exercise. |
If Warrant Shares are issued in such a cashless exercise, the Company acknowledges and agrees that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Warrant Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised, and the holding period of the Warrants being exercised may be tacked on to the holding period of the Warrant Shares. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 1(d) except if contrary to applicable law. Without limiting the rights of a Holder to receive Warrant Shares on a “cashless exercise,” and to receive the cash payments contemplated pursuant to Sections 1(c) and 4(b), in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle a Warrant exercise.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Holder may also effect an “alternative cashless exercise” on or after the earlier of (i) the thirty (30) day anniversary of the date of the Underwriting Agreement and (ii) the date on which the aggregate composite trading volume of the Ordinary Shares as reported by Bloomberg LP beginning on the date of the Underwriting Agreement exceeds 15,000,000 Ordinary Shares, a holder of Warrant Shares may also provide notice and elect an “alternative cashless exercise” pursuant to which the Holder would receive an aggregate number of Ordinary Shares equal to the product of (x) the aggregate number of Ordinary Shares that would be issuable upon a cash exercise and (y) 0.50.
Any cashless exercise of Warrants shall be subject at all times to the payment in cash to the Company of an amount no less than the nominal value of each Warrant Share (US$0.0001 each).
(e) Disputes. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise Price or the arithmetic calculation of the number of Warrant Shares to be issued pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company shall promptly issue to the Holder the number of Warrant Shares that are not disputed and resolve such dispute in accordance with Section 11.
| 3 |
(f) Beneficial Ownership. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Company shall not effect the exercise of any portion of this Warrant, and the Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Warrant and any such exercise shall be null and void and treated as if never made, to the extent that after giving effect to such exercise, the Holder together with the other Attribution Parties collectively would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% (or, upon election by a Holder prior to the issuance of any Warrants, 9.99%) (the “Maximum Percentage”) of the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the aggregate number of Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by the Holder and the other Attribution Parties shall include the number of Ordinary Shares held by the Holder and all other Attribution Parties plus the number of Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which the determination of such sentence is being made, but shall exclude the number of Ordinary Shares which would be issuable upon (A) exercise of the remaining, unexercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of the other Attribution Parties and (B) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or unconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any convertible notes or convertible preferred stock or warrants, including the other Warrants) beneficially owned by the Holder or any other Attribution Party subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained in this Section 1(f). For purposes of this Section 1(f), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”). For purposes of this Warrant, in determining the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares the Holder may subscribe for upon the exercise of this Warrant without exceeding the Maximum Percentage, the Holder may rely on the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares as reflected in (x) the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, and Reports on Form 6-K or other public filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), as the case may be, (y) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (z) any other written notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent setting forth the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding (the “Reported Outstanding Share Number”). If the Company receives an Exercise Notice from the Holder at a time when the actual number of outstanding Ordinary Shares is less than the Reported Outstanding Share Number, the Company shall (i) notify the Holder in writing of the number of Ordinary Shares then outstanding and, to the extent that such Exercise Notice would otherwise cause the Holder’s beneficial ownership, as determined pursuant to this Section 1(f), to exceed the Maximum Percentage, the Holder must notify the Company of a reduced number of Warrant Shares to be subscribed for pursuant to such Exercise Notice (the number of shares by which such subscription is reduced, the “Reduction Shares”) and (ii) as soon as reasonably practicable, the Company shall return to the Holder any exercise price paid by the Holder for the Reduction Shares. For any reason at any time, upon the written or oral request of the Holder, the Company shall within two (2) Business Days confirm orally, in writing or by electronic mail to the Holder the number of Ordinary Shares then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder and any other Attribution Party since the date as of which the Reported Outstanding Share Number was reported. In the event that the issuance of Ordinary Shares to the Holder upon exercise of this Warrant results in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties being deemed to beneficially own, in the aggregate, more than the Maximum Percentage of the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares (as determined under Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act), the number of shares so issued by which the Holder’s and the other Attribution Parties’ aggregate beneficial ownership exceeds the Maximum Percentage (the “Excess Shares”) shall be deemed null and void and shall be cancelled ab initio, and the Holder shall not have the power to vote or to transfer the Excess Shares. As soon as reasonably practicable after the issuance of the Excess Shares has been deemed null and void, the Company shall return to the Holder the exercise price paid by the Holder for the Excess Shares. Upon delivery of a written notice to the Company, the Holder may from time to time increase or decrease the Maximum Percentage to any other percentage not in excess of 9.99% as specified in such notice; provided that (i) any such increase in the Maximum Percentage will not be effective until the sixty-first (61st) day after such notice is delivered to the Company and (ii) any such increase or decrease will apply only to the Holder and the other Attribution Parties and not to any other holder of Warrants that is not an Attribution Party of the Holder. For purposes of clarity, the Ordinary Shares issuable pursuant to the terms of this Warrant in excess of the Maximum Percentage shall not be deemed to be beneficially owned by the Holder for any purpose including for purposes of Section 13(d) or Rule 16a-1(a)(1) of the 1934 Act. No prior inability to exercise this Warrant pursuant to this paragraph shall have any effect on the applicability of the provisions of this paragraph with respect to any subsequent determination of exercisability. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 1(f) to the extent necessary to correct this paragraph or any portion of this paragraph which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended beneficial ownership limitation contained in this Section 1(f) or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitation contained in this paragraph may not be waived and shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant.
| 4 |
(g) Required Reserve Amount. So long as this Warrant remains outstanding, the Company shall at all times keep reserved for issuance under this Warrant a number of Ordinary Shares at least equal to 100% of the maximum number of Ordinary Shares as shall be necessary to satisfy the Company’s obligation to issue Ordinary Shares under the Warrants then outstanding (without regard to any limitations on exercise) (the “Required Reserve Amount”); provided that at no time shall the number of Ordinary Shares reserved pursuant to this Section 1(g) be reduced other than in connection with any exercise of Warrants or such other event covered by Section 2(c) below. The Required Reserve Amount (including, without limitation, each increase in the number of shares so reserved) shall be allocated pro rata among the holders of the Warrants based on the number of Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of Warrants held by each holder thereof on the Issuance Date (without regard to any limitations on exercise) (the “Authorized Share Allocation”). In the event that a holder shall sell or otherwise transfer any of such holder’s Warrants, each transferee shall be allocated a pro rata portion of such holder’s Authorized Share Allocation. Any Ordinary Shares reserved and allocated to any Person which ceases to hold any Warrants shall be allocated to the remaining holders of Warrants, pro rata based on the number of Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants then held by such holders thereof (without regard to any limitations on exercise).
(h) Insufficient Authorized Shares. If at any time while this Warrant remains outstanding the Company does not have a sufficient number of authorized and unreserved Ordinary Shares to satisfy its obligation to reserve for issuance the Required Reserve Amount (an “Authorized Share Failure”), then the Company shall promptly take all action reasonably necessary to increase the Company’s authorized Ordinary Shares to an amount sufficient to allow the Company to reserve the Required Reserve Amount for this Warrant then outstanding. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing sentence, as soon as practicable after the date of the occurrence of an Authorized Share Failure, but in no event later than ninety (90) days after the occurrence of such Authorized Share Failure, the Company shall hold a meeting of its stockholders for the approval of an increase in the number of authorized Ordinary Shares. In connection with such meeting, the Company shall provide each stockholder with a proxy statement and shall use its reasonable best efforts to solicit its stockholders’ approval of such increase in authorized Ordinary Shares and to cause its board of directors to recommend to the stockholders that they approve such proposal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any such time of an Authorized Share Failure, the Company is able to obtain the written consent of a majority of the shares of its issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares to approve the increase in the number of authorized Ordinary Shares, the Company may satisfy this obligation by obtaining such consent and submitting for filing with the SEC an Information Statement on Schedule 14C or other corresponding filing, if any, if permitted or obligated for use by foreign private issuers.
2. ADJUSTMENT OF EXERCISE PRICE AND NUMBER OF WARRANT SHARES. The Exercise Price and the number of Warrant Shares shall be adjusted from time to time as follows (without duplication):
(a) Intentionally omitted.
(b) Voluntary Adjustment By Company. Unless prohibited by the rules of the Principal Market, the Company may at any time during the term of this Warrant reduce the then current Exercise Price to any amount and for any period of time deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company.
(c) Adjustment Upon Subdivision or Combination of Ordinary Shares. If the Company at any time on or after the Subscription Date subdivides (by any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or otherwise) one or more classes of its outstanding Ordinary Shares into a greater number of shares, the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such subdivision will be proportionately reduced and the number of Warrant Shares will be proportionately increased. If the Company at any time on or after the Subscription Date combines (by combination, reverse stock split or otherwise) one or more classes of its outstanding Ordinary Shares into a smaller number of shares, the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such combination will be proportionately increased and the number of Warrant Shares will be proportionately decreased. Any adjustment under this Section 2(c) shall become effective at the close of business on the date the subdivision or combination becomes effective.
3. RIGHTS UPON DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 2 above, if, on or after the Subscription Date and on or prior to the Expiration Date, the Company shall declare or make any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of Ordinary Shares, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of cash, stock or other securities, property, options, evidence of indebtedness or any other assets by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of Ordinary Shares acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations or restrictions on exercise of this Warrant, including without limitation, the Maximum Percentage) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Ordinary Shares are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution (provided, however, that to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent (and shall not be entitled to beneficial ownership of such Ordinary Shares as a result of such Distribution (and beneficial ownership) to such extent) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time or times as its right thereto would not result in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage, at which time or times the Holder shall be granted such Distribution (and any Distributions declared or made on such initial Distribution or on any subsequent Distribution held similarly in abeyance) to the same extent as if there had been no such limitation).
| 5 |
4. FUNDAMENTAL TRANSACTIONS. The Company shall not enter into or be party to a Fundamental Transaction unless the Successor Entity assumes in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4, including agreements to deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant, including, without limitation, which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock equivalent to the Ordinary Shares acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the Ordinary Shares pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such adjustments to the number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction). Upon the consummation of each Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for the Company (so that from and after the date of the applicable Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant and the other Transaction Documents referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein. Upon consummation of each Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall deliver to the Holder confirmation that there shall be issued upon exercise of this Warrant at any time after the consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction, in lieu of the Ordinary Shares (or other securities, cash, assets or other property) issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant prior to the applicable Fundamental Transaction, such Ordinary Shares (or its equivalent) of the Successor Entity (including its Parent Entity) which the Holder would have been entitled to receive upon the happening of the applicable Fundamental Transaction had this Warrant been exercised immediately prior to the applicable Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant), as adjusted in accordance with the provisions of this Warrant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and without limiting Section 1(f) hereof, the Holder may elect, at its sole option, by delivery of written notice to the Company to waive this Section 4(b) to permit the Fundamental Transaction without the assumption of this Warrant. In addition to and not in substitution for any other rights hereunder, prior to the consummation of each Fundamental Transaction pursuant to which holders of Ordinary Shares are entitled to receive securities or other assets with respect to or in exchange for Ordinary Shares (a “Corporate Event”), the Company shall make appropriate provision to insure that the Holder will thereafter have the right to receive upon an exercise of this Warrant at any time after the consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction but prior to the Expiration Date, in lieu of the Ordinary Shares (or other securities, cash, assets or other property) issuable upon the exercise of the Warrant prior to such Fundamental Transaction, such shares of stock, securities, cash, assets or any other property whatsoever (including warrants or other purchase or subscription rights) (collectively, the “Corporate Event Consideration”) which the Holder would have been entitled to receive upon the happening of the applicable Fundamental Transaction had this Warrant been exercised immediately prior to the applicable Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant). The provision made pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Requisite Holders. The provisions of this Section 4 shall apply similarly and equally to successive Fundamental Transactions and Corporate Events.
5. NONCIRCUMVENTION. The Company hereby covenants and agrees that the Company will not, by amendment of its Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, scheme of arrangement, dissolution, issuance or sale of securities, or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, and will at all times in good faith carry out all of the provisions of this Warrant and take all action as may be required to protect the rights of the Holder. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company (i) shall not increase the par value of any Ordinary Shares receivable upon the exercise of this Warrant above the Exercise Price then in effect, (ii) shall take all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant, and (iii) shall, so long as any of the Warrants are outstanding, take all action necessary to reserve and keep available out of its authorized and unissued Ordinary Shares, solely for the purpose of effecting the exercise of the Warrants, the number of Ordinary Shares as shall from time to time be necessary to effect the exercise of the Warrants then outstanding (without regard to any limitations on exercise).
| 6 |
6. WARRANT HOLDER NOT DEEMED A STOCKHOLDER. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, the Holder, solely in such Person’s capacity as a holder of this Warrant, shall not be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed the holder of capital stock of the Company for any purpose, nor shall anything contained in this Warrant be construed to confer upon the Holder, solely in such Person’s capacity as the Holder of this Warrant, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote, give or withhold consent to any corporate action (whether any reorganization, issue of stock, reclassification of stock, consolidation, merger, conveyance or otherwise), receive notice of meetings, receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, prior to the issuance to the Holder of the Warrant Shares which such Person is then entitled to receive upon the due exercise of this Warrant. In addition, nothing contained in this Warrant shall be construed as imposing any liabilities on the Holder to purchase any securities (upon exercise of this Warrant or otherwise) or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liabilities are asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company. Notwithstanding this Section 6, the Company shall provide or make available to the Holder with copies of the same notices and other information given to the stockholders of the Company generally, contemporaneously with the giving thereof to the stockholders, which may be by press release or the filing of a Report on Form 6-K or other filing with the SEC.
7. REISSUANCE OF WARRANTS.
(a) Transfer of Warrant. If this Warrant is to be transferred, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company, whereupon the Company will forthwith deliver upon the order of the Holder a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)), registered as the Holder may request, representing the right to subscribe for the number of Warrant Shares being transferred by the Holder and, if less than the total number of Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant is being transferred, a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)) to the Holder representing the right to subscribe for the number of Warrant Shares not being transferred.
(b) Lost, Stolen or Mutilated Warrant. Upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant (as to which a written certification and the indemnification contemplated below shall suffice as such evidence), and, in the case of loss, theft or destruction, of any indemnification undertaking by the Holder to the Company in customary and reasonable form (but without the obligation to post a bond) and, in the case of mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation of this Warrant, the Company shall execute and deliver to the Holder a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)) representing the right to subscribe for the Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant.
(c) Exchangeable for Multiple Warrants. This Warrant is exchangeable, upon the surrender hereof by the Holder at the principal office of the Company, for a new Warrant or Warrants (in accordance with Section 7(d)) representing in the aggregate the right to subscribe for the number of Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant, and each such new Warrant will represent the right to subscribe for such portion of such Warrant Shares as is designated by the Holder at the time of such surrender.
(d) Delivery of New Warrants. Whenever the Company is required to deliver a new Warrant pursuant to the terms of this Warrant, such new Warrant (i) shall be of like tenor with this Warrant, (ii) shall represent, as indicated on the face of such new Warrant, the right to subscribe for the Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant (or in the case of a new Warrant being issued pursuant to Section 7(a) or Section 7(c), the Warrant Shares designated by the Holder which, when added to the number of Ordinary Shares underlying the other new Warrants issued in connection with such issuance, does not exceed the number of Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant), (iii) shall have an issuance date, as indicated on the face of such new Warrant which is the same as the Issuance Date, and (iv) shall have the same rights and conditions as this Warrant.
8. NOTICES. Whenever notice is required to be given under this Warrant, including, without limitation, an Exercise Notice, unless otherwise provided herein, such notice shall be given in writing, (i) if delivered (a) from within the domestic United States, by first-class registered or certified airmail, or nationally recognized overnight express courier, postage prepaid, electronic mail or by facsimile or (b) from outside the United States, by International Federal Express, electronic mail or facsimile, and (ii) will be deemed given (A) if delivered by first-class registered or certified mail domestic, three (3) Business Days after so mailed, (B) if delivered by nationally recognized overnight carrier, one (1) Business Day after so mailed, (C) if delivered by International Federal Express, two (2) Business Days after so mailed and (D) at the time of transmission, if delivered by electronic mail to each of the email addresses specified in this Section 8 prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on a Trading Day, (E) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if delivered by electronic mail to each of the email addresses specified in this Section 8 on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on any Trading Day and (F) if delivered by facsimile, upon electronic confirmation of delivery of such facsimile, and will be delivered and addressed as follows:
| 7 |
(i) if to the Company, to:
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company
Mespil Business Centre, Mespil House
Sussex Road, Dublin 4, Ireland
Attention: Haggai Alon, Chief Executive Officer
Email: haggai@securitymattersltd.com
(ii) if to the Holder, at such address or other contact information delivered by the Holder to the Company or as is on the books and records of the Company.
The Company shall provide the Holder with prompt written notice of all actions taken pursuant to this Warrant, including in reasonable detail a description of such action and the reason therefor. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will give written notice to the Holder (i) promptly following any adjustment of the Exercise Price, setting forth in reasonable detail, and certifying, the calculation of such adjustment and (ii) at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date on which the Company closes its books or takes a record (A) with respect to any dividend or distribution upon the Ordinary Shares or (B) for determining rights to vote with respect to any Fundamental Transaction, dissolution or liquidation; provided in each case that such information shall be made known to the public prior to or in conjunction with such notice being provided to the Holder. It is expressly understood and agreed that the time of exercise specified by the Holder in each Exercise Notice shall be definitive and may not be disputed or challenged by the Company.
9. AMENDMENT AND WAIVER. Except as otherwise provided herein, the provisions of this Warrant may be amended or waived and the Company may take any action herein prohibited, or omit to perform any act herein required to be performed by it, only if the Company has obtained the written consent of the Holder. No waiver shall be effective unless it is in writing and signed by an authorized representative of the waiving party.
10. GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION; JURY TRIAL. This Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with, and all questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and performance of this Warrant shall be governed by, the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of New York. The Company hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York and of the United States of America sitting in The City and County of New York for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper. The Company 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 to the Company at the address set forth in Section 8 above or such other address as the Company subsequently delivers to the Holder and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed or operate to preclude the Holder from bringing suit or taking other legal action against the Company in any other jurisdiction to collect on the Company’s obligations to the Holder, to realize on any collateral or any other security for such obligations, or to enforce a judgment or other court ruling in favor of the Holder. If either party shall commence an action, suit or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Warrant, the prevailing party in such action, suit or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for their reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding. THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS WARRANT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
| 8 |
11. DISPUTE RESOLUTION. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise Price or the arithmetic calculation of the Warrant Shares, the Company shall submit the disputed determinations or arithmetic calculations via facsimile or electronic mail within two (2) Business Days of receipt of the Exercise Notice or other event giving rise to such dispute, as the case may be, to the Holder. If the Holder and the Company are unable to agree upon such determination or calculation of the Exercise Price or the Warrant Shares within three (3) Business Days of such disputed determination or arithmetic calculation being submitted to the Holder, then the Company shall, within two (2) Business Days submit via facsimile or electronic mail (a) the disputed determination of the Exercise Price to an independent, reputable investment bank selected by the Company and approved by the Holder or (b) the disputed arithmetic calculation of the Warrant Shares to the Company’s independent, outside accountant. The Company shall cause at its expense the investment bank or the accountant, as the case may be, to perform the determinations or calculations and notify the Company and the Holder of the results no later than ten (10) Business Days from the time it receives the disputed determinations or calculations. Such investment bank’s or accountant’s determination or calculation, as the case may be, shall be binding upon all parties absent demonstrable error.
12. REMEDIES, OTHER OBLIGATIONS, BREACHES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF.
(a) The remedies provided in this Warrant shall be cumulative and in addition to all other remedies available under this Warrant and any 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 right of the Holder to pursue actual damages for any failure by the Company to comply with the terms of this Warrant. 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 of this Warrant shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies, to an injunction restraining any 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 Warrant (including, without limitation, compliance with Section 2 hereof). The issuance of shares and certificates for shares as contemplated hereby upon the exercise of this Warrant shall be made without charge to the Holder or such shares for any issuance tax or other costs in respect thereof, provided that the Company shall not be required to pay any tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance and delivery of any certificate in a name other than the Holder or its agent on its behalf.
(b) If (i) this Warrant is placed in the hands of an attorney for collection or enforcement or is collected or enforced through any legal proceeding or the holder otherwise takes action to collect amounts due under this Warrant or to enforce the provisions of this Warrant or (ii) there occurs any bankruptcy, reorganization, receivership of the Company or other proceedings affecting Company creditors’ rights and involving a claim under this Warrant, then the Company shall pay the costs incurred by the Holder for such collection, enforcement or action or in connection with such bankruptcy, reorganization, receivership or other proceeding, including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and disbursements; provided, however, that the Company shall only be required to pay any such costs under clause (i) of this Section 12(b) if the Holder is the prevailing party in any such collection, enforcement or legal proceeding.
13. TRANSFER. This Warrant and the Warrant Shares may be offered for sale, sold, transferred, pledged or assigned without the consent of the Company.
14. SEVERABILITY; CONSTRUCTION; HEADINGS. If any provision of this Warrant is prohibited by law or otherwise determined to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the provision that would otherwise be prohibited, invalid or unenforceable shall be deemed amended to apply to the broadest extent that it would be valid and enforceable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of such provision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this Warrant so long as this Warrant as so modified continues to express, without material change, the original intentions of the parties as to the subject matter hereof and the prohibited nature, invalidity or unenforceability of the provision(s) in question does not substantially impair the respective expectations or reciprocal obligations of the parties or the practical realization of the benefits that would otherwise be conferred upon the parties. The parties will endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s) with a valid provision(s), the effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s). This Warrant shall be deemed to be jointly drafted by the Company and the Holder and shall not be construed against any Person as the drafter hereof. The headings of this Warrant are for convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Warrant.
| 9 |
15. DISCLOSURE. Upon receipt or delivery by the Company of any notice in accordance with the terms of this Warrant, unless the Company has in good faith determined that the matters relating to such notice do not constitute material, non-public information relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, the Company shall contemporaneously with any such receipt or delivery publicly disclose such material, non-public information on a Report on Form 6-K or otherwise. In the event that the Company believes that a notice contains material, non-public information relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, the Company so shall indicate to such Holder contemporaneously with delivery of such notice, and in the absence of any such indication, the Holder shall be allowed to presume that all matters relating to such notice do not constitute material, non-public information relating to the Company or its subsidiaries.
16. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Warrant, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) “Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person, it being understood for purposes of this definition that “control” of a Person means the power directly or indirectly either to vote 10% or more of the stock having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of such Person or direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person whether by contract or otherwise.
(b) “Attribution Parties” means, collectively, the following Persons and entities: (i) any investment vehicle, including, any funds, feeder funds or managed accounts, currently, or from time to time after the Subscription Date, directly or indirectly managed or advised by the Holder’s investment manager or any of its Affiliates or principals, (ii) any direct or indirect Affiliates of the Holder or any of the foregoing, (iii) any Person acting or who could be deemed to be acting as a Group together with the Holder or any of the foregoing and (iv) any other Persons whose beneficial ownership of the Company’s Ordinary Shares would or could be aggregated with the Holder’s and the other Attribution Parties for purposes of Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act. For clarity, the purpose of the foregoing is to subject collectively the Holder and all other Attribution Parties to the Maximum Percentage.
(c) [Intentionally Omitted]
(d) [Intentionally Omitted]
(e) “Bloomberg” means Bloomberg Financial Markets.
(f) “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.
(g) [Intentionally Omitted]
| 10 |
(h) [Intentionally Omitted]
(i) [Intentionally Omitted]
(j) “Eligible Market” means The Nasdaq Capital Market, the NYSE American LLC, The Nasdaq Global Select Market, The Nasdaq Global Market or The New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
(k) “Expiration Date” means the date sixty (60) months after the Initial Exercisability Date or, if such date falls on a day other than a Business Day or on which trading does not take place on the Principal Market (a “Holiday”), the next day that is not a Holiday.
(l) “Fundamental Transaction” means (A) that the Company shall, directly or indirectly, including through subsidiaries, Affiliates or otherwise, in one or more related transactions, (i) consolidate or merge with or into (whether or not the Company is the surviving corporation) another Subject Entity, or (ii) sell, assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company or any of its “significant subsidiaries” (as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) to one or more Subject Entities, or (iii) make, or allow one or more Subject Entities to make, or allow the Company to be subject to or have its Ordinary Shares be subject to or party to one or more Subject Entities making, a purchase, tender or exchange offer that is accepted by the holders of at least either (x) 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, (y) 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares calculated as if any Ordinary Shares held by all Subject Entities making or party to, or Affiliated with any Subject Entities making or party to, such purchase, tender or exchange offer were not outstanding; or (z) such number of Ordinary Shares such that all Subject Entities making or party to, or Affiliated with any Subject Entity making or party to, such purchase, tender or exchange offer, become collectively the beneficial owners (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act) of at least 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, or (iv) consummate a stock purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with one or more Subject Entities whereby all such Subject Entities, individually or in the aggregate, acquire, either (x) at least 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, (y) at least 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares calculated as if any Ordinary Shares held by all the Subject Entities making or party to, or Affiliated with any Subject Entity making or party to, such stock purchase agreement or other business combination were not outstanding; or (z) such number of Ordinary Shares such that the Subject Entities become collectively the beneficial owners (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act) of at least 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, or (v) reorganize, recapitalize or reclassify its Ordinary Shares, (B) that the Company shall, directly or indirectly, including through subsidiaries, Affiliates or otherwise, in one or more related transactions, allow any Subject Entity individually or the Subject Entities in the aggregate to be or become the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act), directly or indirectly, whether through acquisition, purchase, assignment, conveyance, tender, tender offer, exchange, reduction in outstanding Ordinary Shares, merger, consolidation, business combination, reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off, scheme of arrangement, reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification or otherwise in any manner whatsoever, of either (x) at least 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares, (y) at least 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares not held by all such Subject Entities as of the Subscription Date calculated as if any Ordinary Shares held by all such Subject Entities were not outstanding, or (z) a percentage of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares or other equity securities of the Company sufficient to allow such Subject Entities to effect a statutory short form merger or other transaction requiring other stockholders of the Company to surrender their Ordinary Shares without approval of the stockholders of the Company or (C) directly or indirectly, including through subsidiaries, Affiliates or otherwise, in one or more related transactions, the issuance of or the entering into any other instrument or transaction structured in a manner to circumvent, or that circumvents, the intent of this definition in which case this definition shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this definition to the extent necessary to correct this definition or any portion of this definition which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended treatment of such instrument or transaction.
| 11 |
(m) “Fixed Price” means $0.10.
(n) “Group” means a “group” as that term is used in Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act and as defined in Rule 13d-5 thereunder.
(o) [Intentionally Omitted]
(p) “Ordinary Shares” means (i) the Company’s ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and (ii) any capital stock into which such Ordinary Shares shall have been changed or any capital stock resulting from a reclassification of such Ordinary Shares.
(q) “Parent Entity” of a Person means an entity that, directly or indirectly, controls the applicable Person, including such entity whose ordinary shares or equivalent equity security is quoted or listed on an Eligible Market (or, if so elected by the Holder, any other market, exchange or quotation system), or, if there is more than one such Person or such entity, the Person or such entity designated by the Holder or in the absence of such designation, such Person or entity with the largest public market capitalization as of the date of consummation of the Fundamental Transaction.
(r) “Person” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization, any other entity and a government or any department or agency thereof.
(s) “Principal Market” means The Nasdaq Global Market.
(t) “Requisite Holders” means the holders of the Warrants representing a majority of the Ordinary Shares underlying the Warrants then outstanding.
(u) “Standard Settlement Period” means the standard settlement period, expressed in a number of Trading Days, for the Company’s primary trading market or quotation system with respect to the Ordinary Shares that is in effect on the date of receipt of an applicable Exercise Notice.
(v) “Subject Entity” means any Person, Persons or Group or any Affiliate or associate of any such Person, Persons or Group.
(w) “Successor Entity” means one or more Person or Persons (or, if so elected by the Holder, the Company or Parent Entity) formed by, resulting from or surviving any Fundamental Transaction or one or more Person or Persons (or, if so elected by the Holder, the Company or the Parent Entity) with which such Fundamental Transaction shall have been entered into.
(x) “Trading Day” means any day on which the Ordinary Shares is traded on the Principal Market, or, if the Principal Market is not the principal trading market for the Ordinary Shares, then on the principal securities exchange or securities market on which the Ordinary Shares is then traded.
(y) “Transaction Documents” means any agreement entered into by and between the Company and the Holder, as applicable.
(z) “Transfer Agent” means Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the transfer agent of the Company as of the Initial Exercisability Date, with a mailing address of 1 State Street 30th Floor, New York, NY 10004-1561, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.
[Signature Page Follows]
| 12 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares to be duly executed as of the Issuance Date set out above.
| SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | Haggai Alon | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
[Signature Page to Warrant to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares]
| 13 |
Annex A
EXERCISE NOTICE
TO BE EXECUTED BY THE REGISTERED HOLDER TO EXERCISE THIS
WARRANT TO SUBSCRIBE FOR ORDINARY SHARES
SMX (SECURITY MATTERS) PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY
The undersigned holder hereby exercises the right to subscribe for ______________ Ordinary Shares (“Warrant Shares”) of SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), evidenced by the attached Warrant to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares (the “Warrant”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Warrant.
1. Form of Exercise Price. The holder intends that payment of the Exercise Price shall be made as:
______________ a “Cash Exercise” with respect to ______________ Warrant Shares; and/or
______________ a “Cashless Exercise” with respect to ______________ Warrant Shares.
2. Payment of Exercise Price. In the event that the holder has elected a Cash Exercise with respect to some or all of the Warrant Shares to be issued pursuant hereto, the holder shall pay the Aggregate Exercise Price in the sum of $ _________ to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Warrant.
3. Delivery of Warrant Shares. The Company shall deliver to the holder ______________ Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms of the Warrant.
Date: __________________
| Name of Registered Holder | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The Company hereby acknowledges this Exercise Notice and hereby directs Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company to issue the above indicated number of Ordinary Shares on or prior to the applicable Share Delivery Date.
| SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| 14 |
Exhibit 4.4
FORM OF WARRANT B
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company
WARRANT TO SUBSCRIBE FOR ORDINARY SHARES
Warrant No.: [ ]
Number of Ordinary Shares: [ ]
Date of Issuance: June [ ], 2023 (“Issuance Date”)
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), hereby certifies that, [ ], the registered holder hereof or its permitted assigns (the “Holder”), is entitled, subject to the terms set forth below, to subscribe for from the Company, at the Exercise Price (as defined below) then in effect, at any time or times on or after June [ ], 2023 (the “Initial Exercisability Date”), but not after 11:59 p.m., New York time, on the Expiration Date, (as defined below), [ ] fully paid non-assessable Ordinary Shares (as defined below), subject to adjustment as provided herein (the “Warrant Shares”). Except as otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms in this Warrant to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares (including any Warrants to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares issued in exchange, transfer or replacement hereof, this “Warrant”), shall have the meanings set forth in Section 16. This Warrant is one of the Warrants to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares (the “Warrants”) issued pursuant to (i) that certain Underwriting Agreement, dated as of June [ ], 2023 (the “Subscription Date”) by and between the Company and EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC, as sole underwriter (the “Underwriting Agreement”), (ii) the Company’s Registration Statement on Form F-1 (File number 333-272503 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Registration Statement”) and (iii) the Company’s prospectus dated as of June [ ], 2023.
1. EXERCISE OF WARRANT.
(a) Mechanics of Exercise. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof (including, without limitation, the limitations set forth in Section 1(f)), this Warrant may be exercised by the Holder at any time or times on or after the Initial Exercisability Date, in whole or in part, by delivery (whether via facsimile, electronic mail or otherwise) of a written notice, in the form attached hereto as Annex A (the “Exercise Notice”), of the Holder’s election to exercise this Warrant. Within one (1) Trading Day following the delivery of the Exercise Notice, the Holder shall make payment to the Company of an amount equal to the Exercise Price in effect on the date of such exercise multiplied by the number of Warrant Shares as to which this Warrant is being exercised (the “Aggregate Exercise Price”) in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds or, if the provisions of Section 1(d) are applicable, by notifying the Company that this Warrant is being exercised pursuant to a Cashless Exercise (as defined in Section 1(d)). The Holder shall not be required to deliver the original Warrant in order to effect an exercise hereunder, nor shall any ink-original signature or medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) with respect to any Exercise Notice be required. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Exercise Notice(s) delivered on or prior to 12:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Initial Exercisability Date, which may be delivered at any time after the time of execution on the Subscription Date, the Company agrees to deliver the Warrant Shares subject to such notice(s) by 4:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Initial Exercisability Date and the Initial Exercisability Date shall be the Share Delivery Date (as defined below) for purposes hereunder, provided that payment of the aggregate Exercise Price (other than in the case of a cashless exercise) is received by such Share Delivery Date. Execution and delivery of the Exercise Notice with respect to less than all of the Warrant Shares shall have the same effect as cancellation of the original Warrant and delivery of a new Warrant evidencing the right to subscribe for the remaining number of Warrant Shares and the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company until the Holder has subscribed for all of the Warrant Shares available hereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company for cancellation within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the final Exercise Notice is delivered to the Company. On or before the first (1st) Trading Day following the date on which the Holder has delivered the applicable Exercise Notice, the Company shall transmit by facsimile or electronic mail an acknowledgment of confirmation of receipt of the Exercise Notice, in the form attached to the Exercise Notice, to the Holder and the Transfer Agent. So long as the Holder delivers the Aggregate Exercise Price (or notice of a Cashless Exercise, if applicable) on or prior to the first (1st) Trading Day following the date on which the Exercise Notice has been delivered to the Company, then on or prior to the earlier of (i) the second (2nd) Trading Day and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period, in each case following the date on which the Exercise Notice has been delivered to the Company, or, if the Holder does not deliver the Aggregate Exercise Price (or notice of a Cashless Exercise, if applicable) on or prior to the first (1st) Trading Day following the date on which the Exercise Notice has been delivered to the Company, then on or prior to the first (1st) Trading Day following the date on which the Aggregate Exercise Price (or notice of a Cashless Exercise) is delivered (such earlier date, or if later, the earliest day on which the Company is required to deliver Warrant Shares pursuant to this Section 1(a), the “Share Delivery Date”), the Company shall (X) provided that the Transfer Agent is participating in The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program (“FAST”), credit such aggregate number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit / Withdrawal At Custodian system, or (Y) if the Transfer Agent is not participating in FAST, issue and dispatch by overnight courier to the physical address or email address as specified in the Exercise Notice, a certificate or evidence of a credit of book-entry shares, registered in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise. The Company shall be responsible for all fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent and all fees and expenses with respect to the issuance of Warrant Shares via DTC, if any, including without limitation for same day processing. Upon delivery of the Exercise Notice, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record and beneficial owner of the Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date such Warrant Shares are credited to the Holder’s DTC account or the date of delivery of the certificates evidencing such Warrant Shares, as the case may be. If this Warrant is physically delivered to the Company in connection with any exercise pursuant to this Section 1(a) and the number of Warrant Shares represented by this Warrant submitted for exercise is greater than the number of Warrant Shares being acquired upon an exercise, then the Company shall as soon as practicable and in no event later than three (3) Trading Days after any exercise and at its own expense, issue and deliver to the Holder (or its designee) a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)) representing the right to subscribe for the number of Warrant Shares issuable immediately prior to such exercise under this Warrant, less the number of Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant is exercised. No fractional Warrant Shares are to be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant, but rather the number of Warrant Shares to be issued shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number. The Company shall pay any and all transfer, stamp, issuance and similar taxes, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent) which may be payable with respect to the issuance and delivery of Warrant Shares upon exercise of this Warrant. The Company’s obligations to issue and deliver Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions hereof are absolute and unconditional, irrespective of any action or inaction by the Holder to enforce the same, any waiver or consent with respect to any provision hereof, the recovery of any judgment against any Person or any action to enforce the same, or any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, limitation or termination; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to deliver Warrant Shares with respect to an exercise prior to the Holder’s delivery of the Aggregate Exercise Price (or notice of a Cashless Exercise) with respect to such exercise.
| 1 |
(b) Exercise Price. For purposes of this Warrant, “Exercise Price” means $[ ] per share, subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(c) Company’s Failure to Timely Deliver Securities. If either (I) the Company shall fail for any reason or for no reason to issue to the Holder on or prior to the applicable Share Delivery Date, if (x) the Transfer Agent is not participating in FAST, a certificate or evidence of a book-entry credit for the number of Ordinary Shares to which the Holder is entitled and register such Ordinary Shares on the Company’s share register or (y) the Transfer Agent is participating in FAST, to credit the Holder’s balance account with DTC, for such number of Ordinary Shares to which the Holder is entitled upon the Holder’s exercise of this Warrant or (II) a registration statement (which may be the Registration Statement) covering the issuance of the Warrant Shares that are the subject of the Exercise Notice (the “Exercise Notice Warrant Shares”) is not available for the issuance of such Exercise Notice Warrant Shares and (x) the Company fails to promptly, but in no event later than one (1) Business Day after such registration statement becomes unavailable, to so notify the Holder and (y) the Company is unable to deliver the Exercise Notice Warrant Shares electronically without any restrictive legend by crediting such aggregate number of Exercise Notice Warrant Shares to the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit / Withdrawal At Custodian system (the event described in the immediately foregoing clause (II) is hereinafter referred as a “Notice Failure” and together with the event described in clause (I) above, an “Exercise Failure”), then, in addition to all other remedies available to the Holder, if on or prior to the applicable Share Delivery Date either (I) if the Transfer Agent is not participating in FAST, the Company shall fail to issue and deliver a certificate or evidence of a book-entry credit to the Holder and register such Ordinary Shares on the Company’s share register or, if the Transfer Agent is participating in FAST, credit the Holder’s balance account with DTC for the number of Ordinary Shares to which the Holder is entitled upon the Holder’s exercise hereunder or pursuant to the Company’s obligation pursuant to clause (ii) below or (II) if a Notice Failure occurs, and if on or after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, Ordinary Shares to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall, within three (3) Trading Days after the Holder’s request, (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions and other out-of-pocket expenses, if any) for the Ordinary Shares so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of Ordinary Shares that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder subscribes for Ordinary Shares having a total exercise price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of Ordinary Shares with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver Ordinary Shares upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof. The Company’s current transfer agent participates in FAST. In the event that the Company changes transfer agents while this Warrant is outstanding, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to select a transfer agent that participates in FAST and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause its transfer agent to participate in FAST with respect to this Warrant. In addition to the foregoing rights, (i) if the Company fails to deliver the applicable number of Warrant Shares upon an exercise pursuant to Section 1 by the applicable Share Delivery Date, then the Holder shall have the right to rescind such exercise in whole or in part and retain and/or have the Company return, as the case may be, any portion of this Warrant that has not been exercised pursuant to such Exercise Notice; provided that the rescission of an exercise shall not affect the Company’s obligation to make any payments that have accrued prior to the date of such notice pursuant to this Section 1(c) or otherwise, and (ii) if a registration statement (which may be the Registration Statement) covering the issuance of the Warrant Shares that are subject to an Exercise Notice is not available for the issuance of such Exercise Notice Warrant Shares and the Holder has submitted an Exercise Notice prior to receiving notice of the non-availability of such registration statement and the Company has not already delivered the Warrant Shares underlying such Exercise Notice electronically without any restrictive legend by crediting such aggregate number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit / Withdrawal At Custodian system, the Holder shall have the option, by delivery of notice to the Company, to (x) rescind such Exercise Notice in whole or in part and retain or have returned, as the case may be, any portion of this Warrant that has not been exercised pursuant to such Exercise Notice; provided that the rescission of an Exercise Notice shall not affect the Company’s obligation to make any payments that have accrued prior to the date of such notice pursuant to this Section 1(c) or otherwise, and/or (y) switch some or all of such Exercise Notice from a cash exercise to a Cashless Exercise. In addition to the foregoing, if the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant Shares subject to an Exercise Notice by the second Trading Day following the Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares subject to such exercise (based on the Fixed Price), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the third Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day following the second Trading Day following such Share Delivery Date until such Warrant Shares are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise.
| 2 |
(d) Cashless Exercise. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, if a registration statement (which may be the Registration Statement) covering the issuance of the Exercise Notice Warrant Shares is not available for the issuance of such Exercise Notice Warrant Shares, the Holder may, in its sole discretion, exercise this Warrant in whole or in part and, in lieu of making the cash payment otherwise contemplated to be made to the Company upon such exercise in payment of the Aggregate Exercise Price, elect instead to receive upon such exercise the “Net Number” of Ordinary Shares determined according to the following formula (a “Cashless Exercise”):
Net Number = (A x B) - (A x C)
B
For purposes of the foregoing formula:
| A = the total number of shares with respect to which this Warrant is then being exercised. | |
| B = the Fixed Price | |
| C = the Exercise Price then in effect for the applicable Warrant Shares at the time of such exercise. |
If Warrant Shares are issued in such a cashless exercise, the Company acknowledges and agrees that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Warrant Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised, and the holding period of the Warrants being exercised may be tacked on to the holding period of the Warrant Shares. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 1(d) except if contrary to applicable law. Without limiting the rights of a Holder to receive Warrant Shares on a “cashless exercise,” and to receive the cash payments contemplated pursuant to Sections 1(c) and 4(b), in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle a Warrant exercise.
Any cashless exercise of Warrants shall be subject at all times to the payment in cash to the Company of an amount no less than the nominal value of each Warrant Share (US$0.0001 each).
(e) Disputes. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise Price or the arithmetic calculation of the number of Warrant Shares to be issued pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company shall promptly issue to the Holder the number of Warrant Shares that are not disputed and resolve such dispute in accordance with Section 11.
| 3 |
(f) Beneficial Ownership. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Company shall not effect the exercise of any portion of this Warrant, and the Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Warrant and any such exercise shall be null and void and treated as if never made, to the extent that after giving effect to such exercise, the Holder together with the other Attribution Parties collectively would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% (or, upon election by a Holder prior to the issuance of any Warrants, 9.99%) (the “Maximum Percentage”) of the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the aggregate number of Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by the Holder and the other Attribution Parties shall include the number of Ordinary Shares held by the Holder and all other Attribution Parties plus the number of Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which the determination of such sentence is being made, but shall exclude the number of Ordinary Shares which would be issuable upon (A) exercise of the remaining, unexercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of the other Attribution Parties and (B) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or unconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any convertible notes or convertible preferred stock or warrants, including the other Warrants) beneficially owned by the Holder or any other Attribution Party subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained in this Section 1(f). For purposes of this Section 1(f), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”). For purposes of this Warrant, in determining the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares the Holder may subscribe for upon the exercise of this Warrant without exceeding the Maximum Percentage, the Holder may rely on the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares as reflected in (x) the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, and Reports on Form 6-K or other public filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), as the case may be, (y) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (z) any other written notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent setting forth the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding (the “Reported Outstanding Share Number”). If the Company receives an Exercise Notice from the Holder at a time when the actual number of outstanding Ordinary Shares is less than the Reported Outstanding Share Number, the Company shall (i) notify the Holder in writing of the number of Ordinary Shares then outstanding and, to the extent that such Exercise Notice would otherwise cause the Holder’s beneficial ownership, as determined pursuant to this Section 1(f), to exceed the Maximum Percentage, the Holder must notify the Company of a reduced number of Warrant Shares to be subscribed for pursuant to such Exercise Notice (the number of shares by which such subscription is reduced, the “Reduction Shares”) and (ii) as soon as reasonably practicable, the Company shall return to the Holder any exercise price paid by the Holder for the Reduction Shares. For any reason at any time, upon the written or oral request of the Holder, the Company shall within two (2) Business Days confirm orally, in writing or by electronic mail to the Holder the number of Ordinary Shares then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder and any other Attribution Party since the date as of which the Reported Outstanding Share Number was reported. In the event that the issuance of Ordinary Shares to the Holder upon exercise of this Warrant results in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties being deemed to beneficially own, in the aggregate, more than the Maximum Percentage of the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares (as determined under Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act), the number of shares so issued by which the Holder’s and the other Attribution Parties’ aggregate beneficial ownership exceeds the Maximum Percentage (the “Excess Shares”) shall be deemed null and void and shall be cancelled ab initio, and the Holder shall not have the power to vote or to transfer the Excess Shares. As soon as reasonably practicable after the issuance of the Excess Shares has been deemed null and void, the Company shall return to the Holder the exercise price paid by the Holder for the Excess Shares. Upon delivery of a written notice to the Company, the Holder may from time to time increase or decrease the Maximum Percentage to any other percentage not in excess of 9.99% as specified in such notice; provided that (i) any such increase in the Maximum Percentage will not be effective until the sixty-first (61st) day after such notice is delivered to the Company and (ii) any such increase or decrease will apply only to the Holder and the other Attribution Parties and not to any other holder of Warrants that is not an Attribution Party of the Holder. For purposes of clarity, the Ordinary Shares issuable pursuant to the terms of this Warrant in excess of the Maximum Percentage shall not be deemed to be beneficially owned by the Holder for any purpose including for purposes of Section 13(d) or Rule 16a-1(a)(1) of the 1934 Act. No prior inability to exercise this Warrant pursuant to this paragraph shall have any effect on the applicability of the provisions of this paragraph with respect to any subsequent determination of exercisability. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 1(f) to the extent necessary to correct this paragraph or any portion of this paragraph which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended beneficial ownership limitation contained in this Section 1(f) or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitation contained in this paragraph may not be waived and shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant.
(g) Required Reserve Amount. So long as this Warrant remains outstanding, the Company shall at all times keep reserved for issuance under this Warrant a number of Ordinary Shares at least equal to 100% of the maximum number of Ordinary Shares as shall be necessary to satisfy the Company’s obligation to issue Ordinary Shares under the Warrants then outstanding (without regard to any limitations on exercise) (the “Required Reserve Amount”); provided that at no time shall the number of Ordinary Shares reserved pursuant to this Section 1(g) be reduced other than in connection with any exercise of Warrants or such other event covered by Section 2(c) below. The Required Reserve Amount (including, without limitation, each increase in the number of shares so reserved) shall be allocated pro rata among the holders of the Warrants based on the number of Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of Warrants held by each holder thereof on the Issuance Date (without regard to any limitations on exercise) (the “Authorized Share Allocation”). In the event that a holder shall sell or otherwise transfer any of such holder’s Warrants, each transferee shall be allocated a pro rata portion of such holder’s Authorized Share Allocation. Any Ordinary Shares reserved and allocated to any Person which ceases to hold any Warrants shall be allocated to the remaining holders of Warrants, pro rata based on the number of Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants then held by such holders thereof (without regard to any limitations on exercise).
| 4 |
(h) Insufficient Authorized Shares. If at any time while this Warrant remains outstanding the Company does not have a sufficient number of authorized and unreserved Ordinary Shares to satisfy its obligation to reserve for issuance the Required Reserve Amount (an “Authorized Share Failure”), then the Company shall promptly take all action reasonably necessary to increase the Company’s authorized Ordinary Shares to an amount sufficient to allow the Company to reserve the Required Reserve Amount for this Warrant then outstanding. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing sentence, as soon as practicable after the date of the occurrence of an Authorized Share Failure, but in no event later than ninety (90) days after the occurrence of such Authorized Share Failure, the Company shall hold a meeting of its stockholders for the approval of an increase in the number of authorized Ordinary Shares. In connection with such meeting, the Company shall provide each stockholder with a proxy statement and shall use its reasonable best efforts to solicit its stockholders’ approval of such increase in authorized Ordinary Shares and to cause its board of directors to recommend to the stockholders that they approve such proposal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any such time of an Authorized Share Failure, the Company is able to obtain the written consent of a majority of the shares of its issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares to approve the increase in the number of authorized Ordinary Shares, the Company may satisfy this obligation by obtaining such consent and submitting for filing with the SEC an Information Statement on Schedule 14C or other corresponding filing, if any, if permitted or obligated for use by foreign private issuers.
2. ADJUSTMENT OF EXERCISE PRICE AND NUMBER OF WARRANT SHARES. The Exercise Price and the number of Warrant Shares shall be adjusted from time to time as follows (without duplication):
(a) Intentionally omitted.
(b) Voluntary Adjustment By Company. Unless prohibited by the rules of the Principal Market, the Company may at any time during the term of this Warrant reduce the then current Exercise Price to any amount and for any period of time deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company.
(c) Adjustment Upon Subdivision or Combination of Ordinary Shares. If the Company at any time on or after the Subscription Date subdivides (by any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or otherwise) one or more classes of its outstanding Ordinary Shares into a greater number of shares, the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such subdivision will be proportionately reduced and the number of Warrant Shares will be proportionately increased. If the Company at any time on or after the Subscription Date combines (by combination, reverse stock split or otherwise) one or more classes of its outstanding Ordinary Shares into a smaller number of shares, the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such combination will be proportionately increased and the number of Warrant Shares will be proportionately decreased. Any adjustment under this Section 2(c) shall become effective at the close of business on the date the subdivision or combination becomes effective.
3. RIGHTS UPON DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 2 above, if, on or after the Subscription Date and on or prior to the Expiration Date, the Company shall declare or make any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of Ordinary Shares, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of cash, stock or other securities, property, options, evidence of indebtedness or any other assets by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of Ordinary Shares acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations or restrictions on exercise of this Warrant, including without limitation, the Maximum Percentage) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Ordinary Shares are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution (provided, however, that to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent (and shall not be entitled to beneficial ownership of such Ordinary Shares as a result of such Distribution (and beneficial ownership) to such extent) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time or times as its right thereto would not result in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage, at which time or times the Holder shall be granted such Distribution (and any Distributions declared or made on such initial Distribution or on any subsequent Distribution held similarly in abeyance) to the same extent as if there had been no such limitation).
| 5 |
4. FUNDAMENTAL TRANSACTIONS. The Company shall not enter into or be party to a Fundamental Transaction unless the Successor Entity assumes in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4, including agreements to deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant, including, without limitation, which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock equivalent to the Ordinary Shares acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the Ordinary Shares pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such adjustments to the number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction). Upon the consummation of each Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for the Company (so that from and after the date of the applicable Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant and the other Transaction Documents referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein. Upon consummation of each Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall deliver to the Holder confirmation that there shall be issued upon exercise of this Warrant at any time after the consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction, in lieu of the Ordinary Shares (or other securities, cash, assets or other property) issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant prior to the applicable Fundamental Transaction, such Ordinary Shares (or its equivalent) of the Successor Entity (including its Parent Entity) which the Holder would have been entitled to receive upon the happening of the applicable Fundamental Transaction had this Warrant been exercised immediately prior to the applicable Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant), as adjusted in accordance with the provisions of this Warrant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and without limiting Section 1(f) hereof, the Holder may elect, at its sole option, by delivery of written notice to the Company to waive this Section 4(b) to permit the Fundamental Transaction without the assumption of this Warrant. In addition to and not in substitution for any other rights hereunder, prior to the consummation of each Fundamental Transaction pursuant to which holders of Ordinary Shares are entitled to receive securities or other assets with respect to or in exchange for Ordinary Shares (a “Corporate Event”), the Company shall make appropriate provision to insure that the Holder will thereafter have the right to receive upon an exercise of this Warrant at any time after the consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction but prior to the Expiration Date, in lieu of the Ordinary Shares (or other securities, cash, assets or other property) issuable upon the exercise of the Warrant prior to such Fundamental Transaction, such shares of stock, securities, cash, assets or any other property whatsoever (including warrants or other purchase or subscription rights) (collectively, the “Corporate Event Consideration”) which the Holder would have been entitled to receive upon the happening of the applicable Fundamental Transaction had this Warrant been exercised immediately prior to the applicable Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant). The provision made pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Requisite Holders. The provisions of this Section 4 shall apply similarly and equally to successive Fundamental Transactions and Corporate Events.
5. NONCIRCUMVENTION. The Company hereby covenants and agrees that the Company will not, by amendment of its Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, scheme of arrangement, dissolution, issuance or sale of securities, or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, and will at all times in good faith carry out all of the provisions of this Warrant and take all action as may be required to protect the rights of the Holder. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company (i) shall not increase the par value of any Ordinary Shares receivable upon the exercise of this Warrant above the Exercise Price then in effect, (ii) shall take all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant, and (iii) shall, so long as any of the Warrants are outstanding, take all action necessary to reserve and keep available out of its authorized and unissued Ordinary Shares, solely for the purpose of effecting the exercise of the Warrants, the number of Ordinary Shares as shall from time to time be necessary to effect the exercise of the Warrants then outstanding (without regard to any limitations on exercise).
6. WARRANT HOLDER NOT DEEMED A STOCKHOLDER. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, the Holder, solely in such Person’s capacity as a holder of this Warrant, shall not be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed the holder of capital stock of the Company for any purpose, nor shall anything contained in this Warrant be construed to confer upon the Holder, solely in such Person’s capacity as the Holder of this Warrant, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote, give or withhold consent to any corporate action (whether any reorganization, issue of stock, reclassification of stock, consolidation, merger, conveyance or otherwise), receive notice of meetings, receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, prior to the issuance to the Holder of the Warrant Shares which such Person is then entitled to receive upon the due exercise of this Warrant. In addition, nothing contained in this Warrant shall be construed as imposing any liabilities on the Holder to purchase any securities (upon exercise of this Warrant or otherwise) or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liabilities are asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company. Notwithstanding this Section 6, the Company shall provide or make available to the Holder with copies of the same notices and other information given to the stockholders of the Company generally, contemporaneously with the giving thereof to the stockholders, which may be by press release or the filing of a Report on Form 6-K or other filing with the SEC.
| 6 |
7. REISSUANCE OF WARRANTS.
(a) Transfer of Warrant. If this Warrant is to be transferred, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company, whereupon the Company will forthwith deliver upon the order of the Holder a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)), registered as the Holder may request, representing the right to subscribe for the number of Warrant Shares being transferred by the Holder and, if less than the total number of Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant is being transferred, a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)) to the Holder representing the right to subscribe for the number of Warrant Shares not being transferred.
(b) Lost, Stolen or Mutilated Warrant. Upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant (as to which a written certification and the indemnification contemplated below shall suffice as such evidence), and, in the case of loss, theft or destruction, of any indemnification undertaking by the Holder to the Company in customary and reasonable form (but without the obligation to post a bond) and, in the case of mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation of this Warrant, the Company shall execute and deliver to the Holder a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)) representing the right to subscribe for the Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant.
(c) Exchangeable for Multiple Warrants. This Warrant is exchangeable, upon the surrender hereof by the Holder at the principal office of the Company, for a new Warrant or Warrants (in accordance with Section 7(d)) representing in the aggregate the right to subscribe for the number of Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant, and each such new Warrant will represent the right to subscribe for such portion of such Warrant Shares as is designated by the Holder at the time of such surrender.
(d) Delivery of New Warrants. Whenever the Company is required to deliver a new Warrant pursuant to the terms of this Warrant, such new Warrant (i) shall be of like tenor with this Warrant, (ii) shall represent, as indicated on the face of such new Warrant, the right to subscribe for the Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant (or in the case of a new Warrant being issued pursuant to Section 7(a) or Section 7(c), the Warrant Shares designated by the Holder which, when added to the number of Ordinary Shares underlying the other new Warrants issued in connection with such issuance, does not exceed the number of Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant), (iii) shall have an issuance date, as indicated on the face of such new Warrant which is the same as the Issuance Date, and (iv) shall have the same rights and conditions as this Warrant.
8. NOTICES. Whenever notice is required to be given under this Warrant, including, without limitation, an Exercise Notice, unless otherwise provided herein, such notice shall be given in writing, (i) if delivered (a) from within the domestic United States, by first-class registered or certified airmail, or nationally recognized overnight express courier, postage prepaid, electronic mail or by facsimile or (b) from outside the United States, by International Federal Express, electronic mail or facsimile, and (ii) will be deemed given (A) if delivered by first-class registered or certified mail domestic, three (3) Business Days after so mailed, (B) if delivered by nationally recognized overnight carrier, one (1) Business Day after so mailed, (C) if delivered by International Federal Express, two (2) Business Days after so mailed and (D) at the time of transmission, if delivered by electronic mail to each of the email addresses specified in this Section 8 prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on a Trading Day, (E) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if delivered by electronic mail to each of the email addresses specified in this Section 8 on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on any Trading Day and (F) if delivered by facsimile, upon electronic confirmation of delivery of such facsimile, and will be delivered and addressed as follows:
(i) if to the Company, to:
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company
Mespil Business Centre, Mespil House
Sussex Road, Dublin 4, Ireland
Attention: Haggai Alon, Chief Executive Officer
Email: haggai@securitymattersltd.com
(ii) if to the Holder, at such address or other contact information delivered by the Holder to the Company or as is on the books and records of the Company.
| 7 |
The Company shall provide the Holder with prompt written notice of all actions taken pursuant to this Warrant, including in reasonable detail a description of such action and the reason therefor. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will give written notice to the Holder (i) promptly following any adjustment of the Exercise Price, setting forth in reasonable detail, and certifying, the calculation of such adjustment and (ii) at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date on which the Company closes its books or takes a record (A) with respect to any dividend or distribution upon the Ordinary Shares or (B) for determining rights to vote with respect to any Fundamental Transaction, dissolution or liquidation; provided in each case that such information shall be made known to the public prior to or in conjunction with such notice being provided to the Holder. It is expressly understood and agreed that the time of exercise specified by the Holder in each Exercise Notice shall be definitive and may not be disputed or challenged by the Company.
9. AMENDMENT AND WAIVER. Except as otherwise provided herein, the provisions of this Warrant may be amended or waived and the Company may take any action herein prohibited, or omit to perform any act herein required to be performed by it, only if the Company has obtained the written consent of the Holder. No waiver shall be effective unless it is in writing and signed by an authorized representative of the waiving party.
10. GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION; JURY TRIAL. This Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with, and all questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and performance of this Warrant shall be governed by, the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of New York. The Company hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York and of the United States of America sitting in The City and County of New York for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper. The Company 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 to the Company at the address set forth in Section 8 above or such other address as the Company subsequently delivers to the Holder and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed or operate to preclude the Holder from bringing suit or taking other legal action against the Company in any other jurisdiction to collect on the Company’s obligations to the Holder, to realize on any collateral or any other security for such obligations, or to enforce a judgment or other court ruling in favor of the Holder. If either party shall commence an action, suit or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Warrant, the prevailing party in such action, suit or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for their reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding. THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS WARRANT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
11. DISPUTE RESOLUTION. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise Price or the arithmetic calculation of the Warrant Shares, the Company shall submit the disputed determinations or arithmetic calculations via facsimile or electronic mail within two (2) Business Days of receipt of the Exercise Notice or other event giving rise to such dispute, as the case may be, to the Holder. If the Holder and the Company are unable to agree upon such determination or calculation of the Exercise Price or the Warrant Shares within three (3) Business Days of such disputed determination or arithmetic calculation being submitted to the Holder, then the Company shall, within two (2) Business Days submit via facsimile or electronic mail (a) the disputed determination of the Exercise Price to an independent, reputable investment bank selected by the Company and approved by the Holder or (b) the disputed arithmetic calculation of the Warrant Shares to the Company’s independent, outside accountant. The Company shall cause at its expense the investment bank or the accountant, as the case may be, to perform the determinations or calculations and notify the Company and the Holder of the results no later than ten (10) Business Days from the time it receives the disputed determinations or calculations. Such investment bank’s or accountant’s determination or calculation, as the case may be, shall be binding upon all parties absent demonstrable error.
| 8 |
12. REMEDIES, OTHER OBLIGATIONS, BREACHES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF.
(a) The remedies provided in this Warrant shall be cumulative and in addition to all other remedies available under this Warrant and any 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 right of the Holder to pursue actual damages for any failure by the Company to comply with the terms of this Warrant. 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 of this Warrant shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies, to an injunction restraining any 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 Warrant (including, without limitation, compliance with Section 2 hereof). The issuance of shares and certificates for shares as contemplated hereby upon the exercise of this Warrant shall be made without charge to the Holder or such shares for any issuance tax or other costs in respect thereof, provided that the Company shall not be required to pay any tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance and delivery of any certificate in a name other than the Holder or its agent on its behalf.
(b) If (i) this Warrant is placed in the hands of an attorney for collection or enforcement or is collected or enforced through any legal proceeding or the holder otherwise takes action to collect amounts due under this Warrant or to enforce the provisions of this Warrant or (ii) there occurs any bankruptcy, reorganization, receivership of the Company or other proceedings affecting Company creditors’ rights and involving a claim under this Warrant, then the Company shall pay the costs incurred by the Holder for such collection, enforcement or action or in connection with such bankruptcy, reorganization, receivership or other proceeding, including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and disbursements; provided, however, that the Company shall only be required to pay any such costs under clause (i) of this Section 12(b) if the Holder is the prevailing party in any such collection, enforcement or legal proceeding.
13. TRANSFER. This Warrant and the Warrant Shares may be offered for sale, sold, transferred, pledged or assigned without the consent of the Company.
14. SEVERABILITY; CONSTRUCTION; HEADINGS. If any provision of this Warrant is prohibited by law or otherwise determined to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the provision that would otherwise be prohibited, invalid or unenforceable shall be deemed amended to apply to the broadest extent that it would be valid and enforceable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of such provision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this Warrant so long as this Warrant as so modified continues to express, without material change, the original intentions of the parties as to the subject matter hereof and the prohibited nature, invalidity or unenforceability of the provision(s) in question does not substantially impair the respective expectations or reciprocal obligations of the parties or the practical realization of the benefits that would otherwise be conferred upon the parties. The parties will endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s) with a valid provision(s), the effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s). This Warrant shall be deemed to be jointly drafted by the Company and the Holder and shall not be construed against any Person as the drafter hereof. The headings of this Warrant are for convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Warrant.
15. DISCLOSURE. Upon receipt or delivery by the Company of any notice in accordance with the terms of this Warrant, unless the Company has in good faith determined that the matters relating to such notice do not constitute material, non-public information relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, the Company shall contemporaneously with any such receipt or delivery publicly disclose such material, non-public information on a Report on Form 6-K or otherwise. In the event that the Company believes that a notice contains material, non-public information relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, the Company so shall indicate to such Holder contemporaneously with delivery of such notice, and in the absence of any such indication, the Holder shall be allowed to presume that all matters relating to such notice do not constitute material, non-public information relating to the Company or its subsidiaries.
| 9 |
16. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Warrant, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) “Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person, it being understood for purposes of this definition that “control” of a Person means the power directly or indirectly either to vote 10% or more of the stock having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of such Person or direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person whether by contract or otherwise.
(b) “Attribution Parties” means, collectively, the following Persons and entities: (i) any investment vehicle, including, any funds, feeder funds or managed accounts, currently, or from time to time after the Subscription Date, directly or indirectly managed or advised by the Holder’s investment manager or any of its Affiliates or principals, (ii) any direct or indirect Affiliates of the Holder or any of the foregoing, (iii) any Person acting or who could be deemed to be acting as a Group together with the Holder or any of the foregoing and (iv) any other Persons whose beneficial ownership of the Company’s Ordinary Shares would or could be aggregated with the Holder’s and the other Attribution Parties for purposes of Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act. For clarity, the purpose of the foregoing is to subject collectively the Holder and all other Attribution Parties to the Maximum Percentage.
(c) [Intentionally Omitted]
(d) [Intentionally Omitted]
(e) “Bloomberg” means Bloomberg Financial Markets.
(f) “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.
(g) [Intentionally Omitted]
(h) [Intentionally Omitted]
| 10 |
(i) [Intentionally Omitted]
(j) “Eligible Market” means The Nasdaq Capital Market, the NYSE American LLC, The Nasdaq Global Select Market, The Nasdaq Global Market or The New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
(k) “Expiration Date” means the date sixty (60) months after the Initial Exercisability Date or, if such date falls on a day other than a Business Day or on which trading does not take place on the Principal Market (a “Holiday”), the next day that is not a Holiday.
(l) “Fundamental Transaction” means (A) that the Company shall, directly or indirectly, including through subsidiaries, Affiliates or otherwise, in one or more related transactions, (i) consolidate or merge with or into (whether or not the Company is the surviving corporation) another Subject Entity, or (ii) sell, assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company or any of its “significant subsidiaries” (as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) to one or more Subject Entities, or (iii) make, or allow one or more Subject Entities to make, or allow the Company to be subject to or have its Ordinary Shares be subject to or party to one or more Subject Entities making, a purchase, tender or exchange offer that is accepted by the holders of at least either (x) 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, (y) 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares calculated as if any Ordinary Shares held by all Subject Entities making or party to, or Affiliated with any Subject Entities making or party to, such purchase, tender or exchange offer were not outstanding; or (z) such number of Ordinary Shares such that all Subject Entities making or party to, or Affiliated with any Subject Entity making or party to, such purchase, tender or exchange offer, become collectively the beneficial owners (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act) of at least 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, or (iv) consummate a stock purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with one or more Subject Entities whereby all such Subject Entities, individually or in the aggregate, acquire, either (x) at least 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, (y) at least 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares calculated as if any Ordinary Shares held by all the Subject Entities making or party to, or Affiliated with any Subject Entity making or party to, such stock purchase agreement or other business combination were not outstanding; or (z) such number of Ordinary Shares such that the Subject Entities become collectively the beneficial owners (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act) of at least 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, or (v) reorganize, recapitalize or reclassify its Ordinary Shares, (B) that the Company shall, directly or indirectly, including through subsidiaries, Affiliates or otherwise, in one or more related transactions, allow any Subject Entity individually or the Subject Entities in the aggregate to be or become the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act), directly or indirectly, whether through acquisition, purchase, assignment, conveyance, tender, tender offer, exchange, reduction in outstanding Ordinary Shares, merger, consolidation, business combination, reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off, scheme of arrangement, reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification or otherwise in any manner whatsoever, of either (x) at least 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares, (y) at least 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares not held by all such Subject Entities as of the Subscription Date calculated as if any Ordinary Shares held by all such Subject Entities were not outstanding, or (z) a percentage of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares or other equity securities of the Company sufficient to allow such Subject Entities to effect a statutory short form merger or other transaction requiring other stockholders of the Company to surrender their Ordinary Shares without approval of the stockholders of the Company or (C) directly or indirectly, including through subsidiaries, Affiliates or otherwise, in one or more related transactions, the issuance of or the entering into any other instrument or transaction structured in a manner to circumvent, or that circumvents, the intent of this definition in which case this definition shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this definition to the extent necessary to correct this definition or any portion of this definition which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended treatment of such instrument or transaction.
| 11 |
(m) “Fixed Price” means $0.10.
(n) “Group” means a “group” as that term is used in Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act and as defined in Rule 13d-5 thereunder.
(o) [Intentionally Omitted]
(p) “Ordinary Shares” means (i) the Company’s ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and (ii) any capital stock into which such Ordinary Shares shall have been changed or any capital stock resulting from a reclassification of such Ordinary Shares.
(q) “Parent Entity” of a Person means an entity that, directly or indirectly, controls the applicable Person, including such entity whose ordinary shares or equivalent equity security is quoted or listed on an Eligible Market (or, if so elected by the Holder, any other market, exchange or quotation system), or, if there is more than one such Person or such entity, the Person or such entity designated by the Holder or in the absence of such designation, such Person or entity with the largest public market capitalization as of the date of consummation of the Fundamental Transaction.
(r) “Person” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization, any other entity and a government or any department or agency thereof.
(s) “Principal Market” means The Nasdaq Global Market.
(t) “Requisite Holders” means the holders of the Warrants representing a majority of the Ordinary Shares underlying the Warrants then outstanding.
(u) “Standard Settlement Period” means the standard settlement period, expressed in a number of Trading Days, for the Company’s primary trading market or quotation system with respect to the Ordinary Shares that is in effect on the date of receipt of an applicable Exercise Notice.
(v) “Subject Entity” means any Person, Persons or Group or any Affiliate or associate of any such Person, Persons or Group.
(w) “Successor Entity” means one or more Person or Persons (or, if so elected by the Holder, the Company or Parent Entity) formed by, resulting from or surviving any Fundamental Transaction or one or more Person or Persons (or, if so elected by the Holder, the Company or the Parent Entity) with which such Fundamental Transaction shall have been entered into.
(x) “Trading Day” means any day on which the Ordinary Shares is traded on the Principal Market, or, if the Principal Market is not the principal trading market for the Ordinary Shares, then on the principal securities exchange or securities market on which the Ordinary Shares is then traded.
(y) “Transaction Documents” means any agreement entered into by and between the Company and the Holder, as applicable.
(z) “Transfer Agent” means Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the transfer agent of the Company as of the Initial Exercisability Date, with a mailing address of 1 State Street 30th Floor, New York, NY 10004-1561, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.
[Signature Page Follows]
| 12 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares to be duly executed as of the Issuance Date set out above.
| SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | Haggai Alon | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
[Signature Page to Warrant to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares]
Annex A
EXERCISE NOTICE
TO BE EXECUTED BY THE REGISTERED HOLDER TO EXERCISE THIS
WARRANT TO SUBSCRIBE FOR ORDINARY SHARES
SMX (SECURITY MATTERS) PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY
The undersigned holder hereby exercises the right to subscribe for ______________ Ordinary Shares (“Warrant Shares”) of SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), evidenced by the attached Warrant to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares (the “Warrant”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Warrant.
1. Form of Exercise Price. The holder intends that payment of the Exercise Price shall be made as:
______________ a “Cash Exercise” with respect to ______________ Warrant Shares; and/or
______________ a “Cashless Exercise” with respect to ______________ Warrant Shares.
2. Payment of Exercise Price. In the event that the holder has elected a Cash Exercise with respect to some or all of the Warrant Shares to be issued pursuant hereto, the holder shall pay the Aggregate Exercise Price in the sum of $ _________ to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Warrant.
3. Delivery of Warrant Shares. The Company shall deliver to the holder ______________ Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms of the Warrant.
Date: __________________
| Name of Registered Holder | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The Company hereby acknowledges this Exercise Notice and hereby directs Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company to issue the above indicated number of Ordinary Shares on or prior to the applicable Share Delivery Date.
| SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
Exhibit 4.5
FORM OF PRE-FUNDED WARRANT
SMX (SECURITY MATTERS) PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY
PRE-FUNDED WARRANT TO SUBSCRIBE FOR ORDINARY SHARES
Warrant No.: [ ]
Number of Ordinary Shares: [ ]
Date of Issuance: [ ] (“Issuance Date”)
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), hereby certifies that, [ ] [ ], the registered holder hereof or its permitted assigns (the “Holder”), is entitled, subject to the terms set forth below, to subscribe for from the Company, at the Exercise Price (as defined below) then in effect, at any time or times on or after [ ] (the “Initial Exercisability Date”), until exercised in full (the “Termination Date”), [ ] ([ ]) fully paid non-assessable Ordinary Shares (as defined below), subject to adjustment as provided herein (the “Warrant Shares”). Except as otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms in this Warrant to Subscribe for Ordinary Shares (including any Pre-Funded Warrants to Subscribe for Ordinary Shares issued in exchange, transfer or replacement hereof, this “Warrant”), shall have the meanings set forth in Section 16. This Warrant is one of the Pre-Funded Warrants to Subscribe for Ordinary Shares (the “Warrants”) issued pursuant to (i) that certain Underwriting Agreement, dated as of __________, 2023 (the “Subscription Date”) by and between the Company and EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC, as sole underwriter, (ii) the Company’s Registration Statement on Form F-1 (File number 333-[ ]) (the “Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and (iii) the Company’s prospectus dated as of _______, 2023.
1. EXERCISE OF WARRANT.
(a) Mechanics of Exercise. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof (including, without limitation, the limitations set forth in Section 1(f)), this Warrant may be exercised by the Holder at any time or times on or after the Initial Exercisability Date, in whole or in part, by delivery (whether via facsimile, electronic mail or otherwise) of a written notice, in the form attached hereto as Annex A (the “Exercise Notice”), of the Holder’s election to exercise this Warrant. Within one (1) Trading Day following the delivery of the Exercise Notice, the Holder shall make payment to the Company of an amount equal to the Exercise Price in effect on the date of such exercise multiplied by the number of Warrant Shares as to which this Warrant is being exercised (the “Aggregate Exercise Price”) in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds or, if the provisions of Section 1(d) are applicable, by notifying the Company that this Warrant is being exercised pursuant to a Cashless Exercise (as defined in Section 1(d)). The Holder shall not be required to deliver the original Warrant in order to effect an exercise hereunder, nor shall any ink-original signature or medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) with respect to any Exercise Notice be required. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Exercise Notice(s) delivered on or prior to 12:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Initial Exercisability Date, which may be delivered at any time after the time of execution on the Subscription Date, the Company agrees to deliver the Warrant Shares subject to such notice(s) by 4:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Initial Exercisability Date and the Initial Exercisability Date shall be the Share Delivery Date (as defined below) for purposes hereunder, provided that payment of the aggregate Exercise Price (other than in the case of a cashless exercise) is received by such Share Delivery Date. Execution and delivery of the Exercise Notice with respect to less than all of the Warrant Shares shall have the same effect as cancellation of the original Warrant and delivery of a new Warrant evidencing the right to subscribe for the remaining number of Warrant Shares and the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company until the Holder has subscribed for all of the Warrant Shares available hereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company for cancellation within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the final Exercise Notice is delivered to the Company. On or before the first (1st) Trading Day following the date on which the Holder has delivered the applicable Exercise Notice, the Company shall transmit by facsimile or electronic mail an acknowledgment of confirmation of receipt of the Exercise Notice, in the form attached to the Exercise Notice, to the Holder and the Company’s transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”). So long as the Holder delivers the Aggregate Exercise Price (or notice of a Cashless Exercise, if applicable) on or prior to the first (1st) Trading Day following the date on which the Exercise Notice has been delivered to the Company, then on or prior to the earlier of (i) the second (2nd) Trading Day and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period, in each case following the date on which the Exercise Notice has been delivered to the Company, or, if the Holder does not deliver the Aggregate Exercise Price (or notice of a Cashless Exercise, if applicable) on or prior to the first (1st) Trading Day following the date on which the Exercise Notice has been delivered to the Company, then on or prior to the first (1st) Trading Day following the date on which the Aggregate Exercise Price (or notice of a Cashless Exercise) is delivered (such earlier date, or if later, the earliest day on which the Company is required to deliver Warrant Shares pursuant to this Section 1(a), the “Share Delivery Date”), the Company shall (X) provided that the Transfer Agent is participating in The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program, credit such aggregate number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit / Withdrawal At Custodian system, or (Y) if the Transfer Agent is not participating in the DTC Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program (“FAST”), issue and dispatch by overnight courier to the physical address or email address as specified in the Exercise Notice, a certificate or evidence of a credit of book-entry shares, registered in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise. The Company shall be responsible for all fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent and all fees and expenses with respect to the issuance of Warrant Shares via DTC, if any, including without limitation for same day processing. Upon delivery of the Exercise Notice, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record and beneficial owner of the Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date such Warrant Shares are credited to the Holder’s DTC account or the date of delivery of the certificates evidencing such Warrant Shares, as the case may be. If this Warrant is physically delivered to the Company in connection with any exercise pursuant to this Section 1(a) and the number of Warrant Shares represented by this Warrant submitted for exercise is greater than the number of Warrant Shares being acquired upon an exercise, then the Company shall as soon as practicable and in no event later than three (3) Trading Days after any exercise and at its own expense, deliver to the Holder (or its designee) a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)) representing the right to subscribe for the number of Warrant Shares issuable immediately prior to such exercise under this Warrant, less the number of Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant is exercised. No fractional Warrant Shares are to be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant, but rather the number of Warrant Shares to be issued shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number. The Company shall pay any and all transfer, stamp, issuance and similar taxes, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent) which may be payable with respect to the issuance and delivery of Warrant Shares upon exercise of this Warrant. The Company’s obligations to issue and deliver Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions hereof are absolute and unconditional, irrespective of any action or inaction by the Holder to enforce the same, any waiver or consent with respect to any provision hereof, the recovery of any judgment against any Person or any action to enforce the same, or any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, limitation or termination; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to deliver Warrant Shares with respect to an exercise prior to the Holder’s delivery of the Aggregate Exercise Price (or notice of a Cashless Exercise) with respect to such exercise.
| 1 |
(b) Exercise Price. A portion of the aggregate exercise price of this Warrant was pre-funded to the Company on or prior to the Initial Exercisability Date and, consequently, only the non pre-funded exercise price of $0.0001 per Warrant Share shall be required to be paid by the Holder to any Person to affect any exercise of this Warrant. The Holder shall not be entitled to the return or refund of all, or any portion, of such pre-funded exercise price under any circumstance or for any reason whatsoever, including in the event this Warrant shall not have been exercised prior to the Termination Date. The non pre-funded exercise price per Ordinary Shares under this Warrant shall be $0.0001, subject to adjustment hereunder (the “Exercise Price”).
(c) Company’s Failure to Timely Deliver Securities. If either (I) the Company shall fail for any reason or for no reason to issue to the Holder on or prior to the applicable Share Delivery Date, if (x) the Transfer Agent is not participating in FAST, a certificate or evidence of a book-entry credit for the number of Ordinary Shares to which the Holder is entitled and register such Ordinary Shares on the Company’s share register or (y) the Transfer Agent is participating in FAST, to credit the Holder’s balance account with DTC, for such number of Ordinary Shares to which the Holder is entitled upon the Holder’s exercise of this Warrant or (II) a registration statement (which may be the Registration Statement) covering the issuance or resale of the Warrant Shares that are the subject of the Exercise Notice (the “Exercise Notice Warrant Shares”) is not available for the issuance or resale, as applicable, of such Exercise Notice Warrant Shares and (x) the Company fails to promptly, but in no event later than one (1) Business Day after such registration statement becomes unavailable, to so notify the Holder and (y) the Company is unable to deliver the Exercise Notice Warrant Shares electronically without any restrictive legend by crediting such aggregate number of Exercise Notice Warrant Shares to the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit / Withdrawal At Custodian system (the event described in the immediately foregoing clause (II) is hereinafter referred as a “Notice Failure” and together with the event described in clause (I) above, an “Exercise Failure”), then, in addition to all other remedies available to the Holder, if on or prior to the applicable Share Delivery Date either (I) if the Transfer Agent is not participating in FAST, the Company shall fail to issue and deliver a certificate or evidence of a book-entry credit to the Holder and register such Ordinary Shares on the Company’s share register or, if the Transfer Agent is participating in FAST, credit the Holder’s balance account with DTC for the number of Ordinary Shares to which the Holder is entitled upon the Holder’s exercise hereunder or pursuant to the Company’s obligation pursuant to clause (ii) below or (II) if a Notice Failure occurs, and if on or after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, Ordinary Shares to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall, within three (3) Trading Days after the Holder’s request, (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions and other out-of-pocket expenses, if any) for the Ordinary Shares so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of Ordinary Shares that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder subscribes for Ordinary Shares having a total exercise price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of Ordinary Shares with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver Ordinary Shares upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof. The Company’s current transfer agent participates in FAST. In the event that the Company changes transfer agents while this Warrant is outstanding, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to select a transfer agent that participates in FAST and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause its transfer agent to participate in FAST with respect to this Warrant. In addition to the foregoing rights, (i) if the Company fails to deliver the applicable number of Warrant Shares upon an exercise pursuant to Section 1 by the applicable Share Delivery Date, then the Holder shall have the right to rescind such exercise in whole or in part and retain and/or have the Company return, as the case may be, any portion of this Warrant that has not been exercised pursuant to such Exercise Notice; provided that the rescission of an exercise shall not affect the Company’s obligation to make any payments that have accrued prior to the date of such notice pursuant to this Section 1(c) or otherwise, and (ii) if a registration statement (which may be the Registration Statement) covering the issuance or resale of the Warrant Shares that are subject to an Exercise Notice is not available for the issuance or resale, as applicable, of such Exercise Notice Warrant Shares and the Holder has submitted an Exercise Notice prior to receiving notice of the non-availability of such registration statement and the Company has not already delivered the Warrant Shares underlying such Exercise Notice electronically without any restrictive legend by crediting such aggregate number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit / Withdrawal At Custodian system, the Holder shall have the option, by delivery of notice to the Company, to (x) rescind such Exercise Notice in whole or in part and retain or have returned, as the case may be, any portion of this Warrant that has not been exercised pursuant to such Exercise Notice; provided that the rescission of an Exercise Notice shall not affect the Company’s obligation to make any payments that have accrued prior to the date of such notice pursuant to this Section 1(c) or otherwise, and/or (y) switch some or all of such Exercise Notice from a cash exercise to a Cashless Exercise. In addition to the foregoing, if the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant Shares subject to an Exercise Notice by the second Trading Day following the Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares subject to such exercise (based on the Fixed Price), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the third Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day following the second Trading Day following such Share Delivery Date until such Warrant Shares are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise.
| 2 |
(d) Cashless Exercise. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, if a registration statement (which may be the Registration Statement) covering the issuance or resale of the Exercise Notice Warrant Shares is not available for the issuance or resale, as applicable, of such Exercise Notice Warrant Shares, the Holder may, in its sole discretion, exercise this Warrant in whole or in part and, in lieu of making the cash payment otherwise contemplated to be made to the Company upon such exercise in payment of the Aggregate Exercise Price, elect instead to receive upon such exercise the “Net Number” of Ordinary Shares determined according to the following formula (a “Cashless Exercise”):
| Net Number = (A x B) - (A x C) |
| B |
For purposes of the foregoing formula:
A= the total number of shares with respect to which this Warrant is then being exercised.
B= the Fixed Price
C= $0.0001, as adjusted hereunder.
If Warrant Shares are issued in such a cashless exercise, the Company acknowledges and agrees that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, the Warrant Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised, and the holding period of the Warrants being exercised may be tacked on to the holding period of the Warrant Shares. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 1(d) except if contrary to applicable law. Without limiting the rights of a Holder to receive Warrant Shares on a “cashless exercise,” and to receive the cash payments contemplated pursuant to Sections 1(c) and 4(b), in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle a Warrant exercise.
Any cashless exercise of Warrants shall be subject at all times to the payment in cash to the Company of an amount no less than the nominal value of each Warrant Share (US$0.0001 each).
(e) Disputes. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise Price or the arithmetic calculation of the number of Warrant Shares to be issued pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company shall promptly issue to the Holder the number of Warrant Shares that are not disputed and resolve such dispute in accordance with Section 11.
| 3 |
(f) Beneficial Ownership. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Company shall not effect the exercise of any portion of this Warrant, and the Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Warrant and any such exercise shall be null and void and treated as if never made, to the extent that after giving effect to such exercise, the Holder together with the other Attribution Parties collectively would beneficially own in excess of [4.99/9.99]% (the “Maximum Percentage”) of the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the aggregate number of Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by the Holder and the other Attribution Parties shall include the number of Ordinary Shares held by the Holder and all other Attribution Parties plus the number of Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which the determination of such sentence is being made, but shall exclude the number of Ordinary Shares which would be issuable upon (A) exercise of the remaining, unexercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of the other Attribution Parties and (B) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or unconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any convertible notes or convertible preferred stock or warrants, including the other Warrants) beneficially owned by the Holder or any other Attribution Party subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained in this Section 1(f). For purposes of this Section 1(f), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). For purposes of this Warrant, in determining the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares the Holder may subscribe for upon the exercise of this Warrant without exceeding the Maximum Percentage, the Holder may rely on the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares as reflected in (x) the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F and Reports on Form 6-K or other public filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), as the case may be, (y) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (z) any other written notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent setting forth the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding (the “Reported Outstanding Share Number”). If the Company receives an Exercise Notice from the Holder at a time when the actual number of outstanding Ordinary Shares is less than the Reported Outstanding Share Number, the Company shall (i) notify the Holder in writing of the number of Ordinary Shares then outstanding and, to the extent that such Exercise Notice would otherwise cause the Holder’s beneficial ownership, as determined pursuant to this Section 1(f), to exceed the Maximum Percentage, the Holder must notify the Company of a reduced number of Warrant Shares to be subscribed for pursuant to such Exercise Notice (the number of shares by which such subscription is reduced, the “Reduction Shares”) and (ii) as soon as reasonably practicable, the Company shall return to the Holder any exercise price paid by the Holder for the Reduction Shares. For any reason at any time, upon the written or oral request of the Holder, the Company shall within two (2) Business Days confirm orally and in writing or by electronic mail to the Holder the number of Ordinary Shares then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder and any other Attribution Party since the date as of which the Reported Outstanding Share Number was reported. In the event that the issuance of Ordinary Shares to the Holder upon exercise of this Warrant results in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties being deemed to beneficially own, in the aggregate, more than the Maximum Percentage of the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares (as determined under Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act), the number of shares so issued by which the Holder’s and the other Attribution Parties’ aggregate beneficial ownership exceeds the Maximum Percentage (the “Excess Shares”) shall be deemed null and void and shall be cancelled ab initio, and the Holder shall not have the power to vote or to transfer the Excess Shares. As soon as reasonably practicable after the issuance of the Excess Shares has been deemed null and void, the Company shall return to the Holder the exercise price paid by the Holder for the Excess Shares. Upon delivery of a written notice to the Company, the Holder may from time to time increase or decrease the Maximum Percentage to any other percentage not in excess of 9.99% as specified in such notice; provided that (i) any such increase in the Maximum Percentage will not be effective until the sixty-first (61st) day after such notice is delivered to the Company and (ii) any such increase or decrease will apply only to the Holder and the other Attribution Parties and not to any other holder of Warrants that is not an Attribution Party of the Holder. For purposes of clarity, the Ordinary Shares issuable pursuant to the terms of this Warrant in excess of the Maximum Percentage shall not be deemed to be beneficially owned by the Holder for any purpose including for purposes of Section 13(d) or Rule 16a-1(a)(1) of the Exchange Act. No prior inability to exercise this Warrant pursuant to this paragraph shall have any effect on the applicability of the provisions of this paragraph with respect to any subsequent determination of exercisability. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 1(f) to the extent necessary to correct this paragraph or any portion of this paragraph which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended beneficial ownership limitation contained in this Section 1(f) or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitation contained in this paragraph may not be waived and shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant.
| 4 |
(g) Required Reserve Amount. So long as this Warrant remains outstanding, the Company shall at all times keep reserved for issuance under this Warrant a number of Ordinary Shares at least equal to 100% of the maximum number of Ordinary Shares as shall be necessary to satisfy the Company’s obligation to issue Ordinary Shares under the Warrants then outstanding (without regard to any limitations on exercise) (the “Required Reserve Amount”); provided that at no time shall the number of Ordinary Shares reserved pursuant to this Section 1(g) be reduced other than in connection with any exercise of Warrants or such other event covered by Section 2(c) below. The Required Reserve Amount (including, without limitation, each increase in the number of shares so reserved) shall be allocated pro rata among the holders of the Warrants based on the number of Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of Warrants held by each holder thereof on the Issuance Date (without regard to any limitations on exercise) (the “Authorized Share Allocation”). In the event that a holder shall sell or otherwise transfer any of such holder’s Warrants, each transferee shall be allocated a pro rata portion of such holder’s Authorized Share Allocation. Any Ordinary Shares reserved and allocated to any Person which ceases to hold any Warrants shall be allocated to the remaining holders of Warrants, pro rata based on the number of Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants then held by such holders thereof (without regard to any limitations on exercise).
(h) Insufficient Authorized Shares. If at any time while this Warrant remains outstanding the Company does not have a sufficient number of authorized and unreserved Ordinary Shares to satisfy its obligation to reserve for issuance the Required Reserve Amount (an “Authorized Share Failure”), then the Company shall promptly take all action reasonably necessary to increase the Company’s authorized Ordinary Shares to an amount sufficient to allow the Company to reserve the Required Reserve Amount for this Warrant then outstanding. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing sentence, as soon as practicable after the date of the occurrence of an Authorized Share Failure, but in no event later than ninety (90) days after the occurrence of such Authorized Share Failure, the Company shall hold a meeting of its stockholders for the approval of an increase in the number of authorized Ordinary Shares. In connection with such meeting, the Company shall provide each stockholder with a proxy statement and shall use its reasonable best efforts to solicit its stockholders’ approval of such increase in authorized Ordinary Shares and to cause its board of directors to recommend to the stockholders that they approve such proposal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any such time of an Authorized Share Failure, the Company is able to obtain the written consent of a majority of the shares of its issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares to approve the increase in the number of authorized Ordinary Shares, the Company may satisfy this obligation by obtaining such consent and submitting for filing with the SEC an Information Statement on Schedule 14C or other corresponding filing, if any, if permitted or obligated for use by foreign private issuers.
| 5 |
2. ADJUSTMENT OF EXERCISE PRICE AND NUMBER OF WARRANT SHARES. The Exercise Price and the number of Warrant Shares shall be adjusted from time to time as follows (without duplication):
(a) Intentionally omitted.
(b) Intentionally omitted.
(c) Adjustment Upon Subdivision or Combination of Ordinary Shares. If the Company at any time on or after the Subscription Date subdivides (by any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or otherwise) one or more classes of its outstanding Ordinary Shares into a greater number of shares, the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such subdivision will be proportionately reduced and the number of Warrant Shares will be proportionately increased. If the Company at any time on or after the Subscription Date combines (by combination, reverse stock split or otherwise) one or more classes of its outstanding Ordinary Shares into a smaller number of shares, the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such combination will be proportionately increased and the number of Warrant Shares will be proportionately decreased. Any adjustment under this Section 2(c) shall become effective at the close of business on the date the subdivision or combination becomes effective.
3. RIGHTS UPON DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 2 above, if, on or after the Subscription Date and on or prior to the Termination Date, the Company shall declare or make any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of Ordinary Shares, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of cash, stock or other securities, property, options, evidence of indebtedness or any other assets by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of Ordinary Shares acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations or restrictions on exercise of this Warrant, including without limitation, the Maximum Percentage) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Ordinary Shares are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution (provided, however, that to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent (and shall not be entitled to beneficial ownership of such Ordinary Shares as a result of such Distribution (and beneficial ownership) to such extent) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time or times as its right thereto would not result in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage, at which time or times the Holder shall be granted such Distribution (and any Distributions declared or made on such initial Distribution or on any subsequent Distribution held similarly in abeyance) to the same extent as if there had been no such limitation).
| 6 |
4. PURCHASE RIGHTS; FUNDAMENTAL TRANSACTIONS.
(a) Purchase Rights. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 2 above, if at any time on or after the Subscription Date and on or prior to the Termination Date the Company grants, issues or sells any Options, Convertible Securities or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to the record holders of any class of Ordinary Shares (the “Purchase Rights”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of Ordinary Shares acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations or restrictions on exercise of this Warrant, including without limitation, the Maximum Percentage) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Ordinary Shares are to be determined for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights (provided, however, that to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to such extent (and shall not be entitled to beneficial ownership of such Ordinary Shares as a result of such Purchase Right (and beneficial ownership) to such extent) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time or times as its right thereto would not result in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage, at which time or times the Holder shall be granted such right (and any Purchase Right granted, issued or sold on such initial Purchase Right or on any subsequent Purchase Right to be held similarly in abeyance) to the same extent as if there had been no such limitation).
(b) Fundamental Transaction. The Company shall not enter into or be party to a Fundamental Transaction unless the Successor Entity assumes in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4(b), including agreements to deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant, including, without limitation, which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock equivalent to the Ordinary Shares acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the Ordinary Shares pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such adjustments to the number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction). Upon the consummation of each Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for the Company (so that from and after the date of the applicable Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant and the other Transaction Documents referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein. Upon consummation of each Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall deliver to the Holder confirmation that there shall be issued upon exercise of this Warrant at any time after the consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction, in lieu of the Ordinary Shares (or other securities, cash, assets or other property (except such items still issuable under Sections 3 and 4(a) above, which shall continue to be receivable thereafter)) issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant prior to the applicable Fundamental Transaction, such Ordinary Shares (or its equivalent) of the Successor Entity (including its Parent Entity) which the Holder would have been entitled to receive upon the happening of the applicable Fundamental Transaction had this Warrant been exercised immediately prior to the applicable Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant), as adjusted in accordance with the provisions of this Warrant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and without limiting Section 1(f) hereof, the Holder may elect, at its sole option, by delivery of written notice to the Company to waive this Section 4(b) to permit the Fundamental Transaction without the assumption of this Warrant. In addition to and not in substitution for any other rights hereunder, prior to the consummation of each Fundamental Transaction pursuant to which holders of Ordinary Shares are entitled to receive securities or other assets with respect to or in exchange for Ordinary Shares (a “Corporate Event”), the Company shall make appropriate provision to insure that the Holder will thereafter have the right to receive upon an exercise of this Warrant at any time after the consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction but prior to the Termination Date, in lieu of the Ordinary Shares (or other securities, cash, assets or other property (except such items still issuable under Sections 3 and 4(a) above, which shall continue to be receivable thereafter)) issuable upon the exercise of the Warrant prior to such Fundamental Transaction, such shares of stock, securities, cash, assets or any other property whatsoever (including warrants or other purchase or subscription rights) (collectively, the “Corporate Event Consideration”) which the Holder would have been entitled to receive upon the happening of the applicable Fundamental Transaction had this Warrant been exercised immediately prior to the applicable Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant). The provision made pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Requisite Holders. The provisions of this Section 4(b) shall apply similarly and equally to successive Fundamental Transactions and Corporate Events.
| 7 |
5. NONCIRCUMVENTION. The Company hereby covenants and agrees that the Company will not, by amendment of its Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, scheme of arrangement, dissolution, issuance or sale of securities, or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, and will at all times in good faith carry out all of the provisions of this Warrant and take all action as may be required to protect the rights of the Holder. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company (i) shall not increase the par value of any Ordinary Shares receivable upon the exercise of this Warrant above the Exercise Price then in effect, (ii) shall take all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant, and (iii) shall, so long as any of the Warrants are outstanding, take all action necessary to reserve and keep available out of its authorized and unissued Ordinary Shares, solely for the purpose of effecting the exercise of the Warrants, the number of Ordinary Shares as shall from time to time be necessary to effect the exercise of the Warrants then outstanding (without regard to any limitations on exercise).
6. WARRANT HOLDER NOT DEEMED A STOCKHOLDER. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, the Holder, solely in such Person’s capacity as a holder of this Warrant, shall not be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed the holder of capital stock of the Company for any purpose, nor shall anything contained in this Warrant be construed to confer upon the Holder, solely in such Person’s capacity as the Holder of this Warrant, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote, give or withhold consent to any corporate action (whether any reorganization, issue of stock, reclassification of stock, consolidation, merger, conveyance or otherwise), receive notice of meetings, receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, prior to the issuance to the Holder of the Warrant Shares which such Person is then entitled to receive upon the due exercise of this Warrant. In addition, nothing contained in this Warrant shall be construed as imposing any liabilities on the Holder to purchase any securities (upon exercise of this Warrant or otherwise) or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liabilities are asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company. Notwithstanding this Section 6, the Company shall provide or make available to the Holder with copies of the same notices and other information given to the stockholders of the Company generally, contemporaneously with the giving thereof to the stockholders, which may be by press release or the filing of a Report on Form 6-K or other filing with the SEC.
7. REISSUANCE OF WARRANTS.
(a) Transfer of Warrant. If this Warrant is to be transferred, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company, whereupon the Company will forthwith deliver upon the order of the Holder a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)), registered as the Holder may request, representing the right to subscribe for the number of Warrant Shares being transferred by the Holder and, if less than the total number of Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant is being transferred, a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)) to the Holder representing the right to subscribe for the number of Warrant Shares not being transferred.
(b) Lost, Stolen or Mutilated Warrant. Upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant (as to which a written certification and the indemnification contemplated below shall suffice as such evidence), and, in the case of loss, theft or destruction, of any indemnification undertaking by the Holder to the Company in customary and reasonable form (but without the obligation to post a bond) and, in the case of mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation of this Warrant, the Company shall execute and deliver to the Holder a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)) representing the right to subscribe for the Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant.
(c) Exchangeable for Multiple Warrants. This Warrant is exchangeable, upon the surrender hereof by the Holder at the principal office of the Company, for a new Warrant or Warrants (in accordance with Section 7(d)) representing in the aggregate the right to subscribe for the number of Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant, and each such new Warrant will represent the right to subscribe for such portion of such Warrant Shares as is designated by the Holder at the time of such surrender.
(d) Delivery of New Warrants. Whenever the Company is required to deliver a new Warrant pursuant to the terms of this Warrant, such new Warrant (i) shall be of like tenor with this Warrant, (ii) shall represent, as indicated on the face of such new Warrant, the right to subscribe for the Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant (or in the case of a new Warrant being issued pursuant to Section 7(a) or Section 7(c), the Warrant Shares designated by the Holder which, when added to the number of Ordinary Shares underlying the other new Warrants issued in connection with such issuance, does not exceed the number of Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant), (iii) shall have an issuance date, as indicated on the face of such new Warrant which is the same as the Issuance Date, and (iv) shall have the same rights and conditions as this Warrant.
| 8 |
8. NOTICES. Whenever notice is required to be given under this Warrant, including, without limitation, an Exercise Notice, unless otherwise provided herein, such notice shall be given in writing, (i) if delivered (a) from within the domestic United States, by first-class registered or certified airmail, or nationally recognized overnight express courier, postage prepaid, electronic mail or by facsimile or (b) from outside the United States, by International Federal Express, electronic mail or facsimile, and (ii) will be deemed given (A) if delivered by first-class registered or certified mail domestic, three (3) Business Days after so mailed, (B) if delivered by nationally recognized overnight carrier, one (1) Business Day after so mailed, (C) if delivered by International Federal Express, two (2) Business Days after so mailed and (D) at the time of transmission, if delivered by electronic mail to each of the email addresses specified in this Section 8 prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on a Trading Day, (E) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if delivered by electronic mail to each of the email addresses specified in this Section 8 on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on any Trading Day and (F) if delivered by facsimile, upon electronic confirmation of delivery of such facsimile, and will be delivered and addressed as follows:
(i) if to the Company, to:
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company
Mespil Business Centre, Mespil House
Sussex Road, Dublin 4, Ireland
Attention: Haggai Alon, Chief Executive Officer
Email: haggai@securitymattersltd.com
(ii) if to the Holder, at such address or other contact information delivered by the Holder to the Company or as is on the books and records of the Company.
The Company shall provide the Holder with prompt written notice of all actions taken pursuant to this Warrant, including in reasonable detail a description of such action and the reason therefor. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will give written notice to the Holder (i) promptly following any adjustment of the Exercise Price, setting forth in reasonable detail, and certifying, the calculation of such adjustment and (ii) at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date on which the Company closes its books or takes a record (A) with respect to any dividend or distribution upon the Ordinary Shares or (B) for determining rights to vote with respect to any Fundamental Transaction, dissolution or liquidation; provided in each case that such information shall be made known to the public prior to or in conjunction with such notice being provided to the Holder. It is expressly understood and agreed that the time of exercise specified by the Holder in each Exercise Notice shall be definitive and may not be disputed or challenged by the Company.
9. AMENDMENT AND WAIVER. Except as otherwise provided herein, the provisions of this Warrant may be amended or waived and the Company may take any action herein prohibited, or omit to perform any act herein required to be performed by it, only if the Company has obtained the written consent of the Holder. No waiver shall be effective unless it is in writing and signed by an authorized representative of the waiving party.
10. GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION; JURY TRIAL. This Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with, and all questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and performance of this Warrant shall be governed by, the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of New York. The Company hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York and of the United States of America sitting in The City and County of New York for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper. The Company 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 to the Company at the address set forth in Section 8 above or such other address as the Company subsequently delivers to the Holder and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed or operate to preclude the Holder from bringing suit or taking other legal action against the Company in any other jurisdiction to collect on the Company’s obligations to the Holder, to realize on any collateral or any other security for such obligations, or to enforce a judgment or other court ruling in favor of the Holder. If either party shall commence an action, suit or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Warrant, the prevailing party in such action, suit or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for their reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding. THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS WARRANT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
| 9 |
11. DISPUTE RESOLUTION. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise Price or the arithmetic calculation of the Warrant Shares, the Company shall submit the disputed determinations or arithmetic calculations via facsimile or electronic mail within two (2) Business Days of receipt of the Exercise Notice or other event giving rise to such dispute, as the case may be, to the Holder. If the Holder and the Company are unable to agree upon such determination or calculation of the Exercise Price or the Warrant Shares within three (3) Business Days of such disputed determination or arithmetic calculation being submitted to the Holder, then the Company shall, within two (2) Business Days submit via facsimile or electronic mail (a) the disputed determination of the Exercise Price to an independent, reputable investment bank selected by the Company and approved by the Holder or (b) the disputed arithmetic calculation of the Warrant Shares to the Company’s independent, outside accountant. The Company shall cause at its expense the investment bank or the accountant, as the case may be, to perform the determinations or calculations and notify the Company and the Holder of the results no later than ten (10) Business Days from the time it receives the disputed determinations or calculations. Such investment bank’s or accountant’s determination or calculation, as the case may be, shall be binding upon all parties absent demonstrable error.
12. REMEDIES, OTHER OBLIGATIONS, BREACHES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF.
(a) The remedies provided in this Warrant shall be cumulative and in addition to all other remedies available under this Warrant and any 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 right of the Holder to pursue actual damages for any failure by the Company to comply with the terms of this Warrant. 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 of this Warrant shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies, to an injunction restraining any 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 Warrant (including, without limitation, compliance with Section 2 hereof). The issuance of shares and certificates for shares as contemplated hereby upon the exercise of this Warrant shall be made without charge to the Holder or such shares for any issuance tax or other costs in respect thereof, provided that the Company shall not be required to pay any tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance and delivery of any certificate in a name other than the Holder or its agent on its behalf.
(b) If (i) this Warrant is placed in the hands of an attorney for collection or enforcement or is collected or enforced through any legal proceeding or the holder otherwise takes action to collect amounts due under this Warrant or to enforce the provisions of this Warrant or (ii) there occurs any bankruptcy, reorganization, receivership of the Company or other proceedings affecting Company creditors’ rights and involving a claim under this Warrant, then the Company shall pay the costs incurred by the Holder for such collection, enforcement or action or in connection with such bankruptcy, reorganization, receivership or other proceeding, including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and disbursements; provided, however, that the Company shall only be required to pay any such costs under clause (i) of this Section 12(b) if the Holder is the prevailing party in any such collection, enforcement or legal proceeding.
13. TRANSFER. This Warrant and the Warrant Shares may be offered for sale, sold, transferred, pledged or assigned without the consent of the Company.
| 10 |
14. SEVERABILITY; CONSTRUCTION; HEADINGS. If any provision of this Warrant is prohibited by law or otherwise determined to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the provision that would otherwise be prohibited, invalid or unenforceable shall be deemed amended to apply to the broadest extent that it would be valid and enforceable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of such provision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this Warrant so long as this Warrant as so modified continues to express, without material change, the original intentions of the parties as to the subject matter hereof and the prohibited nature, invalidity or unenforceability of the provision(s) in question does not substantially impair the respective expectations or reciprocal obligations of the parties or the practical realization of the benefits that would otherwise be conferred upon the parties. The parties will endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s) with a valid provision(s), the effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s). This Warrant shall be deemed to be jointly drafted by the Company and the Holder and shall not be construed against any Person as the drafter hereof. The headings of this Warrant are for convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Warrant.
15. DISCLOSURE. Upon receipt or delivery by the Company of any notice in accordance with the terms of this Warrant, unless the Company has in good faith determined that the matters relating to such notice do not constitute material, non-public information relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, the Company shall contemporaneously with any such receipt or delivery publicly disclose such material, non-public information on a Report on Form 6-K or otherwise. In the event that the Company believes that a notice contains material, non-public information relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, the Company so shall indicate to such Holder contemporaneously with delivery of such notice, and in the absence of any such indication, the Holder shall be allowed to presume that all matters relating to such notice do not constitute material, non-public information relating to the Company or its subsidiaries.
16. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Warrant, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) “Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person, it being understood for purposes of this definition that “control” of a Person means the power directly or indirectly either to vote 10% or more of the stock having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of such Person or direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person whether by contract or otherwise.
(b) “Attribution Parties” means, collectively, the following Persons and entities: (i) any investment vehicle, including, any funds, feeder funds or managed accounts, currently, or from time to time after the Subscription Date, directly or indirectly managed or advised by the Holder’s investment manager or any of its Affiliates or principals, (ii) any direct or indirect Affiliates of the Holder or any of the foregoing, (iii) any Person acting or who could be deemed to be acting as a Group together with the Holder or any of the foregoing and (iv) any other Persons whose beneficial ownership of the Company’s Ordinary Shares would or could be aggregated with the Holder’s and the other Attribution Parties for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act. For clarity, the purpose of the foregoing is to subject collectively the Holder and all other Attribution Parties to the Maximum Percentage.
(c) [Intentionally Omitted].
(d) “Bloomberg” means Bloomberg Financial Markets.
(e) “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.
| 11 |
(f) [Intentionally Omitted}.
(g) “Convertible Securities” means any stock or securities (other than Options) directly or indirectly convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares.
(h) “Eligible Market” means The Nasdaq Capital Market, the NYSE American LLC, The Nasdaq Global Select Market, The Nasdaq Global Market or The New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
(i) “Fundamental Transaction” means (A) that the Company shall, directly or indirectly, including through subsidiaries, Affiliates or otherwise, in one or more related transactions, (i) consolidate or merge with or into (whether or not the Company is the surviving corporation) another Subject Entity, or (ii) sell, assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company or any of its “significant subsidiaries” (as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) to one or more Subject Entities, or (iii) make, or allow one or more Subject Entities to make, or allow the Company to be subject to or have its Ordinary Shares be subject to or party to one or more Subject Entities making, a purchase, tender or exchange offer that is accepted by the holders of at least either (x) 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, (y) 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares calculated as if any Ordinary Shares held by all Subject Entities making or party to, or Affiliated with any Subject Entities making or party to, such purchase, tender or exchange offer were not outstanding; or (z) such number of Ordinary Shares such that all Subject Entities making or party to, or Affiliated with any Subject Entity making or party to, such purchase, tender or exchange offer, become collectively the beneficial owners (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of at least 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, or (iv) consummate a stock purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with one or more Subject Entities whereby all such Subject Entities, individually or in the aggregate, acquire, either (x) at least 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, (y) at least 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares calculated as if any Ordinary Shares held by all the Subject Entities making or party to, or Affiliated with any Subject Entity making or party to, such stock purchase agreement or other business combination were not outstanding; or (z) such number of Ordinary Shares such that the Subject Entities become collectively the beneficial owners (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of at least 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, or (v) reorganize, recapitalize or reclassify its Ordinary Shares, (B) that the Company shall, directly or indirectly, including through subsidiaries, Affiliates or otherwise, in one or more related transactions, allow any Subject Entity individually or the Subject Entities in the aggregate to be or become the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, whether through acquisition, purchase, assignment, conveyance, tender, tender offer, exchange, reduction in outstanding Ordinary Shares, merger, consolidation, business combination, reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off, scheme of arrangement, reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification or otherwise in any manner whatsoever, of either (x) at least 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares, (y) at least 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares not held by all such Subject Entities as of the Subscription Date calculated as if any Ordinary Shares held by all such Subject Entities were not outstanding, or (z) a percentage of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares or other equity securities of the Company sufficient to allow such Subject Entities to effect a statutory short form merger or other transaction requiring other stockholders of the Company to surrender their Ordinary Shares without approval of the stockholders of the Company or (C) directly or indirectly, including through subsidiaries, Affiliates or otherwise, in one or more related transactions, the issuance of or the entering into any other instrument or transaction structured in a manner to circumvent, or that circumvents, the intent of this definition in which case this definition shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this definition to the extent necessary to correct this definition or any portion of this definition which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended treatment of such instrument or transaction.
| 12 |
(j) “Fixed Price” means $0.10.
(k) “Group” means a “group” as that term is used in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and as defined in Rule 13d-5 thereunder.
(l) “Options” means any rights, warrants or options to subscribe for or purchase Ordinary Shares or Convertible Securities.
(m) “Ordinary Shares” means (i) the Company’s ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and (ii) any capital stock into which such Ordinary Shares shall have been changed or any capital stock resulting from a reclassification of such Ordinary Shares.
(n) “Parent Entity” of a Person means an entity that, directly or indirectly, controls the applicable Person, including such entity whose ordinary shares or equivalent equity security is quoted or listed on an Eligible Market (or, if so elected by the Holder, any other market, exchange or quotation system), or, if there is more than one such Person or such entity, the Person or such entity designated by the Holder or in the absence of such designation, such Person or entity with the largest public market capitalization as of the date of consummation of the Fundamental Transaction.
(o) “Person” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization, any other entity and a government or any department or agency thereof.
(p) “Principal Market” means The Nasdaq Global Market.
(q) “Requisite Holders” means the holders of the Warrants representing a majority of the Ordinary Shares underlying the Warrants then outstanding.
(r) “Standard Settlement Period” means the standard settlement period, expressed in a number of Trading Days, for the Company’s primary trading market or quotation system with respect to the Ordinary Shares that is in effect on the date of receipt of an applicable Exercise Notice.
(s) “Subject Entity” means any Person, Persons or Group or any Affiliate or associate of any such Person, Persons or Group.
(t) “Successor Entity” means one or more Person or Persons (or, if so elected by the Holder, the Company or Parent Entity) formed by, resulting from or surviving any Fundamental Transaction or one or more Person or Persons (or, if so elected by the Holder, the Company or the Parent Entity) with which such Fundamental Transaction shall have been entered into.
(u) “Trading Day” means any day on which the Ordinary Shares is traded on the Principal Market, or, if the Principal Market is not the principal trading market for the Ordinary Shares, then on the principal securities exchange or securities market on which the Ordinary Shares is then traded.
(v) “Transaction Documents” means any agreement entered into by and between the Company and the Holder, as applicable.
[Signature Page Follows]
| 13 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares to be duly executed as of the Issuance Date set out above.
| SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | Haggai Alon | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
[Signature Page to Pre-Funded Warrant]
| 14 |
EXERCISE NOTICE
TO BE EXECUTED BY THE REGISTERED HOLDER TO EXERCISE THIS
PRE-FUNDED WARRANT TO SUBSCRIBE FOR ORDINARY SHARES
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company
The undersigned holder hereby exercises the right to subscribe for _________________ Ordinary Shares (“Warrant Shares”) of SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), evidenced by the attached Pre-Funded Warrant to Subscribe for Ordinary Shares (the “Warrant”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Warrant.
1. Form of Exercise Price. The holder intends that payment of the Exercise Price shall be made as:
____________ a “Cash Exercise” with respect to _________________ Warrant Shares; and/or
____________ a “Cashless Exercise” with respect to _______________ Warrant Shares.
2. Payment of Exercise Price. In the event that the holder has elected a Cash Exercise with respect to some or all of the Warrant Shares to be issued pursuant hereto, the holder shall pay the Aggregate Exercise Price in the sum of $___________________ to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Warrant.
3. Delivery of Warrant Shares. The Company shall deliver to the holder __________ Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms of the Warrant.
Date: _______________ __, ______
Name of Registered Holder
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: |
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The Company hereby acknowledges this Exercise Notice and hereby directs Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company to issue the above indicated number of Ordinary Shares on or prior to the applicable Share Delivery Date.
| SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
Exhibit 4.6
THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS WARRANT BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT SELL, TRANSFER OR ASSIGN THIS WARRANT EXCEPT AS HEREIN PROVIDED AND THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS WARRANT AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT SELL, TRANSFER, ASSIGN, PLEDGE OR HYPOTHECATE THIS WARRANT FOR A PERIOD OF ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAYS FOLLOWING [__], 2023 (THE “EFFECTIVE DATE”) TO ANYONE OTHER THAN (I) EF HUTTON, DIVISION OF BENCHMARK INVESTMENTS, LLC OR A SELECTED DEALER IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING FOR WHICH THIS WARRANT WAS ISSUED TO THE UNDERWRITER AS CONSIDERATION (THE “OFFERING”), OR (II) AN OFFICER, PARTNER, REGISTERED PERSON OR AFFILIATE EF HUTTON, DIVISION OF BENCHMARK INVESTMENTS, LLC.
ORDINARY SHARES WARRANT
For the Subscription of [____] Ordinary Shares
of
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company
1. Warrant. THIS CERTIFIES THAT, in consideration of funds duly paid by or on behalf of [__] (“Holder”), as registered owner of this Warrant, SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), Holder is entitled, at any time or from time to time beginning [__], 2023 (the “Commencement Date”), and at or before 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, [__]1, 2028 (the “Date”), but not thereafter, to subscribe for, purchase and receive, in whole or in part, up to [____]2 Ordinary Shares of the Company (the “Shares”), subject to adjustment as provided in Section 6 hereof. If the Expiration Date is a day on which banking institutions are authorized by law to close, then this Warrant may be exercised on the next succeeding day which is not such a day in accordance with the terms herein. During the period ending on the Expiration Date, the Company agrees not to take any action that would terminate this Warrant. This Warrant is initially exercisable at $[___]3 per Share; provided, however, that upon the occurrence of any of the events specified in Section 6 hereof, the rights granted by this Warrant, including the exercise price per Share and the number of Shares to be received upon such exercise, shall be adjusted as therein specified. The term “Exercise Price” shall mean the initial exercise price or the adjusted exercise price, depending on the context.
2. Exercise.
2.1 Exercise Form. In order to exercise this Warrant, the exercise form attached hereto must be duly executed and completed and delivered to the Company, together with this Warrant and payment of the Exercise Price for the Shares being subscribed payable in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Company or by certified check or official bank check. If the subscription rights represented hereby shall not be exercised at or before 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the Expiration Date, this Warrant shall become and be void without further force or effect, and all rights represented hereby shall cease and expire. Each exercise hereof shall be irrevocable.
2.2 Intentionally Omitted.
“Ordinary Shares” means (i) the Company’s ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and (ii) any capital stock into which such Ordinary Shares shall have been changed or any capital stock resulting from a reclassification of such Ordinary Shares.
2.3 Legend. Each certificate for the securities subscribed under this Warrant shall bear a legend as follows unless such securities have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”):
“The securities represented by this certificate have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), or applicable state law. Neither the securities nor any interest therein may be offered for sale, sold or otherwise transferred except pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Act, or pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Act and applicable state law which, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, is available.”
1 Insert date five years from the date of commencement of sales of the public offering.
2 Number equal to 5% of the total number of Ordinary Shares and pre-funded warrants sold.
3 Amount equal to 110% of the public offering price of the shares sold in the offering.
3. Transfer.
3.1 General Restrictions. The registered Holder of this Warrant agrees by his, her or its acceptance hereof, that such Holder will not for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Effective Date: (a) sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate this Warrant to anyone other than: (i) EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC (“EFH”), or an underwriter, placement agent, or a selected dealer participating in the Offering, or (ii) an officer, partner, registered person or affiliate of EFH or of any such underwriter, placement agent or selected dealer, in each case in accordance with FINRA Conduct Rule 5110(e)(1), or (b) cause this Warrant or the securities issuable hereunder to be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of this Warrant or the securities hereunder, except as provided for in FINRA Rule 5110(e)(2). After 180 days after the Effective Date, transfers to others may be made subject to compliance with or exemptions from applicable securities laws. In order to make any permitted assignment, the Holder must deliver to the Company the assignment form attached hereto duly executed and completed, together with the Warrant and payment of all transfer taxes, if any, payable in connection therewith. The Company shall within five (5) Business Days transfer this Warrant on the books of the Company and shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants of like tenor to the appropriate assignee(s) expressly evidencing the right to subscribe for the aggregate number of Shares purchasable hereunder or such portion of such number as shall be contemplated by any such assignment.
3.2 Restrictions Imposed by the Act. The securities evidenced by this Warrant shall not be transferred unless and until: (i) if required by applicable law, the Company has received the opinion of counsel for the Company that the securities may be transferred pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Act and applicable state securities laws, or (ii) a registration statement or a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement relating to the offer and sale of such securities has been filed by the Company and declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) and compliance with applicable state securities law has been established.
4. Registration Rights.
4.1 Grant of Demand Right. The Company, upon written demand (a “Demand Notice”) of the Holder(s) of at least 51% of the Warrants and/or the underlying Warrant Shares (“Majority Holders”), agrees to register, on one occasion, all or any portion of the Warrant Shares underlying the Warrants (collectively, the “Registrable Securities”). On such occasion, the Company will file a registration statement with the Commission covering the Registrable Securities within sixty (60) days after receipt of a Demand Notice and use its reasonable best efforts to have the registration statement declared effective promptly thereafter, subject to compliance with review by the Commission; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to comply with a Demand Notice if the Company has filed a registration statement with respect to which the Holder is entitled to piggyback registration rights pursuant to Section 4.2 hereof and either: (i) the Holder has elected to participate in the offering covered by such registration statement or (ii) if such registration statement relates to an underwritten primary offering of securities of the Company, until the offering covered by such registration statement has been withdrawn or until thirty (30) days after such offering is consummated. The demand for registration may be made at any time beginning on the Initial Exercise Date and expiring on the fifth anniversary of the commencement date of sales in the Offering. The Company covenants and agrees to give written notice of its receipt of any Demand Notice by any Holder(s) to all other registered Holders of the Warrants and/or the Registrable Securities within ten (10) days after the date of the receipt of any such Demand Notice.
4.2 Grant of “Piggy-Back” Right. Whenever the Company proposes to register any of its Ordinary Shares under the Act (other than (i) a registration effected solely to implement an employee benefit plan or a transaction to which Rule 145 of the Act is applicable, or (ii) a registration statement on Form S-4, S-8 or any successor form thereto or another form not available for registering the Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant for sale to the public, whether for its own account or for the account of one or more stockholders of the Company (a “Piggyback Registration”), the Company shall give prompt written notice (in any event no later than ten (10) Business Days prior to the filing of such registration statement) to the Holder of the Company’s intention to effect such a registration and, subject to the remaining provisions of this Section 4.2, shall include in such registration such number of Registrable Securities that the Holders have (within ten (10) Business Days of the respective Holder’s receipt of such notice) requested in writing (including such number) to be included within such registration. If a Piggyback Registration is an underwritten offering and the managing underwriter advises the Company that it has determined in good faith that marketing factors require a limit on the number of ordinary shares to be included in such registration, including all Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant (if the Holder has elected to include such shares in such Piggyback Registration) and all other ordinary shares proposed to be included in such underwritten offering, the Company shall include in such registration (i) first, the number of ordinary shares that the Company proposes to sell and (ii) second, the number of ordinary shares, if any, requested to be included therein by selling stockholders (including the Holder) allocated pro rata among all such persons on the basis of the number of Ordinary Shares then owned by each such person. If any Piggyback Registration is initiated as a primary underwritten offering on behalf of the Company, the Company shall select the investment banking firm or firms to act as the managing underwriter or underwriters in connection with such offering. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the obligations of the Company pursuant to this Section 4.2 shall terminate on the earlier of (i) the seventh anniversary of the Effective Date and (ii) the date that Rule 144 would allow the Holder to sell its Registrable Securities during any ninety (90) day period.
4.3 Indemnification. The Company shall indemnify the Holder(s) of the Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to any registration statement hereunder and each person, if any, who controls such Holders within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 (a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”), against all loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and other out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any claim whatsoever) to which any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from such registration statement but only to the same extent and with the same effect as the provisions pursuant to which the Company has agreed to indemnify EFH contained in the Underwriting Agreement between EFH and the Company, dated as of [__], 2023. The Holder(s) of the Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to such registration statement, and their successors and assigns, shall severally, and not jointly, indemnify the Company, against all loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any claim whatsoever) to which they may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from information furnished by or on behalf of such Holders, or their successors or assigns, in writing, for specific inclusion in such registration statement to the same extent and with the same effect as the provisions contained in the Underwriting Agreement pursuant to which EFH has agreed to indemnify the Company.
4.4 Exercise of Warrants. Nothing contained in this Warrant shall be construed as requiring the Holder(s) to exercise their Warrants prior to or after the initial filing of any registration statement or the effectiveness thereof.
4.5 Documents Delivered to Holders. The Company shall deliver promptly to each Holder participating in the offering requesting the correspondence and memoranda described below, copies of all correspondence between the Commission and the Company, its counsel or auditors and all memoranda relating to discussions with the Commission or its staff with respect to the registration statement and permit each Holder and underwriter to do such investigation, upon reasonable advance notice, with respect to information contained in or omitted from the registration statement as it deems reasonably necessary to comply with applicable securities laws or rules of FINRA. Such investigation shall include access to books, records and properties and opportunities to discuss the business of the Company with its officers and independent auditors, all to such reasonable extent and at such reasonable times, during normal business hours, as any such Holder shall reasonably request.
4.6 Underwriting Agreement. The Holders shall be parties to any underwriting agreement relating to a Piggyback Registration. Such Holders shall not be required to make any representations or warranties to or agreements with the Company or the underwriters except as they may relate to such Holders, their Shares and the amount and nature of their ownership thereof and their intended methods of distribution.
4.7 Documents to be Delivered by Holder(s). Each of the Holder(s) participating in any of the foregoing offerings shall furnish to the Company a completed and executed questionnaire provided by the Company requesting information customarily sought of selling security holders.
4.8 Damages. Should the Company fail to comply with such provisions, the Holder(s) shall, in addition to any other legal or other relief available to the Holder(s), be entitled to obtain specific performance or other equitable (including injunctive) relief against the threatened breach of such provisions or the continuation of any such breach, without the necessity of proving actual damages and without the necessity of posting bond or other security.
5. New Warrants to be Issued.
5.1 Partial Exercise or Transfer. Subject to the restrictions in Section 3 hereof, this Warrant may be exercised or assigned in whole or in part. In the event of the exercise or assignment hereof in part only, upon surrender of this Warrant for cancellation, together with the duly executed exercise or assignment form and funds sufficient to pay any Exercise Price and/or transfer tax if exercised pursuant to Section 2.1 hereto, the Company shall cause to be delivered to the Holder without charge a new Warrant of like tenor to this Warrant in the name of the Holder evidencing the right of the Holder to subscribe for the number of Shares purchasable hereunder as to which this Warrant has not been exercised or assigned.
5.2 Lost Certificate. Upon receipt by the Company of evidence satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant and of reasonably satisfactory indemnification or the posting of a bond, determined in the sole discretion of the Company, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant of like tenor and date. Any such new Warrant executed and delivered as a result of such loss, theft, mutilation or destruction shall constitute a substitute contractual obligation on the part of the Company.
6. Adjustments.
6.1 Adjustments to Exercise Price and Number of Securities. The Exercise Price and the number of Shares underlying the Warrant shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as hereinafter set forth:
6.1.1 Share Dividends; Split Ups. If, after the date hereof, and subject to the provisions of Section 6.3 below, the number of outstanding Shares is increased by a stock dividend payable in Shares or by a split up of Shares or other similar event, then, on the effective day thereof, the number of Shares purchasable hereunder shall be increased in proportion to such increase in outstanding Shares, and the Exercise Price shall be proportionately decreased.
6.1.2 Aggregation of Shares. If, after the date hereof, and subject to the provisions of Section 6.3 below, the number of outstanding Shares is decreased by a consolidation, combination or reclassification of Shares or other similar event, then, on the effective date thereof, the number of Shares purchasable hereunder shall be decreased in proportion to such decrease in outstanding Shares, and the Exercise Price shall be proportionately increased.
6.1.3 Replacement of Securities upon Reorganization, etc. In case of any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding Shares other than a change covered by Section 6.1.1 or 6.1.2 hereof or that solely affects the par value of such Shares, or in the case of any share reconstruction or amalgamation or consolidation or merger of the Company with or into another corporation (other than a consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation or merger in which the Company is the continuing corporation and that does not result in any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding Shares), or in the case of any sale or conveyance to another corporation or entity of the property of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety in connection with which the Company is dissolved, the Holder of this Warrant shall have the right thereafter (until the expiration of the right of exercise of this Warrant) to receive upon the exercise hereof, for the same aggregate Exercise Price payable hereunder immediately prior to such event, the kind and amount of shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) receivable upon such reclassification, reorganization, share reconstruction or amalgamation, or consolidation, or upon a dissolution following any such sale or transfer, by a Holder of the number of Shares of the Company obtainable upon exercise of this Warrant immediately prior to such event; and if any reclassification also results in a change in Shares covered by Section 6.1.1 or 6.1.2, then such adjustment shall be made pursuant to Sections 6.1.1, 6.1.2 and this Section 6.1.3. The provisions of this Section 6.1.3 shall similarly apply to successive reclassifications, reorganizations, share reconstructions or amalgamations, or consolidations, sales or other transfers.
6.1.4 Changes in Form of Warrant. This form of Warrant need not be changed because of any change pursuant to this Section 6.1, and Warrants issued after such change may state the same Exercise Price and the same number of Shares as are stated in the Warrants initially issued pursuant to this Agreement. The acceptance by any Holder of the issuance of new Warrants reflecting a required or permissive change shall not be deemed to waive any rights to an adjustment occurring after the Commencement Date or the computation thereof.
6.2 Substitute Warrant. In case of any consolidation of the Company with, or share reconstruction or amalgamation or merger of the Company with or into, another corporation (other than a consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation or merger which does not result in any reclassification or change of the outstanding Shares), the corporation formed by such consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation shall execute and deliver to the Holder a supplemental Warrant providing that the holder of each Warrant then outstanding or to be outstanding shall have the right thereafter (until the stated expiration of such Warrant) to receive, upon exercise of such Warrant, the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities and property receivable upon such consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation, by a holder of the number of Shares of the Company for which such Warrant might have been exercised immediately prior to such consolidation, share reconstruction or amalgamation or merger, sale or transfer. Such supplemental Warrant shall provide for adjustments which shall be identical to the adjustments provided for in this Section 6. The above provision of this Section shall similarly apply to successive consolidations or share reconstructions or amalgamations or mergers.
6.3 Elimination of Fractional Interests. The Company shall not be required to issue certificates representing fractions of Shares upon the exercise of the Warrant, nor shall it be required to issue scrip or pay cash in lieu of any fractional interests, it being the intent of the parties that all fractional interests shall be eliminated by rounding any fraction up or down, as the case may be, to the nearest whole number of Shares or other securities, properties or rights.
7. Reservation. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized Shares, solely for the purpose of issuance upon exercise of the Warrants, such number of Shares or other securities, properties or rights as shall be issuable upon the exercise thereof. The Company covenants and agrees that, upon exercise of the Warrants and payment of the Exercise Price therefor, in accordance with the terms hereby, all Shares and other securities issuable upon such exercise shall be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and not subject to preemptive rights of any shareholder.
8. Certain Notice Requirements.
8.1 Holder’s Right to Receive Notice. Nothing herein shall be construed as conferring upon the Holders the right to vote or consent or to receive notice as a shareholder for the election of directors or any other matter, or as having any rights whatsoever as a shareholder of the Company. If, however, at any time prior to the expiration of the Warrants and their exercise, any of the events described in Section 8.2 shall occur, then, in one or more of said events, the Company shall deliver to each Holder a copy of each notice relating to such events given to the other shareholders of the Company at the same time and in the same manner that such notice is given to the shareholders.
8.2 Events Requiring Notice. The Company shall be required to give the notice described in this Section 8 upon one or more of the following events: (i) if the Company shall take a record of the holders of its Shares for the purpose of entitling them to receive a dividend or distribution payable otherwise than in cash, or a cash dividend or distribution payable otherwise than out of retained earnings, as indicated by the accounting treatment of such dividend or distribution on the books of the Company, or (ii) the Company shall offer to all the holders of its Shares any additional shares of capital stock of the Company or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company, or any option, right or warrant to subscribe therefor.
8.3 Notice of Change in Exercise Price. The Company shall, promptly after an event requiring a change in the Exercise Price pursuant to Section 6 hereof, send notice to the Holders of such event and change (“Price Notice”). The Price Notice shall describe the event causing the change and the method of calculating same.
8.4 Transmittal of Notices. All notices, requests, consents and other communications under this Warrant shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly made when hand delivered, or mailed by express mail or private courier service: (i) if to the registered Holder of the Warrant, to the address of such Holder as shown on the books of the Company, or (ii) if to the Company, to following address or to such other address as the Company may designate by notice to the Holders:
If to the Holder:
EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC
Attention: Chief Executive Officer
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Lucosky Brookman LLP
101 Wood Avenue South
Woodbridge, NJ 08830
Attention: Amit Hazan, Esq.
Email: Ahazan@lucbro.com
If to the Company:
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company
Mespil Business Centre, Mespil House
Sussex Road, Dublin 4, Ireland
Attention: Haggai Alon, Chief Executive Officer
Email: haggai@securitymattersltd.com
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Ruskin Moscou Faltischek P.C.
1425 RXR Plaza
East Tower, 15th Floor
Uniondale, NY 11556
Attention: Stephen E. Fox, Esq.
Email: sfox@rmfpc.com
9. Miscellaneous.
9.1 Amendments. The Company and EFH may from time to time supplement or amend this Warrant without the approval of any of the Holders in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained herein that may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, or to make any other provisions in regard to matters or questions arising hereunder that the Company and EFH may deem necessary or desirable and that the Company and EFH deem shall not adversely affect the interest of the Holders. All other modifications or amendments shall require the written consent of and be signed by (i) the Company and (ii) the Holder(s) of Warrants then-exercisable for at least a majority of the Shares then-exercisable pursuant to all then-outstanding Warrants.
9.2 Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Warrant.
9.3. Entire Agreement. This Warrant (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Warrant) constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
9.4 Binding Effect. This Warrant shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon, the Holder and the Company and their permitted assignees, respective successors, legal representative and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Warrant or any provisions herein contained.
9.5 Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Trial by Jury. This Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflict of laws principles thereof. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any way to this Warrant shall be brought and enforced in the courts located in the State of New York and of the United States of America sitting in The City and County of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 8 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company and the Holder agree that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and the Holder hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
9.6 Waiver, etc. The failure of the Company or the Holder to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Warrant shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way affect the validity of this Warrant or any provision hereof or the right of the Company or any Holder to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Warrant. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Warrant shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.
9.7 Exchange Agreement. As a condition of the Holder’s receipt and acceptance of this Warrant, Holder agrees that, at any time prior to the complete exercise of this Warrant by Holder, if the Company and EFH enter into an agreement (“Exchange Agreement”) pursuant to which they agree that all outstanding Warrants will be exchanged for securities or cash or a combination of both, then Holder shall agree to such exchange and become a party to the Exchange Agreement.
[Signature Page Follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be signed by its duly authorized officer as of the [___] day of June, 2023.
| SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | Haggai Alon | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
[Form to be used to exercise Warrant]
Date: __________, 20___
The undersigned hereby elects irrevocably to exercise the Warrant for ______ Ordinary Shares, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Shares”), of SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), and hereby makes payment of $____ (at the rate of $____ per Share) in payment of the Exercise Price pursuant thereto. Please issue the Shares as to which this Warrant is exercised in accordance with the instructions given below and, if applicable, a new Warrant representing the number of Shares for which this Warrant has not been exercised.
Please issue the Shares as to which this Warrant is exercised in accordance with the instructions given below and, if applicable, a new Warrant representing the number of Shares for which this Warrant has not been converted.
| Signature |
| Signature Guaranteed |
INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES
| Name: | ||
| (Print in Block Letters) |
| Address: | ||
NOTICE: The signature to this form must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the Warrant without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever, and must be guaranteed by a bank, other than a savings bank, or by a trust company or by a firm having membership on a registered national securities exchange.
[Form to be used to assign Warrant]
ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered Holder to effect a transfer of the within Warrant):
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, __________________ does hereby sell, assign and transfer unto the right to subscribe for Ordinary Shares of, par value $0.0001 per share, of SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), evidenced by the Warrant and does hereby authorize the Company to transfer such right on the books of the Company.
Dated: __________, 20__
| Signature |
| Signature Guaranteed |
NOTICE: The signature to this form must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the within Warrant without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever, and must be guaranteed by a bank, other than a savings bank, or by a trust company or by a firm having membership on a registered national securities exchange.
Exhibit 4.7
WARRANT AGREEMENT
THIS WARRANT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of June [__], 2023, is entered into by and between SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company, an Irish public limited company (the “Company”), and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a New York corporation (the “Warrant Agent”).
WHEREAS, the Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a Registration Statement on Form F-1, No: 333-272503 (the “Registration Statement”), for the registration, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”) of, among other securities, the Warrant A warrants to subscribe for ordinary shares (the “Warrants”) and the ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”), issuable upon exercise of the Warrants;
WHEREAS, the Company desires the Warrant Agent to act on behalf of the Company, and the Warrant Agent is willing to so act, in connection with the issuance, registration, transfer, exchange and exercise of the Warrants;
WHEREAS, the Company desires to provide for the form and provisions of the Warrants, the terms upon which they shall be issued and exercised, and the respective rights, limitation of rights, and immunities of the Company, the Warrant Agent, and the holders of the Warrants; and
WHEREAS, all acts and things have been done and performed which are necessary to make the Warrants, when executed on behalf of the Company and countersigned by or on behalf of the Warrant Agent, as provided herein, the valid, binding and legal obligations of the Company, and to authorize the execution and delivery of this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Appointment of Warrant Agent. The Company hereby appoints the Warrant Agent to act as agent for the Company for the Warrants, and the Warrant Agent hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the same in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.
2. Warrants.
2.1 Form of Warrant. Each Warrant shall be (a) issued in registered form only, (b) in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto, the provisions of which are incorporated herein (the “Form of Warrant”), and (c) signed by, or bear the facsimile signature of, the Chairman of the Board or the President and the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company. In the event the person whose facsimile signature has been placed upon any Warrant shall have ceased to serve in the capacity in which such person signed the Warrant before such Warrant is issued, it may be issued with the same effect as if he or she had not ceased to be such at the date of issuance.
2.2 Effect of Countersignature. Unless and until countersigned by the Warrant Agent pursuant to this Agreement, a Warrant shall be invalid and of no effect and may not be exercised by the holder thereof.
2.3 Registration.
2.3.1 Warrant Register. The Warrant Agent shall maintain books (the “Warrant Register”) for the registration of the original issuance and transfers of the Warrants. Upon the initial issuance of the Warrants, the Warrant Agent shall issue and register the Warrants in the names of the respective holders thereof in such denominations and otherwise in accordance with instructions delivered to the Warrant Agent by the Company.
2.3.2 Registered Holder. Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of any Warrant, the Company and the Warrant Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name such Warrant shall be registered upon the Warrant Register (the “registered holder”), as the absolute owner of such Warrant and of each Warrant represented thereby (notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing on the warrant certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Warrant Agent), for the purpose of any exercise thereof, and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Warrant Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
3. Terms and Exercise of Warrants.
3.1 Warrant Price. As set forth in the Form of Warrant.
3.2 Duration of Warrants. As set forth in the Form of Warrant.
3.3 Exercise of Warrants.
3.3.1 Payment. Subject to the provisions of the Warrant, the Form of Warrant and this Warrant Agreement, a Warrant, when countersigned by the Warrant Agent, may be exercised by the registered holder thereof by surrendering it, at the office of the Warrant Agent, or at the office of its successor as Warrant Agent, in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York, with the subscription form, as set forth in the Warrant, duly executed, and by paying in full the Warrant Price for each full share of Ordinary Shares as to which the Warrant is exercised and any and all applicable taxes due in connection with the exercise of the Warrant, as follows:
(a) by certified check payable to the order of the Warrant Agent, or wire transfer.
(b) in the event of an exercise on a “cashless basis” as set forth in the Form of Warrant.
| 2 |
3.3.2 Issuance of Certificates. As soon as practicable after the exercise of any Warrant and the clearance of the funds in payment of the Warrant Price or upon surrender of the Warrant (or portion thereof) as set forth in Section 3.3.1(b), the Company shall issue to the registered holder of such Warrant a certificate or certificates representing the number of full Ordinary Shares to which he, she or it is entitled, registered in such name or names as may be directed by him, her or it, and, if such Warrant shall not have been exercised in full, a new countersigned Warrant for the number of shares as to which such Warrant shall not have been exercised. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be obligated to deliver any securities pursuant to the exercise of a Warrant unless (a) a registration statement under the Act with respect to the Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of such Warrants is effective and a current prospectus relating to the Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants is available for delivery to the Warrant holders or (b) in the opinion of counsel to the Company, the exercise of the Warrants is exempt from the registration requirements of the Act and such securities are qualified for sale or exempt from qualification under applicable securities laws of the states or other jurisdictions in which the registered holder resides. Warrants may not be exercised by, or securities issued to, any registered holder in any state in which such exercise or issuance would be unlawful. In the event that a registration statement under the Act with respect to the Ordinary Shares underlying the Warrants is not effective or a current prospectus is not available, or because such exercise would be unlawful with respect to a registered holder in any state, the registered holder shall not be entitled to exercise such Warrants and such Warrants may have no value and expire worthless.
3.3.3 Valid Issuance. All Ordinary Shares issued upon the proper exercise of a Warrant in conformity with this Agreement shall be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
3.3.4 Date of Issuance. Each person in whose name any such certificate for Ordinary Shares is issued shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of such shares on the date on which the Warrant was surrendered and payment of the Warrant Price was made, irrespective of the date of delivery of such certificate, except that, if the date of such surrender and payment is a date when the stock transfer books of the Company are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the holder of such shares at the close of business on the next succeeding date on which the stock transfer books are open.
4. Adjustments. As set forth in the Form of Warrant.
5. Transfer and Exchange of Warrants.
5.1 Registration of Transfer. The Warrant Agent shall register the transfer, from time to time, of any outstanding Warrant in the Warrant Register, upon surrender of such Warrant for transfer, properly endorsed with signatures properly medallion guaranteed and accompanied by appropriate instructions for transfer. Upon any such transfer, a new Warrant representing an equal aggregate number of Warrants shall be issued and the old Warrant shall be cancelled by the Warrant Agent. The Warrants so cancelled may be delivered by the Warrant Agent to the Company from time to time upon request.
5.2 Procedure for Surrender of Warrants. Warrants may be surrendered to the Warrant Agent, together with a written request for exchange or transfer, and thereupon the Warrant Agent shall issue in exchange therefor one or more new Warrants as requested by the registered holder of the Warrants so surrendered, representing an equal aggregate number of Warrants; provided, however, that in the event that a Warrant surrendered for transfer bears a restrictive legend, the Warrant Agent shall not cancel such Warrant and issue new Warrants in exchange therefor until the Warrant Agent has received an opinion of counsel for the Company stating that such transfer is exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and indicating whether the new Warrants must also bear a restrictive legend.
| 3 |
5.3 Fractional Warrants. The Warrant Agent shall not be required to effect any registration of transfer or exchange which will result in the issuance of a warrant certificate for a fraction of a warrant.
5.4 Service Charges. No service charge shall be made for any exchange or registration of transfer of Warrants.
5.5 Warrant Execution and Countersignature. The Warrant Agent is hereby authorized to countersign and to deliver, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Warrant, the Warrants required to be issued pursuant to the provisions of this Section 5, and the Company, whenever required by the Warrant Agent pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and the Warrant, will supply the Warrant Agent with Warrants duly executed on behalf of the Company for such purpose.
6. Intentionally Omitted.
7. Other Provisions Relating to Rights of Holders of Warrants.
7.1 No Rights as Stockholder. A Warrant does not entitle the registered holder thereof to any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to receive dividends, or other distributions, exercise any preemptive rights to vote or to consent or to receive notice as stockholders in respect of the meetings of stockholders or the election of directors of the Company or any other matter.
7.2 Lost, Stolen, Mutilated, or Destroyed Warrants. If any Warrant is lost, stolen, mutilated or destroyed, the Company and the Warrant Agent may, on such terms as to indemnity or otherwise as they may in their discretion impose (which terms shall, in the case of a mutilated Warrant, include the surrender thereof), issue a new Warrant of like denomination, tenor and date as the Warrant so lost, stolen, mutilated or destroyed. Any such new Warrant shall constitute a substitute contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the allegedly lost, stolen, mutilated or destroyed Warrant shall be at any time enforceable by anyone.
7.3 Reservation of Ordinary Shares. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available a number of its authorized but unissued Ordinary Shares that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Warrants issued pursuant to this Agreement.
7.4 Limitation on Monetary Damages. Except as may be specifically set forth in the Form of Warrant, in no event shall the registered holder of a Warrant be entitled to receive monetary damages for failure to settle any Warrant exercise if the Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants has not been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to an effective registration statement or if a current prospectus is not available for delivery by the Warrant Agent.
| 4 |
8. Concerning the Warrant Agent and Other Matters.
8.1 Payment of Taxes. The Company will from time to time promptly pay all taxes and charges that may be imposed upon the Company or the Warrant Agent in respect of the issuance or delivery of Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of Warrants, but the Company shall not be obligated to pay any transfer taxes in respect of the Warrants or such shares.
8.2 Resignation, Consolidation, or Merger of Warrant Agent.
8.2.1 Appointment of Successor Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent, or any successor to it hereafter appointed, may resign its duties and be discharged from all further duties and liabilities hereunder after giving sixty (60) days’ notice in writing to the Company. If the office of the Warrant Agent becomes vacant by resignation or incapacity to act or otherwise, the Company shall appoint in writing a successor Warrant Agent in place of the Warrant Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the Warrant Agent or by the holder of the Warrant (who shall, with such notice, submit his, her or its Warrant for inspection by the Company), then the holder of any Warrant may apply to the Supreme Court of the State of New York for the County of New York for the appointment of a successor Warrant Agent at the Company’s cost. Any successor Warrant Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such court, shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, in good standing and having its principal office in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York, and authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority. After appointment, any successor Warrant Agent shall be vested with all the authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations of its predecessor Warrant Agent with like effect as if originally named as Warrant Agent hereunder, without any further act or deed; but if for any reason it becomes necessary or appropriate, the predecessor Warrant Agent shall execute and deliver, at the expense of the Company, an instrument transferring to such successor Warrant Agent all the authority, powers, and rights of such predecessor Warrant Agent hereunder; and upon request of any successor Warrant Agent the Company shall make, execute, acknowledge, and deliver any and all instruments in writing for more fully and effectually vesting in and confirming to such successor Warrant Agent all such authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations.
8.2.2 Notice of Successor Warrant Agent. In the event a successor Warrant Agent shall be appointed, the Company shall give notice thereof to the predecessor Warrant Agent and the transfer agent for the Ordinary Shares not later than the effective date of any such appointment.
8.2.3 Merger or Consolidation of Warrant Agent. Any corporation into which the Warrant Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Warrant Agent shall be a party shall be the successor Warrant Agent under this Agreement without any further act.
| 5 |
8.3 Fees and Expenses of Warrant Agent.
8.3.1 Remuneration. The Company agrees to pay the Warrant Agent reasonable remuneration for its services as such Warrant Agent hereunder and will reimburse the Warrant Agent upon demand for all expenditures that the Warrant Agent may reasonably incur in the execution of its duties hereunder.
8.3.2 Further Assurances. The Company agrees to perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Warrant Agent for the carrying out or performing of the provisions of this Agreement.
8.4 Liability of Warrant Agent.
8.4.1 Reliance on Company Statement. Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Warrant Agreement the Warrant Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer, or Chairman of the Board of the Company and delivered to the Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent may rely upon such statement for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.
8.4.2 Indemnity. The Warrant Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith. The Company agrees to indemnify the Warrant Agent and save it harmless against any and all liabilities, including judgments, costs and reasonable counsel fees, for anything done or omitted by the Warrant Agent in the execution of this Agreement, except as a result of the Warrant Agent’s gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith.
8.4.3 Exclusions. The Warrant Agent shall have no responsibility with respect to the validity of this Agreement or with respect to the validity or execution of any Warrant (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Warrant; nor shall it be responsible to make any adjustments required under the provisions of Section 4 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment; nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Ordinary Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Warrant or as to whether any Ordinary Shares will when issued be valid and fully paid and nonassessable.
8.5 Acceptance of Agency. The Warrant Agent hereby accepts the agency established by this Agreement and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions herein set forth and, among other things, shall account promptly to the Company with respect to Warrants exercised and concurrently account for, and pay to the Company, all moneys received by the Warrant Agent for the subscription of Ordinary Shares through the exercise of Warrants.
| 6 |
9. Miscellaneous Provisions.
9.1 Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Warrant Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns.
9.2 Notices. Any notice, statement or demand authorized by this Warrant Agreement to be given or made by the Warrant Agent or by the holder of any Warrant to or on the Company shall be delivered by hand or sent by registered or certified mail or overnight courier service, addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Company with the Warrant Agent) as follows:
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company
Mespil Business Centre
Mespil House, Sussex Road
Dublin 4, Ireland
Attention: CEO
Any notice, statement or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the holder of any Warrant or by the Company to or on the Warrant Agent shall be delivered by hand or sent by registered or certified mail or overnight courier service, addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Company with the Warrant Agent) as follows:
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30 FL
New York, New York 10004
Attn: Compliance Department
Any notice, sent pursuant to this Warrant Agreement shall be effective, if delivered by hand, upon receipt thereof by the party to whom it is addressed, if sent by overnight courier, on the next business day of the delivery to the courier, and if sent by registered or certified mail on the third day after registration or certification thereof.
9.3 Applicable Law. The validity, interpretation and performance of this Agreement and of the Warrants shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another jurisdiction. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 9.2 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim.
| 7 |
9.4 Persons Having Rights under this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement expressed and nothing that may be implied from any of the provisions hereof is intended, or shall be construed, to confer upon, or give to, any person or corporation other than the parties hereto and the registered holders of the Warrants, any right, remedy, or claim under or by reason of this Warrant Agreement or of any covenant, condition, stipulation, promise, or agreement hereof. All covenants, conditions, stipulations, promises, and agreements contained in this Warrant Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and their successors and assigns and of the registered holders of the Warrants.
9.5 Examination of the Warrant Agreement. A copy of this Agreement shall be available at all reasonable times at the office of the Warrant Agent in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York, for inspection by the registered holder of any Warrant. The Warrant Agent may require any such holder to submit his, her or its Warrant for inspection by it.
9.6 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of original or facsimile counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
9.7 Effect of Headings. The section headings herein are for convenience only and are not part of this Warrant Agreement and shall not affect the interpretation thereof.
9.8 Amendments. This Agreement may be amended by the parties hereto without the consent of any registered holder for the purpose of curing any ambiguity, or curing, correcting or supplementing any defective provision contained herein or adding or changing any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Agreement as the parties may deem necessary or desirable and that the parties deem shall not adversely affect the interest of the registered holders. All other modifications or amendments, including any amendment to increase the Warrant Price or shorten the Exercise Period, shall require the written consent of the registered holders of a majority of the then outstanding Warrants, except as may be specifically permitted pursuant to the Form of Warrant.
9.9 Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but 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 this Agreement.
[Signature page follows]
| 8 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been duly executed by the parties hereto as of the day and year first above written.
| SMX (SECURITY MATTERS) PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| 9 |
FORM OF WARRANT
| 10 |
FORM OF WARRANT A
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company
WARRANT TO SUBSCRIBE FOR ORDINARY SHARES
Warrant No.: [ ]
Number of Ordinary Shares: [ ]
Date of Issuance: June [ ], 2023 (“Issuance Date”)
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), hereby certifies that, [ ], the registered holder hereof or its permitted assigns (the “Holder”), is entitled, subject to the terms set forth below, to subscribe for from the Company, at the Exercise Price (as defined below) then in effect, at any time or times on or after June [ ], 2023 (the “Initial Exercisability Date”), but not after 11:59 p.m., New York time, on the Expiration Date, (as defined below), [ ] fully paid non-assessable Ordinary Shares (as defined below), subject to adjustment as provided herein (the “Warrant Shares”). Except as otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms in this Warrant to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares (including any Warrants to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares issued in exchange, transfer or replacement hereof, this “Warrant”), shall have the meanings set forth in Section 16. This Warrant is one of the Warrants to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares (the “Warrants”) issued pursuant to (i) that certain Underwriting Agreement, dated as of June [ ], 2023 (the “Subscription Date”) by and between the Company and EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC, as sole underwriter (the “Underwriting Agreement”), (ii) the Company’s Registration Statement on Form F-1 (File number 333-272503 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Registration Statement”) and (iii) the Company’s prospectus dated as of June [ ], 2023.
1. EXERCISE OF WARRANT.
(a) Mechanics of Exercise. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof (including, without limitation, the limitations set forth in Section 1(f)), this Warrant may be exercised by the Holder at any time or times on or after the Initial Exercisability Date, in whole or in part, by delivery (whether via facsimile, electronic mail or otherwise) of a written notice, in the form attached hereto as Annex A (the “Exercise Notice”), of the Holder’s election to exercise this Warrant. Within one (1) Trading Day following the delivery of the Exercise Notice, the Holder shall make payment to the Company of an amount equal to the Exercise Price in effect on the date of such exercise multiplied by the number of Warrant Shares as to which this Warrant is being exercised (the “Aggregate Exercise Price”) in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds or, if the provisions of Section 1(d) are applicable, by notifying the Company that this Warrant is being exercised pursuant to a Cashless Exercise (as defined in Section 1(d)). For clarification purposes, any reference to a Cashless Exercise in this Warrant shall include, without limitation, an “alternative cashless exercise” as contemplated in Section 1(d) below. The Holder shall not be required to deliver the original Warrant in order to effect an exercise hereunder, nor shall any ink-original signature or medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) with respect to any Exercise Notice be required. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Exercise Notice(s) delivered on or prior to 12:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Initial Exercisability Date, which may be delivered at any time after the time of execution on the Subscription Date, the Company agrees to deliver the Warrant Shares subject to such notice(s) by 4:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Initial Exercisability Date and the Initial Exercisability Date shall be the Share Delivery Date (as defined below) for purposes hereunder, provided that payment of the aggregate Exercise Price (other than in the case of a cashless exercise) is received by such Share Delivery Date. Execution and delivery of the Exercise Notice with respect to less than all of the Warrant Shares shall have the same effect as cancellation of the original Warrant and delivery of a new Warrant evidencing the right to subscribe for the remaining number of Warrant Shares and the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company until the Holder has subscribed for all of the Warrant Shares available hereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company for cancellation within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the final Exercise Notice is delivered to the Company. On or before the first (1st) Trading Day following the date on which the Holder has delivered the applicable Exercise Notice, the Company shall transmit by facsimile or electronic mail an acknowledgment of confirmation of receipt of the Exercise Notice, in the form attached to the Exercise Notice, to the Holder and the Transfer Agent. So long as the Holder delivers the Aggregate Exercise Price (or notice of a Cashless Exercise, if applicable) on or prior to the first (1st) Trading Day following the date on which the Exercise Notice has been delivered to the Company, then on or prior to the earlier of (i) the second (2nd) Trading Day and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period, in each case following the date on which the Exercise Notice has been delivered to the Company, or, if the Holder does not deliver the Aggregate Exercise Price (or notice of a Cashless Exercise, if applicable) on or prior to the first (1st) Trading Day following the date on which the Exercise Notice has been delivered to the Company, then on or prior to the first (1st) Trading Day following the date on which the Aggregate Exercise Price (or notice of a Cashless Exercise) is delivered (such earlier date, or if later, the earliest day on which the Company is required to deliver Warrant Shares pursuant to this Section 1(a), the “Share Delivery Date”), the Company shall (X) provided that the Transfer Agent is participating in The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program (“FAST”), credit such aggregate number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit / Withdrawal At Custodian system, or (Y) if the Transfer Agent is not participating in FAST, issue and dispatch by overnight courier to the physical address or email address as specified in the Exercise Notice, a certificate or evidence of a credit of book-entry shares, registered in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise. The Company shall be responsible for all fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent and all fees and expenses with respect to the issuance of Warrant Shares via DTC, if any, including without limitation for same day processing. Upon delivery of the Exercise Notice, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record and beneficial owner of the Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date such Warrant Shares are credited to the Holder’s DTC account or the date of delivery of the certificates evidencing such Warrant Shares, as the case may be. If this Warrant is physically delivered to the Company in connection with any exercise pursuant to this Section 1(a) and the number of Warrant Shares represented by this Warrant submitted for exercise is greater than the number of Warrant Shares being acquired upon an exercise, then the Company shall as soon as practicable and in no event later than three (3) Trading Days after any exercise and at its own expense, issue and deliver to the Holder (or its designee) a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)) representing the right to subscribe for the number of Warrant Shares issuable immediately prior to such exercise under this Warrant, less the number of Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant is exercised. No fractional Warrant Shares are to be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant, but rather the number of Warrant Shares to be issued shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number. The Company shall pay any and all transfer, stamp, issuance and similar taxes, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent) which may be payable with respect to the issuance and delivery of Warrant Shares upon exercise of this Warrant. The Company’s obligations to issue and deliver Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions hereof are absolute and unconditional, irrespective of any action or inaction by the Holder to enforce the same, any waiver or consent with respect to any provision hereof, the recovery of any judgment against any Person or any action to enforce the same, or any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, limitation or termination; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to deliver Warrant Shares with respect to an exercise prior to the Holder’s delivery of the Aggregate Exercise Price (or notice of a Cashless Exercise) with respect to such exercise.
| 11 |
(b) Exercise Price. For purposes of this Warrant, “Exercise Price” means $[ ] per share, subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(c) Company’s Failure to Timely Deliver Securities. If either (I) the Company shall fail for any reason or for no reason to issue to the Holder on or prior to the applicable Share Delivery Date, if (x) the Transfer Agent is not participating in FAST, a certificate or evidence of a book-entry credit for the number of Ordinary Shares to which the Holder is entitled and register such Ordinary Shares on the Company’s share register or (y) the Transfer Agent is participating in FAST, to credit the Holder’s balance account with DTC, for such number of Ordinary Shares to which the Holder is entitled upon the Holder’s exercise of this Warrant or (II) a registration statement (which may be the Registration Statement) covering the issuance of the Warrant Shares that are the subject of the Exercise Notice (the “Exercise Notice Warrant Shares”) is not available for the issuance of such Exercise Notice Warrant Shares and (x) the Company fails to promptly, but in no event later than one (1) Business Day after such registration statement becomes unavailable, to so notify the Holder and (y) the Company is unable to deliver the Exercise Notice Warrant Shares electronically without any restrictive legend by crediting such aggregate number of Exercise Notice Warrant Shares to the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit / Withdrawal At Custodian system (the event described in the immediately foregoing clause (II) is hereinafter referred as a “Notice Failure” and together with the event described in clause (I) above, an “Exercise Failure”), then, in addition to all other remedies available to the Holder, if on or prior to the applicable Share Delivery Date either (I) if the Transfer Agent is not participating in FAST, the Company shall fail to issue and deliver a certificate or evidence of a book-entry credit to the Holder and register such Ordinary Shares on the Company’s share register or, if the Transfer Agent is participating in FAST, credit the Holder’s balance account with DTC for the number of Ordinary Shares to which the Holder is entitled upon the Holder’s exercise hereunder or pursuant to the Company’s obligation pursuant to clause (ii) below or (II) if a Notice Failure occurs, and if on or after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, Ordinary Shares to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall, within three (3) Trading Days after the Holder’s request, (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions and other out-of-pocket expenses, if any) for the Ordinary Shares so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of Ordinary Shares that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder subscribes for Ordinary Shares having a total exercise price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of Ordinary Shares with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver Ordinary Shares upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof. The Company’s current transfer agent participates in FAST. In the event that the Company changes transfer agents while this Warrant is outstanding, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to select a transfer agent that participates in FAST and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause its transfer agent to participate in FAST with respect to this Warrant. In addition to the foregoing rights, (i) if the Company fails to deliver the applicable number of Warrant Shares upon an exercise pursuant to Section 1 by the applicable Share Delivery Date, then the Holder shall have the right to rescind such exercise in whole or in part and retain and/or have the Company return, as the case may be, any portion of this Warrant that has not been exercised pursuant to such Exercise Notice; provided that the rescission of an exercise shall not affect the Company’s obligation to make any payments that have accrued prior to the date of such notice pursuant to this Section 1(c) or otherwise, and (ii) if a registration statement (which may be the Registration Statement) covering the issuance of the Warrant Shares that are subject to an Exercise Notice is not available for the issuance of such Exercise Notice Warrant Shares and the Holder has submitted an Exercise Notice prior to receiving notice of the non-availability of such registration statement and the Company has not already delivered the Warrant Shares underlying such Exercise Notice electronically without any restrictive legend by crediting such aggregate number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit / Withdrawal At Custodian system, the Holder shall have the option, by delivery of notice to the Company, to (x) rescind such Exercise Notice in whole or in part and retain or have returned, as the case may be, any portion of this Warrant that has not been exercised pursuant to such Exercise Notice; provided that the rescission of an Exercise Notice shall not affect the Company’s obligation to make any payments that have accrued prior to the date of such notice pursuant to this Section 1(c) or otherwise, and/or (y) switch some or all of such Exercise Notice from a cash exercise to a Cashless Exercise. In addition to the foregoing, if the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant Shares subject to an Exercise Notice by the second Trading Day following the Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares subject to such exercise (based on the Fixed Price), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the third Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day following the second Trading Day following such Share Delivery Date until such Warrant Shares are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise.
| 12 |
(d) Cashless Exercise. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, if a registration statement (which may be the Registration Statement) covering the issuance of the Exercise Notice Warrant Shares is not available for the issuance of such Exercise Notice Warrant Shares, the Holder may, in its sole discretion, exercise this Warrant in whole or in part and, in lieu of making the cash payment otherwise contemplated to be made to the Company upon such exercise in payment of the Aggregate Exercise Price, elect instead to receive upon such exercise the “Net Number” of Ordinary Shares determined according to the following formula (a “Cashless Exercise”):
| Net Number = | (A x B) - (A x C) |
| B |
For purposes of the foregoing formula:
| A = the total number of shares with respect to which this Warrant is then being exercised. | |
| B = the Fixed Price | |
| C = the Exercise Price then in effect for the applicable Warrant Shares at the time of such exercise. |
If Warrant Shares are issued in such a cashless exercise, the Company acknowledges and agrees that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Warrant Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised, and the holding period of the Warrants being exercised may be tacked on to the holding period of the Warrant Shares. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 1(d) except if contrary to applicable law. Without limiting the rights of a Holder to receive Warrant Shares on a “cashless exercise,” and to receive the cash payments contemplated pursuant to Sections 1(c) and 4(b), in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle a Warrant exercise.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Holder may also effect an “alternative cashless exercise” on or after the earlier of (i) the thirty (30) day anniversary of the date of the Underwriting Agreement and (ii) the date on which the aggregate composite trading volume of the Ordinary Shares as reported by Bloomberg LP beginning on the date of the Underwriting Agreement exceeds 15,000,000 Ordinary Shares, a holder of Warrant Shares may also provide notice and elect an “alternative cashless exercise” pursuant to which the Holder would receive an aggregate number of Ordinary Shares equal to the product of (x) the aggregate number of Ordinary Shares that would be issuable upon a cash exercise and (y) 0.50.
Any cashless exercise of Warrants shall be subject at all times to the payment in cash to the Company of an amount no less than the nominal value of each Warrant Share (US$0.0001 each).
(e) Disputes. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise Price or the arithmetic calculation of the number of Warrant Shares to be issued pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company shall promptly issue to the Holder the number of Warrant Shares that are not disputed and resolve such dispute in accordance with Section 11.
| 13 |
(f) Beneficial Ownership. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Company shall not effect the exercise of any portion of this Warrant, and the Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Warrant and any such exercise shall be null and void and treated as if never made, to the extent that after giving effect to such exercise, the Holder together with the other Attribution Parties collectively would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% (or, upon election by a Holder prior to the issuance of any Warrants, 9.99%) (the “Maximum Percentage”) of the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the aggregate number of Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by the Holder and the other Attribution Parties shall include the number of Ordinary Shares held by the Holder and all other Attribution Parties plus the number of Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which the determination of such sentence is being made, but shall exclude the number of Ordinary Shares which would be issuable upon (A) exercise of the remaining, unexercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of the other Attribution Parties and (B) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or unconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any convertible notes or convertible preferred stock or warrants, including the other Warrants) beneficially owned by the Holder or any other Attribution Party subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained in this Section 1(f). For purposes of this Section 1(f), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”). For purposes of this Warrant, in determining the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares the Holder may subscribe for upon the exercise of this Warrant without exceeding the Maximum Percentage, the Holder may rely on the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares as reflected in (x) the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, and Reports on Form 6-K or other public filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), as the case may be, (y) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (z) any other written notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent setting forth the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding (the “Reported Outstanding Share Number”). If the Company receives an Exercise Notice from the Holder at a time when the actual number of outstanding Ordinary Shares is less than the Reported Outstanding Share Number, the Company shall (i) notify the Holder in writing of the number of Ordinary Shares then outstanding and, to the extent that such Exercise Notice would otherwise cause the Holder’s beneficial ownership, as determined pursuant to this Section 1(f), to exceed the Maximum Percentage, the Holder must notify the Company of a reduced number of Warrant Shares to be subscribed for pursuant to such Exercise Notice (the number of shares by which such subscription is reduced, the “Reduction Shares”) and (ii) as soon as reasonably practicable, the Company shall return to the Holder any exercise price paid by the Holder for the Reduction Shares. For any reason at any time, upon the written or oral request of the Holder, the Company shall within two (2) Business Days confirm orally, in writing or by electronic mail to the Holder the number of Ordinary Shares then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder and any other Attribution Party since the date as of which the Reported Outstanding Share Number was reported. In the event that the issuance of Ordinary Shares to the Holder upon exercise of this Warrant results in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties being deemed to beneficially own, in the aggregate, more than the Maximum Percentage of the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares (as determined under Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act), the number of shares so issued by which the Holder’s and the other Attribution Parties’ aggregate beneficial ownership exceeds the Maximum Percentage (the “Excess Shares”) shall be deemed null and void and shall be cancelled ab initio, and the Holder shall not have the power to vote or to transfer the Excess Shares. As soon as reasonably practicable after the issuance of the Excess Shares has been deemed null and void, the Company shall return to the Holder the exercise price paid by the Holder for the Excess Shares. Upon delivery of a written notice to the Company, the Holder may from time to time increase or decrease the Maximum Percentage to any other percentage not in excess of 9.99% as specified in such notice; provided that (i) any such increase in the Maximum Percentage will not be effective until the sixty-first (61st) day after such notice is delivered to the Company and (ii) any such increase or decrease will apply only to the Holder and the other Attribution Parties and not to any other holder of Warrants that is not an Attribution Party of the Holder. For purposes of clarity, the Ordinary Shares issuable pursuant to the terms of this Warrant in excess of the Maximum Percentage shall not be deemed to be beneficially owned by the Holder for any purpose including for purposes of Section 13(d) or Rule 16a-1(a)(1) of the 1934 Act. No prior inability to exercise this Warrant pursuant to this paragraph shall have any effect on the applicability of the provisions of this paragraph with respect to any subsequent determination of exercisability. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 1(f) to the extent necessary to correct this paragraph or any portion of this paragraph which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended beneficial ownership limitation contained in this Section 1(f) or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitation contained in this paragraph may not be waived and shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant.
(g) Required Reserve Amount. So long as this Warrant remains outstanding, the Company shall at all times keep reserved for issuance under this Warrant a number of Ordinary Shares at least equal to 100% of the maximum number of Ordinary Shares as shall be necessary to satisfy the Company’s obligation to issue Ordinary Shares under the Warrants then outstanding (without regard to any limitations on exercise) (the “Required Reserve Amount”); provided that at no time shall the number of Ordinary Shares reserved pursuant to this Section 1(g) be reduced other than in connection with any exercise of Warrants or such other event covered by Section 2(c) below. The Required Reserve Amount (including, without limitation, each increase in the number of shares so reserved) shall be allocated pro rata among the holders of the Warrants based on the number of Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of Warrants held by each holder thereof on the Issuance Date (without regard to any limitations on exercise) (the “Authorized Share Allocation”). In the event that a holder shall sell or otherwise transfer any of such holder’s Warrants, each transferee shall be allocated a pro rata portion of such holder’s Authorized Share Allocation. Any Ordinary Shares reserved and allocated to any Person which ceases to hold any Warrants shall be allocated to the remaining holders of Warrants, pro rata based on the number of Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants then held by such holders thereof (without regard to any limitations on exercise).
| 14 |
(h) Insufficient Authorized Shares. If at any time while this Warrant remains outstanding the Company does not have a sufficient number of authorized and unreserved Ordinary Shares to satisfy its obligation to reserve for issuance the Required Reserve Amount (an “Authorized Share Failure”), then the Company shall promptly take all action reasonably necessary to increase the Company’s authorized Ordinary Shares to an amount sufficient to allow the Company to reserve the Required Reserve Amount for this Warrant then outstanding. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing sentence, as soon as practicable after the date of the occurrence of an Authorized Share Failure, but in no event later than ninety (90) days after the occurrence of such Authorized Share Failure, the Company shall hold a meeting of its stockholders for the approval of an increase in the number of authorized Ordinary Shares. In connection with such meeting, the Company shall provide each stockholder with a proxy statement and shall use its reasonable best efforts to solicit its stockholders’ approval of such increase in authorized Ordinary Shares and to cause its board of directors to recommend to the stockholders that they approve such proposal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any such time of an Authorized Share Failure, the Company is able to obtain the written consent of a majority of the shares of its issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares to approve the increase in the number of authorized Ordinary Shares, the Company may satisfy this obligation by obtaining such consent and submitting for filing with the SEC an Information Statement on Schedule 14C or other corresponding filing, if any, if permitted or obligated for use by foreign private issuers.
2. ADJUSTMENT OF EXERCISE PRICE AND NUMBER OF WARRANT SHARES. The Exercise Price and the number of Warrant Shares shall be adjusted from time to time as follows (without duplication):
(a) Intentionally omitted.
(b) Voluntary Adjustment By Company. Unless prohibited by the rules of the Principal Market, the Company may at any time during the term of this Warrant reduce the then current Exercise Price to any amount and for any period of time deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company.
(c) Adjustment Upon Subdivision or Combination of Ordinary Shares. If the Company at any time on or after the Subscription Date subdivides (by any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or otherwise) one or more classes of its outstanding Ordinary Shares into a greater number of shares, the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such subdivision will be proportionately reduced and the number of Warrant Shares will be proportionately increased. If the Company at any time on or after the Subscription Date combines (by combination, reverse stock split or otherwise) one or more classes of its outstanding Ordinary Shares into a smaller number of shares, the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such combination will be proportionately increased and the number of Warrant Shares will be proportionately decreased. Any adjustment under this Section 2(c) shall become effective at the close of business on the date the subdivision or combination becomes effective.
3. RIGHTS UPON DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 2 above, if, on or after the Subscription Date and on or prior to the Expiration Date, the Company shall declare or make any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of Ordinary Shares, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of cash, stock or other securities, property, options, evidence of indebtedness or any other assets by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of Ordinary Shares acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations or restrictions on exercise of this Warrant, including without limitation, the Maximum Percentage) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Ordinary Shares are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution (provided, however, that to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent (and shall not be entitled to beneficial ownership of such Ordinary Shares as a result of such Distribution (and beneficial ownership) to such extent) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time or times as its right thereto would not result in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage, at which time or times the Holder shall be granted such Distribution (and any Distributions declared or made on such initial Distribution or on any subsequent Distribution held similarly in abeyance) to the same extent as if there had been no such limitation).
| 15 |
4. FUNDAMENTAL TRANSACTIONS. The Company shall not enter into or be party to a Fundamental Transaction unless the Successor Entity assumes in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4, including agreements to deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant, including, without limitation, which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock equivalent to the Ordinary Shares acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the Ordinary Shares pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such adjustments to the number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction). Upon the consummation of each Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for the Company (so that from and after the date of the applicable Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant and the other Transaction Documents referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein. Upon consummation of each Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall deliver to the Holder confirmation that there shall be issued upon exercise of this Warrant at any time after the consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction, in lieu of the Ordinary Shares (or other securities, cash, assets or other property) issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant prior to the applicable Fundamental Transaction, such Ordinary Shares (or its equivalent) of the Successor Entity (including its Parent Entity) which the Holder would have been entitled to receive upon the happening of the applicable Fundamental Transaction had this Warrant been exercised immediately prior to the applicable Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant), as adjusted in accordance with the provisions of this Warrant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and without limiting Section 1(f) hereof, the Holder may elect, at its sole option, by delivery of written notice to the Company to waive this Section 4(b) to permit the Fundamental Transaction without the assumption of this Warrant. In addition to and not in substitution for any other rights hereunder, prior to the consummation of each Fundamental Transaction pursuant to which holders of Ordinary Shares are entitled to receive securities or other assets with respect to or in exchange for Ordinary Shares (a “Corporate Event”), the Company shall make appropriate provision to insure that the Holder will thereafter have the right to receive upon an exercise of this Warrant at any time after the consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction but prior to the Expiration Date, in lieu of the Ordinary Shares (or other securities, cash, assets or other property) issuable upon the exercise of the Warrant prior to such Fundamental Transaction, such shares of stock, securities, cash, assets or any other property whatsoever (including warrants or other purchase or subscription rights) (collectively, the “Corporate Event Consideration”) which the Holder would have been entitled to receive upon the happening of the applicable Fundamental Transaction had this Warrant been exercised immediately prior to the applicable Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant). The provision made pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Requisite Holders. The provisions of this Section 4 shall apply similarly and equally to successive Fundamental Transactions and Corporate Events.
5. NONCIRCUMVENTION. The Company hereby covenants and agrees that the Company will not, by amendment of its Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, scheme of arrangement, dissolution, issuance or sale of securities, or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, and will at all times in good faith carry out all of the provisions of this Warrant and take all action as may be required to protect the rights of the Holder. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company (i) shall not increase the par value of any Ordinary Shares receivable upon the exercise of this Warrant above the Exercise Price then in effect, (ii) shall take all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant, and (iii) shall, so long as any of the Warrants are outstanding, take all action necessary to reserve and keep available out of its authorized and unissued Ordinary Shares, solely for the purpose of effecting the exercise of the Warrants, the number of Ordinary Shares as shall from time to time be necessary to effect the exercise of the Warrants then outstanding (without regard to any limitations on exercise).
| 16 |
6. WARRANT HOLDER NOT DEEMED A STOCKHOLDER. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, the Holder, solely in such Person’s capacity as a holder of this Warrant, shall not be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed the holder of capital stock of the Company for any purpose, nor shall anything contained in this Warrant be construed to confer upon the Holder, solely in such Person’s capacity as the Holder of this Warrant, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote, give or withhold consent to any corporate action (whether any reorganization, issue of stock, reclassification of stock, consolidation, merger, conveyance or otherwise), receive notice of meetings, receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, prior to the issuance to the Holder of the Warrant Shares which such Person is then entitled to receive upon the due exercise of this Warrant. In addition, nothing contained in this Warrant shall be construed as imposing any liabilities on the Holder to purchase any securities (upon exercise of this Warrant or otherwise) or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liabilities are asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company. Notwithstanding this Section 6, the Company shall provide or make available to the Holder with copies of the same notices and other information given to the stockholders of the Company generally, contemporaneously with the giving thereof to the stockholders, which may be by press release or the filing of a Report on Form 6-K or other filing with the SEC.
7. REISSUANCE OF WARRANTS.
(a) Transfer of Warrant. If this Warrant is to be transferred, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company, whereupon the Company will forthwith deliver upon the order of the Holder a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)), registered as the Holder may request, representing the right to subscribe for the number of Warrant Shares being transferred by the Holder and, if less than the total number of Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant is being transferred, a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)) to the Holder representing the right to subscribe for the number of Warrant Shares not being transferred.
(b) Lost, Stolen or Mutilated Warrant. Upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant (as to which a written certification and the indemnification contemplated below shall suffice as such evidence), and, in the case of loss, theft or destruction, of any indemnification undertaking by the Holder to the Company in customary and reasonable form (but without the obligation to post a bond) and, in the case of mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation of this Warrant, the Company shall execute and deliver to the Holder a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)) representing the right to subscribe for the Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant.
(c) Exchangeable for Multiple Warrants. This Warrant is exchangeable, upon the surrender hereof by the Holder at the principal office of the Company, for a new Warrant or Warrants (in accordance with Section 7(d)) representing in the aggregate the right to subscribe for the number of Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant, and each such new Warrant will represent the right to subscribe for such portion of such Warrant Shares as is designated by the Holder at the time of such surrender.
(d) Delivery of New Warrants. Whenever the Company is required to deliver a new Warrant pursuant to the terms of this Warrant, such new Warrant (i) shall be of like tenor with this Warrant, (ii) shall represent, as indicated on the face of such new Warrant, the right to subscribe for the Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant (or in the case of a new Warrant being issued pursuant to Section 7(a) or Section 7(c), the Warrant Shares designated by the Holder which, when added to the number of Ordinary Shares underlying the other new Warrants issued in connection with such issuance, does not exceed the number of Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant), (iii) shall have an issuance date, as indicated on the face of such new Warrant which is the same as the Issuance Date, and (iv) shall have the same rights and conditions as this Warrant.
8. NOTICES. Whenever notice is required to be given under this Warrant, including, without limitation, an Exercise Notice, unless otherwise provided herein, such notice shall be given in writing, (i) if delivered (a) from within the domestic United States, by first-class registered or certified airmail, or nationally recognized overnight express courier, postage prepaid, electronic mail or by facsimile or (b) from outside the United States, by International Federal Express, electronic mail or facsimile, and (ii) will be deemed given (A) if delivered by first-class registered or certified mail domestic, three (3) Business Days after so mailed, (B) if delivered by nationally recognized overnight carrier, one (1) Business Day after so mailed, (C) if delivered by International Federal Express, two (2) Business Days after so mailed and (D) at the time of transmission, if delivered by electronic mail to each of the email addresses specified in this Section 8 prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on a Trading Day, (E) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if delivered by electronic mail to each of the email addresses specified in this Section 8 on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on any Trading Day and (F) if delivered by facsimile, upon electronic confirmation of delivery of such facsimile, and will be delivered and addressed as follows:
| 17 |
(i) if to the Company, to:
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company
Mespil Business Centre, Mespil House
Sussex Road, Dublin 4, Ireland
Attention: Haggai Alon, Chief Executive Officer
Email: haggai@securitymattersltd.com
(ii) if to the Holder, at such address or other contact information delivered by the Holder to the Company or as is on the books and records of the Company.
The Company shall provide the Holder with prompt written notice of all actions taken pursuant to this Warrant, including in reasonable detail a description of such action and the reason therefor. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will give written notice to the Holder (i) promptly following any adjustment of the Exercise Price, setting forth in reasonable detail, and certifying, the calculation of such adjustment and (ii) at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date on which the Company closes its books or takes a record (A) with respect to any dividend or distribution upon the Ordinary Shares or (B) for determining rights to vote with respect to any Fundamental Transaction, dissolution or liquidation; provided in each case that such information shall be made known to the public prior to or in conjunction with such notice being provided to the Holder. It is expressly understood and agreed that the time of exercise specified by the Holder in each Exercise Notice shall be definitive and may not be disputed or challenged by the Company.
9. AMENDMENT AND WAIVER. Except as otherwise provided herein, the provisions of this Warrant may be amended or waived and the Company may take any action herein prohibited, or omit to perform any act herein required to be performed by it, only if the Company has obtained the written consent of the Holder. No waiver shall be effective unless it is in writing and signed by an authorized representative of the waiving party.
10. GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION; JURY TRIAL. This Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with, and all questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and performance of this Warrant shall be governed by, the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of New York. The Company hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York and of the United States of America sitting in The City and County of New York for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper. The Company 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 to the Company at the address set forth in Section 8 above or such other address as the Company subsequently delivers to the Holder and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed or operate to preclude the Holder from bringing suit or taking other legal action against the Company in any other jurisdiction to collect on the Company’s obligations to the Holder, to realize on any collateral or any other security for such obligations, or to enforce a judgment or other court ruling in favor of the Holder. If either party shall commence an action, suit or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Warrant, the prevailing party in such action, suit or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for their reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding. THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS WARRANT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
| 18 |
11. DISPUTE RESOLUTION. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise Price or the arithmetic calculation of the Warrant Shares, the Company shall submit the disputed determinations or arithmetic calculations via facsimile or electronic mail within two (2) Business Days of receipt of the Exercise Notice or other event giving rise to such dispute, as the case may be, to the Holder. If the Holder and the Company are unable to agree upon such determination or calculation of the Exercise Price or the Warrant Shares within three (3) Business Days of such disputed determination or arithmetic calculation being submitted to the Holder, then the Company shall, within two (2) Business Days submit via facsimile or electronic mail (a) the disputed determination of the Exercise Price to an independent, reputable investment bank selected by the Company and approved by the Holder or (b) the disputed arithmetic calculation of the Warrant Shares to the Company’s independent, outside accountant. The Company shall cause at its expense the investment bank or the accountant, as the case may be, to perform the determinations or calculations and notify the Company and the Holder of the results no later than ten (10) Business Days from the time it receives the disputed determinations or calculations. Such investment bank’s or accountant’s determination or calculation, as the case may be, shall be binding upon all parties absent demonstrable error.
12. REMEDIES, OTHER OBLIGATIONS, BREACHES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF.
(a) The remedies provided in this Warrant shall be cumulative and in addition to all other remedies available under this Warrant and any 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 right of the Holder to pursue actual damages for any failure by the Company to comply with the terms of this Warrant. 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 of this Warrant shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies, to an injunction restraining any 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 Warrant (including, without limitation, compliance with Section 2 hereof). The issuance of shares and certificates for shares as contemplated hereby upon the exercise of this Warrant shall be made without charge to the Holder or such shares for any issuance tax or other costs in respect thereof, provided that the Company shall not be required to pay any tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance and delivery of any certificate in a name other than the Holder or its agent on its behalf.
(b) If (i) this Warrant is placed in the hands of an attorney for collection or enforcement or is collected or enforced through any legal proceeding or the holder otherwise takes action to collect amounts due under this Warrant or to enforce the provisions of this Warrant or (ii) there occurs any bankruptcy, reorganization, receivership of the Company or other proceedings affecting Company creditors’ rights and involving a claim under this Warrant, then the Company shall pay the costs incurred by the Holder for such collection, enforcement or action or in connection with such bankruptcy, reorganization, receivership or other proceeding, including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and disbursements; provided, however, that the Company shall only be required to pay any such costs under clause (i) of this Section 12(b) if the Holder is the prevailing party in any such collection, enforcement or legal proceeding.
13. TRANSFER. This Warrant and the Warrant Shares may be offered for sale, sold, transferred, pledged or assigned without the consent of the Company.
14. SEVERABILITY; CONSTRUCTION; HEADINGS. If any provision of this Warrant is prohibited by law or otherwise determined to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the provision that would otherwise be prohibited, invalid or unenforceable shall be deemed amended to apply to the broadest extent that it would be valid and enforceable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of such provision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this Warrant so long as this Warrant as so modified continues to express, without material change, the original intentions of the parties as to the subject matter hereof and the prohibited nature, invalidity or unenforceability of the provision(s) in question does not substantially impair the respective expectations or reciprocal obligations of the parties or the practical realization of the benefits that would otherwise be conferred upon the parties. The parties will endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s) with a valid provision(s), the effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s). This Warrant shall be deemed to be jointly drafted by the Company and the Holder and shall not be construed against any Person as the drafter hereof. The headings of this Warrant are for convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Warrant.
| 19 |
15. DISCLOSURE. Upon receipt or delivery by the Company of any notice in accordance with the terms of this Warrant, unless the Company has in good faith determined that the matters relating to such notice do not constitute material, non-public information relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, the Company shall contemporaneously with any such receipt or delivery publicly disclose such material, non-public information on a Report on Form 6-K or otherwise. In the event that the Company believes that a notice contains material, non-public information relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, the Company so shall indicate to such Holder contemporaneously with delivery of such notice, and in the absence of any such indication, the Holder shall be allowed to presume that all matters relating to such notice do not constitute material, non-public information relating to the Company or its subsidiaries.
16. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Warrant, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) “Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person, it being understood for purposes of this definition that “control” of a Person means the power directly or indirectly either to vote 10% or more of the stock having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of such Person or direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person whether by contract or otherwise.
(b) “Attribution Parties” means, collectively, the following Persons and entities: (i) any investment vehicle, including, any funds, feeder funds or managed accounts, currently, or from time to time after the Subscription Date, directly or indirectly managed or advised by the Holder’s investment manager or any of its Affiliates or principals, (ii) any direct or indirect Affiliates of the Holder or any of the foregoing, (iii) any Person acting or who could be deemed to be acting as a Group together with the Holder or any of the foregoing and (iv) any other Persons whose beneficial ownership of the Company’s Ordinary Shares would or could be aggregated with the Holder’s and the other Attribution Parties for purposes of Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act. For clarity, the purpose of the foregoing is to subject collectively the Holder and all other Attribution Parties to the Maximum Percentage.
(c) [Intentionally Omitted]
(d) [Intentionally Omitted]
(e) “Bloomberg” means Bloomberg Financial Markets.
(f) “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.
(g) [Intentionally Omitted]
(h) [Intentionally Omitted]
(i) [Intentionally Omitted]
(j) “Eligible Market” means The Nasdaq Capital Market, the NYSE American LLC, The Nasdaq Global Select Market, The Nasdaq Global Market or The New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
| 20 |
(k) “Expiration Date” means the date sixty (60) months after the Initial Exercisability Date or, if such date falls on a day other than a Business Day or on which trading does not take place on the Principal Market (a “Holiday”), the next day that is not a Holiday.
(l) “Fundamental Transaction” means (A) that the Company shall, directly or indirectly, including through subsidiaries, Affiliates or otherwise, in one or more related transactions, (i) consolidate or merge with or into (whether or not the Company is the surviving corporation) another Subject Entity, or (ii) sell, assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company or any of its “significant subsidiaries” (as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) to one or more Subject Entities, or (iii) make, or allow one or more Subject Entities to make, or allow the Company to be subject to or have its Ordinary Shares be subject to or party to one or more Subject Entities making, a purchase, tender or exchange offer that is accepted by the holders of at least either (x) 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, (y) 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares calculated as if any Ordinary Shares held by all Subject Entities making or party to, or Affiliated with any Subject Entities making or party to, such purchase, tender or exchange offer were not outstanding; or (z) such number of Ordinary Shares such that all Subject Entities making or party to, or Affiliated with any Subject Entity making or party to, such purchase, tender or exchange offer, become collectively the beneficial owners (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act) of at least 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, or (iv) consummate a stock purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with one or more Subject Entities whereby all such Subject Entities, individually or in the aggregate, acquire, either (x) at least 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, (y) at least 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares calculated as if any Ordinary Shares held by all the Subject Entities making or party to, or Affiliated with any Subject Entity making or party to, such stock purchase agreement or other business combination were not outstanding; or (z) such number of Ordinary Shares such that the Subject Entities become collectively the beneficial owners (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act) of at least 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, or (v) reorganize, recapitalize or reclassify its Ordinary Shares, (B) that the Company shall, directly or indirectly, including through subsidiaries, Affiliates or otherwise, in one or more related transactions, allow any Subject Entity individually or the Subject Entities in the aggregate to be or become the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act), directly or indirectly, whether through acquisition, purchase, assignment, conveyance, tender, tender offer, exchange, reduction in outstanding Ordinary Shares, merger, consolidation, business combination, reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off, scheme of arrangement, reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification or otherwise in any manner whatsoever, of either (x) at least 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares, (y) at least 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares not held by all such Subject Entities as of the Subscription Date calculated as if any Ordinary Shares held by all such Subject Entities were not outstanding, or (z) a percentage of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares or other equity securities of the Company sufficient to allow such Subject Entities to effect a statutory short form merger or other transaction requiring other stockholders of the Company to surrender their Ordinary Shares without approval of the stockholders of the Company or (C) directly or indirectly, including through subsidiaries, Affiliates or otherwise, in one or more related transactions, the issuance of or the entering into any other instrument or transaction structured in a manner to circumvent, or that circumvents, the intent of this definition in which case this definition shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this definition to the extent necessary to correct this definition or any portion of this definition which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended treatment of such instrument or transaction.
(m) “Fixed Price” means $0.10.
(n) “Group” means a “group” as that term is used in Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act and as defined in Rule 13d-5 thereunder.
(o) [Intentionally Omitted]
(p) “Ordinary Shares” means (i) the Company’s ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and (ii) any capital stock into which such Ordinary Shares shall have been changed or any capital stock resulting from a reclassification of such Ordinary Shares.
| 21 |
(q) “Parent Entity” of a Person means an entity that, directly or indirectly, controls the applicable Person, including such entity whose ordinary shares or equivalent equity security is quoted or listed on an Eligible Market (or, if so elected by the Holder, any other market, exchange or quotation system), or, if there is more than one such Person or such entity, the Person or such entity designated by the Holder or in the absence of such designation, such Person or entity with the largest public market capitalization as of the date of consummation of the Fundamental Transaction.
(r) “Person” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization, any other entity and a government or any department or agency thereof.
(s) “Principal Market” means The Nasdaq Global Market.
(t) “Requisite Holders” means the holders of the Warrants representing a majority of the Ordinary Shares underlying the Warrants then outstanding.
(u) “Standard Settlement Period” means the standard settlement period, expressed in a number of Trading Days, for the Company’s primary trading market or quotation system with respect to the Ordinary Shares that is in effect on the date of receipt of an applicable Exercise Notice.
(v) “Subject Entity” means any Person, Persons or Group or any Affiliate or associate of any such Person, Persons or Group.
(w) “Successor Entity” means one or more Person or Persons (or, if so elected by the Holder, the Company or Parent Entity) formed by, resulting from or surviving any Fundamental Transaction or one or more Person or Persons (or, if so elected by the Holder, the Company or the Parent Entity) with which such Fundamental Transaction shall have been entered into.
(x) “Trading Day” means any day on which the Ordinary Shares is traded on the Principal Market, or, if the Principal Market is not the principal trading market for the Ordinary Shares, then on the principal securities exchange or securities market on which the Ordinary Shares is then traded.
(y) “Transaction Documents” means any agreement entered into by and between the Company and the Holder, as applicable.
(z) “Transfer Agent” means Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the transfer agent of the Company as of the Initial Exercisability Date, with a mailing address of 1 State Street 30th Floor, New York, NY 10004-1561, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.
[Signature Page Follows]
| 22 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares to be duly executed as of the Issuance Date set out above.
| SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | Haggai Alon | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
[Signature Page to Warrant to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares]
Annex A
EXERCISE NOTICE
TO BE EXECUTED BY THE REGISTERED HOLDER TO EXERCISE THIS
WARRANT TO SUBSCRIBE FOR ORDINARY SHARES
SMX (SECURITY MATTERS) PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY
The undersigned holder hereby exercises the right to subscribe for ______________ Ordinary Shares (“Warrant Shares”) of SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), evidenced by the attached Warrant to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares (the “Warrant”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Warrant.
1. Form of Exercise Price. The holder intends that payment of the Exercise Price shall be made as:
______________ a “Cash Exercise” with respect to ______________ Warrant Shares; and/or
______________ a “Cashless Exercise” with respect to ______________ Warrant Shares.
2. Payment of Exercise Price. In the event that the holder has elected a Cash Exercise with respect to some or all of the Warrant Shares to be issued pursuant hereto, the holder shall pay the Aggregate Exercise Price in the sum of $ _________ to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Warrant.
3. Delivery of Warrant Shares. The Company shall deliver to the holder ______________ Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms of the Warrant.
Date: __________________
| Name of Registered Holder | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The Company hereby acknowledges this Exercise Notice and hereby directs Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company to issue the above indicated number of Ordinary Shares on or prior to the applicable Share Delivery Date.
| SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
Exhibit 4.8
WARRANT AGREEMENT
THIS WARRANT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of June [__], 2023, is entered into by and between SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company, an Irish public limited company (the “Company”), and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a New York corporation (the “Warrant Agent”).
WHEREAS, the Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a Registration Statement on Form F-1, No: 333-272503 (the “Registration Statement”), for the registration, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”) of, among other securities, the Warrant B warrants to subscribe for ordinary shares (the “Warrants”) and the ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”), issuable upon exercise of the Warrants;
WHEREAS, the Company desires the Warrant Agent to act on behalf of the Company, and the Warrant Agent is willing to so act, in connection with the issuance, registration, transfer, exchange and exercise of the Warrants;
WHEREAS, the Company desires to provide for the form and provisions of the Warrants, the terms upon which they shall be issued and exercised, and the respective rights, limitation of rights, and immunities of the Company, the Warrant Agent, and the holders of the Warrants; and
WHEREAS, all acts and things have been done and performed which are necessary to make the Warrants, when executed on behalf of the Company and countersigned by or on behalf of the Warrant Agent, as provided herein, the valid, binding and legal obligations of the Company, and to authorize the execution and delivery of this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Appointment of Warrant Agent. The Company hereby appoints the Warrant Agent to act as agent for the Company for the Warrants, and the Warrant Agent hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the same in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.
2. Warrants.
2.1 Form of Warrant. Each Warrant shall be (a) issued in registered form only, (b) in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto, the provisions of which are incorporated herein (the “Form of Warrant”), and (c) signed by, or bear the facsimile signature of, the Chairman of the Board or the President and the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company. In the event the person whose facsimile signature has been placed upon any Warrant shall have ceased to serve in the capacity in which such person signed the Warrant before such Warrant is issued, it may be issued with the same effect as if he or she had not ceased to be such at the date of issuance.
2.2 Effect of Countersignature. Unless and until countersigned by the Warrant Agent pursuant to this Agreement, a Warrant shall be invalid and of no effect and may not be exercised by the holder thereof.
2.3 Registration.
2.3.1 Warrant Register. The Warrant Agent shall maintain books (the “Warrant Register”) for the registration of the original issuance and transfers of the Warrants. Upon the initial issuance of the Warrants, the Warrant Agent shall issue and register the Warrants in the names of the respective holders thereof in such denominations and otherwise in accordance with instructions delivered to the Warrant Agent by the Company.
2.3.2 Registered Holder. Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of any Warrant, the Company and the Warrant Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name such Warrant shall be registered upon the Warrant Register (the “registered holder”), as the absolute owner of such Warrant and of each Warrant represented thereby (notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing on the warrant certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Warrant Agent), for the purpose of any exercise thereof, and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Warrant Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
3. Terms and Exercise of Warrants.
3.1 Warrant Price. As set forth in the Form of Warrant.
3.2 Duration of Warrants. As set forth in the Form of Warrant.
3.3 Exercise of Warrants.
3.3.1 Payment. Subject to the provisions of the Warrant, the Form of Warrant and this Warrant Agreement, a Warrant, when countersigned by the Warrant Agent, may be exercised by the registered holder thereof by surrendering it, at the office of the Warrant Agent, or at the office of its successor as Warrant Agent, in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York, with the subscription form, as set forth in the Warrant, duly executed, and by paying in full the Warrant Price for each full share of Ordinary Shares as to which the Warrant is exercised and any and all applicable taxes due in connection with the exercise of the Warrant, as follows:
(a) by certified check payable to the order of the Warrant Agent, or wire transfer.
(b) in the event of an exercise on a “cashless basis” as set forth in the Form of Warrant.
3.3.2 Issuance of Certificates. As soon as practicable after the exercise of any Warrant and the clearance of the funds in payment of the Warrant Price or upon surrender of the Warrant (or portion thereof) as set forth in Section 3.3.1(b), the Company shall issue to the registered holder of such Warrant a certificate or certificates representing the number of full Ordinary Shares to which he, she or it is entitled, registered in such name or names as may be directed by him, her or it, and, if such Warrant shall not have been exercised in full, a new countersigned Warrant for the number of shares as to which such Warrant shall not have been exercised. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be obligated to deliver any securities pursuant to the exercise of a Warrant unless (a) a registration statement under the Act with respect to the Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of such Warrants is effective and a current prospectus relating to the Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants is available for delivery to the Warrant holders or (b) in the opinion of counsel to the Company, the exercise of the Warrants is exempt from the registration requirements of the Act and such securities are qualified for sale or exempt from qualification under applicable securities laws of the states or other jurisdictions in which the registered holder resides. Warrants may not be exercised by, or securities issued to, any registered holder in any state in which such exercise or issuance would be unlawful. In the event that a registration statement under the Act with respect to the Ordinary Shares underlying the Warrants is not effective or a current prospectus is not available, or because such exercise would be unlawful with respect to a registered holder in any state, the registered holder shall not be entitled to exercise such Warrants and such Warrants may have no value and expire worthless.
| 2 |
3.3.3 Valid Issuance. All Ordinary Shares issued upon the proper exercise of a Warrant in conformity with this Agreement shall be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
3.3.4 Date of Issuance. Each person in whose name any such certificate for Ordinary Shares is issued shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of such shares on the date on which the Warrant was surrendered and payment of the Warrant Price was made, irrespective of the date of delivery of such certificate, except that, if the date of such surrender and payment is a date when the stock transfer books of the Company are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the holder of such shares at the close of business on the next succeeding date on which the stock transfer books are open.
4. Adjustments. As set forth in the Form of Warrant.
5. Transfer and Exchange of Warrants.
5.1 Registration of Transfer. The Warrant Agent shall register the transfer, from time to time, of any outstanding Warrant in the Warrant Register, upon surrender of such Warrant for transfer, properly endorsed with signatures properly medallion guaranteed and accompanied by appropriate instructions for transfer. Upon any such transfer, a new Warrant representing an equal aggregate number of Warrants shall be issued and the old Warrant shall be cancelled by the Warrant Agent. The Warrants so cancelled may be delivered by the Warrant Agent to the Company from time to time upon request.
5.2 Procedure for Surrender of Warrants. Warrants may be surrendered to the Warrant Agent, together with a written request for exchange or transfer, and thereupon the Warrant Agent shall issue in exchange therefor one or more new Warrants as requested by the registered holder of the Warrants so surrendered, representing an equal aggregate number of Warrants; provided, however, that in the event that a Warrant surrendered for transfer bears a restrictive legend, the Warrant Agent shall not cancel such Warrant and issue new Warrants in exchange therefor until the Warrant Agent has received an opinion of counsel for the Company stating that such transfer is exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and indicating whether the new Warrants must also bear a restrictive legend.
| 3 |
5.3 Fractional Warrants. The Warrant Agent shall not be required to effect any registration of transfer or exchange which will result in the issuance of a warrant certificate for a fraction of a warrant.
5.4 Service Charges. No service charge shall be made for any exchange or registration of transfer of Warrants.
5.5 Warrant Execution and Countersignature. The Warrant Agent is hereby authorized to countersign and to deliver, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Warrant, the Warrants required to be issued pursuant to the provisions of this Section 5, and the Company, whenever required by the Warrant Agent pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and the Warrant, will supply the Warrant Agent with Warrants duly executed on behalf of the Company for such purpose.
6. Intentionally Omitted.
7. Other Provisions Relating to Rights of Holders of Warrants.
7.1 No Rights as Stockholder. A Warrant does not entitle the registered holder thereof to any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to receive dividends, or other distributions, exercise any preemptive rights to vote or to consent or to receive notice as stockholders in respect of the meetings of stockholders or the election of directors of the Company or any other matter.
7.2 Lost, Stolen, Mutilated, or Destroyed Warrants. If any Warrant is lost, stolen, mutilated or destroyed, the Company and the Warrant Agent may, on such terms as to indemnity or otherwise as they may in their discretion impose (which terms shall, in the case of a mutilated Warrant, include the surrender thereof), issue a new Warrant of like denomination, tenor and date as the Warrant so lost, stolen, mutilated or destroyed. Any such new Warrant shall constitute a substitute contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the allegedly lost, stolen, mutilated or destroyed Warrant shall be at any time enforceable by anyone.
7.3 Reservation of Ordinary Shares. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available a number of its authorized but unissued Ordinary Shares that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Warrants issued pursuant to this Agreement.
7.4 Limitation on Monetary Damages. Except as may be specifically set forth in the Form of Warrant, in no event shall the registered holder of a Warrant be entitled to receive monetary damages for failure to settle any Warrant exercise if the Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants has not been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to an effective registration statement or if a current prospectus is not available for delivery by the Warrant Agent.
| 4 |
8. Concerning the Warrant Agent and Other Matters.
8.1 Payment of Taxes. The Company will from time to time promptly pay all taxes and charges that may be imposed upon the Company or the Warrant Agent in respect of the issuance or delivery of Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of Warrants, but the Company shall not be obligated to pay any transfer taxes in respect of the Warrants or such shares.
8.2 Resignation, Consolidation, or Merger of Warrant Agent.
8.2.1 Appointment of Successor Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent, or any successor to it hereafter appointed, may resign its duties and be discharged from all further duties and liabilities hereunder after giving sixty (60) days’ notice in writing to the Company. If the office of the Warrant Agent becomes vacant by resignation or incapacity to act or otherwise, the Company shall appoint in writing a successor Warrant Agent in place of the Warrant Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the Warrant Agent or by the holder of the Warrant (who shall, with such notice, submit his, her or its Warrant for inspection by the Company), then the holder of any Warrant may apply to the Supreme Court of the State of New York for the County of New York for the appointment of a successor Warrant Agent at the Company’s cost. Any successor Warrant Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such court, shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, in good standing and having its principal office in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York, and authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority. After appointment, any successor Warrant Agent shall be vested with all the authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations of its predecessor Warrant Agent with like effect as if originally named as Warrant Agent hereunder, without any further act or deed; but if for any reason it becomes necessary or appropriate, the predecessor Warrant Agent shall execute and deliver, at the expense of the Company, an instrument transferring to such successor Warrant Agent all the authority, powers, and rights of such predecessor Warrant Agent hereunder; and upon request of any successor Warrant Agent the Company shall make, execute, acknowledge, and deliver any and all instruments in writing for more fully and effectually vesting in and confirming to such successor Warrant Agent all such authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations.
8.2.2 Notice of Successor Warrant Agent. In the event a successor Warrant Agent shall be appointed, the Company shall give notice thereof to the predecessor Warrant Agent and the transfer agent for the Ordinary Shares not later than the effective date of any such appointment.
8.2.3 Merger or Consolidation of Warrant Agent. Any corporation into which the Warrant Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Warrant Agent shall be a party shall be the successor Warrant Agent under this Agreement without any further act.
| 5 |
8.3 Fees and Expenses of Warrant Agent.
8.3.1 Remuneration. The Company agrees to pay the Warrant Agent reasonable remuneration for its services as such Warrant Agent hereunder and will reimburse the Warrant Agent upon demand for all expenditures that the Warrant Agent may reasonably incur in the execution of its duties hereunder.
8.3.2 Further Assurances. The Company agrees to perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Warrant Agent for the carrying out or performing of the provisions of this Agreement.
8.4 Liability of Warrant Agent.
8.4.1 Reliance on Company Statement. Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Warrant Agreement the Warrant Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer, or Chairman of the Board of the Company and delivered to the Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent may rely upon such statement for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.
8.4.2 Indemnity. The Warrant Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith. The Company agrees to indemnify the Warrant Agent and save it harmless against any and all liabilities, including judgments, costs and reasonable counsel fees, for anything done or omitted by the Warrant Agent in the execution of this Agreement, except as a result of the Warrant Agent’s gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith.
8.4.3 Exclusions. The Warrant Agent shall have no responsibility with respect to the validity of this Agreement or with respect to the validity or execution of any Warrant (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Warrant; nor shall it be responsible to make any adjustments required under the provisions of Section 4 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment; nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Ordinary Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Warrant or as to whether any Ordinary Shares will when issued be valid and fully paid and nonassessable.
8.5 Acceptance of Agency. The Warrant Agent hereby accepts the agency established by this Agreement and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions herein set forth and, among other things, shall account promptly to the Company with respect to Warrants exercised and concurrently account for, and pay to the Company, all moneys received by the Warrant Agent for the subscription of Ordinary Shares through the exercise of Warrants.
| 6 |
9. Miscellaneous Provisions.
9.1 Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Warrant Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns.
9.2 Notices. Any notice, statement or demand authorized by this Warrant Agreement to be given or made by the Warrant Agent or by the holder of any Warrant to or on the Company shall be delivered by hand or sent by registered or certified mail or overnight courier service, addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Company with the Warrant Agent) as follows:
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company
Mespil Business Centre
Mespil House, Sussex Road
Dublin 4, Ireland
Attention: CEO
Any notice, statement or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the holder of any Warrant or by the Company to or on the Warrant Agent shall be delivered by hand or sent by registered or certified mail or overnight courier service, addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Company with the Warrant Agent) as follows:
Continental
Stock Transfer & Trust Company
1 State Street, 30 FL
New York, New York 10004
Attn: Compliance Department
Any notice, sent pursuant to this Warrant Agreement shall be effective, if delivered by hand, upon receipt thereof by the party to whom it is addressed, if sent by overnight courier, on the next business day of the delivery to the courier, and if sent by registered or certified mail on the third day after registration or certification thereof.
9.3 Applicable Law. The validity, interpretation and performance of this Agreement and of the Warrants shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another jurisdiction. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 9.2 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim.
| 7 |
9.4 Persons Having Rights under this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement expressed and nothing that may be implied from any of the provisions hereof is intended, or shall be construed, to confer upon, or give to, any person or corporation other than the parties hereto and the registered holders of the Warrants, any right, remedy, or claim under or by reason of this Warrant Agreement or of any covenant, condition, stipulation, promise, or agreement hereof. All covenants, conditions, stipulations, promises, and agreements contained in this Warrant Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and their successors and assigns and of the registered holders of the Warrants.
9.5 Examination of the Warrant Agreement. A copy of this Agreement shall be available at all reasonable times at the office of the Warrant Agent in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York, for inspection by the registered holder of any Warrant. The Warrant Agent may require any such holder to submit his, her or its Warrant for inspection by it.
9.6 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of original or facsimile counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
9.7 Effect of Headings. The section headings herein are for convenience only and are not part of this Warrant Agreement and shall not affect the interpretation thereof.
9.8 Amendments. This Agreement may be amended by the parties hereto without the consent of any registered holder for the purpose of curing any ambiguity, or curing, correcting or supplementing any defective provision contained herein or adding or changing any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Agreement as the parties may deem necessary or desirable and that the parties deem shall not adversely affect the interest of the registered holders. All other modifications or amendments, including any amendment to increase the Warrant Price or shorten the Exercise Period, shall require the written consent of the registered holders of a majority of the then outstanding Warrants, except as may be specifically permitted pursuant to the Form of Warrant.
9.9 Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but 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 this Agreement.
[Signature page follows]
| 8 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been duly executed by the parties hereto as of the day and year first above written.
| SMX (SECURITY MATTERS) PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| 9 |
FORM OF WARRANT
| 10 |
FORM OF WARRANT B
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company
WARRANT TO SUBSCRIBE FOR ORDINARY SHARES
Warrant No.: [ ]
Number of Ordinary Shares: [ ]
Date of Issuance: June [ ], 2023 (“Issuance Date”)
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), hereby certifies that, [ ], the registered holder hereof or its permitted assigns (the “Holder”), is entitled, subject to the terms set forth below, to subscribe for from the Company, at the Exercise Price (as defined below) then in effect, at any time or times on or after June [ ], 2023 (the “Initial Exercisability Date”), but not after 11:59 p.m., New York time, on the Expiration Date, (as defined below), [ ] fully paid non-assessable Ordinary Shares (as defined below), subject to adjustment as provided herein (the “Warrant Shares”). Except as otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms in this Warrant to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares (including any Warrants to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares issued in exchange, transfer or replacement hereof, this “Warrant”), shall have the meanings set forth in Section 16. This Warrant is one of the Warrants to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares (the “Warrants”) issued pursuant to (i) that certain Underwriting Agreement, dated as of June [ ], 2023 (the “Subscription Date”) by and between the Company and EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC, as sole underwriter (the “Underwriting Agreement”), (ii) the Company’s Registration Statement on Form F-1 (File number 333-272503 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Registration Statement”) and (iii) the Company’s prospectus dated as of June [ ], 2023.
1. EXERCISE OF WARRANT.
(a) Mechanics of Exercise. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof (including, without limitation, the limitations set forth in Section 1(f)), this Warrant may be exercised by the Holder at any time or times on or after the Initial Exercisability Date, in whole or in part, by delivery (whether via facsimile, electronic mail or otherwise) of a written notice, in the form attached hereto as Annex A (the “Exercise Notice”), of the Holder’s election to exercise this Warrant. Within one (1) Trading Day following the delivery of the Exercise Notice, the Holder shall make payment to the Company of an amount equal to the Exercise Price in effect on the date of such exercise multiplied by the number of Warrant Shares as to which this Warrant is being exercised (the “Aggregate Exercise Price”) in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds or, if the provisions of Section 1(d) are applicable, by notifying the Company that this Warrant is being exercised pursuant to a Cashless Exercise (as defined in Section 1(d)). The Holder shall not be required to deliver the original Warrant in order to effect an exercise hereunder, nor shall any ink-original signature or medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) with respect to any Exercise Notice be required. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Exercise Notice(s) delivered on or prior to 12:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Initial Exercisability Date, which may be delivered at any time after the time of execution on the Subscription Date, the Company agrees to deliver the Warrant Shares subject to such notice(s) by 4:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Initial Exercisability Date and the Initial Exercisability Date shall be the Share Delivery Date (as defined below) for purposes hereunder, provided that payment of the aggregate Exercise Price (other than in the case of a cashless exercise) is received by such Share Delivery Date. Execution and delivery of the Exercise Notice with respect to less than all of the Warrant Shares shall have the same effect as cancellation of the original Warrant and delivery of a new Warrant evidencing the right to subscribe for the remaining number of Warrant Shares and the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company until the Holder has subscribed for all of the Warrant Shares available hereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company for cancellation within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the final Exercise Notice is delivered to the Company. On or before the first (1st) Trading Day following the date on which the Holder has delivered the applicable Exercise Notice, the Company shall transmit by facsimile or electronic mail an acknowledgment of confirmation of receipt of the Exercise Notice, in the form attached to the Exercise Notice, to the Holder and the Transfer Agent. So long as the Holder delivers the Aggregate Exercise Price (or notice of a Cashless Exercise, if applicable) on or prior to the first (1st) Trading Day following the date on which the Exercise Notice has been delivered to the Company, then on or prior to the earlier of (i) the second (2nd) Trading Day and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period, in each case following the date on which the Exercise Notice has been delivered to the Company, or, if the Holder does not deliver the Aggregate Exercise Price (or notice of a Cashless Exercise, if applicable) on or prior to the first (1st) Trading Day following the date on which the Exercise Notice has been delivered to the Company, then on or prior to the first (1st) Trading Day following the date on which the Aggregate Exercise Price (or notice of a Cashless Exercise) is delivered (such earlier date, or if later, the earliest day on which the Company is required to deliver Warrant Shares pursuant to this Section 1(a), the “Share Delivery Date”), the Company shall (X) provided that the Transfer Agent is participating in The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program (“FAST”), credit such aggregate number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit / Withdrawal At Custodian system, or (Y) if the Transfer Agent is not participating in FAST, issue and dispatch by overnight courier to the physical address or email address as specified in the Exercise Notice, a certificate or evidence of a credit of book-entry shares, registered in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise. The Company shall be responsible for all fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent and all fees and expenses with respect to the issuance of Warrant Shares via DTC, if any, including without limitation for same day processing. Upon delivery of the Exercise Notice, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record and beneficial owner of the Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date such Warrant Shares are credited to the Holder’s DTC account or the date of delivery of the certificates evidencing such Warrant Shares, as the case may be. If this Warrant is physically delivered to the Company in connection with any exercise pursuant to this Section 1(a) and the number of Warrant Shares represented by this Warrant submitted for exercise is greater than the number of Warrant Shares being acquired upon an exercise, then the Company shall as soon as practicable and in no event later than three (3) Trading Days after any exercise and at its own expense, issue and deliver to the Holder (or its designee) a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)) representing the right to subscribe for the number of Warrant Shares issuable immediately prior to such exercise under this Warrant, less the number of Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant is exercised. No fractional Warrant Shares are to be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant, but rather the number of Warrant Shares to be issued shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number. The Company shall pay any and all transfer, stamp, issuance and similar taxes, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent) which may be payable with respect to the issuance and delivery of Warrant Shares upon exercise of this Warrant. The Company’s obligations to issue and deliver Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions hereof are absolute and unconditional, irrespective of any action or inaction by the Holder to enforce the same, any waiver or consent with respect to any provision hereof, the recovery of any judgment against any Person or any action to enforce the same, or any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, limitation or termination; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to deliver Warrant Shares with respect to an exercise prior to the Holder’s delivery of the Aggregate Exercise Price (or notice of a Cashless Exercise) with respect to such exercise.
| 11 |
(b) Exercise Price. For purposes of this Warrant, “Exercise Price” means $[ ] per share, subject to adjustment as provided herein.
(c) Company’s Failure to Timely Deliver Securities. If either (I) the Company shall fail for any reason or for no reason to issue to the Holder on or prior to the applicable Share Delivery Date, if (x) the Transfer Agent is not participating in FAST, a certificate or evidence of a book-entry credit for the number of Ordinary Shares to which the Holder is entitled and register such Ordinary Shares on the Company’s share register or (y) the Transfer Agent is participating in FAST, to credit the Holder’s balance account with DTC, for such number of Ordinary Shares to which the Holder is entitled upon the Holder’s exercise of this Warrant or (II) a registration statement (which may be the Registration Statement) covering the issuance of the Warrant Shares that are the subject of the Exercise Notice (the “Exercise Notice Warrant Shares”) is not available for the issuance of such Exercise Notice Warrant Shares and (x) the Company fails to promptly, but in no event later than one (1) Business Day after such registration statement becomes unavailable, to so notify the Holder and (y) the Company is unable to deliver the Exercise Notice Warrant Shares electronically without any restrictive legend by crediting such aggregate number of Exercise Notice Warrant Shares to the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit / Withdrawal At Custodian system (the event described in the immediately foregoing clause (II) is hereinafter referred as a “Notice Failure” and together with the event described in clause (I) above, an “Exercise Failure”), then, in addition to all other remedies available to the Holder, if on or prior to the applicable Share Delivery Date either (I) if the Transfer Agent is not participating in FAST, the Company shall fail to issue and deliver a certificate or evidence of a book-entry credit to the Holder and register such Ordinary Shares on the Company’s share register or, if the Transfer Agent is participating in FAST, credit the Holder’s balance account with DTC for the number of Ordinary Shares to which the Holder is entitled upon the Holder’s exercise hereunder or pursuant to the Company’s obligation pursuant to clause (ii) below or (II) if a Notice Failure occurs, and if on or after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, Ordinary Shares to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall, within three (3) Trading Days after the Holder’s request, (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions and other out-of-pocket expenses, if any) for the Ordinary Shares so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of Ordinary Shares that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder subscribes for Ordinary Shares having a total exercise price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of Ordinary Shares with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver Ordinary Shares upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof. The Company’s current transfer agent participates in FAST. In the event that the Company changes transfer agents while this Warrant is outstanding, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to select a transfer agent that participates in FAST and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause its transfer agent to participate in FAST with respect to this Warrant. In addition to the foregoing rights, (i) if the Company fails to deliver the applicable number of Warrant Shares upon an exercise pursuant to Section 1 by the applicable Share Delivery Date, then the Holder shall have the right to rescind such exercise in whole or in part and retain and/or have the Company return, as the case may be, any portion of this Warrant that has not been exercised pursuant to such Exercise Notice; provided that the rescission of an exercise shall not affect the Company’s obligation to make any payments that have accrued prior to the date of such notice pursuant to this Section 1(c) or otherwise, and (ii) if a registration statement (which may be the Registration Statement) covering the issuance of the Warrant Shares that are subject to an Exercise Notice is not available for the issuance of such Exercise Notice Warrant Shares and the Holder has submitted an Exercise Notice prior to receiving notice of the non-availability of such registration statement and the Company has not already delivered the Warrant Shares underlying such Exercise Notice electronically without any restrictive legend by crediting such aggregate number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit / Withdrawal At Custodian system, the Holder shall have the option, by delivery of notice to the Company, to (x) rescind such Exercise Notice in whole or in part and retain or have returned, as the case may be, any portion of this Warrant that has not been exercised pursuant to such Exercise Notice; provided that the rescission of an Exercise Notice shall not affect the Company’s obligation to make any payments that have accrued prior to the date of such notice pursuant to this Section 1(c) or otherwise, and/or (y) switch some or all of such Exercise Notice from a cash exercise to a Cashless Exercise. In addition to the foregoing, if the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant Shares subject to an Exercise Notice by the second Trading Day following the Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares subject to such exercise (based on the Fixed Price), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the third Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day following the second Trading Day following such Share Delivery Date until such Warrant Shares are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise.
| 12 |
(d) Cashless Exercise. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, if a registration statement (which may be the Registration Statement) covering the issuance of the Exercise Notice Warrant Shares is not available for the issuance of such Exercise Notice Warrant Shares, the Holder may, in its sole discretion, exercise this Warrant in whole or in part and, in lieu of making the cash payment otherwise contemplated to be made to the Company upon such exercise in payment of the Aggregate Exercise Price, elect instead to receive upon such exercise the “Net Number” of Ordinary Shares determined according to the following formula (a “Cashless Exercise”):
| Net Number = (A x B) - (A x C) |
| B |
For purposes of the foregoing formula:
| A | = | the total number of shares with respect to which this Warrant is then being exercised. | |
| B | = | the Fixed Price | |
| C | = | the Exercise Price then in effect for the applicable Warrant Shares at the time of such exercise. |
If Warrant Shares are issued in such a cashless exercise, the Company acknowledges and agrees that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Warrant Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised, and the holding period of the Warrants being exercised may be tacked on to the holding period of the Warrant Shares. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 1(d) except if contrary to applicable law. Without limiting the rights of a Holder to receive Warrant Shares on a “cashless exercise,” and to receive the cash payments contemplated pursuant to Sections 1(c) and 4(b), in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle a Warrant exercise.
Any cashless exercise of Warrants shall be subject at all times to the payment in cash to the Company of an amount no less than the nominal value of each Warrant Share (US$0.0001 each).
(e) Disputes. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise Price or the arithmetic calculation of the number of Warrant Shares to be issued pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company shall promptly issue to the Holder the number of Warrant Shares that are not disputed and resolve such dispute in accordance with Section 11.
(f) Beneficial Ownership. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Company shall not effect the exercise of any portion of this Warrant, and the Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Warrant and any such exercise shall be null and void and treated as if never made, to the extent that after giving effect to such exercise, the Holder together with the other Attribution Parties collectively would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% (or, upon election by a Holder prior to the issuance of any Warrants, 9.99%) (the “Maximum Percentage”) of the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the aggregate number of Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by the Holder and the other Attribution Parties shall include the number of Ordinary Shares held by the Holder and all other Attribution Parties plus the number of Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which the determination of such sentence is being made, but shall exclude the number of Ordinary Shares which would be issuable upon (A) exercise of the remaining, unexercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of the other Attribution Parties and (B) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or unconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any convertible notes or convertible preferred stock or warrants, including the other Warrants) beneficially owned by the Holder or any other Attribution Party subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained in this Section 1(f). For purposes of this Section 1(f), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”). For purposes of this Warrant, in determining the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares the Holder may subscribe for upon the exercise of this Warrant without exceeding the Maximum Percentage, the Holder may rely on the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares as reflected in (x) the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, and Reports on Form 6-K or other public filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), as the case may be, (y) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (z) any other written notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent setting forth the number of Ordinary Shares outstanding (the “Reported Outstanding Share Number”). If the Company receives an Exercise Notice from the Holder at a time when the actual number of outstanding Ordinary Shares is less than the Reported Outstanding Share Number, the Company shall (i) notify the Holder in writing of the number of Ordinary Shares then outstanding and, to the extent that such Exercise Notice would otherwise cause the Holder’s beneficial ownership, as determined pursuant to this Section 1(f), to exceed the Maximum Percentage, the Holder must notify the Company of a reduced number of Warrant Shares to be subscribed for pursuant to such Exercise Notice (the number of shares by which such subscription is reduced, the “Reduction Shares”) and (ii) as soon as reasonably practicable, the Company shall return to the Holder any exercise price paid by the Holder for the Reduction Shares. For any reason at any time, upon the written or oral request of the Holder, the Company shall within two (2) Business Days confirm orally, in writing or by electronic mail to the Holder the number of Ordinary Shares then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder and any other Attribution Party since the date as of which the Reported Outstanding Share Number was reported. In the event that the issuance of Ordinary Shares to the Holder upon exercise of this Warrant results in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties being deemed to beneficially own, in the aggregate, more than the Maximum Percentage of the number of outstanding Ordinary Shares (as determined under Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act), the number of shares so issued by which the Holder’s and the other Attribution Parties’ aggregate beneficial ownership exceeds the Maximum Percentage (the “Excess Shares”) shall be deemed null and void and shall be cancelled ab initio, and the Holder shall not have the power to vote or to transfer the Excess Shares. As soon as reasonably practicable after the issuance of the Excess Shares has been deemed null and void, the Company shall return to the Holder the exercise price paid by the Holder for the Excess Shares. Upon delivery of a written notice to the Company, the Holder may from time to time increase or decrease the Maximum Percentage to any other percentage not in excess of 9.99% as specified in such notice; provided that (i) any such increase in the Maximum Percentage will not be effective until the sixty-first (61st) day after such notice is delivered to the Company and (ii) any such increase or decrease will apply only to the Holder and the other Attribution Parties and not to any other holder of Warrants that is not an Attribution Party of the Holder. For purposes of clarity, the Ordinary Shares issuable pursuant to the terms of this Warrant in excess of the Maximum Percentage shall not be deemed to be beneficially owned by the Holder for any purpose including for purposes of Section 13(d) or Rule 16a-1(a)(1) of the 1934 Act. No prior inability to exercise this Warrant pursuant to this paragraph shall have any effect on the applicability of the provisions of this paragraph with respect to any subsequent determination of exercisability. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 1(f) to the extent necessary to correct this paragraph or any portion of this paragraph which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended beneficial ownership limitation contained in this Section 1(f) or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitation contained in this paragraph may not be waived and shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant.
| 13 |
(g) Required Reserve Amount. So long as this Warrant remains outstanding, the Company shall at all times keep reserved for issuance under this Warrant a number of Ordinary Shares at least equal to 100% of the maximum number of Ordinary Shares as shall be necessary to satisfy the Company’s obligation to issue Ordinary Shares under the Warrants then outstanding (without regard to any limitations on exercise) (the “Required Reserve Amount”); provided that at no time shall the number of Ordinary Shares reserved pursuant to this Section 1(g) be reduced other than in connection with any exercise of Warrants or such other event covered by Section 2(c) below. The Required Reserve Amount (including, without limitation, each increase in the number of shares so reserved) shall be allocated pro rata among the holders of the Warrants based on the number of Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of Warrants held by each holder thereof on the Issuance Date (without regard to any limitations on exercise) (the “Authorized Share Allocation”). In the event that a holder shall sell or otherwise transfer any of such holder’s Warrants, each transferee shall be allocated a pro rata portion of such holder’s Authorized Share Allocation. Any Ordinary Shares reserved and allocated to any Person which ceases to hold any Warrants shall be allocated to the remaining holders of Warrants, pro rata based on the number of Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants then held by such holders thereof (without regard to any limitations on exercise).
(h) Insufficient Authorized Shares. If at any time while this Warrant remains outstanding the Company does not have a sufficient number of authorized and unreserved Ordinary Shares to satisfy its obligation to reserve for issuance the Required Reserve Amount (an “Authorized Share Failure”), then the Company shall promptly take all action reasonably necessary to increase the Company’s authorized Ordinary Shares to an amount sufficient to allow the Company to reserve the Required Reserve Amount for this Warrant then outstanding. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing sentence, as soon as practicable after the date of the occurrence of an Authorized Share Failure, but in no event later than ninety (90) days after the occurrence of such Authorized Share Failure, the Company shall hold a meeting of its stockholders for the approval of an increase in the number of authorized Ordinary Shares. In connection with such meeting, the Company shall provide each stockholder with a proxy statement and shall use its reasonable best efforts to solicit its stockholders’ approval of such increase in authorized Ordinary Shares and to cause its board of directors to recommend to the stockholders that they approve such proposal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any such time of an Authorized Share Failure, the Company is able to obtain the written consent of a majority of the shares of its issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares to approve the increase in the number of authorized Ordinary Shares, the Company may satisfy this obligation by obtaining such consent and submitting for filing with the SEC an Information Statement on Schedule 14C or other corresponding filing, if any, if permitted or obligated for use by foreign private issuers.
| 14 |
2. ADJUSTMENT OF EXERCISE PRICE AND NUMBER OF WARRANT SHARES. The Exercise Price and the number of Warrant Shares shall be adjusted from time to time as follows (without duplication):
(a) Intentionally omitted.
(b) Voluntary Adjustment By Company. Unless prohibited by the rules of the Principal Market, the Company may at any time during the term of this Warrant reduce the then current Exercise Price to any amount and for any period of time deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company.
(c) Adjustment Upon Subdivision or Combination of Ordinary Shares. If the Company at any time on or after the Subscription Date subdivides (by any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or otherwise) one or more classes of its outstanding Ordinary Shares into a greater number of shares, the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such subdivision will be proportionately reduced and the number of Warrant Shares will be proportionately increased. If the Company at any time on or after the Subscription Date combines (by combination, reverse stock split or otherwise) one or more classes of its outstanding Ordinary Shares into a smaller number of shares, the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such combination will be proportionately increased and the number of Warrant Shares will be proportionately decreased. Any adjustment under this Section 2(c) shall become effective at the close of business on the date the subdivision or combination becomes effective.
3. RIGHTS UPON DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 2 above, if, on or after the Subscription Date and on or prior to the Expiration Date, the Company shall declare or make any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of Ordinary Shares, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of cash, stock or other securities, property, options, evidence of indebtedness or any other assets by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of Ordinary Shares acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations or restrictions on exercise of this Warrant, including without limitation, the Maximum Percentage) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Ordinary Shares are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution (provided, however, that to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent (and shall not be entitled to beneficial ownership of such Ordinary Shares as a result of such Distribution (and beneficial ownership) to such extent) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time or times as its right thereto would not result in the Holder and the other Attribution Parties exceeding the Maximum Percentage, at which time or times the Holder shall be granted such Distribution (and any Distributions declared or made on such initial Distribution or on any subsequent Distribution held similarly in abeyance) to the same extent as if there had been no such limitation).
| 15 |
4. FUNDAMENTAL TRANSACTIONS. The Company shall not enter into or be party to a Fundamental Transaction unless the Successor Entity assumes in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4, including agreements to deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant, including, without limitation, which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock equivalent to the Ordinary Shares acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the Ordinary Shares pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such adjustments to the number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction). Upon the consummation of each Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for the Company (so that from and after the date of the applicable Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant and the other Transaction Documents referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein. Upon consummation of each Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall deliver to the Holder confirmation that there shall be issued upon exercise of this Warrant at any time after the consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction, in lieu of the Ordinary Shares (or other securities, cash, assets or other property) issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant prior to the applicable Fundamental Transaction, such Ordinary Shares (or its equivalent) of the Successor Entity (including its Parent Entity) which the Holder would have been entitled to receive upon the happening of the applicable Fundamental Transaction had this Warrant been exercised immediately prior to the applicable Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant), as adjusted in accordance with the provisions of this Warrant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and without limiting Section 1(f) hereof, the Holder may elect, at its sole option, by delivery of written notice to the Company to waive this Section 4(b) to permit the Fundamental Transaction without the assumption of this Warrant. In addition to and not in substitution for any other rights hereunder, prior to the consummation of each Fundamental Transaction pursuant to which holders of Ordinary Shares are entitled to receive securities or other assets with respect to or in exchange for Ordinary Shares (a “Corporate Event”), the Company shall make appropriate provision to insure that the Holder will thereafter have the right to receive upon an exercise of this Warrant at any time after the consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction but prior to the Expiration Date, in lieu of the Ordinary Shares (or other securities, cash, assets or other property) issuable upon the exercise of the Warrant prior to such Fundamental Transaction, such shares of stock, securities, cash, assets or any other property whatsoever (including warrants or other purchase or subscription rights) (collectively, the “Corporate Event Consideration”) which the Holder would have been entitled to receive upon the happening of the applicable Fundamental Transaction had this Warrant been exercised immediately prior to the applicable Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant). The provision made pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Requisite Holders. The provisions of this Section 4 shall apply similarly and equally to successive Fundamental Transactions and Corporate Events.
5. NONCIRCUMVENTION. The Company hereby covenants and agrees that the Company will not, by amendment of its Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, scheme of arrangement, dissolution, issuance or sale of securities, or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, and will at all times in good faith carry out all of the provisions of this Warrant and take all action as may be required to protect the rights of the Holder. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company (i) shall not increase the par value of any Ordinary Shares receivable upon the exercise of this Warrant above the Exercise Price then in effect, (ii) shall take all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant, and (iii) shall, so long as any of the Warrants are outstanding, take all action necessary to reserve and keep available out of its authorized and unissued Ordinary Shares, solely for the purpose of effecting the exercise of the Warrants, the number of Ordinary Shares as shall from time to time be necessary to effect the exercise of the Warrants then outstanding (without regard to any limitations on exercise).
6. WARRANT HOLDER NOT DEEMED A STOCKHOLDER. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, the Holder, solely in such Person’s capacity as a holder of this Warrant, shall not be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed the holder of capital stock of the Company for any purpose, nor shall anything contained in this Warrant be construed to confer upon the Holder, solely in such Person’s capacity as the Holder of this Warrant, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote, give or withhold consent to any corporate action (whether any reorganization, issue of stock, reclassification of stock, consolidation, merger, conveyance or otherwise), receive notice of meetings, receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, prior to the issuance to the Holder of the Warrant Shares which such Person is then entitled to receive upon the due exercise of this Warrant. In addition, nothing contained in this Warrant shall be construed as imposing any liabilities on the Holder to purchase any securities (upon exercise of this Warrant or otherwise) or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liabilities are asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company. Notwithstanding this Section 6, the Company shall provide or make available to the Holder with copies of the same notices and other information given to the stockholders of the Company generally, contemporaneously with the giving thereof to the stockholders, which may be by press release or the filing of a Report on Form 6-K or other filing with the SEC.
| 16 |
7. REISSUANCE OF WARRANTS.
(a) Transfer of Warrant. If this Warrant is to be transferred, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company, whereupon the Company will forthwith deliver upon the order of the Holder a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)), registered as the Holder may request, representing the right to subscribe for the number of Warrant Shares being transferred by the Holder and, if less than the total number of Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant is being transferred, a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)) to the Holder representing the right to subscribe for the number of Warrant Shares not being transferred.
(b) Lost, Stolen or Mutilated Warrant. Upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant (as to which a written certification and the indemnification contemplated below shall suffice as such evidence), and, in the case of loss, theft or destruction, of any indemnification undertaking by the Holder to the Company in customary and reasonable form (but without the obligation to post a bond) and, in the case of mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation of this Warrant, the Company shall execute and deliver to the Holder a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)) representing the right to subscribe for the Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant.
(c) Exchangeable for Multiple Warrants. This Warrant is exchangeable, upon the surrender hereof by the Holder at the principal office of the Company, for a new Warrant or Warrants (in accordance with Section 7(d)) representing in the aggregate the right to subscribe for the number of Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant, and each such new Warrant will represent the right to subscribe for such portion of such Warrant Shares as is designated by the Holder at the time of such surrender.
(d) Delivery of New Warrants. Whenever the Company is required to deliver a new Warrant pursuant to the terms of this Warrant, such new Warrant (i) shall be of like tenor with this Warrant, (ii) shall represent, as indicated on the face of such new Warrant, the right to subscribe for the Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant (or in the case of a new Warrant being issued pursuant to Section 7(a) or Section 7(c), the Warrant Shares designated by the Holder which, when added to the number of Ordinary Shares underlying the other new Warrants issued in connection with such issuance, does not exceed the number of Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant), (iii) shall have an issuance date, as indicated on the face of such new Warrant which is the same as the Issuance Date, and (iv) shall have the same rights and conditions as this Warrant.
8. NOTICES. Whenever notice is required to be given under this Warrant, including, without limitation, an Exercise Notice, unless otherwise provided herein, such notice shall be given in writing, (i) if delivered (a) from within the domestic United States, by first-class registered or certified airmail, or nationally recognized overnight express courier, postage prepaid, electronic mail or by facsimile or (b) from outside the United States, by International Federal Express, electronic mail or facsimile, and (ii) will be deemed given (A) if delivered by first-class registered or certified mail domestic, three (3) Business Days after so mailed, (B) if delivered by nationally recognized overnight carrier, one (1) Business Day after so mailed, (C) if delivered by International Federal Express, two (2) Business Days after so mailed and (D) at the time of transmission, if delivered by electronic mail to each of the email addresses specified in this Section 8 prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on a Trading Day, (E) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if delivered by electronic mail to each of the email addresses specified in this Section 8 on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on any Trading Day and (F) if delivered by facsimile, upon electronic confirmation of delivery of such facsimile, and will be delivered and addressed as follows:
(i) if to the Company, to:
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company
Mespil Business Centre, Mespil House
Sussex Road, Dublin 4, Ireland
Attention: Haggai Alon, Chief Executive Officer
Email: haggai@securitymattersltd.com
| 17 |
(ii) if to the Holder, at such address or other contact information delivered by the Holder to the Company or as is on the books and records of the Company.
The Company shall provide the Holder with prompt written notice of all actions taken pursuant to this Warrant, including in reasonable detail a description of such action and the reason therefor. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will give written notice to the Holder (i) promptly following any adjustment of the Exercise Price, setting forth in reasonable detail, and certifying, the calculation of such adjustment and (ii) at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date on which the Company closes its books or takes a record (A) with respect to any dividend or distribution upon the Ordinary Shares or (B) for determining rights to vote with respect to any Fundamental Transaction, dissolution or liquidation; provided in each case that such information shall be made known to the public prior to or in conjunction with such notice being provided to the Holder. It is expressly understood and agreed that the time of exercise specified by the Holder in each Exercise Notice shall be definitive and may not be disputed or challenged by the Company.
9. AMENDMENT AND WAIVER. Except as otherwise provided herein, the provisions of this Warrant may be amended or waived and the Company may take any action herein prohibited, or omit to perform any act herein required to be performed by it, only if the Company has obtained the written consent of the Holder. No waiver shall be effective unless it is in writing and signed by an authorized representative of the waiving party.
10. GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION; JURY TRIAL. This Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with, and all questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and performance of this Warrant shall be governed by, the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of New York. The Company hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York and of the United States of America sitting in The City and County of New York for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper. The Company 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 to the Company at the address set forth in Section 8 above or such other address as the Company subsequently delivers to the Holder and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed or operate to preclude the Holder from bringing suit or taking other legal action against the Company in any other jurisdiction to collect on the Company’s obligations to the Holder, to realize on any collateral or any other security for such obligations, or to enforce a judgment or other court ruling in favor of the Holder. If either party shall commence an action, suit or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Warrant, the prevailing party in such action, suit or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for their reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding. THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS WARRANT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
11. DISPUTE RESOLUTION. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise Price or the arithmetic calculation of the Warrant Shares, the Company shall submit the disputed determinations or arithmetic calculations via facsimile or electronic mail within two (2) Business Days of receipt of the Exercise Notice or other event giving rise to such dispute, as the case may be, to the Holder. If the Holder and the Company are unable to agree upon such determination or calculation of the Exercise Price or the Warrant Shares within three (3) Business Days of such disputed determination or arithmetic calculation being submitted to the Holder, then the Company shall, within two (2) Business Days submit via facsimile or electronic mail (a) the disputed determination of the Exercise Price to an independent, reputable investment bank selected by the Company and approved by the Holder or (b) the disputed arithmetic calculation of the Warrant Shares to the Company’s independent, outside accountant. The Company shall cause at its expense the investment bank or the accountant, as the case may be, to perform the determinations or calculations and notify the Company and the Holder of the results no later than ten (10) Business Days from the time it receives the disputed determinations or calculations. Such investment bank’s or accountant’s determination or calculation, as the case may be, shall be binding upon all parties absent demonstrable error.
| 18 |
12. REMEDIES, OTHER OBLIGATIONS, BREACHES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF.
(a) The remedies provided in this Warrant shall be cumulative and in addition to all other remedies available under this Warrant and any 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 right of the Holder to pursue actual damages for any failure by the Company to comply with the terms of this Warrant. 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 of this Warrant shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies, to an injunction restraining any 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 Warrant (including, without limitation, compliance with Section 2 hereof). The issuance of shares and certificates for shares as contemplated hereby upon the exercise of this Warrant shall be made without charge to the Holder or such shares for any issuance tax or other costs in respect thereof, provided that the Company shall not be required to pay any tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance and delivery of any certificate in a name other than the Holder or its agent on its behalf.
(b) If (i) this Warrant is placed in the hands of an attorney for collection or enforcement or is collected or enforced through any legal proceeding or the holder otherwise takes action to collect amounts due under this Warrant or to enforce the provisions of this Warrant or (ii) there occurs any bankruptcy, reorganization, receivership of the Company or other proceedings affecting Company creditors’ rights and involving a claim under this Warrant, then the Company shall pay the costs incurred by the Holder for such collection, enforcement or action or in connection with such bankruptcy, reorganization, receivership or other proceeding, including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and disbursements; provided, however, that the Company shall only be required to pay any such costs under clause (i) of this Section 12(b) if the Holder is the prevailing party in any such collection, enforcement or legal proceeding.
13. TRANSFER. This Warrant and the Warrant Shares may be offered for sale, sold, transferred, pledged or assigned without the consent of the Company.
14. SEVERABILITY; CONSTRUCTION; HEADINGS. If any provision of this Warrant is prohibited by law or otherwise determined to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the provision that would otherwise be prohibited, invalid or unenforceable shall be deemed amended to apply to the broadest extent that it would be valid and enforceable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of such provision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this Warrant so long as this Warrant as so modified continues to express, without material change, the original intentions of the parties as to the subject matter hereof and the prohibited nature, invalidity or unenforceability of the provision(s) in question does not substantially impair the respective expectations or reciprocal obligations of the parties or the practical realization of the benefits that would otherwise be conferred upon the parties. The parties will endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s) with a valid provision(s), the effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s). This Warrant shall be deemed to be jointly drafted by the Company and the Holder and shall not be construed against any Person as the drafter hereof. The headings of this Warrant are for convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Warrant.
15. DISCLOSURE. Upon receipt or delivery by the Company of any notice in accordance with the terms of this Warrant, unless the Company has in good faith determined that the matters relating to such notice do not constitute material, non-public information relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, the Company shall contemporaneously with any such receipt or delivery publicly disclose such material, non-public information on a Report on Form 6-K or otherwise. In the event that the Company believes that a notice contains material, non-public information relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, the Company so shall indicate to such Holder contemporaneously with delivery of such notice, and in the absence of any such indication, the Holder shall be allowed to presume that all matters relating to such notice do not constitute material, non-public information relating to the Company or its subsidiaries.
| 19 |
16. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Warrant, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) “Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person, it being understood for purposes of this definition that “control” of a Person means the power directly or indirectly either to vote 10% or more of the stock having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of such Person or direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person whether by contract or otherwise.
(b) “Attribution Parties” means, collectively, the following Persons and entities: (i) any investment vehicle, including, any funds, feeder funds or managed accounts, currently, or from time to time after the Subscription Date, directly or indirectly managed or advised by the Holder’s investment manager or any of its Affiliates or principals, (ii) any direct or indirect Affiliates of the Holder or any of the foregoing, (iii) any Person acting or who could be deemed to be acting as a Group together with the Holder or any of the foregoing and (iv) any other Persons whose beneficial ownership of the Company’s Ordinary Shares would or could be aggregated with the Holder’s and the other Attribution Parties for purposes of Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act. For clarity, the purpose of the foregoing is to subject collectively the Holder and all other Attribution Parties to the Maximum Percentage.
(c) [Intentionally Omitted]
(d) [Intentionally Omitted]
(e) “Bloomberg” means Bloomberg Financial Markets.
(f) “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.
(g) [Intentionally Omitted]
(h) [Intentionally Omitted]
(i) [Intentionally Omitted]
(j) “Eligible Market” means The Nasdaq Capital Market, the NYSE American LLC, The Nasdaq Global Select Market, The Nasdaq Global Market or The New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
(k) “Expiration Date” means the date sixty (60) months after the Initial Exercisability Date or, if such date falls on a day other than a Business Day or on which trading does not take place on the Principal Market (a “Holiday”), the next day that is not a Holiday.
| 20 |
(l) “Fundamental Transaction” means (A) that the Company shall, directly or indirectly, including through subsidiaries, Affiliates or otherwise, in one or more related transactions, (i) consolidate or merge with or into (whether or not the Company is the surviving corporation) another Subject Entity, or (ii) sell, assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company or any of its “significant subsidiaries” (as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) to one or more Subject Entities, or (iii) make, or allow one or more Subject Entities to make, or allow the Company to be subject to or have its Ordinary Shares be subject to or party to one or more Subject Entities making, a purchase, tender or exchange offer that is accepted by the holders of at least either (x) 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, (y) 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares calculated as if any Ordinary Shares held by all Subject Entities making or party to, or Affiliated with any Subject Entities making or party to, such purchase, tender or exchange offer were not outstanding; or (z) such number of Ordinary Shares such that all Subject Entities making or party to, or Affiliated with any Subject Entity making or party to, such purchase, tender or exchange offer, become collectively the beneficial owners (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act) of at least 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, or (iv) consummate a stock purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with one or more Subject Entities whereby all such Subject Entities, individually or in the aggregate, acquire, either (x) at least 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, (y) at least 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares calculated as if any Ordinary Shares held by all the Subject Entities making or party to, or Affiliated with any Subject Entity making or party to, such stock purchase agreement or other business combination were not outstanding; or (z) such number of Ordinary Shares such that the Subject Entities become collectively the beneficial owners (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act) of at least 50% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares, or (v) reorganize, recapitalize or reclassify its Ordinary Shares, (B) that the Company shall, directly or indirectly, including through subsidiaries, Affiliates or otherwise, in one or more related transactions, allow any Subject Entity individually or the Subject Entities in the aggregate to be or become the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act), directly or indirectly, whether through acquisition, purchase, assignment, conveyance, tender, tender offer, exchange, reduction in outstanding Ordinary Shares, merger, consolidation, business combination, reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off, scheme of arrangement, reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification or otherwise in any manner whatsoever, of either (x) at least 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares, (y) at least 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares not held by all such Subject Entities as of the Subscription Date calculated as if any Ordinary Shares held by all such Subject Entities were not outstanding, or (z) a percentage of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares or other equity securities of the Company sufficient to allow such Subject Entities to effect a statutory short form merger or other transaction requiring other stockholders of the Company to surrender their Ordinary Shares without approval of the stockholders of the Company or (C) directly or indirectly, including through subsidiaries, Affiliates or otherwise, in one or more related transactions, the issuance of or the entering into any other instrument or transaction structured in a manner to circumvent, or that circumvents, the intent of this definition in which case this definition shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this definition to the extent necessary to correct this definition or any portion of this definition which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended treatment of such instrument or transaction.
(m) “Fixed Price” means $0.10.
(n) “Group” means a “group” as that term is used in Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act and as defined in Rule 13d-5 thereunder.
(o) [Intentionally Omitted]
(p) “Ordinary Shares” means (i) the Company’s ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and (ii) any capital stock into which such Ordinary Shares shall have been changed or any capital stock resulting from a reclassification of such Ordinary Shares.
(q) “Parent Entity” of a Person means an entity that, directly or indirectly, controls the applicable Person, including such entity whose ordinary shares or equivalent equity security is quoted or listed on an Eligible Market (or, if so elected by the Holder, any other market, exchange or quotation system), or, if there is more than one such Person or such entity, the Person or such entity designated by the Holder or in the absence of such designation, such Person or entity with the largest public market capitalization as of the date of consummation of the Fundamental Transaction.
(r) “Person” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization, any other entity and a government or any department or agency thereof.
(s) “Principal Market” means The Nasdaq Global Market.
(t) “Requisite Holders” means the holders of the Warrants representing a majority of the Ordinary Shares underlying the Warrants then outstanding.
| 21 |
(u) “Standard Settlement Period” means the standard settlement period, expressed in a number of Trading Days, for the Company’s primary trading market or quotation system with respect to the Ordinary Shares that is in effect on the date of receipt of an applicable Exercise Notice.
(v) “Subject Entity” means any Person, Persons or Group or any Affiliate or associate of any such Person, Persons or Group.
(w) “Successor Entity” means one or more Person or Persons (or, if so elected by the Holder, the Company or Parent Entity) formed by, resulting from or surviving any Fundamental Transaction or one or more Person or Persons (or, if so elected by the Holder, the Company or the Parent Entity) with which such Fundamental Transaction shall have been entered into.
(x) “Trading Day” means any day on which the Ordinary Shares is traded on the Principal Market, or, if the Principal Market is not the principal trading market for the Ordinary Shares, then on the principal securities exchange or securities market on which the Ordinary Shares is then traded.
(y) “Transaction Documents” means any agreement entered into by and between the Company and the Holder, as applicable.
(z) “Transfer Agent” means Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the transfer agent of the Company as of the Initial Exercisability Date, with a mailing address of 1 State Street 30th Floor, New York, NY 10004-1561, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.
[Signature Page Follows]
| 22 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares to be duly executed as of the Issuance Date set out above.
| SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | Haggai Alon | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
[Signature Page to Warrant to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares]
Annex A
EXERCISE NOTICE
TO BE EXECUTED BY THE REGISTERED HOLDER TO EXERCISE THIS
WARRANT TO SUBSCRIBE FOR ORDINARY SHARES
SMX (SECURITY MATTERS) PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY
The undersigned holder hereby exercises the right to subscribe for ______________ Ordinary Shares (“Warrant Shares”) of SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), evidenced by the attached Warrant to Subscribe For Ordinary Shares (the “Warrant”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Warrant.
1. Form of Exercise Price. The holder intends that payment of the Exercise Price shall be made as:
______________ a “Cash Exercise” with respect to ______________ Warrant Shares; and/or
______________ a “Cashless Exercise” with respect to ______________ Warrant Shares.
2. Payment of Exercise Price. In the event that the holder has elected a Cash Exercise with respect to some or all of the Warrant Shares to be issued pursuant hereto, the holder shall pay the Aggregate Exercise Price in the sum of $ _________ to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Warrant.
3. Delivery of Warrant Shares. The Company shall deliver to the holder ______________ Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms of the Warrant.
Date: __________________
| Name of Registered Holder | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The Company hereby acknowledges this Exercise Notice and hereby directs Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company to issue the above indicated number of Ordinary Shares on or prior to the applicable Share Delivery Date.
| SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
Exhibit 5.1
Our Reference: SM116/006
12 June 2023
PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL
EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC
590 Madison Avenue, 39th Floor
New York, NY 10022
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company
Mespil Business Centre, Mespil House
Sussex Road, Dublin 4, Ireland
D04 T4A6
| Re: | SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company |
To whom it may concern,
| 1. | Basis of Opinion (the “Opinion”) |
| 1.1 | We are acting as Irish legal counsel to SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company, a public company limited by shares incorporated under the laws of Ireland under company registration number 722009 (the “Company”) in connection with the registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-272503) filed by the Company on 7 June 2023 with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), as amended from time to time (the “Registration Statement”), in connection with: |
| (a) | the issue on the date of the Transaction (as defined below) of ordinary shares of US$0.0001 each in the capital of the Company (the “Shares”); | ||
| (b) | the issue of on the date of the Transaction warrants to subscribe for ordinary shares of US$0.0001 each in the capital of the Company (the “Warrants”); | ||
| (c) | the issue of ordinary shares of US$0.0001 each in the capital of the Company pursuant to the exercise of the Warrants (the “Warrant Shares”); and |
| (d) | the issue following the Transaction of ordinary shares of US$0.0001 each in the capital of the Company (the “Option Shares”), warrants to subscribe for ordinary shares of US$0.0001 each in the capital of the Company (the “Option Warrants”) and ordinary shares of US$0.0001 each in the capital of the Company pursuant to the exercise of the Option Warrants (the “Option Warrants Shares”) pursuant to section 1.2 of the Underwriting Agreement between EF Hutton and the Company dated in or about the date of the Transaction (the Shares, the Warrants, the Warrant Shares, the Option Shares, the Option Warrants and the Option Warrants Shares are hereinafter referred to as the “Securities”); |
which could result in the issue of up to an aggregate of 3,000,000,000 ordinary shares of US$0.0001 each in the capital of the Company (together with the transactions contemplated by the Registration Statement, the “Transaction”).
| 1.2 | This Opinion is confined to and given in all respects on the basis of the laws of Ireland (meaning Ireland exclusive of Northern Ireland) in force as at the date of this Opinion as currently applied by the courts of Ireland and, in relation to the opinion on taxation set out in paragraph 2.5, is given also on the basis of our understanding of the practices of the Irish Revenue Commissioners on the date hereof. We have made no investigations of, and we express no opinion as to the laws of, any other jurisdiction or their effect on this Opinion. This Opinion speaks only as of its date. We assume no obligation to update this Opinion at any time in the future or to advise you of any change in law, change in interpretation of law or change in the practice of the Irish Revenue Commissioners, which may occur after the date of this Opinion. | |
| 1.3 | This Opinion is also strictly confined to: |
| (a) | the matters expressly stated herein and is not to be read as extending by implication or otherwise to any other matter; | ||
| (b) | the Transaction; and | ||
| (c) | the searches listed at paragraph 1.5 below. |
| 1.4 | In giving this Opinion, we have examined copies of the draft documents referred to in Schedule 1 (the “Documents”) sent to us by email in pdf or other electronic format. | |
| 1.5 | For the purpose of giving this Opinion, we have caused to be made against the Company on or around the date hereof a search on the file of the Company maintained by the Registrar of Companies in Dublin for mortgages, debentures or similar charges or notices thereof and for the appointment of any receiver, examiner or liquidator (the “Searches”). | |
| 1.6 | This Opinion is governed by and is to be construed in accordance with the laws of Ireland as interpreted by the courts of Ireland at the date of this Opinion. | |
| 1.7 | Save as set out in paragraph 2.5, no opinion is expressed as to the taxation consequences of any of the Transaction or matters referred to in the Registration Statement or the transactions referred to therein or contemplated thereby. | |
| 1.8 | The opinion set out in paragraph 2.5 represents only our interpretation of Irish tax laws and has no binding, legal effect on, without limitation, the Irish Revenue Commissioners or any court. It is possible that contrary positions may be asserted by the Irish Revenue Commissioners and that one or more courts may sustain such contrary positions. The authorities upon which we rely may change at any time, potentially with retroactive effect. No assurances can be given as to the effect of any such changes on the conclusions expressed in paragraph 2.5. |
| 2. | Opinion |
Subject to the assumptions set out in this Opinion and to any matters not disclosed to us, we are of the opinion that:
| 2.1 | the Company is a public limited company, is duly incorporated and validly existing under the laws of Ireland and has the requisite corporate authority to offer the Securities; | |
| 2.2 | the Securities, when issued by the Company in accordance with the terms of the Documents, will have been duly authorised pursuant to resolutions of the board of directors of the Company or a duly appointed committee thereof (referred to in Schedule 1); | |
| 2.3 | the Warrants, when issued as set forth in the Registration Statement, will be legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms; | |
| 2.4 | upon the issuance of the Shares and/or Warrant Shares in accordance with the Documents, such Shares and Warranty Shares will be validly offered fully paid or credited as fully paid and non-assessable (which term means that no further sums are required to be paid by the holders thereof in connection with the issuance of the Shares and/or Warrant Shares); and | |
| 2.5 | subject to the foregoing and the qualifications and limitations set forth in the Registration Statement, the discussion of the Irish tax consequences described in the Registration Statement under the heading “Certain Material Irish Tax Considerations To Non-Irish Holders”, to the extent that it describes Irish tax laws or legal conclusions with respect thereto, is an accurate summary of the tax consequences described therein in all material respects and such statements constitute our opinion. |
| 3. | Assumptions |
For the purpose of giving this Opinion we assume the following, without any responsibility on our part if any assumption proves to have been untrue as we have not verified independently any assumption:
The Documents
| 3.1 | that the Documents are executed in the form reviewed by us and remain on the date of the Transaction and the date of issue of any Warrant Shares (i) in those forms and (ii) legally valid on the date of the Transaction; |
Registration Statement and the Securities
| 3.2 | that the Registration Statement will have become effective under the Securities Act and that the Company complies with the statements set out therein; | |
| 3.3 | that the relevant parties will pay in full all amounts that they have agreed to subscribe for the Securities; |
| 3.4 | that the Shares will be offered in accordance with (i) the appropriate resolutions and authorities of the shareholders and directors of the Company and (ii) the terms of the Registration Statement; | |
| 3.5 | that there shall be no fraud on the part of the Company and its respective officers, employees, agents and advisers and that the Company will effect the issuance of the Securities in good faith, for its legitimate and bona fide business purposes; | |
| 3.6 | that (i) the Securities will be quoted on the Global Market of the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC at the time of the issuance of the Securities and will continue to be so quoted or (ii) the Securities will not derive their value or the greater part of their value directly or indirectly from land in Ireland, minerals in Ireland or any rights, interests or other assets in relation to mining or minerals or the searching for minerals or exploration or exploitation rights on the Irish continental shelf; |
Authenticity and bona fides
| 3.7 | the completeness and authenticity of all Documents submitted to us as originals or copies of originals (and in the case of copies, conformity to the originals of such copies), the genuineness of all signatories, stamps and seals thereon and where incomplete or draft Documents have been submitted to us that the original executed versions of such Documents are identical to the last draft of the Documents submitted to us; | |
| 3.8 | that the copies produced to us of minutes of meetings and/or resolutions are true and correct copies of the originals documents, and the signatures on such documents are genuine; | |
| 3.9 | that the representations contained in the certificate of a director of the Company dated on or around the date hereof (the “Officer’s Certificate”) are correct as to questions of fact; | |
| 3.10 | that the persons identified as the directors of the Company are actually serving as such and that any certificates representing the Securities will be properly executed by one or more such persons; |
Constitution, Agreements and Resolutions
| 3.11 | that the constitution of the Company referred to in the Documents is the current constitution of the Company and that there were no other terms governing the Securities other than those set out in the constitution and the Documents; | |
| 3.12 | all director and shareholder resolutions required to authorise the issuance of the Securities have been validly passed prior to the issuance of the Securities, and shall not have been revoked, rescinded or amended; |
Accuracy of Searches and Warranties
| 3.13 | the accuracy and completeness of the information disclosed in the Searches and that such information has not since the time of such Searches or enquiry been altered. It should be noted that searches at the Companies Registration Office, Dublin, do not necessarily reveal whether or not a prior charge has been created or a resolution has been passed or any other action taken for the winding-up of or the appointment of a receiver or an examiner to the Company; and |
| 3.14 | the truth, completeness and accuracy of all representations and statements as to factual matters contained in the Documents. |
| 4. | Disclosure |
| 4.1 | This Opinion is addressed to you in connection with the registration of the Securities with the SEC. We hereby consent to the inclusion of this Opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement to be filed with the SEC and to the use of our name in the proxy statement/prospectus that forms part of the Registration Statement. |
| Yours faithfully, | |
| /s/ Arthur Cox LLP | |
| ARTHUR COX LLP |
SCHEDULE 1
DOCUMENTS EXAMINED
| 1. | The Registration Statement and the documents incorporated by reference therein. | |
| 2. | The Underwriting Agreement. | |
| 3. | The constitution of the Company, as at the date of this Opinion. | |
| 4. | The Officer’s Certificate dated on or around the date hereof. | |
| 5. | Certificate of Incorporation of the Company on registration as a public limited company dated 1 July 2022. | |
| 6. | Certificate of Incorporation on Change of Name of the Company dated 17 February 2023. | |
| 7. | Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company approving the Transaction. | |
| 8. | Form of Warrant A - SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company - Warrant to Purchase Ordinary Shares. | |
| 9. | Form of Warrant B - SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company - Warrant to Purchase Ordinary Shares. | |
| 10. | Form of Pre-Funded Warrant A - SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company – Pre-Funded Warrant to Subscribe for Ordinary Shares. | |
| 11. | Ordinary Shares Purchase Warrant for the Purchase of Ordinary Shares of SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company. | |
| 12. | The Searches. |
Exhibit 10.59
Execution Version
NEITHER THIS NOTE NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THIS NOTE IS CONVERTIBLE HAVE BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE. THESE SECURITIES HAVE BEEN SOLD 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.
SMX (SECURITY MATTERS) PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY
Convertible Promissory Note
Original Principal Amount: $2,000,000
Issuance Date: May 23, 2023
Number: SMX-2
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, SMX (SECURITY MATTERS) PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY, an public limited company organized under the laws of Ireland (the “Company”), hereby promises to pay to the order of YA II PN, LTD., or its registered assigns (the “Holder”), the amount set out above as the Original Principal Amount (as reduced pursuant to the terms hereof pursuant to repayment, redemption, conversion or otherwise, the “Principal”) and Payment Premium, in each case when due, and to pay interest (“Interest”) on any outstanding Principal at the applicable Interest Rate (as defined below) from the date set out above as the Issuance Date (the “Issuance Date”) until the same becomes due and payable, whether upon the Maturity Date or acceleration, conversion, redemption or otherwise (in each case in accordance with the terms hereof). Certain capitalized terms used herein are defined in Section (13). The Issuance Date is the date of the first issuance of this Convertible Promissory Note (the “Note”) regardless of the number of transfers and regardless of the number of instruments, which may be issued to evidence such Note. This Note was issued with an 8% original issue discount.
This Note is being issued pursuant to Section 3.01 of the Reciprocal Standby Equity Purchase Agreement, dated February 23, 2023 (as may be amended, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “SEPA”), between the Company and the Investor.
(1) GENERAL TERMS
(a) Maturity Date. On the Maturity Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder an amount in cash representing all outstanding Principal, plus the Payment Premium (if applicable), accrued and unpaid Interest, and any other amounts outstanding pursuant to the terms of this Note. The “Maturity Date” shall be May 23, 2024, as may be extended at the option of the Holder. Other than as specifically permitted by this Note, the Company may not prepay or redeem any portion of the outstanding Principal and accrued and unpaid Interest
(b) Interest Rate and Payment of Interest. Interest shall accrue on the outstanding Principal balance hereof at an annual rate equal to 0% (“Interest Rate”), which Interest Rate shall increase to an annual rate of 15% upon an Event of Default for so long as it remains uncured. Interest shall be calculated based on a 365-day year and the actual number of days elapsed, to the extent permitted by applicable law.
(c) Monthly Payments. If, any time after the Issuance Date set forth above, and from time to time thereafter, a Trigger Event occurs, then the Company shall make monthly payments beginning on the 10th Trading Days after the Trigger Date and continuing on the same day of each successive Calendar Month. Each monthly payment shall be in an amount equal to the sum of (i) $500,000 of Principal in the aggregate among this Note and all Other Notes (or the outstanding Principal if less than such amount) (the “Triggered Principal Amount”), plus (ii) the Payment Premium (as defined below) in respect of such Triggered Principal Amount, and (iii) accrued and unpaid interest hereunder as of each payment date. The obligation of the Company to make monthly prepayments hereunder shall cease (with respect to any payment that has not yet come due) if any time after the Trigger Date (A) the daily VWAP is greater than the 110% of the Floor Price a period of 5 consecutive Trading Days in the event of a Floor Price Trigger, or (B) the date the Company has obtained stockholder approval to increase the number of Common Stock under the Exchange Cap and/ or the Exchange Cap no longer applies, in the event of an Exchange Cap Trigger, unless a subsequent Trigger Event occurs.
(d) Optional Redemption. The Company at its option shall have the right, but not the obligation, to redeem (“Optional Redemption”) early a portion or all amounts outstanding under this Note as described in this Section; provided that (i) the trading price of the Common Stock is less than the Fixed Price and (ii) the Company provides the Holder with at least 5 Business Days’ prior written notice (each, a “Redemption Notice”) of its desire to exercise an Optional Redemption. Each Redemption Notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the outstanding balance of the Note to be redeemed and the Redemption Amount. The “Redemption Amount” shall be equal to the outstanding Principal balance being redeemed by the Company, plus the Payment Premium, plus all accrued and unpaid interest. After receipt of the Redemption Notice, the Holder shall have 5 Business Days to elect to convert all or any portion of the Note. On the 6th Business Day after the Redemption Notice, the Company shall deliver to the Holder the Redemption Amount with respect to the Principal amount redeemed after giving effect to conversions effected during the 5 Business Day period.
(e) Payment Dates. 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.
| 2 |
(2) EVENTS OF DEFAULT.
(a) An “Event of Default”, wherever used herein, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason and whether it 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) the Company’s failure to pay to the Holder any amount of Principal, Payment Premium, Interest, or other amounts when and as due under this Note or any other Transaction Document within five (5) Business Days after such payment is due;
(ii) The Company or any Subsidiary of the Company shall commence, or there shall be commenced against the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company under any applicable bankruptcy or insolvency laws as now or hereafter in effect or any successor thereto, or the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company commences any other proceeding under any reorganization, arrangement, adjustment of debt, relief of debtors, dissolution, insolvency or liquidation or similar law of any jurisdiction whether now or hereafter in effect relating to the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company any such bankruptcy, insolvency or other proceeding which remains undismissed for a period of sixty one (61) days; or the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company is adjudicated insolvent or bankrupt; or any order of relief or other order approving any such case or proceeding is entered; or the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company suffers any appointment of any custodian, private or court appointed receiver or the like for it or all or substantially all of its property which continues undischarged or unstayed for a period of sixty one (61) days; or the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company makes a general assignment of all or substantially all of its assets for the benefit of creditors; or the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company shall fail to pay, or shall state that it is unable to pay, or shall be unable to pay, its debts generally as they become due; or the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company shall call a meeting of its creditors with a view to arranging a composition, adjustment or restructuring of its debts; or the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company shall by any act or failure to act expressly indicate its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any of the foregoing; or any corporate or other action is taken by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;
(iii) The Company or any Subsidiary of the Company shall default in any of its obligations under any debenture, 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 of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in an amount exceeding $3,000,000, whether such indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created and such default is not cured within the time prescribed by the documents governing such indebtedness or if no time is prescribed within ten (10) Business Days (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, payables to vendors in the ordinary course of business);
(iv) The Common Stock shall cease to be quoted or listed for trading, as applicable, on any Primary Market for a period of ten (10) consecutive Trading Days;
(v) The Company or any Subsidiary of the Company shall be a party to any Change of Control Transaction (as defined in Section (12)) unless in connection with such Change of Control Transaction this Note is retired;
| 3 |
(vi) the Company’s (A) failure to deliver the required number of shares of Common Stock to the Holder within two (2) Trading Days after the applicable Share Delivery Date or (B) notice, written or oral, to any holder of the Note, including by way of public announcement, at any time, of its intention not to comply with a request for conversion of any Note into shares of Common Stock that is tendered in accordance with the provisions of the Note;
(vii) The Company shall fail for any reason to deliver the payment in cash pursuant to a Buy-In (as defined herein) within five (5) Business Days after such payment is due;
(viii) The Company’s failure to timely file with the Commission any Periodic Report on or before the due date of such filing as established by the Commission, it being understood, for the avoidance of doubt, that due date includes any permitted filing deadline extension under Rule 12b-25 under the Exchange Act;
(ix) Any material provision of any Transaction Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder, ceases to be in full force and effect; or the Company denies in writing that it has any or further liability or obligation under any Transaction Document, or purports in writing to revoke, terminate (other than in line with the relevant termination provisions) or rescind any Transaction Document;
(x) Any representation or warranty made or deemed to be made by the Company in any Transaction Document shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect (or, in the case of any such representation or warranty already qualified by materiality, such representation or warranty shall prove to have been incorrect) when made or deemed made;
(xi) Any Event of Default (as defined in the Other Notes or in any Transaction Document other than this Note) occurs with respect to any Other Notes held by the Holder; or
(xii) The Company shall fail to observe or perform any material covenant, agreement or warranty contained in, or otherwise commit any material breach or default of any provision of this Note (except as may be covered by Section (2)(a)(i) through (2)(a)(xii) hereof) or any Transaction Document, which is not cured within the time prescribed or if no time is prescribed within ten (10) Business Days.
(b) During the time that any portion of this Note is outstanding, if any Event of Default has occurred (other than an event with respect to the Company described in Section (2)(a)(ii)), the full unpaid Principal amount of this Note, together with interest and other amounts owing in respect thereof, to the date of acceleration shall become at the Holder’s election given by notice pursuant to Section (5), immediately due and payable in cash; provided that, in the case of any event with respect to the Company described in Section (2)(a)(ii), the full unpaid Principal amount of this Note, together with interest and other amounts owing in respect thereof to the date of acceleration, shall automatically become due and payable, in each case without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Company. Furthermore, in addition to any other remedies, the Holder shall have the right (but not the obligation) to convert, on one or more occasions all or part of the Note in accordance with Section (3) (and subject to the limitations set out in Section (3)(c)(i) and Section (3)(c)(ii)) at any time after (x) an Event of Default (provided that such Event of Default is continuing) or (y) the Maturity Date at the Conversion Price. The Holder need not provide and the Company hereby waives any presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, (other than required notice of conversion) and the Holder may immediately enforce any and all of its rights and remedies hereunder and all other remedies available to it under applicable law. Such declaration may be rescinded and annulled by the Holder in writing at any time prior to payment hereunder. No such rescission or annulment shall affect any subsequent Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
| 4 |
(3) CONVERSION OF NOTE. This Note shall be convertible into shares of the Company’s Common Stock, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Section (3).
(a) Conversion Right. Subject to the limitations of Section (3)(c), at any time or times on or after the Issuance Date, the Holder shall be entitled to convert any portion of the outstanding and unpaid Conversion Amount into fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock in accordance with Section (3)(b), at the Conversion Price. The number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of any Conversion Amount pursuant to this Section (3)(a) shall be determined by dividing (x) such Conversion Amount by (y) the Conversion Price. The Company shall not issue any fraction of a share of Common Stock upon any conversion. All calculations under this Section (3) shall be rounded to the nearest $0.0001. If the issuance would result in the issuance of a fraction of a share of Common Stock, the Company shall round such fraction of a share of Common Stock up to the nearest whole share. The Company shall pay any and all transfer, stamp and similar taxes that may be payable with respect to the issuance and delivery of Common Stock upon conversion of any Conversion Amount.
(b) Mechanics of Conversion.
(i) Optional Conversion. To convert any Conversion Amount into shares of Common Stock on any date (a “Conversion Date”), the Holder shall (A) transmit by email (or otherwise deliver), for receipt on or prior to 11:59 p.m., New York Time, on such date, a copy of an executed notice of conversion in the form attached hereto as Exhibit I (the “Conversion Notice”) to the Company and (B) if required by Section (3)(b)(iii), surrender this Note to a nationally recognized overnight delivery service for delivery to the Company (or an indemnification undertaking reasonably satisfactory to the Company with respect to this Note in the case of its loss, theft or destruction). On or before the third (3rd) Trading Day following the date of receipt of a Conversion Notice (the “Share Delivery Date”), the Company shall (X) if legends are not required to be placed on certificates of Common Stock and provided that the Transfer Agent is participating in the Depository Trust Company’s (“DTC”) Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program, credit such aggregate number of shares of Common Stock to which the Holder shall be entitled to the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit Withdrawal Agent Commission system or (Y) if the Transfer Agent is not participating in the DTC Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program, issue and deliver to the address as specified in the Conversion Notice, a certificate, registered in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of shares of Common Stock to which the Holder shall be entitled which certificates shall not bear any restrictive legends unless required pursuant to rules and regulations of the Commission. If this Note is physically surrendered for conversion and the outstanding Principal of this Note is greater than the Principal portion of the Conversion Amount being converted, then the Company shall as soon as practicable and in no event later than three (3) Business Days after receipt of this Note and at its own expense, issue and deliver to the holder a new Note representing the outstanding Principal not converted. The Person or Persons entitled to receive the shares of Common Stock issuable upon a conversion of this Note shall be treated for all purposes as the record holder or holders of such shares of Common Stock upon the transmission of a Conversion Notice.
| 5 |
(ii) Company’s Failure to Timely Convert. If within three (3) Trading Days after the Company’s receipt of an email copy of a Conversion Notice the Company shall fail to issue and deliver a certificate to the Holder or credit the Holder’s balance account with DTC for the number of shares of Common Stock to which the Holder is entitled upon such holder’s conversion of any Conversion Amount (a “Conversion Failure”), and if on or after such Trading Day the Holder purchases (in an open market transaction or otherwise) Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of Common Stock issuable upon such conversion that the Holder anticipated receiving from the Company (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall, within three (3) Business Days after the Holder’s request and in the Holder’s discretion, either (i) pay cash to the Holder in an amount equal to the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions and other out of pocket expenses, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased (the “Buy-In Price”), at which point the Company’s obligation to deliver such certificate (and to issue such Common Stock) shall terminate, or (ii) promptly honor its obligation to deliver to the Holder a certificate or certificates representing such Common Stock and pay cash to the Holder in an amount equal to the excess (if any) of the Buy-In Price over the product of (A) such number of shares of Common Stock, times (B) the Closing Price on the Conversion Date.
(iii) Book-Entry. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, upon conversion of any portion of this Note in accordance with the terms hereof, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Note to the Company unless (A) the full Conversion Amount represented by this Note is being converted or (B) the Holder has provided the Company with prior written notice (which notice may be included in a Conversion Notice) requesting reissuance of this Note upon physical surrender of this Note. The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the Principal and Interest converted and the dates of such conversions or shall use such other method, reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and the Company, so as not to require physical surrender of this Note upon conversion.
(c) Limitations on Conversions.
(i) Beneficial Ownership. The Holder shall not have the right to convert any portion of this Note to the extent that after giving effect to such conversion, the Holder, together with any affiliate thereof, would beneficially own (as determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules promulgated thereunder) in excess of 4.99% of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such conversion or receipt of shares as payment of interest. Since the Holder will not be obligated to report to the Company the number of shares of Common Stock it may hold at the time of a conversion hereunder, unless the conversion at issue would result in the issuance of shares of Common Stock in excess of 4.99% of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock without regard to any other shares which may be beneficially owned by the Holder or an affiliate thereof, the Holder shall have the authority and obligation to determine whether the restriction contained in this Section will limit any particular conversion hereunder and to the extent that the Holder determines that the limitation contained in this Section applies, the determination of which portion of the Principal amount of this Note is convertible shall be the responsibility and obligation of the Holder. The provisions of this Section may be waived by a Holder (but only as to itself and not to any other Holder) upon not less than 65 days prior notice to the Company. Other Holders shall be unaffected by any such waiver.
| 6 |
(ii) Principal Market Limitation. Notwithstanding anything in this Note to the contrary, the Company shall not issue any shares of Common Stock upon conversion of this Note, or otherwise, if the issuance of such Common Stock, together with any Common Stock issued in connection the SEPA and with any other related transactions that may be considered part of the same series of transactions, would exceed the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that the Company may issue in a transaction in compliance with the Company’s obligations under the rules or regulations of Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (the “Nasdaq”) and shall be referred to as the “Exchange Cap,” except that such limitation shall not apply if the Company’s stockholders have approved such issuances on such terms in excess of the Exchange Cap in accordance with the rules of the Nasdaq.
(iii) Other Conversion Limitations. The Holder agrees that, except as set forth below, it shall not convert more than an aggregate of $500,000 of Conversion Amount of this Note and any Other Notes held by the Holder in any consecutive 30-day period. The limitations agreed by the Holder in this section shall not apply (i) at any time upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, and (ii) with respect to any conversions where the Conversion Price is greater than or equal to the Fixed Price. This limitation may be waived with the consent of the Company.
(d) Other Provisions.
(i) The execution, delivery and performance of this Note by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby (including, without limitation, the Payments hereunder) (i) will not result in a violation of the articles of incorporation or other organizational documents of the Company or its Subsidiaries, (ii) are not prevented or prohibited by or under any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Company or its Subsidiaries is a party, (iii) will not conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Company or its Subsidiaries is a party, (iv) result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including federal and state securities laws and regulations) applicable to the Company or its Subsidiaries or by which any property or asset of the Company or its Subsidiaries is bound or affected except, in the case of clauses (ii), (iii) or (iv) above, to the extent such violations that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(ii) All calculations under this Section (4) shall be rounded to the nearest $0.0001 or whole share.
| 7 |
(iii) (ii) The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized Common Stock the full number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of all outstanding amounts under this Note (the “Required Reserve Amount”), and within three (3) Business Days following the receipt by the Company of a Holder’s notice that such Required Reserve Amount is not so reserved or insufficient, the Company shall promptly reserve a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock to comply with such requirement. If at any time the number of authorized but unissued Common Stock is less than the Required Reserve Amount, the Company will promptly take all corporate action necessary to propose to its general meeting of shareholders an increase of its authorized share capital necessary to meet the Company’s obligations pursuant to this Note, recommending that shareholders vote in favor of such an increase. If at any time the number of shares of Common Stock that remain available for issuance under the Exchange Cap is less than 100% of the maximum number of shares issuable upon conversion of all the Notes and Other Notes then outstanding (assuming for purposes hereof that (x) the Notes are convertible at the Conversion Price then in effect, and (y) any such conversion shall not take into account any limitations on the conversion of the Note, other than the Floor Price), the Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to promptly call and hold a shareholder meeting for the purpose of seeking the approval of its shareholders as required by the applicable rules of the Principal Market, for issuances of shares in excess of the Exchange Cap. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue actual damages or declare an Event of Default pursuant to Section (2) herein for the Company’s failure to deliver certificates representing shares of Common Stock upon conversion within the period specified herein and such Holder shall have the right to pursue all remedies available to it at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief, in each case without the need to post a bond or provide other security. The exercise of any such rights shall not prohibit the Holder from seeking to enforce damages pursuant to any other Section hereof or under applicable law.
(iv) Legal Opinions. The Company is obligated to cause its legal counsel to deliver legal opinions to the Company’s transfer agent in connection with any legend removal upon the expiration of any holding period or other requirement for which the Underlying Shares may bear legends restricting the transfer thereof. To the extent that are not provided (either timely or at all), then, in addition to being an Event of Default hereunder, the Company agrees to reimburse the Holder for all reasonable costs incurred by the Holder in connection with any legal opinions paid for by the Holder in connection with sale or transfer of Underlying Shares of Common Stock. The Holder shall notify the Company of any such costs and expenses it incurs that are referred to in this section from time to time and all amounts owed hereunder shall be paid by the Company with reasonable promptness.
(e) Adjustment of Conversion Price upon Subdivision or Combination of Common Stock. If the Company, at any time while this Note is outstanding, shall (a) pay a stock dividend or otherwise make a distribution or distributions on shares of its Common Stock or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in shares of Common Stock, (b) subdivide outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (c) combine (including by way of reverse stock split) outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (d) issue by reclassification of shares of the Common Stock any shares of capital stock of the Company, then each of the Fixed Price and the Floor Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding after such event. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification.
| 8 |
(f) Other Corporate Events. In addition to and not in substitution for any other rights hereunder, prior to the consummation of any Fundamental Transaction pursuant to which holders of shares of Common Stock are entitled to receive securities or other assets with respect to or in exchange for shares of Common Stock (a “Corporate Event”), the Company shall make appropriate provision to ensure that the Holder will thereafter have the right to receive upon a conversion of this Note, at the Holder’s option, (i) in addition to the shares of Common Stock receivable upon such conversion, such securities or other assets to which the Holder would have been entitled with respect to such shares of Common Stock had such shares of Common Stock been held by the Holder upon the consummation of such Corporate Event (without taking into account any limitations or restrictions on the convertibility of this Note) or (ii) in lieu of the shares of Common Stock otherwise receivable upon such conversion, such securities or other assets received by the holders of shares of Common Stock in connection with the consummation of such Corporate Event in such amounts as the Holder would have been entitled to receive had this Note initially been issued with conversion rights for the form of such consideration (as opposed to shares of Common Stock) at a conversion rate for such consideration commensurate with the Conversion Price. Provision made pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be in a form and substance satisfactory to the Required Holders. The provisions of this Section shall apply similarly and equally to successive Corporate Events and shall be applied without regard to any limitations on the conversion or redemption of this Note.
(g) Other Corporate Events.
(h) Whenever the Conversion Price is adjusted pursuant to Section (3) hereof, the Company shall promptly provide the Holder with a written notice setting forth the Conversion Price after such adjustment and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.
(i) In case of any (1) merger or consolidation of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company with or into another Person, or (2) sale by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company of more than one-half of the assets of the Company in one or a series of related transactions, a Holder shall have the right to (A) exercise any rights under Section (2)(b), (B) convert the aggregate amount of this Note then outstanding into the shares of stock and other securities, cash and property receivable upon or deemed to be held by holders of Common Stock following such merger, consolidation or sale, and such Holder shall be entitled upon such event or series of related events to receive such amount of securities, cash and property as the shares of Common Stock into which such aggregate Principal amount of this Note could have been converted immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or sales would have been entitled, or (C) in the case of a merger or consolidation, require the surviving entity to issue to the Holder a convertible Note with a Principal amount equal to the aggregate Principal amount of this Note then held by such Holder, plus all accrued and unpaid interest and other amounts owing thereon, which such newly issued convertible Note shall have terms identical (including with respect to conversion) to the terms of this Note, and shall be entitled to all of the rights and privileges of the Holder of this Note set forth herein and the agreements pursuant to which this Note was issued. In the case of clause (C), the conversion price applicable for the newly issued shares of convertible preferred stock or convertible debentures shall be based upon the amount of securities, cash and property that each share of Common Stock would receive in such transaction and the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to the effectiveness or closing date for such transaction. The terms of any such merger, sale or consolidation shall include such terms so as to continue to give the Holder the right to receive the securities, cash and property set forth in this Section upon any conversion or redemption following such event. This provision shall similarly apply to successive such events.
| 9 |
(4) REISSUANCE OF THIS NOTE.
(a) Transfer. If this Note is to be transferred, the Holder shall surrender this Note to the Company, whereupon the Company will forthwith issue and deliver upon the order of the Holder a new Note (in accordance with Section (4)(d)), registered in the name of the registered transferee or assignee, representing the outstanding Principal being transferred by the Holder (along with any accrued and unpaid interest thereof) and, if less then the entire outstanding Principal is being transferred, a new Note (in accordance with Section (4)(d)) to the Holder representing the outstanding Principal not being transferred. The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of this Note, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of Section (3)(b)(iii) following conversion or redemption of any portion of this Note, the outstanding Principal represented by this Note may be less than the Principal stated on the face of this Note.
(b) Lost, Stolen or Mutilated Note. Upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Note, and, in the case of loss, theft or destruction, of any indemnification undertaking by the Holder to the Company in customary form and, in the case of mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation of this Note, the Company shall execute and deliver to the Holder a new Note (in accordance with Section (4)(d)) representing the outstanding Principal.
(c) Note Exchangeable for Different Denominations. This Note is exchangeable, upon the surrender hereof by the Holder at the principal office of the Company, for a new Note or Notes (in accordance with Section (4)(d)) representing in the aggregate the outstanding Principal of this Note, and each such new Note will represent such portion of such outstanding Principal as is designated by the Holder at the time of such surrender.
(d) Issuance of New Notes. Whenever the Company is required to issue a new Note pursuant to the terms hereof, such new Note (i) shall be of like tenor with this Note, (ii) shall represent, as indicated on the face of such new Note, the Principal remaining outstanding (or in the case of a new Note being issued pursuant to Section 5(4)(a) or Section 5(4)(c), the Principal designated by the Holder which, when added to the Principal represented by the other new Note issued in connection with such issuance, does not exceed the Principal remaining outstanding under this Note immediately prior to such issuance of new Note), (iii) shall have an issuance date, as indicated on the face of such new Note, which is the same as the Issuance Date of this Note, (iv) shall have the same rights and conditions as this Note, and (v) shall represent accrued and unpaid Interest from the Issuance Date.
| 10 |
(5) NOTICES. Any notices, consents, waivers or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms hereof must be in writing by letter and email and will be deemed to have been delivered: upon the later of (A) either (i) receipt, when delivered personally or (ii) one (1) Business Day after deposit with an overnight courier service with next day delivery specified, in each case, properly addressed to the party to receive the same and (B) receipt, when sent by electronic mail. The addresses and e-mail addresses for such communications shall be:
| If to the Company, to: | SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company | |
|
Mespil Business Centre Mespil House Sussex Road Dublin 4 D04 T4A6 Attention: Haggai Alon Email: haggai@securitymattersltd.com | ||
| with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to: |
Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, P.C. 1425 RXR Plaza East Tower, 15th Floor Uniondale, NY 11556 Attention: Stephen E. Fox, Esq. Email: SFox@rmfpc.com | |
| If to the Holder: | YA II PN, Ltd | |
|
c/o Yorkville Advisors Global, LLC 1012 Springfield Avenue | ||
| Mountainside, NJ 07092 | ||
| Attention: Mark Angelo | ||
| Telephone: 201-985-8300 | ||
| Email: Legal@yorkvilleadvisors.com |
or at such other address and/or email and/or to the attention of such other person as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to each other party three (3) Business Days prior to the effectiveness of such change. Written confirmation of receipt (i) given by the recipient of such notice, consent, waiver or other communication, (ii) electronically generated by the sender’s email service provider containing the time, date, recipient email address or (iii) provided by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, shall be rebuttable evidence of personal service, receipt by facsimile or receipt from a nationally recognized overnight delivery service in accordance with clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, respectively.
(1) Except as expressly provided herein, no provision of this Note shall alter or impair the obligations of the Company, which are absolute and unconditional, to pay the Principal of, interest and other charges (if any) on, this Note at the time, place, and rate, and in the currency, herein prescribed. This Note is a direct obligation of the Company. As long as this Note is outstanding, the Company shall not and shall cause their subsidiaries not to, enter into any agreement to adversely affect any rights of the Holder.
| 11 |
(2) This Note shall not entitle the Holder to any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company, including without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends and other distributions, or to receive any notice of, or to attend, meetings of stockholders or any other proceedings of the Company, unless and to the extent converted into shares of Common Stock in accordance with the terms hereof.
(3) CHOICE OF LAW; VENUE; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL
(a) Governing Law. This Note and the rights and obligations of the Parties hereunder shall, in all respects, be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws (excluding the principles of conflict of laws) of the State of New York (the “Governing Jurisdiction”) (including Section 5-1401 and Section 5-1402 of the General Obligations Law of the State of New York), including all matters of construction, validity and performance.
(b) Jurisdiction; Venue; Service.
(i) The Company hereby irrevocably consents to the non-exclusive personal jurisdiction of the state courts of the Governing Jurisdiction and, if a basis for federal jurisdiction exists, the non-exclusive personal jurisdiction of any United States District Court for the Governing Jurisdiction.
(ii) The Company agrees that venue shall be proper in any court of the Governing Jurisdiction selected by the Holder or, if a basis for federal jurisdiction exists, in any United States District Court in the Governing Jurisdiction. The Company waives any right to object to the maintenance of any suit, claim, action, litigation or proceeding of any kind or description, whether in law or equity, whether in contract or in tort or otherwise, in any of the state or federal courts of the Governing Jurisdiction on the basis of improper venue or inconvenience of forum.
(iii) Any suit, claim, action, litigation or proceeding of any kind or description, whether in law or equity, whether in contract or tort or otherwise, brought by the Company against the Holder arising out of or based upon this Note or any matter relating to this Note, or any other Transaction Document, or any contemplated transaction, shall be brought in a court only in the Governing Jurisdiction. The Company shall not file any counterclaim against the Holder in any suit, claim, action, litigation or proceeding brought by the Holder against the Company in a jurisdiction outside of the Governing Jurisdiction unless under the rules of the court in which the Holder brought such suit, claim, action, litigation or proceeding the counterclaim is mandatory, and not permissive, and would be considered waived unless filed as a counterclaim in the suit, claim, action, litigation or proceeding instituted by the Holder against the Company. The Company agrees that any forum outside the Governing Jurisdiction is an inconvenient forum and that any suit, claim, action, litigation or proceeding brought by the Company against the Holder in any court outside the Governing Jurisdiction should be dismissed or transferred to a court located in the Governing Jurisdiction. Furthermore, the Company irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that it will not bring or commence any suit, claim, action, litigation or proceeding of any kind or description, whether in law or equity, whether in contract or in tort or otherwise, against the Holder arising out of or based upon this Note or any matter relating to this Note, or any other Transaction Document, or any contemplated transaction, in any forum other than the courts of the State of New York sitting in New York County, and the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court from any thereof, and each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally submits to the jurisdiction of such courts and agrees that all claims in respect of any such suit, claim, action, litigation or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State Court or, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, in such federal court. The Company and the Holder agree that a final judgment in any such suit, claim, action, litigation 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.
| 12 |
(iv) The Company and the Holder irrevocably consent to the service of process out of any of the aforementioned courts in any such suit, claim, action, litigation or proceeding by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail postage prepaid, to it at the address provided for notices in this Note, such service to become effective thirty (30) days after the date of mailing.
(v) Nothing herein shall affect the right of the Holder to serve process in any other manner permitted by law or to commence legal proceedings or to otherwise proceed against the Company or any other Person in the Governing Jurisdiction or in any other jurisdiction.
(c) THE PARTIES MUTUALLY WAIVE ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ALL CLAIMS OF ANY KIND ARISING OUT OF OR BASED UPON THIS NOTE OR ANY MATTER RELATING TO THIS NOTE, OR ANY OTHER TRANSACTION DOCUMENT, OR ANY CONTEMPLATED TRANSACTION. THE PARTIES ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS A WAIVER OF A LEGAL RIGHT AND THAT THE PARTIES EACH MAKE THIS WAIVER VOLUNTARILY AND KNOWINGLY AFTER CONSULTATION WITH COUNSEL OF THEIR RESPECTIVE CHOICE. THE PARTIES AGREE THAT ALL SUCH CLAIMS SHALL BE TRIED BEFORE A JUDGE OF A COURT HAVING JURISDICTION, WITHOUT A JURY.
(4) If the Company fails to strictly comply with the terms of this Note, then the Company shall reimburse the Holder promptly for all fees, costs and expenses, including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Holder in any action in connection with this Note, including, without limitation, those incurred: (i) during any workout, attempted workout, and/or in connection with the rendering of legal advice as to the Holder’s rights, remedies and obligations, (ii) collecting any sums which become due to the Holder, (iii) defending or prosecuting any proceeding or any counterclaim to any proceeding or appeal; or (iv) the protection, preservation or enforcement of any rights or remedies of the Holder.
(5) Any waiver by the Holder of a breach of any provision of this Note 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 Note. The failure of the Holder to insist upon strict adherence to any term of this Note 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 Note. Any waiver must be in writing.
| 13 |
(6) If any provision of this Note is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the balance of this Note 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 shall violate applicable laws governing usury, the applicable rate of interest due hereunder shall automatically be lowered to equal the maximum permitted rate of interest. 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 Note as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, or which may affect the covenants or the performance of this indenture, 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 impeded 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.
(7) CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Note, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) “Bloomberg” means Bloomberg Financial Markets.
(b) “Business Day” means any day except Saturday, Sunday and any day which shall be a federal legal holiday in the United States or a day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law or other government action to close.
(c) “Buy-In” shall have the meaning set forth in Section (3)(b)(ii).
(d) “Buy-In Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section (3)(b)(ii).
(e) “Change of Control Transaction” means the occurrence 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 fifty percent (50%) of the voting power of the Company (except that the acquisition of voting securities by the Holder or any other current holder of convertible securities of the Company shall not constitute a Change of Control Transaction for purposes hereof), (b) a replacement at one time or over time of more than one-half of the members of the board of directors of the Company (other than as due to the death or disability of a member 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), (c) the merger, consolidation or sale of fifty percent (50%) or more of the assets of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in one or a series of related transactions with or into another entity, or (d) 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 above in (a), (b) or (c). No transfer to a wholly-owned Subsidiary shall be deemed a Change of Control Transaction under this provision.
| 14 |
(f) “Closing Price” means the price per share in the last reported trade of the Common Stock on a Primary Market or on the exchange which the Common Stock is then listed as quoted by Bloomberg.
(g) “Commission” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
(h) “Conversion Amount” means the portion of the Principal, Interest, or other amounts outstanding under this Note to be converted, redeemed or otherwise with respect to which this determination is being made.
(i) “Conversion Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section (3)(b)(i).
(j) “Conversion Failure” shall have the meaning set forth in Section (3)(b)(ii).
(k) “Conversion Notice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section (3)(b)(i).
(l) “Conversion Price” means, as of any Conversion Date or other date of determination the lower of (i) $3.65 per share of Common Stock (the “Fixed Price”), or (ii) 93% of the lowest daily VWAP during the 7 consecutive Trading Days immediately preceding the Conversion Date or other date of determination (the “Variable Price”), but not lower than the Floor Price. The Conversion Price shall be adjusted from time to time pursuant to the other terms and conditions of this Note.
(m) “Calendar Month” means one of the months as named in the calendar.
(n) “Common Stock” means the ordinary shares, par value $0.0001, of the Company and stock of any other class into which such shares may hereafter be changed or reclassified.
(o) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(p) “Floor Price” means the lower of (i) $0.50 per share, or $0.20506 (which is 20% of the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately prior to the effectiveness of the initial Underlying Shares Registration Statement).
| 15 |
(q) “Fundamental Transaction” means any of the following: (1) the Company effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person and the Company is the non-surviving company (other than a merger or consolidation with a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company for the purpose of redomiciling the Company), (2) the Company effects any sale of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (3) any tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Common Stock are permitted to tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property, or (4) the Company effects any reclassification 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.
(r) “Other Notes” means any other notes issued pursuant to the SEPA and any other debentures, notes, or other instruments issued in exchange, replacement, or modification of the foregoing.
(s) “Payment Premium” means 7% of the Principal amount being paid.
(t) “Periodic Reports” shall mean the Company’s (i) Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022, and (ii) all other reports required to be filed by the Company with the Commission under applicable laws and regulations (including, without limitation, Regulation S-K) for so long as any amounts are outstanding under this Note or any Other Note; provided that all such Periodic Reports shall include, when filed, all information, financial statements, audit reports (when applicable) and other information required to be included in such Periodic Reports in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
(u) “Person” means a corporation, an association, a partnership, organization, a business, an individual, a government or political subdivision thereof or a governmental agency.
(v) “Primary Market” shall mean the Nasdaq Stock Market; provided however, that in the event the share of Common Stock are ever listed or traded on the New York Stock Exchange, or the NYSE American, then the “Principal Market” shall mean such other market or exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are then listed or traded to the extent such other market or exchange is the principal trading market or exchange for the Common Stock.
(w) “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(x) “Share Delivery Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section (3)(b)(i).
(y) “Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, association, partnership or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of capital stock or other interests (including partnership interests) entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers, general partners or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person; (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person; or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.
(z) “Trading Day” means a day on which the shares of Common Stock are quoted or traded on a Primary Market on which the shares of Common Stock are then quoted or listed; provided, that in the event that the shares of Common Stock are not listed or quoted, then Trading Day shall mean a Business Day.
| 16 |
(aa) “Transaction Document” means, each of, the Other Notes, the SEPA, the Registration Rights Agreement and any and all documents, agreements, instruments or other items executed or delivered in connection with any of the foregoing.
(bb) “Trigger Event” shall mean (i) the daily VWAP is less than the Floor Price for five Trading Days during a period of seven consecutive Trading Days (a “Floor Price Trigger”), or (ii) the Company has issued in excess of 95% of the Common Stock available under the Exchange Cap (an “Exchange Cap Trigger”) (the last such day of each such occurrence, a “Trigger Date”).
(cc) “Triggered Principal Amount” shall have the meaning set forth in Section (1)(c).
(dd) “Underlying Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of this Note or as payment of interest in accordance with the terms hereof.
(ee) “Underlying Shares Registration Statement” means a registration statement meeting the requirements set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement, covering among other things the resale of the Underlying Shares and naming the Holder as a “selling stockholder” thereunder.
(ff) “VWAP” means, for any security as of any date, the daily dollar volume-weighted average price for such security on the Primary Market during regular trading hours as reported by Bloomberg through its “Historical Prices – Px Table with Average Daily Volume” functions.
[Signature Page Follows]
| 17 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Convertible Promissory Note to be duly executed by a duly authorized officer as of the date set forth above.
| COMPANY: | ||
| SMX (SECURITY MATTERS) PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY | ||
| By: | /s/ Haggai Alon | |
| Name: | Haggai Alon | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
EXHIBIT I
CONVERSION NOTICE
(To be executed by the Holder in order to Convert the Note)
TO: SMX (SECURITY MATTERS) PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY
Via Email:
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to convert a portion of the outstanding and unpaid Conversion Amount of the Convertible Promissory Note issued on May 23, 2023 (No. SMX-2) into Shares of Common Stock of SMX (SECURITY MATTERS) PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY, according to the conditions stated therein, as of the Conversion Date written below.
| Conversion Date: | |
| Principal Amount to be Converted: | |
| Accrued Interest to be Converted: | |
| Total Conversion Amount to be converted: | |
| Fixed Price: | |
| Variable Price: | |
| Applicable Conversion Price: | |
| Number of shares of Common Stock to be issued: |
| Please issue the shares of Common Stock in the following name and deliver them to the following account: | |
| Issue to: | |
| Broker DTC Participant Code: | |
| Account Number: | |
| Authorized Signature: | |
| Name: | |
| Title: | |
Exhibit 21.1
Subsidiaries of
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company
Jurisdiction of Incorporation | |
| Securities Matters Ltd. | Israel |
| Securities Matters SAS | France |
| Securities Matters Canada Ltd. | Canada |
| SMX Beverages PTY LTD | Australia |
| Yaholama Technologies INC. | Canada |
| True Gold Consortium PTY Ltd. | Australia |
| SMX Circular Economy Platform PTE LTD | Singapore |
| SMX (Securities Matters) Ireland Limited | Ireland |
Exhibit 107
Calculation of Filing Fee Table
Form F-1
(Form Type)
SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited Company
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Table 1: Newly Registered and Carry Forward Securities
| Security Type | Security Class Title | Fee Calculation Rule or Carry Forward Rule | Amount Registered (1) | Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Unit(2) | Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(1) | Fee Rate | Amount of Registration Fee(2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Fees to be Paid | Equity | Ordinary Shares, $0.0001 par value per share (“Ordinary Shares”) (2) | 457(o) | – | – | $ | 11,500,000 | .00011020 | $ | 1,267.30 | ||||||||||||||||
| Other | Pre-funded Warrants to purchase Ordinary Shares(3) | 457(g) | – | – | – | (3)(4 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Equity | Ordinary Shares underlying Pre-funded Warrants | 457(o) | – | – | $ | – | $ | (3 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
| Other | Warrant A to Purchase Ordinary Shares | 457(g) | – | – | – | (4 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Equity | Ordinary Shares underlying Warrant A | 457(o) | – | – | $ | 11,500,000 | .00011020 | 1,267.30 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Other | Warrant B to Purchase Ordinary Shares | 457(g) | – | – | (4 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Equity | Ordinary Shares underlying Warrant B | 457(o) | – | – | $ | 11,500,000 | .00011020 | 1,267.30 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Fees Previously Paid | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||||||||||||
| Carry Forward Securities | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total Offering Amounts | $ | 34,500,000 | .00011020 | $ | 3,801.90 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Total Fee Offsets | $ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fees Previously Paid | $ | 3,306.00 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net Fee Due | $ | 495.90 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1) | Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the amount of the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Includes shares that the Underwriter has the option to purchase to cover over-allotments, if any. |
| (2) | Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act, this registration statement shall also cover any additional shares of the registrant’s securities that become issuable by reason of any share splits, share dividends or similar transactions. |
| (3) | The registrant may issue pre-funded warrants to purchase Ordinary Shares in the offering. The purchase price of each pre-funded warrant will equal the price per share at which Ordinary Shares are being sold to the public in this offering, minus $0.0001, which constitutes the pre-funded portion of the exercise price, and the remaining unpaid exercise price of the pre-funded warrant will equal $0.0001 per share (subject to adjustment as provided for therein). The proposed maximum aggregate offering price of the Ordinary Shares will be reduced on a dollar-for-dollar basis based on the offering price of any pre-funded warrants issued in the offering, and the proposed maximum aggregate offering price of the pre-funded warrants to be issued in the offering will be reduced on a dollar-for-dollar basis based on the offering price of any Ordinary Shares issued in the offering. Accordingly, the proposed maximum aggregate offering price of the Ordinary Shares and pre-funded warrants (including the Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the pre-funded warrants), if any, is $11,500,000, including the Over-allotment Option, if any. |
| (4) | No separate registration fee is payable pursuant to Rule 457(g) under the Securities Act. |